Disclaimer: I own nothing
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Several days later
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Sitting on a large blanket, eating their breakfast, is Alice and her group
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"It's very good, thank you Liza, you as well Nana, Lulu"
"Our pleasure Master" Liza says, her tail wagging behind her
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Alice looks and notices Mia pushing the meat around her plate
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"Don't like meat Mia?"
"No meat, it's yucky"
"How about fish?"
"Never tried"
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Alice reaches into her inventory and pulls out a steaming slab of Tilapia, and places it on the plate and hands it to Mia, who hesitantly takes a piece and puts it into her mouth, before her eyes widen
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"Good" she says, smile on her face, already cutting another piece
"A white fish like Tilapia is certainly the best to start with, it's not gamy, and it's also tender but not too tough" Alice says, picking a piece out of her inventory for herself
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They all finish their food; Alice puts the blanket away as Liza cooks some provisions for them. Alice sits on top of the cart, looking off into the rolling hills of the nearby area, and the large forest sitting on the horizon
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Great Forest of Jura/Bolenan Forest
Various Monster Species
? House
Population: ?
Small Settlement
Leader: Rimuru Tempest: Slime
Population: Hobgoblins and Direwolves
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Alice looks at the two, before looking at the map, noting a nearby city a while outside the mystery area inside the forest, she marks the monster settlement and jumps off the cart. She walks over to Liza, who finished preparing provisions and Arisa, who stands next to her with a floating 2 dimensional horizontally floating purple square
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"What is that?" Alice asks
"An item box, it's like an inventory from a video game, it lets you store things in it using Mana, though yours is definitely better" Arisa says as Alice pokes the magic square
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Skill Book Acquired: [Item Box]
Skill Acquired: [Item Box]
[Item Box] – Active/Passive
- Creates a small inventory that can be accessed at will
- When item is placed within: 2 MP per minute
- Cost increases by 2MP per item placed within [Item Box]
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"The skill itself, along with a skill book for it? Curious"
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As Alice thinks to herself about the new development, Arisa takes their provisions and places them in her item box and it disappears. As the others pack up the cart and take care of the horses, Alice sews some of the acquired leather to make better seat cushions for them all to sit on, before sewing a yellow duck, a brown dog, and a white cat. Giving them to Nana, Tama, and Pochi respectively as Mia holds tight to her rabbit. The others notice her and so, with a sigh and a smile, she keeps sewing, a purple salamander with six wings, a doll of Arisa, and a chick, for Arisa, Lulu, and Liza respectively
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The hours pass once they start on the road again, Alice teaching Tama and Pochi to read, or telling a story to the group, and soon enough they again come to a clearing and allow the horses to rest, while Tama and Pochi go explore the nearby ruin looking area, along with Liza to watch them, as Lulu tends to the horses and Arisa sits with Alice, while Carnage, Toxin, and Morgan are asleep in the cart, as they have been the past few days
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"I get that they don't want to be woken until we get there, but that's several more days away" Alice says looking back to the cart
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Alice shakes her head and goes and stands at the back of the cart, she holds up her hand, lightning arcing across her fingers before it shoots towards the three, causing them to shriek as they are woken up and the three piles out of the cart in a hurry
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"That was mean Mama"
"*Yawn* are we there Mother?"
"This doesn't look like an elf village"
"Your gonna stay awake for the rest of the journey, now go get some exercise" Alice says as the children sigh
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Alice fires more blasts of lightning at them as they run off, jumping occasionally as Alice hits them again with lightning
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"I really love [Aiming] and [Sniping]" Alice says, watching the comical scene
"Wasn't that a bit much Master?"
"Maybe, but they've been sleeping since we left"
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Alice sits back as Arisa sits down as well
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"What do you want to learn first?" Alice asks after a moment
"Hmm?"
"I told you, I'm passing my knowledge to you and the others, your my apprentice, what do you want to learn first?"
"Really?" Arisa says, stars in her eyes
"Yeah, so…"
"Lightning, I want to learn your lightning"
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Alice sits up, thinking how best to show her to conjure lightning for the first time, before settling on something
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"Stand up"
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Arisa stands up and Alice looks at her, thinking, before putting a hand on her shoulder and letting a bit of lightning form in her palm and shock Arisa, before dissipating it
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"You felt that right? Good, lightning cannot be contained; it is hard enough to keep it controlled, remember that. Go to your pool of magic, I know you can feel it"
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Arisa closes her eyes, and seems peaceful, more centered
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"Look around in it, from what I understand, every element has its own place in your core, and new ones are added once you experience them, hence the little shock from before. Go and find the lightning"
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Alice watches in interest as Arisa seems to glow, just a bit, before it moves to her arm, coalescing in black lightning across her fingers as a grin crosses Alice's face
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"Good, now open your eyes"
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Arisa opens her eyes and looks down and, seeing the black lightning, smiles, looking at the lightning happily before she points her hand at a tree and watches as the lightning shoots forward and impacts it, leaving a black scorch mark. Alice drills Arisa for an hour, making her shoot her lightning faster, stronger, at a moment's notice, until she can fire instantaneously
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"I'm comfortable saying that you've gotten a very good grasp on my lightning, but we'll stop here today, you look ready to pass out" Alice says, looking at the panting Arisa
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Alice looks over, hearing a sound, and sees Mia and Nana, sitting by a tree, Mia playing a tune on a leaf. Alice walks over to them, sitting down next to Mia, who has her eyes closed. As Mia finishes her tune, she opens her eyes, and seeing Alice, looks to her for approval
.
"It's very good Mia" Alice says, patting her head as Mia smiles
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Alice reaches up into her inventory and pulls out her guitar, placing it in her lap and tuning it for a moment
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"You want to hear mine?" Alice asks as Mia nods and sits back expectantly as Alice thinks of a song
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"Now, let's see…Ah, that's the one"
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Alice snaps her fingers and magic circles appear around her, playing the instruments she can't
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(American Authors: Best Day of my Life)
I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I stretched my hands out to the sky
We danced with monsters through the night
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I'm never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up
No, please don't wake me now
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
I howled at the moon with friends
And then the sun came crashing in
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh
But all the possibilities
No limits just epiphanies
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I'm never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up
No, just don't wake me now
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
I hear it calling outside my window
I feel it in my soul (soul)
The stars were burning so bright
The sun was out 'til midnight
I say we lose control (control)
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
This is gonna be, this is gonna be, this is gonna be
The best day of my life
Everything is looking up, everybody up now
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
.
Alice stops playing, the magic circles disappearing, as she hears clapping, looking at Mia and Nana, noting their awed expressions as they clap for her performance
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"Awesome"
"It was excellent music Master"
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Alice looks out at the horizon, and noticing the sun setting, decides to set up camp for the night. Alice looks towards the ruins and watches, as everyone walks back, smiling and happy, her children included, as she sets up for them to cook dinner. The returning group, seeing what Alice is doing, rush over to her, hungry and ready for food
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"Meat?"
"Time for Meat?"
"""What's for dinner Mama/Mother"""
"Shall I get started on the preparations Master?"
"Look Master, I caught some prey" Pochi says holding up a dead rabbit
"Good job" Alice says patting her head, watching her tail wag in happiness
"I got some too" Tama says, holding up a creature
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Baby Rocket Wolf
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"Tama, that's a baby monster, you sure you want to cook it?"
"Yeah, I caught it myself, I wanna know what this meat tastes like" she says, her tail wagging and stars in her eyes
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The baby wolf opens its eyes and struggles out of Tama's grasp and tries to take off, only for Alice to wave her hand, the creature floating in the air, unable to move
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"Nope" Alice says, floating the creature over to Liza, along with the rabbit
"Liza, can you teach me how to take apart the animals?" Lulu asks
"Sure, I'll show you on one, and you can take apart the other" Liza says, taking the two creatures as Lulu follows her
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About half an hour later, the fire is going and the stew is almost ready, once it finishes they eat and go to bed. Alice pushing some Mana into her ring before she closes her eyes, feeling it turn warm, she smiles as she falls asleep
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The next morning
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On the road, Alice sees who is in the upcoming cart and yells to stop the cart, before going and talking to the man, paying him, and getting the rest of Mia's rat men guards back, the elf girl crying in happiness as she sees them again
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They all go forward, and soon come upon a tree sitting on a large hill, where the rat men make a grave for their fallen comrades and Mia says a prayer as the multi colored spirits appear as balls of light around the tree. Once the light dies down, Mize gives Alice a bell, which she ties on the belt of her dress, signifying her places as a protector of an Elf Princess
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The rat men leave, only Alice and her group remaining, before they pile into the cart and leave as well
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The Next Day
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As Alice and her group eat breakfast in a tavern, Alice wonders about the forest a days travel from them, remembering the mystery spaces in the map. Liza and Lulu pack up the cart and as they move past the city limits they observe a man on a horse knocking down another man, as Alice tells Lulu to stop the cart
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"Move it, watch where you're walking peasant, you're in my way"
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Alice looks over the man on the horse, and remembers that he was the one who tried to steal their cores during the ant invasion in the city. As he leaves on his horse, Alice shoots a small bit of lightning in front of the horse, startling it, buking the man off its back and taking off, the man chasing after it as they all laugh. Alice pulls a potion from her inventory and hands it to the man with the injured shoulder
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"Here, you'll feel better when you take this"
"But we have nothing to pay you with"
"That's fine, it's just one potion"
"Bless you; I am in your debt"
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The man takes the potion, his shoulder heals, and Alice and the others continue on their journey, stopping once the sun begins to set. Once camp is set up, Arisa and the others play cards while Alice manipulates items in her inventory. She holds one of her HP potions in her hands, and places it on the ground, placing her hand over it, glowing, as another bottle appears next to it, identical in every way. Alice smiles, now replicating the two, soon the exponential growth makes it so that they would not need any more potions as she places them all into her inventory
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As night falls, they go to sleep, and Alice keeps watch, sitting atop the cart, searching through her inventory, multiplying every type of potion in there, along with organizing the large mass into a more accessible inventory. Morning comes, they all eat their morning food and continue into the next town, the forest close by at this point, as they park the cart and move through town, they notice a man in a hood, followed by another man, carrying a large sack over his shoulder. The shop they emerge from says 'Alchemy'
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"Hurry up, we gotta get to the next shop, clean them out too" he says as the two run off
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Alice thinks about the scene for a moment, before putting it out of her mind, as the group separates, Arisa taking the others to go stock up on supplies while Alice's children split up to check out places in the city, specifically, blacksmiths and armories, flea markets, and libraries. Alice tells the others before they go that she will be back later, before leaving the city and going near the forest, feeling the shift as she passes through a barrier
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Disorienting Charm Barrier
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As Alice looks at her map once more, the blank space now filled in, she notes several dots coming towards her
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"Boring, time to go…"
"Toss Stone"
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Alice jumps, spikes emerging from the ground that would have impaled anyone normal
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Alice looks at the person attacking her, a girl in a hood, sitting atop a metal steed, as several living suits of armor charge at her, swords drawn
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"You know, I could have popped in here on accident, meaning you'd be attacking me for no reason, you didn't even try to figure out why I'm here and that along with this is making me annoyed" Alice says, dodging sword strikes
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The girl holds her hands out, both glowing a bright color, as more spikes emerge, as Alice swipes her hand, breaking them all
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"Nice try, now it's my turn, you think those were spikes, I'll show you what you could really do"
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Alice holds out her hand and in it forms a dark purple magic circle, in the center of it the symbol of the fell dragon appears.
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"[Expiration]"
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From the ground emerge dark purple and black spikes, impaling all the suits of armor, and a dozen pointing at the girl, preventing her escape
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"Mistress help me, please" the girl yells
"You done now? I wandered in here, I don't mean any harm, until I'm attacked"
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From the sky, a large bird lands on top of the girl and her metal steed, before an old woman jumps off the bird
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"It is a true pleasure to meet you Ma'am, welcome to the forest of illusions. I am the Witch in charge of guarding the Mana source"
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The woman leads her back to a 4 tiered tower, inside is a large pot, potion cooking inside it
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"Forgive my young apprentice, purity of heart and Naiveté go hand in hand. It was foolish of her to attack an emissary of Bolenan, my apologies"
"It's fine, and I'm not an emissary, I'm caring for one of their clan though"
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The door opens, revealing the girl from earlier
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Inenimaana
Lv: 6
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"Miss, please forgive me for earlier" she says bowing her head
"It's fine, just…find out intent before you attack someone, yeah?"
"Okay"
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Inenimaana stirs the potion in the pot, while the witch talks with Alice
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"Ine works hard to make this potion to ease the burden on us during these times, we have a pact with the count of the area, in return for keeping thieves and vagabonds out of the forest, we deliver three hundred vials of a special potion twice a year"
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Alice watches them, learning the potion they are making, before she bids them goodbye, and the witch uses her magic to make path home, made of multicolored balls of light. The next morning, and Alice and her group are in the next town, Sedum city, as Alice eats, she hears a conversation between two hooded people, one with silver hair, and the other a moustache
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"How'd it go?"
"They haven't shown up yet"
"What?"
"The Deadline is set for sundown the day after tomorrow"
"They've been delivered by now every other year"
"How the heck would I know? Even if we can't steal them, we'll destroy enough so the pact can't go through"
"When you become the new Viceroy, I hope you'll make me and my clan your assistants"
"Very well, it would do well to reward your loyalty. But you've got one thing incorrect; I'm planning to become the lord of my own territory, not a viceroy, I'll make it happen, no matter what"
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Alice starts putting two and two together and figures out the two behind her are planning to stop the shipment of potion the witch and her apprentice are delivering, along with making sure no more potions could be made and stored by taking all the potion vials they can find, and even trying to overthrow the current Count of the area. Alice pens a letter quickly, seals it and tosses it into the air, disappearing in a burst of flames
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"What was that Master?" Arisa asks
"Just a little problem getting solved"
"Its time to go Master" Arisa says
"Home" Mia says
"Master, I've come to declare it is past bedtime" Nana says
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They leave and everyone goes to bed, Alice once more sitting atop the cart, keeping an eye on her map, the two hooded characters from before shown as red dots, while the witches are shown as blue. The next morning Alice watches, keeping an eye on Ine as she drives a cart to the city, before she see's several red dots following her
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"I'll be back" Alice yells, before spreading her wings and taking off
"Master! Where are you going?!"
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Alice flaps her wings, before shooting downward and landing in the back of Ine's cart
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"Miss Alice! What are you doing here?" Ine says before jerking the cart to avoid getting hit
"Don't question it, just call it…my 'Saving People' thing"
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Alice turns and faces the men on horses and, just for a moment, they see the visage of a black dragon, with six blood red eyes, before the vision disappears and Alice is remaining, six wings spread, and black lightning arcing across her entire body
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"Sorry boys, this is where you get off"
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Alice pushes her hands towards them, the lightning shootings forth, hitting one, before hitting another, and soon, the horses and the men are skidding across the ground before stopping, all the while their bodies spasm from the electrocution. As the carriage makes its way into the city, two carts of wood are pushed in front of the cart and Alice knows only one way she can stop it
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"[The World]"
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As time stops, Alice flies off the cart, about 7 miles an hour of force still on her when the cart stopped. She flaps her wings and lands softly, and walks towards the two wooden barricades, she raises her hands, places them in between the barricades and pushes them apart, they move twenty feet before they go gray, stopping in time once more. She looks to the people who pushed the carts, ties them up and puts them all together, before tying them all together again
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Alice walks to Ine's cart, and unties the horse, before placing her hand on the cart itself, and pushing it, the wheels moving forward before the cart moves back a few inches, stops completely, before turning gray, time stopped once more.
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Alice stands in front of everyone, hands in her pockets, as she sighs
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"They'll figure out I did this, probably. Oh well, time can resume"
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As the world regains color, the horse takes off, the cart is perfectly still, and at least two dozen people are very confused
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"You good Ine?"
"Yeah, what did you do? There's no way you did all this?"
"Your mistress was right; Naiveté is certainly represented in spades in you"
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Ine pouts and puffs her cheeks as Alice laughs a bit, her group soon rushing to her side and observing the area, getting an idea of what occurred
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"Someone tried to stop Ine?" Arisa says
"Yep, Carnage, Toxin, Morgan, come here please"
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The three children go to Alice, who pulls them in tight and whispers to them
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"Interrogate the prisoners please; find out who they're working for, truth potions, sworn statements and anti-lie protections. Make sure it's all legit"
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The three children smile, their innocent faces not matching the bloodlust around them
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The three children drag the prisoners off into the alley, the sounds of screaming and pleading filling the air as Alice continues as if not hearing
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"Are all the vials in one piece?"
"…Y-yeah, everyone is okay, it's a miracle" she says awed and with a bit of fear
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The screams die down and the three children drag the prisoners back, not a visible scratch on anyone
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"They were hired to stop the potion delivery, either steal or destroy"
"Who hired them?" Alice inquires
"The assistant viceroy, here are their statements by the way, taken under truth potion and imbued with anti-lie protections to ensure authenticity, any third rate magic user can check it"
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Alice takes the statements and duplicates them, placing one copy in her inventory, and give copies to Carnage, Toxin, and Morgan. Finally she seals a copy into an envelope with a letter attached and tosses it into the air, disappearing in a burst of flames
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She opens one and reads it, seeing how they were hired to destroy the potions, or steal them, to destroy the nearby kiln from the pottery shop, and to kill anyone who found out
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"Let's go deliver some potion" Alice says, smug look on her face
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They make it to the office of the assistant Viceroy and stand in his office, along with the mustached man who tried to steal their cores standing by him
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"It's a shame really, all those potion vials getting crushed right before you got here" the silver haired assistant Viceroy says
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Birkinz
Level: 7
Occupation: Sedum City Assistant Viceroy
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"Actually they were all delivered" Alice says
"What?!" the Mustached man says
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Dosan
Level: 5
Occupation: Lowlife Scum
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"Its true sir, all three hundred, appraised and counted" an assistant says
"Here's the receipt, so sign it" Alice says tossing the scroll at him
"Why you smug little…" Dosan starts
"Why yes, I am smug, because I know what you tried to do" Alice says, as the two pale, before Birkinz composes himself
"No one will believe a nobody" he says
"Sworn statements, under truth potions and anti-lie protections" Alice says tossing scrolls at the man
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The silver haired man takes the scrolls and puts them in the fire place, and lights them on fire
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"What statements?" he says
"That's fine, I have duplicates on every person in this room, along with a copy sent to the viceroy" Alice says as the man pales, white as a sheet
"That's fine, you're nobody, and I'm the son of his best friend, once I kill all of you, then no one can dispute it"
"I see you're that type of man after all" a man says
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Everyone turns to the newcomer, a tall man, with blue hair, moustache and short beard, and red eyes
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"Earl Kuhanou Sir! What are you doing here?" Birkinz yells
"I thought you were clever, yet you can't figure out the witch told me of your deeds, along with the letters and sworn statements that were sent to me by the young lady here"
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The witch enters, along with the rest of Alice's group
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"Mistress, you're here too. Thank you Alice, bless you" Ine says
"I knew your father, he was a widely respected man. We first met at the Royal Academy years ago. I gave you this position on account of the respect I had for him. For his sake, I honored you, and you repay me by spitting it back in my face. You do not deserve to be the Assistant Viceroy, as punishment you are hereby banished from the kingdom, may the gods have mercy upon you" The Earl says to the now former Assistant Viceroy
"If you want me out of this office you'll have to force me out" Birkinz says as a blue magic circle forms under Earl Kuhanou
"Spirit of Sedum City, attack this enemy of our people. PUNISH HIM"
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A bolt of blue lightning shoots forth but stops, hitting a sort of force field, before it can impact the Earl
.
"As the Count of Kuhanou, there is no way I could be harmed by such a spell in my own territory, the time for mercy is over, but death is mercy. Draw your sword and defend yourself" he says, drawing his sword
.
Alice rushes forward, jumping over the desk and knocking the two upside the head, unconscious, as she looks back at the count
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"Why did you do that my friend?"
"Well, normally I wouldn't but there are children present"
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The Count sheathes his sword and looks at the witch
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"It appears the witch has a most noble friend indeed" he says as the witch smiles
.
Several hours later, Alice's cart stands by the city gates, everyone else inside as she speaks to the count and the witches
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"Sorry about any trouble"
"You kidding, I got a new kiln and the count promised me priority on all orders going forward, I'm going to be filthy rich for the rest of my life" the potter says
"Miss Alice, from the bottom of my heart, you have my sincerest thanks for your aid in this matter" The Witch says smiling
.
Ine steps forward and give Alice a lantern
.
"Here you go, a thank you gift"
.
Item Acquired: [Witch's Apprentice Lantern]
.
"It's a magic item the Mistress and I made. I hope you like it"
"Its nice, thank you"
"There's one more gift I want to give you before we say goodbye" The Witch says waving her hand
.
From the sky, multicolored balls of light, appear, falling like flakes of snow
.
Title Acquired: [Friend of Witches]
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"Okay, before I go, I do have one question, for you specifically Ine"
"Yes?"
"Why do you have a bird on your head like a hat?"
"Well, he's always rested on my head, it was weird at first, now it's nice" Ine says, patting the head on the brown bird on her own head
.
Alice just smiles and shakes her head before getting into the cart. Alice and her group travel in their cart, Alice feels her ring warm, and smiles.
.
"Guess Zena got the letter"
.
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Zena's P.O.V. Seryuu City
.
"Look Alice wrote a love letter just for me, it appeared in a ball of fire" Zena says, showing off the letter to her friends
"What's it say?"
.
Zena opens the letter and read aloud
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My Dearest Zena
The winter has come and gone, with so little snow. We've just left Sedum city, after uncovering a conspiracy, we head deeper into Bolenan forest, getting closer to Mia's home. Apparently it's also called The Great Forest of Jura, who knew? I hope spring comes soon, for there is nothing in Seryuu I have missed more than you. I think of you every night before I go to sleep, and I know you've been doing the same. I've many stories to tell you once you join me. With that day drawing closer and closer, my happiness grows knowing you will be here with me soon, along with the thoughts of our wedding drawing closer.
Love Alice
.
All of Zena's friends gather around her, watching her face grow crimson, as they tell her how happy they are for her. Zena holds tight to her ring, putting quite a bit of Mana into it
.
.
P.O.V. Restored, on the road with Alice and company
.
Alice feels her ring warm a lot, making her smile even more
.
"You're happy Master" Arisa notes
"Yeah, I am"
.
Several Days Later
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"Master…Wake up Master"
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Alice opens her eyes and sees Nana, naked, only a blanket covering her
.
"You know…I keep telling you to keep your clothes on, it won't make a difference"
"Incorrect, I calculate it will become 12% more efficient this way"
"Yeah, yeah"
.
Alice sits up and stops, looking back and noting Mia sleeping on top of her wings, again
.
"Come sit over here, I don't want to wake her"
"Yes Master"
.
Nana goes over and sits next to Alice, back to her. Alice places her hand on Nana's back, before moving her hand to rest on her shoulder
.
"This is where it is" Alice says, her eyes closed
.
As Alice pulls her hand back slowly, blue wisps on mana following her hand, she is interrupted
.
"Master, your favorite girl in the world is here. AHHH"
.
Arisa jumps in the middle and separates them, ending up straddling Alice herself
.
"What are you doing, and with poor sweet Mia sleeping right next to you"
"Not sleeping" Mia says, snuggling into the warmth of Alice's wings
"Master, please hurry, the excess Magic is painful. Please get it out of my system"
"You weren't doing something uncouth to Mia's daughter?"
"No, of course not, I would never do that to Zena. Now can you get off?"
.
Arisa gets off Alice's stomach and Alice puts her hand on Nana's shoulder again. Alice slowly retracts her hand, wisps of blue Mana following her hand and flowing into her outstretched palm. After some time, no more Mana flows out and Nana sighs in relief as the ball of blue Mana in Alice's palm dissipates into the air
.
"Since Nana became an Elf, she produces more Mana than she can handle. She's getting better, but I still need to do this every now and then" Alice says as Arisa and smiles sheepishly
"Sorry about that Master"
"Really Arisa, have more faith in me" Alice says shaking her head, smiling
.
Mia eventually gets up and Alice retracts her wings, stretching her hands over her head and popping her neck, she looks back to Arisa
.
"So, where are the others?"
"Lulu's cooking breakfast and Liza took the others to go find a sweet plant that Pochi found. Carnage, Toxin, and Morgan are in the woods hunting meat" Arisa says as everyone steps out of the cart, going to sit next to Lulu
"Good Morning Miss, breakfast is almost ready, we just need the meat from Carnage, Toxin, and Morgan" Lulu says
.
Alice sits down and opens up the map, looking at the forest they are set to go into after breakfast. Seeing a large group in a small settlement, along with an even larger army approaching from the opposite end of the forest
.
Orc Army
Leader: [Orc Lord] (?)
Population: 200,000
.
Geld
Race: Orc Lord
A race of Orc granted the skill [Ravenous], turning members of its race into savage mindless soldiers that will devour anything and everything, absorbing their physical characteristics and special skills, creating an infinite loop to create an invincible army and turn Geld into a Demon Lord
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Rimuru Army
Leader: [Rimuru Tempest]
Population: Around 8,500
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Alice looked at that and noticed the [Orc Army] moving towards several smaller settlements, and would arrive there in several days. They seemed to be headed in the direction of Alice and her group anyway, something to look forward to
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"That'll be interesting" Alice thinks, swiping away the screen
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Alice looks up and notices Carnage, Toxin, and Morgan returning, each dragging a deer behind them
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Liza, Tama, and Pochi come back, carrying bundles of fern looking plants. Liza takes the deer, while Toxin and Morgan look at the plants, breaking one open and sipping the juice emerging from it
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"It's sweet, and Minty" Morgan says
"Like candy" Toxin adds
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Alice takes one herself, putting it in her inventory, deciding to see if candy can be made from it. Liza comes back with the meat, and gives it to Lulu, who places it in the pan and on the fire. Once the meat is properly cooked Lulu adds it to the stew. Soon the food is finished and everyone eats
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"What's todays plan Master?" Arisa says
"We'll go into the forest; there is an army on the opposite edge, unsurprisingly right where we need to go. Seems there is another group, one that we could associate with, towards the north east. We're going that way after breakfast" Alice says as the others nod
"Are we joining the fight?" Carnage asks
"We'll join up with the other group and see where we go from there"
"Are we going to be fighting?"
"Are we gonna be heroes?"
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Alice looks at Tama and Pochi, stars in their eyes, and looks away, having a hard time finding the words to let them down gently
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"…Maybe, but let's let me handle that for now, okay?" Alice says as the two lower their heads but nod
"Kay"
"Okie Dokey"
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These two little children hadn't seen anything more than fights with monsters. They had not killed anything intelligent yet. They kill bugs, and other monsters, and are very good at it, but they have never taken an intelligent life. That first kill, the very first time you kill a sentient creature…that stays with you. Alice looks at them, looks at their innocent faces, and vows to keep them that way as long as possible, vowing to keep them from being able to kill without a second thought like she can, like her own children can
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Alice picks up two fern-like plants and hands one to each of them, their heads perk up again and they bite into the plant, sucking the sweet juice from it. Alice feels a tug on her sleeve and looks over at Arisa, who peers at her with a look that says she understood what Alice was thinking, she smiles, and that give Alice some comfort, bringing her out of her darker thoughts
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Everyone piles into the cart, and Lulu drives it into the forest with two names, while Carnage, Toxin, and Morgan sit on the roof, looking for enemies or anything out of the ordinary. They drive the cart for roughly an hour, before they begin hearing noises. Alice jumps to the front of the cart and Lulu hands her the reigns, she flicks the reigns, the horses going faster, swerving left and right to avoid the trees
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"Slow down"
"Too bumpy. I'm gonna be sick" Tama says
"Me too" Pochi agrees
"You're insane Master" Arisa yells
"Thank God for that, otherwise there's no way this would work"
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The carriage shoots into a clearing and Alice pulls on the reigns, the horses and the carriage screeching to a stop as they look over the scene before them
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A great battle, to the left, hordes of Orcs, 7-10 feet tall, with the heads of pigs, numbering almost 200,000; and against them, to the right, a small army, no more than 10,000 total, and even then, it seemed divided into two groups one following a blue haired androgynous person, and the others, a small group of less than 2000, following a lizard person
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Alice watches, a small group of people managing to kill large numbers of Orcs. They were humanoid, their only distinguishing feature was the horns on their head, one red headed one using large black fire to kill a large number, others physically taking out large numbers at once. She watches curious as a wolf with two horns unleashes tornadoes throughout the battlefield, each shooting multiple lightning bolts from them
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"Quite impressive, I don't think we even need to be here" Alice notes, sitting on the roof as the others pile out of the cart to watch
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They continue watching, Alice summoning some popcorn, as they continue observing the battle, Tama and Pochi watching with stars in their eyes, until Liza speaks up
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"Master? Should we not assist them?"
"Hmm, maybe, but I think they've got it covered, if the Orcs start winning, I'll intervene" Alice says as Liza nods
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As the fight continues on, Alice watches, highly interested, as the army of less than 10,000 seems to be pushing back an army twenty times their size.
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Orcs soon move into a formation, all previous fighters moving behind them, the battle stopping altogether, curiously no one makes a move as the Orcs return to a formation. Tens of thousands of Orcs in robes raise their hands and balls of light appear around them, Mia's eyes widening, as they watch. The balls of light darken, their colors shifting into dark versions of what they were
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"Spirits of the world, hear our call; we order you, come forth and bend to the will of the Orc Lord. Terraform this land and slaughter our enemies"
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The darkened spirits sink into the ground, and the world shakes, screaming is heard, coming from every direction, as if the word itself is crying out
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From the earth, giant roots and spikes of earth emerge, coiling together, melding into a creature that exuded an aura that was wrong on a fundamental level. The new creature grows, bigger and bigger until it forms a colossus, two hundred feet tall, made of stone and vines, humanoid in its appearance
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Eldritch Spirit
Level: 1250
Race: [Corrupted High Spirit]/[Eldritch Egg Seed]
HP: 3,000,000/3,000,000 HP regen: 200,000 per minute
MP: 5,000,000/5,000,000 MP regen: 500,000 per minute
Physical Attack Power: 30,000
Physical Defense: 25,000
Magic Attack Power: 75,000
Magic Defense: 100,000
Summary: Spirits corrupted by the bloodlust of their summoner. Forced to combine and form a construct to slaughter, forcing them to go against their nature, creating this monstrosity. It is mindless for now, but if allowed to mature, will become a True Eldritch
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Alice stands up, looking at the creature, as it looks past everyone on the battlefield and looks at her. As Alice unfurls her wings, ready to join the fight, she feels a shaky tug on her sleeve
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"Alice…that magic…is from my people…my village" Mia says, her voice cracking
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Alice kneels down, and pulls the young girl into her chest, Mia crying heavily as the realization dawns on her about the fate of her people
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"I'm sorry Mia, I'll…I'll put it to rest, so your magic is not used in such a way again"
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Alice hands Mia over to the others, who try to comfort the crying girl. She stands up, wings spread, as her golden aura expands out, stunning everyone left on the battlefield
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Alice flaps her wings once, her form rising into the air and floating. As she stands eye to eye with the creature, a black splotch appears in her aura, before it expands, more and more, consuming the Divine Aura entirely, Alice's entire form surrounded by a now jet black aura, a black stone appearing in Alice's hand
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"Orcs, what you've done on this day, you shall pay for it, in blood" Alice says, her voice eerily calm, but heard by everyone on the battlefield
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Alice raises the black stone into the air as her black aura flows into it. Two pairs of purple tattoos appear below her eyes, her own changing color, revealing the appearance of six blood red eyes
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"I am the wings of despair"
"I am the breath of ruin"
"I am the Fell Dragon"
"I…am…Grima"
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Black lightning comes down from the sky, striking the stone, as a black rose covers her form, expanding, and opening, as the large dragon flaps its wings and disperses the rest of the petals around her. Alice stares on with her blood red eyes, in her three hundred foot [Fell Dragon Form], her black snake-like body moving left and right, as her six feathery wings flap to keep her flying
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"You devoured a peaceful race, twisted and corrupted their magic for yourselves, and left their youngest without any place to call home. I will make sure you pay. You will ALL die here today. But first"
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Alice roars, shaking the nearby area and many of the people to their bones. She rears her head back and unleashes her black and dark purple flames, impacting the golem-like creature. It tries in vain to stop the fire from spreading throughout its body, before it is completely covered, and incinerated by Alice's fire. Pieces of it fall to the ground as everyone looks at Alice, who felled a creature stronger than most gods, with a single attack
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A dark purple magic circle appears in front of Alice, turning horizontal and expanding to at least a hundred feet before it descends and sinks into the ground
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"[Expiration]"
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From the ground, thousands of spikes emerge, dark purple and black in color, impacting the Orcs, killing more and more of them, until Alice hears a voice
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"Stop!"
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The spikes stop, many of them inches from impaling their targets. Alice looks down, seeing the blue haired androgynous leader of the smaller army
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Rimuru Tempest
Level: 500
Race: [Slime]/Current Mimicry: [Human]
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Curious enough to ask why, Alice shrinks down, getting closer to the ground, and as she touches down, regains her human form once more, her purple eyes filled with curiosity, but also anger
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"And why should I, slime? My companion, she lost her entire race to those creatures, there are literally nine of them left, the other seven not with me right now"
"Why should there be more bloodshed, why attack another race the same way hers was, kill their leader, fine, I'd do the same, but don't kill an entire race because of the actions of The Orc Lord" He says
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Alice looks back to her cart, Mia staring at her, tears still on her face, as she nods her head
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"You're lucky she's nicer than I am. If I ever and I mean ever, see an Orc Lord again, and they are not immediately killed, I will exterminate their race, completely, and with extreme prejudice"
"U-understood" he says, slightly afraid
"Go and prove your words slime, kill the Orc Lord, and I will kill no more today" Alice says walking back to her cart
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Alice walks back to her cart and sits on the roof, Mia sitting in her lap, Alice's wings covering them like a blanket as the two watch, along with the others below
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From the remaining Orc Horde, emerges a single one, The Orc Lord himself, same pig head, looking just like the others, the only difference from the other Orcs was his yellow eyes, smaller body, and the robe wrapped around him like some kind of wizard, making him seem more like a mage then a fighter
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They observe as a human mage tries to interrupt them with his arrival, before his attacks are deflected by the slime. Throughout the bout, judging from the expressions on the slime's face, Alice figures out that he creates several new attacks and made several realizations about his own power. The Orc Lord slowly making his way to the human mage, who, through the dialog, Alice learns was like some kind of father to it. The Orc Lord devours the mage as his aura expands and grows
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And this is the next chapter
Because this universe is death march merged with reincarnated as a slime, I used that to make giving the homunculus girls names would turn them into elves
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