Summira, not wanting to get involved, forced herself to climb down.
Nic just watched her silently and let out a heavy sigh.
Meilin glared sharply at Nic. "Before I crush you, don't you want to explain what you caused?"
Nic chuckled softly. "Alright, alright, I'll explain it as simply as possible."
Nic explained that he came to Shin territory for his studies, and he had previously been to Kyu territory. When he headed to Shin territory, he thought it might be similar to Kyu. Then, when he entered, he was amazed because there was a mix of technology.
"That's why I mentioned the territory would be similar to Kyu territory, that's all, nothing more. Then the Shin residents swarmed me," Nic explained.
Meilin was a bit surprised. "Huh... you just went to Kyu territory? For study?"
Nic nodded. "Are you going to hit me just for hearing the word 'Kyu'?"
"I'll ask you one thing..." Meilin said while clenching her iron fist. "Did you meet Kyu Kazumi?"
Nic fell silent for a moment. He hesitated to answer but finally admitted that he had met Kyu Kazumi and fought her.
"IMPOSSIBLE!! KAZUMI WOULD NEVER FIGHT AN ORDINARY PERSON LIKE YOU!!" Meilin shouted loudly.
This actually confused Nic. Why was Meilin seemingly angry? "Why? You seem close to Kazumi."
"Huh...? Close?? NO! I'M NOT CLOSE TO HER! YOU DIE!" Meilin shouted, charging forward to punch Nic again.
Nic activated the Fusion Combat skill, and once again, a clash of fists occurred. However, this time it was different. Nic's right hand didn't break. Instead, Meilin's iron gauntlet cracked and finally shattered.
Meilin was dumbfounded. Her brain couldn't process what just happened. Her iron gauntlet was extremely hard; it was impossible for it to be destroyed by a bare hand.
"H-hey... why isn't your hand broken again? Why is my iron gauntlet the one destroyed?" Meilin stammered, in disbelief and confusion.
Nic held his right hand. Before the impact, Nic had used the Sharing Energy skill on himself, specifically focusing it on his right hand. Combined with Fusion Combat, his right hand was now even thicker than concrete.
"I don't know... maybe I just tried to get serious because I don't want to die?" Nic said.
"Tch!!!" Meilin was annoyed and charged forward without her iron gauntlets.
She beat Nic with movements that were both fast and heavy—rapid strikes with heavy impact using various martial arts techniques.
Nic kept dodging while blocking with one hand until he was cornered at the edge of the cliff.
"Hey, we're gonna fall if you keep attacking me without moving," Nic said, glancing behind him.
"I DON'T CARE!" Meilin shouted.
True enough, once they were at the very edge, Meilin deliberately tackled Nic so he would fall, and Nic pulled Meilin so she would fall too.
"AGHHHH DAMN YOU!!" Meilin yelled, readying a technique so the fall wouldn't hurt.
But Nic did the exact same thing he did when he saved Rainzy. Nic pulled Meilin close quickly and activated the Give Me Your Pain skill because Nic knew that no matter how great her defensive technique was, falling from this height would be fatal.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET GO!! I'M GONNA PUNCH YOU!" Meilin yelled, trying to push Nic away.
But Nic didn't let go. Meilin kept punching Nic's back hard.
They fell and crashed against the cliffside multiple times.
"OI, IDIOT! I DON'T WANNA DIE! LET GO!" Meilin shouted, still stubbornly punching Nic.
Nic remained silent, and a few moments later, they were both lying on the ground, gasping for air.
Meilin turned to Nic with a weird feeling. She got closer and grabbed Nic by the collar.
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING EARLIER? ACTING COOL? NOW YOU CAN'T GET UP! TAKE THAT! DON'T ACT ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY IN FRONT OF ME! I'M USED TO THIS!" Meilin shouted.
But Nic immediately sat up. "You're so noisy."
Meilin was confused again. She assumed Nic's bones were broken because it wasn't normal for an ordinary person to fall from such a high mountain and crash multiple times.
"YOU LIAR! ARE YOU KYU KAZUMI'S SPY, HUH!?" Meilin shouted, pointing at Nic.
"SHUT UP, IRON GIRL. YOU'VE BEEN SO LOUD SINCE EARLIER," Nic shouted back.
"Be honest, do you like Kyu Kazumi?" Nic asked seriously.
"HAH? WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY ASKING WEIRD STUFF? DO YOU THINK I'M A LESBIAN? YOU CRAZY FREAK!"
[ She is lying, Master Nic. That means she either admires Kyu Kazumi or is actually a lesbian. ]
Nic thought to himself, "You're crazy, Zeta. There's no way she's a lesbian. It seems they just admire each other... I have to find out."
Nic immediately stood up. "Okay, is our business done or not? Are you not satisfied after throwing me off a mountain?"
"That's... huh?" Meilin just realized Nic was wearing a necklace and immediately pulled it.
"This is... isn't this the Natural Tree of Heaven necklace? Where did you get this? DID YOU STEAL IT?" Meilin asked suspiciously.
"You just say whatever comes to your mind. I was given this directly by the Cherry Blossom guardian in Kyu," Nic answered, taking the necklace back.
Meilin fell silent, then her face turned red. "C-can you give that necklace to me...? I seriously won't target you anymore..."
Nic stared at the necklace and looked at Meilin, who was noisy and fierce earlier but was now acting shy.
"What is this necklace for?" Nic asked.
"Nothing... just for my accessories collection," Meilin said, looking away.
[ She is lying again, Master Nic. ]
Nic smiled. At that precise moment, Summira had just arrived at the bottom and was shocked to see them. When she tried to run, Nic grabbed her again.
"Huweeee, pleeease, why are you holding me again? And why are you guys already at the bottom? 😭" Summira said, on the verge of tears.
Nic whispered to Meilin, "If you want this necklace, tell her you lost to me earlier, right in front of her."
Meilin looked annoyed. "Is that the person you like?"
Nic shook his head. Since Meilin wanted the necklace so badly, she gave in.
"Hey, are you from Shin territory?" Meilin asked Summira.
Summira nodded quickly. "Y-yes, please forgive me, Shin Meilin! I don't want to die!"
"Tch, not that... I wanted to say you shouldn't have run earlier. I lost to him," Meilin said, looking extremely annoyed.
"HEEEEE!!???" Summira screamed in shock.
Meilin immediately leaned in and whispered to Summira, "And don't tell anyone, got it!?"
Summira nodded and fell silent.
Nic gave the necklace to Meilin, and she immediately left, jumping with joy.
After that, Nic approached Summira, who was standing still like a statue. "Hey, can I ask for a favor?"
"Aaaaa... Sure," she said like a robot.
"Take me to the famous medical center in Shin Territory," Nic said.
[ Info: Master Nic cannot cure a paralyzed arm at an acupuncture center. ]
"I know, Zeta... I just want to make small talk and check it out."
[ However, Master Nic can use the skill to fuse with the God of Health skill. You might get pain reduction or maybe eliminate the pain entirely. ]
Nic nodded, while Summira immediately agreed out of fear.
Inside, she was confused about what else to say. The situation was very weird, even absurd.
Summira thought to herself, "I climbed a mountain... met two people: one phenomenon and the other this unclear anomaly... I stayed quiet but still got dragged into it... and why does he always drag me into his situations... ughh, so annoying."
Nic saw Summira's sour face and decided to tease her.
"Zeta, activate God of Happiness."
[ Activated. ]
Nic used the skill on Summira, and instantly, TING!
Her face beamed, and she became excited to take Nic to the medical center.
"WHY AM I SUDDENLY SO HAPPY? AM I GONNA WIN THE LOTTERY?" Summira exclaimed.
Nic just held back his laughter.
To be continued...