I look inside the pouch and nod, seeing the correct amount of pay. I see 5 pearlescent looking coins along with a few gold ones, making me realize the mass amount of money I have made over these past years.
"5 platinum and 7 gold as requested for all of my equipment. I'll leave you to your devices now." She says as she walks into shadow, disappearing into nothingness. I close my eyes and spread my mana for a moment and make sure she is out of the building before saying, "Activate protocol 5." I hear a few machines move as I can tell the turrets have activated.
I walk back into the living room, Blossom still following me as we enter. I see Winter sitting down on the couch as she patiently waited, completing her task a while ago. Her fluffy tail and ears twitch as she sits there, her silver hair gleaming in the light. "Alright, let's get going." I say as I feel Slime Winter melt from my head, crawling down my arm before solidifying into a solid purple ring on one of my fingers.
I then hold out my hand as Blossom disappears, causing my Cherry Blossom tattoo to become fully colored. I wrap my arms around Winter as she hugs me, her head resting on my chest as I speak. "Home Realm."
I feel the world turn around us as I arrive back to my room, the shadows around us dissipate as I look around and freeze. I stare at Jack who is just standing there slack jawed. Before he can say a word or even react, I quickly bolt over and cover his mouth.
"Do not speak a word about what you just saw, take it as another one of my abilities and trump cards." I say as I stare at him sternly.
His eyes harden as he nods, showing that he won't speak a word. I let go as I ask hug him and ask, "Ok, I need you to bring the king to the royal ring. If he asks, tell him I suddenly woke up and started training with no care to my injuries. That should get him moving there."
Jack looks at me confused before I reassure him, "I have a plan, don't worry." My assurance is enough as he nods and bolts from the room, causing me to smile as I use Shadow Armor. Winter watches as black shadows crawl across my body, wisps of ethereal black floating off as they do.
'Now time to use Shadow Morph, I want the king to feel shock and terror when I transform with my "injuries."' I use shadow morph as I remove my arm, wincing in pain as I do. Removing your arm can be called less than pleasant, the pain definitely not helping.
I remove shadow armor as my arm is now a stump. I walk over to Winter as I hold out my empty sleeve, "Can you tie this off for me? I want it to be realistic." She nods and begins to tie off the sleeve as she asks, "Removing your arm seems a bit over the top, why?"
I respond fluently, as if I already came up with my answer. "I want to make him feel as if he messed up in not helping me, I want him to feel like he regrets every decision he made. And I don't want to reveal a trump card to him as I doubt I could break through to my divine beast form in bed."
She finishes as the knot is tied and kisses me, her soft lips touching mine momentarily before pulling away. She walks over to a drawer and pulls out gauze as she wraps it around my head, covering my eye before nodding. "Now you wouldn't be able to tell."
I walk over to my bathroom as I look at myself in the mirror and nod, 'You really wouldn't be able to tell unless you were either a doctor or saw my body personally.'
I walk out of my room and walk out of the room, Slime Winter melting and gathering back onto my head with a happy mew as he purrs happily. I continue to walk down halls as the maids and butlers look at me with shock in their eyes.
'They probably never thought I would be up and about right now.' I think as I walk through the maze of pathways. After a long walk, I reach a set of normal wooden double doors. I open them with my shoulder as I walk out into a large barren field. Various soldiers and mages casting spells.
'They have a training camp here for special talents. I would of been taught here but I want to go the the academy instead, I don't want to gain too many enemies. Bullying nobles is fun and I'm sure they can't pull anything on me, but my family is another matter.' I think as the head mage glances over at me. He is a demon as his red skin and tail give it away, his black horns shining in the light.
He turns to go back to teaching his class when he suddenly does a double take and looks back at me again, his eyes wide as he looks at my figure.
His class stops as they look over at me, whispers echoing through their group.
"Who is that?"
"I don't know, but the teacher seems to."
"Guys! He is the dragon divine beast!"
"What?! How did he get injured like that?!"
"I heard that he was the one that took out that Vine Raptor Queen."
The group continues to whisper as the mage approaches me, respect in his eyes but also a hint of pity as he gazes at my appearance.
"I thank you for defending us against that beast, we tried our best to keep the staff silent about who it was that fought it but gossip still gets around."
I nod as I respond with a pained expression. "It's okay, the wounds don't hurt as much as you think, now please excuse me as I need to train."
He goes to nod but freezes as he repeats what I said in his head. 'Train in that condition?! Kurayami must have extreme will power to do that! My respect for this kid has grown again.'
I walk over to a sword rack as I grab a short sword, balancing the weight in my hand within moments. I swing the blade around as it fluently moves in my hand. The Knight teaching his students stops them as he points at me. "This is how you know when someone can use a weapon, it moves as if it's part of their body. Like it's fused with their limb, take note."
The tired knights of various races pant as they nod and watch. I fluently swing the blade as it glistens in the light, some of the females looking at the dazzling movements with shock and awe as they see me cutting through the air.
Even the mages stop as they watch, rarely getting to see swords being swung. The mage teaching them stops as he watches with silent amazement. 'He could probably even rival an grade A. Those movements are fantastic.'
The knight has similar thoughts, but his assessment is more accurate. 'His movements are like he has used a sword for his entire life, but even then, these movements are too fluid. These movements can only be compared to a grade S! This should be impossible at his age!'
I suddenly freeze as I put on another pained expression and hold my stump, hearing the door open as multiple footsteps come out. I hear a voice filled with excitement shout from the crowd, "It's the King and the Princess!" Gasps exclaim from the crowd as I look over at the calm faced king and princess.
'The king has arrived.'