( In the next day. )
[ Thorned Mountains' Fortress. ]
Unlike in the 'Thunder Mist Mountains', it seems Shiro's life is better here in this Fortress, for this time, his role is not that of a servant, but more of a young master.
" This is..., unsettling~, " Shiro says as he wears a more, suitable suit with a black and white color, along with some red as its motives.
" Do you like the clothes lady Akafushi sewed for you? " the Swordsman, Saiki Nishiki asks him.
< Companion: [Saiki Nishiki (Rarity: 4 Star) | LVL. 45] >
< This is Subject [Saiki Nishiki]s initial Level while the sword [Kurokin'enma] is sheathed. >
< The Level he's at when fighting the User (LVL. 52) is the Level achieved after being injected with the sword's ominous powers. >
" I see, so it's the sword's... "
" Is there something wrong with it? " Nishiki asks which Shiro brushes off.
" It's nothing, it's just good. "
" I think I better thank Sister Akafushi about this if I see her. "
" That's a shame... " another person came to the place, it's Kotaro.
< Companion: [Taneku Kotaro (Rarity: 4 Star) | LVL. 40] >
" Lady Akafushi told me that she will come to visit Lady Yakujin in the Capital. "
" She just left this morning, while ordering us to prepare you for Afternoon. " Kotaro explains.
" Afternoon? " Shiro wonders, what comes in the afternoon.
" Lady Yakujin assigned you to be summoned to the Capital, with the greatest of appearance of course. "
" She's currently having a meeting with the other Chimeras of Sakurakoku, who managed to sway her on showing them the one with the 'Special Blood', I mean... "
" The 'Sacrifice Lamb Blood'. " Kotaro tells Shiro that, making Shiro shiver as he's going to be shown to those who want to take a bite of him.
"( Yikes... )"
" Do not worry, Young Master, Shiro. " Nishiki approached him from behind, placing his palm on his shoulders.
" I'm the sword that Master Yakujin had assigned to watch over you. " Nishiki tells Shiro, as he hardens the grip of his palm, Shiro suddenly remembers the Memory where he sees Nishiki's first meeting with Lady Yakujin.
"( So he's bound to her, like all others... )" Shiro thinks to himself.
"( Before getting dressed, I heard from Kotaro that he, Nishiki, and all others are under Yakujin as they made a 'Binding Vow' through her blood, with Sister Akafushi's help. )"
"( With that, their life is hers. )" Shiro thinks of it as he walks outside his room.
" Kotaro has made you some food, Young Master Shiro. " Nishiki tells him.
" Would you like to go to the Dining Hall, to see what he serves you with? " Nishiki asks Shiro, to which Shiro happily nods because he is starving.
...
[ Thorned Mountains' Dining Hall. ]
Shiro is moved to the Dining Hall, where Kotaro had already served his dish.
< Scanning >
< Scanning >
" That's too much... " Shiro sees the food, witnessing how well Kotaro made his dish.
< Consumable Item: [ Unagi Sushi (Rarity: 4 Star) | Amount: 16 ] >
< Increases User's Stamina +450 >
< Consumable Item: [ Neko Manju (Rarity: 4 Star) | Amount: 14 ] >
< Increases User's DEF +420 >
< Consumable Item: [ Oni Ramen (Rarity: 4 Star) | Amount: 1] >
< Increases User's ATK +580 >
...
Shiro sees the status of the feast Kotaro could offer, screening it all with his eyes one by one, wondering if he could take it all in.
< [ Unagi Sushi (Rarity: 4 Star) | Amount: 1 ] Consumed >
< Stamina +450 >
"( It's good! )" Shiro smiles after taking a bite, immediately finishing it, as soon as he takes some bite, he even takes more, with his hands.
* Kotaro and Nishiki, alongside the others could only see in confusion. *
" Mmmm? " Shiro asks while his hands begin to approach him the things he wants to swallow.
* Shiro's eyes looked right and left, confused too. *
"( What's going on? )" Shiro asks himself as he then witnesses their eye pupils being aimed at.
"( What's with eating with hands, I always eat with hands back in the Sakurazaka village... )"
"( Did I do something wrong? )" Shiro wonders, but quickly brushing aside what the others think of him presented with their eyes.
"( Nah, it doesn't matter, as long as I'm eating it then it's fine. )" Shiro says while eating the food offered on the table, so gluttonous.
" Young Master Shiro... " Nishiki stood up at the sudden, approaching Shiro and took both of his hands out of the food.
" Ah, Mr. Saiki, what are you doing!? " Kotaro sees that and gets frightened as soon as Nishiki takes both hands out of their mouth, brings some bowl filled with water, puts both hands in it, washes, and then offers some chopsticks.
" Mr. Nishiki? " Shiro asks him, he sees the chopsticks as Nishiki quickly moves around his back, guiding Shiro by aiding him, using his hands to help Shiro use Chopsticks for the first time.
" I'm sorry if you did not know Sakurakoku's etiquette. "
" I know some of your past thanks to Lady Akafushi, she told me that before assigning me as your guard. "
" I hope you understand, for now, I will help you with the basics, please follow my lead. " Nishiki says to Shiro as he guides him, showing him some of the dining manners for the first time.
< Skill Learned >
< Skill: [Sakurakoku Mannerisms (Passive) -- LVL.1] >
< This skill enables the User to do the Sakurakoku Nation's customs. >
" O...okay... " Shiro learned it, while he followed what Nishiki guided him, fixing his manners.
...
( After some time. )
( In the afternoon. )
< Skill Learned >
< Skill: [Sakurakoku Mannerisms (Passive) -- LVL.5] >
< This skill enables the User to do the Sakurakoku Nation's customs. >
< Skill: [Sakurakoku Tradition Knowledge (Passive) -- LVL.4] >
< This skill enables the User to know the Sakurakoku Nation's tradition. >
< Skill: [Swimming (Passive) -- LVL.4] >
< This skill enables the User to swim, also with some of its moves. >
< Skill: [Food Eater (Passive) -- LVL.3] >
< This skill enables the User to eat a great amount of food. >
< ... >
" More and more Passive Skills. " Shiro sees it and sighs, for despite all of that, he learned no 'Active Skills' he could use for combat.
" Guess, the System can't do anything to at least give me one, can't it? " Shiro sighs.
" Something's wrong? " Nishiki asks Shiro while walking in front of him.
" No, no, it's not, Mr. Nishiki, it's just. "
" How long before we had to go to the Capital? " Shiro asks.
" Three Hours from now, assuming Nekomatas had already prepared the 'Teleportation Ritual'. "
" Teleportation Ritual...? "
" A Ritual by using a mystic circle made of blood, using both Mana and Ki while also with the help of the 'Stream' of the Universal Gates' Energy... "
" The 'Stream' mentioned here is the stream of energies streamed by the Universe that made the Gate Portals in the first place. "
" Conveniently, the 'Thorned Mountains' also happened to be the place where the 'Stream' is great, by using our Mana and Ki to catch and draw the very 'Stream' itself, we could essentially use its power to teleport ourselves. "
" Hence, the 'Teleportation Ritual'..., anything you want to ask? " Nishiki asks as Shiro raises his hands.
" How do you even catch the 'Stream' in the first place!? " Shiro asks, he's so confused at the very concept of catching the 'Stream', to him, it still didn't make any sense.
" It is nonsense, not even I could tell how it even worked in the first place. "
" For I used it right after I was trained to do so, not even asking questions about the process. "
" Well, despite my questions, guess something can only be felt, sensed, and explained in words, not be given critical thoughts and doubts by our logic. "
" Honestly, it could be done if the moment is right, you need to feel and sense it so keenly. "
" Like Lady Akafushi and Yakujin. "
" I heard those two can teleport without a proper Mystic Circle. " Nishiki and Shiro discuss more, as they arrive at the place where the 'Mystic Circle' is prepared.
* Nekomatas murmured. *
" I see, so it's half perfect. "
" There's only three hours left, we need more 'Stream' to get us into the capital, hurry! " Nishiki orders while Shiro sees it in awe, wondering how could such a thing even exist.
" Young Master... "
" Um..., yes. "
" Since the Nekomatas are not that powerful, in this state, an hour might be not enough... "
" There's even a chance we will be late for the occasion you're assigned for, but I hope we didn't have too... "
" For I fear it will piss Master Yakujin off. " Nishiki explains as Shiro scratches his hair, wondering what will angry Yakujin looks like.
"( Nope, I also do not want to take the chance... )"