Author's Note: For those interested, there are now three advanced chapters (we're on chapter 12) on P-atreon, which you can read for just $3.
I also just finished the first volume of my other story, "Welcome to the Alternate Multiverse Chat Group."
So if you can, go to my profile and check it out.
Remove the spaces and dash: p-atreon/ Krakenian01
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A Few Days Ago
Lanruo P.O.V
I… couldn't believe my eyes, a boy, a boy who looked like he wasn't even 20 years old, who looked like he was the same age as me, if not younger, was fighting my father, a man who was not only the leader of an entire family, but also someone who was a black gold rank spiritualist.
This seemed unreal, one of those old fairy tales that were told to children, stories about times gone by, when there were many more human settlements and kingdoms, all filled with incredibly talented people, where great heroes capable of fighting incredibly powerful demonic beasts arose.
Another fist clash caught my attention and when I saw the expression of this boy as he was pushed back, smiling, without a hint of fear and with eyes full of determination, I felt something in my chest tighten, butterflies fluttered in my stomach, I felt heat on my face, and my cheeks were dyed red.
I had never felt anything like this, I had always been flirtatious with boys, and I had seen many types, arrogant idiots like Shen Fei, the heir of the Sacred Family, and his close relatives, charismatic leaders like my childhood friend and the heir of the Divine Family, Chen Linjian, and relaxed and somewhat immature boys like Ye Hong.
All of them strongly attracted the attention of many people due to their personalities, wealth, the talent they displayed, or even all 3 of the above together, and although at some point they caught my attention in a certain way, this was different.
It was more primal, more instinctive, more… wild, some idiotic nobles called my family shameless without manners, as little more than brutes who were lucky to have some talent and resources.
And no matter who it was, I would show my fangs to any fool who dared to say something like that in front of me, but I had to admit that my family members were a little impulsive, a little stubborn, and hot-blooded, as well as being resentful towards those who offended them.
I myself had come to admit and accept these "defects", I was not a kind angel capable of forgiving and forgetting, I hated injustice and bullies, but I would pay poison with poison and offense with offense, without hesitating for a second to crush those who attacked me or my loved ones regardless of whether the one who did it was noble or commoner.
Perhaps that was why I was feeling this way? I had never seen anyone do what this boy, Leek, had done today, openly challenge someone clearly stronger, and yet, not only resist, but also learn?
Without showing cowardice, but rather genuine emotion and such a strong will?
Many of the snobby nobles would call him a barbarian if they saw him fight, but I saw something else.
A warrior.
I was sure that the spiritualists and fighters in Glory City would fight to the death to protect the city, but would someone in his age range do so with the same impetus that I now saw in the eyes of this boy?
Maybe, but the fact that he could do so even when it wasn't a matter of life or death already said a lot about him.
"AAAHHH!" The scream of the person I was thinking of brought me back to reality, and when I saw him, my eyes shone with fascination, a semi-transparent cloak covered his body, like a glorious and triumphant flame, and in response, my father laughed with genuine interest and happiness before the two exchanged words.
My eyes widened again in surprise when my father accepted Leek's request and used his demonic spirit, I tried to call him to stop this, even with all the power and will that Leek had shown, this would be too much.
The white-horned sacred ox was a beast that didn't have any particularly flashy techniques, but it made up for that with monstrous attack power and defense, which combined with the power my father already had, made him something that most spiritualists would avoid in a hand-to-hand fight, but that seemed to be the main way of fighting of Leek.
However, my father ignored my shout, and a second later, they both ran towards each other, ready for the final clash.
With no other choice, I watched everything with a sense of anticipation, but they both moved so fast that to me, it was as if they were speeding past each other, and a blink later Leek was in front of me with his fist extended, his aura still present surrounding his body, but his gaze was a little lowered, and his hair prevented me from seeing his eyes.
He looked up, and I could see his tired but happy eyes. "That… was… a good fight." He said, and from one moment to the next, the aura disappeared, like a bubble that burst on contact, and the forces seemed to leave his body, and he fell forward with his eyes closing.
Instinctively, I took a step forward with my arms open, catching him in a clumsy hug, and although usually the boys were the ones who were embarrassed in my presence, when he seemed to curl up in my arms, I felt my cheeks burn.
"Lanruo, take him to the doctor for a check-up, the boy has earned a good rest." My father said, canceling the transformation and returning to his human appearance, turning his neck to look at me, and when he did, my eyes widened in surprise, my father spoke with a satisfied tone as he passed the back of his hand over the corner of his mouth, wiping away a small trace of red liquid.
He… Leek had been able to hurt my father, a black gold rank spiritualist, while he was fused with a demonic beast specialized in attack and defense?
I stood still for a few seconds until my father spoke to me again, bringing my mind back to reality and making me nod a few times before moving, turning around, and leaving the training camp, while the last thing I heard from my father was a short laugh and a short prayer.
"Heh, you're right kid, that was a good fight"
I left the field behind and entered the building where I knew the leader of my family's medical branch was, and as I walked through the halls, I couldn't help but see the sleeping face of this mysterious boy.
His expression was peaceful, satisfied, happy, and incredibly adorable, I felt my heart beat like a war drum again, but this time, I allowed myself to smile.
I had found him, I had found the one I wanted to be my life partner. "Captivating the heart of a young maiden like me like that, do you know how shameless and deceitful you are to do so?" I said with a slight tone of reproach. "As punishment, I will make sure that you soon go crazy for me, understood? I am sure that my father will be more than happy to give us his blessing, so we will have no problems in that regard, besides, I cannot think of another family that you would fit into better than mine"
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A Few Days Ago
After the Fight
Leek P.O.V
Have you ever felt the state that exists between being awake and asleep? That feverish feeling where you know your eyelids open a little to close almost instantly, flickering like a light bulb about to burn out.
That point when you know you're listening to someone talk, but your mind isn't focused, so you don't understand what they're saying despite listening to them.
Right now I was feeling exactly that, it was strange, my thoughts felt hazy, but they were relatively clear to me, it was freakishly weird, to the point where it was almost scary because of how unnatural it felt.
Luckily, this state didn't last long, and after I squeezed my eyelids shut one last time, I opened my eyes and saw… a padded ceiling?
I blinked a few times and sat up in the bed I was lying on, it looked like an expensive bed with semi-transparent magenta curtains on the sides and frames on the edges that held up the "ceiling" of this bed.
"Heh, looks like I lost." I let out a short laugh before stretching my arms out, there was a bit of pain and numbness in some parts of my body, but nothing that went beyond the realm of minor discomfort.
That had been a good fight, Mister Xion was really a tough guy, try as I might, I couldn't do any sort of real damage, and his punches really hurt a lot, but what I gained was good too.
I had noticed it, my body had been responding to the fighting style I was being faced with, learning it subconsciously, but not only that, I was adapting it for me, discarding the parts that wouldn't fit me, and slowly creating a method of counterattack.
And when I realized what was happening, I focused my mind on that, trying to speed up the progress, but when I focused too much my efficiency dropped noticeably, not only in the way I was fighting, but also in the speed at which I was learning, which earned me a hook to the liver that almost made me fall into the fetal position.
It seemed that using the brain too much did not work very well, if this was something only mine or of the entire Saiyan race in general, I did not know, although, to be honest, I was more inclined to the second option, after all, the pure Saiyans were more in tune with their instincts, but only those who did not let themselves be controlled by them, but dominated and took advantage of them were those who could be called truly strong, like Goku, Vegeta and, recently, Broly.
"Well, it seems that I will have to learn to adapt to the Saiyan style fully"
That, at least if I really wanted to reach the major leagues that existed within my race, but those would be thoughts for later, after all, it seemed like I had visitors now, if the sound of the door opening was any indication.
A girl with pink hair I already knew walked in with a small basket in her hand, and when she saw me, she looked a little surprised. "You're seriously awake already? It's only been an hour"
"Heh." I laughed a little embarrassed as a hand rubbed the back of my head. "Well, I'm pretty durable, you know? Plus, it's not like your father was too hard during the battle, actually, he seemed kind enough to give me an easy way out, especially in that last clash." I said, remembering how, in the last second, he changed the trajectory of his punch, stopping his fist from sinking into the center of my chest and probably destroying my entire ribcage.
"Kind?" She blinked a few times, as if what I had said was nonsense, though a second later, she sighed and smiled a little. "You really are something, you know? Receiving a direct hit from a black gold demonic spiritualist integrated with his demonic beast specialized in defense and attack, and then calling that attack kind is something very unusual"
"Well, then I guess I am a little bit special." I said without losing my good mood.
She smiled again, but this time it was different, I noticed it instantly, this time, there seemed to be something else behind that smile that made me a little nervous for some reason.
"Yes." She said in a sing-song tone as she slowly walked towards me, and along with her new tone of voice, her movements also changed, the way each step was deliberately slightly slower than a walk, emphasizing her legs, and adding just a little extra movement in her hips.
"I can say with complete certainty that little brother Leek is very, very special." She said slowly, with a somewhat sweet tone, and looking me straight in the eyes the whole time.
I felt my cheeks begin to heat up.
She left the basket she was holding on a small piece of furniture next to my bed and rested her hands on the mattress, emphasizing her cleavage.
"That manly and confident way of fighting, that sparkle of defiance and courage in your eyes, I don't remember the last time a boy made my heart beat so hard." She said, bringing her face a little closer to mine.
Now I was sure that the blush was very visible on my face.
"Eh, I-I… thank you?" Was all I could say with nerves eating away at my being.
It was obvious that she was trying to seduce me, and I had never experienced a similar situation before, so I was not only incredibly nervous but also embarrassed.
She made a fake sad pout. "Is that all little brother Leek has to say to me in response?"
And after that, she smiled again. "Am I pouring out my sincere feelings here, or do you just not find me attractive?" She said, moving a little further with each word, finishing the sentence with her fully up on the bed and practically on top of me while I pressed my back against the headboard of the bed.
At this point, I was sure that not only my cheeks but also my ears and maybe even my neck were red from embarrassment.
"Come on, answer me, don't you find me beautiful?" She said putting her finger on my chin, lifting it ever so slightly.
"M-Miss Lanruo is incredibly beautiful." I answered almost by inertia, as if the answer had been given by my subconscious, the primitive part of my brain that screamed "ugabuga" like a pack of monkeys when seeing her cleavage and flirtatious behavior.
"Really? That makes me happy, so you think if we-" She said bringing her face closer to mine, until shortly before she finished making her suggestion, another familiar voice interrupted her.
"Lanruo, I told you not to intimidate our guest." Mr. Xion's voice caught both the girl's attention and mine, we both turned around, and in my case, I felt both embarrassed and a little scared, I knew that parents could be scary when they wanted to be, and now that he had seen us in this position he surely thought that I wanted to do something to his daughter.
Lanruo puffed out her cheeks as she blushed a little, looking a little embarrassed but also annoyed at being interrupted. "I've decided Father, I want Leek to be my fiancé." She said wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me.
I felt all the color in my face go out, my eyes went from the girl hugging me to Mr. Xion, I was sure that now he would think that I had done something to his daughter and was going to…
"I already assumed that you would do something like this, I know that I have told you that you should think more about marriage, but can't you calm down a little?" He said with a tired tone as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.
What?
Noticing my stunned expression, Mr. Xion sighed and explained. "I know what my daughter is like, so I know that what is happening here is her doing, don't worry." He said, and I felt my soul return to my body.
"Having said that." He continued. "Wouldn't you like to marry her? She's a bit haughty, she needs to refine her manners a bit, and she can be capricious sometimes, but she's not that bad"
Oi oi oi, didn't you just describe someone who would be a pain to deal with? Besides, is it really okay to talk about your own daughter like that when you describe her to the person you want her to marry?
"Dad!" Lanruo complained, letting go of me and pouting. "How can you say something so horrible about your daughter, you make it seem like marrying me is more of a sentence than an achievement"
Father and daughter argued a bit, but I had a slightly more important question. "Em, I don't want to be rude, but don't you think I'm a bit young to be getting married? I'm not even 20 yet"
Both of them looked quite puzzled. "Boy, what are you talking about? People here in Glory City usually already have a fiancé by the age of 13, and it's not unusual for them to get married at 16 or even 15, wasn't it the same in your tribe?"
This information surprised me, but it also gave me an idea, based on what I had seen, this place seemed to be in what I would call an ancient time, that, added to the information that Mr. Xion had given me about this land being plagued by hundreds of millions of demonic beasts that every so often attacked Glory City, killing many warriors and spiritualists, made it more understandable why people married at a younger age.
After all, the natural result of marriage was children, and those children were future spiritualists who would protect this place, thus preserving the cycle.
"Well, although there was no rule, I think it was in the early 20s? At least mostly." I answered unsurely, I didn't know about the Saiyan standards, and taking Goku and Vegeta as an example would be a mistake, because one spent several years conquering planets until he was recruited to the good guys' side after receiving multiple beatings, while the other was practically forced to marry at a young age.
So, with that in mind, it would be best to use the example of Gohan, who shouldn't have gotten married until he turned 20, or at least that's what I hoped.
Both father and daughter seemed surprised by my words, but after a few seconds, Mr. Xion waved his hand. "Bah, we can talk about that later, for now, get off the bed Lanruo, let the boy rest"
"That's unfair." The girl complained again, hugging me once more.
"Leek isn't even a resident of Glory City yet, he's waiting for me to introduce him to the city lord, then you can try to deepen your relationship, I'll ask Ye Zong to give us a grace period of at least a week before he announces it, so you'll have all that time to get to know each other, besides, I'm sure Leek will take into consideration our family's kindness and won't reject spending some time with you after receiving the stay permit, right boy?" The man asked, giving me a look that said, 'Just say yes so we can get out of this situation'.
"Okay." I said a little unsure, after all, so bluntly rejecting my benefactor's daughter would surely be like spitting in his face, even if his description of her had put me off a little.
Besides, she was quite attractive.
Damn horny impulses! Aren't Saiyans' lusts supposed to be directed only towards battle?!
"Really? Okay, you better not go back on your word." Lanruo winked at me before finally getting off of me, getting off the bed, and leaving the room.
"One more thing Lanruo, don't make any moves until Leek is accepted by the city lord, or you'll only cause us trouble, understand?"
"Fine, fine." She said, walking away and waving her hand.
Mr. Xion sighed once more before looking at me. "She's a bit intense, but give her a chance, I've seen her be capricious with many things several times before, but now she seems to be much more serious"
"Ah, well, actually, I heard a few times that women with strong character are the ones that get along best with male Saiyans." I explained, paraphrasing Piccolo a bit.
Mr. Xion blinked a few times before letting out a heartfelt laugh. "Hahaha, well, if that's the case I think you could be a good partner for my daughter, lately I heard rumors that she makes men run away from her because her personality can be unattractive or dominant"
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Present
Leek P.O.V
"And that's what happened." I explained while eating the food Lanruo had brought.
Ning'er looked surprised, blinking a few times, processing all the information I had given her.
"Then why did I find you here?" She asked.
"Ah, well, the next day Lanruo tried to enter the hot springs when I was there, her father found out, so to prevent something like that from happening again and as punishment for her, he asked me to hide here until the day of meeting the city lord came"
Ning'er immediately blushed and looked at Lanruo with wide eyes.
The pink-haired girl had the decency to look a little embarrassed, although it was only a little. "That was a complete accident, I tried to explain it to Father, but he didn't believe me, I'm not such an easy woman, at least I would wait for us to formalize our relationship to do something so intimate"
"Relationship." Xiao Ning'er said in a slightly downcast tone, but when I was about to say something, Lanruo spoke before I could.
"Hm, it seems that you and I need to have a talk." She said, tapping her chin with her finger twice.
"Alright, come with me." And after saying that, she stood up while taking Ning'er's hand.
My gaze must have conveyed the concern I felt, because Lanruo was quick to say. "You don't have to worry, I would never be harsh or cruel to the people I care about, nor to the people who care about the people I care about, leave this in my hands, okay?" She said with a confident smile and winking at me before walking away with the confused and nervous Ning'er.
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Well, one more chapter, it was obvious that Leek couldn't beat someone who outclasses him in basically every aspect, experience, strength, speed, technique, etc., but hey, at least it seems like he earned his opponent's respect.
And besides, am I the only one who Lanruo reminds a bit of Momo from To Love Ru?
Next time we'll have a chat between Ning'er and Lanruo, let's hope it doesn't turn into a catfight.
Remember that if you like this story, you can leave a comment, review, and a power stone, that will inspire me to write more, see you in the next chapter.