My Blacksmith System: Transforming my Weapons into Beautiful Maidens
Chapter 52: He’s off limits

Chapter 52: He’s off limits

Standing right before them was a girl, dressed in black and carrying an umbrella over her head.

Though they could only see her lower lips, the aura she let out was enough for Rashin to almost summon his weapons.

She was so small—how could someone so small give off such a soft, ovation-like energy?

Silence took over for a while as they waited for the individual to reveal her face.

As Echidna raised the umbrella, she uttered, "Oh my, I hope I’m not intruding on your little meeting, am I?"

Seriphina’s eyes widened in shock.

Yuki, who was sitting beside her, could not believe her eyes. Right there, in front of her, was her long-lost friend, Echidna.

Yet, she could not give herself any time to be happy. If Echidna was here, it was only because of one thing.

"Seriphina! Switch with me right now!!!" Yuki yelled.

Before Seriphina could respond, Yuki forcefully took over, bringing out her form whilst trapping Seriphina within her.

Immediately, she charged forward, the wind following behind her like a storm.

Everything happened so fast. In the blink of an eye, Yuki and Rashin were on the other side of the room, while the position where Rashin had been seated now had shadow spikes growing out of it.

’Eh? What just... happened?’ Eri thought to herself, her eyes fixed on the pulsing shadow spikes sticking out of the chair.

Then, she slowly raised her head to look at the girl, only to find she was making the most devilishly annoyed face known to man.

Anyone would have their survival instincts spike after seeing something like that.

Without wasting any time, Eri moved away from her, getting closer to where Rashin and Seriphina were.

Rashin already understood a bit of what had happened. The girl who walked in was obviously the one with shadow abilities—in other words, she wanted to kill him.

Sigh!

Echidna turned around slowly. "Look here, I find it rude that you’d move yourself so fast like that. You could have had a painless death, but now you’ve ruined it," she said out loud, a frown on her features.

Just then, as her eyes left Rashin and moved toward Yuki, she realized it.

Her umbrella dropped to the ground as she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes almost watering.

"Yuki?" she called out with a shaky voice.

At first, Yuki wanted to take the opportunity to kill her. Echidna had most definitely lowered her guard by dropping her umbrella.

To the ordinary eye, that umbrella was normal, but to Yuki, who already knew Echidna’s powers, she knew the umbrella held over a thousand shadows under her command.

But even if she were to make a surprise attack and somehow kill Echidna, her invulnerability was still an issue.

Yes, she missed her friend and was definitely happy to see her, but if that meant putting Rashin’s life in danger, she was not about to let that slide too easily.

"Echidna. Why have you come here?" Yuki asked.

Echidna smiled. "It really is you. Oh my word, you haven’t grown a bit... Yah, yah, yah, that shouldn’t be the question here. How are you alive? Are you saying you survived the virus? Why are you in a place filled with humans anyway?"

Her voice turned dark. "And why are you holding that boy like you know him already?"

"Echidna, if you want to talk, let’s do so, but not here. Is that alright with you?" Yuki uttered.

A part of her was already feeling anxious. She could already feel Rashin’s death intent from behind her, as if he wanted to kill everyone in the room while focusing it solely on Echidna.

If Rashin was to fight, that also meant she would have to get involved.

And she was right. Rashin did indeed want to fight, his energy already sparking around his fists.

It was bad enough that the girl had tried to kill him, but now that he knew she was Echidna—the Sixth Pillar Yuki had told him about—he was all the more pissed off.

"Hmm, sure. I guess I can come back to kill the man. Alright then."

Echidna folded her umbrella, just to hit the tip on the ground.

Instantly, the entire place was covered with shadows, devouring everything around her—except Yuki.

"You’re in my domain now. We can speak as much as we want. No one can get in here or know what’s happening from the outside," Echidna said with a smile.

Yuki sighed, feeling a bit of relief knowing she was able to separate the two for a while.

Now the next question dawned on her—

How am I going to convince her not to kill Rashin? she thought to herself.

"Yuki? You good?" Echidna moved forward a bit.

"Yes, I am. Just trying to calm myself down. I’m so happy I can finally see you," said Yuki.

"Well, I am happy too. I didn’t know you were still alive. You can imagine my surprise when I saw you in the midst of a bunch of humans. Oh, my poor chest." Echidna clapped her hands once. "Oh, I know! Why don’t we return to the Pillar? I’m sure Ninth will be surprised as well."

"Ninth?" Yuki accidentally blurted out.

She didn’t want Echidna to find out that part of her memories were missing—rather, a huge chunk of them.

"You don’t remember Ninth? The brat that put that damn poisoned blood in you?" Echidna pointed, her eyes squinting together.

"I do," Yuki responded.

Whoosh!

A single step was all it took for Echidna to arrive in front of Yuki. Since she wasn’t that tall, she had to stare up just to get a good look at Yuki’s face.

"So that’s how it is," she said, disappointment on her features as she turned around and began to walk, counting her steps.

Yuki could not say anything, as she wasn’t sure exactly what Echidna was thinking. But then, considering the knowledge she had about her, Yuki could not let her guard down.

"Tell me, just to be sure, okay? How many times have you visited the Evergarden? Since you survived and didn’t think to check up on the rest of us, I want to assume you at least went there," Echidna spoke, her back still turned.

Yuki replied calmly, "Yes, I did."

"Did you now?"

Silence took over once again.

"I wonder how you knew about the Evergarden, considering I just made it up..." She turned her head, her eyes glowing purple. "Right now."

Yuki’s eyes widened. She knew she had been caught, but even worse, that meant Rashin’s life was in danger.

"It’s no wonder you’re in the midst of these humans! You don’t remember the power you control or the people who were once your family."

"They are not my family."

"True, they did not treat you as well as you deserve. Maybe I’m to blame for that. I thought I could make them see you for how beautiful you are—I was wrong. And truly, I apologize for that. Still, that doesn’t excuse you cozying up with some human wannabes!"

Yuki looked behind her. She could somehow still feel Rashin’s aura leaking through the darkness.

"My poor baby, they must have manipulated you, twisted your memories into thinking you’re one of them. You don’t remember who you are, so I can’t fully say it’s your fault. You don’t have to worry. Once I kill them all, I’ll get you back to your senses," Echidna said with a terrifying smile.

Taking a deep breath, Yuki finally realized she was only ignoring the inevitable.

Once Echidna set her eyes on something, she never backed down. It was simply how she was.

Thus, Yuki knew if she was to protect Rashin, now would be the best time to do so.

Stretching forth her hands, she summoned dark fire arrows behind her, each one aimed directly at Echidna.

Then she spoke,

"Is there any chance you’ll be willing to just sit down and talk with me for old times’ sake?"

Echidna’s smile faded, replaced with the death she wanted to inflict on her target.

"Perhaps I’m misinterpreting this, but... are you... aiming your skill at me?"

Her voice leached terror.

Yuki didn’t say a word, but her silence was enough to make Echidna understand what it meant.

Echidna sneered, biting her lower lip as she gripped her umbrella even tighter.

"So this is how it has to be. Those damn humans have messed with you so much that you are going to protect them?"

"You’re mistaken. I don’t care what you do to the rest of the humans on this earth. I truly don’t care."

"Uhn? Then why are you trying to st—"

"That man is off-limits. I may have lost my reason to live, but I don’t intend on ever losing my reason to die. So I beg of you, Echidna, let him be."

Echidna only grew even angrier.

Hearing her friend say such words... hearing her friend reduce herself in order to protect a man—a human man...

"He’s dead," Echidna raged.

..

[A\N: Thank you all for the votes.]