Ashura's Incarnation Arc - Chapter 5: Benefactor

The moment I've regained my consciousness, I felt a strangely comfortable sensation behind my back enough to be slept on. What is this? Did I fall asleep on a pack of leaves in the forest or something?

"...Perhaps she's some sort of refugee."

I was stupefied when a woman's voice reached my ears, judging by the direction of where it came, she's watching over this unconscious body. It doesn't seem like Asura has awakened yet but I as her parasite is still here operating actively.

I was curious of what my situation is, am I in trouble? Or were we saved? What is her intentions?

Once again, I toyed with Asura's body by growing a miniature eye on her forehead to serve as my surveillance camera while the two main eyes are inactive. I can't let her know I'm awake yet.

「Hmm... HUH?!」

The moment I opened the miniature eye, what welcomed me was a woman's beautiful face so I closed it right away. Moreover, she seemed pretty young, perhaps around 18 years old?

But what the hell was she doing?

Ah no, I mustn't really ponder about it that much. She's just giving Asura a lap pillow.

"..."

All of a sudden, it felt like her expression changed. As if she became very wary. Her gentle gaze became observation very quickly.

Caught by the moment, I took control of Asura's body once again and shook her off. I took my distance from her.

"So you're awake, or are you that parasite who's controlling her right now?"

Before I've realized it, the girl already had a fighting stance ready with a glowing sword in hand. More importantly, how did she know?

"You can control your host's body isn't that it? Let her go now."

I was ready to talk, I used the [Telepathy] skill to converse along with the movements of Asura's lips. I couldn't help it since talking in telepathy felt confusing.

"I don't have any evil intentions and she's allowing me to control it for our own safety. State your identity."

Her expression calmed down relatively.

"...I'm Seven Clavery."

"How did you know about my existence?"

"I saw your status in this girl. And it said parasite, ofcourse I would inquire you after seeing that Mind Control skill."

The sword she wielded pointed it's edge at me threateningly.

"Lay down your sword. As I said, I don't have any ill intentions. I just want to protect this girl in order to protect myself."

She looked like she delved into a deep thought before lowering her sword, the weapon disappeared to tiny particles of light. I assume that's magic at work.

"So basically, you're selfishly protecting her to protect your own, right? Then that makes sense. But are you going to control her forever?"

"If you can see my status, that means you know I can't control her forever."

"Right, it does consume your mana afterall."

The two of us fell silent, it became an awkward moment for us. But thankfully...

She's back.

"Ergh..."

"H-Hey what's wrong?!"

I fell to my knees and lost control of Asura's body. Asura is awake and taking over. I can feel her consciousness spreading over.

"Don't tell her... About what you've known..."

Those were the last words I was able to get across with the last remaining control I had.

Then finally, I was back to the lobby room as my parasite self. Watching over what transpires outside the body.

"Are you awake?"

Seven held Asura by the shoulders in order to support her balance. Asura must still be stupor after all those things I made her body go through.

"Ergh..."

Then seconds later she faced the ground and started vomiting. I guess I really did make her body go through too much.

However Seven was staying quiet about this which I'm thankful for. But that doesn't mean she'll let me go easily.

"Haa..."

Asura didn't reply, no, it's not that she didn't want to, it's because she couldn't. She had no tongue and Seven noticed this too.

「Asura, don't be surprised at what I'm going to do, alright?」

The young Asura was perplexed, but her trust for me as one she thinks is her God is almost immeasurable.

"Alright..."

Upon hearing her response, at breakneck speed as if time had slowed down, I browsed through the blue prints of organs that I've acquired from the humans I ate while she was unconscious.

And I found it, the blue print to repair her mutilated tongue and facial muscles that's been hindering her in communication.

Using the nutrients and energy I've devoured earlier which was left after Asura's impulsive vomiting, I started to restore her lost tongue and repair her damaged cheek.

"Huh..?"

Asura was a good girl and reacted to this moderately just as I've wanted. I wouldn't want her to be too surprised about this.

But she still spoke in her mind after that.

"Ashura-sama, thank you."

After sincerely offering me her gratitude, she shifted her focus on Seven who was watching her intently.

"Is something wrong, did something happen to you?"

She says that but I know she saw Asura's cheeks repair in it's process. I guess she really is keeping it a secret that she knows about me.

"N-No, I'm fine!"

Seven kindly asked and Asura replied anxiously.

Her voice, the tone and the pitch seemed completely fine. It wasn't something I expected, although I haven't met anyone in my life who haven't spoken for ages but suddenly spoke, I expected there would be a change in her voice. Like, getting louder and imprecise.

"But who are you?"

"Ashura-sama, who is she?"

She asked Seven but then she asked me, who's she even looking an answer for?

"Seven Clavery, I'm from the Star Continent. Can I ask who you are, young lady?"

"You're... A foreigner? I'm Asura. Just Asura."

"Asura, hm."

Seven looked at us sharply and pierced right through me. She was keeping a close eye on me. Why can't she just believe me that I'm simply trying to coexist with this girl?

"Are you feeling hungry, Asura?"

"Only a little."

Asura answered timidly and Seven wore a gentle smile that gave me the creeps since I'm seeing things from Asura's perspective.

"Here."

Seven tossed an apple at Asura which she caught but Asura hesitated for a while before eating it.

After Asura finished, Seven tossed another one. And when it's already eaten, she tossed another. This went on for four more times.

"You're a cute little glutton."

Seven praised Asura who was devouring like there's no tomorrow with her cheeks puffed up like an adorable hamster.

Seven also caressed Asura's hair. I felt that this was wrong so I looked for an option of deactivating my sense of touch for a while.

After that, Seven asked all kinds of questions and things regarding what happened to Asura and her people and wished for us to find them soon.

Because of that I had the idea that this was going to be a rough life. Much more exciting, and life threatening than my previous one.

The entire night, I kept watch of the surroundings. Unlike these two, I'm not human. I'm a parasite who's active at all times except for when I take two hours of sleep.

So in order to secure a safe environment for Asura, I dedicatedly guarded this bivouac.

"Wakey wakey. Asura, let's go."

Seven rudely interrupted Asura's slumber and we were pulled up to stand on our own.

"You're not planning to stay here forever are you? Then follow me. I know the way out of this place."

"Seven-san, do you know how to get out of this forest?"

"Somehow, yes. There's a road, even if there were other directions I'd still know."

Seven smiled as if she knew exactly what she was doing, but contrary to that, she seemed fairly shaken.

Tataktatak

The sound of galloping horses and firm wheels approached us from behind as we were walking through the path Seven was leading us.

"Hey you, the beautiful lady over there!"

A man's voice came from one of the wagons. After analyzing them for a while, I noticed there were knight looking fellows from the medieval ages in escort.

From the wagon's compartment window, a tiny head was poking out.

Seven who was paying attention pointed to herself as if asking if it was her.

"Yes you, join me for a drink and let's go to my mansion. I'm one of Haravan City's land owners and I'm the most handsome one you'd ever find! You're pretty enough to be my concubine so come!"

The person who said that looked nothing like he described himself to be. Rather, he looked more like a pervert winking and hitting on a lady stupidly far from his league.

"Ugh, disgusting iconic villains."

Seven let out scornful whispers of repulsiveness while looking like she'd seen something she never wanted to see in her entire life.

And another thing I noticed is that veins were popping from her cheek like she's pissed off.

"Are you a clown?"

"Excuse me..?"

"You seriously look like a clown. You think you're worthy of me? A guy like you? Small, skinny like a stick and looks like a goblin? Haha, even a dazzling prince can't charm me yet a trash like you who looks like shit thinks he can hit on me?"

"Y-You..."

The self proclaimed land owner looked pissed off. Seven is really good at stepping on someone's nerves.

"What are you idiots doing?! I don't pay you to watch me get slandered! Capture her and tie her up!"

Me and Asura watched, the reason for that is because Seven doesn't seem like she's going to back off just like that.

The bodyguards he came with, dismounted their horses and pulled out swords to surround us. Wait, why are we included too?

"Take that girl she's with too. Her looks are top notch."

And I'm not letting you take this girl.

"Magic Swords."

Seven muttered who was right next to us and the environment was invaded with a sort of energy that spread from her to a ring surrounding the clown's guards. Eventually, that ring formed into subtle swords that numbered over thrice the enemy's quantity.

The swords pointed their edges like predators to prey at Seven's enemies as if they're ready to lunge at any moment.

"A-A sorceress. What's a sorceress doing here!? B-Boss, we can't win this!"

The enemies were suddenly shaken up after Seven's display of magic. Judging from their reaction she must be strong.

"What the hell are you talking about? That girl is right in front of you! Get her now!"

"S-Sir we can't! She'll kill us!"

"Are you fucking retarded!? She's right in front of you, are you blind to know that she's so close!?"

This clown was far from helping. He ordered them to catch Seven so this means either Seven's swords would be faster than his henchmen or they'd be faster, even if they were, they'd still die from being stabbed by the swords at their back. On the other hand, even if they do capture Seven before the swords reach them, they'd still die from the swords stabbing them.

"Ah... Ugh... R-Run away!"

In the end, the guards dropped their swords and started to run away. Leaving the clown alone in his wagon.

"Y-You fuckers! Get back here! I'll chase you to the ends of the world if you don't come back! HEEEYY!"

At this point, this clown is as good as dead with noone to protect him.

The swords didn't pursue the bodyguards but turned their attention to the clown.

"D-Don't kill me!"

"People from the Dragon Continent are really aggressive aren't they."

Seven said while grabbing him from the collars and lifting him up to the air. I couldn't hold my laughter after seeing what's next.

This guy was less than half the size of Seven.

"Pft... Wahahahaha!"

「Kuku... Kahahaha!」

Even Seven couldn't hold hers too. The only one who couldn't get what was funny was Asura who wasn't bothered at all with me laughing in her head.

"Y-You... Hahaha... You think I'm worthy to be your concubine? Aren't you like a fucking mixture of a goblin and a kobold at this point? Hahaha."

"I-I'll kill you! I swear I'm going to kill you after I'm done playing with you!"

Seven laughed uncontrollably while swinging mockery from here and there. I could understand why she's laughing so hard. An astounding beauty like her being called "worthy as a concubine" by a thing like this? This was no less than blasphemy.

"H-Hey, Asura. What should we do with this guy?"

Seven asked Asura warmly while trying to hold her laughter, her other hand that wasn't holding the midget wiping her tears off.

"We should punish him."

"That's right we should!"

Seven happily agreed and I did as well.

With that, Seven looked at the clown like a devil. Her thoughtful beauty fading and being replaced by a mischievous devil.

"Wh-What are you going to do to me!?"

Seven used the swords she had summoned from earlier to rip off parts of this villain's clothing. This continued for several moments.

By the time Seven was done with her punishment, his clothes looked like it belonged to a beggar.

Afterwards, Seven freed the horses that drew the vehicle and casted a sort of fire magic that resembled a flamethrower to burn down the wagon this man was riding.

"Perfect."

A sword was pinning the land owner to a tree like a piñata.

"Curse you!!!"

After leaving him out in the wild like this, we resumed our march towards human settlement. I don't know where but I'll just follow this girl for now.