Was in a fine mood so have another rapid fire update.
"Yuha! Wait!"
Ignoring Fubuki and racing towards the building's entrance and the origin of the screams, the girls hot on his heels, the sound of trumpets reached his ears.
Finding the transparent double doors already retracted, he dashed outside.
And came to a skidding stop.
Blinking.
"What."
For the sight that greeted his eyes forced his brain to reboot itself.
"Its Yuha!"
"We're saved!"
"I think I saw King as well!"
"Truly?! Then we have nothing to fear!"
He ignored the gathered crowd of normies and low rank heroes all around him. Focused instead on the deep dark hole into the ground but a dozen meters from the building's entrance.
The hole which, even the blazing sun overhead, seemed unable to penetrate its depths and from which, a cadre of familiar figures had emerged.
"The hell are the Subterraneans doing here?!" Fubuki mumbled as she came to a stop behind him, voicing the thoughts in Yuha's brain without Yuha having to worry about his family friendly image.
Cause even if he didn't plan to make this reality his permanent home, on the off chance he did or came back later, moirchandising was where the money was at, and being family friendly played a big part in reaching the widest audience possible.
In lieu of replying, the quartet of Subterraneans, surrounding the hole and with trumpets in hand, blew through their instruments again.
And Yuha winced.
It's vuvuzelas all over again! Fucks sake!
But, much as he'd like to each of the four…persons? He nodded to himself, yeah, they were sapient. So persons they were.
At any rate, much as he'd like to slap them and insist they cease this assault against everyone's ears, the sight of a fifth figure, kneeling a step to the left of the cavernous hole while holding a spear with a white flag waving from its tip and with his other arm stretched to the side, palm up, kinda like how Hunters knelt in front of the Vileblood Queen, he regrettably could not.
"Is that Blizzard?!" another from the crowd shouted. "They are doomed, then!"
Rolling his eyes at the peanut gallery, Yuha chose to remain on guard and with a half Roshi and Kaio-ken at stage six.
Seriously, was every normie in this hell hole an idiot or what? Did they not see the white flag waved by the poor dude?
Now granted, unless something unexpected happened, Yuha had little to fear even if it came down to a fight. For he was, comparatively at least, massively stronger than when he faced their army and their King.
And so, unless they had someone as strong as said man to throw at him? Yeah, he could probably mop them up by his lonesome if it came down to it.
Not that he expected it to come down to that.
…Much as it disappointed his instincts and the distant roaring sound.
His brows furrowed as he turned his focus away from the crimes against music for a second and gazed inwards, following the roaring. It might be just his idea and yet, it sounded remarkably similar to an ape—
The trumpets changed tune to something even more horrendous, and Yuha winced again, and tears threatened to spill.
My ears…my poor, poor ears.
But Yuha quickly forgot about his ears, for a figure rose from the hole. A figure which forced his neurons to activate, his eyes to widen and his lungs to expand.
Step on me, mommy!
Behind him, Fubuki growled and slapped him on the back of his head, forcing it forward a tad and yet his eyes never left the majestic figure nor did he pay any attention to the corgi like growl coming from Lily and her kick against the back of his shin.
For the redheaded dark-skinned woman sashaying out of the hole, had all the elegance of a Queen, as her crown and the small golden tiara across her brow proclaimed.
While the thin bands of metal, gold, and blue fabric serving as the woman's criminally short skirt and chest plate left little of the muscular woman's form to the imagination.
"I see, you were right in your assessment, Da'nir," the woman said, voice aloof, sending a tiny nod towards the still kneeling flag bearer, the man visibly puffing up even if he remained kneeling. "The adversary was here, after all."
He suspected that the woman's words referred to him, and yet, Yuha, eyes starting on the thighs that could crush the heads of lesser men like grapes, to the abs you could grate cheese on or the enormous breasts and the pointy elf like ears from which golden bands hung found he cared little.
That's one tall glass of momma!
Another slap. Another corgi barking.
"As you say, my Queen," the kneeling man apparently named Da'nir demurely replied.
Yuha's eyes sharpened and the horni within his brain was squashed by the roaring ape and his senses shot to full alert like a submarine preparing to dive.
"Battle stations men! Ignore the booba! All hands on deck!"
"But Captain! Look at the size of those cannons! The strength of those chocolate thighs! Why she might be even hotter than Tatsu—"
The sound of a pistol firing echoed within Yuha's maddened brain-meat.
"You there, sailor! Throw the traitorous cur to the brig, and if he still lives when we surface again, he'll walk the plank!"
"Aye aye, captain! Come. On your feet you freakin Tankie!"
He shook his head, ignoring the insanity within.
Assessing the newcomer whom, judging by her staring back at him, expression guarded was doing the same.
Shit! He fought the urge to lick his lips, in worry or excitement he knew not. She's almost as strong as their King… he paused and gritted his teeth. No. Given that as my power improves, so do all my abilities, Ki-sensing included…She might be stronger than the dead fart.
And that was a disquieting thought.
For against the rest of the rubble, he had little to fear given what his senses were telling him.
But against the woman in front of him?
And finding that the Subterraneans apparently did not reproduce King Cold style or that their women apparently looked humanoid enough? That was something to be contemplated later, when he didn't have a potentially deadly fight in his hands.
"Hmm…" the woman hummed, crossing her arms in front of her impressive bust, the golden bands threading her upper arms creaking underneath the pressure. "Yes," the woman nodded at last as she looked him up and down. "Judging by your strength, adversary, and given you no doubt still have strength to spare, I can see how you felled my husband."
Oh shit! Yuha smiled even as inside panicked enveloped his soul and behind him, gusts of wind caressed his back and a feeling of… Fubuki was preparing to fight wasn't she. Time to pull out the bullshit and hope it works!
"My lady," he said, stepping forward and making everyone around him tense, friend and foe alike. "I believe you have me at a disadvantage," he continued as he approached with slow, languid steps and rose an arm, taking the Queen's own into his, the woman and steel like muscles not resisting, and lifting it to his lips, planting a chaste kiss. "For you see, I find myself confused."
The woman arched a thick red eyebrow and stared at him with piercing green eyes. But said eyes belonged to neither Tatsu nor Fubuki, so he cared little.
"After all, judging by your entourage and your prodigious strength and beauty both I can only surmise you are one of our cousins, the Subterraneans, but I must confess, I was not aware that such rare flowers such as you lived amongst your people."
The woman's lips quirked upwards just a touch, and a cool, brief chuckle escaped her lips.
"Mmh, you have a way with words, don't you, little man?"
Yeah, more like I have a vi and the benefit of slowed perception plus tropes to give me the ability to spin a tale of bullshit!
He continued to smile.
"As you say, my lady," he said instead, rising back to his full height, and indeed, it was an experience to see a woman taller than him in his new body. He liked it. "Still, as I said, you have me. Us. At a disadvantage. I am the hero Yuha, and I have to ask and reiterate my words to your late husband and warriors both. What is your business with the surface people today?"
He took a step back, crossed his arms and the smile slipped from Yuha's face as he flared his aura and pushed kaio-ken all the way to stage nine for an instant.
"For if you wish to talk, you'll find us gracious hosts, but if you hold ignoble intentions, know that the surface is under my protection!"
Marika preserve me! Oh…Oh I didn't think it was possible to suffer from a chuuni overdose!
The crowd cheered behind him, and he sighed.
At least my customers…err, people under my protection, yes! They seem to be eating this shit up…
Thankfully, the Queen of the Subterraneans seemed to be pleased at his words, judging by her smirk and nod.
"Da'nir."
"Yes, my Queen!"
"Tell our men to stand down and sent up the princesses, it would seem my Husband's impression of…Yuha was correct, the man possesses a good heart and strong will both."
"But, my Queen, are you certain—"
"Are you defying me, Da'nir?"
The kneeling man shuddered. "No! Never! I obey, my lady!" the man said, and rising, offered a quick salute and without paying Yuha and mind, all but jumped down the hole.
As for the woman, she focused back on Yuha and offered him a lazy, if somewhat salacious, smile.
"Am I correct in assuming you speak for the surface then, hero?"
Yuha arched an eyebrow.
"Only until someone stronger or of higher standing decides to speak in my stead. I'm not the top hero, my lady," he offered.
"Oho~"
"Also, if I may be so bold, I fear I must correct you on something."
The woman's eyes glinted.
"Oh~ And what is that?" the woman asked, leaning forward a tad, but Yuha's eyes remained fixed on her mirth filled ones.
"I am not the one who felled your husband, he was a mighty warrior but in the end he proved my better, the one to whom the honor of facing, and felling your King belongs to is my senior in the hero business, Metal-Bat."
Sorry, man. Yuha sent a quick mental apology and prayer both for the man's continued good health. For if his suspicions regarding the woman in front of him panned out and given her mix of barbarian and slave girl attire… Better you than me.
The Queen snorted and rose back up, making a dismissive gesture with her arm.
"And yet, from how my people tell it, you little hero," he did not shudder at the way her words activated her neurons, and yet, by the glint in her eye, he had a suspicion she knew. "Are the one who bought enough time for those stronger than you to deliver the killing blow as well as fought and defeated a great score of my people. Or am I wrong about that as well, mmh~"
Yuha sighed, his shoulders slumping. His attempt to distract the women turning into a miserable failure.
"No, you're correct, my lady, but…"
"Yes?"
"You've yet to grace me with your name?" he flashed her a smile, and the woman blinked before her cheeks darkened.
"Oh…You are correct, little hero. My apologies." The woman sighed and stood tall, flaring her power, and Yuha's eyes widened.
Yeap. She's stronger than the late king alright and we just found who wore the pants in that relationship!
"I'm the Queen and remaining monarch of those you call Subterraneans. In your tongue, I believe my name would be…Shavira?" she mouthed out the word again. "Yes, that sounds close enough," she said.
"Then once again, I'm honored to make your acquaintance and may I say that it gladdens me that our people meet up under more peaceful circumstances."
Shavira glanced at him and giggled. Giggled before reaching out with an arm and patting his head.
"You're amusing, little one."
He opened his mouth to respond while inside his chest his heart kept beating at a hundred miles per minute, but before he could do so, movement behind Shavira caught his eyes as two figures emerged from the whole, both of them female, both of them younger and shorter than their mother.
Both of them, the same delicious shade, but whereas one had pitch black-hair the others were as white as snow.
"Hero Yuha, meet my daughters," Shavira said, and the girls curtsied, the brunette bowing low and winking at him a saucy smirk full of promises.
Oh, hell no!
"They are my pride and joy," the woman said with a soft smile, staring at the shorter girls…well shorter by her standards. For the pair was about as tall as Yuha.
"Girls, meet the defender of the overworld," she said and pointed at the white-haired one. "This is Kisha," she said, and then pointed at the flirtatious brunette. "And this little rascal is Nisha."
Yuha, well aware of Fubuki a few steps behind him and the woman's all but constant low-level growling, merely nodded.
"Charmed, my ladies," he said and crossed his arms, making no move to approach the pair, which caused Nisha to pout while her sister nodded back with a tiny scowl, crossing her arms underneath the blue fabric concealing her bust.
He turned back towards the Queen. "But, much as I'm pleased to be meeting you family, my lady, I have to ask, what does this have to do with your purpose here?"
At that a low chuckle with evolved into a full-blown laughter burst out of the Queen as the woman raised an arm to her forehead and leaned back, laughing all the while and seemingly dropping her guard.
Yuha merely arched an eyebrow, not moving an inch. Not caring if this was some sort of test to see how he would act given such an 'opening'.
Not that he had any intention of attacking the monstrously strong woman, but even if he had, given what his recent experiences with this race had taught him, as well as the fact that their whole remaining loyal lineage was standing before him.
He had little doubt that countless warriors were swarming the ground underneath his feet, utilizing the Subterraneans' curious and all but instant method of traversing through the ground. Ready to spring to the defense of their leaders at the drop of a pin.
The woman kept chuckling for a while longer before calming at last and staring at him with an approving glint in her eyes.
"Mmh~ You are right, little one. I forgot to share the purpose of our visit, did I not? How foolish of me. I do hope you can forgive little old me~"
Alarm klaxons blazed in his mind, but Yuha merely nodded.
"There is little to forgive, my lady."
"Mmh~" the woman purred, eyes growing lidded before shaking her head. "As you've no doubt already surmised by my words and your actions both, we are without a King."
He didn't like where this was going.
"Yes…"
"And given your lofty words both when fighting my people and during one of those 'press briefings', you surface dwellers are so fond of both."
"Yes?" he squeaked.
He really did not like where this was going.
"Well, after much consultation between our people, we decided to take your words to heart and extend a hand in friendship."
The peanut gallery of normies and low rank heroes murmured amongst themselves.
"Ah…"
"Hoping, that of course you will remain true to your words and will not turn us aside in our hour of need," the woman said and by the glint in her eyes and the fact her incisors were showing, Yuha knew that only one answer would prevent another fight.
One that he could little afford at the moment.
After all, his friends were in the blast zone—he meant he liked the surface. That's where he kept all his stuff!
He scoffed. "As if there was any doubt off that Shavira." He said, no doubt breaking protocol after protocol when it came to meeting with stuck up royals and yet, judging by the woman's purr, it was the right thing to do.
Hell, it was a risk, but he'd go one step further.
"Peace and friendship are never wrong and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!"
"Mmh~ Strong words, I approve and hope you'll stand by them," the Queen said. "But in any case." The woman snapped her fingers and reached behind her, where a dark arm rose from the hole and passed her a rolled up white parchment.
Which she promptly threw at Yuha.
"Eh?"
She chuckled. "What you hold in your hands, little hero, is what you asked for in your speech but a few days prior."
Yuha glanced at the tiny piece of paper in his hand before glancing at the woman with an honest, hopeful smile.
"You mean—"
She nodded. "Yes, it is a peace treaty between our races." as the grumbling from the crowd grew, the woman raised a palm, quieting them down and showing that yes, she was aware of the peanut gallery. "And worry not, it is merely a provisional one to be hammered out in full at a later date and included in it and no doubt in the final agreement are terms stating in no uncertain terms that my people will help the surface dwellers recover from the destruction our attack caused."
This quieted the crowd and Yuha's heart skipped a beat.
Maybe this won't be so bad after all—
"But."
Aaaand there's it is. The other shoe drops.
Shivara glanced at him and licked her lips.
"All that is contingent on, you, Yuha, agreeing to one particular term."
He gulped.
"And that is?"
"You must fight me in one week's time, warrior against warrior, in honorable combat." She raised up an arm as he opened his mouth. "Worry not. It is not to the death, merely the first to yield. After all, it wouldn't do for our future King to die before he could be wed, now would it?"
"What?"
The gentle winds behind him turned into a full-blown gale and Yuha was certain that if he turned back, he'd find Fubuki looking remarkably similar to her sister.
Shivara's grin was full of teeth.
"Oh, yes~ You might not be aware of it, but we are a warrior race, little hero, and thus, by defeating our previous King and suing for peace, well~"
"But I did not kill him," he tried weakly again.
"And we've already been over why that doesn't matter, haven't we, ~Yuha~?"
Shit.
His shoulders slouched. There was no way out of this was there.
"And what do I gain by agreeing to this, my lady? For that matter, why shouldn't I refuse, and what happens if I lose?"
The woman batted her eyelashes coquettishly at him.
"Why peace between our races, of course," Shivara said. "And worry not, when you lose the peace talks will happen regardless, all that will happen is you. Becoming. My. Husband~" the woman purred each word, trailing a hand down the sides of her body. "But all that is contingent on you agreeing to cross fists with me, and surely that is not much to ask when peace is on the line, mmh?"
Double shit.
For the woman was fine, but she was no Best Girl or Fubooty, and he refused to become the Bastion to her Tania.
"And if I win?"
The woman pouted and puffed out her cheeks before rolling her eyes and flicking her long, red ponytail behind her.
"In the unlikely case you win, little one. Then, you can do as you wish with little old me, marry me or not, and the peace talks will still happen, regardless."
Marika's tits! I need to train like a motherfucker in the coming days—
Shavira winked.
"Oh, and of course, until the time for our fated fight comes, my daughters wish to stay above ground as ambassadors, exploring the world above ground. Naturally, I expect someone from your group to accompany me back to our kingdom. Have no fear, they'll be treated like royalty husband to be~"
Triple shit!
If you want to imagine what the Queen and her daughters look like, they are based, in order:
Queen=Urbosa
Nisha=Chel
Kisha=Kidagakash