First Subordinate
Finally, within range of the final lab, Mitsuna did a light stretch as she sent out her senses to the surroundings.
'Another small one. I'd say about 700~ meter-'
Before she could accurately get the layout of the place, she felt a shiver as her senses picked something up.
Activating her skill [Branded], her eye colour turned completely black as only a small white light remained where the pupil used to be.
Feeling the presence get closer, she summoned a spear of ice in her hand and thrust it behind her.
Feeling no contact, she frowned as she floated back while pushing a wave of Sound element around her.
'Still no response.'
"Hey."
Swinging her spear at full speed and strength towards the sudden voice behind her, the ice spear made contact.
Not with the individual but another spear of ice.
They were exactly the same in power.
Sensing an overabundance of mana from the other party who she still could not see clearly, Mitsuna had sweat run down her back.
'What the f*ck is this thing?'
She had an awkward smile on as her mouth was slightly opened.
"Hey! Whatcha doing!? Why try to hit me when I didn't even do anything?!"
Seeing no body to go with the voice, Mitsuna sent out her senses.
'Oh.'
The horrifyingly strong individual's figure was blocked by the two spears that were still locked in a power struggle.
It was an extremely small lady.
'That weird fairy I freed at the auction house? She looks rather different...'
"Ah. Hey?"
"What type of reaction is that?"
"I mean... instinct? You did just rush at me from behind."
'Besides your mana capacity is frightening.'
"And?"
"..."
"Ughh. I can't believe I swore loyalty to some rude Alzheimer's patient like you."
"First off. Rude. Secondly, when? I mean the last time I saw you at the lab you were just muttering to yourself without telling me anything and the only time before that you just gave a slight bow before poofing off into the distance."
"No! Well yes, but actually no! Do you not even know my race? We have customs!"
"No, I don't. When I inspected you I only got a scrambled mess and error messages."
"Well, that mostly only happens when the other party is a lot stronger so it wasn't my fault! It was your fault for being weak!"
"You said you swore loyalty but what loyal subordinate acts like this? Shut your trap and sit down."
Suddenly the fairy forced her mouth shut and got into a sitting position as tears threatened to leak from her eyes.
'Huh... So is that how it works?'
Mitsuna used her appraisal skill on the little fairy lady.
[Name: Esa
Gender: Female
Race: Primordial Fairy
Class: Copying Grand Mage
Level: 344
HP: 2,100,000/2,100,000
MP: 88,967,450,000/89,500,000,000
Titles: Primordial, Great One, One of a Kind
Skills: (Open List Y/N)
Elements: Copy
Attributes: (Open List Y/N)]
'Isn't this really scary?'
Mitsuna stared at the little lady.
'Well, she seems like a little lady but acts like a little girl. Getting her as a loyal subordinate is quite the boon.'
"Okay, you can speak now Esa."
"Bwah! How do you know my name?!"
After spitting out a mouthful of air (no idea how), she instantly asked Mitsuna.
"I appraised you."
Hearing this, the cogs in Esa's brain stopped turning.
"W-What level are you?"
"Like 51."
Esa looked down to the ground in utter shock.
'Are. Arere. Arererererere. What! I am nearly 300 levels higher than her! You can only appraise someone in the same tier or when your overall power is within a certain range of each other! Right?! RIGHT?!?'
"You okay?"
Esa looked up at the figure who was kneeling down, looking at her with slight worry in her eyes.
'.....Maybe I didn't pick a bad person to swear loyalty to...'
As the two were still floating in the air, Esa slowly started to have her mind work smoothly again.
"I-I'm fine."
"Peachy. So, why even look for me?"
"I swore loyalty."
"And then I died, your point?"
"Your soul is still the same. As long as your soul is not destroyed, I am obligated to follow you."
"Huh. Well, we can talk more about the past later. I kinda have to destroy this place here and kill every scientist inside. I'll be right back, just stay there."
"Eh. But..."
"K. Great. Cya."
Falling backwards while cancelling her float, Mitsuna did a flip as she landed on her feet.
When Mitsuna hit the ground and created a shockwave, Esa thought.
'What an easy-going person I've found myself working under.'
Since first seeing her in the lab, Esa had tried to appraise her soul and status page both fully, to make sure that it is the person she was looking for.
The soul was mostly revealed but her view of it was cut off almost instantly by 'someone' and her status page was just all blank. She could not see anything.
'Oh right. I still have those items. Eh, guess I'll hand them over later. Looks like she has quite a bit of free time.'