Seiryuu City, DesuMachi Planet…
The sudden change in mood from Hachiman, Mei, Patricia, and Sora was immediately noticed by everyone else.
Whether it was Ruan Mei, who was still holding Kagura in her arms, Liza, Pochi, and Tama at their side, or Auna, Zena, Iona, Lilio, Ruu, Yukel, and Nidoren nearby, they all felt it. Whatever Arisa had just said had clearly shaken the four of them.
"Hachiman-sama? Mei-sama? Is something wrong?" Auna called out carefully.
Neither of them answered. Their attention remained fixed on Arisa, who was still smiling as if nothing had changed.
The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable. Iona, Lilio, and Ruu exchanged uneasy looks, fidgeting on their feet. Yukel narrowed his eyes, his eyes went between Arisa and the pair, trying to make sense of what could have made the Hero and his companion suddenly become so serious.
Nearby, Lulu's shoulders trembled. Her head bounced back and forth between Arisa and Hachiman, then to Mei, unease and confusion written plainly on her face. Nidoren wiped the cold sweat from his brow, fidgeting under the growing pressure.
"Hachiman. Mei."
Ruan Mei's voice cut gently through the tension. "I don't know what the deal with that little girl's word said to make you all tense up, but if you keep this silence going, everyone here is going to have a mental breakdown."
She spoke with her usual tone, unaffected by the mood herself, but when she glanced down at Kagura. The baby had curled closer into her embrace, clearly picking up on the tension around them.
"Auu..."
The four of them flinched at her words. Hachiman and Mei both looked properly chastised. Sora rubbed the back of her head, apologetic, while Patricia winced, clearly not expecting to lose her composure like that.
"Sorry about that, everyone," Hachiman said, bowing his head slightly. "We lost our composure."
"We just heard something we never expected to hear from someone in this world," Mei added with a small sigh.
The tension lightly eased as the others accepted their apology. Once the murmurs died down, Hachiman and Mei turned back to Arisa, who was still smiling as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. They exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them, before both nodded.
"Arisa, was it?" Hachiman said at last. "You've got our attention now… so just what do you want from us?"
He spoke the first half in the Shiga Language, then smoothly switched to Japanese for the final question, directing it solely at her.
"You can speak freely in our language if you don't want the others to understand what you want to say," Mei added in Japanese.
While she spoke, Hachiman activated his system, reading the pop-up display that appeared before his eyes.
[NAME: Arisa]
[LVL: 10]
[Age: 11]
[TITLE: Witch of the Lost Kingdom, The Mad Princess]
[SKILLS: Unknown]
'…Definitely not an ordinary kid,' Hachiman thought, narrowing his eyes at the title and the skills flagged as unknown, even to a system created by Akon Kagura.
Around them, the others exchanged confused looks, unable to understand what they had just spoken. Still, no one pried.
At least not yet.
Arisa's smile slowly faded, her childish face turning serious, something so unfitting for someone her age. She placed a hand over her chest as she answered them.
"I only have one request," she said in Japanese, her voice remaining firm. "Please take both me and my sister Lulu with you as part of your group. That way… we can finally be free from our current situation."
Hachiman looked at Mei. She met his gaze for a brief moment before turning back to Arisa.
"Personally, I want to help you," Mei replied. "But first, we need to understand WHO you really are."
"To be honest," Hachiman added, crossing his arms, "I'm more concerned about your titles. I want to make sure you aren't going to be a danger to our family." He paused before continuing, this time switching to the Shiga Language so everyone could understand. "After all, Nidoren mentioned that hair like yours is considered an ill omen in this world."
Auna and the others exchanged glances, each forming their own guesses about the conversation they could only partially understand.
Arisa took a slow, deep exhale, licking her lips to pull herself together.
"My name is Arisa Tachibana. I'm Japanese, just like the two of you," she said, looking directly at Hachiman and Mei. "More precisely, I'm someone who was reincarnated into the now destroyed Kuvork Kingdom of this world without losing my memories of my previous life."
She hesitated for only a second before continuing. "And judging by your black hair… I'd say you two were summoned here as heroes. Am I wrong, Hachiman-san? Mei-san?"
Her answer exceeded everyone's expectations. Hachiman's eyes widened. Mei let out a small gasp. Sora and Patricia stiffened as well, their shock just as clear as the two in front.
"Hoo… interesting." Ruan Mei, who was able to follow the conversation thanks to her Synesthesia Beacon, stepped to Hachiman's side. Her eyes settled on Arisa with open curiosity. "For a normal human soul to traverse space-time and be reborn in a world separated by billions of light-years…" She hummed softly. "It seems I'll need to revisit our theories regarding the Sea of Souls, Hachiman."
Arisa flinched under that gaze, instinctively shrinking back. "E-ehh… Master?" she muttered. "Who is this lady? The way she's looking at me is… kind of scary."
Hachiman opened his mouth to explain, but Ruan Mei spoke first.
"Ah—my apologies," she said lightly, her expression softening. "It seems my curiosity got the better of me again."
She adjusted Kagura in her arms, gently rocking the baby before continuing, "My name is Ruan Mei. I'm one of Hachiman's partners." Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she added, "And since you'll be joining us, please allow me to study you from time to time."
"Eh?.... EHH?!"
The reaction wasn't limited to Arisa. It spread through those listening nearby, most notably Zena, whose eyes widened as she stared at Ruan Mei, clearly not having expected that declaration at all.
Hachiman facepalmed. Mei let out a helpless sigh, while Sora and Patricia exchanged looks, watching the scene unfold with barely concealed amusement.
'Why, oh great rom-com gods… just why?' Hachiman groaned inwardly. 'My youth rom-com really is wrong, just as I expected.'
—--
Even with the chaos of the rom-com episode, Hachiman, looking thoroughly exhausted and done with the world, turned to Nidoren and asked about the black-haired, cat-eared girl who had been with them in the labyrinth.
"…So, Hachiman-san also wants to buy that child?" Nidoren asked, clearly surprised.
Hachiman nodded without hesitation. "Yes. My gut tells me she'd be a great addition to the kids' group."
Nidoren narrowed his eyes slightly. "…Is that your intuition as the Hero, or…?"
The sudden change in his tone made Hachiman raise an eyebrow. Then, slowly, a small smirk formed on his face.
"Don't worry," he replied calmly. "I'm simply acknowledging her talent."
"…Talent?" Nidoren repeated, confusion plain on his face.
"Yes. Talent," Hachiman affirmed, his voice unfaltering. "That child, even though she was low-leveled, survived alone in the labyrinth relying on her skills before meeting Mei. That alone tells me she has a remarkable spirit."
Nidoren's eyes widened in realization. "How did you kno–?…I see. The Hero's appraisal skill."
Hachiman nodded as he continued. "I plan to train her personally, just like I did with Liza, Tama, and Pochi. With proper training, I believe she'll be able to fight a demon on her own."
The shock didn't stop with Nidoren. Auna, Zena, Iona, Lilio, Ruu, Yukel, the beastkin trio, Liza, Pochi, Tama, even the slave sisters, Lulu and Arisa, all stared at Hachiman in disbelief, unable to process what he had just said.
"T-that… e-ehh… Master?" Arisa called out carefully. "You… you haven't stayed in this world for very long, so maybe you're confused, but just to be clear.... when you say demon, you mean some kind of monster, right? Not… not those demons the heroes fought in the legends?"
Hachiman tilted his head, one brow lifting. "Of course, I meant those demons. Or are you saying there are different monsters just happen to share the same name?"
Arisa opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She froze, just like everyone else. The silence that followed was heavy. She, like the rest of them, could only stare at Hachiman in disbelief.
Mei, Sora, Ruan Mei, and Patricia all looked momentarily lost about the reaction of others, struggling to understand what all the fuss was about.
"Ehh… so can we meet her?" Hachiman continued, smoothly steering the conversation back. "And we'll take her with us as well."
He spoke as if he had merely asked to buy supplies.
"Oh—! L-let me get her, then… and please explain your reason for buying her," Nidoren said hurriedly, snapping out of his daze. Choosing to escape, he fled inside his shop to get the black-haired, cat-eared girl to let her decide her own fate.
Sora watched the older man disappear inside before slowly turning back to the others. Her eyes scanned their expressions, still frozen and questioning their reality.
"…Is this what Noah-nii told us about?" she whispered, tapping her chin. "The moment where we, the Nameless, break common sense and give the people of a world an existential crisis?"
A soft hand landed on her head.
It seemed Ruan Mei had heard her. She gently patted Sora's hair, offering comfort without saying a word.
After a while, Nidoren brought the girl back out. Hachiman wasted no time explaining why he wanted to buy her, stating that he believed she had the potential to stand alongside the legendary Heroes, if given the chance and proper guidance.
The girl stared at him, disbelief written all over her face. "…D-does… Hero-sama truly thinks I can become someone who can fight demons?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Hachiman replied without hesitation, his voice full of confidence. "You already have the qualities that make a hero. All I will do is nurture them and allow you to grow. In the end, the choice to walk that path will always be yours."
The girl lowered her head, silently turning his words over in her mind.
After a long moment, she clenched her fists.
"If… if you truly believe that," she said, lifting her head, her voice trembling but resolute, "then I want to try! I want to change my fate—my life!"
—--
Once everything was decided, Hachiman brought the slave sisters—Arisa and Lulu—along with the cat‑eared girl. Nidoren handled the formalities and the contract ceremony free of charge, insisting it was his way of repaying them for saving his life. Even when Hachiman tried to insist on paying, Nidoren refused with surprising stubbornness.
"Since you're still unnamed," Hachiman said, turning to the cat‑eared girl, "I'll give you a proper name. Unlike a certain someone who blurts out names at random."
Sora, standing nearby, felt as if an arrow had pierced her heart. She puffed out her cheeks and shot Hachiman a pout mixed with a glare, trying—and failing—to look intimidating.
"Fran," Hachiman said, smirking at Sora before looking back at the girl. "That will be your name from now on."
"Fran… Fran… my name… Fran," the girl repeated softly, tasting the word before breaking into a wide smile. "Thank you, Master! I will cherish this name!"
Hachiman smiled and gently patted her head. "And I promise you won't regret joining us."
After the contract ceremony, Hachiman moved to free the girls from their status as slaves, but Nidoren stopped him. He explained that, given the severity of the northern Shiga Kingdom's hatred toward demi‑humans, any freed demi‑humans aside from Fairykin would be treated even worse than slaves, assuming they were allowed into the city at all.
"…Even with my title?" Hachiman asked.
"Precisely because of your title, Hachiman-san," Nidoren replied with a helpless smile. "If you set them free and keep them by your side, it will only invite hatred and envy toward the four of them."
Auna and the others looked apologetic as well. They felt as though they were doing a disservice to the Hero and his group, forced to acknowledge that the discrimination of their own nation would only harm the people their Hero cared for.
Before anyone could say more, the younger beastkin girls suddenly clung to Hachiman, tears forming in their eyes as they begged him not to abandon them.
"Master, no!!"
"P-pochii will work hard, nanodesu! Please don't abandon Pochi and everyone, nodesu!"
Troubled by their reactions, he turned to Mei, wordlessly pleading with her to calm the children down. She gave him a wry smile, then shook her head before stepping forward and crouching to meet the kids at eye level.
"Pochi-chan, Tama-chan," Mei said gently, her voice full of warmth. "We're not releasing you from slavery because we want to abandon you."
"Mei-sama…?" "Will not… nanodesu?"
"Yes," Mei replied, smiling as she patted their heads. "Because we want all of you to become part of our family. Not as slaves but as real members of this family."
The girls nodded, though Mei wasn't entirely sure they fully understood what she meant yet. For now, that was enough.
She looked up at Hachiman, who let out a sigh of relief. Their eyes met, a wordless understanding passing between them. Given the current situation, setting them free immediately would only invite more trouble, so for now, they chose to let the matter rest.
'Maybe we can look into it again if we head to the old capital in the south of the Shiga Kingdom,' Hachiman thought.
With that settled, Hachiman thanked Nidoren once again before the group left the shop and stepped back into the streets of Seiryuu City.
As planned, they headed toward the eastern block to shop and spend the day outside after being locked up for a week. And now, they have also added a task to buy clothes for Arisa, Lulu, and Fran.
That was all for now.
—---
At a semi-classy restaurant in New York, on a planet named Earth, somewhere in the universe.
Noah sat on the balcony, halfway through lunch, overlooking a city its inhabitants simply called New York. The planet itself was named Earth, the third planet in its solar system, and the only one known to harbor life.
When he learned the planet's name, its culture, and even the layout of the surrounding celestial bodies, he couldn't help but smile wryly. He had heard these same names and patterns far too many times by now.
'Just how many more planets named Earth are there?' he wondered. 'From the Honkai world, to DxD, to Hajime's and Hachiman's home… all had the same name. Are they just unimaginative, or did Aha prank everyone?'
He let out a small sigh, lifting his iced tea and taking a slow sip. His eyes went back to the streets below. People moved quickly between high-rise buildings, talking into their phones as they walked. Car horns blared, urging traffic forward. The pace was fast, relentless, but full of life.
"Wow, Noah! This steak is delicious!"
The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned toward the speaker.
Sitting across from him was a beautiful young woman around his age. Her long, light-brown hair was tied into a high side ponytail secured by a blue hair tie. Her large violet eyes give her an innocent, slightly curious expression, complemented by her soft facial features. She is wearing a sleeveless white summer dress with a navy-blue bodice, accented by a small ribbon at the chest and light blue trim along the hem, which suits her perfectly, emphasizing her soft features without effort.
The girl's name was Nanoha Takamachi. She was someone Noah, Lumine, and Sirin had met during their mission to confuse and bait those factions eyeing the Express.
Noah's original plan was to lure those factions to a remote world, preferably one where his connection to the Force would be strongest. A planet like Coruscant, the once sacred ground where the Jedi Council had once convened, would be the best candidate.
"Here, Noah, try it!" Nanoha said cheerfully, offering him a slice of steak.
Noah let out a small laugh and accepted it. After chewing for a moment, he nodded in agreement. The steak really was good. The temperature was just right, the meat was tender, and the balance of sauce and spice was simple but spot-on.
"Yeah," he said honestly. "It's good."
"See? I told you so!" Nanoha beamed before happily returning to her own plate.
Watching her like this, Noah couldn't help but wonder whether their meeting had truly been a coincidence… or if it was the result of a certain someone from the future, who is nudging their present onto a different direction.
—-----
At first, he, Lumine, and Sirin traveled aboard the Hyperion as planned, scattering dummy beacons filled with Trailblaze energy to mislead those tracking the Express. That routine ended when they arrived near an infrastructure shaped disturbingly like a massive, severed head, currently under attack by a reptilian, insectoid alien race whom they later know as the Chitauri.
For a bit, Noah thought the attackers were the Swarm due to their appearance, but their differences quickly became clear. And, as usual, they couldn't simply ignore it. Instead of passing by, the three of them dove straight into the fight.
Noah told himself it was nothing more than a field test for the upgrades Hajime had added to the Hyperion. The results, however, exceeded his expectations by a wide margin. When it was over, he blinked once and looked away, choosing not to dwell on either the process or the outcome. He simply accepted it with a smile, much to the visible exasperation of Lumine and Sirin.
With most of the threat dealt with, the trio entered the infrastructure to search for survivors and eliminate any remaining enemies. That was when they encountered Yuuno Scrya, an archaeologist who visited the place for his studies, engaged in battle while protecting an artifact known as the Orb, the true target of the Chitauri's assault.
Seeing help arrive, Yuuno called out without hesitation. Noah answered in kind, igniting his lightsaber Lux and calling upon the Force.
The sight was unmistakable.
Yuuno, the surviving civilians, and even the Chitauri themselves realized it at the same time.
A Jedi had come.
After the battle, Yuuno and the survivors thanked him profusely, awe clear in their voices. For them, this was the first time they had ever encountered a living Jedi since the destruction of the Jedi Order, amber eras ago.
Then they met Taneleer Tivan, better known as the Collector, the ancient cosmic being who owned the head-shaped infrastructure called the Collector's Museum. He was one of the oldest beings still in existence, having been born not long after the universe itself.
The moment he laid eyes on Noah, both a Force-sensitive Jedi and a Nameless of the Trailblaze, Taneleer let out a long, weary sigh.
"Ehh… is something wrong?" Noah asked, tilting his head. "Why are you sighing after seeing me?"
"It simply brought back memories," Taneleer replied, rubbing his temples. "Memories of how much of a headache Akivili and his companions were."
He looked back at Noah. "Tell me, Nameless. Is Pom-Pom doing well? And the Astral Express… Does it still run?"
Noah's eyes widened slightly. He clearly hadn't expected the Collector to know both Akivili and Pom-Pom.
"The Astral Express is doing fine," he answered honestly. "I'm the Navigator for this generation. Though… the conductor wasn't there when I found it. I repaired and reactivated the Express myself."
"…I see."
Taneleer's tone was dry, but Noah caught the faint tremor from it.
"At least," the Collector continued, giving Noah a measured look, "you resemble a proper Nameless far more than those stubborn, hard-headed members of the Jedi Order from before." A pause. "Which is a good thing, in my personal opinion."
After that, he explained what the Orb truly was and why the Chitauri were so desperate to claim it.
"The Orb is a containment vessel," Taneleer said, tapping the casing lightly. "It holds one of the most powerful artifacts born when the universe itself came into existence. They are known as the Infinity Stones."
He continued calmly, as if reciting old history. "They are the physical remnants of six singularities, concentrated points of primordial energy that existed before everything. When the universe exploded into being, those singularities were compressed into what you might call 'ingots' and scattered across the cosmos."
Noah narrowed his eyes slightly. Even with the Force, he couldn't sense anything extraordinary inside the Orb.
Noticing his reaction, Taneleer gave an amused grin. "From the look on your face, it seems you weren't able to detect the power inside, even with the Force. That's actually good news." He waved a hand dismissively. "Now then… where was I? Right."
"Each Infinity Stone embodies and governs a fundamental aspect of existence," he went on. "Space. Mind. Reality. Power. Time. And Soul." He glanced at the Orb in Yuuno's hands. "This one contains the Reality Stone."
"In short," Taneleer concluded, "the Infinity Stones are the building blocks of the universe itself. Each serves as a 'remote control' for a fundamental law of physics. Wield one, and you gain authority over its domain. Wield all of them… you become something very close to a god."
"So… mastering one of these stones could make the wielder a power on par with an Aeon?" Noah asked.
"That depends on how many stones the user possesses," Taneleer replied calmly. "At best, one or two stones would place its wielder on the level of an Emanator capable of affecting a single galaxy."
He continued without much thought. "But Aeons, on the other hand, can influence reality with no more than a gaze or a thought. And their existence isn't confined to a single universe. They preside over Paths that span the entire Imaginary Tree (Multiverse)."
Taneleer glanced at him. "Unless someone were to wield all six stones, they would never truly rival an Aeon within their own universe."
"Ah—so an Infinity Stone only works within its own reality?" Noah's eyes widened. "That means if I toss this Orb into another universe using the Trailblaze, it's basically just a shiny rock."
"…Nameless," Taneleer said flatly, "you have the same expression Akivili had when he thought his pranks could shake the universe."
"Oops." Noah quickly slapped his cheeks, forcing his face back to neutral.
—---
"Mouu, Noah, you're spacing out again!" Nanoha pouted, leaning forward to catch his attention. "Shouldn't you be focusing on me? We're on a date, you know."
"Ah… sorry," Noah said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was just thinking about… how we ended up here."
"Hm." Nanoha tilted her head, then smiled. "I guess I can't blame you. Fate-chan, Hayate-chan, and I didn't expect we'd meet our future husband on a mission to gather information on reality-bending stones either."
"Ahahaha… sorry about AI-chan," Noah said, scratching his cheek. "She got a little too emotional when she saw the three of you."
"It's fine," Nanoha replied with a light laugh, waving it off. "In the Bureau, all sorts of strange things happen. Still… meeting AIs from the future that already recorded our entire love life was definitely a first."
[That is because it is my duty to eternalize every second of the Captain's life across all timelines, Miss Nanoha.] Void Archives chimed in.
"…I honestly don't know how to respond to that," Noah deadpanned.
"Nyahahaha~" Nanoha laughed. "Then just think of VA and AI-chan as our cupids who brought us together." She winked.
"…Non, please don't praise him too much," Noah sighed. "His ego will only get worse."
Void Archives let out an amused snort as Nanoha laughed again. Noah shook his head, a small smile forming as he set everything else aside and focused on her.
'Yeah… this isn't so bad,' he thought.
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