Great Rewards!

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Frank and Matsuo flew back to the Clan's territory, as they had hurriedly entered the hall where only Matsuo, a member of high Ranking, was allowed to enter without having to ask beforehand nor waiting for his turn through a long line.

This hall was where the Elders of the Clan discussed about many of the Clan's issues, while resolving disputes similarly to a court, made contracts with external forces or clans, and many other things.

The Elders were all old men in appearance, most of them were completely bald, but had long gray beards. Each one of them seemed to have been stuck in the times of old in Japan, as they wore very old-styled formal Japanese clothes, and often did all of their paperwork through scrolls.

"Hm? Matsuo-kun… What is it?"

"Is there something you need?"

"Ah, is that the newbie? Frank-kun, is it?"

"Oho, so here he is!"

"Matsuo-kun, you can't bring your friends here. You may enter as you like, but those at your side don't hold the same privilege,"

"That's right, be more mindful,"

"Wait… that scent?"

"What scent- Hm?! Oni!"

Matsuo and Frank were still gasping for air as they came running incredibly fast all the way to the palace, when they finally managed to catch their breath, Matsuo nodded.

"I apologize for bringing Frank here without your previous authorization, Elders. But this is a serious issue… In the recent Task that we went to complete, the one regarding the extermination of a Youkai Nest inside an abandoned shrine in a small village outside of Tokyo, we found…" muttered Matsuo, as he was interrupted by the voice of an Elder, as all of them had become oddly serious and silent.

"You found an Oni, didn't you?" asked one of the Elders.

"Indeed, you could already tell by its scent alone… I will have to take a nice bath after this…" said Matsuo.

"Sigh… we almost didn't make, Elders-sama…" said Frank with a humble tone of voice.

"Impossible… so the Oni have come back? Those barbarians never learn their lesson, even after we have sparred part of their clan all these times we had waged war, they keep coming. Instead of choosing to live in peace and prosper in their territories, they desire war and revenge above all else. They're truly barbarians without nothing else to do!" said an Elder, clearly enraged.

"What? Matsuo is already quite strong himself for his age, how could you have any problem with an Oni though?" asked a gentler Elder.

"We almost died… And I am rather sure. If it hadn't been because of Frank's help, I would have surely died there…" said Matsuo.

"It was… that strong?!"

"And how did little Frank helped you? He is growing fast, but he still has a long way to go before he can reach your strength!"

"The young Frank seems to hold mysterious abilities that can be useful in battle even with the difference in strength, impressive."

"Amazing, indeed…"

"Well, let's start from the beginning…" said Matsuo, as he began to tell everything that had unfolded, while Frank helped in some things as well.

As the Elders learned about their hard battle against an enemy that could have easily crushed them to death if they were to let him land a blow in them, the Elders grew worried and concerned.

"Such strength… This Oni is clearly A-Rank!"

"And he even had the powerful Abyss Magic! Unbelievable, he was really a descendant of Shuten Doji!"

"However, Frank-kun's abilities are outstanding. You are capable of draining Mana by using one of your tamed Radish monsters? Ginseng is it?" asked one of the Elders.

Frank had already revealed Ginseng's existence to Matsuo, and also how he could hide him inside of his hand.

"Indeed. He was recently tamed, so he has no other abilities aside from Mana Drain," said Frank, as Ginseng appeared in the palm of his hand.

"But that is impressive enough, beings that can naturally drain Mana are very few! And it is even more amazing if you can control it to do your bidding!"

"Even more, your ability to produce threads is also outstanding, and how you can merge it with the rest of your abilities… You're a promising young man,"

Frank felt embarrassed as he was praised so much by those that held great authority over the prestigious Monk Clan. However, he also felt the pressure of their expectations…

"You don't find it weird that I can produce threads from my fingers? Don't I seem like a monster to you?" asked Frank.

"A monster? Of course not, foolish boy."

"There are many Clans across Japan, Humans have various abilities. Having the ability to produce threads does not make you a monster or anything. Some people are capable of doing things that are even more ridiculous and we still consider them humans," said one of the elders.

"Your ability with the threads resembles the Jorogumo Clan, a Clan of descendants of an ancient race of spider women. They're mostly human by now, but some of their strongest members possess extra arms and the ability to produce threads, which is their specialty," said one of the elders.

"I see… (So there is such a clan? If I recall correctly, the Jorogumo is like Japan's version of the Arachne… There is a Clan with their blood? Amazing… Perhaps buying skill books from them could help me develop my threads further…)" said Frank, as he thought about the possibilities of having greater expertise in the manipulation of his threads.

"Anyways, you two did very well, defeating such a monster is really commendable, we shall reward you for your efforts and also for surviving and bringing this precious information to us. Does everyone agrees?" said one of the elders.

Al of the Elders nodded in agreement, as they decided to compensate Frank and Matsuo.

"Hm, simply Contribution Points won't do. We shall let both of you visit the Ancient Library of Spells and Techniques. Alongside one hundred thousand Contribution Points for both of you, you shall be rewarded with the chance to grab any Technique or Spell Book of your preference there. Such Techniques and Spells can only be bought by A-Rank and above Clan Members, but both of you had earned your prize," said the Elder.

"What? R-Really? Is this real life?" asked Frank in a daze, Matsuo was just as surprised, as he was a B-Rank Clan Member, he wasn't allowed to enter the Library yet.

"Indeed, it is what we believe is the correct reward and incentive to foment your growth, promising youth," said the Elders.

Frank could not help but open his eyes wide at the rewards as if 100.000 Contribution Points were not enough, he was also being given the chance to grab a super amazing Technique or Spell within the Library of the Clan!

"Both of you may leave now, make sure to wash out the scent of Oni from you, though. And take it easy for now," said one of the Elders with a gentle expression, as the other elders nodded.

"Very well, thank you so much, Elders!" said Matsuo, as he and Frank walked out of the large hall, as the Elders began to indulge in several discussions.

"So that Oni that rescued the one that Matsuo-kun and Frank-kun defeated can use Spatial Magic… What a pain, honestly."

"Spatial Magicians are incredibly rare in this world, they could be counted with the palm of our hands… To think that there is one within the Onis from all things…!"

"It is truly infuriating, but we cannot do much about this,"

"The intel that we possess is way too vague, up until now, we didn't even know that the Onis was already lurking around us!"

"Hm, they must be using some new kind of Accessory or Talisman that gives them some kind of ability to mask their presence from even us…"

"And with a Spatial Magician, they can be even more evasive than before!"

"However, even with that Spatial Magician… there is someone else that makes me more concerned than him…"

"Ah, indeed…"

Flash!

Suddenly, the Great Ancestor appeared in the middle of the hall.

"Oh, Great Ancestor-sama!"

"I've heard everything… The Onis seem to have been preparing for this for a while… To think that I would lower my guard in these peaceful times…" she said.

"Ah, you're already working very hard for the clan, Great Ancestor-sama,"

"Indeed, it is not your fault, it is ours. This was our task, and we failed it miserably,"

"Please, don't blame everything on you. You've already done more than enough for all of us,"

"Sigh… All of you, do not flatter me like that. I am at fault for this. And what I fear the most is not even the Spatial Magician… But… her…" said the Great Ancestor, referring to a mysterious girl that brought a slight melancholy to her bright eyes.

Everyone else fell silent as they glanced at the Great Ancestor, who, for a few seconds, recalled something within her memories.

"Sigh… I wish I could go back in time and amend what I have done… I never stop thinking about her… And it pains me even more that now, the possibility of her becoming our enemy might be imminent…" she said.

"Great Ancestor-sama…"

"However, we cannot falter. I cannot falter… I have to protect… Our clan… even if it means… going against her…" she said.

"We will make sure to stay at your side, Great Ancestor-sama!"

"Thanks, everyone…"

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