Liohime Kitagami could only blink in utter confusion as the fully nude body of the woman came into view.
And thus, only a single word creaked out from him in response.
"….Eh?"
…Okay, time out. The main character already getting the goods? That's a new one, that lucky bastard.
Anyway, have you ever once felt like there was a time where you sat back and wondered, "What the actual hell did I get myself into?"
Well, that was what seventeen year-old Liohime Kitagami felt at this moment. And me having to narrate this story for you…. buuuut…we might have to go back in time for more context in Liohime's case.
Not too far though, in fact…
***
(One Day Earlier…)
"...Hey kid, you do know that this will bump up the price of this mission by a lot right?"
"I-It doesn't matter. I'll pay you double…no, triple, if need be! You're the only one I can count on, sir!"
Hearing this response, the young man with elegant brownish-yellow gradient hair and light yellow eyes sighed. He did not move from his position, and kept his back facing the cold, dusty wooden wall that blocked his sight from a younger pre-teen boy on the other side, who only heard his voice while facing in the opposite direction.
In an abandoned house with its roof openly exposed, Liohime Kitagame conversed with a special client as the sun's golden rays beamed on only the latter in the now-dilapidated living room, leaving the former hidden by a shadow of darkness in the ex-bedroom.
–A client for his thief-for-hire services had just given him a very risky proposal.
Liohime closed his eyes and pondered for a few seconds while taking out his lighter from his left pocket with his short, black latex gloves that covered only his hands, before reaching for a cigarette in his right pocket.
On lighting it, inhaling the nicotine and then exhaling the tobacco smoke from his nostrils and mouth, he replied harshly: "I'm not sure that I can fulfill your request, kid."
"B-But-"
"No matter how I look at it," he interjected, "It poses a threat to my safety. Well…all of my missions are risky and threaten my safety, but this takes it to another level, boy."
A moment of silence followed. Guessing that it meant that this new client had given up and was about to pull out of the deal from his end, Liohime readjusted his black and gold military hat on his head and took a step forward, preparing to leave, when-
"I-I'll pay you quadruple!! Please!!"
"-hk!"
Okay, seriously, time out. Is this pre-teen kid who's probably just about to give out a load of cash from his dad's credit card serious right now!?
Also, I swear I just saw Liohime hit the Dwayne Johnson eyebrow raise there.
"Are you…serious..?" was the only reply Liohime could muster. "You'll pay me quadruple for trying to break into the Magical Beast Cornerstone Corporation and steal a Rare-Type Magical Beast Egg?"
He could sense that this young kid's heart was racing. He had been able to push him this far, knowing that he was desperate in a prior negotiation. With this being the second and final meeting place, he had to try to secure an enormous sale of a mission that was definitely his biggest one yet.
And…
"Yes! I promise!"
…Like a top tier scammer…
"Fuck it, it's a deal, kid. I'll be here tomorrow morning for the payment and then I'll get the job done."
…Liohime Kitagami had lured in a big catch.
***
The following morning, Liohime Kitagami, a worker for the small crime organization known as the Shinigami Soldiers, acquired six times the monthly salary of an entry-level worker in his home city known as Polar Town.
In a world where monstrous beasts that were capable of using magic were the norm, he was going to steal one from the branch of one of the biggest corporations in the world.
Magical Beast Cornerstone Corporation, or MBCC for short. An organization that specializes in research, experiments, exploration and warehousing of magical beasts in a modern world of fantasy.
With these beasts being the only source of a change in realism, it became one of the strongest companies, both financially and physically, with tight-knitted security.
With the only other option to retrieve rare Magical Beast eggs via an adventurer's license card and enter extremely dangerous dungeons, he decided to take the easier way out...although this method that he was about to undergo was by no means easy.
With a fully black latex black jacket and a black cloth that covered his defining features on his face, he planned to enter the building that night with a plan that he planned out.
Thankfully, for Liohime…
(Later That Night…)
He was skilled in stealing.
After nearly two hours of dodging the gazes of security personnel, disabling security cameras and getting through the final passcode through an inside job, he stealthily entered the Warehouse section of the complex without being seen by the warehouse workers-
Wait.
Did the author deadass just skip the explanation of the plan beforehand and how it was set into motion?
…Incompetent ass. Yes, you, Tezukumo-sensei.
Anyway, time was of the essence here. As he stooped low behind a conveyor belt in the back of the room, he eyed the few workers who stood a few metres in front of him. One wrong move or sudden noise could decide his fate, but he had to be quick. Security personnel should already be noticing that the cameras leading to the Warehouse section are suddenly down, and they would certainly want to investigate as soon as possible.
He tried to get his breathing under control as he was now nearly panting, and still doubting his idea of coming here in the first place by himself.
This is so fucking stupid Lio, he berated himself in his mind, but…you're getting paid quadruple here, so get it done!!!
The things we do for money, huh?
He had to choose a Rare-Type Magical Beast egg now, which would be hard to find in the first place, but with him in a room with a sea of crystallized eggs yet to be hatched being transported in various colours and forms, it was now easier.
Just spot the ones that glow slightly, he thought.
His eyes darted back and forth, and his breathing became quicker and quicker. Beads of sweat were now profusely forming as his tiredness and fear began to catch up to him.
This was it, the biggest moment of his list of jobs so far. He just could not mess this up.
Suddenly, his heart stopped, but only for a split second.
As he slowly raised his upper body while still shielding himself from the possible eyes of others…
Ah, I found one.
One pale spherical egg wrapped around in a beaming striped haze of green appeared on the conveyor belt right in front of him and was unnaturally bright, beaming with a light that lit up the dark room just for a millisecond before he snatched it and crouched again to hide, immediately enclosing it in a black pouch.
What the hell was that brightness!? he screamed internally.
Still…
"H-Hey, what was that light?"
"You saw that too? I think it came from behind us.."
From the corner of the workers' eyes, they were able to sense that lighting change, and they quickly inched closer and closer to Liohime's hiding place.
Shit…
Biting the inside of his right cheek, he furrowed his brows in confusion and anxiety.
–In a few seconds, he would be easily found.
Now, what will you do, main character? Show me what you cooked up.
And please be competent this time, Tezukumo-sensei.
Reaching for his pocket, he prepared for his last resort.
With one of the workers being two steps away, their gazes moved upwards as silver hand-sized balls flew past them and all blew up into a thick dusty smoke that shrouded the entire room instantly.
"Wha-!?"
The dust that settled on their skin itched, and they all began to cough as they closed their eyes and all darted around the room, screaming.
"Some-keugh!!! Someone, please!!! Help us!!!"
Damn bro, they were kinda innocent in this scenario, I can't lie. Either way, you do you, I guess.
It was then that Liohime quickly made his exit to the back door, but not without one worker spotting his figure at the last second before going unconscious.
At the same time, an alarm went off, and the front door burst open with many security personnel rushing to the scene.
However, they would only be met with dust, collapsed coworkers, and no sign of the intruder.
***
(A Few Hours Later…)
"U-Um…sir?"
"Huh? Oh…"
The bartender's concerned tone had brought Liohime back down to earth.
"Yeah, I'll have just one shot of the usual stuff," he replied.
On hearing this, the female bartender simply smiled in response and walked over to the shelf of alcoholic beverages behind her and called out to her miniature assistant, the cat-like Magical Beast that featured a body of icy crystals that spiked out of itself and a metal claw for a tail.
"Can you grab a glass for me, dear?"
Witnessing this cute interaction, Liohime smiled and then returned to his own thoughts.
"Maybe one day...anyway, what a day," he muttered to himself.
He had managed to steal a Magical Beast Egg from one of the biggest corporations in the world and got away with it scott-free.
Well, I wouldn't say scott-free, but he did leave with his body intact, at least.
Then, he had immediately gone home, left the pouch in his closet, notified his client of the successful mission, turned off all the lights in his house, locked the door and headed straight to his favourite bar.
Thankfully, the manager was there and allowed him to stay and drink as usual due to their close relationship despite his age requirement not being up to standard.
Where are the typical parents of the main character when you need them? Uh, anyway…
"You look tired, Lio," a familiar rough voice bellowed from behind him.
He turned around and stared in confusion.
"Marcus, did you…just say I look tired despite not seeing my face while you were behind me?"
I was just about to ask that.
The middle-aged man known as Marcus with a straw hat, a large brown beard, a muscular build and a Magical Beast in the form of a gecko sitting on his shoulder, laughed in response.
"Lio, my boy. I've known you for almost your entire life. Your slouching posture gave it away. You're always tired when you slouch."
"Huh…"
Marcus rested his hand on Liohime's shoulder.
"That must also mean," he added, "that you worked your ass off for the Shinigami Soldiers again today, huh? Don't wear yourself out too much with that risk, kid. If you need money, quitting that job and working for me is still on the table."
Liohime opened his mouth to speak, but slowly closed it, averting his wavering eyes.
Come on, old man, he thought.
You know why I can't do that.
***
After about an hour, Liohime returned to the entrance of his home.
Tomorrow, he would give the Magical Beast egg to his client, and that thief-for-hire service would be complete.
…Finally…
Sighing, he reached for the doorknob…
…And then he froze.
His eyebrows twitched, and he held his breath.
He tilted his head to the side, facing the window sills.
Thankfully, back at the bar, he had taken less shots than usual, and was still pretty much sober…
…So he could tell that there was something off.
He had taken off all of the lights in the house. He could clearly remember that happening.
So why-
Are the lights on?
He gulped, and a bead of sweat began to form from his temple.
Did someone…? No, that can't be. Surely not, right?
He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the anxiety began to build up within him.
Gnashing his teeth, he twisted the doorknob-
-And it opened.
–The door was not locked.
Shit.
Fearing the worst, Liohime entered slowly.
He was met with a lit up empty living room.
The only thing he could hear was his own heartbeat pounding inside his chest…and…another noise.
Water.
Lots of water falling, and splashing onto the ground.
As if he were a robot, he slowly turned with a mechanical-like manner to the direction of the sound.
"The…shower?"
The shower was on.
His eyes widened, and after side-eyeing the kitchen knife set in the kitchen, he grabbed the longest blade and creeped up ever so slowly to that room with dread stifling his breath.
Someone was in his house.
And now, he would meet them.
He tiptoed to the door separating him from the shower room, and now, as he stood right there, he took a deep breath.
Only the sound of the shower in use, and his heartbeat and now, the sound of the door swinging open, as Liohime met-
"I GOT YOU!!"
…
…
…
Oh great, this scene again. Well, here we are.
Liohime Kitagami could only blink in utter confusion as the fully nude body of the woman came into view.
A completely wet slender figure, with smooth dark brown skin. Hips that curved with utter beauty. A cleavage that many would fawn over, featuring petite breasts with perked up nipples, half-hidden by the long, ethereal green hair that rested on them. Glittering green eyes staring with two black horns emerging out of her forehead.
And thus, only a single word creaked out from him in response.
"….Eh?"
His hand's grip that held the knife loosened from his utter shock causing it to drop onto the floor with a clang.
And then, the playful beaming smile of the young woman emerged right before she jumped headfirst at him and screamed with joy while her arms opened wide for an emphatic hug.
"MASTER, WELCOME HOME!!!"
There was only one word that could muster in Liohime's head before her naked body and his collided, and then sheer force of his head meeting the ground below due to the sudden collision caused him to knock out cold.
Huh?
It was at that moment that the life of Liohime Kitagami from the Shinigami Soldiers changed forever.