In the luxurious heart of the Beast Kingdom, a young princess sat in a lavish room. Her red eyes gleamed under the soft light, while her long blue and purple hair cascaded over her petite frame. She looked almost like a delicate doll, with her fox-like ears and fluffy tail adding to her ethereal appearance. Her kimono, tied with a large ribbon, gave her an air of royalty, yet her face was marked by seriousness beyond her youthful looks. She gazed out toward where Riku had recently battled the Black Hawk, her lips forming a slow sentence. "Very strong... It's getting closer."
Meanwhile, Riku was making his way toward the territory of the Beasts, his mind focused but cautious. After a few uneventful hours, he neared the hidden forest where the Beast race resided. His keen senses immediately picked up the presence of scouts. "One, two… five Beast scouts." He frowned slightly. The thought of using his Divine Escape Talisman crossed his mind, but he hesitated. He wanted to save it for a more dangerous encounter, perhaps against the dragon species or Gigant species, where the rewards would be much greater than a mere platinum treasure chest.
"Forget it. Let's try this first," he muttered, deciding against the Talisman for now. He dressed in a special black windbreaker that masked his scent, concealing him from the Beast's heightened senses. Despite his overwhelming strength, he knew it would be unwise to fight an entire race on his own. Not to mention, the Beast Princess was rumored to be powerful, and he didn't want to risk underestimating her.
As night fell, Riku moved through the skies, blending into the dark with his black windbreaker. The night shielded him from the eyes of the Beasts, allowing him to approach their most luxurious building undetected. Descending silently, Riku's heart raced. Everything had gone smoothly so far, and he took a moment to relax.
Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the air. "Who's there?"
Riku's heart skipped a beat. He had been discovered, and by the sound of it, it was the Beast Princess herself. Without wasting any time, he shot toward the palace, his body moving so fast it caused a sonic boom. He crashed through the walls, entering a brightly lit room as the alarms rang out.
"Enemy attack! Protect the princess!"
"Damn it, who dares to invade our territory?"
The room exploded with activity as the Beasts scrambled to defend their princess. But amidst the chaos, a young girl, the Beast Princess, stood calmly, her red eyes filled with cold indifference as she stared at Riku. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice dripping with disdain. "You look like a human, but no ordinary human can fly, nor possess such strength."
Riku's golden eyes narrowed as he observed the princess. "You must be the princess of the Beast race," he said, more as a statement than a question.
The girl didn't flinch. "I am. My name is Fiya Hatsuse. And what is yours?" she asked, her tone icy.
"Fiya Hatsuse… Izuna Hatsuse," Riku muttered, narrowing his eyes as he looked closer at her. This young girl bore a striking resemblance to Izuna Hatsuse from 6,000 years in the future. Could Fiya be her ancestor?
Fiya's expression hardened. "I asked you for your name."
"You can call me Riku, little girl," he replied coolly.
Before she could respond, Riku's figure blurred as he shot forward, but Fiya didn't move, her calm demeanor unshaken. She didn't perceive him as much of a threat—his speed, though impressive, wasn't enough to alarm her.
However, Riku surprised her. Instead of attacking, he stopped several meters to her right, his eyes lighting up with joy. A radiant platinum treasure chest materialized before him, glowing faintly in the dim light of the room.
"What is your purpose here?" Fiya asked, her voice low but sharp. "You don't seem to intend any harm."
"If I said I was just here for sightseeing, would you believe me?" Riku replied, his gaze fixed on the treasure chest. It had gone much smoother than expected. He hadn't anticipated opening the platinum chest so easily, and the lack of hostility from Fiya was an unexpected bonus.
Fiya's eyes narrowed. "Are you mocking me, human?" she asked, her tone dangerously low. The air around her began to ripple as her power surged. Her hair rose, floating in the air as her aura exploded, much stronger than Riku had anticipated—stronger even than the Black Hawk he had just fought.
Riku braced himself, knowing that things could escalate quickly if he didn't handle the situation carefully. But for now, his focus was on the treasure chest, and nothing else mattered.
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