Yuko POV
"Can you explain why I have to beco your slave just to grow stronger?"
At that, Kyouka removed her hand from my shoulder.
"To put it simply, my ability allows to enslave living beings when they submit to . In exchange, I can draw out and enhance the overall strength of anyone I form a contract with."
"So...if I beco your slave, I'll get stronger?"
"Yes. Don't worry—once we're out of here, I can terminate the contract."
Yeah… that sounded insane.
Normally, I would've taken ti to think it over, but ti wasn't on our side. The Shuukis were already on the verge of completely destroying the barrier surrounding us.
You know what? I'll just go along with it.
Because, honestly, I'm willing to do anything right now just to survive—to make it out of here alive, with my body still in one piece.
"So… how do we even do this slave contract thing?" I asked.
"Simple," she replied. "You just need to do sothing that shows your submission to ."
Before I could even think it through, my body moved on autopilot. I found myself kneeling, staring up at her face.
…Nothing happened.
I blinked in confusion. Wasn't I supposed to do sothing? Why wasn't it working?
Noticing my expression, Kyouka chuckled. She slowly removed the glove from her right hand and extended it toward .
I stared at her outstretched hand, my eyebrow twitching.
Seriously? Was this what I thought it was?
I slapped both of my cheeks, trying to steady myself. What am I hesitating for? I already decided, didn't I?
Taking a breath, I reached forward and leaned in, pressing a kiss against the back of her hand—just like those princes did to heroines in old-school fantasy ani.
Except I wasn't a prince.
And she definitely wasn't so beautiful helpless heroine.
I was just an average girl in a Barbie world—surrounded by plastic smiles and people constantly trying to one-up each other.
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Kyouka POV
When the Shuuki finally managed to break through the barrier protecting us,
I felt her lips press against my hand.
In an instant, a torrent of light burst forth from Yuko, blasting away the enemies that had rushed toward us. The Shuuki were sent flying backward before they could even comprehend what had happened.
I could only stare in stunned silence as the light slowly faded.
What erged from it was soone different.
Canine features with smooth white skin had ford along her face, her height noticeably increased, and her body had grown more muscular. A collar now rested around her neck, a chain attached to it dangling and swaying with her movents.
In an instant, Yuko—now in her slave form—lunged forward and tore through the Shuuki charging at us, destroying it as if it were nothing.
Even she stared at her own hand in disbelief, as though unable to comprehend the power she had just unleashed.
A smile spread across my face the mont I saw it.
"This is brilliant!" I exclaid, unable to contain my excitent. "I didn't expect you to beco this strong!"
"Yeah, neither!" Yuko shouted, punching the air.
Taking the opportunity, I leapt onto her back and grabbed the chain hanging from her collar. With my katana ready in hand, I glanced at her face. The nervousness she had shown earlier was already beginning to fade.
Which was a good sign right now.
"Okay, Yuko, we're going to tear straight through them!" I said as the crowd of enemies prepared to attack. "You better buckle up, because this is going to be a wild ride."
I tightened my grip.
Now, it's showti
"On my cue—give it everything you've got!"
"UOAHHHHHHHHHH!"
She lunged forward, bursting ahead with overwhelming force, brute-forcing her way straight through the band of Shuuki. Dozens of them sward in, attempting to strike at her blind spots.
But unlike the ones I had enslaved before, she didn't need my commands.
Her response ti was instantaneous.
Any Shuuki that tried to ambush her was t with crushing retaliation as she tore through them, smashing chests and shattering heads before their attacks could even land.
I watched as the Shuuki were sent to their doom without hesitation.
One after another, they fell, their numbers rapidly dwindling.
Like desperate beasts backed into a corner, the remaining Shuuki began gathering together, their bodies twisting as they started to fuse into a single mass.
"What are they doing, Chief?" Yuko asked, coming to a halt.
I stared in the sa direction.
"They're rging into one," I said calmly. "But don't worry… this actually makes our job easier."
The mont their transformation was complete, we didn't give them the chance to move first.
We charged.
Gripping my blade tightly, I slashed forward as Yuko launched herself at the fused Shuuki with explosive force. Steel and raw power struck at the sa instant—
—and in less than a heartbeat, the Shuuki was cut down.
We landed on the ground as its massive body collapsed behind us.
A second later, steam began rising from Yuko's body. Reaching her limit, she reverted to her human form, dropping onto all fours as she struggled to catch her breath, clutching her chest while desperately pulling in air.
Still staring at the fallen Shuuki, I turned back to Yuko as she slowly pushed herself to her feet.
"What… was that just now?" Yuko asked, still flabbergasted by everything that had just happened.
I had to admit—
Right now, I wanted to recruit her.
And more than that… I hoped she would stay.
Even if quite selfish on my side.
"Yuko," I said as I approached her, leaning slightly closer. "There's sothing I want to tell you."
"What is it?"
I placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Work for ." I said with a smile, nodding confidently.
Yuko blinked, looking around before pointing at herself.
"? Work for you?"
"Yep."
At that, Yuko scratched the back of her head, hesitation clearly written across her face. She looked unsure of herself, as if she didn't know how to respond.
"I an… I don't really have any special skills besides cooking and housework. That's pretty much the only thing I can be proud of—"
The mont she ntioned housework and cooking, my ear twitched.
You think that's a bad thing?
You're dead wrong.
"If you can handle chores," I said, my eyes glinting with interest, "then that actually makes things even better."
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Yuko POV
At her offer, I was genuinely surprised.
Truthfully speaking, hearing her say she wanted to recruit made pause—not because I wanted to refuse imdiately, but because it forced to think about what was actually waiting for in the future.
Like I said… the only thing I'm really confident in is housework.
Nothing else.
I'm not particularly smart.
I'm just soone who plays gas to escape reality.
When I imagined my future, I saw myself ending up in so shady company as an office worker, living a boring, diocre life. I'd probably lose all my free ti to responsibilities, barely having the chance to play gas anymore.
Life would probably start to suck.
But if I joined the Defense Force…
Maybe I could actually do sothing helpful. Sothing that would help protect people in our nation instead of being ordered around by so rich boss who takes credit for everyone else's work.
Maybe… I could finally beco soone useful.
And honestly—
Fighting those Shuuki felt good.
Strangely enough, I wasn't afraid of them when I transford into THAT.
Thinking about it… I already had my answer.
Staying with her might actually be the better path for .
Yes, it would be dangerous—but it couldn't possibly be worse than living every day as the sa old lazy version of myself.
"I'll probably suck compared to all the amazing people in the Defense Force," I said, letting out a self-mocking smile.
At that, the woman standing before suddenly dropped her smile.
"No, you won't," Kyouka said firmly. "There's greatness in you—you just haven't seen it yet. Far more than what your own eyes can recognize."
She closed her eyes before continuing.
"Yuko, I'll tell you this honestly. My goal in life still hasn't been fulfilled… the complete eradication of every Shuuki in existence."
A faint, bittersweet smile ford on her lips.
"My life didn't begin happily. It was filled with tragedy—bad mories that will stay with forever. But that doesn't an I have to remain trapped by them."
She ford a fist and gently tapped my chest.
"What matters is who you are now… and who you choose to beco next," she said with a soft chuckle. "You're too focused on what you were—and what might go wrong."
"What if what others say about … is true?" I asked, a flicker of doubt in my voice.
She snorted softly, shaking her head.
"You must never let anyone else define what you can't do just because of where you co from," she said proudly. "Your only limit is how willing your heart, body, and soul are to lift you higher."
You know what?
I admit defeat
We had only just t, but none of that mattered anymore.
"So," she asked gently, "who are you?"
I closed my eyes as her hand lowered, yet my heart continued pounding with excitent.
She was right.
Clinging to bad expectations would never lead anywhere. Comparing my past to my future would only hold back.
A wild smile spread across my face.
I had reached my conclusion.
My sister was still far beyond my reach right now—but maybe this opportunity could turn sothing impossible into reality.
Even if the chance was only one percent…
As long as the possibility existed, all that mattered was acting on it.
A failure.
A disappointnt.
An average girl.
That's who I am.
"My na is Wakura Yuko!" I declared, standing up straight. "I might be a dumbass, but I'll be in your care, Chief Kyouka!"
But right now, those very things would beco the reason I keep moving forward.
Maybe my fears were never ant to stop —only to show how much farther I could go once I faced them.
No matter what waits for ahead, I want to see it with my own eyes… and beco soone stronger along the way.
I don't have to be timid.
If all I ever did was wish, I'd end up watching my whole life pass by… growing older without ever achieving anything.
It's ti to act.
Ti to step forward.
And see what I'm truly capable of.
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