Deep Crimson Moon

So… I didn't know soon meant… tomorrow.

When I exited the underground city and reached the surface, there was a little surprise waiting for me at my wagon.

Here was the situation.

When I arrived at the surface. My shadow servants returned to me and gave me a message.

"What is it?" I asked them.

"My lord, there seems to be someone speaking with your partners."

"Someone? Who could that be?"

"She's a Dragon Oni, and she says she knows you."

That's when I realized who it was.

I quickly walked back to the wagon and sure enough, standing there chatting with Kiyomi and Ravyn was Akane.

Kiyomi was the first to notice me and called out to me.

"Master!"

She ran to me and hugged me. I was a little flustered as she hugged me but I just let it slide as it felt warm.

"Master, we found someone who said she knows you. Do you by any chance know her?"

I looked over at Akane who seemed to be shuffling around.

"Yeah, we met in the underground."

"I see, she did come out from where you came from."

"Yeah…"

I told the two to ready up the wagon.

I walked around to find Akane petting one of the pegasi. I approached her and hovered the note in front of her face. Her face then turned red as she attempted to grab the note from my hand.

"You know, you spelled some of the words wrong."

"I-I…"

It was a funny sight seeing an Oni, a proud warrior struggle to get a piece of paper. I eventually pocketed the note and Akane stopped with an embarrassed look on her face. She even pouted which was cute.

"Freedom huh? Weren't you going to go off by yourself to find out?" I would ask.

"I did but… I was a little lost."

I couldn't help but snicker.

"W-what's so funny?"

"Nothing. However, I do want to know why you returned to me? Actually, do tell me how you knew those two were connected to me?" I asked pointing to Kiyomi and Ravyn.

"W-well… they were talking about you when I got out."

"Talking about me? About what?"

"Well… they said something about you doing stuff to them in bed."

I gulped.

"Y-yeah… I wonder what that stuff is…"

Do the girls not have any other topic to talk about? Is this what girls talk about? Sex?

Judging by how Akane doesn't know it yet, she must be a virgin.

"I see… so then you just walked up to them and said you know me?"

"Yes."

I'm gonna have to teach them about stranger danger. They should be lucky that I know Akane but if it was someone else, that would be troublesome.

"Well then, answer my previous question. What made you want to return to me?"

Akane stayed quiet for a few moments but then she spoke.

"I want to know what freedom is. I believe if I follow you, I'll find out the meaning of freedom."

"Hmm, so that's why?"

"No, I also want to return the favor."

She inched closer to me and I lifted a brow.

Return the favor? How?

By the time I figured it out, her lips had connected with mine.

"Gasp!"

I separated myself from Akane and turned to Kiyomi and Ravyn, who had seen the whole thing.

"Master… you have me you know."

Kiyomi put her hand over her mouth as she began to cry, but I already knew she was faking it. Though Ravyn on the other hand was giving me a face of disgust.

"Womanizer."

She said bluntly, and I scratched the side of my head.

"Well… guess you can come along with us." I turned back to Akane, who smiled and nodded.

"Yes."

We got on the wagon and got back on the road. Along the way, Akane pledged her fidelity to me so I can use Mark of Fidelity on her. I placed it on her back. I also found out that she had some kind of tattoo on her back that resembled a dragon. Though I was surprised for a bit, I just shook my head. Of course, she's gonna have a dragon tattoo, she is a Dragon Oni after all. I'm so stupid sometimes.

She also had a very nice back...

As we continued down the road, I realized something.

How the hell are we gonna get Akane to enter Maroon? She doesn't have identification, an adventurer card, nor an invitation into Maroon.

I asked Akane if she had any of that and she said no, so that got me worried. We could travel back to the town where Ravyn used to live but it's too late for that.

"I actually have a solution," Akane said.

"You do? For us to travel back to that town?"

"Yes, but we will have to wait till midnight."

When the sun fell, we went off course and hid in the forest. We waited till the moon was in full view.

Akane walked forward into the moonlight and held her hand up in the air.

"The moon… I wish for it to drown in crimson hell, and emerge deep crimson."

Suddenly, her crimson aura burst out from within and ushered a powerful force. The leaves were blown back and even the wagon rocked a little. That's when I saw it. The moon was slowly being dyed red and it continued until it was exactly the color Akane wish for. Deep Crimson.

I'm impressed… she's able to convert the moon just like that? Could this be due to her ability to manipulate space?

Well, I'm not complaining.

I exit the wagon and walked over to Akane but she had her arm out.

"Not yet."

"Hmm?"

Akane would then take in an excessive amount of air before letting out a cry similar to a dragon.

Moments later, something flew past from above.

No way… and here I thought I wouldn't be able to see one with my own eyes.

From the sky descended a dragon. The dragon landed in front of Akane and bowed its head to her. She patted the dragon's head which snorted in return.

"A dragon!"

"No way!"

It seems the girls were as excited to see a dragon more than I was. They ran up and tackled it with a hug. The dragon seemed to be ok with it.

I walked forward with my hands out. My curiosity was slowly getting the best of me.

However, it looks like I'll be the one to get a different reaction than the girls.

When I got close to the dragon, it quickly turned to me and charged towards me. I thought it was just going to give me a hug but the air became tense and I quickly used Shadow Shift and got out of the way.

"Hmm… I wonder why it went after me?"

Do dragons not like me? That's gonna be a problem in the future…

The dragon crashed into the trees and when it got back up, it glared at me and growled. Akane ran to its side and began calming it down.

"Well, looks like I'm not gonna be riding that anytime soon," I said as I looked away.

Damn, and I really wanted to ride it too.

Since I won't be able to ride, I guess I'll leave it to the girls.

"You two, ride back with her and help her register. Help her write too, she can't spell very good."

"Hey!"

I snickered as the girls got on the dragon.

"Wait, before you three head off, take these."

I went to the wagon and brought out three cloaks. I handed the girls one each and then sent them off.

As I watched them fly away, I finally sighed in relief.

Finally, some time alone… been a long time since I've been by myself. I really needed a rest from the girls. It's hard to attend to their needs. Though, we haven't done it in days.

I went back into the wagon and took out a book. Then I started reading. I don't feel tired, so this is what I will do for now.

Hmm, now that I think of it, I have a question.

[Yes?]

Is there a way to simplify the stats that Analysis gives me? I also want a way for my stats to be simplified as well so I don't get a wall full of skills in my face.

[Hmm...]

[Configuring...]

[Please open your status...]

Ding!

{Status}

Name: Nero Akuma

Title: Brown Rank Adventurer

Sub Titles(3/3): Sin of Gluttony| Shadowseer Emperor of the Dead| Enemy of Cocytus)

Class: Jack of All Trades

Status: Normal

Level: 794

Mana: 130,000,000

Strength: 2137

Agility: 2142

Technique: 2102

Perception: 2097

Aura: 2082

Stat Points: 864

{Abilities}

Passive Skills: Indefinite Aura, Curse Resistance, Premonition, Skeleton Manipulation, Undead Manipulation, Reaper's Life Energy...(+26)

Active Skills: Shadow King Domain

Skills: Flash Step(Lvl.9), Shadow Shift(Lvl.6), Shadow Blade Assail(Lvl.8), Fallen Descent(Lvl.7), Wolf's Blood(Lvl.9), Volatile Orbs(Lvl.8)...(+32)

Newest Skills: Grim Dragon Thorns(Lvl.1), Freezing Threads(Lvl.5), Razor Threads(Lvl.7), Steel Threads(Lvl.7), Shadow Enslavement(Lvl.1), Doppelganger(Lvl.2)~

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[Skills will now show the skill that you have used the most and any new skills you obtain will go in the newest skill part. I will also do this for passive skills. Only 6 of them will appear in the New Skills section, Skills section, and Passive Skills section]

[If you want to browse your skills, just simply ask]

Hmm... this is better. I can deal with this. Do this for Analysis as well.

[Affirmative...]

So... a few minutes passed and it was pretty peaceful.

The crickets in the grass chirped. Fireflies wandering around in the air. The leaves being brushed by the wind.

It was all quiet, just enough to make me sleep.

Until a chill reverberated through the air.

"My lord, look out!"

One of my shadow servants jumped out and pushed me out of the wagon which was then encased in the ice.

I was safely caught by my four other shadow servants and they got me up on my feet.

When I looked back at the wagon, it was then shattered, with everything inside it as well.

Well, at least I know the title works.

I shifted my attention to the two figures standing under the moonlight.

"Cocytus, I wonder just how much of you there are?" I asked before equipping Osiris.

One of them was tall, equipped with full-body armor made of ice. He had a giant sword in his right hand and a hammer in his left. The other was in a robe, and I got a glimpse of what looked like an arm encased in ice.

I used Analysis and got a quick look at their skills.

[Level 842; Class: Summoner/Tranquil Mage; Title: Soldier of Cocytus]

{Abilities}

Passive Skills: Sub-Zero Resistance, Ice King's Blessing, Water Manipulation, Ice-Augmented Arm, Curse Resistance, Wind Manipulation...(+1)

Active Skills: Cocytus, Ice Army

Skills: Ice Gladiator(Lvl.Max), Frozen Land(Lvl.Max), Frost Bolts(Lvl.Max), Ice Shield(Lvl.Max), Ice Weapon Creation(Lvl.Max), Frost Blade Assail(Lvl.Max)...(+3)

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I see... so he's a summoner? That would make sense why I can't use Analysis on the gladiator. A summon's level depends on its skill level. Since its max, its level is equal to that of its summoner. So, I guess I'll be dealing with two level 842s.

I do wonder if they have those limiter rings.

Now that I think of it, didn't that Joseph guy have limiter rings... ten of them?

That means the level I saw wasn't his true level... he was hiding more, wasn't he?

Anyway, I shouldn't underestimate them since this is a 2v1. I could summon my servants or my doppelganger, but I think I can take them on myself. After all, I should let loose sometimes.

It's been a while... since I could let loose... I always held back when I was in the presence of the girls since I didn't want to frighten them.

I wonder... I wonder what Risa would say if she saw me now...

Now that I think about it...

No... it doesn't matter now.

This is my choice... my freedom...

Yes... that's it... that is what my freedom is...

The freedom... to let my rage let loose...

I jumped into the air and a grim smile was marked on my face.

"Come on, I'll make sure you die a painful death. Hehehehe..." I chuckled before snapping.

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