Japan - Tokyo - June - Yumi and Iuye
Yumi and Iuye continued their search for Lucky, but so far they hadn't been lucky themselves. It seemed like the dog didn't even exist; everyone they asked gave them the same response.
— Don't give up, Iuye! We'll find him.
— By now we should have had some clue about where he could have gone, but no one has seen him.
After nearly an hour of searching, a middle-aged man had seen the dog.
— Ah, he was small and fluffy, right? said the old man, one hand holding a cigarette as he sat on a bench.
— Yes, that's right.
— If I'm not mistaken... he went in that direction, down the street and turned left, but it's been a while," scratching his head, the old man said.
— How long ago was that, roughly? Yumi and Iuye asked anxiously.
— It must have been about thirty to forty minutes.
They thanked him and immediately went to where the old man had pointed. They went down and turned left, passing by some cafes and restaurants until they reached a more residential neighborhood with medium-sized, somewhat modern houses, but something was strange; it was very quiet and empty.
— This neighborhood is strange, Iuye, have you ever heard of this place? Yumi asked, a little worried because it was getting late.
— No, I've never been to this side before, but I have a bad feeling about staying here.
After Iuye said this, they both heard a loud bark nearby.
— Lucky!!!" shouted Iuye as he ran towards the sound.
Ierchi Kingdom - June - Artisans Base
— Damn! That explosion almost proved fatal. "If I hadn't used my time magic for reinforcement, I probably wouldn't be here."
— Judging by the size of this explosion, it's likely that all the prisoners had these mana explosives on their bodies.
— Ross, are you alright? — Major Angelus! Yes, I'm fine.
"I barely managed to insert a barrier to protect the surroundings."
Major Angelus, highly respected by senior officers and the entire artisan base, was a calm man with a captivating gaze that charmed everyone. His short, slightly tousled hair had a purple hue, and his eyes were blue.
— Major, your barrier was exceptional. Without it, the nearest city would have been affected by the explosion. — He said while brushing off pieces of his uniform that still clung to his body.
— Major, any idea who could do something like this?
"The theft of the rare jewel, mind control, and now mana explosions... who is behind all this?" — Major Angelus pondered, chin in hand.
— Major Angelus and Captain Ross! — A young man with short blond hair and slightly pinkish eyes shouted from a distance.
— It appears to be Second Lieutenant Allika, Major.
— Major, Captain, look at this! It seems to be a message, but it's in an unknown language.
— Where did you find this message?
— Major, I didn't find it; a mysterious man handed it to me and then disappeared.
— Can you describe how he looked? — Major Angelus asked, intrigued by Second Lieutenant Allika's information.
— No, Major. There was a form as if it were energy and a cloak that prevented any identification.
"Perhaps Second Lieutenant Allika identified him as a man due to his hypersensitivity ability."
— Captain Ross, Captain!
— Yes, Major!
— Can you translate this unknown language?
— I'm sorry, Major. Let me see here. — Ross said, considering Allika's powers.
Allika belonged to a specific class of "musicians," where all senses could be heightened, but to enhance one sense, others had to be suppressed.
After translating the message, Captain Ross looked desperately at Major Angelus and Second Lieutenant Allika; the message contained something terrible that was approaching and could no longer be avoided...
otsacsel ia ruaseoc ej ,51 sel etibah uo tigbA eu.
— We need to contact the queen and warn her about this immediately. — Ross said, concerned about the message.
— Major, Captain, what is that in the sky? — Lieutenant Allika asked.
Due to his hypersensitivity, he could feel changes in the clouds; the sky was taking on a purple-greenish hue.
— What is that? — Captain Ross asked, alarmed.
— I don't know, but it doesn't look good.
— Allika, try to locate as many survivors as possible.
— Yes, sir!
— Ross, let's find Lieutenant Colonel Alysse; she'll be able to contact the queen and her guardian, Ilkyys.
Ierchi Kingdom - June - Guardian Summit
The guardians were gathered to discuss changes in the energy field; not all were present, only the realms of Ierchi, Niichu, Uordin, Ignotus, and Uttor. Communication with the others was conducted through telepathy.
— Ilkyys, I see you're overly concerned. You didn't need to organize this meeting since everyone is already aware of what's happening. — said Araddo, guardian of the Niichu realm.
— Araddo, not everyone possesses abilities similar to yours. I ask for your patience.
Ilkyys and Araddo didn't get along well, as they were longtime rival animals, one descended from a species of cat and the other from a dog.
— Well, I called this meeting to alert you all of a danger approaching our world.
— What do you mean, Ilkyss? What you're saying is very serious. Are you sure about this? — asked Axel, guardian of the Uordin realm.
His appearance resembled that of a fox, his fur a blend of colors resembling embers, charcoal, and sky clouds.
— Yes, you must have felt a disturbance in your powers a few days ago.
— Ha! You're all weaklings, I felt nothing of the sort. — scoffed Ilr, guardian of the Ignotus realm.
Despite not being physically imposing, Ilr wielded considerable power.
— Ilr, you fool! This just proves you're terrible at sensing energy.
— My point is, we need to prepare ourselves and expect the worst.
— Ilkys, I almost forgot, but fortunately you mentioned it. Have you found out anything about the scoundrels who tried to steal the jewel from your realm?
— Araddo, don't worry. Most of them are already captured at the Artisan base.
Araddo was irritated because the bandits had caused problems in his realm by claiming to be soldiers from the Niichu realm.
— Let me know if you discover anything important. These guys have crossed the line! The queen and I would very much like to have a word with the leader of this farce.
— Okay, the Artisans should soon have answers, and then we can deal with this together.
After the theft, we've experienced some changes, fluctuations in our powers. I believe it wasn't just me.
— I repeat, you're all weak! Anything can disrupt your energy flow. — Ilr mocked loudly.
— How odd, Ilr, you seem smaller than usual. Has your energy been diminished without you noticing?
— Shut up, Axel! You filthy fox.
"It's going to be a long meeting," thought Ilkyys, shaking his head and looking down.
After several insults and a heated discussion, despite their personal differences, the guardians were all willing to better understand the situation and what lay ahead. They decided to work together and share any information about unusual occurrences.
Near the end of the meeting, a voice attempted to contact the guardians' council. Pin, guardian of the Uttor realm and one of the most sensitive, alerted Ilkyys to the communication attempt.
He then released the external barrier of the council that prevented communication.
A weak voice struggled to warn them of the approaching danger.
— Be... careful, the blo...
But before they could receive the warning, communication was cut off, and a creature never seen before entered the dome.
Describing it was difficult because its body constantly changed to adapt to the environment and energy of the place.
— Ilkyys, watch out!
/ Replace: Radial Displacement /
Using his ability, Pin took Ilkyys's place and received a fatal blow to his chest.
A dark purple-green spear pierced Pin's heart, leaving him in a near-death state, his body falling into a deep sleep.
— Pin!!
"What's happening? Where did this attack come from?"
Immediately after the attack, Queen Elly of the Uttor realm had her powers nearly halved, her body growing weak as her heart pained her and her eyes closed. Before she fell unconscious, her crown vanished, and she collapsed to the ground.
The other guardians couldn't communicate telepathically anymore, leaving only those present in the dome to face the creature.
Ilkyys knew that with only the four of them, the battle would be difficult, as their powers were halved when away from their queens.
Their only option was to seek reinforcements and neutralize the threat immediately. Among the four, Axel was the fastest and the best candidate to leave the dome.
— Ilkyys, don't worry. We'll handle him. Watch out for that spear. — Axel said, standing close to Araddo and Ilr.
As he finished speaking, the creature writhed, expanding its energy and transforming the dome into an energetic globe, trapping them inside. It straightened up and let out a chilling roar.
It lunged at the four guardians, delivering a powerful punch to Araddo, sending him crashing into the wall.
/ Tail Fortification: Angularis Cut /
Ilkyys transformed his tail into a blade and attempted to strike one of the creature's arms, but his blade barely scratched its skin.
— Damned creature! How dare you touch me!
Enraged, Araddo transformed his fur into blades, hardening and extending them to use as weapons against their foe.
/ Fur Shot: Agony Sanguinum /
Around fifty threads shot out, growing thicker and longer as they approached their target, sharper than any blade.
"Well done, Araddo. You've created a great opportunity to call for reinforcements."
/ Shadow Move: Nullum Vestigium /
Before Axel could use his ability to conceal his presence, he found himself swapped with another location.
— How did this happen? — Axel's eyes widened in shock as the attack now targeted him.
— Axel! — Araddo shouted.
— It can't be! How did that damn creature do this?
Unable to dodge the attack, Axel, despite being the fastest guardian, had no choice but to forfeit his powers and revert to his primary form.
Axel's entire body was struck, and it was no longer possible to distinguish between flesh and bone.
In the realm of Uordin, Queen Eza knelt down, her body heavy and slowly rising with her hands extended as a small light began to appear—a sphere of red light. At that moment, she knew that Axel, her guardian, had relinquished his powers to her.
Queens without guardians are considered weak because they cannot unleash one hundred percent of their powers, and once they sever their bond with a guardian, their realm begins to deteriorate.
The situation was dire, and the atmosphere inside the dome grew even heavier as the creature opened its mouth and spoke.
— Two down, only three left to go. — It said with a tormented and malevolent smile.
Ilkyys, Araddo, and Ilr were cornered, hearing that voice for the first time.
Northwest region close to the Kingdom of Edim - June - Aleus and Krista.
— Ok. I won't insist since it's a secret, but answer me, after you kissed him he disappeared right before our eyes and soon after the jewel did the same, what do you say about that? — Aleus asked while trying to formulate a line of reasoning to understand what had happened.
— That's true, I'm not sure, but that boy had something special.
After a few days of walking, Aleus and Krista were approaching the Sea of Red Light that separated the kingdom of Ierchi from the kingdom of Edim. It was night, and this sea produced a spectacle that delighted the eyes because it emitted its own light that attracted many travelers and was also very dangerous with deep waters.
Being a tourist spot with a famous sea, there were some inns for travelers with various attractions and services for the greatest comfort of their guests.
Krista preferred to stay overnight in one even though Aleus disagreed, but to avoid suspicions of being fugitives, they decided to pretend to be just travelers looking to enjoy the moment.
Settled in a large traditional room with a wooden interior and a minimalist style as well as very comfortable, with a direct view of the sea.
With her short hair tied up and a color that reminded one of a softer pink, Krista relaxed while enjoying the warm waters of the thermal spring, while the steam obscured a silhouette in the distance that gradually took shape until she realized...
Aleus was in the same spring as her, however, it was not new for her to see his naked body just as it was for him to see hers.
— Ah, let's avoid speaking Elandorian here as it's known as a dark language.
— Krista said while stroking her arms looking at the full moon.
— True, I had forgotten. — Scratching his head standing with water up to his thigh, he said.
Krista stood up and gradually approached him, looking up she faced him for a few seconds, gently brought her hand to his face and slowly went down to his chest.
— Does it still hurt? Gently massaging a scar that Aleus had on his chest from an intense battle he had in the past.
— Only when you touch it. — Aleus said with a smile on his face.
— Idiot!
Ready to slap his face, Aleus caught her hand, leaned his body, brought his face close to hers, looking into her eyes, and kissed her forehead.
— There's a distance of eight centimeters, your body will always belong to me. — Aleus said before kissing her.
— Your lips are sweet, soft, and your scent drives me crazy, but sometimes you annoy me.
— Oh, don't tell me you're like this because of that kiss I gave that young man?
— Obviously! — Turning her face away sulkily at Krista's response.
— Seriously! I don't remember getting upset with you when you were in that brothel in the kingdom of Ighi.
— Huh? But you were there too! — True, we have to do it again, right!? — Krista said with a cute smile on her face.
— Definitely, but this time I want you and two more.
— Hmm, only if you convince me now that you deserve two more.
Before Aleus could have that opportunity, the entire night was illuminated by trails of shooting stars with a purple and greenish hue.
— But what is this?
Japan - Tokyo - June - Yumi, Iuye and Yuki
Yuki had taken the cat he found to a veterinarian to get some medication, and while waiting to be called, he saw a girl with red hair and a boy walking down a street.
"That's Yumi. What could have happened?"
He picked up the cat and followed Yumi, but he noticed something different; his leg was no longer injured.
— Yumi! Yumi! — He shouted as he approached the two.
— What happened? He asked. — Yuki? We're looking for Iuye's dog.
— And we just heard a bark coming from that abandoned building, we were heading there.
— Ok. Don't worry, little girl, Yumi and I will save your puppy!
— Yuki, he's a boy, Yumi whispered in his ear.
"What? Wow, he looks like a girl..., he must be my sister's age," Yuki thought as he looked at the boy.
— Let's go. — With an awkward laugh and a bit embarrassed for mistaking the boy.
Yuki and Yumi could never have imagined that by entering that abandoned building, their lives would never be the same again, and the world they knew would cease to exist.
"Wow, it's all dark in here. I'll use my phone's flashlight!"
— Yumi, don't leave my side. — holding her hand.
— Is it yours? — Yumi asked while petting the cat that was in Yuki's backpack.
— Look, Iuye, how cute!
— Lucky! Where are you? — Iuye shouted.
— I think he didn't hear you.
"Poor thing must be very worried about Lucky."
— Iuye wait, we can't separate. — Yumi shouted worriedly.
"Wow, this boy is braver than I thought. At his age, I would be scared," Yuki thought as he heard him calling for his dog.
As they climbed the stairs, a bright light caught Yumi's attention.
An explosion of shooting stars with a different coloration turned night into day, and due to its intensity, it was impossible to keep one's eyes open, yet, as grandiose as it was, everything around was in complete silence.
— Yumi! — Yuki shouted, running towards her.
...
— Hey, Yuki! Wake up.
— Yuki? — The cat shouted while jumping on him.
When I opened my eyes, everything seemed different, a bit blurry, maybe because of that light, my shirt was a bit tight on my body, especially around my chest, but the most bizarre thing was encountering that cat I had saved talking to me.
— You're talking? How is this possible?
— You finally woke up, I've been calling you for a while, but you wouldn't open your eyes.
Getting up, Yuki realized that his hair had also grown and felt a slight volume in his chest, he brought his hands up and began to feel.
"What a nice feeling, they're soft. Wait..."
His hands became more delicate, with one of them he touched his face and noticed it had more feminine features.
— What the hell is this? I turned into a girl...
Quickly he moved his other hand down there...