Elemental Cats

Although Toz was a little upset that the cats had broken through and that Taienra was also going to leave him behind, he only pouted a little before accepting reality.

Since Taienra wanted to break through with privacy, she was going to put some distance between her and Pirate Haven. However, Toz stopped her before she could leave.

"Wait for a few minutes before you leave. I'll fetch Brunswick and Stitch."

"Why?"

"Have you broken through with a forest on your back before?"

Toz answered Taienra's question with one of his own before continuing.

"Stitch helped you and the forest fuse. And if anything happens, it will be better to have him nearby."

"Ok. And Brunswick?"

"I thought that seeing a Starry Sky Whale with a forest on her back break through to the next division might be beneficial for his inclination. He might also see if something bad happens. And since we kidnapped him, he's part of our group, isn't he? A Paw Print Pirate?"

"Yeah! Let's go and get 'Wick. He can't miss this!"

Toz ignored Lucy's enthusiastic interjection and spoke to Taienra again.

"We don't have to bring him if you don't want to."

"Just bring him along. You need your support, don't you? Since you're going to be the only two in the medium division and all."

Toz ignored Taienra's teasing remark as he brought Lucy along to the Bunglehopper base.

Since he was bringing Lucy along with him, Toz didn't use space magic to travel. He used a combination of shadow and lightning magic, rendering them mostly unnoticeable without lowering their speed too much.

Lucy, who enjoyed the ride, was a little disappointed it ended so quickly, but he jumped down from Lucy's arms to find Brunswick while Toz went to get Stitches without complaining.

Toz had planned to ask the first person he saw where Stitches was, but the first individual he encountered was Tasha.

Since Toz had been busy training ever since he became the Pirate King, he hadn't met Tasha yet, and he was a little surprised that Tasha came out in response to his arrival.

Based on Tasha's wary expression, Toz could guess that Tasha noticed his arrival and was ready to meet an intruder. Toz hadn't bothered concealing his presence since he wasn't sneaking around, and as the Pirate King, he didn't have a need to hide while running through his own backyard.

It wasn't the first time Toz appeared from out of nowhere, and the Bunglehoppers could recognize him by now.

However, it was the first time Toz stopped by after Tasha woke up and began spending every waking and sleeping moment with his family. Tasha, who hadn't been told of Toz arriving as he did, wasn't sure what to do when he had just displayed hostility toward the Pirate King.

Thankfully, Joan came to his aid. Tasha had just burst out of the house as soon as Toz arrived, so Joan rushed to catch up before anything happened. Fortunately, Tasha recognized Toz before he accidentally attacked.

"Toz! We were just talking about you. This rude man is my husband, Tasha. Tasha, this is Toz, the one who saved Joshua and me in the Void."

Toz wasn't bothered about Tasha's previous attitude and reached out a hand.

"Nice to meet you. It would be nice to talk, but I'm currently busy, so you will have to wait for a little bit."

"Likewise. And thank you for saving my family."

Tasha didn't sound very emotional, but he refused Toz's handshake and bowed instead to show his sincerity.

Toz was about to dart away and find Stitches when he realized he could just ask Joan and Tasha about Stitches' whereabouts.

"He's in the greenhouse with Hayar."

Toz darted off again after saying thanks.

Toz found Stitches and Hayar in the greenhouse, enjoying each other's company.

"Stitch, business!"

Toz didn't care whether he interrupted them or not since Taienra was waiting for him. However, Hayar was less than pleased and turned to Toz with an angry frown.

"Huh?"

"Oh, hey, Hayar. I'm borrowing Stitch for a little bit."

"And what makes you think you can just grab and elope with Mosshead like that?"

"I don't have to think. I can just do it."

To prove his point, Toz grabbed Stitches by his collar and hoisted him up in a princess carry before turning around.

Hayar interrupted them right before Toz could leave.

"W-wait! C-can I come?"

Her anger had completely disappeared and been replaced by some embarrassment as she realized that Toz probably asked for Stitches for his healing abilities. And she had lashed out for no reason other than irritation at having her private time with Stitches interrupted.

Toz sent a quick message with his inclination to Asilean so he could ask Taienra and responded after getting her approval.

"I guess. We're going to Taienra."

"Hear that, Mosshead. You're not leaving my sight for even a moment!"

Although Hayar's words sounded ominous, she smiled brightly after getting Toz's answer.

Toz let down Stitches so that he and Hayar could move outside the greenhouse while he went to pick up Lucy and Brunswick.

Toz didn't have to look for long since Lucy showed up shortly after, dragging an exhausted Brunswick with a rope of shadows.

"Are you okay?"

Brunswick responded to Toz's question after suppressing a yawn.

"I am fine, just a little tired. Thank you for asking."

Since Brunswick claimed to be alright, and Stitches wasn't making a fuss, Toz dropped the matter and began making a portal.

With all their practice and Asilean becoming a seventh level spirit beast, Toz barely had to do anything when creating the portal. As soon as Asilean practiced some more and got used to his new level of power, Toz probably wouldn't have to do anything other than possibly point Asilean in the right direction.

Asilean finished creating the portal, and Toz and the others went right through it, appearing on top of Taienra, who had already begun moving even before they made the portal since she realized distance wasn't really an issue when they had both Toz and Asilean in their group.

Hayar was a little surprised since it was her first time traveling through a portal, but she quickly regained her composure, and she looked at Pirate Haven shrinking in the distance before she whispered to Stitches.

"Mosshead, where are we going?"

Hayar didn't want to cause a fuss since she was surrounded by people and beasts she wasn't very familiar with, and the only one she knew was Stitches. Unfortunately, Stitches didn't really understand why she whispered, and he just turned to look at the drowsy Brunswick.

"Hey, Brunswick. Do you know what's going on?"

This time, Brunswick didn't suppress his yawn and yawned before answering.

"Not a clue, but wake me up when we're there."

Hayar was already smacking Stitches' arm at his lack of subtlety, and to stop him from asking someone else. But she didn't need to ask someone else since Lucy crawled up on Brunswick's lap while answering.

"Taienra's breaking through. Stitch and 'Wick are here because they are valuable members of our group, the Paw Print Pirates."

After answering, Lucy curled together and closed his eyes, turning into a pitch-black ball of darkness on Brunswick's lap.