Yandere Levelling in Her World

Ren's throat tightened. The air felt sharp and heavy.

If a woman could kill someone with just her presence, Ren knew Lan Xinyue would be that woman, because her presence was that heavy.

Lan Xinyue's gaze didn't shift. Her voice came, calm, monotone, carrying no hint of warmth.

"Lan Xue… we do not treat guests like this. He came here to see your sister. Is this what you have learned in your time with this family?"

Xue's head bent lower, her earlier arrogance completely gone. She didn't even attempt to defend herself. Her voice came small.

"I'm sorry, First Mother. I… I was wrong."

Her tone trembled, but she didn't raise her head. She knew too well—arguing in front of Lan Xinyue was the fastest way to death.

Ren blinked at the sight. Just moments ago, this woman was practically clawing at him, ready to devour him. Now, she was like a scolded child.

Xinyue's gaze turned to him. Slowly, her pale eyes traced him from head to toe.

"…So, you are the one."

Her words were more of a mutter, as if confirming a suspicion.

Ren didn't lower his head. He met her eyes calmly, even though every nerve in his body screamed at him to bow.

From his side, Xue hissed, still bowing, her voice sharp in a whisper.

"Bend your head! How dare you stand straight in front of First Mother—"

But Xinyue's voice cut through her like a blade.

"Enough. Leave us. There is an emergency call from the guild. Go attend to it. I will finish my work here and join later."

Xue stiffened. Her face turned pale.

"…Yes, First Mother."

With a stiff bow, she stepped back. Her heels clicked against the marble floor, and in a few moments, she disappeared down the corridor.

Silence.

Ren stood, his pulse loud in his ears. Xinyue's gaze lingered on him, unblinking.

She said nothing.

Seconds stretched into minutes. Finally, her voice came, still devoid of emotion.

"Follow me. I will lead you back to Meiling's room."

She turned, her robes sweeping gracefully across the floor as she walked.

Ren hesitated, then followed.

Her steps were silent, gliding like ice across glass. Ren trailed behind her, and against his better judgment, his eyes roamed and caught the beautiful figure of woman in front of him.

Her figure was tall, slender yet full in all the right places. The curve of her waist and her ass, the sway of her hips, the perfectly straight back—it was like looking at a perfected version of Meiling's body.

It was the same as the adult version of Meiling that Ren had seen a few hours earlier.

Ren muttered under his breath, unable to stop himself.

"…I can easily see where Meiling got her figure from."

The words slipped out before he realized. His eyes widened.

Did she hear that?

Xinyue didn't respond. She didn't even flinch. It was as though she hadn't heard—or perhaps she simply didn't care.

Ren rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, then quickened his steps until he walked beside her.

"Meiling… she'll get better soon. Don't worry about her. She's strong."

Her eyes slid toward him briefly, then forward again.

"I know. She is my daughter."

Her monotone response made his heart sink a little.

Ren forced a smile. "Right. Of course…"

The silence stretched again. He tried once more.

"You know, everyone in the palace seems to respect you. Must be hard being the First Mother, right?"

No response.

"…Do you often visit Meiling?"

No response.

Ren exhaled softly. Inside, he muttered to himself.

"She might be the most untalkative person I've ever met."

Still, he couldn't help but keep trying. Rumors painted her as cold, ruthless, yet also incredibly powerful. If there was anyone in the Lan Family who could be both ally and threat, it was her.

He opened his mouth again, but before he could speak, Xinyue slowed.

Ahead, near the door of a room, Amanda stood waiting. Her expression was tense, her brows furrowed.

The moment her eyes landed on Ren, she marched forward.

"So much for your promise of not wandering off." Her voice was low, irritated, though it carried more worry than anger.

Ren scratched his cheek with a sheepish smile. "I just went looking for the washroom…"

Amanda didn't look amused.

Her gaze shifted past him, landing on Xinyue. She gave a slight nod.

"Thank you for bringing him back, Lan Xinyue. I was worried about him."

Xinyue gave a simple nod.

"Did you receive the news about the dungeon?"

Amanda didn't look surprised the first thing that come out of Lan Xinyue's mouth was business. "…Yes."

"Good." Xinyue's voice remained monotone. "I will go now. Are you not coming, officer Amanda?"

Amanda shook her head. "After I drop him back at his house, I will head there."

Xinyue gave another slight nod, then turned without another word. Her robes trailed across the marble as she walked away, not even sparing a glance at the door where her daughter lay.

Ren watched her disappear, a bitter taste in his mouth.

He muttered under his breath.

"…Now I understand why Meiling doesn't care much about this family. If her mother is like that…"

Amanda heard him but didn't comment. Her expression grew more serious as she stepped closer.

Ren frowned. "What's going on? Why do you look like that?"

Amanda's lips pressed together. She lowered her voice.

"…It might be the most dangerous thing that could happen in a long time. Even more dangerous than terriost attack. I wonder why this chain of event happening one after another."

Her eyes darkened.

Ren felt his stomach twist. "What do you mean by dungeon? What's wrong with dungeon?"

Amanda shook her head, her hand resting briefly on his arm.

"You'll know soon enough. For now, let's get you back."

Ren glanced at the door, where Meiling slept, then at Amanda's grave expression.

His heart sank.

Something bad was coming. Ren could feel it from the tone Amanda spoke.

***

Meanwhile, Nina tightened her grip on her greatsword, her chest heaving, eyes locked on the strange, winged woman blocking her path.

"Where… am I?" the pale figure asked again, her voice like a thousand whispers spilling through the cavern. "Where is my sister?"

Nina spat blood and snarled, planting her feet. "I don't know who the hell you are, but you're in my way."

The woman tilted her head, strands of hair dangling. She didn't blink. "Sister…?"

Nina didn't wait. She roared, her berserker aura blazing out like wildfire. Red haze crawled over her arms and shoulders, veins glowing faintly. Her muscles tensed, power flooding her body.

Her boots cracked the stone as she launched forward but first she threw some bombs to distract her opponent to create an opening.

"RRRRAAAHHH!"

The greatsword came down in a brutal diagonal slash, cutting through the smoke, red arcs of energy sparking off the blade.

But the winged creature… wasn't there.

Her form blurred, shifting aside so lazily it was as if Nina's swing never mattered.

Nina's blade cleaved the path apart, slicing through roots, sending rocks skittering. She gritted her teeth.

"Don't ignore me!"

She twisted, slashing again and again. Each blow shook the cavern, every strike faster, heavier, until the ground itself split. Yet the pale figure slipped between them, her bare feet gliding across the stone, never rushing, never straining.

Her blank eyes never left Nina's face.

Nina's lips pulled into a bloody grin. "Fine… then I'll go all in!"

Her berserker aura flared brighter, the red haze erupting into full flames that licked across her weapon and skin. Her breathing grew ragged, sharp, animalistic.

She bent her knees, muscles coiling like springs—then jumped.

The air screamed as she came down, greatsword overhead.

"DIE!"

Her blade smashed into the ground with a thunderous crack. The entire floor erupted, stone exploding outward in a shockwave that flattened glowing trees and carved a crater dozens of meters wide.

Dust and rock filled the air.

Nina stood in the center, chest heaving, blood dripping down her face. Her weapon glowed red-hot.

"Got you…" she muttered.

But then—

A whisper at her back.

"What are you?"

Her eyes widened. She spun—too late.

A cold hand clamped around her neck, lifting her off her feet like she weighed nothing.

The winged woman stood behind her, expression unchanged. She leaned closer, eyes scanning Nina's face, her body, her burning aura.

"…Byproduct of trash," the voice said—no, not one voice. Many voices, layered and jagged, echoing all at once.

Nina clawed at the grip, gasping. "Fuck… off…"

The woman tilted her head further. Then, as if discarding a toy, she hurled Nina.

"Ghhhhh!"

The force was unreal. Nina's body shot like a cannonball, smashing through tree after glowing tree, splinters and roots shattering in her wake. Rocks crumbled. Her scream tore out of her throat as pain cracked through her right arm—

SNAP.

"AHHHHHH!"

She tumbled, slammed, rolled—until at last she dug her boots into the stone, her berserker strength forcing her battered body to stop.

She staggered upright, swaying. Her arm hung broken at her side, blood poured down her forehead, blinding one eye.

Her greatsword clanged against the rock where it landed, bent but not broken.

Nina wiped her mouth with her good hand, her grin twisted and bloody. "Heh… so death is here, huh?"

She spat blood onto the ground, eyes burning with madness and defiance. "Fine… then I'll drag you with me whatever you are."

The pale figure hadn't moved from where she'd thrown her. She just stood there, wings twitching faintly, watching.