*Note: I apologize for not uploading a chapter in the past two days, but I have a good explanation. I usually upload my chapters at night (in my country), and I've always done it this way. However, on Sunday night, my internet went down and didn't come back until the following day, quite late. I'd say I was already lying in bed trying to sleep by then. Anyway, many of you probably already know about the power outage that occurred in Spain on Monday, so I'm not lying. You can easily verify it yourselves. Because I wasn't able to translate the chapters during the day as usual, I had to wait two days to upload them. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow with more chapters, thanks for your patience and have a good day :)
...
While Akira was enjoying a pleasant conversation with beautiful girls by his side , and while the other men present watched the scene with displeasure and envy, another person was observing with mixed feelings: Yuuki Rito. Once again, Rito had tried to get close to Haruna, but his efforts were thwarted by his inability to take the final step. That was his flaw: cowardice. Whenever he was about to do something important like this, he would always hesitate, backing down at the last moment. But today he had thought it would be different, the day he would finally get closer to Haruna and, who knows, maybe even confess his feelings to her soon. Yet just as he was about to approach her in the school cafeteria, his cowardice held him back once again, and before he realized it, Haruna and the others were already sitting at the table where Akira and his beautiful fiancée, Lala, were eating.
Everyone seemed quite happy as they chatted, and although Haruna appeared a little shy and awkward at first, she eventually began smiling and even laughing while talking with Lala. That alone wouldn't have made him envious, if it weren't for the fact that Haruna also seemed very comfortable talking with Akira. Despite only knowing each other for a day, the two already seemed to get along very well. In that sense, he envied Akira, not because he was surrounded by beautiful women, but because of his ability to talk to them without cowering like he did. Why couldn't he have the same courage as Akira? Perhaps if he did, he would already be dating Haruna.
"Haa... I have to find a way to be less cowardly. I'll ask Mikan this afternoon, maybe she'll give me some advice" – Rito sighed.
Mikan was Yuuki Rito's younger sister, an elementary school girl with brown hair who was remarkably mature for her age, even more so than Rito, despite him already being in his second year of high school. Because of this, Rito often turned to her for advice.
By the way, Mikan was the one who prepared all of Rito's meals and took care of the housework. Although Rito tried to help her, he wasn't very good at it, so Mikan insisted on handling everything herself. Because of this, Rito trusted that Mikan would be able to give him good advice on how to improve his behavior.
"Yes, I'm sure I'll get to confess to Sairenji tomorrow!" – Rito said cheerfully.
And clinging to that false illusion, Rito headed back to the classroom, as it was time to return.
…
Hours later.
After our little chat in the school cafeteria, several hours had passed and classes were over, so it was time to head home with Lala. Momioka, Mio, and Haruna lived in the opposite direction from my house, so they said goodbye to Lala and me after leaving the school gates, while Yui... let's just say I tried to talk to her again without any success.
After that, Lala, Peke (who was on Lala's head in the form of a brooch, something I hadn't noticed until a while ago), and I walked home together.
"By the way, you and Peke have to give me that class you mentioned yesterday! What was it called again...?" - Lala said.
"Ehem, it's sex education, Lala-sama" - Peke said.
"Right, sex education lessons! Will you explain it to me during dinner?" - Lala asked innocently.
"Uh... it would be better to wait until after dinner" - I replied.
"Mmm, ok" – Lala said without giving importance to the matter.
But suddenly, I felt a chill run through my entire body.
"What's wrong with you, Akira?" – Lala asked curiously.
"I don't know. Suddenly I felt a chill" – I said.
I don't really know, but I feel like I'm being watched. Have you ever had that feeling? Well, right now that's what I'm feeling.
"Mmm, how strange, it's not cold today" – Lala said.
"Yes, you're right. Let's go home" – I nodded.
Why give importance to something that does not have it?
"Yes, I'm hungry already. What will you prepare today?" – Lala asked with emotion.
"Well, today I had thought of..." – I tried to say.
But suddenly, someone interrupted us.
"It seems to me that at the moment no one is going anywhere" – said a voice.
It wasn't behind us, but in front and it was a voice that sounded extremely intimidating, so much so that I even got a little nervous.
"Who are you?" – I asked seriously.
"That voice... What are you doing here, Zastin?" – Lala asked.
I was finally able to get a good look at the person who had just spoken, and it was indeed Zastin, whose appearance was exactly the same as in the anime. However, unlike in the anime and manga where he was portrayed as a comical character, here he didn't look comical at all. His mere presence made me nervous, and he radiated a rather intimidating aura.
"I have come by order of Your Majesty, Lala-sama" – Zastin said.
"Stop bullying my fiancé to begin with, thank you" – Lala said.
At a glance, she realized that Zastin was using his aura to intimidate Akira, which made her a little angry. The "aura" we speak of is a type of pure energy that all Devilukians possess within their bodies, but very few manage to develop. In fact, most are unable to develop it at all, while those with at least minimal talent can use it to shoot energy beams from the tip of their tails, just like Lala did in the anime and manga.
"I'm sorry," Zastin said.
Immediately, Zastin removed the aura causing Akira to stop being nervous and even sweating.
"And second, I don't plan to go home. Akira is now my fiancé and I am very happy with him. I will never go with you" – Lala said hugging my arm.
Listening to Lala, Zastin gave me a piercing look, but I wasn't going to let myself be intimidated. Before, it had caught me by surprise, and I couldn't defend myself, but I wasn't going to fall for the same thing twice.
"Whoever you are, I won't let you take Lala or take her away from me" – I said with an angry tone.
"… Not bad, at least you don't lack guts. My name is Zastin, captain of the royal guard of His Majesty King Deviluke and today I have not come to take Lala-sama with me, at least not yet" – Zastin said.
"What do you mean?" – Lala asked.
"I have spoken to His Majesty and he agrees to accepted this human as his heir" - Zastin said.
"Really?! Yes!" – Lala said happily.
If their father accepted Akira, there would be no more obstacles for them.
"What's the catch? Last time, Lala's bodyguards seemed to despise and undervalue humans, and now King Deviluke suddenly accepts my marriage with Lala. It doesn't make any sense, so there has to be something fishy about this whole thing" - I said seriously.
I wish everything in life was as easy as in anime or manga, but this is real life and not a romantic comedy manga. In real life, things are never that easy.
"You're very insightful, human. His Majesty will make you his heir and allow you to marry Lala-sama if you can match 30% of my total power. Otherwise, I'll take Lala-sama with me, whether she wants to go or not. Those were His Majesty's orders" - Zastin explained.
"What?! That's not fair!" – Lala said indignantly.
Zastin was extremely strong! Had her father gone mad or something? Akira was strong, but during his last fight, Lala had noticed that he wasn't very skilled at fighting. So, facing someone like Zastin, even with 30% of his strength, would be... extremely difficult.
"Isn't there another way?" – Lala asked.
"No. Although from what I've seen, your 'fiancé' doesn't seem like a coward who would run away at these words. Am I wrong?" - Zastin smiled.
I did the same and smiled as I put my left arm in front of me.
"Omnitrix!" – I exclaimed.
Suddenly, the wristwatch that seemed so normal and cheap, was transformed into a kind of high-tech watch.
"This is my answer" – I said with a defiant tone.
"That must be the mysterious wristwatch that allows you to become that monster that those weaklings mentioned" - Zastin said.
It seems that he was not lacking in information.
"That's right" - I nodded.
"Then let's fight" - Zastin said.
"Now? It's not a good time, people could pass by and see us" – I said.
"Don't worry. We will do it at night, in a secluded place. The place where you fought those useless ones will be enough" - Zastin said.
I looked at the sky; it was getting dark, and soon it would be night, so going home was no longer an option.
"Follow me, I'll show you the way" – I said.
"Okay" - Zastin said.
Quickly, Lala stood next to me.
"Are you sure about this?" – Lala asked quietly.
"Listen, Lala. I firmly believe that I will be able to pass this test. Besides, I promised you that no one would take you away from my side. Right?" - I said with a smile.
"Yes!" - Lala nodded happily.
Seeing how the two conversed so intimately, Zastin was surprised. Since her childhood, the princess had never shown affection for any member of the opposite sex, and even until recently, she had no interest in romance either. But it only took her one day to become so attached to this human. Was it that good? Zastin didn't know, but what better way to prove it than through battle? Only in this way can someone truly be known.
After a short time that felt like an eternity, we arrived at the park where we fought yesterday and waited for a while until nightfall. As I said before, no one passes through this park at this time, so there was no danger of anyone seeing us.
"Remember, if you hold out against 30% of my strength for a good while, you win, and I will report positively to His Majesty about you. On the contrary, if you lose, you can say goodbye to Lala-sama forever" - Zastin said seriously.
"I will win!" – I said without hesitation.
"That's the spirit! Now transform and show me your true power!" – Zastin said as he drew his huge sword.
"Okay" - I nodded.
Next, I pressed the dial of the Omnitrix and began to think about which of all the 5 available aliens could stand up to Zastin. If it were the one from the manga, almost any of them would suffice. But from what I felt before, it's clear that this Zastin has nothing to do with his manga counterpart.
"Since he has a sword, fighting with him head-on would be useless, so I can only use..." – I said.
Then I selected an alien and pressed the dial of the Omnitrix.
The moment Akira pressed the dial, a green light emitted from the Omnitrix that would blind any normal person, but not Zastin, a warrior hardened in dozens of battles.
When the green light dimmed seconds later, a completely different Akira was visible. Now he was no longer human; in fact, he didn't even seem to have skin. His entire body appeared to be made entirely of some mineral, perhaps simple crystal or another strong-looking mineral.
"So it was true. Although from what I heard, this is not the same monster as last time. Looks like this will really be fun" - Zastin smiled.
The alien Akira transformed into was… Diamondhead!
{Note: in any world, the Omnitrix would be OP. Give me your opinions}