Location: Tokyo - A Quiet Residential Street (World: Testament)
Time: Evening
Status: Starving
Gravity reasserted itself.
Raiden fell out of the sky and crashed into a vending machine.
CRASH.
"My spine..." Raiden groaned, sitting up in the pile of broken metal and soda cans.
He looked at a can of coffee. He crushed it and drank the liquid and the aluminum.
"Tastes like cheap tin."
He stood up and dusted himself off. He was in his human form again, though his aura was heavily suppressed to prevent blowing up the city. His trench coat was torn, but his presence was undeniable.
He looked around.
"Japan again? At least the language is the same."
He sniffed the air.
"Smells different. The demons here... they smell... spicy. Like lust and sulfur."
Raiden wandered toward a nearby park/bridge area, looking for a place to crash (or eat).
He saw a commotion.
A young man with brown hair (Basara Toujou) was standing protectively in front of two girls.
One was a redhead with a defiant attitude (Mio Naruse).
The other was a petite silver-haired (Maria Naruse).
They were surrounded by men in black suits.
"Hand over the girl," one of the men said. "The Demon Lord's daughter must be purged."
"Heroes," Raiden muttered. "Always noisy."
He walked past them.
"Excuse me. Passing through."
The Hero in the black suit glared at him. "Civilian! Get lost! This is official Village business!"
"I said," Raiden stopped, his stomach growling loudly, "I'm walking here."
The Hero, annoyed, swung a magical baton at Raiden's head to knock him out.
"Sleep!"
SNAP.
Raiden caught the baton.
"You interrupted my stomach."
Raiden bit the tip of the magical baton off.
Crunch.
The Hero froze. "He... he ate the spirit metal?"
Raiden spat the metal out like a bullet. It pierced the Hero's shoulder.
"Too much copper."
Mio Naruse watched wide-eyed. This stranger just casually maimed a Hero.
"Who... who are you?"
Raiden looked at Mio.
He sniffed.
[System Analysis]
[Target: Mio Naruse]
[Species: Human/Demon Hybrid]
[Flavor Profile: High-Class Demonic Energy. Inheritor of Wilbert's Power.]
[Scent: Sweet Strawberries and Destruction.]
"You smell good," Raiden said bluntly, stepping closer to Mio.
Basara stepped in between them, drawing his sword, Brynhildr.
"Stay back! Are you with the Heroes? Or the Demons?"
Raiden looked at the sword.
"Nice toothpick. Can I eat it?"
"Eat...?" Basara blinked.
Suddenly, more Heroes attacked. "Kill the anomaly!"
A barrage of wind magic flew at Raiden.
Raiden sighed.
[Heavenly Dragon Art: Gluttony - Snack Time]
He opened his mouth and inhaled. The wind magic vanished.
"Bland."
He looked at the remaining Heroes.
"Get lost. You're ruining the scenery."
He released a sliver - just 1% - of his Heavenly Dragon Aura.
The Heroes fell to their knees, vomiting from the sheer pressure. The gravity in the area increased tenfold.
"M-Monster..." one Hero gasped before fleeing. "Retreat!"
The Heroes ran.
Raiden turned back to the trio.
Basara was sweating. He realized the gap in power instantly. This man wasn't a demon; he was a calamity.
Mio, however, was staring at Raiden.
"You... you saved us."
"I was walking," Raiden corrected. "They were in the way."
He looked at Mio again.
"But since I saved you... do you have food? I just traveled across dimensions and I'm starving."
Maria, the succubus, giggled nervously. "Mio-sama, I think he's hitting on you! But in a very primitive way!"
Mio blushed deep red. "F-Food? You want... dinner?"
"Meat," Raiden specified. "Lots of it."
Mio hesitated, then nodded. "My house is nearby. I... I can make curry."
Raiden's eyes lit up.
"Curry is acceptable."
He walked past Basara, patting the protagonist on the shoulder.
"Relax, kid. If I wanted to kill you, I would have eaten your sword already."
Basara lowered his weapon, bewildered. "Just... who is he?"
Location: Naruse Residence (Formerly Toujou House)
Time: 8:00 PM
Raiden sat at the table, eating his fifth bowl of curry.
Mio, Maria, and Basara watched him.
"So," Raiden wiped his mouth. "You're the daughter of the former Demon Lord Wilbert. And you two," he pointed at Maria and Basara, "are her bodyguards/family."
"How do you know that?" Mio asked defensively.
"I can smell the lineage," Raiden said. "Your father had strong magic. It tastes like aged wine."
"You talk like you eat magic," Maria noted.
"I do. I'm a Heavenly Dragon," Raiden dropped the bomb casually.
"Heavenly... Dragon?" Basara frowned. "I've heard of Dragons, but..."
"I'm not from around here," Raiden leaned back. "I'm from a place where Dragons are the size of islands and Gods get slapped for being annoying."
He looked at Mio.
"You have a target on your back, Princess. Heroes want you dead. Demons want your power."
Mio looked down. "I know. That's why..."
"I'll make you a deal," Raiden interrupted.
He pointed at the empty pot of curry.
"You keep feeding me. High-quality meals. In exchange... I'll make sure nobody eats you."
Mio blinked. "You... you want to be my bodyguard? For curry?"
"And a bed," Raiden added. "Sleeping on vending machines hurts my back."
Mio looked at Basara. Basara nodded slightly; having a monster like this on their side was safer than fighting him.
"Okay," Mio stood up, trying to look regal. "I, Mio Naruse, accept your services! But... but don't think you can do anything perverted just because you're strong!"
Raiden scoffed. "I'm a Glutton, not a Lech. Unless you taste like wagyu beef, you're safe."
[System Alert]
[New World Anchor Established: Mio Naruse]
[Role: Guardian / "Pet" Dragon]
[Conflict Incoming: Zolgia and the Stray Devils]
Raiden grinned.
"This world seems fun. The food is spicy, and the enemies look crunchy."