Akito woke up that morning.
Targus was peacefully snoring on the floor like a trucker on break. Arden was nowhere to be found — he was already training in his own dimension. Losing to Targus had hit him hard.
A few minutes later, the giant stirred.
— "Hey, Jarl…" he muttered, staring out the window. "What's that place over there? That area…"
— "The city?" Akito yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Sounds good… You almost look human today. Just… you know, a very big one."
He opened the closet and pulled out an old black cloak.
— "This was my grandpa's. He was a big guy too…
Here, it's a bit tight, but it'll do."
— "You've got shorts," Akito added. "Leather ones, but comfy."
The only issue left — shoes.
Targus's feet were the size of a car hood.
— "Yeah, I don't have boots that big…"
Akito opened his system menu and browsed the [Shop].
Scrolled down until he found:
[Model: Prometheus Boots]
White with black stripes, reinforced sole.
Price: 2000 enni
+5% Defense
— "Not a brand ripoff… I think," he mumbled, tapping Buy.
Once they were ready, Akito wore black shorts and a plain tee.
He grabbed his wallet, phone, and thought about Arden.
"Arden… You're too serious. Sorry, not taking you today."
They stepped outside.
The city was already buzzing.
— "Jarl, what are those strange beasts with round legs?" Targus pointed at the cars.
— "Those are cars. They move people around… or sometimes run them over."
An hour later, they were on the subway.
Targus took up three seats.
People sneakily took pictures.
One even asked:
— "Uh… are you an actor? Or a wrestler?"
— "I am Targus. Guardian of the Jarl," he said proudly.
Akito just closed his eyes and smiled.
— "…at least he didn't say 'god of thunder'."
They arrived at the mall. Clothing store.
— "Too much attention…" Akito muttered.
They walked into a low-cost clothing shop.
An assistant rushed over.
— "Hello! Can I help you wi—" he froze mid-sentence, staring up at Targus.
— "Thanks, we'll ask if we need anything," Akito said quickly.
— "But maybe I could—"
Targus gently placed a massive hand on the assistant's head — like a helmet over a melon.
— "The Jarl said: no."
The man swallowed and walked away without a word.
— "Don't scare people," Akito smirked.
"Alright, try these denim shorts… biggest size they've got. And a dark blue tank top."
A minute later, Targus stepped out of the changing room — barely fitting inside it.
He looked like a giant business executive, minus the tie.
— "Not bad. Just need sunglasses and you're ready for a board meeting," Akito joked.
They headed to the register.
— "That'll be 15,700 yen," the cashier said.
— "What?!" Akito's eyes widened.
— "It's a new release, from the Iron Nomad brand. Just came in."
He handed over the money, trying not to cry.
They walked out of the store.
— "Well, at least it wasn't a waste," Akito said.
"You look like a boss."
Targus just lifted his chin with pride.
As they walked down the street, Akito checked his phone and opened social media.
— "Well, here we go…" he muttered.
The feed already had:
"Saw this giant downtown! Actor maybe?"
"Is that even a human being??"
"I think I'm in love. He's taller than my self-esteem."
— "You really look like some billionaire's bodyguard.
Or a man who eats a billion calories a day," Akito laughed.
— "As long as it tastes good," Targus replied philosophically.
"And there's a lot of it."
— "Perfect. Let's hit the supermarket and head home."
They entered a big grocery store.
Targus paused at the entrance, staring at the shopping cart dispenser.
— "What's that? Armor for food?"
— "That's a cart. It carries the groceries.
Though with your size… yeah, maybe it is armor."
Akito tossed in a coin, grabbed a cart, and they went in.
Targus walked around like a kid in a theme park for the first time.
— "Jarl, look! Fish in plastic! It's dead… but it looks so alive!"
— "That's vacuum-packed tuna."
— "Why didn't you tell me you had magic?"
They reached the meat section. Targus's eyes lit up.
— "I want that, that, that… and that one too!"
He pointed at everything that remotely looked like meat.
— "You really want five packs of bacon, three kilos of chicken, and a whole turkey?"
— "I trained! I need recovery fuel."
— "You didn't train. You ate noodles and stared at the kettle."
— "That was… meditation."
Akito sighed but dumped it all in the cart.
Then stopped by the snack aisle.
— "What's this?" Targus asked, pointing at a giant bag of chips.
— "Danger. Once you start, you can't stop."
— "I'll take three."
At checkout, the cashier flinched slightly when she saw Targus.
He nodded politely, but the amount of food in his arms made her ask:
— "Throwing a party?"
— "No," Akito replied.
"This is just lunch."
On the way out, Targus carried three bags like feathers.
Akito nearly folded under his two.
— "Couldn't you pretend to struggle a little?" Akito muttered.
— "I'm walking beside you. That's emotional support, Jarl."