39 – Information and Tests!
—————————
PART 1 – Information!
—————————
The next morning. The young mixed-race woman in deep sleep, having slept for more than 15 hours, woke up with a start, breathing heavily and looking for something shortly after waking up.
She stood up, feeling no pain but remembering that she was injured. When looking at her clothes, she noticed that she was wearing simple clothes that she had never seen before. The quality of the fabric is very good, something difficult to find in the mountains.
But she looked at her leg, finding only a scar from what appeared to be an arrow's entry and exit holes. - “Malu!” - She screamed, desperately looking around.
She found herself in a spacious tent but ignored the details of the place, looking for her brother.
[“I see you’re finally awake.”]
A voice sounded in her mind, her eyes widening as she looked at her surroundings. - "Who are you? Where are you?! Where’s Malu!” - She roared.
[“So the little one’s name is Malu? Okay. I'm Skarla, the one who saved your lives. Leave the tent and come to me; your brother is with me. He’s your brother, right?”]
The voice sounded with doubt and even concern. - "Yes!" - She said, then went to the entrance, opening it and facing outside.
She saw many armed humans; many looked in her direction, because even though orc halfbreeds are not rare, due to the conflicts, they are difficult to find in the Duchy.
Orcs and halfbreeds from other regions of the continent tend to avoid the Duchy, as they fear being confused and killed. Such a situation has happened many times before, resulting in many political problems, but that is a matter for the future or not.
Pelia swallowed her saliva, hearing voices in a language she didn't know, but the voice in her mind instructed her where she should go. She went and discovered that she was outside the camp, where the passage was sealed by soldiers who looked at her intensely and were ready to bar her passage.
But then they seemed to have heard something, and with obvious fear, they opened the door and pointed in the direction she should go.
Pelia hesitantly went, getting closer and closer to the mountain, and after a few minutes of walking, she arrived at what was once the battlefield—part of it, since more than 80% was buried.
And her eyes landed on a huge rock; on top of it, she saw a toned, bare back. - “Don’t be afraid; you can go up here to the left.” - Said Skarla, pointing to the side, and Pelia advanced.
She managed to climb the rock and looked at Skarla, finding her with a very calm look and, in her lap, a sleeping, green-skinned baby.
Pelia shuddered and went to pick it up. - “Don’t do that; I’m still treating him.” - Skarla said calmly, stopping her.
"Thanks!" - Pelia said, took back her hands, and looked at Skarla in the eyes.
Skarla smiled kindly and said. - “I’m a mother; I wouldn’t allow something like that to happen.”
Pelia nodded, looking at her brother. - “You can touch it; just don’t take it off my lap.” -Skarla said, and Pelia didn't refuse. She caressed her brother's head, and she started to cry when she felt the heat of her body.
Skarla looked at her, and after a while, her hand reached out and caressed the young woman's head. - “You can relax; as long as I'm here, not even a demigod can hurt you.”
…
After a sentimental period, Pelia adjusted herself, sitting on her knees and looking at Skarla. - “How can I pay you back for helping me?”
“I didn’t do this with rewards in mind, but I want information.” - Said Skarla, she won't waste time. - “I don't expect you to know many things, but tell me how things have been in the mountains in recent years, any new enemies, how the government is going, and everything else you can tell me.”
“… ok, but first… How do you know how to speak my language so well?” - Pelia asked, genuinely curious.
“I was born in the mountains; it's natural for me to know. I fled there a few years ago with my two wives.” - Skarla said calmly, to Pelia's surprise.
"As? You are strong, but I have never heard of such a formidable warrior.” - Pelia said she was shocked.
“I developed my strength in secret; no one knew beyond what I showed. Then one day I thought it was enough—the preparations for war—and I didn't want to fight for the orcs, so I left with my wives. It was easy, there were no complications, and I highly doubt the orcs would let the information leak that three women ran away.” - Skarla said, laughing, and Pelia was speechless.
“I heard a lot of stories outside from my mother. Is it true that the lands beyond the mountains are infinite?” - Pelia asked excitedly.
“The continent is not infinite, but it is certainly 20 times more than the territory of the mountains.” - Skarla said calmly, and her eyes shone. - “But stop talking about me and the lands outside the mountains; you will have time for that in the future. Now I want to know what the situation in the mountains is like.” - Skarla said seriously, and Pelia nodded and began to say everything she knew.
Pelia surprisingly knows a lot, and Skarla discovered that she is one of the many half-breeds who have the blood of the Makaulu, the High King of the Krugar Mountains.
In the 3 years that have passed since Skarla fled the Krugar Mountains, nothing much has happened at first, except for the fact that the pressure on the villages has increased.
Apparently people fled, and as a result, the Orcs became more wary of humans, discovering many groups thinking about fleeing, so many punishments were given.
Skarla didn't care about the people harmed by her escape. But shortly after the Orcs became more alert to potential escapes and also strengthened defenses in specific locations on the mountain, that's when it all started.
Makaulu gained all his power from the depths of the Dark Forest, which is now known as the Forest of Warriors.
Whoever enters, whether for months or years, leaves more powerful. There isa place where your talents can flourish, but the chances of death are high.
Many formidable warriors began to invade the Forest of Warriors, much more in the last 3 years than in the past. This was due to the constant war against the Duchy, as they had high-quality equipment, defenses, and a lot of magic.
In the mountains, everyone was a barbarian, medicine was provided by shamans, equipment was simple, and only the best and strongest could have higher-quality weapons.
And unlike the people of the duchy with military backgrounds, they have specific skill development that allows them great synergy when fighting side by side. The barbarians of the Krugar Mountains are simple.
In the end, they must compensate for their flaws and lack of resources with greater individual strength, which makes them all powerful elite warriors able to face many enemy soldiers, but this certainly causes many serious injuries and subsequently the inability to continue fighting.
…
Following her escape, Pelia discussed reproduction and treatment options. Even better treatment for human women came with the obvious requirement to constantly conceive more children.
This was a result of significant advancements in agricultural technology, which allowed for the production of more grains annually, thereby enabling the feeding of a larger number of troops. Furthermore, the interior of the mountain is increasingly utilizing and transforming its fertile land into expansive plantations.
There is also the merger of several tribes from the past, forming large tribes; that is, Makaulu has plans to form cities, reducing the number of tribes that are practically “villages”.
Pelia doesn't know about the involvement of demons, but she knows a lot about politics and forces. Her mother cooperated with the Great King; naturally, she was very close to him since the first conquests and thus knew a lot, teaching her daughter all this.
And through her contacts, she had the means to communicate and acquire information.
…
Skarla found what she heard useful: Makaulu and her nation are taking shape, developing by leaps and bounds. Perhaps this is the first official Orc nation on the continent.
She looked thoughtful, knowing that it is unlikely that the Demons have not taken advantage of the Krugar Mountains, which are practically isolated from the rest of the world, so they must have influence over them, but in other ways.
And most likely, this must be rooted in the main forces, that is… perhaps Makaulu himself is an Apostle of Sins. Naturally, she thought of Ira.
Anger is associated with intense emotions and a lack of control through fury. But it can also be portrayed as something violent—something that invites more violent confrontations.
Orcs naturally have natural abilities aimed at bursts of power in exchange for sanity; they are perfect for the Deadly Sin Wrath. So, as Wrath has little influence on the duchy currently, even though there have been some outbreaks caused by it, it has never been something on a large scale or of concern.
Now she understands that perhaps they are accumulating strength, but it is certainly not just that. They are demons; there is no way they could not have committed evil.
“Were there internal conflicts? Tribes being annihilated?” - Skarla asked curiously.
"Yes. There have been many conflicts in recent years, and many tribes have been almost annihilated, leaving few survivors.”
“Were some of these annihilated tribes caused by Makaulu or his main forces?”
"… no. They were mainly caused by humans, the rebel group of losers who do not accept the Orcs as rulers. There are also murderers of people from outside the mountains.” - Pelia said she was confused.
'So Makaulu is directing his people's anger and hatred towards the Duchy and human beings. The survivors who must harbor the greatest hatred must certainly be the perfect receptacles for Wrath.'
Pelia was helping him understand a lot and make a lot of assumptions. Even if they are not certain, it is always beneficial to know the bare minimum, even if it remains unconfirmed, in order to formulate answers and adjust your fundamental understanding of the subject based on emerging facts.
Nodding, Skarla passed Malu to Pelia, who was surprised. - “I did the basic treatments; he will still need more, but for now he needs to adapt to what I put into his body, and then I can put more.”
Pelia looked at Skarla getting up, then at her brother, then she asked. - "Where are you going?"
“There’s someone I need to see. Pelia, return to camp. Know that you and your brother are under my protection; no one will dare hurt you unless they are crazy. I have two wives, one with white hair and one with blue skin. Viper and Calah, they will take care of you in my absence.” - Skarla said calmly.
Pelia nodded, then asked. - “Why are you doing so much for us?”
“I'm a mother, and I miss my children. As a mother, I wouldn't allow a newborn to suffer and... I come from a place where we treat children well, keeping them away from conflicts like these.” - With a light smile, she stroked Pelia's hair, giving her a gentle, maternal smile.
“Then treat this as my kindness, as a mother prioritizing the health and safety of children.” - Pelia was silent when she heard this.
“Things are different out here; of course, people with my mentality are hard to find, so don't take me as a comparison. And another thing, you are a child in my eyes. I know how the culture in the mountains works and that you are already an adult for them, but for me, you are a child, and I am not doing any of this out of sexual interest in you. I don't want to hear anything from you other than the information you gave me. Now I will take care of it until it can support itself.”
Pelia blushed at these words but nodded. - "Sorry." Her excuses were due to the thoughts she had that were apparently obvious.
“Don’t worry, girl, go have fun like the young lady you are, eat delicious food, get stronger, learn new things, and live a wonderful life. I think your mother would like that.” - Said Skarla.
Even though Pelia didn't talk about her mother's death, it was very explicit whenever something related was mentioned, and she felt sad. Not to mention that her situation as a whole is quite obvious.
“Skarla!” - Pelia suddenly shouted.
"Yes?" -Skarla asked as she was about to leave.
“Please teach me to become strong!” - She continued screaming. Skarla looked at her and didn't seem surprised by the request.
“Rest, recover, and then I will test your talents. If you are good, I will accept you; otherwise, give up on life as a warrior and focus on something else.” - Skarla replied calmly.
Pelia was determined. - “Now go back; a cold front is approaching, and we don’t want your brother to get sick.” - Skarla spoke calmly and then took to the skies.
Pelia had a firm look as she hugged her brother, got down from the rock, and ran to the camp.
—————————
PART 2 – Conversation with ???!
—————————
Skarla flew in one direction; it was the dirt road that led to the nearest village. When she arrived, she found many wagons, people, and troops.
Naturally, everyone pointed blades at her when she stopped in front of them, but one man, Miguel Okarma, moved forward. - “Put down your weapons; this is Skarla, Mountain's Fist!”
At her words, everyone lowered their weapons; they looked worried. Skarla wasn't bothered. - “Is it the materials and people?” - She asked.
“Yes, we will begin construction of the new fortress.” - Miguel said it in a respectful tone.
Skarla nodded.
…
Minutes later, Skarla was on the highest peak of the nearby mountain. She meditated while feeling the nature energy that was abnormally dense in this place enter her body, significantly accelerating her cultivation.
The internal wounds are still there; they are not a danger to her life, but she feels pain and discomfort. This is annoying, but she persevered, as the pain is something she will have to endure if she wants to go further.
And construction would begin in 1 or 2 days, after rest and preparation. Of course, the engineers must first evaluate the situation, which will take 1 or 2 days.
As for the materials? In addition to the many things brought by Miguel, there is a demolished mountain that scattered many rocks of varying sizes everywhere, so Skarla saved a lot of time and money.
"What do you want?" - Skarla frowned and looked at the heavens.
There is nothing and no one around, even in the direction you are looking. - “I can feel your damn energy and presence.”
[“Hehehe~ is this love?”]
A voice echoed as a black mass of energy appeared in the sky, exposing a mouth full of sharp teeth.
“Do you want to catch more?” - Skarla snorted with disdain.
[“Don't talk like that; I might fall in love with you even more.”] - Sueika's familiar voice resounded.
"What do you want? I won’t repeat myself.” - Skarla said coldly.
[“I can't cause you any harm like that, so you don't need to keep your guard up, because it's just my mouth manifested, but if you want some kisses, or maybe something deeper, I'm in.”] - Sueika laughed perversely.
“I’m not interested in a dimensional glory hole.” - Skarla rolled her eyes.
[“You use fun terms, glory hole; I liked it, hehehe~. But I think your patience has limits, so let's get straight to the point. What do you think about making a contract with me?”]
"I'm not interested." - Skarla replied without hesitation.
["Do not say that. I know we had our contradictions—a small fight as a couple—but it's nothing we can't resolve and leave in the past.”] - Sueika laughed, and the mass of black energy that shaped her mouth began to tremble and expand, the mouth disappearing, and soon this mass of energy seemed more like a type of mirror, which did not reflect an image but only showed what was elsewhere.
And on the other side, a beautiful woman with pale skin had large, feathery wings coming out from behind her slender waist. A short outfit shows a lot of her cleavage, as well as barely covering her vagina, exposing her perfect glutes and thick thighs, along with her long and attractive legs.
Bright green eyes that seemed to be able to see everything, with long curved horns that looked like a crown on their forehead, long white hair, and youthful and very beautiful features.
“So this is what Mom looks like?” -Skarla said, smiling, admitting that she is not as unpleasant as her daughter.
["Did you like it? This is my favorite human appearance; I only use it when I like a human, but I prefer my original appearance.”] - She said this, sliding her delicate hands over her fabulous body.
“It’s not bad, but I think the fallen angel aesthetic is a little disappointing; considering you’re a demon primarily associated with succubi, something more provocative would be better.” - Said Skarla with a shrug.
[“…”] - Sueika remained quiet, blinking, and seemed thoughtful. - [“Unfortunately, I don’t have time to solve this now; I will do it in the future, but thanks for the tip.”] - She smiled, licking her lips.
“Anyway, you can end the conversation. I don’t want to form a contract with you; it won’t benefit me at all.” - Said Skarla, closing her eyes.
["Why do you think that? Do you underestimate my strengths and the aspects I control? Know that among my brothers, I am the third strongest.”] - She smiled confidently, moving her legs and naturally letting her panties slide so that Skarla could see her very attractive parts.
Skarla opened her eyes slightly, observed this, but ignored it. Sueika smiled as she seemed to move something in the empty air with her soft fingers.
[“I don’t want you to be my apostle; I just want us to have a contract; you give me something, and I’ll give you something. A fair exchange.”] - Sueika smiled.
Skarla ignored it.
[“Are you going to ignore me now? How childish.”] -Sueika was pouting, but she was still playing with something in the air. - [“I can give you a lot of power, you know? There is so much strength that you can’t even imagine.”]
“Level 13.” -Skarla said, and Sueika was silenced. She soon growled, rolling her eyes.
[“Sometimes I forget that you are a monster that goes against logic. But you don't have magic. You are very strong, but I don't feel any magic from you. Although my aesthetic leans towards seduction, I am among the most formidable sorceresses to have ever entered the depths of hell. I have a myriad of knowledge and…”] - Smiling, Sueika waved a hand, opening a slit to the side, and it showed an immense library.
[“You seem to be someone who is interested in knowledge; I have lived for millennia; I have accumulated knowledge of hell and various dimensions, as well as worlds much more powerful than this tiny one in which you live.”]
Skarla remained silent, but her eyes were open and focused on this; it really attracted her, so she sighed and said. - “I'm young; I can live for a few centuries with my current strength, even if I just eat and fuck, but I won't do that, so before I'm 30, I think I'll have more than enough strength to live for 400~600 years.”
[“… do you think that a mere 400~600 years will be enough to accumulate all this knowledge?”] - Sueika laughed in mockery.
"No. 100 years will be enough for me to discover a way to go to hell, visit you, kill you, and gain all your knowledge.” - Said Skarla arrogantly.
Sueika laughed, then started biting her nails until blood came out. - [“You are truly incredible, with such power and capacity for growth; your personality is shit, but I see myself enjoying it. But ask me a question: Do you hate me?”]
“… hate is a strong word; in fact, I don't think I've ever hated anyone in my life other than myself. Even though everything happened, I just don't feel anything coming from you, and for obvious reasons, I'm not foolish enough to trust a demon's words.”
[“I see. I guess that’s why I like you. Most of them were mortals, whether they were ridiculous religious people or powerful mortals. Whenever we faced each other or talked, everyone was always tense, trying to escape my clutches without constant fear. You are the first mortal who doesn't have a few screws loose in her head and who is so calm in front of me, just as you are the first who managed, with just her willpower, to invade an interdimensional mirror. This is strangely amusing.”]- She laughed as she touched the air, but what she touched was partially Skarla's will, mixed with her perception.
And somehow, Skarla managed to cross this mirror with his will and perception, which he was using to investigate the other side, what the mirror didn't show, as well as looking for any weakness in Sueika.
She noticed this; how could she not notice such a formidable presence in her territory? But she allowed it because she was enjoying it, feeling as if Skarla was touching her, as she was literally investigating every part of her body, every fold of her, and her insides.
For Sueika, this was so obscene and pleasurable, while for Skarla, she was taking advantage of Sueika's eccentricity to do what she wanted.
[“Skarla, I want you more and more; that's why I want the contract. I have no plans to deceive you, steal your soul and body, or harm you; of course, I want to do all that, but my plans are different now.”] - Sueika laughed as she slid her bloody fingers into her vagina, touching herself lightly and spreading her vaginal lips so that Skarla would have an easier time investigating her.
“I don’t see benefits in this contract. The knowledge is attractive, but it is not worth associating with you.” - Skarla shrugged and thought it was time to end this conversation.
[“Give me the knowledge to utilize and train my energy in the same way you use it for torture. Give me everything related to this, and I'll give you access to my private library.”]
“…how would that work? How would I access your library? Would I literally need to travel to hell? No thanks." - Skarla laughed, and Sueika pouted.
[“Until you could visit me, we could have some fun. Ok. As a demigoddess and one of the 7 Deadly Sins, I have something called 'Authority' that allows me to interfere with reality, and I am well studied in the area of dreams. So whenever you sleep or meditate, you can access my library.”]
Skarla was surprised; this is very attractive, but. - “I don’t think it’s worth sending my soul to hell.”
[“You’re really annoying, you know. In any case, we can place several restrictions so that nothing harms you.”] - Sueika rolled her eyes.
“Again, the problem becomes a lack of trust.”
[“…so how about I give you information about my brothers?”]
“Would you betray hell?” - Skarla laughed, not believing it.
[“We are not loyal to this place, and much less are we loyal to each other. The number of times that pervert Envy betrayed me also shows greed. I get angry just thinking about it. But we hate each other and are only working together because some idiot mortal thought it wise to perform a ritual of the 7 Deadly Sins. Instead of only invoking 1, he invoked all 7.”]
“…so does that mean that all of this really happened because of some occultist?”
["Yes. Even though we demons have a lot of power, we cannot interfere with the mortal world so easily. Of course, in invasions, we have to sacrifice a lot to invade worlds, but these invasions are with prepared infernal legions, and a massive war begins. In the current case, we are going for a softer approach, but you messed up everything.”]
Skarla frowned, then asked. - “Will you betray the other sins just because of the knowledge I have about energy control and torture?”
[“You may not know, but from the legendary level onwards, the restrictions on life forms decrease, we have greater freedom for our growth, but we are still focused on the ‘Legendary Skill’. As Demigods, we wield immense freedom and authority to mold the world and its reality according to our desires, yet numerous regulations remain in place. To show that I am trustworthy, as long as you do not attack a demigod directly, he cannot do anything to you unless he is willing to sacrifice his life.”]
[“We demigods can, in the literal sense, devastate entire nations in a few attacks, which is why the world restricts our power so as not to destroy the worlds and, of course, annihilate the weakest beings. So, to a certain extent, you are protected by the system and the laws of the world. No Demigod would dare to hurt or kill him, as he would sacrifice something. For example, if I attack you without justification, I will pay a harsh penalty, which will be like a curse that reduces my power by 10~50% for a few months, years, decades, or even centuries.”]
[“It may not seem like much, but know that we Demigods are few and we are desperately looking for ways to get up to Level 50. Killing Legends is not beneficial and comes with a penalty, which forces us to kill other Demigods. The problem is that we are all very strong, and it is difficult to know who will win. Not everyone is some kind of monstrous bastard who goes against the laws of the world, exceeding their real level by dozens of levels.”] - Sueika rolled her eyes.
“But doesn’t our fight count as justification? Shouldn’t you have a penalty?” - Skarla asked.
[“First, I possessed my incompetent daughter's body, so I was utilizing legendary-level strength to face her. Second, I started the fight, not you, without realizing that it wasn't my real body.”]
“So as long as I don’t retaliate against a demigod, regardless of provocations, I just don’t need to be the first to attack?”
[“It’s not quite like that. For example, if you provoke a demigod in front of you a lot, insult him irrationally, proactively provoke him to attack you, and things like that, If the world and system see this as a situation where you are obviously trying to induce confrontation, it will be your fault for confronting a being of such tremendous power.”]
“Then the easiest thing is to stay away from you; I understand.” - Skarla said, nodding slightly.
[“It's not that easy, because even if a demigod can't kill you without justification, that doesn't stop him from causing you harm. For example, cursing him, as is the case with that elf with dwarf blood, Not to mention that a demigod, if he wants, can rape you; even if you fight and hurt him, it doesn't justify him using all his strength; it's not like you have the power to actually harm a Demigod.”]
“So if I enter the dream world, I will be at your mercy. Even if you can’t harm me, you can abuse me however you want.” - Skarla frowned.
[“… I think I'm saying too much.”] - Sueika smiled, licking her lips. - [“But what’s the problem? In the best-case scenario, you will fall in love with me and this magnificent body, and I can be whatever you want.”] - In these words, her body began to take on various sensual and exotic shapes, and she avoided any appearance that would remind her of children, showing that Sueika knows certain things.
Skarla frowned and said. - “You got off topic; what does energy control really matter?”
[“And here, I want you to forget that.”] - Sueika in the form of a beautiful queen with big breasts, returned to her original form. - [“Simply put, the better our control over energy, the stronger we become, as Demigods, in addition to killing to level up, have other methods to gain EXP and go to the next level. Energy control facilitates this process. The greater our control, the more we can have.”]
“So you will become stronger if I teach you? As far as I can see, you are the one who gains the most from all of this. Even though the information in your library seems attractive, and your brothers' secrets too, it's nothing I can't solve with time. As for this war, in the worst case, people will die, and I can bear that.”
[“… I wonder which of us is really the devil.”] - Sueika laughed bitterly, as she is offering knowledge of millennia and is also willing to betray six demigods, who represent 6 Deadly Sins, without realizing that if her betrayal becomes public, she can make the whole of hell her enemy, which will involve much more than just six demigods.
[“Okay, besides these three things I offer you, what else do you want?”] - Sueika sighed.
"Three?" - Skarla seemed confused.
["Yes three. Knowledge, betrayal, and that magnificent little body.”] - Sueika laughed, and Skarla rolled her eyes.
“A method to be able to invoke you 10 times, temporarily, in the world I am in, to face potential disasters that put my life at risk.”
[“…1 time.”]
“9 times!”
["1!"]
“10!”
["… two…"]
“7 times, let’s live up to the 7 deadly sins. What do you think?”
[“Don’t take me for an idiot; two times is the limit; it will also be very harmful for me to travel between dimensions, even temporarily.”]
“3 then, and we don’t talk about it anymore!” - Skarla said, snorting.
["OK. 3 times then, I'm sure that was the initial number.”] - Sueika rolled her eyes.
“Making you strong will be to my advantage, so in addition to these three times, I will compensate you a little.” - Said Skarla.
[“… will it warm my bed?”] - Sueika smiled.
"No. But I can teach you more than energy control and torture. I won’t teach you the method by which I become strong, but I can teach you a method to better control the elements.”
[“… is this strange thing in your body where I feel four forms of energy in harmony?”] - Sueika asked.
In response, Skarla manifested the [8 Trigrams], where there are only 4 spaces filled and the rest are still blocked.
“This is something I created recently that was very useful and helped me destroy you. Shocking the energies creates a very intriguing chain reaction, and as long as you know how to control it, you can direct everything, for example, destroying a mountain.” - Skarla said, smiling and looking to the side.
[“… you really want a Sugar Mommy, right?”] - Sueika laughed.
“Did you learn what it is?” - Skarla asked.
[“I'm smart; it was easy.”] - Sueika smiled mischievously. - [“Okay, I agree to this deal; I don’t mind being exploited by you, as long as I get stronger and fuck those two assholes.”]
Skarla nodded, and a contract was formed, which, of course, began to be modified by both parties so that they could not take advantage of each other more than necessary.
—————————
PART 3 – Test!
—————————
Skarla was pretty calm, just bothered by some kind of parasite being in her brain right now. A distinct energy left a mark in her brain, transporting her consciousness to the dream world, linked to Sueika's hell and library.
There, she will get the information she wants. In addition, Skarla received three tattoos on her neck; they were lines that resembled collars. She can consume one to temporarily summon Sueika.
It's a weapon up your sleeve to deal with demigod powers that want to harm you.
…
Returning to camp after sorting out her affairs, Skarla went to find her wife and check on Pelia and her little brother.
Pelia got up the moment she saw her running towards her; it was cute, but that determined look, which was also cute, showed that she should not be taken lightly.
“This is Viper and Calah, my wives, whom I told you about before. Now give me your brother, and let’s test some things.” - Skarla said calmly, crouching down and extending her hand.
Pelia, now having confidence in Skarla, handed over her brother to her, and then she followed her.
…
The place Pelia went was outside the camp, where she found two beautiful women, one with long red hair and the other with long blonde hair.
Sasha and Holga, the couple of Skarla's disciples, were facing each other, wooden blades raised, circling each other, thinking about their next move.
Skarla's approach made them stop what they were doing.
“Master!” -They shouted because Skarla formed the hierarchy, and as they are his disciples, they must call him that.
“Holga, fight this girl; don’t hold back.” -Skarla said that without hesitation, he kicked Pelia in the back, sending her flying towards Holga.
Holga and Sasha were surprised. - “Sasha, give her your sword, the real one.” - Said Skarla as she sat down.
Pelia rubbed his back, looking confused and worried. - “If you want to learn from me, you have to show me something worthy. Fight with Holga, this blonde woman. If you can’t show me something decent, you’d better die.”
This left Pelia amazed, and when Sasha gave her a sword, she hesitated but took it. - “I just have to fight.”
"Yes!" - Said Skarla.
Holga looked confused. - “Don't take it easy; if she manages to scratch you, I'll take her for special training, which even Viper runs away from.”
Viper next to her shuddered at the thought, and Holga, who was hesitating, seemed firmer. "Sorry, kid.” - She said.
The two looked at each other, then began to face each other.
[Initiative Test(Dexterity)]
Holga—D20+4 = 17!
Pelia—D20+1 = 20!
HAAAAA!!!
Pelia roared to gain strength and courage, fiercely charging and slashing towards Holga.
Holga dodged, as blocking a sharp sword with her wooden one is foolish. Then she attacked, but Pelia didn't even have the opportunity to dodge, showing that she doesn't have much training.
The massive force of Holga's blade forcing her backwards left her breathless as she fell to the ground.
Pelia gasped, shivering, and a yawning sound reached her ears. Looking, it was Skarla yawning.
Growling, she stood up.
HAAAAAA!!!
Pelia charged forward, and Holga dodged, but it seemed like she understood that she was going to do that, so Pelia changed her trajectory and fiercely slashed towards her stomach.
Holga was surprised, quickly defending herself. The blade hit her wooden sword, almost touching her skin, but it lacked strength. But still, Holga felt the danger; she was almost hit.
Snarling, she fiercely punched, hitting Pelia in the face, who screamed as she was knocked to the ground.
“It was a good attack, but it lacked strength and skill.” - Skarla said, yawning, but gave a disappointed look to Holga, who didn't notice.
Pelia stood up, her nose bleeding. She raised her sword above her head, running to attack Holga, who, upon seeing this, snorted and didn't hesitate when attacking her wrists, and so her sword flew.
“Lots of openings; your enemy’s range is much greater than hers; how do you expect to achieve anything?” - Skarla snorted. - “You are small and weak, so you have to think, because strength is not on your side.”
Pelia growled, grabbing her sword, then turned abruptly, screaming like a reckless savage, which Holga dodged with ease, thinking about throwing another punch, only for Pelia's other hand to open and throw something in her face.
Holga was surprised, growling, but still punched, and her fist connected, forcing Pelia, happy for her success, back to the ground.
“I do not condemn your actions; you are small and weak; you need means to survive. Being honorable won’t help anything; the important thing is to survive.” - Said Skarla, satisfied.
“Holga, your reaction was good in not letting your impaired vision make you hesitate when attacking. This courage is good, but you are facing an inexperienced child, so it worked. Someone who uses these tricks has ways of not being hit by such an obvious attack.”
Argh!
Holga growled, while Pelia only watched. - “What are you doing? Will you let your enemy recover?”
Hearing this, Pelia almost jumped, then growled and shouted. She attacked Holga, who looked scared and hurriedly retreated. Pelia missed, but Holga also looked quite clumsy as she retreated.
Skarla looked disappointed. - "OK enough!" -She repeated herself to both, and Sasha ran to Holga with a bag of water to clean her face.
"I passed?!" - Pelia panted slightly but looked intently at Skarla.
“His attacks are mediocre. But his second attack was good; I liked it. Using the earth to blind your enemy was also good, using what you have at your disposal. But you hesitated; were you afraid of hurting her?”
“…” - Pelia remained silent.
“Don’t be silent; answer me!” - Skarla raised her voice.
“I didn’t want to hurt her!” - Pelia shouted.
"You are lying. You were just afraid of hurting her. Wanting and being afraid are different things. You are young, so I don’t mind; this is something we will change, but understand one thing: never hesitate when making decisions.” - Skarla said that she did not hesitate to undress, showing the huge scars on her body from the recent fight. - “Hesitation will cost you dearly, very dearly.”
Pelia was amazed at these scars, and while an adorable baby, upon seeing breasts, began to get fussy, Skarla laughed and let him feed.
“Viper, take her to be treated. Holga, get ready; you will undergo more training.” - Said Skarla.
"What?! But she didn’t cut me!” - Holga protested.
“She didn't cut you because I stopped her from opening her insides in that second attack. Not to mention that a child surprised you twice, and he doesn't even know how to fight. Do you think you have any damn excuse?!” - Skarla snorted with disdain.
“Stop fucking around and get some training; otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked the relaxed woman to fight a child.” - Skarla snorted and walked away.
“Sasha, you will be training with Cecil from today onwards, and I don’t want to see you two together. If you plan to relax during training and engage in sexual activities until one of you becomes pregnant, that's acceptable. So let’s be a little tougher.”
"What?!" - Sasha was surprised, but decided to keep quiet.
“Dear~” - Calah, ignoring the conflicts, approached Skarla. - “What do you think about leaving him in the care of his sister and the two of us?”
“How about you go study what I gave you and stop procrastinating? Instead of using the excuse of being tired to stop having sex, you are using it to not work.” - Skarla snorted, and Calah pouted.
“What can I do if you literally make me waste all the fluids in my body?”
“You can think less about sex and more about work.”
“Then Viper would get all the fun? Who will starve me?!” - Calah growled irritably.
“Go read the damn books, or no more beatings by the end of the month!”
“…” - Calah was silent, turned, and chased Viper to go to the camp.
“Why am I surrounded by bitches who just want something to fill them up?” - Skarla growled, looking at Malu. - “But you won’t be like that, right?” - She said it in a cute tone, but it is quite contradictory, as he is feasting on her breast.
Skarla was smiling, saying she missed her daughter and really wants to meet her second child.
“Hey duchess, send me home already.” - She said she was looking at the heavens.