26. Can You Be My Younger Brother?

~Location Unknown~

"Yes, I've reached the eighth stage, I should head back now," Tanji voices. "Those beasts should be gone by now. Besides, there's another tunnel somewhere,"

He stands to his feet, and looks around. After a while he walks in a direction but came to a halt after taking a few steps.

"I should carry it back with me. It would come in handy,"

He turns to the beast corpse not too far away and places its two paws on his shoulders.

"Let's go,"

Pulling the corpse, Tanji searches for the tunnel. It didn't take long for him to find the tunnel at one end of the cave. The tunnel was short and it led to a cliff.

"Hmm, tch! I have a long climb ahead of me," Tanji says looking up at the hard walls behind him.

He turns to cliff and looks down. "I better get going before that third level beast wakes up,"

He drops the beast's corpse by the edge of the cliff and turns to the wall. Placing his hands on it, Tanji begins to climb the wall.

…

~Old Ancestor's Residence~

"You wanted to see me old ancestor?" Silmi asks.

After Hiro's closing speech, the party ended and she was about to leave when a maid came to her saying he wanted to see her. Following the maid, who led the way, she had ended up in this courtyard, where the old ancestor was seated having tea.

The old ancestor nods at her and pointed at the chair across the small table.

"I dare not,"

"Relax, would ya? When someone offers a sit, you politely accepts it,"

"Yes sir," she nods and sat down.

The old ancestor waves his hand and took a sip from his cup. Immediately, a barrier covers an area around them.

"Now, tell me everything you saw. Leave no stone unturned,"

"Yes sir,"

…

~Hiro's courtyard~

"Elta, please allow me rest, I'm really tired,"

Hiro says to a dumbfounded Elta, who was holding his hand. He had met her at the gate to his courtyard waiting for him to arrive. As soon as she saw him, she pulled his hand and went in with him.

At first she spoke a lot, asking lots of questions about his outing with their grandfather, but the moment she checked his cultivation, her eyes dilates, her face stiffens and her grip on his hands tightens.

"How?" she asks. "How is this possible? A few days ago, you were only at the first stage of the body tempering realm, how on earth did you reach the foundation realm?"

Her voice shakes as she spoke and Hiro could see the fear in her eyes. maybe he was seeing things, he just couldn't understand what she was afraid off.

She frees his hands and begins to count with her fingers. Her mouth mumbles something as she did and Hiro couldn't hear her.

"Ah! I just got a younger brother and I'm going to loose him soon,"

"Huh?" Hiro gasped at her words. "How are you going to loose me? When did anyone say I'm going to die?"

"Dumbass, I didn't mean die!" Elta yells and storms away, leaving the flabbergasted Hiro, Izuhi, Xue Li and Aki staring at her as she does.

She halts in her tracks and a sword appears in her hand. Instinctively, Izuhi steps forward and Hiro steps back. Elta waves her sword vertically at the tree beside her. The sword in her hand disappears and she marches into the room in front of her.

The tree at the center of the courtyard spilt and Hiro's eyes widened at how clearly she had divided the tree into two.

"What the hell is going on?" Hiro couldn't help but ask. He turns to the room and walks past Izuhi. "Don't follow me,"

Izuhi halts and frowns. "Sir…!"

"Don't follow,"

Izuhi watches as Hiro steps into the room. He bit his lower lip and raises his right leg. "Forgive me young ma…"

"He said don't follow," Ming Lu's voice sounded and Izuhi's leg halts in mid air. "Yes, there are times you will disobey him for his own safety but this isn't one of them,"

"Greetings matriarch, greetings patriarch," Xue Li and Aki greeted.

"Elta wouldn't hurt him, not when she's in a right state of mind," Enji assures. "Well, it's good to see you taking him seriously, it reassures me,"

Izuhi turns to see the duo standing behind him. He was so focused on Hiro he had not noticed when they stepped in.

"Greetings, patriarch, matriarch. My loyalty to you both will never waver and I would prove that by protecting the young master even if I have to with my life,"

"Thank you. I'll be more happy if you and him live while you protect him,"

"Understood matriarch. I have something to report,"

"Uh? What is it?" Enji asks.

"A while ago the young master met with young master Lu Dei. With what I saw and what I know about the young master, I believe young master Lu Dei has a special eye, like the madam of Silver Moon house,"

"You are certain about this?" Enji asks nonchalantly.

"Yes, to confirm this, I suggest patriarch places him before the young master and watch his right eye closely,"

"Alright, thank you,"

"Welcome sir,"

~Meanwhile In The Room~

Elta curls up with her knees wrapped in her arms as she sat on the bed. She stares at the wall avoiding Hiro's gaze. On the other hand he just stood quietly beside the bed, staring at her as she sniffles and murmurs from time to time.

"Are you not going to say anything?" she asks turning to look at him.

"What do I say when I don't even know what to say?" Hiro asks back. "I've been thinking but couldn't find the right thing to say. I don't even know why you are like this to begin with,"

"Sorry,"

"For?"

"Never mind,"

"Hmm, okay. So why are you like this?"

"Nothing, you can leave now. I want to be alone,"

"But you are in my room,"

"There's another room,"

"But I think I like this one best,"

"You!"

"Haha, I'm kidding. I'll leave if that's what you want,"

Hiro turns and Elta murmurs while looking away. Just after taking a few steps, Hiro pauses and scratches his head.

"Should I do that? It did work for me. She wouldn't hit or slice me, right?" Hiro thought as he turns around.

Taking in deep breathes, and exhaling softly, he makes his way towards her. He climbs the bed and Elta frowns at him.

"What do you want?"

Without giving a reply, Hiro wraps his arms around her folded body. Hugging her tight and causing her eyes to widen.

"Huh?"

"Did I do it well?" Hiro asks. "I remember you and mom did it when I wasn't feeling well,"

"Uh!"

"What was it you said again?" Hiro asks. "Let's see, hmm! I told you, right? I'm going to take care of you more than you'll take care of me. I'm going to prove it with my actions. That's what an older sister does. Well, in my case, that's what an older brother does,"

Elta gulps at his words. He had clearly repeated what she had told him before, and it made her embarrassed.

"Sorry, I…"

"Why don't you tell me what's wrong instead of apologizing?" Hiro frees her and looks at her. "Because I don't even understand why you are apologizing,"

He sits beside her, resting his back on the wall behind him. "I really want to know. By chance did I make you angry or did I upset you just now?"

"Absolutely not! It's none of those," Elta sighs. "I'm not angry at you neither am I upset because of you,"

"Then are you jealous of my speed in cultivation?"

"Well… not jealous per se but kind of. I've always wanted a younger one. Honestly, I am beyond happy to have you and happy that your cultivation speed is fast, but if this continues I would become the younger one in no time. That's the reason I'm sad!"

"Huh? What?"

"We said when your cultivation surpasses mine, you'll be the older one,"

"Wait, that's what this is about?"

Elta pouts and looks away. He blinks at her and continues. "I can't believe this, that's the reason you sliced up my tree, though it's finer now but…!"

"Eff, eff," Elta sniffs weakly.

"Why didn't you just talk to me about it? Or ask me?"

"Huh? Would you have agreed?"

She turns around and Hiro could see the tears running down her face. His eyes dilates and his hand moves to her cheek.

"You are crying,"

"Answer the question!"

"Huh? Yes, it's not like I gain anything by being the older one,"

"Ha!"

Elta's lips stretches to hers ear as her eyes sparkled at Hiro. Without doubt, she was extremely happy right now.

"Hiro, can you be my younger brother?"

"No,"

"Huh?"

.

.

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