Infinite Skill Devourer
Chapter 46: First Yokai Encounter III

Chapter 46: First Yokai Encounter III

Yuki Onna blinked for a while, wondering what was actually wrong with Ryuen.

From the moment he boldly attacked her, dropped his weapons, and even kissed her, she knew something was off.

But she couldn’t quite make out what it was.

"Sealing a pact will only trap me in your inventory, or whatever they call the place where you keep your tamed beasts."

Ryuen shook his head with a sincere smile. He knew she would say that.

Obviously.

Yokai hated being kept in one place permanently, and she was a free being—more so than most Yokai.

But somehow, she had been cursed to roam these frozen lands months ago. And it was a human who had done it.

That only deepened her hatred for them.

Except... as she looked at Ryuen, something was off. She couldn’t feel anger toward him.

Not that long-term hatred she had carried for so long. And that, she could not ignore.

"I will give you your freedom to move about and also return here if you wish," he began, pulling her attention back to him.

"But I’ll need you for a few things—raids, battles, and even spars with a few people. That’s all."

Her brow rose. "You intend to make me a battle companion."

He nodded.

She exhaled. "Before I answer that, can I ask something?"

"Sure." He shrugged nonchalantly. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

His intuition was awfully accurate sometimes—so much so that he tended to doubt himself, only to be proven right with shocking news.

However...

"What exactly are you?" she asked, gazing at him with a suspicious gleam in her eyes.

She watched as Ryuen’s eyes narrowed, his brow rising slightly, showing his confusion.

But she knew exactly what she was asking.

No human in their right mind would waltz into a Yokai’s territory and return alive.

Let alone do what he did.

Humans would be terrified just to breathe the same air as her.

The mere thought of it infuriated her.

After a second of silence, she repeated the question.

"I’ll ask again. You are definitely not pure human... so tell me, what are you?"

Ryuen’s smile faded slightly as he met her suspicious gaze.

She was perceptive—more than he had anticipated.

But nevertheless, he already had an answer to give her.

"What I am, huh?" he mused, tilting his head to the side as if considering the question for the first time.

Truthfully, he wasn’t sure how much he should reveal.

If she knew the full extent of his abilities, she might see him as a greater threat.

Or worse—an anomaly to be eliminated.

For now, she thought he was just bold and confident.

Even though she was still more powerful.

But at the same time, lying to a being as sharp as her would be pointless.

He should have planned ahead before stepping into her territory.

He hadn’t expected her to be as intelligent as a regular being—not just a territorial creature like other beasts.

So he decided to settle for something in between.

"I’m human," he said, watching her expression closely. "At least... mostly."

Her eyes narrowed. "Mostly?"

Ryuen chuckled and raised his hand to his head, running it through his hair.

"Let’s just say I have certain... advantages that normal humans don’t."

She frowned deeply. He was being sincere, and one could tell by the seriousness in his eyes and his smile.

"Call it a gift, a curse maybe... it depends on the day."

However, she wasn’t convinced.

"That doesn’t explain why you waltzed in here and decided to exchange blows with me," she paused, clenching her fists.

"Nor does it explain why you were able to plunder an essence of my abilities without dying."

"The memories tied to those abilities are supposed to haunt you or do something at least."

"Yet you are standing before me, unharmed despite all my attacks."

He remained silent. She was actually right.

Especially about the memories tied to the abilities he took.

He had never thought about it before, but now that she mentioned it, it all made sense.

The strange faces, the lands that were unfamiliar yet felt familiar—all of it.

But like she said, he had expected those memories to haunt him. Yet nothing.

At least, nothing he had to worry about at the moment.

Ryuen then chuckled after a few seconds and shrugged.

"Maybe I just have a knack for being daring and brave... survival too."

Her gaze darkened. "Or maybe you’re hiding something... you aren’t human."

She took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

The air around them suddenly grew colder, and a thin layer of frost formed beneath their feet.

Ryuen didn’t take his eyes off her for a second. He stood still and tall, ready for whatever she was about to do.

He had faced death before, stared it in the eye, and even smiled. She was no different.

She sighed. "I don’t care what you are," she finally admitted, "but if you deceive me, I will destroy your life and turn you into a statue."

A grin appeared on his lips, almost turning into a smirk, but he dared not provoke her further.

He then uttered, "Duly noted."

Yuki Onna exhaled sharply, drawing the cold air back into herself, releasing some of the tension between them.

She then crossed her arms. "So... you wish to form a pact with me?"

He nodded.

She studied him for a long moment before sighing again.

"Then tell me... why? Why would you risk your life to gain power or form an alliance with a Yokai?"

Ryuen hesitated.

How could he explain it? There wasn’t any specific reason he wanted her power besides helping him in battle.

But then again, the hunger for strength was a reason.

The thrill of pushing beyond his limits. The exhilaration of defying destiny itself.

Oh, how much he loved escaping death by a thin line.

And the Red Spire incident was not the first. He had imagined it would be the last.

But somehow, fate didn’t want him dead—at least, not yet.

If he could count, that was the tenth time he had barely escaped death. And he enjoyed it.

The excitement.

The pulse of adrenaline when his heart began to stop, when his entire being worked frantically to keep him alive.

Was it a knife stab? He escaped.

Strangled with a rope? Escaped that.

Electrocuted? Was the easiest.

The funny part was he kept fighting, and his steps were like that of a drunk man.

Heart attack? Yes.

Epilepsy? He did. And that was the last time he could remember shedding a tear as he slowly slipped away.

He could remember how Yumi cried her eyes out during his episodes, and that alone was painful enough to watch.

Did he escape gunshots? Many times, especially to the chest.

Yet, he wasn’t moved by any of those things that happened.

It only made him want to get stronger and live a healthier life.

Anyway, aside from the thrill of pushing past his limits, there was something about Yuki Onna that intrigued him.

It wasn’t her power, nor her status in the Yokai world, but how she managed to keep her humanity in check.

Even after dying.

And that also gave him an idea of what she was hiding beneath her bold and fierce demeanor.

She was actually lonely.

Compared to the other Yokai that moved in groups and packs, she was a lone spirit.

And a good reason why she would deceive humans and end up killing them afterward.

Then again, she was dangerous, and nothing could justify all the bad things she’d done.

He exhaled.

"Maybe because," he finally spoke up.

"I see potential in you, and you don’t really get the right chance to show that."

He smirked. "And also, over time, you might just see the same in me."

She blinked, caught off guard by his words.

For the first time in centuries, she felt something other than cold indifference and rage toward a human.

And it was disturbing.

"...Fine," she said at last in a soft tone. "I’ll accept to be your companion."

The moment the words left her lips, Ryuen didn’t waste time placing his palm on her head.

He gave her an assuring smile, then raised his gaze to the system screen above her head.

[Alert]

[Do you wish to seal a covenant with a Grade 4 Yokai?]

"Yes."

He whispered, and then the screen switched.

[Name: Yuki Onna]

[Description: Yokai of the North, once a human, but died mysteriously in a winter storm. Known as the spirit with ice-based abilities.]

[Features: Agile, causes great damage to her victims. Tagged deadly and a heartless, vicious entity.]

[Power level: 2000]

[Weakness: Null as of date]

Ryuen smirked. She was actually as formidable as he imagined, and yet she looked adorable.

Another screen appeared right above her head.

[Covenant Sealed: Yuki Onna has become your companion.]

He smiled and withdrew his hand. "You’re going to enjoy being my companion."

"Tch." She slapped his hand away and turned around.

Then, at that same moment—

DING!

Ryuen’s face twisted in pain from the sharp ringing that he still hadn’t gotten used to.

[Congratulations]

[Yokai Taiji Completed]

[The host will now be returned to the real world...]