"Grey, I love you." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. I love you too." ［Grey］
The morning was still young yet a rosy atmosphere was already brewing in the air, hearts floating like bubbles as the young lady fawned over Grey. She was shining brighter than the sun above, smiling like a little, fluffy bunny.
With their little argument yesterday now resolved and over, the two are now as sweet and sappy as one can be. Yuna was now acting more clingy than usual, not wanting to be separated even for a single moment.
As for Grey, he was happy. He really is, but other than happiness, worry also started to brew in his heart. Worry whether he could withstand the temptation and hold himself back from suddenly attacking Yuna like some wild and feral beast.
'Clear thoughts... Clear thoughts...' ［Grey］
The young man tried to clear his thoughts, but it was impossible. Especially with two soft and plump things pressing gently against his back, he could barely maintain his consciousness, heart beating wildly.
Though he and Yuna had already gone to that stage many times over, he still couldn't bear to suddenly pounce at her. In fact, when they were making love as of late, he had been rougher and harder to sate. Acts which only brought shame when he came back to his senses.
Well, not just shame, Yuna also experienced body pains the day after, making Grey feel extremely guilty. Especially with Yuna wearing such an innocent and lovable expression on her face. It was a test of guilt and control.
"Grey, look! What's that thing?" ［Yuna］
"Hm? Whereー" ［Grey］
Chu
Grey couldn't even finish his words. As he turned his head to the direction Yuna was pointing at, the latter suddenly leaned close and pressed her soft lips on his cheeks. A kiss which only made his heart flutter even harder.
"Hehehe! Did I surprise you?" ［Yuna］
"Y... Yeah..." ［Grey］
To top things off, Yuna was acting even more proactively than usual. It wasn't the first time she pulled some tricks to kiss Grey out of the blue, but the latter having been so absent-minded as of late, he always gets caught in it.
A proactive Yuna and an evasive Grey. No matter how one looked at it, the two were currently polar opposites of one another, the former not knowing how much the latter was holding himself back. A time bomb which might explode at any time.
While Grey promised to spoil Yuna rotten for a week, he is already starting to regret it. It was still the first day yet he was already having a hard time keeping his desires under control. The road was still long ahead of him.
"Oh, right! Yuna, do you remember the treasures we got from Torogi?" ［Grey］
Desperate to keep his desires under control, Grey racked his brain for topics he could distract himself from. It was only then that he remembered an important task he and Yuna have been putting off.
"Hmn? What about them? Do you want some alchemy ingredients? What and how many do you need?" ［Yuna］
"No, no, that's not it. It's just... Didn't we get some a couple beast crystals too? I think it's about time we use them." ［Grey］
"Wait, then that means..." ［Yuna］
"Yeah, we'll be dropping by the Malus village." ［Grey］
Grey and Yuna could summon familiars just about anywhere as long as there is enough space around. But unlike anywhere else in the world, only in Malus village was there a magical tree which could augment the summoning. It was Leif, of course.
Hearing such a decision, Yuna squealed with happiness and excitement. So excited, in fact, that she suddenly tightened her embrace on Grey without realizing it. It was fortunate Grey was a Transcendent, otherwise, a few bones would have already been snapped and fractured.
"Waah～! That means we can see Reina and the others again! Let's bring along Miss Aria and Mister Kris, too!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Calm your horses, Yuna. And have you forgotten already? Mister Kris and Miss Aria are still in the middle of a quest. We don't know where they are." ［Grey］
"Ah, right. Hehehe! I totally forgot..." ［Yuna］
Time was of the essence, and so, with their objective now set, Grey and Yuna quickly prepared a few things and selected some gifts from their stock. Shopping throughout the city would take a lot of time, after all.
Of course, their presents consist of some sweets and treats, Alfrione specialties, and rare materials they obtained throughout their travels. This includes, gems, silk, plants, and equipment of all shapes and sizes, specially selected for everyone.
And as one would expect, there were some absurd things mixed in the presents, one not even nobility or royalty could get. Fortunately, Malus is an isolated village. A high-grade item or two wouldn't cause anyone any problems... Probably...
"Yuna, are you done preparing?" ［Grey］
"Just a minute～!" ［Yuna］
With their Grey's "Inventory" and Yuna's Mythical-Grade storage ring, carrying such a large load was no problem. Soon enough, Yuna had finally finished preparing her things, changing from her homey, casual attire to her adventurer outfit.
Well, since they were there to visit and not to fight, Yuna also put a little to fix her hair up more than usual, braiding it and tying it into a ponytail at the end. She also put on a little bit of makeup, further accentuating her already art-like beauty.
"Grey, what do you think?" ［Yuna］
"Do you even need to ask that? You already know my answer." ［Grey］
"Ehh～? But I still want to hear it!" ［Yuna］
As per usual, even when they were about to depart, the two were still flirting as if they were a married couple on their honeymoon, Yuna looking at Grey with expectant eyes, sparkling to the point it was blinding.
"Alright, alright, I'll answer you. But I'll only say it once, so listen closely." ［Grey］
"Un! Bring it on!" ［Yuna］
"Then, I think..." ［Grey］
Grey leaned in close, his subtle voice drifting in the air. He softly whispered to Yuna the sweet and sincere words he couldn't say out loud. So subtle that even the gentle flapping of the curtains overshadowed the whispered words.
How beautiful she was, how much Grey wants to hold her, and how he thinks he's going crazy for her. It was nothing but a summary of all the emotions he felt, making Yuna furiously blush beet red, heart beating wildly.
"That's what I think... What do you think, Milady? Are you satisfied with my answer or do you perhaps want to hear more?" ［Grey］
"No... No more..." ［Yuna］
"Are you sure? I still have some words left over, you know?" ［Grey］
Grey asked, but not a single word was uttered in response. Yuna simply shook her head aggressively, cheeks and ears still burning red. Grey's words packed even more power than she expected and what she prepared for. It was her loss.
Yet before she could even recover from Grey's surprise attack, the latter suddenly grabbed her hands and held it tight, making her heart flutter even harder. To make things worse, he even kissed the back of it like a prince from a fairytale. Total and complete domination.
"Then, shall we head out now, Milady?" ［Grey］
"Uuu... Grey, you're acting mean again..." ［Yuna］
"My～. I'm afraid I don't know what that means." ［Grey］
Hearts and roses in the air, cool and gentle white light shone in the room and a gate was soon opened. Before long, two figures vanished into thin air, peace and quiet reigning over the house yet again.
...
Rustle Rustle Rustle
The forest was green and quiet, the leaves dancing with the whims from the winds and cool creeks flowing gently. Fruits fell to the ground from time to time and small, wild animals ate them as they grazed around. Peaceful as usual.
Yet such peace was one which didn't last long. The blades of grass which were simply reaching out towards the sun were suddenly trampled by a couple pairs of hooves, resounding footsteps echoing in the air as large figures galloped.
"Corner it! Don't let it get away!"
"Crap! They split up! Which one should we pursue?"
"Just abandon the one on the left! Focus on the injured one!"
And behind the galloping deers were a number of elves, wielding spears and bows as they facilitated the hunt. They had already prepared to catch their prey for days. Now that they are close, there's no way they'll let them get away.
But things are not as easy as it seems. After all, though what they are chasing is a normal animal, and not a beast, it is still very tough and agile. Even when a few arrows were already lodged on its back, it was still able to run swiftly and nimbly.
"Young master, please deal the finishing blow!"
"Yes! Leave it to me!" ［Zeke］
But speed and tenacity was all it got. As the young man received his orders, he quickly put all his strength into his legs and started dashing at extreme speeds, catching up to the injured deer in no time.
He dashed and he leaped, and before long, he arrived in front of the deer, completely overtaking and startling it. And though the deer was able to dodge at the last minute and turn its body to another direction, it was futile. Its fate had already been sealed.
"Try to dodge this if you can! ⟨⟨Soaring Edge⟩⟩!" ［Zeke］
The young man swung his sword with great force, creating a blade mana out of thin air. A blade which soared throughout the whole forest at breakneck speeds, chasing the running deer like a hungry predator pouncing on its prey.
There was no need to say any more. With the power packed in his attacks, no matter how tough the deer's hide was, it was ultimately useless against Zeke's sword attack. Without much effort, it sent the deer's head flying with a clean cut.
THUD
Its head cut off clean, the deer's body wobbled for a second before falling helplessly to the ground, a loud thud resounding in the air. The deer was quite large, after all, but it also means the village would have a lot of meat for the day. Mission complete!
"Young master, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm more than fine. Let's quickly clean this up." ［Zeke］
"Alright, just give us a momー Young Master!!"
It was all too sudden. Just when Zeke let his guard down, the other escaping deer suddenly appeared before them and started charging towards him, sharp antlers pointing towards his chest at great speeds.
But what was even more surprising was what happened after. Before the deer could even wound Zeke, or Zeke could even raise his arms to guard himself, a small icicle suddenly appeared out of nowhere, rushing straight towards the deer's head.
Their eyes couldn't even keep up. At one moment, they saw the icicle, and the next, it was goneー or rather, it has already pierced the deer, leaving a wide, gaping hole in its neck, killing it in an instant. Not one of them understood what just happened.
"Young master, are you alright?!"
"Y-Yeah, but... What just happened...?" ［Zeke］
"I don't know either..."
Everyone fell into confusion as they watched the lifeless deer lay down motionless on the ground. Though it was good that they have more meat for the village now, it was just too absurd that they couldn't even celebrate it.
But well, all their questions were soon answered. The leaves soon started rustling yet again, and everyone was put on guard. Wariness which didn't last too long as two familiar figures appeared before them.
"That was a close one, Zeke. Looks like you need more training." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Long time no see, everyone～!" ［Yuna］
"Big Bro Grey! Big Sis Yuna!" ［Zeke］
Of course, those two figures were none other than Grey and Yuna who just came out of the gate. They had popped out of the nearby forest in order to not startle someone but never in their wildest imagination did they think such a dangerous situation would be welcoming them.
Though Zeke wouldn't be gravely injured from the deer's attack, he would still receive a number of wounds from it. It was a stroke of luck that they exited near them, and they wouldn't want to have it any other way.
But rather than get disappointed that Zeke let his guard down, the two were more pleased if anything. After all, Zeke had long reached E-rank and is now a reliable young man who wouldn't lose out to Eliza. They were very satisfied.
"What brings you here, Big Bro Grey, Big Sis Yuna? Are you going to stay in the village for some time again?" ［Zeke］
"Haha, unfortunately, we won't be staying for long. We only have some important business to do. We'll head back before the day ends." ［Grey］
"Ehh... You're going back so soon?" ［Zeke］
"But don't be too sad, we'll be here for several hours. We can chat all day after we finish our business, okay?" ［Yuna］
"Ah! Then, let's hurry back to the village! I'm sure everyone missed you!" ［Zeke］
There was no time for idle talk. As soon as they took care of the hunted deers, they all then departed back to the village, engaging in merry chattering as they caught up with one another. Zeke was especially chatty.
Before long, they finally arrived at the village. There, they were welcomed warmly by the villagers. But perhaps the most excited ones were none other than Aria's parents, Aria and Falroe. They were still as energetic as ever.
"Grey, Yuna, I never heard you were visiting. How have you been?" ［Falroe］
"We've been well, Mister Falroe. How about you guys?" ［Grey］
"Fortunately, life has been sailing smoothly. Hahaha." ［Falroe］
Falroe was not wrong. In fact, with Kris and Familiar's around, the village was more secure than ever. Not only were they able to protect the village, they were also able to train the guards with their help, the guards much stronger than before,
In fact, it was due to the familiars' help that Zeke got so much stronger. Well, not just Zeke, but even Falroe and Valka got stronger. Valka even progressed to C-rank after years of stagnation. But perhaps what was more surprising was...
"Eh? Missus Valka, you're pregnant...?" ［Grey］
"Teehee!" ［Valka］
It was a sudden surprise. As Grey read their status screen, he read something he never expected to find. Though she knows women can still give birth in their forties, it was the first time he saw one, especially in Merusia. It was shocking.
From Valka's pregnancy, to Reina and Eldhart dating, Zeke's training progress, and even Falroe's suffering throughout the months, there was a lot to catch up yet so little time to talk. It was a long and chatty day ahead of them.
Hours elapsed and the village continued to thrive. Finally, after catching up merrily with everyone, Grey and Yuna could finally head to where they wanted to, seeing a couple familiar beasts resting around the tree. They were Kris and Aria's familiars, simply nodding their heads as they acknowledged the two's presence.
『It's been a long time, Holy One.』 ［Leif］
『Yeah, it's been some time. How have you been, Leif?』 ［Grey］
『I've been faring well, Holy One. There's no need to worry.』 ［Leif］
『I see... That's good to hear.』 ［Grey］
Of course, along with the familiars, there was also the Tree of Life, Leif. She may not be able to greet Grey and Yuna like the others, but she was still expressing her happiness as much as she can, making flowers glow ever so subtly.
『Then, as for your purpose for coming here... I assume you are going to summon new familiars again, Holy One?』 ［Leif］
『Y-Yeah... Sorry for troubling you. In exchange, please tell me if you ever need something. I'll make it happen to the best of my abilities.』 ［Grey］
『Hahaha. There's no need to go that far. It's my great pleasure to be of help for the Holy One. You can rely on me if you ever need to.』 ［Leif］
『Thanks, Leif. I really appreciate it.』 ［Grey］
With Leif's approval, there was no time to dilly-dally. Grey quickly creates the familiar summoning circles once again, creating three of them this time around. One was for water, while the other two were for light and darkness respectively.
Of course, the water-attribute beast crystal was from the Leviathan Sirius defeated just recently. As for the other two, they were null-attribute beast crystals Grey and Yuna found back at the hidden laboratory Torogi. It was an unexpected find.
And as they were already at it, Grey and Yuna also summoned their other familiars to witness the scene. With Leif's help, they can convert all the unprocessed corruption into aether. It was time for another power boost!
"Then, shall we begin?" ［Grey］
There was no time to waste. As soon as Grey and Yuna's blood dropped on the circle, Grey immediately started chanting, and before long, the ground started to tremble and the winds started to howl as light illuminated the place.
Just like they had expected, yet another gorgeous High Dragon appeared out of thin air as the light started to fade. Eyes as blue as the seas and power already reaching the pinnacle of S-rank. Yet another powerful ally.
"Then, your name shall be 'Rigel'. I hope you serve us well. ［Grey］
"This one is greatly honored. I will make sure to not shame the name you bestowed upon my humble self." ［Rigel］
"Yeah, we'll be in your care." ［Grey］
"Un! Nice to meet you, Rigel～!" ［Yuna］
"It's my pleasure as well, Mistress." ［Rigel］
Calm and reserved, the 8th familiar was. He who was named after the 7th brightest star on Earth soon joined the other familiars and introduced themselves with one another. Vega was especially excited to have finally gotten a younger sibling.
But now that Rigel's summoning is over, it was finally time for the real test. Both of the beast crystals left were of the null attribute, yet Grey made summoning circles for the light and dark attributes, wishing his thoughts were right.
'Haah... I hope this works...' ［Grey］
Taking in a deep breath, Grey then started injecting light and dark attribute mana inside the beast crystals. There was a little bit of resistance, but before long, things went smoothly and the beast crystals which were once clear as day were now pure white and pure black, each pertaining to light and darkness.
Careful as one can be, Grey then placed those altered beast crystals in the center of their respective summoning circle, yet again letting his and Yuna's blood trickle down them, and the world trembling once more as he chanted his words.
It was even much wilder than before, two vortices of black and white sucked mana dry from the atmosphere as winds howled louder and louder, Leif's branches swaying left and right along the whims of the wind.
Grey's wishes were finally answered. Soon, two magnificent beasts were born from nothingness. One had eyes white as marble, while the other, dark as obsidian. And surely enough, they were of the light and dark attributes respectively. The experiment was a huge success!
"Hey! Who's my master?! Who summoned me here?!" ［???］
"P-Please don't h-hurt me...!" ［???］
And unsurprisingly, the familiars had quite the contrasting personalities. The one with the light attribute had quite the fierce temperament, while the other was even more timid than Capella. Or rather, she was quite a crybaby, scared easily by the other.
"Now, now, you two calm down. Else, I won't give you any names." ［Grey］
"A-Ah, s-sorry, Master..." ［???］
Thankfully, despite their extreme personalities, they were still very obedient to their masters. Just a quick word from Grey and the two quickly behaved themselves as best as they could, though... There were some tears in the youngest's eyes.
"Then, as per the tradition... You shall be named 'Procyon', as for you, you shall be named 'Achernar'. I hope you like it." ［Grey］
"Ohh～!! What a cool name!!" ［Procyon］
"I-It's pretty..." ［Achernar］
The fierce one was named Procyon and the crybaby was named Achernar, after the 8th and 9th brightest stars in the night sky. With them, Grey and Yuna now had ten familiars by their side, each one was a magnificent High Dragon.
Of course, it went without saying that their strength had increased yet again. Not only with the addition of new familiars, but with Leif's processing power. Now, Canopus, Kentaurus, Arcturus, Vega, and Capella were on par with Rigel, all at the pinnacle of S-rank.
As for Sirius, she was now at about 13,000 combat power, and Polaris on par with Grey at about 18,000. Even Procyon and Achernar, who are the weakest at 3,000, are still A-rank beasts who could easily wipe out cities. It was a terrifying line-up.
"Now, you can't appear like this in public, okay? If you want to go with us, you need to shapeshift. That's important!" ［Yuna］
Yet despite how terrifying they all were, each and everyone of them suddenly turned into fluffy little wolf pups. One wouldn't even be terrified at such a sight. If anything, they were too cute, one just couldn't help but want to cuddle them.
"Yaay～! I now have two baby sisters!" ［Vega］
"Gah!! Get off me!! I said, get off me!!" ［Procyon］
"Now, now, there's no need to be shy～!" ［Vega］
"I'm not being shy!! Just get off me already!!" ［Procyon］
So cuddly, in fact, that even Vega, a ball of fluff herself, couldn't resist but cuddle Procyon and Achernar, much to the latter's discomfort. Unfortunately for Procyon, she was powerless against Vega. All she could do was whine as she received her older sister's unmatched display of affection.
It was yet another hectic day.
CHAPTER 256 END