With great powers, comes a great harem!

I asked Nee-san and Shio to remain upstairs for the time being, however, as they could get stubborn at times I was left with no other option than to let them be.

I asked them to remain in the dining space which was just after the living area so they could rest assured, as I sat facing the renowned hunter.

Rurika Kaede.

Truth be told, despite how beautiful and refined she seemed, her natural aura and overwhelming presence were making it difficult to even breathe properly.

I knew this would come. I was not too brilliant in hiding my presence nor I went out of the way to camouflage my traces, but it was still too soon.

I haven’t devoured any book using my skill to learn some new spells nor have I properly begun training my physical body. My mana was still untapped and many of my skills were only there without being executed even once.

Silently sitting on the couch with her left long leg draped over another with her oceanic eyes roaming around the house like she was uninterested in me entirely. I actually hoped that she somehow just landed here for some random investigation…but her words made it clear, how baseless my hopes were.

“Why did you kill, Subaru?”

“What are you talking about?”

Alright, that was hasty but I have already decided to not confess anything silly here since she must be recording our conversation and based on that evidence she would surely frame me behind bars.

I could already sense my Nee-san going frenzy in the kitchen hearing the allegation. Thankfully, Shio was there to calm her down.

Kaede seemed nonchalant, almost uncaring about my concern as she sighed and unwrapped her legs.

“You know, I have helped the Japanese Hunter Association and also the government over three times during the S-rank dungeon breakout. Saved thousands of lives and did all these on my own accord. Asked nothing in return.”

I am aware of what gates she’s talking about since watching the dungeon break feeds is something I mostly did during my weekends and tried to learn something from those videos.

Someone so talented and brave as Rurika was of course someone I looked at as a figure of admiration.

However, I couldn’t relate to why she’s bringing it up right now.

“Well done, I guess?” I praised her without any cinch in my voice.

“Right? But you know the perks of being such an amazing person as I am…” My senses flared at full throttle but my body remained unmoving because of sheer blood lust poured on me before I heard Kaede continuing, “…I can misuse my powers and no one would complain about it.”

Was it her skill?

No, it was just the pure aura of an S-rank which has already made my back drenched in a cold sweat and my limbs were shaking slightly as well.

My consciousness was screaming for me to run away but I held in the anxiety and faced Rurika with a solemn face.

“So, are you here to murder me because you want to?”

“All I want is answers and then I would decide whether you are going to die today or not.”

Breaking her line of sight from me, she turned toward the kitchen, more precisely the two ladies, before the S-ranked voiced her warning, “And you two. Try doing anything fishy and this boy would have to compensate for it.”

I was sure that they might be on their edge by now however I am glad that they didn’t act rashly. Because of our bond, I could feel how tense and apprehensive Shio was but there was nothing either she or I could do in this situation.

I would not let her die since I have already made a plan where I would kill Kaede and most probably get killed in the process, but Nee-san and Shio would get to live today, whatever transpires from here on.

I have a way to render any tracking and surveillance device useless within the house through my barrier skill, but it would only serve as a stimulation for Kaede to take action.

And until it comes down to it, I don’t want to needlessly take any risk.

“Okay, then. Tell me, Yuki Shirazawa, how someone who possessed a mere E-rank skill for eight years suddenly got such a boost up that you not only saved your lover but also annihilated a dozen mutated B-rank toads?”

I remained silent for a bit. My answer was already prepared since I have envisioned this kind of situation but the pros and cons to confess here were still pending to contemplate.

However, now there is no time to ponder over it.

“I had a dual awakening.”

Hearing my words, Kaede’s demeanor slipped for the first time as a clear frown of shock and suspicion marred her unblemished face.

“Don’t give me that crap. No mass destruction was noted near this place nor anywhere around Tokyo.”

Just as she said, dual awakening creates a massive explosion around the awakener since the infusion of new skill brings a heavy ton of mana which makes a repulsive force with the existing skill the awakener carries.

It has been recorded that if a person already possesses a strong skill then at times of reawakening the fusion tends to damage the vessel and in the end, the awakener dies.

However, it was common for those who were reawakened to destroy everything in their vicinity due to the sheer force of their newfound powers. Many people die, mostly those loved ones of the awakeners resulting in three past suicides because of guilt and depression as well.

Currently, only thirteen re-awakened individuals are in the count and I would be the fourteenth…only if I would have awakened only one skill.

But that is not something I would be telling this black cat for now.

“It’s true. You already would have researched about my first awakened skill.” As I said, I shifted my clothes from jeans and a shirt to a formal three-piece suit to demonstrate my only E-ranked skill before I continued, “But the new one I got was a high-ranked Barrier Skill so I guess that was why the destruction remained dormant within the area where I was, during reawakening.”

That’s…an awful lie.

But that’s the best I got. And I was somewhat certain that it might work.

Reason?

Kaede’s obsession with young talent…however, I am doubtful whether she would find me worthy.

Thankfully, it seemed I would get my answer shortly.

“Come with me.”

Kaede stood up before she began walking outside the place.

I glanced at Nee-san and Shio who already were on their way toward me, clearly wanting me to reject Kaede’s instructions.

…man, this is going to be tough convincing them.

****

[Kaede’s POV:]

This boy—Yuki, is somewhat strange and weird in his own right.

When I went through his records, I found that his grandfather is one of the strongest first-generation heroes and a renowned swordsman.

As I went across the records I found that because of his skill, he was disowned and blah blah.

I was rather interested in the feat he achieved with that puny trait of his which brought me to his residence.

All the time when I was conversing with the boy, I sensed nothing outstanding. However, those red eyes Yuki possessed expressed explicitly that if I dare hurt the two women, he would not hesitate in shedding blood.

That was some serious temptation but I withheld it since harming innocents is not something I enjoy.

I have taken Yuki to a nearby park as we stood facing each other. My sword rested by my side as I proposed his one-way ticket to life or death.

“You awakened a barrier skill, right? I would strike you only once and if you withstand that, I would erase all the traces of your crime and even reward you as well.”

Yuki visibly seemed surprised. His peculiar eyes shone under the dim moonlight and pale lips slightly parted but soon he regained his composure.

I kinda enjoyed that expression. Should I throw some carrots and surprise him even more?

Hmmm…sounds enticing but let’s not deviate from the matter of concern.

“Ready?” He nodded before I unsheathed my sword as Mana suddenly began circulating around the boy at a frightening pace.

Wait…how can someone possess such dense mana…?

However, unlike how people would have reacted naturally in this scenario, I found myself smirking at the sight as I licked my lips subconsciously at the surprising display from the boy.

‘It’s gonna be fun…hehe~’

*****

A/N: – Drop a comment