GOD DAMN! Y'all hit the powerstones goal already? Well, here's another bonus chapter.
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The air thickened around us, carrying a strange chill that hadn't been present moments before. From our hiding spot among the rocks, I pressed further back, drawing Yuzuriha with me. The narrow crevice barely accommodated our bodies, forcing us so close I could feel her heartbeat against my arm.
"Don't move," I whispered, my lips nearly touching her ear.
She nodded, her body tensing against mine. For once, her flirtatious demeanor had vanished completely, replaced by the focused alertness of a hunter who understood danger.
The mana signature approached steadily, its presence growing heavier with each passing second. I risked activating my Six Eyes again, careful to minimize the glow Yuzuriha had noticed earlier. What I saw made my blood run cold.
A towering figure emerged from behind a distant dune, its form silhouetted against the night sky. Standing at least eight feet tall, it moved with a fluid grace that defied its massive size. Silver-blue armor covered its humanoid form, but the pieces didn't connect—they hovered inches apart, held together by flowing energy that pulsed like liquid moonlight.
'Arcan, what the hell is that thing?'
『Analyzing... Appears to be a high-level sentinel-class entity. Power signature indicates mid A-Rank minimum.』
'A-Rank? You're sure?'
『Affirmative. Though there's something... familiar about its energy pattern. I've encountered something similar before, but data retrieval is incomplete.』
The creature paused, its faceless helmet turning slowly as it surveyed the landscape. A crescent-shaped glaive rested in one hand, occasionally catching the moonlight and sending cold blue reflections dancing across the sand. The weapon alone radiated enough power to make my skin prickle.
Beside me, Yuzuriha barely breathed. Her eyes were fixed on the entity, professional assessment replacing her usual playfulness. One hand gripped a kunai, though we both knew it would be useless against something of this caliber.
The sentinel took another step forward, the sand beneath it frosting over with each footfall. The temperature around us dropped further, my breath forming small clouds in the air. This close, I could see intricate patterns etched into its armor—crescent moons and strange symbols that seemed to shift when viewed directly.
It raised its free hand, palm outward, and the air rippled. Gravity itself seemed to warp, sand particles lifting and swirling in an unnatural pattern. The creature was searching for something—or someone.
Yuzuriha pressed herself against me, either seeking warmth or trying to make herself smaller. Under different circumstances, I might have appreciated our proximity, but right now, my entire focus was on survival.
The sentinel turned its helmet in our direction. I held my breath. Its faceless visage revealed nothing, but I sensed its attention focusing, narrowing. It took a step toward our hiding place.
'Arcan, if it finds us, what are our chances?'
『Current combat probability analysis: 12.4% win rate if engaged. Recommend immediate retreat if detected.』
Great. Those weren't odds I liked.
The sentinel paused, its helmet tilting slightly as if listening. After a moment, it turned away, resuming its patrol in a different direction. It moved with purpose now, as if receiving new instructions.
We remained motionless for another ten minutes after it disappeared from sight, neither of us willing to risk drawing its attention back. Finally, when I was certain it was gone, I exhaled slowly.
"That was close," Yuzuriha murmured, her lips brushing on my neck.
"Too close." I eased away from her, creating a sliver of space between us. "We need to get back to camp and warn the others."
She nodded, her face unusually serious. "That thing... it wasn't like the other creatures we've seen."
"No. It's something else entirely." I peered out from our hiding spot, scanning the area with my normal vision to avoid any telltale glow. "We should move while it's gone."
We slipped out from the rocks, staying low and moving as quietly as possible across the sand. Each step felt precarious, the memory of that massive entity still fresh in my mind. One wrong move, one grain of sand disturbed too loudly, and we'd be facing something we couldn't defeat.
Halfway back to camp, Yuzuriha suddenly stumbled. Her legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees in the sand, her body trembling visibly.
"Sorry," she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically shaky. "Delayed reaction, I guess."
I crouched beside her, keeping my voice low. "You okay?"
She attempted a smile, but it lacked her usual confidence. "That thing was A-Rank at minimum, wasn't it? Maybe even higher."
"Yeah. Possibly the dungeon boss."
"And we're stuck in here with it." She closed her eyes briefly, composing herself. When she opened them again, some of her usual spark had returned. "Well, at least I'm stuck with a mysterious man who carries tents in his pocket."
I offered my hand to help her up. She took it, but instead of rising, she tugged gently.
"I might need a bit more help than that, Xavier-kun," she said, her voice regaining its playful lilt. "My legs feel like jelly. Would you mind?"
I knew what she was doing—using the situation to her advantage, playing up her vulnerability. But the danger was real, and getting back to camp quickly mattered more than calling her bluff.
"Fine." I bent down and lifted her into my arms, surprised at how light she felt. "But just until you can walk again."
"My hero," she purred, her arms slipping around my neck. She pressed herself against my chest, her face tilting up toward mine. "You know, I've been thinking about our agreement."
I began walking, keeping my pace steady despite her deliberate attempts to distract me. "Have you now?"
"Mmm." Her fingers traced small circles at the nape of my neck. "Perhaps we could renegotiate. I'm sure there are... services I could offer in exchange for a discount. Say, dropping to twenty percent?"
Her body shifted in my arms, pressing certain assets more prominently against me. The scent of cherry blossoms intensified, and her lips parted invitingly.
"Services, huh?" I stopped walking.
"I'm very skilled in many areas," she murmured, her eyes half-lidded. "I could give you a sample right now."
Without changing my expression, I opened my arms and dropped her unceremoniously onto the sand.
"What the—" She landed with a soft thud, her expression shifting from seductive to shocked in an instant.
"Seems your legs work fine after all." I continued walking, not bothering to look back. "And our agreement stands at twenty-five percent."
Behind me, she scrambled to her feet. "That wasn't very gentlemanly!"
"Never claimed to be a gentleman." I kept walking. "And I don't appreciate being manipulated."
She caught up to me, brushing sand from her clothes. "It was worth a try."
"Was it?"
"Fine, fine." She sighed dramatically. "Can't blame a girl for using her assets."
"I don't blame you for trying. I blame you for thinking it would work."
She studied me with genuine curiosity. "You're quite the puzzle, Xavier Valentine."
We walked in silence for several minutes, the camp slowly coming into view in the distance. The awkwardness of our exchange faded as the reality of what we'd witnessed returned to the forefront.
"That creature," Yuzuriha said eventually, her voice serious once more. "It wasn't just powerful. It was... intelligent. Purposeful."
"Yeah. And it's not alone."
She glanced at me sharply. "What do you mean?"
I hesitated, considering how much to reveal. "The way it moved, the patterns on its armor... it felt like part of something larger. A system, not a random monster."
"A guardian?" she suggested.
"Maybe. Or a soldier."
The implications hung between us. If that entity was merely a soldier, what was its commander?
"We need to tell the others," she said.
"Yes, but carefully. The last thing we need is panic."
She nodded, unconsciously moving closer to me as we walked.
"Xavier," she said, dropping the playful honorific for once. "If that thing comes for us... what's the plan?"
"Run like hell," I answered honestly. "At least until we understand what we're dealing with."
"Not very heroic."
"Heroes die young. I prefer living."
She laughed softly. "A practical philosophy. I approve."
As we approached the camp, I noticed Alexander standing watch, his posture rigid with military precision. He spotted us immediately, raising a hand in acknowledgment.
"What did you find?" he asked as we drew closer.
I exchanged a quick glance with Yuzuriha. "Trouble. Big trouble."
Alexander's expression remained impassive, but his eyes sharpened. "Define 'big.'"
"A-Rank at minimum," Yuzuriha supplied. "Some kind of armored sentinel with abilities we couldn't identify."
"It didn't see you?"
"No," I said. "But it was searching. And it's not the only one out there."
Alexander absorbed this information with professional calm. "Describe it. Every detail."
As Yuzuriha recounted what we'd seen, I found myself scanning the horizon. Something about that sentinel bothered me beyond its obvious danger. The way Arcan had reacted, suggesting familiarity...
'Arcan, any progress on identifying that entity?'
『Limited. Records suggest it belongs to a paired guardian system, but full identification requires additional data. Recommend caution—if one exists, its counterpart is likely nearby.』
Great. Not one but two A-Rank monsters patrolling the area.
"We need to move camp," Alexander decided after hearing our report. "Into the rocks where we'll have better defensive position."
"Agreed," I said. "And we should travel only during daylight hours. That thing seemed stronger in the darkness."
Alexander nodded. "I'll come up with something tonight."
As he turned away, Yuzuriha touched my arm lightly. "Thanks for the adventure, Xavier-kun."
"Not sure I'd call nearly getting killed by an A-Rank sentinel an adventure."
"No?" Her smile returned, though tempered with something more genuine than her usual flirtation. "Then what would you call it?"
I considered for a moment. "Tuesday."
She laughed. "I think I'm starting to like you, Xavier Valentine."
"That would be a mistake."
"Oh?" She tilted her head. "And why is that?"
"Because I'm temporary. Once we're out of this gate, we go our separate ways."
Something flickered in her eyes—recognition, perhaps, of a kindred spirit. Someone else who kept the world at a safe distance.
"All the more reason to enjoy the company while it lasts." She stretched, the movement highlighting her form. "No strings, no complications. Just two people surviving together."
I watched her walk away, her silhouette outlined by the camp's dim lights. She was dangerous in ways that had nothing to do with her combat abilities—perceptive, intelligent, and far more complex than she pretended to be.