Even before we stepped into the room, I could feel Nanabi's overwhelming energy.
She felt like a small mountain standing in front of me, strong and stable.
But even then, she paled in comparison to Tamamo.
She felt like an entire mountain range, spanning thousands of kilometers, concentrated in a small body.
And this in what I knew to be her sealed state.
I could also see the pattern of the seal itself.
It was like a small breach in reality, with something flowing through it, and into Tamamo's body.
It reminded me of a funnel, limiting the amount of water coming through it.
"Hmm...? That's... Are you the ally of that Kitsune!?" Luka questioned, looking at the large, seven tailed, centaur-like Kitsune's body guarding the door in front of him.
Alice and I had already hid ourselves.
"Yes... I am Nanabi." the Kitsune spoke, introducing herself.
"Eh...?" Luka exclaimed in confusion.
He expected the monster's name to be Tamamo, after all.
"Past this door is the treasury... So I can't let you pass. If you choose not to return..." Nanabi started.
"I'll advance, even if by force!" Luka resolutely interrupted.
"Understood... I'll show you the power of Tamamo's aide!" Nanabi declared in response her power surging.
"Guh...!" Luka grimaced, shrinking back from his adversary's overwhelming presence, as he unsheathed his sword.
He opened the fight with a Thunder Thrust, grazing the monster's side.
"Does my fluffy tail feel good?" Nanabi asked seductively, as one of her tails massaged Luka's groin.
He slashed at the appendage, recoiling from the opponent's strength.
"Kuh... How powerful..." he grimaced, as Nanabi rushed him.
"I'll hold it in my mouth..." Nanabi said, as she lowered his pants, greedily taking Luka's member in her lips.
Luka slashed at her, getting some distance.
"Now... Should I get a little serious?" Nanabi drawled, as her aura flared up even stronger, a leaf now placed on her forehead.
Luka meditated, restoring his energy.
Then he tried to slash Nanabi to interrupt her concentration, but she easily shrugged off his attempt.
"Now... Prepare yourself!" Nanabi warned as her power reached the peak.
Luka assumed a defensive stance instinctively.
"Go mad with pleasure!" Nanabi yelled, as all of her tails shot towards Luka at the same time, coiling around his manhood.
He barely managed to resist her powerful attack.
"You managed to endure it... Pretty sturdy for a human... Fufu." Nanabi complimented, as Luka panted hard.
He slashed at the now motionless tails, Nanabi grimacing slightly as the attack connected.
"With no moonlight down here, it takes some time to regenerate my magic power..." Nanabi said, as she lay on the ground, pausing her attacks for a moment.
Luka used the chance to meditate again, before continuosly slashing at her.
"Now... Shall we start again!?" Nanabi yelled as she got back up, her power restored.
Luka tried to back off, but she followed.
"I'll put it here..." Nanabi said, as she crushed Luka's penis between her exposed breasts.
Luka slashed at her, as two tails shot out at him.
"Uguh..." he grimaced.
"Now, give up. If you do, I'll give you pleasure that will send you to heaven." Nanabi promised.
Luka cut her again, as she took his penis into her mouth.
Luka took some distance and meditated again.
"Shall I make you my prisoner with my tail...?" Nanabi said, as her tails coiled around Luka's body.
"Shall I play with you slowly? Until you let it all out... Fufu." Nanabi seductively voiced out, licking her lips.
"Grr... Let go!" Luka demanded, as he struggled against the hold.
"You haven't given in yet... I wonder how long that will last. Shall I tighten it...?" she questioned, as a tail coiled around Luka again, squeezing him harder.
"Le... Let go!" Luka yelled, as he managed to break free.
"You struggled harder than I thought... You only have to lay back and be comfortable..." Nanabi lulled.
Luka slashed her again, before she started gathering her magic once more.
Luka slashed her a few more times and meditated, preparing for the onslaught.
He barely resisted the attack again, but as he backed up, Nanabi acted.
"I won't give you any time to heal!" she declared, her eyes flaring with magic.
I had already looked away.
Luka hadn't.
"Guh... Sh... it... Guh..." Luka said, as his eyes closed, and he staggered, falling asleep on his feet.
I sighed in relief at the sight.
I knew at that moment, he had already won, after all.
"I'll use my tail to force you to come..." Nanabi gloated, sure of her own victory.
As her tail shot towards the sleeping Hero, however, he deftly dodged, swaying like a leaf in the wind, moving in rhythm with his inner surging Light energy.
"What the...!?" Nanabi questioned with a perplexed tone.
"Alice... You shouldn't eat weeds... *snore* Mmmnn..." Luka mumbled in his sleep.
I almost laughed loudly at the ridiculous scene.
"Was that on accident...!?" Nanabi asked no one in particular, her tail shooting forward again.
But, same as before, Luka was untouchable.
"Are you mocking me!? No... He's definitely asleep..." Nanabi said in confusion.
"Zzzzzzzzz. Here... Go..." Luka said, before his sword slashed forward in a deadly dance, in rhythm with his exploding energy.
"Kuh... Impossible! It's as if he's an entirely different person!" Nanabi yelled, as she recoiled from the onslaught she just suffered.
"In that case... How about this!?" she said, as two tails shot forwards instead of just one.
But Luka dodged them both effortlessly.
"What the hell...!?" the Kitsune shrieked.
"*Snore* So full..." Luka mumbled, as power accumulated within him, before releasing it in a bright blast from his blade's tip.
Nanabi barely manged to get out the way, as the blow grazed her, causing an explosion behind her.
"What's with that power!? If I get hit by that...!" Nanabi fearfully said, before quickly accumulating her power again.
"Take this! My ultimate attack!" Nanabi shouted, all of her tails shooting forward again.
"Mmmm... Useless..." Luka said, before his energy flared again, looking to my senses like a small star had appeared within him.
Nanabi couldn't stop in time, as she collided with the powerful energy.
"Impossible... This..." the Kitsune stammered in disbelief, before her body dissipated, reforming into a normal fox.
"Holy shit..." I breathed in awe, as Luka started to wake up.
"Mmm... Nmn... Fwa... That was a nice nap." he said as his eyes opened.
He blinked a couple of times, looking confused, before realization dawned on him.
"Ah that's right! Those weird eyes made me fall asleep!Hmm?" he exclaimed, as Nanabi's sealed form sat in front of him silently, before the first Kitsune he sealed appeared as well.
She ran around nervously for a few seconds, before finally lying down next to her comrade.
"What's going on...?" Luka asked in befuddlement, scratching his head with a curious expression.
"You don't remember?... It looks like you really were completely asleep." Alice commented as she reappeared.
I also left my hiding spot.
"Alice... Daniel... Just what happened?" Luka inquired in bewilderment.
"You kicked ass, that's what happened! Seriously man, what the hell is up with your sleeping habits!? Remind me never to get close to you when you sleep..." I quipped in an impressed tone.
"What?" Luka asked, blinking in confusion.
"You're significantly stronger when asleep, but I don't know why..." Alice elaborated.
"Eh? I am?" Luka questioned, still in a daze.
"You should only fight while sleeping from now on. If you do that, it will be an easy trip." Alice pondered.
"No way... Let's continue on! That Tamamo monster or whatever must be in there!" Luka declared, changing the topic, as I felt Tamamo's energy getting closer to us.
"It seems like you were too late..." Alice noted.
"Eh...!?" Luka exclaimed, as the door before us opened.
I was very tempted to hide at that moment, but my feet felt like they were made of lead.
In fact, all of my body felt heavy, like gravity had suddenly increased, though it didn't appear to actually be the case.
As the door slowly opened, a lone small girl with blonde hair and fluffy fox ears on top of her head appeared, dressed in a miko outfit, a fan in one hand, numerous tails protruding from her back.
"She looks weaker than Nanabi..." Luka commented, sighing in relief.
"Idiot. Look at her tails." Alice pointed out.
"One, two, three... Nine!? But it's only two more than Nanabi..." Luka counted, looking unconvinced at Alice.
"...Idiot. Seven tails isn't even comparable with nine. She's one of the four Heavenly knights: Tamamo. One of the top monsters, like Granberia." Alice introduced.
"W...What!?" Luka fearfully stammered.
"Sorry, you two. You became like that as I moved onto the treasury." Tamamo said, patting the two sealed foxes on their heads.
"I'll give you a tiny bit of my power." she added, as a fragment of her energy passed through her palm into the silver fox.
Suddenly, the little Kitsune regained her original appearance.
"Wawawa..." the small monster yelped, as she hid behind Tamamo's back.
"Nanabi... It will take me a little longer to return you. Sorry, but I'll have to do it later." Tamamo apologized, as the small fox bowed at her feet.
Finally, the nine-tailed Kitsune turned to face us.
Her reaction was unexpected, as her gaze moved from my allies to me.
She stopped for a moment, looking at my face with a confused expression.
Then she blushed heavily.
Eh?
She opened her fan in front of her face, hiding her reddened cheeks, as she coughed lightly.
What?
"Hum... So you're Luka? Defeating Nanabi... You must have some skill." she commented, as she drew closer to us, her fan still hiding the lower half of her expression.
She glanced at me again when she reached us, her blush deepening, as I stayed uncomfortably silent.
Luka's gaze dropped to the old bell in her hand.
"No way... Is that..." Luka started.
"Indeed, this is the Poseidon's bell. Crossing over to Sentora is so annoying, so I'm taking this. Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me, But Alma Elma is so annoying..." Tamamo groaned.
"Alma Elma...?" Luka questioned.
"She's one of the four Heavenly Knights as well, causing a storm that blocks the route." Alice explained.
"Do the four Heavenly Knights have a reason to block the route...?" Luka questioned.
"Saying that... If you want this bell, what are you going to do?" Tamamo said, glancing at me for a moment again.
What was wrong with her?
"Uhm... Defeat you and take it, I guess?" Luka tried, as he moved to draw his word.
"...Stop. She isn't someone you can face right now." Alice warned, grabbing his wrist.
"But..." Luka protested, before Tamamo started laughing.
"Haha, that's surprising... That human caught your interest, Monster Lord?" she casually inquired, unaware of the bomb she had just dropped on Luka.
"Alice... You..." he stammered, looking at Alice in confusion and betrayal.
Alice was silent for a moment, before finally speaking up.
"...Did you finally realize it you idiot? I am the Monster Lord, Alipheese the sixteenth." she proclaimed.
"No way!" Luka exclaimed in disbelief.
"Oops... Was I not supposed to say that? I spoke out of place..." Tamamo wryly said, before Luka turned to me, his eyes meeting mine.
He instantly understood the implications, as my face was all but surprised.
"Y... You knew?" Luka asked in a strained voice.
"...I did." I simply confirmed.
"Why!?" he questioned in a loud, pained yell.
I sighed softly once, before replying with a calm voice.
"The signs were all there you know? You just never connected the dots. I told Alice I would keep it a secret until you figured it out on your own. You should know by now, that she's not a bad person despite her attitude right? How do you think she felt, hearing you speak about the Monster Lord?" I inquired, glancing at Alice.
Luka blinked a couple times, before turning to Alice again, his rage turned to thoughtfulness.
Alice herself stared at me in shock, probably having expected me to blame her for my silence.
Tamamo looked at me with what seemed to be renewed interest.
Silence reigned for a few seconds, before the nine-tailed Kitsune cleared her throat and started speaking again.
"Ahem... So, about the bell... It's not like I would be totally unwilling to part with it..." she trailed off misteriously.
What?
That wasn't supposed to be how the conversation would go.
What had I changed!?
"I would like to ask for something in exchange however..." she drawled, as a blush reappeared on her face behind the open fan.
"What do you want?" Luka inquired.
Tamamo then turned to face me, our eyes meeting for a moment.
I finally understood the implications, and I felt my blood freezing in my veins.
My refusal left my lips instantly.
"No." I firmly declared, despite my inner terror.
"What? What are you talking about?" Luka asked in confusion.
"It's not like I planned to ask for more than one night..." Tamamo disclaimed, after a moment of surprise.
"What?" Luka asked again, still failing to realize the stakes.
"I thought you would be used to this sort of thing, having lived together with monsters before." Alice pointed out in a puzzled tone.
"No. I will not be selling myself, under any circumstances. Am I clear?" I questioned in a serious voice.
Luka's eyes widened as he finally figured out what the discussion was about.
"That's right! That would go against Ilias' commandment..." he started.
"This has nothing to do with Ilias." I interrupted him.
"Then why not? I can assure you, despite my looks, I'm quite experienced..." Tamamo assured in a seductive tone.
"I don't have to explain myself. My answer won't change." I adamantly declared, crossing my arms in front of me.
"...Oh? Could it be...? You haven't been with anyone yet?" Tamamo said in realization, her tone growing hungrier.
A moment later, she took a step back in alarm, as her gaze met my own.
"I said no." I repeated in a chilling voice that seemed to drain the room of any warmth, as I looked at the old monster with absolutely cold eyes.
Glancing back at my allies, I noted they seemed to have the same reaction as Tamamo, as they stared at me with alarmed expressions on their faces.
After a moment, I closed my eyes and exhaled, lifting the oppressive atmosphere.
Tamamo coughed behind her fan, breaking the silence.
"Anyway, I'll be taking the bell." she concluded, before turning to the small Kitsune tugging on her sleeve.
I simply stared at the small bell in her hands.
"Hmm? What...? Hmmhmm... I see... So you saved her life Luka? Then, as the leader of the Kitsunes, I must thank you. Well then, here you go." she said, before handing Luka Poseidon's bell.
I looked away from her right after, as I now had nothing left to say to her.
"But... Is it really ok? Handing it over so quickly...?" Luka automatically questioned, before flinching and looking back at me.
I didn't turn to him, as I gazed at nothing, simply waiting for Tamamo to leave.
"I don't really care. The traps in this cave looked like fun, so I wondered in here." Tamamo shrugged.
"Oi, oi, that can't be... Well, whatever." Luka stopped talking, glancing at me again.
"Now what are you going to do, Luka? Are you going to try to defeat me?" the Kitsune asked.
"...There's no reason to fight. I'll only fight those who try to stop monsters and humans from coexisting." Luka denied.
"Hmm... An admirable endeavor. However, we will fight eventually. After all, I am one of the Monster Lord's four Heavenly Knights." Tamamo reminded.
"...If it happens it will happen." Luka declared.
"Well then... Farewell." Tamamo concluded, as she glanced at me for a last time before disappearing in a portal together with her two subordinates.
Silence reigned for a few seconds after that, as I sighed in relief.
I had never been more scared in my life...
"...So Alice, you're the Monster Lord...?" Luka asked, as Alice kept her eyes closed with a sad expression.
"...I didn't hide it. You were just too big of an idiot to realize it." Alice confirmed.
"Looking back on it, it was pretty stupid not to notice..." Luka wryly acknowledged.
"You should have noticed it when Granberia followed my orders. Daniel did. Isn't the only person who can give an order to the four Heavenly Knights the Monster Lord?" Alice deadpanned.
Luka was silent at that for a few moments.
"Why... Did you travel with me?" he finally inquired.
"My answer is the same as before. You're an interesting human. In addition I want to see the world with my own eyes. Traveling with you satisfied both of my interests." Alice explained.
"Did you really order an all-out war with humans?" Luka questioned.
"'Only in self-defense are you allowed to exert power.' That was my only command to the monsters. It must have gotten distorted when it reached human ears. I didn't want a full-scale war." Alice elaborated.
"Exert power not to rule humans, but only in self-defense...? But then why was Granberia at Iliasburg!?" Luka demanded.
"With the Slaughter of Remina, the humans were burning with hatred toward the nearby monsters, with a dangerous situation brewing. Violence was only approved for self-defense purposes. But... A lot of monsters seem to have taken a more liberal interpretation of what I meant. An inexcusable act." Alice claimed.
"What the hell happened then!? Wasn't it the Monster Lord's command to not leave a single survivor!?" Luka inquired.
"I don't know. Trying to find the truth of that situation is another reason for my journey, same as Daniel." Alice declared.
"That's right, Daniel! You said your parents are from Remina right? What did they tell you?" Luka asked.
I took a deep breath before answering.
"...As I already mentioned, they never actually told me what happened. I asked multiple times, but they never said a word. I have no idea why. But I'm certain the official story is a load of crap. Both versions." I said with certainty.
I did know what I was talking about, even if the reason was different from what my allies thought it was.
"Both versions?" Luka questioned in confusion.
"The slaughter of Remina took place before I took the throne. However, the previous Monster Lord did not give the instruction to attack that town either. I still do not know who gave the command for that. But the most mysterious part... Even the monsters that were living with the humans in Remina were slaughtered. Hence the official version according to many monsters, that say humans attacked first." Alice elucidated.
"Even the monsters were killed...?" Luka asked in realization.
Alice then seemed to gather her resolve, before speaking again.
"Well, that's the end of that talk. What are you going to do now, Luka? The opponent you have to defeat is right in front of you." she inquired neutrally.
"Eh...?" Luka exclaimed, before closing his eyes in thought.
I held my breath in anticipation.
This was another turning point.
Depending on Luka's answer, I might have lived or died there.
Thankfully, Luka did not draw his sword, instead adopting an unimpressed expression.
I closed my eyes in relief.
Another step towards survival.
"Don't joke around. What would you have done if I challenged you? Besides, if you vanished right now wouldn't the monsters just all be confused?" Luka questioned.
"Hmm... They might. I want them to obey my orders... But I still get the wishy-washy ones like Granberia and Alma Elma." Alice acknowledged.
"So the person causing the storm between the continents was Alma Elma herself, and she wasn't acting on your order?" Luka inquired.
Alice simply nodded in response.
"But you know... Granberia has always insisted that the Ilias temple is the ringleader of evil. It's a Hero manufacturing facility that churns out Heroes to fight monsters. She argues that destroying it is self defense. As a theory it's... Not too far off the mark. The people who call themselves Heroes are pretty unsightly." Alice then remarked.
Luka was silent at that.
"But is it ok? Not fighting me." Alice insisted.
"I already told you, Alice. I only fight monsters who get in the way of humans and monsters coexisting. But... The Monster Lord's castle is still my aim. It also looks like the four Heavenly Knights are going wild doing their own thing." Luka pondered aloud.
"I can understand their viewpoints... Therefore I usually leave them alone. I have my own viewpoint as the Monster Lord... All monsters are my cute subordinates. No matter what you say, I won't lend a hand to defeat my own cute little subordinates. You understand, right?" Alice asked.
"I won't ask for your help. You're traveling with me, but not my ally." Luka recited.
"...Exactly." Alice said with a small smile, before we started moving towards the exit.
~– ~ – ~
Some time later, we left the dark cavern, stepping under the daylight again.
"Are you okay Daniel? You haven't said anything in a while." Luka asked with a concerned tone, as we walked out of the legendary pirate's cave.
"I'm fine." I simply assured.
Luka was silent for a moment.
"...Alright." he hesitatingly acquiesced.
However, I could tell that he still was uncomfortable, and Alice kept glancing at me with a thoughtful expression.
This needed to be addressed.
I couldn't afford for their trust in me to waver.
I still needed their help to survive.
And I knew that it was time to pay the price for it.
A price of truth.
I still didn't really want to.
And I couldn't do it in full anyway.
But I was just so tired of lying all the time.
And also, they deserved better...
"...Later. When we make camp." I finally declared, as Luka and Alice turned to me in surprise.
A moment later, Luka's lips stretched in a happy smile, his eyes glistening with tears.
Alice closed her eyes neutrally, turning slightly away from me.
I could only sigh in resignation, mentally preparing myself for the future discussion.
Despite the dread, a small part of me was looking forward to it.