Chapter 13

Amaya stood in front of her full-length mirror, admiring the shimmering fabric of her dress clung to her body. The dress was a stunning iridescent blue-green gown that shifted colors with every movement, catching the light and creating a mesmerizing effect.

The fitted bodice hugged her torso, accentuating her curves, and the dress flared out gracefully below the hips, ending in a flowing, layered skirt. Delicate floral appliqués adorned the dress, adding a touch of elegance and femininity.

She carefully selected a pair of silver earrings that dangled just below her earlobes, sparkling with every turn of her head. Next, she clasped a matching silver necklace around her neck, the pendant resting perfectly at the center of the dress's neckline.

A silver arm band adorned her upper arm, completing the look.

With a final glance in the mirror, Amaya picked up her clutch and air pods, heading downstairs walking towards the car waiting for her outside. The sleek black car was a familiar sight, she got in without checking in on the driver due to her nervousness. This was the first time she was going to purposely upstage someone, it didn't feel as bad as she thought, such is the job of a femme fatale.

"Hey, Arthur," she said, her voice confidence, she couldn't let a bunch of teenagers scare her anymore, she needed to get over it. "I'm on my way to Chiyo's party. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm all set," Arthur replied. "Just making sure everything's in place."

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Party members:

ARTHUR [Shadow Knight]

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The princess system, in every world has the ability to elect a proxy, a 'shadow knight' for the system. When the option popped up Amaya felt greatful, now at least she would be protected from behind the scenes. She had more confidence in her combat abilities now but she was still just a human girl who had been neglected for years, her abilities could only grow so fast with this body.

Arthur sat in front of his PC set up going through the cctv system for the yatch.

As they talked, Amaya glanced out the window, watching the city lights blur past. She frowned, noticing they were taking an unfamiliar route. "Arthur, hold on a second," she said, muting her microphone. She leaned forward, addressing the driver. "Excuse me, are we going the right way? This doesn't look like the way to the dock."

The driver's eyes met hers in the rearview mirror, his expression unreadable. "Just sit back and relax, miss. We'll be there soon."

A chill ran down her spine. That wasn't her usual driver, and something about his tone was off. She unmuted her microphone, her voice tense. "Arthur, I don't think we're going to the party. This driver isn't taking me to the dock."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Arthur spoke, his voice steady but concerned. "Amaya, stay calm. I'm tracking your location right now. Don't worry, I'll find you."

She sighed. "I don't want to mess up my dress though." Escaping a kidnapping in heels and a dress, she really liked this outfit. "It looks like Chiyo really doesn't want me at her party, huh?" she said. She wondered what her face would be like if she showed up like a ghost to haunt her.

"Just hang in there, Amaya," Arthur replied. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Hn, I trust you."

She leaned back in her seat, as the car continued down the dark, unfamiliar road.

Arthur's fingers casually dialed Lucas's number.

"Arthur? What's up?" Lucas's voice came through, slightly muffled by background noise.

"Listen carefully," Arthur said, his voice icy. "Amaya's in trouble. She was supposed to be going to Chiyo's party, but her driver's taking her somewhere else. I need you to go get her. I'm tracking her location, and I'm on my way too."

There was a pause before Lucas responded. "Where is she now?"

Arthur quickly relayed the coordinates he was tracking on his laptop. "She's heading away from the city, towards the industrial district."

Lucas cursed under his breath. "Alright, I'm with Jean right now. We'll head over there immediately. Stay in touch and keep tracking her."

Arthur's voice was cold and determined. "Don't waste time, Lucas. Move."

Lucas hung up and turned to Jean, who was lounging nearby with a bored expression. "We've got a situation. Amaya's in trouble."

Jean immediately straightened, his playful demeanor vanishing. "What kind of trouble?"

"She's been taken somewhere, and we need to get her back," Lucas explained quickly. "Arthur's tracking her, and he's on his way too."

Jean nodded, already moving towards the door. "Let's go then. We can't waste any time."

Amaya watched as the dark road turned off into the woods and the car kept going. More and more it was starting to feel like a murder attempt but Chiyo was just a child she couldn't possibly have access to all this, so who was helping her? Kenji? Someone else?

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Side Quest: Defeat Kenji

Penalty: Death

Reward: Shock collar

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Death? Amaya groaned, this was like forcing her hand, but the shock collar seemed like quite a good reward.

Amaya sighed, it must be nice to have so many men to help, and they were quite competent at eliminating competition.

The car pulled up at an abandoned building, the flickering light of a bonfire casting eerie shadows on the surrounding area. A few men stood around, their eyes locking onto the car as it came to a stop.

"We're here, princess," the driver said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Amaya smirked and got out of the car. One of the guys standing around had a suit on and was clearly dressed to go out. He had a black mullet and dark eyes, tall and muscular with his hands in his pockets. His neck bore several tattoos, and he had a lit cigarette hanging lazily from his mouth.

She smirked, taking in his appearance. "So, you're Kenji. Chiyo's guard dog."

Kenji raised an eyebrow, blowing a smoke ring into the air. "And you're the infamous Amaya. Gotta say, you look better than I expected."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Amaya shot back, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"

Kenji chuckled, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "Straight to the point, huh? I like that. We have some unfinished business."

"Oh, I have plenty of business to finish with you," Amaya retorted, her tone cold. "But it's not the kind you'll enjoy."

Kenji laughed, a deep, mocking sound that echoed through the empty building. "Big talk for a little girl. Let's see if you can back it up."

He nodded to his men, and they began to close in on her. Amaya took a step back, her eyes flicking around, assessing her options. She was in heels and a dress, not exactly ideal for a fight, but she'd have to make do.

One of the men lunged at her, and she dodged, using her elbow to strike his side. He grunted, stumbling back, but another was already coming at her. She kicked out with her heel, aiming for his knee, and he dropped with a howl of pain. She hoped she popped his ACL as payback.

"Impressive," Kenji remarked, still standing back with a smirk on his face. "But can you handle all of them?"

Amaya didn't answer, focusing on the next attacker. She swung her purse at his head, using the weight of it to her advantage she followed with forcing his head down to her knee, and he went down with a satisfying thud. But the odds were against her, and she knew it.

Kenji finally stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Enough playing around. I'll handle this myself." He wanted to play with her himself.

He moved towards her, and she braced herself, her muscles tensing. Kenji was fast, faster than she'd anticipated, and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close. She twisted, trying to break free, but he held on tight.

"You're feisty," he murmured, his breath hot against her ear his hands sliding down her waist. "I like that."

"Get off me," she hissed, bringing her knee up to try and hit his groin. He dodged, but it gave her enough leverage to pull back and strike at his face. He caught her hand, laughing.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his grip tightening.

Amaya glared at him, her mind racing. She needed to find a way out, and fast. "You really think Chiyo's leash will protect you forever?" That was his sore spot, relying on a woman with money.

Kenji's eyes darkened, and he leaned in closer. "I don't need her protection. I can handle you just fine."

He swung her around, but she used the momentum to her advantage, kicking out and catching him in the side. He grunted, but didn't let go. They were almost dancing, a dangerous, violent waltz of power and control.

"I'm going to enjoy breaking you," Kenji whispered, his voice low and threatening.

All this man did was talk. She couldn't possibly reply to all his threats.

Their fight continued, a fierce and desperate struggle. Kenji's men watched, their eyes following every move, but none dared to interfere. This was Kenji's fight, and they knew better than to get in his way.

Amaya fought with everything she had, but Kenji was strong, and he was relentless. She could feel her strength waning, and she knew she needed to end this, fast.

With a final burst of energy, she twisted in his grip, bringing her heel down hard on his foot. He yelped in pain, his grip loosening just enough for her to break free. She stumbled back, panting, but she was free.

Kenji glared at her, his eyes filled with rage. "You'll pay for that," he growled, stepping forward.

But before he could reach her, a loud noise interrupted them. The sound of engines roaring and tires screeching filled the air. Kenji and his men turned, confused, as headlights cut through the darkness.

Lucas's motorbike skidded to a stop, and they jumped out, rushing towards Amaya. "Get away from her!" Lucas shouted, his voice filled with fury.

Jean moved to her side, his eyes scanning her for injuries. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft but urgent.

Amaya nodded, her body trembling with adrenaline. "I'm fine." Now Lucas was here she was guaranteed to win, because in Haruki Academy he was the strongest.

Lucas and Jean positioned themselves between her and Kenji, their stances protective and ready for a fight. Kenji sneered, but he didn't back down."You want to fight for her?" Kenji asked, his voice mocking. "Fine. Let's see what you've got."

Lucas stepped forward, his eyes cold and determined. "Stay back, Amaya. Jean and I will handle this."

Jean nodded, a confident smirk on his face. "Yeah, leave it to us."

Kenji's men moved to attack, but Lucas and Jean were faster. Lucas delivered a powerful kick to one of the men, sending him sprawling. Jean moved with agility, striking another with a precise punch to the jaw.

Kenji watched, his eyes narrowing. "You think you can beat me? I'm not some pushover."

Lucas didn't respond, instead launching himself at Kenji with a flurry of punches. Kenji blocked and countered, their fists and feet moving in a deadly dance. Jean took on the remaining men, his movements fluid and efficient.

The fight was intense, each side giving their all. Amaya watched, her heart pounding in her chest. Everything felt so exhilarating.

Kenji and Lucas clashed again, their strength and skill evenly matched. But Lucas had the advantage of determination, fueled by his desire to protect Amaya. He landed a powerful blow to Kenji's ribs, making him stumble as they cracked piercing into his lungs. "You're done, Kenji," Lucas said, his voice low and fierce.

Kenji glared at him, but he was weakening. He looked around, seeing his men defeated by Jean. With a final growl, he stepped back, knowing he couldn't win."This isn't over," Kenji spat, retreating. "You'll pay for this."

"Will we?" Amaya's voice cut through them.

From the start they were destined to win, the man who was called the strongest of Haruki and the boy known as the last prodigy. Who else could win if not them?

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Side Quest complete

Congratulations!

Reward: Shock collar

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She walked over to Kenji squatting down to his level. He looked up at her as if he were looking at the goddess of death.

Something flashed in her hand and she leaned in her hands fastening a collar around his neck.

"Now you'll be my dog, you understand?"

Stealing people's dogs was after all, a fun experience.

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Item: Shock collar

• Give instructions remotely

• 'Shock' the dog of they disobey your instructions

• Your dog can never lie to you

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