Chapter 29: Chapter 29 – Vultures

"Puppet? But the last person looked scared. I can feel that the figure got scared for real."

"They transmit their user's emotion. Of course, their reaction would look like they are real humans. Just imagine them using a virtual reality headset to move their character in a game with a controller. It's similar. In this case, replace the controller with a Talisman."

That analogy was on point. But Kai was curious about something. How did a Mythical Beast like Amber know what virtual reality was? That wasn't important, but he was curious.

"I have lived for a long time, Kai. Not all Mythical Beasts lived in a cave. The fact you found me near your restaurant said it, no? I have lived among humans for a long time and learned how to use their technology."

"Make sense." He nodded.

He couldn't refute her. In any case, technology was convenient for humans. He didn't see any problem in the Mythical Beasts using technology too. It was just… a bit strange, and his view on Mythical Beasts was greatly impacted by this.

Maybe he shouldn't hope too much when he meets another Mythical Beast in the future. What if he met one who acted like a gangster?

'I need to change my view.'

Well, he already met one integrated with modern society. And that one loved him. He had accepted the fact, yes. However, believing it was still a bit hard for a bachelor like him.

'We will have to talk later, but… I have a feeling it won't just end with a normal talk. Her expression said it all.'

As a normal man, Kai was also interested in a relationship. That was why he was flustered when he saw Amber in his bed when they first met and teased by his grandfather.

'Maybe I also don't mind. If I truly hate it, I will deny what my grandpa said about Amber being my girlfriend a few times.'

The talk progressed as he was lost in his thoughts. Rena asked Amber how they did what they did earlier. She meant the thing about Amber melting into a fire and entering Kai's body.

"Ah, about that. We are contracted, and I can fuse with Kai. That way, he is able to use all my power and strength."

"That's!" Rena's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Kai. "He… Is he?"

He was confused and didn't know what she was talking about.

"What?"

"Are you the descendant of the strongest?" She finally asked. But she quickly covered her mouth and bowed. "I am sorry. I am just a lowly being so I am not allowed to say his name. Please forgive me."

The change in her attitude left Kai curious and baffled.

"What are you doing, Rena? Raise your head!"

"N-No. I don't dare to do that!"

Rena's refusal only added more confusion to Kai. He approached her and tried to pull her up, but she was adamant about keeping her head low.

Without any choice, he turned to the person who might know about this matter.

"Hey, Amber. Tell her to raise her head. Why did she suddenly act like this?"

What he got was only a chuckle from the phoenix girl.

"It's natural for her to act like that." She replied. "Little fox, raise your head. Indeed Kai might be the descendant of that person, but you don't need to act like that. He doesn't appreciate such a gesture."

That added a single mystery about himself that he didn't know about. He narrowed his eyes at Amber, but she only replied with a small smile while sending a telepathy message.

[I will explain later, Kai. I know you must be curious about it, and I think it's time for you to know about it too.]

'Yeah. I am really curious about it.' He pressed the word curious to convey that he didn't want her to tell any lie to him, not like she could lie to him in the first place.

Indeed, Amber couldn't lie to him, but she could keep a secret. She had never said she needed to tell him everything, all of it was just from her kindness.

"R-Really?"

Rena finally raised her head and looked at Kai.

"A-Are you not going to kill me for acting friendly toward you?" She asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"What do you think I am?" Kai replied with a small smile as he tried to appear to be as kind as possible.

He was still confused, but he noticed that his lineage, the supposed descendant of the strongest, might put him in a high position he wasn't aware of. So he only patted the humanoid fox's head to reassure him without spilling the fact he didn't know a thing about it.

"I like it more when you act normally around me."

"Yes!" She exclaimed happily. Seeing that she had returned to normal, Kai sat down in his previous position and turned to Amber.

"Now, Amber. It seems that you're familiar with what the invaders used. Marionette puppet, is it? Do you know the person who makes such a thing? Surely not all people in the Supernatural World can make that puppet, no?"

"Well, you're not wrong." The Phoenix girl answered. "Normally, only a few people from a certain lineage and families can create Talismans. In the Supernatural World, those people are called Exorcists or Shaman in some parts of the world."

Rena nodded, acknowledging what Amber had said.

Kai listened quietly as this knowledge was also new to him. What Amber imparted to him in his training was only knowledge about Spirit Power and how to use it. She also taught him some basic knowledge of the Supernatural World, such as the disaster and others.

The knowledge about where Talismans originated from wasn't included in the training.

"Those families belong to a group similar to the Slayer Organization. That group is Taoist Association." She continued. "Marionette Puppet is banned in that group because it is often used to do criminal stuff without the user being able to be tracked back using Divinity spell or Talismans."

"That's…!"

He could imagine what had happened. Indeed, if the user couldn't be tracked back, then that puppet was the perfect tool to commit a crime. The user would get scoot free without being punished.

"But just as Slayer has troublemakers, Taoist Association also has a group of troublemakers too. They created banned items and Talismans to sell them at a high price in the Black Market. And that group is called…" Amber paused a little to create a dramatic effect.

"Vultures."

"A bird who benefitted from death," Kai added.

"Yes." She nodded. "They sell Talismans to get money. But the group they are selling to are troublemakers, and everyone knows what those Talismans are used for."

"Robbing and kidnapping Supernatural Beasts." He gritted his teeth.

"And assassination." She added as her smile dropped from her face. "I told you that the Supernatural World isn't as kind as you see it at first."

Indeed, Supernatural World didn't seem to be as beautiful as he thought. Still…

"So we can't track the user behind the Marionette Puppet used to invade this place?"

"Well, it's not like we can't find out the user."

"Really?!" He exclaimed.

He was afraid that they would attack the Spirit Foxes again after he left. But hearing the answer from Amber that they could find out about the user behind those puppets, his heart elated a little bit.

"Indeed, but it is a bit hard."

"How?"

"About that, you see…" Amber's voice died down as she looked at Kai. "You have instilled some trauma toward one of them. And I do believe the user of that puppet still recognizes you. So…"

"We can find them by seeing their reaction when they see me." Kai connected the dot and finished her sentence.

"Exactly!"

That was easier than said. A sad reality, indeed. Being told he had instilled a sort of trauma into a person was shocking, but he didn't regret it. It was better for the invader to fear him than look down on him.

Thanks to that, he also had hope of finding the invader's identity.

"It will be hard, but let's beat them again when we find them, Kai!" The Phoenix girl exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Yeah." He nodded in response as he grinned.

Seeing both of them, Rena shivered. She was secretly glad they were on her side.