Chapter 185: Drifters Vs the World (3)
~Third POV~
[A few Minutes Later, The Great Culture and Sports Festival Stadium]
Everyone had time to collect their thoughts Satsuki and Ryuko were both left alone to discuss some things in private away from the others. Satsuki soon spoke in a stoic tone having been fully recovered, "The battle is far from over…"
Ryuko curtly responded in her normal de-transformed state in a neutral tone raising an eyebrow, "You're planning on putting Junketsu on again? Do you think you can truly wear that monster?"
Satsuki with her back turned to Ryuko stoically replied in a confident tone, "I won't make the same mistake twice. Iori and Mash are already modifying Junketsu before the final battle ahead."
Ryuko simply snorted at her confident words speaking in a blunt tone the reality of her situation, "Big words from someone who did everything they could to win only to fail. Given how high-handed you have been up until now."
Satsuki soon spoke in a blunt tone to Ryuko being direct about what she wanted, "… What do you want from me?"
Ryuko thought before a sly grin appeared on her face raising her fist and replying, "Let me punch you."
Senketsu being the reasonable being spoke scoldingly, "Ryuko…"
However, Ryuko pouted and argued back with Senketsu defending herself as she explained in a determined tone, "If you can take an all-out punch from me and remain standing, then I'll admit you're strong enough to fight by my side."
But soon Mash appeared hearing the conversation speaking in a curious tone about their conversation, "Hmm? You sure about that Gear Eyes any normal human would die if you attacked them seriously in your synchronized form no?"
Her gaze soon met Mash as she remained determined with a sly grin on her face, "But Lady Satsuki Kiryuin is no ordinary human, is she?"
Mash raised his hand to argue but slowly put it down thinking before reluctantly admitting to the idea, "Well… I suppose you're not wrong. Still stupid if you ask me."
Satsuki merely agreed to Ryuko's request as she spoke in a stoic tone standing in place to take the attack, "Very well. Hit me. Our enemy is Ragyo Kiryuin. If I go down here, then I stand no chance of winning this battle anyway. I'll show you that I can take that fist of yours."
Mash hid a small snicker muttering for Ryuko managing to hear in her transformed state, "That's what she said."
Ryuko almost laughed but remained calm and determined as she replied, "Prove to me that you're not all bark and no bite."
*BAM*
As Ryuko and Satsuki stared each other down, an intense silence covered the area. Ryuko readied her fist and lunged at Satsuki, but before her fist connected, Gamagori jumped in the way, causing him to be punched in the face instead.
Satsuki soon yelled to him in a surprised tone, "Gamagori!"
Ryuko soon joined asking for his major malfunction in an annoyed tone, "Stay out of this, damn it!"
Ryuko charged at Satsuki again, only to have her fist intercepted yet again, this time by Sanageyama with Ryuko yelling angrily, "What is with you guys?!"
However, it was Gamagori who sounded offended yelling at her, "You dare insult me, Matoi?"
Ryuko took a step back confused and yelled back, "Say what?!"
Gamagori manages to stand up from being punched in an annoyed tone, "Is THAT an all-out punch to you?!"
Ryuko soon argues back defending herself in an annoyed tone, "That's right!"
Gamagori scoffed her words standing up fine if a little bit wobbly in a deep tone, "Hmph! Ridiculous! Why are we still alive then?!"
Sanageyama soon stood up stretching his body being fine and getting hit in an annoyed tone much to Ryuko's annoyance, "I thought no normal human could survive if you attacked them seriously!"
Ryuko stomped her foot on the ground defending her actions in a defiant tone, "It's your damn fault for butting in!"
However, Gamagori puffs his chest annoyed by Ryuko's false intent being blunt to her in his usual fashion, "That's outrageous! You held back because someone butted in? A woman like you has no right to hit Lady Satsuki!"
She soon snapped back at his words in a defiant tone arguing, "Don't you snap back at me!"
Sanageyama soon took his side by Satsuki in a defiant but loyal tone and replied, "No we're genuinely pissed off! There's no way in hell we'd let such a half-hearted punch hit Lady Satsuki!"
Moments later, Inumuta and Nonon stood with Sanageyama and Gamagori with Satsuki asking in a genuinely confused tone, "What are you guys doing?"
Nonon replied in a determined tone using her body to shield her friend, "Our faces being to Lady Satsuki. Our limbs, too, belong to her. If it's for her sake, we'll gladly be smashed to bits or chopped to pieces!"
Inumuta soon followed in a determined tone opening his body wide to take any further attacks, "But keep in mind that these limbs have a mind of their own and can really take a beating."
Sanageyama followed next in a determined tone using his body to defend Satsuki with a stern expression, "We, the Elite Four of Honnouji, are Lady Satsuki's greatest weapon and her strongest shield!"
Gamagori stood in front ready to take on any attacks being Lady Satsuki's shield in a determined tone, "If you wish to hit her, you'll have to go through us first! That said, it won't be easy to bring us to our knees!"
Ryuko looks at the Elite Four with an expression of disbelief and tries to argue but soon smirks looking at the friends behind her, "What is wrong with you guys?! You're acting like idiots-! Ah. So you have a bunch of incomprehensible idiots protecting you, just like me."
However, Mash had to comment on this with a raised eyebrow in an offended tone, "… Why are you looking at me?"
Ryuko simply laughed much to his frowning appearance. Satsuki smirked seeing his frowning expression as she replied in a happy tone, "Sure looks like it. To beat Ragyo, I must use all humans as pawns to further my goals… Or so I used to think. That went for you too. From the moment you two showed up, I tried to mold you so you would be used against Ragyo's army."
*Tick Mark*
Ryuko and Mash's eyes ticked hearing that as they both replied at the same time, "You bitch…/What mongrel?"
Satsuki merely chuckled seeing their reaction as she continued in a stoic tone gaining their attention and listening intently, "By having you come after me, I tested both Senketsu's, yours, and Bastion's strength. I thought I could lead you into helping the cause against her without ever telling you the truth. But I was sorely mistaken. At the end of the day, I was doing the same thing as Ragyo. Of course, I couldn't defeat her that way. The biggest fool of all… was me."
Nonon muttered out loud in a saddened tone, "Satsuki…"
Satsuki bowed, and a huge light shined out from behind her as she showed her respect and asked in a stoic tone, "But now I know the world is not a piece of cloth. It's filled to the brim with some incomprehensible things, and that's what makes it beautiful. Please, fight alongside me to protect that beautiful world, Ryuko, Mash!"
Ryuko hearing and seeing Satsuki's apology sighed in a defeated tone but a smirk briefly appeared on her face hearing this, "Man, even your apologies are overblown. I don't feel like hitting you anymore. I have people I want to protect, too, so I agree it's high time we stopped that mother of ours."
Seeing both sides agree Mash soon spoke now holding a large plate of croquettes with Mako holding another big plate as he spoke in a cheerful tone, "Now with that done with it's time to eat! Since you guys haven't eaten in the last 3 days, I'll give you the Mankanshoku-style buffet of croquettes with normal meat. Can't save the world on an empty stomach!"
Placing the plates down everyone looked a bit stunned except for Mako and Ryuko smiling with an eager intent to eat his cooking in an excited tone, "Whoa! Man, I almost forgot I missed your cooking because of that Nui bitch! Time to dig in!!"
Seeing the food as everyone except Iori's stomachs grumbled with an embarrassed light blush on them took the chance to eat. After all, being left standing for 3 straight days with no rest or food was taxing on them even with healing done to them.
Everyone began to eat the croquettes surprised at how good they tasted Mash soon asked a curious question to Ryuko, "Uh… Gear Eyes I have a question?"
Ryuko munching down on the croquette paused asking in a curious tone, "What is it?"
Having gotten her attention Mash soon brought up an interesting question to himself asking the sisters in a curious tone, "Because you two are sisters, does that mean I have to call you Ryuko Kiryuin or do I have to call her Satsuki Matoi?"
Ryuko almost choked on her food asking in a surprised tone, "Ack! That's your question?!"
Nonon felt her spine crawl as she replied in a snarky tone at his words, "Leave it to an idiot to ask an idiotic question."
Mash simply pouted but soon Satsuki entered the conversation genuinely curious taking an elegant bite of the croquettes, "It is a good question. Ryuko, you are technically part of the Kiryuin family."
Ryuko responded harshly to that claim disagreeing in an irritated tone and being defiant keeping her family name from her father's side, "There's no way I'm taking the family name Kiryuin! I'm keeping the one my father gave me, Matoi!"
Satsuki nodded her head agreeing with her choice and respecting her decision as she spoke in a calm tone, "I would also like to agree, it wouldn't feel right to take the name Matoi so I will also keep my own."
Nonon sighed eyeing Ryuko having a hard time comprehending in a disbelief tone, "I still cannot believe Lady Satsuki is related to this trouble-maker…"
Inumuta taking another bite of his food followed Nonon's comment in a surprised tone, "I never would have guessed in a thousand years…"
Ryuko soon growled from the peanut gallery's comments angrily speaking out loud, "What's that supposed to me?!"
Mash being the blunt one spoke stating the facts with a mischievous expression on his face comparing the two, "You two are complete opposites. Satsuki is cool, calm, and collected. While you're fiery, reckless, and passionate. It's like comparing fire and ice."
Ryuko dangerously asked him to glare daggers referring to her intelligence, "What, you saying is I don't think?!"
Mash nodded his head pointing out numerous times he saved her ass in a smug tone counting the events, "Yes. Yes, I do count the times I saved your ass from your own recklessness. Let's see… saved you from getting slugged by the Captain of the Boxer Club, dropped into a sea near the school, stalling Eyebrows, rescuing you from Kendo Warrior over there…"
Hearing the times he saved Ryuko's ask she soon pleaded to stop in a defeated tone sighing out loud, "Okay! Okay, I get it already! Sigh… Damn, you could've at least sugar-coated it you know…"
Being smug Mash replied making Ryuko click her tongue in an annoyed tone, "But that wouldn't be stating facts. After all, honesty is the best policy."
Blowing a raspberry Ryuko grumbled till Mako spoke in a curious tone making Mash almost choke on his food, "Oh! I have a question, Mash! I've been thinking you plan to start a family in the future right? What sort of lady do you picture yourself with hmm…?"
Mash was sweating as he choked on his food when Mako spoke that question seemingly out of nowhere. While Mash was thinking, Mako gave a thumbs up to Ryuko, who blushed and then turned her attention to Mash. Across from her, Satsuki did the same thing.
When all eyes were directed at him he finally spoke after giving some thought to what he spoke in a nervous tone, "Well… I'd like to be with a woman who loves me for who I am, who's beautiful, and… strong. But I'm not sure how they'll react though given my circumstance I might not shy away from them offering my love but…"
Ryuko tilted her head before it clicked recalling his two other lovers in an awkward tone, "Oh, you mean Rem and Emilia, right?"
Satsuki hearing this was a bit intrigued listening till she recalled blurting out surprising Ryuko of the revelation, "Right I almost forgot that you aren't from our world. I suppose making a family would be difficult and many girls would want someone – "
That was when Ryuko interrupted Satsuki raising her hand and stopping the conversation in a surprised tone, "What?! What the heck do you mean he's not from our world? I'm already wrapping my head around the idea of sci-fi alien Life Fibers but him? Isn't he human born here?"
Mash sighed as he rubbed his head seeing the food was not finished yet decided to share his tale and circumstance in a defeated tone, "Sigh… I was hoping to share this with Gear Eyes after this, but I suppose a good time as any to explain my origin story. Who knows it might be my last, but I guess you guys want to know the mystery behind me huh?"
All eyes soon darted towards him as he sighed out loud crossing his arms as he explained from the very beginning. He saw no need but if they ended up failing to save the world sharing his tale doesn't sound as bad as before revealing his history to this point…
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A/N: Hey guys the author here asking a question. I'm doing a speedrun of the Arifureta world collecting the Ancient Magic but wanted to ask if should Yue be added to his harem or not. I'm asking because the MC just HATES VAMPIRES based on his personality.