The masked man lowered the hood of his cloak, then unfastened the straps of his gas mask, revealing a young man… human?!
He was taller than Haruki, with jet-black hair the color of night that reached his shoulders, falling loose without a tie.
His eyes were a drowsy gray, with faint dark circles beneath them, and a few beauty marks decorated his face-one on his left cheek and another just below his left eye.
He wore a gray cloak draped over his shoulders, and beneath it a black long-sleeved shirt with comfortable combat pants fitted with side pockets. On his back was a small leather bag, while around his wrist was a metallic device that looked as if it belonged to an era entirely different from Haruki's.
Beside him, the small robot hovered close to his head, while the hoverboard leaned against his elbow in a relaxed manner. His gray eyes were fixed on Haruki below, a look of annoyance etched onto his lips.
Haruki pushed himself up from the grass to stand, though his knees were still trembling under the rush of adrenaline flooding his veins after the chase and the flight. After a moment, he managed to steady his legs and regain some of his composure.
Haruki's lips curved into a relieved smile, because this time he didn't have to deal with some strange creature , he had finally found another human like him.
"Thanks, man, you saved my life back there."
He said it with clear gratitude to the black-haired boy. Haruki paid little attention to the robot or the flying board at that moment, for he had already seen enough of this world. He expected a kind reply, but his thanks were met instead with a cold, stern tone from the boy, spoken with a scornful edge.
"Are you an idiot?! Wandering into a monster market without any disguise for your identity? You really have no brain."
That manner, carrying at its core a hint of hatred, startled and unsettled Haruki. He hadn't expected to be scolded by someone who had just saved him, and he felt an urgent need to defend himself.
"And how was I supposed to know?! I don't even know how I ended up in that terrifying market!"
Haruki's voice rose slightly with those words, still confused. But his outburst made the boy soften his sharp gaze, which shifted into a mixture of puzzlement and curiosity, playing in his mind before he finally responded with a question.
"How long have you been in this world?"
"Me? Umm… let me think…"
Haruki placed his hand beneath his chin, his eyes drifting toward the sky while his lips tightened in deep thought before finally replying.
"Two days."
"I don't think it should've taken that long to answer,"
the young man muttered under his breath, then let out a heavy sigh of exhaustion. His eyes drooped slightly downward as he set both hands on his waist,only for his nose to twitch at a foul stench. He lifted his gaze straight at Haruki, furrowing his brows before asking.
"What is that smell?"
Haruki tilted his head slightly, puzzled by the question, then confidently raised his hand,only for a memory to flash in his mind. He pulled out Inochi,the dead fish,from his pocket, wearing a proud smile.
"It's my friend, Inochi!"
The young man looked at Haruki lazily, drawing in a deep breath before exhaling it audibly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, as if trying to ease a headache, then clasped his hands together and fixed his gaze on Haruki as he spoke.
"Let me get this straight… you named your dead fish Inochi,which literally means Life?"
Haruki gasped loudly in a dramatic fashion, a scowl curling on his lips with clear offense. He cupped Inochi's head with both hands, as though covering the fish's tiny ears, then shouted at the young man.
"Don't say that in front of him… he's sensitive!"
The young man cast a cold, indifferent glance at Haruki before shifting his gaze to the small robot hovering at his side. In a firm, commanding tone, he ordered.
"Destroy."
In the very next moment, the robot's sides unfolded, revealing a pair of small laser pistols. Their muzzles glowed with a searing red light, charged and ready to fire…
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Thank you for reading! If this moment touched you even a little , please consider adding it to your library.💐