Beta read by Shigiya, Darklord331, Maglad and Gamercrusher55.
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-Tokonosu-
On the eve of the school day, Rei could barely find herself focusing on the present. The sound of the car's engine revving as the young girl was being accompanied by her father, who had taken the opportunity to give her a ride in the family car.
"Is everything alright with you, Rei?" the middle-aged policeman asked. The entire ride had been spent in silence, an awkward atmosphere settling between them—a sensation that had become the norm by now if she were to be honest. Something even her mother noticed and commented on it several times in the past.
"I'm fine," she replied flatly, not taking her eyes off the passing scenery of trees and other students walking to school. Her vacant gaze was fixated outside, but her mind was elsewhere, replaying the conversation she had with Takashi over and over again. In truth, she was in a bad mood. "Just had a small argument with someone, nothing much."
She couldn't wrap her head around how someone she'd known for years could just say that about a guy he barely even met. Didn't even bother to give him a chance or consider maybe he was wrong. 'Oh, watch out for Cu, he's dangerous,' like come on. Just because he's jealous, he gets to pin it on me? Tch… What a joke.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
"Oh, I see…. Your mother?"
"No."
"If it's something I can help with, let me know. You don't have to keep everything bottled up forever," Tadashi said, his tone laced with concern. "Your old man knows a thing or two about dealing with difficult people.."
Recently, he'd been making more of an effort to get closer to her than he had in the past. Whether it was inviting her to the living room to watch game shows, checking on her progress in her sōjutsu, or even offering to accompany her on grocery runs whenever her mother asked, his sudden involvement in her life was becoming… bothersome to some degree.
Very suspicious.
"What's going on with you instead?" she asked, turning the question back on him.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't act stupid with me, Dad."
For the first time since they got in the car, she turned to look at him, her sharp eyes demanding an answer. "Giving me a ride to school, inviting me to watch baseball with you, checking my room twice yesterday, and even asking if I needed help with my homework—what's with you? You never do this kind of thing. Even Mom realized you're acting differently."
Tadashi's hands tightened around the steering wheel, his expression growing uncomfortable. He didn't respond immediately, but she could already tell what was going through his mind.
"You don't have to force yourself to spend more time with me," she said, her tone low but firm. "I've told you—I'm not holding it against you for what happened. It wasn't your fault, so quit trying to overcompensate for something that wasn't broken in the first place. I can deal with Shido's bullshit on my own."
"Hah… There's nothing wrong with a father wanting to spend more time with his daughter."
"The same dad who couldn't even look me in the eyes for an entire month and chose this particular moment to get in touch with his daughter? Are you doing so because you're worried about me or because you want to make yourself feel good?" Rei's tone turned bitter, making his face turn ugly. "I told you, just act like you normally would, I much rather prefer than you faking it all. You don't need to go this far."
"I... I…" He hesitated before abruptly changing the subject. "I'll try. In any case, Rei, I have something important to tell you. From now on, you need to be more careful when you're going out next time."
She frowned but let him continue.
"There's been… weird things happening around town lately. More kids go missing by the month, murder cases rising and those criminals getting bolder by the day. Just make sure you come home safely—no, better idea, I'll come pick you up myself."
She shot him a skeptical look. "What's really going on here? It's not like stuff like this hasn't happened before. You wouldn't stop complaining about the same things at dinner a year ago, what's so different now?"
"I don't want to argue with you on this, Rei. Just listen to me and get back home instead of hanging around that delinquent of a boy, for all we know, he might be associated with the people who caused trouble with someone he really shouldn't have."
Her expression instantly darkened.
"Oh, for God's sake, don't you start with this too! You're just like him, acting like you know him when neither of you bothered to get to know him!" she snapped, anger flashing across her face. "I already told you about him—he's not a bad person! If all of this is just an excuse to get me to stop spending time with him, forget it! Stop the car. I'll walk the rest of the way!"
Tadashi barely had time to react to the sudden outburst before she unbuckled her seatbelt. He quickly pulled over to a street near the school, and the moment the car came to a halt, she pushed the door open and stormed off.
"Rei, wait! I didn't—"
"Don't bother coming to pick me up, I know my way back!" She shouted, getting a few strange glances from the passing students and civilians. Feeling slightly embarrassed and ashamed, he got back in his car, looking at her parting back for a bit longer till she reached the gates before driving away with a tired sigh.
Rei also hesitated a bit before reaching the gates, her angered expression faltering for a brief moment and being replaced with some regret at her reaction. She looked back as he drove off, thinking back to what he said and shaking her head.
"Damn it."
Today just couldn't get any worse. First, Takashi's words had kept her up all night, and now her father was acting just as bad. For a brief moment, she considered stopping and calling her father to apologize, but her pride wouldn't let her.
"He's not even going to listen to me even if I tried," whispered Rei, knowing full well just how stupidly stubborn her old man could be at times. Unless Cu did not personally come to her house and acted as a golden boy in front of him — even then it was far more likely for this to not change his mind.
The moment she stepped past the gates, the anger, regret, and frustration melted away, replaced by an overwhelming exhaustion. 'Just once… I'd like a normal high school life without all this bullshit—whether at school or at home.'
Her father trying to control who she spent time with felt suffocating—especially when it came to him. Cu… it was hard to believe how easily he managed to worm his way into her everyday life without even trying. It hadn't been even that long since he arrived in town, almost half a year if she remembered correctly, but somehow it felt like they had known each other for a lot longer than that. Bouncing off each other perfectly to the point at times she felt this was too good to be true — even Igou held similar thoughts.
Rei didn't mind spending more time with him, quite the opposite for it brought her that sliver of normalcy she desired. Nothing she said seemed to affect him and most importantly how better she felt with each encounter. Both mentally and physically, though painful with how strict he could be but also soft when it mattered… honestly hearing rumors of them dating one another in school no longer sounded so bad.
It wouldn't even be an exaggeration to say she trusted him with her life.
"What the hell am I saying?" she thought, shaking her head. "Trusting a stranger with my life so easily, I really should cut back on those drama shows."
And yet, somehow, he had that effect on people. His magnetic personality made it easy for her to talk to him, to trust him. Saying the most outlandish things without much hesitation or fear of what others would think about him. In fact, the girl was pretty sure that he took practically everything in general as a joke of some sort.
Speaking of the Irishman…
"Where the hell is he, anyway?"
She had been waiting at the school entrance for ten minutes. By now, he should have arrived. Despite his somewhat delinquent nature, he always made it to school early, right alongside the teacher.
"Ah, finally," she muttered as her eyes locked onto the white car pulling through the gates. Not even needing to look inside to know it was their teacher, Kyoko, the car had become very recognizable to her by now. Yet weirdly enough, the woman was all alone and she watched confusedly as the teacher went inside the building without Cu being anywhere in sight.
Where the hell was he?
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As the school bell rang, several students left for their recess period and lunch, while Rei found herself staying in the classroom as usual — sleeping on her desk with the world around being nothing but a silent blur. Yet, her attention was never on the lesson nor the people around who continued to ignore her existence. Instead, her gaze occasionally drifted toward the empty desk where a certain Irishman was supposed to be sitting.
Feeling a growing sense of paranoia and worry, she had already tried calling him multiple times, holding the phone which showed several unanswered calls with her trying to get a hold of him with no luck and even a few unanswered Line messages. Regardless of what she did, he never answered. Left with no other choice, she decided to ask their teacher about his whereabouts.
"Eh? Cu is sick!?"
The news hit her out of nowhere, making the orange-haired girl stare in complete disbelief at the beautiful woman who had just informed her of something so unexpected.
"How?" Rei asked, trying to make sense.
To her surprise, the woman chuckled, a small smile forming on her face—something Rei had never seen before. Ever since Kyoko started working at this school, she had always given the impression of someone who was unsatisfied with her life. She rarely smiled, always appearing strict or outright frustrated. But now, she was smiling? That alone was a shock.
"I had the same reaction as you," Kyoko admitted. "It's funny to remember that, at the end of the day, the boy is still human. Regardless of how much boundless energy he seems to have, he can still get sick like anyone else. It's nothing to worry about. When I checked on him, it was just a mild fever, so as his guardian, I told him to rest for the day. He's a studious boy, so I have no concerns about him falling behind. And even if he did, I would personally make sure he caught up."
That last part was said with a strict tone, her eyes sharpening. She really was taking this guardianship thing seriously.
"I see."
"In any case, don't worry," Kyoko reassured her. "I'm glad to see he has friends like you. He'll be back tomorrow or the day after, once his temperature has gone down."
Despite her words, Rei still couldn't shake her worry. If anything, it made her feel even worse. It didn't make sense. Cu was perfectly fine yesterday. They had even sparred with one another—wait.
Had he overdone it during their sparring, ignoring how he was actually feeling just to keep up the act? Was she so wrapped up in her own crap that she didn't notice he was off? The thought made her stomach twist with guilt.
"Um, thank you for the information, Kyoko-sensei," she said, bowing before heading back to class.
Not having him around certainly made the entire school feel different than usual. She stares at those who were once her classmates in the same year becoming more obvious, the slight judgment in their eyes from all those rumors and her repeating a year. Even her desire to train for the day had diminished significantly, finding it to be pointless.
Yet, as she walked down the hallway, lost in her thoughts, Rei accidentally bumped into someone.
"Ah, I'm so sorr—!"
Out of reflex, she almost apologized—until she bit her tongue upon seeing who it was. Any words of forgiveness died instantly, replaced by pure disdain.
"Oh my, look who it is," the person muttered with a smile on his face growing bigger. "Miyamoto-san, lovely to see you."
The slimy, bespectacled bastard smiled at her with that same insufferable expression. Every time she saw Shido, it was like looking at the worst aspects of humanity. Just the sight of him made her want to punch him in the face. She couldn't, but god she wished she could.
"It's been a while since we last spoke," he said, voice dripping with fake politeness. "I hope your studies are going well."
"..."
Rei didn't answer, avoiding accidentally insulting him and giving the guy more ammunition to use against her, clicking her tongue in irritation as she tried to walk past him. The sooner she got away from him, the better.
"Still the same as ever I see. No matter. Ah, but before you leave, there's something important I need to mention," he continued smoothly, pushing his glasses up with the sunlight reflecting against the lens. "You still haven't handed in your class assignment. Yours is the only one missing. Without it, I'll have to give you a zero—and it accounts for a major part of your grade. If you miss this, then I doubt you'll pass unless you bring a perfect score in your exams."
"What!?" She stopped dead in her tracks, whipping her head around in disbelief at the nonsense he spewed out just now "I already handed it to you! And since when did small assignments account for so many points in our final grading!?"
"Handed it in?" Shido repeated, feigning confusion as he tapped his chin. "I believe there must be some mistake. I don't recall receiving it."
His fake, worried expression made her skin crawl. Then, shaking his head with a sigh, he put on an act of disappointment.
"Miyamoto-san, while I understand that things between us aren't exactly pleasant, I strongly advise you to take your studies seriously. You were already held back a year. Failing your classes again will result in expulsion. I doubt your dear father would want to hear such unfortunate news about his delinquent daughter. Already your class attendance with me is abysmal with how frequently you skip them."
Each passing syllable made it clear—he wasn't even trying to hide the mockery anymore.
"Don't bring my dad into this," she snapped, fists clenched. "Haven't you done enough to ruin my life!?"
Shido only smirked, putting less and less effort into hiding his true thoughts. "I'm simply doing my job. And if I really wanted to make your life miserable, there are much more creative ways I could go about it."
She glared at him, her blood boiling.
"In fact," he continued, adjusting his glasses again, "I've seen you spending time with that new student lately. Collins, was it? Tsk, tsk. How disappointing. Not only are you neglecting your studies, but now you're associating with delinquents. Trouble seems to follow him, after all… as they say, birds of a feather flock together."
"What trouble?" she shot back immediately. "As far as I remember, Cu hasn't caused any problems. He works harder than half the people here, and if you're thinking of targeting him, then—"
"Then what?" he finished her sentence with a challenging tone. "What will you do then, Miss Miyamoto? I'm curious to know what that may be, tell me."
"…" Nothing. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Rei knew there was nothing she could do, and that infuriated her beyond belief. Had this bastard not been backed up by his corrupt politician father, then he would not even have half the spine and arrogance he showed now.
"This is your fault. If you have anyone to blame, blame yourself. That boy isn't without fault either—snooping around where he isn't needed, making a fool out of me. He's still new to town, ignorant of who he should respect and who he should be wary of. If you don't want him to get into trouble, I suggest you tell him that yourself. And if he doesn't listen… Well, you know what will happen. Have a good day, then." He chuckled, she was caught off guard about how there seemed to be something between Cu and Shido.
Confused, the girl was certain the Irishman told her multiple times before that he never interacted much with the teacher outside of one occasion. Even in class, he mostly stayed quiet or slept when the slimy bastard was not paying attention.
So what exactly happened?
"I'll wait for your report until the end of the day. If I don't get it… well, that's too bad."
He walked away, waving mockingly at her knowing full well she would not be able to hand him anything in such a short amount of time. Rei's face had turned crimson with rage, and she was this close to grabbing a broom from the janitor's closet and bashing him over the head again and again until it was nothing more than a lump of meat and bone. Her anger boiled to such a degree that she almost felt nauseous, the atmosphere in the school feeling much more suffocating than usual.
She hated it.
Despised it.
It was not nearly as bad when he was around to distract her with such nonsense. At times she even forgot about her entire feud with Shido and could hang out with him and Igou without any stress.
Taking a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"Let it go, Rei. That bastard will get what's coming to him one day."
Repeating those words to herself, she turned and walked back toward her classroom, only to find a small crowd gathered at the door, whispering among themselves.
"What's going on here?" she muttered, pushing past a few students.
Inside, she spotted a strikingly beautiful woman, casually conversing with a few girls, her charming smile drawing the attention of both male and female students alike.
"What is Saeko doing here?" she wondered, wanting to go back to her desk and sleep.
Her silent question was quickly answered when the kendo expert's attention turned toward her, immediately ending her conversation and striding over. Rei barely had time to react, though she masked her surprise, instead offering a small smile in greeting.
"Good morning, Saeko. How have you been?"
Even if they weren't exactly close—merely acquaintances at best—they had interacted enough times before to start a conversation between them easily.
"I heard you participated in an exchange match with another school and won. Congratulations. This makes it the fifth time, right? At this rate, the Kendo club won't let you go even if you graduate."
"Haha, it was nothing," Saeko replied modestly while shaking her head.b"It wasn't just me—everyone in my club won their matches and performed admirably. They deserve more recognition than I do."
Rei barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was sure Saeko didn't fully mean that. Talent recognized talent, and she knew that the purple-haired woman had enough pride in her skills to be aware that she could've won even if she had faced the entire opposing team alone and was merely saying such things to maintain her image.
She had seen some of these so-called teammates of hers before, barely above average, and mostly her admirers there to gain her attention. Even if they grouped up to fight him, the chances of winning were very low.
It hadn't dawned on Rei that she started comparing all of these people to Cu.
"So, what brings you here? I don't think you came all this way just to challenge me — let's see whose stick is stronger." Rei joked, taking the girl's mind a second to fully catch up with what she said and realize that she had also picked up some of Cu's speech patterns after spending so much time around him.
That was embarrassing and she wished to jump in a hole.
"Oh, nothing really," Saeko replied, not at all affected by the bad joke and even letting out a small chuckle at first. "I was just passing by and remembered someone from this class. I wanted to meet Seth and see if he's changed his mind about joining the kendo club."
Rei immediately felt a bit on guard. She wasn't sure why, but something about that rubbed her the wrong way.
"Oh, you wanted to meet him?" she said, keeping her tone casual. "Unfortunately, you came at a bad time. He's sick and couldn't come to school today. You'll have to come back another day."
"Sick? How surprising."
"Right? I had the same reaction. I thought people like him could never get sick." she let out a short huff. At least she wasn't the only one who found it strange. Even someone who had only met Cu once reacted the same way.
"I heard about your match from others, honestly, I think you're wasting your time. He really likes Sojutsu, and I don't see him abandoning it for kendo. I know he's pretty good with a sword—good enough to give you some trouble the other day—but trust me, that guy is stubborn."
There was some hope that the other party would let this matter drop and move on, but much to her disappointment, it did not seem to deter Saeko.
"But there's nothing wrong with giving it a shot," she countered with a confident smile. "I have my ways. I even have an offer for him that I'm sure he'll find very interesting."
Something about the way she said that didn't sit well with Rei. She had only met Cu once—so why was she so certain he would accept? It was almost as if she already knew what made him tick.
Before Rei could say anything to dissuade her, Saeko simply turned away, brushing past her with a light tap on the shoulder. Her voice was barely more than a whisper, yet the words carried an unsettling weight.
"I really do envy you. You're having the time of your life. Sometimes, I wonder why he's so insistent on you when you're clearly nowhere near his level." She froze, her mind focusing on what she had just heard. Had she imagined it? The words lingered, gnawing at her, but by the time she snapped out of it, Saeko was already gone, effortlessly sweeping the crowd along with her like a shepherd leading a flock.
Rei looked at her disappearing figure with a suspicious glare, unsure why Saeko would go through so much effort just to recruit Cu. Then again, if their roles were reversed, she could see herself doing the same thing. But the way Saeko put in so much effort when she had never done this for anyone else before seemed very suspicious.
In any case, the rest of the day went on as usual until the sky turned a deep orange, signaling the end of the school day. After finishing her duties cleaning the classroom, she made her way toward the shoe lockers.
"Are you going home?"
As she slipped on her shoes, Rei turned around to find the last person she wanted to see at that moment.
"This isn't a good time, Takashi," she said, her mood souring further at the sight of him — his words from yesterday still lingering in her mind. Hastening her movements, she slammed her shoe locker shut and started walking away—until he went ahead and grabbed her wrist.
"Wait! Don't leave yet, I just wanted to talk to you!"
Hearing his words, she came to a halt and sighed. Forcefully breaking his grasp on her, holding back her tongue from scolding the boy out of exhaustion. "What do you want now?"
Takashi hesitated, looking as if he was struggling to get the words out. This went on for a few seconds, making her patience grow thin until he finally broke the silence. "Listen, Rei, I just wanted to apologize for what happened before."
There was a trace of regret in his voice, which she picked up on.
"I just wanted to make sure you were being safe around him. I didn't mean to say anything bad about him or you for that matter."
So that was what this was about. Honestly, she was a bit surprised that he was even capable of apologizing in the first place. Unfortunately for him, that hardly changed anything, and she still felt lingering resentment.
Yet he did not address the other parts of their conversation, and not wanting to stretch this issue for any longer, it was best for her to just be as clear as possible.
"All right, I'll forget about it. Still, next time, I'd prefer if you apologized to him instead of bad mouthing him behind his back. Don't try to get between us if something were to happen or if I was interested in someone else. That promise we made was a long time ago, Takashi. Get over it. It's just nonsense you hear kids spew like a daughter saying she'll marry her father when she grows up."
"..."
Was he disappointed? Angry? Or betrayed? Hard to tell, but there was disappointment from how his gaze would not need tears. She did not like saying it to him, but it was best to come out clean now instead of waiting and hoping for things to get fixed by themselves.
That was all she said before leaving him with one last thing to tell him.
"Did I ever tell you that around the time I met Cu, Igou wanted to confess to me?"
"Eh?"
Takashi didn't move to stop her this time. He just stood there, stunned, like someone had slapped him with a fish. Rei didn't bother glancing back as she walked away. Part of her wondered why she'd even dropped that bomb in the first place. It wasn't like it solved anything—if anything, it probably just left him more confused than before. But then again, maybe she just wanted to get it off her chest. Sometimes, you just gotta say the quiet part loud and let the chips fall where they may.
'Idiot… if you are so disappointed by what I said, then why didn't you try it before? You can't even pretend to be happy. How selfish can you be…'
Walking down the street, she soon realized that she had unconsciously taken a completely different route than the one leading home. It was one she knew well, familiar with Cu's address since she had helped him home many times in the past—whether after a night of drinking or simply when he had shown her the place.
Stopping by a pharmacy and a convenience store, she arrived at the parking lot of his apartment, her hands now filled with groceries.
"This should be enough," she murmured sheepishly, glancing at the items in her bags. Most of it consisted of meat and spices—just the way he liked. However, she had to buy some vegetables that her mother cooked regularly whenever anyone was sick at home.
"Cu?"
Arriving at his door, she tapped a couple of times to get his attention, but all she received in response was silence.
She waited a few more seconds before knocking again.
"It's me, Rei. Can you open the door?"
Again, silence.
Was he in a deep sleep, and couldn't hear her? Worry crept into her mind. It was then The girl remembered The small gift he left her to use in case he ever got hammered again. Rummaging through her belongings, a small apartment key was retrieved which had the same numbers that were engraved on the wooden door.
Just as she was about to insert the key, she heard footsteps approaching the stairs. Thinking it was a neighbor at first, those thoughts were immediately thrown out of the window upon seeing the source of it. A loud shriek nearly escaped her mouth upon seeing the disturbing sight.
"Is that blood!?" A loud gasp escaped her lips as the bag fell to the floor along with its contents. The vegetables rolled up to the girl's feet who gave her a sheepish smile.
"...Um, I can explain."
{Break}
At that moment, Cu was at an impasse. The entire day went rather poorly, and what he wanted to achieve and discover had not come to be. He couldn't find the source, and at this point, he heavily suspected that it was already too late. It was like walking through a fog with no light to show him the path, leaving him alone to make the decision to uncover everything.
What would his master do in such a situation? Knowing her, she wouldn't hesitate to turn the city upside down to find every single last one of them and prevent things from spiraling out of control. Other names of famous and powerful people came to mind, but those ones would probably just destroy the entire town itself just to end it quickly. His shitty luck always found a way to bite him in the ass.
The wounds he suffered from stopping the bus weren't grave by any means—mostly minor injuries and a few patches of skin missing—nothing that wouldn't heal in a few days. Yet, he didn't anticipate someone waiting for him in front of his apartment.
"Oh my God, stay still! Where do you put your goddamn first aid kit!? You should have it somewhere more accessible so that people can find it and heal you! Is this it? Why is it filled with beer cans!? You better pray the bandages and medicine haven't expired or swear to god, I'll kick your ass! Stay still!"
Rei was a bundle of nerves at that moment, running around his apartment with a pale, panicked face, grabbing a first aid kit Kyoko had given him long ago when he first arrived, before starting to tend to his wounds. Cu found it amusing how she tried to clean the blood off his face but was so squeamish in touching it. He stayed quiet for the most part, letting her do her thing—it was best to let her release her frustrations and calm down.
"Were you attacked? I heard you once encountered a band of delinquent gangs in the streets! Did they try to get revenge on you again? Those bastards! Wait, did Shido send some of his father's goons after you? I swear, if he did, I'll report him to the fucking police! You look like you were hit by a truck!"
Wow, he wasn't sure if it was just a coincidence or this girl's intuition that led her to guess the answer. Pretty much on the dot, though he doubted she was going to believe him even if he admitted the truth.
"Calm down, lass," he said smoothly, grabbing her hands, making sure she was looking straight into his eyes. "Nah. There weren't any gangs or goons after me, and none of Shido's kiss-ass lackeys. Even if he did send people after me, I wouldn't be in this state. Besides, most of it's not that bad."
In response, he got a gentle smack on the head with a roll of bandages.
"Not that bad my ass! You look like you were halfway to the grave, you idiot! Some of the skin on your foot is missing and bleeding for goodness' sake!"
"Pfft, just a flesh wound. I'll be running like the wind and smacking your ass with a stick tomorrow fully heale—ouch!"
He got hit on the head again.
"Ouch! C'mon, for trying to make sure I don't die and treating my wounds, ya sure as hell are tryin' to give me a concussion with those hits!"
"Your skull is thick enough to take it! And if you have enough energy to make jokes, then you can take a few hits from me!" Though her words were harsh, she continued to clean his face gently with the washcloth, slowly going over his neck, hands, and even his feet. With all the blood gone, Cu hoped she understood that the injuries weren't as bad as they looked. Heck, he hadn't even break a sweat from the entire thing.
How her eyes gleaned at his body ever so slightly, the slight flush of red on her face, and the awkward silence after her scolding — all of these he noticed but continued to let her do her thing.
"Okay, I am done over there, n-now take… take off your sh-shirt." She said so quietly that he almost did not hear her.
"My shirt?" Still, he chose to act confused and see if she was able to say it again. The shit-eating grin on his face went unnoticed by the girl whose eyes were everywhere else but his face.
"I-It's just to make sure I didn't miss anything! Leaving a cut unattended could lead to a nasty infection, s-so Just shut up and take it off!" Though it was clear she was feeling embarrassed with how crimson her face continued to become, he found it amusing and wanted to see how much further he could push her. So, without wasting time, he tore off his shirt in a single motion, most of it already in tatters.
"—?!"
The girl was like a startled kitten, flinching at first and trying to compose herself with little success. "What's with the shy reaction? It's not the first time ye've seen me half-naked. I can take off my pants next if ya want, fair warning, I may or may not be going commando."
"Shut up and stay still you ass…"
He teased with a bigger grin, watching as she examined every inch of his torso, almost looking like she was lost in her own little world. Her hands slowly made their way to his chest, wiping away some of the blood that had seeped through his shirt. Her moves were slow, deliberate with her fingers slowly gliding over some parts without her even noticing what she was doing.
'Is this girl really this bold?' He had some doubts about whether or not she was going to go that far, then again, her confidence etched its way in other parts of a personality than in combat alone.
"It's hard to believe that you are around my age." She whispered silently, her guys not leaving his front. "I saw you shirtless before, that is true, It feels like some of your muscles are bigger than before." Her touch became more obvious, from poking several parts with both of her palms now pressing on his shoulders.
"Probably. Recently you can say I have been getting back in shape as I was in the past." He answered honestly with a shrug, at this point, he would catch up to his prime physical state in a matter of months. Perhaps even shorter if he actually trained as he used to with his teacher. "You don't need to be shy, feel me to your heart's content!"
"Ah!"
With his arm sneaking around Rei's waste, he pulled her closer, with her now practically seated on his lap. Grabbing her other arm and making them press firmly against his chest. "I might not show it, but I am pretty proud of my body. So if you're ever interested, then don't hesitate to cop a feel, I don't mind"
"I-I wasn't trying to do that!"
Her face looked like she was about to pass out at any moment, her eyes hazy and her heart beating like a drum. He could feel it from just being near her, yet she did not back off or push him away.
"... You haven't told me how you got hurt in the first place." After a minute, she managed to compose herself and ask the question that was occupying her mind. "If you're in trouble, I can ask my dad to help you. He is a bit frustrated lately, but I'm sure he can help out if I ask."
At that, he chuckled. "If only it was that… if only. I'd rather deal with a thousand gang members, go a whole year sober without a drop of beer, and a ten-hour lecture from my ma at the same time than what I have to deal with this morning."
Rather than lightening the atmosphere as you would have hoped, his words only made the girl more worried.
"You… did you get involved with the yakuza and the police?"
"Ha! No lass, You can rest assured that I don't have any problem with either of them yet." Knowing how to tell her the truth, he hated how complicated the matter was rather than it being a simple affair he could get done within a moment.
'Hey, this guy I beat up when I first came to town and I was tailing this one teacher who was involved with the disappearance of several kids. The guy happened to turn into an undead zombie somehow and later on I stopped a bus carrying them on the road with my bare hands. All of this blood on me was just from smashing their heads like watermelons.'
Yup, who the hell would believe what he said without him actually showing proof? The bodies were long burned just in case to avoid anything from spreading. His fire had long turned even the entire crumbled-up bus into ashes by now, making sure to not leave a trace.
Same for Wakisaka.
But he also could not just keep this matter hidden and deal with it at the last second when more of those things could show up.
"Would you believe me if I told you that I spent the entire day chasing the source of a sort of infection that has been spreading around turning people into zombies and happened to crash into the front of a bus while trying to stop them from leaving the town?" In the end, he really just said everything honestly. Lying wasn't his thing and brought more problems in the long run, so why even bother then?
Best to just come clean.
Of course, her reaction went just as he predicted.
"Take this seriously, Cu!" She exclaimed while hitting his chest with her fist, yet still doing so very gently that he could barely feel anything. "I'm worried about you, if something bad happens to you then who do you think will feel guilty? Me!"
Tch, he should have told Yoshito to take some evidence with that fancy phone of his to prove his point.
She let out a soft huff, crossing her arms as she leaned in, her head resting against his shoulder. The warmth of her body pressed against him, her chest subtly molding to his side with every breath she took. The faint fragrance of her shampoo-sweet, intoxicating-drifted up to his nose, making it impossible to ignore her proximity.
"Fine," she muttered, her voice carrying a sulky edge as her fingers traced absent patterns along his arm. "If you don't want to tell me, then don't." She shifted slightly, her lips almost brushing against his ears as she exhaled, her warmth seeping into him. "I'll just figure it out myself."
Damn, he actually felt a shiver there.
Was she doing so intentionally? If that were the case, then he truly was impressed by her rate of improvement. Maybe in a year or two, he'd actually have to be careful around her. "Getting quite comfortable there aren't you, Rei?"
"You're the one who pulled me close."
"I suppose that's true, but you're definitely enjoying it." He pointed out, "Still if anyone saw us, they might suspect something is going on between us. There are already plenty of rumors about us going around, you wouldn't want that would you?"
Those words were a challenge, and Rei wasn't going to let through, "And what's so bad about that?" She said stubbornly, looking him in the eyes, while her cheeks flushed. "You make it sound like it's a bad thing. Didn't you say that I was pretty beautiful compared to the other girls in school?"
"I did?" Maybe it was during practice or when he was drunk because the man had a hard time recalling ever saying that. "Well, it's not like this is a lie. But calling you beautiful and having us being in a relationship are two different things. If it's the latter then Igou and Taakashi will be pretty bummed. Not going to give them a chance?"
Rei hesitated, "... Igou is a good friend, I don't want things to become awkward between us, but even then I'm just not feeling it. As for Takashi, I… I don't know anymore."
"Hah, You kids and your love stories, why can't it be something simple where you can just speak your heart out to one another? I guarantee you it will save everyone a lot of time and avoid future problems and misunderstandings. Trust me, I have experience."
"Humph, there you go again with that."
"Jealous?"
"... Shut up."
Her mood visibly soured when he said that. This girl was being pretty moody today, he wondered what happened with her at school, she usually wasn't like this. Either something to do with Shido or Takashi, It was always one of these two.
So, he got an idea of how to break the awkward atmosphere and potentially snap her out of her current emotional state. "They are not bad people, one is just confused while the other lacks a bit of confidence. Give them time and I'm sure they'll become your type."
She raised her eyes slightly, her face closing in on his face, and she leaned closer to his body. "I am… tired of waiting."
He raised his eyebrow, placing a finger on her lips and stopping her, "Are you sure you're not rushing? You're still young, having plenty of time ahead of you to make a decision. Honestly, being around me will bring you plenty of bad luck, there is a reason why my relationships in the past were… complicated." She stopped in her tracks, disappointment flashing in her eyes as sheep pulled back with a slide bitter look.
Seeing her reaction, he rolled his eyes and gently raised her chin. "Eh? Wha—humph!" Her lips met his with a chaste kiss barely lasting for a few seconds until he pulled away. Something simple that made her look at him with surprise.
"There, do you feel better now?"
The way her mouth opened as she tried to say something but no words could be uttered made him chuckle.
"I suppose that answers my question, in any case, want to watch a movie?"
The atmosphere was immediately ruined as soon as he said that and pulled a remote out of nowhere, Rei once again looking at him having a hard time understanding what just happened.
"Also I need to take a shower, still some blood on me."
{Break}
(Half an hour later)
Time slipped from their mind and soon enough, Rei had fallen asleep on his bed while they were watching a movie — having been quiet the entire time. Truthfully, he never had any intentions of going that far with her today after that kiss, it was mostly to brighten her up a bit and also to see her reaction and what she truly thought.
Though he heavily suspected she would slap him tomorrow after fully digesting what happened today. Or maybe not.
In the darkness, Cu gently rubbed her head with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, but things might get messy in the near future. I don't know exactly what's happenin' or how to stop it from spreadin' anymore, but I can try to hold it back for just a small while longer or at the very least… make sure none of you end up as an undead."
With that said, his smile slowly died down as he put on a new set of clothes and walked out the door. The night was eerily silent, with no sign of life stirring. Each breath he took sent white fog escaping from his nose and lips, the cold air biting at his skin. Hard to imagine that such a peaceful place could potentially end up in fire and be covered in blood very soon.
"Okay, let's get this started then."
His figure blurred, the surroundings turning into streaks of color as he moved at great speeds across town. He took the shortest route, leaping across smaller rooftops before reaching the tallest building in the region. Scaling his way up with relative ease, he soon stood atop the highest point, overlooking the city. Able to see not just the school but even his own apartment complex.
"Few, it's probably gonna start snowing soon… a month or two maybe."
Now with the entire city below him, he took his time analyzing the layout, mapping everything out in his mind while sitting at the edge of the rooftop with a cigarette between his lips.
"Mountain-locked place with only a single road leading outside. Split into two main areas, the commercial district and the residential district, connected by a single bridge. Well isn't that a recipe for disaster, though I can use it to my advantage if the situation calls for it."
His gaze shifted from the mountains to the ocean on the opposite side, where the land curved into an almost crescent shape. His eyes briefly lingered on the distant island before looking past it, making a mental note of it for future reference.
"If an army of undead were to invade, then the mountain acts as a natural barrier. In that case, I'll just have to guard the entrance. Settin' up a few detection runes around the mountain shouldn't be too difficult, but I can't cover everything. I'll have to choose wisely where to set 'em up—places they could use to crawl in from the mountains."
Still, the city only had one viable escape route. If too many of those things appeared, people would panic and crowd the road, making evacuation nearly impossible. He was not sure about the exact time for the changes to take place upon being infected. Days, hours, or even minutes, all of them were a possibility depending on different people. If in the worst-case scenario, the change turned out to be something that could happen in a matter of minutes, then those areas were the last place for anyone to go.
"Not ideal."
When Yoshito had driven him around, Cu had gotten a good look at other parts of the city. He recalled that in the upper region, where the fancy houses were located, the terrain wasn't as steep around the mountains, allowing for multiple entry points from the outside.
"That doesn't help much if these creatures start turnin' from within the city. If I missed someone—which might be the case—then it's already too late." For all he knew, there could be several houses having those undead people wandering around or just standing there waiting for someone to come.
That was the worst-case scenario. If the infection had already spread inside, then there would be no point in defending the city. The best option would be to evacuate as many people as possible—at the very least, those he knew. All of this basically left him with two paths, each one having its own merits and disadvantages.
The frown on his face deepened as his thoughts drifted toward the outside world and his home country. Turning on his phone, he checked his messages again—still no response from his parents. Even the calls he had made to his old friends failed to connect. Any hope he once had had long since been extinguished. He had come to terms with reality.
"Damn it..."
Pressing his forehead against the screen, the man sighed, closing his eyes as memories of the people who raised him in this life flashed before him. They were good people—a hardworking father and a loving mother. What more could anyone ask for? He had always done his best not to be a burden on them, treating them as his own flesh and blood despite his true nature and origin. The mere thought of them being turned into those creatures—or worse, consumed by them—caused a surge of bloodlust to ooze from the former Servant of the Spear followed by the sensation of helplessness.
His grip on the phone tightened unconsciously, causing the screen to crack.
"...You shouldn't have sent me here, Ma. I always told you were too stubborn for your own good. You too, Pa."
He wanted to believe there was still a chance they had survived—that the only issue was some difficulty in reaching him due to unforeseen circumstances. Yet clinging to that hope without proof would only hinder him, and if the reality was far more gruesome, it would only bring more grief. He was no stranger to tragedy and loss, yet he still sat in silence for a moment, mourning the possible death of his family.
"I couldn't be there for them when they needed me the most... at least I can try to save people here. The human world is a bloody place regardless of the era or reality."
Was all of this some kind of cosmic joke? Being reborn into another world through unknown means, given a glimpse of a normal life he had never experienced, only for it all to be snatched away in an instant? Truly, the fate of heroes like him was cursed by the very gods. Taking a deep breath, he knew he couldn't mourn them forever… time waited for no one. Sitting around wouldn't change anything or get rid of the problem.
He imagined hearing the sarcastic voice of that bloody Archer mocking him. Then again, he wouldn't have minded having that bastard around—at least with his help, keeping this place safe would have been much easier.
"A'right, let's go. I can feel sorry for myself later on."
With no plans to sleep that night, he leaped from the rooftop, the rush of air whistling past his ears before landing effortlessly on the ground, the pavement slightly cracking beneath his feet. Without wasting another second, he took off, dashing through the city at inhuman speed. His ears remained sharp, listening for any noise, any disturbance that could signal the presence of those creatures.
His first stop was the western side of town, where he placed a few runes near the school. Then, he set up a few more in the mountains nearby, focusing on areas that could serve as potential entry points. Unlike Fuyuki, this place didn't have an abundance of leylines brimming with mana, but simple detection bounded fields and basic runes didn't require much energy. Within an hour, he had covered key locations around the town bordering the mountain's wilderness, leaving only the eastern side unchecked.
Taking the same route he had observed when Yoshito was driving him around, Cu wandered through the area until he came across a large clearing in the distance. Stepping forward, his path was halted by a massive set of wooden gates. They were tall and sturdy, reinforced with iron studs, and had a faded crest carved into the center. The surrounding walls, made of stone and wood, were covered in creeping vines, showing signs of age but still standing strong.
The walls encompassed a large portion of the region near the mountain.
With a bit of effort, he leaped over the heavy doors and saw the insides where he saw the large traditional Japanese manor. 'Only old-fashioned house here, not bad.'
The estate was spacious, with a main building standing in the center. Its dark wooden beams contrasted with white plaster walls, and the sloping tiled roofs curved slightly at the edges. Small paper lanterns hung under the eaves, swaying gently in the night breeze. The manor had a quiet, undisturbed air as if it had been untouched for a long time.
A stone pathway led from the entrance, cutting through a well-maintained garden. Neatly trimmed bushes lined the walkway, and a koi pond reflected the moonlight, its surface rippling as fish moved below.
The place was at least ten times bigger than the Emiya brat's house.
Several smaller buildings surrounded the main hall, their sliding shoji doors closed. Despite the well-kept appearance, the place felt empty—too quiet for a house of this size. There were no signs of movement, no voices, and no light inside.
Not wanting to make any noise or attract any attention, he quietly made his way deeper into the woods within the estate. Nothing, how there weren't even any security personnel around, which worked in his favor. Walking through the woods, he would carve a few runes on the barks of several trees.
Doing so until he came across another clearing leading to an old road.
"Does this also lead to the main road?" Cu muttered to himself.
Wanting to check, he followed the path, making sure to place more runes along the way. The road was cracked and uneven, with patches of moss and weeds growing through the gaps. The further he went, the denser the trees became, their branches intertwining overhead and casting long shadows.
After several minutes, he reached a point where the road had once connected to the main highway, only to find it completely blocked. Large boulders and fallen trees had piled up from what appeared to be an old rockslide. The debris was weathered, covered in moss and dirt, suggesting that whatever had caused it happened long ago.
"Must have been like this for years," he muttered, stepping closer to inspect the blockage. He placed a hand on one of the larger rocks, feeling its rough surface. "No way a car's getting through here, but a person can squeeze by if they don't mind the climb."
With that thought, he took a moment to scan the area, making sure no creatures were lurking nearby before continuing forward.
"Hm?"
Just as he was about to head back, his ears twitched at the faint sound of something crashing in the distance. His body tensed, and he snapped his head around, eyes narrowing as he spotted black smoke rising into the sky. The dark plume twisted against the backdrop of the woods, the flickering orange glow at its base confirming a fire had started.
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the source, covering the distance in seconds. When he arrived, he found a scene of destruction—several trees broken and splintered, a section of the guardrail completely torn away, and a wrecked van that had crashed against a massive boulder. The front end was crumpled inward from the impact, and the flames licking at the exposed metal threatened to consume what remained of the vehicle.
But Cu's focus was on the driver.
A man slumped over the wheel, unconscious, his chest barely moving. The fire creeping along the frame was dangerously close to engulfing him.
"Oi!" Cu shouted, rushing forward. He grabbed the door handle, but the dented metal refused to budge. With a scowl, he simply tore the entire door off its hinges and tossed it aside before reaching in to pull the man free. His body was limp, heavier than expected, but Cu dragged him away from the burning wreckage without difficulty.
Once they were a safe distance away, he lowered him to the ground and gave him a few sharp slaps across the face.
"Hey, wake up."
A raspy, pained groan escaped the man's lips. He coughed violently, his body trembling as he started to regain consciousness. He observed his condition—his clothes were torn, his skin covered in bruises and scratches, but what stood out the most was the gaping wound on his shoulder. A chunk of flesh had been torn away as if something had bitten deep into him.
"H-Help… m-me…" the man wheezed, his weak, bloodied hand clutching onto Cu's arm.
His expression remained neutral, though his mind was already putting the pieces together. "What happened?" asked the former Servant of the Spear, voice calm but firm. "I'll help you, but you need to tell me what happened first."
The man struggled to speak, his breaths ragged. "I-I… We… we were about to be overrun by them…" His fingers twitched, his grip tightening ever so slightly. "T-Too many… A-Ayumi a-and… they need trea… treatment…"
More blood dribbled from his lips, his body wracked with tremors. Cu could tell he wouldn't last much longer. He had already lost too much blood. But what concerned him more was the implication behind his words.
"So it's already spread to other places, huh?" Cu muttered under his breath. That confirmed it—this outbreak hadn't started here. If anything, it had come from outside. Worse still, there was a chance that multiple outbreaks had begun simultaneously in different regions.
He cast a glance back at the van, remembering how the man had mentioned this Ayumi. Yet, when he arrived, this person was the only one inside.
And that bite mark…
Cu's eyes darkened. He didn't have time to ask more questions. The man's grip weakened, and his eyes started to glaze over. Tears streamed down his face as his final words left his lips in a whisper.
"M-My wife… needs help…"
Then, silence.
The man had passed.
Even if he wasn't sure whether people could turn after already dying, he preferred avoiding taking the risk. With a flick of his hand, he set the body ablaze, watching as the flames consumed it before shifting his focus elsewhere.
"There we go."
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings. Despite the dense forest, he spotted trails of blood leading away from the crash site. Footprints. Several of them, heading toward the city.
At least two… no, three people… one who could barely walk amongst them.
His gaze followed the trail, his mind working quickly. Why had they abandoned the man? Did they already know he was infected? If they were trying to save someone else, why leave him behind?
It didn't matter. The important part was where they were going.
He followed the trail through the trees, moving swiftly yet silently. It wasn't long before his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of frantic breathing. The rustling of branches. The hurried crunch of footsteps against fallen leaves.
"—Quick! We're almost at Tokonosu! There should be a doctor there that can treat her!"
His eyes sharpened as he spotted them—a group of three, two middle-aged men supporting a woman in a mostly torn sundress between them. All of them looked to be in rough shape, blood staining their clothes, exhaustion clear in their expressions.
"Don't give up yet, Ayumi, hold on for a little longer! We are almost there, just don't give up yet, please! I promised I would save you!"
The woman, her face obscured by her hair, barely seemed conscious. But Cu noticed something else.
Blood.
Around her mouth.
His suspicions solidified.
One of the men suddenly stiffened, eyes widening as he pointed forward. "Wait, Hikaru! There's someone there!"
Cu casually leaned against a tree as soon as they noticed his presence, raising a hand in greeting. "Yo."
The one called Hikaru reacted instantly, his hand darting into his pocket and pulling out a gun. He aimed it straight at Cu, his grip unsteady but his intent clear.
"S-Stay back!"
Cu arched an eyebrow. "Wow. That's an extreme way to greet someone you just met in the middle of the woods After a car crash." He tilted his head slightly. "You three don't seem to be in the best condition. Your friend back there could've used a hand getting out of his van before he died."
Both men tensed, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Daiki… you think it's another one of them?" Hikaru muttered.
Daiki hesitated, his expression unsure. Instead of answering, he turned to Cu and spoke urgently. "You! Help us get our friend to the nearest hospital! She's in bad shape and needs urgent care! Ayumi won't last much longer!"
The woman, Ayumi, gave no reaction. She barely seemed aware of what was happening. Even from this distance, he heard her shallow breathing and how faint it was becoming.
Cu exhaled through his nose, already knowing what he had to do.
"Sorry, my friend," he said calmly with a shake of his head. "As much as I'd like to help you three and get you some much-needed medical attention… I'm afraid I can't let you go any further."
The color drained from the two men's faces. Their panic was immediate.
"Wait! We're not infected! Can't you see? We have no bites on us!"
Cu shook his head again. "That may be true." His gaze flicked toward Ayumi. "But I wasn't talking about you two."
Both men stiffened. Hikaru's grip on his gun tightened with his fingers now slowly pressing over the trigger, his body trembling.
"Shut the hell up! What the fuck do you know about her!?" he snapped. "She's just injured! She needs help! She's not one of them!"
"Oi, Hikaru—"
"This is the only way, Daiki! We have to do whatever it takes to save Ayumi!" Hikaru barked before turning back to Cu, his expression desperate. "You, whoever the hell you are, lead us to Tokonosu! Now! Or else—"
Cu sighed, The signs were all there, they were aware of how those undead looked and even managed to escape from a place filled with them yet they were in denial of that woman's state.
"Look, it's admirable that you're trying to save her." He crossed his arms. "But you need to face reality. She's long gone. And if you two don't get away from her soon… you'll be next."
Bang!
The gunshot echoed through the forest, a thin trail of smoke drifting from the barrel as a fresh hole appeared in the bark of a tree—just inches from Cu's head. Yet, despite the clear warning shot, he remained unimpressed, his gaze locked onto the man trembling with anger before him.
"I said shut the hell up!" Hikaru barked, his hands gripping the gun tightly. "Do you know what I have in my hand!? It's a fucking gun! If you think you can stop us, or if you value your damn life, then you better start listening to what we're asking!"
Cu let out a slow exhale, his patience thinning. It was clear these people weren't going to listen.
Daiki, on the other hand, was desperate for a peaceful resolution. He stepped forward slightly, his expression pleading. "You don't understand what we had to go through just to escape Tokoname… please, we don't want more bloodshed. I'll give you everything I have—all the money I have will be yours! I'm well off, I can pay you anything, just… help us—"
His words never finished.
A sickening crunch filled the air as the woman in his arms suddenly twitched to life, lunging at him like a rabid animal. Her jaws clamped down onto his neck, tearing through flesh, veins, and tendons in one brutal motion. Blood sprayed in all directions as she yanked away a chunk of his throat, the gory strands stretching before snapping apart.
Daiki's gurgled scream was drowned out by Hikaru's panicked reaction—his finger tightening on the trigger.
Bang!
Cu ducked in time, the bullet whizzing past him as he shot forward with inhuman speed. The woman turned to attack him next, but before she could even react, his hand lashed out. His fingers cut through her neck like a blade, snapping the vertebrae in an instant before severing her head completely. The severed head spun in the air, lifeless eyes still staring at him as more blood gushed from the gaping wound. Her body collapsed onto the dirt with a dull thud.
Wiping off the streak of blood from his cheek despite there being more everywhere else, he couldn't help but sigh again at the outcome. "See? I told you it was too late for her." He turned his gaze toward Hikaru, who had stumbled back, still gripping his gun with shaking hands. "And because of your decision, your friend just died. Was it worth it?"
Hikaru's breath came in short, ragged bursts. His grip on the gun tightened, his knuckles turning white as he stared at the scene in shock. Then his eyes locked onto Cu with burning rage.
"You killed her! You killed her!" His voice cracked, filled with hysteria. "How could you do that to Ayumi!? She was my… she was my… how dare you!"
Cu raised an eyebrow at the way Hikaru's voice trailed off. Even in the chaos, it was obvious—there had been something between him and the woman, despite her being married to the first guy. A tragic little love triangle, but nothing that mattered now.
Hikaru's grief twisted into fury, his body trembling as he raised the gun once more. "I'll kill you… I'll kill you for this, you goddamn monster! You're no different from them!"
Just as his finger started to squeeze the trigger—
A shadow flickered behind him.
A wooden katana struck Hikaru's skull with full force, the impact sending a sharp crack through the air. His eyes rolled back, and his body crumpled to the ground, the gun slipping from his grasp.
Cu whistled, more impressed than surprised, even going so far as to clap his hands. He turned to the figure that had emerged from the darkness, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Nice strike. I was wonderin' how long you were gonna follow me like a rat."
From the shadows, Saeko stepped forward, breathing a bit haggardly with sweat dripping down her forehead. Given the speed he was moving previously, the fact that she managed to run all the way here was nothing to scoff at. Especially when she wore a loose kimono, the fabric slightly askew, revealing a generous portion of her cleavage and thighs. Despite her state, the girl's sharp eyes remained locked onto him.
"Just what the hell is going on here… and who are you really?"
Her lack of fear intrigued him. Even with the blood splattered across his face, she didn't flinch, didn't recoil in disgust. If anything, she was analyzing him, trying to figure him out. He took that as a good sign.
He grinned. "Just a guy trying to keep his home safe." He stretched his shoulders, then gestured toward her wooden weapon. "As for what's going on… let's just say you might need to get a real sword soon."
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.