The next morning, Ayanokoji and Nouflex stepped out of the inn and into the bustling streets of Daloria. The marketplace was already alive with activity, vendors shouting their wares and townsfolk haggling over prices.
Ayanokoji scanned the crowd, his eyes landing on a shop that seemed promising, a weapons and armor store nestled between a blacksmith's forge and a potion shop.
As they entered the store, the bell above the door chimed, drawing the attention of the shopkeeper. He was a middle-aged man with a grizzled beard and sharp, appraising eyes. He looked up from his ledger, taking in the newcomers with a shrewd gaze.
"Good morning." The shopkeeper greeted, his tone wary but polite. "What can I do for you?"
Nouflex stepped forward, setting the stolen gear on the counter with practiced ease. "We have some equipment we'd like to sell." He said, his voice steady and confident.
The shopkeeper's eyes widened slightly as he took in the quality of the items, Kora's twin daggers, Lucas's leather armor, and Nathalie's staff. He reached out, picking up one of the daggers and examining it closely.
"Fine craftsmanship, it's mot the best but still many people would love to have such equipment with them..." He murmured, turning the blade over in his hands. "Where did you come by these?"
Ayanokoji met his gaze evenly. "They were obtained from a group of adventurers who no longer needed them." All Nouflex could od was pity whoever was stolen by Ayanokoji.
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead turning his attention to the leather armor. He inspected the straps and stitching, nodding appreciatively. "This is good quality. I can offer you twenty silver coins for the daggers, thirty for the armor, and fifty for the staff."
Ayanokoji, stepped forward again his gaze fixed on the store owner. "We know the value of these items." His voice firm, he continued. "We expect a fair price. Sixty silver coins for the daggers, fifty for the armor, and seventy-five for the staff."
The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed, but he nodded slowly. "Very well. Forty for the daggers, forty for the armor, and sixty-five for the staff. Final offer."
Ayanokoji glanced at Nouflex, who gave a slight nod. "Agreed," Ayanokoji said, extending his hand.
The shopkeeper shook it, sealing the deal. He counted out the coins and handed them over, his expression still wary but satisfied with the transaction. "Pleasure doing business with you." He said.
They also bought a good quality sword for Ayanokoji since he had no mean to protect himself and fight except martial arts.
As they exited the shop, Ayanokoji and Nouflex walked down the street, the weight of the coins in Ayanokoji's pouch a comforting reminder of their success.
"Well done." Nouflex said quietly. "You've shown great skill in negotiating and obtaining valuable resources. This will serve us well. Well im not surprised, I expected at least this much from you, haha."
Ayanokoji nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Nouflex-sama. I will continue to learn and adapt."
"Great, now let's head for the forest to train my abilities, I also wanna try some new things I recently got." Nouflex said with an enthusiastic voice.
As Ayanokoji and Nouflex made their way through the bustling streets, heading towards the forest to test their powers, they felt a shift in the atmosphere.
The once lively market seemed to quiet down, and the presence of two individuals ahead caught their attention.
Standing in their path was a striking duo. The girl had vibrant green hair that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, and the boy beside her had stark white hair that contrasted sharply with his tanned skin.
Their expressions were serious, and their stance indicated they were there with purpose.
"Nouflex." The green-haired girl called out, her voice clear and authoritative. "We need to speak with you."
Nouflex's eyes narrowed, his posture straightening. "Who are you?" He demanded, his tone cautious.
"I'm Sunny." The girl replied, her eyes locking onto Nouflex's. "And this is Harry. We're here on a mission."
Harry, the white-haired boy, stepped forward, his gaze cold and unwavering. "Who told you to tell them my name, tch... And what kind of name is that? Nouflex? Did your parents had a screw loose while naming you? Anyways our master wishes to meet with you, Nouflex. It's not a request."
Nouflex tightened his fist in anger hearing him talking about his parents like that while Ayanokoji instinctively moved closer to Nouflex, his arms ready for anything that might happen. "What does your master want with him?" He asked, his voice steady but laced with suspicion.
Sunny's expression softened slightly, though her resolve remained. "We don't know the details, but our master was very clear. Nouflex must come with us."
Nouflex exchanged a quick glance with Ayanokoji before turning his attention back to the pair. "And if I refuse?"
Harry's eyes darkened, a hint of a threat in his tone. "We were told to bring you back by any means necessary."
The tension in the air was palpable, and Ayanokoji could sense the seriousness of the situation. He knew they couldn't afford a confrontation in the middle of the city, but if it was necessary then it could not be helped.
Nouflex raised his hands, he performed a series of signals "Shadow Imitation Technique."
Upon saying that, Nouflex shadow extended towards the girl. Her reflexes way faster than that, she easily jumped in the sky to avoid this technique, but what she is not aware of is that this shadow tentacle was not aimed at her, but rather at her own shadow.
So the moment the technique took hold of her shadow, she dropped to the ground on her knee unable to move. "What is this? I can't move."
Nouflex did manage to capture the girl sunny but he did a grave mistake. He completely forgot about oneindividual.
Harry seemed to teleport due to his speed as he appeared in front of Ayanokoji. His reflexes on high alert, Koji tried to fight the white haired boy by utilizing a bit of mana but Harry control was far superior.
Without effort he took hold of Ayanokoji's arm folding it behind his back. If he dared to resist he would not hesitate to break his arm. "It seems you have completely forgotten about me." Harry addressed Nouflex.
Turning to the source, Nouflex eyes couldnt help but widen, he completely forgot about this guy. Yet, even if he did not forget, how could he deal with him. He was barely able to produce one shadow tentacle.
'Fuck! He got Koji... What should I do, use dismantle? No I can't, Koji is too close to him there is no way to keep Koji safe if I do it.' Nouflex though in his mind.
As if reading his thoughts, Ayanokoji said. "Dont worry about my safety, I doesnt matter. Just do it!"
Hearing this Harry had a thought crossing his mind too. 'What does he mean to not care about his safety? Do you think he can beat me, at the price of your safety? Bullshit, even if he could he wont, im almost sure he wont risk his friend's life.'
"I have your friend hostage here, let him go and I will release her too." Nouflex tried to negotiate with the guy.
"Hah, Do you think I care about that midget? She was annoying me recently. Believe it or not you would do me a favor if you kill her." The nonchalant attitude of this Harry guy made Nouflex more stressed ans nervous from this current situation.
"Hey! You asshole!" Sunny was completely dissatisfied by the actions of the guy she considered her partner.
"My mission and objective is you Nouflex, I couldn't care less if we have two 'accidental' casualties in the process." He said with a disturbing friendly smile.
"Are you some kind of psychopath?" Nouflex couldn't help but ask.
"Well, maybe this is why im her favorite agent. I dont question, just execute and enjoy hehe." Harry replied, tightening his grip on Ayanokoji who completely ignored the pain in his shoulder that was about to snap and break, with his expressionless face.
'Damn it! What should I do? I can't just kill Ayanokoji, I really need him right now especially since he is my first and only summon at the moment. Besides they did not show any intentions to hurt us in the first place, If he wanted he could probably kill me before I even realize it with his speed, they only said that they want me to meet their master...'
Coming to this conclusion, Nouflex left out a helpless sigh as he lowered his hands freeing Sunny in the process from the shadow imitation technique.
'What kind of power is that? Does he have shadow affinity? Its super rare. But I did not sense any mana emanating from him...' Sunny, gaining control over her body again, clenched her fists and released them to make sure she could control her body naturally as she reflected on this weird technique.
"All right you win, we will follow you..." His pupils directed towards Harry with big intention to kill, what we would call a death stare, Nouflex continued. "Now let him go."
"Ouuuh, scaryyy~" Harry's playful tone ring in everyone's ears accompanied with a creepy smile as he released Ayanokoji, then he added. "Very well, now please follow us. She must be waiting."
'Such a shame Lady Lara is interested in him, it would be fun to break individuals like him.' Harry thought as he walked in a certain direction, followed by a pouting, mad Sunny.
"Koji are you alright?" I asked placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I guess im fine..." He waved his shoulder around to check if everything is in place. "Im sorry I weighted you down." He apologized.
"Dont worry about it, you were completely helpless against him. No matter how many techniques you have, he uses mana and his mana pool is huge. You never stood a chance." Upon hearing my words, Koji looked down in disappointment.
'Im completely useless, FUCK! I need to get stronger, really fast. In three... No, All I need is one month and I will prove my worth.' It seems that Ayanokoji has decided to train in order to become useful to his master.
Noticing Koji's behavior, Nouflex sighed as he patted his back. "Dont worry Koji, you still have many chances to prove yourself, I believe in you. Now let's get going."
Ayanokoji immediately felt better as he followed his master. "Yes, thank you for the trust..." He replied.
Ayanokoji stayed close to Nouflex, his mind racing with possibilities. Who could this master be, and what did they want with Nouflex? He had seen his master face some challenges so far, but this felt different... More personal.
As they walked, Nouflex leaned in and whispered to Ayanokoji. "Stay alert. We don't know what we're walking into."
Ayanokoji nodded, his senses heightened as they continued to follow Sunny and Harry. The path led them out of the city and towards a secluded area on the outskirts, where a grand mansion stood, partially hidden by dense forest.
They were led inside, the interior of the mansion opulent and imposing. The atmosphere was heavy with an air of mystery and power. Sunny and Harry guided them through a series of corridors before stopping in front of a large, ornate door.
"Our master is inside." Harry said, his tone respectful yet firm, contrary to his previous self. This proves his respect for his master. "Please, enter."
Nouflex took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping inside with Ayanokoji right behind him. The room they entered was vast, with high ceilings and walls lined with ancient tapestries.
As Ayanokoji and Nouflex stepped into the grand room, their eyes were immediately drawn to a figure standing at the far end. A young woman, seemingly in her mid-twenties, emerged from the shadows, her presence commanding and enigmatic.
Her green eyes sparkled with intelligence and a hint of amusement, and her long, flowing hair framed a face that exuded both youth and wisdom. She wore a tailored outfit that spoke of both practicality and elegance, a blend of armor and robes that suggested she was prepared for anything.
"Welcome, Nouflex." She said, her voice echoing through the chamber. "I am Lara, the Adventurers Guild Master."
Nouflex regarded her with cautious curiosity he heard a lot about this woman, while Ayanokoji remained silent, observing her every move. Lara's eyes flicked to Ayanokoji, and a flicker of recognition crossed her face, though she quickly masked it. Something that did not evade Ayanokoji's eyes.
'Does she know I was stealing people from her adventurer guild?' Ayanokoji couldn't help but wonder.
"It seems I have been given the honor of meeting two extraordinary individuals today." Lara continued, her tone light but her eyes sharp. "Please, sit. We have much to discuss."
Nouflex and Ayanokoji exchanged a glance before taking seats at the table in the center of the room. Lara sat opposite them, her demeanor calm and composed.
"I won't waste time with pleasantries." Lara began, leaning forward slightly. "Nouflex, I have heard remarkable things about you. Your abilities, your reputation. I am here to extend an offer for you to join the Adventurers Guild, not as an adventurer but more as an agent, like Harry who brought you here. We could greatly benefit from your expertise, of course you would have many benefits too."
'What reputation is she talking about? I recently came here...' Nouflex's expression remained impassive. "I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. I work best independently."
Lara's eyes narrowed slightly, but she maintained her polite smile. "I understand your preference for independence. However, the guild can provide resources, support, and a network that could enhance your capabilities."
Nouflex shook his head, trying to be as polite as possible. "I do not like owing favors or being indebted to anyone. My answer is still no."
Lara's smile faded, replaced by a look of genuine disappointment. "It's a shame to hear that. Your potential is immense, and I believe we could achieve great things together."
Lara sighed, leaning back in her chair as she continued. "Very well, if you insist on remaining unaffiliated, then perhaps an investment in your potential? Financial backing, magical artifacts, anything you might need to aid your journey."
Nouflex's eyes hardened. "I refuse. As I have already said I have no interest in being beholden to anyone. Please understand this."
The room fell silent, the atmosphere growing tense. Lara's eyes flicked between Nouflex and Ayanokoji before she let out a small, rueful laugh. "You drive a hard bargain, Nouflex."
Her tone shifted suddenly, growing serious. "I should warn you, however, that refusal might not be an option. I could be forced to use... Other methods to ensure your cooperation."
The weight of her words hung heavily in the air, and Ayanokoji felt his muscles tense, ready to act. But before he could react, Lara's stern expression softened into a smile.
"Of course, I'm just joking." She said, waving a hand dismissively. As the tension in the room dissipated, Lara's demeanor shifted once more, her eyes sharpening with a knowing glint. "I suppose it's time to drop the pretense." She said, her tone light yet carrying an undercurrent of gravity.
"Nouflex, I know you're not from this world. You're a transmigrated person, aren't you?" Nouflex's eyes widened in shock, and Ayanokoji tensed, his hand instinctively moving towards the hilt of his newly bought sword.
"How do you know that?" Nouflex demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
Lara raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down. I have no intention of harming you. But let me explain."
She reached into a drawer and pulled out a rolled-up paper, which she unfurled on the table. The image depicted a massive, jagged scar in the land, a lake and trees obliterated in a manner that defied conventional magic.
"This." Lara said, pointing to the image. "Is the wound you created in the Elemental Forest. A technique so destructive it altered the the whole place. I've never seen anything like it, not from any magic in this world."
Nouflex's eyes narrowed. "That was... an unfortunate necessity."
Lara nodded, her expression serious. "Perhaps. But it raised questions. How could someone unleash such devastation without using mana?"
She placed a piece of parchment on the table, this one containing detailed notes and observations about Nouflex's inability to use mana from one of the adventurers officers, Azazel to be exact. "The fact that you can't utilize mana was a significant clue. It made no sense that someone capable of such power would lack fundamental magical abilities."
Ayanokoji watched Lara closely, his mind racing through the implications of her words.
"And then." Lara continued, pointing with her finger at Ayanokoji. "I saw you with him. Recognizing you as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from 'Classroom of the Elite' confirmed my suspicions. It was the final piece of the puzzle. All of this means you have a sort of power related to anime or fictional characters/stories."
Nouflex and Ayanokoji exchanged a quick, alarmed glance before Nouflex turned back to Lara, he had his owns guesses but he had to ask. "H-how...?"
Lara nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Of course I understand that because... I was reincarnated into this world."
TO BE CONTINUED --->