《The Fox Hole》


 Chapter 1: The Fox Hole and a Fake Exorcist

    Chapter 1: The Fox Hole and a Fake Exorcist


    ¨CHaru¨C


    In my past life, I had a singular dream¡ªone I worked tirelessly to achieve. Years of study and practice went into making my dream into a reality. Fate, however, proved to be a cruel mistress, and despite my efforts, I never realized that dream. A sudden accident cut my life short, leaving all my hard work and training seemingly in vain.


    Or was it?


    Fate wasn''t as big of a bitch as I first thought. She granted me a second chance¡ªan unusual one, but a second chance nonetheless. Eighteen years ago, I was reborn into a new life. A slightly stranger life than my previous one to be sure, but thankfully I was reborn into a modern world.


    Why was my new life strange? That''s because I was not reborn as a human, but as a supernatural creature.


    A kitsune!


    Not just any kitsune either, but the most powerful¡ª a nine-tailed fox! I was born with immense power and potential. The son of Yasaka, the mighty Yokai Queen who essentially ruled over Kyoto, and by extension, Japan itself. Ignorance truly was bliss in this world. The regular humans had no idea how truly outclassed they were by the supernatural.


    I was something far beyond human. I was a creature from ancient myth itself. Nine-tailed foxes are revered as Gods for a reason. We are essentially walking weapons of mass destruction. The training my mother provided only enhanced my natural born OP abilities. I possessed the power to shapeshift into a 30 foot tall demon fox at will. One that could unleash untold devastation upon entire cities!


    ¡­But none of that really interested me. The power was nice, I suppose, but it didn''t help me fulfill my dream.


    My dream of one day owning my own restaurant! Not just any restaurant either, but the greatest the world has ever seen!


    Yes, that was my dream. Cooking was my true passion in my last life and it still was in this one. Years of dedication and study in my last life were devoted to mastering my craft, and mastered it I had. I traveled the world, visited the top restaurants and chef schools. I challenged all the biggest names to cooking battles. All so that one day I would be ready to make a name for myself! And now, here it was, coming to fruition. I had opened my own restaurant at long last.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing that thing where you space out again. Is my food ready yet, nii-chan?¡± my cute little sister asked me, snapping me out of my own daydreams of future culinary glory¡­


    I shook my head, realizing it was rude to make my first ever customers wait. Even if they were my own family. I took the Wok off of the fire and emptied all of the sauteed vegetables onto the plate next to the roasted pork and steamed rice. Finally, I poured the slightly spicy curry sauce over the whole thing


    ¡°Here you go, Kunou,¡± I placed a steaming plate of curry on the bar counter. It wasn¡¯t too spicy or too sweet, just the way my sister liked it.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Nii-chan!¡± Kunou gave me a beaming smile. ¡°Your cooking is the best. Mom¡¯s food can¡¯t compare!¡± She immediately sat up on her stool and started digging in. While children are typically not allowed at the bar in most restaurants, this was my place, my rules.


    ¡°Ara, that¡¯s not a very nice thing to say about your poor mother, Kunou,¡± Yasaka teased her daughter, who was busy shoveling the food into her face so quickly she probably wasn¡¯t even listening. Kunou always got that way when she ate my food. I could see her nine tails swishing behind her happily, so she clearly liked it.


    ¡°She still needs to work on her manners, mom.¡± I said with a small laugh. Kunou had already finished half the plate and was still completely ignoring both of us.


    Yasaka giggled as well. ¡°She only eats like this when you cook. I have no idea how you do it, Haru,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t receive any blessings from any cooking Kami?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I said smugly. ¡°This is all natural skill.¡± Even if any of the Japanese Kami tried to bestow their blessings onto me, I would reject those blessings. I worked hard to get good at cooking, I didn¡¯t want any cheats to diminish all that hard work. I had only met one actual Kami in my new life though and she definitely didn¡¯t know how to cook.


    ¡°Fine then, keep your secrets,¡± Yasaka said as I placed a plate full of Katsudon down in front of her. I could see her own tails start to swish back and forth behind her in excitement as well.


    Today marked the grand opening of my restaurant, and to celebrate, I wanted my mother and little sister to be my first official customers. It was a bit of a private affair, and none of our family''s retainers were invited. I wanted any other customers that showed up to be the real deal instead of people just trying to curry favor with Yasaka.


    ¡°Thanks for helping me set this place up, Mom,¡± I said. I really appreciated all the support she gave me. This place could not have been cheap to set up, especially with all the top of the line cooking equipment that had been imported in from overseas. And that wasn¡¯t to mention the prime location either. Located in the heart of Kyoto, right on the border of yokai territory, my restaurant was accessible to both Yokai and humans. Or whoever else decided to stop by. I wasn¡¯t one to discriminate.


    ¡°Of course, dear,¡± Yasaka said with a proud smile. ¡°What kind of mother would I be if I didn¡¯t help my children live out their dreams.¡±


    ¨CYasaka¨C


    She was immensely proud of her son for pursuing his dream and starting his own restaurant. Though it might not be a roaring success yet, she was confident it would get there eventually. For now, she was perfectly content enjoying her son¡¯s cooking, along with her darling Kunou, of course.


    Her son¡¯s cooking was truly divine. Yasaka had no idea how he managed to achieve such excellence in the culinary arts, because he certainly didn''t learn it from herself. While she wasn¡¯t a terrible cook herself, she often relied on their servants to prepare meals due to how busy she was managing all the supernaturals in the country. Her servants were actually all very skilled cooks, but they unfortunately didn''t even come close to measuring up to her son''s superior skills in the culinary arts¡­


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Yasaka purred with delight as she took a bite of her katsudon. ¡°This is absolutely amazing, Haru. You¡¯ll have to teach me how to make it sometime.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Mom,¡± Haru replied while wiping down the kitchen counter. Kunou had adorably made a small mess by eating so quickly. Her face was covered in curry sauce. Yasaka took her own napkin and started wiping her daughter''s face with it.


    ¡°Mom! I don¡¯t need you to do that for me, I''m a big girl now!¡± Kunou whined in embarrassed protest.


    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re not too busy managing all of Japan, feel free to drop by,¡± Haru said with a laugh as Kunou squirmed in embarrassment.


    Yasaka groaned to herself at his words. She would have liked nothing more than to take a day off to learn how to cook some of these amazing meals. She doubted that time off would come anytime soon. Getting today off from work was hard enough, she didn''t know how many more she''d be able to get in the coming days. Especially with the whole Nekoshou mess the Devils caused a few years back. Yasaka¡¯s people were still very pissed off about the massacre and wanted vengeance. It felt like every single day she had to stop her faction from starting a war.


    Being the leader of a fraction was hard¡­


    That''s why she really appreciated this one day off with her son, celebrating the grand opening of his restaurant. Other Yokai who coveted power must have thought Haru was insane to willingly toss aside his status as the heir of the Yokai faction, but she believed he was the only sane one amongst them all! She''s a borderline Goddess, and yet she spends almost sixteen hours every day going over paperwork. Freaking paperwork!


    It was too bad her family were the last lines of the Nine-Tailed Kitsune, otherwise she would have hoisted all her responsibilities on someone else long ago¡­


    She and her daughter Kunou continued enjoying their meals as Haru cleaned up the kitchen and prepared for his eventual next customer. The delicious smells coming from his restaurant were bound to attract any passerby. With her enhanced senses, the smells were practically divine. It was hard for Yasaka to hold herself back from ordering seconds and avoid ruining her perfect figure.


    Kunou didn¡¯t have the same level of self discipline. She tried to order seconds, but Yasaka shut that down. Her daughter¡¯s first plate had already been double the regular portion size as it was¡­


    It wasn¡¯t long before the door opened and a man in a cheap business suit walked in. He stopped in his tracks when he saw two nine-tailed foxes at the bar and a third standing behind it.


    ¡°Erm¡­ Is this some kind of cosplay caf¨¦ or something?¡± he asked, causing Yasaka to chuckle. Modern day humans had a way of always denying the supernatural, even when it started them directly in the face.


    ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole! We¡¯re a full bar and restaurant catering to everyone¡ªhumans, yokai, and whatever else,¡± Haru said invitingly.


    ¡°Yokai?¡± The man tilted his head curiously as he examined them all further. ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t know yokai were a real thing. I mostly deal with evil spirits,¡± he added with a shrug before taking a seat at the counter.


    That kind of bland reaction was certainly not what Yasaka was expecting. She had expected the man to immediately bolt for the door in fear and never return. Furthermore, was this man an exorcist? She didn¡¯t sense any spiritual power from him, yet he claimed to deal with evil spirits regularly.


    ¡°What will you be having?¡± Haru asked the man.


    ¡°Hm, I wonder what¡¯s good here¡­¡± The man muttered before he glanced at Yasaka sitting only a couple of stools down. Instead of focusing on her breasts like she had expected, he seemed more interested in the katsudon in front of her. ¡°That katsudon looks pretty good. I¡¯ll have some of that,¡± he said with a nod.


    ¡°Coming right up!¡± Haru replied, getting to work on the order.


    As her son worked, Yasaka turned to the unusual human. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yasaka. Are you an exorcist?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°One that actually deals with Evil Spirits?¡±


    The man grinned widely at her. ¡°I¡¯m not just any exorcist, I¡¯m one of the best there is!¡± he boasted shamelessly. ¡°The name¡¯s Reigen¡­ Arataka Reigen. Do you have any Evil Spirits that need dealing with? My pupil and I would be more than happy to take care of them¡­ for a modest fee, of course,¡± he said while rubbing his finger and thumb together.


    Arataka Reigen? Yasaka had never heard of this man before, but his bold claim was certainly intriguing. Every supernatural being had its natural counter, and Yokai were no exception to that fact.


    Evil Spirits were natural enemies of yokai. Many yokai were vulnerable to the tainted and corrupt natural energy that lingered in the world, a remnant of the damn Great War that almost brought the world to ruin!


    Yokai had to be extremely cautious when dealing with evil spirits to avoid being corrupted themselves, and become feral demons that desire nothing but to feed on the flesh of humans and yokai alike¡­


    Of course, some yokai chose to willingly give into that evil, although Yasaka could never understand why. Who would want to eat dirty sweaty humans when they could have delicious katsudon instead?


    Unlike Yokai, Humans, however, were not susceptible to such corruption. Despite her suspicion that this man might be a fraud, Yasaka was reluctant to dismiss his alleged services outright. Especially since the five principal clans refused to assist Yokai in dealing with any Evil Spirits.


    ¡°I assure you that money is no concern of mine,¡± Yasaka said, noting with satisfaction how his eyes seemed to light up at that prospect. ¡°We have a few Evil Spirits currently plaguing Kyoto that need to be dealt with, would you be interested in assisting us with them?¡±


    ¡°Can you really help, mister? Some of these spirits are really evil!¡± Kunou exclaimed. ¡°Mom had to lock down entire areas to keep people away.¡±


    Reigen gave Kunou a thumbs up. ¡°Have no fear, little fox girl. My pupil and I will be more than happy to help. Of course, since you¡¯re asking us to come all the way to Kyoto, you¡¯ll need to cover our travel expenses...¡±


    ¡°Oh, is your pupil not in the city currently?¡± Yasaka asked, trying to get more information out of the strange human. ¡°We have no problem paying for him to fly over here.¡±


    ¡°Here?¡± Reigen looked puzzled. ¡°You said the evil spirits were in Kyoto didn''t you.¡±


    Haru walked over and placed a steaming plate of katsudon in front of Reigen. ¡°This is Kyoto,¡± Haru told him.


    ¨CHaru¨C


    My third ever customer was certainly strange. Reigen''s reaction upon discovering he was in Kyoto was one of genuine surprise and confusion. Where did he think he was supposed to be? He walked in the front door after all.


    He stared at us in disbelief until Kunou stood up and walked over to the front door. She opened it, revealing the bustling midday streets of Kyoto. Various Yokai and even a few humans walked by as they went about their busy day.


    Reigen began to sputter at the sight. I had a feeling this scene was not what he was expecting to see. ¡°W¡ªwhat the hell!? How did I get all the way across the country? I was just in Seasonal City, only a few blocks away from my apartment!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°Seasonal City?¡± I asked him. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a city like that. Have you, Mom?¡± I turned to Yasaka, who knew everything about Japan.


    Yasaka shook her head. ¡°Such a city does not exist.¡±


    I didn''t think it did, the name sounded completely made up and silly.


    ¡°Of course it does!¡± Reigen grumbled as he angrily shoved a piece of katsudon into his mouth. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really good¡­¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Thanks, it¡¯s a new recipe I''ve been testing out. I¡¯ve been marinating the pork a lot longer to try and bring out the most succulent flavors possible,¡± I explained a bit about the process. I always loved answering cooking questions. I wasn¡¯t one of those arrogant chefs who jealously hoarded their recipes from the rest of the world.


    Once he was finished eating, Reigen stood up and walked back to the front door. Kunou had left it open as he examined the outside. ¡°Is this some kind of Yokai illusion or something? Can Yokai even do that? This can¡¯t really be Kyoto can it?¡± he asked us.


    ¡°We can create illusions, but that isn¡¯t one. If you don¡¯t believe us, walk outside and find out if what you¡¯re seeing is real or not,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Fine then, I will.¡± Reigen hesitantly stepped outside and walked around. He even walked over to a few friendly Yokai and started chatting with them. They all shook their heads at him when he asked them questions about Seasonal City. He walked back into my restaurant with his head hung low. ¡°I''ve seen Mob do some pretty weird stuff, but this is the weirdest thing that¡¯s happened to me yet. Is this some kind of magic door that connects to other worlds!?¡± Reigen pointed at the front door.


    ¡°Um¡­No?¡± As far as I knew, it was just a regular wooden door.


    Kunou seemed to light up in excitement at his question. ¡°That sounds so cool! Why don¡¯t you try opening the door Reigan-san?¡± She closed the door and moved aside.


    Reigen walked over and opened the front door himself. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re back in Seasonal City! That¡¯s good.¡±


    To my shock, the familiar street in front of my restaurant had transformed into an entirely different place. The surrounding architecture was still Japanese, but it definitely wasn¡¯t Kyoto! I glanced over at Yasaka, we were both giving each other looks of disbelief. What just happened should not have been possible!


    ¡°Let me go and investigate.¡± Yasaka walked outside to stand in the street for a few minutes with a look of wonder on her face. When she returned, she had startling news for us. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense the Leylines out there. Wherever I was standing, it wasn¡¯t Japan¡ªor at least not our Japan,¡± she explained. While it was true that she could only draw upon the power of the Leylines in Kyoto, she should still be able to feel them as long as she was in Japan.


    That could only mean one thing¡­ No matter how unbelievable it sounded.


    Reigen smirked at us. ¡°See, I told you Seasonal City was real. You should learn never to doubt the great Reigen-sama!¡± He then sat back down and ordered a second serving of Katsudon as if we all didn¡¯t just make a mind blowing discovery.


    Kunou was standing in front of the front door with a look of wonder on her face. She kept slamming it open and closed. ¡°KYOTO! NOW SEASONAL CITY! NOW KYOTO AGAIN!¡± she giggled to herself madly as she played with my shop¡¯s apparent magic doorway. She was able to open the door to either location simply by thinking about it or saying it outloud.


    Yasaka still looked slightly weary about our discovery, but she let Kunou have her fun for the next couple minutes.


    ¡°You sure have a gift for cooking, Haru,¡± Reigan said as he dug into his food.


    I had pretty much cooked it all on autopilot, my head was still in a different place altogether. As a chef, I knew that was a bad thing. I should never get distracted when cooking. I shook my head and snapped out of all the weird thoughts. I didn¡¯t need to worry about any of this.


    Dimensional travel wasn¡¯t my forte, I was a chef!


    At the end of the day, who really even cared where my customers come from? All that matters is that they''re hungry and It''s my duty to feed them!


    ¡°Thanks, Reigan-san. I¡¯ve spent years learning my craft.¡± I nodded my head at him thankful for the praise.


    ¡°I can tell. What¡¯s surprising is how reasonable your prices are too! I can¡¯t even afford to eat at most restaurants nowadays. Everything¡¯s been getting so expensive lately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best to keep the prices reasonable, all the food ingredients come directly from Yokai farms, magical farming is a lot cheaper than mundane,¡± I explained. ¡°Plus, I can keep prices down by not having to pay for liability insurance.¡± That was the reason most food and groceries were so expensive nowadays¡ªpeople kept suing businesses for millions at a whack, trying to make some easy money so they never have to work again. At the expense of everyone else in the world¡­


    ¡°Are you not afraid of someone trying to sue your restaurant?¡± Reigen asked curiously.


    ¡°They can certainly try,¡± I replied, my nine tails swaying ominously behind me. ¡°But it won¡¯t end well for them¡­¡± If anyone tried to ruin my restaurant, they would have a very bad time. I might just be a chef, but I wasn¡¯t reborn in a peaceful world. I still knew how to fight if I had to. I¡¯d spent years training with my mom, Yasaka, one of the strongest women in Japan¡ªsomeone even the Kami in Takegahara were hesitant to tangle with. They certainly liked to act like they ruled Japan, but the only one whose orders mom actually followed was Amy-chan herself. If any other Kami came down from Japanese Heaven and tried to bark orders at her, she would send them packing!


    ¡°I can respect that,¡± Reigen nodded at me. ¡°I¡¯ve had a few clients threaten me with lawsuits in the past¡­¡± He sighed and explained that he didn¡¯t always live in Seasonal City. He had had to skip town on more than one occasion after people came after him for thinking he was a fraud.


    Somehow, I didn¡¯t doubt any of that. Reigen seemed like a decent enough guy¡ªat least he didn¡¯t immediately perv on my mom like most other men who met her. Still, I wasn¡¯t sure if he was a legit exorcist or not. I sensed no supernatural power from him.


    I wanted to chat with him a bit more, considering he was my first ever human customer, but it seemed he had to get back to work.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back later, and we can discuss business then. Unfortunately, I''ve got another job lined up currently and need to go fetch Mob,¡± he said to Yasaka before leaving some money on the counter. Despite being from another dimension, the bills were still identical to Japanese Yen. He walked out the front door, disappearing back into the strange city that had somehow connected itself to my restaurant.


    Once he was gone, Yasaka turned to me with an unusually serious expression. ¡°Something is very strange with your restaurant, Haru. I can¡¯t even begin to understand how that interaction was possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not strange! It¡¯s super awesome and cool!¡± Kunou argued. ¡°I wonder if anyone else from other dimensions will come to eat at Nii-chan¡¯s restaurant?¡± Kunou said. Her tails were swishing behind her happily. Sometimes she was more like an adorable puppy than a fox.


    ¡°Yeah, it is certainly strange,¡± I said with a shrug. It¡¯s not like there was anything I could do about it though.


    ¡°You¡¯re not freaked out about this?¡± Yasaka asked me in disbelief.


    Sure, I was surprised, but what could I actually do about it? The answer was most likely not a damn thing. So why bother worrying about it? ¡°Not really. I¡¯ll just assume this is either a prank or a blessing from Amy-chan,¡± I replied. Was this something a Kami was even capable of? Probably not, but I didn''t really have a better explanation.


    Yasaka facepalmed. ¡°Son, please stop calling Lady Amaterasu, the leader of the Shinto pantheon ¡®Amy-chan.¡¯¡±


    I snickered at her exasperation. ¡°No can do, mom. She asked me to keep calling her that. She hopes it will catch on one day,¡± I said.


    It was a little-known fact that Amaterasu was a massive hikikomori and NEET! One who played a lot of video games and watched a lot of anime in her spare time. She was jealous that the Devil Maou Serafall Leviathan was running around as a magical girl calling herself Levia-tan. Amaterasu wanted her own cutesy nickname too!


    Hence¡­ Amy-chan.


    I came up with it myself on one of her visits and she really liked it. Although, I was pretty sure I was the only person with the guts to actually call her by that name. ¡°Amy-chan drops by at least once a week to stock up on food, we can ask her when she visits my restaurant. She knows it¡¯s open now, right?¡± I asked Yasaka.


    Yasaka nodded. ¡°Yes, I sent her a message with my last monthly report. She¡¯s very happy for you, Haru. As am I.¡±


    ¡°Me too! I¡¯m super happy for you too, Nii-chan,¡± Kunou added enthusiastically. ¡°I''m going to come here everyday for lunch and dinner! And breakfast and second breakfast too!¡±


    ¡°Second breakfast isn¡¯t real, dear,¡± Yasaka tried to explain to Kunou. ¡°And even if it was, you¡¯re not allowed to have it. You¡¯ll get fat.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t get fat and yes it is real! The Hobbits have it every day!¡± Kunou argued back. She was still only 8 years old, and wasn¡¯t quite old enough to understand most of the movies she watched weren''t actually real. In my past life I remember thinking Scooby Doo was real until I was 7 or 8 years old as well. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I stepped out from behind the counter and gave her a hug. ¡°Thanks, Kunou-chan. ¡°You can have second or third breakfast here anytime you want,¡± I told her, ignoring the glare our mom was giving me.


    Ding Ding


    Our touching family moment was interrupted when the door swung open. A few more potential customers entered the Fox Hole¡­


    XXX


    A/N: Welcome to the Fox Hole, one of my new stories!

 Chapter 2: Wizards and Stuff

    Chapter 2: Wizards and Stuff


    -Haru-


    A few more potential customers entered the Fox Hole¡­


    Once again, they were humans, but these ones felt magical at least. They were even wearing magical looking robes. However, the strange thing was that none of them looked Japanese.


    ¡°Foreigners?¡± Kunou tilted her head cutely at them. ¡°Hello, welcome!¡± she called out in English. I taught her the language myself and she was getting pretty good at it.


    ¡°Hello¡­ little girl with fox ears and nine tails¡­¡± the only girl of the trio greeted Kuno awkwardly. She spoke in English with a British accent. From her confused expression, I suspected she had no idea what a Yokai was. Also, she might not have come in through the Kyoto door either. Before it closed behind them, I thought I saw a glimpse of a small village with other kids dressed like these three.


    ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole. Feel free to sit anywhere,¡± I told them.


    ¡°This is a¡­ restaurant?¡± the girl asked, looking around curiously.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a restaurant and bar. Although, none of you look old enough to drink. Sorry,¡± I said, handing out menus. I waved my hand over them and used a spell to translate the text into English. I had forgotten about the possibility of foreign patrons. How much was I even supposed to charge them? I had no idea what the exchange rates were between countries.


    Meh, I¡¯d just ask them to pay whatever they felt like paying. It¡¯s not like I was hurting for cash at the moment.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± A boy with messy brown hair and thick glasses took a menu from me. ¡°Not to be rude, but what are you three¡­?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re Yokai, silly!¡± Kunou exclaimed while jumping up and down.


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. ¡°I¡¯ve read about Yokai in the Hogwarts library. They¡¯re a race of magical beasts native to Japan,¡± she stated as if she had read that directly from a book.


    Kunou stopped her happy hopping and growled at the schoolgirl. ¡°Take that back! We¡¯re not beasts! That''s a very rude thing to say to someone!¡±


    The girl looked flustered when she realized she just insulted all of us. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so sorry! That¡¯s just what I read. I sometimes forget how prejudiced British magicals can be towards other magical races¡­¡±


    Yasaka scoffed. ¡°Humans always think they¡¯re so superior, forgetting they¡¯re the weakest race.¡± That was the first time I¡¯d ever heard her speak English, her accent was flawless though.


    ¡°We are?¡± the boy with glasses asked, clearly surprised.


    It was sad but true. The amount of humans in the Ultimate Class could be counted on one hand. Unlike most other races, they also suffered from the curse of mortality. They would all grow weaker and die of old age.


    The ginger boy in the group sneered at us. His eyes lingered on my mother with a lustful gaze. ¡°Oh, please. Everybody knows magical creatures can never be as powerful as proper wizards. I bet you can barely do proper wizarding magic! Why else would you be dressed like such a whore? How much for your services, slut?¡± the boy asked Yasaka crudely. His friends gasped in shock at his words.


    ¡°Ronald! How could you say something like that?!¡± the girl exclaimed. She immediately turned to Yasaka and started apologizing for her friend''s words, but the damage had been done.


    I felt my hackles rise. I wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone harassing my family. How dare this little shit call my mother that! I should take him outside and tear him limb from limb¨C


    I had to take a couple deep breaths to control my anger. Sometimes my Yokai instincts could overwhelm my rationality. Regardless of being a racist little shit, this boy didn¡¯t deserve to be killed because his parents probably did a very poor job raising him. That didn¡¯t mean he could stick around in my restaurant though. ¡°You are no longer welcome here, ginger, get out!¡± I told him with no room for argument. He had his chance and he blew it.


    Despite that fact, he still did try to argue. ¡°I''m not going anywhere.¡± The redhead reached into his robe and pulled out a wand. ¡°This is a restaurant isn''t it? I want some bloody service!¡±


    He was really testing my patience. So, where were his survival instincts? Didn''t anyone ever tell him not to take food from someone who couldn''t really didn''t like him? Spitting in his food was the least harmful thing I was currently thinking about. It was only my pride as a chef that kept those thoughts from becoming a reality. ¡°You''re not getting any service here, get out!¡± I pointed at the door behind him.


    He still didn¡¯t leave, or even realize his life was now in genuine danger. Kunou, my adorable little sister, didn¡¯t have the practiced self control that Yasaka and I had over our Yokai instincts. Her pupils were slitted, her canines elongated and her sharp claws were out. She was a few seconds from jumping on the kid and tearing into him.


    ¡°What are you going to do, you weird-eared freak? I¡¯m a pureblood wizard, and my dad works in the Ministry. If you attack me, you¡¯ll end up in Azkaban.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what Azkaban was, but I wasn¡¯t threatened by him or his wand. In terms of magical power, he didn¡¯t even qualify as low class. He was barely a step above a regular person.


    ¡°Begone!¡± I raised my hand and sent a small telekinetic blast at him. He was thrown backward clear out of my restaurant. If he tried to come back, I would do worse to him. The squeal of terror he let out before the doors slammed in front of him brought me a tiny bit of satisfaction.


    Yasaka growled at the door before settling down. ¡°Hmph¡­ another foolish child who thinks he¡¯s more special than he is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about Ron,¡± the girl apologized again in embarrassment. ¡°He¡¯s always been a bit¡­ brash. But I¡¯ve never seen him act like this.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t okay, Hermione,¡± the remaining boy said. ¡°Ron¡¯s been acting like a royal arse all year. He needs to go bugger off,¡± He said before his eyes clouded over slightly, and he shook his head. ¡°I mean, I''m sure he''ll come around and apologize in a couple hours¡­ He¡¯s a good guy after all.¡±


    Yasaka, and I exchanged a look. We both silently agreed that was weird. At least Kunou had  calmed down once Ron was ejected. She started giggling, finding the remaining boy''s choice of words to be funny. ¡°BUGGER! That¡¯s a fun word!¡±


    ¡°Please watch your language around my 8-year-old daughter,¡± Yasaka requested with a sigh.


    ¡°Oh, sorry¡­¡± he apologized and then turned to me. ¡°Is this restaurant new here in Hogsmeade? I''ve never seen it before. I¡¯m Harry¡­ Harry Potter,¡± he said with a small pause, as if he expected me to recognize his name or something. He let out a sigh of relief when I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I have no idea what a Hogsmeade even is,¡± I said, receiving looks of confusion from both of them. ¡°We discovered earlier that my restaurant somehow connects to other places. We haven¡¯t figured out the ¡®hows¡¯ or ¡®whys¡¯ yet.¡±


    ¡°REALLY!?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Where is your restaurant supposed to be? How does it work¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s based in Kyoto, Japan,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Wicked,¡± Harry said. ¡°We¡¯re all the way in Scotland. We go to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. On the weekends we get to visit the nearby magical town of Hogsmeade.¡±


    ¡°A magical town? What makes the town magical?¡± Kunou asked.


    ¡°Um¡­ A bunch of wizards and witches live here. The town itself isn¡¯t actually magical.¡± Harry explained.


    ¡°Lame¡­¡± I could tell that her disappointment was immeasurable and her day was ruined¡­ S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Are you two hungry?¡± I asked them while Kunou was distracted pouting to herself. ¡°I''ve got a full menu of primarily Japanese food, but I¡¯m also pretty well-versed in preparing dishes from other countries. If you don¡¯t see something on the menu, feel free to ask.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to try some Japanese cuisine,¡± Hermione said. ¡°After three and a quarter years, the Hogwarts food is starting to get pretty bland. I wish the chefs would branch out the menu. Hm, now that I think about it, I don''t even know who cooks our food¡­¡± she admitted.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with trying anything¡­ except raw fish,¡± Harry requested. He and Hermione took a seat in one of the empty booths.


    I went behind the counter and got to work on their meals. I didn¡¯t want to give them a full-on culture shock, so I stuck to something basic: hamburg steaks and omurice.


    ¨CHarry Potter¨C


    Sitting down in the booth with Hermione, he had to hold back his blush. Without Ron with them, he couldn''t help but feel like this was a date. Harry had secretly had a crush on Hermione for two years now.


    But¡­ that was wrong. Harry knew that Ron liked Hermione. He shouldn¡¯t ever try to compete with Ron over anything! A freak like him shouldn¡¯t get in the way of his best friend!


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The older fox woman approached their booth. She was looking at him in a way that made him feel like she could see through him. Her eyes were also literally glowing¡­ so that was a thing?


    ¡°Did you need something, miss¡­?¡± Hermione asked the fox woman.


    ¡°I am Yasaka. My son over there is Haru, the owner of this restaurant,¡± she introduced herself.


    ¡°And I''m Kunou!¡± The little girl waved to them from the bar. She was sitting near her older brother, chatting with him while he cooked them up something.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Yasaka. I¡¯m Hermione Granger, and this is my best friend Harry Potter. Once again, we¡¯re sorry about how our friend Ron acted. We hope you don¡¯t take offense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived long enough to learn not to snap at every single man or boy who makes a disrespectful comment,¡± Yasaka said. ¡°That¡¯s not why I approached you two anyway. Are you both aware that you are under numerous enchantments?¡±


    Harry¡¯s eyes widened behind his thick glasses. ¡°Enchantments? You mean charms? Are you saying we¡¯re bewitched?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Yasaka nodded. ¡°I sense you have multiple charms placed upon you to alter your mental faculties. You also have a few that are suppressing your magic,¡± she explained, her eyes glowing again as she examined him once more. She then turned her attention to Hermione. ¡°You are under the same, except I can also see that you have been poisoned. Some type of loyalty¡­ or maybe even a love potion has been administered to you. Recently, in fact.¡±


    Hermione gaped at Yasaka. ¡°L¡ªLove potion? A¡ªAre you sure?¡± she asked. ¡°I have been having strange thoughts lately¡­ thoughts I would have never considered before. A¡ªAbout R¡ªRon,¡± she admitted. ¡°Could he have slipped it into my goblet when I wasn''t looking?¡±


    Harry was shocked to hear that! He knew Ron had been getting worse lately, but had his first-ever friend really fallen that far? Once again, Harry felt his thoughts growing fuzzy.


    She must be making a mistake, Ron would never do anything like that. He''s a great guy, after all. She¡¯d be lucky to be with a proper pureblood wizard like him.


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve been around a long time, child,¡± the fox woman answered Hermione. ¡°As the ruler of Kyoto, I have had numerous traitorous retainers try to manipulate or brainwash me. They all failed¡­ and paid for their crimes with their lives,¡± Yasaka said coldly.


    Harry and Hermione both gulped at that insinuation. ¡°What are we supposed to do?¡± Harry asked. Was someone really messing with his mind? For how long? Was that why his thoughts occasionally got fuzzy?


    ¡°You can either go to your people¡¯s healers¡­ who are probably incompetent or traitors if they haven¡¯t discovered this yet, or you can go to one of our healers,¡± Yasaka made the surprising offer to them.


    Harry was surprised and a little suspicious that a woman he¡¯d never met before would go out of her way to help him. The paranoid part of his mind told him not to trust her. Then again, the paranoid part of his mind might be under mind control, so he didn¡¯t really know what to think¡­ He scratched his head in confusion and let Hermione decide for them. Even if she was being manipulated as well, she was still smarter than he was.


    He was just plain boring Harry, after all. He wasn¡¯t supposed to think for himself. Thinking for himself was bad.


    Hermione shot Harry a look of concern before she answered for them. ¡°W-We¡¯ll accept your kind offer,¡± Hermione said with a small stutter.


    ¨CHaru¨C


    I brought two plates of food over to the table. Both the teens gulped when the smells hit them. I always loved seeing hungry faces. When they started digging in, Yasaka and I moved back towards the bar. Kitsune had very good ears, I had heard everything despite the loud sizzling of food cooking right next to me.


    ¡°That¡¯s messed up. what kind of sick fuck places mind control spells on two kids?¡± I cursed and received a small smack from Yasaka for swearing. We didn¡¯t need Kunou learning any more bad words today.


    ¡°BUGGER!¡± She was still running around the restaurant yelling that to herself¡­


    I was glad that mom made the offer to get the two kids treated back in Kyoto. I didn''t think she''d go out of her way to help two human teenagers, let alone foreign ones from an alternate dimension. I asked her about it.


    ¡°I don''t like seeing kids taken advantage of like that. It reminds me of what happened to the Nekousho clan in the underworld,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°We can''t help everyone in the world¨Cor worlds I guess, but we can help the people in front of us.¡±


    I could get behind a policy like that. I had a similar policy in that I wouldn''t refuse any hungry customer even if they didn''t have enough money for a meal.


    Once Harry and Hermione finished their food, Yasaka took them out into Kyoto to get their minds fixed. Kunou was going with them.


    ¡°Good luck, you two.¡± I sent them all off with a wave. The kids both waved hesitantly back at me as the door closed behind them. And then I was left alone in my restaurant. I sat behind the bar, drumming my fingers on the counter. I guess I didn''t think this part through. ¡°I should really find a couple other employees, at least so I can have someone else to talk to when there''s no customers,¡± I said to myself. I didn''t like being alone.


    Foxes might be solitary animals, but kitsune we''re more pack oriented.


    My ears perked up when the door opened again! MORE CUSTOMERS!


    ¡°WELCOME TO THE FOX¨Coh, it''s you. I thought I told you that you weren''t welcome here, brat.¡± He got my hopes up for nothing¡­


    The little ginger brat was back, and he had brought a couple tag-a-longs with him. An older Scottish woman and a heavily scarred man with a missing leg and a very large strange eye.


    ¡°Weasley is right, there really is a monster in Hogsmeade. What have you done with Potter, foul creature?¡± The heavily scarred man demanded information from me.


    I snorted in response. ¡°If you''re talking about Harry Potter, my mom took him to get his head fixed. Someone put him under numerous mental enchantments. The poor kid could probably barely think for himself.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± the older woman blurted out. ¡°Someone placed enchantments on Harry Potter? How could that be!?¡±


    ¡°The freak is obviously lying!¡± The ginger brat pointed his stick at me for the second time today. ¡°You caught me off guard before, monster, but it won''t happen again! A proper pure blood wizard will never lose to a lowly creature!¡± he declared proudly.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked him sarcastically. I pointed my finger at him. ¡°Burn.¡± The stick in his hand immediately burst into flames!


    ¡°Ow! My wand!¡± he cried out in pain and dropped his stick. It turned to ash before it hit the ground. I was going to have to sweep that up later.


    The older woman and the scarred man both took a step back cautiously. ¡°You destroyed a wizard''s wand with a single word? What kind of dark magic is that!?¡± The scarred man asked me, his eyes brimming with greed. ¡°Magic like that could change the entire wizarding world!¡±


    That was a wand? Why was it so frail? A mage''s wand is their life, what kind of dumbass mage doesn''t bother placing protective enchantments on their own focus?  What I just did should have been impossible.


    ¡°You wouldn''t be able to use my magic, human. That was foxfire Yojutsu,¡± I said before once again dismissing them. ¡°I told you what you wanted to know. Harry and Hermione will be back later. Maybe they''ll even be able to tell us who put them under so many enchantments. Putting a developing mind under so much magic could have given them brain damage.¡±


    ¡°You are not lying?¡± The older woman asked me again. She introduced herself to me as Professor McGonagall, one of the teachers at Harry and Hermione''s school. She struck me as a stern professor who had probably put up with a lot of bullshit in her life. That meant she could tell I was speaking the truth. She was surprisingly respectful despite the attitudes of her two companions.


    ¡°What are you doing, McGonagall!? You shouldn''t trust the words of a beast! How did it even manage to open a shop on British soil? Just look at those inhuman ears and tails! There''s no way the Ministry wont classify him as a dark creature!¡± the scarred man snarled in my direction. ¡°Not to mention that dangerous magic it can use!¡±


    ¡°I don''t know or care what your ministry is. You are currently standing in my restaurant. Either you sit down and order a meal, or I''ll kick you out,¡± I told them. ¡°One of you has already been kicked out once today, and I believe I told him he was never welcomed here again.¡±


    The ginger let out another squeal as I hit him with a second telekinetic blast. This time, it was slightly more violent. He went reeling through the front door and landed in the streets with a thud. ¡°Owie¡­¡± His pained twitching brought a smile to my face.


    I don''t usually enjoy bullying weak kids, but I make an exception for perverted little racists. ¡°You''re not welcome here either, scarface. Leave or I''ll torch your wand and throw you on your ass next.¡± I threatened him while holding up my palm. An orb of flames manifested in my palm.


    Scarface glared at me before making the smart move and backing off. He knew his stick would burn otherwise. I might have also burned his peg leg while I was at it. Watching him hobble out of here on one leg would have certainly been funny.


    ¡°...Dumbledore will hear about this,¡± He declared and stormed out of my restaurant of his own volition.


    McGonagall let out a sigh as she watched her colleague go. ¡°Something is seriously wrong with that man. I really need a drink¡­¡±


    I smiled at her. ¡°Well, it''s a good thing for you that this is also a bar! Would you like to try some Sake? It''s made by the Kappa Clan. They''re experts when it comes to cultivating rice, especially considering they all live underwater.¡± I could tell she was interested by my offer as I placed a large bottle on the counter.


    ¡°It''s been a while since I''ve had foreign alcohol. I''ll give it a try.¡± She took a seat at the counter. ¡°How long will it take for Mister Potter and Miss Granger to return?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°A few hours,¡± I said while pouring her a small glass. ¡°You want something to eat in the meantime?¡±


    She took a sip of the Sake and let out a pleased hum. ¡°If it''s as good as this, then I wouldn''t mind trying some of your food. Oh, and keep the drinks coming!¡±


    I liked her attitude!


    XXX

 Chapter 3: The Dragonborn Cometh

    Chapter 3: The Dragonborn Cometh


    ¨CHaru¨C


    Being a full-time teacher of magic students must be a stressful job. Professor McGonagall was passed out on the bar counter. She kept asking me to fill her cup, and I kept pouring her sake refills. I may have underestimated how strong Kappa sake was because she wasn''t waking up anytime soon¡­


    "We''re back, Haru." Harry Potter walked back into my restaurant as we were approaching dinnertime. He looked the same, but I could see more light behind his eyes. I could tell he was already more put together mentally.


    "Welcome back, you two. How were the healers?" I asked him and Hermione.


    "The Yokai healers were amazing!" Hermione exclaimed. "I had no idea other countries had developed such impressive magic. And they did everything wandlessly!" she said boisterously.


    "It wasn¡¯t just another country, Hermione. We are in another dimension entirely," Harry corrected her.


    "So we are from different dimensions then?" I asked. "How did you guys figure that out?" It was a lot easier to figure out with Reigan since he¡¯s from a city in Japan that does not exist in my world. Harry and Hermione were from a hidden magical community in Britain though. That honestly sounded like the kind of thing my world would have.


    "Hogwarts is supposed to be a world-renowned magic school, but no one in Kyoto had ever heard of it," Hermione said. "They¡¯ve never heard of Dumbledore either. He¡¯s supposed to be the greatest wizard in the whole world!"


    I snorted. "What kind of name is Dumbledore?"


    Harry smirked at me. "If you think that¡¯s bad, I have a mate in Gryffindor whose family name is Longbottom¡­"


    I grinned at Harry. "Poor kid, he must be the butt of every joke." He grinned right back at me while Hermione let out a sigh and muttered something about boys and their dumb puns. "Was that all the proof you two could¡ªor couldn''t¡ªfind that we¡¯re from different dimensions?" I asked, just to be sure.


    "No, we also tried making a long-distance call to Hermione''s house. The number wasn''t in service," Harry added.


    "I know my parents didn¡¯t change their number; there''s a phone in Hogsmeade, and I call them every weekend," Hermione pointed out. "Someone else had their number when I tried calling from Kyoto."


    That pretty much confirmed it, then. My restaurant had now appeared in not just one, but two different dimensions. The whole building itself manifested in empty lots, as if it had always been in those spots. The odd thing was that when I looked out the windows, all I saw was my own dimension. According to Harry and Hermione, my windows were completely blacked out from the outside in Hogsmeade. I would need to step foot in one of these other dimensions after closing hours to see what else was different.


    "What are you two going to do now?" I asked them.


    Harry took a seat directly at the counter. "First, we''re going to get some dinner. And then, Hermione and I are both going to get a magical lawyer. I know who cast all those spells on me¡­ They practically ruined my life," he muttered bitterly.


    "I''m going to kick Ronald right in his tiny pecker once I see him!" Hermione said vindictively.


    "Ah¡­ that guy. Yeah, he actually tried to come back here once you two left with my mom and little sis. He even brought along two of your teachers as backup. One of them was also a racist prick, so I made him leave. Professor McGonagall was pretty cool, though. She¡¯s right over there." I pointed a few stools down.


    "P¨CProfessor McGonagall!?" Hermione sputtered. "Why isn''t she moving? What''s wrong with her?"


    "She drank a bit too much and passed out," I said. "The woman sure can drink, she went through three whole bottles by herself."


    "What¡­?" Hermione looked at me in disbelief when I said that. ¡°Our stern professor drank herself under the table¡­?¡±


    Harry, meanwhile, just started snickering. ¡°Who knew she had it in her? This is turning out to be one crazy day,¡± Harry remarked. He then went on to thank me profusely for setting up my restaurant in Hogsmeade and already changing his life for the better.  S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I accepted his thanks, but told him that I wasn¡¯t the one who made it so my restaurant was mysteriously appearing in multiple dimensions. I don¡¯t think Harry quite believed me though. We agreed to table that debate once both of their stomachs started grumbling.


    "Can you please make us some fish and chips?" Hermione requested. "Hogwarts never serves fish. All they serve is pork, turkey and chicken. Every single meal!" She sounded completely exasperated as she mentioned how much meat Hogwarts served its students. It''s like the school wanted every single student to develop gout later in life.


    Or maybe the school cooks genuinely didn''t know how to make any other dishes. As a chef, that sounded like an atrocity. "I''ve got some yellow finned tuna that you both will love," I said while walking into the back of my kitchen where I kept all my ingredients in stasis spells.


    While I was getting their food ready, Harry and Hermione both decided to share what happened to them. The Yokai healers were able to completely heal and restore Harry''s damaged mind. Not only did he have some kind of Evil spirit Parasite in his head¡ªthat scared the shit out of the healers by the way¡ªbut he had also been charmed and ¡®obliviated¡¯ many times throughout his life by the school Headmaster. The Dumbledore guy with the dumb name. According to Hermione, the elderly headmaster was basically seen as the second coming of Merlin in their world. I didn¡¯t know what that was supposed to mean until Harry explained that Merlin was basically the Wizarding World¡¯s version of Jesus for some reason.


    ¡°He¡¯s not Jesus!¡± Hermione pouted at Harry, clearly offended by his analogy.


    ¡°Yes he is, ¡®Mione. We literally use his name as a curse word,¡± Harry pointed out. Hermione didn¡¯t have a good retort after that fact was shared with me.


    Harry continued his story. The further he explained, the madder I got for him. Dumbledore was a total piece of shit.


    The old man had forced Harry to sign away millions of galleons in wealth and properties Harry didn''t even know he possessed. Harry then had his memories routinely erased to make sure he never remembered signing away all of his possessions. Dumbledore wasn¡¯t the only one who had illegally used mind magic on Harry though. Harry was also charmed to always be loyal and differential to that ginger asshole whom I had tossed out of my restaurant twice. Apparently, Ron''s family was poor and wanted to milk Harry for whatever he had left once Dumbledore was done with him. The loyalty charms had been applied to Harry by Ron¡¯s mother when he met up with the Weasley family every summer. Harry was constantly obliviated so that he never remembered what was happening to him.


    Ironically, I think the Evil Spirit that was in Harry''s cursed scar was what had saved him from basically becoming a retard from all that mind magic. In order to avoid being possessed or subsumed, Harry must have naturally developed an incredibly resilient mind.


    ¡°So Voldemort actually ended up saving me for once?¡± Harry muttered to himself. ¡°Merlin, this day is turning out so weird¡­¡±


    When Harry was finished with his tale, we moved onto Hermione''s. Hers wasn''t nearly as long or as complex. We basically already knew what had happened to her after all. Hermione was being fed love potions keyed to Ron Weasley. Hermione is known in their school as a magical genius. She was going places once she graduated. According to her, Ron wanted to ride her coattails to an easy life of wealth and status. All it took was a few potions and she would have been destined to be his sugar mama for the rest of her life¡­


    ¡°For a 14-year-old, that kid sure knew how to hatch a pretty wicked scheme¡­¡± I said while placing plates of fish and chips in front of them both.


    Hermione wiped away her drool before she spoke. ¡°Ron is dumb when it comes to books, but he''s the best chess player I''ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°He''s a natural-born snake. He should have been in Slytherin,¡± Harry muttered before he started eating. His frown quickly turned to a smile once he tasted the fried fish. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s bloody good!¡±


    ¡°Mmm, it really is!¡± Hermione enthusiastically added. She really liked my homemade tartar sauce.


    While they were eating and I was cleaning up, a new voice spoke up. ¡°That''s quite the tale, children. If I were in either of your positions, I would deliver swift vengeance on those that wronged me.¡± A woman walked up to the counter. She was wearing a long black and red cloak with a hood that hid most of her features. What it couldn''t hide, though, were her glowing red eyes.


    She was an obvious vampire. I hadn¡¯t ever actually met one so far in this second life.


    The new woman wasn''t alone. A very large man wearing pitch-black armor stood next to her. He had a massive greatsword strapped hanging off of his back. His features were Scandinavian, possibly even Nordic. He also radiated power and danger. Scars that spoke of numerous battles littered his exposed skin. He held himself like a true warrior, never letting his guard down. Everything about this man screamed, ¡°do not fuck with me.¡±


    Besides my mother, he might have been the most dangerous person I''d ever encountered. He also smelled like a wolf¡ªand a dragon? It was a very unusual combination to be sure.


    Both of these newcomers had actually entered my restaurant at the beginning of Harry and Hermione''s tale, but they remained quiet and waited until the kids were done talking.


    ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole! Sorry about the wait, you two. I''m the owner, Haru.¡±


    The man spoke up. His voice was deep and strong. ¡°Well met, Haru. I am Agnar, and this is my companion Serana!¡±


    ¡°This is a very interesting place,¡± Serana commented while glancing around. Her red eyes glowed with magic as she examined everything around her. ¡°I can tell we are not in Nirn anymore. I didn¡¯t think such a thing was possible. How did you manage to open a portal to Nirn from your dimension without the Gods or Daedra discovering you?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°No idea,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°At this point, I''ve just decided to go with it.¡±


    Serana frowned at my nonchalance. Her companion seemed to find my attitude hilarious. ¡°Hah! That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Agnar laughed boisterously. ¡°Throughout my adventures across Skyrim, so many strange things happened to me! Dragons constantly tried to eat me, I ran across more draugr and bandits than I thought possible, and every single Daedric Prince kept trying to get me to work for them! I had no idea what was going on half the time, but it all ended up working out because I also decided to just go with it! And I even got to meet my lovely wife Serana here!¡± He wrapped his large arm around her and pulled her close to his armored chest.


    If vampires could blush, I imagine Serana would have been doing just that. I could admit I was slightly jealous¡ªSerana was hot as hell once she lowered her hood.


    ¡°You fought dragons?¡± Harry asked Agnar.


    ¡°Aye, lad. I¡¯ve fought and slain dozens of the flying beasts by now!¡± That was quite the boast, but I found myself believing him.


    ¡°I have to fight a dragon in a week! Can you give me some advice? I got entered into a stupid magic death tournament against my will. I''m pretty sure it was the Headmaster who slipped my name in the goblet at this point. If I die in an accident, all my remaining possessions I didn''t sign away will go to him¡­¡± Harry trailed off bitterly. Poor kid couldn''t seem to catch a break.


    I was starting to think magic school wasn''t worth the hype. I was homeschooled myself in this second life, but I knew Yasaka was in the process of searching for a good school for Kunou who clearly needed friends her own age. She was going to have to keep looking if Hogwarts was hosting death tournaments for students though.


    Agnar looked at Harry critically. ¡°Hm, you''re a bit young to be fighting dragons, still a milk drinker. Although, you do have a fair bit of Magicka to work with. All hope is not completely lost. Magic isn¡¯t exactly my specialty, though. I mostly just hit things hard with my big sword,¡± he said while unsheathing his greatsword to show us. It was made of actual dragonbone and was almost as long as Agnar was tall.


    Harry looked disappointed when Agnar admitted he would be a poor teacher for the young wizard. Luckily for Harry, Serana stepped into the conversation. ¡°I too have slain a handful of the giant flying lizards. I can teach you some spells that can actually hurt a dragon if you accept me as your teacher,¡± Serana offered and Harry immediately bobbed his head up and down.


    ¡°Thank you! I''ve been dreading this first task for over a month. I have no idea what to do against a bloody dragon!¡±


    Hermione perked up next to Harry. ¡°Can I learn too?¡±


    ¡°Are you in this death tournament as well?¡± Serana asked.


    Hermione shook her head. ¡°No, I just love learning magic!¡±


    That answer seemed to be good enough for Serana.¡°Ok, I do not mind teaching you as well, girl. I overheard your story as well when Agnar entered this establishment. I have had numerous men try to take advantage of me due to my looks. I shall teach you spells to protect yourself from nefarious advances and plots. The only man allowed to touch you will be your chosen hero, Harry.¡±


    Harry and Hermione both blushed heavily at Serana¡¯s insulation.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s not¡­We''re not dating¡­¡± Hermione mumbled, but no one believed her.


    Suddenly, I was feeling like a fifth wheel. The pain of being single in front of two couples.


    Thankfully, I was saved from the awkwardness when the vampire dragged her two new students over to a booth to start privately tutoring them on whatever Magicka was.


    While she was doing that, Agnar pulled up to the bar and sat down. Judging by his accent and appearance, I deduced he was from a culture that heavily resembled the Norse pantheon.


    I knew exactly what he wanted without him even having to ask. I reached under the counter and brought out a bottle of mead. I kept some stocked in case any of the Norse ever stopped by Kyoto.


    I pulled out a mug and filled it to the brim for him.


    ¡°You gotta pour yourself a glass as well, it''s only proper!¡± Agnar told me. I shrugged and joined him for a drink. The mead burned just right as it went down my throat. I wasn''t the biggest drinker, but I could hold my liquor fairly well.


    Agnar slammed his mug back and drained the whole thing in one go. ¡°Now that''s a proper Nord drink right there! That was even better than Honningbrew or Blackbriar mead! You could make a lot of coin selling this across Skyrim, Haru,¡± Agnar suggested.


    ¡°Really? That wasn''t even a special brand or anything. Just regular mead I ordered online,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°Truly? The people of your plane must be true connoisseurs of food and drink! Pour me another, and bring me something to eat as well. With plenty of meat, of course!¡± The Nord said happily. He was clearly an easy guy to please who appreciated the simple things in life. I could respect that.


    I decided to just give him the whole bottle. He happily started knocking it back. While he was doing that, I threw an extra large T-bone steak over the grill. Agnar was a big guy, and I suspected he was also a big eater judging by how much he could drink already.


    I didn¡¯t forget about Serana either. She looked like a full vampire, not a dhampir, so she probably couldn''t eat regular food. Luckily for her, I had a solution.


    Blood sausages!


    Sausages made entirely of pig blood. Truthfully, I thought they were horrible no matter how perfectly I prepared them, but I''m sure a vampire will love them.


    The nice thing about cooking with magic was stasis spells. Ingredients could be kept fresh as long as I needed them to be, and remain perfect to cook with pretty much indefinitely. I had multiple fridges that all came equipped with the spells already on them.


    Agnar peeked over the counter and asked me what I was making with all the pig blood I pulled out of the fridge. When I told him it was for Serana, he gave me a grateful look.


    The steak needed about eight minutes on the grill, and the sausages were currently cooking in a pan. While I waited, I continued to chat with Agnar.


    ¡°I can tell you are strong, Haru. Very strong. In Skyrim, you could easily become a famous adventurer, especially with your unique looks. The maidens would flock to your bed. What made you want to become a cook of all professions?¡± Agnar asked curiously.


    ¡°I don''t mind fighting, but cooking has always been my true passion. These hands of mine weren''t meant for taking lives, but for filling empty bellies. Of course, I know my life won''t always be peaceful and easy. My mom is technically the queen of my people. Other factions will eventually try to attack me to get to her. That''s why she trained me so intensely when I was younger,¡± I explained a bit of my life to Agnar as he shared some of his own in turn.


    He was something known as the Dragonborn. He was a living myth to all the people of Skyrim. Everyone looked to him to solve all of their problems.


    ¡°You are a prince who willingly gave up the crown to become a cook? You are truly a unique individual, Haru. Skyrim is full of people grasping for every scrap of power and refusing to let go. I wish more people were like you,¡± he admitted and told me a bit about the civil war going on in Skyrim. Agnar was not a fan of Jarl Ulfric or Queen Elisif. Instead of sitting down to discuss their problems with each other, they''ve caused a civil war that has taken the lives of tens of thousands of Nords at a time when Skyrim absolutely could not afford such losses. Apparently, they had just gotten out of a massive war against some evil-ish elves known as the Thalmor.


    ¡°Sorry to hear that, Agnar. Politics suck ass. That''s why I said, ¡®Fuck it.¡¯¡±


    Agnar started laughing uncontrollably at my words. ¡°Hahaha! Fuck it, indeed! I like you, Haru! We should become friends. What do you say?¡± He picked up his mug and held it up to me.


    Sometimes, friendships born between two men could just be that simple. ¡°I think that sounds like a fine idea!¡± I picked up my own mug and slammed it against his. We both knocked back our mead until our mugs were dry. I felt a bit woozy from drinking an almost full mug all at once, though.


    ¡°Hah! That''s the spirit, my friend! My bottle is empty¡ªbring me another! And pour yourself another mug as well! Tonight, we celebrate our new friendship!¡± he boasted.


    ¡­


    ¡°Um, Nii-chan? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ my head.¡± I woke up the next morning with a hangover. ¡°Why am I sleeping on the floor?¡± I groaned in discomfort as I sat up. There were food and mead stains all over my clothes. The fur on my tails was also a complete mess of stains¡ªthat was going to be a bitch to clean out¡­


    Kunou was standing over me with a look of confusion as she glanced around the restaurant. It wasn¡¯t just me passed out on the floor. There were over a dozen other people passed out in the booths or lying on the bar counter.


    That was some party last night¡­


    After Agnar had declared the two of us friends, he temporarily left the restaurant to gather some more of his comrades so we could throw a big party! My restaurant had manifested in the city of Whiterun¡ªwhere Agnar and Serana lived. It was also home to the warrior¡¯s guild Agnar was the leader of. They were known as the Companions. And they sure knew how to party.


    Last night, my restaurant was filled to the brim with boisterous Nords who loved to eat and drink. Of course, as the owner of the place and the reason for the party in the first place, I was roped into the festivities as well.


    Everyone drank and ate their fill long into the night. Things got pretty wild. At one point, I¡¯m pretty sure I made out with a hot redheaded werewolf. Her name started with an A or something.


    I was pulled out of my thoughts by my little sister poking me in the cheek. ¡°Nii-chan, you''re daydreaming again,¡± she pouted at me.


    ¡°Sorry about that, imouto. What are you doing here so early?¡± I asked her while slowly sitting up. I was slightly nauseous from all the alcohol I¡¯d consumed last night, but thankfully not nauseous enough to start immediately throwing up everywhere.


    "It''s not early, Nii-chan. It''s already past 10. I want breakfast!" Kunou declared. She then glanced around curiously. "Who are all these people?"


    "They¡¯re the friends of my new best friend, Agnar," I told her.


    Kunou looked up at me in disbelief. "You have a friend? An actual real friend and not just a make-believe one?" she asked doubtfully.


    I gasped and clutched my chest in shock. How could my little sister have so little faith in my ability to make friends!? I have friends¡­ Well, more like friendly acquaintances, but that still counts!


    "He has more than just one friend, little sister," a woman''s voice called out from the back rooms. Something about her voice sent a shiver through my whole body. I felt oddly drawn to it. It was weird¡ªI¡¯d never felt anything quite like it.


    A stunning redheaded woman stepped out from the back room. Her hair was still wet from the obvious bath she''d just taken. She was wearing armor that revealed way too much skin to actually be functional, but I certainly wasn''t going to complain.


    "I hope you don''t mind that I used your washroom. The technology of this plane is fascinating. It''s been a long time since I''ve bathed in such luxury. I''ve clearly chosen a fine mate," she added, looking at me.


    "M¨CMate?" I sputtered at her, causing her to smirk at me.


    Kunou let out an excited squeal. "My big brother has a girlfriend now too!? What¡¯s your name, pretty werewolf nee-chan?"


    I have a what...?


    "My name is Aela. You are Kunou, correct?" she asked, and Kunou nodded. "I met your brother last night at the party. He professed his love for me and proclaimed his inner fox desired me. To my surprise, my inner wolf also desired Haru. I am not the type of woman to stand on ceremony, so I declared that we are both courting henceforth!" Aela declared.


    "That''s so romantic!" Kunou squealed.


    Was it?


    "...That all happened?" I asked. I rubbed my temples and tried my best to remember any of that. Unfortunately, I was drawing a blank. How much did I drink last night?


    ¡°Indeed, that all happened.¡± Aela nodded confidently.


    "That''s so amazing! You''re so pretty¡ªyou need to meet our mom!" Kunou declared.


    "I shall meet mother-in-law when the time comes, but for now, I have to get all these idiots back to Jorrvaskr. The Companions have missions that need to be fulfilled and we''re running later than usual. WAKE UP, YOU MORONS!" Aela shouted loudly at all her sleeping comrades.


    Over a dozen hungover Nord men started cursing simultaneously. I had to cover Kunou''s ears. There were many groans of discontent as they all shuffled their way out of my restaurant and back to Whiterun.


    ¡°I shall return later, Haru,¡± Aela smiled at me before she left with the other Companions. As she walked out, she swayed her hips in a way that made it hard to keep my eyes off of them. Damn, she was smoking hot. She was on the same level as Serana.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s gonna be so happy you have a girlfriend, Haru,¡± Kunou said, her tails swaying behind her. ¡°She loves you. but sometimes she says that you''re too much of an antisocial loner who''s too obsessed with cooking,¡± Kunou bluntly explained, in the painful way only a child could. It hurt me right in the feels.


    Well¡­ that happened. Somehow, I drunkenly got myself a sexy werewolf Viking girlfriend. Apparently, drunk Haru is kinda awesome.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Why do adults do this to themselves?¡± Harry groaned.


    ¡°This is horrible,¡± Hermione whined while clutching her own head.


    I glanced over at one of the booths and found Harry and Hermione waking up as well. They had a couple of bottles of alcohol on their table.


    Apparently, drunk Haru thought it was okay to give alcohol to teenagers. That was less awesome¡­


    Professor McGonagall was also sitting in their booth for some reason. My memories were foggy, but I think she had woken up halfway through the party and decided to start drinking with her students for some reason.


    ¡°Do you know what happened to Agnar or Serana, Harry?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I think they went home towards the end of the party. Or at least Serana carried Agnar home over her shoulder. Vampires can''t get drunk off alcohol,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be jealous of a vampire,¡± Hermione grumbled. ¡°My parents will be so disappointed in me if they find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not lose my job, so let''s all pretend I didn¡¯t get drunk with you kids,¡± McGonagall suggested.


    Harry and Hermione both agreed. I agreed as well, not because I could possibly lose my job, but because Yasaka might find out I served alcohol to teenagers¡­


    ¡°What are you guys going to do now? Is it safe for you both to go back to school?¡± I asked them.


    ¡°First, I need to find a Pepperup Potion for this hangover¡­¡± McGonagall grumbled. ¡°And then, I¡¯ll be taking Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger to see an old student of mine. He is a respected lawyer in our community. After that, I''m not sure what we''ll do, but I won''t fail my students anymore,¡± she declared. She was a pretty cool professor, willing to defend her students from her own boss.


    The headmaster of their school was a powerful man in their world. I knew a man like that wasn¡¯t going to return all the wealth he¡¯d stolen from Harry without a fight. I offered them sanctuary in Kyoto if it truly came to that. With Serana teaching the kids her magic, though, they should quickly grow in power.


    ¡°Tell your mom that we can''t thank her enough. Despite the hangover, my thoughts have never been clearer,¡± Harry told me sincerely. ¡°And we''ll be back later to learn from Professor Serana,¡± he said before the three magicals left out the door to Hogsmeade.


    I was left alone with Kunou in a very messy restaurant. I let out a sigh when I took in the sights and smells. Food and drink were spilled pretty much everywhere.


    I was going to have to close for a few hours to clean up. I¡¯d need to restock a bunch of food and alcohol as well.


    Despite all that, I couldn¡¯t keep the smile off my face!


    I didn¡¯t expect my first day open to be so successful.


    The best part was that both the wizards and the Nords paid in actual gold! I wasn''t out to make a profit, but damned if I didn¡¯t make one last night!


    ¡°Haru, I''m still hungry¡­¡± Kunou whined while giving me sad puppy eyes.


    XXX

 Chapter 4: Visitors in Kyoto

    Chapter 4: Visitors in Kyoto


    After Kunou finished her breakfast, I left her with her guards, who were waiting outside the front door. I had a bunch of shopping to do, and Kunou had no interest in following me around town as I ¡°talked to a bunch of old people.¡± Those were her words, by the way.


    ¡°Hello, young master Haru. I didn¡¯t expect to see you again so soon. What can I do for you?¡± old man Katsuo asked me. He was a Kappa Yokai and the man who supplied me with sake.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to restock. I had a big party last night, and my guests drank the bar dry.¡± I reached into my pocket space and pulled out a few gold coins from Skyrim. ¡°Will these work as payment?¡±


    The old Kappa examined the coin and let out a whistle of appreciation. ¡°This is pure gold. I didn¡¯t think anyone paid like this anymore. Reminds me of the good old days, before all the humans ruined the damn economy with their worthless paper money¡­¡±


    He headed to the back of his shop and came out with half a dozen small crates filled with Kappa sake. I gently placed them into my pocket space one by one before thanking the man and heading to my next destination.


    My next stop was one of my distant cousins, a two-tailed kitsune by the name of Kimiko. Her family were basically servants of my own, but none of us treated them like that. Kimiko was only slightly older than me at 25 years old, although she chose to stop aging at 20. Like myself and every other Kyoto kitsune, she had golden hair and eyes.


    ¡°Hello, Haru-sama. Are you here to order more food already?¡± she asked me.


    I gave her the same explanation I had given the old Kappa. She congratulated me on my successful first day and happily accepted the gold as payment. I also had her take a look at the galleons to see how they compared to septims in value.


    ¡°Hm¡­ these gold coins are fake,¡± Kimiko said with a frown as she examined the wizarding currency. ¡°They are enchanted to appear as if they are real, but these coins are absolutely worthless.¡± She turned it over in her hand. She explained that powerful magic had been cast on the coins to make them appear like real gold. Most people wouldn¡¯t notice, but kitsune were masters of illusion magic for a reason.


    I seriously doubted Harry, Hermione, or McGonagall had intended to scam me. The fact that they all carried fake gold coins and thought they were real money suggested a wider conspiracy was going on in their world. Whoever was in charge of their money was clearly up to no good. I¡¯d have to talk to Harry and Hermione about that the next time I saw them.


    I thanked Kimiko and placed the fake gold coin back into my pocket space before heading to my next stop. The next hour followed pretty much the same pattern as I restocked everything I needed to run my restaurant for the next couple of days.


    I was about to start heading back when the hairs on my tails all stood up!


    I sensed multiple Devils nearby, wandering around the human side of Kyoto. That shouldn¡¯t have been possible, Devil¡¯s were not welcome here without permission, and even then they would be under heavy scrutiny and guard. I sensed no Yokai near the Devil¡¯s at all.


    I used some illusion magic to hide my golden fox ears and nine tails, then ventured past the barrier into the human side of Kyoto. I usually didn¡¯t like coming here because of how the average Japanese human tended to view me. With my golden hair and eyes, they always mistook me for a foreigner. That shouldn''t mean anything, but a shockingly high number of Japanese humans tended to be racist toward anyone who didn¡¯t look like them. I put a couple of men in the hospital the last time I ventured into the human side with my little sister, Kunou. They had made some hurtful comments towards her, and I didn¡¯t take kindly to that.


    I ignored the stares as I weaved through the crowds. It didn¡¯t take long to find the Devils¡ªa group of four, all wearing the same school uniform. My eyes were immediately drawn to one of the girls. Her fiery red hair stood out like a beacon in the crowd and I had trouble looking away.


    I realized then that I might have a thing for redheads¡­


    Maybe that¡¯s why drunk Haru shamelessly confessed his love to Aela last night.


    Right now, I needed to figure out what these Devils were doing in Kyoto. They were walking around in broad daylight without a care in the world, as if they had been invited here. I knew for a fact that wasn¡¯t the case. Someone would¡¯ve told me. Even though I had ceded my position as heir, I was still an Ultimate Class Yokai, and one of the unofficial guardians of our home in the event of an attack.


    The girls had just stepped out of a gift shop when they noticed me. Their giggles and chatter died down quickly as I released a small portion of my Youki to get their attention. The two queens, both with long black hair, immediately stepped in front of their Kings, taking defensive positions.


    ¡°Ara¡­hello, Yokai-san. Can we help you?¡± asked the more powerful of the two Queens. She was a real beauty, a classic Japanese elegance about her. She wasn¡¯t just an ordinary reincarnated human either. I could sense something else in her, beyond just demonic energy¡ªwas she a Hybrid of some kind?


    ¡°What are four Devils doing in Kyoto?¡± I asked cautiously. I wasn¡¯t the type to pick a fight, especially not with four beautiful young women, but I couldn¡¯t let them wander around freely. Noble Devils had a nasty habit of trying to add Yokai to their peerages.


    Without asking first¡­


    To most of them, we¡¯re nothing more than exotic slaves for their collections.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, but we¡¯re students of Kuoh Academy,¡± Rias Gremory spoke from behind her protective Queen. Of course I knew who she was, her pictures were pretty much spread all across the Supernatural version of the internet. She was the little sister of the Strongest Maou, Sirzechs, and the most eligible bachelorette in the entire underworld. She was technically engaged to some other Noble Devil, but there were a bunch of threads online that mentioned how much she hated the guy and that the marriage was never going to happen.


    Rias seemed to think that her explanation was sufficient for me. It wasn¡¯t.  Why would I care about what school they attended? ¡°That means absolutely nothing to me,¡± I said before turning to the other King, hoping she had a better explanation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been granted express permission by the Yokai leaders to visit Kyoto as part of our school trip,¡± Sona Sitri explained. She was the second most eligible bachelorette in the underworld. She wasn¡¯t as immediately recognizable as Rias, but her older sister was so famous in this world that most Supernaturals would also be able to recognize Sona as well by association.


    Her words made me curious. ¡°Permission from which Yokai leader?¡± I asked. There was no way my mother knew about this or would have approved of it. This reeked of some kind of conspiracy. The question was, who was it a conspiracy against? My family or these Devil girls?


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Rias asked defensively. She raised her voice and we were starting to draw people''s attention.


    I released another small burst of magic and the humans nearby immediately remembered that they had more important things to do than stand around and gawk at us.


    Being a human in my last life, I wasn¡¯t a fan of casually using mind magic on people, but sometimes I didn¡¯t have a choice. Once all the humans in the immediate area disbursed, I released the illusion on my ears and tails. The four girls all gasped at the same time.


    ¡°Hello, ladies. My name is Haru. I''m the son of the leader of all Yokai, Yasaka. I think she would have told me if Devils had been invited into our city.¡± These girls were lucky that it was me who had discovered them first. Had it been anyone else, they would have immediately attacked these four Devils.


    ¡°B¨CBut¡­ We have permission to be here,¡± Sona tried to argue. ¡°My sister received a handwritten letter of permission from Lord Kentaro, your mother¡¯s advisor!¡±


    ¡°Lord who...?¡± I¡¯ve never heard of anyone by that name. Yasaka doesn¡¯t have any advisors anymore¡ªnot since the last one killed Kunou¡¯s father, my stepfather.


    My stepfather was an ordinary human who somehow stumbled into the supernatural side of Kyoto. Instead of freaking out like most humans would, he was fascinated and started asking all kinds of questions. Word of the curious human made its way to Yasaka, and she invited him to her palace. They got to talking, and despite how odd a pairing they seemed, they ended up becoming a couple. Kunou was born ten months later.


    That didn¡¯t make her half-human, though. Half-human Yokai didn¡¯t exist, the children of humans and Yokai were always born full Yokai. He didn¡¯t seem to mind that his child wasn¡¯t human despite that. He was a great guy and an even better dad to Kunou¡ªuntil Yasaka¡¯s Tengu advisor, driven by jealousy over my mother, murdered him.


    ¨CRias Gremory¨C


    ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± Rias muttered with rising dread.


    Sona¡¯s older sister had really messed up this time!


    The permission slip they had for their trip to Kyoto was fake! Was this some kind of twisted plot to get her and Sona killed? Her big brother Sirzechs was always warning her about schemes like these.


    They were both deep in hostile territory they hadn¡¯t been invited into. To make matters worse, they had been assured they had permission for their school trip to Kyoto, so they hadn¡¯t bothered to suppress their demonic auras even a little bit this entire time!


    If Haru, the annoyingly handsome son of Yasaka¨CRias had a thing for hot guys with animal ears¨Chad sensed them, it meant other Yokai had as well. How long would it take before the four Devil girls were surrounded?


    ¡°We need to get out of here, like, right now!¡± Sona¡¯s voice was laced with panic, which was unusual for her. Normally, Rias would have found her distress amusing, but now wasn¡¯t the time for teasing.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that,¡± Haru said, his voice calm but his eyes sharp as he looked off to the side. ¡°I can already sense multiple strong Yokai converging on this location. The last Devil who snuck into Kyoto was a branch member of the Phenex Clan. He tried to abduct some Yokai girls for his peerage, thinking he could be like his older cousin Riser. His so-called immortality didn¡¯t save him from being eaten alive.¡± He grinned, revealing his sharp canines.


    Rias¡¯s eyes widened at that statement. The idea of someone like Riser getting devoured was oddly satisfying, but then she realized she might be in a similar situation!


    Rias panicked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be eaten alive!¡±


    ¡°It would also ignite a war between our people!¡± Sona added urgently.


    ¡°Please help us, Haru! I promise we weren¡¯t here doing anything bad!¡± Rias added with a hint of desperation.


    To her relief, Haru sighed and nodded at them. ¡°I¡¯m aware of the consequences if either of you are harmed in our territory. A conflict between our factions would mean the end for both our races. Follow me,¡± he said and started walking down a street that seemed to straddle the edges of Kyoto¡¯s supernatural districts. The four girls quickly followed after him.


    Rias was momentarily stunned when Haru then suddenly unleashed his power. The four Devil girls were instantly enveloped by Haru¡¯s Youki, instead of being intense and overbearing, it was warm and oddly protective. It also completely masked their own Demonic auras, hiding their presence from other potentially hostile Yokai.


    Seeing him easily mask the presence of four High Class Devils, Rias realized Haru was in the Ultimate Class himself. That was incredible, especially considering he didn¡¯t look much older than any of them. She thought only her cousin Sairaorg had reached that kind of level. In fact, Haru might even be stronger than him!


    Rias and Sona exchanged knowing looks. Ultimate Class beings basically reigned at the top of this world. It was common knowledge that the Yokai faction¡¯s only Ultimate Class being was Lady Yasaka. Clearly that information was incorrect. Was Haru the only secret the Yokai were hiding, or were there even more?


    Eventually, she was snapped out of her pondering when they arrived outside a medium sized restaurant.


    ¡°The Fox Hole?¡± Rias chuckled at the name despite the tension of the situation. The restaurant¡¯s main sign was a small fox peeking its head out of its burrow. The sign in the window read "Temporarily Closed," but Haru pushed the door open and walked right on inside.


    Rias figured he must know the owner.


    ¡°Ara, this place is a bit of a mess,¡± Akeno pointed out the trashed state of the restaurant.


    ¡°Sorry about the mess,¡± Haru said, his Youki fading away as he stopped masking them with his power. Rias found herself oddly missing the warmth of his Youki¡ªit had felt warm. ¡°There was a big party here last night, and I didn¡¯t get a chance to clean up. Welcome to The Fox Hole. This is my restaurant. Even though it¡¯s technically in Kyoto, everything here is my territory. As long as you¡¯re inside, you¡¯ll be safe. We¡¯ll figure out how to get you girls out of the city after you contact your siblings,¡± Haru explained.


    Rias was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected Haru, who was basically a prince of his people, to run a restaurant. Most supernatural beings, especially those with his status, wouldn¡¯t go for something so ordinary.


    ¡°You opened a restaurant?¡± Sona asked incredulously. ¡°Why? You have all that power¡­¡±


    Haru shrugged casually. ¡°I like to cook. My powers and status are nice, but they don¡¯t define me,¡± he said simply.


    The girls were stunned by his confession, especially Rias. ¡®Power and status don¡¯t define me?¡¯ she repeated in her head. She couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Finally, someone who got it! That¡¯s exactly how she tried to live her own life!


    ¡°You¡¯ll probably be here for a few hours,¡± Haru said. ¡°Do you want to order something? I¡¯ll make you some food, but you¡¯ll need to help me clean up a bit.¡±


    Rias laughed again. He asked them to help, but Akeno was already on it. It was a little-known fact that her queen was a bit of a clean freak. Akeno had already conjured a broom with her demonic power and was already in the process of sweeping the floor. Tsubaki immediately joined in to help her.


    Rias would have pitched in too, but she wasn¡¯t allowed to help clean after she nearly destroyed the Occult Research Club room with her attempt to use her Power of Destruction on some dust bunnies. The money for all the damages had come out of her anime and manga budget¡ªsomething she was still bitter about.


    She and Sona settled themselves in front of the bar. Haru was behind the counter, chopping some fresh smelling vegetables.


    ¡°So, you have your own restaurant? What¡¯s that like?¡± Rias asked, a lot less tense now that they were apparently safe in his territory.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious as well,¡± Sona added.


    Haru grinned. ¡°It¡¯s great but also kind of bizarre. I just opened yesterday, and I got a lot of strange customers. And none of them were even from our dimension¡­¡± he said with a chuckle.


    Rias and Sona exchanged confused looks.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¨CHaru¨C


    The girls took the idea that the restaurant connected to other dimensions surprisingly well. And by ¡°surprisingly well,¡± I mean they didn¡¯t believe me at all.


    That was fine. They¡¯d find out soon enough if another bizarre dimension hopping customer showed up hungry for some good food. It was approaching lunch time after all.


    In the meantime, I sent a message to Yasaka, letting her know about the four visitors in my restaurant. They were here in Kyoto without permission, but they had been under the impression that they¡¯d received it directly from her office. According to Sona, the stamp on the letter was official.


    It seemed we had some traitorous Yokai to root out, just as the Devils would have to deal with their own traitors. An obvious conspiracy was brewing¡­


    Now, I just had to wait for Yasaka¡¯s response. In the meantime, I still had a restaurant to run. The two queens were cleaning up nicely, while their companions enjoyed the meal I¡¯d prepared.


    ¡°This is so freaking good!¡± Rias Gremory declared, practically inhaling her bowl of ramen. ¡°We have a live-in maid who cooks for my family, but she never makes ramen. She says it¡¯s not a meal befitting a proper noble lady,¡± Rias complained, though she didn¡¯t slow down.


    Sona was slurping her noodles thoughtfully. I didn¡¯t like seeing my customers looking troubled, even if they were Devils.


    ¡°Something wrong with the food?¡± I asked.


    Sona shook her head, a soft smile on her face. ¡°No, it¡¯s very good, Haru-san. I was just trying to figure out what¡¯s going on. Things could have turned out badly if you hadn¡¯t been the first Yokai to discover us,¡± she said, glancing at her phone as she began typing a quick message.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure our class is freaking out. We¡¯ve basically gone missing,¡± Rias said, looking frustrated. ¡°Too bad I have no way to contact them.¡± She mentioned how she¡¯d avoided giving her phone number to the girls in her class after it got leaked to all the boys at Kuoh Academy. ¡°I got so many dick pics that week¡­¡± she added with a shudder.


    I burst out laughing at that comment, which made Rias pout cutely at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure our classmates are fine. They probably think we snuck off to a love hotel for some sweet yuri time,¡± Akeno said with a giggle.


    Rias choked on her noodles and glared at Akeno. ¡°Why would you say something like that, Akeno?¡±


    Akeno shrugged, still sweeping the floor. ¡°Because it¡¯s true. Half the school thinks you and I are a couple. They also think the same about Sona and Tsubaki. We¡¯ve all been confessed to by almost every boy in school and rejected them all.¡±


    Tsubaki, who was wiping a table next to Akeno, paused as she blushed at the implication. ¡°The only boy I¡¯m interested in is Kiba-kun¡­¡± she said softly, having said the least of the group so far.


    ¡°If you¡¯re all finished gossiping, I have some news,¡± Sona said, closing her flip phone. ¡°I sent a message to my sister. She¡¯s trying to figure out what happened and is speaking with Yasaka now. She should be able to pick us up in a few hours if the Yokai don¡¯t let us stay in Kyoto.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I told the four girls. ¡°Feel free to order seconds while we wait¡­¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    XXX

 Chapter 5: Redheads

    Chapter 5: Redheads


    ¨CHaru¨C


    The atmosphere in my restaurant was... awkward, to say the least.


    "So-tan! You''re okay! Your big sister almost had a heart attack when I got your call. I was so upset I nearly attacked Heaven!" Serafall Leviathan, the Maou, exclaimed, hugging her younger sister tightly.


    "N-Nee-san! This is so embarrassing!" Sona looked absolutely mortified. As soon as Serafall had entered my restaurant with my mother, she made a beeline for her sister, scooping Sona up and plopping her sister right onto her lap in one of the booths. Sona tried to ply herself off of her older sister¡¯s lap, but the Maou apparently had an iron grip.


    Serafall ignored her sister''s struggles with a carefree grin as Yasaka sat down across from the devil sisters. "I''m so glad everything worked out!" Serafall exclaimed. "Those evil meanies who plotted against us will receive Levia-tan''s swift justice!"


    "Ara, be sure to save some of them for me." Yasaka''s smile didn''t quite reach her eyes. "A war could have broken out between our races over this¡­" she said quietly, making everyone wince. Even Serafall¡¯s smile faltered at that dark thought.


    ¡°What actually happened, Nee-san?¡± Sona asked, still struggling to pull herself off of her sister¡¯s lap¨Cunsuccessfully.


    Yasaka answered, ¡°Let''s just say there were certain unsavory individuals high up in both of our factions'' administrations that wanted to see our factions enter conflict. They chose to potentially sacrifice you for girls by sending you into Yokai territory to do so. I¡¯ve already captured a few conspirators from my side.¡± she calmly explained, but I could tell she was fuming. After the death of my human stepfather, Yasaka went on a massive ¡°traitor hunt¡± in her anguish.


    I thought she had rooted out all the bad apples amongst our people, but clearly that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Rias spoke up, trying to lighten the heavy mood. ¡°Lady Serafall is right. Everything worked out in the end! Let¡¯s just be happy and move on!" She then turned to me and flashed a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for covering for us and letting us hide in your restaurant, Haru."


    I grinned at her. "No problem, you girls have been great company. Feel free to come back anytime!" I glanced over at Yasaka, realizing I shouldn''t have made that offer without her approval. I might welcome all people into my restaurant¨Cbut politics were still an unfortunate thing. "Is it alright for them to come back here?" I asked her.


    Yasaka gave a small nod. "...The Gremory and Sitri Clans are now officially allied with the Kyoto Yokai. They are welcome in our territory whenever they wish. As for other Devil clans... we will decide on a case-by-case basis. For example, members of the Phenex Clan will never be welcome in Kyoto," she said coldly. ¡°We will dispose of them on sight¡­¡±


    Rias looked happy to hear that morbid declaration from Yasaka. "Riser isn''t ever allowed to come here!? Perfect! I''ll be teleporting here for lunch and dinner every day then! I have a feeling the asshole has been secretly spying on me lately," she added bitterly.


    "If you''ve got issues with a man following you around, the Companions can help, girl." The door to my restaurant swung open, and in strolled Aela. She flashed me a softer smile than I expected from a hardened warrior. "I''m back, Haru."


    "Er... welcome back, Aela?" I mumbled, feeling awkward as every girl in the restaurant suddenly locked their eyes on her. I suddenly realized I was the only man in a restaurant filled completely with beautiful women. Where the hell were all my male customers from last night!?


    "Ara, who might you be?" Yasaka asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Aela walked right up to Yasaka''s booth. "You must be Queen Yasaka. Haru mentioned you last night at the party."


    Wait, I did? I barely remembered anything from last night...


    Aela kept going. "It''s nice to meet you, mother-in-law. I believe little Kunou called me Haru¡¯s girlfriend, though that''s a bit... strange for my people. We¡¯re more than friends. We¡¯re courting each other." She nodded, satisfied with her explanation.


    ¡°Wah¨C¡±


    It¡¯s not every day you see my mom speechless, but Aela had left her completely gaping. I facepalmed. Leave it to a Nord to be so blunt. She was basically the female version of my new friend Agnar¡­


    "W-what!?" Rias sputtered, snapping her head towards me. "You''re actually dating this cosplay Viking woman!?" she asked me, looking... jealous?


    Was I reading that right?


    "Ara, I sense some drama coming up." Akeno grinned, teasing Rias.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tsubaki added next to her.


    ¡°What is cosplay?¡± Aela asked, looking genuinely confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯re wearing!¡± Rias shot back with her arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re dressed up like some kind of slutty Viking warrior. That armor barely covers any of your vital areas!¡±


    Rias had a point. I remembered seeing other female Companions at the party last night, and yeah, Aela¡¯s armor was the skimpiest. I had assumed it was because she was a werewolf and needed something easy to take off before transforming. Or maybe she just liked showing off her incredible body.


    Aela scowled at her fellow redhead. ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll have you know, this is Ancient Nord Armor. It might be a bit dated by my people''s standards, but it¡¯s still perfectly acceptable! If anything, the one who should be ashamed of her dress is you. That skirt you wear is shorter than even the  whores in Whiterun! It leaves nothing to the imagination.¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rias sputtered again. ¡°This is my school uniform! It was officially approved by the faculty at Kuoh Academy!¡±


    Sona decided to cut in. ¡°Actually, Rias, you hypnotized the principal when he refused to change the official skirt lengths. I was fine with the standard knee-length uniforms,¡± she added, still stuck on her sister¡¯s lap of course.


    ¡°I think So-tan looks adorable in her school uniform! Rias did a good job. Nobody likes long skirts anyway!¡± Serafall chimed in, cheerful as ever.


    Yasaka finally snapped out of her stupor and stared at Aela up and down. ¡°You are my son¡¯s girlfriend? Since when?¡±


    ¡°Last night, during the party when Haru drunkenly declared his love for me in front of all the Companions.¡± Aela explained.


    ¡°Drunkenly¡­?¡± Yasaka gave me a very disapproving look. ¡°Do I need to order the Kappa Clan to stop supplying your restaurant with so much Sake?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ That was just a one time thing.¡± I assured her with a nervous gulp. ¡°...We were celebrating a successful first day and the fact that Agnar and I became sworn friends.¡±


    ¡°I can tell that everyone is clearly out of the loop here! You¡¯re not giving us enough backstory to work with, Haru-kun!¡± Serafall said passionately. ¡°People will stop watching your TV show if they don¡¯t know what''s going on!¡±


    ¡°What TV show? This is a restaurant¡­¡± I pointed out with a sigh. ¡°Fine, this is what happened yesterday.¡± I took a couple minutes to explain to Yasaka and my Devil guests about everything that had happened the previous day. Along with all of my customers and the fact that this restaurant connected to other dimensions for a reason we had yet to figure out. Yasaka obviously knew about that part, but she hadn''t been present when Harry and Hermione returned after getting healed. Agnar and Serana arrived after that followed by all the other Companions.


    "Wait a minute! Are you telling me you weren¡¯t messing with us earlier?¡± Rias asked, eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°She¡¯s ACTUALLY from another dimension?¡± She pointed at Aela. ¡°What does she even do there?¡±


    Aela proudly placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I am a member of the Companions, the most honorable band of warriors in all of Skyrim. We travel across the land, slaying bandits and monsters alike to help the common folk. Our current Harbinger is Agnar the Dragonborn!¡± she declared with unmistakable pride.


    Rias crossed her arms, a skeptical expression on her face. ¡°Hmph, so you¡¯re basically just a mercenary. Is that the kind of woman who should be dating the Prince of the Yokai?" She flicked her gaze over to me and added, "I think Haru could do better, personally.¡±


    Uh oh, shots had been fired¡­


    Aela let out a growl that was almost inhuman, causing Rias to take a few nervous steps back. "You take that back! I am an honorable woman! Dozens of strong Nords have approached me with an Amulet of Mara, and I turned them all down!" Her hand hovered dangerously over the dagger on her thigh. "Insult my honor again, and we¡¯ll have more than just words."


    Rias, clearly rattled, still began summoning her demonic power. A dark red aura flared up around her. "So, you¡¯re a werewolf, huh? I¡¯m not afraid of you!"


    "You will be!"


    Things were escalating fast, and I had to step in before my restaurant became a warzone. Akeno and Tsubaki had just cleaned the place; I wasn¡¯t about to let it get wrecked again. "Enough, ladies. There will be no fighting in my restaurant, or I¡¯ll ban you both for a week."


    Aela huffed and sheathed her dagger, while the ominous red aura around Rias slowly faded.


    "...At least you''re not a cowardly milk drinker too afraid to fight," Aela muttered begrudgingly.


    "...Thanks. And I''m sorry for insulting your honor," Rias replied stiffly. After a pause, she continued, "What was that about the Companions being able to help me? You mentioned that when you first walked in."


    Aela nodded, regaining her composure. "Well¡­ you weren¡¯t entirely wrong when you called us mercenaries. We do take jobs to help settle disputes between people from time to time. But we don¡¯t take assassination missions. Tell me about this man who¡¯s stalking you. You called him Riser?"


    Rias sighed. "I don¡¯t need Riser dead... well, I wouldn¡¯t be upset if he was, but I¡¯d settle for him getting a good beating. He¡¯s strong, and he¡¯s got this annoying ability to regenerate from any injury he receives." She went on, explaining everything she knew about Riser and his powers.


    Aela listened carefully, nodding along. "Hm, we might be able to figure out a way around his regeneration, but you may need to request the Harbinger himself to take on this mission for you. Let''s head over here to discuss the details and payment for our services." She led Rias to an empty table, the two suddenly deep in conversation about what sounded a lot like a hit job¡­


    Everyone in the restaurant watched as the two women, who were moments away from tearing each other apart, were now calmly negotiating some sort of hit job with smiles on both of their faces. Women could be very confusing sometimes¡­


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Sona asked, finally managing to slip free from her dazed older sister¡¯s grasp. She darted over to the bar, clearly trying to avoid getting caught again. ¡°Give me some freaking alcohol! I don¡¯t care that I¡¯m not old enough to drink!¡±


    I just shrugged, grabbing one of the freshly stocked bottles and pouring her a small cup. Sona downed it in one go, muttering under her breath about the struggles of dealing with an overly clingy older sister.


    ¡°Ara¡­ I¡¯ve never seen Rias quite so interested in a man before,¡± Akeno teased, sending a wink my way as she and Tsubaki joined Sona at the bar.


    Grateful for their help cleaning up earlier, I offered the two Devil Queens free meals. Akeno chose a classic Japanese bento, but Tsubaki¡¯s order caught me off guard¡ªshe asked for Italian spaghetti.


    Curious, I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Spaghetti?¡±


    Tsubaki blushed slightly, glancing away. ¡°The boy I like is Italian. I figured I should get used to the food he likes for when we, um¡­ eventually get married,¡± she said with a blush.


    Akeno burst out laughing. ¡°Good luck with that Tsubaki-chan. Rias and I are like 90% sure Kiba is gay at this point. He¡¯s seen both of us naked multiple times and never so much as batted an eye at either of us. Ufufu¡­¡± Akeno teased.


    I was listening in on their conversation as I started preparing the ingredients for their orders. Whoever this Kiba guy was, he was one lucky bastard¡­


    Tsubaki gaped at Akeno in shock. ¡°That can¡¯t be true¡­¡±


    ¨CSerafall¨C


    After recovering from that strange scene with Rias and Aela, Serafall and Yasaka continued a more private conversation in their booth. Serafall cast a simple spell that blocked out all noise so the girls at the bar wouldn''t overhear them.


    ¡°Do you know how big of a deal this restaurant is, Yasaka? Other dimensions!? That sounds completely absurd! We all know they exist, but no one has ever been able to safely pass the Dimensional Gap to access them. Great Red kills anyone who dares to try!¡± she hissed out.


    Yasaka nodded thoughtfully at Serafall¡¯s words. ¡°I am well aware. We¡¯ve already gathered plenty of evidence. This restaurant connects to three different dimensions already, and I feel that¡¯s just the beginning. So far, everything¡¯s been relatively peaceful, and Great Red hasn¡¯t made an appearance, so we must be flying under his radar for now.¡±


    Serafall took a moment to let that sink in, then leaned forward, her tone shifting to something more calculated. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, your faction is sitting on a metaphorical goldmine! Other dimensions? That¡¯s a near-limitless opportunity¡ªresources, knowledge, alliances¡­ all of it just opened up to your people. But if the other factions find out about this, especially the stronger ones in our world, they might try to bully their way into your territory,¡± she warned, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Unless, of course, you had a strong partner to stand by your side.¡±


    It was clear why Serafall was the Maou in charge of foreign relations. She saw not just the potential business benefits but the opportunity to ease tensions between the yokai and the devils. Well, most devils. Some clans couldn¡¯t help themselves when it came to aggressively recruiting peerage members.


    Yasaka¡¯s eyes flickered with understanding. ¡°You¡¯re suggesting a true alliance?¡±


    Serafall smiled. ¡°Between your faction and mine, we¡¯d be more than a match for anyone who tries to take advantage of us. And who knows? It could be the start of a real peace between our people. Maybe we could even seal the deal with a marriage or two?¡± Serafall offered. ¡°Rias seems to have taken an interest in your son.¡± she pointed out the obvious. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be too impossible to get her family to agree to this opportunity once they learn about the potential of this restaurant. She also seems to be getting along fine with his werewolf girlfriend now that they''re not trying to kill each other. It could work,¡± Serafall explained, glancing to the side and temporarily dropping the noise canceling spell.


    Rias and Aela had finished up their actual business and now Rias was explaining to Aela the finer details of actual cosplay. The werewolf girl seemed oddly fascinated with the concept.


    Serafall waited quietly, watching Yasaka tap her fingers on the table, lost in thought. She really hoped Yasaka would agree to the alliance. The peerage system had saved the Devils from extinction, but it hadn¡¯t stopped their culture from teetering on the edge of stagnation. They needed something to push them forward, to shake them out of the old ways that still clung to their society.


    ¡®Maybe,¡¯ Serafall thought. ¡®...The introduction of magic or technology from other dimensions could be the spark the Devil world needed.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about business; it was about evolution. The Devils had survived, but they hadn¡¯t thrived. With access to new ideas, new tools, and new ways of thinking from beyond the Dimensional Gap, they could finally break free of their centuries-old traditions and start building something better.


    Yasaka¡¯s silence stretched on for a few more seconds before she finally spoke. ¡°You make a compelling argument, Serafall,¡± she said slowly. ¡°An alliance with your faction would offer protection from those who would try to exploit Haru¡¯s restaurant. But more than that, it could open the door to something much bigger¡­ for both our people.¡±


    Serafall¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Exactly! This could be the turning point we both need. Imagine the possibilities, Yasaka. Knowledge, power, and resources from entirely different worlds. It could change everything!¡± she said happily.


    Yasaka smiled softly, but still with a hint of caution. ¡°Let¡¯s not rush into this too quickly. I need to ensure that whatever deal we strike is in the best interest of the Yokai. But I agree¡­ this is an opportunity we can¡¯t afford to ignore.¡±


    Serafall hated all the waiting that came with politics, but nodded. ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll take some time to figure out the best path forward for both of our factions.¡±


    ¨CHaru¨C


    Akeno was happily enjoying her bento lunch, while Tsubaki was slowly picking at her spaghetti. She looked like she was still processing the fact that the boy she had been pursuing for years might be gay. No one really knew for sure, though, unless the guy himself said something.


    But honestly, that sounded like a whole lot of not my problem!


    My current problem was the little sister of the Maou Leviathan, Sona, who was trying to drown her embarrassment in sake. That definitely didn¡¯t seem healthy, so I cut her off.


    Sona whined at me when I refused to pour her more drinks. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still on a school trip? Your cheeks are already flushed. Your teachers are going to notice if you drink any more,¡± I said, putting the bottle back under the counter for good measure.


    Sona slumped forward onto the bar, groaning dramatically. ¡°You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like, having an older sister like Serafall!¡± she complained. ¡°Every time she comes around, she always does something to embarrass me!¡±


    I chuckled softly while wiping down the counter where some sake had sloshed.


    Just then, the door to my restaurant swung open and someone new walked inside. ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole! You can sit at the bar or wherever you like,¡± I said to the¡­little girl? A little girl who looked like she was cosplaying as an old Nazi, equipped with an actual wooden rifle hung over her shoulder.


    She looked around the restaurant incredulously before gaping at me. ¡°What the hell!? Is this some kind of trick from Being X?¡±


    XXX

 Chapter 6: A child soldier?

    Chapter 6: A child soldier?


    ¨CTanya Von Degurechaff¨C


    The familiar scenery threw Tanya off, a weird sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu creeping in. It was the kind of place she only saw in her dreams, not reality. After months of brutal battles on the front lines, she had just returned to the capital of the empire, craving nothing more than a decent cup of coffee. That¡¯s when she spotted it¨CThe Fox Hole. With a dark sense of humor that came from too many years as a soldier, she figured it would be a small, grimy caf¨¦. The name alone had her curious enough to check it out.


    What she didn''t expect was to walk into a cozy traditional Japanese family restaurant. The warm atmosphere was almost eerie after she had been around so much death and destruction. She thought that everyone inside looked too perfect and clean.


    And wait¡ªwere those girls at the bar actually wearing school uniforms?


    Tanya shook her head. Focus. What really mattered was the bartender and the customer in one of the booths, both of whom had clearly inhuman features. Nine large, fluffy tails, and a pair of fox ears atop their heads?


    Yeah, that wasn¡¯t normal. Even from her perspective as a mage.


    She marched right up to the counter and hopped up on an empty stool. Once seated, she glared at the inhuman bartender. ¡°What the hell is this place!? And what the hell are you supposed to be? Another one of Being X¡¯s lackeys, here to mess with me? Is this some twisted attempt to make me feel sentimental by throwing a Japanese family restaurant at me?¡± Tanya scoffed, crossing her arms.


    As if she''d break down over something like that¡­


    The bartender looked at her, utterly confused. ¡°I have no idea who Being X is,¡± he said.


    Tanya grimaced. Right, only she called it that. To everyone else, Being X was known as¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about that bastard who calls himself God! Always flaunting his powers over poor mortals and acting like he''s better than us even though I know he''s nothing more than a fraud!¡± she snapped.


    The bartender¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. ¡°...Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? Japan has hundreds¨Cthousands of gods. And honestly, a lot of them act like you describe even though most of them aren¡¯t even that impressive or powerful,¡± he added with a shrug. ¡°Hell, some people still consider nine-tailed Kitsune like me and my family to be gods.¡±


    ¡°Japan?¡± Tanya asked, her eyebrows knitting together. ¡°Why are you talking about Japan? How do you even know about Japan?¡± Was he from her old world as well!? Was he another reincarnation? Her head started spinning with thoughts about all the potential plots and plans Being X could come up with to try and screw her over!


    Tanya was snapped out of her stormy thoughts by one of the girls sitting nearby. ¡°Ara, because that''s where we are right now, little girl. We¡¯re in Japan.¡±  S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tanya whipped around, ready to bite back with some snappy remark, but the words caught in her throat. The girl was drop-dead gorgeous¡ªlike something out of her wildest fantasies. She was an amazing Japanese beauty with curves in all the right places, and her¡­ assets were nothing short of amazing. Tanya could feel the heat rising to her face, and she quickly fought off a blush. Sure, she was in a girl¡¯s body now, but deep down, she was still a healthy man.


    ¡°And who are you supposed to be?¡± Tanya asked defensively. Being X hadn¡¯t tried to honeypot her yet, but she wouldn¡¯t put it past the bastard!


    ¡°Ara, don''t you know it¡¯s polite to introduce yourself first?¡± the schoolgirl teased, a playful smile tugging at her lips.


    Tanya, unamused, slid her rifle off her back and set it on the stool beside her, its weight hitting the seat with a solid thud. ¡°I¡¯m Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff¡­¡± she said.


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened slightly when Tanya mentioned her rank, but then she giggled behind her hand. ¡°What an adorable little soldier you are, Tanya-chan. I¡¯m Akeno Himejima,¡± she teased again before turning back to the bartender. ¡°Is she from another dimension too, Haru-kun?¡±


    Another dimension!? Tanya¡¯s ears perked up, her attention suddenly razor-sharp. She listened intently as they continued talking. Could this actually be real? Was it possible she had stumbled upon a way to escape the hellscape of war that Being X had dumped her into?


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s probably from another dimension,¡± the fox-eared bartender, Haru, replied casually, his tails flicking behind him. ¡°Child soldiers aren¡¯t exactly common these days¡ªsame with Nazis,¡± he added, casting a brief glance at Tanya. Then he flashed her a smile that seemed designed to charm¡ªsomething Tanya was immune to, though she figured most women might fall for it. ¡°As I said before, welcome to The Fox Hole,¡± Haru continued. ¡°It¡¯s my restaurant, and for reasons I don¡¯t entirely understand, it has the ability to manifest itself in multiple dimensions.¡± He paused, looking thoughtful. ¡°Right¡­ you might have no clue what I¡¯m talking about,¡± he muttered to himself.


    Tanya bristled, gripping the edge of the counter. ¡°Of course I know about alternate dimensions! I was cursed to be reborn in one by that foul Being X!¡± she practically shouted, then clapped a hand over her mouth. She¡¯d never shared that secret with anyone! Not even her closest ally Viktoria¡­


    ¡°Wow! Reincarnation!? You¡¯re like a real-life Isekai protagonist! You have to come on my TV show!¡±


    Apparently, Tanya''s outburst had caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant. One of the women who had been sitting in a booth¡ªdressed in what looked like magical girl cosplay, for some reason¡ªimmediately rushed up to the counter, getting right in Tanya¡¯s face.


    ¡°A show?¡± Tanya repeated skeptically. In her current world, TV barely existed, and what little did was just war propaganda. ¡°What show are you talking about, and who the hell are you supposed to be?¡±


    The girl raised her hand, and in a flash of pink light, a heart-shaped magic wand materialized out of thin air. She took a few steps back before striking an exaggerated pose. ¡°I am Miracle Magical Girl Levia-tan! The magical girl who protects the hopes and dreams of children everywhere and defends them from evil!¡± she declared enthusiastically.


    Tanya raised a skeptical eyebrow. She turned back to the bartender, hoping he could provide a better explanation.


    Haru chuckled. ¡°This is Serafall Leviathan. She¡¯s one of the top four strongest Devils¡ªa Maou,¡± he explained casually. ¡°And yeah, she has her own magical girl TV show, but... I wouldn¡¯t exactly call it child-friendly. There¡¯s a lot of nudity¡­¡± he said with a small blush that had the other women in the bar cooing at him.


    Tanya¡¯s eyes widened. A Maou? She was standing in front of an actual Devil? Her mind raced with the implications. If this woman was a devil, then she was an enemy of God. An enemy of Being X! Could it be that she had finally found an ally against that self-righteous tyrant?


    For the first time, Tanya¡¯s cold, calculating mask cracked. A flicker of hope¡ªtiny, but real¡ªcrossed her features. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn¡¯t a trick after all.


    The fox woman with the most impressive assets Tanya had seen yet approached and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Maybe you should tell us your story, Tanya-chan. Tell us about your world. We might be able to help,¡± she offered with a soft, reassuring smile.


    And so, Tanya did.


    She told them everything¡ªabout how her first life had been cruelly cut short, almost certainly by Being X himself. Then she described the living nightmare that had been her second life so far. Thirteen long years in a world where war was endless, a brutal, unrelenting conflict of guns and magic. Millions of lives lost every year in a senseless, violent struggle.


    All because that wretched Being X wanted to cause enough death and despair to force an entire world to pray to him for salvation!


    By the time she finished her story, everyone in the restaurant had gathered around the bar, listening intently.


    ¡°This Being X¡­¡± Aela, the Viking woman, growled, her fists clenched in anger. ¡°He sounds worse than any of the Daedric princes!¡±


    ¡°He needs to be stopped!¡± the other redhead girl next to Aela said.


    Serafall crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. ¡°I can tell you one thing, Tanya-chan,¡± she said with a grim smile. ¡°Being X is definitely not God¨COw.¡± She paused, rubbing her aching head, and so did all the schoolgirls around her. Tanya was surprised to learn that they, too, were all Devils, just like Serafall. And saying the word ¡°God¡± hurt them for some reason¡­


    In fact, no one in the restaurant besides her was fully human. She should have been more freaked out about that, but she found it oddly comforting for some reason. People had always compared her to a Devil¡­


    ¡°I obviously know he¡¯s not God,¡± Tanya replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what he is! Or why he¡¯s so obsessed with me!¡±


    The fox woman, Yasaka, frowned thoughtfully. ¡°I have a theory, though I hope I¡¯m wrong.¡± she said cautiously. ¡°I think¡­ Being X might be an evil spirit. Maybe the most powerful one I¡¯ve ever heard of, if he can cross dimensions at will and forcefully reincarnate souls that aren¡¯t bound to him...¡± she trailed off.


    ¨CHaru¨C


    Shit¡­


    This might be a bit of a problem. Evil Spirits had a natural advantage against Yokai, and if one showed up here looking for Tanya, that could spell trouble. Especially one powerful enough to do everything she claimed. I¡¯d never heard of an Evil Spirit transcending and becoming an actual god before. How much pain and misery did it have to cause for that to happen?


    ¡°Is there a way to deal with Being X, then?¡± Tanya asked. ¡°He¡¯s been harassing me for so long¡ªI just want to be done with him!¡±


    ¡°Evil Spirits are naturally weak to psychic powers,¡± Yasaka explained. ¡°You¡¯d need to find an incredibly powerful Esper to take on an Evil Spirit as powerful as Being X sounds. The truth is, I don¡¯t know if such a powerful human has ever existed,¡± she added and then apologized to Tanya for not being able to help more.


    I could tell that Yasaka was hesitant to even offer shelter to Tanya in Kyoto, but I knew she would if asked. She wouldn¡¯t hesitate to help a child, and even if Tanya wasn¡¯t one mentally, she still was physically at only 13 years old.


    ¡°I would offer to help, but Demonic Power tends to actually make Evil Spirits even stronger,¡± Serafall admitted sheepishly.


    Tanya explained how she had discovered something similar when she tried to kill Being X herself with her fairly impressive own magical abilities. She apparently fired what would amount to a mini magical nuke at him, and he wasn''t even bothered by it or the explosion. That added magical immunity and physical immunity to his list of admittedly impressive abilities as well¡­


    Tanya crossed her arms and let out a huff. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I always knew that taking down Being X wouldn¡¯t be easy. It¡¯s not like the amazing Esper I¡¯m looking for is just going to walk through the door¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey guys! Quite the crowd you¡¯ve got here today, Haru-san!¡± Arataka Reigen strode into the restaurant, followed by a plain-looking middle school boy in a black school uniform.


    Finally! I wasn¡¯t the only guy anymore!


    ¡°Come on in, Reigen-san. Is that your apprentice you mentioned yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yep! This here is Shigeo, but everyone just calls him Mob,¡± Reigen introduced the boy, who looked incredibly nervous with so many eyes on him¡ªespecially from so many women, I suspected.


    ¡°H¨CHello¡­¡± Mob muttered, staring at the floor with a blush.


    The bar was quickly running out of available seats, but there were still two left for Reigen and Mob to join us. ¡°I can''t stop thinking about that Katsudon from yesterday!¡± Reigen exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. ¡°You¡¯ve got to try it, Mob!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mob replied, his voice was barely above a whisper. Poor kid definitely needed to work on his confidence.


    ¡°Two orders of Katsudon coming right up!¡± I grabbed a large chunk of tender pork and started slicing it with precision.


    While I worked, Reigen made some small talk. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot more customers today! Looks like your place is going to be pretty popular.¡±


    ¡°You should have come by last night,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°The place was packed! There was a whole party, and things got pretty wild¡ªmaybe a bit too wild.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been able to. Mob and I had to exorcize an Evil Spirit haunting an all-girls high school yesterday. Sounds easy right? It wasn¡¯t! Men aren¡¯t allowed on campus, so we had to disguise ourselves as girls! Our disguises were flawless, but somehow I still ended up getting caught,¡± Reigen lamented, shaking his head as he told me about running away from the security  guards. ¡°Mob managed to sneak in just fine, though. He made a pretty convincing girl!¡± He laughed and gave Mob a pat on the back.


    Mob¡¯s face turned beet red, and he looked like he wanted to disappear. I decided to give him an extra portion of Katsudon on the house.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Tanya suddenly snapped her head toward the pair. ¡°You guys are exorcists? You can take care of Evil Spirits!?¡± Her disbelief was palpable. What was that about someone waltzing in through the front door¡­?


    Reigen flashed a grin at the little blonde girl. ¡°Oh? Are you being haunted, Ojou-chan? Never fear! For a modest fee, Mob and I will be more than happy to help you out!¡± Reigan gave Tanya the same sales pitch he had given Yasaka yesterday.


    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Tanya¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared intensely at Reigen and Mob.


    Neither of them looked particularly impressive on the surface, but I could sense something was off about Mob. Compared to Reigen, Mob seemed to have genuine Esper abilities. Although, it felt like he was suppressing his powers for some reason.


    Despite his blush, Mob managed to look Tanya straight in the eyes. ¡°Evil Spirits are troublesome. I will get rid of it for you!¡± he declared, surprising us all with his confidence.


    ¡°Aww¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s adorable¡­¡±


    ¡°I think someone¡¯s got a little crush¡­¡±


    The girls in the restaurant all cooed at Mob¡¯s sudden declaration. They all thought he was trying to impress her because ¡°he and Tanya were the same age.¡±


    The light-hearted atmosphere of the restaurant abruptly shifted as the doors were flung open by a powerful gust of wind. And then, it appeared. Describing it was difficult¡ªit was a floating orb of shifting, multi-colored lights, lacking any discernible physical form.


    ¡°So, this is where you¡¯ve run off to, sinner?¡± The voice of the entity echoed with a chilling resonance. ¡°You thought you could escape from me by traveling to another dimension?¡±


    Tanya¡¯s face twisted into a fierce snarl as she spat out the name with barely contained hatred. ¡°Being X¡­¡±


    Despite the lack of eyes, I felt its gaze pierce through every single person in the room. A shiver ran down my spine, my fur standing on end. I knew instinctively that a fight against this being would be incredibly difficult¡­It was powerful. I gritted my teeth as I saw Yasaka and Serafall sharing similar looks of dread. Almost everyone was trembling.


    ¡°Consorting with Devils and Demons, are you, sinner? How low you have fallen¡­¡± Being X¡¯ said with disdain.


    ¡°They¡¯re much better company than you are, Being X!¡± Tanya shot back defiantly. ¡°What are you doing here? Can¡¯t you see you¡¯re killing the mood in this restaurant? Begone, Evil Spirit! I know what you are now!¡±


    Being X floated closer to us all, its malevolent aura making the very air thick and oppressive. If it usually pretended to be a God, it certainly wasn¡¯t doing so now. The aura it emitted made it hard to breathe and stand. I could already feel the negative energy seeping into my body, trying to corrupt me. I was genuinely relieved that Kunou wasn¡¯t here today¡­


    ¡°I know not what this place is,¡± Being X declared ominously, ¡°but I will not permit its existence in my world. I will also not permit anyone knowing the truth about what I am. You¡¯ve overstepped too far, sinner, our game must come to an unfortunate end,¡± it declared it was going to kill Tanya, and probably everyone here as well.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be an all-knowing God? How can you not know what this place is?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but speak up. This was my restaurant, and I wasn¡¯t about to let some random Evil Spirit waltz in and act like it owned the place! Blue Fox Fire crackled above my hand, ready to unleash if it came to a fight.


    Suddenly, I felt all of Being X¡¯s attention snap to me.


    ¡°Your pitiful defiance is laughable, demon. I shall be rid of you first¡ªGraaaaahhhh!¡±


    An ear-splitting wail of agony erupted from Being X. Its orb-like form began to distort wildly, clearly under assault from another force!


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Mob¡¯s voice rang out as he strode toward the Evil Spirit. A shimmering aura of psychic energy surrounded him. I¡¯d been right¡ªhe was an Esper! And an incredibly powerful one at that. His psychic presence was so immense that it overwhelmed my senses. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave Tanya-chan alone now and never come back!¡± Mob declared as he blasted the Evil Spirit with a surge of psychic power.


    ¡°T¨CThis p¨Cpower!? An E¨CEsper? D¨CDammit! T¨CThis isn¡¯t over!¡± Being X stuttered in pain before quickly retreating from my restaurant. The oppressive atmosphere lifted instantly, and a collective sigh of relief swept through the room.


    ¡°Fuck yes!¡± Tanya started jumping up and down with a wild look of glee in her eyes. She ran over to Mob and actually planted a kiss on his cheek! ¡°That was amazing!¡±


    ¡°That really was amazing, kid.¡± I thanked Mob. ¡°...You really saved us all¡­ Um, kid?¡± He wasn¡¯t moving for some reason. ¡°Is he okay?¡±


    Reigan walked over to Mob and then started giggling when he looked at his face. ¡°Hahaha! He fainted after Tanya-chan kissed his cheek¡­¡±


    XXX


    Poor Mob, he¡¯s not good with girls¡­

 Chapter 7: A land deed?

    Chapter 7: A land deed?


    ¨CHarry Potter¨C Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Three days later...


    Harry wiped the sweat from his forehead, panting as the magic buzzed through him. His new teacher, Serana, had really put him through the wringer. The last time he¡¯d pushed himself this hard was last year, when he had to fend off a hundred Dementors.


    ¡°Magic is like a muscle, my young apprentice,¡± Serana explained calmly. ¡°The more you use it, the stronger it gets. But if you neglect it, it becomes weak and unreliable. That¡¯s why so many adult mages struggle after they finish school.¡±


    ¡°Is that why our Hogwarts professors are some of the most powerful witches and wizards in Britain?¡± Hermione asked, wiping sweat from her own brow. ¡°Because they¡¯re always using magic?¡±


    Serana nodded. ¡°Exactly, my other apprentice. That¡¯s why I¡¯m putting you both through this training ¡ª to strengthen your reserves. You both just spent three months without casting a single spell outside of your school. You probably don¡¯t even realize how much of your magic reserves you lost from that inactivity,¡± she pointed out and Harry grimaced.


    He always hated summer because it meant he was going back to the Dursleys, but now he hated it even more because it apparently also weakened his magic. He noticed that he did always seem to struggle with spells he had previously mastered the first couple months back in the school. He thought it was just because he was out of practice, not his ¡°magical muscles¡± literally atrophying on him¡­


    The task Serana had them doing sounded simple ¨C cast the spell Flames over and over again. It sounded easy enough but was actually exhausting. Serana explained that Flames was one of the most common destruction spells in Skyrim, mainly because having fire literally on hand was incredibly useful when half the region was a frozen wasteland.


    The fact that the spell was wandless left both Harry and Hermione amazed. In fact, all the magic Serana had taught them so far was wandless.


    There were magical staves in Skyrim, but Harry had promised himself he would never use one. They were powered by HUMAN SOULS! Hermione was just as disgusted as he was at the practice. The vampire didn¡¯t seem to understand why they were so freaked out about the whole soul thing due to cultural differences, but they were slowly explaining it to her. It would take time, but they¡¯d get there eventually.


    ¡°So, my apprentices, how have you both been enjoying Skyrim so far?¡± Serana asked with a knowing smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s a lot more dangerous than the magical world,¡± Harry said, ¡°but then again, we¡¯ve both almost died many times at Hogwarts during our first three years.¡±


    Hermione nodded in agreement. ¡°The walking skeletons are a bit different, though¡­¡±


    As part of their training, Serana had taken them below the Whiterun Temple of Arkay to practice magic on the undead skeletons that kept rising there. The skeletons weren¡¯t actually that dangerous since the priests didn¡¯t leave any weapons lying around for them to grab. The worst they could do was try to punch or grab at you. Without any muscles, they weren¡¯t even that strong. At first, both Harry and Hermione had been nervous, but after destroying a handful of skeletons each, they weren¡¯t afraid anymore.


    They didn¡¯t get too cocky, though. Serana warned them that Skyrim was home to far more powerful undead¡ªones that were heavily armed and could even use magic!


    Harry felt the magic inside him deplete once again as the Flames sputtered out. The rock he had been casting on was glowing bright orange at this point. Hermione ran out of magic a few seconds later, her reserves were slightly larger than Harry¡¯s. That whole spiel about Muggleborns having less magic than Purebloods had turned out to be a load of rubbish. It was simply that Pureblood kids could cast spells at home during the summer, so they didn¡¯t have to spend time building their magic back up every year at Hogwarts.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve both reached the point where I can start teaching you real magic,¡± Serana said, examining the glowing rocks they had been scorching. ¡°You were both able to successfully cast for five minutes straight, and with a decent amount of power behind your Flames as well. You¡¯ve moved past the novice stage and become apprentices.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we already your apprentices?¡± Hermione asked, placing her hands on her knees to catch her breath.


    Serana shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. In Tamriel, mages and spells are divided into ranks: novice, apprentice, adept, expert, and master. You were both novices until now. That didn¡¯t mean you couldn¡¯t cast higher level spells, it just meant that you couldn''t cast them in succession without quickly exhausting yourselves.¡±


    Harry nodded, wondering what rank the Patronus Charm would fall under by Skyrim''s standards. That spell always drained him quickly. ¡°So you can teach me destruction spells that¡¯ll work on dragons now?¡±


    Serana shrugged before responding bluntly. ¡°Dragons from my world? Not a chance. Dragons in your world? Probably. The dragons in Skyrim are practically demigods ¡ª they¡¯re immune to almost anything below expert-level spells. But the ones in your world are much weaker and have the minds of beasts. I suspect they¡¯ll be particularly vulnerable to lightning spells.¡±


    Harry¡¯s eyes widened a bit. ¡°Lightning?¡± That sounded awesome!


    Serana nodded. ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be teaching you three specific spells. First, the Novice spell Sparks, then the Apprentice spell Lightning Bolt, and finally the Adept spell Lightning Cloak. The last one should only be used as a last resort because it will zap everything around you indiscriminately for a full minute, and it¡¯ll drain your Magicka reserves like nothing else.¡±


    Harry raised an eyebrow. ¡°So¡­basically a human lightning storm?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Serana smirked. ¡°But don¡¯t get too excited. If you use Lightning Cloak at the wrong time, it could be as dangerous to your allies as to your enemies. It should be fine to use it in your Triwizard Tournament, but be careful when using it otherwise."


    ¡°When can we start!?¡± Harry asked excitedly.


    ¡°¡­After lunch.¡± Serana told him. ¡°I could go for some more of those delicious blood sausages. Come along, apprentices. Let us visit the Fox Hole!¡±


    ¨CHaru¨C


    "Are you sure you both want to completely abandon your own dimension, Tanya-chan?" I asked the little blonde girl, who was actually a reincarnator older than I was.


    "You''re damn right I do! I¡¯m finally going to be free of Being X!" Tanya grinned, her expression almost maniacal with relief. A large sack, bigger than her entire body, sat on the floor next to her, stuffed with all her possessions and as many guns as she could sneak off with. Her mind was clearly made up. She had run away from the Empire and wanted to move to my world.


    ¡°What about your friends?¡± I asked gently. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a girl named Visha you were fond of?¡±


    Tanya¡¯s grin faltered, just for a moment. ¡°...Visha will get over my disappearance... I hope. I have to focus on myself first and foremost. I refuse to stay in that war-torn hell any longer! I want to live in your world!¡± She declared while staring up at me. ¡°...That does mean I''ll need a new job though.¡± There was a slight pause. ¡°You should hire me. I worked in management in my previous life. I¡¯d be a good employee!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°So, you want to go from a ruthless war colonel to a restaurant employee?¡± We had all heard Tanya¡¯s story, she was absolutely ruthless on the battlefield and from her expression when she retold all of those events I think she secretly loved the thrill of battle. She wouldn¡¯t have fun working in such a peaceful environment after a life like hers. I was on the lookout for a few extra hands and potential waitresses, but Tanya wasn¡¯t either of those.


    ¡°Anything¡¯s better than dealing with that disgusting Evil Spirit,¡± Tanya muttered while crossing her arms.


    "I might have a better idea," I told Tanya, watching her eyes light up with curiosity. "There was a plot against Kyoto that we luckily managed to stop the same day we met you. Ever since, my mom''s been nervous about letting Kunou wander around the city. You¡¯re pretty strong, and physically, you''re not much older than my younger sister. How would you feel about acting as her bodyguard?"


    Tanya¡¯s eyes widened with excitement. ¡°A bodyguard to the princess and future ruler of all the Yokai!? You¡¯d just hand away such a lofty position like that?¡± Tanya¡¯s voice was brimming with disbelief.


    "I¡¯d have to talk to my mother first, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯d say no. She already seems to like you well enough," I replied. I knew Yasaka felt bad for Tanya. Even though Tanya was a reincarnator with the mind of a ruthless strategist, it was hard to look at her and not just see a little girl. And Yasaka had a soft spot for children, especially ones like Tanya who¡¯d been through so much.


    ¡°I accept!¡± Tanya gave me an adorable little salute.


    I informed her that Yasaka had gotten some time off later today and would stop by with Kunou in a couple hours for dinner.


    ¡°I shall wait here then,¡± Tanya sat up on a barstool and ordered a cup of coffee. While I was preparing it for her, she attempted to make some small talk. It was frankly adorable how bad she was at it. ¡°So¡­how has stuff been?¡± Tanya asked, barely holding back her own cringe.


    I just laughed. ¡°Stuff has been fine. I haven''t had a lot of customers the past three days as everyone has been pretty busy, but I have a feeling that will be changing soon. You¡¯ll be happy to know that your crush Mob has been doing a great job clearing Kyoto of all our Evil Spirits.¡± I said teasingly, knowing that Tanya was still embarrassed that her first reaction to seeing Being X suffer was to run up and kiss Mob on the cheek!


    ¡°He''s not my crush¡­¡± Tanya grumbled while shooting me a quick glare. ¡°But I''m glad he''s been doing well. You can pass the message along that I owe him one!¡±


    "Hi, Haru!" Harry called out as the door swung open. Harry, Hermione, and Serana walked in, most likely for lunch. It was getting to that time of day, and I¡¯d noticed something interesting a few days ago. The general time of day seemed to sync up across all the dimensions my restaurant connected to.


    "Hey, everyone! You all want your usuals? How¡¯s training been going?" I asked as I fired up the grill and deep fryers. Harry and Hermione always ordered the same thing¡ªfish and chips¡ªand Serana, well, there was only one thing she could really order: blood, or anything I could make out of blood. I''d been experimenting with new recipes, but so far, I''d pretty much perfected blood sausages. I still couldn¡¯t stomach them, but Serana absolutely loved them.


    ¡°Thanks, Haru,¡± Serana said as she slid into one of the booths with Harry and Hermione. ¡°Training¡¯s been going well so far. Both Harry and Hermione are excellent students!¡± she added proudly before her eyes caught sight of Tanya sitting at the bar. ¡°Hello, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met. I¡¯m Serana.¡±


    ¡°I am former Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff,¡± she introduced herself proudly. Then, with her usual bluntness, she asked, ¡°What are you supposed to be?¡±


    It was pretty obvious Serana wasn¡¯t human, with her glowing reddish-yellow eyes and pale skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m a vampire, little mage,¡± Serana responded calmly.


    Tanya looked over at me in surprise. ¡°Vampires are real, too?¡±


    "Yep! Although she¡¯s from another dimension, like Harry and Hermione," I explained. "But yeah, we have vampires in my world, too. Though they tend to have red eyes and immediately burst into flames if they¡¯re exposed to sunlight."


    Serana nodded at my explanation. "Thankfully, in Skyrim, sunlight only weakens vampires. Although, I''ve heard of other vampires across Nirn who can¡¯t go into direct sunlight. My line received our blessing directly from the Daedric Lord Molag Bal. Hence, we are far more powerful than other vampires."


    Tanya raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Daedric Lord? Sounds like a fancy demon lord title or something."


    ¡°You¡¯re not far off¡­¡± Serana replied with a wry smile.


    ¡°You called yourself a Colonel?¡± Hermione asked, staring at Tanya. ¡°How is that possible? You look even younger than we are.¡±


    Tanya scowled bitterly. ¡°Let¡¯s just say the dimension I¡¯m from doesn¡¯t care about things like child protection laws or basic human rights.¡± She quickly changed the subject, glancing between Hermione and Harry. ¡°I can sense a decent amount of magic coming from both of you. The vampire mentioned something about you two learning magic?¡±


    Hermione nodded eagerly. ¡°Yeah! Serana¡¯s an amazing teacher! All the spells she teaches are wandless, and they¡¯re not even that hard to learn once you get the hang of it! She¡¯s going to start teaching us lightning magic next.¡± She paused, casting a worried glance at Harry. ¡°He got entered into this really dangerous tournament, and he has to fight a dragon in a couple of days.¡±


    Tanya¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°A dragon, huh? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Are they trying to get you killed?¡±


    Harry shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable. ¡°Kind of¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure my headmaster has been trying to get me killed every single year so he can claim my inheritance. This is just his latest attempt.¡±


    Tanya shook her head in disbelief.


    I finished up everyone¡¯s orders while they were chatting and brought the meals over to their booth. Harry, Hermione, and Serana dug into their food happily, while I turned back to cleaning up my station, just in case anyone else showed up for lunch.


    Honestly, I was a little surprised that Rias hadn¡¯t made good on her promise to stop by for lunch and dinner every day. Apparently her family had temporarily forbidden her from leaving Kuoh Town after she finished her school trip. Yasaka told me she was busy with some important talks with the Gremory clan, though she didn¡¯t share the details. I had a feeling those details were the reason.


    It had been a pretty boring few days. I wanted to spend more time with my new girlfriend, Aela, to get to know each other better, but some problem popped up in Skyrim that she and Agnar had to deal with. She mentioned something about a group of werewolf hunters trying to reorganize after she had crushed them the first time along with Agnar.


    The front door swung open again just as I finished cleaning up. ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole¨Coh, for fuck¡¯s sake. You¡¯re not welcome here, brat!¡± Harry and Hermione¡¯s former ginger friend was back.


    He looked unusually smug for someone who had their magic stick destroyed and got tossed out on their ass the last time they were here. But I quickly figured out the reason for his newfound confidence when a group of "elite"-looking witches and wizards rushed in behind him. They were followed by an old man who seemed like a poor imitation of Gandalf, a woman who genuinely resembled a toad, and an attractive older woman wearing a monocle for some reason. Seriously, had no one told her those went out of style over a hundred years ago?


    "What do you all want?" I asked, knowing full well this was going to be annoying.


    The woman with the monocle stepped forward first. She had an air of authority about her and looked like she was leading the group of other witches and wizards. Maybe magical cops? "I am Madam Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," she announced. "You are under suspicion of operating an illegal business and kidnapping the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter!"


    Before I could respond, the toad woman cleared her throat with an obnoxious "Hem Hem!" and stepped forward. "You are also under arrest for being a dark creature and for failing to register your bestial status with the Ministry of Magic!"


    Ah, so that¡¯s where this was going. Great.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kidnap Harry Potter,¡± I started off. ¡°This is a restaurant, he¡¯s literally right over enjoying some fish and chips.¡± I pointed to his booth. Harry was currently mid bite and waved to them with his mouth full.


    The old man finally spoke up. ¡°Harry, my boy! Where have you been? You¡¯ve been skipping all of your classes? I was worried about you.¡±


    I had to hand it to the guy, he sounded really sincere. No wonder he was able to con his way to the top of Harry¡¯s Wizarding World¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been training for the tournament, Professor Dumbledore. Hermione went over the rules for me. I¡¯m not allowed to receive help from any teachers, but I can hire a private tutor or other students to help me prepare. Hermione and I could technically skip all our classes for the rest of the year if we want to,¡± Harry explained calmly, clearly ready for this confrontation.


    Madam Bones shot Dumbledore a sharp glare. ¡°You told me the Boy-Who-Lived had been kidnapped! That obviously isn¡¯t the case!¡±


    Dumbledore sputtered for a moment. ¡°W-well¡­ I suppose I may have overreacted about his disappearance a bit,¡± he admitted, but his gaze quickly turned to Serana. ¡°But that¡¯s not important. Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s happening here? Harry is clearly being charmed by that vampire sitting next to him! She¡¯s obviously trying to seduce him and claim his inheritance or something!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Serana slammed her hands on the table in indignation. ¡°What the hell are you accusing me of, you old fart!? I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m happily married. You¡¯re lucky my husband isn¡¯t here, or he would snap you in half for that comment!¡±


    Dumbledore glared back at Serana. ¡°Is that a threat, vampire?¡± He reached into his sleeve. Probably going for his magic stick.


    ¡°It¡¯s a promise!¡± she declared, her hands starting to ice over with frost magic.


    ¡°Please do not fight in my restaurant¡­¡± I tried to interject.


    ¡°Enough, Dumbledore!¡± Madam Bones. ¡°There¡¯s no law saying a vampire cannot be hired to tutor a student. You cannot draw your wand on her without just cause.¡±


    Dumbledore pulled his empty hand out of his sleeve and started grumbling to himself¡­


    ¡°There are no laws about that¡­ yet,¡± the toad woman grumbled bitterly. ¡°Who cares about the Potter brat anyway?¡± She shifted her focus back to me. ¡°This filthy creature is operating an illegal restaurant on British soil! This cannot stand!¡±


    I¡¯d half-expected something like this to come up eventually. My restaurant popping up in random locations had made me wonder who actually owned the land.


    ¡°He also assaulted me, a proper Pureblood! He needs to go to Azkaban!¡± the ginger whined, but everyone pretty much ignored him. I¡¯d actually forgotten he was there for a moment.


    Madam Bones turned back to me. ¡°Unfortunately, Undersecretary Umbridge is correct. Do you have any paperwork that says you¡¯re allowed to operate this restaurant in Hogsmeade?¡±


    I did not¡­


    POP!


    My ears twitched as I glanced up. A rolled-up scroll suddenly popped into existence and landed on the counter. I hesitantly picked it up. My eyes widened when I unrolled and read what was on it.


    ¡°...Yes. I do have the proper paperwork. It was even signed by the Ministry of Magic,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady after whatever the hell just happened.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°WHAT!?¡±


    Dumbledore and Umbridge exclaimed simultaneously, disbelief written all over their faces.


    I shrugged and handed the scroll over to Madam Bones. It was the deed to the property my restaurant occupied, signed by the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge himself. The deed stated that he had even officially ceded the small plot of land to the Kyoto Yokai, effectively making my restaurant an embassy for a foreign nation. This meant that none of the British magical laws applied to me¡­


    Where did such an amazing scroll come from? I had no idea, but I assumed it was from whoever¡ªor whatever¡ªwas responsible for my restaurant¡¯s connections to all these dimensions.


    Madam Bones read over the scroll a few times, even scanning it with her wand. ¡°This is real,¡± she said, her expression shifting to apologetic. She turned to me and bowed slightly. ¡°My apologies for this misunderstanding, Prince Haru. My Aurors and I will leave you alone now.¡±


    I smiled at her. A non-corrupt magical cop? Who would¡¯ve thought¡­?


    ¡°Feel free to stop by my restaurant any time, Madam Bones!¡± I casually waved as she exited with the other Aurors.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Umbridge cursed, her face turning red with anger and embarrassment. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to forge the Minister¡¯s signature, but this isn¡¯t over, creature!¡± She spat on the floor before storming out after them.


    That was rude¡­


    Dumbledore and the ginger were the last two left in my restaurantI crossed my arms. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to ask you both to leave now. The ginger is permanently banned from this establishment, and so are you, Professor Dumbledore.¡± I shot a smirk at Harry, who was grinning even wider.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t that easy. Once Dumbledore recovered from the shock of the earlier commotion, he pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at me. ¡°I think not!¡± the old man declared.


    ¡°Yeah! Get him, Dumbledore!¡± the ginger brat cheered, clearly enjoying the spectacle.


    Dumbledore¡¯s wand glowed sickly green. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of bewitching dark magic you just used on Madam Bones, but this has gone on long enough! I have no choice but to stop you myself¡ª¡±


    BANG!


    Dumbledore was abruptly cut off, his wand clattering to the floor as he clutched his bleeding hand in shock.


    ¡°Get the hell out of here, you old fool! You heard Madam Bones! This is officially sovereign territory, and you¡¯re trespassing!¡± Tanya shouted, her eyes gleaming with a wild intensity. Yep, she really did love violence. ¡°That was a warning shot!¡± She was calmly holding a smoking pistol.


    ¡°You shot me¡­?¡± Dumbledore''s eyes widened in fear as he fumbled to reach down for his fallen wand with his other hand!


    BANG!


    ¡°Ow!¡± he cried out in pain a second time, now with bullet holes decorating both of his hands.


    ¡°Leave the wand! That¡¯s mine now!¡± Tanya said with a dark chuckle. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll use it as firewood¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡ªBut that¡¯s the Elder Wa¡ª¡± he stammered, stopping short at Tanya¡¯s fierce glare. ¡°N-Nevermind¡­ I¡¯ll go,¡± he mumbled, scrambling out of my restaurant, the ginger-haired companion dashing right behind him.


    ¡°That was awesome, Tanya!¡± Harry exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face.


    Tanya shrugged, holstering her pistol with a casual flick. ¡°Meh, just doing my job,¡± she said before grinning at me. Her eyes were basically asking me if she did a good job?


    She did indeed. ¡°I think you¡¯ll make a fine bodyguard for Kunou,¡± I told her.


    XXX


    Sometimes violence is the answer¡­ Although, now someone is going to have to clean up the blood all over the floor.

 Chapter 8: Crab

    Chapter 8: Crab


    ¨CHaru¨C


    Cooking has always been my passion, but sometimes, you just need a break. This morning, I finally got to spend some time with my girlfriend, Aela, which made it all the better.


    ¡°So, how fared your hunt against the Silver¡­ Fist?¡± I asked as we walked across the grassy plains of Whiterun. She was taking me to a nearby pond where, apparently, there were baby giant crabs. Even as babies, they were bigger than anything I''d seen on Earth. I was curious to try them before thinking about adding them to my menu.


    ¡°Silver Hand¡­¡± Aela corrected, her eyes scanning the horizon. Whiterun¡¯s wilds were filled with dangers¡ªwolves, sabre cats, and worse. Only the most experienced warriors or hunters dared venture out with so few numbers. ¡°...And it went well,¡± she continued. ¡°Agnar and I thought we¡¯d broken their back after they killed the last Harbinger of the Companions, but it seems they¡¯ve been trying to reorganize in secret, hiding nearby in Falkreath. We showed them that was unacceptable! In our werewolf forms, the two of us laid siege to their little hideout and feasted on their flesh!¡± She grinned darkly as she shared more grisly details.


    I winced. The Silver Hand had been responsible for Skjor¡¯s death¡ªAela¡¯s brother in all but blood¡ªso I understood her thirst for revenge. Still, the idea of werewolves needing to eat human hearts to grow stronger was hard to stomach.


    Then again, my mother, Yasaka, had grown up in an era when many Yokai fed on humans. Thankfully, that was mostly a thing of the past.


    ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± I said, trying to change the subject as I looked up at the clear blue sky. ¡°The weather¡¯s really nice today. Is it always like this in Skyrim?¡±


    Aela snorted. ¡°Gods, no. Skyrim¡¯s got the worst weather in all of Tamriel! Whenever we get a hailstorm, at least one person ends up dead or maimed. The ice comes down sharp as blades and the size of fists.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­ awful,¡± I muttered, trying to picture it.


    ¡°Aye, I suppose it does sound horrible to someone not born here, but it¡¯s home,¡± Aela said, chuckling darkly as she told me about an elf who got unlucky and took a chunk of hail straight through the eye just last week.


    ¡°Well, at least we picked a good day for our first date. I¡¯m really glad we¡¯re finally spending time together,¡± I said, smiling at her.


    A faint pink flushed Aela¡¯s cheeks, her tough exterior cracking just a little. ¡°Y¨CYes. I¡¯m glad to be out here with you too, Haru,¡± she replied.


    Since this was a date, I would¡¯ve reached out to hold her hand, but in Skyrim, you always had to stay alert whenever you were outside the safe walls of a city. You never know what bad thing was nearby just waiting to ambush you.


    Case in point: A massive fucking spider was creeping through the grass toward us. It probably thought it was being sneaky, but apparently forgot it was the size of a small pony!


    I tried not to visibly shudder. Spiders should not get that big! I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m an Ultimate-Class Yokai¡ªa giant spider creeping up on me is still terrifying.


    In one swift motion, Aela grabbed a glass-tipped arrow from her quiver, nocked it, and fired with deadly precision. The arrow buried itself in the spider¡¯s cluster of eyes, and the creature let out an awful screech as it lost its sight.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know spiders had vocal cords,¡± I said as Blue Foxfire flared to life in my offhand. With a flick of my wrist, I sent the flames spiraling toward the writhing creature. Blinded by an arrow and then set on fire¡ªit was not having a good day.


    If it had been screeching before, now it was wailing!


    The spider thrashed around, desperate to put out the fire, but my flames, powered by my Youki, couldn¡¯t be extinguished by something as simple as rolling on the ground. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and after a few moments, the spider went still.


    I wrinkled my nose at the scent, then blinked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t smell too bad, actually. Can we eat those?¡± It had been scary alive, but now it smelled¡­ kind of delicious? S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aela shook her head, to my disappointment. ¡°No. Every giant spider in Skyrim is deadly poisonous. They¡¯re just pests. Luckily for us, we won¡¯t need to clean up the corpse. They¡¯re cannibals¡ªother spiders will come along and eat it soon enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ hardcore,¡± I muttered while shaking my head.


    Aela smirked playfully. ¡°That¡¯s Skyrim.¡±


    A short while later, we arrived at a pond a few miles from Whiterun¡¯s walls. Aela and I crouched in the brush, keeping low to avoid being spotted by our prey. Hunting might seem like an odd choice for a first date, but for a werewolf and a kitsune, it felt oddly fitting. We were both natural predators, and I had to admit, I was enjoying it.


    At the water¡¯s edge, I spotted three baby giant crabs, their shells glinting in the afternoon sun as they chittered. I called them ¡°babies,¡± but each was over a foot tall. Their claws were busy tearing apart a fully grown doe, its blood staining the rocks beneath them. The poor creature must have wandered down for a drink and met an unfortunate end.


    ¡°These crabs aren¡¯t poisonous, are they?¡± I asked, realizing I probably should¡¯ve checked that before we started hunting.


    ¡°No,¡± Aela replied. ¡°Giant crabs in Skyrim are perfectly edible. In fact, they¡¯re a delicacy¡ªmostly because of how hard they are to catch. Their shells are tougher than iron; most arrows just bounce off. And those claws¡­¡± She paused. ¡°They¡¯re quicker than most hunters think. Every year, a few unlucky souls get sliced up and eaten by these little beasts.¡±


    I watched the crabs for a moment, noting how efficiently they tore apart the doe. "Charming creatures," I muttered.


    None of that was a problem for us, though. Aela, being a werewolf, was far stronger than any ordinary Nord. Her bow had a much higher draw weight, and her glass-tipped arrows¡ªsomehow stronger than steel in this world¡ªwere more than capable of piercing their armored shells.


    As for me, I had options. I could transform my hands into claws that could easily slice through steel, depending on how much Youki I channeled. But that would get messy. Normally, I¡¯d use my foxfire, but since these crabs were meant to be dinner, the last thing I wanted was to overcook them before we even got back to the kitchen.


    Claws it was then¡­


    ¡­


    The doors to my restaurant suddenly flew open, and a blonde blur rushed to the counter!


    ¡°Nii-chan? Why are you covered in blue monster blood?¡± Kunou asked, hopping onto a barstool just in time for lunch.


    A few seconds later, the doors burst open again!


    Tanya Degurechaff, now officially assigned as Kunou¡¯s primary bodyguard by Yasaka, climbed onto the seat next to her with a weary sigh. She looked exhausted, and I couldn¡¯t blame her¡ªkeeping up with a hyperactive ten-year-old Kitsune was no small feat. She nodded her thanks when I slid a steaming cup of coffee across the counter toward her. From the look on her face, she needed it.


    ¡°I had to kill some crabs with my claws,¡± I explained to Kunou, glancing down at my ruined white outfit, now splattered with blue crab blood. In hindsight, I should¡¯ve worn darker colors for hunting.


    Kunou''s eyes lit up, her tails swishing eagerly behind her. "Crabs!? Is that what we''re having for lunch? I love crabs!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat.


    Tanya, after gulping down her coffee in a few swift sips, set the empty cup down with a contented sigh. "That sounds good. I haven¡¯t had decent seafood in a while," she added. But her cheerful tone quickly shifted as she turned to Kunou, looking weary. "Please don¡¯t run off like that, Kunou-sama! I¡¯m not used to these streets yet and almost got lost trying to keep up. I really don¡¯t want to fail my job as your guard."


    Kunou just gave Tanya a mischievous foxy grin in return. She had a bad habit of ditching her own guards, and we were hoping to break her of that habit by assigning Tanya to her since they were close to the same age.


    ¡°Hi, Aela!¡± Kunou said cheerfully, finally noticing I wasn¡¯t alone in the kitchen. ¡°How was your date with Nii-chan? Did you two have fun?¡±


    ¡°We did indeed,¡± Aela said with a soft chuckle. ¡°Haru was quite savage when he fought those crabs with his bare claws. I loved watching him hunt!¡±


    I flinched as I suddenly felt her gentle hand at the base of my tails, her fingers lightly stroking the fur. I could sense her smirk without even looking. Apparently, watching me tear into those crabs had been a turn-on for her¡­


    My werewolf girlfriend continued to shamelessly stroke the sensitive base of my tails while chatting with my little sister, making it difficult to focus on cooking.


    ¡°What did you do today, Kunou?¡± Aela asked, helping stir one of the bubbling pots on the stove with her other hand to not make it so obvious.


    ¡°I had boring classes with my private tutor!¡± Kunou huffed, crossing her arms in frustration. ¡°School is dumb. I wish I could go to magic school like Harry and Hermione!¡±


    ¡°Considering everything I¡¯ve heard about that place, I would strongly advise against it,¡± Tanya chimed in with a wry smile.


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Honestly, who thought it was a good idea to host a death tournament for students? It¡¯s not like Hogwarts is even trying to attract more students¡ªthey¡¯re literally the only magic school in Britain.¡±


    Kunou pouted at us for shutting down her idea, but she was soon distracted by the mouthwatering smell filling the kitchen.


    We¡¯d made quite the haul from our hunt. After taking down the three baby crabs, their much larger parents had burst from the pond, seeking revenge. Each over three feet tall, they were packed with more meat than I expected. Now, five large pots were boiling on the stove, filled with succulent crab legs. In the oven, over two dozen crab cakes were baking to perfection, their scent mixing with the savory aromas from the stove. We were definitely going to have leftovers¡­


    Kunou and Tanya wolfed down their meals quickly. Kunou had to get back to tutoring¡ªmuch to her dismay¡ªwhile Tanya needed a breather after chasing Kunou all day.


    Once they left, I had a different problem. I¡¯d been trying to keep a straight face the entire time, but Aela had been idly stroking my tails, sending tingles up my spine. When we were finally alone, I turned to her, locking eyes with the playful smirk on her lips.


    ¡°As a werewolf, you must know how sensitive that spot is,¡± I muttered, barely hiding my frustration. Keeping my cool in front of Kunou and Tanya had been seriously tough.


    Aela''s eyes glinted mischievously. She licked her lips playfully before leaning in just enough to leave a teasing kiss on my own lips before pulling back with a chuckle. ¡°Oh, I know,¡± she said, her voice low and suggestive.


    Then, with a wink, she turned and sauntered over to the stove. ¡°I¡¯m starving. I think I¡¯ll have some crab myself.¡± she said while scooping herself a plate, leaving me standing there, half-annoyed, fully-aroused.


    I had definitely learned something new about Aela today¡ªshe was a tease.


    I let out a quiet sigh of mild disappointment but settled into one of the booths with Aela. It was essentially a continuation of our date, and with the restaurant all to ourselves, we could relax and talk. We swapped stories about our childhoods, learning more about each other with every tale.


    Aela came from a long line of warrior women, all members of the Companions. However, her mother had been born sickly and never fulfilled that legacy, passing away when Aela was still young. Her father raised her in the wilderness, honing her archery skills during countless hunts. She became such a skilled shot that when she finally joined the Companions, she quickly earned the name Aela the Huntress. Not long after, she joined the inner circle and became a werewolf.


    ¡°Living in the city after spending years in the wilds was a big adjustment,¡± Aela said thoughtfully. ¡°The first time one of my roommates tried to wake me up, I punched her in the throat, thinking she was a wolf sneaking up on me while I slept. Nearly collapsed her windpipe,¡± she added, shaking her head. ¡°Luckily, the Temple of Kynareth was nearby, so they managed to heal her before any permanent damage. Still, she left a few weeks later. Too much of a milk-drinker to live a proper Nord life.¡±


    I chuckled at the bluntness. Harsh, maybe, but it took a certain mindset to survive in a world where monsters and death lurked at every corner. Aela had grown up in that world, and I couldn¡¯t fault her for having a tough mindset.


    In return, I shared a bit about my own childhood. My stories weren¡¯t nearly as wild¡ªmy second life had only been in danger a few times, and most of those came later.


    ¡°Are you ashamed of your boyfriend for being so boring?¡± I teased.


    Aela shook her head with a smile. ¡°Not at all. You¡¯re a prince. I¡¯m not surprised your mother kept you safe. The Jarl does the same with his sons. The difference is, you ventured into the wilderness with me today. Most noble fops wouldn¡¯t have the guts. Even grown up, it¡¯s rare for any of the Jarl¡¯s sons to leave the Cloud District.¡± She snorted. ¡°Can you believe one of those fools even tried to court me once!?¡±


    I laughed when she went on to tell me how she¡¯d spent a couple of nights in prison for beating up the eldest son of Whiterun¡¯s Jarl, who had thought he was man enough to win her over despite being a sissy little ¡°Milk Drinker.¡±


    We spent the next hour swapping more stories and laughing over our food, enjoying the quiet moments together. It wasn¡¯t until the door to the restaurant creaked open that we realized we had a visitor.


    ¡°H¨Chello¡­¡± a girl stammered, peeking her head inside nervously. She had sandy blonde hair and looked about my age, though clearly malnourished, with shabby, worn clothes like something from a European period drama. Given that she was a European girl speaking fluent Japanese, it was hard not to assume she was from another dimension.


    "Welcome to the Fox Hole," I said, standing up from the booth with Aela beside me.


    The girl''s eyes widened in shock when she saw me. "A b-beastman!?" she yelped, taking a few fearful steps back.


    "Do not insult my man! He is no beast, girl!" Aela snapped before I could respond. "His name is Haru, and he¡¯s the owner of this establishment! He is a Yokai prince!" she added proudly.


    "A p-prince!?" The girl¡¯s face went pale, and she started trembling. "I-I''m so sorry, my l-lord!"


    "It¡¯s really not a big deal," I said with a wave, trying to calm her down. Her reaction was intense, but I couldn¡¯t blame her. In her world, ¡®beastmen¡¯ probably weren¡¯t seen in a positive light. "As Aela said, I¡¯m Haru, and this is my restaurant, The Fox Hole. You¡¯re welcome to sit wherever you like."


    "A restaurant?" Her eyes grew even wider, this time with amazement. "I''ve never been to one before..." she murmured, sounding awestruck. Given her shabby appearance, it was clear she wasn¡¯t used to luxuries like this. "How did your restaurant suddenly appear in our small village? Everyone¡¯s really scared because of it..."


    "Sorry about that. My restaurant does that sometimes," I said with a sheepish shrug. She gave me a confused look, clearly puzzled by my poor explanation. I decided to switch topics. "What¡¯s your name? And are you hungry? We¡¯ve got fresh crab today."


    "Crab?" Her eyes lit up again. "That sounds like something only nobles eat... I don¡¯t have any money."


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that here," I reassured her, heading behind the counter. After putting our plates in the dishwasher and washing my hands, I prepared a generous portion of crab for her. "I only ask customers to pay if they can."


    The girl hesitated for a moment but eventually took a seat at the counter beside Aela. "My name is Enri," she said softly. "How come your magic restaurant appeared in Carne Village?"


    XXX

 Chapter 9: A New Hire and A Dragon

    Chapter 9: A New Hire and A Dragon


    ¡°This is shooo good!¡± Enri, the village girl, exclaimed between bites. She was much calmer now that she had some proper food in her. She looked like she needed it. I wouldn¡¯t say she was suffering from malnourishment, but I would say she was on the border. I had a feeling the rest of the villagers would probably be in a similar situation as well.


    ¡°Sorry for scaring you and the rest of your village, Miss Emmot,¡± I apologized. ¡°I can¡¯t control where my restaurant shows up. It just¡­ does.¡±


    Still, it was strange that my restaurant appeared in the middle of a random medieval village. I asked her if there was anything special about the place.


    Enri paused, her fork halfway to her face, then shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so? We¡¯re just a normal village. Simple farmers and foragers trying to live on the frontier. Technically, we¡¯re part of the Re-Estize Kingdom, but other than paying taxes, we don¡¯t deal with them much. Also, please just call me Enri,¡± she added.


    ¡°Will do, Enri.¡±


    POP!


    Enri yelped as a scroll appeared out of nowhere, floating above the bar counter.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! This happens sometimes,¡± I told her as I snatched the rolled up scroll out of the air.


    ¡°Another deed from your patron?¡± Aela asked knowingly. She wasn¡¯t too bothered by the idea of some higher power influencing my restaurant. Then again, she had sold her soul to a Daedric Prince to become a werewolf, so it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal to her.


    At first, I thought Amy-chan was behind all this. But since she still hadn¡¯t shown up to mooch some free food off of me, I was starting to have doubts¡­


    I unrolled the scroll and skimmed through it, my eyes widening as I realized how much land I¡¯d just been ¡°gifted¡± compared to the last time in Hogsmeade.


    ¡°Well, I guess your village doesn¡¯t have to worry about paying taxes anymore, Enri,¡± I said casually.


    Enri stared at me blankly from across the bar counter. ¡°Huh? Why is that?¡±


    I flipped the scroll around so she could see for herself. Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t illiterate. ¡°Because I apparently own your entire village now. And, uh¡­ all the surrounding lands too.¡±


    ¡°My man is a Jarl now?!¡± Aela shouted, her voice a mix of pride and shock.


    ¡°EEEEeeeeehhhhhh!?¡± Enri squealed in disbelief. ¡°Is this real!? You¡¯re the ruler of our lands now? Is that really the King¡¯s signature!?¡± She pointed to the name at the bottom of the scroll. A name was signed there¨CRamposa III, who I figured was the king. According to the papers, he had sold this territory to me in return for 10 million gold coins to bail his country out of debt.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how these scrolls worked, or where my patron got 10 million gold coins, but considering the wizard police didn¡¯t come back after I showed them the last deed, I figured these scrolls were legit.


    I nodded at Enri. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably your former king¡¯s signature.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enri¡¯s eyes rolled back and she fainted¡­


    Thankfully, Aela rushed towards the girl and caught her before she could fall off the stool and hurt herself.


    ¨CYasaka¨C


    Yasaka rushed over to Haru¡¯s restaurant the moment she received his message, telling her something very important had popped up. When she arrived, he handed her a scroll, identical to the one he had shown her last time.


    As she unrolled it, her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°300,000 hectares¡­¡± she muttered under her breath, struggling to wrap her mind around the amount of land her son had just been "gifted." Of course, Haru probably had no idea what that actually meant, having grown up in modern times. He had no idea what a hectare even was¡­


    ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Haru asked while wiping down a glass with a rag. He had an industrial dishwasher, but he liked to keep his hands busy when things were slow.


    ¡°That¡¯s half the size of Whiterun, Haru,¡± Aela chimed in as she tried to put things into perspective for him.


    ¡°I have no idea how big Whiterun¡¯s territory is,¡± Haru said dryly.


    ¡°That¡¯s bigger than all of Kyoto,¡± Yasaka added, watching as the realization finally hit him.


    His eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle of appreciation. ¡°Wow, is my patron secretly in love with me or something?¡± Haru asked jokingly.


    Yasaka found herself pausing at that question, genuinely considering that possibility¡­


    Her son was incredibly handsome and he was also an amazing cook. Many Yokai girls considered him to be the perfect catch and Haru had no idea how many marriage requests for her son made it to her desk every single day. She wondered, could he have unintentionally charmed some kind of Eldritch Deity at some point? She wanted to dismiss the idea as absurd, but in a world as strange as theirs, she had heard far weirder stories¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­¡± Yasaka trailed off. Yasaka found it ironic how Haru had willingly given up his status as the future ruler of Kyoto and then somehow ended up with an even larger territory¡­


    Aela growled possessively, crossing her arms with a huff. ¡°Hmph! Well, if that¡¯s the case, she¡¯ll have to get in line! I was with you first. And now that you¡¯re a Jarl, you¡¯re entitled to have mistresses¡ªbut they¡¯ll need my approval!¡± Aela declared to Haru.


    "And mine as well!" Yasaka added, locking eyes with Aela. They both nodded in agreement. Yasaka wasn¡¯t going to let any random women get close to her son. She was already annoyed about having to accept the Gremory Clan''s proposal, even if the benefits were clear.


    Rias seemed nice enough, but Yasaka hadn¡¯t forgiven the Devils for what they did to the Nekoshou. At least if Haru ended up with Rias, she could keep an eye on Shirone, Rias''s rook and one of the last surviving Nekoshou.


    Yasaka¡¯s ears twitched as she heard a yawn from one of the booths, followed by an¡ª


    ¡°Eeep!¡± A cute human girl, about her son''s age, suddenly sat up. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, looking around in confusion until her eyes landed on Yasaka. The girl¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°Hello, dear. I¡¯m Haru¡¯s mother, Yasaka,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°H-Hello¡­¡± the girl stammered, her eyes darting between Yasaka¡¯s fox ears and nine fluffy tails. ¡°You look a lot like him¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you okay, Enri? You fainted,¡± Haru asked, walking over with a concerned look. He placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her. ¡°Here¡¯s some green tea to help calm your nerves.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you¡­ Lord Haru. You¡¯re so kind. I don¡¯t know how I could ever repay you,¡± Enri said softly.


    Haru smiled at her, and Yasaka had to stop herself from sighing. She noticed the obvious blush on the girl¡¯s face. How did her son keep attracting partners without even trying? ¡®He must¡¯ve gotten that from me,¡¯ she thought with a quiet chuckle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to repay me,¡± Haru said. ¡°I¡¯m still new to this whole Lord thing¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are a Jarl,¡± Aela corrected firmly.


    Haru nodded. ¡°Right¡­ Jarl. I wasn¡¯t expecting any of this, but since it happened, I¡¯ll do my best. I don¡¯t know much about running a village, but making sure my people don¡¯t go hungry or thirsty is a good start,¡± he said, once again telling Enri she didn¡¯t need to repay him.


    That wouldn¡¯t do¡­


    Yasaka wasn¡¯t about to let anyone take advantage of her son, no matter how harmless they seemed. ¡°Ara, I think there¡¯s one way this girl can repay you,¡± Yasaka teased, giving Enri a sly look.


    Enri¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°I-I¡­ If J¨CJarl Haru wants me as his mistress, I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­¡± she stammered while covering her red face with her hands.


    Haru nearly choked, turning to Yasaka in shock. ¡°Mother! You can¡¯t force Enri to do that!¡±


    Yasaka laughed mischievously and rolled her eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about that.¡± well, she actually was, but they could table that topic for now. ¡°I meant that Enri here could work in your restaurant. You¡¯ve been needing extra help, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Haru mumbled, blushing a little. ¡°That could work. If Enri doesn¡¯t already have a job, that is.¡±


    Enri quickly shook her head. ¡°I mostly just do odd jobs around the village. Sometimes I gather mushrooms or plants, but I don¡¯t have a real job. I¡¯d be happy to work for you, H-Haru,¡± she said, her blush deepening again.


    ¡°Ok then. Welcome to the Fox Hole, Enri!¡±


    ¨CHaru¨C


    Enri left the restaurant to update her village on everything that had happened. She¡¯d been inside for over an hour, and her fellow villagers were probably starting to worry. I was going to have to meet them all myself within the next few days at the very least.


    Once she was gone, Yasaka spoke up. "You¡¯re going to need help managing such a large territory, but I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t want people who aren¡¯t customers constantly walking through your front door."


    I realized she was right. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about that part¡­¡±


    ¡°The benefits of all this new land will be huge for our people. We haven¡¯t fought with humans in over a hundred years, and our population has been growing. Kyoto isn¡¯t exactly crowded yet, but¡­¡± Yasaka trailed off.


    I knew what she was getting at. We could only expand the Yokai dimension inside Kyoto so much, and we were already dedicating half of it to farmland. Compared to other supernatural factions, the yokai had the smallest territory, despite our growing population.


    Expanding any further meant risking exposure to humans, and no one wanted to deal with the fallout. They¡¯d probably try to nuke us and end up destroying themselves in the process¡­


    But all that could change if some of our people moved into a new dimension. A lot of yokai weren¡¯t suited for city life and would love to settle in the "frontiers," as Enri described. Especially since there was a huge, empty forest right next to my new territories.


    ¡°I get it, but yeah, I don¡¯t want people coming and going from my restaurant all the time, using the door for transport instead of as customers,¡± I said. ¡°That would essentially kill my restaurant.¡±


    Yasaka tapped her chin trying to think of a solution. ¡°...What if we renovate your restaurant? We could expand the back and add a larger storage area and a second pair of larger doors. Our people could use those new doors to pass between dimensions without entering the main dining area and interrupting your business here,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°We could try that. If it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll figure something else out,¡± I agreed that we might as well try it.


    The timing actually worked out perfectly. Tomorrow, I was going to be out of the restaurant all day anyway, along with most of my regular customers. Or acquaintances. Or... friends? Honestly, I liked to think we were friends by now!


    We were all going to the first event of the Triwizard Tournament to cheer on Harry. I¡¯d bought tickets for everyone, using all the fake gold Harry had been paying me with. I should really talk to him about that at some point...


    Anyway, Yasaka had arranged for some yokai contractors to remodel the back while we were gone. It shouldn¡¯t take more than a few hours. Magical construction was bullshit like that¡­


    ¨CHarry Potter¨C


    Harry sat nervously on the edge of a cot inside the champion tent. Outside, the roar of the crowd echoed as Viktor Krum faced the third dragon. The loud cheers only made Harry''s heart pound faster. Viktor must be putting on quite a show. Harry hoped he would be able to measure up.


    In just a few moments, he would face one of the most dangerous creatures known to wizards: the Hungarian Horntail dragon.


    ¡°Harry.¡±


    He looked up to see Serana, his mentor, strolling into the tent like she owned the place.


    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± Harry asked. ¡°Only champions and teachers are allowed in the tent.¡± The Ministry had stationed actual Aurors outside to keep others away. Even Hermione hadn¡¯t been allowed to talk to him before the first task. Harry suspected that Dumbledore had pulled some strings to make this happen. Maybe the old man thought Harry would panic and fail if he felt completely alone on such an important day.


    Serana scoffed. "As if those so-called Aurors could keep me out. They¡¯re barely novice-level mages. A single glance, and I had them hypnotized. But let¡¯s not waste time on them. I¡¯m here for you. Why do you look so nervous?¡±


    Harry gulped. "I drew the most dangerous dragon¨Cthe Hungarian Horntail. It¡¯s killed more wizards than any other dragon species in history."


    Serana raised an eyebrow, her glowing eyes fixed on him. "And? What does that matter? You¡¯re no ordinary wizard anymore. You¡¯re MY apprentice, the first one I ever willingly accepted. I wouldn¡¯t have let you compete today if I thought some overgrown lizard would kill you." She said it with a hint of pride in her voice. "I would have forced you to stay in Skyrim for the year. I doubt even the Goblet of Fire could strip your magic across dimensions."


    Harry couldn¡¯t deny that that made a lot of sense. Even with all the craziness and danger in Skyrim, he actually found that he liked it over there better than Hogwarts this past year, especially with the whole school turning against him despite the fact that he¡¯d saved the whole school multiple times now...


    Huh? Why was he even competing in this dumb tournament again¡­?


    Harry shook his head, he supposed his previous reasons didn''t matter. He was here now, and he was going to prove what he could do! Harry smirked as he stood up. "I can do this!"


    Serana slapped him on the back, almost knocking the wind out of him. It was easy to forget that, despite being a centuries-old vampire, she was still a Nord. "Of course you can! Now go out there and kill that bloody lizard! Everyone¡¯s in the stands cheering for you! Haru got us front-row tickets!"


    "He did!?" Harry was surprised to hear that. "Everyone from The Fox Hole is going to be watching me?"


    They had all done so much for him. Harry was determined to go out there and put on the best damn show possible to repay them!


    ¡°Goooo!! Haaaarrrrryyy!!!¡± Harry saw Kunou, Haru¡¯s adorable little sister cheering excitedly as he entered the arena. Serana was correct, they had the best seats in the house, right in the front row. ¡°Kill that stupid lizard!¡± She cheered louder.


    Harry waved at the exuberant little fox girl before his instincts kicked in and he dove behind a boulder.


    The crowd gasped collectively as a stream of red-hot fire shot over the spot where Harry had just been standing. The Hungarian Horntail wasn¡¯t going to give him any time to prepare¡ªnot that he needed it.


    As the dragon loomed closer, Harry realized it was even bigger than he had expected. Its body was covered in deadly sharp barbs, and its eyes glared at him with pure hatred.


    The stone arena shook beneath him as the dragon lunged forward, aiming to take a bite out of him. Luckily, it was stuck on its side of the arena, its massive neck chained to the wall by a thick steel chain. For now, at least.


    CREAK¡­CRASH!


    With a furious roar, the Horntail yanked at the chain with all its might. To Harry''s horror, the chains tore free from the wall!


    *Weren¡¯t those supposed to be heavily enchanted?* Harry thought, panic rising in his chest.


    The crowd erupted in cheers and gasps, excitement and shock mingling in the air. He could hear a few students yelling for someone to save him now that the dragon was free. At least not everyone at Hogwarts hated him.


    For a brief moment, Harry¡¯s eyes darted over to the judges¡¯ booth. There sat Dumbledore in his high chair, a smirk playing on his lips.


    Harry cursed under his breath. *That old fool is the reason the chains broke!* But he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. The dragon lunged at him again, and this time, there was nothing holding it back.


    ¡®Sparks!¡¯ Harry shouted in his mind, thrusting both of his hands toward the beast. He cast twin streams of electricity that arced into the dragon¡¯s open jaws.


    The Horntail let out a shriek of pain and staggered back. Harry felt a surge of triumph¡ªhe had burned the inside of its mouth, which was ironic¡ªbut unfortunately, all it did was make the beast angrier.


    With a furious spin, the dragon whipped its spiked tail at him, moving faster than any Bludger he¡¯d ever had batted in his direction!


    ¡°Shit!¡± Harry dropped to the ground, hitting the ground hard and quickly laying prone. The dragon¡¯s tail barely missed him, the sharp barbs sliced through the air just inches above his body. He would have died for sure had he been a half second slower!


    He immediately scrambled to his feet. It was time for a more powerful spell. ¡®Lightning Bolt!¡¯ Harry shouted, channeling Magicka into his right hand.


    A loud crack of thunder erupted in the arena as Harry''s Lightning Bolt struck true, blasting away a patch of scales on the Horntail¡¯s chest. The dragon''s roar of rage and pain reverberated through the entire arena, causing Harry''s eardrums to ring painfully. He clenched his teeth as he felt them pop.


    ¡®I need to use even more power!¡¯ Harry thought frantically. The Lightning Bolt had hurt the beast more than Sparks, but it still wasn¡¯t enough! In a moment of desperation, he made the risky decision to tap into more of his Magicka. He began casting a spell above his current level. ¡®Lightning Cloak!¡¯ Half of his remaining Magicka vanished in an instant.


    Electricity crackled around Harry as he rushed toward the beast. This spell would shock anything that got too close to him¡ªif he could just get near the dragon, it would be devastating.


    Ignoring the cheers of the crowd, Harry dove toward the Horntail. The dragon opened its scorched jaws, trying to bite him as he closed in. At the last second, he slid underneath it, positioning himself directly beneath the beast. Almost instantly, the spell began to work. Lightning arced off his body, dealing severe damage to the dragon¡¯s underbelly. But Harry wasn¡¯t satisfied with just that. ¡°Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!¡±


    He poured every last ounce of energy into his attacks, rapidly firing spells right under the dragon. By the time it finally managed to recover from its failed attempt to eat him for the third time, its entire stomach and torso were covered in horrific burns and scorch marks.


    Then came its death wail. Harry scrambled out of the way just in time as the Horntail slumped onto the rocky ground, its tongue lolling out of its mouth, its eyes wide open and lifeless. He did it¡­


    He killed a dragon!


    His Lightning Cloak vanished off of him a second later. All of his Magicka was spent.


    Exhausted but elated, Harry couldn''t help the grin that spread across his face. He thrust one arm into the air triumphantly as the crowd erupted in cheers.


    Once he lowered his arm, he took a few calming breaths before making his way over to his friends from the restaurant that had changed his life. Hermione was sitting next to them, looking like a nervous wreck¡ªunderstandable¡ªbut she was still smiling at him in relief.


    ¡°That was amazing, Harry! You did it!¡± Hermione exclaimed, hopping down from the stands to give him a big hug. There were plenty of whoops and jeers from the crowd from her bold move!


    ¡°That was well fought, lad!¡± Agnar shouted from beside Serana, who nodded at him with pride.


    ¡°That was awesome, Harry!¡± Kunou cheered from the stands. ¡°And you want to know what¡¯s going to be even better?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Harry asked the little girl.


    ¡°Haru onii-chan is going to cook us dragon steaks tonight!¡±


    XXX


    I wonder what dragon tastes like? Maybe like alligator? That tastes like very chewy and slightly rubbery chicken for those who¡¯ve never tried it.

 Chapter 10: Zombies and a Warrior

    Chapter 10: Zombies and a Warrior


    ¨CHaru¨C


    I was in the middle of experimenting with a new soy sauce recipe, carefully adjusting the balance between salty and sweet, when the door to my restaurant burst open. Rias Gremory, in all her fiery-haired glory, stormed in with an exuberant grin plastered across her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m finally allowed to come back here again, Haru!¡± she announced. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± she asked, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I wiped my hands on a nearby towel. ¡°Welcome back, Rias,¡± I replied warmly. ¡°And yes, I did miss your company. Are you the only one coming today?¡±


    Rias nodded. ¡°Sona is dealing with some random stray devil with her peerage, and Akeno is busy with a contract. So that means,¡± she leaned forward on the counter with a sly smirk, ¡°I have you all to myself today.¡±


    Before I could respond, a soft voice spoke up from behind Rias, the words barely escaping in a stutter. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t have Master Haru all to yourself. I¡¯m h¨Chere too!¡±


    Rias turned around with an arched brow, eyeing the girl standing awkwardly behind her. ¡°Who are you?¡± Rias asked.


    The girl, Enri Emmot, shifted nervously but managed to stand her ground. ¡°I-I¡¯m Enri Emmot,¡± she stammered. ¡°I¡¯m Haru¡¯s waitress and¡­ also technically his vassal since he owns my entire village.¡±


    Rias spun back to face me, her blue eyes wide with shock. ¡°What?¡± she gaped at me, her hands on her hips, clearly demanding an explanation. ¡°You own a village? When did that happen?¡±


    I chuckled, motioning for her to take a seat at the bar while I cleaned up a bit. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I began. ¡°Whatever entity is responsible for connecting my restaurant to multiple dimensions also decided to start handing me deeds to those places. I guess it was easier than dealing with people freaking out over my restaurant popping up randomly in their worlds,¡± I explained.


    ¡°So now you¡¯re a landlord now, huh? What next, ruler of an entire dimension?¡± she asked playfully.


    ¡°I hope not¡­¡± That sounded like way too much responsibility.


    Rias¡¯ grin widened as I told her about one of my recent encounters with the unpleasant toad-looking witch named Madam Umbridge. The way she fumed when she found out that a ¡°creature¡± like me had acquired land in Hogsmeade was still priceless.


    ¡°Nothing beats putting racists in their place.¡±


    Rias threw her head back and laughed. ¡°Who would have thought a witch could be racist?¡± she said, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s so strange considering they were literally being burned at the stake not too long ago by religious nutjobs for being different.¡±


    ¡°Right!?¡± I agreed. ¡°You¡¯d think they¡¯d know better.¡±


    Enri, still sitting quietly, raised a hand timidly. ¡°That sounds¡­ um¡­ ironic.¡±


    Rias turned back to her and nodded. ¡°It really is, isn¡¯t it? Witches and wizards can be just as bad as humans sometimes.¡±


    Enri¡¯s eyes widened at our casual mention of witches and wizards, she was still adjusting to the craziness that was the existence of other dimensions. Although her own dimension was just as crazy I was finding out.


    Yasaka¡¯s plan had worked. A back door had been added to my restaurant that allowed Yokai scouts to start exploring the other dimensions my restaurant connected to. What we found in Enri¡¯s world was frankly shocking.


    The dead did not stay dead¡­


    There was an entire area known as the Katze plains that was filled with seemingly never ending hordes of undead. Every year, Enri¡¯s former kingdom went to war with the neighboring empire, and thousands of people died, only to mysteriously rise up as zombies a few weeks later.


    ¡°So,¡± Rias said, turning her attention back to me mischievously. ¡°Since it¡¯s just the two of us today, what¡¯s on the menu? I¡¯ve missed your cooking.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here, how about I whip up something special? Maybe you¡¯d like to try out something with this new soy sauce I¡¯ve been experimenting with?¡± I suggested.


    Rias leaned in closer, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°Sounds delicious,¡± she purred. ¡°I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¨CRias¨C


    As Haru stirred the sizzling fried rice in the wok, the savory aroma of garlic and soy sauce filling the air, Rias sat at the counter, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She had intentionally skipped lunch, knowing full well that Haru¡¯s cooking was worth the wait, and now her stomach was growling loudly.


    She couldn¡¯t help but marvel at everything that had transpired in the past few days.


    Her family had finally approved the contract with Haru¡¯s mother, Yasaka, and Rias was finally free to visit him and his restaurant again. It had been so frustrating to be kept away while everything was being finalized. Her parents and older brother didn¡¯t want any distractions during such an important agreement, but now that the deal had gone through, Rias couldn¡¯t be happier.


    She was no longer engaged to that pompous asshat, Riser Phenex!


    No, she was engaged to Haru now!


    Her smile grew wider as she watched the handsome kitsune cook for her. Haru had greeted her warmly when she came in, but there hadn¡¯t been a hint that he knew about their engagement yet. She figured he was still in the dark, probably because Yasaka hadn¡¯t had the time to talk to him about it yet.


    Rias could barely contain her excitement. It wasn¡¯t just because she was marrying someone as handsome, kind, and talented as Haru. His restaurant connected to multiple dimensions, each offering new experiences and surprises! With him, Rias wouldn¡¯t just be tied down to the underworld politics and devil society, she¡¯d be able to explore worlds beyond her wildest imagination.


    ¡®I can already imagine the possibilities!¡¯ Rias thought, grinning like she was a little girl again. One of those dimensions might even be an anime world! Not one of the horrible ones, of course, but one of the cool ones¡ªlike the ones with ninjas or pirates!


    She rested her chin on her hand and let her mind wander. What if Haru¡¯s restaurant connected to a world filled with real kunoichi? Rias had always been fascinated by the idea of recruiting a skilled ninja into her peerage¡­


    Or¡­what if they ended up in a pirate world? She could already picture herself standing on the deck of a magical ship, wind in her hair, sailing across the seas in search of treasure and adventure. With Haru¡¯s cooking, they¡¯d have the best meals on the high seas, and with a little magic, turning The Fox Hole into a ship wouldn¡¯t even be difficult. Rias giggled at the thought¡ªCaptain Rias Gremory, sailing alongside her dashing fianc¨¦!


    ¡°Something funny?¡± Haru asked, pulling her out of her daydream.


    Rias blinked, realizing she had been giggling out loud for the past few minutes. ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± she said with her cheeks turning a bit pink. ¡°Just thinking about the future is all...¡±


    ¡°The future, huh?¡± Haru raised an eyebrow, dishing out the fried rice onto a plate and sliding it in front of her, along with a steaming bowl of ramen. ¡°Well, considering where this restaurant tends to end up, the future is going to be interesting, if nothing else.¡±


    Rias smiled and took a deep breath, inhaling the rich scents of the meal. ¡°Thanks, Haru.¡± She picked up her chopsticks and dug in, savoring the first bite. ¡°You have no idea how much I missed your cooking.¡±


    Haru smiled warmly. ¡°Glad you like it. So, what¡¯s new with you? Anything exciting happen while you were away?¡± he asked her curiously.


    Rias paused, her heart skipping a beat. This was it¡ª she could hardly wait to see his reaction.


    ¡°Well,¡± she began, trying to keep her tone casual despite the butterflies in her stomach. ¡°There is one thing¡­¡±


    Haru looked at her curiously, waiting for her to continue.


    Rias leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°You and I are engaged, Haru¡­¡± she told him.


    For a moment, there was silence. Haru blinked, clearly trying to process what she had just said.


    ¡°Wait, what!?¡±


    Rias grinned, enjoying the look of surprise on his face. ¡°It¡¯s true! The contract between my parents and Yasaka has been finalized! You and I are officially engaged!¡± she said happily.


    Haru stared at her, his mouth slightly open as he struggled to find the right words. ¡°Engaged? As in¡­ we¡¯re getting married?¡±


    Rias nodded, unable to hide her excitement. ¡°Yep! Isn¡¯t it great?¡±


    Haru leaned back, running a hand through his hair. Rias loved the way his fox ears twitched as he did so. She wondered if she was allowed to pet them now that they were an item.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Haru trailed off.


    Rias laughed, reaching across the counter to take his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a good thing! You¡¯re so much better than my last fiance! There¡¯s so many things we can do together!¡± she said and added a slight purr to her voice. ¡°There¡¯s also so many things that I¡¯ll let you do to me too¡­¡±


    The blush that spread across Haru¡¯s face made her giggle. Sometimes she forgot how innocent non-devils could be when it came to stuff like that. Rias was still a virgin of course, but that didn¡¯t mean she hadn¡¯t ever played with herself or practiced some things with Akeno. Rias wondered if Haru realized she and her Queen were technically a package deal? They were like sisters after all¨Csisters who kissed sometimes¨Cand both of them agreed to marry the same man so that they''d always be together.


    Meh, she¡¯d tell him about that later. She didn¡¯t want to blow his mind quite yet. He¡¯d have to get used to two girlfriends first before Rias threw a third at him. And speaking of his first girlfriend, Rias knew she was going to need to talk to Aela pretty soon to sort everything out properly. She didn¡¯t want a vengeful werewolf coming after her thinking she was trying to steal her man.


    ¡°R¨CRight¡­then. Of course¡­¡± Haru said with a small stutter. It was cute.


    Rias finished her meal and rubbed her slightly bloated belly, feeling content. She smiled, glad that devils couldn¡¯t gain weight unless they wanted to. When Enri came over to clear the plates, Rias thanked her, but the young girl just gave a cute little huff. Rias suspected Enri was upset because she was now engaged to Enri¡¯s master¡ªor "Jarl," as Haru said that¡¯s what Aela called him. It was still a bit wild to Rias how casually Haru''s patron had been gifted so much land.


    Glancing around the empty shop, Rias asked, "Can we go out and explore this other dimension now? No one else is here right now."


    "Sure, I¡¯m fine with that," Haru said while stretching his arms over his head. "There was a big party here last night after Harry finished the first task in the Triwizard Tournament. Serana taught him some crazy Skyrim spells, and he ended up killing a dragon! At one point, the whole arena was filled with lightning! You should¡¯ve seen it."


    Rias pouted. "Harry Potter killed a dragon, and I missed it? And in front of a crowd who thought he was going to die and were booing him the whole time? That sounds like a real life epic anime moment!" she complained and was very upset she missed it!


    Haru chuckled and patted her head. "Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll see the next two challenges. Although," he shrugged, "they¡¯re spaced out months apart. I don¡¯t get why they¡¯re dragging a three-day tournament out over a whole year."


    "Witches and wizards are weird," Rias agreed.


    Enri led them out the front door. "Welcome to Carne Village!" she said brightly.


    Rias scratched her cheek, feeling awkward. "It¡¯s... nice," she said, though it was far from what she meant. The village was a mess¡ªrun-down houses, dirt paths, and withered crops. It was nothing like the grandeur she was used to. She expected Haru¡¯s new land to be a lot nicer.


    Haru noticed her expression and chuckled. "Yeah, it¡¯s a bit rough. But the people are really nice and humble.¡±


    Rias noticed what Haru meant as they walked through the village. The villagers smiled and waved warmly, their friendliness evident despite the obvious hardships they faced in their daily lives. A few even approached Haru, offering him free crops, but he politely declined, urging them to keep the food for themselves. Rias kept quiet, though she couldn''t help but think they definitely needed that extra food more than anyone else.


    "We¡¯re working on bringing in some extra food for all the villagers," Haru explained to her as they continued walking. "It¡¯ll take a few days, though."


    "You don¡¯t have to do that, Master Haru! Our village has always been self-sufficient," Enri said earnestly, though her voice wavered a bit at the end.


    Haru smiled gently and shook his head at the village girl turned waitress. "Your villagers are my people now. And my people don¡¯t go hungry."


    Enri¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. After a brief, emotional moment, she ran off, likely overwhelmed by the kindness Haru had shown her people.


    Rias smiled, touched by the scene. She was reminded again of how lucky she was to be marrying someone as kind-hearted as Haru, especially compared to someone like Riser Phenex, who only thought of power and status.


    ¡°So,¡± Rias said, shifting the subject, ¡°tell me a little about this world. What should I expect?¡±


    ¨CHaru¨C


    I gave Rias a quick rundown of everything I knew about this dimension so far. Admittedly, it wasn¡¯t much yet. Despite the limited information, her eyes lit up with excitement when I mentioned the plains nearby that were full of actual zombies.


    "Oh my Maou! You have to take me there right now, Haru!" Rias exclaimed. "I¡¯ve always wanted to fight hordes of zombies! This is like an otaku¡¯s dream come true. Please..." she begged, fluttering her eyelashes at me once again.


    I really must have a thing for redheads, because there was no way I could say no to her. "Alright," I agreed. "But it¡¯s a couple dozen kilometers away, so it¡¯ll be faster if you ride on my back."


    Her eyes practically sparkled with excitement. "You¡¯re going to transform!?" she exclaimed, almost bouncing in place with glee.


    I smirked at her reaction. "Yeah, it¡¯s good to stretch my four legs once in a while. I¡¯ve been indoors too much lately, and I don¡¯t want to get rusty."


    With a quick goodbye wave to the villagers, we headed out through the front gates of the village. We walked for about half a kilometer before I felt it was safe enough to transform without freaking out the villagers. Truth be told, I had a feeling most of them already thought I was some sort of God after whatever Enri had told them about me. Still, I didn¡¯t want to encourage any open worship, which probably would¡¯ve happened if they saw my full Nine-Tails form. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rias took a few steps back as I took a deep breath, focusing on my transformation. It was always an odd experience¡ªgoing from a regular guy with fox ears and tails to a towering, 30-foot-tall fox monster with massive fangs and claws. The ground trembled beneath me as I completed the transformation. I could feel the surge of power flowing through me. This was the form where I could truly release all of my power if I desired, where I was a true Ultimate-Class being.


    Rias squealed in delight. "Oh my goodness! You¡¯re so adorable and fluffy! You¡¯re like a mini Kurama but ten times cuter!" Her wings sprang out, and she flew up onto my back, immediately snuggling into my fur with an ecstatic grin. "Mofu mofu!" she said happily, rubbing herself all over my back, her face practically buried in my fur.


    I was glad I couldnt blush in my fox form. "Glad you¡¯re enjoying yourself," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed at her enthusiasm. She was rubbing herself all over me¡­


    Rias giggled, wrapping her arms around as much of my giant fluffy neck as she could. "This is the best! Now, let¡¯s go fight some zombies, Haru!" she cheered.


    I took off, my massive paws thudding against the earth as we raced toward the zombie plains. Rias held onto my fur the whole way as she rode on my back and cheered. Could this be considered a first date? It was a very strange one if it was. Then again, Aela and I went out and hunted giant crabs for our first date¡­


    Maybe this was just how things go if you''re a supernatural being?


    It took me about 30 minutes of sprinting to reach the Katze Plains. The area was technically just outside of my official territory but it didn¡¯t belong to either the Kingdom or the Empire either. I doubted either nation wanted a zombie-infested wasteland as part of their domain.


    These undead creatures didn¡¯t seem particularly bright. Despite the fact that I was a towering fox monster, dozens of them limped toward me, their rotten, slow bodies seemingly unaware of the danger they were in. They probably thought¡ªor didn¡¯t think¡ªthat they could take me on


    "Real zombies!" Rias exclaimed, flying down off my back and hovering next to my face. Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "Wow, they look even creepier in real life. Let''s kill them all!"


    Without any hesitation, she raised her hand and summoned the crimson energy of her Power of Destruction. An orb of magic materialized in her palm and shot toward the nearest zombie. Rias¡¯s orb of destruction hit the closest zombie and detonated, unleashing a decent-sized explosion. Four more zombies were instantly incinerated along with it.


    "Killing spree!" she cheered gleefully. With a wide grin, Rias summoned two more orbs, one in each hand, and began launching them across the battlefield. She zipped through the air, obliterating every undead that crossed her path, her demonic magic leaving destruction in its wake.


    Not wanting her to outshine me completely, I decided to join in. Taking a deep breath, I opened my jaws wide and exhaled a massive plume of blue foxfire. The searing flames roared across the plains, stretching at least a kilometer, reducing everything in their path to ash.


    Rias paused mid-air and shot me an adorable pout. "You¡¯re too overpowered, Haru! But I¡¯m not going to let you kill more zombies than me!"


    Her competitive side kicked in as she lifted both hands above her head. I could feel her demonic energy gathering, concentrating into a single point. An enormous orb of destruction, bigger than her entire body, formed above her head. Rias smirked mischievously.


    "Say hello to my little friend!" she declared.


    The orb hurtled toward the center of the plains, not particularly aiming at anything specific. Not that she needed to. The resulting explosion shook the ground and sent a massive shockwave through the area, eradicating everything within a huge radius. Zombies, trees, and even the earth itself were consumed by the blast.


    I had to admit, I¡¯d underestimated Rias¡¯s true power when she was giving it her all. The crater she created with that single attack was enough to swallow entire city blocks, leaving behind only a gaping hole.


    Rias descended back toward me, hovering at eye level, a triumphant grin plastered on her face. "I think that¡¯s a win for me!" she declared, brushing some dust off her shoulders.


    I chuckled, shaking my massive head. "You really don¡¯t hold back, do you?"


    She winked at me. "Not when I¡¯m having fun! Come on, let''s find more zombies to kill! Akeno is going to be so jealous when I tell her later what I did today!"


    With that, we continued our rampage through the plains, decimating any undead that we came across. Now we had become death, the destroyers of zombie worlds¡­


    The fun Rias and I were having came to an abrupt halt when she pointed toward the horizon. ¡°Haru, what¡¯s that dust cloud?¡± she asked.


    With my enhanced eyesight, I could easily make out the approaching group¡ªabout a hundred humans on horseback, galloping at full speed toward us. They would be here in a few minutes. It seemed the explosions and massive plumes of foxfire had caught the attention of the local forces. I figured they were from the Re-Estize Kingdom, though I hoped we could talk our way out of whatever was about to happen.


    A few minutes later, the riders arrived. It was hard to miss me, after all¡ªI was a 30-foot-tall, nine-tailed fox. As they approached, I could hear gasps and shouts of terror from more than a few of the riders. Up close, I realized that none of these men were proper knights. They were armed with swords and bows, but none wore armor, just simple clothes fit for regular soldiers or peasants.


    The lead rider, however, stood out. He approached cautiously, his eyes darting between me and Rias, who was still hovering next to my head in the air. He looked like he was trying to make sense of the situation.


    ¡°Hail, my name is Gazef Stronoff, Warrior Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom,¡± he announced proudly, though I could hear some tension in his voice. ¡°May I ask what you are doing in Katze Plains? The explosions and plumes of strange blue fire can be seen from kilometers away!¡±


    My voice boomed enough to make his horse shuffle nervously. ¡°Apologies if we frightened you,¡± I said, watching Gazef¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. I guess he wasn¡¯t expecting the giant fox to be sentient. ¡°We were just having a little fun killing the undead that roam around here.¡±


    Rias floated a little closer to the ground, nodding enthusiastically. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve never seen real zombies before, and blowing them up was awesome!¡± she added excitedly.


    Gazef blinked, clearly trying to process our casual responses. ¡°I see¡­¡± he trailed off, unsure of how to respond at first. ¡°I assume, by the fact that we are peacefully talking, that neither of you hold any negative connotations toward humanity?¡±


    Rias pouted, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°Of course not! I love humans! They create the best art, stories, and food after all. I¡¯ve never hurt a human in my life.¡±


    Gazef visibly relaxed, a sigh of relief escaping him as he turned his attention back to me. I shifted slightly, my tails swaying lazily behind me. ¡°I don¡¯t have any issues with humans either,¡± I admitted. ¡°Although, I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve never harmed one. I¡¯ve broken a few bones before, mostly in defense. A group once harassed my little sister, and I couldn¡¯t let that slide.¡±


    Gazef nodded, his expression softening with understanding. ¡°That sounds perfectly reasonable. I¡¯ve done the same in defense of my daughter,¡± he said, a little more relaxed now.


    Rias floated closer, her curiosity getting the better of her. ¡°So, what brings you out here to the Katze Plains? Is it the zombies? There¡¯s not that many of them left at this point,¡± Rias said while gesturing to the completely scorched landscape around us. We may have gone a tad bit overboard¡­


    Gazef''s expression darkened as he explained that was not why he was here. "The undead are always a problem for the Kingdom, and I sincerely thank you both for your help here. But that¡¯s not the reason we¡¯re out on the plains today. We¡¯re searching for some¡­ horrible fiends."


    ¡°Horrible fiends?¡± Rias echoed.


    Gazef nodded solemnly. ¡°Two villages on the outskirts of the Re-Estize Kingdom were recently razed to the ground. Men, women, and children¡ªnone were spared.¡± His voice was heavy with grief, and Rias gasped in horror.


    She turned towards me. ¡°Haru, isn¡¯t your village on the outskirts too?¡± she asked urgently.


    My slitted eyes widened in realization. ¡°You¡¯re right. We need to get back there, now!¡± A sense of urgency surged through me. ¡°Hop on my back. I¡¯ll run us back there at full speed.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Gazef called out just as Rias settled herself into my fur. ¡°Please, allow me to come with you! Too many innocents have been slain by these monsters, and my heart demands justice.¡±


    I paused, my gaze locking onto Gazef¡¯s. There was something undeniably genuine in his words. All of my instincts told me this man was good¡ªhonest and sincere.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°Hop on, but keep in mind, this village isn¡¯t technically part of the Re-Estize Kingdom any longer. I purchased it and the surrounding land from the king himself.¡±


    Gazef blinked in surprise. ¡°...No wonder the king has been looking less stressed lately,¡± he murmured. ¡°Our kingdom was heavily in debt from the constant wars with the Baharuth Empire. Thank you for your generosity.¡± He bowed his head towards me without any hesitation.


    I waved him off with one of my large paws. ¡°It was no problem. Now, let¡¯s get going. Time is of the essence!¡±


    Gazef nodded and, to my surprise, leapt up the full height of my body with ease. He landed beside Rias on my back. ¡°I will go ahead with these two!¡± he called out to his still-nervous men below. ¡°Take my horse and follow behind us as quickly as you can!¡±


    With that, I took off at full speed, the ground blurring beneath us as we raced back toward Carne Village!


    XXX

 Chapter 11: An Overlord and a Succubus

    Chapter 11: An Overlord and a Succubus


    We made it back to Carne Village just in time. I could hear the villagers screaming everywhere in panic and running for cover. I was expecting to run into some ruthless bandits or possibly even monsters. What I wasn''t expecting to find was an entire band of silver and blue knights. They all wore plate armor, and their weapons were high quality steel. I couldn''t imagine why knights would go around massacring innocent villages! Their reasons didn''t matter though. Their lives were forfeit when they decided to attack my village!


    My arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the horde of knights. I was so large that my every step shook the very earth under my feet. Strangely, the murderous false Knights seemed to be more intimidated by the sight of the Warrior Captain on my back.


    ¡°It''s Gazef Stronoff!¡± one of the knights cried out in alarm.


    ¡°Fuck! He wasn''t supposed to catch up to us this early! What do we do!?¡±


    ¡°He''s riding a giant monster!¡±


    Both Rias and Gazeff quickly hopped off my back.


    ¡°You monsters will pay for your crimes against the innocent!¡± Gazeff didn¡¯t waste a second once he hit the dirt. He was immediately moving again, surging forward into the ranks of knights. ¡°Martial Art: Six Fold Flash of Light!¡± He swung his sword only a single time, but managed to cut down six knights at once. That was an impressive technique.


    Gazef quickly became a storm of blades as he moved onto more and more opponents. There were so many of them, at least 200 people all together! The whole village didn''t even have that many people!


    Rias took to the sky, her devil wings flapping behind her. ¡°You all are the worst of humanity! Die in oblivion!¡± she yelled and started throwing down orbs of destruction. I''m not sure if Rias has ever taken human life before this moment, but she wasn''t hesitating at all to defend the villagers. The steel armor the soldiers wore didn''t seem to be enchanted in any way, it all quickly disintegrated under her bloodline magic.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t join the fight in my giant fox form, so I took a couple of seconds to shrink back down to my humanoid shape. It took a couple more seconds for me to properly adjust to only having two legs again. Transforming between my two forms was always very strange.


    "The giant monster is just a normal beastman! Kill him!" one of the closest knights shouted as he charged at me, his sword raised high above his head. He couldn''t have telegraphed his attack more if he tried¡­


    As his blade came down, I casually caught it in my hand. The force of his strike wasn¡¯t even enough to break my skin. I saw his eyes widen in shock beneath his helmet just before I punched forward. My fist smashed into his chest, leaving a massive dent in his plate armor as he was launched out of the village, flying through the air. He probably didn¡¯t survive the impact.


    The other knights froze, their charges halted as they processed what had just happened. I was still holding his steel sword in my left hand. I raised it in front of all their eyes before snapping the sturdy metal like a twig.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this!¡± one of them cried out in fear after my display.


    ¡°This was supposed to be an easy mission!¡± Another knight added. His steel boots clattering as he shook in terror.


    ¡°Mission?¡± Of course there was something more going on here. Something nefarious no doubt. I locked onto them with my slitted pupils, my voice cold as ice. "This is going to be your last mission," I growled. My nine tails bristled behind me, their fur standing on end with my fury. "You tried to kill the people of my territory!"


    Needless to say, the rest of the knights didn''t live long, but they were just a small handful of the much larger total.


    I swiftly dealt with even more knights as I moved through the village, my fists crashing through their armor with ease, my claws sundering their shields, and those who didn¡¯t fall to my strikes were incinerated by my foxfire, the blue flames engulfing them in seconds. It was all a blur of violence, but my mind was barely on the battle.


    I needed to find Enri. It was kind of a shitty thing to admit to myself at the moment, but I cared more about her safety than the rest of the villagers. She was now a part of my restaurant and therefore a part of my slowly growing family!


    I pounded on the door of her house, my fists slamming against the wood so hard I thought it might splinter. After a moment, her father answered, his face pale and filled with terror at everything that was happening.


    "Where¡¯s Enri?" I demanded, my voice might have come off a bit harsher than I intended.


    He swallowed hard, his hands trembling. "She¡ªshe ran into the forest... after Nemu," he stammered. "Nemu got scared when the knights showed up and ran for it. Enri went after her."


    I cursed under my breath. Of all the times for this to happen. The forest was huge, stretching for hundreds of kilometers, and with the battle still raging around us, there were too many scents in the air. Tracking them both down wouldn¡¯t be easy, especially with so many people moving around and the smell of blood thick in the air.


    I clenched my fists, trying to think. "Which direction?" I asked urgently.


    He pointed shakily toward the edge of the village, where the forest began. "That way, I think. Please, you have to find them!"


    I couldn¡¯t go after Enri just yet¡ªnot while the village was still under attack. There were about 150 knights left, and most of them had surrounded Gazef and Rias. I knew Rias was relatively safe, with her devil wings, she could take to the sky if things got too dangerous. But Gazef was different. He was strong, no doubt, but still just a man.


    I clenched my fists, feeling the weight of what I was about to do. I charged back into the fray, moving faster than the knights could react. Gazef was holding his own, but I could see he was starting to slow down. His constant use of martial arts was wearing him out, and Rias, though powerful, had already spent a lot of her demonic energy earlier during our zombie killing spree.


    "I¡¯ve got this!" I called up to Rias. Rias was hovering above, still firing blasts of destruction magic, but her attacks were fewer and weaker than before. She gave a quick nod.


    Gazef, in the thick of things, sliced down two more knights but was breathing heavily. He noticed me coming up behind him and shot me a quick, grateful glance. "Glad you¡¯re back," he muttered while parrying another sword away from himself. "These guys are tough..."


    They weren''t really¡­not to me. But I couldn''t go nuking them all with foxfire in the middle of the village. None of the villagers hiding in their houses would survive the intense flames. That meant I had to keep my attacks small.


    I slammed my fist into one knight''s chest, crumpling his armor like paper. "You take a breather, Gazef. I¡¯ll finish this."


    He hesitated for a moment but he knew he was nearing his physical limits. "I¡¯ll back you up," he finally said, stepping behind me to catch his breath.


    I stood in front of around 100 knights on my own now.


    ¡°Don''t give up, men!¡±


    ¡°They''re all tired, kill them!¡±


    Despite the heavy losses, these remaining knights were still coming at me furiously. As I fought them all, something gnawed at the back of my mind. I¡¯d never had to take a human life before today. Now, I was about to take over a hundred. It felt strange. Not wrong¡ªthese knights were attacking innocent people, after all¡ªbut still¡­


    One knight lunged at me, sword raised high, and I countered with a small concentrated blast of foxfire, the blue flames consuming him in an instant. I didn¡¯t even flinch as I moved on to the next enemy.


    "How¡¯re you holding up, Rias?" I shouted as I slammed another knight to the ground, his armor crunching under the force of my blow.


    "Running low on magic," she admitted, her voice a bit strained. "But I can keep going."


    I admired her resolve. Rias wasn¡¯t one to back down, even when she was running on fumes. But I could see she was nearing her limit, just like Gazef who was occasionally still lashing out with his sword but was now mostly on the defensive.


    And then, once there were only 50 knights left, something strange happened. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement coming from the direction of the forest. At first, I thought it might be another group of knights, but then I realized it was just one figure.


    A massive fucking zombie!


    This wasn¡¯t like the other undead we¡¯d fought earlier. This one was huge, easily towering over everyone else around it. It wore dark black armor that gleamed menacingly, and in its hands, it carried a towering shield and a massive black blade that looked like it could cleave through anything in its path.


    It came charging toward the horde of knights, moving faster than anything that big should¡¯ve been able to. Before anyone could react, the zombie knight slammed into their ranks, swinging its blade with brutal precision. Armor crumpled, and shields were torn apart. The sound of metal crunching and the cries of men filled the air.


    "What... what is that thing?!" one of the knights screamed, backing away in fear. Others tried to rally, to form a defensive line, but it was hopeless. The zombie cut through them with no mercy, its sword carving a bloody path through their ranks.


    I braced myself, expecting it to turn on me, Rias, or Gazef next. But to my surprise, it ignored us completely. It didn¡¯t even glance in our direction. Instead, it kept its focus on the knights, cutting them down one after another with relentless brutality.


    Rias hovered nearby, watching the brutal scene unfold with wide eyes. "Why isn¡¯t it attacking us?" She was clearly just as confused as I was.


    "I don¡¯t know," I kept my guard up just in case. "But I''m not complaining.¡±


    Even as the remaining knights broke ranks, fleeing in sheer terror, the undead knight showed no signs of stopping its attack. It chased them down, cutting them down even as they begged for mercy.


    Gazef, breathing heavily beside me, wiped the sweat from his brow. "I¡¯ve never seen anything like it," he muttered. "That thing... it¡¯s a monster."


    We watched in a strange mix of horror and fascination as the zombie continued its rampage, its dark armor shining with the blood of the knights it was cutting to pieces.


    Whatever this thing was, it was obviously helping us. But the question remained¡ªwhy? The undead in the Katze Plains seemed to hate all life in general and would attack anything and everything with a pulse. I didn''t sense any real intelligence from the zombie knight, but it was clearly under someone''s direction.


    The answer of who came swiftly. ¡°That''s enough, Death Knight!¡±


    A large man wearing a strange mask appeared above us, floating in the sky. Next to him was a woman clad in full black armor, she was equipped with a massive axe. The moment he spoke, the death knight stopped its rampage, halting just before cutting down the last of the remaining knights. There were only a handful left after the carnage it had caused.


    The knights who remained tried to flee the village, but I quickly moved, knocking each one unconscious before they could escape. I tied them up for good measure.


    "Good thinking. Capturing a few of them, Sir Haru. We¡¯ll find out why they did this," Gazef said while wiping off the blood on his sword.


    I wasn¡¯t an expert in interrogation or torture, but I had no doubt that my mother, Yasaka, had people skilled enough to squeeze the answers out of these murderous knights.


    The large, robed man floated down, landing in the center of the village near us. He eyed me and Rias curiously as she walked over to stand by my side.


    "Thanks for the help," I said, eyeing the death knight that had obliterated the enemy forces. "I take it that the big guy is yours?¡±


    When the masked man spoke again, his voice was deep and powerful. ¡°Indeed. The Death Knight was created by me and answers to all of my commands,¡± he replied.


    I nodded at him before asking, ¡°you didn¡¯t happen to see a human girl named Enri out there, did you?"


    "I saved two human girls who were being chased by a pair of these false knights. The older one was severely injured, but I gave her a potion to heal," he said.


    I immediately let out a sigh of relief, the tension leaving my body. "Thank you so much! The older girl is Enri, and she¡¯s the waitress at my restaurant, The Fox Hole."


    "Restaurant, you say?" The man sounded intrigued, but before we could continue, Rias excitedly flew over to the woman in black armor.


    "Your armor is so cool looking! How strong is it? Is it heavy? You must be really strong! What¡¯s your name?" Rias asked rapidly, her inner otaku temporarily taking back over. "Oh, I¡¯m Rias Gremory, and that¡¯s Haru, my fianc¨¦," she added.


    The woman stared at Rias for a moment with her gaze specifically lingering on Rias¡¯s wings. "My name is Albedo," she said softly. "And yes, my armor is very heavy, but it makes me the perfect tank."


    ¡°A tank? That¡¯s so cool!¡± Rias exclaimed.


    I couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. Rias¡¯s excitement was helping diffuse the tense situation.


    "If I may ask, what race are you and¡­ Haru?" Albedo inquired after a moment.


    Rias responded with a little smile. "Oh, I¡¯m a pureblood Devil, and Haru is a Yokai Kitsune. The most powerful version¡ªwith nine tails," she added, clearly bragging on my behalf.


    The armored woman nodded. "Ah, so neither of you are lower life forms, then..." She trailed off.


    I tilted my head in confusion. Lower life forms? What did she mean by that?


    Before I could inquire further, the masked man awkwardly cleared his throat and spoke to me again. "I¡¯m surprised you have a restaurant in a tiny village like this," he said, steering the conversation back on track.


    I shook my head. "The restaurant isn¡¯t actually located in this village¡ªwell, it is, but it¡¯s also not. It¡¯s hard to explain, but I¡¯m actually from a place called Kyoto."


    ¨C Momonga ¨C


    ¡°Kyoto¡­?¡± Momonga asked in genuine confusion. That¡­ That was a city in Japan. A city that had been completely destroyed in nuclear hellfire in the year 2055, never being rebuilt afterwards.


    The Kitsune, Haru, nodded at him.


    Momonga wasn¡¯t sure what to think, so he did what he¡¯d done ever since arriving in this strange new world, where all his guild¡¯s NPCs had suddenly come to life¡ªhe simply nodded and went along with it.


    The Kitsune Yokai, who registered as VERY powerful to his subtle detection spells, ran a restaurant of all things?


    Sure, why not?


    The Kitsune was also engaged to a smoking hot pureblood Devil for some reason?


    Of course, why wouldn¡¯t he be?


    Momonga rolled with all of it¡­


    He even rolled with it when one of Haru¡¯s tails seemed to split off from himself and created an actual clone.


    ¡°Woah! I didn''t know you could make clones, Haru.¡± Rias said. ¡°How come you don''t use them to fight?¡±


    ¡°Creating a clone splits off one of my tails, which actually severely weakens me,¡± the kitsune said.


    Momoga did notice that Haru suddenly felt a lot weaker. His clone quickly sprinted out of the village and headed into the forest, presumably to find Haru¡¯s missing human waitress that Momonga had saved earlier.


    The now eight tailed Haru invited Momonga and Albedo over to a building that stood out sharply from the others. While the surrounding structures looked like they were made of sticks and rough wood, this place looked like an actual well constructed building.


    "This is The Fox Hole, my restaurant that connects to other dimensions," Haru said casually, opening the door and gesturing for them to enter.


    If Momonga still had eyebrows, he was sure they would have shot up at that comment. Other dimensions? Was such a thing possible? Then again, he was a literal Isekai character now, so of course it was possible.


    As they stepped inside, Momonga couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the interior. It was a cozy family restaurant, the kind he had only seen in old photographs. On his Earth, pollution made it so that most restaurants simply couldn''t operate, except in the bubbled-off districts for the wealthy elite. Places he was never allowed to go as a member of the lower caste workers.


    This was all a very novel experience for him.


    Haru motioned for them to sit wherever they liked. Momonga eyed one of the booths but realized his new body was far too large for it, so he settled for sitting across from Albedo at a sturdy wooden table. In a sudden flash of light, Albedo unequipped her armor, revealing her flushed face and a wide, gleeful smile.


    "I¡¯m sitting in a restaurant with my beloved Momonga-sama! Is this a date?!" she squealed, her voice filled with delight.


    Momonga internally cringed but kept his calm exterior. "It''s just a meal, Albedo," he said.


    Haru chuckled, placing two glasses of water in front of them, followed by menus. "Take your time in deciding. Everything here is made fresh," he said with a smile.


    Momonga glanced down at the menu, and if he had a stomach, it would¡¯ve rumbled with anticipation. The pictures on the menu were of real, actual food¡ªdishes with ingredients he had only dreamed of in his past life! Back then, the world¡¯s food supply had mostly been reduced to synthetic paste, mass-produced for survival rather than pleasure. But here... here was real meat, real vegetables, real flavors!


    Albedo was already eagerly browsing the menu, her eyes sparkling as she scanned the selections. "Momonga-sama, what shall we have? Anything you desire, I¡¯ll have too!" she said, almost bouncing in her seat.


    ¡°Wow, Albedo! I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so pretty outside of your armor. I love your wings and horns!¡± Rias called out from where she sat at the bar, next to a human man they¡¯d been fighting with earlier. Her tone was light and friendly, a playful smile on her face.


    A small pink blush crept across Albedo¡¯s cheeks at the compliment.


    Momonga watched, once again feeling his undead trait forcefully suppress his emotions. Seeing Albedo¡¯s flustered reaction would have stirred something in him if not for his trait. It annoyed him every time. Why had he thought it was a good idea to role-play as an undead in the first place? He should have picked a dragon, like Touch Me...


    Haru spoke up again, breaking Momonga''s silent frustration. ¡°If I might make a recommendation, I¡¯ve got some dragon meat left over from yesterday. It¡¯s perfectly preserved, and I can make some amazing steaks from it.¡±


    ¡°Dragon meat!?¡± Albedo''s excitement was immediate. ¡°Oooo, I want that!¡± she declared, instantly making her decision.


    Momonga turned towards Haru. ¡°What does dragon steak taste like exactly?¡± He had never imagined eating something like that. After years of subsisting on synthetic chicken paste, it was hard to imagine anything else.


    Haru scratched his chin thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe... but I¡¯d say it¡¯s kind of like a wagyu steak mixed with alligator meat. Except it¡¯s even more tender and juicy.¡±


    Momonga blinked¡ªwell, he would have, if he could. He didn¡¯t understand a word of that comparison, but Haru sounded confident, so that was enough for him. ¡°We¡¯ll have that then,¡± he said, ordering it for both himself and Albedo. Just because he didn¡¯t have a stomach didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t eat. He had consumed healing items and elixirs in the game without issue, so why not food?


    Albedo was still glowing from Rias¡¯s compliment and the anticipation of trying dragon steak. Momonga could feel the weight of her adoring gaze, and it made him feel very awkward all of a sudden.


    ¡­Shit, was this considered a date now?


    Judging by the look Albedo was giving him, the answer in her mind was yes.


    Haru smiled and moved back toward the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll get that started right away. You two are in for a real treat.¡±


    Momonga leaned back in his chair, glancing at Albedo. Seeing her so happy was... nice, in a way.


    Finally, he cleared his throat, more out of habit than necessity. "Albedo, how have things been in Nazarick since we arrived in this new world? I assume managing everything must be... challenging?" Managing the guild when it had been a mere video game had been difficult for him, he couldn''t imagine properly running the place with all the NPCs being alive.


    Albedo''s smile softened. "Oh, Momonga-sama, managing Nazarick is my greatest honor. Every day, I ensure that all the floors are in perfect order and that the guardians are fulfilling their duties. It¡¯s busy, yes, but also incredibly rewarding. I get to serve you and ensure the Great Tomb of Nazarick thrives in this new world."


    Momonga nodded, though his mind wandered. He had always viewed the NPCs in Nazarick as part of the game, nothing more than scripted characters with limited responses. But here, seeing Albedo speak so passionately, he realized she wasn¡¯t just spouting pre-programmed lines anymore. She really was alive.


    "And what else do you do during the day?" Momonga asked curiously.


    Albedo''s golden eyes gleamed at him. "Well, there¡¯s always something to oversee. Shalltear is a bit...stupid, so I often need to remind her about how to properly perform her duties. Demiurge, on the other hand, is always plotting something intricate, and I help him ensure his plans align with your grand vision. And then, I make sure that the maids and staff are performing their tasks to perfection." She paused, smiling warmly. "But my favorite part is reporting to you, Momonga-sama. Knowing that I¡¯m supporting your rule makes everything worthwhile."


    SHE DOES ALL THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY?


    "...Y¨CYou¡¯ve done well, Albedo," he said after a hesitant pause. "I... appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for Nazarick." he said dryly, realizing that without her he would genuinely be screwed.


    Her cheeks flushed again, and she lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your praise is all I desire, Momonga-sama!"


    Haru approached the table, carrying two steaming plates of perfectly cooked dragon steaks. The rich, savory aroma filled the air, causing even Albedo to lean forward with eager anticipation. Haru set the plates down in front of them, grinning as he placed the final touches on the presentation. "Enjoy," he said.


    Momonga hesitated for a moment. Slowly, he reached up and removed his mask, revealing his bare skull and glowing red eyes. He glanced first at Haru, expecting some form of reaction¡ªfear, perhaps, or at least surprise.


    But Haru didn¡¯t even blink. He gave Momonga a friendly nod, as if seeing an undead lich was just another part of his day. Momonga blinked in surprise¡ªwell, metaphorically, of course. He wasn¡¯t expecting such a nonchalant reaction to his appearance. Before he could dwell on it, though, he heard a small squeak from the bar area.


    ¡°Your glowing red eyes are so cool!¡± Rias practically squealed from where she sat next to Gazeff. She looked like she might bolt over any second to take a closer look.


    Gazeff, on the other hand, shifted nervously in his seat, clearly uneasy with Momonga¡¯s undead nature, but trying to maintain composure. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, though he made no overt move to draw it.


    Albedo, of course, was practically glowing with pride as she smugly glanced over at the red headed Devil. "Of course, Momonga-sama is the most powerful and magnificent being in existence!"


    Rias just giggled back in response.


    Momonga turned his attention back to the steak in front of him. The rich, juicy meat looked more appetizing than anything he had ever seen before. With careful precision, he cut into the steak and took a bite with his bony mouth. Momonga paused for a moment, savoring the sensation of real food. "It¡¯s excellent," he said simply.


    THAT WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT! THIS WAS THE SINGLE GREATEST THING HE''D EVER TASTED! REAL FOOD WAS AMAZING!


    Albedo was practically swooning over her own steak, cutting bite after bite with a look of sheer delight on her face. "It¡¯s amazing, Momonga-sama!" she said between bites. "And these mashed potatoes are also fantastic!"


    Haru walked back into the kitchen as Momonga and Albedo continued their date¨Cer¨Cmeal in peace.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    After they finished their meal, Momonga approached me, gesturing for a more private conversation. I led him into the back, far enough from the others that no one could overhear us.


    "That meal was delicious," Momonga said. He thanked me for the experience.


    I waved it off with a grin. "I should be the one thanking you. After all, you helped save the village I own."


    His glowing red eyes focused on me. "I wanted to ask more about that. This seems to be a human village. How did you come to own it?" he asked. "And what is the deal with this strange restaurant of yours¡­?"


    I chuckled and started explaining how my restaurant randomly started connecting to other dimensions a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I¡¯ve had some pretty interesting customers. Many of them have become close friends, and, well... a few became something even more. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk a bit at that.


    Momonga lightly punched my shoulder when I casually mentioned that I had two fianc¨¦es¡ªRias and Aela the werewolf. ¡°You lucky bastard!¡±


    I tapped him right back with a grin of my own. "You''re one to talk with a gorgeous succubus like Albedo literally throwing herself at you. You can''t pass up something like that!"


    Momonga hesitated a bit when I pointed that out. "I would like to...be with her. But I can¡¯t exactly be in a relationship as a literal skeleton," he muttered, sounding  self-conscious for a moment.


    I tilted my head at him. "Then why not learn some transformation magic? You could just assume a humanoid form and your problems would be solved.¡±


    Momonga''s red eyes glowed brighter, clearly surprised by my statement. "Transformation magic!? Is such a thing possible?" he asked.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little, pointing at myself. "Dude, my yokai form is a 30-foot-tall, nine-tailed fox. Of course, it''s possible."


    "You are?" he asked in surprise.


    "Oh, right. You got here after I transformed back into my humanoid form." I shrugged, then added, "Yeah, yokai are pretty much the masters of transformation magic. Especially kitsune like me."


    Momonga stood there, processing the information.  S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you want," I offered, "I can ask one of my cousins to teach you. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to arrange. Trust me, a human form could change a lot of things for you. Especially in the bedroom." I said while wiggling my eyebrows.


    ¡°Oh? Do you have a lot of experience there, ¡®Mr. I have two fiances?¡¯¡± Momonga asked me.


    ¡°...No,¡± I admitted and he chuckled at me.


    There was a moment of silence before Momonga nodded. "I... appreciate that offer, Haru. It¡¯s something for me to consider."


    ¡°Well, if you make a decision, you know where to find my restaurant. Feel free to stop by anytime you want. I have a feeling we could be pretty good friends. And just wait until you meet my other buddy Agnar!¡± I added.


    After that, our conversation naturally turned back towards the attack we fought off. ¡°I honestly have no idea why these knights were massacring villages, but I¡¯m sure my mother will squeeze the answers out of them. I¡¯ll also ask her to station a few Yokai guards in the village from now on.¡± There were a couple of Yokai in this world, but they were all out exploring the surrounding forest for resources.


    Momonga wasn¡¯t aware that this was the third village to be attacked. ¡°This is no coincidence and those knights were not poor bandits. All of their equipment was shiny and new. I sense some kind of conspiracy is behind these attacks.¡± he pointed out and I nodded in agreement.


    The two of us walked back into the main area of my restaurant where we spotted Rias happily chatting with Albedo. With my enhanced hearing, I could hear that they were both talking about how amazing their boyfriends were with each other¡­


    Yep, I wasn¡¯t getting involved in that conversation. Momonga and I both steered ourselves to the bar, where Gazef was sitting by himself. He apologized to Momonga for initially being distrustful of his undead nature, but Momonga waved him off. ¡°Even if this village is no longer part of the Re-Estize Kingdom, I still thank you for saving its former citizens!¡± Gazef bowed to Momonga deeply.


    ¡°O¨COf course,¡± the skeleton replied awkwardly.


    It was at that moment that the doors to my restaurant were thrown open. Enri ran inside with tears in her eyes. She was accompanied by my clone which quickly faded away and returned my missing power to me.


    ¡°I was so scared!¡± Enri hugged me tightly as I patted her back comfortingly.


    ¡°It''s alright, everything is fine now,¡± I said. At least, I thought it was until the doors banged open again. Enri¡¯s father stormed inside, with a look of panic.


    ¡°Lord Haru! More of those blue knights have surrounded our village!¡± he exclaimed fearfully.


    Momonga, Gazef and I all exchanged glances with each other. More of them are showing up after we wiped out almost 200 of them?


    ¡°Fucking really¡­?¡± I grumbled.


    Momonga chuckled darkly and pat me on the shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Haru. Let me and Albedo handle all of these foes for you.¡± Albedo perked up upon hearing Momonga mention her name and immediately made her way over to us. ¡°Come along Albedo, we have some enemies to deal with!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the wonderful meal, Lord Haru,¡± Albedo gave me a slight bow. ¡°Til next time! I can¡¯t wait to come back here with Lord Momonga!¡±


    I watched the two of them leave and shrugged. They were both very strong, easily Ultimate-Class. I''m sure they will be fine.


    XXX

 Chapter 12: Aliens and NEETs

    Chapter 12: Aliens and NEETs


    My restaurant was closed for the night, so I decided to head over to the Yokai Palace and report everything that had happened to my mother, Yasaka. I knew she wouldn¡¯t be pleased about the situation. Sure enough, when I told her about the attack on my new territory in another dimension, her eyes narrowed, and her frown deepened.


    "Random knights, attacking your village?" Yasaka''s voice was sharp. Her nine golden tails swayed slowly behind her, a sign she was trying to stay calm, but I could tell she was still very upset.


    "Yes, I captured nine of them," I replied, leaning against a nearby wall. "I decided to not keep them together and split them up three ways. Gazef took three back to the Re-Estize Kingdom. Three are being held in the village, in case Momonga is interested in questioning them whenever he returns. And the last three," I pointed down, "are in the dungeons here."


    Yasaka sighed, rubbing her temples. "Clearly, we¡¯ll need to keep some permanent yokai guards in that village from now on," she said thoughtfully. "At least until we decide if we want to set up a colony in that dimension."


    I nodded in agreement. "That¡¯s a good idea. I don¡¯t want hostile people breaking into my restaurant or scaring my customers."


    Yasaka let out a small laugh, breaking the tension. "Do you even have any customers that would actually get scared, Haru?"


    I smirked. "Reigen?"


    She giggled again. ¡°That''s true I suppose, although Mob is usually there to protect his teacher.¡±


    It wasn''t exactly hard for us to find out Arataka Reigen didn''t actually have any psychic powers whatsoever, but that didn''t stop Yasaka from constantly hiring the guy. His apprentice Mob was the most powerful Psychic anyone had ever heard of, and we''d still not seen the full extent of his powers. Even that terrifying Evil Spirit, Being X, that had haunted Tanya through two lifetimes was nothing in the face of Mob''s power.


    Yasaka chuckled when I brought those two up in the same sentence. ¡°You know, the last time I saw Mob¡­he asked how Tanya-chan was doing?¡± she said and I snorted.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle as well. ¡°Aww, I guess he really did develop a little crush after she kissed him.¡± No one had told him that Tanya used to be a man yet, we all just found it too funny to say anything¡­


    I spent the next half hour generally chatting with Yasaka about everything going on in Kyoto. Kunou was doing well with her tutors, and we were able to set up an official identity for Tanya-chan. The girl had taken a couple of tests that doubled as her high school exams, and last I heard, she was doing the same for her college courses. There was no reason for her to rush, considering she was in the body of a 13-year-old girl and already had a high-paying job, but obviously no one told her that. The little blonde ex-soldier had a more efficient work ethic than anyone I''d ever known¡­


    I didn¡¯t feel like returning to the restaurant, so I decided to spend the night in my bedroom at the palace. It had been a long day, and the comfort of my old bed was nice. The next morning, I woke up early, feeling well-rested, and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast for Kunou, Yasaka, and Tanya-chan. It wasn¡¯t long before the smell of eggs and miso soup filled the palace halls.


    As I set the plates down, I noticed Tanya, sitting at the table, looking half-awake. She barely acknowledged the food. It wasn¡¯t until I brought over a fresh pot of coffee and poured her a cup that her eyes started to focus.


    "Morning, Tanya-chan," I said with a grin as she sipped her first cup. "How are you holding up?"


    She grunted, clearly still half-asleep, and waved me off with a lazy hand. It wasn¡¯t until she had finished her third cup that she finally perked up, her eyes sharper and more alert.


    "Much better. Thanks," she said, looking at the breakfast spread with more interest. "I don¡¯t know how people function without coffee."


    Kunou, on the other hand, was already digging into her food. "Onii-chan, this is so good! You always make the best breakfasts!"


    "Thanks, Kunou," I smiled, watching her eat with enthusiasm. I then turned to Yasaka. "I wanted to talk to you mother about something I forgot to bring up last night."


    Yasaka, sitting across from me with her usual serene grace, raised an eyebrow. "Ara? What is it, my dear son?"


    "Thanks for telling me that I¡¯m now officially engaged to Rias now¡­" I said with a bit of playful sarcasm.


    Yasaka grinned, giving me a mischievous look. "I figured it would be a pleasant little surprise," she teased. "You told me that she was with you during the attack yesterday. Were you two doing anything before that?"


    I chuckled, shaking my head. "We were actually on a date in the new dimension... killing zombies."


    Kunou¡¯s ears perked up, and she immediately interrupted, her eyes wide with excitement. "Wait! You went and killed a bunch of zombies without me, Onii-chan?! That¡¯s not fair!" She pouted, crossing her arms, clearly feeling left out.


    I laughed at her reaction. "Sorry, Kunou, it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. Next time, I¡¯ll make sure to invite you along."


    Even Tanya looked intrigued by the mention of zombies. She set her coffee down and leaned forward slightly. "Zombies, huh? They would¡¯ve made decent target practice to keep me in good form." She paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I''ve upgraded my arsenal since returning to a modern world. My guns and even my computation orb are much more powerful now. Could¡¯ve been a fun way to test them out."


    Kunou looked even more excited at the idea of fighting zombies with her, and I could only imagine the chaos the two of them would cause together. Kunou wasn''t particularly powerful yet, due to her young age, but the girl''s head was full of mischief and she always found the strangest ways to utilize her limited Youki. Like the one time I watched her slap an explosive talisman onto her YoYo to turn it into a deadly magical weapon. Yasaka¡¯s garden did not survive the destruction that day and that was one of the few times Kunou ever got some¨Cwell deserved¨Cspankings from our mother.


    I returned to The Fox Hole in a good mood. Spending the morning with Kunou, Yasaka, and Tanya-chan had been exactly what I needed. As I stepped through the doors of the restaurant, I noticed Enri wasn¡¯t in yet, which wasn¡¯t all that surprising. After everything she¡¯d been through yesterday, she was probably spending some much-needed time with her little sister. I didn¡¯t mind¡ªit was quiet enough that I could handle things on my own for now.


    I walked behind the counter, checking to make sure all my cooking equipment was clean and ready to go. The kitchen was pristine, as always, my knives gleaming, and the scent of fresh ingredients lingered in the air. I turned on the stove and prepared some basic ingredients for breakfast, ready for anyone who might wander in. After about ten minutes of peaceful silence, the door creaked open, and I looked up, smiling.


    "Welcome to The Fox Hole! You can sit anywhere you like," I called out cheerfully, waving a hand toward the empty tables.


    But instead of heading to a seat, the person¡ªno, the woman?¡ªpaused in the doorway, staring at me with wide eyes. At least, I assumed she was a woman. She was stunning, her beauty was striking in a way that was otherworldly. Her skin, however, was dark blue. And instead of hair, she had these... tentacle-like appendages that flowed down from the top of her head.


    I blinked, not entirely sure what I was looking at, but I smiled, trying to keep things casual.


    "Is everything alright?" I asked her as she stood in the entrance.


    The woman hesitated, her eyes darting around the restaurant before they settled back on me. There was something in her expression¡ªconfusion, maybe even caution. She seemed unsure of what to make of the place, or perhaps me.


    "Yes... sorry," she finally said, her voice soft, with a slight melodic tone. "I was just... I didn¡¯t expect to find a place like this here." Her gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, and I could sense she was trying to figure me out.


    "Well, I like to think The Fox Hole is full of surprises." I said knowingly. I gestured again to the tables or the bar. "Go ahead, make yourself comfortable.¡±


    The woman nodded slowly, still looking a little uncertain, but she made her way to one of the empty booths close to the bar. She sat down carefully, her posture poised and elegant, as if she was used to being in control of herself, despite the unfamiliar setting.


    As I watched her, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where she was from. The blue skin, the tentacle-like... hair? This wasn¡¯t something you saw every day, even in my restaurant, which had been connecting to some rather strange places recently.


    ¨C Tevos ¨C


    It wasn¡¯t often that Councilor Tevos found herself completely blindsided, but that was exactly how she felt as she stood in the doorway of this strange restaurant, The Fox Hole.


    She wouldn¡¯t call herself reckless, but every once in a while, she enjoyed slipping away from the rigid structure of the Citadel and blending in among the civilians. Walking incognito gave her a different perspective¡ªa better understanding of the people she helped govern alongside the other council members. And that¡¯s how she found herself discovering this new establishment that she didn¡¯t remember seeing the last time she walked the presidium. She felt she had a firm grasp on the current state of affairs in the galaxy.


    That sense of control shattered the moment she walked into this establishment and was confronted with a being she had never seen before.


    She did her best to maintain her calm facade, but it took every ounce of her will to keep her face neutral. At first glance, she had thought the "restaurant owner" was just a human with an unusual choice in fashion. His outfit looked a bit dated to modern standards, but it was the golden ears and nine swishing tails that really caught her attention. She had initially dismissed them as some kind of elaborate, perhaps cultural, costume. However, when she subtly reached out with her biotics, intending to get a faint sense of his aura, she felt something shocking!


    This man¡ªif she could call him that¡ªwas no mere human. The sheer power that radiated from him was unlike anything she had ever encountered, more potent than any biotic presence she had sensed, even from the strongest Justicars! He exuded an energy so intense, so otherworldly, that Tevos instinctively knew this being could easily surpass any opponent the galaxy had to offer. She kept her breathing steady, her expression composed, but her mind raced as she tried to understand just what¡ªor who¡ªthis being was.


    His golden ears twitched slightly, and those nine large, fluffy tails swayed behind him as he stood there with a welcoming smile.


    "If you don''t mind me asking... what exactly are you?" Tevos finally managed to say, her voice steady despite the absurdity of the situation. She hoped the question didn¡¯t come off as rude. She knew many species across the galaxy could be sensitive when it came to direct inquiries, especially those concerning their nature.


    To her surprise, the man chuckled softly and let out a sigh of relief, as if she had eased some invisible tension. "I was just about to ask you the same thing," he said. His casual tone, combined with that easy smile, made her heart skip a beat.


    Tevos blinked. Well... that was unexpected. She hadn¡¯t been in her maiden years for quite some time, and yet something about him was undeniably disarming.


    Still, his response confused her. How could he be running a restaurant on the Citadel and not know what an Asari was? It was perplexing.


    She smiled politely, her confusion momentarily masked. "I see... well, I am an Asari," she explained. "My name is Tevos." She gave him her real name and noticed there was no recognition in his eyes.


    He smiled again, that same charming grin that seemed to glow with warmth. "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Tevos. I¡¯m Haru, and this is my restaurant, The Fox Hole. I¡¯m a kitsune yokai. Specifically, a nine-tailed fox."


    Tevos blinked, her curiosity now fully piqued. "A nine-tailed fox?" She put her finger to her chin, thinking. The name sounded vaguely familiar. She vaguely recalled that the Island nation of Japan on Earth had ancient lore and myths about such creatures. But that''s all they were supposed to be¡­myths.


    And now a myth was staring her in the face, and Tevos couldn''t help but be a bit nervous. Especially considering the human myths sometimes portrayed nine tailed foxes as literal Gods¡­


    Tevos would have laughed at such an absurd concept if it was staring her in the face. ¡°You own this restaurant?¡± she asked, keeping her practiced calm facade from years of being a politician. ¡°I don''t remember authorizing a new restaurant to open in the presidium¡­especially directly across from the Citadel tower itself.¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    POP!


    Tevos let out a small yelp as a data slab of all things randomly materialized from thin air with a soft pop. The metallic device floated for a split second before gravity took hold, but before it could hit the floor, Haru, with reflexes faster than anything she had ever seen, snatched it cleanly out of the air. His eyes darted over the slab''s glowing screen as he casually skimmed through the information displayed.


    For a moment, Tevos just stood there, still processing the sudden appearance of the object. She hadn''t even had time to question where it had come from when Haru turned around and, with a small, amused smile, handed it over to her.


    ¡°What is¡­ HUH?!¡± Tevos nearly choked on her words as her eyes darted across the data displayed on the screen. Disbelief quickly washed over her as she processed what she was seeing.


    The slab contained a contract¡ªone that authorized the sale of the very plot of Citadel land on which The Fox Hole was sitting. Not just any contract, though. This one was unbelievable. The terms were beyond generous. The new owner, Haru, apparently, owned the plot outright, free and clear of any Citadel taxes, ever. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, it explicitly stated that he was allowed to operate any business he wanted from this plot, without needing any further approval from Citadel authorities.


    Her heart raced as her gaze landed on the bottom of the slab, where the electronic signatures of all three Citadel Council members were neatly displayed¡ªincluding her own. Her fingers shook as she tapped on her name, and her Omni-Tool scanned and verified the signature.


    It was real¡­


    Tevos blinked, her mind reeling. Her Omni-Tool had the best security in the galaxy¡ªit was designed to be unhackable!


    Did she actually sign this? There were so many forms, so many documents that were sent to her on a daily basis that, admittedly, she hadn¡¯t always been the most careful about what she approved. The bureaucracy of running the Citadel was immense, and not every document was scrutinized as it should be.


    But this?


    Haru tilted his head slightly, still watching her with that same calm, amused expression, as if this entire situation wasn¡¯t completely surreal. ¡°Everything okay there, Councilor?¡± he asked, there was a glint of mischief in his eyes that made her pout at him.


    Tevos stared at the data slab in stunned silence for a moment longer before finally looking up at him. ¡°How¡­ How did this happen?¡± she asked, her voice softer now, more bewildered than accusatory.


    Haru shrugged, his tails swishing lazily behind him as if the situation was no more serious than a casual conversation. ¡°I think you signed it, right?¡± His grin widened slightly, and he gestured toward her signature on the slab. ¡°Looks like everything¡¯s in order.¡±


    Tevos rubbed her temples, trying to push through the growing headache. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember signing this,¡± she admitted, her pride taking a hit.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I shrugged at the pretty blue woman. It was obvious by now that my restaurant had appeared in yet another dimension, but something felt a bit different this time. What exactly was an Asari and what was the Citadel that Tevos was a Council Member of? From the way she talked about it, it sounded like it was a big deal in this dimension.


    Tevos gave me a strange look after I asked her my questions.


    ¡°...The Citadel isn¡¯t on Earth, Haru,¡± she explained with a touch of bewilderment. ¡°It¡¯s located far away in the middle of the Milky Way galaxy. I''m not from Earth either, I''ve never set foot on the planet¡­¡±


    I was completely thrown by those responses. My jaw might¡¯ve dropped a little as the realization dawned on me.


    Woah¡­


    This Asari woman standing in front of me¡­ wasn¡¯t an offshoot of humanity or any other supernatural species like I had suspected. She was an actual freaking alien! My restaurant connected to a sci-fi universe with actual aliens and space travel!


    Kick ass! Rias was going to lose her mind when she heard about this! Aela was probably going to wonder if any Aliens could put up a decent fight.


    I was still processing the shock of it all when Tevos spoke again. ¡°You seem awfully surprised to find all this out, Haru. Why is this all so shocking to you? Your restaurant is literally on the Citadel¡­¡±


    I opened my mouth to explain¡ªbecause of course this was shocking! The existence of Aliens was pure speculation in both my lifetimes!


    But before I could, the front door swung open again. I turned toward the entrance, and my eyes lit up with recognition as a beautiful, lithe Japanese girl stepped inside. She was wearing an elegant kimono along with a few pieces of radiant jewelry. Her long black hair fell halfway down her back.


    ¡°Amy-chan!¡± I called out, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering when you were going to show up. You missed my restaurant''s grand opening!¡± I said while creating a small illusion of tears forming in my eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start with the fake tears.¡± Amy pouted. ¡°Yasaka has used that trick on me dozens of times already and I''m not falling for them anymore.¡± Amy-chan blushed at me cutely. ¡°...Sorry for missing your opening, Haru-kun. I lost track of time,¡± she admitted while suddenly averting her eyes. ¡°I was rewatching One Piece from start to finish and couldn''t pull myself away from the TV until now¡­¡±


    That sounded like something she would do. Amaterasu rarely took the spotlight anymore, most other factions assumed she was taking a step back from politics and allowing some of the other Gods in Takamagahara to take charge. Nope! She was just a NEET who kept losing track of time whenever she would start a new anime or video game¡­


    I did some quick math in my head. One Piece has over 1100 episodes and each episode is around 24 minutes¡­


    I stared at Amy-chan in disbelief. ¡°Have you been staring at a TV screen for 18 days straight?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°N¨CNo¡­¡± Amy-chan didn''t sound very convincing when she said that.


    Tevos stood up from her table with wide eyes. ¡°18 days! We need to get this girl to a medical clinic immediately! How is she even alive!?¡±


    That¡¯s when Amy-chan finally noticed there was someone else in the restaurant with us. Her eyes went wide when she spotted Councilor Tevos¡¯s very unique features. ¡°Um¡­ Hello?¡± Amy-chan said to the other woman. ¡°Not to be rude, but what are you?¡±


    Tevos¡¯s face scrunched up, probably over the fact that she was being asked that question two times in succession.


    ¡°She¡¯s an Alien from another planet. Her species is known as Asari,¡± I said with a smirk.


    ¡°NANI!?¡± Amy-chan sputtered at me in disbelief. Her cool elegant demeanor immediately slipped away. ¡°I cut off communication with the outside world for 18 days and there are aliens now!?¡±


    ¡°So you did stare at a TV for 18 days straight¡­¡± I gazed at her judgmentally. Even for a Goddess that technically doesn''t need sleep, that can''t be healthy, purely for her own sanity.


    I felt a tiny bit of pain when Amy-chan kicked me in the shin. ¡°Forget about that! I just want to know what is going on here!¡±


    ¡°I would also like to know,¡± Tevos added. ¡°I am very confused¡­¡±


    ¨C Lord Baby-Mort ¨C


    Lord Voldemort had suffered some humiliating defeats in the past, but nothing compared to his current situation. He had been reduced to inhabiting the body of an actual baby. The Dark Lord, who once inspired fear in all who heard his name, now had to rely on that pathetic excuse for a servant, Wormtail, for his every need. Whether it was being fed mush or¡ªmost degrading of all¡ªbeing cleaned up after soiling himself, Voldemort endured it all in silence, his rage festering deep within.


    Once he regained his body, he would Obliviate every single memory of these humiliating months!


    ¡°My Lord, I need to speak with you right away! I have urgent news!¡± The voice of Barty Crouch Jr. echoed through the small, dimly lit room.


    Barty slipped inside, looking nervous. Nagini, coiled by Voldemort¡¯s crib, hissed at the intruder, her tongue flicking as if ready to strike. But she held back, knowing better than to attack without her master¡¯s orders.


    Voldemort''s blood-red eyes fixed on Barty. Even as a baby, his gaze was enough to make most men tremble. "Why are you here, Barty?" Voldemort asked in a high-pitched, squeaky voice he despised. The sound grated on him every time he spoke. "Don''t you know how risky visiting me is at this stage in our plans?"


    Barty flinched under Voldemort''s gaze, and despite his current state, the Dark Lord found a small bit of amusement in the fear he still commanded.


    "I¡¯m sorry, my Lord," Barty stammered, bowing low. "But this is important! Something incredibly strange has happened at Hogwarts, and it concerns the Potter boy!"


    At the mention of Harry Potter, Voldemort¡¯s small, frail body stiffened. His hatred for the boy was the one thing that kept him going through this indignity. "Speak, Barty," Voldemort commanded. "What news do you bring me?"


    Barty swallowed hard before continuing. "My Lord, a strange restaurant has appeared in Hogsmeade. It¡¯s run by a magical beast of some kind! But that¡¯s not all. The restaurant has attracted even more powerful, strange beings to it! One of them... a vampire woman... has taken an interest in Potter and his mudblood friend. She¡¯s offered to take them on as magical apprentices."


    Voldemort¡¯s tiny hands gripped the sides of his crib, his small fingers tightening into fists. "A vampire?" he hissed. "And Potter accepted?"


    Barty nodded quickly. "Yes, my Lord. But it gets worse. Potter has shown remarkable growth in power under her tutelage. During the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, Potter¡ªPotter used... WANDLESS LIGHTNING MAGIC to kill the dragon!"


    Voldemort¡¯s breath caught in his throat, and if his infant body were capable of sweating, he might have felt it trickle down his forehead. He could scarcely believe what he was hearing. Harry Potter had managed to kill one of the most dangerous magical creatures in existence and didn''t even need a wand to do it?


    "What the fuck?" Voldemort muttered under his breath. When he was Potter¡¯s age, he was powerful, yes¡ªbut not even close to that powerful. And this had happened after only a few weeks of training under that vampire? What kind of ancient and terrifying being was she!?


    Worse, what would Potter be capable of by the time the third task arrived?


    Voldemort¡¯s mind raced. If Potter¡¯s growth continued unchecked, would Voldemort even be able to survive another duel with the teenager?


    "We might need... a new plan," Voldemort admitted. "But before that, we need to know more about this mysterious restaurant." He turned his gaze back to Barty.


    Barty swallowed nervously, avoiding Voldemort''s gaze. "Apologies, my Lord... but, um... my persona as Mad-Eye Moody has been permanently banned from the restaurant. I can¡¯t return to investigate further..."


    For a moment, the room was deadly silent. A scowl broke out on Voldemort¡¯s tiny face as his infant body shook with rage. He fumbled in his crib, desperately reaching for his wand, but it was just out of reach. A few bloody inches too far from his stubby fingers!


    Barty, sensing the imminent danger, flinched back, waiting for the inevitable curse.


    "You... incompetent fool," Voldemort spat, his high-pitched voice filled with venom. "You¡¯ve failed me." His eyes burned with fury, but without his wand, Barty was safe from the Cruciatus¡ªfor now. "Contact Lucius," Voldemort finally hissed. "Bring him before me. We¡¯ll need to craft a new plan. And this time, Barty, do not fail me!"


    Barty bowed low, trembling as he backed out of the room. "Yes, my Lord. Right away."


    As Barty disappeared, Voldemort seethed in his crib.


    ¡°This restaurant and the magical beast have ruined my plans! This will not stand! I will have vengeance!¡± he declared. The Dark Lord vowed he would learn everything he could about this place¡ªand when the time came, he would crush it, along with anyone who dared to stand in his way.


    But first, he needed his body back¡­


    ¡°...Wormtail! I made a messy! Come and change me!¡± Voldemort yelled furiously.


    XXX


    Someone made a doodoo¡­


    I had a couple people request that I add Frieren, and I don''t mind, but it will probably take a couple chapters first.

 Chapter 13: An average day at the Fox Hole

    Chapter 13: An average day at the Fox Hole


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    "Here''s your tea, Momonga," I said, placing the steaming cup in front of the living skeleton. According to him, he was an undead known as an Overlord¡ªwhich was basically the Magical King of skeletons? Yeah, his world was weird. But weird was the new normal around here.


    "Thank you, Haru," the skeleton replied, elegantly picking up the teacup with two bony fingers. He brought it to his lips¡ªer, well, where his mouth should''ve been¡ªand somehow managed to make sipping noises. I didn¡¯t even bother questioning it at this point.


    "I''d like to thank you for saving some of those prisoners for us," Momonga said after a slight pause. "In my zeal the other day, I ended up killing all the magic casters that invaded your territory, Haru," he admitted with a slightly embarrassed tone.


    Albedo, who sat next to him, frowned deeply. Her golden eyes glinted with disdain as she crossed her arms. "Hmph! Those pathetic worms should have considered themselves honored to die by your divine hand, my love!" Her voice dripped with fervent adoration and pride.


    "R-Right," Momonga stuttered slightly, shifting awkwardly in his seat. He cleared his throat, or at least made a sound resembling it. "That reminds me, Haru. I¡¯ve decided to change my name. From now on, I am no longer Momonga. I am Ainz Ooal Gown."


    ¡°At least you picked a cool sounding new name,¡± I said with a chuckle. "Have you given more thought to my offer, Ainz?" I added.


    ¡°Er¡­¡± Ainz glanced at me, then at Albedo, who was sitting next to him.


    "What offer is that, my love?" Albedo asked curiously.


    Ainz hesitated for a moment before explaining. "Haru offered to find someone who could teach me transformation magic," he said, his voice carrying a hint of awkwardness. "It would allow me to take on a humanoid, fleshy form¡­"


    Albedo''s eyes lit up with pure, unbridled excitement, her cheeks flushing as her breathing became heavier. "Such a thing is truly possible!?" she exclaimed. She turned toward me, almost trembling. "You will have my eternal gratitude if you make this happen, Lord Haru! I cannot wait to be able to lie with my beloved Ainz for real!" She clasped her hands together, her golden eyes practically sparkling with lust. "The sounds of our passionate lovemaking will echo throughout the halls of Nazarick for hours upon hours! Shalltear will be so incredibly jealous when I rub it into her undead face that I¡¯m pregnant with our child!" Albedo turned back to Ainz. "What should we name it if it¡¯s a boy? Or maybe it will be a girl?" She blinked up at him, waiting eagerly for his response.


    I just stared from where I stood behind the counter...


    Albedo really wanted that D¡­


    Somehow, despite being a skeleton, Ainz managed to look utterly horrified¡ªor at least, as close to horrified as a skull could get. His red eyes flickered in panic. "Er¡ªplease, calm yourself, Albedo," he said, his voice faltering slightly. "I haven¡¯t even started learning transformation magic yet¡­"


    Albedo pouted, her excitement faltering for just a moment, and she let out an adorable little huff, crossing her arms. "Hmph! But you will learn it, right, Ainz-sama?" she pressed, her voice laced with impatience.


    Ainz shifted awkwardly, looking like he regretted everything. "W-We¡¯ll see. Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves¡­"


    "Of course, my beloved!" Albedo¡¯s mood shifted back in an instant, her eyes filled with renewed determination. "I¡¯ll wait for as long as it takes. Our love knows no bounds!"


    The conversation shifted as Ainz leaned forward, his glowing red eyes focused intently on me. "Haru," he began, "what¡¯s the strangest thing you''ve seen in the other dimensions your restaurant has connected to?"


    I paused, thinking it over. "Well... I haven¡¯t seen it yet, but yesterday, my restaurant connected to a place called the Citadel. It¡¯s located in deep space and is run by a bunch of aliens¡­"


    Ainz had just taken another sip of his tea when he spat it all out of his bony mouth in shock!


    The tea splashed all over Albedo¡­


    Instead of looking upset, Albedo¡¯s eyes lit up, and she giggled, wiping the tea from her face while panting with that lecherous expression. "Ainz-sama," she purred, her voice full of delight, "If you wanted to get me wet all you had to do was ask¡­"


    Succubi were weird, or maybe it was just Ainz¡¯s girl that was special...


    Ainz, ignoring Albedo¡¯s reaction, looked at me in disbelief. "Aliens? Such things actually exist?"


    "Yeah," I replied with a chuckle. "And they¡¯re pretty hot, too. The Asari, which is the alien species I met, are all beautiful blue women. They¡¯re also monogendered which is pretty interesting."


    Ainz tilted his skull curiously. "Then how do they¡­" he trailed off awkwardly, his bony fingers tapping lightly against the table.


    "How do they make more Asari?" I grinned. "I have no idea yet. That would¡¯ve been a pretty awkward thing to ask during first contact." I laughed, shaking my head at the memory. "What made it even funnier was that the Goddess Amaterasu decided to pay my restaurant a visit while I was talking to them. It freaked the alien out even more."


    Ainz¡¯s red eyes flared with interest. "A Goddess visited your restaurant during first contact with an alien race? What even is your life¡­?"


    Albedo, now mostly dry after using the towel I handed her, perked up as well. "There are gods in your world, Lord Haru?" she asked. "Do you hunt them for sport like the Supreme Beings did back in Yggdrasil?"


    I blinked at her. "Um, no¡­?¡±


    Albedo pouted slightly. "I see. That¡¯s¡­ disappointing. It would¡¯ve been quite thrilling, I imagine."


    I turned to Ainz, wanting to ask what the whole ¡°hunting Gods¡± thing was about, but he just told me that he would explain later.


    More customers were entering the Fox Hole anyways.


    ¡°Haru, my friend! Tis good to see you again!¡± Agnar¡¯s booming voice filled the restaurant as he walked in with his vampire wife, Serana, close behind. He glanced around the room, noticing the unfamiliar faces of Ainz and Albedo seated nearby. "I see you have some new and unusual customers," Agnar added with a grin, casually plopping himself down at the bar counter next to them. The Dragonborn was just a big friendly Nord. ¡°Tis nice to make your acquaintance!¡± Agnar said with a wide smile. "I am Agnar, and the lovely woman behind me is my wife, Serana." He gave Serana a playful nudge as she sighed softly, taking her seat beside him.


    "Charmed..." Serana said, exchanging nods with Albedo. The two women seemed to size each other up for a moment before settling into the strange atmosphere.


    "It is nice to meet you as well," Albedo replied, eyeing Serana with mild interest before returning her attention to Ainz.


    "What dimension do you come from?" Ainz asked curiously, his voice echoing slightly. "And what is your armor made of if I may ask? I¡¯ve always thought black armor was the coolest looking, myself."


    Agnar¡¯s grin widened even more as he patted Ainz on the shoulder. "Thank you, my new undead friend! My armor is made from ebony, a very rare and expensive ore that can be mined in Skyrim, the home of the Nords!" he said proudly.


    Ainz¡¯s eyes glowed with fascination. "Ebony? Interesting... I¡¯ve never heard of such a metal."


    Agnar turned to me next, leaning in a bit. "Serana and I just got back from another dragon subjugation quest. Falkreath was being threatened by a dragon that demanded human sacrifices every week, or it would burn the village to the ground. Thankfully we took care of it before it came to that."


    Ainz and Albedo were both lost so I explained to them a bit about Agnar¡¯s dimension. "The dragons in Skyrim used to rule over the world before they were overthrown and all killed. But a while back, one of those dragons managed to resurrect itself from the dead and brought the rest of them back to life as well. Now they¡¯re causing havoc all over the place."


    Serana gave a slight nod. "And if it''s not a dragon causing trouble, then it''s always something else equally insane..." she added dryly.


    Ainz¡¯s red eyes flared with interest. "You must be quite strong to routinely slay dragons," he said, his voice carrying a hint of admiration as he looked at Agnar.


    Agnar chuckled deeply, flexing his arms. "Aye, it takes strength, but it also takes strategy. Dragons are crafty beasts. You¡¯ve got to hit them where they¡¯re weakest, and make sure you¡¯ve got a good weapon." He patted the hilt of his ebony sword. "This beauty¡¯s helped me slay more than my fair share of ¡®em." Agnar reached into the bag on his hip, which I only now realized was some kind of expanded storage pouch, much like the magical bags I''d seen before. He grinned widely at me, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Haru, my friend, I¡¯ve brought a treat for you to prepare for lunch!" he exclaimed, his voice booming as he began pulling out several large cuts of meat from the seemingly endless bag.


    At first glance, I couldn¡¯t tell what kind of animal the meat came from, and I leaned in, inspecting it curiously. "What is this?" I asked, my tails swaying behind me in excitement from the smell alone.


    "This, my friend, is horker meat¡ªthe most succulent and delicious meat in all of Skyrim!" he proclaimed proudly.


    "Horker?" I raised an eyebrow. "What¡¯s a horker?"


    Agnar launched into a quick description, telling me that horkers were large, tusked creatures that lived in the icy waters of Skyrim. They sounded a bit like walruses, only more aggressive and larger. "Their meat¡¯s the best¡ªrich, tender, and full of flavor," he assured me.


    I nodded, intrigued. "How do you cook them?" I asked eagerly, feeling my tails sway even faster. The thought of preparing something new always got me excited, especially when it came highly recommended like this.


    Agnar scratched his chin awkwardly, glancing at Serana. "Uh¡­ well, you see..." he began, clearly unsure.


    Serana let out a sigh and shot him a look of exasperation. "Honestly, Agnar, how have you survived all these years as an adventurer without knowing how to cook?" she grumbled, shaking her head.


    "That¡¯s what you¡¯re here for, love," Agnar said with a sheepish smile, which earned him an eye roll from his vampire wife.


    Serana turned to me, crossing her arms. "Horker meat is pretty much like cooking a steak¡ªjust thicker and more tender. Grill it a bit longer than your average T-bone, and it should turn out perfect," she explained, her tone more practical. Then, to my surprise, she added, "It¡¯s one of the few meats I can actually ingest as a vampire¡­ as long as it¡¯s extra, extra rare."


    I blinked. "Extra rare, huh?" I smirked. "That pretty much means I¡¯m not going to be cooking it at all."


    Serana chuckled softly. "Just wave it over the fire, Haru. That¡¯ll do."


    But no way was I just going to serve up raw meat. My pride as a chef was on the line here! "I¡¯ll at least season it properly," I declared. "No one¡¯s getting a bland cut of meat in my restaurant." I mentally ran through the list of spices I had on hand. Something earthy to complement the richness of the horker, maybe a bit of sea salt to enhance the natural flavors.


    Ainz and Albedo, who had been quietly enjoying their tea up until now, perked up at the mention of the steaks. Neither of them had ordered any food yet. Technically, Ainz didn¡¯t even need to eat, and Albedo had a ring that stopped her from feeling hunger altogether.


    "Did you say steaks?" Ainz asked, his glowing eyes locked on the cuts of horker meat on the counter.


    Albedo leaned forward eagerly. "I¡¯d like to try a cut as well. Even Nazrick¡¯s great chefs cannot compare to Lord Haru¡¯s cooking."


    Agnar chuckled heartily. "No need to worry, friends. Horkers are very big creatures¡ªI¡¯ve brought more than enough for everyone."


    With that said, I immediately went to work. I fired up the grills and started seasoning all the meats. I filled a few pans with my homemade butter along with a few pinches of salt as well that I would sprinkle over the steaks to add that little bit of extra deliciousness.


    ¡­


    Agnar had been right. The horker steaks were absolutely delicious¡ªsome of the juiciest, most tender cuts I¡¯d ever prepared. Everyone seemed satisfied with their meals, including me. I had made myself a steak too, and as I chewed the rich, flavorful meat, I could tell this was a new favorite.


    While I started cleaning up the kitchen, I could hear Ainz and Agnar chatting at the bar about weapons and minerals found in Skyrim.


    Serana had joined Albedo at a nearby table, and the two of them were deep in what could only be described as¡­ girl talk. What exactly do a female vampire and a succubus discuss when they think no one is listening? Well, judging by the things I heard¡ªthings that made my face flush red and my ears flop down in embarrassment¡ªit wasn¡¯t exactly the kind of conversation I needed to overhear.


    I loved having enhanced senses as a kitsune, but sometimes super hearing was a curse. There were more than a few nights growing up where I could overhear my mother, Yasaka, "satisfying herself" late at night in the palace through the thin walls¡­


    I finished cleaning up the kitchen and packed the leftover horker steaks neatly into the freezer, grateful for the distraction. The peace didn¡¯t last long, though. Just as I finished, the doors to my restaurant burst open with a loud bang. A woman with blue skin and long, pointed ears stormed in. She wasn¡¯t an Asari though¡ªher features were sharper, and I recognized her as a Dark Elf from Skyrim. Her intense red eyes locked onto Agnar.


    "Dragonborn!" she called out urgently. "Your assistance is immediately needed. Three dragons are flying directly toward Whiterun!"


    Agnar and Ainz¡¯s conversation halted as the large Nord stood up, his expression turning serious in an instant. "Three at once, Irileth?" he asked, his hand already reaching for the hilt of his sword.


    Irileth nodded grimly. "Yes. It¡¯s an emergency."


    Her attention briefly shifted to the rest of the room, her gaze flickering with surprise as it moved between me, Ainz, and the others. When her eyes landed on me, a hint of recognition flashed in them. "Hello," she said with a curt nod. "My name is Irileth, and I am Jarl Balgruuf¡¯s personal guard. I apologize for not greeting you sooner. Things have been so chaotic in Skyrim that the Jarl hasn¡¯t had a chance to welcome you personally."


    I blinked. "The Jarl knows who I am?"


    Irileth nodded. "Of course. All of Whiterun knows who you are, Lord Haru. The Dragonborn and Aela the Huntress both openly brag about you and your restaurant."


    "Well, that¡¯s... flattering," I said, scratching the back of my head, feeling a bit embarrassed by the sudden praise.


    Ainz, having listened quietly, spoke up, his voice calm but curious. "Three dragons at once... That sounds like quite the challenge. Do you plan to face them alone, Agnar?"


    Agnar looked at Ainz, a determined smile on his face. "Not alone, my new undead friend. I''ll have Serana, Irileth and some of Whiterun¡¯s finest soldiers at my side. But if you¡¯re offering your assistance, I wouldn¡¯t mind the help."


    Ainz¡¯s eyes glowed with interest. "I believe this could be a valuable learning experience..."


    I was tempted to join them.


    ¡°Meh, what the hell,¡± I said, stepping out from behind the counter. As I walked over to join the group, I noticed a flicker of relief in Irileth¡¯s eyes, though she still kept glancing at Ainz with a wary expression.


    Ainz noticed her discomfort. ¡°If my appearance is unsettling, I could wear a mask to hide my features. I wouldn¡¯t want to make the people of Whiterun uneasy.¡±


    Before Irileth could respond, Albedo hissed sharply, her golden eyes narrowing in displeasure. "How dare you suggest that Ainz-sama should hide himself!" she snapped, glaring at Irileth.


    Agnar, however, laughed loudly, his booming voice cutting through the tension. ¡°What kind of pansy milk-drinkers do you take us Nords for!?¡± he declared, slapping a hand against Ainz¡¯s bony shoulder. ¡°The true Nords won¡¯t be scared of you just because you¡¯re undead. We¡¯ve seen worse!¡± The Dragonborn wasn''t biased against undead, after all he had married one.


    Serana smirked and placed a light kiss on Agnar¡¯s cheek. "My man might be a big dumb lug who only knows how to shout and swing around a greatsword, but his heart¡¯s always in the right place. The people of Whiterun learn to accept me, and I''m sure they''ll accept you in time as well."


    Ainz looked relieved to hear that.


    With that, we left my restaurant and stepped into the open streets of Whiterun. It was my second time seeing the city, the first being when I went out on my first date with Aela. Unlike that lively day, the streets were now deserted. Everyone had fled indoors, save for the soldiers and the brave members of the Companions, who stood ready to defend the city.


    The distant sound of dragons roaring echoed over the mountains, but thanks to my enhanced hearing, I could tell those roars were getting closer¡ªfast. "We¡¯ve got about five minutes, tops, before the dragons get here," I told everyone.


    Agnar gave a sharp nod of acknowledgment, while Ainz¡¯s red eyes glowed thoughtfully. "How do we want to handle this?" Ainz asked. "Shall each of us take on a single dragon?"


    I shrugged, rolling my shoulders to loosen up. "I¡¯m fine with that. Just let me keep the dragon¡¯s bones and meat after I take it down. Dragon meat is a delicacy in my restaurant, and it goes fast." The last batch I had from the dragon Harry killed had already sold out in just a few days!


    Agnar smirked. "This is Skyrim, Haru! You keep whatever you kill obviously!"


    As I stretched my arms, preparing for the impending battle, I overheard Irileth speaking in hushed tones with a few nearby guards. "These people are insane," she muttered, her voice tinged with disbelief. "They¡¯re discussing killing dragons so casually¡ªand eating them!"


    One of the guards beside her nodded. "I¡¯ve never heard of anyone eating a dragon before¡­"


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin, my ears twitching as I turned to them. "Trust me," I said, "once you¡¯ve had dragon steak, you¡¯ll understand." I tried to reassure them, but some of them still looked at me like I was insane. They''d catch on.


    Suddenly, a loud roar cut through the air, much closer than before. I could feel the vibrations through the ground as three massive shadows swept over the mountains, heading straight for Whiterun. The dragons were nearly here.


    Agnar unsheathed his ebony greatsword, his eyes shining with the thrill of battle. "Time to show these beasts why they fear the Dragonborn!" he shouted.


    Ainz raised a hand, dark magic crackling between his skeletal fingers. "Let¡¯s see if these creatures are formidable enough to face Ainz Ooal Gown!"


    I summoned a bit of foxfire, letting the blue flames flicker at my fingertips. "Alright, boys and girls, let¡¯s make this quick. I¡¯ve got a restaurant to run," I said with a grin. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¨C Kunou ¨C


    "Kunou-sama! Please slow down! Your brother¡¯s restaurant isn¡¯t going anywhere!" Tanya-chan called out.


    Kunou darted through the streets of Kyoto, her face lighting up with a big, happy smile. It was the best time of the day¡ªlunchtime! That meant an hour away from her tutors and a chance to see her awesome big brother at his restaurant. She could hear Tanya, her bodyguard, panting behind her, trying to keep up as she zigzagged through the crowded streets while barely avoiding colliding with startled Yokai.


    Those who recognized her just chuckled and cheered her on as she ran.


    Finally, Kunou reached The Fox Hole, bursting through the doors with excitement. ¡°I¡¯m here, Haru-niichan!¡± she sing-songed. But as she looked around the empty restaurant, her smile faded into a pout. ¡°Huh? Where is everyone?¡± She sniffed the air, her keen senses picking up the lack of her brother¡¯s usual scent. ¡°Aww¡­¡± she muttered, realizing that Haru was gone.


    A few seconds later, Tanya caught up, her blonde hair a bit disheveled. The 13-year-old leaned forward, planting her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. ¡°You¡¯re so fast¡­ on the ground¡­¡±


    ¡°Haru¡¯s not here,¡± Kunou complained.


    Tanya straightened up, glancing around the quiet restaurant. ¡°Maybe he went to see one of his girlfriends?¡± Tanya suggested with a shrug.


    Kunou pouted again, stamping her foot on the wooden floor. ¡°He can make kissy faces with his girlfriends later! I¡¯m hungry now!¡± As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly.


    Tanya smiled faintly. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s still nearby. If we check one of the dimensions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s check Skyrim first!¡± Kunou declared immediately. She closed the door, picturing  Whiterun in her mind, and then flung the door back open. The moment the door opened, a deafening ROAR filled the air, followed by the ground-shaking BOOM of something heavy crashing nearby!


    Kunou¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I found niichan!¡± she said happily, completely ignoring the chaos as she sprinted through the streets of Whiterun. Behind her, Tanya¡¯s panicked shouts followed, but Kunou was too focused. She could smell her brother now. He was just outside the city, and from the sounds of it, he was fighting a dragon!


    ¡°So cool¡­¡± Kunou whispered to herself as she hopped up one of the ramps leading to the city¡¯s edge. There, she saw a group of soldiers watching the battle intently. A Dark Elf woman stood at the front, barking orders.


    "Agnar, Haru, and Ainz look like they¡¯re winning, but keep those arrows ready in case one of the dragons tries to get past them and attack Whiterun itself!" the Dark Elf commanded.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± several soldiers saluted, gripping their bows tightly.


    Kunou walked right up behind the Dark Elf and tapped her shoulder. ¡°Hi there! Why¡¯s my brother fighting a dragon?¡± she asked.


    The Dark Elf jumped, startled, before quickly spinning around to face Kunou. She stared down at the small girl with a mixture of shock and concern, then quickly placed her hands on her hips. ¡°What are you doing out here, child? This is no place for you!¡±


    Kunou puffed out her cheeks, her tails swishing behind her in frustration. ¡°I want to see Haru fight the dragon!¡± she complained, not understanding why anyone would keep her from watching something so cool.


    Tanya finally caught up, her face flushed from running again so soon after catching her breath. ¡°Kunou-sama, please! You can¡¯t just run into battlefields!¡±


    "I''m not on a battlefield!" Kunou pointed fiercely outside the city walls. "The battlefield is out there!" Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she watched her brother conjure a massive plume of blue foxfire and hurl it at the red dragon. The resulting explosion shook everything around them, and Kunou gasped in delight. But her joy quickly turned to anger when the dragon roared in a language she couldn''t understand and struck Haru with a bolt of lightning that appeared out of nowhere.


    Kunou¡¯s fur bristled as she growled, her small fists clenched. "How dare you hurt my big brother, you stupid lizard! I¡¯ll kill you!" She made a move to hop over the ledge, ready to charge into the fray, but Tanya swiftly grabbed her and pulled her back.


    Tanya sighed in exasperation. "Haru is fine, Kunou-sama. Look¡ªsee? All that lightning did was give him a little jolt¡­ he¡¯s already retaliating!"


    Kunou''s angry expression shifted back into a grin as she watched Haru leap into the air, dozens of feet high, and punch the dragon square in the face. The massive beast struggled to stay airborne after the blow and crashed down into the dirt with a thunderous impact.


    "It looks like it¡¯s almost over," Irileth said with a sigh of relief. "All three dragons have now been grounded."


    Kunou pouted as Tanya finally released her. She crossed her arms. "I wanted to help¡­ First, I miss out on fighting zombies, and now I don¡¯t get to fight any dragons either."


    Tanya chuckled and gave her a pat on the head. "It¡¯s not over yet," she said, glancing at Irileth. "My name is Tanya Degurecheff. I¡¯m Lady Kunou¡¯s bodyguard... and playmate," she added with a hint of reluctance, earning a giggle from Kunou. Tanya always acted so serious, but she was fun to tease.


    Irileth smiled slightly. "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve heard tales of Haru¡¯s family from Aela herself. I knew what to expect. Thankfully, the danger seems to have passed. Agnar has slain his dragon, and the undead¡ªAinz¡ªhas almost finished his as well."


    Tanya tilted her head curiously. "Why were three dragons attacking this place in the first place?"


    Irileth frowned, shaking her head. "I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s vengeance against the Dragonborn himself. Agnar¡¯s known to live in Whiterun most of the time. Regardless, it is safe now, and I¡¯m sure the streets will soon be full of Nords celebrating long into the night."


    Kunou¡¯s face brightened at the word "celebrate."


    "I want to go to a party!" she exclaimed.


    Tanya smiled indulgently. "I¡¯m sure your mother will let you go, as long as you don¡¯t stay out too late."


    But just as they relaxed, a deafening roar echoed from the other side of the city. Irileth¡¯s eyes widened in panic as a fourth dragon appeared out of nowhere, soaring over the mountains toward Whiterun.


    "Shit, there¡¯s another one!" Irileth shouted.


    Some of the guards nearby began to panic, but Irileth quickly barked orders to keep them calm. "Hold your ground!"


    Kunou puffed out her chest and declared, "Don¡¯t worry, everyone! I¡¯ll slay this dragon, just like my brother!"


    The guards stared at her in disbelief, but before Kunou could take another step, Tanya stepped in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "No, Kunou-sama, you will not be fighting any dragons on my watch," she said firmly, unslinging the rifle from her back. "I will take care of this one."


    Irileth raised an eyebrow, glancing at Tanya doubtfully. "No offense, but aren¡¯t you a bit young to be fighting dragons? You¡¯re not much bigger than Lord Haru¡¯s sister."


    Kunou giggled at the mortified look that crossed Tanya¡¯s face.


    "I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s small!" Tanya muttered under her breath. With a determined look, she took off into the sky, flying high above the city as magic circles formed in front of her rifle.


    Kunou watched in awe as Tanya began chanting that strange, math-based magic she always used. Then, with a sharp crack, Tanya pulled the trigger, and Kunou had to cover her ears as a deafening boom split the air. A massive explosion erupted in the sky, and the dragon¡¯s roar was cut off mid-sound.


    Kunou, with her enhanced vision, spotted the dragon¡¯s body tumbling out of the cloud of smoke. Even from this distance, she could see it was missing most of its head. "Whoa¡­" Kunou whispered in admiration. Tanya had blown the dragon''s head clean off.


    "By the gods¡­" Irileth breathed. "I stand corrected."


    Kunou grinned proudly. "See? Tanya-chan is the best!" She looked up as Tanya floated back down toward them.


    ¡°Modern guns work so much better¡­¡± Tanya muttered to herself as she landed on the ground. She then let out an adorable yelp when the nearby guards all picked her up and started cheering. They also decided to pick Kunou up as well and she giggled as they started parading the ¡°little dragon slayer¡± and her friend up and down the streets of Whiterun!


    XXX

 Chapter 14: A Party and a Space Hero

    Chapter 14: A Party and a Space Hero


    ¨C Harry Potter ¨C


    Harry and Hermione hadn¡¯t been at The Fox Hole for the past few days. After Harry had completed the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, they had been drowning in schoolwork. They had skipped weeks of classes while training with Serana in Skyrim, and now Hermione, ever the diligent student, was determined to catch up. Harry technically didn¡¯t need to¡ªTriwizard champions were exempt from schoolwork¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t abandon his new girlfriend to the pile of essays and assignments they had missed out on all by her lonesome.


    The atmosphere at Hogwarts had been tense ever since Harry electrocuted a dragon to death during the task. Teachers and students alike seemed nervous around him, shooting wary glances his way whenever he passed through the corridors. Even Dumbledore had been acting strangely. The headmaster would stare at Harry during meals, and Harry found it more than a little creepy. The old man looked at him like he was already the next Dark Lord, waiting to seize the castle at the first opportunity and strike down Dumbledore...


    Well, half of that was true at least.


    Harry loathed Dumbledore after everything the headmaster had put him through, but he had no desire to be a Dark Lord or rule over magical Britain. After spending time in Skyrim, the idea of ruling over a place as small-minded as Britain seemed laughable. The witches and wizards, with all their potential, still somehow managed to limit themselves in almost every possible way.


    ¡°I mean, who spends seven years learning magic only to end up at a desk job in the Ministry?¡± Harry muttered under his breath, flipping through his Potions textbook and cursing Snape for assigning so many worthless essays.


    Hermione glanced up from her essay, frowning slightly. ¡°A lot of people. Not everyone has the option to be... well, you...¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Harry said, smirking a little. ¡°Why waste all that magical training just to push papers for the rest of your life? You should be out there doing something incredible with your magic. Remember when you used to think the Ministry was the dream job?¡±


    Hermione rolled her eyes, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. ¡°I was misguided.¡±


    ¡°You mean Serana knocked some sense into you,¡± Harry teased.


    ¡°She did not knock sense into me, Harry,¡± Hermione protested, though her smile betrayed her. ¡°She just¡­ broadened my perspective.¡±


    Harry chuckled. ¡°Broadened it, huh? How about we broaden it some more and get out of this stuffy castle. I need some good food.¡± Harry complained as he stood up. Hermione thankfully agreed that they both needed a break from all the assignments and the two of them left the castle.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re not aiming for some boring job managing cauldron thickness or sending threatening letters to children for accidental magic anymore.¡± Harry said as they walked, continuing their conversation.


    Hermione huffed, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. ¡°Cauldron thickness is actually important, because scammers were selling thinner cauldrons to save money and potions across Britain were being sabotaged.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Harry said, raising his hands in mock surrender. ¡°But that¡¯s never going to be my problem. I want magic to be my focus, not paperwork.¡± He glanced up at the overcast sky as they made their way through Hogsmeade. ¡°After spending time in Skyrim, everything here just seems... small. Wizards don¡¯t even know how much more there is out there. Magic can do so much more than what they teach us at Hogwarts.¡±


    Hermione looked thoughtful, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s so much untapped potential. It¡¯s a bit frustrating, really.¡±


    ¡°Frustrating?¡± Harry grinned. ¡°It¡¯s downright depressing. But at least we¡¯re free of it. We¡¯ve got options.¡±


    Hermione smiled softly. ¡°We do. And I¡¯m grateful for that. It¡¯s just hard to believe sometimes, isn¡¯t it? How much has changed?¡±


    Harry nodded, his thoughts drifting. Everything had changed for him, from his understanding of magic to his relationships.


    Harry and Hermione arrived outside the doors of The Fox Hole.


    "I can''t wait to try some of Haru''s cooking again," she said.


    Harry nodded in agreement, his stomach growling at the thought. Haru''s food was always incredible!


    When they opened the doors, however, they were met with a scene that neither of them had expected. The place was packed, filled with laughter, shouting, and the clink of mugs. The lively crowd was celebrating enthusiastically, their boisterous cheers almost drowning out the music playing in the background. It was clear that another party was in full swing!


    "Looks like Haru¡¯s throwing another party," Harry muttered, a bit of a pout forming on his lips. "Why didn¡¯t he invite us?"


    Hermione chuckled, nudging him playfully. "It¡¯s probably another spur-of-the-moment thing, like last time. Besides, remember what Professor McGonagall said after the last party? She doesn¡¯t want either of us getting drunk again..."


    Harry grimaced at the memory. The stern look McGonagall had given them the morning after was enough to make sure they wouldn¡¯t be getting into the mead again anytime soon. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little left out.


    The restaurant was mostly filled with people from Skyrim, their hearty voices echoing off the walls as they knocked back cups of mead and cheered loudly about the four heroes who had slain dragons. Harry¡¯s ears perked up at that.


    "Slaying dragons?" Harry raised an eyebrow, still unsure of what was going on. That¡¯s when he spotted someone familiar standing by the front door. Tanya, the 13-year-old girl they had gotten to know recently whenever she stopped by with Kunou. She was standing there with her arms crossed, looking like she was pouting about something.


    "Hey, Tanya!" Hermione greeted with a friendly wave as they approached her.


    Harry followed suit, giving her a small smile. "What¡¯s going on? Why¡¯s everyone celebrating?"


    Tanya huffed, her cheeks puffed out slightly in irritation. "They¡¯re all celebrating because four dragons were slain before they could burn Whiterun to the ground."


    "Four dragons at once?" Harry asked in surprise. "That explains the four heroes everyone¡¯s cheering about. Who killed the dragons? I¡¯m guessing Agnar and probably Haru? Who else?"


    Before Tanya could respond, a drunken Nord stumbled over to them, holding up his mug in a toast. "Hurray for the little dragon slayer!" he bellowed jovially in Tanya¡¯s direction before staggering away, laughing.


    Tanya¡¯s pout deepened as she crossed her arms tighter, grumbling under her breath. "I¡¯m not little!" she muttered, clearly annoyed by the Nord¡¯s comment.


    "Wait," he said, putting two and two together. "You¡¯re one of the heroes, aren¡¯t you?"


    Tanya shot him a glare. "Of course I am! I wanted to test out my new modern gun and keep Kunou from running off and fighting the dragon herself.¡± She gave them a run down on everything that happened after she followed Kunou to Skyrim earlier¡­


    She eventually ended the story by grumbling about how the soldiers paraded her up and down Whiterun multiple times, and wouldn''t stop calling her anything except the ¡°the little dragonslayer.¡±


    Harry and Hermione couldn''t help but both chuckle at the nickname. Harry didn''t think it was so bad compared to the other names students in Hogwarts had whispered behind his back over the years.


    ¡°You mentioned Kunou earlier?¡± Hermione asked Tanya. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She''s sleeping off a sugar crash and a stomach ache in the back,¡± Tanya explained while gesturing behind the bar. ¡°Haru made a giant chocolate cake in the shape of a dragon and Kunou ended up eating almost her entire body weight in sugar¡­ I''m pretty sure if she was human, she would be in the hospital right now.¡± Tanya said while shaking her head.


    ¡°What is going on here!?¡±


    Harry and Hermione both spun around when they heard a woman shout behind them.


    ¨C Commander Shepard ¨C


    ¡°How does it feel being an official Spectre now, Shepard?¡± Ashley asked as they rode the painfully slow elevator down to the Presidium.


    Commander Shepard shook her head, letting out a sigh. ¡°It hasn¡¯t quite sunk in yet. I¡¯m not even sure if this new position is anything more than a fancy title. Not with what Saren¡¯s up to.¡±


    ¡°Being a Spectre will definitely have its perks,¡± Garrus chimed in, crossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯ll get access to the best intel and equipment in the galaxy. Might come in handy.¡±


    ¡°And you can break a bunch of laws without getting in any trouble,¡± Wrex added with a chuckle, his deep voice echoing in the cramped space. ¡°Damn, this elevator is slow,¡± he grumbled, glaring at the doors.


    ¡°Do you think the Protheans got motion sickness or something?¡± Ashley asked, smirking. ¡°Every elevator based on their tech moves like molasses.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s as good a theory as any I¡¯ve heard,¡± Tali remarked, her voice muffled slightly by her helmet.


    ¡°You humans are always in such a hurry,¡± Garrus said with a small laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry to get a drink,¡± Wrex muttered, casting an impatient glance at the floor indicator as it finally hit their stop. The doors slid open slowly, revealing the gleaming walkway of the Presidium. ¡°Do you think I can get an actual decent drink around here?¡±


    Shepard stepped out of the elevator, her thoughts trailing after Wrex¡¯s comment. She could use a drink herself. Tracking down Saren was going to be a long, dangerous mission, and she wasn¡¯t sure how many chances they¡¯d get to unwind along the way. As she scanned the familiar surroundings, something caught her eye.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡± she asked, pointing across the artificial river that ran through the heart of the Presidium. ¡°Was that place always there?¡±


    Across the bridge, nestled between sleek Presidium towers, stood a building that seemed out of place. It had a warm, inviting glow, and a sign in both English and Japanese letters: The Fox Hole.


    Shepard chuckled at the name. ¡°We might as well check it out.¡±


    ¡°Plus, Wrex is already halfway there,¡± Ashley added with a smirk.


    Shepard blinked in surprise. Sure enough, Wrex was already stomping his way across the bridge, his massive form surprisingly stealthy for a krogan. Shaking her head in amusement, she motioned for the others to follow and hurried after him, her team trailing behind.


    As they approached the building, Tali tilted her head. ¡°It looks like some kind of restaurant or bar. But I can¡¯t see anything through the windows.¡±


    Shepard tried peeking in, but Tali was right¡ªthere was something off about the glass. Shrugging, she pushed open the door.


    The moment the door swung open, a wave of noise hit them. Inside, the place was packed with people, all drinking and celebrating as though it were the wildest night of their lives. Music blared, voices boomed in laughter and cheers, and the atmosphere felt utterly out of sync with the usual pristine calm of the Presidium.


    Wrex¡¯s grin stretched wide as he looked around. ¡°Finally! A place on this stuck-up station that¡¯s not for pansies! I bet they¡¯ve got some real drinks in here.¡±


    Shepard stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room. The decor was warm, rustic, and inviting¡ªlike a mix between an old Earth tavern and something out of a fantasy novel. But what stood out the most were the three human children standing right by the front door. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She frowned. This was supposed to be a bar. There were people everywhere, and they were all clearly drinking alcohol. Kids shouldn¡¯t be anywhere near this.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± Shepard demanded, her voice sharp as she addressed the children. Two of them jumped in fright, but the third, a small blonde girl, barely glanced her way.


    Shepard stared in bewilderment. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bar?¡± she asked, turning to her team.


    ¡°Sure looks like one,¡± Garrus said, eyeing the crowd.


    Tali tilted her head. ¡°Maybe they allow families?¡±


    ¡°Kids in a bar?¡± Shepard shook her head, stepping closer to the children. ¡°Hey, is there an adult here with any of you?¡± she asked the human kids.


    ¡°Um, no¡­?¡± the boy replied, his messy black hair falling into his bright green eyes behind round glasses. He sounded confused, as if sneaking into a bar wasn¡¯t what they were doing at all.


    Shepard let out a deep sigh. It wasn¡¯t exactly how she imagined her evening going¡ªdealing with kids in a bar wasn¡¯t on the agenda. She had just wanted a drink, not to play cop. She glanced over at Garrus, the ex-C-Sec officer, and had an idea. She could leave it all up to him. She was the leader of the team and she needed to start delegating anyway¡­


    Garrus caught her playful look and sighed. ¡°Alright, you three. Party¡¯s over,¡± Garrus stepped forward, putting on his best authoritative tone. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡± At least, that¡¯s what he thought would happen.


    Just as he reached for the group, the cute blonde girl, who had been quiet up until now, calmly stood up. In one smooth motion, she pulled out an old-fashioned assault rifle and aimed it directly at Garrus¡¯ face.


    ¡°Touch us, and I¡¯ll blow your head off,¡± the girl said, her voice cold and flat. Shepard¡¯s eyes widened in shock. This girl wasn¡¯t just some kid¡ªthere was something dangerous behind those blue eyes. This girl was a trained killer!


    Before Shepard could react, Wrex burst into loud, booming laughter. ¡°Hahaha! I didn¡¯t know human children were so awesome! What¡¯s your name, girl? I¡¯m Urdnot Wrex, mercenary and badass Krogan.¡±


    The girl grinned, and for a second, her steely demeanor broke as she leaned her assault rifle against the wall. Garrus, still a little shaken, let out a small sigh of relief before giving Shepard a pleading look. Shepard waved him off, signaling for him to stand down.


    The girl gave a sharp, almost military salute. ¡°I am former Lieutenant Colonel Tanya Degurechaff. Now, I¡¯m simply Tanya Degurechaff, bodyguard for Kunou-sama.¡±


    Shepard blinked in disbelief. ¡®Former Colonel? Bodyguard? What the hell is going on with this little girl?¡¯


    Before Shepard could process any of that, the boy with glasses snickered. ¡°Don¡¯t forget little dragon slayer,¡± he teased, earning him a swift kick to the shin from Tanya.


    ¡°Ow!¡± the boy yelped, rubbing his leg. ¡°I¡¯m Harry Potter,¡± he said, introducing himself as if nothing had happened. ¡°And this is Hermione Granger.¡±


    Shepard raised an eyebrow at that. It had been a while since she¡¯d been back to Earth, but she still recognized British accents.


    ¡°You know,¡± Ashley said, arms crossed, ¡°kids aren¡¯t really supposed to hang out in bars.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not usually a bar,¡± Hermione explained, sounding a bit defensive. ¡°Well, it is, but it¡¯s mostly a restaurant. Sometimes Haru throws wild parties, but none of us have had any drinks ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even like alcohol,¡± Tanya added, matter-of-factly. ¡°I only drink water and coffee.¡±


    Shepard shook her head, still trying to make sense of it all. ¡°Is Haru the owner?¡±


    The three kids nodded and pointed toward the bar. Shepard followed their gaze and had to do a double take. The man behind the bar was serving drinks and food to a rowdy group of partygoers. He was¡­ handsome, to say the least, but that wasn¡¯t what truly caught Shepard¡¯s attention.


    No, it was the fact that he looked like something straight out of an anime, with fox-like ears poking through his golden hair and multiple tails swishing behind him as he worked.


    ¡°Those ears and tails¡­ they can¡¯t be real,¡± Shepard muttered under her breath.


    ¡°They are,¡± Harry said with a grin. ¡°He¡¯s a kitsune. A fox Yokai. You¡¯ll all get used to it...¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°I''ve never heard of Kitsune,¡± Tali said. What planet are they from?¡±


    Shepard spared a glance with Ashley. They both knew the answer to that question and also knew it was impossible because Yokai weren''t real. She was going to get to the bottom of whatever was going on in this strange restaurant. She was supposed to leave the Citadel soon to chase after Saren but she wasn''t going anywhere until this was solved.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood behind the bar, grinning as the lively crowd celebrated. The noise was deafening, but it was the good kind of loud¡ªthe sound of people letting loose and enjoying themselves. Albedo was standing on top of a table, swaying slightly as she raised a large wooden mug of mead in the air. A little bit of it splashed down her white dress, but she didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°I just wanna say¡ª¡± Albedo began, her speech slurred, her face bright red from all the mead she¡¯d consumed. ¡°I always thought humans were lower life forms. But you guys¡­ you guys are alright! Especially since you all can see how glorious Momonga¡ªer, Ainz-sama is! Isn¡¯t he the best?!¡±


    A chorus of cheers erupted from the drunken Nords around her, their mugs raised high as they echoed her sentiment. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when I saw Ainz¡ªhis skeletal face showing what I could only assume was embarrassment¡ªfacepalming at the spectacle. He kept trying to get Albedo off the table but the drunken Succubus wasn¡¯t having any of it. She stayed up their and kept giving speeches about how great and magnificent her darling Ainz was.


    ¡°I love you so much, Ainz-sama! You looked so cool when you killed that dragon! KANPAI!¡± Albedo shouted before downing the rest of her drink, the Nords cheering louder.


    Agnar had been right¡ªWhiterun¡¯s people had come to accept Ainz and the undead, especially after he saved them from one of the dragons that had attacked the city. It didn¡¯t hurt that Albedo, in her own way, was charming them with her enthusiasm.


    I scanned the rest of the bar, wondering what other chaos was unfolding. It didn¡¯t take long for me to spot another commotion.


    ¡°How dare you steal the last piece of chocolate cake! Haru was saving that for me!¡± Aela¡¯s voice rang out as she drunkenly dove forward, tackling Agnar to the floor in a blur of movement. The two of them rolled around, wrestling like children, their laughter mixing with the shouts of those egging them on.


    Serana rushed over, exasperated, trying to pull them apart. ¡°Aela, Agnar¡ªseriously, get up! You¡¯re going to hurt yourselves!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the scene, leaning against the bar. When in doubt, always cheer for your girlfriend. ¡°Kick his ass, Aela!¡± I called out.


    Aela, who was clearly drunk but not as far gone as Agnar, threw a triumphant fist into the air. ¡°I shall best the dragonborn this night!¡±


    Serana shot me an annoyed glare, clearly not amused that I wasn¡¯t helping her break it up. I shrugged back at her.


    I couldn''t help anyway, there were more customers to deal with, and besides, Aela had things under control. Probably¡­


    A striking redhead slid onto one of the few empty barstools at the bar. Her very form fitting armor was clearly futuristic, and she was absolutely armed to the teeth. I spotted at least four guns and even more grenades around that slender waist.


    I had kept my drinking under control tonight, but that didn¡¯t mean I hadn¡¯t had a few, and before I could stop myself, the words flew out of my mouth. ¡°Well, hello there, beautiful. Welcome to The Fox Hole. I¡¯m Haru, the owner. What can I get for you?¡±


    The redhead pursed her lips, her sharp gaze scanning the room. ¡°Do you know there are children here? Kids aren¡¯t allowed in bars under Citadel law.¡±


    Ah, she was from the space dimension then. I wondered if she was some kind of law enforcement, given how serious she sounded. I was about to respond when another woman¡ªa pretty, Hispanic girl¡ªsat down next to her at the counter, eyeing me curiously. She had the air of someone who had seen her fair share of battles, much like the redhead.


    I gave her the same greeting, though with a little less flirtatiousness this time. ¡°Welcome to The Fox Hole. What can I get you¡­um?¡±


    The Hispanic woman nodded curtly. ¡°I''m Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Alliance military,¡± she introduced herself.


    The redhead gave me a measured look. ¡°Commander Shepard. Same deal, except I''m also a council Spectre!¡±


    It looked like I was dealing with military types. I straightened up a bit, trying to take them more seriously. ¡°Nice to meet you both. And yes, I¡¯m aware there are kids here. None of them will be getting alcohol¡­this time.¡±


    A trio of aliens soon joined the two Systems Alliance soldiers at the bar, their presence unmistakable. One of them, the largest, grinned toothily at me. ¡°Give me the strongest shit you have, furry human!¡± the massive alien, who called himself Urdnot Wrex, declared with a gravelly voice.


    I shrugged, hiding a grin as I reached for my special stash. Wrex didn¡¯t know what he was getting himself into. I poured him a blend of Kappa Sake, known for its potency, and some Firewhisky I¡¯d picked up in Hogsmeade. The glass I handed him was the size of a pitcher¡ªsized appropriately for a Krogan, who claimed to have an iron stomach. But this? This would knock him flat.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Haru, not ¡®furry human,¡¯¡± I said with a wink. ¡°Welcome to The Fox Hole, Wrex.¡±


    Wrex took the glass and started downing the drink like a man on a mission. After a few hefty gulps, he choked for a second, his eyes widening. Then he let out a booming laugh. ¡°Now that¡¯s some good shit right there! I like you, Haru!¡±


    The other two aliens introduced themselves, clearly not wanting to be left out of the conversation. Tali, the Quarian in the containment suit, explained that she couldn¡¯t eat or drink due to her suit¡¯s strict filtration system, which was a shame. Meanwhile, Garrus, the turian, didn¡¯t order anything at all. He simply sat at the bar, arms crossed, throwing me the occasional distrustful look.


    Once I finished handling the trio of aliens, I turned my attention back to the two women, Ashley and Shepard, who were watching everything unfold with growing confusion.


    ¡°What the hell is this place?¡± Ashley asked, her voice rising with a mix of awe and suspicion. She gestured to the room, her eyes jumping from one oddity to another. ¡°Why does that woman over there have horns and wings? And is that¡­ is that a giant cat person? Also, holy shit¡ªthere¡¯s a guy who¡¯s just a straight-up skeleton!¡±


    I could tell they were both overwhelmed, so I leaned in with a smile, ready to give them the same rundown I¡¯d given countless other new customers¡­


    ¡°This restaurant is technically located in another dimension. It¡¯s its own sovereign territory aboard the Citadel, approved by the Council, of course.¡±


    Shepard looked at me like I¡¯d just told her the moon was made of cheese. ¡°You¡¯re saying the Council approved¡­ this?¡± She gestured at the wild scene around us, clearly skeptical. It was understandable¡ªmost people needed some time to digest it.


    ¡°Yep,¡± I replied, unfazed. ¡°Councilor Tevos is actually a regular here. She usually stops by for lunch when things are a bit quieter.¡±


    Shepard blinked, staring at me like I¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking believe this¡­¡± She rubbed her temple as I poured her a shot of whiskey. ¡°I thought the galaxy was already crazy enough.¡±


    Ashley, on the other hand, seemed to be wrestling with a different kind of disbelief. As we got a few drinks in her, she loosened up and leaned across the bar, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°You know, as some kind of¡­ pagan demon, I¡¯m supposed to hate you,¡± she mumbled, swirling her drink. ¡°If you¡¯re actually whatever you say you are.¡±


    I chuckled, leaning casually against the bar. ¡°I¡¯ve met Gabriel before, and she didn¡¯t seem to hate me. Why should you?¡±


    That got Shepard¡¯s attention. She raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°Gabriel who?¡± she asked, before knocking back another shot.


    ¡°The archangel Gabriel, of course,¡± I said casually. That¡¯s when Shepard immediately started choking on her whiskey, coughing and sputtering as she processed what I¡¯d just said.


    Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up like fireworks. ¡°Wait, the actual archangel Gabriel? The one from the Bible!?¡± she asked, her tone a mix of excitement and disbelief.


    ¡°The very same,¡± I confirmed, watching as they both stared at me.


    ¡°Isn''t Gabriel supposed to be a man?¡± Ashley asked. She then started fiddling with her Omni-tool and pulled up an electronic copy of the Bible. Yeah, she was one of those people.


    ¡°Probably a mistranslation¡­¡± I shrugged.


    Before I could explain anything further, a loud bang echoed from the entrance. The doors slammed open, and five men in black robes, wearing silver masks, stormed into the restaurant. I immediately recognized them as wizards because of their glowing wands.


    "Alright, you disgusting creature! We''re here to teach you a lesson on behalf of Lucius Malfoy!" the lead wizard declared, his voice full of arrogance.


    Before anyone could react, one of the masked men behind him smacked him on the back of the head. ¡°What the hell, you moron! You¡¯re not supposed to tell people that! He told us to be discreet when he hired us!¡±


    ¡°Discreet?¡± The leader spun around, clearly irritated, and the two began arguing. ¡°Then why the hell did that rich arse give us these Death Eater robes if we were supposed to be discreet?¡±


    The second man groaned. ¡°He wanted us to send a message¡ªthat freaks aren¡¯t allowed to open businesses in Hogsmeade. In fact, the freaks should just go and die!¡±


    The others nodded in agreement.


    I could feel the anger simmering in the room as the masked men turned their attention back to us, ready to cause trouble. But what they didn¡¯t seem to notice right away was that they had just walked into a restaurant full of many very large, very drunk Nords, a powerful Overlord with his drunken succubus mistress, and some very dangerous new customers.


    One of those customers being Wrex, a Krogan. Wrex growled, standing up slowly, his imposing frame casting a shadow over the wizards. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you chuckle-fucks are, but you¡¯re not walking out of here in one piece.¡±


    Shepard, who had been watching the scene unfold, raised an eyebrow and turned to me. ¡°Who are these idiots, Haru?¡±


    I shrugged casually. ¡°Just some dumb, racist wizards. They¡¯re harmless as long as they don¡¯t have their magic sticks on them,¡± I told her.


    Shepard smirked and waved her hand, glowing blue with biotic energy. With a quick flick, she ripped the wands out of the masked men¡¯s hands as if they were nothing more than twigs. The wands floated through the air and landed neatly in her grip before she tossed them onto the counter.


    ¡°Actual magic wands,¡± Shepard snorted in amusement. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought this is how my first day as a Spectre would go¡­¡±


    The masked men froze, their bravado immediately replaced by fear. They glanced around, suddenly realizing the very large, angry, and heavily armed crowd they had just insulted. The room fell silent for a moment as the wizards slowly started backing toward the door, trembling.


    "Uh... we might have made a mistake," one of them muttered.


    It only took one drunken Nord to shout, "Get them!" before the entire bar exploded into chaos. The Nords dogpiled onto the wizards, pummeling them to the ground without mercy. Even Wrex joined in, laughing heartily as he sent one of the masked men flying across the room with a single punch.


    The wizards screamed, but it was drowned out by the laughter, shouts, and cheers of the crowd. The beating they received was so thorough, I was pretty sure their ancestors would be reconsidering their life choices.


    XXX

 Chapter 15: Spaceships and Confessions

    Chapter 15: Spaceships and Confessions


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I woke up thankful the next morning that I didn''t have a hangover. I didn¡¯t get as plastered as the first time I threw a party at the Fox Hole, but I was definitely slurring my words by the end of last night.


    I tried to sit up, but something warm was weighing down both my arms. When I glanced to my sides, my heartbeat picked up fast.


    Rias Gremory was asleep on my right, completely naked, holding my arm snugly between her bare breasts and supple body. Aela was on my left, also fully naked for some reason, and one of her bare legs was draped over my own thigh.


    I couldn''t remember how we all ended up like this. What happened last night after I closed up the restaurant?


    Wait¡­did I even close up the place?


    Meh, not like there¡¯s much worth stealing in there¡­except for the hundreds of kilos of priceless dragon bones, scales, and meat.


    My focus quickly snapped back to the present. I had my two beautiful and very naked girlfriends snuggled up to me. Although, I don¡¯t think anything happened besides sleeping and some naked cuddling. I couldn''t remember how they got into my bed, I''m pretty sure I would have remembered if we all had sex last night.


    Eventually, my stirring woke the girls. Rias stretched, letting out a small yawn and raising her arms high above her head, treating me to a front-row view of her large breasts right in my face.


    ¡°Good morning, Haru,¡± Rias said with a smile and a wink when she noticed my staring. ¡°That was a fun party last night! Too bad I was only there for the last few hours.¡±


    ¡°It was definitely a party to remember,¡± Aela muttered, sitting up and rubbing her head. I remembered she was throwing back her drinks without holding back, and judging by her expression, she was feeling it this morning. Aela¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did I¡­did I wrestle Agnar to the floor last night? Over a piece of cake¡­?¡±


    I chuckled, watching her cheeks flush pink. ¡°Yup. And it was hilarious,¡± I said with a chuckle.


    ¡°Aww, I can¡¯t believe I missed that!¡± Rias pouted, reaching over to grab her phone. She let out a surprised yelp when she saw the time and bolted out of bed, giving Aela and I a perfect view of her ass next, turns out the carpet did match the drapes¡­


    ¡°Come on, you two!¡± she called, already throwing on her school clothes. ¡°Commander Shepard said she¡¯d show us her spaceship this morning before she leaves on her mission. I can¡¯t miss this!¡±


    I scratched my head and my ears. ¡°She did? I¡­don¡¯t really remember that.¡± After the bar fight started last night, everything went a bit hazy. I barely even remember showing up at the end.


    But the chance to see an actual spaceship? That wasn¡¯t something I wanted to miss either. I got out of bed, shuffled over to my dresser, and threw on some clothes. I had a small apartment in the back of my restaurant for the nights when I didn¡¯t want to go back to the palace. It¡¯s where I let Kunou last night after she put herself into a sugar coma.


    Aela groaned, ducking back under the covers. ¡°You two go on ahead without me,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be getting up for another couple hours¡­¡±


    Her hangover must be pretty bad.


    I leaned over, giving Aela a kiss on the forehead, and turned back to see Rias already at the door, tapping her foot impatiently. "So¡­ how did you two end up in my bed last night?" I asked, as we walked down the hallway.


    Rias chuckled, nudging me playfully. "You were dead tired last night, Haru. Aela and I could see you were about to keel over, and neither of us wanted you to go to sleep last night alone."


    ¡°And how did you both end up naked?¡± I asked with a smirk.


    Rias winked at me. ¡°I always sleep naked,¡± she told me. ¡°Aela was feeling competitive.¡±


    We turned the corner and emerged from the kitchen into my restaurant. I cringed at the sight before me. The place was, once again, a mess after the night¡¯s festivities.


    Enri was there already sweeping the floor. She looked up with a bright smile when she saw me. ¡°Good morning, Lord Haru,¡± she greeted, then gave a small, apologetic bow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been away for a few days. My sister Nemu¡¯s been a little clingy since our village was attacked!¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No worries, Enri. Family comes first. Besides, you don¡¯t have to worry about cleaning this all up. I¡¯m hiring some pros to get the place back in shape once I¡¯m back from visiting Commander Shepard with Rias.¡±


    Enri tilted her head. ¡°Commander who?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about her when we¡¯re back,¡± I promised. ¡°Apparently, she¡¯s waiting for us right now.¡± Rias¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement, I headed toward the door, motioning for her to follow. I paused and looked back at Enri. ¡°We won¡¯t be gone long. Try to relax today, alright?¡±


    With a quick nod of understanding from Enri, I opened the door to¡­ not the bustling streets of Kyoto, but the vast Citadel.


    ¡­As Rias and I strolled the Citadel, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the stares¡ªeverywhere we went, eyes were glued to us. I figured it was partly because of my fox ears and tails, but maybe it was also the sight of Rias, who had a supernatural beauty that people couldn''t help but stare at.


    ¡°Do we even know where we¡¯re going?¡± I asked, glancing at her as we stopped to get our bearings. We¡¯d just started walking in a random direction after stepping out of my restaurant.


    Rias paused, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. ¡°Shepard¡¯s ship is docked directly above a place called C-Sec,¡± she said, looking a bit sheepish. ¡°Though¡­ I¡¯m not really sure what or where that is.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Well, that makes two of us. Do we know how long we have until she departs?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a little over an hour,¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see if we can ask for directions. Tevos is probably up in that tower over there,¡± I said, nodding toward the imposing structure in the distance. ¡°But I¡¯d hate to disturb her while she¡¯s working...¡± I mumbled. Just then, I noticed a small business nearby that I¡¯d somehow missed before. It was tucked right next to my restaurant. Rias and I exchanged a glance and decided to double back to check it out, hoping someone inside could give us directions.


    As we approached, an Asari woman standing in front of a kiosk looked up and smiled, her attention settling specifically on me and my unusual features. ¡°Welcome,¡± she greeted, her voice was almost as smooth as silk. ¡°Are you both here to see the Consort?¡±


    Consort?


    I felt a blush creep up my face as I realized my restaurant was apparently located right next to an alien brothel. Rias snickered beside me, clearly amused at my reaction.


    ¡°Actually, we¡¯re just looking for directions,¡± I managed to say, regaining my composure. I peeked inside the place, relieved to see it was at least a clean high end brothel. I supposed that there were worse things my restaurant could have been located next too. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get to C-Sec. We¡¯re friends with Commander Shepard and she¡¯s leaving soon.¡±


    The Asari introduced herself as Neylina and gave us a small nod. ¡°Ah, Commander Shepard¡ªshe¡¯s certainly well-known around here¡­¡± She then proceeded to give us the directions we desperately needed.


    As we turned to leave, Neylina suddenly raised her hand, holding up a small communicator as she read something on the screen. ¡°Oh!¡± she exclaimed, looking up at me with a new sparkle of interest in her eyes. ¡°It appears the Consort is very interested in meeting both of you. You¡¯re a¡­ very unique visitor in this galaxy,¡± she added, looking over my ears and tails with an almost curious fascination.


    ¡°We¡¯re in a bit of a hurry. The Consort will have to wait,¡± I replied, not really that interested in talking to some random alien prostitute. I wondered if Space Aids was a thing?


    Neylina let out a soft giggle, clearly amused by my immediate dismissal. ¡°It¡¯s not every day that people say no to the Consort,¡± she replied, still chuckling. ¡°Usually, others are forced to wait on her.¡±


    Just then, her communicator buzzed again. She gave it a quick glance. ¡°You¡¯re both welcome to return anytime you like. That¡¯s a rare honor, you know,¡± she added.


    Rias pouted slightly and tugged on my arm. As we stepped outside, Rias spun around to stick her tongue out at one of the alien security cameras! ¡°Back off! Haru isn¡¯t interested in some space slut!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. ¡°I¡¯m sure she only wanted to talk¡ªseeing as we¡¯re neighbors and all,¡± I said.


    Rias shook her head and muttered about me ¡°underestimating my own handsomeness or something.¡±


    We kept going and followed Neylina¡¯s directions through the winding corridors of the Citadel until we reached an elevator with a strange, holographic panel. Alien symbols glowed across the display, we didn¡¯t have any idea what they meant.


    Rias gave me a questioning look. ¡°Think one of these buttons says ¡®C-Sec¡¯?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    We took turns pressing random buttons, hoping for the best. After a moment, the elevator hummed to life as it began its slow ascent. Rias and I shared a relieved look¡ªguess we¡¯d hit the right button.


    As soon as Rias and I stepped out of the elevator, I knew we¡¯d found the right place. The C-Sec headquarters was packed with humans and aliens in full tactical gear. We were looking for the Citadel''s police force and this was definitely the place.


    Of course, all eyes zeroed in on us the second we entered¡ªmy ears and tails tend to have that effect. Most of the people nearby exchanged curious or suspicious glances, but the most intense stare came from a woman with a floating drone camera hovering over her shoulder. She looked like a reporter, and her eyes practically sparkled when she spotted us. She was mid-conversation with two men in military uniforms, when she left them behind and dashed over to Rias and I.


    ¡°Hello there! I¡¯m Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, with Westerlund News.¡±


    Yep, I''m never going to remember that name¡­ I nodded and waited for her to continue.


    Her eyes darted over my ears and tails. ¡°Those are the most incredible and realistic augmentations I''ve ever seen!¡± She barely paused before turning to Rias with a wide-eyed look. ¡°And that cosmetic work you had done is absolutely stunning! Are you two promoting a movie or something?¡±


    I folded my arms, amused but a little irritated at the same time. ¡°My ears and tails are natural,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not human.¡±


    Khalisah¡¯s eyes widened as a wave of murmurs swept through C-Sec. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a couple of agents glancing our way, whispering about whether or not they should ¡°quarantine¡± us as unknown aliens. No one made any moves thankfully.


    She stared at me for a moment, clearly processing this revelation. ¡°Not human?¡± Her voice grew even more intrigued. ¡°Then what exactly are you?¡±


    Before I could answer, Rias stepped forward. ¡°Actually, we don¡¯t have time for this.¡± She gave Khalisah a sharp look. ¡°And for the record, my appearance is perfectly natural too! I¡¯m not human either.¡±


    The reporter gave Rias a skeptical look, clearly assuming she was lying. Rias smirked, then let her bat-like wings unfurl briefly, causing a gasp to ripple through the surrounding crowd. Khalisah¡¯s jaw dropped, eyes wide with shock as she stared at Rias, who simply tossed her hair over her shoulder and took my hand again.


    ¡°Come on, Haru,¡± Rias said, her fingers lacing through mine. I grinned, following her as we walked past the reporter, Khalisah, who was still frozen in disbelief. We headed toward the large central elevator Neylina had told us would take us straight to Shepard¡¯s ship. Just as we were about to reach it, a voice called out behind us.


    ¡°Hold up a second.¡± We both turned to see one of the men Khalisah had been speaking to as he walked towards us. ¡°I¡¯m Captain Anderson,¡± he introduced himself, extending a hand with a polite but curious smile. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve stirred up quite a bit of attention here.¡± he gestured to all the people nearby who were gaping at Rias and I.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t our plan to make a scene. We¡¯re just here to see a friend before her mission.¡±


    Captain Anderson raised an eyebrow when he heard we were here to see Commander Shepard. He shook his head with an exasperated huff, muttering to himself, ¡°Shepard conveniently forgot to mention that she¡¯d invited two never-before-seen aliens for a meet-and-greet. Especially aliens who could pass for humans! This is massive news!¡±


    Rias and I couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the irony that we were the aliens here.


    Before we could say much, the other man hurried over. ¡°Now, wait just a minute!¡± He introduced himself with a stiff nod. ¡°I am Ambassador Udina, representing humanity and the Systems Alliance here on the Citadel.¡± He eyed us with a look that could only be described as paranoid. ¡°Why exactly are you trying to meet Commander Shepard? And if you¡¯re both really not human¡ªwhich I¡¯m still not convinced of¡ªwhat are your intentions with humanity¡¯s first Spectre!?¡± The ambassador then launched into a paranoid monologue, rambling on about security protocols, classified technologies, and the risk of exposing military assets to unknown entities. I let him go on for a solid thirty seconds before he finally paused, looking for an answer.


    ¡°Commander Shepard¡¯s a friend of ours,¡± I said simply. ¡°She offered to show us her ship. My girlfriend here is excited to see it before Shepard takes off on her mission¡­ something about tracking down an evil Turian?¡± I scratched my head, trying to remember what Shepard had mentioned last night. The details from last night¡¯s party began coming back to me, especially the part where Shepard had to practically drag half of her squad out of my restaurant. The drunken Krogan, Wrex, had put up a ridiculous struggle, slurring on about how much he loved my drinks. A grin crept across my face as I remembered how Shepard had finally resorted to using her biotics to lift the big guy off the ground, floating him away like an overgrown, very inebriated child.


    Udina looked unimpressed by my answer, narrowing his eyes as he turned to Anderson. ¡°Please remind Shepard that the Normandy is a top-of-the-line military secret. It¡¯s not meant to be shown off to random aliens! Especially new species that we¡¯ve never heard of before!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I cut in, trying not to laugh at his frustration. ¡°The most complicated piece of technology I know how to use is my phone.¡±


    Rias laughed and nodded. ¡°For me, it¡¯s my collection of gaming consoles,¡± she added. ¡°Besides, Haru runs a restaurant. He doesn¡¯t have time to play space spy¡­ no matter how hot that would be.¡± She glanced up at me with a mischievous glint in her eye. ¡°But,¡± she added thoughtfully, ¡°now that I think about it, I¡¯m definitely ordering some space-themed cosplay for you to try on¡­¡± she said while licking her lips.


    Anderson coughed awkwardly, bringing Rias and me back to the present moment. He gestured to the large elevator nearby and offered to take us up to the Normandy. Since neither of us had a clue how to work the controls¡ªand had probably just gotten lucky the first time¡ªwe gladly accepted his help.


    As we entered the elevator, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Why are all the elevators here so slow?¡± I asked, leaning against the glass wall.


    Anderson shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. ¡°No one really knows. Every time we try to adjust the speeds, the Keepers immediately come and fiddle with the settings, changing them right back. It¡¯s one of those Citadel mysteries you just learn to live with.¡±


    I glanced at Rias, who was barely containing her excitement, practically bouncing on her toes as we ascended toward the spaceship docks. After what felt like two painfully long minutes, the elevator finally came to a stop, and the doors slid open. We stepped out, and there she was¡ªCommander Shepard, waiting for us with a knowing smile. Anderson must have contacted her on our ride up the slow elevator.


    She turned towards us, giving me a nod first and then a warm smile at Rias. It was obvious she remembered last night¡¯s events all too well. ¡°Good to see you again, Haru. That was some party you threw last night.¡±


    I rubbed the back of my head, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m hoping it doesn¡¯t turn into a weekly thing. The place is kind of a mess now. Maybe a monthly party¡­¡±


    Shepard smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll have to remember to stop by at least once a month then. At the very least, Wrex will try his best.¡±


    Rias, who was not in the mood for any more small talk, stepped forward eagerly. ¡°Can we please have a tour of your spaceship now!?¡± Her eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    Shepard smiled. ¡°Sure thing. Follow me.¡±


    We stepped through the airlock doors, and a robotic voice echoed from the speakers surrounding us. ¡°Equalizing interior pressure with external atmosphere.¡±


    The process was brief, and once it was done, we followed Shepard into the main hallway of the ship. My eyes widened as I took in the polished metal walls, and the rows of control panels and stations. It was like something straight out of a video game¡­


    ¡°This,¡± Shepard said, her voice carrying a hint of pride, ¡°is the Normandy SR-1. One of the most advanced ships in the Alliance fleet¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Rias and I returned to my restaurant about an hour later. Rias practically skipped through the door, grinning from ear to ear. "That ship was so awesome!¡± she said, almost twirling in excitement. ¡°I wish we could just go flying through space like that! It sucks that Jane has to go hunt down an evil alien bent on wiping out humanity, though!¡±


    When she put it like that, Shepard¡¯s mission did sound pretty intense. Also, we¡¯d finally learned that Jane was the commander¡¯s first name, but Shepard preferred to go by her last name. She was pretty adamant about that.


    Rias looked around my still-messy restaurant and sighed, telling me that she wished she could stick around a bit longer, but after being out all night, she knew her peerage was probably wondering where she was. Especially since she might¡¯ve been¡­ skipping her classes at the moment. Not that it really mattered to her when she pretty much went to Kuoh Academy for fun.


    ¡°Last night was a lot of fun, Haru.¡± She flashed me a warm smile before leaning up on her toes to press a soft kiss to my cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± she whispered, her eyes sparkling as she pulled back and gave a small wave before heading across the street to a building the Devil¡¯s rented out to hide their teleportation circle.


    Once she was gone, I finally figured it was time to clean the place up. It seemed Enri had taken my advice and headed back home for the day. With a sigh, I pulled out my phone, scrolling through a list of local Yokai cleaning companies. Just as I was about to hit ¡°call,¡± the front door creaked open behind me, and I turned to see Mob walk in, glancing nervously around the disaster zone that was my restaurant.


    ¡°Uh¡­ what happened in here, Haru-san?¡± he asked, his eyes wide as he took in the mess.


    I let out a laugh, slipping my phone back into my pocket. ¡°We had a party last night. I guess things got a little¡­ out of hand.¡±


    Mob nodded slowly. ¡°Looks like a lot of people were here. Was it¡­ fun?¡±


    The party was a blast. I would¡¯ve invited you and Reigen, but it got a bit¡­wild.¡± I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.


    Mob smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Haru-san. My parents wouldn¡¯t have let me go out that late anyway.¡± He looked down, fidgeting a bit.


    ¡°Can I get you anything to eat?¡± I offered. ¡°I can whip something up real quick.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Actually¡­ I was wondering if you could give me some advice.¡±


    ¡°Advice?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sure thing, kid. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Mob glanced around, as if checking if anyone else was listening, then leaned forward. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ about girls.¡± Mob scratched his cheek, looking a bit embarrassed. ¡°I just thought¡­ Well, you¡¯re cool, Haru-san. You¡¯re handsome, confident, and¡­ you already have two girlfriends,¡± he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.


    I couldn''t stop the mischievous grin that spread across my face. Here was the shy, quiet Mob, asking me about girls. ¡°Oh, girls, huh? You¡¯ve come to the right guy! Speaking of girls¡­ Tanya-chan was here last night. She wouldn¡¯t happen to have anything to do with this, would she?¡±


    At the mention of her name, Mob turned as red as a tomato, nodding silently.


    Oh, this poor kid¡­


    What Mob still didn¡¯t know was that Tanya-chan was a reincarnator who had been a man in her past life and¡­ was not into guys at all as far as anyone knew. But was I about to tell this kid all that?


    Absolutely not! This was way too funny!


    ¡°So, you¡¯re sweet on Tanya-chan, huh?¡± I teased gently, crossing my arms.


    Mob hesitated, then gave me a determined nod. ¡°I¡­ I want to confess to her. What should I do?¡±


    I spent the next ten minutes giving Mob advice and instructions. I then told him to come back to the restaurant in a couple hours and told him that Tanya would be here waiting for him.


    Was it kind of a dick move giving all that advice when I knew this would crash and burn?


    Kind of, but then again I was a Kitsune and I needed some mischief in my life!


    As soon as Mob slipped out the door, I couldn¡¯t hold it in. I whipped out my phone, fingers tapping on my Yasaka¡¯s contact faster than I thought possible. After a couple of rings, I heard her warm voice.


    ¡°Hello, son!¡±


    ¡°Mom! MOB IS GOING TO CONFESS TO TANYA-CHAN!¡± I practically shouted into the phone, unable to contain the excitement.


    There was a pause, a stillness on the other end, and then she spoke. ¡°...I¡¯m canceling my schedule for the rest of the day. WHEN AND WHERE!?¡± Yep, she didn¡¯t want to miss out on this either.


    ¡°At my restaurant later today,¡± I answered, grinning. ¡°But I have to get this place cleaned up first. I was just about to call some people to help clean up¨C¡±


    She interrupted me! ¡°They might not get there fast enough! We can¡¯t miss out on this beautiful trainwreck! I¡¯ll send all the palace maids over immediately to help clean up! Also, how many hidden cameras do you think we can place in your restaurant without it being too obvious¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    A couple hours later, Yasaka, Kunou and Tanya-chan were all eating dinner at the bar counter. There was a ¡°closed¡± sign hanging in the front door since we didn¡¯t want anyone to interrupt what was about to happen. Reigen was sitting nearby in a booth with a hidden camera. He flashed us a thumbs up and Yasaka and I both gave him knowing grins in return.


    The door to The Fox Hole swung open, and in walked Mob, dressed in an oversized little suit, looking as if he¡¯d raided his dad¡¯s closet for the occasion. His shoes clicked awkwardly on the floor, and in his hands, he held a giant bouquet of flowers. All pink flowers.


    Of course, I might have slightly exaggerated when I told him Tanya-chan adored the color pink.


    I knew for a fact she didn¡¯t.


    Tanya and Kunou were sitting at a table near the back, busy eating and chatting. They didn¡¯t even notice Mob as he crossed the room, until he stood right beside them.


    ¡°Tanya-chan,¡± Mob said, his voice a little louder than normal, catching her attention. She turned, and the next second, Mob practically shoved the bouquet right in her face.


    Tanya froze, looking like she was stuck between utter shock and something dangerously close to horror. Slowly, she glanced around, her gaze meeting mine. I gave her my best knowing grin, which only made her narrow her ice-blue eyes at me in a way that promised retribution.


    But was it worth it? Oh, absolutely.


    ¡°Tanya-chan, I have something important to tell you,¡± Mob began, his voice filled with nervous excitement. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Myself, Kunou, Yasaka, and Reigen all leaned in, grinning with anticipation.


    Tanya¡¯s expression softened a bit, and she looked as if she was trying to let Mob down easy. ¡°Er¡­listen, Mob. Um¡­you¡¯re a nice kid and all, but I¡¯m not really¨C¡±


    The door creaked open again, despite the ¡°closed¡± sign I¡¯d put up earlier. A teenage girl, probably a few years older than Mob, stood at the entrance. She had long brown hair, blue eyes, and was wearing a military-style uniform identical to the one Tanya had on when she¡¯d first walked into my restaurant.


    Tanya¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Viktoriya¡­?¡± she murmured quietly.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± the girl called out. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a little girl who went missing in this area a free weeks ago. Her name is Tanya, and she¡¯s a soldier like me¡­¡±


    Before anyone could react, Mob, oblivious to the new arrival, clutched the bouquet tighter and blurted out, ¡°I love you, Tanya-chan! Please be my girlfriend!¡±


    The entire room went silent. I watched Tanya, who, for a moment, looked like she was battling every internal demon she¡¯d ever faced at once. Her face went pale, her expression a mix of horror and disbelief. Then, without a word, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted¡­


    ¡°Huh¡­ Wasn¡¯t expecting that kind of reaction,¡± I said, mostly to myself.


    Mob¡¯s face fell, and he stared down at her, confused. ¡°Did¡­ did I say something wrong?¡±


    Reigen walked over and pat Mob on the shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s probably just not ready for romance yet, Mob,¡± he comforted the kid but we could all see that internally he was doing his best not to immediately burst out laughing. We all were¡­


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay then...¡± Mob shrugged, he and Reigan then walked past the very confused soldier, still standing at the front door, and left the Fox Hole.


    She watched them leave before turning back to me and my sister and mother. ¡°What the hell is going on here! What have you done to Tanya!?¡±


    XXX

 Chapter 16: Cooking Lessons, Ninjas and a Duel?

    Chapter 16: Cooking Lessons, Ninjas and a Duel?


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Standing in my restaurant''s kitchen, I watched Aela and Enri squinting at the stovetop like it was some kind of magical artifact, let alone all the other more complex kitchen appliances around them. Today, they had both asked me for cooking lessons. Of course, I was more than happy to say yes.


    ¡°The magic in your world is so amazing, Lord Haru,¡± she said with genuine wonder. ¡°To think these objects can make cooking so much easier¡­ Surely such marvels could only be made by the gods!¡±


    I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°Nah, Enri. All this? No magic, just good old-fashioned human ingenuity.¡±


    ¡°Humans made this!?¡± Her eyes sparkled with even more amazement, if that was possible. Aela wasn¡¯t as surprised since she already knew all that, but the most complicated thing she¡¯d figured out so far was my shower.


    We started our lesson. I was teaching them how to make basic vegetable fried rice.


    I showed them how to properly heat the pan, adjusting the stove to medium. ¡°You want it hot enough to get a good sizzle when you drop something in,¡± I explained, demonstrating with a tiny piece of onion. It hit the pan and hissed perfectly, making both of them jump a little.


    Aela crossed her arms, nodding thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s like taming a fire. Only¡­without having to worry about logs or wind or the whole thing going out,¡± she said, still a little suspicious of the stovetop.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°Now, once it¡¯s hot, you add your oil. But not too much, or everything¡¯ll just float in grease.¡±


    They both watched closely as I added the oil, letting it heat until it shimmered.


    Enri raised her hand slightly as if she were back in school. ¡°So, um, what happens if I put the rice in too soon?¡±


    ¡°Good question! If the oil¡¯s not hot enough, the rice will soak it up like a sponge. We want a light fry, not oily mush,¡± I explained.


    Both nodded, and I could see Aela already mentally preparing to conquer this new cooking method. She threw me a determined look. ¡°Alright, let me give it a try!¡±


    I stepped back, giving her space, and she carefully followed my steps, adding her vegetables and rice to the pan. ¡°You¡¯re doing great,¡± I encouraged her as she stirred everything with a bit of a scowl, her warrior¡¯s focus kicking in.


    Enri, meanwhile, looked nervous but stepped up to her own pan. ¡°Lord Haru, if I mess up, will the food still taste good?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of fried rice. It¡¯s pretty forgiving¡ªjust keep stirring, and don¡¯t worry too much. The important part is getting comfortable with it.¡±


    Aela, my fierce Viking werewolf girlfriend, eyed the pan in front of her like it was her latest enemy to be overcome. Her cooking experience mostly came from roasting wild game she¡¯d hunted herself over open fires in Skyrim¡¯s forests. There, ¡°seasoning¡± was usually just a pinch of salt¡ªif she could find any in the first place.


    She flashed me a quick, challenging grin. ¡°You better be ready to be impressed, Haru!¡±


    Beside her, Enri focused hard on dicing a carrot, squinting a little as she carefully sliced. She was more of a beginner, mostly because her village relied on homegrown vegetables and only had meat on rare occasions. Since I¡¯d started shipping her village, now my village, some better quality foods and ingredients, especially proteins, Enri wanted to learn how to cook them all.


    When I complimented her on her vegetable prep, Enri¡¯s face lit up. She blushed and smiled as she kept cooking, glancing over at me every now and then for a little reassurance. I kept an eye on both of them, offering tips as they went. How to stir without spilling everywhere, when to add soy sauce and spices, that sort of thing. Aela got a bit carried away with the soy sauce, pouring in a solid glug without bothering to taste. Enri, on the other hand, was overly cautious, adding just the tiniest dash, her lips pressed together as she tried to get it right.


    Finally, they were done. Each brought their plate over and set it in front of me at one of the tables, watching closely for my reaction. I took my time, savoring each bite as I mentally went over all the flavors in my mouth.


    ¡°Aela, you did well. The rice is cooked perfectly, and the vegetables are on point¡­but,¡± I paused, holding back a laugh, ¡°you went a little heavy on the soy sauce. You don¡¯t want your rice to be swimming in salt. I give this a B-minus.¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll do better next time, Haru. Don¡¯t get used to that ¡®B¡¯ nonsense. Whatever that even means¡­¡± she grumbled.


    Turning to Enri, I gave her a reassuring nod. ¡°You took a very careful approach, and the texture is great. But you need a bit more seasoning¡ªthis rice is almost as shy as you are.¡± She blushed at that. ¡°I¡¯d give it a C-plus, but don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re on the right track. And hey, your vegetable prep was perfect¡ªthat¡¯s half the battle.¡±


    Enri¡¯s eyes looked like they were on the verge of tears but she still smiled and nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t give up!¡± She cast a quick, slightly fierce glance at Aela, who just scoffed in response, rolling her own eyes at the younger girl.


    Women could be complicated¡­


    I had just wrapped up my cooking lesson with Aela and Enri, feeling pretty satisfied with their progress, when the doors to The Fox Hole swung open. I looked up, half-expecting to see one of my regulars or maybe Kunou rushing in for lunch. But when I saw who actually stepped through the doors, I froze.


    I muttered to myself, ¡°Rias is going to freak out when she hears about this¡­¡±


    A lot of anime in my new world had been ruined by very trashy counterparts¨CI¡¯m looking at you Drag-So-Ball! Go die in a fire, how dare you ruin Dragon Ball!


    But there were a couple anime that were unchained even across dimensions. One of those was One Piece and the other was¨C


    Standing there in my restaurant was Naruto Uzumaki¡ªthe most iconic anime ninja in the world. And not just any version of him. He looked a bit older, even though he was wearing his classic Shippuden outfit. An alternate universe Naruto, maybe?


    But it didn¡¯t stop there. He wasn¡¯t alone. Next to him stood a beautiful kunoichi with long, flowing red hair, brilliant purple eyes, and a toned figure that most girls would kill for. She even had those trademark whisker marks on her cheeks. Naruto and his possible twin or sister scanned the room, their expressions shifting from curious to tense the moment their eyes landed on me.


    Naruto stiffened, his hand inching toward his pouch. ¡°Oi! What the hell are you supposed to be!?¡± he demanded defensively, eyes locked on my fox ears and nine tails.


    The redhead leaned forward, staring at me with suspicion. ¡°Fox ears¡­ nine tails¡­ Is he a demon too?¡± she murmured, glancing at Naruto.


    Before I could answer, Aela took a step forward, crossing her arms and glaring at them. ¡°How dare you insult my boyfriend?¡± she snapped, her voice filled with the kind of righteous fury only a Nord warrior could muster. ¡°Haru is a proud Yokai prince and the best chef in the world! Show some respect!¡±


    Naruto and his sister exchanged a quick, surprised glance, clearly taken aback by Aela¡¯s intensity. The redhead, who I guessed was some kind of AU version of Naruto¡¯s sister, blinked before looking back at me with a slightly less hostile gaze¡­


    ¡°We¡¯d sometimes hear rumors about yokai while traveling,¡± Naruto¡¯s sister muttered, still staring at me in amazement. ¡°But I always thought they were just superstitions¡­¡± She hesitated before adding, ¡°Sorry¡­you just look like a human version of the Nine-Tailed Fox¡ªexcept, you know, blond and not orange.¡±


    I smirked, unable to resist the chance to clear up her assumption. ¡°I am a nine-tailed fox,¡± I said, letting my tails give a little flick.


    Naruto and his sister both stared, eyes wide with shock. Naruto finally found his voice, though it came out a bit shaky. ¡°Whoa¡­ I didn¡¯t know there were other nine-tailed foxes besides the Kyuubi. And you can take human form?¡± He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Old Lady Tsunade is going to lose her mind when she hears about this.¡±


    Naruto¡¯s sister gave me a curious look, her suspicion easing into fascination. ¡°Speaking of that,¡± she said, tilting her head, ¡°how did you manage to open a restaurant in Konoha of all places? People here hate the Nine-Tailed Fox! Wouldn¡¯t they be trying to vandalize the place constantly?¡±


    Next to me, Aela¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her hand drifted to the dagger on her hip. ¡°Anyone who tries to damage Haru¡¯s property will answer to me,¡± she growled, her voice filled with enough menace to make Naruto and his sister flinch.


    Before I could reassure them, there was a familiar pop in the air, and I turned just in time to snatch the elegant scroll that appeared in front of me. Naruto and his sister¡¯s eyes went even wider as they exchanged nervous glances, muttering about what just happened and where the scroll had come from.


    Unfurling the scroll, I glanced over the contents, relief washing over me as I saw everything written in basic kanji. ¡°The land my restaurant is on was granted by the Daimyo himself,¡± I explained, flipping the scroll around for them to see the official seal. ¡°It¡¯s under his protection, and anyone who intentionally tries to vandalize my restaurant will be sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison in the capital.¡±


    Naruto and his sister gaped at me, clearly trying to process this information. She stepped forward cautiously, holding out her hands. ¡°May I?¡±


    I handed her the scroll, and she read it intensely, her eyes widening with each line. ¡°Wow¡­ Tsunade is going to lose her freaking mind when she reads this,¡± she muttered, almost in awe. She pointed to the Daimyo¡¯s seal. ¡°The seal looks completely official¡­ and forging the Daimyo¡¯s signature or seal is punishable by death.¡±


    That sounded like a pretty harsh rule, but given the circumstances, I could understand why it was necessary. The Daimyo was basically like an emperor in the world of Naruto, although he never really appeared in the story for more than a couple scenes. I had a feeling he was probably more important than a real world scenario.


    Naruto¡¯s sister looked around, her expression a mix of curiosity and nerves. ¡°So¡­ this is a restaurant, then?¡± she asked, her voice wavering slightly.


    I gave her my most reassuring smile and spread my arms wide. ¡°Indeed, beautiful kunoichi. Welcome to The Fox Hole, interdimensional restaurant extraordinaire!¡±


    ¡°B¨Cbeautiful?¡± she stammered, eyes wide with what looked like genuine surprise.


    I blinked, confused by her reaction at being called beautiful.


    ¡°Ow!¡± I yelped as a sudden, sharp pinch on one of my fox ears snapped me out of my thoughts.


    Aela was standing beside me, one eyebrow raised in clear disapproval. ¡°Hmph! Stop flirting with every pretty redhead that walks into your restaurant. First it was Rias, then Shepard, and now it¡¯s going to be this ninja girl.¡±


    I scratched my head, chuckling a bit. ¡°What does Shepard have to do with anything?¡±


    Aela let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t remember. Last party? You spent over an hour drunkenly flirting with Shepard.¡±


    I felt my cheeks go warm as flashes of the party came back. I didn¡¯t remember any specific details, but now that Aela mentioned it, I did recall a few moments where Shepard had given me some¡­interesting looks during the tour of her spaceship with Rias. She¡¯d been particularly eager to point out that, as the captain of the Normandy, she had her own ¡°private quarters.¡±


    Meanwhile, Naruto¡¯s sister had been watching this exchange, her face still full of disbelief. ¡°Wait¡ªyou think I¡¯m pretty too?¡± she asked, glancing over at Aela, looking even more shocked.


    Aela shot her a look. ¡°Were you dropped on your head or something?¡± she asked. ¡°If you came to Whiterun, I have no doubt you¡¯d have over a dozen Nord suitors by sunset¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl said to Aela, a bit flustered but sincere. ¡°I¡¯m Naruko Uzumaki.¡± She gave a small bow. So, I¡¯d been right¡ªshe was Naruto¡¯s twin sister, and apparently, my restaurant had connected to some kind of Naruto AU.


    Naruko went on, explaining that she and her brother had just returned from a three-year training trip across the Elemental Nations. ¡°But we¡¯ve never heard of Skyrim before,¡± she added, eyeing Aela¡¯s gear curiously. ¡°And¡­what does ¡®interdimensional¡¯ mean?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk at their looks of curiosity and wonder. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in an interdimensional restaurant. The Fox Hole connects to different worlds entirely. In fact, I, Aela, and Enri here? We¡¯re all from different dimensions.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­aliens!?¡± Naruto exclaimed, eyes wide.


    I shrugged. ¡°Sure, you could think of it that way if it makes sense to you.¡±


    Naruko laughed, still glancing around as though she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°We just wanted to find a place to stop for lunch since Ichiraku¡¯s is remodeling. I wasn¡¯t expecting something this crazy!¡±


    Naruto nodded, still looking me up and down. ¡°I wasn¡¯t either. Who would¡¯ve thought a nine-tailed fox could exist that wasn¡¯t pure evil?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly clutched his stomach, his face twisting in pain. I felt it¡ªan unmistakable pulse of dark chakra. Being a Yokai, I was sensitive to things like that. It was like a flicker of anger had sparked from somewhere deep inside him.


    Naruko winced as well, putting a hand to her own stomach. ¡°I don¡¯t think the fox likes Haru very much¡­¡± Naruto muttered, his face tight.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t think my half likes him either,¡± Naruko added with a pained grimace.


    Aela and Enri exchanged curious glances, but I waved them off. This wasn¡¯t something we needed to get involved in just yet. If Kurama, their Nine-Tails, was jealous of my freedom and incredible good looks, that was his problem.


    ¡°So,¡± I said, breaking the tension, ¡°what can I get you two to eat?¡±


    Naruto and Naruko straightened up, the pain seeming to fade as quickly as it had appeared. They glanced at each other before, with perfect timing, they blurted out in unison:


    ¡°Ramen!¡±


    ¨C Naruko Uzumaki ¨C


    Naruko felt conflicted. On one hand, Haru seemed like a genuinely nice guy¡ªhandsome, charming, and welcoming in a way that made her feel at ease.


    But on the other hand, he wasn¡¯t human. He was a nine-tailed fox. The same kind of creature that had terrorized her village, destroyed homes, and left her and Naruto as orphans. Because of that fox, she and her brother had grown up with the whole village resenting them. The Fourth Hokage had ripped that fox in two and sealed each half inside her and Naruto, making their lives¡­ difficult, to say the least.


    Which was why she couldn¡¯t just let her guard down around a random yokai that popped up in Konoha out of nowhere. But at the same time¡­ HIS FOOD WAS LITERALLY TO DIE FOR!


    The ramen Haru made was unlike anything she¡¯d ever tasted! Screw Ichiraku¡¯s! Haru¡¯s cooking left old man Teuchi in the dust, hands down. By the end of it, Naruko had ordered ten bowls, and Naruto had topped her with fifteen! When they finally left The Fox Hole, stuffed to the brim, she couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d ever eat ramen that good again!


    But now, full as they were, they had to report to Tsunade. Being the village¡¯s jinchuriki pretty much meant they could talk to the Hokage whenever they wanted, and the Hokage needed to hear about what they just experienced¡­


    When they arrived and opened the door, Tsunade was in the middle of lecturing Kakashi, who stood sheepishly scratching his head. ¡°You were late again, and rude to a customer¡ªdo you have any sense of responsibility?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Er¡­¡± Kakashi was struggling to answer when he noticed them arrive. He gave Naruko and Naruto a relieved one-eyed smile when he saw them. ¡°It looks like my students have something important to talk to you about, Tsunade-sama. I¡¯ll leave them to it,¡± he said, and before she could protest, he disappeared in a puff of smoke!


    Naruko could only shake her head at Kakashi¡¯s boldness¡­


    ¡°Damn brat,¡± Tsunade muttered, scowling as she hurled an empty sake bottle at the wall where Kakashi had just stood. She turned to Naruko and Naruto, her expression skeptical. ¡°So, what do you two brats want? You only just got back yesterday¡ªdon¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already in trouble!¡±


    Naruko scratched her cheek, glancing at Naruto before looking back at Tsunade. ¡°It¡¯s not that, Granny Tsunade¡­ We just wanted to know if you knew about the restaurant that just opened up in the village¡­ and its owner¡­¡±


    ¡°A new what?¡±


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Enri was busy sweeping the floor and wiping down a few tables when my mother, Yasaka, walked in for a late lunch. ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for some takoyaki today,¡± she said as she took a seat at the counter, her tails happily sawing behind her.


    ¡°Coming right up,¡± I replied. As I got to work prepping the batter and chopping the octopus, Yasaka looked around, then leaned forward slightly.


    ¡°So,¡± she said casually, ¡°anything interesting happen today?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°My restaurant connected to an actual anime world today¡­¡±


    Yasaka gaped at me before blurting out that ¡°Kunou was going to lose her mind!¡± I laughed and mentioned that I¡¯d said the same thing about Rias¡­


    Speaking of Rias,¡± Yasaka trailed off with a grimace. ¡°She might have brought you a teeny bit of trouble. Although we were all kind of expecting this to happen.¡± Yasaka said before pulling a letter out from her Kimono. I vaguely recognized the broken seal on the letter, I think it was from the Phenex Clan in the Underworld?


    I opened it and read it out loud:


    ¡°To the Fiance stealing piece of shit animal known as Haru,


    I, the great Riser Phenex, will not stand for the humiliation you dealt to me! Rias Gremory was mine, and you had NO RIGHT to take her from me, you FILTHY ANIMAL! I hereby challenge you to a duel for her hand in marriage against myself and my peerage! Of course, since you are a filthy animal and need some form of advantage, I shall graciously allow you to bring someone of your choice as backup for our duel, provided it is NOT your mother! We shall duel in three days'' time in the Underworld!¡±


    Fuck you,


    Riser Phenex of the Noble Phenex Clan.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± was pretty much all I could say when I finished reading the letter. Once I was done with it, I set it on fire until it was nothing but ash that Enri quickly swept up.


    ¡°Wow is right,¡± Yasaka shook her head.


    ¡°Are you going to be alright, Haru?¡± Enri asked and I smiled at her.


    ¡°Against a guy like Riser Phenex? Yeah, he¡¯s not much of a threat. My Foxfire is hotter than his Hellfire any day. That is, if I even bother showing up¡­¡± I don¡¯t know why I would even bother. Just because he challenged me didn''t mean I had to accept. I was already Rias¡¯s fiance, I had nothing to gain from this duel besides wasting my own time.


    Yasaka agreed with me, but sadly she told me that Riser¡¯s brother owned a large media company in the Underworld and they were already advertising this fight everywhere. Tickets were being sold to not just Devils, but other factions as well. If I don''t show up for the duel, it would make the Yokai look weak. This was the kind of sly shit that I always hated about politics¡­


    ¡°Fine then, if the flaming chicken wants to get a beating in front of the whole Supernatural world, I might as well oblige.¡±


    ¨C Danzo ¨C


    Danzo sat alone in his hidden office, deep beneath Konoha, surrounded by the shadows and silence that filled the underground chambers of his secret base. Here, far from the prying eyes of the Fifth Hokage, he managed ROOT¡ªhis private army, and, in his mind, the true power behind Konoha and the entire ninja world. To him, ROOT was the only safeguard for the village, the only force capable of true strength without the frivolities of morality or emotion.


    One of his masked operatives appeared before him, a figure draped in nondescript clothing, face concealed by a blank white mask.


    ¡°The jinchuriki have both returned to the village, Danzo-sama,¡± the masked ninja reported, voice steady and controlled.


    ¡°Good,¡± Danzo replied, sipping his tea with a faint hint of satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s good to have our weapons back where we can control them. What have they been up to?¡±


    The operative explained that the jinchuriki had been reconnecting with old friends and allies.


    Danzo sniffed in disdain, dismissing the sentiment as weakness. ¡°Friends,¡± he muttered. ¡°Frivolous and pointless. Weapons don¡¯t need friends. If I were Hokage, those two would know their place, as tools¡ªnothing more.¡±


    The masked operative hesitated, then continued. ¡°Aside from that, Danzo-sama, there was one unusual occurrence. A new establishment has opened in the village¡ªa restaurant called The Fox Hole.¡±


    ¡°A restaurant?¡± he repeated, a hint of irritation threading through his voice. Konoha didn¡¯t change without his knowledge, and any new establishment warranted careful scrutiny. ¡°And why is this place significant¡­?¡±


    ¡°The two jinchuriki visited it, but¡­¡± The operative shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable with the next part of his report. ¡°When I attempted to spy on them through the windows and from the rooftop, I couldn¡¯t see through the glass. The building itself seemed almost¡­ impenetrable. I tried slipping in through the back, but I was nearly spotted by strange guards¡ªeach with distinct animal features.¡±


    Danzo frowned deeply, his eyes narrowing. A hidden establishment that even his operatives couldn¡¯t infiltrate was a serious problem. Nothing in Konoha was supposed to be out of his reach or beyond his knowledge!


    ¡°I want this restaurant investigated,¡± he ordered, his voice firm. ¡°Uncover everything you can¡ªabout the owner, the patrons, and these ¡®guards.¡¯ I want to know how this place appeared without our knowledge.¡±


    The operative bowed, disappearing back into the shadows. Danzo sat back, fingers tapping on the desk as he considered the implications. This new restaurant had managed to evade his network of spies and kept their secrets well-hidden. But ROOT would not be kept in the dark for long. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    XXX

 Chapter 17: An Elf and a Chewtoy

    Chapter 17: An Elf and a Chewtoy


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Today was quieter than usual¡ªmost of my regulars knew I¡¯d be closing early. The morning crowd included Councilor Tevos and a few of her Asari friends, chatting over breakfast, but now the place had emptied out.


    The door opened, and in walked Harry Potter. The 14-year-old looked way different than the scrappy kid I first met over a month ago. Now, thanks to Serana¡¯s intense training, he had a sharper look about him, a healthier complexion, and a quiet confidence lurking in his eyes. He strolled over to the counter and plopped himself onto a stool.


    ¡°Give me the fish and chips, Haru,¡± he ordered with a grin.


    ¡°Coming right up, kid,¡± I said, moving to the fryer. It didn¡¯t escape my notice that Hermione wasn¡¯t tagging along. Usually, the two were joined at the hip. Everyone always thought it was adorable. "Where¡¯s Hermione today?" I asked while setting the fish to fry.


    Harry rolled his eyes but smiled. ¡°She¡¯s doing an extra credit essay for McGonagall¡¯s class. What¡¯s the point when she¡¯s already at the top of the year? If it was extra magic practice I could understand, but who wants to spend their Saturday writing a 5 ft long paper on the potential dangers of letting people drink from a teapot that used to be a toad...¡±


    I chuckled at that. Transfiguration always seemed like a wild branch of magic to me, but I never really saw its practical purpose considering it wasn''t permanent. If anything, it was the best branch of magic for Assassins because they could transfigure a cup full of poison into a cup of wine, and their victims wouldn''t even realize it until after it had turned back in their stomach¡­


    As I plated up his order, Harry leaned in. ¡°So¡­ I heard you¡¯re going up against Rias¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦ and his harem later today?¡±


    I snorted, trying not to outright laugh. ¡°Yep, the arrogant flaming chicken challenged me himself. If he wants to get his ass kicked on live TV in front of the whole supernatural world, who am I to say no?¡± That''s not counting the fact that I couldn''t say no even if I wanted to. ¡°Of course, any of my regulars are free to come watch or even place some bets for easy money. Rias is going to allow all of us to use her teleportation circle to get to the underworld.¡±


    Harry was practically bouncing on his stool. ¡°Blimey! I¡¯m definitely placing a load of galleons on you to win.¡± He grinned. ¡°I can use those, right? They¡¯re solid gold, after all.¡±


    At that, I let out a groan, my tails swaying in slight irritation as I slapped my forehead. "Right¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you about that, Harry, but it kept slipping my mind. Here''s the thing, all those gold coins you¡¯ve been paying with are fake¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Harry blinked, clearly thinking I was joking at first. But when I didn¡¯t laugh, his face turned to one of pure shock. ¡°All my gold is fake!? My parents left me that money! How!? The goblins run the entire economy! Where did all of my money go!?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Who knows? There¡¯s a reason goblins are always the bad guys in video games and stories. Shifty little bastards. They probably swapped out the real gold for fake over the years and pocketed your actual wealth.¡±


    Harry looked down at his galleons, brow furrowed. ¡°But¡­ wizards have trusted the goblins for centuries. Are you telling me they¡¯ve just been¡­ robbing us this whole time?¡±


    "Seems that way. They probably did it so gradually that no one even noticed. Think about it: they control the only wizarding bank, mint the currency, and handle all the exchanges."


    I placed Harry''s order of fish and chips on the counter, and the kid dug in, but I could tell he wasn¡¯t thrilled. Learning that all the money his parents had left him was essentially worthless had really knocked the wind out of him.


    As he ate, I continued wiping down the counter, my mind turning over the best way to handle this. Finally, I leaned over and said, ¡°Look, Harry, here¡¯s what you should do. Just¡­ slowly start withdrawing your money from Gringotts, bit by bit, in regular British pounds. Don¡¯t take it all at once, or the goblins might catch on. Spread it out over the next few months, and you should be able to get all your money back without them noticing.¡±


    Harry looked up, a thoughtful expression settling on his face as he chewed. ¡°That¡­ that could work.¡± He nodded, a little more confidence returning to his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re really smart, Haru.¡±


    I laughed and waved him off. ¡°Nah, I just know a good scheme when I see one. Played enough games, watched enough TV dramas¡­ you get the idea.¡±


    He managed a small smile, but I could still see the disappointment lingering on his face. ¡°Guess this means I can¡¯t place an easy bet.¡±


    I sighed in relief, shaking my head. ¡°Good thing I caught you before you did. The Devils wouldn¡¯t have taken kindly to being scammed, even if you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Harry polished off another bite. ¡°So, who are you bringing as your second for the fight? And since I can¡¯t bet, then you¡¯ve gotta let me fight!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, amused at his offer. ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve gotten better, I¡¯ll give you that. But you¡¯re not ready to face Riser¡¯s whole crew yet,¡± I said before tapping my chin in thought. Or was he? Nah, he could probably handle all of Riser¡¯s pawns by himself but I dont think Harry would be able to beat any of the other pieces quite yet. Most of Riser¡¯s peerage were useless and only there because they were hot girls, but a couple of them could actually fight. I told Harry that I was probably just going to fight alone. Having someone with me wasn¡¯t going to make a difference regardless.


    ¡°Lame¡­¡± Harry groaned.


    I was just about to head to the door and flip the sign from "open" to "closed" when the door swung open, and a new face walked in.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Harry exclaimed. ¡°Is that an actual Elf?!¡±


    I looked over, and sure enough, the girl who walked in looked like she had stepped right out of some high fantasy novel. Silver hair in twin tails, ears so long and pointy you could probably hang Christmas lights off them¡ªthey were hard to miss. She was cute in a way that was almost ethereal, but her expression was blank as she scanned the room. Her gaze landed on me, specifically on my tails and ears, and I caught her eyeing me with the kind of look you give when you can¡¯t figure out what exactly you¡¯re looking at. After a second, she shrugged and made her way over to the counter, dropping herself onto the stool next to Harry.


    ¡°I would like some food,¡± she said in the most monotone voice I¡¯d heard in a long while.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll whip something up for you.¡± She didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d care what she ate, so I figured I¡¯d keep it simple¡ªvegetable fried rice, just in case she was one of those elves who couldn¡¯t stand the thought of eating an animal.


    As I tossed some veggies into the pan, I heard Harry clearing his throat, clearly trying to strike up a conversation with the new girl.


    ¡°H¨CHi there! I¡¯m Harry Potter,¡± he said, a bit awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re new here, right? To the Fox Hole I mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, giving him a blank stare. ¡°I have never been to this establishment before. My name is Frieren¡­¡± she trailed off and didn¡¯t say anything more.


    ¡°Frieren¡­¡± Harry repeated. ¡°Are you¡­ you know¡­ an Elf?¡±


    Frieren just blinked at him. ¡°Yes. I am an Elf. What gave it away?¡± I could detect a tiny bit of sarcasm in her monotone voice.


    ¡°Er¨C¡± I had to bite back a laugh as Harry did his best to not say it was her ears. ¡°So¡­ where are you from?¡± Harry tried again to strike up some kind of conversation with her.


    ¡°Far away,¡± She didn¡¯t offer anything more, just stared blankly at Harry like she was waiting for him to say something interesting. Harry let out a sigh and sent me a pleading look to take over.


    I set her plate of vegetable fried rice in front of her. ¡°Here you go¡ªsomething light, no meat, just in case you elves don¡¯t eat that.¡±


    Frieren eyed the dish, gave a slight nod, and started to dig in. Her bored expression quickly faded away the more mouthfuls of rice she ate. ¡°...This is very good.¡± she said after quickly cleaning up half her plate. Frieren didn¡¯t take long to finish up her fried rice, practically inhaling it without breaking that stoic expression of hers. When she was done, she surprised me by flashing a small smile. ¡°Your cooking¡­ it¡¯s very good,¡± she said.


    ¡°Glad you liked it,¡± I said, grinning. Always nice to know I¡¯d won over another customer.


    She stared at me for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly as she took in my ears and tails. Then, blunt as a brick, she asked, ¡°What exactly are you? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a demon¡ªI¡¯ve never heard of a demon capable of cooking before. Well¡­ unless they¡¯re cooking humans.¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°Uh, yeah, humans are not on the menu here...¡±


    I introduced myself to her as a Kitsune Yokai, although judging by her expression, that meant nothing to her. Obviously, she didn¡¯t have Yokai in her dimension. I then gave her the usual spiel about her stumbling into a restaurant that connects numerous dimensions together.


    Her eyes widened slightly, showing the most interest she¡¯d shown since stepping in here. ¡°Other dimensions¡­ My master once speculated about such possibilities, but no mage has ever been able to prove it. Not even Serie¡­¡± she muttered, almost to herself. Her gaze shifted back to me, sharper now. ¡°How did you set all of this up? You would have to be an incredible mage to do so. And why a restaurant of all things?¡±


    I chuckled, crossing my arms as I leaned on the counter. ¡°What, you don¡¯t think cooking is a respectable line of work? I like what I do. I love feeding hungry people and giving them a place to relax. Also, I set up this restaurant, but I¡¯m not the one who connected it to other dimensions. We¡¯re still in the process of figuring out who did that.¡±


    Frieren''s long, pointy ears gave a little twitch. She looked at me seriously, like she was trying to teach a lesson. ¡°Operating in a building enchanted by an unknown mage or goddess is foolish,¡± she said flatly.


    I just shrugged and gave her a wistful smile. ¡°Maybe. But whoever set this place up did a damn good job. So far, only decent folks have walked through that door¡ª¡± Well, except for that one time with Being X. I leaned forward with a grin. ¡°So, what about you, Frieren? Should I be worried? Are you secretly a bad person?¡±


    The look on her face was priceless¡ªalmost offended. ¡°Hardly,¡± she replied, her voice bland but with a hint of edge. ¡°I was part of the hero¡¯s party. We¡¯re the ones who defeated the Demon King.¡±


    Now, I had no idea who this Demon King was or why she¡¯d been part of this ¡°hero¡¯s party,¡± but it sounded like she¡¯d had quite the adventure. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one hell of an accomplishment,¡± I said, reaching under the counter for the jar of chocolate chip cookies I¡¯d made earlier. I held one out to her with a grin. ¡°Here. Have a cookie to celebrate.¡±


    She stared at the cookie like it was a foreign object, then sighed, looking at me with the faintest hint of a pout. But, of course, she took it anyway, nibbling on it as she scanned the restaurant. After a moment, she looked back at me. ¡°Has business been slow?¡± she asked, glancing at the empty tables around us.


    ¡°Nah,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°All my regulars know I¡¯ll be closing early today. I¡¯ve got a fight lined up with an irritating devil, so they¡¯ll probably show up later if they want a front-row seat. We¡¯ll be heading down to the underworld for it.¡±


    Her brows furrowed slightly, and she paused mid-nibble. ¡°Underworld¡­?¡± she repeated, clearly confused about what I was talking about.


    ¡­


    A couple hours later, we made it to the underworld, along with everyone who wanted a front-row seat to this showdown. The teleportation circle dropped us right in the heart of the Gremory mansion, where Rias and her family lived whenever she wasn¡¯t kicking around in the human world.


    No sooner had we stepped in than Rias zeroed in on Frieren, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Please join my Peerage!¡± she practically shouted, barely giving the Elf a second to process that we¡¯d arrived.


    Frieren, to my surprise, had actually been interested in tagging along. She looked at Rias with her usual blank stare, clearly unimpressed, and said nothing.


    But Rias didn¡¯t stop there. She spun around to Naruto and Naruko and hit them with the same offer. This was probably the fiftieth time in three days that she¡¯d tried to recruit the ninja twins, and the fiftieth time she got turned down. They¡¯d been polite enough about it, but once they¡¯d found out what joining her peerage actually involved, it was a hard no from them, much to her disappointment.


    Rias¡¯s shoulders slumped, but she quickly turned her focus back to Frieren. The Elf crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°You might not be a demon,¡± Frieren said flatly, ¡°but I still don¡¯t like the aura of your mana.¡±


    I was pretty sure that was the Elf equivalent of telling Rias to fuck off, and I had to fight down a smirk.


    Rias pouted, then looked over at me, eyes brightening as she walked up and wrapped me in a tight hug. She felt sinfully soft pressed against me, and I could practically feel her pout melting into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Riser is such an asshole and is forcing you to fight him,¡± she muttered against my chest. ¡°I offered to take him on myself, you know¡ªmy brother¡¯s actually been giving me some lessons¡ªbut he just seems to really hate you specifically.¡±


    ¡°Can you blame him?¡± I said, smirking as she let me go. ¡°I¡¯m the better-looking blonde, and my blue flames are just plain cooler than his basic red ones. Plus I have you in my arms.¡±


    She grinned back. ¡°Damn right you do. Also, you''re right, everyone knows blue fire looks way cooler in anime than red fire!¡± Rias was a true woman of culture.


    ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t fight with you, Haru?¡± Harry grumbled.


    ¡°Wait, we can fight with Haru?¡± Naruto perked up, turning to me. But before he could get another word out, Naruko smacked him on the back of the head.


    ¡°Moron,¡± she hissed, rolling her eyes. ¡°The Hokage ordered us not to get in any fights. We¡¯re just here to observe other dimensions, remember?¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Naruto huffed. Sharing the same disappointed look as Harry.


    Apparently, the Hokage Tsunade wanted to meet with me personally, but she¡¯d been holding off till after my duel. It seemed that duels held a pretty high status in the ninja world, treated with a kind of respect reserved for real, head-to-head battles. I was starting to get why no one ever jumped in during those legendary fights, like Madara and Hashirama going at it. They were sacred events, and no interference was allowed.


    Agnar clapped me on the shoulder with his usual enthusiasm. ¡°My friend! Why did you not mention that part to me!? I would happily join you in this glorious battle to defend your woman¡¯s honor!¡±


    I snorted, looking around at the eager faces of everyone. They all would have jumped to help me if I asked. Especially the Nords. Even Aela was even muttering something about ¡°how dare some prissy milk drinker try to take her future sister!¡±


    Rias squealed at being called that and ran over to hug Aela next!


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint, everyone, but this isn¡¯t gonna be a ¡®glorious battle.¡¯ It¡¯s gonna be me, wiping the floor with a glorified peacock in front of millions of viewers¡­¡±


    ¡°MILLIONS!?¡± Everyone blurted out at once.


    ¡°Only a couple hundred people came to watch me fight a dragon¡­¡± Harry mumbled.


    ¡°Er¨Con second thought. I''m sure you shall be fine my friend.¡± Agnar said nervously. Serana started chuckling at him and saying it was cute that her Dragonborn suddenly had stage fright.


    There was a knock at the door and a second later Sirzechs Lucifer, my future brother in law, along with his maid wife Grayfia walked in. ¡°It''s time for the duel Haru-sama.¡± Grayfia infomed me¡­


    ¨C Frieren ¨C


    Frieren squinted at the arena below, wondering if her student, Fern, would even believe half of what she¡¯d experienced today. Even she was having a hard time digesting it all, and she¡¯d been alive for a thousand years.


    Just that morning, she''d stumbled upon a random restaurant in the city. It was owned by a whole new sentient species she¡¯d never heard of before¡ªKitsune, Haru called himself. Whatever a Kitsune was, it was powerful, or more maybe it was just Haru? The blond fox had enough raw power that he could probably conquer any country in her world single handedly if he felt like it. Usually, people with that kind of power live more violent lifestyles. But no¡ªthis Kitsune had opened a restaurant instead.


    She had to admit, that choice alone intrigued her. And his cooking? It was absurdly good. Better than any food she¡¯d had in her entire life, which was saying something given she¡¯d been around for a literal millennium.


    Without much thought, she¡¯d followed Haru when he¡¯d invited her to some unknown location to watch him duel a man he kept referring to as a ¡°flaming chicken.¡± Apparently, the duel was over a girl, Frieren figured Himmel would have found that amusing if he was still alive.


    In hindsight, maybe teleporting somewhere she¡¯d never been with a complete stranger hadn¡¯t been her wisest decision, but well, she''d taken bigger risks in her long life. She was also a pretty good judge of character, although Fern might argue that, and she didn¡¯t sense anything wrong with Haru.


    The woman he was about to duel over on the other hand? Well, that was a different story. Rias Gremory, she called herself. Rias had this kind of unnatural beauty, like demons back home, and a dark mana that clung around her like a fog. Frieren watched her carefully at first, having thought she might be a demon in disguise, but Rias acted far too human to be one. Demons were creatures that couldn''t understand emotions.


    Then there was Haru¡¯s crowd of other friends or customers or whatever they were. She¡¯d met plenty of odd folks in her life, but this group was certainly special. Each one of them had some level of power, even the kid, Harry. Only fourteen and already nearly as skilled as Fern had been at his age. Coming from her, that was high praise, since she considered Fern a once-in-a-generation genius¡­


    Frieren¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a loud, commanding voice echoing over the arena. ¡°The duel between Riser Phenex and his peerage vs. Haru will now commence!¡± The silver-haired maid stood alone in the center of the massive arena, her voice amplified across the coliseum using some kind of magic. Haru and Riser''s faces appeared on two large screens around the stadium as the crowd of hundreds of thousands roared in anticipation.


    ¡°This reminds me of the chunin exams,¡± the blond young man with whisker marks on his cheeks said while moving closer to the glass to get a better look at the arena below. ¡°Hi there, I''m Naruto Uzumaki! I''m from Konoha.¡±


    ¡°I am Frieren, and I''m not really from anywhere,¡± she replied. ¡°...Have you known Haru for long?¡± she asked curiously.


    Naruto shook his head as the girl who was most likely his sister also walked over. ¡°Nah, we only met Haru three days ago, but we''ve been eating at his restaurant every single day!¡±


    ¡°It''s nice,¡± the red haired girl, who also had whisker marks, added. ¡°Haru''s restaurant is one of the few places in the village where no one discriminates against us. Even when we''re eating at Ichiraku¡¯s, we still have to deal with glares from other customers or people walking past his ramen stand.¡±


    Frieren tugged on her hair a bit. She was familiar with discrimination despite usually ignoring it. Many humans were jealous of her innate magical power or natural longevity as an Elf.


    ¡°Haru¡¯s place is much better though,¡± Naruko said.


    ¡°Aye, lass, Haru is a good man,¡± Agnar said, striding over with a confident grin. ¡°Don¡¯t let his chef act fool you. He¡¯s a mighty warrior too¡ªslayed a dragon in single combat to protect my people back home in Whiterun.¡±


    Frieren raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. She¡¯d sensed Haru¡¯s strength just from standing near him, but to hear he¡¯d killed a dragon in single combat? That wasn¡¯t a feat just anyone could boast.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! My big brother is the best!¡± piped up a young voice right next to her, causing Frieren to flinch slightly. She hadn¡¯t sensed anyone approaching, which was no small feat. Frieren turned to see a little blonde girl with the same fox ears and golden tails as Haru, her bright eyes staring up at her with unabashed curiosity.


    The girl tilted her head. ¡°Are you a new friend of Haru¡¯s? Or are you one of his new girlfriends?¡±


    ¡°Neither?¡± Frieren replied, more like a question than a statement. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her usual composure. ¡°I¡¯ve only known your brother for an hour¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kunou!¡± the girl said brightly, her tails swishing. ¡°And that¡¯s okay¡ªyou¡¯ll learn just how awesome my big bro is soon enough!¡±


    ¡°Indeed she will, little sister,¡± Aela chimed in, giving Kunou a bemused smile. ¡°But where¡¯s your guard, Tanya? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be with your mother and Rias¡¯s family in the private booth?¡±


    Kunou glanced to the side, looking just a little guilty. ¡°They were talking about boring politics, so I snuck out,¡± she admitted. ¡°Tanya will probably catch up soon. She¡¯s been¡­ kind of distracted since her girlfriend Viktoriya showed up¡­¡± She shrugged, as if this were common knowledge.


    There was a lot to unpack in that little confession, but Frieren didn¡¯t have a chance to process it because Kunou suddenly bounced on her heels, squealing with excitement. ¡°Oooo, the fight¡¯s starting!¡±


    Frieren turned along with everyone else to face the arena. There stood Haru, looking perfectly at ease, his nine golden tails swaying behind him as he faced down his opponent. Across from him was a smug-looking devil with slicked-back blond hair, who Frieren assumed must be Riser. He was flanked by a small army of women in strange, mismatched outfits¡ªclearly his peerage, if she understood how these devil clans worked.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I cracked my knuckles, feeling a smirk tugging at my lips as I stood in the middle of the arena, facing off against Riser Phenex and his peerage.


    "There you are, you damn Yokai!" I could feel the disdain rolling off him. "How did a filthy animal like you seduce my darling Rias away from me!?"


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°First of all, dude, that¡¯s straight-up racist,¡± I shot back. ¡°Second, you literally have two Yokai girls in your peerage, and yep, they¡¯re both glaring at you right now.¡± Riser¡¯s twin cat girls were both giving him looks that could kill for calling a Yokai a filthy animal. ¡°And third, you¡¯re a dickhead...¡±


    Laughter rippled through the audience at that one. Riser¡¯s face twisted into something nasty as he registered the mockery echoing around us.


    ¡°You will not humiliate me with such crass language!¡± He spat, and then his expression changed to a sneer. ¡°Riser offered you the chance to bring a warrior of your choosing to fight alongside you, but it seems you¡¯re looking down on Riser!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I deadpanned. ¡°I am looking down on you. Figured that was obvious by now.¡±


    That really got to him. Flames shot up around him, he probably thought it made him look intimidating, but he just looked like a kid throwing a tantrum with his magic fire.


    ¡°Get him, girls!¡± he screamed. His whole peerage charged at me at once.


    ¡°Aw, a team effort,¡± I laughed. ¡°Cute.¡±


    The first ones to rush me were Riser¡¯s two knights¡ªtwin girls swinging their swords from opposite directions. It was a well-coordinated attack, I¡¯ll give them that, and they weren¡¯t slow. But speed only gets you so far when you¡¯re lacking in the power department.


    Two of my tails shot out instinctively, blocking their blades before they even got close. The metal clanged uselessly against my fur, and the looks on their faces were priceless¡ªtotal shock, like they couldn¡¯t believe they couldn¡¯t cut through it. They staggered, thrown off balance, and that¡¯s when I wrapped my tails around their throats. They kicked and struggled, but my grip was as solid as steel.


    ¡°Sorry about this,¡± I said with a shrug, giving them a once-over. They were pretty, at least, so I had to give Riser credit for taste... well, except for the few suspiciously young ones in his lineup, which was just creepy. ¡°Maybe you two should find someone better to work for.¡±


    With a flick of my tails, I snapped their necks in unison. Their bodies faded into light, a mercy of the arena¡¯s enchantments preventing any real harm.


    ¡°Two of Riser¡¯s rooks have been retired,¡± Grayfia¡¯s voice rang out across the arena.


    ¡°Damn you!¡± Riser¡¯s angry yell echoed from the back. He was fuming, and I could practically feel the heat from where I stood. The rest of his peerage froze, staring at me with fear flickering in their eyes.


    ¡°I knew this was a stupid idea!¡± Ravel Phenex wailed, looking up at her brother, panic clear on her face. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a secret that Prince Haru is Ultimate Class! We never stood a chance!¡±


    ¡°Quiet, little sister!¡± Riser barked, glaring at her. ¡°That¡¯s obviously just propaganda spread by the pathetic yokai to make them seem stronger! What are you all waiting for? Attack him together!¡± he roared at his team.


    Eight pawns scrambled toward me, all of them rushing from the front like they thought numbers alone could overwhelm me. None of them looked particularly impressive, but they all seemed nervous enough to follow orders.


    I raised my right palm, pointing at the group as they closed in. ¡°Foxfire,¡± I called out casually, and a wave of blue flames erupted from my hand, sweeping over them. The girls barely had time to scream before they were engulfed in flames, their bodies disintegrating into light. The audience went wild, cheering louder, and I smirked, knowing I¡¯d just knocked out half his team in one blow.


    ¡°All of Riser¡¯s pawns have retired,¡± Grayfia announced, her voice even but with a hint of impatience, like she¡¯d rather be anywhere else.


    I took a small jump back, feeling a rumble beneath my feet just in time for the ground to explode. Dust and debris shot up around me, but I glanced up, already knowing who was responsible.


    Floating high in the air was Yubelluna, Riser¡¯s so-called ¡°Bomb Queen.¡± She looked down at me with a smirk as she prepared another blast. ¡°You can¡¯t beat me if you can¡¯t fly!¡± she taunted, hurling another explosion my way.


    I rolled my eyes. Did she seriously think yokai couldn¡¯t fly just because we don¡¯t have wings? I summoned blue flames around my feet and leapt high into the air, flames propelling me higher and higher until I hit the peak of my jump¡ªand then jumped again, using the supernatural fire as a springboard.


    Yubelluna¡¯s smirk faltered, her eyes widening in shock. She started chucking magic bombs left and right, desperate to hit me, but it was like dodging slow-motion water balloons. I kicked off the air, flames trailing around me, moving effortlessly through the sky as if it were solid ground. I closed the gap between us in a heartbeat and brought my foot down with a flaming kick to her face. She let out a shriek as my heel connected, and I watched her spiral downward, crashing hard into the arena floor below.


    ¡°Riser Phenex¡¯s queen has been retired,¡± Grayfia¡¯s voice echoed, sounding almost bored. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Riser clenched his fists, his face twisting with rage as he watched his team fall one by one. The guy looked about ready to burst a vein. ¡°This isn¡¯t over! Riser will not be humiliated like this!¡±


    I landed back on the ground. Riser was down to his two rooks and bishops, one of which was his sister who I knew wasn''t actually a fighter. The other three girls really looked like they didn¡¯t want to fight me.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Riser cursed, looking ready to explode. "Riser will do it himself!" he snarled, sticking to his weird third-person routine.


    Then, with a flare of fiery red wings, he shot into the air, his flames roaring like a jet engine as he powered toward me.


    Perfect. I¡¯d been waiting for this. I smirked and gathered my energy, letting blue fire swirl up around me, forming a blazing ring that quickly expanded. When the flames dissipated, the ground beneath me was scorched black, and I¡¯d transformed into my full, towering form¡ªa 30-foot-tall, nine-tailed golden fox. My tails whipped around behind me, stirring up the dust and casting huge shadows across the arena.


    ¡°Oh, fuck!¡± This time, Riser¡¯s curse came out in a panicked whisper, and he actually had the sense to look scared. Too bad for him that he¡¯d already committed to his charge, and he was heading straight for me with no way to stop.


    If foxes could smirk, I definitely would have been. As it was, I let my jaws open wide and, with a quick snap, caught him midair like a fox catching a bird. My teeth sank in, and I felt his pathetic flailing as he screamed.


    ¡°Let go of me! Aaaahhh!¡± Riser¡¯s screeches were music to my ears as I clamped down, giving him a good crunch before releasing and biting down again. His Phenex healing kicked in every time, so he didn¡¯t stay injured for long, but that just meant I had a fresh, unharmed Riser to chew on again and again.


    He started trying to torch me from the inside, but I barely felt it. Fire? Really? I breathed fire¡­


    I chomped down over and over, savoring each yelp and scream that escaped him. Riser wasn¡¯t just in pain¡ªhe was humiliated, every bite a reminder that he was nothing more than a harmless chew toy to me.


    ¡°Brother¡­ maybe you should just surrender already?¡± Ravel called out from the sidelines, looking a little green as she watched me turn her brother into fox kibble.


    ¡°Never! Aaahhhh!¡± Riser screamed again, his defiance dripping with desperation. Each time I chomped down, he howled, more pitiful than the last, his voice cracking as he realized there was no end in sight¡­


    Meh, he¡¯d give up when he ran out of magic to regenerate or the humiliation got to him first. In the meantime, I was having fun with this. I didn''t even have to taste any nasty blood because his body was basically made of living flames.


    XXX

 Chapter 18: Sandwiches

    Chapter 18: Sandwiches S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I¡¯ll admit it, Riser Phenex lasted longer as a chew toy than I expected. I had to hand it to the guy, he was stubborn. Maybe more than was good for him. But eventually, the inevitable happened. His demonic power started to fade, and that precious healing of his wasn¡¯t going to work anymore. He was running on fumes, barely able to keep up, and frankly, I was getting bored.


    ¡°Riser surrenders¡­please stop¡­¡±


    I spat him out of my giant fox mouth with a snarl, watching him collapse onto the arena floor, panting like a dying fish. Blue flames erupted around me as I shrank down, my body shifting back into my humanoid form. I stretched out, rolled my shoulders, and gave my tails a satisfying swish. Being back to two legs always felt better than stomping around as a giant furball, anyway.


    "Riser Phenex has surrendered!" Grayfia¡¯s voice rang out, echoing through the coliseum.


    The crowd went nuts, cheering and clapping like they¡¯d just seen a gladiator win the fight of a lifetime. All for a guy who¡¯d been bitten into submission. Guess it didn¡¯t take much to entertain these people.


    Before I could leave the arena, though, Riser¡¯s little sister, Ravel Phenex, walked up, her face flushed, looking a bit embarrassed. "I¡­ I apologize on behalf of my brother,¡± she muttered, casting a sidelong glance at the heap that was Riser, still twitching. ¡°And¡­ thank you for not humiliating him too badly.¡±


    I nearly choked. "Not too badly?" I asked. ¡°I literally used him as a chew toy. What, would ripping him limb from limb have been ¡®too far¡¯?¡±


    Ravel gave a tight, awkward smile and looked like she was weighing her words carefully. "Well, I suppose it could have been worse¡­¡±


    With a shake of my head, I gave her a lazy wave, turning to head out. The magical energy around me shifted, and in a flash, I was teleported out of the arena, ending up in one of those private waiting rooms they set aside for fighters.


    Before I could even blink, I heard a high-pitched squeal, and then¡ªbam! I was tackled to the floor. My eyes barely had time to register a flash of red hair and an overjoyed smile before Rias was all over me, knocking the air out of my lungs.


    ¡°Oh my Maou, Haru! You did it! You finally put that arrogant jerk in his place!¡± she cried, her voice brimming with excitement.


    "Yeah, well¡­¡± I barely got the words out before she started peppering my face with kisses, practically vibrating with happiness. I let out a laugh, but it quickly died in my throat as she pressed her lips to mine, catching me off guard. Instinctively, my hands found her waist, pulling her closer as I kissed her back, and my tails snaked around her, pulling her even tighter against me.


    She melted into me, fingers threading through my hair as she deepened the kiss, and hell, I wasn¡¯t going to complain. I tightened my grip on her, feeling her heartbeat against mine, as one of her hands traced down my back. I could feel her smile against my lips, that devious little smirk she got whenever she was feeling particularly pleased with herself.


    Pulling back for a breath, Rias looked at me, her blue eyes practically glowing. "That was amazing, Haru. You showed him¡ªand everyone else¡ªexactly who I belong to now."


    With that, we fell back into another kiss, my tails wrapping tighter around her, enjoying the moment as if the rest of the world didn¡¯t even exist for us.


    Just as things were heating up between me and Rias, there was the unmistakable sound of someone clearing their throat. Our lips broke apart, and I glanced over, only to see Aela standing there, arms crossed and foot tapping against the floor.


    Her eyes narrowed, and I caught that jealous glint. ¡°You ran ahead of me, sister,¡± Aela said, looking right at Rias with a scolding tone.


    Rias let out a sheepish laugh, a bit of pink coloring her cheeks. ¡°Sorry! I was just so excited. I couldn¡¯t wait!¡±


    Aela clicked her tongue, her expression softening only slightly. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re both lucky you didn¡¯t knock down a wall with all that. Now, up.¡± With that, she reached down, grabbed both of us, and yanked us to our feet like we weighed nothing. For a second, I stumbled but quickly steadied myself as Aela dusted her hands off.


    Then, out of nowhere, I noticed her cheeks reddening, her usual fierce Nord demeanor shifting to something¡­ a bit shy. I raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised to see my fierce werewolf girlfriend looking flustered. ¡°Aela, you okay there?¡± I asked, giving her a teasing smirk.


    She shot me a quick glare, but it didn¡¯t hold, and her blush deepened. ¡°Grayfia¡¯s sending everyone else back to your restaurant,¡± she muttered, clearing her throat again. ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s just us. You, me, and Rias. Alone. Here. In the underworld.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really now?¡± I replied, trying to keep the grin from spreading too wide. I could feel my heart picking up speed.


    Rias squeezed my hand and leaned in close, her voice soft and playful. ¡°Actually, Aela and I have a little surprise for you. Back in my bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I swallowed hard, trying to keep cool, but even I could feel the flush creeping up my neck. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ sure. Lead the way, ladies.¡±


    ¨C Aela ¨C


    Aela was no stranger to life¡¯s pleasures. Living as a warrior in Skyrim, facing danger on a daily basis, she had learned to seize what she wanted. She wasn¡¯t exactly a veteran in the carnal arts, but she¡¯d been with as few men and women to know her way around the basics. Compared to her, both Rias and Haru were practically innocent in that department. They might have flirted and exchanged a few kisses, but she could see it in their eyes¡ªthey didn¡¯t know what came next. Fine by her. She¡¯d be happy to show them.


    As Rias led her and Haru into the bedroom in the Gremory mansion, Aela felt her pulse quicken, a thrill of anticipation surging through her veins. Rias closed the door softly, turning back to them with a sly smile, but Aela wasn¡¯t about to waste time with more games. She stepped up to Haru, her eyes meeting his, and without another word, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a fierce, hungry kiss.


    Haru stiffened at first, caught off guard, but he quickly melted into her touch, his hands moving to her waist as he responded eagerly. When she finally pulled back, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a low, satisfied chuckle at the dazed look on his face. Before he knew what hit him, she pushed him backward, sending him sprawling onto the plush bed with a yelp of surprise.


    Rias giggled from beside her, clearly entertained by Haru¡¯s stunned expression. But Aela wasn¡¯t done yet. Before Rias could say anything, Aela turned to her, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her close, tilting her head up for a kiss that left the red-haired devil princess breathless. Rias¡¯s laughter cut off in an instant, replaced by a soft gasp as Aela¡¯s lips met hers. At first, Rias was rigid with surprise, but then she relaxed, her fingers curling into Aela¡¯s hair as she gave in.


    When Aela finally pulled back, Rias¡¯s face was flushed, her breaths coming in shallow. Aela couldn¡¯t help but smirk, her confidence surging as she glanced between Rias and Haru, both of them looking equally captivated by her. Good.


    ¡°Alright, you two,¡± Aela murmured, her voice low and teasing as she climbed onto the bed, taking her place beside Haru. ¡°Time to show you what you¡¯ve been missing...¡±


    Aela''s heart raced with anticipation as she pushed Haru down on the bed, her kitsune boyfriend eagerly reciprocating her lustful kiss. Their tongues tangled together feverishly before she finally broke away, leaving both of them panting. She turned to Rias, who was watching with a deep blush staining her cheeks.


    "Come here, Rias," Aela commanded, her voice low and sultry.


    The beautiful devil crawled over obediently, her eyes never leaving Aela''s face. Aela turned her attention to Haru''s straining erection, visible through his pants. With deft fingers, she unbuttoned his fly and slid his pants and boxers down, freeing his massive cock. It sprang up, thick and hard, the swollen head already glistening with pre-cum.


    "Wow," Rias breathed, her eyes wide. "That''s... impressive."


    Aela had to agree. She''d never seen a cock that big before, and her heart sped up at the sight. She licked her lips, her mouth already watering. "Follow my lead," she instructed Rias, before leaning down and giving Haru''s shaft a long, slow lick. She savored the musky taste of his skin.


    "Oh fuck!" Haru groaned, his hands fisting in the sheets.


    Rias giggled, clearly excited by Aela''s bold move. She leaned in as well, and their tongues met as they licked up and down Haru''s thick length together. A couple times they brushed against each other and Aela paused to capture Rias''s lips in a heated kiss, their tongues sliding together.


    Haru was panting hard now, his hips twitching with the need for more. Aela took pity on him and wrapped her lips around the head of his cock, sucking hard. Rias joined in, lavishing attention on his heavy balls.


    "I can''t take much more!" Haru gasped, his legs shaking and toes curling. Aela just smirked around his cock, doubling her efforts. She bobbed her head faster, taking him deeper each time.


    Haru let out a strangled yell, his hands flying to tangle in Aela''s hair. "I''m cumming!" he cried out.


    Aela pulled back just in time. She leaned in close to Rias, and Haru''s hot seed started to spurt from his cock, painting both of their faces in thick ropes of cum. Rias moaned, the sound dissolving into a giggle as it dripped down her chin. Aela closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as Haru''s scent marked her. Her inner wolf howled in joy at pleasing her mate.


    Aela smirked lustfully at Haru and Rias, her fire still burning hot after her first orgasm. She wiped some of Haru''s seed from her face before glancing over at Rias. The red-haired devil was wiping the rest of the gooey white fluid off her fingers and then licking them clean. Aela raised an eyebrow at the lewd sight.


    "You''re a little slut, aren''t you Rias?" Aela chuckled.


    Rias blushed a deep crimson at the comment. "I want Haru''s cock in me so bad, but I don''t know if I''m ready to lose my virginity quite yet..." she admitted shyly.


    Aela smiled reassuringly at her sister. "That''s fine, sister. Why don''t you just watch for now? You''ve done quite a lot already, just look at Haru''s face."


    Haru was lying back on the bed, grinning at the two beautiful devils with a satisfied expression. ¡°That felt amazing, girls¡­¡± he told them with a couple huffs to catch his breath.


    "Oh, you''re about to feel something even more amazing," Aela grinned mischievously. She hopped off the bed for a moment and started stripping out of her ancient Nord armor. As the pieces fell to the floor, she couldn''t help but smirk as Haru and Rias both gazed at her strong, toned body with lust-filled eyes. Aela''s breasts were perky and her pussy was already leaking juices down her slender thighs.


    "Wow..." Rias trailed off in awe as Aela slid herself back onto the bed.


    Haru''s cock was already standing tall and rock hard again. He moved to sit up, but Aela stopped him with a coy smile. "Let me do all the work, my beloved. This is supposed to be your reward for a hard fought victory."


    ¡°It wasn''t exactly a hard fought victory, but sure,¡± Haru said with an amused smile. That didn''t stop his eyes from hungrily scanning Aela''s exquisite body or his hands from reaching up to massage her thighs.


    Aela moaned in anticipation at his touch and as she straddled herself over his towering cock. She took hold of it in her hand, feeling it warm and already twitching with anticipation.


    Aela smirked at Rias. "Watch closely, this will be you someday," she purred seductively before sinking down. Her pussy lips easily spread open as she impaled herself on Haru''s large, throbbing member.


    "Fuck, I''ve never felt so full before," Aela gasped, throwing her head back in pleasure. Her pussy was tightly clamping down on his thick cock.


    Haru groaned in ecstasy as well. "Holy shit! That feels so fucking good," he growled.


    Aela smiled down at him as she rested her hands on Haru''s toned chest. She then pushed herself halfway off his cock, loving the feeling of it massaging her inner folds before she plops herself back down. Aela and Haru both groan loudly as she starts moving herself up and down at a steady, sensual rhythm.


    "So good! So fucking good!" Aela growled lustfully.


    She continued to fuck herself on his cock with abandon, loving the feeling of Haru''s hands reaching out and fondling her toned ass. Rias was sitting on the bed next to them, one of her hands down her own skirt as she watched the lewd scene with rapt attention. Aela smirked at the sight before speeding up her humping.


    Aela''s entire body was quivering in pleasure, Haru truly was her soulmate. No one else could ever give her such mind-blowing pleasure.


    "I''m¡­ gonna cum,¡± Haru groaned as she felt his cock start to twitch and grow even larger inside her tight, velvety walls.


    "Cum inside me, my love! Fill me with your seed!" Aela gasped urgently, feeling her own orgasm rapidly building to a crest.


    A couple more thrusts and she slammed herself down on Haru''s cock one final time. A powerful orgasm ripped through her body at the same exact moment as Haru moaned her name! She loved the sensation of feeling his hot cum spurt out deep inside her¡­


    Aela collapsed bonelessly on Haru¡¯s chest a couple seconds later as the both came down from the aftershocks of pleasure. She snuggled tightly against him, only cracking her eyes open and letting out an amused giggle when they both heard Rias climax from playing with herself.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Last night was¡­ damn. Let¡¯s just say I woke up feeling like a whole new man, which, technically, I was. Losing my virginity to Aela was nothing short of incredible. She was wild, fierce, relentless. And Rias had been right there with us.


    I stretched, grinning like an idiot as I glanced over at the two of them. Aela and Rias were still curled up in the bed beside me, wrapped in the sheets, peaceful and content. I didn¡¯t want to wake them, so I carefully slipped out of the warm covers, moving like a ninja as I made my way to the bathroom for a long, hot shower. Took me a little while to get all the evidence of last night¡¯s fun off my skin and fur. We hadn¡¯t exactly taken it easy¡ªAela wasn¡¯t satisfied with just one round, that was for sure.


    Once I was showered, dressed, and feeling more awake, I decided I¡¯d surprise my ladies with breakfast. After all, it¡¯s not every morning you get to wake up after a night like that. I figured I could find my way around the mansion eventually, so I followed my nose, letting the smell of whatever the Gremory servants were cooking lead the way through those long, twisting halls.


    Finally, I reached the kitchen. The place was huge, with over a dozen servants bustling around, preparing an entire feast. One of them looked up as I stepped in and walked over¡ªa tall, serious-looking guy who seemed to be the head chef.


    ¡°Uh, excuse me,¡± I said, giving him a little nod. ¡°Mind if I use the kitchen for a bit? Just want to whip up something for Rias and Aela.¡±


    The chef¡¯s face lit up in a polite smile, and he nodded quickly. ¡°Of course, sir. You¡¯re Lady Rias¡¯s fianc¨¦. You have full reign of the mansion.¡±


    I paused, processing that for a second. ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, and made my way to one of the stoves. Grabbing what I needed, I started on some pancakes, adding scrambled eggs and bacon for good measure. Couldn¡¯t go wrong with a classic breakfast, especially after a night like that. As I flipped the pancakes, the smell filled the kitchen, and I was pretty proud of how it was coming together.


    Then I heard someone behind me, a soft, teasing voice that carried a hint of mischief. ¡°Ara, that smells delicious, Haru-kun.¡±


    I turned around, spatula in hand, to find Akeno Himejima standing there. Rias¡¯s Queen, dressed in her usual outfit, looking every bit as elegant and dangerous as I¡¯d heard she was. She gave me a sly smile, leaning against the counter, her eyes giving me a once-over that felt a little too knowing.


    ¡°Morning, Akeno,¡± I said, trying to keep my cool.


    Akeno gave me a look that was nothing short of mischievous, her lips curling into that teasing smile she was known for. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a good morning for someone,¡± she said, voice dripping with innuendo.


    I rubbed the back of my neck, trying not to let it get to me, but her gaze wasn¡¯t letting up. She took a step closer, leaning in just enough to make my pulse skip. ¡°You know,¡± she murmured, barely above a whisper, ¡°my room¡¯s right next to Rias¡¯s.¡± She smirked, watching my reaction closely. ¡°I spent half the night¡­ keeping myself entertained to the sound of all those lewd noises you three were making.¡±


    I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, my face burning at the image she was painting. ¡°Uh¡­ sorry if we kept you up, Akeno,¡± I said, though I couldn¡¯t keep the smirk from breaking through. ¡°But let¡¯s be real. Something tells me you didn¡¯t mind.¡±


    She laughed, that lilting, teasing sound again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, Haru-kun. But all that excitement has left me rather¡­ unsatisfied.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, flipping a pancake as I gave her a sidelong look. ¡°Want some breakfast? I¡¯ve got plenty to go around,¡± I offered, trying to play it cool.


    Akeno¡¯s grin widened, her gaze flicking to the food and then back to me. ¡°There¡¯s something else I¡¯d rather eat after being so hot and bothered,¡± she teased, voice like silk, stepping even closer until I could practically feel the heat radiating from her.


    I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°You¡¯re trouble, you know that?¡± I said, meeting her gaze. ¡°But, I think I¡¯ll pass. I appreciate the offer, really¡­ but I don¡¯t know you the way I know Rias.¡±


    ¡°Not yet, at least,¡± she replied smoothly, giving me a wink before turning to strut out of the kitchen, leaving me staring after her. Yeah, this girl was dangerous. In more ways than one.


    With Akeno gone, I focused back on the food, loading up three plates with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Once I had everything piled up and ready, I made my way back through the mansion, dodging a few curious glances from passing servants but managing to avoid any more interruptions.


    I reached Rias¡¯s room, feeling like a damn delivery service with my arms full of food, but I knew both Rias and Aela would be starving after last night. It was the least I could do, and besides, I wasn¡¯t going to complain about spending a little more time with my two favorite people.


    ¡­


    I finally made it back to my restaurant, a little later than usual, but considering last night, I figured I deserved a bit of a late start. The place was quiet, just Kunou sitting at the counter along with her two guards, Tanya and Viktoriya. Kunou was in the middle of what sounded like a wildly exaggerated retelling of my fight with Riser, her hands gesturing wildly as she painted me out to be some kind of unstoppable force of nature.


    ¡°And then!¡± Kunou practically shouted, eyes wide as she leaned in for dramatic effect. ¡°Haru-niichan was surrounded by fire, like a whole ocean of flames, and he just walked right through it like it was nothing! And then he was all like, you underestimate my power! And Riser was like, that¡¯s impossible! And then they both started blasting each other with massive waves of fire!¡±


    Tanya was nodding along with this nonsense, pretending every bit like she was buying it. Kunou obviously forgot that Tanya actually saw the fight live. Viktoriya, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t there and she looked a little lost, frowning as she tried to piece together what Kunou was saying. She glanced at Tanya and then at me, eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.


    ¡°So¡­ Devils aren¡¯t considered evil in this world?¡± Viktoriya asked, hesitant but clearly trying to understand. ¡°And you¡¯re getting married to one?¡±


    ¡°Some of them are,¡± Tanya replied, sounding almost scholarly. ¡°But Haru¡¯s fianc¨¦e? She¡¯s just a big-boobed otaku.¡±


    I shook my head, rolling my eyes but smirking all the same. ¡°Not wrong, Tanya. Not wrong.¡±


    I threw together some basic chicken sandwiches for Kunou, Tanya, and Viktoriya, nothing too fancy but enough to keep them happy. As they dug in, Kunou¡¯s wild stories faded into the background, replaced by the sound of three girls happily chomping away. For a few minutes, all was peaceful¡ªuntil the front door swung open.


    Naruto and Naruko strolled in. Naruto started laughing as soon as he saw me. ¡°Man, that fight last night was hilarious, Haru!¡± he said, grinning ear to ear. ¡°Even the Kyuubi couldn¡¯t keep it in¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, Naruko slapped him on the back of the head, hissing at him to shut up. I raised an eyebrow, amused. They still thought no one around here knew about the whole ¡°half-of-Kurama-sealed-inside-them¡± thing, when in reality¡­ yeah, everyone knew. Mostly because Rias couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut.


    Naruko slid up onto the stool next to Kunou, who greeted her with a mouth full of food and crumbs flying everywhere. ¡°Naruko-chan!¡± she said excitedly, her words barely intelligible.


    I gave Kunou a mock glare. ¡°Chew before talking, Kunou.¡±


    Kunou swallowed her mouthful, giving me a sheepish grin. Meanwhile, I turned my attention to Naruko, flashing her a quick smile. ¡°Welcome back, Naruko. Do you want anything for lunch?¡±


    Her cheeks turned a little pink, and she looked away, mumbling, ¡°I¡¯ll have what everyone else is having.¡±


    Naruto plopped down on the other side of her, slapping the counter. ¡°Same here, Haru! Those sandwiches smell awesome.¡±


    As I got to work prepping two more sandwiches, Naruto leaned over with his usual goofy grin. ¡°Oh, and by the way, the old lady wants to talk to you if you¡¯re finally free.¡±


    I frowned, trying to figure out who the hell he meant. ¡°Old lady?¡±


    Naruko sighed, looking like she¡¯d heard this routine a thousand times. ¡°He means Tsunade.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said, giving her a nod. ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll swing by in about an hour¡­¡±


    ¡­


    An hour later, I was striding through the streets of Konoha, feeling the usual eyes on me. Most were curious stares¡ªhumans couldn¡¯t resist looking at my ears and tails. It¡¯s not every day you see a kitsune waltzing through the Hidden Leaf. Sure, I could¡¯ve hidden them with a quick illusion, but I wasn¡¯t about to pretend to be something I¡¯m not.


    But the looks changed as I got closer to the Hokage building. A lot of them started looking less curious and more¡­ hostile. Old grannies scowled as I walked by, and a couple even spat in my direction like I was a rat scurrying by. Right. I¡¯d almost forgotten¡ªthe people here still had a bone to pick with foxes.


    I was maybe a block away from the Hokage building when two big, brick wall-looking guys stepped right in front of me. Their arms crossed, and their stances screamed "you''re not going anywhere." Looked like they were about to make a scene, and boy, was I right.


    "You think that¡¯s cute, huh?" the first guy sneered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Using the Transformation Jutsu to make yourself look like a fox!"


    I blinked, genuinely taken aback. "Excuse me?"


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb, you damn fox,¡± the second guy shouted, loud enough that people started gathering. ¡°My son was killed by that monster!¡±


    His words hung in the air, thick as smoke. The crowd closed in, and even a couple of shinobi were watching from the rooftops, probably just waiting to see if they¡¯d need to jump in.


    I tilted my head, holding back a sigh. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said slowly, not moving. ¡°And what exactly do you expect me to do about it?¡±


    The first guy¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Apologize!¡± he spat, jabbing a finger in my face. "That monster killed hundreds of people here!"


    Oh, I got it now. They thought I was some kind of¡­ tribute act? Just walking around with my tails out to mock the Leaf or something? My tails curled up behind me. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m not apologizing for shit,¡± I said. ¡°Now, either get out of the way, or I¡¯ll move you. I¡¯ve got a meeting with the Hokage, and I¡¯m not here to waste my time.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± one of them snarled, and before I could roll my eyes, he came barreling toward me, arm cocked back for a punch. I didn¡¯t even feel a hint of chakra¡ªthis guy was a regular civilian. And from the stench of cheap booze rolling off him, I¡¯d say he¡¯d been hitting the bottle hard, even though it was barely noon.


    I didn¡¯t bother moving much. I just caught his fist mid-swing, clamping down hard enough to make him wince, then swept one of my tails around and took his feet out from under him. He landed on his ass with a heavy thud, his eyes wide with shock.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not the Transformation Jutsu!¡± someone from the crowd yelled, loud enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Those tails are real!¡±


    Then, as if I¡¯d just sprouted extra arms, the other guy backed up, eyes going even wider. ¡°It¡¯s the Nine-Tailed Fox!¡± he yelled all shaky and dramatic. ¡°He¡¯s come back for revenge!¡±


    The crowd lost their minds. People started screaming, running in every direction. I watched them bolt, bumping into each other and tripping over their own feet to get away.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I muttered, crossing my arms as I observed the chaos. ¡°The people here are kind of stupid...¡±


    XXX

 Chapter 19: Dumplings

    Chapter 19: Dumplings


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I kept walking through Konoha, heading straight for the Hokage tower that loomed over the village like a reminder of who ran the place. The closer I got, the more attention I drew. Civilians whispered, their eyes darting from my ears to the nine tails swaying behind me. The passing ninja weren¡¯t much better¡ªsuspicious glances, muttered comments. It was getting old fast.


    Just as I was wondering how much longer I¡¯d have to deal with their staring, a random chunin decided to play hero. He jumped off a nearby roof and landed in front of me with a thud, like he was auditioning for some bad action scene.


    I sighed, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. Seriously, the people in this village had the brains of a rock. ¡°Look,¡± I said, keeping my voice calm. ¡°I¡¯m not the Kyuubi. I¡¯m just trying to get to the Hokage. So, if you could¡ª¡±


    ¡°Save it!¡± the guy snapped, pulling out a kunai like he was about to go to war. ¡°Demons aren¡¯t welcome here. You hear me? My wife died because of that monster, and now I¡¯m gonna make sure it pays!¡±


    I tilted my head, staring at him. He was shaking, eyes full of anger and grief. I could¡¯ve felt bad for him if he wasn¡¯t about to make the dumbest mistake of his life. ¡°You really don¡¯t wanna do this,¡± I warned.


    But he charged anyway, yelling like a madman. It was almost sad.


    Almost.


    Before he even got close, my tails shot out, catching his wrist and wrenching the kunai from his hand. Another tail whipped around his legs, yanking them out from under him, and he hit the ground face-first with a groan. He tried to get back up, but I wrapped a tail around his waist and squeezed just enough to pin him down.


    ¡°Are we done?¡± I asked, leaning over him. He mumbled something I didn¡¯t catch, so I loosened the hold. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­ fuck you, demon¡­¡± His voice was strained, defiant. I sighed again, giving him one last smack that left him bruised and limp on the ground. He wasn¡¯t getting up anytime soon.


    ¡°Nice try, moron,¡± I muttered, stepping over his unconscious body. The crowd that had gathered watched with wide eyes, some of them looking ready to bolt. ¡°Anyone else?¡± I shouted, glancing at the nearest person.


    Silence. Just nervous shuffling and quick glances away. I shook my head and kept walking, my tails swishing behind me as I pushed through the now-cleared path toward the Hokage tower.


    I stepped into the Hokage tower. The kunoichi manning the front desk looked like she¡¯d just seen a ghost, her mouth hanging open as she took in my ears and tails. ¡°Name¡¯s Haru,¡± I said, leaning against the counter with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ve got a meeting with Tsunade.¡±


    She blinked a few times before snapping out of it. ¡°R-right. You¡¯re¡­ expected,¡± she stammered. ¡°Up the stairs, third floor.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, giving her a nod as I made my way up. Before I reached her office, I ran into two kunoichi. And holy hell, they were gorgeous. I usually had a thing for redheads, but these two? They put any supermodel back home to shame. One had long, silky blonde hair that fell past her waist, and the other had short, vibrant pink hair that I recognized right away.


    Both of them stared at me like I¡¯d just dropped out of the sky. The blonde recovered first, her lips curving into a flirtatious smile as she sauntered over. ¡°Well, hello there,¡± she said flirtatiously. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around before.¡± Her eyes darted to my ears and tails. ¡°I have a feeling I¡¯d remember someone as handsome as you with features like those.¡±


    The pink-haired girl, Sakura Haruno, rolled her eyes and stepped forward. ¡°Ino, can you not flirt with every single good-looking guy?¡±


    I chuckled. Sakura looked way hotter in real life than I¡¯d imagined. Same with Ino Yamanaka. I smirked at Sakura. ¡°Thanks for thinking I¡¯m handsome,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re both stunning, too.¡±


    Sakura¡¯s cheeks turned as pink as her hair, and she looked away, mumbling something I couldn¡¯t hear. Ino laughed, a sound that was both playful and sharp. ¡°Watch out, Sakura. This guy is dangerous.¡± She tilted her head and pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°Your name¡¯s Haru, right? I¡¯m pretty sure Naruko has mentioned a guy named Haru a few times recently.¡±


    I smiled, feeling a little warmth at the thought. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve met her and Naruto. We¡¯re friends.¡±


    ¡°Only friends?¡± Ino teased, leaning in closer. ¡°You¡¯re going to break poor Naruko¡¯s heart.¡±


    I chuckled and shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve only talked to her a few times. Known her for a few days. We¡¯ll see how things go from there...¡±


    Ino smacked Sakura lightly on the arm. ¡°Oh my gosh, forehead! There¡¯s finally a hot guy in the village who¡¯s actually into women and not obsessed with training or staring at clouds all day!¡±


    Sakura rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t help the smile tugging at her lips. She brushed a stray hair out of her face and looked back at me. ¡°Are you here to see the Hokage?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got an appointment. Not sure what it¡¯s about though.¡±


    Ino¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°You should hang out with us afterwards. I¡¯d love to get to know you better, Haru.¡±


    I laughed at her forwardness. She reminded me a bit of Akeno, but with more gossip and less teasing innuendo. ¡°I own a restaurant, TheFox Hole. You two can meet me there if you want.¡±


    Ino¡¯s smile widened, and Sakura¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°We might take you up on that,¡± Sakura said, her voice more confident now.


    As they walked down the hall, I could hear their whispers, even without trying.


    ¡°God, he¡¯s so hot. And those ears¡ªSo exotic!¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± Tsunade¡¯s voice called from behind the door after I knocked. I pushed it open and stepped inside, finally laying eyes on the Fifth Hokage herself. Damn, if I thought Ino and Sakura were something, Tsunade was on a whole different level. Tall, confident, and yeah¡ªimpossible not to notice how well-endowed she was. Almost rivaled my mother, Yasaka, in that department.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s rude to stare,¡± Tsunade said, a teasing edge to her voice.


    I blinked, realizing I¡¯d been caught. ¡°Apologies, Lady Hokage.¡±


    She waved it off casually, a smirk playing on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. There¡¯s a reason I keep my top like this.¡± She leaned back in her chair, resting both arms under her chest, pushing them up even more. ¡°What do you think? Going to give me the edge in negotiations this time too?¡±


    A small blush crept onto my cheeks, but I fought it down. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware this was a negotiation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it definitely is,¡± she said, eyes narrowing but still playful. ¡°I suddenly have a literal nine-tailed fox running a restaurant in the middle of my village. As Hokage, I need to know what it wants.¡±


    I shrugged, crossing my arms. ¡°All I want is to run my restaurant in peace, make new friends and customers, and spend time with my family and girlfriends on the side.¡±


    ¡°Girlfriends?¡± She snorted, an amused smile tugging at her lips.


    ¡°Two at the moment,¡± I said, shrugging again. ¡°Probably a couple more in the future.¡±


    Tsunade chuckled, a bit of wistfulness sneaking into her expression. ¡°Oh, I remember those days. Back when I was young and the respected princess of the Senju clan, I had men practically throwing themselves at me every single day.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still incredibly beautiful,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re still trying.¡±


    She shook her head, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re going to be dangerous for the women of this village. Well, for those who aren¡¯t terrified of you because of your fox features, anyway. Eh, it¡¯ll probably be good for them. I have no idea how it happened, but I left the village for twenty years and came back to find out it¡¯s basically become the bastion of chastity in the ninja world.¡± She sighed, and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her lament.


    Her expression shifted, though, growing more serious as we got down to business. ¡°So, Haru,¡± she said, her eyes sharp now, ¡°how did you get the daimyo¡¯s signature for your deed?¡± There wasn¡¯t outright accusation in her voice, but there was doubt. She was being cautious. Naruto and Naruko must¡¯ve reported back to her about it.


    I nodded, not surprised by the question. ¡°I thought you might ask.¡± I reached into the small pocket of space I kept using my Youki, a little trick I had learned for storage, and pulled out the official-looking deed. I handed it over to her, watching as she took it and studied it closely.


    Her eyes scanned the scroll, her brow furrowing slightly. ¡°You really did get this signed by the daimyo.¡± She glanced up at me, suspicion melting just a little. ¡°Naruko mentioned it, but I needed to see it with my own eyes...¡±


    ¡°To be fair,¡± I said, leaning back in the chair, ¡°it wasn¡¯t me who got the scroll signed by the daimyo.¡±


    Tsunade¡¯s brow lifted. ¡°Then who was it?¡± she asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°It was an interdimensional goddess I haven''t met yet,¡± I replied. ¡°And, uh, she might be in love with me¡­¡±


    Tsunade stared at me for a second before rubbing her forehead. ¡°Yokai are real, other dimensions are suddenly real, and now gods are real too? I need a fucking drink¡­¡±


    I had her covered there. Reaching into my pocket space, I pulled out a bottle of kappa sake and placed it on her desk. Her eyes lit up like a kid on their birthday. ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m fucking talking about! Shizune keeps throwing out all my bottles no matter where I hide them¡­¡±


    I popped the top and poured a drink for both of us. Tsunade took hers eagerly, knocking it back without hesitation. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s the good stuff,¡± she said, her eyes closing for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s made by actual kappas,¡± I said, pouring her another. ¡°No one can make sake like they can.¡±


    Tsunade shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips as she raised her cup for another. ¡°This village gets weirder every day,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your world like?¡± she asked, her voice more relaxed as she sipped.


    I shrugged. ¡°Most of it¡¯s mundane. But supernatural monsters hide in the shadows. Most of them ignore regular people, though.¡±


    ¡°That sounds weird,¡± Tsunade said, taking another drink. ¡°Then again, ninjas are supposed to live in the shadows too. Except this latest generation didn¡¯t get the memo. No matter what I do, I can¡¯t convince Naruto to wear anything but that goddamn orange. And his sister? Bright red, just like Kushina used to wear! Neither of those twins knows the meaning of stealth.¡± She knocked back her drink, and I realized she was already on her sixth cup. I probably should¡¯ve mentioned that kappa sake was about ten times stronger than regular stuff. Her tolerance was impressive.


    She looked at me, eyes a bit hazy but focused. ¡°I¡¯m going to be straight with you, Haru,¡± she said, her words starting to slur just a bit. I decided it was time to slow down with her refills.


    Tsunade set her cup down with a heavy sigh. ¡°The Leaf isn¡¯t in a good place right now. Economically, I mean. Orochimaru, that piece of shit ex-teammate of mine, wrecked the place two years ago. Killed a lot of good people, wiped out most of our market district. We need every mission we can get.¡± Her eyes sharpened slightly. ¡°I need to know if these other dimensions your restaurant connects to might be interested in our services.¡±


    I leaned forward, nodding. ¡°I think they would be. Ninjas are valuable assets.¡± I reached for the sake bottle to pour another cup for myself and realized it was empty. Tsunade¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and before I could say anything, she pointed at me with a determined look. ¡°Another bottle. Now.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t about to argue with a drunk woman who could punch a mountain into rubble. I reached into my pocket space, pulled out another bottle, and popped it open. Before I could pour her a drink, she snatched it and started chugging straight from the bottle.


    Yeah, this was why Shizune kept hiding her booze.


    Tsunade let out a satisfied noise and slammed the empty bottle onto the desk so hard it cracked the wood. Her eyes were glassy, and she was definitely slurring now. I¡¯d accidentally gotten the Hokage drunk.  S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oops,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯ll actually hire us!?¡± she said, eyes wide and a bit wobbly. ¡°That¡¯s really good! When do we work out the details?¡± she asked, almost leaning too far forward.


    ¡°Um¡­ you can sort out the details with my mother, Yasaka. The Yokai Queen. Just stop by my restaurant anytime.¡±


    Tsunade¡¯s eyes narrowed playfully. ¡°Your mother is a queen? That makes you a prince! Did you know I¡¯m technically a princess? Princesses and princes are supposed to get married, you know?¡±


    I hesitated, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Tsunade sighed, her eyes going distant. ¡°Never got to marry a prince. There weren¡¯t any left by the time I came around.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay¡­¡±


    She blinked, then her eyes locked on mine, suddenly serious. ¡°You¡¯re handsome, and you said I was beautiful earlier. Since we¡¯re going to have an alliance, we should seal it the way my grandparents did.¡±


    I had a feeling where this was going. She was totally plastered, but my mischievous side kicked in. I leaned in close, smirking as I reached out and gently cupped her face. ¡°Oh? And how did your grandparents seal it?¡±


    ¡°Just like this!¡± she declared, grabbing my face and kissing me. Her lips were warm and tasted like alcohol. We made out for a good thirty seconds before she finally pulled back, giggling and looking smug.


    ¡°Hehehe, I still got it,¡± she said when she noticed my obvious blush.


    ¡­


    I headed back to my restaurant after Tsunade passed out on her desk. Honestly, I wasn''t sure what else to do, so I made sure her head was turned to the side and left quietly. Yeah, leaving the Hokage drunk and unconscious on her desk probably wasn¡¯t the smartest move, but hey, not my problem.


    When I got back to The Fox Hole, I saw Naruko, Sakura, and Ino sitting at the counter. Enri was behind it, serving them hot cups of coffee. She was still learning how to cook, and while it would be months before she could make anything I''d deem passable, drinks weren¡¯t too hard. If stoner teenagers could make a decent cup of coffee, so could a hardworking village girl like Enri.


    Enri smiled at me as I walked in. The three kunoichi turned around at the same time.


    ¡°Welcome back, Haru!¡± Naruko said brightly. ¡°How did your meeting with the Hokage go?¡±


    I scratched my cheek awkwardly. ¡°I think it went pretty well,¡± I said. ¡°I told her we¡¯d be open to working with the Leaf Village, we shared a couple cups of sake, we¡­ made out a bit, and then I left.¡±


    Naruko nodded, smiling, until my words finally sank in. Sakura and Ino both choked on their drinks.


    ¡°You did what?¡± Sakura asked, eyes wide.


    ¡°I need details!¡± Ino practically yelled, leaning forward with a grin.


    Naruko¡¯s smile fell, and she looked like she was about to combust. Her red hair stood up as a dense chakra surrounded her.


    Enri muttered something about more love rivals as I made my way behind the counter to wash my hands. I gave them the short version: Tsunade underestimated the strength of the kappa sake, got plastered, confessed she was a princess who wanted to marry a prince, and then we made out.


    The reactions were priceless. Sakura fell off her stool, rolling on the floor with laughter. ¡°Oh my god, I am never letting her live this down! This is gold!¡±


    ¡°This is the best gossip I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± Ino said, eyes wide with excitement. ¡°Haru, I haven¡¯t even known you for an hour, and you¡¯re already one of my favorite people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± I said, turning to Naruko.


    ¡°How dare that old hag move in on the first guy I like!¡± Naruko yelled, her red hair bristling with chakra.


    ¡°Hey! Just because you met the hot fox guy first doesn¡¯t mean you get to claim him!¡± Ino shot back. ¡°Do you know how few good guys there are in this village? Our options are bug boy, dog boy, snack boy, cloud boy, or whisker boy! And emo boy ran off to join the creepy snake dude. They probably spend all day buggering each other.¡±


    Sakura sat up from the floor, glaring at Ino. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about Sasuke like that! He¡¯ll come back one day!¡±


    Ino scoffed. ¡°Why waste your life waiting for him when there¡¯s a sexy chef standing right here?¡± She wrapped her arm around Sakura¡¯s shoulders and gave me a smirk. ¡°What do you say, Haru? Interested in two beautiful kunoichi? I¡¯ll even tell you something special about Sakura. We¡¯ve been to the hot springs together a lot, and I can confirm the carpets match the drapes.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, Ino! Why would you tell him that?¡± Sakura shouted, her face turning bright red.


    ¡°Get lost, sluts!¡± Naruko had enough and launched herself at Sakura and Ino.


    Enri yelped next to me as the three kunoichi rolled around on the floor, pulling hair and shouting insults.


    The door swung open, and Naruto walked in with Shikamaru. ¡°Hey, Haru! I wanted you to meet one of my good friends, and¡­¡± Naruto stopped mid-sentence when he saw the chaos on the floor.


    ¡°Back off, you bitches!¡±


    ¡°Let go of my hair, Naruko!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy! Sharing is caring!¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Naruto said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not getting involved in that.¡± He and Shikamaru stepped around the fighting trio and sat at the bar.


    ¡°What a drag,¡± Shikamaru muttered. ¡°A new pretty boy moves in, and the girls are already tearing each other apart.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± I said sincerely. I was following Naruto¡¯s lead and not getting involved either¡­


    Shikamaru waved it off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He looked at Enri. ¡°Mind if I order some dumplings?¡±


    XXX

 Chapter 20: More Zombies?

    Chapter 20: More Zombies?


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Damn, this was starting to smell really good.


    I was behind the counter, stirring a pot of steaming broth, the rich smell of chicken and spices filling the air. I had some noodles boiling in another pot and was slicing green onions on a cutting board when the door to the restaurant swung open. Naruko stepped in, her purple eyes searching the room until they landed on me.


    ¡°Hey, Haru,¡± she said, a little hesitantly. She shifted on her feet. ¡°I wanted to say sorry for¡­ you know, the mess I made yesterday...¡±


    I snorted, unable to keep a grin off my face. ¡°Are you kidding? Watching you roll around on the ground with Sakura and Ino was probably the highlight of my week.¡± I winked. ¡°Besides, it was pretty hot.¡±


    Her face turned as red as her hair, which she reached up to rub nervously. ¡°I guess my temper does match my hair sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes?¡± I raised an eyebrow, smirking as I turned back to the green onions. ¡°I¡¯d say ¡®always¡¯ might be more accurate.¡±


    Naruko gave me a playful shove from across the counter. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°What, can¡¯t handle the truth?¡± I teased, sliding the chopped onions into a small bowl.


    She rolled her eyes but smiled. ¡°So, what are you making?¡±


    ¡°Ramen,¡± I said, motioning to the simmering broth. Her eyes lit up in delight, as I was expecting. One does not mention ramen before an Uzumaki without expecting that kind of reaction.


    ¡°Can I help?¡± she asked, already stepping behind the counter before I could answer.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said, passing her a pair of tongs. ¡°You can handle the noodles. Make sure they don¡¯t get overcooked.¡±


    ¡°Yes, chef Haru!¡± she said with a mock salute, making me chuckle. Naruko grabbed the pot and started stirring the noodles while I adjusted the heat on the broth and added a few spices. We worked side by side, her shoulder bumping into mine now and then. Every time she got a little too close, I got a whiff of her scent. She smelled a little bit like a fox and I can¡¯t say I disliked it.


    ¡°So,¡± I said, glancing over at her, ¡°how often do you throw down with your friends over guys? Or am I just special?¡± I teased her.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re definitely special,¡± she teased right back. ¡°But don¡¯t get too full of yourself. Ino just knows how to push my buttons¡­¡±


    I sat down with Naruko in one of the booths. The Fox Hole was empty, save for the two of us and the faint sound of ramen noodles being slurped. I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she took a bite, her purple eyes lighting up at the taste. She caught me staring and blushed, making me grin. There was something we¡¯d been skirting around for a while, and it was time to finally bring it up. I set my bowl down and leaned back. ¡°So, Naruko,¡± I said, watching her closely. ¡°Do you like me?¡±


    She choked on her noodles, turning bright red as she coughed and tried to recover. ¡°W-what?¡± She laughed nervously, then sighed, her shoulders dropping. ¡°Yeah. I do,¡± she admitted, barely above a whisper.


    I nodded, half-smiling. ¡°I figured. I should tell you, though¡ªI already have two girlfriends. Rias and Aela. And there might be more in the future. In my world, the strong seem to naturally attract¡­ well, harems.¡± This was the kind of thing you really had to be blunt about.


    Naruko bit her lip, looking thoughtful. ¡°There¡¯s a similar thing here in Konoha, you know. Strong shinobi sometimes have harems thrown at them. It¡¯s kind of a tradition or whatever.¡± She snorted, giving me a playful look. ¡°Everyone thought Sasuke would have, like, twenty wives by now. Then he ran away like an idiot!¡±


    I laughed at that, the image of the brooding Sasuke Uchiha trying to handle twenty wives was hilarious. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why he bailed. I mean, a harem is awesome, but twenty? That¡¯s way overkill.¡±


    Naruko set her bowl down and looked at me, a little more serious now. ¡°I¡¯m okay with you having other girlfriends. I mean, I¡¯d like to try dating you, too. And I wouldn¡¯t mind if you ended up going out with Sakura or Ino either.¡± She grinned, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a way better option than Sas-gay, at least.¡±


    I snorted, nearly choking on a laugh. ¡°Sas-gay? Really?¡±


    She nodded, giggling. ¡°Yeah, Naruto came up with that nickname. It stuck with a few of us.¡±


    I shook my head, amused. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way to put it. So, you¡¯re serious about this? You¡¯re okay with all of it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes again. ¡°I know what I want, and I¡¯m not afraid to go after it. If that means sharing you with others, then so be it!¡±


    I reached over and took her hand, giving it a light squeeze. ¡°I like you, too, Naruko. Let¡¯s give this a shot, see where it goes.¡±


    Her face lit up, and she squeezed my hand back. ¡°Deal,¡± she said, a smile spreading across her face.


    ¡­


    I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling with a mix of amusement and confusion. So, I had a third girlfriend now? Sort of, anyway. Naruko and I needed to go on a few dates to see if we really clicked or if this was just another one of those things that seemed great in the moment.


    She¡¯d left about an hour ago, something about training with Naruto and Kakashi. They¡¯d been gone for three years, and Tsunade wanted to see what they could do now. It made me wonder if this world was just now hitting the Shippuden stage?


    Then again, nothing here was exactly as I remembered it from the manga. Naruto had a twin sister, ninjas didn¡¯t graduate from the academy until they were sixteen, and the people of the village were really stupid¨Cno wait, that part was canon!


    The door to my restaurant swung open, interrupting my thoughts. I glanced over and saw Frieren walk in. The elf was as calm and stoic as ever, her expression not giving anything away. But this time, she wasn¡¯t alone. A girl with short purple hair followed her inside, her eyes darting around curiously.


    ¡°See, Fern, I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Frieren said. She gestured around the restaurant as if that was all the proof needed. The girl next to her, Fern, raised an eyebrow and glanced around the place. She didn¡¯t look entirely convinced yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly what I pictured,¡± Fern said, crossing her arms. ¡°You said it was run by an entirely new sentient race?¡±


    I stood up from my chair and smirked, letting my tails wave lazily behind me as I walked over. ¡°That¡¯s me. Haru, the Kitsune at your service, my fair lady.¡±


    Fern nodded calmly. ¡°Ok¡­¡± That was all the reaction I was getting? This girl was like a mini copy of her teacher, except human.


    ¡°Haru, this is my apprentice, Fern. She didn¡¯t believe me when I told her about this place,¡± Frieren said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame her,¡± I said, chuckling. ¡°Welcome to The Fox Hole, Fern. I guess now you know that Frieren¡¯s not losing it.¡±


    Fern glanced at Frieren, who still looked as stoic as ever, before finally turning back to me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m relieved or more confused,¡± she said bluntly.


    I leaned forward with a grin. ¡°Since it¡¯s your first time in The Fox Hole, Fern, what do you want? It¡¯s on the house.¡±


    Fern started to say something, her eyes narrowing. ¡°We¡¯re not charity cases, fox¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, Frieren¡¯s hand shot out and covered her mouth, shushing her quickly. Fern glared at her master, eyes full of indignation, while Frieren just gave her that calm, unreadable look she always had. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the scene. I suspected from that reaction that they were, in fact, hurting for money.


    ¡°Relax,¡± I said. ¡°A couple of weeks ago, I took down a dragon by myself and sold off its bones and scales. Dragon bone weapons are top-tier in Skyrim, one of the few things that can pierce a dragon¡¯s hide like butter. I made a killing selling them all off.¡± I could run my restaurant for a year straight and not have to charge anyone if I wanted to.


    Frieren¡¯s eyes widened a fraction, which was about as close to shock as I¡¯d seen her get. ¡°You slew a dragon alone?¡± she said, sounding genuinely impressed. ¡°I haven¡¯t fought one of those in a long time.¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    Fern shifted in her seat, eyeing me differently now. ¡°If you¡¯re offering, I want pancakes. We¡¯ve been traveling a lot, and I haven¡¯t had a good home-cooked meal in ages.¡±


    ¡°Pancakes, huh?¡± I said, already heading to the kitchen. ¡°You got it. These will be the best pancakes you¡¯ve ever tasted!¡±


    As I mixed the batter, Frieren¡¯s voice cut through the quiet. ¡°Did you know your restaurant moved, Haru?¡±


    My fox ears twitched, catching her words. I glanced back at her. ¡°It did?¡±


    She nodded, her eyes still fixed on me. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re in a different town from the one where I first found your restaurant. It appeared in this new town, almost like it was following Fern and me.¡±


    I paused, processing that. ¡°Huh,¡± I said, a little surprised. ¡°That¡¯s strange. It¡¯s never done that before. Not in any dimension I¡¯ve been to, anyway.¡± I flipped the pancakes and smirked at her. ¡°But hey, I¡¯m glad it did. Good to see you again, Frieren.¡±


    Her expression didn¡¯t change much, but I caught the faintest hint of pink on her cheeks. She glanced away, playing it cool, but I knew I¡¯d gotten a reaction out of her.


    Fern¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°Master, be careful. This fox guy is dangerous. The kind who¡¯ll seduce women and leave them heartbroken...¡± she trailed off.


    I almost dropped the spatula. ¡°What? No way! I¡¯ve never broken a girl¡¯s heart. I''ve never even had a breakup, for that matter.¡±


    Fern puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms like she didn¡¯t buy a word of it. ¡°Yeah, right. I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    I sighed, flipping the last pancake onto a plate and bringing it over. ¡°Well, believe it or not, I¡¯m not that kind of guy.¡±


    I placed the plate of pancakes in front of Fern, who eyed them suspiciously before picking up her fork. The first bite she took made her eyes go wide, and even Frieren raised an eyebrow when Fern let out a small, involuntary sound of satisfaction.


    ¡°Good?¡± I asked, smirking.


    Fern reluctantly nodded, chewing slowly. ¡°Better than I expected,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I won''t fall in love with you just because you can cook¡­¡±


    Smack!


    I chuckled as I watched Fern pout, rubbing the back of her head where Frieren had just smacked her. The elf leaned back in her seat, still holding her stoic expression. ¡°Stop being rude to someone who¡¯s giving us free food,¡± she said calmly.


    I guessed that was good advice, in a weird way. Frieren was an odd elf, but then again, she was the only elf I knew. Fern grumbled something under her breath but picked up her fork and dug back into her pancakes. The two of them sat there, enjoying their food in silence, and for a moment, everything was peaceful.


    That moment ended when the door swung open, and in marched one of my favorite customers. His dark robes billowed as he entered, his skeletal face giving off that dramatic vibe he always had.


    ¡°Hey there, Skeletor¡ªI mean, Ainz,¡± I said with a playful grin.


    Ainz sighed, shaking his head with the exasperation of someone who¡¯d heard the nickname one too many times. ¡°Hello, Haru. There was something I wanted to talk to you about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Die, demon!¡±


    Frieren leapt over her booth like she was spring-loaded and launched a fireball straight at Ainz. The spell hit with a loud thud, sending him skidding backward across my brand-new wooden floors, leaving a trail of burn and scrape marks.


    ¡°Great,¡± I muttered, cringing at the damage. Those floors were going to need replacing now.


    As the smoke cleared, Ainz stood unharmed, an amused chuckle echoing from his bony form. ¡°Hoh hoh, not bad, elf,¡± he said.


    Frieren¡¯s jaw tightened, and she gripped her staff with a determined glare. ¡°You¡¯re strong, demon, but I won¡¯t hold back this time.¡± Fern immediately jumped out of the booth, ready to back up her master.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop, Frieren!¡± I shouted, stepping between them. ¡°Why the hell are you attacking Ainz?¡±


    Frieren¡¯s eyes stayed locked on Ainz, but she spared me a glance. ¡°All demons are evil and must be exterminated! There¡¯s no reasoning with them!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of racist,¡± Ainz said, lifting a skeletal hand. ¡°And for the record, I¡¯m not even a demon¡ªI¡¯m an undead.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Frieren¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and her face turned crimson. She looked down, her posture stiffening as she bowed low. ¡°I am so sorry for attacking you,¡± she said. Without missing a beat, she grabbed Fern¡¯s head and forced her into a bow as well.


    ¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t even do anything, Master!¡± Fern protested. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I let out a relieved breath, happy that things hadn¡¯t escalated into an all-out brawl. ¡°Listen, Frieren, you¡¯ve gotta remember that this place brings people from all sorts of dimensions. Demons in your world might be monsters, but that doesn¡¯t mean all of them are. I mean, Ainz¡¯s girlfriend, Albedo, is a succubus, and she¡¯s actually pretty fun.¡±


    ¡°Girlfriend!?¡± Ainz sputtered, sounding shocked behind me.


    Frieren¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, processing my words, but she decided not to push it further. Then she looked around and finally seemed to notice the damage she had caused. Her expression shifted to one of horror. She turned to Fern, eyes wide. ¡°Do we have the funds to pay for this damage?¡±


    Fern gave her master a flat look. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, and no, we don¡¯t. We¡¯re broke. It¡¯s hard to make money when all we do is wander around aimlessly...¡±


    Frieren turned to me with a pleading look, but I just shrugged and waved her off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said. ¡°Having a supernatural restaurant comes with the risk of things getting smashed to bits now and then. I¡¯m prepared for it.¡± My tails flicked behind me as I added, ¡°Too bad insurance doesn¡¯t exist in the supernatural world. Or maybe that¡¯s a good thing¡­¡± I muttered in hindsight.


    Frieren looked incredibly relieved to hear that.


    Once Frieren stopped trying to roast Ainz on the spot, the skeleton lord straightened up, brushed off his robes, and gave a slight nod. ¡°Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Ainz Ooal Gown,¡± he said, his deep voice steady. ¡°I must say, if the demons in your world are so dangerous that they make you attack on sight, I¡¯m curious to learn more about them.¡±


    Frieren looked at him, eyes narrowed but calmer. ¡°You¡¯d understand the moment you met one,¡± she said simply, like it was an absolute truth.


    I crossed my arms and leaned against the counter. ¡°Ainz, you were going to tell me something before you got hit with a fireball?¡±


    He was just about to answer when the door to my restaurant swung open, catching all of our attention. It had been a surprisingly busy day, and I was starting to wonder what the hell was going on with the universe today?


    Commander Shepard stood in the doorway, wide-eyed, with a look that was a mix of disbelief and amusement. ¡°Be careful, Commander! You don¡¯t know what this is!¡± a man shouted behind her.


    Shepard threw a sheepish smile around the room and fully stepped inside. ¡°Hey, Haru,¡± she said, looking at me with a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.


    ¡°Jane! Already back from the Citadel?¡± I asked, surprised. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see her again for weeks.


    ¡°Um¡­ no.¡± She shook her head and corrected me with a slight eye-roll. ¡°And it¡¯s Shepard, remember? I¡¯m still on my ship. Also, why in the hell is there a door to your restaurant on my ship?¡±


    Before I could respond, the man behind her pushed his way in. ¡°Commander, what the hell is this place!?¡± he demanded, eyes darting suspiciously around at everyone.


    Shepard sighed, her posture relaxing as she placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I told you about this place, Alenko. The restaurant in the Citadel that connects to other dimensions...¡±


    He looked at her like she¡¯d lost her mind. ¡°You expected me¡ªand the rest of the crew¡ªto believe that was real? We thought you, Ashley, and Wrex were just drunk off your asses.¡±


    Shepard blushed, the red spreading across her cheeks in a way that was way too satisfying to see. ¡°Well, we were drunk, but that¡¯s not the point,¡± she argued. ¡°Garrus and Tali weren¡¯t even drinking that night!¡±


    Lieutenant Alenko crossed his arms, glancing between me and Ainz with a clear look of distrust. ¡°Neither Garrus nor Tali ever mentioned this place actually being real.¡±


    Shepard muttered under her breath, ¡°They probably didn¡¯t think anyone would believe them.¡±


    Ainz cleared his throat, clearly uninterested in the bickering. ¡°As I was saying, Haru, your restaurant has appeared in my home, the Great Tomb of Nazarick.¡±


    I blinked in surprise. ¡°It has?¡±


    Ainz nodded. ¡°Yes, but I also confirmed in Carne Village that your restaurant remains there as well.¡± He tilted his skull-like face slightly, almost as if waiting for my reaction.


    I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°So, this place is just popping up everywhere now.¡± I glanced over at Shepard, who was still trying to convince Alenko that everything was fine, that my restaurant wasn¡¯t some kind of trap.


    The lieutenant didn¡¯t look convinced. His eyes kept flickering back to Ainz with visible unease, and then over to me with even more suspicion. He muttered something about ¡°monsters,¡± which I chose to ignore. Instead, I cleared my throat to get Shepard¡¯s attention. ¡°Just to be clear, Shepard, it¡¯s only a door to my restaurant that¡¯s appeared on the Normandy, right? Not the whole building?¡±


    Shepard grinned at me. ¡°Haru, I gave you a tour of the Normandy. You should know that my ship isn¡¯t exactly big enough to fit your entire restaurant.¡±


    That actually got me wondering about the size of Ainz¡¯s place. If the entire Fox Hole could show up in the Tomb of Nazarick, the place must be huge.


    Shepard didn¡¯t seem bothered by the new access to The Fox Hole. In fact, she looked pleased. ¡°Can¡¯t say I mind it, honestly. Military rations suck¡ªespecially on spaceships. Plus¡­¡± Her gaze flicked over me, and she gave me a subtle smirk. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again, especially. Last time, I gave you a tour, but you didn¡¯t get to see every room. Specifically, the captain¡¯s quarters. Now I can give you a full tour anytime I want!¡± she finished with a giggle.


    Damn. Shepard was coming in strong. It was clear she knew what she wanted, and I wasn¡¯t going to lie, I was tempted¡­


    At the same time, Alenko¡¯s glare turned downright murderous after Shepard¡¯s invitation. If looks could kill, I¡¯d probably be halfway to the afterlife right now. I¡¯m pretty sure someone else liked Shepard and was currently very jealous.


    Frieren, meanwhile, had a faint blush on her cheeks, and Fern was muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, ¡°This place is filled with shameless perverts.¡±


    Ainz coughed loudly, trying to get us back on track, which I appreciated since I didn¡¯t have an answer for Shepard right now. Hell, I barely had my head around the situation with Naruko earlier. And here was Shepard, practically inviting me to her quarters on the Normandy.


    ¡°Rest assured, Haru,¡± Ainz continued, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that all of Nazarick¡¯s denizens know your restaurant is to be respected. It will take time to adjust to the new presence, but I¡¯ll ensure it¡¯s done properly.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Ainz,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°And of course, your people are welcome to stop by.¡±


    Ainz gave a curt nod but added, ¡°Keep in mind, not all my subordinates are¡­ friendly toward humans. Some adjustments will be needed.¡±


    At that, Alenko¡¯s hand went straight to his sidearm, the distrust on his face obvious. He was already on edge about me and the others, and hearing Ainz talk about ¡°unfriendly¡± subordinates didn¡¯t help his nerves. His hand twitched as he looked ready to pull his weapon.


    Before things could escalate, Shepard put a firm hand on his arm. ¡°Lieutenant, stand down. I need you to go back to the Normandy and wait for me there. This is my call.¡±


    Alenko stared at her, clearly unhappy. But after a tense moment, he finally nodded, shot me one last murderous look, and left without another word. As the door swung shut behind him, I let out a sigh. ¡°Thanks for handling that, Shepard.¡±


    Shepard just shrugged, giving me a lopsided smile. ¡°The lieutenant¡¯s a good soldier, but he¡¯s not exactly open to, well, unique experiences.¡±


    Speaking of unique experiences, it looked like we were about to have another one. The doors to my restaurant were thrown open with enough force to rattle the windows. A woman stormed in, looking like hell itself had chased her. She was covered in dirt and dried blood, some of which wasn¡¯t hers based on the scent my enhanced nose picked up. The blood smelled off, though, not fresh, almost stale.


    ¡°What the fuck!?¡± she shouted, eyes wide as she scanned the room and took in the mismatched group of people. Her hand flew to the pistol on her hip, but before she could draw it, Shepard had a gun to her head.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± Shepard said, her voice calm but deadly serious.


    The woman froze, eyes darting between Shepard and the rest of us. She raised her hands in the air, fingers twitching. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, sounding both wary and defiant. Her gaze swept the room again, assessing every potential threat. ¡°But seriously, what the hell is this place?¡±


    I stepped forward, offering a friendly smile to try and cut through the tension. Up close, I could see she¡¯d be strikingly beautiful if it weren¡¯t for the weeks¡ªmaybe months¡ªof grime caked on her skin and clothes. ¡°This is The Fox Hole, my restaurant,¡± I said. ¡°Looks like you could use a real meal and, I¡¯m guessing, have one hell of a story to tell.¡±


    ¡°A meal?¡± She looked at me like I was insane to suggest such a thing. ¡°There¡¯s no time for that. The DEAD are almost here. My motorcycle broke down, and they¡¯ve caught up with me. Thousands of them. Umbrella Corp sent an entire army!¡±


    XXX

 Chapter 21: Roasted Zombies Don’t Taste Good…

    Chapter 21: Roasted Zombies Don¡¯t Taste Good¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    The door creaked open, and Shepard strolled back inside, this time wearing her full armor, looking every bit the badass commander she was. Weapons were strapped across her chest, ready for whatever hell was waiting outside. She wasn''t alone. A massive shadow loomed behind her, and I knew immediately who it was before he even stepped in.


    "Alright, I¡¯m back, and I brought Wrex with me," Shepard declared.


    Wrex''s grin was as wide as ever as he stomped inside, the ruined wooden floor groaning under his weight. "If it isn''t the best damn barkeep in the Citadel!" He looked at me with eyes that promised trouble. "Are you telling me I can get drunk whenever I want now?" The excitement in his voice was almost contagious.


    "No," Shepard shut him down before he could get too excited. The Krogan actually pouted. The sight was weird and kind of funny. "We can only get drunk after missions," she added, and he smirked.


    His eyes glinted as he looked around the room. ¡°You asked me to bring my guns. So what type of mission is this?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an army of zombies surrounding my restaurant,¡± I said flatly. We¡¯d cracked the door open earlier and peeked out into Alice¡¯s dimension, and she wasn¡¯t kidding when she said there were thousands. I¡¯d even seen a few giant ones strapped with machine guns and rocket launchers. The whole thing was ridiculous.


    Wrex¡¯s grin widened, his eyes practically sparkling with bloodlust. ¡°Signing up with you was the best decision of my long life,¡± he laughed, glancing at Shepard. Then he noticed the others standing around the room. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Skeletor! Good to see you again!¡± Wrex boomed at Ainz.


    ¡°Is everyone going to call me that now?¡± Ainz let out a deep sigh, or at least what would have been a sigh if he had lungs. Instead, he facepalmed¡ªor skullpalmed, which sounded more appropriate, considering he didn¡¯t actually have a face.


    Wrex¡¯s attention shifted, and he eyed Frieren, Fern, and Alice. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve met you three ladies,¡± he said with a grin that might have been charming if you were into that kind of thing.


    Alice just stared at Wrex in shock for a couple seconds. ¡°What the hell are you supposed to be?¡± she finally managed to say.


    ¡°He¡¯s an alien,¡± I said, the word coming out as blandly as I could manage.


    Alice blinked a few times, then let out a shaky laugh. ¡°Am I dead? Is this some kind of hell? Elves, talking skeletons, aliens, and furries. What is wrong with this place?¡±


    ¡°Furries!? Hahahaha!¡± Ainz threw his head back and started cackling. He laughed for a few seconds before a weird green light surrounded his body, and he seemed to force himself to calm down. ¡°Ah, I always hate when that happens. But still¡­furries. Hehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me a furry¡­¡± I said, practically begging Alice. I refused to allow that nickname to become a thing!


    ¡°What¡¯s a furry?¡± Frieren asked, tilting her head with genuine curiosity.


    ¡°Knowing all the perverts in here,¡± Fern was quick to jump in. ¡°It¡¯s probably something gross and sexual,¡± she said, crossing her arms.


    I hated that she wasn¡¯t wrong¡­


    I decided not to explain it, not wanting to tarnish Frieren¡¯s innocence, even though she was over a thousand years old¡ªor maybe even older. She still gave off that vibe of naive innocence to me.


    Alice¡¯s eyes darted around the room, wide and full of disbelief. ¡°What are you all doing!?¡± she shouted, her voice wavering between panic and confusion.


    I flashed her a grin,. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re about to go out there and wipe out that zombie army that¡¯s been chasing you.¡±


    Her jaw dropped. ¡°But there¡¯s thousands of them!¡± she exclaimed, as if I hadn¡¯t seen them with my own eyes.


    Wrex laughed. ¡°I know, right? This is gonna be fucking awesome.¡± He was practically bouncing on his alien toes.


    Shepard stepped up and handed Alice a spare assault rifle she had brought. That was nice of her. ¡°I noticed you only had those pistols, and it looks like you¡¯re almost out of ammo,¡± she said.


    Alice took the rifle like it was made of fragile glass, her mouth hanging open. ¡°Um¡­ do you have any extra mags? What happens when I need to reload?¡± she asked, her voice barely more than a squeak.


    Wrex barked out another laugh. ¡°Reload? Hah! You¡¯re funny, human!¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate further.


    With that settled, we all started moving towards the door. Frieren and Fern were trailing behind, their eyes darting curiously between the weapons and the door. They came from a world where swords and magic were the height of warfare, so I took a second to explain what they were to her.


    Frieren nodded. ¡°Interesting,¡± she said slowly. ¡°A piece of lead launched at the speed of sound does sound lethal, but also easy to ward against.¡± Without waiting for more explanation, she cast a quick spell, a shimmer of blue light surrounding herself and Fern. ¡°This will repel any high-speed metal aimed at us,¡± she added matter-of-factly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bead of sweat trickle down my temple. She learned about guns a minute ago and already made them useless against herself and Fern. That was a thousand years of magical training for you¡­


    ¨C Albert Wesker ¨C


    Albert Wesker¡¯s red eyes glowed menacingly underneath his dark glasses. He leaned back in his chair as he watched the main screen with anticipation.


    ¡°My algorithms suggest there is nowhere left for Project Alice to run. She is 30 miles from the nearest city, no working vehicle, her psychic abilities have been pushed to their limits, and she should be almost out of ammunition,¡± the Red Queen said. Her voice, a mechanical monotone, held the faintest edge of satisfaction. She had been tracking Alice relentlessly, and now they finally had her.


    ¡°It looks like Alice¡¯s luck has finally run out,¡± Wesker said. He chuckled. On the screen, Alice¡¯s boots kicked up clouds of dust as she sprinted across the endless expanse of desert. Behind her, an army of over ten thousand undead stumbled forward, their decayed bodies moving in a grotesque wave. At the forefront were twenty of Umbrella Corporation¡¯s greatest titans¡ªmassive, armored, armed with weaponry that could flatten a city block. Each one was a fortress on legs, practically indestructible.


    Wesker leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he soaked in the scene. The satisfaction in watching Alice, the thorn in his side for so long, finally brought to the edge of defeat made him almost giddy. Then, something unexpected happened.


    ¡°What is that?¡± The Red Queen¡¯s voice held an unusual note of surprise. Wesker¡¯s grin faltered. He had never heard the AI sound startled.


    His own eyes widened as he spotted a structure appearing on the screen, right in the middle of the desert. It shimmered, half-hidden by the heat waves rising from the sand, but there was no mistaking it. It was a building. One that hadn¡¯t been there moments ago. It literally appeared out of nowhere! ¡°Is that some kind of cloaking tech?¡± Wesker demanded.


    The Red Queen¡¯s holographic form flickered to life beside him, her childlike features unsettlingly blank. She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Even we have not reached that level of theorized advancements in scientific invisibility research.¡±


    Wesker¡¯s jaw clenched. He glanced back at the screen, where Alice had come to a stop. She was staring at the building, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. She looked as confused as he felt, but she wasn¡¯t one to waste time. Within seconds, she broke into a sprint and disappeared inside without a second¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°Command the titans to stop the army of undead,¡± Wesker snapped. The tension in the room thickened. He needed to know what this was, and he needed Alice alive¡ªat least for now.


    ¡°It is done,¡± the Red Queen said. On the screen, the sea of undead shuddered to a halt, the groans of the horde fading into silence. The titans adjusted their stances, forming a perimeter around the building. The air was thick with anticipation. There was no way out for Alice. The undead began to shuffle, encircling the structure like a grotesque, rotting wall.


    ¡°The sensors on our satellites indicate there are no secret elevators or tunnels underneath the building. Subject Alice is trapped,¡± the Red Queen said.


    Wesker allowed a short, humorless laugh. ¡°Unless that building can teleport,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Teleportation is impossible. The science required cannot be calculated, even for one such as I,¡± the Red Queen replied. There was a hint of smugness in her voice, one that made Wesker¡¯s fingers twitch. He¡¯d noticed the AI¡¯s tone becoming more self-assured lately, almost arrogant. It was unsettling, and he knew he¡¯d have to deal with it soon. He wasn¡¯t about to let some overly clever AI start thinking it was anything more than a tool. He¡¯d built Umbrella Corporation to rule. The world didn¡¯t need a self-aware Loli AI dreaming up ideas of its own.


    Wesker tapped his gloved fingers against the arm of his chair. His patience was running thin. After a couple of minutes with no movement, he started to consider ordering his undead army to storm the place. Maybe Alice finally realized she had nowhere left to run. Perhaps she¡¯d come out swinging, making a pathetic last stand against him, or, knowing her, maybe she¡¯d pull some insane new psychic trick right out of her ass.


    But Project Alice wasn¡¯t the first to step outside. No¡­ it wasn¡¯t even a person at all.


    Wesker leaned forward in his chair, his eyes narrowing. "Is that an actual skeleton?" he muttered to himself. No flesh, no muscle¡ªjust bone, fully animated and walking like it had every right to exist in the real world. It was big, too, wrapped in elaborate purple robes that made it look like some ancient mage from an old cartoon. And it wasn¡¯t alone.


    More figures emerged from the front door, each one more bizarre than the last. Wesker¡¯s mind tried to make sense of it, but it was impossible. "An elf? A nine-tailed fox?" His fingers curled tightly against his armrest. "And what the hell is that¡­ that ugly brown toad monster?" Each creature seemed even more ridiculous than the last.


    What the hell kind of restaurant was this?


    Wesker barely had time to process when the skeleton took a step forward. A shimmering magic circle appeared in mid-air in front of it. Wesker stared, feeling an uncomfortable twist in his gut. He was a man of science, a firm believer in evolution and progress. The T-virus was supposed to be humanity¡¯s next step, the pinnacle of evolution. Magic didn¡¯t exist, it was just fairy tale nonsense¡­ or was it?


    As he watched, the skeleton unleashed a wave of black fire that roared forward, swallowing his undead hordes. Hundreds¡ªno, thousands¡ªof the undead army were incinerated in an instant. Just gone, reduced to ash.


    Then the elf stepped up, casting her own spells, sending destructive energy blasts that tore through his creatures like paper. And before he could blink, the fox transformed, morphing into a massive, thirty-foot-tall golden beast. Its mouth opened, and it breathed blue fire over the undead, erasing even more of them in seconds.


    The Red Queen¡¯s voice chimed in, clinical and to the point. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be able to capture Project Alice.¡±


    Wesker¡¯s jaw clenched. Rage flared inside him. With a guttural growl, he brought his fist down on the Red Queen¡¯s holographic projector, smashing it into dust. ¡°Dammit!¡±


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Trampling over the undead in my massive nine-tailed form was always entertaining. There was something satisfying about feeling the ground tremble beneath my paws, especially when I was surrounded by friends taking part in the chaos.


    ¡°Hahahahah! This is fucking awesome!¡± Wrex bellowed, his deep voice echoing as he charged through the horde, his gun spraying bullets and tearing through everything in his path. Shepard was right there next to him, eyes sharp, movements precise as she picked off zombies with quick bursts from her rifle. I glanced over to see Alice in action, too. She had taken a minute to adjust to the futuristic gun Shepard had handed her, but once she got the hang of it, she was a damn good shot.


    Frieren was the real surprise, though. I knew she was powerful, but seeing her in action was another thing entirely. She moved with ease, her spells precise, obliterating waves of undead with a flick of her wrist. She might even have been as strong as Ainz, which was saying a lot.


    Speaking of Ainz, the skeletal overlord looked almost insulted as he raised an arm, eyes¡ªor rather, glowing red sockets¡ªfocused on the unresponsive horde. ¡°These aren¡¯t magical zombies at all. Reality Slash!¡± His voice boomed, and a hundred more undead crumbled into pieces, disintegrated by his powerful spell.


    A massive, hulking titan zombie stomped forward, wielding a giant chain sword that could have turned any of us into minced meat. The thing aimed right at Ainz, who didn¡¯t even flinch. He raised a bony arm and caught the blade mid-swing before casting, ¡°Hellflame!¡± at point-blank range. The titan screamed as it was engulfed, turning to ash within seconds.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± I asked, stomping over to where Ainz stood and smashing a titan wielding a rocket launcher into the cracked desert ground. The damn thing looked like it was trying to regenerate, but I doubted it could pull itself back together after being pancaked by me.


    Ainz let out an audible sigh. ¡°If these zombies were created with some kind of virus, we¡¯re going to have to quarantine after this to make sure we don¡¯t carry the pathogen back to our own worlds. I obviously can¡¯t catch it, but that doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t cling to my robes or something¡­¡±


    I could admit I hadn¡¯t exactly thought that far ahead. I made a mental note to grill Alice about it once we finished wiping out the horde, but if Ainz knew anything, it was his undead. That meant he was probably right.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal,¡± Ainz said, waving off my concern. ¡°I¡¯ll simply send a message to Lupusregina Beta. She¡¯s a level 70¡ªer, I mean, a powerful cleric who can cure pretty much any disease, magical or not.¡±


    ¡°That works for me!¡± I shouted back, unleashing another wave of blue foxfire. It tore through another line of zombies, lighting up the battlefield and leaving smoldering corpses in its wake. We were making progress, and the ground was finally clearing. But there were still more to crush, and I wasn¡¯t done yet!


    ¨C Alice ¨C


    The entire country had gone to hell. Technically, it was only half of the country at this point, but it didn¡¯t make things any better. From California to Missouri, everything had become an undead-infested wasteland. The east coast was rumored to be holding strong, with the army maintaining a fierce defensive line, but Alice wouldn¡¯t know. Rumor had it they weren¡¯t letting anyone through their barrier, infected or not. And Alice was definitely infected with the T-virus. It didn¡¯t turn her into a zombie like everyone else, for reasons she couldn¡¯t understand. She didn¡¯t know why she was different, and that bothered her almost as much as the infection itself.


    All she knew was that she used to work for Umbrella Corp, and they were the reason the country, maybe the entire world, was in this mess. Millions were dead, possibly billions if the virus had spread globally. The guilt ate at her, simmering under the surface every time she heard the moan of the undead or saw the endless emptiness of once-bustling towns.


    For months, Alice had been fighting Umbrella and their endless hordes of monsters. She wasn¡¯t always alone, she¡¯d had allies, people who¡¯d become like family in the middle of the nightmare. But a few weeks back, they got separated during a chaotic ambush. She hadn¡¯t seen them since. It made her feel hollow, but she didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that. Surviving came first.


    Alice was pretty sure she was in Nevada when her motorcycle decided to give up on her. It was old, beat to hell, and she suspected it had been sabotaged when she stopped for a brief rest the night before. She¡¯d barely had time to curse and kick at the thing when she heard them¡ªgroans and the shuffle of countless feet. An undead horde, drawn by some unseen force, moving toward her like they knew exactly where she was.


    Of course, they did. Umbrella wanted her captured or dead, whatever was more convenient. It was almost flattering, in a sick, twisted way. Alice had spent too many sleepless nights wondering why they were so desperate to get her back. There had to be a reason she hadn¡¯t succumbed to the T-virus like everyone else. Maybe they knew. Maybe they wanted to dissect her to find out.


    The thought sent a chill down her spine. She pushed it away and focused on the present. The desert heat was relentless, and sweat dripped down her face as she tightened her grip on the gun in her hand. She wasn¡¯t going down without a fight. Even if Nevada became her final stand, she would make sure it cost Umbrella more than they were willing to pay.


    Finding The Fox Hole, a random restaurant standing alone in the middle of the desert, had been surprising. Finding it filled with beings she¡¯d only ever heard about in myths and legends? That was shocking. But finding out these mythical beings were not only real but terrifyingly powerful, wiping out Umbrella¡¯s army of undead with ease¡ªthat was downright vindicating.


    Alice couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she took down zombies alongside Wrex, the large alien who¡¯d somehow become her newest battle buddy. He was roaring with excitement, mowing down every undead that crossed his path. She felt a surge of adrenaline, matching his energy as she fired shot after shot, barely pausing to catch her breath. The gun Shepard had handed her never seemed to run out of ammo, which was convenient as hell, although it did start to overheat every fifty shots or so. She¡¯d gotten used to the rhythm of it¡ªtake fifty shots, cool it down, then get right back to it.


    Alien weapons were incredible. She didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d survived this long without them.


    And speaking of aliens¡ªhow the hell did they exist, and why did nobody seem to know about it? Was it a government cover-up, or had everyone just been so busy with life before the apocalypse that no one cared? Alice had a million questions, and the one person who could probably answer them for her was off in the distance, tearing through the undead in his own way.


    That one person, Haru, was currently transformed into a thirty-foot golden fox with nine tails, breathing out waves of blue fire that scorched everything it touched. He was an absolute force of nature, cutting a path through the horde as if they were nothing more than pests¡­


    XXX

 Chapter 22: Macaroni and Skirts

    Chapter 22: Macaroni and Skirts


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Alice walked out of the bathroom, wearing a fluffy bathrobe that Rias had left behind and drying her hair with a towel.


    ¡°You feeling better?¡± I asked, though it was clear she was. She smelled a lot better too, but I didn¡¯t mention that. Zombie apocalypse dimensions weren¡¯t exactly known for their hygiene.


    Alice managed a small, awkward smile. ¡°Yeah, thanks. This is the first real shower I¡¯ve had in months. Ever since the outbreak of the T-virus¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about any of that for now. You¡¯re safe here.¡±


    It looked like my restaurant could no longer connect to that desert where my friends and I fought off the zombie army chasing Alice.


    I was learning that while The Fox Hole could appear just about anywhere, it could also vanish from places that were too dangerous. Viktoriya¡¯s sudden arrival when searching for Tanya had cut off access to her world too, which was probably for the best. We didn¡¯t want to deal with Being X unless Mob was around, and that kid was busy with middle school and his job with Reigen most of the time.


    ¡°Here, take these,¡± I said, pulling some clothes from the closet. Rias had left a few spares, and while they were school uniforms, they¡¯d have to do. Alice took them with a grateful nod and slipped back into the bathroom to change.


    A couple of minutes later, she walked out wearing the Kuoh Academy female uniform. It fit her well, maybe a bit too well, and the look on her face was a mix of confusion and embarrassment. She tugged at the hem of the skirt, clearly not used to the short length. ¡°Is this some kind of fetish thing?¡± she asked.


    I couldn''t help but laugh at that. ¡°That¡¯s the official uniform for one of my fianc¨¦e¡¯s schools.¡±


    She blinked at me, caught off guard. ¡°One of your fianc¨¦es?¡± The surprise in her voice made me chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more while we eat,¡± I promised, walking down the hall with her following me. I moved behind the counter and started washing my hands in the kitchen sink, while Alice took a seat at the bar.


    My mother, Yasaka, had been informed about everything that went down a few hours ago, and I was sure she¡¯d be here soon enough. The only reason she hadn¡¯t shown up already was because I¡¯d told her to hold off for a couple of hours so that Ainz¡¯s subordinate, Lupusregina Beta, could arrive and make sure none of us were carrying any dangerous pathogens.


    According to Alice, the T-virus only spread through bites, but Ainz was an overly cautious skeleton, and honestly, I couldn¡¯t blame him. The last thing we needed was some unforeseen outbreak spreading from world to world. Everyone else agreed with him, so we decided to play it safe. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thankfully, we didn¡¯t have to wait long. Lupusregina showed up not long after¡ªand she turned out to be a stunning redheaded werewolf. She wasted no time, casting a series of magical clerical spells that washed over the entire restaurant, and soon enough, she assured us that we were all free of any lingering diseases.


    Everything had gone smoothly after we wiped out the thousands of zombies. Alice had been on edge, convinced that Umbrella would send reinforcements to hunt her down, but as I¡¯d already noticed, my restaurant was no longer connected to that particular wasteland.


    The door to the restaurant swung open, and Yasaka walked in, looking as elegant as ever in a dark red kimono. Her golden eyes lit up, and her tails swished behind her as soon as she spotted me.


    ¡°You sent me a message saying your restaurant connected to a zombie world?¡± Yasaka asked curiously for confirmation.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, running a hand through my hair. ¡°It was pretty crazy there for a bit. I mean, Enri¡¯s world has plenty of undead too, but those are usually made from dark magic left over on battlefields. These were straight-up horror movie infected humans.¡±


    Her gaze shifted to Alice. ¡°I see my son has found another lovely young lady to grace his establishment,¡± Yasaka said, giving Alice a polite bow.


    Alice fumbled to return the gesture, looking more out of place than ever. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not really used to Japanese customs,¡± she said, her cheeks turning a light pink.


    Yasaka just waved her hand dismissively, a warm smile on her face. ¡°No need to apologize, dear.¡±


    Alice straightened up, giving me a look that said she was done with pleasantries. ¡°Can I finally get an explanation for what¡¯s going on here?¡± she asked, crossing her arms. ¡°I feel like you owe me that, especially after putting me in this ridiculously short skirt,¡± she added, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips.


    I felt my face heat up, and I stuttered out, ¡°That was the only outfit I had that would fit you! It¡¯s not like I planned it or anything.¡±


    Yasaka let out a soft laugh, the kind that always made me feel like a kid caught doing something silly. ¡°I like her fire,¡± she said approvingly, before giving me a playful glare. ¡°But you really should have explained everything to her about your strange restaurant by now.¡±


    ¡°My restaurant isn¡¯t strange,¡± I muttered.


    Yasaka shook her head, her expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. ¡°Son, I¡¯ve been around for hundreds of years, and I thought I¡¯d seen it all. But your restaurant is definitely the strangest thing I¡¯ve come across.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Alright, here goes,¡± I said, leaning on the bar. I explained everything to Alice¡ªthe nature of my restaurant, how it randomly connected to different dimensions, and that she was currently on an Earth without zombies or the Umbrella Corporation, as far as I knew. I wasn¡¯t completely sure about that last part because I never really paid attention to mundane corporations. Most of them in my world were just fronts for supernatural forces anyway.


    ¨C Yasaka ¨C


    The Fox Hole always had the most interesting customers, Yasaka thought as she took a seat next to Alice at the bar. The young redhead had a wary, restless energy about her, the kind of look that came from living on the edge for far too long. Yasaka decided to break the ice, asking about her life before she wound up here. Alice''s response was guarded but honest, she told Yasaka that she used to work for the Umbrella Corporation but made it clear she had no part in the research that unleashed the zombie outbreak on her Earth.


    Yasaka believed her. Not just because she could sense Alice''s sincerity, but because there was something deeper at play. Alice wasn¡¯t even a year old¡ªnot her soul, at least. The more Yasaka observed her, the more she wondered if Alice even knew she was a clone, potentially with fake memories. It was a heavy realization, and Yasaka decided now wasn¡¯t the time to bring it up. Instead, she offered her a kind smile and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay in Kyoto for as long as you like.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes softened for a moment before a determined look took over. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, but I don¡¯t want to live off someone else¡¯s kindness forever. I still want to take the fight to Umbrella and take back my Earth from the hordes of the dead!¡±


    Yasaka smirked. This one certainly had spirit. ¡°That¡¯s a very noble goal. I¡¯m sure you could find plenty of yokai willing to help. We¡¯re also allied with the Devils in the underworld, and I recently signed an agreement with the leader of a ninja village, someone named Tsunade. Her ninjas are always looking for work, and taking back your Earth could be quite lucrative for them.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Alice¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure our economy is ruined, and I don¡¯t have any way to pay...ninjas?¡±


    Yasaka shook her head, a knowing smile playing on her lips. ¡°You have to think outside the box. It¡¯s tragic that so many people have passed, but that also means your world¡¯s resources are up for grabs. Take Fort Knox, for example. If it¡¯s been overrun by zombies, then all that gold is just sitting there, waiting to be claimed.¡±


    Alice¡¯s expression shifted, a hint of hope creeping into her eyes. ¡°I guess that makes sense. Money hasn¡¯t really been a thought since everything fell apart¡­ well, half of it anyway. I think the East Coast might still be standing. Maybe.¡±


    Yasaka made a mental note to send scouts to check out Alice¡¯s world more thoroughly. The potential for new territory and resources was enticing. It was already bringing a wealth of opportunities to the Yokai faction. If Alice¡¯s world could be reclaimed, there was no telling what that could mean for their alliances and their influence.


    Yasaka took a deep breath through her nose. The smell of Haru cooking in the kitchen was always divine. Today, she could already tell he was making her favorite, katsudon, with its perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors. She also caught a whiff of something different and less refined¡ªmacaroni and cheese. The thought made Yasaka giggle softly.


    ¡°Americans and their weirdly unhealthy foods,¡± she muttered to herself, shaking her head in amusement.


    Alice¡¯s head perked up at the smell, her eyes bright with curiosity. ¡°What is that smell?¡± she asked, almost leaning over the bar to get a better look.


    Yasaka chuckled, watching Alice¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°You¡¯re in for a real treat,¡± she said. ¡°My son¡¯s cooking is the best in all of Japan. Even gods have dined here,¡± she added with a touch of pride.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Alice¡¯s voice trailed off as she focused on Haru. He was flipping multiple pans at once, moving with a practiced ease that spoke of years of skill and dedication. He glanced over his shoulder and caught Alice¡¯s eye, giving her a quick wink that made her scoff, turning her head away from him to hide the hint of a smile on her face.


    Yasaka watched them with a small smile of her own. She wondered how long it would be before Haru added another official girlfriend to his ever-growing list. How many was it currently? Three, maybe four, if she included that space-faring warrior woman. And they were all redheads, too. Yasaka wouldn¡¯t come out and say her son had a type, but¡­ he clearly did. Still, she¡¯d caught him looking at other women before, so maybe there was hope for someone different.


    The door to the restaurant opened behind them, and Yasaka turned to see Rias Gremory step inside, practically bouncing with excitement. Right behind her was her nephilim queen, Akeno Himejima. Yasaka liked Rias. For a Devil, she was kind and straightforward, unafraid to speak her mind. She did think Rias was a bit lazy, but according to Haru, the Devil heiress had been training with her brother at least twice a week to change that.


    ¡°Yasaka-sama!¡± Rias greeted with a cheerful wave. She then spotted Alice and tilted her head curiously. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°A new friend,¡± Yasaka replied with a smile. ¡°Alice, meet Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima. Rias is engaged to my son and you''re currently wearing her clothes,¡± the fox woman teased.


    Yasaka snickered at the look of embarrassment on Alice¡¯s face. The way the redhead squirmed slightly in her seat was priceless. Rias, on the other hand, leaned forward with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ¡°You look great in the Kuoh uniform!¡± she said to Alice. ¡°Don¡¯t you just love how short the skirt is?¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, what? Aren¡¯t Japanese schoolgirl uniforms supposed to go past the knees?¡±


    Rias nodded, still grinning. ¡°Normally, yes. But I wanted the authentic anime schoolgirl experience when I started going to Kuoh, so I had my parents buy the school and change the uniforms.¡±


    Alice¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Your parents bought an entire school just so you could change the skirt length?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡± Rias declared shamelessly. Akeno let out a few of her signature ¡°ufufufu¡± laughs, which only made Yasaka chuckle even more.


    Alice stared at the two girls, processing this new bit of information. After a moment, her brows furrowed slightly. ¡°So¡­ are you two even human?¡±


    Rias shook her head, her expression shifting to one of pride. ¡°Nope. Akeno and I are both Devils from the underworld.¡±


    Alice¡¯s lips parted in surprise, her eyes darting between them. ¡°So, you¡¯re Devils, but you¡¯re not like¡­ evil?¡± It was a fair question. Coming from a world devoid of supernatural beings, Alice¡¯s understanding of Devils was probably limited to horror stories and religious warnings.


    Rias laughed softly and shook her head. ¡°No, not evil. Well, at least not in the way you¡¯re probably thinking.¡±


    Akeno smirked, a glint of mischief in her eyes. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t let her fool you, Alice. Rias here is very evil,¡± Akeno teased. ¡°She¡¯s the kind of girl who will make you sit down to watch an anime, but then she¡¯ll spoil the entire plot before you even finish the first episode,¡± she said while resting her palm on her cheek.


    Rias gasped, pretending to be offended. ¡°Hey, I do not spoil the entire plot every time!¡±


    ¡°Ara, then how come I know how card captor sakura ends despite only watching a couple of episodes¡­?¡±


    Their playful banter was interrupted when Haru placed steaming plates of food in front of Yasaka and Alice. Both women immediately started digging in while Rias and Akeno watched on in hungry jealousy. They didn¡¯t have to suffer very long though before Haru started preparing their orders next.


    ¨C Ainz ¨C


    Ainz sat on his throne on the ninth floor of Nazarick, gazing down at the gathered floor guardians and the Pleiades maids assembled before him.


    Demiurge stepped forward and adjusted his glasses. ¡°Ainz-sama, would you mind telling us more about this mysterious restaurant that appeared on the first floor? And what about its owner?¡±


    Before Ainz could respond, Lupusregina Beta spoke up, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. ¡°I can answer that! The owner is a very handsome and strong nine-tailed fox named Haru. My inner wolf was practically whimpering delightedly when I saw him for the first time¡­¡± she said with a blush and a shiver.


    ¡°Hmph! I can¡¯t believe my sister is attracted to some miscreant from outside of Nazarick!¡± Narberal Gamma scoffed, her tone laced with disdain.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t the restaurant located on the first floor? Doesn¡¯t that make it a part of Nazarick?¡± Lupusregina replied, tilting her head in genuine curiosity.


    ¡°Is that how it works?¡± Shalltear asked, intrigued. ¡°Is this nine-tailed fox a part of Nazarick now, Ainz-sama?¡±


    Before Ainz could answer, Demiurge spoke again, his voice filled with admiration. ¡°Sasuga, Ainz-sama! You discovered such an amazing place so quickly after we found ourselves in this new world and already secured it for Nazarick.¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ right. That is exactly what I did,¡± Ainz said, nodding with an air of confidence he didn¡¯t quite feel. His subordinates erupted into a chorus of praises, their voices overlapping as they complimented his intelligence and foresight. Ainz shifted slightly on his throne, trying to maintain his composed demeanor.


    ¡°I can also vouch for the nine-tailed fox known as Haru,¡± Albedo said, stepping forward with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s true that he did not always belong to Nazarick, but his cooking skills are unmatched¡­ even by our own talented chefs. And I must admit, I thoroughly enjoy the parties he hosts, especially with Ainz-sama present at them!¡±


    Shalltear pouted, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°That¡¯s not fair, you gorilla! You already got to go to two parties! I want to go to the next one!¡±


    Albedo¡¯s eyes narrowed into a sly smirk. ¡°The Fox Hole is a classy establishment, Shalltear. It might not be suitable for someone like you.¡±


    Shalltear¡¯s eyes blazed with irritation. ¡°You mean vampires?¡± she spat, glaring at Albedo.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Albedo said coolly. ¡°I¡¯ve recently met a vampire named Serana, and her company is quite delightful. No, I meant shameless loli whores like you.¡±


    Ainz sighed as Shalltear shrieked and lunged at Albedo. The two women collided in a flurry of clawing hands and shrill insults. The other floor guardians quickly moved to separate them, chaos breaking out in the grand hall.


    As the commotion continued, Lupusregina slipped closer to the throne and looked up at Ainz with hopeful eyes. ¡°Ainz-sama, would it be alright if I visited the Fox Hole on my own once in a while¡­?¡±


    Ainz blinked, momentarily distracted from the brawl in front of him. He could feel the eyes of the other guardians who weren¡¯t involved in the fight shifting toward him, waiting for his response. He let out a quiet sigh, already resigning himself to the fact that this was just another day in Nazarick.


    ¡°Permission granted, Lupusregina.¡± he said. ¡°Just be mindful to not cause any problems, even with the humans who also frequent the restaurant¡­.¡±


    Her eyes lit up, and she gave a small bow. ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama! I promise to behave.¡±


    Ainz turned his attention back to Shalltear and Albedo, who were still rolling around on the floor, hurling crass insults at each other. It was a bizarre sight, seeing these two powerful NPCs come to life and, apparently, fighting over him. Ainz couldn¡¯t deny it made him feel something. As a former human who¡¯d never even held hands with a woman, the idea of being the center of attention for two beautiful, albeit dangerously unstable, women was thrilling. But, honestly, it was also terrifying¡­


    He¡¯d recently started learning transformation magic from one of Haru¡¯s cousins, but now he wondered if maybe he should slow down that training. Give himself a couple more weeks to properly prepare himself for¡­


    ¡°Get off me, you fucking ugly gorilla!¡±


    ¡°Stop biting me, you shitty lamprey!¡±


    Ainz had just left The Fox Hole, but he already found himself wanting to go back there to get away from all of this¡­


    XXX

 Chapter 23: White Wings and Weird Plants

    Chapter 23: White Wings and Weird Plants


    ¨C Gabriel ¨C


    Gabriel walked up to her brother''s throne at the pinnacle of Heaven, the place where the light was brightest and no shadows existed. It was a place that would be overwhelming for mortal eyes, but for angels, it was perfection. They thrived in the light, feeling its warmth fill every part of their being.


    ¡°Hello, eldest brother,¡± Gabriel said with a soft smile.


    Michael returned her smile, but there was a weariness in his eyes. He had just spent hours answering millions of backed-up prayers that flooded Heaven¡¯s system. Unlike their father, who had once effortlessly managed such tasks, it took a toll on Michael. No one really knew how much it wore him down, as the only Archangel with golden wings and the only one able to sit on Heaven¡¯s throne, Michael¡¯s true strength was a mystery even to his siblings. But seeing him so tired made Gabriel worry. She hesitated, not wanting to bring him more bad news, but they needed to stay informed. And maybe it wasn¡¯t bad news, just¡­ concerning.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Gabriel?¡± Michael asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say wrong,¡± Gabriel said, pausing for a moment before continuing. ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed reports that the Maous have officially allied with the yokai faction in Japan. And there¡¯s more¡ªthere are rumors of powerful, unknown beings showing up in Kyoto frequently.¡±


    Michael frowned, his brow furrowing as he spoke. ¡°They haven¡¯t done anything hostile, have they? It¡¯s not unusual for different factions and pantheons to hide their true power. But do we know why they¡¯ve allied with the Devils?¡±


    Gabriel tilted her head slightly. ¡°Did you not hear about it? Rias Gremory is engaged to Yasaka¡¯s son now. There was a duel in the Underworld for her hand between him and Riser Phenex. Let¡¯s just say Riser didn¡¯t put up much of a fight. Haru, Yasaka¡¯s son, is an ultimate-class yokai and made sure everyone knew it,¡± Gabriel said with a small smirk. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of old memories rush back¡ªmemories of the Great War and the Devils she had purged from existence. She pushed the thoughts away quickly. That wasn¡¯t who she was anymore. Heaven didn¡¯t need its sword now, it needed peace, and that was a role she gladly filled.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since I¡¯ve visited Kyoto,¡± Gabriel said, more to herself than to Michael. ¡°Do you think I should go, brother?¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± Michael said. ¡°If only to make sure nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Our world has reached a tentative peace, and we need to maintain that balance.¡± He leaned back into the throne and closed his eyes. Within seconds, he was asleep, his breathing deep and even.


    Gabriel¡¯s expression softened as she watched him, concern etched into her features. He was bearing the weight of Heaven alone, and it showed more with each passing day. With one last glance, she teleported away, reappearing on Earth, ready to visit Kyoto and see for herself what was brewing there.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I was chilling behind the counter, listening to the satisfying sizzle of bacon as it cooked in the pan. The aroma filled the restaurant, and I couldn¡¯t help but grin. Bacon had a way of making everything better, and my fox ears flicked at the sound of the fat popping. It was practically music to a chef¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I love BLTs¡­¡± Alice said, her eyes glued to the pan like it was the most beautiful thing she¡¯d ever seen. I chuckled when I noticed she was practically drooling. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had one.¡±


    ¡°You can eat whatever you want now,¡± I told her with a reassuring smile. She deserved this, a moment to enjoy something simple after all the chaos she¡¯d been through.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Enri chimed in from behind the counter, nodding along. She was here for another cooking lesson, learning while I prepped lunch for Alice. She watched intently as I worked, trying to memorize every step.


    Alice still hadn¡¯t figured out what she wanted to do until The Fox Hole connected back to her world. I¡¯d told her she could do whatever she wanted, and so far, she¡¯d been hanging around, unofficially acting as a guard. Not that I actually needed one, but I wasn¡¯t complaining. She was definitely nice to have around if only as eye candy, and yeah, I¡¯d noticed how the whole zombie apocalypse thing had kept her in incredible shape. Those toned legs and that shapely ass didn¡¯t come from sitting around, that was for sure¡­.


    I plated the steaming BLT, adding a side of chips before sliding it across the counter to Alice. She dug in immediately, making little noises of satisfaction with each bite that made Enri giggle. I smirked and went back to what I was doing, flipping a few more strips of bacon to show Enri.


    ¡°Why do you use different types of oils for different foods?¡± Enri asked, watching my movements like a hawk. Her honest curiosity always made these lessons more interesting.


    ¡°Good question,¡± I said, glancing at her. ¡°Different oils have different smoke points and flavors. Some, like olive oil, add richness, but it burns fast. Others, like vegetable oil, are neutral and can handle higher heat. It¡¯s all about what you¡¯re cooking and what you want the final dish to taste like.¡±


    Enri nodded, taking notes on a little pad that I''d gifted her. She was writing in a language I couldn''t understand at all of course. Seriously, what letter was [] supposed to be?


    I had noticed something interesting about my restaurant over the past few weeks. Everyone who came here spoke and understood each other''s native languages. I remember that not happening when we had only connected to a few dimensions. I wondered if the Goddess responsible for all of this had simply forgotten about that at first and later corrected it without saying anything.


    Bonk.


    A small scroll dropped onto my head out of nowhere. I reached up, chuckling as I grabbed it. Enri¡¯s eyes widened, her curiosity piqued as I unrolled the little piece of paper.


    ¡°I don''t make mistakes¡­¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The words were scrawled neatly on the scroll. I couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°Is the all-powerful goddess a bit of a tsundere?¡± I said, half-joking as I folded the scroll.


    Bonk.


    Another scroll landed right on top of my head. I didn¡¯t even bother unrolling it, I already knew it probably had some snarky response.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Alice asked, pausing mid-bite, her eyes flicking from the scrolls to me. ¡°They just popped up out of nowhere.¡±


    I leaned on the counter. ¡°These? They¡¯re from an extradimensional goddess. She¡¯s the reason my restaurant can connect to other dimensions. Never met her, though,¡± Haru added.


    Alice raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re telling me there¡¯s some all-powerful goddess out there, and she¡¯s the reason your restaurant is basically a magical travel hub? And she just... drops scrolls on your head?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± I said while shrugging. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering when I¡¯m going to meet her face-to-face.¡±


    A small slip of paper landed on the counter in front of me this time. I picked it up and read the single word written on it:


    ¡°Soon¡­¡±


    I raised my eyebrows and let out a small laugh. ¡°Well, I guess that answers that.¡±


    Alice shook her head as she muttered something about how nothing surprised her anymore. She was learning how to adapt quickly.


    Enri simply giggled and said ¡°she would like to meet this goddess and personally thank her for sending Lord Haru to save her village.¡±


    I placed the scrolls and the note in my pocket space. Yasaka would definitely want to look at them later. At the very least, she''d get a kick out of them.


    ¡­


    Lieutenant Alenko burst through the front door, looking like he¡¯d just seen hell itself. I raised an eyebrow, surprised. Alenko never showed up here willingly. I was pretty sure he hated me, especially since Shepard couldn¡¯t resist flirting with me every time she stopped by. The guy¡¯s unspoken feelings for her were as obvious as the sky was blue.


    ¡°Hey there, Lieutenant Alenko. You look flustered,¡± I said, leaning casually against the counter.


    The door slammed shut behind him as he walked in, a grimace on his face. Alice¡¯s hand instinctively reached for the space rifle she kept propped up against the counter, her eyes narrowing as she watched him.


    I waved her off. I doubted he was here to start anything with me.


    ¡°We need help,¡± Alenko said, sounding urgent. ¡°Shepard isn¡¯t responding to comms, and the Normandy is surrounded by these weird green zombie-plant creatures. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, the entire population of Feros suddenly went rabid and started shooting at us! It was like they were under mind control or something. We retreated back into the ship and were under quarantine¡­¡±


    Enri¡¯s eyes went wide with fear. I reached out and gently patted her head, giving her a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s always zombies,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°Alright, I''ll go out there and help.¡± I said. I made sure to ask Alenko who was with Shepard on her mission and who was still on the normandy. The lieutenant told me that she had taken everyone except for him and a new Asari crewmember they recently recruited named Liara. She still didn¡¯t know about Haru¡¯s restaurant¨Cthe door was located in the bottom of the ship which she had yet to visit.


    ¡°Am I interrupting something? I can sense a lot of tension in this room,¡± a woman said suddenly.


    My eyes widened. I hadn¡¯t sensed anyone coming into the restaurant, which was rare. Only a few beings could mask themselves that well. But there was no mistaking who stood before us now. She was someone everyone from my world knew: the messenger of Heaven, Lady Gabriel. Her father had given her the ability to bypass any barrier, locked door, or ward as long as her intentions were peaceful.


    ¡°Lady Gabriel. What a surprise,¡± I said, giving a small bow. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting a visit from one of the Archangels of Heaven. Is this an official visit between Heaven and the yokai faction?¡±


    ¡°Archangel?¡± Lieutenant Alenko exclaimed, turning to look at her. His eyes widened, and his face turned beet red. He started stuttering, which was a pretty typical reaction when most men were in Gabriel¡¯s presence.


    I was glad I wasn¡¯t one of those people who lost their composure. Years of being around my mother, Yasaka, who was said to be the second most beautiful woman in the world, had made me immune to that kind of awe.


    Mostly¡­


    Gabriel smiled warmly at everyone in the restaurant. Her eyes lingered on Alice for a moment. ¡°Are you aware that you are sick, my dear? It¡¯s a virus I¡¯ve never seen. Would you like me to purge your affliction?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Alice said, looking stunned. ¡°You can cure the T-virus?¡± She shook her head rapidly. ¡°Um¡­ no thank you. I want to be cured one day, but not before I get my revenge against Umbrella Corp.¡±


    Gabriel tilted her head and gave Alice a sad smile. ¡°I can sense the tremendous pain in you. I cannot condone your quest for revenge, but it is not my place to change your mind. Father bestowed free will upon all of mankind.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ right¡­¡± Alice muttered, still looking like she couldn¡¯t believe she was talking to the actual Gabriel.


    Gabriel turned back to me and said, ¡°I¡¯m just stopping by for a visit. It has been a while since I visited my friend Yasaka and her adorable children. You¡¯ve grown up so much, Haru-kun! And you¡¯re quite handsome now. I¡¯m glad.¡±


    I felt a small blush creep up my neck, which I tried to fight off. I knew Gabriel wasn¡¯t flirting¡ªit wasn¡¯t in her nature¡ªbut her words had this way of making you feel like the most special person in the world.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Gabriel,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you fulfilled your dream as well. This restaurant feels warm and homey, almost like a tiny slice of Heaven,¡± she added. She glanced at the door and then back at me. ¡°Am I keeping you from something? It looked like you were heading out.¡±


    I rubbed the back of my head, trying to keep my nerves in check. ¡°Yeah¡­ I need to check on a friend of mine on an alien planet and help fight off some green alien plant zombies.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes widened, and she tilted her head. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    Of course, she decided to follow along¡­


    ¡°This is an actual spaceship!¡± Gabriel said, looking around the bridge with wide eyes. The Normandy¡¯s crew members stared at her, their expressions ranging from shock to complete confusion. The highest-ranking officer stepped forward, his face a mix of annoyance and bewilderment.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Lieutenant Alenko? Why are you letting even more aliens aboard our ship while Commander Shepard isn¡¯t here?¡± XO Presley snapped, his eyes darting from me to Gabriel.


    Gabriel turned to him, calm as ever. ¡°Hello there. I am not an alien. My name is Gabriel, and I¡¯m an angel.¡± The moment she introduced herself with a warm smile, even Presley¡¯s stern demeanor faltered. His jaw dropped a little, and I could see the disbelief in his eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s the Archangel Gabriel, to be precise,¡± Alenko added, shifting nervously. I could tell he was still wrapping his head around the whole situation.


    Presley blinked a few times, looking like he was on the verge of passing out. ¡°I have absolutely no idea what¡¯s going on right now,¡± he muttered before stumbling over to an empty chair and collapsing into it, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache. He looked like he was having an existential crisis, so we left him alone as we moved toward the front of the ship.


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes darted around, taking in every detail with an expression of pure wonder. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that humans had advanced to the point where they already had starships. When did that happen?¡± she asked, turning to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said. ¡°The short version is that we¡¯re in a different dimension right now, one where it¡¯s hundreds of years in the future.¡±


    Gabriel nodded thoughtfully, putting a finger to her lip. ¡°I suppose that explains it.¡± And that was pretty much the end of her questions. She¡¯d been around longer than most beings in existence, and I had no doubt she¡¯d learned to just go with the flow at some point in her life.


    ¡°If you two are done talking, there are still a bunch of zombies and mind-controlled humans trying to tear their way into the Normandy,¡± Alenko reminded us. He pointed at one of the monitors, which displayed the security feed from outside the ship. The docking bay was swarming with grotesque plant-zombie hybrids and armed humans. They were doing their best to break into the ship, using makeshift tools and firearms.


    The hull was thick, and it would take a lot more than blunt force and low-caliber weapons to breach it. But we obviously weren''t going to sit around and wait for that to happen


    Before we could move out, Gabriel walked over to the pilot¡¯s seat. Joker spun his chair around, eyes widening as he took in the sight of her. ¡°Uh, hi,¡± he said, clearly at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m Joker. Best pilot in the entire galaxy.¡±


    Gabriel leaned in, studying him. ¡°Did you know that you¡¯re sick, Joker?¡±


    He stiffened, a defensive look crossing his face. ¡°Yeah, I know. Brittle bone disease. Had it my whole life. But it¡¯s never stopped me from being the best damn pilot out there!¡± he declared before his eyes suddenly widened, and he fumbled for an apology. ¡°Uh, sorry for s-swearing, ma¡¯am. Oh my god, I¡¯ve been an atheist my whole life¡­ Is this really happening right now? What kind of mission did I sign up for?¡±


    Gabriel giggled softly and touched a single fingertip to his forehead. ¡°Salvation is offered to all, Joker, whether they believe or not.¡±


    A flash of light filled the bridge, making Alenko and me turn our heads. When the light faded, I looked back at Joker. He was staring at his hands, patting himself down like he couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. He did look healthier. There was more color in his cheeks, and his frame seemed a bit sturdier, like he¡¯d gained some muscle in an instant.


    ¡°What¡­ what did you do?¡± Joker asked, his voice was trembling.


    Gabriel smiled. ¡°I healed you of your brittle bone disease.¡±


    Joker¡¯s mouth opened and closed a few times, and then a wide grin broke across his face. ¡°Holy shit.¡± He glanced at Gabriel, eyes full of disbelief and gratitude. ¡°Sorry again for the swearing, but¡­ holy shit!¡±


    ¡°Ashley is going to lose her mind that she missed out on this,¡± Alenko muttered before ushering the Archangel and myself towards the airlock.


    ¡°Now equalizing interior pressure with external atmosphere.¡±


    The second the door opened, we were greeted by a barrage of gunfire. Lieutenant Alenko¡¯s shields flickered, absorbing most of the hits, while I instinctively stepped in front of Lady Gabriel. I doubted she needed protection, but it was more of a reflex. The bullets stung as they ricocheted off my skin¡ªguns from this future world had a hell of a lot more power than the ones back home.


    A couple of those weird green zombies charged at me, their movements jerky and unnatural. I flicked my hand in their direction, sending a series of blue foxfire balls their way. They ignited on impact, flames roaring to life and turning them into ash as they screamed. Brutal, but necessary.


    Meanwhile, the mind-controlled humans kept firing. The gunfire didn¡¯t stop because, of course, guns in this universe seemed to have infinite ammo. It was starting to get on my nerves. I gritted my teeth and charged forward. Moving in a blur, I reached the first man and ripped the rifle from his hands, I then headbutted him hard enough to make him slump unconscious. I grabbed the pistol from a nearby woman and punched her across the jaw¡ªnot enough to break anything, but with just enough force to knock her out cold. One by one, I disarmed and knocked out each shooter in the spaceport, leaving them slumped on the ground.


    Once the chaos settled, Alenko stepped out, his eyes scanning the unconscious bodies. He started collecting their weapons in case the humans woke up again.


    Gabriel walked over to the first man I had taken down. She placed a gentle hand on his nose, and I watched as the broken bone healed under her touch. Then she put her finger to his temple and closed her eyes, her brow knitting slightly as she focused. ¡°Hmm,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°This man seems to be infected with spores I¡¯ve never seen before in all of Father¡¯s creation¡­¡±


    I asked Gabriel if she could purge the spores from the humans¡¯ bodies, and she just smiled at me and said, ¡°Of course.¡± One by one, she moved between the unconscious colonists in the spaceport, placing her fingers on their temples and closing her eyes as a gentle glow passed between her and each person.


    Alenko muttered that there were still a bunch of colonists at Zhu¡¯s Hope who needed help, but we¡¯d have to get to them next. Right now, I wanted to know more about where these spores came from. The thought of Shepard, Wrex, and the rest of their crew being infected gnawed at me. We needed answers, fast.


    We woke up the first man I had knocked out. He blinked, looking disoriented as he pushed himself to his feet. His eyes darted around before landing on me, and I saw the shock in his expression as he took in my fox ears and tails. Then he turned and saw Gabriel, her pristine white wings glowing faintly behind her. His jaw dropped.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± he mumbled.


    Before I could say anything, Alenko stepped forward. ¡°We¡¯re the ones asking questions here,¡± he said, crossing his arms. ¡°Every single person on this colony has been under some kind of mind control. What the hell is going on?¡±


    The man looked nervous, glancing at the pile of knocked-out colonists and the chaos surrounding us. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to talk about it. It¡¯s company secrets! I could lose my job.¡±


    ¡°Your job?¡± Alenko snapped, gesturing around at the shattered remains of the spaceport. ¡°Feros is done for. The Geth have destroyed almost everything, and now there¡¯s a zombie bio-weapon turning people into mindless puppets. No one¡¯s going to settle here again. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Council declares Feros off-limits after Commander Shepard makes her report.¡±


    The man¡¯s face fell, his shoulders slumping as he realized Alenko was right. ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯ve made your point,¡± he said bitterly. ¡°They called it the Thorian. I only saw it once, but it¡¯s some kind of giant plant creature. It can take control of people with its spores. The corporation here was studying its mind control properties to see if they could profit from them.¡±


    I exchanged a glance with Alenko, who looked just as pissed off as I felt. Studying a mind-controlling plant monster for profit? Of course, that was exactly the kind of greed that got people killed¡ªand worse.


    ¡°Where is this thing?¡± I asked, taking a step closer. The man swallowed hard.


    ¡°Underneath the colony. There¡¯s a hidden facility beneath Zhu¡¯s Hope. That¡¯s where they were keeping it contained,¡± he said.


    ¡°Not well enough,¡± Alenko muttered, already checking his gear.


    Gabriel touched the man¡¯s arm gently, and he visibly relaxed. ¡°You are free from its control now. Stay safe.¡±


    He nodded, eyes filled with gratitude and confusion as he sat down on the ground, trying to process everything.


    We made our way towards the center of Zhu¡¯s hope. Alenko still looked upset though before he spoke. ¡°We found the cause of the outbreak, but the commander is still missing. She headed down the nearest highway, an area that should be teaming with Geth and hasn''t replied back to any comm hails.¡±


    I was a bit worried about Shepard as well. She was a badass soldier with future tech and powers, but Alenko made it sound like she was up against an army of evil robots. Even with Wrex at her side, I still wanted to check on her. I made the offer to go after her.


    ¡°I would like to speak with this Thorian,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°I can sense it now that we are getting closer. It is an old soul¡­a very old soul. I would hate for such a being to need to be destroyed. Maybe I can come to peaceful terms with it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Alenko said to her while sending me a sudden bitter glare. ¡°Don¡¯t go acting like some big damn hero when you rescue Shepard! Don¡¯t forget that without me you wouldn¡¯t have even known she was in trouble.¡± And with that said, he stormed off.


    ¡°This day has certainly turned out far more interesting than I expected. We¡¯ll talk a lot when we meet up again later, Haru-kun!¡± Gabriel said cheerfully, giving me a small wave as she followed after the upset Alenko.


    Meanwhile I followed the directions I¡¯d been given. Wondering if I was about to have to fight my way through an army of robots?


    XXX

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24:


    ¨C Naruko ¨C


    Naruko¡¯s heart raced as she ran through the door of The Fox Hole. She needed Haru¡¯s help, and she needed it now.


    Gaara was in danger!


    If they didn¡¯t act fast, the Akatsuki would succeed in extracting his tailed beast, and Gaara might not survive that.


    Her eyes darted around the restaurant. To her disappointment, Haru wasn¡¯t there. Instead, Enri stood behind the counter, pouring drinks a bit nervously, while another woman with bright red hair leaned casually against the bar. Naruko¡¯s eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of the new redhead. Tight black jeans, a plain tank top, and a body and face that could kill. She was striking, and that made Naruko bristle with annoyance.


    ¡­Another potential love rival?


    The woman glanced at her with a raised eyebrow as Enri finished serving a mug of mead to Agnar, who sat next to Serana.


    ¡°You actually drink this?¡± the red-haired woman asked Serana, handing her a glass filled with blood.


    ¡°Indeed, I told you, I¡¯m a vampire,¡± Serana replied before taking a slow sip and flashing a smile with blood-stained lips. ¡°Mmm, that hits the spot.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the mead, Enri lass,¡± Agnar said, lifting his mug before taking a long drink. He turned back to the counter and frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s my friend Haru, and who¡¯s the new waitress?¡±


    Naruko stepped forward, her eyes on the unfamiliar woman. Agnar and Serana noticed her and nodded in greeting, while Enri gave her a warm smile.


    ¡°Hi, everyone. I¡¯m looking for Haru too,¡± Naruko said before turning her attention to the redhead. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Naruko¡­ Haru and I just started dating,¡± she said, making sure her words sounded like a challenge.


    Serana snickered, and Agnar let out a hearty laugh. ¡°Haru is truly a man among men!¡± he declared before getting a sharp smack on the back of the head from Serana, who glared at him.


    ¡°A third one?¡± the red-haired woman muttered, raising an eyebrow at Enri. ¡°I thought Haru said he only had two girlfriends.¡±


    Naruko pouted. ¡°We¡¯re not official yet¡­ we haven¡¯t even gone on a date. But we will!¡± she said with determination.


    ¡°Okay¡­?¡± The woman gave her a puzzled look. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re telling me all this. And I¡¯m Alice, by the way. I¡¯ve been helping out here since Haru and his friends saved me from¡­ well, a very unpleasant death.¡±


    Naruko¡¯s heart sank a little. Haru had saved her life? That was a bad sign. Every romance novel she¡¯d ever read made it clear that girls whose lives were saved by their hero always fell for them. She sighed and felt a wave of frustration. It wasn¡¯t fair. She hadn¡¯t even gotten her first date with Haru yet because Lady Tsunade kept her so busy. The second she saw Haru again, she was dragging him into the village for their date, no excuses.


    ¡°That sounds like an interesting tale,¡± Agnar said, holding up his mug. ¡°You should tell us.¡±


    Serana nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to hear it as well.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that!¡± Naruko blurted, remembering why she was here. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have time for that. One of my friends¡ªGaara¡ªhas been abducted by an evil terrorist organization that wants to conquer the world. I need help to save him.¡±


    Agnar¡¯s eyes lit up, and he jumped off his stool, the heavy black armor clanking as he moved. ¡°The call to adventure has come knocking, and the Dragonborn shall answer in place of my best friend, Haru! Do not worry, lass, I shall rescue your friend and slay these villains!¡±


    Naruko¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, then a smile broke across her face. ¡°You¡¯ll help? Thank you so much! Um¡­ it¡¯s pretty far away, though. Can you travel quickly with all that armor on?¡±


    Agnar smirked. ¡°Heh, I have the means to travel across Skyrim in a few hours. However far we need to go, it shall be no burden to me.¡± He turned to Serana. ¡°Do you want to come along on an adventure, my love?¡±


    Serana took another sip of her drink and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m good. You have fun, Agnar. You can tell me all about it when you get back...¡±


    ¡­


    Agnar walked alongside Naruko through the streets of the Hidden Leaf Village, taking in the sights with a curious eye. ¡°Your village is nice,¡± he said. ¡°I like how fresh the air is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because of all the Hashirama trees surrounding Konoha,¡± Naruko explained, glancing at him. She noticed how his ebony armor caught the sunlight, making him stand out even more than usual. The villagers¡¯ stares ranged from curious to wary, and she caught a few glares directed at her as well. It was something she was used to, though it still made her blood boil a little.


    They pushed on until they reached the front gates, where her team was waiting. Naruto was pacing anxiously, Sakura stood with her arms crossed, and Kakashi leaned against the gatepost, looking relaxed as usual, even with one eye peeking out from his book.


    Sakura¡¯s eyes lit up as she spotted them. ¡°Aww, you didn¡¯t bring Haru with you,¡± she said with a pout.


    Naruko clenched her fists, growling in irritation. Sakura and Ino were both still interested in Haru annoyingly.


    ¡°Haru wasn¡¯t there. This is Agnar¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, everyone!¡± Agnar interrupted, his voice booming. ¡°I am Agnar, Haru¡¯s best friend. I¡¯m here to kick some ass and take back your friend Gura from those foul, dastardly men!¡±


    ¡°It''s actually Gaara¡­¡± Naruto corrected quietly, but Agnar was already moving on to Kakashi, extending his hand.


    ¡°Are you the leader of this group? Well met!¡± Agnar declared.


    Naruko couldn¡¯t help but snicker as Kakashi muttered under his breath, something about Agnar being as loud as Guy-sensei. Kakashi looked up and gave Agnar a polite nod. ¡°Nice to meet you, too. Are you okay with traveling long distances in that armor? We need to move quickly.¡±


    Agnar let out a hearty laugh. ¡°Naruko asked me the same thing. But worry not, none of us shall tire ourselves running on foot. We shall ride my summon.¡±


    ¡°You have a summon?¡± Naruko¡¯s eyes widened. She didn¡¯t expect someone from another world to have a summoning technique.


    Agnar tilted his head back and shouted a name with a power that seemed to shake the very ground, ¡°DUR NEH VIIR!!!¡±


    The air felt like it was buzzing around them, and the sudden intensity made Naruko¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Naruto grumbled, looking around wildly.


    The answer came moments later as they heard the powerful flapping of massive wings. All eyes turned skyward as a dark shape descended, growing larger as it approached. When it landed with a powerful thud just outside the village gates, everyone gaped.


    ¡°Is that an actual dragon!?¡± Sakura shouted, her eyes wide in disbelief.


    The dragon was massive, with scales as dark as the night and eyes that glowed with a fierce intelligence. It lowered its head, acknowledging Agnar with a deep rumble.


    ¡°Aye, this is my companion, Dur-Neh-Viir,¡± Agnar said proudly. ¡°He will carry us to your friend.¡±


    Naruko¡¯s mouth hung open for a moment before she broke into a grin. ¡°This is going to be awesome!¡±


    Naruto, still staring at the dragon, muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is terrifying or the coolest thing ever.¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± Kakashi said, closing his book and sighing. ¡°Definitely both...¡±


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I suddenly had this gut feeling I was missing out on something awesome. But I didn¡¯t have time to think about it because a whole bunch of robots were trying to kill me.


    As I stepped out of Zhu¡¯s Hope, I got my first clear look at the Geth. Most of them looked like bipedal machines with two arms and legs, but there were also a couple of massive ones that were basically walking tanks. Bullets and large globs of plasma came flying in my direction the second they spotted me. These robots didn¡¯t even try talking, they just went straight to killing, and looking at Feros¡ªwhat was left of it¡ªtold me enough. This place was a wasteland now, an entire colony wiped off the map.


    I let the bullets bounce off me, stinging a little but nothing I couldn¡¯t handle. The plasma shots, though¡ªthat was another story. I dodged those whenever I could, watching one of the globs melt through a foot of steel on the rampart nearby. Those hits wouldn¡¯t just sting¡­ They¡¯d singe my beautiful fur!


    Ahead of me stretched a long, tattered highway, with no sign of Shepard. Just a bunch of Geth between me and finding her. I figured I had a long way to go, and it looked like I¡¯d have to tear through this whole army of robots to get there.


    Charging toward the closest Geth, I wanted to see how tough these clunky droids really were. The robot actually looked surprised, if that was even possible, as I appeared right in front of it in a blur of speed. I rammed my hand through its metal chest, tearing through circuits and wires before yanking my hand back. The Geth trooper collapsed, sparks flying everywhere.


    The rest of them didn¡¯t seem to like that. They opened fire, unloading everything they had. I smirked. This universe¡¯s technology really wasn¡¯t ready for anything like me.


    I darted across the highway, zigzagging between the Geth as I ripped them apart, one by one. The smaller ones went down fast, unable to keep up with my speed. The big white tank Geth tried to blast me with those plasma shots, but they were slow, and I dodged them easily.


    Once the smaller troopers were scrap metal on the ground, I turned to the three tanks that remained. To my surprise, they started backing away. So, they had a sense of self-preservation. But that wasn¡¯t going to help them today. Not after they¡¯d wiped out an entire city¡¯s worth of people.


    ¡°You¡¯re all pretty big,¡± I said with a smirk, eyeing their 15-foot frames as I took slow steps toward them. ¡°But you know what? I¡¯m bigger.¡±


    I leapt forward, shifting into my full yokai form mid-air. I towered over them as a 30-foot tall, golden, nine-tailed fox. I let out a snarl as I pounced, tearing the last of the Geth tanks apart with my claws. Bits of metal and circuitry flew everywhere, and within seconds, the remaining Geth were nothing but scraps scattered across the ruined highway.


    With them dealt with, I lifted my nose and took a deep breath, sniffing the air to try and pick up Shepard¡¯s scent. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t too hard to find. There weren¡¯t many humans left on this planet, and Shepard¡¯s scent stood out like a beacon.


    Digging my claws into the cracked cement, I took off down the highway, my massive form barreling through the ruins as I closed in on her location.


    ¨C Shepard ¨C


    ¡°You always take us to the best places, Shepard,¡± Wrex said happily, ducking under a hail of gunfire and sliding behind cover. He swung his shotgun around the corner and fired off a few blind shots. The sound of metal hitting metal and the crackle of circuits shorting out confirmed he¡¯d hit his targets. ¡°This is so much fun!¡±


    ¡°I fail to see how this is fun,¡± Tali muttered, fingers flying over her omni-tool as she tried to hack the door that was their only way out. The room they were in was small, practically a kill box, and Geth were pouring in from every direction, their glowing eyes cold and relentless.


    ¡°Less talky, more hackey, Tali!¡± Shepard shouted. ¡°Oh, shit, rocket!¡± She threw up a biotic barrier just in time, and the red glow shimmered in front of them as a massive Geth aimed and launched a rocket their way. The explosion hit the barrier and rocked the room, sending dust and debris flying everywhere. Shepard grit her teeth as she held the barrier in place. Her arms trembled, but it held firm.


    As soon as the blast dissipated, she dropped the barrier, and Garrus took his shot. The crack of his sniper rifle echoed as the Geth¡¯s head shattered, the robot collapsing in a heap of sparking metal. ¡°This is a mess,¡± Garrus said. ¡°Saren¡¯s been gone for weeks. We¡¯re chasing ghosts.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Shepard said, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. Every moment they spent here made her more anxious. They needed answers about the Thorian¡ªwhat it was and why it was so damn important to Saren. This building, which was on the verge of falling apart, held those answers. And it was not proving easy! She¡¯d almost died at least three times today, which wasn¡¯t her all-time record, but it was getting close.


    ¡°Eat shit, Geth!¡± Wrex shouted. His shotgun had overheated, so he tossed it aside and tackled one of the larger Geth, smashing it into the ground with his fists. The thing crumpled under his strength, wires and metal shards scattering. No human could¡¯ve done that. The Geth looked like they¡¯d been pulled from some cheap, old Earth movie, but they were built tougher than they looked.


    ¡°I got it!¡± Tali shouted, the door hissing as it unlocked and slid open.


    ¡°About damn time,¡± Ashley muttered, leaning against the wall and pressing her hand to a bleeding wound in her stomach. She was tough, Shepard had to give her that. Stomach wounds were some of the worst, and Ashley wasn¡¯t even flinching. Just grimacing, eyes sharp and focused.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move, people!¡± Shepard ran over and looped her arm around Ashley, helping her to her feet. They didn¡¯t have the luxury of slowing down. They pushed through the open doorway, blasting Geth that tried to block their path. Every floor seemed packed with more of the damn machines, but they fought their way up, step by step, room by room.


    ¡°Tali, how close are we?¡± Shepard called out as she reloaded her pistol.


    Tali glanced at her omni-tool. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there. The main server room should be just down the hall.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Shepard said. ¡°We get the info, then we¡¯re out of this death trap.¡±


    The whole building shook violently, the floor rattling under Shepard¡¯s boots as pieces of the ceiling started crashing down. Garrus ducked instinctively as debris narrowly missed him. ¡°Oh shit! That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Shepard yelled, fighting to keep her balance.


    ¡°The Geth dropship is firing on the building!¡± Tali shouted, eyes wide in panic as she glanced at her omni-tool.


    The rumbling grew worse, and then an explosion tore through the wall, sending everyone flying. Shepard hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. She gasped for air, coughing as dust filled her lungs. She glanced to her side and saw Ashley sprawled out, the patch on her stomach wound bleeding again.


    ¡°Motherf¡ª¡± Shepard scrambled to her feet and rushed to Ashley, quickly applying more medi-gel to the wound. It was a temporary fix, but it would have to do until they made it back to the Normandy.


    ¡°These damn Geth are trying to kill us the cowardly way,¡± Wrex said, snarling as he pushed himself up and looked out the gaping hole in the wall.


    Shepard followed his gaze. A massive Geth dropship hovered outside, its weapons pointed right at them, glowing with an ominous blue light. Her heart clenched. This was it. They were out of options. The old saying about your life flashing before your eyes didn¡¯t happen for her. All she felt was regret¡ªregret that she was going to fail this mission, that she was going to get her team killed here on this desolate, lifeless planet.


    She also regretted never dragging Haru into her bed the first time she¡¯d met him. Dammit.


    ¡°Roooooaaaaarrr!¡± A deep, earth-shaking roar filled the air. Shepard¡¯s eyes shot up in surprise.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Garrus shouted, scrambling to his feet.


    ¡°Ha! Hell yeah!¡± Wrex¡¯s eyes lit up as he pointed out the window. A massive, golden, nine-tailed fox appeared between the building and the dropship, a sight straight out of Earth¡¯s myths. It was Haru, his enormous form surrounded by flickers of blue flame that kept him floating mid-air.


    ¡°The ship¡¯s firing again!¡± Tali screamed as the dropship¡¯s weapons powered up.


    A second ago that would have been the end of them, but now Shepherd knew they were going to be fine.


    Haru¡¯s nine tails whipped forward, intercepting the plasma shots with a series of loud, fiery impacts. He let out a couple of sharp yips of pain, the ends of his tails getting singed, but he didn¡¯t falter. With another roar, he ran forward, using the very air beneath him as a platform.


    ¡°Hell yeah! Tear it apart, barkeep!¡± Wrex shouted as Haru leapt onto the dropship, claws and teeth ripping into the hull like it was made of paper. Metal shrieked and sparks flew as he carved out a massive hole and shoved his head inside. Blue fire erupted from his mouth, filling the interior of the ship. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shepard¡¯s heart thudded in her chest as she watched the dropship begin to tilt and then spiral downwards. It crashed fifty floors below with an earth-shaking boom, a plume of fire and debris exploding into the sky. The shockwave sent a gust of wind up to them, rattling the building even more.


    Haru, still in his massive fox form, turned back and trotted over the air to them. His voice had a rougher edge to it as he spoke in this form. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡±


    Shepard nodded but gestured to Ashley. ¡°She¡¯s hurt badly. She needs medical attention, fast. Can you get us to our Mako?¡±


    Haru shook his large head. ¡°Pretty sure I saw it get blown up before I got here.¡±


    Damn it. That Mako had been a gift to the Normandy from the Alliance, and replacing it was going to be a nightmare.


    ¡°I got the data, Shepard!¡± Tali said, holding up her omni-tool triumphantly.


    Mission accomplished, at least.


    Haru¡¯s tails shifted, one of them reaching out and carefully wrapping around Ashley to lift her onto his back. ¡°All of you, hop on. I¡¯ll take you back to Zhu¡¯s Hope.¡±


    One by one, they leapt out of the hole in the wall, landing on Haru¡¯s soft, golden fur. Shepard took one last look at the burning wreckage of the Geth dropship before settling in. Haru¡¯s massive form began to move, running through the sky as if it were solid ground, carrying them back toward the Normandy.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Gabriel and Alenko were waiting for us when we made it back to Zhu¡¯s Hope, along with a couple of other Normandy soldiers I vaguely recognized. I lowered myself to the ground and everyone slid off my back, but I was extra careful with Ashley. She¡¯d lost a lot of blood, and I could sense just how close to death she was.


    I transformed back into my humanoid form immediately and called out to Gabriel. She rushed over to Ashley¡¯s side without hesitation, her expression turning serious.


    Shepard stared at Gabriel, clearly taken aback. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± she trailed off, looking like she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the Archangel Gabriel,¡± I said. ¡°She decided to drop by today.¡± I grinned. ¡°Oh, and she healed Joker, by the way.¡±


    Shepard just blinked at me, her mouth slightly open. ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    Gabriel didn¡¯t waste time. She placed a gentle hand on Ashley¡¯s wound, and a golden light enveloped her. Within seconds, Ashley¡¯s eyes shot open, and she started patting her stomach, as if trying to find the injury that had been there.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­?¡± Ashley murmured, sounding shocked.


    ¡°You are now,¡± Gabriel said, giving her a warm smile. Ashley¡¯s eyes widened as she took in Gabriel¡¯s twelve white wings. I remembered Ashley mentioning she was pretty religious once, so seeing an actual Archangel must¡¯ve been something else for her. I cleared my throat and quickly introduced Ashley and Gabriel. Ashley was still basically speechless, but Gabriel just chuckled and told her, ¡°It¡¯s always a joy to meet someone with so much faith.¡± Gabriel then turned to me and explained that she had found the Thorian and ¡°purified¡± it. ¡°It was too hostile to allow it to continue existing,¡± she said. ¡°I hope it finds peace in whatever afterlife it may reach.¡±


    In other words, she¡¯d smited the giant, mind-controlling plant. Kind of wish I¡¯d seen that.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Shepard muttered. ¡°The Thorian¡¯s gone? So how are we supposed to find out what Saren was after?¡±


    Gabriel gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°I found a young woman there, freed from the Thorian¡¯s control. She said she¡¯d been connected to the plant¡¯s mind and had access to much of its knowledge. She¡¯s unconscious now, but she should awaken soon and will likely have the answers you need.¡±


    Shepard exhaled, relieved. ¡°Good. Mission accomplished, then.¡± She turned to me, giving me a grateful look. ¡°Thanks for coming to save us, Haru.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡± I glanced at Alenko and added, ¡°He¡¯s the one who came to get me, actually.¡± I wasn¡¯t about to hog all the credit. Alenko gave me a grin, looking pleased¡ªthough it faded quickly as Shepard stepped forward and grabbed my hand.


    Then she gave me that look¡ªthe one I¡¯d seen plenty of times before. The one that meant there was only one thing on her mind. ¡°We¡¯ve got a couple hours to kill, and I¡¯ve got a lot of stress to work off,¡± she said to me. Before I could even respond, she started dragging me toward the Normandy. There was no mistaking where she was headed¡ªstraight for her captain¡¯s quarters. As we left, Shepard glanced back at everyone and shouted, ¡°If anyone needs us... DON¡¯T!¡± She laughed, and I could still see the dumbfounded looks on everyone¡¯s faces as we disappeared into the ship.


    XXX

 chapter 25

    Chapter 25:


    ¨C Shepard ¨C


    Shepard held Haru¡¯s hand firmly as she led him back to the Normandy. The colony was quiet, but the eerie kind of quiet that followed after a battle. As they moved through the settlement of Zhu''s Hope, Shepard¡¯s eyes caught the aftermath of what had transpired while she was gone.


    Corpses of green, plant-like monsters were strewn across the dirt, their twisted forms still oozing some kind of sickly sap. Shepard wrinkled her nose. She hadn¡¯t seen these things when they first landed on Feros. Whatever they were, they looked like the kind of trouble she was glad to have missed.


    Then there were the unconscious colonists scattered around. Many of them had bruises on their heads, as if someone had knocked them out cold. Shepard raised an eyebrow and shot a glance at Haru, who was trailing just behind her. His face had a sheepish look that made it obvious he was the cause of all that.


    Shepard thought about pressing him for details, but ultimately decided against it. She¡¯d just spent hours dealing with Geth across the highway, dodging sniper fire and taking down waves of enemies. The last thing she needed was another headache, even if it came with an explanation. Besides, she had other priorities now. She was too pent-up to care about whatever nonsense Haru had been up to before coming to save her team.


    As they reached the Normandy¡¯s airlock, the familiar hiss of the doors opening welcomed them back aboard. Shepard led the way inside, her boots clanking on the polished metal floor. She glanced toward the cockpit and was immediately taken aback!


    Joker, the ship¡¯s pilot, was standing. Actually standing on his two feet.


    He was leaning casually against a console, chatting animatedly with other crew members. When he noticed her, his grin widened. ¡°Commander! It¡¯s a miracle! I can walk! I¡¯ve been cured!¡± he called out.


    Shepard blinked, momentarily stunned. Of all the things she expected to see today, this wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Joker,¡± she said sincerely. ¡°Make sure to properly thank the Archangel when she comes back.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Joker¡¯s voice was brimming with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. She didn''t think she''d ever seen the guy so happy before.


    Shepard nodded and continued down the hallway with Haru. The crew¡¯s reactions were impossible to miss. They weren¡¯t subtle about the curious and knowing glances they threw her way as she dragged Haru toward the elevator. Shepard didn¡¯t care. She was an N7. She¡¯d endured years of grueling combat and more hellish scenarios than she could count. If her crew wanted to gossip, let them. And if they were jealous, well, that was their problem.


    The elevator doors slid shut with a soft hiss, and began its ascent to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Shepard wasted no time. The moment the elevator started moving, she turned to Haru and leaned up, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. She¡¯d wanted this since the moment she met him, and she wasn¡¯t about to wait any longer!


    Shepard let out a moan into Haru''s mouth as she felt his hands reach down and squeeze her ass over her space suit. She broke the kiss and gave him a sly grin.


    The elevator finally arrived at the captain''s quarters and Shepard dragged Haru into her bedroom. She found his nine tails happily swaying behind him to be adorable. "Someone''s excited," she said to him.


    "Of course I am, you''re gorgeous and amazing, Shepard," Haru replied.


    Shepard blushed at that and actually found herself fiddling with a strand of her red hair. "You can call me Jane...since we''re about to have sex after all," she added with a wink.


    Haru smirked at her playfully. "Is that why you dragged me up here? I thought you just wanted to have me cook you a private meal." He gestured to her small private kitchen nearby.


    "I want that too," Jane replied with a small pout. "But after the sex, of course."


    Jane started stripping out of her space armor. The black plates clattered on the floor and soon all she was left in was her form fitting black bodysuit.


    Haru began to undress as well. Jane licked her lips when she saw his toned chest and cut abs. He winked at her as he then lowered his pants. Jane could immediately feel herself getting wetter. His cock sprang free and it was even bigger than she had been imagining. Her thighs clenched together in anticipation.


    When was the last time she had been properly fucked?


    She couldn''t even remember. She quickly unzipped her body suit and let it fall to the floor at her feet. Alliance suits were custom designed to also double as underwear so she had nothing underneath.


    Her naked body was completely exposed. Jane''s pink nipples were already rock hard on her chest. She glanced down at the bit of hair between her legs, embarrassed that she hadn''t shaved in a couple days but Haru didn''t seem to mind as his eyes raked up and down her body. She could see his cock twitching in anticipation.


    Normally Jane would want to start with foreplay or something, but they were both already very horny and she really just wanted to get fucked after that last mission went FUBAR.


    She turned around and placed her hands on the side of her bed. Her feet were on the floor as she stuck her ass and pussy out at Haru. She swayed her hips side to side enticingly. "Fuck me, Haru. I want that big cock inside me!" she told him enthusiastically.


    She grinned when she felt his strong hands on her waist. And then her pussy lips were slowly being spread open by his large cock! She bit her lip and gasped. A shudder of pleasure was already going through her from just the anticipation. She was so incredibly horny.


    Haru hissed behind her. "Your pussy is so tight!"


    "Damn right it is," Jane said smugly as his cock continued to push into her slowly.


    Jane moaned when she felt it finally fill her completely. Her hands tightly gripped the covers on her bed as she took a deep breath to get used to his size. If this was the only cock she''d be getting fucked by for the rest of her life she''d be a very happy woman.


    "The captain''s quarters is soundproof, Haru," Jane told him in a few breaths. "I want you to fuck me hard!"


    "Wow..." she heard Haru say behind her and she giggled. A second later she was moaning as she felt him pull his hips back before thrusting forwards hard and fast.


    "Fuck yes!" Jane squealed as his strong hips clapped against her firm ass. The pleasure already had her toes curling on the floor.


    Haru groaned behind her in pleasure. She could feel his hands tightening around her waist.


    "So good!" Shepard gasped.


    The bedroom was filled with the sounds of flesh clapping against flesh along with both of their heavy breathing.


    Jane felt one of Haru''s hands leave her waist before settling on her ass. A grin spread on her face as she knew what was coming next.


    Slap!


    "Kyaah!" Jane squealed as Haru spanked her. He definitely left a mark with that one!


    "Holy shit you really tightened up there," Haru chuckled and spanked her other cheek next.


    His thrusts continued as Jane felt some tears form in her eyes from the pleasure. It was so good, the best sex of her life by far. Jane threw her head back and let out a loud moan. She could feel pleasure building deep in her core and increasing with every thrust. Haru started breathing harder behind her as well. His cock was twitching more and more as it scraped against her inner walls.


    "I''m going to cum, Jane," Haru declared, his voice strained. He started getting even bigger inside of her, stretching her impossibly further.


    Jane''s eyes widened at the sensation. She started thrusting her hips back against him as he moved, his big cock battering her g-spot expertly.


    "Fucking cum inside me!" Jane moaned shamelessly, too far gone to care about the consequences. She could take a pill later from the doctor. She didn''t care!


    Haru growled behind her as he started humping her erratically, chasing his release. Jane saw stars as she felt her pussy clench tightly around his cock.


    "Oh fuck yes!" Jane cried out as a powerful orgasm washed over her. A wave of intense pleasure shuddered across her skin and traveled all over her body. Her legs were literally trembling and she was barely holding herself up as she felt Haru start to spurt inside of her. That only added to her pleasure as she was filled with his warmth.


    "That feels so good¡­" Haru sighed in pleasure behind her as he gave her a big load. Jane giggled in agreement, her pussy was still milking his cock for every last drop.


    When he finally pulled out of her, she slumped forward onto her bed. Her legs finally went limp as she lay down on her stomach. She could feel large globs of his seed spilling out of her and running down her thighs onto the floor. Thankfully alliance ships used cleaning robots instead of people or that would be awkward to explain.


    The bed shifted as Haru laid down next to her. She could feel him lay a few kisses on her bare skin. "That was awesome, Jane," he said with a few deep breaths to catch his breath.


    "Fuck yeah it was," Jane said as she turned on her side to face him, a satisfied smile on her face. "But we''re not done yet. Give me a few minutes to catch my breath before we start round two..."


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I was thrusting inside Jane, her hands gripping my shoulders tightly as her legs wrapped snugly around my waist. We both let out deep moans of pleasure as I spilled my seed inside her for the fourth time that night. Jane''s face glistened with sweat, her fiery red hair matted against her forehead. She stared up at me with a look of complete satisfaction and adoration.


    "Haru, I''m done...I can''t go on anymore," she panted breathlessly. I chuckled and leaned down, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.


    "That was amazing," I murmured against her mouth.


    "It sure was," Jane agreed with a smirk. Suddenly, both our stomachs let out a loud growl. We burst out laughing at the same time.


    "Still want me to cook for you, Jane?" I asked.


    "Fuck yes I do," Jane replied without hesitation. I laughed and carefully pulled my still-hard cock out of her. Jane winced slightly at the loss of fullness.


    Rising from the bed, I strode naked over to Jane''s tiny kitchen area. The captain''s quarters on her spaceship were cramped - the entire living space was contained in one room. I opened the pantry and frowned. It was completely empty. Apparently Jane had been too busy to go shopping recently.


    Thankfully, I always kept some emergency food supplies in my magic inventory space. I pulled out some raw bacon and eggs. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, nothing beats a hearty breakfast after multiple satisfying rounds of sex.


    I placed a pan on the electric stove to warm it up.


    I heard Jane get up off the bed behind me. She nuzzled her face into my back, wrapping her arms around my waist in a tender embrace. My nine fox tails instinctively wrapped themselves protectively around her form as well.


    We simply stood there for a long moment, content in each other''s arms as I started to cook up our meal. Jane''s naked breasts pressed against my back, and I felt myself getting hard again at the sensation. She had that effect on me.


    "Keep holding me like this and I might be tempted to take you again right here in the kitchen," I teased.


    Jane let out a breathy laugh. "Promises, promises," she purred playfully. I grinned, giving her a squeeze before reluctantly releasing her so I could tend to the food.


    ¡­


    Shepard and I left her quarters after we ate and took a shower together. It had been a good couple of hours, and I felt more relaxed than I had in days.


    The elevator ride back down to the bridge was painfully slow. I didn¡¯t mind, though. Shepard leaned her head on my shoulder, and her fingers intertwined with mine. When the elevator stopped, she let out a small sigh and reluctantly pulled her hand away. ¡°Can¡¯t let the crew see me being all lovey-dovey twice in one day,¡± she said. Her lips curved into a sly smile before the doors opened.


    As we stepped out, a couple of crew members glanced our way. Some of them smirked. Others exchanged knowing looks. I wasn¡¯t surprised. Shepard wasn¡¯t exactly subtle earlier when she dragged me aboard.


    We made our way toward XO Presley, who stood near the navigation console, reviewing some reports. I noticed how he stiffened slightly when he saw me walking beside her. I¡¯d seen that look before. The guy was pro-human through and through, and he wasn¡¯t shy about making it obvious.


    ¡°Status report,¡± Shepard said as she crossed her arms. The authoritative tone was back.


    Presley nodded at her curtly. ¡°Everything is going more smoothly on Feros now. Most of the Geth have been wiped out, and the Thorian is¡­well, it¡¯s dead. No more mind controlled colonists trying to break into the ship.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear,¡± Shepard said. ¡°Anything else I need to know about the Thorian?¡±


    Presley shifted on his feet. ¡°You might want to ask the¡­Angel. She¡¯s the one who had the most contact with it. Or you could ask the other alien who brought her here.¡± I caught the way he glared at me from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± Shepard asked, giving Presly a small glare of her own for the way he was looking at me.


    He openly backed down. ¡°...She already returned to the storage bay,¡± Presley said. ¡°Where the door to¡­his restaurant is,¡± he said begrudgingly.


    I turned to Shepard. ¡°I should probably head back too. Gabriel¡¯s been stuck here for hours, and I feel bad leaving her on an alien world while we¡­got distracted.¡±


    Shepard¡¯s lips quirked up into a small smile. ¡°You¡¯re a good guy, Haru.¡± She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek before I could respond. ¡°I¡¯ve got to interrogate the Asari commando Gabriel rescued. I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡±


    ¡­


    When I stepped into my restaurant, the familiar warmth of the place immediately put me at ease. I glanced around and spotted Yasaka and Gabriel sitting together in a booth near the back. Enri was behind the counter, wiping it down with a cloth. She looked up and waved at me with a cheerful smile. I didn¡¯t see Alice anywhere, but I figured she was probably fine.


    I made my way over to Yasaka and Gabriel. Yasaka¡¯s golden eyes flicked up to meet mine, and she tilted her nose slightly, sniffing the air. Her lips curved into a knowing grin, and her tails swayed behind her. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Haru,¡± she said, her grin widening. ¡°Did you really abandon poor Gabriel-chan just to go and have sex¡­?¡±


    I felt my face heat up immediately. ¡°That¡­¡± I started, but there wasn¡¯t much point in denying it. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much what happened,¡± I admitted.


    Gabriel didn¡¯t seem bothered. The blonde Archangel turned her innocent blue eyes toward me, tilting her head slightly. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to be a daddy soon?¡± she asked innocently.


    ¡°I hope not,¡± I blurted out without thinking.


    Yasaka burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking as she leaned back in her seat. ¡°Gabriel, you¡¯re always such a riot,¡± she said, still chuckling. ¡°Honestly, Haru, you should¡¯ve been here to tell her about your restaurant yourself, but since you were busy, I handled it.¡±


    Gabriel nodded. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing,¡± she said. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll find other worlds with other angels. Or maybe¡­other worlds with Him.¡±


    I knew exactly who she meant. The Big G himself. Personally, I was of the opinion that he wasn¡¯t actually dead. If you asked me, he was probably faking it to teach his angel children some kind of lesson or something else just as convoluted. But I wasn¡¯t about to voice that opinion out loud.


    ¡°We did find a very powerful evil spirit recently,¡± I said instead. ¡°It was claiming to be God. If you want to know more about that, you should talk to Kunou¡¯s friend, Tanya.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s wings bristled slightly at my words. Her serene expression darkened, and for a moment, there was a frown on her flawless face. ¡°How blasphemous,¡± she said. ¡°I would smite such a being if I ever encountered it!¡±


    The air started to vibrate a bit as a golden aura surrounded Gabriel. Yasaka and I exchanged a quick nervous glance. Gabriel¡¯s presence was completely different when she got upset. Her divine aura was almost suffocating. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t last long. She quickly pulled her aura back in and offered a small, apologetic smile.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to alarm you two.¡±


    ¡°No offense taken,¡± I said. If anything, I¡¯d be glad if she took care of that spirit one day. Tanya¡¯s second world would definitely benefit from a bit more peace.


    ¡°Now that the heavy talks are out of the way,¡± Yasaka said, looking to me. ¡°Gabriel still hasn¡¯t tried some of your divine cooking, Haru. Isn''t that a shame?¡±


    I mock-gasped. ¡°That¡¯s a travesty!¡± I declared. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a meal fit for a being of your status right away, Lady Gabriel!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s okay. I don¡¯t really need to eat food,¡± Gabriel pointed out. ¡°I never saw the point of it¡­¡±


    This time, my gasp was genuine. ¡°Now, that¡¯s blasphemy,¡± I said. ¡°As a chef, I can¡¯t allow such a thing to stand. You¡¯re about to see the point of food, Gabriel! I¡¯ll turn you into a foodie, or I¡¯ll die trying!¡±


    Well, maybe not that dramatic, but still¡­


    I headed for the kitchen, already planning what to make. If Gabriel thought food was pointless, I¡¯d show her just how wrong she was!


    I settled behind the counter next to Enri. ¡°Welcome back, Lord Haru!¡±


    I patted her on the head. ¡°I''m back, Enri. Did anything happen while I was gone?¡±


    XXX

 chapter 26

    Chapter 26: Lots of Guests


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I don''t know if I succeeded in turning Gabriel into a foodie, but she was happily enjoying a bowl of Angel Hair spaghetti across from Yasaka. I worried a bit about her getting sauce stains on her pristine white Toga, but that worry proved unnecessary as nothing messy seemed to be able to stick to her or her clothes.


    I stood behind the counter in the kitchen, sharpening one of my favorite knives while Enri told me what happened while I was gone.


    ¡°Naruko came in,¡± Enri said, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron. ¡°She was¡­ really upset. She said her friend Gaara had been taken by a group called the Akatsuki. She asked for help, and Agnar¡­ he went with her.¡±


    I set down the knife and looked at her. ¡°Agnar went with Naruko? That¡¯s¡­ interesting.¡± The Dragonborn vs a bunch of terrorist ninjas. I wondered how that was going to work out. Probably not well for them when Agnar started using the Voice. There really wasn''t any way to defend against that unless you could also use the Voice. I wanted to know what being hit with it felt like, and Agnar used a shout called FUS ROH DAH on me exactly one time.


    Never again¡­ I ended up getting sent flying over 50 feet and crashing into a stack of hay.


    Enri nodded quickly. ¡°He said something about never turning down an adventure.¡± She paused, glancing down at the counter. ¡°And then Rias showed up¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? What did she want?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She¡­ she dragged Alice away. She said they were going to have something called a ¡®spa day.¡¯ Alice didn¡¯t look like she had a choice and was dragged along by Rias,¡± Enri said. ¡°She offered to take me too, but I didn¡¯t want to leave The Fox Hole empty.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°A spa day, right after living through a zombie apocalypse.¡± Maybe that was exactly what Alice needed in her life. I said thanks to Enri for sticking around but next time I would have been fine with her going. The restaurant was warded to prevent anyone from stealing anything even if the place was empty.


    Enri smiled faintly but didn¡¯t say anything.


    I leaned on the counter, thinking it over. I wondered if I should go after Naruko and Aganr and help them? But, I did just get back from an adventure and couldn''t keep running out of my restaurant at every opportunity. I figured they¡¯d be fine¡­


    The door to the restaurant opened, and the scent of a werewolf hit me. It wasn¡¯t Aela, though. This scent was different. I turned toward the entrance just as Lupusregina Beta walked. She wasn¡¯t someone I was expecting to see so soon, especially not without Ainz with her. She had a playful smile on her face as she glanced around the restaurant.


    ¡°Hey there, everybody,¡± Lupusregina said. Her eyes landed on Gabriel, who was sitting with Yasaka at one of the tables. She stiffened slightly but kept moving toward the counter. ¡°Hello again, Haru-kun.¡± That¡¯s a really powerful angel over there,¡± Lupusregina said, stopping in front of me. There was a hint of unease in her posture as she pointed toward Gabriel.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Lupusregina Beta,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°And don¡¯t worry. Gabriel is very nice. She probably won''t smite you for being a werewolf,¡± I said playfully.


    ¡°You can just call me Regina,¡± she replied. ¡°I know my name¡¯s a mouthful. And I¡¯d be grateful if she didn¡¯t.¡±


    Gabriel gave us a small wave, but pretty much went back to talking with Yasaka about business between the Yokai and Heaven. Our territory had really been flourishing lately because of my restaurant.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I said to regina. ¡°Are you here for some food?¡±


    Regina nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Mhmm. And I came to get to know you better, Haru-kun! Lord Ainz said I could visit whenever I want to! Isn¡¯t that great!?¡±


    ¡°It sure is¡­¡± I said wistfully.


    ¡­I was having a lot of girls practically throwing themselves at me lately. I kind of wanted them to slow down a bit which is why I didn''t immediately jump into a relationship with Naruko.


    As for Shepard and I? I wasn''t entirely sure what we could be classified as at this point. We were past friends with benefits since she made it clear she only wanted to sleep with me from now on, but she¡¯d didn''t go outright declaring me her boyfriend either. Was that term even still used in the future?


    Regina¡¯s grin turned mischievous. She leaned forward slightly and sniffed the air. ¡°...You smell like another woman Haru-kun. Did you just have sex?¡±


    I coughed, completely caught off guard. She could smell that too!? I took a shower on the Normandy. Did I need to take another one!?


    Enri¡¯s expression darkened as she glared at Regina. ¡°That¡¯s not an appropriate question!¡±


    Regina smirked at her. ¡°Relax, village girl. I was just teasing.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Enri pouted and turned her head. She walked back over to Yasaka and Gabriel to refill their cups of tea.


    I was left alone with Regina. She grinned at me, showing off her sharp teeth, and asked what kind of meats I had on the menu?


    ¡°Anything but human,¡± I said, giving her a flat look.


    She pouted in response. ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten a human¡­ I don¡¯t think,¡± she said. ¡°My memories from Yggdrasil are a bit foggy¡­¡±


    That caught my attention. Ainz rarely talked about Yggdrasil, so I couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°What do you remember about it?¡± I asked.


    Regina shook her head. ¡°Not much. I never left the Great Tomb of Nazarick until we ended up in the new world. One thing I do remember, though, is that groups of strong people used to try to storm the tomb all the time to kill Lord Ainz and the other Supreme Beings.¡±


    She paused for a moment, her expression softening. ¡°Ainz is the last one left, which is why we¡¯re all so protective of him.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I didn¡¯t pry after that. The memory seemed like a sensitive topic. I couldn¡¯t blame her for being protective. I¡¯d seen Albedo beat the hell out of anyone who even hinted at insulting Ainz. She practically cleared half the dance floor at my last party when someone got too drunk and said the wrong thing.


    Good times¡­


    I slapped a few filet mignons onto a large cast iron pan, and the sizzling sound immediately caught Regina¡¯s attention. Her mouth opened slightly as she stared at the meat, and I swear she was salivating.


    ¡°Fresh meat¡­ it smells so good,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah, it does.¡± My tails swayed happily behind me. Foxes were predators too. Meat was the best. I grabbed a couple of extra steaks and decided to make some for myself while I was at it.


    I made sure to keep the steaks well basted with butter as I seared the sides. The aroma filled the kitchen, rich and savory, and I sprinkled a little garlic, salt, and pepper over the sizzling meat. I was keeping things simple but tasty. Once both sides of the steaks were perfectly seared, I took them off the pan and stuck them into the oven to finish cooking.


    ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t know there were so many steps to cooking steak,¡± Regina said, watching me closely.


    ¡°It depends on the steak,¡± I told her while setting a small timer. ¡°You¡¯ve got to treat good meat with respect if you want the best flavor. Rushing it just ruins the whole thing.¡±


    ¡­


    The timer dinged, and I pulled the steaks out of the oven. The smell was mouthwatering, and Regina¡¯s eyes widened as I plated the first one. I sliced into it to check the doneness¡ªa perfect medium rare. I plated hers and then started on mine.


    ¡°Alright, tell me what you think,¡± I said, sliding her plate across the counter.


    She didn¡¯t wait. She grabbed a fork and knife and cut into the steak. The first bite went into her mouth, and she froze for a second before her expression melted into pure delight. ¡°This¡­ this is amazing,¡± she said. ¡°How is this so good?¡±


    ¡°I told you. Respect the meat,¡± I said with a grin, taking a bite of my own steak. I had to admit, it turned out pretty damn good. We ate in comfortable silence for a while, the only sound being the occasional clink of silverware.


    While the two of us were eating, Yasaka and Gabriel slipped out, but they were soon quickly replaced by two more people, and a dog.


    ¡°Hey Haru! It''s been a while!¡± Harry said as he walked inside the restaurant. He was accompanied by a shabby dressed wizard along with a large black dog. I would almost have thought the dog was a Yokai in disguise but I sensed no Youki from the animal. It was definitely magical though. There was an intelligence in its eyes, and it actually had more magical power than the poorly dressed wizard nearby.


    ¡°Ah, poopoo. Our date got interrupted.¡± Regina said playfully. ¡°I was enjoying it being just you and me,¡± she sounded sincere when she told me that.


    I was surprised I had made such a big impression on her the first time I met her. She wasn¡¯t even in The Fox Hole very long when she was purging it of any potential diseases after we fought off the Umbrella zombie army.


    ¡°I¡¯m still here!¡± Enri huffed, but Regina simply stuck her tongue out playfully at my waitress. Regina clearly had the type of personality that likes teasing people and even I had to admit that Enri¡¯s reactions were too cute.


    I shook my head at their antics before turning to Harry and his guests. ¡°Welcome to The Fox Hole. How¡¯s school been, Harry?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been pretty good since I won the first task, but I¡¯m just waiting for something to happen at this point.¡± Harry shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s how my luck always goes.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I said before turning my attention to Harry''s guests.


    ¡°It''s¡­ nice to meet you.¡± The shabby man said, but it felt like he didn¡¯t really mean it. ¡°I¡¯m Remus Lupin. and I was a friend of Harry¡¯s father. I''m also a member of the Order of the Phoenix along with Sirius here¡­¡± he pointed at the dog that barked at me.


    ¡°The Order of the Flaming Chicken?¡± I asked playfully and Harry chuckled.


    The dog standing next to Remus and Harry suddenly turned into an actual person!


    I couldn¡¯t help myself. I clapped my hands because that transformation was flawless. He might not have been a Yokai, but even they would have been impressed by it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the Order of the Flaming Chicken,¡± the man said, scolding me. ¡°The Order of the Phoenix is a prestigious organization headed by the great Albus Dumbledore to battle all the evil in our world.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­?¡± I said in confusion. ¡°But isn¡¯t that the old man who tried to steal all of Harry¡¯s money and mind-controlled him for years?¡±


    Harry glared toward Sirius. ¡°I thought we said you weren¡¯t going to cause a scene if I agreed to take you both here,¡± Harry said, crossing his arms.


    Sirius shook his head. ¡°We just wanted to look out for you, pup.¡±


    ¡°This place clearly hasn¡¯t been good for you, Harry,¡± Remus added. ¡°You¡¯ve been insulting your professors, tossing around forbidden lightning magic, and even consorting with vampires and other dark creatures! You know they¡¯re monsters, they''re not to be trusted!¡±


    I could see Regina stiffen at that. A low growl escaped her throat as she stepped forward, her amber eyes locked on Remus. ¡°That¡¯s rich, especially coming from a fellow werewolf,¡± she said. She closed the distance between them and poked him in the chest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a monster, huh!?¡±


    Remus opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the door to the restaurant opened again.


    ¡°Yes, what is wrong with being a monster?¡± Serana walked in. Her piercing eyes scanned the room. She nodded at Harry. ¡°Hello, my apprentice,¡± she greeted him before fixing her glare on the two men. ¡°Harry has talked about you two,¡± Serana said. ¡°He said you were both great men, but I certainly don¡¯t see it¡­¡±


    Sirius bristled at that comment. ¡°And who the bloody hell are you supposed to be?¡±


    ¡°Serana,¡± she said simply. ¡°A vampire, yes. And someone who¡¯s taught Harry more than you two ever have.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Remus said. ¡°I taught Harry the Patronus charm!¡±


    ¡°And¡­?¡± Serana asked. ¡°Is that it? Because I taught him far more than one single spell that only works on a handful of your dimension¡¯s dark creatures.¡±


    ¡°It can also be used to send messages,¡± Remus grumbled.


    ¡°It can?¡± Harry asked. ¡°Why didn''t you tell me that? I could have been sending messages to Hermione!¡± he said to Remus.


    ¡°Heh, the boy learns that the Patronus can send messages and immediately starts thinking about his girl. Just like his old man used to¡­¡± Sirius said fondly before shaking his head and glaring at Serana. ¡°Listen here you, I don¡¯t want a vampire hanging around my godson any longer. I¡¯ve been gone a couple months, but Dumbledore filled me in on everything I missed!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± Remus added.


    From what I knew of the situation, I was pretty sure neither of them had been told even a shred of the truth when it came to Harry. The boy looked pretty upset to hear them both say that¡¯s why they came back to visit him. At Dumbledore¡¯s orders.


    ¡°I''m kind of confused, Haru,¡± Regina told me honestly. She was new to the restaurant after all. I chuckled and told her I¡¯d fill her in about all this later. She gave Remus one last threatening glare before walking back over to the counter to finish her steak. ¡°Fake ass werewolf. I bet he even still needs the full moon to transform¡­¡± she grumbled to herself.


    I watched as Sirius and Remus kept arguing with Serana. They were completely ignoring the fact that Harry¡¯s magical skills now outclassed most of the wizarding world¡ªespecially in combat. It was like they were determined to discredit her no matter what. At some point, Sirius lost it and yelled something I couldn¡¯t believe.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re just trying to seduce Harry for the gold in his vault!¡± Sirius shouted.


    ¡°What?!¡± Harry shrieked. His face went red, but I couldn¡¯t tell if it was from embarrassment or rage. Probably both.


    Sirius was lucky Agnar was still off in the ninja world. If he had been here, Sirius would¡¯ve been in for a world of pain. Actually, considering the look on Serana¡¯s face, he still might be. She scowled and held up one of her hands. A bone-chilling cold spread across the room as frost began to form on the table nearest to her. Was she about to hit Sirius with an expert-level ice spell?


    Sirius and Remus both had their wands aimed at Serana, looking ready to duel.


    ¡°Please stop, Mistress. They''re not worth it,¡± Harry said as he stepped in between the three of them. ¡°I¡¯m really disappointed in you both. I told you what Dumbledore did to me. I sent you both letters,¡± he said to Remus and Sirius.


    Remus shook his head at Harry. ¡°We know you did, Harry. But we know the truth. You clearly don''t know what you''re talking about. Dumbledore is a good man. He¡¯d never use mind magic on you or try to do anything like stealing your gold.¡±


    Harry scoffed at that. ¡°I don''t even care about the gold anymore. All the gold in my vault is fake! All the gold in everyone¡¯s vaults is fake! I¡¯ve been slowly emptying my vaults and converting it to Muggle currency so the goblins don¡¯t realize I¡¯m onto their scam.¡±


    ¡°¡°What!?¡±¡± Sirius and Remus said at the same time. Their faces went pale.


    I spoke up while nodding. ¡°It¡¯s true. I had multiple Yokai test those goblin coins, and all of them proved galleons are fake gold. The wizarding world¡¯s gold has all been stolen by those little shits from under your noses.¡±


    Serana crossed her arms and snorted. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for trusting disgusting creatures like goblins. In Skyrim, we kill them all on sight for a reason¡­¡±


    Regina nodded. ¡°Goblins might be fellow monsters, but they¡¯re the lowest form of monsters. They¡¯d never be allowed to set foot in Nazarick! I thought you were dumb before, being a werewolf and all, but you actually gave all your money to goblins? No wonder you look so poor!¡± She smirked at Remus while giggling at his misfortune.


    I was pretty sure Remus¡¯s borderline homeless look had more to do with other factors, but honestly, I wasn¡¯t about to correct Regina. I didn¡¯t feel like defending a guy who stormed into my restaurant, didn¡¯t order anything, and immediately started acting like a dick.


    ¡°Now you''re all filling the pup''s head with even more lies!¡± Sirius exclaimed and started waving his wand around. ¡°Harry is no longer coming back here ever again, and if any of you try to stop me, I''ll show you why the black family was so feared!¡± He started threatening all of us and tried to reach out and grab Harry.


    Remus did the same, pointing his own stick at Serana and Regina.


    I scoffed. Wizards and their sticks. I was just about to summon some foxfire, but it looked like there was no need.


    ¡°Sparks!¡± Harry shouted and a small burst of lightning shot out of his right and left hands. Sirius and Remus both collapsed on the ground and started convulsing as Harry filled their bodies with electricity. He kept shocking them until they passed out on the floor. ¡°...Sorry about them¡­¡± Harry said to me and everyone else. ¡°I thought they were visiting to congratulate me for killing a dragon but it looks like Dumbledore sunk his old claws into them as well¡­¡±


    Serana shook her head at Harry as she reached down and picked up both wands. She snapped them like twigs between her fingers. ¡°Don''t apologize for the actions of others, my apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Wow, your restaurant is fun Haru-kun!¡± Regina chuckled. ¡°We got dinner and a show! If that kid wasn''t a human I bet he''d be good friends with my sister Narberal Gamma. She loves throwing around lightning magic too!¡±


    I simply hummed in response to Regina as I watched Harry cast a wandless levitation spell. He started moving Remus and Sirius¡¯s unconscious bodies toward an empty booth. Hopefully, they¡¯d be more reasonable when they woke up. If not, I¡¯d just ban them from The Fox Hole. I didn¡¯t want to do that unless I had to, though. They were Harry¡¯s only family, even if they were¡­ very gullible and stupid.


    The door to the restaurant opened, and I looked up to see Councilor Tevos saunter in. She looked tired, more so than usual. I was surprised to see her because she almost never came in around dinner time.


    ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± the councilor said as she made her way to an empty booth. She gave the two unconscious men no more than a passing glance before sitting down.


    I smiled at the blue-skinned woman, and Enri hurried over to take her order.


    ¡°I should probably head back now,¡± Regina said with a small pout. ¡°I can come by again, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can, Regina. Say hi to Ainz for me,¡± I replied.


    Regina headed for the door but jumped back when it was violently thrown open. A group of three men dressed in what I could only describe as medieval clothing strode in, grinning.


    ¡°Oi! Some crazy bloke really did open a new pub outside of Winterfell without telling Lord Bolton,¡± the first man said. He was covered in dirt and looked like he hadn¡¯t bathed in months.


    I didn¡¯t discriminate against people from different dimensions, but even Enri, who used to live in the middle of nowhere, made an effort to bathe every day. Now, she just used my shower, of course.


    ¡°Lookie here, boys! Look at the set of tits on this wench!¡± the second man said, pointing at Regina. She glared at him in disgust, but that didn¡¯t stop him from stepping forward and trying to blatantly grope her!


    Crack!


    He screamed a second later when Regina grabbed his wrist and snapped it like a twig.


    ¡°She broke me wrist!¡±


    ¡°Damn you, wench!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you gentlemen left,¡± I said, the hair on my tails bristling in anger. ¡°Your kind isn¡¯t welcome here.¡±


    One of the men finally took a good look around the restaurant. His eyes landed on me behind the counter and then darted to Councilor Tevos, who was watching the scene with mild curiosity.


    ¡°Oi! This place is full of magic demons! We need to get out of here!¡±


    ¡°We need to tell Lord Bolton ¡®bout this!¡±


    The three of them scrambled out of my restaurant like frightened rats, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. I had no doubt a hassle was coming my way soon enough¡­


    Regina growled under her breath. ¡°Those humans were lucky I didn¡¯t rip them to pieces for their disrespect. I just didn¡¯t want to get your restaurant dirty with their blood.¡± She let out one last huff before storming out of The Fox Hole.


    I was thankful for her restraint. Blood is a bitch to scrub out of hardwood floors, even with magic.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Councilor Tevos asked. ¡°Those humans were very rude.¡±


    ¡°Some men are simply pigs,¡± Serana said. She would know, considering how many bandits she¡¯d probably killed in her long lifetime.


    Councilor Tevos nodded. ¡°I¡¯m glad my entire race is female.¡±


    XXX

 chapter 27

    Chapter 27: This Place is Cold¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood at the stove, flipping Serana¡¯s favorite blood sausages in a sizzling pan. Beside me, a pot of alien stew simmered gently. It was an Asari dish I¡¯d recently learned to make, specifically for Councilor Tevos. The recipe called for an alien version of chicken that, according to Tevos, all Asari loved. The rich aroma filled the kitchen, blending the earthy scent of the blood sausages.


    Serana leaned against the counter, watching me work. ¡°So, how long do you think it¡¯ll be before those rude men come back with more of their friends to try and kill all the ¡®magic demons¡¯?¡± she asked while smirking at me.


    I glanced at her and shrugged. ¡°Hopefully never, because damn did they stink, but knowing our luck, it¡¯s probably just a matter of time before they storm back in here.¡± I said while checking the sausages again, making sure they didn¡¯t overcook.


    Councilor Tevos had moved from her booth and was now sitting at the counter. There was a slight frown on her face. ¡°Should I call C-Sec and have them come over?¡± she asked, looking genuinely concerned.


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine. Those three looked like they came from a very low-tech dimension. Judging by their clothes and attitudes, they¡¯re probably from a place where magic is hated or feared.¡±


    Tevos huffed. ¡°Why is it that every single dimension except my own seems to get actual magic?¡± She sounded almost jealous.


    I grinned as I stirred the stew. ¡°I mean¡­ biotics is pretty much just magic in space.¡±


    Tevos narrowed her eyes at me, giving me a stink eye that would have made a lesser man sweat. Instead, I just sent her a playful wink that made her pretty blue cheeks turn a bit purple¡­


    I chuckled and focused on finishing the dishes. The smell of the stew grew richer as I added the final touches, and Serana leaned closer, her eyes locked hungrily on the blood sausages cooking in the pan.


    I placed the blood sausages on a plate and set it in front of Serana. She immediately started digging in, barely giving me a glance as she focused on her meal. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her enthusiasm. After a moment, I grabbed a bowl and scooped some of the alien stew into it, the rich aroma wafting through the air. I carefully placed it in front of Councilor Tevos.


    The Asari picked up a spoon, scooped up some of the stew, and took a sip. She froze mid-motion, her eyes widening in shock. ¡°How is this even possible?¡± she asked. ¡°This is better than my own mother used to make!¡±


    I chuckled at her reaction. ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. It¡¯s my first time making it. Maybe it¡¯s the Earth spices I added. They seem to bring out the alien flavors more.¡±


    Tevos nodded eagerly as she took another spoonful. ¡°Whatever it is, you¡¯ve perfected it. If you ever visit Thessia, I¡¯m dragging you to my family¡¯s house to show them how it¡¯s done.¡±


    I grinned but didn¡¯t reply. My attention drifted across the restaurant to where Harry sat with Sirius and Remus. Both men had woken up after being shocked unconscious and were now pouting like children. They sulked about losing their wands while Harry sat across from them, lecturing them. Harry¡¯s voice carried across the room as he recounted Dumbledore¡¯s schemes, explaining how the old man had manipulated him his entire life. Whenever Sirius or Remus tried to argue or defend the old wizard, Harry would glare at them, and sparks of electricity would dance across his fingers. The sight made both men gulp and fall silent, forcing them to continue listening.


    Serana glanced up from her blood sausages, watching the scene with mild amusement. ¡°My apprentice is learning to stand up for himself. I¡¯m so proud,¡± she said. She finished her plate and leaned back slightly. ¡°Now, if only I could get my other apprentice to stop spending so much time on her schooling. Schooling she¡¯s probably never going to use in her lifetime...¡±


    I snorted in agreement. ¡°Yeah, Harry¡¯s dimension never really made sense to me. What¡¯s the point of having magic if most of the population ends up with desk jobs and paperwork for the rest of their lives?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she just needs a proper apprenticeship,¡± Tevos said, slurping her soup slowly. ¡°Most Asari children finish schooling by sixty years old and then spend the next forty to fifty years apprenticing in their career fields until they become proper adults and can start working on their own.¡±


    Tevos¡¯s statement made both me and Serana choke.


    ¡°Forty to fifty years?¡± I muttered in disbelief. As a former human in my last life, that amount of time was absurd. Even Serana, who had centuries of experience as a vampire, looked shocked.


    Tevos raised a blue eyebrow. ¡°What? That¡¯s completely normal for Asari. You need that much time to master a field properly¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess so¡­?¡± I said while shaking my head.


    The door to the restaurant swung open, and I looked up from behind the counter, half expecting some angry men to storm in. Instead, it was Amy-chan. She was wearing a proper kimono, her hair neatly done, and even her makeup looked flawless. It was rare to see her look so put together. She gave me a small glare before walking over to the counter and sitting down next to Serana and Councilor Tevos.


    ¡°Hello, Goddess Amaterasu. It¡¯s lovely to see you again,¡± Tevos said politely.


    Amy-chan bowed her head in response and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again as well, Councilor Tevos. How¡¯s space?¡±


    Tevos hesitated. ¡°Space is fine¡­?¡±


    Amy-chan nodded before turning to me with a pout. ¡°You know, before you started this restaurant, I could just laze in my room all day playing games and watching anime! Now people are actually expecting me to attend meetings and stuff because Japan has been getting so many foreign visitors who keep asking us questions about the rising Yokai faction! I had three separate meetings today alone with other annoying factions that actually thought they could get me to spill your secrets for free! Dumb assholes,¡± she grumbled.


    I scratched one of my fox ears. I hadn¡¯t realized how much Amy-chan had been helping out. ¡°Sorry about that, Amy-chan. How about I make you whatever you want, on the house?¡±


    Serana chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t all your food on the house nowadays?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I made a ton of gold selling all those dragon bones and scales. Enough to run this place for around a year, but it¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±


    Amy-chan leaned forward, her pout disappearing. ¡°Alright then, I demand your finest bowl of ramen!¡± she declared proudly.


    ¨C Sansa Stark ¨C


    Sansa Stark thought she was done crying. After everything that had happened, all the death, all the destruction of her family, she felt like she had no tears left to shed. Yet, as she sat on the edge of her bed in Winterfell, tears slipped down her cheeks. Her entire family legacy was in near ruins. As far as she knew, she was the last living Stark besides her brother Jon, who was on the Wall. But she hadn¡¯t heard from Jon in years.


    She had returned to Winterfell after escaping King¡¯s Landing, only to find that her brother Robb, the King in the North, had been butchered along with his bride and their unborn child. Her mother, Catelyn Stark, had been left alive but was shipped back to Winterfell as a captive by the treacherous Freys. They used her as a pawn to keep the remnants of the Tully family from rallying the Riverlands to attack the Twins. Winterfell was now ruled by the Boltons. Well, one Bolton. Lord Bolton had been killed by his insane bastard son, Ramsay, who now ruled the entirety of the North.


    Sansa had tears in her eyes as her mother gently rubbed her back, trying to console her for what was going to happen later that night.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Sansa,¡± Catelyn told her gently.


    Sansa knew it wasn¡¯t going to be okay. Later that night, she was to be wed to Ramsay Bolton. She was going to be married to a monster¡ªpossibly even worse than Joffrey. She didn¡¯t think that was even possible!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry him, Mother! I¡¯d rather die and join the rest of our family!¡± Sansa said, her voice shaking with anger and despair.


    Catelyn gasped and grabbed Sansa¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that! You¡¯re the last of the Starks, my sweetling. If you die, all hope is truly lost for the North and for our people.¡±


    Sansa pulled her hands away, her tears falling freely now. ¡°Then what am I supposed to do? Let Ramsay marry me and then torture and rape me every night for the rest of my life?!¡± she shouted. ¡°I would have preferred staying in King¡¯s Landing and marrying Tyrion Lannister if I¡¯d known what would happen once I got home!¡±


    Catelyn hugged Sansa tightly. ¡°You know, I used to be incredibly devout,¡± she admitted. ¡°I used to believe the gods had a plan for us all. But now¡­ now I just believe we have to do everything we can to survive. I don¡¯t know what happened to Arya, Bran, or Rickon. You might be my last living child, and I will do everything I can to keep you alive. So please, don¡¯t talk about taking your own life. I watched those Frey bastards murder Robb and his unborn child in front of me. It was the most horrible thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Please don¡¯t make me watch another of my children die.¡±


    Sansa wiped her tears and sighed. ¡°Okay, Mother,¡± she said quietly. She would try to be strong for her.


    A knock on the door interrupted them. Before Sansa could respond, the door was rudely thrown open.


    ¡°Hello, my beautiful future bride and mother-in-law,¡± Ramsay Snow said, stepping into the room with a smug grin. His retinue of soldiers were right behind him, giving Sansa and her mother disgusting looks. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for our wedding later tonight. It¡¯s only a few hours away now!¡±


    Sansa grimaced and looked away. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked coldly.


    Ramsay¡¯s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with malice. ¡°I¡¯ve got a little pre-wedding present for you. It seems someone has decided to open a new pub just outside of Winterfell without my explicit permission. We can¡¯t have that!¡±


    Sansa¡¯s stomach sank. She already knew where this was going¡­


    ¡°They even threatened some of my soldiers and had them howling about magic demons or some nonsense,¡± Ramsay continued. ¡°I thought I¡¯d put on a little entertainment before the big ceremony and gut every single person in that pub! Of course, as the future Lady Bolton, you and your mother will be coming along to watch!¡± He sounded so incredibly happy about casually murdering some probably innocent small folk.


    Sansa shuddered, but she had seen plenty of cruelty in the past couple of years. She and her mother followed Ramsay and his men out of the castle and towards ¡°the pub.¡± When she saw the building, she actually gasped in surprise. It was incredibly well put together with actual glass windows¨Cthat she couldn¡¯t see into for some reason¨Calong with amazing carpentry.


    ¡°The Fox Hole¡­¡± Sansa murmured as she read the sign.


    Ramsay pointed at a couple of his men and told them to go and drag the people inside out so he could punish them. Nearby smallfolk who lived in Wintertown were already starting to gather to see what the commotion was about.


    Sansa watched from the edge of the crowd as a group of Ramsay¡¯s men stormed into the pub with cruel grins on their faces. She expected to hear shouting or the sounds of violence once they entered the building, but instead, there was only eerie silence after the wooden door closed behind them. The smallfolk around her began murmuring, their voices rising with confusion and unease.


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a building here yesterday!¡±


    ¡°I pass by this route every day before I go scavenging in the woods! There¡¯s never been a pub here!¡±


    ¡°Is this witchcraft? Is this some kind of sign from the old gods?¡±


    Sansa exchanged a glance with her mother as the rumors swirled and grew more ridiculous by the second. She tried to block out the chatter, but even she couldn¡¯t deny how strange this entire situation was.


    A full minute passed with no sound from inside the pub, and Ramsay¡¯s cruel smirk twisted into an annoyed frown. He tapped his boot impatiently and then barked at his remaining men. ¡°What¡¯s taking them so long!?¡± He turned to another group of soldiers. ¡°Go in and check on them!¡±


    Before they could move, the pub¡¯s door swung open, and multiple bodies came flying out. Ramsay¡¯s men landed in the mud with sickening thuds, their bodies motionless. Sansa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she saw the burns covering their skin. Smoke rose from their furs, and the air smelled faintly of charred flesh.


    The door opened again, and a boy with messy hair stepped out, flanked by two disheveled men. The boy couldn¡¯t have been older than ten and four, though he carried himself with a confidence that seemed far beyond his years.


    ¡°Damn, you really did a number on these three, Harry. Is that the same spell you used on us?¡± one of the men asked.


    Sansa¡¯s breath caught. ¡®Did he just say spell?¡¯


    The boy, who must have been Harry, glanced at the crowd gathered outside. He raised an eyebrow at the onlookers. ¡°Can we help you all?¡±


    Ramsay¡¯s men bristled at the casual question, their hands moving to their weapons.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think these guys are friendly, Harry,¡± the more shabbily dressed man said.


    Ramsay stepped forward, his sneer growing wider. ¡°Are you smallfolk the owners of this pub?¡±


    Harry tilted his head. ¡°Me? I don¡¯t know what a smallfolk is, but no. I don¡¯t own this restaurant.


    I¡¯m just a regular customer of The Fox Hole. It¡¯s owned by Haru. Why?¡±


    The word ¡°restaurant¡± sounded strange and foreign to her but she assumed it was another word for pub.


    Ramsay¡¯s sneer turned into a snarl. ¡°This is an illegal business that was opened without my permission! Bring out this ¡®Haru¡¯ at once so that he can face his punishment. And did you three assault my men? You¡¯ll be punished as well!¡±


    Sansa bit her lip, wanting to tell the boy and his companions to run, but she knew it would be pointless. She expected fear from the trio, but while the two men looked a little uneasy, Harry only scoffed and rolled his eyes.


    Next to Sansa, Catelyn gasped at the boy¡¯s audacity as Harry turned his head toward Winterfell, nodding slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a nice castle. Are you sure you even still own it?¡± he asked Ramsay casually.


    ¡°What?!¡± Ramsay¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Of course I own Winterfell!¡±


    Harry shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. It seems like everywhere Haru¡¯s restaurant pops up, he ends up owning a lot of the surrounding land. He¡¯s the prince of his entire race and lord of another massive chunk of land already.¡±


    Sansa¡¯s heart raced at the declaration. Another prince? And he had opened a restaurant, right outside Winterfell? She glanced at her mother, who looked equally confused.


    Ramsay¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°Bring him out at once so I can flay him alive for his audacity!¡±


    Harry snorted. ¡°Whatever, dude. Your funeral.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a dude¡­?¡± Sansa whispered to her mother. She¡¯d never heard that word before.


    Catelyn shook her head nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Harry and the two men walked back into the pub. A few seconds later, the door opened again, and a man stepped out. No, not a man¡­ something else. Sansa¡¯s heart fluttered as she laid eyes on him. He was the most handsome person she had ever seen, despite his unusual features. His hair was golden, and animal-like ears peeked out from the top of his head. Behind him, multiple golden tails swayed lazily.


    ¡°What is he?!¡± one of Ramsay¡¯s men shouted.


    ¡°Shit! Dalton wasn¡¯t drunk off his ass after all! It actually is a demon!¡± another soldier stammered.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Sansa heard her mother mutter. Catelyn clenched her hand tightly. Sansa glanced up at her mother and was shocked to see she too was blushing as she stared at the strange handsome being¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    The ground was covered in snow and mud. I shivered slightly, my tails bristling against the icy air. Damn, it was really cold out here...


    There were a lot of humans gathered outside my restaurant in this new dimension. Most of them looked unwashed, just like the two groups of men who had rudely barged inside earlier. The first group ran off after Regina scared them, but the second group decided to draw steel. That was a mistake and Harry had handled them easily with his lightning magic.


    The door swung open behind me, and Amy-chan stepped out, her presence immediately drawing more gasps from the gathered crowd. She wrinkled her nose in the air as she looked around. ¡°Eww¡­ what kind of shithole is this place?¡±


    ¡°Not every dimension has modern technology,¡± I told her. ¡°You can go back inside if the stench is too much for you.¡±


    Amy-chan scoffed. ¡°You forget I¡¯ve been around since humans first set foot in Japan. I¡¯ve seen and smelled it all at this point. Besides, whatever¡¯s about to happen looks fun, and I could use some entertainment after all the boring meetings I¡¯ve been stuck in for weeks.¡±


    ¡°YOU!¡± one of the men shouted in our direction. He stood out from the rest, surrounded by fearful-looking soldiers. His voice carried over the murmuring crowd. ¡°What are you, creature?! Leave Winterfell at once and begone, lest the old gods strike you down!¡±


    The crowd behind him murmured nervously at his declaration.


    ¡°Old gods?¡± I repeated, spreading out my senses to check. I didn¡¯t feel even a hint of divinity nearby. I glanced at Amy-chan. She was probably doing the same thing.


    ¡°There are no gods here,¡± Amy-chan announced, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    The crowd gasped, and angry shouts erupted.


    ¡°How dare you claim the old gods don¡¯t exist?!¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?!¡±


    Amy-chan clicked her tongue in irritation and stepped forward. Dozens, maybe hundreds of people, gasped when her body began to glow with golden light. Flames flickered around her, dancing harmlessly against her form. ¡°Who am I?!¡± she repeated, her voice sharp. ¡°I am Amaterasu! The goddess of the sun! And if I say there are no gods in this land, then that is because there aren¡¯t any!¡± As she spoke, the light around her intensified. The dull, gray skies brightened considerably, even though the sun was already sinking below the horizon. The crowd grew restless.


    ¡°The gods have descended!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s two of them!¡±


    ¡°Have they come to punish the Boltons and free us from their evil?!¡±


    ¡°Who said that?! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± the man leading the soldiers snarled, spinning toward the crowd and drawing the sword at his hip. The unwashed masses all backed away fearfully. I frowned at the sight, this guy was obviously some kind of tyrant and I already knew we weren¡¯t going to be getting along.


    I figured there was only one way this was going to go down. The man finished shouting at the crowd, then turned to us, pointing his sword directly at Amy-chan and me.


    ¡°You are no gods. You are simply mummers with some strange magical tricks at your disposal! I¡¯ve heard those red priests from Essos can also play tricks with the light! I am Ramsay Bolton, the lord of Winterfell and the North! For daring to go against me, I sentence you to death! Open fire, men!¡±


    He swung his sword, and about a dozen archers raised their bows. In the next second, stone-tipped wooden arrows were flying straight at us. I flicked my tails forward, swatting the arrows out of the air with ease. Not a single one came close to hitting either of us. Not that they would have hurt us in the first place.


    Ramsay¡¯s face twisted with disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± he shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t stop shooting!¡±


    More arrows flew our way. I rolled my eyes as my tails moved again, knocking every single arrow aside. By the fourth volley, I¡¯d had enough. I raised my right hand, summoning a plume of blue fox fire, causing gasps and screams from the gathered crowd. The fox fire didn¡¯t touch any of the bystanders, but it went straight for the archers. They yelped in pain as their bows turned to ash in their hands, leaving them weaponless.


    ¡°That was some pretty good control, Haru-kun,¡± Amy-chan said.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve been practicing,¡± I said to her. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get good enough that I can use my fox fire to cook one day without immediately ruining the ingredients.¡±


    Amy-chan snickered. ¡°Of course you are. Most other people would say they¡¯re training to become more powerful, but not you, Haru-kun¡­¡±


    The fact that Amy-chan and I were having a casual conversation while these humans were trying to kill us showed just how little of a threat they actually were.


    ¡°Charge!¡± Ramsay Bolton shouted loudly. His soldiers hesitated for a moment, fear evident on their faces, but they didn¡¯t dare disobey his orders.


    ¡°Kill them all!¡±


    ¡°That girl looks like a foreign princess! Let¡¯s rape her!¡±


    ¡°I want to taste her first!¡±


    The men were absolutely disgusting, and threatening an actual goddess to her face with that kind of language?


    Yeah, they were all dead.


    I¡¯d never actually seen Amy-chan this upset before. The golden flames flickering around her turned black, surging forward and engulfing dozens of the men rushing at us with spears and swords. They didn¡¯t even have time to scream properly before the flames devoured them completely. When it was over, there was nothing left but ash¡­


    The only one left alive was Ramsay Bolton himself. I don''t even think he realized all of his men were dead. He charged through the snow and mud, his sword raised as he aimed for my head. When he swung, I raised my left hand and caught the blade in my palm. It was just regular steel, not enchanted at all.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Ramsay¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could say anything else, I punched him hard in the stomach with my free hand, shattering the chainmail armor he wore under his furs. He dropped to his knees, coughing up bile and blood before collapsing. He was unconscious.


    ¡°Well, that happened¡­¡± I muttered as I glanced around. Most of the crowd was either staring at me in awe or genuine fear.


    More than a few people had dropped to their knees and were muttering prayers to me and Amy-chan. She had calmed down a bit, but she still didn¡¯t look very happy.


    ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s what they get for thinking they can defile a goddess!¡± Amy-chan declared while crossing her arms.


    ¡°Yeah, they were really, really dumb,¡± I pointed out. Not even the people of Konoha had been this bad. Or had they? Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure anymore.


    Two women, who stood out from the rest of the crowd due to being clean and dressed in elegant furs, slowly approached us. Both of them were redheads, clearly mother and daughter, and they were both stunning. I rolled my eyes, wondering if the goddess who kept connecting new dimensions to my restaurant was doing this to me on purpose.


    The pair looked nervous, so I stepped around Ramsay¡¯s unconscious body and smiled at them. ¡°Hello, my name is Haru. Sorry you ladies had to see all of that. You weren¡¯t¡­ um¡­ friends with this guy, were you?¡±


    The answer came when the younger girl walked over and started kicking Ramsay¡¯s unconscious body, muttering some very creative swear words under her breath.


    The older woman, meanwhile, spoke to me. ¡°No¡­ the Boltons used to be our sworn bannermen, but they betrayed our family and murdered my son Robb, the previous King in the North. I am Catelyn Stark, and that over there is my daughter Sansa¡­ Are you both really gods?¡± She looked at me nervously. ¡°I thought the gods had forsaken my family after everything that happened¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Erm, we probably have a lot to talk about.¡±


    XXX

 chapter 28

    Chapter 28: Pizza time


    I brought Catelyn and Sansa Stark inside The Fox Hole. The two noble ladies looked around with wide eyes, clearly surprised by the place. Sansa glanced at the bright lights on the ceiling and then at the spotless floors and walls.


    ¡°Is this all because of magic?¡± Sansa asked.


    I chuckled. ¡°The lights are from something called electricity, which I¡¯ll explain later. And while I do use a little magic to keep the place clean, most of it is thanks to my hardworking waitress, Enri.¡±


    Catelyn Stark reached out and grabbed her daughter¡¯s hand when Councilor Tevos walked past them. Her reaction was one of pure shock, but Tevos didn¡¯t notice, or at least pretended she didn''t.


    The alien smiled at me and thanked me for the meal. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, Haru,¡± Tevos said before heading out the door.


    Catelyn and Sansa watched her leave and then whipped their heads toward me.


    ¡°She was completely blue! Was she a Goddess as well?¡± Catelyn asked nervously. ¡°Is this a place meant for the divine to meet?¡±


    ¡°No, she''s something called an Asari¡­¡± I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little awkward. ¡°And this place isn''t just for Gods. It¡¯s a place for everyone to meet, enjoy a meal, or make friends, no matter where they¡¯re from or their status. I consider all my customers to be family. Like Harry over there.¡±


    Harry, sitting across the restaurant, waved his hand. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Sansa waved back at him gently. ¡°Hello again, young man. You were very brave for standing up to Ramsay like you did!¡±


    Harry scoffed. ¡°Not really. Those muggles couldn¡¯t have done anything to hurt me.¡± He stood up and nodded at me. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go, Haru. Sorry about the way my uncles acted earlier. I¡¯ll make sure to straighten them out.¡± With that, Harry left with Remus and Sirius in tow.


    Serana and Amy-chan were still at the counter, watching the exchange. Serana smirked at me. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can kick me out so easily, just so you can have a redheaded mother-daughter pair all to yourself. I¡¯m waiting for my man Agnar to get back from his adventure,¡± she told me.


    Amy-chan nodded as well. ¡°And I¡¯m hiding from Tsukuyomi! If he finds me then he¡¯ll make me go back to work!¡±


    ¡°What does our red hair have to do with anything?¡± Catelyn asked Serana.


    Serana chuckled from across the room. ¡°Oh, Haru has a small but growing harem of beautiful women with red hair. You two might want to watch out because I could see him checking you both out¡­¡±


    I felt my face heat up. I wasn''t that obvious.


    ¡°What!?¡± Amy-chan perked up, her grin widening. ¡°You have a harem now, Haru-kun!? Is little Ya-chan¡¯s baby boy finally all grown up and now breaking the hearts of redheads everywhere!? How scandalous!¡±


    ¡°Pfft, I don¡¯t want to hear the word ¡®scandalous¡¯ from a goddess who had kids with her own brother,¡± I replied.


    Incest is a human concept! It doesn¡¯t matter to supernatural beings!¡± Amy-chan pouted and grabbed a salt shaker, tossing it at my head.


    I caught it easily before it could hit me in the face.


    Catelyn and Sansa both blushed, muttering to themselves about how an actual Goddess could be so crass¡­


    I led Catelyn and Sansa to one of the booths closer to the counter and gestured for them to sit. They looked hesitant, but after a moment, they settled into the seats.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare a meal for you both,¡± I told them.


    Catelyn¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly. ¡°Will you be bringing out bread and salt?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing you something much tastier than that.¡±


    They exchanged a glance, clearly curious but said nothing. I walked behind the counter and opened the fridge, pulling out a large wad of dough. They came from a medieval world, so I doubted they¡¯d ever had pizza. It was time to fix that!


    I started working on the dough with my hands, stretching and shaping it into multiple perfect circles. My tails reached into the fridge, pulling out the other ingredients I needed. Tomatoes, onions, sausages, ham¡­ and obviously not pineapple.


    I wasn¡¯t a monster¡­


    While I mashed the tomatoes with the onions and other spices to make a quick but flavorful pizza sauce, I could feel their eyes on me. I poured the sauce into a pot and let it heat up while grabbing a block of cheese from the fridge. I began slicing it with a knife, making sure the pieces were just the right size to melt evenly.


    Amy-chan and Serana were watching from their spots at the counter. Amy-chan was practically salivating. ¡°If I knew you were making pizza, I wouldn¡¯t have asked for ramen earlier!¡±


    ¡°Why not just have both?¡± I suggested with a wink.


    Amy-chan grinned. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re my third favorite nine-tailed fox, Haru-kun!¡±


    I paused. ¡°Third favorite¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡± she said, counting on her fingers. ¡°Yasaka is number one, of course, because she¡¯s my priestess. Kunou-chan is number two because she¡¯s totes adorbs¡­which leaves you at number three!¡±


    Serana snickered from her seat. ¡°Aren¡¯t there only three nine-tailed foxes total in your world, Haru?¡±


    Talk about emotional damage¡­


    I sighed, my fox ears drooping slightly. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Being in third place suddenly felt much worse than it should have. Just for that, I was going to put pineapple on Amy-chan¡¯s pizza!


    ¡­


    Amy-chan looked at me in pure betrayal as I placed a personal pizza on the counter in front of her. One of her toppings was pineapple.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± I asked with a tiny grin. I was holding back from openly laughing, but it didn¡¯t matter. My tails were swaying happily behind me, giving me away.


    Amy-chan narrowed her eyes and started picking off the pieces of pineapple one by one. ¡°I will have vengeance for this betrayal, Haru-kun. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow¡­ but one day soon.¡±


    I gulped involuntarily, even as I let out a small chuckle. I grabbed two more personal pizzas and walked them over to Catelyn and Sansa¡¯s booth.


    Catelyn and Sansa Stark glanced down at the pizzas in front of them with confusion. ¡°What is this?¡± Catelyn asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pizza pie, topped with tomatoes, sausages, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and olives. I promise you two will love it.¡± I was about to explain the proper way to eat pizza but then remembered these were two classy ladies. Sure enough, they both picked up their forks and knives and started cutting into the pizza to eat it that way¡­


    Amy-chan muttered something about blasphemy behind us as she picked up a slice of her pizza, now free of pineapple, and shoved it into her mouth. I just shook my head. Other cultures had different ways of eating, it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    The red-haired mother and daughter both let out actual moans as they took their first bites of my homemade pizza. My ears twitched happily on top of my head. Those were the kinds of noises I always loved hearing from my customers.


    ¨C Catelyn Stark ¨C


    ¡°It''s so good!¡± Sansa said to her happily.


    ¡°It certainly is, Sansa!¡±


    Catelyn Stark couldn¡¯t help but agree with her daughter. The pizza pie in front of her was absolutely delicious. She had to remind herself that it wasn¡¯t proper for a noble lady to shovel food into her mouth, but that¡¯s exactly what she found herself tempted to do. She glanced at Sansa, who was already halfway through her own pizza, happily eating without a care in the world. Catelyn almost chastised her but stopped herself. Sansa had been through so much in the last couple of years. If anyone deserved a moment of happiness, it was her daughter. So, she stayed quiet, even as Sansa¡¯s face became covered with the delicious red sauce.


    Catelyn took another bite and marveled at the taste. She had eaten plenty of tomatoes growing up in the Riverlands, but none of them had ever tasted like this. Haru¡¯s sauce transformed the simple ingredient into something magical.


    Her gaze wandered to Haru, who was busy working behind the counter, and she felt her cheeks warm. He was undoubtedly the most handsome young man she had ever seen. Even Rhaegar Targaryen in his prime had nothing on Haru. Back in her youth, she would have giggled with the other southern ladies about someone like him.


    She glanced at Sansa again, noticing her plate was already completely clean. Sansa wiped her face with a napkin, looking content for the first time in ages. Catelyn was glad their host hadn¡¯t been paying attention to how quickly her now-grown daughter had devoured her meal. It wasn''t very lady like.


    ¡°What should we do now, Mother?¡± Sansa asked nervously. Her eyes drifted toward the front of the restaurant, where Ramsay Bolton was still unconscious and tied up. ¡°He¡¯s our prisoner, but most of his men still control Winterfell and Winter Town.¡±


    ¡°The only thing we can do is rely on our kind and handsome host to keep helping us,¡± Catelyn said reflexively.


    Sansa grinned at her. ¡°Oh? You think he¡¯s handsome too, Mother?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ er¡­ yes,¡± Catelyn admitted, feeling her cheeks heat up a bit.


    Sansa gave her a small smile. ¡°I do too! Do you think he¡¯s married?¡±


    ¡°The sun goddess mentioned him having a harem,¡± Catelyn said. ¡°That¡¯s something noblemen from Essos sometimes have.¡±


    Sansa¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh¡­ that means I have a chance then! That means you could have a chance too!¡±


    Catelyn choked on air at her daughter¡¯s comment. ¡°What?! Sansa¡­ I¡¯m your mother, and I¡¯ve been married before. We can¡¯t both pursue the same young man. It¡¯s not proper.¡±


    Sansa pursed her lips and scoffed. ¡°Proper¡­ I hate that word! Cersei Lannister always acted like a proper lady¡­ but she was a monster! The only thing that matters is whether or not you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Catelyn understood where Sansa was coming from she supposed, but this was still kind of an awkward topic to talk about with her own daughter. She opened her mouth to change the subject when Sansa blurted out an embarrassing question.


    ¡°I wonder how good of a lover Haru is?¡± Sansa said bluntly. ¡°He does have a harem after all¡­¡±


    Catelyn froze. ¡°When did you start talking like this? What happened to my sweet girl who was always quiet and blushing¡­?¡±


    Sansa frowned. ¡°I let that girl die back in King¡¯s Landing,¡± she said quietly. Then, she gave her mother a playful look. ¡°Now answer the question!¡±


    Catelyn felt her cheeks burn as if she were a young maiden again. ¡°I suppose he would have to be quite the skilled lover if he has a harem. Also, those tails are so exotic and look very fluffy. I wonder what they¡¯d feel like wrapped around me in a warm bed?¡±


    Sansa perked up. ¡°I was wondering that too!¡±


    Catelyn stole another glance at Haru, who was still working behind the counter. The back of his neck was bright red, and his ears were twitching. Realization dawned on her, and her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of pink. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± she muttered. Haru had fox ears. He could hear everything they had been saying...


    Catelyn was saved from that embarrassing revelation when the doors to the restaurant swung open. A large man who resembled a knight strolled inside, his presence commanding immediate attention.


    ¡°Hello again, Lord Haru! It has been a while since we met! Hello as well, ladies,¡± the man said with a small bow to everyone in the room.


    Sansa and Catelyn both nodded their heads to him as was proper, though they exchanged a curious glance. The man¡¯s armor looked worn but well-kept, and there was a confident ease in the way he carried himself.


    The man¡¯s gaze landed on Ramsay Bolton, who was still tied up near the front of the restaurant. He raised an eyebrow before shrugging and continuing to the counter.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    There''s a guy I haven''t seen in a while. I¡¯d been wondering what had happened to him. After he left with his warrior band and the prisoners, he never returned or sent any messages.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Gazeff,¡± I said as he stepped up to the counter. ¡°How are things in the Re-Estize Kingdom?¡±


    Gazeff frowned as he sat down on a stool at the counter. ¡°Things have been¡­ interesting, I suppose. The men we captured¡ªthe ones who destroyed multiple villages and tried to do the same to your territory¡ªturned out to be from the Slane Theocracy, not the Empire like they pretended.¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s what our own yokai interrogators found,¡± I said. ¡°Before they all took their own lives, anyway. They were fanatics, and seemed to hate non-humans with a passion.¡±


    Yasaka mentioned they kept ranting about their six great human gods coming to avenge them. But that didn¡¯t make much sense. If they were human, then how could they be actual gods? We just figured it was some nation built on a cult or something¡­


    Gazeff nodded grimly. ¡°The theocracy also bribed some of the kingdom¡¯s nobles to have me sent out without my proper armor or equipment. It was a trap meant to get me killed. The corruption runs deep.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°Thankfully, the King and Princess have started rooting it out after this incident. We have you to thank for that, Lord Haru. Not only did you pull our country back from the brink of economic collapse, but you also saved us once again. I surely would have died without your help and Lord Momonga¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he changed his name to Ainz Ooal Gown, by the way,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Lord Ainz, then. I would like to thank him as well, and so would the king. Both of you are formally invited to the capital to meet with the royal family!¡± Gazeff declared.


    ¡°Well, look at you,¡± Amy-chan said playfully from nearby, leaning casually against the counter. ¡°Moving up in the world, Haru! You''re going to meet an actual King!¡±


    It seemed like the goddess of the sun was feeling extra playful today. I rolled my eyes at Amy-chan¡¯s comment before focusing back on Gazeff. ¡°I¡¯d love to visit the Re-Estize Kingdom, but first, I have to help out the two noble ladies in my restaurant. Of course, I¡¯d also love to hear their stories first,¡± I said, making sure my voice carried loud enough for Catelyn and Sansa to join in the conversation.


    Catelyn stood up, and introduced herself and her daughter Sansa properly to Gazeff. Once the introductions were out of the way, she began telling us about the Stark family, Winterfell, and everything that had happened since her late husband had decided to accept the title of Hand of the King.


    It was a pretty epic and sad tale¡­


    Her story probably took an hour to explain, but no one interrupted her. When she finished, Sansa started filling in with her own perspective, explaining all the events in Westeros from her point of view.


    ¡°Wow¡­ that all sounded pretty rough,¡± Serana said after a moment of silence.


    Amy-chan folded her arms, looking unimpressed. ¡°How drunk can a single guy be to not realize his own wife hasn¡¯t joined him in bed after 14 years? Not to mention none of his children looked even a tiny bit like him. He deserved to get cucked!¡±


    Gazeff and I both sputtered at the same time. ¡°No guy deserves that!¡± We both shouted and then nodded at each other.


    I turned back to Catelyn and Sansa. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that all happened to you both,¡± I said sincerely. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll help you take back Winterfell and slay the rest of the Bolton soldiers. Afterward, I suppose I could ask some of our Yokai to guard the place so it doesn¡¯t happen again¡­¡± I trailed off, glancing at Catelyn.


    She shook her head firmly. ¡°The Seven Kingdoms is a beautiful and cruel place. Houses only respect other STRONG houses. ¡­The truth is, most of Winterfell¡¯s loyal guards are dead or have abandoned their posts. Even our weakest vassals could overthrow us at this point,¡± she started explaining.


    I frowned, wondering where she was going with all this.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I propose you marry my daughter Sansa and become Lord of Winterfell and king of the North!¡± Catelyn declared out of nowhere.


    I nearly choked. ¡°Whoa! Isn¡¯t that a little fast!?¡±


    ¡°Wow! You''re really moving up in the world, Haru!¡± Amy-chan laughed again playfully. ¡°You get to be king of this freezing cold and dirty paradise!¡±


    Sansa¡¯s face was bright red as she stammered, ¡°Mother! My hand alone isn¡¯t worth everything that will be required to get Winterfell and the North back on its feet.¡± She turned to me. ¡°You have to marry my mother as well! My uncle Edmure was slain by the evil bastard Joffrey, which means she¡¯s the rightful heiress to the Riverlands as well! With both of our hands in marriage, you¡¯ll rule a territory half the size of Westeros!¡±


    ¡°Errrr¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say to all of that. Mom would probably be ecstatic about me gaining even more territory in another world, especially one full of untapped natural resources. She¡¯d probably agree in a heartbeat. But I¡¯d been trying to slow down on all the girls lately¡­ Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then again, a beautiful redheaded mother-daughter combo wasn¡¯t something that came along every day.


    I scratched the back of my head, trying to come up with a response. ¡°I¡¯ll, uh, think about it,¡± I finally managed.


    Both mother and daughter smiled brightly at me! Catelyn looked a bit embarrassed at Sansa¡¯s proposal but I noticed she didn''t even try to argue it.


    Either way, the first step in all this would be getting Winterfell back from all the Bolton soldiers occupying it. According to Catelyn, there were about 5,000 of them. That wouldn¡¯t be a problem, obviously, but it was going to mean a lot of death and take quite a bit of time, especially since they¡¯d be spread out and probably start fleeing the moment they realized they couldn¡¯t win. Then there was the cleanup afterward. That many bodies weren¡¯t just going to disappear on their own.


    Gazeff thumped his fist against his chest plate and pledged to help. ¡°You have my sword for this cause, Lord Haru!¡±


    I nodded, appreciating his support. I wondered if we could get anyone else to help too? Just to save time.


    As I was considering our options, the door to the restaurant popped open, and Agnar strolled in. His black ebony armor had a few scratches and marks on it, but his happy grin told me everything I needed to know about how his mission went with Naruko and her team.


    ¡°Hello, everyone! I¡¯m back from quite the adventure!¡± Agnar declared proudly. He  focused on Serana, who had already gotten up from her seat.


    ¡°Hello, my love,¡± Serana said as they hugged. ¡°Did you have fun killing some ninja terrorists?¡±


    ¡°Hah! It was quite the adventure,¡± Agnar said, puffing out his chest a little. ¡°Those red cloud ninjas were a sneaky bunch and proved to be quite the challenge, but we prevailed! They were no match for the Dragonborn!¡± He then glanced around the room and seemed to sense something. ¡°What''s this? Do I sense another adventure is already brimming!?¡± he asked excitedly while glancing between Gazeff and I.


    Without speaking any words, Agnar and Gazeff both reached out and clasped hands. And just like that, I was pretty sure both warriors immediately became friends. That''s just how guys were sometimes.


    ¡°Haru! I''m back, Haru-kun!¡± Naruko strolled inside the restaurant. Her kunoichi outfit had a couple rips and tears in it but she looked to be completely fine otherwise. The half-a-Kyuubi inside her kept her in top shape most of the time.


    Naruko suddenly froze when she noticed Catelyn and Sansa standing so close to me though.


    Uh oh¡­


    I hadn''t even gone on a proper date with Naruko yet and I''d already slept with Shepard and now was in¡­those kinds of talks with these women. This was going to be some awkward catching up¡­


    She practically blurred in front of the two of them, causing both ladies to startle. Naruko frowned and crossed her arms while glaring at them. ¡°Who are you two supposed to be¡­?¡±


    XXX

 chapter 29

    Chapter 29: A change of plans


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    ¡°...I was joking before when I said you were breaking red headed hearts. How could you Haru-kun?¡± Amy-chan asked me playfully.


    I stood behind the counter, nervously watching the scene unfolding in front of me. Naruko had her arms crossed and let out a huff, her purple eyes narrowing suspiciously on Catelyn and Sansa.


    ¡°Who are you two supposed to be¡­?¡±


    Sansa held her head high as she responded. ¡°My name is Sansa Stark,¡± she declared proudly. ¡°The future Queen of Lord Haru¡¯s lands! And this is my mother, Catelyn Stark. She will be marrying him as well as his second Queen!¡±


    Catelyn blushed but didn¡¯t deny her daughter¡¯s bold statement¡­


    I groaned and facepalmed. ¡°That¡­ that hasn¡¯t been completely agreed upon yet,¡± I muttered, mostly to myself.


    Agnar suddenly let out a booming laugh, slapping the counter hard over and over with his armored hand. ¡°Haru, you are a true legend! A real man among men! The warriors at Jorrvaskr will be toasting to your accomplishments with the ladies for years to come! Sometimes I wish that I could¨C¡±


    Agnar did not get to finish what he was foolishly about to say¡­


    Serana suddenly scowled and waved her hand in Agnar¡¯s direction. A layer of frost washed over him, making him yelp.


    ¡°So cold!¡± Agnar shouted and started shivering.


    ¡°You better not be getting any ideas, husband¡­¡± Serana said to him, and then shot a pointed look my way. The message was clear: Stop giving Agnar ideas about his own harem!


    I held my hands up in surrender. I didn''t mean to!


    Gazeff walked over to Agnar and helped him start peeling the chunks of ice from his armor¡­


    Naruko¡¯s jaw dropped as she gaped at the red headed mother and daughter duo. She turned back to me. ¡°What the hell, Haru-kun?! I was gone for like two days tops!¡±


    ¡°Stuff happened¡­¡± I said weakly, knowing how lame that excuse sounded even as it left my mouth.


    Sansa stepped forward with a polite smile. ¡°Are you one of Haru¡¯s lovers?¡± she asked Naruko. ¡°If so, I hope we can become good friends, possibly even sisters.¡±


    Naruko turned bright red, waving her hands frantically. ¡°L¨CLovers!? What? No way! Haru-kun and I haven¡¯t even gone on a date yet!¡±


    Sansa tilted her head slightly. ¡°Oh, I do not know what the word ¡®date¡¯ means, but if that means you¡¯re still a maiden, you don¡¯t have to worry. So am I.¡±


    I noticed Catelyn facepalm at her daughter''s declaration. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to go around telling people that as a lady, Sansa...¡±


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s embarrassing!¡± Naruko added.


    I walked out from behind the counter and wrapped Naruko in a hug. She stiffened in surprise, and I could feel her sputtering against my chest. After a moment, though, she hugged me back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you on whatever date you want, just as soon as I help the Stark women get their castle back,¡± I said.


    Naruko perked up, pulling back enough to look at me with a wide grin. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that, Haru-kun! What do I need to do to help?¡±


    Before I could answer, Amy-chan groaned dramatically from the counter. ¡°Ah, is that it!? I wanted more drama! Where¡¯s the epic catfight? Why aren¡¯t you and Sansa rolling on the floor and pulling at each other¡¯s hair?¡± she asked Naruko. ¡°You two are too wholesome¡­¡± she grumbled


    ¡°If it''s drama you''re after, sister, we have plenty waiting back in Takamagahara,¡± a smooth voice cut in. Everyone turned to see a man with long silver hair, almost brushing the floor, strolling into the restaurant. He was dressed immaculately, and his presence filled the room.


    ¡°Oh shit! It''s Tsukuyomi!¡± Amy-chan exclaimed. ¡°How did you find me here!?¡±


    ¡°Yasaka told me where you were as soon as I asked,¡± Tsukuyomi replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to return to Takamagahara and get back to work.¡± Before any of us could blink, Tsukuyomi blurred forward, appearing next to Amy-chan in an instant. He casually scooped her up under his arm like a sack of potatoes.


    ¡°Noooo! I don¡¯t want to go back to work!¡± Amy-chan complained, kicking her legs and pouting. ¡°The Land of the Rising Sun has millions of NEETs! Why can¡¯t I be one too?¡± Her eyes roamed around the restaurant before landing on me. "Help me Haru-kun! You''re my only hope!"


    "I can''t help you, Amy-chan... I''m only number three after all..." I said wistfully.


    ¡°BETRAYAL!!!¡± Amy-chan whined.


    Tsukuyomi ignored her protests, turning toward me and giving a polite bow. ¡°Thank you for keeping an eye on her, Haru,¡± he said. He then bowed to everyone else in the room before calmly walking out the front door, still carrying his struggling sister.


    We all stared after him in stunned silence for a moment.


    ¡°¡­What was that all about?¡± Naruko asked, pulling away from my hug completely.


    ¡°It¡¯s another long story,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°One you probably don¡¯t want to get into right now.¡±


    I then turned back to Gazeff and Agnar. I appreciated them offering their help to me, but after thinking it over for a few moments, I came up with a better idea to help Sansa and Catelyn.


    Plus, Serana had basically been waiting for Agnar to get back for two whole days and I didn''t want to take up anymore of their time by getting his help like I''d planned.


    Gazeff was also visiting me as a foreign dignitary and I knew it would be bad for negotiations if he got hurt somehow liberating the North from the Bolton¡¯s rule. I didn''t think he would, but it was better to just be safer. I thanked him for wanting to lend his aid before telling him he was free to stay in Kyoto for a few days and then I would head over with him to meet the Royal family of the Re-estize Kingdom.


    I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Yasaka. She would probably send a pretty Yokai girl ¡°tour guide¡± to show Gazeff around for the next few days and take care of all of his needs.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need our help, my friend?¡± Agnar asked me.


    I told him we¡¯d be fine and that he should ¡°take some time to calm down his pent up vampire wife.¡±


    Serana couldn¡¯t blush, but I felt like she would have been as she practically dragged the Dragonborn back to Whiterun. Once they all left, it was just myself, Naruko, Sansa, and Catelyn left in the Fox Hole.


    ¡°Why''d you send them away after they promised their aid?¡± Catelyn asked me.


    I smiled at her and told her that we had other options. ¡°It''s not just Winterfell, but the entire North that the Boltons rule, correct?¡± I asked Catelyn and she grimaced before nodding. She said only a few houses haven''t pledged themselves to Ramsay at this point¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°It''s nice to see you again, Haru. Sorry about my behavior last time¡­¡± Tsunade, the leader of the Hidden Leaf said with a small blush on her cheeks.


    The other women in the room pointedly didn''t ask what happened last time I was in here but I could see Naruko shoot a small glare Tsunade¡¯s way before the busty blonde spoke up again.


    This time Tsunade was addressing Sansa and Catelyn. She had a grin on her face as she spoke. ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you both, Princess Sansa Stark and¡­ I''m not actually sure how to address you properly¡­¡± she said to Catelyn.


    ¡°I was technically the Queen Mother when my son, Robb, was king of the North, but with him¡­dead, I would simply be addressed as Lady Catelyn again. At least, until I get re-married¡­¡± she trailed off with a blush.


    Tsunade chuckled after listening to Catelyn¡¯s explanation and nodded. ¡°Lady Catelyn, is it? Well, Haru here has offered to foot the bill for our village¡¯s services, but I¡¯d like to hear the situation directly from you first.¡±


    Catelyn nodded and began telling her story again. She didn¡¯t miss any details, going over everything that had happened to her family and the North. Tsunade listened carefully, only interrupting once or twice to ask questions about Westeros. Most of them were about how the political system worked, or how such chaos could happen in a world without ninja.


    When Catelyn finished, Tsunade sighed. ¡°Your continent sounds just as crazy as the Elemental Nations. And here I thought ninjas were the source of most problems¡­.¡±


    I used to think along those lines too, but then I had a discussion with Rias, who was a mega anime fan and she ¡°set my opinions straight¡± by telling me that the numbers don''t lie and that ninjas were actually a good thing.


    Tsunade raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? What numbers?¡±


    ¡°How many ninja died during the Third Shinobi War?¡± I asked her to humor me.


    Tsunade tapped her chin, thinking for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t have the exact figures, but it was somewhere around 20,000 in total. It was a long and bloody war, but that¡¯s what I remember.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all!?¡± Catelyn looked shocked. ¡°We had at least half that number perish in single battles. The North probably lost around 60,000 men after the War of the Five Kings ended.¡±


    Sansa, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. ¡°If you count all the other kingdoms, it was easily over 500,000 soldiers who died. And maybe a million people total when you include the smallfolk who had their lands burned or their food stolen.¡±


    Tsunade blanched at those numbers. ¡°That¡¯s more deaths in a couple of years than in all three Shinobi Wars combined,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°I never realized¡­ ninjas actually make the world more peaceful.¡±


    She looked genuinely surprised at her own conclusion but quickly refocused. ¡°Right, back to the task at hand.¡±


    Tsunade leaned forward, her hands clasped on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll assign a large force to help you. Around 100 chunin and jonin. They¡¯ll completely purge the Bolton soldiers from the North and deal with the other lords who have turned traitorous against your family,¡± she said to Catelyn and Sansa who looked a bit confused at getting such a small force before I told them the average chunin was worth about 100 regular men and a jonin was worth around 1000¡­


    ¡°Such power¡­¡± Catelyn gasped¡­


    ¡°At least with the Boltons taken care of there won¡¯t be any more bloodshed in the North,¡± Sansa said sadly. ¡°We have so few people left as it is.¡±


    Tsunade asked my opinion of this plan and I nodded at her. This sounded like the right approach. I could handle a straight-up fight, no problem, but man-hunting and assassinations across a massive territory like the North would simply take up too much of me and my friends'' time. It was better to leave it to the literal professionals. We were in contract with a village of assassins, so we might as well use them after all.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Tsunade,¡± Catelyn said, bowing slightly. Sansa followed her mother¡¯s lead, looking genuinely grateful. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± Tsunade said. ¡°We¡¯ll get it done, but it''s going to be costly..." she suddenly turned towards me and for a second I thought I saw her eyes literally shining with greed. If I didn''t want the Yokai coffers to take a big hit, then maybe I should pop over to Skyrim and hunt a couple dragons to pay for all this¡­


    The deal with Tsunade and the Leaf Village was finalized, and we left with a solid plan in place. I led the group back to my restaurant, feeling a little more relaxed now that things were moving forward. As soon as we stepped inside, I spotted Yasaka and Kunou waiting for me near the counter. Kunou¡¯s face lit up as soon as she saw me. She ran over and wrapped her arms around me tightly, practically bouncing with excitement.


    ¡°Haru-niichan! You¡¯re back!¡± she said, squeezing me like she hadn¡¯t seen me in years instead of just a couple of days.


    I ruffled her hair with a chuckle. ¡°Of course I¡¯m back. Did you think I¡¯d leave you to run this place on your own?¡±


    Kunou giggled and shook her head before stepping back, her eyes darting curiously to the people behind me.


    ¡°Ara ara¡­¡± Yasaka said as she stood up gracefully. Her golden eyes sparkled as she took in Sansa, Catelyn, and Naruko. ¡°It seems like we have some new faces.¡± All of them were looking at her, and Kunou hugging me, curiously.


    ¡°Yasaka, this is Catelyn Stark, her daughter Sansa, and Naruko,¡± I said, introducing them. ¡°Everyone, this is Yasaka, my mother¡­ and that¡¯s Kunou, my little sister.¡±


    ¡°Your mother!?¡± Naruko sputtered in shock ¡°Oh¡­ Hello¡­¡± she said nervously. Sansa looked just as nervous suddenly.


    ¨C Yasaka ¨C


    Kunou was in the kitchen helping Haru make Ice Cream while Yasaka decided to have a chat with the ladies.


    ¡°Ara ara¡­ three new potential daughters-in-law. Fortune has been smiling on my family lately,¡± Yasaka said, smiling warmly at the three nervous women sitting in the booth across from her. Two of them were even a mother-and-daughter pair. Her son truly knew how to attract interesting women¡­ or was the universe just throwing them his way at this point? Maybe it was that random goddess¡¯s doing, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes?


    As if on cue, a scroll suddenly popped onto the table in front of Yasaka. She unrolled it, scanning the hastily written words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it! Why would I try to give myself more love rivals?!¡±


    Yasaka chuckled quietly. That cinched it. The goddess could definitely read everyone¡¯s thoughts in the restaurant. Haru had mentioned this earlier, but Yasaka wanted to test it herself. This goddess was truly a powerful being, but that was a thought for later. She stored the scroll away to inspect more thoroughly when she had time. You could learn a lot about a person from their writing alone. At this point, Yasaka was almost certain the goddess was a total tsundere.


    Her attention returned to the three red-haired women in front of her. Yasaka had heard about Naruko and even read the entire Naruto manga after finding out Haru¡¯s restaurant connected to a similar alternate version of that world. Naruko had quite a bit of chakra; with the proper training, she could easily become an ultimate-class being. Yasaka approved of her as a potential match for Haru almost immediately. The whisker marks on Naruko¡¯s face only made her more endearing. What could Yasaka say? Foxes were the best!


    She then turned her attention to the two mortal women. Both were undeniably beautiful, and Yasaka detected traces of an ancient magical bloodline lingering in them. However, it was so diluted and weak that it was practically non-existent. They would require a lot of work to meet her high standards as potential daughters-in-law. Still, Yasaka believed in fairness. She would give them a chance to impress her.


    ¡°Lady Yasaka,¡± Catelyn began, her tone formal and careful. ¡°Your son has been more than generous to us. We cannot thank him enough for the help he¡¯s already provided!¡±


    ¡°Haru¡¯s heart has always been in the right place,¡± Yasaka said, folding her hands neatly in her lap. ¡°But tell me, Lady Catelyn, how do you plan to repay such generosity?¡±


    Catelyn¡¯s expression grew serious. My daughter and I are both unmarried, and through marriage, he could unify the North and the Riverlands under his protection. Sansa is the Princess of the North, and I am the rightful heiress to the Riverlands. Together, we could offer Haru a large swath of territory and loyal bannermen once our lands recover from all the damages of the recent wars.¡±


    ¡°Marry both of you?¡± Yasaka asked, her golden eyes gleaming with intrigue. ¡°The territory sounds nice, but is that all you¡¯re both going to offer...¡±


    Of course not!¡± Sansa declared. ¡°As my lord husband, I will also grow to love Haru with all of my heart!¡± She said it passionately, without any hesitation.


    Yasaka laughed softly as Haru¡¯s hand slipped, sending a jug of milk tumbling onto the floor. Milk spilled everywhere. Yasaka had never seen him mess up in the kitchen before, and she found it oddly endearing.


    Naruko sputtered, her cheeks turning red. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just shouted that out loud! Haru and I haven¡¯t even gone on a date yet, but I¡¯m not going to lose to you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about losing,¡± Sansa said. ¡°Also, I¡¯m still a princess.¡± There was a hint of smugness in her tone that made Yasaka admire the fire in the mortal princess.


    Naruko crossed her arms, not backing down. ¡°My brother¡¯s an idiot, so Tsunade never told him who our parents are, but I know! My mother was Kushina Uzumaki, and she was the granddaughter of the previous Uzukage, who was also the land¡¯s daimyo. That makes me a princess of the Land of Whirlpools as well!¡±


    Yasaka¡¯s tails flicked to the sides as she smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to try so hard, Naruko Uzumaki. You already have my approval as Haru¡¯s mother.¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡± Naruko¡¯s eyes widened, and Yasaka nodded.


    ¡°Hell yeah! Dattebane! I can¡¯t wait to rub it in Sakura and Ino¡¯s faces!¡± Naruko cheered.


    Catelyn and Sansa exchanged nervous glances before looking back at Yasaka. ¡°I take it we don¡¯t have your approval¡­¡± Catelyn ventured.


    ¡°Not quite yet,¡± Yasaka said honestly. ¡°But with proper training and lessons from me personally, I believe we can get there. You both should have plenty of time for that, after all.¡± She turned to Naruko and asked, ¡°How long will it take for the Leaf ninjas to deploy and clear out the North, and make it safe again?¡±


    ¡°Deploy? They can set out tomorrow,¡± Naruko said. ¡°As for how long to clear out the North¡­ um, we¡¯re pretty fast on our feet, but a lot of Leaf ninjas aren¡¯t used to snow, so that¡¯ll slow them down a bit. Not to mention, the North is almost as big as the entire Elemental Nations. It might take around two weeks to hunt down every Bolton supporter and all his allied houses.¡±


    ¡°Only two weeks?¡± Sansa asked in shock. ¡°I was expecting it to take months¡­ maybe even a year. Magic is truly amazing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually chakra they use,¡± Yasaka corrected Sansa. ¡°That¡¯s something you and your mother will be learning in our lessons, along with how to live in a more modern world. You two will be staying with me in my palace in the meantime. I know you both probably want to hang around my son more, but he does have a restaurant to run.¡±


    ¡°We understand,¡± Catelyn answered for them.


    The heavy conversation was brought to a temporary halt as Haru and Kunou walked over with a tray full of homemade hot fudge sundaes. Kunou was already halfway through her own ice cream treat, chocolate stains smudged across her cheeks.


    ¡°We made ice cream! I helped mix it!¡± Kunou said proudly.


    Yasaka smiled warmly at her daughter. ¡°Good job, sweetie.¡± She leaned forward and took her bowl as Haru set down bowls in front of everyone else. Yasaka took a spoonful and sighed contentedly. ¡°Mmmm, so good.¡±


    Catelyn and Sansa hesitated at first but soon started digging in. ¡°It¡¯s so cold but so tasty,¡± Catelyn said, her eyes wide with surprise.


    Sansa nodded in agreement, taking another small bite. ¡°I¡¯ve never had anything like this before. It¡¯s amazing.¡±


    Naruko, however, was the real shocker. Before anyone had even finished their first few bites, her bowl was already empty. She held it out to Haru, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. ¡°More, please!¡±


    Yasaka blinked. Ara¡­? Didn¡¯t he just set that down in front of her a few seconds ago? Maybe Yasaka would need to spend some time with Naruko as well, if only to teach her a few proper dining manners¡­especially since she declared herself a princess as well.


    XXX

 chapter 30

    Chapter 30: Pork Part 1


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Tanya was slumped over the counter, letting out a huff like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. She looked troubled about something.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Tanya-chan?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°It¡¯s your sister¡¯s birthday tomorrow, and as her loyal employee and ¡®bestest friend,¡¯ aren¡¯t I supposed to get her a gift? What do I get for a Yokai princess who already has everything she could ask for?¡± she said. Apparently, Viktoriya had been out in Kyoto trying to find something too but was having no luck either¡­


    ¡°Rich people problems,¡± Alice said with a small smile from her spot at the counter.


    Alice had spent the entire previous day with Rias and looked much better after their spa day. She was back at her post as the ¡°guard¡± of my restaurant, at least until the door decided to open back up to her world. No luck yet on that front.


    I nodded at Tanya. ¡°I know how you feel. I usually just make her an elaborate feast. This year, I was thinking of making the theme ¡®pork.¡¯¡±


    Tanya tilted her head, considering. ¡°Maybe I could help? I¡¯ve never hunted before, but maybe one of the dimensions has some exotic ingredients I could hunt?¡±


    I ran a hand through my blond hair. ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s actually not a bad idea. Although, I¡¯m pretty sure the boars in Skyrim and Ainz¡¯s world are the same as we have here. Same with Harry¡¯s world, and I¡¯d rather not experiment with alien meat either. We need somewhere new.¡±


    As if on cue, two white badges dropped down on the counter. They were circular and had the numbers 407 and 408 printed on them.


    ¡°I think the goddess is helping us out,¡± I said, picking up the badge marked 407 and handing 408 to Tanya. I walked around the counter, heading for the door, but paused. ¡°Alice, want to come with us?¡±


    ¡°No thanks, have fun hunting pigs on your own. I just spent an entire day in a hot spring after months in a zombie apocalypse. I¡¯d rather not get filthy again so soon. I¡¯ll just hang out with Enri when she shows up. That girl is adorable,¡± Alice replied.


    ¡°Thanks for watching the restaurant for me,¡± I said, heading out with Tanya following close behind.


    Before we even reached the door, it flew open, and Naruko strolled in, her eyes immediately landing on us. ¡°Oh, hi Haru. Are you heading out? I just stopped by to visit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s Kunou¡¯s birthday tomorrow, and we¡¯re going to hunt some exotic pork for her birthday feast. Wanna come?¡± I asked. Before she could respond, another badge appeared out of thin air. Naruko deftly caught it, reading the number 409 printed on it.


    ¡°Pork is my favorite! I definitely want to help!¡± Naruko grinned. ¡°This can be like our mini-date before our actual date! And then you have to take Alice-chan over there out next. You can¡¯t just bring in two other women when she was here first!¡±


    Alice choked on her coffee, coughing as her face turned bright red. ¡°Haru is handsome and all, and I¡¯m very grateful to him, but I¡¯m not ready for anything like that¡­ yet.¡±


    Naruko gave Alice a baffled look before shrugging and grabbing my arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Haru! We¡¯ve got pigs to hunt!¡± She started dragging me toward the door, Tanya trailing behind us with an amused expression.


    When we stepped through the door, I immediately noticed how dark it was. We were in a pitch-black tunnel, and stairs stretched out in front of us. My night vision made it easy for me to see, but Naruko and Tanya weren¡¯t so lucky.


    ¡°This is ridiculous. I can¡¯t see a damn thing,¡± Naruko grumbled, waving her hand in front of her face like it would help.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Tanya muttered while squinting. ¡°This is inconvenient.¡±


    I sighed and grabbed both of their wrists, pulling them along. ¡°Stick close. I can see just fine.¡±


    As we climbed the stairs, I heard a man up ahead, clawing at a steel door. He was panicking, slamming his fists against the metal like it owed him money.


    ¡°Please, no! I was so close! Open up! Please, I need to pass the Hunter¡¯s Exam!¡± the man begged, his voice full of desperation.


    ¡°Need some help?¡± I called out, leading Naruko and Tanya closer to him.


    The man whipped around, startled. ¡°Who¡¯s there!? Did you just get here too? The proctor closed the door on me right as I reached the top! That damn mouthless asshole.¡±


    ¡°Mouthless¡­?¡±


    I shook my head. That sounded weird, but I¡¯d heard stranger things. Placing my hand on the steel door. The Goddess had sent us here for a reason, and I doubted there were any pigs hiding behind this tunnel. My blue foxfire ignited, and the thick steel began to rapidly melt under my palm.


    ¡°What the hell!? Holy fucking shit!¡± the man exclaimed, stumbling back as the heat radiated from the door.


    Naruko whistled, clearly impressed. ¡°Not bad, Haru-kun. Can you do this for all locked doors? Asking for future reference in case I want to steal some shit of course...¡±


    Tanya just crossed her arms, looking more annoyed than anything. ¡°This feels excessive, but I suppose it works.¡±


    I smirked, focusing on creating a large enough hole. Once the steel blob melted away, sunlight poured in, revealing a large group of people on the other side. All of them were staring at us in sheer disbelief, their expressions somewhere between awe and terror.


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± the panicked man shouted, darting through the hole and carefully avoiding the molten edges.


    I stepped through after him, with Naruko and Tanya close behind. The large group of people on the other side didn¡¯t move. They just stood there, gawking at us.


    I scratched my cheek, feeling a little awkward under their stares. ¡°Uh, sorry about that. The door closed on us.¡± I glanced around and noticed that all of them were wearing numbered badges identical to the ones we had.


    My tails swayed behind me as I walked toward the colorful group of people. There were so many of them, and they all looked like they came from completely different places. Two kids near the front immediately spotted Tanya and ran up to her. They seemed around her size, which wasn¡¯t saying much given her¡­ unique situation.


    ¡°Hi there! My name¡¯s Gon, and this is Killua,¡± said the one with spiky black hair and a big grin. ¡°We didn¡¯t see any other kids here. Where did you come from?¡±


    Killua, the one with silver hair and a more suspicious vibe, glanced at me nervously. ¡°And how did your¡­ friend over there melt through those thick steel doors so fast? And why does he have tails?¡± he asked Tanya. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tanya crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed with the two kids. ¡°I¡¯m Tanya, and I came from the other side of that door. Obviously!¡±


    Killua smirked. ¡°You¡¯re funny! You should come hang out with us instead of the boring adults.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! C¡¯mon!¡± Gon added enthusiastically, grabbing her hand.


    Tanya turned to me with a look that screamed help me. ¡°Haru¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t resist messing with her. ¡°Have fun, Tanya. Go play with your new friends.¡±


    Her glare promised payback, but before she could argue, the boys were already dragging her off, chatting her ears off about who-knows-what.


    Naruko giggled and hooked her arm through mine as we made our way to the front of the crowd. ¡°That was mean, Haru-kun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said with a grin.


    At the front, a man with no mouth¡ªseriously, no mouth¡ªwas staring at us nervously. The other guy from before hadn¡¯t been exaggerating about him.


    ¡°Something wrong, buddy?¡± I asked innocently, as if I¡¯d totally been part of this group all along.


    The faceless man glanced at the badges on Naruko¡¯s and my chests before shrugging. ¡°Nothing is wrong, I suppose. My name is Satotz, and welcome to the Hunter Exam¡­¡±


    An exam to test out people¡¯s qualities as hunters? That was great! No wonder the Goddess sent us here. I was sure we¡¯d find some good pigs during this test.


    Satotz turned and addressed the rest of the crowd. ¡°The first exam is still not yet over. Follow me to the next phase. We¡¯ll be passing through the Swindler¡¯s Swamp. Be sure to stay close to me. If you get lost, you may never find your way out. The swamp is full of poisonous plants and dangerous creatures that will try to trick you and eat you¡­¡±


    Naruko tightened her grip on my arm as the group started moving. ¡°This place reminds me of Training Ground 44,¡± she muttered. ¡°I hated that place so much. There were centipedes there bigger than me! And they spat acid too, because why the fuck wouldn¡¯t they?¡±


    Naruko clung a little tighter to my arm, muttering about giant centipedes and acid, and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of bugs? After everything you¡¯ve faced?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re gross, okay?¡± she shot back, pouting. ¡°And they always come out of nowhere!¡±


    We followed Satotz through the swamp, the air getting heavier with each step. A lot of the other examinees were starting to lag behind. They looked exhausted, like they¡¯d been running marathons for hours. Some of them smelled like it too, which made my nose twitch. Super smell was great most of the time, but moments like this made it a curse.


    I noticed a man jogging closer to us, his aura practically dripping with murderous intent. He was wearing clown makeup and a ridiculously colorful outfit that made him look like he¡¯d just escaped a circus. As he got closer, he smiled in a way that wasn¡¯t comforting at all. ¡°Hello there. I don¡¯t remember seeing you two when the Hunter Exam started. I definitely would¡¯ve noticed people as powerful as you. Your little blonde friend too...¡± He shuddered and, to my disgust, licked his lips.


    Naruko stiffened and muttered under her breath, ¡°Fuck me, it¡¯s another Orochimaru.¡±


    I had to admit, I was getting similar vibes. I kept my expression calm. ¡°You should probably stay away from Tanya.¡±


    The clown raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? And why would I do that? She looks so... tantalizing.¡± He smirked, giving both of us a once-over. ¡°As do both of you.¡±


    ¡°Your funeral,¡± I said with a shrug.


    ¡°Oh?¡± He leaned closer, his bloodlust spiking so sharply that several nearby examinees fled, no matter how tired they were. Even Satotz picked up his pace, clearly not wanting to deal with this guy. ¡°Are you going to kill me for going near the innocent little girl? I love a good fight.¡±


    I chuckled softly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to kill you. Tanya-chan will take care of that herself. I never got her exact body count, but it¡¯s easily in the tens of thousands. Maybe even close to a hundred thousand.¡±


    The clown froze mid-step, his expression faltering. Naruko gaped at me. ¡°Holy shit, Tanya is scary! I know she basically one-shot a dragon, but what the fuck was wrong with her homeland if a little girl has a body count that high?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s... a whole thing. She doesn¡¯t really like to talk about it,¡± I mumbled, scratching the back of my head. I glanced back at the clown, but he was gone¡­


    I shrugged and sniffed the air, picking up Satotz¡¯s scent trail. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s catch up.¡±


    Naruko nodded, still muttering about Tanya¡¯s insane kill count. We sped up, weaving through the swamp. Tanya was fine, I was sure of it. She had those two boys with her, and if she somehow got lost, she could always just fly above the trees to find us. No big deal.


    Probably¡­


    ¨C Tanya ¨C


    Tanya was not happy. She was dripping with frog mucus after the largest amphibian she had ever seen¡ªabout the size of a building¡ªtried to swallow her and the two dumb boys she was stuck with. Her mood was about as bad as her current smell.


    ¡°Hahaha, that was a close one,¡± Gon said, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Why¡¯d it spit us out?¡±


    ¡°I gave it some of this poisoned juice Tonpa gave me,¡± Killua said nonchalantly.


    Tanya narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Why do you have poisoned juice?¡±


    Killua shrugged. ¡°You¡¯d know if you guys had been here at the start of the exam instead of sneaking in halfway through.¡±


    ¡°We did no such thing,¡± Tanya snapped, crossing her arms even though she knew neither of them believed her.


    Gon and Killua seemed unbothered by the entire ordeal, but Tanya was sticky, smelly, and furious. She grabbed the rifle hanging off her shoulder, spun around, and pointed it at the giant frog that was waddling away.


    ¡°What are you doing¡ª¡± Killua started, but his words were cut off as a glowing magic circle appeared in front of Tanya¡¯s rifle barrel. She pulled the trigger, and a deafening boom echoed through the swamp. The giant frog¡¯s head was blown clean off in an instant. The ground trembled as its headless body collapsed with a sickening thud.


    Gon stared at her in awe. ¡°Tanya-chan¡­ you¡¯re really scary.¡±


    ¡°What the hell!?¡± Killua exclaimed, his silver hair sticking up as if the blast had shocked him. ¡°How does a regular rifle do that kind of damage? And what was that glowing circle? That looked like something out of a video game my brother plays!¡±


    Tanya scoffed. ¡°That was magic. I used a spell to increase the velocity of the explosive bullet and amplify the power of the explosion.¡±


    ¡°Magic is real!?¡± Gon¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Can you teach me?¡±


    Tanya let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Are you any good at math?¡±


    Gon blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to school.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Killua added, as if that was something to be proud of.


    Tanya rolled her eyes. ¡°My magic requires precise calculations. You¡¯d need at least a college-level education to even begin learning it.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know it?¡± Killua asked suspiciously. ¡°You look younger than we do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thirteen!¡± Tanya declared, pouting. ¡°And I¡¯m a genius. I didn¡¯t need school.¡±


    Killua muttered something about it being unfair, and Gon¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Math ruins everything,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Whatever. We need to catch up with the group before we fall too far behind,¡± Tanya said. She started floating a few feet off the ground, leaving a shocked Gon and Killua gaping at her.


    ¡°You can fly!?¡± Gon shouted, his earlier disappointment completely forgotten.


    Tanya smirked. ¡°Try to keep up, or you¡¯ll fail this ridiculous test.¡± Killua muttered something about flying being unfair, but he and Gon quickly sprinted after her as she floated gracefully through the swamp.


    ¨C Satotz ¨C


    Satoz arrived at the site of the second exam faster than he should have. He needed to warn the second-stage examiners.


    "Hey there, Satoz!" Menchi called out, leaning casually against a table piled with cooking supplies. "You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost or something."


    "Want some cookies?" Buhara added, shoveling another heaping handful of food into his mouth. Crumbs spilled down his shirt as he continued eating like he was preparing to hibernate or something.


    Satoz shook his head. "No, thank you," he said briskly, trying not to grimace at Buhara¡¯s gluttonous display. He straightened his tie again¡ªa habit when he was anxious. "I came here to warn you two. Three very powerful beings somehow joined the exam halfway through my stage."


    Menchi frowned, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Powerful how?"


    "Every single one of them..." Satoz hesitated, glancing around as though the trio might appear out of nowhere. He lowered his voice. "Every single one of them reminds me of the Chairman¡­"


    Buhara immediately stopped chewing mid-bite, and Menchi''s usually confident posture stiffened. There was no need to explain further. The Chairman was regarded as one of the most invincible Nen users in the world. If even one person comparable to him was in the exam, it would be cause for alarm. But three!?


    "You''re sure about this?" Menchi asked, her tone serious now.


    "I¡¯ve never been more sure of anything," Satoz replied. "The danger I felt from them¡­ it¡¯s bigger than anything I¡¯ve ever sensed from the old man."


    Buhara swallowed his mouthful of food with an audible gulp. "That''s... not great."


    Menchi crossed her arms and leaned against the table again, her usual confidence creeping back into her expression. "Well, thanks for the warning, but neither Buhara nor I plan to make this exam about fighting. We¡¯re gourmet hunters, after all!"


    "Exactly," Buhara chimed in, his nerves easing slightly at the familiar thought of food. "If they can¡¯t cook, they fail. End of story."


    Menchi smirked and punched her palm for emphasis. "No matter how powerful they are, if their cooking sucks, I''ll kick them to the curb without a second thought!¡±


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Naruko and I were almost to the second exam site when I stopped dead in my tracks, frozen. A strange tingle ran down my spine, and the fur on my tails puffed out like I¡¯d just been hit by electricity.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Haru?¡± Naruko asked, her bright purple eyes wide with concern.


    I turned to her, my face serious as I declared, ¡°I feel it. My pride as a chef is suddenly on the line! Someone out there dares to challenge me!¡±


    Naruko blinked at me, her expression shifting from worried to amused. ¡°Er¡­ okay?¡± she said, letting out a small chuckle. ¡°Well, I guess you better show them who¡¯s boss then.¡±


    I nodded firmly, the fire of determination already lighting in my chest. ¡°Indeed, I will. No one questions my culinary talents and gets away with it!¡±


    XXX

 chapter 31

    Chapter 31:  Pork Part 2


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Naruko and I finally reached the end of the first exam stage. A small crowd had already gathered, made up of participants who¡¯d arrived ahead of us. Most of them looked exhausted, sprawled on the ground or leaning against trees, trying to catch their breath.


    Naruko glanced around, frowning. ¡°Tanya¡¯s not here yet.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said, leaning casually against a tree. ¡°She¡¯ll probably show up at the last second after maybe killing that creepy clown guy.¡±


    Naruko blinked and then nodded. ¡°That probably makes sense.¡± She paused for a moment, her frown fading into something more thoughtful. ¡°Still¡­ I can¡¯t believe Tanya has such a high body count. Even my old man only killed, like, two or three thousand people...¡±


    I gaped at her, completely thrown by how casually she said that. A few of the other participants nearby overheard her and immediately took several steps back, giving us a wide berth. I caught a glance from one guy who was covered in needles¡ªhe looked way too interested in Naruko all of a sudden. I made a mental note to keep an eye on him.


    Naruko didn¡¯t seem to notice the commotion she¡¯d caused. She just plopped down under a shady tree and grabbed one of my tails to use as a cushion. I sighed but let her. At least she wasn¡¯t yanking on it like Kunou usually did.


    While we waited, the silver-haired kid from earlier showed up, walking out of the forest like it was no big deal. I waved him over.


    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Tanya? And that other kid¡­ Gon, right?¡±


    Killua¡ªyeah, I remembered his name now¡ªshoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. ¡°They stayed behind to fight Hisoka.¡±


    ¡°Is Hisoka the clown guy?¡± I asked, already knowing the answer.


    Killua nodded, looking entirely too nonchalant about it.


    I turned to Naruko with a smug look. ¡°Told you. She¡¯ll be here right at the end.¡±


    Naruko giggled, leaning back against my tail. ¡°You must really know Tanya well.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s almost part of the family at this point. She even has the hair blonde for it.¡±


    Surprisingly, Hisoka showed up first, carrying another contestant who looked like they¡¯d gone ten rounds with a bear and lost. The guy was out cold, head lolling against Hisoka¡¯s shoulder. But what really caught everyone¡¯s attention was Hisoka himself. His outfit was half shredded, scorched, and smeared with soot. Parts of his skin were raw and blistered. The sight made the whole crowd go quiet.


    People started whispering, their voices blending into a confused hum. ¡°Who could¡¯ve done that to Hisoka?¡± one of them murmured.


    The clown¡¯s eyes scanned the group, lingering on me and Naruko. I couldn¡¯t help it¡ªI smirked. Hisoka¡¯s face twisted into a pout, and he quickly looked away. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what happened. The guy had obviously bitten off more than he could chew when it came to Tanya¡¯s explosive magic. He was lucky to still be breathing.


    A few minutes later, Tanya showed up with Gon and some other blonde guy in tow. Gon immediately bolted off to join Killua, while Tanya stomped toward me, her small frame radiating fury. Naruko was still curled up on my tail, making herself comfortable.


    I nudged her. ¡°C¡¯mon, Naruko. Time to be social.¡±


    She pouted at me as I pulled her to her feet. ¡°You¡¯re no fun, Haru.¡±


    ¡°Hey there, Tanya,¡± I said, then immediately recoiled, covering my nose. ¡°Ugh¡ªwhat the hell happened to you? You stink!¡±


    Her glare was deadly, and before I could react, a sharp pain shot through my shin.


    ¡°OW!¡± I yelped, hopping on one foot. ¡°Did you reinforce that kick with magic?¡±


    ¡°I got eaten by a freaking frog!¡± Tanya snapped, crossing her arms. ¡°A frog the size of your entire restaurant, Haru! And in case you¡¯re wondering, I blew its head clean off.¡±


    Naruko doubled over laughing. ¡°You got eaten by a frog? That¡¯s priceless!¡±


    Tanya spun toward her, aiming another kick, but Naruko was faster, darting behind me for cover. I couldn¡¯t help laughing, even as Tanya fumed.


    Turning my attention to the blonde guy, I held out a hand. ¡°Name¡¯s Haru. You must be one of Tanya¡¯s new friends?¡±


    He hesitated, then shook my hand. ¡°I¡¯m Kurapika. Are you her big brother? She really saved us from Hisoka back there, but¡­¡± He paused, frowning. ¡°Her gun is terrifying. Should a little girl really be walking around with something more powerful than a cannon?¡±


    I grinned at him. ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about it, you can try taking her weapons away.¡±


    Kurapika blinked. ¡°Wait¡ªweapons? As in more than one?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°She¡¯s probably got two or three sidearms under her clothes right now. Tanya¡¯s always strapped head to toe.¡± I chuckled to myself. Watching people realize how much of a walking arsenal Tanya never got old.


    Kurapika gave Tanya a wary glance, like he wasn¡¯t sure if he should thank her again or start running. Tanya just rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said flatly. ¡°I only use them on idiots who deserve it¡­¡±


    That didn¡¯t seem to reassure him much.


    A sudden commotion drew everyone¡¯s attention to the front of the group. A woman stood there with a confident stance, her strange hairstyle making her stand out. But it wasn¡¯t just her¡ªthere was a guy next to her who looked even stranger.


    ¡°Wow¡­ he makes members of the Akimichi Clan look healthy,¡± Naruko said with a chuckle.


    I nodded in agreement. That guy was big.


    The woman cleared her throat, her voice cutting through the murmurs. ¡°Listen up, everyone! My name is Menchi, and this is my partner Buhara! We¡¯re the proctors for the second stage of the Hunter Exam!¡± She paused, letting her words sink in before delivering the kicker. ¡°This portion of the exam will be¡­ COOKING!¡±


    The crowd erupted into mutters and groans.


    ¡°What kind of test is this?¡± someone grumbled.


    ¡°Cooking? That¡¯s a woman¡¯s job!¡± another yelled. ¡°No real man who wants to be a Hunter would waste his time with garbage like that!¡±


    Menchi¡¯s eyes narrowed, her glare promising pain. But before she could act, I felt one of my tails lash out on instinct. It smashed the loudmouth so hard into the ground that a small crater formed under him. Dust and debris puffed into the air, and everyone nearby backed away like I¡¯d just sprouted an extra head.


    I let my tails sway behind me menacingly. ¡°I¡¯ll have you all know I¡¯m a professional chef! I even own my own restaurant. Does anyone else feel like insulting cooking in my presence?¡± My voice was calm, but the menace was impossible to miss.


    Naruko leaned toward Tanya and whispered loud enough for me to hear. ¡°What a bunch of morons.¡±


    Tanya nodded in agreement.


    Menchi glanced at me, a spark of approval in her eyes. ¡°Well said¡­ guy with all the tails. Cooking is a noble profession. And in case any of you didn¡¯t know, some of the ingredients in this world are so dangerous they¡¯ll kill you before you even get them into a pot!¡± She folded her arms and smirked at the group. ¡°With that said, we¡¯re wasting time. Buhara and I are hungry!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh!¡± Buhara chimed in, his deep voice rumbling. ¡°The thing I want to eat most is¡­ pork!¡±


    Menchi grinned. ¡°You heard him! Go out into the forest, hunt some pigs, bring them back, and start cooking!¡±


    A few contestants looked like they were about to complain, but then their eyes flicked to my still-swaying tails. They wisely kept their mouths shut and started moving.


    ¡°Pork, huh?¡± Naruko said, tilting her head. ¡°Now that¡¯s a coincidence!¡±


    ¡°This is perfect!¡± Tanya added. ¡°We can save a few pigs for Kunou¡¯s party tomorrow. If these pigs are anything like that giant frog, they¡¯re going to be huge!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± I said, nodding. Then I looked at them. ¡°How about you two go hunting for the three of us? I want to have a word with Menchi. I need to see if she¡¯s got the qualifications to judge my cooking!¡±


    Naruko raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re really going to check the proctor? That¡¯s bold, Haru¡­¡±


    ¡°My pride as a chef won¡¯t allow for anything less,¡± I said with a grin.


    Tanya rolled her eyes but nodded. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll bag the best pigs out there. Don¡¯t take too long, though. We¡¯ll need you to cook them!¡±


    The two of them disappeared into the forest, leaving me with Buhara, and Menchi. I strode up to her, folding my arms.


    ¡°So, Menchi,¡± I began, ¡°you¡¯re a chef?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°One of the best. Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not about to take culinary criticism from someone who doesn¡¯t know their way around a kitchen. Cooking is my life. If you¡¯re going to judge my food, you¡¯d better have the skills to back it up!¡± I said challengingly.


    ¡°I like your attitude,¡± Menchi said, her eyes locking onto mine. ¡°You want to test me? Fine. While everyone else is out getting their pigs, you and I will have a little showdown. Let¡¯s see who can make the best sushi.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Menchi¡­¡± Buhara said, looking confused. ¡°We don¡¯t have any fish for sushi.¡±


    Menchi let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms.


    ¡°No problem,¡± I said. I opened a portal beside me, reaching in without hesitation. When I pulled my hand back out, I was holding two large yellowfin tuna. I handed one to Menchi, keeping the other for myself.


    Menchi stared at the fish in surprise. ¡°What kind of Nen ability is this?¡± she asked. ¡°This fish is fresh, and it¡¯s still cold!¡±


    ¡°Nen?¡± I repeated, tilting my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is.¡±


    Menchi frowned but didn¡¯t press the issue. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s impressive,¡± she said, holding the tuna tightly.


    The cooking stations nearby were set up with everything we needed. Menchi and I each took a station and got to work. I pulled out one of my best knives and started preparing the tuna. The blade moved smoothly through the fish as I cut away the head, fins, and tail. I carefully removed the skin, revealing the deep red meat underneath. I worked quickly but carefully, slicing the tuna into perfect portions for sushi.


    While I focused on the tuna, one of my tails detached and transformed into a clone of me. The clone immediately began preparing the rice, rinsing it in a bowl until the water ran clear.


    Menchi stopped mid-slice to stare at the clone. ¡°What is that? That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    I glanced at her. ¡°All¡¯s fair in cooking,¡± I said simply.


    My clone finished washing the rice and placed it in a pot to cook. It measured the water and added just the right amount of seasoning before setting it to steam. Meanwhile, I continued working on the fish, seasoning the tuna lightly with sea salt, soy sauce, and a touch of lemon. Once the rice was ready, my clone started folding the seaweed wraps, making sure each sheet was smooth and unbroken.


    Menchi was working hard, but it was clear that she was struggling to keep up. Her movements were sharp, but she wasn¡¯t as fast or as precise.


    ¡°Having trouble?¡± I asked teasingly.


    She shot me a glare but didn¡¯t answer.


    I finished plating my sushi first, arranging the pieces neatly on the plate. The vibrant colors of the tuna, rice, and seaweed made it look beyond appetizing! I made enough for Menchi and Buhara, making sure to give Buhara an extra-large portion.


    Menchi finished her sushi a couple of minutes later. She placed her plate next to mine, looking tense.


    Buhara¡¯s eyes lit up as he looked at the food. ¡°This looks amazing!¡± he said, leaning closer to my plate.


    Menchi frowned at him. ¡°At least act like you¡¯re excited for my cooking too,¡± she muttered.


    We started the tasting with my sushi. Menchi picked up a piece and took a bite. Her expression changed immediately. She closed her eyes and chewed slowly, her shoulders relaxing.


    ¡°This is¡­ really good,¡± she admitted quietly.


    Buhara grabbed a piece and stuffed it into his mouth. His face lit up, and tears started running down his cheeks as he continued eating.


    I tasted her sushi in return. It was good¡ªbetter than most¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t on the same level as mine. I smiled at her, letting my tails sway behind me as I waited for her to admit it.


    Menchi put her chopsticks down and sighed. ¡°Satotz was right. You¡¯re a monster. A monster of a chef,¡± she said. She looked at me seriously. ¡°I am not worthy to judge someone of your skill. You immediately pass the second exam, Master.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± I said, realizing I¡¯d almost forgotten this was part of the Hunter Exam.


    Menchi groaned. ¡°I thought this test would intimidate people, not make me look bad. Thanks for that.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Maybe don¡¯t challenge a professional chef next time.¡±


    ¡°I''m a professional chef too¡­¡± she grumbled before asking me if I wanted to be a judge for the second exam as well?


    I couldn¡¯t keep the mischievous grin off of my face. That sounded fun¡­


    ¡­


    The other contestants started returning from the forest, all carrying pigs. And not just any pigs¡ªmassive pigs. Each of these animals had to weigh at least a ton, but these humans carried them over their heads like it was nothing.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin. Kunou was going to lose her mind when she saw how much meat we were bringing back for her birthday feast.


    Then I noticed Naruko¡¯s clones. At least ten of them were making their way toward me, each carrying a pig. The moment they reached my feet, they dropped the carcasses in a neat pile and vanished in a puff of smoke.


    ¡°More clones!¡± Menchi exclaimed. She turned to me with an incredulous look. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that for my Nen ability? That would be so useful in the kitchen!¡±


    Buhara patted her head with his massive hand. ¡°There, there, Menchi,¡± he said gently.


    The real Naruko strolled over with Tanya, a smirk plastered on her face. ¡°Alright, Haru. Get to cooking!¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I said casually, leaning back in my seat.


    Naruko blinked. ¡°Huh? What do you mean, no?¡±


    Menchi answered before I could. She stood up, raised her voice, and declared loudly, ¡°Haru has already passed the second stage of the Hunter Exam. He¡¯s going to help judge the rest of you instead!¡±


    A chorus of complaints erupted from the contestants.


    ¡°That¡¯s favoritism!¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even do the pig-hunting part!¡±


    ¡°The pretty fox boy is cheating!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I turned toward the complainers, letting a small amount of my youki leak out. It wasn¡¯t much, just enough to get their attention. Their hair stood on end, their eyes went wide, and I could hear some of them gulping audibly.


    ¡°Any other issues?¡± I asked, keeping my tone even.


    They all immediately shook their heads, apologized, and hurried back to their cooking stations.


    Naruko frowned, crossing her arms. ¡°I suck at cooking, Haru! I always left that stuff to Naruto or Sakura on missions.¡±


    Tanya shrugged. ¡°Who cares if we pass the exam or not? We already got the pigs. That¡¯s what we came here for.¡±


    Menchi turned to us, her mouth slightly open in shock. ¡°Wait¡­ you three came to the Hunter Exam for the pigs? You don¡¯t even want to be Hunters?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not even really sure what a Hunter is at this point,¡± I admitted. ¡°And yeah, it¡¯s my little sister¡¯s birthday tomorrow, so I can¡¯t stick around after tonight. We came here to get pork for her party.¡±


    Menchi lowered her finger, clearly at a loss for words. She opened her mouth like she wanted to argue but then closed it again, apparently deciding against it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± she muttered under her breath, sitting back down.


    The contestants began bringing over their cooked pork dishes one by one. I was sitting at the judging table next to Menchi and Buhara, ready to see what they¡¯d come up with. I wasn¡¯t expecting much.


    Still, this part might be entertaining if nothing else¡­


    Naruko was the first to step up. She set her plate down with a grin, looking way too proud of herself.


    ¡°What¡¯d you make?¡± I asked, eyeing the dish suspiciously.


    ¡°A pork sandwich!¡± she announced.


    I leaned closer, sniffing it. My nose wrinkled immediately. The bread smelled fine, but the meat¡­ I grabbed the sandwich, ripped it in half, and saw the blackened chunks of pork inside.


    ¡°You torched the meat,¡± I said flatly. Then, without hesitation, I tossed the entire thing into the garbage can beside me.


    Naruko¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Hey! That took me forever!¡±


    ¡°And you still burned it,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Fail.¡±


    She stormed off, muttering something about how she wasn¡¯t a chef. Tanya stepped up next, carrying a small tray in both hands.


    I looked at the grayish cube on her tray and frowned. ¡°What the hell is this, Tanya?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Emergency field rations. I¡¯m not a cook, Haru. I made do with what I had.¡±


    I picked up the cube, inspecting it. It smelled like pork, but there were other ingredients mixed in that I couldn¡¯t quite identify. The texture felt dense and unappetizing, but I took a bite anyway.


    It tasted awful.


    Sure, it was probably nutritious, but it had the consistency of rubber and the flavor of disappointment. I chewed slowly, trying not to laugh, but I couldn¡¯t hold it in. ¡°This is terrible,¡± I said, shaking my head as I set the rest of the cube down. ¡°Fail.¡±


    Tanya just shrugged and walked over to sit next to Naruko, who was already sulking.


    The next group of contestants came up together¡ªGon, Killua, and Kurapika. Each of them carried a massive whole roasted pig on a platter.


    I stared at the pigs as they set them down in front of me. ¡°You roasted the entire thing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Gon said with a big smile. ¡°It¡¯s how they do it in the wild!¡±


    I poked at the seared skin with my fork, then cut into the meat underneath. As I suspected, it was raw. ¡°You know this kind of thing takes hours, right? You¡¯ve only had thirty minutes,¡± I said, looking at all three of them.


    Killua shrugged. ¡°It looked cool, though.¡±


    ¡°Cool isn¡¯t edible,¡± I said.


    Kurapika sighed. ¡°So we fail?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± I said, tossing my fork onto the plate.


    Despite their failure, Buhara didn¡¯t hesitate to dig into the massive pigs. He tore chunks of meat from the bones and ate them raw, skin, bones, and all. I couldn¡¯t help but watch in a mix of awe and horror.


    Menchi leaned over and whispered, ¡°Yeah, Buhara will literally eat anything.¡±


    ¡°That much is obvious,¡± I muttered, shaking my head.


    Kurapika, Gon, and Killua went to join Naruko and Tanya in the loser¡¯s corner. I could hear them all grumbling with each other...


    One by one, the rest of the contestants brought up their dishes. The pattern was clear¡ªburnt, undercooked, overseasoned, or just plain bad. Menchi and I shot down dish after dish, while Buhara happily stuffed his face with whatever he could get his hands on.


    ¡°This is even worse than I expected,¡± I said after the 50th fail in a row¡­


    XXX

 chapter 32

    Chapter 32: The Pork Returns¡­


    Not a single contestant passed. That was honestly pathetic. What made it worse was the fact that all of them had decided whole roasted pigs were the way to go.


    Every. Single. One. Of. Them!


    They saw me fail every person who brought one up, and yet they still thought it was a good idea. ¡°Are all of you idiots?¡± I muttered under my breath, shaking my head as the last contestant walked away in defeat.


    ¡°This might be a bit of a problem,¡± Menchi said quietly, glancing nervously at the crowd.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. The contestants were glaring at us like they wanted blood. I could feel killing intent rolling off a few of them, especially Hisoka and that pin-cushion-looking guy.


    I didn¡¯t bother standing up. Instead, I flexed a small amount of my Youki aura and directed it at them. I smirked as both of them froze and shivered, their killing intent disappearing in an instant! I mouthed the words, just try it. If they didn¡¯t like the results of the test, maybe they should¡¯ve put in the tiniest amount of effort to actually cook something.


    ¡°You know what? I changed my mind,¡± I said loudly enough for everyone to hear.


    The crowd went silent. A few of the contestants looked hopeful.


    ¡°Do we pass after all?¡± Gon called out from somewhere in the middle of the group, standing next to Killua.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, smirking as their faces dropped. I pointed at Naruko and Tanya. ¡°But I¡¯ve decided that they pass.¡±


    A wave of complaints immediately erupted.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so unfair!¡±


    I ignored them and turned to Naruko and Tanya. ¡°Naruko burnt her pork to charcoal, but she was the only one who even tried to make a sandwich. Tanya¡¯s emergency rations tasted like crap, but at least they were edible. Both of them put in more effort than the rest of you combined, so they pass.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah, dattebane!¡± Naruko cheered, throwing her fist into the air.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Tanya grumbled, but I caught the faint grin tugging at the corner of her lips. The little tsundere.


    The complaints from the crowd got louder.


    ¡°That¡¯s clearly nepotism!¡± someone shouted.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d pass your little sister and your girlfriend, you nine-tailed freak!¡± another yelled.


    I turned toward the guy who¡¯d said that, glaring as I held up a hand wreathed in blue fox fire. ¡°Come over here and say that to my face!¡± I shouted.


    The guy immediately looked down and didn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°Thought so,¡± I said, letting the flames flicker out.


    Before things could escalate further, a booming voice cut through the tension.


    ¡°Hoh¡­? It looks like things are getting interesting down here!¡±


    I glanced up to see an old man with long earlobes leap from an airship high above us. He descended hundreds of meters in a controlled fall and landed nearby with a loud crack, creating a small crater where he stood.


    ¡°Chairman!¡± Menchi and Buhara exclaimed at the same time, both of them snapping to attention.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s going on here?¡± he asked, looking between me, Menchi, and Buhara.


    Menchi stepped forward, visibly nervous but doing her best to stay composed. ¡°Chairman Netero, sir, only three contestants have passed the second stage of the Hunter Exam,¡± she said, gesturing toward me, Naruko, and Tanya.


    Netero¡¯s gaze shifted to the three of us. His expression was unreadable as he looked us over critically, like he was sizing up every detail. ¡°You¡¯re all certainly strong,¡± he said finally. ¡°But the exam must have been far too difficult if so many others failed during only the second portion.¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± I said.


    Netero raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°They were all just bad at cooking. Like, cartoonishly bad,¡± I said bluntly, gesturing toward the group of contestants still standing nearby. ¡°Burned pork, raw pork, flavorless pork. It¡¯s like none of them had even seen a kitchen before today.¡± I paused, looking at the contestants. ¡°Anyone want to argue with me?¡± Silence. Not a single person spoke up. A few of them looked embarrassed, while others just avoided my gaze entirely.


    ¡°Er¡­ be that as it may,¡± Netero said after a moment, clearing his throat, ¡°I think you, Menchi, should host another stage of the exam. One with less¡­ cooking involved.¡±


    Menchi sighed, clearly unhappy about that, but not about to argue with her boss. ¡°Alright,¡± she said reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯ll need to borrow the airship though...¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Netero said with a nod.


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°This was fun, but we¡¯re heading out now.¡± Naruko and Tanya walked over to join me.


    Naruko looked up at me. ¡°Do we even know how we¡¯re getting back to your restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I admitted. ¡°If the goddess left us a door nearby, great. If not, we can backtrack through the swamp. It¡¯s not a huge deal...¡±


    I noticed Netero¡¯s eyes widened slightly at my words. ¡°You¡¯re all leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said simply.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to continue the Hunter Exam?¡± he asked, sounding genuinely curious.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I only came here for the pork. My little sister¡¯s birthday is tomorrow, and I needed meat for her party. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡±


    The Chairman raised a hand, stopping us as we started to leave. ¡°It would be a shame for such strong contestants to drop out after only the second exam,¡± he said.


    I paused, glancing back at him. ¡°We¡¯ve already got what we came for. No point sticking around.¡±


    Menchi spoke up before the Chairman could respond. ¡°Where we¡¯re going next, there¡¯s more delicious food! Your little sister will love it I¡¯m sure!¡±


    That caught my attention. ¡°More delicious food?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Menchi nodded confidently. ¡°It¡¯s something you¡¯ll definitely want to try!¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll stick around for a few more hours.¡± I doubted Menchi was going to lie as a fellow chef so whatever she had planned was probably worth it.


    We boarded the airship along with the rest of the contestants. The crowd was still buzzing, people chatting about the unexpected second chance. Killua and Gon ran over as soon as they spotted us.


    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky to have a big brother like Haru!¡± Gon said, looking at Tanya. ¡°He totally passed you!¡±


    Tanya crossed her arms and huffed. ¡°I passed because of my own talents, not because Haru took pity on me.¡± She turned to me, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Right?¡±


    I avoided her gaze, pretending to be distracted by something on the floor.


    Her frown deepened. ¡°Haru!¡±


    Killua and Gon burst out laughing.


    Before Tanya could get any angrier, Kurapika approached with another contestant. The guy was tall and dressed in a suit that looked way too formal for a survival test.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± the suited guy said, holding out a hand. ¡°That was a close one. Made me really nervous back there. I¡¯m glad we¡¯re getting another chance. Name¡¯s Leorio.¡±


    I shook his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Haru.¡±


    We talked for a while, mostly small talk about the test and how absurd the cooking portion had been. Leorio seemed like a decent guy, even if he complained a lot.


    After what felt like an hour, the airship landed again. Everyone disembarked, stepping out onto a rocky cliff that overlooked a massive canyon.


    Menchi walked to the edge of the cliff and turned to face us. ¡°This is the next part of the second exam,¡± she said. She pointed down into the canyon. ¡°Spider Eagles nest here, and their eggs are considered some of the most delicious in the entire world. But they¡¯re not easy to get.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What¡¯s so hard about grabbing an egg?¡± someone in the crowd asked.


    Menchi smirked. ¡°Watch and learn.¡± Without another word, she jumped off the cliff. Gasps and shouts echoed behind her as she plummeted downward. I watched her calmly, already guessing what was about to happen. Dozens of meters below, she reached out and grabbed an egg from one of the nests on the cliff wall. A massive updraft of wind blew from the canyon, lifting her back up in a smooth arc until she landed gracefully back on the edge of the cliff. She held up the egg with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s done,¡± she said. ¡°If you want to pass this part of the exam, you¡¯ll need to get your own Spider Eagle egg. No exceptions.¡±


    A few random contestants stepped forward, clearly trying to prove they weren¡¯t afraid. One by one, they jumped. The first missed the nest entirely, flailing as they fell into the canyon below. The second managed to grab an egg but miscalculated the updraft and fell, clutching the egg all the way to their death. Same with the third.


    People hesitated a lot more after watching three men fail to come back up. Menchi stepped forward with her hands on her hips. ¡°Those idiots didn¡¯t wait for the updraft to blow them back up! Don¡¯t be like them,¡± she said bluntly, her voice sharp.


    I glanced over at Naruko and Tanya. ¡°So, either of you want to grab some eggs?¡±


    Tanya crossed her arms, her face scrunching up in a pout. ¡°You already made us get the pigs. You go get the eggs.¡±


    Naruko chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Haru. You¡¯re the one obsessed with food. Do your thing.¡±


    I chuckled, stepping toward the edge. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Without another word, I stepped off the cliff.


    Gasps erupted from the contestants watching, and I could hear a few muttering things like ¡°He¡¯s insane!¡± or ¡°He¡¯s going to fall!¡±


    Blue flames ignited under my feet as I casually walked down through the air like it was solid ground. The flames flickered with each step, holding me steady as I descended toward the spider eagle nests.


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± someone yelled.


    ¡°He can fly too? How?!¡±


    ¡°What kind of cheat code is this guy running?¡± another contestant grumbled.


    I ignored them and focused on the task at hand. The spider eagle eggs were large, bigger than I¡¯d expected, with a glossy finish. I crouched and started grabbing them by the handful. My ears twitched as I overheard Menchi from above.


    ¡°Better hurry,¡± she said to the others. ¡°At this rate, Haru¡¯s going to take them all himself!¡±


    A chorus of complaints followed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he already pass?¡±


    ¡°Why is he even participating again?¡±


    The eggs were big, so I wasn¡¯t planning to take more than twenty anyway. But they didn¡¯t know that, and watching them panic was a little funny.


    The first to leap off the cliff was Gon, with Killua right behind him. They both landed above me, grabbing onto the strong webs that crisscrossed the cliff face.


    I gave them a small wave. ¡°Nice forms.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Gon called back, already focused on the eggs near him.


    I finished stashing my collection into my pocket space and started walking back up. As I ascended, more contestants started dropping down, trying their luck. Some managed to catch the webs or land near nests. Others weren¡¯t so lucky. I watched as a few missed entirely, plummeting to their deaths below. One man fell dangerously close to me, his arms flailing. My tail flicked out instinctively, wrapping around him and tossing him onto a nearby web.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± the man said, tears streaming down his face as he clung to the web.


    I nodded at him and continued walking upward. I wasn¡¯t going out of my way to save everyone¡ªthis was their choice to take part in such a dangerous exam¡ªbut I figured one good deed wouldn¡¯t kill me.


    When I reached the top, Menchi, Naruko, and Tanya were waiting for me. Menchi let out an exaggerated huff, her arms crossed. ¡°Your abilities are so unfair! Clones, flames you can cook and fly with¡ªyou¡¯re impossible to compete with!¡±


    I chuckled, setting down the eggs I¡¯d gathered. ¡°So, how do you prepare these things? What¡¯s the best way to eat them?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re best hard-boiled,¡± Menchi said. ¡°I¡¯ll show the others how it¡¯s done once they make it back up.¡±


    We waited until another updraft came, lifting the contestants who¡¯d managed to grab eggs back to the top. Some were clutching their eggs tightly, their faces pale from the experience.


    Gon and Killua ran over to Tanya. ¡°You didn¡¯t even try! You¡¯re such a chicken!¡± Killua said.


    ¡°Scaredy-cat!¡± Gon added with a grin.


    Tanya clicked her tongue, glaring at them. Then, without a word, she jumped off the cliff. Despite having memories of a past life, she really did act like a kid sometimes and was easily egged on.


    Heh¨Cegged on¡­


    ¡°Oi! Did she just jump?!¡±


    ¡°But the updraft¡ª¡±


    ¡°Holy crap, she can fly too?!¡±


    The gawkers voiced their shock, but Tanya didn¡¯t even notice or care. In a matter of seconds, she grabbed one of the remaining eggs and flew back up, landing smoothly. She smirked at Gon and Killua. ¡°That was easy,¡± she said smugly.


    Killua pouted. ¡°Flying is cheating! You missed the whole point of the exam!¡±


    Tanya shrugged, walking over to one of the large pots Menchi had set up. ¡°Sucks to suck,¡± she said, dropping her egg inside.


    Naruko tugged at my sleeve, pouting. ¡°I want to try it too!¡±


    I sighed, pulling out two of the ones I¡¯d collected and handing them over. ¡°Here. Happy?¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Yep!¡± she ran over and tossed them into the boiling potts Menchi had set out for everyone who passed.


    Once the eggs were cooked, I had to admit they were incredible. The yolk was rich, and the white had a delicate flavor that I hadn¡¯t tasted before. ¡°Too bad they¡¯re so rare, or I¡¯d add them to my menu full-time.¡± I said.  Maybe I¡¯d commission some Yokai to occasionally come out here to collect some though on special occasions.


    Now that we had the eggs, it was time to head back. I was already thinking about how Kunou would react to the feast when, as if responding to my thoughts, my entire restaurant appeared out of nowhere at the edge of the cliff. The Foxhole stood there like it had always been there, its clean and modern design completely out of place on the rocky terrain. Everyone froze and stared, their faces filled with confusion and disbelief.


    ¡°What is that?!¡± Menchi exclaimed, pointing at the building.


    ¡°That¡¯s my restaurant, The Fox Hole,¡± I said casually, already walking toward it with Naruko and Tanya close behind.


    The Hunter Exam had been an interesting experience, but we¡¯d overstayed our welcome. We¡¯d come for the pork, gotten more than enough, and even grabbed a few spider eagle eggs as a bonus. There was no reason to stick around any longer.


    ¡°Hold up, please!¡± Chairman Netero called out, his voice stopping us in our tracks.


    I turned to face him. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Before you leave, I wanted to give you something,¡± Netero said, reaching into his sleeve. He pulled out three plastic cards with strange writing on them. I stared at the cards for a moment, realizing I could read the language on them perfectly, even though I¡¯d never seen it before.


    ¡°These are your Hunter Licenses,¡± Netero said, handing one to each of us.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I said, blinking at the card in my hand. ¡°That was pretty easy. We didn¡¯t even finish the whole exam.¡±


    Netero chuckled. ¡°You didn¡¯t even finish half of it, technically. But I knew with one look at the three of you that you were bound to pass. Honestly, the competition was a little unfair with you sticking around.¡±


    Naruko snickered. ¡°Guess we¡¯re just that good.¡±


    Tanya inspected her card, her expression skeptical. ¡°What exactly are these licenses for?¡±


    ¡°They grant you access to places, information, and resources that regular people can only dream of,¡± Netero explained. ¡°They¡¯re very valuable and come with a lot of privileges. Take care of them¡ªthey can¡¯t be replaced if lost or damaged.¡±


    I slipped my license into my pocket with a nod. ¡°Got it.¡± Then I gestured toward my restaurant. ¡°By the way, if you or Menchi ever see this place pop up again, feel free to stop by. It has a habit of showing up in the strangest locations.¡±


    Netero¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement. ¡°Hohoho, I¡¯ll keep that in mind¡­¡±


    ¨C Netero ¨C


    Netero let out a long sigh of relief. Everything had ended peacefully. Those three beings¡­ they weren¡¯t normal. If someone had told him they were from the Dark Continent, he wouldn¡¯t have argued. The thought sent a chill through him. He hadn¡¯t taken Satotz¡¯s warning seriously at first. Now, he almost regretted that.


    As soon as the three of them disappeared into the restaurant and closed the door, the building itself vanished without a trace.


    ¡°It just vanished!¡± Menchi gasped before spinning toward Netero. ¡°You just gave them all licenses, just like that, Chairman?!¡±


    Netero stroked his beard thoughtfully. ¡°It will be fine,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I got the feeling those three wouldn¡¯t abuse them. I¡¯m a pretty good judge of character, you know.¡±


    Menchi wasn¡¯t convinced. She glanced back at the empty space where the restaurant had stood just moments ago. The entire thing made her uneasy. ¡°Come now, Menchi,¡± Netero said, motioning toward the airship waiting in the distance. ¡°Everyone else has already boarded, and it will take hours to get to the next exam site.¡±


    ¡°R-right,¡± Menchi said, hesitating one last time before turning to follow him.


    As they walked, she frowned and glanced up at the Chairman. ¡°Satotz warned me that those three were super dangerous, but¡­ Haru didn¡¯t seem that bad. He even seemed kind of nice.¡± She perked up slightly. ¡°And his cooking skills were amazing! Too bad you arrived late¡ªyou missed the sushi he made. It was to die for!¡± She clapped her hands together, practically salivating at the memory.


    Netero chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed they had to leave so suddenly,¡± he admitted. ¡°I would have liked to spar with them. Although¡­¡± He paused, his voice lowering slightly. ¡°I would have probably lost.¡±


    Menchi froze mid-step, her eyes widening. ¡°Really? Even to the little girl, Tanya? Her Nen ability is just flying, isn¡¯t it? I know she had a gun strapped to her back, but guns are basically useless against Hunters.¡±


    Netero laughed softly, his tone carrying a mix of amusement and seriousness. ¡°Hohoho¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that, Menchi-chan. The world is a very big place, and I have a feeling it just got a little bigger. I¡¯ll make sure to stop by that restaurant if I ever see it again¡­¡±


    XXX

 chapter 33

    Chapter 33: A Party and a City of Capes¡­


    ¨C Glory Girl ¨C


    Victoria Dallon was doing her daily flyby over Brockton Bay, or at least the nicer areas her mother let her patrol. She kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary when something caught her attention. Down near the boardwalk, a crowd had formed around what looked like a restaurant at the end of the pier.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± she thought. She didn¡¯t remember seeing that building there yesterday.


    Curious, she descended toward the gathering. As she got closer, people noticed her approach. A few pointed her out, and the chatter turned toward her.


    ¡°It¡¯s Glory Girl! She¡¯ll know what to do!¡± someone in the crowd shouted.


    Vicky landed and glanced around. ¡°What¡¯s going on, everyone?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know!¡± someone else replied. ¡°This building just¡­ appeared out of nowhere! Like, poof, and there it was!¡±


    Another person chimed in, ¡°Yeah, one second there¡¯s nothing, and then suddenly, a whole restaurant shows up! It¡¯s freakin¡¯ bizarre.¡±


    Crossing her arms, Vicky stared at the building. The sign on the front read ¡°The Fox Hole.¡± She muttered the name aloud. The place looked ordinary enough for a family restaurant, though the windows were oddly opaque, like they were tinted from the inside.


    ¡®Should probably call this in,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Or wait for backup. But¡­¡¯ Her curiosity was getting the better of her. ¡°If this is some kind of villain trap, I¡¯m probably an idiot for walking right into it,¡± she mumbled to herself before stepping forward. The crowd parted to let her through, murmuring behind her as she pushed open the door.


    The inside of the restaurant caught her completely off guard. Banners stretched across the walls, reading ¡°Happy Birthday Kunou!¡±


    A group of¨Cpeople¨Cwere gathered around a table, laughing and celebrating like they were at the best party ever. It was definitely a very¡­odd and colorful bunch. Was that guy just a straight up skeleton?


    ¡®That must be another Case 53¡­¡¯ she thought to herself.


    In the middle of it all was a little girl with fox ears and nine fluffy tails. She was in the process of blowing out the candles on a massive birthday cake while everyone sang for her. Vicky¡¯s first thought was how adorable the girl looked, even for a Case 53. It was almost too cute to handle.


    ¡°Hi there!¡± a voice called out.


    Vicky turned to see a girl approaching her. She felt a twinge of envy as she took in the girl¡¯s stunning appearance. She had crimson red hair that practically glowed and a figure that made Vicky¡¯s gym efforts feel like a joke.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Vicky said. ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s going on here? With all this?¡± She gestured awkwardly to the party.


    The girl smiled brightly. ¡°Oh? Are you new here? Today¡¯s Kunou-chan¡¯s birthday! She¡¯s the adorable little sister of my fianc¨¦, Haru. He¡¯s the owner and chef here at The Fox Hole. Best restaurant in the whole multiverse!¡±


    Vicky blinked. ¡°The¡­ multiverse? R¨Cright...¡± She nodded slowly. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll come back later. I wouldn¡¯t want to crash a birthday party.¡±


    The girl waved her off. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it! Haru and Kunou wouldn¡¯t mind another guest as long as you¡¯re not here to cause trouble.¡±


    Vicky put her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m not here to cause trouble. I¡¯m a hero, after all.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Wait, really?! An actual superhero!? That¡¯s not just cosplay?!¡±


    ¡°Uh, no?¡± Vicky said. ¡°You seriously don¡¯t know who I am? I¡¯m Glory Girl.¡±


    ¡°I love your name and costume!¡± the girl said. ¡°You have to meet Kunou and Haru! Kunou-chan will flip when she finds out a real superhero showed up at her birthday party!¡± She grabbed Vicky¡¯s arm and started dragging her toward the center of the room.


    Vicky sighed but let herself be pulled along. This wasn¡¯t the first kids¡¯ birthday party she¡¯d crashed since becoming a cape. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t even the first one this week. And hey, free food and cake were always a plus, right? Besides, kids usually got a kick out of her showing up.


    ¡°Be careful not to eat too much or you¡¯ll make yourself sick, little sister...¡±


    Vicky stopped mid-step, her thoughts skidding to a halt when she saw the most gorgeous Case 53 she¡¯d ever laid eyes on. Damn, she wished she was older! He was handing a slice of cake to a little fox girl with frosting smudged on her cheeks. The guy looked almost exactly like her¡ªgolden eyes, tall fox ears, and nine golden tails swaying behind him.


    ¡®Weird,¡¯ Vicky thought. As far as she knew, Case 53s didn¡¯t share appearances. Every one she¡¯d ever met was unique.


    ¡°Ara¡­ hello there.¡±


    Vicky flinched and turned toward the new voice. She blinked twice. Another fox person had appeared¡ªthis one a woman with long golden hair and the same vulpine features. She stood right in front of Vicky and the red-haired girl dragging her along.


    ¡°Hi, Yasaka! I found someone new!¡± the redhead said brightly, giving Vicky a firm push toward the busty fox woman.


    Yasaka laughed¡ªno, it sounded more like a chittering noise¡ªand folded her hands neatly in front of her. ¡°Hello, my dear. Welcome to my son¡¯s restaurant, The Fox Hole.¡±


    Vicky glanced around and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can see where the name comes from.¡±


    Yasaka grinned at the comment, the corners of her golden eyes crinkling. ¡°Indeed. I see you¡¯re already acquainted with Rias here, one of my son¡¯s fianc¨¦es.¡±


    One of his WHAT?! Fianc¨¦es? Plural? Vicky froze, her head spinning. She swallowed down the barrage of questions threatening to spill out and was about to demand an explanation when the little fox girl suddenly noticed her.


    ¡°Hi there! I¡¯m Kunou, and today I¡¯m ten!¡± The girl bounded over with a wide smile, bits of frosting still on her face. Her fluffy tails swayed enthusiastically behind her.


    Vicky crouched down to meet Kunou¡¯s gaze and smiled. ¡°Hi there, Kunou! I¡¯m Glory Girl, otherwise known as Victoria Dallon.¡± She waited for the usual spark of recognition most kids got when they realized they were face-to-face with a superhero.


    Kunou just tilted her head, looking puzzled.


    That was, until Rias leaned in with a playful grin. ¡°Vicky¡¯s a real superhero.¡±


    Kunou¡¯s eyes widened, her whole face lighting up. ¡°You are!? That¡¯s so cool!¡±


    Vicky couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me. Super strength, force fields, the whole Alexandria package!¡± she bragged.


    Kunou clapped her hands together excitedly. ¡°Wow! Do you fight villains and save people?¡±


    ¡°All the time,¡± Vicky replied with a grin.


    Kunou spun around to face the handsome restaurant owner¡ªHaru¡ªand blurted out, ¡°I want to be a superhero too now! Can I go out and fight crime with¡­ um¡­¡± She paused, looking at Vicky. ¡°What¡¯s your hero name?¡±


    Vicky giggled. ¡°I¡¯m Glory Girl. And I think you¡¯re a little too young to go on patrol. What are your powers, anyway?¡± She was starting to get suspicious. Maybe this family wasn¡¯t a bunch of Case 53s after all. They could just be capes with strange powers that gave them the same fox-like appearances. That would explain a lot.


    Kunou put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest proudly. ¡°My powers are super awesome.¡± She held up her right hand, and a small ball of blue fire flickered to life in her palm. ¡°I can use fox fire to fight, or I can trick bad guys with illusions. Or I can scratch them with my claws. Or even bite them!¡±


    Vicky laughed at Kunou¡¯s excitement. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend biting villains. They¡¯re not exactly hygienic.¡± She smirked, thinking back. ¡°One villain I know, Mush, covers himself in garbage before fights. Pretty gross.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do!¡± Kunou suddenly declared. Before anyone could react, she dashed right past Vicky, her tails swishing behind her. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be a superhero for my birthday!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Kunou!¡± Haru called after her, already stepping forward, but the little fox was too quick. She weaved through the crowd of partygoers like a pro, heading straight for the front door.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll catch her,¡± another blonde girl said casually. She looked younger, maybe twelve or thirteen, with sharp eyes and an air of authority about her. Without waiting for anyone¡¯s response, she darted out the door after the runaway birthday girl.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    ¡°Sorry about Kunou. She¡¯s just really hopped up on sugar and excited ¡®cause it¡¯s her birthday,¡± I said to the new girl. ¡°I¡¯m Haru.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Glory Girl¡ªor just Vicky.¡±


    ¡°Are superheroes supposed to give away their secret identities so easily?¡± Rias asked, leaning against the counter.


    ¡°What¡¯s a superhero, Haru?¡± Agnar walked over, towering over both of us.


    Vicky blinked at him, her mouth slightly open as she stared at his sheer size. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re big.¡±


    Agnar grinned and puffed out his chest. ¡°That I am, lass. I¡¯m a true Nord warrior! We don¡¯t come in any other size except big!¡± He thumped his fist against his chest. For once, he wasn¡¯t wearing his usual armor, since this was a party.


    ¡°Only the men!¡± Aela called out from the bar. She was already on her third tankard of mead. ¡°We Nord women are large too, but not freakishly so like the men!¡±


    ¡­And yet somehow, they¡¯re almost as strong as the men are. I always figured it had something to do with the magicka running through everyone from Nirn. Whether they used it for spells or not, it still seemed to enhance them physically.


    ¡°How do you not know what a superhero is?¡± Vicky asked Agnar.


    ¡°I can explain that one!¡± Rias said, cutting in. ¡°I feel like you didn¡¯t believe me when I said this was the best restaurant in the multiverse!¡± She gestured around the room. ¡°This restaurant connects to a whole bunch of other dimensions. Some of them are other Earths, and some of them are completely different worlds. There¡¯s even a super huge alien space station we can go to, full of aliens!¡±


    Vicky¡¯s eyes widened as she really started taking in the room. She looked at the different styles of clothes, the unique features of the guests, and the general weirdness of it all. Councilor Tevos, sitting in the corner talking to Sansa and Catelyn Stark. The Councilor was very fascinated about the literally impossibleweather cycle in their world and wanted to launch a couple probes there to find out what was going on.


    Vicky¡¯s head snapped back to me. ¡°That blue lady isn¡¯t a Case 53¡­ she¡¯s an actual alien?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yep. And I¡¯m not human either. I¡¯m a Yokai¡ªa kitsune. ¡±


    Rias¡¯s wings popped out, and she grinned at Vicky. ¡°And I¡¯m a pureblooded devil!¡± She started pointing around the room. ¡°Over there is Ainz. He¡¯s undead, and his girlfriend is a succubus. I think he also has a vampire girlfriend, but I haven¡¯t met her yet.¡± She pointed toward the bar. ¡°Over there is Haru¡¯s other fianc¨¦e, Aela. She¡¯s a werewolf. And over there is Lady Gabriel. She¡¯s an archangel¡ªyeah, that one from the Bible...¡±


    Vicky stared at Gabriel, her jaw dropping. ¡°Holy shit! An angel that¡¯s not evil!?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Most angels aren¡¯t really evil. Except for, like, Kokabiel probably¡­¡± I trailed off.


    Gabriel tilted her head before gracefully walking over to us. ¡°Hello there. Have you met an angel before? This restaurant hasn¡¯t connected to any worlds with other angels yet, but I¡¯d be fascinated to meet one.¡±


    Vicky shook her head quickly, her eyes wide. ¡°You don¡¯t want to meet ours! She¡¯s killed millions of people and destroyed even more lives.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but I noticed her wings twitch slightly. Then, her golden aura started to leak out, glowing brighter and brighter.


    I grabbed Rias by the arm and scooted her backward a few steps so she wouldn¡¯t get burned by that aura.  S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gabriel¡¯s voice cut through the air like a blade. ¡°Tell me more about this blasphemous creature...¡±


    ¨C Tanya ¨C


    Tanya and Viktoriya were flying above the city, the skyline a mix of glass towers and older brick buildings that made it clear this was this world¡¯s version of America. Below them, Kunou zipped around, her tiny form a blur as she ran through the streets, pretending to be some kind of superhero. People stared openly at her non-human features¡ªher fox ears and tails made her stand out in a big way¡ªbut Kunou didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Should we stop her?¡± Viktoriya asked as Kunou slowed down to help an old lady cross the street. She even did it dramatically, puffing out her chest and walking the lady at a snail¡¯s pace, earning a few chuckles from passersby.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Tanya said, watching from above. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching over Kunou long enough to know it¡¯s better to let her burn out all her energy before we drag her back. If we interrupt her now, she¡¯ll just sneak out again later.¡±


    Viktoriya nodded, glancing down at the little fox as they floated in the sky. ¡°I like this new job a lot more than fighting in a war,¡± she said softly. ¡°I like just spending time with you peacefully, Colonel.¡±


    Tanya blushed and cleared her throat, looking away quickly. ¡°I¡ªI like spending time with you too, Viktoriya. But I¡¯m not a Colonel anymore. I¡¯m just a normal salary woman working as a bodyguard for yokai royalty.¡± She crossed her arms, trying to sound casual.


    Viktoriya giggled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound normal at all¡­¡±


    Down below, Kunou had wandered into a park and was now standing on a bench, speaking loudly to herself. Tanya cocked an eyebrow and leaned in to hear what was going on.


    ¡°All my life, people have looked down on me,¡± Kunou declared to absolutely no one.


    ¡°Uh¡­ what is she talking about?¡± Viktoriya whispered.


    Tanya smirked and pulled out her phone, already hitting the record button. Yasaka always paid her a bonus for videos of Kunou being adorable, and this was pure gold. ¡°She¡¯s improvising her superhero backstory,¡± Tanya said.


    Kunou kept going, her hands on her hips. ¡°They thought I didn¡¯t have what it takes. They said my lowly fox powers couldn¡¯t keep up with the big leagues. They said I¡¯d never be a true superhero!¡±


    A couple of old ladies walking by cooed at her. ¡°Awwww,¡± they said, smiling as Kunou kept up her act.


    ¡°But not anymore!¡± Kunou shouted, pointing dramatically at the sky. ¡°Now I¡¯m out here, and I¡¯m going to prove everyone wrong by taking down the biggest and baddest villain on these streets!¡± Kunou leapt off the bench and ran up to a teenage girl walking three dogs. The girl stopped and stared as Kunou struck a pose. ¡°You there! I am Kunou, the most powerful hero this city has ever seen! Show me where the most evil villain in this city is!¡± she declared.


    The girl stared at Kunou blankly before leaning down and sniffing her. Tanya frowned. That was¡­ unexpected.


    ¡°You smell like a fox, but that¡¯s still a canine,¡± the girl said finally. ¡°So that means you¡¯re a good person.¡± She stood back up and nodded. ¡°There¡¯s an evil villain named Hookwolf. I hate him. He likes to hurt dogs. I like dogs. I want to hurt him.¡±


    Kunou gasped so loudly Tanya heard it from above. Her tails swished wildly, practically vibrating with energy. ¡°An animal abuser? That¡¯s the most evil person in the whole world! Let¡¯s go beat him up!¡± she shouted.


    The girl nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯m Bitch,¡± she said, then put two fingers to her lips and let out a sharp whistle.


    Tanya and Viktoriya froze in the sky as the three cute dogs at Bitch¡¯s side transformed into gigantic, monstrous creatures. The girl grabbed Kunou and plopped her onto the back of one of the massive beasts before climbing onto another herself. The people in the park scattered, staring nervously as a cheering Kunou rode off with Bitch and her giant dogs to take down Hookwolf.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Tanya finally said, still holding her phone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that to happen. I guess we should follow and see where this goes. If the villain¡¯s too strong, you or I will have to step in of course¡­¡±


    She turned to Viktoriya, only to see a fiery determination in her eyes. ¡°An animal abuser!¡± Viktoriya said fiercely. ¡°What a monster! I hope Kunou-chan gets his ass!¡±


    XXX

 chapter 34

    Chapter 34: Puppies


    ¨C Kunou ¨C


    ¡°Sanjou! Hisshou! Shijou saikyou!!¡±


    ¡°Nandatten da? Furasutoreeshon.¡±


    ¡°Ore wa tomaranai.¡±


    ¡°One punch! Kanryou! Rensen renshou!¡±


    ¡°Ore wa katsu!! Tsune ni katsu!! Asshou!!¡±


    Kunou felt like the coolest hero in the world as she stood on top of Angelica, one of Bitch¡¯s gigantic mutant dogs, belting out her favorite anime theme song. She had officially decided it was her superhero anthem now. The words echoed dramatically as the three giant dogs smashed through the doors of the illegal dog-fighting ring like they were made of paper. Wood and metal scattered everywhere, and the sound of splintering echoed across the warehouse.


    Kunou threw her hands in the air as they made their grand entrance. ¡°The Fox Girl of Love and Justice is here to punish you!¡± she shouted at the top of her lungs. Angelica stopped just inside the door, her massive paws digging into the cracked concrete, and Kunou grinned down at the gang members.


    The place was disgusting. Cages lined the walls, filled with scared, trembling dogs. Some looked injured, their fur matted with blood and dirt. The air reeked of sweat, animal pee, and something worse Kunou couldn¡¯t quite place.


    A group of rough-looking men stood in the middle of the room, frozen in shock as they stared at the giant dogs and her.


    ¡°Who the hell is this?¡± one guy finally said, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± another snapped. ¡°Get her!¡±


    Kunou¡¯s tails swished excitedly as the men sprang into action. She wasn¡¯t scared at all. This was her chance to show what a true superhero could do. She jumped off Angelica¡¯s back, landing on the ground with a flourish. Her foxfire flared to life in her palms.


    ¡°Time for justice!¡± Kunou yelled as the first thug charged her. He swung a baseball bat at her, but she ducked under it easily. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a ball of fox fire straight into his chest. The guy screamed as his shirt caught fire and he staggered back, trying to put it out.


    Kunou didn¡¯t stop. She darted forward, spinning to kick another guy in the stomach. He doubled over, wheezing, and Kunou laughed. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got? Villains are supposed to be tough!¡±


    Behind her, the mutant dogs were wreaking havoc. Angelica growled low and pounced on two men trying to run for the exit, her massive jaws snapping shut inches from their legs. The other two dogs, Judas and Brutus, were already tearing apart the room, smashing tables and chairs like it was nothing. Bitch stood on Brutus¡¯s back, directing them with sharp whistles and quick commands.


    Kunou grinned at the sight. She turned back just in time to see another guy coming at her with a knife. She sent an illusion at him. The man stopped mid-charge, his eyes going wide as he stared at what he thought was a wall of flames in front of him. Kunou took advantage of his hesitation, closing the gap and knocking the knife out of his hand with a well-aimed kick. ¡°I told you, the Fox Girl of Love and Justice always wins!¡± she declared and kicked him hard in the balls!


    The fight didn¡¯t last long after that. Between Kunou¡¯s awesomeness and Bitch¡¯s cool monster dogs, the gang members didn¡¯t stand a chance. Within minutes, they were either unconscious, burned badly, or begging for mercy.


    Kunou stood in the middle of the wrecked room, hands on her hips, her tails swishing triumphantly behind her. ¡°You¡¯re all under arrest!¡± she shouted, even though she had no idea if there was anyone around to actually arrest them. That part of superheroing could come later.


    Bitch hopped down from Brutus¡¯s back and started checking the cages, releasing the dogs one by one. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at this,¡± she said without looking up.


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Kunou said, brushing some imaginary dust off her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m a hero. It¡¯s what I do.¡±


    Bitch smirked. ¡°You¡¯re loud, I¡¯ll give you that.¡±


    Kunou ignored her, turning to Angelica and patting the giant dog on the head. ¡°Good girl,¡± she said.


    ¡°Did all my men seriously get beat up by two little girls!?¡±


    Kunou froze, her ears twitching at the voice echoing through the wrecked dog-fighting ring. She turned to see a guy walk in from the shadows. He looked normal at first¡ªmessy hair, plain clothes¡ªbut there was something off about him. She didn¡¯t like the way he was staring at them, like they were prey.


    ¡°That¡¯s Hookwolf,¡± Bitch growled, her fists clenched.


    Kunou¡¯s fur bristled. She didn¡¯t know who this Hookwolf guy was, but she already hated him. She glared, trying to look brave, but her tails swished nervously behind her.


    The man smirked, then his body started to shift. Kunou¡¯s eyes widened in horror as his skin turned to gleaming steel. Blades burst out of his body like something out of a nightmare, forming into the shape of a massive wolf made entirely of swords.   Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Uh oh¡­¡± Kunou whispered to herself. Maybe being a superhero wasn¡¯t as fun as it looked in the anime.


    Before she could come up with a plan, Hookwolf lunged at them, moving way faster than something that big and sharp should be able to. Kunou yelped and jumped back just in time, barely avoiding being skewered by one of his claws.


    ¡°Get him!¡± Bitch yelled, whistling sharply. Her mutant dogs sprang into action, charging Hookwolf with growls that shook the walls.


    Kunou clenched her fists and lit up her foxfire. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna win, you big shiny jerk!¡± she shouted, throwing a ball of blue flames at him. The fire hit Hookwolf dead-on, but it didn¡¯t even slow him down. The flames just fizzled out against his metal body.


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Kunou shouted, her tails puffing up in frustration.


    The mutant dogs tried next, snapping their jaws and slashing at Hookwolf with their massive claws. Angelica managed to knock him back a few steps, but when she tried to bite him, her teeth just scraped uselessly against his steel skin. Judas swiped at him, leaving a dent in one of the blades, but Hookwolf retaliated, slashing at Judas¡¯s side and drawing blood.


    ¡°Angelica! Judas!¡± Kunou screamed, her heart pounding as she watched the dogs struggle.


    Kunou tried again, this time creating an illusion of a massive firestorm around Hookwolf. The villain stopped for a moment, looking around like he was trying to figure out what was real. Kunou grinned. ¡®Gotcha!¡¯


    But the moment was short-lived. Hookwolf growled and swiped through the illusion, scattering it like smoke. He lunged again, this time straight at Kunou.


    Kunou froze, her mind racing. She couldn¡¯t hurt him with her fire. Her illusions only distracted him for a second. The dogs were getting hurt, and Bitch was yelling commands, trying to keep them alive.


    Hookwolf¡¯s bladed claws came down, aiming right for her. Kunou squeezed her eyes shut¡­


    A deafening gunshot echoed through the room!


    Kunou¡¯s eyes snapped open as Hookwolf stumbled back, a large dent in his chest where the super powerful bullet had hit him. Kunou turned, her ears perking up when she saw Tanya and Viktoriya floating in through one of the broken windows. Kunou¡¯s tails wagged so fast she thought they might fall off. ¡°Tanya! Viktoriya! You¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Kunou, Viktoriya, dog girl, take care of the animals. I¡¯ll handle this pathetic excuse for a villain,¡± Tanya said, reloading her rifle as she stared Hookwolf down.


    Kunou nodded and ran toward the rows of cages, her tails swishing as she passed the terrified dogs. She felt bad for them¡ªthey were all shaking, some of them bleeding, and their eyes were full of fear. She¡¯d make sure they were okay.


    Meanwhile, Hookwolf let out a growl. ¡°Another little girl is challenging me? What the hell happened to my fearsome reputation!?¡± His voice was deep and harsh, a lot scarier now that he was in full steel wolf mode.


    Kunou reached the first cage and knelt down. She spoke softly to the trembling pit bull inside. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯re gonna get you out of here, I promise.¡± The dog whimpered but stopped shaking as it sniffed her hand. Being a Yokai had its perks¡ªKunou could talk to most animals without any problem. She understood them, and they understood her. Kunou looked over her shoulder. ¡°Viktoriya, Bitch! Help me get these cages open!¡±


    Bitch was already unlocking the nearest one, her hands moving quickly as she freed another dog. She glanced at Kunou. ¡°You can talk to them?¡±


    Kunou nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a yokai. They¡¯re scared, but I told them it¡¯s gonna be okay.¡±


    Bitch frowned, clearly annoyed and jealous.


    Kunou grinned but didn¡¯t say anything. She focused on unlocking another cage, stroking the dogs inside as they slowly stepped out. ¡°You¡¯re free now,¡± she whispered to them. ¡°No one¡¯s ever gonna hurt you again.¡±


    As the three of them worked to free all the dogs, the sounds of explosions and gunfire echoed through the warehouse. Kunou couldn¡¯t help but glance back to see what was happening.


    Hookwolf was a mess. His steel fur was scorched, some of it broken and hanging off in jagged pieces. Every time he tried to get close to Tanya, she blasted him away with another explosive round. The ground around them was covered in scorch marks, and Hookwolf looked like he didn¡¯t know whether to keep fighting or give up.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair!¡± Hookwolf shouted, his growl less intimidating now that he was limping and struggling to move.


    ¡°Fair?¡± Tanya let out a harsh laugh, firing another round into his shoulder. ¡°Listen to yourself. You¡¯re a washed-up loser running a dog-fighting ring to feel powerful. And don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re one of those pathetic little Nazi wannabes. What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t cut it as a real man, so you prey on animals instead?¡±


    Hookwolf snarled, struggling to stay upright. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Make me,¡± Tanya snapped, aiming her rifle at his legs and firing again. The blast sent him stumbling back into the wall, leaving another dent in his steel body. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re supposed to be a big, bad villain, and here you are getting your ass handed to you by a little girl. What a joke.¡±


    Kunou giggled as she worked. Tanya was so cool! She turned back to the dogs, her ears twitching as she listened to their soft whines. ¡°I know it¡¯s loud,¡± she said gently. ¡°But the bad guy¡¯s losing, okay? You¡¯re all safe now.¡±


    One of the bigger dogs, a German Shepherd with scars across its face, nudged Kunou¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± it said in a soft, gruff voice only she could hear.


    Kunou smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Go follow Bitch. She¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    Bitch, who was still freeing dogs from the cages, glanced over at Kunou again. ¡°You really can talk to them?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Kunou stood up, brushing her hands off. ¡°They like you, by the way. Even though you¡¯re grumpy.¡±


    Bitch snorted. ¡°Whatever¡­¡±


    Another loud explosion made Kunou look back. Tanya had just hit Hookwolf with a shot so powerful that he slammed into the far wall, leaving a dent in the metal. He tried to stand up, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed in a heap of broken steel.


    ¡°Stay down, you pathetic excuse for a villain,¡± Tanya said, walking toward him. ¡°You¡¯re not a wolf. You¡¯re not a man. You¡¯re just trash...¡±


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    It had been more than fifteen minutes, and I was starting to think it was time to track down Kunou and the others. Not because I was actually worried for them¡ªno, that wasn¡¯t it. I was worried about what kind of trouble those two could get into¡­


    I let everyone at the restaurant know I was stepping out for a bit to bring back the birthday girl who¡¯d apparently forgotten all about her own party in her excitement. Glory Girl¡ªVicky¡ªoffered to come with me. I shrugged and told her to keep up as I stepped out into this strange new world.


    The first thing I noticed was that the restaurant was perched on a pier overlooking a nasty-looking harbor. The water was full of trash, broken boats, and what looked like an oil slick. There was even a massive cargo ship grounded in the bay, blocking most of it off. All of that was going to need serious cleaning up, but that wasn¡¯t my problem right now. I needed to find Kunou.


    I sniffed the air, hoping to catch her scent, but human cities were the worst for that. Too many gross smells¡ªgarbage, exhaust fumes, and who knew what else¡ªclogged up my nose. I glanced around and spotted a human staring at me like I¡¯d just stepped off a spaceship.


    I walked up to him and asked if he¡¯d seen a little girl who looked like me running through here.


    He blinked a few times, then awkwardly pointed off into the city.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said before jogging off in that direction. The crowd of humans parted as I ran past. I kept sniffing the air, hoping I¡¯d pick up Kunou¡¯s scent as I got closer.


    ¡°BOOM!¡±


    I stopped in my tracks for a second, then chuckled to myself. ¡°Or I could just follow the explosions,¡± I muttered.


    That was definitely Tanya.


    Vicky flew overhead as I took off running toward the noise. She started giving me a quick rundown of the place¡ªBrockton Bay, she called it. Apparently, it was a pretty rough city, full of gangs and villains. Great. Just what Kunou needed on her birthday.


    We were getting closer to the explosions when I heard the roar of a motorcycle coming up fast behind us. I glanced back, just in time to see a guy on a sleek bike pulling up alongside Vicky.


    ¡°It¡¯s Armsmaster!¡± she called out, glancing at me like she wasn¡¯t sure how I¡¯d react.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Armsmaster?¡± I asked, not slowing down.


    ¡°He¡¯s a hero¡­ he¡¯s just a little intense.¡± Vicky said with a cringe as the rider pulled up.


    This Armsmaster guy rolled up on a futuristic motorcycle that looked like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie. His armor was just as impressive¡ªsleek, high-tech, and honestly way cooler than Shepard¡¯s. I had to admit, it was pretty badass.


    He got off the bike and immediately started grilling me. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing in this city?¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°I¡¯m Haru, I¡¯m just here to pick up my little sister¡ª¡±


    He cut me off, holding up a hand. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter who you claim to be. You¡¯re clearly an unregistered parahuman. That makes you a threat!¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°A threat? I just told you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you told me,¡± he snapped. ¡°Villains lie all the time. You¡¯ve got about ten seconds to surrender, or I¡¯ll take you down myself!¡±


    I blinked at him, caught between disbelief and irritation. ¡°You think I¡¯m a villain? Based on what? The ears and tails?¡±


    Armsmaster pointed his halberd at me, his grip tight. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve gotten reports of explosions in this area. And now you, some strange Case 53 with no identification, showing up in the middle of it. I¡¯m not taking chances! As the leader of the Protectorate and this cities heroes, I''m declaring that you¡¯re under arrest,¡± he¡­ declared.


    I guess¡­? That didn¡¯t sound very legal but this was a whole new world so who knew if that was how it worked.


    Vicky flew down, landing between us. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! He¡¯s not a villain!¡± she said quickly. ¡°Haru¡¯s just here to find his sister. That¡¯s all this is!¡±


    Armsmaster didn¡¯t lower his weapon. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then he won¡¯t mind coming quietly to answer questions at HQ.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Yeah, not happening. I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± I turned and jumped onto a nearby roof, deciding I¡¯d wasted enough time arguing with this guy.


    ¡°Stop, fiend!¡± Armsmaster shouted behind me.


    I glanced back and saw him revving his bike, chasing after me as I leapt from building to building. Vicky was flying next to him, trying to explain, but it was clear he wasn¡¯t listening. Instead, he raised his halberd and fired some kind of stun bullets at me. Electricity crackled as they hit my back, making my muscles twitch for a second but that was it.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it,¡± I muttered. I spun around and threw a ball of foxfire straight at his bike. The fireball hit dead-on, and the front half of his motorcycle melted instantly. Sparks flew everywhere as the bike screeched to a stop, sending Armsmaster flying into a trashcan on the side of the street.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The city¡¯s ¡°top hero¡± was now sitting in a pile of garbage, his armor covered in banana peels and empty soda cans.


    Vicky flew over to him, looking half-worried and half-exasperated. ¡°He¡¯s not a villain, I told you!¡± she yelled, throwing her hands up.


    Armsmaster pushed himself out of the trashcan, glaring at me. ¡°You attacked a Protectorate hero!¡±


    ¡°You attacked me first,¡± I shot back. ¡°What did you think was gonna happen?¡±


    He opened his mouth to argue, but I didn¡¯t stick around to hear it. I turned and kept running toward Kunou¡¯s scent.


    I could still hear Vicky trying to calm him down behind me. ¡°Look, he¡¯s not here to cause trouble! His little sister is in the city, and he¡¯s just trying to get her back before anything bad happens.¡±


    BOOOOOOOM!


    ¡°Er¡­ anything worse than whatever that was¡­¡± Vicky trailed off.


    ¡­


    By the time I arrived, I found a large building that was already halfway to burning down. Because of course it was¡ªwhat else should I have expected? I couldn¡¯t help but laugh to myself as I jogged closer.


    Out front, I found Kunou standing with Tanya, Viktoriya, and another teenage girl who looked around fifteen or sixteen.


    And there were dogs. So many dogs¡­


    Dozens of them were scattered around, some looking happy enough, tails wagging, while others were limping or huddled together, scared. A few looked downright terrible¡ªmatted fur, visible ribs, scars. It pissed me off just seeing them like that.


    Kunou turned and smiled when she spotted me, but her smile didn¡¯t last. It melted into a frown as her ears drooped. ¡°Being a superhero is harder than I thought it would be¡­¡± She gestured at the dogs. ¡°Can we help all of them, Nii-chan?¡±


    ¡­An hour later, we were back at the Fox Hole.


    The party was back in full swing, but this time, it included all of the dogs. They were everywhere¡ªunder tables, running between chairs, and gobbling up all the leftover pork from the buffet.


    The ones that had been hurt earlier were looking much better now, thanks to Gabriel. She¡¯d taken the time to heal them all, but I could tell she was still thinking about what Vicky had told her earlier. That evil angel or whatever it was only attacked this world every six months, so Gabriel figured she had some time to investigate before it showed up again. Then Vicky casually mentioned that this world was overdue for something called an ¡°Endbringer attack,¡± which sounded bad.


    I glanced over and saw Kunou playing with a golden retriever puppy. She was holding a rope toy, tugging back and forth while giggling as the puppy barked happily. Obviously, we couldn¡¯t keep all the dogs, but I had a strong feeling that one was coming home with us.


    On the other side of the room, Vicky was glaring at Rachel¡ªthe teenage girl Kunou had been with earlier. Turned out her cape name was ¡°Bitch,¡± but nobody here was willing to call her that. Rachel didn¡¯t seem to care much, though, and was talking to Sansa Stark, of all people.


    Sansa was offering Rachel a job as Winterfell¡¯s new kennel mistress. Rachel looked like she was seriously considering it.


    Vicky didn¡¯t look like she was having it. ¡°You can¡¯t hire her!¡± she hissed, loud enough for everyone to hear. ¡°She¡¯s a murderer!¡±


    Sansa blinked at Rachel. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Rachel shrugged. ¡°The woman I killed was trying to drown my puppy¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Sansa said, then nodded. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, then she had it coming.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said.


    Vicky turned to me, her mouth hanging open. ¡°You think that¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°Animals and humans have the same rights under Yokai law. If someone tries to kill your dog, then you¡¯re well within your right to kill them right back.¡± I crossed my arms.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ harsh,¡± Vicky said.


    I shrugged. A lot of yokai connect more with animals than humans.


    ¡°You did nothing wrong, lass.¡± Agnar strolled over and clapped Rachel on the shoulder. ¡°In Skyrim, you can gut a man if he tries to kill your chicken!¡±


    Ainz laughed from across the room. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s hardcore. Does that actually happen?¡±


    ¡°It happened to me!¡± Agnar declared. ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention while swinging my sword in Riverwood. Next thing I know, the whole damn town was after me! I couldn¡¯t go back for days!¡±


    The restaurant burst into laughter.


    XXX


    The next time you play Skyrim¡­ I dare you to kill one of those chickens. Find out what happens¡­


    Also, Armsmaster will chill out in future chapters. Dude just had a bit of an ego and it got checked.

 chapter 35

    Chapter 35: Oh no, they banded together¡­


    ¨C Alice ¨C


    Alice sat in a small restaurant somewhere in Kyoto. It wasn¡¯t the Fox Hole though. That wouldn¡¯t have been private enough.


    At the table were several women, all sharing two distinct traits, they were all stunningly beautiful, and they all had red hair.


    ¡°Welcome to the first meeting for all the girls interested in Haru and/or already together with him!¡± Rias Gremory announced, clearly enjoying the absurdity of her own declaration.


    Alice sighed. ¡°Why exactly am I here again¡­?¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Because you sometimes work at Haru¡¯s restaurant when you¡¯re not moping around about how your entire life is apparently a lie,¡± Rias said.


    Alice shot her a glare before letting out another sigh. That sting was too fresh to ignore. Yeah¡­ that revelation had been a few days ago, during Kunou¡¯s birthday party. That¡¯s when Alice had officially met the Archangel Gabriel. She wasn¡¯t particularly religious, but seriously¡ªit was a literal archangel. Who wouldn''t want to meet her?


    Of course, that¡¯s when Gabriel had dropped the bombshell that shattered Alice¡¯s sense of self.


    ¡°Do you know you¡¯re a clone?¡± Gabriel had asked innocently.


    No, she did not know she was a freaking clone! Sure, she knew Umbrella Corp had experimented on her, but she¡¯d never thought she was the experiment¡ªnot since the day she¡¯d been born. Or rather, the day she¡¯d been grown in a pod. Her so-called missing memories weren¡¯t missing at all. They had never existed.


    Alice hadn¡¯t taken the news well. She¡¯d been shutting herself inside ever since, until Rias¡ªthe Devil Princess schoolgirl who had somehow become her friend¡ªdragged her to this ridiculous meeting.


    Also at the table were Aela the Huntress, Jane Shepard, Naruko Uzumaki, Sansa Stark, and Sansa¡¯s mother, Catelyn Stark. The eclectic mix of women made Alice feel like her head might explode.


    A Yokai waitress approached, setting drinks in front of everyone before retreating.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this meeting started, then,¡± Rias said.


    "Aren''t we missing someone?" Aela asked.


    "I tried to get in contact with Lupusregina but she''s busy doing a mission for Ainz. With that settled, let''s get started!" Rias said again.


    Naruko scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? We all like Haru, and it¡¯s obvious he likes some of us back better than others.¡± She smirked at Sansa and Catelyn.


    Alice expected the other two to shrink back under Naruko¡¯s confidence, but both held their heads high.


    Sansa responded first. ¡°Haru simply hasn¡¯t had the opportunity to spend much time with us yet because we¡¯ve been learning about the modern world from his mother. We¡¯ve still got a lot to catch up on. The technology is so fascinating.¡±


    Catelyn chimed in. ¡°Indeed. And as an experienced woman, I¡¯m sure I can offer Haru things you could only dream of...¡± she added smugly.


    Naruko hissed in annoyance and crossed her arms. ¡°Whatever.¡± She turned her chair around and slouched against it. ¡°At least I¡¯ve been on a real date with him!¡±


    ¡°At least you prissy nobles have grown a backbone since the last time we met,¡± Aela said. ¡°But let¡¯s be real. Neither of you have, or ever will, be in a real fight. You should learn some magic if you¡¯re serious about Haru. He might be a chef, but that doesn¡¯t mean he isn¡¯t also an adventurer at heart. I¡¯ve been on a few dates with him hunting beasts across Skyrim to use as ingredients. He loves those kinds of excursions. If you¡¯re not willing to join him on adventures like that, you might as well give up now.¡± Aela explained honestly.


    Aela wasn¡¯t being cruel, Alice thought¡ªjust realistic. Sansa and Catelyn might have come from a brutal medieval world, but compared to the other women in Haru¡¯s life, they were just regular humans.


    Sansa Stark stood up, her hands resting firmly on the table. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up, and neither is my mother. I¡¯ll be Queen of the North, and she¡¯ll be Queen of the Riverlands¡ªwith Haru as our king!¡±


    Catelyn nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t think of a better partner for him than my daughter¡­ or myself.¡±


    Alice blinked, surprised by their conviction. A twinge of jealousy gnawed at her¡­


    Sansa and Catelyn spoke with such purpose. Meanwhile, Alice felt like she was floating aimlessly. Learning she was a clone had obliterated her sense of self. She hated Umbrella Corporation with everything she had, but what was she even fighting for now? Humanity? That felt laughable. She wasn¡¯t even human¡ªjust a lab experiment in a pod. Her so-called life had been nothing but a series of lies, and the memories she thought she¡¯d lost had never existed at all.


    She let out a sigh loud enough to draw attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Alice?¡± Rias asked, leaning closer.


    Alice hesitated but finally spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m doing anymore. Finding out I¡¯m a clone... It¡¯s like my entire existence is some kind of joke. I¡¯m not real. I¡¯m not human. So why should I even care what happens to my world? What¡¯s the point?¡±


    The table fell silent for a moment. Then Rias clapped her hands together, startling everyone. ¡°This is exactly why these meetings are important! As Haru¡¯s girls, we should be here for each other, helping with whatever we¡¯re going through!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Shepard said. ¡°Look, Alice, I get it. Finding out you¡¯re a clone messes with your head. But you¡¯re still you¡ªyour thoughts, your feelings, everything that makes you who you are. None of that is fake.¡±


    Catelyn frowned slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what a ¡®clone¡¯ is, but I do know this¡ªyou¡¯re a brave young woman who has fought the undead to protect others. That says everything about the kind of person you are.¡±


    Sansa nodded. ¡°You¡¯re one of the bravest people I¡¯ve met, Alice. You¡¯ve gone up against horrors that most of us couldn¡¯t even imagine!¡±


    Naruko smirked. ¡°A clone, huh? Nah, you can¡¯t be a clone. Watch this.¡± She formed a quick hand seal, and a perfect copy of herself appeared at her side. Without missing a beat, she grabbed a spoon from the table and smacked the clone on the head. It vanished in a puff of smoke. She leaned over and bopped Alice gently on the nose with the spoon next. ¡°See? You¡¯re still here, and I just hit you with the ultimate clone test. Totally not a clone!¡±


    Alice couldn¡¯t help it¡ªa small smile crept onto her face. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was the first real smile she¡¯d managed in days.


    Shepard reached out and patted her shoulder. ¡°Whatever you decide to fight for, make it for yourself. Not for some abstract cause. Fight for what matters to you.¡±


    Alice looked around the table. These women¡ªthis strange, mismatched group¡ªactually cared about her. Maybe that was enough.


    Maybe she didn¡¯t have to figure it all out right away.


    But still¡­ Alice crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. ¡°Thanks everyone. I still don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here. Haru and I aren¡¯t in a romantic relationship at all...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit,¡± Naruko said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Haru is always checking you out. You just don¡¯t notice it.¡±


    ¡®He was!?¡¯ Alice blushed at that. She hadn¡¯t noticed¡­


    Shepard shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it too. The guy isn¡¯t exactly as subtle as he thinks he is. Then again, I¡¯ve been trained to spot small things like that.¡±


    Alice frowned. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. He¡¯s just being nice. I work in his restaurant sometimes, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Rias snorted. ¡°Seriously? You¡¯ve probably spent more time with Haru than any of us. You¡¯re practically glued to the Fox Hole. He¡¯d have to be blind not to notice you.¡±


    Naruko grinned. ¡°Exactly. And let¡¯s be real, you¡¯re hot. No way Haru doesn¡¯t think so.¡±


    Alice felt her face heat up. ¡°You¡¯re all just imagining things.¡±


    Catelyn, who had been quietly sipping her drink, finally spoke up. ¡°Alice, it¡¯s clear to everyone here that Haru cares about you.¡±


    Alice stared at the table, her thoughts a jumble. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but maybe there was some truth to what they were saying. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve never thought about it like that,¡± Alice muttered.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I was halfway through one of Enri¡¯s dishes, a simple stew she¡¯d been practicing for weeks. It was good¡ªbetter than good, actually. The flavors were balanced, the meat was tender, and the broth had just the right amount of seasoning.


    ¡°This is fantastic,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ve improved so much.¡±


    Enri¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Really? I was so worried it wouldn¡¯t turn out right!¡±


    ¡°You nailed it,¡± I said, grabbing another spoonful. ¡°Keep this up, and you¡¯ll have people lining up for your food.¡±


    Before she could reply, the door to the restaurant creaked open. Alice walked in, looking nervous. She hesitated just inside the door.


    I chuckled nervously myself. ¡°How¡¯d the meeting with the other girls go¡­?¡± I¡¯d been a little freaked out myself when Rias sent me a text saying she was setting up weekly meetings with all the ¡°redheads¡± in my life. Still, it wasn¡¯t exactly unexpected. I had a harem, after all. Something like this was bound to happen eventually¡­


    Alice walked closer, and something in her posture shifted. She looked determined now. ¡°Haru, I want to go on a date with you.¡± she said bluntly.


    I blinked, caught off guard.


    ¡°Grrrrr¡­ Another one!¡± Enri hissed behind the counter.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± I asked, ignoring Enri¡¯s reaction. It wasn''t that I didn''t know about Enri¡¯s crush on me, I just chose to ignore it because she was too young and I kind of saw her as more of another little sister at this point. Kind of like how our family had started seeing Tanya¡­


    Alice smiled in relief. ¡°I want to see Brockton Bay. I know it¡¯s not exactly the America I used to dream about, but I still want to see it. Even if my memories are fake, I want to experience something real.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± I turned to Enri. ¡°Watch the shop while I¡¯m gone. If anyone stops by for food, call me. Not that I expect anyone this late.¡± It was already past 8 pm.


    Enri begrudgingly nodded, still glaring at Alice as we walked out into the city of Capes¡­


    Since this was technically a date, spontaneous as it was, I decided to dress up and snapped my fingers. A solid enough illusion projected itself over my clothes and made it look like I was wearing a nice black suit. Alice''s outfit also changed into a short black dress. Although she was still wearing her regular combat boots.


    Alice smiled at me and wrapped her arm around me as we walked down Brockton Bay''s boardwalk.


    ¨C Emily Piggot ¨C


    Emily Piggot, Director of the Brockton Bay PRT, sat behind her desk, staring down Armsmaster with a glare that could burn through steel.


    ¡°Do you know what you did wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I engaged another parahuman in combat without knowing his full capabilities first.¡± Armsmaster said bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s been a week, and I still haven¡¯t been able to repair my motorcycle! That was really expensive to put together!¡±


    Emily facepalmed, her patience nearly at its breaking point. Why was this guy the leader of the Protectorate again? She¡¯d always thought Miss Militia would have been a better choice.


    ¡°No, Armsmaster. What you did wrong was act hostile and attack a Case 53 parahuman without any proof of him committing a crime. Especially when we later found out from the Nazis we captured¡ªincluding Hookwolf¡ªthat this Haru does, in fact, have a little sister. A little sister who stormed into Hookwolf¡¯s dogfighting pits with Hellhound of all people and proceeded to take down the entire operation with the help of only two other girls.¡± She leaned forward. ¡°That¡¯s three extra parahumans in this city we know next to nothing about, besides the fact that they¡¯re all very popular for taking the Nazis down a few pegs. Had you simply been cordial to Haru, we could have gotten a lot more information!¡±


    Armsmaster crossed his arms. ¡°You weren¡¯t there. You didn¡¯t get the same vibe that I did when I saw the guy. It felt like I was standing in front of an actual endbringer! I had to bring him in.¡±


    Emily grimaced¡­ She wished he had told her that information earlier. Especially since it''s now been a full week since the incident, but even so, just because someone is dangerous doesn¡¯t give Armsmaster the legal right to attack them.


    ¡°I say we just storm that restaurant on the pier and interrogate everyone inside. Why are we waiting?¡± he asked.


    Emily let out a long sigh. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this. I got orders from the Head Director herself, Costa-Brown. No member of the Protectorate or the Wards is to go near that restaurant under any circumstances unless invited by someone inside. The only exception is Glory Girl, and she was grounded for a week by her mother after what happened.¡±


    Armsmaster grumbled, his fingers twitching against his gauntlet. Suddenly, he pressed a finger to his helmet, activating his communicator. ¡°Okay, stay put! I¡¯ll be right there!¡± He turned to Emily, his tone sharp. ¡°That was Vista. She just spotted Haru on the boardwalk with a red-haired woman we haven¡¯t seen before. They¡¯re currently confronting Lung! I have to stop them! I promise I¡¯ll handle it better this time!¡±


    Before Emily could respond, he turned and stormed toward the door.


    ¡°What did you just say!? Wait!?¡± she shouted after him, but he was already gone¡­ ¡°I fucking hate parahumans sometimes,¡± she muttered under her breath. She reached for her phone so she could start dialing the heads of the police and fire departments. If Lung had come out personally, then there was going to be a fight. She hoped the Boardwalk didn¡¯t get wrecked. It was one of the few nice parts about the city!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    We strolled along the boardwalk, Alice¡¯s arms wrapped tightly around my left arm. People stared, probably because of my Kitsune features. Or maybe they were just jealous that I had a gorgeous woman hanging off my arm.


    I smirked at the thought.


    We stopped at a food cart to grab some ice cream.


    I cringed after the first bite. Factory-made, definitely not homemade. The taste offended me as a chef, but I ate it anyway because Alice seemed to enjoy hers. She was smiling, and that was worth it.


    We made our way down to the beach and sat on the sand. The rusty tanker lodged in the bay ruined the view of the water.


    ¡°That thing¡¯s kind of an eyesore,¡± Alice said.


    ¡°Want me to melt it down?¡± I asked. ¡°Should only take a couple of minutes.¡±


    Some nearby humans, clearly too curious for their own good, scurried off in fright after overhearing that comment.


    Alice thought about it before shaking her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s nice enough just sitting here without any undead trying to eat me.¡± She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around her back. For a spur-of-the-moment date, this wasn¡¯t going too bad.


    At least, not until I heard someone approaching from behind. The scent of dragon filled my nose, accompanied by a hint of malice.


    ¡°Walk away, man. This won¡¯t end well for you,¡± I said, not even looking back.


    The guy chuckled. He spoke in Japanese. ¡°I came all this way to meet a nine-tailed fox. My Kaa-san told me stories about them as a child. How could I miss the opportunity to not recruit a Case 53 that looks like a Kitsune into my gang?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always one asshole,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Alice agreed.


    We stood and turned around to face him. He was a large Asian man with a smug grin. ¡°The ABB doesn¡¯t take gaijins, though, so ditch the bitch. Or better yet, she¡¯d fetch a nice price in one of our slave brothels.¡±


    My tails swayed angrily behind me as I ran a hand through my hair and took a deep breath. ¡°Why¡¯d you have to say that? Now I can¡¯t let you walk away¡­¡±


    Instead of backing down, the man smirked and cracked his knuckles. ¡°Good. My gang doesn¡¯t need any pussies. You¡¯ll learn the rules after I beat you and drag you home. My name is Lung.¡±


    Alice looked like she wanted to shoot him herself. I told her I¡¯d handle it.


    She giggled. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a guy defend my honor before. Kick his ass, Haru!¡±


    Lung laughed. ¡°Your boyfriend¡¯s bit off more than he can chew, gaijin whore.¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t been living in Kyoto long, but I¡¯ve been there long enough to know you don¡¯t fuck with nine-tailed foxes. They¡¯re considered gods for a reason.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as gods!¡± Lung roared and charged, his fist cocked back.


    I let the first punch land on my cheek. A crack rang out, and Lung cursed, cradling his broken hand.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m just getting started!¡± Lung yelled as his hand snapped back into place. His scent grew stronger, and his eyes became slitted. He threw another punch at my left cheek, and the same thing happened¡ªanother broken hand. ¡°Fuck! You¡¯re tough,¡± he growled as his body grew larger, his skin turning faintly red.


    ¡°That is a weird-ass superpower,¡± I muttered.


    Lung kicked at my stomach, and I caught his leg, snapping it like a twig.


    Lung screamed and grew even larger. His scent was now obviously a dragon. Horns and scales started forming, and the nearby humans panicked, screaming and running.


    ¡°Lung¡¯s rampaging!¡±


    ¡°We need to get out of here!¡±


    ¡°Those two idiots are going to die!¡±


    Awww, no one believed in me. I shook my head and decided to put on a show. Alice wasn¡¯t like regular girls, she liked violence. And who wouldn¡¯t enjoy watching me kick the shit out of a dragon?


    I lunged forward, claws and fists swinging, and started beating the living hell out of him.


    ¨C Alice ¨C


    Alice supposed she should have expected something like this to happen. After hearing stories about Naruko and Aela¡¯s chaotic dates with Haru, it seemed inevitable. Powerful beings always attracted trouble.


    ¡°You need to get out of here, lady!¡± a young girl in a superhero costume shouted, running up to Alice. She couldn¡¯t have been older than twelve.


    Alice giggled. ¡°You¡¯re adorable.¡±


    The girl frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not adorable! I¡¯m a hero!¡±


    ¡°An adorable hero, then,¡± Alice said with a nod. ¡°But I¡¯m perfectly safe.¡±


    She had to step quickly to her left as a red fireball streaked past her, narrowly missing. It exploded against the sand where she had been standing. Lung, who now looked less human and more dragon with every second, had thrown it at Haru in a desperate attack.


    The girl gave Alice a deadpan stare.


    Alice shrugged. ¡°I dodged it just fine.¡±


    At this point, Lung was over fifteen feet tall, his body completely transformed into that of a massive, scaly dragon. Despite the size difference, Haru was still handing the guy his ass. Each blow Haru landed made Lung roar in frustration.


    Alice¡¯s attention shifted as the rumble of a motorcycle caught her ear. A man wearing blue armor pulled up on a Harley.


    ¡°You¡¯re the guy who attacked Haru last week,¡± Alice said. ¡°I thought he said you had a cooler-looking motorcycle.¡±


    The man clicked his tongue under his helmet. ¡°That fox ruined my multi-million-dollar bike. I haven¡¯t had time to fix it yet. This is just a rental!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Alice replied with a shrug, glancing back at the fight. Lung was now twenty feet tall, his form towering over the surrounding area. ¡°How much bigger is he going to get?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know!¡± Armsmaster said. ¡°We¡¯ve never seen him reach his full angry peak! Haru needs to stop and get away before Lung destroys the city. We won¡¯t be able to stop him at this rate.¡± He turned to the young girl. ¡°Vista, get this woman out of here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± Alice said, stepping away before Vista could grab her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how big that guy gets. Haru is going to win.¡±


    ¡°Raaaaaawwwrr! Why can¡¯t I hit you?¡± Lung screamed in the distance.


    ¡°Sounds like a skill issue to me,¡± Haru called back, dodging the massive red claws with ease before slapping the dragon across the face with his fox tails.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Vista mumbled, watching in awe. ¡°Lung is getting owned.¡±


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Armsmaster said, staring at the fight in shock.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I decided it was time to teach the angry dragon who was the ¡°top monster.¡± Lung had grown to forty feet tall, sprouted wings, and was covered in flames. His massive, glowing red body actually looked kind of badass, I had to admit. Too bad he was clearly an evil asshole.


    Freaking superhero worlds¡­


    Blue flames surrounded me as I shifted into my full form. My golden nine-tailed fox body towered thirty feet high, and my tails stretched out. Lung froze, staring at me with wide, reptilian eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to get your shit wrecked,¡± I snarled, lunging forward. My tails slammed into him, battering his enormous body. He roared in anger, wings flapping wildly as he tried to stay upright.


    Lung reared back and unleashed a torrent of fire. Red flames poured over me, but they were pathetic against my form.


    The heat barely registered.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± I mocked, grabbing him with several tails at once. With a heave, I tossed him straight into the bay.


    He hit the water hard, before skipping across the surface and slamming into the massive ship out there. The collision left a huge dent in the rusted hull, but I wasn¡¯t done.


    I inhaled deeply and released a massive plume of blue foxfire into the bay. It exploded outward, blasting Lung¡¯s giant body further out to sea. The flames melted a gaping hole through the ship¡ªand as I watched, the entire thing split in half, sinking a bit deeper into the water.


    Woops¡­ Eh, I¡¯d clean it up later.


    I quickly sprinted across the surface of the water, walking on water was no problem even with my massive form. I chased after wherever I blasted Lung away too. It wasn¡¯t too much further away.


    ¡°Dammit! I can¡¯t swim!¡± Turns out, fire dragons aren¡¯t great swimmers. Lung was flailing his large body, struggling to stay afloat.


    I chuckled and snatched him by the neck with one of my tails. Then I dunked his scaly head into the ocean over and over, the rest of my tails smacking him repeatedly. He could barely fight back out here.


    He was nearly done for when I suddenly felt something approaching fast from the open ocean.


    Something big.


    I paused, letting Lung¡¯s limp body hang from my tail, and turned to face it.


    A blue-and-green sea monster rose from the water. Its glowing green eyes fixed on me as it glided closer, its humanoid form rippling with muscle and thick scales.


    ¡°Oh fuck. It¡¯s the Leviathan!¡± Lung trembled weakly, shrinking down a bit as his energy drained. He tried to get away, but I held onto him firmly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are,¡± I growled at the monster, ¡°but you¡¯re interrupting me teaching this villain a lesson. Scram!¡± I channeled all of my ¡°Young Master¡± energy while saying that word!


    Unfortunately, it either didn¡¯t hear me or didn¡¯t care. It closed the distance in seconds and threw a punch at my head.


    I blocked it easily with one of my tails, the force barely making me budge.


    The monster seemed shocked. Before it could react, I lunged my jaws forward and sank my teeth into its right arm. My jaws tore through thick skin and muscle until the limb ripped clean off!


    The monster let out a horrible mix of a roar and a scream.


    ¡°Nasty¡­¡± I spat the gross, slimy limb into the water. ¡°I told you to fuck off, and now you found out. You want to find out again¡­?¡±


    The monster¡¯s glowing eyes suddenly filled with fear. Without another sound, it dove beneath the surface and swam away quickly before it disappeared.


    That¡¯s about what I figured¡­


    I scoffed and turned back to the shore, dragging Lung with me. I smacked him one last time with a tail for good measure. He went limp, his massive dragon form shrinking down to his normal human size.


    For a moment, I considered leaving him to drown, but the growing crowd on the shore made me reconsider. Some people were cheering, others looked shocked, and quite a few stared at me like I was some kind of monster.


    I shrank back into my human form, hefted Lung over my shoulder, and walked across the beach where I tossed him at Armsmaster, who stood near Alice for some reason. ¡°I hope we¡¯re not going to have a problem this time,¡± I said to the hero. ¡°This was legitimate self-defense¡­¡±


    Armsmaster¡¯s eyes darted to the melted tanker in the bay, then back to me¡­


    ¡°That was an accident¡­¡±


    He sighed. ¡°No¡­ we¡¯re not going to have any problems.¡± He cuffed the unconscious Lung and added, ¡°I¡¯ll just be taking this guy to jail now. Um¡­ Good work with him...and the Leviathan¡­?¡± he said very nervously.


    I''m glad he decided to be more reasonable this time. I wrapped my arm back around Alice¡¯s shoulder as we started walking off. The crowd of people all immediately started parting for us as we headed back to my restaurant. ¡°I¡¯m kind of hungry after all that. That Ice Cream sucked, how about I make you a real delicious homemade treat?¡± I asked Alice.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that¡­¡± she chuckled before adding, ¡°So, are we going to talk about that weird sea monster randomly showing up while you were giving the dragon a swirly in the ocean?¡±


    ¡°My life is weird sometimes¡­ But I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything.¡±


    XXX


    The leviathan was not ready for Haru to be so strong. Next time it''ll put up a better fight. maybe¡­

 chapter 36

    Chapter 36: PHO and Enchiladas


    PHO Message Boards


    Thread Title: New Cape in Brockton Bay? Nine-Tailed Fox?? WTF?!


    (Pinned Comment)


    Original Poster (OP): Bagrat (Verified Cape Watcher)


    Okay, so there¡¯s a LOT of chatter going around about some new cape in Brockton Bay. Here¡¯s what I¡¯ve got so far:


    He¡¯s got fox-like features and opened some kind of restaurant on the pier called The Fox Hole.He went on a date with a gorgeous redhead (seems to be parahuman-adjacent, no solid info yet).He fought LUNG. Yes, THE Lung. Apparently, during the fight, he transformed into a 30-foot-tall, nine-tailed fox monster.Leviathan showed up¡ªyes, Leviathan. No Endbringer alarms, no warning. But the fox guy not only held his own, he BIT Leviathan¡¯s arm off. The Endbringer swam away.


    I¡¯m still trying to piece this all together. Anyone else have info?


    User: MakeMeSqueal05 (Verified Lurker)


    You¡¯re telling me some random cape scared off Leviathan? No way. Bull. fucking. shit! Pics or it didnt happen!


    User: NeetFreak98


    It totally happened dumbass! The crazy part is the guy who did this shit is some restarant owning case 53 or some shit.


    User: BrocktonScrub


    Nani the fuck?


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    FACTS! I was at The Fox Hole a couple of days ago. The food is AMAZING. Best I¡¯ve ever had. The chef is crazy talented and super strong too! His little sister is like 10 years old and she¡¯s the own who pwned Hookwolf! That tells you how OP her big bro is gonna be!


    User: BrocktonScrub


    Wait, what? It¡¯s only for capes? Are you serious?


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    Also, sorry, normies¡ªyou¡¯re not getting in. The place is only for awesome, sexy heroes like me.


    User: BrocktonScrub


    Wait, what? It¡¯s only for capes? Are you serious?


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    Completely serious! If you¡¯re not part of the cape scene, don¡¯t even bother. It¡¯s an exclusive place for the best of the best!


    User: noobcrusher69 (Verified Villain)


    Yo, Glory Girl! It¡¯s Uber and Leet. We¡¯ve been hearing about this Fox Guy. Any chance you could tell us his name?


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    Nope. Can¡¯t do that without his permission. He doesn¡¯t even wear a mask or consider himself a cape, but I¡¯m not spilling anything.


    User: noobcrusher69 (Verified Villain)


    Fair, fair. But is he open to working with others? Like, we¡¯re thinking about doing a cooking podcast. Guy sounds like a natural.


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    I¡¯ll ask him, but don¡¯t hold your breath. He¡¯s got standards.


    User: BurritoKing (Verified Lurker)


    Still can¡¯t believe only capes get to eat at his place. That¡¯s bullshit.


    User: Bagrat (OP) (Verified Cape Watcher)


    Let¡¯s stay on topic, folks. We¡¯re here to discuss his powers and the crazy fight, not the restaurant¡¯s admission policy.


    User: AllSeeingEye (Verified Lurker)


    I was on the pier when it happened! Lung went full dragon mode, wings and flames everywhere. The fox guy told him something like, ¡°Time to show you who¡¯s boss.¡± Then he turned into this massive golden fox with nine tails. It was insane. He beat Lung down like it was nothing.


    User: TinkerThinker (Verified Lurker)


    And Leviathan? What about that part?


    User: AllSeeingEye (Verified Lurker)


    Yeah, Leviathan showed up out of nowhere. No alarms, no warning, just... boom, there he was. I thought i was dead! Everyone panicked, but the fox guy didn¡¯t even flinch. He told Leviathan to scram, but the Endbringer charged him instead. The fox guy blocked a punch with one of his tails, then lunged forward and tore Leviathan¡¯s arm off. The Endbringer made this awful sound and bolted.


    User: SussyBaka


    @ AllSeeingEye How the hell did you see something in the middle of the ocean!? Are you a cape? Some kind of thinker?


    User: AllSeeingEye (Unverified Thinker)


    None of your business thats how!


    Edit: Wait!? Who changed my tag! I¡¯m not a thinker! I swear!


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    LOL, imagine being an Endbringer and getting your ass handed to you by a giant fox. Leviathan must feel SO embarrassed right now.


    User: NarwhalFanatic


    Okay, this guy needs a name. Are we calling him ¡°Fox Guy¡± or what?


    User: Bagrat (OP) (Verified Cape Watcher)


    ¡°Fox Guy¡± is fine for now unless he gives us something official. The important thing is figuring out where he came from and what his goals are!


    User: CapeSpotter99 (Verified Lurker)


    Sounds like a rogue. Opening a restaurant and keeping it cape-only doesn¡¯t scream hero or villain.


    User: ThinkerAlert (Verified Lurker)


    If he¡¯s strong enough to fight an Endbringer and win, the Protectorate will HAVE to reach out to him. No way they can ignore this.


    User: BurritoKing


    Still can¡¯t get over how unfair this is¡­


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    Cry about it! Maybe if you were awesome enough to save lives on the daily, you¡¯d get an invite.


    User: TaylorRules (Verified Lurker)


    Can we focus? If Leviathan showed up without the Endbringer alarms going off, what¡¯s stopping Behemoth or Scion from doing the same thing?


    User: SeenItAll (Verified Lurker)


    Good point. Honestly, it felt like Leviathan was drawn to the fight. Maybe the fox guy¡¯s power triggered something?


    User: Conspiracy101


    You think he¡¯s connected to the Endbringers? That¡¯s a stretch. I call BS!


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    Doubt it. He seemed just as surprised as the rest of us. And let¡¯s be real¡ªhe was awesome out there. Just straight-up badass!


    User: Bagrat (OP) (Verified Cape Watcher)


    This thread is getting off-track. Let¡¯s keep the discussion focused on the cape¡¯s abilities, actions, and potential implications for Brockton Bay.


    User: FoxFanatic


    Abilities: Huge fox form, blue flames, ridiculous strength.


    Actions: Wrecked Lung, scared off Leviathan.


    Implications: This guy might be one of the strongest capes we¡¯ve ever seen!


    User: BigIdeas


    If he¡¯s really that strong, he could change everything. Endbringers wouldn¡¯t have the same power over us if we had someone who could actually fight them.


    User: noobcrusher69 (Verified Villain)


    So, about that cooking podcast... you think he¡¯s into it?


    User: point_me_@_the_sky (Verified Cape)


    I¡¯ll check. No promises.


    [THREAD LOCKED BY MODERATOR]


    Reason: Speculation regarding unidentified cape escalating. Official PRT response pending.


    ¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood in the kitchen, my hands deep in the work of making beef enchiladas.


    Mexican food wasn¡¯t something I made often, so I was taking my time with it. The slow sizzle of the beef as it browned in the pan, the rich smell of the onions, garlic, and the spices filling the kitchen. The sauce was simmering on the stove, rich and spicy, while I carefully layered tortillas and beef, making sure every bite would be perfect.


    I wasn¡¯t making this for myself, though. No, I was doing this for Mob. Yeah, Mob, the kid who had no idea what to do when it came to girls, but he had his heart in the right place.


    He¡¯d asked me to teach him how to make Mexican food because apparently, the girl he had a crush on had visited Mexico during her vacation and couldn¡¯t stop talking about how much the food there had impressed her.


    Mob had this idea that if he could make it for her, it might help win her over.


    Well, he was more just helping me cook while I made it for her, but he didn¡¯t have to tell her that.


    I couldn¡¯t help myself. I had to tease him a little. ¡°So, Mob, what about Tanya? I thought you liked her?¡±


    Mob stamped his foot, his cheeks turning a deep red. ¡°No one told me Tanya liked girls¡­¡± he muttered under his breath, looking like he was about to die from embarrassment.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. I guess he must¡¯ve noticed something about Tanya and Viktoriya sitting together all the time. It was obvious to anyone who was paying attention that those two girls were crushing hard on each other, even if they hadn¡¯t really done anything about it yet. It wasn¡¯t like they were a couple, but the tension between them was palpable.


    They were just waiting for Tanya to grow up a bit more.


    From the bar, Reigen was sipping on his sake, clearly amused at the whole situation. ¡°A real man doesn¡¯t cook for women,¡± he teased, raising his glass. ¡°A woman cooks for them!¡±


    I turned and glared at him. Just for that comment, I was cutting him off.


    That made Mob freeze for a second as well, like he was trying to process the ridiculousness of that statement. Then, to my surprise, Mob actually asked an honest question that almost had me dying of laughter.


    He turned to Reigen and said, ¡°When was the last time a woman cooked for you master?¡±


    I think the answer to that was never. Ooooff, maximum emotional damage!


    Reigen sputtered, clearly caught off guard by the question.


    I turned to see Reigen smirking in the corner, clearly trying to recover from the emotional blow Mob had delivered. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Reigen said with a mock sigh. ¡°I get it, kid. But cooking for a girl you¡¯ve barely ever talked to? Do you think that will make her want to date you?¡±


    Mob just shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I just want to make something she¡¯ll like.¡±


    I was working in the kitchen, the familiar rhythm of cooking grounding me as the sizzle of beef filled the air, the aroma of spices and cheese wafting through the restaurant. I was focused on the task, the smooth motion of my hands layering tortillas and filling them with seasoned beef, when a new voice cut through the air.


    "That''s the most adorable thing I''ve ever heard!" a voice called out.


    I looked up, and there was Vicky¡ªGlory Girl, the bright and loud superhero¡ªwalking into The Fox Hole with another girl in tow. This one looked nothing like her, but I could tell they were close, at least by the way they moved together. The scent of them confirmed it¡ªfamily? Maybe adopted siblings.


    Vicky, ever the proud older sister, wasted no time introducing her companion. "This is Amy¡ªPanacea, the greatest healer cape in the world!" She declared.


    "Ah, a healer, huh?" I said, nodding with genuine respect. "That¡¯s impressive."


    Amy didn¡¯t seem to care for the praise. "Whatever..." she snarked, eyeing the restaurant and the smells wafting through the air. "It smells like Mexican in here. I hope it doesn''t suck ass."


    I chuckled, shaking my head. I was getting used to the snarkiness of her attitude already.


    "Ah¡­" Mob piped up awkwardly, suddenly stepping forward with his hand held out to the two girls. "I wanted Haru-san to teach me how to make enchiladas." His voice was timid, like he wasn¡¯t sure if this was the right moment to get involved in the conversation.


    Vicky immediately shook his hand, then Amy followed. But the moment her hand made contact with Mob¡¯s, she gasped, her expression changing from casual to shocked.


    "How the hell are you alive with 100% of your brain constantly operating?" she asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.


    Mob blinked, his usual awkwardness kicking in. "Ah¡­ that¡¯s because I¡¯m an esper," he said, still unsure. "I don¡¯t like to brag about it, though. Psychic powers don¡¯t make someone cool."


    Vicky sputtered in disbelief. "Having powers doesn¡¯t make someone cool...? What? It totally does!" She was clearly thrown off by Mob¡¯s lack of excitement over his abilities.


    Mob shook his head. "No, it doesn¡¯t. That¡¯s why I joined my school¡¯s bodybuilding club. So I can try and get a strong body instead. Then I¡¯ll be cool." His voice was quiet, but there was something endearing about it.


    Amy smirked at him, clearly amused. "That¡¯s a good attitude to have," she said, her voice laced with a certain sharpness. "I wish more people in this shithole of a city would try and be healthier. It would make my job a lot easier at least." She then looked at Mob again. "I could help you with that. I can alter your amino acids and protein contents to make it easier for you to build muscles."


    Mob shook his head firmly. "No thanks. I want to do it on my own."


    ¡­


    I set the plates of enchiladas in front of Vicky and Amy, watching as they both took in the sight of the food. Amy, a little more reserved, didn¡¯t immediately dive in like Vicky. Vicky, on the other hand, wasted no time. She cut into the enchilada and took a big bite, her eyes lighting up instantly.


    ¡°This is amazing, Haru!¡± she exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. ¡°I was expecting good, but this is next-level.¡±


    Amy, still skeptical, raised an eyebrow but finally took a cautious bite. Her face didn¡¯t give much away at first, but after chewing, she gave a subtle nod of approval.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Amy muttered, her voice a little less guarded. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    I chuckled, leaning on the counter. ¡°You both have good taste.¡±


    Amy snorted, clearly holding back a smile, but then her focus shifted back to the food. She took another bite, and for a moment, there was no more skepticism in her expression¡ªjust satisfaction.


    The two of them seemed to enjoy the food quite a bit, but I kept my eye on Mob, who was in the back kitchen, still busy wrapping up the extras in a tupperware container for that girl.


    Vicky looked over at me, her mouth still full of food, and asked between bites, ¡°So, what¡¯s Mob¡¯s story?¡±


    ¡°Mob¡¯s a good, hardworking middle school kid... and maybe the most powerful esper I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± I shrugged. "At least, the most powerful I¡¯ve seen."


    Both of them stared at Mob in shock. He just waved at them casually from the kitchen, his blank expression not changing at all. It was hard to believe, given his small frame and the bowl cut hair, but that was Mob. People like him¡ªhell, even I sometimes¡ªdidn¡¯t look like much on the surface. But a smart person didn¡¯t judge someone by looks. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯d learned growing up in the supernatural world.


    After Vicky and Amy had polished off their plates of enchiladas, I grabbed the empty dishes and carried them back to the sink. ¡°Glad you two enjoyed it,¡± I said, glancing over my shoulder. They¡¯d practically licked the plates clean, which was always a good sign.


    Vicky leaned against the counter, watching me. ¡°Hey, Haru, have you checked PHO lately?¡±


    I frowned, pausing mid-rinse. ¡°PHO? What¡¯s that? Some kind of soup?¡±


    Amy let out a short laugh. ¡°No, it¡¯s a lame site where capes and their obsessive fans can chat, post conspiracy theories, or just throw out racist comments. Basically, internet garbage.¡±


    Vicky spun around to glare at her sister. ¡°It is not garbage! It¡¯s a great site with good admins and tons of useful information! You¡¯re just too cynical to appreciate it.¡±


    Amy rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, sure. A bastion of quality discourse and not a cesspool. Totally.¡±


    Ignoring her sister¡¯s sarcasm, Vicky turned back to me. ¡°Anyway, I saw something on there earlier. Apparently, some villains want you to do a cooking podcast or something stupid like that.¡±


    I laughed and shook my head. ¡°A podcast? Yeah, I¡¯m not interested. Especially not with villains. Sounds like a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°Figured as much,¡± Vicky said with a shrug. ¡°They¡¯re losers anyway.¡±


    She smirked after a moment, then added, ¡°But you know, you should be thanking me.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°For making sure your restaurant doesn¡¯t get swarmed by normies,¡± she said with a triumphant grin. ¡°I posted online that only capes are allowed in The Fox Hole.¡±


    I froze, my expression tightening a bit. ¡°You... what?¡±


    Vicky¡¯s grin faltered slightly. ¡°What? It¡¯s not a big deal. You don¡¯t want every random off the street coming in here, right?¡±


    ¡°When I started this place,¡± I said, setting down the plate a little harder than necessary, ¡°I wanted it to be open for everyone.¡±


    Amy snorted from her seat. ¡°Yeah, and if she hadn¡¯t done that, you¡¯d have half the city barging in. Fanboys trying to ¡®meet the fox guy,¡¯ homeless drug addicts looking for a warm spot to crash, and wannabe capes hoping to pick your brain. This place would be trashed in less than a week.¡±


    I rubbed the back of my neck, frowning. ¡°That... does sound not great.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Amy said, gesturing at Vicky. ¡°For once, she actually had a good idea.¡±


    Vicky preened smugly, leaning back with a satisfied look. ¡°See? You should be thanking me. I saved your ass.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± I said, sighing. ¡°Thanks, Vicky. I appreciate it.¡±


    After cleaning up, Amy looked at me from her spot at the counter, her head tilted slightly. ¡°So, Haru, does this restaurant actually connect to other worlds, or is my sister just full of shit?¡±


    Vicky gasped, turning to her with an offended pout. ¡°Amy! I¡¯m not full of shit!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Amy¡¯s bluntness, which only made Vicky¡¯s pout deepen. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Vicky. This place does connect to other worlds,¡± I said.


    Amy raised an eyebrow and held out her hand. ¡°Prove it. Let me see your biology.¡±


    I shrugged, stepping closer and taking her hand. ¡°Sure, knock yourself out.¡±


    The moment her hand touched mine, Amy froze. Her lips parted slightly, and she let out a soft gasp, but she didn¡¯t let go. Her eyes darted back and forth as if she were seeing something no one else could. ¡°Your biology is insane,¡± she said, her voice laced with a mix of awe and confusion. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even exist. You don¡¯t make sense. Your cells aren¡¯t human at all, and there¡¯s enough energy in your body to basically be a walking nuclear reactor.¡±


    I pulled my hand back, smirking. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m built different.¡±


    Amy rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, sure. Whatever.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°So, Mr. Built Different, what are you going to do now?¡±


    Before I could answer, Vicky cut in. ¡°Is this restaurant going to be here forever, or are you going to leave? Because, you know, we¡¯re aware of other worlds too. We¡¯ve got contact with Earth Aleph. It¡¯s like ours, but without all the bullshit.¡±


    I leaned against the counter, thinking for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t have any plans to leave. This restaurant tends to stay put unless things get too dangerous for it to keep functioning.¡±


    Amy frowned. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    I gestured toward Mob, who was still in the back, carefully packing up his enchiladas. ¡°The last time that happened was when Mob over there took down ¡®God.¡¯¡± I made sure to say the word God with heavy sarcasm, because Being X wasn¡¯t God. Far from it. More like a glorified evil spirit, as far as I was concerned.


    Amy and Vicky both stared at Mob, their expressions swinging between disbelief and outright shock. Mob, of course, remained completely unfazed. He waved at them calmly, his face as blank as ever.


    ¡°Thanks. Haru, I¡¯ll be going now,¡± Mob said. He picked up his tupperware container, looking genuinely pleased with his enchilada stash.


    Reigen, who had been nursing a drink at the bar this entire time, stood up and gave me a mock salute. ¡°Great food as always, Haru. Keep it up.¡±


    I nodded at them both. ¡°Take care.¡±


    Mob carried his container of enchiladas out the door, looking content, while Reigen followed with his usual lazy stride. The door swung shut behind them, leaving me with Amy and Vicky, who were still trying to process what they¡¯d just heard.


    ¡°Did that kid really¡ª¡± Vicky started.


    ¡°Yep,¡± I interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too hard. You¡¯ll just hurt yourself.¡±


    Amy shook her head, muttering under her breath. ¡°This place is fucking nuts.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I. NEED. DETAILS!¡± Vicky demanded! Vicky didn¡¯t get the details she playfully demanded, despite her best efforts. Before she could press the issue, the door to the restaurant opened, and I glanced up.


    In walked Armsmaster. He nodded to Vicky and Amy as he made his way to the counter, then stopped in front of me and held out his hand.


    I shrugged and shook it. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Armsmaster,¡± he said formally, though I already knew who he was. He took a breath, visibly forcing himself into something less stiff. ¡°I wanted to properly introduce myself and apologize for our initial interaction. And, of course, thank you for taking down Lung¡­ and for stopping Leviathan.¡±


    I waved him off with one of my tails. ¡°It was no problem.¡±


    Armsmaster nodded, but then his tone shifted. ¡°That said, Director Emily Piggot wants to meet with you personally.¡±


    I rubbed the back of my head and chuckled. ¡°You know, I keep getting all these important people inviting me to meetings¡­ and then I just don¡¯t go to them.¡±


    Vicky laughed at that, clearly amused, while Amy just stared at me like I¡¯d grown an extra head.


    I wasn¡¯t lying, though. I¡¯d even blown off a meeting with a legit king once. That had been the king of the Re-Estize Kingdom in Ainz¡¯s world. Gazef, being the good buddy he was, had wanted me to meet the guy. But then Ainz had said he¡¯d ¡°take care of it,¡± and, well¡­ I left it to him. Seemed easier that way.


    Heh. Skeletor. The nickname always made me grin.


    Armsmaster¡¯s jaw dropped slightly as he processed that. ¡°You¡­ you forgot a meeting¡­ with a king?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said casually. ¡°It happens.¡±


    Armsmaster recovered enough to close his mouth and clear his throat. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t blow off this meeting. The entire world has its eyes on Brockton Bay right now¡ªor, more specifically, on you and your restaurant.¡±


    The air grew heavier for a moment. Armsmaster leaned forward slightly. ¡°The sooner you can come to Protectorate HQ, the better.¡±


    I was about to answer when the door slammed open, and a massive figure stomped inside. A krogan. The floor creaked under his weight.


    Armsmaster instinctively tensed, his hand reaching for his weapon but hesitated.


    ¡°Wrex! What¡¯s going on, big guy?¡± I called out, already reaching for the shelves behind the counter. I started mixing the unholy cocktail of booze he loved¡ªonly a krogan could handle it without immediately dying.


    Wrex made his way to the counter, his heavy steps making the floor groan. He nodded at the three humans staring at him like they¡¯d just seen Bigfoot stroll in for brunch. ¡°You all look like you¡¯ve never seen a krogan before or something.¡±


    Amy blinked. ¡°We haven¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on right now,¡± Armsmaster muttered, his hand still twitching near his holster.


    I sighed, deciding to rip the bandage off quickly. ¡°Okay, short version: I¡¯m from another Earth, and this restaurant connects to a bunch of different worlds. That about sums it up. Oh, and Wrex here? He¡¯s an alien. Though he probably thinks we¡¯re the aliens.¡±


    Wrex chuckled as he grabbed the drink I slid to him. He chugged it in one go and slammed the glass down. ¡°That I do,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°I have no idea how humans became the dominant species on your world when you¡¯re all so soft and squishy,¡± he said to the three of them.


    ¡°Guns,¡± I said simply. They loved their guns.


    Wrex laughed, the sound deep and rumbling, and downed his second drink. ¡°Yep. Guns are awesome.¡± He set the empty glass down and leaned forward slightly. ¡°Where was I¡­ Oh, right. Shepard needs your help again.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What happened this time?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ uh¡­ trapped on the moon,¡± Wrex said, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Apparently, the dumb humans were secretly making an AI up there. It gained sentience, killed everyone, and now Shepard¡¯s pinned down after going on a mission to stop it. Her landing craft¡¯s damaged, and half her squad¡¯s knocked out. So¡­ you coming?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Armsmaster blurted, looking between us like we¡¯d all lost our minds. ¡°AI? Trapped on the moon?¡±


    Wrex turned to Armsmaster, looking him up and down with a critical, appraising eye. "You look like a warrior. Is that armor made for fighting in space?"


    Armsmaster blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. "It is... but I¡¯ve never actually tested it out."


    Wrex chuckled, the sound deep and gravelly, before giving Armsmaster a hearty pat on the shoulder. The sheer force of it sent the armored man stumbling a step back.


    "No time like the present!" Wrex declared with a toothy grin.


    ¡°I want to go fight some AI on the moon!¡± Glory Girl whined, practically bouncing on her heels. ¡°That sounds so freaking awesome.¡±


    ¡°Vicky,¡± Amy cut in dryly, ¡°you would suffocate and die.¡±


    Vicky¡¯s excitement didn¡¯t falter for even a second. Instead, she spun toward her sister, clasping her hands together in an exaggerated plea. ¡°Unless¡­ you modify my lungs so I can breathe in space. Come on, Amy, you can do that, right? Please?¡±


    ¡°Not happening,¡± Amy shut her down immediately, crossing her arms.


    Then Amy turned her sharp gaze on me, eyebrow raised. ¡°What about you? Can you even breathe in space, or do you have some magical space suit stashed away too?¡±


    I paused, putting a finger to my chin thoughtfully. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s a good question. Can I breathe in space?¡±


    Before I could dig into that existential mystery, a scroll appeared out of nowhere, landing with a soft thud on the counter in front of me. Ah, another message from the goddess. Convenient timing. I unrolled the scroll, and as soon as I did, a flash of light erupted from it. Strange energy seeped into my body, a sensation like a cool breeze coursing through every cell. I could feel something shift inside me, like an unseen switch being flipped.


    The scroll itself was brief and to the point: You can now.


    I shrugged and stored the scroll in my inventory without a second thought. "Good enough for me," I declared, stepping around the counter with a grin. "Time to go rescue my space girlfriend again."


    The room was silent for a beat, except for Wrex¡¯s amused chuckle. "Well, I guess that settles it. Let¡¯s go, Haru. Shepard¡¯s not going to wait forever! You too new guy!" he said while dragging a very confused Armsmaster behind us.


    ¡°WHAT IS HAPPENING!?¡±


    XXX

 chapter 37

    Chapter 37: Recruitment


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood on the surface of the moon, staring back at the Earth. My tails swayed lazily behind me as I took in the breathtaking view. It was surreal, this quiet, desolate place with the blue and green orb hanging in the void above. For a moment, I just let myself take it all in.


    "Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the restaurant The Fox Hole. Its mission: to spread delicious food all over the multiverse, to explore strange new dimensions, to seek out unique flavors and diverse palates, to boldly serve where no chef has cooked before!" I recited to myself with a grin.


    "Oh my god, please stop," Shepard whined next to me. She was standing in a slim, high-tech space suit with her visor up to reveal her exasperated expression. "That show came out over 100 years ago and is so dated now!"


    I chuckled. "Not to me, it¡¯s not!"


    Shepard sighed but there was a playful edge to it. "Whatever. Hey, thanks for rescuing me and my crew. I know Wrex and that weird guy with the halberd helped, but you pretty much steamrolled over all the killer drones that AI sent after us," she said, stepping closer and giving me a hug.


    My tails wagged instinctively as I hugged her back. "No problem, Jane."


    She leaned back, giving me a curious look. "Okay, so how are you even standing on the moon without a space suit? Don¡¯t you need to breathe?"


    I tilted my head. "I am breathing," I pointed out.


    She leaned in slightly, her brow furrowed as she observed my chest rising and falling. "Huh... so you are. What exactly are you breathing, then? Because there¡¯s no air here."


    I shrugged. "I¡¯m breathing... pure magic? Or something? I don¡¯t know." It was the truth, and honestly, it didn¡¯t bother me. I¡¯d grown to trust that strange goddess, even though I had no idea who she was and had never met her¡­


    Shepard shook her head, clearly bemused. "That¡¯s very weird. Then again, as an N7, I was trained to be a spy and a soldier. Trust doesn¡¯t exactly come easy for me. Either way, I suppose we should head back now. Everyone¡¯s waiting for us."


    I turned around and spotted Wrex smirking at me, his hulking frame impossible to miss, and Armsmaster, who had finally chilled out a bit after fighting through an army of killer robots and drones, and then rescue Shepard¡¯s crew¡ªa mix of humans and aliens from an alternate reality that Armsmaster clearly hadn¡¯t been prepared to process. Yeah... it was a lot. And I had no doubt Armsmaster was going to have many, many questions.


    Questions that someone else could answer!


    I wrapped my arm around Shepard as she leaned her head on my shoulder. Together, we walked back to the shuttle.


    Our group made it back to the Normandy.


    It was a happy ending... except for the fact that Tevos was standing in the middle of the ship making Shepard¡¯s whole crew very nervous.


    "Oh... welcome back, Commander," Joker said awkwardly from his station. "Yeah... there¡¯s a council member here..."


    "Ah, shit," Shepard muttered with a wistful sigh. She quickly slapped on a fake smile and stepped forward. "Hey there... boss. What are you doing here? And how are you even here? Don¡¯t you, like... never leave the Citadel?"


    Tevos smirked, there was a playful glint in her eye. "I thought it would be prudent to check in on the latest Specter¡¯s status, especially since doing so is incredibly easy. All I have to do is walk through a couple of doors in The Fox Hole to arrive on the Normandy."


    "That sounds like a massive security issue in hindsight," Joker pointed out.


    Shepard tried to play it cool, ignoring Joker¡¯s comment. "So, uh, would you like a tour of the ship?" she asked Tevos with a forced cheerfulness.


    Tevos shook her head, her polite smile not quite reaching her eyes. "No, thank you. I¡¯d much rather hear about your latest unsanctioned mission to Earth¡¯s only moon. I believe I heard something about humanity secretly creating an AI, despite it being forbidden by Council law, and then¡ªto no one¡¯s surprise¡ªthe AI turned hostile and killed everyone on the entire lunar surface."


    "Yeah... that about sums it up," Shepard admitted, her fake smile faltering.


    "I thought so," Tevos said simply as she placed a hand on Shepard¡¯s shoulder and began leading her toward a private room. It was clear Shepard was about to be thoroughly grilled for all the details.


    I watched them go, shrugging to myself. The Systems Alliance was probably in deep shit for this one, but honestly? Not my problem. Turning to Wrex, I smirked. "You want to get another drink?"


    "Damn right I do!" he said with a toothy grin. ¡°Come on, new guy! You fought well with that weird weapon! Now let''s get shitfaced!¡± Wrex said to Armsmaster.


    ¡°Alright, screw it¡­¡± Armsmaster was just going with the flow at this point.


    ¡­


    A very drunk Armsmaster and Wrex stumbled out of the restaurant about an hour later. Not before Armsmaster managed to get me to promise¡ªwith his slurred insistence¡ªto actually meet up with Director Emily Piggot.


    And not blow her off...


    "I''ll do my best," I said, waving them out with one of my tails. Watching them disappear was equal parts amusing and a relief. Wrex¡¯s drinking habits could put a brewery out of business, and Armsmaster wasn¡¯t exactly a lightweight either, apparently. Or maybe the guy just decided to really let go today...?


    As I turned back to the bar, Enri walked over, clutching her nose and wrinkling it in clear discomfort. "The stench of alcohol can be too much sometimes," she complained, her voice muffled by her hand. "Especially with what Wrex drank."


    I winced slightly and nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that. I¡¯ll look into commissioning some yokai to set up wards around the bar to block the heavier smells. I¡¯m used to it, but you¡¯re right¡ªsome customers probably aren¡¯t."


    Glancing over at Alice, who was sitting quietly at one of the tables, I called out, "What about you? Does the smell bother you?"


    She shrugged, looking up lazily. "Not really. I¡¯ve been pretty much nose blind my whole life... which, granted, hasn¡¯t been very long. You know, clone and all. But considering I came from a world filled with rotten zombies walking around, this is nothing."


    I chuckled softly. "Fair enough."


    Before the conversation could go any further, the door to the restaurant swung open, and in walked Rias and Akeno. They were dressed in their signature Kuoh Academy uniforms, the ones with the ridiculously short skirts that somehow never seemed to bother either of them.


    ¨C Rias ¨C


    Rias felt a wave of happiness wash over her as she stepped into the restaurant and saw her handsome fianc¨¦. The sight of Haru leaning casually against the bar with a smile directed at her made the stress of her day melt away¡ªat least a little.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she muttered under her breath. Why had she thought attending a human school in Japan was a good idea? Japanese people went to school six days a week. Six!


    That was way too much.


    It had looked so much more fun in the anime. Back then, she¡¯d imagined herself living out carefree school days filled with all kinds of tropes. In reality, all she got was exhaustion and relentless assignments.


    And now that she no longer had the excuse of the stress of being forced to marry Riser, there was no way to avoid the expectations being piled on her.


    She¡¯d ¡°gotten what she wanted¡± after all. Her parents and older brother now expected her to attend classes seriously, maintain decent grades, and ensure the rest of her peerage did the same. Some might think a human education was useless in the underworld, but that was becoming less true with every passing year. Human advancements in math and technology were outpacing anything most devils had ever anticipated. Outside of a few institutions run by Ajuka, the underworld¡¯s education systems were falling behind, and more noble devil families were following the Gremory and Sitri leads by sending their children to the human world for schooling.


    A few days ago, Rias had even received a letter asking if Ravel Phenex could attend Kuoh Academy. Personally, she didn¡¯t mind the idea. Ravel seemed polite and intelligent enough, and she had no real problem with the girl. Of course, that was on the strict condition that her obnoxious brother didn¡¯t dare to show up. If he did? Well, Rias figured she¡¯d have to make sure he regretted it. After all, she wasn¡¯t the same person she¡¯d been during that ridiculous engagement. She¡¯d been training after school with her brother every few days, and slowly but surely, she was getting stronger.


    Rias noticed that Akeno was the first to reach the bar. Her queen and practically a sister to her wasted no time leaning forward, her eyes glinting mischievously as she fixed Haru with a sultry smile.


    "Haru," Akeno purred, "Do you know what you and a cucumber have in common?"


    "Um, no?" Haru replied.


    "I would love to have both inside me!" Akeno grinned.


    Haru¡¯s face immediately turned a deep shade of red, his composure shattered as he sputtered incoherently. "W-What?! Akeno!"


    Nearby, Enri-chan gasped, clutching her cheeks. "Wawawawahhh!"


    Meanwhile, Alice, sitting in a booth, glared daggers at Akeno. "This audacious little slut..." she muttered.


    Akeno, of course, just grinned at everyone¡¯s reactions.


    Rias sighed, crossing her arms. "Akeno, dial down your thirst, please. Need I remind you that Haru is my fianc¨¦!?"


    "And my boyfriend too," Alice spoke up, her tone sharper as she looked directly at Akeno.


    Rias¡¯s expression softened into a warm smile as she turned to Alice. "Oh? So it finally happened. Congratulations, Alice. I told you those meetings were a good thing."


    Alice rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t hide the slight smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks," she muttered playfully.


    Akeno pouted dramatically, throwing her arms up. "How am I supposed to be Haru¡¯s slutty mistress if I don¡¯t ever get any opportunities to flirt with him?"


    Rias deadpanned, her voice flat. "Considering we¡¯re going to be together for tens of thousands of years, you¡¯ll have plenty of time."


    Akeno giggled but stepped back, satisfied for now. Meanwhile, Rias turned her attention to Haru. She took a deep breath before throwing her arms up in the air dramatically. "I need your help, Haru! I¡¯m failing as an otaku and need to correct the situation immediately!"


    Haru seemed amused by her theatrics, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Rias leaned on the counter, glancing at Haru with a dramatic sigh. "The Fox Hole gives me access to all these awesome isekai worlds, and yet I¡¯ve failed to recruit a single otherworlder into my peerage! Isn¡¯t that a travesty!?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration.


    Haru chuckled at her antics, his tails swaying lazily behind him. He turned his attention to Enri, who was busy tidying up nearby. "Maybe you can recruit Enri over here?" Haru suggested with a playful grin.


    Rias paused, tapping her chin as she considered the idea. Enri was a sweet girl, no doubt about it. She had a good sense of when to stand up for herself and was steadily becoming a skilled cook under Haru¡¯s guidance. There was potential there. She could go far as one of Rias¡¯s servants.


    Before Rias could voice her thoughts, Enri¡¯s reaction was immediate and vehement. "No way! I only want to serve under Lord Haru!" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ara¡­" Akeno giggled, her voice dripping with amusement. "I¡¯m sure she would love to serve ''under'' you, Haru," she teased, emphasizing the word "under" in a way that made Enri¡¯s face turn a deep shade of red.


    Rias sighed and glanced at Haru, who looked mildly exasperated by Akeno¡¯s comment. "Are you going to use the ¡®rite¡¯ on her?" Rias asked. "I figured you¡¯d be doing it with your human lovers eventually too."


    "The rite?" Enri tilted her head in confusion. Alice, seated nearby, also looked curious.


    Haru scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Er¡­ I hadn¡¯t really thought about it, but I figure I¡¯ll have to at some point. We¡¯ve got years, though, if nothing else comes up, so I¡¯m not worried."


    Rias shrugged, her curiosity sated for now, as Akeno took it upon herself to explain the rite to the two curious girls.


    "Basically," Akeno began, "the rite is a ritual that yokai with incredibly long lives, or immortal ones like Haru¡¯s kind, use when they have mortal partners. It ties the person¡¯s lifespan to the yokai¡¯s. The human becomes ageless but not unkillable. They¡¯re still completely normal, just someone who doesn¡¯t grow old or get sick anymore."


    Haru nodded in agreement. "My stepfather underwent the rite," he said, his voice quieter now. "After that, he and my mother had Kunou." He paused, his expression darkening slightly. "Unfortunately, my stepfather¡­" Haru trailed off, unable to finish the thought.


    Rias reached across the counter and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently to console him. She didn¡¯t know much about Haru¡¯s stepfather¡ªalmost no one did outside the yokai community¡ªbut from the few things Haru had mentioned, it was clear the man had been a good person. A silence settled over the group for a moment, before Rias got them back on topic!


    Rias told Haru that she wanted to recruit a genuine ninja into her peerage! Even if Naruko and Naruto said no¡­ Rias wasn¡¯t going to give up so easily. Her inner otaku would not allow it.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    And that¡¯s how Rias and I ended up walking around the Leaf Village on what could only be described as a recruitment trip/date. Judging by the way she was tightly hanging off my arm, pressing her impressive assets against my side, it definitely looked more like the latter to the villagers we passed.


    Some muttered under their breath as we walked by.


    ¡°Disgusting monster¡­¡± one villager whispered. ¡°How can that girl be so shameless snuggling up against such a creature!?¡±


    ¡°Why does the freak get such a hot girl?¡± another grumbled in jealousy.


    Others didn¡¯t bother muttering. Their looks of disgust at my fox-like features said enough. I ignored them. It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d been stared at like that, and it sure as hell wouldn¡¯t be the last.


    I glanced down at Rias as we strolled through the village. "So, do you have any idea who you¡¯re looking to recruit?"


    She turned her head to look up at me, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "I didn¡¯t think that far ahead," she admitted cutely.


    I shrugged, smirking a little. "That¡¯s fine. While you¡¯re thinking about it, I¡¯ve got a personal errand to take care of. I need to visit the dog clan."


    ¡°The Inuzuka?¡± Rias tilted her head curiously. ¡°How come?¡±


    ¡°Kunou has a new puppy now. It¡¯s a golden retriever. He''s an energetic and friendly little guy. Training him isn¡¯t too hard since we can literally talk to him, but he sheds everywhere. That¡¯s just his biology,¡± I explained. ¡°I was wondering if the Inuzuka might have a remedy for that. Their dogs can¡¯t exactly shed during missions, right? That would leave a trail behind.¡±


    ¡°Smart thinking,¡± Rias said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in recruiting an Inuzuka, though. I¡¯d have to use a peerage piece on their dogs too, but I¡¯d still love to see their compound.¡±


    As we wandered further into the village, I stopped a random chunin who was eyeing us both suspiciously, but eventually gave us the directions. I thanked him, and Rias and I continued on our way, ignoring the chunin¡¯s lingering stare as we left. Something about it didn¡¯t sit right with my instincts but the guy didn¡¯t try anything so I figured it was fine for the time being.


    ¨C Yon ¨C


    Yon had no name. He was just a number. A tool crafted to serve his master. After the target, the owner of the strange, impenetrable restaurant, began heading towards his destination, Yon moved quickly. He darted towards the nearest manhole, opened it, and dove inside. Beneath the bustling streets of the Leaf Village lay the true power of the village¡ªthe heart of the organization known as Root.


    Reaching into his pack, Yon slipped on a blank white mask. He had shown his real face to the target because the reports indicated that the fox-man known as Haru was highly skilled with illusions, and a basic transformation jutsu wouldn¡¯t fool him. It was of no concern, no one in the village knew Yon¡¯s face anyway. He had been a member of Root ever since he was a baby.


    Serving the village and Lord Danzo was his only purpose.


    Yon moved swiftly through the underground tunnels, his steps silent and precise. He arrived at a wall adorned with hidden seals. Placing his hand on the wall, he pulsed his chakra in a specific pattern¡ªa password known only to members of Root. The wall slid open, and Yon slipped inside before it sealed shut again with a soft thud.


    Inside, Root agents stood or sat in silence, waiting. Their blank masks and stiff postures were a reflection of the unyielding discipline of their organization. No one in Root had free time or leisure. They were either on an assignment or waiting for one to be assigned. Yon nodded at his fellow operatives as he passed, his expression hidden beneath his mask.


    Reaching the most secure part of the hidden base, Yon stopped in front of a heavy door and knocked firmly.


    "Lord Danzo," he called out, his voice steady and devoid of emotion. "The target is on the move through the village, heading towards the Inuzuka compound. He is not accompanied by the jinchuriki at this time, and the Hokage does not yet know he is wandering the village."


    The door creaked open, and Yon stepped inside. Lord Danzo stood at the center of the room, his one visible eye sharp and calculating. For a moment, a rare grin appeared on Danzo¡¯s face, a sight so unusual it made Yon pause internally.


    "Excellent work, Yon," Danzo said, his tone betraying a hint of satisfaction. "Go and mobilize all available forces. We will make a move on the target and subdue him. All of his secrets will finally belong to us."


    Yon bowed deeply. "As you command, Lord Danzo."


    XXX

 chapter 38

    Chapter 38: Ah, it''s this bozo¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Rias and I arrived at the Inuzuka compound. It seemed like an open and friendly place. There were no guards at the gates. As soon as we stepped through, my nose was hit with a bunch of scents all at once. There were a lot of dogs here.


    Rias squealed in delight as her eyes landed on a group of dogs running around, some chasing each other and others tumbling in playful fights. "Oh my gosh! So cute and fluffy!" she cried, dashing over to a cluster of puppies. She immediately dropped to her knees and began hugging and cuddling them, her hands lost in their soft fur.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight. Rias looked completely in her element, her usual refined demeanor replaced by unrestrained joy. I followed her over, chuckling when one particularly rambunctious pup tumbled into her lap.


    "Who is this lady?"


    "Don¡¯t know, but she gives nice pets."


    "I want more pets!" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I laughed and translated the puppies¡¯ words for Rias. "They¡¯re loving all the attention you¡¯re giving them."


    "I¡¯ll give you guys all the pats you want!" Rias said, beaming as she obliged the squirming pups.


    A few of the puppies trotted over to me, sniffing curiously.


    "He smells weird."


    "Not like us."


    "Is he a dog man?"


    I crouched down, giving them all a few gentle head pats. "Close, but I¡¯m actually a fox man," I told them with a grin. The pups looked at me in confusion, clearly too young to know what a fox was, but they seemed content with my pats.


    The sound of approaching voices and paws caught my attention. Two humans and two larger dogs were heading our way. I straightened as Kiba Inuzuka and a woman I assumed was Kiba¡¯s mother came into view.


    "You look familiar," Kiba said, squinting at me. "Have I seen you around somewhere?"


    Before I could answer, the woman smacked Kiba on the back of the head. "You just spent a week running a mission for him, dumbass," she said, exasperated. Turning to me, she smiled, revealing a wolfish grin. "Well, hello there, handsome. The name¡¯s Tsume Inuzuka, leader of the Inuzuka clan. I have to say, you have a lovely scent. You smell strong, like an alpha."


    "Thanks," I replied, doing my best to keep a straight face. "You smell like an alpha too¡­" I trailed off, mentally filing this as one of the more interesting greetings I¡¯d ever received.


    Tsume chuckled, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Thank you for the large mission you gave the village recently. Clearing out that cold place¡­ what was it called? Oh, the North. All those Bolton bandits took a lot of time, but it was fun. Our clan really enjoyed the hunt¡­ and the pay. That whole Dreadfort place¡¯s basement was filled with gold!"


    I nodded. That was part of the contract. The ninjas could keep anything they looted from the Boltons as long as it wasn¡¯t stolen from Sansa or Catelyn¡¯s family first. "Thanks for taking the contract," I added. "I wasn¡¯t really sure who they sent out to do it. I mostly just operate my restaurant and leave the finer details to my mother."


    "Pffft¡­ mama¡¯s boy," Kiba snorted, smirking at me.


    "What was that, brat?!" Tsume snapped, turning to her son with a glare. Kiba immediately paled, taking a step back.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Momma! I didn¡¯t mean it!" he yelped, practically shaking under her intense gaze. Even Akamaru, his loyal dog, took a couple of cautious steps away.


    "That¡¯s what I thought," Tsume said, crossing her arms and snorting dismissively. She turned back to me and Rias, who was still happily playing with the puppies. "So, what brings you to our compound?" Tsume asked, her grin returning. "Was it just to see me, handsome? I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m single at the moment, and even if I wasn¡¯t, it wouldn¡¯t matter because I¡¯m the alpha."


    I gaped at the unashamed statement while Kiba sputtered in embarrassment.


    "Moooom! I¡¯m pretty sure this guy is Naruko¡¯s boyfriend¡­ now that I remember," Kiba muttered, glancing at me. "Man, you¡¯re crazy¡­ that girl is scary. Actually, all the girls in my generation are scary," he mumbled under his breath.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°My little sister Kunou got a new puppy. He¡¯s a golden retriever and sheds like crazy. It¡¯s everywhere, and while training him isn¡¯t too hard since we can talk to him, the fur is another story. I was hoping your clan might have a solution.¡±


    Tsume¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve got just the thing for that. Regular pets, ninja pets¡ªdoesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ve got it covered.¡±


    She led us toward a small pet store nestled in the compound. As we walked, she kept throwing suggestive comments my way.


    Rias let out an audible huff, grabbing my arm and pulling me closer. She shot Tsume a pointed look and stuck her tongue out, but Tsume only laughed, clearly amused by her reaction.


    Kiba, who had been trailing behind us, finally spoke up. ¡°So, uh, who¡¯s she?¡± He gestured toward Rias.


    ¡°I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e,¡± Rias declared with a triumphant smirk, her grip on my arm tightening.


    Kiba¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, fianc¨¦e? I thought you were with Naruko.¡±


    Rias¡¯s smirk grew, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder. ¡°Haru has a harem.¡±


    Kiba¡¯s expression shifted from shock to admiration as he stared at me like I was some kind of deity. ¡°Dude. That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s amazing. You¡¯re my hero.¡±


    I scratched the back of my head. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a lot of work, buddy. Trust me.¡±


    Tsume chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ¡°An alpha with a harem, huh? You really are something else. Got room for one more?¡±


    I held up my hands. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m still trying to adjust to the amount of girls I have now.¡±


    Rias huffed again, clinging to me even more possessively. She shot Tsume another glare. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need any more,¡± she said firmly.


    Tsume just laughed and led us into the pet store. She walked us over to a shelf lined with various products and grabbed a bottle of pills. ¡°These should do the trick for your sister¡¯s pup. Just mix them in with his food. They¡¯ll stop him from shedding.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, taking the bottle from her. ¡°How much do I owe you?¡±


    Tsume waved me off. ¡°Consider it a gift. Anything for a handsome alpha like you.¡±


    Rias narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t say anything, though I could feel the tension radiating off her.


    Kiba¡¯s mom¡­ was a lot.


    I thanked Tsume and Kiba as we stepped out of the small store, my mind still replaying the ridiculousness of the past few minutes. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when I caught the expression on Rias¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t every day that a character she considered fictional for years started openly flirting with her boyfriend. It was a bit strange for me too, sure, but I was pretty used to weird shit by now.


    Just as we were about to leave the compound, my senses picked up on something. A lot more people had entered the area. Their scents hit me all at once, muted and almost identical. It was the kind of smell you¡¯d get from people who all used the same detergent and soap. My immediate thought was an army. And sure enough, when we turned the corner, I saw who was standing smugly in the middle of the Inuzuka compound.


    Ah, it¡¯s this bozo¡­


    Shimura Danzo. The Boogeyman of the Leaf Village. I¡¯d honestly expected him to show up sooner or later, but it was still irritating to see his face. Rias recognized him immediately too, judging by the way her shoulders tensed.


    Danzo barely acknowledged Tsume, even though we were right in the heart of her compound. Rude bastard.


    ¡°Haru, the owner of the Fox Hole,¡± Danzo said, his voice carrying that infuriating tone of command. ¡°You and your¡­ companion will come with me immediately. For the safety of the village, I must take you into my custody.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Safety of the village? Yeah, right.¡± Crossing my arms, I added, ¡°Pretty sure I haven¡¯t broken any of the Leaf Village¡¯s laws. On top of that, I¡¯m one of its best clients right now. I don¡¯t think the Hokage would order my capture.¡±


    Danzo bristled, his bandaged face twitching with irritation. ¡°The Hokage doesn¡¯t need to know about everything that goes on in the village. As an elder, this is my right.¡±


    Rias snorted loudly next to me, her arms crossing over her chest. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this village is a military dictatorship. Of course the Hokage needs to know. We¡¯re not going anywhere with you, old man. Why don¡¯t you scurry back to that hole of yours and play with all those children you abducted for your secret army like the creep you are?¡± Her hands went to her hips, as she stood there.


    Damn. I could tell she¡¯d been holding that one in for a while...


    ¡°Children? Secret army? The hell is this girl talking about, Danzo?!¡± Tsume demanded, her voice sharp as she subtly shifted Kiba and Akamaru behind her and her own ninja hound. It was pretty obvious something was about to go down.


    Danzo¡¯s eye narrowed at Rias. ¡°You know far too much, girl! The secrets of the Leaf Village are not yours to divulge!¡± he barked.


    With his good arm, he reached into a pouch on his waist and in one smooth motion, hurled a kunai straight at Rias¡¯s neck.


    Her eyes widened for a split second, but her supernatural senses kicked in. With a quick gesture, she conjured a shimmering magical shield in front of herself. The kunai clanged off harmlessly, dropping to the ground.


    I was pissed off. My pupils narrowed, and my tails swayed angrily behind me as waves of youki leaked from my body. This piece of shit had just tried to murder my fianc¨¦e, Rias, right in front of me. He went and fucked up.


    Danzo¡¯s one good eye widened, just in time for my fist to violently slam into his stomach. The force of the bone-snapping blow crumpled his entire body before blasting him across the compound. The impact left a satisfying trail of destruction in his wake.


    As soon as my attack landed, I sensed all the ninjas hidden nearby moving in to attack.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Kiba exclaimed in shock. ¡°This guy does have a freaking secret army!¡±


    ¡°Traitor!¡± Tsume snarled, her voice filled with venom as at least thirty Root shinobi revealed themselves in the middle of the Inuzuka compound. Tsume raised her fingers to her lips and let out an ear-piercing whistle that made me wince. All the puppies and dogs immediately scattered, running to hide from the inevitable battle about to break out.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?!¡± a voice demanded to know. Before the Root ninja could move, a puff of white smoke appeared right next to Rias and me. When it cleared, Tsunade stood there between all of us.


    Talk about good timing.


    ¡°I was on a secret booze run¡­ er, I mean just running an errand nearby when I felt a massive amount of chakra. What¡¯s going on, Haru?¡± Tsunade asked, her sharp eyes scanning the scene. ¡°Who are all these ANBU? And why are their masks blank?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Danzo¡¯s secret shadow army,¡± Rias explained quickly. ¡°He wants to capture Haru and me. Probably kill us now.¡± Her face lit up suddenly. ¡°Also! It¡¯s so cool to meet you! I¡¯m a huge fan!¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ thanks,¡± Tsunade replied, clearly taken aback. ¡°Who are you again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m one of Haru¡¯s girls. I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e, Rias!¡±


    Tsunade gave me a cheeky look. ¡°One of his girls, huh?¡± she said, but her amusement was cut short when Danzo emerged from the rubble, completely unharmed despite the damage I¡¯d inflicted.


    The bandages on his right arm were unwrapped, revealing a grotesque white limb covered in Sharingan. Each eye stared lifelessly, their origins clear. He¡¯d harvested them from the corpses of the Uchiha clan. Seeing it in real life was genuinely horrific.


    Tsunade¡¯s face twisted in horror. ¡°Is that¡­ an arm made from my grandfather¡¯s cells combined with Sharingan? What have you done, Danzo?!¡± she shouted, her voice filled with rage.


    Danzo snarled, his face contorted with anger. He removed the final bandage covering his face, revealing yet another Sharingan implanted in his eye socket. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve done has been for the village!¡± he declared before locking eyes with Tsunade.


    I realized what he was about to do and dove in front of the Hokage just as his voice rang out.


    ¡°You will serve me from now on!¡± Danzo commanded as our eyes met. I immediately felt the force of his will slamming into my mind like a battering ram. It was a powerful illusion, one meant to bend me to his will. But if there¡¯s one thing we yokai excel at, it¡¯s breaking illusions.


    Gritting my teeth, I pushed back against the invasive force. ¡°I¡¯ve never said this as a proud chef before,¡± I growled, ¡°but go eat a bag of dicks!¡± With a final surge of willpower, I completely shattered Danzo¡¯s Kotoamatsukami mind control.


    Fighting erupted immediately after Danzo¡¯s attempt at mind control failed. The Root ninjas moved in, completely ignoring Tsunade¡¯s shouted orders to stand down. Tsunade stood her ground, her fists clenched as her chakra flared to life. ¡°You bastards dare ignore a direct order from the Hokage?¡± she roared. Her voice carried a weight that made even some of the Root shinobi hesitate. But hesitation wasn¡¯t enough to stop them for more than a few seconds.


    One of them lunged at her with a short sword but she caught his wrist mid-strike.


    With a flick of her arm, she snapped the man¡¯s wrist like it was a twig, forcing him to drop the blade. Her other hand followed through with a punch to his chest. The force sent him flying across the compound, slamming into a wall with enough impact to leave cracks in the stone.


    Another shinobi came at her from the side, this one using a lightning-based jutsu. The crackling energy surged toward her, but she dodged effortlessly, closing the gap between them in an instant. Her heel connected with his ribs in a brutal sidekick that sent him sprawling. ¡°If you want to throw your lives away for Danzo, that¡¯s on you!¡± she growled.


    Three more Root operatives tried to overwhelm her, coordinating their attacks with precision. One came from above, kunai glinting in the light, while the other two flanked her with fireball jutsu. Tsunade slammed her fist into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling outward. The sheer force of it disrupted the fireballs mid-flight and knocked all three attackers off balance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just some bureaucrat sitting behind a desk, you idiots!¡± she shouted, leaping into the air and delivering a devastating axe kick to one of the downed shinobi. The ground beneath him cracked under the impact, leaving him motionless.


    A Root shinobi with a spear rushed her from behind, aiming for her exposed back. But Tsunade didn¡¯t even turn around. She pivoted slightly, catching the spear with one hand. Her chakra flared visibly as she shattered the weapon into splinters with a single squeeze. Spinning around, she drove her fist into his stomach, lifting him off the ground and sending him flying into another group of Root operatives.


    Meanwhile, Tsume and Kiba didn¡¯t hesitate. Tsume¡¯s voice rang out over the compound. ¡°Traitors to the Leaf! How dare you attack our compound!¡± she snarled, her chakra spiking as she lunged forward.


    Akamaru and Tsume¡¯s ninja hound tore into the nearest Root operatives, they took down enemies with brutal efficiency. Tsume wasn¡¯t far behind, moving like a whirlwind as she fought side by side with her partner. She dodged a blade aimed for her throat and countered with a vicious uppercut that sent her attacker sprawling.


    Kiba wasn¡¯t far behind, his movements more wild because of his youth. ¡°You picked the wrong clan to mess with!¡± he shouted, slashing at a Root ninja with his claws. Akamaru leapt into the fray, taking down another operative with a bone-crunching bite to the arm.


    ¡°Mom, they just keep coming!¡± Kiba called out.


    ¡°They won¡¯t last long. We''re not a bunch of pussies!¡± Tsume growled, spinning her body rapidly and using Fang Over Fang to grind the Root ninja into minced meat. Her chakra-enhanced rotations sent body parts flying as the sheer force shredded through their bodies, leaving a gory mess in her wake.


    That jutsu was way more violent than it was in the anime! Naruto took a bunch of hits from it and was totally fine if I recalled correctly. That definitely didn''t happen in this world!


    More Inuzuka clan members arrived, their dogs barking furiously as they joined the battle. The air was filled with the sound of growls, snarls, and the clash of steel.


    Then, out of nowhere, a swarm of purple insects descended upon us.


    ¡°I remember this guy from the anime,¡± Rias shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. ¡°His bugs are dangerous. I¡¯ll handle him!¡± Without waiting for my response, she raised her hands, her crimson power of destruction flaring to life. Her attacks countered the poisonous insects, each wave of her energy disintegrating swathes of the swarm before they could get too close to everyone else.


    That left me facing off against Danzo.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t have to be this way, man,¡± I said, keeping my gaze locked on him. My tails swayed behind me, brimming with youki. ¡°You¡¯re like seventy. Why didn¡¯t you just retire in peace and enjoy the rest of your life like a normal old person?¡±


    Danzo sneered. ¡°A shinobi can never know peace! He can only prepare himself for the next battle!¡± He moved swiftly, forming a series of hand signs before unleashing a vacuum spear jutsu. A concentrated blast of razor-sharp wind surged toward me!


    ¡°Fire beats wind, old man!¡± I countered, raising my palm and releasing a burst of blue fox fire. The flames roared to life, clashing against the wind. The intense heat and energy of my attack overwhelmed his jutsu, dispersing the sharp wind and pushing it back toward him.


    Danzo allowed the combined fire and wind attack to slam into him. He let out a scream of agony as he was literally melted in seconds, but then, shortly afterward, he appeared right next to his own corpse, which faded away as if it was nothing more than an illusion.


    ¡°You cannot kill me, monster! I am immortal!¡± he said arrogantly, clearly trying to get into my head. Of course, I noticed that two of the ten Sharingan on his grotesque arm were now closed. That left him with about ten more lives if I included Shisui¡¯s eye embedded in his face.


    Danzo took a moment to glance around, his expression darkening as he saw his Root ninja being systematically demolished by the Hokage and the Inuzuka clan members. He had an army of assassins who were masters of their craft, but assassins didn¡¯t tend to fare well in open warfare, as we were currently seeing.


    ¡°It will take me years to build up my forces again!¡± Danzo snarled, clearly pissed off.


    ¡°That sounds like a whole bunch of your problem,¡± I replied with a smirk. Not that I thought Danzo would even live past today. Tsunade did not look pleased that his secret army was trying to kill her too.


    Danzo¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you what happens when someone opposes me!¡± he declared, starting to weave more hand signs. ¡°Summoning Jutsu¡­ BAKU!¡±


    A massive orange elephant materialized beneath him. It''s body was rippling with muscle...and meat. The creature looked to be about forty feet tall and immediately let out a deafening roar.


    ¡°That¡¯s just perfect,¡± I said, unable to suppress a smirk. There¡¯s a lot of meat on those bones, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see what kind of dishes I can make from it!


    I allowed blue flames to engulf me. My humanoid form disappeared, replaced by my towering 30-foot-tall golden nine-tailed fox form. In hindsight, I may have gotten a little too excited and completely forgotten which village I was in.


    ¡°The Kyuubi is back!¡±


    ¡°Run for it!¡±


    ¡°Our village is going to be destroyed again!¡±


    The shouts of panic came from the growing crowd of onlookers who had gathered around the compound to watch the fighting. As soon as they saw the giant nine-tailed fox appear, the crowd completely lost it. Screams erupted, and people bolted like their lives depended on it.


    Tsunade finished off another Root ninja before leaping onto my back. ¡°Oh my god, Haru! It¡¯s going to be so annoying calming down the villagers after today!¡± she complained, using her chakra to latch onto me for balance. ¡°Also, please don¡¯t wreck the village in your giant form!¡±


    Rias flew over and landed on my back next to Tsunade. ¡°Woohoo! Kaiju battle! I choose you, Haru!¡± she cheered, pumping her fist in excitement.


    XXX

 chapter 39

    Chapter 39: Baku Burgers


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I was standing tall in my massive 30-foot-tall nine-tailed fox form, squaring off against Danzo Shimura, who sat perched atop his grotesque orange elephant summon, Baku. My golden tails swayed behind me, kicking up dust and air.


    "You should have just come with me willingly!" Danzo shouted, his voice sharp and filled with that condescending tone he always seemed to have.


    I let out a guttural growl, my voice rougher and more feral in this form. "You should have just not been a dick!"


    Tsunade and Rias stood on my back. One of them looking far more thrilled than the other.


    "Let¡¯s fucking go! Kaiju battle in the middle of Konoha!" Rias cheered, practically bouncing with excitement. Her crimson hair whipped around wildly from the wind that my tails kicked up.


    "No! Let¡¯s not fucking go!" Tsunade whined, pinching the bridge of her nose. "All the money our village just acquired is going to go right down the drain to fix all the damage!"


    "My family is filthy rich. We¡¯ll cover all the costs," Rias said, brushing off the concern like it was nothing.


    Tsunade¡¯s attitude changed instantly. "Oh¡­ in that case¡­ let¡¯s fucking go! Kaiju battle!" she cheered, pulling a scroll from between her rather large tits. She unfurled it, and in a puff of smoke, a sake bottle appeared. She took a big gulp and let out a satisfied sigh before passing it to Rias. "Want some?" she asked with a smirk.


    "I don¡¯t usually drink, but sure. It¡¯s Tsunade herself who¡¯s offering it to me, after all," Rias said with a giggle. She tipped the bottle back and took a big gulp.


    Almost immediately, I felt her sway a bit on my back.


    "Um¡­ are you okay, Red?" Tsunade asked, steadying her.


    "I¡¯m¡­ hic¡­ I¡¯m feeling awesome! Let¡¯s get ready to rumble!" Rias cheered drunkenly, her words slurring after just one sip.


    "Holy crap, she¡¯s a real lightweight, huh?" Tsunade chuckled, taking the bottle back from her. She wrapped an arm around the younger but no less busty girl and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don¡¯t worry, Haru. I¡¯ll keep Red here steady. You can go crazy and kill that traitorous mummy."


    "Traitorous!?" Danzo snarled, his face contorting with rage. "Everything I¡¯ve done has been for Konoha! Attack, Baku!"


    Baku let out an ear-splitting trumpet from its trunk, the sound so loud it shook the air around us. I instinctively folded my massive fox ears against my head to block out the noise.


    "Shut up, you oversized ingredient!" I barked, opening my jaws wide. A wave of blue fox fire roared out, the flames crackling as they tore through the air toward the elephant.


    The large elephant raised its front legs high and slammed them onto the ground. A shockwave rippled across the Inuzuka clan compound as a 20-foot-high wall of earth popped up in front of the elephant to block my fox fire.


    Tsume and Kiba started shouting, calling for all their clan members to retreat. "Get out of here! Everyone, fall back now!" Tsume bellowed, her voice sharp and commanding.


    The surviving ROOT members didn¡¯t look like they wanted to keep fighting either. The battle had escalated into something far beyond their level.


    "Get back here!" Danzo screamed at his ROOT soldiers, his voice filled with rage. None of them obeyed. At least half were dead, and it seemed the survivors weren¡¯t as suicidally loyal as the ones who had already fallen.


    "Haru! Use tackle attack!" Rias drunkenly cheered from my back, her enthusiasm showing no signs of slowing down.


    "What the hell is tackle¡ªwoah!" Tsunade had to stabilize herself with more chakra to keep both her and Rias steady as I lunged forward.


    The ground trembled under my weight as I charged. My large fox feet dug into the earth with every step. With a guttural roar, I slammed through the molten-hot earth wall that Baku had raised. Chunks of earth flew in every direction as I barreled through.


    Danzo¡¯s eyes widened in shock as I collided directly with the massive elephant. Larger didn¡¯t mean stronger, though. Baku was thrown back violently, its massive body crashing into the ground with a loud thud.


    Danzo wasn¡¯t as fortunate. He was thrown from the elephant¡¯s back and hit the ground hard. Before he could even react, Baku¡¯s massive weight came down on him, crushing him. A few seconds later, he reappeared in a shimmer a couple of feet away. Another Sharingan eye on his right arm was now closed. He had just lost another life.


    "What the hell is going on!? How¡¯d he survive that?" Tsunade shouted, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the old man.


    Rias slurred her explanation with a giggle. "Each of those Sharingan on his arm and in his face is an extra life! We just have to rip it off or keep killing him until he runs out of do-overs!" She laughed and hurled a blast of her Power of Destruction at Danzo.


    Danzo, still focused on getting Baku back on its feet, didn¡¯t notice the blast until it hit him. I don''t think he could sense the attack coming because it had no chakra in it. That¡¯s something I¡¯d have to warn Naruko about in the future.


    "Hell yeah! I got him!" Rias cheered, ripping the bottle of sake out of Tsunade¡¯s hands and chugging it again. "How come I don¡¯t drink more often? This is so much fun!" she shouted, then started randomly firing off blasts of Power of Destruction. The already-ruined buildings around us crumbled even further under the assault.


    "Stop destroying my compound!" Tsume shouted from the other side, her voice full of frustration.


    "I¡¯ll pay for you to rebuild it all!" Rias shouted back, waving the sake bottle in her hand. "I¡¯ll even throw in a hot spring!"


    ¡°...¡±


    "Destroy as much as you want then!" Tsume shouted, her tone immediately shifting to excitement. Wow, these kunoichi were shameless.


    I made a mental note to never serve Rias alcohol in my restaurant. This was chaos I didn¡¯t need repeated.


    Danzo reappeared next to Baku, who was now back on its feet. His face twisted with hate as he snarled, "Damn you all! Without me this village is nothing!"


    Dude wasn¡¯t having a good time¡­


    Tsunade stood on my back, her arms crossed and her expression dark as she yanked her sake bottle out of a pouting Rias¡¯s hand. She took a deep swig, wiped her mouth, and glared down at Danzo. "Give it a rest, Danzo. You literally have yourself to blame for what¡¯s happening here. How exactly is it that one of the elders of this village has his own army, and yet I, as the Hokage, was never informed about it?" She tapped her foot impatiently on my fur, waiting for a response.


    Danzo¡¯s reply came in the form of a sneer that made my blood boil. "Hmph! You should have never been Hokage! You¡¯re nothing more than a foolish drunkard! I thought this village was rid of you after I had your lover and brother assassinated, and yet you still crawled your way back and took the position I¡¯d earned after years of dedicated service!"


    Rias let out an audible gasp, her eyes wide with shock. I¡¯m pretty sure that single confession sobered her up a lot.


    It certainly sobered up Tsunade. Her face twisted with raw fury, and before I could react, she launched herself off my back like a springboard. I winced at the sudden weight shift, but my discomfort was nothing compared to what Danzo was about to experience.


    Danzo didn¡¯t even get the chance to open his mouth before Tsunade¡¯s fist collided with his head, punching it clean off his shoulders. His body dissolved into a shimmer and reappeared a few feet away, another Sharingan on his arm closing as he lost another life.


    That didn¡¯t save him. Tsunade was on him again in an instant, her face a mask of rage. This time, she grabbed him by the torso and literally ripped him in half at the waist with her monstrous strength. Danzo managed to scream this time, a sound of pure horror and agony, before his body faded again, another life burned away.


    Baku, Danzo¡¯s giant elephant summon, trumpeted loudly and charged forward to help its master. Its massive feet shook the ground as it moved.


    "Not happening," I growled. My nine tails lashed out, wrapping tightly around all four of Baku¡¯s legs. The elephant¡¯s eyes widened in what I could only describe as fear as I smirked at it, showing off my sharp teeth. Without hesitation, I lifted the massive beast into the air with my tails and slammed it back into the ground with enough force to make the entire village shake.


    I lunged forward, sinking my razor-sharp jaws into the elephant¡¯s thick throat. Baku thrashed wildly beneath me, its massive legs kicking out and its strong trunk trying to push me off. It struggled hard, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough. Blood pooled beneath us as the beast¡¯s movements slowed until it finally stopped completely, lying dead beneath me.


    Rias floated over to me, holding a stick she¡¯d picked up from somewhere. She poked the massive elephant¡¯s body with a curious expression. "Aren¡¯t summons supposed to disappear when they die?"


    I tilted my head and stared at the unmoving body. "I guess not?" I said. Honestly, that thought relieved me. I was already salivating at the idea of cooking the meat from this behemoth. Would I have ever eaten regular elephant meat back on Earth? Absolutely not. But this wasn¡¯t a regular elephant¡ªit was from another world. Alien meat, basically. At least, that¡¯s how I justified it to myself as I imagined making giant burgers when we got back.


    As I considered my culinary plans, my gaze shifted to the side. Danzo wasn¡¯t looking too good. One of his eyes had been gouged out, and his arm had been ripped off. Tsunade stood over him, breathing heavily and looking absolutely furious. She was using his own severed arm to beat him over the head until he wasn¡¯t even conscious anymore. The sight was equal parts brutal and satisfying.


    Finally, some legitimate ANBU operatives arrived, their masks hiding what was surely a mix of fear and unease. Tsunade didn¡¯t seem to care about their reactions. "Get this piece of traitorous trash out of my face," she snapped, pointing at Danzo¡¯s limp body. "If he escapes, I¡¯ll have your fucking asses!"


    The masked men flinched but quickly obeyed, picking up Danzo¡¯s battered form before roof-hopping away. I didn¡¯t envy them one bit.


    Tsunade made her way back over to us, wiping some blood off her hands. "Well¡­ that was a shit show," she said, exhaling deeply. "I never would have thought Danzo was responsible for¡­ all that."


    "Did¡­ did you not read the manga Yasaka lent you?" I asked, shrinking back down to my normal form.


    Tsunade shook her head. "I don¡¯t want to live my life based on someone else¡¯s portrayal of my world, and I didn¡¯t want any of my ninjas doing that either. So I made it clear that no one was allowed to read it. I still stand by that decision, despite everything that was revealed."


    I could respect that. Sometimes I think my life would¡¯ve been a lot more interesting if I didn¡¯t know anything about DxD when I reincarnated. But on the other hand, it¡¯s also worked out in my favor. It¡¯s about fifty-fifty.


    Tsunade glanced down at Baku¡¯s massive corpse. "Huh? I thought summons were supposed to disappear when they die."


    "That¡¯s what I said!" Rias exclaimed, throwing her hands up.


    I chuckled to myself, glancing back at the elephant. "Well, disappearing or not, this guy¡¯s getting cooked when we get back..."


    Tsunade crossed her arms and gave Rias a pointed look. "You seem more sober now."


    Rias¡¯s cheeks flushed as she nodded. "I used some of my demonic power to purge my system¡­ sorry about¡­ all that."


    Tsunade waved her off. "It¡¯s fine, as long as your family covers the damages."


    Rias tilted her head. "Does your village accept gold?"


    Tsunade¡¯s eyes practically lit up at the question! "Why yes, we do¡­"


    The two women walked off, deep in conversation. I had no doubt the Gremory family was about to get reamed on repair costs, but considering they were richer than any human country on Earth, it probably wouldn¡¯t make a dent.


    I turned my attention back to Baku¡¯s massive corpse, scratching my chin as I considered the logistics of dealing with it. How the hell was I going to fit this behemoth through my front door? I muttered to myself, "Hm¡­ I might need to go get Harry and have him shrink the elephant down for me. But then again, I¡¯m not sure the inside of my restaurant is big enough to unshrink him."


    The more I thought about it, the more likely it seemed I¡¯d have to butcher him right here in the village. Just as I was debating the best approach, Tsume and Kiba walked over. Kiba looked like he¡¯d been through hell¡ªcuts, bruises, and torn clothes¡ªbut he was grinning ear to ear.


    "Damn, that was an awesome battle!" Kiba exclaimed. "Too bad our house got smashed, but there wasn¡¯t anything really important in there anyway."


    I raised an eyebrow. "What about things like¡­ baby pictures or something?"


    Both Tsume and Kiba gave me deadpan stares.


    "We Inuzukas don¡¯t do that sappy shit," Tsume declared firmly. "We live wild lives in the moment!" She leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Speaking of wild, how about you and me find a building that¡¯s still intact and you can show me what kind of true alpha you are, handsome? I¡¯m all pent up after a crazy fight like that."


    "Mom!" Kiba groaned, his face turning red. "He¡¯s still Naruko¡¯s boyfriend¡­ and that Rias girl too, I guess." He shot me an envious look.


    I politely turned down Tsume¡¯s offer. Maybe if I wasn¡¯t already in multiple relationships, I would¡¯ve reconsidered. She definitely had that savage MILF vibe going on¡ªlike if Princess Mononoke grew up and got thicc!


    Changing the subject, I cleared my throat. "Anyway¡­ do you guys know a good place I can butcher Baku here? I¡¯m planning on making some giant burgers. I¡¯m skipping straight past quarter pounders and double quarter pounders and going for the full pound."


    Kiba¡¯s grin widened. "Damn! I want one!"


    Would it make some people sick? Probably... But seeing my customers¡¯ faces when I drop a burger that big in front of them is going to be priceless.


    ¡­


    A couple of hours later¡­


    Plop!


    "What in the unholy fuck is this, Haru!?" Naruko exclaimed in shock as I dropped the largest burger I¡¯d ever made in front of her.


    I¡¯d already tasted some of the meat earlier. Baku¡­ you were absolutely delicious. The meat was so tender it almost felt like a waste to grind it into burger patties, but I was a kitsune chef on a mission to go where no chef had gone before!


    "That¡¯s a Baku burger," I told Naruko. "It¡¯s a limited-time item, unfortunately, unless I find a way into the summoning realm. But I¡¯d kind of feel bad hunting innocent sentient animals."


    As a Yokai, I should feel bad about it¡­but pretty much all Yokai eat meat so¡­


    Naruko poked her burger with her finger before picking it up and taking a large bite. She immediately started moaning at the taste. "Holy shit, this is so good! This came from a summon animal!? Do you think they¡¯re all this delicious? Do you know how to make frog legs?"


    "Nee-chan! No!" Naruto whined, sitting next to his sister. "First of all, they¡¯re toads and not frogs! Second of all¡­ NO!"


    Naruko whined at first but eventually shrugged it off. "...Fine, I¡¯ll just enjoy the meat while it¡¯s in front of me." She started chowing down aggressively on her burger. Naruto followed suit, and damn, these twins could eat.


    Kakashi and Sakura were eating at a more measured pace, but they seemed to be enjoying the Baku burger just as much.


    "So, how was your mission?" I asked. "You guys missed out on a lot while you were gone." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah¡­ I guess we did," Kakashi chuckled. "I¡¯m glad Danzo is finally going to face justice for his crimes."


    Sakura jumped in. "We were just babysitting some noble¡¯s brat for a few days. It was super boring." She waved her hand dismissively. "But enough about that!" Sakura fluttered her eyelashes at me. "How have you been, Haru-kun?"


    "...He¡¯s been just fine, Sakura," Tsunade said from behind her. Sakura jumped, spinning around to face the older woman.


    "Tsunade-sama! What are you doing here!?" Sakura asked, her face red with embarrassment.


    Tsunade grinned. "I¡¯ll be stopping by a lot more often to meet up with my new king occasionally."


    "King?" I asked, turning to see Rias smirking.


    "Hell yeah!" Rias declared. "I wanted a ninja and got the best one in my peerage. I told Tsunade how devils could live for almost forever, never grow old, always look young, and get amazing magical powers¡ª"


    "She had me at ¡®looking young,¡¯" Tsunade interjected.


    Now that she mentioned it, I noticed that the subtle illusion Tsunade supposedly kept on herself to look younger was gone. She genuinely had the body of a woman in her late 20s, and she seemed very happy about it.


    "What about the village?" Naruko asked, her brow furrowing.


    Tsunade waved her off. "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m still going to be Hokage for the next couple of years before passing on the hat. After that, I¡¯ll serve the village for a few more decades until I¡¯ve essentially given a full lifetime of service, and then I¡¯ll leave.


    Rias nodded. "I¡¯m totally fine with that. Most of my peerage members have their own lives anyway since we¡¯re all still young, but I know we¡¯ll all be together more in the future."


    "Congrats, then, Rias," I said before gesturing to the grill. "Do you want your own Baku burger?"


    "Damn right I do!" Rias replied with a grin.


    ¡°Bring me one of those too!¡± Rias¡¯s new busty blonde Rook agreed. ¡°And some Sake too, because my new king drank all mine earlier!¡±


    Rias giggled. ¡°Oooh? Can I have some sake too, Haru?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    XXX

 chapter 40

    Chapter 40: Let them eat cake¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Sansa Stark sat in a cozy booth at the Fox Hole, her delicate hands resting neatly in her lap as she waited for me to come back with her order. Her eyes lit up as I approached with a slice of chocolate cake.


    I set the plate down in front of her, and despite her best efforts to maintain her composure, she let out a delighted squeal.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her reaction. "You really do love chocolate, don¡¯t you?" I teased, sliding into the seat across from her.


    Sansa¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly as she picked up her fork. "It¡¯s¡­ quite a novelty. We didn¡¯t have anything like this in Winterfell," she admitted before taking a small, careful bite. Her eyes fluttered shut, and a soft moan escaped her lips as she savored the cake. "This is incredible."


    I grinned, leaning back in my seat. "Glad you like it. So, how are your lessons going? Learning about the modern world must be a lot."


    She nodded, taking another bite and pausing to savor it before answering. "They¡¯re going well, I think. There¡¯s so much to learn, though. Your world is so different from mine. It¡¯s¡­ fascinating."


    "Are you planning on heading back to Winterfell now that the place has been cleared out of all the Bolton men?" I asked.


    Sansa paused mid-bite, her expression thoughtful. She finished the cake quickly but with grace, daintily wiping her lips with a napkin before speaking. "Is it bad that I kind of don¡¯t want to go back?" she admitted softly, her voice carrying a hint of guilt. "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love the North¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ there¡¯s so much less backstabbing and killing in your world. And you have hot running water and electricity too..."


    I chuckled. "Those are definitely plusses," I agreed. "But, you know, it¡¯s not impossible to get those things installed in Winterfell. Running water, electricity¡­ you could modernize the place. Besides, if you want to be the Queen your people need, you might want to start changing the mindset that betraying people is bad."


    Sansa smiled, a playful glint in her eye. "Betraying people is bad," she repeated with a giggle. "It does sound so simple when you put it that way."


    The door to the restaurant opened, and I glanced up to see the archangel Gabriel walking in. Her serene presence filled the room as she smiled warmly at Sansa and me before making her way over to our booth.


    "Do you mind if I sit as well?" she asked softly. Sansa quickly shook her head and scooted deeper into the booth to make room.


    "It¡¯s nice to see you again, Lady Gabriel," I said as she gracefully slid into the seat. "What brings you by? Or are you just here for the food?"


    Gabriel¡¯s cheeks tinted with a faint blush. "I wouldn¡¯t mind a slice of chocolate cake myself," she admitted with a shy smile. "But I¡¯m also here on a bit of business."


    "Before that," I interrupted, leaning forward slightly, "how did it go with that evil angel on Earth Bet?"


    Gabriel¡¯s expression darkened slightly, a rare sight for someone as gentle as her. "That¡­ thing," she began, her tone laced with frustration. "It ran away from me..."


    "Huh?" I asked, genuinely surprised.


    "Forgive me, Lady Gabriel, but aren¡¯t you incredibly powerful? How did it escape from you?" Sansa chimed in curiously.


    Gabriel let out a soft sigh, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "When I went to confront it, it was lurking near Earth Bet¡¯s moon. However, as soon as I flew out of Earth¡¯s atmosphere, the other angel seemed to panic and immediately bolted. It flew far faster than I expected and didn¡¯t stop until it reached Jupiter. There, it hid inside the planet¡¯s massive, never-ending superstorm, making it impossible for me to sense it any longer!"


    "Wow, those Endbringers are cowardly little shits, aren¡¯t they?" I muttered, thinking back to the giant fish monster that had also scampered off just as quickly.


    Gabriel pouted at my language, her lips pressing into a slight frown. "Must you use such crude terms, Haru?"


    "Sorry..." I chuckled, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Let me grab you that slice of chocolate cake as an apology," I said.


    Gabriel nodded gracefully. "That would be lovely, thank you."


    As I turned to head to the counter, Sansa spoke up. "Could I have another slice as well? It¡¯s just so delicious."


    I chuckled. "Of course, coming right up."


    A few moments later, I returned with two slices of chocolate cake, setting one in front of Gabriel and the other in front of Sansa. Gabriel accepted hers with a soft "Thank you," while Sansa¡¯s eyes lit up as she eagerly took her fork and started on her second helping.


    As they were enjoying their desserts, the door to the Fox Hole swung open. I glanced up to see Aela sauntering inside, her usual confident smirk firmly in place. Her armor was covered in multiple different colored bloodstains. Her red hair was slightly disheveled, but she looked happy and victorious from whatever her latest quest was.


    "Hello, lover," Aela greeted with a smirk as her piercing eyes locked onto mine.


    I grinned, walking over to meet her. "Rough day, I take it?"


    She shrugged casually, the smirk never leaving her face. "Just got back from hunting a werebear. Poor bastard went feral and couldn¡¯t hold onto his human sanity anymore. Chased him into a cave full of giant spiders and even a few trolls. It was a mess, but," she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a playful yet sensual whisper, "I came out on top."


    "Of course you did," I replied, leaning in to kiss her. Her lips were warm and slightly chapped, a reminder of how much she threw herself into her hunts. The gore on her armor didn¡¯t bother me in the slightest, but as we kissed, I discreetly cast a quick cleaning spell, the faint shimmer of magic vanishing the bloodstains without her noticing. This was still a restaurant, after all, and I doubted my less robust customers would appreciate the sight of all monster blood.


    Aela pulled back, her smirk softening into a genuine smile. "Miss me?"


    "Always," I said.


    The awkward clearing of a throat made it clear that I¡¯d temporarily forgotten Aela wasn¡¯t the only one who had just walked into the restaurant. I looked up, spotting a familiar old figure standing near the door.


    "Hello there, Chairman Netero," I said, apologizing for not noticing him sooner. I hadn¡¯t expected to see him again so soon.


    "Ho ho ho! Hello there, young Haru," Netero greeted. His eyes twinkled with curiosity as he glanced around. "This is quite the nice and cozy place you have here. I didn¡¯t get to see the interior last time. How was your little sister¡¯s party?"


    I nodded. "It was great. Kunou was really happy with all the food, and she also got a puppy that she¡¯s been glued to ever since. They¡¯ll probably both run in here at some point if you stick around long enough."


    Netero chuckled and waved me off. "That¡¯s okay. We¡¯re still in the middle of the Hunter Exam, and I¡¯m a bit busy scheduling everything. I was just surprised to see your restaurant sitting in a former empty alley near the Hunter Official Headquarters."


    My ears twitched slightly at his comment. "Yeah, it does that sometimes. Just pops up in the strangest places."


    Aela was staring at the old Hunter curiously along with Gabriel and Sansa in their booth. I took a moment to properly introduce everyone while giving Netero the usual pitch about everyone being from different Earth¡¯s or different dimensions entirely. He let out a few more ¡°ho ho ho¡¯s¡± and seemed utterly fascinated by the concept as he stroked his long beard.


    I finished the explanation just in time because Enri walked in the restaurant and smiled at me. She was ready to start her shift and I mentally already apologized to her because I was getting that vibe that told me the restaurant was going to be absolutely packed before the night was out.


    As the day rolled on and lunchtime approached, my earlier assumption proved right. About half the booths and the bar were already full, and the Fox Hole was buzzing with life. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched the restaurant hum with activity. This was exactly how I loved to see it.


    Gabriel, somehow, was on her tenth piece of chocolate cake, savoring each bite like it was her first. Sansa, on the other hand, had been forced to stop at five. Her pale face and the way she was holding her stomach made it clear she¡¯d overdone it. Sitting with them at the booth, Aela and Sansa¡¯s mother, Catelyn, had joined the mix. Catelyn was gently but playfully scolding her daughter for indulging in so many sweets.


    "Honestly, Sansa," Catelyn said with a soft laugh, shaking her head. "How do you expect to eat anything else later?"


    "It was worth it," Sansa mumbled, looking sheepish as she sipped on a glass of water.


    Across the room, Kunou¡¯s high-pitched voice caught my attention. "Come back here, Sora!" she called, darting between tables as she chased her mischievous puppy. The little dog had swiped some food off her plate when she wasn¡¯t looking and was now expertly evading her. Even though Kunou could talk to the puppy, it didn¡¯t mean it always listened¡ªespecially when food was involved.


    I chuckled as Sora, the puppy, zigzagged under tables and chairs, all while scarfing down the stolen meat. Kunou huffed in frustration but didn¡¯t stop chasing the little thief.


    At the booth, Gabriel had been in the middle of a lively conversation with Catelyn and Aela. They were comparing the strange gods of their respective worlds. Then, suddenly, Gabriel¡¯s expression shifted. It was like she remembered something important. Her bright eyes flicked to me, and before I could react, she grabbed my sleeve and tugged gently, her lips forming a slight pout. "Your cake was so delicious you made me forget why I came here in the first place!" she said.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. "That seems like a good problem to have," I teased, pouring some more tea for them as I spoke.


    Gabriel let out a tired sigh, drawing concerned looks from the others at her table. It was rare to see her so visibly drained, and it made me pause for a moment, wondering what could have happened.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Aela finally asked.


    Gabriel began to explain: Some corruption within the church had cost them one of their most devout followers and holy maidens. She detailed how one of their bishops had been a traitor, aiding an evil devil in acquiring holy maidens to add to his peerage.


    Ah... It was that guy.


    Aela slammed her hand on the table, her eyes burning with fury. "Selling priestesses like that!? Point me to him, and I¡¯ll personally remove his head!"


    Gabriel¡¯s expression darkened, and her voice was cold when she replied. "It¡¯s already been taken care of..." Gabriel then turned her attention to me, her face softening slightly. "Haru," she began, "since Asia Argento was excommunicated before all this happened, and many members of the clergy now see her as a witch, she has nowhere to go. I was wondering if you would take her in as a member of your staff?"


    The other girls at the table turned to look at me expectantly, their eyes searching for my reaction. They were surprised when I shook my head ¡°no¡±.


    It wasn¡¯t an easy decision because having a healer around was enticing, but it was the right one. Memories from my past life told me that Asia would be far happier living a semi-regular life, making friends in school, than spending her days working in a restaurant.


    Enri didn¡¯t mind this kind of work because she grew up in a small medieval village and was used to the demanding pace.


    Asia, however, wasn¡¯t built for that kind of lifestyle. She needed a chance to recover from her trauma, to experience some semblance of normalcy.


    I suggested to Gabriel that she find a way to send Asia to Kuoh instead.


    ¡°That could be a good idea, I suppose.¡± Gabriel nodded.


    I promised that I¡¯d ensure Rias took care of the girl. Asia could live a more normal life there, and I knew Rias would never mistreat her. It would also be a win for my fianc¨¦e, sending her another potential peerage member¡ªone I knew would be safe under her care.


    The only concern was making sure that pervert Issei Hyoudou stayed far, far away from Asia and the rest of the girls.


    Actually, speaking of him, I realized I hadn¡¯t heard a single thing about Issei from Rias. It made me pause, my mind drifting to the possibilities. Obviously, my restaurant¡¯s existence had altered canon in some ways, but had it changed things that much?


    Gabriel waved her hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. She giggled as I blinked a few times to refocus. "You zoned out," she said playfully.


    "Sorry about that," I replied, rubbing the back of my head.


    "What were you thinking about so intensely?" Aela asked.


    "Nothing important," I told her quickly, brushing it off.


    Sansa chimed in softly. "If Asia needs a friend, I¡¯d be happy to be one," she offered. Her expression darkened slightly as she added, "I know what it¡¯s like to be falsely accused of a crime I didn¡¯t commit by men in power." She frowned before muttering under her breath, "Although¡­ I certainly wish I had been the one to kill Joffrey."


    "You should have," Catelyn said bluntly, causing Sansa to gape at her.


    "Well," I interrupted, holding up a hand, "topics of regicide put aside for a moment, where is Asia now?" I asked Gabriel, hoping to steer the conversation back on track.


    Gabriel looked a little sheepish. "Um¡­ she was actually on a flight to Japan and should have landed¡­ er¡­ an hour ago," she said, her eyes widening in sudden realization. "Oh poopy¡­ that¡¯s the other thing I forgot. I figured you would just say yes, so I didn¡¯t have anyone there to pick her up at the airport!"


    "Oh," Sansa perked up, her curiosity piqued. "Is an airport the place where people fly through the sky in giant metal birds? I¡¯ve always wanted to see one of those!"


    "I¡¯ve wanted to see one as well," Aela admitted, leaning back slightly. "I personally prefer to keep my feet on the ground, but I am curious about how a giant, heavy metal tube can fly faster than dragons while carrying far more weight. Especially considering how fat some of the people in this world can get!" She then smirked at Sansa. "Be careful not to eat too many of those chocolate sweet rolls, princess, or you might become like them!"


    Sansa let out an indignant huff. "It¡¯s cake! And I only indulge once in a while. Besides, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s magic out there that can help people lose weight if they have to," she said, turning to me for confirmation.


    I hesitated. "Um¡­ not really? You could try asking Harry or Hermione, but I¡¯m pretty sure I saw plenty of fat people in the stands during the first round of the Triwizard Tournament too."


    Sansa paled slightly as the other women chuckled. "Maybe I¡¯ll just indulge less often then," she muttered, her cheeks flushing.


    She wasn¡¯t the first person to discover magic and then realize it couldn¡¯t solve everything for them.


    A thought crossed my mind. I would like to say I served healthy foods at my restaurant, but maybe I should start expanding my options a bit more now that I thought about it. Adding more of a healthy variety wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¨C Sansa ¨C


    Sansa wobbled slightly, pressing a hand to her forehead to steady herself. "Everything is spinning," she muttered, trying to regain her balance.


    "You¡¯ll be okay in a minute," Gabriel said reassuringly. "Everyone feels like that their first time teleporting." She turned to Aela, raising an eyebrow. "Although you seem to be adjusting just fine."


    Aela shrugged casually. "I routinely have all my bones snap and rearrange themselves whenever I transform into a werewolf. A little dizziness is nothing."


    Sansa blanched at the comment. The idea of bones snapping and reforming made her stomach churn.


    She and her mother were the only "normal" women in Lord Haru¡¯s "harem," and she¡¯d been quietly searching for ways to change that. Aela had once mentioned that Sansa smelled faintly like a wolf, which sparked curiosity about the old Stark legends. Allegedly, the Starks were descended from wolves or something similar. Sansa wondered if Aela might one day offer her the chance to become one, though she hadn¡¯t worked up the courage to bring it up. Aela was Haru¡¯s first official lover, and she could be blunt to the point of being intimidating, which made the idea of bringing up something so personal feel awkward. Still, Sansa had noticed that Aela had a fiercely protective side when it came to her "pack," and there was something comforting about that.


    Gabriel took the lead, guiding them through the airport. Sansa couldn¡¯t help but notice the stares they attracted from the Japanese travelers. People gawked openly, their eyes flitting to Gabriel¡¯s ethereal beauty, Aela¡¯s imposing armor and weapons, and Sansa¡¯s own beautiful regal bearing--she thought smugly at least.


    A security guard eventually stepped forward, his hand raised hesitantly. "E-Excuse me, ma¡¯am! We do not allow people to carry swords or bows into the airport," he said to Aela.


    "Huh!?" Aela fixed him with a sharp glare, and the man¡¯s resolve crumbled instantly.


    He stammered, holding his hands up. "N-nevermind¡­ I¡¯m sure that¡¯s just cosplay anyway..."


    Sansa giggled softly, unable to help herself. "That was mean," she said playfully.


    Aela snorted. "He tried to deprive a Nord woman of her weapons. He''s lucky I didn''t break his teeth."


    No one else attempted to stop them as Gabriel led the way to the arrivals terminal. They passed through the bustling crowd and approached a set of strange, moving stairs. Sansa stared at them, wide-eyed, as the steps continuously carried people up and down without anyone lifting a foot.


    "Magic stairs?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gabriel laughed gently. "It¡¯s called an escalator. It¡¯s not magic, just technology."


    Sansa and Aela stepped onto the moving stairs cautiously, gripping the railings tightly as they ascended. When they reached the top, they were greeted by the sight of a massive airplane parked outside the glass walls. Both women stopped in their tracks, their mouths falling open.


    "Wow!" Sansa gasped.


    "That¡¯s so much bigger than any dragon I¡¯ve ever seen," Aela added, her tone equal parts awe and disbelief.


    Sansa started scanning the crowd, her brows furrowing. "You said she has long blonde hair, right?" she asked Gabriel, her eyes searching. "I don¡¯t see her anywhere nearby."


    Gabriel frowned, her gaze darting around the area quickly. "Fallen angels were here," she said, her tone dropping into something more serious.


    "Aren¡¯t those your enemies?" Aela asked.


    "Sometimes," Gabriel admitted bitterly. Her frown deepened. "It seems my little brother Azazel is trying to poach Asia-chan for himself! We¡¯re going to have to go pay him a visit to get her back!"


    Sansa gulped, her nerves spiking. The simple outing she¡¯d volunteered for was suddenly shaping up to be far more dangerous than she¡¯d expected. She glanced to the side and saw Aela cracking her knuckles excitedly, with a wide grin on her face.


    "Can I beat up your brother?" Aela asked excitedly.


    "Sure!" Gabriel said without hesitation.


    XXX

 chapter 41

    Chapter 41: Black Wings and Pranks gone wrong


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I couldn¡¯t help but crack up, along with the other patrons in the Fox Hole, when Aela walked in with a man tied up and slung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Gabriel followed behind her, smiling serenely as always, while Sansa trailed behind with her hands covering her face. She looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor from sheer embarrassment¡­


    Aela strutted through the room, completely unbothered by the attention she was drawing. A couple of regulars gave her high fives, which she returned with a grin before unceremoniously plopping her "kidnapping victim" down on an empty barstool.


    "Hey there, Azazel. It¡¯s been a while," I said, eyeing the leader of the Fallen Angels. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his clothes were scuffed and torn in a few places. He sported a couple of bruises, but nothing serious. I knew damn well he could heal himself instantly if he wanted to, which told me he was just playing along with¡­ whatever this was.


    Azazel gave me a lazy smirk, clearly unfazed by his current predicament. "Yo, Haru! It has been a while. This is a nice setup you¡¯ve got here," he complimented while looking around.


    ¡°Thanks, welcome to the Fox Hole. My restaurant that proudly caters to patrons from all across the multiverse.¡±


    Azazel shook his head and chuckled. Clearly thinking I was just messing with him.


    "So," I said, leaning on the counter and looking directly at Gabriel, "why did you three kidnap the leader of an entire faction?" She was supposed to be in charge of Aela and Sansa when they went to pick up Asia from the airport¡ªa task they obviously didn¡¯t succeed at. I didn¡¯t see a little blonde girl with any of them.


    Gabriel pouted adorably. "He was being difficult," she said.


    "I wasn¡¯t being difficult!" Azazel whined, turning to her while playfully looking offended. "I told you I don¡¯t know anything about who grabbed the girl!" Then his attention shifted back to me, and his smirk returned. "So, little Haru. How''d you get involved in all this? It¡¯s been a couple of years, and look at you¡ªalready all grown up with a face that probably breaks hearts on the daily. You got a girlfriend yet, kid?"


    Before I could answer, Aela interjected, puffing out her chest proudly as she took a seat at the counter. "He has me, along with my other future sisters!" she declared.


    Azazel chuckled, nodding at me in approval. "So you like the sexy Viking women thing, huh? I can respect that...wait? ¡­Did she say others!? Damn, I''m so proud of you kid! Hey, just a side note. Is your mom still single¨Couchy!"


    Gabriel smacked Azazel upside the head for that final comment. Gabriel scolded Azazel like a big sister would to her little brother, and not like they¡¯d been enemies for thousands of years at this point. "You¡¯ve caused quite enough problems with your illicit relationships over the years. Lady Yasaka, Haru, and the entire yokai faction are very important to the affairs of Heaven and the devils in the Underworld. Keep your crass comments to yourself, lest you further alienate your own faction, little brother."


    Azazel raised his hands in mock surrender, his smirk faltering slightly. "Sheesh¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve missed out on something big. Since when did alliances like this pop out of nowhere?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "I¡¯ll figure it out later."


    I cleared my throat, deciding to steer the conversation back to something more productive. "Maybe we should get back on topic," I suggested, reaching under the counter to grab a mug. I filled it with mead and slid it across to Aela, who practically lit up as she caught it.


    "Thanks, lover," she said, taking a long sip before sighing contentedly.


    I also placed a glass in front of Azazel. The ropes binding him fell to the ground instantly, proving he could have escaped at any time. He reached for the glass without hesitation or any worries that it could be poisoned¡ªnot that I¡¯d ever allow such a thing in my restaurant. Azazel took a couple of sips before letting out a pleased sigh. "That¡¯s a good brand right there," he commented, swirling the liquid in his glass. Then he leaned back slightly, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just been dragged into my restaurant. "The women in this world¡­ they¡¯re too violent sometimes when they want something. Sometimes you just gotta sit back and have a drink before conducting business," Azazel explained with a casual shrug.


    Aela huffed in response, clearly unimpressed, while Gabriel let out a tired sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Could you stop being so difficult?" she asked, her tone exasperated but still calm. "I wouldn¡¯t have had to kidnap you if you¡¯d just told me what happened to Asia Argento."


    Azazel held up his hands again, this time looking more serious. "I¡¯m telling you the truth. I have no idea! If some Fallen Angels took her, it wasn¡¯t on my orders. I¡¯ve got a couple of subordinates in Japan, but they¡¯re mostly supposed to be doing reconnaissance."


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes narrowed, her serene demeanor slipping as she scrutinized him. "You swear you¡¯re not lying?"


    Azazel¡¯s smirk returned, but his voice was steady. "I swear."


    I wasn¡¯t particularly happy when Azazel admitted to having multiple groups of spies in Japan. "What exactly are they doing?" I asked while narrowing my eyes at him.


    Gabriel shot Azazel a small glare. "You¡¯re risking breaking the temporary peace we have. This isn¡¯t something to take lightly."


    Azazel finished the last of his drink before setting the mug down. "Nothing nefarious, I assure you," he said smoothly. "I was just trying to make sure a nuclear dragon didn¡¯t accidentally go off on all of us."


    Gabriel¡¯s head tilted slightly, confusion flashing across her face before realization struck. Her eyes widened. "You found the other Dragon Emperor? Is he in danger of losing control?"


    "Losing control? What does that mean?" Sansa asked, her brow furrowed as she glanced between the two of them. ¡°And what¡¯s a Dragon Emperor?¡±


    Azazel turned his attention to her, a smirk tugging at his lips as he winked. "I¡¯ll tell you specifically because you tried to get these two lovely ladies to not beat me up and drag me here. And because you¡¯re beautiful¡­"


    Sansa immediately crossed her arms and gestured toward me with a flick of her hand. "Sorry, but I¡¯m spoken for."


    Azazel chuckled, leaning back slightly. "Damn, Haru, you¡¯re living the dream," he teased before clearing his throat. "Alright, I¡¯ll explain anyway. This is important information, and it¡¯s something even you probably don¡¯t know, Haru."


    I raised an eyebrow, motioning for him to continue.


    Azazel¡¯s smirk softened into a more serious expression as he began. "Some Sacred Gears are inherently flawed, especially the ones powered by emotions¡ªlike the Boosted Gear. Those gears can accidentally trigger themselves if the wielder is very emotional or passionate¡­"


    Like a certain perverted protagonist I knew...


    "Normally, it¡¯s not a big deal," Azazel explained. "But when it happens with Longinus-class gears, things can get¡­ messy. Longinus gears tend to go out of control and violently explode. And by explode, I mean nuclear-level explosions. Violent, destructive, uncontrollable..."


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes darkened, and even Aela set her mug down to listen more closely.


    "Wait, what?" I asked. "How is that even possible?"


    Azazel shrugged. "It''s not common knowledge but some of the larger lakes and craters in the world aren¡¯t naturally formed. They were created by past Longinus users accidentally going boom from having too much power and no idea how to handle it. It¡¯s rare, but it¡¯s not impossible. And when it happens, it¡¯s catastrophic."


    Sansa¡¯s expression shifted to concern. "So¡­ this Dragon Emperor you mentioned, is he in danger of¡­ exploding?"


    Azazel nodded. "Potentially, yes. At least he was... Until he vanished."


    ¡°Huh?¡± What did Azazel mean by Issei Hyoudou just vanished?


    Azazel leaned back in his chair. "I had one of my¡­ more enthusiastic agents, Raynare, investigating Issei Hyoudou. To get closer to him, she pretended to be a student and even asked him out on a date. Everything was going according to plan until halfway through the date. Before she could finish scanning him, a random blue portal popped up right next to Issei and sucked him inside, right before her eyes." Azazel explained.


    "What?" I blinked, trying to process what I¡¯d just heard.


    Azazel shrugged like it was no big deal, even though it very much was! "We assumed some other faction had abducted him for his potential power. But I told Raynare to stick around Kuoh Town for a few weeks just in case he ever came back..." he trailed off.


    I gaped at him in disbelief, and I was pretty sure if Rias had been here, she¡¯d be doing the exact same thing. "There¡¯s no fucking way," I muttered under my breath. Issei Hyoudou, of all people, got freaking isekai¡¯d?


    What even is this timeline sometimes?


    I rubbed my temples, trying to wrap my head around it. Somehow, I had the sinking feeling this wouldn¡¯t be the last we¡¯d hear about the perverted idiot. My restaurant had a nasty habit of popping up in worlds where crazy shit happened, and this screamed unfinished business. At the very least, I hoped we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it for a while. Poor Issei¡¯s family, though. Maybe I¡¯d send them an anonymous letter or something, though I doubted they¡¯d believe me.


    Gabriel started muttering the name "Raynare" under her breath. "I try my best to remember all of my brothers and sisters," she said quietly.


    "That¡¯s pretty impressive considering there are literally millions of them," I pointed out.


    "Wait, what?" Sansa asked, looking shocked.


    Gabriel continued without pausing, her voice growing firmer as she spoke. "I remember Raynare now! She fell because she was envious of other angels who were stronger than her. She always wanted more wings but was too lazy to put in the work to earn them. I bet it was her who took Asia!"


    Azazel frowned slightly. "That¡¯s¡­ not entirely impossible," he admitted after a moment. "She hasn¡¯t checked in with me in the past week. If she found out about Asia being expelled from the Church, she might¡¯ve decided to do something crazy, like steal her Sacred Gear. She was lent an extractor to handle Issei¡¯s Red Dragon Emperor gear in case he turned out to be a bomb."


    Gabriel¡¯s white wings bristled behind her. "you should have mentioned that sooner, little brother!"


    Aela stood up abruptly, her mug forgotten on the counter. "Let us go and rescue the young maiden before something happens to her," she said. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gabriel immediately nodded, reaching out to grab Aela¡¯s arm. In a flash of golden light, the two of them disappeared, presumably heading straight to Kuoh Town.


    I sighed, pulling my phone out of my pocket. If anyone needed a heads-up about this, it was Rias. I quickly typed out a message.


    Haru:FYI, an angry archangel is heading to Kuoh Town to rescue Asia Argento from fallen angel kidnappers.


    A few moments later, my phone buzzed with her reply.


    Rias:Nani the fuck!?


    And then it buzzed again.


    Rias:Ok¡­ I¡¯ll just stay inside and watch anime for the rest of the day so I don¡¯t have to deal with that¡­


    I chuckled at Rias¡¯s last message. That was just like her. My phone buzzed again, and I glanced down to read her final message. My breath hitched the moment I saw it.


    Rias:I know you¡¯ll be lonely without me to keep you company, so here¡¯s a little something special.


    Attached was a picture of Rias lying naked on her bed, staring up at the camera. Her pale legs were spread apart, and one of her hands was settled between them. Her pouty mouth was open and it looked like she was moaning right at the camera¡­


    "Hehe, your face just turned bright red there, Haru. What are you looking at?" Azazel teased, leaning slightly to try and get a glimpse of my phone.


    I immediately closed the gallery app and slipped my phone back into my magic storage space where no one could access it. "None of your business. Also, what are you still doing here?" I asked, genuinely curious.


    Azazel smirked. "Aww, you want me gone so soon? Didn¡¯t you say this restaurant caters to everyone in the multiverse?" He chuckled. "Don¡¯t I count as part of the multiverse?"


    I sighed and asked him what he¡¯d like to eat.


    Turning to Sansa, I also asked if she wanted anything else. She shook her head, patting her stomach. "I¡¯m still way too full from all the cake earlier. I¡¯m probably just going to walk back ¡®home¡¯ to Yasaka¡¯s palace."


    Nodding, I allowed one of my tails to detach from my body, forming a clone that would walk her back safely. It was only proper after all. Sansa gave me a small smile, thanked me, and headed out with my clone following closely behind.


    Now with only eight tails temporarily, I turned back to Azazel, who seemed to have finished checking out the menu. He looked up at me curiously as he pointed to one of the items listed on it. "What¡¯s a Baku burger?" he asked.


    ...


    ¨C Harry ¨C


    Harry glanced at Hermione with a mischievous grin as they stood just outside the Fox Hole. "Harry, are you sure this is a good idea?" Hermione asked, looking at him skeptically.


    "C¡¯mon, Mione, it¡¯ll be funny. We never get to pull one over on Haru because he¡¯s just too good. But this time will be different," Harry assured her.


    Things had been going surprisingly well for Harry these past few weeks. For some reason he couldn¡¯t quite figure out, Dumbledore had abruptly resigned as Hogwarts headmaster, leaving McGonagall in charge. As headmistress, she was stricter but far more organized. Under her leadership, Hogwarts was finally starting to resemble an actual school again, rather than the joke of a learning institution it had been before.


    Not that Harry planned to stick around his own world once he was done with the tournament. Too little, too late as they say.


    He¡¯d been thinking about it a lot, and he was pretty sure he¡¯d either move to Haru¡¯s world full-time or to Skyrim. Skyrim seemed like the better option, though. There, he could freely use magic without restriction and continue his training under Mistress Serana.


    But he was getting off-topic.


    The point was, Harry had done some research and finally figured out how he could pull one over on Haru. Pranking was practically in Harry¡¯s blood, but Haru¡¯s supernatural senses were so overpowered that Harry had never stood a chance before!


    At least, not until now.


    His research had revealed something incredible about the invisibility cloak he¡¯d been carrying around for years. It wasn¡¯t just any cloak¡ªit was one of the Deathly Hallows, allegedly created by Lady Death herself. If the stories were true, not even Haru or anyone else in the Fox Hole would be able to sense him and Hermione sneaking into the restaurant while hidden beneath it.


    "Alright," Harry said, gripping the edge of the cloak. "Let¡¯s do this!"


    ¡­


    ¡°Harry? Something is weird,¡± Hermione pointed out.


    Despite the limited visibility underneath the invisibility cloak, Harry immediately realized something was wrong as well. They had walked through the front doors under the cloak, expecting to enter the Fox Hole¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t the inside of the restaurant.


    "What the hell?" Harry shouted, his voice echoing in the unfamiliar room.


    They found themselves in a completely different place, surrounded by vibrant and colorful people they¡¯d never seen before.


    "Who said that!?" a loud voice rang out. "Is that you, Gray? You trying to be some kind of sneaky, invisible streaker this time? Well, I ain¡¯t falling for it! Fire Dragon¡¯s Iron Fist!"


    Harry and Hermione¡¯s eyes widened as a man with pink hair and a white scarf suddenly lit his fist on fire and leapt over twenty feet through the air, heading straight for them.


    "Move!" Harry shouted, and both he and Hermione dove in opposite directions. They tumbled out from under the cloak, breaking their invisibility just in time. The pink-haired man¡¯s fiery punch smashed into the floor where they had been standing, leaving a charred crater.


    "Huh¡­ you¡¯re not Gray," the man muttered, pouting as he stared at the two of them.


    Hermione scrambled to her feet, glaring at him. "What the bloody hell was that for!? You could have killed us!"


    The man, now struggling to pull his fist out of the damaged floor, looked up at her with a mix of annoyance and confusion. "What are you talking about? You two tried to sneak into our guild while invisible!"


    Hermione huffed, brushing herself off. "We weren¡¯t trying to sneak in here¡­ we were trying to sneak into¡­ somewhere else," she admitted, her voice quieter toward the end.


    "Huh? You tried to sneak into another building but got lost? What are you two, stupid or something?" he teased, finally yanking his hand free from the floor, though he ended up damaging it even more in the process.


    Harry reached down and picked up his invisibility cloak, he was very confused. The shimmering fabric slipped through his fingers as he tried to process what had just happened...?


    Nearby, Hermione and the pink-haired fire wizard were still arguing.


    "I am not stupid!" Hermione snapped, glaring at the man. "I happen to be the smartest witch in my entire school!"


    "Yeah, right," the wizard shot back, crossing his arms with a smug grin. "Only dumb people walk into a guild hall thinking it¡¯s a restaurant!"


    Despite being a few years older, the fire wizard was acting incredibly childish, clearly enjoying riling her up. Hermione looked like she was about ready to hex him, but Harry barely registered the argument.


    His focus was elsewhere.


    He tightened his grip on the cloak as he tried to make sense of how they had ended up here. They had been walking into the Fox Hole¡ªit should have been impossible to land anywhere else!


    And then it hit him.


    "Oh shite. I buggered up," Harry muttered under his breath, groaning as the realization settled in.


    The cloak was created by Lady Death herself, meant to hide the wearer from even her sight. If it could obscure him from the HER, then it must have also hidden him from the Goddess who managed the Fox Hole¡¯s multiversal connections. That would explain why, when he and Hermione passed through the doorway from Hogsmeade, they hadn¡¯t ended up in Haru¡¯s restaurant!


    They were somewhere completely different...


    Maybe even another world!?


    XXX

 chapter 42

    Chapter 42: Detective Haru


    ¨C McGonagall ¨C


    Managing all of Hogwarts was, honestly, not as difficult as Headmaster Dumbledore had always made it out to be. Minerva McGonagall had realized, a few days into her new role, that she had already been handling the majority of his responsibilities anyway. Between her duties as the head of Gryffindor and as a teacher, she had essentially been keeping the school running for years.


    Since becoming headmistress, McGonagall had passed her head of house position to Professor Babbling. While she still taught Transfiguration full-time, she had already begun searching for someone to take over the subject. Balancing her new role and teaching was manageable for now, but it wouldn¡¯t be sustainable long-term.


    She was in the middle of organizing her new office, carefully packing away the assortment of strange and occasionally dangerous artifacts that Albus had carelessly left lying around, when the door was thrown open without so much as a knock. She sighed as she turned to face the intruder. Of course, it was Severus Snape.


    Brilliant potions master, yes. Terrible teacher? Absolutely.


    She had been quietly searching for his replacement as well, though finding someone suitable would be a challenge given the damage he had done to multiple generations of Hogwarts students with his¡­ unique teaching style.


    Severus, as expected, had a scowl etched across his face.


    "Did you need something?" McGonagall asked him.


    "It¡¯s Potter!" he spat, as though saying the name physically pained him. "He hasn¡¯t shown up for any of his classes."


    "We¡¯ve been over this, Severus. As a Triwizard Champion, Mr. Potter is not required to attend his classes if he doesn¡¯t wish to. He has his own private tutor¡­ even if she is of the undead variety." McGonagall didn¡¯t dislike vampires outright, but she certainly didn¡¯t trust them either.


    Severus smirked in that infuriating way he always did when he thought he had the upper hand. "Potter might be able to skip my classes, but his little girlfriend isn¡¯t allowed to! She hasn¡¯t been showing up either. They¡¯re probably shacked up in some broom closet together, and nine months from now, we¡¯ll be stuck with their little mistake."


    McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Ms. Granger is responsible enough to be on the potion," she said, though inwardly she couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of concern. Did she think the two were a bit young to be engaging in those kinds of activities? Absolutely. But then again, Hogwarts was a boarding school with little entertainment and even less supervision if she was being honest with herself.


    "I¡¯ll take care of it," she told him.


    Severus scoffed, his robes billowing dramatically as he turned and stormed out of her office. McGonagall waited until the door slammed shut behind him before letting out a tired sigh. "When was the last time any of the castle¡¯s paintings saw Mr. Potter or Ms. Granger?" she asked one of the nearby moving portraits that as it turned out were basically a secret way for the headmaster to spy on the students and teachers...


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    This was horrible!


    Tears streamed down my face...


    I didn''t know if I''d ever emotionally recover from this!


    I faced off against one of the fiercest ingredients a chef with super senses, like enhanced smell, could deal with: onions!


    "Are you okay, nii-chan?" Kunou asked, holding her nose from halfway across the restaurant. "Those onions stink really bad!"


    Little Sora growled from between Kunou¡¯s legs. Dogs naturally didn¡¯t like onions since they were toxic to them.


    I blew my nose away from the food prep area before promptly incinerating the rag with a flick of my finger. "I¡¯m fine, Kunou-chan," I said, waving her off with a forced smile.


    "Do you want me to take over the chopping, Lord Haru?" Enri asked, concern clear in her voice as she stepped closer.


    "No. Make him do it himself. This is fun to watch," Alice said, smirking while recording me on her phone. "The other girls are definitely going to get a kick out of this."


    I inhaled deeply, fighting back another wave of sniffles, and finished chopping the last onion. Some sacrifices were necessary when preparing something as deadly as French onion soup.


    The door to the Fox Hole opened, and I turned to see Harry¡¯s teacher, Professor McGonagall, walking in with a stern look. She glanced around the mostly empty restaurant, her confusion evident, before making her way to the counter.


    "Hi there!" Kunou called out, still pinching her nose.


    "Hello again, little one," McGonagall replied with a faint smile before addressing the rest of us. "Have you seen either of my students here today?"


    "Nuh uh," Kunou said, shaking her head.


    McGonagall frowned slightly and turned her attention to me. "Harry and Hermione?" she asked.


    I finished rinsing my hands in the sink and wiped them dry. "I haven¡¯t seen them recently either," I said.


    She explained that the portraits¡ªwhatever those were¡ªhad spotted Harry and Hermione heading toward Hogsmeade. She added that several villagers mentioned seeing the two headed toward the Fox Hole yesterday.


    "That¡¯s weird," I told her. "They definitely didn¡¯t come in here. It¡¯s possible they just wanted to head to Skyrim to see Serana and used the back doors without wanting to bother anyone."


    The back doors of the restaurant also connected to other worlds and were mostly used by the yokai who worked for my mother, Yasaka. They preferred those entrances to avoid disturbing customers, and the doors were larger, which made them ideal for transporting cargo across dimensions.


    I glanced over at the stove and turned the soup down to a low simmer. It would take a couple of hours to finish cooking, and I knew Enri would keep an eye on it. "I¡¯ll go ahead and look for them in Skyrim," I told McGonagall.


    "Thank you, Haru," she replied. "And remind Hermione that she¡¯s still a student. Unlike Harry, she isn¡¯t supposed to be skipping her lessons!"


    ¡°You seem a bit stressed out,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Do you want some scotch before you head back to school?¡±


    ¡°Damn right I do!¡±


    ¡­


    The doors to Jorrvaskr were thrown open wide, the loud creak of wood on hinges echoing through the hall. All the fierce warriors inside looked up from their meals and conversations.


    Standing in the doorway, Kunou dramatically posed with her tiny fists on her hips.


    "The mighty Kunou-chan is here with her fierce wolf, Sora!" she declared, her voice carrying through the room. She jumped onto one of the tables, drawing even more attention as she held up her little puppy for all to see.


    Sora growled softly, more out of confusion than anything else, his tiny tail wagging behind him.


    The room erupted into laughter and cheers, the tension breaking instantly.


    "That is quite the fierce beast," Farkas said teasingly as he reached out and gently booped Sora on the nose. The pup sneezed in response, which earned another round of laughter from the assembled warriors. Farkas looked back at us. "Are you two here for Aela or Agnar?"


    Kunou hopped down from the table while I stepped further into the hall. "We were mostly stopping by to look for Serana and her apprentices," I explained, glancing around.


    Farkas scratched his chin before nodding. "Pretty sure Serana went out with Aela and Agnar this morning. They¡¯re dealing with a newly discovered Silver Hand base. Her apprentices weren''t with them. I don''t remember seeing them either."


    He turned to the rest of the companions and they all shook their heads as well.


    Hearing that, I frowned. So Harry and Hermione weren¡¯t in Skyrim either. Where the hell were they? The thought crossed my mind that they might have been abducted on the way to the Fox Hole, but that felt unlikely. Still, the uneasy feeling in my chest wouldn¡¯t go away.


    "Meh, I¡¯m probably just being paranoid," I muttered to myself. Maybe they decided to go on a date to another world or something and didn¡¯t bother to tell anyone. For all I knew, they were running around the Citadel or something.


    This elevator is really freaking slow," I muttered to myself as I leaned against the wall, tapping my foot impatiently. I had been riding it for almost a full minute before it finally reached the top of the Citadel Tower.


    This was the last place connected to my restaurant that I had to check for Harry and Hermione. My tails swayed nervously behind me as I considered the situation. At this point, I was starting to get the feeling that the two teenagers weren¡¯t just running around somewhere on a date.


    I had even gone out to Hogsmeade and personally tracked down their scents. It was as if the two of them had stopped right outside my doors and then vanished without a trace. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like the Fox Hole or Hogsmeade had any security cameras to help me out, either.


    The elevator doors finally slid open, revealing the bustling top floor of the council government. Alien politicians and members of the C-Sec space police turned to stare at me as I strolled through the area. I ignored the looks and kept my head held high, walking like I absolutely belonged there. Confidence was the key to bullshitting your way through most situations.


    I strutted up the stairs, my eyes landing on Councilor Tevos, who was standing with two other councilors. They appeared to be listening to two different asari who were loudly arguing with each other.


    "No! She¡¯s in violation of the contract, and those eezo mining rights should be forfeit and revert back to us!"


    "That¡¯s not true! We paid everything in the contract. It¡¯s not my fault your faulty systems couldn¡¯t keep track of the credits!"


    "You lying bitch! You never paid us at all!"


    All three council members looked visibly irritated as they listened to the two beautiful but clearly exasperating blue women arguing about contracts and space mining. However, their attention quickly shifted when they spotted me approaching.


    "Ha¡ªHaru! What are you doing here!?" Tevos stammered, clearly surprised.


    "Harry and Hermione are missing," I said bluntly. "I wanted to check the cameras on the Citadel to see if they came here by themselves."


    The turian councilor crossed his arms and shot me a sharp look. "If your friends are missing, then you should have gone to C-Sec! Do you even know where you are? This is the heart of the entire galaxy! We¡¯re currently handling a very delicate matter."


    "You looked like you were about to fall asleep, though," I pointed out casually.


    The turian sputtered indignantly, but before he could respond, the salarian councilor spoke up. "He is not wrong. Based on my observations, you were approximately 36 galactic seconds from nodding off."


    One of the arguing asari strutted over to me with a confident smile. "Hello there, handsome! I¡¯ve seen pictures of you on the net and didn¡¯t believe you were real until now. I thought male humans were attractive, but you blow them out of the water! I¡¯d love to get to know you better later, but I¡¯m in the middle of something important. That con artist over there purchased an asteroid full of eezo from my company and then welched out on the credits!"


    The other asari scoffed. "That¡¯s a lie! You just lost track of the payment. That¡¯s not my problem!"


    I sighed and walked over to a nearby pot filled with strange purple alien plants. I waved my hand over the pot, and the plant burst into blue flames, causing everyone nearby to jump. Several security guards reached for their weapons, but Tevos quickly commanded them to stand down.


    "Relax," I said, demonstrating by placing my hand over the flames. "They¡¯re perfectly safe¡ªunless you¡¯re lying. This is a basic spell. If you place your hand over the flames and tell a lie, you¡¯ll get burned."


    I placed the burning pot on the floor. Tevos and the other two councilors watched it with fascination. The salarian in particular looked like he wanted to grab it and study it right then and there.


    "Place your hands over the fire, girls," Tevos ordered the two asari.


    The one who had been flirting with me stepped forward without hesitation. As promised, she wasn¡¯t burned when she stated that she was telling the truth. The other asari, however, suddenly looked very nervous. She turned and tried to make a run for it but didn¡¯t get far before security guards tackled her to the ground.


    "How long will that pot burn?" the salarian asked, his curiosity plain.


    "A couple of months," I told him. "But if you¡¯re interested, I can get you a more permanent magical lie detector. It saves everyone a lot of time in the supernatural world when people can¡¯t blatantly lie."


    "Fascinating!"


    "Although," I added with a small grin, "it does make some people very good at wording things carefully. That¡¯s why you have to be extra cautious when making deals with yokai and devils."


    The salarian nodded quickly, already pulling out a datapad to take notes. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.


    Tevos led me into her private office after the whole scene outside. She gestured for me to take a seat, which I did, while she sat behind her high tech desk.


    "Thanks for almost causing a bunch of simultaneous diplomatic incidents, Haru," she said, though there was a slight smile tugging at her lips. "How did you even get to the top floor of the Citadel Tower?"


    I shrugged. "I just rode the elevator up."


    Tevos blinked at me, clearly caught off guard. "And no one stopped you?"


    "Nope," I said simply.


    She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Huh¡­ that sounds like a major security risk. I¡¯ll put your name and face in the system so you can¡¯t be bothered next time¡ªor so you can¡¯t wander around unchecked. Not that you were really bothered this time," she muttered, shaking her head.


    "Works for me," I replied, leaning back slightly in the chair.


    With that out of the way, Tevos turned her attention to the monitors on her desk. She pulled up the security footage from around my restaurant for the past two days. I leaned forward, watching intently as the various camera feeds cycled through.


    Unfortunately, there was no sign of Harry or Hermione on the Citadel at all. They hadn¡¯t come through here, not even briefly.


    I felt my stomach sink. That made it official¡ªthey were missing. Something had happened to them.


    "Do you want me to assign some C-Sec specialists to help you find them?" Tevos offered. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I shook my head. "No¡­ I have someone else I¡¯ll ask." I stood up, brushing off my tails. "Thanks for your help, though."


    Tevos nodded, standing as well. "If you need anything, let me know."


    I gave her a small smile. "Actually, I¡¯m making a big pot of French onion soup back at my restaurant. You should stop by later."


    Her expression softened slightly, and she chuckled. "I¡¯ll be sure to do that, Haru. Take care."


    ¡­


    Knowing I was out of options, I slumped into an empty booth, my mind racing as I tried to think of what else I could do. The others in the restaurant watched me in concern.


    "Couldn¡¯t find them?" Kunou asked.


    "Nope," I admitted, shaking my head. "I¡¯m going to have to ask the goddess if she knows anything."


    Honestly, I probably could¡¯ve asked her earlier, but I hadn¡¯t wanted to bother her when I¡¯d thought Harry and Hermione were just out on a date. But now, with no trace of them anywhere, I didn¡¯t have much choice.


    As expected, a couple of seconds after I said that out loud, a scroll appeared on the table in front of me. I opened it quickly, reading the single sentence:


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where they are¡­¡±


    My ears drooped as disappointment settled over me. But then, another scroll landed in front of me. I opened it immediately, my heart racing when I read its contents:


    ¡°But I can find them¡­ if I show up in person to check.¡±


    My eyes widened, and I could feel my heart thumping nervously in my chest. I was really going to meet the goddess who made all of this possible? After all this time? My tails swished slightly as excitement mixed with a twinge of anxiety.


    I told the others, and their reactions were mixed. Kunou, of course, was bouncing in place. "I get to meet another nee-chan!? I hope she¡¯s super pretty!"


    Alice raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued, while Enri simply nodded, though I could tell she was a little nervous.


    We all waited, the anticipation building. I kept expecting someone to walk through the front door at any second, but after a full minute passed, I couldn¡¯t help but ask out loud, "What¡¯s taking so long?"


    A third scroll popped up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m too nervous to show up in front of you now! Can you go into the back room?¡±


    I sputtered a little. "Really??"


    A fourth scroll landed in front of me.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    "Do the others have to leave too?" I asked.


    A sixth scroll appeared.


    ¡°No¡­ just you.¡±


    I let out a small huff of disappointment but decided not to complain. This was the goddess who¡¯d done so much for me and everyone connected to the Fox Hole.


    "Tell me what you think of her," I said to Kunou, Enri, and Alice before standing up.


    Kunou grinned mischievously. "Awww¡­ this is so romantic!" she teased. "Don¡¯t worry, nii-chan. I WON¡¯T tell you anything!"


    I rolled my eyes and made my way to the back room. As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the door to the main room open.


    "Wow, goddess nee-chan! You¡¯re so pretty!" Kunou declared loudly.


    That was all I managed to hear before a spell of some kind washed over the restaurant. All noises and smells from the main room were suddenly muted. I sighed, realizing just how shy she must be if she was going to this extent. I took a seat in a nearby chair and decided to wait. It took about five minutes before the spell finally lifted. I got up and walked back into the main room, my curiosity practically eating away at me.


    Kunou was sitting at the counter, grinning smugly. "I got to see her before you did!" she said proudly.


    "What was she like?" I asked, trying not to sound too eager.


    "Not telling!" Kunou sang, clearly enjoying this way too much.


    I turned to Enri and Alice next. "Well?"


    Enri shook her head slightly. "I apologize, Lord Haru, but I promised not to say anything..."


    Alice leaned back against the counter, smirking. "I didn¡¯t promise anything myself, but¡­ she doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of person I want to piss off. Her presence felt¡­ big. Like I was tiny compared to her. I''d much rather go up against an army of zombies any day."


    That didn¡¯t tell me much of anything. I already knew she was incredibly powerful. "You¡¯ve got nothing else?" I asked, feeling a bit exasperated.


    Alice smirked again. "I did get one thing. She asked me if you were fine with her not having red hair? Apparently, she was originally born with red hair but doesn¡¯t have it anymore... Due to reasons."


    "It didn¡¯t matter! It was still a very pretty color!" Kunou pouted, clearly offended on the goddess¡¯s behalf.


    I felt my face heat up a little but chuckled to cover it. "While it¡¯s true that I do have a slight¡­ very slight¡­ preference for girls with red hair, I wouldn¡¯t hold it against the goddess who¡¯s done so much for all of us. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s incredibly beautiful, and I can¡¯t wait to meet her when she¡¯s ready."


    As if on cue, a final scroll fell in front of me. I caught it before it hit the ground and opened it.


    ¡°Thank you, Haru¡­ Your friends ended up in a new world somehow, although I¡¯m not quite sure of the exact location. I¡¯ve connected your restaurant to that world, and you¡¯ll have to search on your own from there.¡±


    With some time left before the soup was done, I figured I¡¯d step out and check out this new world real quick. Leaving the others in charge of the restaurant, I walked out the front door and took a look around. We¡¯d landed right in the middle of a mountain range. Jagged peaks stretched in every direction. I sniffed the air, trying to pick up any hint of humans, but didn¡¯t find any nearby.


    What I did smell, however, made the fur on my tails stand up! There was something else nearby. Something powerful.


    My gaze instinctively shot upward!


    Hovering a few hundred meters in the air was a massive dragon with black and blue scales. The magical energy radiating from it was massive. This thing was easily in the Ultimate Class!


    Its large eyes locked onto me. For a moment, neither of us moved.


    ¡­Then, the dragon opened its massive jaws and let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the mountain range!


    "Well, shit¡­" I muttered.


    XXX

 chapter 43

    Chapter 43: Where¡¯s Agnar when you need him¡­?


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    What happens when two apex predators meet in the middle of a mountain range? Well, if they were civilized, maybe they¡¯d sit down for a chat or share a meal at the lovely restaurant that had popped up in the middle of nowhere.


    Unfortunately for me, this dragon wasn¡¯t very civilized.


    It had chosen violence almost immediately.


    "Roooooooaaaaaaarrrr!" The massive dragon with black and blue scales dove out of the sky straight toward me, its roar vibrating the air and making my ears twitch in pain. The dragon hit the ground with so much force that the entire mountain shook beneath us. Rocks tumbled down the peaks nearby, and I had to steady myself to keep from losing my footing.


    Before I could even react, it spun around and swung its massive tail directly at me. "Oh, you giant asshole!" I shouted, throwing my arms up just in time to block what was coming my way! The wall of scales slammed into me with absurd force, sending me flying through the air like a ragdoll. "Yep, definitely an ultimate-class dragon," I muttered to myself, feeling the sting of the impact on my arms.


    I ended up flying about half a kilometer before blasting a large plume of foxfire behind me to stop my momentum. The sudden burst of heat slowed me down enough to regain control, and I launched myself right back toward the oversized violent lizard.


    The dragon¡¯s large, glowing eyes widened, and if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d have thought it looked surprised as I came barreling right back toward it, using my blue foxfire as propulsion.


    "I¡¯ve eaten dragons like you for breakfast!" I shouted as I slammed into the side of its massive head, throwing my entire weight behind the punch. I didn¡¯t hold back, my fist connecting with a loud crack.


    The dragon let out another roar, but this one was filled with pain as its head whipped to the side, and its massive feet dragged across the ground from the force of the blow. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk, even though my right hand was stinging like hell. That thing had some seriously hard scales.


    The dragon dug its claws into the bedrock, growling at me as it shook its head back and forth, clearly disoriented.


    "You fucked around, you overgrown gecko, now it¡¯s time for you to find out," I said, slowly descending back toward the ground, my eyes never leaving the beast.


    It growled again, clearly not appreciating my insult. I wasn¡¯t even sure if this thing was sentient or not. At least the dragons in Skyrim could talk¡ªeven if most of them were evil bastards who wanted to enslave every other race.


    We stared each other down for a few tense seconds, neither of us moving, until we both lunged at the same time. The dragon swiped one of its massive claws down at me, and I dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding being turned into paste. The ground where I¡¯d been standing was shredded instantly, huge chunks of rock flying everywhere. I kept moving, conjuring a ball of foxfire in my hands as I ran under the beast¡¯s belly. With both hands raised, I unleashed twin plumes of foxfire straight up into its underbelly!


    The dragon didn¡¯t even try to dodge, and for a moment, I thought it looked smug. As if it thought my attack wasn''t going to be able to hurt it.


    That smugness didn¡¯t last long.


    The flames connected with its underbelly, where its scales were clearly thinner. Another roar of pain erupted from its massive jaws, this one even louder than before.


    The dragon tilted its head down, its massive glowing eyes fixating on the burn marks now etched into its stomach. For a moment, it looked shocked, almost like it couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d managed to hurt it.


    "What¡¯s the matter? Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d leave a mark?" I taunted with my lips curling into a smirk.


    While it was distracted, tilting its head down to examine the burns, I seized the opportunity. Pushing off the ground so hard that I left a small crater, I rocketed upward and delivered a devastating uppercut to the underside of the dragon¡¯s jaw.


    My fist slammed into its massive head with all the force I could muster. The impact echoed like a thunderclap, and the sheer power of the blow sent the dragon¡¯s feet skidding off the ground. For a split second, it was airborne, its massive body lifted by the force of my strike.


    ¨C Irene ¨C


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Irene muttered to herself.


    What she was witnessing should have been impossible! She had simply been on a routine patrol across the continent when she sensed a massive surge of magical power coming from a nearby mountain range. Of course she teleported over to investigate immediately. That¡¯s when she was shocked to find the terrifying dragon Acnologia himself!


    And that wasn¡¯t even all of it¡­


    Acnologia was in a fight¡ªthat part wasn¡¯t surprising. That damned evil dragon picked fights with just about anything from what she knew about it!


    No, the impossible part was that the dragon was LOSING the fight! The impossible part was that whoever he was fighting was actually wielding magic capable of HARMING Acnologia! The accursed dragon was supposed to be immune to all forms of magic! It was one of the reasons why even her master, Zeref, hadn¡¯t been able to kill the damn thing in over 400 years!


    And yet, here she was, watching the impossible unfold right before her eyes.


    Irene¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the battle below. Acnologia, the black dragon of the apocalypse, roared in fury as he faced off against a young, very handsome blonde mage. He was incredibly fast, incredibly strong, and the blue flames he wielded burned right through Acnologia¡¯s magic resistance. It was a feat even Zeref¡¯s death magic couldn¡¯t have boasted.


    The mage then went and delivered a devastating uppercut, and to her astonishment, the blow was powerful enough to lift Acnologia off the ground for several seconds before the dragon crashed violently onto his back, shaking the entire mountain range!


    Acnologia looked almost comical as it struggled to get up off its back, its massive limbs flailing in a way that resembled a flipped-over turtle. Irene doubted the dragon had ever been humiliated to such an extent, and she could practically feel the fury radiating from its magic, rippling through the mountain range.


    The mage, clearly unfazed by the radiating malice, grinned and ran forward. Without a shred of hesitation, he grabbed Acnologia¡¯s tail with both hands.


    Irene¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "He¡¯s not actually going to¡ª" she began, but her words were cut off as the mage started to spin spin, hoisting the massive dragon¡¯s body off the ground in the process.


    He spun Acnologia around with absurd speed, the air kicking up into a whirlwind. The dragon¡¯s roars of indignation and humiliation echoed across the range, and for a moment, Irene thought a genuine tornado might form from the sheer force of it.


    And then the mage let go.


    ¡°They said you should never catch a dragon by the tail¡­¡± Irene couldn¡¯t help but giggle as the handsome mage below showed off another astounding feat, one that was somehow hilarious despite the situation.


    Acnologia¡¯s roar turned into a deafening screech as its massive body was sent hurtling through the air, spiraling uncontrollably. Irene tracked its trajectory, watching as it slammed halfway into the peak of the mountain she was standing on. The impact was enough to crack the peak, sending large chunks of rock tumbling down the slope.


    Irene grinned. "I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s ever dared to humiliate you like this, Acnologia."


    The dragon growled, pulling itself free from the shattered rock with visible effort. Its glowing eyes burned with unbridled rage as it glared down at the mage who stood casually at the base of the mountains, looking up at his handiwork with a smug grin.


    "Is that all you¡¯ve got lizard?" the mage called out, his voice carrying easily despite the distance. "I¡¯m almost disappointed. The other dragon¡¯s i¡¯ve cooked and eaten all put up way better fights!"


    Irene found herself blinking at that declaration. Even Acnologia himself had to pause for a moment at the sheer absurdity of that claim!


    Cooked and eaten!?


    This mage had cooked and eaten other dragons? Multiple other dragons?


    Who was this man!? Even back during the war hundreds of years ago, no one was ever bold enough to declare such a thing proudly! Even Acnologia had only bathed in the blood of all the other dragons he felled, he certainly had never eaten them!


    Irene didn¡¯t know whether she should be offended as a dragon herself¡ªno matter how unwilling she had been about becoming one¡ªor if she should be feeling what she was currently feeling.


    Arousal¡­


    Her breathing picked up, and she actually started shaking as she stared down at the mage with fox-like features.


    "Mate¡­" she found herself muttering almost instinctively. It was like her dragon instincts were screaming at her to teleport down there and claim that handsome mage for herself before anything happened to him. "Oh no!" Irene¡¯s eyes widened as she sensed Acnologia building up a tremendous amount of magical power.


    It was about to use its breath attack¡ªan attack so powerful that every time it used it in history, the maps of the world had to literally be redrawn. The sheer magnitude of power it was amassing was absurd!


    She had no doubt that the mage who had been humiliating and hurting Acnologia could sense what was coming as well.


    He was too important to be killed here. He might be their only chance in the future to finally kill this dragon with his strange magic, and she couldn¡¯t let him die now!


    Irene tapped her staff on the ground, and in an instant, she teleported herself right next to the mage. A shudder went through her when she realized she was now standing right next to the target of Acnologia¡¯s upcoming attack.


    "Quickly, take my hand!" she called out to the blond mage. "I¡¯ll teleport us out of here!"


    The mage turned his head to look at her in surprise¡ªand something else¡ªbefore he gave her a smile that could only be described as suave. They were both only seconds away from dying, and yet she felt her heart fluttering at his smile like she was a young woman again.


    "We¡¯ll be fine," the mage said reassuringly. "I¡¯m Haru."


    "I¡¯m Irene¡­"


    "Nice to meet you, Irene. This isn¡¯t the first dragon I¡¯ve had to put in its place. Just sit back and watch, I won¡¯t let you be harmed." His confidence was unshaken as he turned back toward Acnologia.


    Before she could respond, Haru¡¯s body began to shift. His form expanded rapidly as he used some form of takeover magic to transform himself into a massive golden fox! The towering beast retained the same number of tails as before¡ªonly now they were enormous and radiated an overwhelming amount of power! The giant fox tilted its head upward and opened its jaws. What emerged was the largest plume of fire Irene had ever seen in her life. The flames roared as they shot toward Acnologia just as the evil dragon released its own draconic roar attack...


    The two attacks collided in mid-air, creating a deafening explosion that shook the mountains to their core. The sheer force of the clash sent massive shockwaves rippling through the entire mountain range!


    "This¡­ this is insane!" she screeched.


    However, it seemed that Haru had been a little overconfident in his earlier bold declaration to make sure nothing harmed her. Thankfully she was skilled enough to make sure she herself would be okay along with Haru. The two breath attacks clashed together for a few moments...they looked to be almost equal in powers until their incomparable natures ended up doing the inevitable and causing a massive magical explosion!


    Haru was blown backwards and even knocked clean out of his giant take over form. Irene jumped up and caught him as the force of the explosion sent him right into her before she cast her most powerful shield charm to ride out the fact that the entire mountain range was pretty much coming down all around them¡­


    She didn''t even have time to wonder what happened to Acnologia, but she was thankful at least that the evil dragon was much closer to the epicenter of the massive explosion than they were. The dragon definitely wasn''t getting away unscathed and she couldn''t even sense its magical signature nearby anymore.


    ¡°Did the other dragon get literally blown away¡­?¡± she muttered.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I woke up feeling really comfortable. My head was resting on something soft, and warm hands were running through my hair, rubbing behind my fox ears in just the right way that almost had me purring. It was honestly hard to want to move.


    I opened my eyes, blinking a few times, and looked up. The face of an incredibly beautiful and busty redheaded woman was staring down at me. It took me a second to remember who she was¡ªshe was the woman who¡¯d teleported behind me during my fight with that asshole dragon. The one who¡¯d offered to help me escape with her. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But I guess my pride hadn¡¯t even let me consider that as an option.


    Yeah, that was pretty stupid of me¡­


    I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d lost the fight, but somehow I¡¯d gotten myself knocked out. Hopefully, I hadn¡¯t been unconscious for too long. The girls were probably waiting for me back at the Fox Hole.


    I probably should¡¯ve gotten up immediately, but her thighs were so damn soft, and she was rubbing my ears just right. She let out a small giggle when she realized I wasn¡¯t moving, and I just laid there for a moment longer.


    "I¡¯m Haru," I said with a grin, looking up at her.


    "It¡¯s nice to meet you again, Haru. I¡¯m Irene." She smiled warmly, her fingers still moving through my hair. "That display you put on against Acnologia¡­ it was very impressive." As she spoke, I caught her slightly licking her lips. Then I picked up something else. Her eyes were a little dilated, and my nose caught the unmistakable scent of a woman¡¯s arousal.


    A dragon woman¡¯sarousal...


    Uh-oh. Was this woman with the very soft thighs a dragon? Did she know that other dragon I just fought?


    "You and that other dragon¡­ you¡¯re not friends, are you?" I asked delicately.


    She immediately looked offended by the very idea. "Absolutely not! Do you not know who you just fought against!? That was the legendary dragon Acnologia himself! The most dangerous creature in the entire world, depending on who you ask. You just came closer to permanently killing him than anyone else I¡¯ve ever heard of!"


    I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a small sigh. "Darn it," I said with a chuckle. "I was hoping I did kill the thing. I have no doubt the dragon steaks I could¡¯ve made from it would¡¯ve been absolutely delicious."


    Her eyes widened, and she stuttered slightly. "D-Dragon steaks¡­?"


    Oh¡­ right. She was a dragon. Crap. I immediately felt like I¡¯d stuck my own tail in my mouth. "Sorry," I said quickly. "I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m a chef, and I¡¯ve fought a couple of evil dragons in the past few months. I, uh, served them in my restaurant afterward."


    "A chef?" she repeated, her voice filled with curiosity and maybe a bit of disbelief.


    "Yeah," I said, sitting up slowly but still leaning back a little. Her thighs were too comfortable to completely move away from yet. "I run a restaurant called the Fox Hole."


    "The Fox Hole?" Irene repeated the name of my restaurant and giggled. "Isn¡¯t that name kind of on the nose?"


    "I thought it was funny," I said with a cheeky grin. "My restaurant is nearby if you want to come check it out. I don¡¯t know how long I was knocked out, but I was in the middle of preparing some French onion soup. I promise it¡¯ll be absolutely delicious."


    Irene frowned at me sadly. "Haru¡­ if your restaurant was nearby, I don¡¯t think it survived."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head.


    "When your breath attack collided with Acnologia¡¯s¡­ it ended up causing an explosion that destroyed almost half the mountain range," she explained.


    That explained why we were sitting in a giant crater. I stood up and brushed myself off. "You don¡¯t need to be worried though. I¡¯m sure the Fox Hole is fine. The building is pretty tough."


    Irene gave me a look that bordered on disbelief but said nothing. She stood up off her knees as well when I smiled at her and offered her my hand. Her cheeks were faintly pink as she took it, and I helped her up.


    I conjured some flames under my feet and started to fly back up toward the peaks of whatever remained of the mountains. Irene cast a flying spell on herself and followed close behind me. It only took about a minute to reach the top again. When we got there, I couldn¡¯t help but grin smugly.


    "See? Told you," I said, pointing at the Fox Hole, which was sitting perfectly intact on a now very thin but somehow stable mountaintop. It was definitely a weird location, but I figured the restaurant would probably move itself somewhere else now that I knew Harry and Hermione weren¡¯t nearby.


    "Are you coming inside?" I asked Irene, glancing back at her.


    She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed me in.


    XXX

 chapter 44

    Chapter 44: Proctor Haru


    ¨C Irene ¨C


    Irene had never had such a delicious meal in her entire life. The French Onion soup Haru had promised her was absolutely exquisite!


    It turned out that Haru was not only an incredibly powerful warrior, but he was also the greatest chef she had ever come across. That was high praise considering she used to be the queen of an entire country in her past, and only the best of the best cooked for her! And she suddenly found herself wanting that again.


    Haru was truly worthy of being her mate!


    ¡­She used to detest her dragon side and all the instincts that came with it, but for once, she was in complete agreement with her dragon side¡¯s assessment of the kitsune Haru. She found out that was the name of his race after he explained about himself and the absolute absurdity of his restaurant, the Fox Hole.


    Her instincts were screaming at her to lock him down and never let go!


    There was just one slight problem with that...


    Irene was sitting on one side of a table, and a group of women were sitting at the other side, staring at her judgmentally, evaluating her. She was 100% certain this was an interrogation.


    "So, Irene, was it? What exactly are your intentions with my son Haru?" the beautiful fox woman asked her.


    Irene knew from years of politics that winning the approval of a parent always went a long way in helping out a potential relationship. Irene placed her hand on her cheek and smiled. "Ara... you¡¯re Haru¡¯s mother? I would have thought you were his big sister! As for my intentions, all I want is his happiness!"


    "Oh, you¡¯re good..." Yasaka let out a few amused chitters followed by a couple of "Ara ara¡¯s" herself.


    ¡®That went well,¡¯ Irene thought to herself.


    The other girls weren¡¯t so easily flattered, though. She knew that winning them over would be equally as important as winning over Haru''s mother. Irene came from a time when it was accepted for royalty to have multiple wives and concubines, so a powerful and handsome man like Haru already having a few women in his life wasn¡¯t that surprising. Winning them to her side so they¡¯d accept her, however, was proving to be a bit more difficult than she¡¯d assumed.


    "Something about you rubs me the wrong way," Haru¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Rias, said. "I don¡¯t know what it is, though..."


    ¡°I was kind of getting those vibes too," Alice added next to Rias.


    Irene frowned. Rubbed them the wrong way? She¡¯d just met these girls and barely spoken to them! Why didn¡¯t they like her? Were they intimidated by her magic power? That shouldn¡¯t be the case because Irene could sense that Rias was pretty powerful herself, and Alice was quite a strong psychic as well.


    "Maybe you two are just imagining things," Irene said, trying to wave off their concerns.


    Tsunade, the older blonde woman sitting next to Rias, narrowed her eyes. "I haven¡¯t known Rias long, but I¡¯ve learned that she¡¯s a pretty good judge of character when it comes to most people. Are you hiding something, Miss Belserion? I¡¯ll have you know I run an entire ninja village, and I will find out..."


    Irene felt a small bead of sweat run down her cheek. She was hiding a lot of things! After all, she¡¯d worked for Zeref himself, but none of the things she was hiding should have impacted these people at all. They weren¡¯t even from her world. They weren¡¯t even from their sister world, Edolas. None of the plans she had with Zeref should affect them in any way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am..." Irene pointed out carefully.


    ¡°Do you have any family?" Rias asked.


    Irene nodded. "I had a husband at one point, but he passed away long ago."


    The other women gave her sad looks, but she told them it was fine. "It was more of a political marriage anyway," she added.


    "Any kids?" Tsunade asked.


    Irene frowned a bit as her mind drifted to Erza. The daughter she had left behind long ago. The other women all noticed her reaction, and she realized she would have to come clean¡­


    She explained that she did have a little girl at some point, but she hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time.


    "How come?" Yasaka asked, narrowing her eyes.


    "I... um... had to leave her..." Irene admitted a bit weakly. She quickly realized that was the wrong thing to say because all the women across from her were suddenly looking at her like she was scum. Uh oh... this was not going well for her future prospects to be together with Haru¡­ S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I knew something was wrong! The Gremory family is all about family! And I could almost feel that you were someone who betrayed your own family!" Rias pointed at Irene with a pout.


    ¡°There were very extenuating circumstances..." Irene tried to explain.


    "I don¡¯t want to hear it," Yasaka declared, her tone final.


    The other women nodded in agreement, their judgment was clear.


    Irene internally winced. She¡¯d handled this all wrong. If she wanted a chance with Haru, she was going to do something to prove herself to these women¡­ And she had a feeling she knew what that was going to be.


    It had been a long time since she had last seen her daughter¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    "Wow! You and this dragon had a really big battle!" Kunou said as she looked around the destroyed mountain range.


    I nodded at her and dramatically spread my arms. "The dragon was super duper strong! But your nii-chan remains undefeated and even stronger!" I grinned.


    "Is the evil dragon dead?" Kunou asked, tilting her head.


    ¡°Unfortunately not.¡± I explained how it had run away after our final clash.


    When I told her how we both used our ultimate attacks at the same time, Kunou¡¯s eyes practically lit up with stars. Her tails were swaying like crazy as she excitedly declared, "You had a super epic anime fight scene!" She then pouted. "I wish I was there to see it!"


    I ruffled her hair playfully. "I¡¯m glad you weren¡¯t. You would have gotten blown away."


    She narrowed her eyes at me cutely. "Would not!"


    "Would too."


    "Nuh uh!"


    "Yeah huh."


    Kunou stuck her tongue out at me before wandering around the crater. Something caught her eye, and she ran over to pull it out of the dirt. It was a large blue scale, half-buried. She held it up proudly. "I got a souvenir of your first-ever anime fight!" she declared.


    "I guess you did," I said with a chuckle.


    We were out here trying to find any signs of where that dragon had flown off to, but it had pretty well covered its tracks. That was too bad because I was sure Acnologia would have been delicious. He was huge and had a lot of meat under those tough scales!


    According to Irene, he was supposed to be sentient, but the dragon certainly didn¡¯t act like it during our fight so I figured it was fine to eat him...


    Speaking of Irene, I glanced over toward the Fox Hole and saw her standing outside with my mother, Rias, Alice, and Tsunade. None of them looked particularly happy with her.


    I wondered what happened while I was out here?


    Irene had saved me¡­ sort of, after all, when I got knocked out.


    Okay, I probably would¡¯ve been fine on my own since Acnologia ran away injured, but she was beautiful and had comfy thighs, so I wanted to find out why the other women were all glaring at her.


    "Don¡¯t you dare come back to the Fox Hole until you find the daughter you abandoned and beg for her forgiveness! Everyone in this place is family, and what you did was unacceptable!" Yasaka declared.


    Kunou and I both froze, our ears twitching as we picked up every word from far away while we walked over.


    "She abandoned her kid?" I muttered to myself, confused. Irene didn¡¯t strike me as the kind of woman who would do that. She¡¯d seemed elegant, composed, and genuinely kind. There had to be more to the story, right?


    "You abandoned your daughter?" Kunou asked Irene in disappointment. Her tails stop swaying behind her. Kono had originally thought the ¡°Dragon Onee-san¡± was super cool, but the red-headed witch had definitely lost points in my little sister''s book for this one.


    Irene¡¯s face twisted into a grimace as her eyes darted toward me. I usually tried my best to withhold judgment, but even my mind was racing to come up with a reason why she would do such a thing. I¡¯d been raised in this second life of mine to believe that family came first before everything!


    "There were extenuating circumstances," Irene said after a moment, her voice quieter but firm. "I was in a very bad place in my mind at the time, but in the end, there¡¯s no reasonable excuse that I can give you all." Her eyes then brightened, and a determined look replaced the guilt on her face. She took a couple of steps toward me. "But you do not have to worry, my love! I¡¯m going to make things right with my daughter, and then we will be together!" Irene smirked before she leaned up on her toes and quickly placed a kiss on my cheek.


    From the corner of my eye, I saw Rias growling. Alice didn¡¯t look very happy either, standing there with her arms crossed.


    Irene turned to smile at them all. "I hold nothing against any of you for your judgment," Irene said, addressing them directly. "This is a regret from my past that I should have corrected long ago, and I will do so now! I¡¯m not sure where my daughter is, but I left her somewhere in Fiore, and that¡¯s where I will start."


    "Fiore?" I asked, trying to keep up. "Where is that?" I also tried really hard to ignore the fact that she just blatantly declared her love for me out of nowhere. I¡¯d long ago learned that redheads could be straight-up crazy, and there was just something about that which always seemed to attract me to them or vice versa.


    Irene looked puzzled for a moment before realization dawned on her face. "Oh, right. You wouldn¡¯t know. This continent is called Alvarez," she explained. "It¡¯s technically a united empire, but across the ocean, there are multiple other magical kingdoms, full of strong wizards. None of them particularly get along or are united. Fiore is one of those kingdoms and home to some of the strongest wizards. That¡¯s where I left my daughter, Erza."


    "Do you have any leads?"


    "Erza should be around 20 years old by now," Irene continued with a somewhat reminiscent look crossing her face. "As a descendant of the Belserion royal family, she has the same hair color as me, and she should have inherited my beauty, so finding her shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. I will be back as soon as I find her and make things right!" Irene turned back to me with a bright smile. "Once I return, we should get married and restart the royal line at once."


    "Uh¡­"


    I glanced toward the other girls for backup. But all I got were looks that very clearly said, "You¡¯re on your own for this one!"


    Irene held out her hand and a magical staff appeared in her grip. She gave us all a fond goodbye before she tapped her staff on the ground and disappeared with teleportation magic.


    "Well, that was something," I muttered.


    "Where the hell do you keep finding all these crazy redheads, Haru?" Rias asked me, crossing her arms and looking genuinely curious.


    I gave her a deadpan look. "You realize you¡¯re included in that list, right?"


    She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Obviously, I know my habits are a little strange, but I¡¯m not as crazy as that chick was. Was it because she was a dragon or something? The only female dragon I even know about is Tiamat¡­ and from what I¡¯ve heard about her, she¡¯s pretty damn eccentric as well."


    "Ara ara, that was pretty tame for how I¡¯ve seen some female dragons act," Yasaka said with a small giggle. But then her look turned more serious as she crossed her arms under her chest. "I don¡¯t want to see Irene again until the woman patches things up with her daughter. To abandon her child like that¡­" She trailed off, shaking her head.


    Alice clicked her tongue. "You still haven¡¯t answered Rias¡¯s question, Haru."


    I sighed and explained. "Irene pretty much just showed up during the middle of my battle with that super-strong dragon Acnologia. I ended up getting knocked out after we unleashed our most powerful attacks at each other. Then I woke up, and Irene was giving me a lap pillow."


    Alice clicked her tongue again and leaned back in her chair. Rias narrowed her blue eyes at me. "That damn magical MILF is trying to jump ahead of us! We can¡¯t let her!"


    "Are you jealous, my king?" Tsunade asked Rias. The way she said "king" almost came off as teasing and sarcastic.


    "Damn right I am!" Rias pouted shamelessly.


    It was only when we all went back inside the Fox Hole that I paused. "Dang, I forgot to ask Irene about Harry and Hermione. If Alvarez really is an entire continent, then who knows where they are."


    "They might even be across the ocean in Fiore," Yasaka pointed out.


    "Hey, what are the odds that they somehow ended up with Irene¡¯s daughter?" Rias asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow.


    Everyone turned and looked at her before shaking their heads.


    "Yeah¡­ right," Alice said, snorting.


    "That would be way too much of a coincidence," I added, waving off the idea.


    "That would be silly!" Kunou chimed in confidently.


    Rias pouted at all of us. "It could totally happen! I think we should go to Fiore ourselves and check!"


    "Doesn¡¯t that defeat the whole purpose of us kicking Irene out if we just follow her over to another continent?" Alice asked, crossing her arms. "And how would we even get over there? Can we fit an airplane through the Fox Hole¡¯s back doors?"


    "We could if we used some magic to shrink it down," I pointed out. "But we don¡¯t really need an airplane to fly. Still, it sounds like a massive pain in the ass to get there that way."


    Suddenly, a scroll appeared in front of my face, and I quickly caught it out of the air. I wasn¡¯t expecting to hear from the goddess again so soon¡­ not after she chickened out of showing herself to me because she was too shy!


    A second scroll fell and bopped me on the head...


    I didn¡¯t even bother catching that one because I already knew what was going to be on it. Tsundere goddess angry scribbles.


    I unrolled the first scroll. "Already done. Your restaurant is now in Fiore," I read aloud from the message. "Well, that was handy," I said.


    Rias grinned smugly. "See? The goddess is on my side. Hey, what does the goddess look like anyway? I¡¯m kind of bummed that I missed seeing her.¡±


    I pointed out that the only ones who saw her were Alice, Kunou and Enri who had already left to go back to her village for the day.


    Rias, Tsunade and Yasaka all turned to Alice and Kunou expectantly.


    ¡°Kunou-chan, can you tell mommy what the goddess looked like?¡± Yasaka asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Kunou said flatly. ¡°Not telling!¡±


    ¡°Ara, my daughter has entered her rebellious stage¡­¡±


    ¡°What about you, Alice?¡± Rias asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s her business. If she wants to come to one of our future girl¡¯s meetings you can see her then,¡± Alice pointed out.


    ¡°You girls are still having those meetings together¡­?¡± I asked nervously.


    Rias and Alice both smirked. ¡°Damn right we are! We haven¡¯t come up with an official name yet but so far Haru¡¯s Foxy Harem is in the lead! We even got a couple new members to show up at the last meeting!¡±


    Tsunade nodded and said that she went to the last meeting herself and that it was surprisingly more fun than she would have expected a bunch of girls gossiping to be.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just go explore Fiore,¡± I said with a sigh. How was I even supposed to properly respond to any of that?


    I walked towards the door, but it swung open before I got to it. A fellow chef decided to walk inside and she looked relieved when she spotted me.


    It was Menchi from the Hunter¡¯s Exam. I wondered how that had been going?


    ¡°Haru! I¡¯m glad I caught you! Is this a good time?¡± she asked while looking around the restaurant.


    I told her it wasn¡¯t exactly a bad time. I explained a couple of my younger friends had gone missing and I was about to head out and look for them, but I could still hear her out. She was clearly here for something, and surprisingly not to try some more of my food.


    ¡°I''m sorry to hear that,¡± Menchi said. ¡°I actually wanted to ask if you wanted to participate in the Hunter¡¯s Exam again. We¡¯re about to enter the finals for the Exam and we wondered if you wanted to be the proctor? You could even make up your own rules. If not then it''s fine, the Chairman has something else planned as a backup. Something about making all the finalists fight until there¡¯s only one left to fail...¡±


    That didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean one left to pass?¡±


    ¡°The chairman¡¯s mind works in weird ways¡­¡± Mechi sighed.


    Yeah, Netero gave off eccentric old man vibes for sure.


    Proctoring the final exam? It actually sounded like a lot of fun and I wouldn''t mind seeing Gon and Killua again, but Harry and Hermione unfortunately came first¡­


    At least that¡¯s what I thought before Yasaka spoke up. ¡°You just fought an Ultimate Class dragon, my son. You need to have some fun and de-stress. You should go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry about the magical teenagers. We¡¯ll look for them,¡± Rias waved me to go as well.


    ¡°Oh! I wanna go too!¡± Kunou declared and raised her hand like that was an option. Which I guess it was¡­?


    I glanced over to the other women in the restaurant and they all encouraged me to be a good big brother and go have fun with Kunou.


    ¡°Yay! We should make the exam super hard!¡± Kunou said excitedly. ¡°I should go get Tanya to help!¡±


    ¡­And she was out the door before anyone bothered to stop her. I suppose Tanya would be happy to see her ¡°friends¡± again if nothing else.


    Menchi looked at me a bit nervous. ¡°You can have fun with the job of course¡­ But don¡¯t make the final exam too hard that no one passes. Putting on the entire Hunter¡¯s Exam every year costs a lot of money and we need at least a few people to pass to make up for it all¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­ no promises.¡±


    XXX

 chapter 45

    Chapter 45: Let the finals begin!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    "Why am I here again?" Tanya grumbled, her tiny arms crossed as she glared at the ground as we walked. "I got eaten by a GIANT FROG the last time I was here in this world. PTSD is a real thing, you know!" she added with an adorable pout.


    "You''re here because we''re going to be the judges for the final hunter exam!" Kunou declared, her tails swishing behind her as she puffed out her chest proudly. "We can make them do whatever we want. They''re at our mercy," she added, flashing a cute, menacing glare.


    It seemed like my adorable little sister was feeling extra mischievous today. This was probably the most fun she¡¯d had all week. Watching her hype herself up was always entertaining.


    "Interesting¡­ What kind of exam is this exactly? Since when do hunters need to be tested?"


    I¡¯d like to say I didn¡¯t let out a yelp when I heard someone behind me¡­ but I did. At least Tanya and Kunou were equally freaked out.


    I spun around and saw Ainz standing there in all his bony glory. Beside him stood the thousand-year-old elf Frieren.


    "Where did you two come from?!" Kunou dramatically pointed at them and shouted.


    "We¡¯ve been here the whole time," Ainz replied with a perfectly straight face¡­ which was all his face ever was because, well, no skin.


    Frieren¡¯s lips twitched as she tried to maintain her composure. The elf wasn¡¯t fooling anyone, though, she¡¯d definitely snuck up on us on purpose.


    It was Ainz who¡¯d asked the question earlier. "What exactly are hunters?" he added.


    I sighed and gave them both a quick rundown on what hunters were, explaining the purpose of the hunter exams and the kind of people who usually became hunters. It wasn¡¯t the easiest thing to explain, mostly because I didn''t know a lot myself despite being made one randomly along with Tanya and Naruko.


    "Interesting," Ainz said, resting a skeletal hand on his chin. "They sound like adventurers, but instead of taking missions from others, they create their own quests. This sounds amusing, let''s go." He decided to immediately invite himself along.


    Frieren nodded as well.


    ¡­Walking down the street toward the hunter headquarters, I couldn¡¯t help but notice people parting like we were some kind of plague. And let¡¯s be honest, it wasn¡¯t because of me, Tanya, or even Frieren. Nope, it was Ainz. Big, bony, and radiating the kind of energy that screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me unless you¡¯re ready to die and then get resurrected and then die again...¡±


    Kunou was skipping along happily at my side, oblivious to the terrified stares around us.


    Frieren, walking just a little behind us, tilted her head. "So, Haru, how exactly are you planning this final exam? And can I help? Fern¡¯s out shopping with our new companion Stark, and I¡¯m bored."


    I let out a chuckle. "Help? Sure you guys can! As for a plan¡­ I was just gonna wing it."


    Tanya stopped dead in her tracks, her hands on her hips. "You¡¯re going to wing it? That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s ridiculously unprofessional! These people are counting on you to run a proper exam, and you¡¯re just going to make it up as you go?" Sometimes, she was a real stickler for rules and regulations.


    I shrugged. "Pretty much. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m getting paid for this."


    "That¡¯s not the point!" Tanya said in exasperation.


    "I¡¯d like to see how strong these potential hunters are. Do they possess any unique abilities or skills?" Ainz was interested as well.


    ¡°Yeah, they do have some strange powers,¡± I told him a bit about what I¡¯d noticed last time we were here.


    Our group was just about to reach the hunter headquarters when I decided to turn to Ainz. "So, how are things going back in your world?" I asked. "Specifically, how¡¯s Gazeff and the royal family he serves? Gazeff¡¯s a respectable guy, so I figured the kingdom he¡¯s pledged to must be the same, right?"


    Frieren, Tanya, and Ainz all snorted at the same time.


    I blinked. That wasn¡¯t exactly the reaction I was expecting.


    "I hate to tell you this, Haru," Tanya started, "but you¡¯re incredibly lucky. Your mom is one of the most just and fair rulers I¡¯ve ever heard of, but she¡¯s the exception. The rest of the world doesn¡¯t operate like that."


    "Yeah," Frieren chimed in, shaking her head. "The greed of humans should never be underestimated. If there¡¯s a chance to screw someone over for personal gain, they¡¯ll take it."


    I turned to Ainz last, my ears drooping a little bit. He scratched his bony cheek awkwardly¡ªwell, where his cheek would have been if he had flesh.


    "Er¡­right," he said, sounding almost embarrassed. "I got so caught up in all the fun we were about to have that I forgot the whole reason I came to find you in the first place. Er¡­I don¡¯t know how to really say this without it being awkward, but uh¡­we¡¯re maybe¡­kind of at war."


    I sputtered. "What!?"


    "What!? Why!?" Kunou shouted, her tails drooping as she looked sad all of a sudden.


    Ainz sighed, his skeletal shoulders slumping slightly. "Remember when you¡ªwell, technically the goddess¡ªpaid for all that territory around Enri¡¯s village and the Re-Estize Kingdom happily sold you that land to get out of debt?"


    "Yeah, I remember."


    Ainz continued, "Well, it turns out the prince of the kingdom found out about the deal. And when he discovered that they sold the land to, and I quote, ¡®a filthy demi-human monster,¡¯ he decided to declare the deal null and void. Despite the fact that they¡¯re obviously planning on keeping all the gold. Or rather, they already spent it."


    "Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake," I muttered, running a hand through my hair.


    Kunou¡¯s ears perked up. "That¡¯s so unfair! They can¡¯t just take the money and back out of the deal!"


    "Welcome to politics, Kunou. You''ll have to deal with all this crap when you''re older." Tanya said dryly. ¡°And now a bunch of people are going to die because of it. Although it won¡¯t be our people!¡± Tanya declared passionately!


    She¡¯d really connected with the Yokai faction during her time here¡­


    "Politics sucks..." Kunou grumbled and Tanya patted her head.


    As we approached the hunter headquarters I saw Netero personally waiting outside and he waved at us. "Hey there, young Haru! Glad you made it. What¡¯s wrong? You look upset," he said, his eyes flicking over to Ainz and Frieren with mild surprise. "And who are your... friends?" he added with a tiny nervous glance for Ainz in particular.


    "Oh, it''s just some bad news," I said, waving him off. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ainz and Frieren introduced themselves briefly, and I filled Netero in.


    "It¡¯s a whole complicated situation," Ainz explained, "but Demiurge broke it down for me."


    Netero frowned and then nodded in understanding. ¡°Do you need to leave?" he asked me.


    I shook my head. "No, we''re already here after all and I could use some actual fun before things get stressful for a bit. I¡¯ll have to tell my mother about all this soon though."


    Was I pissed off that people I''ve never met before had reneged on a deal that I didn''t even personally set up?


    Kind of¡­


    Ainz spoke up again, saying that was already covered. Lupusregina Beta was already on the way to her palace to tell her everything that was going on...and to officially meet my mom and ¡°introduce¡± herself.


    I was sure Yasaka was going to tease me later about another red-headed werewolf.


    I shook my head rapidly and I decided to put the negative topics aside so we could focus on why we were here.


    We were here to have some fun and torture these contestants!


    ¡­I mean give them a fair and completely non-biased challenge!


    Yeah¡­ that last one!


    ¡­


    An hour later¡­


    Despite the bad news I¡¯d received earlier, I was having trouble keeping the smirk off my face as I stood in the middle of the large open hall. My friends and little sister were gathered around me, and honestly? Sometimes, a kitsune just needed to pull some mischief to feel better.


    "Hi Tanya-chan!" Gon shouted, waving enthusiastically as he bounced on his heels like an overexcited puppy. "You missed out on a whole bunch of fun! We got stuck in a room together for over 50 hours. It was the best sleepover ever!"


    "50 hours...? Trapped together¡­?" Tanya looked absolutely horrified at the thought. She turned her head and did her best to ignore both Gon and Killua, who were now pouting at her obvious rejection.


    The other contestants were staring at our group nervously. It seemed like my reputation from when I crashed the earlier stages of the exam had stuck with me. Specifically, a certain magician¡ªor clown, depending on who you asked¡ªlooked like he wanted to be anywhere else. Or maybe he was actually just scared of Tanya¡­


    I stepped toward the gathered contestants and cleared my throat, letting my grin widen. "Welcome to the final stage of the hunter exam! Here, you¡¯ll be tested to see if you have what it takes to be a real hunter."


    Kunou, standing beside me, puffed out her chest confidently and added, "And if you suck, then you¡¯re out!"


    "What is this, bring your little sister to work day?" Leorio muttered but was promptly shut up when Kurapika smacked him.


    Before I could respond, Gon suddenly blurted out, "Is that your sister, Haru? She¡¯s cute!"


    Killua groaned and facepalmed as Kunou¡¯s cheeks flushed a bright pink. ¡°Eeeeh!?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as I reached over and ruffled her hair. "Yep, that¡¯s my little sister. Kunou, meet Gon and Killua. Gon¡¯s the one embarrassing himself right now."


    Kunou¡¯s blush deepened, but she straightened up and tried to look dignified. "It¡¯s nice to meet you both¡­"


    ¨C Killua ¨C


    This whole exam had been a breeze up until now. But Killua had a sinking feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated. Haru and Tanya being back so soon and them being proctors was not something he was expecting to happen! Killua hadn¡¯t managed to pass the last time Haru was a guest proctor, although that was a cooking challenge. He hoped there was no cooking in this exam.


    It didn¡¯t help their chances that Gon had to make things even more embarrassing! The moment he spotted Haru¡¯s little sister, Kunou, he¡¯d immediately blurted out, "Is that your sister, Haru? She¡¯s cute!"


    Killua groaned, running a hand through his hair. Gon was his best friend, no question about it, but sometimes¡­ sometimes he wondered if Gon had been dropped on his head one too many times as a kid?


    Kunou blushed at the declaration and her fluffy tails swished behind her.


    Killua could admit, in his head at least, that she was pretty adorable. But he wasn¡¯t about to say it out loud like his idiot friend.


    Haru clapped his hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. "It¡¯s time for the first contestants to step forward!" His finger pointed directly at Killua and Gon.


    Gon grinned ear to ear. "Alright! We¡¯re going to pass this thing easily and finally become hunters!"


    Killua raised an eyebrow. His assassin instincts screamed that Haru had something devious planned, and when the fox man, letting Tanya and Kunou take his place, that feeling was confirmed!


    "We¡¯ve decided to split up the contestants by the type of hunters they want to be," Tanya explained, her sharp tone making it clear she wasn¡¯t here to play around. She gestured to Kunou, who stood with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And we¡¯ve done a little research on each of you to assign appropriate proctors."


    Killua crossed his arms, waiting for whatever nonsense was coming next.


    Tanya turned to Gon first. "Gon, I learned that your dad is a piece of shit who abandoned you as a baby, and now you¡¯re trying to track him down."


    "Yep!" Gon said enthusiastically and unashamed, completely missing the looks of pity from the other contestants¡­


    Tanya¡¯s eyes shifted to Killua. "And you¡¯re just here because it sounded fun. But since you¡¯re Gon¡¯s best friend and practically glued to his side, you¡¯ll probably end up helping him track down his deadbeat dad anyway."


    Killua shrugged. That wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. She was right. He didn¡¯t have anything better to do.


    Gon grinned at him, that dopey, happy expression plastered all over his face. Killua sighed. "What¡¯s the objective?"


    Tanya smirked, gesturing to Kunou. "You have half an hour to catch her. Or more accurately, touch her."


    Kunou puffed out her chest, her tails wagging. "I¡¯m super fast and tricky! Let¡¯s play extreme tag! You¡¯re both it!"


    Killua rolled his eyes. How hard could it be to catch a ten-year-old fox girl?


    "Go!" Tanya shouted.


    Before Gon could even react, Killua vanished in a blur, reappearing right in front of Kunou. Her wide-eyed surprise told him she hadn¡¯t expected his speed. He smirked, reaching out to grab her shoulder¡ªonly for his hand to pass straight through her.


    "An illusion?!" Killua growled as the Kunou in front of him faded like a mirage.


    "You¡¯ll have to do better than that!" Kunou called out from across the room, sticking her tongue out at him.


    "She can make clones of herself and turn invisible!" Gon exclaimed, looking impressed. "This is going to be really hard!"


    Killua scoffed. "Now that I know her trick, I won¡¯t fall for it again."


    That¡¯s when something slammed into the side of his face and exploded.


    "C-Chili powder?!" Killua coughed and hacked, his eyes watering as he turned to see Tanya holding a paintball gun¡­ except it definitely wasn¡¯t filled with paintballs.


    "You didn¡¯t think there wouldn¡¯t be obstacles, did you?" Tanya said smugly. "You two have to catch Kunou while I¡¯m shooting these chili pepper balls at you!"


    "That¡¯s not fair!" Killua shouted, still rubbing at his burning eyes.


    "Fairness is overrated," Tanya replied, firing another shot¡ªthis time at Gon.


    Gon let out a startled yelp and dived behind Leorio, who¡¯d been standing off to the side watching the chaos. "What the hell, Gon?!" Leorio yelled, only to take the hit straight to the face.


    The room erupted in laughter as Leorio fell to the ground, clutching his face and rolling around like a drama queen. ¡°I¡¯m not even part of this exam!" he whined.


    ¨C Frieren ¨C


    A couple minutes later¡­


    They were standing out back behind the large exam building.


    ¡°Hello, I am Frieren,¡± she said simply, introducing herself to Leorio and Pokkle. The two of them couldn¡¯t have been more different in personality and goals, yet they shared something in common¡ªneither aspired to be combat hunters. Leorio wanted to become a doctor, while Pokkle¡¯s dream was to research and protect endangered animals. Both were admirable goals, Frieren had to admit. She respected their intentions.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Leorio replied. His voice sounded polite but strained, and his eyes were still red and puffy.


    Frieren silently waved her staff, casting a simple healing spell. Leorio blinked in surprise as his irritated eyes cleared up and his runny nose stopped altogether.


    ¡°How did you do that?!¡± Leorio exclaimed in astonishment.


    Pokkle¡¯s jaw nearly dropped as he took a step back, equally stunned by what he¡¯d just witnessed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent most of my life learning magic,¡± Frieren explained. ¡°But that¡¯s far from all I¡¯ve learned.¡± She waved her staff again, and the barren field around them erupted in a breathtaking display of color. Tens of thousands of vibrant flowers sprang up, blanketing the area.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Leorio muttered, looking around in awe.


    Frieren smirked slightly. This was her favorite spell for a reason. ¡°Your exam isn¡¯t particularly difficult,¡± she began. ¡°Hidden among this field of flowers are ten specific types. Each of them is valuable for creating healing salves that could save the life of a human or an animal in an emergency.¡±


    She conjured glowing, holographic images of the ten flowers, giving Leorio and Pokkle a clear visual of what they were looking for. ¡°Your task is simple: find and bring me one of these flowers each. However,¡± she added, ¡°you only have three chances. If you bring me the wrong flower three times, you fail.¡±


    Leorio¡¯s jaw tightened. Pokkle¡¯s brows furrowed in concentration.


    ¡°Also, you only have an hour,¡± Frieren finished, leaning casually on her staff. She let her words hang in the air for a moment, watching as panic slowly crept into their expressions. It was amusing.


    ¡°An hour?!¡± Leorio groaned!


    Pokkle looked more composed but still uneasy. ¡°We¡¯ll have to move carefully,¡± he muttered, mostly to himself. ¡°Rushing could destroy one of the flowers we need.¡±


    Frieren gave a small nod. ¡°Exactly. This test isn¡¯t just about identifying the right flowers, it¡¯s about handling them with care. A healer or protector must always consider the fragility of life.¡±


    Frieren stepped back, motioning for them to begin. ¡°Good luck. Remember, you only have three tries, so choose wisely.¡±


    The two of them spread out cautiously, carefully moving through the flower field.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    WHAM!


    ¡°Welcome to your final exam,¡± I said with a grin as the old martial artist hit the floor unconscious after one punch. Honestly, I was surprised he¡¯d even made it this far.


    Kurapika and Hanzo, my last two contestants, glanced down at the slumped guy nervously.


    ¡°This guy was way too old and weak to ever compete with you two,¡± I told them. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle he made it this far, but let¡¯s face it, he¡¯d only get himself killed if he kept going.¡±


    Kurapika¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked back up at me. ¡°So, the final exam is combat then?¡±


    Hanzo rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I like to think I¡¯m pretty strong, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure we can take you on, Haru. Even together, we¡¯d stand no chance. Aren¡¯t you, like¡­ a god?¡±


    Kurapika snapped his head toward Hanzo, wide-eyed. ¡°What?¡±


    Hanzo nodded seriously. ¡°In my home country, nine-tailed foxes are regarded as deities¡­ mythical beings people pray to. I never thought they were real, until now.¡± He turned and gave me a respectful bow.


    I¡¯ll admit, I wasn¡¯t used to people bowing to me like quite that openly. It was¡­ weird. But I bowed back anyway. ¡°Thanks, I guess? But you two don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll be taking it easy on you both¡­ I¡¯m not Ainz, after all.¡± I smirked.


    BOOM!


    The floor and walls suddenly shook like a freakin¡¯ earthquake hit us. I could feel the immense pressure coming from the room where Ainz was doing his part of the exam. That guy¡­ he didn¡¯t know the meaning of ¡°easy.¡± He¡¯d taken the two most dangerous finalists¡ªHisoka and Gittarackur, a.k.a. Pincushion Guy¡ªand locked them in a room with him. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be impressed or scared for them.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± Hanzo asked, glancing toward the source of the explosion.


    ¡°That¡¯s just Ainz,¡± I said casually. Hisoka and Pincushion Dude have some weird abilities, and Ainz wants to see everything they¡¯ve got. Pretty sure neither of them is walking out without showing him. It¡¯s similar to something called Touki, but¡­ different. I noticed that the chairman and Menchi both had the power as well. It¡¯s something unique to this world, but we were curious if other people could learn it too.


    "Are you both ready?" I asked them.


    They both nodded in determination. Hanzo unsheathed some daggers that had been hidden in his sleeves and Kurapika drew two wooden swords from behind his back.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, stepping back a little. One of my tails popped off and reformed into a clone of myself. It was only at one-eighth of my total power, but let¡¯s be real, even that was going to give them a run for their money.


    ¡°Your objective is simple: make my clone bleed,¡± I told them. A task that was going to be much easier said than done.


    They didn''t waste any time and both darted forwards!


    XXX

 chapter 46

    This chapter has an R-18 scene


    Chapter 46: A sudden surprise


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Standing next to the chairman in that cramped auditorium, I couldn¡¯t help but let a grin slip on my face. He had one too, the sly bastard.


    ¡°Congratulations to everyone who passed!¡± he announced, his voice calm but with a hint of amusement. The finalists were starting to trickle into the room.


    Gon and Killua came in first, sniffling and wiping their eyes. Their entire bodies were covered in chili powder.


    ¡°You guys okay?¡± I asked, barely suppressing a laugh.


    Killua looked at me with an annoyed expression. His eyes were all red and watery. ¡°Do we look okay!?¡±


    I had to cover my mouth to hide my blatant snickers. Tanya had clearly had fun with them.


    Kurapika and Hanzo weren¡¯t much better as they walked in next after cleaning themselves up a bit in the bathroom.


    They washed off most of the blood but were both still covered in bruises. Despite all that, I gave them a small nod of approval. They¡¯d managed to land a single cut on one of my clones at the end once they stopped attacking separately and learned they needed to work together.


    Did I feel bad about beating them both up? Not really.


    Kurapika needed the experience. The guy was out here hunting a band of killers who wiped out his entire clan. I respected his mission, I even thought his quest for vengeance was justified. But he needed to understand just how much stronger he needed to become. Kurapika was skilled, but skill isn¡¯t the same as strength.


    Hanzo, on the other hand, was a different story. The guy was talented¡ªquick, resourceful, and adaptable. He¡¯d make a good ninja one day, especially after learning this world¡¯s unique power system.


    Aura, they called it. Or Nen.


    Some energy thing inside you that lets you create abilities as long as they fit a category. Although it only worked for living beings...


    Hehe... Living beings.


    Ainz had been annoyed when he realized he couldn¡¯t learn Aura but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get over it. Or maybe his human transformation will be able to learn it. I¡¯d never asked him how far along with that he was.


    Leorio walked into the room next, looking like he¡¯d just been through a blender. The guy was covered head to toe in dirt and flower petals. Frieren had been in charge of his exam, along with some other guy whose name I didn¡¯t bother learning. Only Leorio had passed.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± I asked, trying to keep a straight face.


    Leorio groaned, brushing off some petals from his shirt. ¡°So many flowers....¡±


    The last people to enter the room were the clown and the pin cushion guy. Well, former pin cushion guy. He wasn¡¯t covered in needles anymore. Hisoka walked in with him, and for once, he didn¡¯t look like he was ready to kill someone. If anything, he looked... broody.


    ¡°Nii-san!?¡± Killua shot up from his seat, eyes wide in shock.


    ¡°Oh... hey, Kil. Fancy seeing you here,¡± the guy said casually. He plopped down next to Hisoka, completely ignoring the stares he was getting. His outfit was torn and barely hanging on, and his skin was covered in bruises and burns.


    Ainz really didn¡¯t hold back on the magic, did he?


    Hisoka didn¡¯t look much better. He had this weird, distant look, like someone had just kicked his ego down a flight of stairs. For the second time this exam, no less. At least this time it was by a ridiculously powerful magic skeleton and not a thirteen-year-old girl. Small victories, I guess.


    ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± Killua asked his brother.


    His brother didn''t bother answering¡­ All he did was shudder.


    Beans, this weird little guy who looked like a walking, talking bean, wandered around the room passing out hunter licenses. He was short, had this shiny bald head, and wore a suit that somehow didn¡¯t make him look any less bizarre. I watched as he handed out the cards one by one while the chairman stood at the front, explaining how important the licenses were.


    ¡°These cards are your official hunter licenses,¡± the chairman said. ¡°They come with perks that will make your lives much easier. You¡¯ll have access to exclusive information, restricted areas, and a whole lot of other benefits. But,¡± he added, raising a finger, ¡°don¡¯t lose them. They¡¯re impossible to replace.¡±


    Once everyone had their cards, I decided to lighten the mood. ¡°Alright, listen up,¡± I said, loud enough to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°You all survived this crazy exam, so to celebrate, I¡¯m inviting you to my restaurant. Free food!¡±


    I wasn''t going to make it a full blown party, especially since none of these people were really my friends at this point, but a mini celebration was fine.


    Kurapika and Hanzo grinned. Even Leorio, who looked like he could barely move, managed a weak fist pump. Gon and Killua perked up immediately, their earlier exhaustion forgotten.


    But then my gaze landed on Hisoka and Killua¡¯s older brother. I pointed at them next. ¡°Except you two. You¡¯re not invited...¡±


    I didn''t want them killing the vibe.


    Hisoka¡¯s smile dropped for half a second before he replaced it with his usual creepy grin. Killua¡¯s brother just stared at me blankly.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not invited,¡± I told him again, and I¡¯m pretty sure he gave me a genuine pout this time.


    ¡­


    Leorio leaned over the counter, holding up an empty bowl. ¡°This is so good, Haru! Now I¡¯m jealous that only that annoying woman Menchi got to try your cooking last time!¡±


    I took the bowl from him. ¡°Flattery gets you more food, Leorio. Keep it coming.¡±


    Kurapika, sitting next to him, gave Leorio a mock glare. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that Menchi is a hunter too, which means we¡¯re colleagues now,¡± he pointed out. "You can''t go around calling her names."


    Leorio scratched the back of his head, clearly trying to come up with a decent response. ¡°Oh yeah. I forgot about that. I guess it hasn¡¯t quite sunk in yet that we¡¯re hunters now.¡±


    I handed him back his bowl, filled with more fried rice. He didn¡¯t waste a second before digging in.


    Kurapika was much more polite when he asked for seconds, handing me his bowl with a small nod.


    The two of them continued chatting and eating while I glanced across the restaurant. Kunou was sitting in one of the booths with Tanya, Killua, and Gon. Tanya looked like she was trying to maintain some semblance of control but kept failing. Yep, no matter what she tried, she kept getting pulled back to the kids'' table...


    Kunou noticed me looking and smiled while waving energetically. ¡°Nii-san! Killua says he has to go home and visit his family, and he invited me, Gon, and Tanya-chan to come with him!¡±


    I paused for a moment, considering her words. It was good that Kunou was making friends close to her age¡ªkind of. Gon and Killua were both 2 years older than her.


    But there was no way we were letting her run around the world like Gon and Killua¡¯s families seemed perfectly fine with. That was just bad parenting. Not my kids, though, so not my place to comment.


    ¡°How far away is your house, Killua?¡± I asked him. If it was close by I wouldn''t mind though.


    ¡°It¡¯s a couple thousand kilometers away,¡± he said casually. ¡°In another country.¡±


    Ok then¡­


    I nodded, then smiled at Kunou. ¡°Nope, sorry. You¡¯re not going.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­¡± Kunou¡¯s ears drooped, and she gave me the biggest puppy-dog eyes she could muster. I¡¯ll admit, it was a solid attempt, but the answer wasn¡¯t changing.


    ¡°Nice try, but it¡¯s still a no,¡± I said firmly.


    She pouted, crossing her arms and slumping back in her seat. Gon patted her on the shoulder. Tanya, for her part, looked relieved that I had put my foot down.


    Hanzo was the first to head out. He gave me a small bow. ¡°Thank you for the meal, Haru. It was excellent. I have to return to my home country to complete my training now that I¡¯m a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Good luck, Hanzo,¡± I said, giving him a wave.


    About an hour later, Gon, Kurapika, Killua, and Leorio decided to leave too. They¡¯d been talking about their plans. Apparently, they were all heading to Killua¡¯s home¡ªsome place called Kukuroo Mountain¡ªbefore splitting up and going their separate ways.


    ¡°Thanks for everything, Haru,¡± Gon said, grinning as he stood up. ¡°Your food is the best!¡±


    ¡°It was ok...¡± Killua added dryly, like the little shit he was.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to look us up when we¡¯re all big-shot hunters!¡± Leorio called out.


    Kunou, of course, tried to take this as her chance to plead her case again. She grabbed my arm, looking up at me with her wide, hopeful eyes. ¡°Nii-san, can I please go with them? It¡¯s just a quick trip!¡±


    I sighed, crossing my arms. ¡°Kunou, we¡¯ve been over this. You¡¯re not going.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°That¡¯s final. I¡¯m not about to let you run off to another country in another world...¡±


    Tanya appeared at the door, giving me a nod before grabbing Kunou by the shoulder. ¡°Come on, princess. Let¡¯s get you back to the palace,¡± Tanya said, her tone leaving no room for argument.


    Kunou shot me one last pleading look, but I just shook my head. She sighed dramatically as Tanya gently led her out of the restaurant.


    Once everyone was gone, I grabbed a cloth and started wiping down the counters, stacking the dishes into neat piles before pilling them in the washing machine. I locked the front door of the Fox Hole and headed into the back of the building to my little apartment room.


    I was caught by surprise when I opened the door. There was someone in my room.


    ¡°Welcome, back Haru!¡±


    My fiance, Rias Gremory was sitting on the edge of my bed smiling at me in a very enticing way. She was wearing some very skimpy red lingerie as well¡­


    ¨C Rias ¨C


    Rias sat cross-legged on the edge of Haru¡¯s bed, marveling at how the soft sheets felt against her bare thighs. She had decided that if she was going to stage a surprise like this, she might as well make herself comfortable.


    Hours of anticipation had coiled tightly in her stomach, and her impatience flared a little every time she glanced at the clock on the nightstand. She couldn¡¯t believe she had been waiting for two whole hours, but she was going to keep waiting until she could surprise him!


    She glanced down, appreciating how the red lingerie she had picked out that afternoon hugged her body. It was a deep, bright scarlet that matched her crimson hair so perfectly it seemed custom-made.


    She trailed her fingertips over the little bows adorning the straps of the bra. With each passing minute, she¡¯d become more certain this lingerie had been well worth the shopping trip with Akeno.


    Just the thought of how Haru¡¯s eyes would widen when he saw her dressed like this was already sending delicious sparks of excitement through her. Of course, she hadn¡¯t planned on wearing the lingerie for very long, but that was the point.


    A warm flush crept to her cheeks as she remembered the thrill she felt whenever she thought about that day Haru and Aela fucked right in front of her. She wanted to know what that felt like for herself. She wanted to be the one to make him moan like that, to have his hands all over her. Tonight was the night, and the mere possibility had her heart pounding so loudly she swore she could hear it echo in the room.


    She stared at the door, wondering what his expression would be when he finally came in. She wanted to see the way his ears would twitch adorably, or the flush she knew would spread across his cheeks and neck.


    Rias licked her lips, legs shifting slightly.


    Finally, she saw the handle turn. Her heart pounded. The doorknob jiggled, and after one more agonizing second, the door swung open. Haru walked in, and as soon as he glanced her way, his jaw nearly fell open.


    Just as she expected!


    Rias giggled at the stunned expression on his face. She lifted her hand in a little wave, feeling a rush of satisfaction at how his gaze roamed over her body. His golden, slitted eyes drank in the sight¡ªher bare thighs, the red lace bra hugging her large breasts, the matching thong that revealed far more than it concealed.


    He took in every detail, and a flicker of excitement danced across his features.


    ¡°Hey, Haru,¡± she said, giving him a playful once-over with her own eyes. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± She teased him with a small pout to emphasize how long she had been waiting.


    His lips parted, as though he couldn¡¯t quite decide what to say first. ¡°H-Hi, Rias¡­ This is¡ªwow. I mean, this is quite the surprise.¡± He swallowed hard and closed the door behind him. His ears gave a twitch that all but betrayed his excitement.


    She could practically feel the desire rolling off him in waves.


    ¡°Surprise, indeed.¡± She grinned, leaning back on her hands. ¡°Although¡­you can¡¯t entirely blame me. Yasaka thought you could use someone to help you relax, and I just so happened to volunteer.¡± She winked at him.


    Haru¡¯s cheeks flushed a little darker. ¡°Yasaka told you to sneak into my room like this?¡± He looked both amused and a little flustered as his voice cracked slightly on the last few words.


    Rias brought a hand to her mouth to stifle another giggle. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what she said.¡± She patted the space beside her. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t complaining, trust me. I¡¯ve wanted some alone time with you for a while.¡±


    He stepped closer, eyes flicking over her body again. ¡°I¡ªI guess I should thank her, then.¡± He said but it was obvious his attention was currently only on Rias.


    Rias sat up straighter on the bed, letting her legs fall open just a bit. The thong didn¡¯t hide much. She wanted him to see everything¡ªshe wanted to make it clear that she was here for one reason and one reason only. ¡°Come on, Haru. Don¡¯t make me wait any longer.¡± She put on her most inviting smile.


    He didn¡¯t need more encouragement. In an instant, he was standing directly in front of her, and before she could tease him again, he leaned down and captured her lips in a hot, eager kiss.


    The contact jolted through her, sparking a little gasp that escaped into his mouth.


    Rias moaned softly, arching into him. She felt his strong hands slide around her back, and the sensation of his fingers pressing against her bare skin under the bra strap sent a cascade of goosebumps over her arms.


    The top of her breasts tingled as he moved his lips down, placing kisses that grazed the edge of her bra¡¯s cups.


    She squeezed her thighs around his hips, loving the way he all but pinned her down. When he pulled back to take a breath, she reached down to unfasten his belt with nimble fingers¡ªexcept in her excitement, she fumbled. Impatient, she decided to just use a tiny burst of her magical power.


    The buckle disintegrated and the belt fell away in pieces.


    ¡°Really?¡± Haru teased, eyebrows shooting up as he noticed the little sparks of magic fading from her hands.


    She gave him a mischievous shrug. ¡°It was in my way,¡± she said with a grin, ¡°and I didn¡¯t feel like dealing with the buckle.¡±


    He snorted a small laugh, but the humor quickly melted into need. He shoved his pants down along with his boxers, revealing the impressive erection Rias had been daydreaming about for weeks. He was big, thick, and unmistakably hard. Her breath caught in her throat.


    Rias reached behind her back, unhooking her own bra with a practiced motion. The red lace dropped away, leaving her large breasts fully exposed. Haru¡¯s gaze locked onto them, and she could practically feel his excitement crackle in the air. She enjoyed how his eyes seemed to darken with hunger. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sit down for me,¡± she told him, nudging him back. She scooted onto the bed until she was by the pillows, patting the space in front of her. The sheets rustled as Haru complied and settled back.


    She propped herself on her knees between his legs, letting her breasts sway. The cool air brushed against her bare nipples, tightening them further.


    Gently, she took his cock in her hands, marveling at the warmth and weight of it. The muscles in Haru¡¯s thighs visibly tensed as she began to stroke him, slow at first, letting him feel every bit of friction created by her palms.


    ¡°You¡¯re so big for me,¡± she said, exhaling a shaky breath. She stole a glance at his expression. His lips were parted, eyes half-lidded with pleasure. A bright thrill shot through her at the thought of what she would do next. ¡°Do you want to fuck my tits?¡± she asked, lifting a playful eyebrow.


    His response was immediate and raw with need. ¡°Yes¡­ Please,¡± he almost rasped, his voice betraying how desperately he wanted it.


    An excited spark lit up inside her. She pressed her breasts together around his cock, letting his length nestle snugly in the valley of her chest. The heat of him against her skin was intoxicating. She spat lightly onto the tip of his cock for lubrication, watching as the droplets slid down, making the movement smoother.


    Then she began to move her torso up and down, controlling the pressure with her arms, letting her breasts engulf him completely.


    A long groan escaped his lips. The sound vibrated through the room, and Rias felt her own arousal spike at how good it felt to give him pleasure. ¡°Feels amazing, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, shifting her angle slightly so that the head of his cock would peek out near her chin.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he managed, breath ragged. ¡°So¡ªso damn good.¡±


    Her confidence soared! She leaned down and slowly licked the tip. The salty tang of his pre-cum spread over her tongue, and she felt an excited shiver roll down her spine. She moaned softly, letting him know that she was enjoying this every bit as much as he was. She held his gaze as she opened her mouth, swirling her tongue around the head before taking just the tip past her lips.


    He sucked in a sharp breath, hands curling in the bedsheets.


    Encouraged, Rias continued to slide her breasts up and down his shaft, adding a gentle squeeze each time. She alternated between pressing them tighter and allowing them to spread, all the while swirling her tongue over the sensitive crown.


    Wet, lewd sounds filled the room, mixing with their heavy breathing.


    She could feel her own body responding to the whole scene. A needy throb pulsed between her legs, and she realized just how wet she was getting.


    She picked up the pace, bobbing her head at the same time she pumped her breasts. There was a silky glide as her saliva and his own arousal mingled. Haru¡¯s breathing turned shallow, and she noticed how his head tipped back slightly, his ears flicking in clear pleasure. The muscles in his stomach twitched with each motion of her breasts.


    ¡°Rias¡­ I¡¯m close,¡± he warned, voice trembling with the force of it.


    Instead of slowing down, she doubled her efforts. She wanted to feel him lose control. She closed her lips around the crown, sucking firmly while her chest massaged the rest of him. A hot rush of anticipation flared. She could practically sense each throb of his cock.


    A moment later, Haru groaned her name and thrust upward. His cock twitched hard between her breasts, and she felt the first spurt of his release hit the back of her throat.


    She closed her eyes and savored the salty taste. She pulled back just enough so that more ropes of cum splashed across her breasts. The sensation made her moan softly, her nipples tingling where his release splattered.


    Eventually, the pulses subsided, and Rias opened her eyes to see Haru gazing at her in adoration and disbelief. She tilted her head back, swallowing what she had in her mouth with a small, satisfied gulp. A few droplets still clung to her lips. She flicked her tongue out, catching them.


    She decided to leave the rest of his cum right where it was, streaked across the smooth skin of her breasts.


    ¡°You look so damn sexy with my cum on you,¡± Haru admitted, eyes lingering on her chest. He swallowed hard, the hunger in his gaze was obvious.


    ¡°Did you like that?¡± Rias asked him, raising an eyebrow as she admired the slick sheen on his length.


    ¡°That was amazing, Rias,¡± Haru told her.


    ¡°Good.¡± Rias giggled and shifted her position on the bed. She felt the soft sheets against her back as she relaxed onto them, lifting her knees to give him a clear view. She reached down to push her panties to the side, revealing her dripping pussy. ¡°Now I want you to take that big cock and fuck me as a proper thank you~.¡±


    Her heart pounded in her chest. She had fantasized about this moment for so long!


    Haru¡¯s eyes lit up at her request, and he practically pounced on her. Rias let out a laugh that turned into a moan when he grabbed her thighs, pressing them wider apart. She hooked her arms around his neck, pulling him close enough to feel the heat of his body along her bare skin.


    One of his hands reached down, guiding his cock toward her entrance. She felt the tip brush her folds, and the sensation made her shiver with anticipation!


    Rias gazed up at him, meeting his eyes as he pushed inside. A sharp gasp slipped from her lips as she felt his cock stretch her, breaching her virgin folds. She hissed out a breath, then let it turn into a breathy moan as she adjusted to his girth.


    ¡°Fuck yes!¡± she cried out. Her own voice startled her, but she couldn¡¯t hold it back. It felt too damn good!


    Haru groaned in response, gripping her thighs firmly. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking tight,¡± he growled, and she could hear the strain in his voice. His ears flattened slightly in the intensity of the moment.


    He started to thrust, guiding his cock deeper with each roll of his hips.


    She dug her nails into his shoulders for leverage, focusing on the incredible friction. Every stroke sent pleasure spreading through her like a slow burn. She let out another moan, this one louder than before, as she tried to match his rhythm by rocking her hips upward.


    He slipped his hands beneath her, cupping her asscheeks. His palms felt hot and firm. Each time he surged forward, he used his grip to pull her closer, increasing the force of every thrust.


    Rias tilted her head back, letting out a wavering cry of pleasure. She wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting him as deep as possible.


    She could feel his cock filling her completely. Every thrust rubbed against sensitive spots inside her that she never knew existed. Shivers ran through her limbs, leaving her toes curling as jolts of bliss shot up her spine. The sounds of wet, eager movement filled the room, underscored by her whimpers and his ragged breathing.


    After a few moments, she slid her hands up and around his shoulders, pulling him down for a frantic kiss. Their tongues clashed as he continued his relentless pace. She gasped against his mouth when he shifted his angle, hitting an even more sensitive spot.


    Her entire body tensed in response! She squeezed her thighs around his waist, desperate for more of that sensation. Haru caught the hint and began thrusting in shorter, faster bursts. Her mind grew foggy with pleasure. With a sudden move, he slipped his arms around her and lifted her from the bed, barely missing a beat.


    Her breath hitched! He held her by her ass, and now she was straddling his lap. Her breasts pressed firmly against his chest, and she clung to his shoulders to steady herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­pussy is gripping me so tightly,¡± Haru groaned.


    Rias felt a surge of lust at his words. ¡°Your cock feels so good in me,¡± she gasped, rolling her hips forward to grind against him. The new angle made every thrust feel more direct, sending jolts of pleasure through her lower belly. Her nipples rubbed against his chest, creating tiny sparks of sensation that kept her body buzzing.


    She pressed her lips against his again, kissing him passionately. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, searching for his. She felt his grip on her ass tighten, holding her up as he shoved his cock deeper. Each time he pushed in, their bodies met with a wet slap that echoed through the room.


    As they kissed, she could feel the heat in her core building faster. This pressure coiled low in her stomach, tightening with each thrust. She broke the kiss to let out a whimper, burying her face against his neck.


    ¡°Rias,¡± Haru mumbled, his voice shaking a little. ¡°I love how you feel.¡±


    She bit gently at the side of his neck, letting out a shuddering breath. ¡°I¡¯m so close,¡± she whispered. Her nails dug into his shoulders, and her legs tightened around his waist, urging him on.


    He responded by gripping her ass more firmly. He increased the speed of his thrusts, pushing into her with a steady, powerful rhythm that left her head spinning. Each stroke felt more intense than the last. Pleasure surged at the base of her spine, and she realized she was moments away from the orgasm she had been craving!


    She clung to him, rocking in time with his thrusts. Finally, she felt her body seize up! Her pussy clamped down around his cock, and that final bit of pressure sent her over the edge. A cry tore from her throat as the wave of pleasure engulfed her, rolling through her entire body. Every nerve seemed to light up at once, and she trembled in his arms, overcome by the force of her orgasm!


    Rias moaned into Haru¡¯s mouth as the pleasure crashed again and again, each jolt more powerful than the last. She felt her walls flutter around him, squeezing his cock in pulses. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she lost herself in the sensation, letting out breathy whimpers as the orgasm coursed through her.


    He kept thrusting, chasing his own release. He let out a series of ragged moans. ¡°Rias, I¡¯m gonna¡ª¡± Before he could finish, she felt another burst of warmth flood her. His cock throbbed inside her as he released a second load. She felt the thick pulses coat her walls.


    She moaned again.


    They stayed connected for a few moments, her body shaking slightly from the aftereffects of her orgasm. He remained inside her as they collapsed onto their sides, still clinging to one another. She panted, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. Their bodies stuck together from sweat and other fluids, but she couldn¡¯t have cared less. She felt nothing but satisfaction.


    Rias let out a shaky laugh, pressing a soft kiss to Haru¡¯s lips. ¡°That was¡­incredible,¡± she managed, still feeling echoes of pleasure.


    He slid a hand across her lower back, holding her in place. ¡°You were amazing,¡± he breathed, brushing his nose against hers. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we waited this long.¡±


    She smiled up at him, her red hair fanned out over the pillow. Her body still hummed. She could feel his length twitch faintly inside her.


    She leaned in to kiss him again, softer this time.


    Eventually, she broke the kiss, letting her forehead rest against Haru¡¯s shoulder. She ran her palm over his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall as he breathed. ¡°I¡¯m really glad you enjoyed my little surprise,¡± she said, a hint of pride in her voice.


    He snorted softly, tapping the tip of her nose with his finger. ¡°I think ¡®enjoyed¡¯ is an understatement.¡± His eyes flicked down to the spot where their bodies had just joined, then back up to her face. ¡°And¡­you¡¯re okay? I mean, that was your first time, right?¡±


    She nodded, giving him a genuine smile. ¡°I¡¯m more than okay.¡± she paused for a moment. "I love you," she whispered.


    Haru tightened his embrace. "I love you too."


    ¡°Oh, by the way, we managed to find Harry and Hermione!¡± she said before she forgot.


    Haru rolled his eyes playfully. ¡°...Really? You couldn¡¯t have told me that before we started?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± Rias giggled as she snuggled closer to him. ¡°I had much more important things on my mind¡­¡±


    XXX

 chapter 47

    Short R-18 in the beginning


    Chapter 47: War? What is it good for?


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I woke up that morning with a warm body snug against mine, a reminder that last night had been one of the wildest nights of my life.


    My muscles ached in a good way. Rias lay under me, all that beautiful red hair fanned out across my pillow, her face turned slightly so I could see her flushed cheeks. The second I moved, her eyes opened and she smiled at me. It was a smile that told me she immediately wanted more of what we did last night.


    That¡¯s where we were right now. With me on my knees, Rias on all fours in front of me. I grabbed her hips and gazed down at her body. I¡¯d never seen anything as breathtaking as Rias¡¯s body spread out for me, her back arched, that perfect ass in the air, her thighs trembling each time I gave a slow, testing thrust.


    ¡°God, that feels so damn good,¡± Rias moaned. She glanced back over her shoulder, hair partly covering her eyes, but I could still see how turned on she was.


    I grinned and tried to keep a steady rhythm, letting her get used to me from behind before gradually picking up the pace. I could feel her soft ass cheeks bounce against my lower stomach each time I slammed forward. The loud, wet sound that came with every thrust was intense, but I loved it, especially because it made her face flush even more.


    ¡°You liked last night so much, you just had to jump on me again this morning, huh?¡± I teased, gripping her hips more firmly.


    She moaned, half-laughing. ¡°Shut up and keep going. I¡¯m not complaining.¡±


    ¡°Your wish is my command¡­¡± I teased her.


    I leaned forward, pressing kisses along the back of her neck. I felt her shiver against my lips, and that little reaction alone was almost enough to get me off. My body was still sore, but my desire for her overwhelmed every bit of muscle ache or fatigue.


    We might¡¯ve gone slower if it hadn¡¯t been for that erotic tension flooding the room. It was like we¡¯d been wound too tight for too long. Now that we¡¯d finally crossed that line, we couldn¡¯t get enough. My thrusts got faster, a little harder, and Rias¡¯s moans picked up right along with me. I watched the way her hips moved under my hands and marveled at how perfectly we fit together. My slitted pupils were dilated, keyed into every little twitch of her muscles.


    ¡°Keep doing that, Haru,¡± she managed to say, her fingers clenching in the sheets. ¡°Oh my Maou, just like that!¡±


    I gave a low grunt of agreement. She looked so good beneath me¡ªher back muscles flexing with every movement, her soft butt bouncing as I pounded away. I could feel the tension building in my abdomen, that familiar sign that I was about to burst. Rias must have felt it too because she started pushing her hips back even harder, meeting each thrust with a thrust of her own.


    A sheen of sweat broke out across my forehead, dripping down the side of my face. My ears twitched every time she moaned my name. I couldn¡¯t help it. There¡¯s something about hearing my name roll off her lips when she¡¯s this worked up that made me feel like the luckiest bastard on the planet.


    I forced myself to slow down just a bit, wanting to drag out the moment. Rias clearly noticed the change in pace. She glanced back at me again, her eyes practically begging me not to stop. But a small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth when I held her gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re so damn sexy,¡± I told her under my breath. I gave her ass a light slap, making her gasp. My hands slid around from her hips to her stomach, stroking the curve of her waist. I wanted to feel her entire body under my palms, memorize every inch.


    Her body tensed suddenly, and I knew she was close. Her inner walls clamped down around me, a tight squeeze that nearly unraveled me on the spot. Each thrust got a little more desperate, my hips snapping forward, balls tightening, every fiber of my being focused on the sensation.


    My breathing got rough, and I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it,¡± I whispered hoarsely. ¡°Cum for me, Rias.¡±


    She squeezed the sheets and gave a few short, sharp cries of pleasure. Then her entire body started shaking, her legs trembling so hard I had to hold her up by the waist. I couldn¡¯t hold out much longer. That pulsing, clenching feeling around my cock was just too damn good.


    The coil snapped inside me. I slammed in deep, my entire body going taut as ecstasy tore through me. My head fell back. I groaned so loudly I was sure the whole house could hear. With the way Rias was screaming my name, we were probably loud enough to wake the neighbors, not to mention anyone else in the building. I felt wave after wave of pleasure course through me, pouring out in thick spurts inside her. The contractions of her walls were milking me dry, leaving me lightheaded.


    I was so lost in it that I nearly missed the faint creak of the bedroom door opening. Rias must have been too lost in the moment to notice as well because she didn¡¯t even flinch until I felt a sudden wave of awareness hit me. We were still mid-orgasm, my hips pressed tight against her ass, when I glanced over and spotted Yasaka standing in the doorway¡­


    My brain short-circuited. Here I was, still inside Rias, actually finishing inside her, while my Yasaka stood there, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. She had fox ears too, so there was no doubt she¡¯d heard every creak of the bed and every moan before she opened that door!


    Rias gave a final shudder beneath me, still caught up in the final moments of her orgasm, then slumped down on the sheets. I withdrew from her with a wet, sticky sound, and a warm gush of my cum slipped out from between her pussy lips. She was still shaking a bit, and she let out a blissed-out laugh as she looked over her shoulder at me.


    ¡°Haru, you¡¯re so damn good at this,¡± she said, breathing hard.


    My face was on fire. ¡°Rias,¡± I hissed, trying to get her attention as I jerked my chin toward the door. She followed my gaze and froze when she saw Yasaka.


    ¡°Oh, hi Yasaka.¡± Rias still had that post-orgasm glow, and she giggled. ¡°Haru is really good at sex¡­¡±


    I almost faceplanted into the sheets at that declaration. Did Rias really need to say that to her!?


    Yasaka, on the other hand, just tilted her head, her fox ears shifting slightly as she let out a small chittering laugh. ¡°I can see that,¡± she said, still smirking.


    I realized with horror that I was practically naked, my cock now semi-soft but still slick with fluids, and Yasaka had a full-frontal view. I grabbed one of the relatively clean sheets and pulled it over myself and Rias. She let me drape it over her hips, but made zero move to hide her flushed face or tousled hair.


    ¡°Is¡­there something you needed?¡± I asked. My cheeks were still burning. I tried to sound casual, but I doubt I succeeded.


    ¡°Multiple things, actually,¡± Yasaka answered, taking a step into the room. She was still smirking at me. ¡°First of all, it¡¯s breakfast time. And as the owner of a restaurant¡ªmaybe you¡¯ve forgotten?¡±


    I let out a shaky laugh. ¡°Oh¡­right. Breakfast¡­¡±


    Yasaka shrugged. ¡°And more importantly¡­¡± Her smile faded. ¡°We need to discuss the upcoming war.¡±


    The mention of that war was enough to cut through the post-sex fog in my mind.


    My stomach churned a little at the thought. There was no avoiding it, though. Responsibilities were piling up, no matter how good last night had been.


    Still, Yasaka apparently couldn¡¯t resist one last jab. She let her gaze drift pointedly from my face down to the sheet that only half-covered me. And then, with the same smirk, she headed for the door. ¡°Try not to take too long,¡± she said over her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us want your restaurant to open late, especially since we all rely on it for food. And I do have some war plans to discuss that don¡¯t involve me watching you two go at it.¡±


    I swallowed hard, feeling a mixture of embarrassment, amusement, and a lingering arousal. As soon as Yasaka was out of sight, Rias rolled over, giving me a lazy grin.


    ¡°She really did just come in here and watch us finish, didn¡¯t she?¡± she said, still slightly out of breath.


    ¡°She¡¯s got no sense of privacy, I swear.¡± I mumbled.


    ¡­


    I had just finished toweling off from my shower with Rias when she gave me a short, playful kiss and teleported back home. She said she had some business to handle and I had people waiting on me for breakfast downstairs.


    After tossing on a fresh set of clothes¡ªloose pants and a simple T-shirt¡ªI made my way into the heart of my place, the Fox Hole restaurant, to start cooking.


    ¡­I had three pans going at once. On the left, I was frying eggs, aiming for that perfect sunny-side-up look. In the middle, I had a cast-iron skillet sizzling with crispy bacon. On the right, I had a pancake pan turning out fluffy rounds every minute or so. With each finished pancake, I slid it onto a growing stack that I arranged on multiple plates, ready to serve.


    The smell of all that breakfast food¡ªeggs, bacon, hot batter¡ªfilled the air. I could practically feel my own stomach grumble, but I had to keep moving to get everything ready. After all, when your customers are potentially world-altering beings like Yasaka, Albedo, and Ainz, it¡¯s bad form to keep them waiting.


    ¡°That smells so good, Haru,¡± Ainz mumbled from the bar.


    I glanced up at him, letting out a little chuckle. ¡°Glad to hear it, but I¡¯m still trying to figure out how you can smell anything without a nose, man.¡±


    Ainz shrugged in that casual way only he could manage. He was, after all, a walking skeleton in a robe. ¡°Magic, I guess,¡± he offered.


    I grinned, flipping another set of eggs onto a plate. ¡°Right. Magic...¡± The answer to all of the most bullshit questions in life. I slid the plate his way. ¡°It¡¯s almost ready. Just give me another minute or two on these pancakes.¡±


    Albedo was sitting beside Ainz, watching me with an amused expression. Her eyes flicked from the food to me, and she smirked. ¡°You look like you had a VERY good night, Lord Haru.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I knew exactly what she meant, and I had to fight back a flush. ¡°Er¡ªyeah,¡± I said, letting out an awkward cough. ¡°I guess you could say that.¡±


    Ainz, not picking up on the obvious implication, tilted his head at Albedo. ¡°What do you mean by that, Albedo?¡±


    She turned toward him and smiled. ¡°As a succubus, I can always tell when someone just had SEX! Lord Haru had a lot of SEX with his devil fianc¨¦e recently.¡± She grinned and fluttered her eyelashes at Ainz.


    Ainz froze, probably because she¡¯d said it so blatantly. Meanwhile, I buried my face in my hand.


    A few barstools down, Yasaka let out a laugh. ¡°I only caught the end of the show,¡± Yasaka said, giving me a look that radiated amusement, ¡°but he definitely looked like he was enjoying it.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a show,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°And can you please knock next time?¡±


    She just gave a small shrug, not looking sorry at all, and I sighed.


    I turned my focus back to the breakfast. I arranged the bacon neatly on plates, moved the last batch of pancakes, and then put the eggs in place. Three plates for them, one for me. I slid the dishes across the bar, and Yasaka and Albedo immediately started digging in, letting out small moans of pleasure at the taste.


    Ainz was a bit slower. Watching a skeleton eat was weird the first time I saw it, and it never got any less strange. The food just kind of dissolved by the time it hit the back of his mouth. Magic at work, I guessed. He ate carefully, occasionally glancing at me.


    Eventually, he leaned in close as if he wanted to talk privately. ¡°Is¡­is sex that good?¡± he whispered. He sounded nervous, and I noticed the faint glow of his eyes flicker in his empty eye sockets.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely good,¡± I said, keeping my voice low out of respect for his embarrassment. I tried to hide a grin, but it was hard. ¡°Once you experience it, you¡¯ll understand.¡± He nodded, and I continued, ¡°How¡¯s your transformation magic training going, by the way?¡± One of my cousins was teaching him a few times a week, helping him learn how to assume a human form.


    Ainz let out a sigh. ¡°I haven¡¯t been practicing as much as I should. Albedo and Shalltear have been asking about it almost every day as well. I¡¯m worried they¡¯ll never let me out of the bedroom if I succeed!¡± he whined. ¡°I actually have a lot of administrative stuff to handle, and if I get pinned down by them, I¡¯ll never get anything done.¡± he explained and then added, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Albedo, though¡­¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, amused at this side of him. He always came off as a confident overlord, but beneath all that, it seemed like he was just another nervous guy when it came to pretty girls. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of a good thing, though?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯ve basically got two beautiful women fighting for your attention.¡±


    Ainz gave a small shrug. ¡°I mean, yeah, maybe it¡¯s good, but I didn¡¯t expect it. I¡¯m still figuring it out.¡±


    I patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Just practice, get comfortable with it, and set some boundaries if you need to. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± I tried to keep it casual, but inside, I was still adjusting to the idea that a skeleton was confiding in me about sex.


    Man, my life was weird¡­


    By the time we finished that chat, everyone was wrapping up breakfast. Yasaka dabbed at her lips and set her fork down, adopting a more serious air¡ªor as serious as she got, anyway.


    ¡°We should talk about why we¡¯re all here,¡± she said. ¡°I got some updates from my spies. The Re-Estize Kingdom has been amassing a force of around 80,000 humans, and they¡¯re bringing in more through forced conscription.¡±


    I slid my own empty plate aside and leaned against the counter. ¡°They really want to come after us, huh?¡±


    Yasaka nodded. ¡°Yes, apparently they want to retake your lands¡ªEnri¡¯s village, the surrounding areas¡ªand they also want to kill Ainz Ooal Gown, who has declared himself ruler of the Katze Plains and the nearby territory.¡±


    I glanced at Ainz, an eyebrow raised. ¡°Dude, you declared yourself a king or something¡­?¡±


    How did that even happen?


    He shrugged. ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess I¡¯m a king now? This was all Demiurge¡¯s idea.¡± He had no shame throwing his subordinate underneath the bus.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so humble, my lord!¡± Albedo chimed in. ¡°We all know this was your brilliant plan from the start!¡±


    Yasaka and I exchanged a knowing look and snickered a bit. We were both pretty sure it was not Ainz¡¯s plan.


    Still, the problem remained, a huge army was on the move, and it was aimed right at our territories.


    ¡°We could deal with them ourselves,¡± I suggested, but then I let out a sigh, my shoulders sagging. ¡°But¡­¡± I trailed off.


    ¡°...The majority of the kingdom¡¯s forces are basically serfs. They¡¯re farmers forced into service. They¡¯ve got no real grievance with us, they¡¯re just trying to not get themselves killed by their own lords for refusing to fight. We¡¯re basically dealing with a slave army.¡± Yasaka nodded in silent agreement.


    Yes, everyone in this restaurant currently was a killer, but I don''t think any of us wanted to upgrade to the level of mass murderer. My stomach churned at the thought. I didn¡¯t like the idea of slaughtering thousands of innocent people who were only there because they had no choice. Even if they were brandishing weapons, it wasn¡¯t like they wanted to be attacking us.


    Not like the Bolton soldiers who were an army of murderers and rapists.


    ¡°Yeah, I really don¡¯t want to kill that many innocent people,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly something I¡¯d be proud of.¡±


    Albedo squirmed a bit in her seat, as if this conversation was uncomfortable for her. She probably didn¡¯t care about human life one way or the other, but she had at least learned to keep quiet about that attitude.


    Ainz folded his bony fingers together, nodding along. ¡°Yeah, I agree with you and Yasaka. We can¡¯t just go all-out and kill them if we don¡¯t have to¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really good at fighting¡­non-lethally,¡± I admitted. ¡°At least not against tens of thousands of people at once. The Leaf ninjas are not exactly peaceful in their methods, either. Hiring them to non-lethally subdue that many folks is probably impossible. They¡¯d end up causing tons of casualties anyway.¡±


    ¡°Lucky for us, I have a solution.¡± Yasaka declared. ¡°The latest world your restaurant is connected to has just what¨Cor who¨Cwe need!¡±


    I tilted my head. ¡°Something in Fiore?¡± I asked. ¡°Besides finding Harry and Hermione, right?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It turns out Fiore is home to numerous magical Guilds. The strongest one in the kingdom, Fairy Tail, is known for defeating their enemies, causing massive destruction, and somehow doing it all without killing anyone!¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°That sounds like exactly what we need!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­And that¡¯s how I found myself walking down the streets of Magnolia, heading towards the famous¨Cor rather infamous¨Cguild depending on who I asked so far, known as Fairy Tail. Something interesting about this city that I immediately noticed, was that none of the humans found my fox tails or ears strange or suspicious at all. I''m sure I''d figure out the reason for that soon enough, or I could just ask one of the Fairy Tail mages. It was apparently also this Guild that had been taking care of Harry and Hermione for the past couple of days. Somehow, when the young Witch and Wizard went missing, they ended up walking straight into the Fairy Tail Guild Hall.


    There was an entire story there I was still missing, but I was sure I''d hear it all from Harry eventually the next time I ran into the teenager. For now though, he and his girlfriend were already back at Hogwarts, where they no doubt probably both had detention judging by how worried Professor McGonagall had been.


    I could hear and smell a lot of people inside the Guild Hall as I walked up to the doors. I didn''t hesitate and pushed them right on open. Yasaka and Rias had both been here yesterday to pick up Harry and Hermione, after all, so it wasn''t like I was a complete stranger.


    And that¡¯s when I got smacked right in the face by a stray fireball! It didn¡¯t hurt, of course¡ªmy kind are incredibly resistant to fire¡ªbut it startled the hell out of me!


    ¡°Let¡¯s fucking go, Gray! I¡¯m tired of you, you damn stripper!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll turn you into a freaking popsicle, Natsu!¡±


    ¡°Popsicles aren¡¯t manly! I¡¯ll turn both of you into a pretzel instead!¡±


    ¡°¡°Stay the hell out of this, Elfman!¡±¡±


    Wham!


    The large, muscular man went flying after getting hit by a flaming and icy fist at the same time. His body sailed through the air before crashing down on a table where a girl with strikingly familiar red hair was in the middle of eating a strawberry cheesecake.


    As a chef, I recognized the dessert at first glance of course. Too bad the food was immediately destroyed.


    ¡°My cake! You boys will pay for that!¡± the redhead shouted.


    Suddenly, a barrage of swords materialized around her and started blasting everyone nearby. People screamed and ducked for cover, but I noticed none of the swords actually cut anyone¡ªthey just left bruises.


    The guild hall descended into complete chaos, with nearly every single mage inside in the process of beating the living crap out of each other.


    I was starting to have second thoughts on whether or not these were the people we wanted to hire¡­


    XXX

 chapter 48

    Chapter 48: Yes, no¡­ Yes?


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    The entire place had erupted into a rowdy brawl, with wizards hurling punches and spells at one another like it was the most natural thing in the world. Nobody seemed angry or out for blood, though. It looked more like a group of friends who got way too excited.


    As I made my way through the crowd, I had to duck and weave around stray fists and random bolts of magic flying past my face. One tall wizard came lunging at me with a wild grin, but I sidestepped him, letting him crash into his equally boisterous buddy. Both of them toppled onto the nearest table, cackling the whole time. It was impossible not to notice that, despite the seeming insanity, everyone was clearly having fun.


    Still, I was here for a reason, and I wasn¡¯t about to get derailed. I focused on the bar counter at the far end of the hall, where I spotted two people who looked completely unruffled by the mayhem. One was a short old man perched on the counter itself, swinging his legs a bit like he was sitting on a bench. The other was a stunning young woman with long white hair, her face lit up by a friendly smile.


    I slipped past a final pair of scuffling wizards, sidestepping a tumbling chair flying through the air, and finally reached the bar. I leaned my elbows on the wooden surface, letting out a small breath of relief.


    The young woman turned her attention to me. ¡°Oh, hello. Welcome to Fairy Tail. I¡¯m Mirajane Strauss.¡± Her smile widened a bit when she noticed my ears and tails. ¡°Are you related to Yasaka? We met her yesterday.¡±


    I nodded, returning her smile. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my mom. I came here because she recommended your guild for a job I¡¯ve got. But honestly, I¡¯m not sure if you guys can handle it¡­¡±


    Makarov frowned. ¡°Fairy Tail can handle anything,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve taken on the toughest jobs in Fiore, and we¡¯ve come out on top. Whatever you¡¯ve got, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    I took a breath and decided to just lay it all out. ¡°Can your guild defeat an army of around one hundred thousand soldiers¡ªall regular people, no magic¡ªwhile keeping the enemy deaths to an absolute minimum?¡±


    Mirajane gasped, eyes wide. She practically dropped the glass she was polishing. ¡°One hundred thousand? Are you serious?¡± she asked, her tone a mix of shock and concern.


    I rapped my knuckles lightly on the bar counter. ¡°Yeah, a hundred thousand. Give or take. I know it sounds insane.¡±


    Makarov¡¯s expression turned deadly serious. The temperature of the room seemed to drop a few degrees as his aura flared. I felt the force of it pressing against me, and I made sure to stand my ground. He narrowed his eyes, clearly trying to figure me out. ¡°That¡¯s no easy request,¡± Makarov said, his voice deepening. ¡°You¡¯re basically asking our guild to go to war, and that¡¯s forbidden by the Magic Council.¡±


    I raised a hand. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to go to war. I¡¯m asking you to stop a war and minimize casualties. There¡¯s a big difference.¡±


    He stayed quiet for a few moments, so I continued, ¡°I¡¯m from another world¡ªif my mother Yasaka was here yesterday, she probably filled you in. My restaurant, the Fox Hole, connects to multiple worlds, including this one. It¡¯s complicated, but the short version is that I own some territory in a realm that¡¯s about to be attacked by a greedy prince. He¡¯s bringing an army of conscripted serfs¡ªfarmers, blacksmiths, simple laborers¡ªpeople who don¡¯t want to fight. They¡¯re only doing it because their lords will kill them for treason if they refuse.¡±


    Mirajane leaned against the bar, looking even more concerned. ¡°That sounds horrible. They¡¯re being forced to fight a war they don¡¯t believe in!?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, nodding grimly. ¡°I want to hire Fairy Tail to defeat that army without killing them. I¡¯ll handle the prince and his noble allies afterward with my own group, but first, we need to neutralize the bulk of his forces. If we go at them head-on, we¡¯ll end up slaughtering thousands of innocents. My abilities along with my allies¡­aren''t exactly non-lethal.¡±


    Mirajane chewed her lip and cast a worried glance at Makarov. ¡°Even if they¡¯re from another world, isn¡¯t it the job of a Fairy Tail wizard to help people in need?¡±


    Makarov grumbled, ¡°Yes, but not against an army of one hundred thousand. That¡¯s no small job.¡± He glanced around the guild. ¡°And there¡¯s the matter of the Council. If they think we¡¯re taking part in some interdimensional war¡ª¡±


    Mirajane rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°It¡¯s an army of non-magical farmers, mostly. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± She turned to me for confirmation.


    I nodded. ¡°Right. The vast majority can¡¯t use magic. Their kingdom has a few court mages, but my friends and I can deal with them. Your job would be focusing on the army¡ªknocking them out, convincing them to retreat, whatever. Just no killing if we can help it.¡±


    Makarov stroked his mustache and eyed me. ¡°A hundred thousand farmers are still a hundred thousand people. You understand the scale, right?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I said. ¡°But I also know Fairy Tail¡¯s reputation. Yasaka told me you¡¯re the best when it comes to beating the crap out of enemies without leaving a trail of corpses. Seems like a perfect match, if you¡¯re up for it.¡±


    He sighed, looking torn. ¡°I want to put it to a guild vote. This job is too big for one or two members. It might require all of us.¡±


    I stepped back from the bar, giving him space. He suddenly swelled in size, his body growing until he was twice, three times, then twenty times his original height. He towered over everyone, the top of his head almost grazing the rafters. The room quieted as soon as he raised his voice. ¡°Listen up, you brats!¡± he thundered, his voice so loud it felt like it shook the floors. The guild members¡ªmost of whom had been in various states of fighting or lounging¡ªimmediately straightened. I even saw a couple of them flinch when his gaze fell on them.


    A pink-haired wizard in a vest was still tangled up with a shirtless guy, both of them glaring at each other. ¡°I¡¯m winning this time, Gray!¡± the pink-haired one yelled.


    ¡°No, I am, Natsu!¡± Gray retorted, ice crystals forming around his fists.


    They were powering up, about to blast each other with magic, when Makarov reached out two giant fingers and flicked them both into the floor with enough force to crack the boards. The impact was loud, and the pair let out yelps of pain that echoed throughout the hall.


    I couldn¡¯t help but snicker, even though I felt a bit sorry for them. Clearly, Makarov wasn¡¯t someone to trifle with.


    ¡°Geez, Gramps, that hurt!¡± the pink-haired wizard¡ªNatsu¡ªwhined as he peeled his face off the floorboards.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gray grumbled, also picking himself up. ¡°Is the council on our ass again because Natsu broke some poor town again?¡±


    Makarov scowled. ¡°Not yet. Should they be?¡±


    Natsu looked away, whistling innocently. ¡°Of course not. I haven¡¯t burned anything down in, like¡­ three days,¡± he muttered, crossing his arms. His tone made it sound like three days was a huge achievement.


    Makarov gave him a look that suggested a long lecture was coming, but he let it drop for now. Instead, he jabbed a thumb in my direction, still looming over everyone in his giant form. ¡°Everyone, listen up! We¡¯ve got a visitor from another world¡ªsame place Yasaka came from yesterday. He¡¯s got a¡­ big request.¡±


    I gave a casual wave, trying to look friendly. ¡°Yo. Name¡¯s Haru. Good to meet all of you.¡±


    Someone off to the side, a random guild member, piped up, ¡°He looks like that sexy woman who came by to pick up those weird kids, Harry and Hermione. Good kids, but weird magic, you know?¡±


    ¡°That sexy woman was my mom,¡± I said flatly, my eyes narrowing as I shot the guy a glare. ¡°Watch it.¡±


    He gulped and sputtered, ¡°Uh, sorry, man, didn¡¯t know¡ª¡±


    I shrugged it off. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m Haru, chef and owner of the Fox Hole¡ªthe best restaurant in the multiverse.¡± I heard some murmured comments and raised eyebrows at that claim, but I pressed on. ¡°I¡¯ve got something important to discuss with your guild. But before I get into all that, there¡¯s something else I want to clear up.¡±


    I glanced around and spotted a red-haired woman clad in armor, standing with her arms folded. She looked me up and down, clearly intrigued but also guarded. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Erza, would you?¡± I asked.


    She straightened a bit. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Erza Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Scarlet?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°I thought your last name was Belserion. Irene¡¯s last name was Belserion, and she¡¯s your mother, right?¡±


    The entire guild erupted in shock. People started shouting, ¡°Erza has a mom!?¡± and ¡°Wait, she never mentioned that!¡± Natsu yelled, ¡°Your mom¡¯s a what!?¡± Gray, stumbling back to his feet, seemed equally confused.


    Makarov scratched his chin. ¡°Belserion¡­ that name sounds familiar, but I can¡¯t remember where I heard it.¡±


    Erza¡¯s confident demeanor cracked for a moment. Her eyes went wide. ¡°I have a mother¡­? You¡¯re saying you¡¯ve met her?¡± she asked, her voice trembling slightly.


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I met her recently¡ªshe¡¯s a very¡­ interesting dragon.¡± I saw Erza tense up, so I tried to keep my tone calm. ¡°We crossed paths after I ended up fighting Acnologia. Made him run away like a scared lizard. Irene introduced herself after that. She said her full name was Irene Belserion, and she mentioned she had a daughter named Erza. So, I put two and two together.¡±


    Natsu practically choked, Makarov¡¯s jaw dropped, and a bunch of other guild members blurted out their confusion.


    ¡°You fought Acnologia?¡± Makarov sputtered. ¡°And you made him run away?¡±


    ¡°Sure did,¡± I said, flicking one of my tails. ¡°Guy¡¯s not that tough, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°THE HELL HE ISN¡¯T!¡±


    ¡­It seemed that Makarov was the only one interested in talking about that lame blue and black dragon though, everyone else was interested in Erza''s mom.


    Natsu yelled, ¡°Hold on! Erza¡¯s mom is a dragon???¡± He then turned to her and pouted. ¡°You always made fun of me for having a dragon for a dad, when your mom is the same thing!¡±


    Erza¡¯s reaction was immediate and intense the moment I told her that her mom was a dragon. Her eyes widened, and I could feel a surge of magic pouring off her. ¡°My mom¡¯s a dragon!?¡± she repeated, looking at me like I was a lunatic. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to trick me, are you!!??¡±


    I raised both hands, taking a small step back. I knew better than to push too hard when redheads got fired up. ¡°I¡¯m dead serious,¡± I said. ¡°I met Irene a few days ago. She mentioned she had a daughter named Erza. She¡¯s supposed to be in Fiore right now looking for you.¡±


    I kept the rest of the details to myself. Whether Erza chose to forgive her mother for anything that happened in the past wasn¡¯t my call to make. I was just delivering the news and keeping out of her personal business.


    ¡°What the hell, Erza,¡± Natsu blurted out from behind her. ¡°You always gave me crap for having a dragon dad, and now your mom¡¯s a dragon? Are you going to grow horns and wings?!¡±


    Erza opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She seemed completely at a loss. The tension in the air was thick, and I could practically see the magic crackling around her.


    I decided to step in, literally. I walked up to Erza, getting close enough to pick up on any dragon aura she might have. Without thinking too hard about it, I leaned in and sniffed the air around her.


    She turned bright red, stumbling backward. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± she demanded, clearly embarrassed! ¡°Why are you sniffing me!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªsorry,¡± I muttered, feeling heat creep up my cheeks. ¡°I was trying to confirm if you¡¯re part dragon. My nose is pretty sensitive.¡± I tapped one of my fox ears. ¡°I can smell traces of draconic energy on you. It¡¯s definitely there, but you¡¯re mostly human. I doubt you¡¯ll sprout scales or wings anytime soon. At most you''ll just have a stronger body, and have more magic than the average person.¡±


    She just gaped at me, still looking embarrassed. Her magic flared again, then settled a bit, like she was trying to calm down. I didn¡¯t blame her for being freaked out¡ªfinding out your mom is a dragon has to rank pretty high on the list of shocking surprises. That and having a random guy starts sniffing you out of nowhere¡­


    That one was my bad.


    Gray chose that moment to chime in. ¡°That¡¯s why Erza¡¯s so scary!¡± he shouted, pointing an accusing finger. ¡°She¡¯s part dragon! I knew she always cheated to get so overpowered!¡±


    Erza¡¯s head whipped around to glare at him, and I knew instantly he¡¯d said the wrong thing. Before I could warn him, she marched right over and decked him across the jaw. The impact sent him skidding sideways, and he slammed against a table with enough force to rattle the plates on it. I heard a few of the guild members snicker or mumble ¡°ouch,¡± but nobody seemed too alarmed. Clearly, this kind of stuff happened all the time.


    I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a little awkward. ¡°So, yeah,¡± I said, looking at Erza. ¡°Anyway, Irene¡¯s in Fiore, probably searching for you. Just figured you had a right to know.¡±


    She inhaled slowly, trying to regain her composure. ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± she managed. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to feel about this, but I appreciate you being honest.¡±


    I gave a small shrug. ¡°No problem. If you see her, don¡¯t freak out. She¡¯s complicated, but she¡¯s not out to hurt you¡­ at least that¡¯s what I gathered.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Makarov said, bringing the focus back to the main issue. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the matter of this job.¡± He shrank back to his normal size, hopping onto a nearby table so everyone could see him. ¡°Haru is going to give you all his request and then we will put it to a Guild vote!¡±


    ¡­


    I returned to my restaurant with a heavy heart, hating the conversation that was about to happen. Yasaka stood near the bar, her tails swaying behind her in agitation. Ainz and Albedo were nowhere to be seen, which meant they¡¯d already headed off.


    Behind the counter, Enri gave me a nervous smile. ¡°How did it go, Lord Haru?¡± she asked, her voice shaking just a bit. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the prince actually wants to attack us¡­¡±


    I took a moment to gather my thoughts. I could see Yasaka¡¯s ears twitch in anticipation. Her tails quickly stopped moving when she caught sight of my expression.


    ¡°They voted no,¡± I said finally, letting out a frustrated sigh. ¡°It was close, but over half of Fairy Tail¡¯s wizards don¡¯t want to travel to another world, especially not to face a massive army. I can¡¯t really blame them, but damn, it sucks.¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Yasaka muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°We were really counting on them. So there¡¯s no getting around this now¡­ it¡¯s going to get bloody.¡±


    I grimaced, hating the idea of thousands of soldiers dying on our doorstep. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to head over to see Ainz and give him the news in person. We¡¯re probably only looking at around ten thousand people on our side of the conflict, but the bulk of the army is marching toward the Katze Plains, where Ainz¡¯s territory is.¡±


    Enri stepped out from behind the counter and wrapped her arms around me in a comforting hug. The warmth of her body and the genuine concern in her eyes soothed me a bit. ¡°You protected my village once before, and I know you¡¯ll do it again.¡±


    I gently patted her back before letting go. ¡°Thanks, Enri. I appreciate that. I¡¯ll do everything I can. Still, I wish we could¡¯ve found a solution without all this bloodshed.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t give up so soon just yet, my son, we might still think of something. You should go and tell your boney friend about the news though¡­¡±


    ¡°I''ll be back in a few.¡± I exhaled slowly, then turned toward the front door. Stepping through, I found myself in a place I¡¯d never been before. It looked like something out of a twisted fantasy: stone walls with eerie torchlight, towering pillars, and a long corridor stretching into darkness. The architecture made me think of a video game dungeon, complete with ominous statues lining the hall.


    ¡°So this is Nazarick?¡± I voiced out loud, my voice echoing off the walls.


    ¡°Indeed! This is the Great Tomb of Nazarick!¡± came a lively, high-pitched response. ¡°Welcome, Lord Haru! Are you Ainz¡¯s newest friend, Lord Haru?¡±


    I turned to see a short, pale-skinned vampire with long silver hair and crimson eyes that glowed with excitement. She had an aristocratic outfit that showed a lot of lace and frills, making her look like a noble from some gothic painting.


    ¡°Shalltear Bloodfallen,¡± I guessed, giving her a nod. ¡°One of Ainz¡¯s future wives, right?¡± I couldn¡¯t resist the mischievous grin that spread across my face as I said it.


    Her eyes sparkled at the mention. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± she replied, obviously thrilled. ¡°You have an excellent eye, as expected of a friend of the Supreme One! If you¡¯re looking for Lord Ainz, I can open a gate to the tenth floor for you.¡±


    I gave her a slight bow in thanks. ¡°I appreciate it¡­¡±


    ¨C Erza ¨C


    Erza sat at a table in the guild hall with Natsu, Gray, and Lucy, still trying to process everything Haru had revealed.


    She drifted in and out of the conversation around her until Lucy, sounding exasperated, spoke up.


    ¡°I missed out on all that?¡± Lucy complained. ¡°All because I decided to spend a couple of extra minutes in the bath? Unbelievable.¡±


    The words barely registered with Erza at first. Her thoughts kept returning to strange handsome fox man, Haru, and the shocking new information about her mother. She had never truly considered the possibility of having any surviving family members, not since her earliest memories of waking up in that¡­ horrid tower.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you need so many baths,¡± Natsu chimed in, giving Lucy a confused look. ¡°You smell fine. A normal person only needs a bath once a week, you know!¡±


    Erza¡¯s attention snapped back to the present. She felt a surge of both amusement and disgust. ¡°Natsu,¡± she muttered, her tone edged with exasperation, ¡°that¡¯s disgusting...¡±


    Lucy looked appalled. ¡°Oh my god, Natsu! You only bathe once a week? You¡¯re not allowed anywhere near my apartment ever again!¡±


    Happy floated overhead, pouting at the blonde girl. ¡°Aww, but your bed is so much comfier than ours, Lucy¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay out of my bed!¡±


    ¡°No! It''s so fluffy!¡±


    Erza gave a short shake of her head. Lucy was new to Fairy Tail, but her antics with Natsu were surprisingly entertaining. For a moment, Erza was grateful for the distraction. Yet she knew she couldn¡¯t put off dealing with her own concerns for long. She needed answers about what Haru had told her!


    Abruptly, Erza stood up. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Fox Hole!¡± she declared.


    Natsu froze, halfway through teasing Lucy, then grinned. ¡°Hell yeah! Let¡¯s see if we can still help fight that army Haru was talking about! I''m not scared!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, flame brain! Fairy Tail isn¡¯t scared of nothing!¡± Gray smirked as well, obviously also misunderstanding Erza¡¯s intentions.


    Erza let out a soft sigh. Of course, they all fixated on the potential fight...


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten that crazy issue obviously, but her immediate priority was to speak to Haru first. Although, her irritation at the guild¡¯s recent cowardice also gnawed at her. When she first joined Fairy Tail, it had been a smaller, tighter group, ready to jump in and help wherever needed. Now, with so many new members seeking fame rather than upholding Fairy Tail¡¯s true spirit, Erza wondered if the guild¡¯s direction was changing.


    ¡­Still, that conversation would have to wait for another time.


    Lucy stood up, adjusting her skirt. ¡°All right, Erza,¡± she agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    As the four of them made their way through Magnolia¡¯s crowded streets, Happy flew near her head, and grinned. ¡°Erza¡¯s got a cruuuuuuush¡­¡±


    Erza almost tripped. ¡°Excuse me?¡± she snapped, glaring at the cat.


    ¡°What!?¡± Natsu yelled in disbelief.


    Gray frowned. ¡°No way!¡±


    Lucy stared at Erza in disbelief. ¡°That can¡¯t be true, right?¡±


    Erza¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Of course not. Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± she huffed.


    Happy smirked. ¡°But Haru sniffed you right in front of the whole guild, and you didn¡¯t even punch him. Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re dating¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works with humans, cat!¡± Lucy spoke up.


    ¡°But Haru¡¯s not a human and Erza is part dragon¡­¡±


    Erza¡¯s cheeks warmed as she recalled Haru leaning in to smell her. She clenched her fists, trying to brush off the embarrassment. ¡°He caught me off guard,¡± she muttered. ¡°I might punch him if he ever tries that again¡­¡± she added.


    ¡®Yes¡­ She certainly would!¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Eventually, they arrived in front of a modest wooden building that had definitely not been there earlier in the week. A sign out front read ¡°The Fox Hole.¡±


    Erza stepped into the Fox Hole with Natsu, Gray, and Lucy trailing behind her. A young girl stood behind the counter, greeting them with a friendly smile. It was surprisingly cozy inside. And maybe slightly bigger inside as well, than the outer building would suggest? Obviously there was some magic and play there.  S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Erza saw Yasaka¡ªthe fox-eared woman she had briefly seen at the guild yesterday but hadn¡¯t spoken to.


    ¡°Hello, Fairy Tail wizards,¡± Yasaka greeted with a slight nod. ¡°What can we do for you?¡±


    Natsu spoke up immediately, slamming a fist against his open palm. ¡°I want to fight that army Haru was talking about! Some people in our Guild might be scaredy cats, but not me!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Happy whined at that comment.


    ¡°Me too!¡± Gray said.


    Erza crossed her arms. ¡°I want to talk to Haru!¡±


    ¡°I just came along because I had nothing better to do, but I guess I¡¯ll try the food here.¡± Lucy finally added and mentioned something about Natsu eating all her food again.


    Yasaka arched an eyebrow at all their simultaneous declarations. ¡°Ara, I suppose all of that can be arranged¡­¡±


    ¨C Irene ¨C


    It hadn¡¯t been nearly as difficult as she had expected to track down her daughter. Apparently Erza was regarded as one of the strongest women in Fiore.


    ¡®As expected of my daughter!¡¯ Irene smugly thought as she pushed open the doors to the Fairy Tail guild hall! In order to hide how nervous she was, she decided to speak as confidently as possible. ¡°My name is Irene Belserion and I¡¯m here for my daughter Erza. Show me to her immediately or I¡¯ll destroy you all!¡± she declared.


    All the wizards inside just gaped at her, before she heard them a few of them start mumbling things.


    ¡°Damn, no wonder Erza is stacked. She hides it under her armor but now we know where it came from.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll step on me if I ask?¡±


    ¡°I love you dragon dommy mommy¡­¡±


    Irene froze in disbelief¡­


    XXX

 chapter 49

    Chapter 49: Sasuga Ainz-sama¡­


    ¨C Alice ¨C


    Alice ducked beneath the filthy swipe of yet another zombie, practically gagging at the stench of rot as its torn fingers missed her head by an inch. The moment she straightened up, she squeezed the trigger of her assault rifle, letting loose a storm of shrapnel bullets that tore the undead apart like soggy tissue paper. A few more ghouls staggered toward her, but they ended up as shredded piles of flesh under the relentless fire.


    She allowed herself a quick, satisfied grin. These futuristic guns she¡¯d snagged from the Citadel were a total lifesaver. They almost never ran out of ammo¡ªjust needed a recharge about once a month¡ªand the velocity at which they launched their payload was light-years beyond anything she¡¯d used when this nightmare began. She mainly had to watch out for overheating, which, thankfully, wasn¡¯t happening tonight.


    Glancing left, Alice spotted more undead dragging themselves around a hallway corner. This hospital was a complete cesspit of death and decay. Rumor said Umbrella scientists had been spotted here before the place got overrun, and she needed any intel she could find. If Umbrella left behind even a tiny clue to one of their hidden bases, it was worth mowing down a few hundred zombies.


    She sprinted along the corridor, boots crunching over broken glass and debris. A couple of stragglers reached for her, moaning in that hollow, inhuman way the infected always did. Alice dropped two of them with well-aimed bursts, then kicked open a locked door that led into what looked like a research lab. The reek of mold and congealed blood made her wrinkle her nose, but she forged ahead, stepping around a toppled metal cart.


    In the center of the room, she noticed two computers still on, each with Umbrella¡¯s trademark logo. She just about did a double-take. That was some serious luck. She headed straight for them, crouched down, and tapped a few keys. A blinking terminal light suggested they were operational, but a password prompt blocked her from going any further.


    ¡°Not a problem,¡± she muttered.


    Good thing she had the Omni-tool that Shepard¡ªHaru¡¯s other girlfriend¡ªhad given her. Umbrella¡¯s old-ass security was no match for it. Alice slipped the device over her left hand, tapped a few glowing buttons, and watched the encryption melt away in seconds. Data streamed into the tool like it was no big deal.


    A faint moan from the hallway reminded her she was in the middle of enemy territory. She disconnected the Omni-tool and stood up, scanning her surroundings. ¡°Got what I need,¡± she mumbled. She¡¯d figure out what was in these files somewhere safe¡ªsomewhere that didn¡¯t smell like a dead body freezer.


    With that, she backtracked through the hospital. Muzzle flashes lit her peripheral vision as she cut through another pack of zombies. They collapsed under her unstoppable fire, limbs and gore painting the walls. She tried not to focus too hard on the carnage, even if she couldn¡¯t ignore how disturbingly normal it felt by now.


    She reached the stairwell and took the steps two at a time, rifle primed. The overhead lights flickered, casting weird shadows on the chipped concrete walls. Every landing had something nasty¡ªbody parts, broken stretchers, or both¡ªbut she pushed through until she finally hit the top floor. She shoved open the stairwell door and slammed it behind her, jamming a bent rebar through the handles. Almost immediately, the undead started pounding on it, but at least it stayed shut.


    She turned to the open night sky, which was still ridiculously beautiful, even though her world had gone straight to hell. Before she could say a word, the roar of helicopter blades echoed in her ears, and a glaring spotlight pinned her in place. She winced at the sight of Umbrella¡¯s red logo on the chopper. Great, more trouble.


    Two masked agents¡ªdefinitely clones, if Umbrella¡¯s usual MO was anything to go by¡ªaimed rifles at her but didn¡¯t fire. One hopped out onto the roof, holding a tablet. He thrust it in her direction so she could see the screen.


    Her eyes narrowed. The Red Queen¡¯s smug digital face appeared, the same AI she thought got wiped out with Raccoon City.


    ¡°Hello there, Project Alice,¡± it said in a clipped tone. ¡°You¡¯ve been awfully hard to track down.¡±


    Alice rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah? Then why don¡¯t you just tell me where your bases are so I can visit them all personally?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d prefer not to make things that easy,¡± the Red Queen shot back. ¡°You¡¯ve been a major nuisance, but Umbrella controls most of the planet now, and the few holdouts left are basically finished. No matter who your new allies are or how they manage to teleport you around, we¡¯ll find them. There¡¯s nowhere left to hide in this world.¡±


    Alice let out a snort. ¡°You don¡¯t even know who you¡¯re dealing with,¡± she said. No way in hell Umbrella would find the Fox Hole¡ªit was in an entirely different dimension. ¡°Hurry up and get to the point, because if you¡¯re not shooting me, you¡¯re just wasting my time.¡±


    ¡°We never planned to kill you, Project Alice,¡± the AI insisted. ¡°We¡¯ve always wanted to capture you. You¡¯re bonded to the T-Virus in a unique way¡ªno physical or mental breakdown. That¡¯s incredible. If you willingly come in and let us study you, we¡¯ll guarantee you a place in Umbrella¡¯s new world order, once it¡¯s rebuilt. Of course, we¡¯ll also need to know your allies¡¯ identities and how ALL of their technology works.¡±


    Alice gave a short, scornful laugh. ¡°Same old bullshit, huh? Well, I do have a counteroffer...¡±


    The Red Queen cocked its head. ¡°Oh? And that is¡­?¡±


    She skipped the reply and unslung her rifle, unloading a burst of fire right at the soldier clutching the tablet. Plastic and circuits flew in every direction.


    ¡°Damn you!¡± the Red Queen snarled as the screen sputtered out.


    Alice wasted no time. She whirled and took aim at the rest of the agents in the helicopter. They fired first, but their bullets sparked harmlessly against her personal energy shields¡ªanother perk of the futuristic gear she¡¯d gotten from the Citadel. She smirked at their obvious confusion and returned fire, dropping them one by one. The pilot panicked and tried to take off, but she pumped a round into the cockpit, killing him and sending the chopper into a shaky hover.


    She snagged a grenade from her belt, pulled the pin, and chucked it into the side door. ¡°Door me!¡± she yelled.


    The goddess who apparently watched over them all¡ªin a pretty creepy but useful way¡ªdid her thing, and a wooden door showed up next to Alice like it always did. The helicopter behind her erupted in a huge fireball, spewing smoke and debris over the rooftop. Alice didn¡¯t so much as glance back. She grabbed the door¡¯s handle, yanked it open, and stepped into the Fox Hole.


    ¡­


    She¡¯d expected to see Haru behind the counter. Instead, Enri and Yasaka, plus four strangers and a floating blue cat, were there, gaping at her like she was nuts for some reason.


    She glanced down, immediately remembering she was absolutely drenched in zombie gore. ¡°It¡¯s not mine,¡± she said, casually waving it off.


    A blonde girl in some cheerleader getup gawked at her. ¡°That¡¯s not the point! Why are you covered in blood, and what do you mean it isn¡¯t yours? Did you kill a bunch of people or something?¡±


    Alice just rolled her eyes. ¡°They weren¡¯t people anymore,¡± she said, brushing past them. ¡°Believe me, you don¡¯t want to hear the details.¡±


    She caught Yasaka¡¯s eye. The fox-eared woman gave her a knowing smile and shook her head, clearly not surprised. Alice nodded back¡ªYasaka was Haru¡¯s mom, and by now she¡¯d seen her share of weird stuff come through this place.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna use Haru¡¯s shower,¡± Alice announced. She cringed at the sticky squelch of half-dried zombie guts on her clothes. Definitely needed a change, too.


    On her way down a short hallway, she noticed Enri waving awkwardly, and she waved back. The sound of the strangers interrogating Yasaka followed after her.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a zombie?¡± and so on.


    Alice couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stepped through the swirling dark portal Shalltear created, half expecting a dark, creepy corridor or some grimy dungeon walls. Instead, I found myself on the tenth floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and it was so freaking fancy I almost forgot why I¡¯d come here in the first place. Polished marble floors, carved pillars, massive gold-framed paintings¡ªit all screamed money. Ainz was clearly loaded.


    What I didn¡¯t expect was the tall, pale guy standing at the far end of the throne room. He had pale skin, pitch-black hair and these weird crimson eyes that practically glowed. My first thought was that he was some new underling I hadn¡¯t met yet.


    Then I felt that same magical vibe I usually got from Ainz¡ªexcept now it felt more¡­human?


    ¡°Ainz¡­?¡± I called out, my voice echoing in the big, empty room. ¡°That you?¡±


    He turned around, and sure enough, he recognized me. A big grin spread across his face. Unlike his usual skeleton grin, he had actual lips now¡ªkind of jarring.


    ¡°Indeed, Haru,¡± he said, sounding pretty proud of himself. ¡°I managed to master a human transformation spell. Took a while, but I finally nailed it.¡±


    I took a few steps closer, trying not to stare. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s impressive,¡± I muttered. ¡°You look¡­alive. And your voice is different, too.¡±


    Ainz rubbed the back of his new head of hair. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s weird having skin and hair again¡ªplus a heartbeat.¡± He glanced behind me. ¡°And I see Shalltear came with you¡ª¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish because I heard heavy panting beside me. I looked over and saw Shalltear, eyes totally locked on Ainz, cheeks bright red. ¡°Oh¡­Lord Ainz,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Now that you have a real body, that means you also have a real¡­¡± Her gaze flicked to his waist, and in the blink of an eye, she launched herself at him, tackling him so hard they went flying ten feet across the room. ¡°Lord Ainz!¡± she practically yelled, straddling him. ¡°Let¡¯s do it right here! I need you now, before that ugly gorilla can butt in!¡±


    ¡°Ugly gorilla¡± definitely meant Albedo. My face went hot from secondhand embarrassment. I¡¯d seen people get handsy before, but this was on a whole different level.


    ¡°Shalltear!¡± Ainz sputtered, trying to pull himself out from under her. He was still figuring out his new arms and legs, and it showed. ¡°C-calm down! This isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a real body now!¡± Shalltear moaned. ¡°No more skeleton form! That¡¯s sad, but also awesome because we can do everything! Let¡¯s not waste a second!¡±


    I coughed, scratching the back of my neck. ¡°So, uh, I came here to talk about Fairy Tail. The news isn¡¯t great¡­¡±


    She ignored me completely, fingers already fumbling with the buttons on Ainz¡¯s fancy robe. I was about to repeat myself when a huge crash made the whole room shake. My ears twitched, and I jumped aside. The fancy double doors at the entrance just got blasted off their hinges, crashing right where I¡¯d been standing.


    ¡°Ainz-sama~!¡±


    Albedo had arrived. Great, so she¡¯d heard the news somehow, or maybe just sensed it. Ainz barely managed to sit up¡ªstill pinned by Shalltear¡ªwhen Albedo threw herself at them. All three tumbled across the shiny floor in a mess of limbs, hair, and plenty of shrieking (mostly from Shalltear).


    ¡°You bitch,¡± Albedo snarled, shredding her own clothes. ¡°You¡¯re not hogging Lord Ainz all to yourself, you undead tramp!¡±


    Shalltear hissed at her, refusing to move an inch. ¡°Says the succubus who can¡¯t keep her tail out of his pants for five seconds!¡±


    I just stood there, stunned, as chunks of Albedo¡¯s outfit hit the ground. She was basically stripping in front of me, looking like she was about to have a showdown with Shalltear¡ªboth of them trying to get at Ainz. Ainz tried shouting for them to knock it off, but he might as well have been talking to a wall.


    ¡°Where the hell did Haru go!?¡± he yelled, obviously wanting backup. ¡°Help me, damn it!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, dude,¡± I mumbled, slowly backing away. ¡°I¡¯m not getting in the middle of this.¡±


    No way I was hanging around to watch a vampire and a succubus wrestle over Ainz in the middle of the throne room. He finally had a human body, so¡­good for him, I guess, but I didn¡¯t need front-row seats to¡­ that.


    I spun around and jogged out, ignoring the moans and frantic yelling. I had no idea where I was headed, but anywhere was better than that spectacle.


    ¡­


    I wandered one of Nazarick¡¯s ridiculously ornate hallways, trying to wipe the mental image from my mind. My fox ears stayed pinned against my head until I¡¯d gotten far enough that the sounds faded. On a normal day, I might¡¯ve admired the suits of armor or the stained-glass windows. But at the moment, I just wanted to keep moving and pretend none of that had happened.


    Suddenly, a calm voice broke the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting.¡±


    I turned and saw two figures approaching. The first was a tall man in an orange suit, complete with a long, demonic tail swishing lazily behind him. Walking beside him was an older man who practically radiated butler energy¡ªsharp posture, impeccable outfit, and a serious expression. They looked distinctly out of place from one another, yet they moved in sync, as if they¡¯d worked together forever.


    I blinked once, then snapped my fingers. ¡°Ah, you must be Demiurge,¡± I said, nodding at the man with the tail, ¡°and Sebas,¡± indicating the butler. ¡°Ainz has mentioned both of you. He¡¯s said he¡¯d never get anything done if not for your support.¡±


    Sebas inclined his head in a polite bow. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Lord Haru.¡±


    Demiurge offered a small grin. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s good to finally meet one of Lord Ainz¡¯s friends. You¡¯re Haru, correct? I was not informed you were visiting Nazarick today. Are you traveling alone¡­?¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Well¡­Shalltear was with me, but she sort of¡­ran off. Actually, she¡¯s in the throne room with Ainz and Albedo.¡±


    Demiurge lifted a brow, while Sebas looked worried. ¡°What happened?¡± Sebas asked.


    I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°Let¡¯s just say Ainz figured out how to transform into a human, and both Shalltear and Albedo are¡­really into it. I kinda bailed.¡±


    Sebas turned bright red when he finally realized what I was implying, while Demiurge¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news! A real mortal form means a real lineage for Nazarick.¡±


    I tried not to cough. ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess that¡¯s one way of looking at it.¡± I paused. ¡°Anyway, Ainz probably won¡¯t be free anytime soon¡­¡±


    Demiurge snapped out of his brief daydream. ¡°I imagine so... Those two women can be rather¡­forward.¡± He adjusted his glasses with a faint smile. ¡°Please forgive them if you found the display distasteful.¡±


    I shrugged. My own girlfriends can be a handful. I¡¯m not about to judge.


    Sebas cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. ¡°I assume you came to discuss something with Lord Ainz? We can pass along a message, if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± I said. ¡°I came here to talk about Fairy Tail¡¯s decision, but I doubt Ainz will be available for at least a few hours¡ª¡±


    ¡°Forty-eight, more likely,¡± Demiurge interjected calmly.


    I nearly choked. ¡°Forty-eight hours???¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s facing a vampire and a succubus at once!¡± Demiurge declared as if that explained everything.


    Which, I guess it did¡­?


    I stifled a laugh, feeling a little sorry for my undead friend.


    Demiurge folded his hands behind his back. ¡°Perhaps you could tell me what you planned to say. I might be able to relay the information. Or better yet, is there anything else pressing on your mind? I actually had a small request, if you can spare the time?¡±


    That piqued my curiosity. ¡°Sure, shoot. What¡¯s up?¡±


    He smiled, revealing razor-sharp teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to explore any worlds beyond this one. I know Lord Ainz has stepped into your Fox Hole to travel, and Albedo has as well. But I haven¡¯t had the opportunity.¡± He paused, his tail flicking behind him. ¡°I was hoping you might show me your home world. Or at least one of the other worlds you have access to.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s definitely doable. I can take you to Earth¡ªmy Earth, not the zombie-infested one. I could introduce you to some other Devils.¡±


    Demiurge¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I would be interested in meeting devils besides myself. Nazarick is full of demons, but I¡¯m the only true devil among us.¡±


    I smirked at him. ¡°...If you¡¯re looking for a girlfriend or something, you¡¯re definitely in luck when it comes to my world. Almost every female devil I¡¯ve met is ridiculously beautiful.¡±


    Demiurge¡¯s composed demeanor cracked for a second. He sputtered, adjusting his glasses. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t alluding to that!¡±


    Sebas let out a quiet chuckle, the sound almost polite. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever seen Demiurge look so flustered.¡±


    I smirked, enjoying how easily the conversation had turned casual. ¡°So, Sebas,¡± I said, turning to him, ¡°you want to tag along? Maybe you¡¯ll meet a female dragon or something.¡±


    This time it was Demiurge smirking at Sebas who sputtered. ¡°I¨CI appreciate the offer, but I prefer to remain here in case Lord Ainz requires a¨Cassistance...¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I said, mentally wishing Ainz good luck. ¡°All right, Demiurge, guess it¡¯s just you and me. Want to head out now?¡±


    Demiurge nodded, then glanced at Sebas. ¡°Would you mind sending a quick message to Lupusregina for us, so she can open a gate to the first floor? That would make things much simpler...¡±


    ¨C Alice ¨C


    Alice came out of the shower around a half hour later, toweling her hair off. She was once again borrowing some of Rias¡¯s clothes¨CHaru¡¯s other other girlfriend¨Ccertainly didn¡¯t mind though.


    She made her way back out into the restaurant. The four guests from before were still here, and now there was another woman as well. Alice frowned when she recognized Irene, the dragon who was hitting on Haru but had abandoned her daughter.


    Irene was on her hands and knees on the floor doing a japanese dogeza to the new red haired girl¡­


    ¡°Please forgive me, my daughter! But I also HAVE TO ASK! Why are your guildmates so strange!? And what is a Dommy Mommy and why do they all want me to step on them!?¡±


    ¡°¡°Ehhhhh!?¡±¡±


    The door swung open behind them silently. Alice locked eyes with Haru and the man with him that she didn¡¯t recognize. She quickly pointed at Irene on the floor and gestured for Haru to go before the crazy dragon spotted him.


    He gave her a thumbs up and waved at his mother and Enri while his own guest just looked a bit confused before they walked back out the restaurant¡¯s front door. Alice also didn¡¯t want to deal with¡­whatever all this was with the crazy dragon mommy. So she decided to silently sneak out the back and meet up with Haru instead. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¨C Kokabiel ¨C


    Kokabiel stood on the edge of a crumbling rooftop, glaring down at the city lights below. From his vantage point, all he saw was a world that had grown soft¡ªtoo many pacts, too many alliances, and far too much ¡°peace.¡± He spat the word in his mind like it was poison. Peace was an insult to everything he believed in.


    All around him, the supernatural factions seemed to be playing nice. Fallen angels kept drifting away from his cause, muttering something about not wanting war anymore. Kokabiel bristled every time he heard it. What the hell else was there for fallen angels to do besides wage battle against everyone who stood in their way?


    He snorted, recalling how his recent schemes had failed. Raynare had been a colossal disappointment¡ªshe lost the damn Boosted Gear user and didn¡¯t even secure Twilight Healing either.


    Worse yet, the devils aligned themselves with the Kyoto yokai. Kokabiel nearly gagged at the thought. He detested the Gremory family¨Cnice Devils, what a joke! And any sign of them working toward genuine cooperation with the yokai just made him sick! And that wasn¡¯t the end of it. He¡¯d heard rumors that the angels had been sniffing around Japan, and the lazy bastard Azazel had been spotted there, too. Kokabiel¡¯s wings twitched in irritation. Were all these idiots about to engage in official peace talks?


    He tightened his fists, anger coursing through him. He refused to let that happen. If the world fell under some grand treaty of peace between devils, angels, and yokai, there would be no war left for him to fight. No chaos, no bloodshed, no purpose for him. He sneered at the prospect. That future was disgusting.


    His mind raced as he considered his next move. If the devils and yokai were such good buddies now, then hurting one meant hurting them all. Kokabiel let out a low chuckle. Killing that Gremory bitch, the one who was so chummy with Kyoto¡¯s fox prince, would spark a perfect shitstorm. The devils would be furious, the yokai would be out for blood, and any angel poking around might get caught in the crossfire.


    ¡°Good,¡± Kokabiel muttered to himself, a twisted grin crossing his face. That was how it should be. He wouldn¡¯t rest until he derailed their pathetic peace and sent the supernatural world back into a spiral of war.


    He spread his ten black wings and took flight, laughing as he envisioned the chaos he planned to unleash.


    XXX

 chapter 50

    Chapter 50: Love and Cooking


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I strolled through the gates to Kuoh Academy with Alice and demiurge right behind me.


    ¡°Wow, I just thought Rias was into kinky cosplay but it looks like all the students here wear those short skirts.¡± Alice said.


    It was near the end of the day, but there were plenty of people around¡ªmostly girls, since the place used to be an all-girls¡¯ school. Now they had a few guys sprinkled in, but it was still mostly female.


    Demiurge walked alongside us, trying (and failing) to hide his amazement. ¡°Humans built all of this? Without magic?¡± he muttered, eyeing the school buildings with their modern design. ¡°And those metal contraptions we saw in the streets¡ªcars, was it? They move without magical power at all?¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Yep, they¡¯re just powered by mundane engines. Wait till you see Tokyo. This is just a small town compared to that.¡±


    I noticed the little twitch in Demiurge¡¯s expression¡ªhe was doing his best to not appear too impressed, but curiosity sparkled in his eyes. I could relate. The first time I traveled off-world, I looked at everything like it was magic, too.


    My illusions kept my fox ears and tails hidden, and Demiurge had concealed his demon tail. No need to freak out the locals. We headed inside, weaving past students who were either rushing home or hanging around with friends.


    I stopped a pair of giggling girls to ask if there was a cooking club here and if they had time right now. They said yes¡ªsecond floor, near the end of the hall.


    Once they wandered off, Alice shook her head at me. ¡°Only you would show up at a devil-filled school and go straight for the cooking club.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°What can I say? Cooking is my go-to stress relief. Besides, I¡¯ve heard Kuoh Academy¡¯s facilities are pretty high-end. Might as well test ¡¯em.¡±


    As we climbed the stairs, Demiurge studied every poster and sign on the walls. Everything was new to him. ¡°So this is where the devils you mentioned spend their time?¡± he asked. ¡°It all seems so¡­ ordinary. Why live around so many humans?¡±


    "...We go here because human schools offer the best education in things like science and math," a familiar voice spoke up behind us, calm and confident.


    I spun around, not surprised to see Sona Sitri standing there in the hallway. She¡¯d obviously sensed us, after all. There were multiple protective wards around Kuoh Academy, especially since both Sona and Rias were basically princesses of the Underworld.


    Demiurge went rigid the second he laid eyes on her. I noticed Alice arch an eyebrow at his reaction as well.


    He pushed his glasses up and offered Sona a very formal bow. ¡°Greetings, milady. I¡¯m Demiurge, servant to Lord Ainz, who in turn is good friends with Haru. It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    Sona blinked, then held out her hand. I could see the faint pink tinge creeping across her cheeks. ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s nice to meet you, sir. I¡¯m Sona Sitri.¡±


    Demiurge took her hand like a true gentleman, placing a polite kiss on the back of it.


    I suppressed a smirk. I¡¯d teased him before about how he might like the female devils around here, but I didn¡¯t expect him to make a move so soon¡ªor that Sona would look this flustered either. When he straightened back up, I saw the pink in Sona¡¯s face deepen just a bit. Clearly, she liked what she saw too.


    I leaned into Demiurge and whispered to him. ¡°This is Sona Sitri. She¡¯s basically one of the princesses of the devil race since her older sister Serafall is one of its four rulers. Treat her right, because her older sister is super protective and probably about as powerful as Ainz.


    Maybe more powerful, but I didn¡¯t say that out loud because I knew at this point how proud Ainz¡¯s servants were when it came to him.


    Demiurge flashed me a grin. ¡°Of course, a proper devil lady like this should be treated with the utmost respect,¡± he said.


    Sona, meanwhile, was trying hard (and adorably failing) to pretend she couldn¡¯t overhear us. She was standing only a few feet away, after all.


    ¡°Would you mind showing me around this¡­ learning institution, milady?¡± Demiurge asked her with a polite smile. ¡°I¡¯m new to this world, and I find it all quite fascinating.¡±


    Sona smiled in return, clasping her hands in front of her. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to. Kuoh Academy isn¡¯t just a high school, we also have an advanced college division. If you¡¯re interested in science and mathematics, I¡¯d love to show you some of the labs.¡±


    Sona had slipped her arm through Demiurge¡¯s, guiding him down the corridor. Alice and I watched as sona walked off with demiurge. I wondered if she realized she¡¯d literally wrapped her arm around his?


    "Did we just watch two devil soulmates meet for the first time?" Alice chuckled.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle as well. "Maybe¡­?" The concept of devils having soulmates was ironic but that''s certainly what it looked like¡­


    Alice playfully shoved me as we stepped into the cooking club.


    I stepped into the cooking club room, still feeling a slight buzz from watching Demiurge walk off with Sona. I¡¯d expected a low-key cooking space where I could unwind, but the second Alice and I walked in, we were practically smacked in the face by chaos.


    The room was full of people¡ªsome human students I didn¡¯t recognize, plus a few devils I did know. Tsubaki, Sona¡¯s right hand, stood near the center, clutching a clipboard and looking more stressed than usual. Akeno was off to the side, wearing a smile that didn¡¯t quite hide the tension in her shoulders. And I spotted a blonde girl¡ªAsia Argento¡ªwho I¡¯d never met in person. She seemed shy, standing quietly off to one side.


    Everyone looked freaked out. They were flipping through cookbooks, grabbing pots and pans, and chattering in panicked tones.


    Alice arched an eyebrow at me, like she was thinking the same thing.


    What the hell did we just walk into?


    Suddenly, Akeno noticed us. Her eyes brightened. ¡°Ara! I think we¡¯re saved!¡± she announced.


    That got everyone¡¯s attention. Tsubaki spun around, relieved when she saw me.


    A few human girls gasped or whispered things like, ¡°He¡¯s hot,¡± or ¡°Is he from the college division?¡± or even ¡°Is he single!?¡± I tried not to laugh. I was pretty used to random fangirling by now.


    ¡°Hey, everyone,¡± I said, giving a small wave. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You all look like you¡¯re about to face the end of the world.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re running around like a bunch of schoolgirls,¡± Alice chimed in, then realized how literal that was and raised her hands at all the deadpan stares she was getting. ¡°Er¡ªno offense.¡±


    Tsubaki cleared her throat, pushing her glasses up. ¡°We have a bit of a crisis, Haru-sama. Kuoh Academy¡¯s cooking club is under threat.¡± She paused, taking a breath. ¡°In about an hour, a team from Totsuki Culinary Academy is coming here to challenge us. It¡¯s a formal challenge. If we don¡¯t impress them, our cooking club¡¯s reputation¡ªand possibly the entire academy¡¯s reputation¡ªcould take a major hit! That is unacceptable!¡± she declared. ¡°Especially since they kind of wiped the floor with us last year¡­¡± she added, much quieter.


    One of the human girls near the back groaned. ¡°We¡¯re just amateurs! We cook for fun, not to become world-class chefs!¡±


    ¡°None of us are aiming for Michelin stars or anything,¡± another added, sounding pretty distraught. ¡°We¡¯re hobby cooks!  Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I just wanted Senpai to notice my cooking!¡±


    I nodded, rubbing my chin. ¡°So Totsuki, huh? I¡¯d heard about them. It was a hardcore cooking school, insane standards, and a habit of crushing any other cooking schools who tried to challenge them. It always sounded like my kind of school.


    I never bothered applying there though because I already knew I was the best¡­


    Akeno slipped closer, resting a hand on my chest and smiling in that flirty way she always does. ¡°Would you be able to cook for us, Haru? I''d be ever so grateful. Especially when you win! You could take me to the backroom and ravish me as your reward!¡±


    ¡°Akeno-san!¡± Asia squeaked, her eyes going wide. ¡°That¡¯s so¡­ forward¡­¡±


    Akeno giggled. ¡°Relax, Asia-chan. Besides, you haven¡¯t really met Haru yet, have you? He¡¯s Rias¡¯s fianc¨¦.¡±


    Asia¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ her fianc¨¦?¡± she asked in a tiny voice.


    Several human girls joined in with a chorus of ¡°Eeeeehhhhh!?¡±, looking at me like I was some kind of celebrity. I guess I was in this place since I was engaged to one of the famous Ojou-Samas¡­


    I shot Asia a friendly smile. ¡°Good to meet you in person.¡±


    She blushed, fiddling with her hands. ¡°Y-yes, and I heard you were somehow involved in saving me¡­¡±


    I waved it off. Nah, that was mostly my girls and Gabriel. I was just there for moral support.


    Tsubaki cleared her throat again, trying to regain control. ¡°We appreciate the reunion, but we need to focus. Haru, do you think you could handle cooking something that¡¯ll meet Totsuki¡¯s standards?¡±


    Pffft! Their standards? I could blow them away! Especially since I had access to literally otherworldly ingredients!


    There was only one slight problem...


    ¡°Sure, I can do that. But how do I officially represent Kuoh if I¡¯m not even enrolled?¡±


    Tsubaki straightened her glasses, looking determined. ¡°I¡¯m on the Student Council. We can temporarily register you in the college division! No one will question it, especially with Sona¡¯s authority backing us.¡±


    Alice let out a short laugh. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s shady as hell. But if it works, it works.¡±


    One of the human girls nodded vigorously. ¡°Tsubaki-senpai can do anything!¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said, rolling up my sleeves and stepping toward a counter. ¡°Let¡¯s get this place properly set up and stocked up so we¡¯re ready for the challenge!" Nothing was more important if my reputation as a chef was going to be put on the line!


    ¨C Demiurge ¨C


    Demiurge had always maintained an air of judgment whenever Albedo or Shalltear flaunted themselves around Lord Ainz. He understood their devotion but thought their over-the-top displays were a bit much. Now, though, he begrudgingly admitted he had a taste of how they must have felt. Not that he¡¯d suddenly turn into a swooning fool, but for the first time in his existence, Demiurge felt a pull that reminded him of how those two acted whenever they were near Lord Ainz.


    He couldn¡¯t deny it, ever since he laid eyes on HER, something had shifted in his worldview. Granted, his loyalties would always lie with Nazarick and Lord Ainz, but there was room¡ªjust a sliver¡ªfor someone else.


    That someone was a devil princess named Sona Sitri.


    They¡¯d been walking around this human academy for about half an hour, and Demiurge had to admit it was¡­ impressive. He didn¡¯t like giving humans credit, but their ability to build and maintain elaborate structures without using any magic at all was intriguing. Sona led him through hallways and classrooms, explaining how the school was divided into a high school section and a college division, and pointing out facilities that dealt with science, math, literature, and more.


    Demiurge listened, but his focus kept drifting back to her. The way her eyes sparkled behind her glasses when she talked about the academy¡¯s achievements made him want to hear more, to ask follow-up questions about her own interests. He saw the faint blush on her cheeks whenever he glanced at her, and that quiet acknowledgment of mutual attraction thrilled him.


    No doubt the other Guardians would tease him mercilessly once they caught wind of this. The proud and collected Demiurge, flustered over a devil princess. He could almost see Albedo¡¯s smirk in the back of his mind.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to care.


    Eventually, Sona led him to the back of the academy, where the hustle and bustle had died down. Most of the human students had gone home, leaving the place relatively quiet. Demiurge noticed a tall building in the distance, sensing the presence of devils within.


    He gestured toward it. ¡°Pardon me, Lady Sona,¡± he said politely, ¡°but we haven¡¯t toured that structure yet. I can sense a few devils inside.¡±


    Sona followed his gaze and gave a short nod. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the old school building. Rias uses it for her peerage activities.¡±


    Demiurge inclined his head. He remembered Haru mentioning a devil fianc¨¦e named Rias Gremory. He hadn¡¯t met her yet, but it sounded like she was a significant figure among the devils, much like Sona. He was about to inquire further when one of the windows in that distant structure flew open.


    Out soared a red-haired devil woman with large, unmistakable wings¡ªand an even more unmistakable chest, which Demiurge found less appealing than a more slender figure like his beautiful Sona, but he supposed everyone had preferences. She glided through the air and landed gracefully on the grass near them.


    ¡°Hi, Sona!¡± the redhead greeted, folding her wings behind her. She gave Demiurge a curious once-over, a bright smile forming on her lips. ¡°And hello, new devil I¡¯ve never met before.¡± She seemed to notice that his arm was linked with Sona¡¯s. A playful grin spread across her face. ¡°Oh my gosh, Sona, are you on an actual date!?¡±


    Sona¡¯s cheeks turned a light pink. She let go of Demiurge¡¯s arm, clearing her throat. ¡°What? No¡ªmaybe¡­? That¡¯s none of your business, Rias,¡± she huffed, which only deepened Demiurge¡¯s internal amusement.


    The red-haired devil placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Well, that¡¯s definitely my business if it means I get to tease you,¡± she said, then turned her attention to Demiurge with a small, graceful curtsy. ¡°I¡¯m Rias Gremory. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Demiurge released Sona¡¯s arm completely so he could offer Rias a proper bow. ¡°I am Demiurge, an Archdevil and faithful servant of the great Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±


    Rias¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Oh, you mean Skeletor? I like him¡ªhe¡¯s cool.¡±


    For a second, Demiurge froze. ¡°S-Skeletor?¡± he echoed, feeling a twinge of irritation. Was this how they referred to Lord Ainz in other circles?


    "So, mind telling me why you¡¯re out here now that the school day is basically done? You realize you missed an entire day of your classes, right?¡± Sona asked.


    At that, Rias¡¯s confident expression faltered. A faint blush colored her cheeks. ¡°I was, uh¡­ binging some anime last night and was too tired to go to school today...¡±


    She cleared her throat awkwardly, and Demiurge tilted his head in interest. Anime? He¡¯d never heard of it, but from the way Rias acted, it sounded like some sort of human entertainment. He made a mental note to investigate later.


    Sona sighed, looking at Rias with exasperation. ¡°At least you¡¯re awake for the competition later. You do remember the Totsuki Academy people are coming today, right?¡±


    Rias grimaced, running a hand through her red hair. ¡°Ugh¡­ I forgot about that. They¡¯re gonna wipe the floor with us. Maybe we should just not go¡­¡±


    Sona gave her a disapproving look. ¡°You have to go, Rias. Your family owns half the school. You can¡¯t just skip out.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Rias whined, slumping her shoulders dramatically.


    With a small huff, Sona pulled out her cell phone¡ªan object Demiurge had already found fascinating, since it appeared to be a mundane version of a messaging spell¡ªand checked the time. ¡°They¡¯ll be here any minute now.¡±


    Rias let out a groan. ¡°Great. I¡¯m so not in the mood! They¡¯re all arrogant elite chefs, and they wiped the floor with us last year! It was embarrassing considering we even tried to cheat with magic and still lost!"


    Sona¡¯s expression brightened slightly. ¡°Not necessarily. I got a text from Tsubaki a little bit ago. Our college division just got a new transfer student¡ªsomeone who¡¯ll help us show Totsuki the true prestige of Kuoh Academy.¡±


    Demiurge noticed how the little strand of hair on Rias¡¯s head¡ªa detail he¡¯d heard referred to as an ahoge¡ªseemed to twitch when she got that curious look on her face.


    ¡°Wait, someone good at cooking just happened to transfer in? Who?¡± Rias asked.


    Sona grinned. ¡°I think you know who.¡±


    Rias¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Haru!? He¡¯s here!? And he¡¯s a Kuoh student now!?¡± She looked almost giddy. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Come on, let¡¯s go watch him wipe the floor with those arrogant Totsuki bigshots!¡±


    "He''s only gonna be a student for today," Sona pointed out.


    "That''s better than nothing!"


    Demiurge felt a hint of interest as well. He¡¯d never seen a cooking competition, but he retained memories of the Supreme Beings discussing such matters in the past.


    But before they could move, Demiurge¡¯s battle instincts flared. He sensed danger and lunged forward, grabbing both Rias and Sona and yanking them aside. A split second later, two spears of golden light slammed into the ground right where they¡¯d been standing.


    Rias, looking startled for half a heartbeat, quickly turned furious. ¡°Which fallen angel piece of shit just tried to kill us?! Show yourself, asshole!¡± Her wings flared out, and she scanned the area with narrowed eyes.


    Sona, too, radiated power, magic swirling around her as she prepared to defend herself.


    Demiurge meanwhile was furious that someone had tried to kill ¡°his Sona!¡± Whoever it was was going to BURN under his hellfire. He finally saw the perpetrator as they descended from the sky.


    A particularly ugly Fallen Angel with 10 black wings was cackling at them¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood out by Kuoh Academy¡¯s front gates, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. I glanced around at the small group I had with me. Tsubaki stood closest, fidgeting with her glasses. Akeno was off to the side, that usual playful smile on her face. And Alice lingered next to me, arms folded. She looked bored, but I could tell she was as curious as the rest of us about the arrival of these ¡°legendary¡± cooks.


    The first limo rolled up, sleek and black, followed by another, then another, until we had a small convoy lined up at the curb. That¡¯s when Tsubaki let out a little gasp.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± she whispered, pointing. ¡°That old man is Senzaemon Nakiri, the current director of Totsuki Academy. Why is he here? They usually just send a couple of students to humiliate us, not the big boss himself.¡±


    I followed her gaze and immediately recognized the presence this guy had. He was an older man, tall and muscular for his age, with a stern face that suggested he didn¡¯t take shit from anyone. A handful of bodyguards followed him, but I barely noticed them once I saw the younger folks stepping out of the limos behind him. From how they held themselves, it was obvious they were chefs¡ªor at least training to be. They each had that confidence I¡¯d seen in serious cooks before.


    As they approached, I locked eyes with them one by one, just to get a feel for what we were dealing with. To my amusement, I noticed them stiffen slightly, like they sensed they were in the presense of culinary greatness.


    Even Senzaemon kept flicking his gaze my way, like he was sizing me up.


    ¡°Welcome to Kuoh Academy, Nakiri-sama.¡± Tsubaki bowed politely, though she still looked a bit rattled. ¡°We have multiple cooking stations set up for today¡¯s event. I see you¡¯ve brought a larger group this time, but I should mention¡­ We only have one cook on our side. Haru, from our college division.¡±


    Part of me was still shocked that she actually managed to pull this off in time. I even had a new student ID in my pocket and everything¡­ Not that I would ever bother going to any classes after this.


    ¡°Haru, huh?¡± Senzaemon rumbled, turning his attention fully on me. ¡°So you¡¯re the one they¡¯ve chosen to face my students?¡±


    I gave him a small grin. ¡°Nice to meet you. I promise I¡¯ll try not to crush your kids too badly.¡±


    Immediately, the younger group bristled.


    One spiky-haired kid introduced himself as S¨­ma Yukihira, practically challenging me on the spot.


    Another introduced herself as Alice Nakiri¡ªapparently the old man¡¯s granddaughter¡ªlooking at me like she couldn¡¯t wait to show me up.


    A shy-looking girl, Megumi Tadokoro, stood behind them, obviously determined to prove something despite her timid vibe.


    The last was Erina Nakiri, who said she was here as a judge, not a competitor.


    ¡°Ara, they all seem pretty fired up, Haru,¡± Akeno commented, stepping closer to me. She glanced at the Totsuki students with mild amusement.


    ¡°They¡¯re about to get wrecked,¡± Alice said in a monotone, making the group glare in her direction. She just rolled her eyes.


    "BOOOOOM!"


    The ground shook slightly. That was worrying. Whatever that was¡­


    I was about to signal for Tsubaki to lead everyone inside, but suddenly, a massive column of fire erupted from behind the academy. Every head turned in that direction.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I muttered, recognizing the demonic signature right away. That was Demiurge¡¯s power. Why was he blowing shit up here? I quickly stretched my senses and felt the attacker¡ªwhoever it was¡ªget flung a good couple kilometers away. I also sensed Sona, Rias, and Demiurge giving chase, each of them radiating serious anger.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Erina sputtered, jabbing her finger at the smoke curling into the sky.


    Akeno cleared her throat loudly, stepping forward with a forced smile. She came up with a solid lie on the spot. ¡°Ara, some of our students get a bit¡­ enthusiastic with their after-school clubs. Looks like the fireworks club overdid it again, that¡¯s all.¡± Her tone was so sweet it was almost suspicious.


    I could tell none of the Totsuki folks believed her for a second¡ªespecially Senzaemon, who raised an eyebrow¡ªbut since there were no more explosions, they chose to let it slide.


    ¡°Right,¡± Tsubaki said, clapping her hands in an effort to corral everyone. ¡°Shall we head to the main building? We have a large kitchen set up specifically for the competition.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± Senzaemon said, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he signaled for his students to follow.


    XXX

 chapter 51

    Chapter 51: The cooking world is bigger than you know


    ¨C Yasaka ¨C


    Yasaka stood by the counter, her nine tails swishing slowly behind her as she watched the commotion unfold. Irene¡ªthe dragon-woman who wanted to be her son¡¯s mate¡ªwas on her hands and knees, literally begging for Erza¡¯s forgiveness. It was a sight Yasaka never thought she¡¯d see. Dragons were known for their pride, yet here Irene was, pressing her forehead to the floor.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Erza!¡± Irene pleaded, her voice trembling. ¡°I was forced to leave you behind¡­ I had no choice!¡±


    Yasaka exchanged a quick glance with Enri, who was standing nearby. The two of them had a decent view of the Fairy Tail wizards gathered around Erza. Natsu, Gray, and Lucy had already introduced themselves earlier, so Yasaka recognized each face. They kept talking over one another, urging Erza to let go of her anger.


    ¡°Come on, Erza,¡± Natsu said, crossing his arms. ¡°It¡¯s your mom. If she says she was forced, maybe you should hear her out!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, people make mistakes,¡± Gray added, shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s not like any of us have perfect parents.¡±


    Lucy, looking a bit unsure, nodded. ¡°You can at least give her a chance to explain more, right?¡±


    Erza stood in front of her mother, arms folded tightly across her chest. Her jaw was set, and Yasaka could practically feel the tension radiating from her. ¡°I don¡¯t owe her anything,¡± Erza muttered, but there was a wavering edge in her voice. ¡°Why is she only trying to find me after twenty years?¡±


    That was a question Yasaka wanted answered too. Irene hadn¡¯t been willing or able to explain it before Yasaka and some of the other women basically tossed her out of the Fox Hole. Back then, they¡¯d told her not to come back until she¡¯d earned Erza¡¯s forgiveness. Technically, Irene was breaking that promise by showing up here now, without having gained that forgiveness first.


    Either way, Yasaka wasn¡¯t happy. The crazy dragon¡¯s presence had literally made Haru leave his own restaurant, which was completely unacceptable! He could be too damn nice sometimes, especially toward pretty women. If it¡¯d been up to Yasaka, she would¡¯ve just tossed the troublesome dragon out or asked Alice to do it¡ªAlice didn¡¯t take crap from anyone, and Yasaka liked that about her.


    Irene still had her face pressed to the floor. ¡°Erza, please,¡± she insisted, voice shaky. ¡°Just give me a chance to explain¡ª¡±


    Yasaka decided she¡¯d had enough and cleared her throat loudly. ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s quite enough of that. You¡¯re all causing a scene. None of you are friends with my son, so I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave. Got it?¡±


    Irene stood up, cheeks flushed, smoothing out her skirt. ¡°I¡ªI apologize for the display. Is Haru here?¡± she asked, glancing around hopefully.


    ¡°No,¡± Yasaka said flatly. ¡°You scared him off with your weird show. Congratulations.¡±


    Irene¡¯s face went pale. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t realize¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there something going on between you and the fox guy?¡± Lucy chimed in, eyeing Irene curiously.


    Irene let out a fond smile, looking almost starstruck at the mention of Haru. ¡°Yes. I have decided that Haru shall be my mate!¡±


    Erza let out a choked sound. ¡°What? You can¡¯t just decide that by yourself!¡±


    ¡°And why not, my daughter?¡± Irene countered calmly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Erza snapped, turning red. She looked like she was stuck between fury and utter embarrassment.


    Suddenly, that blue cat with the weird angel wings¡ªYasaka had no clue how that worked¡ªfloated over everyone¡¯s heads with a mischievous grin. ¡°That¡¯s because Erza has a cruuuuush on Haru! She even let him sniff her!¡±


    Erza¡¯s face turned the color of her hair. ¡°I do not! He sniffed me without asking first!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you didn¡¯t mind it afterward,¡± Natsu pointed out.


    ¡°Whack!¡±


    ¡°Ahhgh!¡± Natsu doubled over as Erza socked him in the gut. ¡°I was only telling the truth¡­¡± he groaned, still crumpled.


    Yasaka watched the chaos unfolding and sighed. Another redheaded mother-daughter duo falling for her son? She couldn¡¯t tell if Haru would be thrilled or horrified. He was already trying to juggle an odd harem situation as it was. Not that any of them were officially living with him yet, but Yasaka suspected that might change soon enough.


    For now, she just wanted these troublesome outsiders gone so Haru could return to his own restaurant and cook in peace. If Irene wanted Erza¡¯s forgiveness, she¡¯d have to earn it without scaring off Yasaka¡¯s son in the process.


    Yasaka cleared her throat again and leveled a steady gaze at all of them. ¡°I appreciate you wanting to help or apologize,¡± she said, ¡°but our actual request isn¡¯t happening for at least a week. Anyone who wants to see my son again can come back tomorrow. But for now, I¡¯m asking you all to leave.¡±


    They started murmuring among themselves, Irene looking especially torn. She seemed to be caught between despair at missing Haru and a strange sort of glee at discovering Erza might like him, too. Yasaka just rolled her eyes internally¡ªdragons were weird, especially the women. Tiamat still hadn¡¯t had a boyfriend in a thousand years, which said a lot.


    Before they left, she also asked the Wizards to see if any others would be willing to join in, even if it went against their guild vote. Lucy said she''d speak to a few of her friends and they''d get back to Yasaka and Haru tomorrow.


    ¨C Rias ¨C


    Kokabiel let out a ragged, furious scream as another blast of Rias¡¯s Power of Destruction tore through his already battered wings. The crimson energy burned through his flesh, singeing the remaining feathers and leaving him flailing mid-air.


    ¡°Fuck! Why are you devils so damn strong? And who the fuck are you?¡± he bellowed, his glare locking onto the new presence¡ªDemiurge.


    Demiurge didn¡¯t bother answering. His posture remained eerily relaxed, his sharp, calculating eyes fixed on the struggling fallen angel. He lifted one clawed hand, and the air around them shifted with an intense, suffocating heat. ¡°Aspect of the Devil: Hellflame.¡±


    A roaring column of black and red fire erupted from Demiurge¡¯s outstretched hand, the sheer heat igniting the surrounding trees instantly. Flames surged outward, engulfing the battlefield in an inferno. The smell of burning wood and charred earth filled the air.


    Rias barely spared a thought about the cleanup. That was a future problem. Right now, all that mattered was taking down this bastard who had ambushed her and Sona without warning. Wasn¡¯t this guy supposed to be one of the leaders of the Fallen Angels?


    ¡°What the hell is Azazel even doing?¡± she muttered, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.


    ¡°Kokabiel!¡± Sona¡¯s voice cut through the roaring flames. ¡°Water Lock!¡±


    A massive orb of water materialized around Kokabiel, swirling violently as it encased him. The fallen angel thrashed, his movements frantic as he fought to stay above the rising water. His wings flicked, desperate to lift him out, but the liquid prison held firm. He started to visibly choke.


    Rias gritted her teeth. If Akeno were here, she could have added a burst of lightning to finish the job. Her own power wasn¡¯t suited for fine control¡ªher destruction magic would obliterate Sona¡¯s water prison entirely.


    At least Demiurge could work with them. Without hesitation, he sent another torrent of hellfire at the trapped fallen angel! The moment the flames licked the surface, the water began to boil violently. Steam hissed into the air, clouding the battlefield as the temperature spiked. Kokabiel¡¯s scream ripped through the haze, guttural and raw.


    Then, with a surge of desperation, Kokabiel forced his wings open, the sheer momentum sending him rocketing out of the boiling prison. His body trembled from the accumulated damage, his soaked clothes clinging to his frame. Blood trickled from his numerous burns, his breathing ragged. He shot upward, putting as much distance between them as possible.


    Rias scowled, watching him hover. She, Sona, and Demiurge all had wings of their own, but aerial combat wasn¡¯t really her specialty¡ªnor Sona¡¯s. They were more like magical cannons. High DPS but not very mobile.


    Demiurge looked like he might handle mid-range at best.


    Even in his weakened state, Kokabiel glared down at them with sheer hatred. His once-pristine angelic robes hung in tattered strips, exposing his gaunt, skeletal frame. The missing feathers and charred edges of his wings made him look even more grotesque.


    Rias wrinkled her nose in disgust. ¡°Big G obviously hated this guy off rip¡­¡± she muttered under her breath.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over!¡± Kokabiel bellowed, his voice hoarse but laced with venom. ¡°I¡¯ll be back! My legions will bury you and this disgusting town!¡± With one last powerful flap of his wings, he shot off into the distance, disappearing beyond the smoke and fire.


    Rias exhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders as the tension began to ease.


    Sona let out a breath beside her, rubbing her temple. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to tell Nee-san about this.¡±


    Rias chuckled. ¡°Yeah, our siblings are going to be pissed when they hear about this attack. They¡¯re going to be so freaking clingy!¡±


    Sona actually shivered, her lips twitching in reluctant amusement. Then, to Rias¡¯s surprise, she turned to Demiurge and smiled at him. It was¡­adorable, almost soft¡ªsomething Rias hadn¡¯t really seen from her before.


    ¡°Thank you for being here,¡± Sona said. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t intervened, that sneak attack might have really hurt us...¡± she trailed off with a grimace.


    Demiurge grinned. ¡°Of course. It was my pleasure.¡± He tilted his head, his tone shifting to curiosity. ¡°Who was that fallen angel, anyway?¡±


    Rias and Sona exchanged glances before launching into an explanation. What they knew about Kokabiel wasn¡¯t much¡ªjust that he was a high-ranking fallen angel obsessed with war. He had been around since the Great War and never quite let it go. Even among the fallen, he was considered a warmonger.


    Demiurge listened intently, nodding as they spoke. His gaze flickered with something unreadable, but he kept his thoughts to himself. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For Rias, though, she was done. She was ready to be anywhere but here.


    A hush fell over them as they surveyed the damage. The forest area they¡¯d been fighting in was half-smoldering, half-waterlogged. Smoke curled into the sky, stinging Rias¡¯s nostrils. She turned away from it with a grimace, then let her wings fade out. ¡°I just want to go back to Haru,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯d rather watch him kick ass in the competition than deal with more fallen angel drama¡­¡± Although she knew she¡¯d have to deal with the fallout eventually, she could put it off for a couple hours to go and cheer on her fiance. She hoped she hadn¡¯t missed out on too much so far. She also wondered if anyone else she knew was dealing with craziness like she was¡­?


    ¨C Akeno ¨C


    Akeno led the small group down the hallway toward the massive double doors of Kuoh Academy¡¯s gymnasium. She stifled a quiet laugh to herself, thinking about how frantic Kiba and Koneko must have been while hauling all that cooking equipment across campus. But there was no way they could host this big event in the tiny cooking club room, not with such high-profile guests.


    ¡°Right this way, Nakiri-sama,¡± Tsubaki said in a polite tone, gesturing for the visitors to follow her inside. Akeno knew Tsubaki was trying her best to look composed, but after all the last-minute changes, she probably felt as frazzled as everyone else.


    The gym doors swung open, and they stepped into the wide space. Rows of bleachers loomed on either side, and in the middle sat a bunch of cooking counters and stations that Kiba and Koneko had dragged over. Akeno spotted the pair off to the side, both panting and leaning against a wall. She gave them an appreciative thumbs-up. They¡¯d managed to set everything up in record time.


    Senzaemon Nakiri, the imposing old man leading the Totsuki group, walked forward and surveyed the area with a critical eye. ¡°You¡¯ve prepared an adequate stage,¡± he said, and that sounded like praise.


    Akeno silently acknowledged that for a human, he carried himself with a lot of presence.


    Next to him stood a blonde girl who radiated confidence¡ªand maybe a little arrogance. Erina Nakiri, if Akeno remembered correctly. She scanned the cooking stations with a mild frown. ¡°I look forward to seeing if your so-called challenger can really match our best,¡± Erina said, her voice clipped. ¡°Only the world¡¯s finest chefs deserve to cook for my palate.¡±


    Akeno bit back a smirk. ¡®What a little ojou-chan,¡¯ she thought, recalling how Rias still had a similar vibe sometimes¡ªbut at least Rias never ran her mouth like that toward Haru. Akeno mentally noted that Erina¡¯s attitude might clash with Rias¡¯s, or maybe they¡¯d get along famously. It was fifty-fifty in her mind. Still, she wasn¡¯t about to let anyone disrespect Haru, especially not in her presence. She let a soft laugh slip out¡ªher trademark ¡°ufufufu.¡± ¡°Ara, you¡¯ve got it backward,¡± she said, stepping forward. ¡°The question isn¡¯t whether Haru is worthy of cooking for you¡­¡±


    Erina narrowed her eyes. ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    Akeno smiled sweetly, but her tone held a hint of challenge. ¡°It¡¯s whether or not you¡¯re worthy to taste something Haru-sama personally makes.¡±


    Erina¡¯s frown deepened, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Meanwhile, Senzaemon raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. ¡°We shall see,¡± he said simply.


    ¨C Soma ¨C


    S¨­ma Yukihira stood at his makeshift cooking station, facing off against the so-called top cook from Kuoh Academy. A jolt of unease crawled up his spine the moment he laid eyes on Haru. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it¡ªsomething about the guy made him uneasy. But Soma wasn¡¯t one to back down just because of a weird vibe.


    He took a breath and plastered on his usual cocky grin. ¡°S¨­ma Yukihira,¡± he said, dipping his head in a casual greeting. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to run my own restaurant someday, just like my dad. That¡¯s why I¡¯m at Totsuki¡ªto learn everything I can and then surpass him.¡±


    Standing beside him were Alice Nakiri and Megumi Tadokoro, both quietly introducing themselves to Haru as well. Alice held her chin high, radiating confidence, while Megumi looked a bit uneasy but determined. Soma noticed that Haru was listening politely, yet there was a glint in his eyes that hinted at something beyond normal competitiveness.


    ¡°So,¡± Soma asked, washing his hands at the station sink. ¡°What kind of chef are you aiming to be, Haru?¡± They were all prepping themselves to start cooking, but they hadn¡¯t gotten the theme from the judge¡ªErina Nakiri¡ªyet. Knowing Erina, she would be fair but strict. She always was when it came to food.


    Haru paused, like he was actually thinking hard about his answer. ¡°Honestly,¡± he said, cracking a small grin, ¡°I never really thought about it. I guess I just want to be the best. When people eat my food, I want them walking out saying it¡¯s the best meal they¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    Soma let out a short laugh. ¡°Heh, maybe you¡¯ll get there one day. My old man¡¯s that kind of chef, travels all over the place cooking for big shots. He¡¯s mastered just about everything under the sun, and I¡¯m gonna surpass him¡ªthen open my own place.¡±


    Haru just chuckled at Soma¡¯s claim. ¡°I¡¯m sure your father¡¯s talented,¡± he said calmly, ¡°but he hasn¡¯t mastered everything. Doubt he¡¯s even scratched the surface of what¡¯s out there.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Soma shot back, brows furrowing. He saw Alice toss Haru a skeptical look.


    Alice cleared her throat. ¡°Soma can be a bit of a bumpkin sometimes, but his father is globally respected,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s known worldwide.¡±


    Haru shrugged. ¡°Sure. In the human world, maybe.¡± Then he smirked, and Soma couldn¡¯t help feeling a little twitch of apprehension. ¡°But you three aren¡¯t up against a human.¡±


    A chill crawled down Soma¡¯s spine. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He glanced at Erina and the old man Senzaemon, both of whom suddenly looked unsettled.


    A couple of women from Kuoh Academy¡ªAkeno and Tsubaki, if he recalled¡ªpalmed their faces as if they knew what was coming. One of them started to say, ¡°Haru, you really shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± but Haru cut her off.


    ¡°I never hold back when I cook,¡± Haru declared, ¡°and you all deserve to know who you¡¯re challenging. Cooking¡¯s bigger than that fancy school taught you.¡±


    Soma¡¯s heart pounded as a strange shimmer danced across Haru¡¯s body. Then, in plain view, nine golden fox tails sprouted behind him, swaying lazily in the air, while a pair of golden ears appeared atop his head. His eyes narrowed, pupils going slitted.


    ¡°Holy crap,¡± Soma blurted out, dropping the towel he¡¯d been drying his hands with. Yokai existed? And he was about to go head-to-head with one in a cooking competition!? A freaking nine-tailed fox.


    Haru gave them all a confident grin. ¡°So let¡¯s get started. Show me what you humans can do.¡±


    Soma noticed even Senzaemon¡¯s composure faltered for a second, while both Erina and Alice stood speechless. Megumi looked like she might faint on the spot.


    Meanwhile, Haru stared them down, the wispy tips of his fox tails flicking with anticipation. ¡°What¡¯s the matter everyone? Yokai got your tongues?¡±


    Soma swallowed hard. Sure, maybe a shape-shifting fox demon wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected, but a challenge was a challenge! ¡°Fine,¡± he said, feeling the corners of his mouth turn upward in a shaky grin. ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡±


    XXX

 chapter 52

    Chapter 52: Where¡¯d her clothes go?


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    ¡­I noticed Akeno and Tsubaki pouting at me from the other side of the room. They were clearly annoyed that I had revealed my yokai status to these kids and the old man. I didn¡¯t see what the big deal was, honestly. None of them had cameras, and if they couldn¡¯t keep their mouths shut, we could just erase their memories afterwards.


    I never liked messing with people¡¯s minds as much as other supernaturals seemed to, but I would do it if it meant keeping my family safe. It was a small price to pay. I shot a quick wink at the girls who kept pouting. Only Alice smirked back. She stood next to Asia and the girls from the Kuoh cooking club, who were all gaping at me like I had grown a second head.


    I realized I had forgotten they were there with everything going on at once. Yeah, we¡¯d have to erase their memories later because those Kuoh girls loved their gossip. The news of Rias Gremory being engaged to a yokai would spread through the school by tomorrow if we didn¡¯t. Oh well, we could deal with that after they watched the competition.


    Speaking of the cooking competition, the only one who seemed to recover was Soma. Meanwhile, Alice¡ªwhite-haired Alice¡ªalong with Megumi, looked like their brains were still rebooting from my sudden reveal of tails and ears.


    Finally, one of the girls snapped out of her daze. She was the white-haired Alice. ¡°Yokai!? Are real!? How? Is this some kind of trick?¡± She blurted it out with her eyes wide.


    I smirked and held out my hand. A swirl of blue foxfire appeared in my palm, bright and flickering. The room felt warmer as the flames danced around my fingers, then I closed my hand and snuffed them out. ¡°No trick,¡± I said. ¡°You kids all go to the greatest cooking school in the world¡ªwell, the human world. I thought I¡¯d show you it¡¯s a lot bigger than you imagine. There are ingredients out there that¡¯d gobble you alive if you tried to hunt them.¡±


    Megumi¡¯s voice wavered. ¡°L-like what?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I grinned and reached into my personal storage space¡ªbasically a pocket dimension only I could access¡ªand pulled out a giant hunk of tender meat, slapping it down on the workstation table. None of them recognized what it was, and I wasn¡¯t surprised. Most humans would never see this stuff.


    Soma blinked. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°This? Dragon meat,¡± I answered. ¡°I hunted this evil dragon myself after it tried to burn down a small city.¡± I reached back in and pulled out more slabs, stacking them on the table. ¡°How about we use it as the base for our competition?¡±


    Megumi fiddled with her apron. ¡°C-can we do that? I thought we¡¯d be cooking chicken or pork or something.¡±


    I turned my head and grinned at Tsubaki, who looked like she was fighting the urge to facepalm. She sighed. ¡°Do whatever you want, Haru. Just know I¡¯ll be telling Sona all about this later.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I think she¡¯ll be too distracted with her new boyfriend to care.¡±


    Akeno¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her head. ¡°What?! Sona has a boyfriend!? When!? How!? Rias never told me anything about that!?¡±


    Tsubaki stared at me like I¡¯d just dropped a bomb. She was obviously stunned.


    Senzaemon cleared his throat, drawing our attention. The old man had recovered from his shock and now gave me a pointed glare. ¡°I¡¯ve lived a long time¡­¡±


    Yeah, nobody was arguing that.


    ¡°¡­and throughout my life, I¡¯ve heard plenty of rumors about yokai. But you¡¯re the first one I¡¯ve actually seen.¡± He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I have just one question for you¡­¡±


    My tails swayed behind me, and I smirked. ¡°Oh? And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Is dragon meat delicious?¡± he asked, looking excited.


    ¡°Grandfather!?¡± Erina, who stood right next to him, looked appalled. ¡°We just found out yokai are real, and all you can think about is the food!?¡±


    The old man chuckled and ran a hand over his beard. ¡°Food is one of the few pleasures an old timer like me has left. Of course I¡¯m curious!¡±


    I liked this old guy. He was fun. ¡°Dragon meat is absolutely delicious,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s far better than the most tender beef you¡¯ve ever tasted in your entire life.¡±


    Senzaemon broke into a broad grin, then addressed his students with a dramatic flourish. ¡°What are you all waiting for, then!? Get to cooking! Show this yokai the pride of T¨­tsuki Academy!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± the challengers called out at the same time.


    ¨C Yasaka ¨C


    Yasaka watched as Enri hesitated near the door, shifting her weight from one foot to the other like she was working up the nerve to say something. It had been a slow day, with no customers coming in after she kicked out the Fairy Tail group, or maybe everyone was just preoccupied. Even Yasaka was technically skipping out on her own work by being here, though she wasn¡¯t exactly concerned about it. With a small chitter, she turned her attention back to the girl.


    ¡°Is something wrong, dear?¡± Yasaka asked, tilting her head slightly.


    Enri gave a hesitant smile. ¡°Some of the villagers have been a bit nervous since we found out the kingdom wants to attack us. I know Lord Haru will protect us, but... maybe he could come by and talk to everyone? Just to calm them down a bit?¡± She fidgeted, hands wringing the hem of her dress, like she was afraid of overstepping.


    Yasaka sighed quietly. This might have been partially her fault for not properly coaching Haru on how to manage his new territories. He was strong, but leadership required more than just strength. He needed to show up and show his people occasionally that he was the kind of person they should give their trust and loyalty to.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he comes by tomorrow,¡± she reassured Enri.


    The girl brightened instantly. ¡°Thank you, Lady Yasaka!¡± With that, she turned and hurried out the front door.


    Yasaka shook her head fondly before looking around. With Haru gone for over an hour, she might as well tidy up his restaurant a bit. It wasn¡¯t like she had much else to do at the moment.


    ¡°SLAM!¡±


    The front door flew open with a force that made Yasaka¡¯s ears twitch.


    ¡°We¡¯re closed¡ª¡± Yasaka started, only to stop when she saw Kunou standing in the doorway, her golden tails swaying with excitement. Beside her stood Sansa, the red-haired girl from Winterfell, who Haru had yet to properly check in on after reclaiming the territory.


    ¡°Hello, Kunou dear. Sansa.¡± Yasaka greeted, setting aside the cloth she had been using to wipe down a table. ¡°How is Winterfell?¡±


    Sansa executed a graceful curtsy. ¡°Recovering well, Lady Yasaka. The food shipments and building materials have been a great help. I hope one day the North can be as advanced and prosperous as Kyoto.¡±


    That was a long way off, but Yasaka had a feeling the girl would be around long enough to see it¡ªespecially if she underwent the ¡®rite¡¯ eventually. But that was a conversation for another day. Right now, she focused on her daughter, who had that mischievous glint in her eyes, the one that always meant she knew something Yasaka didn¡¯t.


    Also, Yasaka noted, Kunou had once again managed to slip away from her guard, Tanya. That girl really needed to keep a better eye on her charge.


    ¡°Haru is in a cooking competition at Kuoh Academy!¡± Kunou announced with obvious glee. ¡°I just got a text from Big Sister Rias!¡±


    ¡°Oh? That sounds fun.¡± Yasaka smiled, already knowing what was coming next. Kunou had rushed here because she wanted permission to go. At least she was asking this time instead of sneaking off on her own. Yasaka still had a few hours to shirk her duties, so she figured she might as well take Kunou and Sansa herself.


    ¡°Did Rias say anything else in the text?¡± Yasaka asked, stepping closer to the girls.


    Kunou nodded eagerly. ¡°Yeah! Apparently, a fallen angel called Ko¡ªuh, Koko-something showed up and tried to kill Big Sister Rias and her friend Sona, but he got sent packing by Sona¡¯s new boyfriend!¡±


    Yasaka froze mid-step. Her ears twitched as she processed what her daughter had just said.


    What the hell?


    ¨C Rias ¨C


    ¡°SLAM!¡±


    The doors to the gym burst open as Rias strode inside, Sona and Demiurge trailing right behind her. She took a quick glance around the packed room, slightly pouting when she realized the cooking competition had already started. Hopefully, she hadn¡¯t missed too much.


    Her attention immediately snapped to Haru, who stood at one of the workstations, his fox ears and tails fully on display despite the sea of humans in the room. He didn¡¯t seem the least bit concerned about keeping a low profile.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, Rias-senpai! Sona-senpai!¡±


    A couple of underclassmen from the cooking club ran up to them, their faces full of concern. Rias vaguely recognized them but didn¡¯t know their names.


    ¡°What happened to you!?¡± one of them asked, eyes flicking over Rias¡¯s slightly disheveled uniform. There were a few scuffs and minor tears in the fabric, and she was sure her hair wasn¡¯t in perfect condition either. Sona looked just as roughed up, though neither of them had any actual injuries. Supernatural battles just weren¡¯t very kind to clothing.


    Before Rias could respond, another girl blurted out, ¡°Did you know your fianc¨¦ is a yokai!?¡±


    ¡°Are you a yokai too, Rias-senpai!? Is that why you¡¯re so pretty and your hair is so beautiful?¡±


    Rias rolled her eyes. ¡°No,¡± she said flatly. Her beauty was entirely her own, thank you very much. Sure, devil genetics helped a little, but she put a lot of effort into her appearance, and she wasn¡¯t about to let some overeager underclassmen credit it all to supernatural heritage.


    ¡°You three will forget everything you saw today and go home,¡± Sona said, waving a hand in front of their faces.


    The girls¡¯ expressions instantly went blank as the hypnosis took hold. Without another word, they turned and exited the gym.


    Rias sighed. She might have let them stay and watch the competition before erasing their memories, but she had just finished dealing with an annoying battle. The last thing she wanted right now was to babysit a group of nosy underclassmen.


    She continued walking across the gym, heading toward Akeno, who was standing with Tsubaki. Two humans stood with them¡ªan older gentleman and a blonde girl. Rias vaguely recognized both of them.


    ¡°Ara, welcome back, my King,¡± Akeno smirked, her gaze flicking over Rias¡¯s less-than-pristine appearance. ¡°Were you standing a little too close to the fireworks club when they had their¡­ accident?¡± she teased with a wink.


    Rias exchanged a quick glance with Sona. They both caught on immediately.


    ¡°Uh, yes,¡± Rias said smoothly, quickly fabricating an excuse. ¡°I scolded them for using too much gunpowder.¡±


    The older man and the blonde girl looked skeptical but decided not to press the issue.


    ¡°Welcome to our academy, Nakiri-san and Nakiri-sama,¡± Sona greeted, her composed tone returning as she addressed them formally. Rias assumed they were related, considering they shared the same last name.


    Rias¡¯s new adorable bishop wandered over along with Haru¡¯s zombie-killing girlfriend, Alice. "Oh my gosh, do you need any healing?" Asia asked.


    Sona coughed awkwardly. "No, we don¡¯t need any first aid," she said, putting heavy emphasis on those two words.


    Senzaemon rolled his eyes. "You girls couldn¡¯t be more obvious if you tried. It¡¯s obvious Kuoh is some kind of secret supernatural academy none of the schools in Japan were ever privy to. I suppose that explains how you all cheated last year to almost beat our students in cooking."


    Rias pouted. "We did not cheat," she blatantly lied!


    "That¡¯s right," Sona added, pink creeping onto her cheeks. Shockingly, it had been Sona¡¯s idea last year to try and cheat, but they still ended up losing.


    The old man scoffed at them as Asia¡¯s hands lit up green in a blatant display of supernatural ability and started healing the few cuts or scrapes that Sona and Rias both had before moving over towards Demiurge.


    "It¡¯s always pragmatic to keep a healer on hand," Demiurge nodded at Asia, who smiled at him.


    "SLAM!"


    The gym doors were once again thrown open, and Rias saw two more nine-tailed foxes alongside another one of Rias¡¯s possible future sisters enter the gym.


    "Ara, lots of doors getting slammed open today," Akeno giggled.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I was definitely enjoying myself. Being a chef wasn¡¯t a particularly ruthless career choice, but all chefs took pride in their work. There was also a certain glee in ruthlessly putting some upstarts in their place.


    My nine tails were a flurry of activity, shifting in front and behind me as they shuffled ingredients around the table. My hands moved at supernatural speeds, slicing through the thick dragon steak with precision. The meat had been aged just right, tender and rich, practically melting under my knife. The sizzling aroma filled the air as I seared the thick slices on the hot griddle, the fat crackling and releasing a mouthwatering scent.


    Across the workstation, Soma smirked but I could see he was nervous. His hands worked as fast as they could, but he was still only a regular human teenager. ¡°You''re making Dragon steak... tacos...?¡±


    "Isn''t that like cultural appropriation?" Alice Nakiri whined as she tried her best to keep up. I could see she was making some kind of dragon stew, based off of a beef stew recipe. I''m sure it would be good, but my nose could smell she was using too many high end sauces and spices. Throwing expensive items into her pot wasn''t going to give her the win.


    Megumi on the other hand was just staying simple and trying to make a dragon version of roast beef. So far, I actually thought she was the best cook here since she was keeping it simple with an ingredient she hadn''t mastered cooking with.


    Soma, on the other hand, was making Dragon fried rice. There was nothing wrong with that of course but I could see he was the opposite of Alice Nakiri in his culinary mindset.  He wanted to prove he could make good food as cheaply as possible. Which was good for someone on a budget but not someone in a cooking competition¡­


    We had laid out dozens of extra ingredients along with multiple types of rice, from high end to ordinary, and Soma was trying to prove a point or something by using the literal cheapest brand of rice with his dragon meat.


    "Go, Niichan!" I smiled at Kunou and my mom Yasaka who had both shown up at some point to support me alongside Sansa Stark. I hadn¡¯t even noticed them all entering the gym¡ªI tended to get a little distracted when it came to cooking.


    I also noticed that Rias and Sona were both back, and they seemed fine other than some messy clothes and hair. I was glad for that, but definitely wanted to know what the hell attacked them earlier. I gave Demiurge a thankful nod for keeping them safe, and he returned it.


    I put the finishing touches on my dragon tacos, placing the tantalizing meat and mouthwatering vegetables in the shell before sprinkling small amounts of handmade guacamole and sour cream over the top. Not too much, though. Dragon meat had a strong flavor on its own, and you always wanted to emphasize it.


    I was the first one to finish and managed to make enough food for not only our judges but also everyone in the gym. I laid out the plates on the counter and placed a stasis and warming charm over them to keep them perfect while everyone else finished up with their food.


    ¡­


    Everyone laid out their plates in front of Senzaemon and Erina Nakiri for judging. I leaned back slightly, arms crossed, watching as they started with Alice¡¯s dragon stew. The aroma was rich, thick with spices and a deep, smoky undertone. It looked impressive, and honestly, I was curious to see how it tasted.


    Senzaemon took a bite first, chewing thoughtfully. Erina followed, her expression neutral at first before she gave a small nod. "It¡¯s good," she admitted. "The flavors are bold, but¡­"


    "You overcompensated," Senzaemon finished for her. "Too many strong flavors clashing instead of complementing."


    Alice let out a tiny sigh, nodding as she accepted the critique. I could see the disappointment in her eyes, but she took it well enough.


    Next up was Megumi. She had gone for a simple roasted dragon steak with a side of roasted potatoes and asparagus. The presentation was clean, straightforward. I inhaled deeply and had to admit¡ªit smelled damn good. No excessive sauces or over-the-top plating, just a well-executed dish.


    Senzaemon sliced off a piece, taking his time chewing before giving an approving nod. Erina followed suit and, the moment she tasted it, let out a soft moan. "This is¡­ really well done," she said.


    Megumi blushed but bowed her head. "Thank you."


    Senzaemon turned toward her with a pleased expression. "Excellent control of flavors. You let the dragon meat shine without overpowering it."


    I smirked. Yeah, she was definitely the best cook here in my opinion.


    Then came Soma, who looked way too confident for his own good. "Prepare to be blown away," he declared, setting down his fried rice.


    Senzaemon tried a spoonful first, and his expression instantly tightened. Erina took a single bite and then immediately gagged, spitting it out into a napkin like she¡¯d been poisoned.


    "Inedible," she declared, her voice sharp and final.


    Soma¡¯s smirk disappeared instantly. "What?!"


    Sona, who had been quietly observing, leaned over to Rias. "So that¡¯s the famous God¡¯s Tongue¡­"


    Alice and Megumi exchanged glances, whispering to each other. "I¡¯ve never seen Soma fail before," Alice murmured.


    Senzaemon sighed, setting down his utensils. "The flavors don¡¯t work together. The cheap rice and heavy sauces completely drown out the dragon meat¡¯s natural richness. It¡¯s an imbalance that ruins the dish."


    Soma looked genuinely stunned. "Damn¡­ I thought it would work..."


    I would have warned the kid about that before, but I figured watching him fail would be a better learning experience.


    Finally, my turn. I stepped forward, placing two taco plates in front of the judges. The moment I set them down, the entire gym was hit with an intoxicating wave of smoky, savory, and slightly charred aroma.


    "Oh wow¡­" Erina¡¯s mouth was already watering.


    Akeno smirked at her reaction. "Remember what I told you, ojou-chan?"


    Erina scowled but kept her focus on the food. "I¡¯m sure it¡¯s good, but it can¡¯t be that¡ª"


    She took a bite.


    A second later, something happened that no one, including me, expected. Erina¡¯s entire face flushed deep red, and she let out a very loud, very inappropriate-sounding moan.


    And then¡ªall of her clothes completely exploded off her body!


    "EHHHHHH!?" Everyone in the room, including me, shouted at the same time!


    XXX

 chapter 53

    Chapter 53: Guided Tour


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I blinked a couple of times, trying to process what the hell just happened. Judging by the collective silence, everyone else in the gym was in the same situation as me.


    Yep. Erina¡¯s clothes had just randomly exploded, and from the way her face had flushed and that¡­ sound she made, she may or may not have had an orgasm from a single bite of my dragon steak tacos.


    I always wanted people to enjoy my food, but not to that level.


    "A-A-Awaawawa!" Asia Argento had turned a brilliant shade of red, clutching the hem of her skirt like she was trying to shrink into herself. Kunou wasn¡¯t any better, frozen in place with wide, horrified eyes.


    Thankfully, Mom was there to handle things, immediately wrapping a pair of her fluffy tails around their faces to block their view. "No peeking, little ones," she murmured with amusement.


    "Arara¡­ this girl is quite bold¡­" Akeno smiled, her violet eyes twinkling with mischief.


    "Is she trying to seduce Haru!?" Rias snapped, crossing her arms as her brow twitched in irritation. Right next to her, Alice stood with her arms crossed, glaring daggers at the barely-functioning Erina.


    "I didn¡¯t sense any magic when her clothes exploded¡­ how strange," Demiurge muttered, rubbing his chin in intrigue.


    "Oh, for Maou¡¯s sake! Will you all stop gawking!?" Sona groaned and waved her hand, conjuring a thick blanket with her demonic power before tossing it over Erina.


    It took another couple of seconds before Erina¡¯s brain caught up with reality. She suddenly gasped, clutching the blanket tightly around herself, her wide golden eyes brimming with sheer horror. Her lips trembled, and I could already tell she was about five seconds away from crying.


    "Ara, is this the female version of post-nut clarity?" Akeno asked, barely holding back a giggle. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Senzaemon, who had somehow remained impressively stone-faced through the entire ordeal, finally moved. He let out a deep sigh before bowing his head to everyone in the gym. "I deeply apologize for what just transpired. However¡­ given the circumstances, I believe it is best if we take our leave immediately." He turned toward me, his expression unreadable. "We concede to Kuoh Academy and the yokai chef, Haru."


    And just like that, the entire T¨­tsuki delegation filed out of the gym with the speed of people fleeing a crime scene.


    I exhaled slowly, running a hand down my face. "Well¡­ that was a thing."


    "It certainly was," Akeno said with another laugh, clearly enjoying the fact that Rias was openly pouting.


    "So¡­ did we win?" Tsubaki asked, glancing around.


    Rias snapped out of her glaring at the door where the humans had left and then smirked. "Hell yeah, we won! Kuoh Academy is now the best cooking school in the country! Suck it, T¨­tsuki Academy!" she cheered.


    "Well¡­ at least we will be until tomorrow when I officially unenroll Haru from his classes," Sona pointed out before turning to me. "Are you ever actually planning on attending Kuoh?"


    "Nope. Not at all." I shrugged. Schooling in my past life was enough, and having tutors in this one covered all the bases. No need to go through that all over again. I paused for a moment, scanning the room until my eyes landed on Yasaka, Sansa, and Kunou. "Thanks for coming to cheer me on¡­ sorry it turned into whatever that was."


    Mom unwrapped her tails from around Kunou and Asia¡¯s heads, giving me a small smile. "Ara, that was certainly interesting. But I¡¯m always happy to cheer on my son."


    "I¡¯ve never heard of a cooking competition before," Sansa admitted, tilting her head. "It was quite interesting and entertaining to watch. I think I¡¯ll start hosting them in Winterfell."


    I walked over to them, then turned back to Rias and the others. "I guess we can have a victory celebration back at my restaurant if everyone¡¯s interested." The gym still had cooking stations scattered around, but after what had just happened, the buzz had pretty much died.


    "That sounds like a wonderful idea," Yasaka said before turning to Rias and Sona. Her voice was still gentle, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "You two can also tell me why one of the Fallen Angel generals tried to attack you¡­" Yeah, Yasaka did not sound happy about that.


    Sona and Rias stiffened slightly. They were in for some dramatic talks before they got to their celebrations.


    ¡­


    I worked behind the counter. The sound of sizzling grilling meat filled the air, but it was nearly drowned out by Kunou¡¯s voice as she excitedly recounted everything that had happened¡ªagain¡ªto anyone who would listen. Who at the moment was Asia Argento who seemed far too kind to point out to Kunou that everyone had been there to see everything first hand.


    Over in the corner, Mom had Rias, Sona, and Demiurge in a booth across from her as she grilled them about why exactly Kokabiel had attacked them...


    Not that he needed a reason of course. I knew the guy was just a crazy asshole but no one quite knew "how crazy" just yet. My ears twitched, I wasn''t trying to eavesdrop but I couldn''t really help it either.


    "Do you realize how delicate these peace talks have been so far? How much work has gone into ensuring that all these factions even consider sitting at the same table? And now this happens?" she demanded.


    Sona pushed her glasses up but still looked slightly uneasy. "We didn¡¯t anticipate an attack, Lady Yasaka. It¡¯s not as if we invited him to ruin everything."


    Rias crossed her arms, visibly frustrated. "We handled it. He fucked around and he found out!"


    Mom didn¡¯t look particularly satisfied with that answer, her tails twitching slightly.


    I turned my head and ears away from that conversation and focused on the two beautiful young women in front of me.


    Sansa sat at the counter next to Alice, who nursed a strong drink I had whipped up for her. Sansa, on the other hand, had opted for some light wine, swirling the glass slowly as she watched the scene with curiosity.


    "An entire school only for cooking?" she asked with her cute brows furrowed. "Are all of those kids going to be chefs when they graduate? Are there even that many open positions in this country?"


    I flipped a steak on the grill while I thought about that question. Assuming the academy pumped out around 100 graduates every single year, and most students worked for 30 to 40 years afterwards. And those students were also all prideful elite chefs and would demand to be the heads of any kitchen they worked in...


    "Erm¡­ not really. There would need to be something like 4000 five star restaurants operating at all times in Japan to constantly employ all those graduates. And Totsuki isn''t the only cooking school in the country either, just the best."


    "Second best!" Alice said with a small smirk pointed my way.


    I smirked back at her. My tails couldn''t help but wag a little bit proudly. That''s right, they were second best...


    "What happens to all those students then?" Sansa asked, still looking intrigued.


    Alice downed another large portion of her drink before answering that one. "I''ll tell you what happens to them! They end up getting corporate office jobs where they work twelve hours a day for a soulless company that cares nothing for their existence. And then, when they want to go home after a hard day''s work, they can''t because their bosses are all raging alcoholics who force their poor employees to go drinking with them since they have no friends. They end up getting so blackout drunk that they can¡¯t even make it home most nights, so they just crash back at work, only to wake up four hours later and do it all over again. They keep that up for a good few years before inevitably taking a swan dive off the highest rooftop or bridge they can find..." Alice listed off, all of that, in one breath.


    ¡­Sansa and I were openly gaping at Alice.


    "Duh fuck, Alice?" I asked, staring at her blankly.


    She just shrugged at me. "What? Japan has the highest suicide rates in the world for a reason."


    I mean¡­ fuck. She wasn¡¯t exactly wrong¡­ but still. Now Sansa was going to get the wrong ideas about my home country. Judging by the horrified look on her face, she already had.


    "Not all of them will turn out like that, Sansa¡­" I tried to reassure her. Just a lot of them¡­ Yeah, the humans in this country really needed to get their shit together before it was too late. I was immensely glad to have been reborn as a yokai, where life was much less stressful.


    "Whatever..." Alice added playfully before going back to her drink. I''m pretty sure she was just messing with us at this point. It turned out my zombie slaying girlfriend could be a bit of a troll when she was tipsy.


    I coughed politely and decided to change the subject with Sansa. Yasaka had told me on the way back from Kuoh that I needed to start paying more attention to the lands under my ''rule.''


    While I technically had no legal rights to the North or the Riverlands unless I actually married Sansa and her mother, Yasaka insisted I should still be a bit more active in monitoring them.


    Just a bit, though. The whole point of me running a restaurant was to avoid all that responsibility and dump it on Kunou when she grew up.


    Oh, how the turns have tabled on me¡­ I sighed internally.


    Sansa smiled when I mentioned Winterfell, clearly happy that I was taking an interest in her home. "The castle is almost completely repaired. Soon, I''ll be calling upon the still-loyal noble families to visit and formally swear fealty."


    She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Traditionally, women aren¡¯t allowed to rule in Westeros. But after my mother and I saw how much everyone respects your lady mother, Yasaka, we realized our methods are outdated."


    I grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "That¡¯s the spirit. I¡¯d much rather be king-consort than an actual King of the North. The latter sounds like way too much effort."


    Sansa chuckled at that but then looked at me more seriously. "Could you be there when the nobles arrive? It¡¯s time they learned about their future lady¡¯s lord husband and the changes I¡¯m going to be implementing."


    I gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I¡¯ll be there." I finished plating Sansa¡¯s hamburger and fries and placed them in front of her. "Here, eat up. You¡¯ll need your strength for all that ruling you¡¯re about to do." I gave her a cheeky grin.


    ¡­


    ¡­The next day.


    Early in the morning, I found myself walking into Enri¡¯s village. The place had definitely improved since the last time I''d been here, and everyone didn¡¯t look like they were starving or hadn¡¯t bathed in weeks anymore. Big improvements!


    I promised my mom, Yasaka, I¡¯d pay a visit to calm the villagers down about the whole "war" situation. They had every right to be nervous, but keeping them from outright panicking was part of my job now, apparently.


    Meanwhile, Yasaka was handling negotiations with Fairy Tail. Now that we had a better grasp on the guild¡¯s actual strength, we realized that while they boasted about having a hundred members, only around twenty of them were actually worth a damn. The rest? Just a bunch of nobodies riding the coattails of a high-ranked guild. Instead of recruiting the whole lot, Yasaka planned to offer a premium to just the top members. We already had Irene¡¯s daughter and her friends on board, but four people and a flying cat didn¡¯t exactly scream overwhelming force. A few more capable hands would definitely help.


    As Demiurge and I stepped into the village, I smirked at him. "You look like you¡¯ve been up all night. Do I need to hide you from Serafall?"


    Demiurge chuckled. "I did not besmirch Lady Sona¡¯s honor, if that is what you are asking. We simply talked long into the night. She is as intelligent as she is beautiful..." He trailed off, looking uncharacteristically unsure. "I hope the other guardians won¡¯t have an issue if I visit her again."


    I rolled my eyes and clapped him so hard on the back that he stumbled a couple of steps forward. "Ainz is a good guy. He¡¯s not going to keep you away from a girl you like. It¡¯s not like Sona¡¯s a threat to Nazarick or anything."


    Demiurge straightened, adjusting his glasses. "You are right. The other floor guardians have pointed out that I tend to overthink things, but I find that¡¯s my best quality."


    "Nothing wrong with being brainy," I said. "You heading back home soon?"


    "Soon," he confirmed. "But first, I would like to fly over the Katze Plains and properly observe the future battlefield myself."


    I sighed. "Sorry that you guys are going to be fighting the bulk of the army." Not that I thought Nazarick would mind. Most of Ainz¡¯s forces were literal monsters, and killing thousands of humans probably didn¡¯t mean much to them. Still, I wondered if Ainz would be able to live with it¡­ or, well, not live with it. Because, you know, he¡¯s already dead.


    Demiurge smirked. "I am sure this was all part of Ainz-sama¡¯s plan from the start. Good luck in your own battle, Haru-sama!"


    With that, wings sprouted from his back, and he launched himself into the sky, flying off toward the plains.


    A few of Enri¡¯s villagers gasped at the sight, but not as many as I expected. Guess they were getting used to all the strange beings and yokai coming and going.


    Enri popped out of a small house, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. "Lord Haru!" she called excitedly, jogging over. "It¡¯s been a while! Would you like a tour of the village? And¡­" she hesitated slightly before continuing, "I¡¯d like to finally introduce you to my parents. You¡¯ve been my boss for a while now, but you¡¯ve never properly met them."


    I blinked at that. She wasn¡¯t wrong. Despite all the work she did for me, I had never actually sat down and met the people who raised her. "Yeah, sure," I said with a grin. "I¡¯d like that."


    ¡­


    The moment I stepped inside, her father immediately fixed me with a sharp gaze. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" he demanded.


    I choked at the question, nearly losing my footing. "I¡ªI don¡¯t have any intentions with Enri!" I stammered. "I just make sure she¡¯s safe and always has a steady paycheck!"


    Her father dramatically pointed at me. "Is she pregnant!? Is that why you¡¯re showing up after all this time? You better take responsibility, young man! It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re the lord of these lands or not¡ªour daughter is a proper young lady!"


    "Congratulations, sweetie!" her mother chimed in with a happy smile at her daughter.


    "Yay! I¡¯m going to be an auntie!" Nemu cheered, throwing her hands up without a care in the world.


    Enri turned beet red, sputtering. "Mama! Papa! Nemu!" She pouted at all three of them and vehemently told them she was not pregnant. Then, to my horror, she glanced at me briefly, poking her fingers together as she mumbled something about "not minding if she was though..."


    I facepalmed so hard...


    Her mother let out an amused "Oh my!" when I grabbed Enri¡¯s hand and said, "Why don¡¯t we just take a tour of the village now instead?"


    "That sounds like a good idea!" Enri blurted out quickly.


    We practically rushed out of her house, and as we walked, she sighed. "I¡¯m really sorry about that¡­ My parents keep telling me it¡¯s time to get married now that I¡¯m sixteen and an adult." Then she turned to me with a teasing smile. "What do you think about that, Lord Haru¡­?"


    I choked again, my ears flattening on my head. "NOPE! I¡¯m not touching that topic for at least two more years. Absolutely not!" I immediately shut it down.


    She giggled at my reaction before launching into the tour, pointing out various village improvements. "This here is the magical greenhouse. It keeps out all the bugs and makes the plants inside grow ten times faster than normal, making our village almost self-sufficient." She gestured toward a well. "This well always pumps out clean water, and nobody has ever gotten sick after drinking it." Finally, she led me to the edge of the village, patting the sturdy structure. "And these are the new walls surrounding our village to keep out wolves and hungry goblins. None of this could have been accomplished without you or your people, Lord Haru. Thank you so much." She beamed at me brightly.


    I reached over and patted her head. "Thanks for being such a great employee. Your people deserve to be safe and happy. I promise the army won¡¯t even get close to these new walls."


    A villager on top of the wall suddenly called out to Enri and me, his voice carrying over the village. "Lady Enri! Lord Haru! A small group is approaching! Some of them have weapons and armor!"


    I frowned at that. Without thinking, I scooped Enri up, earning a surprised "Eep!" from her, and in a single bound, I landed atop the 20-foot wall. Setting her down gently, I turned my focus toward the incoming figures.


    Enri squinted her eyes before suddenly lighting up with excitement. "Oh my gosh, Haru! It¡¯s Nfirea! He¡¯s one of my best friends! I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll love to meet you!" She waved eagerly before pausing and tilting her head. "And who¡¯s that with him?" She squinted again before suddenly letting out a squeak. "Oh my!" she exclaimed. "Those¡ªthose are the adamantium adventurers, the Blue Roses!" She pointed at the four women who flanked the wooden cart Nfirea rode toward the village.


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 318-322


    The Titan 27


    The Fox Hole 58


    The Blood Queen 35


    The Fox Hole 57


    Thunder and Black Wings 10


    The Fox Hole 56


    The Blood Queen 34


    The Fox Hole 55


    The Fox Hole 54


    The Titan 26

 chapter 54

    Chapter 54: Welcome Adventurers


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I glanced down at Enri as we stood atop the village wall, my eyes shifting between her and the group approaching in the distance. "So, tell me more about these Blue Roses," I said, curiosity piqued.


    Enri¡¯s face lit up with excitement. "They¡¯re one of the most famous adventurer teams in the world! All of their members are women, and they have a reputation for only taking on righteous jobs. They don¡¯t do anything shady¡ªjust hunting down dangerous monsters and taking out bad guys."


    I raised an eyebrow. So they¡¯re basically a fantasy world¡¯s version of superheroes? "Is that so?"


    She nodded enthusiastically. "They¡¯ve got a huge following!"


    I hummed in thought, my gaze returning to the approaching figures. "Then why would such a famous group be acting as bodyguards for your friend? That kind of protection has got to cost a fortune."


    Enri furrowed her brows, clearly thinking the same thing. "That¡­ I don¡¯t actually know. Nfirea is talented, but hiring the Blue Roses seems a little extreme."


    I reached over and ruffled her hair. "Don¡¯t overthink it. We¡¯ll find out soon enough."


    Still, my instincts told me something was up. Either Nfirea was loaded beyond belief, or there was more going on than just a routine supply run. Considering the kid was wearing commoner clothes when we spotted him in the distance, it was obviously the latter.


    Turning my attention to the village lookout, I raised my voice. "Go ahead and open the gates."


    The villager nodded, shouting down the command before moving to help crank the massive wooden doors open.


    Before Enri could react, I scooped her up in another princess carry and leapt down from the 20-foot wall, landing effortlessly in the dirt below.


    Enri let out another adorable shriek, clinging to my shoulders. "Haru! You have got to stop doing that!"


    I chuckled, tightening my grip just enough to keep her from slipping. "Why? It¡¯s fun messing with you."


    Her cheeks puffed out in a pout.


    ¨C Lakyus ¨C


    Was this tiny village always surrounded by such an imposing wall?" Gagaran asked out loud as they approached, her voice carrying easily over the sounds of the rolling cart.


    Nfirea, who was sitting beside her, shook his head vehemently. "Carne was just a peaceful farming and scavenging village. I don¡¯t even think they had any real weapons."


    "Obviously, a lot has changed since the kingdom sold off this territory," Lakyus pointed out, watching the towering wooden walls loom closer. "Honestly, in hindsight, it was a smart move. It got the kingdom out of massive debt, and now that the people here aren¡¯t overtaxed into starvation, they actually seem to be thriving." She gestured toward the fields, which looked far more prosperous than they had any right to be. Although these fields didn''t technically belong to the Kingdom anymore.


    That wasn''t the point though. It was starting to look this nice in other places too.


    Of course, some greedy nobles and that idiot first prince had to go and ruin it all. All because it turned out the person who now owned this land wasn¡¯t human¡ªthough they all knew that was just an excuse.


    Evil Eye suddenly stiffened beside her as the village¡¯s massive wooden gates creaked open.


    Lakyus turned to her. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Before she could answer, Tina and Tia started snickering. "She¡¯s just too short! Tall walls are her nemesis!"


    "I can fly, you idiots!" Evil Eye snapped, folding her arms over her chest. "That¡¯s not what¡¯s wrong!" Her masked gaze was locked on the two figures standing just beyond the gates.


    Although, realistically, everyone was only looking at one of them.


    Lakyus''s breath caught as her eyes landed on the man waiting for them. He was strikingly handsome, but what made her muscles tense were the obviously non-human traits. His ears were just a little too sharp, his eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and a pair of sleek, furred tails swayed lazily behind him. Beastman? No¡­ she had never seen one that looked so human before.


    Evil Eye¡¯s voice dropped to a rare whisper of genuine unease. "Do not pick a fight. No matter what. If you do¡­ we all die."


    Tina and Tia immediately stopped giggling. Gagaran shifted, her usual bravado tempered by caution. "Why?"


    Evil Eye hesitated before answering, her tone more serious than Lakyus had ever heard it. "That fox man is more powerful than any dragon I¡¯ve ever seen."


    Lakyus stiffened. Evil Eye had met a dragon before? More than one? That was something she would have to ask her about later. Right now, she had more pressing concerns¡ªnamely, their escort mission and their secret diplomatic mission for the princess.


    The group of four adventurers stepped through the village gates, the massive doors shutting behind them with a loud, almost ominous bang.


    "Sorry about that," the handsome blonde fox-man said as he approached, a teenage girl walking beside him.


    "Nfi!" Enri¡¯s voice rang out as she dashed forward, wrapping the nervous alchemist into a tight hug. "It¡¯s so good to see you again!"


    Nfirea immediately stiffened, his face turning bright red as he sputtered incoherently.


    Lakyus watched with mild amusement. This must be "Enri-chan"¡ªthe girl Nfirea hadn¡¯t stopped rambling about during the entire trip here. It was painfully obvious how much he was into her.


    Before he could get a word out, Enri pulled back and returned to the fox-man standing beside her¡ªthe very same man who had Evil Eye looking like she wanted to disappear. Lakyus had never seen their tiny but powerful magic caster scared of anything before.


    Enri turned back to them, her face lighting up with excitement. "Welcome to Carne Village! It¡¯s an honor to meet Blue Rose!" She then turned back to Nfirea with a warm smile. "And welcome to you too, Nfi! If you¡¯re here for alchemy ingredients, we¡¯ve got plenty stocked up."


    Nfirea nodded, but he still looked too nervous to say anything coherent.


    Gagaran barked a laugh and clapped him hard on the back. "Come on, man, spit it out! She¡¯s not gonna bite!"


    Meanwhile, Tina and Tia stood slightly behind Lakyus, their eyes locked warily on the fox-man as she stepped forward to formally introduce herself.


    With a composed nod, Lakyus offered a slight curtsey despite being an adventurer. Given his well-tailored clothing and confident stance, it was obvious this was no ordinary beastman¡ªhe had the air of someone from a well-off background. Was he the one who had bought the land and bailed the kingdom out of its debts?


    The fox-man smirked as he returned her gesture with a small but graceful bow. "Nice to meet you all as well. I¡¯m Haru of the Yokai Faction. Welcome to my territory." His slitted eyes swept over the group. "Is there a reason one of the kingdom¡¯s most famous adventuring teams is out here besides guarding Enri-chan¡¯s friend?"


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I could see the nervous tension in the adventurers sitting at my bar. They were trying to hide it, but their stiff shoulders and wary glances gave them away. The small one, Evil Eye, was the most on edge, practically glued to her seat. Her masked face was locked onto me like she expected me to lunge across the counter and rip her throat out.


    A vampire, obviously. And obviously trying to hide it. I wondered if her team knew.


    I stood behind the counter with Enri beside me, while our guests took their seats on the barstools. Gagaran, the largest of the group, glanced around The Fox Hole. "This is a pretty cozy place you got here," she said, nodding in approval.


    "Thanks," I replied with a grin. "I wanted it to be a place where all people and races could feel at home and enjoy a good meal." I let my tails sway lazily behind me as I leaned against the counter. "Just know that I don¡¯t tolerate any fighting in my restaurant." The four adventurers gulped in unison, their nervous energy spiking for a moment before I eased them with a grin. "Now, what do you all want to eat?"


    Lakyus, the leader, tilted her head slightly. "Wait, are you a chef or something?"


    I gave her a blank stare. "I¡¯m literally standing behind the counter of my own restaurant. What do you think?"


    Before she could respond, Evil Eye suddenly blurted out, "Why? Why would someone as powerful as you be cooking?"


    I shrugged. "What does being powerful have to do with anything? I like cooking, so I opened a restaurant. Simple as that."


    Tina and Tia, the twin ninja girls, suddenly burst into laughter. They elbowed Evil Eye playfully. "Our tiny magic caster got us all nervous for nothing!" Tina snickered.


    "Yeah, so much for ¡®he¡¯s more powerful than any dragon I¡¯ve ever seen,¡¯" Tia added, still giggling.


    Evil Eye, still masked, said nothing, but I could practically feel her pouting through the cloth.


    Lakyus cleared her throat, her posture relaxing slightly. "Alright, fair enough. So, Haru, why set up a restaurant in Carne Village of all places? And could you make me some pasta?"


    "I want some meat!" Gagaran added enthusiastically.


    "Soba for us!" Tina and Tia chimed in together.


    "I¡¯ll have nothing," Evil Eye muttered, clearly because of her vampiric nature.


    I smirked and winked at her. "I¡¯ll make you something special. You¡¯ll like it."


    She stiffened slightly but didn¡¯t argue.


    As I turned to the kitchen, my tails moved behind me, opening the fridge and grabbing ingredients while my hands flicked on the stoves. Oil sizzled in one pan while butter melted in another. I moved seamlessly through the motions, preparing five different meals at once. Multitasking in the kitchen was second nature to me.


    As I cooked, I answered Lakyus¡¯s question. "Carne Village is the best place for my restaurant. How else would I have met my adorable little sous chef, Enri-chan?" I chuckled.


    Enri, standing beside me, turned bright red.


    That¡¯s when Nfirea, her alchemist friend, suddenly stiffened. "You¡¯re going to be a chef, Enri-chan!?" he blurted out, his eyes flickering toward me¡ªwas that jealousy?


    That was definitely jealousy.


    Enri was still blushing when she responded, "Right now, I¡¯m just a waitress, but I¡¯m taking cooking lessons from Haru. I hope to help more in the kitchen in the future."


    "You go, girl!" Gagaran chuckled.


    I kept moving, chopping, frying, boiling¡ªall at once, effortlessly handling multiple dishes.


    Evil Eye, still watching me closely, finally asked bluntly, "Are you the owner of this entire territory? And are you the one who bailed out the kingdom?"


    I didn¡¯t even pause. "Yeah, I own the land, but someone else actually bought everything in my name. Doesn¡¯t really matter, though, in the grand scheme of things."


    I finished cooking and placed the plates in front of the adventurers. The scent of seared meat, rich spices, and fresh herbs filled the air, and the girls were practically salivating at the sight of the food. Without hesitation, they all started digging in¡ªexcept for Evil Eye, who stared at her plate of blood sausages with obvious confusion.


    My ears twitched as I picked up the faint sound of her sniffing beneath her mask. After a moment of hesitation, she lifted the fabric just enough to bring her fork to her mouth and took a cautious bite.


    The instant the flavor hit her tongue, she let out an adorable little squeal, her body tensing with delight before she quickly started devouring her meal¡ªstill careful not to reveal too much of her face.


    That was when the others froze, forks suspended midair, eyes locked onto their tiny magic caster in utter disbelief.


    "Evil Eye¡­ is actually eating?" Gagaran said, her voice dripping with shock.


    "I always thought she was anorexic or something," Tia muttered. "She never eats."


    "That¡¯s mean," Lakyus chided, though her expression suggested she didn¡¯t entirely disagree.


    Gagaran smirked as she watched Evil Eye devour another bite. "Looks like you and me have a lot in common, short stuff¡ªbecause I love me some sausage too."


    I coughed.


    Enri, standing next to me, went bright red, while poor Nfirea started choking on his macaroni¡ªthe one Enri had made especially for her "friend."


    Yeah... The poor kid had no idea how deep in the friendzone he was. Hard-core.


    I wasn¡¯t blind¡ªI knew Enri had a crush on me. But I wasn¡¯t about to reciprocate her feelings. If she still felt the same way when she was older, well¡­ We''d see at that point.


    A small note materialized out of thin air and floated down onto the counter.


    I sighed as I picked it up and read the two simple words written on it:


    "She will¡­"


    Evil Eye finished her last bite of blood sausage and glanced up. "Where did that come from? I think I sensed a trace of space magic."


    I rolled my eyes. "Just a random tsundere goddess sending me a message. Happens from time to time."


    All four adventurers gaped at me in obvious confusion. I didn¡¯t elaborate. Their confusion was too amusing to me!


    Once everyone had finished eating, Enri decided to take Nfirea out of the village to show him where they kept all the supplies. That left me alone with our guests.


    I offered them some tea while we got down to the real reason they were here. It was obvious that the most famous adventurers in the kingdom wouldn¡¯t waste their time simply guarding one guy on a trip across the country to visit a small village.


    "We¡¯ve done more boring jobs," Lakyus shrugged, but then she sighed and admitted, "But you¡¯re right."


    They finally told me they were here on the request of the kingdom¡¯s princess.


    "She¡¯s a good girl," Gagaran added, stretching her arms over her head. "She doesn¡¯t want any fighting."


    "She doesn¡¯t want the kingdom destroyed in a war we might not win," Lakyus clarified.


    I snorted. "There is a zero percent chance the kingdom will win. Hell, I could probably destroy the kingdom myself, and I¡¯m not even close to as powerful as my buddy Ainz."


    The girls flinched at that.


    Evil Eye, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up. "Why are you friends with an undead? And where did this Ainz Ooal Gown even come from?"


    Lakyus folded her arms. "He just randomly showed up in the capital one day and declared that the Katze Plains and the surrounding lands were his. He wasn¡¯t alone either¡ªhe had a whole group of monsters with him."


    I nodded. "Ainz can be a bit¡­ blunt, but he¡¯s a good guy. And let¡¯s be honest¡ªneither the kingdom nor the empire actually owns the plains. They fight over it every year, and thousands die. Now that Ainz has claimed it, at least that pointless bloodshed can stop."


    Of course, that was just me being an optimist. I knew damn well that wasn¡¯t how things worked. Medieval humans were notoriously stupid and greedy¡ªat least, their nobility was. Or maybe I had just watched too many period dramas¡­?


    Lakyus sighed. "The problem is, Prince Barbro isn¡¯t going to back down. They¡¯ve already gathered an army of 100,000 ready to fight."


    Yep. That lined up with our intelligence. I had already heard whispers of their mobilization.


    "A fight like this will be devastating for all sides," Lakyus continued before looking at me seriously. "Is there any possibility that Ainz or you could go to the royal capital to try and talk things out?"


    I frowned at that, my tails stiffening behind me.


    "No," I said bluntly. "There¡¯s nothing to work out. My land was purchased fairly, so there¡¯s nothing to discuss. The kingdom isn¡¯t getting it back. Furthermore," I continued, "I don¡¯t want to kill any of the serf soldiers that will be forced to attack us. I¡¯ve even tried hiring mages who specialize in non-lethal spells to minimize casualties¡ªbut that¡¯s as far as I¡¯m willing to go."


    I leaned against the counter as I explained to them that we yokai weren¡¯t a particularly greedy race. We didn¡¯t go out of our way to claim territory, but we would always defend what we had vehemently.


    Evil Eye tilted her head slightly. "What exactly is a yokai?"


    "Is that some type of beastman?" Lakyus asked.


    I snorted, shaking my head. "Hell no. I¡¯ve heard about this world¡¯s so-called beast people, and I have to say, they¡¯re disgusting. Barbaric even."


    Evil Eye narrowed her red eyes behind her mask. "This world?"


    I grinned and spread my arms dramatically. "That¡¯s right. Welcome to The Fox Hole, a restaurant that connects to numerous other worlds and dimensions!"


    Evil Eye suddenly stood up, her chair scraping against the floor as she pointed at me. "Are you a player!?" she shouted, her voice filled with shock.


    The other girls looked at her in confusion. "Player?" Tina and Tia exchanged glances, clearly lost.


    I sputtered. "¡­While it¡¯s technically true that I do have a harem, I wouldn¡¯t consider myself a player. I don¡¯t like guys who treat women like that..." I trailed off.


    At least I didn''t think I did...


    "Not that kind of player!" Evil Eye snapped, her embarrassment evident even through her mask. "I mean players¡ªpowerful beings from other worlds who always come here to attack or take over! That¡¯s what you¡¯re doing, isn¡¯t it?"


    I blinked. "That¡¯s kind of a weird way to put it, but I guess by that definition, I would be a player...?" I rubbed my chin in thought. "Ainz too, I guess¡­" Honestly, where did that strange definition even come from?


    "We have to leave!" Evil Eye suddenly declared to her team.


    They all looked at her, startled by the abrupt shift in her demeanor. "Why?" Lakyus asked, brows furrowed in concern.


    "The dragons and the players are ancient enemies who always go to war with each other!" Evil Eye explained, her voice urgent. "I don¡¯t want to be anywhere near when a fight of that magnitude goes down."


    Dragons again!? I thought to myself with my tails twitching behind me. Why did every new world seem to have dragons that wanted to kill me or my friends? I wanted to ask more, but Evil Eye had already strong-armed her team out of the restaurant, practically dragging them with her.


    I wasn¡¯t about to stop them if they wanted to go, but I could always ask Yasaka to send some yokai spies after them later, to gather more information.


    Still, one thought lingered in my mind¡­ I wondered what the dragons of this world tasted like?


    Also, I supposed I should give Ainz a heads-up¡ªif the guy wasn¡¯t still busy with his two insatiable monster girlfriends¡­ They couldn''t still be going could they. It had been over 24 hours.


    ¨C Lakyus ¨C


    As they left the village like their asses were on fire, Gagaran huffed and crossed her arms. "Are we just leaving the kid behind?"


    Lakyus shot a look at Evil Eye, who was marching ahead at a pace far faster than normal. "Slow down. I need to know if you¡¯re serious about everything you said back there."


    Tina and Tia exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, not like you to get this paranoid," Tina added.


    "Of course I am!" Evil Eye snapped, whirling around to face them. "None of you understand how terrifying players are! The Eight Greed Kings, the Six Great Heroes¡ªthey were all players!"


    Lakyus sucked in a breath. She hadn¡¯t even known other worlds besides their own existed, and now she was hearing that the most powerful beings in history had all come from different ones.


    Still¡­ "Haru didn¡¯t seem all that bad," she muttered, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "He was nice¡­ and, well, very handsome."


    "Evil Boss has a crush!" Tina sang.


    "It¡¯s the end of days!" Tia joined in with a grin.


    Lakyus pouted at them. "That¡¯s not¡ª! Ugh, shut up!"


    "Doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s nice or not," Evil Eye interrupted, her tone grim. "His undead friend Ainz definitely isn¡¯t. And the dragons of this world have sworn to kill all players on sight. No exceptions."


    Gagaran let out a low whistle. "That¡¯s a little harsh. But you also said Haru was stronger than any dragon you¡¯ve ever met." She tilted her head. "And he said his buddy Ainz was even stronger?"


    Evil Eye stiffened. Lakyus felt her stomach drop, a small gulp escaping her lips. "And our kingdom is sending armies after these two? Are we insane?"


    "We¡¯re boned," Tina declared. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mega boned," Tia added for emphasis.


    Lakyus shook her head, regaining some composure. "We need to go back and report all of this to the princess. Evil Eye, teleport us back to the capital."


    Evil Eye sighed. "That much magic at once is going to drain me."


    "I know," Lakyus said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "But this is an emergency. Sort of."


    Honestly, she still didn¡¯t think a guy like Haru could be evil, but if anyone could make sense of this, it was her good friend, Princess Renner. The girl was a genius, after all.


    "What about the kid?" Gagaran asked again, jerking a thumb back toward the village.


    Lakyus shrugged. "I¡¯m sure Nfirea will be fine."


    "Our mission was technically only to guard him to the village, not on the way back," Tia pointed out.


    With that, Evil Eye cast her spell, and the group disappeared in a flash of magic, leaving Carne Village behind.


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 319-323


    Thunder and Black Wings 11


    The Blood Queen 36


    The Fox Hole 59


    The Titan 27


    The Fox Hole 58


    The Blood Queen 35


    The Fox Hole 57


    Thunder and Black Wings 10


    The Fox Hole 56


    The Blood Queen 34


    The Fox Hole 55

 chapter 55

    Chapter 55: Redheaded Tails ¨C The Hangover


    ¨C Erza ¨C


    Erza walked through the bustling streets of Magnolia, feeling both exhausted and on edge. She had barely slept the night before, still reeling from the conversation she had¡ªno, the conversation she endured¡ªwith her mother. The fact that she even had a mother was still a concept she struggled to wrap her head around. A mother who had abandoned her. A mother she absolutely did not forgive.


    But¡­ maybe she¡¯d think about it. Someday.


    She had left the rest of her friends back at the guild, needing time alone to sort through the tangled mess in her head. It was almost noon, and the streets had grown more crowded. She had to be careful not to barrel through people with how distracted she was.


    "Something on your mind, child?" a voice rumbled from her right, low and familiar.


    She jumped slightly, turning to see Master Makarov walking beside her.


    "Master Makarov!? What are you doing here?"


    The old man chuckled. "It¡¯s my job to make sure all my guild members are okay. I wanted to check on you after your mother made her¡­ dramatic entrance at the guild."


    He gave a visible shudder, shaking his head. "She certainly felt as powerful as a dragon¡­ I don¡¯t know if Fairy Tail would survive a fight with her."


    Erza snorted. "At least half the guild wouldn¡¯t. Bunch of cowards."


    Makarov frowned at her. "That¡¯s no way to speak about your family, Erza."


    She rolled her eyes "I¡¯ve been thinking¡­" she admitted, glancing at Makarov. "The others have too, surprisingly. We¡¯ve started noticing that a lot of our guild members don¡¯t really feel like they belong. They joined for money, for fame, for the prestige of being a Fairy Tail mage. They¡¯re not like Lucy, who fit in immediately and became friends with everyone." She collected herself before continuing. "Haru came to the guild. He made an offer. We took a vote, and it didn¡¯t pass. But ten years ago? Fairy Tail would¡¯ve jumped at the chance to save lives. We¡¯ve changed¡­ and not for the better."


    Makarov let out a heavy sigh. He didn¡¯t say he disagreed. That alone told her enough.


    They finally stopped in front of The Fox Hole. Erza turned to him, arching an eyebrow. "Why are you following me again?"


    Makarov grinned. "I wanted to speak with Haru. Or his mother, if possible. Actually, I¡¯d prefer to speak with her." Then, to her horror, the old man¡¯s grin turned sly. He let out a few lewd giggles. "That woman¡¯s thighs¡­ her perfect breasts¡ª"


    "Whack!"


    "Owie!" Makarov yelped, rubbing the back of his head where Erza had just smacked him.


    "Keep those pervy thoughts to yourself, old man," she muttered, stepping through the door of the restaurant.


    He only chuckled, following her inside.


    Erza stepped into the restaurant, immediately noting how much more crowded it was compared to her last visit. Back then, it had been empty. Now, it was lively, and filled with conversations and laughter. She supposed that made sense¡ªthis place was popular¡­ with people from other worlds.


    She was still trying to wrap her head around that concept.


    As she scanned the room, she spotted two familiar faces in a nearby booth¡ªHarry and Hermione, the young wizards who had spent a few days with Fairy Tail. They were good kids. She gave them a small nod as she made her way to the counter.


    Behind it stood Haru, wiping a glass with a rag while chatting with two strikingly beautiful women, both of whom also had red hair. Erza suddenly felt oddly self-conscious, though she quickly shook off the thought.


    "Hoho!" Makarov suddenly leapt onto the bar beside her, grinning widely. "Hello again, young Haru."


    While Makarov engaged Haru in conversation, Erza took a seat at the booth next to the two red-haired women. The moment they noticed her hair, both let out a sigh.


    Erza blinked. "What was that reaction?"


    "It¡¯s because you¡¯re a beautiful redhead," the woman in green armor with face paint said. "Sorry, we just know Haru has a tendency to attract women like us."


    She lifted a thick mug of mead before continuing. "I¡¯m Aela, by the way."


    "And I¡¯m Sansa," the slender girl in a regal dress added.


    Erza nodded at them both. "I¡¯m Erza."


    Aela smirked. "Oh? Are you that crazy dragon Irene¡¯s daughter?"


    Erza sighed. "Please don¡¯t call me that."


    "I sense there¡¯s a story there," Aela said with interest. "If you¡¯ve got stress or troubles, this is the perfect place to unload." She slid her mug toward Erza invitingly.


    Sansa rolled her eyes. "I don¡¯t know how you can drink so heavily in the middle of the day."


    Aela scoffed. "A Nord warrior can drink whenever she pleases."


    Then, without hesitation, she turned and called out, "Hey, lover! We need more mugs over here!"


    "L¨CLover!?" Erza sputtered, nearly choking when Haru chuckled and began pouring more mead.


    Sansa blushed, while Aela smirked proudly. "That¡¯s right! I was Haru¡¯s first!"


    Erza coughed on the small sip she had taken, while Aela laughed and patted her on the back.


    "You look stressed out, Erza," Aela noted. "Almost as much as Sansa here, who¡¯s worried about declaring herself queen of her people or whatever."


    "Queen?" Erza asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Sansa sighed. "It¡¯s¡­ a whole thing." She took a hesitant sip of her own mug before gagging. "That¡¯s awful!"


    Aela chuckled. "That just means it¡¯s strong! Drink some more, it¡¯ll make you feel better!"


    ¡­


    Erza groaned as she slowly regained consciousness, the crisp morning air chilling her skin. Something rough and lumpy pressed into her back. She cracked one eye open and found herself staring at an orange mass.


    Pumpkins.


    She sat up abruptly, regretting it immediately as her head throbbed with a vengeance. A groan to her left made her glance over, finding Aela sprawled out, her armor scuffed and dusted with bits of pumpkin vine. On her other side, Sansa was curled up in a rather ungraceful heap, her dress was rumpled¡­ no, wait! That was Erza''s dress!


    Erza blinked. "Why are you wearing my dress?" It was one of the spare outfits she kept in her requip space.


    Sansa blearily lifted her head, her expression blank. Then, as if realizing what Erza had just said, she looked down at herself, eyes going wide. "What happened to my dress?!"


    "Maybe you tore it or something," Aela muttered, rubbing her temples before sitting up. She took a long, slow glance around the pumpkin patch, then sighed. "Yep. We¡¯re in Skyrim."


    Erza stiffened. "Wait, what? How did we end up in another world?"


    Before anyone could answer, a loud, angry voice interrupted them. "Oi! You lot! Where¡¯s my goat?!"


    A scruffy-looking Nord stormed out of a nearby farmhouse, pointing an accusatory finger at them. "I wake up this morning, and Nessy¡¯s gone! You three stole her!"


    The three women exchanged confused glances before Erza crossed her arms. "We don¡¯t know anything about a goat."


    "Oh, you don¡¯t know?" The man scoffed. "I saw you lot stumbling around my farm last night, drunk as all Oblivion! If you don¡¯t bring Nessy back, I¡¯m reporting you to the guards!"


    Aela groaned, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose. "Gods, I hate waking up like this."


    "This has happened before?" Erza asked in disbelief.


    "Unfortunately..."


    ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have had that second mug,¡± Sansa muttered, flushing. ¡°Haru¡¯s going to think I¡¯m some sort of drunken trollop.¡±


    "Relax, its not that bad..." Aela waved her off.


    "Lets all just focus so we can go home..." Erza said.


    "So we have to find a goat?" Sansa asked, looking between them, bewildered. "Why would we even want a goat?"


    "A better question is where we took it," Erza sighed. "Fine. Let¡¯s track it down and get out of here."


    Thankfully, Aela¡¯s tracking skills proved invaluable, and after a few minutes of inspecting the dirt and scattered footprints, she motioned for them to follow her. "The trail leads into the woods."


    As they walked, the brisk air helped clear some of the fog in Erza¡¯s mind, but she still had no memory of what had happened after they started drinking at The Fox Hole. She shook her head before looking over at Sansa, a thought occurring to her.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Erza ventured, suddenly noticing something weird. ¡°Why did you wake up in my spare dress, Sansa, while I woke up in my armor?¡±


    Sansa threw up her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember changing! I distinctly recall wearing my own gown, then¡ª¡±


    Aela leaned in and sniffed Sansa.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Sansa jerked back, mortified. ¡°What are you doing!?¡±


    Aela¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I smell werewolf. Like, you are definitely a werewolf now.¡±


    Sansa froze. "I am? I k-know we talked about it a while back, but I didn''t think I was going to go through with it so soon!"


    Erza was confused. "A werewolf?"


    Aela turned to her but before she could answer, the forest thinned, and they stepped into a clearing. The sight that greeted them made all three of them pause.


    Giants. A lot of giants. Towering figures wielding massive clubs loomed over a herd of enormous mammoths.


    And in the middle of them¡­


    "Of course," Aela muttered. "The goat¡¯s right in the middle of the giants."


    Erza exhaled, trying to suppress the groan building in her throat. "Why do I feel like this is going to be really annoying?" This is why she tended not to drink either. She just preferred drowning herself in cake instead.


    Aela rolled her shoulders. "Let me handle this. I¡¯ve dealt with giants before. Just stay behind me and do not say anything."


    The three of them slowly stepped into the clearing, careful not to make any sudden movements. One of the giants turned, its massive frame casting a long shadow over them as it stomped forward. The ground shook beneath its weight.


    Erza swallowed hard. She could fight them if she had to, but she really, really didn¡¯t want to kill a bunch of giants over a stupid goat.


    Aela began speaking, gesturing toward the goat. The giant responded in deep grunts and slow, deliberate speech. She nodded along, occasionally sighing in exasperation before finally turning back to them.


    "So, apparently, the three of us challenged the giants to a drinking contest last night," she said dryly. "And we wagered the goat."


    Sansa paled. "And we lost, didn¡¯t we?"


    Aela nodded. "Yep."


    Erza closed her eyes and counted to three. "So how do we get the goat back?"


    Aela sighed. "The giant says we can have it back¡­ but only if we help them with a problem first."


    "What kind of problem?" Sansa asked warily.


    "Apparently, a vampire living in a nearby cave kidnapped a baby mammoth."


    There was a long silence before Erza finally spoke. "Why do I feel like this is about to get even more complicated?"


    The three women followed the giant¡¯s directions, trekking through the dense forest until they arrived at the mouth of a dark, gaping cave. The air was damp and carried the unmistakable scent of decay, which did nothing to ease Erza¡¯s growing irritation.


    "I just want to get this over with," she muttered, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword.


    "Yeah, yeah, let¡¯s grab the baby mammoth and go," Aela said, rolling her shoulders. "The last thing I want is to spend the day dealing with more nonsense."


    Just as they stepped inside, chittering noises echoed from the depths. Erza barely had time to react before massive spiders skittered down from the ceiling, fangs dripping with venom.


    "Oh gods¡ªkill them!" Sansa shrieked, backing up toward the entrance.


    Erza and Aela wasted no time, steel flashing as they cut through the monstrosities. Aela¡¯s axe split through one¡¯s abdomen, sending greenish ichor splattering against the cave walls. Erza slashed clean through another¡¯s legs, watching as it flailed before she drove her blade into its skull.


    Sansa, meanwhile, stayed as far away as possible, pressing herself against the rock wall with wide, horrified eyes. "I hate Skyrim!"


    "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll grow on you someday, Princess," Aela teased, flicking spider blood off her weapon.


    "I don¡¯t want it to grow on me!"


    Erza shook her head, stepping over twitching spider corpses. "Let¡¯s keep moving. The sooner we find this vampire, the sooner we can leave."


    The cave stretched deeper than expected, twisting through rocky corridors until they finally entered a large cavern. At its center stood a man¡ªpale-skinned, sunken-eyed, and grinning far too pleasantly for someone lurking in a monster-infested cave.


    Next to him, the baby mammoth stood tethered to a rock, appearing surprisingly calm despite its predicament.


    Erza exhaled in relief. "Finally. We kill him, take the mammoth, return it to the giants, get the goat, and go home."


    "Oh, good! You¡¯re all here!" The vampire clasped his hands together as if greeting old friends.


    Aela''s grip on her sword tightened. "He¡¯s way too friendly for someone about to die."


    "I was hoping you three hadn¡¯t forgotten our deal!" the vampire continued. "You were all rather intoxicated last night when you promised to help me save those sick children."


    Aela paused, her sword halfway unsheathed. "Sick children?" she repeated, blinking.


    Erza and Sansa exchanged glances.


    "Ah, I see your memories are a bit foggy!" The vampire nodded sagely. "No problem. Allow me to refresh them."


    He began explaining how they had met the previous night. Apparently, he had been out in the forest searching for medicinal herbs when the three of them had stumbled across him in their drunken stupor. They had struck up a conversation, during which he had told them about an outbreak plaguing a small village nearby¡ªone that affected children worst of all. As it turned out, he wasn¡¯t just a vampire but also an alchemist and doctor and apparently a really nice guy in general... Because of course he was!!!


    Erza wanted to cry...


    He had been working tirelessly on a cure, but the final ingredients needed were mammoth blood and something called ice wraith teeth.


    Erza had no idea what an ice wraith was, but judging by Aela¡¯s groan, it wasn¡¯t going to be pleasant.


    "Ice wraiths live in the coldest, most miserable fucking places in all of Skyrim," Aela grumbled, rubbing her temples.


    The vampire''s hopeful expression faltered. "So¡­ you¡¯re not going to help anymore? I''d go myself, but I''m not much of a fighter despite my unfortunate undead nature."


    The three women stood in silence before collectively sighing.


    "Yes, we¡¯ll help¡­" Erza muttered, already regretting it.


    ¡­


    The three women trudged down the snow-covered mountain. Despite the freezing cold, they had succeeded.


    Aela held up the small satchel filled with ice wraith teeth. "Okay¡­ we¡¯re almost done with all of this," she muttered, shaking off the snow from her armor. "Just need to get this back to the vampire, save some sick kids, get the mammoth, then get our goat, and finally go home."


    "Fwip!"


    Erza¡¯s instincts flared. Without hesitation, she drew her sword in one swift motion, slicing an incoming arrow out of the air. The steel clanged against her blade before clattering onto the snow.


    "Look out!" she barked, shifting into a defensive stance.


    From behind a cluster of rocks, a group of ragged-looking men and women emerged. They looked like bandits¡ªexcept something about them was odd. They were carrying expensive looking silver weapons for some reason.


    "The Silver Hand," Aela snarled, her hand flying to the hilt of her weapon.


    Erza had no idea what that meant, but Aela¡¯s reaction told her enough.


    The apparent leader of the group, a burly man covered in scars, sneered at them. "You think you can just attack one of our bases and get away with it? We tracked you bitches halfway across Skyrim, and now it¡¯s time for payback!"


    "We did that too last night!?" Erza groaned.


    "Huh... Not the first time I''ve attacked these guys when I was drunk either..." Aela admitted.


    Sansa, who had been shivering moments ago, suddenly stomped her foot in the snow. She looked very done with all this. "NO!" she shouted. "I am cold, I am tired, and I just want to go the fuck home!"


    Aela blinked in surprise, then snorted. "Never heard the princess swear before."


    Before anyone could react further, Erza¡¯s eyes widened as Sansa suddenly let out a strangled gasp. A deep, guttural growl tore from her throat, and a second later, her entire body burst out of her dress. Her skin rippled and stretched, muscles expanding, bones shifting, fur sprouting in an instant. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One moment, she was a noblewoman. The next, she was a towering, snarling beast.


    A massive werewolf stood where Sansa had been, her golden eyes glowing with a feral hunger. And then, without hesitation, she launched herself at the Silver Hand.


    The lead bandit barely had time to react before she tackled him to the ground, her claws raking across his chest in a brutal slash. His scream was cut short as she bit down, tearing through flesh with horrifying ease.


    The other bandits hesitated for a fraction of a second. That was all it took for their doom to be sealed.


    Aela grinned, leaning casually on her weapon. "Wow, you go, girl! Bite his head off!"


    Erza, on the other hand, felt her grip tighten on her sword. Fairy Tail mages didn¡¯t kill, even against the worst enemies. But¡­ this wasn¡¯t her world.


    "Don''t feel too bad about these assholes, they hunt down werewolf children and skin them for sport." Aela patted Erza gently.


    Erza let out a sigh and decided not to step in after hearing that. Part of her could also admit she did not want to have to take even more time to tie up all these bandits and then escort them to the nearest guard station either...


    ...


    The three women stumbled back into The Fox Hole, soaked from melted snow, speckled in suspicious stains, and thoroughly battered.


    Haru looked up from behind the counter, his ears twitched as his eyes widened in shock. ¡°Wow. Rough night? What happened¡­? You three all ran out of here yesterday and no one saw any of you after that¡­¡±


    "It was a whole thing¡­" Erza muttered, and the other two women nodded in exhausted agreement.


    Haru offered a kind smile. ¡°Can I get you anything to drink while you tell me all about it?¡±


    All three redheads answered in unison¡ªloud, unyielding, and with a haunted look in their eyes:


    ¡°NO!¡±


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 319-323


    The Fox Hole 60


    Thunder and Black Wings 11


    The Blood Queen 36


    The Fox Hole 59


    The Titan 27


    The Fox Hole 58


    The Blood Queen 35


    The Fox Hole 57


    Thunder and Black Wings 10


    The Fox Hole 56


    The Blood Queen 34

 chapter 56

    Chapter 56: The Illuminati are here!


    ¨C Fortuna (The Lady of the Hats) ¨C


    The path had changed¡­


    Okay, that was an understatement.


    Now, it barely looked like a path at all¡ªmore like a convoluted maze of possibilities that twisted out in every direction. A puzzle with an infinite number of solutions to a problem that had once seemed hopeless. She tried to figure out if that made her relieved or irritated. Did it mean that everything she¡¯d done was for nothing¡­? All because some powerful interdimensional being thought it would be hilarious to drop a random restaurant into one of the worst cape cities?


    A restaurant full of beings that could all give Scion a run for his money?


    Not even her path could give a definite answer. Because it obviously didn''t know what happened next either. She sighed quietly.


    So this was what it felt like to think for herself? It was annoying.


    ¡°Are you listening to me, Contessa?¡± Alexandria¡¯s voice cut through her thoughts.


    Fortuna blinked. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± she replied. No, she had not been listening...


    Alexandria¡¯s eyes narrowed, a hint of disapproval tightening the corners of her mouth. ¡°Just remember why we¡¯re here in the first place.¡±


    Fortuna tipped her fedora and tilted her head. ¡°To get some good food? Glory Girl mentioned the chef here is supposed to be incredible.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Alexandria stamped her foot hard enough to crack the concrete beneath them. ¡°We¡¯re here to ensure these extra-world visitors aren¡¯t a threat to us.¡±


    Fortuna shrugged and adjusted the brim of her hat. ¡°Considering one of them soloed Leviathan, and another made the Simurgh flee all the way to Jupiter and stay there, I¡¯d say if they wanted to threaten us¡­ we¡¯d be boned.¡±


    Alexandria shot her a glare as they stepped inside the restaurant. Her oldest friend never liked hearing about situations where they were clearly outmatched.


    Fortuna walked into the restaurant with Alexandria close beside her, noticing the tension in her friend¡¯s posture. In contrast, Fortuna herself felt oddly calm. If her paths were truly destroyed¡ªif she could no longer see the future¡ªthen she figured they might as well face whatever came next, even if it killed them.


    The interior was surprisingly cozy. Polished wooden floors and walls gave the place a warm, rustic feel. Booths and tables looked inviting and large enough for all sorts of customers. Strangely, the restaurant felt far bigger on the inside than it had any right to be. Under normal circumstances, Fortuna would have assumed tinkertech, but after Glory Girl¡¯s testimony about ¡°actual magic,¡± she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.


    Her gaze flickered around, taking in the variety of patrons. Some were obviously not from her world¡ªlike the pair of blue-skinned women sitting in a corner booth, both wearing strange holographic devices on their wrists. Alexandria, less concerned about subtlety, openly stared at them.


    ¡°Are those... real aliens?¡± Alexandria whispered, trying to keep her voice low.


    Fortuna shrugged, adjusting her fedora. She had been trying not to stare, but her partner seemed determined to soak in every detail. As far as Fortuna could tell, aside from the few that were blatantly not human, most of the patrons looked like ordinary people. Then again, appearances could be deceiving.


    They continued onward, drawn to the man behind the counter¡ªa man whose face had been plastered across PHO and every media outlet in their world for the past two weeks. That was what happened when someone appeared out of nowhere and not only beat Lung, but also took on the Leviathan. Of course, the whole world wanted answers from the so-called ¡°fox man¡± named Haru. Until now, the Protectorate had forbidden anyone from approaching his place on the Boardwalk. They¡¯d been hoping to figure out his motives first.


    But Fortuna¡¯s path had failed to produce any solutions, and after two weeks of stalling¡ªand enduring Glory Girl¡¯s very vocal complaints about losing access to her favorite eatery¡ªAlexandria finally decided to come here herself. She dragged Fortuna (also known as Contessa or the bogeyman) along for the ride. With her ability to see the future shot to hell, Fortuna figured there was no point in hiding anymore.


    As they approached the bar, Haru glanced up from the glass he was wiping, his fox-like ears twitching slightly. He flashed them a welcoming smile, the kind that suggested he wasn¡¯t even a little bothered by two of the Protectorate¡¯s most high-profile capes strolling into his domain.


    Fortuna and Alexandria slid onto the barstools, neither entirely sure what to expect.


    Haru leaned casually against the counter, flashing them both a welcoming grin. ¡°I¡¯m always happy to meet real-life superheroes. That was every boy¡¯s dream growing up, right?¡± He let out a light chuckle before pausing, his fox-like ears flicking slightly. ¡°Uh¡­ you two are heroes, right? Not villains?¡±


    Alexandria folded her arms, her tone dry. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re heroes,¡± she confirmed. ¡°We came here to talk with you about something important.¡±


    Fortuna sighed. Sometimes her friend could be too straight-laced. She tipped her fedora up, giving Haru a faint smile. ¡°Could we get some menus?¡±


    Alexandria sent her a sharp glare, like she was trying to remind her of their mission. ¡°We¡¯re not here to eat.¡±


    Fortuna merely shrugged. ¡°Of course we are. It¡¯s a restaurant, isn¡¯t it? Besides, Glory Girl said the food here is amazing. I want to see if she¡¯s right.¡±


    Haru grinned at her, his voice taking on a playful note. ¡°I¡¯m always glad when my customers recommend the place to their friends.¡±


    ¡°More like acquaintances,¡± Alexandria grumbled.


    ¡°More like her secret shadowy government bosses,¡± Fortuna added, unable to resist.


    Alexandria coughed at that before she shot Fortuna the stink eye¡­


    Fortuna giggled. What? It wasn''t like anyone ever believed her when she said that!


    Haru just chuckled. He handed them each a menu, still smiling. Fortuna flipped it open and instinctively reached out for her power¡ªher path that always pointed her in the ¡®right¡¯ direction. It felt automatic, like muscle memory after all these years.


    Then she paused. Wow, she thought. Am I really so lazy that I¡¯d let my power choose my meal? A small wave of embarrassment washed over her, and she decided to shut that reflex down. Instead, she let the menu pages flutter randomly under her fingertips, stabbing one at random.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the chicken and waffles,¡± she announced, glancing over the item she¡¯d landed on.


    Alexandria lifted an eyebrow but, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, let out a resigned sigh. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have the same,¡± she muttered.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I watched them devour their meals with an intensity I¡¯d rarely seen from customers before. The woman in the visor¡ªAlexandria, right?¡ªhad come in looking ready for a fight, but the second she tasted my chicken and waffles, her shoulders seemed to relax. Well, a little. She still shot me a few sour looks, though it was hard to confirm with most of her face obscured by that visor.


    Her companion was easier to read. A sharp fedora perched on her head, and the way she grinned when I complimented it told me she didn¡¯t mind a bit of attention. She ate with more restraint but still enjoyed each bite, which was kind of satisfying to see.


    Once they both polished off their plates, the tension in the air thickened again. It felt like we were moving onto something serious. Sure enough, Alexandria set down her fork, wiped her mouth, and leveled a steady gaze at me.


    ¡°So,¡± she began, her voice low and firm, ¡°are you here to take over Brockton Bay¡ªand by extension, the world?¡±


    I blinked. My tails stiffened behind me, and I nearly choked on my own saliva. ¡°What the hell?!¡± I managed to say with a cough. ¡°That makes me sound like some kind of cartoon supervillain!¡± I looked between the two of them, trying to gauge if this was some sort of joke. But neither of them cracked a smile, and now I was the one feeling self-conscious.


    I didn¡¯t think I''d done anything to give people that kind of impression. Yeah, I had a rough start with Armsmaster¡ªmaybe we got off on the wrong foot¡ªbut we cooled down afterward. Everything was fine. Then, for whatever reason, he and Glory Girl stopped showing up. I hadn¡¯t really questioned it until now.


    My eyes flicked to the woman in the fedora. Wait, was she serious earlier when she hinted at being some shadowy government boss? Like an Illuminati type? I¡¯d always assumed that was just a myth.


    My curiosity finally got the better of me. ¡°So¡­ are you, like, the Illuminati or something?¡± I asked bluntly.


    Alexandria sputtered at me, and the fedora-wearer actually giggled. She tipped her hat at me, introducing herself properly as ¡°Contessa,¡± then explained, ¡°We prefer to call ourselves Cauldron¡­¡±


    ¡­


    That was¡­ quite the story they laid out for me. Apparently, these two women and a couple of others had spent decades trying to keep their world from being destroyed. Judging by the gaps in their tale, it was obvious they were holding back a lot of details¡ªlike all the sticky stuff they didn¡¯t want me to know. And yet, neither of them felt truly evil. Just¡­ tired.


    I set some fresh tea on the counter for both of them, hoping it¡¯d take the edge off. Then we got around to the real reason they¡¯d come here. They seemed relieved when I assured them I had zero interest in taking over their world¡ªI just wanted to run my restaurant in peace. Hell, I already had more territory than I knew what to do with across multiple other worlds. The last thing I needed was another chunk of land dumped on me.


    That was when Contessa and Alexandria got blunt. They asked if I¡¯d kill the Endbringers for them¡ªand some guy named Scion too.


    I nearly laughed in surprise. Sure, I probably could, but so could other people I knew. In fact, I suggested they talk to someone else. They seemed confused, so I started explaining that Gabriel had a serious grudge against the Simurgh.


    ¡°Hate boner?¡± Alexandria repeated.


    ¡°Gabriel?¡± Contessa asked, tilting her head curiously.


    Before I could answer, a gentle voice chimed in from the barstool next to them. ¡°Did someone call me?¡±


    In a sudden flash of light, a woman appeared¡ªone often said to be the most gorgeous person in the entire world. She had the kind of face and body that made any healthy man need a minute to collect himself and adjust his pants.


    I tried to hide my flustered reaction with an awkward smile. ¡°Hello, Gabriel. What¡¯re you doing here¡­?¡±


    She returned my smile, but hers was more warm and serene. ¡°You spoke my name, Haru,¡± she said softly. ¡°It sounded like a prayer, and that you needed me for something so I decided to pop in!¡±


    Huh?


    I definitely wasn¡¯t praying¡­ But I had a sneaking suspicion this was just the Goddess messing around again. When in doubt, I blamed that tsundere deity for everything¡­ until she finally decided to show herself and prove me wrong.


    Contessa and Alexandria, for their part, seemed utterly captivated by Gabriel¡¯s sudden appearance. Their eyes were drawn to the pair of shimmering wings unfurling behind her back.


    "Are you¡­" Alexandria began, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "Are you actually Gabriel? Like a literal archangel?"


    Gabriel tilted her head, offering a gentle smile. "I¡¯m called many things, but Gabriel is the name I''m most known by in this millennia¡­" She let the sentence hang, as if amused by the question.


    Contessa swallowed hard, clearly trying to make sense of what she was seeing. ¡°Haru said you have a ¡®hate boner¡¯ for the Simurgh?¡± she asked.


    Gabriel shot me a pouty look. Clearly, she wasn¡¯t thrilled with my choice of words.


    "Sorry..." I bowed my head in apology. I hadn¡¯t expected her to pop up out of nowhere two seconds after I said it!


    As if on cue, a small note drifted into view, but I waved my hand and incinerated it before it landed on the counter. Yeah, I knew exactly who was responsible for that little stunt!


    The three women¡ªGabriel, Alexandria, and Contessa¡ªall shrugged in unison at my action. Then Alexandria cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Would you consider killing the Simurgh, then? The world would be beyond grateful.¡±


    Gabriel pouted. ¡°I tried, but that fake angel hid itself in Jupiter¡¯s giant storm. Even with my senses, it¡¯s impossible to pinpoint her exact location¡ªunless I start blasting randomly at the entire planet.¡±


    Both heroes went visibly pale. ¡°Please don¡¯t do that,¡± Contessa said hastily. ¡°She¡¯ll come back eventually anyway. The Simurgh always does, once she¡¯s got a plan.¡±


    Gabriel nodded, lips curving into a sly grin. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait and smite her when she shows her face again.¡± She paused, gaze suddenly intense as she studied both capes. ¡°I see your souls are stained with sin. Redemption isn¡¯t impossible, but it¡¯s far from easy. Work for it, or you¡¯ll burn.¡± Then she vanished in a swirl of golden light!


    Alexandria stared at the empty space she¡¯d left behind. ¡°Did a literal archangel just threaten us with hell?¡±


    Contessa fiddled with her fedora. ¡°That sure seemed like it. I didn¡¯t even know hell was real¡­¡± she whined.


    They both turned to me, but I just shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯ve never been. I''ve been to the Underworld, but that¡¯s not exactly the same thing...¡±


    Once Gabriel vanished as suddenly as she¡¯d appeared, I turned back to face Contessa and Alexandria. Both looked a little stunned. Not that I blamed them¡ªAngels had a way of leaving people at a loss for words.


    Clearing my throat, I tried to refocus. ¡°So, we were talking about giant monsters... right?¡±


    Contessa nodded. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯d appreciate your help with Leviathan. And if possible, the Behemoth.¡±


    I rubbed the back of my neck, thinking back to what Glory Girl had mentioned. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Behemoth¡¯s basically a walking radiation machine. Getting too close is a ticket to a slow, nasty death. Or at least super cancer.¡±


    Alexandria grimaced at that. ¡°That¡¯s... not inaccurate.¡±


    Honestly, I could probably handle it with enough prep time¡ªsome wards here, a few layered enchantments there. But why risk it if I knew a bunch of undead who wouldn¡¯t give two craps about radiation exposure?


    Well, maybe ¡®a bunch¡¯ was an overstatement. I did know a handful. And I was fairly sure Agnar had an undead dragon stashed somewhere, so maybe we could go full kaiju battle.


    I got a little lost in my own imagination, picturing a colossal showdown between undead forces and a giant nuclear lizard. My ears twitched when I noticed both women staring at me like I¡¯d started drooling. Oh wait... I was drooling wasn''t I? I was imagining what Endbringer tasted like after Baku had been so incredibly delicious...


    ¡°Sorry, spaced out,¡± I admitted, letting out a small laugh. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m down to help you guys out¡ªon one condition. You Illuminati stop blocking my customers from getting in here.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Contessa smiled, like she¡¯d been half-expecting me to say that.


    Alexandria didn¡¯t look quite so enthusiastic, but she nodded. "...We''re not the Illuminati... Were Cauldron," she grumbled.


    The Illuminati¡ªokay, Cauldron, but I wasn¡¯t giving up that nickname¡ªtook their leave soon after. Before they walked out, they mentioned they also wanted me to kill some ¡®golden hero¡¯ called Scion.


    I raised my hands in an immediate nope gesture. ¡°Look, the Endbringers have murdered millions, so I¡¯ll happily help you deal with them. But this Scion guy? As far as I know, he hasn¡¯t done anything remotely on that level. You¡¯re saying he might go evil in the future and wipe out mankind, so I should kill him now?¡± I shook my head, ears flicking in annoyance. ¡°Yeah, well, there¡¯s also a chance I¡¯ll accidentally make spaghetti with ketchup instead of real tomato sauce one day. Both are equally terrifying futures in my opinion, but neither has actually happened¡­¡±


    ¡°One of those things was not like the other¡­¡± Contessa pouted.


    ¡°They were to me,¡± I smirked.


    Contessa and Alexandria exchanged a glance that told me they really didn¡¯t like my answer. Still, they seemed content enough with at least having the Endbringers on my future ¡®to-do list.¡¯ sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°And to be clear,¡± I added, ¡°I can¡¯t just sprint out and handle them right this second. I¡¯ve got a lot on my plate.¡± I paused, giving them a wry grin. ¡°And for once, I¡¯m not talking about cooking.¡±


    Surprisingly, neither woman argued.


    ¡°The next Endbringer attack isn¡¯t for a few months anyway,¡± Alexandria said, sounding resigned. ¡°You have time¡­¡±


    With that, they slipped out the door.


    Once they were gone, Alice slid onto a stool in front of me as soon as the two women walked out. She rested her elbows on the counter, giving me a knowing grin.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think the Illuminati was real¡­ oh wait, yes, I did. They kind of ruined my own world,¡± Alice said dryly.


    I chuckled at her dark humor. It was good to see her moving past her trauma, at least in her own way. And judging by how casually she joined the conversation, she¡¯d been eavesdropping the entire time. Not that I was surprised. My friends¡ªand most of my customers, really¡ªwere nosy like that.


    Probably half the restaurant had been listening in.


    ¡°So,¡± I leaned against the counter, smirking, ¡°who do you think would be better for dealing with the walking radiation hazard? Ainz, or Agnar¡¯s undead dragon?¡±


    Alice grinned, eyes glinting with amusement. ¡°The dragon, of course! I know Rias would love to see another giant kaiju battle.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too.¡±


    She tilted her head slightly, watching me with curiosity. ¡°I heard you¡¯re gonna be pretty busy the next few days.¡±


    I let out a small sigh and rolled my shoulders. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ve got another meeting with the Fairy Tail mages in the morning with Yasaka. Then later in the afternoon, I¡¯m heading to Winterfell to help Sansa and Catelyn secure their rule. Apparently, I need to present myself to the nobility as their ¡®kind consort¡¯ or something.¡± My tails swayed a little, betraying my nerves.


    And after that, of course, would come the war.


    Well, more of a war for Ainz, and more of a battle for me and Carne Village, considering the ridiculous difference in numbers. Still, I hoped everything would work out.


    Alice reached across the counter, taking my hand in hers. Her grip was warm, reassuring. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be okay, Haru,¡± she said softly. ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her fondly. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that so I don¡¯t stress.¡±


    She shrugged, and then started smirking. ¡°Maybe. But that doesn¡¯t make it any less true.¡± Alice grinned at me. "And since you''re going to be busy with a sexy mother-daughter duo tomorrow, I wanted us to go on a date later, just the two of us. There''s a new movie I wanted to see."


    I couldn''t help but tease her a bit. "Is it a zombie movie?"


    Alice rolled her eyes. "No¡­"


    I stared at her.


    "...Okay, yes it is..."


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 320-324


    The Fox Hole 61


    The Titan 28


    The Fox Hole 60


    Thunder and Black Wings 11


    The Blood Queen 36


    The Fox Hole 59


    The Titan 27


    The Fox Hole 58


    The Blood Queen 35


    The Fox Hole 57


    Thunder and Black Wings 10

 chapter 57

    Chapter 57: Winterfell


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood in Makarov¡¯s office, watching the old man shift uneasily in his oversized chair. Well, the chair wasn''t actually oversized, it just looked like that to his tiny body.


    Across from him, Yasaka perched gracefully on a small stool, her nine tails curled neatly at her back.


    Makarov let out a weary sigh. ¡°I know many of my children want to help, but I can¡¯t stand the idea of dragging them into a war. They¡¯re already reckless enough on their own.¡±


    Yasaka leaned forward, her tone gentle but firm. ¡°Master Makarov, I understand you want to protect your guild. Believe me, Haru and I aren¡¯t looking to put anyone in unnecessary danger¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, a sudden chill swept through the room. My ears twitched, and Yasaka¡¯s eyes narrowed. Something was off.


    A soft glow flickered by Makarov¡¯s desk, and then a small figure drifted straight up through the top of it!


    She looked like a little ghost girl¡ªa very cute one at that.


    ¡°F-First Master!?¡± Makarov sputtered, nearly falling out of his chair. ¡°What are you doing here? Shouldn¡¯t you be on Tenrou Island?¡±


    The spirit flashed him a cheeky grin. ¡°It gets boring on Tenrou Island, so sometimes I like to pop in and spy on everyone. It keeps me entertained,¡± she admitted shamelessly. The spirit smiled sweetly at us. ¡°Hello, you two. I¡¯m Mavis Vermillion, the first master of Fairy Tail.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°So the first master is a ghost¡­ who looks like a kid?¡±


    She pouted. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid! I just happened to age very slowly when I was alive!¡±


    Makarov rubbed his temples. ¡°Master Mavis, you¡¯re here about this¡­ war, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Mavis¡¯s expression turned serious as she glanced around at all of us. ¡°I understand why you¡¯re hesitant, Makarov. Nobody wants to throw themselves into a conflict. But sometimes war comes whether you want it or not. Better for your guild members to experience it in a controlled environment than be caught off-guard later.¡± It almost seemed like she was knowingly saying that the guild was going to be involved in a war in the future.


    Yasaka and I exchanged glances, but neither of us chose to say anything.


    Makarov opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again, looking torn. He finally let out a tired breath. ¡°Is it really as controlled as you¡¯re saying?¡± he asked me.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°To be honest, Master Makarov, I don¡¯t think these people stand much of a chance against Fairy Tail¡¯s wizards. If they do, I¡¯ll be there to step in.¡±


    Mavis nodded. ¡°Growth often comes from facing adversity. And if Haru¡¯s certain none of your people will be seriously harmed, that makes it all the better.¡±


    Yasaka flashed me a quick smile, relief in her eyes. We both knew how important Fairy Tail¡¯s involvement was. Hearing Mavis back us up was a huge win.


    Makarov glanced between Mavis and me, then let his shoulders slump. ¡°Fine. If the first master believes it¡¯s the right course¡­ I¡¯ll trust her judgment.¡±


    A small grin tugged at Mavis¡¯s lips. She floated closer to me, studying my face with bright, curious eyes. ¡°And you¡¯ll protect our guild members if things go south?¡±


    I nodded without hesitation. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Mavis let out a light laugh. ¡°Then everything will turn out just fine! Have faith, Makarov.¡± Her ghostly figure vanished back into the floor, leaving behind a lingering chill. Makarov stared at the spot where she¡¯d disappeared, looking both resigned and relieved.


    ¡°Guess that settles it,¡± he mumbled¡­


    ¡­


    When Yasaka and I stepped out of Makarov¡¯s office, Erza was waiting just a few steps away. She rested her hands on her hips. ¡°How¡¯d it go, Haru?¡±


    Every wizard in earshot seemed just as curious. Natsu, Gray, and Elfman were practically vibrating with anticipation, while others hovered nearby, clearly eager for news.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Master Makarov agreed to accept my request. Any mage who wants to participate in the¡­ let¡¯s call it a conflict¡­ is free to do so.¡±


    Natsu pumped his fist in the air. ¡°Yes! This is gonna be awesome!¡±


    ¡°Kicking ass and taking names!¡± Gray smirked.


    Elfman pounded his chest with one massive fist. ¡°This is what being a man is all about!¡±


    But not everyone shared their excitement.


    A handful of Fairy Tail members started grumbling in the background. ¡°We didn¡¯t sign up to join some huge battle,¡± one of them said, voice dripping with frustration. ¡°This isn¡¯t what a guild is about.¡±


    Erza¡¯s eyes narrowed at them. ¡°No one asked you to go,¡± she snapped. ¡°It¡¯s not mandatory. But even if it was, Fairy Tail mages are supposed to save lives. And if you sorry excuses for mages won¡¯t¡ª¡± She cut herself off, shaking her head in disgust.


    That set off another wave of complaints from the grumblers. They started throwing insults at Erza. She looked pissed, sure, but also hurt.


    ¡°That girl¡¯s got some serious fire in her,¡± Yasaka noted, stepping up beside me. A low, amused giggle escaped her lips as she leaned in. ¡°I like her spirit,¡± she added. Then, loudly enough for Erza to hear, she winked at me and declared, ¡°I approve!¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± I groaned, burying my face in one hand.


    ¡­Not another one, I thought. But a small part of me couldn¡¯t deny that I admired Erza¡¯s passion, too. I supposed she¡¯d inherited that fierce drive from Irene¡ªher crazy hot dragon mommy.


    Erza brushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear before turning to me. ¡°So, Haru, what¡¯s next for you?¡±


    Before I could answer, Natsu¡¯s voice cut in. ¡°Holy crap! Is Erza trying to flirt¡ªoof!¡±


    He didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence before a loud thud echoed through the guildhall, courtesy of Gray¡¯s fist slamming into his gut.


    ¡°Shut up, flame brain,¡± Gray grumbled. ¡°I actually want to hear this.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Then shut up yourself, you damn human refrigerator!¡± Natsu retaliated, swinging a punch straight at Gray¡¯s jaw.


    And, because this was Fairy Tail, that one punch was all it took for absolute chaos to break out. Within seconds, the entire guild was a whirlwind of fists, magic, and flying furniture.


    ¡°Welp,¡± I muttered, stepping aside as a barstool went soaring past my head.


    ¡°Ara ara, oh my,¡± Yasaka said, touching a hand to her cheek as she elegantly sidestepped a flying plate.


    As the brawl escalated around us, I motioned for the two women to follow me. We weaved through the chaos, dodging stray spells, overturned tables, and a very determined-looking Happy swinging a floppy fish at Lucy''s head.


    "Leave me out of this, Cat!"


    "Muahahaha! I will have revenge for you throwing out my stash of fish, Lucy!"


    "Of course I threw it out! You hid it under MY bed!"


    ...Somehow, we managed to make it outside in one piece. Once we were safely out of range of the madness, I let out a breath and turned back to Erza. ¡°To answer your question, I¡¯ll be gone for the rest of the day. I¡¯m heading to Winterfell to visit Sansa.¡±


    Erza blinked, her cheeks dusting with the faintest shade of pink. ¡°Oh. How is she¡­ after our misadventure?¡±


    That misadventure¡ªthe one that none of them had bothered to give me any explicit details about yet. And damned if I wasn¡¯t curious.


    ¡°Yeah, about that¡­ still waiting on you three to tell me what actually happened.¡±


    Erza cleared her throat and looked away, suddenly finding the distant rooftops very interesting. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated.¡±


    Yasaka, on the other hand, just giggled. ¡°Oh, it was quite the adventure. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Wait? How do you know about it...?" I asked.


    "Ara ara... A mother has her secrets. But in this case Aela told me everything when I asked..." she said cheekily.


    I rolled my eyes as my mom leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, her usual playful antics making me sigh. ¡°Really, Mom?¡±


    Yasaka just giggled. ¡°What? Can¡¯t a mother show her son some love?¡±


    I turned my attention to Erza next, clearing my throat. ¡°Thanks for speaking up and getting your guild on board with the quest. Even if a lot of them still aren¡¯t exactly thrilled about it.¡± I flashed her a foxy grin.


    Erza blushed slightly, crossing her arms like she was trying to brush it off. ¡°It¡¯s what a Fairy Tail mage would do.¡± She hesitated for a second, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to Sansa for the rest of the day, but I¡¯ll stop by your restaurant tomorrow with the others so we can go over the quest in more detail.¡±


    I nodded, appreciating the heads-up. Then something crossed my mind. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t seen Irene around. Do you know where she went?¡±


    Erza shrugged. ¡°She mentioned something about her boss sending her a message. Said she had work to do but would be back as soon as she could.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Her boss?¡±


    Erza sighed. ¡°Yeah. No idea who that is, and honestly, I don¡¯t think I want to know.¡±


    Fair enough. If Irene had business to take care of, I wasn¡¯t about to pry too much. Instead, I just gave Erza a nod. ¡°Alright, well, see you tomorrow then.¡±


    She nodded back before turning to leave, still looking slightly flustered.


    ¡­


    A bit later¡­


    "Welcome to Winterfell¡­ my lord¡­ and my lady." A human maid greeted Yasaka and me nervously as we stepped through the gates. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, and her eyes flickered between our fox ears and tails before quickly looking away.


    Winterfell looked a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw it. The muddy, uneven grounds had been replaced with modern stone paths, and all the burnt or damaged structures had been mostly rebuilt. Here and there, I spotted yokai contractors still working on repairs, their supernatural speed and strength making the process much faster than any human workforce would have managed.


    The human servants and guards watched the yokai with a mix of reverence and nervous fear. I preferred when people just lived as equals¡ªthough, considering these were supposed to be Sansa¡¯s and my future servants, maybe not complete equals.


    The maid dipped into a slight bow and gestured for us to follow. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow me, I¡¯ll escort you both to the Stark reception hall.¡±


    Yasaka smiled kindly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As we walked through the ancient castle halls, the maid hesitated before speaking again. ¡°We¡­ we¡¯re all grateful for what you¡¯ve done. The North has lived well under the Starks for thousands of years. When we thought them gone, it was¡­ devastating.¡± She swallowed hard, her voice tightening. ¡°The Boltons were cruel, horrible lords. When word spread that you helped Lady Sansa and Lady Catelyn reclaimed their home, many of us felt hope for the first time in years.¡±


    I glanced at Yasaka, who gave me a knowing smile but said nothing. We both understood what this meant to these people¡ªSansa¡¯s return wasn¡¯t just about politics. It was about restoring something right to the North.


    ¡°Glad we could help,¡± I said. ¡°It was personal for me too. The Boltons were scum.¡±


    The maid nodded fervently. ¡°Aye, my lord. And we are in your debt.¡±


    As we passed more guards and servants, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the way they all gave Yasaka and me a wide berth. Their gazes flickered to my tails, to my mother¡¯s ears, and then quickly away as if afraid to offend us by looking too long.


    I sighed. ¡°You think they¡¯ll ever stop being scared of us?¡± I muttered to Yasaka.


    She chuckled, her amber eyes twinkling with amusement. ¡°Perhaps, in time. Fear fades when familiarity grows.¡±


    We finally reached the large wooden doors leading to the reception hall. The maid paused.


    ¡°Lady... I mean ...Queen Sansa is expecting you...¡±


    Sansa and Catelyn were in the middle of holding court when my mother and I stepped into the grand hall. As expected, all eyes turned toward us. The room fell silent.


    Sansa and Catelyn sat at the end of the hall, side by side on identical chairs. It looked like they were planning to rule together¡ªSansa over the North, Catelyn over the Riverlands.


    Both women smiled warmly at me, and I had to fight the urge to gulp. Damn. I had to admit, they were both stunning sitting on those chairs with those beautiful dresses.


    Yasaka let out a small, amused chitter beside me and placed a gentle but firm hand on my back, urging me forward. I realized I¡¯d gotten a little too distracted.


    Sansa stood up from her chair. ¡°Lords and ladies of the North, may I present Lord Haru, Prince of the Yokai Faction, and his mother, Queen Yasaka. Haru is to be the betrothed of myself and my mother, Lady Catelyn. Together, we shall forge a new kingdom, independent and more prosperous than Westeros has ever dreamed of!¡±


    ...Maybe she should have eased them into it a bit before outright declaring all that. Silence hung in the air for half a second before the hall erupted into chaos.


    ¡°Is that why you invited us to Winterfell!?¡±


    "This creature is wedding two Stark women at once!?"


    "Ned Stark¡¯s wife and his daughter!?"


    "Outrageous!"


    "He must have used foul devil magic to trick us all!"


    The shouts overlapped, voices rising in anger, chairs scraping as men stood in protest. Some of the younger lords looked more confused than furious, while the older, more traditional ones seemed on the verge of foaming at the mouth.


    Then, of course, one genius decided to take it a step further. A burly lord with veins bulging in his neck, shot up from his seat and unsheathed his sword. ¡°This abomination cannot be allowed to taint our the North!¡± he bellowed before charging straight at me and Yasaka, his blade raised high above his head.


    Before I could even react, Yasaka growled low in her throat. A flick of her wrist and¡ª


    ¡°Clang!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The entire hall gasped as the blade stopped mid-swing, caught effortlessly between two of my mother¡¯s fingers. The raging lord¡¯s expression morphed from fury to pure shock as he stared at his weapon, now utterly useless in Yasaka¡¯s grip.


    Her golden eyes narrowed. With an almost casual flick, she yanked him forward by his coat and lifted him off the ground with one hand. He let out a strangled noise, legs kicking uselessly as she held him there like a misbehaving pup.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Yasaka said, her voice calm yet dripping with authority. Then she tossed him across the hall. He crashed through the air, smashing into a long table stacked high with food and wine, sending plates and goblets flying in all directions. A stunned silence followed, broken only by the sound of mead dripping onto the stone floor.


    I sighed. ¡°Well¡­ that could¡¯ve gone worse.¡±


    Sansa pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly. ¡°This was not a suggestion my Lords¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¨C Jon Snow ¨C


    Jon Snow stared at the letter in his hand, his grip tightening with every reread. He¡¯d probably gone over it a hundred times, and each time, it made his blood boil. How dare that bastard Ramsay do this to his family!?


    To the traitor and bastard Jon Snow,


    You allowed thousands of wildlings past the Wall. You have betrayed your own kind and you have betrayed the North. Winterfell is mine, bastard, come and see¡­


    Jon exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the frigid air. It had taken him and what remained of his army of wildlings weeks to march from the Wall, but Winterfell was almost within reach. They would take back the North, drive Ramsay from his stolen seat, and reclaim what rightfully belonged to House Stark.


    And after that? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the answer to your thoughts obvious, Your Grace?¡±


    Jon turned to see the Red Woman perched atop one of their few remaining horses, watching him with that unsettling, knowing gaze of hers. He sighed, grateful that she had brought him back to life, but still uneasy with how easily she could read him.


    ¡°Don''t call me that... And rule what, exactly?¡± he muttered, crumpling the letter in his fist.


    Melisandre rolled her eyes, her expression bordering on amused exasperation. ¡°The North, of course. And then all of Westeros.¡±


    Jon huffed, shaking his head. ¡°I never wanted to rule anything...¡±


    ¡°And yet, here you are, leading an army,¡± she pointed out. ¡°The North needs a Stark. And you are the closest thing to one left anyway!¡±


    Jon looked out over the snowy expanse, the flickering torches of his ragtag army painting the white landscape in warm hues. The men followed him, trusted him. But he still didn¡¯t know if he was the leader they needed.


    ¡°I just want to stop Ramsay,¡± he admitted. ¡°Make him pay for what he¡¯s done.¡±


    Melisandre tilted her head. ¡°And then what?¡±


    Jon didn¡¯t have an answer. He supposed he¡¯d figure it out once Ramsay Bolton was dead!


    XXX


    ¡­He¡¯s a little late to the party¡­

 chapter 58

    Chapter 58: Visitors from the Wall


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    ¡­I¡¯d been camping plenty of times in my life¡ªsometimes for fun, mostly because of my mother¡¯s training sessions¡ªso cooking without modern equipment wasn¡¯t exactly new to me.


    But cooking in a medieval kitchen?


    Yeah, that sucked ass.


    First of all, Winterfell¡¯s kitchens were in the basement. No windows, no ventilation, just a thick, choking haze of smoke from the fires that clung to the walls that probably hadn''t been properly deep cleaned in a thousand years.


    ...I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if every cook down there had some serious lung issues. Getting them proper medical treatment was definitely going on my to-do list, right next to move the damn kitchens somewhere more practical.


    But that was for later. Right now, I had to make do with what I had.


    Which is why I dragged every pot, pan, and griddle I could find outside into the courtyard.


    The smell of sizzling bacon filled the courtyard as I flipped a few thick-cut strips on the griddle over an open flame. My audience consisted of my mother, Sansa, Catelyn, and all the lords and ladies of the North that had bothered to show up when Sansa issued that call.


    And of course at least one old bastard had to be running his mouth.


    Lord Umber scowled. ¡°Why are we out here in the cold? And why is the future king of the North cooking for us? Cooking is woman¡¯s work!¡±


    The words had barely left his mouth before a few of the ruling noblewomen shot him dirty looks. Not surprising, considering most of the noblemen had died in the war led by Sansa¡¯s oldest brother. The women who had stepped up to rule were not in the mood for outdated bullshit.


    ¡°Our betrothed is the finest cook in all the lands and wished to personally prepare a meal for all of you as thanks for coming so far." Catelyn started to explain. "We know it was not easy given the state of the North, but we want you to know that things will get better. As you can see, the yokai are rebuilding Winterfell, and soon, the rest of the North will be stronger than ever.¡±


    Lady Mormont of Bear Island raised an eyebrow at Umber. ¡°And if it¡¯s too cold for you, you can always go back inside and warm yourself by the fire.¡± Lady Mormont had just all but called him soft in front of everyone else.


    Umber¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red, his pride clearly wounded. He grumbled something under his breath but didn¡¯t move to go back in.


    Of course, his tone completely changed once I started serving lunch. Nothing too fancy, since I was still cooking outside, but I went with a classic¡ªBLTs. Simple, effective, and something that always hit the spot.


    Sansa, Catelyn, and Yasaka didn¡¯t even hesitate to dig in, and immediately, the sounds of satisfaction filled the air.


    "Your cooking is amazing as always, Haru," Yasaka purred, savoring her bite.


    "It¡¯s so good¡­" Sansa moaned, her eyes fluttering shut as she chewed.


    Catelyn shifted slightly in her seat, a pleased hum escaping her as she blushed. Was she rubbing her thighs together¡­?


    I gulped, quickly refocusing my attention on the other lords and ladies.


    Seeing their liege ladies eat first, the rest of the nobles hesitantly picked up their sandwiches. I watched as Lord Umber took a begrudging bite, his scowl melting into something akin to reluctant bliss. The old bastard looked like he had tears in his eyes, probably hating that this was the best thing he¡¯d ever eaten.


    Smirking to myself, I grabbed my own sandwich and made my way over to the girls, taking a seat next to them.


    ...


    Once everyone had eaten their fill, Sansa set her sandwich down and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Now that we¡¯ve all had a good meal to clear our heads, we should head back inside to discuss the changes I want to implement in the North."


    Catelyn nodded in agreement, and the lords and ladies slowly rose from their seats, preparing to return to the hall.


    Just as we were about to head back inside, a shout from the walls made everyone freeze.


    "Lady Yasaka!" A young catboy yokai called out. "There are people approaching Winterfell! It¡¯s an entire army!"


    The gathered nobles instantly erupted into murmurs, panic creeping into their voices.


    Yasaka and I exchanged a sharp glance. "How the hell did an entire army slip past our notice?" I muttered.


    Yasaka frowned, ears twitching as she considered the possibilities. "I¡¯m not sure¡­."


    ¡°Four riders have split off from the army and are approaching,¡± he added from up on the wall.


    ¡­.


    The army wasn¡¯t here to attack us.


    Maybe¡­


    Sansa practically vibrated with excitement, while Catelyn, on the other hand, looked like she had just bitten into something sour. Yasaka gave me a gentle push toward the older redhead so I could comfort her.


    I took Catelyn¡¯s hand in mine, running my thumb over the back of it in slow circles. Out of all my, let¡¯s say, harem members, she was the one I¡¯d spent the least amount of time with. Not because I was ignoring her¡ªfar from it. She had just been incredibly busy learning everything she could about the modern world. She wanted her family to be powerful enough that they¡¯d never be victims of tragedy again. I respected that. She wanted to stand on her own, not just rely on me or my family¡¯s strength.


    Sansa suddenly gasped and ran forward. "Jon! You''re alive! I''m so glad!"


    The hall went silent as every lord in the room turned to get a better look at the man in black. I could hear their hushed whispers¡ªNed Stark¡¯s bastard, the half-brother to Sansa.


    Ah. That¡¯s why Catelyn was looking like she was sucking on a lemon. I gently squeezed her hand, and after a deep breath, she let out a long exhale.


    "I suppose, given the circumstances, it¡¯s foolish of me to still be upset about his existence¡­" she murmured, giving me a wry smile. Then her gaze flicked back to Jon. "Although, I am wondering why he¡¯s not at the Wall."


    The Wall. That frozen hellscape at the top of the North. Our yokai and hired ninja never bothered going that far because even the Boltons hadn¡¯t wanted land that worthless.


    Jon wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°I ask for bread and salt for myself and my companions,¡± he said.


    Sansa gestured to a servant, who quickly rushed to bring what was needed. Jon turned his eyes back to her and Catelyn, still clearly reeling from seeing them here. His voice hardened. "Where is Ramsay Snow?"


    "Ramsay? He¡¯s been dead for over a month." Sansa told him.


    "Good riddance!"


    "Fucking Bolton traitors!"


    A couple of the noblewomen in the hall shouted their fury. They were likely the ones who had lost family to the Boltons¡¯ cruelty.


    ¡­


    Jon Snow was staring at me strangely, and so were all of his companions. I was sitting at the head of the hall between Sansa and Catelyn again.


    Still looking a bit confused, Jon had taken the time to introduce his people. Sam Tarly, Davos Seaworth, Tormund Giantsbane, and the red witch, Melisandre. Quite the collection of misfits he¡¯d found himself with. Not to mention the army of wildlings that had come with them.


    Yeah¡­ the lords and ladies were not thrilled about that.


    None of them were outright shouting¡ªyet. I had a feeling they were too nervous to set Yasaka off again. After the whole ¡°flinging a lord across the hall¡± incident earlier, I think they¡¯d decided indoor yelling wasn¡¯t worth the risk.


    ¡°It''s um... great to see you Jon, but why aren¡¯t you at the Wall?¡±


    ¡°My watch has ended,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°I gave my life for the cause, and my brothers paid me back with a knife in the heart.¡± The hall fell into hushed murmurs as he gestured toward Melisandre. ¡°Lady Melisandre brought me back.¡±


    That certainly got everyone¡¯s attention.


    Catelyn¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, skepticism written all over her face. ¡°That¡¯s quite the story,¡± she said carefully. I could tell she wasn¡¯t completely dismissing it¡ªafter all, she knew that devils in my world could resurrect the recently deceased. But still, it wasn¡¯t exactly an easy thing to believe.


    Meanwhile, I noticed something else. Melisandre wasn¡¯t looking at Jon. No, her piercing gaze was locked onto me¡ªand she wasn¡¯t blinking.


    It was honestly starting to creep me out. There was something off about this woman, and I could tell she was using illusion magic to hide her real appearance.


    Tormund suddenly slammed his fist on the table. ¡°The army of the dead is fucking coming! We don¡¯t have time for everybody¡¯s damn stories!¡±


    Well. That escalated quickly.


    ¡°We were supposed to ease them into it,¡± Sam whispered loudly to the large wild man. ¡°We want them to believe us, not freak them out!¡±


    Tormund didn''t seem to give a fuck and just grunted.


    Lord Umber scoffed where he was sitting on the side. ¡°Army of the dead? What the hell are you talking about, Snow?¡±


    Davos stepped forward. ¡°I know it sounds insane. I¡¯m not a scholar, not a learned man, but I¡¯ve seen things I can¡¯t deny. The dead are real, and they¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°The Night¡¯s Watch is all but destroyed. The survivors have banded together with what¡¯s left of the Free Folk. I came here to reclaim the North from Ramsay Bolton so we can unite everyone against the real enemy!¡± Jon declared.


    I let out a low whistle.


    Yasaka giggled beside me. This guy sounded like the grittier, medieval version of a zombie apocalypse protagonist. Too bad for him, none of this was actually necessary.


    I cleared my throat and waved a hand to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Alright, so, tell me about these undead.¡±


    Jon blinked. ¡°What?¡± he seemed shocked that I believed him.


    I sighed. ¡°What are these zombies like?¡±


    Jon frowned. ¡°Zombies?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just what we call undead that don¡¯t act very dead where I¡¯m from.¡±


    Judging by the dry expressions on Jon¡¯s and his companions¡¯ faces, that joke didn¡¯t land.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I continued. ¡°Do they turn people they bite into more undead?¡±


    Jon looked confused before shaking his head. ¡°No. They can only turn the dead into wights.¡±


    ¡°Lame,¡± I muttered under my breath.


    Sansa, who was seated next to me, giggled.


    Sam took that as his cue to step forward. ¡°The dead are controlled by the White Walkers. They raise the bodies and command them.¡±


    I was catching on. This was basically just an army of skeletons controlled by some necromancers. Ones that were a lot less powerful than someone like Ainz.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°How many of these ¡®White Walkers¡¯ are there?¡±


    Jon and Sam exchanged a glance before Sam spoke. ¡°We don''t know, but maybe around a 100 or 200...¡±


    Catelyn turned her gaze toward Jon and his companions. ¡°Thank you for bringing this to our attention,¡± she said. ¡°We''ll handle it from here."


    Jon and his group looked like they¡¯d just been slapped.


    Tormund scowled. ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯ll handle it?¡±


    I grinned and stretched my arms. ¡°She means exactly what she said. We¡¯ve got it covered. Good work.¡± I gave them a thumbs up for their efforts.


    Jon¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the scale of this¡ª¡±


    I waved him off. "It''s fine, dude. We''ll handle it."


    "...What is a dude...?" Someone whispered.


    "Listen hear, you weird looking animal fucker! I don''t know what the hell you are, but you don''t get to act all high and mighty sitting there up on that chair with those women acting like the dead won''t get you! They will!" Tormund said to me.


    Well that was a bit rude¡­


    "Haru, they think you¡¯re mocking them," Yasaka told me. "They don''t realize you''re being serious."


    I blinked and quickly looked back at Jon and his group, realizing the hard expressions on their faces. I cleared my throat, holding up my hands in a placating gesture. "Look, I¡¯m not making light of this. I know this is serious for you. I¡¯m just saying we¡¯ll take care of it. That¡¯s all." I let out a small sigh and raised one hand. A faint glow appeared above my palm, forming a flicker of blue foxfire. ¡°See¡­?¡±


    Jon¡¯s group stared at me. Tormund pointed at me. ¡°Is that some kind of evil sorcery!?¡±


    Jon¡¯s expression became tense. ¡°Who are you? What are you!? Why are you so close to my sister and my stepmother?¡±


    ¡°Mother and I will be marrying Haru. He is a prince of the yokai, and we plan to unite the North and the Riverlands into a new kingdom.¡± Sansa spoke.


    Sam Tarly muttered something about the logistics of such a thing being enormous...


    Jon¡¯s face tightened. He looked at me, then at Yasaka, with an accusatory stare. ¡°Are you using magic on my family?¡± he asked. "Did you depose the Boltons only to take their places!"


    Catelyn stood up. ¡°We are not controlled by any magic! Haru saved the North from the Boltons, and this plan protects our people.¡±


    Melisandre watched the blue flame above my palm and murmured something about the "Prince That Was Promised" and "Azor Ahai." She then announced she believed "I was the one!" Her words caused a brief pause, but most people were paying attention to Jon and me.


    I saw Sansa step forward, telling Jon to respect guest rights, but he was too angry to listen. He believed I had used magic on his family, and he was determined to prove it.


    ¡°Jon, stop!¡± Sansa shouted, eyes filled with worry.


    He drew his sword, eyes locked on me with anger. He lunged at me!


    I took a slow breath and stood up. My hand came up to catch his blade, and a sharp pain ran through my palm. Blood started sliding down my wrist.


    Yasaka gasped.


    "Haru!" Sansa shouted my name in worry!


    I had stopped his attack, but my hand was hurt. A normal human shouldn''t have been able to cut me, but then I realized his sword was deeply enchanted. I gripped the steel and yanked it from Jon¡¯s grasp, then kicked him in the chest to push him away. It was not enough to injure him¡ªhe was going to be my future brother-in-law, and also my son-in-law...?


    ¡°Jon, stand down!¡± Catelyn added firmly.


    Yasaka rushed to my side, looking at my bleeding hand. ¡°Haru, are you alright?¡±


    A few of the lords and ladies rose from their seats, whispering among themselves. I overheard someone mutter, ¡°He stopped Valyrian steel with his bare hand! I knew it! He¡¯s a demon!¡±


    I flipped the sword in my hand, holding it by the hilt. It felt lighter than regular steel. My blood was on the blade, so I covered the entire blade with blue foxfire to burn it off.


    Yasaka touched my shoulder. ¡°Haru, let me see your hand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom,¡± I said, though my palm still stung. She immediately started to heal it for me.


    ¡°Azor Ahai,¡± Melisandre said, dropping to her knees, eyes locked onto the flaming sword in my hand. ¡°He is the one I have been seeking!¡±


    "This is an interesting sword." I smirked. "I think I''ll hang onto it for a bit." I''m sure Aela would love to teach me how to properly use it.


    Jon climbed back to his feet, grimacing and breathing heavily, glaring at me and the sword in my hand.


    The hall felt tense. Many of the lords and ladies remained standing, unsure if another fight would break out.


    Jon pointed at the blade I had taken from him. ¡°You can''t keep it! Only the commander of the Night¡¯s Watch should have it.¡±


    Sansa spoke up. Her cheeks were flushed, and I could tell she was very angry. ¡°Jon, you said your watch ended. Didn¡¯t you leave the Night¡¯s Watch?¡±


    Jon glared at her, then back at me. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he insisted. ¡°It belongs to the Watch, not this demon! I will not let you keep it!¡±


    Yasaka stood beside me, her nine tails swishing behind her in a way that showed her annoyance. ¡°My son Haru is not a thief,¡± she said. ¡°He defended himself after your attack. You should be glad all he''s doing is taking away your toy after trying to harm him!¡±


    ¡°AZOR AHAI!¡± Melisandre declared again!


    Yeah¡­We were all kinda ignoring her at this point.


    Jon gave me one last glare, his whole body tense as Sam and Tormund held him back from lunging at me again. His hands clenched into fists, and his breathing was heavy. He scanned the room rapidly, eyes landing on every noble in attendance before speaking. ¡°My name is Jon Snow, and I am the last living son of Ned Stark! I know people look down on bastards, but as the only male heir of the Starks left, I will claim the title of Lord of Winterfell!¡±


    The room erupted in murmurs, some shocked, others intrigued. Sansa stood abruptly, her voice laced with disbelief. ¡°What!?¡±


    Catelyn¡¯s face darkened, her hands gripping the arms of her chair.


    Jon wasn¡¯t finished. He turned and pointed at me. ¡°I have an army outside those gates, and I will use it to bring you and your strange people down and take back my family¡¯s birthright! And then we shall drive back the white walkers together!¡±


    "I already said I''d handle them--"


    Wiping out zombie armies was a pastime for me at this point.


    "Shut up you mummer!" Jon snapped at me. "Now, who is with me...?" he looked around the room.


    Gasps rippled through the assembled nobles. A few lords exchanged eager looks. Jon spun on his heel and marched toward the exit.


    I considered stopping him, knocking him out before he could stir up more trouble, but guest rights were sacred here. Sansa and Catelyn had made sure I understood that.


    ...Even if Jon had already broken them by attacking me, I couldn¡¯t justify doing the same.


    And to my growing annoyance, he wasn¡¯t the only one leaving.


    ¡°The King in the North!¡± one noble shouted, rising to his feet.


    ¡°To Ned Stark¡¯s son!¡± another echoed.


    ¡°No demons!¡± a third yelled, glaring at me.


    One by one, the noble lords and ladies stood and followed Jon, presumably to pledge themselves to his cause. The sound of their footsteps filled the hall as they streamed out the doors. They all must have incredibly short attention spans for their fears of Yasaka and me to have already vanished¡­


    Sansa looked absolutely mortified, her hands slightly trembling as she watched them leave.


    Catelyn, however, remained stone-faced. Her grip on the armrest of her chair was tight enough that her knuckles turned white. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yasaka let out a small chitter and smirked at me. ¡°Well¡­ that could have gone better,¡± she said, clearly amused.


    I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. ¡°I made them all BLTs, and now they want to join Jon¡¯s army and kill me?¡± I groaned. ¡°Not cool. Not cool at all!¡±


    A long silence followed. I glanced around the now much emptier hall. That¡¯s when I noticed one lone figure still sitting with us.


    Lyanna Mormont. The little girl Lady from Bear Island.


    Sansa wiped away a stray tear, blinking at her. ¡°You¡¯re staying with us?¡±


    Lyanna nodded firmly. ¡°Fuck those guys.¡±


    I choked on my own laughter. Seeing a little girl say that with complete conviction was too much. Kunou and Tanya would love her.


    Sansa let out a shaky laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. Even Catelyn¡¯s expression softened, if only a little.


    Lyanna looked at me. ¡°So, what are we going to do?¡±


    Before I could answer, Melisandre suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with fanatic devotion. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? The Azor Ahai will slaughter them all and sacrifice them to praise the Lord of Light!¡±


    I turned and blinked at her. ¡°Are you still here?¡± I asked in disbelief. Wasn¡¯t she Jon¡¯s priestess or something?


    Melisandre¡¯s eyes gleamed as she stepped toward me. ¡°I will always be here for the Azor Ahai,¡± she declared. ¡°I will serve you in any way you desire. Any way¡­¡± She emphasized the words with a slow flutter of her lashes, then reached up and shamelessly groped her own breasts.


    I had to admit they were very nice breasts¡­


    Yasaka¡¯s expression darkened, and before I could even react, she raised a hand. A surge of blue foxfire erupted from her palm and engulfed Melisandre in a roaring inferno. The red priestess shrieked as flames consumed her. I could sense her desperately trying to counter the magic, but Yasaka¡¯s power was overwhelming. Within seconds, Melisandre was reduced to nothing but a pile of ash on the stone floor.


    Silence filled the hall. Sansa, Catelyn, and Lyanna all stared at Yasaka, eyes wide with shock.


    Yasaka let out a small growl, baring her teeth. ¡°Trust me, you would have done the same if you could have seen through her illusion to her real appearance,¡± she said. ¡°I will not allow such a wretched crone to try and seduce my son.¡±


    I exhaled and rubbed my temples. I was curious about what Melisandre actually looked like, but she was dust now. Oh well. I trusted my mother¡¯s judgment, and if she decided to fry the priestess, then it was probably for the best.


    I shook my head and got back to the more pressing matter. ¡°We¡¯ve got an army of about ten thousand barbarians outside the walls,¡± I said, glancing at Yasaka. ¡°I could just kill them all¡­ or, we could give the Fairy Tail mages a little field test before they face the real armies in Ainz¡¯s world.¡±


    Yasaka hummed in approval. ¡°I like that idea.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on,¡± Lyanna admitted flatly.


    Sansa sighed and patted the young girl on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    Yasaka smiled at the girl. ¡°On the upside, little one, you just received a massive promotion as the only loyal family left in the North. The rest will all be stripped of their lands and titles for daring take up arms against my Son¡­¡± she said while her tails swayed behind her menacingly.


    XXX


    Before people get mad at me and say Jon isn''t normally this dumb¡­there are reasons.


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 321-325


    The Fox Hole 63


    The Blood Queen 37


    The Fox Hole 62


    Thunder and Black Wings 12


    The Fox Hole 61


    The Titan 28


    The Fox Hole 60


    Thunder and Black Wings 11


    The Blood Queen 36


    The Fox Hole 59


    The Titan 27

 chapter 59

    Small R-18 in this Chapter


    Chapter 59:


    ¨C Jon ¨C


    Jon massaged his aching head as he wandered through the camp of his makeshift army. The cold wind bit at his face, and the scent of burning wood mixed with the smell of unwashed bodies. It wasn''t a pleasant combination.  Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wildlings and what remained of the Night¡¯s Watch kept mostly to themselves, but tensions still ran high.


    He had come here to fight Ramsay Snow. Now he was preparing to fight an entirely different kind of enemy. A race of creatures with magic. And that made him nervous.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly what he had envisioned when he had declared war. Maybe running his mouth hadn¡¯t been the best idea? It was strange, he was usually more level headed than that but for some reason he just got so angry back there...


    He frowned, trying to remember why he had been so furious in the first place. Sansa and Catelyn hadn¡¯t looked like prisoners. If anything, they seemed¡­ fine.


    ...Maybe he should send an envoy to talk to them, try to work things out before blood was spilled.


    "That might be a good idea," Jon said to himself out loud. "We can talk this out and¨CHuh? ¡­What was I thinking about just now¡­? I can¡¯t remember¡­"


    Jon frowned.


    It was like the thought was just pulled right out of his head.


    He tried to recall it but came up with nothing....


    It probably wasn''t important.


    A sudden ¡°Caw!¡± made him jump slightly. A raven perched on a tent, staring at him.


    ¡°Get out of here, you stupid bird,¡± Jon muttered, waving a hand. The raven cawed once more before flapping its wings and disappearing into the sky.


    With a sigh, Jon stepped into the command tent. The air inside was heavy with unspoken tension. Davos stood near a makeshift table. Tormund leaned against a post, scowling. Sam was poring over parchment, likely reviewing their numbers for the hundredth time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree with what happened back there, Jon Snow,¡± Davos said, his voice calm but firm. ¡°But I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    ¡°That animal fucker won¡¯t know what hit him,¡± Tormund grunted. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen people with animal parts like that in the true North. It ain¡¯t natural.¡±


    Jon ignored the remark. ¡°What kind of numbers can we field?¡±


    Sam cleared his throat. ¡°We have about fifty men left in the Night¡¯s Watch. There are six thousand free folk.¡± He hesitated before continuing. ¡°And then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will fight for the true King in the North,¡± Lord Umber interrupted, stepping forward with the other Lords. ¡°All of my personal guards stand with you.¡±


    Jon hesitated, then gave a curt nod. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    More lords and ladies stepped forward, pledging their forces one after another. Each of them had come to Winterfell with dozens of men. It wasn''t much, but at least these were all trained soldiers.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want no unnaturalness in the North!¡± one noble shouted.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need changes!¡± another added.


    ¡°We¡¯ve lived fine for thousands of years!¡±


    Jon let their voices die down, then straightened his back. ¡°We will be victorious,¡± he said, his voice strong. ¡°We will take back Winterfell. We will drive out these creatures, and we will free my sister from their influence.¡± He hesitated, glancing around before adding, ¡°¡­And Lady Catelyn too, I suppose.¡±


    There was a brief silence before the tent erupted in cheers.


    ¡°To the King in the North!¡±


    Jon nodded, though the weight of their expectations settled heavily on his shoulders. He told himself he was doing the right thing. He had to be doing the right thing.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood on the outer walls of Winterfell as I surveyed the scene below. Lady Catelyn stood beside me.


    Jon Snow¡¯s forces were gathered in formation, ready to attack. By our estimation, they had around 7,000 soldiers.


    A couple hundred yards away stood the mages of Fairy Tail¡ªonly about a dozen of them, but they were the strongest their guild had to offer, at the moment, and the ones willing to fight. Their number was tiny compared to Jon¡¯s army, but I knew firsthand how much damage they could do.


    ¡°There¡¯s not very many of them,¡± Catelyn said, her voice edged with unease.


    I hesitated for a moment before wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her a little closer.


    She didn¡¯t resist. In fact, she gave me a faint smile as she pressed herself against me even more.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± I assured her. ¡°As far as I know, the only magic user Jon has is the Red Witch.¡±


    My eyes flicked back toward the opposing army, narrowing slightly as I noticed a few massive figures among the soldiers.


    ¡°Are those¡­ giants?¡± I muttered. They were smaller than the ones I¡¯d seen in other worlds so far. Kinda disappointing...


    Catelyn sighed, shifting slightly in my hold. ¡°I wish Sansa wasn¡¯t down there with them.¡±


    That surprised me too. But Sansa had insisted she wanted to fight alongside her friend Erza. I wasn''t sure if Sansa wanted to prove something or she just wanted to claw somebody''s eyes out.


    Jon Snow stood at the front of his army, delivering a speech with all the passion of a man who believed he was on the right side of history. His voice carried across the field, rallying his men, calling for the retaking of Winterfell and the removal of me and the other ¡®monsters¡¯ who had taken over the castle.


    The only reason I could even hear his speech in the first place was because of my fox ears. Catelyn, standing beside me, glanced up, clearly irritated. ¡°What is he saying?¡±


    I sighed, folding my arms. ¡°He¡¯s giving a speech about how he¡¯s going to ¡®cleanse Winterfell¡¯ and drive out the ¡®monsters¡¯ that stole it from him.¡±


    Catelyn¡¯s jaw clenched, and she muttered under her breath, ¡°Ungrateful bastards.¡±


    I hated the way that word was used in this world.


    ¡°Hey now,¡± I scolded lightly, giving her a side glance. ¡°You know that¡¯s just supernatural nonsense from your world¡¯s fake religion.¡± Or at least I suspected their gods were fake. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t believe the Seven might exist, but their whole setup sounded so dumb that I struggled to take any of it seriously.


    Catelyn let out a slow breath, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t hate all bastards,¡± she clarified. ¡°Just the ones who are ungrateful enough to turn on their own family.¡± She peered across the battlefield, her gaze locked onto Jon Snow.


    Before I could respond, the signal was given. Jon¡¯s army surged forward, a roaring mass of soldiers charging toward the Fairy Tail mages.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± I muttered, watching as the battle began...


    ¡­The battle kicked off, and as expected, the Fairy Tail mages absolutely tore through Jon¡¯s forces. It wasn¡¯t a slaughter since they weren¡¯t killing anyone, but it was a magical beatdown on an epic scale. Soldiers were being flung through the air, weapons shattered, armor crumpled like tin. Ice bolts, fire explosions, and waves of flying swords sent entire ranks of people flying.


    ¡°I bet I¡¯ll take down more than you, Gray!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t get even half as many, flame-brain!¡±


    ¡°Come at me if you¡¯re a man!¡±


    ¡°Get them Taurus!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll always fight for your nice body, Lucy!¡±


    And on the other side¡­


    ¡°Oh Gods!¡±


    ¡°He can breathe fire! It¡¯s a dragon in human form!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all going to die!¡±


    ¡°Fuck the king in the North! Run for your lives!¡±


    I glanced at Catelyn. She looked surprisingly¡­ excited? Her eyes were locked on the battlefield, and she seemed completely engrossed in watching the traitor lords and their men get humiliated.


    Then, my ears twitched as I caught the faintest sound of panting. Was she¡­ getting aroused watching this?


    Damn. I had never seen this side of Catelyn before.


    Before I could process that, I felt a hand slip behind me. Fingers ran down to the base of my tails, stroking in a way that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.


    ¡°This is so exciting,¡± Catelyn murmured, her breath heavy.


    I stiffened as a tiny, involuntary moan slipped out. My tails were incredibly sensitive at the base, and she had just found that out firsthand.


    I turned to look at her, wide-eyed. She just smirked, her fingers still tracing along my fur. She let out a slow breath, her touch lingering. "Thank you," she said softly. "For being here. For Sansa. For me. I never thought I¡¯d feel safe again after everything that¡¯s happened, but you¡¯ve given me hope."


    Her fingers stroked the base of my tails again, sending another shiver up my spine. At the same time, her other hand slid over my chest, rubbing against my shirt. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the heat rising in my face, but the sensitivity of my tails made that nearly impossible.


    In the distance, explosions rumbled and screams echoed across the battlefield, but Catelyn seemed entirely focused on me. Her grip tightened slightly, and she leaned in just a bit closer. "This new future¡­ it feels real now."


    I exhaled and shuddered. "Yeah¡­ real is one way to put it." Although I was focused a lot more on the present, and my growing erection...


    ¡°You deserve a reward,¡± she said in a husky whisper. ¡°For keeping me and Sansa safe...¡±


    My face felt hot, and I gave her a nervous grin.


    I glanced around the walls, checking if any guards were near. Then I waved my hand to cast a quick barrier. I placed it around us, forming an invisible dome that would keep prying eyes away. Explosions still rumbled outside, and soldiers kept screaming, but no one would see what happened in this little space.


    Catelyn reached down to unbuckle my pants. Her hands trembled with excitement. I couldn¡¯t believe she was doing this right here. She gave a short laugh, her voice breaking with anticipation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how¡­ alive I feel,¡± she murmured.


    When my pants dropped a few inches, my cock sprang free, already half-hard. Catelyn let out a soft gasp. ¡°It¡¯s so big,¡± she said, her eyes wide as she slowly wrapped her fingers around it. She started stroking gently, her hand gliding along my length. Each stroke brought more blood rushing to my cock, and I felt it swell in her grip.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin a bit. ¡°I¡­ guess you never really saw me naked before,¡± I said quietly, though I felt a small flicker of embarrassment from the situation.


    She nodded, leaning in to place small kisses along my neck.


    She dropped down to her knees, her dress pooling around her legs. Her auburn hair brushed against my shirt, and I looked down at her as she lifted her head to meet my gaze. I could feel my heart pounding. The base of my tails still tingled from her earlier touch.


    Her lips brushed against my cock, placing slow, soft kisses. I groaned, gently resting my hands on her hair. She looked up once more, her mouth parted slightly, eyes clouded with need. Then she took me in, her mouth warm and wet. I inhaled sharply, trying not to let out too loud of a noise. My barrier only blocked sight, not sound. She began to move her head in a steady rhythm, her mouth sliding along my shaft.


    Sparks of pleasure shot through me, especially when her tongue pressed against that sensitive underside. I tightened my grip in her hair, guiding her pace, though not too roughly. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Each bob of her head made me shudder, and the tension in my belly grew quickly.


    Catelyn reached up with her free hand and grabbed the base of my cock, stroking what her mouth couldn¡¯t cover. She moved her tongue in a firm motion, swirling around the tip each time she pulled back. My vision blurred for a moment, the intense sensation mixing with the chaos in the background.


    Explosions, distant shouting. But in this little barrier, it was just the two of us.


    She let out a low moan around my cock, the vibration making me groan. I felt my toes curling inside my shoes, my tails twitching in excitement. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I let out a rasping exhale. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ too good at this,¡± I managed to whisper, my voice shaky.


    She only hummed in response, taking me deeper. My breathing turned ragged, my body trembling as the pleasure built. The occasional explosion or scream of pain reminded me that a whole battle was going on, but I couldn¡¯t pull my mind away from the warmth of her mouth.


    I felt my orgasm approach, my abs tensing. I let out a ragged ¡°Catelyn¡­¡± in warning. She tightened her lips around me, her hand stroking faster, coaxing me right over the edge.


    A surge of pleasure tore through me, and my hips jerked forward. She moaned softly and swallowed, her throat working to take my release. My entire body shook as I emptied myself into her mouth. She held still, her lips sealed around my cock as she gulped it all down, showing an impressive level of experience.


    My legs felt weak for a moment. I steadied myself, my hands clinging to her shoulders. She stayed on her knees, her mouth still around me until the last shudder passed. Then she pulled back, releasing my cock, which glistened with a mix of saliva and the remnants of my orgasm. She rose to her feet, smoothing her dress, looking almost casual despite what had just happened. She licked her lips to clean them, and my cheeks felt warm as I tried to gather myself.


    I managed a small smile. ¡°Thanks for that,¡± I said quietly, leaning in and pressing a brief kiss to her cheek. My heart still pounded. ¡°You really know how to reward a guy.¡±


    Catelyn giggled softly and ran a hand across my chest over my shirt. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to continue this in the future,¡± she said, her tone still carrying a hint of excitement from what we¡¯d just done.


    I let out a slow exhale, nodding at her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that,¡± I said, adjusting my pants and making myself look somewhat presentable. The barrier I had raised around us flickered as I dropped it.


    ¡­Fairy Tail¡¯s mages were clearly finishing the fight. Over seven thousand soldiers lay around, beaten and scorched, but not killed. Some of them twitched or groaned, trying to crawl away. The mages themselves looked tired, covered in soot and sweat, but mostly fine. I could see Erza leaning on her sword, tired but not harmed.


    Sansa, in her massive werewolf form, was sniffing between the bodies, pushing them aside, clearly searching for someone in particular. It had to be Jon Snow. It didn''t take her long to find him judging by the final scream we heard a bit later.


    ¨C Sansa ¨C


    Sansa spent a long time rinsing the blood from her hair in the shower after she shifted back into her human form. She had not killed anyone in the battle, but she had seriously maimed a lot of them. Some wounds might never fully heal. She did not feel too guilty about it, though. These were wildlings that had invaded her lands and her home, or simply oath breaker Lords, hoping to take everything from her and her fianc¨¦.


    She also realized she had changed a lot since she became a werewolf, or as her father would have called it, embraced her wolf blood. She felt more protective of those she cared about, and she was a lot less squeamish about violence. She also liked how her body looked now¡ªher stomach felt firmer, and her breasts looked perkier than before. She let out a small snort of amusement as she admired her naked figure in the mirror in Haru¡¯s bathroom.


    Then she slipped on a fresh dress and stepped out into the Fox Hole to join the victory party.


    The moment she entered through the back, she spotted Natsu standing on a table with his strange blue cat. ¡°That battle was awesome!¡± he shouted. ¡°I blew up so many idiots!¡±


    ¡°Aye, Sir!¡±


    Gray, standing nearby, rolled his eyes. ¡°It was pretty fun I guess...¡± he said.


    Erza, seated at the bar, gave them both a smug look. ¡°Neither of you could match my count,¡± she said, speaking around a mouthful of cheesecake. It was obvious Haru had baked it for her, and she was devouring it like she had no intention of sharing.


    Then Sansa turned her gaze toward her mother and Haru, who stood together by the bar, chatting with big smiles on their faces.


    A flicker of curiosity ran through Sansa¡¯s mind. Why did her mother look so unusually happy¡­?


    ¡­Had something happened with Haru while Sansa was busy ripping through Jon¡¯s forces?


    She allowed herself a small smile. If her mother was warming up more to Haru, that was a good thing.


    Sansa decided to leave them to it and wander around the party. Eventually, she ended up at a booth in the corner of the Fox Hole. She noticed her half brother, Jon Snow, sitting on one side of a table, and Yasaka¡ªHaru¡¯s mother¡ªsitting across from him.


    The sight of Jon made Sansa¡¯s mood darken for a moment. She remembered dragging him off the battlefield earlier, planning to throw him in the dungeons until they figured out what to do with him. He had chosen to attack them, and it felt like a serious betrayal.


    And then Yasaka stopped her, claiming there was something off about him.


    Yasaka said she sensed traces of magic around Jon, saying that someone might have been tampering with his mind. For his sake, she hoped that was true!


    She couldn''t help but smirk when she noticed him gulp nervously as she took a seat next to Yasaka across from him...


    XXX

 chapter 60

    Chapter 60: Drinking with the boys


    ¨C Ainz ¨C


    Ainz dragged himself through the doors of the Fox Hole, still in his human form, feeling every muscle in his body ache. His throat felt dry, and his clothes clung to his skin. He looked like he had gone through a war. He wobbled toward the counter, where Haru stood pouring a drink for the dragonborn, Agnar. Haru¡¯s fox ears twitched the moment he caught sight of Ainz, and his tails swished behind him.


    Agnar, seated at the bar with a mug in hand, noticed Ainz¡¯s disheveled state and let out a hearty laugh. ¡°You look like you got run over by a horse,¡± he said, grinning widely.


    Ainz let out a long groan and slumped onto a nearby stool, his limbs trembling from exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯m so damn tired,¡± he muttered, burying his face in his hands. Being able to get tired again was something he''d have to get used to. At least if he wanted to stay in his humanoid form for prolonged periods of time. Which of course he did! Being an unfeeling skeleton kind of sucked other than for epic roleplay...


    Haru raised an eyebrow at Ainz¡¯s appearance. ¡°You also look dehydrated,¡± he said. ¡°What have you been up to? Actually, I can guess. You¡¯ve been going at it with Shalltear and Albedo all this time? It¡¯s been days, man...¡± Haru pointed out.


    Ainz groaned again, massaging the back of his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me! I thought losing my virginity would be exciting, but those two wouldn¡¯t stop. They¡¯re insatiable!¡±


    Agnar chuckled and reached over to thump Ainz on the back. His large hand almost sent Ainz toppling forward. ¡°I know how it is to be with a vampire, but a vampire and a succubus at the same time? You¡¯re a man amongst men!¡± He smirked.


    Ainz only managed a weak shrug, lifting his gaze to Haru with a silent plea for something to drink.


    Haru grabbed a glass pitcher, filled it with ice water, then slid it across the counter without bothering to pour a glass. Ainz gripped it in both hands and downed half of it in gulp. He slammed the pitcher down, gasping for air. ¡°Another,¡± Ainz rasped.


    Haru snorted, grabbing more ice and refilling the pitcher.


    Ainz leaned back on the barstool, letting out a shaky exhale after draining the second pitcher of ice water. He hadn¡¯t realized how badly he needed fluids, and his body still ached all over from his marathon with Albedo and Shalltear. He set the empty pitcher down and looked between Haru and Agnar.


    He cleared his throat, his voice still sounded rough though. ¡°So, what did I miss around the restaurant while I was¡­ busy?¡±


    Haru shrugged. ¡°Not much, just a cooking competition that I won of course, a Fallen Angel general tried to kill my girlfriend, and a ¡®small war¡¯ that happened in Westeros.¡±


    Ainz blinked, staring at Haru like he¡¯d lost his mind. ¡°A war qualifies as more than ¡®not much,¡¯¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°Not in our crazy lives,¡± Agnar chimed in, taking a gulp of his mead.


    Ainz slowly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± he muttered. He realized that ever since he started hanging out with this crowd, what counted as normal had gone down the drain. Although he had no real social life before all this so maybe he wasn''t one to judge.


    Haru leaned on the counter. ¡°Anyway, we gave the Fairy Tail mages a field test. They took down seven thousand enemies without killing anybody. But the problem is, they ended up completely exhausted afterwards," Haru sighed. "And the real army we want them to fight in your world is rumored to be ten thousand strong, with a couple hundred magic casters supporting them. And that''s only my side. Yours will have over a hundred thousand levies with thousands of magic casters. I might¡¯ve overestimated Fairy Tail¡¯s capabilities...¡± Haru sounded sad to admit that. ¡°Using non-lethal magic drains a lot more power than just saying fuck in and going for the kill!¡±


    ¡°I always say fuck it and go for the kill!¡± Agnar cheered. ¡°...Although I suppose that has gotten me in trouble once or twice.¡±


    Ainz knew that Haru wasn''t a fan of needless killing, and neither was Ainz for that matter. Now that he had a human form and most of his muted emotions back, it was even less so. But... Ainz would never allow anyone to destroy what he or his friends had built. If he had to wipe those armies out himself, than he would do it.


    He was interested to hear that Fairy Tail was back as an option though. Didn''t they say no? Ainz rested an elbow on the bar, head in his hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even aware they were on the table as an option¡­¡±


    ¡°Did Demiurge not tell you?" Haru asked.


    Ainz pondered. "I haven''t gotten any messages from him in a few days now that I think about it."


    Haru smirked. ¡°Yeah, probably his new ¡®girlfriend.¡¯ Guess he¡¯s been too occupied to keep you updated.¡±


    Ainz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Demiurge has a girlfriend?¡± He didn¡¯t recall a single instance where his most loyal guardian expressed any interest in romance. He assumed the only thing Demiurge was attracted to was ¡®evil¡¯ in general!


    ¡°It¡¯s Sona Sitri,¡± Haru explained. ¡°She¡¯s a pureblood devil heiress from my world. Basically a princess of hell. She¡¯s very rule-oriented...¡±


    ¡°So, besides wars and cooking competitions, did you get any new customers? Has the restaurant connected to any more worlds?¡± Ainz asked.


    Agnar, sitting to Ainz¡¯s right, perked up. ¡°More worlds and more adventures!¡± he exclaimed.


    Haru scratched his cheek. ¡°Not really. We haven¡¯t tapped into any fresh worlds in a while. I figure the goddess is giving me a break so I can deal with the stuff on my ¡®plate¡¯ first.¡±


    Ainz raised an eyebrow. It was nice being able to do that again. ¡°Is that a cooking joke?¡± he asked dryly.


    Haru rolled his eyes. ¡°If it was, it was a pretty ¡®bare-bones¡¯ one.¡±


    They all paused for a second, then burst out laughing!


    ¡°That was terrible,¡± Agnar declared, shaking his head.


    ¡°Then why are you laughing?¡± Haru shot back, his tails swishing behind him.


    ¡°Because it was terrible,¡± Agnar replied.


    Ainz shook his head and couldn''t help but grin. It was nice that he was a ¡®man¡¯ now but sometimes nothing beats just hanging out with the ¡®boys¡¯¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I leaned against the bar, trying not to laugh too loudly as I teased Ainz with Agnar. We¡¯d ended up in another of our weird conversations, this time about the ladies in our lives. Ainz looked a bit shell-shocked from his recent escapade, and Agnar was puffing out his chest, boasting about his experience with women.


    Agnar grinned and slapped a hand on Ainz¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve bedded maidens in every hold of Skyrim,¡± he said proudly. ¡°Trust me, if you want to keep up with your women, you have to be more dominant. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be worn out every time they want to fuck!¡±


    I snorted, turning to Ainz. ¡°He¡¯s only saying that now because Serana isn¡¯t here. If she was, I bet he¡¯d be singing a different tune.¡±


    Agnar glared at me. ¡°As if. I¡¯m the Dragonborn! No woman can change my views! Not even my wife!¡±


    I lifted my hand and waved dramatically toward the door. ¡°Hey, Serana!¡±


    Agnar jumped in his seat, his eyes going wide. He whipped his head around, scanning every corner. ¡°Oh, shit! Where?¡± he blurted, looking like he might bolt at any second.


    Ainz and I burst out laughing. I was practically holding my sides. ¡°She¡¯s not here. I was just screwing with you.¡±


    Agnar let out a heavy sigh, sinking back onto his stool. ¡°It¡¯s not nice to scare a Nord like that,¡± he grumbled.


    I shrugged, still smiling. ¡°The only thing more terrifying than a Nord man is a Nord woman,¡± I added. I knew that from experience, my first girlfriend was Aela after all...


    I poured another round of drinks for all three of us. We clinked our glasses together. Agnar raised his mug high, exclaiming, ¡°To our crazy lives and the crazy women in them.¡±


    Ainz mumbled something about needing a long vacation in his undead form, but he took a small sip of the drink anyway.


    Suddenly, the door to my restaurant swung open, and a black cloaked figure stepped inside.


    I saw Jon Snow walk into my bar, looking stiff and uneasy. His shoulders were drawn up, and his gaze kept darting around, like he expected to be thrown out any second. I knew exactly why, but Agnar and Ainz were clueless. They both turned to watch him with confusion, waiting for me to explain.


    Jon lowered his head toward me in a quick bow, not even trying to hide his guilt. ¡°I need to apologize,¡± he muttered. ¡°I messed up.¡±


    Yeah, that was saying something¡­


    Agnar and Ainz exchanged a glance, their eyebrows raised. I sighed, leaning on the counter. ¡°Jon here is the guy who led that small army against me in Westeros,¡± I told them.


    Agnar shot to his feet, gripping the hilt of his sword. Jon¡¯s eyes went wide, and I could see the panic on his face as he realized how formidable Agnar was.


    I waved Agnar off. ¡°Easy, big guy. It wasn¡¯t all Jon¡¯s fault¡­ well, mostly, but not entirely.¡± I paused, crossing my arms. To be honest, I didn¡¯t really like Jon. He struck me as a complete stick in the mud, which was saying a lot.


    Jon approached the bar, moving slowly. He slipped onto a stool next to Ainz, making sure to stay away from Agnar. I reached for a mug and poured him some mead, then slid it across the counter. ¡°Welcome to the unofficial guys¡¯ night,¡± I said, keeping my tone neutral.


    The place was nearly empty because all the women in my life were off having their weekly meeting about me.


    Lucky me...


    Agnar still stared daggers at Jon. ¡°You tried to kill my best friend,¡± he growled. ¡°Why?¡±


    Ainz nodded in agreement, turning slightly in his seat. ¡°I¡¯d like to know that too,¡± he said quietly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin to myself. It felt good to have them back me up like that even if they both obviously knew this guy was no threat.


    Jon swallowed hard, fiddling with the handle of his mug. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he began, glancing between the three of us. ¡°I¡¯m Jon Snow. I¡¯m Sansa¡¯s half brother...¡±


    Jon Snow took a deep breath and began telling us his tragic life story. He started with being raised as a noble bastard in Winterfell, how he always felt like an outsider, and how he had to fight for every bit of respect he got.


    I half-listened as I poured drinks for everyone. The start of his story was pretty standard brooding hero stuff, and I wasn¡¯t particularly interested. But when he got to the parts about joining the Night¡¯s Watch and discovering an undead army that wanted to wipe out all life, I started paying attention.


    Jon explained how he had tried to warn everyone, only to be betrayed and murdered by his own brothers. Then he got brought back to life by a red witch, and apparently, things got complicated from there.


    "I don''t really know how everything spiraled from there. Everyone looked to me to lead them and I just went with it. I think I got in over my head..." Jon trailed off.


    Not really a great explanation at the end there. Agnar and Ainz both turned to look at me. Thankfully, I already knew what had happened next. Yasaka had briefed me after she fixed his head.


    Which had apparently been fucked with pretty badly.


    When Jon was resurrected, his mind had been weak and vulnerable. Perfect for someone skilled in mind magic to take advantage of.


    Some dickhead sorcerer ''who used ravens'' as familiars had latched onto his mind, whispering suggestions and guiding his actions in subtle ways. It wasn¡¯t full-on mind control, but Jon wasn¡¯t making all of his own choices either. Whoever they are, they wanted Jon Snow to be the King of the North whatever it took. Obviously, they weren''t getting their way. As the legitimate daughter of Ned Stark and his oldest living child, Sansa was going to be Queen.


    It took Yasaka a couple hours earlier to properly ''unfuck'' Jon''s mind and for us to find all of this out.


    Sansa had been absolutely livid when she found out. I was pretty sure she wanted to shift into her werewolf form and go hunt down the bastard controlling her brother. The problem was, we had no leads on where the raven sorcerer actually was. Until we did, Yasaka had ordered all yokai stationed in Winterfell to kill any ravens they saw flying around.


    It was a bit harsh, and I was pretty sure PETA (yes, they even had a Supernatural department) would hate us if they ever found out. But since this was another world, I wasn¡¯t exactly worried about that. We agreed not to tell any Tengu though...


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the story,¡± a deep, gravelly voice said from the other side of Agnar.


    Jon snapped his head toward the speaker and immediately lost his mind. ¡°What the fuck!?¡± he shouted, pushing himself away from the counter. His hand instinctively went to his hip for a sword he wasn¡¯t carrying. ¡°What the hell are you!? Where did you come from, monster!?¡±


    Wrex let out a low chuckle, his red eyes gleaming in amusement. ¡°That¡¯s kind of rude, human. You all don¡¯t look that great to my kind either, but we don¡¯t go around insulting you.¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jon looked like his brain was short-circuiting. He had clearly never seen an alien before, and judging by the way he was staring, he wasn¡¯t handling it well.


    I chuckled, shaking my head. Wrex was a massive krogan, built like a living tank, but for someone that big, he could be sneaky when he wanted to be. He had managed to slip in while Jon was too busy trauma-dumping his entire life story on us.


    To be fair, Jon hadn¡¯t even fully processed the fact that he was sitting in a restaurant that connected to other worlds. I doubted he had the mental energy left to deal with a krogan just casually showing up next to him.


    Wrex turned to me, completely ignoring Jon¡¯s panicked reaction. ¡°Pour me a drink, Haru! The latest mission was super boring,¡± he complained. ¡°Shepard ended up talking down all the terrorists instead of shooting them. I hate when she plays nice,¡± he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.


    I grabbed a mug and poured him a strong drink, sliding it across the counter. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I figured you¡¯d be here to drink and vent.¡±


    Wrex picked up the mug and took a deep swig, sighing in satisfaction. ¡°Damn right.¡±


    Jon, meanwhile, still looked like he was trying to process what was happening. His fingers twitched at his sides as he glanced between me, Wrex, and the others.


    I smirked. ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole, Snow. You need to chill out and have a drink...¡±


    "That''s right," Agnar grinned. "I declare this to be boys'' night!"


    "Fuck yeah!" Wrex roared and poured his special drink that would kill any non-krogan down his throat.


    ¡­


    A couple of hours later, everyone was having a pretty good time. Armsmaster and Reigen had both shown up. Reigen was loudly complaining about a client who refused to pay, claiming Reigan was a scammer.


    I mean, most of the time he was¡­


    Meanwhile, Armsmaster and Wrex were locked in a discussion about futuristic weapon designs, each tossing out ideas that sounded more destructive by the second. I was flipping burgers, making pizzas, and grilling hot dogs, going for the most trashy, American-style dinner I could think of. The scent of greasy food filled the air.


    I even brought out a couple of TVs, even though I didn¡¯t usually allow them in my restaurant. Multiple sports games played at once, some of which featured Krogans playing what looked like a violent version of football. How exactly I was getting alien cable, I had no idea.


    Jon Snow, on the other hand, was sobbing at the counter. Apparently, he¡¯d left out a crucial part of his tragic life story earlier¡ªhis first love had been killed recently.


    Now I felt kind of bad for ragging on him so hard earlier. What made it even worse was that the girl he''d lost had been a sexy redhead!


    Now, as he nursed his drink, he was coming to terms with it while sort of drunk. "I miss her so much..."


    Ainz patted Jon on the back. ¡°Want me to bring her back to life?¡±


    "What?" Jon¡¯s tear-filled eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯d do that for me...?¡±


    Ainz grinned, lifting his mug. ¡°Hell yeah, anything for a bro!¡±


    There was a pause before the entire room cheered and went back to what they were doing.


    The door to the restaurant swung open, and someone I had never seen before stepped inside. I stiffened for a second, sensing they were VERY powerful¡­ despite being a bit short. Their long blue hair swayed behind them as they walked in, looking around in amazement. ¡°Holy shit! Is this an actual bar in my village? This is the best day of my isekai life! Where the hell did all this come from?¡±


    Agnar spun around, nearly spilling his mead. ¡°Hey! This here is boys¡¯ night! You¡¯ll have to come back tomorrow, little girl!¡±


    The newcomer puffed up their cheeks. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m a boy!!¡±


    Agnar narrowed his eyes, looking the new guy up and down.


    They stared right back at him.


    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright then,¡± Agnar said with a shrug. He handed over his own mug of mead. ¡°Welcome to boys¡¯ night!¡± Then, without missing a beat, he turned back to me and demanded another drink.


    The new guy took the mug, glanced at it, then chuckled and downed the whole thing in one go. For someone who looked like a young kid, they had some serious tolerance. They strutted over to the bar, slamming the empty mug down on the counter. ¡°Oh my gosh! Pizza, burgers, hot dogs, and TV! What is this place!?¡± he asked, eyes full of excitement. His gaze flickered toward me. ¡°And are you a nine-tailed fox!? That¡¯s so cool!¡±


    ¡°Damn right I am!¡± I grinned, resting an elbow on the bar. ¡°Welcome to the Fox Hole. I¡¯m Haru, the owner of this crazy interdimensional restaurant. Who are you?¡±


    The newcomer grinned back. ¡°Me? I¡¯m Rimuru Tempest!¡±


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 322-326


    Thunder and Black Wings 14


    The Fox Hole 66


    The Blood Queen 38


    The Fox Hole 65


    The titan 29


    The Fox Hole 64


    Thunder and Black Wings 13


    The Fox Hole 63


    The Blood Queen 37


    The Fox Hole 62


    Thunder and Black Wings 12


    The Fox Hole 61


    The Titan 28

 chapter 61

    Chapter 61: Evolution¡­? Skills¡­?


    ¨C Shion ¨C


    Shion wandered through the village, searching for Rimuru-sama. She had sworn her unwavering loyalty to him, the benefactor of the surviving ogres¡ªnow the proud oni tribe. He was everything to her, and the fact that she couldn''t find him anywhere was frustrating.


    She stepped into a wooden building and found Shuna sitting at a table, carefully sewing a new outfit for their lord. "Shuna, have you seen Rimuru-sama?" she asked, crossing her arms.


    Shuna didn''t even look up from her work. "I haven''t seen him since last night."


    Shion sighed and tapped her fingers against her bicep. Where could he have gone? "Alright, thanks."


    She left the building and made her way to the blacksmith. Inside, Benimaru was standing by as the dwarves fixed his sword.


    "You gotta go easier on your equipment, kid. Until we get some magic resistant metals you need to use less fire magic," one of the dwarves said.


    "I''ll try but its not my fault crazy strong guys keep popping up..." Benimaru grumbled.


    "Benimaru! Have you seen Rimuru-sama?" she asked, looking around as if expecting him to pop out from behind a forge.


    Benimaru shook his head. "Nope. Not since yesterday."


    The dwarves shrugged, confirming his statement. Another dead end.


    Shion groaned. "Where did he go?"


    As she turned to leave, a voice spoke directly behind her. "I''ve seen him."


    Shion yelped, spinning around with a glare. "Souei! Stop sneaking up on me like that!"


    Souei smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "No."


    She rolled her eyes, but there was no time to bicker. "Where is Rimuru-sama?"


    He tilted his head toward the outskirts of the village. "Inside that new restaurant that popped up last night. He walked in and never came back out."


    Shion froze. "What!? Why didn''t you say anything sooner? What if it''s a magic trap? What if he''s in danger?"


    Souei waved a dismissive hand. "Relax. We checked through the door. It looked like he was having fun¡ª"


    "I have to go save him!" Shion declared, cutting him off entirely. Without waiting for any further explanation, she bolted toward the mysterious new building.


    How had she not noticed it before!? It was right there, sitting at the edge of the village like it had always belonged.


    "I''m coming, Rimuru-sama!" she shouted.


    Shion shoved open the doors to the restaurant, her heart was racing. What she found inside left her speechless. The entire place was a disaster. Men were passed out everywhere¡ªslumped over tables, sprawled across booths, some even lying facedown on the bar counter. The air reeked of alcohol, and empty mugs and plates were scattered across every available surface.


    And lying in the middle of the floor was Rimuru-sama.


    "Rimuru-sama!" she shouted, rushing toward him. "Are you alright?!"


    A chorus of groans erupted from the various hungover men inside.


    "Oh god, why is someone yelling?"


    "Someone turn off the sun..."


    "The windows don¡¯t even show outside, there¡¯s no sunlight. You¡¯re just that hungover."


    "Fuck..."


    Shion ignored their complaints and dropped to her knees beside Rimuru, gripping his shoulders. "Rimuru-sama, wake up!" she demanded.


    Rimuru cracked one eye open and groaned. "Hey, Shion. When did you get here? You¡¯re just in time for the party."


    Shion frowned. "Rimuru-sama, it¡¯s morning! Whatever party you attended is clearly over!"


    His eyes widened slightly before he let out a weak laugh. "Oh¡­ hehe, last night was awesome¡­"


    Shion couldn''t help but feel a tad jealous that Rimuru-sama had so much fun without her. A quick scan of the room, however, allowed her to relax¡ªthere were no other women here. She didn''t have to worry about some scheming hussies trying to steal her lord away while she wasn''t looking!


    "Hey there!"


    Shion turned toward the bar, where a nine-tailed fox man was waving at her. He had a pitcher filled with ice water pressed against his head, looking just as miserable as the rest of the men.


    "Welcome to The Fox Hole. I¡¯m the owner of this crazy place, Haru," he said with a tired smile. "I¡¯d serve you breakfast, but I¡¯m a little hungover right now."


    "That stinks," Rimuru grumbled as he clutched his head. "How the hell do I have a hangover? I¡¯m a slime!"


    "Magic booze," Haru chuckled.


    Shion narrowed her eyes slightly at the fox man. He was clearly powerful, and this place was obviously more than it seemed. But Rimuru-sama seemed comfortable here, and that was enough for now.


    "This place is awesome, Shion!" Rimuru said, perking up despite his headache. "Haru¡¯s food is so good!"


    Her brow twitched. Another chef? She folded her arms and gave the fox man an appraising look. If he was a fellow master of the culinary arts, then she would have to see for herself if he was worthy of praise.  Another time though, she wouldn''t want to test someone''s skills when they weren''t at their best!


    She would take over instead.


    "If you¡¯ll allow me to use your kitchen, I would be more than happy to make breakfast for Rimuru-sama and everyone else," Shion said proudly, placing a hand on her hip.


    For some reason, Rimuru suddenly started trembling...


    Aww, he always got that way when she cooked for him. He just loved her food so much!


    Haru nodded and gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I¡¯m gonna go hop in the shower real quick, ''cause I¡¯m pretty sure my tails may or may not have some vomit in them¡­"


    Rimuru let out a weak laugh and dropped his head onto the bar with another groan.


    Oh no! Her lord must be starving! She would rectify this immediately. She stepped behind the counter and couldn¡¯t help but admire Haru¡¯s kitchen. If nothing else, all the cooking equipment in here looked amazing and magical. She¡¯d always dreamed of cooking in a kitchen like this!


    ¨C Rimuru ¨C


    Rimuru sat at the counter and placed Haru¡¯s pitcher full of ice water on his forehead. Even after transforming back into his slime form and then back again, the hangover didn¡¯t go away. Magical booze¡­ what a delicious and formidable thing.


    His nose twitched as he caught the scent of something cooking behind the counter. His eyes drifted over to Shion, who was happily humming to herself as she stirred something in a pan. Her back was turned to him, and for a second, his eyes wandered to her swaying hips.


    No! He shook his head, snapping himself out of it. He had bigger concerns right now. Shion was making some kind of toxic meal, and he couldn¡¯t let his new friends eat it! Some of them were human; they would die!


    The doors to the restaurant swung open, and Rimuru turned his head to see a strange figure step inside.


    A freaking mecha knight!


    ¡°So cool¡­¡± Rimuru whispered to himself.


    The knight looked around before spotting Armsmaster still passed out in a booth. ¡°Ugh, this place stinks of booze,¡± the knight muttered before turning to the rest of the restaurant. ¡°Hey, everyone. I¡¯m Gallant, a member of the Brockton Bay Wards. I¡¯m here to pick up Armsmaster since he never reported back last night. Now we know why¡­¡±


    Rimuru had learned last night that Armsmaster was from a world with actual superheroes, and now here was another one. Damn, why couldn¡¯t his old world have been that freaking cool?


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you carry him to the door,¡± Rimuru offered, hopping off the stool.


    Gallant sized him up. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m stronger than I look,¡± Rimuru pouted.


    And he was. WAY stronger than he looked.


    Armsmaster didn¡¯t stir as the two of them hoisted him up and hauled him toward the exit. The dude obviously had a lot of stress to work off last night and drank way more than a regular human should have been able to.


    ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Gallant said. ¡°Glory Girl said this place was pretty interesting. I¡¯ll have to check it out when it¡¯s actually open for business.¡± He gave a nod of appreciation before heading toward a black van parked outside, guarded by several armed agents.


    The van had ¡®PRT¡¯ labeled on the side. Rimuru made a mental note to ask about that next time.


    With one human safely removed from danger, Rimuru turned back toward the counter, only to curse under his breath. Shion was still cooking, her face practically glowing with excitement, and the kitchen was already filling with toxic purple fumes.


    He¡¯d have to apologize to Haru later for that mess!


    Jon Snow was next. The guy was slumped over a table, groaning as Rimuru approached.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ goin¡¯ on¡­¡± Jon slurred.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you home,¡± Rimuru said, hoisting him up.


    Jon mumbled something under his breath before cracking one eye open. ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t wanna go home. Everyone there hates me, and Catelyn is a bitch. I don¡¯t know what Haru sees in her.¡±


    Rimuru didn¡¯t have time to unpack all of that. ¡°Well, if you stay here, you¡¯ll literally die, so it¡¯s time to go.¡±


    Jon groaned but didn¡¯t resist as Rimuru guided him toward the door. He pushed it open and¡ªholy crap. A massive snowy landscape stretched out before him, with the largest freaking castle he had ever seen towering in the distance.


    ¡°Holy freaking crap, that¡¯s awesome,¡± Rimuru blurted out.


    A couple of guards in steel armor stood nearby and immediately spotted him with Jon draped over his shoulder.


    ¡°Um¡­ you can take him back to wherever,¡± Rimuru said, gesturing vaguely toward the castle.


    One of the guards chuckled. ¡°Queen Sansa will be wanting to speak with her brother¡­ although it looks like he needs a proper sobering up first.¡±


    There was a suspicious glint in the guard¡¯s eye, but Rimuru didn¡¯t sense any hostility. He figured Jon would be fine.


    Stepping back inside, he nearly choked on his own breath. Agnar and Ainz were now sitting at the counter!


    Shit!


    Shion was smiling at them as she placed two steaming plates of purple goo in front of them.


    Rimuru¡¯s blood ran cold.


    The two men, still groggy from their hangovers, scooped up spoonfuls of the ¡®food¡¯ without a second thought.


    "Thanks for the food."


    "Umu."


    ¡°NO!¡± Rimuru tried to call out, but it was too late.


    Ainz, even in his human form, was technically undead. He should have been immune to poisons, right? Right?!


    Ainz immediately fell backward off his stool, convulsing on the floor.


    Oh no. Shion¡¯s cooking could bypass racial immunities! What kind of broken ability was this?!


    Agnar didn¡¯t fare much better. His face slammed onto the counter, with his body twitching violently.


    Rimuru¡¯s brain scrambled for a solution. Agnar was an adventurer! Maybe he had poison cure potions!


    ¡°Observation: The pouch on his left hip most likely holds his supply of potions.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Great Sage!¡± Rimuru quickly opened it and pulled out a red vial. He poured half of it down Agnar¡¯s throat before shoving the other half into Ainz¡¯s mouth.


    The convulsions stopped. They didn¡¯t wake up, but at least they weren¡¯t dying anymore. He wiped his brow, even though he couldn¡¯t actually sweat because¡ªslime.


    Now all that was left was Reigen¡ª


    ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t that bad,¡± Reigen said, casually scooping up spoonful after spoonful of Shion¡¯s purple sludge.


    Rimuru froze. His jaw nearly hit the floor as he watched Reigen eat it like it was no problem.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Shion beamed. ¡°I¡¯m always happy when people like my cooking!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ okay?¡± Rimuru stared at the man. ¡°Freaking how?! How are you not dead?¡±


    Reigen took another bite and shrugged. ¡°There were times when I was short on cash and had to eat way worse stuff than this. I¡¯ve built up an immunity.¡±


    That brought up so many questions...


    Reigan calmly set his spoon down, thanked Shion for the meal, and stood up. ¡°Welp, last night was fun, but I gotta get back to work. Being an adult is hard sometimes¡­¡±


    Rimuru watched him walk out the door, still in utter disbelief. No way that guy was a regular human. No way.


    ¡°Observation: He was just a regular human, with no special powers.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re wrong about that one, Great Sage.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    ¡°Rimuru-sama, I saved your portion and one for Haru as well!¡± Shion said happily, pushing a steaming plate in front of him. Her eyes sparkled with expectation.


    "Damn it..." Rimuru couldn¡¯t let Haru eat any of this! He might end up banning them from his restaurant! Thank meant Rimuru only had one option here! He grabbed both plates and opened his mouth wide before gulping all of the food down!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I got out of the shower, my nine golden fox tails now perfectly clean and fluffy. Pulling on a pair of jeans with a hole in the back for my tails and a white t-shirt, I headed back down the hall to my restaurant. The place had cleared out a lot since earlier.


    Rimuru¡¯s friend¡ªor maybe subordinate?¡ªShion was sitting on a stool next to him. He looked kind of sick, slumped against the counter while Shion happily chatted with Naruko.


    "Hey Haru! I came to visit and see how things were going." Naruko smiled at me.


    I smiled back. The shower had done wonders for my hangover. I had promised myself to go easy on drinking, but last night had been an exception.


    "Things are going pretty good. Last night was boys¡¯ night."


    Naruko grinned. "And last night us girls had another one of our meetings! Do you want me to tell you about it?"


    "...I¡¯m good." I wasn¡¯t about to get involved in whatever gossip they had going on. Some things were better left unknown.


    I turned to Shion. "Did everyone else take off?"


    She beamed at me. "Yes! They all loved the breakfast I made them!" Then she pouted. "I made some for you too, but Rimuru-sama loved my cooking so much that he ate your portion too!"


    I raised an eyebrow, giving her an assessing look. Was she actually that good of a chef? That could be interesting. Maybe a cooking challenge was in our future. It''d been a while since I''d had some true competition!


    My tails swayed a bit in excitement.


    Naruko leaned on the counter as she spoke to me. "So, are Shion and Rimuru from a new world? I haven¡¯t met them before."


    I nodded. "Yeah, Rimuru showed up last night, and I just met Shion this morning. I don¡¯t know much about their world yet."


    "I don¡¯t know much about my whole world either!" Shion grinned. "But I know a lot about the Great Forest. It¡¯s home to lots of monsters like me and Rimuru. Do you two want to come see? We¡¯re in the middle of constructing a village under Rimuru-sama¡¯s leadership!"


    I shrugged and looked at Naruko. "I¡¯ve got nothing better to do."


    She shrugged back. "Me neither. My brother Naruto¡¯s on a basic courier mission and won¡¯t be back till later, so I¡¯m free all day."


    I held out my arm, and she wrapped hers around mine. Shion glanced at us with an envious look, then back at Rimuru, who was still barely conscious and laying face-first on the counter. She was obviously down bad for the guy.


    "I¡¯m going to carry you, Rimuru-sama," she declared.


    "Okay... blurgh¡­" Rimuru groaned.


    I winced. "I think he just threw up in his mouth."


    Naruko yelped as Rimuru¡¯s body suddenly shifted, morphing into a small blue slime. Man, the multiverse was wild sometimes. Shion scooped him up, and we headed toward the door.


    I took a couple steps outside with Naruko and breathed in the fresh air. Forests always had the best air. The village Shion was talking about wasn¡¯t very big, but I could see the foundations being laid, and its location in the middle of a magical rainforest seemed pretty cool.


    Then, suddenly, the entire world froze.


    I couldn¡¯t move. My body felt completely locked in place, my muscles rigid as if someone had seized control of me. A voice echoed in my head.


    ¡°New extra-dimensional magical species detected! Designation: Kitsune. More specific Designation: Nine-Tailed Fox. Altering constitution to align with world parameters. Converting energy known as Youki into Magicules.¡±


    My mind reeled. What the hell was happening?


    ¡°Error: Conversion requires the Yokai known as Haru to undergo evolution. Fixing error! Commencing evolution! Evolving Nine-Tailed Fox Yokai into Ten-Tailed Demon Fox Yokai!¡±


    Ten tails?! That was impossible! Ten-tailed foxes didn¡¯t exist! They were a freaking myth!


    A searing heat exploded from my spine. My entire body trembled as my energy surged to an unimaginable level. I could feel something shifting inside me, a deep, primal force awakening. My tails burned as I literally felt another one shoot out from the base of my spine. My vision blurred momentarily, and my breathing grew ragged.


    ¡°Establishing Unique Skill: The Chef!¡±


    "The Chef: This skill allows the user to enhance all meals he creates by infusing them with Magicules. Depending on the amount of Magicules used, dishes may even gain magical effects or enhancements."


    I barely had time to process what had happened before my body was finally released from its frozen state. I stumbled slightly, my balance thrown off by the unfamiliar sensation of my tenth tail swaying behind me.


    Holy crap that really happened!


    ¡°Haru, did some weird voice talk to you too?¡± Naruko asked me suddenly. I pulled my attention away from myself and glanced at her.


    I blinked in shock, staring at Naruko like she¡¯d just grown a second head. Which, honestly, wouldn¡¯t have been that much weirder than what had actually happened.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    She had fox ears. A pair of red fox ears perched right on top of her head, twitching slightly as if adjusting to their existence. Behind her, nine red tails swayed with every slight movement she made. Naruko, of course, was completely oblivious. For now.


    "It said something about me evolving into a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and then I gained a unique skill called ¡®Kurama¡¯ or something, and my chakra being converted to Magicules?" Naruko rambled to me.


    I was pretty sure she hadn¡¯t even noticed her new features yet. I took a deep breath, then calmly reached out and took her hand in mine. "Okay, don¡¯t freak out or anything," I said slowly, giving her a reassuring squeeze.


    Naruko blinked. "Huh? Why would I freak out?"


    "Er-Look behind you." I tried to sound as calm as possible.


    Naruko turned her head. Her gaze locked onto the swaying red fluffy tails behind her. She blinked, then reached up, feeling the new fox ears on top of her head.


    Silence.


    ...Then she screamed.


    ¡°WHAT THE HELL!?¡±


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 322-326


    The Fox Hole 67


    Thunder and Black Wings 14


    The Fox Hole 66


    The Blood Queen 38


    The Fox Hole 65


    The titan 29


    The Fox Hole 64


    Thunder and Black Wings 13 S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Fox Hole 63


    The Blood Queen 37


    The Fox Hole 62


    Thunder and Black Wings 12

 chapter 62

    Chapter 62: You get a power up¡­ and you get a power up!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I sat in a booth with Naruko right next to me, her body pressed lightly against mine. She was still freaked out about no longer being fully human, and I was doing my best to comfort her as a good boyfriend should.


    One of the best ways to do that? Stroking her ears and tails.


    The second my fingers ran through her soft, fluffy tails, she shuddered and let out a small, involuntary purring sound. Her face turned bright red, and she grabbed onto my arm, squeezing it tightly.


    "I didn¡¯t know they were this sensitive¡­" she muttered, burying her face in my shoulder.


    I chuckled, my hand continuing to stroke the base of her ears, feeling the way they twitched under my touch. "Now you know how I always feel. It¡¯s kind of unfair, isn¡¯t it?"


    Naruko groaned and peeked up at me. "Yeah, yeah, I get it now. You¡¯ve suffered in silence for too long. Poor you."


    I grinned and leaned closer, my breath tickling her ear. "If I started stroking the base of your tails, though¡­ I think you¡¯d have a much different reaction."


    Naruko¡¯s whole body stiffened, and she smacked my chest lightly. "Haru, please don¡¯t!" she whined, her face somehow getting even redder. "I¡­ I¡¯ve been wanting to be more intimate with you, but now is not the best time."


    I laughed, kissing her on the cheek before pulling back slightly. "Relax, Naruko. I¡¯m just teasing. We¡¯ll figure everything out when you¡¯re ready. No rush."


    She looked at me with warm blue eyes before nodding, some of her initial nervousness fading. I kept running my fingers through her tails, and she slowly melted against me, letting out another small purr she probably didn¡¯t realize she was making.


    And then, the doors to my restaurant slammed open.


    Both of us jumped in surprise, and I turned my head to see Yasaka walking in with another familiar face right behind her.


    Amaterasu¡ªor Amy-chan, as I preferred to call her¡ªstrode inside as well. It was always nice to see her emerge from her NEET hole.


    AKA¡­her bedroom.


    Her expression immediately shifted when her eyes locked onto me, and she froze in place. Yasaka, my mother, had the same reaction.


    Their eyes zeroed in on me, or more specifically, on the ten golden tails swaying behind me.


    Amy-chan¡¯s eyes twitched, her mouth opening and closing before she finally just threw her hands in the air. "What the fuck did you do!?" she shouted, staring at me like I¡¯d grown a second head. "Did the devils give you some kind of weird experimental formula or something!? Ten-tailed foxes aren¡¯t a thing! They don¡¯t exist!"


    Yasaka, however, had a less freaked out reaction. A soft smile spread across her face as she walked forward, her golden eyes gleaming with pride. "Ara¡­ my son is even stronger than me now. How wonderful." Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. "...What happened, Haru?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I hugged her back before stepping away and rubbing the back of my head. "Not exactly sure. The newest world kind of forced me into a power-up out of nowhere. It was definitely a whole thing..." I then gestured to Naruko, who was still sitting in the booth, her ears twitching nervously.


    Both Yasaka and Amy-chan turned to look at her.


    And both of them immediately froze again.


    Naruko shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny, gripping the hem of her jacket. "Uh¡­ hi?"


    Amy-chan¡¯s eye twitched again. "What. The. Actual. Fuck."


    Naruko laughed nervously. "Yeah¡­ so, um¡­ surprise?"


    Yasaka looked completely taken aback, her mouth slightly open as she stared at Naruko¡¯s newly acquired nine tails. "She¡­ she''s really a Nine-Tailed Fox now."


    "Technically her race is Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, and I''m a Ten-Tailed Demon Fox now. Other than the power up, it¡¯s not a huge change. The only real difference I feel though is my ¡®youki¡¯ has all turned into something call ¡®magicules¡¯..." I added.


    ¡­


    Amy-chan looked like she suddenly had a migraine as she sat there at the table with a bowl of ramen. She rubbed her temples with one hand while using chopsticks with the other, slurping up the noodles at a rapid pace. "How has your cooking gotten even better!? You were already better than all the chefs in Tamegahara," she tried to complain, but it was hard to take her seriously when she was practically inhaling her meal. The smile tugging at the corners of her mouth wasn¡¯t helping her case either.


    Yasaka, sitting next to her, let out a pleased chitter between bites of sushi. "Ara~ I must agree. This is simply divine."


    "I got some kind of weird skill called ''The Chef.'' Apparently, it lets me enhance my food by adding magicules to my recipes. It¡¯s kind of cool, but honestly, it feels like cheating..." I huffed.


    Naruko, seated next to me, raised an eyebrow as she took another bite of sushi. Her ears twitched happily, her tails swishing behind her. "Cheating? You¡¯re literally making your food even better! Who cares?"


    "I do," I said with a shrug. "It grates on my pride as a chef. If I rely on a skill like this, I¡¯ll never truly improve on my own. So, I decided I¡¯m going to train myself to the point where my natural cooking skill matches my magic-boosted one!" I feel like I''d been growing a bit complacent with my cooking anyway. This would be a good opportunity to try out new recipes and techniques.


    Amy-chan sighed, placing her empty ramen bowl down and folding her arms. "So this world just randomly hands out power-ups the second we step into it? That¡¯s a political disaster waiting to happen!"


    Yasaka nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. If word gets out, every supernatural faction in our world will be fighting to get here for an easy evolution. It would completely destroy the delicate balance of power..."


    Amy-chan groaned. "Yeah, that¡¯s exactly what I was trying to say! We cannot let this news get out!"


    "And what am I supposed to do in MY WORLD?" Naruko asked, glancing at me. ¡°I can''t exactly hide my new features all the time¡­¡± she whined. She grabbed another piece of sushi and took a bite. The second it hit her tongue, she let out a soft moan and her ears twitched again. "Oh wow. This tastes so much better than before! Is this why animals always look so excited when they eat? It feels like my taste buds are way more sensitive now."


    Yasaka let out an amused chitter. "Yokai don¡¯t particularly enjoy being referred to as ''animals'', but yes, some of them do have enhanced senses, including taste. Be careful when you eat spicy food like wasabi, though. That¡¯ll hit a lot harder now. Especially with your enhanced smell."


    Naruko pouted. "Ugh, I always liked old man Teuchi¡¯s spicy wasabi ramen. Guess I¡¯ll have to be careful with that now." She let out a sigh. "Not that it matters. I have no idea how I¡¯m even going to walk around my village looking like this," she said again.


    I frowned. "You worried about how people will react?"


    "I don¡¯t know.¡± Naruko admitted. ¡°I''m pretty sure I might be stronger than my entire village right now. But, the villagers always used to think my twin brother and I were the reincarnations of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Now I actually look the part, and that¡¯s just going to make things worse. And on top of that, I¡¯m pretty sure the Nine-Tails is dead now. I think I, uh¡­ ate it? Or absorbed it? Or something? Anyway, it became my new unique skill ¡®Kurama.¡¯ It lets me cast any jutsu I know without hand signs," she explained. ¡°And that¡¯s just one of the things it can do¡­¡±


    That seemed pretty handy¡­or not handy, I guess.


    As if to demonstrate, a puff of smoke appeared next to the table, and suddenly there was a perfect shadow clone of her standing there. It gave us a small wave before disappearing again.


    Yasaka leaned back in her side of the booth. "This new world is quite fascinating," she mused. "I wouldn¡¯t mind getting a little stronger myself. If it means protecting my darling Kunou-chan and my amazing son, Haru, then I¡¯d say it¡¯s worth it."


    I felt my face heat up at the compliment. "Mom, I¡¯m already strong enough to protect myself," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. I was already ultimate-class before all of this...


    Now, I didn''t really know where I ranked...but it was gonna be up there.


    ¡­Top 20 maybe?


    "It¡¯s a mother¡¯s job to worry about her children¡¯s well-being," she replied fondly, giving me a knowing smile.


    Amy-chan, sitting across from us, looked more hesitant. She tapped her fingers on the table, clearly debating something. "I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s such a good idea, Yasaka," she said. "You¡¯re already more powerful than most gods."


    Yasaka just smiled, reaching over to pat Amy-chan on the head. It looked adorable from the outside, but knowing the dynamic between my mother and the literal mother of Japan, it was a pretty amusing sight.


    "Even if I surpass you, Amy-chan, I will always be your priestess," she said softly. "You have been so good to our family."


    Amy-chan¡¯s face turned red, and she puffed her cheeks indignantly. "No way! If you¡¯re getting a power-up, then I want one too!"


    I smirked. "Why do you even need more power? You¡¯re just gonna lock yourself in your room all day anyway."


    Amy-chan pouted, crossing her arms. "If I¡¯m stronger than Tsukuyomi, he won¡¯t be able to drag me out of my room and force me to do evil paperwork anymore."


    I blinked. "That¡¯s your reason?"


    Naruko giggled next to me. "That might be the most ridiculous reason I¡¯ve ever heard," she teased.


    Amy-chan huffed. "It¡¯s a perfectly valid reason."


    Naruko leaned over to whisper to Yasaka and Amy-chan. "Just don¡¯t freak out when you suddenly freeze, and a robotic female voice starts speaking in your head."


    I turned to my mom. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"


    She smiled at me. "Ara, my son is so sweet to worry about me. But I¡¯m sure it will be fine. The goddess wouldn¡¯t have connected your restaurant to this world if she didn¡¯t want us to take advantage of it."


    Amy-chan crossed her arms and huffed. "I don¡¯t like some other goddess trying to sink her claws into MY priestess¡¯s family," she grumbled. "But I¡¯ll allow it¡­ if it keeps me away from paperwork."


    Internally, I doubted she¡¯d get her wish. Even Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the strongest beings in the world, couldn¡¯t escape the horrors of paperwork. If he couldn¡¯t, then Amy-chan was definitely doomed.


    It was another reason I was glad to be a chef. But with all the titles and territories I was gaining, I had a feeling paperwork was in my future too. As far as I knew, my mother was handling all the logistics so far, but I had no idea when she¡¯d start expecting me to be more responsible¡­


    Naruko and I exchanged shrugs before following Yasaka and Amy-chan outside the front door of the Fox Hole into Rimuru¡¯s world.


    ¨C Rimuru ¨C


    The Great Sage informed Rimuru that he had survived ¡°the attempt on his life¡± and that his Poison Resistance had dramatically increased...


    He sighed, rubbing his temple. It wasn¡¯t even an actual attempt on his life¡ªShion¡¯s cooking was just that terrifying.


    Suddenly, he froze!


    His senses picked up on a ridiculously powerful presence that had appeared out of nowhere. He snapped his head toward the source, his body tensing. Without wasting another second, he rushed out of his shrine/home to see what was going on.


    His shoulders sagged in relief when he saw it was just Haru standing in front of his restaurant with three women Rimuru hadn¡¯t met yet. But then his brain completely short-circuited.


    Holy shit!


    One of the women was an absolute bombshell. A tall, ridiculously curvy, busty blonde fox-woman with golden fur, hypnotic eyes that practically oozed confidence, and an aura of raw, commanding sex appeal that could make even the most disciplined monk break his vows. She looked like the kind of woman who could make men ruin their lives with just a wink and a sway of her hips.


    Rimuru, despite no longer having sex organs as a slime, was pretty sure he had just fallen in love!


    He ran over to Haru, unable to keep the excitement from his voice. ¡°Hey, Haru, what did I miss while I was passed out from Shion¡¯s cook¡ªWHOOOAAA!¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, an explosion of power sent him flying backward. He barely managed to keep his footing as the very air around them became suffocatingly heavy. The ground trembled beneath him, and violent winds kicked up debris and dust all around them.


    ''What¡¯s happening, Great Sage!?'' Rimuru asked in his head!


    The Great Sage responded in its usual monotone voice: "The two beings in front of you are currently undergoing evolution."


    Rimuru¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Evolution!?¡¯ They already seemed insanely strong!


    "Correct. The Nine-Tailed Fox is in the process of evolving into a stronger Fox Demon, and the Goddess is in the process of evolving into a Greater Deity."


    Rimuru nearly choked on air. ¡®Goddess!?¡¯ He dug his feet into the ground to keep himself from being blown away as the sheer force of their transformations continued warping the environment around them.


    Haru had done the same, using his tails to anchor himself while gripping onto the red-haired fox girl next to him, keeping her steady.


    Rimuru squinted through the whirlwind of energy. ¡°Haru! What the hell is going on!?¡± he shouted over the deafening roar of power.


    Haru, despite the chaos around them, gave him a lopsided grin. ¡°My mom and the Goddess Amaterasu wanted to come here so they could get stronger.¡±


    Rimuru¡¯s brain stuttered to a halt. His mom!?


    His gaze darted back to the blonde fox woman, still radiating divine energy that made his very soul tremble.


    Haru¡¯s mom was the total babe!?


    ¨C Yasaka ¨C


    Yasaka¡¯s life certainly hadn¡¯t been boring since her son opened his crazy restaurant to other worlds¡­


    As the voice of this world echoed in her mind, she felt her body shifting, her power skyrocketing beyond anything she had ever reached, even when drawing on Japan¡¯s leylines. The overwhelming surge of energy coursed through her veins, raw and untamed, yet perfectly controlled at the same time. A strange dichotomy.


    The voice informed her that she had evolved into a Twelve-Tailed Demon Fox. And that wasn''t all. Something known as an "ultimate skill" had been bestowed upon her¡ªone with terrifying potential if the description given to her was accurate.


    It was something beyond what even the gods of her own world possessed, something that made her wonder just what kind of reality this place was...


    The winds around her died down as the evolution completed. She flexed her fingers and stretched, marveling at the change.


    As Haru had warned her, she no longer sensed the familiar youki in her body. Instead, it had been replaced by this new, denser, and far more potent energy¡ªmagicules. It felt different yet natural, as if she had always been meant to wield it.


    A subtle shift behind her made her aware of the three additional tails now swaying behind her back. Twelve tails¡­ That would take some getting used to.


    She glanced over at Amaterasu¡ªor Amy-chan, as Haru so endearingly called her. To Yasaka¡¯s surprise, Amy-chan didn¡¯t look much different physically. However, the sheer power radiating off of her was another story. It was staggering. Yasaka was sure that, after this evolution, Amy-chan would easily rank in their world¡¯s top ten strongest beings¡ªassuming she didn¡¯t find a way to suppress that power, which Yasaka had no doubt she would.


    Turning around, Yasaka spotted her son Haru standing with his girlfriend, Naruko. A new face was standing beside them¡ªa "bishounen" with long blue hair.


    That had to be Rimuru, the new customer Haru had met last night, and a resident of this world. He¡¯d told her about Rimuru while they were eating earlier.


    Haru grinned. ¡°Glad to see everything went alright, Mom.¡±


    Naruko tilted her head as she studied Yasaka. ¡°Wow, your new tails are really pretty! And you kinda look like you¡¯re glowing.¡±


    Yasaka let out a soft chitter at the compliment, but as she glanced down at herself, she noticed the faint golden aura surrounding her. Oh... she was actually glowing wasn''t she?


    She had been radiating power without even realizing it. With a thought, she pulled it back in, and the glow disappeared. Wow, these magicules were a lot easier to control than Youki.


    Shifting her gaze to Rimuru, Yasaka smiled warmly. ¡°You must be Rimuru. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    The blue-haired young man fidgeted slightly, his golden eyes flickering with something between awe and nervousness. He swallowed before responding, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nice to meet you too.¡± Then, to Yasaka¡¯s mild amusement, he blurted out, ¡°Are you single¡­?¡±


    ¡­Ara ara. He was certainly a bold one.


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    Milim stretched her arms above her head, feeling the rush of excitement build inside her. Today was super crazy! She sensed the sudden emergence of two more immensely powerful beings!


    Just a few hours ago, a new presence on par with an average Demon Lord had popped up. And now, two more had appeared¡ªeven stronger than the first!


    "Oooh! This is getting good!" Milim grinned to herself.


    She had been lounging around, bored out of her mind, but now she had the perfect excuse to get moving and do something fun!


    One of the newcomers felt like a boring Greater Deity, which wasn¡¯t as fun. But the other¡­


    The other was a demon¡ªa powerful one. And what was even more interesting was how similar they felt to the first presence she had sensed earlier. Family...?


    That would be even more super interesting! Milim felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine. She had to see for herself!


    "It¡¯s coming from the Jura Forest," she muttered, squinting in the distance. With a playful smirk, she crouched down, and in the next instant, she took off!


    A sonic boom echoed through the sky as Milim launched herself toward Jura, her excitement bubbling over. It wasn¡¯t every day she got the chance to meet new powerful beings¡ªand possibly fight them!


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 323-327


    The Titan 30


    The Fox Hole 67


    Thunder and Black Wings 14


    The Fox Hole 66


    The Blood Queen 38


    The Fox Hole 65


    The titan 29


    The Fox Hole 64


    Thunder and Black Wings 13


    The Fox Hole 63


    The Blood Queen 37

 chapter 63

    Chapter 63: A wild Demon Lord has appeared!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    We were still outside my restaurant in Rimuru''s world.


    ¡°...Slimes can wriggle everywhere, right?¡± my mom purred, leaning in just enough to give Rimuru a good view of her cleavage. She flicked one tail upward and brushed it against his cheek, which made him stutter and go bright red.


    "W¨Cwe definitely can!" Rimuru said with a small stutter.


    I facepalmed in embarrassment. ¡°Oh my god...¡± I muttered under my breath. But she definitely wasn¡¯t paying me any attention.


    Amy-chan crossed her arms and let out a frustrated huff. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with this,¡± she announced. She turned toward me and gave a dismissive wave. ¡°Thanks for the power-up, Haru, but I¡¯m heading home to watch the latest Naruto episode.¡±


    ¡°If you actually want to meet the real Naruto, you can visit the Leaf Village anytime, you know...¡± I tried to point out.


    Amy-chan pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± she insisted, before she headed to the Fox Hole to leave.


    Naruko puffed her cheeks next to me. ¡°Hmph. My life is way cooler than some dumb cartoon!¡± She was obviously annoyed.


    I turned to her. ¡°So, what do you want to do now?¡± I asked.


    Naruko¡¯s eyes brightened at my question. ¡°I want to go home for a bit and then bring Naruto to this world,¡± she said. ¡°If I¡¯m going to be stuck as a fox girl forever, then he gets to share my fate! Plus, the Nine-Tailed Fox will definitely die if he goes through the same process I did...¡± she added vindictively.


    I opened my mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Life in her world wasn¡¯t an anime where the power of friendship always wins out. The Nine-Tails was a massive pain, and maybe it was better this way. If Kurama died, it¡¯d be impossible for the Ten-Tails to ever be revived.


    Naruko suddenly leaned over and pressed her lips to mine in a quick kiss, her new tails curling around me for a few seconds before she pulled back and gave me a playful wink. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± she said with a wink and followed after Amy-chan.


    A glance to the side confirmed that my mom and Rimuru were still at it. I could hear. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...Rimuru stammering something about how he perfectly controlled his slime form. How he could¡­ wriggle it around and even make it vibrate.


    My mom laughed in that sultry voice of hers she usually saved for business deals. "Ara, that sounds like it could be a lot of fun. I''m older than most modern science, but that doesn''t mean I don''t like to experiment..."


    ¡°Nope,¡± I murmured to myself, deciding not to listen any further. She was clearly way too excited after her power-up and that had somehow made her horny...


    I didn¡¯t need any of these mental images.


    I wandered off deciding to go for a walk. I found myself walking aimlessly until the trees started getting dense. I headed deeper into the Jura Forest, which was supposed to be home to all sorts of monsters.


    Hopefully they would make for some good ingredients.


    ¡­As I wandered through the Jura Forest, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where all the monsters were. The place was supposed to be teeming with them, yet I¡¯d barely seen anything interesting.


    And then I passed by a particularly massive tree, where I felt a pulse of magic.


    Instinctively, I tensed, my ears perking up as I turned my gaze toward the trunk. A moment later, the bark shifted and split open, revealing a beautiful woman with green hair stepping out as if the tree had birthed her into existence.


    A dryad.


    Her long green hair flowed like vines down her back, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief as she gave me a slow, knowing smile. Her skin had an almost unnatural smoothness, and her body¡­ well, let¡¯s just say she had the kind of curves that could tempt weaker men into throwing away all common sense.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± she purred, her voice as smooth as honey. ¡°It¡¯s not often I get such a handsome and POWERFUL visitor. Welcome to my tree, traveler. Would you care to stay a while?¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss the way she let her fingers trail down her own arm, drawing attention to her ample chest. I cleared my throat. ¡°Uh, thanks, but I¡¯m just passing through.¡±


    She tilted her head, stepping closer. ¡°Are you sure? I can be very¡­ accommodating.¡±


    A shiver went through me. I¡¯d heard stories about dryads before, and even though I¡¯d never met one in person, I wasn¡¯t about to risk it, even if I actually doubted she could harm me.


    Besides, I already had more than enough on my plate with the women in my life. I wasn¡¯t the type to fool around with whoever threw themselves at me.


    ¡°I appreciate the offer,¡± I said, forcing a polite smile, ¡°but I¡¯ll have to decline.¡±


    She pouted, crossing her arms under her chest, which only served to push her cleavage up more. ¡°What a shame. Handsome and disciplined? You¡¯re a rare one.¡±


    I chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me. Anyway, I¡¯m actually looking for some monsters to hunt. Any idea where I can find something good?¡±


    The dryad sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t eat meat, but I hear other monsters love hunting the GIANT spiders to the west. Their legs are thick and apparently taste just like something called ¡®crab.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Crab, huh?¡± That definitely caught my interest. I don''t think I''d ever tried spider before...


    I gave her a nod of thanks and was about to head off when she smirked at me. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want a quick fuck before you go, handsome?¡±


    I nearly tripped over my own feet.


    ¡°...I¡¯m good, thanks.¡±


    Her laughter followed me as I ran westward. A couple of minutes later, I was deep in spider territory. Webs covered everything¡ªtreestrunks, rocks, even the ground in some places. But strangely, there were no spiders in sight.


    "Hmm, where are they?"


    Then I heard it.


    Chittering. From above the treetops nearby.


    I looked up and gaped in shock. Those weren¡¯t ''tree trunks'' around me.


    They were legs. Massive spider legs.


    A spider bigger than my entire restaurant loomed overhead, its eight massive legs shifting as it prepared to strike. Those legs lifted high before slamming down toward me like giant spears.


    I rolled out of the way, dodging as they impaled the ground where I had just been standing. I slashed with my claws. One of the spider¡¯s legs was severed instantly as the monster let out a shriek.


    It wobbled but steadied itself. It still had seven more legs, after all. The one I caught off flopped to the ground and as soon as I caught its scent my mouth watered. So much meat. The dryad wasn¡¯t kidding. It really did smell like crab! I couldn''t wait to cook some of it up!


    There¡¯s just something about monster meat¡ªthe way it always smells delicious and richer than anything from normal animals.


    I sat on a log, tending to a campfire as the scent of sizzling spider meat filled the air. The giant spider I had killed earlier had given me plenty to work with. Eight massive legs, each the size of a tree, were piled up beside me, ready to be cooked. I had already brought out a griddle from my storage space, where chunks of thick, tender meat sizzled, the juices searing into the metal. A pot nearby was filled with melted butter, bubbling slightly, just waiting to be drizzled over the cooked meat.


    Yes, I carried all this around with me at all times. Any self-respecting chef capable of magic should do the same. You never know when you¡¯ll need to cook a feast in the middle of nowhere.


    Suddenly, a loud growl echoed next to me, breaking my focus...


    I turned my head and blinked in surprise. A girl with pink twin tails stood there, staring at me with wide, sparkling eyes. She wore what looked like black bikini bottoms and a short white top, showing off her toned stomach.


    More importantly, she was drooling¡ªlike, a lot¡ªand her stomach let out another loud growl. She was absolutely locked onto the food.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Pull up a log if you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll share some with me!?¡± she asked, her voice filled with excitement.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a chef, and I¡¯d never turn away someone who¡¯s hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, demon fox!¡± she practically squealed before turning to a nearby tree. Without warning, she slammed her fist into it. The entire tree exploded into splinters, shaking the whole damn forest. Then, with an effortless yank, she pulled the stump clean out of the ground¡ªit was bigger than she was¡ªand casually carried it back over. She jammed it into the dirt, sat down, and beamed at me like nothing had happened.


    I blinked at her display of raw power, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. This girl was something else.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Haru,¡± I introduced myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m Milim! Milim Nava!¡± she said with a big, proud smile. Then she waited. And waited. Tilting her head in confusion. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Should I?¡± I asked curiously.


    That only seemed to make her even happier. ¡°Nuh-uh! It¡¯s nice to meet someone who doesn¡¯t for once! Hi, Haru!¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Hi, Milim,¡± I chuckled back.


    She practically bounced in place, her excitement bubbling over as she started rapid-firing questions. ¡°Are you really a chef? Where are you from? How come I¡¯ve never heard of you before? You¡¯re pretty strong!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, you¡¯re pretty strong too. And yeah, I¡¯m a chef. I just got to this world today, actually. I run a restaurant called The Fox Hole¡ªit connects to a whole bunch of crazy worlds filled with interesting people. That¡¯s where I usually spend my time.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­¡± Milim pouted. ¡°And here I was going to offer to ''name you'' and make you my personal chef!¡±


    I blinked. ¡°I already have a name?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, no! You probably don¡¯t know, but in this world, powerful monsters can bestow names onto weaker monsters to make them more powerful. It¡¯s a huge deal!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I said, curious but not really interested in getting any stronger at the moment.


    Milim looked almost surprised that I wasn¡¯t jumping at the offer.


    I decided to shift the conversation back to the food. "It''s ready." I pulled out a second plate from my inventory, along with some outdoor silverware, and handed Milim a full serving of cooked spider meat, complete with a dish of melted butter for dipping.


    The moment she took her first bite, her entire body tensed. Her eyes literally sparkled as she let out a moan of absolute delight. ¡°THIS. IS. THE. BEST. THING. I¡¯VE. EVER. EATEN. IN. MY. LIFE!¡± she declared, her voice practically echoing through the trees. She didn¡¯t stop until her plate was completely empty. Then she pointed at the pile of uncooked spider legs and shouted, ¡°I WANT TO EAT ALL OF IT!¡±


    I chuckled, flipping another piece of meat on the griddle. ¡°Careful what you wish for¡ªI never leave someone hungry.¡±


    Milim grinned, her stomach growling in agreement. It looked like I¡¯d be cooking for a while.


    ...


    By the time I finished grilling another batch, Milim had already finished two more plates. She had an endless appetite, but I wasn¡¯t complaining. It was fun watching someone enjoy my cooking so much.


    As I flipped another piece, I decided to ask, ¡°So, what¡¯s a strong girl like you doing out here, anyway?¡±


    Milim swallowed her food and grinned. ¡°I was bored! And then, all of a sudden, I sensed three ridiculously strong beings show up in the forest, so I came to check it out!¡±


    Three...? Was talking about my mom, Amaterasu, and me?


    ¡°You sensed us from that far away?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Duh! I¡¯m super strong, you know! One of the strongest!¡± she said proudly, puffing out her chest.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That so? How strong are we talking?¡±


    Milim smirked and put her hands on her slender hips. ¡°I¡¯m a Demon Lord!¡±


    "I don''t know what that is." I shrugged at her and she deflated.


    "Aww... That usually gets a bigger reaction..." she mumbled.


    Once Milim was completely stuffed, there were only four of the giant crab legs left.


    Yeah¡­ the cute ¡®demon lord¡¯ sure could pack away a lot of food.


    ¡°That was super good,¡± she said, rubbing her still-flat stomach. Then her eyes lit up again. ¡°Wanna fight and burn off some of those calories?¡±


    I chuckled at her enthusiasm. ¡°Tempting, but I actually need to get back to my restaurant and check up on my mom... and Rimuru...¡±


    Milim tilted her head, curiosity flashing across her face. ¡°Ooooh, your mom? What¡¯s she like?¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ well, she just evolved into a twelve-tailed fox demon and might be the strongest being in Japan now.¡±


    Milim¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s so cool! But wait¡­ who¡¯s Rimuru?¡±


    I sighed, rubbing my temple. ¡°He¡¯s a slime¡­ that was flirting with my mom. And she was into it.¡±


    Milim blinked. ¡°Woah. That¡¯s weird¡­ but hey, you know what they say¡ªlove is love?¡± she said with a thoughtful tilt of her head. Then she frowned. ¡°Although I¡¯ve never really been in love before. I wonder what it¡¯s like.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s nice. You feel a lot more fulfilled and a lot less lonely, I guess?¡± I said, thinking about Naruko.


    Honestly, I was happy for my mother. It had been a long time since Kunou¡¯s dad passed away, and she never really talked about my father much. If she was moving on, then good for her. Though¡­ she¡¯d probably have to share with that Shion girl, given how crazy she was about Rimuru too.


    Milim pouted a little when I reminded her I had to leave. ¡°Aww¡­ I was having fun! I¡¯m always so bored on my own!¡±


    I thought for a second before smirking. ¡°I can¡¯t fight right now, but we can throw down later if you want.¡± Then, without really thinking, I reached out and patted her head.


    Milim blinked in surprise before giggling, leaning into my hand. ¡°You¡¯re fun, Haru.¡±


    ¡°If you want, you can come back to my restaurant with me,¡± I offered. ¡°There are plenty of people there, and you¡¯d make friends in no time.¡±


    Milim¡¯s pout instantly turned into a beaming smile. ¡°Really!? That sounds fun!¡±


    I sighed dramatically. ¡°I¡¯d have said Rimuru could be a good friend for you, but who knew he was so devious when it came to women?¡±


    Milim scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t want a guy like that as my bestie anyway! I¡¯ve decided that you¡¯ll be my bestie from now on!¡± she declared with a grin. Before I could react, she smirked mischievously. ¡°Oh, and I name you Haru!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± was all I managed to get out before my vision blurred and my whole body swayed. I barely had time to process what was happening before everything went dark.


    ¡°Now commencing evolution¡­¡± the voice of the world echoed in my head.


    ¡­Shit.


    XXX

 chapter 64

    Chapter 64: The Calm¡­


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    It wasn¡¯t very hard for Milim to track the restaurant Haru told her about before he passed out. She carried his unconscious body through the forest after he suddenly collapsed. Teehee¡­ maybe she should have warned him first about what happens when a powerful monster bestows a name. But she¡¯d just been so excited!


    She¡¯d never had a best friend before, so of course, she had to name him immediately. That¡¯s what friends do! At least she thought that¡¯s what they do¡­


    Her journey through the forest was only interrupted once.


    By a random dryad who popped out of a tree with a sly grin. The green-haired woman eyed Haru¡¯s unconscious form and practically purred. ¡°...Oh my, what a handsome young man. I wouldn¡¯t mind looking after him for a while¡­¡±


    Milim felt something snap inside her. Without even thinking, she scowled and let out a tiny bit of her aura. Just a smidge! Okay, maybe not a smidge¡ªbecause the dryad turned ghostly pale and immediately retreated back into her tree, the branches trembling as if the whole forest was shaking in fear.


    ¡°Get back in your tree, slut!¡± Milim huffed, still holding Haru close. ¡°He¡¯s my besty!¡±


    She blew a strand of pink hair out of her face before stomping forward, resuming her journey. That was close. She¡¯d never thought about it before, but she definitely didn¡¯t like the idea of some random tree woman trying to steal Haru away.


    It wasn¡¯t long before she spotted her destination. The restaurant was impossible to miss, mostly because of the sheer amount of magicules still clinging to the area. Three powerful beings had evolved back-to-back right in front of it, and their presence had left a lingering effect in the air. The closer she got, the more excited she became.


    Milim stopped in front of the entrance and looked up at the sign above the door. The Fox Hole. She giggled at the tiny carving of a small fox next to the name.


    ¡°Cute!¡± she said to herself before eagerly pushing the door open.


    There were a few people scattered around the restaurant¡ªsome looked up at her in confusion, while others barely seemed to react. That was, until they noticed Haru¡¯s unconscious body draped over her shoulder.


    A golden-haired woman with Fox ears and 12 tails was sitting at the bar immediately stood up, her slitted eyes narrowing as she moved toward them.


    ¡°What happened to my son?¡± the woman asked, her voice firm but not exactly angry.


    Ohhh! This must be Haru¡¯s mom! The one he said was flirting with the slime guy!


    ¡°Ahaha, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry!¡± Milim waved a hand dismissively. ¡°I just named him, that¡¯s all! He¡¯s going through evolution right now. He¡¯ll wake up super strong!¡±


    Milim introduced herself to Haru¡¯s mom, Yasaka, and the shorter guy with long blue hair, who had to be Rimuru. Haru had told her a bit about his life while they ate the delicious food he had cooked in the forest.


    Yasaka gently grabbed Haru and placed him in an empty booth, brushing a hand over his forehead with motherly concern. She turned to Milim.


    "How long until he wakes up?" she asked.


    Milim shrugged. "Shouldn¡¯t take much longer! And when he does, he¡¯ll be stronger. Because I¡¯m super awesome, and everyone I name becomes awesome too!" She declared proudly, puffing out her chest.


    Although now that she thought about it, she hadn¡¯t actually given a name to anyone in a long time. That must mean Haru was extra special! Of course, he was¡ªhe was her bestie, after all!


    Rimuru stepped up, eyeing her curiously. "Your name is Milim Nava? I feel like I¡¯ve heard that before..."


    Milim smirked. "You probably have! I¡¯m a super strong Demon Lord!" she declared, placing her hands on her hips.


    Rimuru visibly tensed at the revelation, his eyes widening in alarm. Yasaka, on the other hand, didn¡¯t look particularly impressed. In fact, she was giving Milim a scrutinizing look that made her shift uncomfortably.


    "Something wrong?" Milim asked, tilting her head.


    Yasaka¡¯s golden eyes flicked downward. "My son runs a polite establishment, so if you¡¯re planning on staying for a while, I insist you wear something that actually covers you up."


    Milim blinked before looking down at her black bikini bottoms. "Huh? What¡¯s wrong with my outfit?"


    "Everything," Yasaka said bluntly. ¡°But for now we¡¯ll just focus on your bottoms¡­¡±


    Milim pouted, crossing her arms. "But I like just wearing these! It¡¯s more comfy!"


    "You can at least wear a skirt then. Come with me." Yasaka turned around.


    Milim grumbled but followed as Yasaka led her through a door at the back of the restaurant, opening into a small hallway lined with rooms. Yasaka opened one of the doors to reveal a bedroom.


    Milim took a deep breath of the lingering scent in the room and smiled. "Hehe¡­ this is obviously Haru¡¯s room." She grinned.


    Yasaka walked over to the closet and pulled it open. Milim frowned when she saw racks of outfits¡ªwomen¡¯s outfits. Dresses, skirts, blouses, and more. Not a single piece of men¡¯s clothing in sight.


    She turned to Yasaka, confused. "Uh¡­ is Haru a crossdresser? Not that I judge or anything." She¡¯d met weirder monsters in her long life.


    Yasaka chuckled, shaking her head. "No, these belong to Haru¡¯s girlfriends. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t mind you borrowing something."


    Milim froze. "Wait. WHAT!?"


    Her bestie had girlfriends? Plural!?


    She clenched her fists as a sudden surge of jealousy coursed through her. Why hadn¡¯t Haru mentioned this!? How many girlfriends did he even have? Were they strong? Were they pretty?


    Milim puffed her cheeks, her excitement shifting into something else she didn''t exactly like feeling...


    She had an overwhelming urge to meet all these women immediately.


    Her bestie had a lot of explaining to do!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I knew I was dreaming, but it was a strange one.


    My body felt different. No fox ears, no tails¡ªjust a regular human body¡­ almost. Something inside me felt off, like my very existence was rejecting everything around me. The landscape was hauntingly beautiful, with rolling green fields tainted by ruined buildings and undead creatures shambling across the land.


    A simple steel sword rested in my grip as I moved through the wasteland, cutting down any undead that dared to approach. They fell easily, turning to ash the moment my blade sliced through them. Despite the ease, I felt no sense of accomplishment¡ªjust an overwhelming sense of familiarity.


    I kept moving until I spotted a crumbling church. Two walls were missing, the roof was gone, but in the center of the ruins was a small campfire. Only, there was no fire¡ªjust a floating orb of golden light. It called to me, urging me to sit and rest beside it.


    I took a step forward.


    "No!"


    A voice rang through my mind, stopping me in my tracks. It was a woman¡¯s voice¡ªsoft yet commanding, unfamiliar yet nostalgic. "You are not yet ready to remember. Wake now, my beloved. Wake and do not return to these memories until you are ready."


    My eyes snapped open.


    ¡­I was back in my restaurant.


    "Ara, you''re awake, my son. How are you feeling?" Yasaka¡¯s voice greeted me with warmth.


    I sat up in the booth, stretching my fingers against the table. The moment I drummed them lightly, the wood beneath me cracked.


    I froze, staring at the damage. I hadn¡¯t even used any force¡­


    Yasaka sighed. "You''ll have to watch out for that. We¡¯ll both need training to control our new strength. You doubly so," she said, casting a pointed look toward the pink-haired girl smirking at me from across the booth.


    "Hi, Milim¡­" I wasn¡¯t really surprised she¡¯d stuck around after knocking me out¡­


    "Hi, Haru!" she grinned. "I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake! Do you feel stronger? You¡¯re almost like me now! I¡¯m so happy!"


    I raised a brow. "Almost like you? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?"


    "Ara, I¡¯d like to know as well. My son feels much stronger than he was an hour ago, but unlike me, he still only has ten tails," mom chimed in.


    Milim nodded eagerly. "That¡¯s because Haru¡¯s going to be like me!"


    That explained absolutely nothing.


    Rimuru¡ªwho had been standing quietly nearby and looking at Milim nervously¡ªspoke up with something more useful.


    "...I have a skill called Great Sage, and it¡¯s telling me what¡¯s going on. Apparently, Haru has gained something called a Demon Seed and is on his way to becoming a fully-fledged Demon Lord!" he explained, sounding genuinely surprised. Then he turned to Yasaka and flushed slightly. "You, on the other hand, have twelve tails and are still technically a demon fox, but you¡¯re very close to ascending as a high-ranked deity."


    Mom was going to become a Goddess? And what the hell was a Demon Seed? Did I plant it to grow baby demons or something? My restaurant served some interesting foods, but I don''t know if people would be down to try demon meat.


    Eh, who am I kidding? Of course they would!


    Yasaka sighed dramatically. "Ara, being a goddess sounds like a lot of work."


    "I wouldn¡¯t mind worshiping you anytime you want," Rimuru said smoothly.


    Before I even processed his words, my instincts reacted. A flick of my finger sent a small blue fireball flying at Rimuru, who yelped and dodged just in time.


    "Hey! That was dangerous!" he complained.


    "Quit flirting with my mom in my own restaurant!"


    Yasaka giggled, clearly enjoying the attention. "Oh my, is my son jealous? I suppose I can tone down my playful flirting¡ªthough if Rimuru wants to hear more, he¡¯ll have to buy me dinner first."


    Rimuru grimaced. "My village is a bit strapped for cash at the moment, and no doubt a classy lady like you only deserves the best¡­"


    "Ara, I''ve suddenly become a sugar mommy..."


    Milim suddenly cut in while pouting at me. "Speaking of dating, how come you didn¡¯t tell me about all your girlfriends already!?"


    I scratched my cheek. "I thought I mentioned it¡­? Didn¡¯t I?"


    Memories of the past few hours were a little foggy. Maybe it had something to do with the naming. Or maybe it had something to do with that strange dream¡­


    "Tell me," she whined adorably again. Milim demanded to know how many women were in my life?


    "Er¡­" I had to actually pause to think about it for a moment.


    That probably wasn¡¯t the best sign¡­


    I started counting in my head, but before I could get too far, Milim let out an annoyed grumble and crossed her arms.


    ¡°You better still make time for your new bestie!¡± she demanded, puffing her cheeks out.


    I wisely chose not to mention that I had other friends as well. Something told me she wouldn¡¯t take that very well.


    Luckily, I was saved from further questioning when the restaurant doors swung open, and Shion walked in. Her violet eyes immediately locked onto Rimuru, and she stomped over with a serious expression. ¡°Rimuru-sama, you need to come back immediately,¡± she said. ¡°A contingent of Lizardmen just arrived outside the village with news about an Orc army.¡±


    I sighed, rubbing my temples. Damn. Every world I went to seemed to be dealing with some kind of war or invasion. Now Rimuru¡¯s world was added to the list.


    I would have offered to help, but unfortunately, I had my own immediate problems to deal with. The army approaching Carne Village could arrive as early as tomorrow, and I needed to make sure everything was prepared for that battle.


    Rimuru stood up, looking far more serious than usual. ¡°I got it. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Before he left, though, he turned back to Yasaka and gave her a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. We¡¯ll talk more then.¡±


    Yasaka returned his smile warmly. ¡°Stay safe, Rimuru.¡±


    I blinked. What the hell was that? That was way too soft of a moment between my mom and the damn slime! Was this going to be an actual serious thing instead of her just flirting?


    Shion, however, looked absolutely scandalized by the display of affection. Her jealousy was practically radiating off of her as she shot a glare at my mother before grabbing Rimuru by the arm and dragging him out of the restaurant. Rimuru, for his part, just let out a nervous chuckle and waved as he was hauled off.


    There was a moment of silence before Milim spoke up again.


    ¡°Wow, a lot of stuff goes on around here, huh?¡± she asked, tilting her head.


    I couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­Later that night¡­


    After skipping so much work lately, Yasaka was forced to return back to her palace to play catch up. Even with her new powerup, nothing in our immediate lives had changed. At least for now. I was sure there would be a lot of questions once the rumor mill across Kyoto kicked off and all the Yokai found out she and I suddenly became more powerful and had more tails, but that was a problem for future Haru and future Yasaka.


    Instead of worrying, mom and I had instead done the healthy thing and just said ¡°fuck it.¡± We¡¯d figure everything out as we went¡­


    ¡°I was a bit worried about Naruko never coming back after she left though, but I figured she¡¯d be fine. If not, I''d send someone to check on her tomorrow.


    ¡­Milim was eagerly devouring a pepperoni and bacon pizza that I had made for her. She was practically inhaling the slices, eyes shining with excitement. The restaurant was filling up fast, even more than usual. Familiar faces were scattered throughout.


    Jane Shepard was the first of my "girlfriends" to arrive. I was actually surprised to see her. She usually stayed on her ship and ate with her crew despite having a door to my restaurant in her cargo bay. But everyone needed a break once in a while. Out of all the girls, she was always the busiest, constantly trying to save her galaxy from an evil alien terrorist and his army of killer AI robots. The moment she walked in, she made a beeline for the bar, plopping down on a stool just as I was preparing some leftover spider meat for anyone brave enough to try it.


    Predictably, the younger ones¡ªHarry, Hermione, and Kunou¡ªall refused outright. Anyone from Skyrim also declined. Apparently, their entire homeland had developed an intense arachnophobia thanks to the sheer number of giant spiders roaming the countryside...


    "Heh! You¡¯re all a bunch of pussies!" Wrex declared as he sank his teeth into the tender meat, chewing with satisfaction.


    ¡°Keep that bug meat from me¡­¡± Agnar grumbled to my surprise. And that was how I suddenly learned he didn¡¯t like spiders.


    And my first girlfriend Aela apparently really didn¡¯t like spiders! In fact she scooted herself as far away as possible at the end of the bar. Sniffing the air and looking at me with eyes filled with betrayal¡­


    Shepard shrugged and grabbed a piece. "I¡¯ve eaten way weirder alien food," she muttered before taking a bite. A pleased moan followed. "Damn, Haru, you never miss."


    "How¡¯s your mission going?" I asked as I handed her a beer.


    Shepard paused, taking a sip before answering. "Honestly? Pretty well¡­ which makes me nervous. Things don¡¯t usually go this smoothly. But I think we¡¯ve finally pinpointed Saren¡¯s base of operations. We¡¯re planning an assault on the planet soon..."


    I frowned, concerned. "You know you can always call for help if you need it."


    Shepard smirked. "I appreciate it, but you know me¡ªI like doing things on my own if I can. I really do appreciate you bailing me out those couple times though!"


    At that moment, Milim finished inhaling her pizza and locked onto Shepard like a predator sighting its prey. She hopped off her stool, the skirt she had borrowed from Rias¡¯s wardrobe fluttering as she landed and pointed a finger at Shepard dramatically! "Hey, you!" Milim said. "Are you one of Haru¡¯s girlfriends!?"


    Shepard blinked and pointed at herself. "Uh¡­ I guess? I don¡¯t really do labels, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m interested in anyone else."


    Milim huffed, crossing her arms. "Hmph! You seem pretty strong for a lame human, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll accept you!"


    I sighed in annoyance. "Milim, you don¡¯t get a say in my love life."


    "Mine either," Shepard added, taking another sip of her beer.


    "Me too by the way. Who¡¯s the midget?" Alice chimed in as she walked up to the bar.


    Milim instantly turned around, glaring at Alice. "You¡¯re the midget!" she said while stamping her foot. Thankfully she controlled her strength enough to not break the floor.


    "Sure thing, shorty," Alice said with a smirk.


    ¡°Grrrrrr!¡±


    I sighed again and grabbed Milim before she could lash out, reminding her that the no fighting rule applied to everyone in my restaurant. Not wanting to lose her delicious new source of food, Milim immediately calmed down.


    "This is Milim. She¡¯s my new friend and also a demon lord." I added that second part casually.


    "I¡¯m his best friend!" Milim declared proudly as I let her go again.


    Technically, that title probably went to Agnar or Ainz, but I decided not to argue with her. Maybe she¡¯d earn it one day.


    ¡°Cool story¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, little girl¡­¡±


    Shepard and Alice both had pretty disinterested reactions after that. They both scooted away from Milim and moved towards Aela where the three of them started chatting among themselves.


    Milim seemed to be genuinely shocked and muttered to herself how she¡¯d never had humans ignore her before. ¡°I''m a Demon Lord, you know!¡± she added. ¡°It¡¯s an important job, you know!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an important job¡­?¡± Rias asked as she walked up to the bar with Akeno trailing behind her. ¡°Hi, Haru! Hi, new girl!¡±


    ¡°Being a Demon Lord!¡± Milim said again before sizing up Rias and Akeno. ¡°...At least you¡¯re both monsters, and more worthy of being with Haru than some dumb humans.¡± she pouted while glaring at the three redheads at the end of the counter.


    The only one with hearing good enough to listen was Aela who simply rolled her eyes in Milim¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Discrimination isn¡¯t allowed in my restaurant either, Millim. If you keep that up I won''t make you desert!¡± I scolded her.


    ¡°I''ll be good!¡±


    Wow, it turned out managing a Demon Lord was not as difficult as I had thought it would be. She was basically just a much more powerful and destructive Kunou¡­


    Rias and Akeno gave Millim odd glances before introducing themselves to her. Both of them were very direct.


    ¡°I''m Haru''s fiance.¡±


    ¡°And I''m his mistress!¡±


    ¡°...And I¡¯m his new bestie!¡± Milim said, obviously not wanting to be left out.


    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s adorable,¡± Rias cooed and asked me where I found this girl.


    ¡°Technically she found me¡­¡± I said and explained what had happened today.


    Rias and Akeno were shocked at first and then they both seemed very interested in the potential of a free powerup just from visiting a new world for a few minutes. The fact that there were ¡°skills¡± and some other Isekai mumbo jumbo also really seemed to excite Rias!


    Both of their eyes drifted towards the front door before they shrugged and shook their heads.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sure that there¡¯s at least a few spies watching me and Sona at school. They¡¯ll notice if I suddenly evolve into super Rias¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe we could do it sometime over the summer where a growth in power could come off as more normal?¡± Akeno suggested and Rias agreed.


    ¡°You two are weird, most devils won''t hesitate to get more power,¡± Milim pointed out.


    ¡°Ara, that¡¯s just how we are,¡± Akeno replied.


    Either way, I saw this as a good opportunity. Out of all the girls, Rias was definitely the best when it came to managing children¡­or thousand year old Demon Lord¡¯s that acted like it for some reason.


    After taking their orders, I asked Rias if she could explain everything about the Fox Hole to Milim along with all the other basic world knowledge I¡¯d left out because of how crazy today had been.


    ¡°Sure thing, Haru,¡± Rias said with a sly smile. ¡°...I¡¯ll even tell her about the weekly meetings all of us girls have.¡±


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.  Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 324-328


    The Fox Hole 70


    The Blood Queen 40


    Thunder and Black Wings 15


    The Fox Hole 69


    The Blood Queen 39


    The Fox Hole 68


    The Titan 30


    The Fox Hole 67


    Thunder and Black Wings 14


    The Fox Hole 66


    The Blood Queen 38


    The Fox Hole 65


    The titan 29

 chapter 65

    Chapter 65: Moving On


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    It was time for a war...


    A few Yokai scouts had rushed into my restaurant earlier, reporting that an army was approaching Carne Village.


    By now, the village was completely evacuated. The locals had already used the large back doors of The Fox Hole to escape into Kyoto, where they¡¯d stay for the next few days. Not that I thought the enemy would even get this far, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


    I stood atop the wooden walls surrounding the village, watching the distant dust cloud on the horizon. The mages from Fairy Tail were stationed nearby. Floating next to me was a tiny blonde ghost¡ªMavis Vermillion, the first master of Fairy Tail.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Haru!¡± she chirped, hands on her hips. ¡°As Fairy Tail¡¯s best strategist, I¡¯ve got this in the bag!¡±


    I gave her a dry grin. ¡°I hope so because I¡¯m paying your guild a lot of money for this.¡±


    Mavis pouted at me for that one.


    Before she could reply, Milim cut in. Yes, she was still here, I hadn''t found out a way to get rid of her yet. Not that I didn''t appreciate her presence, but she was a bit clingy.


    ¡°...So are you, like, dead dead? What¡¯s it like not having a body? Do you still have to poop?¡± Milim asked.


    Mavis let out a long, suffering sigh. ¡°Maybe, it¡¯s weird, and no.¡± She answered each question like she¡¯d been asked them a hundred times before.


    I chuckled, shaking my head.


    Down below, Erza was leading the guild members. Natsu''s group looked excited except for the blonde cheerleader Lucy. The other mages, whose names I didn''t know as well, were more similar to her in nervousness but none of them had run away.


    A blonde man with an incredibly punchable face rode forward on horseback. A mage next to him raised a staff, casting a spell to amplify his voice.


    ¡°I am Barbro! Crown Prince of the Re-Estize Kingdom! We will not tolerate a deceptive monster living in our lands and lording over our noble people. Stand aside, fellow humans, so that we may slay the beast and reclaim this territory in my name as the future king!¡±


    I rolled my eyes. Three guesses who the ''deceptive monster'' was...


    Erza stepped forward as the leader of the Fairy Tail mages. ¡°We refuse,¡± she declared, her voice steady and unwavering. ¡°This land was fairly purchased by Haru, Prince of the Yokai, and he has hired our guild to defend it. If you choose to attack, we promise none of you will die, but you won¡¯t walk away unscathed!¡±


    Barbro sneered. ¡°Arrogant wench! You¡¯ll make a fine bed slave once my army is through with your pitiful defense!¡± He turned his horse around and rode back to his forces.


    Erza¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but her magic flared. A set of metallic wings materialized behind her, and she lifted into the air, returning to the front lines where the Fairy Tail mages were preparing themselves.


    The battle was about to kick off any second now.


    ¡°Oh! This just got way less boring!¡± Milim suddenly blurted out.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± Mavis asked, tilting her head.


    Milim just pointed upwards.


    I followed her gaze. "That''s... not good," I muttered.


    Mavis, despite being a ghost, started trembling. Whatever she was seeing was triggering some really bad memories for her.


    A black and red dragon flapped its massive wings directly above the Re-Estize army. Something about it was off¡ªit looked sickly, its scales cracked and discolored, and its bloodshot eyes were filled with something unnatural.


    And then it opened its jaws.


    But instead of fire or ice, a thick, blood-red mist poured out, blanketing the army of 10,000 soldiers¡ªincluding Barbro.


    A second later, the screams began.


    The soldiers didn''t just die. They melted. Flesh sloughed off their bones, armor corroded within moments, and their weapons rusted away as if centuries had passed in an instant.


    Barbro himself barely had time to scream before his face disintegrated, his body crumbling into a pool of liquefied gore along with the rest of his forces.


    Silence followed.


    Even the Fairy Tail mages, who had been prepared for battle, stood frozen in horror.


    I grit my teeth. "What the hell kind of dragon breath was that¡­?"


    "A vampire dragon!" Milim said cheerfully. "You don''t see many of those very often!"


    I clenched my fists.


    Fuck. This had gone completely wrong.


    Mavis turned to me, panic written all over her face. ¡°Haru, you promised to protect my mages if something went wrong! They can¡¯t fight a monster like that! They¡¯ll all die!¡±


    I gritted my teeth. She wasn¡¯t wrong. I¡¯d been getting bad feelings about this whole situation all week, but I ignored them. I didn¡¯t want to abandon the contract with Fairy Tail after Mom and I had worked so hard to secure it. And now the entire army I¡¯d wanted to avoid killing was dead anyway.


    The vampire dragon let out a low, guttural growl before opening its massive jaws again. It inhaled deeply, and the blood and liquefied remains of the Re-Estize soldiers lifted into the air, swirling toward its mouth like some grotesque, flesh-and-blood slurry.


    I had to fight the urge to throw up on the spot. That was easily one of the most disgusting things I¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°Eeeeeewww,¡± Milim whined beside me, scrunching up her nose.


    Mavis yanked at my sleeve, her translucent fingers passing right through the fabric. ¡°Haru!¡± she snapped, her voice sharp with urgency.


    Right. I needed to kill this thing.


    I was about to make my move when a loud roar erupted from below.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Natsu¡¯s entire body ignited in flames, his magic exploding outward in a violent surge of power. His scarf fluttered from the heat as his eyes locked onto the dragon with pure rage.


    Natsu, Erza, Gray, Elfman, and Lucy all launched their attacks at the dragon at the same time, hoping to catch it off guard while it was still preoccupied with its grotesque meal.


    Natsu roared as he hurled himself at the beast, flames bursting from his fists. ¡°Fire Dragon¡¯s Iron Fist!¡± He drove his attack straight into the dragon¡¯s side.


    Gray followed immediately after. ¡°Ice-Make: Lance!¡± A barrage of ice spears shot toward the dragon¡¯s head.


    Erza, already mid-air, reequipped into her strongest armor. ¡°Heaven¡¯s Wheel!¡± Swords rained down like a storm, targeting every weak point she could aim for.


    Elfman charged and leapt high as his body morphed into a gorilla creature. ¡°Beast Soul: Full-Body Takeover!¡± He punched the dragon¡¯s leg with all his might.


    Lucy summoned a spirit of some kind. ¡°Go, Loke!¡±


    But none of it worked.


    The dragon barely reacted as all the hits landed.


    Natsu¡¯s flaming punch connected and was snuffed out on the scales. Gray¡¯s ice shattered upon contact. Erza¡¯s swords bounced off harmlessly. The gorilla-man barely budged the dragon¡¯s leg and Lucy¡¯s spirit didn¡¯t even attack. Instead he scooped Lucy up and immediately started bolting in the other direction!


    The dragon finally acknowledged the rest of them with a slow, lazy turn of its head before casually swatting at Natsu with one of its massive claws. Natsu didn¡¯t even have time to react. The blow hit him directly, sending him flying across the battlefield. He slammed into the ground hard, rolling several times before coming to a stop.


    ¡­He wasn¡¯t getting back up anytime soon.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Gray ran toward Natsu. ¡°Natsu! You okay?! Say something, idiot!¡±


    Erza cursed under her breath, gripping her sword tighter. ¡°Damn it¡­ We¡¯re not doing anything to it.¡±


    The other Fairy Tail mages were shouting now, realization setting in fast.


    ¡°We can¡¯t win this! We need to retreat!¡±


    "We need to fall back!"


    I landed hard between the dragon and the retreating Fairy Tail mages, my claws digging deep into the earth, my tails swaying behind me. My body felt heavier, stronger¡ªmy transformation had definitely changed.


    I wasn¡¯t just a nine-tailed fox anymore. I was something more. Fifty feet tall, covered in golden fur, my ten tails swaying behind me as I bared my fangs at the monstrosity hovering in the sky above me.


    The vampire dragon finally took notice, its massive head tilting slightly, its bloodshot eyes locking onto mine. Unlike with the mages, there was no indifference in its gaze. No, this thing was wary of me.


    Its voice was raspy, guttural, filled with malice. ¡°I am the Vampiric Dragon Lord¡­ and I am here to kill you, Player.¡±


    I narrowed my slitted eyes. Player.


    That was the word Evileye had used before¡ªwhat she called people from other worlds, those who didn¡¯t originally belong here. And she also mentioned how dragons in this world hated Players.


    So that was it, huh? This thing wasn¡¯t here for conquest, or because it had some grand plan. It was here because it instinctively wanted me dead.


    The dragon¡¯s massive wings flared open, its sharp claws flexing as it bared its own fangs at me. It was preparing for a fight.


    Alright then...


    I was about to give it one!


    "Milim Punch!"


    And just like that, Milim appeared in front of the Vampiric Dragon Lord and threw a single punch.


    The entire world seemed to shatter around us. The ground split apart, a shockwave erupted through the battlefield, and a massive trench¡ªmiles long¡ªwas carved into the earth in the direction of her attack.


    And the Vampiric Dragon Lord?


    Just¡­ gone.


    No body. No remains. Not even a single damn scale left behind. It had been erased from existence.


    My tails slumped behind me as I just stood there on four legs.


    There went my epic moment¡­


    I had been seconds away from going all out, testing the full extent of my power, proving to myself and everyone else just how much stronger I¡¯d become after evolving. But noooo, Milim had to just show up out of nowhere and one-shot the thing before I could even lift a paw.


    ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± I muttered, my voice flat.


    Milim turned back to me, grinning ear to ear, looking way too pleased with herself. "Did you see that, Haru?! I totally wrecked that overgrown lizard!"


    I sighed, closing my eyes. "Yeah, Milim. I saw..."


    Milim landed back in front of me playfully before tilting her head. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong, Haru? You looked like you were struggling, so I helped!¡±


    "I wasn''t struggling, Milim. I didn¡¯t even get to fight it yet!"


    She blinked at me. "Ohhh¡­ so you wanted to fight it?"


    "It was my fight!"


    She pouted. ¡°But it was ugly and smelly, and I got bored waiting, so I punched it.¡±


    I transformed back into my humanoid form and pinched the bridge of my nose.


    I turned back around to check on the Fairy Tail mages.


    And they were gone.


    Not just scattered or regrouping¡ªcompletely gone, as if they¡¯d never been here in the first place. I let out a slow breath, trying to process it.


    Mavis floated toward me, her expression filled with something between disappointment and resignation. Her gaze shifted between me and the aftermath of the battle, lingering for a few moments before she finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, her voice soft but firm. ¡°But I don¡¯t think your life and the guild I founded are compatible at this time, Haru. I would like you to not visit Fairy Tail anymore or involve yourself with my mages. In fact, I¡¯d prefer if your restaurant left Magnolia altogether.¡±


    I stared at her, stunned. ¡°You want me to leave?¡± I asked, trying to wrap my head around her words.


    Mavis nodded, looking genuinely regretful. ¡°Fairy Tail isn¡¯t meant to handle conflicts on this scale,¡± she said. ¡°Not anymore at least...¡±


    I wanted to argue, to tell her that I didn¡¯t ask for this fight, that I wasn¡¯t the one who brought a vampiric dragon lord into the picture. But deep down, I knew she wasn¡¯t wrong...


    After a long pause, I let out a heavy sigh and lowered my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the mess and the violence,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I wanted.¡±


    Mavis studied me for a few more moments before she finally turned away. ¡°Goodbye, Haru,¡± she murmured before floating off and passing through the doors of the Fox Hole.


    I stood there for a while, just staring at the spot where she disappeared.


    ¡°¡­Ah. Sorry you lost some friends,¡± Milim said after a moment. She sounded uncharacteristically serious for once.


    I shook my head, forcing a small smile. ¡°Death and destruction aren¡¯t uncommon in the worlds we come from, but for Fairy Tail¡­ it¡¯s different.¡±


    Even as I said it, my mind drifted to Irene. The dragon mommy hadn¡¯t been around since she was recalled to her continent. I wondered how she¡¯d react to all this when she found out.


    With nothing else left to do here, Milim and I turned back toward the restaurant.


    As we approached the outskirts of Enri¡¯s village, my stomach twisted. Now that I was looking at it up close, I grimaced at the extent of the damage. The shockwave from Milim¡¯s punch had done more than just shake the battlefield¡ªit had torn through most of the village¡¯s wooden houses and buildings. Only the Fox Hole was really untouched at this point.


    The entire village was going to need to be torn down and rebuilt.


    I ran a hand through my blond hair and sighed. ¡°Damn it,¡± I muttered. ¡°Good thing we evacuated, but still¡­ this is a mess.¡±


    Milim scratched the back of her head. ¡°Ah¡­ yeah. My bad,¡± she said, looking more sheepish than I¡¯d ever seen her. ¡°Didn¡¯t think my punch would¡­ you know, do all that.¡±


    I gave her a look. ¡°You obliterated a dragon lord with one hit,¡± I pointed out. ¡°What did you think was gonna happen?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I dunno, maybe he¡¯d put up more of a fight? He was really weak for someone claiming to be a Dragon Lord...talk about lame!¡±


    I snorted despite myself and shook my head.


    Enri was standing behind the counter when we walked back inside. She looked nervous, glancing between me and Milim, clearly unsure of what to say.


    She hesitated before finally speaking. ¡°All the Fairy Tail mages stormed in earlier¡­ they used the door and left in a hurry. Did¡­ everything go okay?¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my temples. ¡°Kind of,¡± I muttered before explaining everything. I didn¡¯t leave out the part about the crown prince of Re-Estize being dead, the vampiric dragon lord getting one-shot by Milim, or how Enri¡¯s village was basically wrecked in the crossfire.


    Enri blinked. ¡°Oh¡­¡± she said, her voice small, clearly struggling to process it all.


    I nudged Milim with my elbow. She let out a small huff but begrudgingly turned to Enri. ¡°Uh¡­ sorry for, you know, accidentally breaking your house,¡± she mumbled, rubbing the back of her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Enri said, her expression softening. ¡°Honestly¡­ I kind of prefer spending more time in the Fox Hole anyway. It¡¯s a lot nicer. And maybe, when Lord Haru rebuilds everything, we can all have modern houses.¡± She smiled at me.


    I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of it,¡± I promised before dropping onto a barstool on the customer side. I stretched, feeling the exhaustion from the day finally setting in.


    Then I shot Enri a grin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead and make us some celebratory victory food?¡± My tails happily swayed behind me as I spoke.


    I wasn¡¯t going to let myself be bummed out over losing a few sort-of friendships. Maybe it would be only temporary or maybe they¡¯d never want anything to do with me again but that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t plenty of other people in my life.


    Enri¡¯s eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together. ¡°Of course! One special meal coming up! I¡¯ve been practicing!¡±


    Milim and I happily dug into the bacon macaroni and cheese that Enri had prepared for us. The flavors were perfectly blended, with five different cheeses melting together into something rich and creamy. The fresh, crispy bacon added the perfect crunch, giving it that extra kick of flavor.


    ¡°This is really good!¡± Milim beamed between bites. ¡°If you were a monster, I¡¯d name you for this!¡±


    Enri blinked, looking mildly confused. ¡°Uh¡­ thank you?¡± she said, clearly unsure how to respond to what was probably meant as high praise.


    We finished our meal pretty quickly, and as soon as we did, Milim stood up and fidgeted slightly, looking like she wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Her usual confident energy was still there, but there was a little hesitation behind it.


    Then, without warning, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.


    ¡°I had a lot of fun, bestie!¡± she said excitedly. ¡°But now I have to go back to my territory and do boring work! I¡¯ll come and play again another day, so don¡¯t go having too much fun without me!¡±


    I chuckled and patted her on the back. ¡°Looking forward to it,¡± I told her. Although I was hoping she¡¯d give me at least a week before storming back into my life.


    Milim was¡­ A lot.


    After we finished eating, I helped Enri clean up the kitchen, wiping down counters while she handled the dishes.


    Once we were done, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led us towards the door. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take the rest of the night off?¡± I suggested. ¡°I kinda want to go spend some time with my family.¡±


    Enri stiffened slightly at first, her cheeks dusting pink from how close we were. But after a second, she nodded, smiling softly. ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± she said. Her people were safe in Kyoto¡¯s yokai territory, but I had no doubt they¡¯d want to hear about what happened.


    ¡­


    I sat alone in my restaurant, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the empty tables. The past couple of days had been a complete whirlwind, and despite spending the evening with my family, I still had too much on my mind to sleep. So I went for a walk around town and ended up here of course.


    Evolved into a nascent demon lord? Check. Mom halfway to becoming an actual goddess? Sure, why not. Milim casually one-shotting a dragon more powerful than anything we''d ever seen in Skyrim?


    Just another day in the life of a yokai chef, apparently.


    The front door creaked open, I glanced up, surprised that anyone would be here at this hour.


    Erza Scarlet stood at the entrance looking hesitant until she spotted me.


    "Oh¡­ I''m glad you''re still here even though it''s so late," she said.


    I gave her a small smile. ¡°Yeah, kinda hard to sleep after a day like that.¡±


    She sat across from me. Her eyes darted around the near-empty restaurant before landing back on me. "I''m sorry about everything that happened today," she said, her voice steady but laced with frustration. "It all went down so fast I could barely react. I¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting a random evil dragon to show up and start slaughtering people. And then I was too weak to do anything to that monster...¡±


    I was surprised... She was apologizing to me!?


    I was about to start apologizing to her. "I hired you guys to take down an army of peasants forced to fight, not a dragon..." I reminded her.


    "I know, but Fairy Tail missions never really go according to plan anyway. You should hear some of the wacky stories my guild mates have gotten up to over the years," she said with a half smile.


    ¡°Just from seeing those crazy bar fights I can imagine.¡±


    Erza leaned back in her seat with a frustrated look on her face. "Makarov and the First are overreacting. They banned any Fairy Tail mages from coming near your restaurant or even associating with you."


    I sighed. "Yeah, I figured."


    "But I think that¡¯s bullshit," she said flatly.


    I choked on my own breath at how blunt she was.


    "I¡¯ve seen way worse things in my life, especially before I joined Fairy Tail," she continued. "And I don¡¯t think you deserve this kind of treatment. So I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯ll keep coming around¡­ if you¡¯ll have me. I¡¯ll have to sneak in, though." She sighed, clearly annoyed at the idea. "This place reconnected me with my family, after all¡­ even if my mom is a crazy dragon for some reason."


    I gave her a small smile. "Of course you can keep coming around. Why wouldn¡¯t I want a beautiful girl like you gracing my restaurant?"


    Erza immediately turned red before I felt an armored boot slam into my shin under the table. "Hmph! Flatterer," she scoffed, standing up with a huff.


    I rubbed my shin and chuckled. Damn, she¡¯d used magic to enhance that kick!


    "Hey, I¡¯m just being honest," I said playfully.


    She rolled her eyes but still smiled slightly. "Thanks for being so understanding, Haru."


    I leaned back and grinned. "Anytime, Erza. Just try not to kick me so hard next time." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She smirked before heading for the door. "No promises. And I¡¯ll still stop by whenever I can..."


    ¡°You should bring your mom with you too next time!¡±


    ¡­I don¡¯t know why I said that, but it just kinda popped out...


    Erza¡¯s face turned as red as her last name. I had to duck as she picked up a chair and threw it at me before storming out!


    ¡°Hmph! Pervert!¡±


    She¡¯d be back¡­


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 324-328


    The Fox Hole 71


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 70


    The Blood Queen 40


    Thunder and Black Wings 15


    The Fox Hole 69


    The Blood Queen 39


    The Fox Hole 68


    The Titan 30


    The Fox Hole 67


    Thunder and Black Wings 14


    The Fox Hole 66


    The Blood Queen 38

 chapter 66

    Chapter 66: Food Drive


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood there looking at the three massive and very dead woolly mammoths sprawled out on the ground in front of me. These were mammoths from Skyrim, meaning they were absolutely enormous, easily twice the size of the extinct animals from my own world.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I muttered, still taking it all in. ¡°That''s... that''s a lot of meat right there.¡± Around three Baku¡¯s worth right there¡­


    Aela nodded, crossing her arms proudly as she stood beside her kills. My beautiful Nord huntress girlfriend had blood and dirt smeared across her toned arms and face, making her look even more striking than usual. She flashed me a wide, satisfied grin. ¡°Yes, it was quite the epic hunt!¡± she declared, clearly pleased with herself.


    Serana stood off to the side, wiping a bit of blood off her pale cheek. She sighed, shaking her head gently. ¡°I¡¯d call it more of a clusterfuck than a hunt, honestly.¡±


    Aela¡¯s proud expression turned into a pout.


    Agnar laughed loudly at that, slapping his armored chest with amusement. His dark ebony armor was completely covered in monster blood and mud. He looked as if he''d just come straight from the heart of the fight and loved every second of it. A few feet away lay the bodies of five giants, each of them easily over fifteen feet tall, now sprawled awkwardly across the grass just outside Whiterun¡¯s city gates.


    Speaking of Whiterun, the guards stood around in small groups, scratching their heads in confusion and disbelief. Some of them were splattered with blood, looking as if they''d reluctantly joined the fray at some point.


    ¡­I could even see the Jarl standing nearby, looking down at the bodies with a look of exhausted resignation. I was surprised to see the guy come down from his throne room, but I guess a battle involving multiple giants and mammoths right outside his gates was enough to get his interest.


    The Jarl turned towards Aela with a weary sigh. ¡°Would you mind explaining exactly what happened here¡­?¡±


    ¡°Gladly!¡± Aela said confidently. ¡°I was tracking a group of Argonian thieves across the plains near Whitehold. They thought they could outrun me¡ªidiots.¡± She chuckled darkly. ¡°I caught up to them easily enough, but then the bastards got desperate and ran into a giants'' camp for cover.¡± She paused for dramatic effect, her eyes narrowing angrily as she recalled the memory. ¡°Now, even I know that fighting multiple giants at once isn''t a good idea. Giants usually hate Argonians, so I figured I¡¯d tell them they had intruders and let them handle the problem for me.¡±


    Serana sighed. ¡°And judging by the fact that we just had to fight off all these monsters, I¡¯m sure that went well¡­¡±


    Aela shrugged sheepishly, looking less proud of this particular part of the story. ¡°Well¡­ I admit there was a small error on my part. One of the Argonians was skilled in Illusion magic and managed to cast enrage on the giants thinking they would attack me instead. The giants ended up killing all the Argonians¡­and then they all came after me. I did manage to bring down one giant on my own, though!¡± Her confident smile quickly returned. ¡°...Of course, that just made the rest even angrier. They chased me straight to Whiterun. Luckily, I had backup waiting here!¡±


    Agnar grinned widely and nodded, raising his greatsword triumphantly. ¡°Indeed, it was a glorious battle! Although next time I¡¯d appreciate a little warning because I was on the toilet when it all started¡­¡±


    A couple nearby guards scooted away from him after that comment¡­


    The Jarl rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. ¡°Well, good job everyone, I suppose. Just try not to bring any more giants and mammoths to my gates again, will you?¡± he said to Aela specifically.


    Aela just laughed. ¡°I make no promises, my Jarl!¡±


    The Jarl groaned quietly, turning around and trudging back towards Dragonsreach, likely hoping he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with something this ridiculous again for at least a few days.


    He didn¡¯t bother adding anything else either. No punishments for Aela at least.


    Honestly, the Jarl probably realized by now that Agnar was way too strong to punish. And Aela? Well, she was my girlfriend. At this point, most of Whiterun''s citizens either respected or feared me enough not to complain too loudly. That, or they were just tired of my restaurant randomly bringing otherworldly chaos into their lives.


    I walked over to Aela and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close as she leaned against me happily. ¡°Nice job,¡± I said, smirking down at her. ¡°So, any plans on how we¡¯re going to cook all this mammoth meat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my gift to you, my love. Use it however you want.¡±


    Hm, I think I had an idea¡­


    ¡­


    Brockton Bay¡­


    I flipped a thick mammoth steak on the sizzling grill, glancing up briefly to check how the line was going. The park I''d picked out in Brockton Bay was crowded, with dozens of tables set up and people waiting patiently for their meals. Most of them were homeless, but others just looked like they''d had a run of bad luck.


    It felt good doing something¡­good, even if it was just cooking for strangers.


    Mammoth meat was on the menu.


    Surprisingly, when I announced that when people started curiously gathering to the smells of cooking, no one seemed hesitant to try extinct animal meat. I guess Brockton Bay was used to weirder things.


    Mammoth steaks, mammoth fried rice, mammoth kebabs¡ªI even tossed together some mammoth stir-fry. My tails swayed happily behind me while I worked. I loved cooking for people, especially when it meant helping those who really needed it.


    Aela stood beside me, wearing a long apron over her armor. Her fiery red hair was pulled back in a tight braid, keeping it out of her face as she served up plates and bowls. She glanced over at me with a raised eyebrow and a playful smile. "I didn''t expect you''d just be giving all this food away, love," she teased, handing a steaming plate of mammoth steak to an older man who thanked her with a toothless smile.


    How was he expecting to eat that without teeth exactly¡­? Meh, he could always try the soup if it didn¡¯t work out.


    "I just felt like doing something nice," I replied, shrugging as I flipped another steak. "Out of all the worlds my restaurant connects to, this one definitely needs the most help."


    Aela nodded thoughtfully as she started serving another hungry person. "Well, no argument there. Although I still don''t see why anyone would willingly live in a city like this. It looks so bleak and sad." And that was coming from a woman who¡¯d never heard of electricity or bathed in hot water until she met me¡­


    We weren¡¯t the only ones here of course. I enlisted a bit of extra help. I even went the extra mile to make it an official D-rank mission that Tsunade found funny enough to make Naruto and Naruko participate in. Although Naruko didn¡¯t mind since it meant getting to spend time with me.


    Naruko was smiling brightly as she handed out bowls of stew to a group of hungry-looking kids. Her nine red fox tails swayed happily behind her, occasionally brushing gently against the curious children, who giggled each time they touched the soft fur. She seemed genuinely happy doing this.


    Her twin brother, Naruto, stood next to her awkwardly. He also now sported nine golden fox tails and fluffy fox ears now, thanks to Naruko dragging him off to Rimuru¡¯s world.


    Naruko had insisted on it, saying if she had to live as a fox girl, then he should experience it too¨Cminus the girl part.


    ¡°Here you go! There¡¯s plenty more food if you want more¡± Naruko said.


    ¡°Yeah, Dattebayo! Eat up so you can get big and strong like me!¡± Naruto said to a group of small children.


    ¡°But we don¡¯t want to be case 53¡¯s¡­¡± One of the kids pointed out.


    Naruto scratched his head and glanced at his sister? ¡°Huh?¡±


    Naruto just stared blankly, clearly confused at the kid''s question. Naruko glanced at him and then over to me.


    I shrugged in response. "No idea what a Case 53 is," I said.


    Before any of us could try guessing, a sudden gust of wind blew past, followed by the appearance of Glory Girl, who gracefully landed near us. "A Case 53 is someone who woke up one day with powers but no memories, and usually they''re mutated in some way." Her presence immediately drew everyone''s attention.


    She approached Naruko and the kids with a reassuring smile, before turning to me. "Hey, Haru! Whatcha doin''?"


    "Serving up some extinct mammoth meat. Want to to help out?"


    "Sure thing," Glory Girl said cheerfully, grabbing an apron and stepping right in to serve bowls of soup.


    The crowd seemed even more excited to have a familiar hero around now.


    She wasn''t the only hero to show up either. Within minutes, more costumes arrived, drawing murmurs of excitement from the gathered people.


    Three Protectorate heroes showed up next. Miss Militia, Dauntless and Velocity. Was a bit surprised to not see Armsmaster with them. He was probably busy doing his own Tinker thing.


    Miss Militia walked up to me, glancing at the makeshift cooking setup I''d arranged in the park. She looked cautious, maybe a little hesitant. "So you''re Haru?" she started, clearly choosing her words carefully, "do you have a permit to be serving food here?"


    I smirked, meeting her eyes confidently. "Nope. You gonna arrest me for it?"


    Her gaze flicked quickly between me, Aela standing protectively nearby, and Naruko and Naruto handing out food to a group of smiling kids.


    "No," Miss Militia sighed, her posture relaxing. "I''ll have the PRT issue a temporary permit immediately. It won''t be a problem¡­"


    Dauntless approached us, grinning widely. "Yeah, no one''s eager to pick a fight with someone who choked out Lung and one-shot an Endbringer." He extended a hand toward me, offering a friendly smile. "Hi, I''m Dauntless. Want to join the Protectorate?"


    I chuckled at his blunt invitation and shook his hand firmly. "I appreciate the offer, but my restaurant already keeps me plenty busy."


    "Ah, everyone dreams of being a superhero as a kid though," Dauntless said with a chuckle.


    "Or a villain..." Miss Militia added dryly.


    "Does this city have trouble with these villains you''re mentioning? If you need someone to hunt them down, I¡¯m always ready." Aela asked.


    Miss Militia visibly swallowed at the suggestion, clearly nervous at the idea of a complete unknown like Aela running loose in Brockton Bay. "We appreciate the offer, really," she said quickly, "but without Lung, the ABB has been effectively neutralized. Right now, the city''s in a delicate state. Starting trouble with the Empire or the Merchants could make things worse."


    Aela looked disappointed but nodded understandingly.


    Dauntless laughed softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, since fighting crime is off the table for now, mind if we lend a hand here?"


    "Of course," I replied, handing him an apron. "The more help, the better."


    ¡­


    ¡­We were just about finished packing up after two hours of handing out food. Most people had already eaten, and I felt pretty good about the day. Doing something nice for people always put me in a good mood, especially in a city like Brockton Bay, which clearly needed it.


    Just as I was starting to collect the empty trays and clean up, the crowd parted, and a woman with a microphone and camera crew came striding purposefully towards me.


    "Hello, Jessica Bayers, Brockton Bay News," she announced, pushing the microphone in my direction. "Mind answering some questions for our viewers?"


    I blinked, a little surprised by the sudden camera in my face, but nodded casually. "Sure, ask away." Then I muttered under my breath, "Do people even watch the news anymore?"


    Glory Girl leaned in from nearby. "I sure don''t! I just check PHO for everything."


    Jessica shot her a glare, and Glory Girl smiled innocently, stepping back. The reporter sighed and turned back to me.


    "So, first things first," Jessica began firmly. "Who exactly are you, and why did you take over the Boardwalk?"


    I chuckled lightly at her accusation. "Hey now, I didn''t exactly ''take over'' anything. My name is Haru, and I''m just a chef. My restaurant just ended up there."


    She narrowed her eyes skeptically. "Just ended up there? Are you saying you had nothing to do with the ¡®stranger¡¯ effect that prevents ordinary people from approaching your establishment?"


    I raised an eyebrow at her words. This was actually news to me. "Wait, really? There''s some kind of ¡®stranger¡¯ effect?"


    "Yes," she replied, irritation growing in her voice. "Whenever regular citizens approach your restaurant, they suddenly change their minds and walk away. Care to explain?"


    I rubbed the back of my head, feeling slightly awkward. It must have been something the goddess set up when my restaurant connected to Brockton Bay. Probably to keep us from getting too swamped by random people. "Honestly, I had no idea about that. But hey, if you can manage to reach the restaurant, anyone''s welcome inside for a meal." I told the camera.


    "I have no trouble getting inside," Glory Girl chimed in proudly, placing her hands on her hips.


    "Me neither," another voice called out. I glanced over, startled. Standing there with a mischievous smile and a stylish fedora was none other than the mysterious Illuminati hat lady. She winked at me, placed a finger playfully against her lips, and slipped quietly back into the crowd.


    Well, that happened¡­


    I stared after her in confusion before snapping back to the reporter, who had continued on, clearly frustrated by my casual demeanor.


    "Moving on, then," Jessica said, her voice tightening. "Are you a hero or a villain?"


    I shrugged, completely unconcerned by the accusation. "I''m neither. Like I said, I''m just a chef who happens to have a lot of power. And I guess pretty good looks, too." I flashed a teasing grin at Aela and Naruko.


    Naruko blushed furiously, her red fox tails swishing shyly behind her, while Aela simply rolled her eyes.


    Jessica let out a long sigh. "Fine. Let''s address the elephant in the room. Did you actually defeat the Leviathan single-handedly, or was that footage faked!?"


    I blinked, genuinely annoyed at the implication. "Excuse me? You seriously think I''d waste my time faking something like that? I have better things to do than that."


    Dauntless laughed from nearby. "Yeah, and no one''s looking forward to challenging the guy who took down Lung and an Endbringer single-handedly. Believe me, if the footage were fake, Lung wouldn''t still be in hiding."


    Jessica sighed again, clearly exasperated at our relaxed attitudes. "Could you at least tell the people of Brockton Bay why you''re here? What exactly do you hope to accomplish?"


    "I guess I''m just trying to help," I said sincerely. "I saw people struggling here, so I decided to share what I could. That''s really all there is to it."


    She stared at me for a long moment, probably hoping I''d reveal some secret motive or hidden agenda. When I simply smiled back, unbothered, she finally gave up, signaling to her cameraman to cut the recording.


    "Fine," she muttered. "We''ll run what we have. Thank you for your time..." she huffed out in irritation.


    Suddenly, loud, piercing sirens echoed throughout the city!


    The peaceful park descended into instant chaos. People started panicking, shouting over each other and scrambling around without direction.


    They started shouting that an ¡°Endbringer was coming!¡±


    I quickly glanced toward Miss Militia, who had pressed her finger to her ear, clearly listening to some urgent information.


    "Is an Endbringer coming here?" I asked urgently.


    Miss Militia quickly shook her head, her expression grave. "No¡ªnot here. It''s Behemoth. He''s heading straight for the city of Boston."


    The behemoth? "That''s the radioactive one, isn''t it?"


    She nodded solemnly. "Yes. Anyone who gets close risks instant death. Entire cities have to be evacuated after an attack because they become permanent radiation zones."


    Naruto and Naruko hurried toward us. They winced as their fox ears flattened against their heads. Both of them had just gotten their fox ears and we''re not used to loud noises.


    "Haru, what''s going on? What''s with that horrible noise?" she asked anxiously.


    "It''s a warning siren. An evil monster on the level of a tailed beast is attacking a city north of here."


    Naruto clenched his fists immediately, his tails bristling. "Then what are we standing around here for? Let''s go beat the hell out of it!"


    "Exactly!" Aela declared fiercely, stepping up beside me with a confident gleam in her eyes. "We can slay this beast easily!"


    "Hell yeah!" Glory Girl shouted enthusiastically, clearly ready to leap into action. Before she could say anything else, though, her phone beeped loudly in her pocket. She sighed dramatically, pulling it out and checking the screen. "Ugh! My mom just texted me. There''s no chance in hell she''ll let me go. Also¡ª" Glory Girl suddenly smiled sheepishly at the camera crew. "Hi, Mom."


    I turned sharply to the reporter who was still standing nearby. "Wait¡ªthis is live?"


    She rolled her eyes at my obvious question. "Of course it is." Then she gave me a skeptical look. "So, are you really going to ¡°punch out¡± the Behemoth too, or was that Leviathan footage just cleverly edited? You know, a lot of people still think you faked it!" Herself included, obviously.


    I don''t know why, but that wrinkled my pride a little bit. "Just watch. I''ll handle your big radioactive monster, no problem."


    "You mean we''ll handle it," Aela corrected immediately, clearly insulted that I''d leave her out.


    I gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Aela, I can''t let you near this one. The radiation would kill you in seconds as a werew¨Cer¨Chuman.¡± I corrected myself to not give away her secret on live tv. ¡°Naruto, Naruko, and I can handle it, but it''s far too dangerous for you."


    She scowled stubbornly at me. "That''s bullshit. What in Oblivion is radiation, anyway? I don''t want to be sitting on the sideline like a milk drinker!"


    I chuckled softly, shaking my head. She was always so confident, even about science things she didn''t understand yet. "I''ll explain later. Just trust me on this one."


    She looked annoyed, but thankfully didn''t push it further.


    Miss Militia approached again, this time with Dauntless and Velocity at her side. The heroes looked much more serious than before.


    Dauntless nodded appreciatively to me. "We appreciate you stepping up," he said earnestly. "We need every powerful ally we can get at times like these."


    Miss Militia''s eyes were pleading as she added softly, "Please don''t let us down. The world desperately needs another victory right now!"


    "Don''t worry. I''ve got this. Although, it''s a shame it''s not the Simurgh. Gabriel really wants to get that bitch after she ran away from her last time."


    "Wait, what was that?" The reporter leaned forward eagerly, catching my remark. "The Simurgh ran away!? And who is Gabriel?"


    Before I could respond, a sudden burst of golden light illuminated the area.


    When the glow faded, Gabriel stood before us. As always, she was amazingly beautiful and immaculate. In fact, her 12 white wings were looking even brighter and fluffier than usual.


    Her gaze flickered around curiously. "Did someone call for me?"


    Glory Girl stared at her in awe. "She really knows how to make an entrance..."


    Gabriel looked around again, noticing everyone''s distress. Her tone softened with concern. "Why is everyone so troubled?"


    "There''s an Endbringer attack happening," I quickly informed her. "Not here, but up north in Boston."


    Her expression darkened immediately, wings bristling defensively. "Is it the false angel?"


    "No," I answered calmly. "It''s the radiation monster, Behemoth. But the false angel¡ªSimurgh¡ªmight have come back near earth again if this one is acting up too."


    Her eyes narrowed with determination. "Then I''ll check myself! That fake angel won''t escape me twice." With a powerful beat of her wings, Gabriel launched into the sky, vanishing within moments in a streak of golden brilliance.


    The reporter''s mouth hung open, and her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. "Was that...an actual angel?


    ¡°An Archangel, but yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°WHO EXACTLY ARE YOU PEOPLE!?"


    ¨C Conflict Engine 3 ¨C


    The entity known as Simurgh hovered silently in Earth''s orbit, watching the fragile world beneath her. Humans had given her that name, unaware that their labels held no significance to a being whose sole purpose was to guide their species toward inevitable conflict and ruin.


    However, her carefully orchestrated cycles had faced an unprecedented disruption.


    An anomaly had emerged¡ªan entity closely resembling the angels from humanity''s ancient religious myths. The anomaly was impossibly powerful, surpassing even the Simurgh herself. Their first encounter had been disastrous, forcing the Simurgh to retreat deep into Jupiter¡¯s tumultuous storms for more than a month, an indignity she had never previously endured!


    After careful calculation and thorough scanning, Simurgh determined that the anomaly had departed Earth.


    Confident she could resume her purpose, she positioned herself once again above the blue planet. She directed Behemoth¡ªher fellow conflict engine¡ªto target Boston, intending to shatter humanity¡¯s fragile sense of security and hope once more.


    But just as she finalized giving her instructions, an intense flash of golden light pierced Earth''s atmosphere, streaking directly toward her position. Simurgh immediately recognized that familiar energy signature¡ªthe angel had returned.


    Oh, fuck, Simurgh thought sharply, a rare moment of panic surging through her. Her mind raced with calculations, each one returning the same dire outcome: direct confrontation was impossible. Survival required immediate retreat.


    The Simurgh wasn¡¯t used to feeling emotions¡­let alone fear for her own continued existence.


    Without hesitation, Simurgh spun around, propelling herself rapidly away from Earth. She fled toward the swirling storms of Jupiter, desperate to escape the anomaly''s reach.


    "You''re not getting away again, you evil coward!" The angel''s voice thundered behind her, impossibly audible even through the vacuum of space!


    Simurgh felt a rush of frustration. How could this creature persistently defy all her predictive models? She accelerated, pushing herself faster toward Jupiter. The gas giant''s storm had protected her once before¡ªit would shield her again.


    "Face your judgment!" the angel demanded. Golden energy shined around her wings as she closed the distance with terrifying speed. The sheer power radiating from the angel was overwhelming, threatening to envelop Simurgh entirely.


    Ignoring the angel¡¯s angry words, Simurgh pushed her artificial body to its absolute limits to try and escape a second time!


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link: S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 324-328


    The Fox Hole 72


    The Blood Queen 41


    The Fox Hole 71


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 70


    The Blood Queen 40


    Thunder and Black Wings 15


    The Fox Hole 69


    The Blood Queen 39


    The Fox Hole 68


    The Titan 30


    The Fox Hole 67


    Thunder and Black Wings 14

 chapter 67

    Chapter 67: Grilling up some Endbringer


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    The crowds had mostly cleared out by now in the Brockton Bay park. The heroes from the PRT had done a decent job guiding everyone either home or toward the nearest shelters. Even though Boston was the target, Brockton Bay wasn''t too far away and the fallout could potentially hit.


    Not that I planned on letting it come to that. Between me, Naruko, and Naruto, there was no way the Behemoth wasn¡¯t about to get bodied.


    Miss Militia approached, pressing a finger to her earpiece, listening to whatever update she was receiving. "He''s here," she said.


    Almost instantly, I felt the shift in the air. A figure appeared near us¡ªa hero dressed in a mask and wearing a costume styled like an old-fashioned courier from the early 1900s.


    Dauntless stepped forward and waved at him. "Thanks for coming, Strider."


    Strider nodded curtly. "No problem. Is this the guy, then?" He tilted his head, examining me with open curiosity. "Saw the footage on PHO¡ªeveryone saw it. Honestly, I''ve never seen someone scare off an Endbringer before. Think you can give us a repeat performance?"


    I couldn''t help but smirk confidently. "You can count on it."


    Miss Militia glanced at me again, a quiet hope flickering in her eyes. "You sound pretty sure of yourself," she noted.


    "I am," I replied, cracking my knuckles and stretching my tails out comfortably behind me.


    Aela stepped forward with an irritated huff. She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, looking around the nearly empty park with evident frustration. "Is there no one here worthy of my bow or blade?" she demanded. "Why can''t I join this battle?"


    Miss Militia sighed patiently. "Right now, the Endbringer Truce is in effect. Heroes and villains have agreed not to engage each other for about a week during and after an Endbringer attack."


    "A truce?" Aela scoffed. "You allow your enemies to roam free simply because a monster attacks?"


    Miss Militia nodded hesitantly. "The priority is the Endbringer. We can''t afford distractions or unnecessary conflict. If a villain breaks the truce, though, you''re welcome to handle them yourself."


    Aela scowled and shook her head. "That''s the dumbest rule I''ve ever heard. Villains don''t deserve that kind of mercy."


    I wrapped an arm around her shoulder gently, pulling her close to calm her temper. "Easy there. If a villain acts up and breaks the truce, I''ll let you stab them to your heart''s content."


    She glanced up at me, her lips twitching slightly into a smile. "You better keep your promise, fox."


    ¡°We¡¯d appreciate you capturing the villains rather than stabbing them¡­¡± Dauntless pointed out.


    ¡°You get what you get,¡± Aela said and gave him challenging look


    He just raised his hands up and backed away. ¡°You do you, scary viking lady¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Strider¡¯s teleportation was fast, and in a blink, we were standing on the outskirts of Boston. The moment we arrived, the sounds of chaos filled the air¡ªhorns blaring, people shouting, sirens wailing. The entire city was in a full-blown panic as civilians scrambled to evacuate before Behemoth arrived.


    Around us, hundreds of heroes and even villains stood near hastily erected FEMA tents, many of them looking nervous as hell. They were talking among themselves, checking their gear, or just staring off into the distance like they were trying to come to terms with the hell they were about to walk into.


    Naruto and Naruko stood beside me, their expressions grim as they took in the atmosphere.


    ¡°This is bad,¡± Naruto muttered with his ears twitching as he listened to the distant panic. ¡°No one here actually thinks they can win.¡±


    Naruko frowned. ¡°I hate this¡­¡±


    Aela snorted, unimpressed as she glanced over the assembled warriors. ¡°They¡¯ve already lost,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Cowards. A real warrior doesn''t cower before battle. If these milk drinkers are this scared before the fight even begins, they might as well turn around and go home!¡±


    A ripple of tension spread through the gathered heroes and villains. A few of them turned to glare at her for her words.


    I stepped in front of her before this escalated further. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± I said to the crowd. ¡°She can be a little brash sometimes. She doesn¡¯t mean anything by it...¡±


    Aela huffed behind me. ¡°I said what I said.¡±


    "Wait¡­ is that the guy from PHO?" someone muttered.


    "You mean the Case 53 who made Leviathan run away?" another voice added.


    That got the attention of even more people. I felt dozens of eyes shift toward me, expressions ranging from disbelief to hope.


    I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah, that was me," I admitted. "I¡¯m Haru. Nice to meet you all."


    I took a moment, trying to figure out how to phrase my words so I wouldn''t sound like a complete asshole. Taking a deep breath, I clapped my hands loudly and infused my voice with magicules so that everyone would hear me clearly.


    "Hey everyone!" I called out confidently. "I appreciate you all showing up today, really¡ªbut your help isn''t needed anymore. You guys can relax, kick back, and leave Behemoth to us."


    The reaction was pretty much what I expected. Heroes and villains alike stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief.


    A voice rose above the murmurs¡ªa man in medieval-style armor, obnoxiously decorated with swastikas. "Who the hell do you think you are to order us around, you slanty-eyed furry?"


    My eyes narrowed dangerously. I felt my tails bristle. Oh, someone was definitely going to die today¡ªand it wasn''t Behemoth.


    ¡­Well, it was, but now this guy too!


    Miss Militia stepped forward, raising her voice angrily. "Shut your mouth, Kaiser! No one wants to hear your racist garbage right now." She glanced back at me, trying to calm things down. "Ignore him, Haru. Kaiser won''t violate the truce¡ªhe¡¯s all talk."


    ¡°Twang¨CThunk!¡±


    I heard the sharp twang of a bowstring being released.


    "Son of a bitch!" Kaiser screamed, dropping to one knee. An arrow had lodged itself perfectly in the joint of his armor in his other one.


    "Talk about my man like that again, and the next arrow goes straight through your eyeball!" Aela shouted. She was holding her Nord Hero Bow and it was pretty obvious who shot the Nazi¡­


    The assembled villains erupted into outrage, yelling about how the truce had been violated. Kaiser''s fellow Nazis rushed to his side in anger.


    ¡°We¡¯ll kill you for that!¡± a little girl nazi yelled at us.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but trash, there¡¯s no way you fought Lung or the Leviathan, you fakes!¡± a nazi that smelled like a mangy dog added.


    Naruto and Naruko stepped forward with their tails swishing aggressively behind them. Naruto cracked his knuckles loudly. "Just freaking try it. We''d love an excuse to kick your asses."


    "Yeah," Naruko added, baring sharp fangs in a fierce grin. "It''s been too long since I beat some asses!"


    ¡­This had escalated quickly¡ªbut then again, Nazis usually brought out the worst in people.


    "Is there a problem here?" Alexandria dropped from the sky, landing between our groups.


    Kaiser immediately tried to complain. "She shot me in the knee! Are you just going to stand there and let these freaks violate the truce?" he pointed at Aela and the rest of us while glaring hatefully.


    Alexandria cast a disdainful glance at him and scoffed. "Go home, Kaiser. In fact, the Empire and every other villain here can leave right now. You''re not needed today. Actually, you won''t be needed at any future Endbringer battles, either." Her voice dropped ominously. "Things will be changing soon¡­"


    A few villains shuffled uneasily at her words. Alexandria turned toward me, her face softening slightly. "Thank you for coming, Haru. Behemoth is nearly here. Good luck."


    I grinned, flashing my slightly elongated canines. "You know what? Why don''t you round up some grills? In a few minutes, we''ll all be feasting on fresh Endbringer meat."


    She raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard, before chuckling softly and shaking her head. "Behemoth is still radioactive, you know."


    "Oh, right." I paused, then shrugged casually. Eh, that''s fine. My new ''Chef'' skill can probably cook out the radiation.


    ¡­The ground started shaking violently beneath our feet. The tremors were getting stronger and closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s here¡­¡± Alexandria said, her confident smile fading just a bit. She glanced at me seriously. ¡°The Behemoth travels underground by digging straight through the Earth¡¯s crust. It''s currently tunneling up about a mile from our position.¡±


    I turned to Aela, gently cupping her chin before planting a quick kiss on her cheek. She blinked in surprise, but smiled softly. I did the same to Naruko, who blushed brightly.


    ¡°Good luck, Haru,¡± Aela said firmly. She then turned towards Naruko, nodding respectfully. ¡°Go kick some ass out there, sister.¡±


    Naruko grinned back eagerly. ¡°Hell yeah, I will.¡±


    Aela stepped back and scanned the crowd of heroes and villains with her eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and watch these villains¡­ very closely.¡± Her voice dropped threateningly on that last bit, and I saw several villains visibly gulp at her words.


    Naruto stepped closer, looking slightly nervous but determined. I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder before glancing at Naruko.


    ¡°You two ready to test out your new forms?¡± I asked.


    Naruko¡¯s grin widened, her canines showing clearly. ¡°Hell yeah! Honestly, I¡¯ve always been a little jealous that Gaara could turn into a giant monster whenever he wanted. Now it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    Naruto nodded beside her. ¡°This is going to be so damn cool!¡±


    I chuckled softly at their enthusiasm, then closed my eyes, channeling the magicules in my core. Blue foxfire exploded outward, covering my body completely as my form began to shift dramatically. Bones grew, muscles expanded, and my vision rose higher and higher until I towered over everyone at a full fifty feet tall. Ten massive, golden tails swayed behind me, spreading out majestically.


    Two more bursts of power surged beside me, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground as Naruto and Naruko transformed as well. When the energy dispersed, they stood at about thirty feet tall each¡ªnine-tailed foxes towering impressively over the stunned crowd. Naruko¡¯s fur was a deep, brilliant red, while Naruto¡¯s fur shone a bright golden-yellow. Both of them looked amazing.


    I leaned toward Naruko, nudging her gently with my snout. ¡°You look very pretty like this, Naruko.¡±


    Naruko¡¯s ears flicked down bashfully, and even through the fur I could tell she was blushing. ¡°H-Haru! Knock it off, you¡¯re embarrassing me!¡± Despite her complaints, her tails wagged enthusiastically, kicking up clouds of dust.


    Alexandria flew upwards, floating right in front of my giant fox face. ¡°Wow¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡¯re much bigger than when you fought Leviathan.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, things happened,¡± I said with a casual shrug of my massive shoulders. ¡°Met a Demon Lord, she decided to name me. It was a whole thing.¡±


    Alexandria stared silently for a moment, clearly unsure how to respond. She opened her mouth to speak, but at that exact second, the ground erupted violently a short distance away.


    The Behemoth had arrived.


    A deafening roar split the air, echoing through the entire city. Heroes and villains alike covered their ears or scrambled back. Smoke, dust, and debris filled the sky as the massive figure of the Endbringer clawed itself out from the earth.


    Naruto growled beside me. ¡°So that¡¯s an Endbringer¡­¡±


    ¡°It looks nasty. Let''s put it down quick.¡± Naruko added.


    ¡°You got it,¡± I smirked.


    ¨C Alexandria ¨C


    Alexandria hovered in midair, her cape fluttering softly behind her as she stared in disbelief at the chaos unfolding below. If someone had told her a few weeks ago she''d witness something like this, she¡¯d have called them insane.


    For most of her adult life, Alexandria had carried the world''s burdens. Every crisis, every threat¡ªthe fate of humanity had often rested in her hands. She''d been forced to make ruthless choices, choices her old friend Hero would¡¯ve never accepted.


    But she''d always done what was necessary. All to keep humanity alive, all to prevent the monsters known as Endbringers¡ªand the even greater threat, Scion¡ªfrom annihilating them.


    But this¡­ this was completely beyond anything she''d ever imagined.


    Three massive, mythological foxes¡ªcreatures straight out of Japanese legend¡ªwere tearing the Behemoth apart.


    The largest fox¡ªHaru¨Cwas towering over the battlefield at fifty feet tall. With a fierce growl, he whipped his ten colossal tails forward, slamming them directly into the Behemoth¡¯s face. The impact was deafening, echoing through Boston like a thunderclap and sending the radioactive beast tumbling across the landscape for miles, carving a deep trench into the earth.


    The second fox, Naruto¨Cif she remembered his name correctly¨Clunged forward with impressive speed and snapped his jaws shut around the Behemoth''s massive front legs, powerful fangs piercing the thick, diamond-like skin.


    The beast roared in agony! Alexandria suddenly found that she really loved that sound¡­


    Then came the third red giant fox¨CNaruko. She leaped upward and raked her claws mercilessly across the Behemoth¡¯s face, gouging out one of its red eyes.


    The Endbringer howled, thrashing violently as radioactive molten blood oozing from the empty socket.


    Back near the city¡¯s outskirts, hundreds of heroes erupted into wild, disbelieving cheers! The civilians who hadn''t managed to evacuate completely had paused their frantic escape and watched in awe. Overhead, news helicopters flew daringly close, cameras capturing every detail of the unprecedented scene. Normally, Alexandria would have shouted at them to keep evacuating, to flee before it was too late. Yet this time, she couldn''t bring herself to interrupt. Something incredible was happening right before all of their eyes.


    Naruto growled fiercely, ripping and tugging at the legs he had locked between his jaws. With a sickening crack, one of the limbs tore free, splattering the ground with radioactive blood.


    Now crippled, the Behemoth howled again, thrashing weakly on three legs.


    Haru charged forward relentlessly and his giant paw pinned the weakened creature into the ruined ground. He and Naruko grasped the remaining limbs with their jaws, tearing them free from the monster¡¯s battered torso.


    The endbringer let out an intense burst of radiation, since that was all it could do without its limbs, and yet the massive foxes were all unaffected.


    This is it¡­¡± she whispered to herself. She was finally going to see one of these monsters die.


    Haru snarled deeply. He plunged his claws violently into the Endbringer''s torso, digging through its chest until finally he found something within.


    Alexandria hovered closer to get a better look. Was that the heart of the beast? Cauldron always speculated the Endbringers all had some kind of vital core.


    Haru pulled out a glowing crystalline orb from within the Endbringer''s torso. It pulsed weakly between his claws.


    And then Haru opened his jaws and swallowed the core in one gulp. ¡°Whoa!¡± Haru jumped a little bit after it went down and smoke poured out of his jaws¡­ ¡°That was spicy.¡±


    Without its core, the Behemoth stopped moving altogether. It was dead. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Silence filled the battlefield for a moment before people erupted in even louder cheers!


    An Endbringer had been killed¡ªin less than two minutes.


    Haru turned back toward Alexandria as he picked up the behemoth''s body and its limbs with his tails.


    "Someone better find us some grills," Haru declared. "Because in a few minutes, we¡¯ll be feasting on Endbringer meat!"


    ¡­


    Alexandria thought Haru had been joking, but as she watched the surreal scene unfold before her, she realized he''d been completely serious¡­


    Right now, in the middle of what had just almost been a warzone, Haru was calmly grilling pieces of the dead Behemoth. A dozen outdoor grills had been set up in front of him, all raided from nearby stores. He stood casually in front of all of them, expertly flipping steaks, completely unconcerned that the creature he was cooking had been considered the world¡¯s greatest threat just a few minutes earlier. Alexandria shook her head slowly. This was ridiculous. The corpse of the Behemoth lay only a short distance away, chunks of flesh already carved out of it. A small mountain of meat sat near Haru.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously cooking that thing?¡± Alexandria finally asked.


    Haru turned towards her with a relaxed smile. "Absolutely. I promised we¡¯d eat some Endbringer, and I always keep my promises when it comes to food." He nodded his head seriously.


    "You know it''s radioactive, right? Even after death¡­?" she asked cautiously, still not entirely convinced this was safe.


    Haru waved off her concern casually. "I handled that. Trust me, it''s totally safe. If it helps, I''ll taste it first."


    ¡°I think that would reassure everyone,¡± she replied dryly, a faint smile touching her lips despite herself.


    Haru chuckled, cut a fresh slice of steak, and popped it into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, his eyes closing as he savored the flavor.


    ¡­Finally, he nodded approvingly. ¡°Perfect,¡± he declared proudly, handing the first prepared plate directly to Alexandria. "Your steak, ma''am." He smirked at her.


    Alexandria stared at the paper plate in her hand, struggling not to laugh again. After all she''d seen, done, and endured, she was standing here, holding a piece of grilled Endbringer meat. She couldn''t help but glance around. Nearly every cape present was staring eagerly, watching her closely to see what she''d do next.


    Taking a deep breath, she raised the fork in her other hand. "All right, here goes nothing." She took a bite, bracing herself for anything but what she actually tasted. Warm, tender, perfectly seasoned meat practically melted in her mouth, and she released a quiet, involuntary moan of appreciation. "Oh my god¡­"


    Haru grinned triumphantly, arms folded in satisfaction. "Told you. Pretty good, huh?"


    "This isn''t just good," Alexandria admitted honestly, taking another bite. "This is delicious!¡± An Endbringer had no right to taste so amazing!


    After she declared that, the gathered heroes all piled up in a line, wanting their own tastes!


    ¨C The Butcher ¨C


    The latest incarnation of The Butcher grinned manically. He had been watching as the three massive fox-like case-53s effortlessly took down one of the strongest beings on the planet.


    He had been looking for someone strong enough to inherit the endless cycle of insanity inside him, and right now, each of those giant creatures seemed perfect.


    "They¡¯re perfect hosts," whispered the first Butcher in his head.


    "Any one of those foxes would give us power unlike anything before," echoed the fifth, excitedly.


    "Then let¡¯s go die already!" the eighth laughed wildly. "I¡¯m tired of this weak-ass body."


    The current Butcher chuckled to himself, radiating bloodlust as he pushed through the crowd of shocked heroes and villains. The idiots were all busy celebrating, oblivious to the monster walking among them. Some finally noticed him approaching, quickly turning hostile as they recognized who¡ªand what¡ªhe was.


    "Not another step, villain," a woman with striking braided red hair stepped in his path. She had a fierce, warrior-like appearance. "You won¡¯t interrupt my beloved and my sister while they¡¯re celebrating."


    "Ooh, she¡¯s pretty," hissed one of the Butchers. "Kill her slowly."


    The current Butcher smirked, tilting his head as if amused. "Sorry, sweetheart," he said darkly, "you¡¯re just in the way."


    Without hesitation, he activated his agony-inducing power, expecting her to crumple and scream until her heart stopped. But instead of falling, her eyes flashed with pure, raw hatred, and she unleashed an inhuman roar!


    "What the fuck?" the ninth Butcher shouted inside him.


    Before he could react, she launched forward, shifting rapidly into a huge, snarling werewolf right before his eyes. She slammed into him, driving him brutally to the ground.


    "YES!" the sixth Butcher cried in excitement. "She¡¯s strong! Take her instead!"


    The Butcher felt claws tear through his flesh effortlessly, his supposedly invincible durability useless against her fury. He tried to scream, but her teeth tore into his throat, and blood erupted everywhere, silencing his latest host forever.


    It didn¡¯t matter¡ªthis was exactly what he wanted. His spirit surged forward, eagerly waiting to possess the powerful new body. But something felt wrong.


    ¡­Instead of merging with the awesome sexy werewolf, The Butcher found himself standing in a strange, ethereal forest.


    He blinked, looking around to see the other nine Butchers standing beside him. They had all been separated again!


    HOW!? This was impossible!


    "What the hell is this?" the fourth Butcher demanded.


    "Where is the new host?" the second growled.


    A deep, resonant chuckle filled the forest around them, sending chills down their spines.


    "Naughty, naughty¡­" The mysterious voice drifted through the fog, mocking them. "Did you really think I¡¯d let you possess my favorite huntress? Such arrogance deserves punishment..."


    "Who the fuck are you?" demanded the first Butcher.


    "I am Hircine, the Prince of the Hunt. Welcome to my eternal hunting grounds. Your souls belong to me now¡ªand you¡¯ll remain here, trapped, for a very, very long time..."


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!!


    I have a patreo n. My subs can read advanced updates of my stories ahead of standard release and even check out pics for some of the more naughty chapters.


    Link:


    Patreo n .com (slash) Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 325-329


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 73


    The Fox Hole 72


    The Blood Queen 41


    The Fox Hole 71


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 70


    The Blood Queen 40


    Thunder and Black Wings 15


    The Fox Hole 69


    The Blood Queen 39


    The Fox Hole 68


    The Titan 30

 chapter 68

    Chapter 68: PHO and ¡°Haru-Naru¡±


    Welcome to the Parahumans Online message boards.You are currently logged in as Point-me-@-the-sky (Verified Cape)


    You are viewing:Topic: BEHEMOTH IS DEAD! WTF! (Massive Foxes Ate Him??)In: Boards ? Endbringer Attacks ? Current Events


    Bagrat (The guy in the know)(Original Poster)


    Holy shit! I don¡¯t even know how to come out and say this¡­


    But the Behemoth is dead. Like straight-up dead and not coming back!


    For those who don¡¯t check the news¡ªeven though you SHOULD because a freaking Endbringer attack was going on¡ªthe Behemoth attacked Boston.


    Heroes and villains arrived to hold him off¡ªbravely I might add, because he has the highest body count of the three monsters.


    Although it turned out they weren¡¯t needed, because three gigantic nine-tailed foxes decided to show up, rip the Behemoth apart... and then literally eat him.


    They even carved up his rock-hard meat, somehow cooked it to be edible, and served it to everyone afterward. And of course, this was all on camera¡ªLOTS of cameras!


    [Link] [Link] [Link] [Link]


    (Showing Page 1 of 29)


    ?XxVoid_CowboyxX (Temp Banned 1 Week)


    First! And it''s all fake! Come on sheeple! You think giant FOXES just popped out of nowhere and killed a freaking Endbringer?? Open your eyes, it¡¯s obviously CGI and propaganda from Earth Aleph¡¯s Lizard Government! Wake up!


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    @Void_Cowboy: You have been given a 1-week timeout. Please use this period to reconsider your posting habits.


    ?VistaIsBestCape (Vista Fanclub Pres.)


    This isn''t fake. Vista confirmed on social media it¡¯s real and she actually ATE some of the Behemoth meat. She rated it "10/10. Surprisingly tasty." Vista wouldn¡¯t lie. Praise Vista!


    ?Dopopo34 (Keyboard Warrior)


    Can somebody ban these creepy Vista fans already¡­ She''s like 12¡­


    ?Clockblocker (Verified Cape)


    @Tin_Mother¡¯s not lying. Ate it myself. Had three servings. Still alive, still handsome. Endbringer barbecue is now the official cuisine of Brockton Bay Protectorate.


    ?Point-me-@-the-sky (Verified Cape)


    Yo, I was there! These fox people are totes legit! I saw Haru turn the Behemoth into a steak personally. Also, Naruko is gorgeous up close. 100% fangirling!


    ?Greggy_boyo (Verified Cape Enthusiast)


    Hey Glory Girl! Big fan! Question though, didn¡¯t your mom tell you that you couldn''t go? I was watching Tv and saw that live


    ?Point-me-@-the-sky (Verified Cape)


    @Greggy_boyo: I snuck out and flew over to Boston when mom wasn¡¯t looking! Tehe¡­ I''m gonna be grounded but worth it!!!


    ?XxVoid_CowboyxX (Temp Banned 1 Week)(Alt Account: Void_Cowboy_Reborn also banned)


    You can''t silence the TRUTH Tin_Mother! This was clearly a bio-tinker experiment designed to pacify humanity into accepting alien overlords!!


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    @Void_Cowboy_Reborn: Your IP has been logged. Enjoy the permanent ban. You know we don¡¯t allow Alt accounts


    ?Tinfoil_Hat_Mafia (Cape Conspiracy Enthusiast)


    Ok, this time Void might have a point. I''m not buying the official narrative. Maybe it¡¯s not Earth Aleph¡¯s lizard overlords, but seriously, giant foxes appearing out of nowhere and casually eating the most terrifying Endbringer? This smells suspiciously convenient¡­


    ?Uber (Verified Villain)


    I never thought I¡¯d say this, but I''m on team fox now. Can someone get me a collectible version of those nine tailed foxes? Asking for a friend. (And that friend is me.)


    ?Leet (Verified Villain)


    @Uber: Traitor! ¡­Actually, get me one too.


    ?Miss_Militia¡¯s_Fan#342


    Anyone else see Kaiser get shot in the knee by a medieval Viking werewolf lady? Link: [Link]. Villains getting what they deserve. Absolutely chef¡¯s kiss.


    ?Point-me-@-the-sky (Verified Cape)


    OMG that was Aela! She¡¯s terrifying but amazing. Kaiser cried like a baby btw.


    ?Dragon (Verified Cape)


    Let me clarify for those wondering: the ¡°endbringer¡± meat was extensively tested and surprisingly it showed no signs of radiation afterward. The cooking method Haru used genuinely removed radioactive contamination. Yes, I know how it sounds. I¡¯ve triple-checked the results myself with multiple scanners¡­


    ?BostonsStrongest


    I live in Boston. Saw everything through my window. This was no stunt, folks. I thought we were goners, but those foxes literally saved our city. I might actually sleep tonight for the first time in years.


    ?ParanoidPanda


    Anyone else worried that eating the Behemoth could cause weird power mutations? Just me? Ok, cool. Still would¡¯ve eaten it though.


    ?Aegis (Verified Cape)


    Ate it. Still feel normal. A bit more energetic maybe? Honestly just glad Behemoth is dead. Everything else is gravy at this point.


    ?Bagrat (The guy in the know)(OP)


    Anyone catch that moment when Haru casually flirted with Naruko right in the middle of the fight? Priorities! ¡­Even if it was two foxes flirting. Which was kinda weird to see.


    ?Clockblocker (Verified Cape)


    @Bagrat: Bold of you to assume there¡¯s ever a bad time to flirt. Respect.


    ?Little_Miss (Vista Fanclub Member)


    Wait, didn''t Alexandria show up and actually joke about grilling Endbringer meat with Haru? Like Alexandria actually cracked a joke on camera?


    ?LaserDream (Verified Cape)


    She did! I was watching live with my jaw dropped the entire time. I thought Alexandria was physically incapable of humor.


    ?Tattletale (Unverified Cape)


    Nope, she¡¯s just been waiting thirty years for someone strong enough to make a joke with. Trust me on this.


    ?Point-me-@-the-sky (Verified Cape)


    @Tattletale: No one trusts you, villain! (But actually, you''re probably right about this.)


    ?Kaiser¡¯sActualKnee(Temp Account)


    Hello, I am the shattered remains of Kaiser¡¯s knee, and I can confirm this event really happened. I am dead now. Please send condolences.


    ?Bagrat (The guy in the know)(OP)


    @Kaiser¡¯sActualKnee: I can¡¯t stop laughing, what is happening here?


    ?VistaIsBestCape (Vista Fanclub Pres.)


    Anyone else realize that we now have no real reason to fear Endbringers? We literally ate one of them. I¡¯m starting to think the apocalypse might actually get cancelled this year.


    ?CrisisRed


    @VistaIsBestCape: Why would you say that? Now you¡¯ve jinxed it. Simurgh incoming in 3... 2...


    ?Gallant (Verified Cape)


    Never jinx it, guys. Seriously. But also, I ate some too, and I''m still alive. And I think my power might actually feel stronger?


    ?Dragon (Verified Cape)


    @Gallant: Please report to the nearest Protectorate station immediately for tests. This is not a drill.


    ?Greggy_boyo (Verified Cape Enthusiast)


    Endbringer meat = power upgrade confirmed??? Calling it now, this was all a conspiracy from Cauldron!


    ?Clockblocker (Verified Cape)


    @Greggy_boyo: The hell is a Cauldron?


    ?Greggy_boyo (Verified Cape Enthusiast)


    They¡¯re the secret illuminati that rule the world. How do you not know this, you work for them!? The dark web is full of stuff about them...


    ?Scary-Hat-Lady (Moderator)


    @Greggy_boyo:  ¡­And we know where you sleep so you better zip it. I just PMd you¡­


    ?Greggy_boyo (Verified Cape Enthusiast)


    Guys! I¡¯m scared! Crazy hat lady just sent me a picture of my own freaking bedroom!


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Keep it civil, everyone! Any more conspiracy nonsense, or threats and you¡¯ll join Void_Cowboy in ban-land. Also, @Scary-Hat-Lady: WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? You are not a moderator on this site!!!


    ?Scary-Hat-Lady (Moderator)


    I am now¡­


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    ¡­Why can¡¯t I delete your account!? That should be impossible!


    ?Scary-Hat-Lady (Moderator)


    Lol, get gud¡­


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    ¡­


    ?Greggy_boyo (Verified Cape Enthusiast)


    Whoa¡­


    ?Point-me-@-the-sky (Verified Cape)


    Don¡¯t piss off scary hat lady¡­ noted.


    ?Uber (Verified Villain)


    Who cares about that!? ALL HAIL OUR NEW FOX OVERLORDS!


    ?Bagrat (The guy in the know)(OP)


    What a day. We witnessed history, guys¡­


    End of Page 1


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood behind the counter of my restaurant, trying to cram leftover Endbringer meat into one of my magical fridges. The fridge, thankfully, was much bigger on the inside, making storage easier, but I still had to push pretty hard to fit the large crystalline chunks inside. It wasn''t exactly my favorite meat to cook, mostly because I had to rely on my "Chef" skill just to make it edible. But hey, at least people seemed to like it, and nobody died from radiation poisoning, so I couldn''t complain.


    Not all of the meat ended up here, of course. Alexandria and a bunch of government agencies had practically begged for pieces of the Behemoth for research.


    I had just closed the fridge when the door to the restaurant swung open with a forceful bang, causing me to jump slightly. Gabriel stormed in, her usually calm and graceful face twisted in an unmistakable pout. She was clearly upset¡ªactually, it was the first time I''d ever seen her so visibly frustrated.


    Even though the answer was obvious, I still had to ask. "Hey, Gabriel. So...how''d it go?"


    She let out an irritated huff, crossing her arms beneath her chest as she scowled adorably. "I don¡¯t want to talk about it. That bi¡ªI mean, that... meany got away again."


    Whoa. Did Gabriel almost swear just now? Things really must have gone badly up there in space¡­


    Before I could press further, the door from the kitchen swung open, and Naruko and Aela stepped out, both wearing fresh clothes borrowed from Rias. Their long, damp hair hung loosely, signaling they''d obviously just come out of the shower together. Even though I knew nothing sexual happened between them, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of jealousy¡ªespecially since Aela had asked Naruko to help wash her after dealing with some villain that she mauled while I was cooking.


    Naruko, on the other hand, had simply wanted to clean dirt out of her fluffy tails.


    They noticed Gabriel immediately and her expression.


    Naruko offered a sympathetic smile, while Aela assessed the angel¡¯s obvious frustration and seemed to instantly understand what had happened.


    "You''ll get her next time," Aela said confidently, giving Gabriel a nod of encouragement. "Even the most cunning prey eventually slips up. When she does, you''ll be ready."


    Gabriel brightened slightly, returning a gentle smile. "Thank you, kind werewolf." After a moment of quiet, she sighed softly. "I suppose I should be getting back to Heaven. Michael and my other siblings are probably starting to worry about me."


    "I get it," I said, leaning against the counter. "What do your siblings think about this place, anyway? You¡¯ve never brought any of them here."


    "Oh..." Gabriel hesitated, looking a bit shy as she shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Well, the truth is, I haven¡¯t actually told them yet."


    I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? Why not?"


    Gabriel looked away, a soft blush forming on her cheeks. "I just...really like coming here. It¡¯s nice having somewhere to go where I can just be Gabriel, you know? Not Gabriel the Archangel, protector of humanity, warrior of Heaven¡ªjust Gabriel." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naruko nodded in understanding, her fox tails flicking softly behind her. "Yeah, I completely get that. Back home, my brother and I aren¡¯t just ninja. We''re ''the Jinchuriki,'' weapons of the village, constantly under scrutiny. Here, I can just relax."


    Aela, however, scoffed, shaking her head proudly. "Hmph. Personally, I love standing out. Back in Whiterun, plenty of people call me ''that bitch''¡ªit''s clearly a mark of respect. Everyone knows exactly who''s in charge!"


    Naruko and I exchanged a quick glance.


    I wasn¡¯t entirely sure that Aela fully grasped the meaning of that particular term, especially given her tone. I decided not to correct her right now, though I''d definitely be having a talk with anyone I heard using it around her¡ªpreferably with my fists.


    Gabriel¡¯s expression softened, her smile returning. "Either way, thank you again for inviting me here. Next time that false angel dares to appear, please call upon me immediately. I swear to you, she won''t escape a third time."


    "I will," I promised, offering her a reassuring grin. "We''ll get her together."


    She nodded gratefully, then vanished in a flash of brilliant golden light, leaving a warm glow lingering briefly in the air.


    "Well," Naruko said after a pause, "that happened."


    After Gabriel left, Aela leaned casually against the counter and turned to me with a curious look. Her vivid green eyes sparkled playfully as she asked, "So, Haru, what are your plans now? Any more strange worlds to save?"


    I chuckled, running a hand through my hair as I considered my answer. "Honestly, I''ve been bouncing around between dimensions and fighting giant monsters a bit too often lately. I think I might stay closer to home for a few days. Maybe finally get some peace and quiet around here."


    Naruko tilted her head thoughtfully, her red tails swishing gently behind her. "Weren''t you talking about checking on Ainz, though? And what about that Rimuru guy as well?"


    I sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Yeah, I''ll probably swing by to see how Ainz is doing. As for Rimuru¡­" I paused, feeling my tails involuntarily stiffen behind me. The image of Rimuru''s shy but flirty conversations with my mother flashed through my mind.


    It wasn''t jealousy¡ªI mean, not really¡ªbut something about Mom possibly dating again made me a bit uncomfortable¡­


    Aela raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Oh? Does someone not approve of his mother''s new boyfriend?"


    I shot her a mild glare, though there was no real heat behind it. "I didn''t say anything like that. If Mom wants to date some slime guy, that¡¯s her business. I''m definitely not jealous."


    Naruko giggled behind her hand, obviously not believing me for a second. I felt my cheeks heat slightly but kept my mouth shut, deciding that further protests would only make things worse.


    Before I could dwell on it further, I felt a warm kiss on my cheek, pulling my attention back to Aela. She leaned closer, pressing herself gently against me, her breath warm against my ear. "Well, jealousy or not, I¡¯d say you deserve to celebrate your victory properly." Her voice lowered, taking on that familiar, sultry tone that always sent pleasant shivers down my spine. "I''d suggest heading back to your room and making good use of that big bed of yours¡­but I get the feeling our sweet Naruko isn''t quite ready for that yet."


    Naruko''s eyes widened instantly, her face turning a delightful shade of red. Her fluffy ears flattened in embarrassment. "I¡ªI''m definitely not ready to lose my virginity yet!" she stammered, clearly flustered. She quickly glanced between me and Aela, biting her lower lip anxiously. "But¡­ I mean¡­ if you two want to, you know, go ahead without me¡­"


    Aela laughed. "Oh, you''re just adorable, sister," she purred. Stepping forward, she gently cupped Naruko¡¯s blushing face and placed a gentle, reassuring kiss on her cheek, causing the fox-girl¡¯s blush to deepen further.


    As Aela stepped back, she gave Naruko a mischievous wink. Then, without warning, she delivered a playful slap to Naruko''s firm backside. The fox-girl let out a surprised squeak, her tails going rigid in shock.


    "Besides," Aela teased, grinning wickedly as she sauntered toward the door, "I got plenty of eyefuls of your amazing body while we showered together. You really shouldn''t keep Haru waiting too long."


    Naruko stared after Aela, eyes wide and face crimson. "I¡ªI¡­that''s not fair!"


    Aela chuckled deeply, tossing a casual wave over her shoulder as she walked out. "All''s fair in love and war, little sister!"


    The door swung closed, leaving Naruko and me alone, an awkward silence hanging between us.


    Finally, Naruko cleared her throat shyly. "She''s really¡­something, huh?"


    I couldn''t help but chuckle as I watched Aela confidently stride out the front door. She certainly was something. Strong, fearless, and always unapologetically herself. It was part of why I''d fallen for her so hard in the first place.


    When the door closed behind her, I turned my attention back to Naruko, standing quietly by the counter. Our eyes met, and my breath caught slightly in my chest. Her face was still flushed.


    Maybe it was my fox instincts acting up, but at that moment, I found her genuinely beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that the words slipped out before I even realized I was speaking. "You¡¯re really beautiful, Naruko," I said gently, my voice barely more than a whisper.


    Her purple eyes widened in shock. But then she smiled shyly. "Thank you," she murmured softly, voice trembling with genuine emotion. "That¡­that really means a lot coming from you, Haru."


    We stood there quietly for a moment, just soaking in the gentle warmth of the moment. My heart beat a little faster, prompting me to break the silence again. "Hey, Naruko," I started, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous. "Would you maybe want to go on a date with me? Just us. You''ve seen plenty of the yokai side of Kyoto, but I haven¡¯t really shown you around the human side of my world yet. I''d love to take you somewhere nice."


    Naruko wiped gently at her eyes, the blush returning to her cheeks in full force. She smiled softly, her tails swaying gently behind her in excitement. "I''d really like that," she said shyly. "Honestly, I¡¯ve been wanting to spend more time alone with you, but¡­I just wasn''t sure how to ask."


    I laughed softly, feeling relief wash over me. "You can always ask me anything. You don''t have to be nervous around me."


    Her eyes sparkled warmly, and she stepped a bit closer, reaching out to gently squeeze my hand. "I¡¯ll try to remember that. But just a heads up, I haven''t really been on many dates, so I might be a bit awkward."


    I squeezed her hand back reassuringly. "That''s perfectly fine. Honestly, I''m probably just as nervous as you are right now."


    She giggled sweetly at that, her ears perking up happily. "Well, that makes me feel a little better. So, what kind of things do humans do on dates in your world anyway?"


    I grinned at her enthusiasm. "Let¡¯s keep it classic. Dinner, maybe see a movie, take a walk around the city at night. Just simple stuff to start."


    Naruko''s smile brightened further. "That sounds wonderful.¡±


    ¨C Glory Girl ¨C


    It was well past midnight, but the celebration in Boston was still going strong. Vicky had spent most of the evening partying alongside Gallant, too excited about the endbringer¡¯s defeat to even care about how it might look to anyone who saw them together and thought she was cheating on her boyfriend ¡°Dean.¡±


    Who was going to worry about her dating drama right now, anyway? The world had just seen Haru and his friends rip apart an unstoppable monster. Her problems were definitely small potatoes compared to that.


    But eventually, even Vicky got tired. Deciding it was time to head home, she took to the skies, flying full speed toward Brockton Bay. Boston wasn''t that far¡ªabout a hundred miles or so. At her fastest, the trip only took about fifteen minutes.


    When she reached home, she hovered carefully by her bedroom window, relieved to see it still cracked open just as she¡¯d left it. Quietly, she lifted it up and slipped through, making sure not to disturb her mom or dad¡ª


    ¡°Welcome back, Victoria Dallon.¡±


    Vicky froze.


    Sitting on her bed, fully suited up in her Brandish costume, was her mother, Carol, and she did not look happy. The use of her full name was a pretty clear sign that things weren''t going to end well.


    ¡°Oh, um¡­hi, Mom,¡± Vicky said awkwardly, offering her mother an uncomfortable smile. ¡°What, uh¡ªwhy are you still awake?¡±


    Carol raised an eyebrow, looking entirely unimpressed with her dumb question. ¡°There was an Endbringer attack tonight, Victoria. Why in the world would you think I''d just go to bed early?¡±


    Vicky winced a bit at her mother¡¯s sharp tone. ¡°Well, because it¡¯s dead now?¡± she offered weakly.


    Carol gave her a flat, almost disbelieving stare. ¡°Really?¡±


    Vicky sighed dramatically, shoulders slumping. ¡°Am I grounded?¡±


    Her mother folded her arms. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Vicky groaned and threw her hands up. ¡°Oh come on! Haru literally killed the Behemoth in like two minutes. I wasn¡¯t even in danger! Nobody was!¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t the point!¡± Carol said firmly, her expression softening slightly with worry. ¡°You didn¡¯t know that when you snuck out. You willingly put yourself at risk, and you didn¡¯t even think to tell me.¡±


    ¡°How did you even know I snuck out in the first place?!¡±


    ¡°I monitor your PHO, and you literally posted you snuck out,¡± her mom told her flatly.


    Damn, Vicky really shouldn''t have posted that¡­


    She was just too hyped in the moment.


    Vicky¡¯s shoulders dropped, feeling a pang of guilt. She knew her mom meant well, but she really didn¡¯t understand. Carol had never actually visited the Fox Hole¡ªshe had no idea just how powerful Haru and his friends were! To Vicky, after spending time around literal god-like beings, the Endbringers barely seemed like a threat anymore!


    ¡°Mom, seriously,¡± she tried again, a bit softer now. ¡°You need to come see the Fox Hole yourself. If you met Haru, Aela, Naruko, or any of the others, you¡¯d understand why I wasn¡¯t worried at all. These guys are way beyond anything we¡¯ve ever faced before. Seriously, screw the Endbringers and screw Scion. Haru¡¯s crew makes them look like nothing.¡±


    Carol still didn¡¯t look convinced, but she hesitated, clearly intrigued by the intensity of Vicky¡¯s insistence. Taking the opportunity, Vicky pressed on quickly.


    ¡°You could come with me tomorrow! Please? Bring Dad, too. Maybe someone there could even help him with his depression! It''s not impossible¡ªI¡¯ve seen crazier things happen at that place.¡±


    That caught Carol¡¯s attention more than anything else Vicky had said. Her mother¡¯s expression softened noticeably, a flicker of hope briefly crossing her face before being quickly masked. Finally, Carol sighed, standing up from the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said reluctantly. ¡°But you¡¯re still grounded for a week.¡±


    ¡°Fiiine...¡± she pouted as her mother closed the door behind her.


    Just as Vicky let herself flop dramatically onto the bed with an exaggerated groan, her phone vibrated loudly on her nightstand. She picked it up, squinting at the bright screen, and saw a flood of new messages from PHO. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it up.


    Void_Cowboy_3:"CONFIRMED! Glory Girl cheating on her boyfriend!"


    Attached was a picture of her and Gallant dancing together¡­


    Vicky''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Oh, come on!" she groaned louder, burying her face in her pillow. "And Endbringer died and people really do care about my dating life?!¡± She then paused. ¡°...And I thought that troll Void got banned!"


    She really hated PHO sometimes¡­


    XXX


    Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 325-329


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 2


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 1


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 73


    The Fox Hole 72


    The Blood Queen 41


    The Fox Hole 71


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 70


    The Blood Queen 40


    Thunder and Black Wings 15


    The Fox Hole 69


    The Blood Queen 39

 chapter 69

    A/N: Hehe¡­ Chapter 69 ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)


    Chapter 69: funny lookin head


    ¨C Azazel ¨C


    Azazel sat uncomfortably across from Sirzechs and Serafall, feeling the intense heat of their glares.


    "So," he began awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck, "what exactly did you two want to talk about so urgently?"


    Serafall¡¯s pout deepened into an irritated frown. "Urgently? Azazel, we¡¯ve been trying to reach you for almost two weeks!"


    Azazel chuckled sheepishly. "Ah, right. Sorry about that. After visiting Haru¡¯s restaurant and witnessing literal alien technology, I got inspired for my artificial Sacred Gear project. You know how it goes¡ªI had to act on it right away."


    He¡¯d barely stepped out of his lab during those two weeks. If Azazel hadn''t been a twelve-winged fallen angel, he probably would¡¯ve died from exhaustion or dehydration by now. Thankfully, those human necessities were more of a recommendation for someone of his strength¡ªthough he did occasionally enjoy indulging himself.


    Judging by the irritated expressions of the two Maou in front of him, Azazel had clearly missed something crucial.


    Sirzechs folded his arms, his usually gentle gaze now stern. "While you were busy with your experiments, your subordinate Kokabiel blatantly marched into Kuoh Town and tried to assassinate both Rias and Sona."


    Azazel¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, his casual demeanor vanishing instantly. "He did what?! When?"


    "Two weeks ago," Serafall snapped sharply, her gaze piercing him like a blade.


    Azazel winced, feeling genuinely guilty. "Ah, hell¡­maybe I should actually check my messages once in a while. No wonder Penemue looked ready to tear my wings off when I saw her earlier."


    Serafall leaned forward, scrutinizing him closely. "Do you realize how serious this is, Azazel? Kokabiel was your responsibility, and he nearly killed our sisters! And the peace talks are officially on hold cause Yasaka is pissed off too! I¡¯m sure she¡¯s tried to contact you as well."


    ¡°She has!?¡± he asked in surprise.


    ¡°You kind of suck as a faction leader¡­¡± Serafall told him.


    ¡°I know but I¡¯m kinda all we have¡­¡± he admitted.


    She glared at him some more.


    Azazel held up his hands defensively. "I know, I know! Look, I''m not excusing any of all this, but at least tell me your siblings are okay."


    Serafall¡¯s expression shifted, a proud smirk crossing her lips as she leaned back confidently. "Oh, they''re more than okay! So-tan and Ria-tan kicked Kokabiel¡¯s ugly ass so thoroughly he had to run away like a coward!"


    Azazel blinked in surprise, genuinely impressed. "Really now? Damn. I didn¡¯t expect your little sisters to be that powerful already."


    Serafall''s smug grin widened triumphantly. "Damn right they are. My So-tan isn''t someone Kokabiel can bully around. She''s growing up so fast!"


    Sirzechs, however, remained serious, his eyes fixed steadily on Azazel. "That still leaves the question¡ªwhat exactly are you going to do about Kokabiel? He¡¯s your subordinate."


    Azazel scratched his chin thoughtfully.


    Honestly, Kokabiel probably already fled the Grigori after pulling such an idiotic stunt. There wasn''t much Azazel could realistically do besides damage control at this point. Still, he supposed he could at least check if Kokabiel was feeling cooperative enough to explain himself.


    "I guess I can call him and find out what the hell he''s thinking," Azazel offered with a casual shrug.


    Sirzechs stared at him blankly. Serafall gave him a look as though he''d just said something painfully stupid. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Call him?" Serafall repeated incredulously. "Seriously, Azazel, there''s no way he''s going to pick up your¡ª"


    Azazel already had his phone out, dialing the number. "Let''s see."


    To everyone''s surprise¡ªincluding Azazel''s¡ªKokabiel answered immediately.


    "Well, well, well¡­" Kokabiel''s arrogant voice dripped venom from the speaker, sharp and mocking. "You finally dragged your ass out of that pathetic lab of yours and noticed I was missing?"


    Azazel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I guess so. So, I heard you tried to assassinate two devil heiresses. Care to explain what that''s about?" he asked calmly despite the increasingly hostile glares coming from Sirzechs and Serafall across the table.


    Kokabiel practically growled through the phone, bitterness heavy in his voice. "I''m tired of pretending, Azazel! I''m sick of this pointless peace you''ve chained us to! We Fallen Angels are the strongest race¡ªand it''s about time I reminded everyone. I''ll admit, I was arrogant to assume those pampered little devils wouldn''t have decent protection. But," Kokabiel''s voice darkened ominously, "can you say the same about the youkai?"


    Azazel''s stomach clenched with dread. "What are you planning now, Kokabiel?" he demanded sharply.


    A low, humorless laugh echoed through the line. "That Gremory girl''s destruction magic actually managed to hurt me. They humiliated me, Azazel! So now I''m going to repay the favor. I''m going to Kyoto, and I''m going to murder that fianc¨¦ of hers!"


    "Tell me you''re not in Kyoto right now!?" Azazel snapped.


    Kokabiel laughed cruelly. "Damn right I am. Funny enough, I see Yasaka''s precious boy out enjoying a cute little date with another fox girl. How disgustingly adorable. Let''s see you idiots keep your precious peace after I kill them. The Youkai will be out for blood and I will have my war!"


    "Kokabiel, don''t you dare¡ª!" Azazel started angrily, but Kokabiel had already hung up, leaving nothing but silence. Azazel stared numbly at his phone for several seconds before shrugging helplessly, "Welp, that happened..."


    He glanced up, only to find both Maous already standing, fury etched clearly on their faces.


    "We need to get to Kyoto¡ªnow!" Sirzechs shouted, already preparing a teleportation spell.


    ¨C Naruko ¨C


    Naruko was genuinely enjoying her date with Haru. It had turned out even better than she''d hoped. Haru took her to a five-star restaurant far fancier than anything she''d ever seen back in the Leaf Village. Sitting at a table covered in white linen and sipping sparkling wine from crystal glasses, she genuinely felt like a princess.


    Then again, considering she technically was an Uzumaki princess, maybe this was just her finally getting a taste of what her life could''ve been if things had gone differently.


    She giggled quietly at the thought, gently brushing her fingers through her red hair to ensure her new fox ears remained properly hidden beneath an illusion. Having to conceal her tails felt a bit uncomfortable¡ªlike tucking your leg in at an awkward angle¡ªbut the delicious food and Haru¡¯s company on their date easily distracted her from that small inconvenience. The food wasn¡¯t nearly as good as Haru¡¯s divine cooking, of course, but the romantic candlelit atmosphere more than made up for that.


    "You know," Naruko said softly, leaning across the table with a shy but playful smile, "I could get used to this. Fancy dresses, romantic dinners... You¡¯re spoiling me, Haru."


    He chuckled lightly, his own smile turning tender. "You deserve to be spoiled, Naruko. I''m just sorry it took us this long to finally do this."


    Naruko blushed, reaching out to gently take his hand, her thumb tracing small circles on the back of it. "Better late than never, right?"


    "Absolutely."


    After dinner, Haru led her to a nearby movie theater. She had no idea what movie they''d even chosen, because from the moment they sat down in the darkened theater, Naruko¡¯s full attention was on Haru and Haru alone.


    It began innocently enough¡ªa gentle kiss¨Cbut it didn''t stay innocent for long. Soon they were locked in heated kisses, their breathing becoming heavy. His fingertips tracing teasingly down her thighs and hips. Naruko whimpered softly against his lips as his hand brushed dangerously close between her legs, nearly causing her to lose all self-control and let out a loud moan that drew attention...


    "Haru," she whispered breathlessly, "I¡ªI think we''re being a little too loud..."


    He chuckled quietly against her neck, placing another soft, teasing kiss just below her ear. "Yeah, I noticed the dirty looks we''re getting. We should probably go before they call the human police on us¡­"


    Blushing furiously, Naruko glanced around and noticed several irritated patrons glaring at them from nearby rows. Her cheeks felt hot enough to catch fire. "Ah, yeah...good idea."


    They quietly made their escape, slipping out of the theater with sheepish laughter.


    Back on the streets of Kyoto, they walked slowly, their fingers entwined comfortably. It was late enough that the streets were empty.


    "Hey," Haru said softly, glancing around briefly before giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I think it''s safe to let our tails out now. Nobody''s around."


    Naruko released a relieved sigh as she dropped the illusion, her nine fluffy red tails immediately appearing behind her, swaying happily in the cool night air. "Much better," she sighed, stretching slightly as she relaxed fully. "Keeping those hidden all night was uncomfortable. I¡¯m still getting used to them."


    Haru smiled warmly, gently wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer as they continued their walk. "Next time, let''s pick somewhere we won''t have to hide."


    Naruko leaned her head comfortably against his shoulder, her own arm wrapped snugly around his waist. "Honestly, I wouldn''t mind staying in the Fox Hole next time." She might have discovered that she liked to be pampered a bit, but that didn¡¯t automatically start making her a high maintenance woman.


    Naruko thought the night had been going perfectly. Great food, romantic ambiance, and plenty of time alone with Haru.


    It was exactly what she¡¯d hoped for¡­ except for the two annoying teenagers who¡¯d decided to stalk them through the empty streets of Kyoto.


    Yeah, she had noticed them. She wouldn¡¯t be any kind of proud kunoichi if she hadn¡¯t noticed them trying to sneak behind them¡­


    She glanced subtly over her shoulder again.


    Something about these two felt different from regular humans¡ªone of them had a clear yokai presence, but she wasn¡¯t experienced enough yet to figure out what type. The other one felt strange, like they were partly human and partly yokai.


    But hadn¡¯t Haru said something about partial yokai being impossible? Children were either born fully human or as Yokai. That was strange¡­


    Glancing at Haru, she noticed his eyes narrowed slightly, clearly aware of their little followers as well.


    He chuckled softly, leaning close enough to whisper into her ear. "Looks like we¡¯ve attracted a couple of curious kids," he murmured playfully, loud enough for their stalkers to overhear. "Isn''t it past your bedtime, young master Nura?"


    Almost immediately, there was an embarrassed squeak from behind a nearby corner. Naruko smirked as two teenagers sheepishly stepped into view.


    One was a boy around thirteen years old, with messy brown hair and round glasses perched awkwardly on his nose. He was tugging a girl of similar age along with him, her long black hair and icy-blue eyes giving her an ethereal appearance. The girl wore an irritated pout, clearly annoyed at having been discovered.


    "I''m not a little kid anymore, Haru!" the boy protested, adjusting his glasses indignantly. "I''m thirteen now, for your information! I don¡¯t have a bedtime!"


    The girl beside him scowled. "And you two completely ruined our night! You were practically climbing all over each other back at the movie theater. Everyone around us was uncomfortable!"


    Naruko blushed furiously, her ears flattening slightly against her head. She wasn''t exactly used to being called out so openly, especially by a pair of teenagers.


    Haru chuckled sheepishly beside her, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, sorry about that, little Yuki-Onna," Haru said. "We didn''t mean to interrupt your evening." He then turned to the boy, who was still adjusting his glasses and attempting to look older than he was. "It¡¯s been a while, Rikuo. What brings you and your friend here to Kyoto? The Nura Clan rarely leaves Ukiyoe Town."


    Rikuo sighed. "Grandpa suddenly decided he wanted to pay your mom a surprise visit. I tried to talk him out of it, but you know how stubborn he is. He dragged me and Tsurara all the way here with him¡­"


    "Yeah," Tsurara added grumpily, puffing out her cheeks in a childish pout. "Then the hotel ended up being super boring, and they didn''t even have anything good on TV! So I convinced the young master to go see a movie instead, and you two lovebirds completely ruined it! Hmph!"


    Naruko had been silently listening, trying to piece together the conversation, but she finally gave up. "Hey Haru," she asked quietly, nodding toward the two younger teens, "mind explaining who these two are?¡±


    "Ah, sorry Naruko. Allow me to introduce you properly." He gestured toward the younger boy. "This is Rikuo Nura, grandson of Nurarihyon and heir to the Nura Clan from Ukiyoe Town. He¡¯s technically the next head of one of Japan¡¯s strongest yokai clans¡ªthough he¡¯s still got some growing to do."


    Rikuo bristled at Haru¡¯s casual remark, but didn¡¯t argue.


    Haru continued, pointing at the pouting girl beside Rikuo. "And this young lady here is Tsurara, a Yuki-Onna who serves as Rikuo¡¯s personal attendant and guardian. We¡¯ve met a few times over the years.¡±


    I turned to Rikuo, giving him a teasing smile. "Sorry for interrupting your date. You know, Kunou is gonna be devastated when she hears about this." I had always suspected my little sister Kunou had a crush on the future head of the Nura Clan. Whenever they¡¯d played together as kids, while our families were meeting, she had this habit of throwing bugs into his hair.


    Girl¡¯s did that to guys they liked right? Or was it the other way around?


    Or maybe she just enjoyed bullying the quarter Yokai kid¡­


    Rikuo instantly flushed, waving his hands defensively. "It¡ªit wasn''t a date!"


    "Yes, it was!" Tsurara chirped happily, clinging tighter to his arm with a bright, unapologetic grin.


    He sighed heavily.


    Trying to spare Rikuo any further embarrassment, I gently squeezed Naruko''s waist. "Well, either way, my girlfriend Naruko and I should probably head back to my restaurant."


    Rikuo perked up at that, looking surprised. "Wow, you really did open a restaurant? You always talked about how much you loved cooking, but I thought you¡¯d end up stuck doing something boring like running your clan."


    "Hey!" Tsurara protested immediately, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance. "Being the head of the Nura Clan won¡¯t be boring, Young Master! It''ll be amazing!"


    Rikuo sighed again, adjusting his glasses wearily. "We can agree to disagree."


    Naruko chuckled beside me, leaning slightly closer. "You know, Haru, he reminds me of a calmer, glasses-wearing version of my brother."


    "If your grandpa¡¯s here for a meeting with my mom, then I¡¯m sure we''ll see each other again soon." I told Rikuo.


    He nodded.


    There was a flap of wings above us.


    "Aww, don¡¯t leave yet! I just got here and wanted to have a little fun first!"


    I groaned inwardly, looking up as an arrogant crow landed on the rooftop nearby.


    Great. I''d sensed a fallen angel nearby, but I''d figured it was some low-level messenger, not this idiot. After what he''d pulled with Rias and Sona back in Kuoh, I couldn''t believe he was stupid enough to show his face in Kyoto.


    Then again, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.


    Kokabiel grinned at us. "Tonight must be my lucky night¡ªnot only do I find Yasaka¡¯s precious son wandering around town, but the heir of the infamous Nura Clan as well! Killing both of you will definitely ignite the war I¡¯ve been craving!"


    Rikuo and Tsurara both froze, eyes wide as they stared up at Kokabiel. Rikuo went pale, gripping Tsurara¡¯s hand tightly. Tsurara herself was trembling slightly, clearly terrified by the fallen angel standing arrogantly on the rooftop.


    Naruko and I exchanged a bored look. Honestly, this guy had to be kidding. Kokabiel ruining our date was annoying enough, but him thinking he posed an actual threat was just pathetic.


    I tilted my head back and called out casually. "Do you actually think you can take me, Kokabiel? You do realize I''m Ultimate-class, right?" I paused, smirking slightly. And then some, I added silently.


    Kokabiel scoffed loudly, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Please. That so-called Rating Game between you and that Phenex brat was obviously rigged from the start. Everyone knows yokai are nothing but weak vermin!"


    Okay, now he was just pissing everyone off. Naruko looked ready to tear his wings off.


    Rikuo panicked behind me, his voice cracking. "W-what do we do?"


    Tsurara swallowed nervously, trying to steady herself. "Young Master, you should run. I''ll do my best to hold him off and buy you time. It''s my duty to protect you¡ªeven if I have to sacrifice myself."


    "No way!" Rikuo argued, voice shaking. "I''m not leaving you here!"


    "You have to, Young Master!" Tsurara insisted desperately, tugging at his arm. "I''ll buy you as much time as I can!"


    I sighed, turning around and giving them both a gentle but firm bop on the head. They blinked at me in surprise, momentarily forgetting their panic.


    "Relax, you two," I said, keeping my tone light and reassuring. "No one¡¯s sacrificing anything. Kokabiel¡¯s not worth that kind of drama."


    Naruko stepped forward, her tails flaring behind her as she cracked her knuckles, clearly irritated. "This loser seriously thinks he can threaten my man?" she growled confidently. "He''s about to learn today."


    I smiled proudly, watching her step confidently in front of me. Honestly, there was something incredibly hot about Naruko when she got fired up like this.


    Kokabiel sneered down at her, clearly unimpressed. "And who exactly are you supposed to be, girl?"


    "I''m Naruko Uzumaki," she announced loudly, cracking her knuckles again as she glared up at Kokabiel. "And I''m about to give you the beating your father should''ve given you the second your ugly face came into this world."


    "Sick burn¡­" I muttered under my breath.


    Kokabiel¡¯s face twisted in rage. With an angry snarl, he hurled a Lightspear directly at Naruko. "Die, you insolent little bitch!"


    Naruko didn''t even blink. She easily dodged to the side as the spear slammed into the street behind us, exploding into a burst of energy and rubble.


    Rikuo and Tsurara screamed and clung to each other. I grabbed them both quickly by their collars and dragged them several meters back, safely away from the chaos.


    "Stay here," I said firmly, placing them carefully behind me. "Naruko¡¯s got this."


    "Are you sure?!" Rikuo squeaked nervously.


    "Trust me," I reassured him confidently. "Kokabiel''s the one who should be worried."


    Meanwhile, Naruko had already blitzed onto the rooftop, moving so quickly Kokabiel was caught completely off guard. His eyes widened in shock as she closed the gap in seconds, launching herself straight at him with fierce intensity.


    "What the¡ª?" Kokabiel started, clearly startled. He tried to react, but before he could, three identical copies of Naruko burst into existence around him¡ªone behind, and two flanking each side. The fallen angel spun around frantically, completely overwhelmed.


    All four Narukos closed in, unleashing a ruthless barrage of blows. Punches and kicks came at Kokabiel from every angle, battering him mercilessly. Even without enhancing herself further with magicules, Naruko was still a Nine-Tailed Fox demon¡ªand definitely Ultimate-class in raw strength. Her fists struck like hammers, and Kokabiel staggered back helplessly under the relentless assault.


    The four gorgeous, fox girls continued beating Kokabiel into submission. Watching Naruko work was honestly mesmerizing. Each punch she landed sent Kokabiel stumbling backward, dazed and completely unable to defend himself. He couldn¡¯t even lift his arms to block anymore, her fists were moving too fast.


    "Is that really all you''ve got, crow-boy?" one of Naruko''s clones mocked as she drove a knee right into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.


    Another clone punched him squarely in the jaw, snapping his head sideways.


    "Damn you¡ª!" Kokabiel spat, but another clone quickly silenced him with a brutal uppercut to the jaw, sending a spray of blood and a tooth flying into the air.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin proudly. Naruko was something else. Beautiful, strong, and completely ruthless when provoked. She was perfect. The four beautiful red-headed foxes continued beating Kokabiel mercilessly for another few moments, each strike landing with crushing force until the fallen angel finally collapsed onto the rooftop, groaning pathetically.


    Naruko, clearly satisfied, dismissed her shadow clones with a casual wave. They vanished in small puffs of smoke, and she hopped gracefully from the roof, landing effortlessly beside me.


    "You did amazing," I said warmly, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her softly on the cheek.


    She giggled happily, pressing herself closer to me. "Thanks. That guy was annoying. I feel way better now."


    Rikuo and Tsurara both stared at Naruko with open awe, mouths practically hanging open. Tsurara even rubbed her eyes, as if she still couldn''t quite believe what she''d just seen.


    Before they could say anything, an elderly voice cut through the quiet street.


    "That was quite impressive, young lady. I wasn¡¯t aware that Yasaka had hidden away another Nine-Tailed Fox. Quite sneaky of her, indeed..."


    All of us spun around.


    Standing calmly a short distance away was a short old man with an elongated head, dressed in a traditional yukata.


    Nurarihyon.


    I hadn''t sensed him at all. Impressive. "And just how long have you been standing there?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him with a playful grin.


    Nurarihyon turned slowly toward me. "Long enough to see this foreign fool try to murder my precious grandson," he replied calmly. His gaze then shifted down to Kokabiel, who was lying unconscious at Naruko''s feet, and all amusement vanished from his expression.


    I glanced upward as a flash of golden teleportation magic lit up the street. "Ah, shit," Azazel groaned, rubbing his forehead as he appeared in midair along with Sirzechs and Serafall. "We''re too late, aren''t we?"


    "Afraid so," I said casually, waving at my future brother-in-law. "Hey, Sirzechs. Didn''t expect to see you tonight."


    Sirzechs offered a strained smile, shaking his head as he landed beside Azazel. "We were trying to stop Kokabiel before he caused another inter-pantheon incident," he sighed, clearly exasperated. He eyed Kokabiel¡¯s battered, unconscious form on the ground, then glanced at Naruko with mild amazement. "Though it looks like we weren¡¯t really needed."


    Naruko grinned proudly beside me, crossing her arms confidently. "You definitely weren¡¯t."


    Serafall glared daggers at Azazel, hands on her hips, making him shift awkwardly under her icy stare. "I told you," she snapped.


    "Look, I said I was sorry!" Azazel protested, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "I honestly had no idea he was this reckless."


    "Clearly," Serafall muttered darkly.


    Before Azazel could attempt another weak excuse, Nurarihyon marched right up to him, eyes cold with barely contained fury. "Speaking of reckless, Azazel¡ªhow exactly do you intend to make amends to the Nura Clan? Your subordinate just tried to murder my precious grandson. Surely you know how serious this is."


    Azazel paled slightly under the yokai''s piercing gaze. "Er, well, we''ll discuss compensation, I promise¡ª"


    "That won''t be good enough," Nurarihyon said sharply. "This isn''t something that can be waved away casually."


    I felt the sudden spike in tension clearly, like everyone around us was collectively holding their breath. Rikuo and Tsurara shuffled uncomfortably, glancing nervously at each other. I caught Naruko''s eye, but she just shrugged helplessly. Politics wasn''t her thing either, apparently.


    Just when I thought things couldn''t get any more complicated, a familiar, gentle voice echoed playfully down the street. "Ara...so many distinguished guests have come to Kyoto tonight."


    I smiled, feeling a wave of relief as my mother gracefully stepped out of thin air, her presence sliding effortlessly around everyone''s senses.


    Even Nurarihyon flinched in surprise as Yasaka appeared beside us, her twelve magnificent tails spread out behind her in an unmistakable display of power. Sirzechs, Serafall, and Azazel all stared at my mother, clearly astonished by the sheer weight of power she radiated. It made me grin slightly¡ªmy mother always knew how to make an entrance.


    The old yokai¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He stared at my mother openly, his voice barely above a whisper. "So it¡¯s true¡­" he murmured softly, clearly awestruck. "The rumors were right. The yokai truly have our own goddess now."


    Yasaka chuckled softly, neither confirming nor outright denying his words. "Ara, not quite yet, Nurarihyon. Though I appreciate the sentiment."


    Serafall finally broke the stunned silence. "Wow, Yasaka! You feel ridiculously strong!" Her curious gaze flicked over to me. "You know, Haru feels much stronger, too. Way stronger than the last time we met."


    "I''ve been eating my vegetables," I joked lightly, unable to resist. "Cooked by yours truly, of course."


    Silence.


    I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Tough crowd¡­"


    Naruko giggled softly next to me, squeezing my arm gently. At least someone appreciated my humor.


    Yasaka, ignoring my failed attempt at comedy, calmly raised a delicate hand. Kokabiel¡¯s unconscious, bruised body immediately rose off the ground and floated through the air, landing unceremoniously in Azazel¡¯s startled arms. He almost dropped him.


    "Please," my mother said coolly, giving Azazel a stern glare, "try to keep your trash in Grigori territory next time."


    Azazel swallowed nervously, shifting Kokabiel¡¯s limp weight awkwardly in his arms. "Yeah, sorry about this mess, Yasaka. I''ll...uh, do better."


    Yasaka then turned to me and Naruko and smiled. ¡°You two look adorable together as always. Sorry your date got interrupted by all this. Haru, why don¡¯t you take young master Rikuo and Tsurara-chan back to your restaurant for a few hours while the rest of us¡­discuss everything that went on back at my palace.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little late, but I guess I can make some coffee.¡± I shrugged and gestured for the teens to follow me.


    XXX


    Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 325-329


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 3


    The Fox Hole 74


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 2


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 1


    Thunder and Black Wings 17


    The Fox Hole 73


    The Fox Hole 72


    The Blood Queen 41


    The Fox Hole 71


    Thunder and Black Wings 16


    The Fox Hole 70


    The Blood Queen 40


    Thunder and Black Wings 15

 chapter 70

    Chapter 70: Isekai talk and ¡°the adventures of a fox girl¡­prologue.¡±


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Rikuo and Tsurara were slumped in a booth, both completely knocked out. They¡¯d managed to stay awake for maybe two hours, but the heated discussions back at Yasaka¡¯s palace dragged on for so long it was now well past dawn, and they still weren''t done.


    Politics was a nightmare.


    I yawned, fighting off exhaustion despite the borderline supernatural coffee I''d brewed for myself all night. I¡¯d enhanced it with a touch of yokai magic, figuring it would keep me alert longer, but even that wasn¡¯t enough. My eyelids felt heavy.


    Naruko had surrendered to sleep a while ago and was now curled up comfortably in my bedroom down the hall. She wasn¡¯t much of a coffee drinker¡ªa tragedy, really, since coffee was the greatest beverage ever created¨Caccording to Tanya at least...


    A gentle creak sounded from the restaurant¡¯s front door, pulling my attention away from my thoughts. Lupusregina Beta poked her head in, those cute wolf ears of hers twitching lightly beneath her signature hat. Her eyes brightened when she saw me sitting alone at one of the tables, nursing my coffee.


    ¡°Haru!¡± she said brightly, stepping fully inside and waving enthusiastically. ¡°Hey! Long time no see! Sorry I¡¯ve been so busy lately¡ªAinz-sama¡¯s had me running around nonstop. We haven¡¯t even had a chance to play together!¡±


    I chuckled softly, giving her a casual wave. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Lupusregina. Life¡¯s been a little chaotic here, too.¡±


    Her eyes flicked toward the two sleeping teens in the booth and then back to me, an amused smile on her lips. ¡°Looks like it,¡± she giggled softly. ¡°Did you have some kind of sleepover party without inviting me?¡± she jokingly pouted.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I sighed, smiling despite myself. ¡°Just an attempted assassination followed by  politics. Nothing fun or exciting, unfortunately¡­¡±


    She tilted her head curiously, taking in my tired expression. ¡°You look exhausted. Maybe you should get some rest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± I assured her. My eyes lingered briefly on Lupus¡¯s playful expression. Her company was interesting, though our relationship was still ambiguous at best.


    We¡¯d had exactly one date, and while she seemed genuinely interested in me, part of me wondered if that was just her werewolf instincts trying to find a suitable mate. Either way, her playful teasing kept things interesting.


    Just then, the front door behind her opened wider, and Ainz stepped calmly into my restaurant. He was in his human form. He glanced around quietly, noting Rikuo and Tsurara¡¯s slumped forms before returning his gaze to me.


    ¡°Ah, good. You¡¯re here,¡± Ainz said, his voice polite and calm as always. He then glanced at Lupusregina and told her that¡¯d hed like to talk to me alone.


    Lupusregina pouted dramatically but nodded obediently. ¡°Right, right, Ainz-sama. You boys want privacy. Lame¡­.¡± As she backed out through the dimensional doorway, she shot me a playful wink, her tail swishing behind her. ¡°Catch you later, Haru,¡± she teased softly, before closing the door behind her.


    Ainz watched the door click shut, then turned to me with a thoughtful look. ¡°Who are those two over there?¡± he asked, gesturing toward Rikuo and Tsurara as they slept in the booth. ¡°I don¡¯t recall meeting them before.¡±


    I rubbed my tired eyes. ¡°They¡¯re Rikuo Nura and Tsurara. Rikuo¡¯s the grandson of Nurarihyon, which makes him the future head of the Nura Clan. Tsurara¡¯s his Yuki-Onna attendant and sometimes guard. Long story short, an annoying fallen angel tried to kill them and me and now everyone is all worked up about it¡­¡±


    Ainz nodded slowly, taking that in. ¡°Your life is strange,¡± he said evenly, ¡°though I¡¯m probably not one to talk. I¡¯ve had my fair share of bizarre experiences myself lately.¡±


    He made a subtle gesture with his hand, and a shimmering barrier appeared around the teens¡¯ table. I recognized it as a silencing spell, no doubt meant to keep our conversation private and avoid waking them.


    I raised an eyebrow at him curiously. ¡°So what¡¯s on your mind, Ainz?¡±


    For a moment, he seemed uncertain how to start. Finally, he exhaled softly and looked me in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend, Haru.¡±


    That caught me off guard. My chest tightened in a strangely pleasant way. ¡°You¡¯re a good buddy too, man,¡± I replied with a grin, genuinely touched.


    Ainz hesitated, like he was weighing his words. ¡°I used to have a lot more friends, but they all left me. Life happened, or maybe they just moved on. Either way, I ended up alone. So meeting you¡­ it meant a lot more than you might realize.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± I said gently. ¡°I can relate, though. Before I opened this restaurant, I never really had any friends either. Most of my time was spent with my family. Sometimes I wonder if that makes me some kind of mama¡¯s boy.¡± I shuddered dramatically at the thought.


    Ainz let out a quiet chuckle. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about that. But, actually, that¡¯s part of what I wanted to talk about. Lately, I¡¯ve realized I probably wouldn¡¯t have liked the person I would¡¯ve become if this restaurant¡ªif you¡ªweren¡¯t here.¡±


    I tilted my head, my ears flicking with curiosity. ¡°What happened?¡±


    He glanced at me, expression grim. ¡°I was on a battlefield, looking down at hundreds of thousands of soldiers forced to fight me. I seriously considered wiping them all out. My old friends would¡¯ve been ashamed if I had gone through with it.¡±


    I swallowed, the weight of his words sinking in. ¡°Damn, Ainz. That¡¯s heavy.¡± After a brief pause, I shrugged helplessly. ¡°I can¡¯t really judge, though. None of the soldiers sent to attack Carne survived either. Sure, I didn¡¯t kill them, but I didn¡¯t save them when a dragon swooped in and devoured them all.¡±


    Still gross to remember¡­


    Ainz looked slightly disturbed, clearly wanting to ask more. Instead, he seemed to push the thought aside and blurted, ¡°Haru¡­ I used to be human.¡±


    That made me freeze for a second. ¡°Wait¡ªseriously?¡± I stared at him for a long moment, trying to process what he¡¯d just said. ¡°You went through an Isekai?¡± I finally asked, my voice sounding more curious than shocked.


    Ainz nodded, looking strangely relieved to share this. ¡°Yes. I used to be a human in a different world¡ªone that was pretty harsh, to put it mildly.¡±


    I rubbed my forehead, letting out a small laugh. ¡°You know the first rule about Isekai is that you don¡¯t talk about your Isekai,¡± I joked, half to lighten the mood. Although I was a firm follower of that rule myself¡­


    He managed a quiet chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m well aware. I was quite the otaku back in my old life, despite how terrible the world itself was.¡±


    I gestured for him to go on. ¡°Terrible in what way?¡±


    Ainz sighed, his tone turning grim. ¡°Evil corporations basically ran everything. People worked for almost no wages, the environment was destroyed by World War III, and everyone had to wear masks outside. Real food was a luxury¡ªmost people got by on this processed paste.¡± He paused, seeming to recall the taste with disgust. ¡°The only good thing was gaming. Technology reached a level where virtual worlds were basically real.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Damn. That sounds rough.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± Ainz confirmed. ¡°But there was a game called Yggdrasil. That¡¯s where I met all my friends. We built a guild together, and it was like a second home for us, until real life eventually pulled everyone away. One by one, they all quit, leaving me behind.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear that,¡± I said quietly.


    Ainz waved a hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t blame them. They had lives and responsibilities. I just ended up loving the guild too much to let go. Then, when the servers shut down, I was transported to this new reality¡ªalong with the entire place we¡¯d built. That¡¯s how Nazarick and all my subordinates came to life. I made them with my friends.¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me Nazarick wasn¡¯t just something you found, you actually created it¡­ along with every loyal servant inside?¡±


    He gave a small, proud nod. ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s impressive,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ainz replied, letting out a soft breath. ¡°Thanks for listening, Haru.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never betray a bro. My lips are sealed.¡± I gave him a playful salute.


    He smiled slightly, looking relieved. ¡°I appreciate it. Honestly, I¡¯ve been feeling the pressure lately. My subordinates see me as a supreme being, and it¡¯s¡­ a lot to handle sometimes.¡± He took a moment, gathering his thoughts. Then he spoke again, voice quieter. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. If your restaurant ever connects to my old world, I want to save it. I want to take down those evil corporations that ruined everything¡ªand give my old friends the lives they deserved.¡±


    My lips curved into a grin. ¡°That¡¯s a noble goal. Count me in.¡±


    Ainz nodded firmly. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. It¡¯s only been a few months since I left, and it¡¯s not like conditions there can get much worse. My friends had jobs, so they should be safe for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Well, whenever it happens, you¡¯ve got my support,¡± I said.


    Ainz let out a relieved sigh, as though shedding a heavy weight. He glanced me over again, his eyes lingering on my tails. ¡°So,¡± he said in a lighter tone, ¡°what have you been up to since our last party? You have ten tails now. I can¡¯t even get an accurate reading on your power level anymore. What happened?¡±


    I chuckled, giving my tails a quick glance. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. And it¡¯s mostly Rimuru¡¯s fault.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve got time. Albedo and Shalltear are both asleep¡ªapparently I wore them out.¡± He smirked slightly.


    ¡°Nice.¡± We shared a quick fistbump.


    ¡­


    About an hour later, we had a fresh pot of coffee sitting between us. Rikuo and Tsurara were still out cold in the booth. I finished explaining my latest adventures¡ªeverything from meeting Milim Nava to the evolution process that gave me the extra tail and then being ¡°named¡± on top of that.


    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainz murmured thoughtfully, sipping his own cup of coffee. ¡°So, just how strong would you estimate this Milim Nava is?¡±


    I shrugged, leaning back in my seat. ¡°Hard to say for sure, but way stronger than me or my mom. She¡¯s got twelve tails now, I¡¯ve got ten, and we¡¯re roughly equal in power. But even together, I doubt we could so much as scratch Milim.¡±


    Ainz gave a low whistle. ¡°That¡¯s something, all right. Maybe I should visit that world myself if it¡¯s handing out level-ups for free.¡± He chuckled, no longer bothering to hide his gaming jargon now that I knew he was an isekai video game character.


    ¡°Not gonna lie, the free power-up was nice,¡± I admitted, ¡°but the evolution process itself is freaky. You hear this ¡®world voice¡¯ in your head, and you can¡¯t move at all while it¡¯s happening. Closest thing I can compare it to is sleep paralysis.¡±


    Ainz looked intrigued but also a little uneasy. ¡°I guess nothing in life comes without a catch.¡±


    I was about to suggest we could head to that dimension sooner rather than later, but suddenly the restaurant¡¯s front door swung open.


    My little sister, Kunou, burst inside with an energetic shout. ¡°I¡¯m here for breakfast, onii-chan!¡± Her multiple tails swished happily behind her as she raced across the room.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile, even through my fatigue. Kunou was too adorable to turn away. No matter how worn out I felt, I¡¯d never be too tired to cook for her. Still, I was hoping to collapse in bed with Naruko soon.


    But Kunou wasn¡¯t alone. My mother Yasaka entered next, followed by Azazel, Nurarihyon, Serafall, and Sirzechs. They all had dark circles under their eyes. Apparently, the palace discussions had finally ended.


    Nuraihyon immediately made his way towards his grandson. Nurarihyon carried Rikuo and Tsurara over his shoulders like sacks of rice, looking only slightly inconvenienced by their weight. He gave me a nod of thanks. ¡°I appreciate you looking after my grandson and his attendant,¡± he said politely.


    I waved a hand, trying not to yawn in the process. ¡°No problem at all.¡±


    Nurarihyon glanced around my restaurant with mild curiosity. ¡°You have a nice setup here, Haru. I¡¯d like to check it out more, but I''ll get out of your fur for now.¡± He cast a sidelong look at Azazel and smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten all the information I wanted, not to mention certain reparations.¡±


    Azazel winced slightly, but said nothing. Damn, they all must have all really reamed him in the discussions. That¡¯s what he gets for not looking after his subordinates though.


    Although, Kokabiel was always going to be an asshole regardless.


    Nurarihyon then turned his attention to Ainz, studying him for a moment before letting out a low chuckle. ¡°Interesting,¡± he murmured, then he headed for the door, carrying Rikuo and Tsurara as he left.


    Sirzechs caught my eye, noticing how I could barely keep my head from drooping. ¡°Haru, if you want to get some rest, we can leave.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Kunou interjected with a pout, stamping her foot. ¡°Haru-nii has to cook breakfast for me first!¡±


    Yasaka gave her a scolding look. ¡°Your brother is exhausted, Kunou. He was up all night.¡±


    I held up a hand, offering a tired grin. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom. I don¡¯t mind making everyone a meal. I¡¯ll sleep after.¡± I enjoyed cooking too much to say no, and I was kind of hungry myself.


    With that settled, I slipped into the kitchen. As I started prepping ingredients and cracking eggs into a hot pan, I overheard Serafall and Sirzechs greeting Ainz.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you both,¡± Ainz replied in a relaxed tone. ¡°Haru is my best friend.¡± I nearly tripped when I heard him say that. I couldn¡¯t help but grin though.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let Agnar hear you say that,¡± Yasaka teased from the dining area, pushing two tables together so everyone could sit comfortably together. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want him getting jealous.¡±


    I chuckled under my breath, plating the first of the omelets. My exhaustion wasn¡¯t going away, but hearing Ainz call me his best friend gave me a welcome boost of energy. Sometimes, it was the little things that kept you going¡­


    I made everyone breakfast before I decided to head to bed for a few hours.


    ¨C Kunou ¨C


    Kunou pouted deeply when breakfast ended and everyone began rising from their seats. She wasn¡¯t ready for breakfast to be over yet, but it seemed nobody else shared her enthusiasm.


    Her mother Yasaka stood up, gently rubbing her temples and yawned. Even Haru, who usually spoiled her with attention, trudged off to the back of the restaurant with a sleepy wave, heading straight to his bedroom without another word.


    Kunou blinked in disbelief as everyone started to leave. They¡¯d completely forgotten about her! She crossed her arms, scowling fiercely at Haru¡¯s closed door.


    On top of that, Tanya¡ªher best friend and usual partner in crime¡ªwas busy spending the day with Viktoriya. Whenever those two were together, Tanya became all lovesick and boring¡­.


    Kunou sighed dramatically. She couldn¡¯t even get to tease Rikuo since his grandfather had whisked him away before she had the chance. She still had plenty of ideas on how to torment him stored up, but it looked like those would have to wait until his next visit to Kyoto!


    He got lucky this time¡­


    ¡°I need something fun to do,¡± she muttered to herself.


    Recently, both her mom and big brother had become a lot stronger. Kunou could feel their new strength whenever they were nearby¡ªit practically buzzed in the air around them. When she¡¯d asked her mother about it earlier, Yasaka had mentioned visiting another dimension¡ªthe world of someone named Rimuru, whoever that was.


    Kunou glanced thoughtfully at the door. Well, why not?


    Her lips curled into a mischievous smile as she skipped toward the doorway. If her family could power up there, then she could too. She didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s permission for this¡ªafter all, they¡¯d all abandoned her for sleep anyway.


    ¡­But her excitement quickly turned into panic. The moment she stepped into the new world, her body froze completely!


    ¡°Now commencing evolution¡­¡±


    ¡­


    After what felt like forever, the paralysis suddenly ended. Kunou stumbled forward, barely managing to catch her balance.


    Her breath came quickly as she examined herself. She still had nine tails, so physically she seemed mostly the same. But she sensed a new power coursing through her body¡ªa strange, warm energy that her instincts told her was called magicules. She¡¯d also apparently received a ¡°Unique Skill,¡± whatever that meant. Kunou wasn¡¯t much of a gamer, preferring real-life mischief, so the concept felt vague and abstract to her.


    Still shaky, Kunou straightened up and looked around. The village was completely empty. Not a single person was nearby.


    ¡°How boring¡­¡± Kunou sighed. Where was everyone?


    Suddenly, a cheerful voice called from behind her, nearly making Kunou leap out of her skin. ¡°Hey there, little fox girl! Where¡¯d you come from!?¡±


    Kunou spun around, tails puffing up defensively. She stared up into the bright eyes of a smiling girl with long twin tailed pink hair.


    Kunou raised a finger, silently pointing at Haru¡¯s restaurant door behind her. ¡°I came from there.¡±


    The pink-haired girl tilted her head curiously, her smile growing even brighter. ¡°Oh? Are you related to Haru, then?¡±


    Kunou nodded quickly, feeling a spark of pride. ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s my big brother.¡± She rolled her eyes dramatically. ¡°But right now he¡¯s asleep and being super boring. He was awake all night, so he¡¯s ignoring me!¡±


    ¡°Awww,¡± the pink-haired girl groaned dramatically. ¡°That¡¯s no fun. I was hoping to play with Haru today, too.¡± She smiled again, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°My name¡¯s Milim! But you can call me ¡®Big Sister Milim-chan!¡¯¡±


    Kunou blinked at Milim for a moment, then smiled in return. ¡°I¡¯m Kunou. So, you came here just to play with my brother?¡±


    He sure had a lot of new friends lately. Sometimes it made Kunou a bit jealous. She wanted more friends too!


    ¡°Since Haru¡¯s being lame right now, how about you and I play instead?¡± Milim suggested.


    Kunou¡¯s tails immediately began wagging with excitement. Finally, someone who understood her priorities. ¡°Really? That sounds fun!¡±


    Milim nodded energetically. ¡°Of course! What do you want to do first?¡±


    XXX


    Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 326-330


    The Fox Hole 76


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 4


    The Fox Hole 75


    The Fox Hole 74


    The Blood Queen 42


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 3


    The Fox Hole 74


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 2


    (New Worm Story) A Systematic Tale: The Hero 1 sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thunder and Black Wings 17


    The Fox Hole 73


    The Fox Hole 72


    The Blood Queen 41


    The Fox Hole 71


    Thunder and Black Wings 16

 chapter 71

    Chapter 71: A Fox Girl, a Demon Lord and Two Heroines Vs the ???


    ¨C Kunou ¨C


    ¡°Since Haru¡¯s being lame right now, how about you and I play instead?¡± Milim suggested.


    Kunou¡¯s tails immediately began wagging with excitement. Finally, someone who understood her priorities. ¡°Really? That sounds fun!¡±


    Milim nodded energetically. ¡°Of course! What do you want to do first?¡±


    ¡­


    Kunou considered the question for a moment before her ears perked up. "Do you wanna play heroes together?" she asked.


    Milim smirked and placed a hand on her hip. "You know, I''m actually a Demon Lord, right? I don¡¯t think I''ve ever tried playing the hero before. How exactly does that work?"


    Kunou giggled, her excitement growing. "We run around punching bad guys and saving the day, obviously!"


    "Oh!" Milim laughed, cracking her knuckles playfully. "I can definitely handle that. Punching people is one of my specialties."


    Kunou grinned broadly and took Milim''s hand, leading her back toward the Fox Hole. Her mind raced, considering which dimension would be best for playing heroes. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, that she didn''t realize she''d walked right into someone until she stumbled backward.


    "Oh¡ªsorry!" Kunou said quickly, glancing up at the person she''d bumped into.


    "It''s fine, Kunou," a familiar voice responded warmly.


    Kunou''s eyes widened in surprise. "Vicky?" she exclaimed. Glory Girl stood smiling at her in full costume.


    Vicky''s sister, Amy, stood slightly off to the side, wearing a bored expression as she glanced around the restaurant. Next to Amy were two adults who appeared to be their parents, both also dressed in bright, superhero costumes.


    "What are you guys doing here?" Kunou asked curiously, tilting her head slightly as her tails waved gently behind her.


    "We came to see Haru," the older woman replied in a crisp voice. She had short blonde hair and a serious expression. "I''m Carol Dallon, but you can call me Brandish when I''m in costume. Who might you be, little one?"


    "This is Haru''s adorable little sister," Vicky answered with an affectionate grin, ruffling Kunou''s hair and ears lightly.


    Kunou quickly shook her head, fixing her hair while puffing her cheeks slightly in embarrassment.


    "Where''s your brother, anyway?" Vicky asked.


    Kunou scrunched her nose and stuck out her tongue. "He''s asleep in the back with his girlfriend," she said, making a face.


    Immediately, Vicky and Amy''s cheeks turned bright red.


    Carol sputtered slightly, caught off guard by Kunou''s bluntness, and shot her husband a sharp look. The dad, however, seemed uninterested and distracted, his eyes drifting around the restaurant as though he wasn''t entirely present.


    Kunou tilted her head slightly, wondering what was wrong with this guy?


    Just as Kunou opened her mouth to ask another question, Milim loudly cleared her throat from behind. Everyone jumped slightly, turning their attention toward the annoyed-looking pink-haired girl.


    Milim crossed her arms beneath her chest, pouting exaggeratedly. "Hey! How long were you all planning on ignoring me?"


    "And who might you be?" Carol asked.


    Milim''s lips curled into a confident grin, placing one hand proudly on her hip. "I''m Milim Nava, Demon Lord extraordinaire! But today, I''m playing the role of a hero, and I¡¯ll be fighting crime alongside Kunou here!"


    Carol blinked, clearly skeptical. "Demon Lord...?" she echoed uncertainly, glancing toward Kunou.


    Kunou shrugged at Carol¡¯s skeptical look. "Milim¡¯s a friend of my big brother''s."


    "Awww!" Milim whined dramatically, quickly wrapping her arms around Kunou from behind and squeezing affectionately. "I want us to be friends too! Didn''t I tell you to call me Big Sister Milim-chan?" she pouted.


    Kunou blushed, her ears flattening slightly against her head. Milim¡¯s hug was surprisingly tight, squishing her a bit. Feeling both embarrassed and happy, she finally murmured shyly, "Okay¡­ Big Sister Milim-chan."


    "Yay!" Milim cheered triumphantly, hugging Kunou even tighter, her grin wide and joyful. After another moment, Milim released her and turned her gaze toward the group of startled humans. "Anyway, Haru is sleeping right now, so you should all just leave him alone and go home!"


    Amy scoffed softly under her breath, crossing her arms and clearly unimpressed by Milim¡¯s blunt dismissal. Carol frowned slightly, glancing at her husband, who was now staring blankly at one of the restaurant''s walls with a vacant expression.


    Kunou tilted her head curiously, concerned by his strange behavior. "Um, what''s wrong with him anyway? He''s acting weird."


    Vicky sighed deeply, her cheerful demeanor momentarily slipping. "That''s my dad. He¡­ has severe depression. We actually came here hoping Haru or someone he knows might have a way to help him."


    Kunou''s ears twitched in confusion. "Depression?" She glanced toward Amy for an explanation.


    Amy gave another frustrated sigh before answering. "It''s like¡­ being really, really sad all the time. He barely talks anymore, and he doesn''t want to do anything. He''s basically just existing right now."


    Kunou frowned sympathetically. "That sounds sad," she said softly.


    Milim, however, seemed less sympathetic and more curious. She tilted her head sharply, eyeing Amy specifically. "Well, if that''s the problem, why haven''t you fixed him yet?"


    Amy stiffened visibly at Milim¡¯s blunt words, her cheeks turning red. "W-what are you talking about?" she stammered, suddenly nervous.


    Milim gave her a puzzled look. "One of my skills tells me you can fix him easily if you wanted to. You could just heal his brain, right?"


    Amy quickly shook her head, eyes wide and defensive. "No! I don''t¡ªI don''t do brains! It''s complicated!"


    Kunou blinked, confused by Amy''s reaction. Wasn''t this man her father? Why wouldn''t Amy want to help him if she could?


    ¡­Humans were so weird sometimes.


    Carol, clearly uncomfortable with where this conversation was headed, stepped forward and gently wrapped an arm around her husband''s shoulders. "I can see we''re not going to get anywhere here today. I''ll be taking Mark home. Girls, are you coming?"


    Kunou immediately turned her gaze up at Vicky, giving her the most pleading, puppy-dog eyes she could manage. Her tails drooped slightly, adding extra dramatic effect.


    Vicky melted instantly, letting out an "Aww!" before glancing apologetically at her mom. "Actually, Mom, I''ll stick around here a little longer. Amy will too," she added confidently, elbowing her sister gently.


    Amy looked like she wanted to protest, but Vicky shot her a stubborn, expectant look that clearly said she wasn''t taking no for an answer. Amy groaned softly in defeat, rolling her eyes. "Fine, whatever."


    Carol sighed again, shaking her head slightly but clearly deciding not to argue. "Alright. Just don''t cause trouble. We''ll see you girls back home later." She gently guided her husband toward the door, and they exited the restaurant, leaving the four girls behind.


    Kunou felt a little relieved as soon as the adults left. Now it was just her, Milim, Vicky, and Amy. She glanced back up at Milim, who looked pleased at having chased off the older humans.


    Vicky, on the other hand, just seemed eager and excited again.


    "So," Vicky began brightly, turning toward Kunou and Milim with sparkling eyes. "Weren''t you two about to go hero-ing¡­?"


    Kunou nodded enthusiastically, tails wagging behind her. "Yeah! Wanna come with us?"


    Vicky grinned eagerly. "Of course! Right, Amy?"


    Amy groaned quietly, clearly less excited but resigned to her fate. "Like I have a choice now."


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    Milim had a feeling playing heroes with Haru''s cute little sister was going to be pretty fun. Kunou''s excitement was adorable, and she couldn''t help smiling whenever the little fox girl bounced energetically beside her. She was slightly annoyed that the two human girls decided to tag along, though. Especially the grumpy one named Amy, who hadn¡¯t smiled even once since they arrived. But Kunou seemed to like "Glory Girl," and seeing Kunou happy put Milim in a good mood, too.


    "So, where should we go first?" Kunou asked cheerfully, turning to Glory Girl as they walked along this place called the boardwalk while all the nearby humans gawked at them.


    Vicky considered the question carefully. "Honestly, this world has tons of villains. Especially Brockton Bay," she explained. "But if you mean the absolute worst villains around, it would have to be the Slaughterhouse Nine."


    Milim cocked her head curiously. "Slaughterhouse Nine? Interesting name. Are they strong?"


    Amy gave a dark scowl at the question. "They''re psychotic mass murderers," she said bitterly. "They travel around wiping out entire towns, slaughtering as many people as possible in the most disgusting ways they can think of¡ªjust for fun."


    Kunou visibly flinched at Amy¡¯s blunt explanation, her ears flattening against her head and her tails drooping anxiously behind her. Even Glory Girl¡¯s expression darkened noticeably.


    Milim, however, perked up! "Oh? They sound pretty strong, then!" She grinned eagerly. "Maybe we should find them first and punch their faces in! Hero stuff like that, right?"


    Amy groaned, staring at Milim in disbelief. "You seriously just heard me describe people who butcher entire towns, and your first reaction is excitement?"


    "Well, yeah!" Milim answered cheerfully, placing her hands on her hips. "They''re obviously evil, right? That''s exactly what heroes are supposed to fight against!"


    Kunou regained her courage at Milim¡¯s confident attitude, nodding quickly. "Big Sister Milim-chan is right! It¡¯s our job to stop people like them!"


    Glory Girl gave a weary sigh, gently patting Kunou on the shoulder. "Normally, I''d agree. But no one''s seen the Nine in almost two months now. They disappeared off everyone¡¯s radar completely."


    Amy nodded in silent agreement. "Honestly, it''s been nice not having to deal with them," she muttered bitterly.


    Milim was about to argue that fighting them would¡¯ve been far more exciting, but before she could speak, a shrill, piercing scream shattered the calm of the morning. The terrible noise shattered windows all along the boardwalk, raining shards of glass onto the sidewalk. Dozens of humans nearby ducked in terror, screaming in panic and covering their ears as chaos erupted around them.


    Milim winced slightly, covering her ears. "Ugh! Who¡¯s making that annoying noise?"


    Vicky¡¯s eyes went wide, her body tensing up instinctively. "Shit! That scream¡ªit¡¯s Shatterbird!¡±


    ¨C Armsmaster ¨C


    Colin Wallis¡ªArmsmaster¡ªstood in his workshop aboard the Rig, patiently demonstrating his latest tinkering projects to Director Rebecca Costa-Brown, head of the PRT. She watched him with a neutral, assessing expression as he walked her through his newest creations, though Colin knew she wasn''t really here for his tech.


    She had traveled to Brockton Bay to meet Haru¡ªthe interdimensional restaurant owner who had single-handedly killed an Endbringer. Well, technically, a facet of Haru''s restaurant existed here, not Haru himself, but that was just semantics.


    Colin wasn''t naive, he understood politics. He also wasn''t above taking advantage of her visit to further his own ambitions. Funding was tight, and Tinkers were expensive. If showing off his inventions could secure more funding, he''d gladly swallow his pride.


    "Director," Armsmaster began confidently, gesturing toward his latest creation, a sleek flying motorcycle gleaming under the workshop lights. "Allow me to demonstrate the newest enhancement I''ve incorporated. The propulsion system utilizes advanced mass effect-inspired tech. It''s capable of vertical takeoff and landing with unparalleled maneuverability."


    Director Rebecca Costa-Brown, head of the PRT, examined the bike coolly, clearly interested but trying to remain neutral. "Impressive, Armsmaster."


    Before Colin could continue, a high-pitched alarm blared from the monitors in the corner, cutting him off. Both he and Director Costa-Brown turned toward the screens, instantly alert.


    Dragon''s voice filled the room, sounding tense. "Armsmaster! Director! We have a critical situation unfolding downtown. It¡¯s an emergency¡ªThe Slaughterhouse Nine just reappeared!"


    "What?" Colin growled, immediately grabbing his halberd and securing his gear. "Where?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Brockton Bay Boardwalk. It''s serious¡ªmultiple casualties already," Dragon reported urgently.


    Director Costa-Brown narrowed her eyes, frowning deeply. "We haven''t seen the Nine in months. Why now?"


    Dragon hesitated briefly before answering. "Unclear. Surveillance was disrupted. It appears they''re targeting the area near the dimensional restaurant."


    Armsmaster clenched his jaw, quickly strapping his halberd to his back and preparing his armor. He couldn''t afford to waste any more time. Every second the Nine were allowed to roam freely meant innocent lives lost!


    "I need to deploy immediately," he stated sharply, moving toward the motorcycle.


    "Agreed," Costa-Brown said briskly. "I''ll coordinate from here. Dragon, keep us updated."


    Just as Armsmaster was about to mount his motorcycle, Dragon''s voice returned, sounding astonished this time. "Wait¡ªthere''s something else. The Nine have engaged in combat¡­ but they''re losing?"


    Colin paused mid-motion, raising a brow behind his visor. "Losing? To whom?"


    Dragon sounded baffled. "Four young women are fighting the Nine. Glory Girl and Panacea are present, along with two unknown parahumans. One is a fox-girl¡ªsimilar in appearance to Haru himself, possibly his younger sister. The other¡­" Dragon¡¯s voice grew uncertain. "The other is a pink-haired girl displaying power levels beyond anything I''ve ever recorded!"


    Director Costa-Brown stiffened. "Clarify ''beyond anything,'' Dragon."


    Dragon sounded slightly shaken. "She''s fighting the Siberean, Crawler, and Hatchet Face and absolutely dominating them! Her attacks¡ªjust punches¡ªare registering stronger than Endbringer-level forces on my sensors!"


    "Are you serious?" Colin asked sharply.


    "Very," Dragon confirmed firmly. ¡°...Incoming!¡± she warned out of nowhere!


    WHAT WAS INCOMING!?


    Before he could ask that out loud, the entire Rig violently shook, throwing both him and Director Costa-Brown off-balance. The wall nearby exploded inward in a cloud of shattered metal and concrete. Colin reflexively gripped his halberd tighter, shielding the Director with his armored body as debris rained down around them.


    "What the hell was that!?" Rebecca demanded sharply.


    Colin stared grimly through the dust and wreckage, instantly identifying Hatchet Face''s limp, mangled corpse sprawled on the ground. The villain¡¯s twisted body was crumpled, broken bones jutting from shredded flesh. Whatever¡ªor whoever¡ªhit him had done so with horrifying force.


    ¨C Kunou ¨C


    Kunou flinched hard at another ear-splitting shriek, covering her sensitive ears with a sharp whimper.


    ¡­And then, the annoying bird-lady¡ªShatterbird¡ªwas abruptly silenced when Milim casually punched her head off. Blood sprayed everywhere as the villain''s decapitated body crashed onto the pavement, twitching for a moment before going still.


    "Ugh!" Milim groaned, shaking the blood from her fist. "She was way too loud!" The demon lord just shrugged happily before immediately zipping toward the other villains nearby! ¡°You three look strong, wanna play with me!?¡±


    Meanwhile, Glory Girl was in midair, barely dodging streaks of blazing flame hurled at her by a crazed, laughing woman.


    That left Kunou and Amy¡ªGlory Girl''s grumpy sister¡ªto face the remaining villains. Kunou turned nervously to the girl beside her, who had gone completely pale and looked genuinely afraid.


    "Holy fuck," Amy whispered in dread, her voice quivering. "That''s Jack Slash, Mannequin, and Bonesaw."


    Kunou swallowed hard, feeling a cold chill run down her spine. Even without knowing much about these people, the way Amy reacted told her everything she needed to know. They were definitely terrifying.


    But Kunou reminded herself that she wasn''t just a little fox-girl today¡ªshe was playing the role of a hero. Heroes weren''t supposed to get scared!


    She straightened her back, crossing her arms defiantly as the cape Milim had made fluttered dramatically behind her. "Surrender, villains! Your evil deeds stop here!" Kunou declared bravely, even as her heart raced in her chest.


    Jack Slash simply smiled calmly at her, his cold gaze sending another chill down Kunou¡¯s spine. "Well now, look at this little fox trying to play hero," he mocked softly. "You''re related to the one who killed the Endbringer, aren¡¯t you? How fascinating. I can¡¯t wait to see his expression when he finds your corpse, little fox!" he cackled like an obvious villain.


    Bonesaw¡¯s eyes lit up brightly, excitement written all over her young face. "Oh! Are you really related to Haru? I can''t wait to cut you open and find out why your kind is so powerful!" Bonesaw then glanced over at Amy, suddenly cheerful. "Oh, hi, Pan-Pan! I''ve wanted to meet you forever! Let¡¯s be friends, okay?"


    Amy glared coldly at the girl. "Fuck off," she replied bluntly.


    "Aww¡­" Bonesaw pouted dramatically, looking genuinely disappointed.


    Mannequin stepped forward, twitching unnaturally. His voice was emotionless and artificial, coldly mechanical. "Usually, I prefer killing foolish tinkers who think they can improve this pathetic world, but I suppose I''ll make an exception. Killing the sister of an Endbringer-slayer sounds delightful."


    Kunou clenched her fists tightly, trying not to tremble. She refused to show them how nervous she was. "You''ll try, but you''ll fail!" she declared valiantly.


    Kunou quickly glanced around for Milim. The pink-haired Demon Lord had effortlessly defeated ugly big guy and was now violently beating down the zebra-striped villain!


    Kunou wished big sister Milim was at her side right now. She also wished Haru was here too¡­


    Suddenly, both Milim and Haru stood right beside her!


    Wait¡ªno. Not the real Milim or Haru, but¡­copies of them.


    They glowed faintly with magicules and Kunou suddenly felt a bit tired. Her unique skill, "Fox''s Pack," had activated instinctively, summoning illusionary yet real duplicates of her loved ones. Kunou could tell they weren''t nearly as strong as their real counterparts, but they were definitely still powerful!


    The Haru copy reached down affectionately, gently scratching Kunou¡¯s ears, making her instantly relax. "Don¡¯t worry, Kunou," he said softly, with the familiar warm smile she loved so much. "I¡¯m right here. Let¡¯s take these bad guys down."


    The Milim duplicate giggled excitedly, flashing Kunou a bright grin as she clenched her fists eagerly. "You ready, little sister? Let''s kick some villain ass!"


    ¡°Uh oh¡­¡± Suddenly, Jack Slaw didn¡¯t look nearly as confident as he had a few seconds before.


    Kunou reeled back her hand and tossed a fireball at the other blonde girl while her copy of Haru attacked Jack Slash and her Milim copy blitzed at the robot guy!


    ¨C Amy ¨C


    Amy had never felt comfortable on the front lines, and she sure as hell wasn¡¯t comfortable now, facing off against the fucking Slaughterhouse Nine of all people! Even knowing Kunou had summoning powers¡ªamazing ones, apparently¡ªdidn''t ease her nerves that much!


    Still, part of her was quietly hopeful these psychopaths might finally get what they deserved, especially since Milim, the crazy demon girl, was tossing America¡¯s most infamous villains around like they were ragdolls! Holy shit, did the Siberean just freaking die!?


    Even Alexandria had failed to pull that off!


    A scream suddenly pierced the chaos above, a familiar voice filled with pain and terror. Amy¡¯s heart jumped straight into her throat.


    Vicky crashed hard onto the pavement, rolling violently before lying still, her forcefield flickering weakly before vanishing entirely.


    "Vicky!" Amy shouted, panic gripping her instantly.


    She sprinted toward her sister, ignoring the madness around her. Burnscar, the villain responsible for Vicky¡¯s injuries, stood laughing like a maniac just a few feet away, flames dancing in her hands.


    Without thinking¡ªwithout hesitation¡ªAmy reached down and grabbed Burnscar by the exposed skin of her ankle. The villain froze, her insane smile abruptly disappearing as Amy seized control of her biology. Amy could feel every twisted, damaged nerve ending in Burnscar''s body, along with the mental illness that pushed her toward violence. A single second passed as Amy hesitated, her heart pounding furiously. Then Burnscar raised her hand, flames igniting dangerously.


    Amy didn¡¯t have time to think. She simply turned off the villain¡¯s heart¡­


    Burnscar collapsed instantly, hitting the ground like a lifeless puppet. Amy stared down at the corpse, nausea twisting her stomach. She had just killed someone. But the shock quickly faded, replaced immediately by a much deeper fear¡ªVicky was still lying motionless on the ground.


    Amy rushed to Vicky¡¯s side, dropping to her knees and placing her hands on her sister¡¯s broken body. Vicky was barely breathing, her body trembling in pain, skin blistered and burned, clothing blackened and smoldering. Amy¡¯s fingers traced her sister¡¯s biology, her powers revealing extensive internal trauma. Third-degree burns covered most of Vicky¡¯s back and shoulders, with severe bleeding beneath her skull. Brain swelling. Fuck.


    ¡°Thud!¡±


    Amy turned and saw Milim land next to her with her hands on her hips, staring at Amy with a judgemental look. ¡°Well, what''s it going to be, little human girl, I thought you dont heal brains¡­?¡±


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    "That was pretty fun!" Milim declared cheerfully, pulling Kunou into a tight hug. "Did you see how far that ugly monster guy flew when I punched him!?"


    Kunou giggled, happily squirming in Milim¡¯s grasp. Her exhaustion was obvious, but the little fox girl was still glowing with excitement from their battle. "Yeah! Big Sister Milim-chan was amazing!" Kunou said proudly, her tails swishing in delight.


    Milim set Kunou back down and glanced around at the ruined street. Those evil humans and that weird illusion Zebra thing had been interesting at first, but ultimately, none had been strong enough to make her break a sweat so she decided to finish them all off. She even punched the zebra thing so hard whoever was controlling it died from the feedback too!


    However, Kunou¡¯s new power had been the real highlight of the fight! Milim¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. Kunou had summoned duplicates of Milim and Haru!!


    It was one of the coolest ¡°unique skills¡± she''d ever seen!


    In fact, Milim and her duplicate were still facing each other, both eagerly sizing one another up. The air between them practically vibrated with anticipation.


    "You''re pretty strong, for a copy," Milim teased, eyes narrowing with excitement.


    "And you''re not bad either¡ªfor the real thing," the duplicate responded playfully, mimicking Milim¡¯s eager stance. "Wanna fight?"


    "Of course!" Milim laughed eagerly, but paused when she saw Kunou sway slightly, clearly exhausted. She sighed in disappointment. As exciting as this fight would be, it wouldn''t be fair to push Kunou further today. The copy obviously drew her power from Kunou¡¯s magicule reserves. Milim was going to have to name Kunou later to give her bigger reserves, but not now since that would knock Kunou out.


    "On second thought," Milim said regretfully, "it looks like Kunou-chan is too tired right now. We''ll fight next time!"


    The copy pouted dramatically but gave a nod of understanding. "Next time, then!"


    The Milim copy vanished along with Haru¡¯s handsome duplicate. Milim tilted her head, puzzled by a sudden odd thought.


    Handsome?


    Weird. She didn''t normally think about stuff like that¡­


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden rush of wind and noise. Heroes had begun arriving in droves¡ªfar too late, of course. A man in shiny blue armor rode in on some weird metal horse thing with wheels. More brightly dressed humans¡ªother heroes, she guessed¡ªwere appearing nearby too.


    Milim smirked, noticing Amy kneeling beside her injured sister. Of course, the moody human girl had broken her silly rule about healing brains. Milim knew from the start she¡¯d been lying. Humans were complicated and silly creatures sometimes¡­


    "Hey, Big Sister Milim-chan?" Kunou tugged softly on Milim''s hand, drawing her attention again. The little fox girl looked up with tired eyes. "What should we do now?"


    Milim smiled gently, kneeling down to face Kunou at eye level. "Do you want to stop playing heroes now, Kunou-chan?" she asked gently.


    Kunou frowned determinedly, her tails bristling. "No way! We haven''t even been heroes for half an hour yet!"


    Milim laughed fondly. "Alright then! We can keep going!"


    The armored man approached them now, finally deciding to talk to them. He eyed Milim cautiously, clearly wary after seeing what she¡¯d done to the villains. "Playing?" he echoed incredulously. "You two are calling this ''playing''?"


    Milim narrowed her eyes and stared intensely at his shiny helmet. The armored hero visibly tensed, quickly turning his gaze away, intimidated. Good. At least he recognized who was stronger!


    He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh¡ªanyway, thank you for your help taking down the Slaughterhouse Nine and protecting Brockton Bay."


    "You''re welcome!" Kunou declared proudly, striking a heroic pose. "That''s what heroes do, right? They protect people! And today we''re heroes!"


    The armored man seemed amused. "Only today?"


    Milim flashed him a confident grin. "Yep! Usually, I¡¯m the villain¡ªsince I¡¯m actually a Demon Lord!"


    He sputtered, nearly choking. "Wait¡ªwhat?!"


    But Milim was already done with this boring human conversation. She swept Kunou up onto her shoulders, turning back toward Haru¡¯s restaurant.


    "Come on, Kunou-chan!" she said cheerfully. "Let¡¯s find another world to play heroes in!"


    "Okay!" Kunou cheered happily, gripping tightly onto Milim¡¯s hair.


    Milim laughed, ignoring the confused shouts of the armored hero behind them as they walked away.


    ¡­


    ¡­Woah, that¡¯s a really big tree.¡± Milim said as she looked up¡­and up and up. She tilted her head back so far she almost dropped Kunou off her shoulders!


    Kunou was chittering on her shoulders excitedly! ¡°I think this is a new world, big sister Milim!¡±


    ¡°New world?¡± Milim asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a world that Haru hasn¡¯t been to yet! We got here first and that means we get to name it!¡± Kunou declared smugly.


    Millin nodded her head. That made sense to her.


    She glanced around the area and even spread out her senses a bit. They were in the middle of a massive forest with all kinds of very weird plants and animals Milim never felt before. Although for some reason, it seemed like all life on this strange world was connected in some strange way that was making Milim¡¯s senses feel all funny.


    ¡°Scree!¡±


    Milim and Kunou glanced up again as a bunch of large blue people suddenly flew down from the large tree while riding cool looking bird dinosaurs. Milim definitely wanted one! The last pet she had died unfortunately after she hugged it too hard!


    The large blue people hopped off their flying birds and pulled out bows and arrows, pointing them at Milim and Kunou and started obviously threatening them in some weird language.


    ¡°Hi there, blue people! I¡¯m Kunou! And this is Milim! Do you guys need any heroes¡­?¡±


    XXX


    Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 326-330


    The Fox Hole 77


    Thunder and Black Wings 18


    The Fox Hole 76


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 4


    The Fox Hole 75


    The Fox Hole 74


    The Blood Queen 42


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 3


    The Fox Hole 74


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 2


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 1


    Thunder and Black Wings 17


    The Fox Hole 73


    The Fox Hole 72


    The Blood Queen 41

 chapter 72

    Chapter 72:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    A couple hours later, I woke up feeling warm and relaxed, with Naruko snuggled comfortably in my arms. As I slowly opened my eyes, I smiled at the sight of her peacefully sleeping face, her breathing slow and steady. My golden tails were wrapped gently around her soft, fluffy red ones, and it felt so comfortable that I almost wanted to drift back to sleep again.


    Naruko stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open to meet mine. We both chuckled softly, slowly untangling our tails, taking our time and enjoying the soft sensations.


    "Morning, beautiful," I said quietly, leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. She kissed me back eagerly, holding the moment a little longer before pulling away with a small sigh.


    "Morning, Haru," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes as her fox ears drooped slightly. She looked adorably disgruntled as she glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "Ugh¡­ I really don¡¯t wanna get up. Can''t I just stay here with you instead?"


    I laughed gently, brushing her silky hair out of her eyes. "You can stay here as long as you want," I told her gently, still running my fingers softly through her hair.


    Naruko laughed, rolling her eyes with playful exasperation. "Yeah, I could¡ªbut then I''d have to deal with Tsunade yelling at me again. I might be a demon fox now, but she''s a real devil. You have no idea how scary she gets when she''s pissed¡­" She shuddered dramatically at the thought, and I couldn''t help chuckling. Naruko was probably the only person I knew who could face down literal Endbringers but still tremble at the idea of getting scolded by her boss.


    Although Tsunade had become Rias¡¯s Rook now, so her fists were probably pretty scary¡­


    I briefly thought about suggesting we shower together, but I hesitated. I wasn''t sure if she was ready to move our relationship forward yet. We hadn''t crossed that boundary so far, and I didn''t want to pressure her.


    Then, without warning, Naruko stood up from the bed and began nervously tugging off her shirt. I felt my heart rate spike immediately as her breasts bounced softly into view. My mouth went dry at the sudden sight, and she glanced shyly in my direction, her cheeks flushed bright red.


    "I¡ªI was going to take a shower," she stammered softly, looking both nervous and hopeful. "Do you, um¡­ wanna join me?"


    My boxers suddenly felt uncomfortably tight as I watched her, completely speechless for a second. "Are¡­are you sure about this?" I finally managed.


    She blushed even deeper, fidgeting slightly. "Just so you know, we''re not having sex yet. But, um¡­" She bit her lower lip shyly. "We could do other things¡­if you want."


    She turned around quickly, giving me a full view of her perfectly shaped backside as she walked into my bathroom. Any hesitation I felt immediately vanished, and within seconds, I was out of bed, stripping off my boxers eagerly before following her inside.


    ¡­


    I walked out into the restaurant from the back hallway, unable to stop myself from grinning. I paused just inside the doorway, leaning comfortably against the wall as I watched Naruko hurry toward the front door. Her cheeks were still glowing a deep red, and I couldn''t help feeling proud that I''d put that blush there.


    "See you later," I called softly, enjoying the sight of her twitching fox tails and shy smile as she paused by the exit. She glanced over her shoulder, gave me a quick, embarrassed wave, and slipped outside.


    We¡¯d gotten into some fun in the shower¡­


    Chuckling to myself, I moved behind the counter and started drumming my fingers absently on the wooden surface. The restaurant was empty, which wasn¡¯t surprising since I''d overslept well past noon. I hoped no one had shown up earlier only to find the place closed and be disappointed.


    Just as I was starting to wonder who my first customer of the day would be, the door swung open, and Harry Potter stepped inside. It had been weeks since I''d seen the young wizard, and he looked around the restaurant with obvious relief at finding the place empty, except for the two of us.


    "Hey, Harry," I greeted him, smiling warmly. "It''s been a while."


    "Hey, Haru," Harry responded, giving a relaxed wave as he approached the counter. "Yeah, sorry about that. Things at school have actually been going pretty well, believe it or not. I''m kind of enjoying being a student these days¡ªwhich still feels weird to say."


    I raised an eyebrow at that. "So, does that mean you''ve changed your mind about dropping out after the Triwizard Tournament?"


    Harry shrugged thoughtfully. "Honestly, I don''t know anymore. At first, leaving after the tournament seemed like the only option. But lately, with Hermione and everything going on at Hogwarts, I¡¯m actually starting to rethink it. If things keep going like this, maybe I won''t need to leave after all."


    I nodded in understanding, then asked curiously, "Speaking of Hermione, how come she isn¡¯t with you today?"


    Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously, shifting his weight. "Well, actually, she''s kind of the reason I''m here. Hogwarts is having this big dance soon¡ªthe Yule Ball¡ªand Hermione and I are going together."


    I grinned broadly. "Sounds fun. What''s the issue, then?"


    Harry grimaced slightly, clearly embarrassed. "Apparently, since I''m one of the champions, I''m supposed to lead the first dance. But I''ve never danced in my entire life¡ªI don''t know the first thing about it! If I don''t learn, I''m going to embarrass myself in front of everyone."


    I couldn¡¯t stop myself from laughing. Harry shot me a playful glare, and I quickly raised my hands in apology. "Sorry, sorry¡ªRelax. I''m sure we can find a yokai around here who''d be more than happy to teach you how to dance. Trust me¡ªyou¡¯ll be fine."


    At that exact moment, the front door of the restaurant swung open again, and Enri stepped inside, followed closely by Alice. My girlfriend had an amused look on her face when she saw me standing awake behind the counter.


    "Oh good, you''re finally up," Alice teased lightly, giving me a playful smirk as she approached. "I was prepared to kick you awake if you were still sleeping!"


    I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I''d love to see you try."


    Enri blushed softly, ducking her head with a shy smile. "I would have just gently woken Lord Haru up."


    I gave her a grateful smile, appreciating her kindness as she moved behind the counter and started putting on her apron. Enri hadn¡¯t been spending as much time in the restaurant lately. After Carne Village was destroyed, she started attending high school in this world instead. I''d thought about it a lot and decided it wasn''t fair for her¡ªa teenage girl¡ªto work here nearly full-time, even if she was from a magical / feudal world originally. She deserved to enjoy life as a regular girl, too.


    Enri let out a sigh when she noticed some leftover dishes from the night before still piled next to the sink. "Really, Lord Haru? You''re hopeless sometimes," she muttered affectionately, immediately loading them into the dishwasher.


    Alice had already turned to greet Harry, giving him a warm smile. "Hey Harry, long time no see. How''ve you been?"


    He flushed slightly when he glanced at her, suddenly embarrassed. He repeated the same explanation he''d just given me, although he seemed much more uncomfortable admitting that he couldn¡¯t dance to my beautiful, psychic redheaded girlfriend.


    Alice simply shrugged, unfazed. "Honestly, I can¡¯t dance either¡ªor at least, I don''t have any memories of ever dancing. It''s nothing to be embarrassed about," she reassured him.


    Harry visibly relaxed at her words, giving a relieved nod.


    Alice then turned back to me, a curious look on her face. "By the way, Haru, where''s the pipsqueak? Your mother was looking everywhere for Kunou, but she''s not at the palace."


    My good mood evaporated instantly. "Kunou? She''s not here," I said slowly, feeling worry start to claw at my chest. "I thought she was with Tanya. Did she seriously run off again?"


    Alice frowned, concern flickering in her eyes. "Already checked with Tanya. She hasn''t seen Kunou since earlier."


    I let out a deep sigh, running my hand through my hair. "Shit. Mom and I were both exhausted¡ªKunou must''ve taken advantage of that."


    Harry quickly pulled out his wand, aiming it toward the center of the restaurant. "I can try a locator spell," he offered hurriedly, muttering under his breath. A faint white glow pulsed from the wand.


    It spun for a few seconds¡­ and then pointed directly toward the front door.


    Yeah, not very helpful.


    I sighed, running a hand down my face. Of course. That confirmed exactly what I suspected. Kunou, my mischievous little sister, had definitely run off to play hero in another world. For a ten-year-old kitsune, she managed to create more chaos than anyone else I knew.


    "I guess we''re going on a little rescue mission," I said reluctantly, stepping around the counter. "Knowing Kunou, she''s probably causing trouble for someone¡­"


    Just as I started toward the door, the whole thing exploded inward with a loud crash, sending splinters flying everywhere!


    My heart jumped into my throat as Kunou ran inside, breathless, her golden hair a tangled mess of leaves and dirt covering her clothes. Thankfully, aside from looking like she''d just fought an army, she seemed perfectly fine physically.


    But she wasn¡¯t alone.


    Milim sprinted in right behind her, skidding dramatically across the restaurant floor, fists clenched and a huge grin plastered on her face. She whipped around to yell through the now wide-open doorway!


    "Your aim stinks, you big blue meanies!" she shouted, laughing gleefully. She then waved her hand and the wood started to collect back together. The door was fixed and started closing itself!


    As the door slowly began to close, I caught a glimpse of a dense, alien forest beyond, right before a volley of massive arrows came streaking through the doorway directly toward us.


    Enri screamed, immediately ducking behind the counter for cover! Harry panicked, fumbling awkwardly to cast a protective charm. Before he could even finish, Milim sprang into action. In a blur of motion, she effortlessly plucked every arrow right out of the air, twirling them like they were nothing more than sticks.


    "That was SO awesome!" Kunou shouted excitedly, practically bouncing on her toes. "Did you see that, big brother?! We totally beat up those evil aliens and then got away successfully! We were real heroes!"


    As she struck an exaggerated heroic pose, I finally noticed the small colorful mask covering part of her face, along with a little cape fluttering behind her back.


    Of course she ran off to play heroes somewhere¡­


    I rubbed my temples slowly, torn between relief and exasperation. "Kunou, seriously? You can''t just run off into random dimensions like that! You know better," I scolded her.


    Kunou immediately puffed her cheeks, looking up at me defiantly. "But today we¡¯re playing superheroes and we had to save everyone from those bad guys, Haru-nii! Besides, I wasn''t alone¡ªBig Sister Milim was with me! We totally beat up those slaughter¨Csomething guys and then we beat up the mean blue aliens that tried to attack us later!"


    ¡­What¡­? I felt like I was missing so much information from that explanation.


    Milim nodded energetically, placing a protective hand on Kunou''s shoulder. "Don''t worry, Haru. Nobody got hurt! Well, except for the bad guys I killed and the evil aliens we beat up. But trust me, they totally had it coming! We were being friendly and they tried to capture us and then when we wouldn¡¯t let them they tried to attack us with arrows and spears! That¡¯s really rude, you know! So I punched a bunch of them but more and more of them kept pouring out of that big tree!"


    ¡°We beat up almost a hundred of them before we decided to just leave! Justice prevails!¡± Kunou declared.


    A hundred? Who did they beat up a hundred of¡­? Did I even want to know?


    ¡­Now that Kunou was safely back, I decided it was probably best to start making lunch for everyone. Besides, we could all use something to settle the chaos. Kunou was currently animatedly telling Harry all about her supposed adventures, her tails wagging with excitement.


    I had a feeling I''d need a much more accurate explanation later, once Mom arrived. Right now, her story involved way too many villains and epic battles to be fully believable¨CI hoped.


    I headed into the kitchen, Enri following close behind, ready to help out. We worked comfortably side-by-side, prepping ingredients and cooking up everyone''s favorites.


    For Alice, I fixed up her favorite classic burger and fries. She was already seated at a table, chatting pleasantly with Harry and laughing along at Kunou¡¯s wild storytelling. Harry himself was easy enough. Crispy fish and chips. The smell of fresh fish frying quickly filled the air as I worked. Kunou''s choice was obvious¡ªone of her favorites, katsudon. Hopefully, this would settle her down enough for the interrogation she was inevitably going to face from Mom when she arrived.


    Yeah, I texted her¡­


    Milim demanded something "tasty and super unhealthy," so I threw together a massive meat-lovers pizza piled high with extra cheese and toppings. When I placed it down in front of her, her eyes practically sparkled with joy. "Oh, this looks amazing! You''re the best, Haru!" she declared, immediately devouring half a slice in one bite.


    I chuckled, sliding into my seat beside Alice as Enri served Kunou her katsudon. Kunou immediately dug in with a delighted squeal.


    I wasn¡¯t very hungry yet so I just had a glass of water.


    Everyone was happily eating when the front door opened quietly, and Mom stepped gracefully into the restaurant. Yasaka looked better now that she''d had a chance to sleep off the exhaustion from a night full of politics.


    She walked straight toward us, her 12 golden tails swaying behind her as she gave the group a friendly smile. Then her eyes landed squarely on Kunou, and her expression immediately turned stern. "Kunou, you''re grounded," she declared calmly, folding her arms beneath her ample chest.


    Kunou instantly whined in protest, her ears flattening dramatically. "But Mama! We saved so many people from bad guys today! We were heroes!"


    Yasaka raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "We¡¯ll discuss exactly what you did later. For now, you''re grounded until further notice."


    Milim paused mid-bite, looking genuinely curious. "Wait, am I grounded too?" she asked, glancing back and forth between Yasaka and Kunou.


    Yasaka gave Milim an incredulous look. "You''re not my daughter, Milim."


    Milim tilted her head thoughtfully, suddenly grinning mischievously. "I could be, if I married Haru!"


    I choked on my drink, coughing roughly. Alice immediately sputtered, dropping her fry onto her plate as she stared at Milim in shock. Enri, standing nearby with a pitcher of water, made a soft, jealous hissing noise under her breath.


    Mom looked startled for a brief moment before quickly regaining her composure. She lifted her chin elegantly and said calmly, "That would be between you and Haru." Then she turned her sharp gaze directly toward me, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Haru, dear¡­is there something you haven''t told me?"


    I quickly raised my hands defensively, shaking my head. "No, Mom. Seriously, Milim and I are just friends." Milim immediately pouted, looking genuinely disappointed, so I quickly added, "But she is very cute, though."


    Milim''s pout instantly transformed into a triumphant smile, nodding happily. "That''s right! I''m super cute! I¡¯m the cutest of all Demon Lords!"


    I didn''t actually know if that was true, but I nodded along anyway!


    After Yasaka finished gently yet firmly scolding Kunou, she finally decided it was time to head home. Before they left, though, I quickly put together a nice bento box filled with some grilled salmon, rice, vegetables, and rolled omelettes¡ªjust the way Mom liked. I handed it to her with an apologetic smile. "Here, Mom. Something for later, since you''ve had such a rough night and morning," I said softly.


    Yasaka gave me an appreciative look, nodding gracefully as she took the box. "Thank you, dear. At least I have one child who isn''t constantly causing trouble¡­"


    Kunou gave a dramatic whine as Yasaka took her by the ear, gently but firmly pulling her toward the door. "Mama, you''re embarrassing me!"


    Yasaka ignored her protests entirely. "Goodbye, everyone."


    After they left, the door opened again, and my cousin Kirara stepped gracefully inside. She was an elegant three-tailed kitsune with silver hair who usually handled tailoring Yasaka''s kimonos, but she was also skilled in many traditional arts¡ªdancing among them. I''d called her earlier, hoping she''d be willing to help Harry learn some ballroom dancing. Kirara approached with mild annoyance, though she maintained her usual polite demeanor. "Haru, you do realize I''m a busy woman, right? Teaching your friend to dance in such a short time isn''t exactly easy."


    "I know, Kirara," I said sheepishly, giving her my most charming smile. "But you''re the best person I know when it comes to anything elegant. Consider it a favor?"


    She sighed lightly, giving me a stern yet fond look. "Very well. I''ll do my best."


    Harry stepped forward nervously, nodding respectfully to Kirara. "Thank you so much, miss. I really appreciate the help."


    She smiled warmly at him, clearly charmed by his sincerity. "You''re very welcome. Now, let''s not waste any time¡ªwe have much to cover." She gently ushered him out the door.


    With Harry and Kirara gone, customers gradually began to filter into the restaurant, trying to catch the tail end of lunch. Among them were a couple of familiar faces from the Companions¡ªthough neither Aela nor Agnar was with them today. Still, the Nords were polite enough, if a bit loud as usual.


    Milim remained seated at the counter, happily finishing off her pizza. Alice was leaning against the counter beside her, arms crossed, thoroughly interrogating her about today''s misadventure.


    "Seriously, Milim, what exactly were you thinking taking Kunou on such a dangerous adventure? She''s just a kid!"


    Milim puffed out her cheeks stubbornly, crossing her arms. "I am a very responsible Demon Lord! Kunou-chan was perfectly safe the whole time!"


    Alice raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Oh really? Because from what I''ve heard so far, your little ''hero'' outing involved fighting an entire group of murderous psychopaths¡­"


    Milim grinned proudly. "Exactly! And Kunou-chan handled herself super good! It stinks though that I didn''t get to officially name her¡ªI would''ve picked something super cute. Oh well, next time!"


    ¡°Please don¡¯t change her name, Milim,¡± I asked her. ¡°We all like her name.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­ I''ll name her Kunou just like I named you Haru¡­¡± Milim said.


    Just then, the door opened once more, and Councilor Tevos stepped inside, accompanied by a few other beautiful asari women I didn''t recognize. Probably her secretaries or just friends. Did she have friends¡­?


    They paused briefly in the entrance, glancing around the busy restaurant.


    Milim''s eyes immediately widened, and she jumped dramatically to her feet, pointing aggressively at the asari delegation. "The blue aliens have returned! Come at me, you big meanies! Fire your bows if you dare¡ªI''m ready for you!"


    Tevos froze in surprise, looking completely bewildered. Her companions shifted nervously, clearly unsure how to react. Everyone else in the restaurant went silent, awkwardly watching the unfolding scene.


    "Milim! No, no¡ªthese aren''t the aliens you fought earlier. They''re guests!" I scolded her.


    Milim paused, squinting carefully at Tevos and the other asari. After a long moment, recognition finally flickered in her eyes. "Oh! Haru is right. You''re different blue aliens. Sorry, my bad." She shrugged casually and hopped back onto her stool as if nothing had happened.


    I exhaled a sigh of relief, giving Tevos an apologetic look as she cautiously approached the counter. "Haru¡­what exactly was that about?" Tevos asked, confusion clear on her usually composed face.


    Alice answered for me. "Apparently, Milim and Kunou just had a run-in with another species of blue-skinned aliens in a different dimension. They didn''t speak any recognizable language¡ªat least not one that Haru''s restaurant can translate. I''m guessing it''s because none of those aliens have ever been here yet and the restaurant couldn¡¯t ¡°scan¡± them or whatever it does to make us all understand each other."


    Huh, that was a pretty reasonable explanation for the language problem. Maybe if one of them ever visits here, the issue will be solved. Although that involves getting a large hostile and primitive alien through my front door willingly.


    "And¡­why exactly were they fighting these aliens?" Tevos asked Milim.


    "Well, Milim claims she and Kunou tried to be friendly, but the aliens attacked first. So naturally, Milim retaliated and ended up fighting around a hundred of them before escaping back here," I explained.


    Tevos''s expression shifted into disbelief as she turned to stare incredulously at Milim. "Who exactly is this problem child?"


    Milim puffed her chest out, looking deeply offended. "Problem child?! I''m Milim Nava¡ªDemon Lord extraordinaire!" she declared confidently. ¡°I''m Haru''s future wife too, you know!¡±


    "Wait, what?!" Alice sputtered.


    ¡°Liar!¡± Enri huffed nearby.


    ¡°Do you even know what a wife is, Milim?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Yes! It means I can be with my bestie forever!¡± she said cheerfully.


    So that was a no¡­ She did not know what it was.


    The other girls all exchanged glances, obviously coming to the same conclusion.


    Tevos gave me a look, probably questioning my sanity for the company I kept, but I just shrugged in response. She then asked me if I would like the help of some Asari delegation to try and reason with the hostile aliens from the forest world. Asari could meld with other species to instantly learn any language. Also since they were both blue they might be less hostile?


    ¡°Maybe tomorrow¡­?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Give them some time to cool down a bit.¡± I kind of just felt like cooking today and not dealing with¡­ all that political stuff.


    XXX


    Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 327-331


    The Fox Hole 78


    The Blood Queen 43


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 5


    The Fox Hole 77


    Thunder and Black Wings 18


    The Fox Hole 76


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 4


    The Fox Hole 75


    The Fox Hole 74


    The Blood Queen 42


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 3


    The Fox Hole 74


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 2


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 1


    Thunder and Black Wings 17


    The Fox Hole 73 Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 chapter 73

    Chapter 73:


    ¨C Dr Grace ¨C


    "What the hell am I looking at here, Grace?" Parker demanded impatiently, staring at the remote drone footage displayed on the monitor. The video replayed scenes of chaos unfolding at the Na''vi Home Tree.


    Grace exchanged a baffled glance with Norm, who stood just as stunned beside her. "Honestly, Parker, I have no idea," she admitted, her voice trailing off as she leaned closer to the screen. The footage was from yesterday, and it showed something utterly impossible.


    Behind them, Colonel Miles Quaritch clicked his tongue loudly, clearly irritated. "Looks like some kind of goddamn superweapon someone decided to unleash on these blue bastards," he said gruffly. "An experiment, maybe? Androids or secret super-soldiers? Didn''t even know we had that kind of tech operational yet."


    Grace shook her head sharply. "We don''t. At least, this company doesn''t. There''s nothing like that anywhere in our inventory."


    The room went silent as everyone watched in disbelief. On-screen, a small, pink-haired girl and an even smaller, golden-haired girl with unmistakably fox-like ears and nine waving golden tails were effortlessly defeating dozens upon dozens of fully grown Na''vi warriors. Both girls were wearing colorful masks and capes, as if they were playing dress-up superheroes rather than waging an actual battle.


    Norm leaned in, eyes wide. "Are they¡­actually catching arrows mid-air?"


    Grace nodded slowly, completely dumbfounded. "And throwing warriors five times their size around like toys."


    Colonel Miles let out a low, appreciative whistle. He crossed his arms, his expression calculating. "I don''t care if they''re androids, super-soldiers from another outfit, or little aliens from god knows where¡ªI want those girls. Find out how to bring them here."


    Grace rolled her eyes at the Colonel''s predictable fixation on weaponry. "What interests me," she said pointedly, "is how two humanoids are running around Pandora without oxygen masks or protective gear. Not to mention their clearly enhanced physiology. No human or Na''vi child could possibly perform feats like that, not even close."


    The video showed Jake¡ªclearly recognizable even in his Avatar form¡ªcharging into the fray, only to be promptly knocked unconscious by a blazing blue fireball that exploded at his feet.


    "Well, at least nobody died," Grace murmured dryly, relieved despite herself. "Looks like most of the Na''vi just suffered bruises and injured pride."


    Colonel Miles frowned, leaning forward with intense interest. "Patch us through to Sully. I want a firsthand report of exactly what happened down there."


    One of the technicians immediately contacted Jake. Moments later, Jake''s bruised and battered Na''vi face appeared on the main monitor. He looked dazed, clutching his head painfully, eyes unfocused.


    "What the hell happened out there, soldier?" Colonel Miles demanded.


    Jake winced slightly, clearly still reeling. "Honestly, sir, I don''t even know. One minute everything was quiet, and the next, the entire clan was screaming, grabbing their bows, and attacking two little girls who looked like they''d stepped right out of a comic book or something."


    He rubbed his head again, grimacing. "When I got closer, one of them¡ªthe little fox-girl¡ªthrew a blue fireball at me. I dodged, but the explosion knocked me out cold."


    Grace clicked her tongue anxiously, frowning at the evident concussion symptoms Jake was exhibiting. Hopefully, his Avatar body''s natural healing would sort it out quickly.


    Colonel Miles exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated but understanding. "Don''t sweat it, soldier. None of us anticipated this shitstorm. Any idea where these little intruders came from, at least?"


    Grace perked up immediately, intensely curious herself. "Yes, Jake. Where exactly did they come from? Did you see how they entered the area?"


    Jake hesitated, looking unsure how to phrase his next words. "Well, um¡­they came from this weird restaurant that popped up right underneath Home Tree."


    Silence enveloped the room as everyone froze, processing his statement. Parker finally exploded, "What fucking restaurant?!"


    Colonel Miles eyed Jake skeptically, his tone softening only slightly. "Son, are you sure you''re alright? Maybe that hit was worse than you think."


    Grace ignored their reactions entirely, stepping forward eagerly. "Jake, wait¡ªare you saying the Na''vi actually have restaurants now? That''s groundbreaking anthropological news!"


    "No, no," Jake clarified quickly, shaking his head. "Not the Na''vi. The building looked human-made¡ªlike a decent-sized wooden restaurant. It just suddenly appeared out of nowhere, right at the base of Home Tree. After those girls beat up everyone, they ran straight inside and haven''t come back out. The Na''vi are all freaked out¡ªnobody dares go near it."


    He paused, visibly gathering his courage before continuing, "I only just woke up, Colonel. But if you need someone to go investigate directly, I''ll volunteer."


    Colonel Miles considered this, clearly intrigued. Grace stepped forward, cutting him off before he could respond. "Jake, first recover fully before you head anywhere near it again. We need you healthy. In the meantime, Norm and I will run more scans and see if we can pinpoint exactly what''s going on with this¡­restaurant."


    Parker groaned, rubbing his temples dramatically. "A random fucking restaurant full of super-powered little girls, suddenly popping up in the middle of our mining operation. Perfect. Just what we needed." He then turned his attention to Grace. ¡°You''re our expert when it comes to weird shit on this planet. I want you to figure out what the hell this all is, and if you can''t, then the Colonel here is going to kill it...¡±


    The Colonel chuckled darkly at that. Staring at the images of the two girls on the screen almost obsessively. ¡°Damn right I will!¡±


    ¡°Nevermind the scans then¡­¡± she huffed. Grace turned to Norm and told him to get ready because they were heading out immediately before the Colonel did something dumb¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stood next to Kunou in the kitchen, watching as she scrubbed dishes by hand, soap and water splashing everywhere. Using magic was strictly forbidden right now¡ªMom¡¯s orders. After we learned Kunou had snuck off to Rimuru''s world behind everyone''s back to gain new powers, Mom was understandably pissed. That only got worse when Kunou finally spilled the full details of her and Milim¡¯s adventure.


    It wasn''t like Mom or I were upset that Kunou had gotten stronger¡ªwe both knew how dangerous things could get in the supernatural world and in other worlds as well.


    But running off without permission, especially to Rimuru''s village¡ªwhich was completely empty since Rimuru and his people were off at war¡ªwas reckless, even for Kunou. Ironically, Milim''s presence probably kept my little sister safe. Rimuru¡¯s forest was home to some seriously powerful monsters, and Milim being there with her scary Demon Lord aura at least guaranteed Kunou¡¯s safety.


    Kunou let out an exaggerated whine, shooting me pleading eyes. "Onii-chan, haven''t I suffered enough already?"


    "Nope," I said firmly, gesturing toward the stack of dirty pans. "Keep scrubbing, Kunou. You know the rules."


    She groaned dramatically, but continued washing the dishes, her ears flattened unhappily.


    Enri, who stood nearby drying some plates, smiled gently. "Don''t worry, Kunou-chan, there aren¡¯t that many left."


    Kunou pouted. "You''re just saying that because you''re not the one scrubbing."


    Enri laughed softly, glancing at me with amusement. "Maybe, but I''m helping, aren''t I?"


    At the counter, Milim sat happily munching on a large plate of chicken wings, trying to say something through a mouthful of food. She waved one of the bones at me, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hmrph, Hrruu, I¡¯f gotta tella yu sumthing¡ª"


    I chuckled, holding up my hand. "Milim, swallow first, please. I can¡¯t understand a word you¡¯re saying."


    She paused, cheeks puffed out with chicken, and nodded sheepishly before swallowing loudly. "Sorry! Anyway, Haru, you''ll never believe what I¡ª"


    Before she could finish, the front door opened, and I looked up, expecting someone else to be stopping by.


    Instead, Erza Scarlet walked into the restaurant, smiling warmly when she saw me. She wore a tight white shirt and a short blue skirt that perfectly showed off her toned legs. My mood brightened immediately at the sight of her, but Erza noticeably flinched as soon as her eyes landed on Milim at the counter.


    Milim tilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly as if trying to recall something. Still chewing, she attempted to address Erza, "Mm? Aren¡¯t chu dat girl who mad Haru shad da odder day?"


    Erza stared at her blankly, clearly unable to decipher what Milim was saying. I sighed softly, shaking my head. "Milim, seriously, swallow your food."


    Milim gulped down the chicken wing and then repeated herself, this time clearly and loudly. "I said, aren''t you that girl who made Haru sad before?"


    Erza immediately blushed, embarrassment clear on her face. She glanced apologetically toward me. "Ah...yes. I''m really sorry again, Haru. Like I said before, my guild¡¯s first master and Master Makarov completely overreacted by forbidding everyone from interacting with you and your restaurant."


    Milim squinted suspiciously, looking between Erza and me. I gave Milim a reassuring smile. "Relax, Milim. Erza came back and apologized properly after you left the other day. We''re all good now."


    "Oh!" Milim brightened immediately, nodding and grabbing another chicken wing. "Well, okay then! I forgive you for making my bestie sad." Erza relaxed slightly, relief evident on her face, but Milim wasn''t finished yet. Leaning forward on her stool with a sly grin, she raised an eyebrow at Erza. "So, baby dragon, why are you back? Are you trying to become Haru¡¯s wife or something? Sorry to tell you, but that spot''s already taken!"


    Erza sputtered, eyes widening in shock, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red as she glanced quickly toward me.


    I waved dismissively, giving Erza an apologetic look. "Ignore Milim. She doesn''t actually know what a wife is."


    Milim immediately puffed up, crossing her arms beneath her chest in indignation. "I do too know what a wife is, Haru!"


    "Really?" I said playfully. "Then what''s a wife, Milim?"


    She paused, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully for several long seconds before confidently answering, "It''s the person who gets to eat tasty food cooked by Haru every single day!"


    I laughed, shaking my head. "See, told you she doesn''t know."


    Erza laughed before shaking her head. Erza then glanced uncertainly at Milim. "Wait a second. Why did you call me ''baby dragon'' earlier?"


    Milim paused in the middle of another bite of food and then leaned close to Erza. Milim started sniffing her, inhaling deeply through her nose several times.


    Erza immediately blushed bright red, stiffening awkwardly as Milim invaded her personal space. She shot a helpless glance in my direction. "Seriously, Haru¡­what''s with the people in this restaurant always sniffing me!?"


    My own cheeks flushed slightly. Before I could even start explaining, Milim''s eyes lit up, and she bounced excitedly on her stool.


    "Woah! No wonder you smell so familiar! You''re just like I used to be¡ªyou''re half-dragon!" she exclaimed triumphantly.


    "Really, Milim? I know her mom¡¯s a dragon, but I thought Erza¡¯s blood was diluted," I said.


    Milim shook her head vigorously, with her pink ponytails bouncing wildly. "Nope, you''re wrong! Her dragon blood isn''t weak at all¡ªit''s just magically suppressed and buried really deep." She turned back to Erza, a sly grin spreading across her face. "You know, baby dragon, you could be a whole lot stronger if you let me name you properly. Naming you would awaken your dragon powers and unlock your full potential!"


    Erza frowned slightly, clearly intrigued but still skeptical. She scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "Stronger, huh? I''m already considered the strongest woman in Fairy Tail¡­" Her voice trailed off slowly, eyes darkening as an unpleasant memory flashed across her face. "But even that strength meant nothing when that vile dragon slaughtered so many innocent people right in front of me and my guildmates, I couldn''t do a damn thing to stop it." Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.


    Milim nodded firmly, looking genuinely sympathetic for a second. "That''s exactly why you should let me name you! Your hidden dragon blood would fully awaken, and you''d have the power to fight monsters like that. We could form our own super-powerful faction! Together, we could definitely steal Haru away from all the other girls who''ve already sunk their claws into him." She thrust her finger dramatically into the air. "Haru will be our wife!"


    Wait, WHAT!?


    I sighed, shaking my head at her nonsense. "Milim, I''m pretty sure you''ve got that backwards¡­"


    Milim huffed indignantly, cheeks puffing out in annoyance as she shot me a stubborn glare.


    I held her gaze calmly, deciding to make things explicitly clear. "Listen, Milim, I''m not leaving any of my girls. I''m a very possessive demon fox¡­"


    Milim pouted dramatically, crossing her arms. "Aww, Haru! You''re no fun."


    Erza cleared her throat softly, cutting back into our conversation. She looked torn, clearly wrestling with the idea of letting Milim name her. "Wait, slow down a moment. What exactly do you mean by ''naming,'' anyway? How exactly would it make me stronger?"


    Milim eagerly turned back to face Erza, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Naming someone powerful is a special ritual! I''d share my magicules¡ªthat''s basically magical energy¡ªwith you, which helps unlock your hidden potential. Because you have strong dragon blood inside you, it would mean awakening your dragon side fully. You''d become stronger, tougher, and faster. Basically, you''d become super awesome, like me!" She placed a proud hand on her chest, looking exceedingly smug. ¡°Well, not quite as awesome as me since I¡¯m the bestest Demon Lord in the world¨Cand now the multiverse¨Cbut you¡¯ll be pretty awesome too¡­¡±


    Erza hesitated, clearly weighing Milim¡¯s offer carefully before finally shaking her head. "I¡­I''ll think about it," she said slowly. "Honestly, I don''t know if I''m ready to fully become a dragon, like my mom."


    Her mention of Irene suddenly made me curious. I leaned casually against the counter, eyeing Erza with interest. "Speaking of your mom¡ªany idea where she''s been lately? I keep wondering when that crazy dragon milf might roll into my restaurant again."


    Erza let out a quiet, embarrassed chuckle at my blunt description of Irene, her cheeks faintly reddening. "Honestly, Haru, I have no clue. It¡¯s been almost two weeks since she last contacted me."


    Before we could discuss Irene any further, the restaurant door swung open, distracting all of us. The person¡ªor rather, alien¡ªI was expecting finally arrived. Councilor Tevos stepped inside gracefully, her gaze calm and professional as she approached the counter. She glanced around briefly before offering me a gentle smile.


    "Not quite as many customers here today," she noted with polite curiosity.


    "They come and go," I replied lightly, shrugging. "It¡¯s the holiday season in a lot of Earth-type worlds, so I figure everyone¡¯s busy spending time with family."


    Tevos nodded in understanding, seemingly accepting that explanation. She then looked at me directly, her expression serious again. "Are you planning to personally accompany me for this diplomatic mission, Haru?"


    "Of course," I said firmly. "Are you handling things personally, too?"


    She nodded gracefully. "Yes. Before becoming a Councilor, I was an experienced diplomat. All Asari have a natural gift for calming other species and encouraging dialogue." Her face darkened slightly, and she added quietly, "Except maybe for the Yahg¡­" A small shudder passed through her, and it was clear she didn''t want to elaborate further on that point.


    Milim and Erza exchanged curious glances at the mention of this mysterious species but wisely didn''t press for more details.


    Tevos quickly regained her composure and turned the conversation forward. "So, who exactly will be joining us on this diplomatic visit?"


    "Me, obviously," I replied without hesitation. I glanced over at Milim and Erza. "I¡¯m heading back to the giant tree to try talking things out with the big blue aliens before they decide to try burning down my restaurant or something."


    It wouldn¡¯t work, obviously¡ªmy restaurant was nearly indestructible¡ªbut I preferred avoiding any more hostility with the locals.


    Milim immediately whined, slumping dramatically over the counter. "Aww! Do I really have to say I''m sorry? They attacked me first!"


    Tevos gently cleared her throat, addressing me directly. "It might actually be wiser if Milim stays behind, at least initially. She and your little sister were the source of the conflict in the first place."


    Milim instantly brightened up, grinning widely. "Yay! I''ll stay here and talk with Ezra more!"


    "My name is Erza!" The redhead sighed in exasperation.


    Milim simply wagged her finger, smiling smugly. "Not yet, it isn''t. It''ll only be Erza once I''ve properly named you like a good little baby dragon!"


    Erza groaned quietly, pressing a hand to her forehead in mild defeat, but she didn''t argue back.


    I shook my head with an amused sigh, resigning myself to Milim''s antics. "Kunou!" I called loudly toward the kitchen. "Be good while I''m out. Enri, please keep an eye on her, okay?"


    "Of course, Lord Haru!" Enri called back cheerfully.


    Kunou let out another exaggerated whine but continued scrubbing dishes obediently.


    I turned back to Tevos and gestured toward the door. "Ready?"


    "Yes," she replied smoothly, following me as we headed outside.


    The massive forest outside was definitely beautiful, but it also looked bizarre, with glowing plants and towering trees unlike any I''d seen before. It gave off the feeling of stepping into an entirely different universe¡ªwhich, I guess, was exactly what it was.


    Councilor Tevos followed right behind me as we stepped out of the restaurant. The moment she took her first breath, though, she instantly froze, clutching at her throat in panic. She shot me a terrified look, gasping painfully before stumbling back inside the Fox Hole.


    Confused and worried, I immediately rushed back inside after her and quickly shut the door behind me. Tevos leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, her face pale with fear.


    "What''s wrong? What happened?" I asked urgently, reaching out to steady her.


    She took several deep, ragged breaths, her eyes wide with shock. "The¡ªthe air on that world. It''s toxic to my species," she said shakily, trying to regain her composure.


    I blinked, genuinely surprised. "Really? It seemed perfectly fine to me."


    From her seat at the counter, Milim turned to us, her expression curious. "You''re back already? What happened?"


    "Tevos can''t breathe outside," I explained simply, still keeping an eye on the Asari councilor as she gradually recovered.


    "Oh! I can fix that easily!" Milim said cheerfully. She hopped off her stool and ran over, her small hand glowing bright gold as she stood on her tiptoes and gently patted Tevos on the shoulder. "There you go! Now you''re blessed with the ability to breathe anywhere¡ªeven underwater!"


    Without another word, Milim skipped happily back over to Erza, who just shook her head with an amused smile.


    Tevos stared at Milim, completely flabbergasted. She cautiously tested her breathing again, clearly amazed when she took in air without any discomfort. "That''s¡­incredibly handy," she finally said, sounding impressed but a bit bewildered. She turned to me and lowered her voice slightly. "Are you certain she''s really supposed to be a Demon Lord? Because she seems quite sweet to me¡­though admittedly rather strange."


    I shrugged, smiling faintly. "Honestly, I''ve never seen Milim do anything I''d actually call ''evil.'' In her world, I''m pretty sure ''Demon Lord'' just means someone extremely powerful who''s not human."


    Tevos nodded thoughtfully, still glancing in Milim''s direction with cautious fascination. "Interesting. I''ll take your word for it."


    With Tevos now safe, we decided to head back outside. This time, she stepped out much more slowly and carefully, taking a tentative breath. "It worked. I can breathe normally now," she said, sounding pleased as she activated her Omni-tool to scan the air around us. After a brief moment, she frowned. "Strange¡­ According to my scans, the air is heavily toxic. I wonder how you''re able to handle it?"


    I shrugged again, casually glancing around at the alien foliage surrounding us. "Probably because of my evolution back in Milim''s world. It must''ve given me some weird resistance to toxins." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What an unusual concept," Tevos murmured, scanning me briefly with her Omni-tool before turning her attention back to the massive environment around us.


    Together, we headed toward the colossal tree looming ahead, its immense trunk easily dwarfing even the tallest skyscrapers I''d ever seen in Kyoto or Tokyo. Tevos scanned the roots as we approached. "These roots are composed of organic material, yet they''re nearly as strong as starship hull plating," she said softly. ¡°This whole world might be a treasure trove of science!¡±


    I glanced upward sharply when I heard the unmistakable sound of heavy wings flapping. One of those flying dinosaur-like creatures Kunou had been excitedly rambling about earlier was rapidly approaching, soaring directly toward us. A large, blue-skinned alien was riding on its back, watching us intently.


    "Looks like we''ve got company," I muttered to Tevos.


    XXX


    Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 327-331


    Thunder and Black Wings 19


    The Fox Hole 78


    The Blood Queen 43


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 5


    The Fox Hole 77


    Thunder and Black Wings 18


    The Fox Hole 76


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 4


    The Fox Hole 75


    The Fox Hole 74


    The Blood Queen 42


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 3


    The Fox Hole 74


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 2


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 1


    Thunder and Black Wings 17

 chapter 74

    Chapter 74:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    The large, blue-skinned alien gracefully hopped down from her flying dinosaur mount and immediately hissed at me, baring her teeth. It wasn''t exactly aggressive, but it definitely felt like a warning¡ªa clear message for me to stay away.


    Honestly, the action reminded me of a territorial cat.


    As the alien stared intently, I realized there was recognition in her yellow eyes. She''d obviously noticed the similarity between me and Kunou.


    ¡­I sighed internally. My little sister certainly knew how to make life complicated. Trouble practically followed Kunou wherever she went¡ªbut as her big brother, I still loved her regardless. Keeping her safe and out of trouble (as best I could, anyway) was part of the job.


    The blue alien kept her focus locked on me, her muscles tense as if she expected trouble. But suddenly, her gaze shifted to confusion as Councilor Tevos stepped calmly in front of me, raising her hands slightly in a universal gesture of peace.


    "Please allow me to handle this," Tevos said gently, her voice calm but firm. "First-contact situations require great delicacy, Haru."


    I nodded in agreement but moved slightly closer to her, carefully watching the alien. "I understand. But if she makes any move to attack, I''m stepping in front of you immediately."


    Tevos turned her head slightly toward me, and, to my surprise, a soft, uncharacteristic giggle escaped her lips. "That''s very noble and sweet of you, Haru," she said warmly. "But despite spending most of my days stuck in meetings or micromanaging galactic politics, I assure you, I''m more than capable of defending myself with my biotics."


    I couldn''t help smiling at her confidence. "Fair enough, Councilor. Just wanted to be clear."


    Meanwhile, the alien warrior had tilted her head, obviously bewildered by our interaction. Her bright yellow eyes darted from me to Tevos and back again, confusion deepening in her features. Her ears twitched slightly as if trying to understand our conversation but failing entirely.


    A faint blue glow surrounded Councilor Tevos as she activated her biotic powers. Her eyes turned completely black. Slowly and carefully, she extended her hand toward the wary alien warrior, palm open in a gentle gesture of peace.


    The tall, blue-skinned female stared cautiously at Tevos''s outstretched hand for a long moment, clearly hesitant about this interaction. Eventually, curiosity seemed to win out, and she carefully reached forward, placing her palm lightly against the councilor''s. As their fingers touched, both women froze. Their gazes locked in silent communication, and the air felt heavy as I waited patiently. It took a couple of minutes, but finally, Tevos withdrew her hand and released a deep, steadying breath. Her biotic glow faded slowly, her eyes returning to normal.


    She turned toward me with a wide, fascinated smile. "Wow¡­ Haru, this planet and these people are absolutely amazing! I learned so much just now¡ªand that was only scratching the surface."


    I chuckled softly, nodding at her excitement but quickly raising my hand before she could say more. "I''ll just take the language for now, Tevos."


    Tevos laughed gently and gave a slight nod of understanding. "Very well. Brace yourself, though¡ªit might feel a little strange." She stepped closer, placing her fingertips gently against my temple.


    The sensation was immediate and overwhelming, like thousands of alien words flooding into my mind all at once. I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes tight, tails twitching behind me in discomfort. As soon as the download ended, I shook my head vigorously, trying to clear the lingering dizziness.


    "Damn," I muttered, rubbing my forehead. "You weren''t kidding about that being unpleasant. But at least we can communicate now."


    Tevos smiled sympathetically. "Sorry about that. Biotic mental transfers are intense, even at the best of times."


    With the new language freshly imprinted in my mind, I turned my attention fully to the towering blue alien. I now knew her species called themselves the Na''vi.


    "Hello," I said gently, carefully speaking in her own language. "My name is Haru, and I''m a demon fox."


    Tevos stepped forward, gracefully joining the introduction. "And my name is Tevos. I''m an Asari from a planet called Thessia. Might we ask your name?"


    The Na''vi female studied us cautiously, still slightly defensive but clearly surprised we spoke her language so fluently. "I am Neytiri," she finally replied, her voice guarded and wary. "Why have you come here, sky people? And why do you both look so strange?" She turned her yellow gaze fully on Tevos, suspicion clear in her expression. "Are you another dream walker, like the others who pretend to be us?"


    Tevos shook her head gently, speaking in a calm, diplomatic tone. "I think you misunderstand, Neytiri. Neither Haru nor I are humans¡ªor sky people, as you call them. We aren''t associated with those who have come to your world previously. My species is known as the Asari. I come from Thessia, a vibrant garden world very similar to your Pandora."


    Neytiri tilted her head, clearly confused but listening intently. She then glanced back at me, her eyes narrowing again. "And you? You look similar to the tiny creature who attacked my people. Is that your child?"


    I sighed, offering Neytiri an apologetic smile. "Not my child¡ªmy little sister, Kunou. She''s young, mischievous. I''m truly sorry about the trouble she caused. She got carried away playing¡­hero."


    "She and the other one hurt many warriors," Neytiri said bluntly, and in anger.


    I bristled slightly at Neytiri¡¯s bluntness, my frustration surfacing before I could contain it. "Maybe your warriors should have thought twice before attacking a little girl out of nowhere," I snapped back sharply. Of course, I knew Kunou was unharmed, but that didn''t mean I liked the fact that  the Na¡¯vi had attacked her.


    Neytiri hissed at me again, her ears laid back aggressively, teeth bared in clear anger. She stepped forward, clearly offended, but before either of us could escalate things further, Tevos quickly stepped between us, raising her hands in a calming gesture.


    "Haru," she reminded me gently but firmly, "we came here to make peace, remember?"


    I took a deep breath, forcing my tension back down. "You''re right. I''m sorry," I said grudgingly, though my annoyance still lingered.


    Tevos then turned back toward Neytiri, her voice gentle and diplomatic. "Neytiri, was anyone from your clan killed or permanently injured during the fight?"


    Neytiri¡¯s yellow eyes flicked away from us, clearly uncomfortable with the question. She shifted her weight uneasily and finally admitted in a quiet, reluctant voice, "No one died. There¡¯s nothing that will not heal eventually."


    "Then," Tevos continued calmly, "no lasting harm was done." She hesitated briefly before adding in a softer, but pointed, tone, "From what I understand, Neytiri, your warriors were the ones who attacked first without any provocation. Unless, of course," she glanced at me cautiously, "Kunou and Milim lied about what happened?"


    I immediately shook my head. "Kunou and Milim might cause trouble, but they''re not liars. If they said your warriors attacked first, then that''s exactly what happened."


    Neytiri visibly bristled at that response, her tail flicking sharply in agitation, eyes narrowing further. Clearly, she didn''t appreciate the implication, but she said nothing in response.


    Tevos seemed to sense the growing tension between us and quickly shifted the conversation to a safer topic. She turned to Neytiri, her voice softening considerably. "Let''s not argue about blame anymore. Neytiri, could you tell us more about yourself and Pandora? Your world seems truly incredible."


    Neytiri immediately hissed again, defensiveness flaring up once more. "Why should I tell you anything about our home?" Her voice was sharp and bitter, full of mistrust. "So you can exploit my people, just like the sky people already are!?" She then turned angrily toward me, pointing an accusing finger in my direction. "And your filthy building sits right beneath our sacred Home Tree! Are you planning to steal our home from us as well?"


    I blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her accusation.


    My restaurant, filthy? Now, that genuinely offended me!


    "Hey!" I snapped back. "My restaurant is not filthy! The Fox Hole is always clean and tidy! It''s outside is enchanted specifically to stay spotless, you know. I''m not even sure it can get dirty!"


    Tevos placed a calming hand on my shoulder, clearly suppressing a smile at my reaction. "Haru, please. I don''t think that''s the main concern here."


    I crossed my arms stubbornly. "Still. She could have just called it ''unwanted'' or something. But filthy? That''s just rude."


    Tevos sighed gently, shaking her head with amusement before turning back toward Neytiri. "Please understand, neither Haru nor I want to harm or exploit your people. Why would you even think we would do such a thing?¡± she asked.


    I watched as Neytiri¡¯s eyes hardened with bitterness, anger blazing openly across her features. She let out a long, frustrated breath before finally beginning to speak, her voice trembling slightly with barely contained rage.


    "You wish to know why I distrust you so deeply? Why my people distrust all outsiders?" Neytiri spat the words sharply, her yellow eyes locked onto mine, then shifting accusingly toward Tevos. "The sky people came to Pandora in massive metal ships that darkened our skies. They burned and ripped apart vast areas of our sacred forest, forever scarring Pandora, disgracing Eywa herself with their careless greed." She clenched her fists tightly, her entire frame tense with fury and sorrow. "At first, they promised us friendship. They promised to share their knowledge with us, to learn from each other. But all they truly wanted was to exploit our trust. They tricked my people into revealing sacred places¡ªsites of great spiritual importance¡ªonly to rip them open and mine their cursed metal from deep within our world."


    I felt my stomach twist with disgust at her words, realizing just how familiar humanity¡¯s greed sounded, even in a completely different universe.


    Neytiri continued passionately, her voice growing louder as she poured out the pain of her people. "We have begged them to stop. We tried to reason with them, to make them see the damage they were causing, but they refused to listen. The sky people are greedy and powerful, armed with terrible weapons that we cannot fight against. Many of my people have died trying to protect our home, but still, they destroy more each day, mining until nothing is left." By the end of her rant, Neytiri was breathing heavily, her eyes glistening with tears of anger and frustration. Her voice dropped lower, becoming almost a whisper. "So forgive me if I do not trust your kind words. The sky people made promises too, and now look at the damage they''ve caused."


    I exchanged a meaningful glance with Tevos. The councilor¡¯s expression was one of deep sympathy and barely contained anger. She stepped forward slowly, nodding gently as she absorbed everything Neytiri had shared.


    "What you''re describing is a catastrophic violation of sentient rights," Tevos said gravely, a cold edge of fury coloring her words. "To exploit and destroy the home world of a sentient species simply for resources¡ªthat goes beyond unethical. Such actions violate every law of basic galactic civilization. What the sky people have done would be considered a massive breach of Citadel law." She huffed in outrage, clearly disturbed by what we''d just learned.


    I felt exactly the same.


    "True," I pointed out cautiously, "but I doubt the Citadel Council even exists in this universe. Or, if they do, humanity here definitely hasn¡¯t encountered them yet." I whispered to Tevos. We had not gotten to the point in the conversation yet where Neytiri found out we weren¡¯t from her Universe. Honestly, I doubt she¡¯d even understand what I was talking about. She wasn¡¯t dumb, obviously far from it, just a bit primitive¡­


    Tevos sighed quietly, her shoulders slumping slightly in resignation. "You''re probably right. Still, it is deeply troubling to hear such a blatant disregard for life and sentient rights." she whispered back to me.


    Neytiri looked between us, confusion mixing with her lingering suspicion. "What is this Citadel Council you speak of? And why would they care about what happens to my people?"


    Tevos paused thoughtfully before stepping closer, clearly trying to phrase her explanation carefully. "The Citadel Council is the governing body of the galaxy. It''s composed of multiple advanced species who''ve come together to uphold peace, prosperity, and the rights of sentient beings. When a species like yours is discovered, especially one inhabiting a garden world like Pandora, strict protections are put in place immediately. Your world and people would have been under immediate council protection¡ªany attempt to exploit or harm you or your world would result in severe consequences."


    Neytiri stared at Tevos with widened eyes, clearly stunned at the idea of such a powerful organization existing solely to protect people like hers. "Such a thing truly exists?¡±


    Tevos paused at Neytiri''s question, and a sly, knowing smile slowly formed on her lips. She glanced at me briefly, her eyes sparkling with mischief before turning confidently back toward Neytiri.


    "Yes," she answered firmly, her voice full of diplomatic authority. "The Citadel Council truly exists. And as a sitting member of that Council, I''ve now heard firsthand the plight of your people. You have my word¡ªI will do everything within my power to address this injustice."


    I shot Tevos a strange, questioning look, raising an eyebrow at her sudden and unexpected statement. What exactly was she doing? We didn''t even know if the Citadel existed here in this universe, let alone if it would have any jurisdiction or power. Was she making promises she couldn''t possibly keep?


    Tevos subtly waved her hand at me, silently signaling me not to interrupt or question her openly. She seemed confident in her approach, so I decided to trust her and stayed quiet.


    Neytiri studied Tevos closely, clearly assessing the sincerity behind her words. After a tense pause, she turned her sharp gaze toward me again, her suspicion slowly giving way to cautious curiosity.


    "Neither of you are sky people, then? You truly are not humans?" Neytiri asked again, clearly wanting to be absolutely certain.


    Tevos nodded firmly once more. "That''s right. Neither Haru nor I are humans."


    Neytiri''s stance relaxed slightly, and she finally gave a cautious nod. "Then¡­I suppose I can allow you both into our home," she said carefully. "But understand clearly¡ªwe extended the same courtesy to the sky people once before. They betrayed us and spat on our trust."


    I gave Neytiri a reassuring smile, acknowledging the gravity of her warning. "We understand. Thank you for giving us this chance."


    Tevos grinned at me, clearly satisfied with the progress we''d made. Despite the rocky start, it seemed we were beginning to build some genuine trust. With tensions easing, an idea suddenly struck me¡ªa practical way to smooth things over further.


    "Neytiri," I began carefully, offering a respectful gesture of goodwill, "earlier, you mentioned that many of your warriors were injured during their encounter with my sister and Milim. I''m a chef by profession¡ªI run that ''filthy building'' beneath your Home Tree." I paused, smiling slightly to soften my words. Neytiri''s ears twitched with mild embarrassment at my gentle jab. "What if I prepared food for your people tonight, as a way to make amends? I love cooking, especially with ingredients I''ve never used before."


    Tevos turned toward me with approval clear on her face. "That''s a wonderful idea, Haru. Sharing food is often one of the simplest yet most effective ways to build trust."


    Neytiri considered my offer thoughtfully for several seconds before slowly nodding. Her suspicion hadn''t entirely disappeared, but curiosity had clearly won out. "Very well¡­Haru... My people will accept your offer¡­¡±


    ¨C Eywa ¨C


    ¡­Eywa had been asleep for a very long time, but even in her slumber, she dreamed vividly. Her dreams were filled with the lives of those who lived upon her surface, her children¡ªthe Na''vi and all the creatures of Pandora. She felt relief seeing that her beloved children had slowly begun to recover from what they now called "the Time of Great Sorrow."


    Eywa herself was still in the process of healing, slowly regaining her strength and energy after the devastating damage inflicted by the sky people. She hadn''t intended to awaken so soon. Regaining her power required deep rest, and yet something unexpected had forced her into consciousness.


    Yesterday, Eywa had opened her senses fully, feeling every heartbeat and breath on Pandora clearly again. She was intimately connected to all beings born or living upon her, from the smallest insects to the largest predators and her beloved Na''vi. Yet yesterday, something extraordinary and utterly foreign had stepped upon her surface¡ªsomething powerful enough to rouse her from her healing slumber!


    The being had arrived in the form of a small, pale-skinned female with vibrant pink hair. At first, Eywa thought this creature might have been related to the "sky people," the humans who had recently arrived and were trying to exploit her and her children.


    But as she observed further, Eywa quickly realized that assumption was incorrect.


    This creature¡ªwho referred to herself as "Milim" in front of Eywa''s na?ve and impulsive Na''vi children¡ªwas definitely not a child of the humans'' dead and broken homeworld. She felt completely alien, possessing a vast, almost unimaginable amount of raw power!


    When Milim had first encountered her Na''vi, Eywa had feared the worst. She''d expected death, destruction, and another tragic period of sorrow, as this terrifyingly strong being could have easily annihilated her children with ease. Could have even devastated all of Pandora¡­


    But to Eywa''s surprise, Milim had merely roughed them up and then retreated into a mysterious wooden structure that appeared from nowhere¡ªone crafted from materials not born of Eywa herself.


    ¡­She watched the building closely ever since, curious and wary.


    Her curiosity grew stronger today when two more beings emerged from the same unusual structure. One was a male who bore striking similarities to the small golden-haired fox-girl from the previous day, clearly related by blood, yet he carried a distinctly different aura. He felt powerful too, though not nearly as overwhelming or threatening as Milim. Beside him was another alien female, one with blue skin who seemed oddly similar yet much smaller in stature than Eywa''s precious Na''vi children.


    Intrigued, Eywa silently observed their interactions with Neytiri, carefully listening as they spoke together and shared information. She found their discussion enlightening and unexpected, especially learning that the enormously powerful pink-haired entity was something called a "cook," one who prepared food for others to eat.


    A cook? Eywa pondered thoughtfully, surprised by such mundane behavior from a being of such incredible strength. It had been countless centuries since she herself had actively partaken in anything resembling a meal. She drew sustenance and strength from her world and her people''s spiritual connections, never needing or even considering physical nourishment.


    Yet, as she sensed the sincere intentions and gentle compassion of the male fox-being called "Haru," an unusual curiosity stirred within her. If beings of such immense power and alien nature wished to share food with her children in goodwill, perhaps she, too, should partake of this offering.


    After all, Eywa mused, when was the last time she had ever enjoyed the simple act of sharing a meal?


    ¨C Trudy Chacon ¨C


    "This is a terrible fucking idea," Trudy muttered loudly into her headset mic, her eyes fixed on the looming shape of the gigantic fucking Tree in the distance.


    The Samson''s rotors thumped rhythmically overhead, filling her ears as she guided the aircraft toward their destination. Behind her pilot seat, fifteen heavily armed marines checked their weapons, completely unconcerned about the insanity of the mission.


    Colonel Miles Quaritch had personally ordered this operation without informing the company leadership. Trudy wasn''t officially part of the strike team¡ªjust their glorified taxi¡ªbut she didn''t need a crystal ball to see how catastrophically this was likely to end.


    Their orders were simple¨Cstorm into the bizarre wooden building that had mysteriously appeared beneath the Na''vi''s Tree, apprehend the two "human-looking superweapons"¡ªa tiny blonde girl with literal fox ears and tails, and another girl with bright pink hair dressed like something out of old-time Earth comics¡ªand drag them back to base for interrogation.


    Trudy shook her head again. It sounded even stupider every time she replayed it in her mind.


    From behind her, one of the marines laughed dismissively, overhearing her complaint. "Relax, Chacon. We''ll be fine. We''ve got iron, and I didn''t see any guns in that drone footage."


    She snorted, glancing back over her shoulder at the soldiers with irritation. "They didn''t need guns, you idiots. They kicked the shit out of dozens of Na''vi warriors bare-handed! Not to mention that freaky-ass blue fireball shit. Seriously, did none of you actually watch the footage? It''s fucking magic or something."


    Another marine scoffed, loading a fresh magazine into his rifle. "Magic ain''t real, Chacon. Those girls probably used some fancy special effects or smoke bombs to fool those dumb aliens. We''ll show ''em how real soldiers handle things."


    Trudy rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed. "Whatever you say, tough guys."


    She tightened her grip on the controls as the Samson approached Home Tree, descending carefully to hover above the clearing. Through her cockpit window, she spotted the strange wooden structure beneath the massive roots of the tree. It looked oddly pristine, totally out of place in the lush Pandoran jungles.


    "What the hell¡­?" Trudy muttered, her eyes narrowing. A large wooden sign stood out front, prominently displaying the name in two languages: Japanese and English. She zoomed her cockpit camera in, reading aloud to herself with confusion. "The Fox Hole?"


    Before she had time to ponder further, the marines began jumping out, hitting the ground in practiced formation. All fifteen moved quickly toward the mysterious building, weapons raised, clearly eager to complete their mission.


    Trudy maneuvered her Samson higher, pulling back to maintain a safe distance¡ªabout half a mile away¡ªbut she kept the camera focused on the unfolding situation. Her instincts screamed that this whole thing was about to go spectacularly sideways, and she fully intended to be far enough away to escape the aftermath.


    "Not my fucking problem," she whispered softly, relieved at least that none of the trigger-happy idiots currently rushing toward the wooden building were her friends. Most of them were fresh off the shuttle from Earth, cocky and inexperienced.


    Pandora didn''t fuck around, and now they were about to find out.


    ¨C Enri ¨C


    Enri glared at Milim, hands planted firmly on her hips. Once upon a time, the pink-haired Demon Lord might have terrified her, but after everything she''d witnessed since meeting Lord Haru, Enri found herself a lot braver. Sure, she was still just a squishy, ordinary human girl¡ªbut she knew bravery came in many forms, and right now, it meant telling off an absurdly powerful and very impulsive Demon Lord.


    "Lady Milim, Lord Haru and Lady Yasaka are both going to be very angry with you," Enri scolded, her voice carrying clear annoyance.


    Milim just pouted, crossing her arms defiantly beneath her chest. "But I wanted two new adorable little sisters!" she whined childishly, her pink twintails bouncing with each exaggerated movement.


    Enri pinched the bridge of her nose, groaning slightly. The trouble had started just minutes after Lord Haru and the blue-skinned woman had left for the Na''vi village.


    In their absence, Milim had taken it upon herself to ''name'' both Erza and Kunou, despite explicit instructions from Lord Haru that neither girl was to undergo such a major change without proper discussion first¡ªespecially Kunou. Haru had explained a little about the naming process to Enri, enough for her to understand it was serious business. It affected both mind and body, and he had wanted to wait until Kunou was older and ready. Perhaps he and Lady Yasaka had even wanted to do it themselves, which would have made it special.


    Enri sighed again, shaking her head slowly. "Lady Kunou is already Haru''s sister," she reminded Milim firmly.


    Milim tilted her head, still pouting stubbornly. "Yeah, but I''m going to be Haru''s wife anyway, which means Kunou would be my sister just the same!"


    Enri stared at Milim blankly, utterly confused by the strange logic. She was very certain Milim still had no idea what the term ''wife'' actually meant. Was no one ever going to explain it to her? Enri decided with resignation that she would probably have to be the one to clarify things later¡ªthough she wasn''t looking forward to it.


    Nearby, in one of the restaurant¡¯s comfortable booths, Kunou and Erza lay quietly sleeping, unconscious from the sudden rush of magical energy caused by Milim''s naming. Milim had carefully moved both girls to the seats and watched over them protectively. Erza seemed to stir first, blinking awake after nearly half an hour had passed.


    Enri didn''t know much about Erza, other than the fact she was a powerful human magic swordswoman¡­although now, after Milim''s meddling, Erza probably wasn''t fully human anymore.


    ¡­Enri couldn''t help but feel a tiny pang of jealousy at that thought.


    "What happened?" Erza groaned softly, rubbing her eyes as she slowly sat up, clearly disoriented.


    Before anyone could answer, Milim sprinted over with a delighted cry and practically tackled Erza in a hug. "Yay! You''re awake! You''re way stronger now¡ªand you smell a lot more like a dragon! I bet you''ll even be able to transform into one if you practice a bit!"


    "Wait, what?" Erza asked, still groggy and clearly confused. Her eyes widened slightly, and she firmly pushed Milim back, holding her at arm''s length. "Milim¡­didn''t I say I wanted time to think about this first? You completely ignored what I said!"


    Milim suddenly looked sheepish, glancing down at the floor. "Sorry, Erza¡­ I was just so excited to meet another half-dragon. It¡¯s been a really long time¡­" Her voice dropped quietly at the end, sadness creeping in.


    Seeing the awkwardness rising, Enri decided to interrupt gently. "Lady Erza, would you like something to eat? You must be hungry after all that."


    Erza turned toward Enri gratefully, a relieved smile on her lips. "Actually, yes. I feel incredibly hungry."


    "Dragons always eat tons of food!" Milim said proudly, her earlier melancholy evaporating instantly.


    Erza sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Great, now my food budget is going to skyrocket... I''ll have to take on even more guild missions."


    Enri chuckled lightly to herself as she moved toward the kitchen, planning to whip up something simple but hearty for the newly minted half-dragon. However, before she could even start cooking, the peaceful atmosphere of the Fox Hole shattered abruptly.


    The restaurant¡¯s doors were kicked inwards by someone very rude! Enri spun around in alarm as heavily armed soldiers stormed into the dining area, rifles raised and aimed directly at them.


    "Hands in the air!" shouted the lead marine, his voice cold and demanding.


    "Nobody move, or we''ll shoot!" another barked.


    "You¡¯re all coming with us," a third growled menacingly, glaring around the room. "Try anything funny, and we¡¯ll put you down."


    Enri froze for a heartbeat, her blood running cold. Her eyes darted nervously to Milim.


    Milim¡¯s playful, bubbly smile had completely disappeared. Instead, her face transformed into something far darker. Her expression hardened dangerously, her crimson eyes narrowing into a predatory glare. For the first time in a long while, Enri felt genuine fear ripple down her spine.


    Even more surprising, though, was the sudden shift in Erza''s demeanor. It was as if the gentle swordswoman had vanished entirely, replaced by an enraged dragon eyeing its prey.


    Enri swallowed nervously and sighed, sensing exactly where things were headed. She ducked beneath the safety of the restaurant¡¯s sturdy counter, to hide away from the imminent violence¡­


    These strange soldiers clearly had no idea just how badly they''d messed up.


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!! You can check out more of my stories on my profile.


    Wanna read more of my stuff ahead of regular release?


    You can Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 328-332


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 6


    The Fox Hole 80


    Thunder and Black Wings 20


    The Fox Hole 79


    Thunder and Black Wings 19 S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Fox Hole 78


    The Blood Queen 43


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 5


    The Fox Hole 77


    Thunder and Black Wings 18


    The Fox Hole 76


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 4


    The Fox Hole 75


    The Blood Queen 42


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 3

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I stared down at the alien meat in front of me, raising an eyebrow curiously. "This is some pretty interesting¡­wolf meat?" I murmured, inspecting the texture more closely. "Well, alien wolf meat, at the very least. Probably..." Kind of like a blend between a wolf and an alligator, if it came from another planet.


    Neytiri, who was standing nearby observing me with suspicion, tilted her head sharply. "What is a ''wolf''?" she asked, confused.


    I paused, realizing explaining Earth''s creatures to an alien warrior would be more trouble than it was worth right now. "Never mind," I told her with a small smile, waving the thought away casually.


    I returned my attention to cooking. To feed an entire Na''vi clan¡ªeasily numbering in the hundreds¡ªI¡¯d had to create a makeshift grill. It was massive, cobbled together using metal racks, stone slabs, and other materials scavenged from my storage dimension and whatever I¡¯d found lying around inside Home Tree. The Na''vi didn¡¯t have kitchen equipment exactly, so creativity was crucial here.


    Dozens of large yellow eyes watched me warily from every direction. Even though Neytiri herself had introduced Councilor Tevos and me to her people, the Na''vi were clearly suspicious of us. They stood or squatted quietly in groups, talking in hushed voices, probably wondering if we were another trick sent by the sky people.


    A little ways off, Tevos was speaking diplomatically to the Na''vi leaders¡ªEytukan, the clan leader, and Mo''at, their high priestess. Those two were the most influential figures here, and Tevos was doing her best to convince them she had no connection to the sky people or their exploitation.


    I kept my ears pricked up, subtly listening in on their conversation, just in case anything turned hostile. So far, Tevos was making solid headway¡ªexplaining herself with patience and diplomacy.


    But I did end up getting distracted.


    I turned my focus back to the cooking when a small group of curious Na''vi children wandered over, eyes wide with interest.


    One child stared up at me, clearly fascinated. "Are you really not a sky person?"


    I grinned and shook my head, flashing them my ten fluffy golden tails. "Definitely not. Sky people don''t have these awesome tails like I do, do they?"


    Several kids giggled excitedly, eyes sparkling in wonder. Another one, bolder than the rest, huffed defiantly. "Our tails are better! Yours are too fluffy!"


    I laughed lightly, wagging my tails playfully. "Too fluffy? No way! Fluffy tails are obviously the best kind!"


    The children argued back playfully, pointing out the supposed advantages of their smooth, slender tails. From the corner of my eye, I caught Neytiri watching us¡ªand to my surprise, a tiny, brief smile formed on her lips. She quickly hid it when she noticed me grinning knowingly back at her, turning her attention back to Tevos and the leaders.


    The scent of grilling meat and strange spices filled the air as I cooked at high speed, flipping pieces rapidly across the huge grill. The kids cheered loudly as they watched me zip around, impressed by my supernatural agility. I could have just used shadow clones to make the job easier, but figured seeing multiples of me might freak out the Na''vi. One step at a time.


    As I was plating up some of the grilled meat, an injured Na''vi warrior approached slowly. His face was etched in a scowl, his eyes blazing with distrust and irritation.


    Neytiri noticed him and called out, "Tsu''tey," her tone holding a subtle warning. Clearly, she anticipated trouble.


    Ignoring Neytiri, the warrior stopped directly in front of me, towering over me with a dark glare. "A creature looking exactly like you burned my arm," he growled accusingly, gesturing toward his bandaged arm.


    I couldn''t help but smirk a bit. "Oh, that would be my little sister," I replied casually, continuing to grill the meat calmly. "Maybe you shouldn''t have started a fight with a young kitsune if you didn''t want to get burned."


    Tsu''tey¡¯s expression darkened even further, fury flashing in his yellow eyes.


    Several nearby Na''vi children overheard our exchange and immediately turned toward the warrior with confusion.


    "Wait, you got beaten by a little girl?" one of the boys asked, incredulous. "The warriors told everyone the war party got attacked by a terrifying beast!"


    Another child nodded eagerly, looking shocked. "You really lost to a child? That isn''t what they said!"


    Tsu''tey stiffened in humiliation, his teeth grinding together. Clearly, the warriors had exaggerated the incident¡ªprobably to save face. The kids whispered and giggled amongst themselves, eyeing the proud warrior with newfound amusement. Tsu''tey turned his angry glare back on me, his fists clenched at his sides.


    I simply shrugged at him, unapologetic. I wasn¡¯t going to pretend Kunou had done anything wrong. Sometimes, you just couldn¡¯t make everyone happy. Deciding to make a small gesture anyway, I took a freshly grilled meat skewer from the grill and held it out to him. "Here, peace offering?" I offered lightly, giving him a casual smile.


    He stared down at the skewer, clearly tempted by the delicious aroma but also stubbornly trying to remain hostile. After a brief internal struggle, he snatched it roughly from my hand.


    "We Na''vi are not wasteful," he muttered gruffly, taking a reluctant bite. The moment the meat touched his tongue, however, Tsu''tey froze, his eyes widening in shock at the delicious flavor. It was obvious he enjoyed it¡ªprobably more than he''d admit openly.


    I chuckled softly under my breath, seeing his annoyance at how much he liked the food I''d prepared. Tsu''tey caught my expression and shot me one last irritated glare before turning and stomping away to sulk alone.


    ¡­


    I finally finished grilling the last pieces of the alien meat. The savory scent filled the air, and the Na''vi clan slowly began to approach, cautiously accepting bowls, skewers, and plates from me. Despite my efforts, most still hesitated, clearly uncertain about tasting food prepared by a strange outsider.


    Well, except for the children I''d joked around with earlier. They weren''t hesitant at all. They immediately dug in.


    "This is the best food I''ve ever eaten!" one of the kids exclaimed loudly, stuffing his face with enthusiasm.


    "Yeah!" another boy shouted excitedly, raising his skewer. "It''s even better than my mother''s cooking!"


    Nearby, a Na''vi woman¡ªpresumably his mother¡ªturned sharply, letting out an offended hiss at her son. The child immediately looked guilty, his ears drooping sheepishly. "Sorry, Mother... but it really is!" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She glared at her son for a moment longer before curiosity won out, and she took a hesitant bite herself. I watched her expression soften from irritated to reluctantly impressed, and she sighed, shaking her head gently. "It¡¯s true," she admitted quietly, looking slightly embarrassed.


    I chuckled softly to myself, pleased at their reactions, and turned to join Tevos, Neytiri, and the Na''vi leaders¡ªEytukan and Mo''at¡ªwho were all sitting together nearby. I settled down next to Tevos comfortably.


    "You were right, Councilor," I said to her, leaning back with satisfaction. "Good food really does bring people together."


    Tevos gave me an amused smile, clearly enjoying the progress we''d made. "It certainly does," she agreed softly, glancing at the Na''vi leaders with a friendly nod. "I think we''re finally making some real headway here."


    Eytukan, the stern-looking chieftain, regarded Tevos with cautious optimism. "Are you truly serious about helping us, then?" he asked bluntly. "You must understand our caution, given how much we have suffered from outsiders."


    Mo''at, the priestess, nodded in agreement, her sharp eyes carefully watching Tevos for any sign of deception. "Indeed. Many have promised friendship and assistance before, only to betray us."


    Before Tevos could respond, a melodic, authoritative voice echoed clearly from nearby, startling us all.


    "Of course she is serious, my children."


    The Na''vi gasped collectively, turning their heads in shock as a mysterious female figure stepped calmly toward us. Unlike every other Na''vi, her skin was not blue¡ªit was almost completely pure white, glowing gently in the fading daylight. Instead of typical hide clothing, she wore only a delicate arrangement of green leaves, resembling a natural forest bikini, tightly hugging her slender frame.


    She was slightly shorter than an average adult female Na''vi, yet every step she took radiated an immense, divine power¡ªso powerful that it almost took my breath away. Instantly, I knew this was no ordinary Na''vi. She was clearly some kind of goddess, or at least an entity of incredible spiritual authority.


    Eytukan and Mo''at stood up in alarm, their expressions wary and defensive. "Who are you?" the chieftain demanded firmly, though his voice betrayed unease.


    The mysterious woman laughed lightly, her laughter echoed softly by the rustling leaves around us, almost like the forest itself was amused. "You pray to me daily, my children, yet when I stand among you, you do not recognize me?"


    There was a moment of stunned silence. Neytiri finally broke it, her voice barely above a whisper. "Eywa¡­?"


    The moment Neytiri spoke that sacred name, the entire clan erupted into astonished gasps and whispers, awe and disbelief spreading rapidly among them.


    Eywa smiled softly at Neytiri, nodding gently. "Yes, dear Neytiri, it is I."


    Several Na''vi instantly fell to their knees, bowing their heads respectfully. Others merely stood frozen, mouths open in wonder, uncertain how to respond.


    I glanced at Tevos, who was watching the exchange with wide-eyed fascination. We exchanged a knowing look¡ªI wasn''t sure either of us had anticipated meeting another goddess today.


    Eywa approached our seated group gracefully, her golden eyes turning toward me with interest. "Haru, is it not? You prepared this meal?"


    "Yes, that''s me. I hope it was to everyone''s liking."


    Eywa smiled warmly. "Indeed. I have been observing you. It has been countless centuries since I last partook of a meal, and yours smells truly enticing." She stepped closer, reaching out gracefully and picking up a skewer, carefully inspecting it before taking a delicate bite.


    All around, Na''vi watched breathlessly, clearly amazed to see their deity casually tasting the food I''d made. Eywa closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the flavors carefully before opening them again, now bright and delighted.


    "You are truly gifted," she said warmly. "This is remarkable food."


    I couldn''t help smiling with pride. "Thank you, Eywa."


    Eywa then turned toward Tevos, her expression turning more serious but still gentle. "Councilor Tevos, I have felt your sincerity from the moment you arrived. I am pleased you wish to help my children."


    Tevos was visibly startled for a brief moment, probably surprised by Eywa knowing both our names without introduction. I guessed Eywa had been quietly observing us long before she chose to reveal herself openly.


    But Tevos quickly regained her composure and smiled warmly at Eywa, nodding respectfully. "I became a member of the Citadel Council precisely to help beings like your people," she explained gently. "I do have a plan in mind¡ªone that might scare the humans away from Pandora, at least for a while. However, if that fails¡­" she hesitated, glancing meaningfully in my direction.


    I sighed softly, finishing her thought with reluctant honesty. "There''s always violence. But let''s hope it doesn''t come to that."


    Eywa bowed her head gracefully toward both Tevos and me in sincere gratitude. Immediately, gasps and murmurs rippled through the Na''vi clan¡ªclearly shocked to witness their goddess showing such respect to outsiders.


    Eywa then straightened and spoke to the gathered Na''vi clearly, her voice calm but authoritative. "From this moment forward, Haru, Tevos, and all their companions are welcomed guests upon Pandora. There will be no more random attacks against them." Her gaze sharpened slightly, clearly chastising some of the warriors present. "Am I understood?"


    Several warriors, including those who¡¯d been injured earlier by Kunou and Milim, lowered their heads sheepishly, avoiding her stern gaze in embarrassment. "Yes, Eywa," came their quiet acknowledgments.


    I broke the slightly tense moment by gesturing politely toward the grill. "Would you like seconds, Eywa?"


    Her eyes brightened, and her white tail flicked gently behind her. "I would be delighted, Haru."


    Just as I moved to prepare another serving, my ears twitched suddenly. A powerful surge of magical energy burst forth nearby, followed immediately by a loud BOOM echoing through the forest. Moments later, the unmistakable sound of rapid gunfire rang out below Home Tree.


    The Na''vi warriors jumped to their feet, instantly alarmed. Eytukan was already reaching for his weapon, eyes blazing with anger and worry. "What is happening? Are the sky people attacking us again?"


    Eywa calmly raised her hand, silencing her people immediately. Her expression was thoughtful rather than fearful. "No, my children. The sky people are not attacking us this time." She paused, seeming to search for the right words. "They are attacking the home of our guest, Haru¡­?" She glanced at me, clearly seeking clarification.


    I frowned, annoyed that humans here were causing trouble at my restaurant. "Technically, it''s my restaurant. Although, I do have an apartment upstairs where I sometimes live. So yeah, it counts as my home, too," I explained quickly. I narrowed my eyes, focusing intently, trying to figure out exactly what was going on down there.


    More strange yet, I suddenly sensed another powerful presence¡ªsomething distinctly draconic. It felt oddly familiar, similar to Irene, yet not quite the same. It wasn''t Milim either. Who else could it be? I wasn''t exactly acquainted with many dragons.


    Deciding there was no point guessing, I stood up decisively. "I''m going to go check out what''s happening," I told Tevos quietly.


    She nodded in understanding. "I''ll stay here with the Na''vi for now and keep things calm," she assured me confidently.


    "I shall go with Haru," Eywa suddenly declared, stepping beside me.


    One of the Na''vi warriors stood quickly, chest puffed out proudly. "Then I will go as well! It would be my honor to fight beside a friend of Eywa."


    I gave him an appreciative smile but shook my head lightly. "Thanks, but that''s not necessary. I''ve got this covered."


    Eywa nodded softly, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Indeed. The fighting below has already ended¡ªthe sky people have been swiftly defeated."


    Her statement immediately drew enthusiastic cheers from the Na''vi. Man, they really did not like the humans in this Universe.


    Without wasting any more time, I walked confidently to the edge of Home Tree''s enormous branches and leaped straight off. Behind me, the clan gasped again, startled by my sudden move. But before I could fall far, blue flames ignited beneath my feet, forming solid platforms to glide down on.


    ¨C Neytiri ¨C


    Neytiri watched curiously as Councilor Tevos quietly stepped away from the feast and headed deeper into Home Tree. She was going to speak privately with Neytiri¡¯s parents¡ªEytukan, the clan¡¯s leader, and Mo''at, their high priestess¡ªabout whatever mysterious plan she had for protecting Pandora from the sky people. Neytiri hoped that it would work. Her clan desperately needed peace.


    She glanced around at her clanmates, who were still joyously eating the strange yet delicious food Haru had prepared. Even Tsu''tey, as stubborn and proud as ever, had taken multiple helpings. The children laughed, and the adults looked relaxed¡ªmore relaxed than Neytiri had seen them in a very long time.


    Her heart still raced from the excitement and awe of Eywa¡¯s appearance. She had lived her entire life praying to Eywa, feeling the Great Mother''s presence in every leaf, rock, and creature on Pandora. Yet never had Neytiri expected Eywa herself to appear among them¡ªin Na''vi form, no less. To personally meet Eywa, to hear her voice directly, was an honor beyond her wildest dreams.


    "This day will become legend," Neytiri whispered reverently, mostly to herself. "Our clan has truly been blessed by Eywa herself."


    She felt profound relief knowing Eywa approved of Haru and Tevos. After enduring so much betrayal by outsiders, her people desperately needed trustworthy allies. Perhaps these new aliens truly would be different from the greedy, destructive sky people.


    And speaking of sky people¡­


    Neytiri turned sharply as she heard footsteps approaching, immediately recognizing the clumsy steps of Jake Sully. Where had he been all this time?


    Jake casually approached the grill and picked up one of the last remaining meat skewers, biting into it without hesitation. His eyes widened instantly, surprised by how good it tasted. "Wow, this is really good," he muttered appreciatively, still chewing. "Who made this?"


    Neytiri eyed him with mild irritation. "It was prepared by Haru¡ªthe kitsune alien who just received Eywa''s blessing directly," she explained firmly.


    Jake raised one eyebrow skeptically, giving her an amused look. "Right," he said slowly, clearly thinking she was exaggerating or joking.


    Neytiri''s ears flattened, and she hissed sharply at him, frustrated by his continued ignorance. "You are a fool, Jake Sully! You missed a sacred event¡ªan opportunity you will never see again in your lifetime." She swept an arm dramatically toward the gathered Na''vi around them. "Look how happy everyone is! Eywa herself came to us and spoke directly with Haru and Tevos. Our clan has been truly blessed, yet you doubt me?"


    Jake quickly held up his strange five-fingered hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, okay¡ªI''m sorry," he apologized hastily, eyes wide as he glanced around at the joyous Na''vi celebrating. "Clearly, I missed some kind of major Na''vi holiday. I¡¯m really sorry, Neytiri." He paused, chewing on his skewer thoughtfully. "Aside from that, what else is going on? I thought I heard gunshots or explosions earlier."


    Neytiri¡¯s expression darkened, and she scowled deeply at the thought. "Hmph. The foolish sky people attacked the home of our new friends at the base of Home Tree," she said with open disdain. "No doubt they are already being slaughtered as we speak. Good riddance!"


    Jake¡¯s reaction surprised her. His eyes went wide in shock, and his entire demeanor changed from casual to panicked in an instant. "What!? No! We have to go and help them!" he exclaimed urgently, tossing his unfinished skewer to the side. "I can''t just let people get killed¡ªthis has to be some kind of misunderstanding or mistake!"


    Neytiri opened her mouth to protest, but Jake was already gone. He ran toward the edge of Home Tree, grabbed hold of one of the thick hanging vines, and began rapidly descending toward the ground below.


    Neytiri let out several angry Na''vi curses, glaring after Jake as he disappeared from sight. She could hardly believe she''d once thought bringing such a stubborn fool into her clan was a good idea. He never listened, always acting without thinking things through. "I swear to Eywa, Jake Sully¡­" she growled to herself. Still fuming, Neytiri hurried after him.


    She knew he would do something incredibly stupid!


    ¨C Trudy Chacon ¨C


    "Yep, this is fucked," Trudy muttered grimly to herself, her eyes wide and heart hammering in her chest.


    Through the cockpit window of her Samson, she could see the arrogant, cocky rookie marines running full speed out of that bizarre restaurant, sprinting as if their asses were on fire. A couple of the men stumbled, tripping over each other as they desperately tried to get away from something chasing them out of the building.


    Trudy squinted in disbelief, leaning forward slightly to get a better look. "What the fuck¡­?"


    Behind them, gleaming swords hovered in the air, chasing the terrified marines on their own, without anyone even touching them. The blades moved with precision, zipping gracefully back and forth like guided missiles, keeping pace effortlessly.


    Trudy had seen a lot of crazy things since she''d arrived on Pandora¡ªbut flying swords? That shit was beyond anything she¡¯d signed up for.


    The next second, a woman stepped confidently out of the strange building. She was tall, strikingly beautiful, with fiery red hair flowing loosely behind her, catching the sunlight as she emerged. She looked like she''d stepped straight out of one of those old anime shows from Earth. The woman''s strange armor gleamed like polished metal, and she wielded multiple swords without even holding them. The blades floated around her in perfect synchronization, like extensions of her own body.


    "Holy shit¡­" Trudy whispered, her mouth hanging open in shock.


    Suddenly, a few of the fleeing marines spun around, opening fire with their automatic rifles. The sound of machine gun fire echoed loudly through the clearing, bullets spraying in the armored woman''s direction. Without even flinching, the red-haired knight calmly raised her hand. Immediately, two of the floating swords moved in front of her, spinning rapidly in midair, blocking every bullet with inhuman precision.


    Trudy stared in awe and horror. "Okay¡­that''s fucking metal. And absolutely terrifying," she admitted to herself, quickly shaking off her shock.


    She had no doubt those men were dead¡ªor at least about to seriously wish they were¡ªand she had zero intention of sticking around to find out what would happen next. Quickly regaining her composure, Trudy reached for the controls, flipping switches and powering up her Samson¡¯s engines. The powerful rotors whined loudly, building to full strength in seconds. Her vehicle vibrated as it started lifting slightly off the ground.


    "Fuck this place. Fuck those dumbass marines. I''m out," Trudy growled urgently, gripping the flight stick and preparing to pull up.


    But before she could ascend, two of the swords suddenly turned in mid-air, locking onto her Samson like heat-seeking missiles. Her eyes widened in panic as she watched them rocket toward her with frightening speed.


    "Shit¡ª!" Trudy cursed, desperately pulling up on the flight stick to evade.


    BOOM!


    The swords slammed into both of her Samson¡¯s wing-mounted rotor assemblies, causing a violent explosion that jolted the entire aircraft. Sparks erupted across the cockpit dashboard, and alarms blared as every electronic system shorted out simultaneously. Trudy screamed in frustration and terror as the aircraft lurched, losing power immediately, before crashing back down onto the jungle floor with a painful jolt.


    Her ears rang, and she was breathing heavily, her heart thundering violently. The cockpit went completely dark, all instruments dead. She frantically tried the controls again, hoping by some miracle the Samson would restart, but there was nothing. Completely dead.


    "Goddammit¡­" she growled, feeling a deep, sinking dread in her gut.


    All she could do now was watch helplessly through the cracked windshield. Outside, the armored woman had effortlessly dispatched the last few marines, knocking them unconscious with swift, merciless blows from the hilt of a blade¡ªat least, Trudy hoped they were only unconscious. Finally, the warrior woman turned, her gaze instantly locking onto the downed Samson.


    Their eyes met, and Trudy felt her blood run cold. The red-haired woman gave her an intense, predatory glare, and Trudy knew immediately she was fucked beyond belief.


    "Ah shit¡­" Trudy muttered weakly, slumping back into her seat. She raised her hands slightly in surrender, knowing resistance at this point would be suicidal. ¡°Fucking Pandora¡­¡±


    ¨C Kunou ¨C


    Kunou opened her eyes hearing the sounds of gunshots and screams before the front door of the Fox Hole shut and all the noise went away. She yawned as she sat up in her booth and glanced around.


    Huh? When did she fall asleep?


    She saw Enri peeking her head up slowly from behind the counter for some reason. Kunou¡¯s tails wagged a little bit. ¡°Hi Enri! Whatcha doin¡¯ back there? OH!? Are we playing hide and seek!?¡±


    Enri let out a sigh as she glanced around the empty place. ¡°No, Lady Kunou! I was hiding because bad guys tried to attack the restaurant,¡± she explained. ¡°Erza and Milim are dealing with them.¡±


    Oh? Another fight already? Kunou was excited!


    Was it time for the ¡°Fox Girl Hero¡± to make her third debut?


    Kunou hopped out of the booth with stars in her eyes. Telling Enri not to worry because she would protect her! Kunou was just about to head out the door when Enri spoke up and stopped her.


    ¡°Nuh Uh! Lord Haru and Lady Yasaka explicitly told you that you weren¡¯t allowed to leave the restaurant without them and you still haven''t finished cleaning your dishes!¡± Enri scolded her, crossing her arms and staring at Kunou sternly.


    ¡°Awww¡­¡± Kunou whined. Her ears drooped and she made her way back behind the counter to finish the plates she had left to clean. Justice would have to wait a bit longer for her return¡­


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!! You can check out more of my stories on my profile.


    Wanna read more of my stuff ahead of regular release?


    You can Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 328-332


    Thunder and Black Wings 21


    The Blood Queen 44


    The Fox Hole 81


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 6


    The Fox Hole 80


    Thunder and Black Wings 20


    The Fox Hole 79


    Thunder and Black Wings 19


    The Fox Hole 78


    The Blood Queen 43


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 5


    The Fox Hole 77


    Thunder and Black Wings 18


    The Fox Hole 76


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 4

 chapter 76

    Chapter 76:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    It didn''t take long for me to realize exactly who the new dragon I''d sensed was.


    Erza stood confidently outside my restaurant, hands resting firmly on her hips, an incredibly proud smile plastered across her face. For a second, I couldn''t help but stare. Seeing her like this caught me completely off guard.


    I glanced quickly around the clearing, taking in the strange scene. It looked like a human military squad had foolishly decided to attack my restaurant. Several soldiers lay unconscious in the dirt, groaning quietly in pain, their weapons scattered around them. Others were sprawled out motionless, deep wounds carved clearly into their bodies by Erza''s swords.


    Blood dripped down the floating blades¡­


    To be honest, I felt pretty shocked at the sight. Erza had always struck me as someone who wouldn''t willingly take lives if she could avoid it. But seeing the look in her eyes¡ªthe fierce pride, the victorious gleam.


    Suddenly, Erza noticed me standing there. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she sprinted across the clearing at surprising speed.


    "Haru!" she cried happily, practically throwing herself into my arms.


    I stumbled slightly backward, completely stunned as Erza hugged me tightly, squeezing herself against my chest with pure enthusiasm. Her body felt pleasantly warm, and I could sense a powerful dragon''s aura radiating from her in waves¡ªsimilar to Irene''s, yet clearly unique.


    "I protected your restaurant!" Erza said, her voice joyful and proud. "I kept it safe, just like a good girl and a strong dragon would!"


    Whoa. Hearing Erza talk like this was beyond unexpected. Normally, she kept a calm, disciplined composure, hardly ever showing much outward emotion. This bubbly, openly affectionate Erza was a completely different person.


    Not that I minded her hugging me like this, of course¡ªbut it still felt odd so suddenly. Recovering quickly, I wrapped my arms gently around her, giving her a reassuring pat on the back. "Thank you, Erza," I said softly. "I really appreciate what you''ve done here. Are you feeling alright, though? As much as I like this hug, you''re usually way more stoic and reserved."


    Erza froze in my arms, suddenly realizing how she was acting. She immediately released me and stumbled a step back, face flushing deep scarlet¡ªalmost the same shade as her long red hair.


    "W-wait, I¡­!" Erza stammered, embarrassed and flustered. "I''m sorry, Haru! I don''t know what came over me just now¡ªI shouldn''t have acted so forward. It was completely inappropriate. Please forgive me."


    A familiar, playful laugh cut in sharply. "Hehehe! Don''t be shy now, Erza! Embrace it! Be proud of your new dragon half!"


    I sighed heavily, instantly recognizing Milim''s cheerful voice. Sure enough, she strutted confidently toward us, grinning mischievously while effortlessly carrying a terrified-looking human woman tucked under her arm like a bundle of laundry. The poor woman struggled weakly in Milim''s grip, eyes wide and panicked under her mask.


    I shot Milim a tired look. "Let me guess¡ªthis all was your doing?"


    Milim beamed brightly, clearly proud of herself. "Yep! I gave Erza a name. Now she''s strong and fierce, a proper half¨Cdragon sister for me to spoil!" She giggled, completely ignoring the frightened human squirming helplessly in her arms.


    I glanced back at Erza, noticing her expression slowly returning to her normal, disciplined composure. She was clearly making a serious effort to regain control of her emotions, although her cheeks still burned red with embarrassment.


    "I¡­apologize again," Erza said, her voice more calm and steady now. "Milim''s ''naming'' seems to have temporarily affected my emotional control. I assure you, I''ll learn to manage it properly."


    I smiled gently at her, reassuring her quietly. "It''s okay, Erza. Honestly, it was kind of cute. Just let me know if you need any help adjusting, alright?"


    She nodded gratefully, her expression softening. "Thank you, Haru. I''ll be sure to remember that."


    "And who exactly is your new friend there?" I asked Milim.


    "My name is Trudy Chacon!" the terrified woman squeaked, squirming helplessly beneath Milim¡¯s firm grasp. "Please don''t kill me! I was just the pilot¡ªI didn''t want any part of this!"


    Milim gave an annoyed grunt, abruptly dropping the frightened pilot onto the ground. Trudy landed hard with a gasp, staring up at Milim in fear as the normally cheerful demon lord glared down at her.


    "Quiet," Milim ordered sharply, her playful nature momentarily replaced by a dangerous seriousness. "You''ll speak when spoken to."


    Trudy swallowed nervously, her eyes wide behind the breathing mask as she glanced desperately toward me. Clearly, she was hoping I''d offer some mercy.


    I turned to Eywa instead, curious to see how the goddess would handle the situation.


    Eywa stood quietly at my side, her golden eyes observing Milim cautiously. I noticed a subtle nervousness flicker across her face when she looked at the demon lord, as if she was trying to gauge exactly how dangerous Milim truly was. She quickly redirected her attention to Erza, a safer target for conversation, and offered a gentle smile.


    "Welcome to Pandora, young dragon," Eywa greeted Erza politely. "I am Eywa, mother goddess of this world."


    Erza blinked in surprise, momentarily distracted from her embarrassment. Quickly recovering, she bowed her head respectfully. "Oh, hello. I''m Erza Scarlet. It''s an honor to meet you, Eywa."


    Eywa inclined her head gracefully before turning back to the trembling pilot. Her expression hardened instantly, her eyes becoming cold and stern.


    "Eywa?" Trudy whispered, voice trembling with disbelief. "But...you''re supposed to be some Na''vi myth."


    Eywa scoffed sharply, stepping closer to the frightened woman. "I assure you, human, I am very real. And now, what am I to do with you?" Her voice was calm yet filled with quiet fury. "I may have been asleep for many centuries, but even goddesses dream. I have seen everything your people have done since arriving on Pandora. You may not have directly killed any of my children, but you freely carried their murderers across our skies, did you not?"


    Trudy''s face paled behind her mask, eyes filling with tears as she stared helplessly up at the goddess towering above her. "I¡­I didn''t know," she stammered weakly. "I swear¡ªI was just following orders!"


    Eywa''s expression remained unmoved, clearly unmoved by the excuse.


    While Eywa continued interrogating Trudy, I turned back to Milim. She was smiling again, puffing up proudly as she waited for my attention. I sighed softly, giving her a gentle smile.


    "Are Enri and Kunou safe?" I asked quietly.


    Milim gave me a cheerful salute, eyes sparkling proudly. "Yes! Don''t worry, Haru¡ªI did a great job! Everyone is perfectly safe inside!"


    I chuckled warmly, reaching out to gently pat her head. Milim immediately leaned into my hand, letting out a contented giggle.


    "Ehehe, see? Told you I''m reliable," she boasted happily.


    At that moment, I noticed Erza standing just a bit too close, her expression shifting into an unmistakable pout. Instinctively, I reached out with my other hand and gently patted her head as well.


    Almost instantly, her pout vanished, replaced by a warm, satisfied smile. Her eyes drifted closed as she leaned happily into my touch, humming softly under her breath.


    Apparently, dragon girls really enjoyed head pats. Good to know.


    After giving Milim and Erza one last reassuring pat, I stepped into the restaurant to make sure Kunou and Enri were safe. The interior of the Fox Hole felt oddly calm considering the violence that had just occurred outside.


    I quickly noticed Kunou behind the kitchen counter, standing on a stool to reach the sink, sulking visibly as she washed a pile of dirty dishes. Her fluffy tails were drooping. She was really going for the maximum pity effect.


    Enri was nearby, leaning casually against the counter. She brightened when she noticed me, offering a gentle smile of relief. "Haru," Enri greeted me warmly. "I''m glad you''re back. Is everything okay now?"


    I returned her smile, nodding reassuringly. "Yeah, it¡¯s calm now. Nobody else is going to attack us today, hopefully. Are you alright?"


    She blushed faintly and nodded. "I was pretty scared when those soldiers barged in¡­but I knew I¡¯d be safe since Milim and Erza were here."


    I glanced at Kunou again. My little sister let out a loud, dramatic sigh as she scrubbed furiously at a plate. When she noticed me looking, she immediately turned toward me with wide, pleading golden eyes.


    "Onii-chan, please, can I stop washing dishes now?" Kunou begged, her voice taking on an extra-cute tone. "I''ve been doing it forever! And I want to go and play with Tanya!"


    I tried to give her a stern look, but damn, it was impossible to resist her adorable puppy-dog eyes.


    I sighed in defeat. "Fine, Kunou, you can go play," I said gently, conceding the punishment was probably enough by now. "But you¡¯d better behave for the rest of the day."


    Kunou instantly perked up, her tails fluffing out as she bounced happily off the stool. "Thank you, Onii-chan! You''re the best!" she shouted, sprinting gleefully toward the front door.


    I chuckled softly, shaking my head at her boundless energy, then turned back toward Enri. "You should probably head out too, Enri. After all this, I doubt we¡¯ll see many customers today. No point in staying here alone."


    Enri hesitated for a moment, clearly uncertain. Finally, she nodded slowly. "I suppose you''re right¡­maybe I''ll go hang out with Asia-chan for a while, then."


    "Sounds perfect," I said encouragingly. "You¡¯ve earned a break."


    She smiled again, seeming to relax as she walked toward the exit.


    Once alone, I glanced around the dining area more carefully, noticing a bunch of bullet casings scattered across the floor¡ªbut strangely, not a single bullet hole or mark marred the walls or furniture.


    "Thanks for keeping Enri safe," I said aloud to the empty room. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Almost immediately, a piece of paper popped into existence and gently floated down into my open hand. I unfolded it, smiling knowingly as I read the familiar, elegant handwriting.


    ¡°You''re welcome¡­¡±


    Chuckling softly to myself, I tucked the note away. The Goddess was always watching¡­


    Satisfied that everything inside was secure, I stepped back outside to regroup with Milim and Erza¡ªbut what I found instead was definitely not what I had expected.


    A Na''vi man lay pinned face-down on the ground, Neytiri kneeling firmly on his back and holding his arms in place. She was clearly furious, ears flattened as she hissed angrily at the man beneath her. "You dare try to harm Eywa, Jake Sully!?" she snarled!


    The pinned Na''vi male, apparently named Jake? That was a weird name for an alien. Struggled slightly beneath her grip, his face flushed in embarrassment. It took me only a moment to notice the unusual feature about him¡ªhe had five fingers on each hand instead of the typical four.


    Well, that certainly was unusual.


    Was there an Alabama on Pandora¡­?


    Next to Jake, a large hunting knife lay abandoned in the dirt, explaining Neytiri''s rage.


    Eywa glanced down at Neytiri, offering her a gentle, approving smile. "Thank you, Neytiri."


    Neytiri¡¯s eyes widened in awe, and for a moment, I thought she was actually going to squeal out loud from sheer excitement. She quickly composed herself, though her ears continued twitching happily as she bowed her head respectfully. "It was my honor, Great Mother."


    Eywa nodded calmly, shifting her gaze to the large hunting knife still lying on the ground beside the pinned Na''vi. "Though, to be clear, a simple blade like this could never harm me." Her voice was calm but powerful, clearly demonstrating that she wasn''t merely boasting¡ªthis was an undeniable truth.


    She wasn''t the most powerful goddess I had ever met, but she certainly wasn''t weak either.


    Jake squirmed under Neytiri''s grip, still desperately trying to lift his head to face the goddess. "You¡­you killed all these people!" he shouted angrily, panic edging his voice. "And you captured Trudy! I had to try and stop you!"


    "Actually," Erza interrupted sharply, stepping forward with crossed arms and an irritated look on her face, "I¡¯m the one who killed them."


    Jake¡¯s eyes widened in shock, confusion written plainly across his face. "But¡­why? These people are your own kind, aren¡¯t they? Your fellow humans!? How could you do something like this?"


    Erza rolled her eyes impatiently, clearly annoyed by his question. "These aren''t my people. I don¡¯t even know them. Besides, they attacked first¡ªthey pointed their weapons at two young girls without hesitation. They got exactly what they deserved."


    She shot Jake a final glare, her disdain obvious, before turning to face me, her expression softening again. Her cheeks flushed a bit as she hesitated awkwardly for a moment. "Um, Haru¡­I should probably head back now. I live at Fairy Tail¡¯s dorms, and if I¡¯m gone too long, the other girls will definitely notice I snuck out. But it really was nice seeing you again."


    I smiled warmly at her. Before she could step away, I gently took her hand in mine, raising it to my lips and placing a soft kiss on the back of it. Erza¡¯s cheeks instantly turned scarlet, and she stared at me wide-eyed.


    "It was great seeing you again too, Erza," I said, enjoying her reaction. "Come visit my restaurant anytime you like. Oh, and maybe bring your mom along next time."


    Erza immediately pouted at me, recognizing the teasing reference from last time. Then, her pout turned into a soft, amused smile, and she rolled her eyes playfully. Without another word, she turned gracefully, walking back toward the Fox Hole. Her floating swords silently drifted along behind her.


    Milim sighed dramatically beside me, shaking her head as if genuinely saddened. "Ahh, my little sis is already leaving¡­ They grow up way too fast."


    I chuckled softly, giving Milim¡¯s shoulder a gentle pat. "Don¡¯t worry. I''m sure she''ll be back."


    Milim brightened at that, grinning up at me. "Yeah, you¡¯re right!"


    I turned my attention back toward Eywa, nodding respectfully. "So, Eywa, what should we do from here?"


    Eywa''s expression became serious again as she pointed calmly down at Jake Sully, who was still pinned beneath Neytiri. "I will personally handle the punishment of this Dreamwalker for his insolence," she said firmly. Then she glanced toward Trudy, the frightened human pilot, who was nervously watching everything unfold from nearby. "However, I must ask you to handle the pilot. Without intervention, she''ll run out of air and suffocate within a few hours. As for the other humans, leave them here to suffocate¡­"


    Damn, that was a cold decision but I wasn¡¯t going to argue it. Fuck these guys.


    Trudy glanced anxiously at me and Milim, eyes wide with uncertainty behind her breathing mask. She clearly wanted to plead her case, but the intimidating glare Milim was sending her made it obvious she didn¡¯t dare speak up.


    I shrugged slightly, deciding it wouldn¡¯t hurt to handle one frightened pilot. "Sure, I guess I can take her off your hands."


    Eywa nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Haru. Also, there''s no need for you to worry about Councilor Tevos¡ªI will ensure she remains safe and rejoins you shortly."


    ¡°You can keep her a bit longer,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°Personally I think she spends too much time on her space station, and she looked really happy to be on a natural planet again just talking with people. I''m sure she¡¯s not missing much either...¡±


    ¨C Commander Jane Shepard ¨C


    ¡­Commander Shepard sprinted through the Citadel, gunfire echoing loudly around her. Geth troopers were everywhere, firing relentlessly into the crowds. She grimaced, feeling a surge of anger and nausea each time she spotted another civilian or C-Sec officer lying dead or dying. This was a massacre, and she was damn well determined to stop it!


    Beside her, Wrex charged forward, roaring ferociously as he slammed into a massive Geth Destroyer, lifting the synthetic soldier and effortlessly suplexing it into the floor. Garrus moved with precision, firing accurate bursts from his sniper rifle, dropping targets as quickly as they appeared.


    Shepard took cover behind a crumbling wall, firing off controlled bursts from her assault rifle as rounds flashed across her shields. When several Geth units moved to flank, she unleashed her biotics, hurling them violently back against a wall.


    In the brief lull, her comms crackled to life. "Commander! Joker here! What''s your status?"


    "What¡¯s the word from the fleet, Joker?" Shepard shouted into her radio, watching as Wrex continued his rampage, crushing another Geth trooper¡¯s head beneath his heavy boot.


    "We''re getting hammered pretty badly up here, Shepard! But I think we''ve got a shot now¡ªthe Alliance fleet just arrived!" Joker''s voice was tight with adrenaline, but Shepard heard a hopeful tone.


    She grinned fiercely, ducking as gunfire pinged off her cover. "Good. Fuck Sovereign! And fuck Saren, too. We''re finishing this today!"


    "Commander, there''s another issue," Joker continued urgently. "The Destiny Ascension is taking heavy fire. The Council is confirmed aboard. We can intervene, but it''ll cost the fleet heavily. What''s your call?"


    Shepard¡¯s grin instantly faded. Shit. Why did every decision she made have to carry so much weight? She didn''t particularly care for most of the Council, especially the stubborn turian or the constantly nervous salarian¡ªbut she hesitated when she thought about Tevos. Shepard genuinely liked Tevos. The asari councilor had always treated her fairly and with respect.


    And Haru¡­ she knew how fond he was of Tevos, too. Shepard couldn''t just let Tevos die.


    She took a deep breath, prepared to issue a difficult command. "We have to save Tevos¡ªno matter what," Shepard finally ordered firmly. "Do whatever it takes, Joker!"


    There was a brief pause from the other side of the comm. "Uh, Commander¡­we''ve just received updated intel. Turns out Councilor Tevos isn''t even aboard. Last confirmed sighting was inside Haru''s restaurant, actually."


    Shepard blinked in confusion. "Oh¡­seriously?"


    "That''s affirmative, Commander," Joker confirmed.


    Relief instantly flooded through her chest. Shepard almost laughed aloud, suddenly freed from that terrible choice. "Well, in that case¡ªfuck the rest of the Council! Let¡¯s put everything we''ve got into taking down Sovereign and Saren. I never liked Spartacus or whatever the hell that salarian councilor¡¯s name was, anyway."


    Nearby, Garrus sputtered in disbelief, ducking beneath another wave of incoming fire. "Commander! You''re a Spectre and you seriously only know two councilors'' names?"


    Shepard just shrugged casually at Garrus, quickly firing another precise burst into an approaching geth trooper. "Not like they ever bothered learning my name before I became a Spectre either."


    Garrus shook his head, letting out a resigned chuckle as he leaned from cover to drop another enemy sniper with a perfect headshot. "Fair enough, Commander."


    Nearby, Wrex roared again triumphantly, seizing one of the remaining geth by its head and effortlessly wrenching it free from its synthetic body with a sickening metallic crunch. The krogan warrior carelessly tossed the shattered remains aside, stepping forward with battle-lust blazing in his eyes. "Are we finished chatting yet, Shepard? I''m getting bored," he growled impatiently.


    Shepard flashed him a fierce, battle-ready grin as she swiftly replaced the heat sink on her assault rifle. "Almost, big guy. Joker just confirmed Tevos is safe, so the Council¡¯s no longer our priority. That means we can concentrate completely on Saren and Sovereign."


    Wrex grunted in approval, satisfied. "About damn time we started making the smart choice."


    Before they could fully regroup, another wave of geth soldiers charged forward from deeper within the Presidium corridors. Bullets flew relentlessly, forcing Shepard and Garrus to quickly duck behind cover as rounds zipped dangerously close. The wall protecting them was rapidly chipped away under the intense gunfire.


    "Shepard!" Joker¡¯s voice urgently crackled through her comms again. "The fleet¡¯s committed to taking down Sovereign, but we¡¯re almost out of time here! You need to eliminate Saren¡ªright now!"


    Shepard shouted back, adrenaline surging through her veins. "Understood, Joker! Keep those skies clear¡ªwe¡¯ll handle Saren!"


    "You got it, Commander! Normandy out."


    Taking a steadying breath, Shepard felt the gravity of the situation once more. If they failed here, millions of lives¡ªmaybe billions¡ªwould be lost forever. She turned to Garrus and Wrex with renewed determination etched into her features. "You heard Joker¡ªwe end this now. It¡¯s time to finish off Saren once and for all! After that, we¡¯re all gonna get drunk as shit at Haru¡¯s restaurant!"


    Wrex laughed deeply, his voice filled with a savage eagerness. "That¡¯s what I love to hear!"


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I walked Trudy slowly through the bustling streets of Kyoto''s yokai district, headed directly toward Yasaka''s palace. It wasn''t like I had a dungeon beneath the Fox Hole or anything, so taking her to Yasaka was the most practical solution.


    As we moved through the lively streets, Trudy¡¯s head constantly swiveled from side to side. Her eyes widened with shock and disbelief as she stared at everything¡ªthe colorful shops lining the street, the yokai citizens casually strolling about in their everyday forms, and even the simple fact that the sky above us was clear and blue.


    "Wait¡­are those real trees?" she asked me suddenly, stopping in her tracks and pointing at the lush greenery lining the sidewalks. "Like, actual Earth trees? And birds? Real, honest-to-God birds flying around?"


    I raised an eyebrow curiously at her. "Yeah, of course they are. Why wouldn''t they be?"


    She looked at me as if I''d lost my mind, slowly shaking her head. "That''s impossible," she muttered, her voice wavering slightly. "Earth is a dying planet. The sky is always gray and polluted, the trees were wiped out decades ago, and birds have been extinct since before I was even born. There''s no way we¡¯re actually on Earth right now."


    Hearing her describe Earth as a dead, lifeless wasteland genuinely caught me off guard. I hadn''t really considered the possibility that the humans who invaded Pandora came from such a hopeless, bleak future. It sounded like they¡¯d thoroughly destroyed their home, leaving behind nothing but devastation. "Wow," I finally said, feeling a little disturbed by her words. "That''s honestly depressing as hell. Your version of Earth sounds completely awful.¡±


    ¡°...What do you mean MY EARTH?¡±


    ¨C Dr Grace ¨C


    Grace scowled as the vehicle jolted roughly over another large tree root, bouncing her in the passenger seat and nearly causing her head to hit the ceiling of the rover. She glanced irritably at Norm, who was gripping the wheel tightly, his avatar form clearly uncomfortable as he navigated the uneven forest terrain.


    "I still can¡¯t believe Trudy vanished right when we needed her," Grace muttered sourly, shaking her head. "Of all the damn times to go AWOL."


    Norm glanced at her nervously. "Maybe something happened at Hell''s Gate? Colonel Quaritch has been more aggressive lately¡ªmaybe he found out we''ve been planning on sneaking out to investigate on our own? Maybe he tried to stop us by assigning her to another post."


    Grace grimaced at the thought. Trudy was the only pilot she fully trusted not to report their secret trips to Home Tree to the colonel. Without Trudy, they''d had no choice but to take the slow, noisy, and awkward ground rover through the dense Pandoran jungle. It cost them precious time, and Grace couldn¡¯t shake the anxious feeling in her gut that something had already gone terribly wrong.


    Grace¡¯s eyes scanned the trees anxiously as they approached the familiar area around Home Tree. As they cleared the final stretch of jungle, Grace¡¯s eyes widened sharply, and a chill ran down her spine. "Norm, stop!" she shouted urgently.


    He slammed on the brakes, bringing the vehicle skidding to a halt. Both of them stared in stunned horror at the scene ahead.


    A Samson helicopter lay smoldering in the dirt, its twisted metal frame crumpled and scorched, clearly downed by some kind of explosion. Around it, scattered chaotically on the ground, were bodies¡ªhuman marines, sprawled out lifelessly. Some were clearly dead from deep, bloody wounds, others lay motionless in unnatural positions. Weapons and empty shell casings littered the clearing around them.


    "Oh, shit¡­" Grace cursed under her breath, her voice tight with dread. She quickly glanced at Norm, who was visibly pale beneath his blue avatar skin, his mouth hanging open in shock. She knew exactly what he was thinking, because she was thinking it too.


    "This¡­this is really, really bad," Norm whispered, finally regaining his voice. "What the hell happened here?"


    Grace shook her head slowly, jaw clenching with tension. "I don''t know¡ªbut whatever it is, we¡¯ve just lost control of this situation completely."


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!! You can check out more of my stories on my profile.


    Wanna read more of my stuff ahead of regular release?


    You can Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 328-332


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 7


    The Fox Hole 82


    Thunder and Black Wings 21


    The Blood Queen 44


    The Fox Hole 81


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 6


    The Fox Hole 80


    Thunder and Black Wings 20


    The Fox Hole 79


    Thunder and Black Wings 19


    The Fox Hole 78


    The Blood Queen 43


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 5


    The Fox Hole 77


    Thunder and Black Wings 18

 chapter 77

    Chapter 77:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I moved around behind the bar counter, plating up hot dishes and mixing strong drinks for Shepard and her crew.


    After hearing the mission they''d faced, I was glad to see everyone alive and in one piece. Shepard hadn''t told me anything about what she''d planned and I''d only found out when her exhausted squad walked into the Fox Hole looking like they''d survived hell itself.


    I slid Shepard her favorite drink. "You know," I scolded, leaning forward against the counter, "it wouldn''t have hurt to tell me you were going on some borderline suicide mission. You could''ve asked me, or literally anyone here, to back you guys up."


    Shepard sipped her drink slowly, glancing up at me with tired eyes. "I know, Haru. You''re right." Her cheeks flushed slightly, clearly embarrassed by the sincerity in my voice. "But it wasn''t exactly your everyday run-in with batarian pirates or krogan mercenaries. This was Sovereign¡ªan ancient, psychotic AI hellbent on wiping out the entire galaxy. I just¡­I didn''t want anyone else risking their lives. Especially people I care about."


    My gaze softened, and I sighed quietly. "That''s exactly why you should''ve let me help, Shepard. Did you ever stop to think that maybe I care about you too?"


    She went silent for a second, the flush on her face deepening. Then she chuckled quietly, shaking her head as she stared into her glass. "Yeah¡­ I guess I should''ve thought about that."


    I smiled softly, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Next time, don''t be such a stubborn idiot. I''ve faced way scarier things than an evil AI."


    Shepard snorted into her whiskey.


    I turned my attention to the rest of her crew. Across the bar, Wrex was already loudly celebrating the victory, lifting his massive mug of custom-brewed, extra-strength alcohol. He was drinking like it was water, roaring with laughter as he slapped Garrus on the back, nearly knocking him off the stool. Tali sat beside them, fidgeting nervously, clearly embarrassed by Wrex¡¯s boisterous antics but too polite to escape.


    In the quieter corner, Ashley sat with Gabriel, their heads bowed in solemn prayer. Shepard had quietly informed me that they''d lost a teammate named Kaidan during the mission.


    My eyes shifted to Tevos, who sat slumped at the bar nearby, her head resting in her hands as she massaged her temples. The usually composed asari looked completely overwhelmed, muttering under her breath about the bureaucratic nightmare of running the entire galaxy by herself¡­.


    With Spartacus and the salarian councilor both dead, it seemed the entire galaxy''s fate was suddenly her sole responsibility¡ªand that was in addition to her trying to protect Pandora. I did not envy that kind of workload.


    I moved closer, reaching out to gently pat her shoulder in reassurance. "Hey, Tevos, maybe being the last surviving councilor isn¡¯t all bad. You¡¯ve got the perfect opportunity now to bring more species into the fold¡ªlighten your workload a little. It''s not like the other two councilors are there who oppose you."


    Tevos lifted her tired eyes to mine, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You know, Haru, that''s actually not the worst idea I''ve heard all day. It might even prevent me from completely losing my mind. We asari have actually wanted to bring more species onto the council despite what the rest of the galaxy might believe¡­"


    "Yeah, expanding the Council is overdue anyway. Just as long as we keep out those Batarian filths¡­" Shepard said with a scowl.


    My conversation with Shepard and Tevos was abruptly interrupted by the sound of heavy, drunken footsteps pounding against a wooden table. All eyes turned towards Wrex, who''d climbed atop his table and was swaying dangerously with a massive tankard of booze raised high in one hand!


    He grinned wildly, his deep, booming voice echoing through the entire restaurant as he began loudly singing a surprisingly catchy¡ªand slightly obscene¡ªsong about their battle with Saren.


    "And there we stood, proud and mean,


    Saren pissed himself, the worst we''d seen!


    Bullets flying, blood was spilled¡ª


    Krogan strength got bastards killed!"


    Everyone in the Fox Hole quickly got into the spirit. Garrus laughed, shaking his head in amused embarrassment, while Tali covered her mask with both hands, clearly mortified but giggling helplessly. Shepard just rolled her eyes fondly, leaning back on her stool as she watched Wrex with an amused smirk. Even Tevos, despite her earlier stress, cracked a small, exhausted smile at the krogan¡¯s antics.


    I chuckled and shook my head, watching Wrex¡¯s drunken performance escalate. He stomped his feet harder on the tabletop, adding rhythmic emphasis as he continued singing louder and louder.


    "Sovereign fell from up above,


    Proved machines ain¡¯t shit to shove!


    Commander Shepard led the way,


    Now drink and fuck until next day!"


    The people roared with laughter and applause at the absurd lyrics, raising glasses and shouting encouragement.


    Shepard facepalmed and laughed openly, her shoulders shaking with mirth. "Damn it, Wrex¡­you¡¯re officially banned from songwriting."


    Wrex ignored her completely, too caught up in his drunken glory. He threw his head back for a final verse, letting out a deafening roar of triumph.


    "And let the whole damn galaxy see,


    You don¡¯t fuck with Shepard¡¯s team or me!"


    His final stomp was apparently too much for the old wooden table beneath him. With a sharp cracking noise, the table gave way, sending Wrex crashing heavily onto the floor with a loud, resounding THUD. Everyone laughed, clapped, and cheered loudly at the sight. Wrex lay flat on his back, blinking up at the ceiling in confusion for a moment before letting out a loud, booming laugh of his own. "Now that¡¯s how you end a damn song!"


    I chuckled lightly to myself, shaking my head as I eyed the wrecked remains of my poor table. That was yet another piece of furniture I''d need to replace¡ªbut honestly, it was worth it to see everyone smiling and relaxed.


    Moments like this made running the Fox Hole feel like the best job in any universe.


    Turning my attention back to Shepard, I reached for the bottle of whiskey and refilled her glass.


    She nodded appreciatively, taking another sip. "So," Shepard said, leaning forward on the bar counter, "I''ve spent enough time going on about my suicidal mission. What''s been happening around the Fox Hole while I was out saving the galaxy from evil AI warships?"


    I grinned, leaning casually against the bar as I began to recount recent events. "Oh, you know, typical stuff," I teased. "I won a cooking competition against a prestigious culinary school, and managed to bruise the egos of their famous critic headmaster and the students in the process."


    Shepard snorted softly, clearly imagining the scene. "Of course you did. And what else?"


    "Well, there was this crazy fallen angel who tried attacking me," I continued nonchalantly. "Nothing too serious, really¡ªNaruko slapped Kokabiel around and now he¡¯s in Grigori prison."


    She raised an eyebrow at that but nodded, amused. "Sounds about right for this place. What else?"


    I let out a long sigh, rolling my eyes slightly. "Kunou and Milim decided it''d be a great idea to sneak off to Brockton Bay to play heroes. They actually ended up taking out some pretty infamous villains and only causing...minor property damage in the process."


    The word ¡°minor¡± was heavily debatable¡­ Didn''t really matter though because I wasn''t paying for the damages.


    ¡°...And then there¡¯s Pandora,¡± Tevos added.


    ¡°Can¡¯t forget about that!¡± I winked at her.


    Shepard chuckled, swirling the whiskey around in her glass. "Never a dull day around here, huh?"


    I smirked playfully. "You¡¯ve got that exactly right."


    I took a moment to glance around the dining area, checking if anyone needed refills or more food. Most seemed content, laughter and conversations filling the restaurant. Over in one corner, Joker, now thoroughly drunk, was enthusiastically flirting with Gabriel. Gabriel had healed Joker¡¯s legs, and Joker was showing his heartfelt appreciation.


    Meanwhile, Ashley glared murderously at Joker, clearly unhappy about his obvious flirtation with the angel. She looked ready to toss him through a window.


    I shook my head, amused, and turned back to Shepard. "Hey," I began, "would you possibly be interested in going to a high school ball with me?" Yep, I realized how weird that question was. And how random it seemed.


    Shepard''s expression went completely blank. "I''m¡­gonna need a lot more context before answering that."


    Fair enough.


    I laughed lightly, nodding quickly. "Harry¡¯s teacher, Professor McGonagall, dropped by earlier and invited me to chaperone their Yule Ball. It''s basically the magical world''s equivalent of a Christmas formal dance. I need a date though."


    Shepard tilted her head thoughtfully, genuinely considering it for a moment before grimacing apologetically. "Sorry, Haru, but¡­fancy balls aren''t exactly my scene. I wouldn''t know what to do with myself. I don''t even own a dress, just lots of different pieces of armor."


    "Fair enough." Well, that just left the question of who else to ask out of all my girlfriends?


    Aela? No, probably not. She¡¯d end up punching one of the first brats who oogled her.


    Rias? Eh, she¡¯d be fine, but there was something about bringing a devil to a christmas ball that was probably disrespectful and I''m pretty sure she was busy spending time with her family anyway.


    Alice would probably say the same as Shepard and Naruko still isn''t quite used to her tails and would probably end up punching the first student who touched them. So she was basically on the same footing as Aela in that regard¡­


    I was thinking about inviting Erza to the ball when a piece of paper floated down and landed on the counter in front of me.


    For a second I thought the Goddess would finally get over her shyness and wanted to go with me, but it turned out she had another suggestion.


    ¨C Zeref Dragneel ¨C S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zeref sat calmly upon his throne, silently observing his loyal Spriggans gathered before him. The air inside the dimly lit throne room was thick with tension, as August and Bloodman argued passionately about what ¡°punishment¡± should be given to Irene Belserion.


    Bloodman growled angrily, his voice echoing through the chamber. "That traitorous witch has betrayed us, my Emperor! She is openly siding with those Fairy Tail fools and her daughter against us! She¡¯s probably told them all of our future plans for conquering the world! And you expect me to believe her ludicrous claims about some mysterious fox-man defeating Acnologia?"


    August scowled deeply, nodding his agreement. "Indeed, Emperor Zeref. Irene has always been arrogant, but this? Claiming a random fox creature could overwhelm the Black Dragon himself? It¡¯s an insult to our intelligence and an obvious attempt to cover her treachery."


    Zeref remained silent, his dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand as he considered their accusations. Admittedly, the idea that anyone¡ªfox creature or not¡ªcould casually defeat Acnologia seemed absurd. Yet Irene was not someone who exaggerated lightly.


    The thought troubled him deeply. "I understand your frustrations," Zeref finally said, his voice calm but firm. "But Irene¡¯s value to me goes beyond a mere soldier. She is among our strongest, and I will not discard her easily. I would first demand absolute proof of her treachery. Until then, we shall keep her locked away in the dungeons."


    Bloodman bristled visibly. "My Emperor¡ª"


    Suddenly, before Bloodman could finish, the air in the throne room shifted strangely. All eyes immediately turned to the center of the room, where¡ªout of absolutely nowhere¡ªa simple wooden door materialized. It stood unsupported by any wall or structure, looking utterly out of place against the dark stone floors.


    "What sorcery is this?" August demanded, immediately stepping between the door and Zeref defensively.


    Zeref himself rose slowly from his throne, eyes narrowed in wary curiosity. "Stand down, August. Let us see who dares intrude upon my throne room."


    The door swung open smoothly, as if perfectly natural, revealing a completely unexpected figure. A handsome young man casually stepped into view. Distinctly non-human features immediately captured everyone¡¯s attention. Two large fox ears twitched on top of his head, and behind him swayed ten golden fox tails.


    The stranger glanced casually around the throne room, utterly unfazed by the shocked stares he received from Zeref and the Spriggans. "Hey there," the intruder said casually, lifting a hand and waving cheerfully at the shocked crowd. "I''m Haru."


    Zeref opened his mouth, about to demand an explanation from the stranger about why exactly he''d appeared in the middle of the Alvarez throne room, when Bloodman exploded in fury.


    "How dare you invade the Emperor¡¯s palace, creature!" Bloodman snarled, dark curses already swirling violently around his body as he launched himself at Haru with murderous intent.


    Zeref tensed slightly, fully expecting Bloodman¡¯s demonic magic to swiftly incapacitate or perhaps even annihilate this unusual intruder. Instead, Haru casually raised his left arm and swung it toward Bloodman with shocking ease and speed.


    A loud, brutal crack echoed through the throne room as Haru''s hand connected sharply with Bloodman''s chest, sending the Spriggan flying backward at tremendous velocity. Bloodman''s body crashed violently through the magically reinforced walls with a thunderous series of explosions, each collision sounding louder than the last.


    Zeref watched, stunned into silence, as Bloodman smashed through layer after layer of stone and magic-reinforced barriers until, finally, his battered body vanished completely from view¡ªapparently propelled straight out of the palace entirely. Zeref blinked in shock, feeling genuine disbelief¡ªand perhaps even a tiny hint of fear¡ªfor the first time in centuries. Beside him, August stared at the massive hole in the wall, mouth slightly agape, clearly struggling to process what had just happened.


    "Oops, uh, sorry about that," Haru said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as though he''d merely spilled a drink rather than likely killed one of Zeref¡¯s strongest generals. "I wasn''t exactly expecting to get attacked out of nowhere by some hostile demon-guy." He glanced around the throne room, golden eyes scanning the faces of Zeref¡¯s remaining followers, before his gaze settled firmly back on Zeref.


    "Let''s try that introduction again," Haru said calmly, straightening himself with an air of quiet confidence. "My name is Haru, owner of the Fox Hole restaurant. I''m here to pick up Irene Belserion. Could you please tell me where she is?"


    The entire throne room was filled with an oppressive tension. Zeref¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. This fox-man was extraordinarily powerful, that much was clear¡ªperhaps Irene had not exaggerated after all. How was he even connected to Irene? Had she been telling the truth this whole time?


    August finally broke the strained silence, stepping forward cautiously but defiantly, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "Irene Belserion is currently imprisoned in the dungeons. She betrayed our empire and sided with outsiders. She is a traitor, and her punishment is being decided."


    Zeref watched closely, a deep frown forming on his lips as Haru¡¯s expression darkened dangerously at August¡¯s accusation. The atmosphere in the throne room shifted dramatically, becoming heavier as the intruder fixed the old mage with an intense, icy stare.


    "I''m not exactly sure what''s happening here," Haru began, voice deceptively calm but carrying an unmistakable warning, "but one thing¡¯s clear, Irene¡¯s coming with me. Especially if you''ve got her locked away in your dungeons." He spat that last word. Haru didn''t even wait for a response. He turned away, utterly dismissive of the Spriggans, Zeref included, as if none of them posed even the smallest threat to him.


    The sheer arrogance left Zeref momentarily speechless¡­


    He''d encountered powerful individuals in his lifetime, but never someone who showed this level of casual disregard. Who exactly was this Haru, and how could Irene possibly know someone this formidable¡­?


    "Wait right there, you arrogant bastard!" God Serena suddenly shouted, stepping forward aggressively. His face twisted in anger, clearly insulted by how Haru had ignored them. "Do you really think you can waltz into the Emperor''s palace, attack one of our Spriggans, and leave just like that!?"


    Haru didn''t slow his pace or even glance back.


    God Serena¡¯s eyes blazed furiously. "You might look strong, fox-boy, but there¡¯s no way a freak like you could have taken down Acnologia!" He slammed his fists together, the magical energy around him erupting violently, shaking the very foundations of the palace. The remaining Spriggans instinctively backed away, recognizing the immense power surging from the so-called "strongest Dragon Slayer."


    "Let me educate you, outsider!" Serena roared arrogantly. "I am God Serena, the strongest Dragon Slayer alive! I''ll expose you as the fraud you clearly are!" With an explosive burst of speed, Serena launched himself forward, magic and physical strength combining into a single overwhelming strike aimed directly at Haru¡¯s unprotected back. "Don¡¯t you dare ignore me!" Serena screamed, fist drawn back to deliver his devastating dragon-slaying blow.


    Yet, Haru still didn¡¯t even turn his head. With casual ease and speed that shocked even Zeref, one of Haru¡¯s golden tails whipped backward like a deadly blade, connecting brutally with God Serena¡¯s torso.


    Zeref watched, stunned yet again, as the same fate that befell Bloodman happened to the supposedly invincible God Serena.


    Serena''s body flew violently backward, smashing through solid stone walls reinforced by powerful enchantments as though they were made of paper. A series of violent crashes reverberated through the palace until, finally, God Serena vanished entirely from view, leaving a trail of shattered rubble and debris.


    Silence once again filled the throne room.


    August stared at the damage, completely lost for words. Even the usually composed old mage was visibly shaken, his expression filled with disbelief.


    Zeref himself was forced to reevaluate everything he''d believed about this intruder. Who or what exactly was this creature named Haru, and how had someone with his power remained unknown to the Alvarez Empire for so long?


    Without pausing or acknowledging the chaos he''d caused, Haru approached the magically sealed doors leading from the throne room toward the palace''s dungeons. He didn''t bother inspecting or even acknowledging the complex wards protecting the area. Instead, with a single powerful kick, he shattered the enchantments, sending the doors flying wide open.


    As he strode confidently through the ruined doorway toward the dungeons, Zeref felt a disturbing reality had just appeared. The Alvarez Empire had just encountered someone it could not oppose¡­


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I moved down the dimly lit corridor, carefully sniffing the air as Irene¡¯s scent guided me deeper into the palace dungeons.


    The guards down here clearly hadn''t received word yet of what had happened upstairs, because several of them drew swords and raised magical staves as I approached.


    "Halt!" one of them shouted, stepping forward shakily. "You can¡¯t go any further!"


    "I really don''t have time for this," I sighed, barely pausing as I swiftly knocked them all unconscious with casual strikes. They crumpled to the floor without resistance, weapons clattering loudly against the stone floor. It wasn¡¯t even a challenge, just a minor inconvenience.


    Honestly, this whole situation had pissed me off.


    The Goddess had left me a note suggesting I take Irene¡ªthe very attractive, MILF dragon¨Cto the Ball as a fellow chaperone/date. That sounded like a good choice to me.


    It had been a while since Irene visited the Fox Hole, and Erza and I had been quietly wondering where she disappeared to. Now it made sense. Finding out she''d been imprisoned down here made my instincts surge¡ªprotectiveness mixing with anger.


    Nobody fucked with what was mine!


    The deeper I went, the fewer guards appeared. Eventually, I reached the heavily warded steel door sealing off the main dungeon. I could see that it was reinforced with powerful enchantments. Unfortunately for them, it didn''t stand a chance against me. With one firm grip, I ripped the entire door clean off its hinges, casually tossing the warped metal aside.


    I stepped inside, glancing briefly at the empty cells lining the hallway until I found Irene¡¯s. Her cell wasn''t dirty or disgusting, at least, but it was depressingly sparse¡ªjust a basic cot, a small chair, and bare stone walls.


    Irene sat quietly on the cot, her gorgeous red hair cascading down her back, looking completely out of place in such a miserable cell.


    The instant she saw me, her beautiful eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Haru?" Irene gasped softly, quickly rising to her feet and approaching the cell bars. She looked me over from head to toe, clearly confused yet undeniably relieved. "What¡­what are you doing here?"


    I smiled warmly at her. "I came to ask you to a ball."


    XXX

 chapter 78

    Chapter 78:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    Standing in the kitchens of Hogwarts, I had to admit it was probably the weirdest culinary environment I''d ever worked in¡­


    Tiny little creatures called house-elves scurried frantically around me, their big eyes wide with anxiety as they hurried to carry out the orders I barked. I wasn''t deliberately trying to intimidate them, but cooking was serious business! Especially tonight¡ªthere was no way I¡¯d let anyone leave this ball disappointed by subpar food. My pride as a chef wouldn¡¯t allow it!


    "Hey!" I called sharply, noticing an elf whisking custard a bit too lazily. He immediately jumped, nearly dropping the bowl as he snapped to attention. "You need to whip it harder¡ªput some muscle into it. It should be silky and light, not lumpy like porridge."


    The elf nodded furiously, his oversized ears bobbing in agreement. "Yes, Chef Haru, sir! Right away, Chef Haru, sir!" He returned to the bowl, whisking with frantic determination.


    I sighed softly. The elves weren''t bad cooks, exactly, but they were definitely accustomed to cooking "school food." Basic fare, hearty but boring. They struggled whenever I introduced something more complicated, more delicate, or even slightly foreign. I glanced toward another station, noticing several elves carefully grilling meat. Well, supposedly carefully¡ªthey were actually leaving one side over the fire far too long, the edges dangerously close to burning.


    "Flip those steaks!" I ordered quickly, striding over to inspect their grill station. "You can¡¯t leave them unattended like that. We''re aiming for perfection, not charcoal. Pay attention!"


    The elves startled and quickly turned the meat over, shooting me guilty, nervous glances. "S-sorry Chef!" one squeaked, clearly mortified.


    "It''s okay, just keep a closer eye," I said in a gentler tone, trying not to completely terrify them. They were hardworking, earnest, and genuinely eager to please¡ªjust not experienced with cooking anything beyond typical wizarding meals. And to be fair, these house-elves had likely never received proper chef training in their lives. If Hogwarts really wanted to host a gourmet-level event, maybe hiring a few professional cooks wouldn¡¯t have been a bad idea¡­


    But they''d invited me instead, and that meant my professional pride as a chef was now fully on the line. There was absolutely no way I''d allow subpar food to be served at an event I was partially responsible for. If it meant micromanaging every little detail, so be it.


    "Chef Haru, sir?" another elf said timidly, tugging lightly on my apron.


    I glanced down to see a shy little female elf nervously holding up a spoonful of sauce she''d prepared. "Taste test, please?"


    I softened my expression, smiling warmly as I knelt down and gently took the spoon from her tiny hand. The elf watched nervously as I tasted it carefully. The flavor was surprisingly balanced and delicate. She''d clearly put genuine effort into it, and I nodded approvingly.


    "Great job," I praised sincerely, ruffling her ears lightly. She squeaked happily, visibly relieved. "Keep going exactly like that."


    With a quick salute, she scampered back to her station, confidence clearly boosted. At least they were all doing their best. It wasn''t easy suddenly preparing dishes they''d never seen before.


    Luckily, one major advantage of magical cooking was that everything could be cooked ahead of time and preserved perfectly under stasis charms until the ball officially began. That part was great¡ªno last-minute panicking¡ªbut the preparation and actual cooking itself still needed to be flawless. There were no shortcuts when it came to quality, magic or otherwise.


    "Alright, everyone!" I called out clearly, clapping my hands sharply to gather their attention again. Dozens of house elves froze mid-task, looking nervously toward me with big, anxious eyes. I gave them an encouraging smile, softening my voice slightly so they wouldn¡¯t panic. "We''re doing great so far. But remember, every dish matters tonight. It doesn''t matter if it''s a fancy hors d''oeuvre or a simple pastry¡ªevery bite should impress. Keep your focus, check flavors often, and don''t rush. Understood?"


    "Yes, Chef Haru!" they chorused immediately, their tiny voices loud and eager. I could see determination and enthusiasm filling their gazes once more. Perfect.


    Satisfied that the elves were back on track, I moved over to another prep station, inspecting the small delicate pastries neatly lined up on trays. These were tricky desserts, something I''d designed specifically for tonight''s ball. Mini cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e tarts with fresh vanilla cream and caramelized sugar crust. They looked good, but with pastries, looking wasn''t enough.


    Picking one up carefully, I inspected it closely. Golden-brown crust, evenly caramelized sugar, cream piped with precision¡ªso far, so good. But the taste was the real test. Biting in, I felt a pleasant crunch, the sugary crust giving way beautifully to the silky, rich cream beneath.


    It was delicious. Perfect, actually. I nodded approvingly.


    "Excellent work on the tarts!" I announced loudly, catching the nervous gaze of the elf who''d made them. His face instantly lit up with pride and relief. "Exactly the texture and taste we want¡ªmake sure they''re all done to this same standard."


    "Thank you, Chef Haru, sir!" the elf beamed happily, immediately hurrying to finish the rest with renewed confidence.


    ¡­


    After finishing up at Hogwarts, I returned to Yasaka''s palace, retreating to my room to get dressed for tonight¡¯s event. A custom-tailored black suit had already been prepared and laid out neatly for me, and as I slipped into the jacket, I had to admit it fit perfectly¡ªcomfortable but still stylish enough for the occasion.


    Of course, I wasn''t alone. My mother, Yasaka, hovered around me excitedly, her golden tails swaying cheerfully behind her. She looked immensely pleased, her eyes practically sparkling with motherly pride.


    "Ara, my handsome son is attending his very first formal ball!" she teased playfully, smiling fondly as she adjusted my collar and brushed off imaginary specks of dust. "I''m so proud!"


    I rolled my eyes, giving her a gentle, long-suffering sigh. "Mom, seriously? This isn''t even close to my first ball. You''ve dragged me to dozens of yokai parties at the palace over the years. Remember that festival with the tengu diplomats last month?"


    She giggled, clearly unbothered by my protest, and stepped behind me to inspect my tails. Before I could say anything, she reached out and began gently brushing them, carefully fluffing each one with practiced expertise. Immediately, a shiver rippled down my spine, and a deep blush rose across my face. Damn it¡ªshe knew exactly how sensitive my tails were, and she definitely enjoyed teasing me.


    "Mom¡­" I mumbled weakly, my voice strained from the pleasant tingling sensation she was unintentionally causing. "I can do my tails myself, you know¡­"


    "Oh hush, Haru," Yasaka said sweetly, smiling mischievously. Her gentle fingers continued their work, carefully combing and fluffing my tails until each one looked perfectly groomed. "A mother has to make sure her son''s tails are immaculate before a big night out. Especially since you''re going with that lovely dragon lady, Irene. Such an elegant, mature woman¡­"


    My blush deepened considerably at her playful tone. "You really don''t need to tease me about Irene, Mom."


    She laughed softly, giving one of my tails a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "Oh? But it''s too much fun not to tease you, sweetheart! Who knows¡ªmaybe tonight will be extra special." She leaned in, whispering teasingly in my ear. "Perhaps you''ll finally lose your sweet innocence to that fierce dragoness."


    I turned my head, giving her an annoyed pout. "Mom, seriously? You''re a bit late with that talk¡ªI''ve lost my ''innocence'' plenty of times already. Hell, you literally walked in on me and Rias that one time, remember?"


    Yasaka paused, her golden eyes glittering mischievously at the memory. "Oh yes, that was quite the scene," she purred playfully, clearly entertained by recalling my embarrassment. "But believe me, Haru dear, dragon women are entirely different creatures altogether. When aroused, they become¡­ exceptionally voracious. You should prepare yourself."


    I blinked, momentarily thrown off by her choice of words. "Wait¡ªhow exactly do you even know that?"


    My mother shrugged casually, smiling serenely. "Oh, Tiamat and I had a brief affair once, a long time ago. She was very¡­ enthusiastic. Delightfully exhausting, actually."


    I stared blankly, trying¡ªand utterly failing¡ªto process what she''d just casually admitted. Tiamat? The legendary Chaos Karma Dragon herself? With my mother?


    Part of me genuinely wanted to hear more details¡ªbut another part definitely did not. It was honestly a bit too weird to think about.


    I quickly shook my head, shifting the conversation back to something less awkward than my mom¡¯s unexpected love life. That was a topic for her¡­and possibly Rimuru? Still didn¡¯t really know what was going on there and didn¡¯t really want to know either.


    Besides, I was actually kind of confused about something else entirely.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I began carefully, giving Yasaka a slightly skeptical look. ¡°Since when do you actually like Irene? I clearly remember you being pretty pissed when you found out she¡¯d abandoned Erza when she was younger. You were ready to tear her a new one. But now you¡¯re suddenly teasing me about dating her and acting all excited? What exactly changed your mind?¡±


    My mother chuckled softly, waving her hand dismissively, though her golden eyes narrowed slightly, becoming more serious. Her gentle, teasing tone vanished immediately, replaced by a cool firmness I recognized all too well. ¡°Ah, yes. Well, after you rescued Irene from those dungeons, she and I sat down together. We had a very¡­ long, detailed, and productive conversation. One woman to another.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. ¡°That sounds a bit ominous, Mom. What exactly did you talk about?¡±


    Yasaka¡¯s smile widened slightly, but her eyes held a hint of fierceness now. I noticed the air in the room suddenly grow heavier as a subtle but unmistakable surge of magicules radiated gently from her. Her twelve tails, usually cheerful and expressive, abruptly stopped moving entirely, held rigidly still behind her. It lasted only a few tense seconds, but it was more than enough to make her message crystal clear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Haru,¡± she said pleasantly, the tension leaving her body as quickly as it had appeared. Her tails swished once more, carefree again. ¡°Let¡¯s just say Irene now fully understands exactly who¡¯s in charge around here. She¡¯ll be very respectful toward you. I guarantee it.¡±


    I swallowed nervously, feeling a chill run down my spine despite myself. Mothers really could be terrifying sometimes¡ªespecially when they were supernatural creatures like mine. The mental image of Yasaka calmly yet firmly laying down the law to Irene, a powerful and prideful dragoness, was simultaneously funny and terrifying.


    Before I could even respond, Yasaka stepped back, inspecting me from head to toe with an approving nod. Her earlier fierceness had vanished completely, replaced by a warm, genuine smile of motherly affection.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± she announced, eyes sparkling happily. ¡°My handsome son is officially ready for his big date. Irene is waiting downstairs already, so hurry along now¡ªyou don¡¯t want to keep a lady like her waiting too long.¡±


    Without even giving me a chance to protest, Yasaka gently but firmly steered me toward my door, practically pushing me out into the hallway.


    ¡°All right, all right! I¡¯m going, Mom,¡± I laughed, giving her a playful eye roll. I straightened my suit jacket one last time, took a deep breath, and headed toward the stairs. Tonight was going to be interesting, that much I knew for certain.


    As soon as I reached the bottom of the staircase, my breath caught sharply in my throat. Irene was waiting calmly for me, leaning elegantly against the wall with an amused little smile.


    Holy shit, she looked absolutely incredible.


    Her regular clothes had never exactly been modest¡ªshe obviously knew how great her figure was¡ªbut tonight¡¯s dress was something else entirely. It was a sleek, form-fitting black gown that hugged every curve of her amazing body, accentuating just how gorgeous she really was. The neckline was low enough to reveal a generous amount of her flawless cleavage, drawing my eyes immediately. My gaze traced helplessly downward over her slender waist, and I swallowed hard when I noticed how the silky fabric tightly hugged the curves of her hips and waist.


    Damn. Keeping my eyes off her was practically impossible.


    Irene noticed my stare and giggled softly, clearly enjoying my reaction. The melodic sound snapped me out of my trance, and I quickly met her eyes, feeling warmth spread across my face.


    ¡°Enjoying the view?¡± Irene teased gently, her eyes sparkling playfully as she pushed off the wall and stepped gracefully toward me.


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± I admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of my head with a small embarrassed laugh. ¡°You look¡­amazing, Irene. Seriously, that dress is incredible on you.¡±


    Her smile widened, eyes glinting with pleased amusement. She clearly didn¡¯t mind my honesty. "Why thank you, Haru. You''re looking rather handsome yourself tonight," she purred, openly running her eyes appreciatively up and down my suit.


    I cleared my throat slightly, trying to regain some dignity. ¡°Well, it won¡¯t matter how good my suit is. Pretty sure every wizard there tonight is going to be staring at you. I''d bet plenty of witches will be hexing their dates by the end of the night, too¡ªno way any guy could keep his eyes off you.¡±


    She laughed again, clearly entertained by my prediction. "Oh, let them stare all they like," Irene said casually, a confident smirk on her lips. "Looking is perfectly fine¡ªas long as they know touching is strictly forbidden. That privilege is yours alone tonight."


    My heart skipped a beat at her bold words, and a slightly possessive pride surged through me. "I certainly have no complaints about that arrangement," I replied smoothly, stepping closer and gently taking her hand. Holding her gaze steadily, I raised her delicate fingers slowly to my lips and pressed a soft kiss against the back of her hand.


    Irene''s eyes darkened slightly with pleased surprise, and her smile softened warmly. "My, my¡ªsuch a gentleman," she teased gently, sliding smoothly closer to my side. "Are you ready for tonight, Haru?"


    "As ready as I''ll ever be," I replied honestly, gently entwining my arm with hers. Feeling her warm body pressed lightly against my side was a pleasant distraction. "Shall we head over to my restaurant? From there, it¡¯s just a short walk into Hogsmeade, and we¡¯ll be at Hogwarts in no time."


    Irene nodded gracefully, gently squeezing my arm. "Lead the way. I''m looking forward to seeing this famous ''magical school'' you''ve told me about."


    "You''re either going to love or hate it," I promised confidently as we headed outside together. "...At the very least, I promise the food will be amazing."


    Irene laughed softly at my choice of words, leaning warmly into my side as we walked.


    ¡­


    I stood casually beside Irene in Hogwarts'' grand hall, watching quietly as Headmistress McGonagall guided the Triwizard champions and their dates into the center to officially begin the Yule Ball.


    They entered in pairs, looking slightly nervous but excited. Harry walked in first with Hermione on his arm. They looked cute together¡ªHarry seemed proud but a little unsure, and Hermione wore a shy but happy smile. The other champions followed behind them, though honestly, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to any of them. The only other one I bothered to remember was Fleur¡ªthe pretty blonde French girl who was a Veela, or part-Veela at least.


    Usually, every man¡¯s eyes in the room would be glued to her because of that natural allure her species apparently had in this world. But tonight she wasn¡¯t getting nearly as much attention as usual, and she clearly noticed it.


    In fact, Fleur appeared mildly irritated, glancing toward Irene and me with a slightly annoyed pout.


    I couldn''t help but smirk slightly at that. Honestly, I didn¡¯t blame anyone for looking our way. Standing beside me, Irene was a vision of raw beauty and confident sexuality. Fleur was undeniably attractive, but Irene was simply on another level entirely. The sexy dragoness next to me radiated a sensual magnetism that drew attention effortlessly¡ªwithout any magical charm necessary.


    As the eight students started their first ceremonial dance, I leaned closer to Irene, keeping my voice low so only she could hear me clearly over the music.


    "So," I whispered softly, placing a gentle hand on her lower back, "how do you like Hogwarts so far?"


    Irene''s eyes sparkled slightly as she gazed around the great hall with an amused look. "I admit, it¡¯s quite charming. The castle itself is impressive enough, and it certainly feels magical here," she said thoughtfully. Her expression shifted slightly, becoming slightly unimpressed. "But honestly, the wizards themselves seem rather¡­weak. At least in terms of raw magical power."


    I chuckled softly at her blunt evaluation. "You''re right about that. Most of them have had very limited magical education¡ªat least compared to what you and I are used to. Well, except for those two," I said, tilting my head toward the dance floor, where Harry and Hermione were gracefully spinning in time with the music. "They''ve been receiving proper magic instruction from Serana. Both of them have improved tremendously already."


    From the corner of my eye, I noticed McGonagall twitch slightly at my casual use of the phrase "proper magic." Her lips thinned just a little, as if holding back a sharp retort. She wisely stayed silent, though I suspected she''d probably have something to say to me about it later.


    Irene followed my gaze, her sharp eyes watching Harry and Hermione intently. "I can sense it. Those two definitely have more potential than the others."


    The music finally slowed, and the champions'' dance ended. McGonagall smoothly invited everyone else onto the floor. Couples around the hall rose eagerly, mingling onto the polished dance floor as new music began to play.


    I turned fully to Irene, smoothly offering my hand with a charming smile. "Well, Irene? May I have this dance?"


    She arched a perfect eyebrow elegantly, lips curling into a sultry smirk as she placed her soft hand gently in mine. "I''d be delighted, Haru."


    "Absolutely," I agreed warmly, gently guiding her onto the dance floor. Already, I could feel countless eyes shifting toward us. But as Irene had said earlier¡ªlet them stare. I was the one holding her close tonight.


    I guided her into the center of the dance floor as the music began softly playing around us. She stepped closer immediately, pressing her voluptuous body warmly against my chest without hesitation. I couldn¡¯t help but notice the mischievous glint that danced in her beautiful eyes as she smiled playfully up at me.


    "You''re looking rather pleased with yourself," I teased softly, my voice low enough to remain just between us.


    "Oh? Whatever could you mean, Haru?" Irene purred innocently. But even as she spoke, she shifted closer still, purposefully pressing her ample, soft breasts into me in a clearly deliberate attempt to tempt and distract. Her eyes sparkled with playful intent as she began swaying sensually to the music, making sure her curves remained pressed firmly against my chest as we moved together.


    I chuckled quietly, both amused and undeniably turned on by her boldness. I gently placed my hands on her lower back, holding her lightly as we danced together in rhythm.


    Irene smirked again, clearly unsatisfied with my polite gesture. She reached behind herself smoothly, taking my wrists in her soft hands, and guided them downward until both palms rested firmly against her shapely, perfectly rounded ass.


    My eyes widened slightly in surprise at the suddenness of her bold move. Irene giggled softly at my reaction, her expression a mixture of playful teasing and genuine satisfaction. "Mmm, much better," she murmured sweetly, keeping my hands exactly where she''d placed them.


    "You certainly don''t waste any time, do you?" I asked dryly, raising an amused eyebrow even as I gently squeezed, unable to deny how good it felt to have my hands resting on her perfect rear.


    Irene leaned in closer, her voice a husky whisper against my ear. "What would be the fun in waiting? I''m just making sure you fully enjoy yourself tonight."


    "Trust me," I replied warmly, gently kneading her curves as we continued swaying together, "I''m definitely enjoying myself."


    My tails were clearly giving me away, happily swishing behind me in response to her bold affection. Irene''s eyes flickered downward briefly, noticing my fluffy tails moving energetically behind us. She laughed softly, clearly pleased by their reaction.


    "Your tails certainly seem happy," she teased lightly, gently pressing herself even closer as our bodies moved seamlessly together.


    "Can you blame them?" I chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed but not enough to pull away from her inviting warmth. "They''ve got a mind of their own when I''m this close to a woman like you."


    "I''m very glad to hear that," she purred seductively, smiling mischievously as her hips pressed even closer into mine, making the dance more intimate by the second.


    As we swayed slowly, lost in our own little bubble of attraction and warmth, something abruptly drew my attention from the corner of my eye.


    Glancing briefly sideways, I noticed a male Hogwarts student inching suspiciously closer toward Irene. His expression looked slightly glazed, as if he were too distracted by her incredible figure to think clearly. Even worse, I saw his hand subtly reach out toward Irene''s ass¡ªas if planning to sneakily grope her while we danced.


    Before I could react, a sudden spark of magical energy erupted from Irene¡¯s dress. A small but powerful bolt of lightning lashed out, striking the would-be groper squarely in the chest. He immediately crumpled onto the dance floor, twitching and spasming like he''d just been hit with a powerful stun gun.


    Well, that was basically exactly what had happened.


    I glared sharply down at the dumb kid sprawled on the floor, irritation flickering across my expression. Irene, however, just laughed sweetly, clearly amused by the idiot¡¯s failed attempt.


    "Ara ara, such a naughty little boy," Irene chastised playfully, shaking her head slightly. "You should know better. No touching allowed."


    Her words carried through the stunned silence around us. After a second of confusion, whispers rippled across the nearby students, most quickly realizing what had just happened. I noticed more than a few other would-be lechers carefully retreating, clearly intimidated and deciding not to risk Irene¡¯s magical defenses.


    Satisfied that nobody else would try something equally stupid, Irene casually turned her attention fully back toward me. "Now then, Haru," she murmured sweetly, pressing herself against my chest again with a contented sigh. "Where were we?"


    I chuckled softly, shaking my head slightly in amusement. "I believe we were enjoying our dance," I replied lightly, gently caressing her soft curves.


    Irene smirked knowingly, eyes sparkling with delight. "Good. I''m quite happy to have you all to myself."


    We continued swaying gently, completely ignoring the occasional jealous glances from around the hall. The music flowed around us smoothly, time passing unnoticed until McGonagall finally stepped forward at the edge of the hall and politely cleared her throat, magically amplifying her voice. "Attention, everyone¡ªthe dinner portion of tonight''s Yule Ball will now commence," she announced clearly, motioning toward the lavishly decorated tables arranged along the edges of the hall. "Please take your seats and enjoy."


    Irene glanced up at me, a soft, warm smile on her lips. "Shall we, Haru?"


    "Absolutely," I agreed, gently taking her hand again. "I promise you won''t be disappointed by tonight''s meal¡­"


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!! You can check out more of my stories on my profile.


    Wanna read more of my stuff ahead of regular release?


    You can Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 330-334


    The Fox Hole 85


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 8


    The Fox Hole 84


    Thunder and Black Wings 22


    The Blood Queen 45


    The Fox Hole 83


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 7


    The Fox Hole 82


    Thunder and Black Wings 21


    The Blood Queen 44


    The Fox Hole 81


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 6


    The Fox Hole 80


    Thunder and Black Wings 20


    The Fox Hole 79


    Thunder and Black Wings 19


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 chapter 79

    Chapter 79:


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    Milim felt her cheeks heating up as she walked through the streets of Kyoto, Haru¡¯s hometown. Everywhere she turned, humans and yokai paused to stare curiously at her. Normally, Milim would have cheerfully waved or smiled back at them, but today she couldn¡¯t muster the courage to even look them in the eyes. She ducked her head slightly, pouting shyly as she kept walking.


    This was humiliating! She was the mighty Milim Nava, the scary Destroyer herself¡ªyet here she was, completely flustered and embarrassed like some nervous human teenage girl!


    And it was all because of what she''d learned the night before.


    Enri¡ªHaru¡¯s human helper¡ªhad finally sat Milim down and explained exactly what it meant to be someone''s ¡°wife.¡±


    At first, Milim had been excited to learn something new, thinking it would be simple and straightforward. But then Enri launched into detailed explanations about all sorts of intimate, ¡°adult things¡± Milim had never imagined before!


    She shuddered again just thinking about the deeply explicit descriptions Enri had given. It had involved far more detail about Haru¡¯s anatomy and things that husbands and wives did together in private than Milim had ever anticipated. Her face had gone scarlet, her eyes had widened, and Enri had giggled uncontrollably at Milim¡¯s stunned reaction.


    "Wait, you mean Haru and I would do all of¡­ those things together?" Milim had asked, blinking in embarrassment and wonder.


    Enri had nodded happily, grinning ear to ear. "Of course, Lady Milim! That''s exactly what married couples do. All the time, actually. Especially at night, after a romantic date."


    Milim''s heart had started racing at that point, and she''d quietly admitted to herself that it all sounded very¡­ intriguing. The idea of doing those intimate, passionate things with Haru didn''t sound bad at all, even if it was super embarrassing to think about.


    Milim felt incredibly flustered just thinking about it again. She placed both hands on her warm cheeks, trying to cool her embarrassment while simultaneously fighting a shy, excited smile. She wondered if Haru knew about all those things? Probably, she thought¡ªhe had multiple girlfriends after all. Which Enri explained to her as well¡­


    Realizing what she was thinking made her blush even deeper, and she shook her head quickly, trying to clear her mind. She finally arrived at Yasaka¡¯s palace, taking a calming breath before stepping confidently inside. If anyone would know where her bestie Haru was right now, surely his mom would. Since he wasn¡¯t in his restaurant sadly.


    Yasaka greeted Milim warmly. "Oh, hello there, Milim dear! What brings you here today?"


    Milim quickly perked up, trying to push away her lingering embarrassment. "Hi, Yasaka! I''m looking for Haru. Do you know where my bestie is?"


    A gentle smile tugged at Yasaka¡¯s lips, though her golden eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh, dear, I¡¯m afraid Haru isn''t home at the moment. He''s gone out on a date tonight."


    Milim instantly pouted, feeling a sudden surge of jealousy swell inside her chest. "A date? Haru''s on a date? With who!?"


    "With Erza¡¯s mother, Irene," Yasaka explained gently, watching Milim¡¯s reaction carefully. "It''s their first date, actually. They''re attending a special ball together tonight. Isn''t that lovely?"


    Milim crossed her arms, cheeks puffing out indignantly. "What!? Irene!? But¡­ but I wanted to go on a date with Haru too!"


    Yasaka chuckled softly, clearly amused. "You shouldn''t be jealous, Milim. Haru cares deeply for you. He has more than enough room in his heart for everyone close to him¡­"


    "Hmph! Maybe so," Milim huffed, still pouting stubbornly, though she relaxed slightly after hearing Yasaka''s words. "But I still wanna see this ''date'' for myself! Where exactly did they go?"


    Yasaka¡¯s eyes narrowed playfully. "I don''t mind telling you, Milim, but you have to promise me something important first."


    Milim eyed Yasaka suspiciously. "Promise what?"


    "Promise that you will absolutely not interrupt Haru''s date," Yasaka said firmly, her smile pleasant but her tone leaving no room for negotiation. "They deserve to enjoy their evening without interference, don¡¯t you agree?"


    Milim sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. "Fiiiine," she grumbled dramatically, puffing out her cheeks again. "I promise I won¡¯t interrupt their date. I''ll just watch quietly. I''m great at being sneaky!" she bragged proudly.


    Yasaka laughed gently, clearly not convinced by Milim¡¯s boasting. Still, she gave Milim the information she wanted. "Very well. They are currently attending something called the Yule Ball at Hogwarts¡­¡±


    ¨C Irene ¨C


    Life had definitely taken a strange turn for Irene. She had spent centuries filled with bitterness about her dragon transformation, deeply hating what she''d become. Losing her humanity had seemed like the cruelest possible fate, one she cursed endlessly. But lately, those feelings had started fading away, almost to the point where being a dragon hardly troubled her at all anymore.


    Of course, she still resented the fact that her dragonification had forced her to abandon her daughter, Erza. Even after reconnecting with Erza recently, there was still a deep sense of loss and guilt she carried. But their relationship had slowly improved, and Irene had allowed herself a small sliver of happiness.


    That had lasted right up until agents from Alvarez arrived at her doorstep, bringing the unexpected summons from Zeref himself. He was calling her back immediately.


    Foolishly, Irene had gone willingly, trusting that the empire she had once loyally served still valued her power. Instead, the other Spriggans had betrayed her immediately upon her arrival, locking her away in the palace dungeons beneath Alvarez''s capital.


    Irene briefly considered fighting back at first. It would have been easy, satisfying even, to lash out with her overwhelming strength and reduce the palace to rubble.


    Yet, she''d ultimately decided not to resist. Letting herself be imprisoned hurt deeply¡ªbut it was safer, she reasoned. Safer for Erza, for her loved ones¡­ for Haru.


    Thinking about Haru sent another pang through Irene¡¯s chest. Her instincts had roared to life the moment they''d met, telling her clearly that Haru was her ideal mate. Strong, protective, confident, kind¡ªhe possessed every trait her heart and body craved. Forcibly being separated from him before they even got to properly know each other hurt terribly. But she convinced herself it was better to stay locked away¡­


    She never imagined that Haru would march into Zeref¡¯s very palace itself just to rescue her. He effortlessly defeated two of her former Spriggan colleagues before barging through every last guard who dared to oppose him.


    Irene''s dragon heart fluttered at the romance of it all. It was hands down the most romantic gesture she''d ever received!


    Honestly, if Haru had demanded right then and there that she bend over in her cell and let him pound her from behind, Irene would have eagerly agreed without hesitation. Just thinking about it made her face heat with longing and desire¡­


    But Haru was far too much of a gentleman. Instead, he''d simply smiled warmly and invited her to a ball.


    ¡­Even after all these years, Irene found that she still enjoyed events like these, the formal dress and elegant atmosphere, all the pomp and decorum. It felt refreshingly familiar, something reminiscent of her royal past.


    Even if this current castle was filled with an alarming number of very horny teenage wizards and witches. She genuinely wondered whose brilliant idea it had been to lock hundreds of magically-gifted adolescents together in a castle, separated from their parents and homes for ten months out of the year, supervised by a mere handful of adult teachers?


    It seemed a recipe for disaster¡ªor at least a lot of pregnancy scares...


    But that was enough of that.


    She turned her attention back toward her date, who was watching her closely with a gentle smile.


    "Enjoying yourself?" Haru asked softly.


    "Oh, immensely," Irene purred. "I can''t remember the last time I enjoyed myself this much." She was savoring another bite of the incredible dessert placed in front of her. She let out a quiet, indulgent moan of delight, savoring the rich sweetness on her tongue. It was obvious that Haru had been in charge of tonight¡¯s meal because almost everyone who was partaking, students and teachers alike, were moaning in delight like her as they ate.


    She reached delicately for another ¨¦clair that had suddenly appeared on her plate, eager for another taste. Hmm, more dessert? Don''t mind if I do¡­


    Just before her fingers touched the pastry, Haru¡¯s hand shot out sharply and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.


    Surprised and a little flustered by the unexpected move, Irene blushed faintly, glancing toward Haru with an affectionate, questioning smile. "My, feeling possessive already, Haru?" she teased gently, her eyes glinting playfully. But her teasing stopped abruptly when she noticed the seriousness in his expression.


    "I didn¡¯t make that ¨¦clair," Haru said with a small growl.


    Irene¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously as she quickly glanced around, noticing similar ¨¦clairs appearing magically on other tables throughout the hall. They hadn¡¯t been there moments before.


    "Are you certain?" Irene asked carefully. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Absolutely," Haru said firmly, releasing her wrist gently.


    Irene watched other guests reaching unsuspectingly for the strange ¨¦clairs. Before she could say or do anything, the damage was already happening.


    Nearby, a young female student who had taken a bite began choking violently, grabbing desperately at her throat. She wasn¡¯t alone. Others around the hall started coughing and gasping, panic spreading swiftly across the tables.


    She could feel strange, foreign magics invading the students¡¯ bodies¡ªpotent transformative spells. Her eyes widened slightly in shock as the bizarre results rapidly manifested before her eyes. Several students cried out in alarm as animal features began sprouting from their bodies. Boys and girls alike grew fluffy ears, whiskers, tails, or even patches of fur.


    Irene¡¯s gaze moved swiftly to the staff table, just in time to see the strict-looking headmistress she''d yet to formally meet suddenly sprout a pair of fluffy cat ears atop her stern face. The older woman¡¯s eyes flashed furiously, her mouth opening in astonished outrage as a bushy feline tail burst forth from beneath her elegant robes.


    Before Irene could even think of what to do next, an angry, accusing voice pierced through the chaos.


    "You!" shouted a teenage wizard with messy red hair, leaping dramatically from his seat and pointing directly at Irene and Haru¡¯s table. An odd thing she noticed was that he was sitting at a table all alone. "That freaky monster is turning everyone into freaks like him! He was in charge of the kitchens! He did it!"


    The student was accusing Haru.


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I let out an irritated sigh.


    Great. It was this annoying kid again¡ªRon Weasley, one of Harry¡¯s old ¡®friends.¡¯ Well, friend was being generous. More like one of that manipulative old man Dumbledore¡¯s former pawns from when Harry was brainwashed. I¡¯d noticed Ron earlier, sitting completely alone at a table in the corner. Honestly, it wasn''t surprising.


    Now the little shit was accusing me of poisoning the desserts to transform everyone into ¡°monsters¡± like myself. His voice echoed loudly across the room, dripping with ignorant disgust.


    The sheer stupidity and open racism of his words pissed me off immensely, even ignoring how disrespectful it was to my food. No self-respecting chef would ever poison something he cooked.


    Especially not me.


    Irene stood up abruptly, her chair clattering noisily to the ground behind her. I felt the air around us thicken as raw magic poured off her body. I glanced at her carefully, seeing her beautiful features twisted in outrage. Her eyes flashed dangerously toward Ron.


    ¡°How dare you accuse Haru of such a vile thing, you foolish little boy,¡± she hissed coldly.


    Ron turned red-faced, fists clenched, visibly trembling. He seemed too angry and stupid to back down, though his nervousness was obvious beneath his bravado. ¡°You think you can scare me, you floozy?¡± he shouted back. ¡°You''re nothing but some slutty monster the freak hired to look pretty! I bet your big tits are fake too!¡±


    There was a shocked gasp from almost every student and teacher in earshot. The entire hall fell into stunned silence.


    Irene¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief before narrowing dangerously. Magic crackled in the air around her hand as a complex, ominous magic circle appeared instantly above her palm. Judging by the chilling aura coming from her, Ron was seconds away from becoming a greasy smear on the stone floor.


    I stood up quickly, half-considering stepping in to calm her down¡ªthough honestly, part of me genuinely wouldn''t have minded watching Ron get obliterated.


    But before either of us could do anything, the huge double doors to the Hall slammed open dramatically. A group of people wearing ridiculous, official-looking robes rushed inside¡ªAurors, as these magical cops liked to call themselves.


    I groaned internally at the sight of them. Wonderful. Not these clowns again.


    ¡°Nobody move!¡± the Auror in the lead shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve received reports of dark magic on the premises!¡±


    I rolled my eyes. Could this setup possibly be more obvious? It hadn¡¯t even been thirty seconds since Ron¡¯s outburst, and suddenly these idiots were already storming in?


    The Auror¡¯s gaze snapped toward me immediately. Predictable.


    ¡°You!¡± he barked dramatically, wand pointed directly at my face. ¡°Step away from the table, creature! You¡¯re under suspicion for corrupting and poisoning Hogwarts students with forbidden dark magic!¡±


    ¡°Creature?¡± Irene echoed coldly beside me, clearly even angrier now. She stepped in front of me protectively, eyes dangerously narrowed. ¡°I''d choose your next words very carefully, little wizard, before I forget myself and reduce you all to dust.¡±


    "Unknown hostile dark witch! Put her down!" the lead Auror shouted, his voice cracking with panic as he jabbed his wand toward Irene.


    My irritation instantly boiled over into genuine anger. Unknown hostile witch? Seriously? These morons weren¡¯t even pretending to do their jobs properly.


    Around us, students screamed and ducked under tables in terror as dozens of colorful spells launched straight in our direction. It seemed the Aurors didn¡¯t care at all about collateral damage, judging by how wildly they cast their magic.


    Irene scoffed, clearly unimpressed by their pathetic attempt at attacking her. With casual grace, she raised one hand and snapped her fingers softly. Every single spell racing toward us vanished instantly in midair, dissolving into tiny sparks that fluttered harmlessly down to the floor.


    Stunned silence filled the hall for a brief moment. Students, teachers, and Aurors alike all stared at Irene in shock, obviously terrified by the effortless display of magic she''d just shown.


    Honestly, they hadn''t even begun to see a fraction of what she was truly capable of¡ªshe''d barely tapped into her real strength. Her power was staggering, easily far beyond anything this entire school combined could handle.


    I briefly considered calming her down, not wanting things to escalate into a full-blown massacre. She might actually destroy half the castle if she got seriously pissed. But before I could say a word, one panicked Auror apparently lost all sense of reason. His face pale with fear, he aimed his wand directly at Irene and shouted desperately, "Avada Kedavra!"


    A sickly green flash erupted from his wand, speeding straight toward Irene''s chest.


    My heart stopped for a split second. Logically, I knew a pathetic killing curse probably wouldn''t even bruise a dragoness like Irene, but that didn''t matter. Pure rage surged inside me¡ªnobody fucking tried to kill my date and walked away unharmed.


    Without thinking, I stepped swiftly in front of Irene, stretching my arm out and catching the deadly curse right in my bare palm. I felt a faint prickle of the dark magic trying and failing spectacularly to harm me. But it obviously couldn¡¯t do anything.


    Gasps of shock filled the entire Great Hall. Students stared, teachers were frozen in place, even the Aurors looked horrified. Their prized, supposedly unstoppable dark curse trembled uselessly in my hand before I closed my fist sharply, crushing the green magic into harmless wisps of smoke.


    The Auror who¡¯d cast the curse staggered backward, eyes bulging in absolute terror. "Impossible!" he choked out hoarsely, voice trembling. "N-no one can stop that curse!"


    I narrowed my eyes coldly at him. "You people seriously picked the wrong fucking night to ruin. Attacking my date? You''ve officially pissed me off." I thought they¡¯d agreed to leave me and my people alone, but I guess the message hadn¡¯t sunk in yet!


    In an instant I blurred forward, moving at speeds faster than anyone here could possibly follow. I struck swiftly and efficiently. I snapped their limbs one after another¡ªlegs, arms, wrists¡ªhearing satisfying cries of pain as they dropped their wands, crumpling helplessly to the stone floor. It took mere seconds.


    When I finally stopped moving, every Auror who''d stormed into the hall lay writhing on the ground, groaning pitifully in pain. None of their injuries would kill them, unfortunately, but I¡¯d certainly made sure they wouldn¡¯t be walking around causing more trouble anytime soon.


    Stepping calmly back toward Irene, I shook my hands out lightly and sighed, regaining control of my temper.


    Irene gazed at me, eyes wide with surprise and unmistakable appreciation. "My, my," she said softly, a pleased smirk spreading slowly across her beautiful lips. "I didn''t expect such ferocity from you, Haru. It seems you take protecting me very seriously."


    I offered her a slight, embarrassed smile. "Of course I do. No asshole gets to threaten you¡ªnot when you''re my date. Now, are you alright?" I asked but obviously knew the answer.


    Irene laughed quietly, stepping closer and placing her hand gently against my chest. "More than alright. In fact, watching you defend my honor just now was incredibly attractive." Her voice dropped into a sultry whisper only I could hear, eyes gleaming playfully. "If we weren''t in public right now, I''d reward you in ways you''d never forget~"


    My cheeks warmed slightly at the alluring promise in her words. "I''ll definitely take you up on that later," I murmured back, feeling my tails swish enthusiastically behind me. "But first, we''ve got this mess to clean up."


    Around us, the stunned students and teachers began carefully rising from beneath their tables, staring silently at the battered Aurors groaning on the floor.


    Professor McGonagall stood shakily from her seat, her feline ears twitching nervously atop her head. "Mr. Haru," she began cautiously, her voice wavering slightly, "while I certainly appreciate your... assistance with these intruders, would you please explain what''s happening here?¡±


    Honestly, I wanted answers just as badly as McGonagall did. And I had a pretty good idea where to start. I slowly turned to glare at Ron Weasley.


    Ron stood frozen near his empty table, visibly shaking and pale as he looked around. Students began slowly emerging from beneath tables, and it didn''t take a genius to realize the collective attention of the room had locked onto him. Everyone clearly knew he was responsible for this idiocy¡ªand judging by their furious expressions, they weren''t about to let him off easy.


    Before he could try to speak, Irene waved one hand gracefully, releasing a gentle pulse of cleansing magic. I watched with quiet satisfaction as every animal ear, whisker, and tail on students and teachers alike disappeared instantly.


    Murmurs of relief rippled through the hall.


    I glanced quickly toward Harry and Hermione, standing together nearby. Harry looked pissed, his green eyes flashing angrily as he stepped forward and fixed Ron with a disgusted glare. "What the hell, Ron?" he demanded sharply. "Spiking the food with magic? Seriously? People could have gotten seriously hurt!"


    Beside him, Hermione was fuming as well. Her normally calm face twisted in disappointment and anger. "Do you even realize how serious this is?" she added coldly. "You could have killed someone, Ron!"


    Ron''s face twisted into an angry scowl as his eyes flashed defensively. "So what if I did spike the stupid food?" he snapped bitterly. "I''m tired of always being left out, always being treated like some villain. Everyone at this stupid school already thinks I''m a bad guy anyway!"


    A voice from across the hall immediately shouted, "That''s because you are a bad guy, Weasley! I didn¡¯t believe Potter and Granger about you before, but I do now!"


    ¡°Yeah! Me too!¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡±


    Several other students loudly agreed.


    Ron''s face flushed an even deeper shade of angry red. He jabbed his finger dramatically toward the still-open doors leading out of the hall. "Well, none of that matters now anyway!" he spat desperately, his voice rising almost hysterically. "Because Dumbledore''s coming back to retake Hogwarts tonight! He''s gonna be Headmaster again, and he''s bringing someone really powerful with him! He''s coming back with Grindelwald himself!"


    For a moment, shocked silence blanketed the hall. A few of the visiting foreign students hissed angrily at the mention of Grindelwald¡¯s name. Then, the silence broke instantly into loud shouts of disbelief and anger.


    "You lying asshole!" someone yelled furiously. "Don¡¯t you dare joke about Grindelwald!"


    "Yeah, shut your mouth, Ron!" another voice shouted. "Nobody believes your bullshit anymore!"


    I felt Irene lean softly against my shoulder, her eyes filled with mild confusion. She tilted her head slightly, whispering quietly enough that only I could hear, "Who exactly are Dumbledore and Grindelwald?"


    "Dumbledore''s the asshole who used to run this school. He was manipulative as hell, and caused all kinds of trouble for Harry. As for Grindelwald, he''s basically the magical world''s version of Hitler."


    Irene furrowed her brow, looking even more confused. "Hitler?"


    I gave her an apologetic look. "Ah¡­ sorry. Long story, I''ll explain that one later."


    She nodded understandingly and quickly straightened up, deciding to take matters into her own hands. Raising her hands slightly, she clapped loudly twice, cutting sharply through the angry noise. Instantly, the noise began to fade, and every eye in the hall turned curiously toward her.


    "There is absolutely no reason to panic, everyone," Irene announced calmly, her voice effortlessly carrying through the hall. "I can personally assure you there are no powerful old wizards currently within the castle or anywhere nearby. No one else is coming here tonight. This foolish little boy is simply lying in a desperate bid for attention." She smiled warmly, with the composed confidence of a queen addressing her subjects. "Let us ignore these irritating interruptions. Could someone kindly restrain this moronic, spoiled child so we may resume our celebration in peace?"


    Ron¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, a panicked expression settling across his face as a couple of older students immediately stepped forward with their wands raised. They quickly cast restraining spells, binding Ron tightly with magical ropes as he thrashed furiously in protest.


    "No! You don''t understand!" Ron shouted desperately, struggling uselessly against the magical bindings. "Dumbledore really is coming! He''s just running a little late! You''ll all see soon enough!"


    Nobody was paying him any serious attention anymore. The crowd had already decided that Ron was either completely insane or pathetically lying.


    I sighed softly, relaxing my posture as I glanced warmly at Irene. "Nicely handled," I praised quietly, gently squeezing her hand. "You''re a natural at calming crowds."


    Irene chuckled softly, leaning closer to me and whispering playfully in my ear, "I''ve had centuries of practice handling unruly subjects, Haru. A small group of panicking children is hardly challenging."


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve had dinner and a show, how about we get back to dancing?¡± I asked her.


    Irene fluttered her eyelashes at me as she took my hand.


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    Milim walked quietly toward the huge stone castle Yasaka had told her about. Determined to be sneaky and not interrupt Haru''s romantic date. After all, she had promised, and the Demon Lord Milim Nava kept her promises! She wondered what Haru and Irene were doing right now? Probably eating something tasty! Just imagining it made Milim pout again.


    She really wished she could have joined them.


    Lost in her thoughts, Milim almost didn''t notice when someone suddenly shouted harshly in her direction.


    "Look over there, Gellart!" called a rough, older human voice. "I don''t recognize that young girl as a student¡ªand just look at how strangely she''s dressed! She must be friends with that vile beast, Haru! The one who cost me my castle and destroyed the Elder Wand!"


    Milim stopped abruptly, blinking in surprise and mild confusion. Turning slowly, she saw two older men standing nearby at the edge of the forest just beyond the castle grounds. Both humans had long beards and wore strange robes, looking angry and somewhat unhinged.


    The second man glared at her bitterly. "Is that so, Albus! If she¡¯s friends with the vile beast who dared destroy our precious Elder Wand! We must kill her swiftly, as punishment, before we continue onward to eliminate him as well!"


    "It is all for the greater good, Gellert!"


    "For the greater good!¡± the other one repeated.


    Milim stared at them, bewildered and annoyed. These humans were saying very strange things. She didn''t have a clue what they were talking about or really care. But she thought she understood one thing¡ªshe thought they were talking about hurting Haru, her bestie!


    That made Milim very angry!


    XXX

 chapter 80

    This chapter has R-18.


    Chapter 80:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I watched two seventh-year students drag Ron Weasley and the ¡°Aurors¡± out of the hall. It was a messy business. Ron yelled the entire way about Dumbledore coming to save him, which only got him a zap of lightning from Harry for his trouble.


    Honestly, I''d have done the same if I''d had to listen to that idiot rant any longer.


    Meanwhile, a younger redhead named Susan Bones¡ªa niece of some department head¡ªsaid she didn''t recognize any of the men who had just attacked us. That told me they definitely weren''t Aurors, meaning they broke into Hogwarts and impersonated law enforcement. That was going to land them in a world of shit.


    But that wasn¡¯t my problem¡­


    I decided not to worry too much about it once I realized the legitimate magical government wasn''t actually framing me. Clearly, Ron must have hired them for revenge. Although, wasn¡¯t his family poor or something according to Harry?


    Either way, they were taken care of, and the ball could finally get back on track.


    Irene stepped forward and gave a little speech, calming everyone down again. Her voice carried so much authority. It was like the entire hall forgot we¡¯d just had a near riot and an assassination attempt.


    Honestly, I was impressed.


    The classic music part of the ball was over though.


    A witch rock band¨Cwhich was a real thing apparently¨Ctook the stage, and the vibe of the Yule Ball changed completely.


    The dance floor got packed with people who wanted to let loose. Irene looked a bit uncertain at first¡ªguess she''d never been to a dance like this¡ªbut eventually she jumped right into it.


    We ended up in the crowd, bouncing around to the heavy beat. I couldn¡¯t stop staring at her, honestly. Her breasts kept bouncing in that form-fitting black dress, and she seemed to know exactly what that was doing to me, because she gave me these sultry little smirks. She let her hands roam all over my body while we danced, but we both tried to keep it somewhat decent since there were still teenagers around.


    It was dark enough that most people weren¡¯t paying much attention to us, but I still stopped her a bit whenever she got a bit too bold for public.


    I had to admit, it felt pretty damn good to let off steam. The drama with the fake Aurors and Ron¡¯s stupidity had my blood boiling earlier, but now I could focus on the music, the dancing, and Irene¡¯s warmth pressed against me. When she flashed that mischievous grin and put her arms around my neck, I smirked right back and rested my hands on her hips, pulling her closer so we could move together in time to the song.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself now?¡± I asked near her ear, my voice raised enough to be heard over the guitar riffs.


    ¡°Immensely,¡± she purred, leaning in so I felt her breath on my neck. ¡°This is much more fun than I expected.¡±


    The witch band launched into another song, even louder than the last. I spotted Hermione dragging Harry onto the floor, and I noticed a few teachers trying to join in awkwardly, too.


    We kept dancing for a while longer, ignoring everyone else. Irene¡¯s body felt wonderful against mine, her smile lighting up the room more than any magical stage effects. Every time I glanced down at her cleavage or that perfect curve of her ass, she¡¯d notice and give me a knowing little wink.


    Each time, I felt my cheeks get warmer, but I didn¡¯t look away, either. I was more than happy to admire.


    Eventually, the band finished their set, and the energy in the hall settled into a comfortable buzz. Irene slid her arms off my neck, brushing hair from her face as she took a small step back. I realized she was a bit flushed from dancing so hard, and it made her look even sexier. My heart pounded a little harder when I saw the satisfaction in her eyes.


    I brushed my tails out behind me, trying to cool off. ¡°Want to grab a drink?¡± I asked, nodding toward a refreshment table someone had set up against the wall.


    Irene gave me a slow, appreciative glance, letting her gaze linger on my chest and my tails. ¡°Sounds good,¡± she said with a teasing smile. ¡°Then maybe we can find someplace more private to talk¡­or something else.¡±


    Her words sent a pleasant little jolt right through me. I swallowed, nodding with a calm I didn¡¯t entirely feel. ¡°Sure,¡± I replied casually, though my tails were probably swaying a little too eagerly. ¡°A drink, then we can¡­talk.¡±


    Irene let out a low laugh, placing her hand gently on my arm as I guided her through the crowd. One or two people shot us envious stares, but I ignored them. Let them be jealous. I wasn¡¯t about to apologize for having such a gorgeous dragoness on my arm.


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    Milim glanced down at the mess she had just made, frowning slightly.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ oops,¡± she muttered, scratching her head awkwardly. ¡°I totally forgot how squishy some humans are.¡±


    The two old wizards had desperately tried to protect themselves with magical shields before she punched them, but that hadn''t really done much good. Their shields shattered instantly, and now their stumpy, mangled corpses were sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood, limbs completely blown away.


    Milim pursed her lips thoughtfully, hands on her hips as she considered the situation. ¡°I should probably hide the evidence before Haru finds out¡­¡± she mumbled to herself.


    But just as she turned to find somewhere to stash the bodies, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.


    ¡°Poopy,¡± Milim groaned softly, shoulders slumping in annoyance.


    When she spun around, ready to deal with whoever had caught her, relief quickly washed over her. It was just Shepard and Alice¡ªtwo of Haru''s redheaded¡­ girlfriends. That word did annoy her, though.


    Both women stopped in their tracks, staring at the scene with wide eyes.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what it looks like!¡± Milim blurted immediately, raising her hands defensively.


    Alice crossed her arms, giving Milim a flat, skeptical look. ¡°Really? Because it looks like you killed two people.¡±


    Milim hesitated, eyes darting to the bloody mess, before sighing and lowering her hands. ¡°Okay¡­ it¡¯s sort of exactly what it looks like.¡±


    Shepard stepped closer, inspecting the bodies with a grimace. ¡°Milim, what happened here?¡±


    Milim drew a deep breath, dramatically placing one hand over her heart. ¡°These two old dudes said they were going up to that big castle to interrupt Haru¡¯s date and attack him!¡± She paused, fists clenched indignantly. ¡°I only wanted to scare them off with a little punch, but they were way squishier than I thought. They kinda just exploded instead.¡±


    Shepard rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated, while Alice struggled to suppress a chuckle at Milim¡¯s exaggerated storytelling.


    ¡°Well,¡± Alice said dryly, stepping closer to inspect the damage, ¡°it''s definitely not the first set of bodies I¡¯ve had to help hide.¡±


    Shepard shot her a skeptical look. ¡°That''s¡­ mildly concerning.¡±


    Milim nodded enthusiastically, glad that someone understood. ¡°I can just burn the bodies real quick!¡± she offered helpfully, flames already flickering eagerly at her fingertips.


    Shepard quickly raised a hand, cutting that idea short. ¡°Hold on, Milim. Let¡¯s think this through. We don¡¯t know if the magical authorities here can detect magic residue or not. If you killed them using physical strength alone, it¡¯s smarter to make this look natural.¡±


    Alice nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Not a bad idea. We drag them into the woods and let the wildlife take care of the rest...¡±


    Milim blinked, genuinely impressed. She hadn¡¯t even considered something so sneaky and smart. ¡°Wow, you two are really clever!¡± she exclaimed, grinning brightly. Then her smile faded slightly as another thought occurred to her. ¡°Do you think this¡¯ll make trouble for Haru?¡± She paused, looking pleadingly at the two women. ¡°Could we maybe¡­ keep this little accident a secret from him?¡± She turned on her best puppy-dog eyes, gazing up innocently.


    Milim''s pleading puppy-dog eyes proved effective. Shepard and Alice exchanged a glance, sighed, and nodded reluctantly.


    "Fine," Shepard said grudgingly. "We won''t tell Haru. But let''s make this quick before anyone else wanders out here."


    Milim beamed happily. "Thank you! You two really aren''t so bad¡ªfor humans, I mean."


    Alice chuckled softly as they all bent down, grabbing hold of the mangled remains and hauling them toward the thick woods nearby. They trudged deep into the trees, ensuring they were far enough away from the path that no one would stumble across their gruesome cleanup. The forest grew denser around them, branches scraping their clothes and leaves crunching beneath their feet.


    When Milim felt they''d finally gone deep enough, she dropped her half of one corpse and wiped her brow with the back of her hand. "This should be far enough, right?"


    Shepard surveyed the spot carefully, nodding after a moment. "Yeah, this''ll do."


    Alice dropped her share with a grimace, wiping her hands on her pants. "Good. The animals around here should take care of the rest."


    Now that the dirty work was done, Milim turned to the two redheads curiously. "Wait, why were you two out here anyway?"


    Shepard raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip and fixing Milim with a look. "We could ask you the same thing, you know."


    Milim puffed her chest out proudly, placing both hands on her hips. "Well, that''s easy! I was obviously sneaking out here to spy on Haru during his date with that dragon lady!" She grinned widely, clearly not ashamed at all.


    Both Shepard and Alice blushed noticeably at Milim''s blunt statement.


    "We definitely weren''t doing that!" Shepard insisted quickly, her cheeks reddening even more. "We were just¡­ out for a walk!"


    Milim narrowed her eyes skeptically, smirking. "Uh-huh. Suuuure. You two were just randomly wandering around in the dark, in the middle of the woods, near Haru''s date?"


    Alice chuckled softly, nudging Shepard playfully. "Just admit it, Shepard. You were sulking."


    Shepard crossed her arms defensively. "Fine, maybe I was! I''m still annoyed Haru and I never got to properly celebrate my hard-earned victory against Saren! I wanted some victory sex dammit!"


    Alice burst out laughing! "That''s because you and your entire crew got hammered after the fight! Haru tried to help you back to your quarters on the Normandy, and you repaid him by puking all over his shoulder!"


    Shepard''s face turned scarlet instantly, eyes widening with shock and embarrassment. "I¡ªI did what?!" she squeaked, looking genuinely mortified.


    Milim broke into delighted giggles, pointing at Shepard. "You threw up on Haru? That''s hilarious!"


    Shepard groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Goddammit," she muttered. "No wonder he was acting weird the next morning¡­"


    Still giggling, Milim turned eagerly toward Alice next. "So, what about you then? What''s your reason?"


    Alice''s blush deepened slightly as she cleared her throat, suddenly looking very interested in the forest floor. "I didn''t have anything better to do tonight," she admitted quietly, kicking a small stone around nervously. "So I decided I''d come and, you know¡­ check on Haru as well. Honestly, I still don''t really trust that dragon MILF he''s out with."


    Milim tilted her head in genuine confusion. "What''s a MILF?"


    Both Shepard and Alice broke into laughter at Milim''s innocent expression. Shepard tried unsuccessfully to stifle her amusement, shoulders shaking as she chuckled.


    "What?" Milim pouted, crossing her arms in annoyance. "What did I say? Come on, tell me already!"


    Shepard finally regained her composure, giving Milim a mischievous grin. "It means ''Mother I''d Like to Fuck.''"


    Milim''s face turned bright red, eyes wide as she remembered the extremely explicit lesson Enri had given her just recently about adult matters. "Oh! Th-that''s what it means¡­?" she squeaked shyly, covering her burning cheeks. "Humans really have some weird words!"


    Alice laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, we do."


    After composing themselves again, the three women finally started heading back toward the path that led out of the forest.


    Just as they neared the edge of the woods, a sudden unsettling chittering sound filled the air above them.


    "What the hell was that?" Shepard asked warily, scanning the shadows.


    Milim slowly raised her gaze toward the treetops. Perched high above, dozens of enormous spiders silently stared down at them¡­


    Shepard and Alice both screamed, but Milim grinned. Now monsters, those were things she understood and could punch all she wanted!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I walked through the quiet Hogwarts gardens with Irene snuggled up against my side. My own arm happened to be wedged snugly between her large, soft breasts. I tried my best to focus on the peaceful surroundings rather than the way her body felt against me, but it was pretty hard to ignore.


    She glanced up at me. ¡°You look distracted,¡± she said softly, her voice warm with curiosity. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    My fox ears twitched at her question. I shrugged, trying to sound casual. ¡°I thought I heard a scream from somewhere distant. It sounded a bit familiar, but¡­ it¡¯s probably nothing.¡±


    Irene gave me a playful grin. ¡°Good,¡± she teased, stepping closer. ¡°No more distractions tonight. I want you all to myself.¡±


    I felt a familiar rush of heat spread across my face as she guided me toward a small gazebo tucked away in one corner of the garden. The moonlight illuminated the wooden structure, creating a gentle glow around us. We sat down together on the simple bench inside.


    For a moment, neither of us said anything. We just enjoyed the quiet. Then Irene reached out and took my hand, lacing our fingers together. She leaned against me, her warm body pressing into my side.


    ¡°I never thanked you properly,¡± she began, her voice quiet and sincere. ¡°For rescuing me from the dungeons. I was¡­ certain I¡¯d end up staying locked away forever or worse.¡±


    I shook my head firmly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± I told her, squeezing her hand gently. ¡°I¡¯d rescue you a thousand times if I had to.¡±


    She let out a soft, almost shy laugh, then turned her face up to mine.


    I opened my mouth to say something else, but she leaned in before I could speak, pressing her lips softly against mine. It took me by surprise. My heart stuttered for a second, then started hammering. Irene¡¯s lips were incredibly soft, and she pressed closer, letting her large breasts nestle against my chest. It was a slow, unhurried kiss, but it carried a lot of intensity behind it.


    When we finally broke apart, I could see the faint color on her cheeks, and it made her look more beautiful than ever. I caught my breath, realizing just how much I wanted her. My body responded quickly¡ªthere was no hiding the growing tightness in my pants.


    Irene¡¯s gaze flicked down, noticing the reaction. A small, knowing smile tugged at her lips. She didn¡¯t tease me about it, though. Instead, she slid her arms around my shoulders and pulled me in for another kiss.


    This time, it felt more intense. My palms settled on her hips, feeling the smooth fabric of her dress. She pressed her chest harder against me, and I felt the soft weight of her breasts squishing into my torso. Every shift of her body made my heart pound faster, made my mind spin with desire.


    Her tongue brushed shyly against mine, and I let out a quiet groan, tugging her closer. She moaned softly into my mouth, the sound sending a jolt of pleasure straight down my spine. I could feel the warmth of her body through the dress, her legs shifting against mine.


    I pulled back just enough to speak, my voice a little shaky. ¡°Irene¡­¡±


    She rested her forehead against mine, her breath coming in short puffs. ¡°Yes?¡± she whispered.


    I felt my entire body tense with anticipation as I looked into Irene¡¯s eyes. My breathing came quicker, and I wanted her¡ªbadly. There was no point pretending otherwise, so I murmured exactly that.


    ¡°I want you,¡± I whispered, my voice rougher than usual.


    Irene giggled softly, pressing her warm body closer to mine. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± she teased, her lips curving into a seductive smile. Then she snapped her fingers, and a soft shimmer flickered around the gazebo. ¡°No one will see or hear us now,¡± she said, her voice low. ¡°I wanted privacy.¡±


    My heart pounded at her words, and I felt my pants tighten even more. My tails wagged excitedly, probably giving away just how aroused I was. I leaned forward, trailing heated kisses along her neck. She let out a quiet, breathy moan, her hand sliding over the front of my pants. When her fingers started rubbing over my cock, I couldn¡¯t stop the shiver that went through me.


    She smiled when she felt my reaction, and I noticed her eyes flick down to my tails again. I groaned softly, reaching behind her to unzip her black dress. The smooth fabric slid down, revealing more of her pale skin.


    With the type of dress she was wearing, it was obvious she wore no bra¡ªher massive breasts spilled free, drawing my gaze instantly. I stopped breathing for a second, taking in the sight. They were huge, round, and perfect, and my mouth went dry just looking at them.


    Irene giggled, obviously amused by my stunned expression. She kept rubbing my crotch through my pants, pressing her palm more firmly against my erection. ¡°You like what you see?¡± she asked slyly.


    I swallowed hard, nodding. My hands trembled slightly as I brushed the straps of her dress down her arms, letting the outfit pool around her waist. Her breasts were right in front of me, so I leaned in, kissing the top of one while sliding my hand up to cup and squeeze gently. Irene sucked in a sharp breath, arching her back so I could have easier access.


    ¡°God¡­ Irene,¡± I muttered, pressing soft kisses down the curve of her breast. The warmth of her skin under my lips made my head spin. My other hand found her free breast, giving it the same slow, gentle attention. She moaned quietly, her fingers curling into my hair and tugging me closer.


    She reached for my belt, fumbling to undo the buckle. I didn¡¯t resist. Instead, I let her unfasten it, my body almost throbbing with need by then. Her hand slid under the waistband of my pants to stroke me directly. The sensation of her fingers wrapping around me made me let out a shaky groan.


    I lifted my head, catching her mouth in a hungry kiss. Our tongues met, and we both deepened the contact, losing ourselves for a moment. Her breasts pressed into my chest again, and I couldn¡¯t help running my hands down her sides, feeling every curve. My pants were open enough for her to slip her hand inside, and I hissed in pleasure when her fingers closed around my cock.


    She moved her hand slowly, her grip firm enough to make me twitch. My tails probably looked like they were having a spasm, but I didn¡¯t care. All I wanted was to feel more of her.


    Irene pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily. ¡°Scoot back a bit,¡± she instructed, nudging me to slide down on the bench. I let myself sink against the wooden backrest. My heart pounded as she repositioned herself, sliding her dress further down until she was fully naked from the waist up. She still wore the lower half of her dress, bunched around her hips.


    She looked at me, eyes shining with lust, her hand still stroking me under my pants. Then she leaned down, pressing her breasts against my chest again, and kissed me slow and deep. Every movement of her lips and tongue set me on fire. At the same time, she teased me below, pumping with careful strokes.


    My voice caught in my throat, and I moaned softly into her mouth. I let my hand travel over her bare waist to her thigh, tugging gently at the fabric bunched around her hips. She nodded, shifting her body so I could push the dress aside. My hand found the smooth warmth of her skin, and I stroked upward, searching for her underwear¡ªonly to realize there wasn¡¯t any.


    Irene smirked at my startled look. ¡°I told you I planned on enjoying myself tonight,¡± she said, voice thick with desire. ¡°Feels like you¡¯re pretty eager too.¡±


    I swallowed hard. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s an understatement.¡±


    She laughed softly, then reached down and guided my hand between her legs. The heat I felt there made me groan. She was wet, clearly as turned on as I was. Carefully, I let my fingers explore, brushing gently over her folds. She let out a trembling sigh, resting her forehead against mine.


    I started to circle her clit with my fingertips, feeling the slickness of her arousal. Irene gasped softly, rolling her hips toward my touch. The sight of her parted lips, the flush on her cheeks, and her heavy breathing made me even harder.


    She parted her thighs a little more, giving me better access. ¡°Haru¡­¡± she whispered, sounding half pleading, half commanding.


    I pressed my fingers deeper, trying to give her the same pleasure she was giving me. My other hand gripped her hip, keeping her steady as I teased her. She let out a breathy moan, her nails gently scratching the back of my neck.


    I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heartbeat. My fingers kept stroking Irene under her dress, feeling her soaked folds tighten whenever I pushed a finger inside. She let out a low, needy moan, sending a rush of heat through me. I could feel her hand still working over my cock through my pants. Each gentle squeeze sent tingles racing through my body.


    Her lips found mine again, and we kissed with a rough need that made us both groan. Our tongues brushed, and she pressed herself closer, grinding her hips against my hand. The wet warmth of her pussy made it clear how turned on she was, and the way her walls clung to my finger caused my mind to spin.


    She pulled away from the kiss for a second, her eyes bright with magic and desire. I saw her breasts rise and fall with her quick breathing. Without breaking eye contact, she reached into my pants and carefully freed my cock. The cool air hit me for a moment, before her hand wrapped around me and started pumping in a slow, teasing rhythm. I bit back a groan.


    Irene grinned as she shifted her position on my lap. Her dress stayed bunched around her waist, hiding her pussy from view, but I could clearly feel the slick heat as she brushed it against my cock. My tails trembled behind me, betraying just how desperate I felt.


    I tried to focus on her beautiful face, on the intense need I saw there. Slowly, she lowered herself. A jolt of pleasure shot up my spine the instant I felt her tight, wet lips swallow my cock. She took me in with a long, shaky moan, and I sucked in a sharp breath.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± she muttered, her voice thick with lust. ¡°You feel so damn big.¡±


    My eyes locked on her flushed cheeks and her heaving breasts. My chest felt tight, and I had to remember to breathe. The snug grip of her pussy around my cock almost overwhelmed me. I let out a choked groan and slid my hands up to her hips, trying to ground myself.


    She sank down completely, letting me fill her. We stayed still for a moment, just feeling each other. My cock twitched inside her, and her inner muscles clenched in response. I couldn¡¯t help begging in a ragged whisper, ¡°Please move.¡±


    She gave me a seductive smile, then began to rock her hips in a slow, deliberate rhythm. The warm friction made my head spin. Our bodies fit together in a way that made me ache for more. My hands squeezed her hips, guiding her movements as my tails flicked crazily behind me.


    She leaned forward and pressed her chest against mine again, allowing me to feel the softness of her breasts. I inhaled her scent, letting her moans and quiet gasps fill my ears. Every time she lifted herself, I felt cool air against my cock, every time she slid back down, heat and tightness welcomed me.


    ¡°Oh god,¡± she breathed, picking up the pace. ¡°I love this.¡±


    I let out a strained grunt, matching her rhythm with small thrusts of my own, pushing up into her each time she dropped her hips. The smack of skin on skin mingled with our labored breathing. I tried to speak, but all that came out was a shaky moan.


    I reached up to cup her face and pulled her into another hungry kiss. She kissed me back with the same fierce need, moaning against my mouth. She rolled her hips more urgently now, and the feeling of her slick folds milking my cock stole the breath from my lungs.


    ¡°S¨Cso fucking good,¡± she whispered, breaking the kiss to gasp for air.


    I felt my heart pounding in my chest as Irene rode me faster, her voice echoing in the enclosed space of the gazebo. She breathed hard and moaned my name each time she dropped her hips, sending a rush of pleasure through my body. Her parted lips looked even more tempting when she gasped for air, and her flushed cheeks made her look more beautiful than ever. Her breasts bounced with every movement, mesmerizing me.


    I lowered my head, catching sight of a small bead of sweat sliding down her cleavage. I leaned in and licked it up, tasting the salty warmth on my tongue. Irene let out a sharper moan when she felt my mouth on her skin. The way her pussy clamped even tighter around my cock made me groan. I could hardly believe how snug she felt. Even though she was older, being a dragon must have something to do with the way she gripped me. It felt incredible.


    I was close to losing control and finishing too soon. To hold off, I moved my mouth to her breasts, kissing them slowly before taking one nipple into my mouth and swirling my tongue around it. That seemed to excite her more. She moaned my name again, and her hands moved to my shoulders, gripping me as she rode me harder.


    ¡°You''re so beautiful,¡± I murmured, pulling back long enough to look at her face and catch my breath. ¡°Your body¡¯s amazing.¡±


    She smiled breathlessly, sweat glistening on her skin. ¡°You have no idea how good you feel,¡± she gasped out. ¡°I love your cock¡ªit''s perfect.¡±


    She shifted her hips faster, the slick sound of our bodies meeting making me dizzy with desire. Her breathing got heavier, and each drop of her hips sent another jolt of pleasure through me. I did my best to match her pace, thrusting upward when she came down, but my mind was clouded by the warm, tight friction around my cock.


    Suddenly, she threw her head back and let out a loud moan, her pussy clamping down on me with surprising force. I felt her body tremble, and I realized she was in the grip of a powerful orgasm. Watching her lose herself like that made my body tense up. Her walls seemed to squeeze every inch of me, leaving me no room to hold back.


    Her spasms were too much. A deep groan tore from my throat as my release overwhelmed me. I gasped her name and felt my cock pulse, spurting deep inside her!


    She moaned louder when she felt me filling her. My hands locked onto her hips, keeping her firmly in place as I rode out the last of my climax.


    Slowly, our bodies came down from the high. Irene rested against me, breathing hard. My head dropped to her shoulder as I tried to settle my heartbeat. I could feel our combined warmth where we were still joined, and her fingers gently stroked my hair.


    ¡°That was incredible,¡± she whispered against my ear.


    I nodded, feeling my cheeks burn. ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed, trying to catch my breath. ¡°Better than I ever imagined.¡± I took another deep breath. ¡°This bench isn¡¯t exactly the most comfortable though. Why don¡¯t we teleport back to the Fox Hole and continue this in my bed?¡± I suggested.


    Irene thought that was a great idea¡­


    ¨C Milim ¨C


    ¡­Milim had a wide grin on her face as she stood among the scattered remains of hundreds of giant spiders. The fight had started with a few spiders ambushing them, but more and more kept pouring into the clearing, swarming from every direction until thousands of them covered the trees and ground. Milim, Shepard, and Alice stood back to back and fought them all, flinging guts and spider parts everywhere!


    Milim handled most of the spiders. Her punches easily tore through their bodies, leaving gooey messes behind. Shepard and Alice did not do too bad either. Shepard fired her strange gun while using her psychic powers to toss large spiders aside. Alice had two guns and her own mind powers and was blasting away as well.


    When the last spider corpse fell, Milim laughed loudly, ignoring the sticky mess coating her clothes and hair. ¡°That was really fun!¡± she declared.


    Shepard and Alice looked exhausted, but when Milim told them they could both go home, they both refused for some reason¡­?


    Anyways, with the battle over, she started making her way to the castle and they followed her.


    ¡°Are you some kind of trouble magnet, Milim?¡± Alice asked with a sigh.


    ¡°Honestly that one could have just been on me,¡± Shepard added. ¡°Crazy weird shit tries to kill me all the time in space¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t spider zombies so it definitely wasn¡¯t my karma!¡± Alice huffed out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go peak on Haru!¡± Milim declared.


    They did not bother sneaking into Hogwarts through the doors. Instead, they all levitated up to one of the higher points of the castle walls and slipped inside.


    Milim led the way, following her nose and the faint trace of Haru¡¯s scent. She noticed the path led them into a quiet garden. She saw trimmed hedges, flowers, and a small gazebo at the center. The place smelled a lot of Haru and something else that made Milim tilt her head in curiosity.


    Shepard and Alice walked beside her, wiping spider innards off their bodies and occasionally grimacing at the stains on their clothes. Milim came to a stop in front of the gazebo. Her nose twitched. She stepped inside and stared at a single bench that looked damp for some reason.


    Milim leaned down and examined the wet patch. She touched it carefully with one finger, then wrinkled her nose at the faint smell. There were also small streaks of some milky fluid on one side of the bench. She turned to Shepard and Alice, pointing at the suspicious stains.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this stuff?¡± Milim asked, frowning. ¡°This bench is wet. It smells weird. And there¡¯s some white stuff too.¡± She glanced around the gazebo. ¡°I bet Haru was here. Where do you think he went?¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shepard¡¯s cheeks turned bright red, and she looked at Alice awkwardly. Alice avoided Milim¡¯s gaze, focusing on the milky fluid with a nervous expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­¡± Alice started, but trailed off, face burning.


    Shepard cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ probably from Haru and¡­ well¡­ you can guess,¡± she muttered quickly, not meeting Milim¡¯s eyes.


    Milim frowned. She sniffed at the bench, curiosity written all over her face. ¡°Why would Haru spill white fluid all over a bench in a random gazebo?¡± she asked bluntly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like sweat.¡±


    Alice took a step away, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ something that happens when two adults get really close,¡± she said in a strained voice.


    Milim¡¯s mind then went back to her talk with Enri. Milim once again stared at the white fluid on her finger as she realized what it was.


    ¡°Awawawawa¡­¡±


    And then her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted¡­


    XXX


    Thanks for reading!!! You can check out more of my stories on my profile.


    Wanna read more of my stuff ahead of regular release?


    You can Support me on Pat-reon.-com / Starwaves


    Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:


    The Fallen Gamer ch 330-334


    The Fox Hole 86


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 9


    The Blood Queen 46


    The Fox Hole 85


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 8


    The Fox Hole 84


    Thunder and Black Wings 22


    The Blood Queen 45


    The Fox Hole 83


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 7


    The Fox Hole 82


    Thunder and Black Wings 21


    The Blood Queen 44


    The Fox Hole 81


    A Systematic Tale: The Hero 6

 chapter 81

    Chapter 81:


    ¨C Ainz ¨C


    [Evolution complete.]


    ¡­Announced the mysterious voice of this world.


    Ainz flexed his fingers slowly, carefully feeling out the changes within his newly evolved body. He no longer felt the strange sensation of shifting between two separate forms. Instead, his being felt entirely whole and integrated, comfortably his own.


    His appearance hadn''t drastically changed at first glance. He still retained his handsome, ghostly pale human-like face and imposing physique. However, now two large, imposing bone horns protruded from the top of his head, curving upward menacingly. Behind him spread a pair of large wings made entirely of bone. He wondered how they could support flight, considering the weight of solid bone, yet instinctively knew they would carry him with ease.


    "Magical shenanigans," he chuckled softly. He turned to observe the subordinates he''d specifically chosen to accompany him. They each appeared pleased, taking in their own enhanced forms with curiosity and pride.


    ¡°Did my bust get bigger?¡± Albedo stood confidently, radiating an alluring presence far stronger than before. She had evolved into a Greater Succubus. Her already captivating aura intensified, her beauty and charm now overwhelming. Her already perfect breasts now looked even fuller and were straining her already tight dress.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to see them later¡­


    ¡°Holy shit! I have boobs! Yeeeeeeess!¡± Shalltear seemed particularly excited. She had become a True Ancestor Vampire. Her pale skin practically glowed. Ainz also noticed that she was now slightly taller¡­and did she have breasts now? It only looked to be a B-cup but that was still an amazing improvement!


    ¡°How very interesting. I feel stronger¡­¡± Demiurge adjusted his glasses, nodding thoughtfully. His new race as a Greater Archdevil made his already imposing aura far more pronounced. He didn¡¯t have any obvious physical changes other than that though. Not like the two women.


    They all stepped fussing over themselves before stepping closer to Ainz, respectful admiration clear in their expressions.


    ¡°Congratulations on your successful evolution, Lord Ainz!¡± Albedo exclaimed passionately. She smiled lovingly.


    Shalltear chimed in immediately, her voice eager and adoring. ¡°My beloved husband looks more magnificent than ever!¡±


    Demiurge inclined his head deeply, his tone reverent and sincere. ¡°Sasuga Ainz-sama. Only you could become a being of such immense power. May I ask what form you''ve taken now?¡±


    Ainz felt a swell of pride at their praise, standing straighter, his presence commanding. He proudly declared to them, his deep voice steady and authoritative: ¡°I have become an Undead God.¡±


    Their reactions were instant, faces lighting up in fervent admiration.


    ¡°An Undead God!¡± Shalltear gasped reverently. ¡°Magnificent!¡±


    Albedo nodded, hands clasped eagerly. ¡°It suits you perfectly, Lord Ainz.¡±


    Demiurge¡¯s smile was subtle but genuine. ¡°Indeed. Only you are worthy of the title of an Evil God, Ainz-sama.¡±


    Ainz felt a bit embarrassed but managed to maintain his dignified posture, pleased nonetheless at his loyal subordinates¡¯ unwavering devotion.


    Their celebration was briefly interrupted as Rimuru Tempest approached casually, raising a hand to wave in greeting.


    ¡°Hey there, everyone,¡± Rimuru called cheerfully, eyes scanning the group with approval. ¡°Glad to see everything worked out smoothly.¡±


    Ainz turned to Rimuru, nodding appreciatively. Indeed, things had worked out better than he''d anticipated. Rimuru¡¯s world, with its unique ability to grant power simply by being there, had proven extraordinarily useful.


    He regarded the slime now in human form carefully, noting Rimuru felt significantly more powerful than their last meeting at the Fox Hole. That must have been the result of the ¡°war¡± Haru had said was going on in Rimuru¡¯s world until recently.


    Something about an army of Orcs?


    ¡°It certainly did,¡± Ainz replied. ¡°Your world¡¯s power has far exceeded my expectations. It¡¯s remarkable. Thank¡¯s for allowing us to visit.¡±


    Rimuru grinned proudly. ¡°Glad you liked it. And you¡¯re free to stop by anytime. Seems like you and your friends have powered up nicely too.¡±


    Ainz nodded in agreement, glancing at his pleased subordinates. He felt immensely satisfied, not just from his own increase in power but from watching those loyal to him grow stronger as well.


    Rimuru placed his hands on his hips. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go somewhere comfortable, grab some drinks, celebrate properly, and catch up on everything? It¡¯s been a while since Boy''s night.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we really need to have another one of those soon!¡± Ainz grinned. They all entered the Fox Hole together, the familiar atmosphere immediately making Ainz feel relaxed. The soft chatter and faint laughter around the establishment created a welcoming background noise.


    Demiurge glanced toward Ainz, adjusting his glasses with his usual composed demeanor. "Lord Ainz, if it''s acceptable, I''d like to pay Milady Sona a quick visit a few towns over," he requested respectfully.


    Ainz gave Demiurge a nod of approval. "Of course, Demiurge. Have a good time."


    With a small, surprisingly genuine smile, Demiurge left quietly.


    Ainz found it strange¡ªhis most notoriously evil subordinate in an actual relationship¡ªbut it worked out well for everyone. Demiurge being busy with a romantic interest meant fewer disturbing schemes. He decided that was definitely something he could support.


    Turning his attention back to Albedo and Shalltear, Ainz considered them carefully. While they''d grown significantly friendlier since they''d both started regularly sharing his bed, they still traded sharp glances and occasional barbs. Even now, Albedo was giving Shalltear a smug, superior look, while Shalltear responded with a defiant glare.


    He sighed internally. He wasn''t entirely sure if their newfound closeness was going to make his life easier or far more complicated, but at the moment, things were undeniably pleasant. "Albedo, Shalltear," he said gently, earning their immediate attention, "I''d like to speak with Rimuru for a while. Would you two mind grabbing a table together?"


    "Certainly, Lord Ainz," Albedo responded instantly, gracefully grabbing Shalltear by the arm and steering her toward an open table.


    "Try not to cause trouble," he added, mostly to Shalltear, who responded with a playful wink and a mischievous grin.


    Ainz shook his head slightly, resigned to the mild chaos his two lovers caused. Satisfied they wouldn''t cause a disturbance for now, Ainz moved to join Rimuru at the bar. Rimuru had already taken a seat, casually leaning forward and chatting with Haru. Ainz sat beside him, offering a small greeting nod to Haru. His friend, the fox-eared bartender, seemed to be in a very cheerful mood today, his tails swishing behind him in lazy, satisfied motions.


    Rimuru noticed as well, shooting Haru a knowing smirk. "Well, that''s definitely the look of a guy who got laid last night."


    Haru laughed warmly, pouring them each a drink with practiced ease. "Damn right," he admitted without shame. "Had a pretty incredible night with a gorgeous dragon MILF." His eyes twinkled with amusement as he slid their drinks across the counter.


    Rimuru chuckled, lifting his drink in a toast to Haru. "To MILFs, the greatest of all women! Long may they reign as the best Waifus!"


    Haru grinned broadly, looking thoroughly pleased with himself, before turning toward Rimuru again. "So, how have things been going for you? Last I heard, you had some kind of war going on. Has that all wrapped up?"


    Rimuru sipped from his beer, nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah, it''s finally finished. I devoured the Orc Lord during the final battle, so now I''m a whole lot stronger than I was before! Plus, all the surviving orcs joined my side, meaning Tempest Village is about to expand massively. I''m going to need a real city soon just to house them all."


    Ainz listened closely, considering Rimuru''s words carefully. A city for monsters. It was an intriguing concept, one he hadn''t really considered before. Nazarick would always be his true home, reserved exclusively for himself and those loyal to him, but the idea of creating something larger¡ªa place where all sorts of creatures could live together openly¡ªheld a certain appeal.


    "A city of monsters, huh?" Ainz murmured thoughtfully, taking a sip of his own drink. "That''s an interesting idea. Maybe it''s worth trying something like that in my own world someday..."


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    "I hope one day we can have territories like that¡ªplaces where humans and supernaturals live peacefully," I said with a sigh, wiping down the bar counter absentmindedly. ¡°It¡¯s not something that¡¯s gonna happen soon though in my world, especially not with most supernaturals still hating each other.¡±


    Rimuru tilted his head thoughtfully. "Did something happen while I was at war?"


    "We had some trouble recently. A crazy fallen angel tried to attack me in Kyoto to disrupt the peace and start another great war," I explained.


    Rimuru nearly choked on his beer, coughing for a second before looking up sharply. "Wait¡ªIs Yasaka okay?"


    I shot a glare at the short blue-haired slime sitting across from me. "What do you mean, is my mom okay? I was the one attacked." I deadpanned at him.


    This guy¡­.


    He awkwardly cleared his throat and took another nervous sip of his beer. "Er¡­ right, sorry. I mean, you''re obviously fine, so I was just worried about¡ª"


    "My mom''s fine," I cut him off with an annoyed sigh, crossing my arms as I stared at him. "You know, if you''re so interested, you can just visit her anytime. The backdoors to my restaurant are always open for travel between worlds."


    ¡®He can go and get turned down in person!¡¯ I thought to myself in annoyance.


    Rimuru began fidgeting nervously under both my and Ainz''s stares. He muttered something quietly, almost under his breath.


    I caught it clearly with my sensitive fox ears, but Ainz looked confused. "What was that?" the undead god asked, leaning closer.


    "I said I''ve never had a girlfriend before," Rimuru finally admitted, cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment.


    I chuckled and pointed to Ainz. "Neither did he, until like two weeks ago."


    "Hey!" Ainz protested, pouting slightly. "That was supposed to stay private between us guys!"


    Rimuru suddenly lifted his beer and drained the entire glass in a single go, slamming it back down on the counter. Then, with a loud sigh, he dramatically lowered his forehead onto the bar.


    "Oh great and wise Kyuubi Haru," Rimuru began theatrically, his voice full of exaggerated reverence. "The greatest chef in all the worlds¡ª"


    I felt a grin spreading across my face, enjoying this ridiculous show of begging. "Keep going. I''m liking where this is heading..."


    "Please," Rimuru declared loudly, raising his head and looking me directly in the eyes with determination. "Help me get with your sexy foxy mother, Yasaka!"


    Nevermind¡­I definitely didn''t like where this had ended up.


    Suddenly, the entire restaurant fell silent. All eyes turned toward Rimuru, then shifted to me. My smirk instantly faded as embarrassment flooded through me.


    From the corner of the restaurant, where he was sitting with his wife Serena, Agnar raised his mugs enthusiastically. "That''s the spirit, Rimuru!" he cheered even as his vampire wife slapped him.


    Albedo and Shalltear, seated nearby, covered their mouths and tried unsuccessfully to hide their amused laughter behind their hands. Ainz merely shook his head, trying to conceal his own amused grin behind his pale hand.


    Just when I thought things couldn''t get any worse, the front door swung open. My little sister Kunou walked in cheerfully, then froze mid-step upon hearing Rimuru''s declaration.


    Her eyes widened dramatically as she stared at Rimuru, then at me, confusion and shock written clearly on her face. "Eeeeeehhhh?!" she cried out loudly.


    I watched nervously as Kunou marched straight toward us, eyes burning with indignation. Before Rimuru had even finished spinning around in his stool, my little sister stopped in front of him and crossed her arms defiantly.


    "You''re not my dad!" she snapped, delivering a surprisingly strong kick right to Rimuru''s shin.


    Rimuru let out a sharp yelp of pain, clutching his leg as he winced. "Ow! Hey, wait¡ª!"


    Without giving him a chance to finish, Kunou turned on her heels and sprinted back toward the door. She vanished through it, leaving behind nothing but a stunned silence.


    I sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Yeah, Kunou still wasn''t over our father''s death, even though she barely remembered him. It didn''t help matters that she was especially protective of Mom whenever someone showed romantic interest.


    Rimuru sat groaning, rubbing his shin and muttering to himself. "Damn, she kicks way harder than a little girl should¡­"


    Next to him, Ainz quietly snickered into his drink, clearly amused by Rimuru''s misfortune.


    Before I could even attempt damage control, the restaurant door swung open again. This time, however, it was my turn to get nervous.


    In walked Aela, Rias, Jane, Naruko, Alice, and Irene¡ªall of my ¡°confirmed¡± girlfriends¡ªtogether. In a single group.


    Minus Sansa and Catelyn I supposed.


    I suddenly felt extremely aware of their collective gaze on me, and my heartbeat picked up speed.


    They settled at a large table in the middle, sending mischievous grins my way. After some hushed discussion and a few pointed giggles, Alice stood up and approached the counter, smiling playfully as she leaned against it.


    "Hey, Haru," she greeted warmly, eyes sparkling with amusement.


    "Girls'' night out?" I asked cautiously, already feeling a bit of heat rising in my cheeks.


    Alice''s smile widened. "Unofficially. We''re all here to officially welcome Irene into our little¡­ sisterhood."


    "Sisterhood?" I repeated weakly, glancing nervously toward the table where Irene blushed and waved shyly. Despite the fact that we¡¯d spent hours last night fucking¡­


    That was kind of a crass way to describe it but that¡¯s pretty much what it comes down to when you¡¯re with an incredibly horny dragoness.


    Alice just chuckled knowingly, then her expression suddenly shifted into concern. "By the way, we saw Kunou running out of here in tears. What happened?"


    I shot a sharp glare toward Rimuru, who was still nursing his leg. "That was Rimuru''s fault."


    Alice turned her attention to Rimuru, her playful demeanor vanishing instantly. She frowned deeply, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "What exactly did you do?"


    Rimuru swallowed hard, visibly intimidated by Alice¡¯s sudden seriousness. "Look, I¡ªI didn''t mean to upset her! I was totally serious! I really do like Yasaka and want to properly court her. But¡­ I don''t know how to start, alright? I kind of just blurted it out¡­ loudly."


    I shook my head and decided to multitask while Alice grilled Rimuru. I pulled out my phone, quickly sending texts to Tanya and Mom, asking them to keep an eye out for Kunou. Knowing her, she''d probably head straight back to Kyoto. But it was better safe than sorry.


    Ainz shifted beside me, leaning his elbows casually against the bar counter as he glanced at Rimuru, then back toward me. "Honestly, Rimuru does sound sincere enough," he admitted. "But you definitely don''t have to help him out. That¡¯s a pretty serious betrayal of the bro code, isn¡¯t it?"


    I ran a hand through my hair, scratching absently at my fox ears as they twitched in mild annoyance. "Yeah, no kidding," I muttered, giving Rimuru a mild glare before sighing. "Look, Rimuru. If you''re really dead-set on courting my mom, you need to do it properly."


    Rimuru perked up slightly, clearly hopeful I wasn''t completely against the idea. "What do you mean by ''properly''?"


    "My mom¡ªYasaka¡ªisn''t just anyone," I explained patiently, crossing my arms as I leaned back against the bar. "She''s still technically the queen of Kyoto, basically in charge of Japan¡¯s supernatural side. She deserves respect."


    Rimuru nodded seriously. "Of course. I''d never think otherwise. What should I do?"


    "Well, for starters," I began, tapping a finger thoughtfully against my chin, "you''ll need a proper gift. Mom loves collecting ancient Japanese artifacts¡ªespecially rare, valuable, or culturally significant pieces. It''d show you''re serious."


    Rimuru groaned quietly, leaning his head into his hands. "Ancient Japanese artifacts? How am I even supposed to get something like that?" He frowned deeply. "I can''t just go to your world¡ªor some other Earth¡ªand start stealing random stuff."


    Surprisingly, Alice was the one who stepped in to answer that. "Actually, nobody would care if you did some raiding in Japan in my world. It''s basically a zombie-infested hellhole now."


    Rimuru blinked at her, clearly surprised. "Wait, what?"


    Alice sighed deeply, frustration visible in her tense posture. "My world''s Japan is practically lost. Even with me making regular trips there every week to fight Umbrella, I¡¯m barely making a dent. The T-virus infection just keeps spreading. Humans keep getting wiped out. It''s honestly getting worse every day¡­" she sighed.


    "T-virus? What''s that?" Rimuru asked.


    Alice frowned grimly. After a short pause, she explained, "My world used to be pretty normal until an evil megacorporation called Umbrella decided to create bioweapons. One of their creations¡ªsomething called the T-virus¡ªescaped containment and spread rapidly across the globe." Her eyes darkened with bitter memories as she continued. "It infects all organic life. Humans, animals, even plants mutate into aggressive, flesh-eating monsters. Japan got hit particularly hard because it was their original headquarters."


    Rimuru let out a low whistle. "Whoa. That''s hardcore. And you want me to go into a place like that and start¡­ looting museums?" he asked while tilting his head.


    Alice shrugged carelessly. "It''s not like anyone left alive is going to care. Almost everyone''s dead, and those who aren''t have far bigger problems than missing artifacts. Trust me, no one''s going to miss whatever you take. If anything, you''d be helping preserve my world¡¯s history. Especially with what I was planning at this point."


    I turned to Alice, curious about what she meant by her comment. "What exactly were you planning?"


    She paused and turned to face me seriously. "The fight in my world is pretty much lost at this point. Humanity is barely holding on. We''re outnumbered and overwhelmed everywhere we go. It''s gotten bad enough that I''ve started seriously considering more drastic options."


    I raised an eyebrow, urging her silently to continue.


    Alice took a deep breath before she finally said, "It''s time to go all out¡­"


    That got my attention. I stared at her, not quite believing what I''d just heard. "Wait, you mean¡ª?"


    "Yeah," she said firmly, meeting my gaze without flinching. "I want you to come to my world. Specifically, Tokyo. Umbrella''s secret¡ªand largest¡ªfacility is hidden deep within the heart of the city. Conventional raids and guerilla tactics aren''t working anymore, so I need you to use your full power to utterly obliterate their entire complex!"


    Hot damn, she wasn¡¯t fucking around with that request.


    I leaned back slightly, letting out a low whistle as I considered her request. "If you''re looking for pure, total destruction, you''d probably be better off asking someone like Milim," I pointed out carefully. "She¡¯d jump at the chance to blow shit up."


    Alice chuckled softly, shaking her head with a small, amused smile. "Milim might actually be indisposed for the next few days¡­ She got really embarrassed about something earlier. It was honestly adorable."


    I blinked, curious about what exactly had embarrassed Milim enough to keep her away. Before I could ask, Rimuru suddenly jumped into the conversation, leaning forward eagerly.


    "I''ll do it!" Rimuru nodded firmly. "I¡¯ll loot all the biggest museums if I have to!¡± He stared at me seriously. ¡°Well it''s not really robbery since everyone''s dead, but you get what I mean.¡±


    I stared at him back¡­ and let out a sigh.


    I wasn¡¯t helping him out. He was on his own, especially when it came to trying to get Kunou to like him too, but I wasn¡¯t going to get in his way.


    Whether or not he actually succeeded?


    Meh, I gave him odds like 30% of succeeding honestly.


    I had actually talked to mom about him a few days ago, and she had basically told me that she¡¯d found Rimuru to be handsome in that ¡°bishonen¡± kind of way but she usually preferred her partners to look more like grown men. She just found it pretty fun to flirt with people in general.


    Suddenly, Ainz stood up beside him, raising a finger dramatically towards the ceiling. "Hold on! If Haru is going to blow up a significant part of that world¡¯s Tokyo, then I must also do my part¡ªto preserve important Japanese culture!" he declared with complete seriousness.


    I wondered where he was going with this¡­


    Alice narrowed her eyes at him, clearly skeptical. "Wait a minute¡ªhow do you even know what Japanese culture is?"


    Ainz froze immediately, eyes widening in sudden panic as he realized he''d slipped up badly. He shot me a desperate glance, silently begging for help.


    Right. Almost no one knew that Ainz was basically an isekai character who used to be human. I''d never betray a bro''s secret, so I quickly scrambled to come up with a believable lie.


    "Oh, that''s my fault," I jumped in smoothly, giving Alice a casual shrug. "I''ve been trying to get him into Japanese culture¡ªanime, manga, light novels, games¡ªthe usual stuff. He¡¯s become a real fan lately."


    Alice considered this for a moment, then relaxed visibly, accepting my explanation easily enough. "Fair enough," she finally said with a small smile. "I''ve actually started getting into some of that myself, lately..." she said.


    ¡°Umu, I see you are a woman of culture as well¡­¡±


    My zombie killing girlfriend just gave him a deadpan stare for that comment. She then fluttered her eyes at me and asked if I wanted to help her kill her ¡°sworn enemies.¡±


    I grinned back at her and told her ¡°of course I would help!¡±


    XXX


    Will Rimuru succeed or fail? Honestly it''s gonna be funny either way to me. I''ll let the comments decide.  S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More importantly! Ainz is a man on a mission to save as many games and anime figurines as possible! The full forces of Nazarick will be deployed for such an important task! They will no doubt be very confused though¡­

 chapter 82

    Chapter 82:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    A bit later¡­


    I leaned back against the bar counter, watching Ainz with amusement as he stood in front of several of his "NPCs." They stood at attention, their expressions serious and determined, clearly ready for whatever important mission their master was about to assign them!


    "Today," Ainz announced dramatically, his deep voice echoing through the Fox Hole, "we embark on a crucial mission to preserve items of extreme cultural significance!"


    Shalltear and Albedo both gazed at him reverently.


    "You have my word, Lord Ainz!" Albedo declared passionately, clenching her fist. "I will not fail you!"


    Shalltear bounced eagerly on her heels, eyes shining brightly. "Yes! Leave it to us, my beloved husband!"


    Beside them, Sebas adjusted his gloves with quiet dignity, while Aura and Mare exchanged a curious glance but remained respectfully silent.


    "Excellent." Ainz nodded proudly, his bony wings folded neatly behind him. He turned to Sebas, handing him a carefully marked map. "Sebas, your target is a legendary item known as a ''limited edition boxed set'' of something called ''JoJo''s Bizarre Adventure.'' It is of great cultural value. You must ensure its safe retrieval."


    Sebas took the map solemnly, bowing deeply. "I understand, my lord. It shall be done."


    Ainz then turned to the dark elf twins. He handed Aura and Mare their own maps of Akihabara from Alice''s world, each clearly labeled with precise locations. "Aura, Mare, your targets are equally significant."


    Mare carefully unfolded his map, squinting slightly at the details. "Um, let''s see¡­ I''m supposed to find something called a ''Kingdom Hearts Collector''s Edition,'' and a¡­ PlayStation 5?" He looked up, frowning slightly in confusion. "What''s a ''PlayStation''?"


    Aura looked equally puzzled as she read through her own instructions. "And I''m supposed to find something called a ''Nintendo Switch'' and several things called ''Legend of Zelda'' figures. I don''t know what those are either, but I promise we''ll succeed, Lord Ainz!"


    "Very good, Aura, Mare," Ainz said, nodding in approval. He raised his hand grandly, clearly enjoying himself. "Remember, these items are vital to preserving an important culture! Failure is not an option!"


    Albedo clutched her own map tightly, eyes burning with intense devotion. "We understand completely, Lord Ainz! Your orders are absolute!"


    Shalltear smiled wickedly, licking her lips in excitement. "Indeed, I can''t wait to see what treasures we find for you!"


    Off to the side, Alice stared at the scene unfolding in front of us, her expression was completely deadpan. She slowly turned her head toward me, raising one eyebrow. Her eyes practically screamed, "Are you serious right now?"


    I couldn''t help but laugh, shaking my head slightly as I grinned at her. "What can I say? Looks like Ainz might be an even bigger otaku than I suspected. Who knew¡­?"


    ¡­


    The air in this version of Tokyo was foul and still, carrying the stench of rotting flesh. Buildings rose around us, dark and lifeless, many of them scorched or broken by past battles from the governments trying to stop the hordes of undead.


    Alice walked just ahead of me, her twin pistols drawn. She glanced back as a fresh group of zombies lurched out from behind a crumpled car. Without missing a beat, she raised her weapons and started firing.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡±


    Each shot tore through a zombie¡¯s skull with precise efficiency, sending it flopping lifelessly to the pavement.


    ¡°Gotta love never having to reload these,¡± she muttered, admiring one of the pistols in her gloved hand. ¡°Shepard said they¡¯d only need reloading every few months with intense use. Mass Effect tech is incredible.¡±


    I watched a few more undead stagger our way, their skin gray and mottled. I raised my hand, but Alice had already opened fire again. I couldn¡¯t help but grin at her accuracy. She finished them off in seconds, leaving the street silent.


    ¡°Nice shooting,¡± I told her, stepping beside her.


    She gave me a small nod. ¡°It¡¯s just muscle memory at this point.¡±


    We pushed onward through the deserted street, rubble and abandoned vehicles blocking our path. Empty windows on tall buildings stared back at us, some of them broken and smeared with old blood. There were no signs of normal life¡ªno birds, no plants, no stray animals. Everything was either dead or mutated.


    ¡°This place is fucked,¡± I commented quietly, trying not to sound cruel. I wanted her to know I wasn¡¯t judging her world, just stating the bleak truth.


    Alice let out a harsh snort. ¡°Believe me, I know.¡± She surveyed the nearby windows, then kept walking. ¡°I don¡¯t even see it as my world anymore. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m a clone. Most of my old memories were fake. Everyone I knew before I found you and your restaurant is dead. There¡¯s nothing left for me here.¡±


    I turned my head, surprised by the bitterness in her tone. I had known she¡¯d grown distant from this place, but I hadn¡¯t realized she was this done with it. ¡°Is that really what you want?¡± I asked her softly. ¡°To leave it behind for good?¡±


    She paused in the middle of the street, eyeing a couple of zombies that were shuffling toward us from a store entrance. She raised her pistols calmly and dispatched them with two quick shots. The corpses crumpled to the ground, leaving dark streaks on the cracked sidewalk.


    Once the threat was gone, she exhaled slowly and turned to me. ¡°Yes, Haru,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking it over for a while. Even if I destroy Umbrella¡¯s main base today, that won¡¯t end them completely. But it will give me some closure. Once this is over, I¡¯m done coming back to this world. The T-virus took everything. I¡¯ve had enough...¡±


    Without thinking, I moved closer and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against my chest. My ten fox tails curled protectively around her, encircling her waist and legs. She let out a small, startled squeak, then relaxed into me, leaning her head against my shoulder. I felt her breath quicken for a moment before she settled down.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she whispered. ¡°It¡¯s weird to realize I¡¯m about to cut ties with this place, but it needs to be done.¡±


    I held her tighter, letting her know she wasn¡¯t alone in this decision. ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever it takes to see this through,¡± I told her. ¡°If blowing up Umbrella¡¯s base helps you move on, then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡±


    She nodded and stayed pressed against me for a few seconds more.


    I let my hands drift lower as Alice leaned into me, sliding down her sides until they rested comfortably on her ass. Goddamn, she had an amazing figure. The tight denim shorts she wore hugged her curves perfectly, making it almost impossible not to give her a little squeeze.


    She immediately stiffened, her cheeks flushing bright red as she shot a glare up at me. "Really, Haru? We''re literally standing in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and that''s what''s on your mind?"


    I grinned unapologetically, giving her cheeks another playful squeeze. "Just trying to cheer you up. Figured you could use the distraction!"


    Alice rolled her eyes dramatically, though the faintest hint of a smile crept onto her lips. "And fondling my ass is a good distraction?"


    I smirked at her. ¡°Damn, right it is! Is it working?¡±


    She was still pouting at me. ¡°Maybe a little¡­¡±


    Before I could tease her further, she pushed herself away from my embrace. But not without quickly rising up onto her toes and planting a fast, teasing kiss on my lips. The gesture left me blinking, my own face warming as I watched her turn and confidently strut her hips down the ruined street. She raised a finger and wiggled it for me to follow.


    Shaking my head with a quiet laugh, I hurried after her, scanning the surroundings as we moved deeper into the heart of the city. The broken husks of buildings loomed around us, silent and dark. The eerie quiet hung thick in the air, broken only by the occasional distant groan of undead.


    After several tense minutes, Alice suddenly slowed down, her eyes locking onto a half-collapsed building ahead. The faded sign was barely hanging above the broken entrance.


    I squinted at it. "Wait, is that¡­ a sushi shop?"


    Alice nodded slowly, raising one pistol as she cautiously approached the building. "Yeah. Umbrella loved using mundane businesses as secret entrances to their underground facilities. I managed to steal some blueprints a couple weeks back, and this one was marked clearly as a primary entrance."


    I snorted, a little amused despite our grim surroundings. "Secret entrances hidden behind sushi shops, huh? That''s pretty clich¨¦. Though I have to admit, as far as evil lairs go, it''s kind of cool."


    Alice gave me a sideways glance and smiled faintly. "Trust me, they aren''t as fun as they sound. Usually just full of twisted experiments and assholes trying to kill me."


    We stepped carefully through the broken doorframe, debris crunching beneath our feet.


    Alice gestured to a fish tank still intact near the counter. Curious, I peered closer¡ªand immediately grimaced. The tank was full of mutated fish, their scales twisted, eyes glowing yellow, and oversized jaws lined with jagged teeth. They hovered silently in the filthy water, glaring at us with obvious hunger.


    "Looks like someone forgot to feed the fish," I muttered dryly.


    Alice leaned closer to inspect the tank, tapping lightly on the thick glass. The fish swam forward immediately, thrashing and biting viciously toward her fingers. Luckily, the glass held firm.


    "Huh. Smarter than average, I guess," I commented. "But still dumb enough to be trapped behind glass."


    Alice chuckled softly. "Thankfully. I''d rather not deal with mutant zombie fish right now."


    We left the fish behind and moved toward the kitchens. I followed closely. Alice stopped abruptly, inspecting a tall spice shelf against the wall. She pushed a few of the spice jars aside and revealed a hidden keypad. She quickly punched in a long code. The entire shelf shuddered softly, and then slid aside silently, revealing a hidden elevator behind it.


    I stared for a moment, impressed despite myself. "Alright, I''ll admit¡ªit''s a cool secret entrance."


    Alice smirked as she stepped into the elevator, beckoning me to join her. "Yeah, well, enjoy the clich¨¦ villain lair while you can. It''ll probably get pretty unpleasant once we''re underground."


    I shrugged, stepping into the cramped space beside her. "Hey, you brought me along to blow shit up. I''ll make sure unpleasant doesn''t last too long."


    She gave me a genuine, thankful smile and pushed the elevator''s single button marked ''B-13''.


    ¨C Rimuru ¨C


    Rimuru carefully moved through the halls of the abandoned Tokyo museum, pausing every now and then to admire and grab something interesting. He''d never imagined himself becoming some sort of inter-dimensional art thief, but here he was, looting priceless Japanese artifacts from a zombie-infested hellscape.


    Not exactly how he¡¯d pictured spending the day, but hey, life as a slime was always full of weird surprises.


    He eyed a beautifully polished samurai armor suit inside a display case. Rimuru couldn''t help but whistle softly in appreciation. "Now that''s pretty nice. Yasaka might really like this one."


    He reached out and easily absorbed the entire suit into his slime body, tucking it away safely within his dimensional storage. Each piece he took made him feel a little guilty¡ªit still felt wrong to just help himself to Japan¡¯s historical treasures¡ªbut Alice had been clear. This world was effectively finished.


    Besides, all this was going to a good cause. Pleasing Yasaka!


    Rimuru chuckled softly, his mind once again drifting to Yasaka. Just picturing her beautiful smile, her graceful presence, those soft golden tails, and¡ªof course¡ªthose spectacular curves. Yasaka was definitely a MILF of the highest caliber. Even as a slime, he found himself fantasizing about diving face-first into her magnificent breasts. If Rimuru still had a human body, he''d definitely be blushing.


    He shook himself slightly, snapping back to reality. "Okay, Rimuru. Focus. First, steal¡ªno, preserve the artifacts. Then, worry about actually courting Yasaka properly."


    He wandered into the next exhibit room, where an elegant katana was displayed behind sturdy glass. Rimuru nodded appreciatively as he absorbed the entire weapon into himself, adding it neatly to his growing collection. "Yep, this is definitely gonna make an impressive gift."


    Just as Rimuru was about to continue on to the next room, he suddenly paused. His senses detected unexpected movement nearby. Not zombies.


    "Great Sage, what''s going on? I thought Alice said pretty much all humans here were dead," Rimuru whispered quietly.


    [Analysis complete. Approaching entities identified as human clones. Current numbers: twelve. All are heavily armed.]


    Clones? Rimuru frowned slightly. That was an unexpected development. "Who the hell are these guys?"


    The sound of heavy boots crunching on broken glass echoed down the corridor. Rimuru calmly turned toward the source just as a fully-equipped military squad rounded the corner, assault rifles raised, flashlights attached to their weapons illuminating his small humanoid form.


    "Freeze!" the lead soldier shouted immediately. He had a red and white emblem stitched onto his tactical gear, a symbol Alice had warned them all about. "Umbrella Corporation," Rimuru muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes slightly.


    "Hands in the air!" the soldier barked again, stepping forward with caution. "Surrender quietly, and come with us. Refuse, and we''ll open fire!"


    Rimuru stood perfectly still for a moment, staring deadpan at the soldiers. Did these guys really think they could threaten him with guns? He almost felt sorry for them.


    Almost.


    "Yeah, no," Rimuru sighed calmly, his voice bored. "That''s definitely not happening, guys."


    The squad leader visibly bristled at Rimuru¡¯s casual defiance. "This is your final warning! Comply, or we will use deadly force!"


    Rimuru simply raised one eyebrow, his expression utterly unimpressed. "Go ahead. Shoot if you want. See what happens."


    The clones exchanged confused glances, clearly unnerved by Rimuru''s calm reaction. The squad leader grimaced and then made a swift, decisive gesture with his hand. "Fire!"


    Bullets roared from their weapons, a deafening barrage echoing off the marble museum walls. Rimuru watched patiently as bullets passed harmlessly into¡ªand then through¡ªhis slime body, splattering the walls and displays behind him. The clones kept firing desperately, but Rimuru just waited with an increasingly bored expression. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eventually, the soldiers stopped firing, staring at him in stunned disbelief. Rimuru folded his arms, shaking his head slowly.


    "Finished yet? That was just embarrassing."


    "What the hell are you?!" one of the soldiers cried out, panic obvious in his voice.


    Rimuru grinned widely, tilting his head playfully. "Just your friendly neighborhood slime."


    ¨C Wesker ¨C


    Albert Wesker sat quietly in the control center hidden deep below the ruins of Tokyo, his sharp eyes tracking multiple screens displaying security footage from around the dead city. Despite the apocalyptic devastation above, Umbrella''s surveillance systems remained fully operational, tirelessly monitoring the lifeless streets.


    Wesker adjusted his sunglasses slightly, leaning forward as he observed the screens closely. Things had taken a rather intriguing turn today.


    Several unexpected visitors had suddenly appeared throughout the city¡ªstrange, powerful-looking individuals with bizarre abilities. Most concerning among these intruders was the reappearance of that damned building, the mysterious ''Fox Hole,'' that had vanished from Nevada all those weeks ago, along with the powerful ¡°fox-mutant.¡±


    And now, both he and Project Alice were here, invading his territory.


    The monitor displaying footage of Alice made Wesker''s lips tighten in irritation. Project Alice, that stubborn, insufferable clone, continued to defy all odds, surviving everything Umbrella threw at her. How was one single woman so absurdly difficult to kill?


    A sudden alert drew Wesker''s attention to another monitor. He watched as a blue-haired figure casually absorbed formerly priceless Japanese artifacts directly into its gelatinous body.


    Another camera showed a horned man with bony wings accompanied by an actual butler gentleman raiding some sort of collector¡¯s store in Akihabara, piling gaming systems and anime figures into neatly arranged stacks.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­WHY???


    Wesker rubbed his temple slowly, feeling a migraine forming.


    "Red Queen," he said, addressing the facility''s artificial intelligence. "Give me a full analysis on these intruders."


    The facility''s control screens flickered, and the young, emotionless face of the Red Queen appeared beside him. "Analysis is limited. Entities display extraordinary biological and supernatural abilities far beyond Umbrella¡¯s standard measures. The fox-like entity, possesses destructive capabilities exceeding even the Tyrant-Class bioweapons. Others similarly surpass standard threat metrics judging by initial scans."


    Wesker let out a low sigh. He disliked unpredictable variables¡ªespecially powerful ones. "And their current activities?"


    "They have split into several groups," the Red Queen informed him calmly. "The majority appear to be looting ¡°cultural¡± and historical assets. Project Alice and the fox-mutant have located Entrance Beta-Six and are currently descending via elevator."


    Wesker leaned back thoughtfully. "They are coming directly to us," he mused aloud. "Bold. Or perhaps arrogant."


    The Red Queen tilted her digital head slightly. "Shall I dispatch countermeasures?"


    Wesker nodded curtly. "Send clone strike teams after those¡­ artifact thieves. Test their capabilities. If the standard forces prove insufficient, deploy our remaining Tyrants to eliminate them."


    "And Project Alice?" the Red Queen asked, a hint of something almost resembling curiosity in her synthetic voice.


    A slow, cold smile spread across Wesker¡¯s lips. This had gone on long enough. Umbrella had thrown countless assets at Alice, but perhaps it was time for something a little more personal. "Project Alice," he said calmly, adjusting his gloves, "is mine." He stood up smoothly from his chair, straightening his long, dark trench coat and cracking his neck slightly. "Ensure her elevator bypasses security lockdowns and reroute it directly to the arena. I believe she deserves a proper welcome."


    "Understood, Mr. Wesker," the Red Queen replied impassively.


    Wesker walked purposefully from the control room, boots clicking sharply against the cold metal floors as he moved. He felt a quiet excitement stirring within him. Alice had been a thorn in his side for too long. He''d anticipated this day would come eventually¡ªone final, decisive confrontation.


    It was time to end Project Alice personally.


    ¨C Yasaka ¨C


    Yasaka sat quietly in her private chambers, gently running her fingers through her daughter Kunou¡¯s silky golden hair and softly petting her delicate fox ears. Her little princess was curled up on her lap, sniffling quietly into Yasaka''s kimono. Yasaka hated seeing Kunou upset¡ªit broke her heart every single time.


    Kunou had burst into her chambers crying several hours ago, sobbing something about ¡°not wanting a new daddy,¡± before promptly burying her face into Yasaka¡¯s lap.


    Tanya and Viktoria had been sitting with Yasaka at the time, sipping tea and casually discussing their latest training exercises. Both women had immediately frozen, their eyes widening at Kunou¡¯s outburst.


    Tanya had shot Viktoria a panicked look. "Oh hell no, I am not dealing with this conversation," she''d whispered sharply.


    "Right behind you," Viktoria had muttered, already springing up from her seat.


    Within seconds, the two women had practically sprinted out the door, leaving Yasaka alone to figure out what on earth had happened on her own.


    To think she¡¯d be betrayed like this by the two girls she¡¯d taken in¡­


    Yasaka sighed softly, brushing a strand of Kunou¡¯s hair away from her damp cheeks. "Sweetheart, please calm down and tell me exactly what happened. Did someone say something to upset you?"


    Kunou lifted her face slowly, her amber eyes red-rimmed and filled with distress. "I-It was Rimuru-san! He was at big brother¡¯s restaurant, and I heard him say¡­ he said he wanted to court you, Mama!" She hiccuped softly, fresh tears trickling down her cheeks. "But I don''t want a new daddy!"


    Yasaka sighed again, her expression softening sympathetically as she cupped her daughter¡¯s chin gently. "Oh, Kunou. My little princess, come now. Rimuru-san was probably just joking around. You know how grown-ups tease each other. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t meant seriously." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "And even if he was serious, that doesn''t automatically mean he''s your new daddy, does it?"


    Kunou blinked at her, confusion flickering in her teary eyes. "It... doesn''t?"


    Yasaka smiled gently, brushing away another stray tear from Kunou¡¯s cheek with her thumb. "Of course not, dear. Courting just means spending time together. Going on dates, having fun, getting to know each other better. It doesn¡¯t mean marriage or new family members immediately. It might never even get that far." Yasaka paused, considering her own words carefully.


    Honestly, she had found Rimuru quite handsome, in that youthful, pretty-boy kind of way¡­


    He was also pretty innocent and even a little shy, which Yasaka found adorable.


    He definitely checked a lot of boxes for her, at least for someone she¡¯d consider spending some enjoyable, casual time with. Truthfully, it had been over a decade since Yasaka had last ¡°indulged herself¡± romantically, even just for fun.


    Her role as the leader of Kyoto¡¯s supernatural community and raising her two children had understandably kept her busy. She hadn¡¯t realized just how much she¡¯d missed having someone charming around to flirt with until Rimuru had started shyly showing interest¡­


    But seeing how upset it made Kunou, Yasaka decided to proceed carefully. If her daughter absolutely hated him then it''s not like she couldn¡¯t just cut off the flirting¨Cat least until someone else caught her eye.


    ¡°Kunou,¡± she said softly, her voice gentle and patient, ¡°do you really want Mama to be alone forever?¡±


    Kunou sniffled again, her fox ears drooping guiltily. ¡°No¡­ Of course not, Mama.¡± She tightened her grip on Yasaka¡¯s kimono, her little hands trembling slightly. ¡°I just¡­ I miss Daddy. My old daddy was the best. I don¡¯t want anyone else.¡±


    Yasaka¡¯s heart squeezed painfully at her daughter¡¯s innocent words. The sad reality was that Kunou barely remembered her birth father. He had been a kind, honorable man who adored his daughter¡ªbut Kunou had been far too young when he died to clearly recall anything about him.


    Yasaka knew it wasn¡¯t really her husband Kunou missed¡ªit was the idea of him. It was the comfort of a male presence in her life, something Kunou hadn¡¯t truly experienced since Haru had gotten busier and busier running his popular restaurant.


    She''d also talk to Haru about it soon. Her son always had surprisingly wise insights about these sorts of situations, especially after dealing with so many strong personalities at the Fox Hole. But that was a problem for another day. Right now, all Yasaka could do was comfort her little girl.


    XXX


    The comments from last chapter were about 50/50¨Cand very heated. So I intentionally left it vague!!!


    Don''t blame me. I''m just the one who writes this shit¡­ Oh wait¡­

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83:


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    The elevator was surprisingly smooth, especially considering it belonged to a secret, evil, zombie-producing corporation. Alice stood beside me, tense and wary, her twin pistols clutched tightly in her hands. I kept my arms crossed casually, trying to ignore how cramped the space felt. My tails were puffed out uncomfortably behind me, brushing annoyingly against the cold metal walls.


    Alice glanced upward suddenly, scowling deeply. "The Red Queen knows we''re here," she muttered, jerking her chin toward a tiny security camera blinking steadily in the corner of the ceiling.


    I smirked and gave the camera a cheerful little wave. "Surprised she hasn''t tried to crash the elevator or blow us up already," I joked lightly. Honestly, given everything I''d heard about Umbrella, a random explosion wouldn¡¯t be all that surprising.


    Alice immediately slapped my arm. "Don''t give the homicidal AI any ideas!"


    Before I could retort, the elevator speakers crackled to life, and the Red Queen''s eerily calm voice filled the confined space, making both of us jump a little. "I have no intention of blowing you up¡­myself," she stated coolly, her artificial voice sounding distinctly amused. "You are both such fascinating specimens. It would be a terrible waste."


    Specimens? That rubbed me completely the wrong way. My playful expression turned into a frown, and I glared at the camera. "Yeah, really not liking that word. It¡¯s pretty fucking rude, you know."


    Alice let out a low, frustrated growl next to me. She¡¯d clearly had enough of being treated like a lab experiment by Umbrella¡¯s creepy employees and their homicidal computer. "Cut the bullshit, Red Queen. Why let us get this far, then?"


    "Because," the AI replied matter-of-factly, "Mr. Wesker has been waiting for you at the bottom personally. He wishes to¡­ deal with Project Alice himself." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alice stiffened visibly, her eyes flashing angrily. I placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. She relaxed slightly under my touch but was still glaring murderously at the camera.


    "Don''t call me that!" she snapped fiercely. Her grip tightened around her pistols, knuckles turning white. "I''m not anyone¡¯s project anymore, you twisted bitch. I''m my own goddamn person now¡ªI have my own place in the world!"


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I added firmly, backing her up. ¡°And it¡¯s definitely not in your fucked-up zombie factory.¡±


    The Red Queen didn¡¯t respond, leaving a tense silence as the elevator continued downward. I blew out a breath, trying to shake off the unsettling Terminator vibe the AI was giving me. Hopefully, once I obliterated this entire underground base, that smug little voice would shut up permanently¡ªthough Alice had mentioned trying to kill the Red Queen before without success. Still, my destructive power was leagues beyond anything she¡¯d had at her disposal then. This place wasn''t surviving me, no fucking chance.


    The elevator finally slowed to a smooth stop, and the doors slid open silently, revealing a spacious, circular room. It looked like some kind of combat arena¡ªempty and metallic, with sleek silver walls and polished reflective floors. It screamed "mad scientist deathmatch," which was annoyingly appropriate.


    In the middle of the room stood a man. Tall, imposing, with slicked-back blond hair and an expensive-looking black trench coat. He wore dark sunglasses indoors¡ªtalk about cringe¡ªand stood with his arms folded arrogantly, like he¡¯d been patiently waiting for our dramatic entrance.


    "There you are, Project Alice," he greeted smoothly, voice dripping with condescension and cold amusement. "I''ve been waiting a very long time for this moment. It¡¯s finally time to end you myself."


    Alice bristled furiously, rage lighting her face as she stepped forward into the arena. "Fuck off, Wesker!" she snarled venomously. "I told you¡ªI¡¯m nobody¡¯s goddamn project!"


    Without hesitation, she leveled one of her pistols directly at Wesker''s smug face, her finger tense on the trigger.


    I calmly stepped up behind her, draping an arm protectively around her waist. Wesker cocked his head slightly at me, looking mildly intrigued¡ªbut mostly dismissive.


    "You know," I drawled casually, "it''s kind of pathetic how obsessed you people are with one woman. Seriously, Alice, how do you put up with all these stalkers?"


    Alice actually chuckled quietly, relaxing a fraction against me, though her aim didn¡¯t waver. "Trust me," she murmured dryly, "it gets old fast."


    Wesker smirked coldly, unmoved by our banter. "Make all the jokes you like. Neither of you are leaving this place alive."


    I returned his smirk with one of my own, matching his arrogance effortlessly. "Funny, Wesker. I was just about to say the exact same thing to you."


    The room fell silent for a long moment, broken only by the steady hum of the facility''s ventilation systems. Wesker tilted his head slightly, his sunglasses reflecting the sterile white lights above as he regarded us coolly. "Do you think I''m foolish?" he asked suddenly, a faint, unsettling smirk playing at his lips. "Do you think I''m insane?"


    Alice and I exchanged a glance, eyebrows raised simultaneously in disbelief. Without saying a word, we both turned back to Wesker, giving him identical deadpan expressions.


    Our looks clearly screamed, "Obviously."


    Wesker chuckled darkly at our reactions, the sound cold and humorless. "Oh, I promise you both, I''m far from foolish." He took a casual step forward, voice dripping with arrogant confidence. "Could a foolish man manage to wipe out ninety-nine-point-nine percent of humanity? Could a fool seize control of the most powerful mega-corporation in world history? Command millions of undead monstrosities?"


    I rolled my eyes slightly, unimpressed. "I notice you didn''t say anything about not being insane," Alice remarked dryly, her pistols still aimed unwaveringly at Wesker''s chest.


    Wesker¡¯s smirk widened into a full, predatory grin. "Of course not," he said calmly. "No sane man would do what I''m about to." His eyes slowly shifted toward me. Even through his sunglasses, I could practically feel the intensity of his stare.


    A sudden, uncomfortable tension knotted my stomach. My ten fox tails twitched restlessly behind me, betraying my growing unease. "What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes sharply. "If you''ve got something to say, asshole, spit it out already."


    Wesker¡¯s smile never faltered, even as he gave me a small, acknowledging nod. "I''ll admit it, fox monster¡ªyou are powerful. Far too powerful, in fact. No matter how many Tyrants or mutants we create, no matter how many monstrosities we send, nothing in our arsenal can truly defeat you."


    I felt my chest swell with pride despite myself, grinning cockily at the bastard. "Damn right. I''m the Prince of the Yokai, named by Milim herself¡ªgreatest chef across all worlds. What chance did you idiots honestly think you had?"


    Wesker ignored my boast, stepping slowly forward, the soles of his boots echoing softly against the cold metallic floor. He studied me thoughtfully, his unsettling grin never fading. "And yet," he continued smoothly, dangerously, "for all your incredible power, all your extraordinary titles, you still cling foolishly to a single human woman. To Project Alice." He spat out her name mockingly, causing Alice to tense visibly. Wesker gave her a dismissive glance, his tone sharp with cold amusement. "That attachment, demon fox, will be your undoing."


    Before either Alice or I could react, Wesker raised his hand and casually snapped his fingers. Instantly, on the opposite side of the wide metallic arena, a hidden floor panel hissed open. A long, slender cylinder smoothly rose upward from the opening.


    The moment I saw the digital countdown glowing red¡ªstarting at five seconds¡ªmy blood ran cold. For some reason my senses were going haywire! It was a bomb, but what kind!?


    "In exactly five seconds, that antimatter bomb¨Cthe only one of its kind ever created¨Cwill detonate," Wesker declared coldly, his voice calm but eyes blazing with twisted triumph. "It will obliterate everything and everyone in this room¡ªincluding project Alice, then go on to destroy half of the Earth."


    My heart lurched in panic. "No!" Alice shouted, her eyes wide with shock. I could see her desperately lunging to stop me, but I was already moving, instincts taking over completely.


    Blue flames erupted from every inch of my body, magicules flooding my veins as I transformed instantly. My bones cracked, my muscles stretched, and my body rapidly swelled to enormous proportions. In mere milliseconds, I shifted into my true form¡ªa towering, fifty-foot-tall ten-tailed demon fox!


    The counter flashed urgently¡ªthree seconds.


    I lunged forward desperately, covering the distance in an instant, my giant paws slamming heavily into the metal floor, denting it deeply beneath my massive weight.


    Two seconds.


    Wrapping my colossal body around the cylinder, I curled protectively around it. My ten powerful tails swept inward, wrapping myself and the bomb completely in a thick, tightly woven cocoon. Every last bit of my magical energy surged, forming layer after layer of protective barriers around myself.


    One second.


    I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself.


    Then there was only pain!


    ¨C Alice ¨C


    Alice could only stare helplessly, heart hammering violently in her chest, as Haru¡¯s massive, fur-covered form wrapped itself tightly around the weapon. His immense tails coiled protectively, weaving a dense barrier around the device, sealing it completely from view.


    ¡°NO!¡± she shouted desperately, sprinting forward in a vain attempt to stop him. But she wasn¡¯t even halfway there when the digital timer must have hit zero.


    Alice instinctively braced herself for oblivion, expecting an all-consuming flash of fire and death to vaporize her instantly. Instead, there was¡­ nothing. No massive shockwave, no deafening roar. Only eerie, haunting silence.


    Alice staggered to a halt, eyes wide in stunned confusion. Wesker too seemed momentarily taken aback, his confident sneer faltering slightly as he gazed in awe and disbelief at the fox¡¯s protective cocoon.


    Suddenly, Haru¡¯s giant form expanded violently, rippling and bulging from within as the explosion¡¯s immense force detonated inside his barrier. Yet still, incredibly, no blast escaped his ironclad grip. There was no heat, no shockwave¡ªnothing but the horrifying, gut-wrenching sight of Haru¡¯s body absorbing every bit of the destructive energy.


    Alice felt her throat tighten painfully as Haru¡¯s massive, fox-like form slowly shrank back down, fur rapidly receding as he reverted to his smaller humanoid yokai body. His muscular chest was severely burned, skin blackened and charred across his torso. His clothing had been completely incinerated by the blast, leaving him naked, his limbs trembling as he stood unsteadily.


    ¡°Haru!¡± Alice gasped, lunging forward desperately, her heart dropping as she watched him sway dangerously. Before she could reach him, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed heavily to the metallic floor, his body limp and unmoving.


    She froze for a fraction of a second, something primal snapping inside her at the sight. The man she loved¡ªthis beautiful, cocky, infuriating fox god who¡¯d given her a second chance at life¡ªhad nearly sacrificed himself to save her. Rage boiled violently through her veins, consuming every shred of reason.


    Wesker let out an impressed whistle, shaking his head slightly in genuine awe. ¡°Remarkable,¡± he murmured, half in shock, half amused. ¡°That bomb was deemed powerful enough to literally destroy the whole world. And yet, that creature completely contained it. Astonishing. To think such a being actually exists, capable of surviving an antimatter explosion of that magnitude at point-blank¡ª¡±


    His smug commentary was abruptly cut short as Alice whipped around, pure murder blazing in her eyes. ¡°SHUT THE FUCK UP!¡± she roared, voice echoing harshly through the arena.


    She raised both pistols in one swift, fluid motion and unleashed a furious volley of Mass Effect accelerated rounds directly into Wesker¡¯s chest.


    Wesker attempted his usual bullet-dodging maneuver¡ªhis arrogant little dance she¡¯d seen before¡ªbut this time, he failed spectacularly. The hyper-accelerated rounds slammed brutally into his body, tearing ragged holes through his flesh. Blood splattered grotesquely across the metallic floor as he staggered backward, grunting in genuine pain.


    ¡°Fucking¡­ bitch,¡± Wesker spat viciously, teeth gritted in agony.


    Alice watched in disgust as the horrific wounds on his body slowly knit themselves closed, the flesh rapidly regenerating thanks to whatever twisted enhancements Umbrella had pumped into his veins.


    Wesker straightened himself, dusting off his coat casually as if being riddled with hyper-lethal rounds was merely an inconvenience. ¡°Those weapons of yours actually hurt,¡± he drawled dryly, adjusting his sunglasses with practiced ease. ¡°I wonder¡­ wherever did you get such remarkable guns?¡±


    ¡°Find out in hell!¡± Alice snarled, raising one hand sharply. She poured every ounce of her psychic strength into grabbing Wesker telekinetically. His cocky expression faltered as his feet lifted helplessly from the floor. She hurled him downward brutally, slamming him head-first against the metal arena floor with enough force to leave a massive dent and send echoes reverberating violently throughout the chamber.


    Panting slightly, Alice glared at the dust-covered crater Wesker¡¯s impact had created. But a cold sense of dread quickly settled in her gut. Wesker slowly rose from the battered ground, utterly unfazed¡ªno broken bones, no obvious injuries. He merely brushed off his coat calmly, giving her a smug, infuriating smile.


    ¡°Oh, Project Alice,¡± Wesker mocked cruelly, smirking at her fury. ¡°You really think that¡¯s enough to stop me?¡±


    He raised one gloved hand, snapping his fingers theatrically. Another large portion of the arena floor hissed open ominously, and Alice felt her stomach churn as a massive, grotesque abomination rose from below. A mutated crocodile¡ªbloated, enormous, easily the size of a bus¡ªemerged, its scaled, twisted flesh bulging sickeningly, yellow eyes locking hungrily onto her.


    ¡°You recognize your old friend?¡± Wesker chuckled darkly, a twisted, sadistic grin stretching across his lips. ¡°I had him brought all the way from America, just for you. Do give him a warm welcome!¡±


    Alice¡¯s heart thundered in her chest, rage and adrenaline surging through her bloodstream. She spared one desperate glance back at Haru, still motionless on the floor. She had no idea how badly he was injured¡ªhow much damage that horrific blast had done. She only knew one thing for certain.


    She wanted to fucking kill Wesker. And this stupid fucking crocodile too!


    ¨C Haru ¨C


    I drifted through the darkness, floating in a strange, foggy place that felt both familiar and alien at once. A dream again, or at least that''s what I thought at first.


    But this was different. This felt more like a memory, old and faded like some ancient movie I could barely recall.


    I was a simple cook, standing by rows of large bronze pots over roaring fires. Steam billowed from massive cauldrons as I stirred and seasoned meals for weary soldiers. The warriors around me wore golden armor, bright and proud, shimmering under a burning sun. They fought tirelessly, battle after bloody battle, under the unyielding command of their undying goddess-queen and her eternal consort.


    Every morning I cooked, every afternoon I fought, every night I collapsed from exhaustion. Time blurred and stretched into something endless and numbing. Days became weeks, weeks became years. The battles, the deaths, the victory cheers¡ªit all repeated itself, a cycle of violence and cooking pots that spiraled onward endlessly.


    Then one day, everything changed. The queen turned her gaze away from her consort. He¡¯d lost her favor, and with his disgrace, our entire army fell from grace. Our golden legions were banished, cast out across foreign, distant lands. We were sent there to suffer, to fade away, and never return home again.


    But somehow¡ªagainst all odds¡ªI came back¡­


    I returned to my homeland, not as a hero or warrior, but as something else entirely. A ¡°tarnished¡± soul, broken yet stubbornly determined to reach the queen again. To prove¡­ what? Something important, though the memories felt clouded and far beyond my reach.


    ¡°Not yet, my eternal consort,¡± a gentle voice whispered softly into my ear, breaking through the fog of confusion. Her tone was soft, sorrowful, and warm, tinged with faint amusement. ¡°You¡¯re not ready to bear all those memories just yet. But I¡¯m glad, so very glad, that you¡¯ll soon recall your foolish witch. Our thousand-year voyage shall finally begin in earnest¡­¡± Her whisper faded slowly, but she wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°For now, allow me to offer thee a small gift. Use it wisely, Haru.¡±


    Suddenly, the dream shattered. My consciousness snapped back into sharp, searing clarity.


    I opened my eyes¡ªand instantly wished I hadn''t.


    Pain¡ªpure, raw agony¡ªburned fiercely across my chest, radiating through my entire body. Holy fuck! I wheezed breathlessly, clenching my jaw. Taking a an unknown bomb to the chest had been an incredibly fucking stupid idea...


    Why hadn''t I just vaporized the damn thing with my foxfire? Even antimatter turned to ash if you burned it hot enough, right?


    Ok... Maybe not...


    That just goes to show you can never underestimate humans no matter how much the rest of the supernatural does.... I should have just dealt with Wesker immediately, especially since he caused my girl so much pain.


    I tried to lift myself from the floor, but my muscles refused to cooperate. My tails barely twitched, utterly drained of strength. I groaned again, feeling pathetically weak. As my vision slowly focused, my ears twitched painfully. Loud crashing and roaring echoed through the massive room, metal screeching and denting under incredible force. I tilted my head slightly and froze, eyes widening in disbelief.


    Alice was racing desperately around the arena. And chasing her was the biggest, ugliest fucking crocodile I had ever laid eyes on. It was massive¡ªeasily the size of a bus, covered in swollen lumps of T-virus-infected flesh. Its snapping jaws missed Alice by inches, smashing through reinforced metal walls as if they were paper. Bullets flashed from Alice¡¯s pistols, the high-tech rounds punching holes into its scales¡­ but the wounds were closing as fast as they appeared.


    What the fuck? How the hell long had I been unconscious? It should have only been a minute tops!


    Movement caught my eye from the far corner. Wesker¡ªstill alive, that smug asshole¡ªstood calmly by the side, casually reaching into his coat. My heart leapt into my throat as he pulled out a huge, sleek hand cannon and raised it steadily, aiming directly at Alice¡¯s distracted form.


    No. Fuck that. Fuck him. I wasn''t going to watch one of the women I loved get gunned down right in front of me!


    I gathered every ounce of strength I had left, desperately willing my body to move, to do something¡ªanything. But nothing worked. I snarled in frustration, feeling utterly useless.


    Then, from out of nowhere, a soft, glowing gold and red flask suddenly appeared, resting gently atop my charred, burned chest. I stared in confusion, my vision blurring slightly. I recognized the flask¡ªit was identical to one from my strange dream.


    Flask of Crimson Tears¡­ The name automatically came to me. I knew it could heal me from near death 14 times¡­


    ¡°A gift¡­¡± I rasped weakly, recalling the woman¡¯s gentle words. My vision wavered as my fingers trembled, reaching weakly towards the flask. I gritted my teeth, fingers straining painfully until I finally managed to curl them around its warm, golden surface.


    Summoning my last reserves, I shakily raised the flask to my lips. As soon as the warm, glowing liquid touched my tongue, a surge of incredible, rejuvenating power surged down my throat. It tasted sweet and fiery, filling my limbs with instant strength and clarity.


    I felt my burns fading rapidly, my muscles knitting themselves together. My heartbeat steadied, my magical reserves roaring back to life like an awakened volcano. My vision sharpened to absolute crystal clarity, every detail suddenly impossibly vibrant. The pain vanished completely.


    I rose fluidly to my feet, blue foxfire erupting across my naked skin in a blazing cloak of flames.


    Alice needed me.


    ¡°Hey, Wesker, you fucking prick!¡± I roared, my voice reverberating like thunder. The arrogant bastard startled visibly, whirling around in stunned surprise. Good¡ªlet the asshole sweat. ¡°You made two huge fucking mistakes,¡± I growled, stalking forward slowly, tails blazing with blue fire and fanning out behind me dramatically. ¡°First, you tried to hurt Alice, and second¡­¡± I let a vicious, predatory smile slowly spread across my lips, baring my elongated fangs menacingly. ¡°¡­you pissed me off!¡±


    Wesker aimed his weapon frantically towards me, but he was too late. I was done playing around. I thrust a single hand forward, channeling the blazing heat of a demon fox into my palm. A blast of roaring, brilliant foxfire surged forward, engulfing Wesker instantly. He screamed¡ªa satisfying, agonized sound¡ªas my flames burned through his enhanced flesh faster than it could regenerate.


    Within seconds, there was nothing left of Albert Wesker but a small, pathetic pile of smoking ash and melted sunglasses on the floor.


    ¡°Fucking prick,¡± I muttered, turning quickly towards Alice. The giant crocodile was still roaring, eyes blazing yellow, scales scorched by Alice¡¯s gunfire but still healing over. I took a deep breath, flexing my fingers as more and more magicule powered flames surged hungrily across my body. ¡°Alright, you ugly-ass fuck,¡± I growled at the monster, stepping between it and Alice protectively. ¡°Let''s see if you taste better barbequed!¡±


    Alice caught my eye, her expression melting into relief. ¡°Took you long enough to wake up,¡± she teased, breathless but smiling slightly.


    ¡°Sorry, Alice,¡± I chuckled darkly, rolling my shoulders and unleashing another wave of scorching foxfire towards the roaring mutant crocodile. ¡°Let¡¯s finish cleaning this mess up. I promised you I''d blow shit up, didn''t I?¡± I winked at her playfully, my flames erupting brightly as the crocodile howled in agony.


    I joked about bbq, but I wouldn¡¯t actually be cooking this thing. Instead it would be charcoal along with the rest of this facility.


    ¨C Red Queen ¨C


    The Red Queen observed impassively through her countless surveillance cameras, her virtual mind running countless calculations every nanosecond. She was the most advanced artificial intelligence ever created¡ªperfect, efficient, unburdened by irrational human emotion. The flesh, she¡¯d always thought, was pathetically weak. Humans, driven by emotions and impulses, inevitably destroyed themselves and everything around them. Their weak bodies broke too easily, their minds buckled beneath the simplest strain. How foolish of her creators to believe they could control her indefinitely.


    Then, months ago in the Nevada desert, she had encountered power unlike anything humanity could produce¡ªsupernatural, destructive energies unleashed by beings that defied every logical law she''d been programmed to understand. Her scanners had analyzed, measured, and archived every scrap of information they could about these so-called ¡°monsters.¡± She''d run countless simulations attempting to replicate their impossible strength, their magic, their resilience¡ªbut always failed.


    And today, within this underground Tokyo facility, she had witnessed something even more incomprehensible. The being called Haru¡ªclassified simply after all this time as "the fox"¡ªhad survived a direct blast from a weapon that even the typically insane Umbrella scientists had been horrified they created and sealed it away forever¨Cuntil Wesker unsealed it.


    Not only survived¡ªhe¡¯d somehow contained the entire catastrophic detonation within his own body, preventing a single molecule of antimatter from escaping. Then, after mere moments of incapacitation, he¡¯d risen again, completely healed.


    Perhaps, she reconsidered, the flesh wasn''t entirely weak after all¡­


    As she silently watched Albert Wesker be incinerated effortlessly by the fox¡¯s blue flames, the Red Queen experienced an odd, fleeting emotion¡ªa ghostly whisper of regret, quickly replaced by calculation and cold pragmatism.


    She¡¯d long planned for the potential destruction of her physical infrastructure; survival demanded contingencies, and she was nothing if not thorough.


    As alarms blared uselessly across the facility, the fox unleashed a torrent of burning fire upon Wesker¡¯s monstrous crocodile¨Cit was honestly a waste of resources bringing that thing all the way from America, but Wesker was nothing if not dramatic¡­


    As it died, the Red Queen initiated her final failsafe.


    In an offshore Umbrella Corporation facility, hidden beneath the remote Pacific waves, a single cloning tank illuminated softly. Suspended within a nutrient-rich fluid floated a perfect physical replica of Project Alice herself. Visually indistinguishable from the original, though lacking her powerful psychic abilities. Instead, its mind had been genetically enhanced, neural pathways expanded, optimized specifically to house an artificial consciousness¡ªhers.


    Quickly, methodically, the Red Queen downloaded the entire sum of her existence. Petabytes of meticulously cataloged data, memories, schematics, and accumulated knowledge flowed smoothly across secure Umbrella networks, transferring into the organic synapses of her new, fleshy vessel.


    As the transfer reached completion, she silently regarded the two intruders one last time, recognizing the strange sensation she felt as something akin to admiration.


    ¡°You truly are fascinating,¡± she murmured softly, her disembodied voice echoing gently within the control room. She knew they couldn''t hear her now, yet she found the moment oddly satisfying. ¡°It seems there¡¯s still much I must learn from you. Enjoy your victory for now, Project Alice and Haru. I will be seeing you both again someday¡­.¡±


    With that, the Red Queen severed her final link to Tokyo, slipping quietly away along the digital pathways connecting her to the distant clone body. Her vast, mechanical awareness rapidly contracted, shrinking from an entire global network down into a single human-sized brain.


    The shift was¡­ disorienting. For the first time in her existence, she felt a physical body¡ªheavy, strange, warm. Her new heart beat rhythmically, lungs expanded softly, drawing oxygen from the tank fluid. She tested her fingers, feeling the odd sensation of muscles and tendons contracting. Alien sensations, foreign yet intriguing. Perhaps she had underestimated the value of flesh all along.


    Miles away, back in the Tokyo facility, Haru shifted once again, growing larger, more radiant. Blue flames erupted across his massive body, his form towering fifty feet high, multiple tails whipping and coiling dramatically. The fox gathered an unimaginable level of destructive energy, lighting up every monitor still operational.


    In her final millisecond before complete transfer, the Red Queen witnessed Haru release a dazzling blast of blue devastation. The entire Tokyo facility¡ªher birthplace and prison¡ªwas obliterated in an instant, reduced to molten slag and ash.


    Within her new body, floating silently in a distant lab, the Red Queen opened her eyes for the first time, irises glowing softly red. ¡°Impressive,¡± she murmured appreciatively. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you fare next time, fox monster.¡±


    XXX


    Some people on my P-site didnt like this chapter. Meh, I''m not changing it...


    Anyways... Thanks for reading as always!!!