Ashwood Chapter 17 - Factions and Seven Sages

[When I usually write the first drafts. I write it in a 3000-per-chapter format, and I was trying to increase the number of chapters so every day it is there on the front page, where more people can find this novel. But, it might have broken the flow of the story in a bad way, making it confusing. Having learned that. I will start to post full chapters from now on.]

Clearing Throat

"Mhmhh!"

Cough

"Oh goddamn it, wake up!!"

"Mm…what…" Kal tried to pull a pillow, but it was being used by Tifa, so he tried to pull the other one to cover his face. But 2B had taken it. She sat up and put the pillow on his face. 2B turned her gaze towards the visitors, the red-eyed kid, the big boob blonde, and the toned woman wearing a cloak, "Master is sleeping."

Sarada's mouth twitched, seeing Kal Ashwood's hands flail around, "You are killing him."

"No. I am letting him sleep," 2B calmly said. At this point, even they had to wonder if she was punishing him or being sincere.

"2B!! 2B!!" Kal shouted in muffled tone, pushing her hand away, and when she moved the pillow away, he sat up, gasping for his life, "I am awake! Awake!"

2B tilted her head. She hugged the pillow, which hid her naked body, nodding, only to see a wry smile on her master's lips, who patted her head.

"If you two are done with your comic routine. It's time to work," Jane walked in the room, passing by the bed, carrying a few papers, "there are a few more applications for entering the Dungeon. Mistress needs you to go over them."

"Hm," Kal poked Tifa's cheek, who slept through it all, cutely slapping his finger away. He looked at the woman covered from head to toe, with boots, gloves, cloak, not a portion of her skin was visible. If he didn't know who she was, then he wouldn't have known who she is, "thank you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Anyway…what are you guys doing here," Kal blinked at Sarada, slowly pulling up the thin blanket, and the girl's face crumbled. If Tsunade wasn't stopping her, she would have punched him right here and now.

"We have to plan what we have to do from now on," Tsunade held Sarada's shoulder, to stop the girl from pouncing on him, "your options. Our options. Things like those?"

"How about you get dressed first!" Sarada grunted in a pissed off voice.

Kal stood up, naked, "I am not ashamed of my body!"

"That's not what this is about!!" Sarada freed herself from Tsunade's grasp. She leaped forward, throwing a punch towards him, when nine purple tails appeared in front of him, stopping her attack. They turned into clothes. He jumped back, landing on the table and fluidly behind that as he sat down on the chair.

"Fine. Fine. I am dressed," Kal shrugged, sulking, "Future…plans…I have none, and please sit. It's weird…seeing you all stand and all… not a fan."

"Fine," Tsunade took a seat, looking at him, following the glasses that he picked up and wore. He took them out, cleaning them and wearing again. She nodded, "let's negotiate."

"What?"

"Her mother. Sakura. Release the lock on her," Tsunade patted on Sarada's shoulder, "She wants to meet her mother."

"No," Kal shook his head, stopping them from going any forward, "Listen to me first before you shout."

He sneaked a glance of Sarada's furious look and turned away from them. He looked at the window behind him, showing him the view of this majestic city, nation, "do you think this world is something you can walk with no consequence? Haven't you found that strange?"

"Yeah…but we all assumed that was System's arrangement?" Sarada looked at Jane from the corner of her eyes, wondering if they should be even talking about this in front of others. Not that they haven't talked about it before.

"It isn't. I don't know if you have heard this before…but this world is Ruled by Seven Kings. Seven Sages blah, blah, blah, they have many titles. Seven Strongest. In the West here. There is the Princess of Swadhaniya. The Witch of Xphargos. The Evil Queen of Camelot and the Prince of Paladenia. Among them, only the Evil Queen is the actual ruler of her Kingdom. The other three…they are more of Uncrowned Kings."

"Your point is?"

"This is a game. System might have set the destination, but it doesn't make the calls. You see me? Sitting here? And see the surrounding people? What do you think this is?"

Tsunade screwed her eyebrow in alliance, looking at 2B, "the android you…hacked? The girl whom works for the Witch. The girl who wants her mother, and the woman…who I don't know what happened to, but I am pretty sure you did something."

"A Faction," Kal rolled his eyes, "I am…the Champion chosen by the Witch. You are the people I have managed to form an Alliance with. Hence…you are part of the Ashwood Faction. I am sure that the other six must have chosen their Champion…and they are making their own faction. Do you know what these papers mean?"

He picked up the pile, "Any day now, their representatives will come to ask me to open the Path to Eleventh Floor. When I refuse. I will be given the choice to either open the path or release the lock on certain people. One way…leads to me getting killed and the demise of humanity. The other leads to just me…maybe or maybe not letting me killed. Either way…I would have to accept one or the other. Every person who I have under lock…sharpens my edge when we negotiate."

"The best you can do is hope that your mother is chosen by someone or the other. Which she likely would have been," Kal nodded, "Either way…we are stuck together. You and Tifa signed a contract with me. 2B is on my side…and that leaves Tsunade…whom I can't do anything about," Kal looked at the blonde, "Question is…do you want to stay in this Faction or are you going to go look for another one?"

"You are not even sure about this? Did you ask anything? Aren't you stretching—" Tsunade was going to keep going when she saw him pointing the finger at the woman wearing a cloak.

"If I were wrong. She would have said otherwise. If you don't believe me…ask her."

Jane nodded, "He's right. I am your Trainer. Although I wasn't supposed to tell you this till the negotiations were over."

"See," Kal scratched his cheek, "this is becoming a drag."

"Then. I will take my leave," Jane bowed, leaving the room. 2B walked after her and closed the door.

Kal looked at the awkward atmosphere in the room, "who wants to get naked and bond?"

"Go to hell," Sarada threw her kunai to his head, which he blocked with the tail, grinning, "Fine. No need to strip naked. I am fine with half clothes."

"Master…should I wear clothes, then?"

"Hm," Kal and Sarada froze, turning their heads to 2B, who kept her hands in front of her groin, holding her clothes, her boobs pressed by her upper arms, and she stood naked.

"Hhahahahahaha," Kal burst out in an amused laughter, holding his head down, "No…I mean…aw…2B."

He watched her in adoration and tails came out of his forearms, moving across the room, wrapping around her body. He picked her up, slowly hauling her towards him, having her sit on his thigh while the purple mana turned into a purple tube shape. He kissed her cheek, looking at the two in front of him, "Sarada…Tsunade. Will you leave…or stay?"

"I'll leave," Sarada decided. She had been thinking for a while. If her mother can't come here, then she could go to her mother.

"You?"

Tsunade glanced towards Tifa on the bed, and then Sarada, sighing, "I'll go with her."

"You shouldn't," Kal looked at both of them again, shaking his head, "Trust me. You both will end up getting killed."

"Why! Mom wouldn't!"

"If she was your Mom. Should I put those negative emotions back in Tsunade, and you can try to survive fighting her?"

"That's why I am going," Tsunade patted Sarada's back, reassuringly nodding her.

"Yeah. And you will die too. For two reasons. One. You wouldn't want to kill her, but take the negative emotions from her and for that you must keep her in one place, tied up. You know what happened when I tried that?"

Tsunade looked away, "Second reason?"

"She will kill you without hesitation. The little one will feel the shock of her mother trying to kill her—"

"I won't!"

"You will, and you…you might look like you can blow off the mental effects of your student trying to kill you, but will you? A single mistake and she will take advantage of it. And this is all not considering that she might be much stronger than you two. And that too without using talent points."

"No way. Now you are lying," Sarada shook her head, "Lady Tsunade has Senju Bloodline, and mother has all her skills … Lady Tsunade has higher boost."

"Yes, and yes. But Sakura has titles. Like Tsunade's titles. Legendary Sanin gives her a 1.50 boost. It doesn't seem much, but it is. In Sakura's case, she would have more titles. I am sure of it. She will have power to the levels of Naruto or Sasuke. Even if it makes no sense. After all. She learned all her skills from Tsunade. Did she surpass her? Not really. Did she have Senju Bloodline Boost? Again, not really. And somehow, she is stronger? That nonsense will become Fate and that becomes a Title. And that becomes Strength. If you go…you will lose. You will die."

"Then I will become stronger!" Sasada shouted, and she was going to continue shouting when a tail patted her head, stroking her cheek, making her look up.

"And do you think there is anyone better than me? Who can strengthen you faster?"

Sarada parted her lips. She clenched her fist, trying to of someone, anyone, who could make her strong enough to help her mother, but no one came to her mind. She exhaled, letting go of her clenched fist before she turned around to leave, "Fine! I'll stay!"

Kal looked up at Tsunade, who let out a short laugh, sitting down, "And how are you going to convince me?"

"I don't have to…there is someone else for whom you will stay here," Kal looked towards the bed, holding a smile on his lips.

"I won't," Tsunade scoffed, crossing her arms, when she heard the soft, gentle yet seductive voice, filled with innocence, "you aren't staying?"

Tsunade shot a look towards the bed where Tifa was sitting up, holding the blanket to cover her hot body, and failing to do so, "I—I will."

"Thank you," Tifa tilted her head in a smile. She stood up, looking for her clothes, "Sorry for sleeping so long. I was too tired after yesterday."

"I understand," Kal visualised her clothes and red shoes, having recorded every detail of them in storage. He used World Merge, and those items appeared on the bed, "take a few days off…then we can talk."

Tifa wrapped her body with the blanket, picking her clothes while she walked to him. She kissed his cheek, waving at Tsunade and 2B, "I will see you guys."

Tsunade nodded to her, looking at Kal for a whole and she stood up, "I'll take the break too."

"Sure."

He patiently washed her, waiting for her to leave, until she closed the door, and when she did, he stood up in joy, raising 2B with tails around her, pumping his hands towards the sky, "Yes! Finally!"

He jumped on the bed, rubbing his face on the mattress, still able to smell Tifa on it, "Auhh!! A break! I have a break! I can do whatever I want! Yayayayayayayay!!!"

He happily rolled on the bed, faster, and faster, until he had to stop to breathe, "Mmmmm…so nice."

"Master…can you put me down?"

Kal lay flat on the bed, chuckling, gleefully smiling as he finally let her down beside him, "2B?"

"Yes, Master?"

"2B, I am finally free~!"

"Sleep, sleep, sleep~!"

"That is what I need~!"

Kal happily sang until 2B pressed her palm on his lips, shutting him up. He slowly blinked, and the expression in his eyes became mellow. He pulled her in a hug, stopping. He glanced towards the bed under him, projecting the copy of the same bed, "World Merge."

He made the current world virtual and the virtual bed real, "want to sleep?"

2B shook her head, "I want to watch Master sleep."

"Ok, not creepy at all," Kal took the pillow, looking at 2B, "I'll take it."

2B patted his head, waiting for him to fall asleep, but a few minutes later he opened his eyes, looking at her, turning, twisting, and holding her hand. She decided to give him something to think about, "Master, look. I evolved."

[Host Name – Yohra No. 2 Type B (E).]

[Race – Android]

[Affiliation – Kal I. Ashwood]

Level - 161

Energy – 18.75 million.

Strength –150

Endurance – 150

Body – 150

Agility – 150

Intelligence – 150

Mind – 150

Memory - 150

Energy – 150

[(New) Superior Android (via Nanites) – Immortality (via Regeneration Level 6) Skill Creation (Via Nanites) Flight (Via Nanites)]

[Passive Abilities – Micro Natural Disaster (250x All Hidden Attributes). Type Executioner (10x All Hidden Attributes) Protagonist (x5 Everything)]

[Summoning Skills – Virtuous Contract]

[Skills – Sword Mastery (Expert). Great sword Master (Expert) Bracers Mastery (Expert) Spear Mastery (Expert) Perfect Evade (Expert) Counter (Expert)]

[Created Skills – Laser, Mirage, Hammer, Blade, Spear, Shield, Wave, Wire, Decoy, Slow, Repair, Bomb, Gravity, Volt, Missile, Scanner.]

[Titles – Executioner (Enhanced Stats). Protagonist (Five Times Experience/Stats/Points. Protagonist's Fate).]

[Free Attribute Points – 385]

[Talent Points – 55]

"Hm," Kal stroked her cheek, "that means you are above my reprogramming. Why still call me Master?"

"Yohra…serves the Council of Humanity. It doesn't matter if it's a different world…I am to serve Humanity. You, being the Lord of this City, which can rival any of the Six other Kingdoms. You have the highest Authority in the World—"

"You are making excuses. There is a counterpoint for every one of them. If you really want to serve me…then tell me the truth."

2B parted her lips, turning her face away from him, with pink cheeks, "because…I want to serve Master."

"Yeah?" Kal lovingly smiled at her, "then please…serve me."

"Master...I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"2B, just sweetly say yes next time?"

"Yes, master."

[For more, do visit my page. The link is in the synopsis. Your addition will support me and help me keep writing. There are also other, much older novels on my page ranging with variety of tags. Many, if not all of the chapters are free in those. You can read anyone you like.]