Getting a boyfriend

Alice’s POV:

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Since we were in a jungle, it was obviously full of tendrils. We cut off those and collected a big amount of them. On one hand, it will hold together the logs and on the other hand, it will make the treehouse comfier. We also cut out a few thinner trees and chopped it into equally long pieces of logs.

When we were done with this, Hiro jumped up to the tree and I started throwing the logs towards him, on by one, from the ground. Hiro was holding onto the tree with his legs which had a lot of strength in them and tied the tree logs to the trunk of the tree with the tendrils.About forty minutes later while we were repeating this move the tree house was almost finished.

Now, all we had to do was to make a roof. We both searched for some longer and thicker branches and them to the tree trunk and the bottom of the tree house, then we piled big green leaves on them. After the treehouse was ready we went out to hunt something edible. The minotaur is humanoid so we didn't intend to eat its meat.

After some searching, we caught a wild boar looking beast on the outer parts of the valley and started roasting it near the river. While it was being roasted on the fire, we started training our bodies, then when the meat was ready to eat, we ate it, obviously... Afterward, we put out the fire, ran back to the treehouse and snuggled up to each other in the warm blanket, which was made from the boars hide and went to sleep since in the meantime the sky has darkened.

The next day we went into the deeper parts of the valley where we found more monsters like the minotaur. We were becoming more and more proficient in using our powers and fighting as a team, so we were easily slaying them. Days passed by like this. Although, sometimes it was quite hard to kill some monsters and sometimes we even had to escape since we were encircled, but we have shown great progress over this time.

After two months have passed by, we have reached the middle seventh stage of Foundation Realm. All this time Hiro was training his skinning skill too and he was becoming more and more proficient, while I was training my Pharmacology by using the herbs, which we have found in the valley.

I've even made some poisonous concoctions. Although we didn't have real weapons to use it on, but at least we were able to test it on lower leveled beasts by using our blunt skinning knife... Using the monsters' hide and fur, we made the whole treehouse comfier over the time we have spent there. On the other hand, under this half a year, we have grown to look like a twelve or thirteen years old boy and girl.

I was already 'budding' at some places, which made me happy. It might be hard for mortals to have big boobs because they are heavy and all, but that wasn't the case for us, cultivators. I could walk around as easily with it, as without it. Hiro too was growing manlier and he was also slowly transforming from his little boy look. He is going to be exactly my type~ It seems.

After thinking over things, we have decided that we should go to the center of the valley and see what's there. We had one hundred and fifteen horses of strength while being only at the middle of the seventh stage. "I think that we should check out what's in the middle of this whole valley. Maybe we can find something good, like liquefied energy." Hiro said, considering the pros and cons.

We might find something good if we go there, but we'll also have to fight with powerful monsters. "Hmm... If it's like that, then I would be really happy. With the help of such a thing, we could ascend to the next realm immediately after reaching the ninth stage. I can only wonder, what kind of 'boss' we might find there." I agreed with his words. I can't help it but agree with his words all the time, but that's only because we think alike.

We were moving unhurriedly towards the center of the valley. Although mortals would consider our speed to be high, but to us, it was only jogging.We were jogging with about seventy kilometers per hour when something came to my mind and I asked Hiro about it, seriously. "Hiro, I have a question.” But his next line was as unserious as most of the time, but I didn't mind it. “What do you want my honey pot?” He said with a grinning face.

“I’m not your... Whatever, I completely forgot to ask about your scales! You have always sidetracked me, but you aren't going to escape this time!" I said proudly, knowing that I was able to corner him. Unexpectedly, he straight out denied my words... "Heh- Would you like to know? But I want to leave your curiosity to keep growing."

"Stupid Hiro! You are an evil beast!" I shouted at him with a small laugh."But you know, Alice. I'm really curious about some things. For example, where is Earth in this huge universe and what is the reason why there isn't any Universe Energy on that planet. It's supposed to be everywhere even if in a little concentration. Yet I was stuck there with my boring life. In my opinion, those 'gods' from our histories were also cultivators. I really want to uncover the mysteries of that place!"

He said while thinking deeply about his past life's planet and its mysteries. He was talking about something entirely different than the original topic, but it was interesting to me nonetheless. But there was a problem. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he forgot to look up. This was a lush jungle with trees and bushes all over the place... “HIRO!” I shouted, trying to warn him, but it was for naught.

“Huh?!” He let out a stupid voice with a stupid face as he looked up only to see the tree in front of him. *Puff* He crashed face first into the tree and stopped moving. He slowly slid down on the trunk of the tree and fell to his butt. He had the luck to crash into a thick and big tree, so it didn't break under the force of his 'accident'. “Ugh... Fuck! This is fucking painful! What the hell is this tree made of?” He shouted with an angry face as he was rubbing his nose.

“Pwahaha! I- I'm sorry, but it was funny to me! I- I can't hold it back! Hahaha~" I started laughing at him. I know that it was evil, but I don't care, it was funny. He didn't take it to heart because he was the same when it come to things like these. “Ugh... Next time I won’t ever think about things while running, especially not in a jungle!” He said as he put his broken nose back to its place. He couldn't help but tear up slightly, but that was natural.

"Are you going to be alright?" I questioned. I knew the answer, though, but I felt better after asking it. "Yeah, it should heal in a few hours. My race has some perks... Let's go, we should be there soon." He said as his tears stopped flowing. "We are already here..." I said, pointing out that he was wrong at that. “Huh? Oh. Time sure flies by ehehehe?” He said with a stupid laugh, which to I didn't say anything. “...”

I was still looking at him weirdly, but he didn't care about it as he walked away as if nothing has ever happened. I cleared my throat and - “You are going the wrong way. It’s to our right...” I said with a smirking face, which to he stopped, facepalmed, and then bowed slightly as he extended his right arm and said. “...Lead the way, my lady.”

“O-kay.” I said with a stretched o, and I couldn't help but laugh at his actions. We barely walked for a few minutes but a seventh stage monster has already appeared to cause problems. With the two of us being at the seventh stage, we made short work of this stupid tiger which dared to attack us.

After another half an hour of walking, it was already deadly silent in the area and not even a fly flew by. The Universe Energy was so thick here, that it took the form of mist and it felt like as if we would be showering in it. For a moment, we stood still and enjoyed the feeling of the Universe Energy washing through our cells and energy veins. Even our eyesight became clearer. We were getting closer and closer to the peak of the seventh stage and to breaking through.

“There must be liquefied energy. Is there a formation which keeps pulling the energy towards this place? But you have to be at least at the fifth level to make those kinds of formations. I can only wonder why such a powerful person would decide to descend to such a rural planet and create a formation to destroy the hope of every creature on this planet to ever ascend to the next level." Hiro was saying this with a serious face while he thinking it over.

"We better be careful. Although we are going to be able to beat someone who is as powerful as the person in question or even stronger, but for now he or she could kill us by simply using his or her mind power." I added just as seriously.

We went towards the place where we felt the undulations in space, but upon arriving there, we have found a beast staring at us, which was at the peak of the ninth stage of Foundation Realm, which meant that it had at least one hundred and thirty-five horses of strength. But that wasn't true. It had even more because it wasn't your average monster.

It was a Manticore, which is a powerful monster. You can find even divine beasts of such a creature, though this wasn't one such creature, but it was almost equally powerful. Both of us were True Divine Beasts. Our inherent memories contained millions of times more terrible monsters. Compared to those, this was like a small fart, but for now, even this was a big hurdle for us. Of course, we weren't afraid of it. If we would have a real weapon, then we could beat it as easily as that minotaur or even easier.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The Manticore had a lion body, a bat-like pair of wings, a scorpion-like tail, and it had a thick, brown colored hide. We didn't go close to it, so I started whispering. “How did it get here? It shouldn’t exist in these lower realms. Manticores are relatively high-level monsters." Hiro also had a questioning look as he said. "I don't know how it's got here, but now I'm sure that someone's hands are in this!"

"Probably it's here to protect the formation, I don't know who were the ones arranging this whole thing, but they are probably using this whole sector to collect liquefied Universe Energy, deriving the living beings of this planet from ascending and growing into higher heights ever in their lives. I'm no hero, but if I see something so obviously evil in front of me, then I won't think twice about destroying it." Hiro said righteously.

I'm a True Divine Beast who might be going to eat humans as a snack in the future, in my true form, but I wasn't agreeing with this thing either. It should be destroyed! I also added: "Yes, and although this thing wouldn't affect too big of an area because the planets are four times bigger than before, after each realm, but that 'small' area means a whole planet here." (AN: You are going to understand everything by time, don't worry if you aren't understanding something.)

Both of us walked a bit further away from the monster to make a plan. “I think that we should start with a sneak attack. Even though we are True Divine Beasts, but this monster is still two stages higher than us and it’s clearly not a low-class monster like that minotaur was. I'm quite sure that it also has some intelligence." I said, stating some points.

“Okay Alice, don’t worry. I also planned to do that. Why should we be idiots enough to run up to its face and start fighting with it when it's so much above us? We can simply ambush it! Pride is unnecessary at such times." Hiro also agreed with my words. Fufu~ We are in such a good sync. He is a good mate material~ I'm quite sure that he is going to become my mate in the future!

“Uhn! So how should we do it? Do the both of us jump at it from the behind or should one of us distract it while the other one ambushes it?” I questioned Hiro and he immediately answered by saying that he was going to distract it while I can ambush it safely... Fat chance! “Hah! You think! It was you all the time who was the 'tank'. Do you think that I'm some littler princess who is going to sit back and attack only when it's safe?" I refused his offer.

“But-” He wanted to protest, but I won't let him! “No buts. Now I’ll ‘tank’ it as how you usually called it at the other beasts.” Hearing my unshakeable sureness, he wasn't able to fight with me anymore. “*Sigh* Okay, then I’ll go behind it. I just don't want to see you at dangerous places. I'd rather take some hit than to see you suffer." He said with a sigh, while he was looking at me with a not so happy pair of eyes.

"I'm happy about your feelings for me, but I'm not going to let you fight alone, you know? It's equally painful for me too, to see you suffer. I've told you already that I'm also liking you. I wasn’t talking into the air. A dragon wouldn't play around with something like choosing a mate. If I'm ever going to have one, that person is going to be mine forever and you are no exception about that. If you want to go around collecting a harem, then it's better if you leave me now because-"

I wanted to continue, but Hiro ran up to me and embraced me tightly. He put my head on his shoulder as he gave a kiss on my face and then said. "You have no idea how happy I am about your feelings. I keep loving you more and more and now that I've heard your confession, I think that I've truly fallen for you."

"On the other hand, you won't have to worry about me, going after other women. I've been craving to find my other half, who could understand me, who is similar to me, whom I could be happy with. And you are that person." Hiro said honestly while looking into my eyes. I felt my heart stir upon hearing his words and I couldn't help but move my head forward. Our lips met. He had thick lips which felt really warm. My first kiss has been taken in such a way.

As we separated, Hiro's face became slightly red as he asked me a not so surprising question. "W- Would you be my girlfriend? Alice." I was happy to hear his words and I answered him with another kiss. "O- Okay, we should stop because this isn't the place and age for us to do such things." I said after separating once again, while probably blushing. "WAAAH! I have such a cute girlfriend and I don't dare to think about how you are going to look in the future. I can already see your beauty in the future!"

Hiro shouted crazily and happily, which I didn't mind. It made me also happy, that he is liking my looks. I was still a woman in the end... or girl, for now. After talking about our strategy and our love, I rushed out of the jungle and appeared in front of it. The monster growled upon seeing me. Meanwhile, Hiro was getting around it and started collecting his energy for a powerful attack.

Unfortunately, the monster didn't let down its guard, which clearly showed that it wasn't stupid. Exactly the other way around, it was quite clever for not underestimating even a 'child' like me!

“Hey you stupid beast, it’s time for you to die! You are ugly and you smell, you are bothering my eyes so I came to kill you!” I shouted to annoy the monster to the death. Unfortunately, it didn't die only because of that much, but it was enraged enough to charge towards me. I saw from the corner of my eyes Hiro, who was collecting his energy to form the same attack he has used on the minotaur, but it was much more powerful this time.

Although we didn't have real weapons, but we had something else. We used up the powerful monsters' bones to make weapons. I also had a 'shield', which was usually in Hiro's hands, but since this time I was the one to tank, it was in my possession. It was made from a bear's skull which was at the eighth stage originally.

When the monster was charging at me, it tried using its tail to puncture me. Seeing this, I wasn’t stupid enough to try stopping the incoming attack. I'd probably become skewered meat if I'd try to do such a thing. Instead of trying out such a feeling, I rolled on the ground, under the monster. While rolling she used my bone sword to cut the stomach of the Manticore but unfortunately, it barely scratched its thick hide.

While doing all this, Hiro has charged his skill to the brim and was waiting for the right moment. Since I was right under it, it was concentrating on me completely to evade my thrusting strikes and it forgot to look out for its back. Hiro quickly released his powerful attack upon the monster. Although it has noticed it, but it was too late. His attack struck the scorpions tail and tore it off in one go.

The monster screamed out in pain. I quickly rolled out from under it and jumped farther away. Energy attacks are very dangerous because you have to defend not only against its strength but even against its residual energies which penetrate your armor or body! (AN: I'll use skill names and such things, the only reason I haven't used them before is because of hiding Hiro's race for a bit more. :P)

“Nice! That tail was really like a scythe being put against my neck! Now we can fight more freely, though we will still have to be careful of its paws and claws.” I shouted happily upon seeing Hiro's success.

Hearing that we were openly talking about it, it became enraged and tried to bite me, but at this time, Hiro came to my rescue and attacked it on its side, so it had to dodge or take another energy attack, though weaker but it would be still dangerous. “Rest a bit and stand back, I’ll hold its front.” Whispered Hiro with a gentle face while looking at me for a moment, but I immediately denied it: "No, I've barely moved, I'm not even tired. All I did was a roll and a few thrusts with my bone sword..."

“...Okay, but be careful.” Realizing that he wasn't able to find fault in my points, he agreed unhappily.

Suddenly the beast used its wings to fly into the air knowing that this position was disadvantageous to it and while turning back, it flew straight towards me with quickly. I couldn’t dodge it completely and my left arm was swiped by its claws, making a big wound on my left arm. Seeing this Hiro became distressed, but I calmed him down telling him that I'm alright. We have to work on this feeling of ours in the future.

My sentence did help in soothing Hiro's worrying, but instead of worrying, he became enraged at the monster. It was clearly visible on his face, that he wanted to tear it into pieces. A deep sounding growl came out of Hiro's insides, making the monster feel threatened. It quickly flew into the air once again and tried to accomplish the same attack as before, but this time with Hiro. Expecting this, Hiro dodged the attack from above with a somersault.

The monster flew past Hiro who was above it and Hiro used his fingers to create a lightning-like energy attack. It penetrated the monster's left eye, destroying it in the process. I wasn't idling by as I shot a Dragon's Head towards the monster's back. My attack also stuck its back, seriously wounding its hind legs. The monster crashed into a tree in front of it because of the pain it felt.

It stood up and after shaking its head slightly, it stood back up. The manticore released its bloodlust, but it didn't have any effect on us. It charged towards me with its mouth wide opened. I, on the other hand, didn't move from my place because I was setting up a trap for this shitty monster. I indicated with my eyes for Hiro to stop running towards me and luckily he trusted in me. I collected a huge amount of Dragon Qi right under my feet. When the monster was about to bite me, I backflipped and landed about five meters further.

My attack blasted in the monster's face, blinding it temporarily. Of course, it also caused serious damage to its body. Knowing that it wasn't able to see me, I charged towards it and upon reaching it, I covered my right arm in a layer of my Dragon Qi, punctured its right eye and thrust my right hand into its brain, killing it on the spot. Seeing this, Hiro started shouting happily and proudly. “Haha! That’s my woman!”

“!?..Yes, yes. *Sigh* Now I'm all bloody and sticky. Could you skin this, honey? It has a really hard hide and it has a big enough body to make two sets of leather armors. Like that, we are going to be quite well protected." I said jokingly as I was looking at Hiro.

“Hm-hm you aren't even denying that you are mine? It seems like you know who you belong to… Even though I was hoping to see a cute blush, haha. Alright, I'll do the skinning, but before that, how is your arm? Are you alright?" He said jokingly, then in a concerned voice as he came up to me and started caressing my arm. I felt his care for me, which felt great. I answered him with a smile. “Yes, it’s nothing serious. I think this will heal completely in at most two days."

After being done with the skinning, we went straight to the center of the Valley, where the formation laid. It was only about two hundred meters away from the spot we stood at so we didn't have to travel for a long time... A few seconds later, we appeared in front of the cause of the problems. We saw a tiny stone well, which was full of liquefied Universe Energy. Seeing we've got really happy and took out one of our flasks and after emptying it, we controlled the Universe Energy to flow into it.

After this, I looked at the formations on the ground which was actually written by using runes. Upon seeing this I accessed my inherent memories and started to decipher the meaning of the runes. Both of us knew every profession thanks to our inherent memories. The only exception was that we had to learn them by doing. What we knew was the theory, but we had to learn the real thing. Of course, it was different with runes because all I had to know was the rune language, which was a well-protected knowledge.

Only a few people knew of it. Hiro also had it in his memories so, in truth, he too could inscribe and I too could enchant or start smithing... but we have divided the work like that.

“Hiro! I’m done with this. The outer one is a formation that is pulling the Universe Energy towards itself, just as we have predicted. Though it isn’t at such a high level and it would barely work at higher realms but since we are in a lower realm, it works perfectly. It’s called Universe Energy collecting formation.” I explained to Hiro who was fiddling on our new armors, made from the Manticore's hide.

The higher you went, the more stable space was. Although this formation was able to affect such a huge area as this planet, but in the fifth realm, it could at most, affect an area of thirty kilometers.

“The second one, which is in the middle is a tiny Space Cracking formation. Through this, those who are controlling the other side of the formation can send and bring back little things. I think that they were using the formation to teleport the liquefied Universe Energy into their sector and then use it or sell it. The manticore was probably here to protect this place, in case someone were to get here accidentally." I continued on with my explanation and theory.

"Yeah, but they've put their fingers into shit this time. Unluckily for them, we are here to destroy their plan..." Hiro said with a small laugh upon thinking about how the owner of this thing would look like. I quickly crushed the formations and then we went back to our little tree house. I caught a weak pig-like monster to roast. While I was roasting, Hiro was making the manticore's hide into armors.

His looks were to my liking anyway, but his concentrating face only made him even more handsome in my opinion. While roasting the boar, I was entertained by his facial expressions. His face was turning manlier as his face was already growing some edges and his little boy look was slowly going away. When he was done, we wore his newest creation and we had dinner. It fit perfectly on me. "How do you know my sizes so perfectly?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Well, I'm sleeping with you every night. After hugging you so many times, I know your sizes well enough." He said, which made me blush slightly. We went to bed and slept peacefully. His warm embrace felt so good, I always fell asleep quickly in his arms, but he was no different either. Feeling my little hands on his side and on his chest, he slept like a log. His body was already bigger than mine.

He is probably going to turn into a big guy, which I don't mind. I think that I prefer strong and muscular males. In his strong arms, I quickly found the land of dreams.

-------------- Wu Shan's POV: ----------------------------------------

“WHO!? Who did this!? Why is it that there is not even A SINGLE FUCKING DROP OF LIQUID?!”

“I’ve paid really much for that expert when he descended to the lower realms to create those two formations! Ever since then, our clan has been flourishing! Someone not only killed the Manticore but even dared to steal away my possession and then destroyed the formations!" * Shouted wrathfully upon getting to know about the news.

“Milord, thanks to the surveillance formations, which were inside the well, we were able to identify them. Here is the memory crystal containing their looks!” A soldier bowed down in front of him as he extended out his arms to hand over the memory crystal in his hand.

“I DON’T CARE ABOUT THEM! LOCKDOWN THIS WHOLE PLANET!" He looked at the crystal then threw it back to the soldier and started shouting once again.

"Since they are in that sector they are going to ascend here, which means that I can catch them for sure and they will pay for what they have done. Our clan relied on that formation for more than a hundred years and now, out of nowhere comes two brats and destroy it all! Let my name not be Wu Shan if I can't impart them in a crucifying death!"

Wu Shan started shouting his orders to the soldier in front of him. “Hand over this memory crystal for all of our soldiers so that they will know how they look! Deploy our guards to cover the most popular ascending points on this planet! If they were able to beat that stupid monster, then they must be close to ascending and when they come up, I’ll catch them!"

"*Growl* Damned village pumpkins... Not knowing who they shouldn’t mess with, I’ll gladly teach them!”