"Wow," Ryuuto grinned. "You know, for someone your age, you sure act like a kid sometimes."
Susan shot him a sharp look. "My age? Excuse me, I'm twenty-five. Twenty. Five. Do I look ancient to you?"
He tilted his head, pretending to study her. "Honestly? Hard to tell."
Her brows furrowed. "You think I look old?"
Because their hands were still linked, even while invisible, Ryuuto could see her up close — too close. Every detail of her face stood out: the faint shimmer of her eyelashes, the way her eyes caught the light. No wrinkles, no signs of age.
Maybe it's just that Westerners mature faster, he thought. In high school, half of them already look like they're in college.
And back before he'd landed in this world, he'd assumed the Fantastic Four's Susan Storm was well into her thirties.But in person… twenty-five? That was almost unfairly young.
Ryuuto chuckled. "I was about to call you obasan—but fine, I'll downgrade to onee-san."
"That makes me sound even older," she groaned. "Besides, you're what, eighteen? You act way too mature for that. Just call me Susan, okay? Or if you really need an older sister figure, go find Natasha Romanoff. She's technically pushing ninety."
Ryuuto snorted. "You two sound like you'd explode if locked in the same room."
"Oh, we've fought before." Susan's lips curved in a sly smile. "A couple of years ago, SHIELD sent Natasha to infiltrate a biopharma company and steal data on children's vaccines. I was investigating the same company on my own — thought she was the CEO's secretary, so… we fought. My force fields beat her gadgets, hands down."
Ryuuto grinned. "Yeah, that sounds like Natasha. She once joined Stark Industries just to babysit Tony into SHIELD. Dedication or insanity — still can't tell."
"Well," Susan sighed, "I found out later who she was. She wanted me to apologize. I refused. The grudge's been simmering ever since."
"Sounds about right." Ryuuto smirked. "Anyway, how far's Loki's grave?"
"Almost there," she said.
Ten minutes later—
"…Is it still almost?"
"Almost almost."
Twenty minutes later—
"Susan, it's been half an hour."
"Half an hour already? Time flies."
Ryuuto groaned internally. Ah yes, the kind of person who thinks 'five minutes' means 'eventually.'If he ever had to team up with her long-term, he'd start bringing a calendar instead of a watch.
Finally, after what felt like ages, they reached a small, isolated island surrounded by glimmering sea.
Susan dropped altitude, and Ryuuto exhaled in relief. "If we'd flown any farther, I'd start believing you were leading me to another dimension."
After landing, she deactivated her invisibility, their fingers parting naturally."This island was bought by some billionaire last year," she explained. "He planned to turn it into an ocean tomb, but, well—he's still alive. So it's basically unused."
Ryuuto walked beside her, eyes tracing the sleek blue fabric of her suit."Your outfit doesn't even have pockets. Where do you keep your phone?"
"There's a hidden compartment."
"Where? I don't see—"
"Here," Susan said, tapping her chest. "The suit's made of unstable molecules. When I go invisible, it turns invisible too — and anything I store in it stays concealed."
Then she unzipped part of the suit and pulled out her phone.
Ryuuto raised a brow. "You know, flashing your bra in front of a guy isn't exactly 'professional.'"
Her eyes widened. "What? Ah—! I just wanted to show you where I keep it!" She zipped up hastily, face red. "Ugh, why do I always get flustered around you?"
Her suit clung perfectly to her body — a mix of utility and temptation. Practical, sure, but it made simple things… complicated. If she ever needed a restroom break, she'd practically have to peel the whole thing off.
Guess that's the price of science-made fashion, Ryuuto mused dryly.
After a few more steps, Susan suddenly pointed ahead. "There. That's where we buried him."
She jogged forward; Ryuuto appeared beside her in a blur of wind.
"Hey—! Don't just—" she started, startled by his sudden speed.
He ignored her and crouched beside a massive stone slab. "So, Loki's under this thing?"
"Yeah. We sealed his body beneath it."
Ryuuto smirked, gathering chakra in his palm.
"Ninjutsu — Rasengan!"
With a roar of spinning energy, he slammed it down, blasting a crater straight through the stone.