Titanium Rank

Reika had buried her head on Nao's chest. She didn't mind the onlookers in the slightest. Nao just smiled wryly and lovingly patted her head. She didn't make any sound other than the rare sniffing. Meanwhile, Koba was awkwardly healing Nao's wounds behind her. Keita and the others slightly smiled at the scene.

"Ah!" Nao exclaimed. "Lia this is for you, if it's compatible. Otherwise we can just sell it." he said, stretching his hand to give Lia Morran's staff.

"Don't move!" Koba shouted. He still didn't have enough mana to completely heal both Nao and Keita but he insisted on being the first Priest to take a look at them.

Nao frowned at the sudden shout but after he handed Lia the magic weapon, he did as he was told.

"How about you? Your wounds?" Anne surprisingly asked Keita. Maybe she felt bad since Reika and Koba were clearly more concerned about Nao? Or was it genuine concern? Keita couldn't tell so he stopped thinking about such things and replied.

"Other than my leg, the other wounds are nothing to worry about." he answered.

Between him and Nao, it was clear who got the shortest end of the stick. While carrying him back to the others, Nao was slipping in and out of consciousness constantly. Running away with him on Keita's back, didn't help his leg at the slightest. Truth be told, he was in immense pain, while waiting for his turn.

"Koba, I'm going to call another Priest." Lia said, as if reading Keita's mind.

Before Koba could interject, she was already gone.

"We haven't got a proper break since yesterday but still..." Anne said with a slight hesitation. "Are you sure it's alright for us to just stand there instead of joining the battle? At least those of us who can still move..."

"Let them be." Keita said with a listless tone. "The Undead should move even more sluggishly now that the Elder Lich is dead. Our numbers aren't enough to destroy them all in a single day so there is nothing to worry about. If anything happens, it will be at night, when the Undead are more active."

It was true that since Keita never fought Undead before, he was not very familiar, but as a general of the Seven Sins, he at least knew what could be considered common sense about them. "Besides, they still hold the same formation where Morran was as the center. As long as nothing happens, no one is going to complain if we sit this one out." he continued.

Anne seemed to breath a sigh of relieve but when she noticed Keita still looking at her, she quickly turned around. He was the one person that she didn't want to look weak to, no matter what.

Keita ignored her and took a look at the other Aerch Militia soldiers that were resting in this area. Soon though, he felt something soft touching his back.

"You are a naughty boya aren't you?" an alluring female voice whispered in his ear, as she wrapped her hands around his chest from behind.

"Who are you?" Keita quickly pushed the female's hands off him, got up and jumped forwards while turning around.

'I wasn't paying much attention but she clearly masked her magic power to get close to me. An Assassin?' he thought as he saw the owner of that voice.

It was a woman of radiant beauty. Even though, Keita was surrounded by gorgeous women, the one in front of him, was in a class of her own. She gleamed with a mature style and her blond hair seemed to be glowing. Her green eyes looked like two clear jades and her pink lips seemed as soft as a cloud. Her reveling and tight fit clothes, leaving nothing to the imagination, drew the gazes of every man around her.

Since Keita couldn't feel her magic power at the moment, he was still on guard. The thought that she might be Lust, lingered in his mind.

Anne placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, as soon as she noticed Keita's jumping away; but she quickly let go, after noted the insignia, placed on a necklace.

"Titanium rank?" she said in a astonished voice.

"That't right, Little Rookies. My name is Maltra. It's nice to meet you all." the female Assassin, apparently named Maltra said with a smile which seemed benefiting of a goddess. "I don't see any insignia on you. Can it be that you are still on Bronze rank?"

"What do you want from us?" Keita said, as he corrected his posture. After releasing her Skill, he could feel Maltra's magic power. It was strong but compared to Lust's it was nothing to be on guard against.

"My, how rude!" Maltra puffed her cheeks and exclaimed. "I came all this way to see how you are doing and this is your attitude?" she said in a childish voice.

"You are with the other three correct? Shouldn't you be helping? What do you want from us?" Keita didn't completely relax after making sure she wasn't Lust.

A Titanium ranked Militia soldier was very rare. Keita quickly came to the conclusion that she was part of the team that came to their rescue. Then one that they pretty much stole the credit from. If that was the case, it wouldn't be strange for her to harbor some negative feelings towards Nao and Keita.

"My, didn't you notice me? That makes me kinda happy. I would consider that fact an honor." she said.

Keita responded with a silent and confused expression.

"I was there, when you took down the Elder Lich." she proudly explained. "You don't have to worry about the others. We already took care of the two Undead. I just came by to say hi."

'She was there? No... that Kaito guy only gave orders to the two others... was that a trap? I didn't even question if there was a fourth person when I saw them because of how noticeable their magic power was. If you throw an Assassin into the mix with those three, if she used Skills to mask her presence and hide, she would have a lot of room to work with.' Keita quickly though, without noticing the more pressing matter.

"You already defeated the Death Knight?" Nao said in a daze. He even forgot about the Life Hunter.

"Mm!" Maltra nodded her head, with a smile.

Without the Necromancer - or in this case the Elder Lich - the Undead are slower and don't adapt

to the situation without orders.

'But still to take care of them that fast...' Keita was beginning to sweat.

Keita never thought that the Aerch Militia ranks were a definite way to measure ones strength. He was Bronze rank after all. There was never a question in his mind that his true strength lied higher. But even he could not make any excuses. This team was strong. If they were the strongest humans, it would not surprise him in the slightest.

'Could it be that we pissed off some very dangerous individuals?' he thought.

"Our leader wants to have a few words with you. Will you come, Keita Raigon?" Maltra said in the slightest more serious voice. She didn't smile anymore. Her eyes told Keita that he shouldn't dare and refuse.

"I got it. I'll come as soon as I'm healed." he responded after some thought.

"It's fine, we have Priest looking at the others already. You can get your wounds mended there." Maltra quickly responded.

'So I have no choice...' Keita thought.

He nodded his head. After giving a last look at the others, he followed Maltra. She considerably slowed her pace so Keita won't stress his wounded leg.

"You are a lot cuter than the rumors say, you know." Maltra said and turned around to face Keita.

"Huh?" Keita couldn't help but stop his feet.

"But you are not as pretty as they said..." Maltra said, turning around.

"I... see..."

'What is she saying in this situation?' Keita thought.

He was prepared to be threatened and ridiculed by this Titanium team. To be asked to hand over Morran's staff and to give them all the credit. He was going to refuse as best as he could but if they threatened to make things difficult for the party he planned to do as he was told. But now this woman wanted to have idle chat about rumors not matching his appearance?

"But big sis still likes you!" Maltra said, as she completely ignored Keita's inner turmoil.

"I'm not your little brother." Keita couldn't help but be aggravated. There was no human older than him after all - at least mentally.

"My, no need to be touchy about your young age. Bis sis likes them young after all." Maltra said, seductively putting a finger on her pink lips and looking Keita with clear eyes.

'What kind of tactic is this?' Keita thought. 'Is she trying to make me lower my guard by flirting?'

"Can we just get to your leader please?" he said and started walking again.

"That's right. We can take our time and talk later." Maltra responded with a smile and headed forwards.

'We won't!' Keita shouted inside his mind.

When they finally arrived, Keita once again felt the pressure of the two swordsmen. It was different from last time, when he was in the middle of combat and thought of them as allies. Now, it felt that the amount of mana, coming out of Kaito's and Raijeto's body, was enough swallow him.

'What is the point of two swordsmen training their mana reserves to this extent...' he thought as he studied their faces.

"So you are Keita Raigon, huh?" the middle aged man, Kaito said. Let alone a scratch, there wasn't even a speck of dust on him, even after fighting a Life Hunter.

"Tell me..." he continued "Is Raito still alive?"