Alexander's POV
"Are you positive someone else will attack?" Vanye skeptically glanced at me, causing me to shake my head. "No. Just a feeling, like intuition." "Well, your intuition hasn't failed us yet, but whoever they are, they're being cautious." Brushing aside her hair, she continued to stand guard.
Considering it's been a good fifteen minutes or so since things had calmed down, it wasn't surprising that Vanye was a little skeptical. "Are you sure you don't want any clothes, Yuki?" Briefly glancing at Yuki, who was wearing nothing but her helmet, she looked my way, tilting her head, as if I'd asked her a weird question. "I-I mean, don't you feel uncomfortable just standing around naked?"
I know Yuki didn't have much bodily shame, but still, she had to feel a little uncomfortable, right? "No. Besides, what if someone attacks during that chance? Not to mention, I can try something Chloe said." Shaking her head, she flashed a smile from behind her helmet while I suspiciously raised an eyebrow, curious at the kind of advice someone who has never fought could offer. "And, what did she say?"
"To use my charm to distract men!" Grinning confidently, Yuki clanged her shields together before shifting her gaze, scanning the night sky with enthusiasm while I gave her body—her large, firm breasts, thick, muscular thighs, and firm, muscular butt—a once-over before nodding. 'Yeah, I can see that working.' Reluctantly agreeing that Chloe's advice was plausible, I also shifted my gaze, using [Heroes Gaze] to search for anything out of the ordinary.
However, there was nothing; I couldn't spot anything suspicious. Considering the extremely unlikely hood that someone could hide from my gaze, I ruled out anyone hiding nearby stalking us. 'Maybe, my heart is warning me of constant future attacks?' Furrowing my brows, unsure what my heart was warning me of, it suddenly picked up its pace, rapidly pumping within my ribcage.
"Something's coming!" Shouting to the four of them, they all nodded, their gazes hardening, only for a large blood-tendril to strike down from above. Yuki, taking action first, raised her shields, fortifying them with her own mana; yet, even with Yuki blocking it, she was forced to kneel. "Ugh, s-so heavy." While she held the blood-tendril from pressing down, Vanye and I moved, dashing on either side as we slashed through it, cutting it in half, freeing Yuki, who was rising to her feet, receiving healing from Jasmine.
"Above us." At Lazuli's words, we raised our heads, looking at the float being, her figure contrasting against the full moon; as I stared at that familiar figure, I clicked my tongue, clenching my greatswords as I glared at her, spitting her name from my mouth. "Mavis." " So that's her? I don't like her." Jasmine's claim seemed to mirror the others' thoughts as their gazes hardened.
"What are you doing here, Mavis?" Stepping forward, I glared upwards, prompting her to slowly descend until she was opposite me; now that she was up close, I could see her appearance even more clearly.
Her black, silky smooth hair was long gone, her hair was dry and brittle, and I could even see some strands of white. Past her hair, her face was far worse; her skin was dry and cracked, similar to that of a desert, and somehow, she was even paler than usual as well. Her eyes, which were supposed to be blood-red, were a light-red, almost pink; her hands were no better either, not only was her skin dry and cracked, but her nails were gone, revealing the bloody skin underneath.
"So, this is where you've been, Alexander?" As she spoke, I was slightly surprised by her hoarse voice, which had lost its usual soft femininity. "What are you doing here?" Ignoring her question, I stood before her, even if she was stronger than me, even if she had humiliated me in the past, I would never cower before her.
Copying me, Mavis also ignored my question as she leaned to the right, glancing at Jasmine, Yuki, Lazuli, and Vanye behind me. "Two Humans, an Elf, ah, and a fellow Demon. To think you could mingle with lesser creatures." "Tch, don't disrespect my comrades." Scoffing angrily, Yuki glared hatefully at Mavis, who faintly smiled before shifting her gaze to me.
"They must be your women. I'm sure they were probably worried sick when you were my subordinate. Have you told them?" Snorting, I knocked away Mavis's hand, preventing her from grabbing my chin. "Well, it matters not… You should know why I've come here. It's to retrieve what is mine. As I'm feeling generous, I'll allow your women to accompany you back to our home."
As I looked down at Mavis, staring into her shaky eyes, I ended up grinning. "You. You're desperate, aren't you?" Briefly, her pupils dilated before she tried to laugh it off. "Fufu, while I admit your absence has left me–" "Just like the others, you've gotten addicted to my blood, and now, you can't live without it. Speaking of the others, how are they? Are they just like you? No, they're probably worse since they didn't have a stash of my blood."
Grinning, I leaned closer to Mavis, staring into her eyes while her expression slowly faltered as I repeatedly struck a clearly sensitive spot. "You claim to be a superior species, but from what I can see, you're nothing but a species of druggies. Once you've got a taste, you can't live without it; how does it feel to be bound to such a desire? I'm sure someone as intelligent as you has regretted it every day."
Grinning, genuinely enjoying Mavis's suffering, she reached her limit, attacking me with a blood-tendril, though I [Blink]'d out of the way at the last moment. Her previous, friendly expression was gone, replaced with a cold yet furious face. "I've reached my patience, Alex! You will follow me, or I will kill your so-called women and force you!"
Hearing her, my smile remained, yet I wasn't smiling out of joy but from cold anger seething within me. To threaten me was one thing, but to threaten my family was another thing entirely. "I think you have things gravely mistaken, Mavis. This situation isn't the same as before. You're alone in my territory, and to top it all off, you're clearly weaker than before." Slowly stepping backwards, I spread my arms, gesturing to my Estate.
"Do you think that changes anything!? So what!? I can still do whatever I please with you!" Gnashing her teeth, Mavis furiously shouted, raising her hands. "No, you can't. If you could, you'd have attacked me right away." "You think!?"
Having baited Mavis, who was much less calm than before, she thrust her hand forward, sending numerous blood tendrils our way; however, they were all tipped in inky black, causing me to subtly frown.
'So, she can use dark magic. I didn't know that.' Despite the length of time I spent in her Estate, she never got a read on her true strength; I've speculated she might've used space mana, but it seems I was mistaken. 'No, not entirely, she might be able to also use space mana.'
Reinforcing myself with [Lightning Cloak], [Strength Augment], and [Speed Augment], I raised my swords, deflecting one of the tendrils as Jasmine was behind me. "Yes. If I were alone, it might be impossible, but together, we can kill you." Grunting, I lunged at Mavis, Vanye following right behind as back-up.
"Haha, together!? How do you like it when they suddenly attack you instead!?" Brushing aside her hair, revealing her ugly appearance, Mavis's eyes glowed faintly as she stared at the four, trying to hypnotize them. Watching her try to turn my wives, I smirked, not slowing down, after all, I had a Saintess among my wives.
Almost instantly, a white light surrounded the five of us. "May thou be protected from all unseen attacks." Jasmine's voice rang out as she performed a spell to enhance mental resistance, warding off any type of hypnosis. "W-What? W-Why isn't it working!?" "May thee be strong enough to defeat all thou's enemies." This time, Jasmine enhances our overall strength, causing me to smirk as I blink right beside Mavis, slashing down with my swords.
"Because you've grown weaker." Although I tried to take advantage of her failed hypnosis, she managed to configure a shield made of darkness. Still, I was merely the bait as Vanye headed right for her, forcing her to create several interlocked tendrils to act as a shield.
However, a spinning [Rock Spear] was thrown at her, having been engraved with [Lightning Imbue] and [Light Imbue], increasing its speed, penetration, and destruction, courtesy of Lazuli, our family's mage. When the attack reached the tendrils, it bore a hole right through it, not a big one, but big enough for Vanye to stab her blade through it. "Die." Combo-ing with Vanye, I pushed off the darkness shield, launching a [Void Slash], cutting through the darkness shield, and continuing towards Mavis.
Retreating in unison, we landed beside Yuki, glancing at Mavis, who was bleeding from her back. It seemed she opted to protect herself from Vanye's attack instead of my own. "Heh, don't think I've ever felt such joy hurting someone." "I always feel such joy!" As Yuki eagerly slammed her shields together, I wryly smiled.