CHAPTER 290: KISS!?

Grey sighed. This woman was too weak, emotionally fragile and meek. How could she possibly survive in such a cruel world?

But then again, she had been a Mythic Grimoire for thousands of years, living with only minimal interaction. Perhaps it was natural for every mythical grimoire to lose their sanity over time, developing strange quirks, just like Kurogane before him.

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed true: every single Mythic Grimoire might be crazy to some degree.

’Welp, no use thinking about it now.’ He sighed and gently wiped away Kurogane’s tears before speaking softly. "Tell me, how do I take this trial?"

"Yes, dear," Kurogane replied sweetly, her face lighting up with a bright smile.

He looked at her bright smile and instinctively leaned forward. To his surprise, she leaned forward at the same time.

Their lips met, softly, gently, as they exchanged light pecks.

Grey felt the warmth of her lips and almost slipped into a trance, while Kurogane’s cheeks flushed red, her fingers curling in shy hesitation.

After a while, they parted at the same time, breath lingering in the space between them.

"You’re beautiful, Kurogane," Grey said in a light casual tone.

"T-thank you..." Kurogane mumbled, turning her gaze away as her blush deepened. "You’re also handsome."

Grey chuckled softly. "Haha, thank you."

For a moment, neither of them moved. They simply stood there, savoring the lingering sweetness of their first kiss.

Their eyes lingered on each other.

It was the first time for both Grey and Kurogane, and countless thoughts clouded their minds in that fleeting silence.

At last, Grey broke it. "Now show me the trial, okay?"

"Mhm." Kurogane nodded quickly, rising from the bed in a fluster. Her mind was still replaying their first kiss and her cheeks burned in a deep shade of pink.

Grey watched her shy state and reached out, patting her head gently. Leaning closer, his warm breath brushed against her skin as he spoke in a low, soft tone:

"Are you alright? Your temperature seems to have risen by several degrees..."

"I..." Kurogane’s voice trembled, her face completely flushed. She let out a small, whimpering sound, unable to form proper words.

Hearing the sound she made, Grey couldn’t help but be amused.

Kurogane froze, then glanced up at him. Seeing the teasing glint in his eyes, she puffed her cheeks and pouted, "You can’t do me like that..."

"Do what?" Grey leaned even closer, stopping just an inch from her face. His piercing blue pupils locked onto hers. "What can’t I do to you?"

His hand rose slowly, brushing against her cheek with a gentle caress.

Kurogane’s entire body felt like it was on fire, her heart pounding so fiercely she wished she could dig a hole and hide. That smug grin of Grey’s only made it worse.

"D-Don’t tease me any longer," she whined softly.

"Alright, alright," Grey chuckled, ruffling her silky hair with a light pat. "Now, tell me."

Kurogane let out a soft, almost purring sound before murmuring shyly, "Okay..."

The mood had grown much lighter compared to before, when the heavy air of seriousness from the trial still lingered.

Taking a deep breath, Kurogane finally spoke, "The trial for mine is relatively easy. I’ll open a gate for you and you have to enter and come back out before a day has passed."

Grey tilted his head slightly. "And what happens if I don’t come out in a day?"

Her voice faltered, turning hoarse as she forced the words out, "Then you will have failed the trial, and you will lose your life."

"I see." Grey replied calmly, stretching his body as if he were about to take a stroll. "Alright then, open the gate and let me try it out."

Kurogane stared at him in disbelief. "You, aren’t you scared?"

"Why would I be scared?" Grey patted his chest with a faint smirk. "If I were scared, would it change anything? Instead of complaining, I’d rather look forward to having you."

"You..." Kurogane’s face turned crimson. "You really have a way with words," she grumbled softly. Then, lowering her voice, she added, "Just promise me you won’t recklessly risk your life. If something happens, just escape through the gate, alright?"

"Alright." Grey nodded without hesitation.

Kurogane took a step toward the center of the room and closed her eyes. A faint glow rippled around her body, and the next instant she began to multiply. One became two, two became four and the number continued to rise.

By the end, the room was completely filled, every corner occupied by countless versions of Kurogane, identical down to the smallest detail.

The void around them began to distort, warping as if reality itself were twisting apart. With every breath, a swirling fracture tore open in space, its edges rippling like shattered glass. One by one, Kurogane’s countless clones dissolved into nothingness, vanishing as the fracture stabilized.

At last, she opened her eyes and grinned. "Done."

"Good." Grey chuckled, casting a glance at the few remaining clones still lingering. He could feel the immense power radiating from her. As a Mythic Grimoire, summoning clones was merely a fraction of what she was capable of.

His gaze shifted, drawn unerringly to the gate before him, the fractured space itself, pulsing with an ominous, beckoning energy.

"If I enter here, I’ll be inside the trial, right?" Grey asked, stepping closer.

"Yes." Kurogane’s voice trembled slightly as she added, "Please be careful."

"Trust me."

Grey’s boundless blue pupils locked onto hers with unwavering resolve. Then, without hesitation, he stepped into the fractured space.

"I hope he will be fine." Kurogane sighed and sat back on her bed, slumping to the mattress, tears threatening to come out of her eyes, "Please... please be fine..."

***

Grey felt as if he were floating in endless darkness, his body suspended in midair, weightless and aimless.

"What is this place?" he muttered with a frown.

Suddenly, a blinding light burst before his eyes, forcing him to squint. When his vision adjusted, he found himself standing in a vast, spacious hall.

At its center sat a woman upon a throne, her long purple hair cascading down like a waterfall, her body draped in clothes so thin they barely concealed her private parts.

"Who are you?" Grey asked cautiously.

"I am the trial you must overcome if you wish to tame the Mythical Grimoire," she replied.

"I see." Grey rubbed his chin, his gaze sweeping over her. "So, how do I defeat you?"

"Through battle." Her voice was low, her eyes sultry as she rose from the throne. The air condensed beneath her legs with each step as she slowly approached.