"Tsubaki?" Sebastian narrowed his eyes. He knew this person, the future Black Witch.
She possessed both exceptional strength and beauty beyond the ordinary, making her a formidable figure among exorcists. However, Tsubaki also harbored a twisted sense of pride and an obsession with beauty. When she learned that her master had entrusted the Jewel of Four Souls to Kikyo instead of her, Tsubaki was driven to madness, and she challenged Kikyo in a fit of jealousy.
But during their confrontation, the demonic energy she released backfired and disfigured her, which pushed Tsubaki, who had once prided herself on her appearance, into darkness. From then on, Tsubaki became a Black Witch, earning her living by casting curses. Her fall wasn't caused solely by the Jewel of Four Souls, but also by her inner flaws.
But that was a story for another time; at present, Tsubaki had no connection to Sebastian at all.
"Has Mr. Sebastian heard this name before?" Seeing his expression change, Kikyo asked curiously.
"No, I haven't heard of her," Sebastian replied with a smile.
"Since Mr. Sebastian is going with me, I can relax!" Hearing that Sebastian would accompany Kikyo, Kaede smiled with relief. If Sebastian were by her side, her sister would surely be safe.
But then Kaede seemed to remember something and asked anxiously: "Mr. Sebastian, you said you'd stay in the village for a while..."
"Don't worry, I'll be back." Sebastian smiled. Kaede's concern was easy to read; she was likely afraid he might leave and never return.
Seeing her sister's reaction, Kikyo couldn't help but chuckle.
"Let me tell you about the mission we've accepted. This request comes from a client who is a wealthy merchant, so the reward is quite generous. The target is a water demon; it is very powerful, and so far, many exorcists have failed." As Kikyo continued, her voice gradually lowered. Her confidence wavered.
Countless skilled demon-hunting experts had failed, and she was only a half-trained one, so the bold words she had spoken earlier were just to avoid worrying Sebastian.
"Sounds like this enemy won't be easy to deal with," Sebastian commented lightly. To him, a monster of this level was insignificant. Still, a living monster might have valuable research potential for him.
Kikyo lifted her gaze, determination returning to her face.
"No matter what, I must complete this commission successfully; the survival of our village depends on it." She looked at Sebastian, her eyes firm. "Mr. Sebastian, could you teach me your techniques during our journey? No matter how difficult it is, I'll endure it!"
Seeing her sincerity, Sebastian paused, then smiled slightly, "Sorry, I can't. It's not something you can learn."
His abilities came from the system and gene transplant, things that couldn't be passed on through traditional training.
"I understand..." Kikyo lowered her head, disappointment in her eyes.
"But I can still teach you something else." Sebastian smiled.
He was referring to practical combat techniques. He had mastered the fighting skills of Esdeath, Reinhardt, and even several Guardians from the Great Tomb of Nazarick. With that knowledge, he could easily teach Kikyo effective fighting moves that might help in the mission ahead.
"Really?" Kikyo's eyes lit up with hope.
The next day...
"Are you ready?" Sebastian asked Kikyo. Behind him, Esdeath, Ram, and others were prepared as well.
Kikyo nodded and turned toward the room.
"Kaede is double-checking our supplies. We'll leave once she's done."
Sebastian glanced inside. Kaede was indeed inspecting the luggage, though she kept glancing suspiciously at him and Kikyo. He instantly realized what she was doing, slipping extra food into Kikyo's bag. She was worried her sister wouldn't have enough on the mission.
"Kaede, don't worry about the food." Sebastian smiled at her.
"I-I wasn't doing anything..." Kaede, caught in the act, quickly tried to change the subject.
"Kaede, I left that food for you!" Kikyo said, flustered. "I'll hunt for my meals out there, don't worry!"
"There will be more than enough food," Sebastian reassured her. "Let's go. It's time to head out."
He stepped into the street and summoned a Battle Fortress. This massive vehicle was built for rugged travel. With its reinforced structure and spacious interior, it could carry more than a dozen people comfortably. Its speed far surpassed that of walking or using a horse-drawn cart, so Sebastian chose it to conserve time and energy.
The objective area was quite a distance from Kikyo's village, beyond the range of his teleportation device. Using the full super weapon for this trip would be excessive, especially since Sebastian wanted to observe the local environment along the way.
"W-what is that?!" Kikyo was stunned by the sudden appearance of the massive vehicle. She had never seen anything like it before; tanks and vehicles didn't exist in this era yet.
"This is our transport." Sebastian smiled, "Hop in."
Nervously, Kikyo stepped inside. It was far spacious than she had expected.
"Hold on tight." With a low rumble, the Battle Fortress's engines roared to life. The tracks spun, and the machine lurched forward, leaving the village far behind in seconds.
Kikyo gasped in awe. The speed was faster than anything she'd ridden before. By foot, they would've taken several days to reach the Village. With this, they might arrive by tomorrow. As she thought about this, Kikyo's respect for Sebastian grew even more.