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Chapter 61: Revisit 3 years since we last saw Artemis...... I gazed at the picture in my bedroom. The first wedding photo we took was still hanging up on the wall. It was hard to believe that so much time had passed already. Timmy was now living with us, being unable to return to the real world, and trained with me daily. Sevin had advanced to his 3rd job already, and was the youngest person in his age group to become a Ranger. Kagome was also living with us since she didn't really have much of a home to go to. Roy was now his organization's top mercenary, and he was frequently asked to go on training missions. Lacus had trained a lot while we were gone and was now at level 149. She still had a scar left from the Dark Angel attack. Mei Ling had stopped training a few years ago to study mechanics and quantum physics and was stuck at level 102. She had excavated a new cave out beside the swimming pool and propped up a laboratory there. Me? I'm level 189 now, and a Hero too. I visited Leafre a few days after I attained level 120 to take the fourth job test. As for my job, I've taken a teaching post at a senior warrior's academy. Also, I'm about as old as Artemis before we last saw her. While I was at Leafre, I tried to find her, but I failed. Her info had also been removed from the MapleNet website for some reason. "Troubles?" Kagome asked as I walked down the stairs. She was reading an archery magazine. "Yep, Dennis nearly lopped my head off with a mishandled axe, and another teacher instantly yelled his head off." I sighed. "Ouch." Roy mumbled. "Wasn't his fault though, seemed like that axe was oiled where it shouldn't have been. It was from the weapons locker too. I really need to have a word with Rick about those axes." I placed my sword on top of the fireplace and reclined back on a sofa. "It's been so long..." Kagome sighed. "Artemis?" I asked. She nodded. "I wonder how she's doing now......" I wondered. At that moment, the doorbell rang. "Coming!" Lacus suddenly bolted out of the kitchen and ran for the door. She unlocked the door and it opened with such force, she flew back a few feet. "Whoa!" I got up, but an extremely tall and slim dark haired woman was already sweeping into the house and lying down on the sofa. There was a man with her, with a bandaged left hand and holding a staff. "Who're you to come barging into my house like that!?" I demanded. The woman was wearing a blouse that was a few sizes too small, a short pair of pants, and had a black dragon tattooed over her right arm. A massive sword about as long as she was was strapped to her back and her hair swept down all the way to her long legs. She was at least 2 metres tall! The man with her was completely cloaked in black and somewhat shorter compared to her. Lacus got back to her feet angrily and picked up her staff. Roy appeared out of nowhere, battle ready and holding his Ilbi stars. Kagome drew her bow. Suddenly, I saw the woman smile. The next second, all our weapons were on the ground, and there was a strangely familiar bow in the woman's hand...... WHAT IN THE WORLD!?!?!? "I'm back." Artemis grinned devilishly. "But......but......" Alexis stammered. I wasn't surprised, after all, she'd just seen me after three long years of hardcore training. "You're...... tall..." She went on. "Never knew what's in those herbs I kept eating." I shrugged. "You look..." Lacus gasped. "Like one of those street girls walking around in revealing clothes? Didn't have a choice, my training took me too far away from towns." I smiled. Alexis bent in to examine my body closer. Roy's jaw had dropped when he saw me. "No other word for it but sexy? Jullian said the exact same thing." I grinned, indicating the man beside me. Now, it was Alexis's jaw's turn to drop. "Long time no see, sis." Jullian grinned, throwing off his cloak. "But...... I thought he got lost in the desert?" Alexis stammered. "I accidentally kicked him while I was walking through the Ariant Desert. He was buried under a foot of sand!" I exclaimed. "In my hand too." Jullian held out his bandaged hand. "Anyway, she used her powers to revitalize me and then flew me to the nearest town." He smiled. "You didn't bother getting any clothes?" Alexis asked me. I shook my head. "You wouldn't believe how loose desert clothing is. I kept getting them blown off during those sandstorms." I sighed. I went up to my old room and took a good look around. The wedding photo was still on the wall and I smiled. I took a good look in the bathroom mirror at my reflection and got a surprise. During all the time I spent training, I had never looked in a mirror. I turned my body around to really look at myself. All the time I spent training had not only resulted in me getting stronger, I had gotten slimmer too! I laid down on the bed and realized that I would need a new one. I was too tall for this bed. Jullian and Alexis were chatting excitedly downstairs. Suddenly, I heard the sound of scampering rats on the ceiling. I slipped a slender hand into my breast pocket and withdrew a single needle. One lazy flick of my hand sent it sailing neatly through the air and into the ceiling. The sound immediately petered out. A direct hit. I was still amazed at the multi-weapon mastery I was capable of achieving. Two-handed swords were now nothing more than one-handed swords to me, even those heavy maces warriors had to hold with two hands, I could hold with one, and it'd be fast too. The Buster Sword I had forged myself was the only weapon I needed to hold with two hands, and that was for accuracy. I admired the dragon tattoo on my arm. It had been tattooed on by an artist in Magatia, and I had paid a few thousand for it, although it was only a decoration. I just liked it, plus, it matched the Dark Dragon inside me. The herbs didn't just make me taller, a few of them changed my body in small ways. There was one particular one I ate which changed my taste of clothing for some reason, but it improved my physical strength too. Skelesaurus bones were good as potion ingredients, but I never imagined accidentally mixing powdered ones with herbal tea would produce an effect like this. That time, I was powdering a single bone over a hot cup of tea. A few bits of powder dropped into the tea and I drank it when I was finished with the bone. The next thing I knew, I was gagging and my body had grown taller by about 40 centimetres. My chest had also expanded slightly from it. That effect also caused the clothes I was wearing at the time to become too small for me. My old wardrobe was still filled with my old clothes, and it appeared to have been dusted frequently. Most of the clothes were in good condition, but were still too small. I tried a pale blue blouse on. It wasn't long enough to cover my belly. An old pair of pants only reached my knees and a miniskirt didn't cover my hips completely. I sighed. Sometimes, being too tall was bothersome. I had to duck just to get through the door just now. |
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