Junk approached the strange hat.

Looks like a fine hat, I wonder who lost it inside the forest.

Junk leaned over about to grab the hat, the little girl's crying in the forest growing louder.

"Aww… SHUT UP!"

The crying seized and silence reigned.

"Finally..."

He held the hat and tried to pick it up. It didn't bulge!

He was confused. The hands that slayed monsters and built stone walls could not pick up a measly hat?

He reckoned he must be more tired than he thought.

He tried to muster some more strength. The strangely soft and moist hat was a bit slippery in his hand.

Now annoyed with the stubborn hat he yanked and yanked.

Finally he made some progress… The hat was finally moving up into the air albeit slowly.

He heard a quiet sobbing and clattering of teeth. He looked at his water cat. It wasn't making any sounds and just looking at the hat in the same way as Junk. Puzzled.

Finally the hat was out of the ground. It seemed that it had been stuck inside the undergrowth. As Junk held it the hat seemed to tremble and Junk noticed something. It was not a hat!

Below the green thing was a small shape.

It resembled a tiny human, like a fairy without wings.

The small creature was hanging on for its life onto the leafy hat.

Junk seeing the cute plant girl was astounded. It was a real alraune! The hat seemed to serve as a blossom and a bloom. The petals were closed and trying to keep the struggling tiny girl inside it. The girl also did not seem to want to leave.

"Whoah! Sorry about that!"

Junk slowly and gently lowered the hat onto the ground. It was turned upside down now displaying its pink petals. 

The girl was hiding beside the petals, covering herself, while looking at Big Junk.

It was then that the curious water cat approached the girl.

It towered over her and tried to lick the flower. Perhaps the sweet fragrance had attracted it.

The light green haired red eyed girl helplessly covered her eyes in fear. The giant water monstrosity was the scariest things she had seen beside the vile uncle tree stump. It did not want to get eaten!

The girl tried to hide herself further into the leafy flower. But it was not working, the cat had its interest aroused by the tiny creature and approached closer.

It opened its mouth exposing its tongue.

It gave the small girl a wet watery lick.

"Hey! That's enough." Junk picked up his cat and moved it away from the alraune.

The little plant was sprawled all over the flower bed and frozen in fear. The thing was so cute and Junk wanted to know more about it.

 As Junk approached a very fragrant smell came into his nostrils. He was overwhelmed with sweetness for a moment.

He kneeled down before the flower and lowered himself trying to appear less menencing.

"Noooo! Don't eat me! Plwese don't eat me!"

The tiny alraune kneeled down and begged. It did not dare rise its head out of fear.

"D-don't worry. You're too cute for that!"

What is this thing… Soo cute. Fuck. Junk thought leaning over it.

"Hello! Ma name's Junk! Big Junk! How do you do."

He mimicked a certain carnivorous plant that always tried to eat the red plumber.

Bobbing his head up and down he tried to show that he was harmless and calm the small alraune.

After a minute the rose-colour eyed plant girl started mimicking him. Slowly a smile made its way on her face. She happily giggled.

"You funnzy! I am called Rasta! You are not scary like uncle Greenwood!"

She delightedly waived her hand in the air.

"Hehe," Junk chuckled at her enthusiasm. It seemed that the girl was a small bundle of joy once she wasn't scared. So innocent and bright! Her smile was precious.

"I gib nectar! Please have some!"

"Nektar?" Junk did not see any nectar.

The girl turned and grabbed the flowery hat.

The big hat opened up and took a shape of a cup and the petals formed a convenient shape.

"You freed me from earth… I got stuck there by uncle prank! Have a drink."

"Are you sure I can drink? Don't you need the nectar for something? Isn't it your food?"

"Food!? Me not food! Please drink!"

Junk shrugged.

"It smells good tho..." He leaned over and picked up the dismantable cup that rose out of the flowerbed.

The flower bed was big enough for the girl and the cup with place to spare.

It tasted like sweet honey and had a refreshing taste. It was like a soft drink made of tea and better than any liquor Junk had ever tasted. Not just in this life but in the one before as well.

He was quite a fan of delicacies and always made sure to taste all kinds of crispy, soft, sweet, juicy food. He was a connoisseur of great taste indeed.

And this naturally made drink was without equal. While satisfying his body, his spirit was refreshed as well.

The small plant girl could really make for a great brewer!

As Junk drank it up, he realised that the small girl was looking at him. There was a strange look in her eyes that she tried to conceal.

"Man..." Junk wiped his mouth, returning the cup to the hat.

"You really make good drinks! You know that Rasta. Is there anything you need me to do? Don't be shy! This was like the best drink I had in ages!"

Rasta blushed and hid her face in her arms. Then she fidgeted and shyly asked.

"W-well… I would like some..."

"Just say it don't be shy..." Junk encouraged.

"Some blood. I would like some of your blood."

Scared that she would enrage Junk she quickly added.

"Just a few drops! I am a vampire alraune and I need a few drops to grow..."

"Hmm..."

"Just give me your arm. I-it will be painless..."

She wrapped her arms around his finger and put her mouth on it. She kissed his finger and some blood appeared from inside of his skin. She backed away a bit allowing for the few droplets to rain down.

She opened her mouth and they landed inside slowly one after one. After about five small droplets that were big compared to her small body the blood stopped bleeding through the skin.

The red eyes of the girl glowed and her cheeks became rosy. The glow made her as pretty and precious as an exotic flower. She had a bit of a bioluminosity going for her in the shadows of the woods. It seemed that the blood made for a very satisfying meal.

*huff huff*

The flower was panting with her breath turning into steam at the end.

Holy, it was painless.

"Your blood is tasty!" Rasta licked her lips.

"Do you want more of my nectar?"

"Huh… You have more?"

Rasta explained that she will have more soon.

"I like your blood very much. It is very warm and filling. Can I come with you! The forest is boring too..."

"I'm going to a dangerous place on a long journey. It will be dangerous Rasta."

Junk warned her but she didn't care. His blood was special. She had never tasted any like that before and so, she needed to go with him.

"And how will you even travel..."

"Oh yeah!? How about this!"

She grabbed the flower bed, which trembled before turning into a pocket she sewed with magic onto Junk's shirt.

"I seek adventure as well!"

She jumped into the kneeling Junk's pocket.

"Hahaha. Guess we unexpectedly got a new companion… Aye, cat!"

He gave it a nice scratch behind the ear.

So the three went deeper into the forest.

By now it was almost starting to turn dark.

"Hey! Don't wiggle your fingers! It tickles!"

"Hehehe"

*wiggles furiously*

"Damn it!"

Junk used his finger and reached Rasta. He lightly pressed his finger onto her head and grinded it.

She held her head.

"Yaaa! Stop it. She ducked her head inside the pocket."

"Huhue, it's my win!" Junk proclaimed his victory against the green haired girl.

She lifted her head out of the pocket and cutely stuck out her tongue. She would get him next time.

By now the water cat had already dispelled.

Junk leaned back against a tree with Rasta already asleep inside his pocket.

He resummoned his cat and had it guard him as he leaned back and slept.

He dreamed of a time when the land would be at peace and he could enjoy his retirement, his life work complete.

But it was just a dream and his journey was only beginning. He was very happy to meet Rasta today. He was also happy that he had already met so many people that he forged a bond with.

Perhaps, tomorrow he could advance further on the path towards being an S-rank adventurer. This was currently his long term goal and if he one day reached it he would have the strength to protect what needed protecting.

His clenched fist relaxed as he fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

In the elvish capital of Gilara deep in the forest of the elves Pom, Gina, Lucy and Dislucas sat inside an inn. The city was experiencing a small economic growth, because of the nazi catgirls focus on the New Continent. This was an opportunity for craftsmen and adventurers alike. 

There were many patrons and gold was a plenty.

Pom drank from the mug of mead furiously dumping the alcoholic beverage down her throat.

"I shouldn't have let him take it on all alone… What if he gets lost! Or if he encounters the Empire or some terrifying monster! Oh Junk… My poor Junk… Master is so sorry..."

"Hehehe" Dislucas chuckled.

"Don't worry! I somehow feel a great demeanor of an adventurer from him. He may be E-rank, but I hadn't seen many A rankers with his attitude. It's like he had been an adventurer all his life and fought many battles before."

"Yeah..." Lucy wondered out loud.

"He has this look about him… Like he truly is a great adventurer. Like from the stories."

"You think he's really going to be okay?"

"Truly. Besides there aren't many adventurers who reach S-rank. And some had encountered the truck before. Some became great craftsmen, some created a magnificent empire and others saved realms from suffering. He could even reach S-rank, if he is given time. To catch the truck's interest he must be incredibly talented."

"I guess you're right. Thanks for the cheer.'"

"You know I really think he could become an S-rank adventurer. Just based on his attitude… I guess he's already a Space rank adventurer."

Gina expressed her high hopes for him, while trying to cheer Pom up.

"How about me! Don't I have that attitude!? Give praise!" Dislucas rose both of her arms into the air. Her pet Fluffy flew up startled the quick movement.

Dislucas laughed and together they all managed to cheer up Pom. 

Space rank adventurers. Supported by the adventurer's guild that is sometimes also known as the association. They traveled around the galaxy and fought against evil and spread justice. 

However, what that justice was was relative to the cultures the guild was based it. The guild would take a loose stance and cooperate with the local authorities. For example a demon king could have a branch of the adventurer's guild. The guild didn't bind anyone to its side, it was just the provider for quests and credited adventurers and gave them a rank as well as passed on the rewards for the job well done given by the client.

Space rank or known as S-rank adventurers were living legends that came from a distant place or sometimes world and had the ability to stop a disaster that descended upon a world.

The local guilds were unable to interfere in certain cases. Space rank adventurers didn't have any moral or diplomatic neutrality obligation like the guild that merely managed quests and their posting.

The guild made sure to send the right one for the job. And while S-rank might sound tedious… It was actually not.

No one was forced to take a quest and the galaxy was vast. All disasters could not be stopped. A space adventurer lived a so called ultimate free life. Nether space governments nor authorities could detain them. 

If they were actually destructive and cared little for life then as long as the destroyed planets with sentient civilization didn't reach past 10 for the individual, there would be no interference from the association.