When I woke up the next morning, I found myself looking at a pair of brilliant blue eyes. Anna stared at me with a single-minded intensity, her eyes piercing through to my soul. I met her gaze without flinching. The two of us stared into each other's eyes for a long while, neither one of us saying a word.

Waking up in the arms of a beautiful woman like Anna? A part of me wondered if I was dreaming. However, it all felt too real for that. Her body felt warm in my arms. I breathed in her vanilla scent every time I inhaled. The sound of her breathing teased my ears. She flooded all of my senses, except for taste.

I decided to rectify that.

Action followed thought as I leaned forward to kiss Anna. Her eyes widened a fraction, before they crinkled in amusement. Our lips met. At first our kiss was gentle and soft, almost innocent. However, it grew more heated as time went out. A fire sparked to life inside me. I grew hungry for more.

Our hands roamed each other's bodies. Most men would be put off by Anna's hard muscles. Not me. They represented countless hours of effort. She paid in blood, sweat, and tears in order to hone her physical form. How could I not find that beautiful?

As we kissed, I licked Anna's lips and she opened them, giving me entry. Finally, every part of me was attuned to Anna. After the first few seconds, she must have grown tired of my inexperienced wanderings. Her tongue invaded my mouth, plunging in like a conqueror. Someone let out a needy moan, and I realized it was me.

Without breaking the kiss, Anna got on top and straddled me. She grabbed my hands and pinned them above my head. This position made me feel vulnerable and helpless, which added fuel to the fire burning inside me. I fought back, but Anna overwhelmed my resistance. Not that I tried all that hard. Anna's kiss grew more aggressive. She consumed my entire world, until I experienced nothing but her.

After a while, Anna pulled her lips away, though she kept my hands pinned above my head. We stared at each other, out of breath and panting. Anna's expression reminded me of a cat unable to hold back from toying with its prey.

"Gods," she said, her voice hoarse, "Who do you think you are? Seducing me like this? Who gave you the right to look so cute and vulnerable? It's like you want me to take advantage of you." She leaned in close to whisper in my ear. "You want this, don't you? Be honest. You like it when I'm on top? When I'm in charge? It makes you feel safe and secure."

I looked away from her in embarrassment. Anna let go of one of my hands and grabbed my chin, before forcing me to look at her again.

"That wasn't a rhetorical question." She said in a firm tone. "Answer me, Gabriel. Yes or no."

I swallowed.

"Yes." I said in a quiet voice.

Anna smiled, affection in her eyes, with a hint of cruelty.

"Good boy." She purred.

Anna leaned down to nip my neck. I let out a sound that was between a whimper and a moan. Anna growled.

"Gods, we need to stop now. Otherwise, I'll ravish you." Anna sat up straight and pressed her butt against my Little Gabriel. "Then again, maybe you want me to ravish you."

I had to admit, I was tempted. Right now, Little Gabriel was doing all my thinking for me. He wanted Anna to ravish me for all my worth. However, I held back.

"As much as I want to," I said, "I'm… Not ready for that yet. I want our first time together to be special. Not the result of a whim."

Anna's expression softened.

"I understand, my tenderhearted dragon." She said. "You won't hear any objections from me." She smirked. "I want our first time together to be memorable. After I'm done, you'll forget any other woman you've been with."

My cheeks heated.

"I've never been with a woman." I said. "Not like that. Or anyone, really."

Anna's eyes widened.

"Truly?" She asked, shocked.

I snorted.

"I already told you that I'm inexperienced."

"Yes, but I hadn't realized you were that inexperienced."

I shrugged.

"In my first life, I was too busy trying to be a better wizard. In my second life, I was too busy hunting monsters. In this life… Well, I met you."

Anna leaned down to give me a quick peck on the lips.

"In that case, I shall ensure that our first time together will be even better than I originally intended." Anna sat back up. "However, I should warn you now. You aren't my first. During the First Timeline, I had a few lovers. Does this bother you?"

I gave her a cool look.

"I don't care if I'm not your first, as long as I am your last. I will not tolerate infidelity."

Anna gave me an approving nod.

"Nor should you. The same applies to you as well. You are mine, just as I am yours."

"I'm glad we understand each other."

The two of us stared at one another for a moment, before Anna smirked and pressed her butt against Little Gabriel again.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take care of this?" She asked. "I know a few… Alternate methods."

I resisted the urge to snort. Not as much as me. Earth, the USA in particular, was far more open about sex than Lumina. It scandalized me when I first realized this. My teammates from Earth, who knew about my first transmigration, loved to tease me for it. I learned a lot from them, against my will I might add.

"I'm sure." I said. "Besides, while we might be safe for now, we don't know how long that will last. The sooner we head towards Icefall City, the better."

Anna sighed, before nodding.

"You're right." She paused. "However, before we leave, let me leave a reminder. That way, those hussies will finally realize you're mine and leave you alone."

Before I could respond, Anna leaned down and bit my neck, almost breaking the skin. I sucked in a breath, but didn't stop her. A part of me felt thrilled at the idea of Anna marking me. When she pulled back, she wore a satisfied smile on her face.

"Perfect." She said. "Now then, let's-"

I grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her down, before biting her neck. Anna let out a moan. It sounded sweet to my ears. When I finished, I studied my handiwork. Now I understood why Anna wore a satisfied smile earlier. Marking someone as mine fulfilled a primitive part of me.

"That's unfair." Anna said, undisguised lust in her eyes. "Just when I think you're all meek and mild, you do something like this."

I shrugged.

"It's not fun if I let you have all the initiative."

Anna let out a throaty chuckle.

"Come on. Let's go. Otherwise, I won't be able to hold myself back."

With that, the two of us got out of bed and left Anna's tent.

Rather than eat in her tent, Anna and I decided to eat breakfast in the mess tent. Anna's people occupied most of it, though there was some room for us. The moment we arrived, they started teasing us. It grew worse when they noticed the bite marks we left on each other. Anna and I bore with it, and even played along. However, we made it clear that we wouldn't tolerate anything more than good-natured ribbing.

Anna's people backed off when they realized that their young mistress was serious about me, that I wasn't just some fling. That didn't stop them from teasing us. However, they made sure not to cross the line.

As Anna and I ate breakfast, the rest of our group trickled in one by one and joined us. They all looked worn and exhausted, Leroy and Richard in particular. Everyone bore some kind of injury or another, including Anna and myself. While useful, Healing Potions weren't as good as a dedicated healer. Unfortunately, our team healer was still confined to Icefall Manor. Everyone needed to rest and recuperate. However, that would have to wait until after we returned to Icefall City.

While everyone ate breakfast, Anna and I congratulated the rest of our group. They did well last night. Even for a team of Second Star martial artists, facing a pack of hellhounds was a harrowing experience. Despite that, the others held their own while Anna and I dealt with the hungers. This had a small, but noticeable, effect on everyone's spirits.

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We also discussed our next move. Everyone agreed that staying in the area was a bad idea. Now that the demons and their summoners realized that someone had discovered their hideout, it was just a matter of time before they made their move. We needed to return to Icefall City before that happened and warn everyone.

I also noted that I could no longer sense the magical tracking device. Our enemies must have found it at some point and destroyed it. I hadn't noticed earlier, since Anna distracted me. No matter. The magical tracking device fulfilled its purpose. Every Awakened in the entire Icefall region must have sensed it, which was enough for me.

After breakfast, we got ready to leave. We weren't the only ones either. Anna met with Captain Shannon, which I found out was her title, and ordered her squad to escort us back to Icefall City. Anna's people packed up camp with no complaint. In fact, they seemed relieved. I guess camping out in the Icefall region had started to wear on them.

To my envy, Anna's people stored all of their camping gear and supplies in three separate inventory rings. That was how they could get away without using any pack animals. I promised myself to get one for myself as soon as possible. They made traveling that much more convenient.

We all finished packing by mid-morning and headed out. We moved in a simple formation. Our group traveled in the middle, while Anna's people surrounded us. We traveled at a quick pace, though one not as hectic as last night's. Our group was still tired, so we couldn't handle anything faster than this. We also needed to take frequent breaks. Despite this, we made good time. At this rate, we would arrive in Icefall City within days. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too late by that point.

At least the weather was beautiful. The skies were clear and the sun shone unimpeded. If we weren't in such a hurry, we could've appreciated the Icefall region's rugged natural beauty. Best of all, we traveled with the wind. It was as if the heavens themselves were aiding us.

However, a few hours after we set off, we ran into an unexpected situation. To keep an eye out for any threats, Captain Shannon had some of her people scout ahead. During one of our breaks, a couple of these scouts returned. As they reported to Anna and Captain Shannon, I paid them no mind at first. However, the urgent expressions on the scouts' faces caught my attention. I wandered over. Anna and Captain Shannon turned towards me with grim expressions on their faces.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"There's a battle ahead of us." Anna said. "A group of demons is attacking a team of adventurers. They're in our way, so we'll need to take a detour if we want to avoid them. However…"

She trailed off.

"You want to help them." I said.

Anna nodded.

"Yes, but there's a problem. The demons are all mind eaters."

I sucked in a breath. Mind eaters were nasty foes. Not only were they Tier Three demons, but as their name implied, they ate minds. While any kind sufficed, they preferred the minds of intelligent beings. Worst of all, their victims didn't die. Instead, they became empty husks: the lights remained on, but no one was home. By that point, death was a kindness. Mind eaters also flew, which made them annoying enemies to fight.

"The only ones who can fight them are you, myself, and Captain Shannon." Anna continued. "Everyone else would just become food for the mind eaters. However, we need to send word back to Icefall City and warn them about the demons. The lives of a few adventurers doesn't compare."

Despite her coldhearted words, Anna looked conflicted.

"In that case, why don't we split up?" I asked. "We send the others ahead of us, while we go rescue the adventurers."

"Lord Gabriel." Captain Shannon said. "The situation is more dangerous than you realize." She gestured to one of the scouts. "Tell him how many mind eaters there are."

"Over two dozen." The scout said.

Okay, that was pretty bad. Anna and I struggled to face seven hungers. While mind eaters were weaker, they were trickier to fight since they could fly. Despite this, I still wanted to go rescue those adventurers, regardless of how foolhardy it was.

"We have plenty of Holy Water." I said. "That should help even the odds."

Captain Shannon looked frustrated.

"I understand how you feel, Lord Gabriel." She said. "However, I can't allow you and Young Mistress Anna to risk your lives like this."

I gave her a cold look.

"Allow?" I said. "Why, I didn't realize I was one of your subordinates, Captain Shannon."

From the expression on her face, Captain Shannon realized that she crossed the line.

"I apologize, Lord Gabriel." She said, bowing her head. "I misspoke."

I studied her for a moment.

"Apology accepted, Captain Shannon. However, remember to mind your words in the future. I won't be so forgiving next time."

Captain Shannon nodded. I turned towards Anna.

"I'm going to help those adventurers." I said. "Will you join me or not?"

Anna took several moments before responding.

"I will." She said. "The whole reason we came up here in the first place is to save lives."

Captain Shannon grimaced.

"Young Mistress." She said in a reproachful tone.

Anna made a sharp gesture.

"Enough. The more we argue about this, the more dangerous it is for those adventurers."

Captain Shannon let out a resigned sigh. For some reason, in that moment, she reminded me of Leroy and Richard.

"Very well, Young Mistress. I shall obey."

With that, the three of us collected as much Holy Water from the others as we could carry. The rest of our group protested, saying they wanted to come too. However, Anna and I shut them down. They were all injured. Not only that, but they wouldn't be much use against a group of mind eaters. At best they would be cannon fodder and I refused to treat my friends like that.

Anna's people also wanted to come along as well, but Captain Shannon ordered them to escort our group back to Icefall City. They grumbled, but obeyed.

After that, the three of us followed the scouts and headed out to rescue the adventurers.

During the entire journey, I prayed to the gods that we would arrive in time. While I was willing to risk my life to fight two dozen mind eaters, I didn't want to do so for no reason. The gods must've been listening, because the battle still raged by the time we arrived.

It was a little afternoon, with the sun just past its zenith. The adventurers had taken shelter inside a cave located within one of the rocky hills that dotted the Icefall region. Smart. This prevented the mind eaters from surrounding the adventurers and overwhelming them through sheer numbers. However, it was clear that the adventurers were in a dire situation. Sooner or later, the mind eaters would break through. It was just a matter of time.

When our little group arrived, we took a moment to assess the situation. The mind eaters swarmed the cave entrance. Each one looked like a flying mass of writhing tentacles about the size of a pony. The mere sight of them filled me with disgust.

However, even as we watched, a cone of fire exploded out of the cave. Most of the mind eaters managed to avoid it in time, but the cone of fire caught a few unlucky ones. They fell to the ground, letting out horrific shrikes as they burned. Wind blades shot out the cave and sliced them to bits, silencing them.

Well then. Perhaps this situation wasn't as hopeless as I first thought.

"Shall we?" I asked my companions.

Anna and Captain Shannon nodded.

"Stay here." The latter told the scouts.

Afterwards, the three of us charged towards the swarm of mind eaters. As we ran forward, I took stock of my current condition. Honestly, it could be better. My side still ached from where the hunger slashed me. Not only that, but I was still tired from last night and my mana hadn't recovered all the way yet. Still, that was life. Sometimes you didn't have the luxury of fighting at full strength.

When we neared the rocky hill, the swarm of mind eaters took notice of our approach. About half of them peeled off to deal with us, while the rest continued to try and attack the adventurers.

The mind eaters shrieked as they flew towards us. Their tentacles wriggled, as if in anticipation. I wanted to throw up.

"I'll go first!" I shouted.

I pulled out a bottle of Holy Water and poured its contents into my mouth, before breathing out.

[Storm Cloud]

A black cloud imbued with Lightning and Holy Water emerged from my mouth, forming a broad wall that blocked the mind eaters' approach. Most of them stopped, but a few foolhardy ones charged ahead. The moment they entered my [Storm Cloud] they shrieked, their bodies hissing and sizzling. They tried to escape, but couldn't. The Lightning and Holy Water rendered them helpless.

The remaining mind eaters split up and flew around my [Storm Cloud]. Captain Shannon turned to face the ones coming from the left, while Anna and I turned to face the ones coming from the right.

I inhaled and prepared to use [Concealing Mist], but then stopped. This technique affected both my allies and my enemies, which was why I limited it to the area around me most of the time. However, Anna and I were too close.

If I used [Concealing Mist] now, she would be caught up in it. It hadn't hindered her that much when we sparred, but that was when I was just at First Star. Things were different now. So, I held back and decided to just rely on my sword for now. If things became too difficult, I would put some distance between Anna and I.

As I feared, the mind eaters were tricky to fight. They evaded my attacks, proving more agile and nimble than expected. Anna faced the same problem. They kept dodging her kicks. In fact, as one mind eater avoided a kick, it wrapped a tentacle around Anna's foot. She tried to pull free, to no avail.

Before the mind eater could pull Anna off balance, I used [Lightning Dash] to close the distance and sliced the tentacle holding her. Foul smelling black blood spurted from the wound. The mind eater shrieked in pain, before flying away.

However, in saving Anna, I left myself wide open. Another mind eater rushed forward to take advantage of this. Just before it wrapped me in its tentacles, a foot covered in flames smashed into it and kicked it away.

This gave me an idea. The mind eaters were single minded in their approach. What if Anna and I kept defending each other? Perhaps that was the key to killing the mind eaters within the shortest amount of time. After all, we still needed to rescue the adventurers.

"I have an idea!" I shouted, avoiding a mind eater as it tried to grab me. "Focus on the mind eaters attacking me, and I'll focus on the ones attacking you. Deal?"

"Deal!"

A moment later, a mind eater charged towards Anna. I waited until the last moment, before I used [Lightning Dash] and [Storm Dragon's Claw], one after the other. It worked beautifully. The mind eater was so focused on Anna, that it never noticed me. My sword sliced it to pieces.

Another mind eater tried to attack me, but Anna hit it with a literal explosive kick. The mind eater exploded into bits, spraying putrid flesh and black blood everywhere. Anna and I grinned at each other, before we resumed our attack.

The two of us fought side by side, covering for each other. By working together like this, we killed all the mind eaters on our side with ease. Afterwards we turned to help Captain Shannon.

With her armor and her enchanted shield, she managed to hold her own. While she couldn't kill them, they couldn't kill her either. Both sides were at an impasse. However, even as I thought that, Captain Shannon threw her shield, which reminded me of a certain superhero. The shield sliced through one of the mind eaters, before it flew back into her hands.

Well, nevermind. Captain Shannon didn't need our help after all.

Anna and I went for the mind eaters stuck in my [Storm Cloud]. Since they were unable to fight back, it was like shooting fish in a barrel.

Afterwards, Anna and I turned our attention to the mind eaters attacking the adventurers. We ran towards them. However, before we made it halfway there, a large whirlwind formed in front of the cave. It sucked in the mind eaters. A few moments later, another cone of fire exploded out of the cave. It merged with the whirlwind, turning it into a fiery tornado. The mind eaters shrieked in pain as they burned alive.

This went on for a minute, before the shrieks died down. The fiery tornado faded away, leaving nothing behind but charred corpses. Silence reigned over the battlefield.

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