The scene cracked and shattered into a thousand pieces, revealing the weary Giana on an empty plain.

  The first thing she did was lock on to me and pounce.

  I had no reason to evade, so I caught her. She didn't say anything and just cried.

  You did well, you passed.

  She pressed her head into my chest and kept crying. I stroked her hair and held her.

  “Lil' bro… that was beyond brutal…was that how you got those bite marks?”

  I nodded and Noelle came in for a hug too.

  I never knew… sorry Agnis…

  Don't be. I never told anyone, for obvious reasons.

  I got hit with a group hug. My team respected that I didn't want to answer questions about that experience. I did tell them that Giana acted like Nilah in the latter half. Nilah had been watching all this time and has acknowledged Giana and was helping me to soothe her.

  I'm sorry Deca. I might have broken you…

  Giana squeezed my arm. “Please let me stay close to you at all times… I will do better…”

  You did great, you passed. You didn't make the situation worse. You might disagree, but you stayed calm enough to not make a lethal mistake.

  “How did I do great?! I could do nothing! Nothing…”

  Energy left her as she almost slipped through my arms.

  “I couldn't protect you… I said that I wanted to be your shield, but you still got eaten. What is the point of me if I can't even protect you?!”

  Giana broke down in tears. “I didn't notice the trap, even though that fairy was super suspicious. I even defended her at the start like a fool. I will never forgive myself for standing up for her and not choosing your side! And then…” She gasped for air. “...and then I let them eat you for a month… A month Deca! Please tell me how I passed… I disagree. Please fail me…”

  Look. I can't change how you feel but I'm not this cruel to fail you on things I didn't see coming or couldn't solve myself. All I wanted to know is if you would make a bad situation worse and you didn't.

  I wrapped her in my tails as she was inconsolable. It was the best I could do.

  Yv, I’m sorry. You might have to wait a bit.

  “That is understandable… take your time…”

  Are you ok? You look pale.

  “Me? Oh… it was just shocking to see what you all have been through. The Nightmare dungeon was also extremely difficult… I don’t think I would have passed if I was in Giana’s shoes…” Yv’s ears drooped.

  Well, the fact that you survived the Nightmare dungeon means that you have a good shot at passing. Your test is a bit easier but it might also have an impact on you. I’m sorry.

  Giana’s fear of being alone might have increased with the experiences of this test, as she kept grabbing onto me whenever I moved.

  Greg sat down next to me.

  Hey…you talked about fairy dust was this…

  I nodded.

  I see… you went through a lot. It must have been a rude awakening to realize fairies were like… that. Raishin seems in denial.

  He pointed at Raishin who couldn’t accept that those things were fairies. Noelle tried to calm him down.

  How come you’re fine, Yv?

  “I…I’m not fine… I’m just more shocked by the situation…” Yv said, looking as if she was ready to cry.

  Would continuing the test now be wise? Does it matter? Giana has yet to stop shaking and crying. Knowing when to be tough and when to be weak is something Giana understands quite well. But do I? Can I afford to show moments of weakness? Who will pick up after me when I break down? I hope that Giana can.

  The background ruckus had calmed down as Noelle had knocked Raishin out. That’s one way to keep him quiet. Noelle and Greg started talking to each other about the situation, what they would have done.

  Yv was just looking at us. I was immobilized as Giana had cried herself to sleep. I am not sure if this test will make Yv cry but… to whom will she cry?

  My tail reached out, grabbed the [Illusionary Dagger], stretched to its 9 meter length, and handed it over to Yv.

  I can’t move. Stab yourself with it when you’re ready.

  She glanced at my tails, received the dagger and nodded.

  My tail went back to covering Giana. So pretty and innocent while asleep, but vixens are one of the most dangerous beings for a male 9t.

  Yv got up after an hour. She had completely shifted to a different aura. She might have an easier time with an aura like that.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  She stabbed herself and the scene changed to a mountainous area. Fire 2 winged dragons running away from her confused her. Her ears are better than mine and wind is her element, so she instantly noticed Inyr.

  “Well, It sure is my first time encountering your race. I am Inyr, the northern Stormdragon. How about it, little rabbit? Mind giving me an exciting battle?”

  Yv’s hand trembled a bit and stood her ground. “I will not disappoint you!”

  Yv was… phenomenal. She kept up with Inyr after going 4t mode as she hopped from air pocket to air pocket. She continuously adjusted her aura to deal with the pressure Inyr was giving off. She even used a tornado kick under [Accel Step] and made a super flashy tornado!

  Inyr didn’t care though… he cared for none of her attacks. This was to see if she would give up when her attacks seem ineffective. None of my tests were encounters that were meant to be won as in situations where we get in deep shit… winning is escaping with your life. This was a duel though, she couldn’t escape.

  So…Yv had switched to an aura similar to Inyr. She was currently also a battle junky… she was bleeding but pushing attacks and even seemed to enjoy it. I always wondered how timid creatures like 4t could be useful in keeping the world together… there is my answer.

  Inyr checkmated her by the same move he pulled on me. He suddenly sped up and coiled around Yv, leaving no way out for her, but both of them seemed satisfied.

  It was supposed to be a difficult test, but Yv passed it easily.

  The scene cracked and turned to normal.

  Congratulations Yv, you passed, quite easily it seems...

  Yv jumped at me and hugged me out of joy. “Thank you!”

  I’m sorry, our healer is out of commission, you will have to use nature energy to heal your wounds.

  “That’s fine. This wind dragon… is this the one who helped you burn down Bizax?”

  Yeah, he is napping now, probably for another century or 2…

  “I know I shouldn’t be this excited after Giana’s test but… that fight gave me so many ideas!”

  I see. You don’t need to hug me for that, though.

  “Too bad! I’m happy, so I’ll hug you!”

  Noelle came over and put her hands on her hips. “You were right about us getting more protective after these tests but…I think that we need to get stronger first. Greg and I couldn’t come up with reliable ways to effectively deal with that dragon.”

  Its easy… you run.

  You seem quite close with Yvonne.

  Greg said as he looked at my interaction with Yv and then with Giana.

  Jelly?

  About what?

  Never mind…

  Oh that takes me back to when Inyr and I went to kill a god haha! He’s stupidly strong!

  Noelle turned to Raishin. “Not you too… but I want to hear about that!”

  Noelle and Greg went to listen to Raishin’s god-killing stories.

  I guess we can take a break now. At least you guys.

  I handed the sleeping Giana over to Yv who looked at me, confused. Nobody seemed to have realized, but that’s fine as this was my job.

  Nilah, we got some visitors.

  I went 9t mode and used [Hattrick]. 3 swords orbited me, and 3 each around the necks of the spying deities.

  Getting sneaky now, eh? What do you want?

  “Wait! Bellia and I want to talk!” A blue haired woman said.

  “Let’s just beat them up a bit Della, they will just piss…”

  The swords decapitated the redhead goddess with a strange cape.

  Vines gathered and pieced together Bellia’s head. “See! They will just piss us off! We’re wast…”

  And off flew her head again. My team realized the threat and got put on alert.

  “Wait wait! Bellia just shut up for a bit! You have something to ask too, right?”

  I didn’t sense hostility from Della so the swords targeting her neck went over to Bellia who had regenerated.

  “Ugh, you seemed to have picked up another troublesome skill, fine. I apologize.”

  How about you let Greg send your energy into the dimension? You have more copies running around right?

  “You! What?! How… Absolutely not! I’d rather…”

  Off flew her head again. I have to admit, I quite enjoyed it.

  Bellia’s divine energy flared, but Della trapped her in a bubble. “Ugh, I should have come alone…”

  The swords returned to me and I waited patiently until Bellia cooled down.

  “Ugh, I apologize. I should be happy that you won't instantly lose when that bitch targets you again… I wanted to ask you something about spirits. Do you mind dropping that?”

  Bellia gestured at the swords swirling around me, having queued up multiple skills that could hurt gods.

  I will go scorched earth on you guys and then run away with my team if you pull anything funny.

  “We saw what you did to Bizax… I’m a bit upset, but Della is happy that there is more ocean, so I will let it slide.” The deities sat down and plants and vines created chairs and tables.

  Della looked at Giana. “Is she alright?”

  She will be fine. She’s strong.

  I dropped my 9t mode, but still kept [Hattrick] around. My team sat around the table and I carried Giana over.

  follow if the story is interesting enough.

  Moorland Menace