"So do we have a deal?" Yuki walked closer and asked.
Vincent paused for a moment, acting as if he were contemplating it. In reality, he already had an answer.
"Okay," he replied.
"Good decision," she said with a smile. It seemed that she was genuinely glad that he agreed with her.
"So she can actually smile like that. She's quite adorable when she's not acting like a spoiled brat," he thought to himself.
It's true that she had almost killed him, but now that he thought about it, he realized that he couldn't judge her by normal women's standards.
"Take these," she said, reaching into her robe and handing something to him.
He accepted the items, examining them closely. They were talismans, each shaped like a rectangle made of thin paper. The characters on the talismans were unfamiliar to him, written in an ancient Asian script that he couldn't decipher.
The delicate paper felt ancient to the touch, hinting at the powerful symbolism it held within its inscriptions. It seemed to exude an aura of space, leaving him intrigued and curious about their purpose.
"These are?" he asked, looking at the talismans in his hand.
"Those are teleportation talismans," she replied. "They are set up to take you to the nearest fragments."
Vincent nodded, understanding their purpose.
"Interesting. So, they'll guide me to the fragments, but I'll still have to retrieve them myself?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Couldn't you just help get them all in one go?" He asked. If he was going to use them, then it's better to take full advantage of that space guy power.
He couldn't help but wonder if they had the ability to gather all the fragments at once and save him the trouble of multiple trips.
"We can do that with the other fragments, but some of them are special, if you know what I mean," Yuki remarked.
He understood her implication.
'So, she's talking about those fragments like in Erika's case,' he concluded.
"But I still need to make the most of these opportunities," he thought for a moment. Then, an idea came to his mind.
"Okay, help me get those easy-to-get fragments. And if there's a guardian beast guarding them, please don't kill it. Just find a way to capture them," he requested.
"A weird request, but sure,"
The request aligned with her own interests since she wasn't supposed to cause direct damage as an outsider .
Capturing the guardian beasts would be a straightforward task for her partner, who had the ability to control space.
"Good,"
A subtle smile formed on Vincent's face. Yuki seemed to believe that his powers solely came from the fragments, unaware of the unique ability he possessed – the power to absorb creatures and assimilate their essence.
He knew that revealing his trump card prematurely might put him at a disadvantage or draw unnecessary attention. Instead, he decided to bide his time and surprise them with his true power when the moment was right.
'The power to absorb almost anything is seriously overpowered,' he thought, genuinely amazed. 'I can't believe that Evangeline and Elizabeth were able to pull off this plan.'
The thought of their foresight and intricate planning impressed him. The preparations made to grant him the ability to absorb anything indicated that they had envisioned his potential for limitless growth.
He could already sense that reaching the level of a Peak God was not his ultimate limit. He felt a vast potential within himself, and he knew that with time and continuous growth, he could transcend even further.
Yuki, on the other hand, picked up on his subtle hints of his ambitious plans. However, she was too arrogant and confident in her own power to be concerned about his intentions.
She couldn't fathom the idea that he might be planning to surpass and suppress everyone in the future. It was an audacious notion, one that not even her Lord Hades dared to imagine.
"Let's separate from here. I'm going to contact you once we collect the other fragments," Yuki spoke, eager to fulfill her side of the bargain as soon as possible.
"You do that," he replied, and together, they exited his domain, returning to the hill where they had initially met.
Standing outside, the moon was still in full display, casting its soft, ethereal glow over the surroundings.
Yuki's beauty, for some reason, had become more highlighted because of the moonlight. The subtle interplay of light and shadows accentuated her features, making her appear almost like a beautiful japanese doll spirit.
Unfortunately, her cold demeanor immediately returned after their talk. She took her leave swiftly, not giving him the opportunity to savor her beauty any longer.
As she flew off without wasting any time, Vincent couldn't help but chuckle.
"That woman is pretty interesting," he remarked to himself, watching her figure disappear into the horizon.
He had been accustomed to being adored by women, but her demeanor was different, and he found her refreshing in her own way.
He didn't sense any hint of attraction from her. In fact, he felt like she was looking down on him. It stung his ego, but instead of getting angry, he felt a determination to conquer her..
"I wonder if she's Hades' woman?" He muttered to himself, briefly entertaining the thought.
However, he quickly dismissed it, knowing that adding someone like Yuki to his already complex life would only complicate things further.
"I'll cross that bridge when I get there," he decided, pushing aside such thoughts for now. He had more important matters to focus on – collecting the fragments and growing stronger.
He knew that his responsibilities to Elizabeth, Evangeline, Erika, and others already demanded much of his attention, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.
He carefully concealed the teleportation talisman within his clothing, knowing that keeping it within his domain would be too risky.
"Time to head back," he said as he stretched his legs, arms, and neck, checking if he had fully healed from any potential injuries. After ensuring he was in good shape, he felt ready to go back to the hotel.
SWOOOOSH
Back at the hotel, Vincent watched the girls from the open window playing around, unaware of the intense battle he had just been through.
They seemed to have complete faith in his abilities, not suspecting that he had faced a formidable opponent that almost killed him.
Vincent smiled as he observed their carefree demeanor.
"It's a good thing my clothing has self-repair functions," he mused to himself. His attire had concealed any evidence of the battle, making it easier to keep the truth hidden.
He knew that if he were to reveal what had transpired, it would undoubtedly shock and worry them.For now, he decided to keep the details to himself, not wanting to burden them with unnecessary concerns.
"You're finally back. How was it? Did you get the fragment?" Erika was the first to notice him.
"Yeah, I did," he smiled and leaned in to give Erika a quick kiss.
"What happened? You seem to be in a good mood?," Erika teased with a playful grin.
"I'm always in a good mood," he said, turning around and planting a quick kiss on Emilia's lips, then moving to Isabella and doing the same, and finally reaching Selene for a gentle kiss too.
"Who wants to go first?" Erika asked with a mischievous grin as she hugged him from behind.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺