******* ...... ...... Huffing in defiance, Christine Camilo stared at Erick Dahl, refusing to back down from his challenge. "Humph! Erick-kun, I'm not afraid of your little game," she retorted, her pouting face only intensifying as she noticed the teasing look on his face. Erick responded with a charming smile and a playful wink directed at Aashi. "Okay, just remember not to go back on your words once you lose," he quipped, thoroughly enjoying the banter. Seeing her sister in distress, Christine turned to Aisa Hironaka, her eyes pleading for support. "Aisa-chan, help your sis out here! They're bullying me!" she appealed, her expression pitiful. Aisa shook her head dismissively, a mischievous smirk peeking out from behind her hand as she replied, "No way! You accepted the challenge, so you have to pay up. It's not my problem, sorry!" A playful tone laced her words. Aashi chimed in, seemingly indifferent to Christine's predicament. "Oh, come on, Christine-san. You don't have to go
*******............(Erick Home, Second floor)"Master, how shall we deal with these bothersome ants and bugs that persistently plague us? May I take matters into my own hands?" Aashi asked earnestly, her gaze fixed upon the report detailing the various minor nuisances troubling the employees of their esteemed company."Ah, Aashi! You need not trouble yourself with every trifling issue that arises. We ought to seek an alternative approach," Erick replied, his eyes narrowed as he perused the report. He understood Aashi's frustration, yet saw the need for a more strategic solution."Very well, I shall refrain from personally intervening. Nonetheless, these pests have become a hindrance to my business, Master!" Aashi lamented, her hand tightly clenched, her annoyance evident upon her face."Well then! How about establishing a security agency adjacent to our company? We can assign the task of training and management to Kazue Kazahito and Risa Yamana," Erick proposed, his mind brimming w
*******............"Father, what is this good news you mentioned earlier? You said it can only be shared at home," inquired Haruko, a beautiful young woman dressed in a doctor's attire. She stood before her middle-aged father, who sat in an armchair, his face beaming like a child who had just received a delectable treat."Hahahaha! Haruko, my dear, this news is truly remarkable for us," chuckled the middle-aged man, amused by his daughter's curiosity."What is it, Father?" Haruko's eyes narrowed as she looked at her father, who seemed to be talking in circles."Ahem!" Realizing his jokes were not entertaining his daughter, he cleared his throat and adopted a serious expression.The middle-aged man was Dr. Hirono Yugami, and Haruko Yugami was his only daughter."Do you recall what happened ten years ago and the changes it brought upon our peaceful society?" Dr. Hirono asked, his mind drifting back to the events he had witnessed that year."Yes, if my memory serves me right, that was
*******............(Star Dust Group)"Hello, Ms. Yuki," an employee addressed her, interrupting her intense keyboard tapping. "There is a shortage of all three of our products in the mall in the city center area. The manager has informed us to deliver the products as soon as we can."Yuki's surprise was evident as she replied, "What? I just sent them the products three days ago. Ahh! Whatever, here, take this file and have it signed by the boss." She quickly realized why the situation had arisen and, fortunately, had prepared the files in advance. They contained crucial information regarding material costs, employee expenses, total profits, and other necessary details."Okay, Ms. Yuki," the employee acknowledged, taking the files and departing to deliver them to the top floor for signing."Damn it! Now I understand why Ms. Shinha looked at me with pity and said, 'Good luck,'" Yuki muttered, glancing at the mountain of paperwork on her desk. She had been toiling away at it since la
*******............After Aashi had her fill, she patted her satiated stomach in the car, and Erick took over driving. They set their destination at random, their curiosity piqued."Aashi, what were you about to say earlier?" Erick asked, genuinely intrigued."Oh, right! I almost forgot," Aashi replied, scratching her head in absentmindedness. Then she collected her thoughts and began discussing the matter."Ah, I snooped around to find out more about the man who contacted us for the meeting. His name is Katsutoshi Kirin. After a little research, I discovered that he is a retired general from the army.""Hmm, did you check what kind of person he is?" Erick inquired, aware that not all retired individuals are commendable."Of course! I've already done that," Aashi responded, transferring the data onto the car's display screen.As Erick glanced at the screen and perused the man's accomplishments, he couldn't help but be impressed."Katsutoshi Kirin, a true god of war. Impressive," Eric
*******............"Hmmn! You can just call me Old Jin or Gramps Jin, and there's no need to be so formal with me, young Erick," Old Jin humbly addressed himself, finding his full name unnecessary. He took a liking to the young man and encouraged Erick to adopt a more casual tone."Alright, Gramps Jin! Have you been taking care of this garden?" Erick inquired, sensing the genuine life force emanating from the plants."Hmmn! Yes, I live alone here, and tending to this garden keeps me occupied. It's also a way for me to indulge in my hobby of nurturing plants," Old Jin replied, sitting down as he gently caressed the leaves and flowers.In a world where otherworldly energy has awakened, Erick was certain that if the old man continued caring for the garden with such devotion, one of these plants might attain spiritual wisdom in the decades to come."Gramps Jin! Do your children visit you regularly?" Aashi asked, her gaze fixed on the old man's weathered face."Hahahah! Young lady, I ha
*******............"Alright, I'll call you back once I'm done with this business. Take care of yourself. Bye for now!" Erick reluctantly accepted his fate and resolved to call Aashi as soon as he finished curing Mr. Katsutoshi's daughter."Hmmn! Bye~" Aashi sweetly responded.After hanging up, he felt a huge sense of relief, and then he composed himself, assuming the posture of an expert.Ever since Erick became a teenager, he found himself struggling to avoid or endure his hormonal reactions. Despite his appearance, resembling an 18-year-old, he had just entered his teens, and puberty brought with it the typical challenges that every young man faces.While his cultivation remained unsealed, he could control his body perfectly. However, whenever he sealed up his cultivation, those problems would resurface. He could still maintain slight control, but in the presence of Aashi, who was not only his most ideal creation but also a literal figment of his imagination come to life, his b
******** ….. ….. "So, have any of you heard about Supernaturals or, more precisely, Supernaturalists?" Erick inquired, carefully observing everyone's reactions for any signs of deception. Mr. Katsutoshi pondered the question, while Dr. Hirono seemed shocked, as if he had seen a ghost – though he found it hard to believe. Sarah Yugami appeared to be the most confused among them, having only a vague recollection of the term "Naturalism," but not knowing much about it. Mr. Katsutoshi eventually spoke up, explaining, "I encountered them about six months ago when I was searching for my daughter. They are a group of people who are no longer considered normal humans. When conventional methods failed to cure my daughter, I sought information about them, hoping they could help. However, everything about them remains a mystery. Despite my status as a retired general, I couldn't find any concrete results, so I gave up pursuing them." Erick acknowledged the information, signaling that it w
............Aashi gently pried Yuyun from her embrace, whispering soothing words to the frightened child. "Alright Yuyun, let's go. We need to save those big sisters and brothers over there, okay?" She placed Yuyun on her back and quickly moved towards the cries.Erick and Aashi turned and sprinted towards the explosions. Aashi headed to where the injured were, while Erick ran towards the Malice Creatures attacking the elven guards.As Erick reached the first defense wall, he saw the extent of the destruction. The once strong barrier was now a smoldering ruin, and dark, twisted Malice Creatures were pouring through the breach."Boom... Boom... Ahhhh...!" The elves were fighting valiantly, but they were clearly outmatched. Their traditional weapons and combat techniques were ineffective against the Malice Creatures, which seemed impervious to normal attacks.Erick moved forward, energy leaking from his hands, blades of wind and fire shimmering with a strange, ethereal light. "Let's
............"Splash...!!""Whoa... how much energy did you put into that attack, Master?" Aashi asked in wonder, looking at the explosion and the water splashing over their shield."Not much, but enough to crush that annoying portal to bits," Erick replied, glancing down to ensure no traces of dark, foul energy remained. While the area was cleared, some fish-shaped Malice Creatures had been flung into the distance and were being erased slowly."Master, can you leave the rest to me?" Aashi asked, sensing her master's thoughts."Oh, okay. I'll take care of little Yuyun for you," Erick smiled and nodded before crouching down to pat the little girl on the head."He he... Big Brother!" Little Yuyun giggled, enjoying the affection."Okay then, watch how Big Sis handles those bad monsters!" Aashi said with a smile. She stepped onto the water's surface, running across it just like Erick, without causing any ripples."Boom... Bam...!!"Loud noises echoed as Aashi handled the Malice Creatures
............Aashi paused, listening intently. The sound came again, a weak cry. They immediately searched for the source and found what appeared to be the remains of a house, left in ruins after being devoured by the Malice Creatures. Beneath a pile of rubble, they lifted the debris and found a young girl, her body battered and bruised, but barely alive. Her eyes were shut, and her body quivered nonstop from all the pain.Erick immediately used his Origin arts to heal her and fed her a life-saving potion he carried in his storage. Before long, the little girl was cured, and her body returned to a healthy state, making Erick and Aashi sigh in relief.“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” Aashi said softly, lifting the girl gently.The girl coughed, opened her eyes, and whispered, “Thank you…”Erick knelt beside them, his expression softening. “You’re a brave one, aren’t you? Can you tell us if there are any others?” he asked, seeing the girl calming down.The girl shook her head weakly. “E
............“Oh, let me introduce my Master to you. He is the person who eliminated all the malice creatures in this area and the one who made me follow you guys.” Aashi smiled as she proudly introduced Erick to the kids and the Elder.The Elder and the children looked at Erick with awe and curiosity, their gratitude toward Aashi extending naturally to him.“Thank you, Master,” the Elder said, bowing deeply. “Your actions have saved our tribe's future.”Erick nodded, a small smile on his face. “I’m glad we could help. Your strength and resilience are admirable. Even though you lost so many of your tribesmen, you still didn't lose your will and continue to protect the children. It's commendable courage.”Aashi glanced at the children, noticing their worn clothes and tired expressions. “Do you have enough supplies and food? It looks like you’ve been struggling.”The Elder sighed. “We’ve been running low on food and we don’t even have a warm place to stay now. The malice creatures have
…………"This is not good; they are suffering from the bitter ice-cold!" The adult man observed them and realised they were suffering from an illness common among the tribe's people living in these cold plains.“I don’t have any medicine to cure them, damn it,” the man muttered, frustration evident in his voice as he watched their condition worsen.In normal times, he could easily help them with their cold, but now he couldn’t leave to search for medicine. Going out would be like signing his own death warrant if those creatures caught their scent.“What should I do? At this rate, these children won't be able to endure the cold and will succumb to it. No... no... I can't let that happen. These few children are all that's left of our ice tribe!” The elder felt a deep bitterness inside, trapped in a situation where every option seemed doomed.“Boom... Boom...!!”He heard loud noises and movement in the distance, and the tremors suggested that the Malice Creatures had picked up his trail.“
*******…………"Isn't this the east side, right?" Erick asked, feeling a little confused by the scene he was seeing.Erick and Aashi arrived after flying for hours, but they didn't see any forest there."Yes, it should be the east," Aashi nodded, having already calculated the direction when they flew here."So where is the forest that is supposed to be here, and what about the tribe residing here!" Erick muttered, looking at the distance with no forest or vegetation around, only the black, charcoal-like grounds were left."Master, I am sensing a foul stench from there!" Aashi's nose suddenly perked up, and she pointed in a certain direction, detecting an unusual foul scent."Hmm, this isn't supposed to be here!" Erick and Aashi flew in that direction and arrived there.It was a place that looked like a wrecked village or something, with a well made out of sand and mud mixed with blackish substances.Erick felt familiarity with the substances filling the well. After sending his energy d
********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..….."Thank you, Elder Ilona, for enlightening us. We are sincerely grateful for your invaluable assistance," Erick and Aashi expressed their gratitude with utmost respect, acknowledging the wisdom and guidance of the revered priestess.Elder Ilona, with a gentle shake of her head, dismissed any notion of inconvenience. A warm smile adorned her face as she conveyed her genuine pleasure in their company. "No, no trouble at all. In fact, I relish your presence. Do pay me another visit in the future," she suggested, her eyes gleaming with joy at the prospect of their return.Erick and Aashi nodded appreciatively, bidding Elder Ilona a proper farewell as they took their leave. Their gestures conveyed their gratitude and respect for the priestess, who had graciously shared her knowledge with them.As they emerged from Elder Ilona's abode, Elder Ryfang awaited their return, a patient figure in the fading light. His curiosity piqued, he inquired
********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..….."Welcome, young ones," she spoke in a voice that was both soft and melodic. "I have been expecting you."Erick and Aashi exchanged greetings before settling onto the cushions that had been laid out for them. The woman before them exuded a sense of accomplishment, as though she had achieved great things in her life and had the love and respect of nature itself."Thank you, Elder, for having us," Erick said, his voice full of gratitude and admiration.The Elder smiled warmly at the two guests before her. "So, what would you like to hear first? I will do my best to answer all of your queries, but first, let me introduce myself."Ilona, the guardian of the small wolf tribe and priestess who oversaw the ceremonies held in the clearing, introduced herself with grace and poise. Her name carried weight and respect, and Erick and Aashi felt a pleasant warmth to be in her presence."I am Erick Dahl, and this is my companion, Aashi," Erick intro
********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..….."It's….it's alright!" Chieftain hurriedly replied while hiding his fear and reverence coming from his heart."Ahem, let me introduce you, Chief Ulric, this young man is Master Erick Dahl and she is his companion, Madame Aashi. And you both already know our chief Ulric name and she is the mate of Chief Ulric, Madame Ayla." Elder Ryfang tried hard to ignore the earlier what he felt and maintained his usual smile while he introduced each other, Erick and Aashi to His chief and Madame Ayla.Erick and Aashi observed the now standing Chief Ulric and Madame Ayla in front of them.Chief Ulric is a tall, muscular man with a commanding presence. He has broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline, and his piercing blue eyes seem to see straight through to a person's soul. His hair is a deep shade of brown and falls in unruly waves to his shoulders, and his beard is thick and well-groomed. Ulric also has wolf-like features, including pointed ears and