As the trio made their way to the castle gates, they were met by Senki, Julieta, and numerous other citizens.
The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and sadness, the people wishing them well on their journey.
Senki approached Yuto, his expression serious but his eyes reflecting a hint of fondness. "You have done much for our kingdom," he said, his voice firm yet warm.
"We will not forget your contributions here, I am prideful to have met you Yuto"
Yuto chuckled, "Same here, you are much better at hunting than I am"
Senki smiled, his eyes bearing no hate but respect, "If you ever return, I am always willing to teach you more"
"I would like that very much"
The queen stepped forward with a spirit beast egg in her arms. It was something very beautiful, and the scales on the egg shone very brightly.
The different colors showed the rarity of the beast.
It was worth the wait, Yuto thought.
"Haha, after two years you finally found a spirit beast egg?"
Julieta chuckled softly at Yuto's comment, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yes, finally," she replied, her tone tinged with relief.
"It took a lot of time and effort, but it was worth it, after all, I do owe you a lot"
She handed the spirit beast egg to Yuto, who used the system to put it away in storage.
"I know it was an unreasonable request, but thank you"
"It was indeed quite an extraordinary request," Senki responded.
"But you have done much for our people and our land. So every bit of sweat to find it, was worth it"
Yuto nodded, "Well, we best be on our way now, we can't afford to waste any more time"
Senki and Julieta nodded in understanding, their expressions solemn but accepting, "Safe travels," Senki said.
"May the gods watch over you," Julieta added, her voice tinged with sadness.
["Gods? Haven't seen any of them during our journey"]
'Don't say anything Yuto, or so help me'
Yuto looked over at Mizuki who's expression was very clear that he should keep his mouth shut.
["I have forgotten that you and I are connected and that we can talk via thought"]
'And don't you ever forget it'
Yuto sighed as they began walking towards the gates again, the rest of the citizens bid their farewells, their voices a chorus of hopes and wishes for a safe journey.
Just as they were about to leave, Freya ran to hug Senki and Julieta, this was it, she was leaving.
Mizuki stopped Yuto who had his head in the clouds, 'Freya is saying her goodbyes'
["Let us wait then"]
…
"We'll miss you," Senki murmured, hugging her tightly.
Julieta's eyes were shining with unshed tears as she embraced her as well. "Promise you'll come back and visit, okay?" she whispered.
Freya nodded, her own eyes prickling with tears. "I promise," she managed to choke out, her voice thick with emotion.
They held each other for a few more moments, the weight of their farewell hanging heavily in the air.
Then, Freya pulled back, her gaze meeting Yuto's as she wiped away a tear with the back of her hand.
He walked back and held out his hand, "You ready Fae?"
Freya nodded a mixture of determination and melancholy in her eyes. "Yes," she replied, her voice soft yet resolute.
"I'm ready"
Freya placed her hand in his, her slender fingers interlacing with his.
Yuto ran with her to the gate, Mizuki chuckled as she took on her ring form.
Yuto and Mizuki ran through the forest, as they exited through the gates, the elven kingdom slowly vanished from view, disappearing into the thick foliage of the forest.
Freya glanced behind her briefly, her heart heavy with a mixture of sadness and anticipation.
Yuto who had already let go of her hand and was running through the trees stopped, "You can still go back if it's too much, I know it's not easy leaving family"
Freya stopped running, her eyes widening at Yuto's offer.
For a moment, she was torn, her heart aching to stay. But then she shook her head vigorously.
"No," she said firmly, her voice betraying no doubt.
"I chose to leave. I chose you. I'm not going back"
Mizuki came out again in her physical form as Yuto looked away blushing, Freya chuckled, a hint of a smile playing on her lips at Yuto's blushing face.
"Feeling shy, are we?" She teased, her voice filled with a lightness that wasn't there moments ago.
Mizuki also joined in on the teasing, "He's too easy to embarrass, right, Freya?"
"Oh, absolutely," Freya agreed, her smirk widening as she and Mizuki shared an amused look.
"One mention of anything 'scandalous' and he turns as red as a cherry"
"Is he now?"
"Oh, definitely," Freya confirmed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You can try it sometime. Just watch him turn into a stuttering, blushing mess"
Yuto looked over at both of them, he pointed at Freya, "Who squeals when I begin to suck on their ears?"
Freya's cheeks instantly turned rosy as Yuto called her out, "I-I do not squeal," she protested, her voice cracking slightly in embarrassment.
"I... I just... make a sound of surprise!"
He then turned to Mizuki, "Who likes it when I massage their stomach?"
Mizuki stifled a giggle at Yuto's remark, her cheeks flushing with a slight pink tinge, "Well, that... that might be me," she admitted, her voice a playful murmur.
She quickly went back into the ring, leaving Freya to fend for herself, Freya shot a glare at the ring as Yuto's attention turned back to her.
"Traitor," she muttered under her breath, her face still flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement.
Yuto had a stupid grin on his face as he jumped over to the tree branch she was on, Freya squeaked as Yuto unexpectedly jumped over.
She pressed herself against the bark, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Who's the embarrassed one now?"
Freya huffed, her eyes narrowing as she realized she had walked right into this trap.
"Not fair," she muttered, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably because of the blush on her cheeks.
He flicked her forehead before he kept on moving, "Come now, we have to keep moving"
"Ow!" Freya protested, rubbing the spot on her forehead where Yuto had flicked her. "That hurt, you know"
She pouted for a moment longer before quickly falling in step beside Yuto. "Fine, fine. Let's go"
They continued through the trees, the forest stretching endlessly before them.
The only sound was the rustle of leaves under their feet and the occasional calls of birds perched high above.
…
As night fell, they set up a small camp at the edge of the clearing.
Yuto gathered firewood and built a small fire while Freya and Mizuki set up the tents.
Soon enough, the campsite was set up and they gathered around the fire, its warm glow warding off the chill of the night.
The flickering flames danced and cast shadows on their faces as they sat in comfortable silence.
"Freya, you should probably go to sleep, I know you must be tired," Yuto commented as he made himself a s'more.
She nodded, her eyelids feeling heavy, "You're right," her voice a murmur.
"It has been a long day"
She stood up slowly, stretching her arms above her head with a soft sigh.
"I'll see you guys in the morning," she said, her eyes flickering between Yuto and Mizuki.
She then headed back to her tent, disappearing inside as she pulled the flaps shut behind her.
Inside the tent, Freya settled into her sleeping bag, the soft rustling of the fabric the only sound in the small space.
She closed her eyes, her exhaustion quickly catching up to her.
Within moments, the steady rhythm of her breathing indicated that she had fallen into a deep sleep.
…
Meanwhile, Yuto and Freya sat around the fire, the flames casting a warm and flickering light over them.
The forest around them was quiet, the only sound being the soft crackling of the fire and the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze.
Mizuki turned to look at him, her voice soft, "So, how does it feel to leave the elven kingdom after all this time?"
"I feel fine, it's Freya who I'm worried about"
Mizuki nodded, she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry. I'm sure Freya will be alright"
"She's stronger than she looks, and she's got us to look out for her. She'll be fine"
She paused for a moment, before speaking again, changing the subject slightly, "So, what do you plan on doing with that spirit beast egg?"
"It's in the system's storage. The queen told me that I have to pour in some of my mana during lunchtime"
Mizuki leaned in a bit, her curiosity piqued, as she spoke in a teasing manner, "Huh, you have to pour in your mana?"
"Sounds like a unique process to hatch a spirit beast egg. I wonder what kind of creature will come out of it"
"Hopefully something cool, if not I'm going back to complain"
She chuckled at his response, she leaned back a bit, her arms crossed casually, "Oh, I have no doubt it will be something very cool. After all, anything less wouldn't be worthy of being your spirit beast"
"Haha true, ... so what do you think?"
"Of where we're currently going?" She asked with a curious expression.
"The kingdom of Drakona, finding it is going to be a pain," he said as he ate his s'more.
"Didn't the elven kingdom give you something to find it?"
"Yeah, it's currently guiding me, it's like a green line that I must follow," he sighed as he looked at the green line, its path leading further into the forest.
"Well, that's helpful. I suppose finding it shouldn't be too difficult then"
"Guess not, it's getting in that's the problem"
"We can think about it in the morning, we should get some sleep," she lay down on the soft grass, looking up at the star-covered sky.
The soft sound of the leaves blowing helped create a peaceful atmosphere.
She patted the ground next to her, gesturing for him to join, "Come on. Lie down and get some sleep"
Yuto chuckled as he picked her up in a princess carry, "We have a tent"
She rolled her eyes playfully, swatting at his lightly in annoyance, "Oh, very funny, and here I thought you'd enjoy sleeping under the stars"
"Not tonight, I want to sleep in a tent"
She let out a small huff, pretending to be offended, "Hmph, fine. If you insist on being practical and sleeping in a tent, then I suppose I have no choice but to join you"
She settled comfortably in his arms as he carried her toward the tent, her head resting against his chest, as they entered the tent Yuto found two bedrolls already laid out.
He laid her down on the comfortable bedroll, the air was warm and still, she turned to him, her voice slightly teasing.
"Well, this is quite the luxury. A tent all to ourselves, how romantic"
Yuto lay down beside her, wiping the strands of hair covering her eyes, "It should take us about a month to get to the kingdom of Drakona"
She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of his hand, she hummed softly, and her voice came out soft and dreamy.
"A month's journey, huh? Well, at least we'll have plenty of time to enjoy each other's company along the way"
…
"I'm glad you get along with Freya"
Mizuki let out a soft chuckle, a small smile spreading, "Of course, I get along with Freya"
"After all, who else can tease you like I do"
Yuto let out a chuckle as he fixed his pillow, Mizuki grinned at his response, she reached out her hand and lightly flicked his forehead.
"Hey, that was a perfectly reasonable statement"
"I'm humoring you Mizuki, because I tease the both of you equally"
Mizuki chuckled as she wiped the strands of hair from his eyes, "Yes, and we love it because we can feel your emotions clearly"
"…"
"Goodnight Mizuki"
She smiled at his words, and she snuggled closer to him, her voice soft and gentle as he took her in his arms, "Goodnight Yuto, sleep well"
They lay together in the quiet, cozy tent.
Mizuki rested her head on his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing, it was the warm embrace of his arms around her that knocked her into a peaceful sleep.
- Morning -
The first light of dawn began to peek through the small opening in the tent, gently stirring Freya awake.
Freya groaned softly, her eyes slowly fluttering open as she felt the first inklings of consciousness.
She sat up slowly in her sleeping bag, her muscles sore and stiff from the night's sleep.
Freya reached up to rub her eyes, taking a moment to gather her bearings before pushing aside the tent flap and stepping outside.
The fresh morning air filled her lungs as she stepped out onto the campsite.
The sun was just beginning to rise, its first rays of sunlight casting a soft, golden glow over the landscape.
Yuto and Mizuki were already up and about, attending to early morning tasks. He looked at the sleepy Freya and chuckled, "Morning sleepy head"
"Morning," Freya mumbled, her voice still groggy with sleep. She stifled a yawn behind her hand as she approached Yuto, her eyes still a little hazy from grogginess.
"You look half-asleep still," Yuto commented with a smirk. "Are you sure you're awake yet?"
"I'm awake," Freya protested, her pout making an appearance as she tried to suppress another yawn.
"Just... just a little slow starting, that's all"
"Sure you are," Yuto teased, poking her cheek as she swatted his hand away.
Mizuki chimed in from the other side of the campsite, "Seems like someone needs some coffee"
"I can function without coffee, you know," Freya grumbled, though there was no real heat behind her words.
She glanced at Mizuki, her eyes still a bit bleary. "But... I wouldn't say no to a cup..."
Mizuki chuckled as she began preparing drinks for the three of them.
Soon, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mixing with the scent of the crackling fire and the crisp morning breeze.
As the aroma grew stronger, Freya could almost feel herself becoming more awake.
The scent of the coffee tugged at her senses, promising the sweet, caffeine-induced energy boost she needed to fully wake up.
"I guess coffee was the answer," Mizuki chuckled as she passed Yuto a cup to hand to Freya.
"It almost always is," Yuto agreed, his voice laced with amusement.
He handed a mug of steaming coffee to Freya, who accepted it gratefully. She took a careful sip, enjoying the taste of coffee.
"Ah... that's much better," she sighed, her eyes closing in satisfaction as she took another sip. The caffeine was already beginning to work its magic.
As they all sat down with their coffee and bread Yuto spoke up, "So, I'm going to say the next part of our journey, so listen up"
Both Mizuki and Freya looked at Yuto curiously as he spoke, their attention fully on him.
"Alright," Freya said, her voice steady.
"What's the plan?"
"The kingdom of Drakona is very far, it should take us a month to get there, but if we run without breaks we can get there in a week"
Freya's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Yuto's words. "A week? That's... a lot of running"
"Thankfully we trained, right?" Yuto was smiling but his eyes were clear that he wasn't joking, they had spent two years in the elven kingdom, and he was going to put that to use.
Freya chuckled as she took another sip, "Yes, my father did say I should expect to run a lot when I'm with you"
"I have no problems with it, I'm in for running for a week straight"
She glanced over at Mizuki, who seemed equally resolute and nodded their agreement.
"Alright then," Yuto said, his tone more serious now.
"Then our plan is set. We'll run without stopping for an entire week"
He looked at both Freya and Mizuki, his eyes unwavering. "Are you both with me?"
"I'm in," Freya confirmed.
Mizuki chimed in, sounding equally resolute, "Well you're going to do most of the running so let's hurry up"
Yuto's serious expression relaxed into a grin, "That's the spirit. Let's pack up camp and get moving. We've got a kingdom to reach"
They quickly began packing up their camp, efficiently dismantling the tents and gathering their belongings.
Yuto put everything in his storage ring, and they were ready to set off.
Yuto led the trio out of the campsite, their eyes set on the long journey ahead, Mizuki went back inside the ring, and Yuto and Freya stretched a bit.
She rolled her shoulders, rotated her wrists, and did a few quick jumps on the spot to get her blood pumping.
"Okay," she said, her voice steady though slightly breathless from her movements.
"I think I'm ready"
She looked over at Yuto, his own body stretched and prepared for the journey. He nodded at her, a silent affirmation that they were both ready to begin.
Skill: Accelerate x Dash x Speed Boost
Yuto and Freya both activated their respective skills, they shared one last look before Yuto broke into a fast run, his muscles moving with a burst of speed.
Freya was right behind him, her legs pumping as she dashed alongside him. They ran to the mountains as that's where the green line guided them.
- 1 Week Later -
After days of running without rest, the trio finally reached the massive cave entrance. They stopped for a moment to catch their breaths, panting heavily from the prolonged exertion.
The cave looked ominous, its gaping maw swallowing up the light and disappearing into the darkness within.
Just as they were about to enter, they heard a roar coming from the mountaintops. It was a beast that was trembling with power, it had black scales, piercing red eyes, and 2 blue horns.
It was a dragon.
"HUMAN, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW!"
Its voice was powerful as they were sitting on top of a mountain cliff.
Its eyes gazed upon Yuto and his companions, trying to figure out if they were a threat or not, she transformed mid-flight as she appeared in front of him and grabbed him by his collar.
"G-greetings, My name is Yuto Akimitsu"
"I don't care what your name is, I asked you where you think you are!"
She said with a harsh tone as she brought him closer to her face, her eyes were glaring at him as her long sharp nails dug into his coat.
'Yuto, what do we do?'
["Don't do anything, I'll handle it, make sure Freya steps back"]
Mizuki nodded as she pulled Freya back, she wanted to protest but the level of power the dragon girl was emanating, felt suffocating.
The black dragon they had seen, transformed into a beauty in a red leather jacket, black pants, and a golden belt.
"I-interesting fashion choice"
"Are you trying to mock me, human?" She said, tightening her grip on his coat.
She was starting to get angrier and the ground under her feet started to split and crack.
"Of course not, look at me, I'm wearing a suit and a trench coat, aren't I the weird one?"
"You're weird and annoying," she said bluntly.
She released her grip on his coat and put it back down as she dusted off her jacket, her eyes still glaring at him as her wings were flared.
"So why are you here human? Answer me that"
Yuto, being the dumbass that he is, stepped up, fixing his coat, "First, miss dragon, if you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"
"I am Kana Seraphina, Daughter of the dragon king," she paused before asking in a demanding tone.
"And who do you think you are for speaking to me in such a casual way, human?"
Freya hid behind Mizuki as Kana released more of her power, Mizuki had to create a barrier just to breathe, and Yuto stood tall, his stupid grin never leaving.
"What's with the cocky grin, human? You think you can be all casual with me?"
She crossed her arms as he still stood tall with his stupid grin, Kana's eyes scanned him up and down as her tail flicked in irritation and curiosity.
"Of course not, only a foolish person would have the balls to do that, I am here to visit the Kingdom of Drakona, with my companions"
"Hmph, and how do I know you're not lying," she put her arms on her hips and her eyes never left him; they were still studying him up and down as if he were an oddity.
"I'm right at the entrance, aren't I?"
"That doesn't tell me if you're lying or not," she said with an annoyed expression on her face.
She crossed her arms again as her tail swished back and forth furiously, it was clear that she was starting to get more and more irritated.
'Stop fucking around Yuto, look at poor Freya, she's scared shitless!'
["... Yeah, you're right, I'm sorry"]
"Kana was it?"
"Yes, that's my name, human. What of it?"
She was starting to get more and more impatient as this conversation went on, her tail swishing faster, and she started to tap her foot against the ground.
"Please do not be so angry at me"
<- System ->
[Charisma Stat is in effect]
Kana's expression softened as she slowly relaxed, but she still didn't fully trust him, "And why should I not be so irritated, human?"
Her voice was a bit softer now, but there was still an edge to it.
["Got her"]
<- System ->
[Got her indeed]
Kana's body fully relaxed as she no longer felt the anger she felt before, and her face softened even more.
She took a step closer to him and said, "I suppose I can...calm down a bit"
(She has a bit of a soft spot for charming people, and Yuto's charisma is pretty high)
"I came to meet the Dragon King because I need his assistance"
"You need the help of my father?"
Kana's expression changed to a more curious one as she tilted her head to the side, "What sort of help do you need from him, human?"
She had stopped releasing her power, allowing Mizuki and Freya to be able to breathe probably as Yuto took a step forward.
"I think the Elven King told him the details, I just need to meet your father"
Kana despite not being angry was still a bit on the edge, "And how can I trust your word?"
"Miss Dragon"
"C-call me Kana"
"Huh?"
"You don't have to be so formal, just call me Kana," she crossed her arms and said sheepishly as her cheeks reddened ever-so-slightly.
Mizuki and Freya glared at Yuto as he had a dumbfounded expression, "Is that okay?"
"Y-yeah it's fine.." Kana said with a slightly embarrassed expression, her tail swished back and forth as she tried to hide her reddening cheeks.
<- System ->
Another one bites the dust
["Can it system!"]
Yuto let out a small cough as he continued, "Well Kana, if I am lying, it's not like I'm going to leave alive"
Kana's expression became more serious as she looked at him skeptically, "You're not wrong, I could easily kill you right now if I wanted to"
She released a bit of killing, this time it was Yuto shielding the two girls with his own power, Kana paused for a moment, as she shut off her killing intent before continuing.
"But the fact that you're willing to put your life in danger just to meet my father... makes me want to believe you a little more"
"Kana, you just have to trust me, I have no intention of harming anyone"
"Trust you, human? You ask for a lot," Kana had a bit of a teasing tone to her voice, but there was also a hint of caution and wariness as well.
Yuto gave his best smile, and her eyes widened as she saw his smile, and her guard dropped completely.
The blush on her cheeks became more noticeable as she tried, and failed, to compose herself.
"Wh-what are you doing, human.." Kana had a slight stammer in her voice as she tried to recover from the effects of his smile.
Yuto's smile turned into a smirk, "So, we can come inside, right?"
"Y-yeah... you can come in"
The blush on her cheeks was still visible as she spoke, and she was trying to keep her composure, but her voice was still a bit shaky.
Everyone just started at the two of them, Freya's expression was just that of dumbfoundedness, the system, and Mizuki were left speechless as his stupid smile managed to win over a dragon.
"Just... follow me," She started walking towards the gate of the kingdom, occasionally throwing glances over her shoulder to look at Yuto.
Mizuki turned back into a ring and Freya followed close behind Yuto as they followed Kana.
As they walked, Kana kept on stealing glances at Yuto and tried to hide the obvious blush on her face.
She had never been this flustered before by a human, and it was confusing and somewhat irritating to her.
"Something wrong Kana?" Yuto asked out of genuine concern.
She quickly averted her gaze and tried to compose herself before responding, "N-no, nothing's wrong, human"
She was trying to play it cool, but the blush on her cheeks was betraying her true feelings.
They finally reached the entrance of the kingdom, and Kana stopped walking.
"We're here"
They came across a very huge golden gate door, that was at least 40 ft tall.