Vale wasn't entirely keen on actively trying to charm a target, and he'd stated to himself he was against it in the past; however, that went for those who had their own will…

According to Toy, at least, Toy was being controlled and made to do something she didn't want to do. So, all he had to do was go into this with the mindset that he was actually helping the Monster.

As planned, Salome led the Monster to Vale and then ran past him without stopping, then waited at the next bend with Toy and Stacy.

Ximena, not wanting to witness whatever was to come nor be near the others, retreated to the entrance of the cave.

The cat girl looked around, confused at her opponents who had fled in either direction, yet she soon focused on the nearest thing in front of her… Vale.

The cat dropped on all fours and bounded at Vale with incredible speed. Vale watched intently, taking this brief moment where he'd get to observe freely, and watched how her leg and shoulder muscles moved relative to a typical human.

While his foe mainly looked human, whatever was beneath was anything but.

Her arms and legs extended and retracted weirdly, and her thighs twitched with each step, an odd hip bone jutting out.

Vale smiled as he took a stance.

The cat closed in on him and stood back up while swiping at him with her claws.

'Whoa, easy. Not the face!'

Vale stepped back and easily dodged the blow, but that one attack was quickly replaced by two, then three. The cat was relentlessly jumping around and swiping at Vale, who barely managed to dodge each blow, expertly employing the footwork he'd been honing with Stacy.

That was the unexpected benefit to Stacy fighting mainly as a fencer — Vale learned to be fleet-footed.

The cat swiped its claws again, and Vale slid back and watched as her whiffed attack sailed into the stone wall and easily rended it, sending a few chunks to the ground and embedding her claw in the wall.

'If she hits me with that, I'm screwed!'

Vale, instead of taking the opportunity to strike the open cat, jumped back and strategized.

He had to somehow subdue her without hurting her, too much at least, or getting killed himself.

The cat woman tore its claw from the wall and began sauntering towards Vale.

"Hey kitty, I don't wanna hurt you…"

At Vale's voice, the cat slowed.

"Huh?"

'She understood, good… Thanks, Salome.'

"I want to be your friend."

The cat woman stopped her advance and blinked, staring absentmindedly at Vale.

"...Your head okay?"

Then she immediately leaped forward with surprising agility and grace, sending a wonderfully disastrous kick aimed at Vale's head, trying to fix what was broken.

Vale ducked and barely managed to call forth his golden-plated armor before the cat sent a subsequent swipe into his chest.

His bracers' armor absorbed the blow, but he quickly had to retract them due to the sheer amount of Aether the thing consumed.

Good thing it appeared so fast.

'That one was close…'

"C'mon, kitty, I just wanna pet you…"

The cat woman once again slowed and gave Vale a questioning look. But it wasn't too long after that she was once again after him, but this time her attack looked half-assed and dull. As if she wanted to hurt Vale, but perhaps not kill.

Vale jumped away and barely managed to kick off the wall, dodging a fatal slash aimed at his heart.

"No need to play so rough."

The hunched-over cat stopped and screamed at Vale.

"Fight back, coward!"

"I won't, not with this sword at least…"

The cat screamed and lunged toward Vale again.

"Errraaahh!"

Vale dodged the simple attack and, for the first time, touched the kitten. All he did was stroke her hair, then he did a weird somersault away.

Her hair was velvety and soft, much like if he were petting an actual cat. Well…

'I guess she is an actual cat.'

Vale teased the girl as he continued his flight.

"A real dynamo, aren't you?"

The cat lunged forward again with a reckless attack. As she lunged, she screamed:

"Quit mocking me!"

Vale smiled as he sidestepped and grabbed the cat by the wrists.

"Oh, but I'm not."

The cat tried to free herself, but Vale's natural strength as a Vice class was much higher. Vale easily held the cat still, who wanted to raise her feet to kick him, but he swiveled around and dodged each blow as if dancing with the cat.

Their two-step routine continued for a time, but as the cat repeatedly failed, her attacks grew weaker and weaker. And her gaze was penetrating deeper and deeper into Vale's glowing eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, a glowing ember spawned in the cat's golden irises.

Vale remarked as he gazed at the delicate kitten's face.

"How, cute…"

The cat responded in an annoyed tone.

"Err…"

However, all of her attempts at attacks had finally ceased.

With a slight fear, Vale let go of the woman's wrist. But for not a single second did he let his guard down.

He almost expected an attack to spring from the fiery catwoman suddenly, but none came.

Instead, the cat woman merely took a step back and then gave Vale a once-over. Then, she slowly walked up to him while flicking her tail back and forth. Once she reached him, she put her head against his chest and started rubbing up and down.

Vale was a little confused by the gesture, but he slowly brought his hands to the woman's head and began gently stroking her furry ears.

It was when he did this that the cat woman let out a low-pitched purr, and her tail rose stiff and straight up as she continued brushing against Vale's skin.

'My Trait…'

Vale's Trait had sent the cat woman into heat.

The cat started licking Vale's chest as Vale continued to pat the cute woman's head.

Then, the cat woman stepped back with a devious smile on her face. Then, she spun around, got on all fours, and presented her raised tail…

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.