Akane was heading to Heroes meeting hall after slaying monsters. All of her classmates and other students were present waiting for her arrival.

"How was today's mission?" Akane asked.

"It was good. You are smiling, did something good happened?" Daisuke, one of her classmates asked.

"Well.... remember that dead loser Akiara?" Akane replied.

"Akiara? That sore loser Akiara? What to do with her?" Hiroto-kun asked.

"Well..... she is alive. I met her today." Akane rolled her eyes.

"What? That girl who was pronounced dead onee year ago where she went missing or not being able to find her dead body?" Everyone were whispering and gossiping.

"Not only that, she also got a handsome boyfriend. Can you believe that?" Akane admired her manicured nails.

"That dead girl got a boyfriend?"

"She even got a giant sword. Probably for showing it off."

"She got a giant sword?! Whereas we got cheap products?!"

"What is her profession now?" Itsuki, upperclassmen leader of bullies asked.

"She now works as an adventurer." she smirked, "Akiara what are you gonna do now? Now that you have become the prey of Itsuki-senpai again. Now how will you escape from his grasp? Seeing your misery makes my blood excite."

"I see. Then that sword should be mine." Itsuki clenched his fist. He grinned as his face showed excitement.

Suki-san was leaning on the wall observing the scene. She clenched her teeth, "Too many troubles. Don't worry Aki-chan, I will protect you." her eyes were filled with bloodlust, "Akane, fly high as much as you want. The moment when you touch the sky I'll break these wings of yours and show you the world of misery that my Aki-chan has seen. I won't let you destroy the peace she got."

Just then priests entered the hall. Head priest spoke, "Heroes, now you all have gained necessary experience in the past two weeks. You all are permitted go to holy land, Hagios to acquire divine weapons forged by divine blacksmiths."

"You mean holy weapons?" One of the students asked.

"Yes. Start preparing for your journey. May Goddess Aquene bless you all." with that priests walked away.

__________

Akiara and her friends were running to rescue a party who didn't return two whole days. They entered the cave where the adventurers were last seen. They light up the torch and were walking carefully. Suddenly they noticed a survivor was trembling in fear. They ran towards the survivor.

"Are you alright? What happened here?" Cordelia asked.

"We were slaying B-level octopushead but suddenly it evolved. We escaped to take a shelter in this cave entrance to prepare to attack it more carefully. Suddenly everyone vanished." The woman replied.

"Alright then, Cordelia, take the lady and exit the cave." Mizuki grabbed her sword's handle.

"But-" Cordelia cut off.

"No buts. Go." Akiara's voice sounded serious. She gave her reassuring look. Cordelia nodded. She picked the lady up and they left the cave.

"Let's go." They ran further inside the cave.

As they were running, they could feel fresh air gushing out. They stopped running and saw, it was a huge cave with stalactites and stalagmites growing. A dark dragon was having a feast on humans it captured. Akiara felt like she wanted to throw up seeing the sight. They unsheathed their swords and charged towards it. While they were fighting against it, Akiara noticed a book lying amongst the rocks. She jumped down and came near it. She snuck it inside her jacket quickly and charged towards it. Her eyes glinted as she stabbed the dragon's head. Blood splattered her face and clothes. She took out her sword and swung it, splatting blood. Mizuki handed her handkerchief to wipe the blood off her face. Arrow slashed it's chest and took out the core.

"Woah it's an A-level flame core. Big sis can I keep it?" Arrow asked with puppy eyes.

"Sure. Keep it." Akiara replied with a smile. She cut off the dragon's head to take it to guild.

"We should head back." Mizuki walking away. Her head ringed the last conversation she had with Suki-san.

"Yeah." They headed out.

They squinted their eyes as the sunlight falls on their eyes. Cordelia ran towards them. The woman also stood up and was astonished to see Akiara's face. Akiara glanced at her. It was an elf. Her hair was platinum blonde, eyes were bright green like forest and pointed ears. She walked towards her and touched her face.

"Akiara, it's really you." She smiled.

"Uh what? Do I know you?" Akiara looked confused.

The elf hugged her as tears streaming down her eyes, "I'm so glad to see you in good health. I'm sorry for everything you've been through."

"What are you even talking about!? I don't even know you." Akiara pushed her away.

"O-oh I-I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Estelle. And because of this new face you might not recognize me but I'm Mizuho, your aunt."

"Aunt M-Mizuho? You better not lie to me."

"No no I am not lying. How about the secret password that both of us?" she nodded. Estelle came closer to her ear and whispered it.

Her eyes grew wide hearing it, "But how? What are you doing here?" She grabbed her shoulder as she couldn't believe it.

"Well I died in a traffic accident while I was searching for you."

"What's traffic accident?" Arrow asked Cordelia. Cordelia shook her head, "I don't know but maybe it is their signal to talk informally."

Akiara looked down, "I am sorry Aunt Mizuho. Because of me-" she got cut off by Estelle.

"It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself over my death." She hugged her.

"But you died because of me. How can I not blame myself for this?" Tears started to fall.

Arrow whispered again, "If Estelle died then how is she alive again?" Cordelia replied, "I don't know. Like I told you it must be their signal."

Estelle wiping her tears, "Hey hey, don't cry. I told you it's not your fault." She shifted her glance at them, "You guys might be Akiara's friends right?"

"Yes." they nodded, "I'm Arrow.", "I'm Mizuki.", "I'm Cordelia."

"Nice to meet you all. Aki, call me Estelle from now." She tapped her shoulder.

"But-" she cut her off, "Now I'm no longer your aunt. Call me Estelle. Listening to it is so offensive and I wished to be same age as you." she mumbled last words.

She clasped her hands, "If you guys don't mind, can I join your party?"

"Why?" Arrow asked. Cordelia poked him with her elbow.

"Sure no problem. Feel free to join us." Mizuki replied.

"You are Akiara's aunt after all." Cordelia also agreed laughing awkwardly, "Though you are an elf."

She bowed, "Thank you so much."

"Let's go we must report it to the guild about this." They walked out of the forest.

They reported the incident to the guild and took their price money and and walked away. They headed to nearest restaurant and ordered food. As they were talking, Akiara's classmates approached her.

"Akiara, is that you?" Itsuki asked. She flinched hearing his voice. It sent shivers down her spine making her remember something awful.

[Akiara was dragged by her hair by Akane's mean followers and threw her in front of Itsuki-senpai, leader of delinquents of the school.

"Itsuki-senpai, this is the girl I was talking about. You can use her however you want." Akane said with a smug face.

Itsuki lifted her chin up with his shoe and smirked, "Seems like she is good for running errands." He took out an envelope and threw it to Akane, "Here you go. As promised."

"Thanks Itsuki-senpai. Let's go." They walked away.

"Now for your first errand. You will go and give this to two men in sunglasses who will be standing there like regular high school students." He gestured one of his followers to bring the bag.

"I.... will not run errand for you." Akiara protested hesitantly.

"What did you say? Come again?"

"I will not do your job." with that she received a huge blow in her stomach.

"If you don't listen then this is what you will get." He turned away. He glanced at one of his followers, "Take her to that alley and you stay in distance so that there is no disturbance."

Tears streaming down her eyes she shouted, "What did I even do to you?! I don't even know you!"

He flinched hearing her. He snapped and hit her with baseball bat he found nearby, "What? You don't know me? I'm Itsuki, leader of Minohoji high gang. Get it?"]

"I-Itsuki-senpai?" Akiara raised her head.

"You know them?" Mizuki asked pointing her finger at them.

"Yeah. They were my upperclassmen." She replied looking down. Mizuki noticed her hands were trembling in fear.

Itsuki smirked seeing Mizuki's face. He quickly walked towards her. He grabbed her chin and pulled her face closer to his. He liked her cold blue eyes, "You seem to be quite beautiful. I wonder how you would look in the bed."

"Sorry not interested. Now keep your filthy hands off me. " Mizuki replied. She pushed him away and flashed a cold smile.

Itsuki again tried to approach her but Arrow stood up from his seat and pushed him away, "Keep your dirty hands off her." He stood in front of him.

"*Sigh* Seems like today is not our day. Well I hope we meet again Akiara." Itsuki walked away waving his hand. His followers were also following him behind.

"I'm sorry Estelle, you had to see this." Cordelia apologized.

"It's alright. Let us continue our meal. Shall we?"

They nodded. They took the cutleries and started eating.

_________

Suki-san was holding the menu board, covering her face except for eyes watching the ruckus caused by Itsuki.

"Itsuki-senpai, how dare you make her remember those awful things you did to her?! I will make you pay for it."

____________

That night, Itsuki was heading back to his room, suddenly someone hit him hardly on his head. Later he woke up from splash of water.

"What the f***!" He tried to stand up but he noticed that he was tied up in a chair. He struggled to free himself.

"Morning senpai." A sweet voice spoke.

He looked towards the direction of the sound, "Suki? What are you doing here?"

"Just came to see you." She smiled.

"Great timing. Can you untie me? Someone must be pranking with me. Wait till-"

"-I make you suffer the pain for hurting Aki-chan." Suki-san completed the sentence.

"What are saying? Akiara did this?" he flinched feeling a dangerous, murderous aura surrounding her. "Wait.... what's wrong with you? And what're you gonna do to me?" He gulped.

She whispered to his ears, "To kill you of course." she came back to her position, smiling innocently.

"Y-you cannot kill me! I'm the hero who is going to save this world!" His words coming out panicking.

"Well not anymore. And yes I can." She placed the sword under his neck, "Look at your pale face. The expression is worth seeing that the delinquent of Minohoji high is afraid of death." She bought the blade even closer to his neck almost to make it bleed, "If you are prepared to hurt someone, you must also be prepared to get hurt as well. I can make your death look like you died at the hands of monsters."

He flinched. She cut off the ropes, "Let's go. Shall we?"

"To where?" She grabbed his hand and then suddenly they appeared in the deeper part of the forest.

"Where are we?" He asked looking around.

"We are in the forest." she took out a whistle made out of bones. "Itsuki-senpai went to level up his experience so he snuck out at night to fight against high-level monsters. Unfortunately, he got killed by monsters." she blew the whistle and monsters who heard the whistle came running. They gathered in a form of circle. She whistled again pointing her finger at Itsuki. Itsuki's leg turned jelly and fell on his knees.

"These are A-level monsters." She looked at him with smug face.

"No no. Don't come near me." He panicked crawling back.

"I feel so good seeing you groveling and cowering in fear. Good luck having fun with them." She giggled walking away.

"NOOOO!!" His scream echoed the forest.

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Author's note

Heya readers😊,

It's good to see you all again. I thank readers from around all the world for reading my story.

Have a good day. See ya😎