The training ground was a goddamn mess; cracked stones, dust swirling, Lysa still out cold in her little pit.
Satoru stood there, hands in his pockets, smirking at the scarlet-haired giantess who'd just tried to turn him into a shish kebab.
Her golden blade was gone; vanished into wherever she pulled it out from, and now she loomed, cloak rippling in the breeze, long locks waving like a bloody banner.
The crowd held its breath, Marcille clutching her staff like it'd save her from the tension, while Vanessa's eyes narrowed, recognition hitting her like a brick.
"Lady Malenia?" Vanessa called out, stomping forward, axe still gripped tight. "How the hell are you back?"
Malenia tilted her head down; way down, because she towered over Vanessa like a damn tree, and her voice rolled out, deep and elegant with a hint of surprise. "Huh? How? Did my daughter not, tell you lot that I was alive?"
Satoru's brain screeched to a halt. 'Daughter?' Then; ding! The light-bulb flickered on. He slammed his fist into his palm, grinning like he'd cracked the world's dumbest code. "Oh! Red's your kid, huh?"
"Red?" Malenia's blindfolded gaze shifted to him, her tone flat but curious, like she was wondering how this pint-sized clown knew her family tree. Before she could ask, a sharp voice cut through from behind.
"Mother?" Millicent strode up, golden aura simmering, scarlet hair a dead ringer for Malenia's but shorter, neater.
"What are you doing here? We had a deal. You stay low until you're fully healed, and I hold the city down." Her stoic mask didn't crack, but her eyes screamed exasperation.
Malenia sighed, a dramatic huff that rustled her cloak. "What a loving daughter, not even a 'glad you're back' after all this time.
Whatever, I wasn't planning on showing myself yet, but his return dragged me out." She jerked her head at Satoru, who was already sauntering forward, with a shameless grin on his face.
"Red, you didn't tell me you had such a gorgeous sister," he drawled, winking up at Malenia; completely ignoring the fact he'd just heard the whole "daughter" bit.
He looked like a kid next to her, barely clearing her chest, blue eyes glinting with pure mischief.
Vanessa's eye twitched, a vein pulsing. "Does this fucker ever quit?" she muttered. Millicent just pinched her nose.
Malenia; towering over him like a statue, raised her left hand, measuring him like he was a damn toy. "Charming," she said, voice dry as a desert. "But too short for my taste."
Satoru laughed, brushing it off like water off a duck. "Height's overrated; quality's what counts my lady."
His gaze flicked to her right side, where the cloak parted just enough to flash a metallic gleam; golden, sleek, a prosthetic arm hooked to her shoulder. 'Well, damn,' he thought, 'that's hot.'
Millicent cut in; voice flat. "Enough. My office, now! We're not doing this out here." She turned, cape snapping, and marched off.
Vanessa followed, shooting Satoru a glare that promised pain if he kept pushing. Marcille hesitated, then with a nod darted back to Lysa, who was still snoring in the dirt, leaving the adventurers around her gawking like fish out of water.
"What the fuck just happened?" one grunted, scratching his head. Another; a wiry chick with a spear, leaned in, whispering, "That's Malenia? The S-Rank? She went missing years ago. A fissure swallowed her, sent her to the Dark Continent. Everyone thought she was dead."
"No shit," a tank-topped grunt replied, eyes wide. "And now she's back? Right after Satoru? What's next, the Demon King crashing the party?"
The buzz grew; confusion, awe, a shot of fear. Two S-Ranks in Loran now; out of seven on the whole damn continent. Another round of drinks was already brewing; this city was about to get loud again.
Millicent's office was locked down tight, Satoru's shimmering veil sealing it from prying ears. Malenia tossed her cloak aside with a lazy flick, revealing armor that was more show than shield.
Thin silver plates with gold trim hugging her frame, mostly fabric underneath, paired with tight white pants, hugging her curves and bronze knee-high boots.
Her left leg from the knee down was all metal, a prosthetic twin to her golden right arm. She flopped onto the couch, one leg slung over the other, radiating a chill that matched Satoru's "don't give a damn" swagger.
He slid into the chair across from her, grin flashing. "Well, hell, tall lady; prosthetics and all, you're still a knockout. How's a guy supposed to behave around that?"
Malenia's lips twitched, blindfold catching the light as she leaned back. "Keep dreaming, Shortstuff. You're a dot from up here."
Satoru laughed, leaning in. "Short? Nah, I'm perfect; you're just freakishly tall. That's on you."
She smirked, golden hand resting on her knee with a faint clink. "Sounds like a personal failing to me." (A/N: Skill Issue!)
Millicent let out a long, suffering sigh, rubbing her temples as their back-and-forth bounced around like a bar brawl.
She turned to Vanessa, who leaned against the wall, axe in hand, her face a storm of barely checked frustration and confusion as to what the hell was even happening.
"Here's the gist of it," Millicent said, voice taut. "Satoru told me he landed in a dark, broken world; not the Dark Continent, something else. Dead, empty, a husk."
Malenia cut in. "Different for me. It was a frozen wasteland; ice everywhere, monsters were adapted to it. Took weeks to fight through. Lost the arm, had to hack off the leg myself to keep going."
She waved her golden hand like it was nothing, smirking. "Found another portal eventually; threw me right back to Delmar. Good times."
Vanessa's jaw tightened, a flicker of shock breaking through, while Millicent shot her mother a glare that could melt steel.
"She arrived half-dead," Millicent said, words sharp. "Demonic magic all over her. I took the Guild Rep role, told her to stay hidden 'til she's fully recovered. Which she's clearly ignoring." Malenia just shrugged, unbothered.
Satoru caught Malenia's vibe; blue eyes on blindfold, and a silent 'we're both full of shit' passed between them. They'd skimmed the truth, and he knew it.
He grinned wider. "So why not fix the limbs, Red Junior? Church's got the magic for that, right?"
Millicent's stoicism wavered, just a hair. "The corruption ran too deep. We had to carve away a lot of flesh just to stop it. Prosthetics were the only choice left."
Malenia chuckled, low and dark. "Takes more than some dark magic nonsense to finish me. I'm not here to whimper about it."
Satoru clapped, grin splitting his face. "That's the spirit! Oh, and Millicent; your 'shocked' act when I rolled in? Top-tier. Almost bought it."
Millicent's eye twitched, irritation bubbling. Vanessa's knuckles whitened on her axe, a growl rumbling low.
Then; out of nowhere, Satoru stood, sauntered over to Malenia, and held out a hand like he was asking for a dance. "So, gorgeous, how about a date? You, me, some trouble; let's make waves."
The room went dead. Millicent's face froze, a mask straining not to crack, while Vanessa's jaw dropped, a snarl building fast.
She stepped forward, ready to swing, but Satoru spun, smirking. "What? Daughter's not biting, so I'm going for the upgrade. Chill out, chief."
He shrugged, all cheek, like he hadn't just tossed a torch into a powder keg.
To everyone's shock; Satoru's too. Malenia's golden hand took his, pulling herself up with a throaty chuckle.
She towered over him, a whole two feet taller, blindfold staring down at this white-haired clown. "Alright, Shortstuff. Let's see if you can keep the pace."
Her voice was smooth, edged with amusement, like she was indulging him; and maybe liking it.
Millicent gripped her desk, golden aura flickering as her composure slipped. Vanessa threw her hands up, exasperation winning.
"Fine, I'm outta this shit," she muttered, slumping against the wall. "They're both lunatics."
Malenia headed for the door, tossing a lazy, "See you later, girls," over her shoulder. She paused, glancing back at Satoru, still grinning and standing like a fool. "What, date's off already?"
"Hell no!" He snapped out of it, bolting after her, tossing a "Catch you later, ladies!" and a sarcastic, "Bye, daughter!" at Millicent as he went. The door slammed, leaving the office in stunned silence.
Vanessa stared at Millicent; voice rough. "You just let that happen?"
Millicent didn't answer right away, her golden eyes fixed on the door. She exhaled, slow and heavy. "It's not just a date," she said, low and firm.
"They're hiding something; both of them. Whatever they saw out there, they're keeping it to themselves." Her fingers tightened on the desk, a quiet anger simmering. "That's frustrating more than their antics."
Vanessa rubbed her face, groaning. "Great. Two S-Ranks off scheming, and we're stuck here blind. Wonderful day." She slumped further, exhaustion settling in.
Millicent stayed silent, her gaze distant; less furious now, more weary, like a commander watching a battle slip beyond her grasp.
They'd been left in the dark, and it weighed on her, a subtle ache beneath the steel.
Outside, Satoru matched Malenia's stride, it was almost reminiscent of kitten trailing a mother cat. "So, where we headed, radiant? Food? Fights? Something spicier?"
She laughed, deep and smooth. "Keep talking, Shortstuff. You'll find out when we get there." Her prosthetics clicked faintly as she walked, her calm a mirror to his.
Satoru trailed Malenia through Loran's winding streets, hands in his pockets, smirking as her long strides ate up the ground.
As they strolled through a familiar location, he started piecing it together; she was slowly leading him, heading towards somewhere familiar.
They stopped outside a stone-walled house, and he blinked, pointing. "Lady, I'm not sure where you planned to drag me, but this is my place."
Malenia turned, blindfold glinting in the fading light. "Oh? Would you rather discuss that in some tavern with half the city listening?"
He sighed, scratching his neck. "Alright, fair. But don't expect a gourmet spread; I'm shit at cooking."
She chuckled, low and dry, stepping past him. "Already so stingy, and it's our first date. Pathetic."
Inside, Satoru grimaced as his newly bought couch groaned under Malenia's weight; two and a half meters of muscle and metal nearly buckling the poor thing.
He snapped his fingers, a veil shimmering over the house, locking it down tight. Marcille was off babysitting Lysa 'til evening, so they had the place to themselves.
He flopped into a chair across from her, legs kicked up, while she lounged like a queen on a throne too small for her.
Silence hung for a beat, then Malenia broke it, voice smooth and direct. "Did you hear the voice too? And see the vision?"
Satoru's grin sharpened, blue eyes glinting. "You mean that cryptic bastard showing off past worlds and their fucked-up present? Yeah, I got the VIP tour."
She nodded, golden hand tapping her knee. "That same voice guided me to another fissure; got me back to Delmar. Without it, I'd still be knee-deep in ice and claws."
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "So, what's your take on that whole mess?" He kept his own origin story.
Waking up in a hell-pit, courtesy of that voice; tucked away. No need to spill that, yet.
Malenia shrugged. "Whoever it was didn't expect me there. Sounded confused at first, like I wasn't supposed to be there.
After I survived a while, it voiced out again; said it'd show me something. That vision of the original state of that world, was what came next."
She paused, head tilting slightly up, "I'm not even sure the Dark Continent's real anymore."
Satoru's smirk twitched. He weighed it; drop the bomb or play coy? She'd handled worse; she could take it.
"Funny you say that. I flew around this world; top to bottom, east to west. No Dark Continent. Just another landmass past an ocean that'd shred anything dumb enough to sail it.
Waterfall so big it's like the planet's bleeding out."
He braced for a laugh, but Malenia just shrugged again, golden arm glinting. "Figured as much. I'd called it but tucked it away on the back of my head." She brushed it off like he'd told her the weather, already over it.
He blinked, then laughed. "Well, shit. Guess that's that."
She leaned back, smirking faintly. "I thought this was a date, not a debriefing."
Satoru froze, then grinned wider. "Right, right; almost forgot." Problem was, he'd never bothered learning to cook beyond slapping meat on a fire.
No way he'd serve this towering beauty some half-assed slop. He dropped the veil with a snap. "Wait here; back in a flash."
Before she could reply, he vanished; poof! Reappearing in the city library. He snatched a stack of cookbooks, flipping through them in seconds, blue eyes scanning every line like a machine.
Cooking? Easy. Too easy. He'd never bothered with skills like this. He'd master anything in a heartbeat, and it got boring fast.
Next stop; the market. He darted through the bustling stalls, grabbing ingredients; spices, meats, some fancy-ass veggies and teleported back to his kitchen in minutes, arms loaded.
The delay? Damn merchants haggling like their lives depended on it.
Malenia sat there, flabbergasted, as he materialized with a pile of goods. "You weren't even prepared?" she said, voice dry. "And you call this a date?"
"Improvising's my specialty," he shot back, already unpacking. She watched, blindfold hiding her eyes but not her amusement.
She'd clocked his speed in their spar; fast, sure, but this? Warping around like it was nothing, no mana signature to trace? Impressive, even for her.
She hadn't gone full throttle back there, but still; this little white feline was something else.
Afternoon rolled in, and Satoru turned the kitchen into a war-zone. Pots clanged, flames hissed, and soon the table was a goddamn masterpiece.
Roasted meats dripping with sauce, spiced roots, a tower of bread he'd somehow baked without burning the house down.
Portions? Massive, fit for a giantess who he hoped ate like she fought. For a first stab at real cooking, it looked like a pro chef's work.
Loran's cooks would've wept blood if they saw him pull this off from a book.
They dug in, forks clashing. Satoru speared a chunk of meat, grinning. "Not bad for a rookie, huh? Bet I could charm you with this alone."
Malenia sliced through her plate, smirking. "Passable. Though, I've had better from a campfire in a blizzard."
"Oh, wounding me already," he laughed, leaning in. "Guess I'll have to up my game, maybe reel in a sea dragon for dinner."
She chuckled, deep and dark. "You'd trip over your own feet before it noticed you."
"Low blow, mam, real low. I'd have it begging for mercy; kinda like how Red's gonna beg me to teach her some moves."
Malenia's smirk widened. "Millicent could snap you like a twig if she cared to try. My girl's got steel you can't touch."
"Humph! Marcille's tougher than she will ever be," he countered, popping a bite in his mouth. "Kid's got heart; beats your stoic spawn any day."
"Heart's fine 'til it's bleeding, gato," she shot back, unfazed. "Millicent's forged in fire; yours is still playing with sparks."
They kept going at it, each bragging about their "kids" more outrageous than the last.
They sounded more like kids, telling tales about their dads. Like they were cut from the same cloth. Nonchalant, cocky, riding the high of power nobody else could touch.
The meal stretched on, plates emptying, their exchange a dance of egos that never quite tipped into real heat. Satoru leaned back, grinning. "Gotta say, red senior, you're fun. Most can't keep up."
She set her fork down, smirking. "You're not dull yourself. Rare to find someone who doesn't bore me to death."
He winked. "Stick around; I'll keep you entertained."
"Only if you stop tripping over your own charm," she replied, voice smooth as steel.
The "date" wound down, plates scraped clean, the kitchen a battlefield of spices and crumbs. Satoru leaned back in his chair, smirking across the table at Malenia, who stretched her long frame like a Big cat.
Golden prosthetics glinting, blindfold catching the candlelight. She stood, towering over the room, and grabbed her cloak, slinging it over her shoulder with a casual flick.
"Not a bad evening, huh," she said, voice smooth and dry. "You're a passable company."
"High praise from a giantess," he shot back, winking. "Who knows, I might up the ante next time."
She chuckled, heading for the door, but paused mid-step, turning slightly. "One thing before I go; might tickle your interest.
I Saw some elves near Barol City's outskirts a while back, skulking with knights. Shady bunch, through and through.
Figured it might tie to that half-elf you've got trailing you." She nodded toward the empty spot where Marcille usually sat. "Could be nothing, could be something. Use it if you want."
Satoru's grin sharpened, blue eyes glinting. "Barol City, huh? Duly noted. Thanks for the info."
"Stay breathing Shortstuff, I hope we meet again" she replied, smirking faintly, then strode out, bronze boots clinking into the city.
The door thudded shut, leaving Satoru alone with the echo of her words. 'Elves and near Barol, huh?' The city's Guild Rep, Shou tucker was his next target of investigation.
Elves' presence near the city; Coincidence? Hell no. He'd planned to poke around there soon anyway, Malenia just lit a fire under his ass.
But; meh! Tomorrow was fine. Today, he'd earned a breather.
He snapped his fingers, warping around the house; dishes stacked, counters wiped, dining table gleaming in minutes.
The overkill from the date still nagged him; he'd cooked a damn feast, and Malenia barely looked half-full.
'Thought I was the foodie,' he mused, smirking. For a guy burning energy like a furnace every second, another round of cooking was nothing.
As evening rolled about, he whipped up a hearty spread for Marcille; grilled meat, roasted roots, a pile of bread. Simple but stacked, ready for her when she came in.
The door creaked open just as he set the table. Marcille shuffled in after freshening up, green eyes bright but tired. "Hey," she said, dropping into a chair. "Smells so good."
"Dig in, kid," Satoru replied, sliding a plate her way. "How'd your day go?"
She perked up, digging into the food as she talked. "I took Lysa to the church, but it quickly became busy with the usual healing rounds, patching up cuts and burns.
They've also requested me to teach some of the apprentices now. For today, I just showed them how to channel holy magic, and close wounds faster.
It was... a lot, but I like it." She grinned, a mix of pride and exhaustion, then took another bite.
Satoru leaned back, watching her. Marcille was grinding harder than most grown-ass adults; hell, harder than him some days.
Made him feel like a slacker, and that was saying something. "You're killing it out there kiddo," he said, voice light but real. "Don't burn out, though; world needs you in one piece."
She laughed, brushing it off. "I'm fine. What about you? That… tall lady; everything went okay?"
"Oh, just a date," he said, smirking. "Good food, better company. You'd like her; she's a lot fun to be around with, a mean streak, I may say."
He left out the cosmic secrets and elf with knights bombshell. Marcille didn't need that weight, yet. She nodded, too tired to pry, and they ate in comfortable quiet, the house warm with the smell of dinner.
Later, sprawled on the couch, Satoru's mind drifted back to Barol. He kicked his feet up, letting his thoughts settle, some plan of actions cooking up in his mind.
He'd done some research on the city and its representative, nothing other than a clean slate, on any official papers, well, he'd find out whatever he needed to.
The next day:
The sun climbed over Barol City, a sprawling port hugging the western gulf like a greedy hand on a coin purse.
Second only to Astartes' capital in size, it was a trade juggernaut; ships clogging the docks, their sails snapping in the salty wind, merchants barking over crates of fish and spice, the market a riot of noise and color.
Seagulls screeched overhead, swooping for scraps, while the streets pulsed with life.
Sailors haggling, carts rattling, kids darting through the chaos. The city thrived, loud and unapologetic, its heartbeat tied to the sea.
Perched on a rocky bluff overlooking it all stood the Guild Hall, a squat stone fortress weathered by salt and time.
Inside, it buzzed like a kicked hive. Adventurers crowding the job boards, grizzled vets swapping tales, clients waving contracts like they owned the place.
Up a winding stair, in the Guild Rep's office, Shou Tucker slouched behind a hulking desk, a thick tome sprawled open before him.
Middle-aged, brown hair thinning at the crown, a scruffy stubble clinging to his jaw, he peered through round glasses, cyan mage's robe draped over plain gray clothes.
His fingers traced the page, lost in whatever arcane knowledge he was cooking up, when a sharp knock snapped him out of it.
"Come in," he spoke, not looking up; his voice a calm low but clear.
The door creaked open, and in lumbered Tars; his assistant, a demi-human built like a brickhouse, bison horns curling from a humanish skull, fur patchy over muscle.
"Mr. Tucker," Tars said, voice tight with urgency, "he's back."
Tucker's head tilted, glasses catching the light. "Who's back?"
"Satoru Gojo," Tars spat, pacing a step. "The S-Rank you told me to track. He's returned from the Dark Continent." His agitation spiked, hands flexing.
"And that's not all. Lady Malenia; lost in that fissure years ago. She showed up in Loran yesterday too. Rumor is, she and Satoru had a sparring match. A bout right there in the open."
Tucker's face stayed calm; mostly. A faint twitch tugged his lip, barely noticeable, but his eyes darkened. He waved a hand, voice flat. "Go back to your duties, Tars. Keep me posted."
Tars nodded, hoofed it out, and shut the door. Alone, Tucker held it together for about five seconds before the mask cracked.
"Shit," he muttered, shoving the book aside. "Shit, shit, shit!" His fingers raked through his thinning hair, glasses slipping down his nose.
Satoru Gojo, popping back like a bad dream, how? The guy had vanished into a fissure, presumed dead or at least gone long enough to not fuck up his plans.
And now Malenia? That was a nightmare with legs; literally. The S-Rank terror, a whirlwind of steel and fury who'd carve you up, torture your corpse for fun and then interrogate your soul.
If she sniffed even a hint of his schemes, he'd be a smear on her blade before he could blink.
Fear clawed up his spine, cold and sharp. Satoru was a wild card; unpredictable, a wrench in the gears, but Malenia? She was a fucking guillotine.
He'd banked on her being dead, lost to the Dark Continent. Now both S-Ranks were back, and in Loran of all places, Millicent's place.
His palms sweated, smudging the ink on his desk. 'A spar?' If those two were already trading blows, they might be trading secrets too, who knew if they worked together.
And if Millicent got wind of his plans… fuck, he was cooked.
He slumped back, chair creaking, and glared at the ceiling. As if that wasn't enough salt in the wound, Barol had its own pest skittering around; some vigilante calling himself "Raven."
He'd been stirring shit up, riling the docksiders, poking holes in his operations. Merchants grumbled about a shadowy savior; guards muttered about a cloaked figure slipping through alleys.
Small headaches piling into a migraine. "Why the hell do I have to deal with every damn problem myself?" he growled, slamming a fist on the desk.
The book jumped, pages fluttering.
Tucker sucked in a breath, forcing his brain to work. Satoru and Malenia were distant threats; for now. Raven was here, in his city, screwing with his plans.
He'd start there; snuff out the vigilante, get a grip on Barol, then figure out how to handle the S-Rank storm brewing in Loran.
He straightened his robe, adjusted his glasses, and stood, pacing to the window. Below, the port churned, oblivious to the shitshow brewing in his head.
Ships rocked against the piers, their hulls groaning; trade never stopped, and neither could he.
Tucker wasn't dumb; he'd built this game carefully. One vigilante and two S-Ranks wouldn't unravel it. Not yet.
Still, as he stared out at the gulf, the unease still gnawed at him. Satoru coming back, was a fluke he couldn't explain; agitation and paranoia were all that he was feeling right now.
He clenched his jaw, shoving the thought down. Barol was his, and he'd be damned if some crow wannabe or some S-Rank legends took it from him.
... To be continued!!!