Chapter 22: Off to Find the Spring Maiden

~Kuro POV (10 years old) ~

I see that the Cinder, Rem, and Ram were giving a caught look while I sweat a bit so I asked them, "Uh… hey girls sorry if I was a bit late I happen to found these two in trouble and decided to help them out heh… heh…"

Crap they are still giving me that judgmental look till I heard Cinder says, "Next time if your going on a shopping trip don't forget to bring us along ok?"

What?

They were a bit angry with me because I didn't take them shopping with me?

That was it? Well, I guess I should have invited them next time when we have a chance.

I look at them and apologized to them, "Ah, sorry about that don't worry next time for sure I'll take you three on a shopping trip next time ok?"

Looks like they calm down now with the idea I'll take them next time, whew… dodged a bullet for now, but first…

I cough to my hand and introduce myself to the newest members with me, "Cough… Ok then introductions in order these two with me are Nora and Neo with me I helped them out…"

But I was interrupted by Rem saying to me, "Yes Kuro sir we already knew we saw everything happening by the way you did…"

I interrupted Rem by saying with a frown, "Yeah I noticed a few people tailing me since I entered the village after the encounter of the lady with her Dust Stand, I'm not that blind ok. I learned my lesson the first time against Raven I had my Observation Haki on while they were unaware that I was following them by I digress."

Then Nora tries to speak to us, "Uh… mister Kitty sir who are these three?"

I hear Cinder, Rem, and Ram were snickering at me now with a new nickname Nora has given me now.

Kitty now? Ugh… well, I don't mind after all she is still a kid at the moment, but I really hope she grows up and call me Kuro soon…

With that, I bring the attention to Neo and Nora, "Ah, my bad there Nora these three are Cinder the human, Rem, and Ram the Faunus Oni twins these are your friends and allies as well and there is our own Robot Kagero."

I see that Neo and Nora are confused till they see Kagero rushing towards our direction saying to me, "Lord Kuro sir, I have arrived, and I see you brought two more people with you? It's a pleasure to meet you two."

I see that Nora was a bit scared of Kagero that she ran behind me while Neo was a bit surprised to see the robot but more so the area therein, "So… Kuro what is this place? Also, why is there a giant water bottle and ration bar floating in the air?"

With that, I explain to both of them that they were inside the Door Dimension a separate space in the air itself and with my semblance makes somethings big as well as make things float and to my relief, they bought my story.

It's a good thing they believed it so I ask Kagero, "Hey Kagero can you get Nora and Neo inside the tower as well as help them make sleeping arrangements I have some personal things I need to take care of."

The robot nodded and dragged the both of them to the tower while Cinder says to me while they were out of hearing distance, "So what exactly are you going to do with the people tailing you they don't exactly look friendly?"

I actually agree but as much as I like to just kill them on the spot that will just be bad for me regardless of each outcome and besides, I'm not exactly in a position to eliminate an entire organization network.

I shake my head no to Cinder while I ask Ram, "Ram during your year traveling Anima have you encountered anyone with a Spider Tattoo?"

Now I see Rem and Ram have a change of attitude with surprise clearly shown, "Oh!! In that case, it would be best if we don't unless we really want spiders after us."

I nodded my head, but Cinder was curious why we back out of this, so she asks with clear confusion, "Huh? Kuro, I thought you would want to face these kinds of people head on is there a problem?"

Trust me I would do that in a heartbeat but as we are now, we lose a lot more if we try to fight them head-on, it's suicide and doesn't really favor me anyway.

With that Rem begins to explain to me and Cinder to clear up any confusion, " That would be ill-advised Cinder because if we target them now will have the Lil' Miss Malachite's Organization coming after us they are an enigmatic crime syndicate stationed in Mistral, under the leadership of Lil' Miss Malachite, they have spies everywhere in Anima continent."

I scratch my head while expressing a frown, "Yeah if we attack them now will only get more trouble on our tail for now though will just leave them off alive for now since attacking them is the equivalent of facing against the underworld of Mistral."

Damn I really wish I could face them off but that would be stupid plus they only know just one of my abilities, not all so it's not a complete failure today, "…and they seem to only know about my Doa Doa no Mi ability and nothing else plus they don't know how my ability works, for now, we're safe for the time being."

Also, there is our next location to consider next into the Badlands which is pretty much a death sentence unless your strong in that place, "Plus we're heading towards the Badlands after Mistral Academy, and who in their right minds would send people there in that place where the lawless and deaths are frequent in the desert area of Anima to look for me?"

After saying my reasoning for not worrying about it they calm down for the idea that we're not in immediate danger for now at least…

Till we at least have a strong force of our own to counter but for now though I should really think about some ideas to get stronger myself as well as my allies, still the Lil' Miss Malachite's Organization isn't something scoff over…

Well they have been doing this for a while now and they have capable fighters on their side while we don't, I mean sure we have Devil Fruit powers but like every power, it's only useful if the user is good with it.

With that, we all started to head back into the tower to see Neo and Nora change into a new set of clothes they got from the shopping trip after that we started to head our course to Mistral Academy to find the Spring Maiden.

While we are up in the tower everyone was doing their own thing while I ask the system, 'System can I sell items for Lien to you if I enlarged it to big portions would it count?'

I really couldn't sell anything during my time as a bandit with Raven since I really didn't want her to figure out my system at the time but now that she's gone, I can finally get down to sell some items to get some Lien.

I was extremely disappointed when I heard the results since I can't use my Moa Moa no Mi ability to increase the size of Dust and farm them to get large amounts of Lien.

"[No if you sell any item that was created from a Devil Fruit will not be valid for any Lien exchange.]"

Damn it well that was worth a shot to ask but then it got me wondering…

Can I sell a relic to get more Lien from the system…?

So, with that in my mind I ask the system, 'System how much would I sell a relic created from the God of Light created and where would it go?'

"[If you sell a relic to the system it would return the exchange 10,000,000,000 Lien and the relic would just be transported somewhere random somewhere around Remnant ready to be reused again.]"

Blink.

Blink.

Huh…

I guess I have another objective in Mistral Academy if I remember correctly, I need Lionheart's pocket watch to open the elevator with the statue with Jinn at the center and I need the Maidens power to open it…

Or I could just phase through the door using my Devil Fruits ability whichever works, I guess?

With that in mind still, if I remember correctly the lamp gives knowledge, the staff creates anything but only one time, a crown that has the ability to show its wearer visions of a future choice they will have to make, and the sword of destruction to which I have nothing to go off knowing other than destroying stuff…

Sigh… so far, I know for sure who are the three Maidens are Spring, Winter, and Fall but who the hell is the Summer Maiden…

I look around myself and frown, "Sigh… I'll probably figure it out eventually later but for now I should concern myself on how I approach the Spring Maiden from what I remember she wasn't ready to take on her powers but that's all I have to go off from sigh… I hope I can convince her to join me."

~Third POV~

Somewhere in the continent of Anima is Haven Academy a place of education where they teach the next generation how to be the next defenders of the world as Huntresses and Huntsmen to combat the Grimm.

Haven Academy looks like a traditional Japanese home with its unique structures centered around the whole academy in a forest area in the Kingdom of Mistral having its own, Grand Hall, Headmaster Office, and Quads.

The Academy is handled by the headmaster of the Mistral Kingdom Leonardo Lionheart he was one of Ozpins followers… till he encountered Salem and has been purposely derailing the training of the Spring Maiden as per Salem's request.

Lionheart is a middle-aged Faunus man with a mane of tan/gray hair and a beard. He had a tanned complexion with brown eyebrows and dark brown eyes.

He wore a brown greatcoat with a matching mantle, which had cross emblems on each side. He also wore a white dress shirt under his coat, a western necktie, and carried a pocket watch. Lionheart also wore dark brown slacks and dress shoes.

At the moment Lionheart is now inside his office is shaped like a half-circle, with another, smaller half-circle jutting out to the room's front door.

A large desk made of mahogany dominates the space of the autumn-colored office. In the right-hand corner, for a more comfortable setting, are a small table and chairs for guests.

To the right of the front door is a wall containing a secret passage to a small chamber, in which a Seer resides to facilitate communication between Lionheart and Salem.

Seers have small, spherical bodies that are covered with bone-like plates, along with long red tentacles, and are used as communications for Salem.

Two tall bookshelves flank the front door. Spanning the far wall of the office and above the windows is a single shelf lined with books, boxes, and lamps. Ladders are present to provide access to the high shelves. Much of the floor is open, and a large, rectangular green rug leads from the door to the desk.

There are many boxes, books, and papers scattered about the floor. The ceiling is slanted, declining from the front to the rear of the room. In the center of the ceiling is a chandelier of four lights with square-shaped shades.

Currently, Lionheart was talking to Salem through a Seer saying in a scared voice bowing, "Hello mistress Salem I have done as you asked, I made sure to keep the Spring Maiden here as much as possible and flawed her training as you insisted."

The Seer glows brightly to reveal Salem's appearance as Lionheart continues, "I also made sure to recapture Blossom Sakura from each attempt of leaving Haven Academy waiting for the time for you to get her power."

The Seer says in Salem's voice, "Ah… thank you very much Lionheart, and please make sure that she doesn't try to escape as much since she has always tried or else…"

The Seer tentacles tips released out spikes while moving around to have a fearful presence that makes Lionheart shakes in fear, "I see you know better… also do make sure to send more info to Watt's about the Huntsmen or you may be next…"

Lionheart only shakes his head as he agrees out of fear that she will kill him if he fails his tasks that was assigned from the Salem Faction

While that was going a 12-year-old girl named Blossom Sakura the current Spring Maiden was waiting in her room again after trying to escape Haven Academy crying saying to herself, "I wish I never had these powers with their responsibilities… they said it's a blessing but it's a curse to have… sniff… I wish to leave this jail…"

System:

Status, Shop, Mission, Inventory, Devil Fruit Raffle

Inherited Skills: Aura, Semblance (Eyes of the Lord), Electro, Natural Enhanced Body, and Sulong Form (Locked)

Skills: Hunting, Observation Haki (Intermediate), Armament Haki (Beginner), Swordsmanship (Intermediate), Geppo (Intermediate), Kami-e (Intermediate), Tekkai (Intermediate), Rankyaku (Intermediate), Shingan (Intermediate), Soru (Intermediate), Rokuogan (Intermediate)

Devil Fruits: Hie Hie no Mi, Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, Doa Doa no Mi, Moa Moa no Mi

Equip: Reject Dial Fingerless Glove, Omen

Allies: Cinder Fall (Logia User), Rem Arashi (Paramecia User), Ram Arashi (Paramecia User), Kagero, Nora Valkyrie

Inventory: Sets of clothes, Ryu Ryu no Mi Model: Pteranodon, Vari Vari no Mi, Hito Hito no Mi, Ryu Ryu no Mi Model: Triceratops, Shiro Shiro no Mi, Neko Neko no Mi Model: Leopard, Suna Suna no Mi, FIT

Lien: 1,492,544