Starting Real Preparing
"LET'S START PREPARING!" Akira exclaims. "But we started yesterday..." Gamble replies, adjusting his school uniform.
"Where are you going dressed in your school clothes?" asks Akira. Gamble, fixing his tie, responds, "I'm going to inform the principal that we're resigning." Surprised, Akira replies, "You were supposed to do that yesterday..." as Gamble walks out, slamming the door.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Akira asks himself. "Maybe you can teach Kaido some fighting skills," Giene suggests, coming out of the bedroom.
"Not a bad idea... But," Akira begins, but he spots Kaido eagerly rushing to training. Her eyes show enthusiasm for the exercises, and judging by her appearance, she just woke up. "What happened to her?" a frightened Akira asks.
"She must have really grown fond of magic and combat," says Giene, slightly chuckling. Akira looks at Giene, wondering what she means, when Kaido asks, "When do we start?" Akira, assessing the girl's condition, firmly responds, "Once you change and get ready."
In just 10 minutes, Kaido was ready except for one thing...
"You don't have any clothes?" Akira asks. "Well, those were the only clothes that survived," Giene replies. Sighing, Akira says, "Put on your shoes; we're going to the store." Kaido was almost instantly ready to go out. "Are you sure you want to go alone?" a worried Giene asks.
"We'll manage. Besides, I need to buy new clothes anyway because these are getting tight," Akira replies, opening the door.
"Alright then... safe travels," Giene says, bowing. Akira closes the door, replying, "Thanks. Bow again, and it won't end well." Akira and Kaido walk towards the store when, through the window of one of the houses, a kid flies out with force.
Akira rushes to the kid and checks if he's alive. When Akira ensures his safety, he says to Kaido, "Take him home; let Giene take care of him."
"B-But I don't have that much strength," a flustered Kaido replies. Akira looks at Kaido with a worried look, and without hesitation, the girl takes the boy on her back and runs effortlessly. Ten tough guys with machetes emerge from the house. "You must be stupid to take such a catch from us," says one of them. "Maybe we should play with him now?" adds another, and one of them steps forward, trying to grab Akira by the arm, but he suddenly disappears into thin air. "What?! Where is he?" As everyone looks around, one more person exits the building. A woman of medium height with red hair and medium blonde roots. "On the roof, idiots." Everyone looks at the roof of the building opposite, and there stands Akira with his scarf in his left hand. "What, you want to fight?" one of the tough guys asks. Akira replies with a cold look, "I won't fight in the middle of the city." To which the woman smiles and replies, "So let's go to the forest." Akira agrees, and after 3 minutes of running, they reach it.
"Thankfully, the forest was close," a panting tough guy says. "What, already tired?" Akira responds, sitting on a tree branch. "It took me 20 seconds to get here," he adds. "He ran as much as half of this city in 20 seconds? Even though we were near the border, it's still half the city from there to here," the woman thinks. Akira leaves his scarf on the branch and descends, adjusting his clothes. When two of the tough guys start to attack, Akira disappears again, and after a moment, they fall to the ground. The woman and the rest are stunned by Akira's speed. "Maybe I'll get to know the leader's name?" Akira says from behind the woman. "Luccy," she replies, and then she attacks Akira. Akira jumps onto a tree, and bouncing off it, knocks out another tough guy. When the remaining ones rush at him, Akira utters the words, "Sleep," and each of them falls to the ground. Akira looks at the woman with a killer's smile. The woman, frightened, backs away slowly. She feels something behind her, turns around, and sees a boy. It's Gamble.
"Stun" Gamble says with his hand out, girl was stuned and Gamble hit her.
"When did you learn lightning magic?" Akira asks with a slight smile
"Its just basic lightning magic everyone can do it" Gamble responds
"So what do we do with them?" Akira says with straight face
"Basement?" GGame ask with a laugh
Akira and Gamble take Luccy and one tough guy.
"Stay here with them" says exiting basement gamble
Gamble comes back with glasses of water and gives one to akira
Gamble with smile says "Drinks and now we wait for them to wake up, there is no stun magic on her anymore"
Minutes flies by and they wake up
"Thirsty? Hungry?" asks Gamble
Luccy says "give me some water"
In response Gamble throws a water ball at her
Akira with a laugh says "Why did you do that Gamble"
Smiling Gamble says "Oops i dont know it slipped out of my hand"
Luccy with anger "Where are we"
Gamble responds "In my house, no one will find you here"
Luccy says with a laugh "My people will find me" than she looks at the left...
She sees an artifact that hides mana...
"HOW DID YOU GET IT!" Luccy says with real anger
Gamble replies with "Dont ask a hero stupid questions"
"THIS IS NOT A SILLY QUESTION, THIS IS MYTHICAL ARTI--" Lucy doesn't finish as Akira strikes her with lightning from his finger.
"Alright, now you'll pay for what you did to that kid over there," Gamble says, crouching down in front of the woman.
Lucy's only response is laughter and giggling.
Akira whispers to Gamble, "Let's leave her here until we return from the kingdom, and Giene will provide her with food and drink."
Then they leave without a word, with Lucy's screams and curses echoing behind them.
When the boys enter the bedroom, they see Giene preparing to use healing magic.
"I didn't know you knew healing magic," Gamble says.
"Is it that difficult?" Akira asks, entering right after Gamble and sitting next to Kaido.
When Giene lifts the torn shirt of the boy, Akira notices that he is half fox.
Giene removes the boy's shirt and draws a healing rune on his chest.
Gamble is visibly surprised but doesn't interrupt the healing.
Giene utters the words, "As a request from the green fang of the forest, I wish to bring blessings and heal this boy," and the rune begins to glow green, healing all the wounds and scratches on the boy's body.
After finishing the healing, Giene says, "Alright, let's let him rest now," ushering everyone out of the room.
Akira remembers that he was supposed to buy clothes for Kaido.
"Gamble, are you coming with me to the store?" he says firmly.
"What store again?" Gamble asks, puzzled.
"For me to get some clothes," Kaido says, already wearing her shoes.
Gamble sighs and agrees, informing Giene that they are leaving and they head to a different store than the one Akira wanted to go to earlier.
In the store, Kaido tries on clothes and shoes, ultimately choosing similar clothes to Akira's shirt.
Long, knee-length garments with fasteners resembling a kimono, along with a belt and a white dragon at the bottom of the garment, all in black with red and white accents such as the belt and fasteners.
After leaving, Akira asks Kaido, "Why exactly those clothes?"
To which Kaido responds, "I wanted something similar to yours."
"And what about me, little one?" Gamble asks from behind.
"And you wear weird shirts and too-wide pants," Kaido replies with a smile.
"But the hero's attire is better," he responds proudly.
"You look more like a villain," Akira replies, laughing.
When they reach home, Akira asks Kaido, "What do you want for din-" he doesn't finish as Akira and Gamble look at the door as if they've seen a ghost, their eyes filled with dread.
They quickly rush into the house, where the boy is already with visible fox ears, tail, and markings similar to three fox whiskers on his cheeks.
When the boy says, "Thanks," Akira and Gamble immediately draw their swords and shields, with Akira's sword landing next to the boy's neck.