Chapter 1: Oh... No... (TRULY EDITED AND REMASTERED)
Chapter Text
~ First Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"Why the hell do I feel like I've got the worst hang over ever...?"
"Arhg... Damn..."
I woke up with a sharper than usual inhale, my breath catching in my throat... My fingers clenched against something unfamiliar—soft, cool fabric...?
'The... Hell?'
The texture... These were definitely not my sheets.
"Wait... What is all this...?"
My entire vision was just blurry, not only that... my head felt all foggy, and for a second, I thought I was just dreaming, a damn painful dream... But as I blinked rapidly, the shapes around me started to sharpen, and they all became clearer...
'What the heck? This-This isn't my room...!'
...
Thump~
Thump~
...
"Urgh..."
I instinctively grabbed at my chest...
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
I shot up into a sitting position, looking around myself frantically. The room was dimly lit, a few windows, stone walls with ornate sconces casting flickering light. It felt old, medieval almost...
This doesn't make any sense. The last thing I remembered was hanging out with my friends after work, laughing, feeling the drowsiness creep in. And now—now I was here where ever this even was.
I rubbed my temples, trying to force my thoughts into some kind of order...
'M-maybe I've had been kidnapped? Drugged?'
I tried my very best to reason with myself as much as I could. Was this all some kind of weird hallucination of something? Before I knew it; My breathing was getting quicker, and shallower too.
'No... This... This feels, far too real...'
The minty old smell of the air, the cold laminate floor beneath me, it wasn't like a dream at all. At least, none that I've ever experienced. It's just far too detailed and vivid...
But, before I could even attempt to calm myself down, something even weirder happened...
A screen...?
An actual glowing, floating screen, popped up right in front of my face... Haha...
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 165 cm | 5'5"
Age: 17
Health: 1000 / 1000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 100 / 100 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 1 / 1000
Defense: 1 / 1000
Agility: 1 / 1000
Spirit: 1 / 1000
Passive Skills: -
Skills: -
.
.
.
I stared at it, my mind struggling to catch up to what I was even seeing. Something that looked like a name was there, but the rest? A class? Stats? Strength, defense, agility and spirit?
This all looked exactly like something out of some kind of game...
I swallowed hard. I vaguely understood what it all meant, vaguely, but that didn't make any of this less insane...
'Hahaha... No... way... No freaking way!'
I squeezed my eyes shut, counted to three, then opened them. But, the screen was still there...
"The fuck is all this?! Am... Am I high? No, that's not possible... I'm seeing things... Yeah, I'm definitely seeing things... Haha..."
But after a few minutes, my so-called conjured up hallucination didn't exactly go away... And that's when I could feel cold sweat breaking out along the back of my neck. I reached out hesitantly, expecting my hand to pass through it, but the moment my fingers brushed the display, a ripple spread across it, like touching the surface of a pond. I jerked my hand back;
"Wha-What the!?" My voice sounded too loud in the silence. Not only that;
"Why do heck I sound Japanese!? H-how... How can I even understand myself right now?"
'Okay. Okay... C'mon man, think!' There had to be a logical explanation here, right? Maybe I was hallucinating? A super realistic Hallucination... In fact, maybe this was some kind of elaborate VR simulation? Or maybe… maybe I'd finally snapped and gone crazy.
I forced myself to breathe deeply, pressing my palms against my temples. No, panicking wouldn't help. If this was real, I needed to figure out what was going on. If it wasn't real-well, I'd deal with that later.
I tried to remember everything I knew about these kinds of situations. One of those isekai stories I've read years ago, fantasy games-what did the characters usually do, or say again?
"Uh… m-menu?" I muttered hesitantly.
Nothing happened...
"Uhm... S-Status?"
PING!
"Woah..." The screen flickered for a brief moment before displaying the exact same stats...? My stomach literally twisted. It actually reacted? That was proof enough that this was… something.
"Oh, come on…!" I groaned, raking a shaky hand through my hair.
"This... This can't be real. It just... can't be." If I accepted that it was—if I really had somehow ended up in another world with a literal translucent screen, then that meant a few things;
'I... I wasn't even home anymore...'
I was in another world that looked like it worked like some kind of, game...?
'H-How...? How does this all even work? Or make any form of sense!?'
The numbers shown here were abysmally low, even though the max potential looked ridiculously high. I had no weapons, no skills, and no clue of where I even was...
...
"Hah..."
I let out a shaky breath, my legs feeling weaker than before while I pushed myself to my feet. I wobbled a little, but managed to steady myself...
First things first. I needed to get out of this room and figure out where the hell I eve am.
Because if this was a game world, then I was starting at level one. And that? That thought alone was terrifying to me...
I hesitated before moving off to go anywhere, and it didn't help that my fingers were constantly twitching from the nervousness either... I needed to look around, maybe find a clue about where I even was.
'Where the hell is this?'
The room I'm in now is pretty small; mostly barren except for the simple bed and other basic necessities I had woken up on, and a wooden wardrobe shoved against the far wall.
There was a door to my right, slightly ajar...
Swallowing down my nerves, I stepped forward, with the old wooden floor creaking beneath me, while I cautiously pushed the door open... A hallway stretched ahead, dimly lit by more sconces. The walls were made of the same aged stone, making the place feel cold and unwelcoming.
I passed by a few doors, opening each one hesitantly. Most were empty—plain wooden furniture, dust-coated shelves, and nothing that gave me any answers. Then, after a few more steps, I found a bathroom.
I let out a small breath of relief. At least I wouldn't have to wonder about that.
Stepping inside, I was immediately drawn to the mirror above the sink. Something felt… off.
Like some kind of itch in the back of my mind that I hadn't noticed until now.
I leaned forward, my reflection staring back at me.
And my stomach? It dropped.
That-If I didn't know it before, I definitely knew it now... That-This, wasn't me.
I stumbled back on reflex, gripping the sink to steady myself. My hair was no longer the familiar messy brown... Instead, it was essentially silky black, slightly longer than I remembered.
My eyes, once a deep hue of dark brown, were now an unnervingly dark shade of blue... And my face-?
I came my self completely relax to take in everything I had to see here...
I looked years younger than I was before, and much shorter...
My features were also softer too, almost delicate, like some mix of Japanese and something else... But other than that… I was, plain. Extremely plain to sum it up.
No sharp angles, no strong jawline-just an unremarkable, forgettable half Asian teenager...
.
.
.
"Eu-uh!!"
A sharp chill instantly ran down my spine... I reached up, touching my? His? Cheeks; watching the reflection mimic my movements exactly to a tea...
'Hahaha... This isn't a dream... isn't it.'
.
.
.
As much as I tried to squash it all down, I now realized that all this-This was reality. My body had actually changed.
'Okay... *Huff* It ain't the end of the world.'
I gripped the sink harder, my breathing uneven. My mind was scrambling for answers, but all I could do was stare at the stranger staring back at me in the mirror.
'Who the hell was I now...?'
PING!
"Eh, huh?"
I heard a sound ringing in my ears, and then-
-----------------------------------------------------
{FIRST QUEST: Get dressed, head to school, and reach on time.
REWARD: ~nil~}
-----------------------------------------------------
"What, the... The heck is this thing?" I could see a blue bar pop up right in my face...
"A, school?" That didn't make any sense;
Damn it! None of this was making any sense!! 'I wasn't even sure where I was, let alone why I would need to attend school here.' My mind raced through any of the options I had and could possible think of.
Was this some kind of tutorial phase? Was I supposed to just blindly follow along?
I glanced down at my current outfit—simple, loose-fitting clothes that looked more like pajamas than anything appropriate for school... "I guess I really do have to get dressed first…?" I asked myself.
With a sigh, I turned back toward the wardrobe, pulling it open to see if I even had anything to wear. When I looked, I could see a neatly hung uniform. Black buttoned top, Grey pants and a red tie, right below were a pair of shoes too.
"Wait... Why am I seriously considering this? I could be seeing things, with this thing being in my head." I shrugged it off, but it didn't leave my peripheral.
"Haah?... Am I stuck with this damn thing now? Guess I-"
-PING!!
I heard it, again. That same exact sound again, this time, the screen in front of me changed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{WARNING!!!: Failure to complete this quest will allow the ā̴̱͑̈́̐̓͝n̵͔̻̜͈͇͉͇̺̼̥̓͑͑͋̇́̔̿͐̒̐̃͜ǫ̴͓̻̤̌́̔̿̚͝͝ͅm̵̛̥̲̩̔̋̔̐̍̏a̵̤͓͔͉̔̀͋̀̈́̔̿͑̄͆͝l̵͉̟̗̓̀̒͑͊y̵̢͉̫̔͂́̚ to be informed of your current location and, will track you down with every fiber of its being... When this entity finds the host; the player's fate will be far worse than even death itself. The player will also doom the entirety of humanity because of it...}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"..."
I don't know why...
But, I had an eerie ass feeling bugging me, and warning me that I should heed whatever this warning is... The fact that whatever this screen-like thing was, is glitching, and bugging out at the sheer mentioning of whoever, or whatever would find me; gives me the absolute creeps...
Plus, a fate far worse than death isn't in my cup of tea, much less when I literally woke up not even 10 minutes ago.
'This... This is a whole lot to handle...'
And I didn't want to test my fate in a scenario like this... This meant I ultimately had no choice but to do this so-called quest, and go to school.
'Fuck~'
I'm confused... Horribly so. I'm in a weird place, stuck in a weird body that wasn't mine, coupled with with a weird thing that pops up in front of my face that I just found out, makes threats and a time period I'm not even familiar with yet.
'Can a grown man's day possibly get any worse than this...?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 2: School... Again? (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ First Person Pov ~
.
.
.
The message lingered in front of my face, the flickering text making my skin crawl still.
'A fate worse than death? And doom for humanity? For a first quest!?'
I swallowed, and swallowed hard.
'No! Nope!!! Not messing with that, or whatever this thing even is...'
Forcing down the unease clawing at my gut, I turned back to the wardrobe and grabbed the uniform. The fabric was surprisingly smooth, high-quality even.
I hesitated about all this for a second, still grappling with how weird all of this was, but the PING! sound of the system reminding me that something horrifying could come after me was enough to make me move faster...
I'm such a damn coward. But, I'm even more so a survivor. I ain't takin' any chances.
Slipping into the uniform, I tightened the red tie with shaky fingers.
The moment I finished-
PING!
-----------------------------------------------------
{QUEST UPDATED: Head to School. You have 23 minutes left...}
-----------------------------------------------------
I exhaled, sharply;
'This thing, is counting down now...?'
Glancing around the room one last time, I spotted a bag resting near the bed-black, simple, and looking brand new. Almost like it had always belonged to me. I didn't even question it at this point. I just slung it over my shoulder, and made my way towards the door.
The hallway stretched out before me again, dimly lit by the flickering sconces... But now, something was, different.
I feel like I was being watched.
My entire body tensed. I scanned the shadows, but there was nothing even there... Just old stone, creepy empty corridors, and a suffocating silence that pressed in on me like a weight...
"Get to school. Right. Just-just go." I muttered under my breath, trying to keep myself from freaking out.
I took one step forward-
And then... I heard it.
A sound, so faint I barely caught it... A whisper? No... It was, breathing. Almost shallow, raspy, right behind me.
I wasn't going to lie... My body had went cold.
Slowly, painfully slowly, I turned my head-
Nothing was there...
'Hrm...' I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, and forced my legs to move. Fast.
I didn't care if I looked stupid, I ran down the hallway, the echoes of my footsteps the only sound filling the eerie silence. I kept expecting something to grab me, to pull me back into the shadows-
But nothing did.
I reached a staircase at the end of the corridor. It spiraled downward, disappearing into darkness.
My breath was uneven as I hesitated at the top step;
"C'mon, just go! Just-"
PING!
---------------
{22 minutes left.}
----------------
'Screw it.'
I grabbed the cold railing and practically flew down the stairs. The stone walls blurred past me as I moved, heart hammering against my ribs. I had no idea where this staircase led, but it was better than standing around, waiting for—
A door.
At the very bottom, a large, heavy wooden door stood slightly open. Light streamed in through the crack, bright and warm. Unlike the suffocating darkness behind me.
I didn't hesitate. I pushed through the door-
And stepped into another world...
Now, I was admiring it...
The cold stone walls were gone. Instead, I stood in the middle of a massive courtyard... Towering buildings surrounded me, their dark, gothic-esq architecture... It was both beautiful, yet intimidating. The sky overhead was an unnaturally... shade of deep blue, and the air smelled, different. A little crisp in a sense, with a slightly metallic tinge to it too...
And people. There were people everywhere. I shouldn't even be surprised...
I could see what looked like kids-students, all dressed in the same uniform I wore, walking and talking as if everything was normal. Some carried books, others laughed in groups, and a few passed me by with serious expressions, completely ignoring the chaos around them.
I stood frozen at the entrance, my mind reeling.
'Okay... okay... Maybe this isn't gonna be so bad?' I convinced to myself.
But then-
Someone grabbed my shoulder.
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"Whoa! Calm down, dude!" A voice-casual, almost sounded amused too.
I spun around, my pulse still racing since the person came out of nowhere...
When I took a good look, standing there was a kid, probably around this body's age. He had messy silverish hair, sharp golden eyes, and a lopsided grin that made him look both lazy, and oddly confident at the same time...
How was that even possible? It looked so unnatural yet, natural?
.
.
.
"Uhmm... You good, man? You look like you saw a ghost." He smiled, shoving his hands into his pockets.
I opened my mouth, then closed it. Did I just see a ghost...? No... no time for that.
I answered him instead: "Uh... y-yeah. Yeah, I'm good. Just... Kind of having, first day nerves... Hehe..."
I didn't know why, but I genuinely had a gut feeling that this really was my first day, but seriously, why?
"First day fright, huh? Guess you're probably one of the new transfers...?" He tilted his head, eyeing me up and down. "I definitely haven't seen you around before... So... I guess I should introduce myself, the name's Renji, by the way."
If I remembered correctly, doesn't this body have a name? I think it was Ayano, something?
"It's, J-Ayano." I answered automatically. It felt weird saying it out loud—like I was still trying to accept that it was actually my name now. Technically, it was hard to say. I even almost said my old name too, Jason.
Renji just nodded. "Cool. Well, if you're trying to get to class, better hurry up. Teachers are crazy strict about tardiness."
I exhaled. "R-Right. School. Uh... where exactly is-"
PING!
---------------
{15 minutes left.}
---------------
I shut my mouth instantly. That timer was not slowing down for anyone, is it.
Renji noticed my expression and snorted. "Dude, you really are a newbie, huh? C'mon, I'll show you the way. just, try to keep up, yeah?"
And with that, he turned and started walking quickly, not even waiting for me to follow.
I hesitated for half a second before moving off.
Because whatever was happening here, at least whatever this world was. I had a strong feeling that being late was gonna be the least of my worries right now...
.
.
.
DIIINNNG~ DOOONNNGGG~
The moment I stepped through the school gates, the system dinged in my ears, and a new message popped up in front of me.
----------------------------------------
{QUEST COMPLETE: Make it to school on time.
REWARD: ~Nil~}
----------------------------------------
I stared at it, deadpan.
"No reward? Seriously?" I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?" Renji shot me a glance as we walked across the courtyard.
"Uh... n-nothing. Just, talking to myself."
He raised an eyebrow but didn't push it... Thankfully.
I took a deep breath, trying to shake the unease still coiling in my chest. The school grounds were really massive, easily larger than any high school I'd ever seen back in my old world. An this old gothic-style building? It must have stretched at least fifty or so meters high into the sky, and it was made with incredibly intricate designs carved into it...
Students milled around, chatting, rushing to classes, or just standing in small groups...
And weirdly enough, no one was acting like anything was strange. Like this was all normal.
Which meant one of two things...
Either they were used to it… or B. I was clearly missing something huge. Which, seems like the latter makes more sense... I could see kids that didn't even look like kids, with hair having abnormal hair, and eye colors. Green, blue; Hell, even pink...
"Hey! hurry up!" Renji called from ahead, already making his way toward a large set of doors.
I snapped out of it, and jogged to catch up...
As we entered the building, it felt like the halls stretched almost endlessly in both directions, lined with towering windows and what looked like grand chandeliers. It felt a bit too extravagant for a normal school. The air smelled faintly of old parchment and another like old stone, just like outside of it...
'Seriously... Is this harry potter?'
Renji barely slowed as he weaved through the hallways. "Lucky for you, your first class is with a chill professor. Just take my advice, don't sit in the front if you don't wanna get called on a lot."
I nodded "Noted…" My mind still racing. I wanted to ask him a million things—where exactly was this place? How did this even world work? Was there actually a way back home? I knew he couldn't provide answers to most of those question, but... I needed somethin'.
But before I could even think to decide how to bring this kind of topic up without sounding like a lunatic, something else stole my attention.
A feeling.
From the moment I entered the school, I had felt… something. A faint pressure, like static electricity brushing against my skin...
Now? Now it was just, growing...
More focused if anything. Like something, or someone was watching me...
'Am I going crazy or something?'
I turned my head slightly, scanning the halls as discreetly as I could. Students passed by, laughing, chatting, paying me no mind. Nothing really seemed out of place. But that didn't stop the back of my neck from prickling...
I unconsciously clenched my jaw, forcing myself to keep walking... I had no real choice in it all, right? Whoever—or whatever-it was, I had a bad feeling I'd eventually find out soon enough.
And something told me… I wasn't gonna like the answer.
Regardless of those two thing, it meant I had to start school all over again.
I sighed at my current situation. I was mentally 25 years old, and now I'm trapped in some short stack's body that's built like an absolute twig!
"Hey, uh... Renji... This might sound a little, strange, but... What year is this exactly?"
Renji slowed his pace slightly, giving me a side glance. "What year...?" He scratched his head, looking at me, mildly confused. "You mean, like, the school year, or…?"
"No, I mean… like, the actual year." I asked, clarifying. I was trying my absolute best to keep my tone casual despite the growing pit in my stomach...
Renji stopped walking altogether, turning to fully face me with a weird expression. "Seriously dude, did you hit your head when you were younger? Or were you in a coma? Be honest with me."
Crap... That was already a pretty weird suspicious question, wasn't it?
"I-uh, no, I just…" I scrambled for an excuse: "I was just… homeschooled before all this. I'm not used to this kind of life..." I made up on the spot: "So I'm kind of well behind on stuff, that's the truth."
Renji looked me over. Then, to my relief, he shrugged: "Oh! That makes sense, I guess..."
I exhaled, thankful he bought it...
"Well... If you must know, it's actually 472 AE."
I felt my stomach drop.
"Come again...? AE?" I echoed to myself dumbly. The hell was an A.E????
Renji snorted. "Wow... You really were sheltered, huh?" He shoved his hands in his pockets, giving me a small glance of pity... He was already turning away to start walking again.
"After the Great Collapse, the whole world was basically reset. So now we use the AE calendar, which means. After Exile."
Exile? Collapse? What the hell happened in this world? World war X?
"Uh-huh… Right. That totally makes sense..." I answered him, still a little curious about it.
If my old world used the AD calendar, and this one had a whole new one called AE… then how many years had actually passed since whatever 'Collapse' he was talking about?
And more importantly-where the hell was I? I had a hunch that it was a Asian country of some kind, but that's where my guess stopped.
"Anyways, we've gotta hurry up." Renji continued, blissfully unaware of my mental crisis. "Like I said, first class is with a chill professor, but the headmaster? Yeah, not so much. You don't wanna get on his bad side, trust me."
I barely heard him.
Because no matter how much I tried to rationalize things, one terrifying thought wouldn't leave my mind.
'This wasn't just another world... This was a completely different era too.'
And somehow… I just knew I had no place in it.
PING!!!
'Oh, not this... It's that damn sound again...'
I looked ahead of me, seeing the same translucent screen pop up like earlier.
-------------------------------------
{QUEST: Follow the marker and get to class.
REWARD: 1 Bronze key}
-------------------------------------
'Huh? Marker? What mark-'
Before I could finish my own thought. I quickly see a feint blue stream of arrows pointing me in a direction...
'Hahah... So no one but me is seeing all this huh? And, I get some kind of reward this time...
I squinted at the glowing arrows on the ground, their faint blue light flickering like a glitch in reality. They stretched ahead, turning down the hallway.
No one else truly seemed to notice. I glanced around just to be sure. Students passed by, chatting to themselves, laughing out, completely unaware of the neon trail right under their feet...
I nodded: 'Okay then, so this is just for me.'
And this time, there was a reward attached to it.
A Bronze Key?
From what little I could guess, it probably wasn't for unlocking doors. The system had been annoyingly vague, but at least this was something tangible. Or at least, something potentially useful.
I exhaled. Fine.
Follow the arrows. Get to class. Get the key...
Simple enough. I started walking, keeping my pace casual to not look too suspicious or out of place... The kid I just met, Renji, had gotten way ahead of me already, and was turning into another hall.
"Hurry up slowpoke!" he called to me over his shoulder.
I didn't respond, just sped up. The arrows guided me, flickering slightly each time I reached a turn.
Left...
Right...
Annddd... Down another tediously long hallway.
Then finally-
A large set of black double doors at the end of the corridor... The arrows stopped there.
Renji reached them first and pushed them open: "C'mon, we're just in time."
"..."
I sighed;
'Yeah dude... I'm sure we are...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 3: Heart-Beat... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I made my way through a few rows of seats, trying my best to keep my head down as much as I could...
But the stares... It felt like they were practically, everywhere. Back when I used to go to school, it wasn't anywhere this bad, but the teens in this universe? They really weren't holding anything back...
I had even caught some of the students whispering off to each other. A select few though, they barely spared me a glance. A few just looked… bored. I dare say disappointed even.
I can't even blame them either, I wasn't particularly outstanding in any way, shape or form.
'Still, what a way to make the new guy feel like crap...'
I reminded myself that this, was normal, kind off...
I was the new transfer student here. It made a lot of sense for other people to be even a little curious about who I really was, even if it was on the surface level. Though, that didn't make it any less uncomfortable.
'I might as well start sucking it up...' Having the thought, I moved past one of the desks near the middle.
.
.
.
.
.
.
That's when... I saw, her...
A girl, sitting near the window, resting her chin in her palm while she stared outside...
She had silky black hair, no... Not black, but an extremely dark shade of violet that looked as if it was essentially cascading down her shoulders, framing her already beautiful features. Her skin, it was a bit pale on the paler side of things... In fact, she was almost porcelain-like, and... her eyes-
A deep, shade of violet...
.
.
.
They looked like polished gemstones...
For a split second, my chest actually tightened. Literally, I felt it tightening... Tightening.
A strange, and entirely unfamiliar throb practically pulsed through my entire being when I looked at her... Until, I realized what I was actually doing;
'Woah... Wha?-What the hell-?' I instantly stopped myself.
I quickly shook whatever the hell that was, off...
It had to be the accursed hormones of this new body might have given me... It was the only explanation I could come up with... I was mentally, what? Twenty-five, but physically? Seventeen... That alone was enough of an explanation for me. Plus, it feels almost disgusting to even think of feeling that way for a kid...
.
.
.
'Yuck... I need to getter grasp on myself.'
I forced myself to keep walking. I could see that the guy I met earlier, Renji, had already taken a seat ahead and waved at me lazily, whispering: "Hey, new guy! Over here!"
I sighed, and slid into the seat right beside him. Well, I'm sort of glad he was a chill person...
Before I could even take in my surroundings-
A presence settled over the room. The professor had arrived. And from the moment I looked up at him-Something told me this class… Wasn't going to be easy a normal one...
The moment the professor stepped forward, the classroom fell silent... Not because he did anything in particular. He didn't slam a book on the desk or clear his throat to get our attention.
It felt as if he didn't have to. His arrival alone commanded the entire room.
Not many people I could name off the top of my head can do that to near adults...
I sat up a little straighter as I got a proper look at him. He looked pretty young for a teacher-probably in his mid-thirties at best. His sharp black hair was neatly combed, and he wore glasses that reflected the dim classroom light. His dark eyes, however, were unreadable.
Plus, I had a hunch that he was the calm and calculating type...
And of course, he soon shifted his focused directly on me. For a split second, I felt the same static sensation from earlier. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone.
"Good morning, class." he finally spoke. His voice was fairly smooth, and even.
"Good morning, Professor Kunamori!" All the students answered in unison.
I hurriedly echoed them, trying not to stick out out too much...
Kunamori gave a slow nod, then glanced at the roster in his hands: "As most of you already know, we have a transfer student today..."
I stiffened slightly as his eyes flicked toward me.
"Ayano Keiji..." He called my name: "You've come to us at an… Interesting time of the year."
There was something about the way he said that. Like there was a second meaning behind it. I kept my expression neutral. Regardless, I immediately knew what he meant by that. This world had a similar dating system thankfully, but unfortunately for me, I had came in the middle of it... which means, I'm essentially playing catch-up at the moment;
"I'll do my best to keep up." I told him.
The professor's lips looked as if they twitched... If I didn't know any better, if felt like something close to amusement...?;
"See that you do." He told me
With that, he moved on... I exhaled.
'Well, that certainly could've gone worse...'
The professor turned to the large blackboard behind him and picked up a piece of chalk: "Now, before we continue with today's lecture, let's have a quick recap..."
With practiced ease, he began writing three words in bold strokes across the board...
-The Great Collapse-
For some reason, a chill ran down my spine seeing it, how? I don't know... I'd heard that term once before, when I asked the guy Renji about the dates and what year I was in... The classroom remained relatively silent, and all the students watching intently as he turned back to us;
"Who here-" He said smoothly, continuing: "-Can anyone explain the significance of the Great Collapse...?"
A few hands shot up at the offer.
I could see Kunamori scanning the room, then pointed at a student near the front. A blonde-haired boy who sat with near perfect posture, maybe it was just me, but it seemed like he's the type who actually enjoyed being called on.
"It was the event that marked the end of the Old Era." He answered confidently, continuing: "It's why we used the new A.E calendar-After Exile. The Collapse was the event that helped in wiping out most, if not all of the previously known nations, and inevitably changed the world's overall structure afterwwards."
Falkner nodded, fairly pleased: "That is, correct... But-" His gaze hovered towards me again: "-Since we have a new student today; let's take this moment to explain a little further..."
I fought the urge to sink into my seat... Now I knew why he did all this. Despite looking like he did, this was pretty kind, and oddly convenient of him. I wouldn't complain. I need as much information as I could get on this world to be honest, and that means additional homework when I got back home.
I glanced down, seeing the professor pacing slightly, his voice smooth, and controlled;
"Before the Great Collapse, the world was structured under a vastly different system than the one we know of today... One that no longer exists today. The event itself supposedly erased not only most civilizations, but also history as we knew it."
'Wait, what?' I needed to do a double take...
I instantly perked up at that part.
I'm sure he just casually said that entire civilizations were just, wiped out? But also a part of history? What did that even mean?
I glanced around, but none of the students looked shocked by this...
To them, this was their normal knowledge...
'Of course it was... It's their world after all.' I reminded myself, rubbing my temples in the process. This was gonna be a bitch to get used to...
He continued: "What little records remain suggest that the Collapse was not a singular event, but rather a chain reaction-one that essentially resulted in the near-total destruction of the previous world's order, and hierarchy."
'What the hell kind of event could help destroy even history itself?' Now, I'm starting to get a bit worried about this new world I'm even in...
I clenched my hands under the desk...
It's official, I needed to make it my priority to learn everything about this place, and fast as well... and staying uninformed wouldn't help my case.
Because something in my gut told me… That this wasn't just about history. It felt like it was some sort of a warning. I couldn't place my finger on it, but that's what I genuinely felt.
His chalk tapped against the board. The Great Collapse.
He turned to the class, his gaze sharp: "As we just heard, the Collapse was the event that ended the Old Era. But what most fail to understand-" his voice remained steady. "-is that it wasn't just a single war. It was a series of conflicts. An era of destruction that lasted nearly a century."
I frowned slightly, my hands tightening under the desk.
'So, a hundred years of straight war?' Sounds, dandy...
He continued, his tone as precise as his handwriting. "Entire governments crumbled. Borders were redrawn. Cities vanished from existence-not by magic or divine punishment, but by men... By power struggles. The world we know today exists because of those wars, and yet, most records of what came before are… Incomplete."
He let the last word linger, giving the class a moment to absorb it...
I could feel the tension in the room. Even the students who looked disinterested earlier were paying attention now. Not many people know how to do what he just did. He's good.
The professor's gaze flicked toward me again, just for a second. I practically had to force myself to stay calm... Seriously...
Was this normal for a history lecture here? Or was he watching me in particular for a reason?
"Now." He continued, turning back to the board: "Who can tell me the most significant outcome of the Collapse?"
A few hands went up, again.
This time, he gestured toward a girl sitting near the middle—the same girl I'd noticed earlier.
"'You may speak miss Katsura."
This time, its the one with the one with Violet eyes...
Her name, it's... Katsura?
It doesn't sound so bad, it's the opposite even...
Wait... Why the hell am I thinking about her name!?
I slumped downwards, disappointed in myself: 'C'mon, dude... You just got here, focus...'
I continued looking, and it wasn't just me either, the entire class focused in unto her...
Katsura lowered her hand, and answered: "It was the formation of the Five Great Powers..."
'Her voice sounds so tender and soft... Anndd I'm doing it again...' I stopped myself.
The professor nodded: "That is, correct."
I filed that information away in my book, for now...
"The war didn't end because one side won." He explained, continuing;
"It ended because no one could win... The world's resources were somewhat exhausted. And because of that one fact, armies had fallen apart... And stemming from that chaos, it was the strongest surviving factions took control of what remained. That was how the Five Great Powers came to rule."
I glanced around, but no one else seemed surprised by this.
I kept my expression neutral, but my mind was racing...
If this world had no magic, no gods or demons, then this wasn't some fantasy kingdom. This was a world shaped by war. And it was still standing because of whatever balance these 'Five Great Powers' had maintained.
Which meant that whoever controlled those five factions... Wouldn't they essentially control this world in the process too?
And if war had lasted a hundred years before…
What were the chances it wouldn't happen?
'No... It wasn't the wisest choice to dwell on things I can't possibly control.'
It's best I just get on with my-his-my... life...?
I... I don't even know anymore...
...
~ First Person Pov, End of the day... ~
.
.
.
Damn the day was long...
The only thing I could remotely understand was the math... Everything else, I had to learn from square one... Which sucks in my case, but what can a man do about this kind of setting?
PING!!!
I looked in front, seeing the screen pop up in front of me...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{GROWTH QUEST: Head home and get your A-game on! You're extremely weak, and you won't survive if you are so, so it's time to get stronger!
Tasks;
0 / 50 pushups
0 / 50 Crunches
0 / 50 Squats
0 / 1 kilometer run
REWARD: ??????}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'...You've got to be kidding me right now.'
It didn't even disappear. The glowing texts hovered in front of me, like a damned mocking personal trainer I never asked for... It's still my FIRST day too!?
'And the damn reward was just question marks?!'
I didn't even get the courtesy of knowing what I'd even be getting. Great!
I groaned, dragging a hand down my face:
"This thing is seriously out to get me…" I whispered to myself.
Renji, walking beside me as we left the school grounds, glanced over: "You said something?"
I snapped upright: "Nope! N-Nothing... Hahaha..."
He shrugged at me, not pushing it, thankfully...
I let out a slow breath. Fine. If this was how it had to be, then I'd rather start from zero. I glanced at the quest again. Pushups. Crunches. Squats. Running.
Nothing too crazy... Just, basic training, right?
I could easily handle that much… right?
...
Right?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 4: Drama... (RE-EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Unknown Pov, the next day~
.
.
.
The day was just, the usual at this point...
I could barely listen while the professor continued his lecture. I started tapping my pen against the edge of my notebook... It's really the only thing that helped me cure my boredom...
It wasn't that I didn't care-if anything, I probably knew more about the subject than most of the class did. But school was sort of... predictable. Routine like too.
Nothing ever really changed about it...
Except, for today.
I kept my eyes on the new transfer student...
'Hmm... Ayano Keiji, was his name, right? He looks, normal, or just plain.' He did have a standout trait though... Being his eyes, they were admittedly a nice shade of blue.
He sat a few rows behind me... Glancing towards the back to see, he looked as stiff as a board, gripping his pen like it was the only thing keeping him from drowning. His expression switched between confusion, frustration, and-occasionally-mild panic?
'Quiet an expressive one too...' I told myself.
Anyone with common sense could pick up on it too, still, he did look a little funny. But...
'He was, completely lost... Wasn't he?'
I don't think it was unusual for transfers to struggle a little, especially being this late in, but this sort of feels a bit different... Most people at least pretended to follow along. But this, Ayano guy? He was, trying, I think...
And failing, to keep up with even the basics...
Like he had never learned any of this before. That alone was already a little strange in and of itself.
But then, I saw him flinching...
Not from any noise I could make out from anywhere... Not because someone even spoke to him either.
'That's, so weird...'
His body just tensed up, fingers tightening around his pen, his gaze flicking toward nothing but an empty space. At least, that's what it looked like. That's the look of someone that knew they were looking at something.
My tapping stopped...
'What...? What could he possible be looking at?'
It only lasted a second before he shook his head, frowned and went back to taking his notes.
But, I saw it. And now, I couldn't unsee it... I wasn't sure what his deal even was... Maybe he was just that weird. Maybe he was hiding something...? Either way, one thing was clear.
Ayano Keiji didn't exactly seem all that, normal.
That was my hunch... And for the first time in a while. I was actually just a little~ curious.
.
.
.
.
.
.
DIIINGGG~ DOOONGGG~
The bell finally rang, and I stretched my arms above my head, letting out a small sigh.
'Finally!'
Morning classes were finally over, and my brain could finally take a break...
I snapped my notebook shut, stuffing it into my bag. Just as I stood up-
"Sekaiii~! Let's go before the lunch line turns into a battlefield!"
I turned to see Taisuke, my ever-so-dramatic friend of a friend, waving me over... His messy brown hair looked even more disheveled than usual, probably because he spent the entire lecture dozing off. Again.
Minami Obuchi, ever the responsible person she was, is already packing up neatly beside him:
"If you actually woke up during class, you wouldn't be so hungry..." She stated as a matter of fact, rolling her eyes with a sigh, but smiled.
Taisuke clutched his chest like she'd stabbed him: "Minami-san! Please-m-my heart! I-It's f-fragile!!!"
"Yeah? So are your grades in this class."
I laughed a little: "Pfft... She's kind of got a point."
He groaned: "Eh!!! Wha-! You're supposed to be on my side, Sekai-san!"
I flashed him a cheeky grin as I slung my bag over my shoulder: "Hey, I can't just up, and start to support lost causes."
As we walked out of the classroom, the usual lunchtime chaos had already begun... Students poured into the hallways, chatting, laughing, racing to the cafeteria like their lives depended on it...
And then-
"Oi! Did you guys hear?"
A familiar voice cut through the crowd as Taisuke practically skidded into step with us, looking like he had the hottest gossip of the century.
We all turned to him in sync.
"…Hear? Hear what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. There were already rumors of him spreading around...?
Taisuke grinned: "We got a transfer student today."
Minami rested her face on her hand: "That's not really that surprising... It's quite a large school."
"No, no, but apparently, they say he's kind of weird." Taisuke said.
My steps almost faltered...
I saw Nanami blink: "Huh? Weird, how?"
Taisuke leaned in, dramatically: "I don't know yet to be honest... That's why I'm still gathering intel."
'Or, you'll just some poor girl to peep on again...' Nanami thought
I rolled my eyes, in mock shock: "Y-You couldn't possibly m-mean, g-gossip!?"
"..."
"Really Sekai? It's practically the same thing." Nanami said.
Minami huffed: "And, you... How come you're already spreading rumors before you even meet the guy?"
Taisuke grinned, unbothered: "Come on! You're not even a little curious?"
Nanami rolled her eyes, turning to face me instead: "...Wait, he is in your class, right, Sekai? What's he like? Tell us."
I clicked my tongue. Well... Here we go...
I thought about it for a second...
"I... dunno. He's…" I trailed off, searching for the right words.
Clueless? Lost? Like he had no idea what the heck he was doing? Yeah, those words definitely would suit a guy like him the best...
"…I'd say, kind of awkward, if I had to use a word...?" I said lightly instead;
"He looked like he was struggling to even keep up in class, but not in the usual 'I didn't study' way. But, more like… he didn't even know the basic fundamentals, which was definitely kind of strange to my opinion..."
Nanami tilted her head at me: "Hmm? Maybe he had a different curriculum before transferring..?"
"You actually might be right about that, but... even then it's a little odd, he just didn't seem to know anything, really..." I muttered, but even I wasn't really convinced.
On the other hand, Taisuke shot me his idiotic grin: "Oho~? Sekai's actually paying attention to a guy?"
I kicked him in the shin.
"Ouch!!! What the heck was that for?!" He shouted.
I glared at him and huffed; "It's for talking too much, you baka!"
I could see Nanami smirking: "You do sound kind of interested, Sekai~"
C'mon, not you too... I rolled my eyes: "I'm more so interested in the fact that he might be weird... That's it!" Plus, I'm definitely more interested in someone else...
Minami sighed at me: "Well... I don't see what's so fascinating about em' to be honest with you... If he's awkward, he's awkward. That's normal for most transfer students, and that just me being honest with you, again."
I hummed. "Yeah… Maybe~"
But strangely enough... I felt something telling me that, Ayano Keiji wasn't exactly normal... And for better, or worse-I had a strange feeling at the back of my head, that I'd be finding out why, eventually.
We finished up our talk and headed for the cafeteria... Which, was packed, unfortunately.
"Will there ever come a day when we don't have to find and scavenge for our food?"
We went through the crowd like always, dodging most of the starving students, who were desperately rushing to the cafeteria like it was some kind of war zone... Fortunately, I knew a strategy.
I was already regretting not leaving class sooner...
"So..." Taisuke started, grinning like he was up to no good: "Forget the new guy for a sec-what about Makoto?"
I almost tripped.
Minami, ever the traitor, hummed at me: "...Oh? That's, actually a good question."
Taisuke immediately perked up: "Wait. Makoto-san?" He turned to me with an expression of pure evil: "I knew it! You totally like him, don't you?"
My face heated up instantly: "Wao-Wha—!N-No! Shut up!"
Taisuke howled instead: "Ohhh my goodness! The great Sekai Saionji is actually flustered!? This... This is huge!"
"Wha-What? No! I-I am not blushing!" I snapped back, but I was probably blushing...
Minami smirked: "Well, don't get mad at us... You do kind of talk to him a lot."
"Still! That doesn't mean a thing! I talk to you guys a lot, but that doesn't mean I like any of you, romantically anyways."
Youhei grinned at me with that idiotic smug face of his: "Suuure~"
I groaned, covering my face with my hands: "WHY are we even talking about this?! Weren't we just making fun of that new student Ayano?"
"Oh, we're still gonna do that..." Taisuke assured me, wiping fake tears of joy from his eyes, continuing: "But, this is way more important, and way more entertaining of course."
I let out a dramatic sigh: "I hate you all."
Minami chuckled: "No, you don't."
…I didn't.
But... I was absolutely going to kick Taisuke in his shin again.
~ Later that same day on the roof-top, Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
"35! 36!! 37!!! HAAARGGHH!!!! 38!!!!!!!"
Thud~
I dropped to the ground like a sack of wet potatoes... I quickly flipped my self over, looking at the sky;
"DAMN IT!!! This is so HARRRDD!!!!"
Ever since I completed that abominable first training quest, aka torture quest. It popped up, AGAIN! This time, I didn't just need to do 50 of each exercise. I needed to do 60 for each exercise instead!
Meaning everything increased by 10, the only thing that didn't increase was the kilometers I needed to run... Thank goodness.
But, with this pathetic ass body, it feels like forever to complete them all... Not to mention the sheer drain I feel when and after I actually do them all.
"Urghh-"
I was practically spread out on the floor, tired from it all.
I just did 38 / 60 required pushups I had today... but, I finished my squats, and half way completed my crunches with 0.2 Kilometers of running done so far.
I initially thought that it would be better to just finish some of it up at school during my lunch break, or at least get most of them out of the way so I could properly rest myself off at home...
Speaking of home, when I got there, I actually took the time out to learn as much as I could about what this panel thing really was. As well as the reward it gave me...
...
====Flashback, yesterday evening====
.
.
.
"I'm home..."
I immediately dropped off my bag at the door.
I couldn't bother with all of this...
At this point, a part of me was hoping that whatever screwed up situation I'm in, was nothin' more than some kind of horribly bad dream, but as much as I wanted to delude, and to remind myself of the fact that dreams don't last this long, and they aren't nearly as detailed as whatever this was...
'Maybe I am in some kind of coma... Yeah! That would make some sort of sense, but I doubt that's the case either...'
Tired from the walking, I looked ahead of myself. Still seeing the translucent screen in front of my face, asking me to 'claim my reward'.
Before I even get to that... Do I have what's needed to even survive?
I found money in my pocket and managed to buy something, but that's finished, and I don't even know where I'll get any more from either...
'Well... I might as well look around the place while I'm at it.'
The very first area I went to check in was the kitchen of course...
I walked in and inspected it a little, and in doing so, I've realized quickly it looked like it had everything needed... I'm thankful that this reality nothing seemed all that different, at least in how fixtures seemed to look. I tested the stove and Oven in the process, and fortunately enough, it worked exactly as how it looked.
'Now since that part's out of the way...'
I turned and checked around a bit more...
Seeing a fairly tall box that had two handles, it seemed like the refrigerator, I guess? But, the designs I've being seeing so far, would be for the lack of a better term, a bit antique... and, it definitely would take some getting used to. In fact, everything I've been seeing all day would take some getting used to.
Architecture in this world was just, weird, and overall, technological jumps as a whole, just seemed off.
For now, I just ignored it...
I opened it up: "Ah! Thank goodness... It's even packed to the brim too." This was the most important thing I've found so far, and that was if there any food in here. This alone could last me a month or two, maybe even three! If I kept it well frozen.
'Alright, since my food problem is solved... Next was the money issue.'
I head up stairs, back to my room...
I didn't know where else to check. I looked near my closet to see if I had anything there, but there was nothing. I checked the drawers, but I just found a bit of underwear, and a few miscellaneous stuff. Stuff, that was completely useless to me right now.
At this point? I'm hoping that I'll find some kind of hidden stash filled with cash to help me pull through all this...
Finally, I checked under the bed. I had no other clue as to where anything hidden might be in here, so I thought why not. And, after searching it out by feeling for it...
'Wait a minute...'
I looked under this time...
"Doth mine eyes deceive me?"
I pulled out the case, and low and behold. Cash! A whole lot of it too! I... think?
I didn't know how the currency in this world worked yet, but seeing this much green colored bills? It had to be worth somethin'! This of course got me thinking about who's body I was really in...
And it ended at me coming to the conclusion of Ayano, being some sort of rich kid, enough said there.
I got up, and dropped myself on the bed, tired from the day. I was long and tedious... Which leaves me to this thing in front of my face.
The quest today...
'If I'm remembering all this correctly, wasn't the reward some sort of, Bronze Key?'
Seeing the option in front of me, saying 'accept' I just clicked on it. Why not?
Fwiinng!~
"...Wo-Woah!"
A small light popped up Infront of my eyes. The damn thing nearly blinded me...
After a few seconds, I could see it slowly dimming, revealing a... Well... Key.
I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little disappointed in myself at thinking it was gonna be anything more than that;
'I guess, it really was a Bronze key.' I studied it a little, seeing and feeling it. Which I quickly surmised to be genuinely real bronze... That's actually pretty interesting;
'Huh... I wonder what it does.'
PING!!
I heard the notification again, and I saw the screen in front of me change...owing a description of sorts. Not seeing anything better to do, I read it. With it saying;
'Bronze Key: The Bronze Key allows the player to upgrade their maximum health and energy stat, only. It increases the player's maximum health by +1000, or the player's maximum energy capacity by +200, permanently.'
So this key...? It increases my health and energy?
"Hmm..."
Well, damn... This really does sound like an RPG-esq like set up... But, what do I even increase right now? Do I want to increase any of it? Why can't I just use the key to increase my other stats? I had these questions, and of course, this strange panel in front of me didn't answer any of it.
I feel like I was purposely left here to just figure this all out on my own. Which sucks...
'Ya' know what. I think I'll just keep it on me for now... When I see how they both work in the future, I can decide on which to use the key on.'
Now that's out of the way... I also needed to figure out how to get rid of this thing from in front of my face, it's starting to annoy the hell out of me. I know how to trigger it to come on, but not really how to get it off...
Here goes nothing;
"Down?"
"Off?"
"Power down...?" No, that one sounds ridiculous in and of itself...
"Turn off?"
"...Shut down?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
"..."
"Status, off!"
Ding!
As soon as I said that, I saw the screen disappear from in front of my face completely, like it was never there to begin with...
If this worked... then-
"Status?" I saw it instantly pop right back up... This time, with my quest being tracked to the side of what looked to be my attributes...
Ah, I see what you mean now! If it's 50 squats, pushups, and crunches, plus the 1-kilometer run, then that's a different story.
I groaned inwardly, but there was no getting out of it... 50 of each, plus a run? This wasn't some light workout challenge, at least in regards to my current body. This was a full-on test of my endurance. I could feel my muscles already aching just thinking about this...
'Great... Just what I needed. Like I wasn't already stressed out enough...'
I looked around my living room, trying to psych myself up. Squats, pushups, crunches—fine, I could handle that. But 50? That's a lot. And a 1-kilometer run? Hell, I'd be lucky to make it halfway without feeling like I was likely dying.
'Maybe I can just... take a break after the squats, then do some pushups after I recover from the run?'
Yeah, that wasn't going to work. I had to do it all in one go. Just finish it, and then I'd be done with it. I glanced back at the screen, still floating there with its annoying reminders.
'Whatever, let's just get started. If I can somehow pull this off, maybe I'll finally get some answers about all this mess. Plus, I can use the key's reward for something later…'
With a deep breath, I squatted down and got ready;
'Fifty. I can do fifty. Just don't think about it. Just do it man.'
I started, counting every rep, trying to block out the exhaustion that hit me quicker than expected. But, there's no use in backing out now, is there...
====Flashback end====
.
.
.
Now today? I'm completely fine...
Which shouldn't even be possible with what my current body is like...
My overall stamina was completely recovered by the time I woke up, which wasn't normal given my current state... If the same thing happens again today...
Wouldn't that mean this power of mine is actually helping me a bit?
Now that I really think about it, doing so much in a two day time span would straight up be impossible with an untrained body, much less one like this... It HAS to be this system aiding me in recovery, at least to some extent...
'AHH! Forget it... No point in questioning things like this, nor do I know if it's even a fluke either. It's probably best I test it when I rest up at home after finishing today's set of exercises.'
Still... I just hope that in the end, it's all worth it...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 5: Side Quest... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, A week later... ~
.
.
.
A week... It's been an entire week since I first got dragged into this messed-up reality. And honestly? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
Right now, though?
I'm pretty much just stuck in this class I have, sitting at my desk as if I've got nothing better to do, and trying my best not to fall asleep. It's just another boring lecture that I can barely focus on...
The teacher's voice was just droning on in the background, and all I can think about, is the hellish training I've been putting myself through each day since I've came here... Practically.
Now, I've been doing 130 squats, push-ups, crunches, and now 3 kilometers of running. A massive jump, and each time I do them, it essentially breaks me before I get to the next day...
It's been nothing but hell, but even I've got to admit; my body's been handling it, somewhat. It's not great, but it's definitely not falling apart either.
And the weirdest thing? No matter how exhausted I was the day before, the next morning, it's like I never even did it in the first place. No soreness, weariness either. Just… recovery, and me being at peak efficiency again. Which, kind of proved my theory that my recovery is likely aided by whatever this panel thing, is or was...
If I think about it too much, my brain starts to hurt a bit... I don't know why exactly this is happening to me, or if it's just some glitch in the system. There's no stat increases so far in the attributes. In fact, there are no signs of power-ups. Just me, pushing myself, with no feedback from the damn thing.
I glanced around the room, pretending to pay attention to the lesson. Which to be fair, the others don't really seem to have a care in the world. They don't have this… I doubt they had this hologram thing going on either, so they can just focus on the lecture without thinking about what else is weighing them down...
'Well, it's fortunate for them, I guess...'
...
I'm pretty much just here, stuck with my strange little set of rules... And, as far as I could really even tell, is that, there's no way out. No real answers to anything, and certainly no guidance either. Just a bunch of the same quests that demanded completion, or else and a body that recovers far too quickly for any of it to be remotely normal.
I let out a quiet sigh to myself, resting my chin on my hand.
'If only I could just get an explanation from whatever I had. Just one damn answer...'
But of course, I guess that's not how it works, right...?
The bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts, and the class starts to clear out. I quickly shove my notebook into my bag and make my way out the door, heading toward the next thing on my never-ending list of tasks.
All I can do for now is keep moving forward, and maybe—just maybe—I'll figure out what this all means...
"Hey, Keiji? Wanna grab lunch together, man?"
I turned to him, "Nah, I've decided on... making my own lunches... Haven't you realized that it makes no sense to get in that ridiculously long line?" I said it like as a matter of fact, and it was. That damned lunch line was massive whenever the time came around to eat, and I wasted all that time I could've used to actually workout, rather than waiting there instead.
"..."
Still, why is he looking at me as if I spoke Española...?
"Hmm... Fortunate for you then, I can't even cook half a meal for crap, really... Literally, and I can confidently speak for most guys that attends here, you must be a rare gem amongst us." Given his tone, and demeanor, I could that he... wasn't joking.
Still, I lifted a brow at that part, "Seriously though? I don't think I'm a separate species because I dabble in the arts of food, dude... Plus, guys like you have someone who preps those meals right?"
He nodded at my question, "Congrats for you I guess, I don't have that kind of gift..."
I shrugged off his dry humor, though, since I was used to it in my last life, trying not to think too much about it was better too. "Well, it's not too big of a, big deal. It just saves me time, that's all. Besides, it tastes a heck of a lot better, than whatever they claim they serve in that so-called cafeteria."
He laughed, shaking his head. "True, true... Anyways, if you're not grabbing lunch with me, I guess I'll just have to survive the line. But hey, let me know if you change your mind I guess."
I gave him a half-hearted wave as I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Yeah... maybe."
I do suppose it's a good thing to have someone to at least talk with in my kind of situation...
I stepped into the hallway, and I found myself wondering what else I could be doing right now... Training? Resting? There were always these damn quests hanging over my head, but for once, the thought of them didn't seem as pressing to me... Weirdly enough.
'I'm kind of getting used to-
PING!!!
-it...'
"..."
For fuck's sake! I just HAD to open my big mouth... I looked ahead of me again, I found myself frowning instantly...
---------------------------------------
{SIDE QUEST: Help a dude out! Stop Makoto Itou from getting bullied...
REWARD: 2 Bronze keys and 1 Silver Key}
---------------------------------------
'Someone was getting bullied? And, I should just help him out...? But, the rewards...
Though, I do get two of those of those Bronze keys, and a some kind of new Silver Key?'
I was kind of curious as to why the system just wanted me to do this, much less what that silver key even did too... But, is potentially getting my own buttocks handed to me really worth it here? AND, my pride? Screw it! I might as well shoot my shot.
Plus, it's not like it told me I should beat the bullies, I just needed to stop whatever this is...
'But... I don't even know where to g-'
Before I could finish my own thought, I saw that familiar blue arrow pointing ahead of me...
'Well then, I guess I don't need to really look... neat.'
.
.
.
"You son of a BITCH!" The shout made my head snap in the direction of the shouting. I immediately locked my eyes on the scene. A decently tall, brown-haired guy was yelling at someone on the ground...
It didn't take a genius to realize who that was... a battered Makoto, who looked like he'd been through hell.
"You just HAD to try and get with her, huh!!? HUH!!? Can't keep your damn cock in your fucking pants!?"
...
I instantly froze up, 'What?' watching as the bully got right up in Makoto's face. His words hit me like a slap to the face, and honestly? I didn't know what to really think right now...
'So that's what this is about…?' I'll make sure to note that thought, narrowing my eyes.
But, it's pretty clear. Makoto was trying to get with someone's girl... Or, was already with her.
I didn't know the all the details, but from the looks of it, it's clear that this guy was pissed for a reason. Was Makoto really that much of an asshole? I couldn't say I cared too much, but damn, being beaten up like this?
That didn't really seem right to me. Maybe he deserved it, though? If it was over a girl, his girl to be exact… Hell, if I was in the guy's shoes, I'd probably be pissed too... Still, it's not like Makoto molested her, or anything... I hoped.
...
I slowly shifted my posture upward, my fingers tapping my pocket while the guy and his crew continued to shout at Makoto. He was practically spitting at the kid now.
I heard the bully's voice rise again, and something in me shifted. No one deserves this. Even if Makoto's a fucking idiot… no one deserves to get beaten like this. I quickly stepped forward before I even realized what I was doing, my eyes never leaving the scene. The guy noticed me immediately, his glare so sharp I could almost feel it.
"What the? The fuck are you looking at?" he snarled, taking a step toward me, still peeved and more...
My pulse quickened, but I didn't flinch... And I sure as hell wasn't about to back down from this. I had a quest to complete.
"C-C'mon man... Get away from him."
The guy's sneer widened while he sized me up. 'Is he gonna try to start something?' My stomach practically dropped. This was a complete mess, and I didn't want to be a part of it... It's even worse considering that the guy's physique is massive compared to my own, flimsy thing.
"Or what? You gonna play the hero?" he growled.
I didn't back down, though. "N-No... To be honest, I don't even care what your issue with him is. You can't just beat him like this, man. AT this rate, he might even die."
The guy cracked his knuckles... but I could tell he was hesitating a little now, taking another step forward. I felt the tension building, like a dam ready to break, and fast. I wasn't a fighter, not even remotely... but I'd been in enough tense situations in my past life to know when shit was about to hit the fan.
.
.
.
DIIINNNNGGG~ DOOOONNNNGG~
"..."
"..."
Then the bell rang, and for a moment, it was like the entire world froze for me. The guy was hesitating even more, while his eyes turned toward the sound before he spat on the floor, and shot me one last glare...
"I'm not done with you, yet..." he mumbled to me, then he turned away, the other two following his lead...
I watched them go, letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, 'That was hella close!' My hands were still shaking, but I tried to steady myself while glancing back at Makoto. He was still on the floor, wiping the blood off his face, looking like he was barely holding it together...
"Are you, alright?" I asked him, trying to sound calm.
Makoto nodded, but it was pretty weak, barely a movement from him overall. "Th-Thanks. I don't know what to—"
"Don't thank me." I cut him off, admittedly, my tone much sharper than I intended it to be... I spoke up again. "At least do this, next time, don't put yourself in a situation like this dude..."
He looked up at me, eyes wide, like he didn't know how to respond. "I didn't… I didn't mean for it to—"
I raised an eyebrow, staring him down. "I'm sure you probably never mean for things to go this far, but, here we are."
I exhaled tiredly, turning to walk away. "Listen, just… stay out of trouble, alright?"
I didn't hear Makoto say anything else, but I could feel his stare lingering on me while I walked off... But, I kept on walking... Right now, my thoughts were more so on the rewards while I was heading towards the bathroom...
'Good, looks like no one's really in here...'
Despite this being a relatively stupid idea, I'm not gonna hide the fact that this was kind of exciting to me...
Taking the extremely small chance I had, I claimed all my rewards; being those two bronze keys, and that Silver Key. As I claimed them all, the light shined like it had done the first time. I haven't really gotten used to it yet, but I'm grateful enough that it didn't last too long, after a bit, it finally dropped into my hand, and this time it appeared like it was a bundle of keys instead...
'Oh~ Not bad, getting more than 1 Key means it'll bundle... that's, oddly convenient of this thing to, I guess.'
Ignoring the bronze ones for now, I focused on the silver one, it reading, 'The Silver key allows the user to acquire a passive skill at random. Passive skills are abilities that have no energy cost, no cooldowns, and can only be activated when their conditions have been met...'
My eyes widened... 'This really was some kind of game, huh...? Since it's all random too... That means, I can pretty much use it now without much thought of the future, since it is all random.'
Regardless, gaining an ability seemed awesome, so why not use it?
I held the key, and interestingly enough, the system panel changed again, showing me a keyhole... 'I guess, I should just push you in...?' Following my gut feeling, I gently placed it into the hologram like keyhole, twisting it...
...
DING! DING!
"H-Huh?" I heard some kind of roulette sound in my ears, before the screen flashed again, showing me cards, before it sun them all. it was so fat, I couldn't even read them as they constantly switched. Eventually, they started slowing down, just before landing on one of the cards...
Then, the card landed in my arms, it showed golden arms being crossed together. Looking below was a description that read 'Martial-Arts-Mastery: Martial-Arts ability increases slightly...' Looking further below, it had an asterisk beside even more explanations, this time saying; '*EFFECT: Only applies when the user is learning Martial-Arts.*'
I stared at it for a little more, trying to process it.
Martial Arts? It was a skill I wasn't really expecting, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed kind of useful... Though, it only applies when I'm learning Martial-Arts... Well, that was… a little specific. But, it was a passive skill, so it wasn't like I had to actively manage it.
I held the card in my hand. The glow still radiating from it, and a small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth... I couldn't help it.
'Not bad... Even A little extra boost in my self defense capabilities could potentially come in handy in future... Maybe.'
After a few more seconds had passed by, I saw the card disappearing into thin ear, slowly fading into light particles...
"When I get home, I'll have to test it, but my hopes aren't all that high... It does say 'slightly', but testing it won't kill me..."
Though... Why does it feel like I'm forgetting something, important...?
'Oh, no!'
Then, it all finally clicked in my head... 'I'm late for class...! Actually... There's no need to stretch it at this point, I'm absolutely cooked.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 6: More Drama...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, after school... ~
.
.
.
Never mind.
If I don't have to be late... Don't be.
'Note to self... Sir makes a fine example out of someone if they are...'
Thankfully though, school was finally over again, and people started leaving...
While I headed out to the entrance, I heard Renji calling out to me.
"Yo! See ya' later man." He said..
"Yeah, see ya'..." I waved him off goodbye...
Now it's time for me to get home, and finish my workout. I have a lot on my plate to do...
"Hey!!"
"Hey! Wait up! K-Keiji-san!!!"
...
I stopped mid-step, turning at the sound of my name being called...
In fact, I actually recognized that voice immediately-it was that Makoto guy, right?
And sure enough, when I fully turned, there he was, jogging toward me... But, he wasn't actually alone.
Beside him, keeping pace, was a girl I didn't expect to see-Sekai something I think, I didn't remember it really. I raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. What now though?
"Ah, hey... What do you need?" I asked him first, keeping my tone as neutral possible...
Makoto slowed to a stop just in front of me, rubbing the back of his neck: "I... I just wanted to properly thank you for earlier..." He said, continuing: "*Huff* I *Huff* Just wanted to say that *Huff* You really helped me out."
I shrugged: "It wasn't really a big deal..." Truthfully though. It was, especially since I handed my own ass to them on a platter...
The other person, Sekai I believe...? Cute looking girl. She certainly had her own charm to her, if I'm being honest with myself...
.
.
.
She on the other hand, was staring at me, her expression was calm, yet oddly cheerful... Then, she sighed, giving me a slight bow, saying: "Makoto-kun, he told me what happened... You really stuck your neck out for him, huh?"
I tilted my head slightly: "...Like I said... Not really, but I guess I kind of did."
She sighed once again, but there was no malice in it, in fact, it was the opposite: "Still, thank you... for helping him I mean."
I nodded at what she said, and glanced at Makoto, who seemed almost relieved by her words. His shoulders loosened a little, and he smiled-an awkward, guilty kind of smile. I guess he must feel a little bad, but still...
'Man, this guy…'
"Is that all you guys wanted to tell me?" I asked them both, already thinking about heading home. I had a work out to do and didn't want to take up too much of my time here, plus I had that new passive to test out as well after I finished exercising...
"Uhm... Yeah." Makoto said quickly, nodding: "I just… Yeah. Well, I'll see you around."
I nodded at him, but on the other hand, I saw Sekai giving me one last look. If felt like she was debating on saying something else, but in the end, she just followed right after him...
I felt like I recognized a certain look she had in her eyes when she turned back to face him, something I used to feel a long time ago...
'He's a fortunate guy...' Not many women would also apologize with you, especially over a rumor like that... Assuming she was even aware of the rumors to begin with...
I exhaled, shaking my head as I turned back on my path;
'Still... Whatever's going on with those two. I've got a strange feeling to not get dragged into it.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
Eventually, I made my way home without any more interruptions, going through the streets as the evening crowd began to thin out. My mind flickered back to that silver key, to the new passive I had gained.
Martial-Arts Mastery... It wasn't flashy sounding, but it was seemed useful, I guess. If I was serious about getting stronger, then it was exactly the kind of thing I needed...
The moment I got inside, I had tossed my bag aside, changed into some workout clothing, and got straight to it...
I quickly dropped to the floor and did the rest of my push-ups, then moved onto the squats. Those two, they were the easy ones, but the run, and crunches? They were the absolute killers to me...
After about an hour, I finally let myself collapse onto my back, catching my breath. My body ached in that satisfying-unsatisfying way, but my mind was still left on what happened earlier today...
Makoto... Sekai...? That whole situation. Why did the system even want me to help him exactly? It didn't even feel random either.
'Well, there's no use in thinking of it. But...'
I could still hear the way that guy from earlier shouted at him, the raw anger in his voice...
'If that whole thing was true… then maybe Makoto truly deserved that beating. Maybe he really was that kind of guy.' At least, the kind that played around. and left an absolute mess behind. And, if that was the case, I wasn't about to feel bad for him.
But at the same time… Sekai's expression kind of stuck with me too. The way she looked at him was, interesting...
'Actually... Why am I so focused on that exactly?'
I exhaled, staring up at my ceiling.
'It's not even my problem...'
I reminded myself of that fact, again. And yet, something told me this wasn't the last time I feel like I'd get myself dragged into it...
I got up, stretching for a bit, I went out to get my last bit of running in...
.
.
.
After half an hour of running my entire ass off, I'm finally done...
"I... I need a fricking break~" I huffed.
I felt absolutely wasted, I'd need another hour of rest before I started my new training because of that new passive...
Speaking of new passive;
'Status!'
After a week of experimenting... I realized I could mentally summon the panel as well which is pretty convenient.
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 168 cm | 5'6"
Age: 17
Health: 1000 / 1000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 100 / 100 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 1 / 1000
Defense: 1 / 1000
Agility: 1 / 1000
Spirit: 1 / 1000
Passive Skills;
1. Martial-Arts-Mastery
Skills; -
"What? How!?"
How did my stats NOT grow for an entire week straight? Is...
Is this thing broken, or something? The only thing I could see that genuinely changed, was my height. And even then, I only grew what? An inch taller, but that's it... I'm still super weak, on paper-panel, whatever... Which still makes no sense to me.
I was even getting some decent definition in my muscles too, but still. There's not a single change in any of my attributes...
"Gah!!!"
I'll just have to keep going and hope that whatever that awaits me by the end of this is well worth it.
...
I rested for another hour, and then some to do that martial arts training I planned since earlier...
But, through all this? I've just realized how truly alone I am in this world... and it doesn't seem like I even seem to have a family either... Man... This, kind of sucks.
Still, no use in dwelling on that either I guess... It's best to ignore it completely.
"Alrighty!" I got up for one last round of exercise, this time, going on the laptop I had in my room. Fortunately for me, technology was on the same level as it was back in 2025 in my last world, and what's even better, that had Youtube too.
So of course, I researched martial arts, but on second thought... which one should I even learn?
I placed a hand on my chin, "I'm not so well versed in the arts like some are, and If I had to choose, and I think I'd prefer defense techniques, or techniques that would subdue any of my opponents through technical knockouts..."
I scrolled through various martial arts styles and videos on the net, trying to figure out which one suited me best. With my current physical training, I didn't want something that would just burn me out—I needed something effective, something that would let me handle fights efficiently.
Striking styles like Muay Thai, and Boxing were very tempting for me. They definitely focused on power and aggression aspect, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to rely solely on trading blows, not with this build I had or the power behind it. My endurance was half decent... Probably. But, I wasn't built like a tank.
Then, there was the option of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo—both seemed like they were about using an opponent's strength against them or just manipulating it. It had grappling, submissions, and takedowns… That could probably work for me. If I got good enough, I probably could even drop someone, and end a fight fast without taking too many hits myself...
I leaned back in my chair, thinking it over for a few: "Yeah... Something like that seems more my style, and up my alley."
Knocking someone out quickly, controlling a fight with as minimal effort as possible-that was the smartest approach I could think of at the moment... It wasn't just about raw strength, right? Plus, to me, It was more so about being efficient than anything else.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I started searching for some basic tutorial videos, bookmarking a few of the promising ones I passed. Of course, learning through a screen wasn't the same as having an actual teacher, but with my Martial Arts Mastery passive, I had a slight inkling that I'd pick things up faster than normal, despite it saying it's a slight increase...
Regardless, this was a start at least: "Alright, let's see how far I can take this..."
I saw a video after a bit, one that actually spoke about chokes and submissions.
I clicked on the first tutorial, a video titled Effective Chokes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The thumbnail showed a well-built instructor demonstrating a basic rear-naked choke with a calm expression, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.
I hit play, listening to the instructor's calm voice;
"The rear-naked choke is one of the most effective submissions in BJJ. You can finish a fight in seconds if you have the position, and the technique right…"
He explained the proper positioning. First, securing the back, wrapping the arm around the opponent's neck, and locking it in with the other arm... It sounded simple enough, but there were so many little details, so much to get right and time.
I paused the video after a minute in, rewinding it a bit to take another look;
"Hmm... I probably need to be sure enough, that I at least understand the mechanics behind all this."
I realized that the video I was watching was packed full of nuances-mostly on how to squeeze properly, how to manipulate the opponent's body, and the timing. I couldn't afford to make mistakes when trying something like this. It could likely be the difference between victory, and failure.
But the more I watched them, the more I felt this subtle, yet weird tingling inside my head. It didn't really feel bad, it was the complete opposite really. I felt oddly, good...
It was like a natural instinct was kicking in, not so much as if I was learning the steps, but it was definitely about understanding them. Each movement I looked over, and each detail seemed to eventually fall into place. As corny as the thought of sounds, it was true...
I felt as though my body was already prepping itself to execute them properly...
'Huh, strange...? Why does my brain feel all, weird...'
I shook my head, trying to focus. I felt as if I was soaking up the information... Which means, it's gotta be the new skill I've gotten yesterday.
Still... I wasn't just going to let the passive do all the work. I had to make the effort to learn and apply these techniques in real situations. But still, even a slight increase in learning speed, and understanding gave me a little confidence that maybe this wouldn't take as long as I thought it would.
I took a few deep breaths, and hit play again, watching the tutorial closely.
It was time to learn for real.
...
~ The next day, Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Ayano walked into the classroom.
However, anyone could tell that he seemed like a walking corpse instead...
Renji looked at his friend from afar, waving: "Hey, Keiji... Woah... You, alright man? You seem a litt-"
"-Tired? Malnourished? Pale? Sickly? Anemic? Yeah... I know." Keiji told him.
"I was gonna say great, but~ I guess those work too."
Ayano scoffed: "Yeah, real funny sunshine..."
Renji laughed off the remark, asking: "So... mind telling me what you did to look like a walking dead?"
'Well... I guess it wouldn't hurt to say anything to him...' Ayano thought.
Finding a half decent response, he spoke: "...I was actually just doing some research in both Grappling and Judo all night yesterday, and to be real with you; it was well worth it."
His voice had a tired edge to it, but there was a tinge of satisfaction hidden underneath it all too.
He slouched down into his seat, resting his head on his hand as he rubbed his eyes. He hadn't slept all that much, but it was clear that the knowledge from last night's research, was something that had truly stuck with him...
Renji on the other hand, had tilted his head, eyeing Ayano with a mix of both confusion and a bit of concern... "You? Researching... fighting techniques? Man, I didn't think you were actually into stuff like that, call me surprised."
Ayano shot a small smile, though it was more out of habit than genuine amusement;
"Yeah, well, people can change." He responded whilst yawning, and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.
"Just… don't ask too many questions right now Renji... I need something called sleep, unlike you."
Renji raised a brow, but didn't bother pressing the issue... He knew his little friend was a bit of an enigma, at the few but many times: "Well... Alright, Just take care of yourself, yeah? You do look like you could use a na-"
"-AYANOO!!!!!"
.
.
.
"Huh!?"
Ayano's eyes blinked rapidly, his head snapping up at the sudden shout. His hand was still pressed to his forehead, the pounding headache he'd been nursing all morning was practically intensifying with all the noise. His gaze darted to the door, where the source of his disruption stood, and it stood tall...
'Ah, shit...' Ayano realized.
Immediately recognizing the guy who he almost fought yesterday;
'You have got to be kidding me...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 7: What!? (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
PING!!!
-------------------------------------------
{SIDE QUEST: Stop Yoichi Yamamura, and his gang!
REWARD: 1 Bronze Key}
-------------------------------------------
The system had turned this situation... Into a quest?
Now I know I can't just ignore it...
'Crap...'
I slowly rose up, but since I'm absolutely exhausted, I took longer than I thought I would to even properly stand, but before I could fully get up, someone from the corner of my eye stood, it was, Katsura...
"Umm... Excuse me... But you can't just come in here like this, please... You need to leave... Our class will start soon."
Yamamura had barely spared Katsura the time of day, his idiotically cocky smirk never wavering even once. He must think that he's some sort of tough guy... His possie was standing behind him, arms all crossed, looking as if they owned the place. I honestly can't believe that near eighteen year-olds were all acting like this.
Still, seeing this ass-hat shitting over Kotonoha's good graces like that did one thing I didn't expect. Surprising even me...
Was that it pissed me off.
"Really? And who he hell's gonna make me, huh?" He scoffed, stepping further into the classroom. His eyes glanced between Ayano and Katsura, before locking onto Ayano with a twisted grin: "Besides, I ain't done talking to Keiji here, yet."
I groaned internally... Shit...
'Of all the times for the system to throw a quest at me, it just had to be when I was running on fumes...'
Katsura, though clearly a bit nervous, but she didn't back down: "...It doesn't matter. You can't just come in here looking for trouble..." She insisted, her voice steady despite the situation.
Yoichi clicked his tongue, clearly unimpressed: "*Tch!* Since when the hell did a guy like you get people standing up for him? Thought you were a loner, man." His eyes flicked back to me, filled with that same annoying smugness.
I exhaled, rubbing the bridge of my nose: "Look, Yoichi. I'm not in the mood for whatever this is... Take your little goons, and get lost before our teacher shows up."
Yoichi grinned wider: "Oh? You worried about the teachers, Keiji?"
I narrowed my eyes: "No you-" I stopped myself from making that mistake... I calmed myself: "Listen... I just don't feel like wasting my last bit energy on something that isn't worth the time of day."
The gang behind him stirred, two of them murmuring amongst themselves, probably at the insult I threw, but Yoichi just laughed it off.
"Damn, talking big for someone who looks like they just crawled out of a grave."
"Yeah, and yet, I still look better than you." I shot back, tired of his fuckery. Admittedly, I was getting a bit irritated at what was happening, worse since I'm so tired. Not only that, this guy was bold as heck to try something like this, first thing in the morning too.
I saw his grin dropping for just a second before he rolled his shoulders, taking another step forward: "Big words. Guess I should remind you, and this class of who they're dealing with."
Before he could do anything else, Renji finally stood up from his seat, cracking his knuckles. "Hey, Yoichi, do me a favor, and take your tough-guy act somewhere else, yeah? No one here's impressed by you."
The classroom looked at the both us like we were some kind of fools, but, I could tell they had respected us for standing up for ourselves as well.
On the other hand, Yoichi's smirk turned into a sneer as he turned to Renji.
"Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?" He taunted.
I sighed again. I was way too damn drained for any of this. But with the quest hanging over my head, I knew I couldn't just ignore it...
"Yoichi." I called, drawing his attention back to me. I exhaled, forcing my body to wake up just a little bit more, it was clear that this guy was the type to not stop before he gets what he wants;
"...You wanna fight me so bad? Fine."
His eyes lit up at the challenge: "Oh!!!? You finally grew a spine?"
I stretched my arms, cracking my neck: "Something like that..." I'm not bitchy enough to ignore a fight, much less one like this. Before these damn quest started, I was a grown ass man on the inside and out.
I won't let some cocky asshole just do this by disrespecting me, and just get away with it either...
I could see Katsura looking at me, clearly worried, and it irked me... but I gave her a slight nod... Renji, on the other hand, also looked a bit concerned: "What the hell man?" He whispered to me, but I gave him a nod as well to show I would be ok...
For some reason, I could tell... I don't think I'll lose to guys like these.
Yoichi's cocky ass grin returned in full force: "Alright, Keiji-san... You better not back out now."
I scoffed: 'I wasn't planning to.'
Even though I was exhausted, even though my body protested every movement I made-I had no choice in the matter either... And, I didn't want to back down from this gigantic asshole either.
The Panel had given me a quest. And now, I likely had to finish it.
I walked down to all three of them, reaching the same floor level as they were...
Now being on the same floor as him, I think I know what I'll do instead: "How about you throw the first punch, big guy? Or..." I pointed towards his crotch;
"That height of yours doesn't translate to there, being any bigger?" I smiled.
"Wh-WHAT!!!"
If he was pissed before, he was practically furious now;
"YOU SON OF A- BITCH!!!" He practically launched himself at me, just like I had wanted, now he was clearly showing signs of throwing a straight punch, seeing it coming from a mile away, I sidestepped it, while grabbing his wrists.
All that learning I did yesterday?
I didn't expect it, but it was paying off in spades... To think that the passive would grant me such a massive increase in skill, despite it saying 'slight. If this was slight, what does the panel consider massive?
'No time to think about that now...'
With another motion, and seeing a decent enough opening... I twisted his arm, using his own momentum against him. His body lurched forward, throwing him completely off balance, and before he could even process what was happening, I took the small chance I had, and hooked my foot behind his leg and yanked it.
'Heh...!'
I realized that all the techniques I learned last night were practically flowing out of me like damn water... Very rough water, but still water none the less... At least it was enough for someone like this.
THUD!!
I heard a: "Argh!" as soon as Yoichi hit the floor, another sharp grunt escaped his lips as the air rushed out of his lungs. Plus, his little so-called 'gang' stood frozen for a few seconds, clearly not expecting their so-called leader to be floored so easily.
Thankfully, this guys had absolutely zero ground game.
I exhaled, using a little more strength in my shoulders...
'Damn, that was a tad bit easier than I thought it would be...'
I knew I had a bit more skill in my name, but this was far easier than I thought it would be...
"Grahh!!"
Yoichi was groaning below me, I could tell he was already trying to scramble his wad back up, but I didn't give him the chance. Before he could even raise his own head, I shifted my weight to the left, and dropped my knee lightly onto his chest-not hard enough to hurt, but just enough to let him know that I could if I wanted to.
He gritted his teeth, glaring up at me with pure rage.
"Y-You-"
I cut him off, pressing down just a little more...
"Listen you idiot! I'm exhausted, I barely got any damn sleep, and I really don't have the patience for this right now. So do both me, and yourself a favor, take your little possie, and walk out of here while you still can. Or..."
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice so only he could hear me this time;
"...I can keep going like this, and make sure you don't get up for the rest of the day... Your choice."
Before I knew it, I could see his face twisting with anger, likely at me, but I'm glad that he wasn't that stupid to try anything else. I showed enough for him to know that if he did try anything else, he'd just end up being humiliated even further...
I slowly stood up, slowly taking my weight off his chest, and took a step back: "So...? What's it gonna be?"
.
.
.
A few seconds passed, I could see Yoichi fuming while clenching his jaw, but instead of answering me, he shoved himself up, then he dusted off his uniform, and glared actual daggers at me. If looks could kill. I'd probably be at the earth's core right about now;
"*Tch!* This isn't over, Keiji!" He spat before turning to his gang. "Let's go!"
One of them hesitated. "But, Y-Yoichi-"
"I said let's go! DAMN IT!!!"
His voice was sharp, leaving no room for arguments...
With that said, all his dumb lackeys quickly fell in line with em';
'Of course they would too...'
Following him right out of the classroom. I watched them all leave, making sure they were gone before letting out a long exhale...
"Damn, I'm wasted..." I mumbled that one, more so to myself...
Though, I wonder if that kind of win counted towards his little puss-boy gang too.?
PING!!!
I checked my screen and sighed in relief.
'Well... It looks like I just got my answer to that one.'
A small weight settled in my pocket. I resisted the urge to check it immediately-since now it clearly wasn't the time.
Instead, I rolled my shoulders, feeling the strain starting to settle in. My muscles were screaming at me for moving around this much on so little rest...
Katsura finally spoke up, her voice sounding slightly uncertain, yet a bit thankful as well...
"That was... Thank you... But, are you okay...?" When she asked me that, I felt this damn heart of mine flutter again, this time, being so close; I unfortunately could tell just how pretty she really was, and how great she smelled...
'Seriously, focus dude...'
I snapped to myself. The sheer effect this girl had on this kid's body wasn't normal, at all...
But, I had to play it cool. I rubbed my head a little, my headache was worsening by the second at this point...
"Ah, of course, don't worry, I'll live." I told him.
Renji, on the other hand, was grinning like a complete child. "Dude, that was amazing! You just played that guy like a damn fiddle!"
I snorted. "Yeah, well, now I get to deal with the consequences later. That guy's got an ego the size of a damn truck, if not bigger—he's not just gonna, let this go."
Renji shrugged. "Eh? C'mon man, let future Keiji worry about that. Right now, you should be celebrating. You just established yourself as someone not to mess with."
I wasn't entirely sure about that, but before I could say anything, the door slammed open again. Still, he was partially right, people were already starting to look at me differently...
All three of us turned... Plus, I was ready for round two if need be, only to see our teacher walking in, looking completely unimpressed...
"Alright, everyone, take your seats..." He said, adjusting his glasses;
"I don't care what just happened-unless someone is bleeding, or unconscious... For now, I expect your silence, and attention."
'?Thank goodness... At least out teacher doesn't mind it that much...'
Still, seeing how he was looking at me with a bit of disappointment, didn't make me feel any better. Knowing I couldn't do jack about it, I just dragged myself back to my seat... Renji leaned over, whispering to me: "Hey? You sure you're okay...?"
Of course, I waved him off: "Yeah man... Just, uh... A bit, tired."
I was tired, and now I've got a whole new set of problems coming my way...
I guess, that just means more quests, right?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 8: Someone Else...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, 3 weeks later... ~
.
.
.
'Just... one more kilometer left...!'
My legs burned, my breath came in sharp ragged bursts, and I could even feel my vision blurring at the edges at times—but, I kept myself moving. It's like I was in some sort of trance at these times..
It had been three weeks of absolute hell. Three weeks of pushing my body past its limits every single day. And yet, despite all that pain, and all the exhaustion, I felt as if I was, growing.
'On second thought... Maybe these workouts are actually working.'
"*Huff... Huff*
I could tell... I was at the point that I had to practically force my aching legs to carry me forward, and each step that hit the pavement, came with a dull sound. Thankfully, the air tonight was cool, and feeling it going against my sweat-drenched skin, it helped cool me of, despite my feeling like I was on fire, literally.
What I realized over the weeks I've spent training, is that this, ability of mine, if I could even call it that, had set these workouts in hopes to to push me to my absolute limits, each and every day... Whether physically, or mentally.
At first, when I started with just 50 push-ups, crunches, and sit-ups a day. Now, I was doing 2000 of each.
The daily increases of ten's had piled up fast, with even those increments increasing the second, third and final week... And my runs? I started at two kilometers. Now, I was running 50.
I never thought I'd push myself this far, but here I was... And, I wasn't even done yet...
'Haha...'
It was kind of hilarious to think I could pull these insane numbers out of myself, everyday at that.
As I nearing the end of my run, I clenched my fists, pushing through the last burst of exhaustion I had accumulated since earlier. My body was already begging me to stop at this point, but my mind had refused, I could feel it...
That small hint of euphoria. I could feel it spreading throughout my mind, and body...
'C'mon... Just, one more... Just one more step. One more meter. One more kilometer...'
.
.
.
.
.
"*Huff... Huff...*"
.
.
.
"Huh!?"
My vision returned... And, I was still running? But, the pain...? Why does it feel like it was numbed...?
Not thinking on it any further, I stopped my jog, right there.
I didn't know how much more time had passed when I had that last thought of mine... But, it looks like I blacked out completely...?
I checked on the panel, and not so interestingly enough, my jog was completely finished.
"Then, how did-"
Thump~
.
.
.
"Garh!!?"
I felt a level of pain wash over my body like I've never felt before.
"Fuck!"
I felt like a bag of lead...
Before I do anything, I essentially collapsed onto one of the nearby benches, practically gulping down air like I'd been drowning. I grabbed my chest, just in the hopes of easing the pain...
"Haahhhh!! Haaahhhhh!!!" I could hear myself wheezing.
My own heartbeat, it was practically pounding in my ears, but underneath it, the exhaustion and aching, a deep sense of satisfaction settled in me...
.
.
.
After a few minutes, I finally got back some of my breath, but the pain in my muscles didn't stop one bit, still...
'It looks like... I'm finally done...'
When I turned, I could see the sun, slowly setting right in front of me.
'Well, it looks like I've found my new viewing spot, huh...' I smiled to myself... I feel like I've changed for the past month, like my mentality was actually getting better, but maybe that was just all in my head at this point.
Regardless, I know I've gotten stronger. And I had a feeling… I was going to need this strength soon.
Yet, for some odd reason... I still couldn't feel the effects of that strength...
PING!!!
"Well, speak of the panel..." I heard the notification sound pop up in my head, and then flashing in my face...
----------------------------------------------------
{GROWTH QUEST: Head home, and get your A-game on! You're super weak, and you won't survive if you are, so it's time to get strong! (COMPLETE)
Tasks;
2000 / 2000 pushups (Complete)
2000 / 2000 Crunches (Complete)
2000 / 2000 Squats (Complete)
50 / 50 kilometer run (Complete)
REWARD: +250 to all stats, +5000 HP, +1000 EP, +1 x Recovery Potion, +1 Golden Key +1 Silver Key, +2 Bronze keys.}
------------------------------------------------------
Zzztt~
Zzzt~ Zzzt~
"Wha!? What the-"
I saw feint sparks of some form of blue electricity flowing around me, before settling again and then disappearing completely... And just as soon as it came, it went...
'The hell was all that!?'
I looked around myself to check if there was more, but nothing came up. But, what was all that for, seriously...?
I scratched my head, trying to wrap my head around it; "Am... Am, I supposed to feel any different here, or...?"
Try as I may, I genuinely felt no different than before that random show of fireworks, the only thing I was still feeling, was the sheer pain after my workout a few minutes ago...
SHIINNG!!
Before I knew it, another spark of light popped up right in front of me, the largest one I've seen so far too. After a few seconds, I could see a bundle of keys, with the 2 bronze, 1 silver and the golden key...
After that, I even received a small red looking vial with them too...
I scratched my head for a second;
'Alright then, so what does this Golden key do?'
I stared at it for a second to see it's description, saying
'Golden Key: The Golden Key gives the user powerful active skills that consume energy in return.'
"You don't say..."
'So~ this means I'll be getting an actual skill-skill this time...?'
The thought of that kind of excited me, but... What if the system gave me something absolute retarded...?
Actually... I might as well not think about that. Moving on the this potion thing.
It says;
'Recovery Potion: The recovery potion recovers all the user's stamina, energy and health when consumed.'
Isn't this little thing nifty...? I'm definitely gonna save the potion then, just in case if I need it. But... I'll definitely make quick use the Golden Key, and the Silver one.
Just like all the other keys before it, I held the Golden key, and pushed it into the keyhole... And just like last time, some cards shuffled together, then after a few more seconds, it landed on a relatively weird looking one, it kind of looked like an eye...?
I grabbed it from the air, then I started reading it's description;
'Charge shot: Start by gathering energy with your eyes closed. In proportion with time. You will be able to launch a single powerful strike that cannot be avoided... Cost: 200 EP.'
When I looked lower, it showed it's effect;
'*Effect: Can only be activated during battle.*'
Seriously? That's, kind of disappointing...
I don't know how powerful this thing could be exactly, but going based off what the panel calls slight, I'd wager this thing could potentially be very powerful in the right conditions, I think...
Next off, I pulled out the Silver Key this time...
I did the same thing as the Golden one, only this time, I had eventually gotten a passive, called recovery, which I read being;
'Recovery: During sleep or rest. The body's recovery rate increases tremendously.'
'Didn't I have something like this already...?'
Well, might as well test it out, right? It's around 6 PM. Then, it'll probably be best if gave myself an hour to rest, at least before I do anything else, it should be good way to test out how effective the skill is too...
With all that said, and finished, I decided to finally doze off, just...
For a little bit...
.
.
.
"*Yawn~*"
"Hmm..."
When I opened my eyes and stretched, the first thing I noticed was how... light I felt.
"Haah...? Woah..."
The annoying soreness that had practically left me all paralyzed me earlier? It was just, gone. The exhaustion that made me feel like my body was weighed down by literal lead? Completely erased... I don't feel the least bit fatigued either...
I flexed my arms for a bit, and it felt great...
'This... This is insane... Oh, yeah!'
I almost forgot to check the time...
"It's, 7 PM..."
I just couldn't believe this. That it was just an hour that had passed me by, yet, I felt like I could do what I did today again. I usually took an hour, or so to myself to rest my body, but even then, I still had felt sore over all over but to a slightly lesser extent... but this? I feels like I've essentially been reborn.
'Well, it's definitely powerful skill, that's for sure...'
I sat up slowly, testing the rest of my limbs to make sure I wasn't going crazy... And to my surprise, there wasn't any stiffness either, not even a singly inch of pain anywhere to be felt—just a sense of complete, and total recovery.
"Haha!"
I flexed my fingers, rolled my neck, even stretched my legs out a bit more. It all felt like I hadn't even worked out all today. No, scratch that—it was like my body had been fully optimized, like it had essentially adapted to the training, instead of just recovering from it...
The new ability actually worked. And it's working ridiculously well.
"Okay, this thing is definitely somethin' else..."
I couldn't stop the grin from forming on my face. A full recovery in just an hour? If this worked every time I slept, I could train way harder than before, and still be fresh the next hour
.
Standing up, I gave myself one last stretch to be sure... "Alright, that's enough joy time... it's time to head back home."
*Grumble~*
'I thought this might be the case...'
My stomach was growling, reminding me that recovery or not, I still needed food to function... And after burning through what felt like a million calories today, I deserved to eat something real good. Maybe a few bacon sand witches will do...
I jumped a bit to get myself a little pumped for the run back, especially since I was pretty far away from home...
As I started to run-
Fwish~
"WHOAH!!!!"
The moment my foot hit the ground, I felt a sudden surge—no, an explosion—of raw force, propelling me forwards. My body shot ahead like a bullet, the scenery around me blurring, as if I'd just been yanked into hyper speed.
"Wha—?!"
My brain barely had time to process what was happening before my instincts kicked in. I stumbled, nearly tripping over my own legs. I struggling to adjust to the absurd acceleration I just exerted from my legs just a few seconds ago...
I was, fast.
Way faster than before. But that stat jump didn't make me feel any different, so how is this even so powerful? I'm way faster than I should be...
My heart was pounding, but not from exhaustion this time, but from pure adrenaline. I was fighting to even stay upright. Every stride sent me meters ahead in an instant, my feet were barely touching the pavement before I was already moving forward again.
"This—This ain't normal!" I yelled, my voice barely catching up to me as the wind roared in my ears.
Was this because of the stat boost from the growth quest? Did my body just now adjust to the increase or something?
I grit my teeth, and forced myself to lean into the motion, trying to control the speed rather than let it control me, and it's proving to be very hard. After a few more wild minutes, I eventually started getting the hang of it.
My movements became a bit smoother, and my steps got a little more controlled.
And then? I smiled, who wouldn't? If this was my new normal, then I could really work with this.
I pushed forward, this time embracing the speed rather than fighting it. The run back home, which should've taken at least an hour, now felt like a mere few minutes.
Buildings in the distance, and streetlights were essentially zipping right past me, coupled with the cool night air rushing against my skin, while I was covering ground at an insane pace, it was fucking, amazing!
Before I knew it, I was already at my block...
SCREECH~~~
.
.
.
'Well... I Guess these shoes are done for...' I skidded to a stop in front of my house, nearly losing my balance as I overestimated my own momentum. My breath was steady, my body still felt super fresh, and my legs? Not even remotely sore either.
I blinked. Then I found myself laughing... I just covered about 10 miles in a sub 20 minute run... Isn't that insane? I'm sure that was well beyond human standards too, right? It had to be...
"Alright..." Looks, like I'm still catching up to what just happened. "Isn't this actually nuts?"
'Status!'
___________________
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 172 cm | 5'7"
Age: 17
Health: 6000 / 6000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 1100 / 1100 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 251 / 1000
Defense: 251 / 1000
Agility: 251 / 1000
Spirit: 251 / 1000
Passive Skills;
1. Martial-Arts-Mastery
2. Recovery
Skills; Charge Shot - Cost: 200 Energy
____________________
Boy is it fun to see those attributes grow... This... This is a good thing...
Now, I just need to work on my Aikido before bed, that should be a good last thing to do.
.
.
.
~ Ayano's Pov, the next day... ~
.
.
.
I stepped into my classroom, as usual, then seeing Renji do what he does best, talk heck of a lot.
When I made my to sit next to him, he looked at me, weirdly...
"Is... there something wrong with me...?" I asked him, point blank.
When I asked him though.
He just looked at me as if, I were an alien from mars, or Jupiter, didn't matter. The point was, I didn't get why he was looking at me the way he did, but he looked like he was about to talk...
"T-That, voice!? No way... Wait... Keiji? Is... is that, you?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 9: Illusion...?
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
I paused for a second to get this all cleared up, "So... Your saying I changed that much, overnight?"
Renji looked at me like I were an alien.
"Yeah, You're almost as tall as me, plus... Even your face looks all different, not much, but definitely different compared to yesterday, looks like you've lost a little weight too to be honest..."
I sort of understood what he was saying to me, but wasn't this all gradual? Or, shouldn't it be? 'Now I'm just straight up confused...'
I knew I had gotten stronger—hell, I had pushed myself past my limits every single day for weeks. But the way Renji was acting, it was like I had morphed into a completely different person in just a few hours.
I didn't feel any different.
Even after all that training—after pushing my body to its absolute peak—I never felt like I was getting stronger. My endurance improved, sure, but there was never any real, noticeable change in my over all strength.
I had pretty much gone from barely managing 50 pushups to doing 2000 a day after a while, yet I still felt like the same person I was at the start. No painful muscle soreness to my name, no gradual sense of power growing inside me either. Which, was odd...
And then, last night, when I had completed the quest, the system just… unlocked everything?
My gaze snapped to my stats in my mind. The boosts were massive, but they weren't given to me. They were likely the direct result of my training—my blood, sweat, and exhaustion. I felt like the system wasn't granting me this kind of power.
It simply let me access the strength I had already earned... But, why? Why even do this, in that kind of way?
I do suppose it's a reason as to why I even felt the same the whole time… I was getting stronger, but my body just wasn't letting me feel it until now.
I think I've finally pieced this all together, somewhat... I know that my body hadn't changed as drastically as Renji thought it did—it had always been like this, at least when I started training. It seemed like whatever power I had and just disguised it;
Probably making me look the same as before, while letting the strength accumulate in the background...? Then, last night, it probably removed the suppression I had on me...
So now, to everyone else… it looked like I had transformed overnight.
"...Hmm..."
"That actually would, at least technically explain a lot..."
Renji raised an eyebrow. "Uh? What does exactly?"
"Nothing..." I said quickly, shaking my head.
"Just, thinking out loud to mysel-"
"-Huh...?"
...
Before Renji could press me further, I stopped myself... I don't know why, but I'm feeling a chill...
In fact, I suddenly feel like there are a pair of eyes on me... If I had to describe it. It felt like a sharp, lingering gaze that was just a little too intense to be casual...
I turned my head slightly, trusting my gut to lead me in the direction, catching the wild brown-haired figure of Sekai just, just... staring at me.
Our eyes even met as well...
Her expression was pretty much unreadable to me—neither surprised, nor particularly interested—but she had been looking long enough for it to mean, something, or I'd assume it would... It felt just a little creepy.
Then, just as quickly, she turned away, as if she was dismissing me entirely.
'Ah... Okay then...' I wasn't about to waste time thinking about whatever that was...
"Yo, earth to Ayano?" Renji waved a hand in front of my face.
I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm here."
Renji gave me a weird look, like he wasn't sure whether to be concerned or just make fun of me. "You sure...? Cause you kind of spaced out there."
"Yeah, I'm fine." I rolled my shoulders, feeling an odd lightness in my body. "Just thinking about something."
Renji huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Well, whatever. Just don't start levitating or shooting lasers outta your eyes next, 'cause at this rate, I wouldn't be surprised."
I snorted. "Oh yeah? What would you do if I did?"
He looked at me with a disgusted face, saying; "I'd leave. Immediately."
I laughed a little, shaking my head. Renji wasn't even joking—he was actually dead serious...
But even with the back-and-forth, my mind kept drifting back to what I had just realized.
If the panel had maybe been keeping my strength hidden or suppressed this entire time, then what else was it holding back? Was there more that was being hidden from me?
'I don't like not knowing about these kinds of things... But, it's nice to see what happens when I train.'
For now...
Off to home I go.
...
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Keiji looked at his wrist, 'Crap. It's almost 5, well I guess next time I won't be taking this way home.' He thought, mentally cursing himself, but not too much. While he was walking, he saw a group of men up ahead talking amongst with each other, with most wearing relatively dark hoodies, some wore mouth masks while the rest were relatively hidden and to themselves.
As he got closer, one of the hooded ones looked at him, quickly touched the tallest of the group to look towards his direction.
'Why do I have a BAD feelin' about this...' Keiji, albeit reluctantly, turned around quickly, as if he had left something, 'I've seen too many incidents like these play out, and I'm not about to become a potential victim.'
Before he could get a few steps off, he heard, "OI!!!"
"Ah, shit!" He cursed under his breath, without wasting a another second, he got ready to sprint, but heard the familiar *PING!* of the system, usually of some new quest that generated and needed to complete...
Resigning himself to his own fate, he casually looked ahead, reading off what it said;
--------------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 1: Stop ALL the illegal and delinquent activities in the town area, but first, start with the rooks... [Quest can be done overtime...]
Tasks;
Henchmen: 0 / 2844
Mini-Bosses: 0 / 5
Final Boss: 0 / 1
REWARD; ??????}
---------------------------------------------------
.
.
.
Reading it, he shook his head;
'I guess... I've got no real choice then.'
He slumped, turning around. This time, he caught a glimpse of the tallest guy's face, and recognizing it immediately;
'Seriously...? Wasn't this person the same Yoichi kid I fought a few weeks back?'
Ayano shook his head, disappointed, but not surprised at the sight. However with this, he knew he didn't have to pull his punches...
'I showed him mercy last time... It won't happen twice.'
.
.
.
However, Ayano wasn't the only person who recognized the other...
Yoichi puffed his blunt, before whistling;
"Well~ Well~ Look who it is...? I guess today's my lucky day. I got to fuck hot chicks, and now I get to pummel your skinny ass into the pavement? No... I'm gonna fucking cripple ya' for what you did that day!" Yoichi smiled. He walked forward, this time, being cautious, getting into a boxing stance.
'Talk about holding a grudge...'
Keiji thought. Getting into a boxing stance of his own as well...
Yoichi seeing this, smiled became even wider at the sight.
"A cocky little fucker? You really wanna try, and beat me at my own game!? You better switch to grappling fucktard, or else you might go down easier than I wanted ya' too."
Keiji didn't say a word, but he did switch up his stance again...
'The peek-A-boo? Why? Actually... It doesn't fucking matter, I'll still beat the shit out of him.'
Yoichi thought. He slowly stepped forward, being the zealous type, throwing the first punch, being a left hook.
Fwip-
Keiji dodged it, swaying to the right, then seeing another punch coming from the right, he swayed to the left... Yoichi threw multiple punches; hooks, straights, corkscrews, upper-cuts and jabs, yet each time he found all his punches gently caressing the air...
However, Keiji was essentially dodging with barely any room to spare.
Yoichi immediately backed off, sweating profusely...
'The fuck is up with this guy? I thought he was a grappler!? But, none of my punches are actually touching him... Hell, I haven't even fucking grazed him...? How the hell is that even possible!?'
At first, Yoichi was more than confident in himself, but now...? He was starting to get a bit, wary.
"Hey! What the hell's talking ya' so long Yoichi, stop playin' with that squirt!"
"Yeah, we've got places to be! Hurry the hell up!"
Yoichi on the other hand, snapped.
"*Tch!*Would you all! SHUT. THE. HELL. UP!!!" He shouted, causing the rest behind him to stop talking, immediately... Keiji on the other hand was relatively impassive, if anyone there had looked close enough, he would almost seem as if he was tired of what he was doing...
"I think... I should end this right about now..." Keiji stated, almost without any real emotion or thought behind it.
Keiji started to lightly jump in the air;
Tap~
Tap~
...
Tap~
Tap~
A slow and steady rhythm that anyone could hear... Just as he did, he slowly started to sway to the left, and slowly to the right, while his leg began moving... Faster, and faster...
'Wha-What!? How the hell are his legs moving that fast!? Is this fucker even human!?'
Fwish-
In an instant Keiji shot forward, clenching his fists, his body becoming a living blur of blue and white, as he instantly bridged the distance between them both...
Yoichi barely had time to react before—
BAM!
Keiji's fist buried itself into his gut, knocking the wind clean out of the boy. His feet even lifted off the ground for a brief moment, with his body dropping back down and doubling over as if he had been hit by a truck.
Yoichi's mind barely registered what had happened before—
CRACK!
A sharp uppercut slammed into his jaw, his head snapping back violently. His body wobbled, knees buckling—
THWACK!
Keiji swiftly pivoted himself. His right fist smashing into Yoichi's temple with a clean cross. The street fighter's body spun midair before crashing onto the pavement with a dull thud.
Flick~ Flick~
Shaking off his hands a bit...
...
The group behind him stared, eyes all wide, mouths slightly open.
Yoichi—who had been so confident just moments ago—laid absolutely motionless on the ground, unconscious before he even had a chance to fight back properly...
Keiji exhaled. His stance relaxed while he looked down at the fallen opponent, clearly unimpressed.
"That's one..." he counted, now thoughts fully on fulfilling the objectives of the quest... His gaze lifted toward the rest of the gang, his blue eyes shade colder than before.
"So… Which one of you idiots are next?"
The remaining thugs flinched instinctually, exchanging uneasy glances at each other... But, they had their pride, somewhat. They decided to band together...
"He-he can't beat all of us together! Hurry and Surround him!" One of them shouted.
Keiji cracked his neck, exhaling through his nose as the gang circled him like a pack of rabid dogs. Their confidence wavered, but desperation pushed them forward.
'Six of them left...'
He thought... His gaze quickly swept across the entire lot.
'One's heavier—slower... Two have knives on em'. One in the back looks like a kicker. The rest? Likely nothing but sloppy brawlers, at best.'
He surmised, smirking... "Perfect."
The first idiot lunged—a burly guy with thick arms swinging a wild haymaker straight for Keiji's face. Keiji easily ducked low, stepping into his guard, and drove his elbow into the man's ribs.
A sickening crack echoed as the boy's eyes bulged in his head, a pained wheeze escaping his lips before Keiji grabbed his wrist—
POP!
With a ruthless wrench, he quickly dislocated the larger man's shoulder and tossed him aside like garbage.
"That's two down."
The next two came together—one wielding a knife, the other trying to grab Keiji's arm.
Keiji sidestepped the grab, twisting his body and guiding the knifeman's wrist into his would-be attacker's gut.
SHNK!
The man gasped, doubling over as the blade barely missed puncturing his stomach, but that was the least of his problems at the moment. Keiji seized the knifeman's wrist, spun on his heel, and snapped his forearm with a brutal armbar twist.
CRACK!
The thug howled, dropping the knife, but Keiji wasn't done. He slammed his knee into the man's jaw, sending him sprawling unconscious. The thug who almost got stabbed stumbled back, eyes wide. Keiji swept his legs out from under him, then brought his heel down on his shin.
SNAP!
A piercing scream followed, as the leg bent at an unnatural angle...
"Three down."
The kicker in the back finally made his move, launching a high roundhouse at Keiji's temple. But he stepped inside the arc of the kick, catching the youth's leg midair, and—
BOOM!!
—driving him straight into the pavement with a seoi nage (shoulder throw). The impact literally rattling the ground as the thug coughed up blood. His ribs likely shattered.
'Four...'
The last of the two? There were, hesitating...
'Who-Who the hell even is this kid!?' The taller of the two thought.
Keiji simply stared them down, both his presence and the fact that the rest of their squad being beaten senselessly, was essentially suffocating both them at this point. Then, the shorter one of them—desperate—grabbed a metal pipe from the alley.
"C-C'mon you fucker! I ain't scared!" He shouted, holding the pipe.
Keiji shook his head, "Don't, just don't do it... It's a bad move." Warning the youth.
"Like HELL I will ya' Fucker!!! HARRGGHH!!!" He shouted.
Swing!!
Ayano just let him swing. At the last second, he redirected the strike, while also catching the pipe under his arm, clenching it before slamming his fist into the boy's elbow joint...
CRACK!
The boy screeched, his arm had been bending the wrong way... Keiji quickly grabbed the pipe, and threw it away, and—with one clean motion—smashed his shin into the his kneecap with a low right Muay-Thai axe kick.
CRUNCH!
The final thug collapsed, clutching his mangled knee, "ARRG-RYGHHH!!!!"
Keiji exhaled, cracking his knuckles while the last of them laid down, partially broken, battered, and equally all writhing in pain.
None of them were dead of course, but every single one of them? He had already made up his mind that he'd be having them hospitalized, for a few months at least...
He spat to the side:
They'll heal from something like this, eventually… but, next time?'
His gaze swept over them, a part of him wondering if had been a bit too cruel to these kinds of kids, but as quick as the thought came, he swiftly shook it right back off;
'No... At least they'll know better next time, than to try something like this ever again...'
He looked back and, on the ground he grabbed the pipe from one of the boy's arms, promptly snapping it in half, and letting it clatter to the ground next to them, turning away without another word...
That was until, he saw an unexpected face...
.
.
.
'Oh... Oh no...' Out of anybody in the world that could've spotted him doing something delinquent, it was the one person his body had, favored the most...
"Ko-Kotonoha?"
...
PING!!
.
.
.
-------------------------------------------------
{SIDE QUEST: Explain to Katsura about what happened here...
REWARD: ??????}
--------------------------------------------------
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 10: A needed explanation...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"W-Wait... I know this looks bad... But, I can explain what happened..." Keiji quickly said.
Katsura remained at a fair distance, slightly scared... He could see her looking at the men on the floor, with some of their bones in the wrong places, yet the one who stood standing was the transfer student, Ayano...
She had remembered who he was, the boy who had taken down Yoichi at that time, it's the only reason why she hadn't ran as yet... She looked at Keiji, "Just... stay there, and don't come any closer... I'll listen to you if you can do that."
Knowing he didn't have much of a choice in the matter, he stopped in his tracks...
Keiji sighed, raising both hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! I'll stay right here..." His tone was quite calm, though there was a bit of tension in his stance.
He glanced down at the unconscious boys, with some of their limbs twisted unnaturally, and let out a small sigh;
'Yeah, this definitely looked bad...'
Katsura didn't lower her guard... Her fingers twitched at her sides, ready to bolt the other way if he made a sudden move. "You... may start explaining yourself..." she asked, shyly, eyes locked onto him.
Keiji scratched the back of his head, hesitating for a moment before speaking. "These guys? Well, they actually started all this. I was just passing through when they decided to pick a fight with me. I told them to walk away, but... well, you can see how that went."
He gestured toward the groaning bodies on the ground.
Katsura narrowed her eyes, still suspicious, but slightly scared. "A-And you expect me to believe that...? That they all just attacked you first?"
Keiji exhaled sharply. "Look, I'm not lying. They wanted to show me my place or something..." His gaze darkened slightly.
"I gave them a chance to leave me alone... They didn't take it."
Katsura hesitated. His words, made sense. These people looked as if they weren't exactly known for being the friendly kind, even she could see that type. But still, just the sheer cruelty of the entire scene had left her a little, uneasy...
"Still... You-You didn't have to go this far..." she said, still shaken up at the sight.
Keiji tilted his head, a slightly confused expression crossing his face. "Didn't I?" His voice was quiet, almost thoughtful sounding;
"Would you rather I let them walk away so they could potentially do the same thing to someone else?"
Keiji instantly knew that they were the type to do this to other innocent kids. In fact, they've probably done it before...
However, Katsura's breath caught in her throat... There was something unnerving about the way he said that—not in a boastful way, but as if he was stating an undeniable truth.
For a moment, neither of them spoke a word to each other...
Coupled with the distant hum of the wind filling the silence between them... Keiji. realized this, for the first time in a while since coming to this world, he actually felt like he needed to mind his actions;
'At least, I can gauge her, somewhat... I can tell she's likely gentle person at heart, but definitely not soft. Soft-spoken, sure... Yet oddly, firm when she needs to be.'
Finally, Katsura let out a slow breath.
"...I-I don't know what to think of, this... Or, you." she admitted. Still finding it hard to believe someone of Keiji's stature could even pull of something remotely close to this.
Still, he sighed at his predicament, slowly lowering his hands, "That's, fair..." His expression softened, albeit, slightly...
"But, I actually meant what I said—It's not like I'm your enemy." He explained himself.
She studied him carefully, searching for any sign of deception. "If... If, I find out you're lying-"
"-You won't..." Keiji interrupted, his tone firm. "I don't really make a habit of lying to people."
Katsura bit her lower lip, glancing once more at the unconscious men, before turning back to him.
"…Fine then... I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. For now..."
Keiji offered a small, lopsided smile. "That's... all I can really ask for..." Seeing that he somewhat had made peace with the situation. He quickly took out his phone, dialing a number;
'Hopefully this number works in this world as well...'
Quickly in-putting in 119...
In no time, he had gotten an answer, "Yes, Hello? I have a slight emergency here concerning what seems to be, let me see here; 1, 2, 3, 4... 7 - 7 high school students, which looks to be in their final year, are in dangerous conditions... Yes, we are on..."
He paused for a second, looking at the nearby sign;
"Uh... It's 3rd Tetsu-lane, yes... all are unconscious... Mhmm... Thank you for your services."
The phone hung up with him breathing a sigh of relief, "I guess that takes care of that then..."
Katsura on the other hand was absolutely confused;
'Did... Did he just call an ambulance for the same people he fought, and beat up?' She thought.
She cleared her throat, "W-Well... I didn't really expect you to do something like that... Aren't you afraid they might blame you? Or even frame you for what happened here?"
Keiji scratched his head for a bit, "Well, I guess I do... Still, I can't really just leave them here, right? Plus, they're still kids, like us; and kids are brash, young and full of mistakes... Hopefully, this little encounter of mine will teach em' a lesson, on not to do something like this ever again, or at least a very long time."
Still, Even Ayano noticed it. Looking over at the boys again, he realized how brutal he was, and he fought without much, if any mercy to spare at all...
Normally, seeing things like this would have definitely triggered him the wrong way, but ever since he came to this world, he was slowly beginning to realize, that he didn't really care about them, or people in general for that matter. Nor did the sheer brutality of it all affect him in any way;
'Hmm... Maybe, I am starting to change...' He thought to himself.
...
On another hand, Katsura's eyes widened, slightly surprised at his reasoning, and interestingly enough, she let out a small smile... Somewhat seeing where he was coming from, even though his methods were a bit, much...
"Hmm... I see... I do think you're trustworthy. A little bit, rough, but you're definitely not a bad person..."
Keiji quickly snapped back to reality, slowly raising a brow at her words, a small hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"Rough, huh? I guess I'll take that as a compliment then."
Katsura crossed her arms, giving him an oddly knowing look. "You shouldn't, and should.... It's not every day I say something like this about anyone, but... You did just take out seven people..."
'Well, she does kind of have a point...' Ayano thought.
To her surprise, he suddenly laughed, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Well, I guess that's air enough." His gaze shifted briefly to the unconscious students, then back to her.
"So… now that we're on slightly better terms, mind telling me why you were out here, alone I might add?" He asked, placing extra emphasis on the word.
Katsura hesitated for a moment before inevitably sighing, shyly looking away. "I was..." She thought about if she should actually tell him why, but she quickly decided to agree anyway. If he wanted to do anything to her, he would have done so already...
"Actually, I just heading home... I decided to take a small detour.... But I Didn't expect to walk into, well..." She gestured toward the scene around them with nothing but her eyes. She then looked back towards him.
"...And, you? What were you even doing here?"
Keiji shrugged... "To be completely honest with you. I was just innocently passing through for the same reason... Just, unfortunate circumstances, I guess."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to gauge whether he was telling the truth, or not. But, instead, she soon gave up, having come to another conclusion entirely based on what she'd seen of him so far,;
"…I think, you really do have a way of attracting trouble, don't you...?"
He just shrugged at the sentiment. "To be honest with you... Maybe trouble just has a way of finding me." He then thought about his entire life so far, and how unbelievable it really was.
Katsura unknowingly rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her. For someone who had just left a pile of beaten delinquents in his wake, Keiji was surprisingly very easy to converse with.
Before she could say anything else, the faint sound of sirens echoed in the distance. The ambulance was already on its way there...
Keiji exhaled audibly... "Looks like my job here is done..." He then glanced at Katsura;
"Though~ You should probably get going before they start asking too many questions. I wouldn't want you getting dragged into all this, mess."
She hesitated for a bit, then nodded after. "Ah, yeah… You're, probably right about that"
Before leaving, she gave him one last look.
"Keiji-san… I don't know who you really are, but… I think I'm glad I ran into you this evening."
He blinked at her words, caught slightly off guard by the honesty of it. Then, with a small grin, he gave a casual wave. "Likewise, Kotonoha-san."
With that, she nodded, turned, and disappeared into the evening, while Keiji remained standing there for a moment, watching her go ahead of himself...
Eventually, Katsura disappeared around the corner, before he let out a quiet sigh in the process...
"Well, so much for a quiet walk..." He turned on his heel, moving down the same path she had taken. It wasn't intentional—this just happened to be the direction he was heading in the first place.
A coincidence.
"..."
Or, maybe not.
Katsura hadn't questioned it yet, but if she noticed him still behind her, she probably would. And he really didn't feel like explaining how they both just happened to potentially live in the same general area.
The distant sirens eventually grew louder, their wailing cutting through the quiet streets. Keiji quickened his pace.
He had no plans of sticking around to answer any unnecessary questions right now. Not that he was particularly worried. There weren't any cameras, no real evidence either—just seven guys being delinquents, who picked a fight they couldn't win.
Still, best not to be there when the authorities arrived.
A few meters ahead, Katsura glanced over her shoulder. Their eyes met for the briefest second before she frowned, slightly hesitant.
"You're... still following me?"
Keiji groaned, internally. "I'm sorry about this, it's not on purpose, just trust me... for whatever it's worth. I'm kind off heading this way too."
She studied him, clearly a bit suspicious... "You better not be lying..."
He smiled, shrugging in the process. "Like I've also told you before, I don't particularly make a habit of lying to people."
Katsura then huffed silently, clearly a bit unsure about what she was doing at the moment, but didn't really press the issue any further than this, thinking it was probably for the best...
"Well, it's, fine... Just don't think of doing anything weird, please."
Keiji hearing it chuckled at that last part, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Now that you mentioned it... Define... weird."
She shot him a flat look, sensing that she was being teased. "...Really!? I think you know exactly what I mean..."
He didn't bother to respond to the remark, getting what she was implying...
After that, they continued walking in silence, the tension from earlier slowly fading into something a little more, tolerable this time...
Keiji not having much to do, found himself idly glancing at Katsura from the side of his eye from time to time...
Despite everything that had happened earlier, she didn't seem as scared anymore. Cautious, maybe, but not scared. And, he was glad she wasn't... Other than that, he strangely found himself quietly admiring her;
'Seeing her from up close. She really is, beautiful... In fact, beautiful doesn't even do a girl like her justice either...' He thought.
For a bit of a small moment, he found himself wondering—what kind of person was she, really? And why was he even curious?
'Well, damn... This world really knows how to throw surprises at me...'
He quickly shook his head to stop the those thoughts from continuing, focusing more on the path ahead...
Whatever the case was right now, he knew he'd eventually figure it out, eventually...
PING!!
----------------------------------------------------------------
{SIDE QUEST: Explain to Katsura about what happened here... (Claimed)
REWARD: 1 Silver Key and 1 Bronze Key}
----------------------------------------------------------------
.
.
.
Ayano had instantly felt his pocket being filled up this time...
'Huh...? Not bad, I can both get myself a new passive, a skill out of this.' He thought.
After both of them walked down a few more blocks, he saw Katsura stopping at a relatively sizeable household, going up towards it... He watched Katsura stop in front of her house, her hand resting on the doorknob. He didn't want to push her any further, so he gave her a small nod...
"Well, I guess this is where we part ways." he said, his voice a bit calmer than usual.
She nodded; "I suppose, it is... I'll see you at school tomorrow...?" She added. Keiji nodded in return;
"Ah, yeah of course, I wouldn't miss those lectures of his for the life of me."
Keiji gave her a small, easy-going smile... "Well, I'll... see you tomorrow then." he said, giving a casual wave as he turned to walk away.
Katsura watched him leave for a moment, her gaze lingering on his back before she shook her head, almost as if dismissing the thought.
'He's, quite strange...'
She thought to herself, albeit off-handedly, not truly being able to get much, if any read on the boy, but there was just a little bit of curiosity left within her to to get to-
"-Onee-san!!" A childish voice suddenly came from behind her, quickly interrupting her train of thoughts. Katsura turned around, seeing her little sister, running towards her. Her thoughts quickly turned to her sibling.
"Ah! I'm so sorry for coming home so late Kokoro, I had some extra club activities to take care of..."
Katsura smiled softly, bending down to ruffle her sister's hair. Kokoro, her younger sister, was beaming up at her with wide, innocent eyes. "Oh, it's fine..." Kokoro said, clutching a stuffed animal in her arms;
"I, just missed you a bit..."
Katsura smiled gently, standing back up. "Oh..." She said, grabbing her younger sibling for a hug. "I definitely missed you too, Kokoro." Her tone softened as she looked at her sister.
"Did you get to finish any of your homework...?"
"Yup! Of course!" Kokoro nodded proudly at herself, holding up a crumpled piece of paper with some decently drawn doodles. "He-He~ I did everything already! Even the stupid math..."
Katsura raised her eyebrow at the latter's treatment at the subject, but smiled either way. "Ah! Good job... Now, let's hurry and get inside. It's already really late, and I don't want you staying up too long either..."
"Alright, onee-san!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 11: Me - Time, and Quest - time...
Chapter Text
~ The next day, Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
Alright... If I defeat at least a 80 to 100 people a day, at least for the next month starting today... I should be able to complete the quest just within this month, but fighting 80 to 100 guys a day is an absurd number of people to think of even challenging; but it would give me some well needed fighting experience when dealing with sheer numbers...
Which, I kind of lacked at this point...
.
.
.
"Hey! Keiji-san... You ok?" Renji called out to me.
I turned to him, "Yeah, I'm... fine, just thinking about some, stuff..."
Not only do I need to complete this quest, I had to study for the exams coming up, and it wasn't gonna be cake walk, especially when I've gotten a quest like this to do. Though, I don't think I'm particularly a bad student, I'm still very mediocre... Having an average score of 50% isn't really high enough in this world, but rather' I'd need something like a 70%, to even land me in a semi decent life.
Just in case if things went south for me at any point...
When I turned to put my head on the desk, I saw Katsura again. We had spoken to each other just yesterday, ending it off on a pretty decent note, if I do say so myself, but other than that, I didn't really know the gal...
Based on what I saw alone, she's pretty much seems like the perfect, stereotypical model student you'd see anywhere, at pretty much every school. Yet, when I actually see her from afar in the class, she doesn't look like she has anyone to really talk to, does she...?
"Hmm..."
"Something on your mind?" Renji asked me, and for once, I think I needed to hear it from him.
"Yeah, actually... What do you know about Kotonoha?"
Renji blinked multiple times at my question, tilting his head slightly. "Katsura-san?" He glanced over at her, then back at me;
"Well... she's a pretty well-known student here. She's kind, extremely polite, beautiful to boot, and always seems to be on top of her studies in most subjects. I guess you could say she's what most people would pretty much call her the ideal class representative type."
He scratched his cheek, likely thinking for a moment before continuing.
"But, to be a little honest with you... I've noticed she keeps to herself, a lot. I heard she was friendly if approached, but she doesn't seem to have many close friends, if any. It's not like people make it their mission to avoid her, or anything, though… It's just that, she's essentially kind of quiet outside and inside of class, y'know... So, nobody really takes the time to approach her, since she has that type of vibe, that you shouldn't really bother her."
I nodded, processing his words, but I still found them a bit surprising... So I definitely wasn't imagining things—she really did seem a little isolated... Not in a super obvious way, but enough that someone paying enough attention would probably notice, or pick up on, eventually.
"I think I know what to do…" I glanced at her again.
"What...? Actually, why did you even ask?" Renji smirked at me. "Thinking of making a move or something?"
I rolled my eyes. I kind of did, honestly... "Nah, I'm just a little curious about her."
Renji chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Well, be careful. Some guys might get jealous if you get too close. Despite how alone she might see, she's got a hack of a lot of admirers, you know, and they don't really take too well with anyone just casually approaching her."
Hearing that, I got up out my seat and made my way towards her, she was writing down notes;
"Hey Katsura-san." I called out to her, and she turned to me quickly, yet shyly though;
"Y-Yes...?"
'Here goes nothing...'
I rubbed the back of my neck, nervously... "I just wanted to ask, would you mind having lunch with me, and my friend Renji?"
Katsura blinked in surprise, her fingers tightening slightly around the book she was holding. "Lunch... with you?"
I nodded, not just me, but me and my friend, but yes, keeping my expression relaxed. "Yeah, figured it'd be nice to chat... Of course, there's no pressure..."
I could see her hesitating, glancing briefly at Renji, who offered a small wave from his seat... Then, after a moment, she gave a soft nod;
"...Alright. I don't mind." For some reason, it felt as if she was seriously thinking about it, but I got the impression that it wasn't in a bad way.
"Great!" I said with a small smile. "We'll be on top of the roof then, I'll see you during break."
As I walked back to my seat, I could see Renji's eyebrow raised at me, smirking. "So much for 'just curious.' Since when were you that bold?"
"Aight, dude..." I just ignored him, resting my chin on my hand. I was thinking back as to why she drew my attention in the first place. Sure, I did think she was beautiful, objectively so.
But when I saw her, I think... I also saw a little bit of myself. I remembered back in my old school life, I was pretty much isolated from most people too, heck, I didn't even really have anyone to really call a friend back then either...
For a half decent kid like her, I didn't think it's right to just ignore her, but.. Maybe that's just my personal and biased take on the whole situation. Regardless of all this, I'd like to think of myself as a semi-decent person, not good, just, decent...
I still had my flaws of course, the typical flaws that most guys in general have too, but there are certain lines I wouldn't dream of crossing either, but... it's not like I'm particularly special because of it either...
DIINNGGG~ DOOONNNG~
.
.
.
It was finally break time already. Time sure flies fast... I got up, unpacking my lunch from my bag.
"Woah..." I heard Renji.
"That smells really good... What did you cook up this time?"
I held it up, "Nothing too crazy today, just some fried rice with chicken, and a bit of spice on the side. Figured I'd put in a little more effort in my lunches."
Renji whistled. "Man, if you ever get tired of school, you could open up a restaurant, seriously."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, sure. That'll be the dream."
"Alright, let's see if she actually shows up, betting 500 Yen she wont..." He wagered, clear amusement in his tone... I didn't like it.
"Alright then, get ready to give up your cash you littl-"
But the moment we stepped out of the classroom, there she was—standing just outside the door, hands neatly folded in front of her. She looked up at us before offering a small quaint nod...
"You both took your time." she said softly.
Renji raised an eyebrow, nudging me slightly. "Well, looks like she was the one waiting on us..."
I ignored him, giving Katsura a slight smile. "Oh~ I didn't expect you to be this early."
She nodded, politely. "I did say I didn't mind it, so I figured, why not wait...?"
I nodded at that. "Alright then, let's go guys." With that, the three of us started making our way to the rooftop.
The walk to the rooftop was mostly quiet, though Renji occasionally threw in a comment here and there, trying to keep things light. Katsura followed along without much complaint, her steps were graceful yet reserved... Almost like a princess. Seriously, I wished more kids followed in her footsteps.
Eventually, we finally reached the rooftop, the gentle breeze greeted us... It's why I loved it.
The open space was mostly empty as usual, save for a few other students scattered around the very few corners. We found a decent spot near the railing, and settled down there. Renji on the other hand, wasted no time digging into his ow lunch;
"Man, the weather's perfect today." he said between bites. "Great food, good company—what more could a guy even ask for?"
Katsura sat beside me quietly, carefully unwrapping her own lunch. She had a very neatly packed bento, and from the looks of it, she either made it herself, or had someone made it for her... Based on how it looked, it felt like the latter.
I opened my own lunch, the aroma once again, immediately making Renji glance over. "Seriously, you've gotta start cooking for me too, Keiji."
I rolled my eyes... "Not happening little bro."
Katsura, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke up... "You, cook...?"
I slowly nodded, wondering if this sort of thing was really that surprising. "Yeah. It's just something I picked up over time... What about you? Did you make that yourself?"
Just like those cartoons I used to watch, she actually blushed for a moment before replying, "N-No... I've never really been much of a cook you see... It's, actually my mother that prepared this for me."
Renji chuckled. "Well, at least you've got someone making sure you eat well... Meanwhile, this guy over here—" he jabbed a thumb at me, "—has probably been cooking for himself since birth."
I rolled my eyes. "It's not that dramatic man, but close enough I guess."
Katsura gave a small laugh, barely audible, but it was there... It was the first time I saw her genuinely react to something...
"Regardless, cooking's not that hard, trust me..." I said, taking another bite out of my food. "You probably just need a lot of practice."
She tilted her head slightly. "Even so… I still don't think I'd be particularly good at it."
Renji smirked. "Well, you'll never know until you try, right?"
She didn't respond right away, her gaze drifting for a moment before she returned to her food. The conversation quieted down after that, and I wondered if I had done something wrong, but fortunately, it wasn't an awkward kind of silence. More like a comfortable pause if anything.
I wasn't sure what exactly I was trying to do by inviting her here, but… I didn't mind times like these, peace and companions. It was, nice...
Thankfully, I could tell that Kotonoha seemed a bit more at ease now, her posture looked a little less stiff, though she still had an air of caution about her. I couldn't help but notice the way she glanced around, as if trying to get comfortable in the moment.
Maybe it wasn't just me—she just truly wasn't used to hanging out with people like this...
Renji on the other hand was enjoying the food, of course, as always. He finished his meal a bit faster than the rest of us and leaned back, stretching with a satisfied grin. "So, Keiji, what's the plan after this? Got any more grand schemes up your sleeve?"
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Schemes? What schemes?"
"Come on..." Renji said, gesturing vaguely. "You always have some sort of crazy plan going on in that head of yours."
I couldn't help but laugh at that one. What's worse was that he was technically right. So of course, I'll feign ignorance. "What? Me? No! I don't know about crazy, but I do have a few things I'm trying to figure out... No need to make it sound like I'm plotting world domination, or anything..."
Katsura, who had been quietly listening, finally looked up at me. "What sort of things are you figuring out...?" she asked me, her voice soft but, I could tell she was genuinely curious. It's not like I could tell her my story though... Can I?
But I paused, not sure how to answer. There were a lot of things on my mind—things that weren't exactly easy to explain, especially to someone I didn't know well. But it felt like an odd opportunity. I had a reason to be honest, for once.
"Life, I guess..." I replied, a little too bluntly, but it was the truth without being too specific, and very vague. "I've just got stuff to figure out, like school and... some other personal things. It's not really easy to balance everything I'm doing so far."
Renji shot me a look, as if saying I was still being a bit too vague, but Katsura didn't press for more... She just nodded, as if she understood. "I get that..." she said quietly, her gaze softening a little. "Balancing school and... everything else can be tough."
Oddly enough, the way she phrased it made me think there was more to her than just the model student everyone saw... Maybe we weren't so different after all. But, before I could think more on that, the bell rang, signaling the end of our little break...
"It looks like that's our cue." I said, standing up and then stretching. "We better get back before we're late."
Katsura stood with us, offering a polite smile. "Thanks for inviting me... it was, nice..."
I gave her a nod, a small smile on my face. "Well, anytime, we can even do it tomorrow too, if you wanna join us of course."
And just like that, we parted ways—Renji heading one way, me the other, and Katsura walking in the direction of her class. But she disappeared into the hallway's corner too... Great.
.
.
.
'Now that I've gotten some alone time...'
I quickly opened the panel up, and using the Silver Key I had gotten as a reward yesterday. I used it, and after some time, I eventually got a new passive ability, called Critical Hit;
'Critical Hit: When attacking, there is a [1%] chance to inflict a critical hit while ignoring the enemy's defense stat.'
"So I've got a small chance to deal more damage... On top of busting through whatever armor someone's wearing...? That's incredibly powerful..."
Regardless, the fact that I could simply ignore someone's defense, while dealing even more damage seems a little scary on paper right now, and It's not like I could control it when it triggered either, which means, if I'm not careful, I could actually kill someone in the right circumstances, at least, with my level of fire power...
"Hmph..."
'I guess I'll need to be a little more cautious then...'
But, there wasn't any use in dwelling on it... I'm more surprised how strong I became after training. I'm very sure I was already well beyond the peak of professionals in my last life.
I took one last glance at my quest bar, seeing that it had 8 / 2844 henchmen defeated on my list of who to take down... Looks quite daunting, but, I'll make it my mission to take down 100 of those guys today, plus...
How hard could possibly it be with my level of skill?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 12: A Great Idea... (EDITED)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, a few hours later... ~
.
.
.
"*Huff~ Huff~*"
'Damn it...! Beat up a hundred guys, I said... It'll be easy, I said...'
None of this crap was really easy. Fighting a hundred guys was tiring. I am human, no matter how superhuman I think I became, and I had my physical limits too. The only reason I've managed to accomplish the damn task so was because I knew how to actually fight relatively well...
Now? I'm just a bleeding mess, I think I must have gotten stabbed at least three or four times, not enough to gravely injure me, but damn near enough to wear me down after a night like tonight. I still lacked a bit of experience too... I could've been far more efficient with my moves in the beginning, and not only that, I'm also limited to those same moves I've learned.
"He has to be here somewhere! Find his ass and kill em'!"
.
.
.
'Heheh... They're really going at it to find my ass...'
I peeked outside the building I had found after my scuffle, seeing a relatively large group of men... More like overgrown high school kids. Yes, the people I've been fighting with are just shitty high school kids, or soon-to-be-thugs, it's hilarious, right?
Either way.
I'm very glad I ended up doing all this... It'll only make me get better, and better at fighting and dealing with bigger groups like this.
Thanks to my passive, learning and memorizing fighting styles also triggers with myself... Meaning, I ultimately didn't have to necessarily watch videos over and over, or even get myself tutored to learn/improve a martial art I already knew, thankfully.
If I practice it enough and commit, I can just improve what I already have.
So far, I've managed to use a bit of everything I've learned over the last month toda-
"-Urrmm..."
Damn... Ok, maybe the wounds are a slightly worse than I thought they were...
I nestled myself to a corner; since the building I was in is pretty much abandoned, it shouldn't be that difficult to find a dark enough spot to recoup myself. I only needed an hour to fully replenish myself.
'Alright... This should give me enough breathing room to think a little.'
What I know so far is that I have four (4) martial arts under my belt being; Judo, Brazilian-Jiu-jitsu, Boxing and Muay-Thai. None in particular was good for crowed control, and mainly focused on dealing with one opponent at a time, maximum two, maybe even three...
Boxing was the best in terms of dealing with two to three at once, but it get's infinitely more tedious when even one more person shows up to the mix, and boxing isn't a style with kicks, or grapples either.
B.J.J was mainly a one at a time technique, Judo was the same as well but slightly more versatile in how to throw, still not as effective in taking multiple guys down. With the both of them leaving me open after I throw, or even tackle someone to the ground.
Muay-Thai was very solid, but the slow wind-up, and types of kicks I've learned were focused heavily on power, so even if I tagged one or two guys, that leaves me open at other angles for other men to exploit as well...
What's worse for me, is that practically all of what I've learned are mainly for single opponent fighting, that's it. Of course, I attempted to combine martial arts, which had actually worked out for me in the middle of the fights. But other than martial arts as my problem, there was also my over all stamina to consider.
'Though... I guess the stamina problem wasn't that bad.'
I was basically untouched up until the 50th-60th person; but exhaustion I learned today can be a very endearing thing; especially when I'm trying to be careful in not crippling these guys, or end up even killing them, and I've had more than a few close encounters with that today alone.
I had to hit them with enough force to paralyze them, but also with enough force to not end their lives in the process, it wasn't easy. All of this while fighting a dozen at a time, with weapons coming at me from all possible angles...
'Still... I had gotten a lot better from all this, much better than I was at the beginning of the fight.'
If I had the experience I had now, I wouldn't have been injured much, and even if I was, it'd probably be a graze, at best... but, I still think I'd definitely be a bit tired from the constant running away from generally disadvantageous positions I found myself in.
Regardless of everything so far, I think I've gotten a great grasp on how my martial arts passive skill had worked; at least to a much greater extent.
If I learned from someone, I realized over the weeks is that I can generally absorb information much-much faster than a normal person would, and incorporate that martial art over time... If I had to describe it now; The ability essentially gave me something like a second brain to work with. It was just a brain made for the sole purpose, of learning how to fight.
What's even better, is that... Once I learn the movements, I never forget them. An eidetic or photographic memory for fighting...
Oddly enough too, I also think there's definitely a much sharper rate of improvement with my martial techniques in a straight up dire situation; like with what I've experienced multiple times today.
I genuinely felt myself actively getting more skilled, the more I was pushed in positions where I was in actual danger. Plus, that isn't the only passive I got to understand a bit... Critical hit was the other that I've gotten intimate with, one which I saw in full effect earlier today, more than once too. And, it was damn powerful.
Earlier, I had barely touched a guy once, yet he was sent flying multiple feet away from me, and like I had thought before, the main problem was when it triggered.
I didn't have control over that, but I could tell it was extremely powerful, especially if used with my full strength...
"Hmph..."
I sighed, mentally drained from the thinking of what a shitty situation I was in at the moment...
'Well, with that little analysis out of the way... I think It's time to rest, myself...'
I closed my eyes, to get some well needed sleep.
.
.
.
"Hrmm~~"
I slowly opened my eyes, nudging from the place I leaned on.
'Well... It feels like I've gotten a pretty great rest...
In fact...'
I squeezed my fists, and flexed my arms for a bit. I've pretty much woken up, feeling… Surprisingly great.
That damned dull aching that I had settled into my muscles, were practically all gone, and the wounds that should have been nagging at me barely stung. I checked my side where I knew I had taken a blade earlier—nothing but dried blood... No fresh pain, no tearing when I moved at all. Hell, there wasn't even a scar wound to show it was even there to begin with...
It wasn't perfect, but compared to how I felt before? It was night and day right now.
I rolled my shoulders a bit, testing my range of motion... There was a just a bit of stiffness, sure, but nothing that would slow me down in a fight at all, and I doubted it was me not fully recovering. It might be effects of resting where I did...
Regardless... What I felt now wasn't just better—I was practically ready again.
"*Phoo...*"
I exhaled, slowly pushing myself to my feet... My body was responding instantly, no hesitation in my movements either, and not even a single instance of sluggishness, at all...
'Damn… This recovery ability really is something else...'
In fact, this thing was a marvel in and of itself. I don't think I'll ever get used to it.
Testing myself a bit, I flexed my fingers, clenching and unclenching my fists again... Even after taking on a hundred different people, I was already back on my feet like it had never happened to me...! My stamina had fully returned, and all my muscles felt extremely refreshed, but... My mind, I was admittedly, still a little sluggish there, not entirely, but now I could tell the passive didn't really affect my mental state any differently, at least, not by much...
'I guess that means mental exhaustion isn't on that recovery list.'
That little aspect about the passive, I doubt I would have realized about if I didn't go ahead and do what I did tonight...
And, it made a bit of sense... Still, recovery practically washes away all my physical pain, fatigue and injuries within an hour perfectly. Thankfully, it doesn't just work for mental stamina like I thought it did, but rather for everything else; still, it probably wasn't wise to take that gamble here, but better now than ever I guess...
I stepped toward the window, peering outside for a bit... And, it didn't take a genius to pick up on what they were scrambling outside for...
'These guys are... desperate.'
I could see that the remaining thugs were still flocking around, standing in small groups this time around, grumbling and talking amongst themselves. They must have thought I was down for the count, probably bleeding out somewhere in this abandoned building, or I had escaped...
'Too bad for them.'
I rolled my shoulders, 'I'll make sure that these are the last guys I deal with before I go.' I jumped out the window, and landed near the pavement...
Thud...!
I walked closer to them... "HEY!" I shouted;
"I don't have all night... So let's hurry this up!"
The moment my voice reached them, I swore I saw every head in the vicinity snapping in my direction. Their expressions, twisted—from sheer confusion to absolute shock, then straight into annoyance and anger.
"You've gotta be kidding me!...?" One of them shouted, gripping a metal bat in the process;
"How the fuck are you still standing?!"
Another one took a step back seeing me, stuttering under his breath. "He... He was supposed to be done for… no one should be moving after takin' that kind of beating..."
I shook my head, laughing a bit... "Doesn't matter how now, does it?" I finished my sentence, snapping my neck to the left.
"...What matters is that I'm still here, and you lot are still in my way."
That was all it really took for me to say.
One of them lunged at me, seeing the angle and that it a bat heading straight for my ribs. I shifted my body by a inch, moving past it effortlessly before driving my fist straight into the guy's gut.
BAM!!
The impact sent him crumpling, gasping for air before he eventually hit the floor...
The rest of the others behind him were hesitating, just for just a second—just long enough for me to step forward myself. I wasn't going to drag this fight out.
A fist from the right came flying toward me—I caught whoever's wrist it was, twisted it, and slammed the guy into the pavement. Another came rushing at me from the side—I ducked under his swing, delivering a sharp elbow straight to his jaw. He staggered, barely staying on his feet...
I didn't let him recover. A clean hook to the side of his head, and he was completely out...
...
I looked up towards the rest of them, "All of you should just come fight me all at once; The odds, it'll be a little better for you all then..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Notes:
1. Martial Arts Mastery (Passive);
As detailed in this chapter, this ability significantly enhances the user’s capacity to learn, adapt, and refine various fighting styles. Ayano describes it as functioning like a "second brain"—an ability that essentially accelerates comprehension, retention, and execution of martial techniques. The true strength of this ability actually shines under more pressure: the more dangerous the situation he is in, the faster he grows, mirroring how humans can tap into their hidden potential when survival is on the line...2. Recovery (Passive);
This passive ability allows Ayano to fully recover from accumulated fatigue and physical injuries simply through rest or sleep, restoring his condition to peak form, except for his mental fatigue, this has remained normal and will not recover fully. However, the ability's limits still remain unclear—particularly, whether it extends to full on limb regeneration, or more severe forms of damage...3. Critical Hit (Passive);
This passive enables Ayano to ignore all of an enemy’s defensive stats, delivering attacks that strike directly at their core with amplified force, regardless of how weak or strong the initial blow is, Critical Hit doubles its effective power while completely bypassing all forms of physical resistances. For example, an attack delivered at 2/100 power will hit with the force of 4/100, allowing even low-effort strikes to deal devastating damage under the right conditions...
Chapter 13: Quest - Part 1 (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, The next day~
.
.
.
"Hey! I heard that we're getting a new transfer today..."
"Huh? Really? It's like the middle of the semester...? Didn't they think it's a bad time?"
"I don't know, but I heard it was a girl... Some rumors say she's from the sea, the Mie prefecture."
"No way!?... You mean those people? I thought they decided they would never come back on land since like, what? Near a century ago, if not more? What do ya' think changed...?"
The female student shrugged. "I don't really know to be honest with you... Apparently the birth rates been in decline down there... Don't you all watch the news, or read the news-paper?"
"Nah, who even reads newspapers these days?" One of the male students scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "If it's not trending online, I ain't seeing it."
"That's your problem, you idiot!" another female student shot back, flipping through their phone. "It was trending... A whole article about it last week. There was some kind of cultural exchange, or whatever... Apparently, the government's involved in this too."
The male student looked shocked; "Huh...? So, what? You think she's like some kind of ambassador, or somethin'?"
"She's probably more like a test subject..." someone else interjected, getting the attention of others.
"Maybe seeing if their people can integrate again after all these years..."
The classroom was essentially filled with nothing but wild speculations; Whispers overlapping some theories as well... Some had wondered if she'd have gills like some of the stories they heard as kids, the others joked about the sea people having webbed fingers, some fins and others? Tails...
A few even questioned if she could drink fresh water without getting sick...
Then, the door slid open. Immediately, the room fell silent, while their teacher stepped inside. But he wasn't alone...
Behind him, stood a girl...
She was slightly taller than the average girl, slim, with a certain fluidity to the way she moved; as if she wasn't entirely used to the gravity pressing down on her. Her uniform was neat, elegant and crisp. Identical to theirs of course, but there was an odd grace in how she had kept herself—controlled, and modest at the same time...
Not only that... She had a sense of elegance that highlighted her features and figure, even through the uniform she wore.
Her hair was a deep shade of violet, and it almost shimmered under the classroom lights. But the most striking thing however, were her eyes. They were a mix of soft ocean hue, with a shade deep ocean blue, like moonlight reflecting off the ocean's surface.
The teacher cleared his throat... "Alright everyone, settle down! We have a new student joining us today. Introduce yourself young miss..."
A girl stepped forward, her voice calm, but carrying an undertone of something, else...
"Hello..." She bowed, slowly... "And, good morning, my name is Chisaki Haminora. I hope we can all get along with each other from now on."
For a moment, no one had spoken a single word...
Then—
"EHHH!?"
"Whoa! Isn't her voice kind of hypnotic...?"
"Shut up, dude!"
But no one could deny it... She was breathtaking.
While Ayano couldn't have really cared less. However, hearing all the rumors, he was a bit confused; but also curious, even if it was to a relatively small degree...
...
He barely spared the new girl a proper glance. While the rest of the class buzzed with curiosity, whispering theories and speculations about her origins, he remained mostly uninterested...
'Still... The hell are sea people?' The rumor sounded absolutely absurd to him, like something out of an old mythological tale...
Still, it wasn't his problem at the moment.
His fingers tapped lightly against his desk, while his mind drifted elsewhere. Last night's fight, and later his training, had given him a lot to think about. Especially after taking down over a hundred people, he quickly had realized a glaring flaw in his fighting style—he knew that his close-range combat was up to par, and mostly efficient, but against larger numbers, it wasn't nearly as versatile as he desired it to be...
There were still small gaps in his movement that needed ironing out, and a few moments where he had wasted energy in movements when he didn't need to. That was the reason why he had decided to pick up a new martial art, in hopes to balance himself out.
'Taekkyeon.' He thought to himself, a bit pleased at his choice...
'Unlike boxing or Muay Thai, which emphasized close-range strikes, Taekkyeon specialized in speed, distance control, and powerful, precise kicks... It's practically a perfect match for what I'm going for.'
He was looking for the ability to control a large amount of space would be a major advantage when dealing with multiple people at once. He had spent hours training last night, and thanks to his passive, he was already getting the hang of all the fundamentals for it.
Now, all that was left was to simply test it out properly.
.
.
.
"Hey, Keiji-san!"
The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Ayano turned to see Renji giving him his usual lazy smirk;
"You were zoning out again there bud..."
"Oh, sorry, just, thinkin'." he responded.
Renji smiled... "Lemme guess. Not so much about the new girl?"
Ayano barely reacted, offering a half-hearted shrug. "Yup... She's just another transfer, like I was... Not really a big deal."
Renji scoffed. "Man, you're the only guy here not losing his mind over her." He subtly glanced at the rest of his, quote-on-quote, classmates;
"Sheeh~ Just look at 'em all... Like fish to bait."
Keiji's eyes swept across the entire room... As expected, most of the class was still fixated on Chisaki, and he couldn't blame them entirely...
The girls looked intrigued, but also wary of her, while the guys were lack of the better word, utterly entranced. Ayano realizing all this, did feel a bit bad for her since they would instantly flock the poor girl as her as soon as break/lunch time came around...
But, as he was looking around, he eventually saw the expression of Sekai.
'Hmm? What's with her...?' He thought.
'She looks as if someone ripped her soul out or something...'
But, going against his better judgement, he decided to ignore her for the time being...
"Alright, quiet down everyone... Miss Chisaki, you can sit beside Sekai... Sekai, please raise your hand."
Ayano shook his head;
'Phew~ Talk about bad fortune...'
...
~ Ayano's Pov, break-Time... ~
.
.
.
"Finally! Some well needed alone time..." He quickly opened up hid lunch box.
'I need to finish this all within ten minutes so I can get some more practice in before I continue that damned quest I have... The more I practice, the better I got, a win-win scenario for me...' Keiji thought, feeling happy about his ingenious plan.
"Why are you in such a rush all of a sudden..? Something going on?" Renji asked, eating as well.
"Uh, not, particularly... But, could I ask you something?" Ayano said.
"Ah, sure... What do you wanna know?"
"Well, to be honest with you... I'm absolutely clueless about who these sea people are, mind filling me in?"
Renji quickly shook his head; "Sorry man I can't really tell ya' the details on that one, especially since I'm not so well versed in that part of history..."
Keiji was slightly bummed out about that, but he turned his attention to Katsura instead, "Hey, Kotonoha-san, do you know anything at all about these sea people by any chance...?"
Katsura quickly stopped eating for a moment, "Hmm... Are you also interested in Chisaki-san by any chance?" She asked, innocently.
He thought about it for a moment. "Well... as someone to like, or of that kid of interest, then no, not really; but I'd say it's definitely about her origins... I haven't really heard about them before. If you get what I mean."
Katsura tilted her head, tapping her chopsticks against the side of her bento. "Hmm... You really don't know...? I suppose that does make sense… Well, it's been nearly a century since the last major event involving them, or anything much at all."
She placed her food down, and leaned forward slightly. "Alright, please listen closely you too... There are some old legends that talk about people who lived in the sea, documented years ago. Based on what I know... those weren't just completely baseless stories. A very long time ago, there were actual settlements underwater. The people there—Chisaki-san's people—were called the Sea Dwellers. They had their own culture, traditions, and even some… unique traits that set them apart from us."
"Really? Like what?" Ayano asked, genuinely intrigued about these people and their history.
"Well, for one, I read that they didn't age the same way we do." she explained.
"I read on a few websites that they lived much longer than normal humans at least, or they used to... But those are simply rumors... They could also survive underwater indefinitely because their bodies adapted to it over generations, but some wikis claimed that it's a supernatural force called Ena. Though... their way of life started changing about ninety, or so years ago I believe..."
Renji raised a brow; "Correct me if I'm wrong... But, wasn't that when the big migration started happening? When a bunch of them decided to actively start living on land?"
She nodded, "Yes... Back then, apparently there was a big divide between the Sea Dwellers, and land people, or us. Some of them thought that mingling with humans would destroy their traditions, while others believed it was necessary to survive. Eventually, the ones who wanted to live on land left the ocean behind. But… I heard it wasn't that simple. Some eventually lost their ability to breathe underwater or use Ena; while the others had trouble adjusting to life up on the surface..."
Ayano crossed his arms, slowly piecing it all together;
"And the ones who stayed behind?"
Kotonoha responded;
"They simply kept their way of life, but likely at a cost... Over time, it's said that their numbers started to dwindle... Rumors even have it that their birth rates have dropped significantly over the years, and without any new/young people being born, they slowly started fading... No one really knows exactly why, but some say it's because their connection to the sea isn't as strong as it used to be."
Renji whistled. "So, wait for a minute... if Chisaki's here, doesn't that mean…?"
Kotonoha nodded; "Based on my limited knowledge, she's likely part of whatever effort they're making to reintegrate with humans again... Maybe they're also testing if they can adjust without completely losing their heritage completely?"
Keiji glanced toward the the sky, his mind now lingering on Chisaki for a just bit...
She didn't seem the type to be openly struggling, but he felt as if there was a quiet tension about her. If she was really here as some sort form of trial, then she was carrying more than just school stress on her shoulders...
"If that's the case, I guess... I kind of feel sorry for her..."
Renji raised an interest at what Keiji said... "Huh? Didn't think you'd really care."
Keiji shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "It's not about caring. It just sounds like a pain in the ass to deal with... Think about it man. Imagine being sent to a completely different environment, surrounded by people who likely don't understand you, all while carrying the expectations of an entire civilization on your back... at least, potentially."
Renji sighed, saying; "I guess you're right... It's practically a setup due for failure if you ask me."
Katsura sighed, pitifully, resting her chin in her hand.
"You're... Not really wrong. I think it must be a bit exhausting, trying to fit in while knowing everyone sees you as an outsider first..."
Renji snorted;
"Yeah, but look at her so far... She already has more than what? At least half, if not all the guys in our class being ready to throw themselves at her feet... I can tell you one thing, she won't be struggling for any attention, that's for sure."
"That's true... But, attention doesn't inherently mean acceptance." Kotonoha countered softly;
"People are... only interested now because she's new and, mysterious..." She looked downward slightly, swindling her fingers...
"But even that won't last forever... If she doesn't fit in, they'll likely move on eventually."
Keiji didn't respond to that, idly tapping his fingers against the desk. To him, it sounded like Katsura was genuinely speaking from experience. And, to his knowledge, he knew it'd probably be in his best interest to not continue a discussion like this...
"Alright guys, let's not dwell on the potential negatives. I've got an idea... You both wanna see something cool?"
Kotonoha raised a brow;
"Hmm? What are you planning to show us?"
Keiji smirked, standing up and stretching his arms. "It's something I've been working on for a little while... Figured I'd test it out here from time to time too."
He took a few steps away from the desks, rolling his arm's sleeves slightly, before settling into a stance—one noticeably different from either the boxing, or Muay-Thai movements. His posture was much more relaxed, and calm, with his weight quickly shifting lightly between the soles of his feet.
Then, without warning, he jumped and kicked-
Whoosh~
Keiji's leg snapped out in a sudden, sweeping motion—controlled, yet deceptively fast. The air seemed to almost ripple as he executed a wide, circular kick, his body twisting with a natural grace... He didn't stop there...
Flowing seamlessly into the next movement, he spun on his heel and delivered another kick, this one rising even higher, striking an invisible target in another near perfect arc, before he silently landed effortlessly back into his initial stance...
Both Katsura, and Renji stared, momentarily speechless...
"Woah...! That was CRAZY good..." Renji shouted.
Katsura nodded, still speechless at what she had seen...
'It was so, sublime...' She thought.
She noted that he had done it so fluidly, it looked completely unreal, almost unnatural even... She knew he was likely a very good fighter before they had started to hang out with each other, but not to this extent...
"That—that wasn't part of your usual style... What was that?" Renji asked. He was somewhat used to seeing his friend practice martial arts, but he'd never see him do this before...
Keiji glanced at his friend; "That's because you haven't. It's actually a martial art called Taekkyeon," he answered. "It's also a form of fighting focused on fluidity, flexibility and natural strength... I thought it'd be a good addition to my skill-set...
Katsura folded her arms, intrigued. "I think it suits you... Your movements looked... natural, almost like you were dancing, at least to me..."
Keiji smiled, somewhat embarrassed;
"Well... Yeah, thanks." He responded.
He placed his hand to his chin. "That's kind of the point of it really... It's pretty much all about rhythm and adaptability, and as far as I'm concerned, as well as the above mentioned of course... I definitely needed something like this in my repertoire."
Katsura on the other hand simply continued to observe him bit by bit, still captivated by how effortlessly he had done those movements, that looked incredibly difficult just moments ago...
"It really didn't look like regular martial arts to me..." She quickly added.
She looked ahead thoughtfully; "It was almost... too fluid. If I had to put it into words, it honestly seemed as if you weren't bound by either weight, or gravity... I... Know, it sounds a little awkward, doesn't it...?" she said shyly.
Keiji tilted his head slightly, considering her words, and shook it... To an extent, she was somewhat correct;
"No, not at all... That's because Taekkyeon actually focuses on a person's in-born natural movement, at least that's what I understood from the art... It's not inherently focused on someone's raw strength, or rigid forms—it's essentially about flowing. It even lets me control and utilize my entire body's momentum, instead of fighting against, or potentially having to hold it back."
Renji smiled; "Well, it definitely makes you look like some kind of action movie protagonist."
Keiji laughed. "I guess I'll take that one as a compliment."
Katsura, however, was still thinking; 'No... It's wasn't just wonderful to look at... It was, beautiful...'
Watching him move reminded her of something beyond just martial arts... She noticed the way he was carrying himself with every kata, and the way his body gracefully moved, and shifted without any sense of hesitation.
To her, it almost felt like it wasn't just pure skill, but something close to being intrinsic to him...
She wasn't sure why, but for the first time, she found herself wondering just who Keiji really was. Until, she saw him suddenly stopped, stiffening up, breaking the rhythm he had just mere seconds ago...
Keiji on the other hand, looked as if he was staring into blank space, but to him?
A new quest had popped up once again...
.
.
.
----------------------------------------------------
{SIDE QUEST: Check on Sekai Saionji...
REWARD: ??????}
----------------------------------------------------
Reading it made him even more confused.
'You have got to be kidding me...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 14: Quest - Part 2
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
First it was Makoto, then it was Kotonoha, and now Sekai...?
'Seriously... What's up with these random quest lines...?'
Hell, it feels like the system has me in some kind of random goose chase at this point. Whatever the case, I'm gonna get a reward out of it, so it's best to just suck it up for now, it's not like I can really refuse it either...
"Keiji-san, is... is there something wrong?"
"No, I'm fine, I just thought about something Kotonoha-san."
"Oh, alright..."
I felt felt a bit bad for going around her about what was really going on. But, it had to be done... Regardless, I have about, what? Half of an hour left before class starts again, I can keep practicing with, myself and improve anywhere I can within that time frame... Some practice is better than no practice at all.
Right now, I just hope that whatever this power is trying to do, was worth it.
.
.
.
DING~ DONG~
Class ended like it usually had, but this time I kept my eye on Sekai. As soon as the bell rang, she got up, walking off...
I narrowed my eyes, watching her leave... and it doesn't take a genius to realize that there was something off about her today, or lately for that matter. Ever since Chisaki had shown up, Sekai had been acting... distant.
Unlike before, she barely spoke during class like she typically would, and her expressions were just sort of—blank. No irritation, non of the usual sarcasm. She just had this dull, empty look to her... Like, whatever light she had, was gone, or almost gone. To be honest, it'd be a lie if I said I wasn't a bit worried for her well being.
I sighed, internally... This ability of mine clearly wanted me to get involved with her now, and I already knew what that meant—My gut feeling was telling me that there was likely a tangled mess of teenage emotions, mistakes and complications underneath it all...
"I'm leaving Renji... And, tell Kotonoha I won't be waiting up." I told him.
I quickly slung my bag over my shoulder, and followed after Sekai... I need to get to the bottom of this.
.
.
.
After following her for a bit, I realized she wasn't even heading towards the usual spots would go to... No clubrooms, no library. Instead, she was making her way toward the back of the school, where fewer people would probably be...
'Is... she trying to be alone...?'
I hesitated for a moment. If she had wanted her own space, should I really be bothering the poor kid? Maybe it's better for her to deal with this kind of thing alone. Young girls like her often did do this kind of thing well.
But then, just as I was about to head off, the system PINGED in my head again...
------------------------------------------------------------------
{SIDE QUEST: Speak with Sekai and uncover what's wrong...
REWARD: ??????}
-------------------------------------------------------------------
That's, interesting... The quest's description changed from what it was earlier... First it was to check on her, and now I was supposed to find out what her problem was. I think I should note this feature to myself.
I clicked my tongue;
'Still, I guess, I've really got no choice in matter then then.'
Taking a deep breath, I picked up my pace a little, closing the distance between us...
"Hey, Sekai-san!" I called out to her.
"You got a minute?"
After I called out to her, stiffen up, even from how far I was, and it was just for a small moment before she turned around to face... Now that I was closer to her, I realized how unhealthily pale she seemed, even her eyes looked swollen and tired. She didn't seem that surprised to see me, or she just didn't care at all...
'Maybe, I actually should leave her alone...'
"Oh… What do you want? It's, Ayano-san right?" She asked me, but just by hearing her voice, I realized how much quieter, and flatter than the usual upbeat-ness it usually held. Just what the hell happened to her...?
I slowed my steps, keeping a bit of distance... Here goes nothing I guess. "Yeah... It's nothing too serious but, I just… noticed that you've been acting a bit different, lately. Figured I'd check in on you..."
She stared at me for a few seconds before scoffing lightly. "I'm fine... And why would you even care?"
'Ah, there it is. The classic defense mechanism.'
I shrugged, shoving my hands into my pockets. "I dunno... Maybe because we're classmates? Maybe because you usually have something sarcastic, or cheery to say, and the silence is kind of weird. Even for you... Or…" I tilted my head slightly;
"Maybe I just have a bad habit of getting involved in things I shouldn't... C'mon Sekai, you look like you need someone to talk to..."
She let out a dry chuckle, but her expression of hers told me she was actually irritated or angry. "Yeah… that last one sounds about right."
For a moment, it seemed like she was going to brush me off, but then, her gaze flickered toward the ground. She hesitated.
"…It's, nothing." I heard her respond, just under her breath too. "You... don't need to bother with some one like me, Keiji-san."
But if it was really nothing, she wouldn't be acting like this... Heck, the panel wouldn't even have given me a quest if there wasn't something going on... For once, I actually had to pry.
"I know somethings wrong, it's clear as day that it is... Plus it kind of hurts seeing someone like you in pain the whole day... I know it isn't really my place to ask either, but... it won't hurt to let it out..."
I was practically pulling out all the cards I had at this point, she needed to spill those damned beans.
The second I said that, I saw her tense up, her back literally stiffening. Her lips parted like she was going to say something, but quickly clamped them shut. The silence between us must have stretched for a few moments before I saw her sighing, looking completely defeated...
"Fine..." she finally whispered. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone; well it's not like that matters anymore..."
I nodded, "Of course, I won't say a word, promise... Just, tell me what's going on in that head of yours."
She took a moment to herself, then she finally responded;
"It's, about Makoto... Rather, what he's been doing... Specifically, who, he's been doing."
I raised an eyebrow at that last part... Not catching the drift immediately, but, after a few seconds went by I felt myself going absolutely wide-eyed; "W-Wait... You don't mean..." I asked, just to clarify.
She nodded, "It's exactly what I mean... Funny, isn't it? Just, imagine it... The one person you had loved and cared about for years ended up being some kind of floozy that'll screw anyone in the end?"
'Hold on there... she loved Makoto...?'
Every word that came out of her mouth felt, shaky... It felt like she was barely holding on to her own sanity despite talking a complete stranger... Usually, something like this would ease someone's tension, but it wasn't really helping to ease hers...
Still, I am a bit shocked about all this.
But, it certainly explains a lot - actually... It definitely explained that look she gave him when I saved him for doing what he did to someone else.
Okay, now I'm starting to feel a little bit sorry for her. But, wasn't this the same guy who that idiot bully beat up because he was essentially screwing his girl too? How does a person even get himself in such a predicament in the first place?
"Wait..." She gave me a scrutinizing look; "Haven't you heard the rumors about him?"
I shook my head, "No... Not at all actually. I don't really make it my day to follow gossip around the school, especially since most of it was practically bull-crap anyways. Tell you what... I did know that he was a partial scumbag, but not the way you thought, at least, not as bad as he seems now..."
"Then, how did you find out about it? Please.. I'd like to know." She asked me.
"...Do you remember the day when we first spoke?" I told her.
She nodded.
"Well, why do you think I've... No, what's the reason as to why you think he got beat up in the first place?"
She looked at me confused, before her expression darkened even further...
"Haha... ha... So that why... When I asked him the reason, he never got into the details."
'So not only was this guy a cheater... He was a liar to boot? Just how bad can someone get?'
"..."
I looked back at Sekai, who was for the lack of a better word, depressed;
"...For what it's worth... I'm sorry this happened to you Sekai-san, really, I am..."
She must have stood there for a solid minute without moving an inch.
"Still... How bad could this really be?" I asked her.
I kind of remembered Makoto, he was sort of good looking, I guess? The cute kind of guy if I'm being generous, but he certainly wasn't that good looking either to make him stand out of the crowed.
Yet, the was some kind of floozy...? Just, how many girls are we even talking here...?
I'm guessing at most, like two more girls on the side, maybe. It couldn't be that bad, right? I had to ask about it;
"How bad is he...? You don't have to answer if you don't want to..."
I watched as she gripped her bag tighter, "Eventually, I found out that it was... H-Half of our class..."
.
.
.
I felt my entire brain short-circuit for a second...
"…Half?" I repeated, just to make sure I hadn't mishear her...
Sekai gave a stiff nod, her lips pressing into a tight line. Her grip on her bag was so tight that her knuckles were turning white... It's anger now.
I stared at her, then blinked. Then blinked again.
There was just no way... That had to be some sort of an exaggeration, right?
I let out a short, disbelieving laugh... "No, I don't believe you... You're messing with me."
Sekai's glare was sharp enough to cut steel. "Does it look like I'm joking? Keiji-san?"
Her voice was low, somewhat relaxed even, but beneath that, there was something raw—like she was trying her hardest not to let her emotions spill over...
I swallowed, suddenly feeling out of my depth on this kind of matter... "Half the class…? That's at least, what, fifteen girls?"
"Seventeen..." she corrected, but it was bitterly.
I had to stop myself from physically taking a step back...
'S-Seventeen.' He wasn't just a casanova, he was practically a emperor Kangxi himself... Makoto wasn't just a floozy—this guy was a true phenomenon...
How... How the hell did one slightly above average-looking dude manage to pull half a classroom's worth of girls, and still be alive to even tell the tale? Shouldn't some angry boyfriend, or vengeful ex have taken him out by now? Actually, I saved from that...
The sheer logistics of it boggled my mind. Scheduling alone had to be a nightmare. How did he even keep up? How did no one notice until now?
I looked over to see Sekai letting out a slow breath, shaking her head;
"I feel so stupid... All this time, I thought maybe I had a chance, maybe he saw me as something more than just another... another option."
There was a pause...
Then, in a voice quieter than I'd ever heard from her, she whispered, "But recently, I found out that I was just another name on the list..."
I felt something tighten in my chest when she said it...
This wasn't just about Makoto being a womanizing man whore... This was about her. The fact that she had believed—wanted to believe—that she was special to him, only to find out she was just another number in a long, long list of other girls.
And that? That hurt...
For the first time since this ridiculous system started throwing me into these tangled messes, I didn't feel like I was just completing a quest. I genuinely felt irritated at someone else.
Not for myself. Not even at Sekai.
But at Makoto...
Because to treat someone's feelings like this, is fucked up—to make them think they mattered, only to throw them away like a used tissue—was just… disgusting. In fact, the idea fucking repulsed me to the very core.
I exhaled through my nose, running a hand through my hair. "Sekai-san… I don't really know what to say... Other than, sorry."
She let out a dry chuckle, her eyes completely blank; "Yeah... There's not much to say..."
When I heard that, I instinctively I clenched my jaw. No, maybe there wasn't anything that could magically make her feel better, but still...
"I think... You deserved much better than this."
She blinked at me...
I shrugged, looking away. "I mean it. I don't know what kind of weird spell Makoto has over half the class, but whatever it is, it doesn't change the fact that he's an asshole. And you? You're much better than that. You shouldn't have to waste your time crying over someone like him, take it from me."
Sekai stared at me for a moment... Then, ever so slightly, her lips curled into a small, bitter smile;
"...That's... The nicest thing I've heard all day..." she muttered to herself, the light returned to her eyes again, at least somewhat.
I huffed. "Well, that's because I'm the only one saying what everyone should be saying to be honest."
She let out a real, albeit tired, laugh at that. "Maybe so..."
"hey, can... May I ask you something else?" I needed to confirm this.
"Sure..." She said.
"Today... I realized you were looking at Chisaki a bit weirdly... Mind telling me about that... Also, I'm not asking this because I like her, but, I did pick up on it earlier in class."
Sekai's small smile faded almost instantly. Her grip on her bag tightened again, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to tell me to mind my own business.
But then, she sighed. "...You noticed that, huh?"
I nodded. "Yeah. It was kind of obvious. You were shooting glances at her like she'd personally ruined your entire life."
She let out another bitter chuckle. "Maybe not her, but... you're not really wrong..."
There was a pause there. Then, her shoulders sagged slightly as she spoke, "She's just... so much more beautiful than I was."
That one threw me off for a second...
I couldn't disagree with her either. Chisaki, was definitely pretty—one of those effortlessly charming types—but Sekai wasn't exactly lacking in the looks department either. If anything, she had her own kind of appeal, that plenty of guys would be into...
Admittedly, even to me, she was quite cute... Maybe it's a sort of self confidence issue that developed because of this whole mess? That might be a plausible cause.
But, the way she said it, like it was an undeniable fact, made my chest tighten the wrong way, it makes me feel even more sorry for her...
"And, let me guess... you thought Makoto would want her, over yourself." I asked.
Sekai let out a hollow laugh at what I had asked, "Of course he does. How could he not? She's practically perfect."
I frowned. "You don't know that for sure..."
She shook her head. "I do know. Today, I could see him... he was always looking at her, and that idiot doesn't even realize how obvious he was! Even if he doesn't have her yet, I know he wants her... And if she ever decided she wanted him, too... I'd just be another girl he used to mess around with!!!"
Her voice wavered, and she bit her lip hard, like she was trying to keep herself from trembling.
"But even after everything..." she whispered, "Even knowing how awful he is. I-I still care him..."
That was the part that got me the most... She knew. She wasn't blind to what he was. She wasn't naive. She had all the proof in the world that Makoto was likely just using her at this point—just using everyone—and yet, that didn't change how she felt.
I exhaled slowly. "...That, sucks."
She blinked up at me, surprised.
I shrugged. "I mean, what else is there to say, right...? Love's kind of stupid like that, you know you shouldn't, but you do it anyway."
She let out a soft, bitter laugh. "Yeah... it r-really is."
Her voice cracked at the end, and I could see the struggle in her eyes... The conflict. The pain. Before I even thought about it, maybe it was my paternal instincts, but I felt my feet moving on their own. Before I knew it, I closed the distance between us, stepping forward and wrapping one of my arms around her...
"E-Eh!?", Sekai stiffened, her entire body tensing in surprise.
But after a moment, I felt her slowly relax against me...
Her hands gripped the fabric of my shirt, her breathing uneven;
"I think, you definitely needed this," I told her...
She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. I was just lending a hand to help someone who likely needs it.
For a moment, she just stood there, staring at nothing. Then, she shook her head; "I don't even know why I'm telling you all this..."
I smiled. "Was, it because I asked...?"
She rolled her eyes, but there was the faintest hint of amusement there. "...Maybe."
Then I heard the system ringing in my head again...
.
.
.
-------------------------------------------------------
{HIDDEN SIDE QUEST: Check on Sekai Saionji, AND understand her feelings... (Complete)
REWARD: 1 Golden Key and the Hidden skill Circulation of Light}
-------------------------------------------------------
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 15: Quest - Part 3
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
"Thank you, Keiji... for doing this for me..." Sekai said, wiping her tears.
I waved, "It's, not a problem, really... I was just looking out for a fellow classmate, that's all."
She nodded at me, "I see, but still..."
We must have stood there for the past half a minute of not saying anything to each other;
"Seriously... It's fine. If you need anything, you can talk to me anytime, I'll be up on the roof with my friends though."
Sekai managed a small smile, though her eyes still held a trace of exhaustion. "The roof, huh... Haha... Funnily enough, it actually sounds like it would a typical spot for you..."
I chuckled. "What can I say? Nice breeze, amazing view, fewer people... It's actually nearly the perfect hideout..."
She shook her head lightly, almost amused;
"Hmm... Maybe I'll take you up on that offer sometime."
"Feel free to." I gave her another casual wave off as I turned to leave;
"Just, don't go overthinking things too much, alright?"
She almost hummed at me in response, but I could tell my words wouldn't be that easy to follow.
Still, she looked a little lighter than before, her mood had definitely improved compared to what it was before as well. I'm glad.
I made my way back toward the school building, I let out a quiet sigh. This power of mine had essentially roped me into another mess; but... maybe this one wasn't so bad. At least I got to help her out.
At the very least, Sekai wouldn't be carrying all of this on her own anymore. Though, when I looked back, and seeing her make her way towards the school's exit, and I caught a glimpse of what was really in her bag. The same thing that shined earlier...
And what I saw, gave me the chills.
'...A knife? Just what the hell was she gonna do with that? In fact, why does she even have it?'
I didn't even want to think further on this right now. I just hoped it wasn't something as bad as I thought it would be, or worse, would've been. I just shook my head, still feeing a bit creeped out. I checked the time, and of course...
'It's already near 4 PM.'
I felt myself slumping over... I pretty much had to make my way back to that school again, there should be at least seventy or so guys there...?
But before I do that. I got some new things from this quest, a Golden Key, and a new hidden passive...
Of course, I took out the key from my pocket, and quickly used it. Just like before, multiple cards roll in front of my face, before eventually landing on one that showed a golden figure punching multiple time... Well, it kind of looked interesting, I guess.
Eventually, it appeared before me, and I read it description, saying;
'Multi-Strike Destruction: It is a technique that uses multiple strikes from the fist to inflict massive damage. Cost: 200 EP.'
Not bad. Interesting looking skill, sounds quite strong too.
I opened up my panel, and took a look at my new passive ability, I clicked on it, and read what it did as well;
'Circulation of Light: All [ABNORMAL CONDITIONS] Excluding deceases and physical injuries are immediately nullified.'
This sounds quite good too... But, what are abnormal conditions it's talking about? Wish the thing would have at least tell me that...
'Anyways, it's best I leave...'
'Sheesh...'
While I walked through their school's entrance, the air felt thick with something, odd—it genuinely felt like a place where violence wasn't just expected, but also a routine.
Although I didn't realize it before, I could tell this time, this wasn't some ordinary school anymore; it was practically a breeding ground for these kids, and I was pretty much stepping right into their den.
Seventy guys... That was my goal here for today. A mix of wannabe gangsters, delinquents, and straight-up bullies who thought they could do whatever they wanted without consequence... The quest hadn't given me a specific target, but I already knew what I was here to do.
Hunt... Interestingly, ever since the first time. I found myself coming around the idea of just beating their asses. Maybe I was becoming a bit sadistic...?
Well, regardless, I wasn't going to lie to myself about it, I was certainly enjoying how much I improved in these little, bouts. Hehe...
I slowly stepped into the dimly lit hallway, scanning my surroundings for just a bit, I needed to get the general layout just in case something went south for me, but... I doubt it would, personally at least. The few students still lingering around gave me quick glances before looking away...
They weren't the ones I was after... No, the real trash would probably be a bit deeper inside the place—probably near the gym or out behind the school, where teachers rarely, or never patrolled.
When I turned the corner, a loud thud echoed through the hallway, followed by a low groan...
I didn't even hesitate.
Pushing forward past the corner, I found exactly what I had expected—a group of three guys standing over some poor kid slumped against the lockers. One of them had his foot pressed against the kid's side, applying just enough pressure to make him squirm but not enough to leave any lasting damage.
"HEY! Idiots!!!" I called out to them.
The three turned to face me, their expressions shifting from amusement, to mild annoyance.
"Idiots...? The fuck do you want?" the tallest one sneered, stepping forwards.
I tilted my head slightly, sizing him up. He was much bigger than me, probably the type to rely on his size to intimidate people... His two friends weren't that much different either—thick-headed, overconfident, and completely and utterly unaware that they had essentially just become my first targets...
I almost felt sorry for these fools...
I slowly cracked my rather stiff knuckles;
"Don't worry... I was just passing through, but now that I'm here... why don't we have a little chat?"
One of them scoffed at me. "Yeah? And what exactly do you wanna talk about? Huh! Shrimp?"
I smiled, "That's the thing... It's about the fact that, all of you fuckers were still standing."
"Hah??? Did you guys hear this little midget...?" He came even closer, getting neat my ear, "Say that shit. One. More. Ti-Plrush!"
My fist crashed into his gut before he could even finish his sentence... His body jolted, and for a second, it looked like he forgot how to even breathe. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open as he stumbled back, clutching his stomach...
I stepped forward, my presence towering over his crumbling form, and now confidence...
"What's wrong...? I thought you wanted me to say it again?"
The two others behind him had visibly tensed up, their earlier smugness fading away... One of them balled his fists, stepping forward aggressively. "You little—!"
I didn't let him finish that sentence either.
BAM!!!
Twisting my body slightly. I threw a sharp kick straight into his right knee. A sickening crack echoed throughout the halls, and he let out a strangled yell as he dropped onto one leg. Before he could even hope to recover, I grabbed him by the collar, and drove my knee straight into his face, sending him rag dolling onto the floor...
The last of them was hesitating... His eyes darted between his downed friends, and right back to me, realization likely creeping in. He must've understood that he wasn't dealing with some rando student who didn't know how to throw a half decent punch—he was dealing with someone who had been through this before.
I rolled my shoulders, flexing my fingers...
"Come on, don't tell me you're all done already?" At this rate, he'll make me look like the bad guy here...
He took a step back. Then, another...
'Hmph... Coward.'
Not that I actually could blame him all that much.
I sighed;
"*Tsk*... What a damn waste..." Before he could fully retreat, I lunged forward and grabbed his wrist, twisting it, and then I slammed him into the lockers. His skull bounced off the metal, and he slumped down, groaning...
I exhaled sharply, looking down at the three bodies at my feet...
"Pathetic."
I turned to see the kid they had been bullying was still sitting against the lockers, his wide eyes darting between both me, and the guys I had just taken down...
I turned to him... "You good?"
He swallowed hard, and nodded at me quickly.
"Well hurry and get going then, this place will tun into a bloodbath real soon..."
"H-Ha-Hai!"
The kid scrambled to his feet, and ran off without another word...
'It would've been even a little nice to get a small thank you at least.'
No use in complaining I guess. I watched the kid disappear down the hallway before turning my attention back to the unconscious, and groaning idiots I left on the ground.
This-this was only the beginning...
There were still at least sixty-seven more of these absolute douches to go on my to-do list... And, I was only just getting warmed up. Though, since there's no one really around anymore, I might as well use my golden key while I'm at it. Like usual, I took it out and twisted it, seeing multiple cards flashing before my eyes.
...
Finally it landed, called, Multi-Strike Destruction, is says it's a technique that allows the user to strike multiple times with their fists to deal massive damage. The cost was the exact same as the Charge shot skill. Meaning I've only got 5 shots in me for both, individually.
Footsteps~
I turned around to see a few more of those thugs, eleven more, give or take.
I took a slow breath, steadying myself as all the eleven thugs closed in. They weren't like the last three—these ones were bigger, meaner, and looked like they actually had some experience in fights. Some even carried makeshift weapons, pipes, and wooden bats...
One of them, a tall guy with a scar over his lip, pointed his bat at me. "You're the bastard who just took out Yuto and his guys, right?"
I was confused here, "Took out? Wait a minute... I don't think you all even understand your situations here... All of you kids are worse than scum to me."
A few of them bristled at that, one even cracking his knuckles;
"You cocky little shit, you think you're tough just because you got lucky?"
What...?
"You think I need that crap? Let's get something straight here, buddy. My life doesn't run on something like luck. But, since you have that much talk; Why don't you come find out?"
I flexed my fingers, feeling the surge of energy from my new skill ready to go. Multi-Strike Destruction—and five uses, and potentially five chances to put them down, and do it hard.
The Scar-lip one growled. "Get em'!"
They rushed in as a group, trying to overwhelm me all at once. Big mistake...
The first one swung his bat at my head. I sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, and crushing it near completely—he howled in pain as I slammed my knee into his ribs. Before he could even scream anymore, I activated Multi-Strike Destruction.
BAM! BAM!! BAM!!! BAM!!!!
A literal flurry of rapid punches hammered into his gut and chest, each strike landing with the force of a sledgehammer. His body jerked violently before he collapsed onto the floor, coughing and left wheezing...
'Oh yeah! It's definitely strong, and it didn't have a cooldown either.'
There must have been ten to fifteen hits in one use of the skill. Despite me holding back my strength, it's still stronger than what I held back with, and much faster too.
Another thug came from behind, aiming to bash my head in with a metal pipe...
I ducked just in time, spinning low and sweeping his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, but before he could move, I stomped down on his arm, forcing him to drop the weapon. Grabbing the pipe for myself, I slammed it into his shoulder-
-CRACK!
"GRAGHH!!!! HAAAGG!!!!!" His scream echoed through the hallway while he cradled his shattered shoulder. That was two down.
The others were starting to hesitate. They were probably realizing that this wasn't going to be as easy as they thought it would be...
"*Tch!* Stop standing around!! Get him already, damn it!!!" This same scar-lip idiot barked, shoving more of his own guys forward.
Three of them rushed me at once... I took a slight step back, gripping the pipe, tightly. The first one swung at me wildly—I parried his strike with the pipe, then countered with a clean blow to his ribs. He doubled over, and I elbowed him in the jaw, sending him right into the ground...
"D-Damn it!!!" The second one lunged at me, throwing an incredibly wild, and predictable punch-
Whoosh!
-I got up and tilted my head, just enough to dodge before driving my knee straight into his abdominals. While he was staggered, I activated Multi-Strike Destruction again, this time aiming it the other kid beside him.
BAM! BAM!! BAM!!! BAM!!!! BAM!!!!!
The same series of precise, and absolutely brutal punches sent him flying backward into the lockers. The impact alone easily dented the metal, and he slumped to the ground, completely unconscious...
The third one was hesitating... I slowly pointed the pipe at him. "You still wanna try?"
He took a step back. "S-Screw, this!"
Before he could turn to run off, I ran forward, catching up and grabbing him by the collar and slamming him face-first into the lockers. He crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold.
'Five down...'
Scar-lip and the remaining six were still standing healthy, though they looked a whole lot less confident right about now. Still, I wanted to experiment with these guys a bit more though. Plus, I haven't even been using my newly learned martial art either. Time to change that.
"D-Damn IT..." I saw him clenching his fists. "What the hell even is this guy?!"
I didn't bother answering that one.
But... Every time I use the skill, it always triggered with my arms... I wonder. Can it also be used with my legs as well?
I looked up. Scar-lip and his goons were all hesitating now, their confidence was fading fast. My fists were still tingling from the last few hits, and my body was running hot from the fight. But more importantly—I had a new idea.
So far, Multi-Strike Destruction had only activated through my arms... But, what if I really could channel it through my legs? If this skill wasn't limited to just punches, then I had just unlocked a whole new level of variety to my moveset.
I flexed my fingers, rolling my shoulders while eyeing the remaining six left;
"Well...?" I taunted. "Are you guys gonna keep on staring? Or are we actually fighting here?"
Mister scar-lip bared his teeth at me, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes... He wasn't as eager to rush in anymore, I was used to it already.
"Tch…! You cocky little FU—!"
I didn't even wait for him to finish that line. Testing my theory, I shifted my weight a little, and drove my foot into the ground—this time, channeling Multi-Strike Destruction into my legs.
Then I moved in within an instant, I was right in front of him, my knee went rocketing up toward his ribs.
BOOM!
Like it did before, It hit like a damn hammer, and before he could even react, my leg moved off again. A second strike, even faster. Then a third. And a fourth.
BAM! BAM!! BAM!!!
Each one sent literally small ripples through his body, lifting him off the ground slightly before my final knee strike launched him backward like a ragdoll. His body skidded across the floor, slamming into one of the remaining lockers with a heavy - CRASH!
For a second, there was absolute silence. Then that means the other six must have lost whatever nerve they had left... Good.
.
.
.
"Y-YOU'RE A-A FUCKING MONSTER…!!" One of them yelped, stepping back. I rolled my eyes at that one. It's cringe hearing someone actually say it out loud too, but it's not like I could blame em' either.
Still, I only had around 500 energy points left, right? Fortunately, I think I know exactly where I'll be putting all my Bronze Keys. A few uses of my own skills shouldn't be putting me out of the fight energy wise.
I charged in, grabbing his mouth, lifting him in the air before he could process what was happening to him;
"MPHR-GHHHHH!!!!" His muffled scream barely reached his own ears before I slammed his head into the nearest locker-
-CLANG!
.
.
.
The metal dented inward from the impact, and his body went limp almost instantly...
I loosened my grip, letting him slide down onto the floor like the discarded piece of garbage he was...
I turned towards them;
"Now... It's just me, and the five of you left..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Notes:
1. Multi-Strike Destruction: As demonstrated in this chapter, this skill allows the player to unleash rapid consecutive strikes that are much faster—and slightly more powerful—than the physical output being exerted. Ayano quickly realizes that the ability isn’t simply limited to his fists; it seamlessly extends to kicks as well, greatly expanding its versatility in close-quarters combat. Whether this technique can be combined with weapon-based attacks remains unknown...
2. Circulation of light: Self explanatory.
Chapter 16: Quest - Part 4
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, a few hours later... ~
.
.
.
Thud!~
...
I wiped off some of the sweat forming;
'Phew! 'That makes 82th guy I've dealt with today... Doesn't seem to be anymore of em' either.'
I was doing this for the past two, nearly three hours straight of just constant running around, and fighting these idiots.
Plus, I'm absolutely spent for the day too... Thankfully, I've reached my goal of not getting jabbed at any point, but I still gotten grazed here, and there in the fights earlier...
Still, with a bit more practice, I feel like I could've not been hit at all, regardless, my skills are still improving pretty rapidly. But, I think I'm at a level where I am relatively satisfied, especially when it came to my Taekkyeon's level of proficiency.
"Hmm..."
I took one last look back to see bodies on the floor that I had left in my path here...
'I guess now's the time for me to head home, and get some more practice in before I go to bed...'
~ Third Person Pov, ??? ~
.
.
.
"Are ya' serious? There's only a single guy that's been doing all this to my crew...?" The man asked calmly, fiddling with a toy doll...
Another person dressed as a student nodded hesitantly;
"Y-Yes sir... It's all the work of a single person. Nobody has been able to identify him as yet, because they really can't... Based on the rumors, all they say is that he's extremely powerful, with skills to back it up too."
The boss narrowed his eyes at those last two particular aspects;
'Hmph...'
He slowly turned to his underling, slowly forming a smile;
"Say... Do you think he's more powerful than me?" The boss suddenly asked while he slowly stood up, revealing himself to be a tall, muscular and daunting figure, he had easily stood around two meters in height; His physique could only be expressed with one word. And that word, was overwhelming...
He continued twirling the toy doll in his hand, as he stared at it with a cold, almost calculating expression...
"O-Of course not... I don't think anyone is more powerful than you, s-sir." The student answered, carefully;
"B-But... from what I've gathered, this person has been handling large groups of our people... Like I've even said before sir... Rumors have it that he was entirely on his own, and no one's seen him take a hit desp-
-Thwack!!!
.
.
.
Drip~
Drip~
.
.
.
'Huh...?'
Before the student had even realized it, he was already bleeding... He felt a viscous liquid, slowly running down his own for head...
'W-When...? When did he even throw it? He thought.
His head was bleeding profusely, with the doll being on the ground having his blood smeared all over it...
"I heard what ya' fucking said you faggot!"
"Yes sir... I apologize dearly for stepping out of line..." The student said, keeping his calm.
The boss just hummed in response, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully, now speaking with himself;
"Interesting... So he's been taking down everyone that comes his way? No hesitation, no fear either... Sounds like this got quite the pair of balls on himself."
He placed the toy doll back on the table and stood up, stretching as he turned toward the window; "Hell... This might be even more fun than I expected."
He smiled, a dark, twisted grin that didn't quite reach his eyes;
"Well, then... Let's see just how much of a monster this guy really is..."
The student swallowed nervously but remained quiet, knowing better than to speak up...
"Oh... Send a few of the guys out, and make sure to send cat among them as well to test em'. Make sure we find this so-called one-man army wannabe. I wanna to see if he's truly as impressive as those rumors claim he is..."
He turned to face the student, his red eyes gleamed with malice...
"If he is... well, I'll be the one to take care of him myself."
The student nodded quickly, sounding eager to obey. "Yes, sir... We'll get on it right away."
"Good... Oh, and get me another bitch, the old one I have is broken."
The student looked to the side, seeing a malnourished figure crumbled up in a corner, huddled to herself...
He swallowed his own bile before nodding; despite being disgusted, he couldn't dare show it.
"R-Right away, sir."
~ Ayano's Pov, the next day~
.
.
.
Today was the same as usual I guess, the only difference is was the fact that we had Chisaki in the class now, but other than that, nothing much had changed. Saionji looked much better than she did yesterday at least...
She still looked a little downtrodden, but not nearly as bad. It looked like she finally got some sleep...
I dare say, she had a slight look of hope, even if it was small.
While I was looking at her... I saw her turn towards me, with our eyes meeting briefly, I waved of course, smiling too, with her doing the same, albeit with some hesitancy...
'Guess I should have expected that.'
I still think I needed to keep tabs on her, so I might have to ask her to join our group...
'It should actually be easier that way.'
I turned to face my compadre';
"Hey, Renji... We might have a bit of company today, you think you'll mind?"
He shrugged at me, "Of course not, just make sure whoever you bring is a super cute girl." Renji smiled, giving me a thumbs up before walking away...
'Oh Renji... You really don't know what's coming.'
Because, technically, I was about to bring a super cute girl...
.
.
.
Class continued for the most part, but I was mostly interested in the sea people... I thought this world was just some weird parallel of earth, but it's really got its own history...
They have had different historical events, and of course; my own finding out about these so-called sea people, was admittedly, a little interesting...
For now, I guess I've got to wait when I get the opportunity to figure this world out, piece by piece... Interestingly enough, I don't think I'll get ever get bored at it.
Soon, it was lunch time again, this time I took the liberty to head to Saionji first. I walked over to her, "Hey, you ok?" I asked.
She nodded, slightly resigned, "I'm, ok so far... Thanks, for checking up on me..."
I shook my head, "It isn't much of an issue for me, really... but I wanted to ask if you're interested in joining me, and my friends at the roof?"
She gave a small nod, still a little hesitant, but at least she wasn't completely shutting down. She ate in relative silence for a while, but I could tell Saionji was lost in her own thoughts. At some point, she finally spoke up.
"Ayano-san… Ca-Can I ask you something?"
"Uh, sure... What's up?"
She hesitated again, glancing down at her hands before finally meeting my gaze. "Why… why exactly did you even decided to help me?"
I blinked at the question. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean…" I watched as she bit her lower lip;
"You didn't, and still don't really know me. You could've just ignored everything that was going, and maybe even let someone else deal with it, but you didn't. You even stepped in without hesitation... Not only did you do this for me, you even did the same for, him... Why?"
I leaned back a bit, crossing my arms while considering my answer... Took me a little bit to eventually come up with even a half decent response;
"I guess…" I sighed...
"Let's just say, I don't exactly like seeing people get stepped on, used or abused... Especially when they don't seem like they deserve it, if you get me."
When I said that, I saw Saionji's grip tightening around her cup...
'Did I strike some kind of nerve...?'
I continued, but I need to choose my next few words carefully... "Look, I'm not gonna pretend I'm some sort nice guy, or anything... Let's just say, I've got my own reasons for doing what I do, and did. But, in that moment? You genuinely looked like you needed the help, and I was just there at the time to do so. That's, all there was to it...."
"..."
Saionji stared at me for a moment, before a small smile formed at her lips;
"I see… Still, thank you, Ayano-san."
I shrugged, "No problem ki-I mean, anytime..." I almost slipped up and called her a kid. Which she was, but I'm one too, at least in this reality...
"So~ do you mind finishing up that lunch with us?"
Saionji hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "...Al-Alright."
"Cool. Let's head to the rooftop then—less noise, better view," I said, grabbing my tray and standing up.
She blinked, surprised, but followed my lead without argument. The cafeteria was always filled with way too many eyes, and right now, I wasn't in the mood to deal with them.
We made our way up the stairs, and as soon as I pushed open the rooftop door, the fresh air hit me. Much better. The usual hum of distant chatter from other students barely reached up here. I leaned against the railing, setting my lunch box down on the ledge while Saionji sat on one of the nearby benches, her posture still a little stiff...
"So," I started, taking a bite of my food, "Do you always eat alone?"
She looked down at her tray. "...Truth be told, as of recent… I don't really have a choice."
I frowned slightly, but didn't push the subject... "Well, now you do."
While we walked further, I could see both of my friends ahead, Kotonoha was already eating, while Renji was as well, leaning back with his usual casual smile as he waved us both over;
"Hey! took you long enough," he called out, mouth half-full. "Thought you ditched us or something."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah... like I'd ditch free entertainment."
Katsura barely glanced up, focusing on her meal, but she gave a small nod in greeting. Saionji, on the other hand, hesitated, glancing between both of them before sitting down beside me, still holding her tray stiffly...
Hmm; 'I guess she's still not entirely comfortable yet...'
I saw Renji eyeing her for a second, then suddenly smirked, saying; "So, you're the new recruit?"
Saionji blinked, looking mildly confused, and if I didn't know any better slightly offended;
"...R-Recruit?"
I sighed; "Just ignore him Sekai-san, he thinks he's running some kind of secret club here."
"Hey! We are a club, kind of..." Renji shot back, pointing his chopsticks at me. "Not only that, it's an exclusive, elite, totally badass lunch club."
"Pfft-"
-Hehe~" Saionji let out a small laugh at that, and I caught the way her shoulders had eased up, even if it was just a little...
'I guess... I probably don't need to worry about her not fitting in with us...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 17: Quest - Part 5 (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, A few hours later ~
.
.
.
Today was definitely one of the better days I've had since waking up in this world... Sekai was opening up to us all a bit, smiling a bit more as well. Still, we all had a great time with each other.
'Nothing pleases an elder like myself, than seeing these kids smiling.'
Actually, that kind of sounded more creepy than I thought it would be... Despite it being in my own head.
"A-Ayano-san!" I heard Katsura's voice call out to me. I turned around, seeing her running towards me.
Katsura fidgeted slightly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She looked down, gripping the strap of her bag tightly before finally speaking, her voice sounding a bit quieter than usual...
"A-Ayano-san… um… Would you mind, if we… Walked together?"
I scrunched at the offer at first. That was just… unexpected. I mean, this would be the second time now? The first time, she had seen what I did... But this time? She was actually going out of her way to ask me?
I tilted my head slightly;
"Really...? Are you sure you're okay walking with someone like me? Y'know, with all the stuff you saw me do...?" I wasn't one to dig up old stories, but, it was like a few days ago, nearly a week now...
I saw Katsura glancing up, then quickly looked away, cheeks a little pink. "Well, I… I don't really care much about what happened time. I just… I enjoy your company, and since we live on the same path..."
'That's, an oddly sweet thing for her to say...'
It was honestly, a nice answer. I was admittedly flattered by the sudden compliment too. Plus, I didn't want to make this conversation anymore awkward than it already seemed, or needed to be...
I laughed it off, adjusting my bag: "Alright then, let's go."
She looked up at me, surprised for a moment, then nodded with a small smile. And with that, we both started walking off...
.
.
.
"It sucks that we can't use the gaming cafe', those guys from Yushuku just constantly flock it like cockroaches now... I heard that they were even taxing the guys to even get in to the place."
"Yeah, I even heard the manager of the place can't do anything about it. Apparently, they all threatened him, or something like that..."
"..."
I listened to the conversation these two guys were having in front of us. I think I know of the high school they were talking about too. Hell, it's probably the one I went to yesterday to deal with all those nitwits. Now, they could be flocking these cafe's too?
At least I've got some more locations I need to search...
I then felt a gently tap on my shoulder;
"…You're... thinking about getting involved in this, aren't you..."
I winced;
'Oh... Crap...'
Was I really that easy to read?
I had to respond to it;
"We-Well... Maybe..."
I heard a small sigh coming from her, hugging her bag a little closer: "You know... you can't possibly hope to fix everything doing what you do…"
I nodded at that, why wouldn't I? But, I definitely didn't expect her to this perceptive about me;
"I... Never said I could. But, I think I can make things real uncomfortable for the ones willing to mess everything up."
She frowned slightly but didn't argue. Instead, she just walked a little closer, keeping pace with me as we continued down the side-walk;
"If you're going to go through with what you were thinking, could you at least walk me home first...?"
I glanced at her, raising a brow; "Was... that your way of keeping me out of trouble for a bit?"
Katsura looked away, fiddling with the strap of her bag: "…Maybe."
I smiled, shaking my head. A part of me was glad that she apparently cared enough for me to do this, or a part of me was just glad that at least someone in the world partially did...
"Fine, fine... I'll be on my best behavior-for now."
She didn't respond to that, but she had kept on walking... Unfortunately, it's not like I could just fail this thing, or drop it without potentially facing any consequences. I just can't take that risk...
"You don't have to speak... Just, listen... I, don't want to come off as the type of guy that does this kind of thing for no apparent reason, and I just wanted to say, is that I do have one."
It took a bit, but she nodded after a small while.
I'm glad she did, she was both very mature and understanding...
Kotonoha as I expected, didn't say much after that, and honestly, I didn't mind. She just kept walking beside me, the occasional glance in my direction probably her way of making sure I wasn't about to take off and cause trouble. She was a, smart girl.
She knew this new me too well already...
The road ahead stretched under the dim glow of streetlights, the sky being tinged with the last traces of sunset that was left...
It was a bit, quiet between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable, or awkward or anything of the sort. If anything, it was kind of nice... The peace that is.
"...Hey." Katsura spoke up suddenly, her voice softer than before. "You said earlier that you have a reason… Does that mean you've always been like this?"
I stopped walking. It wasn't a question I really expected. Katsura even slowed her pace too, turning to face me, her expression... I couldn't even make it out myself.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair;
"You're asking if I've always been the type to beat the crap out of people who deserve it...?"
Her lips pressed together, but she didn't deny it.
I huffed out a laugh, shaking my head;
"I don't know, maybe... I guess I've just never been the type to sit back, and watch crap go down when I can do something about it, and it just so happens to turn out, that using my fists were the most effective way of accomplishing that goal."
Kotonoha didn't break eye contact, even as I looked away.
There was something about her gaze, like she was trying to understand more than just what I was saying...
"I see..." she told me. Then, after a pause, "...It must be exhausting."
That made me pause... Not because it was wrong, but because it wasn't something people usually would react with and say... I let out a shallow breath;
"You're... not wrong." It was tiring. The only thing keeping me going was my recovery passive. It's incredibly useful, and because of it, I've even managed to push past my limits in certain cases...
She gave a small nod, as if that was enough of an answer. And then, just like that, she started walking off again.
I followed, side by side, back into the silence. A few minutes later, we reached her place. Katsura stopped at the gate, gripping her bag strap like she was hesitating about something. I leaned against the fence, hands shoved in my pockets. "Alright, I walked you home. You gonna tell me to behave again, or what?"
She shot a glance at me, then away... "N-No… Just be careful, and don't do anything reckless, and please stay safe."
I smiled, being as confident as I could. "No promises..." What kind of man would I be to let a kid worry about me?
Katsura sighed but didn't argue. Instead, she turned toward her house. Before she stepped inside, though, she hesitated—just for a second—then quickly turned back around.
"...Goodnight, Ayano-san."
I blinked. That was… nice. Unexpected, but nice that she cared. I shrugged, pushing off the fence. "Yeah... Later, Kotonoha-san."
She disappeared inside, and I stood there for a moment longer, staring at the closed door. Then, with a deep breath, I turned on my heel, and walked off.
Unfortunately, I still had some business to take care of...
.
.
.
"AAAHH!!! I said let GO of me!!"
My steps came to a halt...
The voice—it was sharp, panicked. It came from somewhere up ahead, just past the alleyway to my right.
I narrowed my eyes, adjusting the strap of my bag as I turned the corner.
"..."
"Damn, she's feisty! Quit struggling, lady~ We just wanna talk."
That tone. That fake, sickly-sweet condescension...
I'd heard it all before.
I stepped closer, keeping to the shadows. Three guys. High schoolers, probably—judging by their uniforms, a Highs cool. Likely the same school those other idiots were from. And between them, pinned against the wall of a closed shop, was a woman.
She looked older than me-probably mid 20s? 30s?—but she was fighting back, trying to yank her arm free from the one gripping her wrist... Her bag had already hit the ground, its contents spilling across the pavement.
"Ah! G-Get your hands off of me!" she snapped, eyes blazing with anger, but the way she was slightly out of breath told me she'd been at this for a while.
"Come on, no need to be so rude~" one of the punks chuckled, stepping in closer. "We're just being friendly. Plus, it's not us who're gonna do anything, it'll be our boss."
I clicked my tongue. That was enough.
"HEY!!!"
...
My voice cut through the alley...
"Who the fuck is this punk?" One of them said.
The guy gripping her wrist frowned, while the other two turned toward me, clearly irritated.
"The hell do you, want?" one of them sneered.
I tilted my head slightly, taking my time stepping fully into the light. "Isn't it a little pathetic, cornering a woman like this...?" My tone was light, but the weight behind my words wasn't;
"Didn't your school, or parents teach you guys any damn manners?"
The grip on her wrist loosened slightly... The guy who'd spoken first took a step toward me, trying to puff himself up. "You don't know who you're messing with ya' fucker!"
I let out a small, humorless laugh... "Oh, trust me," I rolled my shoulders, already feeling the familiar heat of adrenaline rise up in me;
"I really couldn't give two shits who I was doing it to... Last chance, let the woman go, now!"
The woman in question, who I still thought was a stranger-stared right at me, I could tell her expression was bouncing between both shock, and something else I couldn't quite figure out right now...
The punks in front of me exchanged glances, before one of them smirked. "Hahaha!! You've got guts, I'll give ya' that. But unless you want to get hurt, I suggest you walk away."
I took another step forward. "Oh? You wanna hurt me now?" I gestured toward their uniforms, recognizing the school they came from.
"Aren't you all from Yushuku...? I ran into some of your friends yesterday night-broke their noses, busted their ribs... Hell, If you hurry, maybe you can still catch them, at the hospital that is..."
That one? Yeah... I know it got them to hesitate. Then, I made myself even clearer;
"So...? What's it gonna be-"
PING!
-------------------------------------------------------
{HIDDEN QUEST: I don't think I need to tell you what to do here...
REWARD: 3 Bronze Keys and 1 Silver Key}
-------------------------------------------------------
'Talk about bad luck... For them.'
.
.
.
I was going to let them off with a warning, but it's clear the panel didn't.
Now I knew I didn't really have much a choice to back off from this one.
Well… looks like I can't just let them off easy this time. I didn't want things to get bloody.
These punks, they were all still hesitating, glancing between each other, clearly trying to gauge if this was a fight they could win. One of them-the one who had spoken the most—scoffed, straightening up and rolling his shoulders.
"*Tch!* You're really gonna make us do this?"
I smiled...
"No." I took a step forward. "But, I'm gonna make you bastards regret it-"
-Fwish!
I dashed forwards.
Faster than they could even hope to react to.
Before the first idiot could even blink, I was already in front of him. My fist drove into his gut like a hammer, folding him in half instantly. His breath left him in a strangled gasp, but I didn't give him time to fall. My knee shot up, slamming into his chin. His head snapped back, and his body went limp before he even hit the pavement.
The second one barely had time to register what happened before I was on him. He threw a sloppy punch in panic—I caught his wrist mid-swing. With a sharp twist, I felt his bones snap under my grip. He howled in agony, but it turned into a wet gurgle as my elbow crashed into his throat, sending him sprawling against the alley wall.
The last guy tried to run.
I caught up with him in an instant, seizing him by the back of his uniform and yanking him back. His body whipped around from the force-just in time for my fist to meet his face. The impact cracked across his skull like a gunshot. Blood sprayed, splattering across my cheek, but I didn't stop.
For once, I didn't want to...
Boom!
I slammed him into the ground. His body twitched, but he was still conscious. Unlucky him. I stepped down onto his wrist, the sharp crack of bone breaking beneath my heel echoing through the alley.
"ARGHHH!!!!"
The other two were barely moving at this point. The first one? He was out cold. The second was coughing up blood, clutching his crushed throat.
Good.
I turned back to the woman. She was staring at me. Wide-eyed and scarred... She took a step back—then her legs giving out.
I quickly caught her before she hit the ground...
Her breathing was a bit shaky, her body was trembling slightly against mine. I could feel the way her fingers curling into my uniform, it honestly felt like she wasn't sure if she should push me away, or hold on even tighter...
So, I spoke up;
"I'm sorry you had to see this kind of thing miss… At least, you're safe now," I apologized, making sure my voice was gentler than before...
------------------------------------------------------------------
{HIDDEN QUEST: I don't think I need to tell you what to do here... (COMPLETE)
REWARD: 3 Bronze Keys and 1 Silver Key}
-------------------------------------------------------------------
...
I felt my pockets get a bit weightier than before...
Almost forgetting, I helped her stand up straight...
She wobbled slightly, still unsteady, but I kept a steady grip on her arm until she found her own balance.
Her breathing was uneven, her fingers were twitching slightly as she clutched at the fabric of her blouse. I can tell she was trying to remain strong, but any woman, no... Person, would be scared in this situation...
I took a step back, giving her space: "Hey... Are, you alright miss?"
She finally looked at me and nodded hesitantly, but her eyes never left me. Not my face—my hands. The ones still stained with fresh blood...
'I should, put them away...'
Ah...
I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand, unknowingly smearing the crimson across my skin before shaking as much of it as a I could, off;
"S-Sorry... That must've been a quite the sight."
Her lips parted slightly, but whatever she was about to say must've caught in her throat. Instead, she let out a small, shaky breath;
"You… you helped me..."
"Well, yeah... Of course I would." I frowned slightly;
"What kind of person would I be if I didn't...?What kind of man would I be, to just walk away, and not do anything...?" I told her truthfully.
When she heard that, I could see something in her eyes had changed, instantly. Surprise? Gratitude? I couldn't really tell at this point. But then, her eyes had softened at me, she stepped closer towards me before stopping a few feet away;
"…Thank you-"
Still, now that I take a good look at her... I've realized just how attractive she was, at least with that deduction out of the way, I now know why those fools did what they tried to do... And, just how weirdly familiar she looked...
'Am I seeing thing...?'
But before I could even respond, she took another sudden step forward, this time a feet away. Her eyes traced my arms—and then her hands quickly clasped mine;
'?I'm sure she saw the blood... Yet she still...' I was a little surprised.
Not just that, it was... Firm, despite the way she was still trembling;
"-I... I don't know what they would have done with me if you hadn't came, and did what had a while ago..."
I... exhaled through my nose, glancing at the bodies groaning on the pavement behind me;
"Well, they won't be doing much of anything for a long while, I made sure of that..."
I felt the grip on her hands tightening for just a split second, before she eventually let me go, then, she started pressing her hands together, as if grounding herself;
"Thank you, again really. I should-I should get home now. My, daughter will be worried if I don't get there soon…"
I nodded: "Yeah, that's actually a great idea. Umm... By any chance, do you want me to walk you there?"
She hesitated, I thought she almost looked conflicted. But, not out of any ill will...
"…N-No, I'll be alright." She looked up at me again, her eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place my fingers on;
"But… I really can't thank you enough."
I rubbed the back of my head;
"It's fine miss, don't mention it either. Just be safe around here... Guys like that are practically rampant."
She nodded at me once before turning on her heel and hurrying off, her pace wad quick but uneven. I stood there for a moment longer, watching her disappear down the street.
Interestingly enough, she even lives in the same direction as Kotonoha does too...
.
.
.
"Phew...!" The weight in my pocket reminded me that the panel had just paid me for what I did.
'Guess I was always meant to finish that little fight earlier...'
With a final glance at the broken bodies littering the alley, I turned and walked away... I had a few stops to make before I called in the night. But before that, I should use all my keys.
I went a bit deeper into the alleyway, taking out all the Bronze Keys I had saved over the past month and weeks I had spent piling up. Coupled with that quest, I had ten of them flat... Each should give me +200 energy...
So one by I used all ten of them, this time, putting them all into my energy stat... After a few minutes, I was completely done; now It's time I used that new Silver Key I got had gotten too... Of course, when I used it, I saw multiple different cards flashing in front of my face, before it finally landed on one. I even saw it's description, and I was quite surprised...
'Interesting... So this thing's considered a mythical Passive?'
All the other skills I got were just called passive. Actually, the only other passive skill that was different was the circulation of light, but It's considered a hidden passive. So I guess there's some sort of a ranking hierarchy to this I'm not aware of...?
I saw the card flash right in front of my face, with its name being. Energy Manipulator, it's description saying;
'Energy Manipulator: The cost for all active skills are now halved permanently, and all skill effectiveness has now doubled.'
It has a note at the very bottom that says it doesn't work on any other type of skills...
Regardless, It this essentially halves the cost of all my active skills, and makes them twice as strong. Then that's quiet a well needed boost...
'Status...'
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 173 cm | 5' 8¼"
Age: 17
Health: 6000 / 6000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 3100 / 3100 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 251 / 1000
Defense: 251 / 1000
Agility: 251 / 1000
Spirit: 251 / 1000
Passive Skills;
-Martial-Arts-Mastery
-Recovery
-Critical Hit
-Circulation of Light
Skills;
-Charge Shot - Cost: 100 Energy
-Multi-Strike Destruction - Cost: 100 Energy
Martial Arts Learned;
-Judo
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [Mastered]
-Muay-Thai [Mastered]
-Boxing [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon
.
.
.
'Hmm? There are definitely some nice little changes here...'
My overall energy capacity had actually increase to a little over 3000 now, and the panel even has a martial arts section to it, and it didn't have just that.
Not only that, It was even showing that I even mastered those specific martials arts as well, so that means I'll need to work on my Judo, and Taekkyeon then...
'Hah...'
Isn't this thing essentially telling me that I shouldn't waste my time with the other fighting styles then?
Regardless, I guess it's time to continue my quest...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 18: Quest - Part 6
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I could smell it...
The stench of stale cigarettes and sweat practically clung to the air, it's both thick and suffocating. The music were pounding through the walls, bass-heavy and distorted, enough to even rattle the floor.
'Disgustingly offensive.' Those were the only words I could use to describe this, place.
I scanned the area a little more... Graffiti was pretty much smeared across almost every surface I could see; it was all a chaotic mess of tags, and crude drawings.
Boxes of cigarette packs were stacked carelessly against the seams, some spilling onto the sticky floor. Trash was also, everywhere—nothing but empty bottles, crumpled wrappers, and the occasional broken chair shoved into a corner.
'So this is one of the places…' It looked, disgusting.
Against my better judgement I stepped further in, pushing past the heavy hazes of smoke and drunken laughter coming from further in. Eyes turned toward me, some were wary, some indifferent. Heck, most didn't even care. They were too busy gambling, drinking, or making an absolute mess of themselves.
Then, I found him. It wasn't even hard.
The owner was sitting behind the counter, half-slumped over, swirling a cheap drink in his glass. He looked, exhausted. For lack of the better word—like a man who had given up a long time ago. There were Dark bags under his eyes, his clothes were heavily wrinkled, and the flickering neon light above him only made his tired expression seem more hollow to me.
I pulled up a stool, or what was left of one, resting my arms on the counter. "You look, miserable..."
His eyes drifted to me then coughing from the smoke, dull and uninterested. "You lost, kid?"
I ignored his question. "Do you want all this to stop?"
"?"
A bitter laugh escaped him... He leaned back, taking a slow sip of whatever cheap liquor he had;
"You're, serious?" His gaze flicked around the room...
"Is this some kind of sick joke? There's at least a hundred of them scattered back here. Assuming you aren't one of them playing a sick prank on me... You think you can just snap your fingers and make all this-them, disappear?"
I tilted my head, realizing just how bad this situation really was... Still. "I could fix it for you..."
That one? That one made him laugh. A real laugh this time—short, dry, and laced with absolute disbelief.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that, kid... But, you should leave before you get hurt.
You don't seem like the kind of person who-"
"-I'm going to ask you again." I interrupted him, keeping my tone even;
"Do you want this, to stop?"
The laughter faded... He stared at me for a long moment before exhaling, rubbing his face with one hand. Then, with a slow shake of his head, he responded to me, "If you can do this… I'll make sure you, and anyone you bring has a lifetime privilege here."
I laughed...
"I'll hold you to that one old man... Oh, and don't leave this room until I come through that door, got it?"
.
.
.
I walked right back into the game room, keeping my steps light but deliberate enough to draw attention... The air was much thicker here, with smoke and the scent of cheap alcohol as pungent as it could be. Laughter and shouting filled the space, a chaotic mess of voices talking over each other.
I shook my head: 'How the heck do these kids nowadays even smoke something like this everyday?'
I felt as if I'd get carcinoma from this alone...
I saw some boys lounged around the pool tables, some gripping cue sticks lazily, others too drunk or high to care about the game. A few high school girls sat draped over them, laughing at jokes that weren't funny, pretending to enjoy the company of men who barely acknowledged them...
'That old man really wasn't lying... There had to be at least a hundred of them here.'
Some sat on the counters, legs swinging, watching card games play out with bored expressions. Others leaned against the walls, eyes glancing to the entrances every now and then, keeping an unspoken watch over the place.
I took another step forward, my gaze sweeping the room. It didn't take long before a few heads turned in my direction, their eyes narrowing as they sized me up. Some looked disinterested, others annoyed—like I had just walked into their territory uninvited.
A group near the back muttered amongst themselves. One of them, a tall guy with dyed blonde hair and a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips, pushed off the pool table and started towards me.
"Hey!" he called out, voice laced with irritation. "Who the hell are you?"
I turned my back towards him, "Just a regular guy looking to play a few games..."
The blonde snorted, exhaling a puff of smoke. "You lost, man? You don't look like you belong here."
"That so?" I tilted my head. "Could've sworn this was a public place."
He let out a short laugh, turning to the others;
"Hear that? We got a smartass here."
A few of them chuckled, but there was no humor in it. The mood had changed slightly...
I let my smile widen. "Actually, I'm here for something else."
The blonde took another drag of his cigarette. "Yeah? And what's that?"
I cracked my knuckles. "Cleaning up."
For a second, no one reacted. Then—
"The hell did you just say?"
I struck him first-
-Blouff!
My fist drove into his stomach, hard enough to lift him off his feet. The cigarette dropped from his lips as a choked gasp left his throat, his eyes widened at me with shock. Before he could even crumple to the ground, I grabbed him by the collar, and hurled him into the nearest table...
It didn't take long before chaos erupted.
Chairs scraped against the floor as bodies started scrambling. A bottle smashed somewhere behind me. Someone shouted too, but I wasn't paying much attention to that.
The first one to charge at me swung a cue stick. I caught it mid-air, yanking him forward before slamming my elbow into his face. His bone crunched with his Blood splattering across my sleeve.
'Crap... I'm gonna have to get these cleaned again...'
Before I could even finish my own thought.
Another charged at my right. I pivoted, grabbing his right arm and snapping it with a elbow. He screamed as his arm bent in a way it shouldn't, but I silenced him with another knee to the ribs. He hit the ground, coughing up up blood violently...
A third guy tried to tackle me. I didn't even let him graze me.
I sidestepped, letting his momentum carry him past me before driving my heel into the back of his knee. He collapsed with a yell, and I followed it up with a sharp kick to the side of his head...
I turned towards the rest of them who were looking at me, "...I don't have all night... SO HURRY THE FUCK UP!!!"
...
~ The Old man's Pov, Half an hour later... ~
.
.
.
It started with a scream. A sharp, guttural cry that cut through the usual drunken noise like a damned knife. Then, a crash—glass shattering, bottles sounded as if they were flying, wood splintering under the force of something being thrown.
More scream had followed. Pained, desperate, some too choked up to even be called screams at all. The sound of dull thuds of fists meeting flesh, the sickening sound of bones breaking or snapping, the shuffle of feet as people tried—and failed—to run.
I must have sat completely, frozen behind my own damn counter, my fingers were gripping the glass so tightly I thought it might crack...
'Wh... What the hell was going on out there?'
I wanted to stand up. Wanted to peek around the corner.
But, I just couldn't.
Because every single sound coming from that room made it very clear to me.
This wasn't just some regular fight that was going on.
Behind those doors were signs of a massacre. I swallowed hard, my throat felt dry...
I had seen my fair share of fights. Some of them bloody, some of them brutal. But this? This was different.
I swore I even heard Someone begging. Their voice was hoarse, barely understandable.
Then—CRACK!
The begging eventually stopped.
I flinched each and every time... More glass broke. Someone, or something slammed against the wall hard enough to even rattle the shelves behind me.
The screaming was getting, quieter...
Not because the fight was over—But because there probably weren't many left to scream. I could it... I could feel my hands shaking.
'Who the hell was that kid?'
.
.
.
Minutes passed... Maybe more.
Then—footsteps. Slow... Steady...
Until the door creaked open.
I held my breath...
And there he was...
The same kid who came to me half an hour ago... I could see it... The Blood that smeared across his cheek and clothing, his knuckles looked red and raw. His clothes were a mess, torn and stained, but his expression—Relaxed...
No... I could see it, he was tired...
But, on another hand, he looked almost, satisfied?
"It's done," he told me, as if he hadn't just turned the entirety of my backroom into a warzone.
I swallowed hard, my words catching in my throat;
"Y-you… what the hell did you—?"
He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, glancing at the blood before shrugging.
"I Just helped cleaned up the trash around here, that's all..."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding... My entire body slumped forward against the counter, and my heart was still hammering in my chest .
I was scared.
But also…
Thankful.
That room… That damned pit of filth, of crime, and of wasted lives—It was gone. For months was my business plummeting. I even plan to give it up since I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't even call for help, because they threatened, me and my helpers-
-and, now some random kid fixed all of it...?
He had done what I couldn't. What I wouldn't have dared to even try. I exhaled shakily, gripping the counter to steady myself;
"K-Kid…" I stammered... "I… I, owe you."
The boy looked at me, turning his head, amused. "Yeah... I guess you do."
He looked around, "Then that favor, do it for me now... You saw those guys behind me. I need you to call an ambulance for all of them. I definitely busted them up pretty badly."
I nodded, "Of course, that won't be a proble—K-Kid? Wh-Where are you going?"
"Where do you think? I'm going home to get a good night's rest..."
I wanted to stop him, but something tells me, I should just leave him alone.
For what he just did, he at least needs some time to rest.
I just hope he comes back so I can repay him...
.
.
.
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
It felt… different tonight.
The fights had went well, no injuries at all, or anything too major. I didn't even get scratched, which, honestly, surprised me. However, there was still that feeling of exhaustion creeping in, even if it wasn't all that physical. Mentally? I was worn out, but at the same time, something else was going on with me...
Furthermore, I could tell, without a doubt, that I was stronger than I was just a few days ago... It wasn't even physical. I hadn't grown in size or muscle, but... my fists? They were starting to feel, different...
Like, when they hit, it wasn't just the normal impact—it felt like there was something more behind it, I just can't place my finger on what said thing even was. Even when I was holding back there, it felt like I was still dealing a considerable amount of damage.
'Will I need to tone down my strength even more?'
I'm practically at a crossroads with this kind of thing. The more I held back, the more difficult the fights were becoming. It was already taxing enough as is to not get injured fighting so many people, but to go even lower than this is simply being risky, if not outright cocky of me...
Was this what it was supposed to feel like? I kept thinking about it. That strange sense that I was more in control, like everything was essentially clicking into place.
I actually feel as if my body wasn't just reacting anymore—it was almost like I was controlling it, commanding it to a greater extent. I didn't have to think as much about each of my movement. I didn't have to even force it. I just… knew.
'Hmm... No use in bothering with this now... I guess I'll just have to research this kind of thing later.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 19: Quest - Part 7
Chapter Text
~ Sekai's Pov, a day later... ~
.
.
.
Beep-
Beep-
Beep-
...
Click!
"Hai... S-Setsuna-Chan? No... I think... I'm done... Yes, I'm no longer involved with, Makoto-san, not anymore... S-Setsuna, N-No. I tried! You know that wasn't the case... no... I'm done!-"
Beep-
...
I... hung up on her.
A part of me felt awful for treating her like this, but I needed to get away from all that, drama.
I just couldn't deal with any of it, not anymore...
I stared at my phone for a moment, the screen dimming before finally eventually fading to black... My fingers trembled slightly, gripping my device tighter, as if that would somehow make me feel any less guilty for what I did...
I could tell that Setsuna had sounded surprised. Maybe even relieved. But, I knew deep down, this wasn't just about Makoto. It was about, everything...
The lies. The heartbreak. The endless cycle of pain that I let myself get caught up in.
'I was so stupid... Why did I have to fall for him? Give all my firsts to him?'
It infuriated me that it had to come to this.
.
.
.
I exhaled, setting my phone down on the small table beside me. Being so alone in my own room, I realized just how quiet it was—too quiet. It almost felt suffocating, yet also comforting. The silence...
No more Makoto. No more tangled emotions. No more pretending things could go back to how they used to be, and definitely no more hurt... But, why did it still feel like a part of me was breaking, hurting still? Yet, another part of me was even beginning new...
'I... I don't even know what to do with myself at this point...'
I was practically mocking myself at this point.
Thinking back on it now. If... If Ayano hadn't show up that day;
'Would I have just ruined my entire life over someone like, him?'
The fact that I almost went through with that thought was already terrifying enough as is...
"Urmm..."
I hugged my knees to my chest, my thoughts were spiraling into complete circles at this point. Ayano...
That boy had walked right into my life like a calm storm, tearing through everything I thought I knew.
He didn't hesitate either. He didn't judge me either... He just—acted. And for what?
What did he see in me that made him even bother with me? We hadn't even spoken with each other before... I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the questions away, but they stuck to me like my own shadows.
'Was it all just pity?'
The idea alone made my stomach twist. I didn't want to be pitied. I didn't want to be some helpless girl that needed saving.
And yet… It felt like I had been.
I exhaled shakily, my fingers curling into the fabric of my sleeves... That night, I had been standing on the edge of something terrible, something I couldn't take back. If he hadn't been there—I shook my head. I didn't even want to think about it.
But no matter how much I tried to ignore it, one truth remained.
Ayano hadn't saved just me, but he did so to Makoto too. And, I didn't even know why. What could he possibly gain from this
"Sekai! Breakfast is ready!"
I wiped my tears, "C-Coming!" I couldn't let my mother see me in this state...
She already has enough on her plate as is.
...
~ Kotonoha's Pov ~
.
.
.
"Mom, are you planning to take today off as well...?"
She nodded, "Yes, sweetie... I'm still a bit... Yes, I am."
I could tell, even now... she was still fearful...
My mother... I considered her to be a very strong, and independent person, in fact, she was one of the strongest persons I've ever known in my life, and when she told me that she had almost been assaulted the other day... It must have been quite a heavy toll, even for someone like her.
I turned to her and asked: "M-Mom... If, it's okay with you... May I ask, who might have saved you that day?"
I could see her hesitating, her fingers tightening around the teacup she held... For a moment, I thought she wouldn't answer, but then—
"Well... It, was a boy..." She finally told me, her voice was soft, almost uncertain. Maybe this wasn't the best time to talk about it...
But before I could ask her to stop, she continued: "He was quite young. Maybe around your age to be specific… or he was a year, or so older. I, don't know his name, nor did I ask at the time, and, he never told me either.
A, boy?
I asked. "Did you make out what he had looked like? Or, what he even wore on that day?"
She closed her eyes for a moment, as if she was actively trying to recall... "He had black, and slightly unkept hair. Somewhat sharp, navy blue eyes too... He hadn't spoken to me all that much when it happened.
He asked me if I was alright, or if I needed the company to get home, of course, I said no...
But, just from how he had sounded, I could tell he was a very considerate type of person when he did. And, now that you've brought it to my remembrance..."
She placed a hand on her cheek;
"As a matter of fact... I actually think he goes to the same school that you do, since he wore the same uniform the boys do."
I thought about it a little further...
'Dark unkept hair, dark blue colored and somewhat sharp as well... He even wears the same uniform as the boys of our school does...?'
Her description sounded eerily similar to someone I already knew.
"Mom, how tall would you say this person was?"
She closed her eyes, then opened them, "I would say he is around my height, maybe one or two centimeters taller, why...?"
There's only one person that came to my mind: "Because..."
"I think... I might even know the person who saved you."
...
~ Ayano's Pov, At school ~
.
.
.
"Morning Renji."
"Morning."
I sat beside him, yawning since I woke up pretty badly today... I looked around the class, not seeing either Kotonoha or Sekai yet, which was pretty unusual since those two are usually quite early, more often than myself.
"Hey, Keiji-san... I think... I think I see Kotonoha-san, and someone else beside her...?"
I turned my head toward where Renji was looking. Sure enough, Kotonoha was standing near the school gates, but she wasn't alone. Beside her stood another woman—she looked fairly tall, and had that refined look to her, with short dark green hair.
'She looks, familiar, though I couldn't quite place it for the life of me from where.'
At first, I didn't think much of her... Since, she was so far away to even begin with... Sure, she might have looked vaguely familiar, but I figured she was just another parent or relative, maybe she was even a new teacher. It was nothing too unusual.
But then—when she had gotten a bit closer, she turned slightly, the light hitting her face at just right, and it all came flying back to me.
'Wait a sec... T-That lady... Wasn't she the same person from, that evening...? The one I'd helped by saving?'
I felt my body tensing up for just a fraction of a second. I smacked myself in the face for not realizing it earlier...
Gosh! I hadn't even recognized her at first—maybe it was because she wasn't trembling in fear, or because she wasn't backed into a damn alley with some lowlifes trying to ruin her life... But, now that I saw her clearly…
There wasn't any doubt it in my mind.
.
.
.
Still, putting two-and-two together, I think I've gotten the gist of what was going to happen her.
'So, she must be Kotonoha's mother…'
That certainly explained why Kotonoha was probably looking around like that. I could tell that she was likely searching for me, or heading here... At least, I think she was, the woman had no other reasonable option to really be here as a parent, I think.
'Oh, boy...'
I sighed quietly, rubbing my temple.
'Well… this, might be a bit awkward.'
I hoped that encounter would've been a one time thing. But still, no wonder I felt she looked so similar to Katsura, she was her mom. And, even then, the lady didn't look a single day over thirty.
Then, I felt Renji nudging me. "Hey, you alright man? You spaced out there for a sec."
"Yeah..." I answered, standing up: "I think I just realized who that person is."
Before he could even ask his question, Kotonoha's eyes suddenly landed right on me. And from the way her eyes looked, I could instinctively tell—she knew, that I knew...
.
.
.
Of course, It didn't take long for Kotonoha to show up at the front door of our classroom... Room 1-3 wasn't exactly hard to find. When I glanced at the entrance of the classroom, her eyes instantly turned towards me. She quietly signaled for me to come down.
Figured it's best I got this over with...
I exhaled one last time, adjusting my bag as I stood. Renji shot me a look, one eyebrow raised in what looked like a silent question... Being me, I didn't answer, I just gave him a slight nod before making my way towards the door...
She was waiting just outside, arms held to the side with an expression I couldn't quite make out. Standing beside her was who I presumed to be her mother—the same woman from that night. Her gaze was much calmer than before, but there was something knowing in the way she was studying me;
like she had already confirmed everything in her mind...
'Huh... Strange.' I didn't pay it much mind for now.
For that brief moment, none of us said anything to each other, and truthfully, the mood felt a little odd... Then, I saw Kotonoha taking a slow breath;
"…It was you, wasn't it?"
I met her eyes evenly... "Yeah..." No point in really fighting it either. Best to tell her the truth.
Kotonoha's fingers gripped her bag tightly, and I could tell she was holding back a flood of emotions. Anger? Frustration? Gratitude? Maybe a bit of all three...
"Thank you... Ayano-san..." she said, bowing to me.
"No, don't... You don't need to thank me for something like this, Kotonoha. I just did what I thought was right at the time... It's no big deal, really." I explained to her.
"I'm sorry, but refuse to accept that answer, Ayano-san!" She said, with a resoluteness I haven't seen in her before... But, her mother placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You should give him the chance to explain first, dear..." She said, lightly.
Katsura pressed her lips together but stayed quiet. Her mother turned to me, and for a brief moment, I felt the sheer weight of her gaze. Then, to my surprise, she bowed slightly. "Thank you."
I stiffened. "Uh, m-ma'am—There's no need for all that~" It still feels extremely awkward for someone to bow to me still. After all, I wasn't even Asian by birth after all.
She gracefully straightened, a small smile on her face: "Perhaps not... But, I'm still very grateful for what you did that evening. If you hadn't stepped in... You did something, when no one else did, and for that, I owe you more than a simply debt of gratitude."
I glanced away, rubbing the back of my neck;
"W-Well... I just did what any half-decent person would do."
She chuckled softly. "And yet, I can count on one hand how many half-decent people actually would do so."
Before I could figure out how to respond to that appropriately, she tilted her head slightly, studying me, again. "And please, don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel far older than I'd like to be..."
I nodded. "…Uh-sure, of course... Then, what should I call you then?"
She subtly smiled: "Just, Manami-san is fine."
Kotonoha rolled her eyes, if I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a pretty obvious gaze of, anger...?
"Okaa-san... Aren't you being too nice to him?"
I looked at her: 'Kotonoha, aren't you supposed to be on my side...?'
Miss Manami simply smiled: "Well~ he's certainly earned it? Hasn't he?"
I exhaled, still feeling a little out of my depth with this whole situation... "Alright, Manami-san then. Like I mentioned. I, just think I did what any decent person would've done in that moment."
"Hmm..." Kotonoha nodded, quietly... "Do you really think that?"
"..."
I blinked at her a few times... Even if I barely heard her, I still heard it.
She then shook her head, exhaling through her mouth audibly, clearly signs of her being slightly upset at me...
"...Do you still genuinely believe, and think that anyone would throw themselves into a situation like this? Against multiple people...?"
Well... When she puts it like that...
I had no good response to it, so I said nothing. Nothing at all could be said to be honest...
Kotonoha sighed, and laughed. "You're, unbelievable, you know that…?"
I shrugged at that, "Hehe~ So I've been told."
For a moment, she just stared at me, as if she was trying to figure out what to do with me. Then, finally, she muttered, a small grateful set of words, being;
"…Thank you... Again."
I tilted my head, "Huh?"
She sighed, this time far more controlled. "For helping my mother..."
I waved casually: "Like I said, It's not really a big deal..."
She gave me a look that said she absolutely thought it was a big deal... I don't think I'll ever be able to change her mind about that one.
I heard her mother chuckling from the side. "He's very humble, at least."
I saw Kotonoha relaxing her arms, yet still looking at me like I was some strange anomaly she couldn't quite figure out. Sorry about that Kotonoha-san;
"…I still have some questions though..." She told me.
Still, I didn't think I'd see this side of her before, strangely, it was quite cute...
Still, I had a feeling I wasn't getting out of this conversation or situation anytime soon...
"Hmm…Figures."
"Well, for now. I think it would be best for me to leave now. Your class will start in..." She checked her watch, "A few minutes. I wouldn't want to keep you both waiting..."
She glanced at Katsura. "I'll leave the rest to you." With that, she gave me one last look—something welcoming, and knowing too—before turning to leave...
'Am... Am I going crazy here...? Why does it feel like she... No... that. isn't possible... A woman as stunning as her wouldn't look at a twerp like me that way, right...?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 20: Quest - Part 8
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I went back to my seat and made myself comfortable, Kotonoha coming in after, and then doing the same...
"So... Mind telling me what that little convo of yours was about?" Renji turned, asking.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair to get a bit, more comfortable: "It's nothing major."
Kotonoha gave me a sidelong glance from afar, but she didn't really say anything to me. Renji, on the other hand, kept pestering and teasing me me;
"Yeah, right. Kotonoha-san called you out of our class, not to mention the fact that her mom was there, and now you're acting all casual like that wasn't weird as well...?"
I waved him off: "She just wanted to talk about something... That's all."
Renji narrowed his eyes while frowning. "Something, huh? You expect me to just let that vague answer slide...?"
I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my temple as well: "Look, it's not some crazy drama you're thinking up, alright? Just a personal thing. Nothing to do with school, and certainly nothing to do with you." I told him off.
Renji stared at me for a moment before clicking his tongue;
"Fine, keep your secrets then."
A little after we had spoken with one another, I saw Sekai coming in, and fortunately for her, she was just in time for class, by a minute too. I waved at her, with her giving me a smiled with a wave of her in response...
Next was surprisingly the new girl Chisaki, she seemed quite reserved like usual...
Then finally came our teacher...
"Alright everyone, take your seats..." he said, and the chatter in the room quickly died down as everyone complied.
Once we were all settled, he cleared his throat;
"This may be a bit sudden, however, we have some good news... After the end of this month, Chisaki and her family are willing to accommodate us to see their land for an entire day."
The room fell silent for a moment, the unexpected announcement catching most, if not everyone off guard. Chisaki shifted a little uncomfortably in her seat, her gaze dropping even lower.
"Ah, that's... unexpected." Renji mumbled, glancing between Chisaki and the teacher: "Is this some sort of field trip, or something?"
The teacher nodded. "Yes, more or less... It'll be a chance to experience something new, and we're all to prepare ourselves for it. You'll be given more details closer to the middle of the exams, but I wanted to give you all a heads-up starting now."
As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of excitement spread throughout the room. Whispers turned into eager voices, and before long, the whole class was buzzing with energy.
"A field trip? To a whole new place? This sounds awesome!" someone shouted from the back.
"Yeah! Finally! A real break from school!" another student added, pumping their fist in the air.
"Where exactly is it? How far?" someone else asked, eager for more details.
The excitement was pretty contagious, and even I felt a little interested, despite the initial surprise...
It seemed like it was rare for something like this to come up so suddenly, and the idea of a day out with the class definitely had its appeal.
And, to be honest with myself, I even felt like I needed a break from all this too...
The teacher held up his hands to get everyone's attention;
"Alright, alright... I know you're all excited, but we'll discuss the specifics later down as we draw closer to the time, like I said before... For now, let's all just focus on the lessons at hand."
.
.
.
The day went by relatively normally to be honest...
Not just that, as of recent I think I was actually starting to catch up on to the material, I feel like I could get into my 60's, maybe 70's now in a few subjects if I keep going at this rate, but I only have so much time to study when I have to practice martial arts, and having to do my quest on time...
On that note, there was another fighting style I had my eyes on, and, that was capoeira this time. Ever since last few nights of fighting, I've essentially mastered all of the martials arts I've learned up until this point so far, finally breaking through mastery in Taekkyeon, with yesterday's fight.
'After this... I wonder if I should take up a weaponry? Maybe Bojutsu? No... Perhaps, Eskrima...? It honestly looks more fun.'
At the moment, I still think I'll learn capoeira first, and foremost. It seems like a fighting style that focuses more so on maneuverability and agility than anything I have so far, which I honestly liked, but it doesn't lack in the attack department, which was also a bonus for me...
'Any who, time to focus on that quest of mine...'
Since I cleaned up that last gaming cafe, I can move on to another one, but which...? I've got two other locations I know of not too far from the last one, I guess I'll just focus on the one that's farther away and work my way up closer for convenience...
I yawned: 'Well, I just hope I can get some well needed practice in tonight as well.'
~ Third Person Pov, After school... ~
.
.
.
"Hmm..."
Ayano glanced around the area for a bit;
'This one doesn't look nearly as bad as the last cafe' did... Speaking of, I should drop by there sometime with Renji, and the others.'
He walked past the entrance, smelling smoke just like the last time. This time around, he didn't even see the owner anywhere... He quickly shook his head;
'He must have given up on it completely...'
Still, he had noticed that this café looked much cleaner than the last one he had dealt with, at least, on the surface. But, the moment he stepped inside, the atmosphere told a completely different story...
'I figured...' Ayano thought.
The scent of smoke hung heavy, mixed with instant noodles and cheap cologne. The place was packed—not with customers, but with what he had expected, near, if not drop-out high school students. Practically dozens of them lounged across booths and cluttered up the aisles, their uniforms worn loosely, or with intentional disarray.
Some even had their feet propped up on what was left of the furniture. Others were crowding around computer screens, loudly gaming, and the other were just scrolling through their phones casually...
Ayano looked over the place, keeping his movements calm, just like he had done before. He did look somewhat unassuming before, and he wanted to use that as an advantage...
Of course, some of the kids had taken notice of him, their laughter dying down to just simple whispers here and there, and simple glances, at best. A few even leaned in toward each other, grinning, while others were simply watching him with both relatively, and noticeably wary eyes.
Ayano sighed, getting into the middle of the room where he knew his voice would reach everyone present:
"Alright everyone! I don't have all day... Why don't you all come at me, all together to save me the trouble...?"
.
.
.
A ripple of silence passed through the entire room...
"...Is... Is this fucker crazy?" one of the students muttered, staring wide-eyed at Ayano.
Another scoffed, half-laughing in disbelief. "The hell's he think this is, an anime?"
"He's gotta be bluffing lol."
"No way one shrimpy ass kid walks in here, and talks like that unless he's got something going for him…"
Of course, most of them didn't pay that person any mind, most just laughed and carried on, but Ayano had expected this, he didn't look entirely threatening to most...
Then, a came the voice...
"Hey!"
Ayano turned to the where it came from.
It wasn't shouted, but it had carried weight to it... Ayano could pick on that much.
The surrounding murmurs died, instantly. Then, a boy stood up from a couch pressed against the far right wall, arms relaxed but posture relatively alert.
He had lightly peach colored hair, and he looked casual—with a relatively slim athletic build. He wore a simple dark blue hoodie, with a white cartoon cat stitched onto the chest—but, there was certain level of control in his movements, and confidence in his tone...
And it didn't go unnoticed.
'This guy... He's a fighter...' Ayano surmised, quickly realizing it.
Before he could assess the youth any further, the boy in question continued: "Wait a minute... You're him... Aren't you? Haha~ Ha-ha-ha-hah!! I can't fucking believe this! You actually came right to me?! What are the chances of that!?" He stopped.
He calmed himself before continuing: Seriously... You're the one that's been making a mess of all our spots...?" He finally asked, taking a few steps forward. His voice was much calmer now. and oddly measured as well.
He smiled again, saying: "Heh~ One place after another... Quiet, brutal and clean too. Still, I thought you'd be a little more, imposing? Regardless... You thought you could keep doing your shit, without someone eventually noticing?"
Ayano, didn't respond...
He didn't need to. The way he stood—solid, was more than answer enough.
The boy stopped a few feet away from him and smiled.
"The quiet type, huh...? Well then, they call me Cat..." He introduced himself: "And I'm not like the others gremlins you've fought up until this point."
With a smooth flick of his wrist, a short metallic looking baton extended with a soft extending click. The other students all began to shift back, forming a loose circle around them...
"Those guys you took out? They were just pawns. Disposable to be honest" Cat continued, stepping into a loose stance. "But, me? I've been itching to fight ya'."
Before another minute could pass, the crowed around them had grown even thicker, what's more is that for the first time, Ayano had seen a panel prompt, this time, not in his face, but over cat's head, labeled 'mini-boss'.
'Oh... I see.'
Now Ayano understood why this person felt so different from the rest of the people he's fought before...
Still, ever since he's been getting the quests, this was the first time he's felt somewhat excited...
One of the delinquents in the crowed smiled, "This guy is absolutely fucked..."
Another overhearing asked, "Why's that?"
"Because-
.
.
.
-He doesn't know that our leader's a certified expert user of Eskrima."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 21: Quest - Part 9
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Cat turned to all that surrounded both him and Keiji saying: "I want NONE of you to interrupt this fight, if I feel that anyone one of ya' did... I don't think I need to explain myself, do I...?"
The room got quiet after that, with Keiji himself being, surprised....
"Pfft! Haha-"
Cat turned back to see whoever had dared try their luck and laughed, only in realizing that it was none other than his opponent himself, irritated, he questioned: "Oi...! what the fuck are you giggling about...?"
"-hahaha~" Keiji quickly wiped the single tear falling from his eye before calming himself down;
"It's just that... I expected none of you idiots to have any shred of honor when it came to fighting... Forgive me for thinking that... So, Consider me both baffled, and extremely impressed by the show of it."
Cat scoffed: "Stop mocking me before I change my damn mind."
Keiji waved him off casually: "You've got this all wrong... I'm not mocking you, not at all actually. For doing this, I won't be breaking any of your bones. But I'll still knock your ass unconscious for the damages you've done to people, and to the place..."
After he finished his sentence, Keiji stopped smiling, completely: "When that happens, you can at least crawl back to your boss to tell him... I'm coming for him."
.
.
.
"PPUFFF!!! HAHAHAHAAA!!!"
Someone in the crowd had completely lost it, laughter exploding out and filling the entire room... Keiji however, didn't even flinch, and Cat didn't take his eyes off of him, not once... In fact, Cat had realized that this person in front of him wasn't joking, at all...
'This, kid... He's not bluffin', I can tell... What's worse, is that he's already taken out a few hundred of our guys already, who's got the right to say he won't continue with the rest of us...?' Cat thought.
Quickly guarding himself more. While the others were still laughing, only he had realized just how serious of a threat Keiji was posing at the moment...
"So... are you ready, Cat? I've got somewhere to be today." Keiji said.
Cat simply took in the tone;
'This guy... He's not saying this because he's cocky... This fucker actually believes he can fully defeat me, and everyone here in a short amount of time too...?'
Realizing this his crew was still laughing, he decided to finally shut them up;
"SHUT THE FUCK UP! ALL OF YOU!!!"
"..."
His voice ripped through the air, loud and sharp, slicing through the laughter like a blade. The room froze. Conversations cut off mid-word. Even the most rowdy students quieted down, the weight of his voice pressing down on them like a weight.
Not a soul dared to interrupt now. But Keiji didn't so much as blink.
His eyes stayed locked onto Cat's, posture loose, steady—like he hadn't even noticed any shift in tension... If anything, the quiet only made the space between them feel even heavier, like something important was about to drop...
Cat, baton still in hand, stared him down with growing caution. The usual cocky gleam in his eye had dulled ever so slightly, replaced by something far more focused, and far more serious than before. Now, he saw Keiji as a threat...
"Be warned... Although I said I'd fight you." He explained, mostly to Cat: " I didn't say I'd take it easy on you." Keiji didn't respond aloud. But in his head, thoughts churned for a bit;
'He's certainly better than the rest of these hoodlums. Pretty much low wasted movement from the way he walks, and decent center of gravity… He's definitely trained. Finally, I can go against someone with a little skill.'
Ayano shifted his stance slightly, just enough to adjust for what was coming.
Then Cat moved off, incredibly quick as well.
The baton jabbed forward like it was a coiled spring, aiming clean for Keiji's left shoulder. A needle even. But Keiji had stepped just out of range, head tilting sideways, the baton grazing empty air... His eyes had narrowed, tracking the next move before it even started.
Swish!
The baton swept low in a wide arc—meant to catch him off guard. But Keiji stepped in, not away. His hand shot up, palm slamming into Cat's wrist to kill the momentum, body low and tight. The counter wasn't flashy. But, it was definitely clean.
'He's pretty damn fast. Aggressive too... Somewhat predictable once he commits. Still, I can work with that.' Keiji summed.
Cat flinched. Seeing the ease of how Keiji's defense is holding up wasn't something he was used to, not at all. He quickly stepped back a bit, putting a few feet between them both, his baton up now in a more guarded stance...
Fwip! Fwip!!
"You... You really think you're ready for what's coming, huh?" Cat asked, eyes narrowing...
"You think this is just some game you can clear with just you're fists, and threats?"
Fwip!
Keiji didn't say anything. Just rolled his shoulder once... But in his mind, he had already made it up;
'It's not about thinking... I've already stepped into the fire doing this quest... I can't leave this thing now either. Only question now… Is how long you'll last with me.'
Cat tapped his baton against the ground twice-
CLAAaaannnggg!!!!
-Sharp, metallic clicks echoed in the silence. His eyes never left Keiji... On the contrary, when Keiji looked down to where the strike landed, he could actually see indentations in the concrete flooring, showing just how strong of on an attack it was.
Keiji's eyes slowly trailed upwards...
Cat seeing this, smiled: "Come on, tough guy!" Cat said, his confidence rising;
"Let's see if you're still standing when I'm done with ya'."
Keiji backed away in response, then he slowly started rolling up his sleeves...
"...You know... I should be a bit more serious with this bout than this... If it's you, you might be able to take me at my decent chunk of my strength." He had already surmised that Cat was already in the superhuman-esq territory from how he moved and attacked.
Both Cat's speed and strength were tall tale signs of that at this point...
"Wh-What?" Cat was shocked. For a second, he wasn't sure if he'd even heard right. But, Keiji's tone hadn't changed. It was still eerily Calm. But there was a certain weight to the way he said it—Like he wasn't even bragging.
just stating an absolute fact of the matter...
Keiji then finished rolling up his sleeves, and stretched out both arms, fingers flexing open and closed like he was warming up a bit more.
'Superhuman...' Keiji thought, tilting his neck to the side until it loosened.
'It somewhat explains why the panel prompted. Why it considered someone like him a mini-boss... Why he felt so, off to begin with. Why it wasn't just ego.'
The tension in the air thickened again, but this time for a different reason... Keiji's foot slid back, his posture relaxing considerably...
"I'm gonna give it to you... You might be a little fast on your feet..." Keiji admitted.
'And you've definitely got power too... but if you're not sharper than me, you're gonna fall just like the rest of them did.' He also thought.
Cat's stance changed unconsciously when he heard that...
"Wh-Wha...?" he said again, barely above a whisper this time. The realization had finally caught up. He realized that this wasn't just some punk who'd gotten lucky in his fights up to this point. Keiji wasn't moving like someone bluffing his way through his bouts.
He was the kind of person who only needed one chance. One opening. Keiji on the other hand, didn't say anything. He just kept staring at Cat...
And then—
He moved. A slight gust of wind forming from it even...
'SHIT! He's coming in, fast!' Cat thought. Not expecting this kind of jump from just a moment ago.
Keiji's body moved like it was a well oiled machine, each motion meticulous... He ducked under the next strike, the baton whipping past his ear, and with a sharp pivot, his fist crashed into Cat's side.
"Gaargh!? Cat yelped. The sheer force behind it pushed the air from his lungs, but Cat recovered quickly, retreating just out of range...
Keiji didn't give him a chance to breathe. Another strike came, this time with a low, sweeping kick aimed at Cat's legs. Cat jumped back just in time, his feet barely touching the ground before he snapped his baton forward, aiming for Keiji's head-
Whoosh!
Cat looked, but Keiji was already gone, and rolling smoothly to the ground before springing back up.
'Damn it!' Cat's mind was in hurdles, his muscles already burning from the effort he was putting in.
This wasn't how he'd expected this to go;
'He's not just faster than before...! He's fucking reading me like a damn book! Predicting my moves!'
Keiji smirked, though it was a quiet, and dangerous one. His eyes gleamed with a knowing sharpness, a predator who'd been sizing up his prey all along...
"I have to admit it to you... You're not bad, Cat. but, you're not good enough either...'
'Still, if I had met you on my first day... This fight would have gone much differently.' Keiji thought to himself. But, he didn't dwell on it.
Cat's grip on his baton tightened unconsciously. His teeth gritting in frustration. This wasn't just about speed or strength... It was his opponent's sheer level-headedness... It was what made the person before him so dangerous.
He wasn't even relying on his raw power. He was just, calculating, ensuring he was always staying one step ahead of himself.
"Fuck! You!!! GAAAGHHHH!!!!" Cat roared.
He launched himself at Keiji with a flurry of relatively wild strikes, trying to overwhelm him. Each swing was faster than the last one, more aggressive as well, his anger coupled with adrenaline was essentially fueling him now.
"RAAGH-
-HARRGH
HYARRG!!!!!"
Keiji, was practically dancing around each of the attacks, with every dodge smooth and near effortless. It was almost as if the more Cat attacked, the more Keiji understood him—his rhythm, his reckless tendencies, his growing weaknesses...
Then, in one fluid motion, Keiji ducked under another swing, his hand shooting out to grip Cat's wrist, like a vice. Before Cat could even process what truly happened, Keiji twisted his arm behind his back, forcing him to the ground with a swift, calculated movement-
-Thud!
Cat's face hit the concrete hard. The force of the impact sending a jolt of pain through his skull. He growled in frustration, trying to break free, but Keiji was already kneeling on his back, the pressure on his arm was even more unrelenting...
He let the silence linger for a moment before speaking, ensuring his voice cold but steady...
"You know, Cat-" Ayano said, his words like ice;
"-You were never going to win this fight. And to be a bit blunt, you never even stood a chance..." Throughout this entire fight, Keiji hadn't even used a single skill, nor has he truly gone all out physically either. He was still holding back, by a great deal.
And of course, he was, disappointed.
"KA-RAHHG!!!"
Cat's breath came in ragged gasps, his body pinned down and immobile. His mind raced with frustration, but deep down, he knew Keiji was right. His pride, his strength... None of it had mattered against the one person who'd already figured him all out.
And now, Keiji's hand was on the back of his neck, pushing down with the intention to end it...
Keiji's eyes instantly locked onto Cat's: "You know what to do when you wake up..."
Before Cat could do, or think of anything else, he felt his consciousness slowly slipping away from him...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 22: Quest - Part 10
Chapter Text
~ Cat's Pov... ~
.
.
.
'D-Damn it... It feels like my head's fricking spinning…!'
like I got clocked by a damn train. And it's all because of him!
"I'm gonn—"
'*Tch!*… The hell's with this weight on me?'
No, wait... it ain't on me… it's right next to my arm…?
…Th-The, hell?
I slowly got an eye open, and I was still feeling the headache, and when I turned my head.
'Shit—some guy's layin' right next to me. One of ours...? Looked like Riku somethin'… or maybe Jin? Whatever...'
His mouth's wide open too, and his eyes are rolled back like some kind of ragdoll... He's not even moving.
"Damn... It..."
I tried sitting up... Groaning my ass off in the damn process. My body felt like it got dropkicked, not to mentions that, I could still feel the damn punch that bastard threw in my gut earlier...
Then, I looked around...
And, I froze...
Everyone—every last person that was crowdin' us earlier—they were out cold...
Some slumped against the wall. Others flat on the floor, limbs all messed up like body's that went through an accident. One dude was hanging half-off a desk with his leg twisted like a damn pretzel.
'T-he fuck happened while I was out...!?'
I blinked, squinted—I wasn't seein' things...
Broken arms. Snapped legs. Shit, even a few shoulders looked like they got out-right torn out their sockets. I even saw fingers were all crooked, noses smashed in... How...? How did he do this to over ninety people in such a short amount of time...?
'What the actual fuck…!?'
I looked back at the guy near me again—when I looked again, the dude's leg was bent backwards. Can a human do something like this? And not feel anything in the process?
"No-No... There ain't no way..."
The last thing I remembered? It was facing down that bastard. Talking big... But, that fucker really wasn't all talk.
Now look at this shit?
This wasn't any damn fight. This was a fuckin' massacre... And I was out cold for all of it...
'What the hell was that guy? No... Just, who in the absolute fuck did our organization really pick a fight with...?' I looked around my own body... I realized that nothing was broken, or damaged on me other than the injuries I had from the first fight.
'He-He left me intact...? No way... If I hadn't done what I did before this fight... I-I would have ended up just like the rest of them...'
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
Now I definitely not imagining things... There's something seriously up with my movements nowadays, not bad things, of course. Regardless, what can a man like me do about it now? If I'm getting stronger, I'm certainly not going to complain about it-
-PING!
The system...?
'Let's see here.'
--------------------------------------------
{PROGRESS QUEST: Mini-Boss defeated. (Complete)
REWARD: 1 Silver Key}
--------------------------------------------
"..."
Seriously!? I get a reward from defeating these types of guys too? I guess that makes this all the more worth it, doesn't it? A Silver Key to boot... Still, the quest felt a bit too easy to pull of... Speaking of easy. That Cat guy should be up by now...
Any who, seeing how easy that quest was. I'm starting to get the feeling, like I shouldn't really be this strong in the first place... Well, whatever I guess.
I looked around a bit, and fortunately, and it didn't take me long to find a relatively hidden space I could use my key. I headed into the nearest abandoned building, pulling out the key and twisting it...
Just like all the other times, I could see multiple cards flashing before my eyes before it landed on a somewhat interesting one... Weapon Mastery, reading the description, it said;
'Weapon Mastery: Weapon wielding ability is increased slightly.' Well, this was a pretty vague implication to go off of...
When I looked even lower, it had something called an, effect, which says;
'Effect only applied when fighting a weapon-wielding enemy.'
"This is a bit new... A passive skill contingent on my opponent needing something for it to even trigger?"
I scratched my head, feeling a tad bit disappointed in the news to be honest;
'It Looks like I didn't really get a decent pull this time...'
Unlike the martial version to this. This version's conditions were purely met with someone else held some form of a weapon, and it doesn't state I would get an increased understanding of learning how to use said weapons either...
Still, slightly in this system's terms seemed like a pretty massive boost based off experience... Actually, it took me from not knowing how to even throw a proper punch, to now mastering multiple different martial arts in a month, and then some, albeit with some pretty rigorous effort placed in my own learning, and most of the work done with the martial arts mastery passive.
So, If I looked at it like that, then the card itself wasn't too bad... But, what I really wanted at the moment were more active skills. I only had two of em' right now, and I haven't even tested out one of them yet... Which, is a bit underwhelming, but maybe that boss I'll fight down the line will make me use it, but still, who knows at this point...
'Right now...? I just wanted to head home, and start practicing some more of my capoeira.'
~ Cat's Pov, at night ~
.
.
.
"It's just like I just told you... That guy, he defeated me, and the entire crew within the span of 15-30 minutes."
The vice president looked at me; "Alright then, follow me..."
He started walking ahead, and I followed after him...
We walked in absolute silence for a while—just the sound of our shoes through the hallway. It doesn't help that my head was still pounding, and every time I blinked, flashes of that fight came back. The way he moved… like he'd been holding back the whole time.
That bastard didn't even break a sweat on me... It frustrated the hell out of me when I realized how quickly he ended our fight, and crew...
The vice president glanced over his shoulder: "You're limping."
"Ya' don't think I know that… I'm fine." I'm already embarrassed enough as is.
Still, I've never actually been here before... Hell, I've never even met the actual Boss of this whole crew, face-to-face either... All I knew, is that he was absolutely ruthless, and others even said he was out-right psychotic at times, if not at most times; so I'm not really too happy about this little meeting either.
Eventually, me and the president reached some kind large, and thick metal door at the far end of the hallway. The kind you'd only see if you were heading into some top-level area...
'Just what the hell is this?'
The vice president stopped: "This is where I stop. You will enter by yourself..."
What!? The fuck is that supposed to mean? Why did I have to go in by myself? Actually, this whole situation is hella off... But, it's not like I can just turn back now... Fuck!
'Ah!! Screw it!'
I walked ahead, and opened the door...
sniff~
.
.
.
'Urghh!'
I nearly gagged.
The stench slammed into me like a truck—warm, pungent, and absolutely vile... It smelled like unemptied trash can, that hasn't been emptied for weeks...
'Wha-what in the hell happened in here!? Did someone die or something!?'
No... no, it was worse than that. It smelled like bodies. Not corpses, but something way nastier—like people had been sweating, rolling, and grinding for days without so much as a splash of water, or even a damn bar of soap...
It was the scent of unwashed intercourse mixed with closed heat and humidity.
'How the hell can someone stand this kind of smell? This... This ain't normal!'
I instinctively pulled my shirt up over my nose, blinking back the damn sting in my eyes. The room itself was dimly lit—low red lights from above, like some kind of sleazy underground VIP lounge... if that lounge had been run by lunatics...
There were empty water bottles, crumpled snack wrappers, and clothing pieces scattered across the corners of the room like a frat house from hell...
I looked to the left, and that's when I saw it—a mattress shoved into the corner, and on it... two bodies. Motionless. Pale...
They looked like, corpses...
'Just what in the hell did I walk into...?'
My stomach twisted, and I took a step back without meaning to.
The air was even thicker and, even staler—like whatever happened in here had been stewing for hours. Maybe days. My fingers twitched toward my pocket out of habit, but what the hell was I even gonna do if those things got up?
Then my eyes adjusted more...
In the far back, past the mess and the shadows, there was someone there...
Large...
No—massive...
From him just sitting, it looked like he'd easily stand over two meters, and his build? It looked damn near inhuman. Like someone took a gorilla and stuffed it into a stretched-out school uniform.
Muscles on top of muscles, arms like they were steel beams, and a neck so thick it looked like it could crush a bowling ball just by flexing...
He wasn't even moving.
Just, sitting there.
Watching me.
I didn't intend to, but I swallowed my own spit: "A-Are... Are you the boss?"
The person didn't even respond to me either. Just the slow, but all I could make out was an almost lazy turn of his head in my direction...
His eyes were damn near soulless—half-lidded like he couldn't care less, but somehow still managing to feel like they were peeling the skin off my face just by looking.
A long breath came from his nose, heavy and slow, and then finally… he stood.
Even from across the room, I felt it. That sheer weight behind his damn presence... The chair creaked behind him like it just got released from some kind of curse. My instincts were screaming at me, telling me this this guys was no ordinary person, at all. This guy, the boss, he was something else.
"Boss..." I heard him repeat, voice deep enough to rattle my ribs from here;
"Sure. You can call me that... But, I'm not sure for how long..."
He cracked his neck once to the left, then to the right. Each pop sounded like a gunshot in the silence... How in the fuck was that even possible...?
"But tell me somethin', little stray..." I could see his lips curling into something between a grin and a snarl. "You walk in here like that, still breathin' after facin' someone... What exactly did ya' come here for?"
I stood there, frozen for a second too long...
My brain was screaming at me to say something, but my mouth just didn't wanna cooperate. I didn't even realize my hands had clenched into fists till my nails started digging into my palms...
"I…" I started, then caught myself. Swallowed again. "I came to report. Like I was told if something went wrong."
The guy—the boss, I guess—tilted his head: "Mhmm... Is that so?"
He took a step forward.
Just, one...
And it felt like the floor groaned under the weight of it.
My breath caught in my throat. His aura wasn't like that guy I fought earlier... Or any of the other idiots in the crew. No, this was something primeval. Like a predator in a mildly bad mood. The kind of monster you don't fight—and you just hope it doesn't see you.
Another step. And now, he was close enough that I had to crane my neck to look him in the eye. And even that wasn't normal either, the guy's eyes were cast, in completely different direction. Up close, I realized his skin had this weird texture—rough, almost like brown scales...
He looked down at me, and I mean down...
Then, he spoke...
"The guy you fought earlier... How strong would you say he is?"
I blinked, caught off guard by the question. My heart skipped a beat as I struggled to find any words. Still, am I crazy? It sounded as if he wanted me to praise the guy for how strong he was...? Was he just testing me? Or did he just not care about me, but my opinion?
"W-What?" I stuttered, still not sure what to say, but I felt like I should just tell the truth...
"T-That... guy? He's... He's strong." I couldn't tell how much, but he practically dispatched me like some fucking kid.
The boss's lip twitched in something that could've been a grin: "Strong, huh...?" He mumbled, voice low, almost like it was thoughtful. He slowly paced around me for a moment, then stopped just out of arm's reach. "How strong do you think he is compared to me...?"
'How the fuck would I even know!?'
I felt my throat tighten up again. This wasn't a question I could dodge...
I hesitated, trying to gauge what he wanted me to say. "I... I don't know." I finally said, unsure of where this was even going. "B-But, I can I'll tell you this much, s-sir... T-The way he moved... it was, d-different. I don't even know how to even describe it...!"
He spoke again, "Hmph... I see..."
'Is... Is he done?'
"Then, hit me..."
I froze. The words echoed in my mind for a moment before I fully processed what he said. He wans me to, hit him?
I blinked, trying to make sense of his command right now. "W-What?" I stammered, my voice shaking just a bit...
He didn't repeat himself, just gave me that cold, unwavering stare. His eyes were locked right on me, and I could feel the weight of his presence pressing down on me, heavy and suffocating;
"Hit me. Go on. Show me what you've got." His voice was low, almost bored, as if the idea of me landing a blow was something so trivial that it barely mattered.
A sick part of me—maybe the part that had already had enough of this whole situation—wanted to lash out, to prove I wasn't completely powerless. To at least show that I wasn't as weak as I felt under his gaze. But even with that, I could still feel the knot in my stomach tightening. It wasn't like I had any chance of winning against him. Not even close.
But I wasn't stupid either.
This, this was a test...
I clenched my fists... I wasn't just going to stand there like some damn idiot. I'd come this far, hadn't I? I sure as hell wasn't about to back down now!
With a sharp intake of breath, I stepped forward, launching a punch straight at his chest, putting everything I had into it. Damn it! My arm felt like it was moving through molasses, heavy and slow, but I couldn't let that stop me-
-BAAMM!!!!
.
.
.
'Urgh...'
Instead of the satisfying crunch of contact I'd expected, my fist felt like it slammed into something like solid stone—barely making a dent if any! Hell, it was me, my knuckles throbbing in pain, and I recoiled, shaking my hand as if I'd just punched a reinforced wall...
The boss? He didn't even flinch. He was still staring at me, like he hadn't even moved. His expression hadn't changed either—still that same cold, indifferent look.
"Is... That really all you've got?" He suddenly asked me, his voice as calm as if nothing had happened in the first place...
My breath caught in my throat, and I was hit with a sudden wave of frustration. I glared at him, the realization sinking in that I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.
"I said. Is that really all you've got?" he repeated, this time with a slight edge of boredom...?
He slowly turned around and walked away, "Useless... Get the hell out of here... You're weak. No wonder you lost."
...
...
...
I stood there for a moment, fists still clenched at my sides, the words he'd thrown at me still stinging. I wasn't about to let myself get stuck here, feeling sorry for myself. But, before I could make my way out, my eyes landed on the two bodies still sprawled out on the mattress.
There was something off about one of them. Something... familiar.
I stepped just a little closer, with the smell of sweat and decay hanging in the air when I approached. As my gaze moved from one body to the other, something clicked in my mind...
I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the woman on the mattress. Her almost lifeless form was a grim reminder of everything that had led me here. She was one of the, missing—the very same ones I'd seen on those damn posters plastered all over town.
She was apart of a group. She had vanished, and now, here she was... lying in front of me like some fucking casualty in whatever twisted game the boss was playing.
'This guy... D-Don't tell me...'
I tried to shake off the feeling that was starting to creep up my spine. Panic? Fear? Was I just starting to get caught in something much bigger than I could handle?
I clenched my fists, but what the hell was I supposed to do about this? If I stepped out of line, if I even thought about confronting him, I wouldn't get a second chance. He'd end me before I could blink. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.
The walls felt like they were closing in on me. I couldn't do anything about this right now. I was powerless in his world. And yet, looking at her, I couldn't just walk away like nothing happened...
But what could I even do? What was there to do when the odds were so stacked against me? I turned away from her, taking one last look at the room as a whole... The stench, the bodies, everything—it all felt, wrong.
There was nothing I could do here, not now. If I stayed, I'd get caught up in something much worse.
With a slow, deliberate step, I turned my back on the body, pushing the door open and stepping out. The heavy door swung shut with a solid thud behind me, cutting off the sight, cutting off the thought.
Maybe I'd find a way to deal with this later. But for now? The smart move was to just get the hell out of here.
I didn't look back. Not even once...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 23: Quest - Part 11
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, Three weeks later... ~
.
.
.
DING~ DONG~
...
'I guess it's already time for the final tests to start...'
I took out both my pen and pencils... For some reason, I can't help but feel weirded out by how fast this month had passed me by, or rather, how it quickly it had ended... Today pretty much marks my second month coming into this new reality, and to be completely honest, I'm still not entirely used to it all...
Over the course of the month, I kept fighting more and more people. Improving myself, and I even fought more of those mini-bosses too... Those were some of the better fights I've had since coming here. Not only that, I found it a bit funny that those same bosses all had a specialty to them.
Whether it be their strength, toughness, speed, skill and so on... It was all fun, that's for sure, but even then, they were still too easy for me to defeat. Since I kept improving myself and fighting people in compromising situation, I grew while I learned more and more techniques... And even then, they still weren't as good as I was in those four areas...
Not to mention the fact that, I also didn't slack off with my normal life here, concerning my studies, mostly... Even though, I missed my old life and think about it from time to time, somewhat... I can't say with all honesty, that I wasn't enjoying this one. I felt like, I had everything I didn't, maybe not all...
.
.
.
But...
"Ayano-san!"
Other than that...? I think I'm getting by just fine...
"Hmm...? Sekai-san? What do ya' need?"
"W-Well, it's nothing much, but I was just wondering... What, university or college do you plan on going to? You know, after the exams are finished?"
That... was, a very solid question...
I actually didn't think much about what I'd do after the final examinations were actually finished. But, before I could answer-
"-Yeah, I'm pretty curious as well, which school are you gonna choose?" Renji asked.
I scratched my cheek for a sec: "Well~ I haven't even decided yet, to be completely honest with you..."
"Well... I think that you should hurry. Though honestly, it's quite careless of you to not think of anything this late in the semester... So, here." Sekai had both scolded me, and handed me her phone in the process.
I smiled: "Well, I certainly know who my new mom is..."
She mockingly huffed at me;
"Hai~ Hai~ Just hurry and place your number in already, oh careless son of mine." She said.
"Haha~" I chuckled a bit under my breath, slipping her phone from her hand and punching in my number.
"There, happy now?" Ever since these past few weeks, Sekai had been going on better, and better as the weeks flew by.. She was no longer the tired person she once was before. And to be honest, I was liking her new personality, she was quite charismatic, smart and a bit quirky too, and best of all, funny.
Before I knew it, Sekai had taken it back with a smug grin:
"Very! Now~ I can call you at 2 to 3 AM to ask if you've figured out your future yet! Yay! Go me!" She said, excitedly.
Which, I immediately shut down: "Please, don't." I said, half-laughing and half-serious. More so serious...
"Umm, guys... I just realized something... We've all pretty much have known each other for what? Two months now? And we really haven't even shared numbers with each other..." Renji added.
"..."
"..."
"Good point... I'll create a ThatsApp group for all of us then...?"
Sekai nodded, "Please do."
As Renji pulled out his phone, I couldn't help but feel a strange warmth somewhere deep in my chest... It was subtle—almost too subtle—but it was there... This small sense of, familiarity. Comfort. A small but steady sense of belonging, for once.
Sounded almost crazy, right?
Two months ago, I was essentially wandering aimlessly in a world that wasn't really mine. Now here I was, casually trading phone numbers like I'd been part of this life the whole time... It felt, strange to do, but not wrong...
"So... What should we even name the group then?" Renji asked us both, scrolling through his contact list with a little furrow between his brows;
"Something cool? Something, I don't know... ironic?"
"Oh! What about... The three Idiots and a Cursed Transfer Student?" Sekai offered, grinning like the cat who just got in on some whipped cream.
I stared at her, mouth open... "Excuse me?! Cursed?" I wasn't cursed... At least, I think I wasn't...
Renji burst into laughter. "Wait—wait! I'm not even mad at that. That actually slaps!"
I rolled my eyes;
"You two are unbelievable..." I mumbled, shaking my head with a slight smile. "Just put something normal. Like... Study Group, or whatever."
Sekai made a loud ugh noise. "No way... That's so boring, Ayano-kun~! Where's your sense of drama?"
"Left it back in my other life." I shot back dryly, though the grin on my face betrayed my tone...
Eventually, we settled on something completely chaotic, and Sekai-approved:
'Don't Forget the Exams (Also Ayano Might Be a Ghost)'...
Yeah, I had my questions too. But I let it slide...
A few moments passed in comfortable silence as all our phones buzzed with new group notifications. A faint breeze passed through the open window beside me, catching the corner of my study papers and lifting them ever so slightly...
That weird feeling returned again—like I was on the edge of something, not anything bad. Just… different.
And, oddly enough, it felt like there was a new page about to turn in my life...
"-Hey…" Renji suddenly asked me, glancing over. "You alright there...?"
I nodded: "Yeah... I just been, thinking a little."
"About what?"
I looked out the window for a second before answering.
"...About how different everything feels. How fast things can change. And how maybe, that's not such a bad thing after all."
Renji nodded, like he got it. Sekai, surprisingly, didn't tease me for saying something that. I admittedly thought was slightly cringe despite it being very true... In fact, for once, she looked quietly thoughtful...
"Yeah..." I heard her murmur, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Change isn't always bad... Sometimes, I think it's the only way forward in life..."
...
We all fell quiet again after that, but the silence felt full—not awkward like it used to be. Like we were all kind of marinating in the same kind of thoughts. Like even though we hadn't said it out loud, we were all thinking the same thing.
Things were changing. Fast.
And somehow, without even realizing it, these people I had slowly started calling friends were changing with them. I, was changing with them.
.
.
.
I slid everything I needed into place, took one last sip of water, and exhaled.
"Well, here goes nothin'..." I mumbled to myself under my breath.
Though, not long after, while we all were sitting down with together, Sekai nudged me with her shoulder, saying;
"You're definitely gonna ace it, Ayano-san! And after that, we'll figure out that whole future thing, yeah?"
I looked over at her, then at Renji just behind us—pretending not to listen but clearly smiling...
'Look at these precious little kids...'
"…Yeah, sure. Let's figure it out. Together." And maybe, just maybe, this world... wasn't so bad after all.
.
.
.
Before I knew it, today's exams were over, just two more days left and I'll be finished with my high schooler life, even though it didn't last very long. It was, eventful to say the least. Before I left, I walked over to Katsura.
She was the only person that we knew that wasn't added yet...
...
She stood by the vending machine, quietly punching in her drink selection like she was trying not to exist too loudly. Kotonoha was, always like this—kind of there, and kind of not at the same time. Mysterious in a way that didn't feel like a personality trait, more like a defense mechanism if anything. I honestly hope she grows out of it...
"Yo~" I called out to her softly, careful not to startle her.
She turned her head, slow and cautious, almost like a cat that wasn't sure if I was offering food or throwing a rock;
"Oh... It's you Ayano-san."
"Hey. So uh, we made a group chat. You weren't added yet. Thought I'd fix that."
Her fingers paused around the can she'd just pulled from the machine. She tilted her head slightly. "Group chat...?"
"Yeah, just something casual. We made it on... ThatsApp. It's mostly for fun, and last minute exam panic... You in?"
She blinked, eyes narrowing just a little. "ThatsApp...?"
I paused. "Uh. Like a messaging app? Sort of like, Ordercord?"
Katsura looked down for a second, pressing the cool drink against her cheek absentmindedly. "I've heard of it, but… I don't really use those kinds of apps much."
"Oh...?"
She shrugged lightly, a small, almost embarrassed smile tugging at her lips;
"I guess I've never really had a reason to. As you probably realized, I don't really talk to a lot of people... Not because I dislike it, but... People tend to not really get close to me, I guess. And, I've gotten a bit used to the quiet."
There was no bitterness in her voice—just quiet honesty. Not self-pitying, not cold. Just her, explaining her world like she didn't exactly expect anyone to really understand it.
"That's, fair enough..." I said softly: "But, I don't know... I think we'd all like you to be part of it. Even if you won't say much."
Kotonoha glanced at me for a long second, almost thoughtful, her fingers curling around the drink. Then, quietly;
"...Okay. I'll join it... Like you've said, I might not talk a lot, but… it might be nice to see everyone talking."
That made me smile—and it was one of those small, real ones that sneak up on you: "You're not obligated to say a thing, and by the way, lurking is a totally valid role!"
"Hehehe~" She let out a very soft laugh: "Good."
She handed me her phone—it was an older model from what I realized, a modest wallpaper, barely any apps on the home screen too—and then, I added her to the chat. Her username popped up right under Renji's last message—something about wanting to burn his math textbook ceremonially...
'Maybe adding her is a mistake...'
"There. You're official." I told her, passing it back. It was too late to back out now...
She looked at the screen, eyes skimming over the group name...
"...That's what you all named it?" she asked me, a little more amused than judgmental, which was a good thing.
I sighed, "Honestly, I take zero responsibility. It was pretty much all of Sekai's doing."
As if on cue, her notification banner lit up at the top.
Sekai: KATSURA HAS ENTERED THE CHAOTIC RING. WELCOME! 💥🔥
I chuckled... "Told ya'."
She shook her head gently, lips barely twitching. "It's kind of… warm. In its own odd way."
"You'll get used to them..." I replied with a smirk. "Or maybe, they'll get used to you."
We walked out together, not saying much, but the silence wasn't stiff like it used to be. It was that same kind of warm quiet I'd shared with Sekai and Renji earlier. Familiar. Safe, in some weird and fragile way.
The sun had started to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the courtyard... Students were now passing by in clusters, buzzing with exam-day relief, plans for summer, and just a bit of nervous energy for all our futures...
"Hey, Ayano-san?"
I turned toward her.
"...Thanks, again." Kotonoha said, looking ahead...
I nodded, falling into step beside her. "Anytime."
As we reached the school gate, Sekai waved frantically from across the sidewalk. "Took you both long enough! Was she actively resisting the group chat, or what?"
"She asked a very reasonable question," I replied, sliding my hands into my pockets.
Renji popped a snack into his mouth and muffled through it, "You sure it wasn't you dragging your feet?"
"He-Hey!." I responded.
We all shared a final laugh... With that, I waved them off one last time as well, seeing them all walk off together...
"..."
I dropped my hand;
'I guess, it's time to finish this quest of mine, huh...'
I checked on my quest's progress...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 1: Stop ALL the illegal activities in the town area, but first, start with the rooks... [Quest can be done overtime...]
Tasks;
Henchmen: 2844 / 2844 (Complete)
Mini-Bosses: 5 / 5 (Complete)
Final Boss: 0 / 1
REWARD; ??????}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I stared at my hard work for the past few weeks. Each, and every day I fought, exhausted and improved upon myself... Just to finally complete this seemingly endless quest. And, fortunately for me. I didn't have even to even look for the Boss man himself...
The system... it was showing me the way, right to him.
'Status...'
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 175 cm | 5'9"
Age: 17
Health: 8000 / 8000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 5200 / 5200 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 251 / 1000
Defense: 251 / 1000
Agility: 251 / 1000
Spirit: 251 / 1000
Passive Skills;
-Martial-Arts-Mastery
-Recovery
-Critical Hit
-Energy Manipulation
-Circulation of Light
-Weapon-Mastery
Skills;
-Charge Shot - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Multi-Strike Destruction - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
Martial Arts Learned;
-Judo [Mastered]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [Mastered]
-Muay-Thai [Mastered]
-Boxing [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon [Mastered]
-Capoeira [Mastered]
-Aikido [Mastered]
-Jeet Kune Do [Mastered]
-Kung Fu [Mastered]
-Taekwondo [Mastered]
-Ssireum
...
Seeing all this. I'm very glad I went the extra mile and trained harder during the last few weeks, and learning even more martial arts than I did before in the process. I pretty much inadvertently made myself much more rounded as a fighter, and it was essentially all thanks to my passive that I've truly even made it this far...
And, that wasn't the only thing either. I've even realized that my height had slowly improved over the past few weeks too... I'm still short, but I'm more so on the normal side of things. In fact, I'm almost at my old height of 5'11". Talk about a growth spurt.
Not only that, I even got some more rewards from each of the mini-bosses I've defeated in that span of time. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed enough to get any more Silver Keys out of it, just like with the first person I've fought, just a whole bunch of Bronze ones...
But, I used them all to up my attributes a bit, increasing my health by two thousand more, and the same goes for my energy as well...
Now... I think I'm more than ready for whatever Boss this quest has cooked up for me...
~ Third person Pov , An hour later...~
.
.
.
Ayano looked ahead;
'I guess, this is the final stop...'
It was pretty much an abandoned metro station. A relatively decent hideout for a Boss-esq monster he assumed. Without wasting too much of his own time, he slowly went down the stairs... Following the quest's arrows, and it led him to a relatively non-descript door...
Click~
He slowly made his way inside the room, and this time, he was seeing some relatively small remnants of people there... Packs of cigarettes, snack bags and old destroyed devices.
'This place... It looks so abandoned, so why is the quest-'
He paused, thinking about his situation for a bit, remembering that he had likely wiped out everybody involved with this so-called Boss already. And over time, he had began trusting the system... So, he went further.
He brushed passed all the rubble. finding himself in a long corridor. At the end, he could see a door up ahead. As he made his way there, he was sure he could feel the presence of something strong behind it. Bracing himself...
He slowly opened the final opening...
"Garghh~"
Of course, the air was filled with hints smoke and static discharge, but even through the haze, Ayano could see, people... Multiple of them even.
"What, the?" As he got closer, he could barely make out the figures, but one thing was for sure, they were extremely malnourished, with barely any fat left on their bones, he had even wondered if they were even alive in the first place...
However, what he saw was four girls—all of them slightly bloodied, heavily bruised and barely even conscious.
'The fuck!?'
He stepped back unconsciously, disgusted at the sheer sight of it all...
'It... It can't be...'
He slowly realized that they were the same ones from the recent missing posters that had been circulating through the streets... Everyone of their faces was familiar to him. He remembered the quiet desperation in those grainy images. Families on television begging for answers, for miracles.
And now here they were—thrown against the wall like discarded trash...?
.
.
.
Every single fiber of muscle within his body, tightened and coiled...
And then, his eyes slowly locked on the figure, seemingly standing at the center of the carnage.
The man. He stood there, broad-shouldered, arms relaxed at his sides, blood smeared across one knuckle. There was no sense of urgency, no sense tension in his stance.
"How did you even find me?... No... I should be glad... You finally showed up..." He said, smirking. "Guess rats always find the scent eventually."
"Still... I hella surprised you took down over two thousand of my people in just a month. Thanks to you, it's just me now..."
Ayano clenched his fists tightly, stepping forward himself, silently...
The man's eyes flicked toward the girls, then back to him: "Were you looking for them? Too bad. You're too late, and they aren't even fun to play with anymore... Especially the taller one, she was once pretty tight... Haha!"
Ayano didn't blink. Didn't speak either... Seeing this, made the boss unamused.
"Nothing... Huh?" the man chuckled, cracking his neck with a sharp pop: "Alright. Let me give you a proper introduction."
He raised one hand and brought it down, like a hammer-
-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...
The floor showed signs of cracking as his fist slammed into the ground beside him, a small shockwave rolling outward like a pulse...
Small specks of concrete dust spiraled into the air.
"I'll tell you like I told anyone who thought of defying me... I, was born a dragon..."The man said, pacing slowly;
"Not just some freak with tricks—I'm the apex... Gifted with a blessed physique, and everyone knew it... People like you were made to be stepped on by those like me..." He said, laughing.
The Boss moved off again, with his frame, it was impossible quick.
Ayano registered the shift before the man's fist was already aimed at his head-
-CRACK!!!!!!!
Ayano raised his arm, and blocked it in time. The impact thundered through his bones like a freight train. His boots scraped across the ground—soles screeching against the broken tiles...
The man followed up instantly.
WHAM! A left hook. Blocked.
THUD! A rising knee. Redirected.
KRAK! A backfist sent whistling through the air. Dodged by a hair's breadth...
The Boss continued to press forward, each hit being a bit heavier than the last one.
Ayano gave ground, sliding with every blow, but he never broke form, not once. The strikes were relentless—practically blurs of pure muscle and rage—but he stayed in rhythm. Silent and focused.
"Still standing, eh!!!?" The taller man spat, eyes narrowing;
"You don't get it, do you!!!!"
He lunged again-
-BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
His punch landed square against Ayano's crossed arms, and Ayano slid a full 3 meters backwards, boots gouging fresh lines through the concrete. The dust curling right around him...
Keiji straightened himself out calmly, seemingly absolutely unshaken by the blow-
Pat~
Pat~
"..."
The Boss looked ahead... And, what he was seeing, surprised him... His eyes widened slightly in the process...
'Did... That last punch not affect him, or something?' The Boss thought...
While Ayano continued in brushing off the dust from his sleeve with a few slow motions. The Boss' expression twitched. Just, ever so slightly... But, he was excited.
"OH~HO!!!! You definitely weren't supposed to block that one... I'm glad... You aren't afraid like the rest of the people I've met before..." He muttered, more to himself than to Ayano.
"Even still, that kind of force breaks people ya' know... Crushes bones, ya' know!!! And, I should know since I've tested it."
Hearing this, Ayano slowly glanced upwards... His blue eyes than finally locking onto the Boss' own, revealing a cold and clear indifference...
"I think..." Ayano said, his voice like steel drawn in silence;
"I know exactly what to do with someone, like you..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 24: Quest - Part 12 [FINALE]
Chapter Text
~ Third person Pov~
.
.
.
The Boss surged through the built up dust, fists now ready to completely crush his opponent this time-
-Fwish!!!!
BLAAAMMMM!!!!"
More smoke appeared from the collision...
"See!? You're NOTHING to me!—H-Huh!...?"
.
.
.
His voice got caught in his throat. His charge... He noticed that his charge had felt, off...
'What, the?'
His body stopped as well. Not by his choice either.
In fact, both his arms that were forwards, are now completely stuck in place.
Before he could even think of anything, he truly realized that his hands were caught and clasped in an iron-vice like grip...
"..."
Ayano, was holding them, tightly. Calm and unmoving. His eyes locked onto the giant with a gaze that pierced deeper than any blade could ever do...
Now? the Boss was panicking;
'N-No… No way...! He stopped me!?' He thought to himself, finding it impossible.
'How could a twerp like him even stop me!?'
...
"Hmph... You're, strong..." Ayano said simply.
The Boss had blinked a few times, stunned at what was even happening. He couldn't even break free either. Couldn't even budge a single inch for that matter;
"F-FUCK! YOU DAMN MIDGET!! LET ME—L-LET ME GO!!"
Zzztt—
Before the Boss could continue, faint streaks of blue lightning cracked off Ayano's arms...
"You... You were born with this kind of power… And, you used it to crush others. To trample anyone weaker than you."
Zzztt—Zzztt—
The electricity arced even sharper now, lighting his outline in flickers of azure...
The Boss's face twisted in absolute disbelief.
"W-What the fuck is this?!" He shouted.
"You've never trained, have you...? Never earned what you had..." Ayano continued, his voice low and steady—slowly deepening further with every word that came from his mouth...
"You let your strength rot, wasted it on creating fear and inflating your own fucking ego... And now...? This is what you've become because of it..."
Ayano's grip tightened. Just a little, causing the giant boss's knees to completely buckle underneath him.
"Tch!"
Ayano's hair began to slightly lengthen, becoming longer, wilder—now the sparks of electricity were crackling around him like a storm was being formed...
Ayano's physique was shifting as the moments passed by—newer leaner muscle expanding with a raw, controlled force. New veins now lit faintly under his skin, as if it was enhancing him. His gaze, it burned blue flames...
"You've done, unforgivable things..." he muttered. "But, I'll settle every debt-"
Zzztt—Zzztt—
One final surge of lightning exploded around his arms, tracing down into his palms. Ayano's form now grew taller. His shoulders widening in response, with his presence filling the room like a dam about to collapse...
"-In full-"
CRACK!
"ARG-ARGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The Boss howled—his head jerking down as pain finally surged through the denial in his brain. His arms were trembling, locked in Ayano's grip like steel caught in a thunder cage.
"-And, in blood..."
Ayano hadn't even blinked.
"And now?"
His tone dropped, cold as a blade pressed to the skin, "I'll show you... The difference between us."
CRACKLE!
SNAP~!
The sound of bones snapping echoed through the station, a haunting percussion beneath the Boss's agonized screams... The once-fearsome giant of a man crumpled down further, his massive frame bending unnaturally as Ayano maintained his merciless grip.
"You don't even understand what's happening, do you?" Ayano asked, his voice disturbingly calm despite the transformation overtaking him. The electricity dancing across his skin had intensified, casting harsh shadows across his changing features.
The boss's eyes widened with dawning horror. Where once stood a man he'd dismissed as weak, now loomed something... else. Something primal and terrifying.
"W-what the hell are you?!" The Boss gasped through clenched teeth, crying with spittle flying from his lips as he struggled pointlessly against Ayano's hold...
Ayano tilted his head slightly, the movement unnervingly bird-like. His hair now whipped around his face without wind, charged with the same electric energy that pulsed through his expanding frame.
"I'm what you could have been..." Ayano said simply;
"If you'd earned your power instead of squandering it, maybe things would've been different..."
With deliberate slowness, Ayano released one of the Boss's arms, though the giant found himself unable to even pull away fully—frozen by the immense pain, and an instinctual fear he'd never experienced in his life before.
Ayano raised his free arms, now crackling with concentrated energy... The air itself almost seemed to bend around his fingers, distorting like heat waves from asphalt.
"For years, you've likely ruled through terror..." Ayano continued, his voice deepening further, resonating with power that seemed to vibrate the very air;
"You've likely hurt those who couldn't even fight back..."
"No-No!!! Stop!!!!!!" The Boss shouted.
"And now? You've taken what wasn't yours to begin with..."
The Boss's eyes quickly darted frantically between Ayano's face, and his raised hand, genuine terror replacing his earlier arrogance...
"P-please... Wait!!!! I-I di-didn't know-"
"-That someone stronger existed!?" Ayano finished for him.
A small, yet cold smile formed from his lips;
"That's the problem with fuckers like you. They never look up until it's too late."
The electric energy coalesced around Ayano's body forming a spinning vortex of pure energy... His eyes, now glowing with the same azure light, bore into the Boss' with unflinching intensity.
"Remember this moment..." Ayano whispered, leaning closer to him: "When you wake up—if you ever wake up—remember what real power feels like... And, fear it."
Without anymore warnings, Ayano finally released his grip, then quickly clenched his fists tightly...
'Multi-Strike Destruction...!'
.
.
.
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM! BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
Thud~
The Boss' body...
It was dropped to the ground, with every one of his bones completely shattered in ways even time wouldn't heal, it was mangled, and broken beyond recognition...
Ayano had wondered if he was even alive, but that feeling quickly didn't last. Instead, he looked towards the bodies of the women he'd from earlier seen...
He slowly walked towards them, soon realizing that they were all too weak to even open their eyes...
He trembled at the sight of them, but gathered himself;
'I'm glad... I'm so glad that they're all alive....' But, he couldn't imagine the sheer amount of pain they would now have to go through after this is all over.
They might not ever trust another man in their lives again.
'Damn it...!'
Ayano quickly called the authorities informing them of what had taken place without telling them who he was, letting them sort the situation out.
With one final look, he left the building, having to feel overwhelming guilt over the fact that, he had never came sooner...
~ Ayano's Pov, An hour later ~
.
.
.
'Was, this all even worth it..?'
I've gotten so caught up in this fantasy like world of mine, that a part of me must've forgotten that it's all, real...
Those women... I... I just hope and pray that they can heal from what they've experienced all this time-
-PING!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 1: Stop ALL the illegal activities in the town area, but first, start with the rooks... (Complete)
Tasks;
Henchmen: 2844 / 2844 (Complete)
Mini-Bosses: 5 / 5 (Complete)
Final Boss: 1 / 1 (Complete)
REWARD; +2 Golden Keys, 1 x Mysterious Book, +260 to all stats, +10000 HP, +1500 EP, +1 Blood-Colored Key}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this was the system's way of trying to cheer me up, it wasn't fucking working...
'How the hell will I ever forget about what I've seen...?' The more I thought about it, the angrier I could feel myself becoming.
Actually, I don't think I'll ever forget what I've seen today...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 25: First Blossom...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, the next day... ~
.
.
.
"Whoa... Isn't he, kind of cute~"
"Totally~"
"No ladies... He's definitely more on the handsome side to me~"
.
.
.
I blinked a few times...
Their voices cut through my thoughts like rock hitting glass... For a second there, I thought I was hearing things... But then came the giggles—real ones, sounding way too close to ignore. My eyes slowly shifted to the group of girls passing by, some smiling, a few whispering, and one even waved at me...
I glanced over my shoulder.
No one was even behind me...
'…Huh?'
That's, weird. I tugged my hoodie down a bit, trying my hardest to just sink right into it. Didn't work though. Another group of girls passed, and the same thing happened. Giggles. Glances. Like I was some kind of… heart-throb, or something?
'Seriously, what the hell is even going on today?'
I hadn't done anything differently... Did I? So, why are they even looking at me like this-
"-Hey… A-Ayano-san, right?"
I turned to the side. A small girl who I didn't know, or really recall ever talking to just stood there, playing with her hair, likely shy... I glanced behind her, seeing a few people who were probably her friends hanging back a bit, watching like this like it was some kind of drama scene...
"Um… Do... Do, you maybe wanna grab lunch, later...?" She asked me.
I stared at her, kind of caught way off guard by the sudden request to begin with.
"…Ah, s-sorry," I said to her, trying my best to be gentle, but I knew what this was;
"I'm... not really looking for that kind of thing right now..."
When I finished, she thankfully didn't seem too upset—She actually smiled saying it was completely fine, while she nodded and walked off. Quite a chill person, most wouldn't take it as well as she did.
I swore I saw her friends squealing behind her like she just scored a win anyway...
I sighed: 'Was this what life's gonna be like now?'
After everything I saw yesterday… everything I did... This kind of attention felt, wrong. Like I didn't deserve it...
Not with the memory of those women still fresh in my head...
Not with that guilt sitting in my chest like a damn stone...
.
.
.
I walked into the classroom...
I glanced upwards...
'Again...?'
It didn't take long for most eyes to start flocking towards me, it was the same in the hallways... I just ignored them, at this point, I'm wondering why I was getting so many stares today... Heck, why some random girl even tried to ask me out too, speaking of which, how did she even know my nam-
'-Hmm?'
Cutting my train of thoughts short, I saw Sekai looking at me through my side eye. Actually, it felt more like she was wondering who I even was, so I called out;
"Oh! H-hey, Sekai-san..." It came out more awkward than I intended it to be.
I saw her tense up, with her mouth slightly agape: "Eh!? A-Ayano-san, is... Is that, you...?"
Her eyes lingered on me for a moment, scanning me as if trying to piece together what hadn't changed... I couldn't blame her. I wasn't exactly the same person I had been just a day ago.
Maybe the stress was starting to show on my face, in a good way...?
"Y-Yeah, it's me... Why?" I mumbled, scratching the back of my neck. I didn't know how to exactly act. How was I supposed to respond when everyone was suddenly looking at me like...
like, I was someone else?
Sekai blinked, seemingly processing my words. "N-no... It's just that, you look... Different as all." Her tone was careful, like she was testing the waters.
I didn't say anything at first, and just nodded awkwardly. I couldn't really bring myself to say much either. Not with the gnawing feeling of guilt still hanging around me...
Sekai slightly tilted her head at me, with a curious look on her face, asking me: "Are... You, okay...?"
I paused. Her question was, simple, but it felt so, loaded...
Am I okay? In what sense? Physically, maybe, no... I definitely was. But, mentally? Emotionally? I was sure as hell that wasn't the case right now.
"Yeah..." I finally replied, forcing a small smile. "Just... a lot on my mind so far."
She seemed to buy it, but I could still see the concern in her eyes: "Well, if you need someone to talk to, you know where to find me..."
I nodded again, grateful for the concern, though I didn't know if I could even explain what was going on in my head, let alone share the weight of everything I had seen yesterday. I could try, but, I think it was best for me to deal with this alone, for now...
I turned to head to my seat, still feeling every eye on me, but somehow, it didn't feel quite as heavy as before... Maybe it was because I had Sekai's words to lean on at the moment, or maybe it was because I knew I was starting to come to terms with the fact that the person I used to be...
Probably wasn't going to come back.
'Alright, no need to get all depressed...' I looked around the class, not seeing either Renji or Katsura yet. It was still pretty early, and school started at eight, sharp...
That's when, I turned to stare out the window to pass some time.
I saw a reflection staring right back at me, one that I wasn't really familiar with either... And that's when I realized. The first time this had happened, the changes of the system occurred after some time, or when I would complete a quest, just like the first time.
'Hahaha...'
I think. I'm now seeing why I'm getting stared at so much... I hadn't really paid attention to my looks for the past month I was just too focused on following a routine. Practice, shower, dry off, study and rinse and repeat. I wasn't the kind of person to constantly check up on myself to begin with, not now, or ever...
In fact, I don't even remember the last time I looked in the mirror properly, whether in this life, or the last one... One thing I do remember, was looking at myself on the very fist day to see who I was, but after that, nothing.
I was just too consumed on completing the quests to even pay attention to myself.
Now? I could see it...
I could see all the changes I've gone through for the past 2 months, and days I've been in this world... I could no longer call myself, an unattractive, mediocre, or normal looking person... It feels, weird to say that in my own head, since I've essentially grown accustomed to being, average all my life.
I, liked the fact that... I didn't need something like good-looks to help me out in my old life, or I would have in this one.
Regardless, now that I did take a good look myself... I could see my eyes reflecting back at me, they weren't as deep as I'd remembered them, but they were definitely clearer or lighter in shade, my acne had all cleared up too, and my face was pretty well proportioned. I had sharp eyes, nose and decently filled lips.
Honestly, If I was a five out of ten before all these quests, I was likely a solid seven now if I'm being conservative about it... plus I was actually pretty lean when I actually think about that too, and decently tall as well, with pretty decent muscle insertions. Nearing a 180 centimeters in height was ok in my book.
What was funny, is that, I didn't feel like I gained any new features or get anything out of the ordinary either. This, still feels like it was all me, before. But, all that training must have made me lose the weight in the right places, and gain muscle and definition in others...
I turned back around, catching Sekai glancing at me from the distance... Our eyes met again, and for a split second—just, one—before she quickly looked away entirely, pretending she hadn't been in the first place...
I did catch her though... But, that look of surprise in her expression, maybe it was even a bit of embarrassment...? Irrespective of all that, I'm sure she probably wasn't expecting me to notice at all...
Just to make things a little less awkward, I didn't say anything about it to not make it any weirder. I Just let out a quiet sigh through my nose, and sat back down. I think, it's gonna take me a little while before I get used to what I am now.
...
"I’m sure of it...
'He saw me staring at him, didn’t he...?'
My head snapped forward—way too fast—like someone had just caught me red-handed. I forced my eyes to lock on the whiteboard ahead, even though it was still painfully blank. Yeah, brilliant. Real smooth, Sekai. So convincing. You should win an award for Best Lead Actress in a Romance Tragedy Nobody Asked For.
...Why was I staring in the first place...?
Thump~
…
Ahh-
M-My heart…?
I knew this feeling...
It felt so familiar. but, it was never this strong. Not even for Makoto...
Before I even noticed, my hands had moved up and arms hugging my chest like they could muffle the wild fluttering under my chest. The classroom wasn’t cold... I wasn’t even sick. But, still—
-Ba-thump~
...What is this?
It was like my heart had its own agenda today...
And my face?
It was, hot. Way too hot... Definitely red... Probably tomato red;
'Seriously...! What is wrong with me...?!'
I mean… That was Ayano-kun, right? He had the same voice but slightly deeper, same kind of soft, unsure tone, like he wasn’t entirely sure if he should be talking at all. Still scratching at his neck the way he always did when his brain ran faster than his mouth...
But... The rest of him?
It just, didn’t match up...
There was something—off. No, not off. Different... Like the air around him had changed, like someone had drawn back a curtain and revealed something quietly intense beneath it all... His over all posture, his presence… Even down to the way he was looking at things.
Not just looking—noticing. Like he saw more than he let on...
And, of course;
'I wasn’t the only one noticing it either...'
I caught them—other girls—stealing glances at him from a distance too. Whispering to themselves about how handsome he looks. Curious too. Like they’d just woken up to the fact he was even there to begin with...
And maybe this makes me horrible, but... A part of me... I could just tell a part of me hated that.
I knew it was selfish... I knew. But still...
I didn’t like it...
I always thought Ayano-kun was kind of… cute when I started to get to know him, in a quiet, blurry kind of way... He felt like some kind of background music that nobody really listened to, until one day you stop and realize, it’s suddenly your favorite track...
But, now?
It felt like everyone else had finally turned up their volume...
Like the boy by the window—who always faded into the corners—was suddenly made of color and sound.
'Just, what happened to you, Ayano-kun...?'
How-How do you even change like this? In just a single day?
And… why does it scare me a little?
My eyes slid over to him again—slower this time, subtle... Like I was testing fate. He was looking out the window again, silent, with an expression I couldn't see. Same posture like always. Same distance in his gaze...
The same Ayano-kun... and yet-
-not.
'Just what are you thinking about, sitting there like that...?'
And why is there a part of me—that kept hoping, it was about... me...?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 26: Curiosity...
Chapter Text
~ Renji's Pov ~
.
.
.
'What? What does she even mean by, he looks different?'
I texted Sekai back;
'Are you sure there...? Maybe your mind is just playing tricks on you.'
I got an immediate reply back;
'Hai! I'm sure of it, he's even taller too!'
That was a bit, odd... To say the least.
But... Now that I do think about it. Didn't something like this happen to me around a month ago too? I remembered that Ayano looked pretty simple, then a few weeks later, he came in taller and slightly, well... better looking.
This even sounded kind of similar so far to what I've experienced with him as well, and even I found it weird too when it happened. Someone just doesn't grow a few inches pf height over night, put on mass and change looks. It just doesn't happen, but I honestly can't even attest to the validity of that point either...
So it was pretty much a no go with any of that...
I quickly texted her, and told that I was almost there, I was already past the school's entrance right now... I just, hope she was exaggerating about all this.
.
.
.
"What. The. Heck...?"
She wasn't, exaggerating... Who was this guy sitting in Ayano's seat?
I stopped myself for a second, just past the doorframe, blinking like someone had yanked the background blur off my vision. He was, sitting there, same posture, same vibe too... kind of. But, everything else? It was like someone swapped him out with the upgraded version of himself.
I wasn't even kidding at this point.
This, new Ayano looked like he belonged on the cover of one of those model magazines—The same kind where the quiet transfer student turns out to have a tragic past, and a six-pack under his uniform... At this point, I had to look again just to make sure I wasn't losing it this time...
He had the same eyes, just… oddly, lighter... Same hair too, but it actually looked like it had style now, it seemed like it'd fallen into place naturally, instead of by accident... Not only that, he looks more toned, too...
'Seriously, what kind of protein shake are is he even drinking at this point...?'
I slowly made my way to my desk, but the entire walk over there, I felt like I was passing through this invisible fog of secondhand attention...
The classroom wasn't loud, but it sure as hell wasn't quiet either. Whispers. Quick glances. I caught one girl trying to sneak a selfie with Ayano in the background—and failing, 'cause her flash had went off.
I nearly laughed.
But more than anything?
I was genuinely confused...
I flopped down into my seat next to Sekai and leaned toward her, whispering just enough so only she could hear.
"Yeah... You weren't kidding Sekai... That's... That's Ayano?" I still couldn't believe it. He looks way too different.
She nodded quickly without even glancing at me. Her eyes were still locked on him;
"I told you..." she whispered back to me, glancing at Keiji before talking to me again: "He looks really different now."
I hummed, not even bothering to hide my curiosity at this point;
"You think this is new type of puberty he's discovered without telling the rest of us?"
Sekai let out a light snort, trying to cover it with a cough. "If that's puberty, then I pretty much got scammed."
I leaned back, arms crossed, still keeping my peripheral on Ayano...
He looked, calm. Too calm. I felt like the old Ayano would've folded in on himself with this much attention. But now? He just looked… like he belonged there... Weirdly enough. It felt like this version of him had always existed, and we just hadn't noticed before.
I got up from next to Sekai, and walked over to him;
"Hey man, what's up." I said.
"Hey man, morning to you too..."
I need to test something "Yeah, I was wondering... Could you, uh... Stand up for a sec?"
He looked at me with one of his eye brows raised, but he eventually did... When he stood at his full height, his eyes met mine. He wasn't an inch or two shorter than me anymore... He's even slightly taller the me now...
"How... Wha~" I couldn't find the words to say what I wanted to.
He didn't even saying anything, he just sat right back down...
I blinked, still standing there like my brain hadn't caught up yet.
He just stood up, casually out-heighted me, and then sat right back down like that wasn't a monumental shift in the laws of reality!?
"…Huh," still staring at him. I quickly turned back to Sekai, mouthing a silent "What the hell!?" at her. She just gave me this look—equal parts smug, confused, and very much I told you so.
Ayano, meanwhile, just rested his elbow on the desk, chin in hand, eyes drifting back out the window like we hadn't just discovered he swapped out bodies overnight.
The guy wasn't just different. He was new game plus!
I slid back into my seat beside Sekai, and leaned toward her again. "Okay, no. There's no way this is just a glow-up. Something is off."
Sekai nodded slowly, then whispered back, "But… It's not as if it's a bad kind of 'off', right?"
I stared at her. "Right, and I'm secretly a reincarnated prince from another world. C'mon, do you really thank all that?"
I saw her hesitating a little, and even what I said made me pause too...
When I glanced down, I saw the way her fingers fiddled with the strap of her bag, and how her gaze was lingering just a little too long in Ayano's direction again. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was actually crushing on him...
.
.
.
Wait a minute...
'Oh, no.' I thought, realizing what was happening.
'She's caught up in this... Isn't she...' I couldn't even blame her either...
"Ah, crap..." I leaned back again, sighing internally. Whatever happened to our quiet little group? First Ayano becomes a walking main character, now Sekai's acting like she's one smile away from writing his name in her notebook with hearts around it...
You know what!
'Ah! Forget it, I'm done...'
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
Yeah, It's clear that their curious about how I looked to them now... The most I could do is play it off as best as I could... Not like I could tell them that it was a interdimensional panel thingy, that was doing these things to me...
My question, was a why it was even doing it in the first place? Why go through the process of hiding my growth to the mass, rather than just making it gradual and normal? Was it trying to prove a point by doing all this? If it didn't have this stupid functionality, it would had at least allowed me to not feel as awkward when I went out to public, much less to interact with my near everyday companions.
*"Sigh~"*
But, before I could continue down my train of thoughts; I head the door again, and I finally spotted Kotonoha walking into the classroom;
'Well... I might as well just hide myself from her, at least for the time being as well...'
I covered myself a bit more with my hoodie, turning towards the window to hide my face completely. From the angle from where she was sitting, it shouldn't be possible for her to see me...
...
"Alright everyone, tests are going to start, take out your things and prepare yourselves."
'Thank goodness it's starting...'
.
.
.
"I'm absolutely starving..." Renji yawned, got up and left, he probably caught on to what I was trying to do, and now he was just leaving me to fend for myself; curse his ass.
I slowly got up as well, to make a quick get away, I couldn't be bothered with the attention I was getting at the moment... Heck, I think I might just skip lunch altogether entirely, since I'm not really hungry either...
'Where should I go though...?'
I just needed to find a place to that's quiet so I can relax from, all this. I quickly left the classroom and made it into the halls, walking past both Sekai and Katsura before they could even stop me.
I feel a bit bad doing something like this, but I felt like I genuinely needed some alone time today... The best place I could think of was actually the roof top, but, it has been pretty occupied as of late, so that's a no go for me at the moment, and people are also generally all-bout the campus too...
'C'mon, think... What place does even a working student hardly go to?'
I thought about it for a solid minute, before I finally finding the answer I was looking for'
'The library, of course!'
From what I know, practically no one goes to there to begin with, and even if their were people around, it's most likely to be pretty empty either way. A shame we can't eat in there. It would've probably been a decent spot as well.
.
.
.
I made my way towards the library, and since it was pretty close to the stairs to get to the roof top, I had remembered where it was, thankfully, ever since then...
After passing by some more classes while keeping my head low, I could see the double doors up ahead;
'Looks like I'll finally get some well needed alone time for myself...' Just as I was about to enter...
Bump-!
'Hmm...?'
I felt someone collide with me, almost as light as a feather but definitely sudden enough to snap me out of my focus...
I looked down a bit...
It was a girl, a very tiny girl I might add, she must have been 5 feet or less... I caught her, while steadying her just as she was about to fall backwards, I took the initiative to apologize first, and foremost;
"Ah, sorry for bumping into you, miss..."
When I did so, it was only then that I got a much better look at her stature...
I quickly realized that she was, pale—like, noticeably so... Her hair was such a dark green it was almost black, falling just below her shoulders, likely towards the top of her back... But, it was her eyes that really stood out—a very mixture of brownish-red...
Not to mention the fact that, she looked... fragile. Not in the weak sense, but more like porcelain. Delicate way. It was kind of, haunting, honestly.
She blinked up at me, quiet, like she hadn't registered the bump as yet... It's possible since that power gave me a decent boost to my overall perception. I'll likely always realize things faster than most people ever will. Which, might be a curse, than a blessing...
Knowing of this, I took step back ever so slightly, letting go of her once I was sure she could stand on her own.
"-Sorry again." I repeated, a bit softer this time.
Fortunately, she just nodded... Didn't even say a word to me...
...
Okay, that was... unexpected.
Still, I held the door open for her anyway, giving a slight gesture like, "You first." She hesitated for a second, then walked inside without looking at me.
I followed behind her, finally stepping into the silence I'd been looking for... I looked around the room, spotting seats that were relatively empty. Fortunately, there was one next to the back right of the room...
I adjusted course slightly to pass by, but ended up brushing against her again—barely, but enough to make it obvious.
'No way... again?'
She turned slightly toward me this time, not a full turn, but enough for me to see her expression. Still calm. pretty much emotionless. Her red eyes blinked once, but slowly.
I scratched the back of my head, giving her a small, sheepish smile. "Hmm... I guess we kind of had the same idea, huh?"
There was a beat of silence.
Then finally, in a voice so soft I almost thought I imagined it, she replied:
"…Seems like it."
Her voice, it was, simple. Near monotone even... But not, unfriendly. I just nodded at her, slightly surprised at it;
"Umm, would you mind if I sit here?"
She looked at the chair, then back at my direction, and gave a small shake of her head.
"...Go ahead."
I quickly slid into the seat beside her, trying not to make a sound while I made myself comfortable. I was still careful about hiding my self around other right now, so I turned and I let my eyes drift out toward the window, while giving my mind some well needed time in processing the sheer randomness of today...
But, hey... At least the library was quiet.
Sort of...
But, since the air between us was so awkward, I might as well get to know her right?
"Um, excuse me, since we kind of started off on a weird note, I'd like to formerly introduce myself, the name's Ayano Keiji, and what about you...?"
She didn't look at me right away—just kept staring down at the open book in front of her. I started to think maybe she didn't hear me, until finally, she turned her head just a little...
"It's Setsuna... Setsuna Kiyoura." she said, quietly.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 27: Development...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I checked the time, realizing that lunch break was almost over at this point. In fact, I might as well pack it up and leave, now. I've still pretty much got two more tests today to finish up. Fortunately, I think I was doing fairly well for someone who had only two months to cram down all the material-
-Bzzzt~
Bzzzt~
I held my phone to see who was calling me, And to my surprise;
"Sekai?" I kept my hoodie down still, quickly picking up while moving off to the side.
"Ayano-san, I know this a bit sudden, but... Could you help me study for the econ test tomorrow...? I'm... not so great at it."
Helping her study...? I, don't really blame her for asking me since, I was the probably best at econ in the class without much contest, not only that, I made sure I always scored in my high nineties in it;
"Alright then, since school is ending early today, why don't we stay in the library since it closes off at 7PM...?"
There was a pause on her other end... Not a long one, but just enough for me to wonder what was going on...
"Um... I'm not really that comfortable studying here." She told me, her voice dropping slightly; "It's kind of noisy… sometimes. And I get distracted real easily too."
How though? What could possibly distract her here? It's the library... You know what, it's fine: "Okay..." I said slowly, raising a brow while I waited for to continue...
"If it's not too weird..." she continued;
"My place isn't far from here. We could study there instead...?"
…
Now that I didn't really expect...
Not that I thought Sekai was the type to pull something, but the idea of going over to her place caught me a little off guard. Especially today, when everything already felt upside-down...
Still, she sounded completely genuine. A little nervous, even. I glanced back toward where I had been sitting a second ago. Setsuna was still there, head buried in her book like the world outside didn't matter to her.
I ran a hand through my hair...
'Great. First attention I didn't even ask for, now study invites to girls' houses? What sort of timeline even is this?'
"...Alright," I said after a moment. "If you're sure, I don't mind it it a bit."
"Really?" she sounded almost surprised that I accepted. "Thanks, Ayano-san! I'll text you my address, okay?"
I replied back, "Cool... I'll See you after school."
I hung up and slipped the phone back into my pocket, quietly exhaling;
'This day just kept leveling up in weirdness, doesn't it...'
.
.
.
DING~ DONG~
...
"Hwaah! I'm glad today's set of exams are over... We only have econ, and civics left." Renji said, stretching.
I nodded at that, I was glad they were coming to a close too. "You can say that again." I packed up all of my things. When I looked down a few rows, I spotted Sekai doing the same, so I left my desk, walking straight down to her.
"Ah, you ready to go?"
She nodded, "Yep!"
"Wait!... Where are the both of you going?" Renji called out, stopping us before we could even make it to the doorway.
I turned around with a tired sigh, shifting my bag over my shoulder: "Well, Sekai just asked me to help her prep for the econ test coming up... Nothing too major, just some reviewing."
Renji raised a brow, his crap eating grin creeping in like he already thought this was something it wasn't. Typical. Before I could shut that stupid face of his down-
"-M-May I join you two?"
'Hmm? That, voice...'
Somewhat surprised... Turning, I saw Katsura standing just a bit in front of Renji now, clutching her bag strap with both hands like it was some kind of emotional support. She looked a little nervous... but also, strangely determined?
"...Huh!?" slipped out before I could stop it...
My confusion wasn't even subtle. Katsura? Joining in? For, econ...?
I mean, Sekai needing help made total sense to me... She was barely scraping by last term in the subject, hovering in the low 60s. But, Kotonoha? If I remember correctly, she was consistently around getting the high 70s in the class. She wasn't particularly struggling at all either—not nearly enough to need me anyway...
And the way she asked… It felt more like she wanted to be there, rather than actually to study... No, I don't think she'd do that kind of thing. Plus, I might be in over my own head head thinking she would even think of doing something like that...
But, it wasn't just me either, even Sekai glanced at her, a little surprised. Not mad, just caught off guard too.
"Uhm..." I started, scratching the back of my head. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't mind you joining in either, but... aren't you already doing fine in that subject?"
Katsura gave a small nod, with her voice being barely above a whisper. "I-I just… I wanted to make sure I understand the newer topics... That's all."
Right~ Totally not suspicious I guess. I glanced sideways at Sekai... Her expression stayed, oddly neutral, but I caught something weird, just the slightest twitching of her lips—like she wanted to say something to me, but chose not to...
"Well..." I said, trying to sound casual;
"if you really want to, I guess it's fine, by me of course... But..." Internally, this situation felt pretty awkward already.
"I can't just give the go ahead by myself, since I'll be studying over Sekai's place. She kind of needs to give you the permission to even come over..."
I looked over at Sekai to explain myself; "But, like I already said, since we'll be studying at your place, I feel like it's more so your call rather than mine."
Sekai paused, her smile faltering just a bit while her eyes shifted toward Katsura...
"Ah... Soto~" she started, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "My room is kind of small, and I was honestly just planning for a one-on-one study session..."
She trailed off, her voice getting softer... Kotonoha didn't say anything, just stood there quietly—still waiting...
Then for some reason, Sekai gave to what was a resigned sigh, giving a small nod in the process too;
"But... I think it should be fine. If Kotonoha-chan really wants to come along, I won't say no..."
"Are you sure...?" I asked again, just to be polite—though I could already feel the awkward air thickening more. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have said anything...
"Yeah!" Sekai said with a quick smile. "It'll be a little cramped, but I'm sure we can make it work, somehow."
Katsura bowed her head slightly. "T-Thank you, Sekai-san! I'll do my best not to be a bother!"
"Alright then." I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "A study trio it is."
Renji from behind us groaned dramatically: "Man, this is straight out of a rom-com... What's next? One of you trips, and lands on Keiji-san's face?"
I shot him a look: "Shut it." Renji didn't take the hint, and looked as if he wanted popcorn...
"Sweet!" he said, smiling;
"You guys have fun, I guess... I'll be at home not third-wheeling."
"Hehe~" Sekai giggled beside me. Even Katsura cracked a tiny smile... But still, I can't help but feel that the atmosphere between the three of us as we walked out of the classroom? Yeah…
It was definitely not on the lighter end.
.
.
.
"3 for the price of 1, get your ice-cream! 3 for the price of 1!" A vendor shouted from across the street, ringing a tiny bell while waving his hand.
Sekai paused mid-step. "Ooooh...! That actually sounds kind of tempting."
Katsura slowed down too, glancing towards the stall... "I agree as well... We do still have time before studying start."
I shrugged. "Well, I'm not in any rush either, you two want to grab some?"
Sekai's eyes lit up, literally;
"Let's! My treat—since I'm technically dragging you two into study mode."
Katsura blinked, surprised. "A-Are you sure?"
"Yep!" Sekai smiled, already heading toward the cart. "Besides, consider it... A peace offering for the tight squeeze later."
I followed behind, chuckling quietly. "You say that like we're about to be packed into a shipping container or something..."
"Well~" Sekai said with a playful glance: "You haven't seen my room yet..." She said mysteriously.
The three of us lined up at the vendor's stand. It felt weirdly normal for once. Just… friends after school grabbing ice cream. Even with the awkwardness earlier, this little detour helped ease some of that tension we had earlier... Thankfully.
The vendor handed over three cones, and Sekai passed them out like a peacekeeper distributing truce flags.
"To cramming our brains out!" She said, raising her cone slightly.
I smiled, and tapped mine against hers: "To not flunking econ!"
Katsura hesitated, then tapped hers in too: "…To studying together."
Yeah, maybe things were still weird under the surface, but in this moment? It didn't feel so bad...
On the other hand, I spotted Sekai reaching for her wallet when I gently held out a hand;
"Nah, let me get it. You're already opening up your place for us—it kind of feels like I should handle the bribe for dragging you into the econ stress."
She blinked. "Eh? But I was the one who—"
"It's cool, really." I said, stepping up to the cart. "Think of it as a trade. Your space for my wallet."
Kotonoha looked between the two of us, then softly added: "That… seems, fair."
Sekai puffed her cheeks out for a second like she wanted to argue, but gave in with a dramatic sigh...
"Fine, but next time, it's on me." I handed the vendor some yen, and took back the three cones, passing them around.
"To last-minute studying!" I said, lifting mine.
Sekai raised hers with a smile. "To Ayano-kun being weirdly reliable today."
Katsura tapped her cone lightly to ours, her voice low, but clear: "To getting through tomorrow."
We all just continued on our way together... Making small talks along, and generally enjoying each other's company. It was, fun...
"Woah! look at those cuties over there!"
"...!!?"
"You're right, especially the taller one, isn't she mature~"
I stopped mid-step, ice cream halfway to my mouth, my eyes flicking over to the guys leaning casually against the side of a vending machine... Late college-aged, maybe early twenties. Way too old to be ogling at high school girls, but clearly not self-aware enough to care...
They were looking directly at Kotonoha and Sekai. Talking like they weren't even a few feet away.
Sekai froze beside me, her smile vanishing... Katsura's expression didn't change much, but I noticed how her fingers subtly curled tighter around her cone.
The taller guy nudged his friend with his elbow: "Should we say something? Bet they're waiting on someone like us."
That was enough for me.
I took one small step forward—not aggressive, but just enough to plant myself slightly in front of the girls. I didn't even look directly at the guys when I spoke...
"Sorry, man. They're not interested."
The shorter one raised an eyebrow, looking me up and down like I was just background noise. "Was I talkin' too ya'?"
"No." I said, finally turning to meet his eyes. "You were talking at them. Big difference."
I could feel Sekai and Katsura standing just behind me, sticking to my back—quiet, but close...
The taller guy scoffed at me. "*Tch!* Chill out, man... We were just giving out some compliments."
"Cool..." I said, voice calm but sharp for them to get the hint;
"Then take 'em up to someone who asked."
There was a pause... Just a second or two, but enough for them to get the message. Then, finally, the taller one clicked his tongue and nudged his friend;
"Whatever man, let's bounce..."
They both walked off—grumbling under their breaths, but leaving all the same...
'Ass-Hats...'
Only when they were far enough out of earshot did I turn around. Sekai let out a breath she'd been holding. Katsura just gave me a small, almost imperceptible nod as well...
"Are you both ok...?" I asked, softening my tone.
Sekai nodded quickly. "Y-yeah… T-Thanks, Ayano-kun."
"Y-Yes… Thank you as well." Kotonoha added, her voice even lower.
I shrugged like it was nothing, if I kept myself strong, they'd feel more at ease too... But on the inside? My blood was still a little hot from the scuffle...
"C'mon guys." I huffed, sighing;
"Let's just keep moving..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 28: More Development, and Strength...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, Sekai's Residence ~
.
.
.
"Umm... Sekai-san." I called to her.
"H-Hai?"
"How should I put this..." I scratched my cheek...
"Put, what?"
"Well... Aren't you quiet, wealthy...?" Wealthy was putting it a bit lightly. She was rotten rich. Her home, if one could call it that, was absolutely humongous...
Sekai looked at me, like she wasn't sure if I was messing with her or not.
"Eh-Tou...? W-What makes you say that...?"
I gestured vaguely around her not-so-humble abode—the high ceilings, the sparkling floors, the clean modern lines that looked straight out of an architecture's blog. This wasn't a regular house… This was essentially prime real estate goals...
"I mean, Sekai-san…" I raised an eyebrow: "You basically live in a place with motion-sensor lighting in the hallway. And is that a grand piano just casually sitting over there?"
She scratched her cheek, letting out a sheepish laugh. "Ahaha… yeah. My mom's kind of… extra. She works a lot, so she likes making the place feel nice when she's home."
I blinked. "Huh? You make it sound it's Just you, and your mom that live here."
"Mm-hmm~ It's just us!" she said, smiling a little. "She's usually out late though, though, so don't worry. We've got the entire house to ourselves!"
What the?
'Then... Why did she say her room was too cramped for Kotonoha to join us earlier...?'
My brain did a quick rewind for a second, replaying that moment from school. Sekai had definitely said it'd be a tight fit… yet, here we were in a place that could probably host a small wedding in the living room... I glanced at her, who was now walking a little ahead of me, humming like nothing was out of the ordinary...
'Ah... I see how it is...' How could I have been so stupid to not realize?
Maybe she wanted it to be just the two of us... Perhaps, this wasn't entirely about space—it seemed like it was more so about privacy. That little realization made me tug my hoodie just a little lower, trying not to think too hard about it. Or, overthink it, or... anything.
I raised both brows: "Right... So this is the toned-down version of her style?" Changing the topic slightly.
"Now that you mention it... She almost put a chandelier in my bathroom." She said like it was a normal complaint, then turned to start walking down the hallway.
"Anyway, my room's this way! It's kinda small—don't judge."
Given what I'd already seen, I braced myself for a small room that probably had its own AC system and mood lighting...
Still, I followed after her, backpack slung over one shoulder, trying to wrap my head around how I was supposed to focus on econ in a place that practically looked like a designer's showroom.
.
.
.
While Sekai led us down her hallway, Katsura trailed just a few steps behind me, her eyes darting around the place with that same quiet amazement I was feeling as well. She hadn't said much since we stepped inside, but I could tell she was just as stunned by it all, just as I was at least...
"This place is quite large..." she whispered softly, almost to herself.
I glanced back at her and nodded. still hiding my face a bit; "Right? And apparently, her room is the small part."
Sekai turned her head with a playful smile, clearly hearing us: "Mmm... I said don't judge! You'll see what I mean in a sec."
Kotonoha and I exchanged a small look, with both of us already mentally preparing for the most luxurious cramped room in existence.
And then, she opened her door...
To say I was caught off guard would be an understatement.
Her kind of small room? Yeah. If this was small, then my room was basically a utility closet in comparison. It had soft lighting, a massive window with actual curtains (like—the fancy ones that swish), a fluffy cream-colored rug that looked comfier than my mattress back home, and a desk setup that probably cost more than my entire allowance for the year.
Not to say I was poor. I was actually loaded myself, but still...
Looking around, I saw hat there were a couple of plushies on the bed, and shelves neatly stacked with books too, and a few small potted plants by the window that looked like they'd actually been cared for. It felt cozy... But still, upscaled.
Sekai turned to me with a sheepish grin, likely catching the stunned look on my face when she did, unfortunately...
"I told you not to judge..." She said, laughing softly. "It's not that big."
I sighed: "…You say that like your bed doesn't pretty much have its own ZIP code."
She stuck her tongue out at me playfully. "Hey~! Don't make fun of it! It's my comfy zone."
I chuckled and stepped inside, slipping off my shoes near the door out of habit: "Nah, it's nice... Really."
She brightened up at that, walking over to her desk and pulling out her econ notes. "Alright then, Mr. 90s Club—ready to help a poor, struggling student?"
I dropped my bag on the floor next to the desk and pulled out my own notebook: "I guess. I'll be as ready as I'll ever be."
We all sat down together quietly, pretty much side by side at her desk—close enough that our arms could have brushed a few times. Not enough to be anything particularly weird, but… not nothing either.
She leaned in a bit closer to me, her brown eyes growing larger; "Okay let's see here~ Ah! Could you explain to me again why opportunity cost is, like, a thing to begin with?"
I glanced sideways at her, trying not to get distracted by how earnest she looked at both me and the book right about now...
"Alright... So, imagine you had to choose between buying a new video game, or going out for sushi, which would you choose?"
"Oh, that's a bit simple sushi. Easy!"
"Exactly. But, the cost of choosing sushi means you're giving up the video game... That tradeoff? That's essentially what opportunity cost was in it's entirety summed up."
Her eyes lit up. "Ohhh, so it's essentially the thing you didn't do as a consequence...?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
She blinked at me, impressed. "Wow. call me surprised... You actually make this sound less painful."
I smiled smugly; "it's just a hidden talent I have."
Then I felt a tug on my hoodie, I turned around; "U-Umm... Ayano-san... Could you explain this part for me as well?"
Kotonoha held out her notebook, and opened to a section I hadn't even gotten to with Sekai yet. Another thing I've realized was that her handwriting was neat, a little spaced out, and highlighted with pastel markers—definitely someone who took studying quite seriously, even if she was shy about asking for help...
"Oh, uh—sure." I said, adjusting a bit to face her too.. But, still enough to hide my face: "This is about marginal utility, right?"
She nodded silently, eyes flicking between me and the page.
"Alright, so… it's kind of like this. Imagine you're eating slices of cake. The first slice? Amazing. The second? Still good, but maybe a little less exciting than the first slice, then by the third slice, you're kind of just eating it because it's there-"
"-Unless it's, cho-co-late!" Sekai mumbled off to the side, grinning as she peeked over her notes.
I grinned back finding a little funny, then continued: "-but yeah, the satisfaction you get from each slice goes down each slice. That drop? That's marginal utility. Each extra unit gives you less and less benefit as time goes on via using said thing."
Katsura blinked, then slowly nodded, like it was just starting to click. "Ah… I see, okay. So it's like… a value of something going down the more of that item you get...?"
I gave her a thumbs up: "That's it in a nutshell."
There was, a short silence after that—comfortable, and not awkward...
Tap~
Tap~
Sekai tapped her pencil against her desk;
"Okay, okay, now explain that concept again but using ice cream instead of cake."
I raised an eyebrow: "You just want an excuse to talk about food, don't you...?"
"Maaaybe~" She sang, leaning her cheek into her hand with a teasing smile. Katsura let out a tiny giggle, one hand covering her mouth.
I sighed playfully, leaning back in my chair. "This is gonna be a long night, isn't it?"
But if I was being honest…
I, didn't really mind. Three students, and one heck of a too-rich study room, with more than enough econ terms to make a textbook sweat—weirdly enough, this definitely wasn't the worst way to spend my evening.
.
.
.
A few hours had passed since we started, and we barely rested at all. But, I think it was a good session, and... a great time for me to leave.
"Alright guys, I think we can call it quits... It's 7:23 PM. Almost 8 PM, and I need to get home..."
Sekai looked up from her notes, blinking a bit like she was just now realizing how much time had passed;
"Eeeh? Already...?"
"Yeah, sorry Sekai-san." I said to her, stretching my arms a bit as I stood: "We powered through a good amount though... I honestly think we'll all pass that econ test with flying colors at this rate."
Katsura nodded softly, closing her notebook with a gentle pat. "Thank you… For explaining everything, Ayano-san. I feel more confident now...!"
"Same here." Sekai added, flashing a small, proud smile. "Seriously though—I think, you're kind of made for this tutoring thing."
I scratched the back of my head, feeling the tiniest bit sheepish at the compliment, I'm still not used to them;
"I, guess…? I just talk a lot when I know what I'm saying. Plus, I had pretty great students too."
"You should talk a lot more, then~" Sekai teased, walking me toward the front of the house with Kotonoha not too far behind the both of us. "Plus, it's a little, cool seeing you like this..."
I glanced over at her but didn't say anything right away... By the time we got to the front door, I'd already slung my backpack over my shoulder again. I turned back to the two girls standing in the light of the entrance.
"Well, I guess I'll catch you both tomorrow..." I said, giving them a casual wave. "Econ's in the bag."
Sekai smiled. "Thanks again, Ayano-kun. And… text me when you get home, okay?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Ha! Worried about me now?"
She shrugged, but her smile didn't fade a bit: "I don't know~ Maybe just a teensy little."
Katsura gave me a quiet wave too, eyes soft under the warm lighting. "Goodnight, Keiji-san."
"All right, night, you two."
I stepped out, the crisp evening air wrapping around me as the door gently shut behind while I made my way down the front steps, with my hands tucked away in my hoodie's pockets. To be honest, I couldn't help but smile a little...
'Yeah… Definitely not the worst way a guy could spend an evening.'
Plus, I had some, practice left to do...
~ Third Person Pov, right after Ayano left... ~
.
.
.
Katsura stared at Saionji, the look in her eyes questioning her own emotions...
"Sekai-san… Could I ask you something...?" Kotonoha asked her.
Sekai turned around: "Oh, of course Katsura-san. What... do you want to know?"
Kotonoha smiled gently, asking: "Do you... perhaps, like Ayano-kun?" Her voice was soft, but it carried an unmistakable level of curiosity within it.
Sekai's breath caught in her throat, her chest tightening at the suddenness of the question. It felt like time slowed, and for a moment, she wasn't sure how to answer. The weight of the question hung there between the two of them.
Unbeknownst to Sekai, Kotonoha had carefully watched as her friend's cheeks faintly grew a shade of crimson...
After a long pause, Sekai finally let out a soft, resigned sigh, looking down at her hands for a moment;
"What!? Wait... I... I'm not sure...Is... Is it that obvious?" She answered, her voice barely a whisper. She sounded almost, unsure of herself, like she wasn't ready to admit it, but knew she couldn't hide it anymore either... Or, she wasn't sure if she really was and is coming to terms with it.
Katsura didn't say anything immediately, but her gaze softened as she observed Sekai, the quiet acknowledgment in her eyes making the air around them tense. Sekai's response hung like a secret they both shared, even if the weight of it still felt, strange...
Sekai ran her fingers through her hair, her expression softening even more: "I... I don't know how it happened, but… Yeah, I've realized that I like him... A lot." Her voice grew more confident, as though the admission felt lighter once it was out there.
She glanced at Katsura, her cheeks slightly flushed;
"I don't know why, but... He practically gives me butterflies when he speaks to me. It's sounds stupid, right? But… when he's around me. I feel like my heart's about to burst, especially for what he did for us earlier today... I've never felt anything like this before, at least not anything this strong..."
Katsura blinked, her face a mix of surprise and understanding. She could hear the sincerity in Sekai's voice. Sekai wasn't usually so open about her emotions like this from what she had observed, so this moment, raw and unfiltered, made Katsura take a bit of a pause.
"So, it's not just about… The things he does or says?" Katsura asked, her voice quieter now, almost in awe of how freely Sekai was speaking...
Sekai's smile was a little bittersweet, her lips curling just slightly: "It's, everything. The way he looks at me, like I'm not just another person in the room, but someone he genuinely wants to understand who I am. I... I can't really explain it any better than that, so sorry... But. when he's around, I just feel like I'm the only one he sees."
Kotonoha leaned back slightly, absorbing Sekai's words, but her thoughts drifted momentarily to the unspoken things in her own heart. She never realized how much Sekai had felt for him, and in some twisted way, hearing Sekai's confession made her heart twist, as well...
"Plus, he's quite handsome too." Sekai added, blushing slightly.
Katsura looked a bit confused for a moment, and Sekai immediately realized it...
So she asked: "Wait... Katsura-san, have you actually seen Ayano-kun since the day's started?" Katsura then shook her head in denial.
"N-No... He's had on his hoodie the entire day since I came, so... I haven't really gotten the chance to see his face, but why? I don't really think he's particularly unattractive, but I wouldn't say he's handsome. And, to be honest... it doesn't really matter to me if he was, or wasn't."
"Hmm... Well, just give me a second-" Sekai quickly took out her phone, scrolling through for a bit;
"-Here, please take a good look at this."
The image was simply a candid shot from the school session earlier in the day, one with Ayano leaning over his desk, his hoodie pushed down completely, enough for more than a glimpse of his face. His expression was serious, focused on the textbook in front of him, but his features were soft, yet defined...
For some reason, Katsura's cheeks reddened, before Sekai suddenly took back her phone: "I-I see..."
Sekai, not wanting to leave the moment hanging in the air, laughed nervously;
"Still, it's ridiculous, right...? Me, falling for someone like him... But, there's just something about him…" She trailed off, as if her eyes were focusing on something far away, maybe lost in the thought something...
"When I'm around him, I don't know. What I've realize today, it truly feels like everything else fades away... I just, want to be near him, like he is for me... Does that sound, stupid...?" She asked Kotonoha.
However, Katsura's smile was almost sympathetic, as she watched Sekai understanding far more than she let on; "No, of course not. I don't think that all all!" She said strongly, her voice still soft. She continued: "It doesn't sound stupid to me. I... I get it." She finished.
"Wait...?" Sekai raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her friend... "You get it...?"
Katsura nodded slowly, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Y-Yeah, I get it. You don't have to explain it. There's just something about him that… I feel like it pulls people in. I think… I think I'm starting to feel it too. Every time he's around, I get this weird calm, like I can trust him without even knowing why. And it's confusing. Because, he's not my type. but every time we speak, I feel this sense of... safety. Like I can tell him anything. Does... Does that sound stupid?"
Sekai's eyes softened, and she let out a long, slow breath. "It's, not stupid... Katsura-san. It's not."
The weight of their words settled between them, unspoken feelings hanging in the air like a fragile thread. For a moment, neither of them spoke, each of them lost in their own whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.
"I think…" Sekai started, her voice quieter, more thoughtful now: "I think he really is different from the others. He makes everything feel... easy than it seems, and everything will eventually be ok. And maybe, that's what I like about him most..."
Katsura nodded in agreement, her eyes darkened with a hint of longing. "I guess... we'll have to figure out what happens next."
Sekai blushed, and smiled faintly... "Yeah… but for now, It looks like we're both in this mess, huh?"
Katsura returned the smile, though it was tinged with a little bit of uncertainty. "Yeah... Together."
...
~ Ayano's Pov, in an abandoned warehouse... ~
.
.
.
'This place, it's perfect...'
I took off my hoodie and left it hanging on a steel beam that was left standing. But, I don't think I should even get my hopes up.
'Status...'
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 177 cm | 5'9"
Age: 17
Health: 16000 / 16000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 6600 / 6600 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 511 / 1000
Defense: 511 / 1000
Agility: 511 / 1000
Spirit: 511 / 1000
Based on just raw numbers...
I should be slightly more than twice as strong, fast and tough, at least compared to before the last increase.
'I guess... I should start with my striking power first?'
The first time I went all out in my strikes, my fist left a 6 inch diameter hole in concrete, that was around an inch deep give, or take...
Crick~
Crack~
I clenched my fists as hard as a possibly could, and I aimed directly at the concrete beneath me...
'Phooo~'
Here goes nothing!
"HARRRGHHH!!!!!!"
Fwip!
BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
Thud~
...
Thud~
While the dust wad slowly settling around me, the wind from the shockwave whipping through the broken frame of the abandoned building, I waved my hand in front of my face, and I tried my not to choke from it all.
*Cough! Cough!!*
"Damn it! The dust!" I coughed again, squinting through the gray cloud...
When I finally got a good look at what I'd actually done, I couldn't help but freeze up completely.
Where my fist had landed was no longer just cracked concrete—it was a small crater. A full-blown impact zone in a sense, easily over a meter wide, and at least a few more inches in depth... The ground around it had all splintered apart, with spiderweb and other fractures, with loose bits of stone that were still rolling around from how strong it was...
I ran to my bag like a mad man, getting my tape and measuring both it's length and depth...
"N-No, way..."
The entire crater was 31 inches in it's length, and 3 inches in it's depth. Using a formula I know of... I should be...
'This, can't really be right, can it?'
The number added up, but it felt ridiculous seeing the value...
'If my math's correct; that means, I'm a little over 80-times stronger than my previous self in just sheer punching power.'
That means my stat gains aren't even linear... Then, how much stronger would going from 500 to 700 attribute points even be like?
I looked over at the crater again. Still not having to believe what I've done entirely.
'If I hit a person with that kind of force…'
I swallowed...
'Even if I held back my strength... I could-' I shook my head, pushing the thought away before it finished.
That wasn't something I wanted to even imagine. Not now...
'I think, I should move on to something else.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 29: Testing...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I thought about doing the speed test secondly...
I got a great gauge on my level of strength, and I prioritize my speed, so knowing the latter would likely be best for me.
I walked back to the entrance of the warehouse... Since it's about 40 meters, end to end. I should be able to get a decent enough mark on how fast I am right now.
I cracked my neck, shook out my arms to loosen up, and got into a low sprinting stance.
I took a deep breath… and dashed forward-
-BAAA~DOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
A thunderous shockwave erupted from behind me, blasting the dust and loose debris in all directions. For a brief moment, time felt like it practically fractured. My vision nearly warped completely, with the world stretching into a tunnel of blurring light and pressure—
The air around me screamed, parting like a blade had sliced through it.
And then-
-CRACKKK!!!
I heard it... The unmistakable sound of an actual sonic boom... I had seen all the windows rattling when I ran. I could even hear the metal beams a few meters away groaning under the sudden pressure shift in the area too.
By the time I realized what I'd done—I was already on the other end...
I practically skidded to a stop, my shoes even left burning rubber across the pavement, leaving behind long streaks of friction. My heart slammed in my chest—not from fatigue, but from the the sheer realization of what I just did...
"No, way…"
'I-I just broke the sound barrier....'
I turned around slowly, eyes wide. The air behind me still shimmered with some sort of displaced force, what else could I call it? Overtime the dust around the area had settled, and small chunks of concrete from the start line had been, was completely blown away. Only a small crater was left where my feet had once been...
"Haha-"
...
"-Hahaha!!"
I knew what my previous limit was, barely over 90 mph, and that was on a good day... Now, I could even break the barrier whenever I wanted to, and not even feel the least bit fatigued in doing it... Still, at least this test of mine showed me that my speed increases, doesn't inherently increase proportionally with my over all strength...
But, it was still pretty impressive as is.
Traveling way beyond terminal velocity without so much as a hic-up was already an insane feat as is.
"..."
I guess, next is my lifting strength... I didn't see much to really work with around here. The only thing that were around was a few dozen of those steel beams...
'Given their heights and widths, I'd say they were maybe around 500-600 pounds eac-'
Before I could finish my own thought, I saw a large yellow tag with what seemed like their collective weight on it...
'That definitely saves me time in measuring, and weighing them all...'
When I looked, it had read 30 tons...
Still, that's around 7 to 8 times heavier than my previous maximum... Which was around 4 tons...? Give or take. Which, wasn't exactly weak by any means. I was already over 8 times stronger than some of the strongest men in my old world... Since, I was already decently above even peak humans now, well, I might as well try my hand now.
I swung my arms a bit to warm up, and then stooped low, bolstering both my hands in any of the wedges I could feel for.
'Here goes nothing...'
"Hmph...!"
...
...
...
"...!?"
I think... I was a pretty reasonable man, I'm sure I wasn't insane either, and I thought I was also pretty level headed in my temperament and overall judgement as of recent... So, why the hell do I not feel a thing?
30 tons were in my arms, was it not...? I checked again, but, it said so on the labelling. So... Why can't feel them? No... It's more like, I don't even register the sheer weight at all.
CreeaakkkK~
I easily removed on of my arms, still not feeling anything. But I sure heard a creaking sound of metal and the sound of stressed concrete underneath my feet...
The beams shifted slightly in my grasp, but not because I was even straining—In fact, it felt as if, they were bending to me.
"Ok, what the hell…?" I mumbled under my breath, eyes widening slightly.
I wasn't just lifting 30 tons. I was doing it ultra casually. Like I was holding a small bundle of extremely tiny pebbles.
I flexed my arm slightly, testing their weight again, but it felt like, nothing... No pull on any of my joints, no burning in my muscles either—Actually, my heart hadn't felt like it even spiked at all. I glanced around a little, half-expecting some sort of hidden support or some kind of prank setup.
But, no. The steel was real. The label was just as real too. The 30 tons was very, very real.
And I was holding it like a gym bag.
'Ok...'
I exhaled for a few times, then—being as curious as I was at the moment—extended my other hand and lifted another segment of the pile.
60 tons.
And still.
'Nothing...'
I'm slightly concerned now: "…What the actual hell am I turning into?"
The steel beams groaned in my hands as if they knew they weren't meant to be carried this way. I tilted my head, because now I honestly fascinated by all this. Especially since it was already way more impressive than what I had done earlier.
Now, I'm wondering what my upper limit even was anymore...
I gently lowered them back down—careful not to slam the concrete and destroy it—and I quickly dusted my hands, shirt and pants...
"…Alright." My maximum lifting strength is definitely an unknown at the moment.
Bzzt~
Bzzt~
...
My phone went off, it was a message from... 'Kotonoha?' I read it;
"Are you okay, Ayano-san? I just… wanted to check in on you."
Man, that's sweet if her to do, I texted back, "Yeah, I made a slight detour, but, I'm heading home right now. What about you?"
A few seconds passed by...
Bzzt~
Kotonoha replied: "I'm just arrived home. I couldn't really concentrate after studying… So, I've been thinking about today."
Another message popped in right after...
"I hope you're not pushing yourself too hard... You've seemed a bit tense, ever since earlier."
I paused for a moment, thumb hovering over the screen. That… wasn't something people usually picked up on. Not even Sekai mentioned it... If she even realized it.
I tapped out a quick reply.
"Guess you're more observant than most... I'm fine though, really. I Just needed to stretch my legs a bit, and clear my head."
There was a long pause after I hit send. I didn't get another buzz for nearly a minute. But when it finally came—
"If there's ever anything you need... Even if it's just someone to talk to... I'd be happy to be that person."
...
...
I realized that my fingers had stopped moving... Was I really this stunned? She didn't even say much, but those words... They actually hit different... Gentle. And for some odd reason, they even felt sincere, or maybe, this was just me hoping that it was the case...
I looked at the steel beams nearby, still warped from my earlier stunt, then back at my phone screen...
So much was changing around me—in me—and it felt like I was being pulled further and further away from anything resembling a normal human, but then, a message like this… Something so human, it tethers me back a bit...
I typed up a response, slowly this time: "Thanks, Kotonoha. That, really means a lot-"
"-You're a kind person." I typed again.
She replied almost immediately.
"So are you."
And just like that, I couldn't help but smile... These small, simple moments genuinely made me feel more grounded in this world, no matter how much I told myself that I was used to it all. It just ends up not being the case... Which normal person adapts to something like this quickly?
Regardless... people who text like this are pretty rare to come by, at least back in my old life.
I quickly locked my phone and made my way towards the exit.
'…Guess I'm heading home for real this time.'
I got the results I was looking for today. At least, kind of... Since tomorrow is the last day, though I guess I should start thinking of that trip to Chisaki's home town.
"..."
'Well, whatever, that part of me can wait until I get home.'
.
.
.
Creak~
'I'm finally home...' I stretched, dropping my bag to the side while I was at it.
I've kind of gotten used to it, but... Every time I come here.
I slowly realize just how, isolated I am... I come home to no one, each and everyday for months. It wasn't exactly the greatest feeling ever, even if one gets used to it over time...
Oh... I almost forgot, I picked up my phone to text Sekai: "I just got home."
Almost immediately, the screen lit up with her reply. "Took you long enough~ Did you get lost or something? 😏"
I laughed a little at her teasing, tossing my keys into the little tray by the door. "Nah, I just decided to take the long way home... The night air felt great, and it was a hard pass."
She sent a short reply this time. "That's, good... I'm glad you're home safe."
I paused for a moment, staring at her message longer than I needed to.
A soft exhale slipped out of me too.
I let my body fall back onto my bed... The ceiling looked the same as it always had—plain, familiar—but now everything else in my life was starting to feel… different. Lifting steel beams, shattering the sound barrier... and then quietly texting girls like none of that just happened.
What even was my life now?
Bzzt—
Another message popped up. "Also… thanks again for today. I had fun. For real 💖"
I smiled again...
I responded, "Yeah… me too, we should do it again sometime."
I locked my phone and let it rest on my chest. Tomorrow would be a pretty big day for me—tests, normalcy… or at least, what passed for a normal in my current state...
And still, none of them knew. Not Sekai, not Katsura, not even Renji... No one knew what I was really capable of.
But, that was fine with me...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 30: Highschool, is over...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
Today? It feels, good.
Like, really good...
I knew exactly why too—because my annoying, semi-chaotic high school life was finally over. Done. Gone. Packed in a box, sealed with duct tape, and thrown into the emotional attic of my brain. No more cramped hallways and forced PE laps to take with the other classes.
I was, free. And yeah, sure, college or university wasn't going to be a cakewalk either, but at least now I'd be surrounded by adults.
Well... hopefully.
I rolled out of bed, still smiling, and stretched out until my joints popped. My body felt light—effortless, even. Maybe it was just the good mood I was in. Or maybe it was the fact I could casually toss around 60 tons last night like they were sacks of feather...
Either way, I was feeling myself today.
I went through the usual motions—took a long, hot bath, brushed my teeth with admittedly, way more enthusiasm than necessary, and got myself dressed.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I tilted my head. Since the hoodie wasn't on. My hair was still a bit messy from the towel, but not in a bad way...
"Now that I take a good look..." I realized that my features were... surprisingly really good-looking. More mature than I remembered from even a few weeks ago. To be honest with myself, I wasn't even completely sold on it either...
'Alright, let's not become a little narcissist.'
Still, it's a little weird what a little exercise—and terrifying bit of superhuman abilities can really do for a guy... I grabbed my phone, slid it in my pocket, and headed out...
.
.
.
"Morning guys." I said, sitting beside Renji.
"Ohayou! Ayano-san!" I heard Sekai say.
Then Kotonoha: "Good morning, Ayano-san."
Renji on the other hand just gave me a quick nod;
"Hey man, quick question for you... What do you plan on wearing for the trip?"
Already? Still, I thought about the question for a moment: "You'll see, when you see it... You?"
I wasn't planning to reveal my cards just yet. Not that they were particularly special or anything.
He shrugged at me. "I don't know man... I guess the typical shorts, and no top combo...? Pretty sure most guys will do the same as me too."
I, couldn't really disagree with him there.
"Alright everyone, you know the drill. Take your seats and ready yourselves for the test."
It's time for the last two exams...
.
.
.
DING~ DONG~
...
Hearing that last bell ring did me wonders...
That was the sound of the last test coming to an end.
'Finally!' I stretched. Those tests were easy. The late night studying really helped...
Glancing around the class, I found that there were other students doing the same too.
'Heh~ I guess I wasn't the only one that was tired of it all.'
We sent up all our papers to the front in an orderly fashion, like the usual.
Actually, no... But, still...
Why do I feel as if someone's watching for some reason...?
"Hmm...?"
Following my instincts, I turned in the direction my gut told me to, and strangely enough, it was, Kotonoha. The moment we had locked eyes with each other, she waved at me and quickly gave me a thumbs up...
'Oh, I guess she's happy.'
I gave her a thumbs up as well, but I still couldn't shake that weird feeling I had at the back of my mind. But, maybe it's all in my head. Nerves I guess...
-Clap!
-Clap!!
Our teacher clapped his hands to get our attention;
"Alright everyone, you all know what comes next... Fortunately, there will be buses outside for everyone to ride on to the departure site. Please don't forget anything in the classroom—once you step out, you're not allowed to come back in."
There was a collective stir in the room. Some students were already standing, chatting excitedly or taking quick selfies. Others were half-asleep, barely dragging their bags over their shoulders.
Me? I just grabbed my things, slung my bag over my shoulder, and glanced over at Renji. He was grinning like a kid ready for summer break... Couldn't blame him for it.
"I guess it's time to make some memories, huh?" He said.
"Yeah," I nodded, following him toward the door: "Let's just hope we don't make the kind that ends up on the news…"
He laughed, and Sekai and Katsura caught up behind us as we walked out of the classroom together. Sekai bumped her shoulder lightly against mine.
"You looked way too happy after that test..." She said, smirking: "How hard did you actually study?"
"Quite hard... What the? Hey! Don't doubt my hustle!" I replied, offended by the statement: "Just because I didn't have a nervous breakdown like a certain someone, doesn't mean I didn't prep."
I heard Katsura chuckling softly, holding her bag close to her chest: "I'm just glad it's all over…"
I nodded without hesitation at that. I don't think they know how glad I was for this in particular;
"Anyway guys, let's get on one of those busses before they all the good spots get filled."
They all nodded, and we picked up the pace a bit, going through the growing crowd of students in the hallway. Now that I took a good look around... The place was pretty much filled with the kind of excitement that only comes around when something's ending. Fortunately, it's not a bad one...
The buses were lined up in a clean row, gleaming like polished black beetles in the afternoon sun. Every single one of them looked new—sleek interiors, tinted windows, and those soft reclining seats that made you forget you're stuck with thirty other people in a metal tube for hours.
"Dang..." Renji whistled low. "They really went all out with these."
Sekai peeked into one of the buses, then turned back to us, mildly impressed. "AC's working. Seats look plush. Heck, no weird smells either. This is officially the best school trip transport I've ever been on. Period."
Katsura nodded in quiet agreement, her eyes wandering around at the other students already boarding with eager steps: "Strangely, it almost doesn't feel like a school trip… more like... a mini vacation."
Honestly, yeah. The energy in the air was lighter—less school, more freedom in a sense.
We all climbed onto one of the middle buses, choosing a spot closer to the window but not too far in the back where all the loud kids were settling in. Renji snagged the seat behind me, naturally. Sekai and Katsura flanked either side of me, with Sekai by the window, and Katsura quietly sliding into the seat across the aisle.
I slumped back into the chair and let out a small sigh. "Alright… Now this, I could get used to."
Sekai chided over me: "Don't fall asleep on us already, Grandpa-kun. The trip hasn't even started yet."
I rolled my eyes: "Relax, Sekai..." I rested, leaning my head back slightly. "I'm just, charging up." Mentally speaking of course. I haven't felt physically exhausted in a decent bit.
She laughed, and Katsura, sitting across the aisle, leaned a little closer to me, her voice gentle;
"How do you all think this trip is going to be...? Nobody has been over the border that separates the sea people from, well... us."
Hmmm...? I couldn't even give my two cents on this this at all.
I still can't rap my head around this sea people stuff. Even if I was practically superhuman myself. Those kinds of stories sounded more like they had fit the hyper fantasy-esq category. I tried researching about them, but it's just basic info that pops up. It's clear we weren't supposed to know what goes on over where they were...
At least, not anymore.
I glanced out the window as the bus drove down the highway, watching the trees blur by... Katsura's words sat in the back of my mind like a weight that didn't quite settle to be honest.
"I don't know." I finally said, scratching the side of my head. "I mean... If nobody's been over the border, and no one really talks about it... Then, what does that say?"
"Exactly." Sekai chimed in, her voice low but curious. "The whole thing feels kind of... hidden, right? Like, we know there's a barrier. We know they exist. But everything else? Just vague rumors and filtered news at this point..."
I nodded slowly. "I tried digging for more info online a while back. Got nothing. Basic government statements, a few outdated blog posts, if one could even call them that, and a couple of sketchy forum threads... That's, really it."
Renji leaned forward from the seat behind me, arms hanging over the headrest: "Well... Have you ever wondered why they even agreed to this trip in the first place? It's not like the sea folk just started making nice all of a sudden."
"That's, true…" Kotonoha whispered back.
Renji continued: "As a matter of fact. There's gotta be something going on over there. Something they want us to see… Or, maybe something they want to keep an eye on...? I don't really know."
I felt my jaw clench just slightly at that last bit. Was he wrong? Probably not. Especially not if this was tied to some bigger political, or cultural crap that's been going on in this world... And, from what I even remember of those rumors about why Chisaki had even came around, was still just that, a rumor.
Still, I forced a half-smile: "Well, at least the food will probably be great, right?" I said, wanting to lighten the tone just a little bit.
Sekai laughed; "Wow, deflection much?"
"C'mon, I'm just trying to focus on the positives-" I told her, holding up a hand. "-If, a war breaks out, I'd prefer do it on a full stomach, thank you very much."
Sekai mockingly placed a hand on her chin: "I guess, that does sound a tad bit better..."
I smiled: "Of course it does."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 31: Shioshishio!
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
An hour had passed since the constant driving...
Ayano quickly checked his phone for the time: "It's a bit past 1 PM... Wasn't this trip supposed to last until 8 PM?"
Renji, being the only one other than Ayano that was awake at the moment, nodded; "Yeah, it isn't that much time bu-"
He stopped completely mid sentence. His focus shifting from Ayano to the outside... Ayano followed Renji's gaze, brow furrowing before he turned to look out the window.
And then, he saw it in the distance...
It was a wall.
A gigantic black-steel-like wall, so tall it looked as if it was stabbing into the sky. It wasn't some mystical barrier or illusion either—it was engineered, constructed, and clearly purpose-built. And it circled practically everything in the vicinity...
Keiji had now realized that the entire ocean beyond this wall, and the island at its center, were completely surrounded—boxed in from the outside. In fact, the scale was impossible to ignore, easily being 200-300 meters high. It wasn't just guarding the sea people from the outside world… it was almost as if it was locking them in too.
But, it didn't feel like it was made to trap them, rather it was the opposite.
Renji stopped talking completely, mouth slightly agape as he leaned forward in his seat.
...
"What... What the heck…?" Ayano mumbled, more to himself than anyone else.
There weren't any openings. No visible entrances. The wall wasn't jagged or rusted either—it was practically pristine. Maintained. Almost... oppressively clean. As if whatever was on the other side didn't just need to be kept secret. It only needed to be contained.
'No wonder why I've found next to nothing on this place... No one could get in to even do much of anything.'
Ayano thought.
Sekai stirred beside them, then Katsura, both blinking as they saw the others staring outside.
"Urmm... Hmm? Wh-What's going on—" Sekai began, then stopped immediately.
Her eyes widened as she took in the sight. "That's… that's the border!?"
Katsura who also woke up leaned in closer across the aisle, her voice faint. "It looks as if it's circling the entire sea…"
Ayano nodded slowly, trying to find words: "That thing doesn't feel a border... It's like a great wall."
None of them said anything for a long moment. Because what kind of country—what kind of people—needed something like that?
And more importantly...
Why were they being allowed inside of it?
.
.
.
All the busses had eventually stopped, and parked uniformly to the side of the road... With every one of the students present more so confused than happy and go lucky like they were before.
The towering black wall loomed too close now, casting a long, suffocating shadow over the line of buses and the narrow road that hugged the coastline. It was less like a welcome—and more like a warning.
Every student that stepped out did so slowly, cautiously… like their instincts were telling them this place isn't normal.
Ayano stepped off his bus, and felt it instantly as well...
That pressure in the air. That weight. Like the atmosphere itself had actually thickened. It wasn't just the wind being quiet—it was everything being quiet. No birds. No waves. Just the faint hum of machinery hidden somewhere behind that massive structure.
Sekai was right behind him, looking up in awe and unease. "It's way taller than I thought it would be…"
Renji stepped down with a frown. "And it feels like it goes on forever. I can't even see where it ends."
Katsura clutched her bag a little tighter, her brows furrowed. "Why build something this massive...? Was it to protect us from them… or them from us?"
Ayano didn't answer.
Because that was the exact same thought running through his head.
Then—clank!
The sound echoed, mechanical and hollow. All heads turned.
Far off ahead, on a stretch of cracked coastal road just before the wall, something shifted. Giant hydraulic arms moved, and for the first time, a section of the wall began to open.
No—fold. Like metal paper, unfolding in massive sheets, each several stories tall. And from within that yawning breach… emerged a procession.
Not people. Not yet.
Just shadows.
Long, sleek vehicles—like a cross between limousines and armored tanks—rolled out with silent precision. Each one matte black with glass windows that didn't reflect light. They coasted up to the buses like ghosts, stopping in perfect synchronization.
And then...
Doors opened. Figures stepped out.
Tall. Silent. Dressed in uniforms that didn't quite match any military branch the students recognized... But they moved with discipline—precise, calculated. And not one of them said a word.
Until a single man—slightly taller than the rest—stepped forward.
He wore the same dark uniform as they did, but with a white coat draped over his shoulders almost like a cape, and gloves so clean they almost gleamed. His expression was unfound, his eyes were sharp beneath a visor-like pair of black-lensed glasses.
He stopped at the center of all the buses, cleared his throat once, and then finally spoke-
"Welcome-" he said, voice deep, steady and controlled;
"-To Kumano."
And just like that… the doors of the wall continued to part behind him. Revealing a long hallway that was slowly being lit up...
'That wasn't creepy at all...'
"Miss Chisaki!" One of them yelled.
A voice cut through the tense silence—from the front of the escort group. One of the uniformed figures had stepped forward, holding a sleek tablet, and called her name like they were checking it off a digital manifest...
The group students instinctively turned to her.
Chisaki, who had only just stepped off one of the front buses, paused... Her face didn't change much, if at all, but something about the way she held herself was different now. Straighter. More... official than before... At least, that's what Keiji surmised.
She gave the man a small nod. No words were actually passed between the two. No smiles either. Just a regular gesture—acknowledgement. Formal. Almost rehearsed to an extent.
"Well, I'll be... She didn't even look surprised by it." Renji whispered under his breath. Though, even he figured this would be the case.
Sekai frowned on the side. "Did she… know she'd be called like that?"
Katsura clutched her bag again, lips parting as if to ask something, but decided against, it and said nothing.
Ayano chose not to speak on it either. He was too busy watching the way the man in the coat nodded once in response, then turned sharply and began leading the group toward the glowing passageway.
Chisaki followed behind him without another glance back. The rest of the uniformed escorts began motioning for the students to move forward, one group at a time...
...
As they walked, Ayano realized just how odd this place was, and how backwards the architectural advancements in this reality really were. On the outside world, he knew that homes had a modern/olden time feel to them. Often built with material that lasted, and were more robust than the homes built in his original reality.
Regular vehicles didn't even exist either, not exactly, but bicycles did and so did things like motorcycles, but even those were rare... Not to mention that the internet exists here too, with artists and songs that were near identical to his reality also existed here, but they were just, older. Much, older.
Its like technology took a leap forward, and backwards in some areas...
'I think it'll take me a while to truly get used to this place.' He thought.
Tap~ tap~
"You, okay?" Sekai asked him.
Ayano turned around, snapping out of his thoughts...
"Yeah, just… taking it all in, I guess..." He replied, forcing a small smile. His eyes glanced back to the hallway around them, sterile lighting casting faint reflections across polished metal floors. It felt like something out of a sci-fi movie… and yet still somehow older than it should've been.
Sekai gave him a sideways glance. "Are you sure you're ok...? You looked kind of spaced-out for a second."
"Sorry," Ayano rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just weird, y'know? This place… the tech here—it's quite advanced to be honest with you, but it feels like it's from another century. Like, retro-futurism, or something."
She tilted her head slightly, lips quirking in thought. "I guess, it does kind of feel like that, huh? It's not like anything I've ever seen before either."
He nodded: "Sort of feels like we're walking into another world entirely."
Their footsteps continued in rhythm with the low hum of the lights above them. The corridor ahead curved slightly, and just as Ayano opened his mouth to say something else—
—the light changed.
Not the fluorescent artificial glow from the hallway, but a natural, warm light that spilled in from the widening exit ahead.
And then they stepped out.
Ayano's breath caught.
"...Woah...!"
Stretching out before them was a city like nothing he'd ever seen—not in this world, or his own. Shioshishio. This was the town of the sea people.
Except... it wasn't quite underwater. Not in the traditional sense...
The city floated below the surface of a shimmering, crystal-clear dome—almost like an air pocket cradled by the ocean itself. Above them, a cerulean sky of rippling water shimmered, glowing gently with refracted sunlight...
And the city itself?
It was, stunning. No other words could describe it...
Pale, coral-like structures lined the stone walkways, glowing gently with soft blues, pinks, and purples with a multitude of other different colors...
There were even homes made of smooth ivory and glass curled upward like seashells, their windows glinting under the filtered light, but this place also had homes that seemed much more normal and grounded as well. The roads themselves weren't even asphalt or concrete, but a smooth marble carved with swirling patterns engraved in them...
Instead of streetlights, glowing jellyfish-like orbs floated lazily in the air, casting a dreamy, otherworldly-esq illumination across, everything...
Ayano looked at the small streams of water which flowed through canals that wove between all the homes and buildings, with little stone bridges arching over them. Trees with translucent, sea-glass leaves gently swayed in a wind that shouldn't even exist underwater.
The entire city felt alive, and calm, like it breathed and moved in harmony with the ocean itself...
Ayano just stood there, absolutely frozen, his eyes scanning every inch of the landscape itself and engraving it in his mind. He hadn't realized Sekai had stopped too—until she gently bumped into him again.
"It's beautiful, right..." She asked again, this time with a slight laugh. "Plus, you look like you saw a ghost."
"I… I wasn't expecting, this." Ayano said slowly, still staring at it all;
"I mean—I thought it'd be cold, metallic, maybe a weird lab or facility... Not… this."
Renji l was completely awestruck as well... "It's like something straight out of a fairytale."
Even Katsura, normally composed, looked momentarily lost in awe too.
And Ayano… just couldn't stop staring.
'How...? How is something this beautiful even real?'
Now Ayano could understand why this place was so walled off, and downright isolated from everyone and everything. If it were up to him, he'd do the same...
"Everyone, may I have your attention."
The group turned slowly, almost reluctantly, as if tearing themselves away from the view felt wrong. Ayano glanced toward the source.
It was the same man from earlier—the one with the coat draped over his shoulders like a mantle. He now stood on a gently sloping platform of smooth stone, overlooking the gathered students. Behind him, another small group of uniformed figures stood in rigid silence, eyes forward.
"I know many of you are a bit overwhelmed by it all." the man continued, his voice reaching them with perfect clarity, "but I assure you, this feeling is natural. What you see around you is Shioshishio—The heart of Kumano's inner region... You are among the first from the outside world to ever lay eyes on it in the past 200 years."
A few murmurs passed through the students. Ayano had felt a strange sense of weight settle in his chest when he heard that.
"You may refer to me as Shigure," the man said simply. "I'll be overseeing your stay during your time here..."
Shigure's expression didn't shift that much, but there was something beneath it… something guarded. Like every word he spoke was weighed before it was released: "You will be guided to your temporary lodgings shortly, but I ask that you remain respectful of the area and its people. Our customs may, differ. Our space… even more so."
Sekai leaned in slightly and whispered to him: "This person's definitely got that mysterious vibe, huh…"
Ayano didn't respond. His gaze had flicked back to the city again, still stunned by the seamless blend of natural beauty, with near impossible architecture and engineering behind it...
Shigure continued, "For now, we ask that you move in your assigned groups. There will be escorts provided for each section."
As if on cue, more uniformed figures stepped forward—this time less formal, some even smiling faintly, though the precision in their movements remained. One of them approached Ayano's group, giving a polite bow.
"This way, please..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 32: Rumor...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
"This is your quarters... The bathroom is to your left, and if you need anything, please press the button here. Please take care."
"Thank you for the hospitality." I replied, giving a small nod.
She bowed slightly, and exited without another word, her footsteps were quiet against the stone floor, getting further away; She was gone now.
Looking around a little now...
The room was… nicer than I expected it to be. Soft lighting, polished wood floors, walls with woven panels that gave it off a warm, hand-crafted feel to it. A low table sat at the center, already set with a simple pitcher of water and a few glasses. There were two beds—not just mats, actual beds—and what looked like some kind of wardrobe in the corner.
It was, minimalistic, but it had this undeniable comfortableness...
"Despite us being here for only a few minutes, we get our own quarters... Not bad." I said, walking a bit further in;
"That's quite nice of them to do."
I set my bag down near one of the beds, giving the mattress a quick press with my hand. Firm, but not stiff. Definitely better than I expected for something meant for visitors. I looked over my shoulder to see both Sekai and Renji doing their own inspections too—Sekai lightly running her fingers over the carved patterns in the wall, and Renji poking at the pitcher like it was going to bite him...
'He's so easily impressed, but it's not like I can blame him this time... This kind of architecture was slightly more modern that what he's likely used to.'
"Feels like a peaceful inn more than anything," Renji said, finally settling on the bed near the wall.
"I thought we'd be staying in like, cold barracks or something... not an artsy underwater Air-bnb."
He was kind of right, I guess? Regardless, I think I definitely liked the feel to it.
"Well, we might as well get ourselves changed soon right? I plan on hitting those beautiful blues." Renji said.
I stopped him right there: "Yeah, while you guys are planning to hit the blues. I'll be chilling on the sand, and watching the view. That's more than enough for me."
He gave me a look: "Seriously? You're not gonna swim? Dude, it's crystal clear. Did you even see how that water looked?"
I shook my head;
"I also saw how suspiciously perfect it is. I'm not about to end up potentially as bait in a fantasy monster flick. No thank you."
Sekai snorted, already halfway through unpacking: "He's kind got a point... It's too nice. I'm gonna go for a swim. And sure, you may be a little right, but I'm keeping one eye open the whole time."
"Wow..." Renji shook his head dramatically. "You all are paranoid!"
"Cautious." I corrected, tossing a pillow at him. "There's a big difference lil man."
We all shared a laugh, and for a moment, it felt… normal.
Just a group of friends getting ready for a trip. Even if that trip happened to take place inside a mysterious underwater-esq civilization hidden behind a hundred plus meter steel wall.
...
Katsura had quietly chosen the bed closest to the window—Not that there was a proper window, but more like a wide, crystal-clear panel built into the wall that overlooked the swaying underwater landscape beyond it.
She was sitting there cross-legged, fingers brushing the hem of her skirt as she watched tiny fish-like creatures drift past the glowing coral structures outside. She hadn't said much since we got here…
I assumed she was soaking it all in, like I was.
When Renji and I were going back and forth, I noticed her lips curl slightly into a smile at our banter. She was listening in, just not in the mood to jump in today.
"You good over there, Kotonoha-san?" I asked, half-turning to face her.
She blinked, then gave a small nod. "Mhm... Just… watching the ocean. Seeing it from up close... It, just doesn't seem real."
Renji tossed himself dramatically onto his bed. "You're telling me... If I didn't know any better, I'd think we were in one of those fantasy worlds..."
Katsura looked back out the panel, with her voice sounding much softer this time around: "It's so, beautiful… but, it's also kind of sad, isn't it?"
That, got us all quiet for a second...
"Sad? What do you mean...? Sad, how?" Sekai asked her, curious. And, to be honest, I was a little curious about what she had thought too.
Katsura turned back to us, resting her chin on her knee. "Just… that something this peaceful has to be hidden away. Locked away behind all, this."
I didn't have anything to say to that. Because… She wasn't even inherently wrong to say what she did... In fact, I'd say she's right.
After a few seconds, I decided to shake off the heavy atmosphere that formed. "Well..." I said, standing up and grabbing my towel;
"Well... Whatever the reason may be, we're all here right? We might as well enjoy it to the fullest... Plus, it's not like the sea's going to wait for us."
I tossed a look at Renji and Sekai, both of whom seemed to snap out of their thoughts and exchange a quick nod at each other. Kotonoha didn't seem quite as convinced by it, but she gave a small smile any way...
"Right." she said again. "Let's, just take it one step at a time..."
Everyone agreed. However...
"-Hah!?"
Just as we were about to get ourselves ready, Renji suddenly shot up;
"What the hell...? It's even happening here?"
It wasn't everyday I saw Renji react like that, in fact, it was the first. So, I had to ask, being the wonderful friend I was: "Uhh, what do you mean...?"
He just shook his head: "It's..." He paused looking at us all for a sec, before visibly sighing;
"It's just that, my friend's pet poodle was found dead an hour ago or so... Said something along the lines of something eating it... Left its corpse not too far away from the house."
Now I saw why he hesitated.
Still, that, has got to be a bit rough... "Maybe some wild animal did it... I do feel sorry for him or her though."
"Yeah, me too... But, I'm not sure about that wild animal part... It's been months now since those attacks on animals have started. At first, the cases were a few major cities away, and now it looks like they ended up here."
I frowned, my brow furrowing. "Wait… you're telling me this has been going on for months? And now it's come all the way to our little area?"
Renji nodded, albeit grimly, his eyes were pretty distant too. "Yeah. People thought it was just some random animal attacks at first, but now there's a pattern... It's not like anything I've ever heard of. Some... kind of animal, or maybe something else man, is picking off pets, livestock too, damn near anything it can find almost. And it seems like no one can track it down."
Sekai raised an eyebrow. "Eh...? You're, serious? I thought those were just, rumors…"
Renji shook his head: "To be honest with you... I thought so too, at first at least." He sat back on the bed with a heavy sigh;
"But then the photos started popping up online too... All those pets, stray animals… even a few livestock as well. All of them found the same way—like something had just… ripped them apart completely, weirdly enough some even had small traces of acid on em'."
Katsura looked uneasy. "Hmm... And no one's figured out what it is yet?"
Renji shook his head. "No, no one even has the slightest clue, which is typically not the case. Some say it's a rogue animal, others think it's some kind of supernatural entity... Whatever it is, it's been moving closer and closer to our town, and this latest case? Way too close for comfort."
I exhaled slowly. "That's... shitty. I feel for your friend, I do. I can't imagine seeing something like that happen."
"Same..." Sekai said softly: "Even if it's just those poor little animals, it still doesn't sit right with me."
Katsura's voice was a near whisper: "Do you think it'll come back again? Cases like these, they tend to figure out what kind of creature that did the attacking was..."
Renji shrugged: "I guess you're right about that one... But still; there's no way to tell. I just hope someone figures it out before something worse happens."
...
"Alright, I think I'll change first." I needed to get rid of this kind of atmosphere, but even I found it a bit disturbing...
I grabbed my bag and stepped toward the bathroom, my mind still partially stuck on the conversation for some odd reason. Even with all the surreal beauty outside, that little thread of dread tugged at the back of my mind. It was, weird for me to over think things like this. I wasn't even there when it happened, and yet…
'Why? Why do I… I feel so, uneasy.'
I shook my head and gathered my bearings a bit;
'No... Not here. This place is too beautiful to carry that kind of energy.'
To get my mind off things, I looked around the place again...
I checked the bathroom first... It was surprisingly modern—sleek stone counters, polished fixtures, even a small panel for light and temperature control...
I changed quickly, tugging on something comfortable for the beach: An extremely loose, Long-sleeved black top. No need for anything flashy, but the opposite—I wasn't planning to swim anyway.
I caught a glance of myself in the mirror again. I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair before stepping back out...
"Ok, you're up next." I said, quickly tossing my bag to the side: "Try not to take forever, Renji."
I heard him snorting at me. "Me? Please. Weren't you the one who gets dramatic about shirt textures."
"What? That's nothin' but lies, and slander." I told them.
Kotonoha covered her mouth, clearly stifling a giggle, and even Sekai cracked a smile... The atmosphere had lightened a little—thank goodness... That's what I was hoping for.
"Anyways." I said, rolling my shoulders, "Let's go see if the beach here really lives up to how the rest of this place looks... I'm curious."
"I second that~!" Sekai said. "I mean... this place kind of feels like a dream enough already."
I nodded at that.
.
.
.
"Seein' all this from up close is awesome!" Renji shouted.
"Can't say that I disagree with you." I added.
We all ended up on the sand of the beach. It wasn't just us either, almost all the students were playing in the sea with one another...
"Ayano-san... Don't you think what you're wearing is a bit…" Sekai trailed off, eyeing me from head to toe with a look that seemed to hover somewhere between amusement and light judgment. Or maybe full on of the latter...
I blinked, and looked down at myself. Loose black top, sleeves that flowed past my wrists, dark swim shorts underneath… not exactly fashion-forward, but it was comfortable, and more importantly, it kept the sun—or, whatever passed for sunlight under the sea—from potentially toasting my skin.
"What? I'm relaxed. That's the whole point, right?" I said, spreading my arms like I was presenting a fine work of art.
I heard laughing coming from behind me, then I realized who it was, being Renji. "Dude, you look like a poet who got lost on his way to a beach photoshoot..."
"Yeah, and? At least I'm not gonna burn to a crisp like you gu-"
PING!!
...
That... sound? It's the Panel again...
'What could it possibly be this time...?'
Before I knew it, the panel flashed in front of my face...
---------------------------------
{MAIN SIDE QUEST: Explore the area...
REWARD: ??????}
---------------------------------
...
I sighed...
'Of course... Just when I thought I could even catch a bit of a break.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 33: Quite the day... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I knew. I knew, it'd be too good to be true, that I got some amount of alone time these past few days…
Still, why did this ability of mine, even want me to explore this place exactly? It just keeps me running, on and on in this weird loop of quests, stringing me along...
Every time I thought I could relax, something was tugging at my gut about all this... Like why it felt as if it was trying to push me somewhere specific instead, without actually telling me where I should even go... Or why it needed me to even be there.
And that was slowly getting frustrating to me...
And all I could do, was to just suck it up. At this point, I think I've realized something.
And that... There's no real use in even fighting it;
"Guys, I'll be back..." I said to them casually, brushing some of the sand from my sleeves: "I've decided to look around the place for a bit. Just, give me like, ten to maybe fifteen minutes tops?"
Renji was in the waters, mid-back float, but he still raised a hand without looking at me;
"Alright... Don't get lost in Atlantis, man."
Sekai glanced over her shoulder: "Sure, though, is there any chance that... You need someone to come with, or...?"
I quickly shook my head to shoot down that idea... I don't know what could show up if I do explore this place. We knew nothing about it or what was really here. Just thinking of bringing someone would be a monumentally stupid idea;
"No, I'm good. I just need a little breather as all... I'll be back before anyone even notices that I'm gone. trust me."
"...Alright then, stay safe."
She then nodded, though I felt her stare lingering on me for a second longer than normal-Maybe trying to read between the lines. I gave her a small grin, just in case, and then turned away before she could probe me for any further explanations...
.
.
.
The further I walked away from the beach, the quieter everything suddenly became...
The sounds of laughter died out, and the water's splashes were slowly fading out too, and were pretty much replaced by the soft trickling sound of streams, and other sounds of the sea itself, muffled yet, weirdly enough it still felt well... Present.
'No... Maybe, it's just me.'
I shot down my own thought and continued wandering through some of the narrow paths between the buildings I had seen from a distance earlier. Interestingly enough, some of them were, or had looked fairly empty from where I was, others looked quietly lived-in, and just to the side where most wouldn't even bother with them...
'I Guess, there's not really much to see here.'
I saw that some of the glass windows were glowing with faint bioluminescent lights, with what looked like glowing vines that crawled up some of the structures, swaying freely.
I didn't really have much of a destination in mind right now. My feet were just carrying me forward at this point, I was more so guided by my own instinct to just complete the quest.
Eventually though, I came across a path I hadn't seen before yet...
A good distance away from most of the other facilities and buildings, and even compared to most of the other habitats on the land. In fact, it was barely visible...
'Was, this done on purpose...?' I thought to myself. It just felt like it had been...
It looked as if it was tucked between two larger coral-like structures, almost completely hidden by some arching plants with translucent leaves. It actually didn't look like anyone had come through here in a while, but something about it was, calling out to me.
'I guess, it's now or never.'
I brushed right past the leaves, following the path...
~ Third Person Pov, Back with Sekai and Kotonoha... ~
.
.
.
Sekai stared ahead blankly, watching the sea's soft torrent, swaying.
Kotonoha seeing her friend, looking oddly melancholic. She slowly sat beside her.
"Saionji-san... Are you, ok? You seem a bit..." Kotonoha asked.
Sekai's gaze remained on the distant shimmer of the water, and her legs tucked loosely to her chest. The faint laughter of students echoed behind her, but she didn't really react to them. It was like the tide had pulled her thoughts out with it...
"…He does that a lot, y'know..." Sekai said finally, her voice a bit quieter than it usually was...
"Ayano-kun just, disappears."
Katsura blinked, surprised by the sudden honesty, but she didn't interrupt...
"Not in a bad way, of course... I think..." Sekai added quickly;
"It's just that… Ayano... Sometimes, it feels like he's always carrying something on his shoulder's, or hiding something from us... To me? It just doesn't matter how much he smiles, or makes his silly jokes, there's just this… Weight to him I can't put my finger on... Though, I'm sure you feel it too." Sekai explained herself.
Kotonoha nodded, although slowly: "I think, I do... Still, I think he tries too hard to hide it... but, it's there... and at times... It's as if, he's always looking at something the rest of us can't even see."
"Exactly!" Sekai responded.
She hugged her knees a little tighter: "I know I shouldn't really worry about him... he said he was fine... but I still feel like he's not being entirely honest with us. Not in a malicious way. More like, there's something he thinks we can't handle even if he told us."
Katsura tilted her head, her long hair falling to one side;
"Well... Maybe, he's not wrong... I think... We all have things we hide, Saionji-san. My mother once said that, we wither have deep rooted secrets, or pain that doesn't have words to fully explain... Even now, being in this place. Doesn't it feel like we're somewhere we're not really supposed to be?"
Sekai turned to look at her, a little startled by the line of question. But, she actually understood completely...
"…Yeah." Sekai admitted after a slight pause: "It, does, doesn't it...? Beautiful, sure... But it feels like it's… I'm standing in some sort of a dream that knows you don't really belong in it, at least not for too long."
Katsura's eyes drifted to the sand, fingers absentmindedly drawing small patterns in it;
"Do you think he feels the same? That, he doesn't belong—here, with us...?"
Sekai frowned at the thought, slightly frightened by the question.
"N-No... I.. I think he wants to belong with us... Maybe more than any of us. But, it feels like something keeps dragging him back; I don't know how to explain it, but it keeps pulling him back into that other world of his… whatever, it is. And, he won't even tell us what it is."
For a moment, neither of them spoke to each other. The sea flowed in the background, calm but, ever-moving...
"I think… He'll, come back soon." Katsura cheered.
"Yeah, I have that feeling too..." Sekai responded, her voice just as low... "But, when he walks off like that… I worry that one day, he won't."
They both stared out at the water then, silently waiting, hoping the tide would bring him back before the calm turned into something else entirely.
...
"S-Sekai-san...!?"
Both Katsura and Sekai had turned around, but both had completely different reactions, one was of mild curiosity, and the latter was of mild trauma...
.
.
.
Sekai's lips squirmed before she responded, but she calmed herself down, answering: "I-Itou...san?"
The boy in question smiled weakly: "H-Hey... Sekai-san..."
Sekai stood up slowly, brushing a bit of sand from her legs. However, her heart was thudding lightly in her chest...
'Just what is Makoto doing here...?' Sekai wondered. But, inevitably she brushed it off...
Sekai hadn't heard that voice in months. Not since things ended off between the both of them as abruptly as it did. Not since the nonsense, tears and the numbness that followed after it either. And yet, here he was. Makoto Itou... The same soft, slightly unsteady voice. But somehow, she could tell.
He seemed, different as well...
"Itou-san, what are you doing here...?" She asked him. Her tone more steady this time. She was caught off guard by his sudden appearance, but she quickly calmed her self.
He scratched the back of his neck, eyes lowering as if ashamed of even making her say his name out loud...
However, he instantly realized that it no longer had that feeling towards it anymore, at least not to the same level it used to be, and not only that...
Sekai had no longer called him with the honorific [Kun] like she had used to, and for someone who hadn't picked upon the smaller things like this. It, pained him, dearly...
"S-Sekai-san…" He said again.
Kotonoha glanced at her friend for a moment... Then slowly, and quietly she stepped away. Seeing that this wasn't an ordinary discussion, and respecting the silence, and space between the two...
Sekai didn't stop her.,, She just stood still, watching Makoto as he fumbled to find the right words.
'I guess, he was always like this...' She remembered.
She new he could be exactly like that at most times. However, unlike before, there were visible bags under his eyes, his posture slouched with what looked like guilt, or a heavy weight, or both...
He looked like someone who'd been through a hundred sleepless nights... and still hadn't found any rest through it all.
"I, uh…" He began;
"I... just wanted to tell you that... I didn't come here to stir things up with you, or anything like that. I-I just… I just I wanted to talk with you, like we used to do... A bit more, privately, if that's okay with you..."
Sekai hesitated for a second, then slowly nodded once: "Al-right, then..."
They both walked a short distance down the shore, with her leading them both away, just enough to escape the voices and stares of the others, the tide gently curling over their feet like a reminder that time hadn't stopped. Itou looked at Sekai from behind, and to him, it almost felt like she was, untouchable...
'Was Sekai-san... Always this beautiful...?' He slowly asked himself.
He could see the smooth curves of her figure, the quaint slenderness of her neck, the softness of her skin and silky touch that her hair had to it... and, it all hit him, but quickly stopped. That person was no longer him...
"Alright... I think this should be far enough away..." Sekai said, turning to face him.
Makoto stood there silently, with his hands in his pockets, not looking at her just yet, at least not completely;
"Thank you for agreeing to do this, Sekai-san... You're probably wondering why I even bothered to show up all of a sudden, right...? Especially after everything I've done to you, and... to everyone, else..."
She nodded, hesitantly;
"Well... I think, I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't..." Sekai replied softly smiling, while scratching her cheeks awkwardly, before her arms crossed, but not, cold. Just a bit guarded.
Seeing this, he gave off a tired sigh, knowing he had deserved it: "I just...came to apologize… for how I treated you. For how I treated everyone. I've been spending a lot of time alone lately, thinking to myself. About everything. And I realized... I've truly hurt a lot of people... And not just by accident. I was, careless, and, I was also selfish and stupid."
His voice was genuine... Tired. It wasn't rehearsed either, she could tell—it was all true, and she knew when he was like that. It's why she ended up liking him when she did. Sekai had loved how honest Makoto was to himself...
He looked down: "I just... wanted to tell it to you first..." He paused, and continued: "Because out of everyone, I think I… No... I know I wronged you the most. You were, the kindest to me, and you even offered my a way out of it all too. You genuinely, cared, Sekai... And, I-I... took advantage of that."
Sekai's remembered it all as well, and her gaze softened..
She looked at him now, studying the slump of his shoulders, the way he couldn't quite meet her eyes... There was no trace of the arrogance he developed, or his usual innocent boyish charm, or even the confusion he used to wear. Just someone, small and honest...
"…And?" she asked.
Makoto exhaled through his nose: "And… I realized I still cared... Maybe more than I ever let myself admit before... I... I missed you and still do, Sekai. So much more than I thought I would have... I-I want truly to be with you again. For real this time. No games, and no confusion."
'What...?' Sekai thought.
...
There it was... Something She A confession...
And yet, She didn't flinch... She didn't even blush... Her lips didn't tremble...
She simply looked at him with a quiet, solemn clarity in her eyes;
"…I, appreciate that." She said after a moment;
"I do... And I can tell you're being honest with me this time. It looked like you've grown, Makoto... I can at least see some of that."
Makoto's expression shifted—Hope quickly flickering into his eyes...
"But..." She said gently, her voice still steady;
"I... just don't think I can be in that kind of relationship with you... Not anymore."
"..."
The Hope in him chipped away, just a little: "Why... Why not…?" He asked.
She looked towards the sea, then back towards him: "Because, I don't think... I can trust you." She answered him honestly: "Not with my heart. Not anymore..."
Makoto's mouth parted slightly, pain flickering across his face, but she wasn't done...
"But even more than that…" She turned her gaze out toward the sea, and when he looked at her this time... He saw it, something about the way her eyes had softened entirely, and how that small smile was creeping up on her face—even how her entire posture shifted slightly—made something in Makoto, sink...
"I've… found someone else..." she admitted, her voice carrying a quiet but unmistakable certainty to it.
He didn't speak...
He, just couldn't.
Sekai not realizing this, continued: "I... I think I've found someone who... makes me feel, safe and secure. Someone who doesn't run away from themselves either… or, from, me despite knowing of my past. I didn't expect it, but… I've fallen for him. Admittedly, I've really fallen..." She explained, smiling even brighter than he had ever seen her smile before.
Makoto's hands clenched slightly in his pockets, his breath catching;
"…Hah... I see."
She turned back to him, eyes no longer full of resentment or hurt, but simply understanding. A deep sense of Maturity.
"What we had..." She said: "Was, young... It was, reckless. It was… a kind of puppy love, no... just an infatuation... And, it was extremely toxic too. I thought it was everything back then, but now I know it wasn't truly love—not the way I understand how it feels now."
The wind brushed past the two of them... Makoto didn't wipe away the tear that slid down his cheek... He just, let it fall.
"…Can... Can we at least still be friends?" he asked, voice cracking slightly.
Sekai gave him a small, warm smile: "Yeah... We can Be! Just, friends."
He slowly looked away, the pain still real, but something like relief washing into him too. Maybe what he wanted wasn't her love, but a deeper level in him simply wanted her to see him as a person again, but a small part of him likely wished that it was a person she once care for;
"Thank you... For still… accepting me..." He told her.
Sekai nodded, then looked out over the sea again—silent, soft, and sure this time. Makoto stood there for a minute longer, then gave her a small bow… Before quietly walking away.
And Sekai stayed there, alone now. Watching the sea. But this time, her heart wasn't weighed down with the old memories...
"Sekai!" Makoto suddenly said from behind.
'Huh...?' She thought, turning around.
...
Makoto, with tears falling from his eyes, coupled with a wavering, yet bright smile said;
"Thank you Sekai...! For truly b-b-being my f-first love." He told her, stammering to himself, before turning and walking away again.
Instead of answering...
She took one last solemn look behind herself then smiled, then finally walked back to her new friends...
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
The path looks like it ends here...
Following it led me straight to an abandoned house, and not only that...
'It looks like it's been here for well over a few hundred years...'
The structure practically felt like, a miracle standing.
That was the first thought that popped into my mind—and I didn't think I was exaggerating. The structure was a half-sunken building made of dark stone, and a few bleached coral, its roof was slowly starting to sag under the weight of both time, and pressure...
It wasn't huge, maybe once a small home or shrine, but it had felt ancient—like it had been swallowed, and forgotten overtime, only to be discovered by accident. At least, that's how it felt to me...
The strangest thing about it though…?
It was still intact. Not exactly pristine in any sense of the word, and definitely not clean either—but intact. Like something or someone had kept the nature around from swallowing it entirely. The glowing flora that covered everything else was missing here. No visible vines, no bioluminescent traces either... Just raw, nearly untouched stone.
'Now I'm starting to wonder if I should even be here... It might be more important than I think it is.'
I looked a little ahead, realizing that what was left of the door was already open... Just a small crack.
Of course it was.
'…I'm going to regret this, aren't I?' I told myself.
But I stepped in anyway.
.
.
.
The inside was dim, but not completely dark. The interior was quite simple too. One room. A stone floor. Dust that didn't float—it just all sat still, something anyone would expect of a place like it. A few shattered pieces of furniture too, if you could even call them that at this day and age. And at the far end of the room...
A, pedestal?
'Hmm...?'
There was a standing portrait on it too...
When I got even closer, I could see an old photo of two people in the frame; to the left sitting with arms on her lap, was in my opinion a very beautiful looking woman, with long dark purple hair that went past her mid back, and blue eyes that almost seemed like the ocean itself... And then, it was an admittedly attractive man with grey, or silver colored eyes, with black shoulder length hair.
When I looked even closer, I could see both were smiling, and on their hands, were, matching rings...
'These two, were they by any chance married...?'
It was the only logical conclusion I could draw, at least from what I saw...
Not only that, the woman... Sitting in this picture... Why does she look so much like that girl Chisaki from my class?
...
Creeaaak~
"-Oh... Someone's here?"
'Crap...'
I instantly turned myself around, and when I looked to see who it was, I saw Chisaki herself standing by the door's frame...
'Shit... I didn't expect anyone to come here...'
She stood in the doorway, the glow of the outside casted a faint light over her silhouette. No visible weapons or anything of the sort.
There were no guards around her either... Just her, in that calm, relatively unassuming presence of hers...
She stepped inside slowly, her shoes quiet against the ancient stone;
"You must be Ayano Keiji, right...?" She asked me.
Not knowing what else to do, so I just went with the flow: "Yes... I am, and Just in case, I just want to apologize in advance for, being all the way out here to begin with."
"No... It's fine, I'm just quite surprised that someone else managed to find this place... Though, you're partially right, you or anyone for that matter, shouldn't really be here..." She said, quite calmy too.
'I figured...'
"Once again, I apologize for disturbing anything..." I said, trying to mend the situation a bit.
"That's alright... I don't particularly mind it at all, really." She told me.
'Ok... Maybe I'm not in a whole lost of trouble here, good...'
Still, I had to ask one question... "If you don't mind me asking, who is this person... She looks, a whole lot like you…" I pointed the picture out to her.
"Well... she, should." Chisaki said, smiling gently and lightly, slowly walking to, and past me, then straight towards the pedestal itself;
"This person you're referring to. She... It's best to say that she's my very great-great-great-great-grandmother."
She then paused, then turned to look at me directly. "Her name, it was Chisaki... And, I was promptly named after her due to our close resemblance. I'm sure you've realized it as well. And, it's also an old family tradition of ours, to name future descendants their predecessors names..."
I blinked, looking at her again, nodding. If I didn't know any better, I'd say there were twins. But, I'm a little surprised by what she was telling me...
"She was, part of the original Ofunehiki incident, the one land dwellers half remembers..." She explained, fingers brushing over the stone edge of the pedestal, caressing it slowly.
'Ofunehiki...?'
"You're probably wondering what it is... Well... The Ofunehiki was actual a ritual of sorts performed by the sea village of Shioshishio to appease the Sea's Lord (Uroko-sama), ensuring harmony between the land and the sea people... It essentially commemorated an ancient legend in which a sea maiden fell in love with a human and left the sea, but later returned when she found out Uroko-sama had become enraged..." She explained.
"Huh... What happened next...?" I asked, a bit curious.
She stopped caressing the pedestal, and stood straight, looking at the picture..."The boat for the ritual was sent out as a symbolic offering to soothe his anger, and maintain balance between out worlds... Or, that's how the story goes..." She finished.
"I see... It seems, like an interesting story... but, what can you tell me about the man in the picture...?" I asked. I was deep in this, I might as well learn as much as I could...
"The man standing beside her...? It's likely as you thought too... That was her husband, Tsumugu. Interestingly enough, he was a surface dweller as well, but apparently he saw the sea not as a mystery, but something sacred... He devoted his life to understanding people like, us. To bridging the gap." She explained.
She glanced back at the photo, her tone softening. "Eventually, he succeeded... But, politics have a way of spoiling even the purest dreams. When tension between the surface and the sea people grew… He initiated a project to protect us all. To isolate this island from the world... The wall you saw on the way? That was the beginning, and ending of it."
I felt myself getting caught up a bit by what she said. It all made a weird kind of sense now...
It sort of explained the tension I felt coming, here...
Never mind that: "Does that mean…" I started, but Chisaki cut in gently.
"Yes." she said. "I'm technically the head, or future head of this place... Not officially a queen or anything of the sort, but… I certainly lead. I'm technically royalty, in the old sense of the word... funny, isn't it?"
That honesty of hers—it wasn't grand, or dramatic either...
She didn't say it like it made her better than anyone else. She just… said it. Like it was just as normal as saying what her name was.
She turned to me, stepping a little closer, her expression a bit pensive...
"I've been coming here ever since I was little girl... It had always been my secret place. A space where I could think, breath, and just be myself. Even back then, I felt, different. Eventually, I had realized that I was carrying many lives at once. My own, and theirs..."
She stopped in front of me now, close enough that I could see the weight behind her eyes.
"Ideally... you or anyone, weren't supposed to find this place..." She explained to me.
"But… maybe, that's not entirely a bad thing..."
I didn't say anything. I just stood there. What else could I reasonably do at this point?
She gave me a small, almost bittersweet smile. "I think… a part of me wanted someone else to see this place... To really see what this it means to me. And maybe…" She hesitated, for just a second longer. "A part of me preferred that it be you."
I swallowed, fully uncertain what to even think at the moment. This was way too awkward for me...
Then, "Wait a second... Why, me exactly?" I asked. In fact, why was she even telling me all this...?
Chisaki looked me dead in the eyes then: "Because... you felt like someone who carries more than he lets on as well... And, to be a bit honest... You just seemed like a good person too."
...
Creeakk~
'Hmm? That, sound...'
And, that was when I had finally noticed it... The roof of the house building, it was collapsing!
"Oh, No!!! CHISAKI!!! MOVE!!!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 34: An incident... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
Before I even knew it, almost everything in my vision all slowed down, to an incredible degree...
I could see it all clearly, the roof, it was falling so slowly...
'My, perception...'
No. I couldn't waste my time figuring out what the hell I'm going through right now.
My arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the floor before she could even turn her head...
For a split second, Chisaki's eyes locked with mine, just for that single fraction of a second...
Then-
SHA-BOOM!!!!!!
I could feel floor underneath my feet giving way in an explosion.
Regardless, we weren't there anymore...
I launched us backward crashing through the walls of the place, being as low and as fast as possible, just ahead of the collapse itself. We-I had hit the ground hard, rolling over once—me first, her tucked tight against my chest, and I twisted to shield her as debris rained down behind us...
'Damn it...'
I could feel a piece of something sharp caught partly in the back of my hand. I felt the annoying sting of it, warm blood slicking my palm—but I kept moving until we were out of the fall zone completely.
.
.
.
.
.
All the built-up dust fell in slow-motion flakes around us... My chest heaved once, no... twice... Chisaki was staring up at me, her breath shallow, pupils wide. She was, terrified.
"I... Y-You… moved?" She whispered to me.
"Before it even fell... You knew...?"
I nodded, slowly, pushing myself up enough to let her breathe properly. I scratched the back of my head;
"It was last second but... I heard it start to give away, so..."
I quickly looked back toward the wreckage, the old house, it was all now half-swallowed in complete ruin... I turned back towards her;
"-Plus, I wasn't gonna wait to see where it landed, silly... I had to do something." I said, laughing it off.
She was still staring at me. Giving me the look of a child seeing something awesome for the first time. Almost like I wasn't even real...
It was like her mind hadn't really caught up to the fact that, we were both even alive right now. That we weren't buried under some old splintered beams, and a few tons of roof... Speaking of, maybe I should have caught it. I'm sure it wouldn't way more than 60 tons did...
I shook my head, sitting up fully this time, checking her over, there was dust on her sleeves, and a small scratch on her shoulder.
Thankfully, it was nothing too serious, just very slight splinters... Nothing broken either. That was, good.
Me on the other hand? My palm was pretty much bleeding where that piece of wood had sliced through my skin, plus, my ribs were aching from slamming into the wall and floor first with that kind of speed-but otherwise? I was mostly fine.
Nothing an hour of resting won't heal. The real pain was gonna be in actually hiding any of this.
I sighed, "Are you okay..?" I asked her quietly, brushing some of the dust from her hair.
Chisaki blinked at me, slowly: "You…" Her voice was barely audible when she said it;
"How...? You, got us both out before it even fell..."
I nodded once... Not sure how I'll even go about all this: "I kind of had to."
"How...? You... you weren't near me. Y-You were-" She glanced toward where I had been standing, way across the room.
"How... How is it possible that you even got to me that quickly?"
"..."
I, didn't answer...
Couldn't, really... What was I supposed to even say to her here? Oh, I just moved at the speed of sound, and threw us both through, across and outside the building before gravity finished its job?
Instead, I looked down at my hand, flexing it once. The blood still dripped slowly off my wrist, but I didn't really care. Not right now at least...
"I… couldn't just. let you get hurt."
Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her expression softened—something flickering behind her eyes. Then, slowly, she suddenly reached for my injured hand.
She looked completely downtrodden; "Oh, no... You're, bleeding..."
I shook my head: "It's nothing, Chisaki-san..." I told her, saying: "Really..."
But she held it anyway. Gently. Her fingers felt warm against mine... Still, I could tell she was trembling, even if it was slight... She must have realized that she could have lost her life earlier... Hell, what if I didn't even find this place to begin with...?
'Wouldn't she have...'
A low creak echoed from somewhere behind the wreckage, followed by hurried footsteps crunching through loose debris. A pair of eyes saw, us... Her.
"Ch-Chisaki-sama!!"
His figure burst through the rest of the dust cloud left, one of the guards in black, eyes wild with extreme panic. His chest rose and fell while he scanned the devastation around too, then locked eyes back on her...
"Are you hurt!!?" He shouted, dropping to one knee beside her, not even noticing me at first.
"I-I heard something collapse, we thought the whole structure went down—!"
Chisaki stared blankly, but was startled back into the present. Her hand slipped away gently from mine, as if reality was reclaiming her, piece by piece, poor thing... The guard continued to hover near her, his concerned gaze switching between us...
"I'm fine, really." Chisaki said, sitting up and brushing dust off her shoulders. She stood carefully, looking at the guard with calm assurance, then towards me.
"Ayano-san... He, helped me. He had moved fast enough, to get both me and himself, out of the way before the entire roof collapsed..."
'Huh...?'
She, hid what I did...? I'd have to thank her for that one later... Still, I've realized that her voice was oddly steady too, but there was something in the way she spoke, something almost, protective... The guard was still eyeing us both, his posture was stiff, probably unsure on how to proceed with this.
"Did you injure yourself, or…?" I heard the guard ask her. It was obvious that he wanted to ensure she was in good health...
Chisaki quickly shook her head: "No, I told you I am fine... Just a little, shaken. My wounds aren't important; However, my benefactor has been injured, please tend to him, quickly."
When she finished her sentence, her voice was much sterner than it was prior.
It was, weird. I hadn't expected her to sound so... Commanding.
I even saw the guard hesitating for a split second, his eyes were constantly switching between Chisaki and myself, before his attention finally settled on my hand. He must have finally seen the blood dripping down my wrist, because his face tightened with some concern.
"R-Right away, Chisaki-sama!" He said, before swiftly pulling out a small medical kit from his bag...
Really and truly... I barely even noticed the pain anymore; my focus was more so on how Chisaki was really doing. Her calmness in the middle of all this was... a bit unsettling, almost. It was as if she'd been through things like this before... I knew that deep down she was scared, but her reaction wasn't exactly normal, but that might be because of shock...
Or, she's just the type of person that might deal with stress silently.
She watched the guard work on my hand. I could feel her eyes flickering over me, likely still trying to process what had just happened. I personally didn't want to explain this whole thing to her... I still wanted to keep my strength hidden away as much as possible.
"Can you stand...?" The guard suddenly asked me.
I nodded, "Ah yeah, I can stand..."
"That's good, then follow me." He then turned, "Chisaki-sama, I think it would be best if you came back with me as well."
Chisaki gave a curt nod, "Alright..."
For now, I thought it'd be best to just follow along...
~ Chisaki's Pov, 15 minutes later... ~
.
.
.
"-I almost lost you, Chisaki!!"
My mother's voice echoed through the room before I even sat down. She was pacing—angry, stressed, scared—all of it wrapped up in the same tone. Her footsteps were quick, and loud on the polished floor, and the guards by the door stood like statues, clearly trying not to breathe too loud, or else...
I didn't say anything at first. Just sat there, dust still clinging to my clothes, that scratch on my arm starting to sting now that things had finally slowed down...
"What were you thinking!?" She went on: "You don't just wander into an unstable building! Alone! Without telling anyone!"
"I hadn't thought that it was this bad…" I mumbled, keeping my eyes low...
But now that I saw her expression. I could clearly tell that it wasn't the answer she had wanted. I knew better, but...
"It doesn't matter what you thought!" Her voice rose even higher, and suddenly I realized—she wasn't just mad. She was, scared;
"You could've been killed in there. You should've been killed."
That last part had hit me. She didn't mean it in a harsh way, but hearing it out loud made everything I'd been trying to ignore hit all at once. The ceiling really did almost crush me. I could've actually died.
But, I didn't. Because, of Ayano Keiji helping me...
I still even now, can't believe it...
He was across the room—and then he just, wasn't... He was just there. All I remember was being outside with his arms wrapped around me... Protecting me. It was like he was moving like time didn't even apply to him.
"You're all I have left." She added softly, and it made me look up. She was standing still now, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "I.. I can't lose you, too."
"I'm fine, mother..." I said quietly.
"No, you're not..." She snapped back. "Not after something like that."
Then, the question I knew was coming.
"Who...? Tell me... Who is he?"
"A-Ayano?" I asked, even though I knew she didn't mean his name.
"Yes.... That child... The one who somehow moved fast enough to dodge a collapsing roof with you in his arms...
He didn't hadn't just reacted-he realized it in time. I saw it all. That's not something a normal person does, Chisaki..."
...
What?
...
I felt my entire world crashing down... How...? How did she know that? If she knows that then.
Doesn't this mean that...
"No... You've been, watching me...?"
"..."
.
.
.
"-Chisaki... That's not what's impo-"
"-How, long...? How long have you been watching me for?" I interrupted her.
She didn't even hesitate...
"There are surveillance systems all over the territory... You know that. But what you don't know is that the old town district-where you snuck off to today—has been under direct monitoring since you were seven."
"S-Seven...?" I repeated, barely able to breathe.
"T-That was, years ago."
...Doesn't this mean I've never even had a true sense of privacy my entire life...?
Was my own safe haven was just another place for her to monitor me? Is, this some kind of cruel joke?
I looked her dead in the eyes, and they didn't waver even a bit, I could tell she was serious: "And, I've seen everything since. All of it."
I staggered back a step like she'd physically slapped me: "You-You've been spying on my entire life?"
"I've been protecting it." She said corrected, coldly;
"Understand this. You are the heir to this place... I am sorry, but you don't get to have a normal life, Chisaki... Not anymore. Not since the day you were born."
I felt my chest tighten, like the air had been sucked out of the room... My voice was shaking now, but I didn't care;
"So, what!? You've just been sitting there, watching from your little throne while I walked around like some kind of puppet?"
Her eyes narrowed: "...Please, Chisaki... Don't be so, dramatic."
"Don't be—" I cut myself off, my breath hitching in anger;
"You WATCHED me nearly die today! And instead of asking if I was okay, you interrogate me like I'm the one who did something wrong?!"
She stepped forward, her face was stoic, and hardened;
"I saw you get saved by someone who shouldn't have been able to do what he did! I'm not just your mother, Chisaki—I'm also the ruler of this territory, the people! If someone with power-strength like that gets close to you, and I don't ask questions, I've failed at both my roles!"
...
I stared at her, feeling like I didn't even know who I was speaking to anymore...
"He... He saved me..." I said quietly. "And you're already treating him like-like, he's some kind of threat."
"Because he is one." She replied, ice in her voice...
"Whether he knows it, or not."
That was the last straw. I turned on my heel, walking straight for the door. But just before I stepped out, I looked back over my shoulder.
"If Ayano is such a threat, then maybe I'd rather take my chances with him… At least by then, I wouldn't stay trapped under your surveillance forever."
I left, slamming the door behind me.
...
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I've been following this guard since the beginning, and we've past the beach a few minutes ago...
I couldn't take this anymore, "Hey excuse me... But, do you mind telling me where you're even taking me?"
The guy didn't answer me at first-In fact, he just kept walking ahead, that same stiff posture, all business like...
I clenched my jaw... Fighting the building frustration I had. My hand still stung from earlier, but I could feel it already starting to knit itself back together beneath the bandage... It was, annoying. Not the pain, just the damn silence. The fact that he hadn't said anything since dragging me out of that wrecked house.
So. I stopped walking...
Now I was losing my patience, "I asked you a question." I repeated myself, louder now;
"You drag me out of a good time with my friends, patch up my hand, and then what? Start leading me back into the facility like it's no big deal...?"
Still, nothin'... He didn't bother to stop. Didn't turn. Just kept moving.
That, that was the breaking point for me.
I narrowed my eyes: "I'm not taking another step unless you tell me where we're going—and don't give me some cryptic 'you'll see' bull-crap."
...
He had finally halted. Stiff posture, shoulders squared. But he still didn't turn around...
"…Orders." he said at last, tone completely flat.
Orders? Alright then. "If you're not going to tell me." I told him, keeping my voice low: "Then, I'm going back."
Still, he didn't move... Didn't try to stop me either. Which was good—because if he had, I wasn't sure I'd hold back on him.
Without another word, I turned and started retracing my steps, every part of me on alert now. Something wasn't right. And I was pretty much done playing along at this point.
I'd barely even taken five steps back toward the trees when I heard it—fast, precise footsteps behind me... I didn't even need to look.
"Stop..." the guard called out. "You were told to follow me, son..."
I stopped, but I didn't turn around. "Really...?"
PING!
--------------------------------
{SIDE MAIN QUEST: Defend yourself...
REWARD: 1 Silver Key}
--------------------------------
...
Seeing the system's notifications had answered my question...
I turned back around;
"Well, I'm un-following you now."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 35: A Mistake...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
“Think about what you’re about to do…” Ayano warned him...
But the man kept coming anyway, undeterred, eyes locked onto him, firmly.
Ayano didn’t move at first. He just watched, quietly resigned;
'Well, it’s not like I didn’t give him a chance…'
The man lunged for him, reaching for Ayano’s arm as if he meant to restrain him. But Ayano had already shifted—just a slight movement to the left, a subtle twist of the shoulder—and the man was thrown off balance without even being touched. When he tried to recover, his hand brushed Ayano’s arm.
That was all the contact Ayano needed...
His own fingers closed reflexively around the man’s forearm. In that instant, he felt everything—the tension in the muscle, the strain of tendons stretched beneath skin like taut wire. Bones. Fragile. Vulnerable...
He could end it, right there.
He could break the person in front of him without even trying.
And for a moment… He almost did.
Their eyes met. Just for a split second. And Ayano saw it... Something he didn’t want to see. Not defiance. Not rage either. Just a human being. One simply following orders given to him. One who looked a little more afraid of him now too.
'Damn it...'
He knew this person wasn’t the enemy here... He had been someone caught in the middle of his problem.
Ayano’s grip slowly loosened...
He shoved the man away—hard enough to make a point, but restrained compared to what he could’ve done. The guard of course, stumbled back, boots skidding against the smooth hallway floor, eyes wide.
“Don’t touch me again,” Ayano said. His voice was calm. Not angry, but distant. Controlled.
The man froze, uncertain.
A beat passed. Then another.
“I don’t want to hurt anyone...” Ayano told the man, his voice quieter now, more honest...
“So stop pushing me into a corner.”
He turned before he could read the man’s face, and before, Ayano had been sure he could see it, the fear, confusion, or worse… recognition.
His chest was still heaving from adrenaline, not from the exertion, but from something deeper. Something darker...
It had felt too natural. Too easy to give into the thought of crushing the person in front of himself.
'Why the hell do I feel like I'm becoming more sadistic...?'
He knew he should’ve thought this through more.
What scared him most wasn’t what he could do—but the thought that one day, he might not hesitate to even do it.
Then, from nowhere, a voice echoed in his ear. A woman’s voice. Calm and precise as well.
“Ayano, correct?”
He immediately stilled...
“Good. It seems you can hear me. Let’s not waste time. I am the mother of Chisaki. We need to speak—and the only way to do that is for you to follow my guard.”
A laugh escaped his throat. Bitter. Disbelieving too...
“Now you want to talk? Now!?” He spun toward the hallway where the guard still stood, silent and waiting.
“Let me get this straight... He, tried to drag me off like I’m some kind of wanted criminal, and now I’m supposed to just tag right along just because a disembodied sound of a woman's voice asks me nicely?”
He shook his head at the ridiculousness of it all... “Why should I do anything you say?”
There was a pause.
Then the voice returned, a shade colder—firm, not angry.
“Because, I know you’re not exactly... normal.”
That stopped him.
She didn’t elaborate... In fact, she didn’t have to. Ayano knew that...
He stood in place, stunned. With the implications hitting him all at once.
'She knows... But, how?'
Chisaki wouldn’t have told her... Right? She didn’t seem like the type that would, at least he thought as such. Which meant… She must’ve seen it all for herself.
'Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!!' He cursed himself.
He couldn’t back down now. He couldn’t show weakness. Not here.
“Then maybe you already know how dangerous it is to piss me off...” he replied quietly, a bluff would be his only bet, so he set his tone much heavier on purpose. However...
Silence followed.
The guard didn’t move an inch. He just stood there, waiting...
'So the choice is mine now, huh?'
Ayano’s heart slowed, thudding with a deliberate rhythm. Not calm—just resolved. And cornered... He knew that they haven't crossed a line, yet. So, he knew he'd only be risking it, if he simply followed along, but if he did do something now, and made a mistake in the process...
He exhaled sharply, then stepped forward.
“Fine...” He muttered.
Not for her, but for himself. If they knew what he was, if word spread to the wrong people, he’d have much bigger problems.
The guard turned without a word, leading him silently through the complex. Ayano kept a few paces behind. The air was still heavy from the encounter, the tension following them like a second shadow.
They passed through a reinforced gate, heavy steel closing behind them. Surveillance cameras lingered at every corner. And still, the voice hadn’t revealed herself. Just her, watching from somewhere unseen.
Eventually, they reached a building that looked like an old community hall—only it had clearly been repurposed. Windowless. Reinforced. Too secure for something so innocuous. The guard stopped at a thick metal door, and tapped an I.D card to the reader...
Hissss~
Inside was a dimly lit room with a single long table and a chair placed far from the entrance. It looked more like a psychological test, than a meeting room...
The speaker crackled.
“You can sit, if you’d like...”
Came her voice through the speakers, much clearer than earlier...
However, he didn’t move.
“You’re, cautious...? That’s a good thing.” She said, gently;
“But you don’t have to worry. We’re not here to hurt you.”
Ayano scoffed: “You’re not doing a great job convincing me miss... What do you even want?”
There was a long pause when he asked... But, eventually, the sound of the comms came back once more...
“I simply wanted to thank you... For saving my daughter earlier. And to apologize—for what you just went through because of my lack of my own due-diligence...”
The shift in her voice was surprising... It was so much, softer than before.
Ayano hesitated... He wanted to believe it.
“Then why am I even here...? Why bring me to this place, instead of just letting me go?”
“Because…”
The hiss of multiple metal doors cut through the silence.
More guards... Two dozen, at least. Entering from all directions now...
'What the!?'
“…I wanted to apologize for what I’m about to do.” The female spoke.
His eyes, they narrowed.
'Of course. I Should’ve known...'
The quest hadn’t been completed, not yet. That should’ve been his cue, and he felt stupid of himself because of it. However, he now realized at least one thing... This was the real mission.
He tensed up..
One guard moved—reaching for a weapon.
-Fwish!
Ayano was already there. He slammed his palm into the guard’s chest, sending him flying into two others. Metal clattered in consequence and bodies fell.
More came. One with a baton—Ayano instantly twisted his wrist, elbowed him in the gut. Another tried to flank him—Ayano swept his legs out clean.
Someone shouted; “Non-lethal!”
Click! Click!
Tranquilizers? Rubber rounds?
None of it mattered to him the moment at.
He hurled another over his shoulder into the rest. Shock rods sparked. He easily dodged them all, and struck, advanced.
Pain flared as they hit him—but it didn’t stop him. It only served to enrage him further...
He grabbed a rod mid-swing, yanked it free, and slammed it into the last attacker’s neck.
“STOP!!”
...
Everyone froze.
The voice, he recognized it but it felt much, much firmer now. Closer...
Ayano slowly turned around—and finally, he saw her...
'So this is the the person...?'
The woman who had been speaking earlier...
All he could think was how overwhelmingly regal she seemed, and calm in a way that unsettled even him... Not only that, her sheer resemblance to Chisaki was quite clear, but they were not entirely the same. Though her hair bore a bluish hue instead of a violet shade, her eyes were much sharper with a much colder blue, and other sharp features...
She stepped forward. The guards all dropped to one knee without a word.
“I said, we needed to talk.” She said simply;
“And, I meant it... This wasn’t a test of strength, Ayano...”
Confusion flickered across his face.
“Then what the hell was it even for?”
She turned to the guards; “You all may leave, now.”
They hesitated—briefly. Then, they obeyed. Limping, and dragging each other out. None of them had looked back.
And just like that, it was completely quiet again.
Now... It Just the two of them...
Ayano met her gaze, wary of what this woman would even do next...
“I don't understand you... Was all this supposed to make me feel any better? You essentially lured me into a trap... Just to prove I wasn’t some sort of monster?”
She calmy shook her head: “No, not at all... It was actually to confirm what you are. To see if my theories were truly correct. I truly never meant any harm...”
His eyes narrowed, focusing on one word: “Stop... You mention theories, right? What are you talking about...?”
“It's… About you. About the kind of constitution you might possess.”
Before he could even react-
PING!!!
----------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL QUEST – 1: The Secrets of the Body
Objective: Uncover the truth behind your unique physiology.
REWARD: ???????
----------------------------------------------------
Chapter 36: The Truth...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
‘What, the…? Another quest? Now it's about my body? Why? How much more packed could a single day possibly get?’
He glanced at her;
'Guess I’ll just have to listen to whatever she has to say… Not like I’ve got a better option...'
"Once again, I should apologize for everything that’s happened so far." She said calmy;
"None of this was truly my intention... Honestly, if I had not seen what I had saw earlier… you would have already been with your friends... Regardless, it's a good thing it was me who found this out."
H exhaled, worn out in every sense of the word. At this point, he didn’t even have the energy to care anymore. This was a bit much, even for him...
"Sure. I get that. So… what exactly did you mean a bit ago?"
She gave a small nod.
"This will likely be a bit hard to swallow at the moment... Though, I suppose it’s best to start five centuries back. Specifically, it's... the truth about this wall of ours. It wasn’t always meant to exist. In fact, it was never part of the original plan of, coexisting... But, when our great ancestor, Tsumugu Kihara, began studying the people of the sea—his research led him to a realization..."
Keiji frowned slightly. "And what realization was that?"
She paused, then continued: "That we sea people have a much purer genome than land dwellers. More precisely, we’re naturally gifted with longer lifespans, enhanced lung capacity, stronger skin, and resistance to aging, etc... Our biology, it is fundamentally different, or superior in comparison to a normal human's own."
…
Ayano stared at her, trying to absorb it all. Not sure if he was too drained to process what he was hearing… or, if the information itself really was just that surreal.
"So let me get this straight… you’re saying you’re just genetically better than regular people?"
She nodded;
"Not in appearance—not enough to matter on the surface... But, underneath? In the blood, the organs, the very bones? Yes. Our kind was shaped and refined by the ocean itself. Or, so the theory goes. We don’t wrinkle the same way. We don’t get sick as easily. And… we certainly don’t die as quickly either."
There was something cautious in her voice. Not arrogance, but a warning. his arms folded slowly across his chest as he stood there, still in the same spot the guards had left him...
"Okay... so what does that have to do with me, exactly...?"
"That..." She said carefully: "Is where things get… complicated."
Of course it was.
"When I reviewed the footage of you saving my daughter… I saw something extremely unusual. Your physical capabilities, they were far beyond the norm in comparison to normal people—that it's now bordering on mythological levels... Not only that, I believe you possess a very rare type of human constitution, one known as the Extreme-Body."
‘The heck…?’
"The Extreme-Body?" He repeated, half in disbelief, half just trying to follow along...
She nodded again: "Yes... My ancestor Tsumugu, during his studies, recorded instances of humans who exhibited superhuman strength—Something that defied contemporary understanding in its entirety... He theorized it was purely a genetic jump in evolutionary chain... Hence, he called it… the Extreme-Body."
Ayano let out a quiet breath. "I see..."
"-But, it doesn’t end there. According to scattered records I've found on his research, there’s an even rarer constitution that even that. One that far surpasses even the Extreme Body, in every regard as well. It’s known as the Great-Body."
...
Ayano had to admit it to himself, this was quite a lot to take in... But, something about the way she spoke—measured, steady, clear... It hadn’t sounded like she was making any of this up. Furthermore, the panel had even issued a quest due to this reason alone, which means, it's all likely to be true...
'Three special constitutions... Was this even real...?' He thought to himself. However, seeing that he had incredible strength, and having met others beyond normal humans himself, he accepted the explanations.
Now it was just to learn more...
He looked at her: "And what’s the difference between the Extreme Body and the Great Body?" He asked, genuinely intrigued by whole the concept.
In response, she offered a simple analogy: "If the Extreme Body represents the peak of human potential, the Great Body represents the peak of all living physical potential. It's best to think of creatures like crocodiles, or alligators. Two animals with immense biting capabilities. Now, imagine if that natural strength could be trained and further refined without any limits... If someone with an Extreme Body tried to match that growth, they would lose."
"Hrmm..."
"So, Great Body users… they specialize in traits like that?"
"In a sense, yes... They tap into traits that would normally belong to apex predators—maximized reflexes, senses, toughness... And their potential goes far beyond that of any Extreme Body user. But even then, no two users—of either type—are likely to be the same, just like how normal humans are."
Ayano nodded slowly, beginning to understand... but, one question still lingered in his mind.
"Then, the wall... You had mentioned it before... Why exactly was it built?" He asked.
Hearing the question, she gave a long sigh;
"It was made with the intent to protect us. At least, it's from those who know about these special constitutions, or is curious in them. Not only that, it's really those who aren’t born with what we have, but still want it. Those who would exploit, dissect, or even harvest us... And, that includes you..."
…
‘Hah…’
Her words sank in him fast, and hard...
"You're saying... people like me have been hunted? Including your people...?"
She met his yes, her expression seemed heavy: "For centuries... Whenever the truth gets out, there are only two outcomes. Someone chooses to protect it… or, they try to use it against you. Mad scientists, black-market organizations... You get the idea. They all want to either recreate, or weaponize us. Even if it means killing us to do so."
…
And just like that, a headache crept in...
He saves a girl, and now he's realized that he on some ancient hit list.
'The hell kind of story did I stumble into...?'
"So, that’s why you wanted to see me… to warn me, right?"
"Yes..." She said, softly; "That’s part of it."
Keiji blinked: "Part...?"
"You know that Chisaki is my daughter. Our relationship is… strained, but I love her more than anything in this world. I wanted her to live a normal life—free from all of, this. But duty… duty doesn’t care. It demands that we protect our people, and continue our lineage. That means, we must wed her with someone… qualified."
...
'No... No way.'
Suddenly, those weird rumors when Chisaki had arrived made a lot more sense...
"And, as her mother, I hoped she’d fall in love on her own... But, the world isn’t a safe place, and I can’t keep letting her live freely while fearing one day she won’t come back. That’s… where you come in."
.
.
.
Sekai paced near the stone path, arms crossed tight across her chest, the ocean breeze tugging at her jacket.,,
Behind her, Kotonoha leaned against the compound's wall, her eyes fixed on the forest path.
Renji squatted near a rock, poking at the dirt with a stick. Despite the casual posture, his eyes flicked toward the trees every few seconds.
"Ayano’s been gone for nearly an hour now..." Sekai muttered. "You think he’s okay?"
"He said he’d only be gone for ten minutes..." Katsura replied calmly, but it wad tinged with unease.
Renji stood, brushing his palms. "He’s probably just being a dumb-bun again. Still… he should be back by now."
Just then, the bushes behind them rustled.
Renji turned first, and Sekai jumped slightly. A figure pushed through the foliage—and then Ayano emerged, brushing twigs off his shoulder.
"...Sorry, guys," He said, voice low: "I’m back."
Sekai blinked. "Wait—from the bushes?! Where were you?!"
Ayano just glanced behind him. "...Was exploring. That’s all. Wait... You all waited for me?"
"Well, duh!" Renji said. "You vanished without a word!"
"We weren’t about to leave without you." Katsura added.
Sekai stepped closer, eyes scanning his face. "...You okay? You look a bit pale. Did you… see something?"
He hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Nah. Just got a little sidetracked. This place is way bigger than it looks."
Renji snorted. "You say that like you didn’t just escape some ghost maidens dungeon..."
Ayano gave a weak smirk. "If I had, I’d have brought one back for you."
The tension cracked a bit, though Sekai kept eyeing him suspiciously. "Fine... But, let’s not split up again, okay, please?"
"Sure—"
Before he could finish, both Katsura and Sekai latched onto his arms.
"Ah—hey! What the hell?!"
They began dragging him toward the coast.
"Okay, seriously, what is this?!"
"You don’t get to disappear and walk away like nothing happened!" Katsura growled.
"You're not escaping that easily again!" Sekai snapped.
The wind picked up as they neared the shore. Ayano struggled to keep balance as his feet scraped the sandy slope.
"Alright! Alright! I get it, okay?! I won’t go off alone again! Now will you let go already?!"
They exchanged a glance… and then finally released him.
He stumbled forward onto the sand. "Geez… You two are terrifying."
"Oh really?" Sekai said darkly.
She and Katsura gave each other wicked smiles, then they shoved him-
-Sploosh!
"And that’s what you ge—" Sekai started, but her voice froze up...
Katsura surfaced right next to her, equally stunned as well...
"...???"
Ayano sat up, coughing seawater, brushing wet bangs aside. "...Now I’m all soaked."
Seeing their expressions, he slowly frowned at them. "...Guys?"
They didn’t respond...
Both girls were staring intently, cheeks flushed, eyes widened...
Ayano tilted his head: "Uh… What? What’s with those faces?"
He looked behind him, then followed Renji’s pointed finger… and glanced down.
His soaked shirt clung tight to his chest, clearly outlining every curve of his toned torso.
"...What? I thought there was something on me."
Sekai and Katsura blushed, shouting in unison:
"Ayano-kun, you pervert!!!!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 37: Explanation... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person POV, with Chisaki... ~
Regret settled in her chest like a slow-burning ache. Even if she had felt justified at the time, even if part of her believed the other woman deserved it, the aftermath left her hollow. The words she’d spoken echoed in her mind, sharper now in hindsight.
The door creaked open softly.
Chisaki's head snapped upwards, expecting perhaps a maid or one of the guards, but it wasn’t either of them. In fact, it was her mother instead...
She entered quietly, without attendants, without her usual cold formality. Just her. No coldness in her tone, and no barrier between them.
"Chisaki…" She began, her voice firm yet, gentle: "...I know you might still be very much angry with me, especially for what I've done. But, I need you to understand… Why I did what I did, and why I’ve made every decision I have so far."
Chisaki said nothing. Her throat tightened, fingers curling into the sheets. Her mother stepped closer.
"I never wanted this kind of life for you." She continued, her tone more vulnerable than Chisaki had heard in years: "I truly wanted you to choose your path freely. But freedom… Is a luxury people like us can rarely afford."
She paused, collecting herself, before continuing;
"That doesn’t mean I ever wanted you to be a puppet. I just… wanted to protect you. In the only way I knew how."
Chisaki turned her face away, not in the sense of rejection, but more so to keep herself from unraveling beneath that tenderness. There was too much in her-anger, sadness, confusion... And, buried beneath it, something close to understanding.
Her mother sat at the edge of the bed, not too close, but not far either;
"I’ve failed in how I showed it..." She admitted, biting her lip for a moment, but continuing: "But every word, every command, every wall I put around you, know that it wasn’t to cage you. It was out of fear... Fear of losing you. Fear of watching you disappear like so many others I have known…"
Her voice wavered. Chisaki could hear it-that subtle tremor in her breath. It wasn’t the Queen speaking anymore. It was really just her mother...
"I saw your father die for this..." She said softly: "Not heroically either... But, quietly. And soon after, he was forgotten. No matter what he gave his life for, it was never enough. Not strong enough… They tore him apart anyway."
The words stunned Chisaki. He had always been a name, a symbol-never a story. She had never heard her mother speak of him like this.
"He wasn’t born with anything special. He was a land-dweller. But he was kind. And brave. And I learned quickly-kindness doesn’t protect you. Bravery just makes you a target."
Chisaki’s hands clenched tighter around the blanket;
"That is why I pushed you away..." Her mother seemed to plead, but continued: "It's why I kept you so close to me... If I made you strong, maybe you wouldn’t vanish like he did. If I made you cold, maybe you’d survive. But-"
She laughed, bitterly;
"-I forgot that surviving isn’t the same as living, is it?"
Chisaki finally looked at her, swallowing the knot in her throat.
"…Then, why him?" She asked.
Her mother blinked, surprised, asking: "Why the boy...?"
Chisaki nodded.
Her expression softened: "Because, I've realized people like him are quite special. Like us. But more than that… he’s the only one I’ve seen in a long time who chooses what to live for, not just how to survive." A pause before she continued: "And because he didn’t look at you like a responsibility. He saw you like a person."
That admission shifted something in the air between them.
Chisaki watched her mother not as a queen, not as a strategist, but as a woman who had lived too long at the edge of loss. And for once, the room didn’t feel so cold.
"…What happened with him, then?” She asked quietly.
Her mother smiled faintly, answering: "Don't worry... I spoke with him. For his sake. And for yours."
~ Flashback – Third Person POV ~
.
.
.
"Hmm? What do you mean...?" Ayano had asked, wary but more so curious.
Her voice was calm: "I want to strike a deal with you."
He considered it, slowly nodding: "Alright… What kind of deal?"
"It's simple. I want you to protect Chisaki. At all costs. In exchange, I’ll offer you benefits-resources, a training facility, and more. Anything within reason."
Ayano’s eyes widened at the offer. The temptation was clear in his hesitation. A place to train, to grow stronger-it was hard to turn down. Still, he remained cautious.
Eventually, he nodded: "I’ll agree. But only if you meet my conditions."
She tilted her head for a moment: "...Name them."
"Firstly... I’ll only protect her from threats I deem an danger to her life. And, that’s all. She’s not obligated to speak with, or to me or even acknowledge me unless she willingly chooses to."
She nodded once...
"Secondly. You’ll tell her everything... In detail. I believe she deserves to know what we’re discussing here...”
Another nod.
“Thirdly…” He hesitated for a moment, then pressed on: “You need to stop this, ice-queen act. I don't think I have to be around you a lot to pick on the fact you act like this most, if not all the time... Just, be honest with her. Be her mother. I have a hunch that, you might be hurting her more than your helping right now.”
That had made her flinch... But, she didn’t argue. Not seeing the lies.
'Note well: He has an incredible intuition...' She thought vaguely.
“And, finally, I’ll take the training facility you offered me. But, I want it built as close to my home as you can possibly make it. The time doesn't matter, but the sooner the better. Take as long as you need.”
A long silence followed... Then, she quickly spoke up.
“Good, however, I would like to oversee all your training when, and if possible... I’m still a scientist to very my core, and someone like you is quite a rare specimen to study.”
Ayano nodded, but begrudgingly agreed. It was a near-perfect deal, even with the added observation.
'It should be fine... I don't behave out of the ordinary to really fear anything. I just need to not do anything stupid while they observe me...' He surmised.
She studied him then, and a flicker of something unreadable passing over her face...
“You really are different...” She murmured, almost pensively... Then, louder: “I accept all your conditions.”
She paused again: “You remind me so much of that person... Your conviction, and your eyes. It’s no wonder my daughter’s heart leaned toward you...”
Ayano hadn’t heard the last part... He simply nodded.
“Then, it’s a deal.” He Finalized.
She nodded: “Yes... Yes it is.”
~ Flashback End - With Chisaki ~
.
.
.
"…Three out of the four conditions..." Her mother said quietly: "I can say with certainty that, they were all for you.”
Chisaki’s breath halted;
'Was this, true...?' She thought for an instant.
She looked at her mother... truly looked at her, and saw no cold indifference when she spoke, and not the strategists thought she was either. At this very moment, it was just a woman laid bare by years of her pain, and a stranger, Ayano, who had stepped into that pain without so much of an obligation. And had chosen her anyway.
"He, doesn’t even know me, so why…?" She whispered to herself, letting out a quiet, stifled laugh as her eyes stung with unshed tears;
"That, idiot…" Any other person in the world would have chosen to have more things, yet Ayano had chosen the barest necessity.
But he’d spoken up for her when she herself couldn’t, and pushed back when she was too tired to. Carved out space for her where there had been none...
She turned away again, not to hide pain this time, but simply to finally breathe.
Her mother stood, robes rustling softly.
“I’ll honor this deal...” She said before leaving. “Every part of it. But, the rest is between the two of you.”
The door closed behind her with a soft creak.
Chisaki sat in silence, staring into the stillness. There was so much she still didn’t understand. But one thing was clear to her...
She felt as if she needed to speak with Ayano...
Even if it was for one last time...
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
I wonder if, I've done the right thing here...?
I, really didn't see why I can even trust these people... But, I also get the impression that Chisaki's mother wasn't exactly lying to me either. If that woman is right about all of this, I might need all the help I can possibly get in the future, and with resources like her.
'My training in the future will likely be without plateaus.'
This world even... It's pretty clear to me that it has things I still don't know about... Things I probably can't even begin fathom yet. Even with my own abilities. Why was I even given an ability like this? Who, or what gave it to me? I still didn't have those answers yet...
Much less, the rules I still don't even know about either. If other people like me are getting caught, trapped and potentially experimented on, then I really need to step my game up. If I wanted any chance to both live, and survive...
"Ayano, the girls are finished with their bath. I'm gonna head in first." Renji said, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I turned my head slightly at the sound of Renji's voice. He was standing just outside the sliding door, towel slung over his shoulder, steam from the bath clinging faintly to his skin.
"Ah, yeah, alright..." I told him. Admittedly, my voice was a bit more distant than I actually wanted it to be.
Still, he gave me a curious glance back but, and didn't pry further... He quickly gave me a small nod before disappearing into the bathroom himself...
I sat there alone for a few more minutes, listening to the faint echoes of water, and voices further down the hall. My thoughts still lingered on that conversation I had with that woman... And, her eyes when she spoke of Chisaki, and the desperation behind her words. She, was serious.
It didn't feel like I had gotten manipulated... If anything, it felt more like a last-ditch plea—from one person bound by expectations, to someone she genuinely hoped could protect what she probably couldn't... That must be why I made those deals so convenient for them.
'But, am I really up to the task in front of me here...?'
I exhaled, and leaned back against the wall, eyes half-closed. My body still felt a bit tense from earlier. Maybe not physically, but something in my chest, something heavy, hadn't really eased up since I'd agreed to that deal...
It wasn't, regret. It really wasn't fear either.
I think, it was probably the sheer weight of choice itself...
Because now, I wasn't just surviving on my own anymore. I'd also tied my fate, in some significant way, to theirs. But, I just hope I don't come to regret it.
"Well, I guess there's no backing out now..." I muttered to myself, rubbing the back of my neck.
Just then, I heard a soft knock by the frame... I looked up.
And there she was—Chisaki...
She just, stood there, still wearing that gentle neutrality she always carried, but her eyes—they looked, different compared to earlier. Despite how cold they actually seemed... There were a lot, warmer. Maybe even a little uncertain too.
She opened her mouth like she was going to speak, then hesitated.
I sat up straighter, giving her my full attention... I guess, this would be my second official conversation with her... Plus, I am technically her bodyguard for the time being, so she deserves at least this much...
"…Hey." I asked her, as softly as I could.
"You, okay?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 38: Home... Right?
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I knew I've thought of it before...
But, Chisaki she... truly looked beautiful tonight...
I don't know if it was just the mood at the moment, but the way the sunset had wrapped around her... I had to admit, it was honestly leaving me in complete shambles...
Though, it's not like I suddenly fell in love her, or anything of the sort, it's just that.
It's amazing that can get to admire a beauty like her so freely.
...At least, that's what I told myself.
The way the light caught in her hair, tracing the soft edges of her silhouette—it didn't seem real... It felt like she was part of the sea itself, but molded into form just to stand there, not quite saying anything, not quite needing to... And for a second, I forgot about everything else...
The deal, and her mother.
My power. All of it. She stepped inside, gently sliding the door shut behind her. Still quiet...
I scratched my cheek and looked away, hoping the weird heat crawling up my neck wasn't too obvious;
"…So." I started, a bit awkwardly.
"You, uh… I guess you've heard about the deal we had then...?" I asked her, just to make sure her mother had held up her end of the bargain.
Chisaki nodded at me, and took a few steps forward, but didn't make any moves to sit down..
.
"Yes..." She said to me softly. "She, told me everything."
I didn't really know what else to say to that. I guess, a part of me expected her to be a bit angry, or a little annoyed, or maybe even distant like she felt before. But, she just stood there, looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite understand.
"I Just want to make this clear to you... It wasn't about pity-" I quickly told, before I could even think to stop myself.
"-I didn't agree to help because I thought you were weak or helpless, or because I felt sorry for you, so I didn't want to give off that kind of impression with my actions"
She turned and looked at me, likely a little startled by my sudden insistence on the topic.
I rubbed the back of my neck for a bit, trying to force down the tension in my chest;
"I just thought… That if there's something I could do, even a little, to make things easier for you—then maybe I should. That's all. Plus, I'm a guy, I don't really need all that much."
Before I knew it, he gaze at me softened, and she finally moved to sit, right beside me, close but not too close. I could feel the warmth of her presence, though, more than I expected to.
"I, know..." She said to him.
"I just want to know what's the plan after all this is...? Because, truth be told. I'm still not sure if I'm used to everything I have been told just yet, or even you."
Her words weren't sharp... They weren't meant to be, but they still landed with a bit of a weight. She was still cautious of me, which was understandable, but I could tell she was willing to accept the situation as well... That was, honest, unfiltered. This was the thing I'm starting to learn about Chisaki, she certainly doesn't bother hiding behind any layers when it counted... Though, I guess she, and her mother are the same in that regard.
I let the silence hang for a second, breathing in the sea salt faint on the air. The wind had grown softer now, in fact, it's starting to get cool...
I responded: "…Yeah."
My eyes were on the horizon outside the window... "I'm not so sure about all this either to be honest with you. I mean, I've been thrown into all this just like you have, somewhat... Maybe not in the exact same way, but... We're pretty much both standing in a place we didn't really ask to be in, you can trust me on that one."
I looked over at her then. She didn't look away...
"But~ I'm not planning on bailing." I said. "Whatever, this ends up becoming… All I can really do is take it step by step... Even if I'm not entirely used to it either. Even if I don't fully know what I'm doing just yet."
She was still technically a teenager, sharing and having doubts at a time like this won't make her feel any better than she does now...
However, when I said what I said, there was a bit of a pause between us.
So, I continued: "And as for me? If you're not used to me yet… Then, you get used to me slowly. There's no real rush in it. It's not like I'm going anywhere for potentially the next few years... Or, you don't have to do anything if you'd like, no one is forcing you."
She glanced down at her hands for a moment, fingers lightly tracing the hem of her sleeve, like she was sorting through her thoughts before answering...
"You're, kind..." She said to me, almost under her breath. "Too kind, maybe. For someone like me."
There wasn't any bitterness in it. It was just, odd, the kind that only comes when someone's dropped their guard enough to let you see their doubt underneath. I didn't know what kind of weight she was carrying exactly, or how long she'd been made to feel like her choices weren't hers...
but, I could definitely hear it in her voice.
I leaned back a little, resting my elbows behind me on the bench. "Maybe..." I told her;
"But, I'd much rather be that, than cold. Especially to someone who's likely gone through as much as you have."
Another pause. The wind picked up, brushing through her hair. She didn't flinch away from it this time.
"…I'll, try." She finally responded. "To get used to you..."
But of course, before I could even respond to it...
"Ayano-san, I'm done!" Renji's voice called out from the distance: "The bathroom's free."
"I'll be there!" I said back. I turned to Chisaki.
I quickly handed her my phone, "It's probably best if you place your number in so we can keep close in contact, just in case if anything happens, or if you wanna chat. I'll be free any time."
She took my phone and looked at the screen for a moment, before entering her number carefully, her brow furrowing slightly in concentration... Why? I don't know.
When she finished, she handed it back to me, her gaze meeting mine with an unexpected steadiness...
"Thanks." she said quietly, her voice holding something that almost sounded like appreciation—or maybe it was relief. It was hard to tell. "I guess... it's a good idea to have a way to reach each other. Just in case." She added.
I nodded, taking the phone back and slipping it into my pocket, feeling the weight of her words lingering in the air. There was something about that small exchange...
'Alright, don't think too much of it man...' Reminding myself.
I turned to head toward the bathroom, but then I paused, glancing back at her. "I'll text you when I get home... Oh, you can take your time, okay?"
She gave a small nod, then her lips curving up slightly in a small smile. "I will."
I waved her off... "See you."
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"The trip, it was fun, right?" Sekai said, her voice light as she leaned back on her hands.
Ayano tilted his head upward, eyes tracing the stars beginning to emerge in the evening sky;
“Yeah...” He replied, his voice more contemplative than casual. “It was... nice.”
Sekai caught the shift in his tone, but chose not to comment on it...
Instead, she gave a small laugh and nudged him gently with her elbow: “Nice, hmm? That’s a pretty tame way of putting it. You looked like you were having a blast—when you weren’t off doing your own thing, that is.”
He glanced at her and offered a faint smile at her antics. “Still, I did enjoy myself.”
“It was a blast... Wish we could’ve spent a bit more time there with each other.” Renji added, stepping into the conversation.
Ayano turned toward him, meeting his gaze. Renji’s expression carried a mix of warmth and youthful wistfulness he himself once had. "Yeah..." Ayano agreed;
“It really did feel like it went by too fast.”
Sekai let out a quiet sigh, leaning back a little further. “I know, right? We've barely scratched the surface of everything that place had to offer us. Still, we made some good memories, so I'm happy enough with that.”
Renji grinned, though a bittersweet note lingered behind his smile. “The best part was just the trip itself—being together like that. I won’t forget it.”
Ayano gave a small nod, the weight of Renji’s words settling in his chest. The trip had been more than a getaway; it was a small pause from all the fighting he's done up until this point, and a chance to really breathe and feel whole again, even if it had been for a little while.
“We’ll have more trips like this...” He said quietly, almost to himself, but loud enough for them to hear.
“...I’ll make sure of it.”
.
.
.
'Home sweet home.'
He thought, kicking off his shoes to the left, and closing his door... He looked around the home, realizing how dark it was...
'Hmph... It's still as empty as ever...'
He pensively wondered, slowly dropping his bag off towards the side.
PING!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{ALL QUESTS: Explore the area, save Chisaki, defend yourself and learn the secret of the body. (Complete)
REWARD: +3 Bronze Keys, +1 Silver Key and +2 Golden Keys}
----------------------------------------------------
...
Before he could properly react, he saw all the keys flashing before materializing in front of himself...
"I guess it's best to just use them all up now."
On that thought, He walked up towards his own room, opening his drawer and taking out all the keys he hadn't used yet, plus the other rewards he hasn't really bothered looking at since the, incident.
Counting them all up, he now had four (4) Golden Keys, nine (9) Bronze Keys and a single (1) Silver Key...
He thought about it for a moment, and opted to use all the Golden Keys he had first. After a while, he went through the process, and has gotten four new skills, being; Booster, Stamp of approval, Blind spot strike and finally, Stun smash, after finishing that, he read all of them in the order they came...
"Booster: For thirty seconds, Agility will increase dramatically. This ability can be dispelled during activation. Cost: 300 EP. Cooldown: 3 minutes.
*Effects: Other Active skills cannot be used while 'Booster' is Active.*"
'This one is, interesting... But, the cooldown alone being so ridiculously high was definitely a negative in my book, much less of the fact that, I can't even use other skills with it...'
However, he moved on and quickly read the next one;
'Stamp-of-Approval: Allows you to temporarily share the system's passive skills with others. Cost: 500 EP.'
Ayano's eyes widened at this one: 'This, could be extremely useful, and it doesn't even have a cooldown either, but, the cost... It's the highest one I've seen so far.'
He noted this one especially but quickly decided to continue for the time being...
'Blind-Spot-Strike: Strikes the enemy's blind spot with fast speed. Cost: 90 EP.'
He didn't have much to say about this, it had seemed useful and was cost effective with no cooldown...
And lastly was;
'Stun-Smash: A technique that fiercely strikes down on an opponent. Cost: 90 EP."
He quickly read it's effect;
'*Effect: Activates when the opponent is falling and reinforces the skill. Turning it into [Stun-Slam].'
'Hmm... This one also seems decently interesting too. It can make me slam down on a foe harder than normal..? But, if my enemy is actively falling, it gets stronger and becomes Stun-Slam. A conditional, yet stronger attack. Not bad.'
Next up was the Silver Key... After using it, it flashed a bunch of other cards he's never seen before again, just like it usually has... Eventually, it landed on a card. He grabbed it from the air, reading it...
'Hmm? Training Mastery?'
Hoping it was what it said it was, he instantly read its description...
'Training Mastery: Grants the player the instinctive ability to effectively train with great efficiency.'
When I looked below, seeing it's conditions, his eyes narrowed...
'*Effect: This ability only activates with physical strength, or technique acquisition*.'
"If... If this thing was true. Then, won't my training effectively become perfect? But, what the heck does it mean by technique acquisition? What even counts as a technique by my own ability...?"
'Actually, never mind that for now...'
He thought he would figure that aspect out, eventually:
"Now it's time for the Bronze Keys..." This time, he had used five of them on his health, and four of them on his maximum maximum energy.
...
'I guess, that's it for my keys...'
He looked at the blood-Colored Key... Reading its description;
'Blood-Colored Key: Greatly increases the player's critical hit rate.'
"The blood red key was just something to use when I'm absolutely desperate, no point in counting it for the time being... Which pretty much leaves this thing."
He slowly looked to the side.
The mysterious book...
Keiji had never actually paid attention to it before all this, especially since he was quite much caught up with his day to day life, but...
"Still, isn't this thing ominous looking? Just the texture of it felt nearly ancient..." He flipped it around to read it's cover, but that didn't really help me much either...
All the cover read was: "The Method to Perfection...?"
It didn't even have an author either, just the cover page, and that was it.
'Of course it doesn't have any known author, still, I'd be lying my ass off if I said I'm not even a little curious about this thing does...'
He tried to open it... But, it didn't even budge, not by a single inch.
"What the...? Why is this thing not opening?"
PING!!!
'Huh? The system?'
Before he knew it, the blue screen flashed in front of his eyes...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WARNING: 𝔗𝖔 𝖚𝔰𝖊 𝖙𝔥𝖎𝔰 𝔦𝖙𝔢𝖒, 𝔱𝖍𝔢 𝔭𝖑𝔞𝖞𝔢𝖗 𝖒𝔲𝖘𝔱 𝔯𝖊𝔞𝖈𝔥 𝔱𝖍𝔢 𝔪𝖆𝔵𝖎𝔪𝖚𝔪 𝔭𝖔𝔰𝖘𝔦𝖇𝔩𝖊 𝖎𝔫 𝔞𝖑𝔩 𝔞𝖙𝔱𝖗𝔦𝖇𝔲𝖙𝔢𝖘...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
...
'Okay, then...?'
He remembered it using a strange font when talking about that anomaly at the very beginning. But this? This was much different that what he remembered, and a little worrying, even to him, but having one thousand in all his attributes? Which means that he needed to be maxed out completely then...
He shook his head, also leaving this item to his future self.
'Status...'
.
.
.
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 177 cm | 5'10"
Age: 17
Health: 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 511 / 1000
Defense: 511 / 1000
Agility: 511 / 1000
Spirit: 511 / 1000
Passive Skills;
-Martial-Arts-Mastery
-Recovery
-Critical Hit
-Energy Manipulation
-Circulation of Light
-Weapon mastery
-Training Mastery
Skills;
-Charge Shot - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Multi-Strike Destruction - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Booster - Cost: 300 / 2 = 150 Energy
-Stamp-of-Approval - Cost: 500 / 2 = 250 Energy
-Blind-Spot-Strike - Cost: 20 / 2 = 10 Energy
-Stun-Smash - Cost: 90 / 2 = 45 Energy
Martial Arts Learned;
-Judo [Mastered]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [Mastered]
-Muay-Thai [Mastered]
-Boxing [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon [Mastered]
-Capoeira [Mastered]
-Aikido [Mastered]
-Jeet Kune Do [Mastered]
-Kung Fu [Mastered]
-Taekwondo [Mastered]
-Ssireum [Mastered]
...
The panel changed up a little, again. It looked slightly better I guess... But, I'm really only half way towards being at a thousand per attribute. Which means I'm a good chunk away from being able to use this book.
Well, whatever...
I tossed it to the drawer for now.
There wasn't any point in focusing on something that's currently impossible to know about at the moment.
I yawned:
'I'll leave that part up to the future me... For now, I'll just get some well need sleep...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 39: Isn't this a little bit, Sudden...?
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, A few days later... ~
.
.
.
"Damn..."
I stretched...
I can't believe that It's already been a few days since that last trip...
Fortunately enough for me, everything has been going on normally, relatively speaking. I had even checked up on Chisaki a few times, and she was doing ok, I even found out that she's the type that likes, or prefers to text; so we had ended up messaging each other quite a bit since...
"Hrmm..."
I glanced out my window;
'If only things could just... continue on like this...'
I wasn't going to kid myself about it. I had liked the fighting I've been doing, but I also appreciated the bit of peace that came after it even greater.
It's, soothing, at least in its own little way...
PING~
...
'Hmm?'
PING~
'Seriously, what's up with this sou-'
---------------------------
{SYSTEM UPDATE INITIATING...}
---------------------------
Huh...?
I shot up from my bed;
'Wait, what? System? Is that what this thing is called? And, an update?'
I'm a bit spooked out... It's never done something like this before. Just what the heck is going on here?
'Is it busted or something...?'
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{THE PLAYER WILL NOW EXPERIENCE REAL-TIME GROWTH... THE PLAYER'S BODY HAS BEGUN TO-̵̮̫̏
̴̖͍̱͔͙̠̝̀̇̌͝ͅĔ̵̬̼̙̲̳̟͙̥͔̋͒̌́̂͌̏͘͜͠R̷͙̤̩̤̠̹̹̞̿͂̄͋͌̂́̐͋͝R̴̨͎͔̗͚͓͖̫̳̅͘Ȏ̴̘͎̘͐̄͂͊̕R̴̨̨̢̺͎̦̩͔̥̈́̋ͅ-̷͙̣̤̭͈̭͛͊R̸̜̯͈̼̙̙̺͈̟̍̇͋́̽̑̑ͅE̸̳̼̍͐̓͛̽͑̓̾͘D̷̢͉͇̼̀̃̊ͅA̸̡̢̠̩̮̯͒̋̋̓̏̌͝͝Ç̷̘̪̗̯͔̪̊̐̔̓̐̑̚ͅT̴̳̲̩͆̍͝͝Ë̷̘̟̼͙̥͖̘́̎̀̽͝D̸̨̛͐̈́͠-̷̧̗͇͋̄̐͗̒͠E̴̞̻̰̝̺͈̒̂̉̒͋R̶͇͈̖̩̜͔̖̣̼͆̈́͗̍͊͛̍̂͠Ŗ̴͔͔̲͙̦̭̼̒̉͂́Ō̵͎̬̜̲͐ͅR̸͔̾̒̒̆̆́͊-̴̛̟̼͎̭̟͙̦̺̳̌̈́̍̑͗̈́͜R̶̳̱͉̻̬̯̀͐̎͛̓̓͒̅͘̕E̷͕̹̲̘̾̀̑̋̂̾̃͊̕͝D̸̹̳͉͎̼̥̫͍͎̽̈́͗Å̷̟̩̪̌͐̓͗͜͜C̷̨̢̟̰̜̤̬̜͉̗̍͂́̊͝͝T̸̥͕̫̖͙̙̍̀̈́̀̌͜͝Ĕ̸̦̘̗̝̣̣̺͔̹̌͛D̴͕̐̉̑̎-̶̹̻̄̄̇E̶̹̊͜Ŕ̴̤̞͖̪̹̊̑̃͋̑́͠͝ͅR̵̡̫̦̬̻͇̐̀͗͗O̴̧̙͛͜Ŗ̸̤̖̱̳͚̹̯̿̒͗́̀͂̓͛ͅ-̴̝͕̈́̽͂̓͒̒̈́̚R̴̬̩̘̩̩̩͎͍͂͗̔͝Ë̸̛̮̹͓̜̲̳͍́̌̄̋͜ͅͅD̵̢̛͍̲̻͚̬̖͈̎͂̔̔̂͌̂͆̇A̶̛̺͙̹͕̖̜̥͈͉̞͑̋̍͆̓̏̓͐C̴͕̆̉̌̈́͘Ț̶̗͎̳͉̓̿͘͜Ę̸̝̻̪͑͌̈́̿̀͊̈́͆͋D̸̛̜̟̓̐͊͌͒̓̅̓̕-̴̞͖͚̫͇̗̋̈́͠Ȩ̶͍̹̦̳͉͇̖̠͊̽̓͛͂͂͝R̷̩̠̞̪͇̣̖̋̈́͌́̽̇̈́͛́͝Ṛ̶̢͎̙̺̩̋͐̏̿͆̾́̐̈́͘Ǫ̶̨̬͚̣̗̹̬̬͒R̵͎̠͍̺̯̣͎͛̑-̶̡͖̲̗͔̪̜̥̐̇͒̓̄͜R̵̨̧̖̫̺͍͇͇̣̫̎̄͑̒̎E̸͙̗͔̞͙̭͉͈̯͒͠Ḏ̸͇̹̮̬̗̺̥̘͛͋̀͗̍̈́̑͒̂͘Ȁ̵̞͔̯̤̞͖̓Ć̸̢̗͙͈̽T̶͉̲̞̥̳͇̖̉̑͘ͅE̸͖̖̙̱͉͓̰͉͂͆̃͑̿͘͝D̸͇̺̟͍̙͙̼͕̈̏͆̆̍͒̅̚̕͜͠}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ARGHH!!!!"
Thud!
...
The room, it felt like it all spun around completely for an instant...
A deep, low buzz was rattling in my ears—like, it was some kind of fucking siren was pressed against through an old radio... My vision was fluttering, static trailing across the edges of everything in my sight!
"Dam-ARRGHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
That unreadable wall of text, the panel messages twisting into madness, it wasn't just a screen either. It was in me. Through me.
My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't move at first. Something inside… shifted. Like a slow, twisting realignment of bones and nerves, subtle but wrong—my muscles tensed without command, and for a few terrifying seconds I couldn't even feel my heartbeat.
'What in the hell was that?'
I clutched at my chest, trying to ground myself, but my hands were still trembling...
Not from fear, not entirely, I think, it was more like a sensation I couldn't put any words to...
'...The hell did it mean by, Real-Time growth? What even is that supposed to mean?'
...
I looked around the room for a bit, and nothing was out of place, thankfully. My desk. My phone. My notes from the last trip. Normal, mundane stuff...
"Calm, down…" I whispered to myself.
"Just… breathe…" I'm a grown man, something like this won't take me down.
Still, the pain, it just vanished entirely. I'm glad it was gone, but I'm worried about what this so-called system was even going through.
Did it malfunction on me? No, I can't begin to fathom what that would even do to me, or others if that were the case...
Vrrm~
Vrrm~
...
My phone, of course it's ringing... And, an unknown number too. I picked it up, albeit reluctantly. Didn't like answering unknowns.
"Ah, y-yeah? Hello?" I answered.
"Ayano, it's you. Good. I just wanted to call, and tell you that I'll be coming to start working on that deal we've made."
Oh, It's just Chitose's mom, and...
What!?
I instantly knew what she was hinting towards: "Wait!? Seriously? Isn't this a bit, sudden? Won't those materials for something like an underground training facility take a few weeks to even procure?"
Before she even responded, I sure I heard her chuckle over the line;
"Why, yes, but that's for normal people... I on the other hand, am not normal. In fact, our family is one of the most powerful on the entire planet due to the nature of our work... Things like these are literally child's play to acquire, though~ I don't want to brag about it."
I shook my head; I didn't have the mental energy to refuse her at the moment, nor did I have a reason to really even do so.
"I... get that... But, where are you now?"
Then, I heard the sound of a car pulling up in front of my home... I looked out.
'What the? No fucking way...'
I practically dashed towards my window, looking out to and seeing black sedan look-alike, but multiple heavy duty cargo trucks, no they looked like modular transport vehicles too, all parked right outside my premises. Then I saw one of the black sedan's door opening, slowly revealing her.
...
"Sorry, I forgot to mention that I was already here."
'You've got to be kidding me...' I shook my head on instinct.
'Oh no... She's coming in here... Isn't she.'
I looked out again, only to see her approaching the front door now...
'Yep, she's definitely coming here.'
Before I even knew it, my hand was already planted firmly on my face. First this so called system of mine starts it's creepy malfunctioning, and now my new friend's mom show up out of nowhere on me...
'Damn it...'
I went downstairs to meet her, no point in resistin' this...
I guess the sooner the better too.
She stood on the other side with that same composed poise she always wore, like an armor in an odd sense... She was impeccably dressed I might add too. There wasn't a single strand of hair out of place, and not the slightest hint of apology in her eyes.
Oddly enough, I found that incredibly attractive...
'Please focus Ayano...' I told myself.
"Good morning, Ayano." She said cheerfully, as though this were a friendly neighborhood visit, and it wasn't the start of a construction operation in my backyard.
"You look a little pale—is everything alright?" She asked me calmly.
I blinked, nearly laughing at the understatement: "Yeah, just... Never mind me. Is it okay if I come see what you're up to?"
She nodded: "Of course."
Behind her, their were many workers already climbing out of the trucks, moving with mechanical precision, like they'd done this sort of operation hundreds of times before this one. One of them even tipped his hat at me. But, his face was pretty much dead serious...
'Seriously... Uncanny valley much?' I brushed off the thought.
I just waved back at him, just to be polite. I turned back my attention to Chitose's mother...
"You seriously brought all this without even thinking of warning me...?"
"I did call..." She said to me lightly, then stepping right past me into the house without waiting for permission;
"I just didn't bother waiting for you to agree, especially when you already have." She added.
She was... Right... What comeback could I think of to handle a response like that?
I exhaled through my nose. My entire day was spiraling at this point, and it wasn't even my lunchtime yet...
"Okay then… Where are you even building this thing, precisely?"
For the second time, she smiled, honestly surprising me for a bit, before pulling out a sleek tablet from her handbag;
"I've managed to scan your property on the way here... The forested area behind your home will suffice. In fact it's perfect. Quite remote, shielded, and far away enough from any potential nosy neighbors that could pry... Don't worry—I'll handle all the permits, and legal documents where necessary. Or more precisely, I'll make them disappear."
"..."
Haha... Of course she would.
"Alright..." I said under my breath, shutting the door behind her;
"I guess we're doing this now then."
And just like that, my so-called normal week came to a screeching halt. System breakdowns, a reality-bending update, and a literal secret training base being built in my backyard... All in a day's work, apparently. The last one I was aware of, but the timing, it wasn't what I expected it to be...
I rubbed my eyes, and mumbled under my breath: "I really need some coffee... Maybe I should learn how to make."
'Actually... This day can be a great day to learn... But, let's leave that topic alone for the time being...'
"Hey, are all those men out there aware of our, or my situation by any chance...?"
She turned, and answered me: "Yes, they work directly under me, and are loyal, so don't worry..." She stopped before continuing...
"Why did you suddenly ask?"
I didn't know why... But, I could feel myself smiling...
"Because..." I looked back at the machines;
"Maybe I can find where my real limit is."
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"Hey, excuse me, sir... How much does this entire thing weigh, if you don't mind me asking."
The elder glanced at him with an unreadable look, then gave a small shrug;
"The base module? It weighs around 150 metric tons total, and one of those containers on top of it alone is roughly, 350 metric tons... Why?"
Ayano stepped a little closer, his eyes scanning over the stacked crates and reinforced alloy panels being wheeled toward the clearing;
"No reason… Just a little curious."
"Right…" The elder eyed Ayano for a second longer before returning to his task, probably thinking the youth before him was just some bored child watching the professionals at work, and was just interested in it.
'Well, I suppose it isn't bad for him to be even a bit zealous...' The man thought, continuing his work.
500 metric tons in total…
He silently stood next to one of the steel lifts and let my fingers brush the side. Cold, dense. His arms tensed for a second at the thought of actually attempting what he was thinking of. However, as he looked at it, there was this strange feeling in his head, like he knew exactly what he wanted to do with this thing to maximize strength gain...
'Is this because of the new passive I've gained...?' However, the weird sensation didn't stop one bit, it only grew in his mind.
In fact, in this very instant, his entire body didn't even feel like his own anymore… But, he thought that wasn't entirely bad thing...
He walked over closer: "Hey!" Keiji called out again;
"Mind if I try lifting it..? I Just wanna see what I'm working with..." He asked, truthfully.
"Pfft! HAHA-hahah!!!"
The man actually laughed heartily at that, saying: "Oh~ Sonny, I know you might have superhuman strength and all... But, your spine will attempt to file for a heck of a divorce. This thing's not meant to even budge without the rig back there." The worker explained, pointing behind himself.
Ayano tilted his head to the left slightly, letting a small smirk form at the corner of his mouth. "Then, maybe I should introduce myself to it properly."
He was about to wave Ayano off the youngster in front of himself again, truly wondering if his missus made the right decision in helping the person before himself, and if the boy was actually mentally unstable to an extent, or grossly cocky. And, Ayano could tell...
'I'm sure of it... He's definitely thinking that I'm crazy...' Keiji thought off-handedly.
However, Ayano tiredly sighed, walking straight up to the edge of the container's stack—right where the base and upper module were carefully connected, the worst possible leverage point. He crouched, palms flat against the cold metal, taking a slow breath, and slowly began lifting...
"Hrrmmph..."
The groan of the steel echoed through the clearing, with a sound like tectonic plates scraping together. At first, he braced myself with both hands, expecting the kind of resistance that would make his own tendons scream. But, when he pulled—there wasn't pain.
There wasn't even that crushing strain he thought would knock him flat.
'Wha...?'
To his confusion, there was just, movement, and no resistance.
The entire 500 metric tons, moved. Ayano's eyes widened, not in fear—but in complete shock instead, and realization.
'This… was light?'
He let out a breathless laugh, and loosened one hand from the steel—just to test it, just to be sure—and kept lifting.
It was still rising, still completely effortless too...
A full inch off the ground, then two. One hand, fingers curled beneath reinforced alloy, metal groaning in reluctant defiance as if it knew it shouldn't be this easy. But, it was. His feet weren't even struggling and wavering on the pavement, and his body wasn't even anchored or twisting for any for of leverage either. It was just an extremely casual lift, as if moving a stubborn suitcase onto a high shelf, and to Keiji, that was at best.
Around him, all the workers had stopped what they were doing entirely... He could see each of them absolutely shocked. One person even dropped his clipboard from what he was even seeing. Another of the bunch mouthed something none of them couldn't hear far off, all their brains were clearly failing to categorize what they were witnessing at the moment...
Vrmm~
'I can't even blame em'. Even I can't comprehend this either. But, it was definitely getting closer to my maximum, I can tell, but it wasn't by much... but this? It pretty much felt like nothing more than a sizeable stone in my arm, rather than anything to call heavy, speaking off...'
He stopped his thinking, staring off to the side... He could see her, he could see Chitose's mother out at his doorstep.
And for the first time, there was absolute look of shock on her face.
'This was definitely worth it then.'
He slowly turned to the man who informed him about what he had even lifted...
"So..." He said smiling.
"I guess... You guys wont mind if I help you in moving these things, right...?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 40: A calm, and a Brewing Storm...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
"That-"
Thuunnggg!!
...
"-Should be the last of all of them..."
I dusted off my hands, placing the last of the materials brought here in their respective places.
That should've at least been a whole day's work in what? 15 minutes alone, give or take? It didn't really matter much to me, I'm actually glad that I could help with doing something around here for a change.
Grumble~
Grumble~
I pressed a hand to my stomach, and sighed. I definitely felt that one too;
'I guess... I should eat first, huh?' I'm actually pretty hungry as is.
I slowly waved the workers off, and I made my way back inside, where Chisaki's mother was still waiting for me.
This time, she looked visibly stressed out...
"Uhm, are you ok...?" I asked her. She... She couldn't be stressed about what I did earlier right...? Wasn't me being strong supposed to be a good thing?
'Either way... I'll get my answer.'
She slowly looked up towards me, rubbing the bridge of her nose before saying: "Yes... It's just that." She pasued, closing her eyes for a moment before re-opening them slowly;
"I knew you were quite powerful when we met those days ago... I just didn't really expect you to be that powerful. It also means, we'll simply have to get extremely creative with how we test your strength levels going forwards, especially from now, and onwards."
'*Phew*... I'm glad it wasn't anything else, but... I understand where she's coming from.'
Thinking about it, she was right, you aren't getting much heavier than what I just hauled with absolute ease, at least not conveniently, and definitely not without the sheer size of the object being some form of detrimental issue as well.
'We really do have to get creative here...' I sighed.
"I see... But-" I could still feel my stomach grumbling, I looked up back towards her: "-Can we just, talk about this later...? I'm kind of hungry right now, and I haven't prepared anything for myself, yet-" I stopped, thinking about our entire interaction so far, and I've just realized something strange;
"-Also, I don't think I've ever gotten your name since all this time we've spoke with one another, mind telling me so I can quit calling you Chisaki's mom/mother in my own head...?"
She looked at me and smiled..."
'That actually got me a small smile out of her...?'
The tension in her shoulders, I could see it softening, bit by bit. Eventually, she let out a short sigh, and gave me a light smile, before responding;
"I suppose, you're quite right about that... My name is... it's, Yukari."
"Alright, miss Yukari. You want anything...? Seeing that you're already here and all, and you seem quite comfortable in my abode... I might as well whip up something for you as well."
She blinked at me—caught off guard, not by the offer itself, but maybe by how casual it sounded, like I was just asking a neighbor over for tea instead of a woman who'd brought an entire paramilitary-grade build crew to install a secret training facility behind my house...
Right now I'm just trying to make the situation a little less tense... Plus, I really was hungry.
I saw Yukari hesitating before she answered: "I… shouldn't. I really didn't come here for that."
'Shouldn't...?' I repeated the word in my head for a bit.
wondering why use such a strong word to describe this, or was this her way of saying she didn't want to eat from me...
Was... she still uncomfortable with me? Actually, she might be... and, If that's the case, I'm a monumental idiot.
But, oddly enough, the words didn't have much weight behind them. She looked right past me, maybe at the hallway or maybe just at the inside, where the world felt a bit less heavy than outside.
Her mouth opened again like she was about to politely decline the offer—then, she stopped herself...
"Actually…" She said, slower now, it was almost like she was admitting something to herself, as much as she was doing to me;
"Maybe just a little bit. If it's not too much trouble."
...
~ Yukari's Pov ~
.
.
.
His home.
It was so much… Quieter than I expected it to be. Certainly lived-in, but not necessarily cluttered, and not messy either...
There was a sense of, simplicity to it all. The kind of place that hadn't been curated to inherently impress anyone, not now, or ever. It just made me feel unexpectedly even more self-aware, at least of my own boots and field jacket, still a little dusty from outside work we had done.
I didn't sit down right away. Instead, I let myself wander a little through the open space of the entryway, I looked around to see the lining of relatively old furniture, the slight wear on the floorboards, all subtle marks left behind by a long time living here... There was a warmth here. Not, architecturally. Just very personal.
'Regardless of that, he does keep his home quite clean. That isn't something someone usually sees often from a highschooler, much less from a male.'
Not only that, I could tell it was the kind of home that had meals cooked in it often...
I could just, tell.
And right on TIME. I caught the first hint of something from the kitchen, a soft and rich, slightly garlicky, but with that buttery, savory depth that came from knowing when to flip something just right in a pan.
'It smells, wonderful...'
I stood there a little too long, arms were still folded, staring down the hall like the scent alone could open doors.
This wasn't what I was used to... I came from rooms filled with blueprints, controlled air flows with maintenance, fluorescent lightings all around me, and metallic tangs of sterilized tools from all my research. Meals for me were usually compressed, efficient, nutritional choices calculated for output, rarely for comfort.
'When... When was the last time I a meal that was for my own enjoyment...?' I can hardly remember them, if any at all.
And yet, here I was, in a home with sunlight filtering through slightly tinted windows, and my stomach was already preparing itself to enjoy something, instead of just processing it as something I needed to just, live.
"Bon appétit~" He said, turning towards me...
Ayano had came back, and this time, he held two plates in his arms, it looked like freshly made, omelets.
"Hmmm? I don't think I can serve you this while you're standing..." He said to me, smiling.
"I know." I said, quickly walking towards the kitchen myself, and sitting quietly.
He set both the plates down gently, like it was second nature to be careful with hot porcelain. The omelets, they looked… golden. Not just yellow or cooked-through, but a true welcoming golden hue. It was like he'd managed to find that perfect window between overdone, and underwhelming. The edges, they were crisped just a bit, folded neatly, with a light drizzle of what looked like soy glaze across the top, and finely chopped herbs scattered with a kind of quiet confidence...
'A, meal...' I thought to myself. Not knowing why I did...
Before I knew it, he slowly sat across from me without saying much of anything else, and honestly, I strangely appreciated that... The silence between us, it wasn't awkward—it was just... calm.
'When was the last time I ate like this...?' I asked myself, again. Wondering where these thoughts were coming from.
I quickly picked up my fork, and slowly sliced into the omelet... I took the spoon, scooping it right in my mouth.
And... The very moment it touched my tongue, I knew... I just knew was in trouble.
It wasn't just, good.
It was comforting in a way I couldn't remember having felt for a very long time. Light, fluffy, savory with a hint of sweetness at it's edges, and something creamy—maybe cheese, maybe butter, maybe both. There was thought in every bite, yet done in such little time...
He didn't throw this together just to impress me either. This was how this youth ate? Was this what he makes when no one else was around, watching him?
Unconsciously, I found myself taking a small glance at him... He was already digging into his own plate, eyes half-lidded, probably much more ravenous than he let on earlier, so much so, that I couldn't help but to ask;
"...You, I can tell. You cook like someone who's been doing this for quite some time..." I finally said, between my bites. I kept my tone as even as I possibly could, being as neutral as possible as well. I didn't know why, but I didn't want him to think I was giving out praises easily. But, this...? it was definitely true. I wasn't the type of person to give out compliments freely. I always set my expectations quite high, and admittedly...
I am a bit of a perfectionist because of that very same mind-set I've amply developed over the years. With my kind of responsibility, I had to be...
No... 'Why am I suddenly having these strange thoughts...?'
He glanced up with a bit of egg still on his fork, gave a faint smile, a smile that affected me more than I would like to ever admit to;
"I, actually kind of had to, really... It's not like I have anyone else to do it for me... Didn't you already know that?" He asked me.
I quickly, shook my head, and answered: "No... Of course not! I make it a habit to not look into someone's personal life if I don't have to... I even prefer not to." I placed far more in that response than I'd like to admit to as well...
When I looked at him, he had a raised brow, then he let out a small breath, maybe not quite a laugh, but something close. The corner of his mouth tilted upwards again, though this time it didn't feel like a mask, or a reflex. It was... honest. Slightly tired, maybe. But still, honest.
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense..." he said, resting his fork down gently;
"I don't peg you as the kind of person who likes stepping into something when she doesn't need to." He told me.
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I took another bite. The flavor hadn't dulled in the slightest. If anything, it settled in deeper now that my appetite wasn't trying to rush ahead of itself...
I spoke up once again: "I've seen too many people get hurt because they assumed they needed to know everything..." I explained to him, yet my eyes found themselves on my plate;
"Sometimes, leaving things alone is the most respectful, and greatest thing you can do." I finished.
I could feel him watching me for a second, though not with judgment. Just... attentiveness. Like he was re-evaluating something, or maybe he was just trying to connect the dots he hadn't seen in me before.
"Huh..." he muttered, leaning back in his seat. "That's, pretty rare... Most people say that but then turn around and dig anyway, don't they?" He told me.
I gave a small bod. "It's good that I'm not most people, though... You already know that."
"No..." he said, more so to himself, than to me. "I guess, you're really not."
There was a bit of silence between us... Not awkward, but I didn't know what it was exactly...
"Well... How's Chisaki doing? Why didn't she come along with you?" He suddenly asked.
I responded; "I thought it would be best for her to stay home for the time being, at least until this project is fully complete."
"I see..."
Hmm?
"Interesting, I thought you'd pry a little farther than that." I said, completely honest.
"I don't need to really do that, do I?"
"Really? And why would you not?" Pressing him a little further.
He took another bite before responding: "Because of the conditions given already; I've pretty much done the best I can to be honest, reasonably speaking at least."
I raised an eyebrow at that; "Just because of those alone?"
He gave me a simple, almost casual nod: "Yeah, and the fact that it's not really my concern either way, isn't it? I feel like I'm already crossing a personal line as is." He then looked up at me, smiling;
"Plus, you also seem like the type to hold true to your promises, which is also a good thing."
'Wha... What?'
...
Ba-Thump~
...
'H-He's certainly honest, at least... But, I feel as though I'm speaking with an adult rather than some child who just left high school. It's quite, strange...'
"Then-"
-Vrrm~
Vrrm~
He quickly checked his phone... His eyes widened for a split second, so I got a little curious;
"Would you mind if I were to ask what that was about?"
He shook his head, "Not at all really... It's just that, my friend suddenly just asked me to come over to her place all of a sudden, it caught me a bit off guard for a second there to be completely real with you."
Her place...?
"I see... What do you plan on doing then?" I was even more curious now, and yet again... I didn't know why either.
I watched him gently rubbing the back of his neck: "I think I might just go. Plus, it's not like you need me to keep you company either."
For a moment, I just looked at him. The casualness in the way he said it, the way he stood up lightly from his seat and stretched a bit like this was the most normal thing in the world. Like he wasn't aware of how that answer somehow stirred the smallest flicker of... something! A vague heat, tucked just beneath my ribs. I ignored it of course...
"You're not, entirely wrong." I replied, maybe a little too quickly. "I don't."
He glanced over his shoulder, smirking faintly like he'd heard that tone shift but didn't want to call it out; "I know, and I pretty much figured that out." He told me, as a matter-of-factly too.
I followed him partway as he grabbed his phone from the table and slipped it into his back pocket.
The sun... It was starting to set a bit lower now, casting the hallway in that warm, dying amber light. Strangely, he looked almost older than he was in it...
"…Would you mind me asking, who she was?" I asked, before I could even stop myself.
He paused mid-step, turning his head slightly... "Who?"
"Your friend." I clarified, slightly softer this time.
"The one who just messaged you..."
A beat passed, and not long after either, but certainly long enough to make me wonder if I'd crossed a line of my own...
"Well, she's just that, a friend." He said, voice completely even: "We've pretty much known each other for a little while now, that's really all there is to it, I guess."
I nodded. It sounded, acceptable enough... "Alright."
'No... Why do I seem to care if it was acceptable...?' I asked myself, but I brushed away the thought.
That explanation of his was all I needed. No, that was all I should need.
He stepped into his shoes by the door, leaning down to tie them without much fuss: "Well, I'll be back before evening... If you're still around by then, I might even cook you something else, too."
I sighed: "Don't make promises you can't keep." I said with a raised brow.
He looked up, smiling. "Ha... I won't."
And with that, he stepped outside, the door clicking softly shut behind him. The house, it grew, quieter again... I just stayed there, arms folded to myself, with my own eyes looking on the empty doorway for a few moments now...
'Just a friend... Hmmm…?' I thought to myself, I felt my lips pressing into a rather thin line. I didn't know why, but I was annoyed with how both that, and this was starting to make me feel...
I sighed...
But, I can't continue like this, I had work needed to be done...
'Still, I suppose I should get back to overseeing the project now...'
...
~ Ayano's Pov, a few minutes later... ~
.
.
.
I didn't think I've ever been so glad to be messaged in my entire life... She kept bombarding me with the questions. At some point, I genuinely think she was trying to calculate my lung capacity with the naked eye. I get it—I'm apparently a new kind of anomaly, one she didn't really expect. But still...
A bit of space would've been a bit nice.
I probably sounded a bit harsh. It's not like she was hostile, or anything like that...
So, when Katsura messaged me, it was like someone cracked open a window in a suffocating room... Especially about the last bit.
And honestly? It was a perfect excuse. I didn't have to lie.
I wasn't even halfway down the road before I could already feel the weight easing off my chest. I didn't dislike Yukari or anything, far from it—it was just... intense, being around her. Like I had to keep scanning my own words mid-sentence. She was the incredibly smart, sharp, the expressionless type. And, while I could usually roll with people like that, today...
it just... wasn't something I had the mental gymnastic-esq energy for.
I quickly rounded the corner past the bus stop.
Thankfully, her place wasn't too far ahead of mine, just a decent walking distance. After a few minutes, I was pretty much there.
I walked up her steps, and rang the doorbell.
The chime sounded inside... I stood there for a few seconds, hands in my pockets, letting the moment settle a bit. Until, the scent of something vaguely sweet drifted through the air... I was sure of it... this, it was a hint of vanilla, maybe touch of cinnamon too. It smelled really, really good...
Then I heard it: footsteps, soft ones, quick and slightly uneven, like someone half-running through a hallway and not caring how much noise they made. The door cracked open a second later...
It was... Kotonoha's mother, Manami, I believe.
What really caught me off guard, was the fact that, it almost felt like her eyes lit up the moment she saw me, not only that, I could see surprise flashing across her face for just a breath before melting into something warm, and then slowly into an unmistakably welcoming...
"Oh!—A-Ayano-kun!?" She said, straightening herself, though her apron was still dusted faintly with flour;
"I wasn't expecting you today, at least not so early... You're here for Kotonoha, correct?"
I gave a short nod, offering a polite smile. "Ah, yeah, she messaged me a bit out of the blue. Said I should come over, so I figured, why not, right? I'd see what was up."
Manami quickly stepped to the side without much hesitation, motioning me in with a gentle energy that always seemed to linger around her;
"She's in the kitchen, it's the the left at the end of the hall... She's been… well, let's just say she's been trying something new recently... And then, I warned her not to burn the house down." She gave a small laugh, but it was fond, not critical.
"Though... You certainly have changed quite a bit since we last spoke..."
'Oh, yeah, she's right... I almost forgot too, When we last talked with each other. I was just as tall as she was, if not sightly shorter... She must've been surprised when she saw me at first...'
"Yeah, I've kind of hit a growth spurt over that small time away, it was nothing too major to be honest with you."
Manami's smile softened at my comment, but I could tell there was something in her eyes, something that said she noticed more than just my height, she always did... It's also the same look she gave me when she and Kotonoha came to the school...
She spoke again: "It's not just that, you know. You carry yourself differently now. Almost like... you've grown into your own person."
I shyly nodded: "Well, it must be the high school graduation haze or something..." I replied, trying to brush it off with a light laugh. But the compliment, or maybe it was an observation, stuck with me longer than I expected it to.
Manami didn't really push the topic any further, instead stepping toward the kitchen with a knowing glance. "Well, I'll leave you two to it then... Don't be afraid to ask if you need anything. Kotonoha might not say it, but she could probably use a bit of help."
I nodded, more so in acknowledgment, already hearing Kotonoha's voice getting louder as she muttered something about this has to be right this time, and maybe I can salvage it. It honestly sounded like she was really in the zone there, but it also sounded like it was definitely about to get a bit, well... messy, so to speak.
I slowly walked towards the kitchen, with the smell of baking filling the air as I approached the entryway, trying to steady my own thoughts, but it was proving to be difficult with this kind of smell... When I stepped inside, Kotonoha was right there, with her back to me, carefully adjusting something in the oven, looking so focused that she didn't notice me right away...
I cleared my throat just enough to get her attention.
"Uh... Kotonoha?" I asked.
She froze for a second before turning, her face lighting up when she saw me standing there.
"O-O-Oh! A-Ayano-kun! You came pretty quick." She stammered. She was adorable when she does this... She looked shyly at me seeing her like this;
"I-I wasn't expecting you to show up this soon..." She added, causing my paternal instincts to rise...
I leaned against the doorframe with a raised brow. "You messaged me... I figured you had a reason for it."
Kotonoha straightened up and brushed a lock of hair out of her face, giving a nervous laugh. "Right... Well, I thought I'd try to... make something. I haven't exactly had much practice in the kitchen before, but I thought just maybe, I could, well... surprise you. And, um, I kind off wanted to show off a bit..."
She was still trying to act casual, but I could see the slight flush on her cheeks. I couldn't help but smile at her shyness, crossing my arms: "Well, you've certainly gotten my attention now madam. What's cooking?"
She glanced at the oven, a bit of pride shining through her hesitation: "W-Well, it's supposed to be muffins, but I might have... mixed up a couple of steps. We'll see."
I stepped closer, watching her prepare a tray of something that resembled muffins—at least, in theory. "I think I should probably step in right about now."
Kotonoha blinked, her eyes widening in surprise. "You think so? I-I didn't think it was that bad."
I raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the batter that had spilled over the sides of the muffin tin. It didn't exactly scream culinary masterpiece, but it was the effort that was there, and that was what counted to me;
"Well, it's a good thing I'm here then, huh?" I said with a half-smirk, teasing her lightly.
She bit her lip, clearly torn between being defensive and accepting the help. But in the end, she let out a breath, standing aside with a resigned sigh: "Okay, okay... Maybe I could use a little backup..."
I moved over to the counter, picking up a spatula and quickly assessing what had gone wrong. "First things first, let's clean up the edges a bit, and then we can fix this batter. A little less flour, and then we'll be on track."
She watched me work, still hovering near the door with a mix of fascination and nervousness. "You've... done this before, haven't you?"
I chuckled under my breath as I stirred the mixture, making sure everything was even: "Yeah, a few times... It's kind of second nature to me."
Kotonoha shuffled her feet, her voice quieter this time;
"I've never really been... good at cooking... But, you know this already. Honestly speaking. I mean, I can get by, but nothing that's worth sharing." She shared.
I glanced up at her, giving her a reassuring smile with a pat: "You're doing better than you think. This isn't bad. Just in need of a little tweaking."
She looked down at her hands, a faint blush coloring her cheeks again. "I just didn't want to mess it up... especially since you were coming." she said, looking slightly down-trodden.
'Man... she's really too good, for her own good...' I told myself.
Her words had hit me in an unexpected way, I responded: "Kotonoha..." I said to her softly. "It's really fine... I appreciate the effort you've put in all this, and that's what matters."
She looked up at me, her eyes a little brighter now, as if the pressure had lifted just slightly. "You... You really mean that?"
I nodded, finishing the last of the adjustments and popping the tray back into the oven. "Of course! It's not just about perfection, it's also about tryin' too. And I know you've put a lot of thought and effort into making this."
She smiled, her earlier nervousness slowly fading away as she stepped closer. "Thanks, Ayano-kun. I guess... maybe I should just relax and enjoy it instead of stressing about everything."
I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms again. "That's the spirit. Cooking isn't supposed to be a chore."
"Not bad..."
Hearing the voice, I instantly turned around. Seeing Manami right beside me...
'Ayo... When did she even get here?'
Manami was standing just behind me, arms crossed in a casual but knowing way, her gaze flickering between Kotonoha and me. There was a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, like she had been watching for a while without me noticing.
"Not bad at all, Ayano-kun." She repeated, her tone was teasing, but with a warm undertone;
"I didn't expect to see you so at ease in the kitchen." Manami said.
I blinked, a little caught off guard... "Uh, well, I'm just helping out. Kotonoha was, uh... trying to make muffins, but we had a little hiccup..."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Muffins, you say? I'm a little bit intrigued by how this will turn out."
I could feel Kotonoha's presence shift slightly behind me, the silence hanging a little heavier. "Okaa-san…" She begrudgingly muttered and groaned underneath her breath, probably embarrassed by her earlier attempts.
I glanced Manami giving her daughter a knowing stare, before turning back to me; "I'd offer you a drink, but it seems like you've already settled into all this."
Her smile softened slightly, a warm kind of affection that didn't seem forced...
'Hmm...'
I was still trying to wrap my head around how seamlessly she had appeared out of nowhere: "How long were you standing there exactly...?"
She showed a small smile at me, with a tone that felt oddly mischievous...
"Oh, long enough to make sure you two weren't making a mess of things." She told us both.
She then winked at me playfully, but for some reason, I could tell there was a deeper tone of genuine fondness beneath the joke, and something else I couldn't place my finger on either...
So, I let it go for the time being...
...
Kotonoha on the other hand was now fully focused on the oven. She visibly huffed a little, and there was even slight frown showing on her lips;
"Okaa-san! I can tell... You're just waiting for an opportunity to embarrass me, aren't you!" She accused.
Manami simply laughed lightly, but it wasn't harsh: "Maybe, just a little... But, only because you're too stubborn to ask for help when you genuinely need it the most."
I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the dynamic between the two of them. It was clear how much they cared for each other, even if their interactions seemed a little... Charged with with a somewhat playful tint in it.
"Alright you two." I said, standing back and dusting off my hands;
"let's just all focus on getting these muffins right, yeah...?" As much as I didn't want to admit it, the atmosphere felt a bit weird, and oddly tense as well...
Still, I found myself smiling: 'Well, let's just get this over with...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 41: It, Begins...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"Oh... Oh my... These muffins are quite, delicious!" Minami exclaimed, with her eyes widening, and her hand gently pressed against her lips.
Kotonoha blinked, almost in disbelief;
"Wait-really?" She quickly turned toward Ayano, who simply gave her a small, smug shrug as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. The scent of baked vanilla, and just-browned sugar lingered in the air, cozy and warm.
"Yes, really," Manami said, her expression genuinely surprised as she took another bite. "They're soft, sweet—not overly so—and, there's this lovely little crunch on the edge of it all. I... I don't know what you two did in here, but it worked."
Kotonoha, clearly trying to keep her composure, crossed her arms and nodded once like it had all been intentional from the start: "Well… I did help mix the batter."
Ayano raised an eyebrow at her. "You mean, before or after you tried to put salt instead of sugar?"
She shot him a playfully angry narrow-eyed stare, though her cheeks flushed the faintest pink: "Eh? A-Ayano-kun...! You... you promised me that you wouldn't bring that up..."
"I promised that I wouldn't make fun of you for it, which are two very different things in my book." He corrected, with a calm smile;
"I didn't say anything about mentioning it." He slowly added.
Manami seeing their interaction, chuckled quietly into her hand, whilst swiftly sneaking another glance at the younger boy, before savoring another bite as she watched them both. Her gaze lingered on Kotonoha for a second longer, softer now—something thoughtful glinting behind her eyes. She then looked back toward Ayano...
"I must admit... You've certainly got a surprisingly good presence here." Manami told him, with her voice much gentler than before: "It's, comfortable. In fact, it's obvious to that you're the kind of person that settles a room."
"..."
Ayano didn't reply right away. He just rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed by the proclamation. He had a hunch that Manami was outspoken, but not to this extent, but he quickly chalked it up to her being nice;
"W-well, I-I-well... just, try not to get in the way." He was mildly annoyed at himself for stuttering so much in a single sentence...
Manami hummed thoughtfully at what he said, but didn't press... Instead, she set her empty plate down, eyes still roaming... "Well, I hope you don't plan on leaving right after this. I think I'm going to be expecting you for dinner next time too."
Kotonoha blinked, halfway into reaching for another muffin. "W-Wait, what...?"
"I like him." Manami said blatantly, already walking off toward the living room... "And, I have a feeling you do as well."
Kotonoha froze up completely, blushing. She went from pale, to a tomato in a matter of seconds...
Ayano, meanwhile, coughed into his sleeve, trying to stifle his laughter.
He stopped, saying: "Well, I like you both too... But, unfortunately." He slowly raised his phone, checking the time: "I just can't make the cut, not today... I've pretty much got prior commitments, and I can't not be a man of my word on it."
Kotonoha, frowned slightly, but Ayano hadn't noticed it: "If... that's the case, you can take some of the muffins on your way back, if you want."
He shrugged, "No, It's fine. Think of those muffins as like a... gift, from me to you... Enjoy them." He finished, walking towards the door.
Manami seeing him passing by, quickly but carefully stopped him: "You're leaving already? I thought you would stay for dinner?"
Ayano paused, hand already on the doorknob, and turned slightly... "I would love to stay, really... but, I kind of promised someone else I'd be back by late evening. And, well... I try not to make promises I can't keep."
Manami studied him for a moment, then slowly nodded in agreement, with an understanding smile forming: "I see... That's, rare. A lot of people say so, but not many are willing to follow through with it."
Ayano chuckled softly, responding: "Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately." He mumbled under his breath.
Kotonoha remained relatively quiet, standing a few steps behind them both, arms still loosely crossed. She wasn't looking at him, exactly—not, directly. Just... near him. At the floor, or the doorway. Maybe even both. But her voice came low, and clear all the same.
"T-Thank you for coming over, Ayano-san..."
He looked back, something faint and sincere in his expression: "Thanks for inviting me..."
And just like that, the door clicked behind him, leaving a small silence in his wake. It wasn't heavy, just... still.
And, Kotonoha's knew that... Yet, her eyes lingered on the door for a moment longer. Then she looked down at the muffins-their muffins-and let out a slow nervous breath...
Manami's voice came from the living room, light but carrying just enough weight of authority: "You could always just ask him to stay next time honey..."
Kotonoha heard her, but didn't answer right away...
But, she smiled.
...
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
'Well, that little trip of mine wasn't too bad, it was nice even...'
I checked the time, realizing it was around 5 PM. I stayed over a bit longer than I had anticipated, way longer.
'Though~ what's even the chance that she's still over there waiting on me?' It was pretty much bar none; but on the off chance she was, I might as well make myself available, right?
I rubbed the back of my head;
'Wait a second... What should I even prepare? Miso Cod? Miso Solmo-'
Bump!
'Son of a-'
Before I could finish my thought, I felt someone bump right into me... When I looked down, I saw a person. He couldn't be younger, or more than a year older than I was right now, but he looked as if he had just escaped some place with his life barely intact...
"Hey... You ok there man?" I probably shouldn't have asked, but something in me was telling me that I should...
The guy-kid looked up at me with wide, panicked eyes. His breath was ragged, with his chest rising and falling like he'd just sprinted a marathon, or worse. There was a streak of dirt down one cheek, and his clothes were torn in places, like he'd been dragged through the underbrush or something.
He didn't answer me right away, he just kept on staring off in the distance, as if trying to figure out if I was real, or if he was safe... Maybe he was doing both.
"I..." He finally choked out, voice dry, hoarse. "I didn't mean to—Sorry—just—please!!! M-My life, i-it's ruined!"
He's losing it... "Take a second," I said, keeping my voice calm. "You're not in trouble, alright... Just, breathe."
I then crouched slightly, lowering my voice too: "You said, ruined...? What do you mean by it's ruined?" But, before he could answer, I could see it. A single poker chip in his pocket, and then everything made sense to me...
'You've got to be kidding me...'
His hands continued to tremble, but he didn't let go of mine once I grabbed it...
Still crouched, I glanced back toward the alleyway he came from. Narrow, dark, reeking of mildew and something coppery, sharp...
"Tell me; What exactly happened back there?" I asked him, keeping my voice low.
He looked like he wanted to disappear. His eyes darted back toward the alley, then back to me. His lips moved before any words came out...
"I... I didn't want to do anything illegal!" He muttered, almost like he was talking to himself. "I swear! I wasn't trying to gamble, or anything shady—I-I just… I just needed the money!"
I... didn't say anything. I just continued letting him speak...
He swallowed: "My mother… She's, sick. Real sick man, and completely bedridden. She's been in the hospital for months now, not getting the recommended care, and the bills are just piling up, getting worse. I dropped out of school just to keep up with my part-time work, but it's not enough... It's never enough."
I saw it then... not just panic, but Shame... The kind that sits heavy in your chest, and the type that settles in your bones too.
"Eventually, I heard about this place..." He went on...
"From some random guy behind the ramen shop near the station. Said there's a way to earn fast cash underground—he said it was the real hush-hush kind, off the books. Said if I could pass one of their tests. I could easily walk away with enough to pay for a year's worth of treatment."
He laughed, but it was bitter, in not empty too;
"Sounded like bullshit, right...?" He said it, almost like he was shaming himself;
"But I was desperate. Desperation makes you stop caring about how good, or bad things might sound."
I nodded slowly, understanding where he was coming from...
"So, I went..." he whispered. "Down into the alleyway. They took me through a side door, and then it was all black walls and that red light. Said it'd just be a simple game... But, those things they do, it ain't normal..."
He looked at me again, a bit Haunted saying: "And when it was all done, they just handed me that chip, telling me I could come back again. Then, they'll l-let me go..."
'Yeah, sure they were...'
Before I realized, I found myself staring down that very same alleyway, with my jaw, tightened.
No... they didn't let him go. It's a tactic so that he could come around again. It was the classic physiological manipulation 10... They wanted to seem as if they were tolerant and forgiving, but they're planning to rob him blind, over and over again. And, I couldn't just let it all happen.
"Listen..." I said to him, pulling him gently along with me;
"We can talk more once we're away from, here. You're fortunate enough to have walked out at all." I said to him, being as blunt as I could make it.
He looked at me, still lost. "Who... W-Who are you?"
I sighed, scratching my head: "That's not important... You can't keep going there either... At least, not without a plan."
PING!!
I heard the system going off in my head again...
----------------------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 2: Find out more about the underground casino...
REWARD: +1 Bronze key}
----------------------------------------------------------
...
Not only was this a new quest, it was also main quest as well. Which means, it's likely important that I actually go out of my way to do it...
Regardless of those facts...
'If I wasn't going to be involved in all this before. I had no choice in it now...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 42: Working, and Testing... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
I made my way out of the cafe, and handed him a cup of coffee, just to try and calm his nerves a bit...
Giving him some time to settle, I asked him: "Alright, I think we're all safe enough now... So, do you mind explaining to me what happens there, in detail?"
I watched as he quickly grabbed the cup, looked around himself like he was a lost soul. Maybe he was still afraid of whatever organization that did this to him, or would end up doing to him if they found out.
"O-Okay... W-well, they had the typical things you'd see in any casino really... Games like poker, slot machines, but they also have other, odd games mixed in... Like snail racing, and even dart throwing... But, that's besides the point."
He paused for a bit, and sighed tiredly: "T-The games aren't the issue there... It's what they do to you if you owe them... They have this credit system in place. If you lose all your money, they can essentially offer you some sort of recompence loan; upwards of a few million yen. And you can pay them back using that money, but with a slight interest attached to it."
I rubbed my temples a little, all this ended up doing, was reminding me of my previous life...
I, unfortunately used to gamble too, it wasn't very for very long, but I did gamble, around a year at most. Almost lost my life because of it too. So, just imagine it... Right after leaving college, I went to instantly throwing myself into a casino to earn a few thousand bucks to help clear my own student loans, funny isn't it?
Not my choice in my old life, but I got fortunate enough to win a little something back, and dip before my addiction got too bad. But, even now. I regret doing any of it. If I could take it all back, I would do it in a heart beat...
But, I needed to ask something: "You said you could win back the money you lost, but with interest, right...?"
He quickly nodded at the question, then I asked him this: "Then, what happens if you lose all the money they've now loaned you?"
The moment, I finished that question, I could feel him tense up... He looked away from me, and started sweating even harder than before as well.
"They… they have one final game." He said, eyes dark and voice trembling like he was reliving it just by describing it;
"It's still a game of chance, but it's nothing like poker or roulette."
He swallowed hard. "They set up this… contraption. Like a miniature guillotine. It's pretty much connected to five ropes, each one leading to a mechanism that can trigger the blade. Only one rope is actually live. The rest are, they're just dummies."
I leaned in slightly, listening...
"The crowd gets to choose which ropes get cut." He continued. "They all take bets on it, and on whether the blade will drop or not, on which rope's the real one. The more ropes that get cut without triggering it. The higher the payout for the house... It drives the excitement up. Gets people throwing money in by the handful. I've seen it happen twice now..."
"And at the end of those ropes?" He quickly told me, voice breaking just a bit: "It's not just a game piece. It's a person's hand. Or foot. Sometimes… worse. If the live rope gets chosen, the blade comes down."
He looked at me, hollowed-out. "That's the final bet... If you Win, you might walk out with your debt cleared. Lose, and you don't walk, or write again."
Hearing this just cemented my decision further at this point. They weren't even doing it normally either, people's limbs were at stake. A less screwed up version of gun roulette... I placed my arm on his shoulder;
"Listen to me... Leave this gambling thing, alone. It isn't helping your situation, at all." I reasoned with him.
He chuckled, almost darkly at me: "Then what about my mother, huh? I can't possibly work enough to get that dept paid, so how can I even stop!?" He said low, yet I could hear his frustration too. And, to be honest, I don't know exactly how I'll tell him to truly stop doing this, especially since a loved one is on the line...
Was he even the only one that's in this kind of situation?
"I'll help you, just... give me some time to think. They can't get away with this forever." In fact. I won't allow it.
Instead, he quickly got up, and left without saying another word...
I truly felt it for the kid. And the others in his situation.
PING!!
---------------------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 2: Find out more about the underground casino... (Complete)
REWARD: +1 Bronze key}
---------------------------------------------------------
PING!
'Again?'
...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 3: Help stop the illegal activities in the Casino... The Player will be given aid in this quest.
REWARD: ??????}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
My quest got, updated? Now it wants me to stop actually them, and it'll even aid me too...? For once, the system is actively aiding me in a quest... I wonder why.
Well, regardless of it being a quest, or not. I would have went out of my way, and stopped them anyway.
'For now, It's probably best to head home...' I quickly checked the time again, and it was almost 6 PM now... I doubt she's still there waiting.
I took a breath, and started walking again. But, the thoughts of this new quest was just pulling at the edges of my mind like some kind of second shadow... Stopping this casino was going to take more than simply good intentions. I'd needed names, locations, or even leverage. I'd have to be patient, and move carefully.
Still, I picked up the pace...
The closer I got to my home, the more aware I became of how quiet my neighborhood had become... The sun was beginning to fade low behind the house tops... The breeze had cooled down too, brushing along the side of my face, I turned the final corner...
I stopped.
'No... way...' I couldn't believe what I'm seeing.
That's...
That's the very same black sedan, which means...
From here, I could already tell the lights were still on inside. I walked further, now past the gate. I stepped up to the door and slid it open...
Yet, there she was...
Sitting at the same table. When I looked, there was an empty plate from earlier had been moved aside, and in front of her now was a cup, steaming...
'Did she just brew it...?' I asked myself, but, that didn't matter right now...
Yukari: "Hmm?"
She looked up when I entered, and her face didn't change much. Not annoyed. Not surprised. Just... quiet, her gaze meeting mine like she expected me to show up eventually, which I had to either way. But, I could just tell; there wasn't any clock-watching with her. Not even a single sigh in sight either...
"You came back." She said plainly, eyes glancing to what seemed like the door behind me, before settling on my face again.
I just nodded, stepping inside and sliding off my shoes: "Ye-Yeah... I wasn't sure if you'd still be here though, if I'm being completely honest with you."
"Well, I had nowhere more important to be-" She said pausing, more so like it was a fact, not a favor;
"-Besides, we had stopped working on the project just a few minutes ago..."
I didn't smile, but something in me had eased when I heard that. And, another part of me was a little curious too.
"I... Well, I'm a little sorry I took longer than I said I would..." I added, rubbing the back of my neck in the process: "...Got a little... sidetracked."
It's likely best if I kept what happened today to myself...
She tilted her head just a little, sipping from her cup. "You... met someone, didn't you?"
'That... came out of nowhere...' But still.
She's a sharp one... "Yeah." I admitted after a slight pause, stepping into the kitchen and opening a few cupboards automatically;
"...It was just a random guy I met on the way from my friend's house... He's in trouble, but I'm helping him sort it out."
She didn't pry into it like earlier, didn't ask more, but I got the feeling that her silence wasn't indifferent. She was waiting, if I chose to keep talking. And maybe I would. But first-
"…Are you hungry?" I asked, already pulling out ingredients. "Plus, I still sort of owe you a proper meal."
Of course, she didn't really answer me right away, but I caught the absolute faintest motion, a small, almost imperceptible nod.
I just found myself smiling, while I turned on the stove to get the food running.
.
.
.
I was, focused-not just on the meal, but on the rhythm of it.
Chop, stir, flip. Add a dash of this... A bit of that. It was kind of easy to fall into once I got going. Cooking to me was, soothing. Like my muscle memory from a life that didn't ask anything too big of me... It was one of the few things I truly enjoyed doing in my spare time...
'Yeah... Nothing beats cooking.' I nodded, satisfied.
I glanced ahead of myself, and I realized that, she hadn't moved an inch, still sitting at the table, watching me without really watching at the same time, it was kind of hard to describe.
'Well, it's best if I just continue...' I did just that, but...
I watched the way her hands were loosely cupping around her mug. Still steaming. That told me that she hadn't taken taken that many sips yet. Maybe she was waiting or thinking about something...? Or, maybe she was just being polite in a weird way.
Going against my better judgment, I spoke: "What kind of food do you normally like to eat...?" Breaking the silence in a way that I didn't want to feel awkward doing. I was really trying my best right now to not let it be. Especially since this woman was technically my first guest over in this reality...
But, when I asked, she blinked, like the question had reached her from somewhere far off, then she answered: "I... don't really have a favorite." She said to me, softly, then;
"-But, I favor things with a sense of balance. Not too sweet. Not too salty either..."
I let out a quiet hum, flicking the fish in the pan to not get the food burnt: "So basically, I've got a one-in-a-million shot of getting it right tonight-"
Her lips twitched at that. Just barely, but it was definitely there... Did she find it funny...?
Well, whatever: "-Regardless... I never said it was impossible for me to pull off." I quickly added.
By the time I plated the food—a simple but clean miso-glazed cod over lightly seasoned rice, with sautéed greens on the side...
The moment I begun placing it down. I, don't know... I just-I found myself, looking around the place for once. Now that I did, I realized that the sun had completely dipped past the horizon now. In fact, the kitchen lights were casting this warmth over everything. It sets the mood, I guess...
I carefully set the plate in front of her, and then I took the seat across the table...
There was a short silence before she picked up her chopsticks. She didn't say anything either. She just took a bite. Then another.
Then, she paused...
"You... You used yuzu, didn't you?" She asked suddenly, eyes right on the rice now.
I blinked at the question at first, but nodded: "Only a little... Not too much. Still, you caught that?"
She nodded at me: "It's, good... The citrus, it cuts the richness wonderfully. Very smart..."
I scratched the back of my neck, letting out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding: "Well, I'm just glad you think so."
I don't know why, but... I felt like she was sort of like a child right now, in an weird sense... I didn't bother breaking the quiet atmosphere we had. At least, not right away. I just let the moment settle a bit. I had this hunch that I should.
Eventually, I asked her: "Do you always wait around like that? For people?"
Her answer was calm. "Only when I think it matters."
Well, I guess it's as simple as that...
"Anyways, I'm just gonna head out again... I might as well get some training in, right?" I said, but honestly, I wanted to to test some of my new abilities.
Specifically, the new Booster skill. The others essentially required targets to effectively use properly based on my understanding, and normal humans don't really qualify for that kind of thing, at least not anymore...
When I said it, she didn't stop me, but she gave me a small nod as a response.
"I'll see you then." I told her.
With that said and done, I headed out, and went towards the woods...
.
.
.
"Damn it's creepy as all hell out here." Anyways...
As bad of an idea it was to test with my new level of speed. It was equally good too, since ending up in one of these trees will teach me to be more careful. I stopped just beyond the clearing where the grass dipped into a slope. This was good enough. If I messed up, I wouldn't break anything important. Hopefully.
'Alright then, let's get this started...' I focused in my mind, activating the skill...
And, just like that, the world instantly felt clearer, or slower...?
Before I knew it, there was this surge of pressure in my limbs... like my entire body had been shot full of pure adrenaline. My muscles didn't just feel stronger-it's as if they felt, hungry. Every movement demanded some form of release, demanded motion. I launched forward and-
-CraaccckKKK-
.
.
.
.
.
-BOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!
...
'The sound barrier? I can... I can actually see it!?'
But, just as I admired it, it vanished, and my body shot forwards, and I only barely missed a damn tree because of my lack of concentration.
"Phew..." That was... close...
"I honestly think I almost had my head caved in..." I sighed, a bit terrified of what could have happened just now.
'Okay then... I definitely need to get control over this level of speed.'
The thought was more than obvious right now, it was practically screaming in my skull. I'd been moving with a kind of velocity that felt less like running and more like ripping through reality. Well over twice my normal speed, at least. Maybe more. And with how the world blurred and snapped around me, I might as well have been teleporting.
.
.
.
Fwish~
Fwish~
After a few dozen more tries, I continued practicing, and in this small amount of time, I think I've already gotten my movement down in general. I didn't really know why either; but, I wasn't even smashing the sound barrier anymore, but my speed hadn't dropped since I've practiced. In fact...
'It feels... like I'm moving faster...' Not by much, but the feeling was there...
At first, I was just messing around, and I wanted to move more efficiently, and for that entire duration something had clicked... Just like with wights.
However, I was still making relatively loud sounds of powerful winds rushing past, but compared to what it was before, I guess this was a massive improvement in and of itself, and I felt oddly satisfied too.
Like that entire training had yielded great results.
Actually... Now that I'm really recalling it, didn't I get that new passive called training mastery? Maybe that was the real cause of the sudden improvement boost...? Regardless, I feel like more than half my energy's been used up. But I guess that's more than good enough, I checked the time again...
"Sheesh... It's already over 8 PM?" Not only that...
My Booster, it's already out too.
Maybe, in the near future I can pull a passive that extends the duration of my skills one day, or one that reduces the cooldown one of these days as well... Either way, with my current level of speed, I got back to my house, pretty much instantly. But, I had to take a odd way around to do it...
When I looked outside past my gate, I realized that the black sedan, it was still there. I shook my head.
'There's no chance, right...?'
I quickly opened my door and walked into my home, only to see her, sleeping?
'Well-hmm... This is... Surprising...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 43: More Improvement... (EDITED)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Yukari stirred, she quietly groaned, with slipping from her lips as her eyes slowly opened...
"Hnnn..."
The dim, shifting ceiling above her wasn't one she recognized at first. Not plaster or wood, but the soft reflection of passing streetlights against tinted windows... It had taken her just a few seconds to register the low rattling sound below her, with the subtle vibration of tires on asphalt, the cool breath of a car's air conditioning...
She sat up slightly, the leather seat creaking under her as the last traces of sleep clung to her posture. Her gaze drifted around the familiar interior of the black sedan. Then it swiftly hit her at once...
She was in the car...
"I... I fell, asleep…?" She mumbled to herself under her breath, gently brushing her fingers under her eyes, slowly in realization...
She leaned forward a little, catching the attention of one of her guards seated up front. Once of them looked back at her through the rearview mirror, sensing her awaking...
"You... Tell me exactly what happened..." She asked, her tone firm, but still composed despite just having woken up...
The guard slowed down: "...You fell asleep at Ayano's residence..." The guard replied, slowly, then he continued by saying: "He said he noticed that you were asleep, and then he helped to carry you out to the vehicle. After that, we brought you back home, at least we assumed so, just as you would instruct is to do."
'Just as I would instruct...' She pondered for a moment.
Her expression didn't shift all that much, but a flicker of something unreadable crossed her eyes...
"Wait... You mentioned that He... He, carried me?" She repeated, as if just realizing. She didn't know why, but she quickly felt embarrassed at just the thought of it, but quickly regained her composure in the process.
"Yes, ma'am..." The man replied.
Hearing that, she slowly looked away then, gazing out the window at the estate's outer road as trees blurred past in the encroaching night...
"I... see." She said, turning quietly.
The guards of course, said nothing more. Professionals to the end, they gave her space as silence stretched inside the car. Yukari on the other hand, started shifting uncomfortably, leaning her head gently against the glass, her reflection barely visible in the dark...
For a moment, he her eyes narrowed, thoughtfully. She realized that, ever since she met the boy, something in her was, changing...
'I... Just... Just what is happening with me...?'
...
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
'It's already 10... I'm still high on energy too.'
I yawned, stretching a bit. I'm still a bit spooked on what the system did today. I didn't even expect it either. Plus, It did say that I'd experience something along the lines of, real time growth...
'Status!'
...
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Chosen One
Height: 178 cm | 5'10"
Age: 17
Health: 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 513 / 1000
Defense: 513 / 1000
Agility: 514 / 1000
Spirit: 515 / 1000
...
I instantly shot up off the bed;
'What's this about? Why the heck are my stats suddenly higher? Actually, my class... Did that change too?'
I check my status to see if anything changed, and it did. Not inherently big, but this was monumental to me. My stats before today had never budged an inch.
My two months of training only came after I completed the final quests. So, why change now?
'Think for a second, Ayano... it can't all be a coincidence...'
I re-assessed what I knew so far. Ever since that headache and my power essentially bugged out, were the changes because of that sudden update? Or maybe-no. It just had to be that moment earlier. That glitch/error, or whatever this System thing decided to call it, had to be because of this...
The System said I'd experience some kind of, growth. I still didn't understand it at the time, but... What if this was what it meant? Real-time suggests that it's essentially happening at the moment, so to speak. And growth could just be in accordance to my attributes. Now that I think about it, and I continue thinking along that line, then this entire thing make a whole lot more sense.
'Maybe my changes weren't going to come and the end of a month anymore, and If that's the case, then this is way more convenient already.' Still, it does make some sense as to why they even increased. Lifting all those weights I did earlier might have raised my stats a bit...
Still, it's going to be tedious to get these any higher than they are. I... I honestly don't even know how I'll go about agility training either. I needed massive weights to even get close to feel anything, and even then. I still don't know where my upper limits to generate any form of resistance.
.
.
.
Resistance...
.
.
.
Resistance!!
"That's it!" My thinking is so, shallow. Why do I need larger weights, when I can just use extreme resistances? I can talk with Yukari tomorrow, and see what she can do concerning that.
For the time being, I guess I can just do some more training for the time being... I wanna test something else.
...
~ Third Person Pov, The next Day... ~
.
.
.
Fwi~
Fwi~
'Hahaha! My, fists... They don't make sounds anymore.' Ayano thought to himself.
He had spent the entire night, and morning training himself in mastering one simply punch. Repeating the same actions for hours on end. His eyes were baggy, showing his exhaustion ever since he started till now His eyes were slightly puffy due to being open for extended periods of the time he'd taken, but, he simply continued swinging-
Fwi~
His fists, they were moving well past the speed of sound, and yet, the sound barrier hadn't shattered, not even a slight gust of wind either. And this was because of him training with the intent of reducing wasted movement...
Fwi~
Fwi~
Ayano's hands were now cutting through the air in perfect arcs. They were clean, precise, invisible. At least, for now...
The lack of sound wasn't from a lack of speed-it was the exact opposite. He was moving so efficiently, with such fluid, and economical grace, that there was no resistance. No friction. Not even a motion for the air to push back against. Just near silence...
Then, he finally slowed down, quickly stopping...
'Status...'
Strength: 513 / 1000
Defense: 513 / 1000
Agility: 514 / 1000
Spirit: 515 / 1000
...
'Damn it... Of course it had to be.'
Just like he had assumed it. None of his stats have actually increased, despite his body protesting with both pain and struggle, not even a single digit. And that's when he realized the true trade-off with his new passive.
'That just confirmed that little theory of mine... I can't do both physical growth, and technique growth at the same time... It looks like I trade one for the other.'
He had realized the reason why his stats even increased. It wasn't because of just lifting those weights, it's because of how he had did it. What he surmised was that training mastery only focused on either the physical growth of the user, or their technical growth.
Even though he had those two options. He couldn't choose both at once...
He had began realizing it the night before when he had practiced with controlling his speed. Even though he took a few dozen attempts, the effects had become obvious over time. Each and every moment he wanted to simply improve his technique in running, or his control. The passive would likely trigger, allowing him to continuously improve whatever he was doing at the moment...
He laughed at himself. Despite his disappointment with the revelation. His fists had turned into something terrifying over the course of just one night. He had thought of improving his efficiency, and that fell under the technique aspect of the passive. Because of that, his growth had essentially exploded.
And, it might not just be due to the training mastery either... His martial arts mastery might have super-imposed on his training mastery skill, possibly enhancing an already powerful effect; essentially magnifying each other, almost endlessly.
Training mastery simply made his training vastly more efficient, and equally rewarding as a consequence, at the trade off of focusing on either physical attributes, or techniques at a time; likely not limited to just martial arts, but potentially anything he wanted to get better at in general...
'Still, that's a pretty dubious hidden condition to have...'
He laughed. But, he knew it made sense. Growing physically, while also growing in technique at the same time was practically cheating, it was worse since the passives essentially made him a super prodigy because of it.
He swiftly fell on the grass... Smiling;
'In fact, why should I stop at just this? My martials arts... Couldn't I just improve them further than what they are now?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Notes:
Training Mastery: This passive ability significantly enhances Ayano's efficiency in both physical and technical training. Whether he's refining combat techniques or building raw physical strength, he gains 'better' progress, simply by training properly with higher focus. However, Ayano quickly realized that to fully unlock the passive’s potential, he must subconsciously toggle its focus—either toward technique or physical conditioning. Without this mental switch, the benefits remain untapped...
Chapter 44: Another Visit...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, later that day... ~
.
.
.
'It's already 11 AM...?' I must have really dozed off. My mind was completely shredded after pushing my self so much, but it was well worth it...
Vrrm~
...
Vrrm~
Looks like I've gotten some messages from... Chisaki?
I opened it up, reading: "Good morning Ayano-san, I just wanted to ask if you were ok?"
I looked down further: "By the way, I won't be able to come over for a while. Just in case you were wondering. My situation is a little bit, complicated with my mother at the moment... Speaking of..."
"Did anything weird happen yesterday? I feel like she's changed, somehow."
...
I sat there for a second, just staring at that last message.
'Changed...?'
I thought back to yesterday for a bit. With the sudden arrival. No real warning, no call. Just her, standing there like she'd already decided the outcome of every conversation before it even started... That whole team she brought along didn't feel like something she pulled together last-minute. It was definitely planned out.
But, that wasn't the issue here, was it...
I quickly texted her back. "Well, not really, I guess. She did eat over twice, she seemed like she liked it, but that's really it on my end." Still, I sent it off before I could second guess myself. I couldn't give an appropriate answer to her question since, I didn't exactly know her mother, but even then.
In fact, I sort of got the impression that what she did yesterday wasn't exactly typical of her either, but who am I to judge, right?
I looked below, seeing that Sekai had texted me as well...
"Hey sleepyhead, I just wanted to ask if you could come over at my place, so we can hang out."
I stared at Sekai's message for a few seconds longer than I needed to. Something about the casualness of it caught me a little off guard. But I shook it off. I didn't want to sit around and obsess over someone else's mom, especially not when I had my own things to focus on, like my training.
I cracked my knuckles, thumbed open Sekai's message again, and started typing.
"Sure. Give me a bit to shower and get ready, I'll head over soon."
I hit send, and stared at the screen a moment longer, before deciding to shower.
...
~ Third Person Pov, 20 minutes later... ~
.
.
.
A small, almost involuntary smile danced at the corners of Sekai's lips as she set her phone down on the table. The message replayed in her mind, simple and unassuming, yet somehow enough to make her chest feel just a little lighter.
'He was coming over!'
She turned toward the mirror across her room, brushing a hand through her hair as if to check whether she looked okay—even though there was still time. She hadn't even decided if they were going to stay inside or walk somewhere else. Not that it really mattered. Just having him here, in her space, away from the others… it felt, rare.
She glanced toward the small pile of things she had cleaned up in her room earlier that morning—pillows fluffed, the tables had been wiped down, snacks restocked in the cupboards. She told herself it was just a small habit. That it wasn't for any one reason. But deep down, she knew that wasn't the case...
She'd been praying, and hoping for something like this. Not the message specifically, but the chance to just… be with him. Alone.
'I know it's a tiny bit unfair to Kotonoha-san... but, a young girl like me has got to strike!' She thought, resolutely.
She got up off her bed, and headed downstairs once again. This time, she saw her mother who was busy watching television.
"Okaa-san~! I've invited someone over and he'll be here soon. Is that ok?" Sekai said.
Her mother turned to her, surprised written across her face: "Really? When was the last time you've brought someone over honey."
Sekai tried not to fidget as she stood at the base of the stairs, her hands gently folded behind her back. "It has been a while..." she admitted, her voice soft, but not unsure. "But it's nothing huge. Just... a friend."
There was a brief pause... Her mother had blinked, setting down the remote: "A friend, hmm...? Is he from your class?"
Sekai nodded, and answered with a smile. "Ah, yeah. He's... a really good friend."
Her mother gave a smile as well—warm, knowing, maybe just a little too knowing. The kind of smile only moms had, that said I understand more than you think without uttering a word;
"Well, you've clearly gone out of your way to make things nice for him... So, I won't pry." She said with a wink.
"But, I'll try not to be around too much. You two can have your, privacy."
Sekai blinked, cheeks coloring slightly... "EH!!! I-It's not like that!" Sekai shot back quickly, waving her hands, though she knew her defense was too late. Her mother was already chuckling, standing up and stretching.
"Relax, sweetheart. I'm just teasing you." She giggled slyly: "Well... I'll be in the garden, trimming those awful hydrangeas. You just enjoy yourself."
Sekai exhaled, trying to tamp down the warmth in her face. "Okay. Thanks, Okaa-san…"
As her mother headed out the back door humming to herself, Sekai lingered for a moment in the living room, running her fingers lightly along the edge of the couch before making sure the cushions were all just right. She checked the window. He wasn't here yet.
'Yo-sha!'
She hurried back to the kitchen, grabbing a tray and starting to lay out some of the snacks she'd been quietly stockpiling over the past few days. She wasn't trying to impress him… not really. At least, that was what she told herself. She had honestly just wanted him to feel comfortable. At home.
But even as she tried to keep things casual, her thoughts betrayed her...
'I wonder if-if he'll notice... that I'm trying a little harder today?'
.
.
.
Sekai's mother gently hummed a lighthearted tune as she moved through the garden, shears in hand and a basket beside her filled with soft lavender clippings. The early afternoon sun filtered down through the trees, casting a warm golden light over the backyard. The scent of trimmed leaves, soil, and early summer flowers lingered in the air.
"Humm... Humm... Hum-Huh-Hum-Huh-Hummm~" Sekai's mother hummed while she was tending to the plants.
Of course... The peace didn't last.
"Excuse me, ma'am~"
She turned sharply. Two men were standing just past the low hedge, partially hidden behind the gate. At first glance, she thought they might be delivery workers—until she caught the glint in one of their eyes. Unsettling. Too casual. Their clothing didn't match either—one wore a wrinkled jacket, the other a black shirt stretched over wiry muscle...
"Excuse me gentlemen, bit this is private property." She said softly yet firmly, straightening up: "You can't be here..."
One of the men stepped forward with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, sorry-sorry... We're just looking for someone. A friend. Sekai-chan, right?"
'H-How do they know my daughter's name?' She thought, freezing up, instantly...
The mention of the name sent a ripple of doubt through her—but it didn't last. Regardless, Sekai had only mentioned a single person coming over today. These two looked far too old to be her peers. Too off as well.
"She only invited one person... And he's not either of you." she said sharply, stepping back, bit by bit.
The other man chuckled... "Well, maybe we're new friends, huh? You just could introduce us."
They kept advancing, their steps slow but purposeful. Her breath hitched... Her grip on the shears tightened, but her hands were trembling. "I said leave," she warned, her voice rising: "Right now, or I'm calling the—"
She turned, ready to rush inside—but a hand grabbed her wrist tightly.
"-Aww~ don't, run! That's rude, ya' bitch!" The man murmured in her ear, reeking of stale cigarettes and of something worse. He continued;
"Besides... looks like we found ourselves a thick one." He licked his lips, sniffing her hair and then her neck.
Her eyes widened with horror, fear and disgust. She struggled, trying to twist free, but his grip was essentially ironclad.
"P-please... Just... Just... l-let me g-go!!!"
.
.
.
Inside, Sekai froze mid-step at the sudden sound.
A scream.
Her mother's voice, shrill and panicked, rang out from out the garden. Sekai's heart stopped. She dropped the cup she was holding—porcelain shattering on tile—and rushed to the window.
Her eyes widened in disbelief...
'Oh no!'
Two strangers, leering, looming over her mother—one of them had her arm pinned, laughing as she tried to fight back.
"Stop—! G-Get away from her!" Sekai shouted through the glass. Her fingers fumbled for her phone. "I-I'm calling the police!"
"Do that..." one of the men called out without turning around: "-And, we'll kill her."
Sekai froze up, breath catching in her throat. Her hand shook. She didn't know what to do anymore.
...
Cleek~
The front gate clicked open once again, but slowly.
Ayano had stepped inside just as the final words were spoken—just as he heard, kill her.
Everything in his body stilled. His eyes narrowed instantly. He laid his eyes on the scene... one man gripping a woman by the wrist, another looming just behind him, both grinning as if they owned the place.
Ayano's jaw clenched while he continued walking forward...
"ASSHOLES!!! Let! Her!! Go!!!"
Both the men turned around. They weren't impressed at the act. The one closest to the woman smirked, brandishing a knife from his coat. "What the hell is this?" He laughed. "A little brat here to play hero?"
He lunged in saying, "Ya' should have stayed home kid!"
Ayano on the other hand didn't move an inch from where he stood. His gaze sharpened. His already blue eyes had gotten even colder.
Then—Fwish~
Crack!
Ayano's fist shot forward in a blur—far too fast for even a highly trained human to even hope to track.
A sickening crunch followed, and the man was launched backward by a few meters, his face was caved in, before he went crashing into a flowerbed with a dull thud. He didn't move again...
The second man stumbled back, staring in disbelief as his partner laid crumpled in the dirt...
"Wha? What the fuck!?"
The second man didn't waste time on words. He bolted.
Ayano didn't give chase immediately—he glanced back, eyes checking Sekai and the woman first. Sekai stood pale and breathless by the window, even from where he was. Even he could see the phone trembling in her hand...
Sekai watched as her mother had collapsed on to her knees, shaking, clutching the wrist that had been gripped so cruelly just moments ago. But she was conscious. Still breathing...
...
'Is fate playing some sick fucking prank on me?'
He thought bitterly, and on instinct, he clenched his jaws tightly. To him. This... This was, enough. His eyes flashed a cold frost like hue... This was the third time Ayano had seen something like this. But his second, his second was just the after effect of men...
No! Worms like these ones...
Fwish~
...
Ayano nearly vanished from the spot entirely.
The escaping man hadn't made it more than two steps toward the hedge before Ayano appeared in front of him like a ghost. The thug skidded to a halt, eyes wide with horror, trying to pivot mid-run.
But Ayano didn't let him.
Blam!!
Another blow—this time, it was a straight directly into the solar plexus. Air practically blasted out of the man's lungs, while his body folded inward like a snapped umbrella. He instantly dropped and curled to the ground choking, wheezing, completely neutralized...
Ayano had stood over the man, silent, fists trembling visibly—not from exhaustion, but from restraint.
He hadn't killed them... He almost had. Truthfully... He wanted to. He looked down, as if, tempted by something otherworldly to go through with it all, and it wouldn't settle a bit on his conscience. His fists were clenched so tightly, it was as if he was ringing, or gripping the air itself.
...
'He... He saved me...'
Sekai's mother thought... She slowly got up, quickly realized that this was the person that Sekai must have spoken about.
She ran towards him to thank him for the help... But, as she tried to turn him around, a almost ethereal glow dwelled in his sharp eyes that seemed to freeze her in place.
She tensed up, seeing his expression that showed an emotionless glare. She felt as though they contained endless amount of malice and anger... Because of this, she was feeling even more afraid.
Coupled with the fact this his face had bloodstains across it, made the situation worse...
However, seeing that the woman was safe, Ayano quicky calmed himself... The cold faintly glowing hue in his eyes now disappeared, it had softened considerably; returning to normal, now revealing a much deeper, yet softer shade of blue. He slowly looked down towards her...
"Are you... Ok, miss?" He asked her, gently.
Yet, the flashes of that day appeared in his mind... Of those four women. They were still reminding him of his inadequacy once more...
On the other hand, Sekai's mother paused, startled by the sudden shift... It was like the air had finally loosened its grip on her chest. That, gentleness—so at odds with the steel she'd just felt from this boy—was what ultimately broke through. Her fear didn't disappear entirely, not right away, but it definitely began to fade quickly.
Her hands were still trembling, yet something she noted in his voice, and in his softened gaze, for some odd reason, she felt as if it now gave her more than enough to hold onto...
"I... I think so..." She managed, her voice weak, but steadying itself.
"T-Thank you. I-" Her words hitched again as she looked past him to the men, now unconscious and sprawled in her once-peaceful garden like broken dolls. "You... You saved me, and my daughter's life."
Ayano didn't respond to the praise, nor did he look proud either... If anything, he seemed quietly haunted, and she could tell—his eyes flicking once more to the man he'd hit first, noting the angle of the head, the blood in the petals. The perpetrator was still alive, but only barely.
-Slam!
"A-AYANO-KUN!!" Sekai shouted, looking over where they both were.
He turned instinctively, the sound of her voice cutting through the haze like a blade. For a brief second, Ayano saw the fear in her eyes—not of him, but for him. She was at the doorway now, barefoot, arms trembling at her sides, face pale but eyes burning with too many emotions to name.
Relief. Worry. Shock. Maybe even something else she hadn't sorted out yet...
"*Huff...*"
Ayano's breath slowed as he stood straighter, the adrenaline fading just enough for the ache to creep in—tightness in his knuckles, the strain across his shoulders. Still, his voice came out steady...
"I'm fine, Sekai..." He said, just loud enough for her to hear. "They're... not going to hurt any of you now."
Sekai ran to her mother first, kneeling beside her, arms wrapping protectively around her shoulders. Her mother leaned into her, drawing strength from the contact, though she never took her eyes off Ayano. Not out of fear anymore—but awe, maybe. A quiet realization that the boy her daughter had let into her world was something very different from what she imagined.
"Sekai… I'm, so-so sorry I didn't scream any sooner." Her mother whispered shakily.
"I was… so, scared..."
"You did scream. That's why I knew..." Sekai whispered back, holding her tightly. "It's okay, okaa-san... You're okay now."
Ayano heard it, okaa-san. Now he knew exactly who this person was... And why Sekai seemed so close to her.
He stepped forward, then hesitated. Something in him resisted intruding on their moment, despite everything. His fists were slowly unclenching now, blood drying on the skin, and he was aware—painfully aware of the kind silence he brought with him...
"I should, call someone..." He finally said: "Police, or… I don't know. Someone, anyone who can deal with them properly."
Sekai looked up at him, shouting: "Wait!" She yelled, still holding onto her mother.
"Please, just wait for a second..."
Of course, he stopped...
Saionji looked him in the eye then. Really looked. And for the first time, she saw a deep level of tiredness behind them—not physical exhaustion, but something much deeper...
Even she could tell he was a bit, off compared to his normal-usual self.
"Thank you-" She whispered, her voice cracking, she then ran towards him, hugging him, tightly;
"-For saving her. For coming when you did..."
Ayano opened his mouth to respond at first, but the words caught somewhere behind his teeth... So instead, he gave the faintest nod. And even that felt heavier than it should've. He stood there for a moment, stunned—not because she touched him, but because of how much it meant that she did.
He didn't move off right away. His body was still wound up tight like a spring, and the adrenaline hadn't fully worn off of him as yet. But, her presence was—so close, so raw—had started to chip away at the ice in his veins.
"I... I didn't do it for your thanks..." He finally said, his voice going quiet. "But, I'm… glad I was here..."
He gently placed a hand on her back, just once, just enough. Yet she stared at him, realizing that there smudges of blood across his face-dried, flaking—but Sekai didn't flinch. She didn't even seem to notice it. Or, maybe she did and just didn't care...
Ayano let out a slow breath and finally pulled back: "We should really make that call now," He said again. "The longer they're unconscious, the more questions we'll all have to answer when they wake up."
Sekai nodded, wiping at her face quickly before stepping away to grab her phone again...
Ayano glanced to the side, he looked down at the second man, still barely conscious and groaning faintly. For a second, he thought he swore he saw the bastard trying to speak—maybe even beg—but Ayano didn't want to hear it. Not now.
...
However, unknown to the both of them, Sekai's mother...
She was also, gazing up at him...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 45: Unraveling... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Keiji's eyes slowly drifted towards the crushed flowers, the grass flattened beneath the signs struggle, and then finally at the blood staining Sekai's porch steps...
He didn't say it out loud, but the thought curled like smoke through his mind;
'Pathetic... They came here to hurt them both... And they almost did. They would've, if I hadn't shown up.'
He had hated that it wasn't just an unusual story anymore.
'-Just how many more of these bastards were still out there...?' He wondered.
He scoffed: "...Too much." Mumbled, mostly to himself.
He turned toward Sekai, saying: "I'll stay with you both until the police gets here... To make sure nothing else happens." His voice was steady again, calm—but inside, the storm hadn't passed. More so, it had just learned how to hold its breath.
He turned, saying: "Unless, you'd both rather I leave..."
Sekai shook her head almost immediately, her grip on the phone tightening as if the thought alone had unsettled her.
"No...!" She said, voice small, but firm;
"-Please... Please... stay..."
There wasn't any hesitation in her voice...
Just a raw, simple need, and one that Keiji couldn't just ignore, even if a part of him wanted to. Yet, at the back of his mind, he wanted to leave this situation as fast as he could, it was reminding of that time. This whole situation was forcing him to remember those women he'd saved a few weeks ago, and it was still haunting him, constantly...
With some reluctance, he gave her a slight nod of approval, settling his weight against the porch's railing, saying;
"Alright, I'll stay..."
Sekai seemed to exhale at that, her shoulders slumping as though a part of her she hadn't even realized was braced finally let go. She turned away, speaking into the phone in low, hurried tones, giving their location, explaining haltingly what had happened. Every so often, her eyes flicked back to him, as if just to make sure he was still here.
Keiji didn't blame her for it.
He crossed his arms loosely over his chest, the porch railing cool against his back. His fingers itched. Still stained with blood he hadn't had time to wash off yet, but he forced himself still, his gaze fixed not on Sekai, and not on her mother either, but in the distance...
Behind him, he could hear Sekai's mother shifting, the creak of wood under in what seemed like tentative movements. He didn't turn around. A part of him knew that if he had looked, if he met her eyes, he would probably see the gratitude there, the apology for having needed saving at all.
And today, Keiji wasn't sure he could carry any more of that weight on him. He was sure that in both their minds, he was nothing short of a protector, or something...
At first glance, that wasn't a bad thing at all. But, he wasn't that nice of a person, nor was he some kind of paragon either...
Minutes dragged by. Somewhere in the distance, sirens began to wail, growing louder with each heartbeat. Relief should have come with the sound, but instead, Keiji only felt a heavier weight settle in his chest.
'You... did what you had to do...' He thought, but he also knew that, it wasn't going to be enough...
When Sekai finished the call, she hovered near him, close but she was radio silent... As if she didn't know what to really say, or maybe understood that nothing really needed to be said.
They just stood like that together, suspended between one breath and the next, until the flashing red and blue lights finally cut around the corner.
...
The police arrived in a blur of noise and ordered urgency. Officers came out from their vehicles with the kind of rehearsed efficiency, something that came from answering too many calls like this one... Their voices were loud, breaking the quiet that had settled over the area.
Keiji straightened but didn't move from where he leaned, allowing the officers to take in the scene. Blood, battered bodies, Sekai pale and wide-eyed, her mother clutching a blanket around her thin shoulders.
One officer, a woman, mid-thirties maybe, with sharp eyes and a steady gait had approached Keiji first. She looked him up and down, lingering on the blood staining his hands and shirt, then glanced at the two unconscious men on the ground.
"...You the one who stopped them?" She asked, voice clipped but not unkind.
Keiji nodded once.
"Are you armed?"
"No." He answered simply.
Her eyes widened, but she quickly gave a short nod of approval... The officer slowly glanced towards the two men, and thought to herself;
'No weapon? Yet he still handled them both with no wounds...? Not even just that, this kid probably did better than most trained officers could've done...' She thought, slowly glancing back towards him. She didn't ask any more than she had to after...
Maybe she recognized some of the signs. Someone who'd been forced to act because there was no other choice but to.
Behind her, another officer was crouching to check the attackers, securing them with zip ties when he was sure they weren't a further threat. Sekai spoke in low tones to a third officer, explaining what had happened as best she could, her words tumbling over each other when she got to the part about Keiji intervening.
Through it all, Keiji remained still, answering only when spoken to, giving just the necessary facts.
It didn't escape him that Sekai kept glancing his way. Even as she gave her statement.
He... didn't blame her.
It was hard to let go of an apparent lifeline when you were still half drowning yourself. He unconsciously knew at the back of his mind, is that was what he was.
Eventually, after what felt like hours compressed into minutes, one of the officers approached him again. This time, the questions were more formal, name, relationship to the victims, recounting the order of events.
Keiji had given them enough to satisfy their curiosity, but not so much that it painted him as anything more than what he was: a passerby, someone who got involved because he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
When they finally let him step aside, Sekai was there, waiting;
"You're... hurt." She said quietly, her eyes darting to the scrapes and bruises that had begun to darken on his arms.
"It's, nothing..." Keiji replied curtly. And it wasn't exactly a lie. At least, not compared to the wounds she couldn't see. Sekai had hesitated for a second, then reached out, brushing her fingers lightly against his sleeve...
It was a small touch, a bit hesitant, but it was certainly real.
"Thank you... again." Sekai said, and this time her voice hadn't cracked up. It was, normal... Yet, full of something deeper than just typical gratitude. Something like, trust. Keiji swallowed down the words that rose up instinctively, denials, deflections, the usual armor he now put up, and then he simply gave a small nod.
As the paramedics began tending to her mother, and escorting the two attackers into the back of police cruisers, Keiji finally let his gaze drift upward...
"I... Think, it's best we headed inside... Plus, I haven't eaten anything since I came..." He suddenly said.
Sekai caught the unfinished thought, and nodded. "Yeah... O-okay."
.
.
.
.
.
They all went inside, and Sekai disappeared briefly into the kitchen, her hands shaking a little as she pulled open drawers, looking for something, maybe to make some tea, maybe just to have something to do.
Keiji stayed where he was, standing awkwardly in the entryway, not wanting to dirty the house more than he felt he already had...
His stomach, it twisted. Not from hunger, but from a hollow ache deeper than that. He wasn't sure if it was guilt, or rage, or simply the aftershock of violence refusing to settle in him.
Sekai returned a moment later, now back while holding two mugs in her hands... She carefully offered him one wordlessly.
Hot tea. Instant, probably, but the steam curled up anyway, fogging the air between them. Keiji took it with careful fingers, feeling the ceramic burn pleasantly against his palms. He liked it.
They all sat there in silence for a while, sipping from their cups, neither quite looking at the other. Outside, the flashing lights faded as the last of the cruisers pulled away. The street fell back into an uneasy stillness.
"I'm... I'm sorry for all this." Sekai said softly, with her voice cutting into the quiet like a knife made of paper. Fragile, but sharp enough to hurt.
"For, what?" Keiji asked, genuinely confused at what she was apologizing for.
She gestured vaguely at the world around them;
"For... all of this." Then she continued further: "I... You shouldn't have had to deal with it... you know..."
Hearing that, Keiji exhaled slowly, setting the tea down on the nearest table... He rubbed his face with one hand, feeling the dried blood crack against his knuckles...
'I... should get home, and get myself cleaned up...' He thought tiredly. Likewise, he heard what she said, and quickly wanted to clear up the this, situation...
"You didn't make them come here, either." He swiftly said, his tone low, but firm.
"And, if it wasn't me... it would've been far worse. For you, and for your mother..." He explained...
Sekai... She bit her lower lip, hard enough that even he could saw the mark of her teeth. Then she slowly nodded, once. Like she was trying to make herself believe it. But it was clear she didn't.
Keiji stepped closer, hesitated, then placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"I hope you don't get it twisted... I'm not some kind of, good-guy, Sekai." He told her, his tone serious.
'What...?' Sekai looked, asking herself confused.
Ayano continued... "I'm just... I'm just the guy who was fortunate enough to be here... At the right place, and at the right time."
.
.
.
When he had said that. It felt like something in her broke;
'Why... Why the does it feel like he's, distancing himself from us... From me...?'
'It's, not fair...' Sekai thought.
It wasn't fair for him to just push himself so far away, like everything he'd done tonight was some random accident. Like he wasn't already carrying so much weight on his back, he barely seemed to realize he was dragging it behind him...
He stopped. Exhaling: "Listen, I think it'd be best for me to go for the time being... Plus, I've got something to take care of too... I think that both you, and your mother need the time to figure this all out and settle for a while, an event like this takes a bit of time to heal." He said, and began to walk away...
But, he turned around and showed a small smile;
"Oh... and a word of advice, tighten your security of the place... A place this big, it needs it." He added, leaving...
.
.
.
.
.
Sekai's throat closed up as she watched him move toward the door, his steps deliberate but weighed down, like he was forcing himself not to look back.
For some reason she gripped the mug, holding it tighter against her chest, the warmth of it the only thing keeping her from reaching out after him.
'No-'
She thought...
'-Don't do this. Don't just... walk away like it's nothing!'
But the words caught somewhere between her heart and her mouth, and all she could do was stand there, rooted to the spot, as he put more and more distance between them.
Sekai swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat. She wanted to say something, anything to make him stay—to make him understand he didn't have to carry everything alone. But by the time she found her voice, the door had already swung closed behind him, leaving only a faint whisper of cold air where he had been...
.
.
.
.
.
After some time, Sekai's mother came to her daughter... sitting beside her.
Sekai didn't react at first, her body was rigid, and her hands clenched so tightly around her mug that the ceramic creaked under the pressure...
Her mother said nothing for a moment, only reaching out with slow, careful movements, as if afraid that if she moved too quickly, Sekai might shatter like glass.
The couch dipped slightly as her mother sat down beside her. The blanket around her shoulders slid a little, and without thinking, Sekai adjusted it for her small, mechanical movements, her mind miles away chasing after the boy who had just left...
For a long while, they just sat there in silence, the only sounds the soft ticking of the clock and the faint hum of the heater. Then, finally, her mother spoke, her voice was thin, and raspy but steady enough to break the heavy fog hanging over them.
"He saved us..." She said simply, her eyes reflecting something heavy.
Gratitude. Sadness. Something deeper, harder to name: "That boy... he didn't have to. But he did."
Sekai nodded stiffly, her throat too tight to trust with words. She stared at the cooling tea in her lap.
Her mother leaned in a little, reaching out to gently cover Sekai's trembling hands with her own. Her touch was light, almost hesitant, as if she could feel the storm still raging inside her daughter's chest.
"You... care about him..." Herm said softly, not as a question, but more so as a fact. She had never seen her daughter so emotionally broken, and stifled before.
She pushed even further;
"Sekai... Honey. How-How much do you love that boy...?"
"I..." Sekai started, but her voice broke into almost a whimper.
She swallowed hard, tried again: "I... I don't know how to explain it..." She whispered;
"It's not... I know it's not just a crush. It's not something stupid or shallow..." Her fingers tightened around the mug until she thought it might crack: "When he's hurt, It felt as if I could feel it. When he pushed me away, I still wanted to be there, like he was for me. Even when he acted like he doesn't need anyone... I know he does. Maybe not in the way he even realizes, but..."
She blinked rapidly, her chest aching with every word she uttered...
...
"I care for him, mom... So much so, that it hurts..."
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"DAMN IT!!!!" Ayano shouted.
BAM!!!!
Crash~
The tree that stood beside him collapsed. Splinters exploded outward as the tree snapped at its base, the sound splitting the quiet evening like a gunshot... Ayano? He simply stood there, chest heaving, fists still trembling with the force he hadn't been able to hold back...
He stared at the wreckage in front of him-the ruined trunk, the crushed earth—and for a moment, all he could do was breathe through his teeth.
'What in the hell was wrong with me...?'
He had walked away because he thought it was the right thing to do at the time... Because getting too close, letting anyone actually lean on him, trust him as he was. It felt, dangerous. Like somehow, eventually, he'd likely only end up hurting them if he wasn't careful, or potentially worse...
He now realized that he really didn't have the liberty to have much if any people around him. He was now, different.
No matter how much he didn't really want to accept that fact. He wasn't a normal human anymore and has gone far beyond the realm of what humans or even himself of that matter, thought possible. Not only that, dangerous people were out there, actively looking for those like himself to do who knows what.
Regardless of that fact, he shook his head, disappointed at how he had behaved earlier...
'...I'll just text Sekai, and tell her that I'm sorry for what I did... No... I'll have to do this in person. I feel like a complete asshole...' He thought to himself, grumbling internally at his immaturity.
He looked to the side;
'But... Maybe, I can do a bit of good today... It's time I check out that abominable casino.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
'It should be around here somewhere...'
I was practically retracing my steps at this point... Trying my best to remember the like last place where I had first met that kid. I knew that he came out of an alley way a few blocks down from where Kotonoha lived... But, that was really it.
"*Huff...*"
'So much for wanting to help... I can't even find the place...'
...
"Hello, excuse me young man-"
I turned around, hearing someone calling...
'Hmm...?'
I heard an old voice call out to me. I turned around slowly, seeing a hunched elderly man in his late 60's, or 70's? It seemed bad to the point where he needed a walking stick to even stand up straight... I was a little confused here; Especially since I didn't really know him, but, he was an elder, so...
Of course, I responded as respectfully as I could;
"Yes sir...? How can I help you?" I responded.
He smiled at me gently, but it felt as if he nearly laughed even... Weird. He said to me: "I'm not the one that's going to receive the help... It's you."
I paused: "...What?"
Now I'm even more confused here;
'What's this old man even talking about?'
"Uhmm... What exactly do you mean..."
And when I asked that question, I felt the atmosphere around him get much colder. A complete 180 from what it was before. The smile he had, was completely none existent, and his eyes. I swore they appeared sharper too...
He looked me dead in the eyes;
"I suppose... I should clarify myself *Ehem!* There is a beast inside of you..."
.
.
.
For some odd reason. I tensed up unconsciously, but the old man didn't move an inch when he said it, he was actually dead serious... He wasn't even hostile either... I could just, tell.
"What...?"
He huffed;
"Like I said young man... You, have a beast, inside of your body..." He said again, slower this time, like he wanted the words to sink in properly. But, before I could open my mouth, he slowly shook his head, and continued his rambling...
"I don't want you to misunderstand me... Every man walking this earth has some form of a beast within them." He told me, and for some strange reason, I felt as if I needed to listen... He continued;
"Most of us... We encompass a strong emotion... Rage, Pride, Fear and even Desire... It's all part of being a, human."
I don't know why, but the way he was talking felt, odd... it wasn't meant to scare me. It was more like he was reminding me of something I'd always known but never had the words for. At least, I thought so...
"But..." The elder's voice dropped lower, more serious: "Few ever get close to touching that kind of power. Fewer still know how to refine it-sharpen it into something they can actually utilize, still... It's not like they need it now..." He looked off to the distance before turning back towards me;
"Regardless of that fact, most people live, and die without ever realizing what they really carry inside of themselves."
He tapped his cane lightly against the ground, as if he was punctuating the thought.
"You..." He looked at me then, really looked at me... like he was trying to see through my skin, straight into whatever it was he thought he sensed or felt. His face darkened slightly, not with fear, but with a kind of heavy awe.
"You don't just have a beast..." he muttered, almost to himself. "It's something, else. Like... an amalgamation. Almost too much for human's body to even begin to hold. Something almost ancient. Something, primal..."
He trailed off, frowning thoughtfully. Finally, he straightened up as much as his old back would allow, and said;
"I don't know where you got it from. Maybe you don't know it either. But if you don't learn how to mold it — wield it — it'll tear both you, and the people you care about apart, from the inside out."
"..."
As much as I wanted to stay and chit chat. I had something I came to do, what this person was saying could wait another time. I didn't even have a reason to trust a single bone in his body... But, before I could leave, he stopped me, gripping my arm with enough force to shock me...
"What the...?"
He then took a step closer to me... "Listen. I'm offering to teach you, boy." He said, almost with venom. "Most people would kill for an opportunity such as this! So, reconsider... I'm not planning to make you into a killer, nor to make you a weapon... But, it's to help you shape that... Whatever, thing you currently possess, into a force for something better. Something good."
I got the impression that he wasn't trying to flatter me... Nor was he trying to scare me either... It felt more like a warning, more along the line of him just stating facts, offering a hand to someone he deemed standing too close to an edge... And not only that, it felt like he knew something I didn't...
'The heck...? What am I supposed to even say to him?'
He looked at me again, and sighed: "Please... Don't tell me you're going to put off my training to go see some rundown backwater casino...?"
"..."
He sighed; "You've got to be joking..."
'How the!? How the hell does he know about the casino? Scratch that, how the hell does he know I'm even looking for it?'
Before I could ask him anything, he cut me off;
"You might be wondering how I even know about that, right...? It isn't hard child, especially if you pay enough attention, and listen closely enough. You hear things and see things that most don't, or choose to willingly ignore... Furthermore, they aren't even open today either, but they'll certainly be open tomorrow."
My brows furrowed at that;
'Just my damn fortune... They don't even open today...'
I sighed... This, just made my situation a whole lot more awkward.
Now...? Now I'll humor him: "Okay... But, why exactly should I trust even you...? Don't get me wrong... What if I follow you, and end up in a situation I'm not exactly, comfortable with? Do you have any guarantees for me?" I asked him, and he instantly went pensive.
"Well... You've certainly have quite the point. I never thought that far ahead..."
I nodded, "Now... If you'll excuse me, I'll b-"
-PING!!!
Just when I was about to leave, the system's notification rang out to me out of nowhere... A new pop-up showed on my Hud
---------------------------------------------------------------
{GROWTH QUEST 2: Accept the kind stranger's request to train... (Optional)
REWARD: ??????}
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Growth quest...?'
Hold on a minute, I... recognize this...
I vaguely remember the first time I saw those two words... It was a part of the first set of missions I went through to grown stronger in the first place. To think it would pop up again... Still, doesn't this mean that, I can actually trust this person? But, I was still quite a bit hesitant about this, but to be fair, the system has never given me a quest that harms me in any way, in fact... It has always in the opposite.
I looked back down towards the elder, and now he had a disappointed expression: "Well... At least, I tried. He said to himself, before he slowly looked at me again: "Just... I apologize youngster. Forget we even had this discussion." He tipped his hat, and continued about his business.
But now, I was starting to reconsider... An opportunity like this?
It may never come again.
'Damn it...'
"Wait!" I called out to him. Hearing me, he stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around.
Alright then." I finally told him, pushing the mild discomfort I had aside.
"He looked at me with an expression that wanted an explanation...
His eyes narrowed even more, asking: "What caused you to suddenly change your mind?"
I rubbed the back of my head; "Because... I thought that, I might not ever get another opportunity to grow... So... I thought it'd be best if I took it." I explained to myself, as honestly as possible.
"So... Lead the way." I told him again.
Before I knew it, his smile returned, softer this time, but there was still something unnervingly sharp about his gaze. "Good." He said, as he began walking down the street, his cane tapping with each step. I followed behind him.
.
.
.
Eventually, we had reached a small, unassuming building that sat between a couple of taller, run-down apartment complexes... The exterior of it was weathered, showing how old it really was, with cracked windows and a faint smell of incense lingering in the air...
Eli, that's what he told me his name was, led the way inside, and I hesitated for a moment before following him through the door.
Inside was dimly lit, the scent of herbs, and old books stuck in the air. The room was simple, furnished with mismatched chairs, and a few low tables scattered about. He led me further, this time, he opened a metallic door that led further down...
"Close the door behind you when you step in."
'I guess, I should've expected that...'
Plus, I was still a bit unsure about my decision here so far.
He flicked on a light switch, and and continued trailing behind him, going downstairs... After heading down the stairs, I glanced the walls that had something like sound-proofing pads all around it. Other than that, it was completely empty.
"Now." Eli said, his voice low and oddly calm;
"let's start with the basics."
...I was still processing the fact that I had agreed to this, that I was standing here with an old man who seemed to know far more than he let on. I'd be lying to myself if I said that my heart wasn't racing. There was a part of me that was. excited and anxiety. Was this really the right choice? Was I ready for what was to come?
"First thing's first." Eli continued, turning to face me fully. His eyes were sharp, even in the dim light. "You need to understand that the 'beast' I spoke of—it's not something you can simply ignore or keep locked away. You can try to suppress it, sure, but it'll only grow stronger until it breaks free. Trust me, I've seen it happen too many times."
He raised his cane, tapping it lightly on the floor as he spoke, his gaze never leaving mine. "I'm not here to teach you how to control it like some kind of tamed animal. That's not how any of how this works. Instead, I'm going to show you how to understand it, how to befriend it... You can use its power, but only if you learn to coexist with it, instead of trying to force it into submission."
I swallowed harder than I anticipated to... This wasn't going to be easy. In fact, nothing about this felt easy. But I had already come this far. I had already made my choice. Might as well man up and commit to them...
I then watched as the old man's gaze softened, but there was still an edge to it, something that suggested he knew how difficult this was going to be. "You ready, boy?"
I nodded slowly, my throat somewhat tight: "Yeah... I'm ready."
Eli smiled, a glint of something dark and knowing in his eyes. "Good. Because the real work begins now."
He stopped, and shook his head;
"I can tell that you're still hesitant..." Eli observed, his tone measured, but cutting.
"The power you need to tap into, isn't something that just obeys orders. It's instinct. It's primal. And instincts are born from one of two things."
I blinked at him; "What? What the hell do you even mean?"
"What I mean is that, you're not just going to awaken it and expect it to listen to you." he continued, his voice like a low rumble. "Instinct alone is a beast in and of itself. And like all beasts, it needs a reason to wake up. To rise."
Eli's gaze then darkened, his next words were slow, like they were meant to strike deep... "There are two conditions under which this kind of power will truly awaken. Two ways you can fulfill the instinct inside you."
He paused, "The first," he began, his voice dropping lower, "is the will to survive. If you're backed into a corner, if you feel like your life is at stake, your instincts will awaken to fight for you. It's an animalistic drive that will push you beyond what you thought possible."
A will to survive...? It sounded more like desperation, like a cornered animal fighting for its life. Was that really the kind of power I wanted to rely on? I didn't want to get pushed to a state where I was near death. That wasn't me... But, what if.
"But..." Eli added, his voice hardening, "The second condition is a far darker one. It's when you're near death, when you're on the brink of being consumed, your body will surge out of pure survival instinct. In that state, you will be a force, but it will be a last-ditch effort to keep you alive."
He threw his staff away. "Don't get them confused, both conditions..." he continued, his eyes sharper than ever, "Will push you to the absolute extremes. But they're not the same. One comes from your will, your strength of mind. The other, from your fear and desperation. You need to decide which one will guide you... Because, when you awaken this power, there's no going back."
I didn't know why, but I felt cold chills run down my spine when he said it...
"Now, tell me, boy..." he asked, his voice smooth, "Which will it be? The will to survive? Or the desperation of death?"
"I... I couldn't possibly know the answer to that, can I? Even if this supposed beast within me exists. What if I can't well... Steer it with my own will power, and what if it can't awaken with my will either, but with desperation like you've
mentioned?"
"You're right..." he finally said, his voice smooth, yet carrying an undercurrent of something deeper. "You can't know the answer, not until you've been pushed to that very edge..."
"However... There is a way to find out." He added, now removing his shirt. And when he did, my eyes widened... His body was filled with scars, both from knifes and bullets... 'Just what the hell did I sign up for?'
...
For the first time in my life, I could see it. A something you'd only find in some anime and manga; an actual aura... It was so, overpowering...
"Come, boy... Show me what you've got."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 47: Testing...
Chapter Text
~ Third person Pov ~
.
.
.
'I'm not imagining things... This old man... He's the real thing.' Keiji summed.
He understood the growing anxiousness within in his gut, telling him that, if he held back at all right now, he'd live regret it...
He readied himself: "Alright... here I come!" He shouted, steadying himself. Shifting into his Taekkyeon stance, he dashed forward without any form of hesitation, aiming low with a sharp kick. He wasn't about to embarrass himself by underestimating this old man.
But, just as Ayano's leg was about to make any sort of contact, Eli instantly moved with inhumane levels of speed. His own leg shifted into a guarded position, swiftly blocking the attack with a loud, jarring - Thud!! - that echoed through the basement...
Ayano grimaced, feeling the impact rattle up his bones;
'Damn it... his legs... It feel like they're made out of raw steel!'
He thought, quickly springing back to reassess his current situation. It was the first time he had ever felt like he was the one taking damage after delivering a strike, much less against an elderly man, who, by all rights should've been as fragile as glass with his age...
Eli on the other hand stood firm; and utterly unfazed, now a small smirk curling at the corner of his lips, saying;
"What? Didn't expect an old man like me to be so capable?" He silently mocked the youngster before him, voice light but eyes were sharp, and cunning as an animal's.
Ayano gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes: "*Tch...!* No, not really." He hesitantly admitted, before straightening his posture slightly. His instincts were screaming at him now. Not in fear, but in even more warnings. He wasn't dealing with some washed-up elder reliving his glory days. This Eli person, he was dangerous.
And, still is dangerous...
Eli's smirk deepened, like he was reading Ayano's thoughts without needing to hear them.
"Not bad at all boy..." Eli told him, tapping his cane once against the ground before setting it aside casually, like he wouldn't need it for what was about to happen;
"You're smart enough to realize that, I'm trouble. Maybe there's hope for you after all." Eli finished. But, in his mind, there were other thoughts that lingered.
'To think the boy would be this good at martial arts. I easily can tell that he's mastered it, completely... Not only that, it faintly resembled that man's fighting style... What an odd coincidence.'
However, on the other hand, Ayano slowly shifted his fighting stance again, now bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, keeping his guard loose but ready. He wasn't sure what Eli would do next — and that uncertainty alone was enough to raise every hair on his body...
Eli's eyes widened when he saw what Ayano began doing, thinking; 'He knows boxing as well...?'
Interest piqued. Eli made the second move, almost disappearing completely, catching the youngster he was facing by surprise.
It wasn't exactly flashy. It wasn't even fast by any normal measure. But it was terrifyingly precise, suffocatingly so. In an instant, Eli was inside Ayano's guard, a fist stopping just a breath away from his solar plexus. Ayano barely managed to twist his body to avoid a completely clean hit by quickly backing off... However, the sheer air-displacement alone from the strike left a small tremor in his abdomen...
Seeing what the boy did, Eli's smile only widened further: "Hmm... To think you'd be able to avoid that hit... You're quite skilled for your age." He praised. But Ayano didn't seem so pleased to what he was going through. On the opposing side, his eyes were narrowed...
'Shit... He's practically toying with me right now.' He thought
Ayano now realized it, grinding his teeth. There was no killing intent, no malice behind any of Eli's attacks — just frighteningly cold, and an clinical control in his approach. The kind that only came from what felt like decades of fighting, surviving, and perfecting the art of violence itself.
'If I can already ascertain that with just a single strike, and just barely being around the guy; Then he really was nothing short of the real deal...' Ayano noted.
...
"Though... You're quite fast, I can admit that." Eli said, casually stepping back. "But, you think far too much. You're still trying to fight like a man who's got something on the line to lose..."
Ayano tightened his fists, feeling a slight sting of irritation. Martial arts was all about methodical movement, at least to him. Abandoning that practice, almost felt like some form of taboo:
"And what's wrong with that?" Keiji answered him, still a bit on edge.
Eli gave a chuckle, the kind that seemed to rattle the walls: "Nothing... if you want to lose, that is-" Eli then slowly changed his fighting stance slightly. His body now relaxed, yet, it was as if it was coiled like a form of spring;
"-If you truly want to awaken that beast inside you, child, you need to throw away yourself entirely... Instinct over hesitation. Will, over fear."
Ayano stared at him, feeling the weight of those words settle into his chest. His blood thrummed a little louder in his veins. He didn't really have the luxury of holding back anymore.
Ayano sprinted forwards again — much faster this time, and even lower to the ground than before, aiming for Eli's center of gravity. His entire body screamed move, move, move and he listened, this time without second-guessing himself.
"Hahaha..."
Eli seeing this, smiled almost imperceptibly, quickly raising his arm to parry the blow.
To the old man.
The real training was about to begin...
.
.
.
"*Huff*... *Huff*... *Huff*-"
Ayano stood there, panting heavily, with sweat dripping from his chin onto the cracked, padded floor. His arms hung low at his sides, muscles aching, body screaming in protest after the relentless exchange. Even so, his eyes burned with something fierce, it was a faint shimmer of defiance, of hunger. He hadn't realized how deep it ran, until now.
Across from him, Eli Jang was perfectly composed despite the red stains marking his skin. The blood, it wasn't his own, it was Ayano's, from split knuckles, bruised skin, maybe even some internal damage he hadn't registered yet. And yet... the old man still looked at him with something akin to approval...
"We stop here for today." Eli said, his voice completely even, like he hadn't just been trading blows that could shatter bones. He reached for his cane without hurry, like the session hadn't taken anything out of him;
"Come back tomorrow, same time. And bring your real self with you next time. Leave your doubts, at the door..."
'You say that, but you've beaten me to a pulp without trying?' Ayano chuckled to himself internally, it would hurt if he did it normally. Now, he definitely knew that this old man was an absolute monster. Not only that, this was when he's old, and decrepit...
'I can't imagine what kind of monster this geezer must have been when he was in his prime...'
Ayano quickly tried to straighten up, but staggered slightly;
'D-Damn...!'
Before barely catching himself against the wall with a rough, shallow breath. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing a thin line of blood across his cheek without even noticing...
He could've resented Eli. Could've hated him for holding back and still pushing him so close to the edge. But deep down, under all the fatigue and frustration, Ayano felt something else entirely.
Gratitude...
Because for the first time, in a long while... He could feel, it. Something small stirring. Deep within the very core of his being, beneath the layers of caution and discipline. There was a low, primal urge. Heavy... Hungry... Alive...
Ayano didn't say anything to Jang. He just gave a small, sharp nod, and turned toward the stairs. As he climbed back toward the surface with his liming steps; each step echoing dully behind him. However, he knew one thing was for certain:
Tomorrow, he wasn't just coming back to train. He was coming back to get stronger...
And whatever beast Eli saw within him. Even if it was small now, he knew something was getting closer to the surface, he could feel it with every beat of his heart.
.
.
.
Ayano was making his way home, slowly but surely. He took a slight break on a public bench to get himself in decent walking shape, using his recovery passive. While resting, he thought back to the training he underwent earlier...
'I must have broken at least a few bones from that damn spar... It felt like one sided torture.'
However, after 15 minutes of rest, he was already in relatively decent shape again.
So, he kept walking, and thinking...
'Regardless... That spar was, fun... In fact, I've never actually gone all out in a fight before since I've came to this world, and that old man Jang, he took everything I had with, ease... Heck, I don't even know if I should feel happy, or disappointed in my lack of performance, speaking of myself...'
He paused for a second;
'I wonder how much stronger I've gotten? I did activate my training mastery during that fight... Status.'
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Chosen One
Height: 178 cm | 5'10"
Age: 17
Health: 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 521 / 1000
Defense: 521 / 1000
Agility: 522 / 1000
Spirit: 523 / 1000
...
'Hah...! My attributes, they all raised by eight more in each category!'
Ayano was elated, seeing that all his stats were growing in real time. It meant he was already stronger than he was earlier in the day, even if it was just a slight increase;
'The training mastery passive is crazy useful... To think I'd get to see this much improvement from just getting my ass whopped for a few hours...'
He wasn't too proud of the getting beaten part, but his efforts where definitely paying off...
'Now I've just got to push myself even further tomorrow, at least if I want to keep seeing these increases... if this keeps up. I might even be able to surpass the 750 threshold of my attributes within, or by the end of the month.' He thought, thrilled.
However, he still remembered that he was already on a quest himself already;
'It looks like I'll have to find a way to juggle both of them... I know I've got to come back to receive more training. For now, I'll leave that bit for future me.'
...
'Plus, I still feel a little aching in my liver...'
.
.
.
The old man smiled to himself. He picked up his phone, dialing a number...
"Hello? Who is this?" The voice on the other end asked.
Jang smiled, "Zack... It's me."
Zack's voice crackled through the speaker, carrying that familiar roughness Eli hadn't heard in a long while: "Eh-Eli...? What in the blazes, you old coot! It's been years! I thought you dropped off the map again!"
Eli chuckled lowly, a rumble deep in his chest. "Hoho~ Yes, yes... sorry 'bout that. I've... had some things to take care of." His eyes drifted toward the battered training mats, still carrying faint traces of the clash that happened earlier...
"So~ How's the family doing?" Zack asked, his tone softening.
"They're, good..." Eli answered, a rare warmth touching his words. "My daughter's still running the shop, and the grandkids... they're growing like weeds. Always getting into trouble, but nothing too serious, what about your end...?" Eli asked.
Zack laughed, a genuine one this time. "Sounds like a handful... Speaking off which, Mira and I are doing fine too. The kids are healthy, rambunctious as ever. Got no complaints."
There was a pause, comfortable, filled with the kind of mutual understanding only old friends shared.
Then out of nowhere Zack's tone sharpened...
"Regardless Eli... I know you didn't call just to chat about family, did you? Do... You need something?" Zack asked.
Eli sighed, leaning back against the wall, resting his weight casually, the cane tapping once against the floor: "No... nothing like that. I just thought you'd want to hear this." He let the moment stretch, the old habit of measured over the years speech never leaving him, before finally saying;
"I've... found, someone."
Zack grew silent on the other end. He didn't need to ask what Eli meant — the weight behind those words said it all. "Really...?" Zack said finally, his voice low, curious and cautious: "Tell me more..."
Eli smiled, slow and knowing: "That boy... He is. A blank canvas..."
"A... Blank, canvas...?" Zack asked.
Eli chuckled;
"Yes... That boy I've picked up showed something that even an old coot like me could see, with terrifying clarity too. His potential, it felt almost limitless in terms of what he could learn... That's why I've called him a blank canvas. Not only that. I've even sparred with him a bit today... He was an extremely capable fighter in raw technique..."
"Really? What martial arts does this boy of yours even know?" Zack asked again.
Eli's smile widened further, "That... That the wrong question my friend... It's what the boy didn't know. I saw a bit of Aikido, Taekwondo, Muay-Thai, Ssireum, Taekkyeon in fact, I even saw boxing in the mix too... and I doubt that's all he knows."
"You make it sound like the boy's some kind of prodigy... Also, you said he knows a bit of boxing as well?" Zack responded and asked, more so in the latter being a question.
Eli knew he had gotten his old friend interested now... "Yes, he's quite the capable boxer. In fact, he could easily be a professional and dominate with what he has, and when he was fighting with me... Not only that, I realized that the boy was still improving upon himself..."
Zack went silent again, but this time it wasn't just surprise. There was a low hum of something deeper and thoughtful beneath his breath: "...You're serious about this one." He finally muttered, almost to himself.
"I am." Eli told him without missing a beat. "He's raw, green, and still shackled by doubt... but, the fire is undoubtably there. Barely lit, but very much there."
Zack gave a long exhale, the sound crackling over the line;
"You're really thinking of training him properly, aren't you?"
Unknowingly to Zack, Eli's smile thinned into something sharper, colder. "Not thinking. I am."
There was a long pause between them both. Only the faint crackle of the old phone line bridged the gap. Zack chuckled finally, a low, knowing sound: "May someone help the poor bastard. Regardless of all that... Why did you decide to call and tell me all this, Jang?"
Eli thought about it all for a moment, and smiled, "I just wanted to see if we can place our old dreams in that boy. And, to make them a reality."
Zack sounded shocked over the phone; "N-No way...! You're not saying we should make that boy our disciple, right? Right!??" He asked, almost as if he was going crazy in his old age.
However, Eli didn't stutter in his response; "Yes, I thi-know we should... If you saw him in person, you'd see what I was talking about... Also, aren't you bored being cooped up in your home like I am these days? We are only getting older, Zack Lee... I at least want one last thing before I finally kick this old rusted bucket underneath myself, and it's not like my grandkids are interested in fighting either..."
After Eli had said those words, Zack stayed on for more than a minute before finally responding...
...
A loud sigh could be heard;
"Give me some time to get there... Send me your address as well, and I'll take care of telling the others about, this... And Jang, if you're pulling my leg about this kid. I'll personally show your old ass just how strong my Golden Fortress has become."
Eli laughed, Glad his friend had accepted;
"Hahaha~ I don't plan on finding out about that thing anytime soon... So, hurry up, and get here."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 48: A Question...?
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
'I guess I should've expected them to be here.'
I saw that Yukari, and her workers were all at it again with the construction of the training facility. It was going by pretty quickly too, and based off what I could see so far, the place will be pretty massive, it was at least thrice the length and width of my own home, maybe a little more if I'm being honest.
I slowly made my way towards her, asking: "Is this gonna be an everyday occurrence until completion...?"
"Yes, it will. The faster we get it out of the way, the better for you it will be..."
"Yeah, I can see it's going quite well... Though, I needed to ask you this, are you ok?" I asked her.
I could tell from the side that Yukari had blinked once, then she paused her inspection of the thick blue blueprint she was holding. For a second, she just stared at me, like she was trying to decide how much she actually wanted to say.
Then she sighed, a bit softer than I expected. "I'm fine, Ayano. Just... busy."
Her voice was quite steady, professional even, but there was this tightness around her eyes that hadn't been there before... The kind you only noticed if you were really paying attention, which I was — and right now, after everything that went on today; I'm just thankful, my instincts were sharp enough not to miss it.
"You, sure?" I pressed on, as gently as I could;
"I mean, you don't exactly look like you've even slept much..."
She gave a small, tired chuckle at that, running a hand through her hair: "Sleep in a luxury when you're trying to build something like this under the radar." She explained;
"And… there's been a few complications with the overall logistics. Nothing too critical, but enough to be a bit of a headache."
I raised an eyebrow, I didn't want to have to bring this out, but it looks like I've got no choice...
"Really then? Chisaki's been a bit worried about you too, she said you've been behaving oddly, and that you've changed... So I'll ask again, are you really ok?"
Though, throughout this entire conversation, she hadn't even face me since I got here... Which, didn't really seem like something she usually does, unless...
"Did, I do something wrong?"
For a moment, Yukari stayed silent, so silent that the only sounds between us were the hum of machinery and the distant clatter of metal and stone being moved. She gripped the edge of the blueprint a little tighter, the paper crinkling under her fingers. It was subtle, but, it told me everything I needed to know at least — something was wrong.
When she finally spoke, her voice was lower, almost careful: "No, Ayano... You didn't do anything wrong, in fact-"
Finally, she turned to look at me. And when she did, I caught a glimpse of something that looked like confusion in her expression.
"-In fact, I think I'm the problem..." She said, surprising me a bit.
I scratched the back of my head a bit;
"Alright, do you want to head inside and talk about it? I'll even make you something too, that is if you haven't had anything yet."
For the first time since I arrived, Yukari actually smiled, but it wasn't her usual confident smirk. It was smaller. Weaker. Like the kind of smile you give when you're trying not to burden someone else with your problems, but I could tell she was a little too tired to fake it properly... Which meant, I was right.
"...Yes-" She said quietly. I wouldn't have caught if I wasn't paying attention;
"-I'd like that."
I nodded once, not saying anything more. Sometimes, you didn't really need to. I simply gestured for her to follow me, and after a slight hesitation, she did — passing off the blueprint to one of her subordinates with a short nod.
.
.
.
We walked towards my house in absolute silence, what else should I do with a mood this awkward? Still, it wasn't uncomfortable, though; it was just... heavy. Like the air around us was packed thick with things she probably wasn't ready to say yet... I didn't rush her. Whatever it was she was carrying, she definitely needed to let it out on her own terms.
Once we got inside, I headed straight for the kitchen. I figured something warm would help. A simple meal — nothing too fancy really, but hearty enough to shake off some of the exhaustion she was dragging behind her like a heavy coat.
While I got all the ingredients together, from the side, I saw Yukari leaning against the counter, arms folded, watching me with this strange, quiet look... It felt like she was studying me even. Or maybe she was just grounding herself in the moment...
"You know..." She suddenly said after a long pause, her voice a little steadier now;
"Back when I was much younger, I thought once you had a mission... once you had something important enough to throw yourself into, everything else would just... sort itself out. That the work would be enough to keep everything else at bay."
I listened, slicing vegetables, letting her speak without cutting in...
"But... it's not that simple." She gave a short, humorless laugh: "Turns out, the work just becomes another thing you use to not think about everything you're too afraid to face... And, it becomes exponentially worse when you are hyper-aware of your own situation, and the situation of others."
I didn't know why exactly, but when the said that last bit, it felt, weird...
"Ayano... When last do you think I've ever had a genuine conversation?"
I paused mid-slice, the knife hovering above the cutting board as I turned my head slightly to look at her.
That question wasn't rhetorical, I could tell, not with the way she asked it. There was a rawness in her voice, a kind of honesty that didn't leave a lot of room for much if any pretending. She was really asking me here... But, why?
I set the knife down carefully and leaned against the counter across from her, giving her my full attention. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The weight of her words just hung there between us, heavy and a little brittle, like if I answered too quickly, I might shatter whatever strength she was holding onto.
"I don't know..." I responded honestly;
"But... based on how you look right now, and how you asked me that... I'd guess it's been a long time. Maybe even longer than you realize." The last bit was more of an ironic joke... But...
Her gaze dropped to the floor, the edge of her mouth twitching into something like a grimace. "I suppose..." she whispered;
"A very long time now..."
She said, exhaling slowly, while her arms tightened across her chest like she was trying to physically hold herself together;
"At some point, you get so used to being the one with all the answers, you forget what it even feels like to just... talk. Not to report to others... Not to give orders. Not to solve someone else's problems. Just... talk. Like a normal person."
I didn't interrupt. I just listened. I knew that was what she needed more than anything right now.
"And the worst part...?" Yukari continued, her voice quieter now, almost like a confession;
"is that after a while... You start thinking maybe no one actually wants to hear you. That if you did try, you'd just make things worse... so, you stop. And the silence just... grows."
She looked up at me then, and for the first time, she didn't hide anything. Not the exhaustion, not the loneliness, not even the fear. It was all there, plain as day.
"I think... I forgot how to ask for help, Ayano..." She said to me tiredly, her words trembling at the edges. "And now that I finally need it... I don't even know how to anymore."
Something twisted deep in my chest at hearing that.
I pushed off the counter, walked over to her side, and, without thinking too hard about it — rested a hand gently on her shoulder. My best guess was that she Just needed someone to be there, I didn't want her to have put a mask up around me, if that even helped...
For now, I gave my advice: "Honestly, you don't have to know how..." I said quietly;
"Aren't you already doing it just by being here? Talking with me? I think that's enough as a start. If I do say so myself."
For a second, I thought maybe she would pull away, retreat behind that professional armor she wore so well. But instead... Yukari had closed her eyes, shoulders sagging under the weight of everything she'd been carrying alone...
And for the first time since I met her... She almost looked relieved.
In fact, she was smiling... Before I could say anything, she beat me to it.
"You know... You remind me much of Chisaki's father... Yet, not at the same time...?"
'What...?'
I stopped, completely dead in my tracks, I didn't how to even respond to a question like that... Should I even do it?
"Chisaki's father..." She began again, "To me... He was, like the sun itself. Always warm, always steady. He had this... unwavering pull to attract others to him. No matter how lost you were, if you just looked towards him, you'd find your way again. He was, bright, sometimes so much so it almost annoying-but, it wasn't a blinding kind of light. It was oddly, comforting. Reliable. He burned with a kind of passion that could push even the most broken person to stand up again..."
I just continued to listen, while she let the memories thread their way out of her... It always helped when I did it too.
"But, you...?" Yukari paused, her fingers tracing an absentminded circle on the counter;
"You strangely remind me more of the sea..."
"The sea isn't as obvious as the sun. It doesn't demand attention, and yet... it's endless. It's deep. It holds things. Like, fond memories, hopes, and even regrets-in ways most people will never see unless they really, really look deeply. You're calm on the surface, Ayano. Gentle as well, even. But, there's a weight to you underneath it all. A quiet strength that doesn't shout or blind either, but it's certainly there... and, it shapes everything around it without needing to announce itself."
She smiled faintly, almost to herself...
"The sea can be kind... but, it can also be terrifying in its depth, in the vastness of what it hides. And somehow, it feels as if you balance both, kindness and danger-without even realizing it-"
I felt something tighten in my throat at her words, but I stayed quiet, letting her continue at her own pace...
"-And then..." Yukari whispered, "There's the moon."
Her eyes lifted, finding mine again, and for a second, it felt like the entire room stilled around the two of us...
Heck, it felt like even the world outside had gone silent, just to hear what she'd say next...
"The moon, it doesn't burn like the sun... and it certainly doesn't pull like the sea. It simply, reflects. It reminds people that light can exist even in the darkest of places. It doesn't create its own fire... but somehow, it's no less important. Maybe even more so, because it stands quietly, watching over everything below it. Steady. Constant. Beautiful, even when battered and scarred..."
She took a breath, both deep and shaky, and finally, she turned to me and said;
"I think... deep down, you carry all three of these attributes... The sun, the sea, and the moon. And maybe that's why being around you... to me, feels just a little less lonely."
I didn't know what to say. Maybe there wasn't anything to say. Sometimes, words in times like these weren't enough.
But even then, I just had to ask it...
I looked at her: "Yukari-san... Do... Do you, like me?"
"..."
For a moment, she just stared at me, wide-eyed, like the words I'd spoken hadn't quite registered yet. Or maybe they had, and she just hadn't expected them to be said aloud...
I could feel my heart thudding a little too loudly in my chest, worse as the silence between us stretched, thick and admittedly, fragile. I wasn't even sure why I had even asked in the first place. Maybe it was incredibly reckless of me to do. Maybe it was unfair, dropping a question like that on her when she was already unraveling like this. But at the same time...
I think, a part of me already knew the answer already, and had known it for a while now...
Buried deep under everything else she had done in her life...
Slowly, Yukari's expression softened. She looked down, her hands gripping the counter behind her like it was the only thing keeping her steady. A dry, almost disbelieving laugh escaped her lips, but there was no cruelty in it...
But, there was an almost, sad kind of wonder.
"You really are dangerous, you know that?" She told me, almost to herself...
I, didn't say anything... I just, waited.
Finally, Yukari pushed off the counter and stepped closer, close enough that I could see the faint tremble in her hands, the tired glint in her eyes that no amount of sleep could ever really erase. She reached out to me, hesitating just slightly, then brushed her fingertips against my sleeve — like she was afraid I might disappear if she touched me hard enough...
"And to answer you're question... I-I, do..." She repeated, voice low, almost broken in its honesty.
"I think I've begun liking you, Ayano Keiji. More than I probably would, or ever should-"
For some reason. Her words had hit me harder than I expected. They weren't grand or poetic. They weren't even said with much strength.
But, maybe that's why they meant much, because they felt, real. Stripped down of everything else she usually hides behind...
.
.
.
"-And, it scares me..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 49: Clearing... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Ayano hadn't said a word when she uttered those words...
He simply exhaled, long and quiet, like he was trying to bleed the tension out through his lungs... Then, without looking at her, he pulled out one of the kitchen chairs, and lowered himself onto it, slowly. Like his limbs were suddenly heavier than they had any right to be...
His fingers tapped absently against the edge of the table, but his eyes remained unfocused, fixed on some distant point on the floor that wasn't really there either.
"How?" He asked finally, but the words, they felt dry in his throat, he asked her again;
"Please... take your time and tell me how, and when you would even get the time to start liking me...?"
His tone, it wasn't harsh. It wasn't even angry either... If anything, it sounded, confused, like someone trying to solve a puzzle that had too many missing pieces to it. He quickly looked up at her now, eyes steady, searching for any lies or uncertainty...
He continued again: "We've practically only known each other for what? A day or two, maybe three..." Ayano continued, tone bordering on disbelief;
"And this is me being generous."
He didn't ask and say it to hurt her in anyway, and Yukari, she knew that...
But, the real question still hung between them like a knife suspended by thread...
Yukari didn't flinch... She simply stood still, watching him with a gaze that didn't waver a single moment. Her mouth parted slightly, like she was going to answer, but then closed again. Whatever words she thought she had ready, clearly weren't the right ones...
'She's, completely serious...' He surmised.
Before he could speak up, she stepped closer instead, slowly, and leaned back against the counter where she'd stood moments before. The silence was no longer awkward, just heavy, packed with the kind of emotions that didn't obey any form of logic, and never really asked for permission either.
"You're, right-" She said softly, before continuing: "-We've only known each other for a few days at best."
She said it without defensiveness and without excuse present...
"But sometimes, Keiji… it doesn't take long." She went on, quieter now;
"Sometimes, it's not about how long you've known someone... It's about what part of yourself they touch, and... reach out to. What they see that no one else does."
Her eyes fell to the floor now, voice barely above a murmur: "And you… Ayano... I felt as if you saw, me. Not just my role. Not the task... Me..."
She paused, then looked up again.
"I felt as if you saw through me quickly, and that was terrifying... And you didn't even run or shy away like most would. You didn't even turn away. You sat, and listened. You even stayed. You spoke with me like an actual person, not some sort of project, or a moral obligation." She said, looking down.
"You didn't even ask for anything when you got the chance... In fact, you helped both myself and my daughter, someone else you hardly knew... You were just, there. Like it was the most natural thing in the world for you."
She finally swallowed, her throat working against something tight; "I-I don't know what to call this yet. I don't know if it's even love. Maybe it's too soon for something like that. Maybe, I'm so broken, that I don't even know what love even looks like anymore."
Her voice shook slightly now, not with drama... but, with exhaustion, and a kind of raw truth that doesn't surface often.
"But, I do know what it feels like to not want someone to walk away... I do know what it feels like to finally breathe in someone's else's presence, and not feel like I'm performing every second of it. For some reason, you gave me that confidence..."
She took a step toward him.
"And maybe, that's not love, yet. But it's definitely, something. And right now… it's the only real thing I've got to work with... Like I've mentioned to you before... I'm hyper-aware of my own emotions, and feelings."
Ayano leaned forward slightly in his chair, elbows resting on his knees, fingers interlaced as he stared at the floor between his boots. He didn't respond right away. Instead, he just sat there, still, while breathing through his nose like he was waiting for his thoughts to settle into something coherent...
Then, finally, he looked up at her.
His expression wasn't angry. Wasn't cold. If anything, it was... Tired. But not the same kind of tired she had worn — hers was carved into bone from burden. His was the kind that came from trying too hard not to feel something.
"You're not broken... Yukari..." he said quietly.
Yukari didn't move, but something flickered in her eyes...
"I think you're just, tired..." Ayano added, voice still calm, still measured. "Likely lonely too. Probably stretched a bit too thin trying to hold together too many of your own people's hopes, even dreams, and not enough of yourself..."
He looked away again, jaw tightening faintly: "But, you're not broken... I... Just... Don't call yourself that."
Yukari blinked slowly, but decided it was best to say nothing...
"And, as for what you might feel…" He shrugged one shoulder;
"Maybe you're right. Maybe it was something... And maybe it's real. But real doesn't always mean healthy."
That part made her flinch, by just a fraction. But Ayano didn't press the wound; he acknowledged it, then softened further, rubbing the back of his head.
"…But, don't get me wrong here... I'm not saying all that to push you away, or anything like that. I'm saying it because, I don't really want to be something you cling to just because I happened to be the only one present enough to stay and listen."
...
The silence returned, but now it pulsed between them like a slow heartbeat...
"Look..." He paused for a second: "You barely even know me, Yukari-san..." He said after a while, more gently now;
"And I barely even know you. Whatever you think you feel… Maybe you owe it to yourself to sit with it for a while. Not immediately chase it. Just… let it be what it is for the time being; Just until you really know what it is."
He finally leaned back in his chair, the wooden legs creaking under the shift of weight. His eyes stayed locked on hers — not cold, not inviting. Just… honest.
"If this so-called thing you feel for me is really, genuine." He told her. Yet the words didn't come out right, he paused for a moment to gather himself...
Continuing: "Then, it's probably best to give you some time to, settle... It won't break just because you gave it a bit of time to breathe."
For a long moment, Yukari didn't move an inch. Her gaze flicked downwards, then slowly back upwards. Her expression unclear...
But slowly, she nodded.
"…O-Okay." She answered him, though, her voice was barely audible when she said it.
Then, she did something unexpected. She stepped in closer, just a little, and knelt beside his chair — not as an apology — but as a way to meet him on the same level. Her hand reached out, and with careful slowness, she placed it over his.
"Then let me just… stay here for a bit." She whispered.
Ayano looked at her, and after another beat... He finally answered.
"What...?"
...
"I asked if I could stay here for a-"
"I heard what you said... I just can't believe you actually went through with it." He interjected, tiredly.
'This... It can't possibly be a good idea to go through with any of this...' He pondered.
He had truly hoped she wouldn't push this case any further than that it already was. He even gave her the lee-way of thinking this all over, but she was now insisting on staying over his own home...
He slowly looked up towards her, this time, he wondered if this was a good idea. Most men would probably jump at an opportunity like the one he was presented with.
Not only that, even he had to admit it, Yukari was an exceptionally beautiful woman... Much less for a woman who's had a daughter, she didn't look a single day over twenty, and being a grown man mentally, and in the body of a healthy hormonal teenager was certainly not the wisest choice he would be making, if he was honest with himself.
It's partly the largest reason why he doesn't want her to stay here in the first place. He sighed to himself again, eyes twitching slightly this time around. His face slowly scrummaging, seeing her new growing expression...
'C'mon! Isn't she practically giving me the puppy-dog eyes here?' He sighed, internally.
After a whole minute of debating whether he should even follow through with any of this debacle, he finally responded...
"Alright..." He begrudgingly said;
"But, just for a little bit..."
.
.
.
Some time had passed since they had their conversation.
Yukari had last, and is now back, leaving Ayano to figure out his current, predicament...
He slowly closed his eyes, and thought about the entire day he's had so far... First, he rescued both his friend, and her mother from absolute scums of the earth and got them arrested.
Then after that, some random old man offers to teach him about some sort of, beast he has deep within him, with him soon finding out said man was also a superhuman like himself, and one unfathomably more powerful than even himself...
Then, he comes home to... To this, a confession out of absolutely nowhere, from a woman he barely even knew, and a woman who he thought wouldn't be interested in such things either... To say he was stressed, would be an understatement.
Apart of him was happy about this. In fact, he's never been confessed to before in this life, or the last, at least not like this. And she wants to actually stay over his place as well:
'I... I just can't even give her a response either. Doing that would feel like screwing with her feelings. Plus, she's what, in her thirties, or so...? This entire situation just feels, odd...'
He thought to himself.
He turned to Yukari, saying: "If... You're going to stay, here; I have a spare room next to my own. Fortunate for you, I even cleaned it recently too, so you can stay there for the time being. At least, until you've figured out yourself."
Yukari gave a small, grateful smile, the corners of her lips twitching with something faint and fleeting, relief, maybe. Or perhaps something closer to quiet acceptance. Her hand slipped away from his own, slowly, as if sensing that even a second longer might break whatever fragile balance they'd just managed to find...
"Thank you..." She said, firmly, voice low: "I promise you, I won't overstep."
Ayano gave a slight nod. He didn't say anything more. He wasn't sure what else there was to say at the moment. However, every part of him felt like it had been wrung out, and left to dry. His body might've been still, but his thoughts hadn't stopped pacing for on for hours.
He stood, rubbing the back of his neck: "Your room, it's this way..."
Yukari followed silently behind, her footsteps soft on the wooden floor, like she was afraid to wake the house itself. When they reached the spare room, Ayano opened the door and stepped aside to let her in.
'It's... just like he had said...' She remembered.
The room, it was, modest, and quite clean, while neatly catered to as well, with carefully folded sheets, a low dresser, and a faint scent of lavender from a half-used sachet tucked behind a shelf.
Yukari quietly stood in the doorway a moment longer, before slowly stepping inside. She glanced back at him once, and he caught it, the same look he'd seen in people who'd spent too long waiting for the other shoe to drop. The kind of look you give when you're not sure if safety is real, or just another test...
"Goodnight..." Ayano said finally.
Yukari nodded, responding: "Thank you, for all this... Goodnight, Ayano..."
~ Third Person Pov, The next day... ~
.
.
.
Ayano slowly woke up... Yawning as he did so.
'Damn... It feels like all of yesterday was just a dream.'
He thought, glancing at his alarm clock, seeing the time, which was 6 AM...
'It's, pretty early too...'
He slowly got up off the bed, with the intention of heading to train again with the old man he had met yesterday. However, now he wasn't exactly alone anymore...
'Well, I might as well go make breakfast for the two of us... Though, it's gonna take me a while to get used to doing this. But, I need to take a bath first.'
But, before he did so, he slowly stopped himself in front of his own mirror, truly realizing the changes he had went through over the course of just a few months...
He slowly lifted his shirt, looking at his body, realizing how much it had actually changed since he started training to begin with. He saw it, the fruits of his own efforts, and all the changes he went through. He remembered who he used to be before everything started for him.
'I know what I said about not particularly relying on my appearance before all this, or really caring much about it... But...' He thought, looking himself over a bit more. Now, he was slightly impressed how much he'd even grown.
'It certainly isn't that bad to look at...'
He saw all the pudgy fat he used to have, now replaced with lithe musculature, a small yet compact lean athletic mass, a decent frame, and sharp facial features...
.
.
.
.
.
.
He quickly dropped his shirt, closing his eyes while shaking his head...
'Sheesh... Maybe I really am becoming a bit of a narcissist.'
He quickly grabbed his towel and slipped into the bathroom, letting the hot water pour over him as he tried — unsuccessfully, not to think anymore. But, no matter how much he scrubbed his face or let the steam curl around him, a single persistent thought refused to go away;
'This was really real... All of it...' He thought.
The old man with eyes that practically looked through him. And, now Yukari, and her unexpected, confession and staying here. He sighed deeply, with the waters cascading off his shoulders...
By the time he stepped out of the bath, he felt marginally more prepared to face the day.
Marginally... He toweled off himself and got dressed, then padded barefoot into the kitchen, tying the drawstring of his training pants as he moved. He could hear the faint rustle of movement from the guest room, she was up, or waking up at least.
He opened the fridge and stood there for a moment longer than necessary, staring at its contents like they might suddenly tell him how to behave like a normal human being in this situation.
Eventually, he pulled out a carton of eggs from the refrigerator, with some vegetables as well, and some of the leftover rice had had made the day before. The simple decision was to make a tamago gohan, maybe a bit of miso soup if there was enough stock left...
Crack!
As he cracked the eggs into a bowl, the sound of quiet footsteps approached behind him. He didn't turn around, but he felt her presence, hesitant, careful not to intrude...
"...Good morning." Came her voice, still laced with bits of exhaustion.
Ayano glanced over his shoulder, eyes meeting hers briefly. Her hair was a little mussed, her expression subdued but, far calmer than it seemed last night. No trace of regret either. From what he could see, there was just quiet resolve around her...
'I guess, she's finally settled down...' He mused to himself.
"Yeah, good morning." He then replied, returning to whisking the eggs.
Yukari stepped into the kitchen fully, though she kept a respectful distance, settling against the counter as she watched him work.
"You... Didn't have to cook for me, you know." She chided gently.
"I know..." He answered back: "But, I'm up already, so... And you're here, so I might as well, right?" He began preparing the meal.
Yukari nodded, commenting: "The food…"
Hearing her, he asked: "Hmm? What about it...?
"...It, smells good." She
"Uhm, thank you..." He said a bit awkwardly, a small gesture of acknowledgment. They stood like that for a while, not quite awkward, but not yet familiar either... Especially to him. As he poured the eggs into the hot pan, Ayano spoke again, his tone casual, but not inherently careless.
"Hey... I've got something I need to do this morning. I might be gone for a while again..."
Yukari tilted her head slightly, asking;
"You've been doing so recently... Should I be worried?"
He quickly answered her: "No." Then, after a few seconds: "I've... just got to finish up that thing I said with the kid I've decided to help..." But, he stopped, his mind trailing somewhere else;
"Also... I didn't get to ask yesterday, given your position and all, are you sure you can just leave? How did it even go with your guards?"
'So, he asked...' She thought, offhandedly.
Yukari paused at his question, a shadow crossing her face, but not one of guilt, but of something more complicated. She shifted her weight against the counter, arms folding loosely over her stomach, as if wrapping herself in a little more time to think before answering.
"It... didn't exactly go over as smoothly as I hoped it would-" She admitted after a moment;
"-They weren't all that thrilled when I told them I'd be stepping away for a while, especially since it was so, sudden. There was a lot of pushback… as I had expected."
Her gaze flicked to the side, almost distant. "But, I had made it clear that this wasn't a negotiation. I've been in that role long enough that I've earned some amount of time away. They know not to push when I say I need my time."
She looked back at him then, softer now, but steadier;
"Besides… it's not like I've left everything behind me completely. I have contingencies in place of something like this. There are, people I trust keeping an eye on things while I'm gone. Furthermore, I wouldn't have dreamt of staying here if it meant abandoning my duties completely... You don't have to worry about that."
Ayano gave a slight hum, eyes narrowing—not in suspicion, but in the way someone squints toward a thought they're not yet sure how to phrase...
"…Trust me, I wasn't worried about your loyalty." He said quietly;
"Just your safety."
Yukari smiled, albeit faintly at what he said... "I've had much worse threats than a sudden bureaucratic disapproval."
He let out a small breath, halfway between a sigh and a reluctant laugh: "Yeah… somehow I don't doubt that one."
She stepped away from the counter, glancing at the rice cooker, and the now-simmering miso soup: "So... How long will you be gone, if you don't mind my asking of course...?"
He thought about it for a second;
"A Couple hours, maybe a bit more..." Ayano answered and continued: "I think it'll depend on how, cooperative people I'll meet are."
"I, see..." Yukari added.
Ayano didn't respond right away. He plated their food, simple, clean, then he handed her a bowl before picking up his own. They stood at the kitchen island now, side by side.
They both ate in silence for a little while, and after a few minutes, Yukari added, almost offhandedly; "Oh~ and when you come back, if it's not too much to ask... I'd like to, speak with you again."
Ayano glanced at her.
"Not about... That." She quickly clarified, cheeks coloring crimson faintly;
"Just, us... Or, it doesn't even have to be us. It can honestly be about, anything... You. Me. Something not about my responsibilities for once..."
Ayano, nodded;
"Sure, Yukari-san... I'll, see you when I get back."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 50: What do we have here...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Knock~
Knock~
"Hello...! Mr. Jang...? Are you here!?" Ayano called out.
Soon enough, he heard footsteps approaching the door, slowly... In just the span of a few seconds, the door opened. The old man stepping out this time.
"I didn't expect you to come so early, quite eager aren't y-" But, the old man instantly stopped mid sentence, scrutinizing the youngster...
His gaze becoming noticeably thinner.
'Is... Is this really the same boy that I trained yesterday?' Eli thought, incredulously;
He snapped out of his thoughts quickly, motioning Ayano to enter: "Come inside, quickly boy, I need to see something."
Ayano being a bit confused, didn't say much: "Oh... kay, then?" He simply complied and headed in, with Eli swiftly closing the door behind him. Eli didn't waste any time, he practically teleported beside his student due to how fast he was; quickly feeling all over his body, including his neck, abdominal, arm and even legs...
'Erm-' Ayano squirmed, in his mind: '-The heck is this old man doing...?'
Being more than slightly weirded out by this sudden approach, Keiji didn't say much, however he had realized that the specific areas the old man were feeling out, were the very same areas where he had been dealt pretty heavy damage yesterday as well. And, based on that, he now had an idea of what the old man was likely so, concerned about.
Eli on the other hand? He began sweating slightly... He had never seen something like this, at least in a very long time;
'Just, how...? It feels as if the boy didn't come here at all yesterday...? He's, perfectly healed up... There's not a single sore, much less a torn muscle in sight? In fact, I don't even see a single scar.'
Eli then stopped for a moment, thinking to himself. He then placed a hand on his chin, now observing the boy before him, carefully;
'Could... It be that the boy even has, that?' He pondered.
But, when he looked again. It didn't seem possible, nor would he have mistaken it for anything else either...
'This... Changes things, greatly...' Eli noted.
He looked at Keiji, sighing: "Listen..." Eli's expression became serious. "The training you'll be doing from now will have to advance a few steps ahead of schedule... but, even then. I don't think it will change the outcome much." He finished, more so mumbling the last sentence.
Ayano raised a brow at that, "Hmm? What do you mean?"
.
.
.
Ayano stood in the center of the basement. However, he now had one simple thing added, that would make his training become much more difficult.
"A, blindfold...?" Ayano asked.
"I can't even face your properly without one!" He quickly told the elder.
Eli simply crossed his arms, his face returning to that unreadable, stern calm Ayano was quickly getting used to... The sudden shift from concern to discipline was sharp, but not unfamiliar. It was the kind of shift you only see in people who've seen far too much, and no longer have time to waste on slow walks to the truth.
"You can't rely on your eyes forever, boy," he said, voice steady but lacking the harshness of mockery. "Anyone can dodge what they see. But real fighters, no survivors... They react to what they feel. Instinct. Pressure. Airflow. Sound. Down to ones very Breath."
He stepped closer, and even though Ayano couldn't see him anymore, he could feel it, the weight of his presence, like gravity itself shifted a little.
"You healed in less than a day from wounds that should've left you limping for at least a week."
Eli's voice lowered, but it definitely wasn't quiet — it was, deliberate and heavy as well...
"That's not natural, boy. And I don't care what kind of gift or curse you carry, it means one thing: you're no longer someone who I can afford to train at a human's pace."
Ayano didn't answer right away. He could hear something being dragged across the floor — maybe a chair, or a metal frame — then a clang, followed by a sudden gust of movement.
WHOOSH—
'CRAP!!!'
Ayano flinched as something narrowly missed him, striking the ground where he'd been a moment ago. Even blindfolded, his body had shifted slightly, just in time.
...
Unknown to Ayano, the old man paused, smiling...
"...You felt that, didn't you?" Eli suddenly asked.
Ayano hesitated, but then gave a nod: "Yeah... I did. Barely..."
"Good. Because from here on out, you're going to need more than barely if you want to survive what's coming to you." Eli's tone was still firm, but there was something new in it now — not just urgency, but a strange kind of respect. Wariness to it, even.
Whatever he'd seen, or not seen. In Ayano's body earlier, it had changed the way he looked at him.
"You're walking a road that's far darker than most people know off." Eli muttered, stepping away to the edge of the room.
"So, we'll train you in the dark... until your body knows and feels what your eyes can't see."
And just like that, the clatter of wood and steel filled the basement again.
Ayano took a slow breath through his nose.
'So this was what the advancement meant, huh...'
No titles or promotions, but being thrown deeper into the void... and now he was learning how to move before it swallowed him.
He activated his training mastery, now focusing on the technique aspect while he tightened the blindfold.
'Alright, then... Let's see what I can do.'
The basement felt weirdly colder now. Or maybe that was just the effect of the blindfold, stripping away his most relied-on senses, and making everything else feel sharper, rawer. The air prickled faintly against his skin. It smelled faintly of dust, sweat, old steel, and something else—almost like ozone, like a storm waiting underground.
Ayano stood still, breathing through his nose, arms loose at his sides. Every sound echoed a little too loudly now. The faint creak of Eli pacing nearby. The click of his shoes. The soft jingle of something metallic shifting weight in his hands.
Then—CRACK!
A short wooden staff slammed into Ayano's ribs from the left.
"ORGHHH—SON OF A BIT-!" He staggered sideways, his balance slipping before he caught himself with a footstep.
"-You waited." Eli said, voice calm, unmoved. "Don't wait..."
Ayano grit his teeth: "I didn't wait. I just—"
THWACK!
Another strike, this one much lower, now caught his thigh.
"React... Don't explain." Eli stated.
Ayano hissed through clenched teeth. The blindfold clung tight against his eyes, offering nothing. His hands tightened into fists. This was different from the previous training. No stances. No forms. No flowcharts in his mind of how this kind of fight would unfold...
It was just—now.
He slowed his breathing, trying to calm the storm inside his chest. He focused on his other senses: the slight shift in wind pressure, the sound of fabric brushing against itself when Eli moved, the creak in the wooden floorboards that always followed a pivot—
WSSH!
Something passed by him, just inches from his nose. A feint...
He didn't move, but his skin prickled as though it wanted to.
Then—
CRACK!
A direct blow to the shoulder knocked him a few steps back.
"Too late, again!" Eli muttered: "Your body knows before your mind does. But you're still listening to the wrong one."
Ayano's breathing quickened.
'Okay… focus. Don't chase the sound... Let the sound of him come to you.'
He waited now—not like before, where tension had coiled in his limbs—but with patience. Not trying to predict, not trying to fight time.
The air shifted again. A rustle of movement behind him.
He stepped forward on impulse—Whoosh—!
—just barely dodging the arc of the staff sweeping for the back of his head.
His heartbeat thudded hard in his chest. But he didn't smile. Didn't feel proud either. Just... aware. Aware that something inside him had moved, not consciously, but like a reflex that didn't quite belong to him.
"Good..." Eli said behind him;
"You're starting to listen to me. Not just to me... but, to yourself."
Ayano heading the praise, slowly adjusted his stance. But before he could reply—
SLAM—!A jab landed squarely into his stomach. This time, he hadn't felt it coming.
He doubled over slightly, the wind pushed out of him, stumbling back and catching himself on one knee. His teeth ground together. He hated this. Hated how unprepared he felt. How clumsy. It wasn't like him to be this vulnerable, even to himself.
"Hmm...? You're, getting angry...?" Eli said, from somewhere to his left now. "Don't."
"What? How can I not?" Ayano snapped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "You hit like a damn truck going a hundred miles an hour, and I can't see anything—"
"You're not supposed to see, boy." Eli cut in. "You're supposed to feel. And, you're supposed to fail."
Ayano's breath had slowed again. A beat passed. Then another. A faint scrape. Not close. Far side of the room.
Tap~ Tap~
Footsteps... Ayano's body leaned ever so slightly to the right.
And this time—
-SWISH!
He ducked just as the staff cut the air above him.
Then—
CRACK!
Ayano's fist shot forward out of instinct. Not clean. Not controlled. But it collided with something, a wrist? A forearm?
Eli made a noise of surprise. Brief. Muted. But it was there.
Ayano didn't celebrate. He kept his guard up now, just listening, his body tight and waiting, not with fear—but with readiness.
"...Better." Eli murmured;
"You're not there, yet of course. But now... you're beginning to fight like someone who can actually survive."
Ayano's chest rose and fell, his skin slick with sweat, jaw clenched. He didn't smile. Didn't say anything clever either. But under the blindfold… He kept his focus. And waited...
.
.
.
The next few hours passed in a blur. Every time Ayano thought he had a grip on his senses, he found himself pushed to the edge again, falling, stumbling, and rising again. His body wasn't quite in sync with his mind yet, but it was getting there.
And though he was bruised, exhausted, and sore, there was something undeniably different now. Ayano was learning not to trust his eyes, not his instincts or his strength alone, but the quiet power that came from deep within him—the kind that only revealed itself when everything else had been stripped away.
Finally, Eli's voice broke through the haze, the old man's tone no longer stern, but almost… contemplative.
"That's enough for today..." Eli added, his voice quieter than before, he looked at Ayano saying;
"You've got serious potential and talent, kid. But, both of them means nothing if you don't learn to utilize either..."
Ayano let out a long breath, his body was aching, his chest heaving with exhaustion. The blindfold slipped off, and he blinked a few times, adjusting to the light again. His senses felt raw, his awareness heightened beyond anything he had ever experienced, and that was just a few hours...
He looked at Eli, whose eyes, though still sharp, held something deeper now, a flicker of something more than just his usual calculation.
"I don't think you'll ever be a normal fighter..." Eli said, his tone oddly approving;
"But you might just become something more."
Ayano nodded, slowly getting up from the floor... He could already tell that the beating today was even worse than yesterday's;
'I guess this is the price to pay when aiming for strength...' He thought.
'Status...'
Strength: 524 / 1000
Defense: 525 / 1000
Agility: 525 / 1000
Spirit: 533 / 1000
...
Keiji looked keenly at the increases today.
His spirit had gotten much more of a significant boost compared to the attributes, while the rest only got half of what they were yesterday, at their best. Still, He was glad for the increase. Even though he focused on sharpening his sense. The boost was pretty moderate.
While Eli had completely, different thoughts...
'To think the boy would already reach such a level in only a few hours. I wonder, just what will occur by the end of this month? At this rate, I might even need to add another handicap to the mix; but, that would only inadvertently make the boy even stronger than he already is...'
He thought, slightly excited.
Not only that, he soon realized something quite peculiar about how Ayano was;
'Still, despite him being so skilled in various many martial arts at his age. To the point of perfection. The boy strangely doesn't show any signs of that particular mastery...' Eli slowly glanced towards his student once more, shaking his head.
'Maybe... Some talents just aren't meant to be fully understood...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 51: Being, In (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, An hour later... ~
.
.
.
'Hmm... It looks like I've healed up pretty nicely, now... How does one go through with something like this?'
I knew where the location was. Heck, I was standing right in front of it... But, I just didn't want to go down there...
I must have stood here for over a minute straight, staring at the door like it was a cliff's edge.
'Damn... To think I'd get flashbacks just before committing to this.'
I fessed up to myself at this point. Might as well be as real as possible...
Knock~
Knock~
I knocked on the door for a few times before I finally got any response... Of course, it was a shady looking bugger that was easily over a head taller than me, wearing an all black suit. The classic body guard ruffian you'd see anywhere...
"What did you come here for?" He asked me.
I pretended to glance to the side, and back. I wanted to sound calm, yet just a tad bit desperate...
"What the heck do you think, man!? Of course it's to get some cash..."
The man didn't move at first. His eyes narrowed at me slightly. I could practically hear the math happening in his head, assessing my weight, posture, tone, angle. He was trying to decide if I was a junkie, a con, or just desperate enough to be worth using...
He leaned a little into the doorframe, one hand still behind it.
"Hmm... You don't look like the usual rats I see around here..." He said, flatly;
"Are you sure you know where the hell you even are?"
I scoffed, shaking my head, letting a bit of bitterness slip through: "*Tch!* Yeah! I know exactly where I am. I-I'm not new to this, I'm just not dumb enough to look like a beggar walking in with torn shoes, and a twitch. You want me to look desperate, fine, but I'm not a damn mess."
That got me a small raise of his brow...
"Huh..."
He gave me one more long, slow look, before slowly stepping aside.
"Inside, kid. Don't try anything cute either."
In my head, I was disappointed. If he was gonna do the wrong thing, at least do it right. I stepped in, ignoring him completely. The door creaked wider... The hallway beyond that was pretty dim, lit by a single overhead light that buzzed like it had a grudge against silence. The walls were concrete, scuffed and stained as well.
I heard the door latch shut behind me.
"Follow me..." He said, stepping in front.
'Alright...'
.
.
.
We made our way past a few flights of stairs, the place was only getting dimmer, and dimmer as we went downwards... Until, we reached a door, and immediately I could hear the sounds of idiots shouting. Some crying out that they won, while others were crying out that they had lost...
The guy ahead of me didn't say anything. He just knocked twice, short and coded -knock-knock... knock~ Some kind of special rhythm they used? Maybe? It's likely familiar to whoever was on the other side.
Click!
A bolt clacked from the other side, then the door swung open slowly...
Just beyond it, I saw poker tables. Dice games. Chip stacks taller than some of the players' dignity. Men and women crowded around in layers of smoke and sweat, laughing too loud, or not at all... A few machines blinked faintly in the far corners, all old tech — probably rewired. Someone was crying near the slot section, clutching an empty wallet.
And then he appeared.
"Ah, a fresh face...!" Said a smooth, almost lilting tone;
"You walk like someone who thinks he knows where he is, but your eyes haven't decided yet. That's my favorite type."
I turned, and there this guy was...
Tailored maroon suit, shoes that clicked too clean for a place like this, and rings on three fingers of his left hand, speaking off hands... He has countless tattoos on riddled on them both. Both his eyes and smile were sharp, not predatory exactly, but curved like someone who always knew more than you would ever do... The classic.
"The name's Saizo..." He said, giving me a short, lazy bow: "And this? This establishment you see around you? It's all mine, at least, partially anyway..."
Of course... I sighed: 'Couldn't you just say you the were the leader, and let me end this here and now...?'
I didn't reply to him right away, I kept my head low and nodded once. Still... As much as the Saizo guy wanted to hide it, I could tell he was fairly powerful. In fact, he was a decent bit stronger than Cat was, but he's trying to hide it... I ignored it for now. I doubt he was the real boss anyway, so it's best I just waited.
Saizo tilted his head slightly, examining me like a piece of meat in a luxury shop window...
'Disgusting.'
"You look like someone searching for quick fortune... But, not really the desperate kind... More... methodical. Tactical even..."
He leaned in slightly. His cologne, it stunk with expensiveness, sharp and citrusy, with something bitter underneath...
Saizo spoke: "I feel as though... You're not here to really bet... Not really, anyway." He mumbled. "But poker? Poker might just suit you."
He straightened with a grin and gestured with one hand, leading me away from the fighting mats and into the casino's inner lounge... But, the place felt more like some kind of well decked basement...
"You don't have to win big. Just make a small dent for now. Eyes tend to follow that."
I played the reluctant card: "And if I don't want to play...?"
Just to follow along.
He smiled: "Oh, you will." he then chuckled at me;
"First game's always free, of course! And, the house always enjoys meeting its new, investments."
'Investments, huh...'
...I let him lead me along. This entire place already felt like a damn burden.
We stopped at a table near the center. Dim spotlight. Five seats. Real cards, no screens here. The dealer had gloves and no expression. Two players sat already, both too calm to be clean. One man with mirrored shades. One woman with rings but no nails.
I slid into the third seat...
Saizo gave me a small nod, then vanished into the crowed of the others in the back...
And then — as the shuffler reset the deck with a series of precise clicks — it happened.
I caught a flicker at the edge of my eye...
'What the hell?'
Then a presence, seated in the fourth chair...
My blood nearly froze — just for a second.
"Yo!" said Renji.
'It's not him... Not the real one.'
I knew that instantly. What really gave it away was the fact that he was constantly glitching in and out of reality... Like some kind of video game character...
Not just that, this version of him wore a charcoal gray suit, his hair neatly combed back, his ever-crooked grin sharpened to perfect symmetry. He looked; better than real.
"You've gotta be kidding me..." I whispered under my breath.
No one else had reacted. Not a single inch or sign from the others either. Which really told me he wasn't real.
Then, I quickly understood: 'The system... It's just using Renji's face.'
The hologram tilted his head slightly, and gave me that signature half-laugh. It didn't speak at first. Just watched the cards being dealt with the same smug calm the real Renji used whenever he was about to clean someone out in cards.
Two cards. One face-down. One face-up. I checked my hand. Low pair... Nothing too fancy.
Then, finally — the hologram leaned closer, smile still present.
"When it's your turn... call." Ren-It said to me.
The voice was spot-on too. The cadence. Even the little rasp at the end. It honestly felt a bit, creepy...
And just like that, something in me clicked.
I couldn't help it, I could feel my own lips forming a smile...
'Ah... so that's what you're here for.'
It wasn't just giving me advice. It was likely navigating all this for me. Like a living, breathing poker instinct with a familiar face.
This... This would be much, much easier than I thought it would be...
And once I started winning… once the stakes got high enough... Drawing out the real boss behind Saizo? That'd be child's play... Greedy bastards like these never liked it when someone won too big in their own house.
I made up my mind: 'Alright, system… I'll play your little game.'
"..."
I leaned back, gave the table a slow, cocky glance, and waited for my turn.
And when it came, just like the hologram said...
"Me? I call."
.
.
.
All the games had lasted for a few hours at most... I left with a heavy hand since I decided to bet a whole lot.
Still, I'd probably have to go there a number of times for it to be effective in the first place.
I smiled...
'I walked in with a hundred thousand yen... Now I have around two million... If this were the old me, I'd practically be having a field day by now.'
Plus, I was pretty much home too.
Of course, all the workers were here... It was already 2 PM, and they usually left around 6, and given what I saw last time, these guys were practically done with the excavation. I think they were on the foundations for the place...
Still, if I didn't commend these men on anything else in this world, it's that their work ethic is amazing.
I walked further up, this time, hearing Yukari's voice...?
I wasn't one to really pry into other's business, but, she sounded pretty stressed out. So I stopped, just at the entrance... Listening in.
.
.
.
"Please, listen to me... I know what I did was, sudden... But-" Yukari said.
She stopped.
"Chisaki... I can't tell you why right now. I'm not even entirely sure of the reason myself..." She said.
Her voice was softer now. Not apologetic. She sounded like someone caught in the middle of a mess they hadn't meant to make...
There was another pause.
"No, it's not like that, alright.... I didn't leave because something happened between us." Her voice quivered there, barely, but I had caught it;
"I just... needed distance. That's all. It's not... Permanent."
Not permanent... I think I know what she was talking about now, kind of.
She exhaled. I heard it.
"You, don't believe me...?" I heard her respond.
I didn't hear what Chisaki said, obviously, but the silence after was long. Uncomfortable. I could imagine what kind of questions were being asked on the other side. Yukari's responses didn't come immediately, either. She was listening...
Finally, she spoke up again.
"...I just needed a reason to feel like myself again, Chi... And when I was within Shishio... I wasn't sure who that even was anymore. That's, all I can say from the moment, please, believe me..."
There was a deep, long pause after that. Then, with a hint of something like pain behind her voice;
"...I'll call again later. I promise."
.
.
.
The call must've ended because after that, there was just nothing on the other end, just silence and the faint mechanical groan of concrete being poured somewhere farther out... I took a step back from the edge...
I didn't know why exactly, but something about that conversation sat in my chest like some kind of stone. Maybe it was the way her voice sounded so not, Yukari...
Like, she was trying to be a person she hadn't been in a while. I knew she was likely burdened from her life, but still;
'Just what kind of mess did I get myself caught up in...?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 52: Sorting This out...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Ayano finally opened the door...
Creak~
He had stepped in quietly, the latch clicking softly behind him...
The air inside was still warm from earlier, holding the faint scent of simmered broth and lightly scorched vegetables, remnants of the lunch rush, long cooled. The contrast from the outside noise and dust was relatively immediate. The house felt... Still.
Like it had been holding its breath...
'I've got to admit, the tension feels high...' He sighed.
He didn't call out to her. He didn't really need to...
Yukari was just there, sitting at the kitchen table. Same place she'd been that morning, though now the room's lighting cast longer shadows, the daylight crawling further down the walls as afternoon leaned into early evening. Her phone sat screen-down beside her, her hands resting motionless in her lap...
She didn't look up at first. But, she still knew it was him...
"Your back..." She said, barely above a whisper. Her voice had sounded quite tired, not really physically, but more so emotionally speaking. Like, it had just finished holding back too much problems all at once.
Ayano glanced at her from the doorway. His expression unreadable, but his posture had shifted, a little more guarded than it had been when he left. He stepped out of his shoes quietly and made his way in, footsteps soft on the wooden floor.
He didn't speak yet.
Instead, he walked past the table, toward the kitchen counter. He opened the fridge, pulled out a bottle of water, twisted the cap off with one slow hand, then took a long sip.
Yukari watched him now, her eyes tracking his movements with a mix of caution and quiet thought. Like she was bracing herself for something she didn't want to hear. Finally, Ayano turned around, leaning slightly against the counter. His arms crossed loosely, water bottle in hand.
He looked at her: "You okay?" He asked, voice being leveled.
Yukari's gaze dipped for a moment, then back up.
"No... Not, really." She admitted, calmly.
Ayano gave a slow nod. He knew he shouldn't press any further, nor did he ask who the call was with, or what it was about. Maybe he didn't have to.
Maybe she was hoping he would.
"I'm guessing you heard some of it?" Yukari asked quietly, fingers lacing together in her lap. "I wasn't exactly subtle when I was speaking to her."
He sighed, saying: "I... I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to pry, or listen in on your conversation..." Ayano replied, then;
"-I was just walking back from my little trip. Then I... stopped at the door, when I heard you, both."
She didn't seem angry at the revelation. Just... exposed. And more than anything, embarrassed by that exposure.
"You think, I'm being reckless, aren't you..." She implied.
Ayano tilted his head slightly: "No..."
Yukari raised a brow, skeptical: "You, don't?"
"Like I said, no." He calmy repeated himself, then continuing;
"I personally just think that you're still figuring things out for yourself. And, you're not pretending to have the answers anymore... That alone, I think it's a fairly rare kind of honesty to have with yourself, because trust me... Most people don't."
He walked over slowly, and gently pulled out the chair across from her. Sitting down without a sound...
Yukari must have stared at the surface of the table between them for a few seconds, then let out a soft breath, like the first few bricks of a wall were being set down again, but slower this time. More carefully.
"...She's, worried about me." Yukari responded after a beat. "She thinks I'm hiding from something... She also thinks I left her there."
"Did you?"
She didn't answer right away: "No... of course not." She said, exasperatedly;
"-Not, her. Just... The version of me that had existed around my own child..."
That answer sat between them for a long moment.
Ayano didn't judge her. He didn't try to console either... He thought it best to just sit with it, letting the silence carry what didn't need to be spoken verbally.
Then, after a long pause, he quickly said;
"You hungry?" He asked her.
Yukari blinked, raising a brow... "What?"
He chided back: "Well, you look like you haven't eaten since this morning, so I thought I might as well ask, are you...?"
Her lips twitched faintly, not quite a smile, not quite disbelief. "You're seriously asking me that right now?"
"Yeah..." He answered, plainly: "Because, if you're gonna stay here and unravel yourself slowly in my kitchen, you might as well do it with something hot in your stomach..."
She let out a small laugh — The kind that comes after tears that don't get permission to fall...
"Alright." She whispered. "Sure... Why not."
Ayano stood, pushed the chair back with a quiet scrape, and started opening cabinets...
...
Yukari stayed seated, her fingers were now idly tracing a faint scratch in the tabletop. She didn't look up immediately, but her posture shifted, no longer wound so tight. Not relaxed, but... looser. Like a rope with the first few knots untied.
Ayano moved around the kitchen with silent efficiency, grabbing a pot, setting it on the stove. The click of the burner, the whoosh of flame. He filled it with water, reached for some noodles, a few leftover vegetables, a strip of meat from the back of the fridge. Nothing fancy, just something warm, like he had said...
Yukari spoke again, tone low, almost reluctant...
"You know, I used to cook all the time?" She asked, eyes still on the scratch. "It was, years ago. Before everything started getting more... complicated for me."
Ayano glanced over his shoulder: "Hmm? What stopped you?"
She shrugged. "I think... Overtime, I started seeing something like food, as nothing more than a tool of sorts, something, functional at most. Just, fuel to keep my body moving to complete my tasks. Then, somewhere along the way, the joy of it just... disappeared..."
He didn't say anything at first. Just nodded slightly, turned back to chopping vegetables with calm, clean precision...
"I think... I think I'm beginning to see what kind of person you are, Yukari-san." Ayano finally added.
Yukari turned her gazed towards him, answering: "Really? What have you surmised then?" She was slightly surprised, but in a manner that was more so curious if anything.
"Well..." He started, chopping the onions;
"I think you are a responsible person... Kind as well, and not afraid to protect or help the people you deem important. I even think you're quite intelligent too, and very aware of both you, and your own surroundings." He finished, peeling the carrots.
"But..." He added, voice dropping just slightly;
"I think you might have been dealt some pretty bad cards in your life... Things that shaped you into who you are today. Still, everything I've said before, just... more vigilant. More, tired. Maybe I'd go as far to say that you're even burnt out. Because of everything you've had to carry, and everything you feel like you have to accomplish because of it."
He didn't say it with pity, partially. Or with much judgment either. Just quiet, yet careful observation he noted. Yukari of course, didn't reply right away...
Her eyes were still on him, but considerably softer now. The usual tension in her shoulders had slackened without her even realizing. She had leaned forward slightly, her fingers gently curling around the edge of the table, anchoring her there like the words had unsettled something deeper than even she expected...
"...That's, a pretty great read." She said, eventually, her voice slightly quieter now: "Ayano-kun... Tell me. Have you always been this perceptive?"
Ayano thought about it for a minute and shrugged, saying: "I'm sort of used to paying attention to others... When people don't say what they mean, you start learning how to hear the things they don't say."
However, it was a skill he had picked up when he had gambled in his last life. In that kind of world, his own perceptiveness, was a skill he had developed that he could really rely on...
'Though... I wonder if I should tell her about that part of my past...?' He slowly thought.
Yukari exhaled slowly, a somewhat dry chuckle escaping her lips: "I should've known you'd be dangerous the moment you opened your mouth this morning."
He looked up at that, mildly amused: "Huh...? Dangerous...? Me? Really?"
"Yes..." She answered him calmly, eyes narrowing slightly in thought;
"You don't even talk much... But, when you do, you go for the part of someone they didn't think anyone else would notice."
She leaned back slightly, watching him from across the room now...
"I've worked with many soldiers, agents, engineers... people trained to hide everything. And still-Ironically, I don't think any of them made me feel as... read, as you just have. I'm still surprised just how natural it is to you."
Ayano gave a faint smile, not knowing what to truly say: "Sorry... I, wasn't trying to do any of that."
"Well-" Her eyes were now roaming his form, completely;
"That's what makes this even worse..." She replied sharply.
He heard her chair, creaking~ then her footsteps coming slowly after...
...
"Hey, I'm almost don-" Ayano said before stopping.
He felt a nice fragrance hit his nostrils before slender arms wrapped around his torso...
'What the!?' He thought surprised.
Before he could even think to turn around, he felt a head-her head nestling at the back of his hoodie.
"Yu-Yukari!?" He said, surprised at what she was randomly doing.
In a calm voice, she responded to him: "Do... You remember when you asked if I was sure if this-My feelings for you were in fact, real?" She said, trailing off behind him.
...
"I think... I've found my answer-" She paused...
Suddenly, hugging onto him even more tightly than before...
"-And... That answer... is a yes."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 53: Wait a Minute...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov ~
.
.
.
"W-Wait... Yukari-san...!" I stammered, my hands lifting instinctively, hovering near hers, but trying my best to not touch it. I didn't pull away — not yet — but I didn't lean in on her either. My heart was practically pounding, but I even felt hers...
It felt like a calm rhythm against the warmth pressing into my back...
Her arms were wrapped tightly around my torso now, firm but unshaking, her head resting gently between my shoulder blades. I could even feel her breath — not just the warmth of it, but the subtle weight. Soft, slow. Intentional. She wasn't moving. It wasn't loosening either.
"I—This... this isn't—"
I couldn't even finish that sentence. Damn it; I'm an embarrassment of a man...
My fingers curled around the edge of the stove. I wasn't scared. But I was something. Something I hadn't been in a long time...
Her voice came again, muffled against my hoodie: "I'm not expecting you to say it back…"
...
Then of course, silence. She just, held onto me.
I closed my eyes, just for a second.
The scent of her shampoo, it was faint, and herbal-mixed with the barely boiling broth on the stove. A part of me, deep in my gut, told me to just let this all happen. To give in. But, I, just, couldn't...
I slowly reached for her wrists, not forcefully, but just enough that she could feel it. Enough for her to understand that I needed some well needed space at the moment...
"…Yukari." I said again, this time softer: "I... You're not thinking clearly right now. You just got off a call that might have shook you up, you've barely eaten too, and I…" I exhaled through my nose, hard. "I don't want to be something you're using to patch something else."
The silence stretched between us like a taut wire, and she didn't move a muscle.
"I'm... I'm not using you." She said finally, her voice was strangely calm when she said it;
"But, I am finally choosing something I actually want... I'm choosing you."
My grip on her wrists tightened, just slightly. That sentence, it had hit me way too damn hard, and way too damn fast. I could even feel her pulse under my fingers.
I turned around, not fast, but just enough to face her, and she stepped back on her own, just a little. Her eyes met mine. There was no blush, no flustered stammer.
Just this overwhelming honesty in them...
My throat was dry. "…This is going to complicate things."
Although I couldn't her properly, I caught a small glimpse of her lips curving upward, faintly;
"They were never simple to begin with."
I blinked. My gaze dropped for a moment. She definitely had me there.
"I just…" I started, then stopped;
"I don't know if I can even give you what you're even looking for..." I told her, being as honest as I possible could be.
She responded to me: "That may very well be the case... But, I'm not looking for a promise, Ayano..." She said with that calm tone of hers...
"I just need someone to talk to..."
That did something to me-more than I'd ever care to admit... She wasn't, clinging. Wasn't pleading. She was asking for solid ground. And I didn't know what frightened me more-The fact that she seemingly, really meant it, or the part of me that wanted to believe her.
I looked down at the stove, then back at her: "…You, should sit back down. The food's almost ready."
She didn't argue. Just nodded at me, before stepping away with the quiet grace she always had to her. And, I stood there for another moment, wondering how the hell someone like me ended up in this kind of situation...
Much less with a woman like this.
I braced myself. "Yukari... I'm, 17." Reminding both myself, and telling her of this fact. This body of mine was very young. Even if I'm mentally well over 20.
"What...? You're..." She stammered-sighing, before calming her self back down...
"If that's the case... Then... I can wait. Though, I'm honestly quite a bit surprised that even my daughter is older than you."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I blinked, completely ignoring the second half of whatever she just said.
"Ex-Excuse me?" I'm... Uh... What?
"You said, you can... wait?" I repeated it all, like the words hadn't quite landed correctly in my head. They had, but my brain was doing a weird little stutter trying to process them or it all at once...
Before I knew it.
Yukari had already sat down again, posture composed like nothing even remotely scandalous had just happened. How does she do that? I looked down, and glanced back at her, realizing that her fingers were curled around the rim of her mug now, still empty... but her grip had visibly relaxed a bit...
"I don't rush things I actually care about..." She responded, a matter-of-factly too;
"-Besides… I can tell instinctively that, for some reason, you're not some child... Not mentally at least... Not with how you speak. Much less with how you treat and respond to others."
Damn, she was right... Technically speaking. But also wrong. And somehow that only made this even worse.
I turned back to the stove, if only to give myself something to do that wasn't staring at the woman who just low-key said she'd wait for me like it was absolutely nothing. Like it was obvious. Like the world should just bend around that decision of hers.
But, I can't... I felt like if I accept her feelings now.
It'd have disastrous effects later down the line...
Regardless of that, I don't even have a reason to. I don't see her in much of a romantic way at all, even if she was pleasing to the eyes. I looked at her, trying phrase this as gently as I possible could.
"Listen, Yukari-san... I'm, glad that you even see me that way, I do. But, I think I'll need some time to figure this out too... And because of that." I swallowed hard, continuing;
"I... I genuinely think we both need to stop being around each other before we, or I do anything, well... Drastic."
Before she could open her mouth, my phone rang off, just in time. Thank goodness.
Vrrm~
Vrrm~
...
Thankfully, my phone rang. "I've, got to take this, be right back-" I said, practically running out of the house.
.
.
.
'I didn't think I'd ever run away from a woman... Much less a woman that seemed to care for me this much.'
Now I'm starting to wonder if it's even love to begin with... Regardless of what it was, it was a bit, over bearing, and as much as I wanted to play it off and chalk this all up to be fake, it wasn't. She was completely honest with herself that it even scared me.
Still, I feel all screwed up, just how can I deal with this effectively?
Vrrm~
Oh, I almost forgot about this... I looked, only to find that an unknown number was calling me...
'Hmm...?'
Ignoring my better judgment, picking it up: "Ah, hello?" I answered.
"Meet me at the Cafe', near Sekai's residence..."
Beep~
Beep~
Beep~
"..."
'Huh!?'
Before I could even respond, the phone hung up;
"Ah, damn it..."
'You've got to be kidding me, who says something like that and dip!?'
That entire request was just, out there, but still... That person's voice, it sounded a bit familiar to me;
'Either way, why whoever this girl was, wants to suddenly meet me near Sekai's place...?'
Still, Sekai could be in some sort of danger based on that tone she came at me with. The person, she seemed quite serious about this...
'Ah... Screw it! I might as well do this, especially since I can't really go back in.'
I gathered my bearings, and went against my better judgement for all this. Plus, what are the chances of me being beaten by some random girl? Likely very low, maybe...
.
.
.
The trip took me like 20 minutes, tops? But, there's only one Cafe' near Sekai's place to begin with... I quickly looked around a bit, seeing a few people doing what normal people do, drinking tea, or coffee. I quietly scratched the back of my head, wondering if this was just a silly prank call, or something.
'Maybe, this wasn't entirely the brightest idea of mine to just, go through with this, meet-up...'
...
Tug~
Tug~
...
I suddenly felt something tugging on my shirt from behind. When I turned around, I saw... No one? At least, not until I looked down...
'What, the...?'
It only took me a little while to remember it all, but, isn't this that super short short girl I saw at the library one time? If I remembered that time correctly, we had bumped into each other. Her name-was it, Satsuri? Shitsune...? No, it was Setsuna! Yeah, Setsuna...
'Still, I don't get it... What does she want with, me?'
Our eyes met for a split second, and just as it did, she instantly broke contact... Well that was certainly not the greatest boost in one's confidence... but, beggars can't be choosers, right?
"Can we speak, over there." She pointed and said. In that same monotonous voice I remember a week or so back.
"Ah, s-sure...?" I said, trying not to make this any weirder than it already needed to be.
I followed behind her, with the both of us now sitting on the opposite ends of the table...
After a few, she finally looked up at me, saying: "I'll just get straight to the point..."
She said. Then, her expression got considerably more serious...
"What are you to Sekai-san?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Notes:
Fun-Fact: As most of you have likely realized is that, Ayano's attributes do not scale linearly. Each point is exponential to a very small degree, but eventually it all adds up overtime. *Please, remember this fact for later on...*
Chapter 54: Another Familiar Face
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"Uhm... What?" Ayano asked, more than a bit taken aback by the sudden line of questioning.
However, her expression hadn't wavered a single inch.
"I'm sure you've heard me... What's your relationship with Sekai-san?" Setsuna added.
"E-excuse me...?" Ayano asked again-slower this time, as though hearing it twice might soften the blow;
"-That's kind of… a, loaded question, don't you think?"
Setsuna didn't blink. Her posture was immaculate — hands folded in her lap, back straight like a ruler. But there was something guarded about her eyes. A sharpness dulled just barely by politeness.
It wasn't curiosity that motivated her question. It was something else. Tension... Concern? He tried but couldn't pinpoint it.
"...I don't ask questions I don't need the answer to." she finally said.
He stared at her: "So... this is, what? An, interrogation of some kind?"
"...If you want to call it that," she replied flatly, "Then yes."
A beat passed for a moment...
The clink of ceramic and the hiss of the espresso machine filled the space between them. A couple laughed in the corner...
Somewhere behind the counter, a glass was dropped. Ayano leaned back slowly, arms crossing, eyes narrowing slightly;
"Alright..." He rubbed the ridge of his nose before asking. "Then answer this — why does her life even matter to you?"
Setsuna looked away, as if she were watching the street outside for approaching cars, or other students: "Because, if you're going to keep being around Sekai, then I need to know if I should be worried..."
Hearing that made something in Ayano twitch. "?Worried? About what exactly?" He said, voice much quieter now. He didn't want to assume she meant anything bad by that kind of question...
She looked back at him, this time at a level-eyed: "About, her heart."
He blinked a few times, before responding: "What...?"
Clearly hesitant, Setsuna spoke up again;
"We... spoke about what had happened, recently. We are, very... close friends, and we've gotten back into contact as well... Regardless of all that; push came to shove, we spoke about her, and then about you... And, as her friend, I naturally came over to see her, and when I got there, she was a complete mess."
.
.
.
'Then... Setsuna knows what happened...' He thought.
Hearing all of this this, made Ayano shift in his seat. Still, what this Setsuna girl was doing, wasn't exactly normal, but... A small part of him greatly admired those kind of traits in people, it was quite rare to find, at least, in his own universe.
'Though... Now, I think I see what's going on. This girl, it's pretty clear she cares about Sekai to do this, despite how tiny she is, she's got a fairly big heart...' Ayano summed, closing his eyes while smiling to himself.
However, unknowingly to him, Setsuna saw it, and had gotten slightly flustered by the motion, but she quickly regained her composure...
"Well, it seems that Sekai has one solid friend by her side... Though, Before I answer your question... What exactly did you guys talk about?" Ayano asked.
Setsuna, being caught off guard a little, reluctantly agreed... But first, she thought it'd be best if he heard the whole story. She thought she owed him at least that much if she did all this in the first place.
...
Setsuna began explaining her relations with Sekai to Ayano, and all the events he's heard small rumors of during school. She told him about Sekai being in love with Makoto Itou, and how Sekai had developed feelings for him after some time, with her and him eventually going out...
Setsuna briefly mentioned that she had helped played matchmaker for the two, and helped them to get together.
However, he also noticed Sekai's micro expressions when saying Itou's name for some reason. But, he placed it at the back of his mind for later, and continued listening. Eventually, Setsuna had told him about the time they had stopped spoken after a while when Sekai found out about Makoto's serial cheating behavior, and tried to stop it, alluding to the fact that Sekai quickly went into depression because of the whole thing with Itou; speaking to absolutely no one for a while, whilst also somewhat distancing herself from all her close friends at school too... Then eventually, Setsuna said Sekai had reached out to her, and they started speaking again a few weeks, nearing an entire month ago.
She even mentioned that Sekai told her how Ayano had helped her, by talking her out of what she was about to do on a particular day, with Sekai apparently not really getting into details, with Setsuna about to do on that day either... She also said that Sekai started to slowly heal from her past wounds sustained from Makoto, and tried to get back on her feet, until she fell in love again, with him, Ayano specifically.
Which led them both to today's talk.
.
.
.
"Well, that's a, lot..." Keiji mumbled. Hearing the entire story so far felt a bit, unreal. He had a inkling that Sekai had actually liked him, to some extent, but a part of him-He just wanted to be sure, even if there were signs of it being the case either way.
Sekai could have simply been an over-friendly type of person, and she technically was that type of person by nature, but most often tend to get overly-friendly, and interested mixed up, but Setsuna cleared it up, which also makes his situation even more complicated...
He looked right back at her;
"Still, I am a bit curious about something here... When you spoke about Makoto, it sounded as if you two had something going on, or at least, you wanted something to go on... Of course, you don't need to answer it if you don't want to..."
However, unbeknownst to Ayano, Setsuna had silently clutched the hem of her dress, before she responded...
"I... At the time, I was also in love with Makoto as well."
.
.
.
'Really...?'
This had put things into perspective for him.
He even chuckled lightly for a second...
"I think... I've actually gotten the full picture now... So, if I'm getting this correctly, you knew of Makoto before his ways." He said, trying his best to frame the young boy's escapades, as lightly as he possible could;
"However, you said you were also in love with him too... By any chance, does Sekai know about that part?"
"..."
He sighed, responding: "I'll take your silence as a no, then..." He chided. However, Setsuna quickly bit back.
"Why does that even matter? This isn't even about me... It's about Sekai, and how you feel about her." She quickly finished. However, Ayano simply sighed.
"...Don't be stupid."
...
"Wh-What...?" Setsuna said, confused.
"I think I've gotten the full picture of what kind of person you are. Spoiler alert kid, it's not a path that ends well." He said to her, seriously.
He then continued: "Throughout this entire scenario, I'm not sure if you've even you realized it, but, you've essentially put Sekai's entire well being, and feelings above your own without any question; when I doubt anyone has even asked you to... From what I understand, you're trying to play the pacifist, by not impeding on her goals, likes and interests, even at the cost of your own, right...?"
He asked, but how he phrased made it sound as if it was a fact, he didn't even sound a bit unsure about any of it.
This, of course, stupefied her... "Wha-What do you know!?" She said, her voice getting a bit more audible.
Ayano shrugged, and sighed "You may, or may not want to heed my advice on this, but I think you should... Like I said a minute ago; This does not end how you think it does. You may think that as long as she's happy, you'll be happy mentality, but eventually, that would only leave you bitter in the end..."
Setsuna's lips parted like she was going to argue again. But nothing came out. Her fingers, still curled at the edge of the tablecloth, twitched slightly before stilling.
Ayano leaned forward, elbows on the table now, voice lower-but, not cruel, yet still deliberate;
"You don't have to tell me what you're feeling, Setsuna. But you know damn well I'm not wrong. You've probably tied so much of yourself to Sekai's own peace of mind, that you probably forgot you're allowed to exist outside of her orbit."
.
.
.
She looked away again. This time, not at the street. Just... away.
She came to question him, yet it feels like he's drilling her instead...
Ayano sighed again, softer now, and a little less frustrated;
"And, I get it... I do. Wanting to be there for someone so badly, you'll tear yourself in half just to fill whatever they're missing. But eventually, you'll look in the mirror, and not recognize what's left of you."
Setsuna flinched at that... Just barely. But, he caught it...
"...It's not like that..." she finally murmured. But her voice cracked a little, betraying her own words...
Ayano raised a brow: "Then, how is it exactly?"
Her hands tightened in her lap;
"I just... want her to be happy... She's... already gone through enough as is."
"And? Does being okay means she also falls for someone you also fell in love with...? Someone who might not even stay, which we both knew in the end didn't?" Ayano told her. Slightly irritated.
"...Th-Then I'll be there to pick up the pieces again... That's, enough for me..." Setsuna had said that like it was her gospel. As if she'd already accepted her place in being Sekai's helper-shadow, a long time ago.
Ayano stared at her for a long moment, calming himself before commenting;
"You... You say all that like it doesn't hurt you in kind of way..."
"It, doesn't..." She said, too quickly.
He smiled, dryly saying;
"Liar."
Setsuna glared at him now, that soft, composed facade of hers beginning to crack under the weight of his questioning...
"What do you, even know about it...?"
"More than you'd think." He answered calmly, eyes not leaving hers.
"...Actually, more than I'd ever like to admit..." He trailed off. "Listen to me... I can tell, you're a half-decent person; but this road your walking on? Yeah, it leads to nothing but shit on the other end for you. Hell, you might even end up hating Sekai because of your own decisions... I've, seen it happen."
Setsuna looked a bit downtrodden from the conversation, but Ayano hoped it would at least fix her over abundant level of selflessness.
Eventually, Ayano leaned back, resting one arm over the back of the chair;
"Listen... I don't know what kind of idea you have of me, but I'm not here to wreck Sekai... I never was. Plus, I never asked for her feelings either... I'm not some guy looking for pity affection from a girl on the rebound. And believe it or not, I've been doing everything in my power not to lead her on..."
Setsuna's gaze dropped, somewhere between skepticism, and curiosity: "...But, do you even like her?"
Ayano was quiet for a long time. Then he said, very carefully: "I... care about her... At least, enough to not rush into anything stupid, and certainly enough to keep myself back, if that's what it takes... Sekai's hurt Setsuna-san, and I'm in no position to love her, or anyone... At least, not now."
"Even if it means hurting her?" She asked him.
He nodded once, and answered: "That, depends... I'll always be truthful between the things between us, as friends... Lying to her won't help her, lying never has, or does help either..."
That, oddly, seemed to give Setsuna pause. She studied him, like she was seeing something new and something she definitely didn't expect. Finally, she looked down at her lap, and whispered;
"She really did fall for you, huh..."
.
.
.
Ayano didn't respond to that. What could he really say?
Setsuna looked away again, this time slower, like her own thoughts had surprised her;
"…You're not the type of person I expected you to be..." She added after a long while, voice smaller but her tone still even.
The words circled in her mind, unsettling. She had expected arrogance, indifference, maybe even selfishness. A boy caught up in his own image, too immature to realize how easily someone like Sekai could get hurt again. But this... This wasn't that.
The way he spoke, calm, measured, even a little detached. It wasn't cruelty. It was clarity. He wasn't sugar-coating anything. He wasn't bending to her emotions, or trying to perform. He saw her, and Sekai, and the mess between them, and still get swayed by it.
'He's, dangerous...' She thought to herself.
She had surmised it quickly, not in the way Makoto, or the others had been with their recklessness, and hunger — but in a quieter, far more difficult way. This Ayano person, she could tell;
'He isn't careless with people's hearts. But, it's the complete opposite.'
He knew exactly what to do with them. Even if he didn't know he was doing it.
That realization tightened something in her chest, sharp and unwelcomed. A part of her hated that he could effortlessly speak so plainly about the things she took much effort in burying — that he'd read her like a book she hadn't given him permission to even open.
And worse — far worse, was the flicker of something else she caught herself feeling: Respect...
A bitter kind. Unwanted for the moment;
'He... He sees too much... This-it wasn't supposed to happen.'
To her, this was discussion was supposed to be her way of knowing him, but only the opposite has happening since she came here. Subconsciously, she clenched her hands underneath the table, unsure of how to continue this conversion, much less, to stir it in her own favor.
She knew that this situation wasn't even about her. It never was. It was about Sekai... But, for the first time in a very long while, Setsuna finally realized that, she was finally thinking about herself.
And that... That scared her.
'I... I can't stay here much longer.' She thought, biting her lower lip.
...
She stood up abruptly, brushing imaginary crumbs from her skirt: "I've said what I needed to... I'm, sorry for bringing you out here."
He looked up at her: "Well, you didn't exactly drag me... But, still, it's fine... I know you did all this because you cared... Plus, that's rare enough to be worth the walk I guess." He said, smiling gently.
She paused at that, cheeks coloring with a peach hue, ever so slightly. She quickly looked away, then back, just once: "S-Still... If you hurt her-"
"-I won't." Ayano cut in, before adding more quietly;
"But even if, I do... It sure as hell won't be on purpose."
Setsuna looked at him then quickly gave off a stiff nod, and then turned, leaving the table with her usual, too-perfect posture. For some reason, she felt as if this person would keep their end of the bargain.
With that, she quickly left the area, with Ayano leaving right after her...
.
.
.
Ayano made his way back home to deal with his situation with, Yukari. However, he felt as if he stood her up, but now his mind has been packed with two confession today; one being direct in nature, and the other being indirect...
He sighed, looking off to the side;
'Just how much more complicated will things get from here on...?' He tiredly asked himself.
...
"Hey! Wait!" A voice called out, Ayano turned around, since he was alone in an alleyway, having more than a hunch that the call was directed at him himself. However, when he saw who it actually was, and his expression darkened, considerably.
"You!?" Ayano said, instantly identifying who this person was...
The person in question seeing this, quickly spoke up: "L-Listen... I... I know this looks terrible... but, I can explain-GAUH!"
But before he could even finish uttering his last set of words, Ayano disappeared had from his vision completely, and before he even knew it, his felt his body being suspended in the air, with his neck being held, like a dough that could be crushed at any second.
...
The person's sneakers scraped uselessly against the alley wall as Ayano slammed him into the brick with a solid-thud-one arm pinning him easily, right by the throat, the other clenched at his side like it was just barely keeping the rest of him in check.
"Trust me... I don't think you can explain..." Ayano stated, now in a dangerously low tone.
"But, go on... Surprise me... Cat!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 55: Talk! (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
"I-I..." Cat stammered;
"I only met the b-boss o-once! GURGH!!!" He stammered.
Quickly coughing out, his neck was only being squeezed further...
Ayano's glare flared up: "Did you know about them?!!!! Huh!!?" He asked, slowly loosening his grip. Causing Cat to fall to the ground...
However, Cat had quickly picked up onto who Keiji was speaking about...
.
.
.
He looked up, frustrated, aimed at himself;
"It... It was already too late damn it! And saying anything, meant that my own fucking life would've been taken as a consequence!"
Although he was still on the ground, he was grogging like someone who hadn't remembered how to breathe until just now. His voice even came out much rawer than before, and stripped of whatever pathetic front he'd tried to keep up earlier.
"I... I wanted to say something…" Cat muttered, like it was more so to himself. Looking downwards again.
"-The last time I saw them all—I... I really did want to speak up.... But…"
He looked up at Ayano, the dim alley light catching the cold gaze in his eyes.
"…I-I was scared, man! And, you wouldn't get it either... That guy, the boss—he's wasn't someone you can just run your mouth, and talk back to or correct! I could tell he was the worst type... Breathe wrong near him, and you're just… gone."
Ayano's gaze didn't soften. If anything, the silence he offered now felt much, much colder.
However Cat continued, much quieter this time...
"He was, stronger than me... Way stronger... And worse, I could tell he was the type that liked making examples. If I said anything then, even hinted that I noticed something was off, and called him out on it… I wouldn't just be next. I'd probably be dead."
He choked down the emotion creeping up his throat: "But, I still should've done something. Anything... I still see their damn faces, you know? Every fucking night."
He turned his eyes back to Ayano, voice breaking;
"If I could go back… I'd change it all. I swear I would! I'd at least do something this time…" He trailed off.
Ayano hated every second of this... But, even he knew what cat had said was normal. Cat didn't have the strength to take on someone like the boss he fought some time ago.
Most people he knew would instantly run away from something that looked strong, and genuinely had more than enough power to talk his talk; that was just how humans worked, but even, this still didn't entirely excuse his behavior.
.
.
.
At first, Ayano didn't uttered a word. Not right away. His expression was, unreadable now, not angry, nor calm. Just, eerily distant...
And then finally, he spoke up;
"You... You don't get that damn luxury..."
Cat visibly flinched at the remark.
Ayano turned his head slightly, just enough to speak without looking at him: "There IS no, next time! No going back, damn it! There isn't any form of apology that evens this kind of shit out!"
He stepped forward, slowly. For a second, Cat flinched again, like he had expected another roughing up. But Ayano just kept walking, right past him.
He then turned his head slightly "…If you want to live with that, then fine." he continued. "But don't pretend that your regret makes you brave." he turned back.
Ayano was already beyond irate at this point; "Why the hell did you even try to find me? Huh...?" He finally asked the youth.
Cat quickly looked down again;
"B-Because... You're strong... And, I need that kind of strength."
Not all at once, but like something inside of him pulled back hard on the reins. One foot planted mid-stride, his shoulders stiff, the breath in his lungs suddenly feeling heavier than it should've.
He didn't turn around again, but his presence felt stiffer;
"Hahaha... The hell does that mean?" Keiji asked him, laughing before his tone dropped again...
Cat unconsciously swallowed hard, still kneeling where he'd collapsed, both hands gripping the pavement like they were the only things anchoring him to this very moment...
"I-I don't mean strong like muscles, or fighting, at least not just that..." He said, much quieter now;
"I meant the kind that lets you look other people in the eye, someone stronger than you... The kind that doesn't flinch when things are about go to hell."
He lifted his head, face streaked with shame, but gaze sincere;
"You did something when I couldn't... You, acted. I know you were the one that saved them... And yeah, maybe it was too late for some things, but… You didn't sit on your hands. You didn't look away, you fought and you won."
Ayano perked up at what he had said, asking... "How... Hos do you know?"
"Ho-How do I know what?" Cat answered.
"How the hell did you find out that I saved them...?" He asked, curious. However, Cat's eyes widened before quickly returning to normal.
"I... I heard it on the news... One of the women who were rescued, barely saw the person who even rescued them all... She said the most defining thing on that person was their eyes. She... She said that they were blue." Cat said, pausing for a second before slowly running his hand on his throat...
He... looked away.
"Then, it came to me; the only person who I fought that was strong, and with blue eyes, was you. And you were the only person actively looking for me... and the, you know who..." He finished.
Ayano hearing this, still didn't face him. His silence wasn't permission—it was just pure judgment. The worst kind.
"Still… I-I don't want to be a coward anymore." Cat quickly added. "I want to stop running from this, and atone for the shit I've done, and caused. But, I can't do it alone."
A long, quiet moment passed between both of them...
Ayano then closed his eyes, and sighed;
"You... came to the wrong person." He said, barely audible...
"If you're looking for some kind of paragon, and personal trainer, I'm not it, so do me a favor, and fuck off."
He began walking again, no hesitation this time... Before saying;
"I'm just... Someone who was unfortunate enough to show up late, got angry and then did something about it. Nothin' more." Ayano said, walking off once more...
...
Cat remained on his knees, staring at the ground long after Ayano's footsteps faded into the distance. His hands curled slowly into fists, the cool grit of the pavement grinding into his palms.
"I, know..." He whispered to no one. He looked up in the sky, realizing how glum it had appeared.
.
.
.
"Heh... I figured you weren't the hero type..." Cat's voice cracked around the edges, swallowed by the alley's silence.
"But at least... Ya' did what I couldn't." He told himself, clenching his fists...
And, for him...
That was enough...
'Still, if you won't help me... I know others who will...' Cat said, getting up.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Ayano didn't stop walking. Not even for the deep chill working its way up his spine. His mind kept returning to that one phrase;
"I want... no, I need to stop running from all this."
There was something about those words that stuck harder than he wanted them to. It wasn't guilt. Not exactly...
It was the unfairness of it. That a guy like Cat, seemed so strong yet, cowardly, and it wad already too late — which actually gave him the spark to do better as a person now, only because someone else had already borne the consequences he essentially couldn't bare to even face...
Ayano then shoved his hands deeper into his pockets;
'I guess... You don't get to pick the weight you carry after it's already crushed by someone else.'
Still, that didn't mean Ayano could pretend he was unaffected by it, because it was the complete opposite. Maybe he partially hated Cat for what he didn't do...
But a small part of him... A part he didn't want to admit existed, almost envied the simplicity of his guilt. Because he didn't get to walk away with a clean conscience either.
Not after what happened back then. Not after what he letting himself become since it happened...
"Tch-"
.
.
.
Ayano Looked ahead to see his home in the distance... Now, he was remembering the discussion both he and Yukari had, prior to him suddenly leaving. He sighed just thinking about it all...
'I can't... I Just can't let her leave so suddenly... She's barely even been here.'
I felt like a hypocrite since I mentioned that she should go, and prior to that, stay...
The closer he got to the house, the quieter the world seemed to become. The gravel under his shoes crunched in rhythm, but it didn't ground him. If anything, it just reminded him how present everything still was. The two confessions. The regret. The desperation.
The way Cat's fingers clutched the pavement like it was something sacred, like he'd only just learned how to beg properly...
Ayano didn't know if he pitied him or hated him. Perhaps it was both, and maybe that's what unsettled him most.
And now, just ahead... was her. Yukari. Still inside. Maybe sitting in silence, or maybe she was gone already, packed up and disappeared from his world as quietly as she'd entered it. He wouldn't have blamed her for it...
It's just that he'd be a little lonely again.
'That.. would suck...' He told himself.
He slowly reached the door, and hesitated. His hand hovering right above it...
'I told her to leave, well implied... But, I hadn't really meant it.'
He pressed his thumb against the frame;
'But I couldn't let her stay either. Not when I'm like this. Not when I've got blood on my hands, even if no one sees it.' He quickly steeled his resolve...
Click~
He stepped inside.
The house was fairly quiet. No voices, no kitchen clatter. Just the ambient hush of a place waiting to be filled.
He kicked off his shoes with a little more force than he needed to, then paused in the doorway.
"…Yukari?" He called out her name, gently.
A soft sound came from the other room — not footsteps exactly, more like fabric brushing against itself. A shift in weight. She hadn't left.
Relief hit him, brief and sharp, and then it was gone.
When he turned the corner into the living room, he found her exactly where he expected her to be, sitting on the edge of the couch, hands loosely folded, eyes trained on the floor...
She didn't look all that surprised to see him.
If anything, she looked... oddly, prepped.
"I figured you'd come back..." She quickly said.
He realized that her voice wasn't cold, but it wasn't exactly warm either. It just was... Like a held breath to him. As if a card placed face-down on a table...
Ayano stood there for a second, then nodded slowly;
"I figured... Honestly, I don't even know... I feel like I owed you that much."
"Well... You owe me nothing." She curtly replied, looking upwards now.
Her face was unreadable. Still calm. Still composed. But, there was that slight tension at the corner of her mouth — the kind that shows up when someone's holding back a response they know won't change anything.
"I... didn't leave because I wanted to..." He said, then: "I, spoke with someone at first, and then someone else had found me on the way back, then we talked..."
Yukari didn't ask who, she didn't pry.
She only said: "I see..."
.
.
.
That surprised him a bit, but he smiled, exhaling through his mouth almost huffing, stepped forward, asking;
"You... You're, still here..."
"Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should be." She answered him with a small smile.
"I... wasn't sure either..." Ayano admitted.
His voice was rougher than before, not from emotion, but fatigue... In a sense, it was a form of emotional whiplash. Too many people laying their truths on to him in just a single day, and all of them expecting nothing in return, or worse, something he didn't know how to, give back.
He slowly ran a hand through his hair, and finally sat down across from her like he had done earlier, elbows on his knees.
Yukari tilted her head slightly, watching him before finally asking;
"Have you made up your mind...? Do... you wish for me to leave?"
He hadn't looked at her right away, it was still in the evening, and her workers were still here... He stared at the floor between them, eyes half-lidded, responding;
"...No." He said eventually, then saying;
"Not unless, you want to...?"
She didn't answer him, at least, not right away...
Then softly, she shook her head: "No... I'm tired of running away from things just because they seem a bit complicated."
A faint smirk touched the corner of Ayano's mouth;
"Well..." He said looking at through the window.
"-I suppose, that makes two of us, huh...?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 56: Back, again...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, Back Home ~
.
.
.
'Home, it never felt like this...' Keiji thought.
Not to mention the fact that, he was practically tired mentally as well, especially as of late. There was just too much to keep up with in this place. Now, he was wondering if he should just run, and run far away from here to avoid the needless drama...
"You're back."
He looked up, seeing Yukari again. She must have heard him come in; not that he was being particularly quiet in the first place.
"Yeah, I'm back. I sorted out what I had to." He said to her, taking off his shoes in the process.
"That's good, I suppose... Also, I wanted to tell you that the project is coming along well. It should even be finished in about another few weeks or so."
'Finally... Some well needed good news.' He mused.
"So... about this morning. I... wanted to continue with our discussion."
Of course, he didn't want to tackle it, but ever since that talk with Setsuna, he had some well-needed questions too.
...
"Sure... What do you want to talk about exactly?"
"It's about what you said, before you left earlier... About this whole scenario being quiet fast to begin with. Truth be told, even I'm not used any of it myself..." She told him.
"You're, right... But, I just want to ask you something before I answer those questions."
She hesitantly nodded.
He walked inside further: "Tell me, and be honest, please... Did... Did you love your late-husband?"
...
She looked at him like she was surprised, if not slightly offended too... He felt that he needed to tread carefully with this line of questioning.
"I did, or, had. Why do you ask...?" She questioned him.
He sighed: "I... Let's just say that I, wanted to make sure of something... So let me ask you this... between me or him, which feelings would you say are stronger."
She didn't answer at the same time, which made sense—the question was a bit, heavy.
"That answer to that is, complicated..."
"Simplify it for me then." He quickly asked. He needed to press the issue, and feel her out.
"..."
"Alright then... I am in love with you, but I also loved my husband... if you can understand what I mean that is..." she responded.
The answer to that wasn't what he expected it to be, but unfortunately, he had gotten the gist.
"So... You're saying, I was essentially your love at first sight, kind of? While your husband was the man you came to love... Please, correct me if I'm wrong."
It took her a few moments to respond, but she eventually had, saying: "I... No, you aren't wrong."
"Great, that means... you're essentially infatuated by me, by definition then?"
She slowly nodded, hesitantly.
"I see where you are going with this, but I'm not just attracted to you physically... As much as I thought that was the case initially... It isn't." She revealed, whilst instantly shooting down his hypothesis.
"Oh...?" He acted surprised. But no matter how he wanted to twist it, as much as he couldn't believe it, he could confidently say it—this woman was actually in love with him. He'd never actually seen this before in his current or previous lifetime, but, it definitely made sense, especially since falling in love at first sight was an extremely rare thing...
She looked him in the eyes, saying;
"Love, it just works out that way, funny isn't it...? Though, I think, it's likely best that I told you a story that was passed down from when I was younger." Yukari then sat down, and clasped her hands.
.
.
.
"When I was much younger, my mother had told me a story about my great-great ancestor, Tsumugu. The founder of the wall that surrounds us, the people of the sea... But, that doesn't really matter much to the story at hand." She chided.
Ayano didn't know why, but he felt as if he should listen to her...
"My great-great ancestor, Chisaki had someone she was in love with at first, when she was much younger... However, due to certain incidents during that period of time, let's just say, that the relationship never came to be... Eventually, she had decided to stay with Tsumugu due to her new circumstances, and as time passed again, with her growing older because of it.
Now being a young woman in her late teens, and having lived with my great ancestor Tsumugu for many years; Who at this point, had apparently loved her the moment he laid eyes on her, or he quickly fell in love with her... Still, based on what I remember, they had met when they were around 14 years old, quite young..." She explained, smiling to herself.
"...I've got two questions. First off, who was the person Chisaki even in love with...? And second, why didn't it get to work out exactly? I'd like to know." Ayano asked, curious to see where she was eve going with this kind of story.
She placed a finger on her lip, saying: "Well, to answer your first question. His name, it was Hikari... Both he and my great ancestor actually Chisaki were childhood friends, so to speak, along with the rest... And, as for why it didn't work out, well, it's because Hikari himself was in love with his other childhood-best friend, Manaka."
Ayano looked at her questioningly: "Sounds like quite the love triangle..."
She smiled: "Oh~ You don't even know the half of it! I'm just condensing the entire story... But, to cut it short, my mother once told Hikari that -I love the you that loves her- This, was all before the incident that happened between them all, separating the group of friends.
Still, Chisaki had know that Hikari was very much in love with Manaka, and she loved that side of him that does so.... Eventually, after the incident, my Chisaki had grown an interest in Tsumugu, since she was with him for multiple years, but it wasn't ever exactly love... Moving along, I had heard he had confessed to her, albeit indirectly, and they eventually after, she chose him, and they lived their life together."
Not understanding the point so far, he kept quiet...
"Many years passed again, and they had children, and eventually grandchildren, but... Throughout that time, there was one last thing in particular I had heard that my great ancestor Chisaki had said, and it was that, even though she had grown to love my great grandfather, Tsumugu, deep down, she still ended up wondering to herself what kind of life she would have lived with the person she was truly love with..." She said, pausing for a bit, before staring off to the side.
"Though, not to get it distorted; I heard she had loved my great grandfather, dearly as well... but her first ever love was something she inevitably wished would have experienced in her long life-In truth... I heard she said it hadn't completely left her, and that, your first love never truly does, what you can do, is accept the fact that it just couldn't, or can't truly be."
Ayano hearing this shook his head for a bit, asking;
"Yukari-san, why are you telling me all this, exactly...?" Still not truly comprehending what she's trying to say right now, but he knew it had some form of meaning to it.
He just couldn't grasp it completely...
She sighed for a moment: "What I'm saying, is that... I just wanted to try... But, I also knew that this kind of relationship would never really work out either; In most cases, it almost never does.
It's even worse when you factor in how sudden it all was. It's the curse of being a realist... However, I also didn't want to lead a life that my great ancestor Chisaki held... In her story, she didn't try to be with her first love, but I refused to allow that kind of opportunity to pass me by.
...Regardless, this story, it was mostly about my daughter... I know it may seem a bit confusing, and I may not have a chance with you..." She said, pausing, voice thinning for the first time since ever;
"...But, if anything, I want you to help protect her, Ayano... That child, she might not even realize it yet, but... if anything happens to me, I want you to help protect her to the best of your ability, Ayano, please."
"Yukari... I never asked for any of this..." He said quietly, feeling a bit burdened for some reason.
"I... know you didn't..." Yukari replied, much softer now: "That's why I'm asking you this, not as a potential partner, or even as someone who ever had the right to want more from you—but as a mother."
"I'll... protect her..." He said at last;
"I... I can't promise what'll happen between us, or what direction this all goes in, but I'll protect her as best as I can. With that much... you have my word."
Yukari exhaled, a slow release of the weight she'd carried.
"…Thank you." she said, standing;
"That's all I needed to hear..."
She slowly stepped past him, walking toward the staircase, but paused for a moment just before turning the corner;
"I'm... I'm sorry, for doing all this Ayano... For putting you in the position to answer questions no one your age should have to even do, or consider."
He shook his head: "I... It's, fine Yukari... At least you were honest with me... Head up stairs, and get some rest. I've got some training to do myself."
She lingered for a bit longer, as if she wanted to say something more—but thought better of it. Instead, she gave him a small nod, then disappeared up the stairs, leaving Ayano alone...
...
He sighed to himself, trying to digest everything he heard today...
'Well, that was... Intense...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 57: More Than One Purpose
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, Later in the night... ~
.
.
.
Being honest with myself, I wasn't sure why Yukari even told me that story to begin with. Still, I could tell she truly loves her daughter... Even if felt like she, no... She was begging me to protect her. Maybe there was some trauma behind it...
'It's probably best not to focus on this kind of thing... Just, focus on improvement.' I told, and kept telling myself.
I quickly gathered my bearings for the night. I needed to push myself even more if I wanted to get ahead, why? I... I didn't even know why, but my gut was telling me that I needed to constantly prep myself for the future. It's clear this world wasn't normal by any means of the word; and, I don't want to be on the receiving end of it. At least, not on the bad side.
'Where should I really start...?'
Thinking of ways to improve myself, I immediately thought of my training mastery passive. From what I understood from using it. Anything I wanted to learn physically, I'd essentially make the most progress out of it by simply just thinking/willing it, but, using it for only martial arts seems to be waste...
'The skill... It doesn't inherently limit me to just martial arts, at least not technique wise, I think. Doesn't this mean I could theoretically improve anything as long as I put my mind to it...?' I hoped my hypothesis was true, but I haven't really had the time to test it out.
Still: 'What the heck should I even improve first?'
Aright... Think of short comings...? One of them was definitely my overall memory, while I wasn't an amnesiac by any means, I do tend to forget things a lot, which meant I needed to put extra time in studying to achieve, with the exception for martial arts. Another thing might even be the more mundane aspects of my life, like breathing, and walking, maybe...?
"..."
Now I feel as though I'm talking out of my own ass. But... It certainly doesn't hurt to try them to feel out the mastery a bit more.
I sat down and looked up those these three things first. They were a start...
'Let's go easy, and just start with memorization first.'
I turned on my computer, and quickly browsed up some techniques on how to improve one's level of memorization and overall mental acuity. I searched up all the known techniques that worked, and which had seemingly well documented results for everyone that tried them.
First thing on the list was something called the -Memory Palace- technique—also known as the Method of Loci...
It sounded a bit bizarre at first... Even to me.
It was about visualizing a place in vivid detail, then placing information within that imagined space as if I were arranging furniture in a house... But the more I read it, the more it sort of made sense to me, as weird as it all sounded. According to me very limited research, the human memory wasn't built for raw data-it was built for imagery, space, and context. etc...
At least, based on what I was reading. So, I got to work, and closed my eyes...
I concentrated, while slowly breathing in;
'I just hope this all works...'
I sat at as still as I could, and tried to picture my first childhood home; the layout still fuzzy at the edges, but it was familiar enough of a start. In it, I slowly walked through the front door, in my mind, taking my time as I did so, dragging the memory of a formula—Euler's identity—into the living room, and placing it on the couch, like it was a guest...
Just like before, I felt a slight tingling in my mind... It wasn't anything bad, rather the opposite. I felt as if I had more confidence in myself...
...
Then next were a list of a bunch of vocabulary terms in the kitchen drawers, like silverware. Next were a long chain of martial arts katas I had learned across the hallway, each of the movements were frozen like a photo pinned to the wall... They weren't all that clear, but I think it was close enough for a beginner, such as myself.
And just like that, thinking... it was actually a little easier. Oddly enough too, I felt sharper to be honest, but barely... All the things I knew of started to essentially anchor themselves in my mind—not perfectly, but it was definitely enough for me to feel a slight shift in my mental state...
I opened my eyes...
"Hmm..." I actually didn't feel too bad...
Still being seated, I could feel my pulse steady, my thoughts tiny but less scattered...? Feeling a bit Encouraged, I leaned back in the chair, and turned my focus to the next idea that had crossed my mind, which was breathing. On paper, it sounded like a stupid thing to train-but, if martial artists practiced it for combat, if even monks used it to clear their minds, then maybe there was something important to it.
'Might as well give this one a try too...'
This next technique I researched was called diaphragmatic breathing. Essentially, breathing from my belly or stomach.
I read up that most people breathe shallowly—using their chest, and shoulders—while proper, controlled breathing comes from the diaphragm. Supposedly, it helps not only with oxygen intake, but clarity, endurance, even emotional control... It seemed small, slightly unremarkable to be honest, but if there was a thread to pull for any kind of advantage I could gain, I wasn't above tugging at it in my current position...
I sat up straighter in the chair, feet planted firmly on the floor. One hand on my chest, the other just above my stomach this time. Inhale through the nose… slow, deep. I paid attention—made sure the hand on my stomach moved, not the one on my chest.
Hold it...
Then exhale through the mouth—equally slow.
"Fuuuhh~"
It felt a little awkward at first. Super mechanical, that was the word, almost like I was impersonating someone else's breathing. But as I kept going, repeating the cycle again and again, until the tension in my jaw eased a little. My shoulders dropped slightly. There was no lightning bolt of revelation, no panel alert, or sudden stat increase, but there was a strange... Alignment.
As if for the first time in a while, my body was in true agreement with my own mind, or getting close to it.
Like everything was working in tandem...
I don't know how long I stayed like this, just breathing. But eventually, I opened my eyes again and glanced at the time. Not much of the night had passed—but I felt like something had changed. Like something inside had clicked, just a little bit as well.
'Strange...' I thought.
'This, really is working... even if just barely.' I continued doing the cycle some more.
'Still, If I do commit to this every day for at least a month or so, I should see some results... Hopefully speaking.'
With that in mind, I'll just stop here for now. I can continue with my memorization training tomorrow when I got back, for now, I wanna at least get the proper breathing method down, if I could make it my normal way of breathing. I should be set for now, and maybe I'll even see some results.
I inhaled... And exhaled.
~ Ayano's Pov, the next day... ~
.
.
.
I woke up bright and early. I felt, refreshed...
'No way! Just breathing properly had these kind of benefits...?'
As much as I didn't want to sound like an over surprised fan-girl. I genuinely felt like brand new me, my mind felt like it was ready for the day, and I felt like I slept like a brick, and not just that...
I could tell, I was still performing the breathing method, although it was still just a little Shakey. It was still much better than what it was before, in a few more weeks. I think it'll eventually become permanent, I don't think I've got any doubts about that one.
'Alright, it's time to get the day going.'
I looked over at the clock, seeing that it was around 6 AM, it was already starting off well, I can get to old man Jang a little before 7 AM, and train until 10 AM...
'Actually... As hilarious at it was. I felt like getting my own bum whooped with a clear mind wouldn't be that bad of a thing...' I laughed to myself.
I got my lazy arse off the bed, and headed for the shower. Yukari was probably still sleeping, and I don't really want to wake her right now when things are so awkward between us, so I'll have to extra be careful, or... all of it is for naught and she'll be up anyways. Still, a man can dream right?
.
.
.
'It's 6:48 now... I'm just on time...' Really and truly, it was quite early...
Other than that, I wished the walk here wasn't so long, but it beats using a taxi and even if the walk was pretty good. I just wished time froze while I did it.
While on the way to the old man's place, I looked down the alleyway;
'It's a damn shame those guys aren't here today. I want to get this quest over with...' I just walked by, disappointed. I made my way past it, and went to where the old man lived.
And as I got closer, I heard multiple people talking in there, sounded like only elders like himself, and with himself included... Was it a bad time to come, or something? It'll disappoint me that I can't get some training in today; but I'm not so greedy to interrupt the time that the old man has with others...
"*Sigh...*"
I shook my head, and decided to turn around, makes no sense. I might as well go and train my memorization when I get back home, it'll be something at least...
.
.
.
"And where do you think you're going, youngster?"
.
.
.
I stopped, slowly turning around...
'He... He heard me!?'
"Hah...?"
It was Eli's voice, but how? There's no way he heard me from here while talking with those old men? Right?
Before I could question his ridiculous sense of hearing, the door suddenly opened.
Thwap!
"-Like I said, where are you going? In fact." He slowly smiled at me;
"You came just in time!" He finished, but when I glanced behind him, there were multiple others inside, the number nearing ten too, all being different elders, some had looked younger than the others at a glance, but one thing was for sure.
'All these old coots, they were giving off the same vibe old man Jang does...'
...
Before I knew what was even going on, a small chill ran down my very spine...
'The heck was that? And, why do I have this eerie feeling, that today's gonna suck...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 58: New Master/s...?
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
Eli had welcomed Ayano within his home once again.
This time, all the elders that were quietly speaking amongst themselves, had all turned towards him, and for a brief moment, they were equally all stunned with eyes completely widened at what they had seen, but just momentarily...
Eli had realized the change immediately, smiling with himself...
'At least, they've seen it for themselves...' Eli thought.
One of them immediately spoke up to Eli, saying: "I never thought I'd have to say this, Jang... But, is what I'm looking at even real...?"
Eli smiled slyly: "Oh, it's very real." He responded.
Ayano had came inside, still curious as to who all these old men were to even begin with...
"Ah!? Where are my manners...? Everyone, this here is Ayano Keiji. The youngster who I was informing you all about earlier." Eli introduced his student quickly.
Ayano quickly bowed his head: "H-Hello, everyone..." Ayano added, not sure of what else to start with other than that.
All of them looked at each other, before laughing loudly...
"Hahah! He's quite mannerable at least... The name is Zack Lee, little Ayano. And, we're all glad to meet you, that's for sure." The man name Zack said, his hair was slicked backwards, with strands of white, but mostly black still about.
Ayano for some odd reason, did NOT feel any better with how this old man had said it... He just nodded, saying: "Uhh, thank you..."
"And, I'm Vasco kiddo." Another old man said, he was one of the larger one in terms of over all stature.
Then another stepped in, and this one had an eye that almost looked somewhat, conjoined...
'Interesting... I've never seen that before.' Ayano thought.
The man in question, introduced himself: "My name's Vin Jin, a pleasure kid; and if you must know..." He pointed at his left eye before continuing: "This condition of mine, it's called polycoria." He added.
Ayano however swiftly apologized, "Sorry for doing staring... Was it that obvious?" He asked.
Vin slowly nodded: "Yeah, but it is fine, really. I'm used to it kiddo..." Then waving off.
"Well, my name is, Hudson... Hudson Ahn." This elder in particular had patches of pale blond mixed in with gray hair, he looked somewhat American, or even a European mixed person. At least, that's what Ayano vaguely thought at first glance...
'Also, why did he same his first name twice...?' Ayano thought to himself off handedly.
Before he could continue this thought, another one of the elders interjected;
"I'm Warren Chae, a pleasure to meet you son, I've heard a quite bit about you. Nothing but good of course!" He said. The man was one of the taller of all of them that were present, but he had a lithe build, just like Eli had.
Still...
'Nothing but good, huh...?' Ayano thought, instantly glancing towards Eli, who looked away in response.
'Sure didn't feel like it ya' old coot.' He cursed, but, he kept his face calm... Nodding at Warren's introduction.
"I guess that just leaves myself, and Jay... I'm Jihan Kwak, and next to me, as you've heard is Jay Hong. He isn't much of a talker, as you can see." The man said, introducing himself, and his friend.
Jihan's eyes were shaped cat-like, and their color were a piercing silver; interestingly enough, Ayano thought that this man resembled a snake, if it had a human form...
As for Jay... Ayano was a bit, confused to say the least.
"Excuse me, but, what do you mean...? I'm sure I heard his voice too." Ayano pointed out.
Jay in response, slowly pointed at himself, with his head tilting to the left a little "-No way... You-You understand me?-" He heard a voice, but didn't at the same time.
"Whoa!?" Ayano backed up slightly... "H-How did you just, do that...?" Ayano quickly asked. Jay hadn't said a single word out of his lips, yet his he had spoken, with terrifying clarity too.
Jihan then spoke up, seeing the mess, and news;
"Are... you saying you heard Jay speak? Hold on son... Jay doesn't speak... But, we more, or less understand what he's trying to say, it took us quite a while... You're the first person other than him that immediately understood Jay's, well... language."
"Really?? I guess that explains it, sort of...? I'm still a bit spooked, it's like I can hear him, but I can't at the same time, it's weird..." Ayano said.
This of course interested the other's, but they made no real comments about it, for the time being at least.
Clap!!
...
"...Well then, it seems like we are all acquainted with each other... So, let's get on to business, shall we?" Eli suddenly stated. The rest of the elder's demeanors had changed in response, going from welcoming, to oddly serious.
Ayano picked up on the change instantly, but also wondered what Eli had meant by business, much less why he was here to even see it in the first place...
As if on cue, old man Jang turned toward his pupil; "You may be wondering why these men are here in the first place... To cut a very-very long story short. They are all here to train you."
"What...?" Clearly confused as to what was going on, he looked at his first teacher: "What do you mean they're here to train me? Actually, why didn't you tell me about this...? And, do I even get a say in this?" He finished.
Eli, simply smiled politely: "Well... To answer your first question, yes. As for your your second; Hmm... No. You actually have no real choice in the matter, to be completely frank. In fact, you lost the choice the moment you agreed to be my student. Sorry."
Ayano looked completely dejected. Their were a total seven people here, and all of them were absolute monsters in their own rights. He could tell it instinctively.
Ayano turned around, and breathed out.. Looking up in the sky with a complicated expression;
'Haha... I'm cooked. I'm actually cooked this time.'
Until he suddenly felt his shoulder get grabbed;
"Nonsense little Ayano... You'll be fine!" Eli said, before adding: "I think..." He mumbled that more so to himself.
"-So, let's get on with the demonstrations."
"Ah, yeah... Sure, demonstrations..." Ayano repeated.
.
.
.
All of them made their way into Eli's basement.
"Ohhh... Not bad at at all Jang..." Zack commended. Observing the area his friend had working with. Everything was surrounded with metal and mats with old yet kept training equipment...
"I know, I personally made it all myself, it took me a few years of work too, but it was well worth it." Eli explained.
All of the elders then lined themselves towards the back nearing the wall to make some space.
"Alright, Keiji, I want you to show your martial arts forms in full detail, don't hold yourself back as well."
He nodded: "Alright...?" Ayano answered. However, he wasn't sure what to really start with in the first place...
He scratched his head for a bit, thinking;
'I guess... I'll just start with the first one my list... Judo.'
He took a slight breath in...
Not shallow, not frantic-steady, low, from the breathing technique like he'd practiced the night before. He let that moment of calm stretch over his shoulders, roll down his arms, and root his stance firmly. His foot slid forward slightly, then pivoted. knees bent, posture low. He slowly assumed the initial stance of seoi nage; the shoulder throw, one of the first techniques he had mastered.
Of course, all the elders seeing this were quite surprised...
...
"The boy's entire demeanor changed..." Warren stated. The others easily nodding in agreement.
Without a partner, Ayano's movements flowed despite being through imagined resistance. The way a pianist might moved their hands without a keyboard. He gripped an invisible gi, turned, dropped his hips, and twisted as if hauling weight over his back. Then again. And again.
Seeing him pull it off, they were all stunned: "No way..." Zack said this time, wondering if this was even real.
He followed with osoto gari, a major outer reap, the motion slicing across the air like a scythe—his balance never wavering a single bit. Each throw looked as if it was becoming sharper, with each step he took being extremely precise. A silent kata, performed not to impress any, but to show who he was at his foundation.
Zack's eyes narrowed a touch, but not from suspicion—more from analysis. He was nothing short of amazed.
'This kid... Eli was right... His movement... it feels as if it has extreme levels of mastery... No, it's reaching beyond even that. But, there's no essence of it even being there...' Zack thought to himself.
The others were thinking along the same line of thought, especially Jin.
Ayano then transitioned from Judo into his taekwondo sequences without pause, his body beginning to shift like a new instrument picking up a different melody entirely. Where Judo had been grounded and close, Taekwondo was explosive, and aerial...
Fwush!!
His leg whipped high into a turning kick, the air slicing with a crisp hiss as he snapped into a double roundhouse. He landed softly, almost without sound entirely then spinning immediately into a jump back kick.
.
.
.
"Son of a gun..." Vin Jin mumbled, then continuing;
"This kid... He's the real deal."
Vasco's eyes widened, considerably. He had thought the boy had potential the moment he saw him, but this?;
"He wasn't just proficient in Judo, the kid's reaching beyond with even this too... As much as I Didn't want to admit it... He's already well on his way of forging his own path." He explained said to the others.
They all nodded in unison, but what they were seeing was nothing short ridiculous...
"It's one thing to be on a path to a single martial art, but to be on a path with two of em'? It's unheard of..." Jihan quickly stated.
"See?" Eli suddenly chided his friends, before smiling;
"I know it sounded untrue, but this boy is even more unbelievable... He's already on a path with two other martial arts as well, believe it or not." Eli added, causing all of them to look at him as if he were joking.
Hudson spoke up this time, in absolute disbelief: "T-Two more...!? What about the other martial arts he knows? How far has he gone along with them?"
Eli simply smiled, responding: "He's on a level of just normal mastery with them, or slightly even above if I'm being frank. This boy... He's improving every day since we've sparred. With no end in sight at that. Not only that, he's showing clear signs of mastery, and beyond without any of the essence behind it."
Hudson, simply nodded, finding the response somewhat acceptable...
"-Still... If he's not showing the essence of mastery... That either means two things... He's not really skilled at all, or he just knows the moves really well, which the former seems to be the least likely case out of the options, or-" Jay said.
Eli then interjected: "-Or, the boy simply hasn't even come close to reaching his own wall..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 59: What To do...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
After everyone had seen all of Ayano's move set, and his level of competency, they had left him in the basement and went to speak on what they should do next...
.
.
.
"Alright, Eli... How do you say we go about, this?" Zack quickly asked, not sure as to how any of them should really proceed with this kind of situation.
"I... I'm not so sure about this either." Eli said thoughtfully, then sighing for a moment before continuing;
"I think we should truly tell him about how gifted he is. I partially did so with his talent in learning how to harness his animalistic side... But, in terms of his own pure martial prowess, that..." Eli didn't even finish his sentence, but trailed off instead.
Warren then spoke up: "I would say I agree to that... I also think the boy should be aware of his level of talent as well. Simply having four completely different techniques that are nearing the level of those with a fully fledged path, are..." Warren paused, slowly noticing Eli's guilty expression.
"Wait just a second, Eli... Is the boy even aware of what a path is?" He quickly asked his old friend.
Everyone turned in Eli's direction: "Well... N-No... I really haven't gotten around in telling him what any of that is, yet... It's only been a few days since we even began his training to begin with." He said, lowly.
"Then we can start on that first... If he understands what masteries, and paths are. It should be able to help him grasp how talented he really is..." Vin interjected.
"Yeah, that sounds about right... Let's just get it over with..." Vasco said.
Everyone of them quickly agreed, heading downstairs again to explain the new situation.
.
.
.
Ayano turned, hearing the footsteps of the elders again...
'Well, that didn't take very long... I wonder what they were all talking about.' Ayano thought, idly.
They all made their way down and gathered again, this time, Jihan stepped up, being the one that everyone had chosen to explain what everything was.
"Alright, son... I think it's best we explain some things first... But, before I start, I wanted to ask this, just in case; have you heard of masteries by any chance? Or even paths?" He asked.
Ayano shook his head, and responded: "...No, not really... I've never actually heard of those terms before, why...?"
Jihan then slowly glanced back towards his old friends, and then right back towards Ayano...
"Well, I think should start explaining the former first. Masteries, at least that was what we called it back in our glory days. It was essentially a way of saying someone had reached a point of fully understanding how to utilize their overall strength, or assets. Whether it be for their speed, strength, toughness, endurance, and technique... Are you with me so far?"
Ayano nodded: "I guess, yes..."
"-Good... Now, it's best I get a bit more detailed in my explanation. To also add to what I said earlier, those who do achieve mastery in any of those fields I've mentioned prior, are typically very-very close to hitting their own physical limits, understand?"
Ayano nodded, then asked: "I, think I get you... But, you said, typically... Is there some sort of other catch to it?"
Jihan nodded, smiling: "In fact, there is... Those who have achieved it, can still, at least technically speaking continue to grow in their areas of expertise. Still, one thing is very common between the two, is that when you do achieve it, like I've mentioned before; you are nearing how strong you can get in a specified area, as well as naturally. Think of it as mastering how to lift a weight. You can still grow stronger overall as you lift and over that period of time, you will slowly perfect your methods, the more you lift and train-
-The two are somewhat tied to each other, but they aren't exactly the same. Regardless, mastery however, at it's very core is simply a great amount understanding or enlightenment."
Ayano didn't say anything at that point...
"Still, you must be wondering, what does this have to do with anything...? Well, mastery for something like martial arts works a little bit, differently. Technique mastery has different stages... Regular mastery is essentially having practiced your specific martial art to absolute perfection, and in execution, you aren't missing anything... But, it can go further than even that." Jihan explained.
"Further...? If you've already mastered something, what's could possibly be after that?" Ayano asked.
Jihan sighed: "Paths, youngster... Paths are what's after it." Jihan answered.
He quickly followed it up, saying: " A path, is a level above even mastery... Think of them as reaching a new level entirely. But, please to keep in mind that, there are no paths for strength, speed, endurance and toughness, only for technique; at least, not in the traditional sense. Paths in technique can either be two things, reaching a new height in an existing martial art, or even developing a sub-category of a martial art, that's much stronger or more versatile than it's normal version."
He slowly looked behind himself, and pointed;
"A good example of these cases would be my friend Warren here. He is a user of CQC. However, he has not only mastered the original martial art, he now has the latter form of a path; having created a sub-category of it, making it far more precise, and worse, deadly... Another thing to note. Your first master Eli has the former, he took his own art, and reached a new level in it's level of proficiency... Other than that, do you have any more questions?" Jihan finished and asked.
Ayano thought about it for a moment: "Ah, yes... I just wanted to ask you if a person who has mastery, can be weaker than a person that doesn't have it?"
Jihan raised a brow, and asked with an inquisitive tone: "What do you think?"
Not really expecting his own question to come back to bite him, he thought about it all for a bit longer;
'Well... Based on the old man's explanation, it sort of feels like mastery is kind of contingent on one's genetics, or potential, so...'
"I'll go ahead and say, yes. I'd actually lean more on the thought that, someone without mastery can potentially be stronger. I mean, the world's a big place, isn't it?"
Jihan smiled at that: "Indeed it is Ayano, and to answer your question, you are correct. There has been cases of those who have surpassed others with mastery before, that didn't have it.. However I should note that, not everyone's mastery will always be on the same level. Some may have a deeper understanding of their own strengths than others, and some might simply be more gifted physically than others are; like you've said. That's just how the world is."
He nodded, then answered: "I... Think I've gotten the basic concepts of the two down. But, why exactly did you want to tell me all this?" Ayano asked, not seeing where they are trying to go with all this.
"-It's... because, you've not only reached mastery in all the martial martial arts you know at the moment. It's the fact that you've essentially even went beyond it with four out of the ten of those you know." Eli suddenly interjected.
"-And, achieving mastery is no cake walk kiddo, most spend their entire lives, both practicing and reaching where you are in terms of raw technique in just a single martial art. You on the other hand? You've essentially done it with eleven different martial arts, and four out of that bunch alone-like my friend Eli here implied, they are already on paths." Vin added.
Ayano's eyes widened;
'They aren't kidding... Which means... I'm that skilled?' He thought, surprised.
"To make this all even more impressive, it's that you're also on the initial type of path. It's one thing to just add things to a martial art kid, but improving on what's already there? Well, that is another thing entirely... That shows you've pretty much understood the principles behind it, and made it yours completely, or you're on your way there-" Vasco also chipped in.
"-Truthfully, You are someone with a talent that's unheard of, in every sense of the word... Truly mastering different martial arts is one thing, but doing so with multiple? It is much more impressive.-" Jay added, placing a reassuring hand on Ayano's shoulder.
"So, this just leaves us with one more thing left to do..." Hudson explained, smiling;
"And that's to teach you, and we've already decided on who'd go first." He then looked towards Zack.
Zack walked forward. "I'll be the one teaching you first, kiddo!" Zack then pointed at himself excitedly.
"..."
Ayano sighed knowing he would regret this, and slowly asked. "I'm not saying, no... But, what martial art do you know?"
Zack smiled, "Boxing... Fortunately for you. You've more than reached an acceptable level in it already, in fact. You're actually on a path in it. What I'll be teaching you, is my very own perfected technique, initially passed down from my late master, Gongseob Ji."
"Really...? And what technique is that?" Ayano asked, a bit interested in the proposal.
However, Zack slowly smirked, answering...
"The Golden fortress."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 60: A Fast Learner...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
BOOOOM!!!
"-GARGGGHHHH!!!!!" Ayano screamed, coughing up blood in the process...
...
"Sheesh... Yeah kid, I know that one's got to hurt..." Zack added, cracking his knuckles in the process.
Zack had punched him square in the ribs, earning more than a few broken bones from the well placed strike... Rather, multiple well placed strikes.
"Urgh... C-Couldn't you have gone any easier on me...!?" Ayano plead, wiping the blood from his lips.
Zack on the other hand, shook his head: "Nope... No can do kiddo. You're learning from seven different people at once, if anything needs to be up to par, it should your overall toughness, and endurance. With focus on both the former and latter with me. The good news? Eli told us about your recovery rate, when you've been given adequate rest, so we plan to use that fully... Also, I think it's best we stop for today."
Ayano simply scoffed, mumbling to himself, bitterly;
"Ya' don't say...?" Turning his head towards Eli, who once again, quickly turned away in response...
Ayano looked at his current state... The entirety of his mid section was practically both bruised, and horridly battered. He had been training himself with his new master, Zack for the better part of a few hours now, taking constant hits to his body...
'The old man did tell me that this kind of training wasn't for the, faint of heart... He definitely wasn't lying bout that part.' He thought.
He slumped to the floor, tired and exhausted from the so-called training. This alone was far harsher than what he did with Eli, and Eli was brutal.
'Status...'
He decided to take a small peak at his stats, just to see the gains he had gotten, if he had even gotten any in the first place...
'I made sure that my training mastery was active for this, so it should've helped...' He noted. Taking hits was one thing, but with his mastery, he's essentially taking them a bit more, effectively.
...
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class: The Little Chosen One
Height: 179 cm | 5'10"
Age: 17
Health: 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy: 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 524 / 1000
Defense: 536 / 1000
Agility: 525 / 1000
Spirit: 543 / 1000
...
'You've got to be kidding me...! My defense just practically sky-rocketed... It got an eleven point increase from that beating alone? And my spirit got a massive increase too!?' He noticed. Genuinely surprised at the amount from just a single session.
He had expected something, but nothing to this effect...
He looked at his other stats, and his excitement dwindled instantly;
'...It's, just a shame that I couldn't increase my speed and strength beyond what it is... It makes sense though, since all I did was just get my ass beat up. But... My spirit increasing? Does it have some kind of connection with my overall mental fortitude, or over all mentality? I just can't see any other way as to why it even budged...
In fact, spirit's the only stat I've got no real clue about, if I'm being entirely honest with myself... I don't even see what this attribute even does to begin with... But, I'm sure it isn't useless at least; that's one thing this power of mine is...'
However, just as he was about to close out of the interface, he had accidentally glanced further down his skills, seeing all the martial arts he had learned, realizing that, there was a change in their description.
...
Martial Arts Learned;
-Judo [Path-To-Pinnacle]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [Mastered]
-Muay-Thai [Mastered]
-Boxing [Path-To-Pinnacle]
-Taekkyeon [Mastered]
-Capoeira [Path-To-Pinnacle]
-Aikido [Mastered]
-Jeet-Kune-Do [Mastered]
-Kung-Fu [Path-To-Pinnacle]
-Taekwondo [Path-To-Pinnacle]
-Ssireum [Mastered]
...
All the martial arts he had initially mastered, now changed to something else completely...
'Hah... So that's what they meant by me being on a path... Mastering them all was unbelievable enough for me, but getting this far?-' Ayano nearly laughed to himself;
'Now with me seeing all this progress; I guess can see why they even saw me as some kind of monster, or super prodigy to begin with...'
Ayano had now realized just how skilled he was at, given his current age. Compared to even the likes of them. They had told him that mastering so many martials arts was practically unheard of, much less reaching a path with multiple of them as well.
Unconsciously, he smiled to himself...
Feeling glad that he had gotten these people to even train with. They were very aware of his talent and boons, and they had all decided that they would make full use of all of them, just to potentially see how far he could get, and not waste it.
'I guess... Getting my ass handed to me isn't so bad after all... if it's for the right reasons.' He, thought, laughing inwardly.
With that, he finally let himself relax, just to allow his recovery to finally kick in.
.
.
.
After the 30 minutes were over, he slowly opened back his eyes, now feeling completely refreshed from the beating he took just half an hour earlier. All the bruises that had accumulated, coupled with the dark and purple swellings had disappeared, completely.
Despite being seated on the floor, he swung his arms and legs, and then stretched them; causing some of the stiff bones to, pop...
"That feels a heck of a lot better..." He said.
He quickly flipped upwards. When he looked at his surroundings, his masters were at the back, talking with themselves again.
'Oh, yeah... Now that I've thought about it... They haven't really gotten around in seeing my ability to recover so quickly, at least, not in real time before.'
...
Eli spotted him first;
"Ah, looks like the prodigal son is awake..." He quickly turned to his peers: "See my friends? The boy's healed up incredibly quickly."
Zack looked at Ayano, seeing this for the first time;
'I knew Eli said the boy always came back to train in top form; But even I found that part hard to believe... Still, seeing it for myself, I can't deny it... Though; Isn't this kind of thing totally cheating?' Zack pondered, almost begrudgingly to himself.
Most of them had thought that this was interesting, but not completely out of the realm of possibilities.
They had seen healing capabilities before like this after all...
Warren then quickly spoke up; "Well, seeing that you're completely intact, and well rested... It's best we move on with theory training. For the time being, myself, Jihan and Jay will be training you in that order to learn our fighting styles."
Ayano nodded, and asked: "Alright then, I'm guessing you'll be teaching me, CQC...?"
Warren nodded, smiling: "Yes, but not the normal kind... What I'll be teaching you in particular is a specialized version, from the special forces, branching from the military, back from in my younger days, so... Shall we get started?"
Ayano nodded, "Yes."
Warren's smile grew fast; "Good, it's best I start you off with a little bit of a demonstration first then..." As soon as that was said, Warren's posture slowly began to coil and tighten up, his arms were slowly raised, crossed in front of him, now barely revealing his face...
His legs were posture differently, his dominant leg faced forward, while his left leg had braced to the back...
"What, the...?" Ayano quickly felt the sudden shift in the elder's entire demeanor, with a white husk over his figure...
"So... Do you see it?" Warren calmly asked him. Confusing Ayano for a moment. Who at that very moment, didn't see anything much, but just sudden stance change, and a sudden tone shift.
But, after a few seconds, he finally started to understand what the old man was talking about...
'Hahaha...! This... This sly old man! I'm well within his attacking range...' Ayano surmised, he could see it all. An invisible radar-esq pulse that showed where this man's effective area of combat really was, being just a few meters away from himself...
And the worst part was, Keiji felt as if he had no choice in the matter but to see it.
"Yeah... I see it alright." Ayano finally admitted, not taking his eyes of the man.
Warren's eyes closed for a moment: 'To think the boy would pick it up that quickly...'
Warren smiled, and quickly fixed his posture, standing upright: "That's good! If you can see it within only a few seconds after being shown once, then you are truly a master, so let's get started..."
.
.
.
Ayano was now being tutored by Warren on how to use CQC. Within the short 2 hours the both had got, Ayano had shown that he had already gotten a basic understanding of how the moves had worked, which surprised all of them...
"I knew the boy would be an extremely fast learner, but seeing someone improve in real time without the copy ability is truly terrifying, in and of itself is..." Eli said.
"That's... True, but I'm glad the boy doesn't have it. Copying bypasses the initial step of understanding a martial art, potentially stunting the user's growth in skill after a certain point. Even if it helps at the start. Ayano however, won't have this issue in the future, especially with his kind of talent." Hudson responded.
Eli nodded, observing Ayano keenly: "That's, right I suppose..."
Now that it was finally over, Jihan stepped up...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 61: One Heck of a Case...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, A few Hours Later... ~
.
.
.
"Not bad at all kiddo, you've already gotten the hang of all the movements..." Jihan stated, smiling...
Ayano nodded, before quickly flashing off his teacher's moves in front of him;
Jihan's eyes widened.
He blinked. Then, again...
'Bro-Brother...!?' Jihan thought for a split second, before quickly shaking his head, seeing his student instead...
'Hah... This kid... His level of understanding... Even if it's just basic. To do this with my own martial art, he made me think he was my own brother for an instant.' Jihan thought. Not saying another word...
The rest of them watched, very much impressed by the amount progress Ayano has made so far, despite it being only his first day of training.
"Heh...! Thank you for teaching me." He said, returning to normal before bowing slightly.
Jihan nodded, and walked back to his friends...
.
.
.
Jihan leaned against the wall, from a far watching Ayano;
"...I honestly can't believe it... That boy, he actually managed to squeeze all three of our martial arts in himself back to back, and to top it all of, he did not do badly with the spars at the same time either... Hmph..."
Warren seeing that his friend had an unresolved thought, asked: "What's on your mind...?"
"It's just... the boy's talent, it's... unlike anything I've ever seen, for someone pick up martial arts so quickly, yet this naturally. At least, not without the copy ability." Jihan explained, causing Warren to raise a brow.
Warren simply sighed;
"I guess, you're right about that... But, I can say, that without a shadow of a doubt is the fact the boy doesn't have that ability." Warren chided.
Jihan quickly glanced to the side: "I, suppose... Whatever it is. He's exceptionally gifted in terms of learning and grasping things... But, I'm still not entirely sure about this. It's all just a little unbelievable to me."
Warren swiftly agreed: "You're quite right about that last bit... But, personally? I think the boy's simply naturally gifted at the very least, and at the rate he's progressing... it wouldn't be stretch for him to master all our techniques within this few weeks alone, and if not? Then, I can see him understanding the general concept behind them..."
Jihan sighed, continuing his scrutiny...
Ayano on the other hand, had finally gathered himself, and was leaving, waving his new masters goodbye for the day.
.
.
.
"Alright Eli... I think we need to have a little talk..." Zack said.
"Hmm? About what...?" Eli answered, placing down his tea cup.
Zack sighed: "About that boy you told us to take in... Look, I'll be completely straight with you. What he did today wasn't normal by any means. Simply calling him a prodigy, or a genius doesn't even do him justice either..."
Zack released a small breath of weariness;
"Not only that, I even saw the kid healed up from injuries, that would easily take normal folks weeks to heal from, in just half an hour. Hearing about it is one thing, but seeing wounds being mended in front of your face is another."
Jay quickly stepped up, "-He's right Eli... It's quite hard to ignore the latter..." He agreed.
Jay continued; "-I'm thinking that Ayano must have the unique body. I just don't see how else he could even recovery so quickly to begin with, coupled with the fact that we both know about that type of constitution, and how it can't be obtained by, natural means...-"
Hearing all this, Eli let out another tired breath; "You both think I don't know all this? I just saw potential in him, that's why I took him up in the first place. As of the past recent years, I... became a firm believer that Potential shouldn't be wasted, under any circumstances." He paused, lowering his voice.
"..."
"And... That boy knows nothing..." He huffed, lightly.
"I can tell that much is true. The conflicts we had back in our time; has ended over five decades ago, and we ought to just let it rest there, and stop being paranoid." He slowed down, calming himself.
"Regardless... I'm still planning to train the boy, and... If you any of you feel unsure about it, you can go whenever you please; go ahead, but me? I won't stop." Eli explained. Not wanting his chance to slip by.
"Enough!" Hudson shouted.
"..."
Hudson turned: "Eli... Listen to me. I think what they were both trying to say, is that we should probably be a bit cautious about all this. Being involved with a person like this could potentially be dangerous for our families, and friends, and we aren't nearly as fierce as we used to be either." He finished, looking over at his old friends.
"Still, I'm going to agree with you, and train up the boy... I believe both me and my master's legacy needs to be carried on... And, I'm sure everyone wants to do so too... So..." He paused.
"Are you all in this?" Hudson finally asked...
All of them present looked at him, and smiled. With Zack being the first to speak up;
"Of course! A boy like him should be trained... As much as I dislike geniuses. I've got to put respect where it's due, and I could tell that the kid's not a slacker. His skill, it was earned."
They all nodded...
"-All right then... I've booked us a stay at one of the nearby hotels, we'll be staying there for now.-" Jay added.
"Haha! I almost forgot that you were rich. By the way, Vodkas are on you!" Zack added excitedly.
...
~ Third Person Pov ~
.
.
.
'Finally, home sweet home... Still, it is a bit unfortunate how late it is...'
Ayano kicked off his sneakers and left them neatly at the door, moving as quietly as he could.//
"Ayano?" Yukari's voice called out from upstairs.
"Yeah?" he replied.
A few moments later, her footsteps echoed slowly down the stairs, followed by the soft flicker of the hallway light switching on...
"You're home late today..." She said as she stepped into view.
"Yeah, sorry... Let's just say I've been doing some stuff..." He responded, his voice low. He wasn't sure whether he could tell her about the situation with his new masters just yet. He preferred not to, at least not until he was certain about how to explain it.
"I see... well, I hope you—Wait..." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him more closely.
"-Is... Is that... blood on your shirt?"
'Oh...' He thought.
'-Oh, crap...'
He had forgotten all about that. He'd taken a beating earlier that day, and during the worst of it, he must have coughed up blood that stained his clothes. It had completely slipped his mind. He made it his priority to focus on memorizing the techniques he was learning...
And by doing that, he didn't focus on this.
"Look, I know this looks bad, Yukari... but I can explain."
The words barely left his mouth before he caught the glare she shot him—sharp enough to cut through reinforced steel.
...
"I guess it's about time... I should be a little honest with you, and I'm not going to beat around the bush either... I've found others—others, like myself." He confessed plainly.
"Explain." she said, her tone turning cold, and direct.
"W-Well... What I really meant was... there are others out there, with strength like mine. But, stronger—much stronger. Do you remember what you told me the first time we really sat down and talked?" he asked.
She gave a slow nod, but the expression on her face betrayed more than she let on... Even through the calm front she tried to maintain, Ayano could see the disappointment, and concern all etched in her features.
It didn't take a genius to recognize it—just someone with a basic shred of empathy...
"R-Right... I think they might have what you called the extreme body like I do. Or maybe it's something even more than that, something like the great body...? I'm not sure, and I won't pretend that I am. All I know is, they're powerful. So powerful, that I didn't, and wouldn't even stand a chance against them."
.
.
.
"Is that it...?" Yukari added.
Her eyes, they flickered with a painful mix of emotions—anger, betrayal and worry—all tangled into one unreadable look.
"So this is why you've been coming home so late every day...?" she asked.
"I well... Yes..." He finally admitted. Though, that wasn't the whole truth. He hadn't mentioned the underground casino yet to her, nor did he plan to. That part he still planned to keep to himself—At least, for now.
"Why... Why didn't you think to inform me about any of this first?"
"I needed time... time to wrap my head around everything." He raised his hands slightly in a gesture of surrender, knowing full well there was no easy way to explain it, much less that it was actually through his system.
"And the way it happened... it was coincidence, really. But, I get it... I can get why you'd be, upset. Honestly, it was reckless. I didn't plan to jump into it like that, really..."
"Regardless... you should have told me something. Anything."
...
He faltered slightly, his voice slightly softer now. "Yukari... I'm so—"
"—NO!!" She snapped.
Cutting him off without hesitation, following up: "You can't just walk in here and apologize. As of it fixes everything you've been doing behind my back! What if you had been kidnapped by that person!?"
He slowly lowered his head, shame settling in his gut, realizing that she was right;
"Please, just let me expl—"
"What is there to even explain, DAMN IT!?" Her voice cracked under the weight of her fear, and sheer fury...
"Do you even realize how dangerous this world truly is?! My late husband died because of that same forsaken, and careless attitude! What the hell do you think would've happened to me if I lost YOU too!? What if they—"
She stopped. Yukari looked at him, seeing that he wasn't saying anything...
Instead, he looked like a defeated man...
Her anger had finally quelled;
'Oh, oh... No.' She thought to herself, getting out of her chair, whilst backing up slowly in the living room...
"A-Ayano... I'm... I'm so... so-"
"-Sorry?" He finished it.
"-Don't be, Yukari... It's, fine. I deserved it, all of it. Making a decision like that without consulting you was plain stupid; and to be honest, even I'm not sure why I chose it..."
Ayano then remembered the quest he was given. And, that, it was optional. Meaning, he could've taken it at any time, yet he chose to do it there, without properly thinking of the risks, nor the consequences that could potentially stem from it.
...
He sighed silently, easing out of his chair in the process, and with a small smile;
"I'll just head up to my room. If you need anything... Then, don't be afraid to call me. Good night, Yukari-san."
He walked passed her as if everything was normal. However, he was disappointed in himself...
As he did, She had reached out to stop him, but only stopped herself instead. In her mind was only one line of thought...
'Oh no... What... What have I done...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 62: This... It, changes things....
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, the next day... ~
.
.
.
Keiji slowly began opening his eyes...
"*Yawn~*" He turned his head, leading his window, quickly seeing the outside and its warmth;
"Today looks like it'll be great..." He added, slowly rising out from the bed.
The first thing he turned towards was his laptop, and some of the old left over notes he had back when he went to school.
'No better time for practicing the Mind palace...'
Without wasting anymore time, he immediately began old studying notes he hadn't bothered to really care about during his time in high-school. First being topics relating to history he started to revise what was taught from front to back. Going over it many times over before he finally felt comfortable with it.
With that, he quickly planted himself in the chair and booted up his notes. His fingers skimmed over many pages, and soon, he was buried in timelines, revolutions, and some of the ancient dynasties this world had to offer... To him, it was different this time. Now, he wasn’t actively cramming for an exam, or chasing decent grades, playing catch-up...
At the moment, it felt like a challenge he had issued to himself. This time, it was aimed to reshape his mind, sharpen it, and turn every bit of old knowledge into something he could lock within the halls of his imagined palace, or rather his own home, but it was proving to be rather difficult so far...
'Honestly... I thought this would've been a bit easier with my training passive, but this one in particular... it might actually take a while to really pull off...' He thought, yet being a bit impatient. His home, it was still a little blurry in certain places, but it was coming along, slowly...
After that, he relaxed himself and started pacing his studies.
He moved from one note to another, internalizing all the facts he could, replaying them in his own mind with as much clarity as he could manage, and then organizing them into corridors of memory he could use. Because of this, he now had to construct whole rooms dedicated to specific eras, one room for the Industrial Revolution, another for feudal Japan, and another being made for all the wars this reality had, with each event slowly being etched on plaques on newly built imaginary walls...
.
.
.
Before he had realized any of it, many hours passed him by...
By mid-day, Keiji hadn’t even touched his phone, or moved from his position. He was already too deep in it. His world had practically shrunk down to the hum of his computer's fan, coupled with the occasional flicking of pages, with the goal of just learning, and integrating all knowledge he acquired in his mind, and eventually, without him realizing it, it had started to become, easier...
Then, a knock on the door finally broke the trance he was in.
“Keiji... are you, ok?” A voice called-It was, Yukari...
'Huh? What the...' He thought to himself, quickly clutching his head for a bit...
He had felt something like a small headache had formed, but what was weird, was the fact that, he never felt any sort of pain just a few seconds ago, regardless the pain was minor at best and it didn't really faze him in any way to be of any real concern;
"Strange..." He said, ignoring it for now... He turned around, answering Yukari;
"Ah! yeah, I'm fine... Is something wrong?"
"...No... But, it's just that... You've been in your room for quite a while, it's almost 1 PM." She answered him.
Keiji looked visibly puzzled at what Yukari just told him. He quickly got up, and opened the door, asking;
"What!? What time did you say it was...?"
.
.
.
“…Almost one...” Yukari repeated herself, then tilting her head slightly as she quickly glanced at the dimly lit room behind him: “You didn’t even come out for breakfast...”
However, in her mind she had another thought;
'A book, and an opened laptop... Could it be that he was researching something...?' She wondered.
On the other hand, Keiji’s brows furrowed as he leaned out the door to peek at the hallway clock-sure enough, the time was right there, glaring back at him like some silly joke... He slowly rubbed his eyes again and then his temple, blinking past the daze: “Hmm...? I'm sure of, it was just... 6 to 7 Am...?”
She shook her head, saying: “Well, it was. Approximately 6 hours ago...” Yukari explained, before giving him a slightly concerned expression, then quickly looked past him again, asking;
“Still, it seems you have you've been, studying this whole time...?” Still peeking behind the youth.
He hesitated, then stepped aside just slightly so she could see the desk-papers strewn, several digital windows open, and an empty coffee mug left forgotten near the edge of his table: “I... Well... Yeah.” He admitted, exhaling for a bit, saying;
“I was just trying something a bit, different today.”
Yukari’s eyes softened, before asking: "Then... What could it be, that you didn't even leave your room, for hours...?"
'In fact... Would he have even came out had I not interrupted him...?' Yukari thought, worriedly to herself yet again.
Keiji only sighed: "I was learning a new technique... It's called the mind palace."
Her brows raised, saying: "I've, heard of it, especially in my university years... Back when I did a bit of cognitive psychology, and neuroscience... Still, why would you want to suddenly learn such a skill?" She was now curious by his sudden endeavor.
"Well... I thought it'd be a great addition to my skill set, and why not? I'll eventually be attending a college, or university in the near future, and to me, having a great memory to go along with that would make my life much easier. It'd also let me study less, and train more." Ayano explained.
Yukari sighed;
"I see... I just wanted to check up on you since..." She paused, her gaze slowly trailing downwards...
Ayano realizing what she was subtly referring to, quickly spoke up: "Yukari-san... Didn't I tell you, it's fine? I... honestly deserved it too, if I'm really being honest with myself. You, were right. I... I should have consulted you before going out on my own. I could have easily gotten you, Chisaki and all your people in danger if I wasn't, fortunate..." He explained.
Yukari slowly looked up, saying: "Even so... I shouldn't have acted like that yesterday. It was, unbecoming of someone like myself to do such a thing, especially in such a manner, I-"
He smoothly interrupted her, smiling as well: "-C'mon, it's fine... Really! You're human too... Humans can make mistakes... So, I forgive you, if that's what you were going to ask me to do. In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you silly, and not the other way around."
'Though... I am sorry, that I can't tell you about this power that I have. Not yet...' Keiji tiredly thought to himself.
"I... Thank you, Keiji..." Yukari said, before pausing for a moment, then continuing;
"These, people that you know... Who decided to train you... Do you feel as if you can really trust them?"
Ayano scratched his cheek, taking some time to answer before eventually saying: "Honestly, yes... I think, I... We, can. Truthfully speaking." He smiled before continuing;
"They, all seem like they were good men, protectors even. I even got the impression that anything evil isn't even on their list of things to consider." However, this was only the half-truth. The system gave him given him the heads up for this mission he was on as well, which is something he still cannot expose to her as yet...
Yukari looked at him, before eventually giving in, saying: "Alright... I will trust your decision with these people in the meantime... However, I need you to tell me all of their names. I will have someone I know of personally to look into all of them, at least, just for a bit."
Ayano responded to the action: "Yukari... You can't jus-"
"-No, Ayano... It has to be done. If I'm to trust them. I need to know of them. It only makes it worse, especially since they are much stronger than even yourself..." She explained, interrupting him.
Ayano heard it all and just stood there, his brows twitching with nothing but an unsteady expression.
'Damn it...! I... I didn't want for this to happen... But, she'll never trust them if she doesn't...' He pondered. Knowing that this isn't something he can simply argue out himself out of. He couldn't even blame her for it either... This was him, vs the safety of her own people, and he knew who she truly prioritized, even if she claimed she had cared for him greatly...
"Alright... I... I understand." He answered. Causing her visibly to relax...
"Thank you again, Ayano... I will inform you of the details when I am finished with it all... For now, continue doing what you do best... And, please... Just, be vigilant, out there..." She told him, before turning around and walking off...
He simply nodded;
'Yeah... I will...'
.
.
.
Ayano left soon after both him and Yukari had spoken, more so to try and get some well needed physical training in for the day... However what was really on his mind, was the amount of time he had taken up today without him even realizing what was happening with himself...
'The mind palace technique... Yukari mentioned that I was locked in my room for essentially what? A third of the day? Would it have been longer if Yukari hadn't knocked on my door? Hell, what really was that? I felt myself studying and then... My mind felt all fuzzy... And, then... I snapped out of it, with a head ache no less...' He kept thinking about what happened but couldn't come to any decent enough reasons.
'Could it be because of training passive...? I'm... I'm not even sure at this point. Still, even since that headache of mine went away, my mind feels a bit more clear as well. At least, far more noticeable than the first time I tested it...'
For now, he left it alone. However, he know knew that he would need to be far more cautious when it comes to practicing the technique.
For the moment... He just wanted to train, and then take care of that damned casino...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 63: Training some more...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Ayano finally made his way to his master Eli's residence...
Peeking forward, he could see the two of them ahead, being Jihan and Hudson, speaking together...
"Good morning!" Ayano called out to both excitedly... However, his mood quickly dropped, knowing in himself at what would be done behind their all their backs.
In response, they both gave a small wave, Jihan saying: "Ah~ Good morning young Ayano..." And Hudson simply nodding in Ayano's direction.
"So... What do you all have planned for me today?" Keiji asked them both. Hudson on the other hand, quickly answered, saying;
"It's good that you asked, because you'll be learning from myself, Vasco and Vin today... With that same exact order of course..." Hudson explained. Ayano then gave a curt nod, and asked him;
"Well, what specific martial art do you use?"
Hudson answered: "Technically speaking what I have, It has no name, nor is it even a martial art... But-" He suddenly paused, smiling guilefully...
Hudson slowly showed his fists, causing Ayano's eyes to widen...
'Hard... Tough... Strong... Those three words all popped up in my head first.' Ayano thought.
He realized that Hudson's knuckles were very large, and rounded like large smooth carved marbles, filled with calluses and carved by decades worth of refining, hardening and punishment. Ayano didn't realize how he hadn't picked it up when they first met...
'Just... Just, what kind of training did this man even go through, and endure?' Ayano wondered, sweat dropping.
Hudson slowly Continued: "-Eventually, I called it... The flickering fists of Ansan."
"The flickering fists of Ansan...?" Ayano repeated. Finding the name a tad bit interesting to say the least.
Hudson on the other hand had quickly returned to normal, straitening himself up, then moving off before motioning the youngster to follow him...
.
.
.
Both of them had went down, with both Vin and Vasco joining them in the basement as well...
"Now... Since we're here... I suppose, it's probably best I explain how my martial arts even works." Hudson added. Before Ayano could say anything, the elder pointed his finger at his wrist and then, his fingers.
He continued: "Your wrists... We should start there first. For my technique to work properly, you must have extremely powerful wrists. Specifically, the ligaments within your wrists, it needs to be very powerful-" Hudson then paused, raising his right arm slowly.
"-The principle behind this martial art, is behaving like a whip... Rather, from your wrist downwards, pay attention..." Hudson then clenched his hand into fists, then bent them upwards, downwards, left and finally right.
"The motions can be anywhere you can reasonably rotate, but you get the point... Next, after that, you need to have a strong grip. This is just as, if not more important as having power in your wrists, as both of them need to spring and contract to make your strikes more lethal.' Hudson explained, before continuing;
"It should look something like this..." Hudson then began moving off, swinging his arms from the side. Throwing it rather than going straight forward-
FWISH!
-BOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!
The whole room was suddenly filled with powerful wind currents, causing Ayano to be pushed back, slightly... Not only that, he felt as if the room had shook from the sheer velocity and power that was unleashed...
'His hands... They actually felt like whips...'
Ayano snapped out of his stupor, saying: "That was amazing!" he exclaimed.
However Hudson, didn't seem as pleased;
"Hmph... It looks like I'm really getting rusty..." He said to himself, off-handedly. With both Vin and Vasco standing at the side, understanding their friend's frustration.
Hudson then turned to face his new student, saying: "Well, you saw its effects, and not only that, this technique can be applied through any sort position... After all, the power generated with this technique is from the clenching of your arms and the snapping of your wrists."
Ayano nodded, thinking;
'To think he made something so, ingenious... If I learn this, winding up might be a waste of time...'
"Alright, master...! What should I do to learn it?" Ayano asked, excitedly.
Hudson smiled, hearing himself being called a master, reminded him of his younger days, with his own teacher...
"Hmm... First, drop down and give me ten thousand wrist push-ups, with all of them done with perfect form."
The moment the old man said those words, Ayano's excitement dwindled...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 64: Conversing... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Sekai Saionji's Pov... ~
.
.
.
My mother looked at me, and asked: "Dear, you said it's been a few days since that incident, right... Have you heard from him?"
I sighed, nodding: "Yeah... I... We haven't really spoken since... To be honest, I'm a little bit scared to. I just get the feeling that, he needs some time for himself. That day... he seemed, almost, tired..." I could recall all his expressions, each and every one of them that day, with almost picture perfect detail.
Regardless, I was just glad my mother was so kind to me...
She was always that ear I needed when it came to things like, this... But, I didn't know why a part of me felt so, off-putted about it this time around, especially about the fact that why was she so curious about him all of a sudden...
...She had always helped me with my affairs concerning my love life, but, she's never actually went out of her way to ask who, or what I did with said person before. In fact, this might actually be the first time she's ever wanted someone I loved to show up, still...
'I... I can't blame her... Ayano-kun did save her after all...'
"Well... Why don't you call him, Sekai? At this rate, you might never get the chance to make up with that boy again..." My mother told me. And, I felt fear.
"I... You're right, mom... I shouldn't continue on like this. I should, talk with him again."
But, when I turned to face her, I could see her, smiling at me gently...
My mother, she seemed so, happy...
Almost happier than myself... And, I was happy, that she was happy.
...Still, what I didn't know, was that in the future.
I would come to regret the decision I had made today...
~ Ayano's Pov, a few hours later... ~
.
.
.
"*Haah*... *Haah...* *Haah...*Haah...*"
I was panting like a mad dog here...!
My arms, they were trembling. Not just from fatigue, but from the amount sheer repetitions I had to do. Thousands of wrist push-ups with perfect form not to mention a ton of added weight added unto it, maybe even more. Honestly, I’d stopped counting sometime after the, five-thousandth mark...
What's worse, is the fact that the mat beneath me was practically damp with my own sweat, and my shoulders to my wrists were beginning to ache in ways I hadn’t even dreamed of feeling before.
But, I couldn’t just stop because it got painful... Furthermore, my master Hudson has been watching me the entire time. Silent. Patient. Stern. This man had the kind of presence that didn’t pressure with someone with words, but it made you feel like every movement had to actually count.
"Boy... You're bending your elbows, again..." Hudson's voice said flatly from across the room.
'Stupid old coot...' I said in my mind. Plus, I sure as hell wasn't going to commit suicide, and say it out loud either...
I just gritted my teeth, and corrected the form I had, forcing my own elbows to lock out again, and drive the strain even deeper into my wrists... A sharp sting traveled up my forearms-Honestly, it felt as if lightning was drawing through a wire that was never meant to ever hope of carrying it.
"Again..." He instructed.
I reluctantly dropped lower. Pressed. Lifted. Over and over...
Every time I pushed upwards, I could hear that - FWISH - from earlier... The room shaking strike that had blown me back like I weighed nothing... I wasn’t aiming to match it yet. I knew I couldn’t-but, even catching a glimpse of that kind of technique and power.
Deep down, I wanted it...
Eventually enough, Hudson walked over and crouched beside me, placing one of his massive hands on my back. It wasn’t meant to comfort.
Hudson looked thoughtfully at me, and said: “Your body, it's surprisingly weak in the tendons... Not the muscles, which is quite interesting to me...”
He reached forward, took my wrist, and rolled it gently in his fingers, studying it like an engineer might study some kind of faulty part, he then said to me;
“Hmm... You’re quite fast, Ayano... I can tell. But, this technique... it’s not just about speed, or physical strength... It’s about impeccable timing, and over all control. It’s also about rebound... If your wrist doesn’t snap exactly when it needs to, it’ll all be useless in the end. Or worse, it’ll end up breaking on impact.”
I slowly nodded at what he said, not trusting my inner voice, and forced myself into another push-up...
“Alright,” Hudson said. “Enough conditioning. It’s time he feels it.”
Before I could even rise fully to my feet, Vasco tossed me a pair of leather wraps.
“Wrap your wrists tightly.” Vin instructed, stepping into the center of the floor. “Then, I want you to throw a punch.”
“A punch...?” I asked him, breathing harder than I actually wanted to... Despite my new breathing method making my over all stamina recovery a bit faster. Admittedly, I was still very, very exhausted. Honestly, I would have likely be lying on the mats by now, had I not learned it...
“Yes.” Hudson replied, stepping back slightly;
“But not just any punch of course... I want you to throw like I showed you earlier-no wind-up, and Wrist-driven. Let it flow naturally, and simply flick.”
I nodded, and took my stance, wrapped up and shaky... My legs felt like if lead and stone had a love child... I exhaled slowly, then tried to mimic the movement I saw earlier.
Snap!
My fist jerked forward with a weak, twitch-like motion. Practically a baby version of what Hudson had shown me earlier.
Vin blinked, deadpan, saying: “Again.”
I reset again. Snapping.
“Again!"
I repeated it until the feeling began to blur together in my mind-until it wasn’t a punch anymore, but a form of instinct in me. The burning in my wrists almost deepened, but so had my focus...
Then suddenly, I could feel a sudden connection-FWIP!
A sharp crackling sound was made out from the ends of my hand. The wind around me shifted, ever so slightly. Beside me, I could see Vin raising a brow at what I did.
“Well-Well... To think you'd actually pick something like this so quickly... Still, I shouldn't even be surprised.” Vin said, smiling at me.
Before I could say anything, Hudson cut me off;
"Not bad at all kiddo... Your technique, it needs a bit of work, but you pulled it off on your first day, so, be proud of yourself..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 65: Progression, and Suspicion...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, A few days later... ~
.
.
.
"19,997... 19,998... 19,999!" Ayano huffed... Now with over 10 tons of weight pressing onto his back. He wanted to make that final push...
"ARGH!!!! 20-20,000!!!" Ayano shouted. Both his arms and torso flopping towards the floor...
He was extremely tired from the series of workouts he had been doing...
'Damn it... My masters are nothin' short of being absolutely ruthless...' He thought, laying on his back's side.
He just stared at the lights in the ceiling before slowly closing his eyes. None of his masters were going easy on him with the training he's doing. It was the opposite, they kept ramping it up each and everyday... For the past few days, he'd be constantly in a state of pushing himself, hardly getting enough time to properly rest his own body. It was no secret, they all knew that he had an inhumane level of physical recovery, and they were abusing that fact to the absolute maximum, to his dismay.
His sparring sessions weren't particularly easy either, each time he had to do them, he'd have to wear a blindfold, multiple times throughout the entire day;
'Still, I've got to admit it... My progress in such a short amount of time has been nothing short of amazing.'
Because of constantly pushing himself to keep up, his skills had grown accordingly, rather his martial arts level had grown explosively. His skills grew in attempts to match the overwhelming physical difference between himself and his masters. Now, instead of getting himself beaten for a day, he was getting himself beaten whilst actually adapting to them all, and dodging them at certain instances. As a result, he could tell his overall battle I.Q was growing, now much faster than he thought...
'Status...' He said to himself. Seeing the blue translucent screen popping up into existence...
Name : Ayano Keiji
Class : The Little Chosen One
Height : 180 cm | 5’11”
Age
: 17
Health
: 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy
: 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength
: 546 / 1000
Defense : 562 / 1000
Agility : 547 / 1000
Spirit
: 568 / 1000
Passive Skills
;
-Martial-Arts-Mastery
-Recovery
-Critical Hit
-Energy Manipulation
-Circulation of Light
-Weapon-Mastery
-Training-Mastery
Skills
;
-Charge Shot - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Multi-Strike Destruction - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Booster - Cost: 300 / 2 = 150 Energy
-Stamp of approval - Cost: 500 / 2 = 250 Energy
-Blind spot strike - Cost: 20 / 2 = 10 Energy
-Stun Smash - Cost: 90 / 2 = 45 Energy
Martial Arts Learned
;
-Judo [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Muay-Thai (Brekdak’s Variant) [Mastered]
-Boxing (
Zack’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Capoeira [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Aikido [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Jeet-Kune-Do [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Kung-Fu [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Taekwondo [Path-To-Pinnacle]
-Ssireum (Vin’s Variant) [Mastered]
-Hand Blade [Mastered]
-Systema [Mastered]
-CQC (Military Variant) [Mastered]
-Flickering Fists of Ansan
Miscellaneous Skills
;
-Mind Palace
-Diaphragmatic breathing [Mastered]
-Heightened Hearing
'Not bad... Not bad at all.'
Ayano smiled proudly at what he had achieved in the past few days alone.
His attributes had grown explosively from his physical training, especially in regards to both his Defense and Spirit. They were the highest stats he had so far, be a large amount too: "Well, it makes sense as to why those two would be my highest stats... I get clobbered a whole bunch throughout the days, and my training is mostly geared towards my overall toughness and endurance too, primarily..." He said to himself.
He glanced a bit lower, seeing his martial arts picked up. He'd pretty much mastered all his teacher's martial arts... However, because of learning unique variants from them, he'd actually lost his Path-To-Pinnacle status because of it. Furthermore, it isn't as though he'd gotten any less skilled than before. He only just realized that the new variants to already existing martial arts, had simply moved the goal post for completion, in a weird sense.
He just needed to grasp the newly added move-sets, and he should be back to his pinnacle status again... Hopefully.
Speaking of pinnacle, he had reached that very same status with every other martial he had learned prior... He'd polish them all in spars, and made them his own in just a few days. The rest of them like Hand-Blade, Boxing, Ssireum, CQC had all been mastered, except, the Flickering-Fists-Of-Ansan.
This skill in particular was giving him quite the trouble to master so far. Even though he had become proficient in it, he himself knew that he wasn't a master at it. However, he felt as if he wasn't far off. He honestly wanted to put more time in to master it, however with learning other martial arts as well and trying to devote equal time in all of them, he was for lack of a better word, struggling;
'I think... Maybe it's due to the nature of it. It's so unorthodox, that it's likely taking me longer to learn...' Ayano reasoned with himself. Then, he sighed.
"Beggars can't be choosers man... You can't afford to be impatient. Steady progress with a decent foundation is more important to than fast progress, and a shaky understanding at best." He chided himself, more so to be content with what he had so far.
With those thoughts out of the way, he begrudgingly glanced back towards his attribute panel, looking even lower now...
'Hmm... I've got breathing down to a tea, and I've mastered it. Thanks to that, I could better keep up with the hellish training I've been putting myself through each day... It was practically a miraculous skill at this point. I have greater mental clarity, and stamina recovery capabilities, with overall better core strength because of this one little exercise.' He thought, thankful to himself for even learning it.
Looking further, he stared at his Mind Palace; "Yeah, no words for this one..."
He sighed 'Despite working for hours in the morning till afternoon, I still haven't gotten it down completely... The learning curve for this skill was just that much higher than everything else, even with training mastery... Still, my memory has improved a fair bit through the constant practicing, but nothing near photographic level.
If I had been considered normal before, I would be considered to be someone with a competent level mental acuity.
I could recall with better clarity and such, but nothing too extreme, yet... Still, it actually helped. I'd just have to invest a bit more time into it.' Ayano thought.
He glanced at his new heightened hearing skill he'd picked up from the spars. It did exactly as it told him, improve his overall hearing capabilities. This was actually one of his more impressive skills. As of recent, he could roughly make out distinct sounds with more clearly, and barely block out sounds he didn't want to listen to willingly. So essentially, it was greater listening capabilities, and higher control of what he wanted to hear.
Other than that, since he'd finish just now with his training, it was just about time for him to head home...
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
'Training today wasn't all that bad...'
Or... Maybe, I was just getting used to hell. I... shouldn't think about training right now.
I headed inside, smelling something both sweet, and sultry...
The scent drifting from the kitchen was strange, yet comforting. It was warm-like roasted brown sugar-but, it had a certain edge to it, like seared spices, and honey glazed meat... Damn... My stomach, the traitor that it was, was growling before I could even take another step...
When was it? When had I become such a weak man...?
Before I knew it, I felt my body limping slightly through the hallway, muscles stiff with delayed soreness. I hadn’t even showered yet-my shirt stuck to me like glue, and every motion reminded me just how far I’d pushed myself today, just like the other days.
“Keiji-san?” A feminine voice called calmly from the kitchen, followed by the clinking of plates: “Sit... Food’s almost done.”
Before I could get lost in the command, I just realized who it was...
“Yukari???” I called out, blinking twice to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating from exhaustion.
Sure enough, she peeked her head around the corner with that familiar smile of hers—serene, a little sly, and always a bit unreadable... She wore a simple apron over her blue blouse, her sleeves all rolled up, with her hair tied into a low bun. If not for the unmistakable aura she carried, you’d almost mistake her for some ordinary girl playing house.
“Welcome home...” She said casually, returning to the stove as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I thought, we could talk over dinner, so hurry and sit."
Of course she did.
I rubbed my eyes for a moment, sighing. “You… cooked?”
“Well~ I wasn’t about to let you collapse alone in this cave of sweat and testosterone.” She replied lightly, hinting to me that I stunk before plating what looked like grilled chicken with thick glaze, roasted vegetables, and some kind of dessert I couldn’t yet identify: “Besides, you always forget to eat properly when you’re finished with training, especially of late.”
Of course, I had to defend myself: "What? I-I don’t forget..." I muttered, stepping forward and dragging myself into the chair like I’d just returned from a war;
“I just… mis-prioritize, sometimes...” I was doing a poor job at it. At least I tried boys.
Yukari, snorted: “Mmhmm... That’s what I thought.”
She slowly placed the plate in front of me with a soft clink, then she quickly sat across the table, chin in palm, watching me. Not judgmentally. Just... quietly.
I stared at the food. For a second, I didn’t move. I didn’t even know what to say.
“…Thanks.” I finally said. I didn't know she even cooked. This... This was a first, and it caught me by surprise...
“It's, no problem... Eat first.” She said, her tone softer now, saying: “We can speak, after.”
So, I did... I didn’t even realized just how hungry I was until that very first bite. Everything hit me at once—the flavor, the warmth, the comfort. Like I’d been chewing gravel for a week, and someone had just handed me actual food...
I must’ve eaten faster than I meant to, because by the time I looked up again, Yukari’s expression had shifted... She was still smiling, but her eyes... they were, focused. Calm, and oddly soft...
"I wanted to speak about what we spoke of a few days ago... About, your new masters..." She told me.
I stopped what I was doing, asking: "What about them...? Don't tell me... Did you find something?"
However, to my surprise, she shook her head: "Unfortunately, no... I couldn't find, anything, at all. At least, nothing worthy of interest..."
.
.
.
'What...?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 66: Curious... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Yukari looked at Ayano with silent scrutiny, but she was very intrigued by his response...
"Interesting... I thought you'd be, happier about the fact I found nothing on those people." She asked him. However, Ayano sighed silently, glancing towards the side, before finally making eye contact, saying;
"Under normal circumstances... I would be, but..." Keiji paused, sighing once more before continuing what he was going to say before: "My masters... There's no way men like them don't have any sort of past tied to them. Which means. They're likely hiding it."
Yukari calmy stared back at him, thinking to herself;
'I thought he'd be upset given what he said... But, this feels more so like disappointment.'
"Well... What will you do now?" She slowly asked him;
"Given the fact that, even a woman of my resources couldn't find anything about them." She added. However, Ayano didn't say anything for a few moments. He simply looked down at the table...
"I... I think I'll trust them, for now..." He finally said, not looking up from his plate.
Yukari blinked, surprised by the resolution in his tone... There was no hesitation, no tremble of uncertainty and calm acceptance, as if he had already thought this through long before she brought it up.
'Hmph... I figured that he would have already made up his mind...' Yukari pondered.
“So... You’ll trust them?” She repeated, softly, almost disbelieving still.
Ayano nodded: “They’ve done nothing but push me beyond my limits. Brutally, sure—but never maliciously. If they wanted to hurt me, they could’ve done it a hundred different ways by now, trust me.”
His fingers tapped absently against the table, slowly, thinking about how she should approach this case...
“Besides… something tells me they’re training me for more than just survival.” He suspiciously added. “I have a feeling that, there’s a reason for all of this. A reason I haven’t seen heard, yet...” And, that was the truth.
Yukari looked and crossed her arms, letting her gaze soften just slightly.
'I'm annoyed at how weak I am to his, coercions...' She thought.
“Still... I don’t disagree with you, not completely.” She said, voice calm: “But, I don’t want you to confuse any sort of shared purpose, with shared loyalty. Just because they’re pointing you in the right direction at the moment, doesn’t mean they’ll always be on your side...”
Ayano hearing this, gave her a faint smile, still looking down: “You sound just like my...” He stopped himself, before saying: "Heh... Never mind..." He was about to say his instincts, however he couldn't nor didn't want to make her any more cautious than she was right now. Not only that, he knew deep down that she was right, even if partially.
'This system, of mine... It might not have the intent to actually harm me, but since I'm dealing with humans now, and not just increases to my attributes. Then, they can change, or even have ulterior motives. It never guaranteed to me that the allies I have now will even remain my allies in the future. All I know is that at this specific moment. I can get benefits from them all...' Ayano pondered.
On another hand, Yukari's brow slowly arched upward “Well... I’m beginning to think whoever it is, and I would get along just fine.”
Ayano shrugged, saying: "...Maybe."
They both chuckled lightly-brief, but enough to break some of the tension in the air...
After a few quiet seconds, Yukari stepped closer towards him, then rested her hand gently on Ayano’s shoulder. It was rare for someone like her to offer touch, let alone comfort, but it wasn’t empty... It felt like a quiet shield, a promise she’d be watching him, even if he wasn’t.
“Alright then...” She said: “If this is the path you’ve chosen, I’ll stop digging for the time being... But, if you feel that anything is off-even just a little-I want to be the first person you tell... Understood?”
Ayano finally looked up at her with eyes much steadier than before, saying;
“I, understand... And, thanks for trusting me Yukari, it means a lot, believe me...” He truly meant it. He technically didn't have anyone else in this world. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it. Yukari was slowly beginning to fill the emptiness of his new home. She gave him a sense of, comfort in her own way.
Before he realized it, Yukari gave him a kind hearted smile: "It's, no problem at all... However, for now, they must not under any circumstance be made aware of my existence." She couldn't afford for such a thing to happen. She knew nothing of them at all. And Yukari didn't particularly like not knowing about something, especially of something with this level of importance.
Ayano nodded, his expression much more stern than before: "Of course, not a single soul will know about it. I promise."
She sighed, tiredly: "That's good... But, that wasn't exactly all I wanted to speak with you about.." She murmured.
Having slightly heightened hearing, the words didn't exactly escape Ayano: "Hmm...? What do you wanna talk about?" He asked back.
Yukari braced herself against the counter, slowly responding to him: "It's about my... It's Chisaki... I, haven't exactly heard from her since-"
"-The argument between you two...?" Ayano added, whilst finishing her sentence, before quickly continuing: "If your question was about me knowing if she's ok, then, I don't... I haven't really heard from her since either if I'm being honest with you. I kind of just assumed you both sorted it all out already, and that she likely needed her own space... It's been nearly two weeks after all." He explained.
Yukari looked to the side, then back before asking: "You're, right... I, will need to make some calls... Otherwise, I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner." Yukari smiled, before heading upstairs... However, Ayano could tell that Yukari was very worried and concerned. If he were in her position, he knew he would've reacted the same way too.
'It's a shame... I can't even help her... Still, maybe I should've just reached out to Chisaki since that time...' He thought to himself. However, he stopped, knowing he couldn't do anything to mend it now.
He slowly got up, and picked up their dishes and washed them all before heading off to both bathe and then rest for the night...
~ Third Perso Pov, the next day... ~
.
.
.
"Hrghhnn~" He yawned, stretching.
He got up and headed out of his room to do his needed due-diligences...
When he opened his door, he saw a small note on the floor, picking it up, he realized that it was made by none other than Yukari herself... it read;
"I wanted to say in-advance that, I am sorry for not being able to say anything to you... It was, urgent, and when I get the time, I will explain everything to you... I don't know how long I will be gone for, but please be careful with your training, and yourself... Thank you for your understanding."
Ayano's eyes narrowed, wondering what this situation could really be about... And then, he had suddenly remembered the somewhat brief conversation they had last night... About, Chisaki. He looked back down towards the paper, thinking;
'I bet she did all this way to not worry me...' He slowly surmised. Even though he had a great hunch of what the situation could be, he still wasn't completely sure what it was.
'I guess, I should just respect her wishes... Still I shouldn't, it's time to practice the mind Pal-' He quickly stopped himself... Sighing.
'-Oh, yeah... She isn't here to stop me going into that trance.'
When he practices the mind palace technique, he realizes that he enters a sort of trance like state after a certain period of time. Realizing this the first time around, he had asked Yukari to time him each morning when he practiced since, so that he doesn't remain in it. The causes of it was unknown at the moment, but the benefits he gained from prolonged trances were nothing short of immense.
"...It looks like I'll have to scrap that idea for the day. *Huff* I just can't take the risk with practicing it alone. Unless... no... I'd still need Yukari to see if that method would even work at all." He mumbled to himself, a bit annoyed by his current predicament.
'I guess I'll have to just practice my master's teachings with the time I have, and then head out... Speaking of heading out. Those bastards at that damn Casino should be open today. I've been robbing them all blind lately, and not only that, I can tell they don't seem to like me coming very much either, which means, I'm close.' He thought.
Unknowingly, Ayano had smiled... He knew it'd only be a matter of time before he met the ring-leader behind it all. It's one thing all these Casino owners don't like to be, and that was being a loser. Losing cash/ profit to them was the same as taking their life, and what do men do when one is attempting to take their life? Fight back.
'Either way... It should be time... Today might even be that very day.' He thought.
Without wasting anymore time. He began practicing his forms...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 67: Ending it - PART 1
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, A few hours later...~
.
.
.
"*Phew~* Alright... I think that should be enough practicing for the day." He had been going over each Martial art he had learn from his masters for over the past few hours. Specifically the Flickering-fists-of-Ansan. Out of the five hours he had practiced. He spent two and a half of it, on it alone. Because of that, he had gotten a much better feel for it.
'It's just a shame the floor got all sweaty too... Plus, I stink.' He thought to himself. Knowing he had to clean it up soon...
He quickly left his room to finally get a well needed shower...
~ Third Person Pov, with Yukari, a few hours earlier... ~
.
.
.
"So... You're telling me that my daughter forbade you to speak of her, condition...?" Yukari asked again. It was clear she was disappointed how things had played out. She had arrived not too long ago, and she wanted a quick briefing on the events that transpired.
The guard in question nodded, albeit, nervously, saying: "Y-Yes madam... She told us she was simply feeling unwell at the time, and that it was nothing we should concern or worry ourselves about... I wanted to call you, but since I thought she had a common cold, we... No I, thought it was best to heed her command..." He finished.
Yukari scoffed internally at the explanation: "Genji... I also specifically told you to inform me of anything that might happen to her. No matter how mundane it might seem, did I not...?" Yukari said, with a tone that left no room for arguments. Genji’s body stiffened, his breath catching in his throat when she spoke. Her eyes locked on his with a weight that could well have easily been a sword to the neck...
He swallowed hard;
'Hmm... She's furious. I heard and hoped that she had softened since she left the ruling, but, it seems... That time away from leading hadn't changed who she truly was at all...' The guard known as Genji thought fearfully.
Then, to his surprise, her expression softened considerably... Her voice losing the blade, but it had certainly kept its steel;
"...It's of no use getting angry with you right now... What's done, is done. Just, tell me..." She paused, then a slight shift in her tone, it was subtle, but even he knew it was earnest: "...What of her condition? Is she alright?" she asked, concerned.
Genji hesitated for a moment, glancing briefly at the marble floor beneath Yukari’s feet, as if searching for the right words among the patterns amongst it. He slowly inhaled, then finally spoke, voice more or less steady now, though still unsure...
"...Madam, it’s not an illness in the traditional sense. She’s been... dreaming. Repeatedly. Night after night. From what we gathered, they weren’t ordinary dreams either."
Yukari’s eyes narrowed subtly, but she didn’t interrupt... She let him continue, her arms had slowly began folding, and her attention seemed sharper as he did.
“-At first, she told us that she was, ignoring them. But over time, the weight of them began to show. Restlessness, fatigue... and at one point, she looked almost... shaken up. I think that’s what made her start to hide it. I truly believe she didn’t want anyone to worry about her, or think she was losing composure.” He finished.
Genji finally met her gaze: “I believe it’s the dreams that have been stressing her, Madam. That’s why she isolated herself. Not because of a fever or cold... but because whatever she’s been seeing... it seems as if it's been getting to her even more.”
Yukari’s expression didn’t change immediately, but a faint flicker passed through her eyes. A breath-quiet, nearly imperceptible, escaped her nose...
“I see...” She responded, calmly. She turned away for a brief moment, however her thoughts were in shambles behind that composed mask she wore. To Yukari, it hadn't made any sort of sense to her. Dreams. Of all things, it was dreams that was unsettling Chisaki? As soft as Chisaki might me, Yukari doubted... No... She knew it was nothing like that.
'It just, doesn't make any sense...' Yukari wondered.
"Alright, had she ever mentioned the content of these dreams of hers...? Where is she now? Is she currently awake?" Yukari asked.
However Genji sighed, saying: "Unfortunately, no... She's never brought up what she's been seeing, no matter what we ask. She always said that she would rather not say. However, they always did say she seemed very sad, and tired, aside from it being purely physical. At the moment, she's staying in her room, and she's also currently awake." Genji explained.
“Good... I shall speak to her myself.” She said firmly: “No more dancing around it... If this continues... It won’t just be her own health that suffers.”
Genji bowed instinctively, though his expression remained taut.
“I... Understood, Madam... Shall I accompany-?”
“-No.” Yukari cut in, not unkindly, but without pause. “She’ll be more honest without others around. Wait outside her quarters. If anything changes, I want to be the first to know. Immediately.”
Genji straightened and bowed, saying: “Yes, ma’am.”
Yukari didn’t wait any longer. Her footsteps echoed softly as she strode down the corridor, the halls of the estate quiet but never truly empty. Every corner held shadows, both living and lingering. As she neared Chisaki’s room, she paused only once, standing outside the ornately carved door, her hand raised...
She was, hesitating.
Not out of doubt—but out of concern she couldn’t quite voice. She had raised her daughter to be strong, to stand on her own, to be more than a symbol. And yet...
Yukari took a breath, and knocked.
Knock! Knock...!
There was a pause on her daughter's side. A few seconds too long.
Then—
"Come in." It was, a weak call.
Yukari pushed open the door, gently. The room, it was dimly lit, the curtains drawn against the sun... Chisaki had sat near the window, legs curled up beneath her on the cushioned bench, a soft shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes, those same piercing, sea-toned eyes she inherited from her ancestors-lifted and met her mother’s.
They were, tired.
But more than that—they seemed almost, haunted.
Yukari didn’t waste time. She stepped in, closed the door quietly behind her, and walked over.
“You’ve been having dreams.” She said. Not a question.
Chisaki blinked, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then she looked away.
"I see... I had asked them not to tell you...” Chisaki weakly added.
"And yet, they have..." Yukari sat beside her, but not too close. Just enough to be near: "Dear... Do you blame them?"
"No, of course not..." A faint pause, before she continuing: “I knew it was just a matter of time...”
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them wasn’t cold... but it certainly wasn’t warm either. It was a silence built on the weight of what hadn’t been said yet... Not only that, Yukari had strangely felt awkward about her daughter, and she just couldn't quite place it feeling.
“Then, tell me...” Yukari asked her gently, but firmly: “Well, what exactly have you been seeing...?”
When Yukari had asked, Chisaki’s fingers clutched the edge of her shawl. Her voice, when it came, was quiet, almost too quiet;
"Yu-Mother... I am visions of my great ancestor, Chisaki... " She explained.
When Yukari had heard it, her expression shifted into one of, confusion...
"...What...?"
.
.
.
~ Third Person Pov, With Keiji... ~
.
.
.
"Morning master Eli..." Keiji greeted.
His steps were still a little light, despite the slight strain from his hours of practice he had done earlier. His body remembered motions, muscle memory lingering, now he felt as if he was brimming with energy. Eli had realized this, and smiled...
"Good morning... It seems you've already gotten your warm up in..." Eli added.
Ayano nodded, but asked: "You could tell...?"
"Of course, I'm quite perceptive, despite my age..." Eli responded. Causing Ayano to chuckle lightly;
'Perceptive and terrifyingly strong...' Keiji mused, internally.
"Well, shall we get started then? Today is you, Zack and Warren's round with me, right...?" Ayano asked.
Eli smiled, placing his hose elsewhere, saying: "Don't worry youngster, I remember. I'm not that old, yet... I'll meet you down at the basement..."
Keiji nodded, walking past his master...
Until, Ayano turned around: "Oh...! I Almost forgot to tell you. I won't be able to stay the full day today..."
Eli hearing that, immediately raised a brow, asking: "Well... Why not?" It wasn't typical of the boy to cut their training shorter than normal. Though, he couldn't really blame his own student if he wanted to...
However, Ayano smiled: "I've just got a hunch, that today's gonna be the big day...."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 68: Ending it - PART 2 (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, After training... ~
.
.
.
"We, can stop here for the day... Rest up." Eli told his student.
'Hmph... This boy is growing more and more with each day that passes... Even with my skill level, he's quickly catching up to me in that regard... But, he still hasn't unveiled his animalistic side.' Eli thought.
Ayano was on the floor panting with countless bruises, and cuts all over his body, with a raised hand: "I... Yeah... Thanks..." Before it promptly flopped back downwards.
Eli on the other hand, wasn't too pleased;
'It seems that... Ayano might be one of those persons who needs to unlock his other half by actually going through a life and death scenario. Not a simulated one. Beating him to a pulp each day and pushing him, only serves to make him tougher...' Eli surmised.
He was hoping Ayano wouldn't need a true battle to push him to such an extent, but, such an awakening is also a double-edged sword: 'If he unlocks that state, the stronger he will be as a result...' After thinking this, Eli had made his way back upstairs, giving his student one final glance, before finally departing.
Ayano rested himself, remembering what Eli had told him before he became his master...
'Well, damn... I haven't gotten any closer to achieving that state master spoke of...' He mused. However, he wondered if he was just being impatient again.
"*Huff~* There's no use in killing myself over this..." Ayano muttered to himself, before finally dozing off...
~ Ayano's Pov, an hour later... ~
.
.
.
"Alright everyone, I'll see you all tomorrow." I waved them all off...
As soon as I left the premises... I remembered the nagging thought of the back of my mind during my spars... The situation with Yukari and Chisaki. No matter how much I tried to stomach it, it always popped right back in my head.
I... I was worried. Other than that;
'I'm just thankful for the fact that my masters didn't realize it...'
If they had, I'd get scolded for it... Still, I couldn't just keep losing my focus like I am now.
.
.
.
I made my way towards where the Casino was... I walked up to their door, and knocked with a certain pattern they had given all of us to remember, and eventually, the guard had let me in without qualms... But, of course, I could tell that this time, it was different from the rest...
Internally, I was just, disappointed: 'Sheesh...At least be a little less obvious with your intent to kill...'
Still, compared to my masters, the guard? He was practically a nobody to me, and much less compared to my masters. If he felt anything close to their intent to kill, he'd probably piss his pants on the spot. Still, maybe they sent him in hopes to intimidate me, but the only thing going for him was his larger than normal physique, and a disastrously ugly mug. The mug was more intimidating of the two if I were to be honest.
I followed him doing just like the other times I came here...
Just like all the other times, countless men were there, gambling like always...
"Ahh! My esteemed guest. You're here once again, so... Do you want me to fetch your last game's winnings?"
'It's this Saizo guy again...'
I didn't like dealing with him. He left a bad taste in my mouth, but he did run the place. So, I quickly accepted his offer, just to get rid of him...
"Yeah, I'd like that." I told him, but as soon as I did, I saw his smile getting wider... Creepy son of a bitch.
"Great! I'll be back soon, so make yourself comfortable in the meantime..." He bowed, directing me to sit.
As I did so, I could see at the corner of my eye, seeing the system's hologram of Renji slowly fading into existence again... This thing was the sole and only reason why I haven't gone crazy from all the crap that goes on around me...
After waiting for a while, I could already see Saizo coming with my duffle bag, it was very large, easily carrying hundreds of millions yen within it.
He stopped just beside me, saying: "Alright, here are your earnings... Though, which game are you going to play?"
I responded, flatly: "Poker." Grabbing the duffle bag, and to make sure. I added just the right amount of pretend strain to make it look heavier than it really felt in my hands.
However, Saizo’s grin never faltered a bit: “Ah, classic. You always go for that one... You’re quite the stoic, aren't you?”
This time around, I didn’t even bother with humoring him with a response.
Though, I heard him chuckling off to the side of me, pointing me toward the far end of the room: “Room three is open. You’ll find some eager company today. Don’t keep them waiting.”
I gave a slight nod, and made my way across the floor. Even with all the noise, coins clinking, dices rolling, laughter, and cursing. It felt muted to me. But, ever since my training, my senses, they had become much sharper. And I definitely knew that something around here was, different compared to the other times...
'Whatever, I'll quickly beat those assholes, burn the cash and kick whoever really runs this place's ass."
.
.
.
~ Third Person Pov, some time later... ~
.
.
.
Ayano had won game after game, earning tens of millions with the quiet assistance of the system’s real-time suggestions. Every bluff, every call, every subtle shift in the expressions in any his opponents movements was filtered and interpreted for him to see. To him, this wasn’t even a contest only a performance he couldn't stand anymore.
Across the table, the last opponent for that round, being a wiry, green-eyed man with a twitch in his left cheek-slammed his cards on the table in absolute frustration, cursing under his breath, saying;
“A fucking straight flush!? A-Again?! What the hell is this shit!!?”
Ayano sighed internally, and didn’t even respond to the fool. He merely leaned back in his seat, eyes lidded with boredom...
'It's been a few hours now... Maybe they won't be doing doing anything today after all...' Ayano thought, disappointed at the fact that he had to come back another time.
He looked at the pile of chips in front of him, and he just realized that his winnings had grown large enough to practically spill across into the next seat.
The dealer-an unusually quiet man in a dark vest-simply nodded toward him. “This game goes to Ayano.”
Another assortment of sighs with cursing under breaths rippled through the players, as Ayano stood up, grabbing only a portion of the winnings, leaving the rest as bait. To him, more would come. Based on his past experiences... They always did.
But just as he turned around, he could Saizo entering this time, something the man hadn't done before...
"Impressive... It seems you've won again!" Saizo said.
However, Ayano internally scoffed at the clear sarcasm: "I sure have... But, if feels as if, you didn't expect me to?" Catching him off guard.
However, he kept his composure, straightening himself...
"Hahaha~ Perhaps..." Saizo mumbled, before continuing: "Still... If you're interested. We have a, special game that's tailored, and offered to those with your level of, pedigree." He finished.
'Hmph... That sure is a hell of a nice way of saying - your rich, and we need to cut ya' down...' Ayano quickly summed.
However, Ayano was also quite glad about how things were going...
"Is that so...? Then what are you waiting for? Lead the way." Ayano added.
Saizo smiled: "Of course, right this way..."
.
.
.
Saizo had led him though a door off to the side of the establishment. When Ayano looked ahead, he realized how dimly lit the way to their destination was...
'Still... I think we're far enough away now...' Ayano thought.
He then asked: "Say... Just how long has this business of yours been running?"
Saizo walking ahead, responded, saying: "Oh... For a little over a year now... Why do you ask? Wait... Are you interested in joining us?" Saizo responded, still walking, not turning around.
"Well, it's nothing really... I just wanted to ask you that before I knock you out." Ayano said, casually.
Stopped: "You say it's nothing-" But, Saizo stiffened, finally processing the words that he had just heard being uttered...
"Wha-" Before Saizo could properly respond, Ayano instantly grabbed his face, slamming into the wall...
BAM...!
-Causing a small indentation within the surface of the concrete...
Thud...!
His body dropped unto the floor, completely unconscious...
'What an idiot... Don't you think you've been underestimating me a bit too much...?' Ayano scoffed, shaking off his hand. When he looked ahead, he could finally see the end of the passage.
"Hmm... Perfect." He said, continuing his walk.
.
.
.
Eventually, he reached the door, he slowly opened it... And as he did so, he saw someone sitting to the very opposite of where he was.
The person before him...
He held an exhausted expression, as if he was simply tired of the world he was living in...
However...
'So... This is him...' Ayano quickly surmised.
He looked beside the man, only to see a blade sitting right next to himself;
'Great, a weapon wielder...' Ayano thought once more. He wasn't proficient with wielding weapons, at all. So this was already a battle where he knew that he was at a clear disadvantage...
Not only that, upon closer inspection, he had realized just how large this person was. Ayano noticed that the man had strong arms, with a large build that could easily range between 6'2" to 6'3". Not to mention his sheer presence... Even though it was calm, it felt, sharp.
"Hmmm... You're the person I'm supposed to be going against now...?" Ayano carefully asked. However some time had passed between them before he got any sort of response...
After what felt like an eternity, the man casually responded "... I see... So you're the one they call, Vagabond..." . Causing Ayano to stare at him, confused.
'Vagabond... What the heck is he talking about?' Ayano wondered.
However, the man picked up on Ayano's confusion, saying: "You... You aren't even aware of what they call you on the streets, are you...?" He asked.
Ayano shook his head: "Still... Vagabond? Why that name in particular?"
The man however, didn't say much... He simply motioned for Ayano to sit. Seeing this, Ayano slowly walked closer, just shy of being six feet away, before he himself slowly sat down as well...
"Hnn... It's good to see that you have some manners... My name is Suyheon Kai... And, I want to ask... Do you like gambling?"
Ayano didn't say anything at first, but he sighed, finally responding;
"Well... I wouldn't be here if I didn't... The people out there, they all complimented me for my skills, hahaha..."
The man then answered him: "I see... Then I'd like to ask you... Why do you think people in general like to gamble...?"
'Huh...?' Ayano thought, slightly caught off guard by the question, but before he could respond, the man continued;
"Is it pleasure? Greed, challenge, escape, regret, desire, or..." Kai stated.
"...𝒟𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇?"
Ayano's eyes widened, feeling extreme amounts of killing intent.
Shiing!
-He barely dodged out of the way of the blade.
Fwish!
Ayano then glanced upward, his eyes narrowing...
The man revealed himself as Kai, continued, with his completely expressionless demeanor and tone: "Because, in this game..."
Hearing what he had, Keiji subconsciously felt himself spitting towards the side... His displeasure, evident.
"Really...? Pathetic... Is this really what you believe...? If so-" Ayano slowly spoke before pausing, carefully grabbing one of the mounted blades off the wall...
"-I'll promise you one thing... This fight, it's one I won't be losing..."
![Reality Quest] Would he be able to entertain Goo with a katana? : r/lookismcomic](https://i.redd.it/spvfiwslm0ub1.jpg)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 69: Ending it - PART 3 (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
PING!!!
---------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 3 - 2: Defeat Kai...
REWARD: ??????}
---------------------------------
Ayano saw the quest he had gotten from the beginning, now updated... This time, his objective was clear. To simply defeat the person before himself...
'Honestly... You didn't even have to ask.' He thought, quickly re-focusing on his opponent...
Both Kai and Keiji calmly stared down one another... However, Keiji had realized something the instant when Kai had attacked him, just a few moments earlier...
'Still I can't underestimate him, this guy... As much I don't want to admit it... He's terrifyingly quick...' Keiji thought.
He recalled just seconds prior when that blade had came dangerously close to his wind pipe... Death, it was literally calling out to get him. What had saved him in that small moment, was his own capacity to sense killing intent, and his own battle instincts. However, he hadn't realized just that;
'From that small encounter alone... I've realized that this person truly wants to kill me...' No one before had genuinely came at him to take his life, at least, not to this degree... Not even the boss he faced so long before.
"Hmph... Not bad-" Kai complimented, with his monotonous tone, causing Ayano to snap from his thoughts...
"-To think you were able to dodge that attack just now..." He added, pausing, before continuing: "...It seems like the Bully-Council finally found someone worthwhile..." Causing Ayano to wonder what he was talking about.
"Bully-Council...?" Keiji heard.
Kai's expression changed, to one of slight realization: "Don't tell me... You don't know of that either...? Perhaps... I've said a bit too much..."
'...What the hell...? Just how much do I NOT know?' Ayano asked himself. He's never heard of a council known as that. But, he knew based on how Kai had spoken, is that those people might be against his organization that's causing all this.
Ayano slowly gripped his blade tighter: "Trust me... you haven't said, enough-
In an instant, Ayano instantly dashed forwards, closing meters in a matter of milliseconds.
CLANG!!
CLINK!!!
Steel clashed and rang out again and again, echoing through the dim underground chamber like rolling thunder. Sparks burst in every direction with each impact, flashes of orange and gold dancing against the gray walls. Both Ayano and Kai moved like two storms, neither one gaining nor losing ground, their blades were swinging with speed and precision.
Both had sliced each other, with blood escaping and their clothes ripping in the process of their clash, but both? They paid the injuries no heed... Instead, they had became even fiercer.
CLANG! CLANG!!
-CLAAANNNGGG!!!!
"Hmph!!"
Ayano twisted beneath a horizontal arc, countering with an upward slash toward Kai’s exposed side, only to be blocked with an uncanny grace. Kai’s blade swiftly swept around Ayano’s guard in response, but Keiji instinctively ducked, sliding beneath the swing and retaliating with a low spin-kick, forcing Kai back half a step.
For a few seconds, it almost felt like an endless amount of blades blurring with each other. Steps colliding, instinct battling instinct.
Every single strike met with some kind of counter. Every movement done by one, was mirrored by the other...
Then, suddenly-
Kai jumped, back...?
His feet skidding across the floor, the tip of his blade then pointed toward Ayano, but he didn't press forward again...
Ayano seeing this remained still and collected, breathing lightly. Not even out of breath from the scrummage, but even Keiji realized that he wasn't the only one that wasn't...
Kai’s gaze sharpened, his brows drawing together slightly: “Huh… Strange...” He muttered silently under his breath, before slowly glancing towards his foe...
Ayano’s eyes narrowed, barely hearing: “What...?”
However, Kai didn’t answer right away. His gaze on the other hand, remained locked on Ayano’s form... sharp, like he was analyzing what he had just went through, and was searching for an answer;
'I'm sure of it... Exchanging blades with him...' Kai slowly thought, glancing at his blade, before glancing back upwards again.
“…Fighting you, it feels, off...” Kai finally said aloud, then he added: “Your skill… it’s equal to even mine. No, in some ways, it might even be cleaner...”
Ayano’s grip on his sword didn’t waver, but inside, his mind for some reason began to wonder...
Kai raised his blade again, slowly-not in offense, but as if presenting a question to the air itself.
“…And yet… there’s something about it.” Kai stated, like a fact, before saying: “Your sword. In fact... All your movements. They feel… genuine, but also-”
He tilted his head slightly, voice lowering as his gaze slightly sharpened.
“-Unrealistic.”
Ayano flinched internally.
It wasn’t visible, not even a blink or a shift in posture. But inside, his breath had hitched.
Because Kai had struck a chord. A very real one...
'Interesting… That’s because, it's exactly what it is...' Ayano thought, dryly.
All of it-his precision, his over all form, the flawless execution of each parry, each attack-it wasn’t the product of years hard earned training. It wasn’t born from trial or failure, from sweat-soaked days or sleepless nights studying techniques...
It was given to him.
By the System.
The sheer mastery he commanded now…? It was all just borrowed.
And Kai, he could feel it.
Ayano didn’t respond to him right away. For the first time in a long while, a sliver of doubt crept into his thoughts mid-battle...
'This, Kai... How the hell did he figure it out just from fighting me...?’ Ayano pondered.
Kai, meanwhile, lowered his blade just a little, but he didn’t sheath it...
He spoke again, in a much softer manner this time, almost as if trying to puzzle it out himself:
“It’s like... your blade has memory. The kind earned through repetition. But your body, it simply doesn’t reflect it. There’s no strain in your wrist... No tension in your steps. It's as if… you’ve learned everything, but you've also experienced none of it.”
He wasn’t saying it to insult.
It was observation. In a sense, it was the truth...
Ayano’s mouth, it felt dry.
He wasn’t angry.
But now, he had felt uncomfortably seen...
And, he didn’t know what unsettled him more-his opponent's uncanny level of insight, or the fact that it made him feel like an imposter within his own skin...
'Hmm...' Ayano was, unsettled...
Still, he forced himself to step forward once again, sword raised.
His voice was calm-but inwardly, something in him, it had changed...
“…Then that means... I’ll just have to show you that it doesn’t matter...” He finally responded.
Even if it wasn’t truly his yet...
Even if the strength he had now was borrowed...
He’d fight like it was his.
And eventually, one day-Make it his. But, for now... He needed to finish this battle...
As he prepared himself... Kai threw his blade-
Ayano swiftly parried it.
'The hell!?' Ayano looked back, seeing that Kai was heading elsewhere...
"?Damn it! A hidden passage?" Ayano watched as he entered...
"*Tch!* Get back here!" Ayano said, charging forwards, entering into the passageway behind the scroll as well..
However, the moment he entered, he realized the stark contrast between where he was, and where he had been. This room, it had a dim red hue, not only that, it was completely empty as well...
In the center of it all, Kai stood there, removing the metal clips from his hair...
"...Sorry about that... I hope you didn't think I was running away..." Kai stated, the large metal clipping slowly unfolded, being a chain like weapon...
Kai then continued: Because..."
"-And, this time..." He spoke. His once dead eyes glowed a silver hue, causing Ayano's eyes to slowly enlarge...
"I don't plan on holding back... So please, entertain me..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 70: Ending it - PART 4 (FINALE) (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
'What the hell!? How did his eyes suddenly change...?'
I've... never seen something like this before...
...Not only that, his entire aura, it feels, different. I've got a feeling that this guy is seeing straight through me. Great! It looks like I'll need to be even more careful from now on. First... I need to remain calm, and assess my strengths and weaknesses.
When we clashed earlier, we seemed relatively even because of my greater strength and technique, but that was barely.
"*Huff...*"
What I had in spades were my technique, strength and even endurance... But, he made up for it by having high amounts of speed. In fact, his speed was likely in the 600th range if I were were to translate it into raw attributes. Which was insane enough as it is. And to top it all off, he's now in a some kind state which makes his eyes literally glow.
'This... This isn’t good.'
Yet, despite all of this... why do I feel this sense of, excitement...?
.
.
.
"...Hmph... I wish you could see the face you're making right now... You're no different than I am." Kai suddenly said to me.
I tilted the blade I held, just enough to see my own reflection... And seeing my own expression at this moment. Being surprised? It would honestly be an understatement;
'Haha... I'm actually, smiling?'
In a situation where I could easily lose my own life...? Ironic.
The old me would definitely have cowered in fear by now... But, I guess being stuck in this reality for so long must messed a few of my screws up. Regardless, I don't care all that much about all of that. What I needed to do now, was win.
No, I had to win here...
I watched he pointed his blade towards me, saying: "Well... I supposed that's enough of the chit-chat... Vagabond. It's time to continue our little battle..."
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Kai dashed forwards, catching Ayano by surprise.
"Shit!" He yelled, barely blocking the strike. His opponent's speed had drastically improved yet again. And not just his speed, but also his physical strength...
'This kind of improvement has to be linked with the change in his eyes...' Ayano thought, barely holding on.
On the other hand, Kai’s gaze sharpened seeing his foe's futility... With a flat tone, he stated: “You were matching me before... Even if it was Just you barely keeping up. At first, our odds were relatively even, admittedly though, I'd even say they were - 50:50.”
Kai inhaled once, calmly... His stance lowered by just a fraction...
And then, his eyes glowed brighter.
It wasn’t just light. It was as if the man was focus incarnate. This was the kind of intensity only someone who held had nigh perfect control of both their body and mind could even hope to summon. This was a sense of absolute clarity in all of one's movements...
Ayano’s instincts? They were warning at him...
He stepped back, just as Kai moved forwards.
However, he was still too late. Rather, his opponent was too fast...
Kai had disappeared.
'He's gone!?' Ayano thought, looking.
Ayano felt the sheer wind pressure before he saw his opponent's slash coming at his ribs like a blur. He barely blocked it, but he still had gotten a large slash at his side, with the overall force behind the attack making his knees buckle slightly.
“You see...” Kai stated flatly, landing lightly several feet away, before continuing: "That attack you felt a moment ago? It was just the first opening."
"*Pant...* Ayano quickly steadied his breathing, keeping his guard up...
Even he knew he couldn't keep this up much longer.
Kai walked slowly now, his presence doubling. No, tripling: "The odds are now 56:44... A Slight increase... But... it’s still more than enough.”
He instantly moved off again again, but this time, Ayano had parried even cleaner than before, but just the overall impact alone essentially chewed right through his guard, jarring his forearm;
"Urgh...!" Ayano grunted.
“62:38.” Kai calmly responded.
Ayano’s eyes widened. Realizing that those numbers were favors, and it wasn't tipping towards his scale...
Now? He couldn’t see the attacks coming anymore... Not truly. His body was reacting off instinct alone, but it just wasn't fast enough. Kai was moving like time itself was slowing down for him, observing every twitch of a muscle, every faint shifting favorably, in his balance...
FWOOSHH!!!
Kai swiftly ducked under Ayano’s horizontal slash, responding with a shallow cut to his side. Practically toying with his food...
“73:27...” Kai added once more.
Ayano hissed, pulling back, holding his side. His blood loss was getting even worse...
'Damn it! He's only getting stronger and faster as the fight goes on!' Ayano realized, wincing from the accumulated pain.
However, Kai’s voice was calm, and now even more detached than before...
“Knowing the look in your eyes earlier. It's clear to me you don't even know of this state... Not many do... This, is called, Immersion-” He said calmly, before adding;
“-Think of it as, Pure combat clarity or hyper consciousness... The moment you give me one opening, I will widen the gap. Again. And again... Until-"
FWIP~
Kai dashed forward, this time, Ayano couldn't even block it.
The tip of Kai’s weapon slammed into his shoulder, sending him tumbling...
Kai didn’t press forward. He just watched as Ayano rolled aside, then pushed himself back to his feet, eyes wild now.
"-the odds become 100:0...” He finished.
And for the first time... Ayano understood what it meant to be properly overwhelmed. Not by strength alone, but by an absolute level of momentum.
Kai wasn’t just fighting him at this point, it was clear to Keiji that his opponent was slowly but surely, witling him down, mathematically. Every movement executed was compounded into the next beautifully, like a endless loop of control...
"*Cough...! Cough!!*"
Ayano, he was wise enough to know that much... Seeing his current predicament, he slowly began wiping the blood from his chin...
'*Tch…* I'd say this is cheating, but...' Ayano thought, a smile forming on his face...
Seeing this, Kai tilted his head, a bit confused, asking: "...Maybe all that blood loss has gotten to your head...? Still, this has become a bit, boring... I had honestly thought that you might have had something more up your sleeve, but... I'm quite disappointed..."
"No... No... You're right... I actually do have something up my sleeve... Wanna hear what it is...?" Ayano said, coughing up blood in the process.
Kai for the first time, scoffed, saying: "Really? And what could that be when you're pinned against the wall...?"
Ayano smile widened: "Hehehe~ It's called, Booster... Fucker."
'Hmm...?' Kai thought.
However the moment Keiji uttered those words. He instantly disappeared from Kai's peripheral, internally, he questioned himself;
'How did he...!? That's, Imp-'
-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kai was sent flying towards the opposite side of the room with a chilling amount of force...
"GYAAAAARGHH!!!!" He screamed.
Dust lingered in the air like ash after an explosion. Cracks crawled along the back wall where Kai had slammed into it, his body crumpled beneath the debris like a discarded weapon. The room was deathly silent, save for the dull drip... drip... of blood...
'Just what the hell was that!???' Kai thought, clutching his abdominals. He barely made it to his feet.
Ayano then whispered behind of his opponent: "Honestly... I should have done this since the beginning... I'm vastly better without a weapon after all..."
"Hnngh!!!?" Kai grunted, before he swiftly began turning around. However, contrary to what he was expecting, Ayano had completely disappeared once more...
'Where the!' Before he could finish his thought. He felt his field of vision switch completely... Next to him, he could see Ayano staring off off in the distance... A bluish electric like energy dancing and radiating off of his body. Kai's eyes widened, not seeing a path to win.
Slowly, Ayano turned around, facing him..
"Be proud Kai... You were strong..." Ayano stated. Before Kai could react, the last thing he saw, was a fist...
SMAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The force of the blow caused Kai to fly through the metallic bars and into the previous room...
.
.
.
"*Huff...*"
Ayano calmly walked out of the dimly lit room they had been locked in... As he did so, he slowly made his way towards his now defeated opponent... Now as he looked at him, he was reflecting on the battle just had moments ago...
"Pathetic bastard... For now..."
.
.
.
'Tch! Damn it...'
Before he could even think of uttering anything else, Keiji suddenly felt all his wounds now acting upon him, signs that both the adrenaline and dopamine's effects had worn off... He was bleeding, profusely at that.
Furthermore, his vision was blurring and even doubling at this point, then to make matter worse, just off towards the side of his blurry vision, he could see his status panel, now realizing how dangerously low his HP had gotten since the fight had started...
'...I'm such a fool, I should have never tried to beat him at his own game...' He scolded himself. But, just as he was about to pass out from the overwhelming exhaustion-
PING!!!
-------------------------------------------
{MAIN QUEST PART 3 - 2: Defeat Kai... (COMPLETE)
REWARD: Distributing...}
-------------------------------------------
He suddenly felt both his mind and body get instantly revitalized, completely...
"Whoa... I've completely recovered?-" But, just as he said those words, he had taken the moment and slowly looked around himself. He could see that his location had changed, entirely. He was no longer in the underground casino...
'Am-Am I going crazy...?' He asked himself. He was more than happy he was alive, and now fully recuperated, but he certainly wasn't expecting, this...
Looking around a bit more, he spoke up: "Still, just where the hell am I...?". Upon closer inspection, he realized that he was standing on a platform, surrounded by a dark almost endlessly expanding space...
However, as expected... No response came, instead, there a large flash of golden light appeared before him, revealing... Doors?
'Seriously... Just what the hell is all this...?' He asked himself.
He had never seen anything like this before. The system could just teleport him anywhere without telling him anything? Or was it just manipulating reality...? At this point, he couldn't really tell if it was doing both...
PING!!!
--------------------------------------
{Select a challenge to receive your reward...}
--------------------------------------
"Select a challenge...? Does it want me to select one of these doors then...? It has to be that, right...?"
The first door had a serpent coiling...
The second had two weapons ingrained on it.
And the last had a flower that seemed like it was blooming...
"And... I'm supposed to just choose any one of them...?" He was both confused, and curious... He looked at the first door, the serpent one, and thought that it might likely be worthless, he began thinking what a reward relating to a snake might grant him, but he wasn't exactly pleased by it...
He looked at the second door, noticing that this one could represent a whole lot of things likely tied to battle or overall prowess. Or, it could just give him a weapon... He wasn't really really going down a path of wielding weaponry, or anything of the sort, and potentially wasting it on a weapon might bum him out.
Next and last was the flower door, this one had actually intrigued him a bit. Compared to the first two, this one didn't seem combat related or particularly dangerous either... He noticed that the flower ingrained onto it seemed to be blooming in a sense, but, that was actually it...
He thought about it for a bit more, and went right with his gut feeling: "I guess, the third door it is..."
He slowly walked forward pushing it open.
As soon as he walked through, he could see a large arena like area...
"Hmm...?"
PING!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
{Please bare in mind that the reward will vary depending on your performance...}
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayano heeded the system's comment...
VOOOMMM~
"Huh?"
The area began to vibrate... Then all of a sudden, a dark mist appeared ahead of Keiji, before it slowly condensed into a humanoid figured... As the moments passed, his eyes slowly began to narrow... Realizing what he'll have to do...
'Of course... So, this trial wants me to fight myself...?'
PING!!!
-------------------------------------------
All the player's Active Skills have now been sealed...
-------------------------------------------
"Great..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 71: Metamorphosis... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Ayano carefully looked at his doppelganger...
'So... I'm guessing this thing is supposed to be me...? Is the system pulling some kind of sick joke?' He began pondering. Despite his reaction, he was quite fascinated by what he was witnessing...
But then, he looked into its eyes. That was when the unease truly settled within him;
'Not just that... It's clear as day that this thing lacks any real sense of self...' The being before him had no emotions. No presence. It was like looking into a mirror that reflected nothing back.
And yet... Despite that emptiness he feels, Ayano also felt something clawing at the edge of his instincts... A kind of pressure. A tension he couldn’t name;
"Why... do I feel like this?" He whispered to himself, narrowing his eyes at it.
Instead, the figure took a step forward, silent, with an almost mechanical stiffness. Its movements were, perfect-In fact, they were too perfect. It easily mimicked his current stance, his posture, even down to the way he was breathing.
Ayano clenched his fists on reflex... The tension in the void he was in, having shifted even more.
He wasn’t just facing some shadow of himself. He had a hunch that he was facing the version of himself molded entirely by the system, something without any form of hesitation, without doubt. Cold, and potentially, extremely efficient...
And for the first time in a long while, Ayano wasn’t sure if that terrified him...
He slowly stepped forward himself. His fists clenched. He didn’t need a prompt to know this wouldn’t be a battle of steel, but it would definitely be one of raw skill, instinct, and resolve.
However, the moment had, the doppelganger mirrored him once again.
'So this is how it's going to play it...' Ayano realized.
Ayano slowly shifted into a loose stance, his fingers flexing.
“…You’re not me.” He told himself.
The copy tilted its head, almost as if it were listening... Then, without warning, it moved.
Ayano barely blocked the flickering jab that shot for his jaw. Knowing that if it had landed, his jaw would've been dust. Regardless, the impact alone shuddered through his forearm;
"Tch..."
'Damn… That speed...'
The doppelganger had closed the distance in just a fraction of a second, using Jeet Kune Do, effortlessly direct, minimal motion, with maximum speed. Ayano pushed it back with a sharp elbow, stepping to the side and rotating into a Muay Thai clinch. His knee shot up, only for the clone to twist mid-air using Capoeira’s fluid evasive rhythm, landing a heel kick across Ayano’s temple...
"Argh!" He staggered.
No follow-up came... The doppelganger simply stood again, waiting. Taunting him in a sense...
Ayano wiped the blood trickling down his cheek: 'It’s testing me…? Copying my own flow, my own rhythm. That means it's not just a copy-cat, but that it actually has it's own thoughts...'
FWISH!
He quickly dashed forward, throwing out feints with his footwork and hips. He blended Taekkyeon’s deceptive bounce with sudden flickering jabs, The Flickering Fists of Ansan. A jab. Then a quick cross. Following that, he ducked low, throwing a low kick that seamlessly transitioned into a sweeping hook.
BLAM!
But the clone ducked low in response, wrapped around Ayano’s waist with perfect form;
'Shit!!!' He thought.
The moment he had done so, his clone hurled him into the stone floor with a devastating Judo throw. Ayano felt his ribs practically creaking beneath his flesh.
"Garh!~"
He grunted, rolling to the side just before a brutal stomp came down, cracking the stone floor. He countered with a rising CQC maneuver, an upward elbow to the clone’s chin, followed by a spinning backfist that staggered it...
This time, it used the momentum, backing up completely...
"..."
Both stood still for a moment, breathing heavy. Ayano’s mind raced;
'...It’s using everything I’ve ever learned so far-while mixing and adapting to me. Not randomly, but the opposite... Like it’s studied me from inside and out, rather than just being a blatant copy.'
Ayano spat to the side, circling around now, slower, adding: "...You know everything I know… But it's clear you lack something... You’re empty.”
The doppelganger gave no response to the taunt... But this time, its overall posture changed yet again.
It entered the stance of Brekdak’s Variant of Muay Thai. Tight guard. Forward aggression. And then it moved forward relentlessly.
BOOM!
BAAM!!
BLAAAM!!!!
Each strike flowing into the next with violent efficiency...
Elbows, knees, close-quarter pressure. Ayano blocked one, two, then caught the third and rolled into a counter with his Systema, absorbing and redirecting the force with a shoulder pivot. A palm strike to the chest sent the doppelganger stumbling back...
Ayano exhaled sharply: 'That’s it! It knows all of my skills with the same exact proficiency… but, it doesn’t innovate... It only attempts to adapt, and reacts to my moves, but It doesn’t have creativity.'
Realizing this, Keiji slowly walked forwards, saying;
"This is, kind of funny, isn't it? The battled I've fought up until now were with fear... With anger, regret, hope and pain… But, you? You don’t feel any of that, do you? You can’t..." He said, brushing off the residual dust.
Still, his doppelganger surged forward again, this time leading with Zack’s Variant of Boxing—clean, brutal hooks lined with unreadable eyes. Ayano ducked the first, parried the second, and then weaved in close, catching the doppelganger’s midsection with a flicker-jab, followed by a rising uppercut that cracked through the guard.
BAM!!!
It reeled. And Ayano pressed the attack...
'You’re were me at my best… but, I’m still growing...'
He switched into Jeet Kune Do-fluid economy-then pivoted into regular Ssireum's explosive throws and grapple. He instantly grabbed his double’s arm, twisted, and flipped it into the ground with, causing seismic slam. The impact alone shaking the entire arena they stood on...
Ayano didn’t finish it... He quickly stepped back instead.
The doppelganger slowly rose to it's, expression still blank… but its breathing was uneven now.
'I guess this just confirms that it can't feel pain either...' He begrudgingly noted.
He rolled his shoulders, blood dripping from his mouth: “Come on... Let’s see which of us is the better fighter.”
They both launched forward... Clashing-
-The shockwave reverberating throughout the arena...
Both quickly caught themselves.
Before charging at each other once more...
~ Third Person Pov, Eli's Residence... ~
.
.
.
"I'm surprised the boy left so early... What do you think he's up to?" Zack asked.
Eli turned towards his friend, answering: "I'm not so sure exactly... But, I've got this feeling that he'll handle it...".
As Eli sipped his tea, he smiled, recalling how his student had looked just before he had departed... He himself remembered that he had worn an expression such as that, at least, when he was much-much younger;
'Ah... To be young again...'
Zack looked. Smiling after seeing his friend so at peace: "I guess... We're doing good, that kid is absorbing or techniques like he has... Seeing someone as talented as himself rot in such times is..." Zack paused, recalling his own younger days.
"Heh... Everything was quite chaotic back then."
Zack slowly leaned back on the column, resting his own mug near the table’s edge. The soft whistling of the breeze passing through the opened window, slightly stirring the quietness that nestled in the air;
"You know-" Zack began, pausing before continuing: "-For someone who used to bark at the idea of taking on a student… You sure talk about the boy a lot."
Eli smirked behind his cup of tea: “Tch. Please Lee... I think I'm allowed to show even a little respect for hard work when I see it.”
Zack hearing this, raised a brow...
Noticing, Eli exhaled slowly, watching the surface of his drink ripple: “Ayano… That boy doesn’t, he doesn't just train-it feels as if he bleeds for every inch of progress he can make. I’ve seen it. Day after day. Most people would burn out when they hit their first wall or the harshness of the training... But him?” He paused, narrowing his eyes slightly: "He claws through it... Quietly, yet, almost relentlessly."
Zack gave a quiet hum in response, a bit thoughtful himself...
"Talent, sure. I'll admit it. He’s got that much." Eli said, continuing: "But, it’s not what’s carried him this far. I’ve seen monsters train, Zack. I’ve even seen trained soldiers, killers, prodigies. But compared to even someone like Daniel…" He trailed off.
Zack looked over: “...You’re saying even he wouldn’t have lasted?”
Eli’s expression hardened slightly, eyes distant: "Daniel had natural ability... His level of adaption is the fastest I've ever seen in anyone I’ve ever laid eyes on. But after some time, even his fire wavered. He also had lines he wouldn’t cross. Comforts he wasn’t willing to give up in that pursuit.”
"And our student...?" Zack asked.
Eli finally set the cup down with a quiet clink: "I suppose the boy’s already given up everything... He doesn’t run from pain-it's as if he lives and thrives inside of it, with no complaints. He doesn't do shortcuts either. In my opinion, I feel as if he trains like he’s racing death itself...”
Zack leaned forward slightly, watching his friend closely. He recalled training and watching the boy train and he had to admit, Eli was right: "... It almost sounds like you admire him."
Eli scoffed and laughed lightly: "Admiration isn’t the word. I just… I see something in him. Something almost dangerous. But also something rare. It's not the kind of drive you teach... But rather, it's the kind that either breaks a person, or turns them into something terrifying as a result by the end."
Zack gave a low chuckle: "...And here I thought that I was the dramatic one."
Eli allowed himself a rare smile: "I'm just saying… If Ayano survives this kind of world long enough, he’s going to surpass all of us. It’s not a matter of if. Just when."
Eli then looked out the window, eyes narrowing faintly...
"And wherever he is right now… I have this feeling, that it’s not rest he’s seeking." Eli stated. Causing Zack to raise a brow;
"Really? And what's your view on it...?" Zack asked.
Eli looked back at his friend with a smile: "That's an easy one to answer... To grow."
~ Third Person Pov, Back to the Blooming Flower Trial... ~
.
.
.
"*Hahh... Haahh... Haahh...*"
Ayano’s breathing was ragged... His fists were bloodied, and shoulders aching, with ribs burning with every motion he even thought of making. His doppelganger, though still standing, was much slower now. Cracks lined its once-perfect movements. Delays in it's overall reaction...
The battle had gone far past the point of technique... Now, it was essentially down to either's grit... pure, stubborn resolve.
They slowly circled each other in silence...
Ayano’s eye twitched, blood trailing down the side of his face;
'J-Just... One more push. Just one opening. I can’t let this drag out any longer… I won’t survive a drawn-out war.' He huffed some more.
The doppelganger struck again-sharp, brutal, using a flawless variant of Hand-Blade. Ayano blocked high, felt the impact rattle down to his very spine, but responded immediately. He weaved, dropped his stance, and slammed a crushing uppercut into the doppelganger’s gut using a blend of CQC and Systema pivoting.
It, flinched?
Finally!
'T-That’s it! This is my chance!'
Ayano didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, chaining a combination of Flickering Fists with angled footwork from Taekkyeon, followed by a brutal Ssireum takedown that flipped the clone over on its head.
The impact thundered against the stone floor...
The doppelganger began twitching. Struggling to rise.
However, Ayano didn’t let it.
"Harrghhh!!!!"
With a mighty roar, he launched one final, devastating strike, a spinning elbow, reinforced with every scrap of knowledge he’d earned, every scar, with every sleepless night of training-
BOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
His strike, it had landed.
The doppelganger’s body squirmed and convulsed unnaturally… Then, it collapsed.
Still...
Ayano stood over it, panting violently, blood dripping from his lips, his knees nearly buckling beneath him. As he did so, the clone began to slowly fade away...
'...I won.'
He didn’t smile.
He didn’t even feel joy.
Only exhaustion... And the heavy weight of a victory earned by mere inches...
.
.
.
A chime echoed through the chamber. It was low yet gentle, as the system’s message flickered into the air before him…
PING!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
{Congratulations Champion... The Blooming Flower Trial is defeated...}
-----------------------------------------------------------
He then saw another pop up...
-------------------------------
{Your Will has been acknowledged...
Reward: Pending...}
-------------------------------
Ayano stared at the glowing text, before finally collapsing onto one knee, clutching his side.
“…Tch.”
He couldn’t even move...
"It sure would have been nice if I could get healed up..." He complained.
However, just as he said those words, he slowly but surely felt all his stamina returning to him, furthermore, his earlier wounds mending internally and externally, with a warm comforting sensation spreading throughout his body...
"That felt, amazing...!" He said, clenching his fists.
As the last petal of light faded into Ayano’s chest, silence reclaimed the chamber once again.
But, only for a tiny moment.
A soft rumble echoed through the space.
Then-light...
A radiant column of silver and white erupted from the center of the arena. It was blinding, pure, and almost divine in its presence... Ayano instinctively shielded his eyes for a moment before looking again.
There it was.
A platinum colored chest...
Large, ornate, and impossibly pristine. Etchings of countless unknown symbols ran along its surface, glowing faintly with the same energy that had filled the lotus flower. Despite having no chains, no lock, Ayano knew it hadn’t been meant for just anyone.
The air around it was practically thumping with pressure.
His feet moved without thinking... Slowly, but cautiously, he approached the chest...
He reached out… and slowly opened it.
The light inside flared, then dimmed into a steady, pulsing glow...
Inside of it were four items. The first, a small black pouch with faint white markings along its edge...
PING!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{The unbounded sack grants the user access to the [System Inventory]. You may store any number of items within it. No weight limit is applied. No volume restriction is applied. Items can be both retrieved, or stored with simply a thought.}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He looked intently, pleasantly surprised at the reward: "Seriously…? An infinite amount storage?" He knew he'd have to test this out later.
However, as soon as he picked up the pouch, it shimmered and instantly dissolved into light, then seeping into his chest...
He didn’t even get to appreciate it fully before his attention was pulled to the next items...
When he looked, it was a Silver Key as well as a Golden Key.
'Not too bad, I've got a new passive skill, and an active skill to boot.' He appreciated that each one was resting perfectly in place, on a bed of velvet-esq fabric.
However, the last reward was something much more interesting...
"A, card...?" He looked.
Looking at it, he carefully read it's title, and was interested: "Increased potential...?" Just as he was about to read it's description, the card began spinning violently...
"What the!?" Ayano exclaimed, stepping back instinctively, caught off guard by the sudden change...
It slowly rose from the chest, whirling in place as a sharp ringing began to build...
The spinning grew faster. The light from the chest swelled in intensity.
Then. Another, flash-
The card quickly stopped it's spinning...
It hovered in the air, glowing with a golden-blue sheen now. And its name had actually changed... Not only that, this card was considered Transcended Skill;
"Oh...? This is definitely new..." He added, a bit intrigued.
He then read it's description, which stated: "Absolute Talent: Increases the user's rate of [learning, comprehending and adaption] monumentally." However, he looked even lower, seeing that the card had a Note below it, he read it, which also stated: "Note: This passive only affects the player's rate of growth."
'Wait a minute... So I can essentially do everything faster and better now without drawbacks...?' Ayano thought.
Just as he thought so, the card quickly disappeared into nothingness...
"…Huh." He casually looked around, scanning the chamber’s now silent expanse. The chest had faded too. The lotus was gone. No more messages from the system either. No more lights: "Am I done here, or...?"
His voice echoed, met with nothing but the sound of his own breath...
He turned slowly in place: "So… when the heck do I get transported out of here?"
Nothing answered. Still, even if kind of expected that...
He frowned.
"Ah, hello…!?" He called out...
Still, nothing.
'Hmm... Is the System glitched out again...? Wait... If that happens, doesn't that mean I'm—'
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees.
“Gh—!” His eyes widened.
Pain.
A spike. Not physical at first—but a violent, clawing sensation raked through his head like molten wires wrapping around his brainstem.
“AGHHH!!” Ayano screamed, clutching the sides of his skull, his breath cut short. His body jerked as if a surge of electricity was slamming through every nerve he had at once.
His vision blurred. Then doubled. Then fractured completely.
It wasn’t just his mind—it was his body too. His muscles spasmed violently, like something inside was being rewritten, torn down and rebuilt all at once. His lungs seized. His spine arched. He could barely stay conscious.
"W-what… the hell… is—!!"
He couldn’t even form a sentence... Before, everything around him went dark...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 72: News... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Ayano's body slowly twitched, before he finally let out a near inaudible groan: "Uugh... Aagh..."
He slowly clutched his head instinctively, still feeling a sense of grogginess from what happened earlier: "-Son of a..." He almost cursed, but quickly stopped himself. He finally scrambled his way to his feet.
At this point, he was practically hunching himself upwards... Until he looked around himself...
"I'm... Still here?" He noticed, truly realizing that he hadn't left the arena at all, which he doesn't know whether that was a bad, or good thing given the situation.
"This really can't be good..."
'No! No! No...! This, it isn't making any sense... I'm sure that I've done everything I should have... So why am I stil-' Before he could finish his downward spiral. He saw a flash of golden light.
He quickly covered his eyes: "Shit...!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
Before he knew it, the light had quickly faded, and not seeing the light peer through natural shutters, he decided to peek...
He slowly lowered his arms;
"I'm, back...? Wait... I'm back!!" He said with a sense of relief.
He quickly glanced around, realizing that he was in the exact same position he was in before...
'Then that means...' He quickly turned towards the left.
"He's... Still here...!" Ayano saw the figure of Kai, the same person he had knocked unconscious;
'That's, impossible... I must have been in that place for at least a couple of hours, bare minimum, so how the heck is he still unconscious?' He thought to himself. Not really understanding how all of this was even really possible to begin with.
However, knowing that it was his system and what it had done so far, he realized that it must have did something to cause this: "Did... Did it somehow freeze time...? Or, does time actually move slowly in that place, wherever it placed me...?" He mumbled to himself.
He also thought that he might have still been unconscious, but quickly ruled out the idea;
'No... Given his overall constitution, an hour should have been more than enough for him to wake up by now... Which means the system had to have pulled some strings...' Ayano looked back on Kai's unconscious figure;
'Still... I can't just let someone like this off the hook. A mere knock-out is far too light a punishment for you...' Ayano walked closer...
Crack! Crick!
He slowly began cracking his knuckles, before carefully rolling up his sleeves.
'...Now, a few broken bones should do the trick.'
.
.
.
.
.
~ The Next Day, Katsura's Residence... ~
.
.
.
The soft hum of a television filled the otherwise quiet kitchen of the Katsura household... The morning news switched onscreen, displaying scenes of what remains of smoldering ruins. Everything was charred, metal scaffolding and even fractured concrete all bathed in the pale blue light of just breaking dawn...
A female reporter stood at the edge of the destruction, wearing a crisp navy suit and holding a microphone tightly as her hair fluttered from the wind;
"...Thank you, Hideki. I'm reporting live from what was once an abandoned commercial zone located just within the inside of the city's southwestern district... Behind me, you can see what's left of a facility that, according to local authorities, went up in flames just before midnight."
*The camera panned across the wreckage. Twisted steel beams, ash-covered rubble, and markings of something far more than a fire outbreak...*
"The investigators say that while the site was officially labeled condemned, rumors have that it was actually a underground casino... There are traces of recent activity suggest that someone, or something was actually present shortly before the blaze occurred. No bodies have been sighted which is quite good, and the cause of the fire remains relatively unknown. However, emergency personnel has noted us that the epicenter appeared to involve... an intense impact, almost as if something exploded from within the structure..."
*The reporter turned to face the camera again, her voice tightening.*
"While the fire has since been contained, the cause and circumstances remain unclear. The police are urging anyone with information to come forward. For now, this is Aiko Tamura, reporting live from channel 7..."
The broadcast faded into a still image of the area, with bold kanji reading;
- MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION LEAVES AUTHORITIES BAFFLED -
.
.
.
.
.
Manami Katsura sat quietly at the table, sipping her morning coffee, with her chin resting on her palm, the television's blue glow brushing against her cheek. Her expression was, calm as her other hand traced the rim of her teacup...
'Oh my... It seems there's been quite the fire last night…' She thought to herself.
*Footsteps walking down...*
Just then, Kotonoha entered the kitchen, stretching slightly as she stepped inside. Her long black hair trailed gently behind her, catching a beam of morning light through the curtains.
“Oh, good morning...” Kotonoha greeted with a small yawn, rubbing one of her eyes...
Manami offered a faint smile towards her eldest, in a her usually calm tone: “Good morning, dear... Did you sleep well?”
Kotonoha gave a slow nod as she moved to sit across from her mother. Her eyes slowly focused towards the TV and lingered for a moment instead...
"There was a fire? Oh, no... Was anyone hurt?” Kotonoha asked, quite concerned.
Manami gave a gentle shake of her head, her tone airy but thoughtful: “No dear, thankfully… There were no casualties reported... But..."
Manami glanced at the images on screen once more, saying: "The more I look at it, the more I get the feeling that, something about this feels different, doesn’t it?” She explained..
Kotonoha furrowed her brow, eyes lingering on the screen a little longer... The images of the shattered concrete, the gnarled crumbled metal, and the glowing embers.
To her, it looked more like the aftermath of a battlefield than just a simple fire. “I don't understand it... What kind of accident leaves marks like that?”
"I'm not entirely sure... However, thankfully enough... It has been stopped. If the rumors about that place being a casino were in fact, true, then I believe it was a good thing that happened." Manami responded, sipping her tea.
"Well... I hope that is the case as well..." Kotonoha added, before attempting to sit. However, she was promptly stopped by her mother, saying;
"Hold on there young lady... Your younger sister, is she awake as yet?"
Kotonoha shook her head: "No ma'am. She's actually still asleep at the moment..."
"Mata...?" Manami said, tiredly, before continuing: "Then could you wake her up for me."
"Alright... But, may I ask why...?" Kotonoha inquired. In her mind, there wasn't much of a reason to wake her younger sibling up, not only that breakfast wasn't even prepared as yet either...
Manami looked up, saying: "I... Wanted all three of us to go shopping today, as a family. We hardly do, ever since..." Manami paused, recalling the time of almost being assaulted, but, she quickly brushed the thought away, saying: "...I think it's time we spent some time as a family again..."
Kotonoha understood, sensing her mother's sentiment: "Unn... Alright okaa-san, I'll have her up, and ready...!" She quickly walked back upstairs...
Manami on the other hand, looked outside her window, thinking to herself;
'It's been quite challenging raising those two without their father around... But, I think I've done a good job... right? And...' Unknowingly, she smiled... Her gaze slowly softening;
'And... I think... I've potentially found myself someone to move on with...'.
.
.
.
.
~ Ayano's Pov, An Hour Later... ~
.
.
.
Ahhh...
Dealing with those ass hats, and then setting their place ablaze brought multiple years on my life span...
It was, a damn good thing to do, it felt right. Especially when I crippled that creepy bastard Saizo. Kai on the other hand, he wasn't too bad I guess, but Saizo was worse in my book.
I even became a celebrity because of it, at least, partially...
'Alright, enough of the reminiscing... Time to use these keys of mine...'
I quickly twisted the silver one, causing the cards to shuffle again... Eventually, it landed on an interesting passive, called, Circulation of Purity, it read;
'Circulation of Purity: All [Deceases] excluding abnormal conditions and physical injuries are immediately nullified.'
"Ohh...! So it's like the decease version of the abnormal condition one... Hah... Not bad. Based on the system's logic, doesn't this mean I can no longer get sick, at least conventionally speaking...? If that's the case, I'm quite happy, no more colds." I didn't think I'd get this as a passive. I can't be put out by abnormal conditions, nor can I be affected by deceases...
"Alright, onto the next one." I quickly pulled out the Golden Key I had.
Just like last time, countless cards flashed before my eyes, before eventually landing on a new skill. Called, Falcon Drop, it's description being;
'Falcon Drop: A strong jump kick to the head that knocks down the opponent. Cost: 120 EP'
Both of the cards of course, quickly faded into nothingness...
"Hmph... I guess that's that."
Now, all I'm really left now are just, questions...
First, was there's an organization called the bully council... It seems as if they try to actually stop people like Kai from running around care-free, and if that's the case... I might need to find out more about them, and get closer to them as well...
Secondly, by fighting the boss last night, I know of what they referred to me as. The Vagabond... Which, in all honesty, doesn't sound too bad of a name to be called, I guess...? And, the next thing I've found out about, was that state I saw Kai had used on me yesterday;
'He called it what, immersion...? I believe?' I recalled the name.
I remembered it... The moment he used it, against me...
And, honestly, I felt as if I was easy pickings of every kind...
No matter what I had actually done, it always felt as if he was two, three or even four steps ahead of me. What's also frustrating to me, is the longer I fought with him, the wider the chasm between us actually became. What's worse, is that he was becoming physically faster, and stronger the more he was in it too! It's actually insane now that I'm thinking back on it...
Actually: "It's settled..."
I'm gonna have to learn that technique myself.
I don't know when, or how I'll pull it off, but I'll have to do it. Having that kind of power on my side would likely prove to be invaluable when other opponents pull it out too. Plus, the system's quests have been getting harder lately, and i's getting clear to me that my opponents are just getting stronger...
Honestly, the way how things are operating, it all feels like a game-
PING!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
{The user's status page has gone through a slight re-adjustment for convenience...}
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"..."
"Uh... Okay, then...?"
That was, sudden... I honestly didn't know what to make of this either... But, if it says it'll do this for my own convenience then, I'll take it."
"Status..."
Name: Ayano Keiji
Class : The Little Chosen One
Height: 180 cm | 5’11”
Age: 17 → 18
Health : 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy : 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength: 554 → 559 / 1000
Defense: 569 → 577 / 1000
Agility: 556 → 560 / 1000
Spirit : 572 → 581 / 1000
Passive Skills ;
-Absolute Talent [ Transcended ]
-Martial-Arts-Mastery
-Recovery
-Critical Hit
-Energy Manipulation
-Circulation of Light
-Weapon-Mastery
-Training-Mastery
-Circulation of Purity
Active Skills ;
-Charge Shot - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Multi-Strike Destruction - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Booster - Cost: 300 / 2 = 150 Energy
-Stamp of approval - Cost: 500 / 2 = 250 Energy
-Blind spot strike - Cost: 20 / 2 = 10 Energy
-Stun Smash - Cost: 90 / 2 = 45 Energy
-Falcon Drop - Cost: 120 / 2 = 60 Energy
Martial Arts Learned ;
-Judo [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Muay-Thai ( Brekdak’s Variant ) [Mastered]
-Boxing ( Zack’s Variant ) [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Capoeira [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Aikido [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Jeet-Kune-Do [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Kung-Fu [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Taekwondo [ Path-To-Pinnacle ]
-Ssireum ( Vin’s Variant ) [Mastered]
-Hand-Blade [Mastered]
-Systema [Mastered]
-CQC [Mastered]
-Flickering-Fists-Of-Ansan [Mastered]
Miscellaneous Skills ;
-Mind Palace
-Diaphragmatic breathing [Mastered]
-Heightened Hearing
"Wait a minute..." He paused, looking at his age...
"Today... It's my birthday...?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 73: A bit much... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"It's... my birthday..." Even though he said it once more, he actually felt, nothing, really... In fact, it was almost as if he was a bit, misplaced.
'I... think I should be happy about this... But, knowing that this isn't really my body to begin with...' He trailed of...
"No... I shouldn't be getting so down trodden..." He chided himself, folding his arms in the process.
'Come to think of it... I've never really celebrated much of my birthdays. Growing up, we were pretty much always too poor to do it...' He thought to himself.
However, he slowly glanced just below his feet, seeing the amount of cash he had now.
"...But, that was then, and, since I'm technically eighteen and all..."
He grabbed his phone, heading inside his group chat.
"Hey guys, it's my birthday today... Plus, I know this might be kind of out there, but... Would you all like to come over to my place and hang out and east... And chat? You can even bring your family if you want." He messaged.
'Seriously me...? Bring your family...?' He shook at himself, disappointed.
Immediately after, the first to respond was Renji, saying: "Hey, happy birthday man! And sure, I'd love to come by... What time is it starting though?"
Ayano thought about it for a moment, before responding: "...Actually, come by at noon, by then I should be finished with preparing the food, and everything else."
"Alright then, I'll be there by noon, and again, happy birthday." Renji responded.
Ayano smiled: "Thanks again."
Just as he sent that message, he could see another person texting, being Sekai herself...
"Today's your birthday...? Regardless, happy birthday Ayano-kun! Though, I'm kind of curious, how old are you?" Sekai asked suddenly.
"...I've just turned eighteen, why...?" He answered, but curious as to why she'd ask over the phone...
"Eh...? Doesn't that mean... You're... You're my cute junior!" Sekai added.
However, Ayano sighed...
'Honestly... I should have seen that one coming...' He scolded himself.
"Yeah... Yeah... Sure, I'm still taller than you though." Ayano bit back.
Sekai: "Hmph! Height doesn’t matter! It’s the spirit that counts!" after a while, she texted again, saying: "And besides... I’m bringing cake. So you better be nice to me when I get there."
Ayano blinked: "Wait, you’re bringing cake…?”
Then, another ping.
Sekai: "Yep! It'll be homemade too. So you better prepare your stomach."
"…I feel like I should be worried." Ayano muttered to himself.
Just then, a few more replies trickled in...
Kotonoha had messaged next, saying: "Happy Birthday, Ayano-kun. Since you're offering, I'll happily be attending as well... actually, both my mother and younger sister will be coming."
Ayano smiled, typing: "Sure, I'll be glad to have you all over."
"That's great. Oh, and my mother also wants me to tell you happy birthday as well." Kotonoha replied.
"Really? Tell her thanks for me. For now, I've gotta go you guys. I want to set everything up in time." He replied.
He placed down his phone and headed downstairs...
Looking at his kitchen, he realized that it was fairly large;
"Alright, this should be big enough for ten or so people." He mumbled, now looking at his table.
'Anyways, it's time to get to cooking.'
.
.
.
.
~ Sekai's Pov ~
.
.
.
'Alright, Sekai... You can't mess this chance up!'
Me and Keiji haven't spoken since that time, but now... I've got an opportunity to do it.
'It's it's 11 past 8, which means I've got a few hours left to get myself ready...'
Oh, I almost forgot, my mom... Wait, would she even want to come? She's never actually interested in these things. But, I guess it won't hurt to ask.
Sekai peeked her head out of her room and called: "Mom? You home?"
There was a muffled sound from downstairs, from in the kitchen.
She jogged down, still barefoot, the chill of the wooden floor creeping up through her soles. As she turned the corner, she saw her mother sitting at the table, sipping tea and scrolling idly through her tablet.
“Hey, uh... weird question, but do you wanna come with me later?" Sekai asked, trying to sound casual.
Her mother looked up with a small tilt of the head: "Come with you where?"
"To Ayano-kun’s house-" Sekai said, causing her mother's ears to perk up, with her eyes widening in the process;
"-He invited me, and a few others for his birthday. He said we could bring family too... but, it’s totally fine if you’re busy or—”
"I’ll come."
Sekai sighed: "I knew you wouldn't-"
However, she swiftly stopped herself, catching her own words, continuing: "-Wait, you're, coming...?"
Her mom gave her a tired, yet amused smile: "Oh, of course...! I’m not a monster, Sekai. Besides, why not...? I haven't had a break, or gone to a party in quite some time... Also, he's all you talk about." She finished, slyly.
Sekai's face flushed immediately: "Wha!? I-I haven’t said that much…" She mumbled.
Her mom chuckled: "No, of course not... You only say his name in your sleep.”
"Mom!" Sekai shouted.
"Hehe~ Alright, alright, I’ll behave myself." Her mom chuckled again, sipping her tea: “Just let me know what time, and I’ll bring something along as well-" She trailed of.
Still embarrassed, but secretly pleased, Sekai nodded: "...Thanks. I was already planning to bring a cake.”
"-I feel like I owe him that much..." She whispered to herself.
"Huh...? Did you say something?" Sekai asked. However, Her mother shook her head., saying;
"No dear... About that cake, will it be homemade?"
Sekai nodded.
Her mom smiled playfully once again: "Then I definitely need to come... Someone has to make sure he survives eating it.”
"Wha-! I’ll have you know I’ve improved!"
Her mom waved her off with a teasing look: "Ara~ Just, don’t burn the kitchen down."
Sekai puffed her cheeks and turned back toward the stairs;
'I have improved... Mostly.'
.
.
.
.
.
~ Kotonoha’s Pov ~
.
.
.
Kotonoha carefully adjusted the collar of her blouse in the mirror, tilting her head slightly as she examined her reflection. Not too formal... but not too casual either. She wanted to look nice—presentable. She smoothed down her skirt and brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.
"It’s not like this is a date." She whispered to herself, then frowned: "But still…"
She turned and glanced toward her desk, where a small wrapped box sat. She had spent over an hour trying to decide on what to get him. In the end, she’d settled on something simple-a refined pen, dark black, engraved with his name and a small quote etched in the margin: “Strength without purpose is just violence."
It felt appropriate given the moment...
"Are you ready, Kotonoha?" Her mother’s voice called gently from downstairs.
"Almost!" she replied, slipping the box into her bag carefully before grabbing her phone.
As she descended the stairs, she found her mother already by the door, dressed in soft beige tones and holding her little sister’s hand. Kokoro, ever the ball of energy, looked excited just to be out and going anywhere.
"Big sis, big sis!" She chimed: "Is the boy we're visiting the one you keep talking about?"
Kotonoha froze mid-step. “I-I don’t talk about him that much..."
'Do I...?' She quickly asked herself.
Her mother raised a brow, saying: "You really do, sweetheart... It’s quite sweet."
Kotonoha blushed, hiding it with a hand to her cheek: "Unn... Let’s just go…"
They stepped out together, the sun filtering gently through the clouds above... A soft breeze tugged at her hair. As they walked, Kotonoha found her thoughts drifting;
'Ayano… You've changed so much in such a short time.'
Kotonoha could remember the color his eyes from when they first met... The quietness within them. The way he sometimes looked like he wasn’t even fully present.
But little by little, even that has changed...
'Regardless, I just hope today goes well...'
.
.
.
.
.
~ Third Person Pov, Ayano's residence... ~
.
.
.
...Ayano stood in the kitchen, a towel tossed over his shoulder, the scent of simmering broth and grilled meat already filling the air. The stove was alive with movement, pans sizzling, steam rising, pots bubbling just below a careful boil.
He moved with practiced precision, flipping skewers, stirring sauces, portioning rice. Despite the earlier uncertainty in his heart, his hands never faltered. Cooking had become something of a ritual for him lately. In a world that often made no sense, this. At least, this made sense.
He swiftly glanced at the clock...
11:32 AM.
'Crap... They’ll start showing up soon…'
He exhaled through his nose, stepping back to survey the table. Platters of food lined the surface, teriyaki chicken, miso soup, yakisoba, grilled vegetables, and a bowl of fruit arranged with surgical neatness.
'Heh... It almost like I’m trying to impress someone...' He caught himself thinking with a dry smile.
He turned and walked over to the small cabinet in the corner. From it, he pulled out a few sets of dishes and started laying them out. It wasn’t particularly all that fancy, especially since he didn’t really have that much either, but he’d cleaned everything to a shine... To him, the least he could do was make everyone feel a bit more welcome.
Knock! Knock!
Keiji paused...
Another knock, followed by the unmistakable voice of his friend, Renji, saying;
"Hey man! It’s me! Hope you’re decent in there!"
Ayano smiled to himself, and headed for the door.
As he opened it, Renji stepped in with a wide grin and a large plastic bag: "Got some drinks, with juice and soda... Wait, you’re not turning into some kind of hermit chef, are you?"
"Heheh... Not yet..." Ayano replied dryly, letting him inside.
Renji carefully looked at his friend, but as he did, he actually noticed that Ayano had looked different since they last spoke. Being the time they took the trip Chisaki's hometown.
'Did he get even taller? Not just that, he looks a bit more muscular too, and I'd even say he's better looking...' Renji summed.
Ayano chuckled under his breath: "Nothing like that. Just… working on myself, I guess.”
Renji raised a brow at the vague answer but didn’t press. Instead, he glanced around the kitchen, eyes widening. “Yo… this is actually legit. You made all of this? Man, it smells insane in here.”
Ayano nodded once. “Still got a few more things to finish, but yeah.”
Before Renji could comment, another knock came at the door. This one was a bit softer...
"Oh sorry, excuse me Renji."
Ayano moved to open it, revealing Sekai standing with a box in her hands, slightly flushed from walking. Her hair was loosely done, cheeks a little pink, but her smile was bright...
'She definitely knows how to look her best...' Ayano thought, realizing how cute Sekai looked.
"Oh... Um... Happy birthday, Ayano-kun." She said warmly, before saying: "I brought the cake."
She held the box forward with both hands as if it were a sacred offering...
Ayano stared at it for a second, then back towards her, then back towards the cake, now trying not to imagine any potential stomach cramps: "I…Thanks Sekai-san. I’m just glad you came."
Sekai stepped inside and gave a playful spin: "Of course! Who else would keep you company on your special day? Ooh—food smells amazing by the way."
"Trust me. You haven’t even seen the rest yet." Renji said, waving her in, before saying: "I’m starting to think he’s secretly auditioning for some kind of cooking show.”
Sekai glanced at Ayano, noticing how he was effortlessly moving between the stove and the table.
'I honestly don't know if I should be impressed, or jealous... Also...' Sekai looked back, wondering when her mother would arrive.
"She said she'd be right behind me..." She mumbled under her breath.
Just as she said so, another set of knocks came...
"Coming!" Ayano rushed out of the kitchen.
He quickly opened the door, saying: "Welcome-" However, he hitched, surprised by what he saw...
He knew this women, brown hair, bluish brown eyes.
This woman was the mother of Sekai, someone he hadn't realized was this attractive. She gave off a subtle, yet gentle smile. However, it was what she wore that caught his eye. A violet top, with a fitting dark skirt that caught just above her knee, further accentuating her figure.
'...I never realized just how beautiful she really was.' Keiji thought, before snapping himself out of it.
"I, umm... P-Please, come in..." He said, calming himself. He had just did it to Sekai, and now to her mother... This wasn't a good look.
Sekai’s mother stepped inside with a quiet grace, her heels clicking softly against the tiled floor. She gave Ayano a warm nod, voice smooth and lightly amused.
"Thank you for having us. And happy birthday, Ayano-kun. We've certainly missed you, especially my-." She then glanced towards Sekai, just out of the corner of her eye, the mischief not lost on anyone.
Sekai sputtered: "-M-Mom!" But her protest only earned a sly chuckle in return.
Ayano smiled politely, doing his best not to let his expression falter: "It’s no trouble at all. I’m glad you could make it."
"Mm, well..." She replied, handing him a small wrapped box: "I didn’t want to show up empty-handed. It’s not much, but it's a little something from me, to you."
"Oh-you really didn’t have to." Ayano said, a bit surprised...
"I knew that might have been the case..." She replied simply, “but, I wanted to, especially for..." She stopped herself there.
Sekai coughed into her fist, clearly eager to change the subject: "I-Is there anything I can help with in the kitchen? Maybe setting the table or-?"
But before she could even finish, another knock echoed from the front door.
Ayano blinked: "That should be Kotonoha… I’ll get it."
He opened the door, and sure enough—
'Oh... Oh no...' He thought, gulping.
He looked to the left, seeing Kotonoha as well, and he was equally as stunned;
Ayano took a deep breath in...
'Yeah... I'm cooked.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 74: Rising Issues...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Ayano started sweating profusely at what he was seeing.
'Why would they all show up wearing clothing like this?' He asked himself. But, of course, he couldn't find the answer to it.
However, his mind changed upon seeing a child, almost hiding Manami... If he had to guess, she couldn't be more than ten to twelve years old...
Noticing, Manami quickly intervened: "Ah, I've never introduced you to my youngest, this is my daughter, Kokoro... Say hello now." Manami cooed.
Kokoro shyly looked up, saying: "H-hello..."
Ayano knelt slightly, softening his expression as he met the little girl’s eyes.
“Hi there, Kokoro-chan... I’m Keiji. It’s nice to meet you." He smiled.
Kokoro hesitated for a moment, half-hiding behind her mother’s leg, but when she saw Ayano’s gentle smile, she stepped forward by just a little...
"…Onii-chan, you smell like food." She said to him quietly.
Ayano chuckled seeing how adorable she was, glancing down at his apron: "Well~ That’s because I’ve been cooking all morning. Hope you’re hungry by the way."
Kokoro gave a tiny nod before darting back behind Manami again, her grip on her mother’s skirt tightening just slightly.
The latter raised her brow, a bit startled by her daughter's meekness: "She’s usually not this shy..." Manami added with a soft laugh, brushing Kokoro’s hair: "But, I think she’s overwhelmed by how nice inside your home smells. And… maybe how tall you are."
Manami lasciviously leered at him, albeit discreetly;
'Since the last time I've seen him, he's changed yet again... he's even taller, and much more, fit.' She glanced, slyly glancing at his arms as well, noticing that despite him being in a hoody, he seemed quite muscular...
Not realizing, Ayano replied lightly: "haha~ I see, I’ll try not to loom so much then." Standing again, and scratching the back of his neck.
Sekai, watching the small exchange from the side, She quickly bowed in respect to Manami and Kotonoha, but she couldn’t help but smile: "Hmm... Ayano-kun... You’re surprisingly good with kids…"
He shrugged: "I don’t know about that..." He added, stepping aside: "Please, everyone, make yourselves comfortable!"
Hearing that, Manami gently guided Kokoro inside, slipping off her heels at the genkan with practiced ease... As she straightened, her eyes casually scanned the living room, taking in the clean arrangement, the soft lighting, the faint sounds of conversations taking place ahead...
But then, her gaze landed on something, unexpected.
Or rather, someone...
From a distance, a woman with a well-composed posture stood by the corner of the room, chatting with another boy. Her hair fell neatly over her shoulders in deep chestnut strands, a youthful yet beautiful appearance and her figure, though relatively modestly dressed, exuded a humble confidence and a sense of elegance...
'I see...' Manami thought, looking at the dress once more.
But, when she finally realized, her eyes widened slightly, only just for a moment, before narrowing with recognition;
.
.
.
.
.
'...It can't be. Is that... Youko?'
Indeed, the woman turned slightly, as if sensing her gaze, and their eyes finally met...
There was a pause in her movement, since both had realized each other's presence.
Then Youko in response with widened eyes, blinked, clearly surprised herself: "Manami-san...?"
Manami’s lips parted, a breath of disbelief escaping her before quickly being replaced by a warm smile.
"Youko-san…?" She also said, stepping forward herself: "My... I didn’t realize you would be here. A pleasant surprise"
Youko let out a short, almost embarrassed laugh: "Neither did I, honestly. My daughter insisted on bringing me along. I didn’t even realize the host knew your daughter..."
"Hmm?" Ayano looked between the two, before asking: "...Do you two know each other?" A bit curious.
Manami gently nodded, saying: "Yes, we do... I've met her multiple times now, mostly when I'm doing my inspections."
"...Inspections?" Ayano asked.
"Yes, if I may say, Manami-san here is a health inspector. She often comes by from time to time just to see how well my establishment is doing, or how well it should be doing." Youko answered.
'Interesting... Also, since Youko owns an establishment, I guess that would explain why she's so, well-off.' Ayano thought, recalling his time over that mansion they called a home...
"She would be correct. Still, I'm a bit curious... How did you two meet?" Manami asked.
However, Youko quickly glancing at Ayano, while he slowly nodded in response, knowing what it was about...
"Well, I believe it's best if we were a bit more, private." Youko said, emphasizing the last word. Manami looked down, realizing that Her youngest was still by her side. Understanding what line of answers this might lead to, she spoke;
"Alright Kokoro, head to the kitchen and stay with your sister for now..."
Kokoro nodded: "Alright." Before quickly walking off.
.
.
.
.
.
She turned towards them;
"Now that we have some privacy... Please, go ahead." Manami added.
Youko took a visible deep breath in and out, before finally responding;
"It happened a few weeks ago... Both me and my daughter were alone at our home at the time. She called him over to talk, or hang about like usual teenagers do. After me and her spoke, I eventually headed out to my garden in hopes to maintain the flowers I had... However... After some time, two stranger's came and-and..." Youko stopped, recalling the moment.
...Her voice wavered, just barely, but her composure never really cracked.
"...They tried to force their way in. One was armed. They weren’t there to talk. I was cornered-and helpless, really-but then..." She glanced at Ayano again, her eyes softening with something between reverence and also, disbelief: "...Ayano appeared. And, in the span of just a few seconds, it was all over. He had handled both of them. In a sense. He protected me, and my daughter."
The room had grown a bit still...
Manami, whose expression had been neutral up to now, slowly narrowed her eyes, not necessarily in suspicion, but in deep thought... Her gaze slowly drifted over to Ayano, carefully assessing the boy anew, or rather, greater light.
"You handled... Armed assailants?" She asked softly, her voice devoid of sarcasm or disbelief, just measured intrigue.
Ayano scratched his cheek, trying not to look too proud or too casual about it: "Armed would be a strong word, but, yeah... I guess, I had. They were just normal punks. But, I couldn’t just let anything happen."
"You call that 'couldn’t just let'...?" Manami murmured, more so to herself, briefly glancing at his hands. The same hands that had helped her...
'I realized as much... There might be more to this boy than even his age lets on…' She surmised.
However, her train of thought had quickly shifted onto herself, finding it a bit ironic regarding how she had met him;
Youko, as if on cue did the same: "Now, Manami-san, if I may ask... how did you meet him?"
Manami lowered her gaze for a moment, her fingers lightly brushing the edge of her sleeve as if recalling something buried in muscle memory. Then, with a faint breath, she spoke:
"...It was actually after work one evening. I had stopped by a small shop on the way home, just to pick up something for Kokoro, one of those treats she always asks for me to buy for her. Nothing unusual."
Her tone was even, but her fingers clasped slightly at her side as she continued.
"I decided to take a shortcut through one of the back streets. I usually don’t, but I figured I was early enough and the path was quiet... Too quiet, really." She offered a small, dry smile at that, more to herself than anyone else.
"Before I realized it, there were a large number of them. I thought at first it might just be some harmless hassle, but... they weren’t just there to scare me..." Her eyes darkened subtly at the mention of it all;
"Based on how they spoke, it seemed as if they wanted to drag me off somewhere. One grabbed my wrist, another tried to pin me from behind-"
She cut herself off, composing herself again;
"-I fought, of course. I’m not exactly defenseless. But even if I could fend off one... or maybe two... There were just too many. And they were persistent. Ruthless even..."
She then turned her gaze toward Ayano. Her voice, softened now, but resolute, carried something deeper.
"And then... he appeared. Just... out of nowhere that day. I fully believed there was no hope for me yet... He stepped in, and within moments..." She paused recalling the scene but still found it hard to believe, causing her words hang: "...They were all on the ground."
Manami’s voice lowered, to a whisper:
"If he hadn’t been there... I... I don’t think I would be standing here today."
Youko looked between them both now, eyes wide with dawning realization, then glanced back toward Ayano, who had quietly looked away, scratching the side of his head again like it was nothing.
Manami smiled faintly, but there was weight behind it-gratitude, humility.
Youko looked between them both now, eyes wide with dawning realization, then she glanced back toward Ayano, who had quietly looked away, scratching the side of his head again like it was nothing...
"So, yes... We’ve both been saved by this, boy. Though I suppose calling him a 'boy'; feels increasingly inaccurate."
Ayano quickly took off his apron.
Youko smiled too, exhaling softly: "it Seems I’m not the only one who’s indebted to you..."
Ayano blinked, finally meeting their eyes again: "I... Well... I didn’t do it to be owed anything, so please it's fine…"
"We know." They both said, almost at the same time.
Causing another brief pause, and glance at one another, and then a quiet chuckle from both the women...
"I suppose... You’re just that kind of person." Manami added with a quiet nod: "But, don’t think for a second that means we won’t remember it... I pay my debts, and do so in full." Youko subtly nodded in agreement as well...
He laughed nervously at the remark: "I guess that's a good thing..."
As he said this, both of them suddenly looked at him...
"Hmm?" He hummed, a bit confused at the sudden looks.
He then raised a brow: "Is there something on my face... or...?"
"Not at all, it's just that, I wanted to ask if both me and Manami-san could speak alone for a moment...?" Youko asked.
"Oh! Of course, I'll get to keeping everyone else company. Don't stay too long." He said, leaving.
.
.
.
.
.
"Alright... Now that he's gone... I want you to be honest with me Manami-san. Ayano, do you fancy him?"
Manami's eye's narrowed slightly in response;
"I could ask you the very same thing, Youko-san.".
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 75: Interesting... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
The room fell briefly silent as both women held each other’s gaze. Not out of hostility, but a tension of another kind...
Manami’s expression was calm yet serious, arms gently folded beneath her bust, her weight shifted to one leg: "Youko-san. I believe we’re both mature enough to understand what’s really being asked here."
Youko gave a soft smile, but her eyes had remained quite sharp: "...That we are."
They both looked toward the hallway Ayano had just disappeared down, his footsteps still faint in the background...
"...You asked if I fancied him." Manami began, her voice still calm;
"And, I won’t lie to you. I find him... fascinating." She added, saying: "Not only because he had saved me, but because of what I’ve seen since. There’s just something-" She paused, brushing her hair behind one ear;
"-unsettlingly composed about him for someone his age."
Manami's eyes narrowed, recalling Keiji's expression on that day, when he had saved her. Despite his ruthlessness, he was completely unfazed.
Youko nodded slowly... However, it was clear she wasn't buying any of it, at least, not entirely: "Yes... I get that from him too... Honestly, he seems quite kind, thoughtful, yet there's is something about him... Not just strength, but a kind of restraint. I’ve seen many grown men with less dignity than he carried, especially on that day..."
Manami tilted her head slightly: "Then you feel it too."
"I wouldn’t be here otherwise." Youko answered, smiling.
Manami scoffed, her gaze never wavering: "Let's stop our nonsense... I'll even get straight to the point as well. I won’t let you have him."
The air between them stilled. Youko blinked once, slowly-before letting out a soft breath, her voice calm;
"I, see..."
But her smile faded, only a little, before saying: "Then are going to start being honest now...?" She asked.
Manami didn’t flinch at the remark: "We were always being honest. Just not... forward."
Youko crossed one arm under the other, adjusting her posture, not defensively-but like someone preparing to negotiate land in a battlefield with no visible lines;
"I’m not here to play some petty rivalry, Manami-san. You’re not a girl. Neither am I."
"Exactly." Manami replied coolly, saying: "Which is why I don’t believe in circling... I’ve lived far too long to pretend I don’t know what I want in life."
"Ara~ You say that as if I don’t." Youko responded. A bit offended.
"No..." Manami admitted, with a soft sigh: "I think you do. Truly, I do. That’s what will make this much harder."
The tension between them wasn’t loud, however it was as if a hurricane and a flood were about to go head to head... It simmered quietly, like water just shy of boiling over...
Youko’s gaze softened after a few moments: "You know... I've never thought I’d end up in a silent war with another woman... Especially over someone so much, younger."
Manami hearing this, gave a faint smile: "Well, he certainty makes it easy to forget that part, doesn’t he?" She paused, before carrying on;
"I try my best not to... But, when I look and think about him... For some reason, I see someone I want to protect... Even if he doesn’t need it."
'Still, I'm sure Youko has realized it as well... Although he may hide it, or try to suppress it. At his very core... I can tell that he's overwhelmingly lonely. It's as if, he's forcing himself to be here...' Manami thought.
Manami subtly glanced towards the living room, where the sounds faint laughter and plates clinking could be heard. Ayano’s voice was amongst them.
She sighed again, much slower this time: "...I don’t just want to protect him."
Youko raised a brow...
"I also want to understand him. And, if I’m being honest with you... I also want to know what he looks like when he lets someone else, in."
"..."
Youko blinked at that statement, and declaration.
Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t respond at the comment immediately...
Then, quietly, she stated: "Hmm... That’s, quite bold of you."
Manami slowly met her gaze again: "I guess so, but so is chasing a man half your age..."
'I've heard the rumors of you seducing young men that happen to come buy your, establishment...' Manami thought.
Youko’s expression tensed for just a split, but then broke into a soft laugh;
'She's aware of even that...?' Youko internalized, a bit surprised.
"Oh my..." Youko added, continuing;
"So~ it’s knives out, is it? But, aren't you doing the very same?" She finished.
A swift response came: "I prefer scalpels. And, I'm simply calling a spade, a spade." Manami added with a coy smile.
They both paused.
And, for a brief moment, both almost absurdly smiled at one another...
Not in affection of course. But, more so recognition for competition... An open acknowledgment of a rival who wouldn’t run away.
"I suppose so...." Youko whispered: "That's the only fair thing to do right now... Is to see which of us he turns to first."
Heating the proclamation, Manami didn’t answer...
No... She didn’t need to.
.
.
.
.
.
~ In the Dining Room... ~
Ayano set down the last of the teacups, brushing his fingers off on a clean towel as he scanned the room.
Everyone was seated now-Renji, Kotonoha, Sekai, Kokoro beside her sister, with soft background chatter starting to rise as well.
He glanced toward the hallway...
'They’ve been talking a while...' He thought sparingly.
But, before he could think much of it, Kotonoha had called his name;
"Ayano-kun. Aren't you going to sit with us?"
He quickly turned, smiling awkwardly, responding: "Oh-right! Sorry. I was just, well, making sure everything was ready..."
Renji raised his soda with a grin, saying: "It's more than ready... Honestly speaking, this looks like some five-star home meal."
"Seriously..." Sekai added, poking at her yakisoba: "...Did you go to chef school without telling us?"
She had found it hard to believe someone could be this good at creating and preparing food...
He laughed lightly and took his seat, missing the two sets of quiet footsteps returning from the hallway.
Youko and Manami re-entered-silent, composed, and ever so slightly changed.
But no one noticed the way they exchanged one final glance before sitting on opposite sides of the table.
The final glance between Manami and Youko passed like an unspoken truce, it was a ceasefire agreed on for the sake of civility, for now...
But, beneath their composed exteriors, lines had been drawn, intentions quietly staked into the foundation of the room.
Ayano, at the moment was actually oblivious to the tension that had just simmered in his hallway, with him offering a warm smile to both women as they took their seats;
"Thank you all again for coming..." He said earnestly, brushing his bangs back from his forehead;
"It really does mean a lot to me." He finished.
Youko seeing this, simply smiled at him, her hands folded neatly over her lap, adding: "It's no problem... The pleasure is ours, Ayano-kun." She finished in a slightly sultry tone.
Manami echoed softly, her voice calm but weighty, realizing what her new rival had just done: "We wouldn’t have missed it for anything."
Sekai, already halfway through her second bite of yakisoba, tilted her head as if sensing something was, off...
Her eyes flitted briefly between the two older women-but neither of them gave anything away... No extra glance. No shift in both of their tones either.
In fact, there was nothing to betray the quiet rivalry blooming beneath their elegance.
'That's, weird... Why do I feel like there's something going on between these two...?' Sekai thought, but decided to leave it there...
Kotonoha, meanwhile, leaned forward slightly, quite curious, asking : "Ayano-kun… if you don’t mind me asking, where exactly did you learn to cook like this?"
Ayano blinked, slightly caught off guard: "Ah... nowhere really special... I just kind of picked it up. I guess it became something like a hobby after a while."
Kokoro suddenly piped up, her small voice clear as she peeked over her bowl: "Onii-chan! Can you teach me, too?"
Manami flared up instantly, not in anger but in confusion: "???"
Manami: "Kokoro, you can't suddenly say-"
However Ayano quickly intervened: "-It's fine." He said with a smile, turning towards Kokoro.
The table stopped for just second, not because of what was said, but because of how easily it came out of her mouth. At least, some of them. Renji and Sekai was silent due to any scolding their friend's sister would get, while Kotonoha was on both sides of the coin. After all, Kokoro had only met him for the first time, for well... Today...
Yet, she was already comfortable enough to ask such a thing from a stranger. It wasn't typical behaviors from her.
Ayano’s eyes softened, as he smiled warmly: "Of course, Kokoro-chan! I’d be honored." He honestly found her to be extremely adorable anyways.
Manami seeing this sighed, whispering to him to the side: "I'm sorry in advance... She really isn't like this." Finding her youngest daughter's behavior. She knows Kokoro can be very, energetic and she can be quite curious at times as well, but not like this. Especially around strangers, she's extremely shy and withheld...
knowing this, Manami watched the moment closely...
Youko did so too.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 76: A needed apology... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, a few hours later... ~
.
.
.
A few hours had past since everyone showed up. Three to be exact...
Ayano had given small glancing between Sekai and her mother who were talking to each other, and seeing it all... it didn't bode too well with him...
"Excuse me everyone..." He announced. Everyone had stopped their eating, chatter, and gave him the attention he had wanted.
Ayano turned to Saionji family: "Sekai-san, Youko-san. Would it be alright if I spoke with you both, privately?" He asked.
The shift in his tone was noticeable...
Youko’s brow raised slightly, while Sekai blinked and tilted her head. Still, they both nodded after a moment;
"Umm... Of course." Youko said gently.
He led them toward the hallway just outside the dining space, near the veranda doors where some sunlight spilled in, giving them just enough distance from the others.
.
.
.
.
.
Once there, Ayano took a breath and faced them fully, no longer avoiding their gaze... He made himself comfortable, leaning against one of his railings, saying;
"...You both are probably wondering why I've called you here to begin with."
Sekai was the first to speak up, asking: "Well, I'd be lying if I said no, so... What do you need?"
Youko nodded: "Yes, what do you want to know, or ask?"
Hearing the two, he sighed: "I’ve actually been... meaning to say this for a while now." He began, voice calm but also quite low as well;
"That day... when I came to your home... When I helped you both. I just wanted to apologize for what I did after-"
Sekai opened her mouth slightly, but Ayano raised a hand, signaling he wasn’t finished...
"-I... I didn’t handle it too well." He admitted;
"Not the aftermath. I didn’t properly explain anything like I should have, nor did I aid you both. I just..." He looked to the side for a moment, before adding: "Handled it. Then, I kind of just, went on my way."
He let out a dry, almost self-deprecating chuckle: "Truth is... I was just an absolute asshole about it."
Youko's eyes narrowed faintly, not in anger, but actually in curiosity and confusion. Sekai, meanwhile, seemed a bit stunned by the bluntness of his self-critique... She hadn't expected him to be this way about himself.
"Though... There’s a reason for it." Ayano said, before looking up: "Not that it makes it any better... But... I didn’t step in just because I happened to be nearby. Or, because I was being some kind of hero."
He looked directly at them now, saying: "It was... because of something I did, rather... I didn't do."
The silence that followed was admittedly a bit, heavy...
"-I'm sure you've both heard about that news report, right?" He continued, his voice even quieter than before;
"The one a while back. It was about those four missing women who were eventually found alive... After disappearing for weeks?”
Youko's eyes widened ever so slightly. Sekai, too, stiffened. The latter had seen the article before... In fact, she had remembered the odd photo they released, blurred, just a silhouette of the person they claimed to have found them as well, but nothing was concrete at the time...
"But, what no one knows is that. I... I was the one that found them." Ayano explained.
Sekai: "...!"
Youko: "...?"
Causing both of them to look at him in shock, and confusion..
Youko leaned inwards, she was the first one to speak up about the news;
"Then..." She said, before quickly stopping, realizing where exactly this discussion was quickly heading...
"Yeah, what I saw that day... Honestly, it still hasn't left me. At least, not entirely." Ayano added.
Youko sighed;
'So that explains it. It was his trauma from back then... Seeing us in our situation must have...' She pieced together. Not saying a word.
Slowly catching on, Sekai uttered: "W-Wait a minute... Just, hold on there... You're not saying that, then..." She stopped. Her expression was one of anguish.
"...I'm-I'm, so sorry Keiji." She quickly added. Not realizing he was carrying this kind of burden. However, something was still off;
"Then... Why would you blame yourself for this?" She asked, genuinely serious.
Ayano’s gaze lingered on Sekai for a moment, before shifting toward the floor...
"...Because, if I were fast enough... I could’ve stopped it from ever happening. At least, from happening to as many as it did." He answered softly.
"I still don't understand... What do you mean if you were fast enough?" Youko asked. This was completely new information on the case.
"It's because, during that time, I was taking down the local trash in the area... It's how I met Manami-san as well. Eventually after nearly a month, I found where that bastard was hiding. And, I ended him."
Youko had flinched at his very last remark...
She had heard of what had happened to the perpetrator of that crime. He was reportedly beaten to an almost unrecognizable state. If she remembered it correctly. He was essentially left permanently disfigured due to blunt trauma. Not only that, every bone that was left in his body had been broken to some extent as well... They said the man would make a recovery, miraculously being because he had a powerful constitution... but, after? He'd left in a vegetative state.
However, Youko didn't mind it, however, she still had some questions left: "…So, when those men came to our home-" Youko murmured, finishing the thought aloud: "Essentially... You already pieced together what kind of people they were...?"
Ayano nodded, slowly, responding: "Those bastards to me are all the same... they had this, sickness in their eyes. Hell, I'm sure they didn’t care about laws either, much less it's consequences. It's one thing to be a criminal, Youko-san. But, it's another thing to be a criminal, who doesn't fear what the law does. They were the types with no restraint." He finished.
Sekai swallowed hard, suddenly finding her hands had clenched into fists without her realizing;
"And, you were already in the middle of trying to stop them..." She whispered, continuing: "So, when you saw us…"
"Yeah... I... I sort of, snapped." he admitted, looking away...
"-I snapped because, I saw it happening again. Right in front of me. Right when I thought I was starting to bury it for good... So much for that thought." He chuckled, bitterly. Looking off into the garden beyond the veranda;
"I didn’t even think about what came after to be honest with you... I just... reacted. And once it was over, I quickly left. Because, I honestly didn’t trust myself to say the right thing."
*Clack~ Clack~*
Youko slowly stepped forward, her heels clicking softly on the tile as she came to a stop before him.
She looked up into his eyes, those strange, glacial blue eyes, glowing faintly now with the memory of what he was holding back;
"I... Don't say that... I think, at the time... you did say the right thing." She added, gently: "You said nothing... because, I believe you were still trying to carry it alone."
His eyes widened in response...
Sekai on the other hand, exhaled, stepping up beside her mother now: "Baka..."
However, he stopped, laughing as soon as he heard her remark: "I guess... I really am one."
Youko, ever being the most mature and composed of the two, sighed as she turned slightly;
"Honestly speaking... What you did was reckless… You shouldn’t carry such a thing alone, not anymore. Whatever you’re doing, whatever you’re trying to stop, it's best you talk to someone from time-to-time. You’re not some kind of machine, Ayano-kun." She chided him gently.
Sekai quickly nodded beside her, adding: "...Even machines end up breaking, y'know."
He smiled faintly, pushing off from the railing: "I’ll... I'll keep what you've both said in mind."
"That's, good..." Youko added.
"-Let’s head back..." Youko added, eventually, continuing: "...Before Manami-san starts wondering if we’re conspiring."
"…She’d probably be half-right." Ayano chuckled softly.
Sekai rolled her eyes, and gave his arm a gentle nudge: "You’re lucky you cook so well, since it's the only thing saving you right now, baka."
Confused, he turned around: "Hey! C'mon... I know I haven't exactly been, open... But, was that part really necessary?"
She Puffed her cheeks, looking away: "Hmph! Of course! Baka." Placing even more emphasis on the word now.
"Awww, man..." He slumped, giving up, figuring that he kind of deserved it in a way.
However, he swiftly looked at Sekai once more... He had actually wanted to mention something else, specifically to her. Regarding her feelings towards him. Ever since her friend Setsuna had came to him, and told him that. He wasn't sure how he'd act around her now. However, he knew one thing for certain;
'Well... That's probably one secret I'll have to keep with me at least. Straight to my grave...' He thought, offhandedly.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 77: A new outlook...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, a few more hours later... ~
.
.
.
"Wow... I actually can't believe you guys ate all that ya' did, consider me impressed."
Honestly, I was. I’ve made a whole lot of food, maybe a bit too much if I was being honest with myself. Some part of me was worried it wouldn’t have been enough, or worse, that no one would really like it either...
But, seeing all the empty trays laying around now, plus the discarded napkins, and last but not least, the lazy satisfied expressions spread across everyone's faces, it actually felt kind of... nice.
Though... I'm wasn't going to lie to myself, it’s been a while since I felt this kind of atmosphere. None of the quests breathing down my neck. No glitchy threats hovering in my peripheral either... Thankfully.
Just people… being people...
"You sure you didn’t drug the food or something...?” Renji muttered as he leaned back, both hands behind his head, a grin plastered on his face: "’Cause, I'm pretty sure I haven’t eaten anything that good in, like, ever... I'm packed, but I'd still go for more."
"...Do you always say that after getting free food?” I asked him.
"Well~ Maybe...” He replied, slyly, without any form of shame either: "-But, this time I actually mean it."
"Renji-san... You’re such a freeloader." Sekai said, lightly elbowing him mid-sentence, before reaching for the last melon soda on the table.
"Eh? I'd like to think of myself as resourceful, if anything." He shot back with a coy grin.
Minami, who’d been quietly picking at one of the few remaining skewers, glanced over at me: "I don't believe I've asked you before, but... Where did you even learn to cook like this...? I consider myself to be quite a picky eater, but everything you've made today was nothing short of wonderful."
I scratched the back of my head, trying to act modest, even if a small part of me felt proud hearing that...
"Ah, thanks. I just… picked it up over the years, I guess. I'm used to cooking a lot for myself since well... I've Kind of had to... As you can see, I don't really have anyone around."
The moment I said that. I had caught both Manami and Youko in particular, glancing at me, but before I could think anything much of it, Youko spoke, saying: "...So, you live alone?"
I nodded slowly, saying: "Yeah… It’s not so bad though... Quite peaceful really."
That part wasn’t really a lie. Even if it belonged to another life... My previous world. Thinking of it now... I kind of missed my old buddies. Irrespective of everything... I hope they're living their best lives...
'...I wonder what they're up to now.'
Ever since coming here, the thought had often crossed my mind. But, I try my best to not swell on it. If it's one thing I've learned in my life, is that one shouldn't dwell on the past too much. If I do that, then I'll never stop...
Before I could think any further. I caught Renji raising a brow at me, saying: "Heh! You say that like it's a good thing... I’d personally go nuts without someone to argue with."
"Still..." I heard Manami say, before she added: "I suppose it's best to leave it there... But, I'll say one thing. If nothing for you works out. I'll be first to suggest that you start your own company."
I gave a small laugh at what she said, continuing: "...Noted. If this thing called life crashes and burns around me, I’ll definitely sell some yakisoba in the streets. Who knows... I might even end up famous."
That got me a few laughs. While I did, I spotted the clock near the wall with the side of my eye...
"Oh crap! I haven't even realized it. It's getting quite late guys..." I said, a bit reluctantly before continuing: "I think it's probably best we call it a night here."
Sekai looked as well, following my gaze towards the wall clock too: "Hmm…? It’s already past seven?"
'She sounds almost, disappointed...' I noted, realizing just how she had looked when she said it. Was it just me?
I saw her stretch with a small yawn: "Well. It's no wonder why I’m starting to feel a little sluggish…"
"...You feel sluggish all the time." Renji silently quipped.
I couldn’t help but smirk while they went back and forth, playful jabs traded without any real venom behind them. This… It felt nice... It reminds me of how very limited my social life was back on earth.
I glanced to the side, Minami stood up as soon as I did, brushing down her skirt and gathering a few stray utensils into a bag: "Thank you for today, Ayano-san. Really. It was a lot more enjoyable than I anticipated..."
I laughed quietly to myself, then saying: "Well, thanks for coming anyway, all of you... It was a great get together."
"Onii-chan. Thank you for having us over." A childish voice said. I turned, only to see Manami's youngest daughter.
Kokoro right?: "Haha. You're welcome." I told her. She was so adorable. But then, she started calling me down...
"Umm... Do you want to whisper something in my ear...?" I asked. She quickly nodded, saying;
"Mhmm."
I could see Manami watching from the side, curiously. I knelt, bending a knee and meeting her on an even level. I slowly leaned in, hearing what she wanted to tell me... I turned my head, giving her my ear to speak. In no time, she leaned in herself...
"...Muah!"
.
.
.
.
.
"...???"
Instead of a sentence, I felt something soft touching my cheek. Before I could even turn around, she had already ran behind her mother... Blushing.
"???Kokoro!!!" I heard Manami shout.
"Hahahaha... It's fine, just a little, unexpected." I told her.
However, Manami had crouched slightly, gently tugging her daughter's hand, clearly a little flustered by what happened: "Kokoro, you can’t just kiss people out of nowhere…"
The little girl only peeked out from behind her mother's leg, cheeks still glowing pink, saying: "...B-But he was so nice..."
I gave a small smile, and waved my hand to reassure them: "Really, it’s fine. Can’t remember the last time I got a kiss that innocent."
That earned me a surprised laugh from Renji: "Pftt!!! Hah! Looks like our friend here's a heartbreaker in the making.”
"Oh hush." Sekai said, rolling her eyes with a smile: “Don’t go praising him... His head’s big enough already."
I chuckled, pretending to straighten an invisible crown: "Guess I’ll try to remain humble in the face of such, overwhelming affection."
"...Still, this really isn't like her to do..." I heard Kotonoha say from the side, slightly embarrassed as well.
"Well, that's kids for you. Innocent without any cares in the world... If anything, I'm honestly a little flattered." I explained.
"I... Suppose." I heard her say.
"Manami-san... it seems little Kokoro is quite bold, hmm?" Youko added in a teasing manner.
Manami looked like she wanted to say something but settled for a sigh, gently patting Kokoro’s head. The little girl still wouldn’t make eye contact, burying her face further into her mother’s side.
Youko crossed her arms, her lips curled slightly in amusement: “At this rate, Keiji-kun’s going to have more than just the school gossip mill to worry about."
'She's definitely enjoying this...' I thought.
Renji whispered, saying: "...You’re acting like it isn’t already spinning... He was the talk of at least two classes..."
Hearing him, I tilted my head: "That’s so, not reassuring."
"Don’t worry." Sekai intervened, brushing a stray hair behind her ear;
"Give it a few days, someone else will do something stupid and then, they’ll forget all about you."
I shrugged: "Or, I could just do something monumentally stupid..." I joked, continuing: "Y’know, just to keep my momentum going... But, it's seriously getting late you guys... I don't want to keep you all here any longer."
"Ah, yeah, you're right. I guess that's my cue to go, later everyone. Thanks again for inviting me to your birthday party." Renji said me, already walking off.
Of course, I waved back: "Later Renji, be safe out there."
He didn't respond, he left and gave a thumbs up, a final goodbye.
"I suppose, it's our time to leave as well..." I heard Manami say.
"Ah, yes. Thank you for inviting us all Ayano-kun. I-we had a great time..." Kotonoha said, sounding slightly flustered.
"Like I said, it's no problem. I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves."
"I want to extend my thanks as well." Manami said, before continuing: "Alright girls, it's time for us to go, it isn't getting any earlier."
Before I knew it, they left as well, with Kotonoha being the last. She gave me a slight bow and a small, before leaving herself.
Which leaves both Youko and Sekai...
"Well, it seems our time has come, thank you for inviting us over, it was a pleasure." Youko said, smiling gently.
Before I could say anything, Sekai spoke up: "Yeah, I had a great time as well..."
Just like before, I had felt this sense of disappointment from her... It might have been because of... Well, I guess I don't need to repeat myself.
"Alright... I'll see you both later, please be safe. I'll text you in a bit to check." I said.
Both of them left, and I closed the door behind me...
"..."
As soon as I did. I realized just how empty my own home was, again...
'I guess, it's back to being a loner again...'
The only thing that would've made this day perfect, would be if both Yukari, and Chisaki were here...
I guess, the only thing I can really do now, is to just wait for them to reach out.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 78: Insight...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, the next day... ~
.
.
.
"Master Eli?" Ayano called out.
'Hmm... Usually, he'd be outside by now, tending to the garden.' Keiji wondered, looking around a little more.
*Clasp!*
"Oh! Ayano!" Jihan called out.
Ayano turned, greeting his teacher: "Oh, good morning master Jihan." He slightly bowed.
"Mhmm, I'm assuming you've come for training... Today, it should be me, Jay and Warren's turn to spar with you." Jihan added.
Ayano nodded, saying: "I'm, aware... But, I actually wanted to speak with master Eli regarding something I've found out recently."
Jihan raised a brow, catching onto his student's tone...
"Eli isn't here at the moment. He'll be back much later... If you'd like, I could try answering it in his place." Jihan offered.
Ayano thought about it for a moment, and reluctantly agreed;
"Alright then... Can you tell me what you know a bout, immersion."
Thud!
Jihan immediately dropped his broom... Seeing this, Ayano looked on, curiously...
"Ayano... where did you hear of that?" Jihan asked, however his tone had shifted, noticeably enough for Ayano to pick up on.
"Why? Is there something wrong with it?" Ayano asked, his brows slightly furrowed as he observed Jihan’s reaction.
Jihan didn’t answer immediately. He bent down, slowly picking up the broom he dropped. His fingers curled around it tightly, not from clumsiness, but tension.
"That term, it isn’t thrown around lightly..." He finally said, continuing: "Especially not here."
Ayano stayed silent, sensing the weight behind his teacher's words.
Jihan leaned the broom against the nearest wall and motioned for him to follow: "Come. Not out here."
They walked in silence, the crunch of gravel underfoot the only sound between them. Eventually, Jihan led him into the training room. In here, distractions couldn’t reach them...
Once the door slid shut, Jihan turned, his expression serious;
"You said you found out about Immersion, correct? How exactly?"
"I experienced it..." Ayano said simply, going on to say: "During a fight I had... Against someone strong. It felt like I stepped into battle with someone where everything they did just… made sense. At least, that's the best I can explain it right now... Every movement I made. Every weakness I had. It was like I was an open book..."
Jihan’s face tightened.
"You fought someone using it...? He muttered, almost under his breath.
Ayano nodded slowly, but it didn’t feel like an affirmation-it felt like a memory rising to the surface.
Jihan crossed his arms, leaning back slightly against the wall. There was a long pause before he finally spoke again.
"That... is incredibly dangerous."
Ayano blinked, unsure if that was meant to be an understatement.
Jihan's voice was a bit lower now, quieter-but no less firm: "Fighting someone in Immersion is like stepping into a collapsing building and trying to guess which beam will fall next. Even if you can read the signs… you’ll still get crushed eventually."
Ayano frowned, asking: "What exactly is it?"
"Immersion..." Jihan began, continuing: "It's a conscious flow state, but elevated to an unnatural degree... Not just a sharpened mind, it’s as if the body stops caring about its limits altogether... Reflexes spike. Pain tolerance fades. Decisions become instinct. And the longer a person stays in that state…"
He exhaled through his nose;
"…The more lethal they become."
Ayano stayed quiet, his body became rigid, remembering the encounter himself... Not only that, he could already tell... Jihan wasn’t giving him the usual teacher-to-student speech.
"Listen carefully. This isn’t something anyone should take lightly." Jihan continued: "The worst part isn’t how dangerous they start. It’s mostly how dangerous they become as the fight drags on. Immersion builds on momentum. It adapts, reads, and strikes deeper each time.
Give them ten seconds, they’ll test your guard.
Give them thirty, they’ll know all your habits, capitalizing on them.
Give them a full minute…"
"…They’ll start to dismantle you." Ayano finished...
'It's just like my fight with that Kai person... The longer the battle dragged on for, the worse it actually became for me.' Ayano thought off-handedly...
Jihan nodded, solemnly, saying: "That's Exactly right. I had fought someone like that, decades ago. A street duel gone too far, it happened when I was still young and reckless. I was quite cocky, fast, but trained... I still lost. Barely made it out alive."
He rubbed his wrist unconsciously, as if remembering some kind of pain...
"I'll never forgot that feeling. It wasn’t just the pressure or the skill, it was like being hunted by something meant to fight."
Ayano absorbed the words, something tight curling in his stomach. Because what he’d felt… that presence… It was like being hunted.
"I don’t know how that person you fought learned it." Jihan added;
"But, I’ll tell you this. Anyone you see capable of that kind of state either trained like a madman, was born broken, or... has something pushing them beyond human." He eyed Ayano: "And if you’re planning to fight someone like that again... you’ll need to become more than just skilled... However, given you're current prowess..." Jihan trailed off.
Ayano nodded: "Initially, it was a fight with weapons... Admittedly, I'm not too good with utilizing weapons. However, the moment I went hand to hand. The fight was pretty much over."
"Ah, yes... I've forgotten how terrifyingly skill you are. At your current level, someone even with that technique would need to be a very competent fighter to handle you, at least in hand to hand combat... But even then. Immersion has it's stages."
Ayano perked up, asking: "Stages? You're saying there are higher levels to it?"
Jihan nodded: "Yes, but they aren't so clear cut... Beginners usually gain certain perks, like enhanced visual acuity, a level of precognitions, increased strength, toughness and speed as well. Higher levels of it means greater benefits of course. But... That isn't what makes it so lethal... It's best if I gave you an example. Think of a normal person, being able to lift 200kg, and run at 20 miles per hour. Now imagine that very same human who could use immersion at it's absolute maximum. How strong do you think that person would become...?" He asked.
Ayano placed a hand on his chin, thinking about it: "Based on what I felt and saw at that time, maybe twice as fast and strong? It could be even higher."
Jihan shook his head, almost laughing in the process: "Not even close... A normal human utilizing immersion at it's hypothetical peak, would be exactly 90 - 100 times more powerful, than they were before."
Ayano’s eyes widened slightly: "Wait… What?"
Jihan nodded grimly: "...You heard me correctly... Not two, not five, not even ten times stronger. I said ninety to a hundred."
He held up a hand before Ayano could even interrupt.
"It’s not as absurd as it sounds-once you understand the logic behind it. Immersion doesn’t work on normal limits. It works on a human's maximum potential. Every cell, every fiber of the body gets pushed toward its absolute threshold. Not what you're used to, but what your body could theoretically handle in a perfect storm of adrenaline, instinct, and technique."
Ayano was, quiet;
'Still... just as he said, it sounds a bit, ridiculous...' Keiji thought to himself.
"And... You’ve seen this level in real combat?" Ayano asked, though he already knew the answer. His memory of that fight with Kai was still fresh. The man’s eyes, his movements, the inevitability of it all…
Jihan’s gaze darkened: "Only once. Back then, I didn’t know what I was facing. One minute I was controlling the fight. The next... I was crawling, bleeding, and lucky to still be breathing."
He ran a hand down his face: "I trained for years to close that gap. And still... I’ve never reached Immersion myself. I’ve only glimpsed it... Flashes. Echoes. It was like I was standing at the edge of a cliff, and knowing there’s an ocean below-but never diving in."
Ayano took a deep breath, digesting every word. His heart wasn’t pounding, but something in his chest felt heavy, like a new weight had been placed there.
Because now that he knew this state existed-he felt as if he had to reach it...
To him, there was no other option.
"...How do you learn it?” Ayano asked at last.
The elder sighed: "You don’t. It's not like a kata, or a form. You either find it, or it finds you. But, truth be told, acquiring that state is a kind of talent, in and of itself. From what I know, it takes quite some time to develop, much more to actually master. Even if you fought for all your life, you still might not even taste it..." Jihan explained, continuing;
"Even then... This power, As your master, I wouldn't want you to learn it." Jihan added.
"...Why not?" Ayano asked, still quite curious.
"Why you ask? It's a consuming power... The more you utilize it, the more inhumane you become... At first, your emotions, they will start dwindle, making you colder. Then, your feelings will start to fade as well, cutting off any connections you might have had with someone, or would have. By the end of that road. What's left will be a cold and calculating shell of who you once were... At the price of that power. You become something less. Because... What is a human without their capacity to feel?" Jihan explained.
Listening, Ayano understood, and nodded;
"Alright master... I'll consider your advice."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 79: Prodigious... (REMASTERED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, a little after... ~
.
.
.
For some reason, Ayano felt as if he needed to heed his master's warning…
'…Maybe the kind of power I’m aiming for won’t even help me... Still... The way how master Jihan spoke about Immersion with how personal he made it seem, it couldn’t all be from experience, since he doesn't have it. Which means, he had to have learned it from someone.'
But even with the questions in the back of his mind, he knew when he had to let things go... At least, for now.
It was relatively clear to him that his teacher didn't even want him to learn the state, to the extent that he doesn't want anyone else to even know about it either...
Ayano huffed softly and shifted his stance, clearing his head in the process. The brief talk had left him a bit thoughtful about everything, but not remotely shaken about the dangers. If anything, it had actually sharpened his resolve...
"Alright-" Jihan suddenly added, breaking the silence, saying: "-Enough of this talk... It’s best we start your training."
Across from him, Jihan slowly stood, almost like a monolith, his presence radiating calm authority. His sharp silver eyes glittered with focus, scanning Ayano’s form for the slightest tell. The older man’s gi hung loose yet crisp, the fabric whispering faintly with each subtle shift.
'...I don't think I'll ever not get surprised by that.' Ayano thought, sweating...
Then, without preamble, Jihan struck. His right hand sliced through the air in a horizontal slash aimed at Ayano’s neck-a move so swift it seemed to blur, designed to test rather than harm.
His instincts surged...
Keiji pivoted on his left foot, the mat squeaking faintly under the pressure, and twisted his torso to the side. His right forearm snapped up, intercepting Jihan’s strike. The impact jolted through his arm, a sharp sting radiating from the point of contact up to his shoulder. But Ayano exhaled through it, redirecting the force with a smooth tilt of his wrist;
'Of course... He’s probing me.' Ayano surmised, his mind pondering for a moment: 'He's just testing my limits, like always...'
He didn’t hesitate. Ayano retaliated with a jab toward Jihan’s midsection, his fist cutting a tight arc through the air. The punch was crisp, driven by the twist of his hips, but Jihan parried it effortlessly with his left hand, brushing it aside like a leaf in the wind. Too slow, Ayano chided himself, frustration flickering in his chest. He needed more—more speed, more precision.
Jihan didn’t give him time to dwell. The master unleashed a barrage of strikes: a right slash to Ayano’s shoulder, a left hook curving toward his jaw, then a feint that melted into a straight punch aimed at his chest. Each move was a study in controlled aggression, fast yet deliberate. Ayano reacted on instinct, his body flowing into motion.
He sidestepped the slash, the air whooshing past his ear, then ducked under the hook, feeling the breeze of it graze his hair. The straight punch came next, and he shifted his weight, weaving to the right with a dancer’s grace. His feet slid across the mat, barely audible, as he conserved energy, dodging with minimal effort.
Something shifted within him as they clashed. Ayano felt it, a familiar tingling warmth spreading through his mind and limbs, like his muscles were awakening in a sense. Every block, every dodge, every subtle adjustment came faster, smoother, as if his body was learning in real-time...
Techniques he’d drilled for weeks were sharpening mid-spar, executed with a clarity he hadn’t known he possessed...
'Is... No... It has to be from Absolute Talent.' The thought flashed through his mind, bright and fleeting, but he shoved it aside. Focus was everything to him now, he needed to push even farther...
'Hmm...?' Jihan sensed it too.
A faint crease appeared between his brows, a slight crack in his stoic facade. He adjusted his stance, dropping his center of gravity even lower, his knees bending as his weight settled into his heels. Then he struck again-a powerful strike aimed at Ayano’s ribs, his arm whipping through the air with a force that cut through the air, and promised bruises.
Ayano saw it coming, the arc of Jihan’s elbow telegraphed just enough. He twisted his torso, the hook glancing off his side with a dull thud. Pain flared briefly, a hot sting along his ribs, but he gritted his teeth and used the momentum. Spinning on his heel, he snapped an inside kick toward Jihan’s thigh. His foot connected with a solid smack, the impact vibrating up his leg. Jihan’s muscles tensed a bit, absorbing the blow, his expression unchanging...
'Incredible...!' Jihan thought, his mind whirring: "The boy's adapting much, much faster than I before..." He decided to push his student even harder. With a sudden burst of speed, Jihan closed the distance between them, his elbow arcing toward Ayano’s temple in a strike meant to end the exchange.
Ayano ducked, the elbow sailing over him, the rush of air ruffling his hair. In one fluid motion, he grabbed Jihan’s extended arm with both hands, redirecting the momentum, and launched an upward hand-blade strike toward Jihan’s chin. His fingers, rigid and aligned, cut through the air with a faint whistle, the move so fast it seemed to hum like an actual blade.
Jihan’s eyes widened a fraction-just a flicker of surprise by what was happening. He instinctively jerked his head back at the last second, Ayano’s strike grazing his chin, causing his eyes to widen. A thin red line bloomed across the skin, blood beading in tiny droplets.
'...He... He almost had me?'
Jihan realized, his pulse quickening as he spared the thought. His pride warred with a flicker of unease as he stepped back, reassessing his student entirely... Wondering if the being in front of him was really his student to begin with...
Ayano bounced lightly on his toes, his breath coming in sharp bursts. His arms ached, his side throbbed, but his mind was alight with clarity. I can do this, he thought, determination blazing through him. From the sidelines, Jay leaned forward, his usual smirk gone, replaced by wide-eyed astonishment. He’s matching Jihan’s pace. This… this shouldn’t be possible.
The fight was beginning to escalate. Ayano’s movements blurred into a multitude of motions. Feints started melting into counters, strikes chaining seamlessly into one another. He was in a flow like state, every action was second nature, every reaction made was instantaneous.
His body felt as if it was lighter, sharper, as if shedding invisible weights with each passing second...
Jihan had matched him blow for blow, but the difficulty was slowly creeping in...
He blocked a trio of blade strikes, each one seemingly faster, each one closer to breaking through his guard. On the third, Ayano pivoted mid-strike, angling the attack toward Jihan’s shoulder instead of his chest. Jihan effortlessly caught it with a forearm block, but the force rocked him backwards, his stance faltering for just a heartbeat;
'What in the...!?' Jihan’s thoughts stumbled, his composure fraying: 'He’s evolving right here, right now.'' He steadied himself, but Ayano pressed onwards, graceful yet relentless.
Wisp!
A low feint with his leg swept toward Jihan’s ankles, forcing the master to shift his weight. Then Ayano struck high-a palm strike to the collarbone, followed by a piercing hand-blade aimed at Jihan’s sternum. The attacks flowed like water, unpredictable and fierce.
"Hmph!" Jihan parried, his arms a whirlwind of defense, but sweat glistened on his brow, his breaths growing ragged. Ayano’s own muscles burned, lactic acid searing through his limbs. Sweat stung his eyes, dripped from his chin, but he ignored it, lost in the rhythm of the fight.
Then he saw it-an opening. Jihan overextended on a block, his left side exposed for a split second. Ayano seized the moment. He spun on his heel, the mat groaning under the twist, and unleashed a reverse spin-slash toward Jihan’s flank. The move was poetry-his body arcing with perfect balance, his hand-blade whistling through the air.
Jihan reacted, but Ayano had planned for it. Mid-spin, Ayano shifted the trajectory upward, aiming for Jihan’s jaw instead. Jihan raised his arm just in time, the downward strike slamming into his forearm. The force had rippled through them both-Jihan grunted a bit, clearly surprised, staggering backwards, while Ayano’s wrist throbbed from the collision...
Ayano didn’t relent. He followed with a flurry-jab to the chest, cross to the shoulder, hook to the ribs, each strike was precise, and each one testing Jihan’s defenses... Jihan blocked them all, but his movements were tighter, his eyes narrowing with effort. Ayano could feel it.
He was pushing his master to the edge...
A faint glow flickered in his vision, a notification;
PING!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Congratulations player... You have reached Pinnacle status in Hand-Blade...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ayano blinked, the words jarring him for a moment;
'Pinnacle?' He thought, a bit confused.
But Jihan’s voice cut through his thoughts, saying: "Ayano..." He asked, his tone steady yet tinged with wonder: "Tell me... How do you feel right now?"
Ayano’s chest heaved, his lungs burning as he met Jihan’s gaze. Jay’s stare drilled into him from the sidelines, equal parts awe and disbelief: "I… feel fine." Ayano panted, continuing: "Why? What’s wrong?"
Jihan stepped closer, his eyes searching: "...Haven’t you realized it?"
"What do you mean? Realized what?" Ayano’s voice wavered, confusion knitting his brow.
Jihan looked at his student, slowly responding: "About the fact that you were fighting me on equal ground."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 80: Change...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"I was fighting on equal grounds with you…? That’s no—" Ayano caught himself midsentence.
His thoughts spun.
'No… I… He’s right. The way I was moving earlier-' He thought, recalling his spar...
Now that he was truly thinking about on it... It was like watching two different versions of himself. The Ayano who began the fight, and the Ayano who stood here now. He could feel the differences in his body... His overall muscle memory rewriting itself mid-fight, and his battle instincts correcting his form without any conscious input as well...
'It is like night and day…' Ayano scoffed at himself internally.
He looked down at his hands again, flexing his fingers once...
There was still a faint tingling sensation beneath his skin, like his body hadn't quite caught up to what it had done... But, at the same time, it had. Reminding him of his first time utilizing his martial art mastery...
Jihan stood across from him, arms folded, expression unreadable, but those sharp eyes of his were still locked onto his student. Curiosity was the lightest word he could think of in this situation.
He was no longer testing his student anymore... If he could even call the boy in front of him his student... Right now, he was assessing.
Ayano finally spoke again, his voice steady but quieter than before;
"I... Honestly… not, really. It’s hard to tell when you’re already much stronger than I am to begin with." He added, somewhat truthfully. Even Ayano himself knew that he had been placing pressure, but not to such an extent...
Jihan didn’t reply right away at the response... He simply nodded, as if filing it away for the moment. As if recognizing something that didn’t need to be said aloud.
However, both him and Jay knew that something had changed...
Ayano on the other hand, mentally called out for his attribute panel;
'Status.'
Martial Arts Learned
;
-Judo [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Muay-Thai (
Brekdak’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Boxing (
Zack’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Capoeira [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Aikido [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Jeet-Kune-Do [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Kung-Fu [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Taekwondo [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Ssireum (
Vin’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Hand-Blade [
Pinnacle
]
-Systema [Mastered]
-CQC [Mastered]
-Flickering-Fists-Of-Ansan [Mastered]
Keiji skimmed through, going to where all his learned martial arts were... And, he was surprised;
'Then, that notification earlier... So this is what it meant.' He finally realized;
'Well... Isn't this a spectacle...? I train for months on end, putting in countless amounts of hours with my other martials arts, which are also my first set. Yet, they're still stuck on being a path. Today? I spar lightly for just a minute or so, and I skip having a path, and now I jump straight to pinnacle?' He internally scoffed...
Ayano wondered if this was some kind of cruel joke... He wasn't even sure if he should be happy, or not.
"Whatever the case maybe... I... Teaching you would be meaningless at your level.
Jay, it's your turn. I'll be observing..." Jihan added, walking towards the sidelines...
Ayano simply looked thoughtfully at his master, wanting to say something, but he decided to let it go...
Jay walked over as well, clearly a bit cautious. Seeing what his student had did, left him a bit, puzzled.
'Ready...?' Jay thought.
Ayano nodded: "I'm ready."
Jay’s feet found their familiar rhythm on the mat, his body settling into a stance that was both relaxed and primed, like a coiled viper.
His hidden eyes were as vigilant as ever, he scanned his student, searching for any of the subtle cues he’d come to rely on in their past spars... But something was different. He was quickly beginning to realize that Ayano’s presence felt heavier, more solid, yet somehow elusive, like trying to pin down a shadow.
Jay’s instincts, forged through years of brutal condition, gave him quiet warning. Telling him to, be cautious.
Ayano stood opposite, his posture had slightly loosened, but his focus sharp as well. His breathing was steady, almost meditative in nature, but beneath his skin, that faint tingling persisted, reminding him of the changed he was going through. His mind had flickered to his attribute panel, the word Pinnacle glaring back at him...
"Begin!" Jihan’s voice sliced through the stillness.
Jay struck first, a quick jab to test Ayano’s reaction, followed by a feint—a subtle shift of his shoulder meant to draw a response. But Ayano’s body moved before Jay could even register it. His hand flicked up, deflecting the real strike with a fluid precision that felt almost unnatural.
Jay’s strikes, it was usually enough to throw off even seasoned fighters, had been read like an open book. Systema, Jay realized, his mind flashing with recognition. Ayano’s Systema wasn’t textbook like before, the more he fought, the more he was realized how unpredictable it was, weaving through feints like they were nothing.
Jay pressed forward, undeterred, chaining a low kick into a hooking punch aimed at Ayano’s jaw. Ayano flowed like water, his foot pivoting to dodge the kick, his torso twisting just enough to let the punch sail past. In the same motion, he countered with a palm strike to Jay’s chest, controlled, but with enough force to push him back a step. Jay had grunted, startled;
'Those feints of his… they’re not just unpredictable. They’re lethal...
How is he reading me like this?’ Jay thought, his pulse beginning to rise.
Ayano’s movements were too seamless. Every strike he threw-moves he’d spent decades perfecting-were all slowly, yet effectively being dismantled with an ease that bordered on insulting... What he was witnessing, it wasn’t just skill. He couldn't call it that.
A this point. It was something else, something was unique about Ayano’s version of Systema that made his own counters feel like they were one step ahead of his own thoughts.
Jihan watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, his expression unreadable but his mind pondering...
‘...He’s not just improving...’ Jihan thought, his sharp eyes tracking every motion, continuing: ‘He’s actively improving faster than I’ve ever seen... It’s like his body is rewriting its own movements in real-time.’ The boy he’d trained, the one he’d pushed to the edge, was no longer just a student.
Ayano was becoming something else entirely, and Jihan wasn’t sure whether to be proud or wary: ‘At this rate, he’ll surpass us all before the day is finished out.’
Ayano, oblivious to Jihan’s thoughts, felt his body move almost on its own... Yet, he could understand all of what he was doing with immense clarity... His Systema training, had always been a wildcard, was now a living force within him. all of his Feints, counters and redirects?
It wasn’t just muscle memory. It was also over battle instincts honed to a razor’s edge, unpredictable almost to himself. He could almost feel Jay’s frustration behind his attacks, the way the older fighter’s attacks were growing sharper, more desperate as well, it was as if his master was now trying his best to reclaim control of the fight...
Jay lunged forwards again, this time with a flurry of strikes-jabs, hooks, a spinning elbow, each laced with a feint to throw Ayano off. To anyone else, it would’ve been a blur and massive gushes of wind.
But Ayano didn’t falter... In fact, his body wove through the onslaught, each move a blend of fluid redirection and explosive precision.
A sidestep became a parry, a low block flowed into a counter-kick that grazed Jay’s thigh, forcing him to retreat for a moment. It wasn’t just defense, it was a dialogue, Ayano’s every motion answering Jay’s with an almost inhuman level of prediction.
Jay looked ahead, thinking: 'Does he have access to Immersion? No... It can't be it either... His eyes didn't change even once.'
"..."
Fwip!
Jay instantly stepped back, chest heaving, his eyes narrowed: '_Incredible... You’re weren't supposed to be this good_" He said, voice low, a mix of irritation, and immense respect;
"_Those feints of yours… they’re certainly not normal. Honestly, it feels like you’re playing a completely different game_"
Before Ayano could respond, Jihan’s voice cut through, calm but commanding. “Enough. Jay, step back.”
Jay hesitated, glancing at Jihan, then back at Ayano. He nodded once, a flicker of wariness in his eyes, before stepping off the mat;
'Those feints...' Jay thought, still thinking... 'They’re not just dangerous... They’re unnatural as well. The boy... It was like he’s seeing through me.'
Jihan slowly approached, his gaze locked on Ayano;
‘Eli... You were wrong... This boy... He’s not just a prodigy...’ Jihan thought, his mind still grappling with what he was witnessing...
‘Keiji... He's an, anomaly. If he’s already this far ahead of us… Then, what could possibly be his limit? No... Does he even have a limit???’
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 81: A good deed... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
They were both shocked at this point... Testing Ayano would actually be pointless...
'What are we supposed to do then... In mere minutes, the boy has already reached his own path, and not only that... He's even managed to manifest both variations of a path at the same time...' Jihan thought.
He had remembered that a path had came in two forms. The first was absolute mastery, making the martial art your own. The second? It was adding a unique twist on said martial art that made it far more powerful than it was before. However, no one up until this point had both. It was either one or the other.
In a sense. It was almost as if the universe itself had set this kind of restriction on them as human being. No matter how talented and prodigious said human was, it was just a fact. You could not achieve both, it just shouldn't be... However, what their student just did was that. He had just made the art completely his own, whilst also placing a unique flair to it.
Yet, Jihan found himself, excited...!
"Hahaha...!"
Both Keiji, and Jay looked towards the side of the room, only to see Jihan, laughing...?
"...Is master Jihan, okay?" Ayano asked softly, watching the man in question, unsure if this was a good, or a bad thing...
Jay didn’t answer... In fact, he's never seen Jihan laugh like this before...
Jihan slowly wiped at his eye, as if a tear had almost formed, and then he let out a breath he hadn’t even noticed he was holding...
"...This... Isn't it, insane...?" He muttered, continuing: "...Absolutely insane...?"
He stepped forward again, arms behind his back now, posture now completely relaxed.
"But also... Incredible!"
Ayano tilted his head slightly, not really understanding what was going on...
"You know..." Jihan said, smiling faintly;
"...When I was much younger, I used to believe there was no such thing as limits. I had thought that, maybe... If someone just pushed hard enough, and consistently enough... They could even rewrite their own fate..."
Jihan stopped walking, looking at Ayano now, not with the eyes of a teacher, but something closer to awe...
"...And here you are, proving that very same thing."
Ayano said nothing. He didn't know what he could even say.
"...At this point, like I've told you before... I truly have nothing left to teach you." Jihan paused for a moment, and then continued: "...Not because you're perfect, or invincible. But, it's because you're past the point where instruction even matters. From now on... You’ll have to walk your path, alone."
The room went still...
Even Jay had lowered his eyes, quietly accepting the truth neither of them wanted to admit... Currently, he also had no reason to teach the boy any longer. Ayano had already reached his level, if not above it.
Paths were built on the principle of countless years of experience... However, the boy in front him? He now possessed a talent that had bypassed even that requirement completely... So, what could they do?
Ayano on the other hand, he remained quiet.
Because even he... wasn't sure how to feel about this.
"...I see." Ayano said quietly.
His voice didn’t carry anything special. But somehow, it still filled the room.
Jay took a breath, arms crossed. He wasn’t looking at him the same way anymore. That faint tension in his shoulders hadn’t faded since the spar.
"_You're not normal, you know that, right?_" He muttered.
Ayano glanced at his teacher, unsure if that was meant as praise, or something else...
Jay gave a small shake of his head, saying;
"_Never mind_"
He didn’t bother to follow it up...
Jihan had walked back over to the bench, picking up a towel and tossing it lightly onto his shoulder. His mood had calmed now, but there was still a strange light in his eyes. Something between both admiration… and wariness.
"...I think you should go home." He said calmly, not looking at either of them, continuing: "...Rest. Let both your body and mind catch up with what it’s done today."
Ayano gave a slight nod: "I... Understood, master."
earing this, Jay didn’t bother to argue with the decision either... He simply stepped off the mat as well, and made his way toward the corner to grab his own set of things.
Ayano just stood there for a few more seconds, watching the space where they'd just fought... Thinking that it still felt a bit heavy.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ayano walked had just left his master's residence...
'I wonder what I'll do now... At the pace I'm going. I wouldn't need more than an hour to get all the martial arts I new to the level of pinnacle. Hell... What does that word even mean anymore?' Ayano scoffed at himself some more.
He had received a new passive that seemed to have given him a level of prodigy that was bordering on fictional... As the thoughts came, eventually, he began to re-imagined his two spars earlier. He exactly remembered how he had moved, thought and felt. It all came so naturally to him that it was almost eerie.
He was thinking in ways that was bordering on being supernatural. Counters, strikes, kicks, ducks, sways, elbows, etc. Each move that was in his mind almost became a reality... In fact, it was to the point that even his own body could hardly keep up with his own imagination in the fight.
'Strange... This passive of mine feels more like a curse, than a gift...'
Before he could think any further on it, he saw a familiar face up ahead...
'No way...!' He looked even closer, confirming his suspicions.
'It's that kid that told me about the casino...' Ayano realized, upping his pace in the process...
.
.
.
As he got closer, he slowly began to realize how pale and saddened the boy had looked now...
Much worse for ware than what he had remembered before. And, Ayano knew why... He remembered that the boy had been doing it to try and save up for his mother's betterment, but now? His number one source of making that kind of money was gone.
Ayano’s steps slowed as he approached.
The boy hadn’t noticed him yet. He just sat there, by the edge of the road, head down, arms resting over his knees. Same oversized hoodie. Same worn-out shoes. But he looked almost, smaller now.
If not thinner.
'Just what the hell happened between now and then...?' Ayano briefly thought.
It looked as if weight of life itself were pressing in just a little harder.
Ayano finally stopped a few feet away, asking;
"Hey… You alright?"
The boy blinked slowly and looked up.
There was a pause.
Then recognition...?
His lips parted, maybe to lie at first, or maybe to pretend like everything was fine, but nothing came out. Ayano couldn't pin point it...
Instead, he sat down next to him without asking.
They didn’t speak for a bit. Just sat in the quiet... Before he knew it, the kid he met began speaking;
"…I-I don’t know what to do anymore..." The boy finally muttered, his tone was barely above a mutter.
Ayano didn’t respond right away.
He could hear it. The way the boy’s breath caught between words. The kind of shaking that came when you’d tried everything, and none of it worked.
"I tried… I really tried. I thought that maybe, if I could just get ahead a little, just one more game, one more payout... I could handle it. But now... I can’t even get that anymore."
His fists clenched as he spoke, but softened.
"Heheh…I was gonna use that money to get her to a real hospital, ya' know...? Somewhere that isn’t just keeping her alive out of pity."
His voice cracked at the edges.
"They said she has maybe a year. A year. If I can keep paying. But I can’t even do that. No one wants to hire someone like me. I’ve got nothing man... no grades, no papers, nothing. Just debt. Just... fucking shame!"
Ayano heard his frustration, but didn’t interrupt.
The boy’s shoulders shook slightly. He buried his face in the crook of his arm.
"…I’m... I'm so tired, man. I didn’t think it’d feel this cold when everything around you stops. But it does. And now... I've just been sitting here. Like a complete idiot."
Ayano huffed, looking up ahead. His eyes were steady, but inside, his thoughts were grinding at him...
This kid didn’t need a speech. He didn’t need encouragement. He needed a lifeline...
Ayano knew all too well about that last bit... He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
"…What’s your name?"
The boy blinked through blurry eyes: "It's... Takeru."
Ayano nodded: "Alright, Takeru... From now on, let's make say we make a deal..."
Takeru turned around, slowly, asking: "Huh? What deal-"
"Just, listen first." Ayano calmly interjected.
Not knowing what else to do, the boy calmed himself, listening...
"Ayano continued: "If I manage to help you like I said I would have, can you promise me to continue trying?"
The boy froze: "...What?"
Ayano exhaled softly, instead;
"…What condition does your mom have?" Ayano asked quietly.
Takeru didn’t answer at first. His mouth opened slightly… then shut again...
His eyes dropped to the pavement.
"…It’s advanced nephropathy." He stated after a while, continuing: "It means that her kidneys are practically shutting down. They have been failing for a while now, but the meds and fluids they’ve been giving her-it’s just barely keeping her above water. That’s all."
He looked away, bitterly.
"She’s hooked up to machines most of the day... Heck, even her room smells like alcohol and bleach. She used to hum all the time, y’know? Random stuff... But, now? It’s just constant beeping."
The weight in his voice was like wet cloth... Both Heavy and stuck.
Ayano looked ahead once more, asking: "…May I see her?”
Takeru blinked: "Huh?"
"I’m not asking for much. I just want to see her."
Takeru hesitated. He looked confused. Almost suspicious. Then, slowly, he nodded. He didn't know why, but he also felt as if he could strangely trust the person in front of himself;
"I… Okay then... Follow me..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
The hospital wasn’t very far from where they were initially...
Ayano noticed that it seemed a bit old, by the look of it, at least given the architecture the world had. It was mid-rise building at best, with some concrete chipping near off the corners as we all paint having faded from sun and salt. He wouldn't say it was run-down… but it was definitely not cared for either.
Still, this was his first time seeing a hospital in the world. They looked similar enough...
Ayano continued to look around as they slowly stepped inside. There was mostly dim lighting, with the faint scent of antiseptic in the air, and something that smelled almost metallic too... The Reception was relatively quiet-only one nurse at the desk, head lowered as she scribbled something on a clipboard.
They approached. Takeru kept his hood up. His posture was oddly stiff-embarrassed, maybe? Or he was just tired of being here...
Ayano couldn't tell exactly.
He cleared his throat.
"Um… I’m here to see my mother." He said quietly, then added: "...I’m bringing someone with me as well."
The nurse glanced up, pen pausing. Her eyes flicked between them. Instantly realizing that these two couldn't possibly be related by blood. She sighed, saying;
"...Only family is allowed to visit during limited hours." She stated, flatly, continuing: "Is he a relative?"
Takeru froze.
"…N-No." He admitted.
'I knew it.' She thought.
The nurse looked like she was about to shut it down immediately. Her pen moved again.
Takeru suddenly stepped forward, a little more desperate now.
"Please-I'm begging you... just this once. I’m asking. He’s not family, but… please. I... I just need ten minutes."
The nurse stared at him...
He didn’t cry. Didn’t shake...
But, he did look tired.
The kind of exhaustion you couldn’t really fake even if you tried.
Ayano stood behind him, fairly silent. Watching...
Finally, the nurse let out a small breath, lowering her clipboard in the process...
"Alright…Ten minutes. Please, make it quick. I could lose y job doing this"
Takeru's eyes widened, and he bowed deeply;
"T-Thank you. Thank you so much!"
Ayano offered a nod of gratitude as well.
They moved past the desk together, shoes clicking softly on the vinyl floor as they followed the hallway signs.
Neither of them spoke to each to other.
The air got colder the further they went. Brighter lights. Cleaner smell. Monitors beeping faintly from behind closed curtains.
Ayano’s pace slowed as they reached the room number, 52...
Takeru had stepped in first with Ayano following behind.
And there-beneath pale sheets, thin tubes, and the low rhythm of a heart monitor-was the woman he’d heard about only in passing.
She was sleeping. Skin pale. Breathing shallow.
'So... this is what she looks like...? She's much worse off than I thought she would be... This person, it doesn't even look like she'll make it past this month, much less a year. Could they be lying?' Ayano thought to himself.
"This is pretty much what I see almost every other day..." Takeru said, snapping Ayano from his thoughts.
He stepped a little closer to the bed, his hands in his pockets. The faint hiss of oxygen, the soft beep of machines—it all blended together into one slow rhythm. Her face was gaunt. Skin drawn tight across the cheekbones. Every breath looked like it took effort.
She had looked so, fragile.
So human...
'This might be a long shot... But, it's the only thing that'll make me keep my end of the bargain...' Ayano thought.
He quickly called forth for his status, looking at all the skills he had, with one in particular standing out from the rest.
'The Stamp of Approval, if I'm recalling correctly, it said it can make me share my passives, but how do I-' Ayano couldn't even finish the thought before he heard the system notifying him once again.
PING!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{To use this ability, one must stamp unto the designated target. Stamp placement is located on player's right arm, in their palm. The player must also select which passives they will stamp unto the target as well. However, each passive passed unto the target will double the energy cost. Duration of the skill lasts for an hour...}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before he could say anything, Ayano soon felt a tingling sensation on his hand, before it quickly faded away. When he looked down, he could see a blue glowing marking...
'So... all I have to do is to touch her...?' He thought, however...
"Takeru... I need you to step out for a minute... It'll only take a second." Ayano turned and said to him.
Takeru blinked, asking: "Huh? Why...?"
Ayano turned his gaze toward him. Calm. Serious.
"…Just trust me."
There wasn’t anything in his tone that suggested harm, but there was something firm. Certain.
Takeru hesitated, his eyes flicking to his mother, then back to Ayano. A few seconds passed.
"I… Alright..." He said quietly, and stepped out, pulling the door closed behind him...
Ayano let out a slow breath.
He turned back toward the bed.
Her breathing was faint. The kind where you could barely tell if her chest was rising or falling. The color in her lips was pale... She looked like she was being held together by the machines alone.
He stepped forward, carefully.
The glow in his palm pulsed faintly...
Ayano hovered his hand over her for a second longer… Then gently pressed his palm to the side of her arm.
The warmth of skin met the glow.
There was a soft, hum...
PING!
{Select Passive/s to Transfer:
- Absolute Talent [Transcended]
-
Martial-Arts-Mastery
-
Recovery
-
Critical Hit
-
Energy Manipulation
-
Circulation of Light
-
Weapon-Mastery
-
Training-Mastery
-
Circulation of Purity
'It might be a long shot, but... Select Circulation of Purity, Recovery and Circulation of Light.' He mentally willed.
The moment he thought so, he saw her body moving...
In a mere matter of moments, he breathing, that felt shallow, now looked full and filled with vitality. Her skin which as deathly pale? I had slowly began regaining it's color. He could almost feel her returning to life.
Ayano watched in silence.
The glow faded from his palm. His breathing slowed as a result...
But hers?
It had stabilized.
The monitor beside her beeped steadily now. Each tone spaced perfectly. The tension in her muscles relaxed. Her chest rose without strain. And her face, once tight with pain, had softened. Almost peaceful.
He blinked once.
'…It... It worked.'
He didn’t know what to feel. Relief, maybe.
The System hadn't spat out any achievement notifications...
Just, this.
A life no longer fading in front of him...
Ayano slowly stepped back.
His hand felt warm still, but the glow had gone. The blue marking on his palm had faded completely...
He looked at her one last time.
Then, he turned to the door.
.
.
.
Takeru was standing just outside, still clutching the edge of his sleeve like a nervous child;
'Just... What is going on in there...?' He thought, nervously...
*Click~*
Ayano opened the door, slowly...
"She’s okay..." He reassured.
Takeru looked on and blinked, confused: "What…?"
Ayano stepped aside, firmly grabbing the boy's shoulders in the process, saying: "Never tell anyone what you saw today, Takeru..."
The in boy question swiftly nodded, and moved off before he could say anything else, rushing in. And as his eyes landed on his mother, his breath caught.
"No way..."
His knees nearly gave out. He caught himself on the side of the bed, hand trembling as he looked at her. He didn’t speak. He just couldn’t...
She was, breathing... He couldn't believe it: "How... How... Did..."
Takeru could see it, there was actual color in her cheeks again...
"Hey! H-How did you!-"
Takeru's eyes widened the moment he turned around... Causing him to pause mid sentence...
The person who had just helped him?
"No way... He's... He's, gone..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 82: Realization... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, At Eli's Residence... ~
.
.
.
"I... What? You both expect me to believe Ayano did such a thing?" Eli asked incredulously.
Jihan simply nodded in response at the question.
In fact, the elder wasn’t even smiling. There was no smugness in his expression either. Just certainty.
Eli seeing this, stared for a few seconds longer, then he leaned back into the worn wooden chair, fingers steepled under his chin;
"...You're serious." He stated, rubbing his temple.
"I wouldn't come to you with something this wild if I wasn't." Jihan replied, arms now folded.
Jay was also there, standing quietly near the wall, his eyes cast downward, still replaying the entire spars in his head.
"...The boy achieved dual-path manifestation within minutes." Jihan then continued: "Not only that, but one of the forms was entirely his own. No mimicry at all. No tracing the footsteps of another. It... Was his own expression of the art, clear as day."
Eli’s brows furrowed in the process, not sure how to process this.
“…That shouldn’t be possible..."
"I... I know." Jihan retorted..
Eli glanced towards Jihan, asking: "...And you’re telling me this happened... during a, light spar?"
"_Not even five minutes in_" Jay interjected.
Eli looked between them, then slowly stood, pacing once around the room before stopping at the window.
The garden outside was still...
Quiet wind shifting the petals of his lilies.
"Wait for a moment... Has the boy shown any signs of instability?" Eli asked after a long pause.
Jihan raised an eyebrow: "...Instability?"
"You said he achieved both forms of a path... Simultaneously?" Eli said it questioningly, before turning his slightly, staring off in the distance for a bit, continuing;
“...If you're right... That kind of development, especially in such a short timeframe, usually shatters one's foundation. It should even scramble his instincts for a bit, or at least rupture his overall flow, even if it was for a short period of time. You can't possibly just re-organize your own martial language that quickly without a form of consequence... It's just not how it works." Eli added. This was his input from decades of seeing paths in person. This was his own experience.
Jihan was silent for a moment, before calmly responding;
"I… That’s what I honestly thought too. Even I can't and still don't fully believe what I saw today. It happened so suddenly that I..."
Jihan exhaled, continuing: "Regardless... The boy was stable... Scarily so even. Even his fighting instincts were… Hell, I don’t know how else to even put it. It's as if he's responding before the stimulus even finishes... If that even makes sense... From what I recalled today, He wasn't just reacting anymore, he was actively preempting my every move."
"_He's right Eli... To my surprise, Keiji had kept Jihan on his toes the entire fight, despite having Jihan better the greater physicals..._" Jay added softly before continuing once again;
"_But, I know that look when I had fought him... It definitely wasn’t the look of having, experience..._" Jay finished, remembering how his student fought.
Eli looked at both of them for a moment, before turning his gaze out the window again...
'Ayano... Just what have you done?' Eli thought to himself, his eyes narrowing skeptically. If all of this was true, Ayano was more than just a prodigy. He was a super genius, amongst even genius. No, he was a talent that had no boundaries...
Realizing this, Eli slowly looked at his friends, one last time: "Then all this means is that we'll just have to cultivate the boy properly... We need to push the boy even harder. As soon as the rest get here, we'll have to discuss how we'll make his training hellish... If he somehow overcomes even that, then..."
Jihan ears perked up hearing that last phrase, asking: "Then, what?"
Eli smiled folding his arms behind his back, surprising the both of them: "Then? We simply send the boy to them... And trust me, If they see him, they'll never even think of turning someone of his caliber back."
.
.
.
.
.
PING!
Ayano's eyes narrowed seeing the pop-up in front of his eyes, pleasantly surprised...
'Huh? What are the chances of this happening?' He thought.
-------------------------------------------
"HIDDEN QUEST COMPLETE: A man of your word...
REWARD: A new hidden passive...}
-------------------------------------------
As he looked forwards, Keiji saw a flash of light appear before himself...
'A card...?' Keiji thought.
He glanced at it reading it's description, saying;
'Reduction: Permanently halves the cooldown of all skills.'
When he finished reading it's contents, the card slowly disappeared into nothingness, then afterwards, it caused a warm sensation to spread through his body...
'...I don't think I'll ever get over that feeling, still, this skill isn't too bad either... Oh! And, thank you system. I guess, I am a man of my word.' Keiji thought, a bit proud of himself.
As soon as the thought passed however, he cautiously glanced around himself;
'Still, doing all this in broad daylight is a bit much... Though, no one's really around to begin with... Unless, maybe the system knew that already.' He mused.
Currently, he was sitting on a bench, slowly relaxing himself.
Ayano leaned back on the bench, resting his arm behind the edge. The sky had begun changing a little, since it was nearing mid-say, they sky was getting much brighter.
Coupled with the winds brushing lightly through the trees above, their shadows stretching long over the roads...
Peaceful.
Almost, too peaceful;
'Why the hell am I sitting here knowing that there's things left to be done...? I still haven't found out about the bully council I've heard about from that guys, Kai... I guess my best bet of finding them would be to just fight until I do, but that's not really productive, is it? Still, it does kill time...' Ayano pondered for a moment.
"Huff..." He glanced up into the sky, before finally thinking of something. He pulled out his phone, and dialed a number...
.
.
.
"Yeah hey, Sekai-san... I heard your mom owned an establishment... Sorry I called so suddenly, it's because I was a bit curious that's all... So, what's its name?"
There was a small pause from her end.
"…Right now? You’re calling me for that?" She responded, almost with a tinge of annoyance.
He leaned back into the bench, shifting slightly as the sun filtered through the trees overhead...
"Yeah... I know, I'm sorry... But, what’s it called? I'm honestly curious..."
Another small pause... He could almost hear her thinking through the other end of the line.
"…It’s called Raddish."
Raddish?
His brows lifted slightly...
'Wait? Raddish…?' He thought;
'Huh... I’m pretty sure I've heard of that name before...' He pondered.
He slowly leaned his head back, thinking: 'Yeah... A couple students were talking about it before lunch when I attended school. I believe they said it was a nice place if you had the money...'
Popular spot, apparently. I never paid it any mind. Honestly, I just figured it was one of those Instagram cafes where people took more pictures than bites.
"…So your mom runs that Raddish?"
"Yeah..." She replied, with a bit too much emphasis: "...Why? Is that a problem?"
"No! What!? No... It's Just that, I'm a bit surprised."
"Why? Because it’s too nice for someone like me?" She retorted, with fake hostility.
Ayano smirked realizing this, saying: "Eh~ Well... Just a little bit..."
"Eh! Ughh... You're so annoying!"
He smiled, saying: "Yet, here you are, still answering my call~"
"...I keep hoping one of them is you calling to apologize." She sounded a bit open when she responded.
"For what?" He asked, in a teasing tone.
"See!? This is exactly my point..."
He huffed through his nose, the corner of his mouth lifting just slightly.
"…So Raddish, huh?"
'That's, quite an interesting name to call a place...' He thought off-handedly.
"Yeah~ It’s not super fancy or anything, just… it's good food, chill vibes. We usually host live music sometimes... Mom has weird, yet oddly appealing taste in decor, most people actually seem to really like it."
"And, you work there?"
"Only when she askes me, I actually drop by a lot when I'm free."
"That... Actually explains, a lot."
"Excuse me???"
"Nothing." He corrected himself.
She went quiet for a second again.
"I'm curious, since you've been asking all these questions and all... Are you thinking of dropping by us, by any chance?" She suddenly asked. Hearing, he couldn't blame her line of thinking, especially since she was right on the mark.
"Well, let's just say... I'm thinking about it." Ayano answered, somewhat honestly.
"I see... Well, if you do come here, just don’t embarrass me when you get here."
"Wait a minute... Is... Is that your way of inviting me...?" He asked, slyly.
"No! It's just my way of warning you... Also... If you do decide to show up, it's located down by the third district, near the beach, you honestly can't really miss it." She responded.
He laughed quietly under his breath;
"…Well, thanks for the info." He thanked her.
"Hey... You’re not going there to cause any trouble, right...?" She asked. Almost intuitively knowing he'd be there.
"Hmm? Would I ever?"
"I... Well... I Guess you wouldn't..." She responded, almost defeated.
"Then I also guess... I’m quite, consistent."
"!!? He-BEEP!"
He ended the call before she could even retort.
.
.
.
'Raddish... I Guess I know where I’m heading next.' He thought.
He made his way there, taking his time.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 83: Raddish... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, Half an hour later... ~
.
.
.
The street wasn’t too crowded. The afternoon sunlight slipped between some of the buildings, bouncing off glass and soft concrete pavements as well. Ayano could be seen walking with his hands in his pockets, hoodie up to block out some of the heat, but it wasn't bad the faint breeze pulling at the edges of his hair.
'I'm glad it's pretty breezy... And that smell...' He thought, sniffing the air. The beach wasn't too far off in fact...
Gathering his thought, he made to double-check the directions once more, but when he saw the small metal sign half-tucked beside a weather-worn tree, he knew he’d found it...
Raddish...
His eyes widened a bit when he saw it in all it's glory... More so surprised by it's sheer architecture compared to everything else...
He glanced towards the side of it as well...
.
.
.
'Compared to everything else around it, this place was quite modern looking. to the extent that it's admittedly a bit, weird... But still, it looks a bit, cozy.' He internally remarked.
It didn’t look like all that much from the outside... But, he certainly appreciated it's design. A tall glass door, faint matte windows, and a narrow sign with fading greenish-gold decor which he also fancied. But he’d definitely heard people talking about it before and not in passing... Apparently, it had a bit of a reputation. Somewhere between upscale family spot, and hidden haven for regulars.
Ayano stepped closer, and lightly pushed the door open.
A soft chiming echoed...
The scent of something savory drifted out and hit him first, it was roasted garlic, maybe. Herbs. Something slow-cooked. The lighting was warm also, but low, and the atmosphere inside felt... quiet. Relaxed even. Like the room inhaled and exhaled with you.
'Damn... This place was both homely, and massive.' He noted.
Ayano glanced around slowly... Realizing that he was seeing some vaguely familiar faces. Ones he'd actually seen from his school days...
Not only that, most of said familiar faces were female workers, in fact, none of them were male. Not one.
'Strange, though... It's probably best if I kept myself a little hidden.' He thought, nudging his hoodie more over his face, then continued making his way forward...
.
.
.
"-Excuse me, sir…? Are you lost?"
The voice came from behind the bar-esq area... However, their tone wasn't one of unfamiliarity.
Ayano blinked, a bit surprised, before turning around.
"Oh! Youko-san...?" He said in a whisper on she could hear, recognizing the voice.
She smiled in return: "Good afternoon... I didn't expect to see you here."
Ayano nodded: "Haha... Yeah, it was kind of last minute on my end. I called Sekai-san and asked her about where I could find this place, and the rest is kind of history... Plus, I've got to say, you've got a good thing going on here." Ayano commended.
Youko smiled once more, saying: "Thank you for the compliment... Oh! We should probably find somewhere to seat ourselves. Just not anywhere near the piano booth. Those one’s are reserved. In the mean time, I'll get us both something to drink."
Before he could say anything, she had moved pass the bar like area again...
Instead, Ayano simply followed her gesture and nodded, picking a seat towards one of the windows, slightly tucked out of view. Just enough to stay out of notice, but still get a feel for the place...
The cushion was firm... The tables seemed like there were polished to a sheen. Even the background music wasn’t annoying-it was low, classical, with an almost nostalgic touch to it. After getting himself comfortable, he glanced around for a bit;
.
.
.
'No wonder why this place was so popular...' Ayano thought to himself, admiring the place in the process. He saw the view, and noticed that this place wasn't just a cafe, it was also a kind of mini-resort as well, for how much people? He didn't know exactly... Not that he cared.
Youko returned after a moment, placing a glass of what seemed like orange juice in front of him...
"Youko-san, you really didn't need t-" But, Ayano was cut off.
Youko waved her hand gently, cutting off his words before they fully landed.
"It’s just some juice... Think of it as me repaying you for... You know..." She said with a soft smile, continuing, huffing in the process: "...Also, not everything has to come with a bill you know." She said, almost scolding him a bit.
Ayano gave a small nod, leaning back into his seat. His gaze wandered again towards the open space just beyond the railing on the far side. The patio area...
Youko sat across from him in the meantime, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear...
"So~" She said, folding her hands neatly in her lap: "Why the sudden interest in visiting Raddish? Or is this more about Sekai than it is about food?"
Ayano huffed lightly: "Honestly speaking... Can’t it be both?" He had truly wanted to spend some more time with both Sekai and Youko... Their first official meeting was, well, not so ideal... The second didn't truly count, at least in his eyes... So instead, he wanted to make it up to them both on this one as well.
She raised an eyebrow, a bit amused: "I guess... it can."
He tilted his head: "Truthfully speaking... I’ve just heard a lot about this place… Mostly classmates and people around saying it’s a where you go when you want to treat yourself without feeling like a tourist. Not only that, ever since our little talk, I was also curious about the business you claimed you owned."
Youko chuckled softly at his remarks: "That’s honestly probably the nicest backhanded compliment I’ve heard today."
"Sorry... I really meant it in a good way." He clarified.
Youko smiled in understanding: "Oh, I know."
There was a bit of a brief silence between them...
Youko quickly broke said silence, asking: "...You know." She slowly said, her eyes narrowing slightly in thought: "You’re different from when I first met you... I'd say you seem a lot more, composed..."
Ayano didn’t answer right away. He tapped the edge of the glass once;
"…I guess so."
Youko studied him for a beat longer, then slowly stood up again: "Hmm... Wait here."
He smiled, saying: "Where would I go?"
She gave him a look, then turned and slipped back into the staff area...
Ayano glanced out the window again. From here, the ocean really was in full view. Crashing in the distance but sounding far away... almost like the world was watching from behind glass.
'The sea... it's really a sight to behold, actually... It kind of reminds me of-' But his thoughts were cut off.
"-Here."
Youko had returned with a plate this time. A small stream of steam rose-up from it, and the scent hit immediately. It was rich and savory. Something roasted, and something slightly sweet on the edges as well...
"Compliments of the kitchen." She added, carefully setting it down.
He blinked: "...I didn’t even order anything yet."
"Don't worry... You didn’t need to. You look like you haven’t eaten anything decent all day." She retorted with a smile.
"I… Well... Who am I kidding? You're not even wrong." He mumbled.
She smirked knowingly.
Ayano picked up the fork, eyeing the dish, asking;
"…Is this curry pork belly?" Recognizing the dish from a recipe book he had at home.
"Oh, yes... Something like that." She answered.
After smelling it, he took a bite, slowly dining.
However, on the other hand Youko carefully admired him doing so...
'Hmm... I'm not even sure if Ayano-kun even realizes it... but, he's very handsome... If I'm being honest with myself, I feel as if I could look at him all day and not get tired. Especially for those blue eyes of his... It feels like... like I'm staring at the depths of the sea...' Youko thought.
Her eyes roamed his form as well, and her thoughts quickly followed;
'Even under his clothing, it's clear he's quite fit as well... A lot of exercise?'
Youko’s thoughts drifted as she watched Ayano chew thoughtfully, still focused on the dish... She noticed how his posture was relaxed, but there was also this quiet poise to him, like someone who never truly let his guard down, even when he seemed at complete ease...
She blinked once and looked away, brushing her hair back again;
'…What am I doing? He’s still just a student...' She internally chided herself.
But, her gaze swiftly flicked back to him anyways. There was just something about the boy that made it hard to look away. Not just for his his looks, but also his quiet intensity. The kind that didn’t come from confidence, but a sense of control as well.
Ayano didn’t seem to notice her lingering glance... Or, if he had, he said nothing about it.
Instead, he placed the fork down softly and leaned back.
"That was really good." He finally admitted, voice casual but honest: "... It tasted like something that actually took time."
Youko shook and tilted her head: "I... Uhm, yes!" She caught herself, before *eheming*: "That’s the idea! Everything we serve is made to order."
"Right… That explains the flavor." He looked down at the plate again for a second, as if committing it to memory.
There was a small pause before he added;
"…I needed that, more than I realized."
Youko gave a slow smile in response: "...Then, I’m more than glad you came."
He nodded, his fingers tapping once against the table.
"You know... I think you might need to go... We're... Or, rather you, are getting some, stares..." He whispered to her.
Sure enough... a few dozen eyes had turned in their direction... Some curious. Some subtly narrowing instead. A couple of the female staff by the far counter pretended to keep busy, but she caught the way one of them leaned a little closer, whispering something to the other...
Ayano didn’t bother to comment on it any further.
He just raised his glass again, sipping the juice, seemingly unfazed.
Youko on the other hand exhaled softly, then leaned in slightly with a faint smile: "Well…You're most certainty not doing me any favors while looking like that, especially while sitting by the window."
Ayano hearing her, it took a little while for him to fully comprehend the underlying meaning.
'Well... Uh...' He internally short-circuited for a moment.
A bit surprised by the compliment? He responded: "I'm... Sorry...?"
After a moment, Youko smiled and rose to her feet once again, slyly saying;
"Oh, it's fine... I’ve got to get back to work..." She added, checking her watch: "...Unfortunately, my lunch hour’s almost over as well..."
Saying such, she had left, leaving Ayano to himself...
'I guess I should call Sekai over...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 84: Raddish-Ing...? (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, a few minutes after... ~
.
.
.
He reached into his hoodie pocket and pulled out his phone again, typing a quick message;
[I’m at Raddish. Thought I’d drop by after our call. If you’re nearby, come by. There's no rush if you can't make it.]
He didn’t really expect a reply right away, but the screen lit up with those three bouncing dots almost immediately.
[You’re here?? I’m literally downstairs... Stay right there!!]
He blinked. Quickly adding that there was a downstairs section in his database...
'Well, that was... fast.'
And sure enough, about thirty seconds later, the soft rhythm of footsteps echoed through the wood-paneled hallway between the kitchen and dining area. Then, there she was-sliding around the corner in her dress, cheeks slightly flushed as well.
"Ayano-kun!"
She didn’t really shout, but her voice still rang out... Familiar. Bright. And oddly a little breathless as well...
Hearing, Keiji turned in his seat to face her fully;
"Yo."
Sekai stood there for a second, clearly trying to maintain some composure, even though her eyes practically lit up. She brushed her bangs out of her face and stepped closer, tucking a stray lock behind her ear in the same motion her mother had done just moments before.
"Geez! You could’ve told me earlier..." She said, lightly scolding: "I would’ve at least saved you something from the kitchen."
He waved it off: "It's fine actually. Youko-san already beat you to it." Ayano replied, motioning to the mostly empty plate in front of him.
She raised an eyebrow: "Wait… Mom cooked for you? And she personally brought you food...?"
"Well, it kind of just happened. I honestly didn’t really get the chance to say no." He said, truthfully.
Sekai laughed, genuine and light...
However, she promptly stopped, saying: "That’s... rare. Even the regulars don’t get that kind of treatment, not unless they’ve known her for a couple of years. Even then, it's still rare...”
Ayano leaned back a little, shrugging, not really thinking much of it: "Huh... Guess I’m kind of special, then..."
'This isn't typical of Okaa-san to do...' Sekai thought, noting it away for the moment.
She paused for a moment, then gave a complicated expression: "...Maybe you are."
However, there was something warm in the way she said it, despite her expression... Not teasing. Rather... sincere.
She pulled out the chair across from him and sat down, resting her chin in her hand, elbow on the table.
"Soo... Do you like the place?” She asked, glancing around around as well.
"I do, actually." Ayano said without hesitation: "More than I thought I would to be honest."
"Yeah… I guess it has that effect on people..." Sekai replied, looking out toward the sea: "It’s like the world slows down here or something."
Ayano didn’t say anything at first. He just watched her...
Even the way the sun hit her hair...
The faint scent of vanilla, and sea breeze that clung to her dress...
How her fingers tapped idly against the table, completely unaware of themselves.
Then he looked away, clearing his throat gently, asking;
"…So, how long’ve you worked here...? If you have of course."
"Well... Since first year,” Sekai answered casually, continuing: "Weekends mostly. I help around with the prep sometimes, too. Mom trusts me enough not to burn water anymore." She said, more so mumbling the last bit.
Ayano cracked a faint grin: "That's one hell of a high bar."
"Hey!-" She huffed, flicking a sugar packet at him from across the table: "I’ll have you know I’ve made ramen from scratch before!"
He smiled: "Oh really? You do know that instant noodles don’t count, right?"
"Heresy!" She exclaimed.
They both chuckled at that.
Making small talk...
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Youko, you're sister is having a bit of trouble getting her motorcycle-thingy out again..." One of the female worker's commented.
Youko turned around: "Oh no..." She mumbled: "Not again... Noan, could you please tell her I'll be out there soon?"
Noan smiled thoughtfully...
.
.
.
"Will do." She said, leaving.
'Wait... What day is it today...? Nishi and the other might not even be here to help us out this time...' Youko wondered, grumbling in the process...
Now she was thinking who'd be able to help her out of her mess this time.
.
.
.
From her spot near the bar, Youko glanced over toward the corner booth again, where Ayano and Sekai were still chatting quietly. They looked comfortable… Almost too comfortable.
She exhaled softly;
'They really do get along well…' She thought to herself, briefly amused by the faint way Sekai was smiling... Almost like a child.
Her thoughts didn’t linger too long though, as the moment reminded her of the small crisis waiting outside...
The motorcycle again... Her sister had been working on this so-called project for a few weeks now... At these times, she had wished her slightly younger sister wasn't so gifted in science and gadgetry.
'The things we do for family...' Youko thought and huffed, tiredly.
Her fingers tapped the tray in her hands once, eyes narrowing slightly as she considered her options for a moment.
There weren’t many.
But then, her gaze slowly returned to Ayano once again...
Casual posture, relaxed shoulders, strong, quietly observant... capable.
That last word stuck.
He wasn’t just strong, she inferred that much. There was this, reliability about him-one you didn’t teach. You just noticed.
Her lips curved faintly as she made up her mind...
.
.
.
.
.
.
She made her way towards the both of them.
"Sorry to interrupt." She began as she reached their table, her tone apologetic but light.
Sekai looked up: "Oh...! Okaa-san... What’s wrong?"
Youko gave her daughter a small smile before glancing toward Ayano;
"…Would you mind helping me with something, Ayano-kun?"
He blinked once, then nodded almost immediately: "Sure... If it's something I can help with."
"You don’t even know what it is yet..." Sekai muttered under her breath, with somewhat of a complicate tone.
He smiled faintly: "It's fine. I trust your mother's judgment."
Youko’s smile deepened slightly at that, before gesturing toward the side entrance: "It’s nothing too serious. Just my younger sister having a bit of trouble with her motorcycle. Again."
"…Oh." Sekai said, realizing: "Again again?"
"Mhm." Youko hummed.
However, Ayano's ears perked up hearing the word Motorcycle.
'No way... It can't be, right!?' He thought to himself.
He stood from his seat and adjusted his hoodie slightly.
"Oh... Please, lead the way."
As he followed her toward the outer walkway, the sea breeze hit a little stronger this time...
Youko glanced over her shoulder once, whispering;
"…Thank you."
"It’s nothing." He stated.
"No… really. Thank you." She added again.
Ayano didn’t say anything back this time. But he caught the way her voice dipped just slightly on that last part...
.
.
.
As the glass doors slid shut behind them and the patio gave way to the open side lot near the back of the lounge, Ayano’s eyes caught it immediately.
And he stopped walking.
A motorcycle...
But not just any motorcycle-this thing was a relic and a beast all in one. Low frame. Twin exhaust. Stretched matte-hot red body with silver accents. It looked like a custom build straight out of the early 2000s, the kind of design you'd find in collector forums back in his old world.
His eyes traced the lines of the fuel tank, the exposed suspension, the minimalistic dashboard and analog dials. Analog!
'No way… This is a classic. It looks like something off an old Honda CB chassis... but customized like a modern cafe racer. That's… impossible.'
In this world, even regular four-wheel vehicles were a luxury few could afford. Cars were expensive, borderline impractical. The infrastructure for them barely existed... Roads were used more for bikes, personal trams, or foot traffic than anything else. Mass production of engines wasn’t common either, mostly reserved for government contracts or black-market mechanics.
And yet, right here, in broad daylight, a girl was practically wrestling with one like it was an overdue science project.
The Motorcycle looked nearly finished, too. If anything, it just needed some tuning, at best.
Beside it, a slightly shorter girl with oddly gentle, yet sharp features and short brown hair similarly youthful, mature and beautiful features resembling Youko crouched near the rear wheel, expression screwed into a mix of frustration, happiness and determination...
A heavy-duty wrench rested in one hand wearing a yellow dress, scuffed boots and red jacket...
.
.
.
"Youkoooooo!" She groaned out loud: "I told you the ramp’s off again!"
Youko exhaled softly, calling back with a faint smile: "Don’t shout! I brought help."
The girl turned, eyes narrowing curiously as they landed on Ayano. She blinked for a moment;
"…You brought a guy?" She tried to get a good look at him, but his hoodie was in the way...
Youko just chuckled, unfazed: "Not just a guy... But, a very strong one."
The girl huffed and crossed her arms skeptically.
Ayano, for his part, said nothing at all. He walked over slowly, his gaze lingering on the motocylce again.
Every bolt was handcrafted. The exhaust bends were welded with care, and the engine casing… Hand-forged aluminum?
He crouched near the wheel, still staring and asking;
"Is it stuck?"
"…Mostly. The ramp’s uneven. And this thing weighs like, what? Five hundred poun-" She started.
But Ayano didn’t wait. He adjusted his grip on the rear frame, squatted slightly, and-
Lifted.
With absolute ease, the rear tire rose clean off the slope without even a grunt from him.
She blinked: "What the?-"
He held it steadily, looking back over his shoulder;
"You can push it now."
"I... How...?" She muttered, but moved without complaint, guiding the front wheel carefully as the machine glided off the slope and onto even ground.
As soon as it touched down, Ayano lowered it gently, stepping back.
The girl eyed him again. Not quite suspicious now, but… intrigued.
"…You’re pretty strong, aren't you? And oddly useful too..."
Ayano shrugged: "I... try my best..."
Then, curiosity got the better of him. He tilted his head slightly, gaze flicking to the tools scattered nearby.
"…You building this from scratch?" He asked.
The girl smirked faintly, a little pride breaking through the initial irritation;
"Mhmm... It's just a prototype build though. Half of these parts are hand-cut and welded together. The engine alone was a nightmare to piece together from scrap, though. Still doesn’t run clean."
Ayano nodded slowly.
"Where’d you even learn how to build something like this?"
She gave a small shrug, then glanced at Youko, as if deflecting the question.
"I mostly taught Myself..." She answered vaguely.
Youko smiled faintly from the side: "Well, she’s been pulling apart machines since she was six... Back then it was our rice cooker. Now it’s these things, apparently."
Ayano’s brows lifted slightly at that.
'Still... In a world without much vehicles... She built this just for what? Fun?' He thought.
He looked at the motorcycle one more time.
And silently he felt, genuinely impressed by the build.
The girl tapped the frame twice with her knuckles, almost affectionately, then turned to Ayano with a more curious expression now.
"…Name’s Rin, by the way... Rin Inou."
Ayano gave a short nod in return.
"Keiji Ayano."
Rin tilted her head slightly at that, as if recognizing the name from somewhere… but chose not to comment.
Instead, Ayano stepped a bit closer to the machine again, eyes narrowing slightly with interest: "…Do you mind if I take a closer look? With your permission, of course."
Rin gave a mock squint, hands planted on her hips now: "Hmm...? You are a bit more interested than I expected." She said this because most don't even know half of what they were doing, and he genuinely seemed like he was interested, which was quite rare for her to experience.
She paused for a moment, then grinned.
"But if you’re gonna get that familiar with her, I need to know who I’m working with." Rin said, slyly.
In a small instant, she stepped closer, reaching up-and without any form of warning, and pulled his hoodie back a bit to get a clearer look at his face.
Her eyes widened slightly... In fact, her eyes gleamed...
'W-Woah...!' That's all Rin could even think.
.
.
.
Youko, who had been watching from the side, simply sighed with a knowing expression. Instantly recognizing that look from her younger sister;
'Of course... She’s always been weak to handsome guys…' Youko thought.
She folded her arms, watching the scene unfold like it was some well-worn play she’d already seen before.//
Ayano blinked a few times, a bit confused, then rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, asking;
"…I’ll take that as a yes?"
Rin turned away quickly, clearing her throat...
"I... I... Yeah... Y-Yeah-go ahead. But, don’t mess with the wiring near the throttle... She’s… a bit, temperamental."
Ayano crouched beside the bike again, his fingers gliding across the frame with a practiced eye.
"…This frame's reinforced with tungsten piping?"
Rin blinked: "Wait…You figured that out just by touching it?"
"I’ve worked with alloys before." He replied casually, then added: "Though, mostly in training weights and grips." That was the half truth. Back in his old world, he worked as a mechanic for vehicles for a few years by his uncle's side, picking up a few bit of knowledge.
That answer only made her squint even harder.
"Huh… You’re oddly knowledgeable for someone your age..."
Ayano didn’t reply-he was already half-lost in the mechanical craftsmanship, admiring the sheer effort that went into each mod. Even the bolts had been countersunk with precision. And the internal compartments? Compact, intentional, tight.
"Who helped you with this?"
Rin gave a faint smile: "…Nobody. It’s kind of my mess to finish."
She looked oddly proud at that;
Ayano nodded again, respect clear in his tone.
"…Well, it’s a damn impressive mess."
That made her laugh-sharp, real.
"You’re not too bad yourself there, Keiji."
Youko just stood off to the side now, chin resting lightly in her palm, watching her sister slowly get flustered the more Ayano spoke.
'Oh no... She’s already halfway folded. Unbelievable...' Youko shook her head faintly, then turned her gaze toward the sky.
The sea breeze had picked up again... And as the sun leaned further west, the shadows stretched just a little longer across the courtyard.
"Hey Youko, you can go if you want... I'll stay here for a little while. Maybe half an hour tops...?" Ayano said.
"R-Really?" Youko added, a bit surprised.
When she looked to the side, Rin had smiled teasingly, waving off her older sister without saying a word.
"Y-You sure?" Youko asked again, with her eyes twitching unknowingly, her tone a mix of amusement and mild suspicion as well...
Ayano nodded once: "Yeah. I don’t mind sticking around a bit longer… It's been a while since I’ve seen craftsmanship like this. Besides, I’ve got nothing pressing right now."
Youko gave a soft smile at that: "Oh... Alright then. Just make sure she doesn’t rope you into rewiring half the circuit board. She tends to forget people aren’t used to her... projects."
"Hey!" Rin called out from behind the frame, not even bothering to look up: "I heard that!"
Youko rolled her eyes, smirking faintly: "You were meant to."
With a last glance between the two of them, she turned and made her way back through the glass door, the soft jingle echoing behind her as the restaurant swallowed her up again.
.
.
.
Rin stretched once, arms rising up over her head before she dropped down into a squat beside Ayano.
"She's so dramatic sometimes..." She muttered.
"She seems like she cares a lot though." Ayano said, still tracing the wiring near the throttle carefully continuing without taking his eyes off of it: "In a good way."
"...Tch... I guess." Rin said, looking off. Knowing it was true as well.
There was a pause between them...
Ayano broke it eventually, tapping a small bracket under the seat: "Hey... This could be reinforced better. Mind if I...?"
"You know what? Be my guest." Rin said, sliding a small toolkit toward him: "Let’s see what this mystery guy's made of."
.
.
.
As Ayano leaned into the work, Rin found herself watching again... This time, much more carefully.
Not the usual type of watching she gave to other people. There was something different about how Ayano moved-every motion off his was calm, yet oddly purposeful. Not even a bit of wasted effort on his end either. No trying to show off too.
She... She liked that.
Most of the guys she knew had always tried too hard to please her, and it made it a bit obvious. She found it endearing at first, but it was just to get in her pants...
On the other hand, he wasn’t even trying at all. And, if he was, he's champ at hiding it.
'…He really doesn’t realize it, huh?' She thought, eyes slowly yet swiftly drifting to his jawline, the slight shadow beneath his cheekbone, the clean way his hair swept just behind his ear.
'And those eyes… Damn... No wonder Onee-san’s being weird lately... It must've been because of him.' Rin thought.
She caught herself staring and quickly coughed, looking away...
Ayano looked up briefly, curious;
"Uhmm... You okay?"
"Fine! Just-uh, swallowed air or something, hehe..." She muttered, clearing her throat a bit too quickly.
"...You swallowed air?" Ayano deadpanned.
"I-I... Just don't question it."
He smiled lightly, then returned to tightening the bracket.
"You're weird..." She mumbled under her breath, half to herself.
"Hmm?" He wondered.
"Nothing."
.
.
.
Another ten minutes passed in comfortable silence. The sea wind had shifted slightly again, brushing warm air across the open lot. Somewhere in the background, a bell rang as someone left the café.
Ayano finally stood up, brushing off his hands.
"It should hold a bit better now..." He said.
Rin walked over and gave the frame a gentle nudge with her hip. Solid. The back end didn’t so much as shift.
"Wow... that’s actually way better than before." She turned to him, giving him a sideways glance: "Okay mister, color me impressed."
"You can just say thank you." He said flatly.
"Hmm... I could." She teased, smirking.
Ayano shook his head faintly but didn’t argue. He glanced down at the build again, his fingers briefly brushing the throttle line.
"...Still think you might need to adjust the mix valve too. She sounds like she's choking a bit mid-curve."
"Right?? I told my sister that earlier!" Rin exclaimed, slightly vindicated. But to Youko's defense, she didn't have a single clue about any of this, and Ayano know as much.
Instead, he gave a short laugh, then stepped back.
"Well... Thanks for letting me poke around."
"Thanks for not blowing anything up."
He looked at her for a second.
Rin blinked;
"What?"
"Sorry... it's nothing. Just... you're different from what I expected."
She raised an eyebrow: "And what did you expect?"
He tilted his head. "I don’t know… Just not someone building something like this in their sister’s restaurant courtyard."
Rin paused, then shrugged: "I... Fair enough."
Ayano took a few steps back, cracking his neck lightly.
"I should probably head back in before Sekai thinks I ran off."
Rin chuckled: "Yeah, no offense to my niece, but she definitely strikes me as the clingy type."
He blinked: "She’s not… that clingy. I think."
"Mmhm." Rin hummed.
They stood there for a second longer...
Then Rin leaned slightly against the bike, arms crossed;
"...You know what, you’re kind of alright, Keiji Ayano."
He gave a soft smile;
"Honestly... You’re not so bad yourself, Rin Inou."
He stood up, ready to leave, however he was stopped;
"Hey..." Rin called out, her voice not quite as sharp as before. There was a slight hesitation in it. A soft drop.
He turned slightly, glancing at her from over his shoulder.
"If you don’t mind..." She continued, scratching the back of her neck, eyes darting for a second before settling back on him: "...Well... you can come by again sometime. It’ll be faster with helping hands, you know?"
There was a small pause... The breeze blew past them again, ruffling the edge of her jacket.
"...And I mean." She added quickly: "Not just for this. You... Talk easy. That’s kind of rare for me."
Ayano blinked once. Then nodded once in understanding, slowly smiling as well;
"Of course! I wouldn't want to miss building one of these for the world."
Rin smiled faintly at that. One of those rare, real ones that didn’t quite reach the lips but was honest anyway;
"Good."
He gave a small two-fingered wave and began walking back toward the side entrance.
.
.
.
She watched him walk off, hoodie slightly tugged back, with his dark hair catching the light just a little too perfectly...
She blinked slowly...
"Oh... Damn it. Damn it. Damn it...!" She muttered, cursing to, and at herself.
Her gaze drifted toward the now-reinforced frame, then back toward the door he’d disappeared into. She bowed her head slumping, whilst blushing;
"I think I'm gonna be in some deep trouble..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 85: She's Pissed...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Ayano made his way back towards the inside...
'I kept her waiting for half an hour. I just hope she isn't up-' His thought were cut short instantly.
Sekai was seated exactly where he'd left her, but now leaning forward, one arm on the desk, her cheek resting on the other hand. She raised an eyebrow when she saw him, expression unreadable at first.
Then...
"You were gone for quite a while, mister..."
Her tone wasn’t sharp, but it had a certain weight behind it...
Like someone who had just finished waiting out a storm, or it was storm brewing... A.K.A, she was very upset.
Ayano scratched the side of his neck lightly, moving back to the booth;
"Sorry... Sekai-san. I Kind of got pulled into something..." He admitted.
Sekai didn’t say anything for a second. Her eyes flicked toward the small bag in his hand-the one Rin had handed off last minute. Inside, the faint rattle of tools could be heard.
"...Let me guess. You helped fixed it?"
He blinked: "Well, I just lifted it... That’s all. Kind of..."
She stared at him for a long second before sighing: "...You're lucky you're good at this whole humble act, kind of."
He gave a soft smile, and slid back into his seat across from her. His gaze briefly passed over the table-a clean, folded napkin, a fork, and now a small plate that hadn’t been there before;
"Oh...? Is that chocolate cake?" He asked.
Sekai looked proud for half a second-then immediately backpedaled.
"Before you say anything, no, I didn't bake it." She clarified reluctantly, but quickly: "Okaa-san had it in the back... I just, uh, stole it from the fridge when she wasn’t looking."
Ayano raised an eyebrow, amused: "Stealing from your own mom's fridge?"
"I wouldn't call it stealing, Baka! It was either that or make something myself... And, we both know how that would've gone." She admitted once again.
He nodded somewhat solemnly: "What... Mass casualties?"
"Worse. Raw eggs and just, disappointment..." Sekai said, no longer trying to fight her fate.
He chuckled, and reached for the fork, cutting into the slice with practiced ease. The cake was soft-fluffy even-topped with the lightest touch of powdered sugar. He slowly took a bite...
Then paused mid-chew;
"...Okay. This is actually amazing."
Sekai smiled: "I told you. If there's one thing I can do, it's raid a fridge with precision."
He gave a soft exhale, leaning back just a little.
The ocean breeze snuck in through the side vents, the café lighting shifting slightly as the sun began its slow descent toward the waterline. Golden hour...
Ayano glanced at Sekai once again.
She wasn’t looking at him directly now-her gaze wandered toward the window, where sunlight danced against the horizon;
"...You seemed like you were having fun." She asked, murmuring.
He blinked: "Hmm?"
"Back there... With my auntie, Rin."
He tilted his head: "Jealous...?" He asked, teasing her a bit.
Instead, Sekai looked back at him slowly, and huffed while rolling her eyes as well, saying;
"I'll let you figure that one out."
He didn’t even bother to press the issue... Instead, he simply picked up the fork again, poking at the last bite of cake.
A small silence settled between them.
After a while, Sekai’s voice returned, softer this time;
"I kind of wanted to say thanks for coming, by the way."
He glanced at her, eyes steady;
"Well... Thanks for inviting me."
However, as soon as he did, he had caught some of the waitresses looking at him from a distance...
But as soon as he did, they all turned away. At least, most of the ones he caught staring. However, a select few stood out to him, just a little;
"Wow... I never thought I'd see the day I'd catch triplets staring at me at once..." He quipped.
Sekai blinked, turned slightly, and immediately caught the trio of girls behind the counter pretending to scrub glasses they hadn’t touched in five minutes.
"Ugh... They're doing that again?" She muttered, rubbing her temple.
"Again...?" He questioned.
"Yeah..." Sekai sighed: "Apparently, you're already trending around here... Let's just say that word travels fast here, and my mom may have, accidentally, bragged a little."
Ayano tilted his head: "Bragged...?"
"About you..." She replied, then squinted slightly at him: "Not that I can blame her... But still. It's can be a bit much."
Ayano blinked, processing that, saying;
"...I didn’t really do anything, though." He deadpanned.
"Exactly." She shot back, leaning in: "...You just exist, and girls turn into background robots with hearts in their eyes. I've got to admit, you're quite popular now." Sekai paused for a moment, before continuing;
"Still, you did say triplets... right?" She asked again, now the word was finally settling in her.
Ayano nodded: "Yeah, they had either ash or sand blond colored hair. Crazy resemblance too."
Sekai's eyes lit up hearing what he said...
"Hey, do you know something...?" Ayano asked, a bit curious.
"Yeah... Yeah, I do... I know who they are. They used to go to the same school as us."
Ayano raised a brow: "Really, who are they?"
"They're the Nijou sisters, and they're my friends as well..." Sekai added.
Ayano leaned back slightly in surprise, eyes glancing once more toward the counter;
"The Nijou sisters…? Huh."
"Mhm..." Sekai confirmed, propping her chin on her palm again: "Hanon, Kazuha and Futaba-san. They were in the same a year below us, but they’ve been working part-time here for months now actually. Mom kind of took them in after... well, some stuff happened."
Ayano picked up Sekai's rather distant expression... Reminding him of how she seemed back then.
'I feel like I might regret this... but...' He thought, saddling himself up, asking;
"Alright... Tell me what happened..."
"Oh... Don't tell me... Was it really that obvious?" Sekai answered.
He nodded.
She sighed, explaining: "Fine. Well... Remember the little situation I had with, Itou-san?"
"Yes... Why?" He asked again.
"Well... They were apart of it as well." Sekai whispered.
Ayano's face literally contorted: "No... No way... Don't tell me Makoto had sex with all three of them too..."
Sekai winced, holding up her hand quickly: "W-Wait, wait-don’t say it like that. It’s… Complicated."
'I'm sure it is...' He sighed mentally.
He blinked at her, slowly leaning forward, both elbows on the table: "Sekai."
She sighed. "Okay… So, yes. There was something... But it wasn’t like how you’re probably imagining it."
Ayano stayed quiet. That was usually her cue to continue.
Sekai looked out the window for a moment before saying, quieter now;
"This all happened before those three knew he and I were really seeing each other. Before we were official. Heck, even before I was sure we would be."
Ayano’s brow furrowed. He didn’t interrupt, just nodded once to show he was listening;
"Back then… Makoto was already doing his whole, act." She said, her tone a bit sharper now: "But the thing is… they weren’t the only ones, but you already knew that. He had one-nighters. Casuals. Anyone who looked twice at him, pretty much. The triplets? They told me it was more of a curiosity kind of thing..." Sekai said, but it was clear to him she wasn't too pleased.
'I see... So it was just a casual fling between teens? Can't say I can't relate. I remembered during high school days when huge amount of kids that tried sex for fun, it was just worse during my college years. Of course, I didn't really take part in it. I was too busy trying to earn dough to pass by school... Still, now that I think about it, I'm actually still a virgin...' Ayano thought, but quickly brushed it away.
Instead, he asked: "And? What happened when they found out?"
Sekai shrugged a little, lips tightening: "They were all crushed... Especially Kazuha... I think she was the one who genuinely liked him, even if it was a little. The others were... swept up in the novelty of it, I guess."
She exhaled slowly: "But after everything blew up, they all ghosted him of course, and Mom was the one who reached out. She knew their home situation wasn't really, great. So, she gave them work, and something to get over it with..."
Ayano blinked, then turned to look back toward the counter.
The three girls were chatting with themselves again now, one tying up her apron, another brushing back her hair as she giggled at something whispered...
There was no sign of that backstory in their faces, at all...
"...Damn." He muttered, continuing: "I... I honestly wasn’t expecting all of well... That."
'Well, honestly speaking... They are kind of adorable in a way, like kittens...' He noted.
On the other hand, Sekai nodded, her voice a little softer now: "Yeah... Not many people would. But they’ve changed a lot since then, trust me... I think they’ve grown. All three of them."
He simply hummed back in acknowledgment.
Then leaned back again, glancing toward her with a faint smile: "You know... it’s kind of strange."
"Hmm?" Sekai audibly wondered.
"It's just that... I kind of came here expecting a quick meal... Instead, I got a surprise reunion, a motorcycle check, a slice of chocolate cake, and a bit of trauma dump to go." Ayano quipped lightly.
Sekai laughed audibly, this time: "*Pfft* Well~ I do recall during class that one time... Something along the lines of you saying that you liked variety."
He grinned faintly, folding his arms behind his head: "I might even start calling this whole place eventful."
Sekai smiled: "Just don't let Okaa-san hear you say that. She’ll try to re-brand the whole restaurant in a heartbeat."
"I'll make it my duty to keep my mouth zipped tight then." He said, chuckling as well.
~ Third Person Pov, elsewhere... ~
.
.
.
"It's just as I've told you... If Boramae doesn't find another member by the end of this week, we will be terminating it... Is that, clear...? Siyeon?" A young man dressed neatly in navy blue said. He adjusted his glasses, looking downwards at her...
.
.
.
Her brows furrowed, responding: "I... Understand..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 86: Boramae...? (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Lee-Siyeon's Pov... ~
.
.
.
"I... Understand."
'Goo-Seoul... That bastard. I should have expected as much. Not just that, finding someone capable by the end of this week is...'
"With that said, the meeting is adjourned..." He said.
I watched him turn, his polished shoes clicking faintly against the tiled floor as he walked off without another word, disappearing behind the frosted glass exit toward the east side.
The silence that followed was almost worser than the threat he'd just handed down...
The rest of the room slowly began to empty murmured chatter, brief glances, whispers passed between classmates who were only ever 'part of the club' for face value. Most of them wouldn’t even bother showing up again until the final notice came through.
But me?
I just stood there. What else could I do...?
But I wasn't gonna give them the satisfaction of seeing me weak. To hell with that. I kept my Back straight. Arms crossed. Gaze locked on the blank space he’d left behind.
'He knew exactly what he was doing when he said it like that...'
I wasn't stupid enough to not realize it... Goo-Seoul never said anything without planting his barbs underneath it. His smile was always the kind that hid razors, the kind that made people like me have to grit our teeth and swallow our pride just to survive another week under his umbrella.
'Find another member.' He said, as if it were that easy.
As if the Boramae Club hadn’t already been gutted from the inside out after the last member...
"Huff..." I need to calm down, and think.
And, as if I hadn’t already done everything I could to stop it from collapsing...
'Damn it…!'
I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging the strands slightly in frustration, before finally sitting back down in one of the vacant chairs...
This club-our club-was supposed to be, different...
It used to stand for something. A place for fighters, yes, but not just those who chased strength blindly like rabid dogs in heat. But now, I wasn't even sure...
And, as much as I wanted to blame Goo. He was actually operating by the books...
.
.
.
'Should I just... stop...?'
It's been an entire year since I've been trying. Since members kept leaving... At this rate. I don't even think I'll be able to keep my promise.
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
The corridor lights flickered as she walked, her steps echoing against the concrete beneath. Her blazer was still crisp, tie loose, hair tucked behind one ear lazily.
She stepped out into the warm afternoon.
That’s when she heard it.
Voices. They had sounded male as well...
.
.
.
"…Still holding on to that trash club like it matters. Pfft!" One said.
"She should just pack it up already. Who the hell is she trying to impress?" Another barked.
Then another chimed in, saying: "I Think she just likes the attention, bro. Like a real slut, lol. Gets off on being the lone wolf type."
A sharp spike of irritation flared, but she didn’t look their way. Just kept walking down the path outside the academic building, jaw tight, knuckles white in her pockets.
But then...
"Hey! Where you going in such a rush, eh...?"
One of the boys peeled off from the group, stepping right in front of her. He was broad-shouldered. Sloppy tie. Greased hair. A clear walking cliché of a problem... Knowing that some of the organization's members had odd dress styles she got used to it, but this...?
She could instantly tell it wasn't just a poor choice of dressing, so she stopped;
"Move..." Siyeon said, sharply. Her voice cold and clipped: "Now."
The boy smirked.
"Ooooh-feisty! Haha! Cold too... Just like they say."
His friends caught up behind him, forming a loose semicircle. Blocking her path...
'Shit!' She thought.
"Come on~ we were just chatting. You’re all alone, right? No one’s coming to save Boramae now... or you."
Her foot slid half a step back;
'I warned you…'
Her hand moved subtly behind her, fingers brushing against the taser she kept clipped inside her waistband.
They took another step forwards.
Fwip!
BZZZZZT—!
"AGH-!!"
One of the boys jolted backward, seizing as the charge caught him in the side. He collapsed hard onto the grass.
"What the f-?!"
Siyeon turned on her heel to run...
But of course, she didn’t get far.
"Uhk!" A rough hand caught her wrist and yanked her backwards.
"Hey! You're gonna regret that, you bitch-"
Before the words even left his mouth.
CRACK-!
The boy’s body flipped. Not stumbled. Not fell... Flipped! Just a single finger like jab to the ribs had launched him into the air like his weight didn’t matter.
Her eyes widened: 'How did he...!?'
The others froze... Siyeon had stumbled back a bit, breath catching as her eyes locked onto the figure now standing between her, and the stunned men.
A tall figure, male. A dark grey hoodie, and Calm posture.
Face covered...
His arm dropped back to his side, casually...
"Are…You okay?" He calmly asked her, not even looking at the wreckage behind him...
Siyeon nodded once, slowly at that, still surprised at what she just saw... Her heart was racing, but she had masked it well...
He turned, beginning to walk off like it was nothing.
But then she had caught a glimpse of it...
The faint glint of blue-an unnatural blue hue, it was almost luminous-in his eyes as he swiftly glanced back toward her.
She wanted to respond, but her breath hitched.
'No... It couldn’t be him…'
The hooded person continued his walk casually, but she couldn't let him leave, not with what she just saw;
With a huff, she yelled: "Wait!!"
"..."
He stopped.
She took a slow step forward, eyes narrowing with sudden realization.
"You’re him… Aren’t you?" She said, confidently, however, even she wasn't entirely sure, but she had this feeling to to ask... No, she had to ask.
He asked: "Him?"
She paused before answering: "…You’re Vagabond."
His posture shifted slightly hearing that;
"…How do you know that name?" He asked her.
The rest that were behind him? Their expression shifted instantly...
'The hell!? He-He's Vagabond!? F-FUCK!!!' He thought, running away. The rest following behind as well.
Of course, he heard them move.
The faint scrape of sneakers pivoting on concrete-the subtle inhale of breath before motion.
They were trying to run. Key word. Trying.
He had vanished from her sights.
'Where!?' She thought.
One blink-and he was gone from her sight...
Then a-
CRACK!
A gasp choked off mid-turn. A body hitting the wall with a muted thud...
THUMP!
Another followed. Knees buckled. Lights out...
Three silhouettes were crumpled in the distance, limbs twitching uselessly in the soft dirt near the trees.
Silence had followed...
Siyeon's heart skipped.
Her eyes darted around wildly, trying to track him-but he was nowhere.
Not behind her.
Not even to the left either...
In her mind there was one thought that crossed her mind;
'If... If it's him, then maybe...'
When she had finally blinked, he appeared before her again...
.
.
.
"Sorry about that... But if you wanna talk, I know a place." He told her.
Siyeon didn’t answer immediately. Her mind was still racing, her breath shallow but steady. Every instinct screamed at her that something about this entire encounter wasn’t normal-not just the sheer force he moved with, but the presence he carried. Calm, grounded, yet undeniably strong...
She looked up at him. His hood still obscured most of his face, but now that he stood closer, the illusion of anonymity wavered. His eyes-those same deep, glinting blue eyes she’d seen in the sunlight, weren’t just sharp. They were aware. The kind of gaze that measured everything before it, and it missed nothing... On instinct, she swallowed;
"I... Where?" She asked, quietly, before her pride could catch up...
He simply nodded, then turned his back to her again.
"...It's probably best you follow me instead." He said.
And, she did. She didn't know why, but she felt like she could trust this person...
They both walked in silence, weaving past the outer buildings, taking a path few students ever bothered with. Past the faculty annex...
After walking for a little while, they ended up near the beach...
Ahead, she saw the famous cafe, Raddish.
They both eventually made their way there...
.
.
.
Ring~
"Huh? Ayano-Kun...? Weren't you-" Sekai stopped, not seeing only him, but another figure appeared behind him...
'It's... A girl?' Sekai wondered.
"Oh... Sekai-san, something came up... I'll actually be here for a little while longer." He told her.
Siyeon on the other hand, listened in briefly;
'So... His name is, Ayano...' She noted.
"We should find somewhere to sit... What about over there?" He said, pointing.
The spot in question was fairly secluded as well.
"That should do..." Siyeon said, glad it was secluded.
They both made their way there. Sekai looked at Ayano questioningly, noticing he seemed a bit, serious...
Seeing this, he walked over, telling Siyeon he'd be over in a moment...
Sekai didn't waste any time, asking: "...Should I be worried?"
He huffed lightly, saying: "I'm... Not too sure yet... But, when this is all over, I'll keep you posted, promise." He felt like Sekai should potentially know about dangers involving himself and them could be in.
"Well... Alright." Sekai responded, not knowing what else she should do. The most she could offer was trust in him.
He then made his way towards the mystery girl he had saved...
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Alright... I think we should introduce ourselves first... You first." He said.
Siyeon sat with her back straight, eyes scanning him once more now that the light of the cafe gave her a a bit of a better view. He hadn’t yet taken his hood down, but his sheer presence…? Knowing strong people herself, she also knew it didn’t need volume to announce itself.
"It's Lee... Lee-Siyeon." She finally said.
"Alright, miss, Siyeon-san... How exactly did you figure that I was Vagabond?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 87: Answer...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Siyeon blinked, then slowly raised her hand, holding up three fingers in silence. Ayano tilted his head slightly in curiosity.
"There’s three reasons." She said plainly.
"Firstly..." She lowered one finger: "Your eyes... That blue... That exact shade doesn’t just show up with black hair normally, it's actually a bit rare..."
He remained silent, expression unreadable, but internally, e had understood as well...
'Despite this world having all sorts of hair colors and eye colors, people with black hair weren't really common, but the opposite, especially with blue eyes. So, I guess it checks out for the most part at least.' He noted.
"Second." She continued, lowering the second finger: "The way you fought today... Being a little used to fights myself, I could tell, and I've seen my share of fighters, but nothing like what I saw earlier."
She paused, letting the final finger linger...
"And third..." Her gaze lingered on his face: "...Call it instinct... A hunch really. I just, knew it at the time."
Ayano blinked, then let out a quiet, genuine laugh, one that seemed to surprise even him a bit...
"Hah... That last one caught me off guard, I'm not going to lie... but, you’re not wrong." He said honestly, leaning back slightly.
"Yeah... I’m Vagabond." His voice lowered slightly;
"Only recently realized that’s what they’ve been calling me on the streets. I didn’t exactly pick the name myself..."
He looked at her again, a bit more curious this time, saying;
"So... What do they say about me?"
Siyeon’s eyes narrowed slightly... She didn’t seem the type to exaggerate.
"They tell all members to be cautious of you. That the aftermath of your fights are... They told us you left dents in people, and it's not just physical ones either..."
Ayano hearing exhaled slowly through his nose.
‘Well... They’re not wrong…’ He thought to himself. He had been quite brutal, especially in the beginning. And truthfully? He still was, to certain kinds of people.
He didn’t bother denying it either.
"Those rumors are true..." He said at last, voice level. "I wasn’t always this chill, guys like that earlier would've gotten something... Well, you get the point. Some days, I’m not."
A brief silence passed between them, but it wasn’t really awkward...
Then he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, his gaze sharp but not in an aggressive manner.
"Alright then… I think it's my turn." He asked her.
"Hm?" She hummed confused.
"You’re clearly no normal woman... I need to ask, are you part of a group called the Bully Council?" He asked her.
Siyeon’s lips parted in surprise... A flicker of hesitation, but she nodded.
"...Yeah. I am."
Ayano didn’t respond immediately. His tone shifted subtly, not aggressive, but clearly curious: "Then I want to know everything."
He folded his hands together.
"Tell me what the Bully Council actually is, Siyeon-san. All of it. What do you do, how do you operate, and why does it even exist?"
"The Bully Council is… Well, it’s essentially the central body overseeing most of the underground operations being run by minors across the district, especially places like Gwanak-Gu. Each neighborhood has its own designated representative... These reps act like regional heads of sorts, they also manage whatever profit model their area operates under, collect revenues, and answer directly to the Council."
She then leaned back slightly, looking downwards...
"I believe there are nearly 500 known members in the system. It's actually more organized than it sounds. Some areas run extortion rackets, others information networks, or even black-market trade. Being affiliated with the Council means you’re under their protection, at least, in theory. You get access to other networks too, like an intel web... assuming you're in good standing."
A breath.
“-But here’s the catch to it. Protection’s not free. If a representative doesn’t offer something valuable, a profit stream, service, or even influence, they’re out. Some like Boramae don’t pay in cash though... We're tasked with rooting out traitors and handling cleanup. Though, Boramae didn't believe in that aspect of the council."
She then glanced at him...
'It's why that bastard Goo-Seoul keeps pressuring me. We're not paying the Council, so they expect results instead.' She thought, annoyed.
Ayano listened quietly as she spoke, his expression calm, but unreadable. His fingers tapped once against the wooden edge of the table, then stopped altogether, disappointed at what he heard. He could tell this Siyeon person had been honest, more than he expected... But, her words didn’t sit right with him, not in the way he'd probably hoped.
"…So that’s what it really is." His voice was quiet, almost contemplative as well: "All this time, I’d assumed the Bully Council was some kind of necessary force. A stabilizer of sorts... Maybe even protecting the city from worse things in its own twisted way."
His eyes then finally lifted slowly to meet hers, sharp yet steady.
"But from what you’ve just said... It’s just another gang."
He leaned back in his seat, exhaling softly through his nose;
"You’re just guarding territory, policing it not for the people, but for yourselves... You don’t even protect the weak... you protect your bottom lines. Maybe some of you have good intentions, but the structure’s no different from any of the underground trash I’ve dealt with so far."
His gaze lingered on her face, searching for the faintest reaction.
"Honestly, I don’t want groups like that running around unchecked." He said, low but firmly: "I’m not saying I’m some hero, Siyeon-san... But this? All of it? I want to tear it down. Ignoring it would go against my better conscience.”
Then, softer less certain, even a little conflicted, he then asked:
"But, what you said... about Boramae... Is it true?"
His tone shifted again, just slightly. Curious. Hopeful in a sense. Maybe even willing to believe that not everything under the Council’s shadow was essentially just as rotten to its core...
'Should I even...?' Ayano thought for a moment.
Siyeon looked at him for a long moment. Not startled, she wasn’t the type, but something in her eyes shifted. A quiet weight settled in her expression, as if she was preparing to finally say something she’d kept hidden for far too long.
"…Yes." She said at last, voice low but certain: "It’s, true..."
Her gaze slowly dropped to the table for a second, then back to him;
"Boramae wasn’t supposed to be like the others factions... We weren’t about power plays or profit margins. Our job… was oversight. Internal affairs, basically. The founder, our former rep, believed the Council had potential once, back when it was still fractured and chaotic. He wanted Boramae to be its conscience."
She exhaled softly, not out of exhaustion, but restraint.
"We were supposed to identify corruption, prevent abuse, stop unnecessary violence. He knew the Council had blood on its hands, but he thought it could evolve and become something different overtime, maybe even useful."
There was a bit of silence between them...
"But..." She added, voice colder now: "That idealism didn’t last. Our leader, he disappeared a few months after. The new leadership is… different. Less conviction, more so it's about survival. That’s why I think we’re falling apart."
Her fingers curled slightly at her side, almost as if she hadn’t noticed;
"I’ve been trying to hold on to what Boramae was meant to be, but it’s like trying to stop a dam from breaking with your hands. I don’t think we’re going to last much longer."
Ayano didn’t respond right away... He just watched her, expression carefully. He didn't sense any ill intent. Just her voice, steady and even worn down as well, like someone standing at the edge of something they’d believed in once...
'Hmm...' Ayano kept wondering.
"…I think I'm beginning to understand all this a bit better." He said quietly, his tone not accusatory, but sober: "Wanting to do the right thing in a system built to reward the worst parts of people… That’s gotta be exhausting."
His eyes flickered, the faintest glow of that same sharp intensity she saw back during the fight returning now, but not directed at her...
"I’ve seen the way they operate, these little kingdoms disguised as networks. They build themselves up on fear and profit, then slap on the word order like it means anything. But it’s still rot. Just rot that's dressed better."
He paused for a breath.
"But what you described... The idea of Boramae? I can honestly respect that. Hell, I even wish it was real across the board. But ideals like that? They die fast in places like this... Unless someone protects them."
His voice lowered further, almost like a confession now.
"I’m not here to play judge, jury, or whatever they expect Vagabond to be... I’m partially here because I can’t just ignore it anymore. Groups like the Council, and those other bastards I've taken care of so far? They thrive because no one pushes back."
A long silence stretched between them again. Ayano leaned back slightly, voice calm when giving his response.
"…So tell me, Siyeon. What do you want? Really."
Her breath caught just slightly, not visibly, but enough for him to notice;
"You told me you’re trying to hold on, but are you trying to protect Boramae’s name…? Or, what it could’ve been?"
Another beat passed...
"Because, if you’re willing to let go of the Council, all of it… And, instead fight for something better, then I’ll personally back you. I don’t care what you were... I care what you’ll choose now. So, what do you say?"
Siyeon listened keenly, weighing her options carefully...
'For some reason... His words... They don't feel empty.' She thought. After some minutes of deliberating, she finally responded.
"I... Accept."
.
.
.
"Heh... I thought you would." Ayano said, finally lowering his hoodie, he stretched out hi hand.
"I guess we have a deal then..." Ayano smiled.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 88: Understanding...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"For now... I think it'd be best we play this as cool as possible. Since we are teaming up, I'm sure you'll have your doubts about me, and, me about you." Ayano said.
Siyeon nodded as well, saying: "I... I do... But, you're honestly my best shot at this, and I don't like how the bully council deals with things either."
Ayano studied her for a moment longer, then leaned back in his seat, the little tension in his shoulders beginning to ease...
"You know." He said quietly: "You don’t have to go through with all this. If you do end up changing your mind… You can walk away. I won’t hold it against you."
Siyeon didn’t flinch at his offer. Instead, she exhaled slowly, then pulled out her phone;
"Then give me your contact." She said plainly, continuing: "Even if we’re not on the same side forever… We still need to keep in touch. I’ll keep you updated on what we'll end up doing, and on anything I hear."
A brief flicker of something passed through Ayano’s expression. Trust, maybe? Or just mutual understanding. He reached into his pocket, tapped in his number, then handed it back.
"I’ll reply when I can." He said to her.
She gave a small nod, tucked her phone away, and without another word, and turned to leave... Sekai and many others watching her do so...
Once she was finally gone, Ayano leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, fingers interlaced. The weight of the conversation slowly settled over him, like fog rolling in after a storm.
"...Setsuna." He murmured under his breath.
It was kind of strange, how Siyeon reminded him of her. Cold, and oddly analytical as well, always thinking two steps ahead. However, just like Setsuna, Siyeon had that same guarded demeanor about her as well. They both had seemed like the kind of person who only let things show when they absolutely had to. He certainly experienced it first hand with the former.
'Funny how both of them give off that distant, calculating feeling… but, they’re not without heart, that's for sure.' He thought to himself.
.
.
.
He sat there in silence for a little while, eyes somewhat unfocused, thoughts wandering;
'Still, if this organization is that big, then it's not really a problem... The issue is the fact that I have no information on who and what they are capable of. It's clear now that there are others just like myself out there at this point, that are also much stronger than myself. Which means, I'll just have to amp up my training even more...' He thought, rubbing the ridge of his nose.
However, doing so, he felt a looming shadow over himself... Not only that, he smelled a sweet perfume as well. Turning around, he saw one of those siblings Sekai had mentioned to him a bit earlier.
"Excuse me... Is there something wrong...?" She asked him.
He looked up... Seeing her a girl with a red hair band, short cut hair and a modest figure...
.
.
.
"I... No..." Ayano added, a bit unsure.
He straightened slightly in his seat, giving her a quick once-over, not in any suggestive way, but cautious. Her attire matched the old maid caffe's in his old world.
"I was just thinking." He said finally.
The girl smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes: "Well, you seemed a bit troubled, that’s all... You’re Ayano-san, right?" She asked, tone friendly as well.
His expression didn’t shift, and he answered: "Yes, actually."
She gave a small, practiced bow: "I'm... Kazuha Nijou, and as you can see, well... I'm just a worker at this establishment."
He noticed how shy she seem, yet so well spoken. However, what he didn't understand was the fact she told him her name... Finding it a bit odd, he didn't bother mentioning it though. But, he did truly realize Sekai's words now, especially how she said how fast rumors spread in this place, regarding his name...
However, another memory swiftly resurfaced on his mind... Regarding the fact that this same innocent looking girl had essentially, well... slept with Makoto already. He found himself blushing for a moment, before brushing it off;
'Still, she is a worker isn't she? Why is she here?' He wondered.
"Sorry, but... Are you on break at the moment...?" He asked her.
She nodded: "Yes, I just started my break a moment ago, but since I saw that you looked so down, I said I'd help see what the problem was..."
Ayano gave a small nod, then leaned back slightly. His fingers drummed once against the wooden table.
"I see..." he murmured. A bit surprised. Wondering if he looked that helpless...
Kazuha stood there for a moment longer, watching him quietly...
"Uhm... W-Would it be alright-" She asked stuttering for a moment, blushing slightly, continuing: "-I-If I sat with you? Just for a bit?"
Ayano glanced around, still a few eyes on him, especially from Sekai’s general direction... In fact, she was coming over as well;
"Haha... Sure." He said at last: "Go right ahead if you want."
She smiled again, politely and took the seat across from him...
Kazuha settled into the seat across from him, smoothing the hem of her skirt as she sat. Her movements were neat, practiced, but there was something small and unsure in her posture. A nervous glance, the slight tapping of her fingers against her thigh—it was clear this wasn’t part of her usual routine.
She opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, then gave a small, almost embarrassed smile.
"So, um... is this your first time here?" she asked lightly, tone casual, but her eyes didn’t quite meet his.
Ayano tilted his head just a little, studying her. The way she asked wasn’t probing—it felt sincere. Almost like she was... trying. He’d expected a lot of things when she approached. A warning. A message. A test.
But not this.
"Yeah," he answered after a beat. "I came because someone recommended it. Didn’t expect to stick around this long, though."
Kazuha nodded, brushing a short strand of hair behind her ear. "It’s a nice place. People say the food’s good, but honestly... I think most just come to talk or feel comfortable. My sister says atmosphere matters more than menu items."
There was a slight blush creeping into her cheeks now, and she quickly looked away, suddenly fixated on a knot in the wooden table.
Ayano blinked once. Realizing the demeanor, the name drops, the constant fidgeting, the blushing...
'Huh... So that’s what this is...?' He thought.
He didn’t say it aloud, but realization sank in. This wasn’t reconnaissance. She didn’t know who he was beyond name. She was just... interested.
'If my hunch is right, she's the second person after Sekai that likes me...' He noted, however thinking of it was not the norm. He wasn't used to someone liking-liking him. Much less women this attractive either.
Before he could respond, he noticed a familiar presence approaching...
Sekai.
She slid into the seat beside him without asking, resting her elbow lightly on the table.
"My, my~ You’re quick, Kazuha-chan." Sekai said with a teasing lilt... The aforementioned instantly realizing what was going on.
Kazuha looked startled at first, then clearly flustered;
"I-I wasn’t trying to-! I mean, I saw he looked a bit down and-" She swiftly exploded into a puff of visible red smoke.
"It’s okay..." Ayano said gently, cutting in before she could spiral further: "I appreciated the little talk."
Kazuha blinked, then slowly nodded, her shoulders easing just a little. She gave a small smile-relieved, but still clearly shy under Sekai’s gaze.
Sekai, meanwhile, leaned her chin into her palm, looking at Ayano sideways, whispering: "You sure do attract the strangest kinds of attention, you know that?"
He simply gave a blank look, and sighed, and thought to himself;
'Why do I feel as if I'm gonna end up in a whole lot of messes...?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ayano eventually made his way back him...
'Today sure was eventful...' He thought.
Just as he was about to head inside... His phone had begun ringing.
"Hmm?" He quickly took it out, and realized who it was...
"Yukari?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 89: Chisaki...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"Yukari?" Ayano looked carefully. He quickly picked up. Having not heard of her in a week...
[Hello? Yukari-san?] Ayano answered.
[Ayano-kun... I... I've sent a vehicle to pick you up... It should be there soon-] She said over the line, only serving to confuse him further, as soon as she did, it hung-up on him.
'What the...?' This left him even more confused.
A quiet note of confusion echoed in his head. Yukari wasn’t really the type to panic, much less act without explaining herself... Not unless something was wrong.
Then, he heard it...
The low, distant sound of an engine coming closer.
Tires against asphalt, slowly getting closer as well.
Ayano turned around, slowly.
It rolled to a smooth stop just a few meters from where he stood, and the back passenger door clicked open without a word.
No one had stepped out.
Just an open door instead...
Ayano’s hand dropped to his side, brushing his hoodie. Not for a weapon, but more as a grounding gesture. A check as well...
He took a small breath;
'I'm sure she has her reasons...' He thought. Trying his best to not worry.
Then stepped forward.
His reflection briefly flickered in the mirrored window... Then disappeared as he entered the car. The door clicking shut behind him.
And, just like that...
The vehicle had pulled away as soon as it came...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ayano looked at the walls of Shioshishio... Just as amazed as when he first arrived. However, he was just as concerned, and not nearly as prepared for what this could be. He was already on edge when Yukari had left him then, and he hasn't been content since. Not only that, he's had a bad feelings the moment the phone hung up back then.
'Damn it...' He cursed, wondering what was really happening.
ERrrr~
The car stopped. And Ayano immediately stepped out.
A man dressed in an all black suit quickly made his way to the entrance, where Ayano followed behind him. Soon, the door opened, revealing a straight path ahead...
The man in the black suit led him past a familiar corridor. Ayano glanced to the side, he vaguely remembered Yukari taking him down that very same path once before. But this time, they continued straight ahead, and heading much deeper in than he remembered.
Eventually, they both reached a polished wooden door. Without a word, the suited man knocked once.
A voice called from the other side...
"Come in."
The guard pushed the door open and gestured for Ayano to step forward. Then, like clockwork, he bowed and disappeared behind him, letting the door shut quietly...
Ayano stepped inside...
It was a spacious room, but well lit. Thick luxurious curtains filtered the sunlight, casting soft shadows across the walls...
And at the center of it all?
"Yukari..." Ayano called out...
However, his instincts pin pointed someone else towards the side, leaning against the wall, casually...
.
.
.
Ayano observed the fellow carefully, realizing that his skin was almost, shimmering... But, it was far more visible on him with noticeable shining like scales on his upper arms and chest. Not only that, the man's skin was pale with two red short eyebrows framed with silverish bangs.
Like all the people of the sea Ayano had glimpsed before, he has the trademark bright turquoise/ teal eyes that the people of the sea had. His silverish hair was also extremely long, reaching past his lower back, and it tapered off in many directions too...
Ayano didn't know what to feel seeing this person. However, he knew one thing was for absolute certain, this man was NOT human... He could tell instinctively that wasn't the case.
'It feels like he exists but, doesn't... How?' Ayano thought, trying to reason with himself, but no answer came to him.
"Interesting..." The man said, his eye's widening in the process..
"Huh...?" Ayano looked on, slightly cautious. He just couldn't get a read on this person. He was neither weak, or strong.
"You're soul... I've never seen anything like this before..." The man also added. Leaning off the wall in the process.
"Uroko-sama... Shall we go?" Yukari said.
The man slowly took his eyes off of Ayano, and then turned his attention back towards Yukari.
"Sure..." He said, casually.
Ayano, confused, walked towards Yukari. More so in need of answers at the moment;
"Yukari, what's going on he-" Ayano stopped mid-sentence, immediately. It didn't take long for him to notice her melancholic expression, baggy and tired eyes... To Ayano, it looked as if she hadn't slept in days, and had cried without end...
'Just... What happened here?' Ayano questioned.
"Please, Ayano... Follow me." Yukari stated, slowly walking ahead.
Wanting to ask, Ayano opted not to... It's clear she wanted to show him something. Not only that, the silver haired man followed them as well, but his gaze was consistently fixed onto on Ayano...
Eventually, all of them made their way into a room. Yukari heading inside first, and Ayano following behind her...
And, the moment he stepped within, he could see her... Chisaki, bed-ridden. She was sleeping, but her condition was, horrifying. She looked emaciated, with almost all flesh on her body gone, leaving behind nothing but her bone. To say she was sickly would be an understatement... This girl... It was made clear to him, that Chisaki was dying.
And, she didn't have much time left...
"So... This is what you wanted to show me..." Anger laced Ayano's tone, but he didn't shout.
She looked like something that had been drained... As if life itself had forgotten her, bones sharp beneath skin that looked too fragile to even breathe. Her chest rose and fell incredibly shallowly, and the faintest sign of a struggle just to keep going. She was fighting, but she was fighting a losing battle.
Ayano’s fingers twitched...
Not in rage.
Not in panic.
But, restraint...
His body wanted to do something. Anything!
But he just stood there. The weight of it sinking in like wet sand pulling at his legs.
"When... When did this happen?" He asked, quietly.
Yukari didn’t respond immediately.
She just stood by the bedside, eyes downcast. One hand gently resting atop Chisaki’s sheets... Trembling slightly.
"Around two weeks ago..." She finally whispered.
His head snapped in her direction: "Why, Yukari...? Why didn't you tell me sooner...?" He asked. Fists clenched tightly.
"...She didn't want you to know." Yukari responded, causing Ayano's rage to disperse...
'She didn't want me to know...?'
Ayano echoed the words under his breath. They didn’t make sense. They didn’t want to make sense. But somehow, they did.
Of course she wouldn’t... That was just like her.
He couldn’t touch her. Not like this. It almost felt wrong.
His throat felt dry;
"...How long does she have?"
Yukari didn’t look at him. Her voice cracked just faintly:
"...I-I don’t know... A few days, at best..."
A silence hung in the room.
Then, the silver-haired man had stepped forward, his voice a bit softer now, but no less alien:
"I think this is where I should start my explanation... This child... Her soul, or rather her souls have actually merged... I believe it's causing her vessel to destroy itself from the inside..."
Ayano turned towards him: "What the...? What do you mean?"
Uroko stepped closer to the edge of the bed, his glowing eyes fixed entirely on Chisaki’s fragile form. His presence was calm… but heavy.
"This case… It's honestly a first for me." He began softly, continuing: "In all my years, I have never seen a vessel hold not one, but two souls."
Ayano’s brows furrowed deeply;
"What?"
Uroko didn’t bother facing him directly, but he gestured lightly toward Chisaki, his fingers trailing just above her chest, never touching it.
"Normally, a vessel, or your body, anyone’s, holds a single soul. A single essence tied to its flesh. But her...? No. She has two."
Ayano took a slow step forward, carefully: "And what? They… merged?"
Uroko nodded once, gravely.
"Yes. I’ve been observing the process for nearly a week. The merger is essentially complete now. But, what’s formed… Is something far more potent than either of them were individually."
He paused, eyes narrowing ever so slightly;
"And that… is the problem."
Ayano clenched his fists: "Why?"
Uroko finally looked at him. That glimmer in his eyes was almost, sad;
"Because a physical body has it's limits. limits on what it can contain spiritually. When the new soul formed, a stronger, more complete identity, the vessel couldn’t match its growth. It’s trying. But, it can’t really keep up. It’s practically burning through itself, using every resource it has to remold... Just to survive."
He motioned toward her brittle arms...
"This... is what overcompensation looks like."
Ayano’s heart practically twisted in his chest...
It all made sense. Too much sense...
But one question still gripped his mind...
"I just don't get it...Whose soul could be merging with hers?" He asked, almost afraid to say it. He couldn't believe all this.
Uroko hesitated for the first time. Not uncertainty. But... weight. As if the answer carried more than just words: "That's the interesting aspect of it all... It’s also, Chisaki." He said.
Ayano blinked, a bit stunned: "...What?"
Uroko finally turned to face him fully.
"Chisaki... Is what you land dwellers would call a reincarnator."
Ayano took a step back, asking:
"What...? What are you talking about…?"
The man folded his arms slowly, voice unwavering: "Her soul, at least, this version of her, has lived a lifetime before. What you're seeing now... Is just the merging of her current self and, an older much more mature and powerful former self, one whose presence was likely buried deep within her for years, lying dormant... Until recently."
"That's..." Ayano's voice faltered, his mind understanding it all...
He slowly looked down at Chisaki again. The rise and fall of her chest felt more fragile now...
"So... she’s not just... dying." Ayano muttered weakly.
"No..." Uroko said, then continuing: "From what I'm seeing, she’s evolving, but we'll never see the end of it since her body can't keep up with this kind development." He stated. However, the man then turned to Yukari...
"Yukari... I need to speak privately with the boy for a moment..." Uroko stated.
"I... Of course, Uroko-sama." She said. Before she left, she gave Ayano a look of deep apology, before finally closing the door behind her.
.
.
.
Uroko then turned towards Ayano, saying: "You on the other hand... Are an extremely fascinating case."
Confused, and mentally drained from all this, asked: "What are you talking about now?"
Uroko's once calm expression, then became far more serious... Causing Ayano to get defensive as a result.
"I'm asking, what are you...? Because, from what I see of your soul... You aren't even remotely human."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 90: Non-Human...?
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"What? What are you talking about...?" Ayano asked...
Uroko looked at him sharply, then continued: "...There's something else I never mentioned about souls earlier... It's that, not only can I see their sizes, quality and even things like aspects, I can also see their nature. Good, bad... You get the gist."
"And... What does that have to do with me not being human?" Ayano retorted.
"It's the soul... Remember when I said that the combination of souls aren't just additional, but essentially exponential? The same applies with you, and not at the same time. Your soul, it feels like it has numerous aspects that have been meshed together perfectly, yet not at the same time..." Uroko explained, now rubbing his chin in wonder.
Ayano looked even more confused at all this, asked: "...Could you explain further?"
Uroko sighed: "The best example I can give right now would be with that little miss there... If her current soul is = 1, and the older soul merging with her own is = 3, combining the two would give you something like a 7. You on the other hand...? It's as if I'm seeing 1, 3, 2, 5, 10, 30, 5, 9, 3 and maybe a 2 again are all meshed together, and merged into one. Combining all of those values, how much do you think you would get? Take a guess..."
“…Fifty?” Ayano said, tone unsure but somewhat thoughtful...
Uroko gave a slight tilt of his head… Then smiled faintly.
"Wrong." he replied without hesitation: "It's not even a bit close..."
Ayano lowered his head.
Uroko's eyes narrowed slightly as his voice dipped lower, more serious now.
"If that were the case... if it were just addition, we wouldn’t be standing here talking, at least not like this..."
He stepped forward, hands clasped loosely behind his back, eyes gleaming in the soft ambient light.
"The thing about souls… Is that they multiply when they also harmonize. They don’t just stack... They compound. And more than that, the way yours is shaped, it’s not even consistent... Some look like fragments, some are more complete than others. Some also... feel almost ancient. Others are a bit erratic. Raw. Wild. But all of them, every one, is aligned under a single will... It's, interesting."
Ayano stiffened slightly.
Uroko’s voice softened, but the gravity in it only deepened;
"If I had to assign an actual value... something a bit crude, just to help you understand…"
He paused, then held up a single hand, index and thumb just barely apart;
"…You had guessed fifty. Personally? I’d estimate closer to, if not even higher than two-thousand..."
Ayano’s eyes widened;
'T-Two-thousand? That's impossible... Wait, how does he even know all of this? Who is this person? Is he even a man?' Ayano asked himself. Unsure of what to even think.
"That’s... Ridiculous." He said...
“Is it?” Uroko asked back, calmly: "Because standing here, I can feel it... In fact, you soul's much more powerful than even mine at the moment (even though I'm just a scale)... I don't know how that's even possible to begin with, but that vessel of yours. It should have been erased from existence at this point.
But, that's the other thing I wanted to talk about... It feels as if something is sealing the rest of what you should be, off... And struggling to do it as well."
Ayano looked at Chisaki again, her breaths shallow, each one more precious than the last… then back to Uroko.
.
.
.
"...I want to know more." He said quietly: "I really do… but not now... Not like this. Not while she’s..."
His voice caught, jaw clenching;
"At least tell me this much…Who are you, really?"
Uroko turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable now;
"Did Yukari not tell you…? I am the Lord of the Sea. Or rather, what’s left of it..." He said, simply: "Right now, I am just a miniscule scale of the original, just like a small fragment. But even as a fragment, I essentially serve the same role, funny isn't it?"
He looked toward the gently swaying curtains, light filtering across his silver hair;
"These people pf mine… they call me a god. But I’m not. Not really. I’m far from it."
He turned back to Ayano, with a calm tone, and even honesty as well;
"The best way to describe me… Would probably be as a physical manifestation of the sea itself. I was made to protect the sea, by the sea. And its people... That's it."
Ayano didn’t speak immediately.
His gaze shifted back to Chisaki, and he asked: "…Then, can’t you heal her?"
A bit of silence passed between the two...
Uroko’s expression didn’t change right away. But, something in his eyes had;
"I can’t..." He said at last: "Not in the way you’re thinking. I don’t heal. I can bless. I can curse. I can offer strength. Or take it away. But those are just… consequences. Benefits. Or penalties. If someone treats me kindly… or poorly. Curses and blessings are just a fancy way of putting it."
He shook his head once, slowly;
"I can’t mend something this complex, I don't even have the authority to do so either... Not without unraveling her vessel entirely. If I could do something like that, then..."
He soon stopped himself.
Turned his gaze towards the side...
His voice was quieter now;
"…It’s just not possible."
'Then, that leaves me with only one option...' Ayano knew what he had to do. But, will it even work?
.
.
.
After deliberating with himself for some time, he finally spoke...
"Uroko... Can you keep a secret?" Ayano asked him.
Uroko raised an eyebrow: "Hmm...? What do you have in mind?" He asked.
Ayano sighed: "If what I do next works... Can you promise me to tell her it was you, and not me?"
"I'm afraid I can't lie..." Uroko stated, and then continued: "But... I could say that I asked you to help her, extending to me helping her. Of course, excluding the part that I asked you to."
Ayano smiled: 'Not bad... A loophole of sorts.'
"Thank you... For what it's worth." Ayano nodded.
Uroko smiled and, nodded as well, saying: "It's... not a problem, but hurry up... Her mother certainly isn't getting more patient."
"I guess you're right..." Ayano responded, then mumbled to himself: "I just hope this even works."
'I'll have to use the same ability I had on that kid's mom...
Seal of Approval.'
The moment Ayano whispered those last few words, Uroko's eyes widened...
PING!
{Select Passive/s to Transfer:
- Absolute Talent [Transcended]
-
Martial-Arts-Mastery
-
Recovery
-
Critical Hit
-
Energy Manipulation
-
Circulation of Light
-
Weapon-Mastery
-
Training-Mastery
-
Circulation of Purity
- Reduction
Ayano gently placed his hand on Chisaki's head...
'Select Circulation of Purity, Recovery and Circulation of Light.' Ayano commanded.
Just like before, Chisaki's body had began to writhe and tremble...
Uroko looked on with sheer wonder;
'The boy's sharing an overwhelming amount of energy with her.' He witnessed a warm green glow spreading from Ayano's body-soul, to Chisaki's own, aiding her recovery to a massive extent.
As Uroko continued to observe the process, his arms unfolding as well.
He could see it... He could see a faint white light slowly enveloping Chisaki's visage completely;
'How...? Her vessel... it's no longer breaking down...' Uroko thought, watching the process with awe...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 91: Awake...
Chapter Text
~ Chisaki's Pov... ~
.
.
.
When was the last time I felt so... At peace?
Sleeping, never felt so good... But, I need to wake up now... I've had enough rest.
"Hnn~"
I slowly opened my eyes...
Someone was looming over me... I can hear their voice... His voice...
"Chisaki-san..." They called.
"Chisaki-san..."
"It's time to wake up..."
.
.
.
My vision... it started slowly coming back to me, getting clearer... Silver eyes staring me in my own...
And, I could see... See, him...
.
.
.
"Tsu... Tsumugu...?" I called out...
But, the person changed...
This time, I could see someone else...
His eyes that seemed to reflect the sea itself, with an expression telling me he was annoyed, tired of waiting...
.
.
.
"Aren't ya gonna get up? We're all worried, ya' know." He said to me... Despite his expression, his words were just as sincere and gentle as the first...
And then, I realized who these two were.
They were both the men I had fell in love with...
But, I feel as if I've missed someone... Someone just as, if not more important.
"Thank goodness... You're awake..." I heard another voice call out.
Yes... It must be this person.
My vision finally adjusted, allowing me to see his face...
Strands of hair that was dark and mysterious as the surfaces night sky... And, those deep blue eyes that reminded me so much of my precious sea...
'How... How could I have forgotten this person...?' I wondered to myself.
I remember his name...
.
.
.
"Ayano... kun..." I called weakly.
.
.
.
It felt like saying his name gave me strength. Like it had been buried somewhere deep, beneath pain, beneath fear, beneath time, and now that it had surfaced, the weight on my chest had lightened just enough to breathe.
The moment I said it, the others, those familiar echoes of the past, began to fade. Not like ghosts disappearing, but like waves receding quietly into the sea... There was no sorrow in their parting. Only warmth. As if they’d simply been here to walk me this far...
'It's certainly something they would do...'
I watched as Tsumugu’s silver eyes lingered on me for a moment longer. He gave me a faint nod, one filled with a silent kind of pride. Then he turned away...
And the other... The one with the tired, annoyed face and soft, hidden eyes. Hikari, he gave me a warm half-smile, muttered something under his breath;
"Took ya' long enough..." And, he disappeared with a shrug...
Now, it was only Ayano...
He didn’t say anything.
In fact, he didn’t need to...
He stood quietly beside me, just like an anchor in stormless waters.
Just there.
Present, and patiently waiting for me...
My fingers twitched beneath the sheets. I could feel the warmth of my own body again. Not hot, not cold… but something comforting. I hadn’t even realized I couldn’t before... But now, I felt like I was floating just above the surface of something vast.
I blinked again, vision clearer than before. The ceiling of the room swam slowly into view. The filtered sunlight. The scent of salt and old wood. It was Shioshishio... but different somehow. It felt so much, brighter.
I turned my head, and there he was.
Still by my side...
Still watching.
"…You... Came." I whispered, tears welling at the corners of my eyes before I even realized they were there.
This all felt so real to me... I know Ayano shouldn't be here... But, I'm glad he was... I just wished this dream will last much longer...
"A-Ayano..." I whispered again, his name grounding me more than I wanted to admit.
My voice cracked slightly.
"...Is this... a dream?" I asked, my breath hitching at the edges. Truthfully, I was afraid of the answer.
Because if it was...
Then, I didn’t want to wake up...
.
.
.
But, he smiled...
A small, quiet smile.
The kind that said everything before words could form.
He leaned forward just a bit, and said softly-like he was afraid to shatter the moment;
"Of course it’s not."
.
.
.
"No~ silly. You’re awake, Chisaki."
My heart fluttered...
"This is real... You're really here. You've made it back to us."
.
.
.
I felt my throat tighten again. The tears returned, uninvited, streaking down the side of my face. I tried to wipe them away, but my arm trembled too much. Ayano gently took my hand in his before I could.
His grip was so warm and caring...
He held it gently, like he was scared I’d break.
"Hahaha... You scared a lot of people, you know..." He added;
"Honestly, you you scared me to death."
I looked at him when he said those words... He looked exhausted, yet so relieved. I could see it in the corners of his eyes, the slight tension in his jaw. There was like a weight had finally lifted from his shoulders.
Then, he chuckled faintly.
"Your mother... She's been worried sick... I heard that Yukari wouldn’t leave your side for days."
He paused right after, then he whispered;
"But I think I was the one who really couldn't breathe without knowing if you'd open your eyes again."
.
.
.
Hearing that...
I sobbed, just once... but, it was quiet...
Ugly in the way only truth could be.
He didn’t let go of my hand.
He just sat there.
Letting me cry.
Letting me feel everything.
Letting me live.
Because I could again.
Because I was...
Alive.
And I felt like I wasn’t dreaming anymore.
.
.
.
"...Thank you." I whispered, hoarse now.
Not just for being there.
But, for everything.
.
.
.
For bringing me back.
~ Third Person Pov, A lot of explaining later... ~
.
.
.
"So... Uroko-sama, healed me...? I find that odd... But, I'm quite thankful to him... Where is he?"
"He's out at the sea-side, speaking with your mother, they should be back soon..." Ayano added.
"So... Uroko-sama healed me...? I find that odd... But, I’m quite thankful to him… Where is he?" Chisaki asked, voice still slightly soft, though no longer fragile.
"He's out at the sea-side, speaking with your mother. They should be back soon..." Ayano replied.
Chisaki nodded slowly, her eyes drifting toward the edge of the room...
She looked thoughtful now, even a little distant as well;
"…You stayed with me through it all, didn’t you?" She
Ayano didn’t bother answering her right away. He simply looked at her for a moment, then gave a short, nod;
"I couldn’t just leave you." He said, then continued: "I wouldn’t either..."
Her lips curled faintly;
"Thank you, again." She whispered again.
The silence that followed wasn’t heavy... Yet, also Filled of the things neither of them quite knew how to put into words as yet...
.
.
.
"…I think I want to stand up." Chisaki said after a while, brushing her hair back gently as she slowly sat upright, testing her limbs.
"You sure you want to do this? You just got up." Ayano asked her, half-standing just in case.
She nodded: "Haven't I been asleep long enough?"
He paused, quickly giving her a small smile: "Fair point."
Chisaki took in a breath, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and slowly began to rise...
Only to stop halfway;
"…Huh?"
She blinked, staring ahead, then down at herself, curiously...
"…That’s… strange."
Ayano tilted his head slightly: "...What is?"
"I feel… taller?" She muttered, genuinely confused. She stood fully now, adjusting to her balance, glancing around the room again, her line of sight had shifted slightly. It was in fact, higher than before.
Her brows knit. Something felt... off.
She looked down at her body.
"…Eh?"
The curvature of her chest-
She blinked again, holding her breath.
'Strange…Why does it feel like... these grew?' She asked herself.
A small rush of panic brushed her cheeks with color as she looked behind, twisting at the waist.
No.
It wasn’t just her chest.
'…My hips…?'
Ayano, sensing the sudden sharpness in her movements, stepped forward: 'Chisaki, what’s wrong?'
"I-uhm... I think there is something wrong with my body… I feel… bigger. Not in a bad way, just-" Her vision blurred suddenly, and a dull, pulsing headache surged just behind her eyes.
She swayed.
Ayano caught her arm gently.
"Hey-careful."
She winced, steadying herself: "…Ayano... W-What’s happening to me?"
He paused, choosing his words carefully;
"…You changed."
She blinked, saying: "…Huh?"
"It was during the merge-after your two souls became one... your body had to adapt somehow..." He said, calmly, continuing: " At least, that’s what Uroko believes, and I'm inclined to agree."
Chisaki stared at him, eyes wide;
"Your soul became something new... Stronger, like I mentioned to you before. More complete as well. And because of that, your body didn’t have a choice but to grow alongside it. It had to accommodate what you became."
She looked down at herself again, the realization slowly settling.
"…So, this is all… because of that?"
He nodded: "It’s not just physical, I think. But essentially, yes... That’s the most visible aspect."
She touched her chest lightly, unsure whether to be embarrassed, grateful, or wary...
Then she let out a breath, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh;
"Well... that certainly explains a lot."
"Are you good?" Ayano asked.
"…Yes... I think so..." She replied, slowly sitting back down, still adjusting: "This... It's just going to take a bit of getting used to."
Ayano chuckled faintly: "Yeah, I bet it would..."
Chisaki leaned back on her palms, looking toward the window;
"Still… It does feel like I’ve been given a second chance."
She slowly glanced back at him... This time, she smiled...
"I suppose, there isn't any better time to say what I'm about to, is there..." She said, almost to herself. No, it was.
Confused, Ayano asked: "Chisaki, what are you-" But before he could even finish...
"-I love you, Ayano Keiji..." She confessed.
.
.
.
"Wait... Chisaki, what are you-" Ayano tried to answer, but he was only cut off once more.
"-I'm tired of being uncertain of my feelings... From back then, and even now... So, I am being honest with myself...
I love you..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 92: The talk...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, some time before last chapter... ~
.
.
.
"I wanted to thank you again for saving my daughter, Uroko-sama..." Yukari stated.
Uroko shrugged: "It wasn't an issue for me..." He responded, almost thoughtlessly before continuing: "Irrespective of what happened before... I need you to know something."
Yukari straightened, her expression now alert: "Of course, ask whatever you wish." She answered.
"...This place." He said, looking around the area: "I can sense that bad times are coming... Shioshishio won't remain safe forever."
Yukari, confused quickly retorted: "Wha-? I... I don't understand, what danger...?"
"I... Can't say for sure... But, I can tell you one thing. That boy you've brought, Ayano...? It'd be best we keep him around for the sake of our people... He'll likely be of help." Uroko added;
'Ayano-kun... What do this have to... No, It's best to focus on the former right now...' Yukari thought;
"It's a premonition then of sorts..." Yukari stated off-handedly, more so to herself. She then looked at him: "Uroko-sama... Do you think... it's related to them?" She asked him. However, Uroko could tell that this really wasn't the best time do so...
He sighed, responding once more: "Perhaps... but like I've said, I can't really say for sure at the moment... Anyway, regarding that boy again. I'm not sure how to put it delicately... Regardless, I think he may be one of us."
Her eyes narrowed at the statement: "That shouldn't be..." She contemplated.
"...That's what makes him so interesting to me. He's definitely a descendant of someone from our side who mingled with the people of the land... His eyes, they should've told you that much, our people's eyes are a reflection of the sea itself. His is the same, but it's much deeper..."
"Does he know?" Yukari asked.
"No, and it doesn't really matter all that much either..." Uroko stated.
He then slowly turned toward the wooden path leading back toward the heart of the village...
"Come." He said after a moment: "Chisaki's already awake..."
.
.
.
Some time passed in soft footsteps and slow thoughts. The gentle crashing of waves played beneath their conversation, fading behind them as they approached the quiet home.
As they reached the door, they heard something-just faintly...
Through the quiet wood;
<"I love you, Ayano Keiji...">
Yukari paused at the doorway, lips parting ever so slightly, a flash of wide eyed surprise on her face.
Uroko, beside her, raised a single brow, then gave a low, almost amused hum;
'Well, I’ll be…’ He thought to himself: ‘The kid has both their hearts...? I’m definitely impressed.’
.
.
.
What Yukari had seen made her stop in her tracks...
Chisaki... Her daughter, was standing. Standing tall. Gracefully. Her frame had changed noticeably, taller now, more filled out. And beautiful. Radiantly so. Like the sea had reshaped her from the inside out.
"Chi... saki...?" Yukari breathed.
Her daughter turned at the voice.
"M-Mother?"
And in the next instant, Yukari ran forward without hesitation, arms wrapping tightly around her.
"Thank goodness-you’re safe...!" She whispered, her cold and calm voice cracking, albeit slightly: "You’re really okay..."
Chisaki was stunned for a second, then returned the embrace, burying her face into her mother’s shoulder;
"I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to worry you..."
"You scared me to death, but I'm truly glad you're safe..." Yukari muttered against her hair, her hold tightening just a little more.
Behind them, Uroko stood at the doorway, watching the family reunion quietly...
He slowly folded his arms across his chest, leaning slightly against the frame.
'So… This is the new tide…?' He thought: 'A girl who's survived the weight of two lifetimes… and, a boy who may not even belong to this world at all.'
His lips curved upwards;
'Sheesh... I guess this age might just turn out more interesting than I thought.' Uroko thought.
He then turned away;
"Well... I'll leave you three for the time being. I want to take a look at the place." Uroko waved, glancing at Ayano swiftly before walking off, his smile hidden...
Clasp!
.
.
.
Chapter 93: Another Talk...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
I still can't completely rap my head around all this... Even though I understood everything by principle.
Chisaki is a reincarnator. Something I've heard of in my past life, and as a result of being one, she almost died... I know my own situation isn't exactly normal, but it's still a bit more grounded than what I'm being exposed to here. Then, I see Uroko, who supposed to be this divine entity that's been worshipped here, for who knows how long...
And then Chisaki had Confessed her feelings to me... That wasn't the issue, it's the fact that, Yukari also had feelings for me as well.
Speaking of the confession... Did they hear Chisaki?
'Wait...'
I slowly turned my head toward the door where Uroko and Yukari had entered from earlier. I remembered how Yukari paused just before walking in. How she even looked a little off to me...
And, how Uroko had that stupid amused look on his face like he’d just found a secret he wasn’t supposed to know but was thoroughly enjoying keeping.
Shit...
I'm sure of it... They definitely heard her.
I don’t know why, but I suddenly felt like hiding in a hole somewhere...
I sighed again and glanced at Chisaki, who was now talking softly with Yukari, the two of them sharing a rare, quiet moment of peace with each other... I didn't have it in me to disturb them... Funny, huh?
I could take a stab to the stomach, fight to the death with someone, take on hundreds of guys at once. Yet, I still couldn't bring myself to sort out a little drama.
And in the back of my head, all I could think was;
'This is only going to get way more complicated… Isn’t it?' I told myself, but the thought didn't make any of this any less stressful.
In situations like these, the best thing for a man to do is to simply leave...
Both won't want me, and I won't be with them both at once, it wasn't fair nor right... Plus, I wasn't built for that kind of thing.
Right now, I... I needed to acknowledge the two of them.
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Ayano drew a slow breath, rolled his shoulders, and braced himself. Running now would only delay the inevitable, like stepping over a buried landmine, only to trigger it later. Clumsy or not, he knew he had to face it head-on, and the best time was now.
Chisaki’s quiet laugh floated through the room. Yukari gently brushed a stray lock from her daughter’s face, her gaze soft despite the fatigue still clinging to her eyes. The moment felt… normal. Almost peaceful.
He cleared his throat: "Yukari-san?"
Both mother and daughter turned toward him, their teal-colored eyes meeting his at once;
"...Could I borrow you for a second? Outside."
Yukari paused for a moment. Her expression flickered, maternal instinct pulling one way, curiosity the other... Then she gave a small nod: "I’ll be right back, Chisaki."
Chisaki then offered a faint smile as her eyes began to droop: "Of course... I’m not going anywhere either way."
Yukari followed him into the hall...
The door slid shut, leaving both in the narrow, cedar-scented corridor.
She spoke first: "You want to talk about… What we might have overheard, don't you..."
'Straight to the point. Figured...' He thought...
He slowly leaned against the wall, arms folded, gaze lowered. For a long moment, he didn’t speak.
Then he sighed, saying;
"…You heard her, didn’t you?”
Yukari didn’t look away, and calmy responded: "We heard you both, but it was just mumbling.”
His hand drifted up to rub the back of his neck again: "Yukari, don't lie to me, please... I know you heard. The way you seemed at the door earlier, and how your lord looked like someone had just told him the juiciest gossip of the century…"
Yukari’s lips tugged briefly into something resembling a reluctant smile, but she stayed silent...
"It seems I've been found out… Regardless... She meant it, you know." Yukari added, voice quieter now before she continued: "Every word of it."
Ayano tilted his head, watching her carefully: "I... I know she did."
Another pause. Ayano shifted his weight between his legs. Then finally, he asked;
"Then, tell me... How do you feel about it?"
Yukari’s composure didn’t falter, but something gleamed in her eyes. She didn’t answer him right away, instead choosing to cross her arms beneath her chest, exhaling once;
"…I’m her mother, Ayano."
"That’s not an answer." He said, tone more serious now: "You-We, both know that much."
She frowned: "It doesn’t matter."
"It does... To me." He said with a firmness she never heard before...
He stepped forward, just a little... enough that the space between them thinned.
"Because, I’ve been thinking about it. For a little while now actually."
She looked into his eyes: "...About what?"
He responded as if it was the most obvious response: "About asking you out."
.
.
.
"What...?"
The words had hit her like a massive tsunami...
Yukari looked at him, genuinely stunned: "I... You’re serious?"
He nodded slowly: "Yeah... I think I am."
"But… Chisaki-"
"She confessed to me, I know... And that matters. But, I’m not the type of person to run from complicated things. I think you already know that about me by now."
"…She’s my daughter, Ayano."
He met her gaze: "And you’re not just her mother. You’re you. Yukari."
Her lips parted slightly, her expression unreadable for a moment-something flickering deep in her chest. A hesitation. A longing, maybe. But also a guilt she’d carried too long to name.
"…You shouldn’t." She said softly: "Y-You’re young. I’m-"
"-You didn't think about that when you confessed." He said cutting in, causing her to look away, visibly blushing.
He sighed for a moment, and said: "...I’m not asking because I don’t know what I want." Ayano continued: "I’m asking, because I do."
Silence again. Long and quiet and full of things neither could remotely explain with just words.
Then...
"…No." She said it firmly at first, gaze dropping: "It wouldn’t be right. Not right now."
Ayano didn’t press her.
Instead, he just looked down, nodded slowly, and said: "Okay."
But something in the air shifted-Because he didn’t turn away...
He didn’t bother to leave.
He was just, waiting...
And Yukari… She had even felt it too.
The sincerity in his voice...
'This young man...' She thought.
"…You really mean it, don’t you...?"
"I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t." He retorted.
Her shoulders slumped slightly, a long sigh escaping her lips. And when she looked up at him again, there was a different kind of softness in her expression. Resigned...
"…Then-fine."
Ayano blinked: "Wait, really?" He was surprised. He didn't think she'd accept him so soon... But, when she did, he felt as if a massive weight had lifted from his heart and mind...
She sighed again, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear... She looked at him, partially happy;
"Then... One date. That’s it. If it goes well, we’ll see. If not, then we can both pretend this conversation never happened."
A fair grin tugged at the corner of his mouth: "I’ll definitely take it."
"But!" She said, raising a finger: "Listen to me carefully... Not a word of this to Chisaki. Not yet..."
"Understood..." He accepted the condition, albeit hesitantly.
She turned away with a quiet chuckle under her breath;
"For someone so young… You really are trouble, Ayano-kun."
He just smiled and shrugged: "Oh, you’ve got no idea."
A few seconds passed by both, before she eventually spoke up again;
Her gaze met his, steady and searching. "So... What do you intend to do now?" She asked.
"For now?" Ayano shrugged for a moment, his voice calm but honest: "It's best we give Chisaki some time to recover. Then talk about that confession of hers again when she's in a better state..."
A quiet stillness settled between the two of them...
Yukari eventually gave a small, tired smile, sad, but sincere: "That’s… Sensible. Painfully, yet annoyingly sensible."
"Honestly, I’ve been hinted to be much worse." He replied, dryly. Recalling the moments when he had fought the delinquents...
Her smile lingered, softening just slightly: "Alright... Take care of her tonight for me, please... I need to speak with the elders about Uroko-sama's warning." She dipped her head politely: "Thank you again, Ayano-kun."
As she turned to leave, Ayano spoke again, his voice lower;
"Oh... Yukari-san… When you're ready to talk about, us... I know a good place."
She paused mid-step, her shoulders easing with the faintest motion.
"…I’ll remember." She said quietly, then continued down the hall, disappearing around the corner...
He smiled;
'I bet you'll do.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 94: The Decision...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, with Yukari... ~
.
.
.
Yukari had slowly made her way towards the meeting room...
'I can already imagine the things they'll say...' She thought tiredly.
Honestly, she truly didn’t want to be in there...
Not in this room.
And certainly not amongst them.
The people inside were supposed to represent the city’s wisdom-pillars of the community, guides for the future. But Yukari had known better than that... Like the usual people who had power, most of them had cared more about retaining what little power they still clung to than they did about the actual wellbeing of Shioshishio, and its people. Her people.
As she grew into her position, Yukari swiftly learned and understood that politics were never clean, and while she could now navigate around them with decent ease, that didn’t inherently mean she liked any of them. Unfortunately, removing these figures wasn’t really an option at the moment, not when their families had been instrumental in the construction of the massive wall that now both guarded, and protected their city...
She felt as if she owed them at least a seat at the table, even if they no longer deserved to eat from it. They sat here, not from her decision, but from the respect she has for her late ancestor, Tsumugu Kihara. And, if not for him, then it should be for the respect from what those families used to stand for.
Yukari slowly entered the room, her presence silent but commanding.
It was a wide, sunlit space, simple in design, wooden floors, modest paper walls, and a single long table placed in the center. Around it sat five individuals, both men and women, most of them between their fifties and sixties. The elders were all from prominent families within their society, all with roots deeply intertwined with the city's history.
They turned to her as she stepped inside...
"Yukari-sama." One of them greeted politely, bowing his head as well. The others followed suit, their tones equally formal, if not entirely sincere.
She gave them a curt nod in return, voice steady;
"I greet you all."
Taking her seat at the head of the table, she allowed the quiet to settle before breaking it, answering;
"You’ve called for me...?"
A man with graying hair and a sharp gaze leaned forward slightly. He was one of the oldest there, from the Ryoga family... It was one of the five main ones who contributed the most to their development to their society.
"We have..." He said, continuing: "It’s about Uroko-sama. Word has spread that he’s returned after a twenty-year absence... Has he spoken with you?"
Yukari exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing a touch.
"He has." She replied, and then added: "And what he said… it wasn’t much of a reunion. It was more of a warning of things to come..."
The room quieted instantly;
"A warning...?" One of them echoed.
She nodded once, tone grave.
"Yes… He has told me that terrible times are ahead... And that Shioshishio won’t remain safe forever."
Chapter 95: Coming...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Click~
Ayano turned, hearing the door opening...
"Oh, Yukari-san, you're back... How was the meeting of yours?" Ayano asked.
Yukari stepped into the room, her posture as composed as ever, though the subtle weariness in her eyes didn't escape Ayano’s notice. She closed the door quietly behind her before replying.
“…Predictable,” she said dryly, removing her outer shawl and folding it neatly over her arm. “A lot of resistance masked as tradition. A lot of posturing by people too old to see what’s coming."
Ayano gave a small, knowing smile: "You make it seem like it's super exhausting..." Back in his old world, he had to deal with people like that when he was working. Eventually, he got used to it, realizing it was better to shut up and not give your own opinion on it either...
'I guess some things never change despite moving to a new reality...' He thought off-handedly.
Yukari gave a faint sigh, then walked further in, setting the shawl down by the wall: "...Exhausting would imply there was anything left to lose... At this point, it feels like I'm running on borrowed patience if anything."
Chisaki, who had been watching silently from her seat, glanced between them: "Did they not believe you...?"
"Chisaki... They believed me..." Yukari hesitantly replied, taking a seat now: "They just didn’t want to admit they did... But… they’ll move, one way or another. Even cowards will run if the tide gets high enough."
Ayano nodded slowly, leaning back, saying: "I’m glad you told them anyway... Doing this, it can't be said that you didn't do anything."
"I suppose so... Well, now that everything seems to be fine, for the most part. I'm wondering what we'll do next... I think we should aim to finish up that facility soon. A few more days, and it should be completely finished..." Yukari stated, then she looked at both her daughter and Ayano... Remembering the original plan.
'Would it be wise to take Chisaki with us...? She honestly seems well enough, but keeping her here might be the safest option for now. I can't risk her flaring up again regarding her circumstance...' Yukari pondered.
Yukari’s eyes lingered on her daughter a moment longer, thoughts quietly swirling behind them... Chisaki’s recovery had been nothing short of miraculous, but Yukari knew better than to mistake surface calm for inner peace... She’d been through too much, and though her body had stabilized, her soul… She was unsure if her soul was still likely still realigning itself.
She then folded her hands in her lap...
"...I’ll decide by tomorrow whether Chisaki joins us." She said at last: "But, It will depend on how she feels in the morning, not just what she says to reassure me..."
Chisaki looked like she wanted to protest but stopped herself. Instead, she gave a small nod... Now with the experience from her past life, she truly understood where her mother was coming from.
Ayano on the other hand leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees: "Alright then... Either way, I’ll still go ahead... I’ve got a few things I need to test out myself, and given our location, I think it's for the best to do it here instead."
Yukari raised an eyebrow, picking up on his tone: "...More training?"
He gave a curt nod: "That, and some other things I want to test out too..."
"....Alright, it's best you follow me for the time being. Chisaki... I'll be back." Yukari said.
"Of course..." Chisaki stated, smiling.
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
The walk was quiet, but not uncomfortable... It was just Yukari and myself, walking through paths through the inner quarters of Shioshishio...
Eventually, Yukari came to a stop beside a thick wooden door framed by coral-stone, and some old sea-polished tiles. With a soft push, the doors creaked open, revealing a wide chamber filled with nothing but white light.
It was… a training hall of sorts.
No, more like a hybrid between a gym, a dojo, and a military exercise yard...
The far side had reinforced dummies, weights, various exercise bars and platforms, reinforced flooring for impact training, and even targets for ranged attacks. It smelled faintly of salt and steel.
Yukari stepped aside and gestured with one hand: "This is where some of our guards train in their spare time. It’s rarely in used at this hour, so you’ll have some privacy."
I walked in, glancing around with a slight sense of wonder. The space was clean, organized, but raw enough to make me feel like I could definitely push myself here without holding back anything.
"I thought you might like it... It's design will influence yours a bit." she continued: "It’s fairly modest, but quite functional. Still... what you’re here to do might be something else entirely."
Her arms folded. Her tone wasn’t condescending, but curious.
I turned to look at her;
"Wait... You’re staying to watch...?"
"I am." She said simply: "I’ve never actually seen how you trained before, other than you studying when we were at your home... Call it curiosity... or concern, whichever you prefer."
I gave her a short nod, then rolled my shoulders a bit, loosening them up;
"Fair enough."
I stepped toward the center of the room, took a breath, this wasn't just training for me... It's also an opportunity I need to take to catch my breath and get my mind off things. Training was a new way for me to do just that...
'Honestly… This was long overdue anyway.'
For all this system ability had offered me-its passives, its skills, its enhancements, I’d relied mostly on myself for the most part. My body, my instincts, my martial arts. I had been given many of my active abilities since the start… And, never really used a single one, other than booster...
Not because I was scared of them.
But it's because I never really needed them. But, that might change in the future...
Regardless... Which one should I even use first?
Some of them are conditional, and I can't just use them willy-nilly either...
'Well, I'll just choose the most elusive one for now I guess...'
The problem was, I needed to be in battle to use Charge shot to begin with... Some of these skills had conditions to actually utilize... But, maybe those conditions have loopholes as well.
I turned to one of the wooden dummies...
I walked over to it... Thinking about what constitutes a battle to begin with.
Still... What is a battle, really…?
Is it just two people trying to fight and kill each other?
Is it fear, stakes, pain?
Or is it… intent?
I’ve fought before... Before I came here, and a lot more when I got here. Dozens, hundreds, thousands of times. Always to win, but mostly, it was actually to survive. But, now I wasn’t sure what actually triggered the system into recognizing it as such...
If a skill like Charge Shot needed some kind of battle to activate, then what was that metric? Was fighting a toddler the bare minimum? Was it adrenaline? Some kind of hostile force? Mutual killing intent? What?
Or maybe… it was simpler than that...
I narrowed my eyes slightly, pulling my hand back, getting into a wide position, planting myself...
What if a battle didn’t have to be with someone else? I closed my eyes to trigger it's build up.
After a few seconds, my hand twitched comfortably, with q faint pressure almost swirling around my fingertips, and straight up my arm. I could feel something building up in my arm. Instinctually coiled back that same right arm to the very limit, feeling the pressure continuing to build more and more...
.
.
.
3... 7... maybe even 10 seconds must have passed me by... But it was there. A feeling like a limit... I couldn't charge it anymore.
I took a short breath, exhaled, and shifted my weight to my back leg...
'That's, interesting... So the condition… It was simply my own will?'
Hmm... Not bad.
Then, isn't it time to release this thing...?
I opened my eyes, throwing my punch using all of my power-
BOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
PING!
Charge shot level 5 attack launched.
When I landed the punch, a massive shockwave erupted... A literal gust of wind blowing the surrounding equipment some ways away... The dummy? It had exploded almost completely, leaving only a semi-circular carving, and residual heat from the sheer force of my fist...
I could see the splinters of it's upper-sections in the air falling down, but for the most part, it was gone...
"Haha... Hahaha...!" I laughed.
What else could I do?
That strike must have been several times stronger than my own full powered punches... That alone was ridiculous to me... Wait, could my passive critical hit trigger along side even this as well...?
Before I could think on it any further, from the corner of my eyes, I could see Yukari with a shocked expression...
'She must be flabbergasted by what I just did...'
I couldn't blame her, I don't think she's ever seen me throw a punch, but now that she has... No, it doesn't even matter...
What I've just realized changes things. That strike earlier, could I replicate it without using the skill?
Because...
I feel like I could...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 96: Over-Clock...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
A little after Ayano used his skill, Yukari had practically rushed downstairs...
'Here it comes...' Ayano thought.
It didn't take long before she bombarded him with the questions: "What was that...?" She asked him.
"A technique of mine..." Ayano stated, but that wasn't the entire truth. He couldn't tell her just yet.
"A technique...? Ayano, you just blew up a dummy made from iron-wood like it was nothing, and rattled the entire area... I could feel it from up there." Yukari explained. She slowly looked towards where the dummy was once more, still seeing feint hints of steam emanating from it...
'I knew he was powerful... But... for him to be this strong is...' She noted.
"I don't blame you for being surprised... In fact, I'm a bit surprised as well." Ayano stated honestly. He didn't know the skill would be this strong either.
"Still... You might want to back up... I need to test something..."
Curious, but she said nothing, for some reason, she felt as if she needed to listen...
"Alright, but please, be careful..." She said, stepping away quickly.
He nodded: "I will... But, you might need to back up even further."
Heeding his warning, she did so...
Seeing that she was far away enough, his expression became serious. Falling back into his previous stance. Ayano closed his eyes, recalling the exact sensation he felt when he was pulling off what he did just moments ago... After a few seconds of meditating, slowly, he recoiled his fists...
Yukari watched on... Feeling an odd pressure emanating from Ayano's body.
'That stance... Is he planning to...' She thought, slowly realizing what's happening.
However, this time, something strange started happening...
His right arm... It was, growing more muscular, vascular and defined as well. Not only that, His arm and fists recoiled even further than before.
'What...? Just what is he doing...?'
Yukari couldn’t tear her eyes away.
His entire frame seemed rock steady, but it was like watching a bowstring being drawn back... Too far.
She instinctively stepped back again, despite already keeping her distance;
"A-Ayano-kun…?" She called out to him, low and wary.
Instead another shockwave came...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
Just like before, massive air currents surrounded the area, the room vibrated slightly, further pushing the equipment away...
Yukari braced herself, the air quickly dispersing...
However, unlike last time, Ayano seemed tired. Then, he dropped to a single knee...
She unconsciously ran towards him;
"Ayano! Are you alright!?" Yukari shouted, worry etched across her face...
"Y-Yeah... I'm fine... Just a bit, winded... Hehe~" He responded, laughing while smiling faintly.
'It worked... It actually worked... But the cost...' Ayano thought. A throbbing pain pulsating through his right arm...
But Yukari wasn’t satisfied with that, even he could tell. Her eyes quickly glanced to his right arm, realizing how red and swollen it had looked compared to before...
"That didn’t look like the same thing you had done earlier…" She said, her voice careful but still firm: “Tell me the truth. What exactly was that, Ayano?" She asked him.
He paused a moment, glancing at her, then looked away;
"…I pushed myself beyond my body's normal limits." He replied: “Not by a little either to be completely honest with you... I pushed until everything screamed at me to stop."
Yukari furrowed her brow, confused but listening...
"I tensed everything at once... My nerves, muscles, even down to the way I should move. All of that was compressed into one singular motion. It was like… I was forcing my body to go past what it’s normally built for, just to get more firepower out of it... Kind of like, over-clocking a system."
His voice remained completely even while he explained the concept behind what he had just done, but Yukari noticed the way his hand subtly twitched, and how tightly his fingers clenched and unclenched, like the nerves and veins were still still throbbing beneath his skin, clearly overloaded...
"And this is the cost...?" She asked quietly, slightly glancing at his arm once more. However, even he could tell that it wasn't really a question. It was more so fact disguised as one.
"Unfortunately, yes... Immense pain and fatigue, as you can see... Sorry for worrying you like this. " Ayano sighed, apologized.
"I... It's fine... But, I'd rather you not resort to something like this again. I don't find pleasure seeing you in pain. Even at the cost of greater strength. Do you understand!"
Ayano looked up at her... He knew that Yukari's tone wasn’t scolding, but something much deeper. It was layered with concern, frustration and fear. Fear not just for his wellbeing… but, that he'd keep pushing himself like this until there was nothing left to even push...
He gave a small smile, not deflecting it this time;
"I understand..." He said quietly, continuing: "It’s not something I plan to rely on. I just… Needed to know. To be sure it was even possible. Thankfully, it was."
Yukari hearing this, didn’t bother to respond immediately. She just exhaled slowly, walking a little closer. Her hands hovered near his shoulder, as if unsure whether to help him up or not... She was unsure if touching him might cause even more damage than support. But, Ayano beat her to it, forcing himself to stand despite the weight bearing down on his arm.
He swayed slightly, and she instinctively reached out, this time grabbing hold of her as he did.
"You’re reckless..." She muttered, steadying him in the process...
"Yeah..." He admitted, giving a soft chuckle as well before saying: "But, I think it'll pay off..."
But, in his mind, he had other thoughts...
'I'm sorry you had to see something like that, Yukari... But, I felt like I had an epiphany... A few more attempts at this, and I feel like I'll be onto something great.' Ayano thought.
To him, the possibilities were essentially endless, not only did he find a way to increase his strength, he also found out something else while he did it. Something even he had grasped during the last spar with his masters... Regarding how talented he truly was right now.
'When I fought with my masters, it felt like my mind was pulling ahead of my own body, with each moment that passed. I could literally see myself pulling off those moves before my body had time to actually catch up to the thought, to them... Actually, my body isn't even pulling them off the way I want it to either if I'm being honest with myself.
Right now, it feels like I'm chasing an ideal version of myself, but I'm bound with the limit of my own body... Imagine, thinking ten steps ahead, only for your body to move once every time...? It's, frustrating.' Ayano thought.
The most he could do at the moment, was to actually train his body to catch up with his own thoughts... This was the curse of his own talent. His body not having the level to match was holding him back.
'...I'll just have to bare with it.' Ayano resolved.
Ayano now had problems to take care of, far more urgent than even this...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Notes:
Over-Clocking: A state where Ayano temporarily increases his body's performance at the cost of burning out both his muscles and nerves. Think of it as his own PB-copy, like Yohan had achieved for a few seconds. However, this isn't controlled like Yohan's version, it was an all out attack...
Chapter 97: Careful, not careful...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Both Ayano and Yukari walked towards one of the training equipment. Carefully, she helped him to sit down...
Yukari looked at him, observing his body whilst thinking back on what Uroko had told her;
'Why Ayano...?' She thought, confused. Until, she just remembered what he had done mere moments ago...
'His strength... Could that actually be a factor in the trials to come?' She pondered.
What had fascinated her when she knew of him, was his sheer physical prowess. Prowess. Prowess that was honestly far beyond the realm of what normal humanity could ever hope to achieve.
At first, Yukari had thought that his power was just a side note. Something that made him extremely effective and useful, yes, but not defining in any real way. She had thought of him as a protector for Chisaki, and perhaps a bridge between the land and sea people... But now?
Now, it was undeniable.
This boy, no... This man had possessed physical capabilities far beyond what even their strongest guardians could dream of attaining, and strength she found to be of a legend. Not just with brute force, but also technique, restraint, and even intuition. All of those qualities were wrapped in a body that was still growing...
It was terrifying, and somehow...
It was, comforting as well...
"...It's almost as if you aren't human." Yukari finally said, muttering mostly to herself.
Ayano heard her, but decided to say nothing of it.
Yukari sat beside him as well, saying;
"I think I should tell you this..."
"Tell me what?" He asked.
"The fact that, Uroko-sama told me that you were one of us, at least partly..."
Ayano blinked slowly, turning his head toward her. For a brief moment, the training hall seemed to go completely still. The residual warmth from his earlier strike still lingered faintly in the air, like steam hanging in silence;
"…One of you?" He repeated, genuinely surprised;
'Uroko never told me that...' He thought.
Ayano’s brows furrowed for a bit, saying: "And what do you think that means, exactly?"
She sighed, answering: "...It means, you’re likely not just some random anomaly that wandered into our lives with just your strength. It also means there’s a reason the sea itself responded to you. Why Uroko-sama likely acknowledged you to begin with..."
Even more confused, he asked: "Yukari-san... What... What are you talking about?" Clearly something was missing here.
Tiredly, she responded: "Uroko-sama had told me that we'll have perilous times ahead of us... And you might be our only answer out of it. It's what that meeting I had before was for to begin with."
Ayano sat still for a long moment, processing what Yukari had just revealed. His gaze drifted toward the broken dummy in the far corner, and then back towards his own clenched fists resting on his knees...
Ayano exhaled through his nose, tone laced with both irritation and quiet amusement: "And of course, he didn’t feel like telling me any of that directly..."
'Sly coot. He probably knew I wouldn't just accept it at face value...' Ayano realized.
"Honestly, he doesn’t tell anyone everything directly..." Yukari admitted, with the faintest trace of dry humor: "That’s just how he is. That’s how he’s always been. Cryptic... A bit arrogant at times, and rather selective with his truths. But not a liar. Never that."
He sighed, saying: "I guess you're right about that..."
He looked ahead, thinking to himself: 'Still... I'll need to get much stronger from here on... I'm still too weak the way I am now... Because, now I have something to protect. The people of Shioshishio, Chisaki and Yukari...'
He turned towards her, both now extremely close to one another...
The tension between the two had instantly rose...
Ayano now fully turned towards her, and for a moment… Neither of them said anything.
The silence was no longer heavy... It was silent in the way that still water was silent... Calm on the surface, yet hiding everything underneath. Yukari’s gaze slowly met his, steady, unreadable… But, not distant.
Their faces were close now. Far too close to pretend otherwise.
Yukari’s expression didn’t shift, but her breath had subtly slowed. Her eyes scanned his face, trailing from his eyes to his jaw, then briefly to his lips, before flicking back up again. She didn’t move, but she didn’t pull away either.
Ayano swallowed, his own voice quieter now, almost unsure;
"…Yukari-san."
She blinked slowly, the corner of her mouth twitching as if to speak, but nothing came out...
"Please... I don’t know if I’m reading this wrong, or..." He said carefully: "So tell me if I am…"
She didn’t...
Instead, after a long, delicate pause, she mumbled two words, just above a whisper;
"…You’re not."
That was all it took. Those two words were all it took for him to break.
He moved first, slowly... So slowly that either of them could’ve stopped it at any given moment. But, she didn’t. And when his hand gently caressed her cheek, Yukari leaned into it with the faintest, instinctive breath, as if her body had already made the decision, her mind was still catching up to...
Their lips met... lightly, and hesitantly at first.
It wasn’t urgent. Noe was it wasn’t reckless, or rushed. It was slow, careful, full of weight and warmth and unspoken things neither had dared voice until now...
When they finally pulled apart, it wasn’t with shock or regret… but rather, with quiet acceptance...
Their foreheads lingered close, both eyes closed, breathing shared between them.
.
.
.
"Umm… So... That just happened." Ayano whispered.
Yukari nodded faintly: "I… Yes... Yes it did."
"Do... you regret it?" He asked her. Unsure...
Instead of answering directly, she grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him in...
"MHMM!?* Mmm~ Mhmm~"
She kissed him once more... This time, when she pulled back, a long string of white liquid had hanged loosely on their lips...
"...Does that answer your question?" She asked.
It took him half a minute to answer;
"Yes... Yes it did..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 98: Back Home...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, some time later... ~
.
.
.
"Alright, you guys, I think it’s my time to go…" Ayano said, his tone steady but carrying a faint undertone of reluctance.
He then turned first to Chisaki, giving her a small yet reassuring nod... She returned it with a soft smile as well, one that didn’t quite mask the hint of concern in her eyes.
Then, his gaze shifted to Yukari. The air between them felt subtly different now, as if the earlier moment in the training hall still lingered between them, unspoken yet undeniable. She held his gaze for a breath longer than necessary, her expression composed, but her eyes…
Her eyes told another story;
"…Take care of yourself." Yukari said simply, though her voice carried a certain edge that Chisaki hadn’t miss...
'Hmm...' Chisaki wondered, concerned.
"I will." Ayano answered and waved, offering the faintest of smiles, and continued: "Just don’t let those elders give you too much of a headache."
Yukari's lips quirked a bit, hidden from her daughter: "…I’ll manage."
With that, Ayano turned, making his way toward the door. The sound of his footsteps had faded into the gentle moving of the sea beyond, leaving the two women watching his back until it disappeared from view...
For a brief moment, the room was a bit silent, until Chisaki finally glanced towards her mother, her brow faintly furrowed, asking: "…Did something happen while I wasn’t there?"
Yukari’s answer was delayed, her gaze still lingering on where Ayano had been;
"No... It was nothing, honey..." She admitted quietly.
'With how you said so... It can't just be nothing...' Chisaki thought.
To her, things were only seeming more, and more suspicious...
.
.
.
.
.
'I should've thanked Yukari for the ride...' Ayano thought idly. He slowly folded his legs, rested his elbow on the side of the vehicle, forming a fist, resting his chin, thinking...
'There's a whole lot left for me to do here... Especially with Yukari telling me about my existence being a factor for potentially saving Shioshishio. I find it ironic. I don't consider myself anyone of any importance or great character... The most I had was strength, and even then. I'm still not at the top.'
He hissed his teeth, annoyed;
'I just need to sort things out for a moment... Fist off, Shioshishio isn't on my priority list... At least, not at the moment. It's simply too vague a threat to work with right now. This just leads me to deal with the bully council situation. Siyeon said she'd be in touch, so I'll just have to wait. Which means, the only thing I've got left is my training with my masters... But, even an idiot could realize that our relationship has strained, even if it's by a bit...'
Ayano slowly leaned his head back against the seat, watching the blur of structures and street lights now passing by outside. The faint sounds of the vehicle’s movement gave him a bit of space to think, but also made the silence feel much heavier as well...
'Strained, is putting my situation a little lightly.' He thought.
Ever since the last few sessions, there had been a tension between him and his masters... They've essentially claimed he had reached their level of skill, it was ridiculous to him. However, remembering he had a passive that had literally enhanced his over all learning, he then understood why they seemed like they have.
Not to mention that He had Chisaki to worry about as well. He hadn't given her a response to her confession, and he couldn't just tell her he was now seeing her mother... Could he?
'Speaking of... How will Yukari deal with Chisaki from now on...? Chisaki was technically much, much older and more experienced than both of us combined with the aid of two lives. Not just that, she's also Yukari's..." Ayano stopped his train of thoughts.
'Actually... I think I should stop there.' He sighed.
He closed his eyes briefly, the memory of his earlier training with Yukari replaying in his mind briefly. The moment he’d unleashed that strike… the shockwave... And, the repercussions...
'I'll definitely have to work on that little move of mine. If I could control the output to be much smaller, and distribute it throughout my entire body, I'd be unbeatable to those with similar strength levels, but I'll likely have to deal with some form of time limit. Today told me that the human body isn't made to just go above it's own limits multiple times over... Who could've guessed?
Plus, I haven't dealt with using other parts of my body like that, which means it'll take me a long while to get it done Which just leaves me with, myself...' Ayano contemplated.
His eyes widened for a moment...
'There was something that my masters spoke about... Masteries, right? If I recall, it's reaching an understanding of one's self in different areas. My talent is absolute, so why not aim for that?
I'm so stupid... Why the hell am I chasing more raw strength, when I'm not even using what I have to it's theoretical max?'
Just like before, Ayano felt as if he had another epiphany...
And, just like what he experienced with replicating the charge shot.
'I know what I'll be doing next.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 99: Encounter... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov, some time later... ~
.
.
.
"Home sweet home…!" Ayano muttered. He quickly waved the drivers for dropping him off...
'It's just a little past 7... I've still got some fuel in the tank too.' He thought.
As he approached his home's entrance...
But then, he slowly stopped, absently pushing against his door, and feeling no resistance...
"...?"
His eyes now fell on the door entirely, or, what was left of it.
Where the handle should have been was gone. In fact, he realized it had been melted, clean off as well;
'What the…?' Now? He was extremely confused...
Shree~
He carefully pushed it open, and stepped within...
The moment he did, a stench hit him like a physical blow. The smell was thick and heavy... The smell of slowly decaying corpse.
It was the only thing he could equate it to.
'Just what the hell happened in here-'
Before he could finish his thought. He looked below, seeing a trail of blood, being drawn straight into the kitchen.
Ayano’s expression hardened instantly. He stepped inside, his senses sharpening, every instinct on edge. The door shut behind him with a dull thud, his intent was muting the faint sounds of the wind behind him.
Next, he tried flickering on the light switch behind him, however...
'No way... They've all been taken out?!'
Now, he just had realized that someone had done this one purpose...
In fact, the living room was quite dim, the curtains were drawn in tightly, keeping the air so thick with the stench it felt like it was practically clinging to his skin at this point... However, he reluctantly pushed past the smell, his gaze carefully sweeping across the space instead;
'Nothing really looks overturned, no signs of much-if any struggle at all either...' He realized.
But, he knew deep down that something was off...
The differences were all so small. Small enough that he almost mistook the changes for something that he had done.
Almost...
Seeing this, he carefully walked further ahead, his footsteps were slow, but measured. As he continued, the floor creaked faintly beneath him as he moved deeper into his apartment, his eyes flicking from large places of where shadows were.
However, to his dismay, the odor only grew stronger the closer he gotten to the kitchen...
When he had finally reached it. On the floor, near the counter, he could vaguely make out something dark that had seeped into the tiles...
'Blood...?' He realized.
When he followed the messy trail, he could see the corpse... Or, what remained of one.
'Oh gosh... What the hell could've done something like this?'
It was, disgusting. This... This wasn't normal...
Tap~
Tap~
'Footsteps!?' Ayano's head instantly snapped towards his right. Where he heard the sounds.
However, the moment he had...
All he could make out in the dim lighting, was... A child.
.
.
.
'Shit... She might be in danger.'
In fact, a girl... She was small, covered in blood... Hiding just behind the wall, just staring at him.
However, even in this kind of darkness.
He instinctively knew one thing.
She looked afraid... Not at the corpse, the dark or even the blood...
She was terrified, of him...
'I... Can't just leave her here like this...' He thought. Not thinking of anything else.
He approached, carefully stepping forward, bit by bit... But, he could tell her fear of him was only growing stronger with each moment that passed, worse that she kept backing up.
So, he stopped, just shy of her, gently asking;
"Are... you alright...?"
~ Unknown Pov... ~
.
.
.
I’m so… tired.
The hunt for material had been long tonight. Almost, too long... Every part of my body was aching, though it wasn’t quite the same ache a human would feel at least, but more a kind of weariness in my being itself... Hunting like the way I am now was simply too inefficient.
Still.. It would have been easy to curl into the shadows here, and rest. This place was… It was quiet enough. I'll leave by dawn, like the usual if they never came back.
Then, that's when I head it...
a Shree~
My head rose up;
'The door...?'
Slowly, I turned toward the sound, footsteps drawing me closer to the entrance. Whoever it was, they seemed to be moving quite carefully, but not cautiously enough to hide from me...
'Regardless... It must be the human who lives here...'
Usually, they would pass through this place quickly, and leave again before I even took notice. That was fine with me. But then.
The door had closed this time, the sound was dull. Then the faint creak of the floorboards followed, coming inward...
For some reason...
They weren’t, leaving;
'…Interesting.' It seems like this person was quite brave.
Should I play with them a little...?
I haven't done so in quite a while...
'Hehehe~'
Still, there was no reason to feel that alarmed... Even if they had wandered too far in... Even if they stepped into my space. It would end the same as always had.
Once they caught even the tiniest of glimpses of my visage, their fragile minds would always buckle in on itself... They’d all shatter, drowning in the delirium that always came with the fragment of truth of my form... I honestly wish weren't so, but...
I was... Used to it now.
I’d seen it countless times at this point. There was no exception within that rule...
I carefully drifted towards the kitchen again, the air heavy with the sweet stench of what I’d left behind. The remnants lay still against the tile, cooling, sinking deeper into the porous stone. I was expecting little, another dull moment in an endless string of them in my little adventure so far...
Then I saw it...
The figure at the far end of the kitchen.
.
.
.
And for the first time in my existence, I knew what fear was...
This... This was no human...
No animal. Not anything I had ever known, seen or hunted...
It was, wrong...
I could tell that its entire existence felt abnormal, like an anomaly for this reality. My body curled at the mere sight of it...
'What is that creature..!?'
Taking a closer look. I had realized its entire body was… fractured. Twisting, unsteady, almost incorporeal, and yet horribly present. Shapes writhed beneath its surface. Eyes. Too many eyes. And mouths, eyes withing it's mouths were constantly whispering, mumbling, speaking sounds I could not begin to place, as if every language I’d never learned was trying to reach me at once.
Evil. Wickedness. Dread. Hopelessness. They didn’t just radiate from it... This being... No, creature, had personified those very concepts...
'Is... Is this what the humans felt when they witnessed me...?' That was the thought that had came to my mind.
How the very beings that seemed to scorn my existence felt.
.
.
.
My body recoiled once more before I could stop it, one step back against the wall... My body clicked faintly against the tile.
The sound was small. Insignificant. Like the very wind outside...
But, it was enough.
Its head instantaneously snapped toward me. Meeting me own eyes...
Not turned, snapped...
What seemed to be its neck had twisted too far, joints constantly cracking in spasms, the motion jerky, unnatural. The head twitched again and again, stopping dead in my direction like a predator scenting blood...
It saw me...
I... I couldn’t move. Not wouldn’t... I simply couldn’t. I was too afraid to.
My body had already decided that it was no use... Every primal instinct within me surfaced, and screamed the same thing...
That I was no longer the hunter...
I was the prey.
I watched as its head continued to cant towards the side, spasming countless time down toward the right, just until it was almost upside down.
And instead of charging in and attacking me, it… drifted, closer. Slowly, but surely...
It's body was like miasma, and shadow all at once, an oil-slick darkness that breathed air and smoke... Every step it took brought a new wave of pressure, pressing against my very being. I could feel my own thoughts shrinking inward, just to keep from fracturing apart...
Until, it had stopped completely... Only a few feet away...
Then it looked down at me. It's flame like head twitching unnaturally as it did so...
It felt like looming presence...
Death... It was death...
.
.
.
"A̶̠̔̄́̑͛͒̀ͅr̸̺̫̯̠̤̉͌ȩ̵̡̺̠̣̟̬͐͋ͅ.̸̨̢̬̼̘͈̜̈́̐̍͗̇̈́̏.̷̘̯͇̖͇̳̽̏.̸̺͕̥̙̤̂͐̇̿͛͛ͅ ̸̩̠̦̗̍̇͝ý̸̲͍̈́͐̾o̶̙̩̪͖̳̳̟̖̽̍̌͌͊̈́̑u̴̘͓̔̏́̚̕͝ͅ ̷̺͉̣͚͒̕å̷̡̭̖̝̻̫̹̩̍̈́̀̏l̵̯̟̓r̷̳͒ì̴̙͎͆̽͑̈̿͘͝g̸̗̜̭̭̈͋̆͛h̴̭̣̓̈́̋́ţ̴͕͕͔̲͚̭̊͂̽.̵̰̰̬̞͖̬̄̊.̸̢̹̤͆.̴̤̝̎̒́̔̓͘͠͝?̸̨̧̟̳̝͚̓̿̐͗̈́̽̕͠…?"
The creature... It spoke to me...
I could hardly make it out what it was saying. It's voice sounded delayed. The place of where it's mouth should be had moved unnaturally, yet it's voice came out seconds after...
It's question struck deeper than the words themselves, as if my very cells had been commanded to hear it. To listen...
When it spoke, the mouths on its body moved with the words, dozens, hundreds, speaking, all in some kind of maddening chorus. Deep and light, harsh yet soft. Contradictions within contradictions. All within reality itself. Each one coming from a different place, above and behind and even within me.
And for the first time in a very long time…
I... I didn’t know what to do.
All I could think in this very moment, was that;
'I... I don't want to die.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 100: The Song of Saya... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov, some time later... ~
.
.
.
'Alright... Just what the hell do I do now...?'
She eventually calmed herself down, but I can tell she's sill scared shitless of me... Not the best feeling in the world.
Still, she's just huddled up in the corner, knees tucked in. Her eyes were completely fixated on me, as if I might pounce at any second.
For the past few minutes, she was just, staring at me like she was cautious...
.
.
.
This whole, situation. It was just, making less and less sense as the time passed. How the hell did this child even get in here...?
Who the hell even broke into my home?
Who brought her here?
Where are her parents?
Does she even have parents to begin with...?
Those were the questions that were running through my mind right now. I had answers to none of them... But, when I looked back at her. She seemed so helpless. Like she doesn't know what to do with herself... I'll just have to be extra careful around her, I cant show panic, or worry;
'What's worse, is that I just kept seeing myself in her...'
When my mom passed in my last life. I huddled up to myself too, for months actually, before I finally got on my own two feet again... Seeing a child like this, was just a hit to the gut. My conscience just wouldn't allow me to not do anything.
'Plus... I can't just leave her here, trembling like this either...'
.
.
.
"..."
"Hey... Umm... Are you… ok?" I tried asking her, again.
Her head glanced at me, just slightly. I could tell that she was still a little cautious of me, and still wary as well… But the sheer terror she felt seeing me from before seemed to have dulled a little, into something else. Can't really put a name on it right now, bit it's not really trust, but it was enough for her to listen to me.
"You’re… cautious of me..." I said, more so to myself than to her;
"I guess, I can’t really blame you..."
I exhaled through my nose, standing upright again: "Alright… I’ll need to get the authorities to sort this out-!"
The second I pulled my phone from my pocket, she dashed towards me.
It wasn’t much distance at all, but she closed it near instantly, honestly surprising me with the suddenness, and the amount of strength she used. Her small hands pressed against my arm, her voice sounded sharp, despite how quiet it was;
"P-Please... Don’t!"
This was the first time I've heard her voice. It sounded like
Innocence...
'Huh!?'
I stared at her for a moment, and just like that, the courage she’d shown seemed to drain away. She backed off a few steps, now she was practically trembling again under my gaze...
I looked down at my phone, then back towards herd sighed, an;
"I… Okay... I won’t call them then." I told her softly. But, I'm not really understanding something here...
'Why didn't she want me to call them... No... She's must still scared.' I convinced myself.
I carefully slid the phone back into my pocket, keeping my eyes on her, and said: "But... in return… I'll need you to answer my questions... Is that ok with you?"
It took her a while... But, she eventually nodded;
'Now... What should I ask first?'
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"Alright... Before you introduce yourself... I think I should go first..." Ayano said.
"My name is Ayano Keiji. And, now that I've introduced myself... Why don't you tell me yours?" He then asked.
The girl’s lips parted as if to answer, but then closed again. Her gaze dropped, her fingers curling slightly against her knees.
Ayano didn’t press on...
After another minute, he asked: "…You do have a name, right?" His tone was calm, steady, the kind you’d use to keep from spooking an already skittish animal...
For a long moment, nothing from her came.
Then, so quiet it was almost swallowed by the still air between them;
"My name… It's, Saya."
Her voice was light, but it carried an odd resonance to it.
"Saya, hmm..." Ayano repeated: "Alright then. That’s a good start."
Her eyes flicked up toward him for just a moment before darting away again...
"Well… Do you live nearby here?" He asked.
Saya’s head shook once...
"Then… are you lost by any chance?" He asked her.
A much longer pause came this time. Her expression didn’t really change, but something in her eyes shifted, like a shadow of something far more complex than just a, lost child’s confusion...
"No..." She replied.
The single word hung between them like a blade...
Ayano studied her in silence.
No… She wasn’t lost. If anything, she actually seemed like she had come here on purpose. Because, this situation wasn't making sense to him.
But, why here...?
He kept his voice neutral: "…Alright. If you’re not lost, then tell me this... Did you break in?"
Saya’s gaze rose again, slowly, deliberately. For a moment, their eyes locked, and in that instant something passed between them, something Ayano couldn’t really name at the moment, but it definitely prickled at the back of his neck, bothering him;
"No..." She then answered.
There was this certainty in her tone was, to him, it was a little strange.
Ayano slowly leaned back slightly, exhaling through his nose as well, then asked: "Then someone else did… and you just happened to be here... Did you come in after...?"
She then nodded her head.
'I guess that would somehow explain why she's here... But, what about the dead animal's corpse?' Ayano wondered.
"Saya... Do you have any parents?" He asked her.
She nodded hesitantly once again.
"...Why aren't they with you?" Ayano probed once more.
It took another minute for her to answer...
"...I think, I was abandoned."
"..."
'So... It's like that.' Ayano thought. Piecing her situation together...
Finally, Ayano muttered: "…Alright, Saya. We’ll leave it at that for now... But you’re not staying in that corner all night."
Her head tilted faintly, but she didn’t move...
Ayano’s lips quirked just slightly: "…Come on, follow me. You can sit where it’s warmer."
For a moment, he thought she’d ignore him entirely. But then, with slow, almost hesitant steps, Saya then rose to her feet, and followed behind him...
Her movements being so quiet, that they were nearly soundless. Which, wasn't unnoticed by Ayano.
'Strange... Since when the hell could kids move like that? It sounds like she doesn't even exist.' Ayano thought. If not for his keen hearing. He was wondering if he would have even heard her to begin with... However, he let it go for the time being.
Somehow, Ayano had the feeling this was just the beginning of something far stranger than either of them could put into words;
'Tonight... It's definitely gonna be a long one.' He sighed internally.
Now, he had to, with immense reluctance, clean up as much of the mess he's seen.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The morning light slipped in through the smallest gaps in the curtains, painting faint streaks across the floor. Ayano sat at the table now, one hand loosely around a mug of tea that had long gone cold... Of course, the next day came relatively quickly. Ayano of course didn't get much, if any sleep at all due to the situation he was now in...
Across from him, Saya sat on the bed, perfectly still...
No longer fidgeting. Not slouching either... Just… watching. Saya had watched Ayano sitting still, instead of being utterly fearful of his presence. She was now extremely cautious, and curious...
'This isn't unnerving, at all...' He thought to himself.
Saya's gaze was unblinking, almost clinical in its curiosity and a sense of fascination, but there was no longer that paralyzing terror from the night before at least. Instead, it was something stranger, a wary study, as though she were quietly cataloging every move he made. At least, to Ayano.
She didn’t eat any of the food he’d offered her earlier...
In fact, she hadn’t really touched the tea he offered at all either.
Ayano being a bit tired of the awkwardness. Finally broke the silence first, slowly asking: "...Do You always stare at others like that?"
Her head tilted slightly at the question: "…No."
"Then, is there something different about me?" He asked.
For a moment, Saya’s lips parted, as if she was about to answer honestly. Then she closed them again, her expression smoothing into something unreadable: "It's… Nothing."
Ayano’s brows furrowed slightly at the way she said it. He sighed. Not bothering to pursue it.
Instead, he leaned back in his chair and thought about the kitchen. Most of, if not all the bloodstains were gone now, though he knew that the smell would take even longer to fade due to how bad it was. The corpse... He’d dealt with that quickly. Plus, it was not exactly the kind of night he wanted to remember either...
But every time he caught sight of Saya in the corner of his eye, it reinforced the same thought he’d had last night... This wasn’t just some abandoned kid who happened to wander into his home;
'Still... If she's right about her parents abandoning her. She might not have anyone to rely on...' Ayano thought.
~ Saya's Pov... ~
.
.
.
I have gotten used to it's speech and voices... I can now make out what it is trying to say to me...
And when I did, all I could think was.
'What a strange creature...'
It even speaks to me as though, I’m just a child.
Almost as if I'm a human child at that. The thought of this alone seems almost absurd, yet it clung to it with such certainty, that I can almost believe it myself...
Almost...
I had told it not to call for the authorities, and it listened. I thought I would have died from touching it. Instantly.
No argument, nor did it demand an explanation from me, just simple compliance for the moment...
I... I’m not sure what to make of my current situation... Why does it not end me?
'Does it really not see me for who I am...?'
I needed to ask...
"Ayano-san." I called his name, and all the eyes on his body turned to face me, and I continued;
"Could... You tell me... What do I look like, to you...?" I need to hear what it thinks.
However, it.. He didn’t answer me right away.
Instead, he just stared at me instead. Though, stared feels inadequate. It wasn’t the shallow glance of a human trying to be polite, nor the fleeting curiosity of prey recognizing danger...
"Well... Isn't that a silly question? You look, human... Do you want particulars, or something?" He asked me, casually. As if what it spoke wasn't nonsense.
'Particulars...? Human? That... shouldn't be possible...'
Furthermore: '...How is he seeing me as a human?'
"Then... Please... Tell me everything you see."
I... I needed to know.
"Oh... Alright, then." He said, before he continued.
"I... Well... You're quite young... Maybe between the ages of 13-15 years old? Your hair, it is pretty long as well, it's nearly touching the floor actually, and it's raven blue.
You're eyes, they're green, almost like emeralds, and your skin is honestly on the paler side, but not unhealthy looking...
You're quite slim too, but it doesn't seem bad since you're quite small as well... When it comes to your overall appearance..? I'd say... you're easily the most beautiful child I've ever seen."
.
.
.
So... That was how I had looked to him...
'Beautiful...?'
When was the last time I've heard that word? Yes!
It was my own father who called me that... He also called my works beautiful too...
Still... It just doesn't make any sort of sense. How was he viewing me as a human child?
The only thing that he had gotten correctly, were the color of my eyes. They were in fact, green, and like he had described, were just like emeralds. But, everything else? It was not my appearance. It wasn't me... It, couldn't be... I've heard what I've been called by others who've seen me before.
Grotesque...
A Nightmare...
Fleshy...
Demon...
Monster...
A body that seemed like the innards of some other creature...
All vivid description of the victims I've had experiences with, that didn't completely succumb to the madness of seeing me...
Could it be tied to the reason why he also seemed so inhumane to me as well?
.
.
.
'Inhuman... Creature... When have I ever used those two words?'
"Hahaha-" I felt myself laughing at the irony...
"-Hahaha~"
I wiped the tear that formed...
I didn't know being called beautiful once again, would make me feel so, happy...
Happy enough for me to burst with joyful tears...
"S-Saya... You're crying..." I heard him say.
'I... Think I understand what's going on now... This person... I 'm sure of it... He ISN'T human... However, for some strange reason. I can't perceive him as such. This form of his I maybe be seeing, could very well be his true form... Interestingly enough, I don't think he realizes he isn't a human either... I don't know why he himself is able to view me as one... But, I do know this... I must stay close to him.'
.
.
.
"...Ayano-san, may I stay here? With you?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 101: Later... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
'Am... Am I hearing this correctly...?' Keiji asked himself.
"Say it again... You want to stay, here... With me...? A complete stranger?" He asked her.
He still couldn't really believe what he was actually hearing. Nor was it making any sense to him, at all. And, it didn't help that he didn't feel exactly feel, comfortable around her. His instincts were practically telling him that something was up, he just didn't know what.
Zzzzt~
Zzzzt~
Zzzzt~
.
.
.
Before he could think of anything else... His phone had went off.
He glanced to the side, seeing that the one who had messaged him, was Siyeon...
A message, saying;
[It's me, Siyeon. I wanted to finish up our talk from last time... In fact, I need your help today. Can we meet up at the same place as last time?]
After reading it, he sighed, closing his eyes: '...What kind of egregious timing is this?' He thought.
However, he looked at Saya once more...
Finding her appearance to be more and more, odd. Strangely enough, it looked as if she shouldn't even exist. Like, some kind of unrealistic being... That was truly how he felt about her. To him, she gave off the same feeling as Uroko had when he had first met him too, but altered...
Yet, at the same time, she seemed so, human.
'Is it because the lack of sleep last night...?' He wondered to himself. There was no way a child could make him feel like he was now. It just wasn't adding up for him at all.
He sighed once again, tired of the on set of events that were plaguing him recently.
For the time being, he looked at his phone, and responded;
[Alright... I'm gonna head out now. It should take me a few to get there.]
.
.
.
'Hmph... Maybe this message was a blessing in disguise... I can think about what to do with her in the meantime.' He thought.
He quickly slid the phone back into his pocket, his gaze returning to the girl still seated across from him.
"Listen, Saya... I need to step out for a bit..." He said evenly, testing her reaction.
Saya had tilted her head slightly, the faintest shadow of curiosity crossing her features: "You’re… leaving?"
He nodded, saying: "Just for a little while..." His voice was calm, though inwardly, he was weighing every possibility of what might happen if he left her here alone. But, for some reason, he had a ominous feeling, that it'd be bad news if he took her with himself.
He then continued: "So, in the meantime I'll need you to stay here for the time being... Can you do that?"
She gave a small nod in response...
But something about that agreement felt more unsettling than a protest would have...
Ayano grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, pausing with his hand on the frame: "Stay inside, and don’t open the door for anyone... If you ever get hungry, just... Eat what's on the table, or head down to the kitchen... There's plenty of packed lunches there... Do you you know how to use a microwave?"
She gave a small nod.
"Alright, then you should be set, at least until I get back, it shouldn't be too long."
For a moment, he thought she might laugh at the odd set of instructions... Instead, she just said: "Alright." With a strange tone.
He then stepped out, closing the door behind him...
Leaving his home.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Eventually the both of them had met at Raddish once again.
After some time, Siyeon had arrived...
"What did you want to talk about that was important?" Ayano asked her.
Siyeon calmly sighed: "I won't be able to remain in the Bully Council for too long. I was actually given a day to find someone to join Boramae."
Ayano's eyes widened for a moment, he then asked: "Oh... Let me guess... You want me to fill in?" More so in the ton of a statement, rather than a question.
"...Yes. I... don't have much of a choice in this either." Siyeon responded.
Ayan thought about it for a moment. He wanted Siyeon to be apart of the group to feed her info. However, he himself wouldn't be apart of that equation... At least, until now;
"Alright... I don't think it'd be a bad idea for me to join in, formally. So... When's the next meeting?" Keiji asked.
"It's an hour from now... We'll both make an appearance there. I can tell them that you're joining Boramae." Siyeon explained.
"That's fine, but... What about the fact that, I'm the Vagabond...?" Ayano asked, a little curious.
"...Don't worry. They'll know." Siyeon responded coolly.
He wanted to ask what she meant by that, but decided against it...
"Alright, I'll leave you to it then. Ring me when the hour is up." Keiji said, standing up walking away.
"Sure, but... Where exactly are you going?" Siyeon asked.
"Me? I'll be out in the back, helping someone who needs it." Ayano said, finally waving her off.
Siyeon looked on and sighed, thinking;
'He's definitely isn't who I thought he'd be.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
"It should be in working condition now... But, it might be a bit too big. Note to self. I'll definitely need to custom make a proper motor for this thing later down the line." Rin said to herself, analyzing the motor of the bike again.
"Boo!" A voice said.
"Kyaaah!!!!" She screamed.
Rin spun around, her hands instinctively rising as her eyes widened. The figure standing behind her didn’t wait for an introduction...
"Relax..." A familiar voice said, calm yet carrying a touch of amusement...
Rin froze, trying to place it, then recognition clicked.
"K-Keiji-san…?" She whispered, still a little tense.
"Yeah?" He answered.
"You scared the absolute bajeebers out of me!" She answered, holding her chest for a moment, pouting.
"Sorry for that, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up." He said, stepping closer, eyes scanning the bike: "Looks like you’ve been a bit busy. May I have the honor of taking a look...? Well, another look?"
Rin hesitated, then nodded, still trying to steady her racing heartbeat. Keiji on the other hand crouched beside the bike, his fingers brushing lightly over the metal, inspecting every joint and connection with what looked like prior knowledge...
"Hnn... You weren’t kidding." He said finally.
'She already added this much to it since the last time...? She's gifted for sure.' He thought.
He took a closer look: "This is a bit… ambitious. It’ll definitely run, but likely not as smoothly as you'll want it too. The motor’s way too large for this kind of frame. You’ll hit performance issues soon if you don’t try to modify to it soon."
Rin bit her lip, sighing: "Honestly, I thought I could manage with what I had… just for testing purposes at least."
Keiji shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips: "Improvising is fine for experiments, but you'll need something a bit more reliable if you actually plan to use it, just so it doesn't blow. I can probably help you design a proper motor, but this time, you’ll have to handle the assembly."
Rin’s eyes lit up: "You… really would do that for me?"
"Of course... Haven't I done it before?" He said.
Rin exhaled, a mixture of relief and excitement washing over her: "Well, alright… then let’s do it. I can handle the assembly part."
Rin smiled, determination practically beaming in her eyes: "Yosha!"
Keiji smiled, crouching closer to her and the bike, brushing a hand along the frame and motor mount while he did so: "Alright, so the first issue I see is the motor itself. It's too heavy. You’ll get torque, sure, but it’ll throw off balance and stress the chassis over time. If you push down on her too hard, you’ll start bending the mounts."
Rin then leaned over, pointing to the cylinder head: "I see... Then, what if I swap it with a lighter one from the backup motors I have, just in case? It won’t have quite as much power as I wanted it to... but, it’ll be a bit easier to manage for now."
Keiji shook his head slowly: "You could do that, but then you’ll lose efficiency... The motor you want. Bigger displacement is likely ideal, but it needs a custom mount as well, and better gearing. Otherwise, you’re essentially sacrificing performance for manageability, which isn't that bad for a prototype."
She frowned for a moment, tracing her finger along the wiring: "And the gears… I thought if I reinforced the primary drive with a thicker chain, it could handle the torque without upgrading the mounts."
"That’s one way," Keiji said, tapping the chain lightly: "But the extra stress will eventually wear the teeth down faster than you'd expect. You’ll be replacing it constantly. Trust me, Rin-san, the mounts are the weakest point, not the chain itself."
Rin hesitated, considering his advice: "So… you’re saying I'll also need to redesign the mounts entirely?"
"Pretty much..." He said, continuing;
"If you build a proper mount that distributes both the weight and torque evenly, you can keep the motor you want without sacrificing balance or reliability. And you’ll need to tweak the gearing slightly to prevent over-revving at higher speeds."
She bit her lip, imagining the work involved: "It… sounds great. I thought my plan would be much simpler than this, since it's already taking up some time."
Keiji smiled: "Simple isn’t always better when you want something that lasts... C'mon, I'll help you design the mount, calculate the gear ratios, and show you exactly how it fits. You handle the assembly. That way it's-"
However as he spoke. Rin slowly realized how close they were towards one another. She glanced upwards as he continued to look at the bike. A small blush forming...
'It's, happening again...' She thought, her heat rate spiking. It didn't help, especially with how great he smelled as well.
'I'm definitely in trouble.' She thought once more...
On the other hand, he finsihed: "-It'd be both strong and efficient as well. Plus, ya' wouldn't have to worry about constant maintenance. Hey, Rin-san... Are you, alright?" He asked her, a little concerned how spaced out she seemed.
Rin quickly shook her head, trying to hide the flush creeping across her cheeks;
"I-I’m fine… J-Just… thinking." Her voice was slightly higher than usual as well, betraying the racing in her chest.
Keiji curiously glanced at her briefly to see if she was really ok, not noticing the blush. He then returned his attention to the bike, crouching closer to trace the outline of the frame: "Alright... Good. Focused minds always build better machines."
She swallowed hard, practically forcing herself to concentrate on the assembly instead of him. Every time she leaned over the bike, their proximity made her pulse jump again, but she forced her hands to steady on the tools...
'Focus Rin! FOCUS!!!' She scolded herself. Finally gathering her bearings.
The two, spent the rest of the hour doing what they needed to. Until, Ayano received a message...
He glanced at the screen, and saw Siyeon’s name flashing, saying;
[The meeting’s starting now. Are you on your way?]
He frowned, hesitating as well. He was now absorbed in the project, leaning over the bike with precision, unaware of the time... To him, this helped him to forget the new issue he had just sitting within his own home... Not only that, Leaving now might disrupt both their momentum, but the Boramae meeting wasn’t something he could ignore.
'Fuck...' He thought.
He slowly stopped, then stood up as well, saying;
"Alright Rin-san... It's my time to go... Finish up without me, I'll be back tomorrow."
Hearing the tone, she immediately understood, but that didn't mean she was particularly happy about it;
"...Alright, I'll see you tomorrow. By then, I should be able to get her up and running. Hurry and go, you wouldn't want to be late now, would you?"
He nodded: "Later Rin-san." Waving her off as he did so.
Ayano made his way bac towards the entrance, seeing Siyeon waiting for him;
.
.
.
"...You sure took your time getting here." Siyeon said.
Ayano nodded: "Yeah, sorry about that... Now, let's say we make ourselves an entrance."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 102: First Impression... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"So... this is it? This is the building...?" Ayano asked. It had looked completely run down.
Siyeon nodded, saying: "It isn't the best looking on the outside, but, it's relatively well hidden... Inside of course."
He nodded: "I guess so... Sometimes the best hiding spot is the one in the open too." Ayano responded.
She then led Ayano down the stairway...
On the way down, he spotted some old set of graffiti, old posters, gang looking markings and a whole other set of things that made the place seem pretty much abandoned, or uncared for;
'Not bad for a bunch of fake delinquents.' He thought.
Eventually, they entered a room. Completely different than anything before it;
'They actually went the extra mile just to renovate the place?' Ayano realized. Compared to what it was before, within was almost like an office space...
As he looked around, he also realized that there couldn't be any more than fifty person or so persons present...
'I remember there's a few hundred of them within the organization... Which means they likely have other places to operate. It may be small, but they're well on their way to becoming full fledged gang members, if not that already.'
Ahead, he could see that there was a small stage with a podium at the other side of the room... A tall young man wearing an all blue suit, with ash grey hair wearing eyeglasses.
Ayano's eyes sharpened a little when seeing him;
'The four-eyes in the blue... He's pretty damn strong.' Ayano thought, turning his attention to another he had sensed...
To the side was a silver haired, and well built young man, mostly keeping to himself...
.
.
.
'Hmm... He's definitely strong as well, in fact, both of them might be stronger than I am, at the moment... But, it ends there.' Ayano noted.
However, he felt a tug on his hoodie, being Siyeon, she spoke;
"Make sure to stick close by me... I want that bastard Goo-Seoul see you..."
'Talk about scary...' Ayano thought.
He looked who she was glaring at, realizing it was the same person in blue he had the impression of being strong...
As if on cue. Goo-Seoul’s eyes finally landed on Keiji. The shift in his expression was subtle, but it held clear curiosity for the other party. It was a sign of recognition that Ayano was also strong.
Goo-Seoul quickly stepped up to the podium, his gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd until the talking settled;
"Alright everyone. Please settle, and Listen up carefully." He said, voice even but carrying weight, he then pointed at a camera;
"We’ve got important news to discuss, straight from the head himself."
The moment he said that, the room quieted further...
'The head...? As in the leader of this whole group?' Ayano wondered.
Goo continued: "...From this point forward, we’ll be tightening regulations for all the crew leaders present... To be specific, if you’re a district owner without a crew, you now have a maximum of two weeks to resolve your issue. No exceptions."
Ayano caught the shift in a few people’s expressions. Some were a bit annoyed, others were seemingly worried.
He continued once more: "On that topic... District owners now have the right to challenge other district owners for both their profit models, and their positions. These challenges can only be done once every month/ However, depending on the state of the owner, it can even be longer than that."
That one sparked a ripple of voices, a low uproar filling the space;
"Quiet!" Goo-Seoul said sharply, he continued;
"The reason’s simple... We’ve got too many district owners, and splitting the funding this thin is ultimately leading to, mishaps. This decision will help to… balance things out."
Ayano’s eyes narrowed slightly, thinking;
'Nah… This isn’t about balance... It’s just internal robbery. When you hire a bunch of delinquents, you deserve as much'
Goo-Seoul then pressed on: "However, the old rule still stands. No more than five district owners at any given time."
He paused, scanning the crowd for any questions...
That’s when he noticed a, familiar hand in the air. He asked;
"…Yes?"
Siyeon slowly lowered her arm, speaking clearly: "On the topic of the first change... I’ve found a member to join Boramae."
Her hand then gestured to the figure beside her Ayano, hood up hiding himself: "This is our new member."
Ayano stepped forward slightly, introducing himself: "...The name's Ayano Keiji, a pleasure to meet you... But, my friend Siyeon here tells me that you all call me Vagabond."
The room froze for a heartbeat. Then the laughter came, loud and raucous;
"Hahahaha!!!!"
"Another Vagabond? What's this? The tenth one?"
"Yeah, sure buddy. And my name is Santa Claus."
All except Goo-Seoul and the silver-haired youth near the front, who simply watched on curiously...
Goo-Seoul waited for a bit, then raised a hand. The noise quickly died...
.
.
.
"...Forgive them, but there’ve been at least four impersonators who’ve called themselves Vagabond." He said evenly, before continuing: "At this point, it’s a running joke."
Goo-Seoul looked toward the side for a moment, and a slight tilt of his head...
In response from the side, a tall, broad young man in matching blue sweats stepped forward, smirking: "Like my dead friend here says, you’re practically a walking punchline at this point."
He closed the distance, standing right in front of Ayano, clearly sizing him up a bit...
"Hmm? And, who are you supposed to be?" Ayano asked...
The one in question, now smiled: "...You can just call me Ingang-Kang. Well... Not like it'll matter anyways."
When Ingang got close enough, he stopped, then said: "So… For us to know if what you said is true. You'll just have to prove yourself, simple, right?"
Ayano’s kept his head down with his hood on, responding: "Really? And... how would you say I go about doing that?"
Kang smiled: "If you put on a good enough performance." He shrugged, before continuing: "We’ll consider the possibility, if you’re the real thing."
Ayano exhaled through his nose, almost tired: "There has to be another way... I’d rather not fight."
The man grinned wider: "Don’t chicken out now... Hell, you don’t even have much of a choice. Back out, and we’ll beat your ass for wasting our time."
Before Ayano could respond, a sharp DING rang off in his ear.
A notification...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{QUEST: Prove yourself to be the real Vagabond. Fight the monster Infront of you, and win...
REWARDS: Answers...
PENALTY: If you lose the fight. You will receive a Permanent loss of you Little brother.}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayano's eyes widened.
'That's, new. An actual penalty? And it's the loss of my... Oh... You've got to be kidding me.' He thought, sighing;
'Still, the rewards ARE answers.'
Ayano now having make up his mind, quickly lifted up his hoodie...
Ingang smiled sinisterly: "Well... beating your ass will be much better, I'll tell ya' that much. I hate handsome bastards like you the most." He told Ayano, cracking his fingers in the process.
"If that's the case. How about... I give you the first hit?" Ayano offered.
Kang's smirk faltered for just a moment... His instincts now kicking in, telling him this wasn’t really just the usual bluster. His expression hardened. He clenched his first pulling them towards the side, saying;
"Well then, since your that confident about it… I might as well go all out, right?"
.
.
.
Ayano didn’t respond to the threat... He just stood there, still and calm, almost daring him to move.
Ingang drew in a sharp breath, setting his stance;
'Let's see how a cocky fucker like you are when your groveled on the ground and doubled over.' Kang thought.
Instant, Ingang swung a sharp, heavy punch meant to send anyone in their right mind absolutely flying...
BOOOMM!!!!
.
.
.
As soon as he landed the punch... The smile on his face eventually faded...
The impact didn’t feel right. It wasn’t the give of muscle or bone. It felt more like he was striking something inanimate. Something solid and utterly unmoving... In fact, it felt as if his knuckles were aching too.
'...Just what the fuck did I even hit?' He thought.
Slowly, his eyes lifted upwards, expecting to see Ayano doubled over, or at least grimacing. Anything!
Instead… Ayano was, gone...?
In his place stood another figure, braids framing his face, elongated ears, orange glasses gleaming, green sweater hanging loose over black pants, standing with an open stance, the very posture of someone who had absorbed the hit without so much as flinching.
.
.
.
Ingang had blinked, just for the tiniest of an instant.
'The fuck!?' He thought, confused.
And just like that, the image of the man he had seen so vividly had practically flickered away.
Almost like an elusion. Replaced by someone, else...
.
.
.
Ayano stood there instead, unmoving like forged iron. His stance now in the same exact position as the person Ingang just saw before...
Ayano on the other hand sighed, saying;
"That was, disappointing... I thought you’d hit harder than that." His tone almost bored. No, he was bored;
"I could’ve taken that punch in my sleep." He added. Remembering the hits he'd take from his master instead...
Siyeon watched from the side surprised...
'That punch, it sounded, strong... And, he just up and ate it.' She thought, surprised.
Ingang however, looked ahead, his instincts now screaming at him... telling him that the person before him was bad news... Very, very bad news...
Ayano slowly straightened himself up, dusting off where he had gotten punched, he looked ahead, his eyes almost glowing a blue hue, saying;
"So... It's my turn now, isn't' it?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 103: A lasting impression... (RE-EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
"Just wait a minute...! C-can't we talk about this?" Ingang Kang muttered, stepping back as he did so...
However, Ayano leisurely pressed forward, and calmy responded: "Hmm? Why should I do something like that...? I still haven't really proven myself."
On response, Ayano's fist slowly, yet surely clenched tightly towards the the side of his hips...
However, a feint white hue seemed to radiate from his arm as well.
.
.
.
Fwish~
-BAADOOOMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
A resounding shockwave echoed throughout the room, causing everyone in close proximity to brace themselves in the process...
Goo-Seoul's eyes widened upon seeing the amount of force that almost simple strike produced...
.
.
.
Ayano quickly shook off his fist, and turned to Goo-Seoul, and spoke;
"...I think that should have been more than enough as a demonstration."
Keiji turned around again, sighing as he did so: "C'mon Siyeon... I think we've pretty much overstayed our welcome." Now walking out...
A sweat dropped from her before she watched;
'...I knew he was fairly strong, but, isn't this...' Siyeon thought for a moment, her usual emotionless expression now somewhat serious.
She was still shocked at what she had just seen, it wasn't common seeing a body essentially being implanted within a ceiling, especially so easily...
However, she eventually snapped out of it, swiftly following behind him...
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Well, you've certainly made a solid first impression. A lasting one too..." Siyeon added, more so mumbling the last sentence... She truly never expected him to do something like this.
Ayano in the process of his response, gave a small shrug, not breaking his stride, and casually responded: "It's definitely better than being easily forgotten. Plus, people like them only respond to strength... After all, the world only cares about results."
Siyeon glanced sideways at him, her expression somewhere between disbelief, and a bit of reluctant amusement as well. She saw also saw truth to what he said too, especially when it came to what he said about the world. She sighed, giving her own opinion on the matter;
"Still, you call what you did JUST a demonstration...? I think you could’ve just… Punched the wall, or something instead. Showing your full power like that, to people like them? It could be bad for both of us down the line."
Ayano stopped dead in his tracks, responding;
"First of all, walls don’t talk back, or talk smack... What I did served two purposes." He then raised his hand, putting up a finger, continuing: "To humble that guy who challenged me to begin with, a challenge I didn't even want either..."
He then raised the other, continuing further: "Secondly, it was to also show that little organization of yours to be careful of who their really dealing with, also-" He then looked her straight in the eyes, and replied calmly;
"-Who told you that was my full power?"
Hearing that, Siyeon's eyes widened, thinking: 'Don't tell me... What he did back there wasn't his full strength...?'
She then calmly asked: "...How much did you use then?"
He thought about it for a moment: "...About a third, if I had to put a figure on it. What made it seem so powerful was just me utilizing proper technique."
Ayano didn’t bother waiting for her follow-up. He just kept on walking instead, his steps carrying them farther from the scene of the events, and the mumblings that still echoing behind... Siyeon followed him in silence, the air between them cooling, though the questions in her eyes never quite faded.
By the time the noise of the confrontation had bled away into the low hum of the street, Ayano’s focus shifted forward. He was already thinking about heading back to Radish, until he saw someone up ahead;
'Oh no... Setsuna!?' He thought.
Their eyes met instantly.
No words. Just that blank, unblinking stare from her, except there was something eerily sharp under the surface this time. She looked beside him, and looked back towards him... This time? Pure unfiltered hostility, cold and unwavering.
Ayano didn’t need to guess why.
"T-Trust me…It’s not what it looks like." He said immediately.
Her gaze stayed locked for a moment longer, before her shoulders eased, albeit slightly before answering: "…What are you doing here?"
Hearing the extra emphasis on his personal pronoun: "Well, I was just heading back to Raddish... To think about some things..." Ayano replied honestly. His eyes however, then flickered downwards, catching something he hadn’t noticed at first, that Setsuna had been wearing the very same uniform that all the girls who worked at Raddish had worn, he then spoke;
"Oh, and by the way, that outfit looks great on you."
Setsuna raised a brow, and looked down as well realizing what he had said. Her cheeks reddened for a moment, and her hand instinctively tugged at the fabric, covering herself a little as she gave a quiet, unimpressed snort: "Hmph...! Compliments won’t get you anywhere with me… Hentai."
"Hentai..." Siyeon lowly echoed as well, voice just flat as she mirrored Setsuna’s blank stare almost perfectly.
Ayano then blinked between them vehemently, saying: "H-How…? You know what. Never mind." He just let it go with a heavy sigh, deciding that was a battle definitely not worth fighting over;
"By the way..." He added, continuing: "Are Sekai-san, or Youko-san there now? We both stopped by earlier for a little while, but didn’t see either of them."
Setsuna nodded, answering: "They were both out to get some things, but they came back not too long ago."
"Alright..." Ayano nodded, then gestured to the girl beside him: "I don't want to forget, but this is Lee-Siyeon-san, a... friend of mine."
Siyeon then gave a polite wave;
'This Setsuna girl seems quite small… and oddly, cute.' She thought.
Setsuna then returned the wave with a simple: "Setsuna Kiyoura."
Both of them looked at each other... And, a unsound friendship had emerged.
Eventually, they all made their way back towards Raddish...
However, just as they had gotten there, Setsuna quickly spoke up, just before they entered the establishment, asking;
"Ayano-san, could I speak with you alone for a moment?"
Ayano: "Hmm...?"
~ Setsuna’s Pov... ~
.
.
.
He gave a small nod, then turned to the girl beside him: "I’ll be right back, Siyeon-san."
She didn’t really seem to mind, she even gave a polite, understanding nod before walking in ahead of us...
Once it was just the two of us, I folded my arms lightly: "Did you think about what we spoke about last time…? About Sekai’s situation?"
He didn’t hesitate: "I don’t think I'll have to, at least, not anymore."
I blinked, caught off guard. "…What do you mean?"
His expression didn’t waver, eyes seemed so calm, but it also looked like it was carrying certainty: "I think... I’ve found someone."
.
.
.
For a moment, I just stared at him. I could just tell, from the way he said it, from the subtle weight in his tone, that he had meant every word that came out of his mouth...
I felt… something stir up inside my chest. An odd, irritating little twist in my chest. Annoyance, maybe? But why would I?
'This... feeling.'
I shut that thought down before it could go anywhere.
It... wasn’t important...
'Calm down, Setsuna...' I told myself;
"I see." I kept my voice steady, giving nothing away: "Then... you should tell Sekai-san soon."
"I know..." He said to me.
"I want to... But, I don't want to see what doing that will cause... I'm afraid to break her heart, Setsuna." He told me.
I kept my arms crossed, but my eyes softened without meaning to: "You can’t protect her from everything. Over these past few months, I've learned that, sometimes… doing nothing hurts more than telling the truth."
When I told him that... He looked away, I could see his jaw clenching slightly, as if he were weighing my words: "Heh... Maybe... But, I’ve seen how fragile she is right now. If I tell her, she might not recover from it."
"Ayano-san. Contrary to what you might think, Sekai isn't that weak." I told him.
When I said that, he went silent for over a minute, just not saying anything...
He then turned towards me, with a bright smile, and told me;
"...Thank you... for telling me that Setsuna-san... I think... I can rest a little easier knowing that what you've told me, is true..."
Just like the first time we both met, I could feel my heart... jumping...
I could feel it... I could feel his sincerity.
"Well, I think it's time for me to go, thank you for the talk. I'll make sure to stop by, and say hi to both Sekai and her mother."
I gave him a small smile, and nod, since this was my victory;
.
.
.
"Of course…You’d better too." I said, keeping my tone as even as I could.
I didn’t bother to say anything else again either, not because I didn’t appreciate what he said, but... because I didn’t want him to see whatever expression that might slip through even if I even tried it...
Instead, I kept myself as steady as a I could, letting just enough warmth into my voice, just enough to make it sound less like an order, and more like… a quiet request. Yeah, something like that...
"Just… don’t keep them waiting too long."
Those words felt heavier than I intended to come out...
Maybe because, they weren’t only about Sekai...
Maybe because I wasn’t sure who I was really speaking to. The Ayano Keiji standing in front of me, or the part of him I've realized that seemed to keep his distance from everyone. It was, strange.
All he did, was give me back a small nod in return, but I didn’t linger on it. I turned first, letting the faint hum of the street swallow any of the silence that might’ve stretched between us...
While I walked back towards the entrance, I kept my expression neutral. But my thoughts… Those refused to be as disciplined;
'Found someone, huh…?' I kept lingering on those two words...
I pushed the thought down, smoothing over any trace of irritation I had. No... I wasn't irritated. I was fine.
Before stepping back inside...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 104: Plans Moving Forward... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Some time earlier, Goo-Seoul's Pov... ~
.
.
.
"This is going to cost us quite a bit to fix..."
Still... Who would've thought that Lee-Siyeon actually managed to find the real Vagabond...?
Not to mention his level of strength earlier, admittedly, it was quite an impressive spectacle.
However, it was his over technique that impresses me more...
Still, I can’t let acknowledgement blind me.
Strength like that if left unchecked is dangerous given our current situation... Not just because of what it can do to others, but because of the way it shifts the very dynamic of power within a room. Vagabond… No, Ayano Keiji.
...My Experiences taught me that he carries himself as if none of what he had done earlier fazed him in the slightest. That level of calmness wasn't really just a facade either, and that kind of indifference after causing that level of damage somewhat even unsettles me more than the actual act itself...
'Though, I'm sure of it, types like him usually hold themselves back... I'm confident he did it earlier.'
Regardless, it was his technique...
That’s the real threat I see so far, and strength like his was relatively common enough at the higher levels. In fact, raw power like his can be obtained with enough talent, training, and can even be enhanced with the right means. But mastery like This? I'm sure it was carved into the body, etched into every muscle and joint...
The bottom line. He was strong.
Plain and simple...
I could see it in the way he had shifted his weight at that last moment, in the precision of his strike. As much as I wanted to scrutinize and criticize it. From what I could tell, there was little, to no wasted motion. As if he’s done this a thousand times before, of not tens of thousands of times more after that.
With that level of strength, he could be useful to us...
Zzzt~
Zzzt~
Zzzt~
Hmm...? The head himself is calling...?
.
.
.
[Yes...] I responded.
[Report...] The voice on the other end was curt, stripped of patience.
I exhaled slowly, steadying myself before answering: [I’ve confirmed it here. Lee Siyeon wasn’t bluffing... She really did bring him to us. Vagabond... His real name is Ayano Keiji. As for my assessment of him, both his strength and technique shown were, beyond expectations."
A pause, faint static humming across the line, then he spoke: [Interesting... Since you were there personally, define beyond.]
I adjusted my glasses a bit, eyes narrowing at the memory of the ceiling still fractured above;
[You've seen it sir, one strike was all it took...
Not just raw power, I could tell his technique was terrifyingly refined as well, from that alone, I could tell he was disciplined. He didn’t show everything... However, from what he did reveal, I personally think it was more than enough to send a clear message.]
[…And how do you read that message of his?]
I hesitated for a moment...
Honestly, there were many ways to interpret it... Too many.
Finally, I responded: "I'm under the impression that he doesn’t really fear us... Not our numbers, not our reputation, nothing. He didn’t fight to prove a point to himself. He did it to demonstrate exactly where we stand in comparison to him. Pardon for what I'll say but, I believe he deems us below himself.]
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only when the voice responded, tone sharpened: [Then the rumors were true... He’s not just a ghost story after all.]
I tightened my grip on the phone: [No sir... I had thought the rumors about him were fake as well, especially after the previous impersonators debacle... But, he's real. Which, I believe potentially makes him far more dangerous than just a mere story, worse if the reports of his past escapades aren't exaggerated.]
[Tell me… From what you've seen of him, do you believe he can be, brought in?]
There it was... The question I’d been expecting, but not one I had an easy answer to...
I glanced back at the wreckage on the floor, briefly recalling Ayano’s indifference as he walked away... I spoke carefully;
[It’s possible. But it won’t be easy. He’s the type who only moves by his own will. Chains won’t hold him. Bribes won’t tempt him. I suspect he sees us as nothing more than background noise as well, sir...] I then looked at the body still up at the roof: [-Forgive me for the sudden digression, but I assume we’ll be covering Ingang-Kang’s medical expenses?]
Ingang was decently powerful, losing him is a little set back, but a set back none the less, he'll recover... I hope.
However, for some reason, the head took a moment to respond;
[No... Recently, it's been brought to my attention that he was a traitor in disguise since the very beginning, and was likely actively relaying news of our plans to the opposing side... It's why as of late, that our enemies were coincidentally always one step ahead of us. Anyways, I would have sent Choi Sunjae to deal with him, eventually.]
Honestly, what he told me, it didn't fully set in: 'What!? Ingang-Kang was a traitor this entire time...?'
Just how bad is our current situation then?
[Sir, is there anymore we need to be worried about, here?]
[No... The rest are already known to us as well. They’ll be dealt with accordingly. As for the traitor, do as you please with him. I don’t care what becomes of him.]
Snap~
Snap~
I gave a curt signal to have him thrown out. Still, something gnawed at me;
'Something's, off...'
The enemy was pressing harder every week. Our footing grew shakier with each passing day. And now… even within, we were practically tearing ourselves apart. And I can't help but think it's done on purpose.
[Alright... Sir, there's just one more thing I wanted to add about Ayano Keiji.]
[Go ahead...] He told me.
I continued: [Earlier... You mentioned Choi Sunjae... Strangely, Ayano Keiji actually reminded me of him when he did what he did today.]
The other end was quiet for a long moment...
Finally, a response came;
[I see.... Keep watching him then. I take it you know what to do. Don't provoke him further... For now, consider him… a variable for the time being. One that could help make, or break everything we stand for, depending on where he leans...]
Before I could respond to that.
The line clicked, dead...
.
.
.
*Sigh...*
'I feel as if this month is going to be a long one...'
~ Third Person Pov, present... ~
.
.
.
"I think we should deal with how our profit model is going to be." Siyeon said.
"Hmm... We might not need to worry about that part... But, that depends to be honest with you. How much are we supposed to make?"
Siyeon's brow raised: "...What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, I can potentially cover those expanses myself. Saves us both the time, and effort." Ayano said.
'I have hundreds of millions yen just tucked right under my bed.' He then thought.
"No... You won't." A voice cut in. Keiji turned, seeing non other than Youko... With a fire burning in her eyes.
"Oh-Oh... Youko-san..." He stuttered... Then he finally registered what she said, saying;
"Pardon?"
"You heard me... From what I just overheard, it seems you and your friend might need funds, so... why not work here?" She offered.
Ayano thought about it for a moment, and quickly summed it would be an absolutely terrible idea: "How...? From what I see, you don't really even hire males in Raddish." He stated, now turning towards Siyeon. With a, back me up here face.
Siyeon sighed, placing a hand on her cheek, and spoke;
.
.
.
"She's right... This could be an opportunity for the both of us. Plus, I don't feel particularly comfortable taking money from you personally either... It's not how Bora..." She paused, lowering her head a bit, continuing: "...How we, operate."
Ayano sighed, picking up on what was going on...
As much as he wanted to refuse the offer, he truly had no good reason to from an outsider's perspective either. Key word, outsider. For some reason, he didn't want to pressure or force Siyeon to just take his cash;
'Well... I was never comfortable without working for what I had...' He thought.
'Plus, I guess it wouldn't be so bad either...' He also thought.
Youko on the other hand, smiled lasciviously. Unseen from the two teenagers...
Relenting, he responded: "Alright... Alright... I'll do it then... But, won't I need some kind of uniform to even start?" Keiji then asked again.
Youko quickly spoke up: "There's no need to worry about that, I have an old suit that might be your size, so you'll have to try it on first..."
"You do...?" He asked, curious as to why that would even be the case.
"Well, yes... My older brother, Shun, he used to work here some time ago as a, co-manager. Fortunately, I had kept his suit for old times sake... Now! That part's out of the way, how about we get you dressed?"
Ayano sighed once more, saying: "Lead the way then, madam..." He turned, saying: "I'll be back Siyeon-san, again."
.
.
.
Ayano followed Youko behind the back of the bar area. Leading him through a downstairs area...
'Damn... I figured the place was huge but, isn't this a bit excessive?' He thought absentmindedly.
Eventually, they had passed workers on the way there, and Ayano saw some familiar faces on the way, and even one of the Nijou sisters as well... Soon, they came to stop as Youko entered through a door.
"Oh, come on in, don't be shy~" She said. Ayano nodded.
She walked forward turned and opened a small wardrobe, taking out what looked like a white and black suit...
"And This... is what you'll hopefully be wearing... I'll step outside, and leave you to it then." She said, handing Ayano the suit in the process.
Clasp~
"Yeah... Might as well hurry while I'm at it." Ayano mumbled.
Some time after...
"Alright, I'm done...It's kind of tight though." Ayano mumbled, just a little annoyed. Immediately, Youko came inside, and the moment she had, her eyes widened...
.
.
.
He smiled gently, saying: "Although it's a bit too fitting. I kinda dig the look... But, I'll definitely need it to be custom fitted to be a little less snug, but I can pay for that part myself." He looked at her, loosening the neck tie a little.
"Oh..." Youko hadn't said a word other than that.
For a second, she just stood there, lips parted, eyes slowly dragging slowly from his shoulders down to every seem and inch from the tightened seams of the suit. In fact, the silence stretched long enough for Ayano to cock a brow from concern. saying;
"...What? Is there something wrong?" He asked, loosening the cuffs with an absent flick, as if her staring were nothing more than background noise.
Youko blinked once, then forced a light laugh, feeling her face heating up in the process;
"No-No! It’s just… Shun never looked half as good in that suit... I guess it’s true what they say, clothes only matter when the man wearing them can carry it."
Ayano exhaled through his nose, the closest thing to amusement he could muster: "That sounds like one way of saying it doesn’t fit."
'Mmhmm... It fit's... In all the right places.' She thought, looking sharply...
She slowly walked up to him, under the guise of fixing the necktie... Getting quite close as well;
'Isn't she a little...?' Ayano thought briefly, trying to clear his, not so pleasant thoughts.
She tugged the knot of his tie tighter, smoothing it down against his chest. Her fingertips lingered, tracing the fabric with an almost unnecessary precision...
At this distance, he could smell the cologne, her chestnut brown hair, and...
'I need to stop thinking.' He snapped at himself himself.
Ayano finally reached up, gently moving her hands away... His expression didn’t shift all that much. He kept his cool, but the way his gaze lingered on her, it had told her that he wasn’t completely blind to what was going on either;
"Youko-san." He said evenly, with a calm smile as well, continuing: "...I think the suit will more than do. For now."
Realizing, she quickly stepped back with a graceful nod, though her eyes still lingered a beat too long...
"Yes, of course." She replied, curtly. Her tone was smooth, and unaffected, yet her chest rose just a little quicker than before, nearly betraying what she didn’t say.
Ayano quickly spoke: "I'll change back... I can talk about what me, and my friend can do tomorrow."
She nodded: "Yes, I'll be waiting outside..." She quickly stepped outside once more.
.
.
.
'Ah, fuck... Just what the hell was that, Keiji...!? Have some damn self control!' He cursed himself... He could feel himself slipping. The only thing that kept him from not doing anything was the thought of Yukari...
He leaned his head against the wardrobe...
'I still have that Saya kid to deal with as well...' He thought, tiredly. Events keep happening extremely quickly, right after another. It was all beginning to tax him out.
'Let's just get-' His thought cut short. When he looked around himself. He could see reality itself stripping away...
'What the hell!?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 105: A Needed Discussion... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Everything was fading into an absolute blackness.
A void with nothing but darkness in all directions, without any sense or, semblance of light...
Keiji looked around himself, realizing that the space he was previously within had completely, vanished...
'What the the hell is all this? What's going on here...?' He asked himself.
He felt as if he was suspended in some kind of space, just floating...
Until, a deep yet calm voice echoed within the entire space;
|Calm down... You don't need to be afraid...|
Keiji froze, his eyes narrowing as he glanced around, but there was no figure, no source to the voice... However, he felt an almost supernatural warmth wash over him when those words were uttered to him. He felt as if his nerves calming to an unimaginable degree;
'Woah...' He thought, genuinely surprised by his calmness...
He snapped himself back, looking around once more for any source from where the voice might have originated...
However, it was just the same endless black spanning onwards without end...
"...Who’s there?" he calmly asked, albeit now cautious, his tone was sharp despite the sheer disorientation clouding his mind.
|This place… It is what you mortals would call a subspace, or a pocket universe of sorts... It is simply a construct meant for our conversation. You have your questions, do you not?|
Keiji’s eyes slowly widened... The mere words, albeit casual seemed to have struck something inside him. The being knew he had his questions, it wasn't an if, but, or maybe either... With that, a sense of realization instantly hit Keiji's mind;
'The quest reward… This must be it...' He finally understood.
Keiji steadied his breathing, steeling himself;
"...I-I don’t even know where to begin." He admitted quietly;
"But… I think I should at least know who I’m speaking to..."
For a moment, there was silence... Then, the same voice coolly replied;
|I am what most would consider an, extradimensional being. But, for simplicity’s sake… you may call me, the System Creator/ Administrator, whichever you deem best.|
'The system's creator...?' Keiji thought... His heart skipped for a second... His lips parted, and he asked hesitantly;
"Then… The blue panel I can access... That was you?"
|Yes...|
"Then…" Keiji swallowed, his throat dry: "Wait a minute... Could it be that, you were the one who did all, this...? The one who brought me here, in this universe, and gave me this… Power?"
|That is, correct...|
An instant reply came: "...Why?"
Keiji's voice cracked slightly when he spoke, but he continued;
"...Why would you do this? Why me of all people?"
.
.
.
The void itself seemed to hang heavy with silence...
For a moment, Keiji thought he wouldn’t eve get an answer, even wondering if he was too disrespectful in asking what he did, or rather how he did it... Until, the voice finally spoke up again, still being measured and calm;
|...I cannot interfere with my creation, directly... However, I can aid someone who can. You… are what I would call a balance maker. This world is practically teetering on the edge, and is being threatened by incomprehensible beings and evil entities willing to unmake it. You were chosen to help prevent that fate.|
Keiji’s fists clenched, his head lowering in disbelief: "Me…? I was just a regular guy... There's nothing special about me. I don’t have any shred of redeeming qualities-"
|-On the contrary…| The voice interrupted him, carrying a weight that pressed deep into his chest.
Keiji clenched fists tightened o the response, his voice tight with even more disbelief: "On the contrary? What do you mean…?"
The being’s voice didn’t waver, still as calm as the very void around them;
|It is where you are wrong… You seem to view yourself through the lens of some sort of failure, and one of insignificance. But, I see much further than you could dream of... Beneath all that self-doubt, is resolve. When pushed, you always endure. When faced with choice, you first seek to help or to protect. That is not ordinary, Keiji... That is, rare.|
He bites his lip hard enough to taste his own blood. He wanted to deny the praise, or to even laugh it off, but something in him simply refuses to do... Something in him knows that those words were the absolute truth.
"I… Then, what am I supposed to do about it? You talk about this balance, and now, it's about threats you say I can’t even comprehend. Hell..." He scoffed, more so to himself, responding: "I don’t even understand, what I am right now..."
Keiji recalled his interactions with Uroko.
Him being inhuman by a someone like Uroko's standards was not something he was particularly happy about. Being human was his only tether at this point. It reminded him that he had a truly normal life, before he came to this world. Even if it wasn't the best of lives...
However, the voice seemed to resonate even deeper, as if the very space itself reverberated with its tone;
|You are not expected to understand everything now Keiji... What matters, is that you walk forwards. Strength, skill, clarity, these will come as you face, and walk the path you are currently treading. Your questions will never end, Keiji, but your resolve must begin here.|
Keiji’s chest tightened for a bit, his breath caught between fear and some small flicker of determination as well: "…Then tell me this least... If, I’m supposed to be this, balance maker… What happens if I fail to set it?"
There was a brief pause...
A silence so absolute, it even chilled him, until the voice finally returned, saying;
|If you fail… Then so too will this world, and others like it... Will perish...|
'Other's... Like it? Were there more worlds?' Keiji pondered.
But, before he could dwell on it, his body stiffened as the darkness around him groaned like an old, cracking shell. His question lingered in the void, but the being did not answer immediately. Then, its voice carried again, without malice.
|What you must do is quite simple, in principle... Continue your training. Grow stronger. Follow the quests lines... But, know this... Your strength alone, it will not be enough. You will need allies. So I say this... Seek partners who can endure the weight of what is to come.|
Keiji’s brows furrowed: "Partners…?"
|Yes. And one already stands very close to you... The small child you have within your home...|
Keiji’s mind froze for a second, asking: "Don't tell me… You mean that kid, Saya?"
|Correct... Befriend her, Keiji. Gain her trust... If she walks beside you, she will be an aid beyond anything you’ve yet imagined.|
Keiji caught it, the subtle pause...
The word that unsettled him the most right now: "If?" He pressed.
|If she chooses not to… Then her path may differ from yours, vastly. Understand this, Keiji. Not every bond can be forced. Not every blade you come across can be wielded.|
He clenched his fists;
'But... She’s just, a child. Hell, she seems reckless, strange, and honestly unpredictable... What kind of aid could she really be?' He asked himself.
The being’s presence shifted, heavy like an unseen hand pressing down on Keiji’s mind;
|Then I will show you...|
DADOOOMM~
In an instant, the black void seemed to buckle within itself. The world around him convulsed with a violent tremor, and Keiji felt himself dragged forward, thrown through the fabric of nothingness. When his vision cleared, he stood on cracked asphalt. The familiar sprawl of a city stretched around him, bathed in the dim orange of a dying sun;
For a heartbeat, it all looked… normal...
'I'm, back...?' Ayano thought briefly.
But then...
like a mirage peeling away, everything began to slowly twist. The air thickened, the buildings buildings slouched unnaturally for a moment, as if their very foundations were changing into something else...
The lamp posts bent at grotesque angles and then straitened, the benches writhed like living things, and the sky itself rippled into a sickly canvas of nothingness. Shadows stretched long and jagged, moving against the sun’s direction, as though alive...
However, the sight was one... But the other senses, were another. A putrid smell wafted Keiji's nostrils. It smelled like maggots and blood left too long. Rotting death. That was what he inhaled. Now paired with the sight, Ayano felt as if he wanted to vomit.
.
.
.
'Just what the fuck is this!?!?!?'
He tried covering his face...
Quickly moving from where he was initially out of both instinct and a growing repulsive disgust. However, as he did. He could feel the very ground beneath him being crushed, just like flesh...
He slowly looked downwards, now even more terrified, and all he saw was what seemed like the innards of once deemed a living creature. The world he knew just twisted beyond belief;
.
.
.
Keiji felt like every step he took, he felt as if he was fading deeper, and deeper into a hellscape...
The voice had returned, low and resonant still, echoing directly into his skull;
|Look carefully, Ayano Keiji... And understand what that child truly is.|
.
.
.
"Huff...! Huff...! Huff...!"
Keiji’s breath hitched as he stood there, frozen in the middle of the warped street...
The sunset that once painted the horizon he knew in warm orange hues bled into a deathly darkness. The air had grown both heavy, and incredibly thick. It was, unbearable...
The buildings couldn't be considered buildings anymore.
Their windows stretched into drooping eyes, walls cracked into gaping mouths, and streetlamps bent unnaturally, like fleshly fingers reaching down for him. The benches writhed like they were made of flesh, pulsating with every passing second. The ground beneath his feet seemed alive, breathing in a sense, shifting, as though waiting to swallow him entirely.
Keiji staggered back off unconsciously, his heart racing as he did, the sheer grotesqueness literally clawing at his sanity every second that passed him by...
It was as though reality itself had been skinned, and turned inside out. There was just no simpler way to describe it...
And yet… in the middle of it all, he saw her;
'S-Saya...?' He thought. She still had a veil of innocence around her despite the hell...
She stood in the warped street, barefoot, her pale figure almost entirely untouched by the corruption swallowing the world...
The surrounding horrors bent, and curled away from her presence, as if she were the very source of it all, or perhaps the master, of this madness.
'How can someone seem so pure, yet so... Horrifying...?' He asked himself.
The being’s voice returned, low and steady, resonating through Keiji’s skull once more;
|Do you see it now...? That child you call reckless... This is the world as she sees it. A constant nightmare, unending and absolute. And yet she moves within it as if it were natural... Tell me, Keiji, do you still think she is just a child? Or do you now understand why her aid would be... indispensable?|
Keiji’s throat went dry.
Yet, he couldn’t tear his eyes from Saya, from the way she stared blankly at the grotesque sky, unbothered, yet almost happy in a way... She seemed fragile, yes… but, she was just as terrifying.
"…What… is she?" He whispered, he fell to his knees, voice almost breaking as he did...
The being remained silent for a long moment.
Then finally, it spoke;
|It doesn't matter what she is, Keiji... It's what she can do. And that, is endless good... Befriend her… Or, be devoured by what you fail to understand.|
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 106: More information...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person's Pov... ~
.
.
.
"You said, she's capable of good, right?" Ayano said weakly, however, with a semblance of hope...
|I believe I did...|
"Then... Is it possible for me to avoid that future?"
For a moment, silence pressed in from every side, as if the void itself held its breath...
|It is very much possible, yes...| The voice finally murmured, it then continued: |But, possibility and certainty are never the same thing. Furthermore, the path you will walk is not an easy one by any means. This is but the beginning...|
Ayano’s gaze lowered, though there was nothing beneath him in the endless dark.
Ayano’s lips trembled before the words spilled out: "Then… Just what the hell am I supposed to do with that, thing I’ve been keeping hidden so far? From what I've seen!? There's a literal monster inside my home. MY home… Actually, is she who she even appears to be to begin with?"
Keiji contemplated his last sentence for a moment...
He simply couldn't see her in a positive light anymore. Not from what he just witnessed. He wasn't in the hellscape for more than a minute, at best. Yet, he literally felt his very sanity being taken from him, with every moment he stood there, breathing the overwhelmingly rotten air...
.
.
.
Yet, the voice retorted, almost with what seemed like indignance;
|A, Monster...?|
"Of course she is." He replied firmly, continuing: "If she really did all that I saw earlier to the entire planet... She is one, if not worse."
|Is that so...? Then, tell me, is that truly what you saw...? Or, was it merely a child, unfamiliar with the world, knowing nothing beyond what it was born into? Tell me, Ayano Keiji. What is a monster? You call it so as if the word has meaning fixed in stone. But words are shadows. “Monster” is merely a name draped over fear. A human drenched in cruelty can be called one… yet no scales, no claws are required for such a title.|
The darkness rippled faintly, as though the void itself shivered with the weight of its words.
|Consider this... You mortals judge by appearance. For instance, they see twisted flesh, broken limbs, faces scarred beyond recognition… and whisper ‘monster.’ If that is true, then are the lame, the blind, the deaf not monsters too? If the value of a person rests only in what is pleasing to the eye, then you are already lost...|
Ayano clenched his fists, feeling the sting of the voice’s reasoning biting deep into him...
|Listen Ayano... A person is not their shell, nor the whispers of others. A person is shaped by their choices, by the weight of their steps, by the warmth, or coldness, they leave behind in the world. If such things define humanity, then appearance is just mere dust in the wind. Do you understand...? The word ‘monster’ changes with the tongue that speaks it. And titles… can be broken, reshaped, and be born anew.|
The voice grew softer, almost tender;
|This being you call, a monster... I suggest you try to understand her first. Do not run, and do not cage her in your fear. For you, and she… are not so different as you'd like to believe.|
Ayano’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing: "Not so, different...? Wha...? What are you saying? What do you mean by that?"
But the void only hummed instead, the voice refusing him further clarity...
Silence stretched on for a moment, until Ayano let out a low sigh, his thoughts tightening in on themselves;
'Arguing here is useless... It’ll be like grasping smoke.' Keiji thought.
Instead, he gathered his bearings focusing on what he could;
"Then… Tell me, what I should know about my System? In regards to my skills? If I'm supposed to survive and defeat what’s coming ahead, I think I'll need a better understanding of what they really do... Because I'm essentially winging it."
The administrator replied: |I can... However, I will use the skills you have at the moment. They should be more than enough for you to understand.|
When Ayano heard this, He saw his status panel pop up...
Name : Ayano Keiji
Class : The Little Chosen One
Height : 180 cm | 5’11”
Age : 18
Health
: 21000 / 21000 [50000 / 50000]
Energy
: 7400 / 7400 [10000 / 10000]
Strength
: 559 / 1000
Defense : 577 / 1000
Agility : 560 / 1000
Spirit : 581 / 1000
Passive Skills
;
-
Absolute Talent
(Exclusive) [
Transcended
]
-Martial-Arts-Mastery
(Legendary)
-Recovery
(Exclusive)
-Critical Hit
(Legendary)
-Energy Manipulation
(Mythical)
-Circulation of Light
(Exclusive)
-Weapon-Mastery
(Legendary)
-Training-Mastery
(Mythical)
-Circulation of Purity
(Exclusive)
-Reduction
(Mythical)
Active Skills
;
-Charge Shot - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Multi-Strike Destruction - Cost: 200 / 2 = 100 Energy
-Booster - Cost: 300 / 2 = 150 Energy
-Stamp of Approval - Cost: 500 / 2 = 250 Energy
-Blind spot strike - Cost: 20 / 2 = 10 Energy
-Stun Smash - Cost: 90 / 2 = 45 Energy
-Falcon Drop - Cost: 120 / 2 = 60 Energy
Martial Arts Learned
;
-Judo [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Brazilian Jiu-jitsu [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Muay-Thai (
Brekdak’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Boxing (
Zack’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Taekkyeon [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Capoeira [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Aikido [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Jeet-Kune-Do [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Kung-Fu [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Taekwondo [
Path-To-Pinnacle
]
-Ssireum (
Vin’s Variant
) [Mastered]
-Hand-Blade [
Pinnacle
]
-Systema [
Pinnacle
]
-CQC [Mastered]
-Flickering-Fists-Of-Ansan [Mastered]
Miscellaneous Skills
;
-Mind Palace
-Diaphragmatic breathing [Mastered]
-Heightened Hearing [Mastered]
'He... brought out my status panel...?' Keiji thought surprised.
|If you wish to start anywhere… Let's begin with the simplest of foundations. Health, and Energy.|
He raised his brow for a moment, listening... It's not like he had a reason not to.
|...Health is not so abstract as you may think. It is merely a representation of how much damage you can endure before the body refuses to go on. When certain thresholds are crossed, the system, or I will personally intervene on your behalf, shutting down your body, out of preservation... It is a safeguard of sorts, ensuring that your vessel does not crumble completely when your own will demands too much of it.|
'That's actually, Interesting...' Keiji thought for a moment.
He had initially thought that, if his health actually ran out completely, he'd simply just die, but he was glad that isn't really the case... For now, he continued listening;
|Energy, however… is simpler still. It is fuel and nothing more. The reservoir by which your skills draw its power. Its depletion does not ravage your body, nor corrode the soul. When it runs dry, you simply lose access to that which demands it. Nothing to worry about in particular, or anything damaging… only a minor limitation, depending on your situation.|
"I see, so that answers that... Then, what about my four attributes?"
|Hmm... Very well… We’ll start with the simplest, strength. It is exactly what it sounds like. Your striking power, your lifting power, the pressure behind your grip. Every ounce of physical force you exert is drawn from this stat. A higher Strength means greater destructive capability, both in combat and in endurance tasks.|
Keiji nodded faintly, understanding what was being said.
|Defense, on the other hand, is different. It represents how much damage your body can withstand before breaking. It governs your natural durability or toughness is, but also the sheer stress your body can handle in your day-to-day life. Think of it as stamina and resilience woven together too. The more you build this attribute, the longer you can fight despite your condition, recover, and even endure harsh environments.|
"That makes sense…" Keiji muttered, his eyes narrowing with thought.
|Speed is tethered your perception, your movement, and overall dexterity. It isn’t just how fast you run, but how quickly you react, how precisely your body can move under intense pressure. These three-Strength, Defense, Speed are all somewhat interconnected as well... Of course, they all depend on the types of muscles, bones, and nerves you train to strengthen them.|
Keiji stayed quiet, but his breathing deepened for a little
|Spirit, however… Spirit is slightly more complex. It represents your willpower or your mental fortitude, the strength of your active skills, your capacity to learn and understand at greater depths. A high enough Spirit also grants you greater intuition, with insight into yourself and others, clarity of thought. It also influences your perception of reality itself. Without your Spirit stat where it is now, you would have gone mad the moment I showed you what could happen in the future.|
Keiji’s eyes widened slightly, a faint shiver crawling down his spine as he did;
"Heheh... So that’s why I didn’t lose myself back there..." He muttered.
|That is right, your spirit is also your anchor. Remember that, it would be wise of you to...|
Keiji nodded at the remark: "Alright, what about my skills...?" He quickly glanced at the passives section in particular, realizing that things had changed up a little, albeit slightly.
|For skills?| He began, pausing for a moment before continuing;
|let me begin with the ones that remain with you always, being the passive skills. These are not all made equal. Some are exclusive, belonging only to you, and ,never to be found elsewhere with equal. Others follow a set hierarchy, ranked in tiers. From the lowest, being rare, to the highest, being ascended. Their categorization is not arbitrary either, and are based on their usefulness, coupled with their potential.|
Keiji kept himself quiet, watching the very void shift faintly as the administrator spoke;
'Exclusive skills are yours alone. They cannot be replicated or found in others. Ranked skills, however, can be compared, measured, and sharpened. Beyond that, skills split further into augmentative and supportive. Augmentative passives simply magnify what is already there. They take something within you, and push it to heights that should be impossible. Supportive passives, on the other hand, are like additional limbs to your arsenal... They give you something entirely new.|
The creator paused for a moment, as if to let Keiji connect the dots for a bit, before continuing;
|For example. Your Absolute Talent. That is augmentative type skill... It serves only to amplify the natural abilities you already hold, pushing them toward unprecedented heights. In contrast, something like the Critical Hit would be supportive. It adds another layer lethality to every attack you make. All without costs...|
"And, what happens after transcending them?" Ayano asked.
The being’s voice sounded in amusement, resonating in Keiji's entire being rather than his ears;
|Transcendence is just an evolution. It takes what exists and forces it to reach its pinnacle. A transcended skill becomes more than merely useful, it can sometimes become boundless. In fact, they even grow alongside you... Speaking of such skills, you already possess one of them.|
A little confused, Keiji asked: "Huh…? Which one?"
|Absolute Talent.| The administrator answered without hesitation, continuing;
|When that skill had transcended, the boundaries of learning in and of itself had essentially dissolved. The wielder of it becomes an ever-growing creature, capable of infinite mastery... There is only one caveat. Is that, you must seek. The more you learn, the faster you will learn, creating a cycle without end. In time, you may even reach the point of grasping an entire set of foreign languages in the moment you attempt to learn it. More than that, it magnifies the growth of other skills it touches.|
His tone shifted again, becoming softer, as if reminding him of something he'd already known deep down;
|I'm quite positive, you’ve felt it... Did you not...? That hunger to understand and grow. It is also that spark that drives you to refine, and improve again and again.|
"I understand... Then what about the miscellaneous ones?" Keiji asked
|Those are skill that have been earned through your own training, just like your martial arts. That is all. They usually have no costs...|
'Seeing that he said usually, that means there might be ones in the future that does cost something...' Ayano thought.
Ayano huffed...
"I've got one last question for you..."
|And what would that be...?|
"Tell me, am I... Human?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 107: Of Course You Are... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Keiji's Pov... ~
.
.
.
I don't know why, but the administrator wasn't answering that question immediately... Was something, wrong?
But, before I could dwell on it any further, the administrator’s voice answered, deep and certain;
|I would have never chosen you in the first place if you weren’t human.|
The void seemed to tremble at his words, shifting as if reality itself was resisting his presence.
The administrator’s tone grew sharp: |It seems we do not have much time left. The reward for the quest you completed in Shioshishio will be transferred directly into your inventory... Call for it, and you will know what to do.|
I was still curious, and he's already leaving?: "Damn it! Can’t you stay even a little longer? There’s still so much I need to know.”
|No...| The administrator replied, his voice steady but audibly heavy than before: |This place is nothing more than a subspace, but even then, reality cannot withstand my presence for long...|
As if in response, the void itself began cracking and distorting violently around us...
"No... No... NO!!!" I yelled.
Before the collapse could overtake us both, I heard the administrator’s voice once again;
|Remember what I told you about Saya... Treat her the way you would have wanted to be treated as a child... When... You grow powerful, enough... We will surely meet... Again...|
CRA-ACK!!!
SHATTER!!!!!
.
.
.
As the administrator's voice had gotten weaker as he spoke...
The world around me shattered almost completely, and I was left back in the room where he had spoken with Youko, as if nothing had happened...
Honestly... The silence after his words felt heavier than anything I had ever experienced...
The had void completely cracked like glass around me, and some fragments of it's blackness broke away into nothing. My chest tightened up, not from fear, but from the weight of everything he had left unsaid... A sense of, want.
I... wanted more answers...
And then, without much of any warning, it was all over...
'I feel like, instead of answers... I came here, ending up only asking even more questions...'
I blinked, and sighed...
When I looked around myself, I was standing exactly where I had been before, in that dim room where Youko, and I had spoken about me changing clothes. Thankfully, the faint scent of dust, and stone lingered around, somewhat grounding me back in reality.
For a moment, I pretty much questioned if any of it had been real at all.
But no... The lingering pressure in my chest, the trembling I could feel in my own arms, and the echoing of his voice still ringing in my head…
Yeah. There was no mistaking this one. I really had spoken to him. The Administrator.
I exhaled slowly, and I found myself lowering my gaze;
'Still... He told me to, treat Saya the way I would have wanted to be treated, when I was a child…'
The words struck deeper than I wanted to admit. A strange warmth pressed against my chest, conflicted with the unease of knowing he hadn’t really told me everything. Not even close...
I shook my head and forced myself to focus. He said my reward was going to be transferred to my inventory. All I had to do was call for it...
That was, simple enough... Still, what quest was he referring to? I'm sure I didn't receive once when I last went to Shioshishio.
'Unless... Could it be that quest was considered, hidden?'
It was the only explanation that would make sense... Only hidden quests weren't obvious. Only showing up after I completed them... Which means, he's likely been planning to meet with me from then... Either way.
I refocused on the reward itself;
'Storage...?' I thought, calling it out.
But... Nothing really happened when I did...
I frowned, and closed my eyes, trying again, this time with more intent, trying another word too: 'Inventory.'
This time, something stirred... It seemed like a faint ripple, almost like light bending in water, appeared before me, and then a translucent window flickered into view. Innumerable columns and rows of empty slots stretched across the surface, but one of them seemed occupied. Something was definitely within it...
But, I still couldn't focus...
The Administrator’s last words were honestly still echoing in my head again, just before the void faded away;
'When you grow strong enough, we will surely meet again...'
Form some reason, I unconsciously clenched my fists;
'Fine then... I guess I’ll hold you to that...'
With that, I closed my inventory and changed. I had more than enough time to experiment with what I could do at, home...
.
.
.
When I exited the room, I could see Youko standing outside...
"Oh, you're finished... You took quite a while." I heard Youko say.
I nodded, saying: "Yeah, I'm... sorry about that..."
'If she only knew half of what I just went through...' I told myself, but left it alone. Right now? I just wanted to head home.
Unfortunately, even I could tell Youko realized something was a little off... But, thankfully, she didn’t press the matter, though, I could feel the side of her eyes lingering on me longer than I’d have liked. With a kind smile, she slowly gestured for me to follow her: "Follow me. Let’s get you back upstairs."
The corridors of Raddish seemed so quiet, their walls felt so warm, or maybe it was just me. Honestly, maybe I was still shaken up a bit from what I saw. Either way, Youko’s presence felt oddly steadying, at least compared to what it was before...
'Hnn~ I wonder what changed...?' I thought, more so idly.
By the time we reached the first floor, the muffled chatter of voices trickled through the air. I could hear some familiar voices. My eyes shifted ahead, and sure enough, I had caught sight of Sekai, standing with Siyeon and Setsuna by the entrance.
Sekai’s hands moved animatedly as she spoke, her grin wide, the kind that practically dared you to interrupt her story. Siyeon looked amused but polite, while Setsuna wore the same quiet expression she always did, listening rather, intently.
The moment Sekai spotted me, her eyes practically lit up: "Well, well~ look who finally decided to rejoin the world of the living." She tilted her head, smirking in that sharp, teasing way that was both playful and faintly biting;
"Though... What were you doing in there, Keiji-kun? Falling asleep on mom's, hospitality?"
'???Why do I get the feeling that what she said has a double meaning...' I wondered to myself, but ignored it. I'm way too tired right now to play mental gymnastics.
Still, I managed a small dry chuckle, because it was a little funny, though inwardly I was groaning. This was just the typical Sekai experience. She was always quick to poke fun, be cheerful, and always watching for the other end's reaction...
I saw Siyeon giving me a soft smile, her tone monotonous in contrast: "You look a little, pale... Is everything, alright?"
Setsuna said nothing at first, but her gaze had been lingering on me with what seemed like quiet curiosity as well. Then, in her usual even voice, she added: "I agree too... You took a little longer than expected."
Sekai leaned in slightly, her grin dropping into a curious expression: "See? Even Setsuna-san's noticed... Are you sure you're ok? Wait..." Her expression changed: "Wait... Are you, hiding something...?"
I scratched the back of my neck, forcing a small smile: "No, of course not... It's nothing like that. I Just… had to be careful with removing the suit."
Sekai folded her arms, eyes narrowing a little: "Mhm... Sure you did... That’s exactly what people say when they’re definitely hiding something."
I honestly wasn't in the mood for the kind of games right now...
"Alright, c'mon Sekai-san, you can cut it out..."
Instead, she didn’t back down one bit. Instead, she stepped closer with that mischievous glint in her eyes, rubbing her shoulder lightly against mine in a playful push...
"Aw, come on~" She teased, her voice voice sing-song at this point: "Don’t be so stiff, Keiji-kun. You’re way too easy to mess with, you know that?"
I gave a short, strained laugh, shaking my head: "Sekai-san, seriously… quit it."
But of course, she didn’t, she just kept going. Hell, she leaned in further, elbow brushing my arm, her grin growing sharper. “What’s wrong? Embarrassed? Or is it… you really are hiding something?”
My jaw tightened: "Sekai... I said stop."
Her laughter rang out, careless, brushing against my nerves raw;
"Oh, lighten up! It’s just a joke, don’t be so-"
"-Sekai, I said, STOP!”
.
.
.
The words ripped out before I could choke them back down, sharper, harsher than I’d intended to be. The chatter in the restaurant instantly died down, like a candle snuffed by sudden wind. Dozens of eyes turned toward us. My chest heaved, the words hanging in the air heavier than stone.
Sekai’s smile froze, her body stiffening just slightly. For once, she didn’t have a comeback.
I clenched my fists, voice irate as it cut through the silence again: "Not everything’s a damn game! You need to stop messing around all the time. Just… stop."
The look on her face.
half startled, and half stung... It was enough to make my stomach twist in on itself. Siyeon blinked at me, lips parting faintly as though she couldn’t quite believe what she’d heard. I could even see Setsuna’s normally unreadable gaze was fixed on me, this time, her mouth was agape.
And just like that, I realized what I just did...
'Ah… Damn it...'
The words I’d meant to come off as a plea had, came out like a blade.
My throat tightened, and I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted iron.
Without another word, I turned on my heel and pushed past the door, the cool air outside hitting me like a wall.
I couldn’t stay there. Not another second with all these eyes on me...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 108: Jerk...
Chapter Text
~ Ayano's Pov... ~
.
.
.
'To say I lost my cool would be the understatement of the year...'
And, I shouldn't have snapped at Sekai like I did earlier… I'm an idiot.
The thought kept circling in my head as I sat hunched on the cold park bench, elbows on my knees, head hanging low like some washed-up fool. Thankfully, the air was quiet, carrying only the faint sounds of the wind in the distance. Honestly, I could still see Sekai’s face in my mind...
Surprised, a bit hurt, while trying to play it off with that awkward smile of hers. She didn’t deserve that.
Not then, not now either. And yet… I’d done it, again. Not once, but twice now, biting at her when all she was trying to do was lighten the mood...
A bitter sigh slipped out of me, breath fogging faintly in the cool air;
'I need to apologize to her. Properly, this time. Not some half-assed excuse... I'll need to make it right.'
"...You really are off your game today."
The voice came softly, but it slid right through my haze of guilt. I lifted my head, blinking, and turned just enough to see her standing there, Siyeon-san. She looked at me like she’d been watching long enough to know what was weighing on me... She must have followed me here.
"…It’s that obvious?" I asked, my voice low.
"Yes." She didn’t hesitate, and then, with that calm, deliberate way of hers, she lowered herself onto the bench beside me. Not too close, not too far-just enough to say she wasn’t going anywhere.
I let out a small laugh that, had no humor in it: "I’ll have to apologize... I have to. I need to make it right."
"...You should." She said added. But then, with a faint pause, her eyes glanced towards me: "Though… I won’t say that Sekai girl didn’t deserve some of it. Still… You were pretty harsh."
"Yeah…" I mumbled under my breath, leaning back against the bench, staring up at the black sky with no stars: "I know... I really was."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence didn’t feel empty though, it was honestly a little grounding if anything... Then, before I even realized the words were slipping out of my mouth, I admitted it all: "…I’m, just a little stressed."
Siyeon tilted her head slightly at me, saying: "I thought that much was obvious... Is it about, Boramae?"
"Partially..." I also admitted. There wasn't any point in lying about that... But, the second that word left me, the reality of everything hit me at once... I couldn’t tell her... I probably couldn't anyone what I was going through... At least, not everything... If I did, she’d probably, if not most definitely think I'm absolutely insane.
Hell, I still think I’m insane half the time. I thought about anything I could about how to patch over the slip, but all I could so was rub the back of my neck, and look away instead...
"Here..." I heard her say, handing me a can of soda in the process.
I accepted: "Thanks..."
"So, what are you going to do now...?" I heard Siyeon ask.
I sighed, answering: "For now... I think I'll just head home for the time being, and come back tomorrow to sort things out with Sekai."
"No... I was talking about what we'll do with Boramae." She responded.
"Oh... That." I said. That was, awkward.
I'll see what they do... I think we've sorted out the profit model aspect. Right now, it's best I gain strength." I told her.
"You mean, training...?" She asked me, she sounded surprised.
Still, I explained myself a little: "Yeah... Unfortunately, I think I'm still fairly weak the way I am, right now, even if I am a little skilled in martial arts. My hardware is actually lagging behind at the moment."
Siyeon blinked at me, her head tilting ever so slightly as she studied my face: "Hard-ware...?"
I gave a short exhale, shaking my head: "...Don’t think too much about it. It just means I need to train a whole lot more. Sharpen myself up. Push further than I have already." I said this like it was easy. However, I haven't really tested how fast the Absolute talent boosted my overall speed of growing.
Seeing as it's a limitless skill, I'm not sure how it'll react to my overall growth...
Her gaze lingered for a few seconds longer before she finally nodded, accepting my vague excuse without pressing: "...That makes sense. I suppose if you don’t keep moving forwards, you’ll just fall behind." Sipping her drink after.
I nodded at her response and stood up as well.
I think I've gathered my bearings a bit...
In the same motion, I turned towards her, and said to her: "I'll be heading back home... and, thanks for the talk." Waving her off...
.
.
.
"Y-Yeah... No problem..."
'Home sweet home...'
But, from what I experienced.
It didn't feel as sweet anymore...
Out of sheer instinct, I looked upwards, seeing Saya peering down at me from the window... When our eyes met, she quickly left.
I went passed the veranda. Stepping inside my home, I carefully shut what was left of my door quietly behind me, listening for any sounds upstairs. Of course, there was nothing. No creak of movement, no shuffling either... More or less, just silence.
That to me was worse than noise...
A part of me wanted to just collapse onto the couch and forget the day, but I knew better by now. Forgetting wasn’t an option. No, it was too easy. Especially Not when she was here...
'Just how the hell am I supposed to understand her?'
I sighed, looking around a little... Nothing seemed out of place. It was the exact same as how I left it. I'm just glad she... didn't make a mess of things at least.
With a reluctant breath, I started upstairs, each step heavier than it needed to be.
My hand hesitated on the doorknob for a moment, but finally, I pushed it open...
There she was, Saya...
She was sitting upright on the bed, her eyes fixed on me the instant the door cracked open.
I stopped at the entrance, leaning on it, folding my arms: "…Are you okay?"
She nodded once, silent but somewhat firm.
I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down my face before speaking again, my voice lower this time: "I think I have an answer for you… about your stay here."
I could feel Saya’s gaze widening slightly, as if bracing herself for the worst... Yet, hoping for the best.
Reluctantly I answered;
"Yes..." I said at last, reluctant but calmly: "You can stay-"
"Really!?" She jumped, cutting me off... Surprising me too...
"You’re… Really making me stay?" She asked me.
I... Nodded, still a bit taken aback by her sudden burst of surprise. She… Really did seem like an ordinary child. Fragile, innocent, unassuming in ways that were almost frightening to me. Yet, beneath that façade, I knew things I wish I didn't...
I exhaled, straightening myself. I’m not just going to accept things the way they are, at least not so easily... I needed to test her a bit, and make sure of something: "Since we got that out of the way... I'll need to figure out a way to get you back into school. I don't think it's a wise idea for a child like you to grow up without a form of education."
I stared at her, looking for a reaction...
She tilted her head slightly, then said, flatly: "...School, would be a waste of time."
My brow raised at that, a little incredulous if I was being honest: "And... Why exactly would that be the case?"
She didn’t answer me immediately. Instead, she glanced behind me, her small hand gesturing ever so slightly toward the shelf.
.
.
.
"Hmm... Pick up that book, and you'll see..." She said to me, pointing.
Curious, I walked over and picked it up. It was actually one of my more recently purchased books on biology. I flipped it open, the spine creaking faintly;
'Huh... This… This info is easily at the university level.' I thought to myself. I'm a little surprised by the heft and depth of the material she chose.
Her eyes gleamed faintly: "Now… turn to any page. I’ll tell you its contents… Down to the very last letter."
I blinked, momentarily speechless. That… Sounded, impossible. Ridiculous even. And yet… something in her tone told me she wasn’t bluffing. I knew she might be an alien, but... I can't dwell on this now.
I nodded slowly, setting myself: "Alright… I’ll turn to a random page."
I flipped through the pages, letting my finger land almost by chance. I froze.
She tilted her head, a faint smirk tugging at her lips: "You should tell me the page number."
I swallowed, feeling my pulse quicken. "…Page 39-2."
She blinked once, then, without any sense of hesitation, she began to recite;
"The eukaryotic cell, unlike its prokaryotic counterpart, contains membrane-bound organelles that compartmentalize specific biochemical processes essential for the survival and replication of the cell. The nucleus houses the chromosomal DNA, which is intricately wrapped around histone proteins to form nucleosomes, ultimately compacted into chromatin fibers that regulate transcriptional accessibility...
Mitochondria, often termed the powerhouses of the cell, generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, utilizing the electron transport chain in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Ribosomes, either free-floating in the cytosol or bound to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, are responsible for translating messenger RNA sequences into functional polypeptides, facilitating protein synthesis.
The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages these proteins for intracellular trafficking or secretion. Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that degrade macromolecules, while peroxisomes catalyze reactions that detoxify cellular metabolites. The cytoskeleton, composed of microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments, not only maintains cellular architecture but also orchestrates intracellular transport, endocytosis, and exocytosis. Cellular membranes exhibit selective permeability, regulating ion gradients and signal transduction pathways essential for homeostasis.
Additionally, intercellular junctions-tight junctions, desmosomes, and gap junctions maintain tissue integrity and facilitate communication between adjacent cells. The regulation of the cell cycle, coordinated by cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases, ensures orderly progression through phases G1, S, G2, and M, while checkpoints monitor genomic integrity, preventing uncontrolled proliferation. Finally, apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a critical mechanism for development, immune response modulation, and the removal of damaged or potentially oncogenic cells, ensuring the organism’s long-term viability..."
.
.
.
'What...? The, FUCK...?'
I stood frozen. I must have looked like a complete idiot... Every detail and every intricate connection that could be made, with every technical term... was, exact. It was like the book itself had sprung to life through her voice.
'This… This is, insane...!' I slowly lowered the book...
My mind was, confused... She might look like a child, act like one, but she was anything but ordinary...
"I... I... How...?" I stammered.
Yet, she laughed and giggled, like it was something, simple...
"Hehehe~ I told you... School would be a waste..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 109: Truth, and Story... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Keiji's Pov... ~
.
.
.
"Still, Saya... You need to be around kids your age. It ain't healthy for you either..."
I said it firmly, but it sounded like I was trying to convince myself just as much as her. Kids should laugh, play, fight over dumb little things like snacks or toys, not sit here reciting university-level biology like some machine. But Saya just tilted her head, her hair sliding slightly as her eyes studied me...
Like she was dissecting the meaning behind my words rather than just hearing them.
"But... I don’t need them." She replied, softly, but her tone carried that unnerving, yet innocent level of confidence she always seemed to have;
"Children my age usually talk about television shows, shallow gossip, things that circle endlessly... Do, you really believe I could fit into that world kind of world, especially when my thoughts already extend far beyond theirs?" She explained
I frowned, because damn it, she had a point, and a solid one at that... And yet, I couldn’t just let it go: "That, isn’t really the point... Even if you’re smart enough to blow past anything they'll teach you, school isn’t just about acquiring knowledge. It’s about... learning about others. Learning how to live in the same world as them."
Her lips pressed together, and for a second, I thought I’d gotten through to her. But then she whispered, almost coldly;
"You mean... learning how to act, human."
The way she said it sent a chill crawling down my spine. She wasn’t inherently wrong, but hearing it framed like that made the gap between the both of us feel, even wider than I wanted to admit... But still. I don't think this line of thinking extends from her just being leagues smarter than the average child was...
'In fact... It almost feels as she wants to avoid human interaction entirely, but why...?' I pondered it for a moment, at it started making more, and more sense to me as I did.
If she keeps acting like this...
Then, I'll see how she responds to this one.
"Alright... Sure, I won't send you to school then. But... I don't want you to only have one pair of clothing... You haven't washed yourself either, since last night at least."
I watched as her expression change into surprise, shyness and bewilderment. Weirdly enough, I kind of found it it, cute...
She took a few more moments, before she finally responded;
"W-Well... I bathed myself when you left..." She said.
I could feel my own eyes swaying by how obvious that lie was... She likely isn't used to telling one.
"Even so... You still need clothing, right?" I asked her, looking at her. I want to see how she'll wriggle her way out of this one istead...
She looked at me with clear confusion, but responded: "What's... wrong with what I have on now...?"
"Nothing, but... Who said you had on anything to begin with?" I looked at her expression.
Like I had expected of course... She was utterly, speechless.
'Line, hook, and sinker...' I thought.
Instead, she looked at me with an expression, like she was sad for being caught doing something, bad...
She finally responded, saying;
"You've realized it... Haven't you...? That, I'm not, normal..." Her head tilted downwards.
Still, why do I strangely feel like the villain right now for doing what I did?
"What... are you going to do to me...?" She asked, scared. In fact... I could just tell she was.
Making me feel even worse. I was beginning to doubt what the administrator had showed me earlier...
'Could she really be the root of that flesh-like world?' I thought to myself again...
But, I didn't say anything at what she asked... I mean, what could I possibly say? She knows, that I know...
Gathering my bearing for a minute. I sighed, telling her: "No... Saya... I won't do a thing to you, unless you want me to... Besides..." I stood straight;
"I'm not so, normal either..."
.
.
.
"What...? What do you me-"
FWISH~
Before she could even finish her question, I sped and disappeared behind her...
I gently tapped her shoulders the moment when I got behind her.
"…H-How did you…!?" I heard her stammer and say, her voice was trembling with what I thought sounded like a mixture of both awe, and confusion...
"I trained a whole lot." I told her, which was true... I took my time, and continued;
"Regardless... I think we should both start being a little honest with each other, Saya... So, let's start from the beginning, tell me about yourself."
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
Saya began telling her story: "To be honest... I don't know where I came from. All I could remember, a little vaguely, were... My other siblings..." Saya said.
Keiji raised a brow, listening keenly, asked: "You have, other siblings...?"
Saya slowly nodded, saying: "Yes... To be specific, I have other sisters."
Keiji frowned a little, thinking : 'Sisters...? Which means, there's likely more of her kind out there, somewhere...?" His mind drifted with nothing but even more questions, still he forced himself to stay silent, to let her continue;
"But... I'm sure they don’t even realize that they are even female to begin with... Oh well..." Saya continued, casually glossing over that fact.
Her gaze quickly fell towards the floor, as though she could see something far beneath it: "Truthfully, we were never born the way you would expect us to be. We weren’t technically... born at all, not in the way humans are. We are like fragments of sorts, you could say, of something much older than us... My elder sisters were left in other places, scattered across were I originated. Some... still in slumber."
"...Then, how did you end up here?" He asked cautiously. It was already crystal clear to him that she wasn't from earth at all, at least based off of what she's was telling him.
"I was brought here... through a passage. A portal, most would call it. I don’t know why it opened, only that it did. And, I was small then, even smaller than now. I stepped through, and when it closed behind me, I couldn’t return. My sisters… Stayed behind."
'A portal...?' Keiji wondered. Know realizing that technology likely exists in this universe as well...
"I see... Can, you tell me what happened after you came through the portal." He asked.
Saya nodded: "Well... That's the day when I met my adoptive father..."
Saya’s hands curled gently in her lap as she spoke, her voice sounded quieter than before-fragile, as though the words themselves carried a weight she wasn’t used to really sharing;
"…When I first came through the passage, I didn’t understand anything... I remembered feeling how heavy the air was. How even the light seemed different… and my body felt… wrong. I didn’t know where I was exactly, only that I was… alone. That’s when I met him. My father..."
Keiji watched as her eyes seemed to soften at the memory;
"He didn’t look at me with fear, not like others did later. He didn’t run, either. Instead… He smiled, and looked fascinated. Like he already knew who... or, what I was." She then let out a faint, wistful breath;
"…He gave me food. A place to sleep. He even gave me my name... Saya. He treated me… Just like any human would do a daughter, even when I didn’t understand what that meant at the time I came through."
Keiji’s expression shifted faintly at that, his arms uncrossing as he leaned forward, listening without interruption.
"After observing me for some time, we had interacted, and eventually, he taught me many things… simple things at first. Words, numbers, how to hold a pencil. Then harder things... Sciences, languages, things he said I had absorbed rather quickly. But... I always loved the stories he had given me the most, especially when it was about romance... And, he never questioned why I understood faster than most. Instead, he encouraged me about it."
She paused, her gaze lowering to the floor, her voice audibly grew thinner: "...But then… One day, he suddenly left me. He said he’d be gone only a little while, which wasn't unusual. However, hours passed. Then days... then weeks. Then eventually even months. I waited, but he never came back."
Her voice cracked faintly, the faintest tremor escaping before she forced herself still again: "Worried… I left to try and find him. I thought to myself that, if I kept on moving, I’d catch up to him, eventually... From place to place I just kept wandering about, sleeping wherever I could really. I survived however I could… Until, I met you."
"...I realized it was better to break in within people's homes, and simply rest there, so the outdoor elements wouldn't affect me. That quickly became my new strategy, until I eventually got caught by the humans who had suddenly to their homes... It was then that I found out that, I wasn't entirely too attractive to them... At least, not as how my father saw me." She further added.
Keiji on the other hand watched her expression carefully. Despite having a smile, he could tell she wasn't really pleased...
"I... understand..." He said.
However, she spoke up: "...Ayano-san. Are you aware of the missing animals? The… animal attacks… That happened in the past few months?"
Keiji stiffened, eyes narrowing slightly as he slowly nodded: “Yeah… I’ve heard about them. The reports kept circling-" His voice stopped mid-thought. His eyes widened, realization cutting sharp: "…Wait... You’re not telling me... that was, you?"
Saya’s head tilted downward, her hands tightening in her lap. "…Yes."
A long sigh left Keiji, the weight of it carrying frustration, pity, and something he couldn’t even begin to name either... He ran his hand through his hair, mumbling;
"…Of course it was…"
"I... I had no choice..." Saya whispered and pleaded quickly, her words tinged with both shame and even a hit of desperation;
"…I was getting hungry. And when I'm hungry… I can’t just ignore it... My body forces me at some point to eat. If I don’t eat… if I don’t consume something, the pain… Becomes unbearable. I…" Her voice trailed, trembling now, she continued: "…I didn’t want to do it. But, I couldn’t stop myself, or I'd die."
She finally looked up at him, her eyes shimmering in the low light, pride, but the same quiet guilt any ordinary child might feel when caught doing something wrong: "…You… hate me now, don’t you?"
.
.
.
Ayano looked at her sympathetically, but shook his head, answering: "No, Saya... I don't. Really..."
'Now I understand why the administrator told me we had a lot more in common than I thought. Just like she was. I was brought in a new universe entirely.' He inwardly chuckled at the sheer coincidences as well.
'And, here I thought I was lonely... But... Being so vastly different from us, humans... I wonder just how lonely Saya truly is?'
Just like him, she was brought from another universe. Just like him, she had to grow and adapt here, and just like him she was essentially by herself...
'So... That's why he also told me to treat her the way I wanted to be treated...' Keiji thought, smiling.
Instinctively, him found himself, gently grabbing ahold of her...
.
.
.
"!?"
"A-Ayano... san...? What are you...!?" She stammered.
"I'm... So... sorry, Saya..." That was all he told her.
Speechless, she her eyes drifted over his form...
But, before she could say anything, he continued;
"I can't imagine what you must have been through all this time..." He added... He then let go of her, looking her in her eyes as he did, saying;
"I promise you that I'll treat you properly... And, I'll find your father..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 110: Meet... (EDITED)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
~ Keiji's Pov... ~
.
.
.
"You'll, help me...?" I heard Saya ask me...
"Of course..." I nodded.
Even though, I knew within myself that, I couldn't trust her entirely just yet, but this was definitely a start...
PING!
------------------------------------------
{HIDDEN QUEST: Understand Saya... (COMPLETE)
REWARD: Pending...}
------------------------------------------
.
.
.
'A hidden quest...?' I honestly, didn't expect this to happen.
Before I knew it... I could see a card shining in front of my face...
Based on its colors alone, meant it was a transcended type skill.
I slowly let go of Saya...
"Saya…" I exhaled, keeping voice firm: "I don't have time to explain... But, I need you to leave the room, just for a moment."
She blinked, confusion rippling across her pale features: "...Why?"
"I have to… do something privately."
I watched as her lips pressed together, the silence between grew until she finally gave a reluctant nod... Her gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, then she quietly stepped out. The door clicking shut behind her.
'If it's anything like last time... I don't want her to see this...' I turned, trying to see what it says...
But, I barely had time to finish reading before the card shot straight into me, dissolving into golden motes that sank beneath my skin;
'What the-'
The words cut off as a sudden jolt of electricity literally tearing through my nerves.
My entire body went numb. Then, in the next instant, it felt like fire roared across my entire body, coursing through every vein, every muscle, every fiber of my being;
"Agggghhhhhh!!!!!!!"
The scream ripped itself from my throat before I even realized it... I could feel something in my eyes, incredibly hot... Like molten iron had been poured into them, burning from the inside out.
I could feel every muscle fiber I had constantly spasming violently, practically convulsing against the intensity, while my nerves screamed with a searing, agony that made it impossible for me to think.
The pain didn’t relent-it only grew worse, heavier, until I thought my own skull felt like it might split apart completely.
Unconsciously, I clawed at my face, at my chest, as if I could rip the torment free, but this pain... I could feel it digging even deeper into me, consuming me;
'It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it hurts-it-It hurts-it HURRRRTTTSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
.
.
.
.
.
.
I could feel it... My own consciousness beginning to slip away from me, my vision was blurring too, and the sounds were fading...
And... The very last thing I saw...
Was Saya...
Running... Towards me...
.
.
.
~ Third Person Pov, XXX amount of time later... ~
.
.
.
Keiji’s body stirred faintly, his breaths shallow and uneven as his eyelids fought to part. A groggy haze filled his mind, every attempt to wake pulling against an overwhelming exhaustion;
"Ngh…" His throat rasped, dry.
Slowly, painfully, his eyes practically cracked open.
The world around him was incredibly blurry at first, in fact, it was all muted shapes shifting into faint outlines, and colors. The first thing he noticed wasn’t the room, but rather, it was a soothing warmth going back, and forth against his scalp. Something… Soft, careful, and tender... Like fingers, gently caressing his head.
He tried to shift, his lips parting as he did, whispering: "S… Saya…?"
"Shh…" Her voice cut through the fog, low and fragile, but firm enough to halt him: "Don’t move yet... Just… rest a little longer."
Her hand never stopped its careful motion, tracing through his hair with a patience he never imagined she could have.
For a moment, he simply let himself sink back downwards, surrendering to her insistence... His eyelids fluttered closed again;
'Saya… Did She stay by me this whole time...?' The thought had actually struck him deeper than the pain had earlier. Of all the people-He never really expected her to sit here and actually… comfort him.
'Not only am I alive to begin with, I'm also in her arms being treated almost like a child... It feels, weird..." Not sure as to how he should really feel about something like this, but... something else has been on his mind;
'Still... I'm glad she hasn't killed me, she had the chance to... or, even injured me it seems either, which means, I likely have really gained some form of her trust...' Ayano thought to himself, somewhat glad for that.
He then focused his attention on the little girl: "…Saya." He muttered weakly, his chest tightening: "…I’m sorry. For what you must’ve seen back there…"
There was a pause for a bit, her touch hesitating for just a second before continuing: "?It’s okay..." She whispered, and smiled: "I’m just… glad you’re fine now."
"..."
A heavy sigh escaped him: "…Fine, huh?" He let the words fade, but forced his attention inwards instead.
That’s when he finally noticed something, odd...
In fact, there really was something was… off.
His body didn’t just ache at the moment. There was a sensation crawling over his skin in a weird sense. Not inside his muscles, not his bones—on top of him. Clinging. Thick. Wrong. It wasn’t sweat, at least he didn't think so...
'Just… What the hell is this?' His brow furrowed as he pried his eyes open again.
And then, he saw it...
A black, tar-esq substance had essentially coated parts of his skin, and from what he noticed, it was all in uneven patches, both slick and viscous, like actual tar that had seeped straight out of his pores. It clung to his arms, his chest, staining the sheets beneath him.
Then, a sudden realization hit him like ice water...
He shot upright, staggering with a burst of energy.
Saya flinched at his abrupt movement, eyes widening as he scrambled to look at himself.
"…Tch... ugh-!" Of course, the stench hit him next. His mind now registering what was truly happening around him. His nose wrinkled violently as he gagged, a foul, putrid odor filling his lungs. To him, it smelled just like rot... Akin to pure, concentrated filth, it felt as if it was clinging to every inch of his body...
He covered his mouth and nose instinctively, eyes watering too;
"I smell... Disgusting...!" He rasped, half in disbelief, half in absolute disgust.
Upon touching it, he could feel the black muck dripping sluggishly from his fingertips, oozing like something alive. Whatever this was-it wasn’t natural at all, or was it?
It was as though his body had expelled something, some kind of waste if he had to take a guess...
'This kind of thing has never happened to me before...' He wondered.
Keiji hesitantly pulled himself away from Saya’s lap, his body trembling under its own weight. Somehow, he managed to stand, though his legs felt heavy, like iron chains were dragging him down. His gaze lingered on the black filth sliding sluggishly down his arms before he forced his throat to work.
"Saya…" He croaked, his voice barely audible: "…How long… How long has it been since I blacked out?" For some reason, he felt as if he had to ask...
Saya tilted her head, blinking once before answering with her usual calm, deliberate tone: "About… a day, and a few hours."
.
.
.
"What… A full day…?" His breath hitched, eyes widening.
'I’ve been out that long? An entire day… and then some?' His mind practically reeled in on itself. That wasn’t just a normal blackout either. Whatever that pain had been, it clearly was no simple addition to his abilities. For some reason, he could just tell it was something far more powerful...
His gaze slid back to Saya, his lips parting to ask something, but the words stood frozen in his throat.
Keiji's eyes stopped cold, widening slowly;
"…!?"
Saya’s expression faltered at his sudden change of attitude, her brows knitting in faint confusion at him staring at her so intently: "What…? What’s wrong?"
But Keiji barely heard her...
Because, what he was seeing something impossible;
'Wha... What is all this...?'
Around her body were literal colors, subtle at first, faint waves shimmering like a haze of light around her small frame. But, they weren’t just colors. They meant something.
He could feel it all instinctively, as though the knowledge had been hardwired into him at this very moment. No, he felt as if he was born with the sense to know exactly what it was...
He blinked rapidly for a moment, he even rubbed his eyes with his forearm, and then he turned his head away before snapping it back towards her again. Yet... They were still there.
These colors had essentially clung to her loosely, shifting around her frame softly as well, like warm, gentle hues wrapping around her figure. And the more he stared, the more he just knew...
'She's... Worried about me...?' He thought.
He could just tell... She was actually concerned. About him... And, he could both see it...
Then, realization hit him like a spear through the chest...
'What the hell… I-I can see it...!? I can tell what she’s feeling just by… looking?'
He swallowed hard, his mind racing, but the truth slammed into him all the same.
'This… This is that new ability I just got... No... It has to be!' He reasoned for an instant, seeing no other explanation.
And now, Saya wasn’t just some strange little girl staring back at him. She was someone he could actively read, in a way no human should ever be able to;
'…Damn.' He thought.
.
.
.
However, his thoughts instantly gathered concerning her;
"Wait... Saya! Have you eaten anything since then!?"
She quickly shook her head, saying: "No…" Her voice was soft, almost dismissive too, but her eyes flicked away, betraying a trace of discomfort;
"It's honestly fine... I can go another day, or so without eating anything..." She said, almost proudly in fact.
Not only that, he could instinctively tell that what she was also saying was in fact, true;
'Ok... What the heck is going on here...?' He wondered, but quickly dismissed it for the time being.
However, Keiji had frowned deeply instead, quickly answering back: "Another day...? What do you mean? You can’t just-"
She interrupted gently, almost apologetic, but firm: "Normal food… It tastes, bad. Incredibly bad. I’m not exactly… happy eating it."
“What… do you eat then?” he asked, suspicion and curiosity lacing his tone.
Her gaze hardened slightly, unwavering: "Something like, meat… preferably raw."
Keiji’s eyes widened, a cold realization settling in...
'Now I see why she hasn't eaten any of the food I've given her so far...' He then remembered the night he met her, and the corpse, and her entire story...
Given the context, he understood why: 'Saya has a completely carnivorous diet...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Notes:
I wonder what type of new Ability Ayano gained...
Chapter 111: Sight... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Keiji's Pov, Some time later... ~
.
.
.
Honestly, I had to shower more times than I could count just to peel that stuff off me. It wasn’t soap and water kind of dirt. No, it was heavier, stickier-tar-like, really... as if it had its own will, clinging to every part of me. What's worse, was that every rinse just smeared it into new shapes, and every scrub only seemed to grind it further into the grain of my skin.
By the time the last trace finally gave in, and slipped down the drain, my arms were still trembling-not out of exhaustion exactly, but because the memory of what I’d just been through, honestly, it wouldn’t leave me alone...
Truthfully, my nerves were raw. Each drop of water hit me a bit too sharply, I didn't know how else to phrase it either... Like, it was needling into the skin, but didn't injure me a bit. It wasn't just my skin either... But, even my own thought process felt different. I felt as if I had a weird sense of clarity in my head...
If my mind was in the mud before. I was out of it now, both dancing and swaying in the air... In fact... The difference was like night and day.
Naturally, I turned the tap off and stood there, dripping and half-breathless, facing the mirror fogged over like a half-forgotten memory. Slowly, I dragged the palm of my hand across it, clearing a space. And what I saw staring back-it wasn’t ordinary. My eyes, though technically the same as they were before, carried a feeling of sharpness to me, like they’d grown their own edges in a way... It sounded odd, but that's how I felt. For a second, uncomfortably, I thought to myself that;
'Maybe they weren’t even mine anymore, at least... Not in the traditional sense.'
"Seriously… Just what the hell did I just unlock?" I asked myself...
.
.
.
After getting dressed, I headed out and found Saya exactly where she’d been before, in my room, sitting on my bed. She looked up at me with those quiet, unreadable eyes, and I found myself exhaling slowly...
Reluctantly, I spoke with her: "I’ll have to leave again soon..." I admitted, trying to ease her into the thought; "But, before that… I’ve got a ton of raw stuff in the kitchen you can eat... Meat, mostly."
Her gaze softened, though she didn’t say much... But, I could also tell she wasn't entirely too happy.
I frowned, scratching the back of my neck: "…It’s just a bit of a shame that you can’t enjoy intricacies of normal food. It honestly, sucks..." I spoke, trying to my best in shifting the topic. even a a little, continuing: "Still... If only there was a way you could actually change your sense of taste-" Personally, I couldn't imagine not being able to eat food...
"-That’s it!" She suddenly yelled.
"...?"
Her voice cut me off, sharp, and almost eager sounding. My head tilted at how dumbfounded I was right now, but that when I noticed it... an aura of a soft soft orange color, just around her her body... My instincts once again told me what it meant. She was… happy.
Snapping myself out of that line of thought, I asked my question: "Hmm...? What do you mean, that’s it?" I was still trying to make sense of why exactly she was so giddy all of a sudden.
Saya’s lips curved ever so slightly as she leaned forward, casually saying: "It’s possible for me to do that."
"What...?"
"Hehe~" I heard her chuckling, clearly it was directed at me: "Like I said before, I can do just that..."
I found my self staring at her for a bit: "Wait a minute… You’re saying, you can just alter your sense of taste?"
She nodded once, firmly: "Mhmm. I have the capacity to do so."
Something in my chest tightened at the sheer thought of that... And, even down to the way she even said it. I don't even know what's worse, given the fact that, I could pick-up she wasn’t even lying. Even without this new ability of mine...
"But… it won’t be an instant process." She quickly added, gaze shifting aside, before saying: "The alteration would take me some time to accomplish. Especially since I’ve never really altered myself in such a way before."
"A… Alter, yourself?" I repeated, far more confused now than I ever was before: "Please... Explain what exactly do you mean by that?"
Her expression didn’t shift even a bit, and her tone was equally steady: "Let's just say that I can transform the states of any biological being that I come into contact with. Their functions, their compositions… but, only if I fully understand everything regarding their genetic makeup. Without that understanding, the alterations would be, flawed."
I found myself freezing up, just staring at her... I mean, what the heck should I even do to respond appropriately to this kind of situation?
I calmed myself down a little. My mood right now wasn't helping me: "You’re telling me…" My words trailed, disbelief was leaking into my tone: "…You can just, casually rewrite a living creature's biology itself?"
She nodded again, calm as ever, like she had just admitted something as simple as breathing, before saying: "Well, I wouldn't say casually. At least, not at the moment. If I start now..." She removed her hand that had been folded behind her back, and placed it on her chin, as if to think: "I should be able to finish the entire process by nightfall."
"And, that was..."
I quickly checked the time, realizing it was just past 12 PM... Yet, the fact of the matter still remained. Saya was straight up telling me that she can just change her body, and not just her own body. But, other species bodies with what sounded like it was on a mere whim. The only restriction being that she needs to fully understand their DNA in a sense.
Which, weirdly makes sense in it's own way, but it was also low key, terrifying to me... Based on what she's said alone, couldn't Saya make literal monsters, or even abominations as long as she had enough knowledge on just a few of those creatures?
'I knew she'd likely have abilities, but this is...'
I swallowed, hesitant, but the question burned its way out of me anyway: "Tell me... How did you even learn that you could do something like this?"
Saya blinked at me once. Her lips parted, and for a moment her voice softened with something that almost sounded like nostalgia: "It was within my first few months of arriving here." She answered: "That’s when I found out about my abilities, or better put... I was more, aware of them."
I kept calm, and asked: "Found out… how?"
Her gaze dropped, her tone quieter now: "My father…" She began, and for the first time, I felt a ripple of unease in her aura-muted gray, tinged with something darker: "He would usually bring in rodents within my containment cell... Mice, rats… small things of that nature. I was told to keep them, to see how they would respond within my presence. And after dwelling with them long enough, I eventually discovered it. I could then alter their structure."
Her words were steady, but her small hands curled faintly in her lap.
"…But those-" She continued, shaking her head slightly: "-Were technically, failures... I was still very young at the time, and I couldn’t control the process. The rodents didn’t survive, and the ones that did had undesirable traits."
I clenched my jaw, saying nothing. All of what she was telling me was true.
Saya lifted her gaze back to me, and this time, there was no hesitation, only quiet confidence flickering in her eyes: "But now, I'm infinitely more competent compared to how I then, so don't worry…! I’m very certain I can accomplish it properly." She said, in a triumphant tone even.
I just sat down, and shook my head...
'Yeah... This is gonna be a long year...'
~ Third Person Pov, with Setsuna and Sekai... ~
.
.
.
The warm scent of fresh tatami lingered faintly in the air of Sekai’s modest home. Afternoon light spilled lazily across the low table in her living room, where the girl sat with her chin propped against her palm, gaze lost somewhere distant...
Her lips pressed into a faint pout, brows knit tightly as she muttered under her breath;
"…He really got angry at me."
The frustration in her tone carried less anger and more… hurt. She hadn’t expected Keiji’s words to sting as much as they had.
Just as her thoughts started to loop back on themselves, a soft voice called from the genkan: "Sekai-chan? May I come in...?"
Sekai perked slightly, then slowly rose to her feet, before finally heading downstairs and shuffling quickly to the door...
"Setsuna? Eh...? You actually came all the way here?" Sekai asked.
Sure enough, Setsuna simply stood there, a calm smile on her face, her usual composed aura practically radiating serenity.
"Of course... I was worried as well." Setsuna tilted her head faintly, hands folded politely in front of her: “You didn’t really seem well yesterday, ever since... that... I just wanted to come check if you're ok."
Sekai puffed her cheeks, turning aside with an awkward, and frustrated huff;
"Yeah, I'm fine... It’s not like I was gonna die, or anything though, geez…" Still, she stepped aside to let her friend in.
Setsuna slipped her shoes off neatly, stepping into the living space with practiced grace.
The two sat opposite each other at the table, Sekai glanced at her friend, and knew why she really here to begin with...
"…You remember, right? How Keiji... snapped at me?” Her eyes glanced downwards;
"Honestly, it feels like he hates me sometimes... Like, everything I say annoys him." She finished
However, Setsuna shook her head gently, her voice low and even: "Hmm... I... don’t think so."
Sekai glanced up, blinking, since what she heard, had genuinely caught her off guard: "…Huh?"
"It didn’t seem like hatred." Setsuna clarified, her gaze unwavering, her calm presence softening Sekai’s sulk, just a little: "Ever since he came back around to us that day, it felt to me as if he was, under a bit of stress. That much was clear to me... You were trying to be positive, weren’t you?"
"Well, yeah… Even I realized it too..." Sekai nodded, admitting it, fidgeting with her pajama's sleeve in the process: "I thought that, if I joked around a little, it’d take his mind off whatever’s been bothering him, ya' know… but he just, exploded..." She huffed again.
"Mm~" Setsuna folded her hands together, her usual monotonous expression becoming slightly thoughtful: "That doesn’t mean he hates you, Sekai. If anything… I think he might regret what he said."
Sekai blinked again, her mouth opening slightly: "Regret it...? ...Tch. I feel like you’re giving him too much credit, Setsuna-chan."
Setsuna allowed herself the smallest smile: "Maybe that's the case... But, I think you know as well as I do, that... Ayano-san doesn’t despise you... You’re too important to him for that."
Sekai’s cheeks warmed faintly, and she looked away, her pout softening into something more uncertain: "You, really think he does...?"
She nodded: "...I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t."
"Still... How would you know?" Sekai asked back, slightly curious.
Caught of guard, Setsuna quickly responded: "It's my... Well... Uhm... Hunch, y-yeah." Her nervousness, nearly shown.
"I, see..." Sekai quipped, smiling...
Sekai then continued: "You know... ever since me and Makoto have broken up... Things have been going both up, and down hill since."
Setsuna raised a brow, but chose to not say anything...
Sekai then says: "I wonder how he's doing now...? I actually haven't spoken to him since the Shioshishio school trip those weeks ago." She smiled, continuing: "You know... He looked like an idiot when he told me his feelings." Laughing it off.
However, this made Setsuna somewhat curious instead, she quickly asked;
"I don't understand... Makoto-san confessed his feelings to you?"
Sekai nodded: "Yeah... He told me that he loved me, and that I was the first person he truly ever loved... It felt ironic at that moment, because I poured out my heart to him before we ended things, yet the moment we separate ourselves, he get's a self realization that he loves for me."
'The... Why haven't you told me...?' Setsuna thought to herself. Although it was essentially inconsequential to her now, as she no longer cared for Makoto that way anymore... Still, she thought she would have at least heard about it...
Then a sudden thought came to her mind: 'Does... Sekai still have feelings for Makoto-san...?' She started wondering.
Setsuna was wondering if that was truly the case... Sekai had told her everything else, but why leave that particular moment out?
She couldn’t stop herself from replaying the thought... Sekai, still likely holding onto some faint attachment to Makoto, a thread she hadn’t truly severed, after all, both her and Makoto have known each other for years, while she and Keiji had known each other for a few months at best. If that were true… then, why go out of her way pursue Keiji at all?
She found herself staring, her calm mask faltering for the briefest second... Her chest tightened unexpectedly, and before she realized it, her nails pressed faint crescents into her palm beneath the table.
A faint sense of irritation stirred in her heart. However...
She quickly shut her eyes briefly, forcing the terrible feeling down... When she finally looked back at Sekai again, her expression was the same as it was before, calm...
However despite all this, even Setsuna herself knew she wasn't exactly perfect either... She couldn't simply tell her own friend just how both her and Keiji's dynamic had truly worked... At least, not yet...
'No...! This... It's all for the sake of Sekai's, well being...'
She told herself... However, upon remembering what Ayano had thought of Sekai. And, how Keiji genuinely seemed to truly not wish to harm her in anyway, another odd feeling gripped at Setsuna's heart once again, just like before.
Unbeknownst to Sekai...
Setsuna hands, slowly clenched... In her mind, another thought emerged;
'Yes... This is all for Sekai...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 112: Specialized Training... (EDITED)
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
The four of them had returned upstairs, the air still heavy from what just happened in the basement. They sat back at the kitchen table, steam from the tea still curling faintly in the air...
Soyeon’s gaze lingered on Keiji, her thoughts unsettled;
'I’ve never seen anyone deal with Jiho like that before… brother had always stood above others, and from what I recalled, no one but our grandfather has ever been able to overpower him in a battle of strength. And now, this student of grandfather is doing the same...'
Jiho sat across from Keiji, his eyes fixed on him, unblinking. It was enough to make Keiji shift slightly in his chair, brow furrowing.
“Uhm… What?” Keiji finally asked, his tone a little cautious: “Is... there something, wrong?”
Jiho blinked once, then leaned back, shaking his head with a faint smile: "No, nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking that… you’d easily make an amazing model in the current industry... As a matter of fact. Why don’t you join my agency? I can introduce to a few of my people, I've got the necessary connections."
Jiho looked at Keiji's features, now in his, scouting mode... A strong, yet relatively narrow jawline, sharp eye area coupled with deep blue colored eyes, extremely solid frame. Amazing proportions as well;
'In fact... This guy might damn near be my equal in terms of actual looks. The only thing I edge him out on is our height.' Jiho noted.
On the other hand, Keiji deadpanned instantly, staring at Jiho flatly. Eli mirrored the same expression, utterly unimpressed with his grandchild.
'Ever since our fight... He's starting to talk way more than I expected him to...' Ayano realized. Turning his attention to the conversion.
"…A model?” Keiji mumbled dryly at the topic. He briefly remembered the proposition from Siyeon as well. He wore what he wore for a reason. To not attract attention. Being a model, is likely going to do the very opposite of what his main goal is right now.
Eli sighed, rubbing his forehead before speaking: “Boy, you just got humbled in a fight, and your first thought is to drag my one and only student into your little agency? Focus. You’ve got your own promise to keep, remember?” Eli utter that last word sharply.
Jiho exhaled, scratching the back of his head nervously: "...Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a man of my word. I’ll train from now on.” He gave a reluctant nod, his tone carrying a somewhat lazy sense of sincerity.
Still, his eyes drifted back to Keiji again, curiosity not leaving him: "Though... I'm kind of curios. How old are you anyways?"
Keiji leaned back slightly, answering without much hesitation: "Well... I turned eighteen not too long ago."
Jiho’s jaw almost dropped: “E-Eighteen?” He muttered, disbelief flashing across his face. His mind now in complete bewilderment;
'You're telling me, that... I just lost... to a fresh eighteen-year-old kid? And I’m turning twenty-one soon...?' The thought alone had stung deeper than the kick to his gut right now.
Jiho paused, then let out a small laugh under his breath, shaking his head as well: “You’re seriously something else... That’s pretty impressive. Speaking of, how long did it take you to learn it? It took me months to fully master what you just pulled off.” Jiho then recalled that, Keiji said he wasn't even utilizing his own mastered martial art properly...
Keiji turned his gaze toward his master, Eli, who raised a single eyebrow, silently asking for clarity as well... Eli was of course curious too. Despite not teaching the boy, Ayano could have easily learned it himself over the time he was away. It wasn't impossible for that kind of thing to happen.
With a sigh, Keiji finally spoke: "...I’ve never learned it before. In fact, other than what you just showed me. Honestly speaking... I don’t even know a single thing about your martial art, much less what it's called."
Eli’s eyebrow rose higher...
Jiho, on the other hand, could only sit there stunned, struggling to process the fact that his style-something he prided himself on-had been picked up and wielded against him in a single fight. Soyeon hearing this was quite amazed as well, she'd never heard of someone doing that before, to her, it might as well be made up.
Eli was doing the same. Yet, the faint curl of a smile formed at the corner of his lips. He had never expected such a thing from his own student;
'I knew that Keiji picked up martial arts quickly... But, I've never seen him learn it from seeing those moves in just a few moments, especially this quickly. When he learned from us, it took him a few days to learn them all to reach mastery, yet he picks up a completely new martial art, and even improves upon it mid-battle... Could it be that he really has the Copy-Talent? Because, it might as well be such... It's as if the boy's rate of learning, is actually improving as time passes...'
Eli then coughed purposefully for a moment, grabbing their attention: "I should inform you that the martial art you just learned, was called, Savate de rue. It's an much older, more versatile version of the nowadays version, simply called Savate. The former little Keiji, has now been added to your repertoire."
Jiho on the other hand hearing this, was even more flabbergasted;
'I can't believe it... People like him actually exist...?' Jiho asked himself.
'Yet, he says he's jealous of me...' Jiho recounted. Ayano told him he was jealous, because he never actual trained for his level of strength. It was all natural. Ever since he was young, he always had a heightened level of finesse and physical aspects that made him better than the rest. Always the fastest, toughest and strongest from his pears...
Yet, the person who's defeated him for the very first time in his life, told him he was, jealous of him...
To Jiho, it was nothing but pure, irony...
Yet, Jiho also found himself to be bit little, excited...
He had hardly had any fun throughout the course of his life, but with Keiji around, it might just be possible. Someone just as, if not more ridiculous then even himself. An actual, rival...
.
.
.
Eli suddenly sensing his grandson's excitement, felt satisfied;
'Hmph... It finally looks this foolish grandson of mine, indeed has some form of hope after all...'
Eli then turned towards Keiji, asking: "Ayano boy... Could I ask you to follow me down to the basement for a moment."
Keiji nodded: "Ah... Sure... Right now?"
His mater nodded: "Yes, it's best we just sort it out now."
Both had gotten up out of their seats, with Soyeon and Jiho now doing the same. Eli seeing this, quickly stopped them, saying: "No... I only wish to speak with my student for a moment. You both should stay here, and finish up your food." Hearing this, as well as sensing their grandfather's over all tone, the two of them swiftly glanced at each other, and sat back down...
After waiting for the both to be out of ear shot, Soyeon spoke up first, asking;
"I hardly ever see grandpa so, serious... What do you think they're going to talk about?"
Jiho's eyes followed them both as they went down the basement...
He calmly responded, however, his eyes told a different story: "I... Don't know Soyeon... But, my mind tells me it's something important."
As they reached the basement once more, the silence stretched, filled only by the faint sound of the lights above them. Keiji tilted his head slightly, curiosity in his eyes.
"…So, Master Eli, what did you want to talk about?” He asked.
Eli didn’t answer right away. Instead, his expression stayed calm... eerily calm. Then, without the faintest warning, his arm blurred. His fingers snapped into a spear-hand strike, thrusting forward at a speed sharp enough to split the air itself *VABOOOOOMMM!!!!*
'Whoa!!!!??' Keiji thought.
His body reacted instantly. He shifted his weight back, head tilting just barely out of the strike's range. The strike cut through empty space, and the impact alone erupted into what sounded like a thunderous shockwave that rattled the concrete around them...
Dust drifted from the ceiling as the basement groaned from the force. A force so powerful, it made the earlier ones seem insignificant.
The old man lowered his arm, his sharp gaze never leaving his student: “...I thought as much.”
Keiji stood straight again, his brow knitting in confusion: “...What, do you mean?"
Eli exhaled through his nose, his voice low and deliberate: “That strike... even for you, should’ve been absolutely impossible to avoid. My hand was travelling many-many times faster than the speed of sound. By all accounts boy, you should’ve been skewered.” His tone hardened, before he continued;
“And yet... you've still managed to dodge it, even if barely.”
Keiji’s lips parted slightly at the remark...
"When you fought grandson earlier...” Eli continued: “I noticed something, odd. At first, I thought it was just a fluke, maybe your instincts carrying you through. But as the fight went on... you weren’t just defending. You seemed a little relaxed to me. Too relaxed, especially for someone facing an equal. And, an opponent using a style you had no prior knowledge of. It was as if you could see his strikes before they landed.”
His eyes narrowed, weighing every word: “And now, just now, you did the same to me. Dodging my strike wasn’t reflex. It was foresight."
A bit of silence pressed down between them.
Eli stepped forward once, voice dropping: “Keiji... Tell me the truth. Did you see my strike a moment ago?”
Keiji looked at him for a long moment before finally answering: "...Yes." There wasn't any point in lying to his master.
Eli let out a long sigh, his stern expression softening just enough to reveal a trace of awe. His thoughts turned inward;
'Unbelievable... The boy’s perception isn’t just sharp, it wouldn't be far off to say that something like this is otherworldly. No wonder he could mirror Jiho’s movements so, flawlessly. He’s fundamentally operating in a completely separate realm of speed.'
Eli rubbed his chin, studying Keiji with a newfound respect: 'To think my student sees what others can’t. That’s why he learned those moves so quickly. That’s why he must've improved mid-battle. He’s simply perceiving it at a rate that's vastly above his current level.'
Keiji, on the other hand, found himself surprised for a different reason. His master had seen through it, he had quickly pieced together what no one else had noticed too. A sweat dropped from Keiji's brow;
'As to be expected... Master is terrifyingly sharp...' Keiji noted.
Eli sighed once more, looking away while muttering: "You've altered our plans even further... I didn't want to make you do that training, but I might have to anyway..."
"Master, what exactly are you talking about...?"
Eli turned to his student, saying: "I wanted you to try a specialized type of training." He then smiled.
Keiji suddenly sensed an incredibly ominous feeling radiating off of his master...
'Oh, no... Just what kind of training does this old coot of a master have in mind?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 113: The more ya' know...
Chapter Text
~ Keiji's Pov... ~
.
.
.
"Alright… I’m gonna head out for a bit..." I told Saya.
"By the time I get back, you should be done anyways."
Saya gave me a small nod, and nothing more than a simple, okay. She seemed rather focused on something… Before I realized it, I paused, watching her for just a moment. If I'm being honest with myself, a part of me felt wrong leaving her by herself...
I wasn't going to kid myself here either. Saya seemed a bit… unpredictable to me... And, from what I can see, she also seems childlike , yet she's likely more intelligent than anyone I’d ever met before up until this point.
Just leaving her to her own devices could likely backfire in the future... But, if I keep hovering over her every move all the time, she’d never really trust me.
That mattered more right now, her actual trust. The administrator told me I should essentially earn it. So for the time being, I'll just let it go…
I left the room and headed downstairs, and already, the air filled with the smell of burnt resin and warped metal. My front door was completely ruined, and melted almost clean through. Beyond repair.
I... We’d need a new one. My eyes drifted to the frame itself. The damage ran super deep. The joints were twisted, the supports were essentially cracked. Heck, an entire overhaul might be the only option. Maybe I'll get a steel frame this time around, something that wouldn’t give out so easily. Plus, I was never really comfortable with wooden doors.
I sighed, pushing that thought onto the ever-growing list in my head. Another little problem for later.
'It's certainly gonna be a pain in the ass to get without a vehicle...' I just scratched my head, and left...
'This will definitely take me some time getting used to...'
This new ability of mine was showing itself in spades.
Everywhere I turned and looked, I could see hundreds of different colors bleeding off people, shades I’d never even thought existed. Each one carried some kind of emotion. Something like fear bled in a dim pale blue hue. Frustration flickered like a jagged red. Even small bursts of joy shimmered a rich gold hue, like faint sparks in the air.
It was convenient in its own way, almost like reading a room with absolute certainty, without anyone saying a word...
But the thought of having this on forever... Yeah, that didn’t really sit right with me. I didn’t want to live seeing people’s insides plastered across my vision, their every secret emotion painted out like it was some kind billboard.
The moment I thought that-no, the moment I said it to myself, all the colors just... vanished.
Just like that. Wiped clean. The world fell back to its usual normal self, and I froze mid-step;
'… What the heck ?'
I turned my head slowly, scanning the street, the people walking by, the buildings. Nothing. No colors, no aura. Just reality as it was before, plain and flat…
'Did... Did I just… Switch it off ?'
Or worse, it was broken... No... I doubt it's broken… Actually, wait... Could it be that... Let me try it, just in case.
‘Hopefully my instincts are right…’
I calmed myself, and focused again, this time pushing one simple intent.. . I want it back.
And just like that, the world practically lit up. I watched as the colors bloomed off everyone around me, sadness, love, care, pride…. I could see a pale blue hue of anxiety seeping out of a man fumbling with his briefcase...
And then, a change… irritation now from what I could tell, it was jagged red from a woman stuck on her phone call. Sparks of gold surrounded near a laughing couple as if the air itself was carrying their happiness.
I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
‘So... I wasn’t imagining things…’
Still, just a single test wasn’t enough. I needed to be sure if what I’m doing is even concrete to begin with… Just like before, I steadied my breathing, and forced the thought in reverse this time. To turn it off .
And just like that, all the different colors I had seen before, had blinked out instantly. I sighed, this time with relief.
‘Good… That’s great even!’
I’m glad, if not downright thankful that I could actually control this ability to this extent… Just seeing people's emotional states doesn’t sit right with me.
So of course, I kept it off for the time being.
Right now, I just wanted to meet up with my masters again...
‘Assuming that they even want to see me...’
I'll just have to see how it goes…
~ Third Person Pov ... ~
.
.
.
Keiji had finally made his way onto his master’s porch... However, he felt a sense of reluctance. He sighed, pushing past it, knocking...
A response came: “I’m coming !”
Footsteps approached the door slowly, before the door finally slid open.
“Hmm? Keiji…?” Eli questioned, sounding confused.
Ayano nodded, saying: “Good afternoon master, I came by to-” However, Keiji quickly stopped himself. Behind his master, he vaguely saw two others within.
Instead of continuing, he closed his eyes and sighed;
“Hnn...? Looks like I came at a bad time...” Keiji realized.
Eli on the other hand, sighed as well, looking at his student as he did so. Eli carefully closed the door behind him.
“You little ...” Eli angrily muttered, but paused, huffing and calming himself before continuing: “Where have you been these past few days...? You disappeared without saying a word to any of us.”
Keiji looked downwards: “I’m... sorry for just leaving the way I had like that... I had important things to take care of, believe me when I say it. I wish I didn’t have to… I feel like crap about it.”
Eli looked into his student’s eyes for a few seconds, before finally giving away, scratching his head;
“...I won’t hold it against you, just say something next time before you go radio silent.” Eli added, continuing: “And... It makes no sense for you to leave now, you might as well stay since you’ve come all this way.”
Keiji raised a brow, a little surprised: “?Are you sure...? Wouldn’t I be intruding?”
Eli simply scoffed, waving away the mere thought: “Nonsense boy. It’s just my grandchildren paying this old man a visit. Truthfully, I’d be glad if you met them.”
Keiji gave Eli a small nod, stepping past the doorway and slipping off his shoes before following him deeper inside.
The smell of freshly brewed tea wafted around the place, as they walked into the kitchen. However, Keiji’s eyes instantly caught sight of the two figures sitting at the table.
A boy and a girl… siblings, from what he saw.
“Keiji, meet my grandchildren.” Eli said with a casual wave of his hand: “This is Jiho -” He gestured to the boy; “-And this is his sister, Soyeon .”
Jiho gave him a brief nod, calm and almost stoic. Soyeon, on the other hand, seemed somewhat cheerful, and welcoming.
He raised his hand in a simple wave: “Hey.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Soyeon replied gently. Jiho only muttered a short: “Mm...” but, it was enough.
Inside, though, he couldn’t help but size them both up...
Jiho had a presence... He could sense that there was something solid about the way Jiho carried himself. Strong, almost without question. Soyeon wasn’t as imposing as her brother, but even then, Ayano could sense she wasn’t entirely ordinary either. Strength ran in both of them. Not overwhelming, but it was definitely noteworthy.
‘I've got to admit, they both looked good too... Soyeon’s beauty spoke for itself, she was so naturally pretty, that it was almost, disarming... Jiho, with his sharp features, had that kind of handsomeness that probably drew attention without him even trying.’ Keiji quickly realized that beauty clearly ran in the family’s bloodline.
“Sit wherever you want...” Eli told his student, as he lowered himself back into his own seat.
Keiji nodded, sliding into the chair closest to him. Comfort mattered less than proximity here, so he sat next to his master...
Eli leaned back with a sigh, glancing between Jiho and Ayano: “Now, where were we, Jiho? Ah, yes… We were just talking about how you’re wasting that God-given potential of yours.”
Jiho groaned and rubbed the back of his neck: “Grandpa, I’ve already told you. I don’t even need to train in the first place. I’m already strong, enough... In fact, more than enough if I'm being honest.”
Eli’s eyes hardened, his voice firm: “Strong?” Eli said it as if he was mocking the very thought itself, and responded sharply after: "Boy, at this rate even my student would wipe the floor with you.”
Cough! Cough!!
Keiji nearly choked on my own breath, his head snapping toward his master;
'What? The heck is this old coot thinking?' His eyes widened at him in disbelief. Eli wasn’t really the type to usually throw words around lightly, but to say what he did just now so, openly...
Jiho’s head tilted slightly, his curiosity piqued a little. His eyes landed on Keiji now, studying him for the first time: “Your student , huh? I didn’t think you even had one.” He smirked faintly, adding: “Well… you do look a little strong, I’ll give you that much. But, beating me? Yeah, I highly doubt it. No offense.”
'Non taken... I guess.' Keiji thought.
Ayano opted to stay quiet at the remark, more so watching the exchange between the family, but Eli’s gaze sharpened like a blade…
“Well then... Would you like to put your theory to the test?” Eli asked, his tone cutting.
However, Ayano had his own thought;
'Yeah... This is so not gonna be good...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 114: Fight and Learning Curve...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov ... ~
.
.
.
All four of them now headed downstairs into Eli’s basement. The aforementioned turning on the lights as well.
“This is where you two will have your fight.” Eli then turned to his grandson, saying: “Like we agreed,
if
you manage to win this battle. I won’t be bothering you to train anymore.”
Jiho nodded, stretching a bit: “I hope you do...” Jiho casted a slight glance towards Ayano, who was now mindlessly removing his hoodie. Upon him finally doing so, Jiho’s eyes widened a bit, seeing his grandfather student’s body, whistling;
“*
fweeeet
~*”
‘Talk about
lean
...’ Jiho thought. He couldn’t see any place where fat was needlessly stored. He had to admit that Ayano’s body was firmly packed with lean musculature through his marina, a small waist and relatively broad shoulders to match his build, giving him an aesthetically pleasing look.
Ayano on the other hand turned to face his opponent, thinking;
‘I figured he was pretty tall when he was sitting, but I’m a little surprised. He’s easily 6’2”, maybe he was even 6’3”. I can tell his body has a bit of muscle as well, but muscle didn’t always mean strength. But, it’s clear to me the guy was naturally blessed with
extremely
good genetics...’
However, even Ayano knew muscles weren’t indicative of strength. His master was a testament to that very fact. Eli may have seemed scrawny and somewhat frail looking, but under all that, the man was an absolute
monster
just waiting to pounce on his prey at any given moment.
Eli slowly made his way towards Ayano, who was now also stretching himself for a bit...
Whispering, Eli said: “Keiji... Do me a favor, and humble this grandson of mine... His world is too small.”
Keiji raised a brow at the remark, saying: “
Sure
...”
However, Eli wasn't finished: “But... I should warn you a bit. That grandson of mine doesn’t train for a reason. And that is because, he was blessed with the
Great Body
. So, don’t underestimate him.
Keiji quickly turned around, but didn’t say a thing...
Eli patted his student on the shoulder, and returned towards the opposite end with his granddaughter. His arms now folded.
Keiji having finished up his stretches, glancing towards Jiho, asking: "What martial arts do you use?"
The one in question, smiled;
.
.
.
Jiho then responded: "...I can't just tell you that now, can I?"
Ayano nodded, smiling for a bit as well, saying: "Hmph... I guess that's true..."
However, on the other hand Soyeon watched carefully, turning towards her grandfather asking;
"Grandpa, are you sure that this is a good idea? Big bro isn't exactly weak... I mean It's not like I don't trust your judgement, but..."
Eli smiled: "Don't worry little Soyeon... If I were you. I wouldn't be worrying for my student."
She turned, saying: "What...?"
Before she could go any further, Jiho interrupted: "Grandpa, you mind starting us off?"
Eli smiled: "Not at all..." He then watched as the two of them readied themselves...
"FIGHT!"
The moment that one word had been uttered. Jiho had practically vanished from where he was.
'Big brother... disappeared?' Soyeon thought.
However, before she could question what happened any further, a resounding *BOOM!* echoed within the room. Causing a massive gust of wind from the sheer collision, and her to flinch for a moment.
When she looked back upwards, Keiji had guarded the kick with his own leg...
Jiho's eyes widened at that: "Count me surprised...! You actually managed to block that one?"
The clash between their legs rattled the basement walls, the floor vibrating beneath the force. Neither moved for a breath, until Jiho twisted off his leg and went for another strike, sharp and heavy.
Keiji shifted his weight just enough, the kick passing inches from his ribs. Another punch came immediately after, fast and lined with raw strength, but Keiji ducked under it, his shoulder brushing past Jiho’s arm as it happened. Jiho then pressed forwards, slowly chaining his attacks. Hooks, kicks, elbows, knees. It was constant, consistent and downright relentless.
Eli watched the exchange, his eyes narrowing as it happened.
But Keiji didn’t seem overwhelmed in the slightest. In fact, he wasn’t even breathing hard.
Each time Jiho launched something new, Keiji parried swiftly with the back of his hand, or slipped away with what seemed like minimal effort. A duck to the left, a pivot to the right. His eyes remained calm throughout the entire ordeal, almost detached even, as if he was just
waiting
...
Jiho’s fist cut fiercely through the air, its aim only for Keiji’s temple. However Keiji following it with his eyes simply tilted his head to the side, the strike missing cleanly. Following it up, Jiho used the punches' momentum and spun for a low kick, and Keiji simply raised his leg, blocking it.
The air
popped
and
hissed
from the sheer pressure of Jiho’s strikes, but no matter what he threw out, Keiji stayed untouched through it all.
Inside, though, Keiji’s thoughts weren’t calm at all...
‘I'm sure of it... Something’s definitely wrong here... Why the hell does it feel like he’s moving,
so slow
...?’
To him, it was nothing short of being absurdly bizarre. Jiho was fast... no, he knew Jiho was,
incredibly
fast. Ayano also knew that just from the feel of his muscles, and the sheer amount of
weight
behind Jiho’s strikes, Keiji knew this guy
should’ve
been right on his level in raw ability.
But every move looked stretched out, like it was being played at half-speed...
‘At this point... I’m practically waiting for his attacks to land… this, shouldn’t be possible.’ Keiji wondered.
Another swing came. Another slip. And, another frustrated grunt from Jiho...
Keiji’s eyes narrowed;
‘Could this also be… from my new passive?’ He reasoned internally.
He now wondered about the colors, and the emotions he saw earlier. Could that also be twisting his sense of perception? Because right now, Jiho didn’t just feel slower... he felt
dozens
of times slower than where he theoretically should be.
As of on cue, Jiho suddenly quickly leapt backwards, skidding to a halt. His chest rose and fell for a moment, but not from exhaustion, but rather, more so from disbelief.
‘Seriously... Where the hell did gramps even get this guy from...?’ Jiho thought. He honestly thought this would’ve been an easy battle from the start...
“Tch*..... not~.... bad~.....” Jiho finally admitted. His voice sounded dragged out, drawn and distorted like a slowed recording.
Keiji blinked for a moment, startled by the way how the boy sounded, but just as quickly as it came , Jiho’s voice snapped back to normal;
“You’re pretty damn capable, I’ll have to give you that much. Not many could last this long against me,
you're actually the first
.”
Keiji nodded lightly, hiding his thoughts. Inside, though, his was surprised;
‘This is... This is
insane…
It feels like I’m in some kind of
bullet-time
itself. If this is what my ability can do, then...’
However, he quickly shook the thought off... The fight isn’t over yet.
Straightening his back, Keiji now looked at Jiho evenly: "Alright. I admit. You're pretty damn strong. Hell, I’d say you’re practically
equal
to me in raw power.”
Jiho raised a brow, smirking faintly: “Hmm...
Is that so
?”
“But…” Keiji stepped forward, his tone now sharper than before: “Our differences will show in
techniques
.”
Eli’s eyes lit up with a rare smile. He leaned toward his granddaughter, his voice low but firm: “Watch carefully from now on, Soyeon. You’re about to see something important.”
Soyeon blinked, confused: “Grandpa…?” But her words trailed off as her grandfather’s expression turned almost eager.
Keiji rolled his shoulders, and stretched his arms again. His eyes stayed locked onto his master’s grandchild: “You’re
decent
at what you’re doing, I can admit that much at least.” Ayano added plainly, continuing: “But, it doesn’t
feel
all that right.”
Jiho frowned, raising a brow, he was a little taken aback by the remark: “
Really
...? And what exactly do you mean by that?”
Keiji didn’t bother answering with words. Instead he used his body, quickly transitioning his previous stance smoothly, right into
another
stance that seemed all
too
familiar...
Jiho’s eyes widened. His smirk fading as he did: “...Wait.”
Eli’s breath caught for a moment, his smile widening as he thought to himself;
‘
Already
? Don’t tell me the boy’s already
learned
Jiho’s martial art...!?’ Keiji had never done this before, at least, not to
this
extent.
Keiji’s voice cut through the silence, steady and certain;
“I’m confident of it, Jiho...
You weren’t using these moves properly
.”
Keiji lowered himself into the stance, his body aligning in the same rhythm Jiho had been using this entire time. The sight froze Jiho for a heartbeat, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Eli’s own gaze sharpened, his folded arms loosening slightly...
‘Savate de rue...’ Eli thought to himself. His lips unconsciously forming a thin smile as he did so...
‘The so-called,
street version
of Savate... Predating its modern counterpart. Hardly anyone even remembers it exists, let alone practices it. Yet... I...
We
never
taught the boy anything like that, which means...” Eli now knew that Keiji learned it on the spot. Considering what his student had said earlier, it's clear to him Keiji had just learned of it now.
His thought trailed off as Keiji’s body shifted yet again, fluidly adopting another motion that mirrored Jiho’s style. But to Eli’s eyes, the difference was almost like night, and day.
‘My grandson may have mastered it…’ Eli thought to himself, his expression turning grim;
‘
...But, even mastery still has its levels
. And Keiji... I can’t believe it... he’s already improving it where Jiho’s execution is falling short.'
The words had barely left Eli’s lips before Keiji surged forward, his body snapping into motion with razor precision. Jiho’s face twisted, his instincts flaring as he raised his guard.
The clash rang out instantly. Keiji’s leg whipped forward, the exact same strike Jiho had used earlier. Jiho blocked, but his arms trembled under the impact. A follow-up came right away... another kick, but smoother, more fluid, its precision cutting into the gap Jiho’s stance left behind.
Jiho gritted his teeth, forced to block again and again. His fists shot out, sharp and fast, but Keiji’s version carried a seamless rhythm. Each strike looked similar to Jiho’s own. Yet, the refinement was turning them sharper, heavier, and even more unavoidable.
‘Is... Is this some kind of sick joke ...!?’ Jiho’s mind reeled.
‘How the hell is he using my own fighting style
against
me!?
No
, it’s worse than that-it feels as if... he’s actively making it
better
!’
Jiho had always prided himself on his level of finesse. His strikes were clean, his movements stylish even. But Keiji’s adaptation stole that same finesse, and fused it with something else entirely.
There was clearly a
smoothness
Jiho lacked, with a near frightening amount of
precision
that essentially slipped straight past his guard.
“D-Damn it—!” Jiho grunted, raising both arms just in time to block another crushing like kick. His body staggered from the sheer amount of strength and weight behind it. Especially from a person who's frame stated was easily 30 pounds less than his own.
Keiji’s eyes narrowed for a split second. Seeing a gap within Jiho’s defense... The small hesitation in Jiho’s recovery now was going to cost him,
immensely
. Without thinking twice, Keiji practically snapped his leg upwards.
CRACK
!
BLAM
!!!!!
The sound echoed through the basement once more. Jiho’s body shot backwards, with his feet skidding across the concrete, right until he crashed to his knees, one hand clutching the very put his stomach.
His breath ripped from his lungs in a violent cough, spit spraying as the shock of pain ripped through his solar plexus.
Jiho coughed: “*Cough!!
Hicc
- Couch!!*”
‘
W-What the hell was that
!??’ Jiho wondered, the pain ripping him out.
Soyeon gasped from the side, her hands flying to her mouth: “
J-Jiho
!” She has never seen her brother in this state before...
Jiho’s body shook, his chest heaving as he tried to pull in air. The burning sensation practically seared through the entirety of his midsection, every nerve of his screaming at once.
Keiji, however, lowered his leg with an almost casual calm. His eyes stayed locked on Jiho, his tone level but firm.
“ Don’t bother getting up .” Keiji said to him;
“Out of respect... I held back on that kick of mine a second ago. If I hadn’t…
you’d already be unconscious right now
.”
Keiji walked forwards, and then, he stooped in front of Jiho, sighing as he did;
"I heard about what you said before at the table... You know. You not ever training. I'm not going to lie to you... I'm a little bit jealous."
Eli now looked at his student with surprise, but didn't bother to interrupt...
Keiji then continued: "For you to be this strong without doing anything is a bit unfair, isn't it?" Keiji said, like it was a fact;
"My advice, start training... If you had did it before this. I wouldn't have held a candle to you in this fight."
Jiho looked up, seeing Keiji. Realizing he was telling the truth. And to make it worse. It was how bumble he sounded when he told him.
Keiji stood up, slowly putting out his arm.
Jiho looked him in the eyes for a few seconds, his narrowing...
With a bit of hesitance, he finally grabbed ahold of Keiji's outstretched arm;
"..."
"Huff* I guess... I'll take what you've said as a... compliment."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Chapter 115: Finding out...
Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
.
.
.
The four of them had returned upstairs, the air still heavy from what just happened in the basement. They sat back at the kitchen table, steam from the tea still curling faintly in the air...
Soyeon’s gaze lingered on Keiji, her thoughts a little unsettled;
'I’ve never seen anyone deal with Jiho like that before… brother had always stood above others, and from what I recalled, no one but our grandfather has ever been able to overpower him in a battle of strength. And now, this student of my grandfather is doing the same...'
Jiho sat across from Keiji, his eyes fixed on him, unblinking. It was enough to make Keiji shift slightly in his chair, brow furrowing as well.
“…What?” Keiji finally asked, his tone cautious: “Is... there something wrong?”
Jiho blinked once, then leaned back, shaking his head with a faint smile: “No, nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking… you’d easily make an amazing model... As a matter of fact. Why don’t you join my agency? I can introduce you to a few people, I've got connections.”
Keiji deadpanned instantly, staring at him flatly. Eli mirrored the same expression, unimpressed with his grandchild.
"…A model?” Keiji mumbled dryly. He briefly remembered the very same proposition from Siyeon as well. He wore what he wore for a reason. To not attract attention. Being a model is likely going to do the opposite.
Eli sighed, rubbing his forehead before speaking: “Boy, you just got humbled in a fight, and your first thought is to drag my one and only student into your little agency? Focus. You’ve got your own promise to keep, remember?” Eli uttered that last word sharply.
Jiho gulped and exhaled, scratching the back of his head nervously: "...Y-yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a man of my word. I’ll train from now on.” He gave a reluctant nod, his tone carrying a somewhat lazy sense of sincerity.
Still, his eyes drifted back to Keiji again, curiosity not leaving him: "Though... I'm kind of curious. How old are you anyways?"
Keiji leaned back slightly, answering without much hesitation: "Well... I turned eighteen not too long ago."
Jiho’s jaw almost dropped: “E-Eighteen?” He muttered, disbelief flashing across his face. His mind now in complete bewilderment;
'You're telling me, that... I just lost... to a fresh eighteen-year-old kid? And I’m turning twenty-one soon...?' The thought alone had stung deeper than the kick to his gut right now.
Jiho paused, then let out a small laugh under his breath, shaking his head as well: “You’re seriously something else... That’s pretty impressive. Speaking of, how long did it take you to learn it? It took me months to fully master what you just pulled off.”
Jiho then recalled that Keiji said he wasn't even utilizing his own martial art properly...
Keiji turned his gaze toward his master, Eli, who raised a single eyebrow, silently asking for clarity as well... Eli was of course curious too. Despite not teaching the boy, Ayano could have easily learned it himself over the time he was away. It wasn't impossible for that kind of thing to happen.
With a sigh, Keiji finally spoke: "...I’ve never learned it before. In fact, other than what you just showed me. Honestly speaking... I don’t even know a single thing about your martial art, or what it's even called."
Eli’s eyebrow rose higher as well...
Jiho, on the other hand, could only sit there stunned, struggling to process the fact that his style-something he prided himself on-had been picked up and wielded against him in a single fight.
Soyeon hearing this was quite amazed as well, she'd never heard of someone doing that before, to her, it might as well be made up.
Eli was doing the same. Yet, a faint curl of a smile formed at the corner of his lips. He had never expected such a thing from his own student;
'I know that Keiji picks up martial arts quickly... But, I've never seen him learn it from seeing those moves in just a few moments, especially this quickly. When he learned from us, it took him a few days to learn them all to reach mastery, yet he picked up a completely new martial art, and even improved upon it mid-battle... Could it be that he really has the Copy-Talent? Because, it might as well be such... It's as if the boy's rate of learning seems to be improving as time passes...'
Eli then coughed purposefully for a moment, grabbing their attention: "I should inform you that the martial art you just learned was called Savate de rue. It's a much older, more versatile version of the nowadays version, simply called Savate. The former little Keiji, has now been added to your repertoire."
Jiho on the other hand hearing this, was even more flabbergasted;
'People like him actually exist...?' Jiho asked himself.
Yet, Jiho found himself to be a little excited... He had hardly had fun, but with Keiji, it might just be possible. An actual rival.
Eli suddenly sensing his grandson's excitement, felt satisfied;
'Hmph... It finally looks like this foolish grandson of mine, indeed has some form of hope after all...'
Eli then turned towards Keiji, asking: "Ayano boy... Could I ask you to follow me down to the basement for a moment."
Keiji nodded: "Sure... Right now?"
His master nodded: "Yes, it's best to sort it out now..."
Both had gotten up out of their seats, with Soyeon and Jiho now doing the same. Eli, seeing this, quickly stopped them, saying: "No... I only wish to speak with my student for a moment. You both should stay here, and finish up your food." Hearing this, as well as sensing their grandfather's overall tone, the two of them swiftly glanced at each other, and sat back down...
As soon as both of them left the vicinity, Soyeon spoke up first, adding;
“I haven’t seen grandpa use that kind of tone before... What do you think they’re gonna talk about?”
Jiho looked on as well, seeing them head down towards the basement: “I.. I don’t know... But, whatever it is, it seems serious.
As they reached the bottom once more, the silence stretched, filled only by the faint sound of the lights above them. Keiji tilted his head slightly, a bit of curiosity in his eyes, wondering;
'Has he figured me out...?' Keiji was deliberating it for a moment, but quickly thought otherwise, asking instead;
"…So, Master Eli, what did you want to talk about?”
Eli didn’t answer right away. Instead, his expression stayed calm... eerily calm. Then, without the faintest warning, his arm blurred. His fingers snapped into a spear-hand strike, thrusting forward at a speed sharp enough to split the air itself *VABOOOOOMMM!!!!*
'Wha-!!!?'
Keiji’s body reacted instantly. He shifted his weight back, head tilting just barely out of the strike's range. The strike cut through empty space, and the impact alone erupted into what sounded like a thunderous shockwave that rattled the concrete around them...
Keiji quickly dashed backwards... A drop of sweat forming.
Dust drifted from the ceiling as the basement groaned from the force. This strike making the previous ones sound like nothing in comparison...
The old man lowered his arm, his sharp gaze never leaving his student: “Hrnn... I thought as much.”
Keiji finally stood straight again, his brow knitting in confusion: “...What, do you mean?"
Eli exhaled through his nose, his voice low and deliberate: “That strike... even for you, should’ve been absolutely impossible to avoid. My hand was travelling many-many times faster than the speed of sound. By all accounts boy, you should’ve been skewered.” His tone hardened, before he continued;
“And yet... you've still managed to dodge it, even if barely.”
Keiji’s lips parted slightly at the remark...
"When you had fought my grandson earlier...” Eli continued: “I noticed something odd. At first, I thought it was just a fluke, maybe your instincts carrying you through. But as the fight went on... you weren’t just defending. You seemed a little relaxed to me. Too relaxed, especially for someone facing an equal. And, an opponent using a style you had no prior knowledge of. It was as if you could see his strikes before they landed.”
His eyes narrowed, weighing every word: “And now, just now, you did the same to me. Dodging my strike wasn’t just a mere reflex. It was foresight."
A bit of silence pressed down between them...
Eli stepped forward once, voice dropping: “Keiji... Tell me the truth. Did you actually see my strike a moment ago?”
Keiji looked at him for a long moment before finally answering: "...Yes." He knew that there wasn't any point in lying to his master.
Eli let out a long sigh, his stern expression softening just enough to reveal a trace of awe. His thoughts turned inward;
'Unbelievable... The boy’s perception isn’t just sharp... It wouldn't be far off to say that something like this is otherworldly. No wonder he could mirror Jiho’s movements flawlessly. He’s fundamentally operating in a completely separate realm of speed.'
Eli rubbed his chin inquisitively, studying Keiji with a newfound respect;
'To think my student sees what others can’t. That’s why he learned those moves so quickly. That’s why he must've improved mid-battle. He’s simply perceiving it at a rate that's vastly above his current level.'
Keiji, on the other hand, found himself surprised for a different reason. His master had seen through it, he had quickly pieced together what no one else had noticed too. A sweat dropped from Keiji's brow;
'As to be expected... Master Eli is terrifyingly sharp...' Keiji noted.
Eli sighed once more, looking away while muttering: "You've altered our plans even further... I didn't want to make you do that training, but I might have to anyway..."
"Master... Just what exactly are you trying to say here...?"
Eli turned to his student, saying: "I wanted you to try a specialized type of training." He then smiled.
Keiji suddenly sensed an incredibly ominous feeling radiating off of his master... His spine tingling;
'Oh, no... Just what kind of training does this old coot of a master have in mind?'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
pettamZ on Chapter 1 Wed 28 May 2025 05:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
beenjammin0421 on Chapter 1 Fri 30 May 2025 03:19PM UTC
Comment Actions
pettamZ on Chapter 1 Fri 30 May 2025 05:22PM UTC
Last Edited Fri 30 May 2025 05:24PM UTC
Comment Actions
(Previous comment deleted.)
pettamZ on Chapter 1 Sat 31 May 2025 09:44PM UTC
Comment Actions
beenjammin0421 on Chapter 2 Fri 30 May 2025 03:21PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kosentry (Guest) on Chapter 17 Sun 15 Jun 2025 11:08PM UTC
Comment Actions
pettamZ on Chapter 17 Sun 15 Jun 2025 11:38PM UTC
Comment Actions
firefrog600 on Chapter 69 Sun 29 Jun 2025 09:51AM UTC
Last Edited Sun 29 Jun 2025 09:51AM UTC
Comment Actions
pettamZ on Chapter 69 Sun 06 Jul 2025 09:17PM UTC
Comment Actions
Yummy2g on Chapter 79 Sun 13 Jul 2025 09:59PM UTC
Comment Actions
pettamZ on Chapter 79 Tue 15 Jul 2025 12:31PM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 82 Fri 18 Jul 2025 10:43PM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 83 Sun 27 Jul 2025 01:04PM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 84 Mon 28 Jul 2025 08:54AM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 85 Thu 31 Jul 2025 12:14AM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 86 Thu 31 Jul 2025 12:20AM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 87 Thu 31 Jul 2025 05:53AM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 88 Thu 31 Jul 2025 05:59AM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 89 Thu 31 Jul 2025 06:59AM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 90 Thu 31 Jul 2025 01:51PM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 91 Thu 31 Jul 2025 02:05PM UTC
Comment Actions
MagnoliaHarvest on Chapter 92 Sun 03 Aug 2025 10:43AM UTC
Comment Actions