The fifth day in the underground cavern.
Today, Doma finally saw the monster she had killed.
It was a strange creature with a tough exoskeleton, resembling a bug, large in size and exceptionally ugly and terrifying. It had a grotesque mouth with jaws that could open wide, and its head occupied half its size. The creature had small limbs, a shell emitting a purple glow, and its belly wasn't soft.
Even in death, they looked truly terrifying.
Due to this encounter, Doma, who had known the big sister for five days, saw her angry for the first time.
It was the first time she was angry at Doma, but it made Doma very happy.
She cares about me.
"I told you to hide, so why did you come out?" She stood in the darkness, questioning Doma.
"I just wanted to help." Doma said resolutely to her. "I'm the daughter of a hunter. I've crafted weapons these days; look."
Doma raised a repaired short bow to show her. Then, she picked up her bone-made short dagger and, from a distance, shot towards the monster's corpse.
Though it was dark, relying on the vague silhouette and the archery taught by her father, Doma accurately hit it.
But. The result surprised Doma.
The sharp bone dagger didn't penetrate the monster's body; it merely scraped against its shell, producing a small spark.
"Sorry," Doma immediately apologized to her.
Her father had said that when facing powerful prey, one should listen to an experienced hunter because that could save your life.
Now, big sister was that powerful hunter, a hunter dedicated to slaughtering these monsters in Doma's eyes.
But the result was unexpected, yet she didn't get angry; instead, she laughed.
Her tone was filled with laughter as she seemed to appreciate Doma, praising, "Well done. When I was your age, I never thought of dealing with them in this way. You're very talented. But, to kill them, Doma, relying on this isn't enough. You can choose to trap them and then let them starve."
Doma was stunned. Did she just... laugh? Did she praise me?
Excitedly, Doma said, "Thank you! I'll do it from now on!"
"I believe in you, Doma. You're a brave girl, a natural-born warrior."
Once again, she acknowledged Doma.
Powerful as she was, not as cold as Doma perceived.
However, it seemed she said something significant.
Recalling her beautiful big sister's earlier words, Doma immediately reacted, exclaiming, "Wait, big sister! I understood from what you said earlier. Did you start hunting them when you were very young?"
"Doma, I told you not to call me big sister." She paused and continued, "And, it's not what you think. Back then, they were hunting me, and now, it's the other way around."
"Previously, they were hunters, and I was the prey. But now, I am the hunter, not the prey."
Doma nodded.
Picking up what she had thrown, Doma sat on the ground and started eating.
Doma didn't know where she found the food.
But everything tasted good.
When hungry, anything you eat is happiness.
While eating and resting, Doma asked her, "I still don't know your name."
Doma wanted to understand her better.
She is a good person.
But she refused once again.
"Doma, you're smart; you should know we are different."
Doma fell silent, but quickly said, "But I... I don't feel like we are different in any way."
She also fell silent but soon spoke in a casual manner, "That's because you're still young. When you grow a bit older, you'll realize we are completely 'different.'"
Doma stopped talking.
---
The sixth day in the underground caverns, or rather, not in the underground caverns anymore.
After walking with her for many days, they finally exited the underground world.
Dimly, Doma saw a beam of light; it was so bright that Doma closed her eyes instantly.
But soon, something appeared on her face.
It was a bit prickly and somewhat hard.
But Doma could feel it was hands.
"Don't open your eyes, Doma."
For the first time, she was so close to Doma. Standing behind her, she covered Doma's eyes with her hands, gently guiding her outside.
As Doma felt the warmth, she lost herself for a moment.
She was too familiar with this warmth; it was the daytime sun.
In Shurima, daytime was always this hot.
"Where do you live?"
She asked Doma.
"Domo Village, a village that survives by hunting."
"Sorry, Doma, I haven't heard of it."
"Then, big sister, you must not be a local. Domo Village is quite famous around here. We are known for our powerful hunting skills on the Shurima continent."
She didn't say anything but smiled lightly.
Hunting, huh? But the smile quickly faded.
From the entrance behind them came a sound only she could hear. It was a call; they were summoning her.
The purple shoulder pods at her shoulder moved slightly, as if recalling their call. The skin on her shoulders wriggled again. Waves of stinging pain told her she was hungry.
"Doma, cover your ears."
She whispered.
"Okay."
Doma obediently covered her ears, but even so, she heard the booming explosions.
This sound was familiar to her; it was her beautiful big sister making it.
After the reverberations quieted, she said, "Doma, it seems I don't need to take you back."
"It looks like someone is looking for you."
"Oh? Really?"
Doma exclaimed in surprise.
The hands on her face slowly loosened, and she walked backward.
Doma noticed that the sun wasn't as dazzling now.
Then, squinting, she looked ahead. It was... her father!
"Dad!"
"Doma! My daughter!"
A strong man wearing a short jacket made of sand tiger fur, carrying a longbow and a spear, looked at Doma with joy from a distance.
But soon, his eyes swept from surprise to fear. Joy turned into terror, and he reached out to Doma, shouting, "Doma, come quickly! Get away from it!"
"?" Doma looked at her father in confusion.
Seeing her father and a group of adults reaching for weapons, aiming behind her, Doma realized something. She opened her arms wide and shouted, "Wait, Dad, what are you doing?"
"Doma, quickly get away from that monster!"
A hunter shouted loudly.
"Monster? What monster!"
Doma, angry and puzzled, turned around, but the next moment, she froze.
A few meters behind her was a woman covered in a full suit of armor.
She had soft black hair and a breathtakingly beautiful face.
But she wasn't human.
Doma looked at her, noticing the strange pods billowing on her shoulders, and the purple shell covering her body. The peculiar patterns on her body shimmered with a chilling purple light under the scorching sun.
This chilled Doma's heart for a moment.
Is her big sister really not human?
Doma was very familiar with the color of that shell.
She had seen many monster corpses underground, all killed by her sister.
The shells on their bodies, the color, and the patterns were identical to hers.
"Doma, go over here," she said calmly.
"But you, but you..." Doma stood there, unable to find words.
"Go, go to your father. It looks like they've been looking for you for a long time." She looked at Doma, smiling gently. "Don't let your family worry."
Doma hesitated, but soon, she calmed down.
Her big sister isn't a monster.
She's a good person.
Without her, Doma would be dead by now!
So she's not a monster!
She's just like me!
Doma's gaze gradually became determined, but behind her, her father and the elders became increasingly anxious.
"Doma, come over quickly! Get away from that monster!"
"Damn it, Doton, that purple woman is an underground monster. She killed many people, destroyed many villages. Get Doma away from her!"
"Go to hell, you monster!"
When an arrow appeared above Doma's head, Doma became furious.
How could they!
She's not a monster!
Doma turned her head away from her sister, blocking her path with her arms wide open. Doma roared angrily, "Father, Uncle Gell, Uncle Rei, stop! All of you, stop!"
"She's not a monster! She's not a monster!"
"She saved Doma!"
But there, they didn't believe a child's words.
It was normal; anyone seeing such a person with purple skin, recalling those terrifying rumors, wouldn't believe she could be a good person.
She was a man-eating monster.
"Doton, Doma has been bewitched by her!"
"Quick, we need to form a defensive formation!"
They scattered, as if preparing to fight her.
This made Doma even more desperate.
Standing behind Doma, she smiled again, smiling very happily.
"Doma, thank you."
I like her, she thought.
This is a great girl.
Just like her in the past, on Doma, she saw her younger self—back when she was called Kaisa.
"Doma, my time is running out."
Hearing her words, Doma became nervous. With her back turned to her, Doma quickly said, "You, where are you going? Big sister, don't worry, I'll convince them. You're not a bad person, and definitely not a monster!"
"You can't, Doma. People only believe what they want to believe."
Yes, people only believe what they see.
Even if it's not the truth.
"I've been to my hometown; it's not very far from here, actually." She smiled and said, "They used to like me a lot, but now... they call me a monster."
"You're like me!"
Doma argued, "You saved me."
"Yes, just like you."
She stepped forward, patting Doma's head gently in front of their horrified expressions. That beautiful face revealed a light smile, a breathtaking one.
"They don't really understand me. Because to them, I'm just something they don't want to face—a living, walking, fighting symbol, symbolizing their greatest fear. I guess that's why they changed my name."
"Doma, haven't you always wanted to know my name?"
Rubbing Doma's head, she said, "I'm called Kai'Sa."
"Please remember this name."
Behind her, Kai'Sa heard whispers from the underground again.
She frowned.
The appearance of these people made them restless again.
Soon, this area would be in danger.
The shoulder pods stirred again, and Kai'Sa didn't hesitate. She knew it was time to part ways.
Kai'Sa lowered her body, and two dazzling purple lights shot out from the pods on her shoulders, exploding near the group of people. The explosion's range could cover dozens of meters, but it didn't harm them at all, yet it scared them.
And when the dust settled, Kai'Sa had disappeared.
In panic, Doton rushed over, using both hands and feet. He embraced his daughter lying unconscious on the sandy ground, feeling her heartbeat.
"She's alive, she's still alive, my daughter is alive!"
Doton exclaimed joyfully.
Rei, who came over, cursed, "Damn it, that monster came here. We need to go back and tell everyone; we have to move away."
"Right, protect Doma. Let's go back now."
"We need to leave this place; that monster is too dangerous!"
After they disappeared with Doma,
Behind a large sandstone, Kai'Sa emerged.
She was playing with a small bone-made dagger in her hand.
She took it from Doma without her consent.
"Thank you, Doma."
Kai'Sa looked at the direction they disappeared, a smile on her face.
Very happy that a little girl acknowledged her existence.
That's all that matters,
Being treated as a monster doesn't matter.
As long as
I can help them.
"I came back for those who couldn't come back."
Turning around, Kai'Sa's silhouette was determined.
She would continue to fight.
Until she drives those monsters out from the depths of Shurima.
She is Kaisa.
She is, Kai'Sa.
————
//// She got two names, one is her given name when she was born "Kaisa" and her adopted Void name "Kai'Sa". I know, big difference right? ////