Yellow blood splatters onto the ground as the tearing of flesh echoes in a small cavernous room. A sharp pair of teeth bite into fur, before tearing it off. Ruby growls like an animal as she digs her teeth back into the large Claw bear.

'This is so delicious!' Ruby screams in her head.

She lets out another grunt as she slams her teeth back in, yellow blood splattering onto her face, but she just keeps eating. She then tears off a few chunks with her hands, shoving the pieces into her mouth.

'I haven't been able to stop eating since I turned into a Grimm, I wonder why that is?' Ruby claws at the bear, tearing away more flesh, before sinking her teeth in. 'But why do these beast taste so good?! They tasted so bad earlier, it must be because of my dear Goddess! You truly are the best!'

After tearing the bear apart and eating it up, she sits on the floor on top of scraps of fur. She licks the yellow blood off her hands, before grabbing a small scrap of fur and wiping the blood of her face. She then lets out a satisfied sigh and lays down.

She pulls out her status plate and hums. "My stats have changed a lot..."

Name: Ruby Rose (Reuben Xiao Long) / Age: 17/ Sex: Female / Level: 50 / Job: G̷̜̕r̷̝͛i̵̙̍m̸̫̈m̶̬̍ ̷̯́Ą̸͘p̶̰̈o̵̳͋s̴̫͆t̵͕͑l̴͔̇e̶̖̓ ̴̳͝

Strength: 1275
Vitality: 1200
Defense: 1350
Agility: 1500
Magic: 1000
Magic Defense: 1000

Skills: Language Comprehension. Petal Burst. Iron Skin. Reap and Sow. Sacrificial Sweep. Burning Hook. Willpower-Draining Aura. Ear-Piercing Scream. Acid Spit. Fire Breath. Fireballs. Night Vision. Detect Negative Emotions. Fear Resistance. Paralysis Resistance. Poison Resistance. Slight Regeneration.

G̢̘͎̘̎̎r̜͍̓͠i̷̲̲̯̰̟̳̋̌mͦ҉̫̗̺͈m̷͕̝͙̥̝̯̈́̉ͪ̑ͅ ͇͔̠̲̖̻̗̺̓ͫ͝Ṕ̙̬̱̫̬͈͖̿̽͜o̸̬̼͖͍̥̖ͫo͎̠͇̹ͦ̒̌͟l̥̤͓͙̼͍̩̅ͮ̀̓͟

Ĝ̸̟̻̻̻̗̬r̯͍̲̆ͨ͌̀ͅĩ̷̫̤̯̺̹m̵͈̝̦̱̝͈̭ͭ͐͐m̧̲̙͚̜̻͖͍͚ͬͣ ̨̜̥̫̙̯̫̓̔͊̐ͅS̷̯̱̈́͆p̧̫̤͇̺͕͍̒͋̋a̭̖̳͍͔̞̞̳̿ͭͭ̊͡w̢̗̞ͪn̗̝̹̼͔ͪͬ͂́͡

 

Ruby smiles as she runs a hand over her status plate. "I've become so much stronger." She turns to the side as she puts her status plate away.

She reaches a hand out and grabs onto her scythe, covered in yellow blood that's slowly being absorbed by the weapon. She brings it to her chest and hugs it tightly. Then she reaches her hand out again and scoops up a little yellow blood and shoves it into her mouth.

Ruby licks her lips, before a large yawn appears. She rubs her eyes before hugging her scythe tightly.

"I think I'll take a little nap..." Ruby mutters as her eyes flutter. "Ehe... cookies."

Ruby curls around her weapon as she snuggles into it. Her eyes close as she lets out a quiet moan.

"I'm getting hungry again..." Ruby mutters before falling asleep.

--

---

.

.

A yell rings out as a flaming fist smashes apart a wooden target, follow by another fist hitting another beside it. Yang lets out a heavy breath as swear falls down her brown. Moonlight shining down onto her.

Her legs shake slightly as her fists are red and bloody. She uses her aura to heal up the small wounds on her hands, as she lowers them. She hunches over as she takes deep breaths. The flames around her hands dissipate. 

But then the thoughts of seeing her younger brother fall into the abys, flash through her mind. She grows angry as she curls her hands into fist, and her lilac eyes turn red. 

She pulls back a fist as she yells out in anger, and punches the next target as hard as she can. A small explosion goes off and the dummy is sent flying across the courtyard, and slamming into a stone wall, exploding on impact.

Yang falls to her knees in exhaustion. "Dammit!" She punches the ground, sending cracks spiraling out below her. "I should have been faster!" She falls onto her ass and looks up to the night sky. "Why did we have to be summoned here?"

She thinks back on the first day they we're summoned.

--

All the students and even their teacher are sitting at large tables as Ishtar Langbard, the Pope of the Holy Church talks to them. Reuben is sitting next to Yang.

"Welcome to Tortus." Ishtar greets. "Let me formally welcome you great heroes and your retainers to our kingdom." He goes on to explain the war between humans and Demons. The humans are getting help from their god Ehit

"Oh, I get to live my fantasies!" Reuben whispers in excitement, his eyes shining like stars.

"And I get to punch things without getting in trouble." Yang slams her fists together.

Kouki stands up. "The people of this kingdom are in danger. We can't let them die! I think we should fight to save them all!"

"A... Amanogawa-kun?!" Their teacher, Aiko Hatayama stands up. "I-I can't let you do that! No, I cannot let you do that!" she slams her hands into the table a couple times. "I have a duty as your teacher to keep you all safe!"

"What do you think, Hajime?" Reuben turns to his right, where is friend is.

"I... Uh... I don't know." Hajime replies. "This is a lot to take in, Ruby."

Reuben blushes at his nickname. "Please, don't call me that."

Yang laughs as she wraps an arm around Reuben's neck. 

People start standing up, saying they'll fight. Making Aiko turn red as she keeps yelling. "You can't!" She shakes her fists up and down. "You simply can't! Listen to your teacher! We are going to have them send us back to school as soon as possible! Until that happens, you are still my students, and..."

--

Yang lets out a grunt as she gets up off the floor and heads back to her room and on her way she spots Shizuku training in a small courtyard.

"Yaegashi." Yang calls out.

Shizuku turns around and sees Yang waving to her. "Xiao Long-san."

Yang walks over to her. "Can't sleep either?"

Shizuku nods. "Yeah, I guess I just needed some to think. And I take it your trying your best to stay together?"

Yang sighs as she looks down. "It... It's hard, I'm trying to not break down. I know Reuben might still be alive down there... at least I hope so."

"Reuben-Kun is a strong willed individual, I'm sure he'll come back to us with Nagumo-kun."

"I-It's fine." Daisuke mutters as he walks a little ways from the girls. "Nobody'll ever find out. Nobody saw me do it... Everything went perfectly. It's fine."

"Hiyama-kun?" Shizuku calls out, making him panic and turn around.

"Yaegashi?! Xiao Long?!" Daisuke yelps when he sees Shizuku's sword.

"What's up?" Yang asks and the two girls walk towards him.

Daisuke takes a step back. "N-Nothing! What's up with you two?"

"Just training." Shizuku states. "Gotta keep up or I'll get rusty."

"Letting some frustrations out." Yang states.

"Why don't you do a bit of training yourself?"

Daisuke sweats a little. "N-No, I'm fine." He walks off quickly.

"Was Hiyama-kun always like that?" Shizuku turns to Yang.

Yang shakes her head a little. "I don't think so. He'd always did seem to pick fights with Nagumo. Even when we came over here...." She yawns. "Well, I'm off to bed, gotta get up and train right away."

"Good night, Xiao Long-san."

Yang walks off and towards her room. 'Hold on Reuben, I'll get stronger and come save you.'

Deep in the labyrinths lower floors, Ruby is sitting on top of a massive pile of dead centipede monsters. She looks rather bored as she swings a broken off leg back and fourth. She then leans back and brings the leg up to her nose and gives it a quick sniffs.

Ruby's face scrunches up as she sneezes slightly. She then brings it to her mouth and takes a bite. She chews a few times, her face growing disgusted, before spitting the contents in her mouth to the side.

"Ugh, so bitter."

She tosses the insect leg to the side and huffs in annoyance as she lays back on the mound of bodies. Her red and black eyes give off a light glow in the dark room, as she stares up to the ceiling. She blinks a few times before suddenly yelling in frustration.

"Nothing on this floor tastes good!" Ruby pouts as she closes her eyes and puffs her cheeks out. "I'm gonna kill whoever made this labyrinth."

She then opens her eyes and holds up her right black boned hand. She then sticks a finger through the hole between the Radius and Ulna bones. She then brings her bones hand to her mouth and licks it. "Hmmmm."

Ruby then brings her pale hand to her mouth and licks her hand. "Hmmm." She then looks at her demonic looking scythe and grabs it. She then brings the handle to her mouth and licks it. "Hmmm."

She then lowers her arms and looks up to the ceiling. "I taste funny. I need a bath."

A smell enters her nose and her eyes widen as she sniffs. She sits up and takes a big sniff and starts to drool a little. "Something smells delectable!" She takes another big sniff and smiles, drooling a little.

"I smell lots of anger!" Ruby shoots up to her feet. But then loud bangs echo in the distance, and Ruby tilts her head in confusion. "...Gunshots...?" She then bends down and grabs her scythe.

The Grimm girl then starts following the sounds of the gunshots, growing closer and closer with each bang. She then comes to a cliff edge and kneels down to it. 

Ruby tilts her head as she blinks a few times. Down bellow she spots a man with white hair, and a missing left arm. But he's wielding his revolver skillfully as he guns down a centipede. It's head explodes as it falls to the floor.

Ruby narrows her eyes down at the man as she sniffs the air. Getting waves and waves of negative emotion coming off from him. He turns around as he reloads his revolver.

Ruby leans forward a little, but a bit of the cliff crumbles under her weight, and as the rocks smash into the ground below. The man quickly turns around and fires a shot up at her. Ruby smiles sadistically as she zips down using her petal burst, easily avoiding the gunshot.

The man fires at her again, but she quickly ducks under it and speeds towards him. The man's red eyes widen as he keeps firing, but Ruby speeds between each shot and she quickly swings her scythe at him.

The man closes as he grits his teeth, but nothing seems to happen. He opens his eyes to find the scythe tip stop right before his neck. Ruby looks him up and down, narrowing her eyes at him.

"What the hell?" The man mutters in confusion.

Ruby lowers her scythe as she zips up at him at high speeds. She leans real close to him, making him quickly take a step back as he brandishes his revolver at her. Then she stands up to her full height, easily towering the man. With Ruby being 6'2'' (188.9 cm.) and the man being 5'7'' (173.7 cm)

Ruby tilts her head as she lets out a chirp. "Hajime?" She sniffs the air in front of him a few times.

"Dow do you know that name?" Hajime glares at Ruby, keeping his gun aimed at her head.

Ruby's eyes lighten up as she starts zipping around him at high speeds. "Woah!You'reAlive!WhatHappenedToYou!"

Ruby keeps zipping around him at high speeds, poking from all sides. Hajime just groans annoyed as he swats at her, but she just avoids them. She then grabs his only arm and holds it tightly.

"You look completely different!" Ruby's eyes shine with stars. "You look badass!"

Hajime growls as he manages to rip his arm out of her grasp. "Who the hell at you?!"

Ruby giggles as she takes a step back, putting a finger up to the corner of her mouth, trying to look cute. "Don't you recognize me, Hajime-kin~" Ruby sticks her tongue out at him as she suddenly speeds up right behind him, causing him to quickly jump away from her. "It's me, your friend Reuben!"

Hajime fires his last round at Ruby, but she just reflects it with her scythe. She puffs her cheeks out as she crosses her arms.

"That's not very nice!"

Hajime glares at her, comparing the tall demon looking women, who's pouting like a child. To the short bright smiling, cookie loving boy that was his friend. "That's impossible, you're just a damn monster!"

"Such hurtful words!" Ruby fakes a look of hurt, before using her petal burst to appear in front of Hajime. Black petals with red tips float around them. "I can prove it, Hajime!"

Ruby pulls out her status plate and flips it up into the air, and catches it. She then strikes a cute pose with her scythe.

Name: Ruby Rose (Reuben Xiao Long) / Age: 17/ Sex: Female / Level: 55 / Job: G̷̜̕r̷̝͛i̵̙̍m̸̫̈m̶̬̍ ̷̯́Ą̸͘p̶̰̈o̵̳͋s̴̫͆t̵͕͑l̴͔̇e̶̖̓ ̴̳͝

Strength: 1500
Vitality: 1350
Defense: 1655
Agility: 1725
Magic: 1200
Magic Defense: 1000

Skills: Language Comprehension. Petal Burst. Iron Skin. Reap and Sow. Sacrificial Sweep. Burning Hook. Willpower-Draining Aura. Ear-Piercing Scream. Acid Spit. Fire Breath. Fireballs. Night Vision. Detect Negative Emotions. Fear Resistance. Paralysis Resistance. Poison Resistance. Slight Regeneration. Petrification Resistance. Intimidate

G̢̘͎̘̎̎r̜͍̓͠i̷̲̲̯̰̟̳̋̌mͦ҉̫̗̺͈m̷͕̝͙̥̝̯̈́̉ͪ̑ͅ ͇͔̠̲̖̻̗̺̓ͫ͝Ṕ̙̬̱̫̬͈͖̿̽͜o̸̬̼͖͍̥̖ͫo͎̠͇̹ͦ̒̌͟l̥̤͓͙̼͍̩̅ͮ̀̓͟

Ĝ̸̟̻̻̻̗̬r̯͍̲̆ͨ͌̀ͅĩ̷̫̤̯̺̹m̵͈̝̦̱̝͈̭ͭ͐͐m̧̲̙͚̜̻͖͍͚ͬͣ ̨̜̥̫̙̯̫̓̔͊̐ͅS̷̯̱̈́͆p̧̫̤͇̺͕͍̒͋̋a̭̖̳͍͔̞̞̳̿ͭͭ̊͡w̢̗̞ͪn̗̝̹̼͔ͪͬ͂́͡

Hajime reads Ruby's status plate. "R-Rueben." He looks up to the tall woman with wide eyes. "But, how are you like this? I thought you died."

Ruby puts her status plate away. "A pool of complete darkness. I've been reborn into something much stronger, much... better!" She smiles showing off her sharp teeth. "Oh, the old me was so weak and stupid, now I'm much better!" She begins to laugh.

Hajime sweat drops. "And you've gotten crazier and weirder."

Ruby pouts and crosses her arms. "I'm not crazy, just blood thirsty!" Hajime just starts to walk away. "Hey, wait up for me!"

A while later Hajime and Ruby sit across from each other, with a campfire between them. The boy is building new bullets for his gun, while Ruby eats some cooked meat with a gleeful expression. 

"Just what exactly happened to you?" Hajime stares at the girl, still confused.

Ruby swallows the food in her mouth. "Well, after falling I spent days, probably a week looking for you." She quickly ears another bite, before continuing. "I got into a big fight with an Alpha Twin-Tailed wolf, and got pretty hurt. While I was searching for a place to rest, I came across a weird temple-castle thing."

Ruby shoves the rest of the meat into her mouth, and quickly chews before swallowing. She then lays back on a fur bed Hajime gave her, she then puts a hand on her scythe that rests beside her.

"And inside was this large black pool and I accidently fell into it, and became this. I also met my dear Goddess Salem!"

"Salem?" Hajime questions with a raised brow.

Ruby puts her hand son her cheeks, blushing. "Salem."

Hajime rolls his eyes, then thinks back on her status. "Also, how are you level 55! I'm only level 25!"

Ruby sits up as she shrugs. "Well, maybe it's because I became this?

"That's bullshit, I've been fighting for my life down here, and you get a free win."

Ruby glares at Hajime. "I've spent days fighting while looking for you, I barely even got to eat anything! I fought my ass off just to survive too, fucker."

Hajime rolls his eyes as he goes back to making bullets. "Man, you have a mouth now."

"Ah, fuck you too." Ruby lays back down.

A couple hours later, the two teens stand at the entrance of a large stone door he found. The two look at the strange lock in front of them. Large stone giants stand at either side of the door.

"Man, I'm stumped." Hajime states with a sigh. "I did a whole lot of studying, but never saw this. Must mean it's pretty old."

Ruby looks the lock up and down, her head twitching as she does. "I don't think I can bash through this."

Hajime looks at his had. "Guess then I'm just gonna have to use Transmute..." He puts his hand on the door and a small red magic circle appears on his hand. Red lighting shocks him and he jumps back.

Ruby uses Petal Burst to move back.

"Dammit!" Hajime grumbles as he glares at the door.

"Well, now what?" Ruby questions with a head tilt.

The two then hear rumbling and they look up to see the two giant statues above the door start to move and their hard shell falls off.

Hajime pulls his gun out. "Yeah, I should've expected that cliché. Reuben get the other one."

Ruby grabs her scythe off her back. "Don't tell me what to do bastard!"

One of the giants roars and moves towards them. Ruby laughs and runs towards it. Hajime engages the second one.

The giant throws a punch down at Ruby, but she uses her Petal Burst to fly up and onto its arm. Ruby then slams her scythe into its arm and starts to run up it, sending greenish blood flying.

Ruby's sadistic laugh echoes in the chamber. "Yes! Yes! Bleed for me!"

The giant roars and smashes his arm into the wall and when he pulls it back, Ruby's stuck in a small crater. Ruby huffs in annoyance. "That's not how you treat a lady!"

The giant pulls one of its fists back and throws it forward towards Ruby. Ruby smirks as she jumps out of the hole "Reap and Sow!"

Ruby's scythe blade glows red as a magic circle appears around it. As the giant's fist nears her she swings her blade and delivers a large cut onto its hand. Then she swings a second time and manages to cut its hand off.

The giant roars in pain as it stumbles back, holding its severed hand. Ruby laughs as she uses Petal Burst to fly up above the giant.

Ruby puts her scythe behind her. "Burning hook!" She throws her scythe forward and a chain appears on the end of it that's connected to her hand.

The scythe catches on fire as it spins through the air and then the blade embeds itself into the eye of the giant as Ruby flies past it. The giant's eye catches on fire and it roars. Ruby lands on the ground as the giant roars and she gains a big smile as she roughs tugs on the chain with all her strength.

After a few seconds of rough pulling the chains goes slack and a giant eyeball lands on the ground next to Ruby and the giant falls onto the ground, dead.

The chain in Ruby's hand disappears and she turns to the massive body beside her. A second body lands on the ground a little ways behind her. Ruby licks her lips as she walks to the giant she killed. "Let's see how you taste."

On the surface, the morning sun rises over the mountains. It casts its warm glow into Yang's room and slowly climbs onto her face. She lets out a few grunts, before her eyes open up.

He lets out a annoyed moan, before sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She then glances over to the side, and stares at the empty bed at the other side of the room.

She lets out sigh. "Just hang tight Reuben." Yang turns to the side and climbs out of bed, she then walks over to the window and leans out of it. "I know you're still alive. So you just wait, Big Sister Yang is coming."

Back down bellow, one of the giant's chests twitch and quake. Before it suddenly bursts open as Ruby pops out, letting out a high pitched shrill. She then laughs as yellow blood drips from her head.

"I'm like those things from that alien movie." Ruby then lets out another roar, before disappearing back down into its chest, as crunching and munching noises echo. Then a red ball pops out from the hole in it chest, and rolls away.

Hajime just shakes his head as he pulls a mana stone from the second dead giant. "Mana stones?" He then looks at the door. "Guess the monsters themselves were the keys. "I'll eat them later. For now..."

Hajime moves over to where the red ball rolled, and pits it up. He then heads over to the door, and Ruby joins him as she licks blood off her arms. Hajime then puts the mana stones into the locks.

The lock glows brightly and the two step back. After a few seconds a red magic circle appears over the lock and magic flows out from the door. Then after a few seconds the door unlocks and Hajime smirks.

Ruby goes over to the door and pushes it open. The two walk into the room and see a spinning golden cube. Magic particles shine above them, making it look like the night sky. Ruby's eyes shine in amazement.

The two stop and look up to see green magic vines moving towards the golden cube. Magic stones on top of some pillars light up as the green vines move past them.

"Who's there?" A female voice echoes within the chamber.

Ruby raises an eyebrow as she looks around. She readies her scythe as her glowing eyes scan the room. The green vines form around the cube as it stops. The front of the cube disappears to revel a blonde Loli trapped within it.

The loli opens her red eyes and looks at the two in front of her. Hajime gasps. "Is that... a person?!"

"Can I eat her?" Ruby asks and Hajime just shakes his head. "Darn." her stomach lightly growls.

The two companions stare at the loli for a few seconds, before turning around. 

"Sorry to bother you." Hajime says as he pats Ruby's arm.

"Yeah, we didn't know the room was occupied." Ruby says, as she looks at Hajime. "Can we go find something to eat."

"Didn't you just eat?!" Hajime yells at Ruby.

"That was an appetizer!"

"W-Wait!" The girl calls out. "Please, help me!"

"No thanks." Hajime replies as he waves.

The magic stones on top of the pillars die out as the two walk past them.

"Why?!" The girl asks. "I'll do anything!"

Hajime then stops walking and Ruby stops a second after. "Look, nobody in their right mind would release someone obviously sealed away down here on purpose! I'm busy and my friend here is too."

"I've seen enough shows to know this is a terrible idea!" Ruby calls back.

"No! It's not my fault! Please, wait, I... I was betrayed!"

Hajime gasps and Ruby glances at him. Hajime thinks back to the bridge a couple weeks back. "Dammit." He whispers as he grits his teeth.

Hajime walks back towards the girl, with Ruby in tow. "You were betrayed, huh?" He asks as he stares at her. "That doesn't explain why you were sealed down here, even if what you're saying is true. Why'd the people who betrayed you seal you up down here?"

The girl stares at Hajime before glancing towards Ruby, a look of familiarity appears in the girls eyes. Which confuses Ruby a little, making her tilts her head.

"Hey, you listening?" Hajime asks and the girl looks back at Hajime. "If you don't feel like talking, I'm leaving."

The girl gasps. "I'm one of a long line of vampires and extremely powerful, too... I worked really hard to protect my people. But one day, my ministers said I was no longer needed... My uncle said he was going to rule instead... And I was fine with that."

"Were you the royalty of some kingdom, then?"

The girl ignores Hajime's question. "But they said I was too dangerous... And they couldn't kill me, so they sealed me down here..."

"What do you mean, they can't kill you?" Ruby asks as she takes a step forward.

"I heal quickly." The girl informs. "When I get hurt, it heals right away."

"Is that what you meant by powerful?" Hajime asks.

"That, and I can manipulate mana... I don't even need a circle."

"Damn. Those are some rule-breaking powers. That'd make you immortal for sure." Hajime looks to Ruby and she nods.

"Please help me." The girl begs.

Hajime looks back to her and the two stare at each other for a few seconds. While Ruby picks some meat out of her teeth, which she quickly just eats.

Hajime rubs his head. "The hell am I doing..." He moves forward and places a hand on the girls imprisonment. He uses Transmute, but the cube tries to stop him. "This thing really doesn't wanna go..." He puts more power into his Transmute. "But I've got the power now!"

Hajime yells as he keeps putting more power into his spell as the imprisonment keeps fighting back. After a few seconds the prison falls apart and the girl is set free.

The room goes dark as all the light cuts out. Hajime falls to his ass and takes some deep breaths, the girl laying a few feet from him, and she's naked.

"Wow... that was kinda cool." Ruby says to herself, and looks at the girl. 'And she naked.'

Hajime takes out a vial of holy water and drinks it. The girl grabs his hand when he finishes.

"Want some?" Hajime asks.

The girl shakes her head. "You're warm."

"Well, duh. I'm still alive."

"What's your name?" The girl lets go of Hajime's hand.

"Hajime. Hajime Nagumo." He then points his thumb at Ruby. "That monstrosity is called Reuben Xiao Long, or has she calls herself now, Ruby Rose."

"MONSTROSITY!" Ruby growls in anger at Hajime as she leans towards him, but he just pushes her away.

"Hajime... Hajime, Hajime, Hajime..." The girl repeats. 

'Are we just gonna forget about me now?' Ruby questions as she crosses her arms.

"What's yours?" Hajime asks the girl.

"Huh?" The girl questions.

"What's your name?"

"...Give me one."

"What? Give you one? Did you forget yours or something?"

The girl leans towards Hajime. "I don't need that old one anymore! I want whatever name you give me, Hajime!"

"What do you mean, you don't need it..." Hajime questions and the girl practically gives him puppy eyes.

'I feel like I'm third wheeling on a date right now.' Ruby rubs her cheek.

Hajime sweats a little. "M-Man, even if I wanted to name you, I just..." The girl keeps staring at him. "How about 'Yue'?"

"Yue?" The girl questions.

"Yeah. Where I come form it means 'moon.'"

"Moon?"

"When I first came into this room, your blonde hair and red eyes reminded me of the moon in the night sky." Hajime states. "How about it?"

The girl smiles. "From this day on, I'm Yue..." She hugs Hajime. "Thank you!"

"N-No prob." Hajime sweats a little.

Ruby's eyes widen and she swiftly takes out her scythe and deflects a couple spikes that were heading towards her. But a few fly towards Hajime and Yue and he uses his body to shield the loli. Several spikes dig into Hajime's back.

"Hajime!" Ruby yells out in worry.

--

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3-30-2026

4500 words