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Hayato and the turtle teleported to a spot a little far to the nearest town. Just as Hayato was about to head into town, he learned the turtle couldn't come with him. After thinking it over, they decided to use an ancient ritual as a solution.
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I opened my eyes, and the turtle was gone. In its place stood a young woman, a little taller than me and maybe around thirty. She had green hair tied in a bun, green eyes, a pretty face, and an attractive figure.
She was wearing a green kimono, and her large breasts were almost popping out of it. She stared at her own body in disbelief, examining herself carefully. At one point, she even adjusted her kimono, checking her chest as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
At one point, she even adjusted her kimono, checking her chest as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing
Then she turned to me, suddenly excited, and jumped forward to give me a very tight hug. She pushed my head into her chest so hard I could barely breathe.
Turtle:
"Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! I always dreamed of having such big breasts and a body this pretty!"
I barely dodged her hug, stealing a deep breath before I started to choke. Then, frustrated, I said.
Hayato:
"Why does every woman in this world try to smother me?!"
Turtle:
"Oh, sorry... I just got so excited! And I really, really love this new form. Thanks a bunch!"
Hayato:
"Well, I'm glad you like your new form, but what does it have to do with me?"
Turtle:
"Ah, well... my form is shaped mostly by your imagination. So, the prettier people you've seen and memorized, the prettier I become. Hmm..."
She glanced back down at her big chest, then shot me a sharp, suspicious look. I instantly turned my eyes away, feeling guilty. Technically, she was just the average of all the ecchi magazines I'd read so far... but hey, no regrets.
Hayato:
"Well, um, anyway... let's head to the town then."
We walked on toward the town, which looked more like a big village, with tall wooden stakes around it and two guards at the gate.
Hayato:
"So, who lives here? Are they friendly?"
Turtle:
"I don't know. I usually travel far from settlements. As I said earlier too, whenever I approach other creatures, they either run or attack—"
Hayato:
"Oh right, you said that before. But looking at the guards' horns, they seem half-human."
Turtle:
"There are some horned races, but these seem like demons. I was sure that they were wiped out after the war..."
When we reached the town's entrance, the guards blocked the way with their spears. They examined us sternly and carefully before starting to question.
Guard:
"Stop there! Where are you coming from, and where are you going? State your names!"
We both froze. We'd been together for a while but didn't even know each other's names. I looked at the turtle, then the guard, then back, still stunned.
I couldn't tell them that I was entering town with a woman who was a turtle just a few seconds ago. Then I noticed her green hair, eyes, and kimono, it gave me an idea. Not perfect, but it would do.
Hayato:
"Uh, I'm Hayato... and this is... Midori, yes. We're Hayato and Midori... and we've come from far away. It's a long journey..."
I turned to the turtle, now Midori, desperately hoping she could handle this. Luckily, she understood from my glance and took over, though I wasn't sure if that was a good idea.
Midori:
"Um... we're just traveling the world, and we wanted to rest here for a bit."
Guard:
"Traveling the world? On foot? Where are your mounts or supplies?"
The two guards exchanged suspicious looks, and rightly so, we had no bags, no mounts, and we couldn't exactly tell them we'd teleported here from three days' distance.
Then, a frail, elderly voice called from inside. Hearing it, the two guards immediately opened the gate fully and stepped aside.
Elder:
"Let them in."
Through the opened gate, we saw a wooden manor ahead. On the ground in front of it, an elderly man sat cross-legged, with a few demons beside him. He motioned us inside. After walking for a short while, we reached the elder.
The moment I saw him, I couldn't believe it. The man looked at least ninety, with a wrinkled, stern face. If not for the two demon horns, I would've sworn he was my grandpa, he looked just like him, like an identical twin.
If not for the two demon horns, I would've sworn he was my grandpa, he looked just like him, like an identical twin
But his eyes were fixed on Midori. He stood, hobbled over to her, and studied her closely. After a moment, as if sure of something, he finally spoke.
Elder:
"Without a doubt, you're that turtle, the one our lord hunted for years, the teleporting turtle he could never catch. And now, in human form, what are you doing here?"
Midori:
"Oh, old man, I should've expected this from you. Not senile yet, huh? Even with all my mana hidden, you still managed to see right through me."
Elder:
"Well, I sensed a strong presence nearby, but I never imagined it would be you."
I leaned close to Midori, nervously asking what to do. The moment the elder heard me, his attention snapped to me, and I froze, too tense to move.
Hayato:
"Hey... are we in trouble—"
Elder:
"As for you... I can hardly sense anything from you—"
When his eyes met mine, his surprise was obvious. He closed them, opened them, and looked at me again and again, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Finally, he suppressed his shock, took two steps forward, and came closer to get a better look.
Elder:
"What a coincidence..."
The elder studied me carefully, squinting and focusing intensely. He came so close I felt him sensing my mana, just like he had with Midori. Then, suddenly, he stepped back, knelt before me, and said something that left everyone stunned.
Elder:
"How... how is this possible? My lord... you're back!"