"Kurosawa? What are you doing here?"
Rei's voice snapped Akito out of his thoughts like a jolt.
He turned with a light smile and gestured to the towering figure beside him.
"Was at a modeling agency with a distant relative… He's officially a model now."
"I see…" Rei gave Targus a curious glance, genuine interest flashing in her eyes.
"I'm just out for a walk. Day off."
"So that's why she wasn't near her place," Akito thought.
"Want to go for a walk tonight? Or maybe tomorrow?" he asked casually.
Rei nodded but quickly added,
"Can't today. Promised to babysit my nephew. Tomorrow at 1 PM work for you?"
"Let's meet here," he confirmed.
They said their brief goodbyes and went their separate ways. Just then a voice called out:
"This way, gentlemen! The car is waiting."
Akito scratched his head and glanced at Targus.
"Let's go, big guy."
The ride home was silent. Near the end, the driver carefully asked,
"How did it go?"
"Fine," Akito replied shortly and returned to staring out the window.
As the elevator ascended, flashes from his memory danced in his mind.
Ren's face. That day. The child's scream. Rei's eyes—"I won't let this happen again."
The door slid open.
Suddenly, Arden rushed past them, heading straight for the room. He stopped dead in his tracks.
There, lying on the floor with a bottle in his hand, was Kenshi.
His katana tossed aside, and half-smashed game controller by his feet.
"What the hell did you do, you idiot?!" Arden shouted, dragging the samurai aside.
"Why'd you buy that trash?! Where's your armor?! I swear I'll—"
"Arden, relax," Akito interrupted.
"I'll toss you some coins later tonight. I've got a magic method. It's called… donation."
He flopped onto the couch and sighed. His mind was racing.
How do I get close to Rei? How do I protect her? How do I stop Zalgrom?
"My lord, may I help?" Elian approached, leaning in slightly.
"Thinking about Zalgrom?"
"Yeah."
"If I may… Kenshi's idea is smart, but there's a risk.
If we enter that dimension… we might not come back."
"How do you know about my conversation with Kenshi?"
Elian gave a slight smirk and pointed to his long, pointed ears.
"I have very keen hearing."
The rest of the day passed peacefully.
Arden tried teaching Kenshi how to play the game. The samurai fumbled the buttons and cursed with bizarre insults.
Akito noticed someone had drunk his grandma's gift… and just sighed.
Later that evening, he sat down beside Arden.
"Alright, gimme that. Let's get you those coins…"
A few taps — and the ¥2,099 pack was in his game.
The system even gave him more bonus currency than expected.
A grin crept across his face.
"Donation… what a godly power."
He lay down on the bed. The room filled with calm background music from the game.
Then suddenly—
"Crap! I forgot to call Grandma!"
He sat up straight, found his phone, and dialed.
After a few rings, a warm voice answered.
"Hello, sweetheart?"
"Hey, Grandma. How are you? Everything okay?"
"Of course! I'm still kicking — I'm only 78!" she laughed.
They chatted for a few minutes. About food, life, and family.
"When are you coming back?"
"Not sure… things are kind of chaotic right now. But I'll try soon."
"Alright, dear. Good night."
"Good night, Grandma."
Akito put the phone down.
A wave of warmth washed over him — the noisy house, the smell of food, those evenings with family.
He closed his eyes. His heart tightened… and then gently loosened.
9:26 AM.
The apartment was oddly quiet.
No shouting, no food wars, not even Arden grumbling about the game.
They were inside Arden's dimension — where in the center of a white, empty hall, Kenshi led a morning training session.
"Bend your knee slightly.
Now drop your arms — just a bit lower. That way you can better parry sudden attacks."
Blades clashed, reflecting cold light. Kenshi moved with surgical precision.
Akito's counterattacks grew sharper with every exchange.
Even Arden and Targus watched in silence — which was a rarity.
An hour passed.
Kenshi nodded.
"That's enough for today. You're improving.
But your swordplay still sucks."
"Thanks… sensei," Akito replied with a smirk.
They returned to the apartment.
Akito went straight to the bathroom, stripped down, and turned on the water.
The warm stream ran down his face and shoulders, washing away fatigue. He stood there, eyes closed, until his mind felt clear.
"I'm meeting Rei today… I have to look decent.
Most importantly—don't mess it up."
After the shower, he put on a robe, trimmed his hair a bit, and picked a simple but clean outfit — dark jeans and a white T-shirt.
His eyes paused on an old photo of his parents.
"Wish me luck."
He grabbed his phone, pocketed his keys, and stepped outside.
Tokyo's morning sun was beginning to warm the streets, and a faint nervous flutter filled his chest.
12:58 PM
The city pulsed with midday rhythm — cars zooming by, people crowding crosswalks.
Even in front of VIRIA, things felt… calm.
Akito stood by the entrance, arms folded.
The breeze played with the edges of his shirt. He checked the time — 12:59.
"Right on time," a voice said behind him.
He turned — and for a moment, his breath caught.
Rei stood there — a light black skirt to her knees, crisp white blouse tucked neatly into a slim belt.
Her black glasses rested on her head, and her features seemed even more elegant.
Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and on her lips — a subtle, genuine smile.
"You're punctual too," he said.
"I'm a detective. If I was late, no one would believe my reports."
They smiled. Any awkwardness quickly faded.
Rei took a small step forward, glancing at the building.
"So this is where you were yesterday… with your 'relative'?"
"Yeah," Akito nodded.
"He's officially a model now. Had a photoshoot and everything."
"Seriously?" she raised an eyebrow.
"I'll have to keep an eye out. Maybe he'll be in my favorite ad soon."
"If you see a poster of a giant guy with the words
'Clothes That Withstand Fury' — that's him."
"Hah… that sounds exactly like something he'd say."
A soft, pleasant silence settled between them.
Rei brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and said gently:
"Shall we go? I know a nice café a few blocks from here."
"Lead the way, detective."
They walked down the street, side by side, through the heart of Tokyo.
And in that moment… the world felt fully alive.
[Noxveil]
Hey there, reader!
If you've made it this far, thank you so much. I'm writing this story in Russian and translating it into English — so I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Even one small comment gives me huge motivation 💬💙
Let me know who your favorite character is so far!