The Strange Cat from Fuuto

Shinku, picking up the Sengoku Driver, recalled the actions of those monkeys he considered inferior when he saw them in the forest that day. He fastened the driver to his waist, and the driver automatically extended its belt to fasten around his waist. A knight's head with a ferocious mask, resembling a demon, appeared on the knight display panel.

After plucking a fruit from beside her, Shinku watched with great interest as the fruit in her hand transformed into a cherry lockseed.

"Oh ho, it's exactly like the Lockseed of a certain mountain god!"

Miku, recalling the hat-wearing man who was crushed to death by a mountain, also thought of a half-baked tough guy and couldn't help but say, "They both wore hats, but their fates are worlds apart!"

"What are you saying?!"

"It's nothing, I just thought of an old friend!"

As Miku answered Baiya, it stretched out and curled its tail, bringing its Sengoku Driver and Lockseed to itself.

"Since we've already made it this far, I'll help you familiarize yourself with your driver and lock type!"

Sensing the malicious smirk in the cat's eyes, Shinku felt a chill run down her spine: "Damn, just how vengeful is this cat?!"

The cat, its body shimmering with a hazy light, transformed naturally after donning the driver. Shinku, seeing this, also activated her Lockseed: "Cherry!"

With a flash of light on the surface of the lock, Crimson swiftly and deftly embedded it into the driver.

"Lock On!"

Cherry armor parts appeared amidst the rippling water.

"Transform!"

The cherry armor parts that had been pushed off Cutting Blade's crimson head fell from the sky and landed on his head.

"Come On, Cherry Arms!"

Energy waves formed a dark red harness suit that covered the crimson exoskeleton armor, which then separated and slowly adhered to his body.

"Slicing Hunter!"

A massive hunting knife with a broad blade and long handle appeared in Shinku's hand. Shinku swung her arm and brandished the massive hunting knife, her eyes filled with fighting spirit as she stared at Miku.

Even though he had been beaten up by Miku several times, as a warrior, this guy still desperately wanted to prove himself.

"Very good eyesight!"

Miku drew his longsword from his shield and pointed it at Crimson. Baiya, sitting on his throne, observed the two with a hint of interest in his eyes.

"Don't go too far!"

"I know!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Miku lunged forward, and Shinku met Miku's attack head-on without dodging or avoiding it.

"clang!"

The blade and the razor clashed together with a deafening clang. Sugar cried out and covered her ears, clearly the sound of the collision had exceeded the threshold that the human ear could tolerate.

"You're quite strong!"

Miku gave a thumbs-up and thrust his left-hand shield into the attack without hesitation, while simultaneously retracting his right-hand longsword.

"Boom!"

Another clang rang out as sparks flew from the blades and shield.

The straightforward Shinku didn't back down and clashed with Miku dozens of times. Countless sword marks and knife patterns appeared on the ground beneath their feet. Byakuya had already used his Nen power to protect Sugar the moment they collided.

Otherwise, the little guy would have died long ago from the sound waves generated by the collision of the two.

"Again!"

As sword flowers bloomed, the sword light in Miku's hand was shrouded in crimson. But at that moment, a dark red light flashed from the apple lock at Miku's waist.

"Om..."

Several vines emerged from the lock-seed and began to cover Miku's body along the belt.

"This is..."

Bai Ya's expression suddenly turned serious. He sensed a very strong aura of the Helheim Netherworld above him.

Although every Lockseed carries the aura of the Helheim Forest, this Lockseed is different.

It is filled with a sense of madness, recklessness, and the ability to devour everything.

"The little guy's a bit restless." Miku, who had paused the battle, pulled off the lock seed from his waist. The vines that sprouted from the lock seed began to climb up his arm.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Million-Word-Late Cheat Code!

"Splash...."

As the vines climbed up Miku's arm, the leaves rubbed against each other, making a soft, rustling sound.

Miku, who did not stop them, watched with great interest as the vines gradually spread across his body; this was the manifestation of the power of the Helheim Forest.

Those who possess the power of Helheim can unleash its power with a single thought.

The amount of power it can draw upon depends on how much Helium power it possesses.

Even someone as powerful as Bai Ya can make the Helheim Forest stir with a single thought!

Miku is now experiencing this power firsthand. For him, the power of Helheim is different from all the power he has ever acquired.

This power is purer, like that of a newborn baby, pure and unchanging.

A chilling cruelty lurks beneath the surface of innocence!

Everything it touches becomes nourishment for the Helheim Forest, which devours and consumes anything it can reach!

He could clearly feel his power being absorbed, and another force was rapidly eroding his Miku. He exerted a slight force in his palm.

The apple-shaped lock-seed emitted a crackling sound as it struggled to break free. This forbidden lock-seed was sealed because of its dangerous tendency to go berserk.

Each Lockseed is transformed from a fruit of the Helheim Forest, and any being in the Helheim Forest can strengthen itself by consuming fruits; it's just a matter of whether they can withstand it.

Compared to other lock types, the Apple Lock is more uncontrollable. If you are not careful, it will go berserk and turn the user into an inhuman monster like an Overlord.

Just as the vines were about to engulf Miku, Bai Ya was about to make a move, but Miku snorted coldly, and a powerful and domineering force erupted from his body, with wisps of flames rising from it.

The moment the vines touched the flames, they retreated into the apple seed like mice seeing a cat. The seed's surface flashed with light, as if showing its submission, and it returned to its obedient state.

"Heh, at least you know what's good for you!" Miku chuckled and decisively deactivated his transformation. "Otherwise, I would have replaced you!" He had no desire to continue fighting at this point.

"I have already witnessed your strength. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with the power of the Driver. When the time is right, I will summon you again!"

Although Miku, a normal cat, looks like a pitiful and helpless little cutie compared to Shinku, Shinku knows very well that she is the pitiful one compared to Miku.

"Yes, Lord Miku!"

Shinku, who was kneeling respectfully on one knee, bowed to Miku, then bowed again to Hakuya, took a few steps back, and turned to leave.

"It seems you've subdued him with your own power. The old Shinku would never have shown such respect to anyone other than me!"

"In this world, only strength reigns supreme, and it is only natural for the weak to submit to the strong!"

Miku, having put away his driver and lockseed, jumped back onto the throne, but before he could climb down, his expression changed.

Tiny sparks emerged from his body hair, drifting out like stars in the night sky.

But these sparks are unexpectedly terrifying; they ignite if you touch even a tiny bit of them and are highly contagious.

"This is?!"

Baiya watched the constantly drifting sparks with fear and uncertainty. The moment the sparks began to fall, Miku had already used his ability to send Sugar far away.

"Nobody should come near me now!"

As the flames gradually spread across the ground and intensified, Miku opened his mouth and inhaled them all into his body.

But with sparks still constantly erupting from his body, he was like a source of fire, burning wherever he went.

"What's wrong with you?!"

Bai Ya stood up and tried to approach Miku. Miku jumped back and squatted on the back of the throne, a smile on his face. He said, "It's nothing, just a little trouble!"

As he spoke, Miku's body became incredibly ethereal. Starting from his tail, his body gradually transformed into a stream of green data and disappeared into the air.

"Wait until I get back, and I'll take care of it quickly!"

"He'll be alright, won't he?!"

Sugar asked Bai Ya with a smile that was both expectant and worried. Bai Ya reached out and touched Sugar's hair: "Don't worry, he'll be fine!"

After saying that, he touched it again!

..........

Inside a Gothic mansion in the Torii-Bando Ward of the Mage World.

A large golden retriever had an extremely helpless expression in her eyes. She was wearing a small saddle, and a blue-furred, gold-striped, long-tailed kitten sat on it, calling out excitedly.

"Run, run, meow!"

"Woo..." The golden retriever let out a low groan, as if sighing, and slowly got up and began to walk around the room.

Serena sat in the space reserved on the stairs in the hall, with pastries and tea on the table in front of her.

"Just like his dad, they both like this style!"

"Yeah, I almost got ridden by that bastard back then!" A hint of relief flashed in Northeast Axe's eyes, followed by deep hatred: "But that bastard never plays by the rules."

"Meow!!!"

Miko, who was excitedly letting out a crisp cry, suddenly had a glint in his eyes. His body stiffened and he fell straight off the golden retriever's back.

"Miko!"

Serena, who was keeping a close eye on Miko, exclaimed in surprise and ran frantically from her seat toward Miko.

Seeing this, Northeast Axe quickly followed behind Serena, the little cat with a dazed look in its eyes, its breath carrying an extremely hot aura.

"What's wrong with him?!"

Serena, who had picked up Miko, suddenly gasped and quickly put him down. Northeast Axe looked at Miko with a grave expression, gently touching him with his paw pads before solemnly saying, "He's like this..."

"What on earth happened?!"

Northeast Axe glanced at Serena and then slowly said, "His power has awakened because of the resonance between their bloodlines!"