A/N: I apologise for the recent update frequency, I really do. But, I haven't slept in two days and my everything hurts so bad. 900.
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Unbothered, the stranger sat down beside me, leaving a single seat empty between us and made a gesture towards the owner. I watched him with barely concealed amusement. He did the very same, not backing down a single inch.
His easy disregard, his intense gaze, and the callous grin. It was all very familiar for some reason.
In the end, I broke the little 'contest' with a chuckle, "You're very full of yourself, aren't you?"
"I find it laughable you, of all people, would say that, mongrel." He answered with a nod.
I noticed then that he wasn't even looking at me, or at anyone at all, really. At least, not as people. No, he was looking at everything as though this was his playground, and we were blessed by his decision to think of it as such.
That was... interesting.
I recognised that immediately, because it was the same way I treated most people. Oh, how I hoped he was capable of backing up how he spoke and behaved. That alone would make this trip to a country I did not understand fully worth it.
Rhythymically, I tapped my finger against the hard wood of the counter. A Bounded Field formed around us, expanding to cover the space of the little restaurant. A rudimentary one that made the few customers mindlessly shuffle out of the place, and back to their homes. The owner stumbled into the kitchen.
A moment later, it was only me, Nobunaga, and the stranger sitting there.
When I smiled and prepared to attack, he held up a hand to stop me in my tracks.
"Don't overreach, insect. You aren't even worth sullying my clothes yet. The world bends, and offers me what I wish, when I wish. My desire was to find a passing muse to rid me of my boredom." He declared as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Yet, this does not mean even a fool meant to amuse this king will be spared from my wrath should he overstep."
For a good minute, I was left too baffled to even answer. After, I burst out cackling. My servant joined me.
"Damn mate, what made you think that was going to come out cool? SpaREd FrOm mY WraTH. Which cartoon did you pull that one from?" I put a hand over my stomach, closing my eyes to wipe away a tear. "Or what? Was that what you wanted to say that one uncle who kept tou-"
A sword blew clean through my shoulder. Sadly, I never even got to see where the weapon came from. Instead, I spent a couple seconds staring at my half-torn arm hanging limp from my side. The self-proclaimed King scoffed, pouring rich wine in a cup... that had apparently just spawned in his hand.
The arm started stitching itself back together.
"Hoh?" The so-called King raised a brow.
Again, Nobunaga and I started cackling.
"He got butthurt and resorted to violence!" The Demon King of the Sixth Heaven pointed a gloved finger at him before laughing harder. "Imagine that! Gahahahaha...!"
He did not take well to the provocation. With narrowed eyes, he held a hand out to the side. This time, I was able to fully take in just how he'd thrown that sword before. The very air rippled and distorted into rifts of a resplendent gold. That was incredibly cool.
I pondered if it was worth the risk to analyze them as Nobunaga responded. She simply snapped her fingers, and rifles formed in the air in bursts of a hungry red flame.
However, instead of attacking, the King craned his neck. The rippling air returned to normal, and all was right with the world once again. He dusted off his shoulder.
"I told you, did I not? Two rabid dogs are not worth sullying even this fabric."
"Okay buddy," I waved him off, "Just say you're scared."
He threw his head back, laughing, "What nonsense! I did not think a magus of this age would have the gall to utter such words to myself."
I gave Nobu a questioning look. His choice of words was rather similar to a heroic spirit's, but she'd confirmed that he most definitely was not one. Perhaps, my servant wasn't as reliable when it came to deductions and analysis as I thought she was.
"I don't know who you are, mate." I rested my chin atop my palm, eying him curiously, "But you're acting like I can't fold you-"
"Do you not feel it, fool? Are your eyes so blinded by baseless hubris?"
Genuine surprise flickered through his gaze before he laughed again, louder than before, "Interesting! Truly, interesting! You believe yourself the strongest?"
"I don't need to believe it. I am the greatest." I offered easily. "I'm the Honored One, haven't you heard~?"
"Perhaps for the modern age, mongrel, but know this, I am the greatest to have ever drawn breath, long before your ancestors even knew words to speak."
"There's the thing."
I stood up and stepped over to him, meeting his annoyed amusement with a shit-eating grin.
"The only reason you WERE the greatest, was because I wasn't born yet. You can sod off now that I'm here, relic."
He raised his head ever-so-slightly, in that way Luvia did when she was treating with lesser nobles, such that he had to look down on me even though I was a little taller than him.
"You seek my treasure as well, do you not? Very well. I had thought this war would be all blustering fools and incompetent morons. When the time comes, mongrel, you will understand well the difference between us."
"If you're oh-so-great, why not put me in my place here and now~?" I treated him with his own indignance, putting a hand in my pocket.
"Because I will not lower myself to dance along the tune of a court jester who thinks he understands the mind of a king beyond him. Mere words have never been enough. Not in this age. Not in any age. I am amused by your grandstanding, but there is a fine line between courage and stupidity... one you are unable to perceive."
He'd said, in a lot of words, that I was way in over my head right now. Honestly, I probably was seeing his behaviour... but damn if it wasn't exciting. I was raring to go. A second away from just attacking him outright with some flimsy excuse.
"I will rend your heart. Tear apart your limbs. And laugh as you struggle along and beg for forgiveness."
"You want me on my knees begging you? How kinky~ But I'll have to shoot down that feisty proposition. I'm sorry. I'm just not into men~"
"How presumptuous to even assume you would entice me."
Okay, that was a bit too gay even for me. I backed off with a shiver. Somehow, he took that as a victory and scoffed before turning to leave. I watched him leave past the drapes, then finally wiped the sweat from my forehead.
"That was awesome~ Totally worth coming here just if I get to fight that guy."
Nobunaga put a hand on her chin, thoughtful, "I was certain we'd be able to goad him into a fight with how he insisted he was beyond us."
True. He'd come close to attacking me quite a few times there. I was even sure he'd lose his shit like a typical young master... and yet, that never happened. Every time, he seemed to decide against doing just that when that had been my goal from the start-... Oh. I understood now.
Taking a seat beside Nobunaga, I chuckled, "He realised that's what I wanted from the start."
"... He refused to give you the satisfaction, and ruined your plan as well." She considered with that creepy grin of hers, "So that would mean he did win, this time."
...
Damn.
"You said he wasn't a servant. That was clearly a noble phantasm-"
She shook her head from side to side. "Not a servant, my master. That was most certainly not a servant. But, his suffering will be even more amusing now. That was, at least partly... That was a God."
Well now...
I covered my mouth with a hand.
A god was... absurd. Truly, I regretted not attacking him outright even more now.
"Undeniably, I felt Divinity." She raised a fist, "And I do deny it. The Heavens and all those would align with them are my foes. I will burn him. I will burn all he has. I will set aflame the very skies."
She was talking mad shit about someone who could well turn out to be the Sukuna to my Gojo.
"Yeah, but can you?"
She gave no answer.
Sufficiently amused, we decided to return to the mansion for the day. Caren was fast asleep in her room, and Nobunaga immediately retired to the couch with a gaming console in her hand... When I got to my bed however, the sheets were inexplicably wet.
I threw them out of the window and set them on fire before sleeping on the couch beside Nobunaga instead.
As a gamer, I was used to falling asleep with a console in my hand.
Dare I say, I felt truly at home when I drifted off with gunfire and bombs in the background.
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Hope you enjoyed.
You can find six chonky chapters ahead at patre0n.com/Bleap
Should be eight but well, you saw the AN at the beginning.