Reward

"How do you get an item with the imperial symbol? Are you friends with Emperor Nishiyama?" Shioko inquired, giving Yoichi the stink eye.

"I've never met the Emperor, and I don't want to do that. A member of his family gave me this metal comb, but it's a long story," he replied. From his words, his anger towards the Emperor was implicitly coming to the surface.

"Yoichi! Er, excuse him. Sometimes, his words go overboard. I'm sure he respects the Emperor as much as we do," Enatsu interrupted, always ready to correct his companion's impulsive phrases. The merchant looked at his friend out of the corner of his eye, trying to make him realize that he did not yet have the right confidence with those people to express his genuine opinion about the imperial family.

"Don't worry. There's no need to apologize. I only met him once, but I wish it didn't happen," Shioko replied, returning the comb to her interlocutor. "Despite my powers, it seems that a 'woman' like me is not fit to fight alongside his valiant men."

Enatsu gasped. During his travels, he had always met only people who flattered the figure of Nishiyama, worshipping him as if he were the god of Tentochu.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure the Emperor was wrong to judge you, Shioko," Yoichi commented. His words broke through the tough face of the red-haired girl. From her eyes, she seemed, at last, to accept his presence within the guild.

"Well, I see you have something in common," Takamori rejoiced, with his usual smile printed under his moustache. "You must know that Shioko left the Emperor's Heralds guild to join us, Yoichi," the guild master added.

"What?" Enatsu unintentionally gasped. The merchant could not hold his amazement.

"You got it right. Master Sada was the only one who understood my true potential. When I realized that among the Heralds I would remain forever a 'woman who dreams of fighting at the front', I accepted his proposal to join the Nightblades", Shioko confirmed, crossing her arms.

From the world in which she spoke of Takamori, it was evident that she had the warmest regard for him. The funny and awkward appearance of that short and moustached man had to hide incredible skills worthy of a true guild leader.

"What are your powers?" Yoichi asked, breaking the speech. "Don't get me wrong. I just want to understand why Takamori... uhm... why the Master said that you are the best suited to my mission," he justified himself.

"Your practical sense is enviable, young Yoichi. So, Shioko's Oracle is a Hotasuka, the evolution of the Hotasagi. Its skills are perfect for a dark environment like the Blackvaul Mines cave," Takamori replied, anticipating his pupil.

"Wow!" Enatsu spoke. "The Hotasuka is a light-type demon, Yoichi. Usually, these types of demons are not born as Oracles," he added, showing everyone to be an informed person.

A light-type demon. Is she going to make our way into the darkness with some skill that generates a light source? If light frightens the Komoerus, Shioko's skills could be crucial. Yoichi thought, nodding his head.

After a few moments, Yoichi's gaze was captured by something in the background. Behind Shioko and Takamori, a blood writing was about to appear on the battered wall of the Nightblades headquarter.

As Takamori began to compliment Enatsu, asking him how much time of his life he had devoted to studying those notions, Yoichi was enchanted to look at the wall.

The young tamer, seized by the euphoria of the moment, had forgotten that entering a guild was his new quest's objective. The Demon Pet System, once again, spoke through the bloody writing.

'Enter a guild: quest completed – reward: 2 extra XP pts to your Oracle.'

Under Yoichi's astonished gaze, the unknown reward had finally been revealed. While reading every red letter of the inscription, he felt a strange tingling in his hands and feet.

For some strange reason, his attention was drawn to Kenji, clinging to his leather pouch: the little Nekage stretched its scaled body, turning its neck and looking into its tamer's eyes. The writing of blood changed shape.

[Kenji: (5/5 pts – level up) – (level 5 reached)]

When Kenji shook its head, emitting one of its faint guttural sounds, Yoichi nodded to Takamori, who was still talking. Pretending to listen to the speech, he continued to look at the wall out of the corner of his eye.

'New quest: travel 80 miles in Tentochu – reward: one extra skill.'

With the last words announcing a new quest, the writing on the wall disappeared for good.

"All clear, Yoichi?" Takamori suddenly requested, keeping the tamer with his feet on the ground.

"Um? What? Sorry, I'm a little tired, and I got distracted," Yoichi stammered, touching his nape. Without focusing on his interlocutors, he had not noticed that Shioko had been watching him the whole time.

"Master Sada said that we will start our training tomorrow morning, at dawn. We will follow him to Goldhaven's arena and practice with our demons," Enatsu reported. The enthusiasm in the young merchant's voice had never been more evident.

"Oh, well. All right, I'm in. Um... the real question is... any beds in here?" Yoichi asked awkwardly.

"Hahaha! What do you think? That my warriors sleep on the floor?" Takamori laughed loudly. "The top two floors of the tower are the bedrooms. Ask your companions what beds are available and choose the one you please. Make yourself at home," the guild master explained.

Meanwhile, in addition to the four of them, only Rinji and Yoshiko remained in the room. All the other tamers had disappeared, walking up the staircase leading to the upper floors.

"Thank you, Master. I can't wait to get started," Yoichi added, with a slight bow, just hinted. As the young tamer tried to show respect, his eyes framed the red-haired girl. She had never taken her eyes off him as if she figured out that something special was hiding under that good country-boy face.