There was a brief silence, but Melty adapted fast.
"Little guy, how did you get here? And is this the right situation to be threatening me?" She covered her leaking pussy modestly. Acting like he really didn't know how to read the room.
"I only have two questions: Where is this treasure these people found? Where is this group's leader staying?" Steve had no time for her nonsense. He needed to get things done as fast of possible.
"Don't know. I only came here for the raw sex." A tired look appeared on Melty's face from fatigue.
She really wanted some rest.
It was at that point the elf's sleepy, narrowed eyes opened wide. Realising something about him.
"You have... 'Silver Eyes'?" She seemed out of breath in a different way after bringing that up.
"What does that matter...?" Steve didn't know what she was talking about, but the conversation seemed to change. There was a more serious look in her eyes as she sat straight and exhaled out her fatigue.
Then taking a breath in to reinvigorate herself.
"They say those with Silver Eyes are either heroes of the era, or..." Melty stopped right there.
She couldn't exactly say 'crazy bastard' anyway.
"What?" Suddenly, Steve felt her eyes looking up and down his feminine curves in a rude way.
"...Are you a guy or a girl?" (Melty)
"And how is that relevant?" (Steve)
"You sound like a guy... but look like a girl." (Melty)
"And?" (Steve)
"I just feel sorry about your situation, is all." Melty might've spoken that, but her eyes held disharmony.
It wasn't the same as derision or malice. This kind of feeling was like being seen as something... 'other'.
Different from 'normal people'.
Despite the physiology he had, Steve didn't think of himself as transgender. He was a man.
But he had heard about these kinds of things once or twice. He'd experienced something similar in his youth, when he was the only one nearly dying for running too long. That type of rejection.
He thought being healthy meant he wouldn't get that type of look from others anymore...
But that didn't seem to be the case.
'Fuck you.' A redness tinged his Silver Eyes.
He promised himself to never let the same things repeat themselves. Nothing like his past life.
If people still despised him in this world...
...then he'd slaughter EVERYONE!
A scary look appeared on his face. It started to transform with much more inhuman features.
Almost like a puppet's.
'Initiate the Slaughter Puppet form.' Steve readied himself to lunge at her with utmost precision.
He no longer held back and allowed 'Golem Transformation' to completely overwrite him.
It felt like the malice in his heart flowed through his veins and unclogged his emotional synapses.
His forearm all the way to his elbow retracted out the back. A hook blade made out of his bone and joint popped out of the back of his arm. The white sheen and bladed made it look extraordinary.
The only problem was... basic anatomy dictated that the boneless arm would turn into a bendy mess.
It would be strange to expect the body to maintain its shape. All without a skeleton holding it in place.
But his body didn't abide those rules anymore.
The fleshy boneless arm held its shape simply by transforming his skin into a solid exoskeleton.
It was a reverse of bone and flesh, which combined with the white hook blades at the other side.
His joints rotated to switch the white hook blades to be in front of his body. Hands the opposite way.
Steve was ready to rip her into pieces...!
Just as things were about to get serious, the woman in front of him finally realised her predicament.
The sheer malice directed her way made her skin crawl. It felt like centipedes through her veins.
Even while knowing his state of mind, she hadn't expected for a Silver Eyes holder to be this bad.
Melty immediately tried to calm him down.
Hiding away her previous feelings and going back into 'pleasing mode'. Saying only nice stuff.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable about this." He felt some sincerity in those words.
Making him feel like he was making a big deal out of nothing. This situation... was unexpected.
"Your serious?" Steve narrowed his blue eyes.
"I'm ready to tell you anything you want." (Melty)
"Why should I believe you?" (Steve)
"There's no reason not to." (Melty)
"Then out with it." (Steve)
"Will you let me go out to clean myself up if I listen to you?" Melty looked at him suspiciously.
"...Depends." It was a non-committed answer he'd usually give if the information was vague.
Moreover, he hadn't forgotten the rude things she said to him. He kept on his killer puppet shape.
"I'm serious." (Melty)
"I really hate two kinds of people. Those who don't finish what they're saying, and..." Steve stopped.
Not saying anything further.
Since he was calm enough to joke, she had at least figured out their bond had yet to reach the point of no return. If she told the truth, there was a high chance she could salvage some good feelings.
"...The second kind of people with Silver Eyes are simply crazy." It wasn't nice words that could win someone over, but her honesty had a better influence over him compared to deceit and mischief.
"How so?" He felt some interest growing.
"They are either too petty or too stubborn towards one singular goal." Was all she spoke.
Although Melty didn't explain in detail regarding Silver Eyes, the boy considered what he'd heard.
Contemplating seriously.
But he didn't show her any weakness, only making a literally solid mask indifference on his face.
His eyes hard to read...
"Alright. I'll give you the location of their boss and the trinket they stole. I'm not sure what it is, but the security of the latter will be high... and I'm not confident you can beat the former." (Melty)
"That's for me to decide." Steve didn't falter even if that was true. He'd came here accepting death.
Because as long as one achieved something, there was worth to life. For him, it would be his fate.
He listened to her words with a cold expression, and even though he spoke that they wouldn't clash from now on... the woman knew that Silver Eyed individuals never forgot a grudge.
She didn't know what could appease him. It was careless of her to let her thoughts out about him.
"Umm... I can spread the word of how amazing you are when I get back?" Melty was spouting random proposals but it seemed to have had an effect on Steve. His body started returning to human form.
His hook blades retracted back into his arm and propelled the muscles outwards. The expansion of his arm muscles created a small shockwave created from the force. It was an interesting idea.
One that he saved in his mind for later use.
"Tell them good things. Alright." Steve's unexpected change in mood gave her an inkling of his goals.
The more she looked at him more in his normal human form, the more she felt guilty.
Maybe her words earlier were a bit too harsh.
She herself wasn't any expert on people who didn't fit the norm. Only knowing what she heard.
'I will remember that.' With that thought in mind, it didn't take much for her to give him some 'help'.
The moment she noticed a shadow coming closer to her tent, she approached the man first.
The robotic youth became alert...
He didn't know that the first person to react would be Melty. She protected him from others.
Walking past Steve and clinging on the man's arm.
Getting in his view.
"Hey, you want to help me freshen up for a second round?" Melty spoke to the fat bandit cook.
"T-that..." Memories of earlier struck him.
"I know you have a Water Magician around here. If not, you yourselves would've smelled worse." Melty quickly caught on. Since she already knew, the bandit had no reason to pretend there wasn't one.
Steve watched as she lead him away. Feeling even more confused about what he'd felt earlier.
...She didn't seem that bad of a person.
At least not bad compared to the bandits that had apparently done raids on nearby villages.
Or maybe he was setting the bar too low.
The most resolve rattling part of this that made his Silver Eyes flicker... was a certain feeling.
There was a time Steve wanted to feel nothing. Not because of numbness, but out of endurance.
He wanted an unbreakable heart.
A lone heart that would not be hurt or moved by anything. One that could protect him.
Different from the stone-like enhancements of the body he could do. Simply put... more stronger.
If he had that, then maybe he wouldn't be trying so hard to prove himself to this wicked reality.
Steve wouldn't have ever dreamed or tried to achieve behind his abilities. He wouldn't be petty.
All curses and insults would've flew through him.
But that was only his own feelings.
The youth has no choice but to leave the tent and gamble his life away to an unfeeling algorithm.
The faded hands of fate.
He left the tent and made his way towards the 'trinket' that Melty spoke of without issue.
It seemed like no one was paying attention to it out of carelessness. They wouldn't have expected there to be a break-in on the first day of their guard duty around the camp. That was just bad luck.
He slithered around the camp while weaving between tents. Keeping himself out of site.
It was until he found what he was looking for.
In front of him appeared a large box.
He touched it and checked what was inside...
It was not what he was expecting.
After looking for a while, he smiled. Reaching inside to sabotage their treasure with his own methods.
Once the magical process was finally complete, he closed the lid of the box and got ready.
Now was the best chance to assassinate the leader.
A cold wind sent a shiver down his back when he turned around. Multiple shadows came his way.
Steve realised that he had been found out.
'How is that possible?!' He couldn't believe what had just happened. This being a bit much to take in.
The bandit leader and mooks had gathered together around him in the time he took to sabotage.
His situation turned bleak instantly.