Mushoku Impact

"You have way too much hair..."
Though he was pretty used to helping girls like Ei brush their hair, Paul struggled with Kishirika's. Her violet-purple hair extended past her butt and flared outward wider than her shoulders, even in her loli form. Now that she had matured, her wild yet silky locks had grown to the backs of her ankles, almost like she was walking around in a violet-purple mantle.
"You're the one who offered to lend a hand. Stop complaining about every little thing."
As it had been quite some time since someone helped to brush her hair, literally hundreds of years, Kishirika was enjoying Paul's care more than she would ever admit. She half-expected him to be inexperienced or give up halfway through, but, despite his words, he remained calm and patient as he focused on brushing individual clumps of her hair.
Suppressing a sigh, Paul consoled himself with the reminder that Kishirika wasn't simply a beautiful and alluring demoness; she was also his fiancee. The circumstances that led to their engagement were beyond bizarre, but he still wanted to try and make her happy. After all, no one deserved to be 'alone' for thousands of years...
Sensing the subtle changes in Paul's aura, Kishirika tilted her head back and stared up at him with an inquisitive look on her face. She didn't know what he was thinking, but his expression and eyes gave her a reasonable idea of what it might be.
Squinting her eyes in amusement, Kishirika playfully inquired, "What, did you finally fall in love with me~?"
Catching the mischievous Demoness off guard, Paul maintained a calm and casual demeanor as he replied, "Something like that..." in a soft yet resonating tone.
"..."
Though she was unaccustomed to sincerity, Kishirika only blanked for a moment before adopting an alluring smile and stating, "Once you defeat Badi, I'm going to rock your world..."
Without waiting for Paul's response, Kishirika abruptly bounced to her feet and exclaimed, "You, the deep-throated woman with the tremendous tits! Shouldn't your friend have returned by now? My throne room isn't that far from here."
Finding Kishirika's descriptive form of address fairly novel, Zhongli issued a deep, throaty chuckle before adopting a marginally more serious expression and replying, "Lady Kishirika is correct. Though I'm reasonably confident in Sayu's ability to escape unharmed, she should have returned by now. We can either wait until nightfall or proceed under the assumption something has transpired."
Exhibiting a greater sense of urgency than his Chief Maid and Advisor, Paul jumped to his feet and shouted, "We're moving!" in a commanding tone. He also believed in Sayu's abilities to avoid detection and escape from harm, but there was no way in hell he was going to sit around and wait to confirm her fate. If she were still alive and merely captured, that would be condemning her to hours of suffering just to be 'safe.'
Since everyone was waiting for Paul to give the order to deploy, it didn't even take a full minute before the group had vacated the bath. The only delays were Kishirika getting into her armor and Paul reequipping his belt and breastplate, aided by Ganyu.
Stepping into the adjoining corridor, the pupils of Paul's eyes contracted as the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stood on end. The bath had privacy and anti-magic barriers to prevent people from spying on the occupants, but it also hampered the senses of whoever was inside. Thus, the moment everyone stepped out into the corridor, the ambiance of the castle changed to that of a battlefield.
Increasing Paul's tensions even further, what appeared to be an ancient suit of armor came charging at them with the intensity of a bullet train. It was around 2.5m tall and comprised of a strange, bluish-black metal that expelled ghostly flames from the slats in its visor and joints. If that wasn't intimidating enough, it wielded a spiked tower shield in its left hand and a massive, 1.8m long broadsword in its right.
Though he had read the ecological reports on free-roaming Magic Armor, Paul was still taken aback by the tremendous bloodlust emanating from the mindless sentry. It was like an enemy straight out of Dark Souls, only several tens of times faster.
Fortunately for Paul, his years of training didn't fail him. The moment he sensed the Magic Armor's bloodlust, his expression became as calm and serene as the surface of a lake on a windless night. The Magic Armor was a fearsome foe for Intermediate and Advanced-Ranked swordsmen, but it was no threat to a prepared Saint.
Demonstrating that his training wasn't for naught, Paul spun around the Magic Armor's thrust, avoiding the side with the tower shield. In the same motion, the edge of his blade gleamed white under the influence of Touki as he cut through the automaton's waist. Its armor was a lot tougher than he expected, but it wasn't beyond his capabilities to cut through.
Since it took a lot more than physical attacks to take down a Magic Armor for good, Paul followed his disabling strike by shouting, "Ganyu...!"&nbsp;
Well aware of her responsibility, Ganyu performed a series of hand seals that caused a trigram-like Magic Circle to manifest beneath the downed automaton. Magic Armors, despite possessing physical forms, fell into the classification of Ghosts and Apparitions. Their true form was the ghostly blue flames that filled the interior of the armor, so unless you completely obliterated them with Magic, the only way to take them out permanently was to exorcise them.
As it took a few seconds for them to pull themselves together, the Magic Armor felled by Paul was defenseless as Ganyu's self-created Purification Magic took effect. All it could do was expel an ear-piercing shriek as the flames filling its insides transitioned from blue to a luminous shade of gold that ultimately dissolved away into nothingness.
Voicing the thought that had just entered everyone's minds, Kishirika said, "I suggest you ready yourselves. That shriek it released at the end wasn't just a death wail."
As they could already feel the vibrations through their feet and hear the distant sound of metal scraping against stone, Paul and Party didn't need Kishirika to inform them that reinforcements were on the way. It didn't even take a full ten seconds before another shield-wielding Magic Armor slid around the corner at the end of the corridor, followed closely by a pair wielding a halberd and a flail.
Though a trio of Magic Armos were dangerous in and of themselves, it was the four-armed feminine automaton following behind them that drew Paul's vigilance. Unlike the Magic Armors, which were comprised of the same bluish-black metal, the feminine automaton appeared to be formed almost entirely of Adamantine-treated steel. The only exception was the glowing blue stones forming its eyes and ornamenting various parts of its body, including its artificial nipples...
"You've got to be fucking kidding me..."
As ridiculous as the automaton's design was, it was the fact it could use Magic that left Paul feeling irritated. The glowing blue stones ornamenting its body were High-Quality Magic Stones. He initially assumed they were just a power source, but the reality was made clear when the automaton turned its body to the side, raised its right hand, and began to condense spears of ice around itself.
Determining that Paul wouldn't be able to take on the trio of Magic Armors while simultaneously evading the attacks of an Anti-Magic Golem capable of casting Chantless Magic, Zhongli promptly flung her spear like a bolt of geo-infused lighting, impaling the feminine automaton in the chest.
Though it would ordinarily take more than a single piercing blow to take out a sufficiently advanced golem, Zhongli doubled down by allowing the Geo Energy in her spear to erupt outward. The feminine automaton might be immune to Spells below the Advanced Rank, but it had absolutely no resistance to pillars of Geo Energy erupting from its insides.
Deciding to save his questions for later, Paul charged toward the trio of Magic Armors with a look of intense focus. It was known that groups of Magic Armors shared senses, so they were exponentially harder to deal with the more there were. The moment Paul side-stepped the tank-like Magic Armor at the front, the javelin-wielding one behind it attempted to skewer him. He managed to slip under the lethal thrust and slice through its weapon, but he was forced to jump and twist his body as the previous Magic Armor turned to try and cut him from behind.
As his heart beat rapidly, adrenaline coursing through his veins, Paul had the distinct impression the world around him was beginning to slow. The moment he landed back on the ground, his sword became a blur as three distinct trails of light cut through the bodies of the closest Magic Armors. The third attempted to strike him with its flail, but he precisely stabbed at the center of the spiked steel ball, shattering it into fragments that failed to pierce the layer of Touki covering his body.
Carried forward by the momentum of his thrust, Paul appeared to glide for a brief moment before twisting mid-motion to perform a sweeping strike through the body of the final Magic Armor. When he eventually came to a stop, he was breathing heavily, not because he was fatigued, but because of the sudden and intense rush of adrenaline.
Remembering his training, Paul took a series of deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. Unfortunately, his enemies weren't going to wait for him to collect himself. Before Ganyu could finish exercising the group on the ground, another Magic Armor showed up, this one standing more than 3m tall and wielding a massive battleax.
Unbeknownst to Paul, the center of his pupils briefly flashed purple as he charged toward the hulking automaton with a smile on his face. He didn't consider himself a battle junkie, but he had been craving a chance to test his skills in active combat. Now that he had one, he felt like he could take on an entire army.
Instead of attempting to evade the massive ax trying to bisect him from head to crotch, the corners of Paul's smile curled upward as he swept his sword in an arcing motion over his head, altering the trajectory of the ax to slip past him and get stuck in the ground. At the same time, he thrust forward with his empty left hand, manifesting his Black Blade just in time to stab through the Magic Armor's visor, exploding it to piece with a well-timed Critical.
With his breathing even more labored than before, Paul made the wise decision to retreat before any additional enemies showed up. As he did, an Electro-purple fox flew over his head, its speed nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye as it pierced through the body of yet another Magic Armor.
Seeing Yae standing with a Catalyst that resembled a purple surrounding an ornate golden gong with lavender tassels dangling from the sides, the smile on Paul's face became even more prominent. He knew Yae had to be fairly powerful as Ei's former companion and ally, but this was his first time seeing her in action. Being able to materialize familiars that moved at lightning speeds was just broken.
Deciding to save his praise until after they captured the castle, Paul came to a stop next to Kishirika and said, "I believe you have some explaining to do."
As Paul still had an excited smile on his face, Kishirika wasn't too nervous as she replied, "What do you want me to say? Laplace clearly made some modifications to the castle's automated defenses. It doesn't change what we came here to do."
Rolling his eyes, Paul decided to momentarily drop the matter as he took a knee and focused on controlling his breathing. Ganyu helped by placing her palm and his back and channeling Healing Magic into his body, but no matter how much time passed, he still felt as though pure adrenaline was coursing through his veins...almost like he was using an Electro Vision...
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Feeling something was off, Paul turned to the most perceptive member of the group, Kishirika, asking, "Do you notice anything unusual with my aura or body? I feel...different..."
"Hmmm~?"
With her left eye defaulting to an amplified version of the Demon Eye of Magic Power, Kishirika gave Paul a quick once over before asking, "What am I supposed to be looking for? You're using more Touki than usual, but that's not unusual on a battlefield. It's your instincts going into overdrive to preserve your life."
Though he felt there was something more to it, Paul responded with his usual, "Right..." before rising to his feet. Yae and Ganyu were dealing with the enemies without issue, but they weren't making any progress toward locating Sayu. Thus, instead of insisting he continue leading the charge, Paul took a steadying breath and stated, "We're pushing through. Zhongli, you're up."
With the corners of her smile curling upward, Zhongli replied, "As you will." before manifesting a spear constructed from pure Geo Energy. She used a 4-Star Polearm known as the Lithic Spear for general purposes but, much like Ei, preferred weapons comprised of the element she governed.
Immediately following her response, Zhongli's body appeared to vanish from her initial position as spears matching the one she had summoned abruptly pierced through the remaining enemies. The spears appeared to manifest instantaneously, but the reality was that Zhongli moved so fast that only Ei could track her movement.
Having reappeared at the far end of the corridor, Zhongli's expression remained stoic as she eyed the enemies coming from around the corner. She didn't want to let Paul out of her sight, so she raised her left hand to produce several spears around her body. Then, in a manner remarkably similar to Gilgamesh from the Fate series, she made a casual gesture that ended the lives of nearly a dozen Magic Armors and three of the feminine automatons. The former still needed to be exorcised, but their armor was so damaged that it would take them hours to recover.
Demanifesting her remaining spear, Zhongli turned toward Paul and Party before placing a hand over her heart and performing a courteous bow as she reported, "The way is open. Please watch your step."
Resisting the urge to call Zhongli a show-off, Paul turned to his Party and said, "Let's move!" in a commanding tone before taking the initiative to run ahead. The members of his Party readily followed after him, but Kishirika, having never witnessed Zhongli in action, was still stunned by the absurd display of power...
Shaking away her wayward thoughts, Kishirika ran to catch up with Paul's group. She already knew Paul commanded a force capable of conquering or, at the very least, destabilizing most countries. Luckily, he was too self-absorbed and virtuous to make the best use of them...
Noticing that Kishirika had fallen behind, Paul waited for her to catch up before asking, "What's up? Did you notice something...?"
After a brief pause, Kishirika shook her head and answered, "Nah, I was just a little disgusted by your subordinate's display of power. She's a little slower than your purple-haired shadow, but I can imagine her giving Atofe a run for her money."
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul supported Kishirika's claim, stating, "Yeah. Ei's speed and swordsmanship are in a league of their own, but Zhongli is probably the most knowledgeable and skilled among the Spirits I've summoned. For that reason, she serves as both a representative and advisor to myself and her fellow Spirits."
Furrowing her brows, Kishirika gave Zhongli a sidelong glare. She had suspected that Zhongli was relatively high up in the hierarchy of Spirits that Paul had access to, but his words made it clear she was also one of the decision-makers in the organization he had haphazardly allowed to form.&nbsp;
Voicing her thoughts aloud, Kishirika muttered, "How troublesome..." at a volume the entire group could hear.
As she was still quite a bit shorter than him, Paul bonked Kishirika on her helmeted head and said, "You need to rein in the animosity. Zhongli might come across as a little robotic, but she's one of the most considerate and righteous people I know..."
Shaking his head, Paul added, "Anyway, we don't have time for this right now. I'm more than willing to discuss this further; we just need to locate Sayu and reclaim the castle first."
Though Paul's bonk had barely registered due to her armor, Kishirika rubbed the top of her head and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I know. Lead the way, oh fearless leader. Let this Kishirika witness the greatness of you and your Party."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul replied, "Then you better not blink." before turning to his Party and adding, "We're pushing straight to the throne room." with a markedly more serious expression and tone.
Following Paul's orders, the group began moving forward at a swift yet cautious pace. The batch of enemies slaughtered by Zhongli seemed to be the last of the sentries nearby, but it was better to be safe than sorry. With Laplace upgrading the Anti-Magic Golems to be able to cast Magic, there was no way of knowing what awaited them moving forward...
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Despite the precariousness of her situation, Sayu appeared relatively calm as she evaded and analyzed the attacks of the 'Black Knight' endeavoring to skewer her with its tendrils. She had attempted to flee, but the Bunshin she sent to test the door ended up colliding with a barrier. Since then, she had been conserving her stamina and stalling, confident that it was only a matter of time before her allies arrived to assist her.
Fortunately for Sayu, the Black Knight had held its initial position, relying on its tendrils to attack her from a distance. It appeared to be observing her just as much as she was observing it, concealing the full extent of its abilities as it analyzed her movements.
Having realized she was being observed pretty early, Sayu stopped using Jutsu and focused entirely on evading the Black Knight's attacks. She was a little worried about its apparent ability to discern her from her Bunshins, but panicking wouldn't help her escape.
Catching Sayu a little off guard, the Black Knight unexpectedly retracted its tendrils and questioned, "Who are you? Why have you come here?" in a familiar yet synthetic-sounding tone.
In the brief period where Sayu stopped to consider answering, several black tendrils erupted from the ground in an attempt to skewer her from behind. While they appeared to do exactly that, her body promptly burst into a cloud of smoke, ultimately revealing a tanuki-themed daruma.
Clicking 'her' tongue, the Black Knight surveyed the area for any signs of Sayu, one of her dark purple eyes shifting to a neon shade of green as she said, "You've no hope of escaping. This place has been enclosed by my Absolute Void Eye. Tell me who sent you and for what purpose, and I will consider sparing you."
Realizing she couldn't detect Sayu with her Magic Power Eye, the Black Knight's left iris promptly shifted to a peculiar shade of reddish pink. As it did, she gained the ability to discern heat signatures and various forms of radiation.
Failing to find any trace of Sayu, a glower marred the face of the woman beneath the suit of armor. She had never encountered an opponent that could elude her 'Kaleidoscopic Demon Eyes,' so she was beginning to get annoyed.
"Fine. Have it your way..."
With her Absolute Void Eye sealing off the chamber and preventing even air from escaping, the Black Knight raised her hand aloft and produced a massive fireball nearly 5m in diameter. It was common knowledge that Fire Magic should never be used indoors or within confined spaces, as it greedily devoured the oxygen in the environment.
Seeing through the Black Knight's intentions, Sayu appeared a few meters away, seemingly manifesting out of thin air as she performed a series of hand seals. Anemo Energy could produce oxygen even in a vacuum, but its most noteworthy trait was its ability to 'react' with virtually anything. This included the Magic of Mushoku Tensei, so Sayu took a deep breath before exhaling a highly condensed burst of Anemo Energy towards the enlarging fireball.
Though she had never encountered Ninjutsu or Elemental Arts, the Black Knight quickly realized what Sayu was up to the moment she sensed not-so-subtle changes in the room's airflow. She was too slow to discard the fireball before Sayu's 'wind bullet' impacted it, but she was able to direct the explosion toward the ceiling by adjusting the flow of magical energy within.
As modifying a spell mid-cast was virtually impossible below the King Rank, Sayu realized the Black Knight wasn't the warrior she appeared to be. She had a saber strapped to her left hip and an object resembling a gun strapped to her right, but she had yet to draw either.
Interrupting Sayu's observation, the Black Knight raised her left hand. As she did, more than a dozen tendrils exploded from her armor&mdash;this time, much, much faster than before.
Though she hadn't lowered her guard, Sayu barely managed to evade the lightning-fast tendrils. Three ended up piercing directly through her hood as it lagged behind her movements, but, much like the rest of her outfit, it was designed to be discarded in a pinch.&nbsp;
Seeing Sayu evade her surprise attack, the Black Knight coldly remarked, "You're really starting to get on my nerves..."
Instead of responding to the Black Knight's words, Sayu reached into her clothes to pull out a handful of tiny, sand-colored spheres with cute faces drawn on them. They appeared inconspicuous at a glance, but if Paul saw them, his face would have paled as the image of an endearing explosives expert appeared in his mind...
Correctly presuming the spheres were some kind of weapon, the Black Knight sent her tendrils to stab through them in mid-air. What she never expected was for the spheres to immediately explode, each packing the force of an Intermediate Fire Magic Spell despite their small size. What's more, Sayu anticipated her response and sent another condensed burst of Anemo Energy into the resulting explosion.
With the power of the explosives surpassing the Saint Rank, the Black Knight felt her insides stirring as her armor anchored itself in place with several tendrils. It wasn't visible from the outside, but blood flowed from her ears, nose, and mouth as her face distorted in confusion.
Though she wanted nothing more than to retaliate and punish Sayu for her indiscretions, the Black Knight forced herself to remain calm as she stated, "That wasn't Magic...it resembles Magic and is just as destructive, but Magic of that level wouldn't be able to penetrate my barrier..."
Ascertaining that her opponent genuinely wanted to talk this time, Sayu replied, "It's a secret. If you wish to know more, lay down your arms and remove your armor. My Master would probably be willing to explain if you ceased your hostility..."
Without considering her response, the Black Knight shook her head and said, "That isn't an option. I was charged with safeguarding the place until my Master's return. You and your allies can't leave without completing the castle's trials, so we'll have no choice but to fight."
Punctuating her words, the Black Knight placed her hand on the hilt of her sword in a reverse grip. However, instead of drawing it, she hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "How old are you?"
Though she was a little surprised by the woman's query, Sayu eventually answered, "Twelve?" with an inflection that made it sound like a question. She failed to see how her age mattered after everything that had transpired, but it apparently didn't as the Black Knight exhaled an audibly relieved sigh before remarking, "Good...at least I don't have to feel guilty about slaughtering a child..."
Without waiting for Sayu's response, the Black Knight began to draw her sword, revealing a blade of pure white that shone with the radiance of the sun, a stark contrast to the abyssal black armor covering her body...
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Demonstrating its versatility and ability to change shape, the plating of Kishirika's armor opened up like an Iron Man suit to allow her to back into it. Then, accompanied by a series of metallic clicking sounds, the plates closed sequentially before hissing as they contracted to fit snugly around Kishirika's body.
Looking more like a proper knight than the seductive Demoness Paul had come to know, Kishirika struck a pose, arms akimbo and chest puffed out as she asked, "What do you think? If it were black, I'd look like a proper Demon King, wouldn't I?"
Nodding his head in approval, Paul replied, "It's pretty badass, not gonna lie. However, didn't you mention you were unable to power it...?"
Though she returned a nod of her own, Kishirika shrugged her shoulders and stated, "That was more than three months ago. Thanks to your oh so reluctant 'contr,' my mana has expanded by leaps and bounds. I won't be able to do anything flashy, but moving around isn't an issue."
Following her words, the plating covering Kishirika's face retracted to reveal an alluring, shark-toothed smile. She could feel her mana draining steadily, but the power afforded to her by the Golden Armor made her feel invincible. She knew that wasn't the case, but it had been millennia since she possessed even a fraction of her current power.
Fortunately for Kishirika, she was able to suppress the sudden urge to pit herself against Paul and his Party. Instead, she half-turned to reveal that the armor didn't just leave her back, sides, and parts of thighs exposed; it also framed her bubbly butt.
While staring directly at Paul, Kishirika gave her left cheek a firm smack as she asked, "How about it? Once we get out of here, wanna give it a go in my armor? I'm curious to see if I can convert the mana you provide into a power source."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul replied, "Sure, why not? So long as you don't ask me to top you off in the middle of a Dungeon, I don't mind giving you a hand. It wouldn't be the first time one of my women asked me to help in their experiments..."
Hearing Paul refer to her as 'his woman,' Kishirika's eyes briefly narrowed. She didn't particularly mind it, but due to the difference in age and status, she believed the opposite to be true. That would change if he decided to help rule over the Demon Continent, but his current course had him set to become her Consort. While she intended to work alongside him as equals, most people were bound to regard him as her concubine or sex slave...
With Kishirika just staring at him, Paul elected to change topics, asking, "So, where's this secret passage? I'm starting to feel antsy at the lack of enemies."
Amused by Paul's thirst for battle, Kishirika exhaled a hearty laugh before pointing toward a dress rack containing numerous gowns as she said, "It's behind there. Push open the clothes, and you'll find a circular hatch. Open it up, and you'll find a chute that leads down to the anteroom I mentioned previously."
Doing as Kishirika instructed, Paul spread open the assortment of gowns to find the hatch in question. Upon opening it, he found a meter and a half wide, completely black tunnel that appeared to lead down into the abyss. More surprisingly, there was a constant flow of water present...
"Is this a fucking water slide...?"
"What? Don't tell me you're afraid to get a little wet...?"
Pushing past Paul, Kishirika grabbed the two handles near the top of the opening before plunging down the slide and shouting, "Last one down is a Goblin's loincloth! Bwahahahaha~!"
As the violet-haired Demoness disappeared into the abyssal darkness, her laughter echoing up the chute, Paul turned towards his companions and said, "I'm starting to think this place is more of a theme park than an actual castle..."
Nodding her head, Yae noted, "It certainly matches the former owner's tastes. Unfortunately, mine and Ei's garments aren't exactly designed to get wet. How troublesome..."
In an effort to alleviate Yae's concerns, Ganyu mentioned, "I can help dry your clothes once we reach the bottom. With our Master's assistance, I've been able to master most of the Lifestyle Magic Spells."
Regaining her usual smile, Yae squinted her eyes in satisfaction as she playfully remarked, "My, aren't you just the sweetest thing? We should spend more time together after all of this is over."
Returning a smile of her own, Ganyu replied, "I'd like that." before turning her attention to Paul and Sayu. The two of them were staring down the eerie black waterslide with pensive looks, neither particularly fond of the idea of sliding down.
Exhaling a sigh, Paul began to remove his sword belt and harness. They would only get in the way as he slid down, so he entrusted them to Ganyu before turning to the group and deciding, "We'll go down in groups of two. Zhongli, I'll have you go down with Sayu. Ganyu and I follow shortly after, leaving Ei and Yae to bring up the rear. Any questions?"
With no one asking anything, Paul nodded his head in approval before turning to Zhongli and Sayu, saying, "Good luck."
Returning a slight bow, Zhongli replied, "Leave it to us." before picking up the still trepidatious Sayu and disappearing into the slide's abyssal black maw. A faint scream could be heard as the duo descended, but it quickly disappeared amid the sound of rushing water.
After placing his hand into one of the grooves above the hatch's entrance, Paul turned to Ganyu and questioned, "Are you going down in your human form? It might be easier to shrink down into your miniature Qilin form."
Though she had been secretly looking forward to Paul embracing her as they slid down together, Ganyu didn't particularly mind transforming into her Qilin form. Either way, she got to be held by her Master as the two of them descended into the abyss together.
Holding the house-sized cat in his left arm, Paul counted to thirty before taking a steadying breath and hurling himself into the water slide's mouth. He actually loved going to waterparks in his previous life, but there was a pretty big difference between sliding down a regulation water slide made of plastic and descending into a metal chute without any visible lighting...
After a tense minute and a half, Paul and Ganyu emerged from the slide's exit with enough speed to skid across the surface of a large, surprisingly warm pool. It took Paul a moment to get his bearings, but once he did, he popped up out of the water to find himself in what appeared to be a large bath.
"It's about time you showed up. How was it? Pretty fun, right...?"
Turning toward the voice, Paul found Kishirika relaxing at the side of the bath without her armor on, giving the impression her purple bodysuit was a one-piece swimsuit.&nbsp;
While moving out of the path he expected the others to soon follow, Paul replied, "It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Still, did you seriously install a waterslide from your closet to your bath...?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Kishirika replied, "It beats having to walk down a bunch of stairs and passing through dozens of hallways. Besides, when you've lived as long as I have, it becomes important to find ways to spice things up. Routine leads to monotony, and immortality invariably leads to stagnation."
Finding herself agreeing with Kishirika's statement, Zhongli shifted her gaze from the former's armor and remarked, "Those are some wise words, Lady Kishirika. Many humans believe immortality to be a blessing. Those who manage to obtain it quickly find that it's a curse."
Rolling her eyes, Kishirika pointedly retorted, "It doesn't make me happy having someone like you agreeing with me..."
Unbothered by Kishirika's remark, Zhongli directed her gaze at Paul and Ganyu, explaining, "According to Lady Kishirika, this place is relatively safe. I sent Sayu to scout ahead, so feel free to relax and make your final preparations. There are some fairly powerful enemies nearby, so it would be good to warm up and stretch before we-"
Interrupting Zhongli's explanation, a remarkably girly scream preempted Ei emerging from the waterslide and crashing into the bath with explosive force. She had somehow gotten turned upside down in the tunnel, so she hit the water at an awkward angle that sent the fox-like Yae flying through the air and into Paul's arms.
Though Yae had revealed her fox form to him in the past, this was the first time Paul was seeing her in her 'kit' form. The last time she showed off her fox form, she was taller than the average human and resembled a regional Ninetales from Pokemon. Now, she looked like a tiny pink fox kit with pale pink fur on her underbelly, floppy ears, and a five-petaled sakura pattern on her forehead...
"I knew you could revert to original form..."
Rolling her amethyst-purple eyes, Yae flatly retorted, "Don't get used to it..." before promptly reverting to her human form and adding, "Besides, don't you prefer me like this~?"&nbsp;
While she didn't mind being doted on, Yae preferred to be the one teasing others. Thus, following her question, she gave Paul a mischievous lick on the lips before retracting her face and adopting an alluring smile.
Adopting a narrow-eyed smile, Paul replied, "You're not wrong..." before allowing Yae to stand on her own two feet. He had been supporting her by the pits of her arms when she transformed, so her feet had been dangling a few centimeters from the bottom of the bath.
Though she would have preferred if Paul princess carried her to the edge of the tub, Yae knew he was probably worried about Ei. The latter had yet to resurface after crashing into the water, so Paul promptly dove beneath the surface to retrieve her. Archons could breathe underwater and even survive in a vacuum, but Paul would feel guilty if he just left her floating at the bottom of the tub...
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Though she would have preferred to sneak off and find a place to sleep, Sayu did her best to stay focused as she skulked through the castle like a silent phantom.&nbsp;
Despite their ability to detect mana and life signatures, none of the Magic Armors or Golems reacted to Sayu as she snuck past them and took stock of their numbers. Sayu didn't fully understand how it worked, but she had always possessed the innate ability to go unnoticed even amidst crowds of people or herds of animals. Said ability had allowed her to become the most talented member of the Shuumatsuban in nearly a hundred years, so few were better suited to infiltration and scouting than she was.
"Hmmm...?"
Reaching a large hall, presumably a ballroom or some kind of foyer, Sayu stopped in place and took a moment to survey her surroundings. There were no enemies in sight, but her instincts were practically screaming at her to retrace her steps and run away.
Never one to doubt her instincts, Sayu performed a hand seal that caused two identical copies of herself, Bunshins, to appear out of thin air. At that exact moment, tendrils resembling black bolts of lightning stabbed at the area where she had been standing, piercing the floor despite being made of the same material as the castle walls.
Though she was able to evade the surprise attack, the hair on Sayu's neck stood on end as she clung upside down to the roof and caught sight of her attacker. She was immediately reminded of the armor that Kishirika had changed into. However, instead of being comprised of a shiny, almost luminous gold, the material was inky black and writhed about like a colony of eels...
...
..
.

Chapter 173: MI173: Frenzy