Chapter 334 - Clue

"She told me that I must never give up and continue onward. She told me that's what you would do." Ren could no longer hold it in as he approached Leila. 

"What else did she say, what else do you remember about her?" Leila was startled by Ren's reaction. The look in his eyes was something she never thought she would see on the former strongest demon lord. That was the look of desperation. 

"She didn't say much and just continued to listen to me talk. The only other thing I remember about her is that we usually talk here within this garden. We always sat there near the coffin of ice. Why are you acting this way, it's just a dream." 

Ren didn't bother answering the werewolf girl and immediately went to the area Leila was pointing at. He touched the ground and used his mana to look for clues. The moment he did this a spell was activated. In front of Ren appeared an image of Tsukiko. 

The wound she received from the third hero was still present as she looked weak but unlike the last time Ren saw her, she looks relatively better. The image of Tsukiko smiled weakly at Ren before speaking. 

"If this spell activates that means you've come back for Leila, right Kretos?... Even though it's near impossible to break my memory wiping spell, I knew if anyone could do it, it would be you. You have always been someone that could go against anything and everything." 

The Tsukiko that was presented in the image looked to be in so much pain as she talked, but she remained ever smiling. Seeing her like that made Ren remember those words that she said to him in the end. 

"Demon Lord Kretos, I loved you. I loved how you always stood proud and tall... I loved how you were always so confident that it bordered into arrogance. I loved how you always single-mindedly did whatever you wanted to do, you were truly free from everything. You were what I aspired to be... I'm glad that I met you..." 

Remembering that scene as she was dying in his hands made Ren feel uncomfortable. So even though he was seeing her looking in pain, Ren was still glad that she was alive. As long as she was alive there was still hope. 

"If you did come back for the werewolf, that would mean you also remember who I am... Do you remember this foolish fox that loved you and wanted to stand by your side?" Tsukiko's smile became rather awkward. 

"Well, that doesn't matter... Seeing as you are here, that must mean you found out a way to heal the werewolf. I don't know how long that might have taken you or how arduous the task was, but that means you have removed one of your regrets. I'm happy for you, Kretos." 

'Why are saying all these things and wasting time?' Ren felt a bit anxious seeing Tsukiko about to keel over any minute now. What was the point of leaving this message and doing all this? She should just tell him where she is now, why bother with all of this stuff?

"Kretos if you do remember me, I wish you didn't. It would've been much kinder if you forgot everything about me. Every time I remember the look of pain that you showed me on that day, makes me hate myself. I hated how weak I was, I hated that I couldn't stand by your side, but most of all I hated the fact that I hurt you." Tsukiko pursed her lips. The memory of Kretos holding her in his arms while nearly crying made her feel anguished. 

"I didn't want to see you like that, so weak, so unsure, so vulnerable... I wanted to remember you as the strongest arrogant demon lord. I wanted to remember you as that guy that never hesitated that went against destiny itself and fought against all odds with a vicious smile on his face. Unbeatable, unshakeable that was you." 

Ren continued to listen to the Tsukiko image in front of him but he was now frowning. Nothing she was saying was a clue of where she was now. It was like she was giving another farewell speech and Ren didn't like that. 

"I bet right now you're feeling impatient and thinking, why am I wasting my time telling you all these things? I bet you're trying to find me and looking for a clue from the dream I instilled in the werewolf girl's mind."

Ren was stunned by Tsukiko's comment, but then his lips curled a tiny bit upward. Tsukiko knew him so well, that it was like she was peeking through his mind. 

"... Hey Kretos, you should once again forget about me. I tried to use the same spell you used on Leila to stop her time by freezing her. When I tried the same spell on myself I failed. Unfortunately, that cursed spear interferes with my mana and the mana surrounding me. I was able to slow down the deterioration of my body, but I couldn't cast a proper spell on myself. Any spell that comes into contact with the wound created by the cursed spear gets dispelled or is slowly consumed... After trying different things nothing worked, they simply delayed the inevitable... I have no chance of surviving this ordeal." 

Tsukiko showed the two wounds that were created by the cursed spear. Instead of closing up the holes were slowly getting bigger. 

"By the time you gain the ability to heal me, it would be too late. I hope that you never find this message, as that would mean you will forever remain ignorant of the pain that you left behind... So if you truly do find this message, this time I'm unable to wipe your memory of my existence. I didn't want you to remember me this way. So please forget about me... I just wish to rest now under the shade of my favorite place... Kretos... Please forget that a foolish fox named Tsukiko ever existed." The image disappeared as the snow continued to fall. 

'If you really want me to forget about you, you shouldn't have left me this message. You really are such a foolish fox. You obviously wanted to be saved, but you never ask. I might not be a hero, but I was demon lord and I do whatever I want..' 

...

Leila who stood behind Ren didn't say a single word as Ren continued to look at the empty space. She was able to watch the same projection as Ren and quickly figured out that the Kitsune who was in her dream was the Demonic Fox Tsukiko. There was no other demon that had the ability to cast such complex spells. 

When Leila saw Ren's expression and heard what Tsukiko said it would seem that these two shared a more complicated past than what Ren told her. Unlike her who saw Kretos as a brother, it would seem that Tsukiko saw Kretos as a romantic partner.

...

In about a few minutes of silence, Ren sighed and turned around to look at Leila. 

"So what do you plan to do now?" The heavy mood seemed to have lightened up a bit. Leila already guessed that Ren would ask her this question and she had an answer ready. 

"I want to join you on your journey... Can I?" Leila asked looking a bit anxious. If Ren were to say no, she didn't know what else to do. In this era, the only person she knew was Ren, as even the places she once knew were probably different now. 

"Don't look so anxious, of course, you can come with me." 

"Really?!" 

"Of course." 

"Then can I ask for one more thing?" Empowered by her first request being easily agreed to, Leila tried to push a bit more.

"Hmm, what is it?" 

"Can I call you Big Bro?" Leila who always wanted a big brother had found Ren to be a suitable candidate. Ren was the ideal big brother that she had always envisioned. He was strong, was confident, kind, and he thought her a lot of things. 

Ren was rather surprised by the weird request, but after a moment of thought, he shrugged his shoulders and answered. 

"Sure, why not."

Leila wasn't expecting Ren to agree and was momentarily stunned by what he said, but after a while, a huge smile crept up on Leila's face. 

"Big Bro! Big Bro! Big Bro! Big Bro! Big Bro! Big Bro!" Leila continued to repeat those two words as she bounced around happily. Ren was rather happy seeing Leila smile like that. After she felt better calling Reb Big bro a dozen times, she looked at Ren and asked a question. 

"So what are we going to do now Big bro?" 

"We're going to hunt down a fox." 

"But Big Bro, she said to forget about her."

"When have I ever listened to anyone's opinion? I always do what I want, and no one can stop me."

"But we don't know where she is. How can we find her without any clues?" 

"Didn't you hear, she wants to rest under the shade of her favorite place. We're going to the giant tree Jubokko." Ren smiled his vicious smile as he looked at the distance. 

'You cannot hide from me Tsukiko. The moment you told me you loved me I already claimed you as my own. Even if you head to the underworld I will take you back. No one can take what is mine not even the God of Death.' Ren declared to himself, since Leo his past incarnation can do it, then why can't he?