AN: Thanks for the power stones as always DragonConquer1 and SparkleEyeMole.~
PS: Hope you will enjoy this chapter~
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Trailblazer™ Tent, ruins of the Dragon God Palace, Dragon's Valley, DesuMachi..
"Hmm, just like I said," Akon Kagura began cheerfully, as if her words weren't about to send shockwaves through the room. "Since both of you are much stronger than the beings of this world and even managed to defeat and kill me with your own strength, I thought, if I'm going to reincarnate, why not be born into a powerful family full of love? You both fit that perfectly, so… why not?" She shrugged with a calm smile, as if she hadn't just dropped a divine-level bomb.
""EVEN STILL!!!"" Hachiman and Mei yelled in perfect unison, faces burning red. Her explanation didn't calm them—it only made the situation even worse.
"A-A-Akon K-Ka-Kagura-san!" Mei stammered, flustered beyond reason. "I think you're completely misunderstanding my and Hikigaya-kun's relationship! We're not in that kind of relationship at least not yet!!"
Hachiman turned to her slowly, disbelief clear on his face. His mind blanked for a second before one thought screamed internally. 'Oi, Oi, Oi, Raiden-san… be careful with your words!!!'
Finally snapping out of her daze, Sora tilted her head. "Soo… Akon-chan wants to become Hachi-nii and Mei-nee's child?"
"That's right!" Akon Kagura declared proudly, puffing out her chest as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "Being their child will make my newborn self even stronger than my current me, right? Don't human children usually surpass their parents?"
Her grin was so wide it completely shattered the solemn mood from before. She lifted her fingers one by one, listing her reasons like a child showing off her treasures.
"With them as my parents, I'll get a looot of benefits! First, I'll receive a power boost not just from being reborn but from inheriting the genes and powers of both of them! Second, I'll get to experience their way of life and join their adventures! And third—" her eyes twinkled with hope. "—I can finally break the curse of being flat-chested! With the Maiden of Thunder as my mother, I'll have the chance to inherit that amazing chest!" She pointed directly at Mei's chest, looking at it with awe and hope.
"P-Please leave my breasts out of your reasoning!!" Mei shouted, turning crimson and covering herself in panic.
Hachiman groaned beside her, muttering under his breath, "...this conversation is already spiraling out of control."
Ignoring Mei's complaints, Akon Kagura pressed on enthusiastically. "Fourth! I could legally act spoiled around both of you and demand more snacks and desserts! Fifth! I won't have to bear the responsibilities of a god for at least a hundred years, I can just be your adorable child!"
Mei blinked and furrowed her brows. "...Why does that reason sound suspiciously like something Hikigaya-kun would say?"
"...Please leave me out of that," Hachiman muttered defensively.
"Sixth!" Akon continued proudly, clasping her hands together as a small drool formed at the corner of her mouth. "If the drinks are already this good, then the food must be divine too!"
Sora nodded sagely, matching her energy. "Hmm, hmm. Mei-nee's food is super tasty! Only Lumi-nee's cooking can beat it."
"And lastly—seventh!" Akon's tone softened, her expression turning dreamy. "Even if I retain my divine power, I'll be reborn as a human. That means I can finally be with him again… without any barriers. Maybe we can even have a child together."
There was a beat of silence.
"...Can I ask who this 'him' is exactly?" Hachiman said flatly, his brow twitching. For some reason, the idea of his potential daughter talking about another guy made him feel irrationally annoyed.
"Ah! Please don't worry, of course you two won't be left without anything!" Akon Kagura turned toward Hachiman and Mei with a grin that could only belong to someone trying to sell a 'too good to be true' deal. "As the parents of the future Dragon God, all dragons and scalekins of this world will follow your will as if it were mine."
"Yes! As those who will give birth to our god, we swear our loyalty to you both!" the lizardkin, who had been silent until now, declared while saluting Mei and Hachiman.
"Second!" Akon continued, her tone brimming with energy. "All the wealth and authority of the Dragon God will be yours to use freely! Even this Dragon's Valley and every creature within it will belong to your household!"
"Wow! Does that mean Hachi-nii and Mei-nee will become like King and Queen?!" Sora asked, leaning forward with bright, sparkling eyes.
"That is correct," the lizardkin replied proudly. "Though we are not a formal nation, our combined strength rivals the major powers of this world. And that's only accounting for us scalekins not the might of the true dragons."
Akon smirked, placing her hands on her hips as if she were presenting the grand prize. "Hmm, hmm! And with my authority as Dragon God, you'll also have direct access to this world's Leylines and its core system! With your power, even those seven gods won't dare oppose you! they'll have no choice but to submit! Ahahahaha!!" She burst into laughter, clearly enjoying the mental image of the Seven Pillar Gods' frustration.
"Ohh!!! So it's like Hachi-nii and Mei-nee got the whole world for them!" Sora cheered, clapping her hands in delight.
"Ahem!" Akon Kagura declared smugly, striking a proud pose. "And lastly, the greatest benefit you'll all receive, you'll have a cute daughter like me!"
Mei and Hachiman froze, blinking at the smug dragon god. Their eyes met for a brief, awkward moment before they both turned away, faces flushing bright red.
"S-Stop saying things like that so casually!" Mei stammered, flustered beyond reason.
Akon just smiled wider, her hands raised toward them in earnest. "So what about it?! Will you accept?!"
Despite the playful confidence of Akon Kagura, Hachiman and Mei clearly saw the hopeful light in her eyes and her shaking arms from nervousness.
Hachiman sighed, running a hand down his face. "You really don't make this easy, you know." His tone softened. "This isn't a decision we can just make on the spot."
Mei bit her lip, visibly torn. Deep down, she wanted to grant Akon Kagura's wish but like Hachiman said, it wasn't something they could decide lightly. "Yes… shouldering another life isn't something we can casually accept. Raising a child isn't as simple as it sounds."
Hachiman nodded at her words, leaning back slightly. "Please don't misunderstand us. We're not refusing because we dislike you or don't want to take you in. We're just… thinking carefully about whether we're capable of taking care of a newborn, especially someone like you."
He sighed, rubbing his temples before speaking again. "Raiden and I are still young and honestly… a bit immature. Sure, our experiences made us act more grown-up than most people our age, but that doesn't mean we're ready to raise a baby. It's completely different from looking after Sora, who's… well, technically a big kid who can mostly take care of herself."
Akon Kagura's eyes widened slightly, her smile faltering as her body trembled. She bit her lip, trying to come up with a reason, any reason, to convince them. Her mind raced, squeezing every bit of her INT for a counterargument, but nothing came out. Her throat tightened, and for the first time in a long while, she looked… lost.
Tears appeared in her eyes, and she was about to give up, a small, innocent voice cut through the silence.
"Then why not just accept it, Hachi-nii, Mei-nee?" Sora said softly.
All three of them, Hachiman, Mei, and even Akon Kagura, turned to her with wide eyes. None of them noticed the lizardkin in the back letting out a knowing smile. Watching Sora, he was reminded of the girl's determination back when she'd stopped him from falling into despair during the demon crisis.
'As expected of Sora-dono… when someone loses their way, her light always guides them back.'
"Sora?" "Sora-chan?"
The two teens called her name almost at the same time, their voices filled with confusion and surprise.
"I don't really get all the complicated stuff," Sora said, scratching her head with a small pout, "but… I can kind of tell that Hachi-nii and Mei-nee aren't refusing Akon-chan because you don't want to. It's more like… you're not sure if you can, right?"
Both teens exchanged a glance before turning their attention back to her.
"...Yes, that's right," Mei admitted softly. "Even though Hikigaya-kun and I try to act mature, we're still not truly ready to raise someone so young. We're not confident we can handle being responsible for Akon Kagura-san's new life."
Sora blinked, listening quietly as Hachiman sighed.
"Sora, you might not realize it," he began with a faint, self-deprecating smile, "but with how gloomy my outlook tends to be… even if I don't mean to, it could affect a child's growth. That's the last thing I'd want to happen."
Sora tilted her head, then smiled brightly and gentlely. "Then I think you both really should accept Akon-chan's proposal."
"...Eh?" The two teens froze, staring at her in shock.
"Sora… didn't you hear what we just said?" Hachiman asked, exasperated.
"I did! That's exactly why I think you should accept it!" Sora replied brightly, her smile warm and unwavering. "Hachi-nii and Mei-nee… you're already thinking like real parents."
"Huh?" they both said, equally confused.
"Think about it," Sora continued, tilting her head slightly. "You're worried about whether you can really take care of Akon-chan. You're thinking about her future, how to raise her, how your actions might affect her. Isn't that what real parents do?" She said it so innocently that both of them went quiet.
"Besides," she added with a small grin, "even if you two say no, Akon-chan's still going through with her plan to reincarnate, right?"
Blinking, Akon Kagura snapped out of her daze as Sora turned toward her. "Y-Yes! I'll need my original power to keep this world safe."
Sora nodded, then faced the two again, her expression firm yet kind. "See? And knowing both of you, you won't be able to stop thinking about the baby Akon-chan's safety anyway. Whether you say yes or no, you'll still worry, right? So why not take the straightforward choice and accept her? The result's the same in the end but this way, she'll never be alone and both of you are just beside her."
Hachiman and Mei opened their mouths to deny it, but… just as Sora said, if they turned Akon Kagura's request down now and simply moved on, this moment would never leave them. They'd always remember it—wondering, worrying, questioning their choice for the rest of their lives.
'For god's sake, just accept it already,' The Herrscher's voice reached into Mei's mind. 'The kid's right, and you know it. You'd never forgive yourself for leaving that newborn god alone.'
'B-but… will I really be enough? Will Hikigaya-kun even agree to it? A child between him and me?' Mei's voice trembled in her mind.
'Of course he will,' The Herrscher replied with absolute certainty. 'That monarch's sense of responsibility is ridiculously strong. Knowing him, he will still silently do something to ensure that the reincarnation of that dragon god will be safe. If you accept it, you can shoulder that responsibility along with him rather than him doing everything alone again, hiding it behind that stoic face of his.'
'Will this… really be the right choice?' Mei asked softly.
'Who knows,' the Herrscher said, her tone gentler now. 'Only you and that monarch can answer that in time.'
Biting her lip, Mei turned to Hachiman, her eyes silently asking for his decision.
Hachiman grimaced, feeling the burden settle on his shoulders. His gaze moved between Akon Kagura's hopeful expression, Sora's trusting smile, and Mei's look hesitant, yet filled with resolve.
'Ugh… what a heavy choice,' he thought, dragging a hand down his face.
'Partner,' came the smooth, teasing voice of Arsene from the back of his mind.
'...What?' Hachiman replied tiredly.
'I… Told… You… So,' Arsene said before fading away.
'...Damn you, Arsene,' Hachiman muttered back with a groan.
Taking a deep breath, he rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Akon Kagura, who stared at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Just remember this, alright? You're the one who suggested this. So don't you dare blame us once you grow up."
Akon gasped, leaning forward, her voice trembling with anticipation. "D-Does that mean you…?!"
Hachiman furrowed his brows and sighed. "Since I'm definitely going to regret this decision, I'd rather regret doing it than regret not doing it." His lips twitched into a faint smile. "So… welcome to the family, Kagura."
Akon froze for only a moment before leaping into his arms with pure joy. "Thank you!!!"
"Hey—hey! Don't just jump like that, it's dangerous!" Hachiman scolded, but there was no real bite in his voice.
Releasing her hug from Hachiman, Akon Kagura turned and leapt into Mei's arms.
"I'll be in your care from now on," she whispered softly, her voice trembling with warmth.
Mei smiled and gently wrapped her arms around her. "And I'll do my best to raise you properly," she whispered back, her tone filled with affection.
When she finally pulled away, Akon turned toward Sora and threw her arms around her next.
"Thank you for everything, Sora! I think my new self will be really lucky to have you as my big sister!"
"Hehehe! And I'll be happy to have you as my baby sister, Akon-chan!" Sora laughed, hugging her tightly in return.
Once more, Akon released her hold and took a small step back. Bowing gracefully to all three of them, she spoke with a bright, teary smile. "My eternal gratitude to all of you for accepting my selfish wish. I'm honored to become part of your family. Please take care of me for many years to come."
"Like I said, just don't blame me if I end up raising you badly, then we're good," Hachiman replied, waving a hand with his usual dry tone.
"I'll probably make plenty of mistakes," Mei admitted with a gentle smile, "but I'll still do my very best to raise you well."
"Leave it to me, Akon-chan! I'll be the universe's best sister for you!" Sora declared proudly, puffing out her chest.
"Hmm!" Akon Kagura grinned brightly, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as her laughter filled the room with warmth.
—---------
[The Astral Express Family]
[Note: Ellie, for the last time, stop changing the group chat name!]
[Noah pinned a post: DesuMachi Expedition Line-Up — Exploration Team: Hachi-Mei-Sora. Support Team: Star-Pulse. Reserve Team: Reason.]
[Lumine pinned Bel-san's post: Maid Team Duty Rotation — Patricia & Rem, Ilia & Ram, Villhaze, Lainei & Belfast.]
[Elysia started a poll: 'Hachi-Mei-Sora Team Name.' (Votes are currently tied between Static Hearts and Midnight Symphony.)] (AN: actually this one is real. I still haven't finalized their group name and these two are just a few of the choices I have in mind. So you guys can vote or even suggest.)
…
..
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Anis: Does anyone need new gadgets? ⚙️
Anis: I made some new things since I got bored 😔
Alice: …A bored Anis is seriously a public safety hazard 😓
Euphy: Truly…..
Sona: Absolutely yes 😫
Sagiri: …It was hell last time…
Lavi-chan: We're still in hell, Saa-chan… but yeah… it was exhausting 😵💫
Ingvild: Ahaha… at least we're all still alive, right?
Anis: ???
Anis: Why is everyone ganging up on me?! Even you, Euphy!! 😭
Anis: [Pouting Cat GIF]
Sora: BIG NEWS! BIG NEWS!! SUPER BIG NEWS!!! 🚨
Noah: ???
Sirin: Hm? What's going on?
Lumine: Hmm?
Kiana: Did something happen, Sora-chan?! Do you need help?! Should we send Hii's Dimensional Ripper Omelette?!
The Herta: ..... You've got guts, little tuna. 😐
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: Calm down, Kii, Hii. Let's not be hasty.
Noah: ???
Noah: A what omelette?
Kiana: NOTHING!!!
Kiana: Absolutely nothing!!! 🍳😅
The Herta: No need to concern yourself, dear.
Noah: ...I'm really concerned now.
Gabriel: E-Ehem!
Gabriel: According to our observatory systems, the planet is currently stable. No unusual energy fluctuations detected.
Gabriel: Well... aside from the Geo elemental discharge that Hachiman-san released yesterday. Everything else is normal.
Hajime: ???
Hajime: Wait, Hachi released Geo elemental energy strong enough to trigger our observatory alarms?
Hajime: What the hell did he do this time?
The Herta: Oh, nothing major.
The Herta: He just renovated an entire valley by casually dropping car-sized meteors.
Everyone: ???
Everyone: ...
Everyone: !!!!!
Team Reason & Team Slash/Dog: HE DID WHAT?!
Noah: Oh? Welcome, Tobio and the rest of Team Slash/Dog~
Noah: You guys finally decided to stop just lurking around the chat~
Tobio: Ah—yes.
Tobio: Hello, everyone. Sorry for not joining earlier.
Tobio: It was a little hard to jump into the conversations; we weren't sure what to say.
Tobio: Anyway, please take care of us.
Team Slash/Dog: Please take care of us!
Lavi-chan: Tobi-kun! Everyone!! You finally joined the chat!
Anis: Yay! Welcome, everyone!
Anis: Don't be shy—just embrace the chaos like the rest of us!
Alice: Anis is right, @Team Slash/Dog!
Alice: You might feel lost at first, but before you know it—you'll already be part of the chaos.
Sagiri: The two above are right… I felt the same at first, but now…
Sona: …It feels like we've been part of it since day one. 😅
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: Ahem! That, my dear friends, is the irresistible charm of our family!
Tobio: Ahahaha! We'll do our best to keep up then.
Ingvild: Hmm?
Ingvild: Wait… I feel like we're forgetting something important?
The Herta: Which one? The little one's 'big news' or the little shadow's meteor rain?
Anis: Oh right!!
Anis: What actually happened that Hachiman dropped meteors out of nowhere?!
Anis: And also—what's Sora-chan's big news again?
Kiana: We still don't know either 🤷
Kiana: For Hachiman's Meteors. Around late afternoon yesterday, VA alerted us about a sudden Geo Elemental spike on the planet.
Kiana: When we checked through the satellite feed, Hachiman was just standing there, summoning rocks and casually dropping them like it's nothing.
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: A truly splendid 'First Steps' moment, if I do say so myself!
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: Just like when our dear Noah turned the Mountains of Natlan into a sea of lava!
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: Or when Hajime black-holed Kuoh!!
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: As expected of the Pillars of Trailblaze!! Utterly consistent in their chaos!
Noah: ...
Hajime: ...
Lavi-chan: Ahahahaha!!
Lavi-chan: @Tobio, Tobi-kun—you'd better brace yourself for our First Steps!
Lavi-chan: It seems that changing the world's topography is basically a rite of passage!
Tobio: ...You make that sound way too normal.
Team Star-Pulse: Good luck~ ✨
Team Reason: Sending luck your way~ 💪
Tobio: ...Thank you.. I guess?
Gabriel: Ah..!
Gabriel: Um, I think we're... drifting off-topic again?
Noah: My Gabby's right. We got derailed again.
Hajime: 😐 …Really, Noah?
Alice: 😶 …I refuse to acknowledge that joke.
Anis: 😑 I feel personally attacked by that level of dad joke.
Sona: …
Sagiri: …
Lavi-chan: Pfft—! Okay, that one was funny though!!
Euphy: Noah-sama.... 😥
Kiana: Ehh… Captain, are you ok?
Sirin: Noah, do you need a hug? You can come here to my side ok?
Ms_Pink_Star_Elysia: Please take care of yourself, dear Noah. If you're tired, rest, alright?
Noah: What?
Noah: Aren't we so off the rails right now.
Everyone: 😑
Noah: (deadpan) …I stand by my pun.
Hajime: Don't. Ever.
Alice: That was… painfully on brand.
Anis: I can feel my IQ dropping.
Lumine: 🤦♀️
Lumine: Sigh. Going back to the topic… and hopefully no one will interrupt again. @Sora Please, enlighten us—what's the big news?
Sora: I'M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER!!!!!
Team Star-Pulse: …Yes?
Team Reason: Haa??
Team Slash/Dog: What?
Sora: I'M GOING TO BECOME A BIG SISTER!!!!!
Everyone: …Okay???
Sora: Hachi-nii and Mei-nee are going to have a child!
Sora: So by default, I'll be a big sister!!!
Everyone: ….
Everyone: !!!!
Everyone: WHAT THE HECK?!?!
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