Red: 005

I believe I told you everything.

I didn't delve into details but I guess I've clarified the strange events that led us to face the most legendary of youkai. The events that enshrined Yuna as a Crystal Knight, or at least brought her close to her consecration. Not exactly a title, a simple nickname transforming her into a legend on a global scale was made official, if I may use that term after what happened that morning at the Tsukuba Circuit.

The story of how she got such a nickname isn't the main focus but it just can't be put aside.

Behold it as a bonus.

Like the story behind the story.

Or as a DLC.

"Is that like a DLC?"

This time, it wasn't the fourth wall's breach. The missy was serious.

After her crossing the dragon youkai's skull with the 23° Tokyo in its spear shape, we assumed the battle was won. And somewhat, it was. However, the missy previously miscalculated and made a statement that shouldn't have been made.

A sentence at the beginning of chapter one;

"Any ideas, douchebag?"

"Me? I thought you were the war genius, missy."

"But this isn't a war, is it?"

Analyzing from that new perspective, that oval circuit was converted into a war field. And our battle, consequently, a war too.

We won the battle but not the war.

Yuna had already put her uniform back on her body and as soon as she hopped on my back, we sneaked out from that super speed racetrack. But a while later, when my four paws were about to exit one of the track's corners, a choleric roar sounded, muffled echoing behind us.

My canine feature circled around so that my eyes sought the roar's source and consequently the missy mimicked me.

And then the question came:

"Is that similar to a DLC?"

What was being recorded in our fields of vision was the bizarre image of a dragon's meat heap being ground and swallowed by its own stomach at a frightening speed, considering the amount of mass it had.

"Are DLC additions in electronic games, aren't they?

"Yes, Yes. But now, paying closer attention I wonder if he had some kind of worm."

"Maybe he was just hungry?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mena once mentioned the stomach feeds itself with your own body if you stay without eating for a while."

"Hmm, I got it. It could be that, really. It just doesn't make much sense considering he was quite fat."

"I disagree, missy. Judging by his fatness, that's why his stomach is devouring him so quickly."

"Good point, Fleas Kingdom, you'll win a cookie."

This time around, I ignored it.

"Look, there's something in the center," I pointed out.

"Urgh, that's disgusting."

Amid all that flesh being sipped correlated to a tidal wave, a red silhouette emerged, as if that dragon's stomach had a humanoid shape. The feature seemed to be built by the absorbed flesh, but with a better view it was possible to notice the silhouette was the one getting fed with that red sea. The mouth was highly open and the ground meat dripped down his entire body completely covering it until it entered his oral cavity.

"Douchebag, do you have your cell phone there?"

"I'm a wolf, missy, I don't use these things."

"Tsc, it would give a great mystery on the Deep Web."

The amount of meat was nearly to be completely sipped and so, the devouring figure at the cannibalistic chaos' center would be presented to us in the best way. The true form of a legendary creature was approximately to be revealed to us.

The last mass of ground meat went up the youkai's body, unraveling him from head to toe. First, the legs were completely red, whose shins were protected by gray scales. When the hip was exposed, we discovered it was a woman, and there was only a gray scaly sex patch covering her THERE. The torso was also naked and equal to her legs, was dark red except for her breasts, which were also censored with gray scales. And when she finished chewing the meat her face showed itself to the world.

A beautiful crimson face with short white hair and square cut ends. With her eyes closed and pointed towards the sky it wasn't possible to perceive their color, but it didn't take long for her to lower her face and reveal her green eyes analogous to the water of a lake.

"Very hot."

"Missy?!" Was that really the first comment to be made?

"When I grow up, I want to be like her."

"Red and scaly?!"

"And her compelling posture makes her sexier."

"Do you happen to be thinking aloud?!"

Without bringing answers to my questions, once again Yuna got off my back. She pointed her dark blue eyes directly against the youkai's pale green eyes.

Yamata no Orochi. I could've sworn the most legendary youkai was a dragon with several heads and tails. But what was before us was a woman. In other words, for a better definition it appeared to be a hybrid of dragon and woman. Maybe some sort of fusion, who knows. Or going even further, perhaps it was like the Cold changes

According to the legend, the Three Treasures of Japan emerged from the body of this youkai in his battle against the god Susanoo. If true, the amount of magic this dragon once had is truly immeasurable, perhaps surpassing the power of a deity. And yet, currently the relics are outside his body and he's been defeated. Probably his powers were reduced throughout all these years to the point the dragon reduced into a large ball of scales, transformed to become a beautiful red skin woman.

She even had a tail. It protruded long from her spine's base and its tip was covered with gray scales resembling a pen cap.

Believe me if you want.

"I can't believe they actually sexualized a legendary dragon, douchebag."

"Is this your concern right now?!"

"Should I be worried about something else?"

"A dragon woman cataloged as youkai, perhaps!"

The missy stride ahead leaving the smooth asphalt forming that oval circuit, heading to the center of the track's ground. Then she stopped, establishing a distance the Youkai slayer thought was safe between them.

"I didn't expect you to be capable of transforming, douchebag, but here we are, right?"

In response, Yamata no Orochi licked her lips erotically.

"Yeah... I don't know exactly what that means " commented Yuna. "But I realized you have a thing for sign language."

The youkai's tail wagged the vacuum twice, which we also judge to be some kind of reply.

In the end, I guess it didn't mean anything.

"Whatever," said the missy. "As you're immune to ice it seems we'll handle our differences in hand-to-hand combat, only until death. The rules are there are no rules, so you shall enjoy your powers, just as I will, or not."

The conditions were accepted by the youkai with her silence.

To that, the missy began to take off her clothes. She removed her long mystical basketball jersey and threw it up. In mid-air, the fabric twisted and stretched in such a way that her uniform converted into a crimson spear. The weapon fell horizontally right into the youkai slayer's hand, who was now showing off her angelic body wearing only red lingerie matching her mystical uniform.

Yuna positioned herself as a real lancer pointing her blood-colored weapon at Yamata no Orochi. An image to be seen when touring the Youkai slayer's feats mural.

"So, what will it be?" The question the missy usually uses as an ultimatum. Like a last warning before her target entered a hidden cave between life and death. The final warning sign before the cliff at the end of the road.

No answer was obtained other than a small grin.

Equally the previous time Yuna sprinted in combat, a trail of dust was thrown back. The Youkai slayer with her supernatural dexterity, suddenly emerged at the back of the youkai with her arm and spear ready to deliver a single lethal blow. Even so, surprisingly faster than the missy's neural firing, the dragon woman's tail wiggled with incredible precision to wrap itself around my kouhai's neck.

She was lifted by the reptilian member who hanged her.

The spear was released, falling harmlessly to the ground.

Yamata no Orochi glanced over her shoulder as she tried to free herself from the grip of that dragon's tail with her hands.

Faced with that scene and as one of the active participants in that mission, I decided it's time to take some action in this regard. Barking this, my four legs started to work and I sprinted towards the youkai.

At first, I shot at an ordinary speed to a wolf of my size. Halfway, while the dragon woman kept watching her torture Yuna Nate, I recalculated my route describing an arc on the ground to fire upon her from behind where her tail that also worked for combat, was busy abusing a minor.

My idea was simple. I'd use my speed above the sound to perform a direct blow with no gaps for a possible defense, where the goal was to sink my teeth into the youkai's tail, freeing the missy and also damaging what appeared to be an important part of her body.

Nonetheless...

The moment I subdued the speed of sound the world around me got into a slow-motion effect. Everything around me was practically frozen in space and time, except for my mental and physical existence. With that advantage, my paws shifted me behind Yamata no Orochi and I was already very close when she... tilted her head?

Did she move her head at normal speed?

Not in slow motion?

The dragon woman was watching Yuna over her left shoulder and I was in the offensive on her right flank. In theory, at the speed and position I was in, she wouldn't be able to sense my reaction in time, only by intuition. The youkai knew I was coming and under those circumstances I could only have noticed by the sound. But I was above the sound at that moment. So, the only conclusion is the one that seems obvious.

Yamata no Orochi also moves above the sound speed.

She circled her red face from left to right, darting at me over her shoulder. Her gaze was comparable to someone observing an annoying insect coming.

As for me, there's no longer an option to retreat. Despite the pale green eyes aiming at me like a sniper, I was already on the attack and it's all or nothing there. My jaw opened and my fangs were exposed to bite the youkai's tail. And yet, she reacted.

I honestly expected a reaction, but Yamata no Orochi agility was what surprised me. The sensation was she's in a higher speed existence than mine, which was already above the sound. And when I was nearly biting her, the youkai rotated her body pulling her tail away from my teeth and almost at the same time waggling it to throw Yuna far away. The next instant, Yamata's hand grabbed my neck from the side and pushed me to the floor pressing me against the ground.

Space and time are back to normal for me.

I heard the missy's moan flipping over the earth but I couldn't distinguish her location.

That woman's strength surpassed my concept of absurdity. With just one hand she was able to keep me pressed to the floor, leaving my paws free so that they could struggle with the pain of being suffocated; something extremely humiliating for a pack leader like me.

My total disgust for this youkai was absolute.

I was about to take over the missy's job and grow into a genocide.

"Take your hands off my puppy!"

Speaking of the devil, it seemed the Youkai slayer was promptly on her feet. She snarled those words against Yamata no Orochi and made the situation even more embarrassing for me.

Obviously, the youkai didn't obey the missy, but she pulled her hand away from my neck and bent to Yuna, completely ignoring my canine existence as soon as the missy's phrase passed through her ears.

My brain craved for oxygen and I gasped while collecting it. At the same time, I got up, staggering to the side intending to escape from that youkai and the area where the second round was near to begin.

"Yeah... I didn't expect you to let it go so easily," uttered the missy. "I don't know what to do, I feel something is out of script."

At Yuna's comments, the dragon woman only grunted. She eyed down and saw 23° Tokyo, the spear-shaped uniform extended to her feet. Without unnecessary effort, the youkai's tail wiggled and picked up the weapon from the ground, lifting it up to her chest. She will clearly use her opponent's spear against her.

The missy, on the other hand, having to face a legendary youkai armed with the mystical 23° Tokyo had no choice but to onslaught. She rocked her forearms with a pry motion, causing two shorter ice spears to emerge on her hands. Not sufficiently prepared, from the missy's body four clones also armed with twin spears popped up in a magic trick, two on each side.

"We're ready, master!"

The clones were identical to their original, duly as the concept of clone calls for but their devotion was a level above a shikigami. Announcing to be ready they took a fighting stance with the spears, resembling an eagle image.

"Let's do the Pearl Harbor."

"What?! But master…"

"We have no other choice. We'll follow the standard tactic until finding a gap in her guard."

"She's red..."

"What about that tail, master, does it move?"

"If that tail strikes us, I'll demand my rights as a clone…"

"Nobody's gonna demand anything, okay?" The original missy also positioned to combat. "Protect me with your life, I'll handle the rest."

"Positive, master!"

With a sadistic smile, Yamata no Orochi prepared for the offensive coming in her direction. A quintet of missys raced fast and furiously alternating their positions and shuffling the original's clones. Yuna's gang started their avalanche of quick and short blows, forcing the youkai to take small steps in order to protect herself. Although the missys were very agile and precise in their motions, the dragon woman was able to defend herself from everyone, with no trouble. She was surrounded, getting bombarded from five different spots, but since she managed to put her existence above the speed of sound probably all those blows were in slow motion for her.

"Are you cornered, dog?"

Once again, leaving no trace of his presence, Detective Doz shows up at Tsukuba Circuit. Amazing how he managed to pop up in places so mysteriously, mainly because of the great distances. Regardless of my supernatural sense of smell, that man's scent was always an enigma to my canine nostrils.

"I'm not afraid, if that's what you meant," I pronounced.

"I know, I know." His hands were placed in the shirt pockets but the right one was soon revealed with a chocolate bar between his fingers. He bit a piece of the candy made of cocoa and milk, swallowing it without even chewing. "I don't think you understood my question, but what I wish to know is whether you're scared for the Crystal Knight."

"You say, scared for the missy?"

"That."

"And how do you want me to assume that by asking if I'm afraid?!"

"Hmm... true. I suppose I misused the words."

"You just didn't use them!"

"Okay, okay, don't change the subject, dog. Pay close attention to the combat ahead of you."

"I'm watching."

"So, you've noticed, haven't you?"

"What exactly should I notice?"

"Well, My Knight, obviously. It's certain she cannot beat this legendary youkai, who in the past could only be defeated by a god. Despite Yamata no Orochi having her power reduced by five times, my Knight cannot win even with her best strategy.

"Hmph, you're not aware of Yuna's ability."

"I may not know the limits of my Knight, dog, but I'll pass on an important lesson on war."

"What would it be?"

"Certain battles must be felt and not thought; some opponents must be devastated only with the purest raw power."

With this lesson the youkai battled. Suddenly, with her tail she hit the missy's clone attacking her from behind, ripping her head off and crumbling her into snow. Therefore, only four remained. Three copies and the original. Which didn't last long. After the first clone's death, the others repositioned themselves to continue the massive and relentless strikes. However, the dragon woman anticipated this and using the spear she snatched from Yuna, crossed the clone's base neck at her left, also crumbling it in snow.

Amid that situation, the original and its replicas retreated a step in a triangular formation.

As if to confirm the detective's teaching, whatever was the missy's tactic, wasn't working.

Yamata no Orochi's savagery and brute strength was the one deciding that confrontation.

"I have to go help her…"

"Don't do that, dog."

"Why? She needs it…"

"Of course, she requires assistance. But it's not your help she needs." On the detective's left hand, which at some point came out of his shirt pocket, the golden rod of a charming spear was wrapped between his fingers.

"Are you talking about that?"

The sound of ripped air announced the Youkai slayer's offensive resumption. The two clones and the original advanced, mercilessness. They persisted on the quick strikes and short approach against the dragon woman, who proceeded protecting herself with the 23° Tokyo, dodging with small nimble steps.

Seconds after this new avalanche of assaults, a third clone was struck by the crimson spear and it fell apart. Only a copy and the original remained. Clearly the missy's strategy would come to nothing. Something confirmed a moment later when the last clone was diagonally split in two with a dry crusade from the crimson spear.

The next one was the real Yuna Nate.

Now Yamata no Orochi dominated the match.

The youkai spun after ending the last clone chaining her motions by striking in an arc with the spear. To which the missy dodged tilting her torso back. Then, the dragon woman spun again, now pushing the spear in a straight stroke. But again, the missy got away with it, stepping to the side and pinning the crimson spear between her twin spears in the solid state of the water.

I guess the missy's intention was to disarm the youkai, and in a way she did it, but not how she wondered. Much less in an advantageous way for her in battle.

Yamata no Orochi dropped the spear as soon as Yuna stuck it between hers. At the same time 23° Tokyo was released the youkai shifted with incredible dexterity, taking a long step, catching the missy with her guard down.

The Youkai slayer was blown in the middle of the chest with a strike from Yamata no Orochi's palm.

Her body was thrown backwards, falling on her back to the ground, sliding on the dirt. And this time, she remained on the floor.

"Missy!"

"Hey, no...!"

Ignoring the detective's warning, my wolf instincts couldn't let go of my feelings and concern for that missy. My paws sprinted at high speed towards Yuna, passing by the dragon woman's side who barely noticed my existence.

"Missy!" I touched my muzzle on her belly as if to wake her up. She wasn't dead but the smell of blood was quite strong on her chest. An internal hemorrhage already being treated by the missy's regenerative capacity.

Her eyes started to open.

"Hmm, I worried you again, didn't I?"

"You Idiot! You can't handle this monster. Call on that spear."

"You douchebag, what are you implying?"

"Gungnir, missy! It's the only..."

Interrupting me, an orange glow caught my attention to the youkai. A fire bolt thrown in our direction. Instinctively I put myself in front of Yuna and threw a super bark against the blast of flame. The sound wave crashed into the fire shielding us. The ray of flames finally ceased.

"Missy, the detective said that some battles must be won by raw power. The spear is the help you need. That detective must've figured it out so he offered the weapon earlier. The spear could also snap the kid out of brain control and he thought of that. Whatever this detective is, the help he's offering you isn't the Gungnir spear, but the anticipation.

Although that mysterious man who introduced himself as Detective Doz said some battles must be won only by raw power, wouldn't using this method also be a strategic decision? Isn't the thought that comes before the action?

"Got it, Fleas Kingdom." The missy's hand stroked my back to my head then I noticed she was already on her feet. "You fell into a detective pedophile fallacy and that's sad."

"This isn't the time for jokes!"

She stood in front of me.

"You were a good boy, Ulim, but now I need you to keep a distance." She stretched her right arm forward. "It's time to let go of my pride."

And I knew what was coming. It's pretty clear what she's about to do.

"Come on, Gungnir!"

With a golden flash the spear flew from the detective's hands and crossed the air like an arrow to Yuna's hand. At the same time, she picked up her new weapon, Yamata no Orochi opened up her mouth preparing a new burst of flame.

"Missy...?"

"If the legend is real, when launched, Gungnir never misses its target."

She pronounced more to herself than to me, already taking some safe distance. After that, she positioned as an Olympic javelin thrower. The gleam in the missy's eyes seemed to be someone else's. Or rather, the same glow that reminded the world who the Youkai slayer was, but exerting pressure as if her eyes were those of a warrior goddess.

The eyes of a Crystal Knight.

"So, this is how he sees her…"

The youkai threw her fire beam, coming more devastating than the previous one against Yuna. And she, in turn, confronted with enviable courage that orange flames blast resembling an infernal breath. The missy finally launched Gungnir, who fired in a golden lightning shape, not only crossing the fire wave in front of her but ceasing it in flames like a magic trick.

The legend was real.

Nothing could stop Gungnir from reaching her target.

The golden spear stuck in Yamata no Orochi's head.

Once again in the history of Japan, the legendary youkai fell apart. Previously by the Susanoo god, now by Yuna Nate.

"Tsc!"

"What is it, missy?"

"That's ridiculous." Still in the same pose when she hurled Gungnir, adjusted her posture bringing her hands to her hips. "I'm not happy with this outcome, it's the same when Sagittarius Armor shows up and Seiya solves everything by shooting an arrow."

Hmm, looking in that way...

"Which is very funny," she proceeded, "Because as far as I know the Knights can't use weapons, can they?"

"You're asking a wolf who only watched Lost Canvas."

"Wow, Ulim, you let me down sometimes."

"Hey, why?"

"Who only watches the spin-off and ignores the original series? You're dishonoring the author this way, you know? As soon as we get back let's enjoy my punishment and contemplate the original. You'll see there's nothing cooler than Dragon's Cholera."

" ... " Well, I'm not here to counter Yuna Nate.

"See, my Knight, you should've listened to me…"

"Hey!" The missy took a step back hugging her breasts as the detective snuck up near us. "You pedophile, you were grabbing me by surprise!"

"What?! No, of course not!"

"Yes, you were! You're a boobs squeezer, as your wallet already proved."

"I told you it was just a mission!"

"Ulim, quick, go catch my uniform! I won't keep giving the satisfaction to this weird chocoholic to contemplate the most beautiful body in this country."

"Missy, about that…"

She drew her attention back to me and I pointed my nose at 23° Tokyo.

"Aaaaah!" Yuna got horrified. "What happened?!"

"Yeah, it had been singed when the youkai was a fat dragon. I think the flames damaged it a lot the first time. After all, it's the 23° Kyoto that's fireproof."

"I can't believe it." whined the missy falling to her knees.

Perhaps the sight of her uniform practically in ashes was too shocking for the exhausted Youkai slayer. But the truth is this loss wouldn't only prolong her punishment furthermore, but the uniform partial value would be deducted from her payment.

"And how much do you think a mystical uniform made of mythological fabric and personalized on a basketball jersey costs?"

Now consider the yen isn't the most valuable currency in the world.

"I'm broke."

"Missy, speaking of which, how are you buying my meat in this situation?"

"Uh, Ulim, don't do that…"

"It's part of our agreement and I know you keep your promises."

"Wow... I'll need to sell my body."

"Hey, you don't have to go down that road!"

"Detective, it's two thousand yen an hour."

"I'm out." He turned his back on us.

"What?! But it's your golden opportunity!"

"I've told you I'm not a pedophile and my mission are complete. Or rather, the case is closed."

"You just came all this way to see me half-naked, huh?"

"No, of course not." He glanced at her over his shoulder then stretched his arm towards Gungnir stuck in Yamata no Orochi's head. The spear flew into the detective's hand just as it flew into the missy's. "I suppose you won't keep it, will you?"

"What? That thing?" The missy looked away, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks. "It had its use; you shall throw it away now."

"As I imagined. It'll stay with me, young lady, but you know if you need to, just call on her."

"Hmph, take it, pedophile, and enjoy it while you have my scent to... hey, where is he?"

And the detective snuck as suddenly as he showed up.

"Missy."

Yuna turned her face to me. Her doubtful expression had an innocent glow and in her youthful face the beauty was actually therapeutic, even for a pack leader like me.

She didn't question my call with words, but with her dark blue eyes:

"That's enough, missy, let's go back home. You still need to sleep."