BXBX NOVEL Chapter 184 - Negotiations
"Mmm, Alright." Yue replies, while not caring about being ahead of others, he does want to improve himself to be better not just for himself but for others as well.
Feeling that he has contemplated over this long enough, although it has only been a minute or so, he asks. "We have been together a long time. While our situation seems to have become closer due to a fortunate brush with ignorance, I have been wondering. What is so attractive about me that keeps you so close? Not that I am complaining."
Still keeping on her soothing smile she says while feeling a little disheartened. "*Deep Breath in then out. Normally the answer would just be tradition and morals, but honestly over our time together, I have learned a lot about you. Regardless of not talking much with each other, you are a respectable, good, and kind man. Anyways, I do not care if I am not your only one, as it is common in our world that great people tend to always be in demand. Plus it will make things easier." She says the last part under her breath.
Hearing this, especially the last line, Yue wonders. \'Why have I been so blessed with the people around me? If it where not for the morals of my people from my old world, I likely would not hesitate to take all that I can support and keep happy. Wait, what am I thinking. *sigh.\'
Finishing his thoughts, he says with a touched smile. "Thank you, you have been with me since pretty much the beginning. While I could not really reciprocate your feelings then, I can now. If you would still have me, after this invasion crisis it dealt with. Would you lady Orslaine give me the honor of going on a date with me?" He asks while extending his hand.
As these words enter her delicate and cute ears, she feels he hopes renewed as if an answer to her prayers. Then she answers reluctantly. "No, I am sorry. While this is what I want, it clear that you need a little more time before you are ready. If you still feel the desire to have me after this crisis is resolved, ask me then. Until then it is best to not get my expectations raised."
His heart clenching at the words spoken, he speaks his mind with a calm smile. "I see, than, until that time. In the mean time I should probably try to find sisters pets. If they have been taken as she fears, than this will certainly be troublesome. Plus, I want to finish this crisis as soon as possible now that I have something important to look forward to."
His words cause her to blush, and she just nods and smiles in reply. Taking his hand she stands up, while helping him up at the same time. Then they walk past each other to go their separate ways for the time being.
Before disappearing, Yue looks back, and seeing her head turn as well, he folds space to his sisters room. Seeing the corners of her lips raise as he disappears.
Arriving in his sisters room again, hoping that he can end this quickly, he shouts while cupping his hands. "Xiaolong, and my sisters other pets, please come out. Ai Lan is worried about you."
(...)
Getting no reply, he thinks to himself. \'Seems I am going to have to search for them the hard way. .... Why does my back feel cold?\' Yue wonders, and flips his body around with his fist ready just in case it is an enemy.
Swinging around his body, his fist misses, but he sees a woman dressed as a kunoichi with a short sword and a kunai knife in either hand. Although she looks confused even behind her mask as for some reason her blades did not penetrate Yueliangs\' skin.
Either way, she quickly dashes forward to attack him again as she puts away the kunai. Just as he is about to swing her sword horizontally, Yue ducks down and dashes behind her.
However this does not stop her and she keeps with her swing, but bringing it all the way around, as she pulls out a round pouch without him noticing.
Yue dodges her strike again, although not letting her attack go to waste she tosses up the pouch and it breaks upon contact with her sword and explodes a dark grey powder every which way.
With his vision hindered, Yue closes his eyes as they will likely be useless at the moment, and starts listening for any sound, as well as trying to feel if the air moved.
The Kunoichi throws one of her kunai knives to test if the powder affected him well enough, while maintaining a distance just far enough she would not be touched or noticed, but could still reach her opponent in one step. Walking around him silently she observes as he is acting odd in her opinion, closing his eyes and standing still. \'Is he waiting for death? Does he not want to live? If so why did he fight back? Instinct maybe...\' She wonders.
Meanwhile, he felt the kunai hit him on his spine, but fortunately it did not penetrate his skin, nor was there enough force to break his vertebrae or spinal cord. Just feeling as if someone punched him lightly, he starts thinking while staying alert. \'She must be testing the waters. But why is there only one? Maybe there are not many of them? If I could hire some later it would be awesome to have them teach my female subordinates. But for now focus on the fight.\'
As they both analyze each other and their motives, a few minutes have passed, however the powder still has not fallen, yet is still very thick and could blind someone if they got too much in their eyes.
With the time passing, the senses of Yueliang start growing slightly in the silence, but just enough that he hears her feet moving. Although not wanting to risk giving away his new advantage, he does not so much as flinch.
Feeling this has gone on long enough, and that she has been over thinking, the kunoichi moves forward step by step. Regardless, she does not drop her guard as she proceeds behind Yue and puts her short sword in front of his neck.
About to pull the blade, Yueliang grabs her wrist as well as her shoulder, all in a split second not giving her time to think, and pulling her over his back. He throws her to the ground, then mounts on her chest keeping her arm from being able to move as well as grabbing her wrists just in case.
Although as if she were ready for it, she raises her legs and grabbing Yueliangs\' head she locks her feet together and slams him down against the ground. Then as if she wanted to change positions she sits up about to mount him, but in that moment he does the same move to her while still holding her wrists, and she is still locking him down. He slams her against the ground with the same move she used on him.
Seeing as neither one of them would be getting out of this any time soon, and it is now a battle of stamina and wits, Yue asks. "Since we are both stuck here, and will likely not be leaving any time soon, the least we could do is talk. Maybe even come to an arrangement?"
Speaking for the first time, her voice sounds angelic as she speaks. "I was hired to kill every human in this place as well as other people. What makes you think I would break the loyalty to my contract?"
"Who said I wanted you to stop? If you want to kill me so be it. It is nice to see someone who is loyal to their word. But I am curious, did your contract specify when it had to happen?" Yue starts trying to analyze a way to get out of this predicament.
Thinking for a moment, the kunoichi answers. "Nope, but that does not mean I will wait a decade, century or otherwise to kill you."
*Sigh. "You are thinking too much. I was just wondering if I could hire you as well?"
Feeling curious but not letting her guard down, she asks. "What did you have in mind?"
"Nothing dangerous, but I have quite a number of subordinates and many are female. I was wondering if you would be up for hire to train them in your shinobi, or kunoichi arts? Also how much?" Yue asks.
Silent for a minute or so, she is deep in thought, then says. "I have never sold my skills and training before. But I doubt you would be able to afford it. Since you live here in this place, you must be either someone high up or a prince. Therefore, the cost would be asylum when wanted for life, and a generals stipend for the duration of the training."
Hearing this, Yue feels shocked but soon says. "That is too much, you could have the stipend, but the asylum for someone trying to kill us seems like a bit too much."
"I have only ever killed evil people, so who are you to act all innocent about me coming to kill you?! Plus that is pretty cheap, considering normally I charge far more, but since you did not want my blade I made it so.." The kunoichi exclaims.