Beta read by Shigiya
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-Kuoh-
It had completely slipped my mind that someone like Gabriel, a Seraph no less, had taken up the role of a teacher in this school. Honestly, who could blame me? Between traveling to the Underworld, handling that ridiculous young devils gathering, the string of battles that came afterward, and finally taking a direct punch from a man who could probably bench-press a mountain just because he felt like it, remembering her existence had sort of fallen through the cracks. It wasn't something I was proud to admit, but it was the truth.
And of course, when it came to my luck, I managed to get on her bad side—which was a shock to the blonde Seraph as well.
"You go to the Underworld, surround yourself with plenty of beautiful women to indulge in your lust, come back and openly flirt like some kind of deviant in school, no less! How sinful, shameful, just! Just! So dirty! humph!" Gabriel remarked, voice light yet carrying that faint sting of judgment which did not truly feel like it naturally belonged there, while giving me one of the cutest pouts in creation.
I raked my fingers across the nape of my neck, already feeling that dull headache massing at the base of my skull. Well, no sense in pushing her when she already looked out of sorts; I needed to smooth things over, so I figured I'd stick by her side for the walk home instead of blinking back to my house the way I usually did.
We took a shortcut through nearly deserted streets, each step punctuated by the click of our shoes on hard pavement. A car would ghost by now and then, headlights glancing over us, gone a moment later. She walked beside me, perfectly at ease, while I trailed just half a beat behind. Once or twice students passed, waving at her, clearly enamored, and then throwing me questioning looks like they couldn't quite make sense of why I, of all people, was keeping pace with the most beautiful teacher in the whole school. The curiosity in their eyes practically trailed after us, even after we turned the corner and the street was our own again.
"I wasn't flirting with her," I said, tone louder than intended. "The last thing I'd ever do is get involved with Raynare. She'd rather enslave herself to some random human off the street than be anywhere near me like that. She wouldn't even think twice about it."
The words came out blunt, maybe even cruel, but they were the only honest way to describe things between us. We were allies on paper, but in reality, there was always that invisible wall between us. She tolerated me because circumstances forced her to. Deep down, I was certain she still carried the memory of our first meeting like a splinter under her skin, not that my actions back then were any better, with how volatile I was back then. Add in her lingering bitterness toward humanity in general, and there was no way she saw me as anything more than a nuisance.
"That's a bit insensitive, Hachi-kun," Gabriel cut in, her disapproving look inflicting far more damage than anything else, both physically and mentally. Still, I turned to her, surprised. I had expected her to take Raynare's side in such a manner.
"The young woman may be a fallen, but she is still one of our Father's children," Gabriel continued, voice soft while looking at the sky with sadness flashing across her pupils. "She is, in a way, my sister. And I can tell from the depths of my heart that she does not hate you like you think. Quite the opposite, she enjoyed being around you in that room more than anything else!"
That serene smile of hers, paired with words spoken in such genuine faith, left me unable to let out a sarcastic quip while brutally cutting down that belief. Urgh, how could someone be so wholesomely radiant that every passing second felt like my presence served no other purpose to taint that purity? I stayed silent, watching her shiny blonde hair catch the faint breeze while she kept speaking.
"She can be harsh and guarded because the world hasn't been kind to her. But there is still good in her. Her wings may be black, yet her heart remains that of an angel."
"Are we actually talking about the same Raynare?" I asked finally, unable to picture the saintly image this woman was trying to paint to one of the bitchiest Fallens I'd ever had the displeasure of meeting.
"You don't agree with me?"
"I'm not saying she's evil," I replied, shaking my head slightly. "Mostly she's reckless, selfish at times, but not heartless. Definitely not the generous kind either, if you know what I mean."
There were a lot more crasser ways to describe Raynare, but I didn't want another scolding from Gabriel.
"Then why did she save you all those months ago?" she asked. The question hit harder than I expected, leaving me quiet for a moment. Months ago? There's only one incident that came to mind that involved the foul mouth slave of mine.There could only be a single moment she was referring to. "Back when you were sent on that mission to retrieve a shard of the Grail, I heard everything from Michael. How you were at death's door. How she risked her life to save you. That isn't something many people would do, yet she did it for you."
"She had a reason," I said frankly. Back then, we were still at each other's throats with little to no goodwill between us, given how we were practically forced together by Azazel. "I was her only ticket out. If I had died, she would've been next."
At least, that was the excuse I clung to. Lately, though, something in the back of my mind had been muttering things I didn't want to hear. Like a faint voice poking at holes in my reasoning, pointing out details I wanted to ignore. It reminded me that someone like Seth wouldn't have lifted a finger for her if I had died, kind of a waste of effort in his eyes, I figured. He wouldn't even have bothered to kill her out of spite. No, she would have survived just fine if she had chosen to stay out of it. The thought kept circling, like an irritating fly I couldn't swat.
Back then, there had been a soul-bonding contract between us, yes. That alone could have been reason enough for her to intervene, right? Maybe she didn't want to die because the terms bound her fate to mine. It was a logical explanation when looking at it from that perspective.
Except it wasn't entirely true.
My understanding of those contracts had grown since then, after the hours I had spent under Scathach's tutelage. She made it clear that her life wouldn't have ended with mine. The Fallen would have been weakened, sure. Injured or crippled, probably. But death? No. She would have lived. Which meant she hadn't saved me out of self-preservation. That left the question of why, and I didn't like the answer that kept coming back too.
"Well," I said, more to myself than anyone else, "I guess there's something inside that girl I haven't figured out yet. Buried somewhere deep in that… colorful personality of hers."
"Hehehe, I knew it," she said suddenly, with a bright smile that even the passing people couldn't help but do a double-take. "Hachi-kun's heart is kinder than he wants anyone to believe, and I am sure you'll bring out her true self. One day, she'll laugh and smile for real without hiding behind that prickly personality of hers."
"..."
Her smile really was so blinding, I didn't bother pointing out that, factually, Raynare was already showing her true self. There was no mask she was putting on to hide her vulnerable self; saying otherwise would most likely have her throwing up before tearing the one that said that limb by limb. The more I thought about it, the more apparent it became that Gabriel was most likely confusing the Amano Yuuma and Raynare personalities. Not that I planned to get into that mess by pointing that out, not that Gabriel would believe, with that wholesome 'there's good in everyone' mindset.
Instead, I steered the conversation elsewhere. "Weren't you supposed to be angry at me? Or does this mean you've forgiven me already?" I asked, glancing sideways while sipping the coffee of the gods I had stockpiled all over my room and the clubroom like some paranoid survivalist since Aika started to get hooked on this stuff. Worst case scenario was that Asia would also get a taste of it.
"Oh!" Her eyes went wide. It was obvious she had forgotten her original reason for cornering me in the first place. She scrambled to pull herself together, walking ahead briskly as if that could hide the expression on her face.
"I-I'm still angry at you! So angry." She declared, but her tone wasn't convincing. If anything, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself of it.
If Asia and Gabriel shared one common trait, it was that they were easier to read than they thought. If she were anything like the nun I had met for the first time all those months ago, I already had an idea of how to lift her mood.
"Want to grab something to eat? There's a Saizeriya nearby. Best food in town in my humble opinion and it's been a while since I last we—urgh," I said, trying to sound casual at first, but didn't even get to finish the sentence before she turned so fast her face nearly collided with mine. The giant smile she wore practically took up her whole face.
"Yes! I would love to!"
Her mood swung so violently, I started thinking she was physically incapable of holding onto anger for more than a few seconds and had to rebound somehow. Also, she was absurdly strong. Before I knew it, I was being dragged along at a speed that made cars look slow.
"Wait! The restaurant's on the other street! You're heading straight for the church!" I shouted, half airborne.
"Oh my, force of habit. Let's go before it closes!" she said cheerfully, nearly dislocating my shoulder when doing an abrupt turn that I was sure was not humanly possible without serious harm on their body.
"It won't close for another six hours, you lunatic!" I said, though I doubted she heard me… too busy sprinting like this was some kind of competition.
Since I was basically being ragdolled through the air by someone with the strength of a tank, I decided to at least make use of the time. Fishing out my phone mid-flight, I called Akeno and Rias to let them know what was happening. The last thing I needed was them panicking because I didn't make it back on time.
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(A few minutes later)
Just as I expected, what I considered to be heaven disguised as a humble little establishment turned out to be an excellent choice. Our newest resident, someone who had been cautious since arriving in this city, was practically glowing the moment she tasted the pasta dish in front of her.
"This is just as good as the food I had at the Vatican!"
Okay, I wouldn't go that far. It was hard for me to picture people like that being stingy enough not to hire highly acclaimed chefs whenever a messenger of God came down to mingle with us mortals. For all I knew, they probably had whole armies of chefs making meals fit for kings. It was the Vatican, after all. Then again, they were the same people who had excommunicated Asia so blatantly, so it wasn't like my opinion couldn't go any lower, and would be a long time before that changed.
"Are you going to eat that?"
That snapped me out of my thoughts. The biggest surprise so far wasn't the food or even how casually she fit into the noisy atmosphere around us. It was the fact that this woman turned out to be a bottomless pit. This was already her third plate, and we hadn't even been here for half an hour.
"Sure, you can have a piece," I said, nudging my plate a little closer toward her.
Gabriel's face brightened as she grabbed a few ravioli from the edge of my dish, her smile growing wider with each bite. She looked like someone tasting freedom for the first time, enjoying something as simple as a meal in a place that didn't come with divine duties attached to it.
"This is heaven," she murmured between bites.
"It sure is," I replied, watching her expression closely. Seeing someone like her relax this much in such a simple setting was strange. For all her power and grace, she was looking at this restaurant like it was some priceless treasure.
But as I sat there, my mind drifted back to something else I had seen earlier. Her wings, that faint shift in color that didn't make sense, no matter how many times I replayed it in my head. I remembered Michael himself mentioning that someone like Gabriel could not fall. If that were really true, then what had I seen?
The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. Part of me pictured Heaven's entire army descending on me if I had actually done something to cause her to fall, spears and swords pointed at my throat while Michael himself scowled like I had just committed the ultimate crime. On the other hand, knowing him, he would probably show up just as quickly to pat me on the back for giving his sister a reason to smile. That man had issues.
Maybe because he has the whole weight of Heaven on his shoulders.
"I always wanted to try going out to restaurants like normal people. It's so lively and colorful out here," Gabriel said suddenly, her eyes roaming around the busy room.
"You didn't go out much back in Italy or at the Vatican? I mean, I know Michael kept you pretty sheltered, but you're telling me you never went out just for fun? Not even once?"
"It only happened once. Maybe twice if I count the day when my brother brought me to one of the establishments opened by someone from the Vatican. But it was always in a heavily guarded area, with our brethren and members of the clergy watching over the place."
The more she talked, the sadder it sounded. Sheltered didn't even begin to cover it. It was unbelievable, especially considering she was one of the most powerful beings walking the earth. This wasn't about protecting her from physical harm, so why all the restrictions? Was he just that protective?
Then again, older siblings in this world had a habit of being obsessive. Maybe he wasn't all that different from Sirzechs or Serafall when it came to their younger siblings.
"Eh?" I blinked when I felt something soft against my cheek. I had only taken my eyes off her for a second, and now Gabriel's hand was on my face, her touch warm and gentle. Her skin was flawless, smooth like porcelain. It was almost dangerous how someone could look like that and still act so innocent.
"Does it still hurt?" she asked quietly.
I realized she was talking about the fight.
"No. Most wounds from the Rating Game heal after the match ends. My head took the worst of it, but I'm fine now," I said, though the memory of my brain rattling around inside my skull wasn't exactly pleasant.
"Asia and I had been watching the fight from the sidelines, and she was cheering for you the entire time," her voice full of genuine concern yet carrying this soft tone that somehow made the whole thing feel oddly lighthearted. She looked so utterly earnest while doing so that it was almost disarming. "Both of us nearly fainted when you were sent flying halfway across the field after taking that hit square in the chest. I swear my own stomach lurched as if I had been the one punched through the air instead of you. I almost did something that would've gotten big brother angry at me."
My gaze slid toward her, my eyes narrowing slightly. "Please don't tell me you were seriously considering storming the entire Underworld on your own again?"
She froze, her smile twisting into something painfully awkward as her eyes darted anywhere but toward me. "I have… uhm… n-no idea what you're talking about… w-what a nice day today, isn't it?"
Her voice cracked halfway through, the lie falling apart as quickly as it left her mouth. She could never fake anything to save her life. The woman might as well carry a sign reading a terrible liar around her neck and watching her fidget like that… I had to press my lips together to stop myself from laughing. Not that there was anything remotely funny about Gabriel of all people potentially deciding to personally intervene in something as absurd as this, but her expression was so transparently guilty that the amusement slipped in anyway.
Still, I chose to trust her brother when he swore he could keep her in line. He was supposed to be the responsible one after all. Then again, I wasn't entirely convinced, given he let her teach in Kuoh Academy of all places. Maybe ridiculousness ran in the family. Thinking about it now, Serafall and Gabriel shared more traits than I originally believed.
After that, rather than driving straight back home, Gabriel decided to take a longer route. The car rolled lazily along the quiet streets until we passed through the park on the edge of town. The place looked exactly the same as it had years ago, almost like time had simply skipped over it. The benches were still there, the pond still had the same faint shimmer from the lamps nearby, and even the playground in the corner looked like it had been frozen in time. For a moment, it felt strange seeing something in this town remain untouched by all the chaos that usually followed in its wake.
"This town is peaceful," Gabriel said, her voice calm but carrying that gentle tone she always seemed to have. Even though we were sitting at a rather secluded spot in the park, her presence alone drew attention. It was the kind of attention you couldn't really avoid when someone looked the way she did. "There may not be many here who follow Father, but seeing people live this comfortably without hardships… it makes me happy."
She spoke while watching a group of kids chasing each other near the fountain. Their laughter echoed faintly across the open space, mixing with the soft rustle of leaves above us.
"You've been enjoying your time here," I said, not as a question but more as an observation.
Gabriel nodded lightly, her golden hair catching the faint light from the lampposts. "This place has its charm, even with all the chaos it tends to attract. It's strange, though… Most of the time, the only thing that ever gets destroyed is the school. You would expect more damage, but no, always the school."
I had no idea whether she was joking or serious, but with everything that's happened, I couldn't outright say that she was wrong.
"Hopefully, all of that is behind us," she continued. "Now that I'm here, I've taken it upon myself to protect the school and my precious students."
That made me raise an eyebrow.
"Getting quite attached to them already?" I asked before realizing it was a pointless question. Of course, she was attached. She was Gabriel.
"Yes," she replied without hesitation, smiling faintly. "They're all so kind. Whenever I get lost in my lessons, they help me get back on track. They bring me small gifts, little snacks, things like that. The boys, especially, are very enthusiastic. They've invited me to join the swimming club many times. I didn't know they were so passionate about sports."
My eye twitched. I had a sinking suspicion about which boys she meant. Matsuda and Motohama… it had to be them. Two of the most infamous and shameless perverts, with only a handful of brain cells shared between them, at Kuoh Academy, definitely not members of any swimming club, and definitely not subtle with their motives. Their intentions were clearer enough that even a monkey would see the pattern.
Still, the mental image of Gabriel in a swimsuit slipped into my mind before I could stop it. Even someone like me wasn't immune to that temptation. She had the kind of beauty that could probably make entire crowds lose their sanity if she so much as smiled in their direction while wearing one. I quickly pushed the thought aside before it could go any further. The last thing this town needed was me joining Matsuda and Motohama in their stupidity.
"You don't look very happy about what I said," Gabriel said, noticing my expression.
"It's not that," I replied quickly. "But maybe it's better not to go along with everything those two suggest. The girls might have pure intentions, most of them anyway, but those two are definitely trying to talk you into a swimsuit so they can take pictures and sell them later. Probably to half the school."
"Then what's the problem with that?" she asked, tilting her head.
I turned my head slowly to look at her, certain I had misheard. But no, she looked genuinely confused.
"If swimming a few laps makes people happy, then I don't see the issue. It isn't a sin," she said simply.
Technically, she wasn't wrong. But this woman was far too innocent for her own good.
"You wouldn't be committing any sins," I muttered, "but you'd definitely make others fall into lust easily."
"Does that include you, too?"
"Of course," I answered before I could even stamp down the honest response.
Her eyes shifted toward me, unreadable at first but focused in a way that made me regret answering so quickly.
"I've told the others before," I continued, feeling the need to explain, "I'm no noble man who can just ignore the beauty of women like some dense protagonist. I have my weaknesses, and I've made peace with them. It would be unfair and hypocritical of me to pretend otherwise. That's why I'm telling you to be careful."
She was quiet for a moment before speaking again, softer this time. "But… I wouldn't mind if you fell into lust looking at me."
Her words hit harder than expected. A wave of heat ran through me as if she had whispered something far more dangerous. My head snapped toward her, eyes wide, only to see her watching me closely.
"I've known you for a while now," she continued, "I know you're not a bad person. You'd never hurt me."
"You're overestimating me," I replied quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up at those honest and pure words. "I'm no saint."
"I don't want you to be a saint," she said quietly. "I just want you to be Hachiman."
Her words lingered in the air. It was the kind of thing that could almost make someone feel moved, though deep down I couldn't shake the feeling that something about this situation was just a little off. I tried to stay calm and think very carefully of my next answer, "Cough, hm, eh… Well, I'm glad you are this comfortable around me. It's quite nice when you have friends who are open around each other, never thought I would say something like this in my younger days."
I hoped my message got across without hurting her too much. She was still new to this whole relationship thing, despite being an entity older than my ancestry combined, Gabriel was no different to a naive girl who could fall prey to the most obvious of lies and misunderstand certain emotions for something else.
"So does that mean I can wear a swimsuit around you and have you fall to lust around me without worry?"
Why the hell did the topic of the swimsuit keep coming up!?
"Pft-hahaha!" Out of nowhere, the older woman started to laugh, so taken aback by her reaction, I watched her get up and walk in front of me while giving me a small, cheeky grin. "You make the funniest expressions with your eyes, Hachi-kun." It took a few seconds for my mind to process what had just occurred until it finally dawned on me… I got punked… by Gabriel, no less.
"Hah," A sigh escaped my lips, not a sigh of disappointment but rather relief. "Hahaha… You really got me there. I guess I was just getting a bit paranoid because I feared you might fall if people kept telling you to do such things and for you to get along with them so easily. Eh?"
My confusion was soon replaced by disbelief when my front view was covered by strands of blonde hair and pale blue eyes getting closer to me until I felt the soft touch of her lips against mine, the aftertaste of the strawberry cheesecake she ate earlier still lingering on them, along with her natural fragrance, making my head spin.
Woosh!
Several pure white wings unfurled behind her, twelve majestic wings only belonging to a Seraph being on full display, with every person around the park having at one point disappeared. She pulled back, a smile on her face as she whispered silently, "Why would I need to fall in the first place over such a small matter?"
"..."
My mind drew blanks, for I had no answers to that.
"My intentions are not malicious, my feelings are pure, I am not going against my father's wishes, nor am I breaking any rules. And as you can see, nothing has changed." She caressed my face once more before leaving another kiss on my forehead. "I'm just happy being around you, so take that as you will. I just don't want you to be afraid around me or to hesitate because you are looking out for me. Just understand that I know the rules just like Michael, I am not as clueless or naive as you're thinking. In fact… You are the naive one, Hachi-kun. I find that endearing."
I try to say something, anything, rather than remaining mute like an idiot. But that opportunity never came, as for some reason, she just went on and teleported away before my eyes. Disappearing in the flash of white light and leaving me all by myself.
Or at least… that was what I thought until I heard the sound of hands clapping from nearby.
"What an amazing scene! I told you, didn't I, mother, this guy is filled with surprises! It's always fun hanging around him, you never get bored!"
My heart was still beating far too fast for comfort, like a car engine refusing to idle. Not because I was flustered or embarrassed or feeling any of those overwrought emotions some cliché anime protagonist would be drowning in right now. No, this was a colder, more practical kind of fear crawling through my chest. Every few seconds, my eyes flicked skyward, half-expecting the air itself to split apart and rain down a host of furious angels brandishing spears with my name on them.
Meanwhile, the man beside me strolled along as if nothing in the world could bother him. He was busy showing his mother around the city, speaking as though he were a tour guide rather than someone whose presence alone could start a war if handled poorly.
"He's the one who managed to win over Rias, Akeno, two fallen angels, an exorcist, an actual Valkyrie, a Nekoshou and now Heaven's most beloved daughter," Sairaorg announced loudly, clapping a hand on my shoulder with a grin far too wide for my liking. "I told you, didn't I? Quite the impressive guy! The numbers just keep rising. I might have to give my Queen a warning if I don't want her to be stolen hahaha!"
His mother gave a small, amused chuckle at that while my brain threatened to short-circuit.
"This isn't funny!" I snapped, throwing my hands up. "Do you have any idea what will happen if something like that spreads? Someone will hunt me down for the rest of my life! And what the hell are you even doing here!? Shouldn't you be back in the underworld at some banquet or council meeting or whatever it is devils usually attend?"
"Why would I be at a banquet?" he replied lightly. "I lost the last rating game, remember? My father and grandfather would rather choke than see my face right now."
He said it so cheerfully that it took me a second to realize just how depressing that actually sounded. His mother's smile softened into something smaller, more fragile, as she laid a hand gently on his shoulder.
"Don't mind him, dear," Misla Bael said. "Your father can be difficult, but he truly cares. Give him time. He will come around eventually."
"There's no need to worry about any of that, Mother," he replied calmly. "I'm not concerned whether he changes his mind or not. If he wants to talk, we can talk. I'll be right here at least until I finish my studies."
My brain screeched to a halt like a record player grinding off-track. "What do you mean, finish your studies?" I asked slowly, a pit forming in my stomach.
"Well, I took your advice to heart," he said with a shrug. "The underworld felt too crowded. Too many politics, too many people waiting for me to fail. Not great for my mother's recovery either. So I thought, why not come to the place you recommended? While she recovers, I might as well stay and study a bit. Seems peaceful enough, right?"
"You are a bad liar," I said flatly, not even bothering to hide the disbelief in my voice. It wasn't hard to see through him. His mother looked fine, better than fine, actually. Her skin had that ridiculous glow people pay good money for in commercials, the kind that makes beauty products sell out in hours. She didn't look like someone who had just woken up. No bags under her eyes, no sluggish posture, no telltale signs of fatigue. If I hadn't known they were mother and son, they could've passed for one of those staged TV families used to promote happy, healthy lifestyles. And there he was, standing next to her, smirking like he had just won something.
"Since you're saying that, you should already know why I'm here."
"I'm not fighting you."
The words slipped out before I could think too much about them. Like I'd want to fight him of all people. The idea itself sounded ridiculous, as if I'd need to be drunk out of my mind to even consider it. My current condition didn't help either. Picking a fight now would be about as smart as running headfirst into a moving train.
"But I do," he said, almost too casually. "You have no idea how much I'm holding back right now to tackle you to the ground."
"You're making it sound more intimate than it should be," I muttered, keeping my tone dry. "Listen, you might not believe me, but there's a complicated reason behind all this."
"I know. You can't use your Sacred Gear for a while, can you?"
I paused. That… wasn't even asked like a question. More like he already knew the answer. Did Sirzechs tell him? I hadn't exactly asked the guy to keep it secret, but it wasn't the kind of thing you expected to hear casually dropped in conversation.
"No, it wasn't Sirzechs who told me," he said before I could speak.
My brow twitched. "Can you read minds?"
"No, but I can read your eyes."
"Well, please stop. I already have two girlfriends."
"I think you mean three girlfriends now, right?"
My headache flared the moment he said that. Of course, he'd bring it up. I still hadn't figured out how I was supposed to handle that tomorrow. Maybe she had acted without thinking, copying what she saw around her like some sort of misguided attempt at closeness because of some show or influenced by the girls at school. But no, she wasn't a kid. She knew what she was doing. At least, I refused to believe she didn't.
"It was actually Serafall who told me," he added.
"What?"
And before I could ask what that meant, the guy decided to take off his shirt. In public. Several people who somehow just returned on the scene now turned to look, mostly women, and a few even gasped like they were watching a celebrity on stage. I ignored the collective swooning and focused on the large bruise right in the middle of his chest.
"She paid me a visit," he said. "Wanted to even the odds. Left me with some information, too. Helped me understand why you threw in the towel back then."
That crazy woman. Was she planning to hurt anyone who fought me? I really hoped not, I did not want to deal with a magical girl obsessed with potential yandere with the powers of a Satan.
"I see. Then you should know why I can't fight you."
"It's not that I don't understand," he said. "Actually, I'm a bit disappointed in you."
That got my attention. "Oh?"
"You barely used any Touki or other tricks during our fight."
"I used everything I could to protect myself from you," I said, my voice sounding steadier than I actually felt. "Tricks would have just delayed the inevitable, and I'm not exaggerating. If I hadn't, my head would've been nothing more than a red smear on the pavement. And that's not a metaphor or me exaggerating it. Any ordinary human would've been dead the moment your attack landed. I had to pull every scrap of energy, every bit of magic I could force out of myself just to throw up that shield in time. Even then, some of the force got through. I only survived because I managed to dull the worst of it before it crushed me."
"And it's still not enough," he said flatly. There was no arrogance in his tone, only blunt honesty. "Like it or not, you have more enemies than you realize. Some that a far stronger than me. Even if you try to hide it, word will spread. And if you stay this vulnerable for long, people will come hunting. They'll find you. And her."
"I'm well aware," I said. My voice probably didn't inspire much confidence. "That's why I'm planning to keep things quiet for the next few days."
"And you think that will guarantee your safety?"
Of course it wouldn't. We both knew it.
I still didn't know what had become of Diodora after I handed over the information about him to his brother. Was he captured for interrogation? Locked away somewhere? If I had to bet, probably not. And if someone like Rizevim showed up again while I was in this state, I wouldn't be able to stop him. Not even close.
"You don't need to answer," he said, as if reading my thoughts. "You already know how bad things are for you. Your entire strength depends on that Sacred Gear of yours. Without it, you've got nothing aside from a handful of mediocre spells that are built around your Sacred Gear. Sure, you know a bit of magic, you can throw around some Touki. But let's be honest, none of that is enough to save you."
"Then what do you suggest?" I asked. I didn't mean it as sarcasm and genuinely wanted to hear if he had something in mind. The last thing I wanted was to drag others into danger just because I couldn't protect myself.
"We keep training," he said without hesitation. "Like we did in the Underworld. I'll teach you how to sharpen your Touki and your martial arts. Close-quarters combat. Survival skills. All of it." He folded his arms across his bare chest, looking completely serious.
His mother, at some point, had wandered across the park. She was tossing crumbs to the birds with a bright smile on her face, not even glancing in our direction. Her son was standing there shirtless in public, talking about life-or-death battles, and she might as well have been enjoying a sunny afternoon picnic.
"You do realize that won't magically fix anything, right?" I said. "You can train me all you want, but my progress with this kind of stuff is painfully slow. Always has been. Magic, martial arts, it doesn't matter. At best, I'm average. Most of the time, below average. A year of training for me is like a week for someone like you."
To my surprise, that didn't wipe the smirk off his face. He stepped forward and clapped a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry about that. I've got plans. When you're at your lowest, the only way left is up. And I've got my own tricks when it comes to Touki. I'm not a master, but I can at least teach you how to survive."
The annoying part was that he wasn't wrong. His proposal made sense. I couldn't just sit around hoping things would fix themselves. Vritra was still alive inside me, so I wasn't afraid I'd lose the Sacred Gear entirely. But counting on an unknown variable to solve itself? That was nothing but wishful thinking. The last thing I needed was to wander back into the Underworld while rumors spread and attention piled up around me.
"Fine," I said after a moment, making up my ind. "I'll give it a try."
I was sure Kuroka would be thrilled if she heard about this. She'd been pestering me to let her train me for a while now.
"Good," he said, finally sounding satisfied. "We start right now. Take off your shirt."
"...Get away from me," I said in the flattest tone possible, not even bothering to look him in the eye.
Sairaorg, naturally oblivious, grinned like this was some kind of motivational drama. "What better time to start than now? You have to harden your resolve and push yourself beyond your limits! Especially after getting a kiss from such a beautiful maiden, it will only motivate you even further! Trust me, I know the feelin—Ah?"
Whatever overblown speech he had prepared got cut short when a handcuff suddenly clicked around his wrist. A gloved hand landed on his shoulder, firm and heavy. Both of us turned to see two police officers standing behind him. I had no idea when they showed up, but there they were, frowning like they had just stepped into the weirdest scene of the day. One of them looked at me, his expression worried, but his voice carrying that edge of annoyance cops get when paperwork is inevitable.
"Kid, is this man bothering you? We've gotten several reports about a pervert running around with no clothes."
"What? Oh, right, the police in the human world..." Sairaorg glanced at them, still smiling in that awkward way people do when they have no idea how bad things look. "Please, officers, this is just a misunderstanding! We're friends, and I was simply teaching him how to get strong like me. Isn't that right, Hachiman?"
"I do not know this man. Please help me," I said without so much as a blink.
Sairaorg's face twisted in disbelief as one officer draped a coat over him while the other started pulling him away. "W-Wait, Hachiman? Hachiman! You're abandoning me here?"
I kept my face straight, even as his mother stared after him with growing concern. He yelled something about catching up later, about wanting to see what the human world had to offer. His laughter sounded less like amusement and more like someone trying too hard to stay calm.
Maybe a cavity search and a night in jail would help him think things through. With luck, tomorrow's training wouldn't require public indecency charges.
"Please don't worry," I said to his mother, keeping my tone polite. "Rias can handle this case when she gets here. The police basically work for her and Sona. Would you like to come by for tea? She can also help you find a place to stay while you're in Kuoh, if you haven't arranged anything yet."
"That's very kind of you," Misla said softly. "We were going to stay at a hotel, but my son has the keys... so thank you."
As we walked toward my house, I tried to focus on small talk, but the thought lingered. Today, I might have crossed a line that could bring more trouble than I wanted.
But in the end, I didn't have a choice.
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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.