Asuka looked at the creature in front of her. The feline stared right back with emerald eyes that were every bit as intelligent as any human’s. She shook her head a few times. It was hard to believe, but not quite impossible. No, even as strange of an occurrence as this meeting was, it wasn’t a fantasy. She had read accounts and details of Magical Beasts. While the wilds were forbidden territory for humans, some had ventured into them and survived to return, bringing with them knowledge of those who dwelled there. And thus, she had read of creatures with the intellect to match and even surpass human beings, along with nigh unfathomable Magic power. On the other hand, even among Magical Beasts, Shadow-Dwellers were special. Unlike others, they were not native to the world of humans at all. While details of them were sparse, it was theorized that they came from an alternate dimension. As for the creatures themselves, only a few had been seen and recorded. These few had all been noted to be mysterious and whimsical, sometimes choosing to aid people, other times simply watching in amusement as they suffered.

The thought of these latter incidents was on Asuka’s mind as she carefully backed away from Nya, as the Shadow-Dweller had identified himself.

“What do you want?” she asked. “Why are you here?”

“Ah, now the answer to that is an interesting story to be sure. It all began when a Vampire was punched with a sun.”

Asuka blinked. She had no idea what he was talking about.

“But that’s neither here nor there. The fact is, I’m here because I need your help.”

“My help?”

Nya sat down on the ground, his posture relaxed.

“Indeed. Not to put too fine of a point on it, but I’m dying.”

“D-dying?” Asuka echoed, face paling.

“Quite. You see, I’m not from around here. Existing in this world drains a great deal of energy from me, and without a constant supply of it, I will be unable to maintain my existence.”

“Why not go back to wherever you’re from?” Asuka decided to ask, cautiously.

“That would be the obvious solution, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s not an option. I can no longer return home. I’ve been… locked out, shall we say?”

Asuka considered what he had just said, putting it together with what she already knew. If the academic theories were correct, he was from an alternate dimension, and his statement about not being “from around here” seemed to confirm this. Which meant, if all that he was saying was true, he had been locked out of his home dimension.

Theoretically, inter-dimensional travel wasn’t possible by actual means available through known Magic. But that was Magic known by humans. A Shadow Dweller’s Magic was different. Given that others of that kind had come to Earth before, it stood to reason that they knew a way to go forth from dimension to dimension. Maybe some kind of Magic had been cast to prevent him from passing through such a portal, then? But if that was true, then it very likely wasn’t accidental. It was too complex for anyone to do by mistake. Which meant, someone had deliberately locked him out of his home world. There were any number of reasons why that could have happened. But for some reason, Asuka had a feeling she knew the answer.

“You were banished.”

Nya seemed slightly taken aback, but retained his composure, cleaning his claws quietly.

“You have good instincts,” he admitted. “But let’s be honest: I’m not the only one who’s unable to enter the place they want to go, am I?”

This time, Asuka was the one taken aback.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

The cat looked at her with all too knowing eyes. While they held the authority of one bargaining from a position of leverage, there was also some sadness in them.

“Unrequited feelings are always tragic. Never more so than when you’re tormented at the thought of losing the object of those feelings to someone else.”

Unbidden, an image of Sura flashed in Asuka’s mind, surrounded by Fiona, Alice and Yuki.

She replied with uncharacteristic force.

“That’s none of your business!”

Nya blinked slowly, calmly. He seemed completely unperturbed by her outburst.

“No, it isn’t,” he acknowledged. “But then, neither is my banishment any of yours, is it? Yet, ignoring each other’s plight is of no benefit to either of us. On the other hand, there is much to be gained from helping each other.”

Asuka frowned slightly. There were far too many things she didn’t know about Nya. He looked and felt sincere about what he was saying. And he had admitted to his banishment as well. But even so, she knew nothing about him. What were his true intentions? Was he actually dying? What kind of help did he need? And also…

“How do you know about that, anyway?” That was the question that had been eating away inside her from the moment he had first uttered those words.

He laughed lightly, and she had the distinctly uncanny experience of watching his alien features replicate an expression of amusement that she had only seen on human faces before.

“That you, a female, are attracted to the sole male living in this house, who also happens to be a strong, healthy and virile specimen, and has no known mate? How indeed.”

Asuka felt her cheeks practically burning, and had to struggle to not look away in embarrassment. It didn’t help that his specific choice of words immediately had her mind filled with all kinds of images. One of the things about living together was that one way or another, you ended up seeing your housemates a lot. More than once, she had snuck glances at him when he was training in the dojo, or run into him when he was grabbing a snack in the kitchen or picking up his laundry. For better or worse, Sura often wore nothing but a simple pair of shorts around the house. His defined pectorals and abs were in plain view. The fibres in his thick arms rippled with every movement, and his legs were like tree trunks. Of course, that wasn’t even counting what lay between those legs. A mere pair of shorts did absolutely nothing to hide it: even in its relaxed state, it pressed up against the fabric, its form clearly visible. Several times Asuka had caught herself staring at it with a mixture of wonder and nervousness.

She shook her head, even as the blush on her face grew.

The cat’s laughter only grew, and she glared at him.

“Well, it would be obvious from that alone, but the truth is, I knew for sure. You see, I have the power to read emotions. You could call it a kind of limited telepathy.”

Asuka immediately backed away.

“You read my mind?” she asked sharply.

“Only your broad emotions,” he answered. “I can’t actually see someone’s thoughts, only tell what they’re feeling, that’s all. You can be offended about that if you want. But the truth remains. As you humans say, you have it bad for that boy. And it’s not just physical, is it? There’s something more there too.”

“I-”

Asuka paused, and shook her head. Somewhere, she was aware that she should be feeling alarmed at someone being able to see into her mind like that. But the truth of what he had said was undeniable.

She really did like Sura.

She had, ever since the very first day they had met, when he had saved her, saved all of them, from being violated. Strong and invincible: that was what he had been, as he had faced the Mages who had attacked them, and beaten them down. Even after it was over, and he stood in front of the hall full of students, he did not back down. She had known from that very moment that he was kind. She knew firsthand just how terrifying Magic could be, and just how much courage it must take to willingly enter the fight. Since then, the only times she had truly felt safe at Elysium had been around him.

“And what if there is?” she found herself saying, quietly.

She had spent her entire life giving up on things, accepting that it just wasn’t her lot to have them. She was half expecting him to say something along those lines too: that it was pointless, she was wasting her time.

“There is nothing wrong with liking him,” said Nya.

Asuka looked at him in surprise.

Nya looked slightly uncomfortable. It was hard to tell, but Asuka had the distinct impression that he was scared of something.

“That is to say, in principle, there is nothing wrong with liking someone. As far as the boy, Sura is concerned, I think there is much you do not know about him. He is… different from other humans. Dangerous-”

“Yes.”

The feline turned towards Asuka. There was a look of absolute belief on her face as she said that word.

“He’s dangerous, that’s true. But only to those who’ve done something wrong. He would never hurt anyone without a reason. That much I know for sure.”

“You have that much faith in him?”

There was unusual strength in her eyes as answered.

“He is a good person.”

A moment of silence followed, then the Shadow Dweller sighed.

“Well, there’s no talking you out of it, then. I had a feeling that was the case, but I wanted to at least try, for your sake.”

His eyes gleamed.

“But if you’ve made your choice, then I can help you.”

“Help me?” she asked. “But how?”

Internally, Nya smiled. He had managed to get her interested.

“Well, really, it’s quite simple. The problem, as I see it, is that you believe you won’t be noticed by him. To be fair, the boy does seem quite the womanizer, so…”

“He is not!” she snapped angrily.

“Ehehe, sorry,” he apologized nervously. “I got a little ahead of myself there. But well, the fact remains, he gets a good deal of attention from the women around him, and given that fact, you think you’ll have a hard time being noticed.”

Asuka said nothing. Once again, he was right. It was hard standing out when she had spent her entire life doing the exact opposite. Moreover, everyone around her was special. Alice’s knowledge of Magic and skill with Artifacts was exceptional. Fiona was most likely a genius engineer. Yuki was considered the brightest Mage of her generation. And Asuka was… herself. She knew herself, her strengths, her weaknesses. She was a diligent academic, and knew more than the average person about most subjects. But she wasn’t a master at any one field.

As if he had read her mind, Nya’s next words were a teasing drawl.

“Do you know what that boy seeks?”

“What he seeks?”

“In order to be close to anyone, one must know them. In order to know someone, one must know their desires.”

“What Sura wants… is to beat down Mages.”

Nya grinned.

“Precisely. He is a warrior, on a battlefield. And warriors are always drawn to strong allies. What you need in order to stand next to him is strength.”

He stood up, raising his head proudly.

“And that, of course, is where I come in.”

She did not back away.

“And what can you do?”, she asked, heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

“Shadow Dwellers such as myself need a constant supply of life energy. We do not eat or drink as you do. We need to absorb the energy directly, and the only way we can do so is if it is willingly given to us.”

Asuka understood where he was going with this, and immediately tensed up. He noticed this, and was quick to explain.

“Not a huge quantity of it. For most healthy humans, including yourself, the amount of energy you would need to supply me would be easy to spare, and you would barely notice its loss. Perhaps the only change you’ll see is that you’ll fall asleep more easily and soundly at night. I require very little to sustain myself. Most times, I will not even be visible to others, living instead within your shadow.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” she replied.

Nya smiled once more, exposing gleaming white teeth that magnificently contrasted his jet-black frame.

“In order to supply me with life energy, the two of us will need to enter a Magical Contract as equals. According to this binding Contract, you will be my host, and I your visitor. And in exchange for your hospitality...

...I will grant you full access to all my powers.”

Asuka stared at him, teetering on the edge.

He had told him everything he was going to. She would have to make a decision, and make it now. She could feel butterflies in her stomach, nervous… but excited.

All my life, haven’t I given up on things I’ve wanted?

Just once, I want to try. I want to fight, so that I can have what I want.

Looking at Nya, she nodded once.

Stepping forward, the feline held out one paw. Unsure what exactly she was supposed to do, she reached out a hand and touched it. What felt like electricity ran through her body. Something within her changed. She wasn’t sure what exactly it was, but she did know what she was experiencing: the unmistakable feeling of power coursing through her. She felt invigorated. At the same time, she felt a connection had been forged with the being in front of her. Again, it was hard to describe, but it felt as though their very beings, their souls, were now connected on a primal level. As she looked on, Nya’s body began to shape-shift, morphing fluidly as though made of liquid, and flowing into her very shadow.

Much better, said Nya’s voice, inside her mind. He sounded extremely relieved.

You can speak in my mind? While it felt entirely natural, Asuka was still surprised by the revelation.

Well, given that our souls are connected, that's a logical outcome, wouldn’t you say?

I’m not sure how to feel about that.

You get used to it eventually. It’s actually very useful. You see, we can send all kinds of thoughts back and forth between us. Words, yes. But also images, sounds, sensations.

To illustrate the point, an image of wide, clean city streets and towering buildings appeared in Asuka’s mind. It was far too vivid and clear to be a photograph. No, the only way to get such a clear vision of something was to see it right in front of oneself. Asuka had never been to the place she was looking at, however.

That’s the 10th District of this Northern Kingdom. I’ve been there a few times.

Interesting…

So that was the power of telepathy. The ability to share a thought or a memory so directly, so clearly, one experienced it almost as though it were their own.

I don’t feel as if you’re drawing any energy from me.

As I said, if I do not need much just to sustain myself. On the other hand, you’ll find that drawing on my powers directly will require a bit more. Go on, give it a try.

Asuka blinked in surprise.

I can just… do it? Just like that?

You are my host. My powers are yours to use as you see fit. I can still wield them myself, of course, but where our thoughts differ, yours will prevail. Now go on, try it. Whatever you can imagine, just think of it. I will take care of the rest.

Asuka nodded. Unsure how this was going to work, she tentatively stretched out her hand towards a bookshelf a few feet away, and imagined lifting it up. It was a feat well beyond her physical strength: the shelf was big and heavy, even when empty. Immediately in response to her thoughts, a shadowy tendril shot out from her hand, and wrapped around the entire bookshelf, lifting it off the ground with ease. Her eyes widened in wonder. Not quite believing what she was seeing, she moved her arm, and the tendril mirrored her motion, moving the bookshelf through the air. She gasped aloud, fascinated. Eager to see what she could do, she moved her arm in various ways, and the tendril continued to follow her movements, waving the shelf around in the air. It took a few minutes before she realized she should stop. Pointing her palm towards the wall, she directed the shadow-limb, and it returned the shelf to its proper place.

So that’s Magic? It’s… incredible.

Nya laughed in her mind.

It’s different from the Magic humans possess, but yes. It is quite something, isn’t it?

Asuka nodded. She felt pleasantly warmed up, as though she had spent a few minutes jogging lightly. That must be the results of the increased energy expenditure Nya had told her about. She was far from tired; she had plenty left in the tank, and a burning excitement unlike anything she had felt before.

What else can you do?

So much more, he answered. If you can imagine it, I can make it happen.

Asuka jumped giddily. It was an unusual thing for her, but then again, never before had anything like this ever happened with her. She felt happy. Happier than she could remember feeling in a long time. With this, finally, she had power. She could fight, and take care of herself. She didn’t need to be afraid all the time. And she would finally be noticed by Sura.

Ah yes, the boy. That actually leads me to my second bit of advice.

And what’s that? Asuka’s curiosity was piqued.

You hold back too much. Always staying silent, concealing your feelings. The truth is, getting a boy’s attention isn’t hard at all.

It isn’t?

Not at all.

Before she could reply, the shadow under her feet solidified and slid along the ground. She nearly fell backwards from inertia, but was caught by more shapes that had shot out of it to support her. Before she knew it, she had been carried along until she was standing right in front of the wardrobe mirror in her room.

You see…

Shadowy fingers emerged from the shapes holding her, and unbuttoned her blazer with smooth movements. Asuka wasn’t sure what was happening, but the shadow shapes hugging her body stood her upright and pulled back her arms gently. Within a second, they had taken off her blazer.

Boys are quite simple.

With more deft movements, tendrils of shadow began to unbutton her shirt, even as she watched the sight unfold in the mirror in front of her.

What are you doing? She asked, alarmed.

Getting you ready.

Some of Nya’s limbs continued to work on her shirt, while others began to gently caress her. Just a light touch at first, so light that Asuka thought it must have been an accident. Then, a longer, more sustained contact. A tendril curled under one of her breasts, and slowly lifted it up, cupping it. Surprised, she definitely wasn’t ready for another one to press down on her other breast at the same time, squeezing it towards her body. The simultaneous stimulation caused her to let out an involuntary squeak. It was overwhelming. Before she knew it, the tendrils had taken off of her shirt, causing her breasts to flop out, only partially covered by a lacy blue bra that left little to the imagination. The tentacle-like limbs wrapped around them, squeezing, caressing, cupping. Assailed by the pleasure, she had no choice but to let out a gasp.

At the same time, yet more limbs found the clasp in her skirt, and unhooked it. She felt the fabric fall to the floor. All of a sudden, she was standing clad in nothing but her lingerie and the black school stockings. She stared at the sight of herself in the mirror. Asuka had never been confident in her appearance. While her parents had always doted on her as their “beautiful daughter”, she had never felt the same way herself. At school and outside the house, she kept a low profile, wearing the dullest clothes she could find, to blend in. For a Flawed, attention was never a good thing. Before long, the facade had become what Asuka saw herself as. And certainly, there was never a reason to look past that: after all, who would be interested in a Flawed anyway? Any Mages who looked her way could not have any good intentions in mind. She avoided the boys at school for that very reason. And so things had become.

Now, as she stood in front of the mirror, Asuka looked at herself properly for the first time in a long while. She was on the shorter side, and had just a hint of chubbiness to her frame. Far from detracting from her figure, it added to it. Her slim waist curved out wonderfully at her wide hips. Her thighs were delightfully thick: the stockings dug into them, showing just a hint of how soft they were. Further up, still tingling and hot from the stimulation were her big, firm tits. Practically spilling out of her bra, they somehow still retained perkiness despite their size. She turned slightly to the side, giving herself just a glimpse of her round, juicy ass. Completing the package was a cute face. At some point of time, Nya must have taken off her glasses. Without them, a pair of bright doe eyes stared back at her from the mirror. Gentle, smooth features, cute plump lips, even her bob cut hair: the very things her friends playfully teased her about made her irresistible.

Much to her surprise, Asuka saw a blush appear on her cheeks. She also felt a warm sensation between her legs. Looking at her reflection, the slight dampness she saw in her panties only made the blush on her face grow.

Do you see what I mean?

Nya’s voice snapped her back to reality.

“Kyaa!”

She squeaked as one of the shadow tendrils snaked its way into her panties. It brushed against her folds lightly, sending an electric shock through her.

You’re a maiden any man would be lucky to have. You just needed to see that for yourself, first.

That’s… enough. I- I…

I’m inside your mind, remember? I know you’re not actually asking me to stop.

I’m… not.

It was true. Joined as she was to Nya, she had sensed his intentions before he had begun doing this, and she also knew why he was doing it in the first place.

It’s not me you want to see you like this. It’s him.

Sura…

It was true. She wanted him to see this. See her. All of her. This was meant for him, and him alone.

Well, then, what are you waiting for? He’s right within your reach. Go pay him a visit. Ah, but you need to dress for the occasion. The clothes come off in the end, but they do serve to set the mood, don’t they?

Knowing what was coming, Asuka slowly spread her legs. Shadowy limbs slowly pulled down her panties, while yet more undid her bra. She wanted Sura so badly. She could barely wait for him, and so the idea they had come up with, both their minds working as one. An outfit that would leave no doubt as to her intention, while keeping her in the throes of the pleasure she was feeling right now.

The tendrils snaked up her legs. At her command, they entered her.

Sura took a deep breath and held it, bracind his core. With an effort, he pushed his arms upwards, extending them all the way to the top and locking out, holding the position for a second before lowering them slowly. He exhaled. Walking forward, he racked the barbell, Enhanced iron plates ringing like hammers on anvils. He felt the pleasant sensation of blood filling his shoulders and triceps, and flexed a few times. Satisfied, he walked over to the filter and grabbed himself a glass of water, drinking it down gratefully.

“Not bad at all,” he said.

He’d been feeling energized since he had found his new goal of surpassing Level Fours with his base strength. He still had a way to go before he achieved that goal, but the day’s workout had gone well. A little at a time, consistently, regularly chipping away. That was the way to move forward. There wasn’t a mountain in existence that hard work couldn’t scale. He wiped off some of the sweat with a towel, and decided to go take a shower. Closing the dojo’s door, he was about to head up the stairs to his room when he sensed a familiar Ki signature behind him. For some reason, it felt a little different from usual. He decided to turn around and greet her, only to encounter a sight that left him speechless.

“A-Asuka?!”

“Hello, Sura.”

It was his first time actually hearing his name from her lips. Usually, she was so shy, she barely spoke to him at all. It had reached the point where he occasionally wondered if she was uncomfortable around him. Yet, that couldn’t be true. After all, she was walking towards him right now. That in itself wasn’t alarming. No, it was the fact that she was wearing practically nothing.

Her smooth skin glistened from a thin film of sweat as she sauntered forwards, bare body in full view. The only clothing (if it could be called that) was a tiny black fabric of some kind. Two thin strips held up her breasts, which jiggled and bounced with every movement. From under the cloth, a hint of pink was visible on each mound. Lower down, the fabric came together in a “v” shape that seemed designed specifically to draw Sura’s eyes downwards. He felt his breath hitch when he noticed that it barely covered Asuka’s special place at all. Instead, the fabric seemed to actively be pressing against her folds, accentuating their shape. It might have been a trick of the eyes, but Sura thought he saw it move for a second, pushing into her. A thin stream of translucent liquid was rolling down her thighs.

Sura felt his groin harden instantly as what felt like all the blood in his body rushed to it. His member rigidly pushed against his training shorts, threatening to burst through. On any other occasion, he would have immediately turned around to avoid having Asuka see him in this condition. But given the situation, there was no point in doing so. Indeed, he couldn’t bring himself to look away from her.

“My, my. I don’t think I’ve ever had your undivided attention before. I won’t lie: it feels delicious. I think I’ll keep it forever.”

Something was very, very different about her. She never spoke so confidently, much less in a sultry tone practically dripping allure and lust. He felt a strong urge to ignore all such thoughts. His organ shuddered, straining against his pants.

Had Sura lived a different life, perhaps that would have been it. He would have given in, and succumbed to the feelings strongly drawing him towards the girl who was now less than three feet away from him.

But Sura could not forget.

Within his mind, his own voice bitterly whispered.

Good things aren’t meant for you. If it seems too good to be true…

“... It’s because it isn’t”, he finished aloud.

He liked to think of himself as a reasonable man, a tolerant man.

But there were a few things he couldn’t forgive.

And one of them was using others for one’s own purposes.

Reaching out with his index finger, he casually stabbed it right through the concrete wall next to him.

“I don’t know who you are, but you aren’t Asuka. Consider this your only warning. Let her go…

Or I’ll put you through hell.”

In front of him, the Shadow Dweller that was now bound to Asuka trembled in the depths of his soul.

What incredible life energy… at his level, it’s no longer the energy needed to sustain life. It’s a weapon, truer and deadlier than any spear or sword.

Even as he thought that, he noted the shock and despair emanating from his host, and reassured her.

His anger is directed towards me, not you. You trust him, don’t you? Then you have to trust him to the end.

I do! I trust him with my life. But he seems so angry…

It’s because this is so different from how you normally are. But you have to push on through. Show him that things can never go back to being what they were. You won’t be ignored again.

Asuka nodded, and held Sura’s gaze.

“There’s no one holding me, Sura. This is me. All of me. See for yourself.”

She spread out her arms, hands open, welcoming.

Sura blinked.

He focused, hard. With Magic, his other senses could be deceived. But not his ability to sense Ki. The life energy in front of him right now was definitely Asuka’s. But something was different about it.

“You’re different somehow,” he said in a much gentler voice. “Something’s changed, hasn’t it?”

Of course, Asuka would never lie to him. She nodded.

“I… it’s hard to explain, but I’m not alone in here anymore,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

Asuka had already made her choice, but she decided to tell Nya anyway.

We should let him know.

She was greeted by surprise and fear. While Nya kept most of his own mind private, she was still able to catch a glimpse of what scared him. The unfathomable mindscape he had witnessed, which belonged to Sura. She took in the sight of it for a whole second, saying nothing. Then…

Is that all?

D-do you even understand what you saw? This is the reason I was cautious of the boy. I will never force my host to give up on the one they truly desire, which is why I help you. But even so, I remain wary, because something dwells inside that boy. Something beyond my comprehension.

Asuka shook her head, smiling slightly.

You’ve seen into my mind too, haven’t you?

I have no idea what you think Sura is or might be, or what power you’re afraid of. But if there’s anyone in the world who would never hurt an innocent, it’s him.

… So you’ll trust him to the end, then? With your life? With both our lives?

I believe in him.

She felt him acquiesce to her wishes, and a moment later, the shape of her shadow changed, morphing into the feline form of Nya.

Sura blinked, staring at the creature.

The Ki he felt from it was Asuka’s, yet not hers. It was as if the two life energies were intertwined, inseparable.

“Who are you?” he asked.

Nya’s back was hunched, his tail up high and arched, slits narrowed.

“I’m a guest from another dimension in this limited, mortal world of yours. I am…”

“This is Nya,” said Asuka, interrupting him.

He shot her a brief look of betrayal before returning his attention to the boy, still wary.

“You’re a Shadow Dweller,” said Sura.

“How do you know-”

“I read books from time to time.”

“Is that so? Well, here is what your books don’t mention, then. I’ve entered into a Contract with your friend here. Just so we’re clear, I’ll say this now: I’m on Asuka’s side, not yours. The moment you become a threat to her-”

“You’ll what?” Sura interrupted, red and blue lightning flashing around him. “The moment you become a threat, this will become a no-cat zone.”

“Every word you say proves how dangerous you are. Don’t you see? Asuka and I are bonded. While I can protect her, I’m not invincible. And any damage I take requires life energy to heal. Life energy the Contract will automatically supply me. If you fatally wound me somehow, you’ll be killing both of us.”

Sura’s eyes widened. He looked at Asuka. When he spoke, for the very first time since they had met, she heard hesitation and uncertainty in his voice.

“Why… why would you do such a thing?”

“Because I don’t want to just watch,” she replied softly. “I’m tired of watching life pass me by. I’m tired of giving up on what I want. I want to be able to fight by your side. That way…”

A note of desperation entered her voice.

“That way, I can stay by your side!”

Sura’s eyes widened even further, and for a brief moment, he couldn’t stop long suppressed and hated memories from resurfacing. He pushed them back down immediately. But as he did so, he looked into Asuka’s eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was lacking its usual confidence. He sounded much more like an eighteen year old boy, and less like a hardened veteran who had survived hundreds of street fights.

“You’d go that far for me?”

“You have no idea how far I’d go,” answered Asuka. At her mental command, Nya returned to her, and their shadow morphed once more. In addition to her one-piece body suit, further articles of clothing now formed: shadow gauntlets and greaves on her arms and legs.

“If you won’t see me as a woman, then I’ll make you see me as an ally!”

This was the last resort, a desperation strategy she and Nya had both wanted to avoid. But when it had come to this, Asuka would go through with it. She knew Sura was close to unbeatable. Even with Nya’s power, she didn’t think she could do it… under normal circumstances. But Sura would never hurt her. He’d never fight her seriously. And so, the one in a trillion chance had appeared: a chink in the invincible warrior’s defences.

She didn’t need to win. She just needed to make him acknowledge her.

With Nya’s Magic bolstering her physical abilities, she leapt forward. She had never thrown so much as a single punch in her life. But Nya had thousands of years of battle experience, and being linked allowed him to control her movements in response to her thoughts and choices.

A black-covered fist shot towards Sura.

It was slow enough that he would normally have caught the punch, and gone on to crush the fist that delivered it. But that wasn’t an option here.

He dodged, weaving his head to the side then stepping backwards, out of range.

“What’s the matter, Sura? You’re not as sharp as usual today!”

More attacks, each of which he somehow dodged. Magic-enhanced blows struck the walls, floor and ceiling, leaving cracks and shaking the house.

Shit! Thought Sura. Sensei’s going to kill me.

Wait, that’s it! Sensei! She’ll have a way to deal with this! In fact, with this racket, she should be here any second-

It was at this exact moment that Sura remembered that Mizuki was not on campus at all. Some work had come up, and she had left urgently just an hour ago. She wouldn’t be back for a week.

That’s not good.

He saw a roundhouse kick coming, and decided to try a different strategy.

Sura’s striking was based off Karate and Boxing, and most of the moves he used were hard moves. For example, his go-to defence against a kick would be to block it with his leg or arm. In both cases, shadow-covered or not, Asuka’s leg would likely be broken.

However, Karate had other moves too.

Taking a step back, he leaned backwards, allowing the kick to pass by harmlessly. As he did so, he parried it with his palm in the direction of the initial force rather than against it, causing Asuka to overbalance and stumble. Seizing the opportunity, he stepped forward immediately and wrapped his arms around her neck.

Judo technique: Hadaka-jime

A strike was an explosive application of power. Even when holding back, it was possible to use too much. Use too much, and the opponent is injured. Use too little, and there is no effect. In contrast, a grappling move allowed one to regulate force as needed.

Specifically, the Hadaka-jime was a choke that cut off blood flow to the brain, rendering the opponent unconscious. Sura kept his grip tight enough that she couldn’t move easily, but loose enough to let some blood through. In addition, he kept his feet planted and leaned back, lifting Asuka off the floor and making sure she wouldn’t try to throw him.

From here, it was a matter of negotiation.

Asuka and that damned cat-creature would see that victory was impossible, and give up. Tightening his grip was a last resort, but he was confident he could safely render her unconscious if needed, without hurting her.

The excitement of a fight, the tension and worry for Asuka, and Sura’s own tendency to occasionally mouth off to opponents came together at that precise moment. And of course, that was the precise moment Alice and Fiona both ran into the hall, having made their way down when the house began to shake and they heard what sounded like jackhammer impacts.

And so it was that when the two girls arrived at the hall, what they saw looked like Sura holding aloft a practically naked Asuka, saying, “Give it up already! Struggling is pointless.”

Sura turned his head, and his eyes met those of his classmates.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“... This isn’t what it looks like.”

“Fiona, call the police.”

“Already on it.”

“I just said this isn’t what it looks like!” shouted Sura. “Do you not see that she’s literally wearing her own shadow? Does that look like something that would normally happen?”

“He’s delusional too. I hear mental illness is common in criminals,” said Alice.

“That’s what I’ve heard too,” agreed Fiona.

“This is fucking ridiculous,” said Sura. “There is literally no way this could get any worse.”

Right on cue, Asuka chose that very moment to speak.

“Mmm… this is a little aggressive for our first time, Sura, but I don’t mind. You can do me harder if you like.”

Sura’s face grew bright crimson and he let go of his grip immediately.

He wasn’t the only one either. Alice and Fiona were both staring, jaws open, faces practically glowing red.

“A-Asuka?!?!”

“W-w-what the hell’s wrong with ya?”

The girl smiled. She was perfectly unharmed of course. As expected, Sura’s control over his strength was flawless. That, and his concern for her, of course. She felt elated at the care with which he had held her. Looking at her two friends and rivals, she gave them her absolute best saucy grin.

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me. I’m done pretending, that’s all. If you don’t want him, that’s all the better for me: because I’m not giving him up.”

Looking at Sura, she licked her lips.

“We’re just getting started.”

Sura’s own jaw dropped. As he looked on, Asuka began to saunter towards him again, while behind her, both Alice and Fiona began to reach into their pockets, presumably for whatever Crystals they were carrying. In other words, he was watching his sane life crumble in front of him.

Before either of the other two girls could actually pull out their weapons, however, tendrils of shadow had wrapped around them both, immobilizing them.

“Now, now. I don’t mind some competition among friends, but I’m not going to lose here, so I insist you two sit this one out.”

“What the… what is this?” yelled Fiona, alarmed.

“How are you doing this?” shouted Alice, struggling.

Asuka smiled.

“I made a new friend. He’s quite helpful.” She turned back to Sura. “Now then… where were we?”

Sura watched her approaching him.

The situation had gotten completely out of hand, escalated beyond all control.

This isn’t Asuka… she would never do something like this…

Even as he thought that, however, he couldn’t help but note that he knew from experience that in extraordinary circumstances, people often revealed hidden traits, sides of them they kept concealed in everyday life. That was simply the nature of the world: it forced people to bury parts of themselves, so that they wouldn’t be seen.

Ki didn’t lie.

He knew that the being in front of him was definitely Asuka. He also knew by now that she was acting of her own free will. While he couldn’t stand that cat-creature, he did not sense any treachery or deception from him. He wasn’t controlling her mind or anything of the sort.

This is a side of Asuka that she keeps hidden.

Why?

He knew the answer of course, knew it all too well.

The world could be cruel. It was the most cliched thought in existence, but that didn’t make it false. The world was definitely cruel, and the world of humans was no different. People laughed, people mocked, and people stepped on each other. They belittled and put down anyone who was different, anyone who was the same. They picked on the strong, and on the weak. The smart and the stupid. They laughed at people who didn’t dream. And they laughed at those who did. They laughed at those who desired something. At those who reached out for it.

He knew this from personal experience of course.

For just a brief moment, he couldn’t help but look back on a past he had decided never to remember, but a past he had never quite been able to forget.

A boy who wanted to be accepted. It was a naive, foolish desire, a tale as old as time, but it was honest.

Meaningless. The past means nothing to me.

He viciously tore down any images of times spent in middle school, of people who had smiled and made promises. He could never change what had already happened. He couldn’t change the world either. But he could always, always change himself. Make his own choices, and decide how to face the unfair world.

Have I ever really looked at Asuka?

The answer, unsurprisingly, was a no.

When he had first come to Elysium, his goal had been exceedingly simple: beat down the best Mages in the school, and destroy anyone who gets in his way. He’d had absolutely no intention of making friends at all. And then, he’d met his classmates, and everything had changed. Things happened, fast, and he hadn’t had time to question them, or think about them.

What are the three of them to me?

What is Asuka to me?

He looked back on everything he knew about her, on all of the moments he had shared with her. He truly never had properly looked at her, much less been aware that she had any feelings for him whatsoever. A long time ago, Sura had decided he would always be content with being “the weird guy”. It was fine for him. He lived from one fight to the next anyway. The very thought that anyone could possibly like him had simply never occurred to him since the day he’d made that decision. And so, he had been completely blind to Asuka.

She would go so far as to make a Contract with a Shadow-Dweller for power, just to be able to risk her life in battle with him.

“If you won’t see me as a woman, then I’ll make you see me as an ally!”

That’s right, I never saw her as a woman. I didn’t see anyone as a woman, because I wasn’t looking at women at all.

Asuka had always had these feelings bundled inside her. Suppressed. Forced to live with being ignored. It must have been hard. The Dweller’s mind was joined with hers. He might not be consciously controlling her, but there was also indirect influence. Maybe he had convinced her to give this method a try. Or maybe, deep down, she had feared she wouldn’t have a chance without this method, and the Dweller’s power was what had allowed her to act on that buried fear.

Either way, Sura knew what he must do.

As she walked towards him, he walked forward to meet her.

“It must have been hard for you,” he said. “I had no idea.”

“Is this another tactic? You should give it up, Sura. We’ll fight properly, until one of us submits.”

“We won’t fight at all,” he replied. “I see you as a woman.”

Asuka halted in her advance, staring at him in disbelief. Her eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and hope.

“You came all the way to me,” he continued. “As a man, I can’t just ignore that. You can let those two go. They don’t need to see what comes next.”

“What comes… next?”

As he approached, her eyes gravitated towards the massive object between his legs. His member was bulging, squeezed tight against the training shorts that were barely enough to cover its length, which reached almost his mid-thigh. Its girth was thicker than Asuka’s forearm. She gulped nervously, even as she stared at it, transfixed. Looking up to his face, she saw that the look of unconcealed lust from earlier was back.

Yet, it was different, somehow. More gentle, yet stronger.

Asuka was rooted in place, unable to move as she waited for him to get closer, goosebumps running through her body. Unknowingly, she instinctively sealed off her mind from Nya. What was between her and Sura was between the two of them alone, and for no one else. Thus, the Dweller lost access to her thoughts. Alarmed by this, he took over the management of the battle completely. As Sura entered his range, he summoned a vast quantity of his shadow-matter, forming a dome around both him and Asuka, trapping them inside. Unable to read Sura’s mind, he was sure this was some kind of trick, and he would once more attempt some kind of hold or choke to render her unconscious. If that was the case, he would force him to defend by striking him with attacks from all angles inside the dome.

As soon as the shadow-dome was complete and sealed, Nya believed that the victory was his.

And thus, he was completely unprepared for what was coming next.

Reaching out a hand, Sura grasped Asuka’s breast firmly. Her “battle suit” covered next to nothing, and he could feel her glorious, soft skin directly. Taken completely by surprise, Asuka moaned in pleasure. Encouraged by this, Sura squeezed harder, his fingers all but sinking into the abundant flesh of her mound. Pulling her closer, he put his other hand to work as well, toying with both breasts at the same time.

“Kyaaaa!”

Asuka squealed from the relentless stimulation, arching her back and pulling him closer, even as he kneaded, groped, cupped and jiggled her wonderful boobs in every way he could imagine. When his hands had had their fill, he slipped them lower down, caressing her delightful, curvy body on the way. Reaching her ass, he groped tightly, relishing the feeling of those heavenly buns. He lifted her off the ground for better position, even as he pressed his face against her tits, kissing them.

To Nya’s alarm, he felt his powers being taken control of, and the strips covering Asuka’s nipples disappeared.

Sura paused for a moment to take in the sight of them, slightly surprised by what he saw. The skin at the top of each mound was dark and had the signature texture of areolae, but the nubs of nipples did not protrude outwards. Instead, he could see them depressed, just under the skin.

“Are… are they strange?” she asked nervously.

He shook his head.

“They’re beautiful.”

Without ado, he latched onto one, kissing it gently before running his tongue all over it. Mewls and groans told him he was doing something right, and he decided to repeat the process on its twin. Some way through it, he was surprised when he felt the nubs rising. Pulling away for a second, he saw that her nipples were hard and very much visible. Tentatively, he touched one of them with his tongue. Immediately, shivers ran through Asuka’s entire body. He grinned slightly, and did it again.

“Nnnnggghh!!!!”

“I think I’ve found your weak spot,” he said.

“Don’t tease me,” she said, panting into his shoulder.

“Why not? It’s a lot of fun. And we’ll be spending a lot of time together, so I might as well do it.”

His cock was harder than stone, and he could actually hear a slight tearing sound which he knew was from his pants giving way to it. He adjusted his grip on her, supporting her with one arm for a moment while he used his free hand to lower his shorts, and finally set the raging boner free. No longer constrained, it stood proudly up, its head brushing against Asuka’s pussy. Immediately, she once again took control of Nya’s powers, removing the “fabric” covering her special place, much to the Dweller’s dismay.

“Mmm… you’re soaking wet down there.”

He slid the tip of his dick against her folds. She shivered uncontrollably in his arms.

He had a feeling she was close to the edge. He knew he was close to his own limit too: he’d been hard ever since this incident had started. He wanted to enter her, fill her up while her warm walls wrapped around him. He wanted it so bad it hurt. But going all the way in these circumstances didn’t really appeal to him. He wanted to make that a bit more special, for both of them.

It was around this moment that Asuka, whose mind was reeling from the pleasure, finished processing what he had said earlier.

“Sura, you said we’d be spending a lot of time together…”

“I did.”

“What… does that mean…”

He slid his meat-rod along Asuka’s pussy, making her squirm.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m not a one-and-done kind of guy. You were brave, you know. Braver than me, for sure. I can’t imagine just saying how I feel like that, with honesty. I like that. And I like you.”

Asuka’s heart swelled, and she felt warmth fill her entire body.

Unable to hold back anymore, she kissed Sura, opening her mouth fully and meeting his tongue with hers. Even as she did that, Sura reached with one hand between her cheeks, and found that sweet, sweet pussy. Slowly, he entered her with one finger, moving it at a steady rhythm.

“Mmmphh!”

Asuka moaned into his mouth even as they kissed, and he raised the pace, pistoning into her faster. Both of them, close to the edge as they were, didn’t take long to come.

With a squeal, Asuka squirted spurt after spurt of her juices onto Sura’s dick. The sensation of her fluids drenching him, and the knowledge of having made her come pushed him to his own climax, and he shot his load, groaning in pleasure as he did so.

The two of them breathed heavily against each other for a while, until Sura decided to pull his pants back up, covering his now sated monster. Slowly, he lowered Asuka back to the ground on her feet. Right away, he felt her legs giving way, and held on to her until he was sure she could stand.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered. “Just exhausted.”

The shadow suit was completely gone, leaving her fully nude. The dome surrounding them was still present though. She had cut off her mind from Nya completely while doing it. Now that her mind was a bit clearer, she was a bit relieved to find that she had the ability to do so. While she appreciated the Dweller for his help, there were things she still wanted to be able to keep private.

Speaking of…

You saw all of that, didn’t you?

… Yes. The mating habits of you humans never cease to amaze me.”

You won’t speak of this. Ever. Also, when we do this the next time, find a way to not see it.

Nya grumbled, but did not argue. It was her decision after all. He had known he wouldn’t be able to convince her to give up on the boy. So, he had wanted to take advantage of their plan, and at least secure a victory over him. With that much, he could feel at least slightly safe around a being whose feelings he couldn’t read at all.

But, that had failed too.

Sura had defeated him completely.

But, he had still managed to find a host, and avoid dying. So it wasn’t a total loss after all.

“Hey, cat,” said Sura, interrupting his thoughts.

“The name is Nya!” reverberated the angry voice in the dome.

“Whatever. Cover her up again. Properly.”

“... There are literally only two women in this room besides us right now.”

“Yeah, boy, girl, it doesn’t matter. I’m possessive that way,” said Sura flatly. He would have a lot of explaining to do, but on that count at least, he wasn’t going to budge.