Ch 214: Yoma hunting.

Gudako stretched her arms as she looked around. If felt strange, to now have her full range of movement back. When she was just standing around, she sometimes unconsciously put her arms back, one hand clasping the opposite wrist, as if she didn't know what to do with her limbs.

As if her arms being bound were their natural state.

She sighed, hoping that those new habits would quickly disappear. But with the invisible collar around her neck reminding her of her position, and considering Mash's promise that they would continue her training every night, she wasn't sure those new quirks would vanish at all.

"Let's go, Senpai." smiled Mash. "Britomart is waiting."

Gudako nodded and followed her Kouhai slash Mistress slash fellow pet downstairs.

Britomart was waiting at the table, having already ordered food.

Gudako knew they had to eat the bland, unseasoned food to keep up appearances, instead of relying on Britomart's or Mash's created food, as people who weren't seen eating human food often wound up suspected of being man-eating Yoma.

Mash and Gudako sat down, the three young women attracting the gazes of the inn's patrons.

"There's a Yoma in the city." said Britomart as they sat down. "There's been one or two dead citizens every night for ten days now, and the corpses were half devoured."

"Is there any clue of his location? A place where no one dares to go or something?"

Britomart shook her head and took from one of her pockets three pairs of glasses.

"What are those?" asked Gudako as she took one pair and tried them. With them on, she saw a strong aura surrounding Britomart and Mash, but no one else.

"They detect magic energy." With luck, we'll be able to detect Yoma with them.

"Have you tried them when you were hunting Yoma in solo?" asked Mash.

"No."

The innkeeper walked to their table, holding a tray. He placed it on the table, and set a plate, cup, knife and fork in front of each girl. On the tray was a large pot full of boiled vegetables and sheep meat.

"Itadatakimasu" muttered Gudako and Mash, and Britomart nodded as they started eating.

"We'll patrol tonight." said Gudako between two mouthfuls of the not so good meat. "We'll form two teams. Mash and I, since I don't have Noah's abilities, and you, Britomart."

"Yes." nodded the silver-haired woman.

The girls had agreed that Gudako was still their leader, as far as interactions with the timeline were concerned. During rest periods, however, she was at the bottom of the totem pole, Ako, a pet serving two Mistresses.

While she still didn't feel completely comfortable being a pet, she had stopped fighting it. It would be hypocritical of her to pretend she didn't like the things Mash and Britomart had done to her.

"Since the city is divided in two by the river, can you patrol the northern part?" asked Gudako.

"Understood. I will remain dematerialized, so any potential Yoma won't hear me." nodded Britomart.

After finishing dinner, they returned to the room they rented, and used the Sanctuary to get a good night's sleep. They returned when the town was asleep and jumped out the window, landing with barely a sound.

"Good hunting." said Britomart, disappearing.

Mash and Gudako nodded, and started patrolling, their magic-detection glasses on.

Mash was taking the lead, using her Night Vision and warning Gudako with a low voice about obstacles that might cause her to stumble in the dark. There was no public lighting, but thankfully, they had a near full moon, so Gudako didn't need too much guidance.

Twice, they hid in dark corners when a group of four guards armed with swords of spears, looking scared and ready to jump at any shadows, came close.

After patrolling for over three hours, Mash stopped and sniffed, turning her head left and right.

"Senpai, it smells like blood and shit." whispered Mash.

Gudako sniffed, but couldn't detect anything. She followed Mash into a dark street, and after a while, she started smelling it, too. The two girls kept advancing, and they heard disgusting sounds. Sounds of flesh being torn and chewed.

Mash looked back at Gudako, her expression grim, and they nodded at each other.

They walked faster toward the sounds, Mash materializing her massive shield. The materialization emitted a blue light for an instant, and the chewer apparently noticed, as the chewing stopped, and Gudako heard a low, threatening growl coming from the open door.

Since they were detected, Gudako threw a gem in the air. The gem floated instead of coming back down and gave out a bright light, illuminating the surroundings. Mash was already rushing inside, shield half forward with one hand as the other held a sword of hardened light.

Gudako heard screams of rage, but was surprised because it came from several sources, and a black shape burst through the window. The black humanoid shape with reptilian, glowing golden eyes spread wings and started flying away.

Gudako wasn't going to just let it escape, and activated one of her offensive spells, Spontaneous Combustion.

As the fleeing Yoma was about thirty meters off the ground, it suddenly burst into flames… and was almost simultaneously impaled by a large sword thrown from a side street.

"Eh?" exclaimed Gudako as the fatally wounded Yoma screamed and fell.

She turned back to the house, wary of other Yoma possibly appearing and was about to walk inside when Mash came out, purple blood splattered on her legs and shield.

"A family of four." said Mash with a sad voice. "Senpai, did you nail the third one?"

"Yes. More or less."

"More or less?"

"Someone assisted with a sword throw." shrugged Gudako.

"Did you see an aura?"

"No. It seems those glasses only detect mana, not whatever they use for energy." sighed Gudako, removing her glasses and putting them in her spatial ring. Mash did the same.

The screams and light from the gem hadn't gone unnoticed, and people from the neighboring houses were coming out. A few held lit torches and noticed the opened door, and the glass fragments in front of the house where the Yoma had fed.

Some, braver than most, took a look inside the house, and screamed in grief and horror, talking about Yoma.

"Good job, Mash." said Gudako after recovering her gem.

"Thank you, Senpai." nodded Mash. She didn't smile, as she would need some time to recover after seeing the half-devoured corpses. Yoma had a preference for guts, it seemed.

Gudako squeezed her shoulders in sympathy, not wanting to see the inside of that house. She turned her attention to the other end of het street, where the steps of armored boots could be heard.

A young woman came into view, with blonde hair stopping under her chin, clad in a tight, mostly white outfit with polished steel spaulders, bangles, skirt and greaves, and a short white cape stopping at her hips. The massive two-handed sword Gudako had seen, with a blade almost fifteen centimeters wide near its base, was held in her right hand.

Her silver eyes fixed Mash as she walked closer, ignoring the citizen who recoiled from her in fear.

She glanced at the Yoma bloodstains on Mash as she passed them by to take a look inside the house, then turned back to Mash.

"How did you set aflame the flying Yoma?" asked the woman to Mash.

Mash only glanced at Gudako, who shrugged.

"I did. Are you one of the Claymores?"

"…People call us that. How did you do it?"

"With Magecraft."

"Magecraft?" asked the Claymore, obviously unfamiliar with the word.

"This isn't the time or place for it, and I'm not sure I want to tell a stranger in the first place." Gudako turned to Mash.

"Let's leave. There probably won't be any more Yoma in this city."

"Yes, Senpai." nodded Mash, and with a last glance at the Claymore, they walked away.

…

Half a day after killing the three Yoma, Gudako, Mash left the road to the next town, heading for a nice spot that Britomart had found as she scouted the surrounding woods.

They stopped on the shore of a small lake. Mash only needed a minute or two to prepare a fireplace as Gudako gathered some wood, and they quickly had a fire going. Mash created three steel spikes that she struck on the ground around the fire, and a thin, flat steel plate that she placed above it.

Mash dropped a bit of water on it, checking how fast and in what direction the water flowed, and slightly banged on the plate to drive a spike or another a little deeper and have the plate more or less horizontal.

Britomart had already created a good selection of vegetables and beef meat and small pots of dried herbs and other seasonings, and Mash created a pair of spatulas and started putting some food on the heated plate as she hummed a song.

"Eating directly created food is convenient, but there is something about actually cooking it that makes it more satisfying." smiled Britomart, giving Gudako a plate and chopsticks.

"Yes. It's the smell and visuals, as well as the anticipation." grinned Gudako.

"She's still there, right?" she asked with a barely audible voice, and Britomart nodded.

As the first batch of food was done cooking, and Mash was using a large knife to cut the meat and vegetables into bite-sized pieces, Gudako looked over her shoulder and called out.

"How about you stop hiding and come eat with us?"

Nothing happened for two seconds, then the claymore appeared from behind a tree. She walked toward them slowly.

"…How did you know I was following you?"

"Britomart saw you." shrugged Gudako, and Britomart waved a hand. "I'm Gudako, and this is Mash. What is your name?"

"…Claire."

Gudako nodded, and Mash extended to Claire the first plate filled with food, with a pair of chopsticks.

"…Thank you." said Claire, taking the plate and sitting apart from them. But she didn't start eating right away. It was obvious she didn't trust them.

Gudako shrugged and thanked Mash as she received her own plate.

Once everyone was served, they joined their hands palm to palm and thanked each other with a cheerful "Itadakimasu."

"…Is that some kind of prayer?" asked Claire.

"No." smiled Mash. "In our homeland, it is the tradition to say it before we eat. It translates as 'Thanks for the food' and is meant to convey gratitude, both to the cook who prepared it, and to nature for providing the ingredients.

"…I see. Itadakimasu." nodded Claire, carefully observing the expressions of the three strange women as they started eating.

The food didn't seem to contain poison, and their happy expression puzzled her.

"We'll give you a fork and spoon, if you prefer." pointed our Gudako, and Claire declined, observing the way their hands were holding the chopsticks. It only took her a few seconds to get the hang of it, and she hesitantly brought a piece of meat to her mouth.

It tasted… she couldn't remember ever eating something so good before, and understood why they seemed so happy to eat.

Mash cooked a second serving of beef and vegetables, then fried rice with eggs, and they had their fill.

Mash used some water to extinguish the fire and cool both the plate and the spikes as Gudako and Britomart looked at Claire.

"So, why were you following us? It is simple curiosity, or do you want something from us?"

"…I do not currently have any mission, and I couldn't remain in that city, since citizens fear someone like me. And you puzzle me. I asked the mayor, and he didn't compensate you for killing the Yomas. You aren't guards, either. Why did you do it?"

"We have a great goal, but until we find out where we must go to fulfill it, we have nothing much to do. So, why not hunt Yoma to do something good while we wait?" shrugged Gudako.

"You are risking your lives only to save people?" asked Claire, her expression barely changing.

"Yes. And 'risking our lives' is a bit of an exaggeration. It would take more than a handful of those Yoma to really be a threat to us." said Britomart.

"Is this Magecraft really that powerful?"

"It depends." smiled Gudako. She extended her right hand toward the lake, and fired off a few Gandr, causing small explosions. "Magecraft is a lot like swordsmanship. It can be very strong, yes, but that depends a lot on the user's talent and the efforts they put into mastering it. A weak Magus, that's the name of Magecraft practitioners, might have a hard time dealing with a single weak Yoma, while a very strong one would slaughter a dozen of them with barely any effort. But tell us about you Claymores. I heard rumors that you are half-Yoma, and that this is why people fear you. I heard them call you silver-eyed witches. Do you all have silver eyes?"

"This is correct." nodded Claire, understanding that if she wanted to learn more about them, she would have to reciprocate at least a little. "Although we call ourselves Warriors."

"How do you Warriors receive commissions?" asked Mash. "Do you have people in each village to relay information about Yoma sightings?"

"No. Agents of the Organization will find us and tell us where we must go to hunt Yomas. We find them, kill them or die in the attempt, and leave. Shortly after, an agent will come to the mayor to collect payment."

"I see. But how do the mayors know where to find your organization's agents to report about Yomas?"

"…I do not know." shrugged Claire. "Every mayor seems to know how to, and I never asked... You said that you have a goal. What is it?"

"…We may as well tell you, maybe your organization will help us find it." decided Gudako. "Somewhere in the world is something called a Demonic Pillar, a huge tower made of pulsating flesh and covered with many eyes. When I say huge, I mean almost a hundred times my own height. Each of the eyes is able to use Magecraft and attack from a distance, and the Demonic pillar is very hostile to humans, so no one should approach it carelessly. We want to destroy it. The previous Demonic Pillars we found used camouflage to hide themselves, and it should be in some desolate area."

"I have not heard of anything that could be this Demonic Pillar you seek." frowned Claire. "But I will talk about it to an Agent."

"Yes, thank you. Anyway, I guess we should get on our way. We still have a long walk before reaching the next village. Hopefully, it won't be plagued by another Yoma. " said Gudako, standing.

"You can join us or follow us, Claire, your choice."

Claire nodded, intending to continue this conversation and learn more about them.

…

No people had recently died from unnatural causes in the town they reached just before sunset. After learning of it, Claire left the town to sleep outside, her back against a tree. Warriors only stayed in cities or villages while they were hunting for Yomas disguised as humans.

After meditating for a while, she heard the snap of a twig, and turned her head, her right hand loosely wrapped around the hilt of her sword.

As she saw the tall man dressed in black, his face half hidden by his hood and black-tinted round glasses, she nodded to him and started reporting.

When she was done, the man nodded.

"I was watching from a distance when they demonstrated this Magecraft on the lake's waters. It seems like a useful thing to have. Befriend them and try to convince them to join the Organization, and try to learn more about where they came from. I will give you new instructions later."

"Very well." said Claire, and the man left without another word.

When he heard from the mayor about what had happened the previous night. He had been irritated. Those interlopers again, killing Yomas left and right and eroding the Organization's influence and power. He had thought about ordering Claire to kill them.

However, this Magecraft presented too big an opportunity to ignore. It might even be something that could help them in the great war on the mainland, or against the Abyssal Ones. He would give Claire some time to convince them to join them.

And if they didn't join willingly…

The Agent smiled gently as he started considering a list of Warriors to summon.

…

"It's so unfair! No one can resist this!" cried Tabane in frustration as she writhed into her bonds. The only result produced from her struggles was the soft clanking of the chains keeping her suspended.

"And that is sort of the point." smirked 'Master', his hands mercilessly continuing their assault on her hapless body.

She was in a dream. What she experienced wasn't real, and she knew it. But the awareness didn't help her.

Her body was covered from the neck down by a skintight black latex bodysuit, and wide golden shackles encircled her wrists, forearms, ankles and thighs, waist, above and below her breasts. And a thick golden collar kept her from looking at him. Thick golden chains linked those shackles to each other and to the ceiling, keeping her bound and suspended horizontally at waist level. 'Master' was playing with her crotch and butt, while a magic plant placed under her extended its vines to her breasts, incessantly exploring them.

The stimulation was so intense that she would have experienced orgasm after orgasm, if not for 'Master' somehow preventing it.

"I would normally take my time, savor your submission slowly. Unfortunately, we are pressed for time. That's why I am not going to let you rest at all. Until you swear yourself to me and mean it, your torment will not end."

"You perverted demon! That isn't how you treat a girl, much less a peerless genius like me!"

Noah smiled as he inserted a second finger through the hold in the latex's suit and into Tabane's sopping wet entrance, and she stifled a moan.

"I know what you are doing." gasped Tabane. "You are trying to make me addicted to sexual pleasure. Then you will withhold it until I am ready to do anything for it. But that won't work! I'm not that weak-willed."

"…That isn't quite what I am doing, though." said Noah. "What I am doing is nurturing in you a liking for latex and bondage sex. You are mostly correct about that. But what comes next isn't some kind of blackmail. You should rather see it as me eroding the reasons you have for not wanting to become my slave."

"That's the same thing, 'master'." venomously said Tabane.

"Not quite. If I make you an addict, you will serve me to get your fix, but you will still resent me, deep inside. Part of you will regret not being who you were anymore, before I got my hands on you."

"The result I am trying to achieve, giving you a liking for latex and bondage, is to increase our mutual compatibility, and I use pleasure as a tool to do it. When you start loving the things I do to you, or rather, admit to yourself that you already do, choosing to be mine will become an easy decision, and one that will not generate resentment. I am not going to break you by withholding pleasure."

"…Why are you even doing this? You said you had dozens of beautiful slave girls already."

Noah didn't reply, and Tabane thought she wouldn't get an answer. But after a few seconds, the plant retracted its vines, and the chains keeping her suspended shortened or lengthened, changing her posture. In seconds, she found herself still bound, but straddling his lap, facing him. He snaked an arm around her waist, pinning her body against him, and she could feel his hard member pressing through his pants against her crotch.

"I could say that it is because you are beautiful, smart and cute, and I want you, Tabane." he said as he brushed her hair away from her sweaty face. "That would be reason enough for me to take you. But there is more."

Over the next hour or so, Noah told her about his story, since the moment he accidentally stepped into the Sea of Quanta, his encounter with Lilith, his need for not just lovers, but completely loyal slaves, and his current issues.

"…So, in order to deal with that tyrannical world government that specializes in fighting with twenty-meter tall mechas and warships in space, I need a few great geniuses who will create a few superior mechas for our own side, and Lilith gave me a short list of gifted individuals who I could resurrect. And you are the first on that list, Tabane."

When he was done speaking, they just stared at each other in silence for a long time.

"…Assuming you are telling the truth, how much time has passed since I died?"

"I do not have a clue. It could be mere days, or it could be thousands of years or even more. The rules of the afterlife depend on which god created which world, so you not having reincarnated yet isn't a sign that your death was recent."

Tabane slowly nodded.

"…I will help you, on one condition."

"Yes?"

"You will resurrect one, no, three people, assuming they aren't currently alive."

"Who are they?"

"My little sister Houki, her childhood friend and fiancé Ichika, and his big sister Chifuyu."

Noah considered for a few seconds. His guts told him that this Ichika was a protagonist.

"I will agree, but Ichika will live on one of the worlds under my supervision. I'll have the local Japanese government give him ID papers and a stipend to help him get his feet under him. Your little sister and his big sister will live with us, however, and I will make them mine as well. After they swear loyalty to me, they will be able to visit him as often as they like."

"…A second condition, then. You will be gentle with them. Don't start by tying them up and molesting them right away, like you did with me. And if Houki and Ichika had children after I passed away, you will revive them as well."

"I accept." smiled Noah.

Tabane nodded, then resumed her squirming.

"Nothing more needs to be said, then. I believe you were teaching this peerless genius about some of the things she missed in her previous life, 'Master'."

Noah smiled as his left hand kneaded Tabane's right breast through the latex. She had called him 'Master', not with venom or derision this time, but with a bit of challenge, clearly conveying her intent.

She would help him build mechas and bring that war to an end, yes. But if he wanted her to submit to him as a sex slave, she would make him work for it.

That was a vast improvement, and a challenge he wasn't going to decline.