UNKNOWN DANGER

“Man, it’s hot as hell, I should bring some ice crystal if I know it’s this hot today.” Akiha letting out a big sigh, she use the mace to cover the sun light.

“welp at least I already got what I needed. 20 giant stinger.” Said by her when she re count the scorpion tail on the ground, she the picked it up one by one.

Suddenly a loud explosion could be heard from nearby area. “shit, what was that sound, don’t tell me ‘greg’ is nearby.”

‘greg’ is a name given by akiha to mark one particular monster that lurk around the dessert, a giant beast almost look like giant scorpion.

“it’s gonna be hassle to beat his ass again so I might go when I can.” Said akiha while she grab her bag of tails.

But she heard another explosion, different kind of sound that ‘greg’ usually made, it was like thunder that usually come along with storm.

“shit, don’t tell me someone challenge ‘greg’ again. I might need to safe those adventurer.” Akiha drop her bag under palm tree that near her and start dashing into the sound location.

THE HEROES SIDE.

“holy fuck, this guy skin thick. My thunder can’t destroy it.” Said by evan that look pissed.

“hey you able to petrify it atleast, it’s good opening for me.” Said olga landing in his side after dealing a big hit on ‘greg’ mandibles. Look like evan able to scratch it.

“man I hate those insect beast, mine axe would damage them but only bit.” Vatur look at wound he able to made, looked dissatisfied.

“let’s try to aim it’s eye perhaps? Looked squishy for me.” Said rosia while chugging mana potion.

She then cast physical enchantment to the parties.

“thanks, but look even if I close enough, those stinger are fast enough before I reach it. Evan might need to stun it again.” Said olga chanting water magic on his sword.

Suddenly ‘greg’ front limb striking rosia, but fortunately vatur block it with it shield. “fiuh, close one. Can’t let your guard down eh?”

“damn it, thanks old man. EVAN! How long until next spell?” rosia ask evan.

“3 minutes, 5 minutes for best result.” Said evan while focusing on his sigil on his book.

“gotchu, let’s make this guy busy.” Olga running near ‘greg’ trying to catch it’s attention.

‘greg’ attack with it limbs again to olga, and it’s stinger attack vatur.

Vatur pushed back long enough due the impact of it stinger and his shield.

“whoa that some strike. This sand is too soft for step.” Said vatur while he start running toward rosia and evan side.

“let’s try this then.” Rosia cast create mud under vatu, making the sand and mud became bit stabilized.

“this better now.” Vatur stomping the ground to check his core.

Olga condition seems good, he aggroing the party while vatur protecting the casters. He also able to damaging ‘greg’ bit by bit while saving his energy.

“guys, im ready!” evan shout to his whole group.

“alright, take cover y’all.” Olga jump back a few meter while avoiding ‘greg’ stinger.

Suddenly lightning bolt coming surrounding evan

“8 class magic, thunder ballad.” Evan shout releasing electricity from his body to the sky splitting the clouds. and a sea of thunder attack toward ‘greg’ multiple times. It look like a spear of thunder being thrown from the sky.

‘greg’ stunned, after the magic done, olga and vatur charging on the beast. Olga strike it eyes while vatur slash it stinger chopping it like broken bones.

AKIHA SIDE

“my, aren’t they a good fighter, look’s like I don’t need to do anything.” Said akiha hiding in near of the bushes under some tree watching all the fight of the hero parties against ‘greg’.

“ah they chop greg tails, nice one.” Akiha then commentate on what happen by herself.

“ck, I should be bring some snack to watch this, it’s looked fun.”akiha said to herself again.

“wait, the sword guy blasted by greg front arm, shit, greg going rampage.” Said akiha preparing herself.

“yup the shield guy can’t do anything, he protected the mages.” Akiha then leapt to the sky while bringing her mace.

She shout so loud making greg aware of her and unable to react

BOTH SIDE

A girl fall from the sky, shouting like a madman.

“look, there someone on the sky.” Evan shout to rossia and vatur.

“someone what?” said vatur when he focusing on defend against greg fierce attack.

By a split second, akiha land a explosive blow by her giant iron mace, cracking ‘greg’ torso. Exposing it inside and also making greg incapacitated.

“man, I was not planning to kill you at all, how unfortunante.” Akiha murmur to herself while standing on top of greg dead bodies.

From her behind below, the parties witness what happened.

“guys… it’s an oni, what should we do, olga is over there limping in the ground.” Rosia notice akiha appearance and informing the group.

“moreover, she look like from the island. They well know as powerful foe. We can’t afford anymore fight you know.” Said evan to the group.

“island, that island on the south? What they doing here?” ask vatur.

“Im not sure, her uniform looks like scout team. You might able to fight her old man.” Said evan.

“WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING!? DO YOU NOT KNOW YOUR OWN CAPABILITIES?!” akiha shout to them because she lost her forced volunteer for trining partner, ‘greg’

She then jump to front of them, the weight of the mace make the ground of sand shatter.

The group realize she don’t intend to fight them. “well we are sent here to subjugate this big guy you just kill.” Said evan tries to explain the situation.

“you guys aren’t enough to take out this creature by four people, you should be realize that too right? I watch your fight and from what I see you all are experienced fighter. Do you wanna die here?” akiha start to scold them out of nowhere.

“w-wait give them some slack, im the one who bring them here. Im the one who responsible.” Said olga while walk slowly to the group side.

“huh?” akiha notice olga, the swordman that sent flies by greg before.

“damn you still alive, I thougt you were over.” Said rosia giving him healing magic.

Akiha crosses her arm while putting the mace in her side, “so you are the leader? Don’t you think you need more that this group? Who sent you, I believe the guild won’t be this reckless and just sending elite group your caliber to do this.”

“we are the heroes, my name is olga vernlight, this is evan maple, this is rosia humming, this guy is vatur ath. We sent by the kingdom of lindur to slay demonic beast, like this guy here.” Olga introducing himself and his group.

“my name is akiha, scout squadron of oni island. So you call yourself a hero? Childplay or something?” akiha introduce herself while commenting on them.

“no, the king choose me as the hero. These beast are monster of the demonlord. He set those creature free to weaken the human.”

“doesn’t he have low standard?” akiha start with stingy word.

“I think we are not strong enough.” Olga feel frustrated as he says that.

Akiha letting out a sigh “haaa-, you human are just reckless aren’t they…” akiha turn back and walk away.

“akiha, thank for saving us. Are you from this city? Can we buy you something for eat?” rosia offer akiha to thanks her.

“don’t mind it, I’m just doing some quest nearby.” Akiha reply.

“please, we might die if you not save us. Let us treat you something atleast.” Rosia still desperate to treat akiha.

“you know what, fine. Let me take my stuff first.” Akiha start to walk toward her stuff.

“hey rosia, you can’t be thinking recruiting her, she can eat human if she want.” Said evan to rosia.

“look, she accept our treat offer, she might enjoy food more than human, right.” Said rosia grinning to herself.

“she can be more than a help for our journey I think. So let’s try our shot.” Said olga to evan.

“she’s kinda cute.” Said vatur with his prioritize.

“vatur…” said evan kinda disappointed.

AKIHA SIDE

“heroes huh…” akiha start to think while she packing herself.

“if they truly heroes, they might gonna fight the demon lord in the end…”

“I should talk to mom.”

Akiha done packing and she start going to the group from before.

“hey, you guys done preparing?”

“just a bit m’kay, we tryna take these creature core.” Said vatur to akiha.

“why?”

“else they will return alive.”

“hmm I see. Does they eat it to became one of this creature?”

“… what.” Vatur seems like realize something.

“huh?” akiha looks puzzled.

“GUYS, WE THINK WE REALIZED SOMETHING.”

“what, what?” said evan kinda panicked.

“what, I can’t hear you from here.” Olga yell from inside of the beast chest.

Vatur tries to explain how these creature become demonic form to rosia and evan, even akiha look’s puzzled.

After a while, olga finally done and came out from the beast. He hold a sphere as small as thumb.

“olga, listen. Don’t you think everytime we hunt these beast, they look like local creature near it?” said evan to olga

“huh? Y-yeah kinda. This beast is scorpion like so…”

“these creature is not exist from long time ago, right?” said evan to olga.

“yeah, these guy’s spawned recently since demon lord waging war against human… wait I see.”

“yes, the creature are-“

“the demon lord fuck the creature all around the continent, he has some strong curiosity huh.”

“nooo- listen, these beast have a core right? The demon lord turn the creature by this core, I think. So that demon lord spread this crystal all around the continent.” Evan slap his own fore head in frustration.

“ahhh, I see.” Olga doesn’t seem to understand.

“evan let me handle this. Core, monster, eat, evolving, demonic beast. Understand?” while doing hand gesture to explain the word.

“what, the monster eat this and turn into that? That’s crazy” olga look shocked.

Evan looked at both olga and vatur in disbelief, rosia just held her laugh.

“the sun almost setting down, should we go now guys?” said akiha trying to change topic.

“ah yes, let’s go. The cart over there. We going now. I must take bath from this monster blood.” Said olga that full on blood of the beast in his bodies since he go inside the monster.

“ah yeah, can I put some stuff in the cart?” ask akiha.

“sure, let me carry this,” olga tries to carry akiha weapon but he can’t lift it ‘what the, she hold this with one hand right?’ said olga in his mind.

“no, not my weapon, this bag of stinger please.” Akiha hand evan the bag.

She then lift her weapon in her shoulder.

“you not going inside the cart?” ask rosia from inside the cart.

“nah, my mace too heavy for cart. Im running from here.”

“you… run? While holding that?” evan in disbelief.

“yeah, let’s go.”

“well if you say so.” Evan start the cart to move the horses start to moving .

“SEE YOU AT CITY.” Akiha run faster than the cart and lost from the sight in split second.

“is oni always like this?” evan look at what happened in front of his eyes.

“no, just the oni of the island. Just why she doing quest in the city though?” said rosia to evan

“maybe she is a run away?” say vatur while laying his back on the cart.

“no, only elites and loyal individual allowed to go out. The young one not allowed to out.”

“damn… no wonder they not around so much.”

“guys, isn’t she a ‘young’ individual?” said evan.

“hmm, I guess so. Not much info about them nowadays.” Said rosia.

“welp, we can ask her later.”

AKIHA SIDE

Later on the city, akiha arrive at her home, the mansion of anzuki.

“maa, you home?” said akiha

“yeah darling just a second.” She walk to the hall toward akiha.

“welcome home my dear, how is your day.”

“im doing great, saving someone back there too.”

“really? How nice.” Anzuki smile while patting akiha.

“also, they might gonna fight the demon lord sooner or later.”

Anzuki standing cold for second. She start weating while realize what akiha want to ask.

“y-yeah and what?”

“i wan’t to go, mom.”

What anzuki feared the most happened, the day akiha seek revenge upon demon lord. It will be lie if anzuki herself doesn’t want to revenge. But she can’t lose anything precious to her again.

“a-akiha will you think again? You don’t have to avenge the demon lord, you know.”

“I know ma, but I can’t sleep knowing your hatred keeping you awake every night, crying. Im now your family, something that bond closer than head of the country and a mere soldier.”

“akiha… please, I only have you left. Don’t leave me.” Anzuki voice shaking, tears almost start to flowing, watering her eyes.

Akiha hold her mother hand putting it in her cheeks. “I won’t leave you, mom. So believe me, I will make your fear go away.”

“akiha…” anzuki start to tear, hugging her tight. She know akiha wont budge, but she can’t hel but scared of losing her.

“you must return, don’t you dare make me crying again, you stupid daughter of mine.”

“I will, how about you meet these guys I met, so you can be reassured.”

“alright my dear, let me use better clothes.” Anzuki thinks she must know about these bunch of people before letting her go. She wipes her tear and going to her room, preparing.

Later then they both arrive at the city gate, the heroes group are not far away from them.

“I need to take my item from them first to redeem my money, mom.”

“sure sweetie, I will take them to that local restaurant.”

“thanks mom.”

“HEYYY” olga waving at them, drawing their attention.

“man, she is fast.” Vatur said from inside the cart.

“is that her parent?” rosia said while looking at anzuki from akiha side.

“yeah I guess.” Olga notice anzuki horn guessing it’s her parent.

“hey, im taking this to guild first. My mother will show you some good place to eat here.” Akiha the take her bag from inside the cart.

“okie dokie” olga just accept what akiha want.

Anzuki then ride the cart into the city while akiha run into the guild.

The cart suddenly feel akward pressure.

In this deafening silence, rosia trying to start conversation with anzuki.

“good evening, miss akiha mother(?), my name is rosia, these guys are olga evan and vatur, your daughter safe us before, so please let us treat you something.” Said rosia trying to be polite.

“oh my, thou art the humans that perchance had mine daughter save thee back in the dessert.” Anzuki answer in her dialect.

“ah yes, we are. We are from lindur. We are sent here to slay the beast of this dessert.” Rosia reply.

“do thee perhaps aiming at the demon lord neck?”

The party start nervous knowing she must be from the island that still unknown siding with which faction. Rosia start to answer carefully.

“yes we do, in fact we are party of the… heroes.” Rosia reply nervously while feeling the tense air around anzuki.

“heroes… thy king sure does like to cut thing short.” Anzuki kinda relaxed, she trying to read the group and capabilities by a glance.

“and for heaven sake, thou lot are not look that capables.” She start to sound like scolding them.

“dude, she is her mom.” Evan whisper to vatur.

“no shit.”

“yet thou might have the room for improvement.” Despite how she is, she still notice that the heroes grup still able to grow stronger.

“thankyou mam, we appreciate your word.” Rosia feel like she talk to authorities somehow.

“im sorry, but may we know your name mam?” ask evan to anzuki.

“mine name? how rude of me, sure. I am anzuki kaname. As thou might already known, im moving here from the island.”

“w… you a… gggh…” rosia sound shocked from the name.

“nice to meet you mam, I hope you don’t mind us like this ahahaha.” Said vatur trying to lighten the moods.

“very well, worries not dear human. surely we will in good touch.” Said anzuki giving a small smile to them.

“guys, we arrive at the inn, let’s unpackwhen im returning the horses. The we go to the place to eat. im starving.” Say olga from as he take off from his seat.

“how bout you taking bath first, you smell like shit.” Said evan while closing his nose.

“guess you right, I hope you don’t mind us mam.” Said olga to anzuki.

“yes, do as thou want.” Anzuki says.

“h-hey evan… listen to me.” Said rosia to evan whispering to his ear.

“what?”

“it’s about her name.don’t you remember anything?”

“ms. Anzuki? What wrong?”

“it’s the name of the empress that rule the island.”

“say what?” evan just shocked.

“there’s no way an empress of that doing something like this in here. It’s just coincidence.” Said evan but he himself doesn’t believe his word.

“I know, but look at this situation, a young oni along with her parent. We know nothing about her. Just keep it cool, it might be hard to recruit her bodyguard.” Said rosia to evan.

“damn, just what on earth is happening.” Evan just start sweating in nervous.

Olga just done bathing and going into the hallways where rosia and evan is.

“let’s get going shall we?” olga just walk casually with much confidence like always.

Both of evan and rosia is nervous of what will happen next.

They all then start walk into the bar that anzuki chooses, just to see akiha already in front of the bar.

“mom, right here.” She wave her hand to anzuki.

“yes, im coming sweetie.” Anzuki sound like a doting parent, making both evan and rosia more unsure about her.

They then start entering the bar and eat.

“my gods, this food are good. You sure know good place madame.” Say vatur while he munching his food.

“but of course. I know this town like the back of mine hand.” Anzuki smile while she sipping her drink.

“I might return to this town for this bar again.” Said olga chugging his drink.

While in other side of table evan and rosia minding their manner while eat.

“God. rossia, if you don’t telling me I can enjoy this food” said evan by telepathy.

Rosia step on his pinky toe making him jolted a bit and making funny face.

Her face as if saying ‘bitch, we suffer together.’

“so akiha my dear, can you tell me how you meet these human?”

“yes, they almost dead, so I kill ‘greg’ from the air.’

“greg? Your training partner? You training with monster?”

“yes.”

“oh my, you telling me he is a big dude in the dessert.”

“he is big, mom. Bigger that this bar.”

“oh silly akiha, what If you hurt yourself.” She pinch akiha cheeks gently.

“im sowwy.”

“fine, you need to having fun sometime. I forgive you.” She the pat akiha head.

“ros, you sure she is the empress, look like just a doting parent to me.” Said evan by telepathy.

Rosia just show a expression of ‘how should I know’ since she can’t use telepathy.

“hey, akiha. As you know we are the heroes party. But right now we might be lack power.” Suddenly olga start a conversation.

Akiha realize they want to recruit her, making thing easier.

“yes, and?”

“so im thinking of recruiting you, will you come with us in this long and harsh journey?”

Akiha smirking “may I ask one question?”

“sure.”

“do you intend to fight the demon lord.”

“we all are.” Said olga without hesitation.

Anzuki only can listen in silence. She feel the must let her go but she also scared of being left by her.

“she look sad, she must be her parent.” Said evan again through telepathy to rosia

Rosia just make glaring face at evan as if say ‘don’t ruin the moment, bitch’ while sipping her drinks.

“ but as you can see, we must get stronger against him, or we will never have the chance.” Said olga while looking at his glass.

“then im in. my mother also know about you all. So im set.” Akiha the chugging her glass looking satisfied.

Anzuki suddenly hug akiha, she says nothing. But akiha know what her mother feels.

“you lot better be keeping her safe. Or thou shall know what next.” Said anzuki to the group while she letting go of her hug and kisses akiha forehead. Her hand are bit shaky too.

“you too akiha, stay alive, okay.” She then stand and going out of the bar,

“I will now taking my leave. Thy lot better be safe okay.” She give a big smile then leaving the bar.

“what a lovely parent you have, akiha. Bit remind me of mine little family too.” Said vatur rubbing his necklace, the type where you keep a photo in it.

“thanks gramps.” Akiha smile while looking at the door where her mother leave.

“now everyone lets cheers for the new member. Akiha… what your full name, akiha?” olga start to cheering but stopped in the middle.

“it’s akiha ibaraki, olga.” Akiha said calmly.

“yes, the new member, akiha ibaraki, ogre of the southern island.” They cheers and enjoying the meals.

Akiha just can laugh at the hero and the group. While rosia and evan also start to relaxed a too.

The morning has arrive, the heroes start packing their stuff and cleaning heir weapon while akiha also packing all she needs. She bring a sword, a dagger, and her trusted mace while applying talisman for making it weight like a feather.

Anzuki help akiha to packing, some clothes and daily necessities. Even packing her a little bag of spices and cooking book. And some book of survival in the wild… and book of ancient magic… and book of… and… and…

“mom, do you want me to became a walking library?” she look at second backpack that full of only books.

“hey knowledge is power my dear. Can’t never enough of that, right?”

“it’s fine mom, I already remember it all. I’ll take the magic book tho.” Said akiha confidently.

“… sure, I guess I overdo it ahaha.” Anzuki just laugh at herself.

The parties then arrive at her front home. They are amazed by the giant mansion in front of them.

“yup she is a princess…” evan said that while in awe.

“well, she doesn’t look like one.” Said vatur

“maybe it’s standard for oni?” said rosia

“nah, I believe her mother is some kind of noble.” Olga said to the group.

Evan and rosia can only laugh knowing akiha mother more than a noble.

“olga, you wouldn’t believe this, we will tell you later.” Say evan while he tap on olga shoulder.

With this, akiha has joined the party. She will now began her first step into her journey.