Pretending to be a noob in a world scaled by power level

[147] Old companions

The silky voice and intimate gesture made my spine tingle. I turned to face the white-haired kitsune, her fox ears twitching on top of her head, her nine tails swaying gently behind her. Her golden eyes twinkled with an impish gleam and her lips curled into a sly, all-knowing smile. She was stunning, dressed in a flowing silk kimono that accentuated her graceful curves and porcelain skin.

"Miss me?" She purred, her voice honey-sweet and dangerously seductive. Her words were meant for my ears alone, a whisper barely heard above the music and chatter around us.

Her question hung in the air between us, sparking memories of a shared past. It was an invitation, a dare, a tease all rolled into one.

"Yuki!...I didn't expect to see you here..." my voice couldn't help but find it surprising as well.

Her golden eyes shone with a playful glint, but underneath that, I could sense a hint of bitterness that belied the casual air between us.

"Yi-Fei, you always did have a way of leaving me guessing," she said, her voice a soft mix of teasing and hurt.

I swallowed, caught off guard. "Yuki, you know why-"

"Why you left?" she interrupted, a bitter smile on her lips. "Yes, I think I've had enough time to figure it out."

It felt like a cold splash of water. A century had passed, and yet the wound still seemed fresh. I should have known - with Yuki, things were never as simple as they seemed.

"Yuki, I...," I started, but she held up a finger to my lips, stopping me.

"I don't want to hear a word of your explanation." her voice was clear and cut.

"Alright..." just as my voice trailed off, I turned around and found myself face to face with an angry nymph.

She jabbed her index finger against my chest a few times while she yelled:

"Wang-Yi-Fei, you absolute rascal!" she exclaimed, her voice imbued with a playful fury. "Promising a lady the thrill of adventure, only to vanish for... how long was it now? Seven decades!"

Her words hung in the air for a moment. The edges of my lips twitched upward in a sheepish smile.

"Nia, I—"

"Shush!" she said, cutting me off with a swat to my arm. "Don't you dare make excuses, Fei. You've been running around, having your adventures, while I've been stuck here, twiddling my thumbs!"

She pouted, crossing her arms under her ample chest, pushing up her green plant dress, making it even more eye-catching. The playful glint in her eyes told me she was not entirely serious, but there was a touch of real disappointment there too. Her teasing had a point: I had left her behind, along with so many others.

"I'm sorry, Nia," I said. "I had my reasons...but I know they might not be enough for you."

I felt someone breathing on me and sure enough, it was another familiar face.

I was facing a cascade of long white hair and a pair of glowing red eyes. Isolde, the vampire princess, was standing there, an alluring smile playing on her crimson lips.

Her soft, sultry voice whispered into my ear, a sweet tone that belied the veiled anger within. "Leaving so soon, darling?" she purred, her fingers brushing lightly against my arm. "We still have so much to catch up on. Don't you miss me?"

Her question hung in the air, the allure of her voice intertwined with an underlying accusation. I looked into her eyes, those fiery orbs that promised both pleasure and pain.

"Isolde," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "It's been a while..."

"Indeed, darling," she replied, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Almost seven decades, if I recall correctly."

I swallowed hard, her presence was still as intoxicating as I remembered, and her anger as fiery as ever. "I had my reasons..."

She let out a chuckle, but it was devoid of humor. "Oh, I'm sure you did, darling. I'm sure you did." Her words were silky, but I could taste the venom in them. It was clear our past was not forgotten, not in the least.

Yuki, her hand resting firmly on my shoulder, was the first to break the silence. "You know, Fei, I've spent the last seventy years thinking about what I might say to you if I ever had the chance," she began, her eyes hard as she stared into mine. "Why? Why did you leave?"

Before I could respond, Nia jabbed me in the chest with her finger. "That's right! You promised me adventures, Fei! You promised me a life of excitement, and then you just vanished without a trace!"

Isolde chimed in, her voice softer than the others but no less dangerous. "And what about me, darling? You left without a word. Did you not even care enough to say goodbye?"

The trio of women, all staring at me with the same accusing gazes, had effectively cornered me. Their smiles were anything but friendly, and the air around us was so tense, you could almost feel it vibrating. Each one of them, demanding an explanation, demanding answers that I was not sure I had. Their words were like daggers, reminding me of a past I thought I had left behind.

Q: What would you do in this situation?