Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 200: Death By Fire

Ren stumbled into Natsumi's room at the brink of dawn.

"Let's go." He ordered. His voice was rough like sandpaper.

Natsumi cracked open an eye. This early? She thought. She could hardly keep her head straight. What the hell do you want this early in the morning?

Ren read her expression. He already knew Natsumi wasn't much of a morning person. Natsumi had always been a night-owl. She prowled the streets at night, either doing odd jobs to pull some cash or fulfill missions on behalf of Lupus.

"Get up." Ren repeated, he sounded calm but firm like glaciers in the artic. "We aren't going to get any stronger lounging around."

"Fair point." Natsumi murmured. She hardly had enough energy to speak. "Give me a few minutes to wash up and I'll meet you outside."

Ren considered pressing on, but he wasn't in much of a mood to start an argument. His mind was sore and raw with emotion. He spent the entire night mending Nyssa's wounds, and with the assistance of Zhu Li, Nyssa was no longer in critical condition.

Ren didn't waste any time and stepped outside. He knew it wouldn't take long for Natsumi to "wash up." Tengoku Shrine didn't have a sink to wash your face or a shower to bathe in. If Natsumi needed to clean herself up, she'd have to go into the ravine in the center of the jungle.

Natsumi joined Ren a few minutes later, wearing a tight sleeveless shirt and loose-fitting pants. She fidgetted with her gloves and yawned softly, wiping the crust from her eyes.

"Why so early?" Natsumi regressed to her previous question. "If you wanted to train I would've been fine doing it at night."

"The earlier, the better." Ren shortly replied while staring at the Sun. "Maija sleeps in during the morning. Manasa does too. Both of them get their strength from the moon, while you and I get our strength from the Sun. It'll be easier for the both of us to maneuver during the day instead of at night."

Natsumi gave him a wordless stare. She eyed him like a stranger, unsure how to respond to his eerie statement.

"Wouldn't it be better if Maija was there?" Natsumi asked. "She's your warrior, after all. Isn't it better for a warrior to see their king in combat?"

Ren didn't react much to Natsumi's snide remark. Instead, he motioned for her to follow as he headed for the jungle.

Natsumi watched him run off. She was a bit stunned by how swift Ren was. It had been a while since she and Ren trained together, so Natsumi was eager to see how much Ren has grown.

Natsumi quickly followed. She leaped through the trees, using her threads as slings to launch her forward.

Natsumi watched Ren from behind while keeping guard. She traversed the Bada Jungle before it was infested with horrific animals and prehistoric beasts.

I can't risk slipping up. Natsumi concluded. If she slipped on a branch or collapsed onto the ground, she could easily be overwhelmed by the hungry monsters down below.

I'm not like Maija. I wasn't blessed with overwhelming strength. My strings are durable and tough, but they can't penetrate the scales or hides of those fucking animals.

Ren glanced back at Natsumi, making sure she was still following.

If I fell, Ren would probably save me.

Natsumi locked onto Ren's stare. It seemed different. It burned with emotion, but the burn felt cold as if being attacked by ice. Natsumi's confidence regressed into uncertainty.