Another chapter for today!
Returning after two years, I wasn't greeted by Halibel, but by two Adjuchas—one resembling a lion and the other a snake. The lion-like Adjuchas, who shifted into a combat stance the moment I stepped inside, let out a roar.
"Who are you?! This is the residence of Lady Halibel! Begone at once!"
"Don't be a fool, Mila Rose. Look at his appearance—it's human, just like Lady Halibel. He's a Vasto Lorde."
"S-Shut up, Sung-Sun! I don't care if he's a Vasto Lorde! For Lady Halibel's sake, I'll take him down!"
The snake-like Adjuchas named Sung-Sun spoke to the lion-like one, Mila Rose. Thinking about it, these were the female Adjuchas that Halibel had picked up. I remembered them as the ones who would eventually become Halibel's Fracción, though one of them seemed to be missing.
"Be quiet for a second. Where did Tibel—no, where did Halibel go?"
"I don't know who you think you are! But you won't lay a finger on Lady Halibel!"
Instead of answering, Mila Rose bared her fangs and lunged at me. Sung-Sun joined in as well, whipping her long tail around to bind my movements. It was a surprisingly well-coordinated pincer attack.
'They're the kids Tibel dotes on. I want to kill them, but I guess I should hold back.'
Snuffing out two annoying bugs wouldn't be difficult. However, if they died, I might end up having to fight Tibel, whose Aspect of Death is Sacrifice. I needed to avoid that if possible, so I had to settle this quietly.
"I'll play along for a bit."
I flared my Reiatsu just enough so the cave wouldn't collapse. With that, I easily slipped out of Sung-Sun's constricting tail and reached out to grab Mila Rose's head as she lunged with her jaws wide open from above.
Thud.
"Shall we take this elsewhere?"
It was cramped moving inside the cave. Gripping Mila Rose by the head and Sung-Sun by the tail, I dragged them both out of the entrance.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
I hurled one in each hand across the white sands. Since they were still Adjuchas, they managed to find their balance mid-air and landed in a ready stance.
I beckoned them with a finger.
"Come."
"Graaaaaagh!"
"Mila Rose, you're too reckless!"
Mila Rose was the first to snap at the provocation. Scolding her partner while following suit, Sung-Sun dove in as well. Mila Rose used her sharp fangs and claws as her primary weapons for a fierce assault, while Sung-Sun focused on sealing my movements with her tail and attempting to swallow me whole.
"Honestly, fighting without killing is a pain. Maybe I should just end them."
Rumbleeeee.
For two years, I had done nothing but kill and absorb my enemies; fighting without lethal intent felt unnatural and tedious. So, I infused my Reiatsu with the power of death. Normally, my Reiatsu is black, but when imbued with the essence of death, it turns a ghostly silver—almost ash-like. As my spiritual pressure shifted, Sung-Sun and Mila Rose froze. They stood there trembling, paralyzed by fear, unable to even think about moving.
"Now then... Die."
I raised my hand toward the pair, preparing to fire a Cero laced with the power of death. However, I had to stop the moment I felt a familiar presence behind me.
"What do you think you're doing, Ruel?"
"Ah... It's been a while, Tibel."
Before I knew it, Tibel was standing behind me, accompanied by a deer-like Adjuchas. That deer one was probably Apacci. She, too, was shivering violently, likely overwhelmed by my Reiatsu. The situation was a bit awkward, but regardless, this was our reunion after two years apart.
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Chapter drop! Drop! Drop!
Today is one of those days at my part-time job where writing just isn't flowing well, phew. Anyway, I'm putting this one up, but I might not be able to do a back-to-back update...