Arpious of the Planes

[Day 33]

Yesterday, I continued to observe Aika practicing for full mastery. She wasn't even able to intertwine it with her longsword so the rest of the day went by with no progress. I told her over dinner, how she can imagine it since that seemed to be the root of her problem. She didn't have enough imagination.

If this world was like some of the other fantasy stories that I heard, then Aika would have no chance. Imagination was the root of magic in those stories and if you couldn't imagine, you couldn't do any magic.

She seemed excited to try but we first took a bath and went to bed. We didn't do anything at night which Aika seemed happy about since she just sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed, with her hands in her lap… She was trying to increase her imagination.

...How do you even increase your imagination... Just keep imagining things…?

Currently, it's noon and I haven't gotten any news on the war so I'm practically on the edge of my throne. I can't even go there on my own since if the mountain guardian senses me, it might come out earlier than planned.

"Oh, finally some news," I mumble after sensing Yin enter the room through the shadows.

"Master, we have found their main base," I hear Yin say, as she rises out of the shadows and moves her oni mask to the side.

"Good, we have finished gathering another army of about 800 more soldiers… way less than I expected but it should be fine with the leaders. How many soldiers survived?"

"About 300 of the 500 have survived. It would have been way less if the werewolves didn't use [Berserk] so carelessly," Yin says, obviously in her other persona.

Does she have split personalities? Maybe I created the personality where she is reliant on me… it could be possible since I did traumatize her with the torture from before.

"Alright, tell Aiso that he's going with the army and tell Akito to wait for Aiso. Both armies will join together and the leaders will help take out the mountain guardian. Wheres Mia?"

"Since we have taken over their base camp, the army is using it as a spot to rest. Mia is helping organize and strategize for any upcoming situations while settling down at the base camp for now. Would you like for them to come back to the kingdom?" Yin asks.

"No, this is fine… I'll be waiting here. If there are any unexpected variables, then notify me immediately," I order.

"As you wish," she says before disappearing.

*sigh*

"I hope that damn bear comes. I'm getting restless," I say while flexing my hand.

…

I arrived at the base camp in about 15 minutes with shadow travel. The other members were hiding on the outskirts of the base camp, watching out for potential threats.

I traveled through the shadows of the base camp before I arrived at a small straw hut but the outside was deceiving. When I arrived inside, I slipped out of the shadows and walked down a stair stone case that some of the soldiers helped create.

Even my quiet footsteps slightly echoed. The extreme darkness made me flinch but I just activated my new skill, [Nocturnal]. Everything around me suddenly turned into a light green with eyes at the bottom of the staircase reflecting at me.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR AGAIN! I-I ALREADY TOLD YOU EVERYTHING! JUST KILL ME NOW YOU BITCH!" I hear a voice come from the bottom of the stairs.

As soon as I arrived at the bottom, I saw a werewolf stark naked chained to a chair. Densely compacted threads that were in the shape of rods, protruded from every single one of his limbs.

He was the one I used to get all the information but when I use [Lie Detection], it shows he's withholding information. Whenever I ask him if there is anything left to say, the skill always reacts, telling me that he is withholding information.

"Shut up," I say coldly while walking up to the werewolf.

Since I didn't have healing magic, I had to work my way around. I couldn't inflict damage that could potentially kill him, so I had to make do with stabbing rods of webs, into his limbs.

It caused intense pain and if I didn't pull them out, he would never start bleeding out.

"Tell… me… ev...er...y...thing...you...know!" I say while pushing one of the rods in his leg deeper.

"ARGGHHHH! I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW!" the werewolf screams.

"Bullshit," I say while my left eye had turned red.

I had activated [Lie Detection] once more and saw that he was lying again. His heart started to beat faster, while his eyes were darting away from my gaze.

This is what [Lie Detection] did, it enhanced the give-aways for complete liers.

tch

If only I could use Ichika. She's too soft and if she sees this sight, she might even pass out… wait how about Akito. I saw him use a type of healing magic on himself before…

"I guess I'll try it out,"

I kick one of the poles in his arm causing him to scream in agony before I walk back up the stairs. Once I arrived at the top, I deactivated [Nocturnal] and [Lie Detection] while slipping into the shadow below me.

It didn't take long for me to find Akito since he was surrounded by girls no matter if it is in the kingdom or while on an enemy base. Many women in the army joined just because Akito was the commander.

"Hey playboy," I say, rising out of the shadows.

Akito immediately notices me and turns around coldly. We weren't on good terms, but neither were we on bad terms. It was more like a mutual relationship that benefitted our queen.

"What," he says, gently pushing his way through the crowd of girls.

"Can you use healing magic?"

"Why would you need to know?" he responds.

"..."

"..."

We both stared at each other before Akitos party stepped in.

"Hey, hey, hey. Can't the both of you calm down for a second," says Richard the fire harpy.

He was a gentle giant just like Akio. Whenever somebody in his party was feeling down, he would help cheer them up. Even when he was in battle, sometimes he would take pity on the enemy and hesitate before killing them…

In fact, I didn't like any of Akito's party. The two amazonian twins were annoying, while Ichika was timid all the time. I also didn't like Richard since he takes pity on some of his enemies, if only he didn't hesitate, he would be the perfect soldier that master can use.

tsk

"Step out of the way trash, I'm trying to have a conversation with this playboy," I say coldly while releasing some of my bloodlust.

"Oi… who do you think you are, releasing your bloodlust on my party like that," Akito says, with a pressure that almost makes me kneel.

"I don't submit to anybody but master," I say coldly while releasing all of my bloodlust.

We both had a stand-off without even moving. Cracks below us could be seen with the air becoming as thick as water.

"Can you guys calm the fuck down? I can't strategize with so much pressure in the air. Even the soldiers around us are starting to feel faint," I hear a voice come from a straw hut.

It was Mia. I didn't mind her since she was strong-willed but sometimes she acts too arrogant for her liking. She might've been smart and given a high-ranking position, but she is not that strong, fighting-wise.

Akito releases the pressure in the air while I also release my bloodlust.

"I'm not stopping because you said so, I'm stopping cause I need Akito for something," I say.

"Why do you need my healing magic? Why ask me, when Ichika is much stronger than me in that field," Akito says while glancing at Ichika.

"She's going to be useless for what I need,"

"How about you just tell us why you need healing magic in the first place," Akito says.

"I have a captive and have been torturing information out of him, but he's withholding some info. I can't cause enough damage to him without killing him, so I need somebody to continuously heal him while I send him half to death. I can see it with one of my skills, so don't retort what I just said,"

"*sigh* Is it going to benefit her highness," Akito asks.

"It depends how important the information is,"

…

We both stare at each other for a while, until Akito stands up.

"Fine, I'll help you. If the information is useless, then you owe me a favor, but if it benefits her highness, then I'll let it slide," Akito says.

tsk

"Whatever... follow me," I say while walking away.

Akito's party and Mia nod their head as we resolved the problem before going back to what they were doing.

…

"ARGGHHH! FINE! FINE! FINE! I'LL SPEAK! JUST PLEASE STOP THIS!" the werewolf says, tears streaming from his face.

All we had to do was cut his limbs, poke out his eyeballs, crush his genitals, and repeat. It took about 5 turns before he gave in.

"O-our god and the deer god is working together," he whispers.

"What. SPEAK UP!" I say kicking him in the stomach.

"The Wolf Mountain Guardian and the Deer Mountian Guardian are working together, to kill that damned siren! There, I said everything, now please end this," the werewolf says, even more tears streaming down his face.

"He's not lying…" I mutter while turning my head to Akito.

"Report it immediately," Akito says while slicing the werewolf's head, clean off.

"I was already going to do it, don't order me around… playboy," I say before sinking into the shadows.