Disclaimer(s): None of the image(s) used in this chapter belongs to me. The Pixiv or Twitter source(s) will be linked underneath each image if available or unless it is from an official source.
Word Count: 5.8k Words
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3rd Person POV
The sunlight peering through the blinds of Rin's shared room with her sister gently woke her from her slumber. Her pink hair was a tangled mess -- a detail she noticed when she pulled her head away from Sakura's chest and groggily wiggled herself out from her older sister's warm embrace without waking her.
Rubbing her eyes and sitting up, Rin looked across the room, at her bed, to see Lianhua was gone and everything was made orderly, a complete opposite of her sister's bed that she shared with the said person just for the night.
Rin's nose twitched when she smelled a delicious aroma coming from downstairs and before she could get up, a gentle knock came from the door.
"Rin? Sakura? Are you two decent?"
The voice of Y/N made Rin quickly sit up straight and fix her pajamas, making sure she was in a presentable state. "C-Come in!"
The door opened and in walked Y/N, a young man of the age of 18, balancing two trays with several plates filled with delicious-smelling breakfast meals. The white bandages on his head were gone though it was impossible if the same could be said for the ones on his body.
Rin was amazed by the aroma exuding from the food and was about to ask if he had cooked it for them until she remembered who she (would be) asking this.
"..."
Y/N noticed her deadpan stare and looked up, wondering why she was staring at him so intently as if trying to prove a point. "...What?"
Rin flinched when she realized that she was staring too hard and smiled awkwardly, waving her hands to dismiss the topic. "N-Nothing!"
"Uh... Okay then. Here's the breakfast that Lianhua made for you two as thanks for letting her stay over."
"Aw, she didn't have to do all this!" Rin said while slowly reaching toward the utensils, only to receive a soft flick to the forehead. "Ouch!" She winced and rubbed her forehead, shooting Y/N an angry glare. "What was that for!?"
"Hey, go brush your teeth and wash your face first. There's still drool on your face." Y/N pointed at the corner of her lips which she quickly wiped with her hand, recognizing the slimy texture.
Rin's face turned crimson red and she pushed Y/N aside to run into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. "Stupid jerk..." She muttered with a pout before she turned on the faucet, and quickly brushed her teeth. When she was done, she grabbed her towel from the rack nearby and submerged it, the cotton material turning dark with dampness as she wrung it and wiped her face.
When Rin was done cleaning up, she looked in the mirror to make sure her face was spotless and then noticed her messy hair. With a huff, she grabbed a hair tie and went about her daily routine of tying her pink hair into a small ponytail. However, no matter how much she tried, she couldn't quite get her long locks of bright-colored hair to look how they usually did. "Why can't I get it right today...?"
"Rin? Is everything alright?" Rin didn't answer as she was too hyperfocused on tying her hair, her frustration growing with each failed attempt. "...You didn't fall in the toilet again, did you?"
"S-Shush! That never happened!" Rin's face was dyed a pink color as she tried to deny the instance of that ever happening but the color of her face betrayed her words. "I'm just trying to tie my hair!"
Behind her, the door opened and Y/N stepped into view, leaning against the door frame. His E/C eyes locked eyes with her blue ones in the mirror and he watched her struggle for a few more moments, clearly enjoying himself.
"What's so funny?" Rin regained her pout and could feel her frustration melt away the longer she stared at his smile that radiated like the sun, clearing away the storm clouds looming over her head.
"Oh, nothing~" Y/N chuckled before pushing himself off the wall and gently taking the hair tie out of Rin's hands. Rin watched as he carefully combed his fingers through her hair and within a few seconds, he effortlessly tied her hair into a ponytail - exactly as she wanted it to look. "There we go!"
"Woah! When did you learn to do that!?"
"Ever since I had to suddenly take care of a cute girl." Y/N patted her head and left the bathroom, unaware of the flustered state that he had left the young girl in.
"(C-Cute?)" Rin's cheeks turned a scarlet shade at the compliment, the crimson color reaching her ears. She quickly shook her head and lightly slapped herself with both hands, her face returned to its normal color as if she had smacked the flushed redness out of her face. "(N-Nonono, this is just another one of Y/N's jokes!)"
Outside, Y/N sat on Sakura's bed, about to shake her awake until he heard the Herrscher say something that confused him.
"Was that on purpose?"
"(Was what on purpose?)"
"...Nevermind."
Y/N was about to ask them what they were talking about but at that moment, Sakura began to groggily wake. She groaned and yawned elegantly, opening her eyes and recognizing the H/C-haired male sitting next to her.
"Good morning, Sakura. Breakfast is waiting for you on the table." Y/N gave her a small, friendly smile that she returns, although, hers was far more tired looking for obvious reasons.
"Morning..." Sakura mumbled sleepily before pushing herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand and letting out another yawn. "Where's Rin?"
"In the bathroom. She fell in the toilet again."
"No, I didn't!"
"She totally did." Y/N whispered to Sakura as she laughed when Rin threw a hairbrush out the door, hitting the former right in the forehead. "Ow! She's got quite the aim on her."
"Hehe," Sakura giggled. "That's probably because of all the video games she plays with all those guns and military aspects."
"R-Really? I had no idea that she played those types of games... What about you, Sakura? What kind of games do you enjoy?"
"Oh, uh... I suppose I prefer games belonging to the traditional genre like Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro-"
"And how do half-demon-half-human men and cybernetic cyborgs fit into all of that?" Rin peeked from behind Y/N with a smug grin.
"T-That's not...! R-R-Rin, get over here!" Sakura threw the blanket off and swung her legs off the bed while the younger pink-haired girl laughed at her older sister and used Y/N as a shield.
Whenever Sakura try to catch her from one side, Rin was already pivoting to the other side and this continued for several minutes with Sakura promising to pinch her face and Rin having the time of her life narrowly avoiding her older sister's reach.
Y/N was merely a bystander but it was clear whose side he was on. "Sakura, let's just take a moment to calm down..." Sakura caught the look in Y/N's eyes and relented. In doing so, Rin also stopped, making the mistake of her life as the male ducked out of the way and watched as Sakura wrap her arms around the shocked Rin, and pinched her cheeks as hard as she could.
"T-TRAITOR!! Y-Y/N, YOU STINKIN' TRAITOR!!"
"If you hadn't pranked me a week ago, then I might have been on your side! This is your punishment, Rin!"
"I-I'm sorry! H-Help - hehe! - Y-Y/N, help me! Haha~!" Rin was giggling nonstop when Sakura began to tickle her all over, knowing where she was most sensitive to this kind of attack.
"Looks like you three are having fun~" Another giggle followed Rin's as Y/N turned his gaze to see Valda standing there in the doorway, looking as pretty as always. She casually strolled over to him, propping up her right arm on his shoulder. In her other hand, she had a mug of hot coffee that she sipped quietly until she noticed the curious gaze from Y/N. With a bright smile, she held out the mug, offering it. "Want a sip?"
"N-Not really... Coffee is too much for me."
"Heh, I guess your taste buds still need some time to adjust to the bitterness~?"
"Yep, I guess I'm not that old yet." Y/N shrugged nonchalantly.
"Hey, now..." Valda pouted playfully and poked Y/N on the cheek with one finger. "You calling me old or something?"
"(Well, I'm not calling you young - that's for sure...)" Y/N thought to himself and he could have sworn that he heard a barely contained snicker from the Herrscher.
"Oh~?" Valda's smile returned, looking more mischievous than the one she had earlier. "That look on your face! It practically screams, 'I'm definitely not calling you young - that's for sure!' Ah, but now that I think about it, you gave me a rather pleasant compliment yesterday. You know, it almost feels like that was several months ago but what was it that you said again? Oh, that's right: 'She's a 10/10 even on her off days.' Oh, you must be into older women, is that it~? I never imagined you to be such a naughty boy, Y/N-kun~" Valda giggled upon seeing Y/N's flustered state.
"W-Wait! That wasn't my intention! I was simply-"
While Y/N was rambling on, trying to explain himself - exactly like how Valda planned it, judging by the smile gracing her soft lips - Rin and Sakura watched the scene unfold in front of them with the same deadpan expressions.
"Big Sis... I think this is a form of bullying..."
"Indeed..."
Sakura quietly slinked away into the bathroom to prepare herself for the day while Rin tiptoed her way over to the trays and grabbed them, somehow managing to make her way down the stairs without either of them dragging her into the conversation and without dropping anything.
However, at the bottom of the stairs, Rin suddenly tripped and let out a loud gasp, "Oh no!" The plate and the porcelain plates slowly fell through the air as gravity took hold of them and so was she, bracing for a painful tumble. Thankfully, she was caught by someone's arm halting her fall and the two rays were saved by another person who made a dash forward.
"Saaaafe!" Lianhua laughed and hopped onto her feet, balancing both trays - each still containing Rin and Sakura's untouched breakfast.
"You have to be careful, Rin."
Rin looked up to find herself in Gestell's arms, the silver-haired woman pushing her pink hair to the side with a cool expression. "(Uwa... So handsome...)"
"Is Valda upstairs?" Gestell asked after making sure that Rin was alright who simply nodded her head and the older lady thanked her, making her way up the stairs.
Not a moment later, she could hear her yelling at Valda upstairs but Rin instead chose to follow Lianhua to the kitchen table where she happily dug into the delicious breakfast. "Mmm~! Sho gud! Your cooking is so good, Lianhua, it's almost as good as Big Sis's!"
"Hehe~! Then, I guess I still have much to learn!" Lianhua winked at Rin before turning back to the stove where she was still cooking more. "Looks like I made too much... Hey, let me know if you want seconds." The moment those words left her mouth, she felt Rin poking her in the back and holding out her plate past her. With a soft giggle, Lianhua took the plate and began to fill it up. "Are you usually this hungry?"
"Nope but my grandma's always been asking Y/N to cook for me whenever I was hungry."
"Aw, that sounds nice-"
"It really isn't..." Rin quickly cut Lianhua off.
Lianhua looked over her shoulder to see a pale-faced Rin staring off into the distance, her usually bright expression murky from trauma as she remembered eating Y/N's cooking. With an awkward smile, Lianhua helped Rin sit down at the table before quietly resuming her cooking duties. "Don't worry then, you won't have to deal with that anymore."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"You could always swing by at my restaurant and I'll cook something up for you - free of charge!"
"R-Really? You're telling me that I can have something this amazing every day!?"
"Well, duh! That's what friends are for!" Lianhua shot Rin a smile that she returned, a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest.
"R-Right! Thank you!"
"Haha, there's no need to thank me! Besides, I think you could use the company after school. You know, since Y/N's planning on leaving today."
"(...Y-Y/N's leaving...?)" Rin's excitement evaporated immediately and she placed her hands on her lap, her ravenous appetite gone as well. "I guess I should have expected this."
"What's up, Rin?" Lianhua piped up after a few minutes of silence between them.
"It's nothing..."
Lianhua sighed and turned to face Rin, her hands on her hip. "Whenever someone says 'it's nothing,' then there is always something bothering them. I know it's none of my business but it can't hurt for you to tell someone."
The silence in the room lingered for a few minutes, only interrupted by the occasional sound of Lianhua's footsteps around the kitchen.
"I just... I can't help but worry about him..." Rin confessed, her voice sounded nothing like it was when she first waltzed into the kitchen, now more akin to a whisper in the vacuum of space - if that were even possible.
"Aw, you're kinda starting to sound like a concerned housewife!"
"H-Hey! That's not what I-"
"I know, I know. I couldn't help myself after seeing you like this! You're more like a worried little sister than anything." Lianhua giggled and patted Rin on the head, laughing when the younger girl pouted and crossed her arms. "Besides, a little girl like you should be worried more about things like school and not stressing over little things like these! Y/N's gonna be perfectly fine!"
"D-Don't jinx him, Lianhua! He's always getting in trouble and... and... Ah!" Rin shouted, making Lianhua jump slightly at the sudden outburst and turn to see the pink-haired girl hurriedly stuffing her face before bolting up the stair.
After a few minutes, she ran down in her school uniform and dashed to the foyer where she slipped into her everyday shoes and grabbed her backpack. "I forgot that today's Monday! I-I'm gonna be late for school at this rate! Tell everyone that I said good morning!" Rin hastily waved goodbye to Lianhua before bolting out the door, leaving the dark brown-haired girl stunned by the sudden departure of her friend.
At that moment, Y/N walked down the stairs, mid-conversation with Sakura about one of her favorite games.
"-And then, while on his way to Pakistan, he finally has his rematch with the man that cut off his arm!" Sakura spoke excitedly, her lips forming a slight smile and her eyes lighting up in the same manner as her younger sister. The many years of struggling to find others with common interests around her age finally came to a close as she could see Y/N nodding along, listening to every word of hers, and could feel his earnest desire to understand her.
"...You know, I think I played this game before... Oh, hey Lianhua." Y/N waved at the shortest of the three. "Heh, I never noticed but you're kinda short, aren't you?" He placed a hand on Lianhua's head as he laughed and Sakura smiled at the sight.
"What? You're not that much taller than me!" Lianhua huffed and gently swatted his hand away, crossing her arms and pouting soon after. "Besides, I can still grow!"
"That's too much copium you're inhaling there, Lianhua. Any more and you'll end up in the hospital soon!"
"S-Shut up!" Lianhua threw a punch that Y/N was easily able to block with one hand.
"Haha, alright, alright. I'll stop messing with you." Y/N patted Lianhua on the head much like how she had done to Rin beforehand - maintaining the natural order of things here. "Anyways, where's Rin?" He looked around to see that the girl that had zipped around upstairs almost in a blur had disappeared without a trace afterward.
"Rin? Oh, she said that she would be late for school since, you know, it's Monday and all."
"Ugh... School." The click of his tongue and the general annoyance in Y/N's body language did not go undetected.
"What's wrong with you? Didn't do well in school?"
"Nah, I had good grades. It's just... Let's just say that I had a rough start."
Lianhua and Sakura glanced at the male but chose to not say anything, instead the former opted to change the subject.
"Hey, Sakura. How old is Rin again? 10? 11? She's, what, starting middle school soon?"
"...She's already 14 and next year she'll be starting her first year of high school..."
"Close enough." Lianhua nodded, clearly proud of herself while Y/N and Sakura exchanged deadpan glances. "So, she'll be starting high school next year, huh... Now that I remember, this is around the time for Parent's Day, isn't it?"
"Parent's Day?" Y/N spoke up, the grimace on his face replaced with a look of curiosity.
"Oh, you probably aren't aware of it, Y/N-san, so let me explain. It's a day when parents or guardians are able to visit the classroom and watch their children's progress firsthand. Usually, Obaachan would do this but she called me last night telling me she won't be available for the rest of the week so I'll have to step in."
"Yeah... We didn't have that in China or, at least, I don't think we did but I'm probably the last person that would know..." Y/N mumbled to himself before shaking his head. "Is that why you're in those clothes?"
Sakura blinked at his question before looking down at her clothes: a white dress shirt that was a common sight at her office job, a black pencil skirt, and nylon leggings. "Does it look that unusual on me? These are the most professional clothes I have..."
"They're a little weird on you but I still think that you look good in them!"
"Really?" A faint pink shade colored Sakura's face as a small smile made its way onto her lips. "Then, I guess that I have nothing to worry about." Grabbing her bag from the couch, from the spot next to the sleeping Higokumaru, she turns to Y/N and gives him a small nod. "I'll be leaving now-"
"Yuck! Get a room you two!" Lianhua fake gagged and put on her shoes. "Anyways, I gotta go now! I have to get the restaurant up and running before the afternoon! Sayonara~!" The girl bursting with energy quickly left with a quick wave and wink, her figure disappearing around the corner.
"She's certainly an early bird." Sakura commented before remembering something. "Ah, before I also leave, I have something to tell you, Y/N-san." She said and Y/N turned towards her. "Valda-sama, Gestell-san, and I were talking last night about our current situation and Valda plans on offering you a position at her firm. I'm sure you know what her true intentions are as the Herrscher of the Void?"
Y/N's eyes widened at the fact that Sakura knew who Valda was but nodded. "...Yeah, I do. But-"
"It's fine if you choose to accept." Sakura cut you off. "Please ignore my request from last night. Rin, Grandma, and I will be fine on our own if that's what you're worried about. While we would like you to stay, we wouldn't feel good about ourselves if we were the reason you refused the offer. Whatever choice you make, I promise we'll support you. Goodbye, Y/N-san." Sakura gave Y/N one final warm smile and wave before leaving him to ponder his decision.
Your POV
You watched her leave, your gaze lingering on the front door for a few seconds before you looked down at your hands with a frown.
"('Goodbye,' huh...)" Your feet practically glided across the hallway and made a sharp left into the kitchen, your E/C eyes landing on the flyer that Obaachan had shown you on your first day staying here. "(I wasn't able to say goodbye to neither mom or Hua back then...)" You thought mournfully, your face souring into a grimace.
Slowly walking over to the fridge and taking the magnet off, you held the piece of paper in your hands.
"(The Global Transport Corporation Internship Program...' At first, this seems like... an unusual flyer, but this is what introduced Sakura to Valda and Gestell - the first being someone who was far from being a normal office worker... I wonder, if I were to accept Valda's invitation to join them, what could I learn from being there that could help me get stronger? Could they help me find mom and Hua? But what about the others- No.)"
Closing your eyes, images of Rin, Sakura, and Lianhua flashed in your mind.
"(Rin and Sakura... They're able to keep smiling despite every tragedy they faced - even going as far as putting what happened that rainy night behind them and treating me the same. Lianhua... She's around the same age as me which would put her in high school. Yet, she dropped out to continue her grandpa's business without complaining once. They're strong. All three of them are different from one another but they all share the same trait: they were able to take a step forward. Now...)"
You slammed your right fist into your left palm with an excited smile while your entire body tingled with excitement at the future.
"It's my turn to-!"
"Your turn to do what exactly?"
The warm feeling of someone's breath behind you, whispering directly into your ear, sent shivers down your back. The close proximity made you turn around to find Valda leaning forward with her classic welcoming smile and looking as stunning as always.
Valda had thoroughly combed her long pearl-white hair until they were perfectly straight while her amber-colored eyes sparkled like diamonds. She was back in the same clothes that she wore back when they had first met.
"Grr... This bitch..."
"(Don't start now!) Hey, what's up, Valda?"
"Oh, nothing much. Gestell and I were planning to fly back home..." Valda's eyes stared at the flyer in your hands as you remained silent. "And I was gonna ask what your decision to our offer is but Gestell found out and chewed me out for trying to force that onto you. But, it looks like we'll just have to go home empty-handed and-"
"I'll go with you."
"...Eh?" The pair of yellow orbs in front of you blinked twice. "You'll go?"
"Well, yeah! I have so many damn questions that I still need to be answered and two people that I still need to find in the world! Not to mention, you're pretty damn strong and I could learn a thing or two from you."
Valda giggled, the delightful chuckle sounding pleasant to your ears. "Alright, I'll answer all of your questions when the time comes and help you find these two people in exchange for you being one of my agents. But!" She raised her finger and pointed at you, her expression turning serious. "Although I can't help you with your training, I know a person that could help! I should warn you that her training is gonna hurt like hell. You might end up screaming for mommy or daddy to save you and death might seem better than whatever she'll put you through. Are you absolutely sure you're ready for that?"
It was a strange feeling, wasn't it? Everything Valda was saying should be scaring you, making you hesitate, or even outright forcing you to change your mind.
Yet, all it did was stoke the blazing flames roaring in your chest.
"Hell yeah, I am!" You shouted and Valda replied with a smirk of her own until she saw you falter for a moment. "Ah, wait. One condition. You mind splitting the money into two?"
"Into two?"
"Yeah, since Sakura will be staying here with Rin and her grandma, I thought it would be a nice chance to help her out and also repay Rin and Obaachan for letting me stay here."
"And, I'm guessing the other half will be for Lianhua?"
You smiled and nodded, "Right on the money. The restaurant means everything to her and I don't want her to lose it because of financial problems!"
"I can do that but are you sure about this? I mean, it's a kind gesture and all, but don't you want to keep that money for yourself?"
"Nah," You crouched down and began to stretch your legs. "Money doesn't really concern me that much. I just want to make sure everyone around me is able to live more easily, even if it's just a tiny bit."
Valda was silent for a moment, staring at you, before shrugging and her smile returned. "As long as you know what you're doing, I won't stop you. Anyways, are you ready to leave now?"
"Yep!" You hopped onto your feet and gave her a thumbs-up. "I have nothing else to bring along!"
"Really? Nothing at all?"
You simply nodded, not understanding what she was trying to get at.
"Hm... I'll make sure to buy you a phone then and some new clothes."
"Huh? What's wrong with my clothes?" You looked down at the clothes that Rin had bought for you, wondering what was the problem.
"Well... When you're not training or helping us out, you'll be assuming the role of a company bodyguard so you can, you know, blend in more easily."
"You shoulda mentioned that earlier... Now it sounds like I'm going to two different types of hell. At least I have a kind guardian angel watching over me."
A light pink dusted Valda's cheeks following your comment. "Guess I'll have to keep a closer eye on you from now on so you don't leave me a bad review!" She winked at you and stuck out her tongue, the gesture and sight catching you off-guard, especially with how cute she looked when her face was flushed red.
"U-Uh yeah..." You stuttered, your face changing to the same color as hers - much to Valda's amusement - before you cleared your throat and calmed yourself down. "Anyways, where's Gestell? Is she ready to leave?"
"Gestell's already outside, smoking one of her cigarettes. Let's go make sure she doesn't kill herself by smoking one too many!" With a rather jovial smile despite the grim topic, Valda grabbed you by your hand and dragged you toward the front door with her superhuman strength.
The sun was well above the horizon and it would take a few hours before it reached the summit of the skies. The white clouds painting the azure skies were far too few to be counted on two hands. The natural beauty of the world was far outshined by the woman standing in the front yard of Rin's house, wearing the same clothes she wore when you first saw her.
"Took you two long enough. What took you two so long?" Gestell tossed her cigarette into the neighbor's trash can.
"Hehe~" Valda giggled suggestively, her face was almost back to its normal color but tints of red were still visible.
Gestell looked between you and Valda for reasons you didn't understand but what you could comprehend was the judging look in her crimson orbs.
Eventually, those same crimson orbs settled on the latter and she slapped her upside the head, exacting a pained whimper from her friend.
"Stop trying to mess with me, Valda!"
"Ow..." Valda rubbed the back of her head before pouting. "You're no fun, Gestie, but I guess that's just how you are without your coffee-" Her eyes widened and she clamped her hands over her mouth but it was too late.
"So, that's where my mug went..."
The dreadful whisper of Gestell was enough to make you and Valda sweat nervously and shiver in fear under the cold glare from her blood-red hues. The mighty Herrscher of the Void used you, a sixteen-year-old teenager, as a shield from a normal human with no powers.
"(If Valda's an angel, then Gestell must be a demon...)" You didn't dare voice this out loud, that would have been suicide.
"Y-Y/N-Kun and I will go on first!" Valda tried to leave with you in tow but Gestell quickly seized your other hand, her hand squeezing tightly around your wrist.
"Hold on! Who's gonna lock up the house!?"
"..."
"..."
"...Don't tell me both of you two didn't consider this." Gestell hissed her discontent with an annoyed gleam in her eyes that made many of her subordinates terrified of her and sent many others packing.
You and Valda exchanged glances. "(Not a single word.)" You both nodded at the same time as if communicating telepathically.
"ANSWER ME, DAMNIT!!!"
Gestell's explosive outburst made you and Valda flinch if the scowl on her face didn't, but before she could say anymore, you felt a very familiar ki signature - one that you hadn't felt in some days.
"Ara... So much energy in my front yard..." An old lady turned the corner. To Valda and Gestell, it was someone they had never met before, but for you, it was none other than-
"Obaachan! You're back!" Your smile widened while Obaachan returned the smile before she quickly adopted a serious look.
"Oh dear, am I interrupting something...? I never thought you would have two at the same time, Y/N-Kun."
Gestell's eyes widened when she realized that she was still grabbing your hand with Valda grabbing your other arm and quickly let go. "E-Excuse me, ma'am." She tried her best to hide the blush on her face by hastily leaving but Valda was already hounding after her with a wide grin, teasing the flustered woman by bombarding her with endless questions.
Meanwhile, you stayed behind, oblivious to what just happened and what Obaachan was talking about as shown by the innocent gleam in your E/C eyes.
"What do you mean, Obaachan?"
"Ohoho, never mind me, sonny. Anyways, you shouldn't delay your grand adventure with those two any longer."
Your eyes widened and you asked, "How did you-"
"I could see it in your eyes." The old lady smiled, the wrinkles on her face almost disappearing and you could finally see which side of the family Rin and Sakura got their lovely smiles from. "They tell me that you aren't the type of person to settle down in one place for too long."
"O-Obaachan..."
"Go on now, silly boy. Me, Rin, and Sakura will be fine. We'll be waiting here for you whenever you want to come back. Ah, before I forget," From her purse, Rin and Sakura's grandma pulled out a piece of paper and pen before writing something in it. "Here's our phone numbers. You better not lose it!" She handed you the paper and you looked down at it, your vision blurring slightly.
"谢谢你，奶奶... 谢谢你, Rin... 谢谢你, Sakura..."
You carefully folded the paper and placed it in your pocket, bowing your head as 'Obaachan' smiled one last time at you before then walking towards the front door. You stared at the house, wiping your eyes, and might have stood there forever if it were not for Valda and Gestell shouting for you to hurry up.
"(I was wrong about what I said earlier when you asked me if I truly had nothing to bring, Valda...)"
Quietly, you raised your fist and held it up high with a proud smile as the memories of your time spent here - both good and bad - came flooding into your mind.
"(After all, I have all of these memories to bring with me!)"
You muttered one last thanks to the family of three before joining up with Valda and Gestell, taking the first steps on an unforgettable journey...
3rd Person POV
"Gah!" The shouts of a man in agony echoed through an empty alleyway, followed by the sound of bone cracking and blood splattering.
Torn-open garbage bags and tipped-over containers filled this alleyway, much like every other one in this garbage heap of a city. Empty bottles and cans littered the floor of the nasty alley along with plastic wrappers from fast food joints. A disgusting, stomach-wrenching stench permeated the air from the poorly kept sidewalks and the overfilling, trash-filled dumpsters.
A group of five or so men surrounded this poor, unfortunate man, kicking and stomping on his body.
"You should have stayed on your own turf, fucker!" One of them shouted.
"Fuck you!" The downed man somehow managed to splutter amidst the rain of heavy blows all over his body. "You shouldn't mess with my gang! We're the strongest in the damn city!"
"Tch! Big words from someone getting their ass beat! If all the members are pussies like you, then we have nothing to worry about!" The men laughed and continued to stomp out the individual member of an opposing gang.
Then, that's when they heard the sound of heavy footsteps slowly approaching them.
"The hell?" They stopped and turned to see a figure stumbling towards them, wrapped in a black cloak to hide their face. "Hey, who the hell are you!?"
The person didn't seem to hear them and continued to walk forward, their feet dragging every now and then.
"...Strong..."
They muttered, their voice was masculine and sounded on the brink of losing themselves to madness.
"Which one of you is the strongest...?"
"The hell is this guy's problem?"
"Who cares? He can join our friend over here."
After a brief laugh, the men approached the cloaked figure before suddenly stopping, confusing the man on the floor.
"...You..."
The injured gangster looked to his right to see that the newcomer had mysteriously appeared next to him and looked back to see the heads of the group rolling across the floor and their bodies going limp.
"...Are you strong...?"
"N-No, man! I'm not strong!" Looking upward, he could see brief glimpses of the individual's eyes and saw nothing but complete insanity and bloodlust. "(Is this man the D-Devil?)"
"I see..."
The veiled figure's hand reached out and grabbed the man's head before crushing it like an egg.
"Weak..."
In the blood-soaked alleyway, only one remained standing and it was the unannounced newcomer with no clear intentions.
A gust of wind blew into the desolate corridor and blew away the hood covering his face to reveal a man with white hair that fades to a dark brown and an unusual black mask.
"Hehehe..."
The man threw his head back and let out an insane roar.
"AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHHAA!! IS THERE NO ONE STRONG ENOUGH TO FACE ME!?"
He began to claw at his chest, tearing through his shirt with ease to reveal a well-toned chest and large, muscular arms capable of throwing deadly punches. Unlike Y/N whose chest was filled with excitement so potent that it felt like warm flames pushing him forward, the fire burning inside of this man's chest was slowly eating away at his sanity and burning hotter with each minute.
"WHERE!? WHERE CAN I FIND SOMEONE THAT CAN EXCHANGE BLOWS WITH ME!? CAN COMPETE WITH ME!? CAN SATISFY ME!? CAN MAKE ME BLEED!? CAN MAKE ME FEEL ALIVE!?"
He let out another roar, challenging the world to give him someone he could fight to the fullest against. To let loose all of his power and ignore his surroundings so he could enjoy himself to the fullest.
Eventually, he manages to calm down and remembers something.
"Ah... That's right. that woman promised me I would be able to fight strong people... Hehehe... Alright, I'll wait then..."
The man laughed before pulling on his hood and quickly leaving the scene, his eyes gleaming with insanity as he wondered who fate would bring to him.
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Chapter End
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