Chapter 22: Raeve’s Gift
"Oh ho~? Mister bigshot genius finally decided to visit his poor and lonely sister? How touching! Almost seems like you give a shit!" Raeve leaned against her dorm room door, smirking at her little brother who sighed in annoyance. Obviously, rumors of his high combat power had spread far and wide within just an hour.
"I'm sorry Raeve, but I've been busy doing important things." Suddenly, she became incredibly sad, tears forming in her eyes as she placed a hand over her heart.
"M-More important… than me?" Kaido looked at her with a deadpanned expression, causing her to click her tongue.
"Tsk, fine. Come on in, you cold-hearted asshole!" She marched inside with loud stomps, allowing him to follow after her and close the door. Walking further, Kaido was able to get a good look at her dorm.
On one of the walls was a lioness's head in the midst of a roar, a burning fire in her open mouth. He thought it was the perfect fit, considering her personality. Lining those same walls were tons of weapons ranging from swords and spears, all the way to bows and even Rapid Fire Slingshots. These were crafted by her own hands, causing them to become rough. Not at all like her fellow noble ladies who were very soft and feminine.
Her couch, which she sat down on, was made out of the skin of some sort of monster. However, it wasn't as uncomfortable as one would believe.
"Like it? Killed this piece of shit myself. Skinned him alive." She smiled darkly as she caressed the surface.
"Makes it softer, in my opinion." Raeve returned her attention to her little brother who seemed to agree.
"So, what brings you to my humble abode Kaido? Besides wanting to see your favorite and awesome sister of course. Favorite sibling in general." Ignoring her narcissism, he sat down next to her and got down to business.
"I want to know how to remove the Tracker Rune on the uniform." She raised an eyebrow in confusion before suddenly coming to a conclusion, making her grin as she poked him with her index finger.
"Oh~? Seems my little Kaido wants to be a sneaky rat. Is that it? And you came to your big sister because of how talented I am? Right~? Right~?" While annoyed by her constant poking, he nodded his head.
"That's right. Do you know how to or not?" She stopped her poking when not getting the reaction she wanted and sighed.
"Sorry little brother, but it's not possible. At least, not for us right now. You'd have to be an Expert Rune-Crafter to mess with the uniform's runes and not get caught. You think they'd allow just any Tom, Dick, and Harry to fuck with them? It'd ruin the Academy's reputation." She scratched her nose a bit, looking at the ceiling with a thinking expression.
"I could try to become one, but it'd be real hard. Speedrunning through Apprentice would only take me a year of real trying. However Expert, in any job, is a different beast. It's what separates the mediocre from the great."
Her answer made him frown as he leaned back. Things would be a little harder now as he would have to dispose of the uniform. As for his own, he could just not wear it. Wasn't too bad, just a little annoyance was all. As he prepared to get up and leave, he suddenly found himself pushed down by Raeve. She was on top, straddling and keeping him in place. A grin was on her face as she wagged her finger from side to side.
"Nuh uh, you just came and want to leave after using me? Such an asshole you are to your favorite sibling who loves you!" She pouted and sat down a little further, right on his crotch. But based on the look on her face, she knew what she was doing.
He raised an eyebrow and grabbed her hips, sending a slight shock through her body.
"So? What do you want to do now?" The atmosphere took a subtle turn as they stayed in place, looking each other in the eye. But then, she smiled and got off him.
"I want to show you something. Come on." She grabbed his hand and effortlessly pulled him up.
Although she was a Mage, because her Rank was far higher her physical abilities were leagues above his own. Even more so because of her Blacksmithing Job and the training which was ingrained in her since her youth. This was the same for every member of the Vairathul Family, where they had to train their physical prowess regardless of their Class.
As she led him to the bedroom, he felt the rough callouses on her palms. They were the result of her hard work in Blacksmithing, which along with her training, gave her very developed muscles. Far above that of a normal woman.
"Why haven't you removed them? Getting rid of the callouses wouldn't have been a tough thing to do through Healers or potions."
"Because they are the reminder of my efforts. Of how much I struggled and suffered. Why? Do you not like them?" Kaido knew if he said no, she would feel very hurt. And he would never want to do such a thing to her.
"Not at all Raeve. I know some don't like such a thing on a woman, but they don't diminish your beauty in the slightest. If anything, they enhance it due to the uniqueness."
Unseen by Kaido, Raeve smiled sweetly and felt love fill her heart. No matter what, she was still a woman and wanted to be praised for her beauty. Least of all from the person she cared for the most.
"Hmph, right answer. Otherwise-" She turned around and placed her fist on his cheek.
"-I would have beat your ass!" Happy, Raeve quickly led him into the bedroom and let go of his hand. As she moved towards a chest in the corner of the room, Kaido noticed a small sleeping creature laying on their own makeshift bed.
It was very cute looking, with soft red fur across it's body and four ears on it's head. There was a single tail attached which seemed to be on fire. Smoke would exit it's nostrils every time it breathed softly during it's nap. On it's back was a pair of fiery, but illusionary wings. Taking a closer look, he noticed the creature was only a little weaker than the Jagged Snake. It wasn't too surprising though. Considering Raeve herself would have easily killed the Snake without trouble.
"A Flaming Krettle? Must've been hard to tame." Kaido said to her, who had unlocked the final Rune on her chest and opened it.
"Nah, not that bad. Slippery asshole to be sure, but I eventually caught her and 'persuaded' her to Bond with me. I have a few others too, but they're in my Beast Bag." Kaido hummed and thought about Yin. She never did like being put in one of then.
The Beast Bag was a Spacial area specifically created for Tamed Beasts or Monsters. It would simulate their natural habitat and make it a great place to live. But Yin had always hated it because it felt like a prison to her. So, Kaido never bothered to get one. As for his other Tamed Beasts? They were left at home as he didn't want to have to take care of them. Their relationship wasn't very close.
"Here we go!" Raeve's sudden voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Looking towards her, he noticed a pair of armored gauntlets in her hands as she walked to him.
They were completely pitch black, with spikes all along them. Intricate and devilish designs were spread all across the surface, making it look quite evil. The fingers were clawed and seemed designed for shredding the opponent. On each finger was a ring with different colored and enchanted gems.
"Well? How does it look?" Raeve said with some nervousness within her. She really hoped he liked it because of how much work went into it.
"Looks great. I can tell you put a lot of love into crafting it." Kaido, not thinking too much, gave a casual answer after a once over. Though, he was truthful.
Raeve heaved a silent sigh of relief and smiled brightly. She felt a jolt of happiness pass through her when hearing his praise.
"I'm glad you like them. I enchanted them with a whole bunch of awesome shit like Magic Resistance, Physical Resistance, Booster, and a couple other things. My greatest work by far." She looked at them with pride before focusing on Kaido.
"Here, they're yours now." He was shocked when she suddenly handed them off to him. He looked at her, expecting an answer. She smiled, laying her palm on his cheek.
"I made them for you silly head."
"What do you want for them?" Suddenly, she laughed out loud and gently smacked him on the cheek while grinning.
"I swear sometimes you are such an idiot. Nothing Kaido. I made them because I care and love you, that's all. Dumbass! Hahaha!" With another light slap she walked out of her bedroom, leaving Kaido standing there as she went to make lunch.
As for the man himself, he felt a sweet feeling inside his heart, making him smile as he put them on. They fit him perfectly, in both style and size. Truly, they were made just for him. Catching up to Raeve, he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her and pressing his chest into her back.
"Thank you." He said, placing his chin on her shoulder. She smiled and patted him on the head. Though, she failed to see the dangerous and unknown light in Kaido's eyes as he stared at her face.
But even if she had seen, she wouldn't have minded. Since it was the same feeling she buried in her heart towards her own little brother.
Something wrong, immoral, and twisted.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Okay everyone, let's split up into groups of two please." Tyrion said to the class, making a few groan out.
Veronica, who was sitting far into the back corner, panicked as she watched friends pair up with each other. She always hated when a teacher did this, always wishing to do her work alone. But she knew the Professor wouldn't allow her to do so. With her head down, she took a deep breath and gathered her courage. Just as she was about to stand up, a hand tapped her on the shoulder.
"Ah!" She screamed so softly no one even noticed, besides the person next to her who chuckled.
"Forgive me Veronica for startling you." Hearing the familiar voice made her heart beat faster. She turned her head and was rewarded with the 'shining' handsome face of Kaido smiling at her. With a blush, she bowed her head and avoided all eye contact.
"I-I-It… fine." Her voice was so low she doubted he heard it. And yet, he did.
"Good. Then, would you do me the honor of being my partner for this activity?" She was in disbelief as she looked at him. To her, there was no way a popular person like him would choose the worthless her over the others. However, she immediately replied without hesitation.
"Of course!" Realizing she seemed to eager, Veronica turned her head away and downward. Her voice became as quiet as a mouse.
"I mean… if you want." Kaido smiled and sat down next to her, placing his elbow on the table and his left hand on his cheek as he gazed at her.
"It would be my pleasure." A tiny smile graced Vernoica's lips as she tried to calm her beating heart.
After everyone had gotten into their groups, Tyrion clapped his hands. Suddenly, many items appeared on the student's tables after a flash of light. They included everything an Alchemist would need. The materials, burner for creating the fire, cauldron for concocting the potion, and various other tools required.
"Today, we will be making a fairly basic potion that every single aspiring Alchemist should be able to concoct with ease. Some of you might already know of it due to it's popularity with… ahem!" He coughed slightly and looked away.
"Less than active men." The class burst into laughter while a few girls blushed lightly. Tyrion smiled and shook his head, before motioning them to quiet down.
"It's name is The Energy Potion. Once consumed, it would give the user much more energy and vigor than before. Depending on it's quality and grade would indicate how long it would last and how strong the effects are. For any new students here, I'll explain some basics for you."
"Every potion created by Alchemists have two important properties, Quality and Grade. The quality is determined by how pure a potion is. If it is at 100% purity, the effects and duration of the potion increase drastically." He paused slightly to see if any had a question. But when none did, he continued.
"The grade is something which applies to all items in the world, whether they be a weapon or a potion. From lowest to highest they are:
Low-Grade
Mid-Grade
High-Grade
Ultimate-Grade
Mythical-Grade."
"Now, the assignment will be graded upon how high the quality of the Energy Potion is. To be considered passing, I won't accept anything below 20% purity." Despite sounding strict, this number was actually very low. Eapecially when considering how easy this potion was to make. Even ones who fumble through the process can get 15% purity.
Tyrion looked at the silver watch on his wrist before speaking up.
"You have one hour in total. Begin." The students immediately got to work in preparing the materials.
As for Kaido, he was surprised at how serious Veronica was taking this. In all honesty, he wasn't expecting her to be here. So when he had seen her, he took the chance to deepen his relationship with her. But it turned out she had quite a knack for Alchemy.
'The more talented you are, the tighter my grip on you will be.' With a smile, Kaido joined in on helping her. He wasn't worried in the slightest about this assignment.
First, he began by pouring the water inside the cauldron and placing it on top of the burner. After turning it on and while waiting for the water to boil, he took a stalk of Cardio Grass from the pile. There were fifteen sets of materials in total, just in case they failed.
With a knife, Kaido chopped it into three equal pieces and put it off to the side. Looking over, he saw Veronica almost finished with plucking out the seeds of the Vigor Fruit. Taking the last material, Excited Berry, he quickly cut it in half and drained it's juices into a small bottle. If he wasn't fast enough, the berry would have jumped out of his hands. This was exactly what happened to a few students as they ran around to catch them.
"The water's ready. Throw the seeds in first and stir for thirty seconds at a moderate pace." Kaido said, guiding Veronica who lost her shy look. It was replaced with a solemn and serious expression, making her look quite cute.
She nodded and did as he said. Just as she finished, Kaido increased the heat and threw in all of the Cardio Grass pieces at once. Veronica was shocked and hurriedly asked him a question.
"Why did you do that? The book didn't say to increase the heat?" Taking the ladle from her, Kaido stirred it periodically every three seconds at the same pace.
"It burns the grass faster and gets rid of it before we add in the Excited Juice. If we don't do that, the two interfere with each other and lower the purity. The book's way is the most simple path to creating the potion. Sometimes, you have to become creative and not rely on another's experiences." She became a little ashamed but was infinitely curious about how he was so good at Alchemy.
'No, not just that. He's the best at everything.' She was dazed while looking at his serious face, but then woke up and took the juice. Although she didn't know it, her infatuation with him was becoming deeper and deeper. Almost like she was falling into an Abyss. However, such a thing was not healthy for certain parties involved.
Veronica ignored everything else and paid close attention to the slightly yellow liquid in the cauldron, waiting for the precise moment when the last of the grass had dissolved. Suddenly, she dumped it all inside at the perfect moment, eliciting some praise from Kaido.
"Nicely done. All we have to do now is lower the heat and stir slowly for sixty seconds." Veronica felt her heart beat faster as she blushed. Unconsciously, a small smile appeared on her lips as she watched the liquid turn fully yellow.
After a minute had passed, Kaido put down the ladle, turned off the burner, and grabbed a large bottle. He gently and slowly poured the contents of the cauldron into the bottle. Then he placed a cap onto it and sealed it up tight within no time at all. Turning to Veronica, he raised his hand and smiled brightly.
"We did it! Nice work partner!" She shyly and softly high fived him.
"I didn't do much, it was really all you." Her voice was timid and small, clearly lacking confidence. He grabbed her dainty hand and squeezed it gently.
"You weren't half bad at all. I couldn't have done it without your help." Despite the sincerity, he was lying. He could have easily accomplished such a basic potion by himself, as he has done so previously.
"Really?" She looked at him, eyes full of hope which would melt the heart of any man and compell them to tell the truth.
"Of course!" Nodding at her, Kaido got up and grabbed the bottle.
"Come on, let's go turn this in together." With some joy in her, Veronica followed after her cru- new friend, drawing the eyes of others who hadn't even begun making the potion yet.
All the confidence she had started to drain out of her as she lowered her head. But when watching his strong back, she felt like she could do anything. Even if the world came crashing down around her, he would still be there to lift it up. When Tyrion saw them coming, he was a little surprised. He didn't think these two would beat his prized genius.
"Already done? Great work you two! Let's test the purity shall we?" He grabbed the potion from Kaido and brought out a small metal device. Unsealing the bottle, he placed one end of the device into the liquid and watched the numbers go up on the side.
"Oh! 98% purity is incredible! Full marks for you both!" Veronica was happy and celebrated in her own mind, but Kaido was a little upset as he felt his ego become wounded.
'Not 100%? Fucking worthless!' However, he did not show it on his face and simply gave a little smile. Turning around, he was just about to leave when he noticed another student walking towards them.
The two locked eyes, one black and one purple. They nodded their heads at each other as the male student went to Tyrion who smiled brightly at him.
"Ah, Jiren. Finished quickly I see." The so called Jiren nodded and gave him the potion emotionlessly.
"Yes Professor. Could you test the purity?" As Tyrion did that, Kaido took this chance to check him out.
He was 6ft 3in, with silver hair and gorgeous purple eyes. His body was slightly muscular and by the looks of his mana, he was a Mage. A small, black, and misty orb was floating within him, which Kaido identified as the Element of Death. There was a single and noticeable small scar just above his left eyebrow, somehow making him even more handsome than before.
'Though below me, he truly is one in a million in terms of appearance.' Kaido thought to himself. Looking at Veronica, he noticed she took a peek at Jiren before turning her head towards Tyrion. She was completely uninterested in him.
'Good girl! I haven't scammed you in vain!'
"Oh! Another 98%!" Tyrion's words stunned all three of them. Instantly, Jiren and Kaido looked at each other at the same time. They eyed one another for a brief moment before one took the initiative.
"Great job. I'm glad I was able to witness such a 'genius' with my own eyes. You were pretty 'quick' huh?" He held out his hand, waiting for the silver haired bastard to take it. Which is exactly what he did.
"And to you. I saw your work, impressive. Your use of the Cardio Grass though is a little, well. Let's just say I'm 'impressed' with such a... method." Their hands stayed connected as they smiled at one another.
'Watching me? You have good eyes.'
'The girl's somewhat talented to be sure, but you were the true artist weren't you?'
Unaware of the two geniuses warring against one another, Veronica was confused.
'Why are they holding their hands for so long? Wait-!' She came to a chilling and disastrous realization. One that nearly ruined her entire world!
'Are they... gay?!'