Frieren: "Are these for wearing?"
Saeko Busujima: "Yes."
Akame: "There's barely any fabric on them."
Sui: "Sc-scandalous clothes!"
Shizue Izawa: "Impressive."
Ayame Yomogawa: "Is this what people wore in Saeko's time? So bold and uninhibited."
Tohru: "Human clothes are really mischievouswhat's the difference between wearing and not wearing these?"
Stella: "This this is lingerie, right?!"
Yukino Yukinoshita: "..."
Rei Ao's expression turned serious.
Rei Ao: "@Saeko Busujima, keep them. Next time, put them to use."
Saeko Busujima: "I knew you'd appreciate them, Rei Ao."
Stella: "???"
Yukino Yukinoshita: "..."
Yukino took a deep breath. From the chat history, she already knew several members had...complicated relationships with Rei Ao. But seeing it discussed so openly was something else. She felt it might be best to just ignore certain messages.
Meanwhile, sensing something, Rei Ao looked down.
"Mai, jealousy is fine, but avoid using your teethhow else will you enjoy this?"
"!!!"
Her answer came as Mai's embarrassed gaze locked onto him, mixed with a surge of determined enthusiasm.
"Ugh so tired"
Sunlight filtered through the window, sneaking in through the gaps in the curtains and landing right on Kobayashi's face as she lay in bed. The bright light made her squint her eyes open. She sat up, rubbing her groggy head and instinctively grabbed her glasses from the side table.
"Where am I?"
Glancing around, she recognized the familiar furniture, arrangement, and room. She was home.
Bits of memory pieced together in her mind. She remembered going out for drinks with coworkers, getting drunk, and heading back home. That should have been the whole story.
But something didn't add up.
"A dragon I think I saw a dragon?"
The image of a green dragon lingered vividly in her memory, clearing her drowsiness in an instant. But thinking about it rationally, she realized there were contradictions.
How did she even make it home?
"It must have been a dream. There's no way I actually saw a dragon."
Convinced it was just her imagination, Kobayashi was about to dismiss it and go about her day. Then her eyes landed on a note on her table. Picking it up, she blinked in surprise as she read:
"What you experienced last night was real. You really did see a dragon. I'm Rei Ao, and you can reach me at [number]. Feel free to contact me if you have questions."
"???"
The note held way too much information.
"Was it really not a dream?"
She hesitantly pinched her own cheek.
"Ouch!"
It stung. So not a dream, after all.
And this phone number
For a moment, she wasn't sure if she should call. Contacting this Rei Ao might mean saying goodbye to her normal life.
After wrestling with herself, she picked up her phone and dialed.
The dial tone rang then:
"Aha, so you called after all," Rei Ao answered smoothly, leaving Kobayashi momentarily speechless.
She swallowed, nervously asking, "Are you the Rei Ao who helped me home?"
"Yes, that's me. Feel free to ask anything, but be quick; I'm rather busy."
She could hear him breathing heavily, probably in the middle of a workout.
"Well, was was the dragon I saw real?"
"Yes, but you should understand not to talk about it to others, right?"
"Absolutely!" Kobayashi nodded frantically. She'd seen enough movies to know that staying silent was safest; she didn't want to get mixed up with any shady organization.
"As long as that's clear. Now, you know the truth, but keep in mind: avoid going out alone at night. The world is not as safe as it seems. And if anything strange happens, feel free to contact me."
"Oh come on, Mai. If you keep that up, I'm going to have to go full speed! Don't think I won't Argh, no, not yet"
'Click.'
The call cut off abruptly.
Kobayashi stared at her phone in confusion. The last part didn't seem directed at her, and she thought she heard someone else's voice.
Still, she made note of Rei Ao's advice: keep quiet, stay in at night, the world is dangerous, and report anything unusual.
"Ah does this mean I'm really saying goodbye to my peaceful life?"
Rubbing her head in frustration, she suddenly noticed the time on her phone.
Monday, 10:00 a.m.
"WHAT?! I'm going to be late for work!"
The scream of a working woman rang out in the morning.
In a dense forest, Shizue Izawa was continuing her search for the Demon Lord Leon. But her mood was uplifted; ever since joining the chat group, life had become much more lively and filled her with hope for her quest.
However, fate was unpredictable.
As she walked, a sharp pain seized her chest.
"Gah!!"
The agony brought her to her knees, causing her mask to fall to the ground. A fierce look crossed her face.
"Give me control of your body!"
A furious voice echoed within her, and flames burst across her body.
"Hah"
Even her breaths exhaled fire. Red markings began spreading across her skin, pulsing like flames.
"Not now"
Dread filled her heart. She could no longer suppress the Fire Spirit within her!
"Give me control!"
Desperately resisting, she initiated a trade in the chat group before she lost all reason.
The chat group notification appeared just as Rei Ao was planning to relax on his last bit of weekend time.
[Ding! Shizue Izawa has initiated a trade request!]
[Trade Request]: Suppress the rampaging Fire Spirit, Ifrit.
[Please specify the trade terms!]
Seeing this, Rei Ao realized his downtime was over.
"So, Ifrit is going out of control?"
~~~
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Chapter 96: Unexpected
[Ding! Your trade request has been accepted!]
[Trade Terms]: "Elemental Magic," "Elf Magic," "Fire Spirit," "Demon Lord's Protection," "Summoning Magic: Flame Lord"
[Ding! Confirm trade?]
"Yes confirmed!" Shizue Izawa gritted her teeth, enduring the searing pain tearing through her body, and confirmed the trade.
[Ding! Trade initiated!]
[Trade Target]: Shizue Izawa
[Trade Content]: Suppress the destructive power of Ifrit, the Fire Spirit!
[Trade Terms]: "Elemental Magic," ...and more
[Remaining Time]: 3 hours
"AAAAHHHH!!" Shizue screamed in agony; she was at her limit. Maybe she would die here. All she could do was hope that Rei Ao could stop Ifrit.
"I will finally be free!!!"
"Free?" Rei Ao's mocking voice cut through the chaos. "Who gave you permission to be free?"
Rei Ao appeared before Shizue, who had just lost consciousness. He reached out and placed his hand on her head. His eyes transformed, blazing with the scorching red gaze of a crimson dragon.
'!!!'
Ifrit, who was on the verge of breaking free, froze. He realized his flames were out of control!
His fire submitted, as if bowing before a true sovereign of flames. But how could this be possible? He was the highest-grade Fire Spirit, a ruler of infernal flames. Even if he hadn't yet reached his peak, his essence should be untouchable by anyone else's fire.
Yet, reality was undeniable. Rei Ao, embodying the essence of the Crimson Dragon God, held dominion over fire at a level far beyond Ifrit's grasp.
"There he is!"
"He's appeared!"
At the moment Rei Ao activated the Crimson Dragon God's power, two figures across this world turned in his direction, drawn by his commanding presence.
With Ifrit suppressed, Rei Ao assessed Shizue's condition; she was in a dire state, barely clinging to life as Ifrit's flames continued consuming her. Her heartbeat was dangerously weak.
After a moment's consideration, he acted decisively. "Come out."
Rei Ao forcibly wrenched Ifrit from Shizue's body, severing the bond entirely.
"Ugh!" Even in her unconscious state, Shizue groaned in pain as her body started breaking apart visibly.
Seeing this, Ifrit let out a crazed laugh, eyes blazing with malice. "Ha! Severing the bond like that you've killed her!"
Though he was at Rei Ao's mercy, Ifrit couldn't resist taunting. The severed contract meant Shizue was bound to die.
But Rei Ao wasn't one to act without a plan. He bent down, kissed Shizue's lips, and bestowed upon her a new protective power.
[Name]: Shizue Izawa
[Level]: 22
[Abilities]: "Fire Dragon Power," "Fire Spirit," "Demon Lord Type," "Rei Ao's Blessings," "Inherent Device: Princess of Flames"
Gradually, her broken body began to heal.
Ifrit stared, dumbfounded. 'Contracts can be restored?'
No, this was differenthe couldn't sense any trace of a binding contract.
"Impossible"
"For someone as pathetic as you, I suppose it would be." Rei Ao gently laid Shizue on the ground, then turned his gaze toward Ifrit, sizing up the highest-grade Fire Spirit.
[Name]: Fire Spirit, Ifrit
[Level]: 29
Ifrit was hardly a threat beyond bullying weaker entities like Shizue. Still, his race held potentialIfrit hadn't yet reached his peak.
"Pathetic? How dare you insult me, the ruler of explosive flames!!" Ifrit glared, hatred burning in his eyes. The insult fueled his fury; he wanted to rip Rei Ao apart.
"Sorry to disappoint," Rei Ao said, his expression cold, "but I'm not just insulting you. I'm going to destroy you."
"Urgh!"
Rei Ao's dragon-scaled claw latched onto Ifrit's throat, lifting him effortlessly like a helpless chick. Even under complete power suppression, Ifrit's eyes blazed with defiance.
Rei Ao smirked. "I'm curious can a Fire Spirit be burned to death?"
"W-What?"
Ifrit couldn't believe his ears. The idea of a supreme Fire Spirit, the lord of flames, being burned to deathutterly absurd. But the amusement vanished from his face when he felt it.
In an instant, deep, blood-red flames ignited across his entire form, engulfing him completely.
The Next Second.
Ifrit felt painreal, agonizing pain.
What was happening?
He had never experienced such pain before. Seeing his expression change, Rei Ao smirked. "So, feeling the burn now, are you?"
"Thisthis is the burning pain of fire?" Ifrit was stunned. "Impossible!"
"A fire spirit can't be burned by flames!"
Rei Ao shook his head. "Too bad. These are crimson flames. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience."
"No No, no!"
For the first time, Ifrit was genuinely shaken. It wasn't fear of death but rather a profound sense of shame. As a high-ranking fire spirit, to die by fire was the ultimate disgrace. Trapped, he struggled in vain, his charred body writhing and emitting an agonizing scream.
But the power of the crimson flame was overwhelming. He couldn't escape Rei Ao's dragon grip, only able to watch as the fire consumed him alive. In just seconds, Rei Ao released his hold, and Ifrit, now reduced to dark ash, dispersed into the air.
[Ding! Trade completed!]
[Ding! You have acquired "Elemental Magic," "Elf Magic," "Fire Spirit," "Demon Lord's Blessing," and "Summoning Magic: Flame Lord"!]
[Ding! Fusion detected for similar abilities!]
Elemental Magic, Elf Magic, Summoning Magic, and Fire Spirit fused into a greater spirit power. As for the Demon Lord's Blessing
[Ding! Influence from "Demon Lord's Blessing" has been nullified due to your superior nature. Upgrading]
[Ding! "Demon Lord's Blessing" has evolved to "Demon Lord"!]
["Demon Lord": You are the Demon Lord!]
"Quite a minimalistic description," Rei Ao muttered with a chuckle, though he could feel the new power's potential. It enhanced everything about him, albeit temporarily. Yet, he sensed there was more to it that he had yet to unlock.
He turned to look at Shizue Izawa, whose breathing had finally steadied. "I guess leaving directly isn't an option."
Rei Ao gazed at the forest around them. This world was teeming with monsters, so it wouldn't hurt to level up. He quickly sent signals to invite the others for a cross-world adventure.
Soon, figures appearedSui, Kajika, Saeko, Mai, Ayame, Megumi Kato, and Sonoko Machidaand more.
"Rei Ao-kun!" Sonoko looked around in shock. "Is this really another world? And who are they?"
Rei Ao nodded. "Yes, we're in another world. As for them" He introduced each of them, briefly explaining their roles.
"Ohnice to meet you all," Sonoko said, managing an awkward smile. So they were all Rei Ao's companionsthough she was apparently the oldest.
Noticing Megumi's subtle, polite smile as she greeted Mai, Mai observed that Megumi seemed different. Her expression held a warmth and liveliness that wasn't there before. The credit, of course, went to Rei Ao, who had unlocked something within her during the night before.
At first, Megumi's expression remained calm as ever, but Rei Ao had coaxed her into fully expressing herself, discovering new ways to make her feel cherished. By the end, he had seen her most genuine emotions, leaving her glowing with newfound confidence.
Mai, however, cast a sharp glance at Rei Ao, silently accusing him of adding yet another mature woman to his "collection."
"Alright, let's put introductions aside," Rei Ao said, waving off the tension. "The real reason I brought you here is for leveling up. Let's start with this forest."
Rei Ao was keenly aware of the Dragons, Demon Lords, and Primal Forces in this world. At his current strength, confronting them directly wasn't wise. There was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble, and Ifrit alone hadn't provided enough experience to level up. He'd have to seek further opportunities.
As he reached down to lift the unconscious Shizue, a crack suddenly tore through the fabric of space-time.
Rei Ao barely had time to react as he and Shizue were sucked into the tear, which sealed itself instantly.
"Rei Ao?!" Mai and the others were left staring at the empty space, dumbfounded.
"What just happened?" Rei Miyamoto and Sui asked in alarm.
Remaining calm, Megumi suggested, "Let's not panic. We should try contacting him through the chat."
Megumi Kato: "@Rei Ao, can you see this message?"
Mai Sakurajima: "Rei Ao-kun, if you're safe, please respond!"
Stella: "What's going on?"
Frieren: "Wasn't Rei Ao in the middle of a trade?"
Saeko Busujima: "Yes, Rei Ao brought us to Shizue's world, but there was a sudden tear in space, and he and Shizue were pulled in."
Sui: "What could this mean?"
Ayame Yomogawa: "Rei Ao-sama will surely be fine."
Rei Ao: "I'm fine, actually."
Sui: "Rei Ao!"
Mai Sakurajima: "Where are you now?"
Rei Ao: "It's complicated. Stay where you are and don't move around."
~~~
Merry Christmas!
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