Sea Of Trees, Verbergen - A7

A/N: Don't take this fanfic volume seriously; it's just a writing exercise for me and to help me. Butttttt it's also an Artiferia fanfic with some Yugioh elements on the side.

***

A few hours later, the group reached the entrance to Haltina Woods. From the outside, it appeared like any other forest, but stepping inside enveloped them in dense fog.

"Now then, Hajime-dono, Yue-dono, please stick close to us once we're inside," Cam instructed. "You'll be traveling in the center of our group, but be cautious of possible separation. And you just need us to guide you to the center, where the Grand Tree is, correct?"

"Yeah, that's probably the labyrinth entrance," Hajime confirmed after Cam reminded him of the dangers and affirmed their destination.

The Grand Tree, referred to by Cam, was a massive tree in the deepest reaches of the forest, considered sacred by the beastmen. Rarely did anyone approach it. Hajime learned this from Cam after they escaped the gorge.

Initially, he thought the entire Haltina Woods was the labyrinth, but he reasoned that abyss-level monsters would make it uninhabitable for the beastmen. Thus, the entrance to the true labyrinth must lie elsewhere, and the Grand Tree seemed like a good starting point.

Cam signaled his clan to gather around Hajime and Yue. "Hajime-dono, could you minimize your presence? The Grand Tree is considered holy ground, and we'd rather avoid encounters with anyone."

Hajime activated Hide Presence. Yue used her innate talents that she'd cultivated in the abyss to hide. Anam used her curse technique, the card 'Black Illusion' to reduce her presence.

 "Ah!? This is quite... Hajime-dono, would it be possible for you to hide yourself to Yue-dono's level?"

"Is this good?"

"Yes, that's perfect. If you completely erase your presence like you did earlier, we might lose sight of you ourselves. In fact, I'm certain we would. You're quite something." Though the rabbitmen's stats were average, their extremely sensitive hearing made it very easy for them to pick up on almost all nearby presences, and they were also skilled at hiding.

The fact that they could pick up on even Anam and Yue's presence, shows how good their abilities are. They were master trackers. However, Hajime's Hide Presence was of an even greater level than that. Normally the rabbitmen would never lose sight of someone they'd marked, even in this vast sea of trees, but Hajime's skill was so absolute that even they couldn't sense him. Cam smiled bitterly as he realized this human had surpassed him in the one field that he thought his race couldn't be beaten in.

"Very well, let us depart." With their preparations complete, the party set off into the forest, led by Cam and Shea. They followed a winding trail that barely resembled a path. Dense fog engulfed them almost instantly, reducing visibility. Yet, Cam walked forward confidently, knowing their location and direction. Hajime didn't grasp the reason behind it, but it seemed every beastman possessed an innate ability to navigate this dense sea of trees.

Unfortunately after five minutes after entering the forest, they found themselves so thoroughly surrounded that they had to stop. Their numbers, bloodlust, and even coordination.

As they identified their opponents, the rabbitmen grimaced, with Shea turning completely pale. Hajime and Yue, recognizing their surroundings, frowned in annoyance. It was none other than…

"Don't move! Why are there humans here?!" A burly beastman with a striped tail and tiger ears blocked their path.

Seeing humans and beastmen together in the sea of trees was unusual. The tiger beastman eyed Cam incredulously, as if he were a race traitor, his hands gripping a dangerous two-handed sword. The dozen or so beastmen surrounding them glared at the rabbitmen, clearly outraged.

"U-Umm, we're..." Cold sweat dripped down Cam's forehead as he attempted to concoct an excuse. But before he could proceed, the tigerman noticed Shea.

"A white-haired... rabbit girl? You must be from the Haulia tribe mentioned in the reports. You're a disgrace to all beastmen. Deceiving your kin for years, harboring that despicable demon girl, and now bringing humans among us!? Traitors! I won't listen to any excuses! You're all going to be executed here—"

Bang! Before he could finish the order, Hajime's gun went off. A red streak grazed the tiger man's cheek, tearing through the tree behind him and disappearing into the dense forest.

A trail of blood ran down the tigerman's cheek as he stood frozen in place. Had his ears been on the side of his head like a human's, one of them would have been blown off completely.

"I can fire off attacks like that multiple times a second. I know exactly where each and every one of you are. And hell, if I wanted to, I could kill you all in under a few seconds." The white haired man aimed his guns at all the locations where the demi-humans were hiding.

"Wh-Wha— There wasn't even a chant."

The tigerman faltered. Not only was this human capable of firing off an unknown attack of immense power, he could apparently fire it off multiple times a second without even chanting.

"If you order your men to attack, I won't show any mercy. Until our contract is complete, these guys' lives are under my protection... Don't think even a single one of your men will go home alive if you try to hurt them." Hajime poured bloodlust into his words on top of his Intimidation. The threatening aura oozing from his every pore caused the tigerman to break out in a cold sweat.

"...Can I ask you something first?" The tigerman hoarsely managed to croak out those words. Hajime flicked his head, indicating that it was okay for him to continue.

"...What are you after?" A simple question.

"We just want to visit the Sacred Tree, Uralt." Hajime coldly answered.

"Because the true entrance to one of the labyrinths might be there. We're on a journey to conquer all of the Seven Great Labyrinths. And we've hired the Haulia tribe to guide us there."

"True entrance? What do you mean? This forest itself is considered one of the Seven Great Labyrinths. A natural labyrinth where anyone other than a beastman will get lost forever once they step foot inside."

"Yeah, but there's a problem with that logic." Hajime said.

Before he could continue, a new voice cut in, taking over the explanation.

"Because if the trial is just about killing the monsters here, it's far too weak. If any beastman could make it through the forest, it wouldn't make sense as a trial, right? Achieving both of those are just the pre-requisite." Anam spoke up, stepping forward.

"...You are!" The tigermans and other demi-humans exclaimed in unison.

"Oh, you all recognize me?!" Anam smiled brightly as she pointed at herself.

"The crazy human who was freeing our kind!" the tigerman recalled, remembering her description from his comrades in Verbergen. Anam had been known for raiding imperial caravans and liberating demihumans on a whim.

Naturally, many demi-humans in Verbergen seemed to view her in a positive light, referring to her as the crazy woman. She was happily killing people of her own kind and saving demi-humans with a smile on her face.

Anam frowned after hearing that. Hajime and Yue snorted in amusement at the title bestowed upon her.

Huffing, Anam continued explaining.

"Anyways, I'm with these people and they are helping us find the true labyrinth which could only be found in Uralt." Anam sighed.

"Could you let us through, please?" she requested.

Under normal circumstances, the tigerman in charge would have dismissed it all as nonsense. However, there was no reason for them to lie. They were the ones with all the advantages. Additionally, Anam the crazy woman seemed to be a small hero to them.

But this was an unprecedented case, especially with the Haulia tribe behind her and a strong human. Although they don't seem to have any bad intentions for now, he would have to handle this request carefully and pass it up through the chain of command.

And if their goal really didn't lie with Verbergen, then it made a lot more sense to just let him go to the Grand Tree and finish his business so he'd bother them no longer. He wouldn't have to waste his subordinates' lives that way either.

"If you don't mean any harm to my country or its people, then I don't mind letting you visit the Grand Tree. I have no interest in wasting my men's lives, either." The tigerman in charge relaxed his guard and spoke.

Hajime arched his eyebrow at his posture.

"However, a mere captain of the guard like me doesn't have the authority to allow that. Allow me to contact my superiors. It's possible our elders might have some information on that true entrance you seek. Surely you'll be willing to wait here while we send a messenger."

"Alright. But make sure you relay my message properly, you hear?" Hajime replied.

"Of course. Zam, you heard us! Head to the elders as fast as you can!" The tigerman ordered.

"Roger!" One of the presences surrounding them vanished. Hajime holstered both of his guns and stopped his Intimidation. Anam plopped to the ground and sat on the grass as we waited.

Though they were still surrounded, Cam and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that there wasn't about to be an immediate bloodbath, and everyone settled down a little. That being said, the glares the tigermen directed at the rabbitmen were anything but pleasant, so it couldn't really be called a peaceful situation.

If that wasn't enough, the rabbitmen were dumbfounded as Hajime began "flirting" with Yue in the middle of enemy territory, while Anam drifted off into her own world dozing off. Their relaxed demeanor shocked them all. After an hour, they finally sensed a group of figures rapidly approaching them.

From the fog emerged a group of unfamiliar beastmen, with an elderly man at their center. His long, flowing blond hair and striking blue eyes exuded wisdom, though his frail body suggested vulnerability. Despite his wrinkles, he had a noble appearance, accentuated by his long, tapered ears — he was an elf. Hajime guessed he must be one of the elders, a hunch confirmed moments later.

"So, you're the human causing a ruckus in our forest. What's your name?" the old elf asked.

"Hajime. Hajime Nagumo. And who are you, old man?" Hajime replied, his tone unyielding.

The surrounding beastmen were shocked by his boldness, but the old elf calmed them before their anger boiled over.

"I am Ulfric Heipyst, representing Verbergen as one of its elders. Before I give my reply to your request, I must ask: where did you learn of the Liberators?"

"We heard about it from Oscar himself, at the bottom of the abyss," Hajime answered, surprising Ulfric, who was more interested in the Liberators than their forest objective.

"I see. Can you prove your claim?" Ulfric inquired, concerned about classified information leaks among the beastmen leadership.

Hajime pondered, but Yue came up with a solution.

"...Hajime, how about the mana crystals, or some of Oscar's things?" she suggested.

Hajime opened the Treasure Trove, revealing mana crystals of unparalleled purity and Oscar's ring with the Orcus crest.

"I don't believe it... I've never seen mana crystals of such purity," the tigerman exclaimed in shock. Ulfric, too, was astonished.

"I see... So you youngsters really did reach Oscar Orcus' resting place. Very well. I shall grant you passage through Verbergen," Ulfric declared, surprising everyone.

However, Hajime raised an objection. "Wait. Don't decide our plans for us. The only place I have business with is the Grand Tree; I'm not planning on going to Verbergen. If we're free to go, then we'll be heading straight to the Grand Tree."

"I'm afraid you can't," Ulfric replied bemusedly, continuing explaining further the reason.

"The fog around the Grand Tree is so thick that even beastmen lose their bearings near it. Only when the fog is thinnest can we safely approach. I'm afraid the next cycle isn't for ten days... I had thought all of the beastmen were aware of that fact, but..." Ulfric gave Hajime a puzzled stare before turning to look at Cam.

"Ah," Cam replied, as if just remembering. Hajime's forehead pulsed with irritation.

"Cam?" Hajime prompted.

"I forgot, with everything going on... I was young the last time I went, and didn't pay attention to the cycles," Cam made excuses, but Hajime and Yue's gazes pressured him.

"Why didn't anyone else mention this?" Cam lashed out at his tribe, but they shifted blame onto him.

"What!? Why're you blaming us all of a sudden, Dad? You looked so confident that I was sure you knew that this was the right time in the cycle... This is all your fault!"

"If you punish me, punish us all!" Cam pleaded.

"Don't drag us into it!" Shea retorted.

"Leave us alone!" the tribe protested.

"Fools! Face it together!" Cam appealed.

Hajime muttered, "Yue."

"Okay," Yue agreed, raising her hand. The Haulias panicked.

"No, punish Dad!"

"We'll be together!"

"Stay away!"

"Discipline the chief!"

"I'm innocent!"

Yue cast "Storm Gust," raining bunny ears from the sky as the Haulias screamed. Ulfric and the others watched in awe, while Anam smiled at the sky.

Hajime mercilessly followed up with a barrage of rubber bullets, prompting the Haulia to their feet, tears streaming down their eyes.

The group followed Ulfric in formation until they reached the city. They stood before a massive gate formed by thick trunks interlocked to form an arch, with double wooden doors. Instead of walls, there was a towering barrier of living trees, each at least thirty meters tall, marking the border of the beastmen's country.

"It's beautiful." Anam looked around and stared in awe. Past the wall of trees, a new world spread out before them.

Numerous massive trees dotted the landscape, a dwelling carved into each one. Warm lamplight poured out of the windows that had been cut into the trunks. Thick branches, wide enough for dozens of people to walk across abreast, linked the treetops together into one big aerial highway. Vines served as pulleys, allowing for huge elevators big enough to pull up carts. There were even wooden aqueducts, carrying water from tree to tree. And each of the trees was at least as tall as a twenty story building, too.

Even Hajime and Yue were staring in awe with incredible interest. The home of demi-humans really gave that fantastical scenery.

"It seems our fair city of Verbergen is to your liking." Ulfric smiled warmly. All of the surrounding beastmen, even the Haulia, were all puffing their chests out proudly. Seeing how happy they were, Hajime gave his honest impression of the city.

"Yeah, this is the first time I've ever seen such an amazing city. Even the air smells wonderful. It really feels like you guys are one with nature."

"Yeah... it's really pretty."

The beastmen were all surprised at such honest praise. Happy and embarrassed at the same time, they averted their gaze, their ears and tails wagging happily.

Once they'd arrived at the hall Ulfric had prepared for them, Hajime and Yue had explained what they'd learned. He had gone over the speech Oscar Orcus had made about the Liberators, the magic he'd inherited from the Age of the Gods, the fact that he was a human from another world, and that he was looking to conquer the labyrinths in the hopes of finding a spell that could take him home.

Anam added that the evil God likely possesses all seven ages of god magic and may have likely made a pact with the liberator, given throughout the world's history, he didn't bother destroying the labyrinth.

"...I see. So the reward for clearing the trials is ancient magic, and the gods have actually been deceiving us all along..."

Ulfric, upon learning who Anam was, thanked him on behalf of the demi-humans for rescuing his people. After a while, their conversation shifted to other topics. Anam was curious about any information regarding other labyrinths.

Ulfric shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any knowledge or exact locations of other labyrinths, aside from the ones we live in."

Anam nodded, pondering for a moment. "It's alright. I was just hoping you might have heard something."

Sometime during the end of the conversation, a commotion began on the floors below. From the sounds of it, they'd gotten into an argument with someone. Hajime and Ulfric exchanged glances before standing up at the same time. A bearman, tigerman, foxman, some kind of winged beastman, and some small dwarfish fur-covered beastman were all glaring angrily at the Haulia tribe. The Haulia were all huddled in a corner, with Cam desperately trying to protect Shea. Both of their cheeks were red and swollen, meaning they'd already been hit at least once.

The bearman spoke first, his anger barely contained. "Damn you, Ulfric... What were you thinking, bringing a human here? And these rabbits too! You even allowed the cursed girl to set foot in our land... Depending on your answer, I might have to call for your execution at our next elders' meeting."

Ulfric remained unfazed. "I simply abided by our ancient traditions. You all are elders of your various clans, so surely you must realize my reasons."

"What ancient traditions!? All that's nothing but bull! We've never once had any use for that ancient law since Verbergen's founding!"

Ulfric remained composed. "Then that'll make this a first. Calm yourselves. You all are elders here, you know you must abide by the laws. If we don't set an example as leaders of our people, then what use are any of our rules or traditions?"

"Are you trying to say that little brat really did get through a labyrinth!? That he's too strong for us to fight!?"

"That is correct," Ulfric said casually. The bearman's gaze shifted incredulously from Ulfric to Hajime.

Within Verbergen, the elders represented their races in the council, making laws and judgments. While Ulfric upheld tradition, not all elders agreed. Elves like Ulfric lived much longer than other beastmen, leading to differing views.

The other elders couldn't accept a human and criminals in their sanctuary. "Fine, why don't we test if he's really qualified, here and now!"

The bearman suddenly charged at Hajime, catching everyone off guard. With impressive stamina and overwhelming arm strength, the 2.5-meter-tall figure, head of his clan, barreled towards Hajime. His swing could fell a tree. Most thought Hajime was done for, except Yue, Anam, and Haulia.

They froze in fear as Hajime effortlessly caught the bearman's paw with his prosthetic left arm.

"You call that a punch? Yet, you still came at me with the intent to kill. I hope you're prepared for what that means." Hajime strengthened his grip. There was a sharp cracking noise from the bearman's arm. Panic quickly overcame his shock, and the bearman desperately tried to free himself from Hajime's grasp.

Naturally Anam would never condone such actions. However, this is an exception. After all, if you are courting death, take responsibility for your own actions! So, she turned a blind eye to this.

Hajime drew back his hand. Taking advantage of the bearman's momentary imbalance, he swiftly ducked into his guard and unleashed a devastating punch. He even activated his Steel Arms skill and ignited a blastrock cartridge embedded in his elbow.

The force behind his blow was intensified by the explosion, turning his already lethal fist into a weapon of destruction. The bearman was sent flying backward, crashing through the tree wall before hitting the ground with a pained scream.

"So? Are you all still my enemy?" Hajime asked the new demi-humans here.

No one nodded. Hajime's actions had prevented the situation from becoming a bloodbath, and Ulfric managed to calm things down after that. The bearman had taken serious damage to his internal organs and fractured almost every bone in his body, but was still somehow miraculously alive.

Upon seeing the bearman still clinging to life, Anam decided to voluntarily step in and help, using her ability to spawn a card, "Nutrient Z.". The card emitted a glow, aiding the bearman's recovery. Though he remained gravely injured, most of his internal organs stabilized. Grateful, the Beastman quickly applied rare and expensive healing medicine to keep him alive, though his days of fighting were over.

With the bearman's condition stabilized, the elders of various tribes gathered around Hajime, joined by Yue, Shea, and Anam. The Haulia tribe members huddled behind him. Aside from Ulfric, the elders appeared nervous. Jin, the bearman, had been one of their strongest fighters, yet Hajime had almost killed him in an instant.

"So, what's your deal with me? I just want to get to the Grand Tree. If you're not planning to block my path, I won't bother you. But if the beastmen can't make up their minds, I won't be able to know who's friend or foe if it comes down to a fight. And that's bad for you. I won't hesitate to kill anyone who is my enemy," Hajime said casually, causing the elders to tense up. They realized he was ready to take on the entire beastman race if needed.

"You nearly killed one of our own and now talk like we're buddies?" Guze's voice was a mix of anger and pain.

"That bear attacked first. I just defended myself. If he's injured, it's not on me," Hajime retorted.

"Y-You bastard! Jin... Jin was only thinking of what was best for his country!"

"Wow. The logic with this one, and that makes it okay to try and kill a guy you just met?"

"Th-That's— But—"

"If anything, I'm the victim here. That bear dude started it. Aren't you elders supposed to be judges too? Don't you think you should be a bit more impartial?"

Guze was probably a good friend of Jin's, which was why even if Hajime was correct, Guze still couldn't accept it. However, Hajime had no interest in the feelings of strangers.

"Guze, I understand how you feel, but just leave it at that. He is right, you know." Ulfric's rebuke hit Guze hard, and he sat back down, his face twisted with conflicting emotions. He sat there in sullen silence, still simmering with anger. "It's certainly true the boy has one of the seven crests, and the strength needed to clear a labyrinth. I'm willing to believe he fulfills the conditions."

The one who spoke was the foxman, Lua. His slit-like eyes regarded Hajime for a moment before he swept his gaze over to the other elders. Mao and Zel both voiced their agreement, though it was clear they each had their reservations. Representing all the elders, Ulfric handed down the final decision.

"Hajime Nagumo. We elders of Verbergen have decreed that you do indeed possess the qualifications spoken of in the ancient covenant. We will not oppose you... and we will implore everyone within our domain not to as well. However..."

"No guarantees?"

"Indeed. As you are aware, most beastmen do not think too kindly of humans. If I may be frank, most of us hate you. I cannot guarantee that some of the more hot-blooded ones among us won't ignore our decision. Especially those belonging to Jin's clan. I really doubt the bear men will be willing to let go of their anger. Jin was a very popular leader, after all..."

"And?" Hajime's expression didn't change at all throughout Ulfric's explanation.

With a sigh. Ulfric requested, "I would like to request that you do not kill those who attack you."

"...You want me to hold back against someone who's trying to kill me?"

"Precisely. With your strength, it should be an easy task, no?"

"If that bear guy was your 'strongest fighter', I'd say it's definitely possible. But honestly, I have no intention of holding back if my opponent's determined to kill me. I understand your feelings on the matter, but they have nothing to do with me. If you don't want your countrymen to die, I suggest you make sure they understand not to mess with me." Hajime replied.

The Abyss had taught Hajime to eliminate all threats thoroughly. Holding back could get him killed, so he wasn't willing to agree to Ulfric's request.

The tigerman, Zel, wasn't going to let Hajime refuse. "Then we can't guide you to the Grand Tree. Tradition says we have no obligation to help if we don't like you."

Hajime looked at him dubiously. He had always planned on letting Haulia guide him.

"Huh?" Anam spoke up, confused. "But we don't need you guys as guides. We already hired Haulia."

"Don't think the Haulia tribe will be able to help you. They're wanted criminals and will be judged according to Verbergen's laws. Whatever agreement you had with them ends here. The council has decided to execute the cursed demon child and the criminals who protected her for endangering Verbergen."

At Zel's words, Shea started trembling, tears welling up in her eyes. Cam and the others looked resigned to their fate. Their refusal to blame her, even now, showed just how kindhearted they were.

"But...!" Shea prostrated herself before the elders, pleading for mercy, but Zel remained unmoved. "The judgment has already been passed down. The Haulia will all be executed. Had you not deceived Verbergen, we would have settled for simply banishing the demon child, but it's too late now."

Tears streamed down Shea's face as Cam and the others tried to comfort her. Their execution was truly set in stone. None of the other elders spoke, prioritizing the threat they believed Shea posed over her fate, making the sentence all the more severe. The Haulia's kindness had ironically worsened their situation.

"So there you have it. Your only means of reaching the Grand Tree are gone. What do you plan on doing now? Test your luck and see if you can make it on your own?" The unsaid implication was clear: if you don't like it, you better listen to our demands. The other elders silently agreed.

Unfortunately, Hajime didn't seem concerned about their demand.

For the first time, Anam looked genuinely angry upon hearing this bullshit. "What do you mean they are all executed?" she exclaimed abruptly. She turned to look at Hajime with a look for help. If he wasn't going to help then she would. Even if it means going against an entire country.

The leaders here have all heard about the "crazy human from the Gorge" who was strong and had saved demi-humans. Seeing her now, they 'tried' to treat her with respect, despite her close relationship with Haulia and the powerful human, Hajime, by her side. But even this was a bit too much. The elders have decided to get rid of the Haulia.

Sensing the tension, Hajime decided to intervene.

"Are you all stupid or what?" He said

"Wh-What did you just say!?"

Zel's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at Hajime's casual insult. Even Shea looked up at him in surprise. Yue already knew what he was thinking, so her expression didn't change.

"I already told you I don't give a damn about your circumstances. Trying to take these guys away from me is the same as getting in my way." Hajime glared down at the elders while placing a protective hand on Shea's head. Her body trembled at his touch, and she looked up at him with a tear-stained face.

"And I believe I've already shown you... what happens to people who get in my way."

"Hajime-san..."

Hajime was simply protecting his investment and eliminating obstacles. He was willingly going to declare war against all beastmen in the heart of Verbergen. This put a smile on Anam's face as she sighed in relief.

"Are you truly serious?" Ulfric's sharp glare and stern expression made it clear that a lie would be met with harsh consequences.

"Of course." Still, Hajime didn't waver. His will was unshakeable. In this world, anyone who meant him harm or intended to get in his way would be slaughtered without mercy.

"Even if we were to offer you guidance in their stead?"

The decision to execute the Haulia was something that had been decided by the council of elders, which meant that if they caved into Hajime's threats and repealed it, it would ruin their reputation as a nation. Even if they'd lose the bargaining chip they'd been hoping to use to entice a promise of clemency for those who attacked Hajime, they couldn't afford to lose face by taking back their decision. That was why Ulfric had offered that compromise. However, Hajime made it clear that there was no room for negotiation. "Don't make me repeat myself. The Haulia will be my guide."

"Why are you so insistent on having them do it? Anyone could take you to the Grand Tree." Annoyed at Ulfric, Hajime glanced back at Shea.

"Because I made a promise. I promised to protect them in return for guiding me."

"A promise? In that case, couldn't you consider it already fulfilled? You protected them not only from the monsters in the gorge, but also the imperial soldiers, correct? All that remains is to receive your reward, no? What difference does it make if we provide that reward for them?"

"There's a difference. I promised exactly that I'd guarantee their safety until they took me where I wanted to go. Just because a better-looking deal showed up halfway doesn't mean I can throw that promise away..."

Hajime stopped and looked over at Yue. She smiled slightly when their eyes met. He shrugged his shoulders before turning back to Ulfric and continuing coolly.

"It just wouldn't be cool to break my promise, you know?"

"Yeah, and that contract too!" Anam added happily.

"Shut up," Hajime retorted.

Seeing that Hajime had no intention of backing down, Ulfric sighed deeply. The other elders exchanged uneasy glances, hoping someone might have a solution. Silence filled the room until Ulfric, looking exhausted, made one last suggestion.

"Then let's say they're your slaves. According to the laws of Verbergen, anyone who leaves the sea of trees and doesn't return, or is captured as a slave, is considered dead. While we may stand a chance against humans in this fog-enshrouded forest, outside it, their magic would tear us apart. Hence, those who get captured are considered dead, and chasing after them is prohibited to prevent more victims. If they're already dead, we can hardly execute them."

"Ulfric! You can't!" Zel protested, outraged. The other elders were equally unhappy with the proposal.

"Zel, surely you see this boy isn't willing to back down, and we lack the strength to force him. If we try to execute the Haulia, he will fight us. As an elder, I cannot risk the sacrifices that decision would bring."

"But then how are we meant to set an example for the rest of our people!? If people discovered we caved to force and let this monster of a girl run free along with her demonic companions, what would they think of us? Our dignity will forever be stained!"

Their argument continued, and the other elders began voicing their opinions, turning the discussion into a shouting match.

"You guys should really watch your damn mouths," Anam said calmly, before glancing at Hajime. "This guy could destroy your country in less than a day if he wanted to, and the same applies to both Yue-san and me."

She turned her cold gaze to Zel. "So, if you guys actually care more about dignity and reputation than your own people, it shows your lack of leadership. There will be no dignity or reputation left if there are no more demi-humans left in this country." She used her own intimidation by using mana manipulation and curse energy. This move alone shocked everyone in the room here. Here she was putting on an heavy ominous atmosphere with an aura of pink and darkness surrounding her. Hajime and Yue did the same revealing their own specific color aura surrounding them.

The elders all gazed in astonishment. They were somehow using magic without a circle or incantation.

"Just like Shea, I can control my mana directly, and use specialized magic only monsters are supposed to have. Oh, Yue and Anam can too, by the way. We're all basically monsters here. If having the same abilities as actual monsters is grounds for execution, then shouldn't you be trying to execute us as well? But wait, didn't your law say not to oppose anyone who possessed the right qualifications, no matter who they were? No matter what you do, you're going to have to break one of your laws. So being so hung up over her seems kind of pointless to me."

It took a few moments for the elders to recover from their shock, but when they finally did they started whispering furiously to each other. Eventually they reached a decision, and Ulfric, their representative, delivered it with an increasingly tired sigh.

"Haaah, by the rule of the council the cursed child Shea Haulia will be considered a relative of the cursed child Hajime Nagumo. As Hajime has shown he possesses the qualifications spoken of in our ancient laws, we shall not oppose his passage. However, he will be barred from Verbergen and its surrounding settlements. Henceforth, anyone who takes any action against Hajime or his kin does so at their own risk, without the blessing or protection of Verbergen... That is all. Is this good enough?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Like I said, all I care about is getting to the Grand Tree and having these guys guide me, so no problems here."

"...I see. Very well, could I kindly ask you to leave, then? It's a shame we cannot give a more proper welcome to the first person to ever fulfill the ancient pact, but..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm aware I've caused you guys a great deal of trouble because of my own selfishness. I'm just glad you didn't choose to do anything rash, honestly." Ulfric smiled bitterly. The other elders all looked equally unhappy and exhausted. It wasn't so much that they bore a grudge, or even hated Hajime, they just wanted him gone. They might be actually worried about the potential destruction of their own country now.

[This elder council meeting is bullshit and dumb.] Dark Magician Girl complained.

[Can't change it. That's just how their society works.] Gojo replied, busy cooking up a song in his spare time. "You are my special." However, it turned out to be trickier than he thought with the audio tunes. He'd lost track of the world outside, not paying much attention through Dark Magician Girl's eyes.

Shea and the rest of the Haulia were still seated. It seemed the shock of what had happened had been so great that they still hadn't registered the fact that'd been saved. They had come ready to die, and now they'd just been exiled. Most of them still weren't really sure it was okay for them to just leave.

"Hey, how long are you going to sit there daydreaming? Get up, we're going."

The rabbitmen all hurriedly got to their feet and tottered after Hajime at those words. Ulfric and the others tagged along as well, saying they would escort him to the gate.

As they were walking back, Shea timidly walked up to Hajime and asked him a question. "U-Umm, are we... really not going to be executed?"

"Did you not listen to a word we said?"

"N-No, I was listening, but... we got out of it so easily that it still doesn't feel real... I feel like I'm going to wake up at any minute now and find out this was all just a dream..." The other Haulia all had the same bewildered expression on their faces.

Hajime supposed that was just how absolute the elder's judgment usually was for the beastmen.

"Huh?! You seriously think I'm going to let you and your family die? What do you think I am?" Anam reprimanded her as she squeezed Shea cheeks who tearfully cried.

Yue suddenly chimed in, seeing that Shea still didn't know what to do with her feelings.

"...Just be happy."

"Yue-san?"

"Hajime and Anam saved you guys. That's the simple truth. Why not just be happy about it?"

"..." Mulling over Anam and Yue's words, Shea glanced up at Hajime. He just shrugged his shoulders without turning back. "I mean, that was part of the promise." Anam added in saying "This is what friends do!"

"Ah..." Shea's shoulders trembled. In return for guiding him through the sea of trees, Hajime promised to protect her and her family. She had grinded herself to the bone, almost literally, in order to wring that promise out of him. Though she had seen a future where he was protecting them, there was no guarantee that future would come to pass. Shea's choices constantly affected the futures she saw. That was why she had been so desperate to get his cooperation.

Even though she had nothing to offer in return, and her potential savior was a human, a member of the race that discriminated against beastmen. All she had to negotiate with was her body and her special magic. When he had ignored both of those things, she had really wanted to cry, but she still desperately tried to squeeze a promise out of him. And so, on their way to save her family she realized that he wasn't the kind of person that would go back on his word. Part of her conviction came from the fact that he never discriminated against her, a rabbit girl.

Anam walked up to Shea, giving her a warm hug and patting her head. Shea felt her face flush, and a strange, indescribable feeling grew inside her. Thinking about it too much made her head spin, so she decided to just follow Yue's advice and be happy.

Shea expressed her happiness the best way she knew how: hugging. She hugged Anam tightly, and once she was done, she immediately jumped to Hajime and hugged him just as hard.

Seeing Shea burst with joy, the other Haulia finally realized they were saved. They began hugging each other, sharing in the happiness. The elders watched, feeling a bit awkward and unsure how to react.

***

The group finally arrived at a remote area far from Verbergen. Hajime and the others set up a temporary base near the edge of the grand tree's territory.

For the next ten days, Hajime, Anam, and Yue would stay there with Shea and the Haulia tribe to protect them.

"Alright, I think it's time to teach you guys how to fight," Hajime announced. Most of the rabbitmen stared blankly at him. They were sitting on stumps and boulders, taking a short break.

"U-Umm, Hajime-san. By teaching us how to fight, do you mean..." Shea asked hesitantly, voicing the question her entire tribe had.

"I mean exactly that. We're stuck here for the next ten days anyway, right? Might as well do something useful. It's high time you spineless, gutless, cowardly rabbits learned how to hold your own in a fight."

Even Anam agreed with Hajime's statement, much to the Haulia's dismay.

"Wh-Why do we have to..." Shea's question was a natural reaction to Hajime's sudden declaration. The rabbit ears of her tribe members trembled as Hajime glared at them menacingly.

"Why? Why would you even ask such a stupid question, you worthless rabbit?"

"Aww, you're still not calling me by my name..." Shea muttered dejectedly. Hajime ignored her and continued talking.

"Listen up. I promised to protect you until you guided me to the Grand Tree. But have you thought about what happens after that?"

The Haulia exchanged glances, shaking their heads hesitantly. Cam even had a worried expression on his face. The series of insane events they'd been thrown into had pushed their worries to the back of their minds. Maybe they hadn't considered it at all. Who knew?

"Just as I thought, you haven't thought about it. Even if you had, you wouldn't have an answer for me. You guys are weak. At the first sign of danger, all you think about is running. And now you don't even have Verbergen's sanctuary to protect you. Basically, you're screwed as soon as I'm gone."

The Haulia's faces grew glum as they realized Hajime's words hit the mark. His stunning statement rocked them.

"You have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and soon no one to protect you. Monsters and humans won't stop attacking you out of pity. At this rate, you're all doomed. Are you really okay with that? Being killed off just because you're weak? You were lucky to survive this long, and now you're going to throw those lives away? Well?"

A grim silence fell over the clearing. Finally, someone muttered quietly, "Of course we're not okay with it." Those words broke the rest of them out of their stupor, and everyone looked up at Hajime.

Even Shea's gaze was filled with determination. Hajime nodded approvingly, memories of his old powerless self flashing through his mind as he spoke.

"You don't have to accept this fate," Hajime continued, his voice steady. "You can become stronger. It won't be easy, but you can fight back. Learn to defend yourselves, and you won't need me or anyone else to protect you."

The Haulia looked at each other, a spark of hope igniting in their eyes. They had survived this long, and maybe, just maybe, they could learn to thrive.

Cam stepped forward, his voice resolute. "We'll do it. We'll train and become stronger. We won't let our fear dictate our fate any longer."

Hajime smiled slightly, seeing the determination in their faces. "Good. Then let's start now. We have no time to waste."

As the Haulia gathered around Hajime, ready to begin their training, the atmosphere shifted.

Then, Anam rose from a boulder where she had been watching, a plan forming in her mind. She glanced at Yue, who nodded in agreement.

Anam grabbed Shea's arm and pulled her along, despite Shea's confusion.

"You'll be training under me and Yue," Anam said, offering Shea a warm smile. Shea nodded, still unsure of what was happening. Meanwhile, Hajime silently offered a prayer to Shea, thinking, "Rest in peace."

While Hajime focused on his own tasks, Yue and Anam teamed up to help Shea become more capable.

***

One minute in, and Shea found herself sprinting for her life through the dense forest, while being pursued by Anam wielding a sword and making hand signs with one of her hands, while Yue was raining down magic attack from the skies.

"Keep running!" Anam's voice echoed through the trees, urging Shea to move faster.

Shea really did, her future vision keeps automatically activating, and by forcing her body to instinctively dodge and flee. Shea didn't understand why Anam and Yue seemed to be trying to kill her.

Dodging, rolling, and crawling, Shea pushed herself beyond exhaustion, her future vision warning of imminent death if she stopped. She even questioned how her future vision kept activating when her mana should have been depleted long ago.

From the sky, Yue summoned five elemental dragons, each homing in on Shea relentlessly.

"Why are you doing this!?" Shea screamed.

"Training begins now," Anam and Yue replied casually.

"This is anything but—FWAAAAHHHHHH!" Shea's protest was cut short as she continued dodging.

Anam's pre-set cards activates whenever Shea gets hit by any lethal attack, healing her and restoring her mana to ensure her survival. Similarly, all of Yue's magic attacks kept triggering Shea's future visions.

Whenever Yue's spells did manage to land, Anam's draining shield or Nutrient Z card converted the damage into healing properties and mana recovery, albeit at Shea still taking the damage. Shea's future sight, the automatic activation one, was being exploited in this training regimen.

It was truly a perfect training regime, cooked up by Gojo, refined by Hajime, and thoroughly accepted by Yue and Anam ahead of time. It was nearly the same method of training Gojo had used on Dark Magician Girl in their world.

Whenever Shea's future vision activated, a large portion of her mana was taken. Thanks to Hajime's gadgets, both Anam and Yue could monitor Shea's mana levels. This allowed them to oversee her intense training, even in life-and-death situations. With this technology, they didn't have to worry about holding back, knowing that Anam could readily assist Shea in recovering her strength and mana.

***

By the tenth day of training, Shea had become quite the fighter, slowly matching Anam blow for blow. Dodging Yue's spells was now second nature, her movements growing smoother with each session. Thanks to Anam's guidance, Shea's growth progress was accelerating beyond the canon storyline.

Anam's teaching style mirrored Gojo's, focusing on real-time learning. To master a technique, you had to use it in combat and gauge its effectiveness. Anam, though lacking Gojo's six eyes, possessed remarkable perceptiveness, achieved through channeling curse energy into her eyes for enhanced vision.

With each passing hour, Shea absorbed combat techniques, swiftly adapting when Anam demonstrated them. She even landed some blows on Anam on the seventh day, who promptly retaliated, highlighting the gap Shea still needed to close.

Under Anam's tutelage, Shea had learned martial arts, self-defense, and honed her movements. She became resilient enough to withstand some of Yue's magic attacks, thanks to a Body Strengthening technique known as 'GUTS!' This technique, achieved through mana manipulation, significantly boosted her physical abilities, surprising even Anam.

Specializing in body strengthening, Shea could focus it on specific parts of her body. Under Anam's guidance, with advice from Gojo, she honed this skill further.

They couldn't help but marvel at Shea's rapid development in just 10 days, wondering if rabbitmen possessed a natural talent for combat.

Today marked the tenth day, and they were essentially done with training. As they were heading back towards where Hajime was.

"Hajimmee!" Shea waved happily seeing him. Anam, Yue, and Shea were walking side by side.

"Yo. Finish your training?" Hajime coolly said as he was leaning on the tree.

Shea happily responded "Yes!"

Anam looked a little bit bruised and tired, having used up a lot of curse energy for techniques and reverse curse technique for today. Yue looked displeased, and Shea seemed unharmed except for some dirt on her clothes.

Frankly speaking, Hajime was surprised to see Shea still cheerful after such insane training.

That was why he wanted to hear Yue's appraisal of her. Yue's expression clearly implied that she didn't want to talk about it, but she answered reluctantly nonetheless.

"...Shea's aptitude for magic is the same as yours."

"Now that's a surprise. What a waste, considering her abilities... So? That can't be all, can it? After all, she made Anam look like that."

"Yeah. Shea is stupidly really good at body strengthening. Insanely good, even. She's a monster in her own right… But Anam? She's in a league of her own. She poured everything into keeping Shea healed while sparring with her for over an hour straight. Her skills in reinforcing her body are just a notch above Shea's. And not to mention, she was flawlessly using her abilities to save Shea from near-death situations at the same time."

"...Wow. How strong compared to us?" Hajime narrowed his eyes in curiosity.

Yue's assessment of them was a lot higher than he'd expected. And her sour expression answered Hajime's question far better than any words could have. After a moment of thinking about it, Yue met Hajime's gaze and gave him a more concrete answer.

"Shea's strength might rival yours without using Limit Break, Hajime. But Anam...she might be roughly double your limit break."

"Seriously???" Hajime did not expect that statement. Then was Anam that strong even back when they were training?

"Yeah... For now, anyway. Shea could get stronger with more training. But Anam is so scary strong that I don't know if she's hiding any other skills. It's even keeping me on edge."

"Wow. That is pretty crazy." Though he didn't show it, Hajime was shocked at how monstrous Shea's strength was and more impressed with Anam. Calling their strength monstrous was no understatement. Glancing at Anam, it was clear why she appeared fatigued. Yet, looking back at Shea now, one would never guess the ordeal she had just endured. Didn't she just go through life and death numerous times?

Anam approached Hajime with confidence and spoke up.

"I think... I can confidently say... Shea is useful now. So, please don't abandon her," Anam said, coughing a bit.

Hajime snorted at that statement, while Yue wore a sour expression upon hearing it.

That's when a buffed rabbitman from the Haulia tribe approached.

"Boss! The fog around the grand tree has thinned!" Cam smiled as he reported the news to Hajime.

"Boss? Wait, dad?! What's with your face?!" Shea shockingly asked.

"Hm? Oh, it's you, Shea."

"It isn't just me. Thanks to boss, the Haulia tribe has been reborn." The group of Haulia emerged, smiling like edgelords, yet they appear to have the strength to back it up.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Shea screamed. What happened to her tribe?

Shea walked up to Hajime and demanded an explanation. "What's going on here Hajime?!" 

"What you asked…? It's the fruit of their training." He glanced away as if it was not his fault.

***