Kiba, his scientific curiosity reignited, focused his enhanced vision on the three beauties.
Their movements, a silent symphony of desire, played out in exquisite detail.
Their bodies, sculpted by nature's chisel, glistened with water droplets that caught the sunlight like tiny diamonds. Long, flowing hair, the color of midnight and spun moonlight, danced around their forms. Their touches, once playful, now pulsed with an electric intensity.
A kiss landed on a shoulder, sending shivers down its visible length. A hand, adorned with intricate henna designs, cupped a breast, the fullness straining against the natural barrier.
Kisses, no longer fleeting, lingered on gashes and nicks, a testament to past battles and a strange form of tenderness. Each movement, each touch, resonated with a raw, primal beauty that left Kiba breathless...
He then shifted his gaze to the other women in the waterfall.
Laughter echoed as they splashed playfully, their forms a kaleidoscope of graceful movement. One, a woman with skin the color of sun-kissed earth, spun through the air, her muscles rippling with a strength that belied her slender frame.
Another, her skin shimmering with an iridescent sheen like a mermaid, dove beneath the surface, reappearing moments later with a playful glint in her emerald eyes. A third, tall and statuesque with wings of shimmering blue that fluttered gently against the breeze, serenaded the others with a voice like wind chimes, each note carrying a sensual undercurrent.
"Cough!"
A pointed cough shattered Kiba's enthralled reverie.
Tempest stood beside him, her face a mask of what he perceived as annoyance.
Little did he know, it stemmed from a misunderstanding. His earlier awe, she'd mistaken for greed – a covetous glint aimed at the "treasure" hidden within the jungle.
"We're almost there," she said curtly. "Just a mile from the Dryad tribe. We'll rest and have some food."
"A tribe!?" Kiba echoed, his brow furrowing. He hailed from a world of towering steel and concrete jungles, where humanity thronged in anonymous masses. The concept of tribes, of distinct communities with their own customs and hierarchies, was alien to him.
Then again, maybe not entirely foreign as he remembered the Nine Great Families. Ironically he was also a part of them.
Tempest shot him a look that could curdle milk.
"Obviously," she scoffed, "there are tribes in Eden!"
Her tone dripped with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, as if he were a naive child asking about the sky.
With a sigh, she began to lead him deeper into the jungle, her frustration evident in the stiffness of her strides. As they walked, she launched into a hurried explanation.
"Eden is also a part of Earth," she said, her voice clipped. "As you know...Meteorites, fragments of Celestial Elysian Plane, crashed into Earth, altering it forever. These fragments contained strange energies that mutated life, creating new species, new powers…"
Here, she gestured widely, encompassing the lush greenery around them.
"This is a world where nature and magic intertwine!"
She went on to describe the various tribes that dotted the landscape.
The Amazonians, skilled hunters with enhanced senses and the power to control animals; the Sirens, with captivating voices that could lure men (or even Kiba, she couldn't help but think) to their deaths; the Dryads, masters of plant manipulation and protectors of the forests; the Valkyries, winged warriors with incredible strength and the ability to control lightning.
Each tribe, Tempest explained, had its own unique customs, its own way of life, and its own powerful women.
By the time Tempest finished, they had arrived at the edge of a clearing.
Before them lay the dwelling place of the Dryad tribe. No towering skyscrapers or sprawling metropolises marred the landscape.
Instead, the Dryads had constructed their home in harmony with nature.
Grand, gnarled trees formed the framework of their dwellings, their branches intertwined with woven vines to create intricate living spaces. Flowers bloomed in vibrant hues, their fragrance filling the air. Sculptures carved from wood and stone, depicting scenes of nature and mythology, adorned the pathways.
"Wow!"
A gasp escaped Kiba's lips.
This wasn't just a dwelling, it was a work of art, a testament to the Dryads' deep connection to the natural world.
But his admiration was short-lived.
The arrival of a male sent shockwaves through the tribe.
A flurry of activity erupted.
Women, some clad in simple leather outfits, others adorned with vibrant flowers woven into their hair, scrambled to their feet. Fear and suspicion etched lines on their beautiful faces.
"Intruder!" shrieked one, her voice filled with alarm.
"A demon has breached the defenses!" yelled another.
"He must have eaten the Sirens for him to reach so far!"
"Attack!"
Before Tempest could even sputter an explanation, a wave of women surged forward.
A chaotic ballet of blades, vines, and glowing fists unfolded, a spectacle both terrifying and strangely alluring.
"Couldn't she have informed them beforehand?!"
Kiba muttered, a hint of playful exasperation in his voice.
But beneath the annoyance lurked a glint of undeniable excitement.
The first attacker was a vision of lithe grace, her skin the rich color of mahogany, clad in a simple leather jerkin that left far more to the imagination than it covered. Razor-sharp claws glinted in the sunlight as she lunged, a predator pouncing on its prey.
Kiba ducked effortlessly, the air singing with the missed swipe.
The woman landed a few feet away, her form a masterpiece of toned muscle and feline elegance.
Next came a woman with eyes that glowed emerald green, unleashing a torrent of vines from the earth.
They snaked towards Kiba like living serpents, but with a lightning-fast sidestep and a well-placed kick, he sent them careening into a nearby sculpture, sending wood and leaves flying.
Her fury was a captivating sight – a primal force housed in a body clad in earth-toned garb that strained against her powerful movements.
The third attacker was a radiant beauty seemingly woven from pure light. She materialized out of thin air, aiming a glowing fist directly at his chest.
Scientific curiosity flickered in Kiba's eyes yet again, a welcome distraction from the sudden chaos.
He sidestepped again, but instead of deflecting the attack, he reached out and grazed her wrist. A jolt of electricity crackled through him, a thrill that shot straight to his core.
"Aahh!"
The woman gasped in surprise, her entire body momentarily stunned by the unexpected touch.
The ensuing battle was a whirlwind of movement and feminine fury.
Each woman attacked with a unique ferocity, some wielding enchanted blades that sang with an ethereal hum as they sliced through the air.
He disarmed a woman with a swift wrist lock, her surprised cry echoing through the clearing.
"Oohhhh!"
As he did, his fingers brushed against the smooth, sun-kissed skin of her upper arm, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
It was a touch she had never experienced before, a spark that ignited a flicker of unknown desire in her eyes.
Another woman leaped at him, her powerful form a testament to the Dryad's connection to nature.
Kiba used her momentum to spin her around, sending her crashing harmlessly into a nearby flowerbed.
Her gasp as he brushed against her backside was a melody to his ears, laced with a hint of surprise and, dare he say, a touch of pleasure.
Despite the chaos, Kiba remained a gentleman at his core.
He deflected attacks with lightning-fast reflexes, occasionally using the women's own bodies as shields when absolutely necessary.
One particularly aggressive warrior lunged at him with a spear, aiming for his heart.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent the weapon flying. Then, in a move both surprising and strangely effective, he gently cupped the woman's perfectly rounded butt, momentarily disorienting her with the unexpected caress.
The entire skirmish ended in less than a minute.
The once-ferocious warriors lay groaning on the ground, their faces flushed with exertion and a mixture of horror and something else.
Kiba stood amidst them, his clothes slightly ruffled but his body immaculate. Not a single scratch marred his skin.
"Holy god!"
A cry escaped Tempest's lips as the fighting subsided. She had been so caught up in the sudden chaos that she hadn't seen a single move Kiba made. His movements had been a blur, a whirlwind of efficiency and… sensuality.
BANG!
Suddenly, the doors of the grand dwelling swung open, and a group of women, their faces etched with concern, rushed out.
The leader, a tall woman with hair woven with vibrant flowers, took in the scene with a sharp gaze that landed on Kiba.
Tempest, realizing the gravity of the situation, rushed forward, fearing another confrontation.
"Penelope, wait!" she called out. "This is Kiba, a guest… of Her Highness!"
Penelope stopped, stunned.
Her Highness had invited a… demon!?
Kiba's eyes sparkled as he felt her gaze.
What a woman!