#37 Taking "responsibility"
---5 minutes after Akashi and others left---
"Hm? It looks like there was a battle very recently." The one noble riding horse next to Esdeath muttered with a surprised expression after seeing numerous corpses. Some of them had crushed bones, some were pierced by some small objects and few of them were even headless.
It was a great mess.
Esdeath stopped her army and looked around the battlefield with an indifferent face.
'There are broken trees on the side of the road...it looks like just some bandits and not actual spies. But those idiots could at least clean up those corpses away from the road...' Esdeath deduced what exactly happened here just by a few glances.
"Go clean those corpses away from the main road, quickly." Esdeath looked towards the random soldier and ordered him and a few others to clean the mess left by Akashi's gang.
----Back to Akashi----
*Splash* "Thankfully we were able to find a river!" Mez got rid of her shirt together with her long leggings and then jumped straight into the river.
"*sigh* I wanted to use that river just for cleaning of our faces..." I sighed after seeing her childish behavior after killing not a few people.
"We had to go quite a distance ahead so I think it's alright." Suzuka said with a smile as she started to take off her kimono.
?! My eyes widened when I noticed Suzuka's intentions.
[Phantom Strike]
[Energy: 789/875]
I didn't hesitate at all and used my skill to appear right next to her and caught her hand before she could do anything.
"Oh?!" She was slightly surprised but then blushed after seeing my forceful manner.
---
'What was that speed?! It seems that Mez didn't notice it...' Suzuka thought while being shocked inwardly.
---
"Stop that...I won't be here with you while you will be naked." I said with furrowed brows while looking at Suzuka without any humor.
"Hm? Why? What about Mez?" She asked with a confused expression while pointing at Mez who was playing around with fishes in the river.
"She has underwear, you don't have one, that's why." I looked towards Mez and then shook my head.
"Wha-?! How come you are so sure that I don't have anything down there?" Suzuka said while seductively touching her lower lip with her finger.
"I wouldn't be surprised if it was the truth but it's visible that you don't have any top so you either go there with your clothes on or I will leave." I said with a stern face and finally let go of her hand.
"But separating is too dangerous. You could be attacked by absolutely "anyone", you know?" She said with a particular tone while licking her lips.
"Heh, one more reason for you to sto-" I chuckled at the obvious meaning of her words.
"Akashi, are you perhaps shy type?" It wasn't Suzuka who asked but Mez. I directed my gaze at her and saw her having the lower half of her body submerged in water and the upper half on the ground out of the river, looking at me with a curious expression.
"*sigh* I am not shy or anything like that, I just don't get why I should be here together with a naked woman. Wouldn't you be ashamed, Suzuka?" I explained with a tired expression before asking Suzuka with a confused expression.
"Nope, I am quite proud of my body, look!" She shook her head with a smile and instantly threw away her kimono and as I thought...she wasn't wearing anything down there.
"...*sigh* Go, I don't have the energy to deal with you anymore." I was slightly surprised by her sudden action but after a few seconds, I just sighed and started massaging the bridge of my nose.
I went to our horses and sat down near them, leaning my back against a tree with closed eyes.
---
"*I think you shouldn't have done that...*" Mez whispered to Suzuka with furrowed brows while glancing at Akashi who was sitting with closed eyes and calm expression.
"*Wasn't your plan at first to have some fun with him at night? Why do you care about such a small thing?*" Suzuka replied while giving Mez a weird look as if she was innocent here.
"*Well...That was before, after spending some time with him and seeing him fight, I took a liking to him and not just to his looks. But that doesn't matter, it looks like he doesn't like your current behavior...*" Mez said with a forced smile.
"*...There is no man who would refuse the sight of a naked woman. Don't tell me that he is-*" Suzuka said with a confident smile but then an idea struck her and she couldn't help but mutter something with a surprised expression.
"*No you idiot, I am pretty surprised that you didn't notice that movement in his pants when you removed your clothes, unfortunately, he already calmed down. It looks like he is already trained against seduction at such a young age.*" Mez rolled her eyes when she realized what Suzuka wanted to say and quickly corrected her with a small smile while watching Akashi resting with his stoic face.
---
"Anyway, Akashi, I thought that you will let that woman live, at least for a little longer." Mez said while looking at me with a particular smile.
"? Why?" I frowned down, opened my eyes and asked her with a confused expression.
"Well, she wasn't exactly bad looking if you know what I mean." Mez explained with a smirk.
I narrowed my eyes when I heard her words.
"What do you take me for? I show no mercy to my enemies no matter what age or beauty" I said and especially glared at them to give them a hint.
They, of course, got the hint but maybe in the wrong way.
"Does that mean you think we are pretty?" Mez's eyes started shining and she asked me with a teasing smile.
"*sigh* Does that even matter? If you desperately need to know then yes but that doesn't mean anything. We are together here only due to 1 mission, once it ends, we will go our separate ways again. you will go to your Kouken temple and I will go back to the Capital." I released a tired sigh and then proceeded to explain things, I even used this chance to clear the things between us just in case.
"Haah? Why does it sound like rejection right after you tell us that we are pretty?!" Mez was surprised by my words but she immediately jumped out of the river and faced me with an angered playful expression while pointing at me with her finger.
"Well, since we will go our separate ways, we ought to make use of the time we have left..." Suzuka said and jumped out of river fully naked with a smile on her face. She tried to jump on me but I already expected this because she was behaving weirdly ever since she got rid of her clothes.
[Phantom Strike] Just before she was about to lend on me, I used my skill to appear closer to Mez.
[Energy: 770/875]
*Thud* Suzuka's head collided with the tree.
"Whoa, how are you so fast?!" Mez immediately jumped next to me asked me with shining eyes.
"It's my movement technique" I shortly replied and then redirected my gaze back at Suzuka because I knew that it wasn't over.
When Suzuka recovered from the collision, she stood up and turned at me with flushed cheeks.
"Is she alright?" I asked Mez just to be sure.
"...Not really, I have never seen her like this...maybe that fight before wasn't to her satisfaction and only woke her inner demon, haha" Mez said with an amused expression and then laugh aloud.
She is really taking this as fun, but Suzuka is behaving really weird right now.
"What's up with you, Suzuka?!" I shouted at her from a safe distance.
"It's your fault, Akashi! Take responsibility!" She shouted back and jumped on me again, this time I just jumped backward to avoid her.
---
'Those bandits weren't enough to satisfy me! And with Akashi acting so sweet out of nowhere made me feel weird. It's all his fault, I am at right here.' Suzuka thought with eyes filled with lust.
---
"Mez, help me!" Suzuka shouted at Mez which greatly surprised her since she probably planned to just watch a good show.
When I heard this, I glared at Mez.
"? *Whistle* *Whistle*" She started to whistle and began to ignore both of us.
"Are you planning to let her do whatever she wants?" I asked question directed at Mez.
"Well, it's fun, we don't get to see such sight in Kouken temple, haha. But don't worry, if she will catch you, I will stop her from going too far!" She showed my thumb up together with closed eyes and a big smile, revealing her white teeth.
---
'I will knock her out and take her place at that time, so be careful!' Mez thought and licked her lips.
---
"Tch, Akashi! Be a man and take responsibility!" Suzuka shouted at me.
You fucking idiots, even though I look at 15 years old, I am still 12!!
I thought but at that time, a good idea hit me.
"Heh, take responsibility? Alright, Suzuka, come to me, I will make you feel really good!" I said with a wide crazy smile while cracking my knuckles.
Suzuka immediately responded to my words by jumping on me once again.
"Just a friendly reminder, I have no problem beating up a naked woman!" I shouted and instead of evading her, I jumped forward to meet her head-on with a crazy smile.
.
.
.
After less than 3 minutes passed by.
"That was really...innovative way how to 'take responsibility'." Mez said with a forced smile while looking at naked Suzuka who was lying on the ground fully covered in bruises but instead of having pained expression, she looked like she had her best pleasure in her life.
She was fidgeting on the ground while muttering something on regular intervals.
"Much...better...than those...bandits. And he just used his...bare hands...I can't even imagine him using a weapon, hehe!" Suzuka muttered with a creepy laugh.
Hearing this, both I and Mez looked at each other with forced smiles.
After Suzuka recovered from her "moment" we could finally move out. Thankfully, we left those corpses on the road, it should slow down Esdeath's army for long enough.
We once again joined the main road and continued our journey. When the sun started falling down, we decided to rejoin with Esdeath since we had no idea where they want to create camp.
When we rejoined, Esdeath just scolded us for not clearing the road of those corpses but nothing much, meaning that she wasn't aware of us slacking off.
"Wait, what's up with you?" Esdeath asked Suzuka who was smiling all the time without any pause.
"Eh, she is still happy from being able to fight with those bandits..." I said with a forced smile and closed eyes.
Esdeath narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything else so I and Mez quickly dragged Suzuka away from Esdeath.
That Suzuka is all trouble, hopefully, she will let me be after what I have done to her. And if not then I just have to do the same thing, we won't be together for a long time and she won't be able to follow me back to the Capital. Everything should be fine.
I thought while dragging Suzuka to her tent that soldiers set up for us.
----END----
[Name: Akashi Phoenix (Age: 12)
Title: King of Sloth
Class: Warrior (Lv. 7, +10 Str, +6 Const, +1 Agi, +1 Cha) 212/640 XP
Special Class: Yato (Lv. 1, +4 Str, +4 Const, +4 Agi) 8/10 SXP
[Health: 530/530]
[Energy: 765/875]
<Stats>
[Strength: 40 (64)]
[Agility: 40 (60)]
[Intelligence: 32 (41)]
[Constitution: 40 (50)]
[Charisma: 25 (30)]
Free Stat points: 5
Classes: Young Noble (Lv. 4; +5 Cha) 12/80 XP,
*Passive Classes: Assassin (Lv. 10; +15 Agi, +9 Int, +6 Str, + 4 Cha)
Special Classes: Fire Monarch (Lv. 9; +18 Cha, +16 Int, +12 Const, +6 Str) 124/2560 BXP
ACTIVE SKILLS:
[Absolute Dominance - When facing the formidable foe, show no fear, instead show your arrogance. + 55% to every stat, fire intensity, and explosiveness]
[Phantom Strike - Blink towards your enemy, the maximum distance is decided by your Agility (20 energy)] (Assassin)
[Sun's judgment - Summon smaller sphere from the sky in the form of a meteor, scorching anything in its path. (150 Energy)]
[Overwhelm - Strengthens the power of your next attack by 40% (30 Energy)] (Warrior)
PASSIVE SKILLS:
[Child of Fire - Flames love you as its own child. You are protected by the fire itself, whenever someone uses long-ranged attacks, flames will protect your body from projectiles even without your consciousness but you can still stop them if you want. This isn't ultimate defense!]
[Contempt for the Weak - Whenever you kill a human, your intimidating aura strengthens. Making possible for your aura alone to change the temperature and gravity around you. With enough deaths, it's possible to even extend the range of your aura, crushing bones of the entire army just by your aura. 38/? (As the name suggests, works only on weak or on targets under a huge shock)]
GOLD: 6710
SILVER: 214