The sun rose, light spreading across the world, filtering through the trees. The sound of the waterfall echoed, and a few meters away, a young man and woman lay naked on a bed. As the light hit my eyes, they slowly opened.
Opening my eyes, I felt the weight of a body on me. Looking down, I saw Elysia sleeping with her head on my chest, her hair cascading over me, a satisfied smile on her face. Last night had truly been incredible—we went on for hours.
Smiling, I looked at her, my hands on her fleshy ass, slowly kneading and massaging it. It was spongy yet elastic, reshaping but staying firm. Feeling the strong stimulation, Elysia opened her eyes.
Seeing my face, memories of last night flooded her mind. A deep red flush covered her face, and she hid it in my chest, speaking in a tiny voice.
"Last night was nice."
"Doing it with you was amazing. You did great… now that I think about it, should I call you Elysia the slut?" I teased.
Hearing my remark, Elysia blushed, hiding her face in my chest.
"Akira, I—"
"Don't worry, I don't plan to stick around. I've got things to take care of too."
Elysia didn't say anything, but I felt a nod against my chest. I gently lifted her into my arms and headed toward the waterfall. A few minutes later, we were dressed in the same clothes.
"Let's go," I said softly.
Unable to look me in the eyes, Elysia nodded in agreement. We walked side by side, an awkwardness settling between us—or rather, Elysia was too embarrassed to talk, though she occasionally stole glances at me.
---
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the camp. Everyone was gathered, including Hernandez. Yumi sat on a wooden chair, legs crossed, while Hernandez, a few meters away, gave an awkward laugh. In the group, Dorian avoided Akira's gaze, while Mia, Thalia, and Rhéa kept their heads down, though Akira noticed faint blushes on their faces but paid no mind.
"Hey," Akira said in a monotone voice.
"Looks like you two had fun," Yumi replied to Akira's greeting with a smile, her head resting on her hand.
"We would've welcomed you if you'd joined," Akira teased, slipping an arm around Elysia's neck. "Right, my little Ely?"
Her face turning red, Elysia mumbled, head down, "I don't know."
"It would've been a good experience," Yumi replied, still smiling. "I'll think about it next time."
"By the way, what are you doing here, old man?" Akira asked Hernandez.
"Ahem," Hernandez coughed. "I came to see you, but it seems you were… busy."
"I see," Akira nodded, removing his arm from Elysia's neck and walking toward Hernandez. "So, why did you want to see me?" he asked, looking bored.
"You'll need to come with me," Hernandez replied.
"Mmm, alright."
"I'm coming too," Yumi interjected.
As they headed toward the forge, Elysia stayed with her companions. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the forge. The heat was so intense that a normal person would struggle to approach. Inside, on the anvil, lay a jet-black blade radiating an unsettling energy.
"Looks like it's almost done," Akira said.
"Haha… even though I'm the best blacksmith on this planet, it's impossible to finish your weapon in a day," Hernandez replied. "What you see is just the blade's form."
"Alright," Akira said curtly. "So why did you want to see me?"
Taking a serious tone, Hernandez began, "As I said, I intend to create the greatest weapon ever."
"And?"
"So, I'd like you to give me some of your blood," Hernandez said.
After a moment of silence, Akira spoke.
"That's all you need?"
"Huh? Yeah," Hernandez replied, perplexed.
"I don't know why you want my blood, but you must have a plan," Akira said, grabbing a container and making a small cut on his arm, letting his blood fill the bowl. "Here, that should be enough."
Akira's easy agreement left Hernandez baffled.
"Are you taking it or not?" Akira asked the still-perplexed Hernandez.
Snapping out of it, "Ah, yes, yes…" Hernandez replied, taking the bowl. "I'll forge you a weapon no mortal has ever crafted," he said, walking away with a smile.
"You really trust him, don't you?" Yumi murmured.
"What choice do I have? The result will be the same either way," Akira replied.
"Isn't that a bit cruel of you?" Yumi said.
"At least I'll make sure they have a glorious death," Akira responded, leaving the forge.
Three days passed.