Summoned and Unwanted

Vincent noticed Awa was about to fall. He leaned forward and extended his hands to catch the falling Awa. He swiftly caught Awa and sighed in relief. Awa was not going to need extra medical attention from the new injuries.

Vincent lifted Awa like a princess and promised, “Do not be in a rush Awa. I promise to take you home at all costs if you accept to be escorted back to your family or come with me to mine.”

“No.” Awa rejected without hesitation. “What if we encounter the lord of this forest, the Great Orso? Are you saying you are mighty enough to protect me from it?”

[Orso? Doesn’t that translate to a bear? Is that the reason Awa stared at the bears strangely, as if she tried to find something?] Kazumi curiously questioned.

“You rejected my offer, yet you care for my safety. Your kindness touches me.” Vincent teased.

“I am being kind? I do not care what happens to you...”

“My death means your death.” Vincent interrupted. He gently shook his head while a slight frown appeared on his face. “Think about it. I have pride when it comes to making a promise because I do not break a promise I choose to make.”

‘One’s worth starts with whether one can keep their word or not. The pride of keeping one’s word is indeed something to feel prideful about.’ Awa thought.

.....

Awa averted her gaze. She didn’t speak nor struggle to be let down. The kindness she was being shown was creating doubts about Vincent in her heart.

‘But can he really keep his words or will he betray me after I fall for his...’ Awa shook her head to clear doubtful thoughts. ‘I am a proud Dullahan. I will not fall for his tricks.’

*Tsk*

Awa heard Vincent click his tongue. She moved her gaze to peek at Vincent.

Awa saw Vincent frowning while blankly staring at her. She could tell Vincent’s mind was elsewhere at the moment.

Awa saw green light appearing from under her. She was soon placed down on her bottom. “Huh? Why did you sit me on a chair?” She questioned.

Awa became puzzled by Vincent’s actions. She couldn’t understand why she was placed on a chair instead of being taken inside.

‘What is he trying to do? Wait...’ Awa stopped thinking, and her face became pale. ‘Is he going to torture me until I accept his promise?’

Awa noticed Vincent’s hands closing, and, afterward, his fists clenching as Vincent was preparing to attack her. ‘I want a warrior’s death... I do not want to die in this shameful barbaric way.’

However, instead of attacking Awa, Vincent turned around. Vincent glanced at Awa and said, “Hold tight. You still need to keep the deal of our bet and tell me the response to the promise is suggested.”

“Hold... hold on, tight?” Awa questioned. She could not understand what Vincent meant. But when Plow became on high alert, and the vines in Zero’s body moved, Awa started to doubt if the thought of being tortured was too negative of a thought for now.

Awa noticed she was unconsciously breathing quicker out of the blue. She also noticed her body shiver as if she was cold.

Only when Awa felt a chill rush down her spine did she understand it was fear caused by bloodlust. For some reason, Vincent was expanding his murderous intent, yet the undead bears were all dismembered.

“Did you let a bear run away?” Awa questioned while thinking an undead bear somehow ran away and returned.

“Run away? They were undead and mindlessly attacked me like a mindless starved person. I was their food, and they wanted to eat me.”

*Crack, crack* “What is approaching is alive and powerful.” Vincent cracked his neck and knuckles to wait for the boss to appear.

[Vincent, what is approaching is close enough to let me see a large figure with a strangely moving mana deading in our direction. It is also walking casually on its four legs.]

-Could it be a bear?-

[It could be.] Kazumi answered.

Kazumi couldn’t accurately tell what kind of large beast was approaching. Furthermore, they met with a tiger, a wolf, and now bears, undead at that.

“Vincent Vincent. Does Plow protect Awa Awa from baddie?” *Pho?* Plow asked. Her voice trembled a little, showing Plow was feeling intimidated.

*Thud, thud* The sounds of footsteps flattening the snow because of a heavy body could be heard. Shortly, one of the trees rustled before breaking and falling.

In their view entered a large bear. It was large, yet the size was enough to initiate the magic beast beat had a small core. It wasn’t an alpha magic beast.

Vincent focused his gaze, and the bear’s status window appeared.

.

[Name] Orso

[Race] Mutated Demonic Grizzly Bear (Male)

[Age] 1

[Core] Pure Earth Core (Grade – Small Stage Ten)

[Condition] Healthy, Angered, Mutated Devouring Stage Ten

[Stats] Strength 120 || Agility 55 || Perception 58 || Mana 4722

[Core Skills] Harden, Earth Spike, Earth Manipulation

.

“Mutated?... Demonic?...” Vincent was perplexed, while Kazumi felt the same.

The bear Awa mentioned. The bear the Dullahans most likely named gave the impression of being a mix between a magic beast and a demonic beast.

The reason? Vincent and Kazumi learned how demonic beasts end up losing their lives to the element their body can not handle after their core reaches stage ten.

However, one of the books they found and read in the library mentioned how all the bears in the southern continent had an affinity to the earth element.

That meant the bear should have awakened into a magic beast instead of a demonic beast. But there was more confusing information in Orso’s status window.

Not only was the bear too young to awaken, and it looked normal on the outside as if it wasn’t a demonic beast, but there was the word mutated in its race and devouring condition.

“How can the bear be mutated?” Vincent murmured as he watched the large Orso walk over the jagged tree stump as if it didn’t cause any injuries.

[This bear is bringing more questions the more bizarre I think it is. Not only is the bear one-year-old, but the bear is mutated. How can it be mutated without your blood or powers?]

“That color and those shining yellow eyes! That is the great Orso!” Awa contorted her face from anger and revealed her teeth. “The great Orso ate my father’s arm. Our share of food was reduced because our hunting party could not bring food every day.”

“How long has Orso been attacking the Dullahan hunting party?” Vincent questioned while examining Orso for a weakness.

“Orso appeared a couple of months ago. My father lost his good arm on the first day Orso appeared. My father is recovering slowly, but we need more food and...”

“Then accept the promise I told you, Awa. I will find a way to kill Orso and take you home. I will see how I can help you, father, if you want to as well.”

“I... I can’t become a... ”

*ROAR!* Orso roared loudly while stepping on the corpses of the undead bears. It was issuing a challenge instead of rushing to attack Vincent like a wild beast.

Orso’s gaze was locked solely on Vincent as if Vincent was the prey or enemy it could see. Orso was a demonic beast, yet it displayed the partial intelligence of a magic beast.

The mysterious mutation was somehow allowing the unnatural situation to become possible. The mutated person and the mutated bear glared at each other. But only one of them could live for another day.

“Plow feels strange in the tummy. Plow feels hungry and angry. Plow is confused.” *Pho!*

Vincent moved his gaze to Plow. After checking Plow’s status window, Vincent discovered an irregularity.

.

[Name] Plow

[Condition] Healthy, Mutated Aggression, Mutated Hunger

.

[Third Eye activate.]

[Mutated Aggression description.]

[The host’s body and the mutated blood are being stimulated. The host is afflicted with anger and the desire to become aggressive.]

[The host will feel hesitant to attack beings with the same mutation lineage.]

.

[Third Eye activate.]

[Mutated Hunger description.]

[The host’s body and the mutated blood are being stimulated. The host is afflicted with hunger and the desire to eat what is in the host’s line of sight.]

[The host will feel hesitant to hunger over beings with the same mutation lineage.]

.

[What is happening to Plow? Vincent, are you also feeling strange like Plow?]

*Crack* Vincent cracked his knuckles and telepathically told Kazumi -I do not feel affected. Is the Soul Domain fine?-

Kazumi looked around from atop the emerald throne, but there was no strange thing happening.

Kazumi could only see Wolfie sleeping on the throne with Watz attached like a watch collar showing [Zzz] on the watch’s display, Freerie fluttering around the many flowers created by Helle, and Bright lighting the part of the Soul Domain they were at.

[It is peaceful. Your Soul Domain and the soul children aren’t being affected like Plow. Could it be because Egos took most of the mutation with it?]

-It sounds plausible.- Vincent told Kazumi before saying, “Overheat.” and changing into his combat form.

If not being affected like Plow at the cost of losing seventy-five percent of power was a blessing or misfortune, Vincent had to fight to figure it out.

.....