They stood on the ground—tired, wounded—staring up at the sky.
Above their heads, a distorted portal slowly opened. A swirling, dark-blue rift tore through reality itself. From within, a colossal hand emerged, covered in scars and war tattoos.
"What the hell is that…?" Arden muttered, stepping back.
Suddenly, the hand jerked, and a massive figure burst from the portal with a roar—plummeting toward them like a divine meteor.
BOOM!
The earth trembled. A thick cloud of dust shot into the air, hiding everything.
Akito and Arden instinctively shielded their faces. When the dust finally settled, a silhouette emerged—towering like a mountain.
The figure stepped forward.
A man over two meters tall stood before them, broad-chested, with hardened skin and a thick black beard billowing in the wind. Arms crossed, his shadow loomed over them.
"Who roughed you two up?" came a deep, gravelly voice—like thunder rolling across mountains.
Akito silently raised a hand, pointing at the fallen wolf still lying in the distance.
The giant raised an eyebrow.
"That pup?" he snorted, then burst into laughter. "He looks fierce, but fights like a scared squirrel!"
His laughter was heavy and deep, like boulders crashing down a slope.
"You're… my second Guardian?" Akito asked, just to be sure.
"Yup. Challenge accepted."
A system screen flashed before Akito's eyes:
[Guardian No.2]
Name: ??? [Add Name]
Level: 100
Rank: C
Role: Tank
[View Details]
He clicked it:
Height: 224 cm
Weight: 148 kg
Age: 1500+
Skills: Brunhilde's Shield (Lv.1), Thunder Anchor (Lv.1), Blood of Jotun (Lv.1)
"You'll be… Targus," Akito said, entering the name. "It suits you."
"Sounds like a real name!" the Viking nodded proudly.
A few minutes later
Back home.
Akito collapsed onto the couch. Arden silently grabbed the controller and turned on the console.
Targus walked in… and crushed the chair he tried to sit on.
The crash was so loud the windows rattled.
"These chairs are too fragile," he grumbled, rising from the wreckage. "Jarl, you got anything to toss in the belly?"
He slapped his stomach with a loud thud—like a cannon blast.
Akito sighed and headed to the kitchen.
Targus followed, bumping into every doorframe with his massive shoulders. Each impact made him visibly more annoyed.
"These walls are… pathetic."
"Just duck, you oversized troll," Arden muttered behind him.
They finally reached the kitchen.
"Jarl… what does that even mean?" Akito asked, glancing back.
"Jarl is what we called the clan leader. The strongest warrior," Targus answered proudly.
Akito smirked.
"Then I'm definitely unworthy of the title. Look at you—you're a walking mountain."
While Akito searched the cupboards, Targus approached the fridge. He tried to open it… and snapped the handle off. His finger barely fit into it—it was like a toy to him.
"Hey! What are you doing?! Don't touch anything!" Akito barked.
"What is this tiny chest, Jarl?" Targus asked, squinting at the broken mechanism.
"It's a fridge. It keeps food fresh," Akito muttered, already screwing the handle back in.
He opened the door, letting out a wave of cold air.
"Interesting…" Targus murmured. "But that's too warm. I bathed in colder rivers."
The fridge was nearly empty.
"What do you want to eat?" Akito asked.
"Meat, obviously," Targus grinned, rubbing his belly.
"Great…" Akito sighed and grabbed his wallet. "Alright, I'll be back in a few. Don't touch anything, mountain man. I don't want more repairs."
Targus laughed and jokingly slapped Akito on the shoulder. Only—it wasn't a joke. Akito flew forward and nearly slammed into the wall.
"He didn't even try… That strength is on another level," Akito thought, steadying himself.
He threw on a jacket, left the apartment, and stepped outside.
Just as he exited the building, he ran into Rei.
"Oh, you're here," she said. "I was just about to knock."
"I'm heading to the store. Want to come with me? It's close."
She nodded. They walked down the narrow sidewalk, speaking softly—about Kaito, Yumi, and what had happened.
"There's something else…" Rei said. "Another person went missing. A teenager. Fourteen years old. Natsuo Haruki. Have you heard of him?"
"No…" Akito replied.
Just then—screeching tires.
A cyclist flew around the corner, barreling straight toward them.
"OUTTA THE WAY! I HAVE NO BRAKES!" the boy screamed.
Akito moved instantly. He pushed Rei aside with one hand and caught the bike's handle with the other—bringing it to a smooth stop.
Rei landed in his arms, pressed against him. Their eyes met, and the world paused.
For one second, something flickered between them—silence, synchronized breaths, a spark in their gaze. Then Rei quickly pulled away, her cheeks red.
"I… I should go. I'll see you another time," she muttered, turning.
"Thanks, dude! You saved my life!" the cyclist called as he rolled away.
"Glad I could help," Akito replied, still watching Rei.
Half an hour later
Akito returned home, set the grocery bags down, kicked off his shoes, and walked into the living room.
Arden and Targus were facing each other—tense, like a pre-fight stare-down. The air was heavy.
"Whoa, hold on! What's going on here?!" Akito stepped between them.
"This brainless gorilla touched my console!" Arden growled.
"Little fox… I'll squash you like a bug," Targus said calmly, fists tightening.
"Enough!" Akito sighed. "Wanna fight? Fine—but do it in Arden's Dimension. At least you won't wreck anything in there."
Targus cracked his knuckles with a grin.
"Perfect."