"It's a shame you guys can't get out of here easily," said Shinomiya.
!?!..can't get out?..are we trapped?
"What do you mean you can't get out? Are you trapping us?" asked Zev, who was ready to fight again.
"No... no... calm down... I didn't mean to trap you. But like I said, you can't get out of here," replied Shinomiya.
"You came here because of the fog, right? Actually, the reason why we are still surviving in this hopeless village is also because of the fog," she continued.
"What does that mean?" asked Blaze.
''.... this fog won't let us get out of here'' replied Shinomiya
"It's like being lost in a maze. This fog keeps bringing us back to this place. Besides the increasing number of monsters and the occasional bandits who get dragged along by the fog, it seems like we all have no hope of getting out of here," she explained.
Seriously.. so we are one of the people who are trapped here?!
''Is there no way out at all? There must be a loophole or two?'' said Blaze.
"Actually there is one road but... that road is guarded by a terrible spirit," said Shinomiya
"spirit?" asked Zev
''... have you ever heard of kagerou?'' asked Shinomiya
''no'' replied zev
"This is the first time I've heard of it," Blaze replied.
''I once tried to find a way out of here and I found the way, but when I was almost out, a blinding light suddenly appeared and there I saw a figure that looked very similar to me,'' said Shinomiya.
!?!...what is that? Doppelganger??
''I'm not really sure but the fighting moves are all very similar to mine.''
''Wait a minute, I don't understand. What do you really want to say?'' asked Blaze confused.
"Huh... in short. At the exit, there will be a figure who can imitate the person who is there. Therefore, if you want to get out of this, you must be able to defeat yourselves," explained Shinomiya.
''huh?!..''
''defeat yourself?'' Blaze muttered.
I've heard a similar story. The stronger you get, the stronger your clone becomes. Your weakness is its weakness, and your strength is its strength. Like a mirror reflection.
''It's difficult. If I fight Blaze I can win but if I'm alone it will be difficult,'' said Zev.
"Hey! Just so you know, I can beat you easily," said Blaze, not wanting to lose.
"That's right," Shinomiya replied, then patted Zev and Blaze on the shoulders.
''You guys might be able to beat each other but... can you beat me?'' Shinomiya said, making them both flinch.
"The last figure there was me. That doesn't rule out the possibility that figure is still there. So what do you think? Can you win?" Shinomiya asked.
For 7-year-olds, they'd usually confidently declare they can do it and charge ahead recklessly. But Blaze and Zev don't seem that stupid. After their swordfight with Shinomiya earlier, they realized the difference in their levels. At least I'm relieved they didn't act recklessly and willingly risk their own lives there.
"To be honest, we still can't do it now," said Blaze.
"Hmm... it turns out you're smarter than I thought," said Shinomiya.
''not smart..'' said Blaze
"Those who are not aware of their opponent's level and continue to attack are fools," said Zev.
''um.. i'm glad you guys can think clearly like that'' nodded shinomiya
''But!.. we don't want to spend our lives here,'' said Zev.
''That's right, I have to go home anyway. There's a family waiting for me and Lia to come back,'' said Blaze.
''We will find a way out of here no matter what happens,'' said Zev.
***
That's what they said earlier but....
''Woah!!. What the hell is this!?. This is the first time I've seen a bed like this!'' Blaze exclaimed while lying on the futon (traditional Japanese bed).
''This floor is made of straw? (tatami). It's quite unique,'' said Zev.
"What's that over there?" exclaimed Blaze, who was enjoying himself exploring with Zev
...they said they wanted to leave here immediately but in fact they were just having fun with this place...
But I have to admit, this place truly reflects Japanese culture. I'm quite surprised that something like this exists.
This is also the first time I've seen and experienced this kind of Japanese atmosphere. I guess it's not so bad...
I set foot to explore the temple. It's quite spacious and even has a beautiful Japanese-style garden. Honestly, this place is quite nice for a temporary stay.
''um?...are you alone?'' asked Shinomiya who suddenly appeared.
''Where are your brothers?'' he asked while sitting next to me.
''(I don't know.. they just left like that)'' I replied
"Ahahah... I see. They must be interested in a lot of things here. Besides, this isn't something you can see in the capital," he said.
''(... has Sinomiya ever been to the city?)'' I asked.
''um?..ah.. yes.. but only once. That was also years ago'' he replied
"(like what?)" I asked
''hmm.. it is a very big place. Many people passed by here and there. There are also many horse-drawn carriages and shops along the road. Anyway, it's a very busy place," replied Shinomiya with a smile
"Is your goal to go to the capital?" she asked.
''No..'' I replied while shaking my head
''(we'll go to aklys'' I continued
''???.. aklys?. Where is it?'' asked Shinomiya
***
Blaze
"Wow! There's even a hot spring here," I said in amazement.
''big and in the open like a small lake'' said zev
"I think the concept is outdoor," I replied.
''Can we use this place too?'' I asked the little girl who had been observing us from afar
''hic!..um'' replied the child while nodding in fear
''She looks scared, why?'' said Zev.
"You're asking because you don't know? she's the kid whose hair you cut earlier," I replied.
''Really?'' said Zev while glancing at the child but she immediately ran away as soon as their eyes met.
''She ran away,'' said Zev.
"If you see her like that, of course she will run away...huft...make sure you apologize to her later," I said, then went into the bath.
"Do you want to take a shower?" asked Zev.
"Yeah... while I'm here. Besides, I haven't showered for a few days and after the fight my body is dirty," I replied.
"What's up? Do you want to take a shower together?" I offered.
''no'' replied zev while turning his face away and keeping his distance from me.
???...he.. don't tell me...
''..zev... don't tell me you're afraid of taking a shower?'' I asked, which made him flinch.
"How could that be... what are you talking about?" he said but instead he moved further away from me.
''hee...'' I muttered then immediately pulled his hand away
"Then let's take a shower together," I said, which immediately made his hair stand on end.
''DON'T WANT TO!'' he refused
"What's wrong? You said you weren't afraid, but why don't you want to take a shower?"
"I'm not that dirty that I need to take a bath," he replied, trying to escape.
''Don't joke, your body is also very dirty. Come here and let me help you,'' I said while pulling him with all my strength.
''DON'T WANT TO!!!!''
***
*BYURR!!..
''uwaah.. that's really great..'' I said while soaking in the hot water
''grrrrr...''
''um?..don't look at me with such hatred?. This is better, isn't it?. Hot water is very comfortable, isn't it'' I said while holding Zev so he wouldn't run away.
Who would have thought this wolf was afraid of water? What an unexpected surprise.
''..... I'll kill you,'' Zev muttered angrily.
"Yes..yes..good luck trying" I replied
But this is really, really nice. An outdoor bath with a beautiful view of the moon overhead. Perfect.
"Oh.. that's right, Lia hasn't showered either.. I should have invited her here earlier," I said.
''....blaze... there's something I want to ask'' said Zev suddenly
''regarding your sister''
''about Lia?''
"Yeah... don't you think she's a little strange?" he said.
''she often does things that are not what children her age usually do. How do I say it... she feels more mature,'' he said.
"She also seems to be hiding something. She might be dangerous in the future," he continued.
.... ''hmm.. it's true she's a bit strange'' I replied
''yeah right!. because that's what I think_''
"But I don't care," I said, which made Zev stop.
"I also noticed that she started to act different a few months ago. She used to cry a lot, but since that night, she suddenly stopped crying and looked very calm, like a different person," I said.
"But I don't care. Because to me, she's still my little sister. I don't know what happened to her, but that doesn't change the fact that she's my little sister," I continued.
''She might act too mature or something, but it could be because she's a genius, right? Humans grow up fast. Maybe Lia's growth is too fast. That's why she acts like that.''
"Although... I hope I can see more of her children's side," I continued while looking at the moon at night.
''..... I see.. I feel like whatever I say you will still defend her,'' Zev replied.
''of course. I'm her older brother after all''
"But... sometimes she likes to act naive too. Like when she suddenly took you," I said.
''ah.. at that time I was influenced by her because of that...''
"affected?" I asked, not understanding.
''...no. It's nothing. I just thought she was quite interesting so I followed you guys'' he replied
"Hmm...you're not secretly harboring feelings for Lia, are you?" I said, starting to get suspicious.
''not at the moment'' he replied
huh?... does that mean there is a possibility in the future?
''Ah... that's right... I still haven't said that,'' said Zev.
"That?" I asked. Then Zev immediately stared at me intently.
???
"I'm sorry," he said while lowering his head, which of course made me syok.
"At that time, I acted recklessly and betrayed you. I am truly sorry," he continued.
!?!...zev apologizes?...zev???...this is really unexpected...
''You can hurt me in return,'' he said while pointing at his neck.
''no. I won't do it'' I replied quickly
"Hmph... I really can't believe you would actually apologize about that," I said
"You said it yourself, didn't you? If I want to be your friend, I have to do this first," he replied, making me syok.
This is truly unexpected. I didn't think he still remembered what I said
"Now I'm really serious about wanting to be your friend. That's why I apologize," said Zev.
"I'm sorry..." he continued
.... ''hmph... stop it. I'm not angry anymore. You've been quite helpful during this trip,'' I said while rubbing his head.
''But please don't do that again. Because next time if you betray me you won't have another chance,'' I said seriously.
"Okay," he replied.
Hmph... who would have thought I would befriend a werewolf? This is truly incredible, and Vered won't believe it.
''By the way, Blaze, is it true that your powers are sealed? How can you still be this strong?'' said Zev.
"Ahaha... my muscle strength is also very strong," I said proudly.
''cheating..''
***
Rosalia
''Hee... I just found out there was a kingdom like that,'' said Shinomiya after listening to my story.
"Then you and Blaze were born into a bad environment. But if you go back there, I'll worry about your future in that kind of environment," said Shinomiya.
Shinomiya really cares about us, huh? Like a mother who is worried about her children.
''(but me and blaze house in there)'' saya berkata
''(so we must back)'' I continued
"I see... well... they say home is everything, huh? Besides, there are people waiting for you to come home, right? You have to go back," he replied with a gentle smile and stroked my head.
"(How about sinomiya?)" I asked.
''um?''
"If I pull out the ink, will it disappear or will the sinomiya disappear too?" I asked.
"Umm... that's right... there's almost no hope here anymore. But we've tried to make this place better. At least we have fields to eat and other materials to survive. That's why... even if this fog clears, I'm not sure I'll leave this place," said Shinomiya while looking at the moon.
"After all, this is my home," she continued with a smile.
"But because there are so many children, of course it has to be a balance for me to leave here," she said with a small laugh.
..... is that so... this place is home for them but the threats that keep coming make them unable to be here anymore.
Leaving their birthplace for their safety...I think it was a wise choice.
''..umm...'' I mumbled while rubbing my eyes
suddenly i feel sleepy.. besides it's already way past my bedtime
"Ah... it's getting late, you should rest," said Shinomiya while carrying me.
"Thank you for accompanying me tonight," he continued, then rocked me to sleep in his cradle.
...so warm..like a mother..
***
''train us?'' said Blaze as soon as he heard Shinomiya's offer.
After we rested for a night, the next morning after breakfast, Shinomiya suggested training Blaze and Zev. Since the only way out of this was to defeat the Kagerou, there was no other choice but to make Blaze and Zev extremely strong. Therefore, Shinomiya offered to train them. Honestly, I didn't think this was a bad offer. After all, there was no other way than this.
''But if we are stronger, there is a possibility that the shadow will also become stronger, just like us,'' said Zev.
"That's right, because of that. I will train you guys so you can beat each other," said Shinomiya.
"I see... if we group up we might be able to beat each other," said Blaze.
"That's right. But the problem is that my shadow is still there. If you can't defeat it, it's useless. That's why your first goal is to defeat me. But of course, I will still help you defeat my own shadow later. That way, you also have to get stronger so you don't become a burden to me," Shinomiya explained.
''hmph..well..it's not a bad offer. Besides, I really want to avenge your previous attack," said Blaze, who was laughed at by Shinomiya
"Then teach me how to use your sword," said Zev while pointing at Shinomiya's katana.
"This is the first time I've seen such a thin sword. I think it would suit me, who relies on speed rather than strength," she continued.
''um?. That's fine. Then this is called a katana. If you want I can make one for you''
"That would be very helpful," replied Zev
"I want to too," said Blaze.
"Blaze already has his own sword technique. If you add another sword technique, it will only damage your technique. Therefore, I suggest you just strengthen your existing technique," said Shinomiya.
''..is that so.. okay'' said Blaze who looked disappointed
"Don't worry. I'm actually a swordsman. I can teach you at least to master level," said Shinomiya.
"That sounds very reliable. Then please help me," Blaze replied with a smile.
After that, they prepared for their training, and I could only watch them from inside the temple because I couldn't possibly lift a sword. I remembered that the last time I even lifted a Blaze sword, I was already half-dead.
"First of all, before holding a sword, you must train your physical strength first. Therefore, I want you to do some basic training. And you are prohibited from using magic," said Shinomiya.
Hee... I think Shinomiya is a great trainer. He's strict, but his training portions are tailored to Blaze and Zev's physiques. I think Blaze will receive good guidance during his time here.
I watched their practice closely until I realized one thing.
*thud!.. ''hosh..hosh...impossible..I can't take it anymore.'' said Zev who immediately collapsed after a few minutes
.... I just realized that all this time Zev has been relying on magic to fight. So Zev's physical strength is very weak on the other hand
"Are you tired? You're really weak, aren't you?" said Blaze while lifting a large rock with one hand.
''...don't compare me with a monster like you'' said Zev
''Huh? You who are from the dark continent don't deserve to say that,'' Blaze replied.
Blaze's physical strength is truly beyond belief. Could it be that being unable to use magic has allowed her to develop physically faster? I'd guessed that these two truly cover for each other's weaknesses.
Apart from that, I can't do anything.
Even though I have a fairly high level.
*mm...maybe I should start learning magic while they are practicing* I thought while looking at my palms
Compared to physical training, magic should be easier for someone my age. It's just that I don't know where to start. It doesn't seem like anyone here can teach me magic.
*ai is it possible that I can learn magic from you?*
( if you are interested i can give you some information )
*really reliable*
(if so. While you have a lot of time, how about you get to know the concept of this world first)
*world concept?*
(yeah... i suggest you read change destiny and elf princess)
And suddenly he brought out 2 stories that I had never heard before.
(These two stories were written by the same author. And both of them are in the same world as you are now. If needed, maybe they can be your best companions too)
Eh?..does that mean there are two other protagonists in this world besides me? How unexpected. Who would have thought three stories in the same world.
(it also contains the concept of elements and ways that might allow you to awaken your powers earlier. Are you interested?)
*Well... I'm free either. I guess it's okay to dig up more information about this world*
***
For several days I marathon read both stories, and the results I found were quite surprising.
If previously I thought I was the strongest protagonist, my cheat was the strongest, apparently I was wrong. The princess of the empire I currently live in, known as Marcella, is far more cheating than me. Then the princess of the elves, known as Elissa, well... she... you could say her plot is quite normal. At least she doesn't have a cheat that is too severe like the two of us. Except for the matter of being able to see the God of Death and making a contract with the god. Apart from that, I realized one thing that is the same in every plot written by this author. That is, even as a protagonist, you will not be allowed to live an easy life.
From both stories, I realized that even though the protagonists are often facing death's door. From that, I can conclude that my life expectancy in the future will also be slim. The possibility of me being killed is also high because it seems the author doesn't care if the main character dies. No, or rather, he wants the main character to die.
I have to be more careful. Furthermore, from both stories, I also realized that the protagonists are trying to protect those precious to them from death. It's the same as me right now, trying to protect Blaze and the Florin family. But judging by the plot, there's a chance someone close to me will die too.
*if that happens is it possible for me to make a contract with the god of time like them?*
No.. besides I've never met a god.. or maybe not yet?
Apart from that I have come to understand some of the current political situations and what I want to know about the elements
In this world, the elements are divided into seven groups, each of which represents a person's emotions. To summarize, the division of elements based on emotions is as follows:
The lightning element represents hatred. The fire element represents anger The water element represents sadness The earth element represents bonds The wind element represents joy The element of darkness represents fear The light element represents hope
In this world, only Marcella can use almost all of these elements. The reason Marcella can control almost all of them is because her basic powers rely on emotions. Basically, a person can only use two or three elements at most. Like Elissa, who ultimately suits the elements of water and light.
*but this is surprising i thought darkness would be the strongest*
(no, because basically magic with dark elements only functions as support like poison, curses and illusions)
*I see.. and the strongest is lightning, and that's the only element that Marcella doesn't have. That proves that the lightning element is very difficult to obtain*
(Yes... because to awaken this element requires very strong hatred. So not many people have it)
Hate huh...
In fact, judging by its level, this lightning element is the strongest. Honestly, I really want to possess this lightning magic attribute. But the prerequisite is intense hatred, and if I can't control it, I'll be consumed by it. Apparently, the strongest element is a very dangerous double-edged sword.
Well for now maybe I should find the element that suits me best first.
In the original story, Rosalia possesses a strong light element, much like a saintess in a romance novel. The prerequisite for this element is hope. While the meaning of hope is somewhat ambiguous, perhaps I should try starting there.
(By the way, master. After reading those two stories, did you think of anything?)
*something?*
(Didn't you say yourself that you wanted to get off the main storyline? What do you think? Do you also... want to defy fate like them?)
..... defying fate huh... is it true that so far I am the same as them. is it possible..
*Ah, thanks to you, I think I have a card I can rely on. So the reason you said that, it means I can use them to change my destiny, right?*
*if that's the case, I'll follow your wishes* I thought to myself while giving a meaningful smile
(interest points 10+)