Chapter 124: The Lagomorph King's Descendant
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The neighborhood streets were bathed in the golden hue of the setting sun, and the air carried a light scent of sakura blossoms. It was a typical evening, yet things seemed more vibrant than usual, more alive with Mai Senpai next to me.
Our school bags felt lighter as we strolled past the familiar houses of this area. We made small talk while I glanced at her, the sun catching in her hair, transforming her into something ethereal.
She caught my look and stared at me for a second, before looking away with a shake of her head.
"You should stop looking at me like that," she said as she looked ahead.
"Hey, surely I'm allowed to enjoy my girlfriend's beauty?" I asked and stepped closer, and she playfully hopped away to the side.
"Only a few weeks left, kouhai," she said seriously, but her body language was a bit playful. "Better distance yourself now, or else you'll be heartbroken when I end it."
"My heart's bleeding already," I followed her even as she tried to walk faster. We had to slow down a little as we passed a street. I looked at her, with the sun setting behind her head, as a small smile lingered on her lips while she stared ahead of us.
She looked cute in her brown jacket, worn over a white shirt with a small bow tie, and a red skirt. But more than any of that, the stockings that were tightly wrapped around her thighs were her best part.
[Image Here]
"So why did you fight?" realizing that I wasn't going to quit staring, she sighed and asked something she must have been curious about.
"Some guy annoyed me," I replied honestly and she raised an eyebrow.
"Just because of that? You're too violent." She looked at me disapprovingly.
"I'm just protecting my dignity," I said with a shrug.
"You're a manwhore, how can you have dignity?"
"…."
She maintained a placid expression, which might give anyone else the idea that she was serious, but I didn't miss the hint of amusement hidden underneath. 'So she can joke.'
"So tell me about yourself," I turned my head ahead for once, the sun submerging in the horizon behind the buildings now, as we walked side by side. "How's your career going? How's life in general?"
"You would have known if you bothered to stay in contact," she said with a short tone of dissatisfaction in her voice.
Now what is this? You first tell me to stay away and go on dates with 'the other two' and now you get mad that I wasn't in your DMs 24/7? Modern girls are something else.
"Hey I was busy with my training," I said. "And I did hang out with you most of the day during lunch break."
"Not recently."
"I was busy." I let out my Overlord Presence slightly, but not in a threatening way. She stilled in her spot, turning to me. "See? I am much stronger now. I need to be strong to keep myself and those around me safe, you know?"
"…." She stared into my eyes, different shades of blue meeting in silence, with the sun setting in the distance. The moon peaked down at us as she smiled softly. "Not a bad excuse, fine. I'm glad you're strong enough to feel comfortable now. Your Touki is insanely powerful."
"Strong enough to feel comfortable now?" I scoffed out a laugh. "No, not yet. I need to hit the next rank in power soon. There are too many threats around me, I need to be ready for the worst."
"So you're still busy?" she asked, "You should get going and return home, then."
"I am not as busy. Training right now is rather a matter of time than focus, I can't speed it up even if I train for all day. Right now I'm letting my presence stabilize fully and become ready for the next ascension." I explained to her.
"I don't know those terms," she said.
"I can explain to you if you're interested." I stopped in front of her. "Don't you want to be stronger?" Was she truly just like Akane? Not interested in having powers to flatten mountains, and rather dance like a puppet for the entertainment of the world?
Thankfully, the glint in her eyes told me otherwise, "Well…" she hesitated while my eyes focused on her half-transparent bunny ears, black in color, that began to change under the moonlight. I was still curious about that.
I began walking ahead, a small smile on my lips. "Let's grab coffee and talk."
My Bunny Girl Senpai didn't reject the offer, albeit after a bit of hesitation. She followed suit to our coffee date.
* * *
Over a few cups of coffee, I explained to her how my cultivation system worked. As half a yokai, she was used to martial arts and Touki training. However, my process was new to her.
"There are so-called 'cultivators' spread across the world, especially in China. They are mortals who copied these techniques from us Yokai to train in Touki and pursue immortality. But while these humans often can be strong, they're never at the top of the world. As far as my knowledge entails. The strongest Touki practitioner, after all, is not a human. It's a yokai, as this is their domain. Albeit debatable, people say that the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, Yasaka, is the strongest Touki Artist." Mai surprised me with her explanation.
She knew a lot. She didn't seem to be this interested or aware of the supernatural in the past, but it seems she looked into it in the last two months.
"It seems you've started talking to your mother again?" I asked as I sipped coffee.
"...I have." She nodded slowly and dipped her rosy lips in her coffee. "She said she's not interested in the supernatural lifestyle anymore, because she's too bored of it. My mother is quite… old, you see."
"Naturally, as an immortal rabbit yokai," I said. "Is she powerful?"
"She's on the 7th rank of Touki." She said, "Ah, there are 10 ranks in total. I'm on the 4th rank, for example, although I can reach a little higher during nighttime."
'So 10 ranks?' Is it right to assume that these ten ranks correlate with my ten?
Although I'm sure the overall abilities and benefits they provide are far weaker than mine. From what I've gathered, their power and style is a lot more limited. Most of these 'Touki Practitioners' don't even have access to elements or affinity, they can only use mere Qi to fight.
What an insult to real [Cultivation].
7th rank should be equal to Overlord. But even without the usage of Icons, I'm sure I can slap her mother to death.
Embarrassing. I want to meet a cultivator of high rank to see just how weaker this world was. Hopefully not unsalvageable.
Putting that aside, I had a curious question about something else. "What do you mean when you say you're stronger during the night?"
"Well…" she hesitated. It bothered me a little that she wasn't comfortable sharing it with me, but I could understand.
"It's alright if you don't want to say it," I was about to drop the subject but she let out a sigh and spoke.
"It's my bloodline. Even among the rabbit yokai family, I descend from a legendary historical figure. The Lagomorph King." she stared at me. "A moon beast who came down from the moon to Earth during the Heian era. Some even say he's the God of the Moon. Since his blood flows through my veins, I have some moon-related abilities. That's why during the night when the moon shines bright, I become a bit stronger."
"Aha," I leaned closer, putting my chin in my hands. "The Lagomorph King..."
The word Lagomorph sent me on a spiral of memories. The moon people. My only friends during my… 8th life.
I wore the [Lagomorph Contract] on my bare skin that allowed me to summon the space-hopping rabbits from the moon. It was due to their help that I had managed to bring doomsday upon the world.
Back in my 8th life, as half a fishman, and half a human, as the prince of Atlantis yet the prince of Erebia, I hated all life on earth and sea alike. I chose only those rabbits from the world beyond, from the moon, as my companions as I brought hell down on the entire planet. The world burned, and I burned away along with it.
I think I'd have hated the Lagomorphs too if not for my connection with the moon thanks to my 5th life as a vampire. As well as the appearance of the Ruler Queen of the Lagomorphs. Her large body and pale skin reminded me a little of my mother, Emmanuel, which was enough to make me choose her and her people as my allies rather than my enemies.
I think… I can summon the Lagomorphs if I try here. They were dimension-hopping little rabbits, in the end, who came to reside on that world's moon from another universe. So in theory, if I try, I could summon the rabbits. I never needed to during my 9th life, but it shouldn't be impossible.
Of course, I have no reason to. Right now my focus is Mai Senpai. "Your potential is far greater than Touki training. If what I'm planning isn't impossible, I can make you a lot stronger, a lot faster. Can we meet at a later time?"
"Sounds like an excuse to invite me to a date," she said with a suspicious tone.
I laughed, "Oh, even if I'm lying, I'm sure you'll enjoy the date. Just accept it."
"Sure." She smiled a little. "Only because there is the tiniest chance that you'll make me stronger. While I enjoy my model and actress job, I'd love to have enough power to keep myself safe against Gods… and others. It's scary to think there exist hundreds of entities who can destroy the world I live in, with me unable to stop any of them."
I smiled at her. I like her.
In the end, we agreed to a date the Sunday after the next one. My next two Sundays will be a lot busy, it seems. That would also be around the time our 3 months will be close to its end, so I'll use that date to tie her down with me.
This little coffee date wrapped up so nicely.
* * *
I dropped off Mai Senpai in front of her house, carrying her through the sky with the excuse that it would be faster. She was unsure about me carrying her at first, but by the time we were in the sky, she didn't have any regrets.
I would have preferred a goodbye kiss, but I received none.
I returned home and Blue of the tiger cubs opened the main gate and greeted me. "Lord, you're back!" She looked cute when excited and enthusiastic, despite wearing a professional coat over a white t-shirt. "We've been waiting for you, there is good news. It was a success! We've successfully converted the two heretics!"
"Oh?" I was waiting for this; so Irina and Xenovia were finally ready. "Did you let them out of the dungeon yet?"
"No," she answered. "We tried, but the subspace was too strongly reinforced by your willpower. I think it's for the better, you can see if you're ready by your standards and then choose to let them out."
"I see, lead me." I followed her as she took me into the basement, where with a use of will, we materialized inside the instant dungeon copy of it.
I found Irina and Xenovia on the floor, eating like starved beasts. It made sense, as they were allowed to eat for the first time in a week. Beautiful girls with ginger and blue hair, with figures that would put models to shame, were on the floor and eating like beggars. It was a funny sight. Their black leather clothes were torn in parts, and the sleep bags under their eyes truly spoke of their harsh week.
They must have been so hungry and thirsty right now, yet when they saw me enter, they dropped their food and lowered their heads.
"O' Prophet, our Saint, welcome back!" they both yelled, slamming their heads on the floor, yet I found little sincerity in their call. It wasn't entirely a hoax, however.
I was going by the play that I'm the 'Avatar' or representative of the God, instead of the God himself; yet I was basically him in mortal flesh. Like I have expected, they have only agreed to serve me with the intention of watching me first. If they found me to be worthy of worship truly, their mind would submit on their own.
"Stand up," I told them and, with a snap of my finger, destroyed the instant dungeon. "Why are my loyal subjects eating in this manner? Come above, I'm going to feed you properly. Cubs, clean the room, there is too much blood."
"Yes, milord!" The cubs yelled and immediately began to clean the room. Although I told them to keep the torture light and more mental-related, they seemed to have let their emotions get the better of them.
I grabbed the two girls with each arm, throwing them above my shoulders as I carried them to the dining room. As we passed, Idol trainee girls stared at me, especially Kana, but I ignored them and fed my future knights well.
I needed them strong if they were to act as my swords.
I need to test their powers, teach them the [Knight's Aura], and hand over legendary sword techniques that'd help them grow. I should also find a way to strengthen their weak little holy swords.
'Haah,' I guess this week too was going to be a busy one.
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