When Amber told him they would need to climb a mountain, Kai thought it would be only 500 meters high. But the reality wasn't as sweet as he thought.
Once they passed the first checkpoint, he felt something brushing against his skin, and the sky turned darker immediately. The sun couldn't be seen, and he realized he had entered the so-called different space.
They had been hiking for more than an hour, and Kai hadn't seen a single village yet. Only bushes, trees, and dirt tracks. The base where they started couldn't be seen from where they were, hidden behind trees.
"Amber… Where is the village?"
He started to complain because of disappointed and a little bit tired. His body was better than what it normally was, but his stamina was still similar to before. He hadn't undergone any training yet and only became a superhuman if he fused with Amber.
"Just a little more."
"You said that a few times already." Kai spat out and looked at Amber with a distrustful gaze.
"Hahaha…" She let out a dry laugh. "I am not lying this time. Look!"
Standing on a flat surface higher than Kai, she pointed in a certain direction with her index finger. When he finally took the last step and stood beside Amber, he realized that Amber wasn't lying.
Laid between the forest was a big village, easily as big as a small city.
Maybe a village wasn't really the correct word to call it as some of the buildings looked modern and had electricity running through them, as proved by some street lights lining up on the side.
Still, the majority of the buildings looked like they came from an Edo period in Japan. Wooden buildings with unique architecture really fit to be called Oni Village.
The fact they were in a different space made the mountain bigger than it actually was. So Kai was impressed by the sheer size of the village and how lively it was for a hidden society.
Some people walked on the street. The majority of them had blue and red skin; only some Onis had white and tanned skin like normal humans. There were some humans mixed too, possibly Slayers, as they wore similar black coats with two golden swords logo crossing each other behind their backs.
That was something interesting for Kai.
"Woah!" He expressed his thoughts with a happy sound. "That's the Oni Village?"
"Yes. It is a bit different from what I remember, but that big mansion is still the same as usual." Amber smiled as she pointed at a big mansion located in the middle of the village. The area around the mansion was a big clearing that looked like a plaza where people gathered.
Many stalls lined up at the side, and people were walking around and gathered around it.
"What is that mansion? The area around it looks lively with many people doing something."
"That's the Oni chief's mansion. The Oni Festival will be held around the mansion and outside the village. Look, they have set up a stage in front of a mansion and the entrance of the village."
Amber pointed at Onis bringing some logs to make a big stage in front of the mansion and then at the entrance of the village, where they put up a smaller stage with some stalls around it.
"That's interesting. The Festival is merrier than I thought."
"Indeed it is. Want to visit the village for a little before going to the Spirit Foxes?"
"Sure. But will it be okay? Rena can recognize you directly as a Phoenix. Won't it invite a small problem if they know you're a Phoenix?"
"Don't worry about that." Amber smiled proudly. "That fox said she has special eyes, right? No one will be able to know that I am a Phoenix at first glance. It won't invite you to any trouble."
"Is that so?" Kai asked. If that was the case, then they might be fine walking around a little. "Then, let's visit the village." His face beamed with a smile.
***
People were strange no matter what their races were. Still, they had some similarities with each other.
For example, they were driven by their desire. Humans had more desire than any other race, and that made them forget about fear and something important. Morality.
But that was the case for a minority. The majority only had the desire to have a beautiful partner. Oni and humans were quite similar in the aesthetic sense in that regard, seeing that Oni had a similar appearance to humans, just with some extra horns.
Kai failed to remember this due to his excitement. Once again, his curiosity about the new Supernatural World had reached its peak. He only cared about the Oni Village and the fact that Amber was a phoenix, forgetting she had a really beautiful appearance that could invite some stares.
Walking in the street of the Oni Village, he noticed some stares directed at Amber and him from Onis and Slayers alike. The Slayers had some manners and didn't stare for too long, but some men from the Oni race stared at her without trying to hide it.
"We are being looked at a lot, right?" He muttered with a bitter smile. "I really forgot about your appearance."
"Fufufu, are you jealous, Kai?" Amber chuckled playfully as she glanced at Kai. "Don't worry. My body and soul are yours. No one will be able to snatch me from you."
"That's because of the contract," Kai replied. "Still, aren't the Onis staring at you a bit too much?"
He was clearly displeased that his companion was being stared at rather intensely. It made him uncomfortable for some reason.
Like, Amber was his waitress. He didn't mind Amber being stared at when they were in the restaurant, as it was her job. But when they walked around like this? Certainly, he would like it if the others kept their stares away.
"Onis are curious by nature, and they are a bit too honest with their feelings. They also can't really understand other people's feelings except in one way. That's why they can't keep a subtle glance like those Slayers."
"Ah, are they all muscle heads?"
"Something like that."
That explained why they stared too much. If so, it was understandable if the Onis couldn't understand that they were uncomfortable with their stares from their expression.
"But, won't there be a lot of trouble if that's the case?" He asked.
"Indeed." She nodded. And just after she said that her eyes narrowed a little as she put a grin on her face. "Ah, look. The trouble is coming."
"Huh?" Kai followed her eyes and noticed a single Oni walking toward them.
He had long black hair, red skin, and a muscular exposed body with long red horns on his forehead. He didn't wear anything except black hakama pants. His face looked scary, but he still looked like a fine man.
He stopped in front of them for some reason, making Kai and Amber stop in their tracks.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Kai asked politely. He was in the Oni Village, and he knew manners. It was only natural to act politely with the others.
"Indeed!" The red Oni exclaimed loudly. His voice boomed through the street, and some other Onis looked toward them with excited smiles while whispering to each other.
"Oh! Ranga is making a move!"
"Is he going to ask for that?"
"Fight! We will have something to watch before the festival!"
Somehow they were excited, and Kai had a bad feeling about it.
"I like that woman. Let's have a fight with her as a reward! If I win, I will take her as my wife!"
And that proved to be true after the red Oni called Range made that declaration.
"Can I refuse?"
***
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