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After the colorful caravan in front of them entered the town, it was Favio’s turn to be inspected before entering the town.

“Halt! State your intentions.”

An excessively massive guard calls out to Favio. His armor was dyed with intimidating red by the sunset.

“I-Umm…”

“You what?”

Suspicion began to surface on the guard’s face, his face could be compared to a demon’s.

(Pathetic… The trash are even stronger than him so why fear him?)

Bakunawa’s condescending voice echoed throughout Favio’s soul, ironically increasing his fear even more.

(He's scary!!! He’ll kill me if I do something strange.)

Favio frantically thought of everything to say as he squirms around in fear.

“I just caught bandits and I would like to turn them in and I also like to stay for the night and (I'm shitting myself…) ummm...”

The guard started glaring harder at Favio as he tries to shrink away.

“Ey Jay!!”

The guard’s interrogative air became one for killing as the bandit came out of the carriage untied.

“WHAT?”

Favio screamed.

“You son of a bitch! WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THIS? Your trap is clear as water, there's no way that this kid could kill you all, let alone restrain.”

The guard along with a few others drew their swords, glaring at Favio's group.

“It's’actually ’is Familiar that took us out. Damn, tha’thing never took a step. You tie too loose, kid.”

“I don't trust you… and your suspicious faces. Drop your weapons and come with me! You can leave the cart behind the guard staton”

“I'm goin to surrender anyway, Jay’s straight-laced as ever…”

Favio with Bakunawa on his arm emerged from the gallows right after their interrogation.

He feared that he might be misunderstood but it turns out big villages or rather towns have their own truth stones, a clear crystal that changes color whenever it hears lies.

Those truth stones saved Favio but it also tried to kill him. It turns out truth stones are very expensive... And shiny.

Bakunawa nearly ate it however Favio stopped her at the very last moment. And after that, there was a painful lecture on the Common Encantado laws.

The Common laws were the laws that all the villages that are united under the Encantado banner follow.

Favio listened attentively in order to learn common sense since his village was never a part of the Sovereign of Encantado but… For most part, it was that he was afraid to piss off Jay.

“You nearly killed me! I want my travels to be smooth but you keep on ruining it. First, you dropped me in the middle of nowhere. Then, you almost turned an entire town against me.”

“Boy… Just look at the good side, we are alive.”

Favio walked through the main street of the town as he walks to where the wagon is parked.

(I wonder what's the name of this town?)

(It's Halvert, boy)

“Shut up! I'm nearly broke because you ate the everything of value in the wagon, including the carabao… And it was on the span of 10 seconds I looked back, 10 SECONDS... ”

“I'll give you power for compensation anyway so why are you so angry?”

“You said you won't let me ride on you then you ate our carabao plus I'm not qualified as a caravan guard because you won't fight for some reason. How are we supposed to travel now?”

“Wait, I never told you I won't take you. What I said was I won't fly to Cagayan. If transportation is your worry, then I can pull the cart for you.”

They went ahead and entered a vacant wagon space, there was nothing there but their wagon. It was strangely vacant but there were so many carts entering the town when he came in. Maybe there's other cart parks in this town.

“This is a perfect place…”

Bakunawa murmured as she uncoiled as she transformed into her Diwata and sat out the wagon's front seat cross-legged.

“Boy, this is the perfect place for your training.”

“Okay, I'll do a few Eskrima exercises before sleep-”

“That's not enough, you are very lacking!”

“I already mastered all techniques though… And I know my limits. Can you tell me, Bakunawa? Where am I lacking?”

Bakunawa’s eyes sharpened, her irises turned into that of a reptile's as the sunset’s remnant reflects off her eyes.

“Ohohoho… You don't see it, huh. Listen closely…”

Favio nods then Bakunawa takes a deep breath.

“First, you fight too fairly. Why can't you assume from the beginning that enemies could fight dirty? If you did that, you could have defeated the girl flawlessly.”

Bakunawa could see it clearly, the hidden glimmer behind Favio’s ugly inexperience.

“But-”

“No buts! You don't even use your whole body. Heck, you didn't even kick.”

“My body is very weak. What use does it have kicking someone, only to cripple yourself?”

Bakunawa falls silent for a while but the thought of grooming a rough diamond somewhat made her continue.

“You're right… But on the other hand, you have no initiative. Always waiting for his opponents move like you're a virgin herbivore. Wait, you are one…”

“...”

“That's why you need my training to make a man out of you, a real carnivorous badass! I bet I can beat with a strength of a little human girl.”

Bakunawa stood up as she slightly tilted her head up, mocking Favio with her gaze.

Of course, even Favio has a minimal pride as a Filipino man (even though it was pretty small). He just couldn't let Bakunawa’s remark go by.

“Fight me then, I Compel you to be unable to be stronger than Big Sis Maria!”

She smirked smugly as she felt her body grow heavy. It was the excitement of fighting a stronger opponent.

And what happened was a futile resistance by Favio, every moves he has done was thwarted by Bakunawa’s seemingly endless experience.

After that, Favio lost control, went offensive and it was just humiliation. It was like a kid being played around by an adult.

“How…”

Now fatigued, Favio finally percieved the fact that the sun has went down. He calmly analyzed what happened just then and came into the conclusion to eat dinner after asking Bakunawa.

“You finally calmed down… It was easy, how can a weak lady defeat you? The answer is simpler than you would think: errors and luck.”

Favio stares blankly at her, not getting her answer

“Huh? So you defeated me with luck?”

“... Are you mentally retarded? I tried so much just to have the six moons and I got it's power through luck. How else can a mere serpent monster obtain this kind of power?”

Bakunawa sighed as she looked above at the only moon.

“I wrestled with the gods after my theft until they finally gave up. You were easy because the gap between a little girl and you were smaller than mine and the gods.”

“I-is that so?”

Bakunawa turned back into a little snake and coiled around Favio quickly.

“Hurry up boy, the inn right ahead has nice food.”

“How would you know that?”

“Do you want to sniff feces as a snake?”

“...”

“Good, it seems that they have chicken teriyaki, steamed something, fried vegetables and some kind of sugary fish. Ah, I want the steamed ones, they seem interesting.”

I… finally got a new reader!!! My fading motivation for this blazed again. I was writing a lovely side story for EO- Nevermind… It was a fanfic.

I welcome Facepalm as a… Decider of Fate? Please vote!!!

Now the question is which should Favio eat:

1 Chicken Teriyaki FTW!!! One of me favorites… EYYY!!!

2 Take the Steamed Surprise. I wonder what’s inside the dumpling?

3 I HATE THIS CHOICE. (fuck vegetables)

4 What specie of fish is this? Find out on the next episode!

5 Isn't this a Philippines based novel, where's the Filipino cuisine! C’mon, Sen!