Aisha POV

We arrived at the west gateway. It took us a while. Gallant and Golem left right after our talk. I wonder what they are doing? It seems like it was urgent. The two knights did not diclose the details about their activities or the events that they are looking into. Most likely, they will tell me in due time. Meanwhile, the other knights are guarding my younger siblings. Venturing through Zezrious once again, I got a feeling that Gallant gave them a good amount of spending money. I know that the girls like to shop, but they all like to read as well. The local library should is an area that they will be interested in. Being the bookwoom that he is, Ethan will surely drag the other three there. He likes to read. Oh, I wonder if my siblings have storage rings on them. I pray that they haven't abused the knights, butlers, and maids with their shopping.

"What you thinking about?" Abdul interrupts my thoughts. The strange soldier is with us again. He became our guide for the rest of our stay in Zezrious. One reason for his company was because of the fight from yesterday. Even though I assure him that nothing was going to happen, he ignored me. Secondly, he told us about tomorrow's plans. He will be fetching me first thing tomorrow morning. Apparently, Abdul somehow got permission for me, a complete stranger mind you, to enter one of the many Zezrious' armories. I think Abdul said we are going to the main armory. Can I say armory? Weapon rooms? Gun room? Training room? I have no clue what this special area is. I am... disturbed by this sudden approval. I mean, once again, I am a stranger to this city. King Len should not trust a random person to enter their weapon's bay. Not saying that I am a spy, but you know, King Len does not know me. I have never met this guy before, and I doubt my mom has some sort of relationship with- As that thought ran across my mind, I retake my statement. It is possible. My mom knew about Brynhild and Valarie. There could be a slim chance that King Len somehow knows my mom. Sorting out my thoughts, I give Abdul my usually response.

"None of your concern."

"Are you going to pick a fight with that party again? I know that they started it-"

"I am not!" I denied. "I already moved on! Why the heck do I want to concern myself with a bunch of strangers? I got my own issues to worry about!" This was true and not true at the same time. At this very moment, I am not worried about much. I mean, I am checking out this little event Chaos told me about. The truth of the matter is my need to fulfill the [Lustful Curse]. By night time, I have to do it. Either with Alice or... Well, I might call Brynhild or Valarie. Oh jeez, I am a bit worried about the latter choices. Especially Valarie. Do I really want to do it with her?! I mean... she's nice to me, but I have no clue if she will have any sort of control if we actually did it. Then again, another option is Chaos, but... I have a feeling that if I did it with Chaos... Oh, so many issues. How would I explain this to my mom? Or more like, can I tell her, "Yeah, mom... I lost my virginity to Chaos. Yes, the divine being." Yep... My thoughts aren't helping me. I have a bright red face right now. Turn away. Hide. Do not show my face to Abdul.

Alice must have notice my internal struggles. Sighing, she says, "Abdul, stop invading her privacy. I appreciate the help from yesterday at the Adventurer's Guild and with the fight, but you have no need to stay with us for this long. Why are you watching over us? Specifically, why are you interested in Aisha?" Hearing this, I glance at Alice.

He was interested in me?

Abdul said nothing at Alice's remark. He stood still for a brief millisecond. He looks at me with his red circular eyes.

"...A later time." He muttered quietly. After those words, he looks over his shoulders, "You two. Report back to our daily patrol routes. I will catch up with you in a few minutes." With a swift nod, they leave our sights. "Well ladies, I hope you two come back safely. Careful in those two cities. Warrington and Aeston have a good amount of security but not the best. Avoid the shady and unpopulated areas. When you get back, show the guards that item Alice. They will let you through. Have a good day." Bowing, he merged into the crowd. Exiting out of Zezrious, there was a huge line waiting outside of the gateway. Merchants, caravans, families, adventurers, Zezrious is always busy with travellers.

As we head towards Warrington, I asked this.

"Abdul likes me?"

"Yes. In a way." Alice responded. "Like in a different way than you would think. It is not a crush. The man barely spends anytime with women from what I have seen. I only met Abdul as a high ranking individual within the military. I have no clue what his actually rank is, military and systematically, but his presence at the party was not a coincidence. If you ever go to a banquet in Zezrious, there will be a lot of officers and powerful figures." When Alice said systematically, I realized a huge mistake of mine. Abdul was an abnormal fellow. I have not felt his presence around me at all. I cannot even read his rank. When I was fighting, I should have thought about it, but Abdul appeared out of nowhere. Usually, one can feel their aura. Abdul did not appear on my internal radar though till the last minute. It was like he was a ghost. As an inexperienced fighter and adventurer, I voiced out my concerns.

"Is there a way to mask your presence? I mean, [Hidden Rank] can lie about one's rank. What about one's aura?" Alice did not give an answer. Melantha steps in as she hovers above Alice.

"Ah. There is something for that. There are several ways to acquire such a handy tool. The perk, [Hidden Aura], hides your aura. It is a perk you can toggle on and off for. Unlike [Hidden Rank], [Hidden Aura] can only be attained through certain conditions. Perks are a lot of things and can be obtained through various ways. If you understand a certain concept, law, technique, or found some sort of enlightment, you can obtain a perk out of it. If you kill a lot of specific creatures, you can obtain a perk because of it. And maybe a class. If you did something an x amount of times, you can earn a perk through that. For [Hidden Aura], one must have a high god (or equal to) rank and killed one thousand enemies by yourself." Did Melantha said a thousand? Thousand?! "And the divine beings do play a role in this. Depending on how you achieve this, you will be given this perk or not. People will try to cheat the system. A high god might kill a three to four villages to meet the requirement. Obviously, this is unfair and the divine beings will not give said perk towards this mass murderer. Instead, they end up getting a different perk. Perks can be viewed as titles as well to some extent. Someone who killed a lot of innocents lives may obtained [Wanted Criminal]. As the name state, this is not a handy perk. [Wanted Criminal] will deem the user as an evil being. [Wanted Criminal] will also warn everyone who sees the user about their crimes.

There are benefits to hunting down a being with [Wanted Criminal]. In hunting down these certain individuals, they will obtain a perk for killing them. The perk, however, is at random. This gift is given from the divine beings themselves. They will not give anything too good though. They tend to reserve that stuff for their champions. However, there is a benefit of walking down the path of a [Wanted Criminal]. There are a bunch of divine beings. The dark ones will favor this sort of action. If one was able to kill off the bounty hunters and continue their violent actions, these evil divine beings will reward them with better perks and evolve their [Wanted Criminal] perk into something else. The divine beings have definitely changed the world into a fucking game though..."

"You forgot to mention the scary part." Alice continued, "One can hide the negative effects of their perk from others. For example, [Wanted Criminal] can state if this person is a wanted criminal, but if the user with [Wanted Criminal] has [Hide Negative Traits], then..."

"You won't know if the person is a wanted criminal." I finished. Goddamn, that's scary.

"Not really." Melantha corrected, "You can just assume that every person aligned to the dark is a [Wanted Criminal]." Yep. That went over my head. Confused at her statement, Alice fills me in.

"Despite these hidden perks hiding someone's true identity, they cannot change their alignment. Yes, one could hide their ranks using the numbers. Rank one, three, five, thirteen, however, there is a con for doing this. Using a low rank as your alibi will prevent the use of high ranking perks, abilities, and skills. You should know this since your knights did this. They acted as rank nine warriors although they have monstrous stats."

Remembering about my past, I awe at this revealment. That would explain the little spar between Brynhild and them. When Brynhild told them to go all out, she really meant it. To disengage the [Hidden Rank]. I mean, it still had the same effect. My knights literally went all out.. It's just... I did not expect the [Hidden Rank] to have such a huge con. I thought there was no sort of backlash for hiding under a weak number.

"See? It's not so bad." Melantha lays down on nothing. She is acting quite smug with her hands behind her head.

"This is still scary. A rank nine warrior does not need a lot of power to kill a rank one or rank two shopkeeper." Alice tossed this declaration at Melantha. The ghost woman opens her mouth, but she strokes her chin.

"You're right. You got the best of me in this argument- how come? This is the first-" Melantha smiles at a sudden thought. "Oh... I see." Alice blush a bit while she looks away from me.

"Excuse me?" Tilting my head, I stare at them.

"Nothing. Point is, just be careful." As I heed their words, a sudden thought crossed my mind. I should have asked this beforehand.

"I thought the divine beings did not interfere with the living world." Melantha's face turned sour. With a frown, she lets out a low growl. Alice seems a bit concerned about Melantha's mood.

"The divine beings of now are doing their own things. Yeah, they won't interfere with us 'physically.' However, they will do as they please. If a champion of theirs does something, why not give them a perk? If a non-champion being fucked over their champion, punish the non-champion with a negative perk that's equivalent to a curse or hex. If you want to persuade a possible candidate to work under you, bribe them with a perk or gift. The divine beings are using indirect methods to get what they want. I swear, the old divine beings of my time barely did this shit. They did not do this stupid ass job. We, the beings of these living realms, have to do what we can to obtain our perks. The only-"

"Calm down Melantha." Alice warns, "One slip up and you could-"

"I know, I know." Rolling her eyes, Melantha enters Alice's body. "I am going to sleep... Night." The sight of Melantha disappearing into Alice was a bit disturbing. I remember the chilly sensations I received when she did that to me. With a slight shudder, I reflect on this conversation. The divine beings changed? I mean, I guess they can do that? But how would that work? And is it a taboo to talk about the past? Actually, Melantha can provide a lot of information about the past since she is... Eh, how old is she? As I ponder on these thoughts, Alice shakes her head.

"Do not ask about those things. I know what you are thinking Aisha. Don't. Please, don't. There is a reason why I had to stop Melantha's rant. Any sort of slip up will anger the divine beings. Even if we do not use any specific names, there are certain divine beings who can pinpoint any negative remarks or past history. Do not ask Chaos about it either."

Seriously? I really want to know now, but I shall respect Alice's request. Moving away from the topic, the ground beneath me shakes. It was subtle for a few seconds. After we continue our walk along the road to Warrington, I can hear explosions and distant shouting. The shaking grows with every step as we move forward. Once we can see the other two cities, a weird attraction caught my attention. Is that a shield? It reminds me of Brynhild's device except it did not silence the loud noises within the shield. Looking from here, I can see three armies fighting against each other. I notice the soldiers from Zezrious fighting against witches and these other armored troopers. Hell, I can see some other individuals like an adventurer or some other warrior joining in the fray. Are they using fake weapons? And their magic? It seems like the real deal. Someone just unleashed a [Lightning Bolt] from their hands. If they were nerfing their magical attack, it would not be a large spark rushing through the battlefield. Yet this was the real deal. It hit a soldier who did not defend themselves. It should have killed that man. This soldier fell down, but he got back up. It was like he did not receive any damage.

"The Tri Field. This is a famous area for the three cities and armies to train their soldiers. If you want to, you can also join in this brawl. The shield before us controls the true magical properties of certain spells or techniques. It can stop projectiles from exiting the area as well. From my last visit, it still seems like there is only one entry point at that area over there." With her head, she aims her sight towards the large area in front of the shield. Zezrious soldiers are stationed there. It seems like they are handing out plastic models, I think, of guns and other weapons. It seems like a camp actually. Tents are all over the place, there seems to be a dining area, and a rest area for sleep or casual interactions with the soldiers or random people. One particular area has a strange device showing a presentation on a white screen.

"And if you try to sneak in?"

"It will be like walking into a wall."

"Yeah... Interesting. Did King Len suggest this? Did he make this device?" Is King Len a genius? How come he has this advance technology?!

"Yes. He created this. The shield, the battlefield, this excerise, he wanted a way to train his soldiers and his allies. To be honest, this sort of technology is very dangerous."

"Dangerous?" I can guess why to some extent. Alice went on.

"It can nullify the magical power of spells. You try to bombard your enemies with magic, not only can you shield your soldiers from the attack, you can control what projectiles can go through it. Len has a lot of guns. If he implemented this sort of shield on the battlefield, his soldiers will win their engagements. You will force your enemies into melee combat... if they can live." Oh god... I thought Valarie was dangerous. Len is on a whole different level. Military ranks, advanced weaponry and technology, and different type of troopers. Goddamn.

"Jeez. Why would the light side fight against him? This will be a one-sided massacre."

"To show the world his military might. To show the world that they are not scared about this sort of declaration. The Crusade is nothing but child's play. They do not fear the light side. I got a feeling that Len warned them during their meeting. He told them that if they do not leave Zezrious alone, he will show no mercy."

"Hasn't Zezrious proved their worth from way back then? This city fought against the Great Demonic Horde."

"It is not under the light side influence. The city is not under their reign. Do you know why the two sides fight for a particular city?"

"It is for the people. The population within the city. They want more spiritual energy." I answered, sighing at this. Spiritual energy is another form of energy one can use. This one comes from the people. The reason why these two sides fight against one another is to muster up a lot of spiritual energy. For those aligned to a particular side, light or dark, they will be able to replenish their spiritual energy from these cities. Depending on the distance and certain other factors, a warrior of light can refill their spiritual energy in combat. Spiritual energy can be implemented with devasting spells and techniques. If an angel is able to set up the right sequence, use most of their spiritual energy, and pray to their light divine beings, they can wipe out an entire city by themselves. Mentioning the divine beings, yes, they have an influence over these two sides. Obviously, the light divine beings side with the light as the dark serves the evil, darker divine beings. The populance within a city can choose a specific divine being they wish to worship within their respectful boundaries. For example, cities under the dark side will worship divine beings like Walotl, Xudite, Uztia, and et cetera. The city will have no light divine beings. It is actually a taboo to worship a divine being of the light within a controlled city of the dark.

This is not the only consequence. The cities will not restrict a traveller from entering. On the other hand, depending on their alignment, they might charge more for their services. For example, lets say that Zezrious was under control of the dark side. Anyone with a light title rank (angel, saint, archangel, etc.) will have to pay an entrance fee. Not noly that, services and payments will be a bit higher than the actually price. If there was a sword that costs ten gold coins, it may be fifteen or sixteen gold coin to an angel rank warrior. Staying at an inn may cost a good ten gold coins, and using the public baths might costs four or five gold coins. These are just a few examples of the cons of entering a city under the enemy's control. Now if a dark ranked warrior was to pay for some of these things, they would pay at a cheaper cost. Pulling up the sword example, a lesser archfiend can pay at the cost of five or six gold coins. The public baths can be used for free, and the tavern may change one coin per night. Then those are a neutral rank will not be affected by this. They will pay the normal costs.

I frown at this though. They do not give fair treatments. These bias actions actually hurt the wealth of the city. Because of their alignment, certain merchants and traders may not want to enter the controlled city. Especially with certain races.

Yes, this conflicts with the many races of the world. The various races tend to worship their own religion and divine beings. Of course, some of these divine beings are aligned to the light or dark, but there could be issues with certain divine beings. Like a bad relationship.

Walotl, a human divine being of war aligned to the dark side, has gained his reputation by slaughtering an innumerable amount of high elves. Due to this, a couple of the elven divine beings for the high elves loathe him. If a certain city has a shrine of Walotl, they avoid the city completely. Doesn't matter if the king or queen of that settlement has a good reputation with the high elves and the merchants, the high elves will not tolerate his presence. With the rise of the three new elven factions, they do not hate Walotl that much.

Most of the dwarves do not care about religion. Yes, they do have divine beings, and yes, they do have some religious fanatics, but these dwarves do not need to worship them with such vigor. It is a choice. The dwarves do not care about the external conflicts out of their own lives or faction. Out of most of the races, the dwarves are united and strong. I forgot greedy as well.

If they are do not care much about the religions, how come they refuse to enter a controlled city?

The increased tolls and payments because of their alignment.

Dwarves are greedy. They do not want to pay more than they need to. If a dwarf aligned to the light has to pay an entrance fee because they are entering a dark city, they will walk away. Dwarves have an abundant amount of resources. Mainly, ores, gems, enhancement stones, and advance technology. Like Alice stated, the dwarves are on a somewhat equal footing to Len and Valarie. Losing a good amount of dwarven merchants and traders wll put a huge dent on a city's economy. The other races have their own unique trades. The elves have custom bows and arrows, magical equipment, and light mithril weapons and armor. The demihumans can tame vicious and exotic creatures. There are too many goods to pass up on from all of these other races. It's just that dwarven traders and the like are extremely important. Especially if they set up shop in one's city. In the end, only the neutral and favored alignment will be able to continue their trade. Still, it hurts the city's wealth because of their alignment.

Snapping out of my inner thoughts, Alice seems... impressed?

"I thought you did not know much about this?" She tilts her head with her question.

"I knew about it. Just that... I haven't heard the word 'Crusade' for a good while." Shaking my head, I added this. "I am questioning the mindless massacre once they take out a city's defense though. I can understand the actions of the dark side burning and destroying an entire city, but the light side should not do such an actioon as well."

"They do this to exterminate any sort of resistance or nonbelievers. Heretics, I guess. Those who refuse to leave the city once they have declare their callings know about the risk."

"And they kill children and babies? Is that really fair?"

"Life is never fair." Alice corrected. "This is what the strong dedicts. You don't like it, then fight back. Will they sympathize with their stories? No. They have their orders."

"This world..." We continue our walk towards Warrington. Retreating back into my thoughts, I frowned at this. Killing for the sake of orders? Killing because of skepticism? Weeding out the heretics? Why is the light side doing these sort of actions? I understand the need to expand and gain worshippers. They want power to compete against the dark side. Yet why will they exterminate an entire city's population? Yes, there will be resistance and heretics, but there are innocent beings within the populance. What if they did not leave the city because of the lack of money? What if they did not leave the city because of their loyalty? What if they did not leave the city because it is their homeland?

Arriving at the gates, we entered Warrington. The city is not that impressive, fitting the actually looks of a regular city. The stone walls are not as impressive as Zezrious. There are trebuchets ontop of the towers, but other than that, nothing too grand. They do not have giant cannons scattered along the wall. The guards, on the other hand, left a different impression on me. It seems like they bore the full plate armor along with an armet. Their weapons... vary. Well, they have a lot of weapons on them. Like five or six. Maybe more. Most of the knights have a sword, shield, crossbow, and bolts. Some of them have a spear on their back along with their shield. Some have axes and some have a bow and arrows.

"Leon's versatile knights, the Adapts. They will always have a weapon to strike with, a shield for their defense, and a ranged weapon. These are the regular type of knights as guards and the main foot soldiers for Leon's army. There is another set of knights, but they are a bit advanced and the elites."

"Oh? I am guessing that they went through a harsh training regiment." I stated.

"Yes," Alice assented, "Most of these warriors are rank twelve and above."

"What ranks are Zezrious' soldiers?"

"They vary from rank two and above. Most of the soldiers are rank five to thirteen." Shocked by this information, I choked on air. Coughing a bit, I gave a baffled expression.

"What?! Rank two?! A rank two can-"

"Guns." Alice ushered this one word, silencing me.

"Right." As we head down the main street, I notice a white hair child scolding at some of the Adapts. She looks soooooo cute- Huh, do I know her? She is wearing a cute pink dress with a lot of white frills on them. She must be some noble because of her prideful temperament. Scratching my head, I got a weird feeling-

"By the way, why are we in Warrington?" Oh, I never told her my agenda for today. Unlike Zezrious, the roads are not as spacious. The stalls are cramped against one another. People are bumping into each other. To emphasize this, a couple strangers bump into us. Alice seems agitated. A few seconds once a certain male dragonkin walks by, he falls on his face. Grabbing my hand, she drags me away from our spot.

"So goddmn annoying..." Walking through other pathways, stirring through the groups of people, turning at several corners, we finally found an empty area. Scratching my head, I look at our surroundings. This city isn't that grand. At the very least, it can house a good twenty-five thousand people maybe. The houses are packed together as it seems like this place has a lot of streets. The main ones being crowded as hell. If you want to have some breathing room, taking an alternative street will do. The buildings aren't rich in their design. It seems a bit bland compared to the terraced buildings Zezrious has. I think I saw a couple of terraced buildings and fancy domains at the heart of Warrington. Actually, the first few buildings were in okay or poor conditions. I did notice the rundown buildings here and there when Alice dragged me to this spot. Think there were holes in some of the walls and roofs, a broken window here and there, and other faults. What is the state of Warrington? shouldn't it be in a better position?

"Alice, you didn't need to-" I felt a sudden figure behind me. Backhanding the approaching figure, I got into a fighting stance. Luckily I coated my hand with chi energy. My hand felt the steel helmet I smacked. The culprit in question was an Adapt. What? Why is...

"Aisha!" Alice screams out. Why is she showing despair? I notice the two bodies on the ground. In their hands...

"Hahahaha, we did it! Now we shall strip away your powers!" Turning towards the female Adapt, I looked at her in disbelief. They placed a collar on me. I have no clue what sort of collar, but by the sounds of it...

"A drain collar." Alice finished. "How did you acquire one?!" Alice rush past me, picking up the Adapt. She force the armet off of her. Her light blonde hair flows in the wind as her light azur eyes resonate with its color. Her rosy pale skin tone reveals her perfect skin. Fazed by a shocking fact, the elf quickly pushed Alice onto the ground, holding her hands above her head.

"A high elf?"

"Yes. Now, I will give this cutie the same collar in a few seconds. First... Activate Code: 982781, [Erase All]."

I stood in place, waiting for something to happen. Agitated by my own stupidity, I question how I got into this sort of predicament again. This is my second time that I have to go through a rank down. I should be careful of my surroundings. Along with that, I have to behave myself. I bet that these people attacked me because of yesterday's incident. Did the other party send these assholes after me? I doubt it...

A message pops up in my head.

When did this happen? I don't remember this?

Trying to rank down and steal all of the perks again has activated [Void Steal]. [Void Steal]? When did I get this? I hear a slight scream from the elf. In a few seconds, she was a rank one. My eyes turned into saucers. How did that happen? Alice quickly gets ontop of the elf, holding her in place. Alice looks at me with a troubled gaze. As if the message box was some sort of person, it informed me about my perks.

Because of a second attempt to destroy [Defeat Inheritor], you can view the hidden perks you acquire:

[Void Steal] - This perk allows the user to drain the enemy of every skill that they have. It is a self-defense mechanism that will automatically kick in when someone tries to snatch the user's skills, perks, and techniques. The user's skills, techniques, and perks will remain intact. Instead, [Void Steal] will absorb every ounce of knowledge that the enemy has. Skills, perks, techniques, theories, laws, knowledge of everything they have acquired over the years of their lifespam.

The being that tried to steal the user's perks, abilities,and skills will become a rank one and inflicted with a status called Void. Those labeled with Void can be subjected to the [Void Enslavement], [Void Control], or [Void Consumption].

With the presence of chaos essence, a high level curse, and [Void Steal] the user is gifted with the following techniques:

[Void Enslavement] - The user can enslave anyone who has been inflicted with the Void status. They will be bound to serve the user until death. Choosing this option will grant the slave a special class and retain the slave's personality and mind intact. Unknowning to them, they will not question the user if they are a slave. If the user wants to, she/he can grant the slave their old skills, techniques, perks, knowledge, and rank. This cannot be undone once the user uses this technique.

[Void Control] - Those with the Void status will become a mindless being. They will lose their personalities in this process along with their body. Unlike the slaves, those under [Void Control] will become a [Void Umbra]. They will go through a physical change and become a purple shade. Like the [Void Enslavement], the user can grant the [Void Umbra] their old skills, techniques, perks, knowledge, and rank. They will also be bound to the user till death. The benefit of doing this technique over [Void Enslavement] is the power. [Void Umbra] can use chaos magic. This cannot be undone once the user uses this technique.

[Void Consumption] - This will consume the soul of anyone inflicted with the Void status. Using this technique will strengthen every stat within the user. This will also unlock new techniques for the user in the field of chaos magic. If the user consumes a certain number of souls using this method, void magic can be unlocked. This cannot be undone once the user uses this technique.

"What the hell!?" The elf was writhing in agony. "Are you shitting me?! You had the [Defeat Inheritor]?! No, what I am confused about is this goddamn void magic?! How did you acquire it?"

"Void magic?" Alice beats me to it.

"It is an extinct magic like chaos magic." The elf admits defeat, ending her struggles. "You got to be kidding me. I was just... In the end, I am becoming the slave once again... Such irony..."

"You can see the options?" I asked her.

"Yes! I beg you to kill me." Alice glares at the woman.

"I rather have you enslaved for trying your luck at Aisha. I will NEVER forgive you for this folly."

"Interesting development here." Turning around, I can see the white hair child from before.

"Who are you?" Alice and I pose this question at the same time.

"You got to be..." Shaking her head, she pulls her hair into a ponytail.

"General X?!" Woah, she... What?!

"I know, I know, shocker. Moving on, let me get rid of that collar." In a quick motion, a bullet blasts the front of the collar. It broke into two, falling onto the ground. "My soldiers are securing the area. We found another batch of these... slavers? No, not slavers. Some of them are, but what is your actually aim girl? Why did you target Aisha? Was it because of the other party?" Walking towards the elf, she keeps her mouth shut. "Oh, we playing this sort of game?" General X aims the pistol at her, "Know that I will torture you. Death will not save you." A deadly aura leaks out of General X, bloodlust oozing from her gaze. Alice felt the influence, shaking as she holds the elf down. The elf, being a rank one, felt the effects. She cannot look at General X, cowering on the ground.

"General X, she is mine. I don't care about the others, but I will deal with her myself." This was out of pity, I guess. Yes, she tried to enslave me, but I am fine. If I didn't have [Void Steal], I guess I would want her to suffer. General X raise an eyebrow at me, putting her pistol away.

"Your call. Just know that I am babysitting you for a few days, so behave yourself. Or try to." Frowning at me, she states this, "Be careful of your goddamn surroundings next time and think about your goddamn actions. You plan to become our ally, you need to handle yourself. Always expect some sort of trouble. With [Defeat Inheritor], you can pick up the perks and abilities from the nearby creatures. The sooner you do this, the better. I will not interfere with the next engagement with these sorts of people. You will protect your own comrades and yourself when the time comes." General X reverts back to her alibi, skipping away into the alley.

I got scolded again. Letting out a sigh, I walk towards the elf.

"Explain yourself then. I just saved you from a horrible fate."

"Yeah... General X. Valarie's main general. I have heard the vicious tales about her. She will do whatever she must. I never thought to see her in the flesh." Looking at me, she confesses, "Someone told us of some rank one beauty creating some mess in Zezrious. At first, I wasn't interested. However, this person decided to put a reward on your head. Don't know why though, but money swayed a lot of groups to keep an eye on you. I grouped up with some fellows, and we waited in Warrington. If we did anything in Zezrious, we would be in trouble with the Bullet Hero. And here we are. Except I am the only survivor."

"How did you use a drain collar? A high elf should not be able to use it-"

"I..." she looks at me for a brief second before she looks away, "Eh..." Alice looks at me as well.

"What?" I touched my face, "Is there something on my face?"

"... We shouldn't keep her around. What was this [Void Steal] and these options?" Alice's eyes are glued on the high elf. Isn't that a bit harsh?

"[Void Steal] allowed me to gain all of her traits, although I am not seeing that. I guess I have to officially choose her status. There are three options: [Void Enslavement], [Void Control], and [Void Consumption]. [Void Enslavement] will allow this elf... What's your name?"

"Leilatha."

"Allows Leilatha to keep her personality and the sort. She will remain loyal to me no matter what. [Void Control] has the same sort of principle except her personality and her actual form will change into a [Void Umbra]. By doing this, she can use chaos magic." Leilatha frown at this option. Guessing that she does not want to go through such a development, even if she was able to obtain chaos magic. "And lastly, [Void Consumption] will devour her soul and increase my stats. From what I've read, if I eat enough souls, I will be able to unlock void magic."

"I say the last two options. Definitely the latter." Is Alice being cruel to this woman? i mean, yes, she did try to enslave us, but why is she acting all hostile towards her. Did she did some unforgivable action?

Regardless, I will not choose [Void Consumption] or [Void Control]. Might use those two on some other victims- I could do that method. Abusing it might be wrong, but I could hunt down this certain mastermind.

"You're lucky Leilatha. I really need you." To exaggerate my point, I grab her by the chin and divert her attention to me. I lean closer as well, giving a warm smile. "I will spare you of the two other options-" Alice, do not pout at my choice, there's a reason behind it! "-And I wouldn't mind having you as a partner. Not slave, mind you, I don't like calling other people slaves. Makes me feel sick. It would be a shame for you to become some floating shade with no attractive feature about you. As an elf, I always have a slight soft spot for them." The last line was more of a half ass lie and truth. This is my first time talking to an actually elf. I have never seen one back at the banquets. Despite the lack of elves in my past, I did grow fond of meeting such beauties. I always wanted to be friends with an elf. The illustrations and paintings of elven women always amazed me. The elven males are nice to, but they did not click with me as much. I guess that my horrific past with males influenced my taste of most males. Maybe.

"I... You... D-Do you really mean that? H-How do I know that you aren't-"

"You either accept her kindness or I kill you." Hearing those words, I was dumbfounded at Alice's hostility. Calm down! Do not kill my prisoner! Alice, why are you so mad?! Leliatha just accepts my kind action.

"I-I don't mind... master." She muttered those words very slowly. In a quick instant, I hold Alice's hand away from her sword. Woman, what are you trying to do?! Before I lose control of this situation, I guess I have to usher out the spell.

"[Void Enslavement]!" In a few minutes, a box appear before me.

Subdued Demigod Elven Tempest

Obtained Class: Elven Tempest

Obtained Skills:

[Level 137] Sneak

[Level 136] Daggers

[Level 135] Throwing

[Level 89] Crossbows

[Level 59] Deception

[Level 55] Persuasion

[Level 51] Seduction

[Level 40] Traps

[Level 31] Poison

[Level 12] Kidnapping

[Level 6] Crafting

[Level 5] Enchantments

[Level 1] Bow

[Level 1] Alchemy

Skills increased from:

[Level 3] Heal --> [Level 5] Heal

[Level 1] Regeneration --> [Level 2] Regeneration

Abilties Gained:

[Steal]

[Backstab]

[Silent Feet]

[Hidden Blades]

[Precise Stab]

[Stormrage]

[Thousand Cuts]

[Precise Throw]

[Night Vision]

[Self Haste]

[Mask Presence]

[Cast Poison Weapon]

Obtained Perks:

[Lady Charmer]

[Elven Beauty]

[Elven Language]

[Elven Tongue]

[Escaped Slave]

[Hunter of Slavers]

[Fallen Sun Elf]

[Self Taught]

Stats increased in:

Stamina

Agility

Unlocked: Larger Stamina Pool, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Sight

Obtained Special Art:

[Tempest Rage]

[Quick Vanish]

[Soaring Blades]

Obtained Racial Special Art:

[Solar Regeneration]

[Solar Might]

An influx of information fills my head. Grabbing it for a second, I thought I would extreme some sort of pain like before. The pain never arrived. What I felt was... sympathy. I am going to say that [Void Enslavement] was a success. Not only did I obtain her traits, it showed me her entire life in a few seconds. It was like I was in her shoes. I was Leilatha.

A box interrupts my awkward moment.

Do you want to give Leliatha Qindi all of her previous traits? Yes No

I have no reason not to give her back all of her traits. Leliatha is under my direct control. For her first mission, I need her at tip top shape. Hitting the yes button, she has regained all of her old traits. Fun fact, Leliatha wanted me as a lover. Which is... weird. It seems like this elven beauty has a thing for me. The reason why she put the drain collar on me was to fool her other allies. Once that was done, she was going to kill them and take me away. I am a bit perplexed at her image of me. It was a bit too... much? I have no clue. It seems like Alice definitely has a crush on me. The reason why she was acting so hostile to Leliatha was because of her feelings for me. I knew Alice liked me, but...

Oops. I forgot about those two. After I chanted the specific technique, Leliatha and Alice are staring at me like... Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

"Why are you two staring at me like that? Why are you two blushing?" They broke out of their trance. Leliatha lies about it.

"I-I don't know what you mean. There was something on your face... I think it flew off."

"...Nothing." Alice hides her own face, grasping her chest. I got a feeling that the perks I just obtained did something to me. After the two fo them calmed down, Alice lets go of Leliatha. Taking some precaution, I listen to my surroundings. Because of my enhanced hearing, I can hear slight chatter from the main street. Testing out my new enhancement, I focus on the area around us. Listening for any strange noises, there was none. Knowing that the area was clear, I spoke to my new companion.

"Leliatha, can you track down this mastermind? I want to know who has a vendetta against me. Was it the party I fought against? Was it Tessa?"

"It was not Tessa. I know that for sure. Adventurers would not be able to post such a bounty in the Underworld. Besides, Tessa is a noblewoman from Zezrious."

"Underworld?" Never heard of this place.

"The Underworld is where the most shadiest of deals, businesses, and missions take place. Sometimes they hire certain thieves to steal a particular item. This usually falls in line with the Thieves Guild. Sometimes they want a particular individual to 'disappear' or 'have some sort of accident.' This is where the Assasinhood do covert operations. Maybe they want a particular girl or boy to be enslaved... The point is, this place is filled with a bunch of shady practices. Yes, you could consider them a bunch of criminals, but sometimes this is the only life to live... You seen it, haven't you?"

Calling me out, I just nod my head slowly. She lets out a sigh. Feeling violated, she hugs herself, "I am still wanted by my master. I know he is still alive and well. He still wants me. I know that he will do anything to find me, but I have stayed in the shadows for so many years. I have done things I regret doing, but I have to survive."

"Well since you my ally, you don't need to hide anymore." I try to lighten the mood. She gives me a weak smile.

"I hope so."

"So why did she attack you anyways? If you glance into her mind, you know why." Hearing this line of reasoning, Leliatha's face turns red. Really red. Being the smart girl, Alice pieced the puzzle together. She galres at the elf.

"You..."

"ANYWAYS, we should get going!" I would have told Leliatha about her mission, but I heard footsteps zoning in on our location. It seems like another group might attack us. Pushing them away from the empty area, we followed one path towards... somewhere.

Shit.

Chaos told me about some event, but I should have asked for the details. Staying on a populated street, we just travel through Warrington. I was right about my previous statement. Some of the buildings are in poor conditions. There are holes in some of the walls, broken windows, no door protecting the house, and other things. There are a couple of people sitting against the wall. The sight of poverty surprised me. This is not a foreign concept and I know that there will be a poor class, but I guess I was not expecting Warrington to be in such a state. Erith, my father's settlement, had its fair share of the rich, middle and poor class. Actually, Zezrious was not in such a sorry state. I did not see any beggars or homeless people.

I wonder how Zezrious will be after the Crusade. Will the wealth of the city remain the same? Or will it decrease? The dark side will be aiding Zezrious- Hold on. Does King Len really need this alliance?

As we roam around aimlessly through the streets, I notice a bunch of eyes on us. This was... too much? Why are they staring at me like that? When we entered Warrington, we did not attract this much attention. This might become an issue on so many levels. There are a bunch of hunters after my butt for some reason, I might get in trouble again, and I cannot hide myself from the public. Jeez, stop looking at me!

It might be because of the new perks I obtained. Checking the information on these new perks, this clears up everything.

[Lady Charmer] - Having a high [Seduction] skill and an interest to women, girls will feel some sort of likeliness towards you. A smile can have a powerful effect now. You will have this aura around you. Also, a kiss can be quite powerful.

[Elven Beauty] - This is a natural perk for all elves. Viansola Yllakian, an elven divine being, has gifted this perk as a blessing for their creations. This will slightly boost your beauty and skills involving charisma. Despite you, the user being a human, the blessing will still be in effect. [Defeat Inheritor] has overrided the restriction it has.

Are you kidding me?! I wasn't... Why- I need to ask Leliatha about this [Lady Charmer] perk. How did she obtain this?! I guess I would have obtained it if I tried to... I don't know, seduce someone... Ughhhhhhhhh. This will explain the gazes. Frustrated at the time of events, there was a certain event towards my right. The announcer was screaming at the top of his lungs. Was it an auction? I hear the prices echoing through the air. Walking towards the event, I can see a large crowd in front of the wooden platform. I froze at the sight before me. Leliatha did the same.

A slave auction.

I can see many beings in metal shackles. There are a good amount of slaves forming two groups. One side had a bunch of demihumans while the other side consisted of elves and humans. Most of the slaves have a dirty, ragged white shirt and brown pants. But some of the attractive slaves have torn up clothes. This showed a good amount of skin. For the females, there would be a hole around their breasts area. The males, I can barely call that a shirt. It seems like a cape. Some of the males with a toned out body only had pants on. As my eyes examine each one of these beings, the head auctioneer exclaims this.

"Sold! You, good sir, have acquired yourself a beauty!" It seems like someone acquired a neko. Being dragged off stage, I can the anger inside of me. Most of the people were cheering and whistling. Some of the audience members curse and grumble at their lose. My eye is violently twitching. Covering my face, I back away from the crowd. Grinding my teeth together, I felt extremely sick. I wanted to free these slaves and kill the slave owners and this auctioneer. Pissed off at this entire act, I was going to walk away. Leliatha was not in the pleasant of moods. Her face displays such enmity. Alice showed displeasure. The three of us would have left. There was no reason for our presence here. As I plan our escape, the auctioneer declares the next victim.

"Sadly, my good folks, we are reaching the end of this show! However, today, just for today, we are selling an exotic specimen! Yes, exotic! You might be saying, 'Dear Auctioneer, surely you jest. We have seen so many beauties, what is there that can be better than this?!' My good gents and ladies, you know about the elves. You know of the high elves and the three other types, but do you know that the lost one?"

Like a spell, the auctioneer made me freeze in place. His words made several other groups stop in their tracks. Lost one? What is he talking about? Alice seems interested as well. Taking a quick peek at Leliatha, she seems... horrified?

"This elf is a one of kind. Hell, I was surprised about her existence as much as you guys! There is a long history behind this single elf, this lone survivor!" The auctioneer walks in front of a covered item. "In the history of old, elves were united. They did not have separate factions like today. Blood elves, sun elves, moon elves- blah, too many names! No, no, no. In the past, if you recall, the elves were under one banner and one name. The Elenaril. Blessed by the divine beings themselves, they wielded magic of great power! Although this was a good hundreds or thousands of years ago. Way before I was even alive! Ah, I feel like I will lose you all if I rant on and on about the history, so let me get right to it." Taking the sheets with his gloved hand, the masked man says, "Let me introduce you the LAST Elenaril elf alive!"

Pulling the covers off, a young elven girl is behind the iron bars. the elf wears a regular white gown and flats. The crowd awed at this. A magical shackle binds her wrists and her ankles. Her big round eyes tremble at the sight of the huge crowd before her. Her hair sihines against the sunlight, sending off a sparkling effect to our eyes. It should be platinum blonde, but it is on the borderline of white and light yellow. She is short. A bit taller than Jessica and Jennifer but still short. From this distance, I could be mistaken. Regardless, she will feel tiny due to the huge audience before her. And it was growing in size. People heard the auctioneer, curious about this last one of the kind elf. Her pale skin makes her a newborn that was taken away from her home. My eyes drifted towards her chest... With a cute, round face and a somewhat small body, how are her breasts a bit bigger than mine?! Her breasts are that stupidly big, but I mean... Huh, am I jealous? I guess I am...

Staring at Leliatha, her eyes might fall out of their sockets. Actually, I turn my sights on the other elves. The ones on stage were in shock. Several elves turn this shock into fury. They curse at the auctioneer, but the slave collar around their necks silence them.

"I would call these assholes the same thing." I muttered. Leliatha breaks out of her shock, eyeing at me in disbelief. What did I do now?

"You can understand the elven tongue?"

"I can? How- Oh yeahhhhhhhh." [Defeat Inheritor]. Duh.

"You must buy her! Please!" Leliatha pleaded with me. Alice tilts her head at Leliatha. Is Leliatha using elven tongue? How do I respond back in her language?

"Why?" Looking at the elf, it automatically kicks in. When I get the chance, I should study up on all of these traits. Figure out how I can use some of these perks, know these abilities, and more.

"The Elenaril are the last of its kind! If you save her, you will be doing the elves a favor! She is sacred! Blessed by the divine beings, she cannot be violated by these other races! I beg of you, save her!"

As Leliatha pleas with me, the auctioneer declares, "Because of her status, we are starting this bid at three hundred thousand gold coins!" The crowd yells at this outrage. Some of the people immediately left the scene.

"You're shitting me?!" a man exclaims.

"Who the hell would want a rank one fucking elf?! At those prices?!" a noble yells.

"I'm out! Fuck this!" a soldier shakes his head.

"Pathetic." a woman scoffs.

"For such a rarity, the price should start around one hundred thousand." Alice whispered. "They are trying to fish out as much money as possible."

"What is the usually cost for these things?" This is my first time at a slave auction. I will determine my actions with this information.

"The costs of a slave depends on their race, rank, and their actually appearance. Females will always have a higher price compared to the males. The minimal cost for a slave will start around forty thousand gold coins. The actually build or beauty will influence the price by thirty thousand to fifty thousand gold coins. A rank of a slave will be multipled by ten thousand gold coins. For example, a rank twelve will add one hundred twenty thousand gold coins. Lastly, the race will add a good twenty thousand to sixty thousand gold coins. This Elenaril should not be around three hundred thousand gold coins. The base cost of a slave is forty thousand plus fifty thousand. Equaling to ninety thousand, you add ten thousand to that. Lastly, add sixty thousand."

"So it should be one hundred sixty thousand gold coins?" I answered.

"Yes. The reason why I said one hundred thousand gold coins is because it is an auction. You want the audience to participate in this bidding. You go to high, the audience will lose interest. Its already in effect. Most of the reasonable people will avoid this stupid game. Granted, there will be a few stranglers who will bid at these ridiculous prices." On cue, a high pitch voice rang in the air.

"Three hundred and fity thousand!"

Everyone zones on the noble sitting down in his own chair. Being endorsed by several girls already, the fat noble strokes his mustache. His messy brown hair is being rubbed by a rather attractive red hair woman. Wearing large white garments, he chuckles at his declaration. His hand rubs against the red hair's bossom, groping her left ass cheek in the bunny suit.

My mind became enraged at this disgusting noble. Grasping my head and hiding my twitching right eye, I look away from this filth! He has enough girls under his finger, why the hell does he want an elf!?

"Four hundred." A man exclaims. Please tell me it is someone with some decency. Turning towards the newcomer, my face continues to distort itself. These assholes are pissing me off!

The man dawns the armor of an imperial knight. The knights who served under Emperor Titus. He might be a deserter or a fellow who took the imperial armor somehow. The sheer fact he wore this armor reminded me of the night where I left my own home. For a brief second, after his declaration, I see him licking his lips. I know it is wrong to judge a book by its cover, but I do not trust this man.

Agitated by the sudden competition, the noble says, "Hey, you! Yeah, you! You should let ME get this elf! I will pay you a good hundred thousand gold coins if you shut up!" He takes his gaze off the knight to look at the Elenaril elf. He makes a creepy kissy face.

"Fuck you fat ass," the man huffs, "Me and my boys need some relief. You don't know the shit we have to go through. We will be getting this goddamn elf. She's the perfect one. I mean, I know you can see it. She's a fucking virgin. Virgins are the best! Despite our same interests, I ain't backing down. So fuck off. You got seven hoes on you already. Plenty of sex right there."

I would kill these two. These are deserters or former imperial knights. The tension between the two parties made them enemies.

"Four hundred ten!" the noble exclaim.

"Four hundred twenty!" the knight swiftly countered.

"Four hundred forty!"

"Four hundred fifty..."

"Are these two idiots?!" The audience was baffled at the numbers.

"Who would pay for such a weak elf? Despite her beauty, rarity, and reputation, she is not worth a ton of gold coins. A person can acquire a slight below exotic elf, like a noble princess that is a rank ten warrior, at a cheaper cost." a woman shook her head in dismay.

"Five hundred!" The imperial knight holds up his hand.

"Five hundred and twenty!" the fat noble exclaims. He actually got up from his seat. Amused by the two parties, the masked auctioneer taunts the crowd.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! The numbers! My golly, the numbers are going sky high! Are these the only two competitors for this bidding? Oh come on now! Shame on all of you! Don't you understand the important of this cutie?! Everyone else must be a chicken- they can't play with the big leagues."

"Six hundred and thirty." The outrageous number shuts everyone up. The imperial knight and the noble were dumbfounded at the sudden jump. A woman's voice cooly state her price. It was not a shout, it was an icy declaration. All eyes locked onto this new opponent. The auctioneer was in awe along with the elf. Heck, I was surprised at the sudden jump.

The woman in question has a strange hood over her head. I was unable to see her facial features, but I can tell that this person was of high rank. Honestly, I think everyone can say that she is extremely dangerous. The armor covering her body tells it all. It was like she was Noire. I think her name was Noire? The Dread Knight. The armor has an embodiment of a skull for her chest along with her shoulder pads. The greatsword's handle also has a skull as it rests on this woman's back. Underneath these skulls, I can see dark red plate armor. It hugs onto her body, showing her feminine qualities. Curves, her breasts, her ass, it defines her shape. Her torn up black cloak was connected to her hood.

"She's..."

"A champion. A dark side champion." someone whispered.

"What is a person like her doing here?" It seems like the imperial knights were shivering at this sudden enemy.

"...Darn." The noble sat back down. Did he forfeit? The imperial knight did not say anything. He dropped out as well? Can I really beat that? No... I think she's in safe hands... or I hope she is. Giving one last-

Why is she staring at me? Out of the good hundreds or thousand people in the crowd, her eyes are locked onto me. No... No! NO! Do not... Is she reading my mind? Why is she gazing at me like that! Oh god, it reminds me of my sisters! Blushing at the elf's round eyes, it seems like she wants ME to buy her. She wants me to save her. I must be hallucinating. Her gaze might be on- They are looking right at me. They are glued onto me. Stop it! Please, stop it! I can't help you, I already...

"Six hundred thirty thousand! Going once!" The auctioneer begins his countdown. I must stay strong! Turning away from the elf, I tried to walk away. Her stare is quite powerful. Look away! Look away! Peeking over my shoulder, I was met with a deadly attack. Those round puppy eyes are begging for my assistance! Why?! WHY ME!?

"Going twice..." The silence was deadly, but this exotic elf is doing some psychological strikes on me. She press her body against the cage, aiming her body at me. The thousand of people did not care about this slight action but I did! She is calling me out! I can hear a few mutters saying that the elf was a bit excited about this strong champion. No. They're wrong.

"Last call..." the auctioneer lets the word roll off his tongue. The crowd was in suspense. They were creating an uproar. At the same time, Leliatha screams my name.

"AISHA! PLEASE!" The nearby audience did not hear Leliatha's words, but I notice the eyes of all the elven slaves on me. They, too, have the same pleading look like Leliatha.

How did this happen? I got a feeling that this was Chaos' doing. She KNEW about this. Cursing at my own divine being, I took in a deep breathe.

"S-"

"Six hundred and fity!" I shouted this at the top of my lungs. A commotion broke out. People are bewildered by my declaration. If I get a scolding out of this, I will punish this Elenaril myself! I already have Leliatha to take care of! Damn it all! I do have a fucking soft spots for elves! This was bringing in a lot of unwanted attention. As a rank one warrior, this will raise a lot of eyebrows. Yep... I am making a scene again. I declare my price again. "Six hundred and fifty."

"Oh?" the champion gets up from her seat. Approaching me, I can see the bottom half of her face. She lets out a wicked smile. The audience clears out of her way like a boat cutting through water. Each steps she takes, the ground shakes. As I predicted, this woman was a powerful warrior. An aura ooze out of her body. My senses scream to me. They wanted me to run, but I stood fast. When she appears before me, we stared at each other. Or she can stare at me while I struggle. Sadly, the shadow of her hood hides her gaze. She raise a hand to her chin, amused by something. With her subtle movement, the skulls unleash a slight blue flames from their eye sockets. This made me jump at the sudden action. Laughing at me, she says, "This is just a silly feature of mine."

"So will you stand down?" Silly thing for me to say. I just want to end this as soon as possible.

"No, but I will say this, if you were on display, I wouldn't mind spending a good five million on you." Hearing those words, I knew I am doomed. Five million?! Is she saying that she has five million gold coins in her ring?! Alice pulls me away, stepping between me and this champion.

"You try that, I will save her no matter what." Alice, please! Control yourself!

"Oh? You're cute as well." The champion left her head and asked this. "You have an elf already, why do you want this one?"

"She is not a slave." I corrected her, pulling Alice away from this champion. "She is a companion of mine. My reason for obtaining this elf is my own." To be honest, I was guilted into this. I guess? Those cute eyes... They remind me of Jessica and Jennifer a bit too much.

"Even though your companions are appealing in their own way, you are a bit special. Can't say why though. Six hundred and seventy!"

"Oh? Since I am such a grand sight for you, I am flattered by your words. However, too many people want me already. I should raise my price to thirty million then. Seven hundred thousand!" Gasps and chattter erupt throughout the crowd. This was a rare sight indeed. Who was this rank one warrior challenging a goddamn champion of evil?

"Wait, I remember seeing her! She started some fight at the Adventurer's Guild in Zezrious yesterday!" WHO SAID THAT?! My head turned towards the huge audience. Great!

"What sort of fight? Was it like an argument?" a man joked. Some people laughed at this.

"No. She fought against a demigod and a high god at the same." corrected another voice.

"Bullshit!" a man exclaim, "No rank one warrior can do that!"

"She did!" a woman cried out, "I saw it, too!" As the crowd bicker between these 'rumors', the champion rubbed her chin.

"Interesting. Why don't we test it out?" My body froze at the champion's words. A deadly feeling engulf my body. There was also some strange sound coming off of her. Without any hesitation, I evade the unknown force coming at me and ran behind the champion. Snapping out of my actions, the champion was holding me in her arms. My face quickly burns up.

What just happened?

Answering my question, a gust roars through the place where I once stood. The gust was not that terrifying in terms of killing power. It did scare the living hell out of everyone. Alice and Leliatha were not prepared at all. They let out a cute scream before they calm themselves.

"You have enhanced hearing, and a stupidly high number for your agility. I am impressed at your actual strength. Anyways, clearing those rumors out of the way, what can you do to stop me from winning? Obviously, we both want this elf. You, being the clever girl you are, know that I have a lot of money. What will you do to stop me?"

I hate her. Even if she maybe the nicest person on the dark side, I really hate her. Struggling with my inner thoughts, I got the urge to win now. Maybe because I want revenge due to her little stunt. She did not need to prove anything to the masses, but I bet she did it out of curiosity. How can I win this- I could do it. It's a huge gamble, but this could work. The auctioneer did not care about the rumors or the sudden stunt the champion did. He started the countdown.

"Going once..." The champion was going to say something. Interrupting her, I propose my offer.

"You stop bidding, and I'll give you something good right here and now." The nearby listeners are puzzled. What was better than an exotic one of a kind elf? What sort of deal can a rank one offer to a champion? What sort of deal was this? Everyone knew I was stalling for time. Anyone in their right minds know how dangerous it is to fool a champion of this caliber. Their will be consequences for lies and wasted time. The champion, ignoring such logic, took a fancy to this.

"Oh? What do you plan to give me right now..." Before she could finish her sentence, I did it. Hell, all I will hear is the stupid rank one that did the unexpected.

I kissed her.

The audience was utterly speechless at my action. I pressed my lips against the woman. Since she is carrying me bridal style, I wrapped my arms around her. Pulling her in, I start to mimic the same actions I saw from before. Yes, the time when my mom kissed Brynhild and the time when Valarie kissed Brynhild. I did my darn best to imitate the same action. Even though I haven't kissed a girl before, my lips are moving on its own. It was like they knew how to do this. The first kiss I deliver was small. But then, it grew bigger, and more intense. I don't know why, but the feeling of my lips against hers was... intoxicating. It was new, but it felt so... good?

Once we got into the mood of things, we ignored the rest of our surroundings. My tongue went into her mouth, tracing the bottom of her lip. Soon, we started swallowing each other, making the kiss even more intense. I guess I can call it swallowing. How else can I describe this motion? There were moments where we pulled away from each other, but we locked our lips with each other all over again. Our tongues would explore each other's mouth or wrestle with one another. I can see and feel everything since I close my eyes. Everything seems so clear. The champion responded in earnest. Her participation in this auction hinted at her sexuality.

I had one of my hands move towards the back of her head. My fingers slides through her silky hair, pulling her deeper into our kiss. We can hear our soft breathing, our cheeks burning bright red. I tighten my embrace around her, as a bit of her saliva enters my mouth. Unexpectedly, she shoves her tongue a bit deeper into my throat. I let out a squeal. Giggling, she savors my cute reaction. As I slowly open my eyes, I can see her face. She pulls away for a bit as her bright light red ruby eyes gaze into my own. She, too, was an elf. By the complexion of her skin, she must be a dark or blood elf. Her porcelain skin highlight those luminous eyes. With dark grey hair, her bob stops around her neck. The bangs curving towards the right. The sheer beauty of these elves leaves me speechless. My heart is pounding like a drumline. By being this close and noticing the champion's charm, I cannot help myself. I was falling for her. My cheeks are growing redder by the second. Closing my eyes, the champion was going to deliver the kiss this time. Yet...

"...Hey. Hey. HEY!" The auctioneer interrupts our moment. Both of us had a face of agitation, directing our gaze at the masked man. "N-No offense champion, but the succubus in your hands won the bid. I-I have other things to do." What he meant to say was, 'let go of her, so I can get my money.' The champions grumbled something in a different language. I raise an eyebrow at this as she carries me towards the stage. Hold on. Did the auctioneer call me a succubus?

"Well, let me carry you backstage." the champion walks towards the stage. She pauses for a few seconds, giving me her opinion about my little offer, "That was... intense. For a kiss, it was way too good. Have you done it before?" Laughing nervously, she laughs at me. "So a virgin? You know, I am not mad at this defeat. Heck, I wouldn't mind if you come back and have some fun with me." I blinked at her new proposal.

""No."" I forgot about Alice and Leliatha- Oh no. This isn't good.

The two girls are sulking or jealous. I think both. Having some affection towards me, this will leave a dent. The champion can piece it together, saying, "You can't blame me for trying. And you two don't need to be salty about your friend here. She gambled against me and won. Did you want that poor girl to be under my wing?"

"Maybe." Alice muttered. Leliatha remain silent.

"S-Sorry." I apologized at my sudden action, "I-I'll make it up to you two..."

"Damn right." Eeek! Seeing Alice like this scares me! Diverting my attention from the evil glare, I wondered why this champion wanted this elf. Was she trying to save her? Once we are backstage, I brought it up.

"Why did you want the elf? To save her as well?"

"Something along those lines." the champion lets me down. "But I wanted her for my own little harem I have back home."

"Ahem." the auctioneer was standing beside the elf girl who got me in this predicament. Understanding his urgency, I hold up my hand with my storage ring. The auctioneer holds up a piece of paper. A money reader. A small golden line connects my ring to the paper. This small golden line allows the exchange of items. It is an easier and faster method compared to pulling out the said object. In this case, would I really want to pull out seven hundred thousand gold coins? The details on how this is possible escapes me. I never went to far into this concept. The money reader is a handy tool for these sort of exchanges. It is one of the many items, other than a storage ring, that can create this connection. Designed for gold coin storage only, it can read the exact number of coins inside of it. This prevents money fraud.

"Transfer seven hundred thousand gold coins." The line between my ring and the paper grows in volume for a split second before it retuns to its slim appearance. Pulling the paper away, the auctioneer says, "Please hold." The paper slowly reveals the number on its surface. Seven hundred thousand. He nods his head at me, acknowledging the end of our transaction. Bowing, he says, "I hope we can do business again... succubus woman."

"I am no succubus!" the man was already on his way, shrugging his shoulders. He already undid the shackles around the elf girl.

"T-Thank you." The little elf bows at me. My god, her voice is too soft and timid. Like an attack to my heart, I grasp my chest. The champion lets out a low whistle. Leliatha already moves in to give her a hug as Alice has a perplexed face. Not responding to her response, I was having an internal battle. In my mind, I know that the elf guilted me. She purposely used her cute appearance to get me to rescue her. I spent a good amount of gold coins as well. I was going to use that money on some investments.

"You guilted me..." I muttered. Am I mad about this? I don't know.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asks innocenetly. My body trembles in slight anger, but the next words washed away the anger, "A voice in my head told me to stare at you."

"Voice?" Leliatha says, "What voice? In your head?"

"I do not know. The voice told me to stare at the rank one warrior with silver hair. Also, she told me to say this, 'Do you like the gift?'" The innocence behind the elf has a dreadful impact on me. She's doing this on purpose?!

Goddamn it Chaos! This was your doing?!

"That explains the familiar feeling..." The champion rubs her chin, "Aren't you Aisha?" Confused by her sudden question, I gave her a yes and no response.

"Maybe. How do you know about Aisha?"

"My divine being, Xyelia, warned me about the new champion serving under Chaos. Xyelia says this to me, 'You will be having a very weird day. If you are kissed by some stranger, just know that the girl's name is Aisha. She is Chaos' champion.' My divine being says the most random things, so I ignored it. When we kissed, a notification told me otherwise."

So she knows. This is a bit awkward. Other than myself and Xyelia's champion, the other three were stunned by this revelation.

"She's a champion?!" Leliatha grabs her head, regretting her past attempt.

"You didn't tell me this." Alice grumbled.

"Wow..." The elf girl is staring at me with such... fascination.

"...what happens when two champions meet one another?" I am a bit worried about the consequences. Showing no change in her posture, the champion assures me with a light chuckle.

"Nothing really. In a city, you can carry on with your daily routine. A battlefield might be a different story. Some armies would have these champions. When both parties acknowledge each other's presence on the field, they can start a duel. When a duel is in progress, no other allies or enemies can interfere with this engagement. There are ways to disengage the duel, but I can state them at a later time. Also, unlike you, I cannot hide my aura. A champion has an air about them. The moment you saw me, I bet you knew I was a dangerous person. Use this to your advantage on your adventures."

I am failing in my sneakiness.

"I am curious about your real strength though. As a champion, especially for chaos, you have chaos magic." My expressions turns a bit foul. This is a secret that must be hidden at all cost. "Don't worry, champions will not publicly reveal the gifts of a champion. Still, how did you acquire such a magic? Chaos would not hand her magic so openly."

"A secret." I replied, lying through my teeth. She accepts it as the new elf coughs a bit.

"M-Master, what now?" I really hate that word.

"First, don't call me that." I ordered.

"Then mistress..."

"No. Try something else."

"Milady-"

"Call me Aisha! Just Aisha!" I yelled, "Jeez, I heard those words too many times back home. I..."

"S-S-Sorry A-A-Aisha..." She's soooo damn cute. Don't look at me like with those puppy eyes! Those adorable, round... Unable to control my urges, I pull the elf towards me. Wrapping my arms around her, I nuzzle the elf.

"There, there."

"Hey, you stole her away from me." I did snatch this cute elf away from Leliatha's embrace. Countering her, I asked her, "Who brought her?"

"You did."

"Who are you?" Alice address this to the champion.

"Morrin," she answers, "Morrin Evony. Since it's past noon, why don't we get lunch? I know of a great place for all of us. My treat."

"What is your aim?" Alice glares.

"Just want to know you cuties. I got a feeling that we will be together for a good while."

"Don't you have some important business here- Not saying that I don't appreciate your company. You are a champion for a dark divine being, right? Surely, you have some matters to attend to?" I pointed out.

"I am on break. Most of my duties lie in my home dimension. Because of the urgent Crusade, I was sent to aid in the defense. Along with that, I got a feeling that some parties will try to snatch your prize away from you. Best that I keep an eye on things. My presence will stir them away. I will walk you back to your place as well." She smiles at us, showing her selfless actions. I don't mind. Eyeing at my two comrades, Leliatha was fine with this idea. Alice said nothing. Turning towards my newest elven companion, I ask her, "What is your name?"

""E-Esta Lancester Silveria. I-I am in your care."

"Before we eat out, why don't we do something about her attires." We all glance at the elf. Nodding in agreement, we dragged our new companion to the clothing stores in Warrington...