Victorious, I've Come to Retrieve My Master. Let's Rescue Our Master Who's Imprisoned Like a Slave and Go Home.
"Tweet!? Lady Ifrit!?"
Following her into a small cave, a white bird perched on a tree near the entrance greeted us with a frantic flutter.
"I got turned tiny!"
"Tweet!? Tweeet!? How could Lady Ifrit lose to some boy...?"
"Shut your beaks, you loser birds, and guide us already."
"Tweet!! Calling him a boy like that, you think we'll let it—"
"You featherbrains, after seeing me beat Ifrit, you still gonna flap your mouths?"
After silencing the birds, I shot Ifrit a glare.
"Come on in!"
Trailing after the tiny Ifrit with her pattering steps—totter totter—I poured every ounce of focus into steadying my dizzy, aching, wheezing body.
Fuck, I'm exhausted. My whole body throbs like hell... I thought those 3- or 4-day army trainings were the peak of physical misery in life, but shit... this is on another level.
Just keeping up the tough act without showing it was a Herculean effort. All I wanted was to check on Sylvia's safety ASAP.
My wish came true soon enough.
"I had the kids dump her here!"
"Another hot spring?"
A little ways into the cave, a vast expanded space opened up, blending a steaming hot spring with naturally formed stalactites scattered around.
"The one you went to before? I made that one! This is the real deal!"
Splash! Ifrit dove into the water after saying that. A fire spirit jumping into water—okay for her? Not my problem...
Puha! Emerging from the water, Ifrit had grown a bit larger and looked a tad older.
"Feeling a little recovered. Still gonna take a while, though. Whew, immortality made me too cocky~"
"Quit yapping and bring out Sylvia already."
"Ah, your master's in there deeper—she told me to take her there—so head in if you wanna get her."
Ignoring Ifrit's splashing gestures, I dipped my ankles into the water. A scorching heat rose, followed by a surging sensation. Vitality. My depleted life force was restoring to normal.
Phew... this eases my mind.
Compared to the Demona Tribe's sanctuary I'd heard about before, the effect was on a whole other dimension. Feeling my condition rapidly improve, I pushed through the steam ahead.
Soon, Ifrit—who was leading—pointed in one direction.
"Right there. She's locked up, but I'll let her out now."
"Locked up? What a piece of work."
With my body feeling better, I channeled mana into my fist and flicked her forehead hard.
Boink!
"Ow! I healed her up so she wouldn't bolt right away—that's why I tied her a bit!"
Realizing from her words that treatment hadn't been delayed, I held back from another flick.
But seriously, how old is this hag...? No concept of aging? Or just an old spinster? Her antics practically beg for a spanking.
Wait, no aging means she's not really a spinster? Whatever— not the time for this crap.
Parting the hot spring water further, a misty rock island emerged. In the middle of the spring rose a flat boulder topped with iron bars.
"Sylvia... damn, you perverted old bat."
"Mmph!? Hngghhup!?!?"
Splash splash splash! Ignoring Ifrit as she scrambled away, I approached the bars.
Inside, Sylvia was stark naked and bound. Spotting me, her eyes widened, and she thrashed wildly.
"Mmph!! Mngghup!!"
"Ha... good, my master's safe... looking."
A gag sealed her mouth, her limbs thoroughly restrained in an intricate web of knotted ropes that left no room for wiggle. It was absurdly overkill. With tension easing, my cock twitched at her pitiful yet erotic state—another problem. We needed a proper reunion first; getting hard just from the sight felt wrong.
Clank clank!! Sylvia—one leg hoisted high by a chain from the ceiling bars—had struggled so fiercely that the bound areas were inflamed bright red. Her pussy exposed raw, gagged speechless, she reacted violently to me.
"Mnggh mngghhh!!! Mngghbrup!!"
"Yeah, I'm here. Don't look at me like that. I didn't get captured—I won and came to save you."
A heavy collar of unknown material around her neck connected to her bound-back arms, designed to choke if she moved them. Stunned by the pro-level gear, I muttered.
"Living in the mountains, where'd you even get this stuff?"
"My masturbation toys."
"Fuck!"
Whirling around, Ifrit—who'd snuck close—scurried off again. I called to her from afar.
"Open this cage now. Unless you want your precious jerk-off toys smashed."
"I can fix it with magic! Ahh! Okay, don't break it!"
As I raised my sword, Ifrit rushed over, fished a key from a rock crevice, and unlocked the bars.
"Ugh, our perverted master. Enemies tie you up, you just stay bound instead of breaking free?"
"Mmmphhh!! Mngghhup!!"
"Haha! Nah, that collar seals her power completely. Special-made—even dragons can't circulate mana with it!"
"You're bragging? You get off on this stuff?"
Ifrit blushed faintly, giving me a meaningful look.
"Goddamn it."
Turning from Ifrit, I carefully began unbinding Sylvia.
"Mbrubbrup! Mngghup!"
"How the hell did she tie this...?"
The gag was first—knots so tight and stitched-like, no give. Struggling, Ifrit sauntered up smugly.
"Impressed? Can't untie 'em, right? These tools store records—no ego, but they recreate past bindings perfectly."
"Yeah, your fap gear's revolutionary. No reverse-unlock mode?"
"Of course! Bound person can't untie; only external password works. I have the birds say it when time's up during fun!"
"Then spit the password."
Ifrit looked eager to say it herself. Fuck. Suppressing my curiosity, I demanded it.
"[Sow Bitch, That's Enough for Today]"
"...Why isn't it unlocking."
"Gotta infuse it with mana."
"Why didn't you?"
"Ugh! I wanna hear 'sow bitch,' not say it. If you're doing it, you say it."
What a pain. Ignoring the spirit subtly confessing her maso-pig kink, I hesitated then chanted the password with mana.
"...[Sow Bitch, That's Enough for Today]."
Shrrrk. The ropes wound tight around Sylvia's body unraveled effortlessly, knots releasing in a marvel. Her uncomfortably bound arms freed behind her back. The ceiling chain dropped; her splayed leg hit the ground. Only the collar remained on her reddened, marked skin.
Before I could ask if she was okay, a now-free Sylvia lunged into my arms.
"Syl—"
"My slave!! You didn't let her do anything weird, right!?"
"via... look at yourself first. Worry about me later?"
"I'm a girl, so it's no biggie! How could you chase after me to a place like this!"
Aigoo, sure thing. Calming the urge to flick her forehead, I held Sylvia and stroked her back.
"Even now, only worrying about me— that's my master. Nothing happened to me, so don't fret. I'm more worried about you. Anywhere hurt?"
"That bitch didn't do anything to you?"
Sylvia suspiciously patted me down, even sniffing my face up close.
"Hmm... seems true. Then why'd she do all this?"
"Told you—I fought and won."
"...That wasn't a joke?"
"Aigoo, for real."
"She does look weakened... you...?"
Sylvia eyed me dubiously, which stung a bit. I'd fought hard to win, and this reaction?
Ifrit chimed in, maybe to win favor.
"I really lost to this guy. Sliced me up real cool—no mercy, chopping me to bits."
No bits—just multiple cuts, no dismemberment. Should I deny or affirm? Too late.
"What... for real...?"
Sylvia's pretty red eyes widened as she looked up at me, Ifrit's own admission sealing it. Still incredulous.
"How...?"
I seized the moment.
"Thinking how my master risked her life, body, and soul devotedly for me... made me realize I could do the same for Sylvia. And boom—power surged to beat even this monster bitch."
"...For me?"
Sylvia's cheeks flushed. I matched her height, locking eyes. Recalling her words right before fighting Ifrit.
"You said once we're back, you wanna wear the collar and walk me in public, right?"
"Mhm..."
"Let's go home. And take that walk."
"Mhm...!!"
We'd reunited successfully, embracing fiercely.
"Lucky..."
I let Ifrit's envious mutter from afar drift past one ear.