Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1370: Making Thalia Rowdy again: Part-4

”Wasn’t she leaking with more fire than before?” Aether muttered, confusion drawing a crooked smile across his lips as he watched Thalia slowly stand, her wounds sealing up in an instant. Phoenix flames exploded from her body in a violent burst... so intense!

The flames she wielded now weren’t the same as before.

Back then, her fire had been wild, reckless—a weapon unleashed to protect everyone she loved, to burn away all threats.

But now... the fire felt different. Now, it was as if she was reaching for something she couldn’t grasp—a hunger burning for the impossible, for the next height?

Aether didn’t know for sure, but he wasn’t planning to give her an easy victory over the bull monster... was he?

He narrowed his eyes, watching the bull monster lumber and turn.

Suddenly, the monster charged at Thalia’s back, its hooves pounding like thunder.

Thalia, glowing in red and gold, pivoted on her heel, eyes locked on the beast. She lifted her hand. In a motion sharp as a whip, she slashed the air—flames shot toward the monster in a furious arc.

”This is for looking down on me!”

Her voice was cold as winter, deadly calm.

But before the flames could hit, a jet of water blasted from the side... cutting through the inferno.

Thuck!

”Huh?”Thalia blinked in pure surprise.

But—

”???”

Aether’s eyes widened in surprise.

Her flames... they weren’t out at all. Now, impossibly, they burned right on top of the water he’d sent... a surreal, flickering blue-and-red, like oil fire riding the surface of a river.

”What the...”

Aether muttered with disbelief. He watched as the flames hungrily devoured his ice-cold water.

Thalia caught on instantly.

She glanced around, a wicked grin spreading across her lips.

”So, you’re still here, huh? Fucking asshole,” she said with razor-sharp. She raised her voice, eyes scanning the trees.

”If that’s what you want—then fine!”

She turned, face-to-face with the charging bull, and the air split with thunder.

”MMOOOOFFF!”

”COME ON!”

Thalia roared.

She lunged forward, hands snapping out to grab the twisted horns of the bull.

For a heartbeat, the beast pushed her back, its strength monstrous, her boots scraping deep furrows in the earth.

”ARH!”

But the flames in her eyes burned even hotter.

She dug in, teeth gritted, refusing to give ground. The bull struggled, legs trembling, desperate to force her back. But it couldn’t move her an inch.

Inch by inch, Thalia pushed back, her bare hands crushing the horns, the pain slicing into her palms.

But she didn’t care. She leaned into the struggle, pushing harder, burning brighter!!

The world blurred around her... the only thing real was the fire and the fight, the monster and her will.

”MMMOOOOO!!”

The bull roared furiously, but it was dragged across the ground helplessly, unable to overpower Thalia.

All of a sudden, it wasn’t that she had become some unstoppable titan.

No, her body still trembled with exhaustion, sweat running down her brow. The real change was inside.

The flames within her had finally started to burn again... burning hot enough to shake the world!

She was still weak!

Anyway, Thalia didn’t waste the moment. She twisted at the waist, crouched low, and grabbed the bull’s thick, lashing tail.

With a snarl, she swung with all her might. The world spun... bull hooves flying up, its massive body flipping over as Thalia turned it upside down. The bull’s eyes went wide in pure shock, just before it crashed onto its back with a thunderous slam that made the earth jump.

”MMMMMOOOOOOO!!!”

The creature howled in pain and outrage.

Thalia stood over it, dusting off her hands with a sharp, confident motion. She watched, amused, as the bull’s legs scrambled helplessly in the air, kicking and flailing like a giant cockroach flipped on its back.

It looked utterly ridiculous.

She couldn’t help but chuckle, a wicked grin cutting across her lips. ”Pathetic,” she murmured, half to herself.

But the bull wasn’t done yet. After a few seconds of desperate struggling, it finally rolled and managed to stand, its nostrils flaring, its eyes narrowed with rage. It lowered its head, growling at Thalia, smoke curling from its muzzle as if it were promising revenge.

Thalia met its glare head-on. Instead of backing down, she bared her teeth and growled back—an ancient, animalistic sound rumbling from deep in her chest.

”Kyrrrrrlll!”

The bull flinched.

For a second, it saw something in her eyes—something older and more dangerous than anything. Her irises glowed with a savage, unnatural light.

The bull’s body stiffened, then—tail tucked between its legs, the beast turned and bolted, galloping away!

Thalia smirked as she watched it flee. ”That’s what you get, fucker,” she called after it, breathing hard as the flames around her finally died down.

Clap~ Clap~

Thalia spun to see Aether standing nearby. He wore a small, crooked smile, slowly clapping his hands in mock applause.

”Bravo... really, bravo—Ouch!”

Before he could say another word, Thalia’s fist rocketed out, landing a punch square in his gut. Her face was a storm of fury and annoyance.

”I cannot believe you left me like that... motherfucker!”

She didn’t let up—her other fist came up and thudded into him again, this one even sharper.

”Arhh! It hurts!” Aether groaned, doubling over, rubbing his stomach with a grimace.

Thalia rolled her eyes, snorting in exasperation. ”Oh please, if anything, it’s my knuckles that hurt!” she shot back, shaking her hand and glaring at him. She huffed, turning her head and refusing to look at him.

Aether straightened, his smile softening, and he stepped forward to hug her, arms wrapping around her shoulders.

But Thalia jerked away, stepping back so fast she almost tripped on a stone.

”Don’t you dare touch me after all this! Do you know how many times I shouted for your help, but you... You absolute fucking fuck!”

Her voice trembled with outrage!

She couldn’t believe she’d actually cried out for him. She’d shouted, screamed, and he’d just watched. Watched her struggle, watched her fight, as if she was nothing, as if it didn’t matter whether she lived or died.

What if she had died?

Aether weakly smiled, raising his hands in surrender. ”Oh, please, great Phoenix, please forgive this lowly Dragon of yours, my lady~” he said.

Thalia’s eyes rolled back even more, but there was a small, secret smile flickering in them. She glanced at Aether—he was still standing there, gently smiling, arms open wide in a silent invitation.

Without needing him to say a word, Thalia stepped into his embrace.

He wrapped her up, hugging her tightly, burying his face in her wild hair.

”I’m glad you’re back,” he whispered into her ear.

Thalia just smiled as she snuggled deeper into his arms. She felt something warm move through her, a strange and lovely comfort.

There was a safety there, yes, but it wasn’t just being protected physically.

No, it was different. It was the feeling that he would be there when she fell, that even if she crashed down hard, he’d offer her his hand—not to pull her up, but so she could stand on her own.

”Yeah... I guess, I feel love differently,” she muttered, voice barely a whisper.

Aether raised his eyebrows, catching the softness in her words. Then his smile grew, calm and true, as his gaze flickered to the water where flames still danced.

The jet of water he’d blasted was almost gone—steam curling away as the last traces of fire slowly devoured the final droplets.

The flame only disappeared after it had erased every trace of the water, as if the battle between them was fated to finish.

Gulp~

”... Anyway, what’s with these new flames?” he asked, curiosity brightening his tone.

Thalia’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk. ”Since you annoyed me and ignored me all that time, you owe me, darling... How are you going to repay me?” Her eyes glittered, teasing and challenging at the same time.

Aether blinked as he covered his chest with both hands, putting on a shy expression for show.

A vein popped on Thalia’s forehead. ”Pervert!!!”She smacked him sharply on the head, her face turning a little red.

”Ouch...” Aether rubbed his head with a wounded look. ”What? You don’t want that?”

Thalia’s cheeks grew even hotter. ”I... I mean... I do... well, fuck! FUCK YOU!!” she sputtered, embarrassment turning into frustrated laughter as she saw his deep, shit-eating grin.

Aether couldn’t help it... he giggled, then swept her up into another hug. ”Let’s go... I think I have a perfect way to cool you down!”

And before she could protest again, the world spun, and they teleported together!