After a few days, Akasan and Usagi made their way to the very eastern edge of Giga Island.
Not too far away from the coast was a small island.
Both sides of the island were viewable from the coast. It seemed to have a rocky terrain, along with a jungle to contrast.
Usagi's ears perked up. "There's more of them here!"
Akasan looked at her. "What?"
Usagi was super interested now. "More demihumans... I can feel it! A whole lot of them!"
Akasan looked out at the island. Could Usagi sense more of her kind? Maybe animalistic instincts? He could tell she wanted to go. He sighed. "Come on, I know you wanna check it out."
Usagi looked at him. "But we don't have a boat, and I can't swim."
Akasan looked out at the sea of water between the two islands. He smiled. "That's not a problem, come on!"
Akasan started walking out onto the water, only the water that he stepped on turned into solid ice. He was making a bridge as he walked.
Usagi's body was filled to the brim with excitement. She ran over with him.
After making it to the other side, the ice melted back into water.
Akasan looked around him. They walked around the island, watching out for any sign of life.
They soon ventured upon a large cave. There was a wooden sign next to it that read; "ABSENT COVE. WARNING: WILD BEASTS."
Akasan motioned for Usagi to follow him. He lit a ball of fire in his hand for light. They cautiously wandered inside.
The cave was cold, dark, and silent. Usagi made sure she followed closely behind Akasan.
After a few minutes of walking, they could see faint glowing lights down the tunnel.
"What's that?" Usagi asked.
Akasan continued walking. "There are others in here."
They kept quiet until the strangers in the cave with them became visible.
There were three men, all of whom seemed to be demihuman. The one in the front who had dark green reptilian scales covering most of his body called out. "Who goes there?!"
Akasan said nothing until they were but a few feet from each other. "My name is Akasan, and this is Usagi. We're exploring."
The reptilian man squinted in suspicion, but then he saw the ears on Usagi's head twitch. "You're... demihuman?"
She nodded.
The man grinned. "Ah!! What a relief! For a second I thought you two were some humans trying to invade."
Akasan frowned. "Invade?"
"Happens a lot more often than you'd think. Demihumans aren't welcome in this country, but we've managed to secure Absent Cove for ourselves. The higher ups don't know about us, but every now and then some gutsy hunters would come in and try to kill us as bounty."
Usagi covered her mouth. "That's horrible!"
The man nodded. "Yeah, it is. Luckily we haven't had any serious casualties in a while. Come on, I'll show you to our leader. By the way, my name's Balta. This is Muto and that guy is Spit." Muto and Spit nodded as a hello.
Muto was a big hulky man with two sharp teeth hanging out of his mouth. He was covered in brown fur.
Spit seemed to be a normal scrawny human, but his eyes were large and black all the way around.
Balta turned and started walking back the other way. Usagi followed him.
Akasan looked behind him and then tagged along.
---
Outside on another island a distance away, sitting on top of a rock was a man with orange hair and hazel eyes. He wore orange clothing as well. He had his hands in front of his left eye like a telescope.
He was watching the entrance to Absent Cove. His name was Owl.
He took down his hands. "Absent Cove huh... well, no matter. I'll wait until they come out. My chances aren't high in there." He clapped his hands together. "Stealth Hawk."
Owl held his arm up as orange energy manifested on it until it formed into a bird resting on his forearm.
It flew away, heading for the cave.
---
Balta led Akasan and Usagi out of the cave. They came out into a jungle-beach environment.
There were many demihumans roaming around, and some of them had magical beasts as pets.
Compared to the rest of the world they seemed to be quite primitive, but Akasan saw that they still had technology.
Balta kept walking deeper into the jungle to the right of the cave. There was some sort of settlement there.
Woven straw made up the floor, and there was no roof, but there were appliances and furniture in some areas.
A woman sat on a large wooden throne polishing a weapon.
Akasan had never seen anything like it. It was a two-handed type weapon. It was made completely of metal, and one edge running from side to side was extremely sharp. There were two grips for holding it and one circular grip in the center of the weapon.
The woman was very beautiful. She was demihuman like the rest. She had silver hair, blue eyes, cat ears, and a long silver tail. She paid no mind to Balta's group until he spoke. "Lazuli, we came across some demihumans while we were in the cave tunnels. They looked friendly, so I brought them here. The girl's name is Usagi, and the male is Akasan."
Akasan and Usagi waved their hand in greetings. Lazuli looked up at them. She seemed suspicious of them. Then she went back to polishing her weapon. "The male is human. He must leave."
Akasan frowned. "Why do I have to leave? I haven't done anything!"
Lazuli looked at him. "That's what all humans say. They haven't done anything until they have, right? What if you're here to burn what we have here to the ground. You could be a spy, a mole, anything! I don't trust humans. Leave."
Akasan took a step forward. "I'm not like the others! I come from Arbok, we don't treat other races wrongly! I have your best interests in mind, believe it or not."
Lazuli stood up out of her throne and walked closer to Akasan. She slung her weapon on her back, where it hung on a hold specifically made for it. "And how do I know that?"
Usagi chimed in. "Akasan isn't a bad person! He saved my life! He wants to help us!"
Lazuli looked at her. "Just because he saved you doesn't mean that he won't enslave you or sell you later." She looked back at Akasan. "I don't buy it."
Akasan was determined now. He had to earn the trust of the demihumans. "I'm going to end the demihuman slave trade. And I'll crush anyone who gets in the way of that goal!"
Lazuli looked at him for a moment, then broke out in laughter. "You?! End the slave trade?! The demihuman slave trade goes on in all but four countries in the entire world, four of which belong to the Seventh Order. How are you going to do that?"
Akasan was unwavering. "Simple. One country at a time."
Lazuli got up close to his face. "You up for a challenge?"
Akasan realized that Lazuli was taller than him. Still, he pressed on. "What kind?"
Lazuli smirked. "Fight me. If you win, I'll lend you my full support for the rest of my life. But if I win, you'll stay here and be my little puppy forever, waiting on me hand and foot, wearing nothing but a collar and a leash!"
Usagi gasped. The other demihumans around did as well. Akasan stared her in the eyes. "You're on."
Lazuli smiled some more. "You've got guts I'll give you that. Meet me over there by the shore. We'll fight on the beach." She walked off, chuckling to herself.
Balta walked up to Akasan. "I hope you know what you just did. Lazuli has never lost a challenge. You're the ninth human to accept one of her challenges. The other eight are dead."
Akasan smiled. "Well. She's never challenged me before has she?"
Balta didn't understand the question. He didn't get a chance to reply as Akasan walked off to the beach.
Owl's bird watched from the treetops as the two prepared to fight. "Is he really fighting Lazuli? There's a reason nobody dares to enter Absent Cove. He's dead."
Lazuli awaited her opponent on the beach. She took the giant weapon off her back and held it in front of her with both hands.
Akasan felt hot.
Lazuli wore the bare minimum of clothing necessary to fight. She wore a short white tank top and tight white shorts.
Akasan removed his clothing until he was only in his pants and boots. He got in a stance.
Lazuli licked her lips. Her energy started flaring. It was a blue fiery energy. The grooves in her weapon started glowing blue as well. "Let me introduce you to my darling!! Herukyatto!!"
[Author's Note: Lazuli's weapon is called Hellcat, but its alternate name is Herukyatto. Just to clear up confusion, these two names refer to the same thing.]
The weapon gave off an intense aura that made Akasan hesitate.
Lazuli's eyes became cat-like. That's when he felt it. Lazuli's spiritual pressure. It was shaking him to his core.
"What is this pressure?! Is she some sort of demon?!!" Akasan thought.
Lazuli started laughing. "Ready or not!! Here I... come!!"
boom!!
She took off at crazy speed.
Akasan opened up his Eye of Creation just in time to react, narrowly dodging her attack. He manifested his black sword. They traded blows.
Akasan was immediately knocked back. "Her blade is so heavy!!"
Lazuli's Hellcat weighed exactly one ton. And when she swung it, the force made the weapon feel hundreds of times heavier, and she could swing it faster than the human eye could see.
Lazuli started running at Akasan with the Hellcat spinning in her right hand. She was holding it by its center grip.
Akasan had no choice but to fight defensively.
Owl was watching the entire thing from above. "Lazuli's Herukyatto is probably one of the deadliest weapons in the entire world when she's serious. But her true strength lies in her own ability. Lazuli is the embodiment of natural born talent. Her reflexes are that of a programmed machine. It's as if she doesn't have to think to move and evade attacks. This fight ended before it started."
The battle had already been going on for three minutes, yet Akasan has yet to hit Lazuli. "I can't hit her! She's too fast!!"
voosh!!
Lazuli swung her Hellcat again.
"And that weapon is way too heavy for her to be able to swing it like that!!" Akasan thought.
Lazuli continued her onslaught on Akasan. "Come on! Come on! You said that you were going to end slavery!! How are you gonna do that if you can't even beat me!!"
boom!
Sand was flying everywhere. Usagi could only worry as she watched the other demihumans cheer their leader on.
Akasan was catching his breath, bleeding from the forehead. He was already beaten up pretty badly. He could block all of Lazuli's attacks, but the weapon was just so heavy— he'd take damage regardless.
Lazuli was standing in place spinning her Hellcat. "Don't tell me that's all you got!"
Akasan grit his teeth. "Not at all! I'm just getting started! Eye of Creation..."
Akasan made his own sword larger. The black blade went from a katana to a full out sword that a knight in shining armor would use. He had to hold it with two hands, he made sure to make it heavier than the Hellcat. It was now a hundred pounds over one ton in weight.
Akasan struggled to hold his own weapon. The sword fell to the sand with a thud.
Lazuli laughed. "I'm impressed! That would be a good way to counter my Herukyatto, but it seems that you can't even hold it, much less defend with it!!"
Akasan's right eye turned purple along with his markings, which started glowing bright purple.
Akasan could suddenly pick up the sword with ease. "Don't assume what I can't do!!"
Lazuli's eyes widened. She thought to herself. "He's... actually… pretty cool!!"
Akasan's sword started brimming with black energy. "Feel the wrath of my dark blade! Kuroba!!"