Broken and Ivana continued their leisurely stroll along the beach. Deadbay, with its sprawling coastline and pristine, untouched beaches, always made these walks feel special. For Broken, it was an experience he rarely found in the real world, a peaceful escape.
As they walked, the waves gently kissed their feet, and their hands, naturally intertwined, added to the familiar comfort of the moment. It was something they did often without a second thought.
Ivana couldn’t stop laughing as Broken recounted Fokil’s scolding.
“Oh, he got mad? He didn’t seem upset at all when I told him about it.”
“Yeah, well, he was mad enough to kick me out right after he finished.”
“So, you didn’t even get to talk about anything else?”
“I barely got a ‘hello’ in, and that was it.”
Ivana moved closer, slipping her arm around his right arm. In moments like this, with her casually dressed in a simple dress, no one would ever suspect she was a warrior with immense potential. To an outsider, she looked like a delicate chef who needed protection. But in reality, Ivana was always ready to go beyond expectations, even willing to sacrifice herself if it meant keeping those she cared about safe.
They sat down on the edge of the beach, just far enough from the waves so that the water didn’t reach them. The midday sun was warm but comfortable as they relaxed in the sand. “I want to introduce a new member of the family to you, Ivana,” Broken said with a grin.
“Yes, I’ve been wanting to meet the creature that hatched from the egg.”
“Polly, Pawpaw, come out. I want you to meet each other.”
In an instant, Polly, the white fox with four tails, appeared next to Ivana, who was seated on Broken’s left. Polly seemed startled, bouncing nervously as if looking for a place to hide. Meanwhile, Pawpaw, the little kitten, appeared beside Broken, sitting calmly, its large eyes scanning the surroundings with a watchful gaze.
“Polly, this is Pawpaw,” Broken introduced.
But Polly, clearly shy, quickly ran to Ivana’s side, hiding behind her and covering her face with her front paws, almost as if embarrassed. Ivana giggled softly, gently patting Polly’s head as she peeked out from behind her.
“There’s a fox… it’s making me hungry,” Pawpaw said, yawning widely.
“She’s a Spirit Beast, not a snack. You two are supposed to work together, not eat each other, okay?” Broken said firmly, giving the kitten a pointed look.
Ivana giggled at Broken’s response and then turned to Pawpaw. “Hi, Pawpaw, my name is Ivana.”
Pawpaw tilted his head, staring at her. “Can I eat you?”
Broken tapped Pawpaw lightly on the head with his finger. “You’ll hunt monsters later. Don’t think about eating anyone without my permission, got it?”
“I’m hungry, I want to eat,” the kitten grumbled.
“You’ll have your chance on our way back to Slumdon. Plenty of monsters along the way-you can eat as much as you want.”
Pawpaw yawned again, his gaze drifting back to Ivana. “I still want to eat her.”
Ivana giggled again. “You’re both adorable and a little scary, you know that?” she said, amused by the kitten’s bluntness.
Pawpaw suddenly darted forward and leaped toward Ivana. She caught the kitten effortlessly, and though it seemed like Pawpaw was trying to pounce on her hands, Ivana let him have his fun, smiling softly.
“Ivana?” Broken asked, a little unsure.
“No, it’s okay. He just wants to play.”
Ivana then placed Pawpaw down on the sand and started to tickle him.
“Oh, so you want to eat me, huh? Well, I’m bigger, so I’m the one who’s going to eat you! Rawr!” she teased, making playful growling sounds as she laughed. Pawpaw, clearly enjoying the game, swatted at her fingers with his tiny paws and playfully nibbled on her thumb.
This girl… She really has a way of getting along with both people and beasts, doesn’t she?
After a few moments of playing, Ivana gently sat Pawpaw down and turned to Polly, who was still hiding beside her.
“Polly, come on, let’s play with Pawpaw. It’s okay, don’t be shy,” she said, reaching out her hand, encouraging the timid fox to join the fun.
Polly peeked out nervously from behind Ivana’s legs, glancing cautiously at Pawpaw.
“Hey, fox, I want to eat you,” Pawpaw growled.
Polly darted away, sprinting behind Broken and hiding at his side. It was strange to see them like this these weren’t just cute little pets. They were powerful Spirit and Demon Beasts, fully capable of killing! Yet here they were, acting like playful creatures.
Pawpaw suddenly bolted from Ivana’s grasp, chasing after Polly. Polly, however, dashed around behind Broken and snarled back at Pawpaw. In an instant, Pawpaw leaped, aiming to pounce on Polly, but Polly nimbly sidestepped, causing Pawpaw to tumble and roll in the sand.
Damn! That’s a demon beast with a level of 212 and an Agility stat of 657, and they’re playing like they’re just little animals!
Ivana burst into laughter at the sight of the two beasts’ antics. She looked over at Broken. “They’re adorable, aren’t they?”
“If you weren’t here, I’d honestly think they were about to go all out and attack each other, Ivana.”
“They’re both bonded to you, right? That bond means a lot to them. Naturally, they’ll feel close to one another. Polly might be a little shy, while Pawpaw just doesn’t care about anything,” she explained as if she had known these beasts much longer than Broken had. “Did you take psychology or something, Ivana?”
“Psycho what?” she asked, tilting her head in confusion.
The journey continued after Fokil had finished repairing Ivana’s equipment.
Inside the carriage, Broken let Pawpaw and Polly out to play, and they resumed their chase. Polly darted around with agile grace, while Pawpaw appeared and disappeared in shadows, effortlessly teleporting from one spot to another. The two wrestled and tumbled, their playful sparring filling the carriage. Polly occasionally glanced over for help, but Pawpaw, relentless, kept nudging her to keep playing.
Suddenly, Pawpaw froze, his large eyes narrowing as if he had sensed something. “There are a lot of monsters outside,” he growled, trying to sound fierce, though it only made him look
even cuter.
“Let’s go, Polly! I’ll show you how to hunt monsters properly,” he declared with pride.
“Pawpaw, you should ask Master Broken for permission first,” Polly replied.
Pawpaw puffed up and let out a tiny roar, trying to mimic a fierce tiger. “I am the Legendary
Felhorn, future ruler of Hell! I don’t need anyone’s permission.”
With that, the kitten sank into his shadow and zipped towards the carriage window.
Polly, however, paused, looking back at Broken for direction.
“Go ahead, Polly. Just stay close to the carriage and keep an eye on Pawpaw, okay?”
Ivana leaned over and opened the carriage window, flashing Polly a kind smile. “Go on, stick with Pawpaw, and take care of your little brother, alright?”
Polly nodded, running along the walls of the carriage before gracefully leaping through the window to join Pawpaw outside, ready for whatever adventure awaited them.
Elincia, who had been quietly observing until now, finally spoke up. “I think you need to start paying Ivana more, Broken. She’s basically become the babysitter for your pets.”
Ivana giggled at the remark. “They’re just so cute, Elincia… don’t you agree?”
“Yes, a Demon Beast with that kind of level,” Elincia replied, raising an eyebrow. “I’m sure only you would find a monster like that cute, Ivana. The beast’s level is even higher than some members of the Ass Guild.”
Ivana smiled back at Elincia. “You’d be even more shocked if you knew Broken has another beast. And its level is even higher.”
Elincia turned to Broken, letting out a sigh. “It seems Maylock was right. You really should
start your own guild, Broken.”
Broken looked at her, confused. “What exactly did Maylock say?”
But as he tried to focus on Elincia’s words, his thoughts drifted back to the other egg he still had in his Inventory. What if it hatches into a sea creature? he mused, imagining the possibilities. Would Pawpaw try to eat it? Cats love fish, don’t they?
Their journey to Slumdon was almost over, only minutes away. However, one piece of good
news had been on Broken’s mind since yesterday. Freya had informed him that Elowen and the others had arrived in Slumdon safely, and everyone was in good health.
***
Author’s Note:
Okay, let’s be real here: Pawpaw’s idea of “playing” sounds a little… questionable.
Sure, he’s cute now, but let’s not forget the kitten literally asked if he could eat Ivana.
Imagine what he’d do to actual enemies. Would he nibble them away, bite by bite, or just swallow them whole? Yikes!
Let’s hope Broken keeps a tight leash on him, or we’re going to need a lot more than monster
snacks.
Drop a comment below if you think Pawpaw will ever learn the difference between “friend”
and “food”!