Morning in Riacho Sereno dawned clear and full of a hope that hadn't existed before. When Kael'Zarion and Mika Nyanori emerged from the barn, they found Harlan and his son, Lian, waiting for them with a small breakfast of fresh bread and cheese.
"It's the least we can do," Harlan said, his voice a friendly thunder. "For giving us a night of sleep without fear, for the first time in years."
Lian, still shy, extended a small leather pouch to Kael. "Healing herbs. Please, be careful." His eyes met Mika's for a second, a mix of apology and admiration, before dropping back to the ground.
Mika just snorted and grabbed Kael's arm protectively. "Don't worry. I take good care of him."
After saying their goodbyes, they left the village behind, following a trail that quickly narrowed into a dense and ancient forest. The trees closed above their heads like a gothic vault, blocking most of the sunlight and plunging the world into perpetual twilight.
"Okay, tutorial's over," said Kael, his metallic voice slicing through the eerie silence. "We're entering the first grinding zone. We need XP. I need to test my skills, understand my limits, and, if possible, unlock new abilities before facing a sub-boss like Nyxra."
Mika looked around at the twisted trees that resembled claws and the mushrooms glowing with a sickly light. "Grinding zone? You mean 'The Creepy Forest Where Bad Things Happen™'? Because that's the vibe I'm getting, meow."
"Precisely," Kael confirmed. "Hostile environments spawn stronger monsters. Stronger monsters give more experience."
They didn't have to wait long. Sliding between the roots of the trees, two gelatinous, translucent forms appeared. They were a vibrant hot pink, full of bubbles rising and falling slowly. A glowing core pulsed in their centers, and their bodies formed a vague, inviting smile.
[THREAT ANALYSIS: SEDUCTION SLIME.][DANGER LEVEL: LOW (PHYSICAL), MEDIUM (PSYCHIC).][ABILITY: APHRODISIAC PARALYZING TOUCH.]
"Slimes? Seriously?" Mika laughed. "What kind of XP do these give? Five points?"
Ignoring Kael's implicit warning, Mika approached one with curiosity, poking it with the tip of his boot. In a blink, the slime launched forward, enveloping his leg.
"Whoa! Cold and slimy!" Mika exclaimed, but his tone changed instantly. "And... warm... Ugh, my head..."
The slime began to crawl up his body, and the other moved to join it. A pink mist emanated from them, and Mika's eyes grew hazy. "Kael... what... what is this feeling...?" he murmured, his body going limp. The slimes, with surprising strength, started pulling at his clothes, their gelatinous claws tearing fabric.
Kael moved. His immunity to psychic effects, courtesy of a brain that was more of a processor and a body made of metal, made him the perfect predator for such creatures. Liquid metal flowed from his right forearm, shaping in midair into a broad, heavy sword, its blade reflecting the little light in the forest.
With a single horizontal strike, he slashed the air. The blade passed through both slimes without resistance. For a second, nothing happened. Then, the two monsters split perfectly in half, their inner lights flickering before fading, their bodies melting into inert pink puddles on the forest floor.
[XP GAINED: 150. SKILL 'SUMMON BLADE' LEVEL 2.]
Mika dropped to his knees, panting, the mist dissipating from his mind. He looked down. His shirt was torn across the chest, his shorts in tatters. He was nearly naked, trembling from a mix of violation and adrenaline.
"They... they..."
Before he could finish, a low growl came from the shadows. A whole pack of them. Wolves, but not normal wolves. They were huge, with black fur tangled with moss and poisonous mushrooms. Thorny vines wrapped around their legs, and their eyes glowed with a profane green light.
Kael moved instantly, placing his massive body between the pack and Mika. He raised his sword. "Stay behind me."
The battle was brutal and short. The "Mycowolves" were fast and fierce, but no match for two tons of arcane steel and protective fury. Kael's sword was a blur of destruction—cutting, impaling, and smashing. In less than a minute, all that remained was silence, the bodies of wolves scattered on the ground, and the rhythmic sound of Kael's breathing.
With the threat eliminated, the reality of the situation fell on Mika. He was still kneeling, clothes in shreds, exposed. Kael turned and, seeing his state, sheathed the sword, which liquefied and returned to his arm. He knelt down and, with surprising gentleness, picked Mika up in his arms, wrapping him in his large dark cloak to cover his nakedness.
Mika's face burned with shame. To be held like that, so vulnerable, so exposed...
"You don't need to be ashamed," Kael's voice came, softer than usual, close to his ear.
"But... you're seeing me like this..." Mika murmured, hiding his face in Kael's metallic chest.
"Mika." Kael waited until the young man looked at him. His glowing blue eyes were intense, focused. "Know that... I like you. You matter. And nothing bad will happen to you while I'm here. I won't allow it."
The words were simple, direct, almost mechanical in delivery—but carried with them an undeniable weight of sincerity. Mika's heart skipped a beat. The shame was replaced by a warmth that spread through his entire body, making him blush from head to toe. He wasn't just a loud travel companion. He mattered.
He simply nodded, unable to form a response, and nestled deeper into the protective embrace.
They found a small cave to shelter in when night fell. With a spark of energy from his finger, Kael lit a fire. With a practical skill that surprised Mika, he skinned and prepared the wolf meat. Soon, the smell of roasting meat filled the cave—a comforting aroma amidst the deadly forest.
As they ate, sitting side by side by the fire's warmth, Mika felt safe in a way he hadn't since he was a child. He looked at the profile of the metallic dragon, his armored face lit by the flames. He was a monster, a war machine, a being from another world.
But to Mika, he was a safe harbor. And that was all that mattered.