Chapter 117: Bond

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Bond

Daniel walked through the streets of Silverbrook, his footsteps carrying him forward with urgent purpose.

His steps were quick, the pace frantic. His eyes were sharp, the gaze scanning every face and every shadow. His expression was worried, the features drawn with concern.

"Fluffy!" he shouted, his voice carrying through the streets. "Fluffy!"

People stared at him, their eyes following his form. They whispered to each other, their voices low and conspiratorial. They pointed, their fingers extended. They laughed, their expressions mocking.

Daniel ignored them, his attention elsewhere.

"Fluffy!" he shouted again, his voice desperate. "Where are you?"

No answer, the silence deafening.

He kept walking, his footsteps steady. He kept shouting, his voice hoarse. He kept searching, his eyes scanning.

But there was no sign of her, her form absent. No trace, her presence vanished. No clue, her location unknown.

He had checked the meat stall, the wooden structure empty. He had checked the nearby streets, the paths deserted. He had checked the alleys, the passages dark. He had checked everywhere, his search exhaustive.

Fluffy was gone, her absence a void.

He stopped, his footsteps ceasing. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers brushing the strands. He looked at the sky, his eyes fixed on the clouds. At the clouds, the white and gray masses drifting. At the sun, the bright orb hanging in the distance.

"Think," he muttered, his voice low. "Think."

He had told her to wait, his command clear. She had promised to wait, her word given. But she hadn’t waited, her promise broken. She had wandered off, her feet carrying her away. She had gotten lost, her sense of direction failing. She had disappeared, her form vanishing.

Where could she be, her location unknown?

He thought about it, his mind working. He thought about Fluffy, his thoughts focused on her. About her personality, the traits that defined her. About her habits, the patterns that characterized her. About her love of meat, the desire that drove her.

She had probably seen something shiny, her eyes catching the glint. Or smelled something delicious, her nose detecting the scent. Or followed someone who promised her food, her trust easily won.

He sighed, a long, frustrated sound.

"Fluffy," he muttered, his voice resigned. "Why do you have to be so predictable?"

He kept walking, his footsteps resuming. He kept searching, his eyes scanning. He kept shouting, his voice calling.

But there was no answer, the silence persistent.

Then he remembered, his mind recalling.

His class, the source of his power. The Harem Overlord, the title he bore. The bond, the connection that linked them.

He could feel his harem, their presence in his mind. He could sense them, their emotions flowing through him. He could track them, their locations revealed.

He closed his eyes, his lids lowering. He focused, his mind reaching out. He reached out, his consciousness extending.

He felt Lyra first, her presence familiar. She was nearby, her location close. She was with someone, her companion unknown. She was... annoyed, her emotion clear.

He felt Cheeky, her presence hesitant. She was nearby too, her location close. She was with someone, her companion unknown. She was... scared, her fear evident.

He felt Fluffy, her presence faint.

She was far away, her distance great. She was in danger, her peril clear. She was scared, her terror palpable.

His eyes snapped open, his lids rising.

He knew where she was, her location revealed.

He started running, his legs pumping.

---

Meanwhile, Fluffy and Mittens

The guards surrounded them, their forms closing in.

There were five of them, their numbers small but their threat great. They were armed, their weapons drawn. They were armored, their protection complete. They were angry, their expressions fierce.

Fluffy stood in front of Mittens, her form a shield. Her daggers were drawn, the blades gleaming. Her body was tense, her muscles coiled. Her eyes were sharp, her gaze fixed.

Mittens was behind her, her form small. She was trembling, her body shaking. She was crying, her tears flowing. She was terrified, her fear palpable.

One of the guards stepped forward, his steps slow. He looked at them, his eyes moving over their forms. His eyes were cold, the gaze icy. Disgusted, the expression twisted.

"Slaves," he spat, his voice venomous. "You have no rights. You have no protection. You are property."

Fluffy shook her head, her head moving. "Fluffy is not slave. Fluffy is free."

The guard laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. "Free? You’re a rabbit folk. You’re a beast. You’re nothing."

Fluffy’s eyes narrowed, her pupils contracting. "Fluffy is not nothing. Fluffy is Fluffy."

The guard laughed harder, his voice rising. The other guards laughed too, their voices joining.

"You beat us?" one of them said, his voice incredulous. "Yeah right. You’re a little rabbit girl. What can you do?"

Fluffy didn’t answer, her silence defiant.

The guard stepped closer, his steps measured. His hand was on his sword, his fingers gripping the hilt.

"If you resist," he said, his voice low, "we will kill you. Right here. Right now. On the spot."

Fluffy didn’t move, her form still.

The fat man appeared, his form emerging from the shadows. He was smiling, his expression cruel. He was sweating, his brow wet. He was nervous, his body tense.

"She’s the one!" he shouted, his voice high. "She attacked my associate! She’s dangerous!"

The guards looked at him, their eyes moving over his form. Then at Fluffy, their gazes returning.

"Is this true?" one of them asked, his voice skeptical.

Fluffy shook her head, her head moving. "He is bad. He lied. He tried to sell Fluffy. He tried to sell Mittens."

The guards didn’t listen, their ears deaf. They just looked at her, their eyes moving over her form. At her rabbit ears, the tips pointed. At her small form, the size deceptive. At her daggers, the blades sharp.

"She’s a slave," one of them said, his voice flat. "Slaves don’t have rights. Slaves don’t get to accuse humans."

The fat man nodded, his head bobbing. He reached into his pocket, his hand emerging. He pulled out a pouch, the leather worn. It jingled, the coins inside clinking.

"If you kill her," he said, his voice conspiratorial, "I’ll pay you. Handsomely."

The guards looked at the pouch, their eyes fixed on the prize. Then at each other, their gazes meeting. Then at Fluffy, their eyes cold.

"Deal," one of them said, his voice firm.

They raised their weapons, the blades gleaming. They stepped forward, their steps measured. They prepared to attack, their bodies tense.

Fluffy entered a fighting stance, her form shifting. Her daggers were ready, the blades positioned. Her body was tense, her muscles coiled.

One of the guards reached for her, his hand extending. His hand was inches from her arm, the fingers reaching.

Then his wrist was cut off, the hand severed.

The hand flew through the air, the limb spinning. It hit the ground, the impact soft. It twitched, the fingers moving. It stopped, the motion ceasing.

The guard screamed, a loud, piercing sound. He clutched his stump, his hand gripping the wound. Blood poured between his fingers, the liquid warm.

The other guards stared, their mouths open. Their eyes were wide, their pupils dilated.

"What—" one of them started, his voice trailing off.

Daniel stepped out of the shadow, his form emerging.

His dagger was raised, the blade dripping. It was dripping with blood, the liquid red. His expression was calm, the features unreadable. His eyes were cold, the gaze icy.

He looked at the guards, his eyes moving over their forms. At their shocked faces, the expressions frozen. At their drawn weapons, the blades gleaming. At their trembling bodies, the forms shaking.

"Apologies," he said, his voice calm.