Chapter 3: Pulling the Scale

The wounds for him body bad reach say e dey pain me to look am.

The place get this cold feeling, like say shrine for under river. I no fit look well.

I close my eyes, dey find the scale for him chest.

I see am.

My hand touch one bump—na the heart-protecting scale be that.

My body sweet me small—finally, quest go finish!

I pull am hard.

Umaru groan, no loud.

I shock, open my eyes.

Some of Umaru hair fall for him face, him face red, body dey hot.

My eyes begin red. He dey pain well.

I hurt am. I dey pull him scale. E go pain die.

Tears just dey drop anyhow.

I dey cry, I rub am small, make e for feel better.

I blow small breeze for the wound, like mama dey do for pikin wey injure. I rub am soft, whisper, "Sorry, sorry." Umaru cold face twist from pain. E bite lip, dey look me like e wan tear me apart.

I don hurt am again? E go die?

Guilt just dey finish me, I begin cry.

Wuwuwu, I be bad person.

The system tire.

You dey mad? Abi you wan use cry finish my battery?

How many times I go tell you—mermaid princess na villain! You sabi why dem dey call am villain?

System realize e too harsh, e calm down small.

No cry, abeg, just pull am out!

Na male lead—no matter wetin you do, e no go die.

I blink, wipe my tears, bite my lip.

System talk true. If I fail, no be only me, system sef go suffer.

I gather mind, go near Umaru ear, voice dey shake:

Umaru, this time I go use all my power.

My voice low, like say I dey beg am for market. The scale for him chest dey hard pass before, no matter as I pull or scratch, e no gree come out.

Umaru dey breathe fast, but spirit-binding rope hold am, e no fit fight.

Him body tight, chest dey hot.

E look like say e no fit bear am again.

Suddenly, Umaru roar.

Crocodile power burst out, fear catch me, my fish tail fly up.

System finally praise me.

Better! See as the guy dey scream like say e wan die. E go dey pain am.

I check the panel—anger value dey fly.

Wait, why excitement value dey climb too?

System quiet small, then talk: Na the anger dey ginger am.

Men ehn, the more dem vex, the more dem get energy.

I nod, ask softly:

So make I... rub am again?

But I remember the main work, come confuse.

But I never still pull the scale out?