Ares woke up and used Diagnosis. He could just barely see the tip of shoulder from his current position, but thankfully that was enough for Diagnosis to kick in and do its job. Ares could tell his back was already doing considerably better, but was stunned to find it almost completely healed. He’d been told that Allie gave him some kind of miracle healing plant, but he hadn’t expected it to be quite this effective when paired with his bloodline. He’d probably be up and about by the end of the day. He wouldn’t be in peak condition, mind you, but definitely in a passable condition. He looked across the room and saw Enyo still sleeping with her helmet off. She looked so peaceful. He kept watching her sleep for a while as this was as cathartic for him as blowing things up. He quipped in his mind; Maybe I should blow her up? Wouldn’t mixing the two be the height of tranquillity?


    Enyo woke up and saw Ares gazing at her. “Creep.”


    “Hahaha, where else do you want me to look? I still can’t move, you know?”


    “You aren’t denying it!? You were watching me sleep?”


    “What can I say? It’s absolutely a prettier view than facing the wall.”


    “Creep,” She complained and blushed, but was actually pleased by the compliment. If anything, she wanted him to say more.


    “Hey, maybe I shouldn’t bring attention to this, but you haven’t broken eye contact yet… And there you go.” Ares had jinxed it and Enyo looked away the second the words left his lips. “Can’t say I didn’t see that coming. Still though, I’ve gotta say, your blushing face also looks rather pretty too.”


    “Will you cut it out?” Please don’t cut it out. Actually, come over here and whisper sweet nothings into my ear all day long.


    “Not until you realise something important.”


    “That you think I’m good-looking? I get it…” Not that I don’t like hearing it…


    “Wow, egotistical much? Yes, but no. I mean something else, something more important right now. There’s another reason I’m saying these things. Look, I’ll do it again, you’re fetching.”


    “I don’t get it?” MORE.


    Ares nodded to the helmet. “You still haven’t put it on yet.”


    “... I can’t believe it. That stupid stunt you pulled yesterday actually worked. Un-fucking-believable.” Enyo was so astonished that she even swore, which was a semi-rare occurrence for her.


    “I mean, if you can put up with all the stuff I said, then you can surely put up with anything.”


    “IS THAT WHY YOU DID IT!?”


    “I did say I was doing it for your own good.”


    “... I know you were helping… I just didn’t get what you were trying to accomplish… I’m speechless.”


    “You’re also still embarrassed, but you’re still talking and you’re not running away anymore. I’m happy for you Enyo, you’re really getting there. I’d be willing to bet that, by the time the internationals start, you’ll be a-ok without the helmet anyone.”


    “That… That seems like a little much.”


    “We have around two months ‘till then, look how far you’ve come in just four days. You can do it; I believe in you.”


    Enyo smiled. I know you do. “Right, well, first things first.” Enyo took a deep breath and looked back over at Ares.


    “...”


    “...”


    Enyo buckled pretty quickly but still didn’t go for the helmet.


    “I’m not suggesting you quit, just making an observation, but you could totally get away with even this. People would just think you’re shy.”


    “Maybe, but I want to be normal.”


    “I’ve already told you; you are normal.”


    “And I appreciate it, but that’s not my definition of normal... Um… Could you talk to me when I’m looking at you? I think it’s easier if you aren’t just staring silently.”


    “Haha, fair point. I hadn’t considered that. Alright.”


    Enyo stabilised her nerves and went back for round two of ‘face your fears’.


    “So, what do you want to talk about?”


    “... I didn’t think that far ahead.”


    “Hm, ok… How about my past. Is there anything you want to know?”


    “Everything,” Enyo blurted out. She realised that may have been a bit heavy-handed and looked away. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us so I figure there’s time for the important things. Of course, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”


    “That’s fine, I don’t mind. You already know about the Primordial Blade and Huggles, there’s nothing to hide really. You already know all but one of my secrets, so you pretty much know almost as much as Aejaz in that department.”


    “You have another secret?” Enyo already knew it was that he loved her, but played along anyway for the fun of it to see if she could glean any information.


    “Yep.”


    “Can I know?”


    “Yes, but not now.”


    “When?”


    “When I get my reward for the Baja Forest bet.” Ares grinned mischievously.


    Damnit! Enyo was miffed as this was the one thing she still didn’t know about. “And what is that?”


    “Not telling.” Ares stuck his tongue out. “But honestly, you may be able to figure it out if you really think things through.”


    Enyo looked back at Ares for round three. “Really!? How?”


    “Bellona accidentally gave you a pretty massive clue in regards to when it will happen. Actually, she basically told you.”


    “Did she?” Enyo thought back.


    ---------------------------------


    Previously


    “Ouch, and here I was thinking about going through with your forfeits anyway ‘cos I like cooking,” Ares dusted himself off and stood up.


    “Really?”


    “Yeah, but only your forfeit and Enyo’s, obviously,” Ares wagged his finger at Gladius to dash the hope in his eyes.


    “Damnit!” Gladius had surprisingly really wanted to win the bet and publicly humiliate Ares.


    Enyo, however, was very pleased with this outcome, “More honeycomb?”


    “Yes Enyo, more honeycomb,” Ares replied while chuckling to himself. As he was turning to face Bellona, out of the corner of his eye, Ares could have sworn he saw Enyo doing a celebratory, mini fist-pump, “Well, whenever you want me to cook for this secret person, let me know.”


    Bellona gave a mysterious response, “It’ll happen around the same time you get your reward for the bet.”


    ---------------------------------


    “At the international?” Enyo asked, “What do you want from me at the international?”


    Ares'' grin widened. “You’ll see. Still, if you think back even further, there’s a very slim chance you might work it out and get your answer, but I’m not giving you any more hints. Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”


    Enyo had looked away for a while and was now looking back at him again.


    “Good job by the way, you lasted longer that time. Anyway, who am I cooking for?”


    “I’ll tell you if you tell me what you want for the bet.”


    “Ha, no. I can actually put two and two together and work it out anyway. I know your family is very likely going to show up at the international, so the only real question is, is it going to be your brothers and sisters, or your mother? Based on Bellona’s twisted personality, I’m assuming it’s your mother.”


    “... I’m impressed. How did you know about my family?”


    “Gladius fore-warned me about them.”


    “Gladius?”


    “Oh yeah, we got along quite well. I even let him in on the fact that Charity liked him as much as he liked her as thanks.”


    “WHAT!?”


    “You didn’t see them all lovey-dovey toward the end of our trip? They’re basically already a couple.”


    “... Lucky them.” Enyo was jealous she wasn’t at that point with Ares yet, but she now knew when she would get her chance! The international! Ares was going to tell her the truth and oh how glorious of a day it was going to be! She still thought it was a bit strange though as the international hardly seemed romantic, but she just blindly trusted him. It really seemed like he had something planned.


    “Mhm. I know I said I’d talk about my past, and we’ve gotten a little off-topic, but I kinda also want to know about yours. How about we take it in turns?”


    “Ok, who goes first?” Enyo looked away and took some time to reset herself.


    “Well, there is a question I’d really like an answer to. I’ve heard a fair bit about your mother, but never her name.”


    “Hm? Oh, I guess not, huh? Her name is Rhea.”


    “You mean like dia…”


    “DON’T.”


    Ares chuckled. “I won’t.”


    “I’ll tell her you said that, let’s see if you can still laugh then.”


    “Haha, go ahead. I’m not scared.”


    Enyo looked back at Ares. “Good, she basically feeds on fear anyway.”


    Ares burst out laughing. “You’re really funny, you know that?”


    Enyo blushed. “Thank you.” She kept looking at him in spite of her reddened cheeks. “It’s my turn to ask you a question.”


    “Go ahead.”


    Ares and Enyo kept talking about their past for hours on end without running out of things to say or getting even remotely bored of each other’s company and stories. The only interruption was when Ares left to go give Aejaz and Allie some food, but everything resumed the second he got back into the room. Enyo progressively got really good at ‘face your fears’ without even realising. It no longer felt like training and was becoming second-nature to her. The conversations she had with Ares took her mind off anything and everything else.


    “... And that was how I met Appa.”


    “Hahaha, Allie told me you did the same thing and pet her as well.”


    “Mhm.” Ares smiled warmly as he looked straight at Enyo’s eyes. “Enyo, it’s been ten minutes.”


    Enyo blinked and was taken aback when Ares said that. “R… Really?” Although she was embarrassed she had been staring at him for so long, she didn’t look away even now that she was conscious of it.


    “Yep. Congratulations.”


    Enyo got up and moved over to Ares’ bed. He was doing better and sitting up now, meaning he was in a huggable position, and hug him Enyo did. “Thank you.”


    “Ha, I should be thanking you, seriously, way better than the wall.”


    Enyo snickered. “Idiot.” She let go and sat back down on her bed again.


    “Now you just need to get used to a few billion other people and you’re done!” Ares got to see Enyo rolling her eyes for the first time which was incredibly satisfying for him. “We can use Aejaz and Appa for that if you don’t have anyone in mind. Maybe even that Esme person you mentioned. For now, though, there’s one more thing I want to do!”


    “Hm? What’s that?”


    “Close your eyes.”


    Enyo did as Ares asked without question. A few seconds passed and nothing happened but she kept her eyes closed regardless of her curiosity. Her eyes opened immediately though when she felt a hand on her chin. IS THIS HAPPENING? IS HE GOING TO KISS ME? She promptly realised that it wasn’t, and was extremely disappointed. Ares was really close but not moving, just maintaining his distance and staring at her. “... This… Is awkward…” she said as she looked away.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    “I know but, as with that helmet stunt I pulled yesterday, I think doing things the over-the-top way is helpful. If you can get used to someone staring at you from a close distance like this, then it will become that much simpler when they’re further away.” Ares winged his little explanation. Truthfully, this probably wasn’t necessary, and he wasn’t sure if it would even help, but he really liked the intimacy of being as close as he was, so he was going to milk this for what it was worth! Please agree, please agree, please agree, please agree, please agree, Ares prayed.


    “... Ok,” Enyo muttered. I need to get used to this. I want us to be this close so I might as well get used to it now. It’d be so disastrous if he went to kiss me and I panicked.


    Ares sat on Enyo’s bed and scooched over until he was sitting cross-legged and really quite close. He stared directly at her and she mimicked him, turning to sit cross legged and stare back.


    This was hard for Enyo though, and they were essentially back to square one, but that was to be expected as this was many degrees harder than what they’d been practising prior. It always started like this, but things always worked out eventually through dedication and effort, there was no reason for this to be any different. “...Um, are you not going to speak?”


    “No.”


    Enyo couldn’t take it and looked away. “That’s going to be hard.”


    “Nothing good in life comes easy.”


    “Since when did you become some kind of wise old sage?”


    “Admittedly, only whenever it’s convenient.”


    “Tsk, at least you’re honest.”


    “Not like I can lie to you anyway.”


    “Would you if you could?”


    “No. I try not to lie to people I like.”


    “Lucky me. I’m honoured.”


    “I see you’ve learned sarcasm.”


    Ares and Enyo kept lightly bickering and having fun pulling each other’s leg as the day went by. They practised close-up staring and made some progress, but weren’t able to reach a point where Enyo could stare indefinitely by the time night rolled around.


    “Guess we’ll just have to pick up again tomorrow ‘cos you’re a slowpoke.”


    “Oh haha.”


    Enyo and Ares were both lying in their respective beds, looking at one another directly. It almost felt surreal to both of them that this was happening given the state of things when they first arrived.


    “I’m just sayin’, I think this step will take you longer to overcome.”


    “Is this reverse psychology? Are you challenging me? Because if you man up and say it to my face I swear I’ll have it done by the end of tomorrow.”


    “Oh really? Well maybe I AM challenging you.”


    “You know what I’m going to say right?”


    “Bet? You seem to like betting.”


    “You know it, chump. I bet I’ll have it done by this time tomorrow.”


    “Then that leaves me betting that you won’t. Your betting habit got me thinking about what to bet with you the next time it happened, A.K.A now, so I already know what I want.”


    “Let’s hear it.”


    “I want you to cook for me.”


    “Huh?”


    “Yep. It’s always me cooking for everyone else, but I’m curious to see what would happen if the roles were reversed. Don’t worry, I’m not expecting a masterclass in cooking, and it doesn''t have to be something complicated.”


    “Wow, well aren’t you assured of your victory? If I win, I want to come around to your house in the sect every day for cooking, even if Allie doesn’t come with me. I also want to choose the menu every couple of days.”


    “Deal,” Ares replied with no hesitation as he was already more than willing to do that to begin with. “In fact, if you can somehow manage to do it in the same position as that one time you tackled me in Baja Forest, I’ll let you choose the menu every day and I’ll even bring it straight to your doorstep if you ever can’t be bothered to come around. I’ll also make food not just for your mother, but for your entire family. I’ll prepare them all a banquet fit for kings and queens.”


    Enyo remembered the time she straddled Ares after chasing him around with the spider and her face flushed. “... I don’t think I’ll be able to do that.”


    Ares shrugged. “It’s optional. Besides, I know you won’t anyway. All the momentum you’ve built up today is going to go right down the drain overnight. I really do wonder what you’ll cook for me.” Ares winked before closing his eyes. “Goodnight, Enyo.”


    Snake! That’s what you’re banking on? You think you’re so clever? I’ll show you! I’ll damn well show you! “Goodnight, Ares.” Enyo grinned evilly and she took the armour off her hands as she wished Ares a good night’s sleep. Enyo thought back to the time she straddled Ares and reminisced about how happy she was in that moment, just staring at him as he stared back. I can do it! I can absolutely do it! Enyo stealthily stood up and crept over to Ares bedside. If you think I’ll lose my drive overnight, then I’ll do it right now you bastard! You can do this Enyo. Just think about how happy you were last time, and do that again. Ares smug face came barrelling into her thoughts but, instead of demoralising her, it just motivated her further. Rogue! You think you can beat me? I’ll show you! I’LL SHOW YOU!


    In one fluid motion Enyo grabbed Ares shoulder and pushed him off his side, so he was flat on his back, while bringing her right leg onto his bed and over both of his legs. She brought both her knees up a bit so that when she leant over Ares face, she was at a higher position than him as she subconsciously wanted to put him in his place and dominate him. She brought her hand on his right shoulder up his neck, and onto the side of his face and her other hand followed suit soon after, clasping onto the left side. It truly looked like she was about to kiss him and start making passionate love to him then and there.


    Ares had woken up and was completely flummoxed when something dragged him by the shoulder, but just went along for the ride when he saw it was Enyo. When she finally finished getting on top of him, Ares was left in a stupor, dazed at this sudden aggression from someone who had been so meek during their previous close encounters. He had to raise his head slightly to look straight at Enyo. The single-minded dedication and determination in her eyes was unlike anything Ares had ever seen from her before and, for the first time since they arrived, Ares felt like he was the prey, and Enyo was the predator staring him down. Enyo’s soft but firm hands, entrancing, deep purple eyes, and the hot breaths from her luscious pink lips was driving Ares insane with arousal that he couldn’t control. Ares'' imagination ran wild thinking of all the things he wanted to do to her and he became fully erect under his clothes in a matter of seconds. Fuck! Don’t notice. Don’t notice. Please dear god don’t notice!


    But how could Enyo not notice? It wasn’t exactly small; it was the exact opposite. She definitely didn’t care though. She liked it. The sexual tension was thrilling. It excited her. Enyo’s first experience with this level of arousal made her want to go further, much further. The thought that she had complete dominion over Ares’ lust and could rile him up just by subjugating him underneath her made her want to play rough with him. She wanted to reach back and toy with his manhood, to make him beg in ragged breaths, to whimper and moan as she gripped tighter and stroked faster. Enyo’s imagination ran wilder than Ares’ did and, for the first time in her life, she wanted to have sex. She wanted to taste him, to be tasted by him, to ride him, to be ridden by him, to push him down and to be pushed down by him. She wanted to try it all. She wanted him to caress her neck and whisper that he loves her into her ear before choking and slapping her. She wanted to slap him and spit in his mouth. She wanted him to push her up against the wall and pin her head to it with his rough hands while he made her his bitch. She wanted to tie him down and have him admit that she owned him like a slave, that his body was solely for her pleasure and that he was grateful for it. All it would take for her dreams to become reality right now was a single kiss, then a tongue, then a hand, then they would fuck like animals.


    Enyo was wet, and Ares’ dick was dripping precum, but neither of them made a move. That wasn’t what this was supposed to be about. They would have their moment, but only after they had a chance to romance and be romanced. They both wanted to commit, but held back their carnal desires and just stared.


    Enyo was now back from her fantasies and was on the verge of being unable to look at Ares anymore, but she stubbornly refused to back down now. She lamented her courage vanishing and a tear formed as she was preparing to look away.


    Ares felt like he’d just been through Armageddon and back, and was mentally exhausted from the make-believe images he had conjured of love-making with Enyo. He saw the tear form in her eyes and without even having to think it over, two things happened instinctively. First, annoyingly, his erection got even harder. It wasn’t what he wanted to have happen but he couldn’t stop it anyway. Secondly, he knew he needed to wipe away Enyo’s tear from her face. This time, he was pleased with his body''s reaction as his hands were on the go before his brain had even processed what was happening. One hand gently held one side of Enyo’s face as a finger on the other delicately stroked away the tear.


    That single action was enough for Enyo to remember why Ares made her happy. This was supposed to be happy, like it was in the forest so, although she was still panicking internally, she smiled. The longer she smiled, the more it made sense and the easier it all became.


    One minute


    Two minutes


    Three minutes


    Something was about to break.


    Enyo couldn’t do it anymore. Looking at Ares? that she could do, but holding back the kiss just wasn’t possible anymore. It didn’t have to lead to sex, but the kiss had to happen. She lowered her neck an inch and came that much closer to Ares as he lifted his head with the same intentions as her.


    Knock Knock


    FUCKFUCKFUCKKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKING WHY? WHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY? FUCKING DAMNIT ALL. FUCK! Enyo was screaming internally and felt like punching a wall or breaking something.


    Ares was still bowled over by everything that had happened and spoke timidly, “... Um… Enyo… Can… Can I get up?”


    Enyo got up and walked back to her bed, lay down in it, faced the wall, and held her covers tightly to her chest.


    Ares got up and staggered over to the door. He held onto it for support as his whole world was still spinning, and looked through the keyhole with Omniscience. This time, it was the real Aejaz. Ares wished it wasn’t. If it’d been a fake again, he could have taken out his rising fury on the person who had just interrupted, undeniably, the best moment of his life. He opened the door and asked with clear agitation in his voice, “What is it?”


    “Jeez, why do you sound so grumpy? And why do you look so haggard? Whatever, anyway, I’m glad to see you’re up and running. I just came to check ‘cos I was worried about you.”


    Absolute fuckwit. I swear to God I''m going to make you suffer for your transgressions, you blithering moron. “We’re doing fine.”


    “‘We’re’? Sure, I’m glad to hear Enyo’s doing alright, but I was asking about you.” Aejaz leant in and whispered so Enyo couldn''t hear, “Or could it be you two were having a moment,” he subtly pointed down at Ares’ not so subtle ‘rising fury’ that hadn’t subsided yet.


    Ares yanked Aejaz closer by the collar and whispered violently into his ear, “Yes, we fucking were, you dipshit. Just you wait, I’ll remember this.” Ares let go and faked a beaming smile and a jovial tone, “Well, thanks for everything. Goodnight, Aejaz.”


    “... Um, goodnight, Are…” He didn’t bother finishing the sentence as the door had already closed in his face. I’m in serious trouble, aren’t I?


    Back inside the room everything was quiet.


    “... Enyo… You win the bet…”


    “... Mm,” she gave a limited response without turning around.


    “... Are you ok?”


    “... Mm.”


    “... Goodnight, Enyo.”


    “... Mm.” Enyo was irate and absolutely livid, but she still wanted to respond and say goodnight like she had done every other day. The reason she couldn’t was because she was trying so hard not to cry out loud. She wouldn’t have been able to say it without bawling like a child, so she didn’t. Instead, she silently hid in her covers.


    “... Enyo, do you know why I lost the bet?”


    “... Mm?” What on earth is he talking about?


    “... Patience. If I’d just been more patient, I would have won. If I waited to tell you my plan tomorrow after it already happened, it would have all worked out.”


    “...Mm?” Has he gone insane? What’s he getting at?


    “I guess what I’m saying is, patience is a really hard thing to control, isn’t it?” Ares took a gamble without risks. He was starting to entertain the idea that Enyo liked him back, it was starting to get a little too obvious and he wasn’t blind or stupid. Even if she somehow miraculously didn’t, she would just assume he was being nonsensical about their bet. If she very obviously did, then she would know he was talking about holding back earlier, and he could reassure her that their moment was coming.


    “... Goodnight, Ares”


    It all clicked for Ares. That one response was enough for him. He liked her, she liked him. He knew it, she knew it. All that was left was patience.


    Crunch


    It really just all clicked.


    ---------------------------------


    There had been all manner of tomfoolery on the previous mornings, but today was relatively simple. Enyo woke up first and watched Ares sleep until he woke up as well. When Ares opened his eyes and saw Enyo, he smiled, and she smiled back. That was all. Just smiles. They relished in the simplicity of the moment for a while. they’d been through a surprising amount recently considering they’d basically never left the room, so this was nice and relaxing.


    A while later, Ares broke the silence and broached a topic he wanted Enyo’s input on, “What do you think about Allie and Aejaz?”


    It was an abstruse way of making his point, but Enyo understood. Ares was asking if they should be open and honest even though they weren’t going to go all the way just yet. “We aren’t them.”


    “And they aren’t us.”


    The words ‘us’ and ‘we’ all but confirmed their thoughts about one another and suddenly they were back to smiling at each other again. Ares was very nearly tempted to just say the words but held back as he really felt it would be worthwhile to wait. He could picture the moment in his head and he would fight tooth and nail for it, not just because he felt he deserved it, but because Enyo did too. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty to catch up on with Bellona when you two next meet.”


    “I’m sure you’ll never be able to lie to my bloodline ever again like you did in the cave.”


    “I’m sure you’ll never play me for a fool by lying about your bloodline to win a bet ever again.”


    Enyo snickered. “I won’t need to, after all, you’re not the kind of person to lie to people you like.”


    “Maybe I can find it in me to lie to a creep.”


    Ares and Enyo giggled like school children.


    “I’m really glad I met you, Enyo.”


    “And I’m glad I met you, Ares.”


    “Lunch?”


    “Lunch.”


    Enyo and Ares ate together when he came back from giving food to Aejaz and Allie. He also mentioned that he may or may not have smacked Aejaz around a bit ‘for fun’, which Enyo wholeheartedly supported oddly enough. They had a wonderful time with their pleasant chat, talking for a good few hours about the time they first met, about their first long chat in the woods, and about how good the honeycomb tasted.


    BANG


    Ares sprang up off his feet and Shifted out of the room with Enyo darting out after him, busting through their door and splintering it into a thousand tiny pieces in the process with reckless abandon. That sound had come from Aejaz and Allie’s room and there was no time to fiddle around with keys.


    When Enyo broke into the corridor she ran straight to their room and hopped over the broken door frame, pulling out her shield as she went. Upon entering, she took stock of the situation.


    Ares was nowhere to be found, but she trusted him to be doing the right thing right now, whatever that was.


    Allie was cowering behind Aejaz and a few of her Mini-Pillies.


    Aejaz was injured with a knife wound across his stomach, but was safe as it wasn’t too deep. He had stolen some kind of gadget from the snatcher and was threatening him with it which had allowed him to buy time for the arrival of help. Good job.


    The snatcher was the same one as last time, and was easily identifiable as such thanks to his missing arm. It made no sense to send him again without his arm unless he was the strongest snatcher and they felt it was necessary to do so as they were lacking other options. This was useful information. He was on the other side of the room, hesitant to act against his own weaponry as gadgets would always operate at full efficiency regardless of the cultivation of the person who utilised them. When the snatcher saw Enyo and he realised the situation was deteriorating rapidly, he made a mad dash toward the window.


    Enyo ignored him and moved straight over to Aejaz and Allie as she knew what was about to happen. Ares. I trust you.


    The snatcher crashed through the glass window and turned around mid-air to throw some Stick ‘N’ Ticks. He was repeating the same method of retreat as last time, but now there was no Ares to block it. No-one had any clue where Ares was or what he was going to do, but he needed to do it fast as, if those things were let loose, people were going to die here. The snatcher’s arm was mid swing when it came to an abrupt halt. He looked around in shock to find Ares behind him, also in mid-air, stealing the Stick ‘N’ Ticks from his hand.


    Ares had looped around and gone outside the building, predicting the snatcher’s escape route, his method of covering his tracks, everything. He snuck up behind him outside the building and waited for the perfect opportunity to strike as, now, he’d stolen a weapon he could use to kill the snatcher. If Ares had just gone through the front door, he never would’ve been able to manage this. In fact, he’d probably be receiving another dose of explosive misery right about now. It helped that the snatcher hadn’t been expecting Ares to still be alive, let alone be in good enough shape to fight.


    This was still a 4th realm cultivator vs 6th realm though, meaning a difference of roughly 20 whole stages of cultivation. Ares had to make use of the fact that he had gotten the jump on him and that the snatcher had only a single arm. Ares only had a single moment, but that was enough as he already knew what he wanted to do with it. He thrust the Stick ‘N’ Ticks into the back of the snatcher’s remaining shoulder and set them spinning.


    “AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGG.”


    “Hurts, doesn’t it!?” Ares leant his head back as he spoke. He wasn’t going to headbutt him as the difference in cultivation meant it would definitely be his head that cracked. Instead, he imbued his teeth with disintegration magic and gnashed wildly at the snatcher’s neck.


    “ARGHHHHHHH. FUCKING RAT!”


    Ares managed to rip and tear a few chunks here and there, but caught onto nothing major.


    BEEP


    Ares had still had one hand free and he wasn’t going to have it just sit around doing nothing. He drew his sword with it and imbued it with disintegration before piercing the snatcher’s leg and slicing it clean off. Last time, I took an arm. This time, I’ll take an arm and a leg, then I’ll kill you for even thinking about hurting the people I love.


    BEEP BEEP


    Ares ducked under the snatcher’s ticking arm and kicked forcefully back against his stomach, pushing him straight down onto the ground and into the middle of the street street while simultaneously sending Ares back up to the window which he vaulted over smoothly.


    BEEP BEEP BEEP


    BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM


    “Stronghold!”


    Enyo activated her art on the entirety of the building. It wouldn’t protect it fully, but mitigating the damage and preventing any straggling flames from burning alive innocents was enough. Also, who knew if the inn was structurally sound enough to take the explosion? Better safe than sorry.


    The white, phantasmagorical castle walls twisted into reality and acted as a barrier around the inn. It lasted for a second or two before breaking down, but even that had been helpful, giving time for everyone inside to move and back up from the explosion''s range.


    Bits of the inn had caught fire, but it was only here and there and could easily be extinguished. The inn would also need a paint job as it was now burnt black on the front, and yet that was still a far more appreciable outcome then what could have potentially happened.


    Ares leapt over the shattered glass and fell down to the street below. Enyo smiled and followed after him. She was proud of Ares who, in two encounters, had essentially single-handedly killed a cultivator two realms higher than him. She already knew he was strong thanks to the buzzblader fight, and she loved that about him, but what she really loved was that he was smart. He had taken the same person by surprise twice and engineered a victory that would have been perfect were it not for her own intervention. Enyo wouldn’t have cared if Ares had been weak, she liked him for who he was as a person and not as a cultivator, but the fact that he was as strong, clever, and reliable as he was just made falling in love with him all that much sweeter. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted in a man that Ares didn’t have, he was perfect to her… Well, almost. When she jumped after him, she realised they were going to have a clash on what to do next. He was going to want to kill the snatcher, she was going to want to arrest the snatcher. They’d been here before.


    The snatcher was still barely clinging to life with only one leg left and a number of serious wounds across his left half where the gadget had detonated. Even the remaining leg had been set ablaze and would be unusable for a good while. The only way this person was ever fighting anything ever again was if he visited Neo Gear Land and got prosthetic surgery, otherwise he would remain crippled forever.


    Ares lightly twirled his sword as he approached the snatcher who was lying flat on the floor.


    “Ares,” Enyo called out to him.


    Ares scratched his head. “The more things change, the more things stay the same, huh?”


    “Can I have my way this time?”


    Ares struggled with an internal conflict, looking between the snatcher and Enyo repeatedly. In the end, he just couldn’t go against Enyo’s wishes. “Fine.” Ares threw his hands in the air and sighed in defeat. At the very least, the snatcher was fully out of commission and couldn’t hurt a fly.


    “Thank you.”


    “Hm?” Ares snapped his head and looked down the street, behind Enyo.


    Enyo turned around and saw a group of 7 men brandishing various weapons and walking toward them.


    “Guess that’s the rest of the snatchers, here to pick up their friend… Or what’s left of him anyway.” Ares activated Omniscience. “The highest cultivation amongst them is mental accumulation, 6th stage.”


    “That’s rather low compared to the leader, we can handle them with ease.” Enyo raised her shield.


    Ares had reached the 5th stage of skeletal structuring when the Stick ‘N’ Tick detonated, and fighting against such a high realm cultivator had left him near the edge of it, closing in on the 6th stage. Fighting these goons would be a tad difficult, but also more than enough to push him over that edge. He didn’t agree with Enyo, instead, he shook his head. “Not we, me.”


    “Don’t be absurd, I could fight them off all on my own if need be. I’m not someone who needs protecting, Ares.”


    “I know that, Enyo. I know that, like me, you can easily fight people with a higher cultivation than you and I know you could beat them all on your own. It’s not you that needs protecting.” Ares nodded at Allie and Aejaz who were coming out of the front door of the inn. “You want to arrest that one snatcher as he’s probably the leader, right? We can’t arrest them all, it would make life far too hard to keep them all alive. Take Allie and Aejaz and go arrest him. I’ll kill them.”


    Enyo really wasn’t too keen on this arrangement, but she knew trying to keep everyone alive here was a herculean task and was an unreasonable request, so she nodded and took what she could get. “Ok. Stay safe.”


    “Don’t worry, I’m basically a cockroach anyway.”


    “Bellona told you I said that!? Tsk, she must have had a lot of fun playing both sides.”


    Ares chuckled. “Stay safe.”


    Enyo smiled under her helmet and dragged Aejaz and Allie off to the side to quickly explain the situation before leaving with them and the snatcher’s incapacitated leader.


    Ares did a few side reaches and shoulder stretches in a mocking fashion as the snatchers drew closer. “You guys should warm up too, wouldn’t want you going cold on me.”


    “At least you’ll die with a warm corpse,” One of the snatchers responded.


    “Yeah, that was the joke. That you guys are going to go cold… Like a corpse… No?” Ares sighed. “Whatever. I may not get a laugh out of you, but I’ll at least get another stage of cultivation.”