Fracture Point
Ruko's eyes slowly opened. The ceiling above him felt unfamiliar for a second… until memory settled back in. The mansion. "…Augh." His body ached like he'd been dragged across stone and slammed into a wall repeatedly. He lifted his arm, stared at it, then clenched his fist. "Feels like… I got hit by something…" A pause. "…Nah. Probably just hit a wall or something." He brushed it off. Sitting up, he looked around. The mansion was quiet—too quiet. No yelling. No Aqua crying since she's gone somewhere. No Megumin arguing. No Darkness… being Darkness. Just silence. Ruko stood and stretched slightly before walking through the halls. "Oi… anyone here?" No response. He checked room after room. Empty. Then—on the table in the living room—he spotted a letter. He walked over, picked it up, and read:
"Stay here. Don't do anything stupid." …Ruko's face twitched. A dumbfounded expression mixed with pure irritation spread across his face. "…So that's how it is?" His eye slightly narrowed.
"You really think I'm gonna stay in one place… and listen?" The letter crumpled slightly in his hand. "Forget that." Without another thought, he tossed it aside and turned. "If that priestess Serena is involved… I'll deal with it myself." Axel – Midday Ruko stepped into town, hoodie up, mask on—his Vanir Mask tilted slightly as usual. Even then, the atmosphere felt… off. People were tense. Whispering. Moving quickly. "…Something already happened." He clicked his tongue and started searching. He walked through the market, the guild area, back alleys—eyes scanning. No Serena. "…Where is she?" Ruko grabbed a nearby civilian. "Oi. That priest—Serena. Where is she?" The man blinked, confused. "…You mean that priestess?" "Yeah. Tell me where she is." "She's… in prison dude." … "…What?" The words didn't register at first. "In prison," the man repeated. "Some adventurer named Kazuma and his party exposed her. Said she was a Devil King General." Ruko froze. "…Kazuma?" His grip loosened slightly. "…When did this happen?" The man scratched his head. "Hmm… about two… maybe three days ago?" Silence.
Ruko's eyes widened. "…Three days?" His thoughts started racing. "I was just about to meet her… I got knocked out… and—" Everything clicked together in fragments. The blackout. The missing time. Kazuma's involvement. Serena being exposed. "…Damn it." Ruko turned sharply. "The prison… got it." Axel Prison. By the time Ruko arrived, something was wrong. Very wrong. The front entrance was damaged. Guards—knights—were scattered across the ground, unconscious. "…What the hell happened here?" He stepped over one of them, moving deeper inside. "Oi! Anyone awake?!" No answer. The deeper he went, the heavier the air felt. Then—He spotted someone. "Sena." Ruko rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders. "Oi—what happened here?!" Before she could fully respond—A distant explosion echoed. Then shouting. Then—Chaos. A voice—urgent, overlapping with the noise outside— "The Devil King's army…! They launched a surprise attack…!"
Ruko's expression darkened. "…What!" Ruko look at the dot of how it concluded. "...Of course they did. Who else." His jaw clenched. "Why does nothing ever go the way I want…" Then—He paused. "…Huh?" Something felt… off. Soft. Warm. His gaze slowly lowered. … "Squeeze, Squeeze" "…Oh." He blinked. His hands. On Sena. Specifically—Her chest. "…Well then." There was a short silence. "…This is awkward." Without hesitation, he leaned slightly forward—Then stopped himself. "…Right. Not the time." He lick and suck her nipple and immediately let go, stood up straight like nothing happened, and cleared his throat. "I've got things to do." And just like that—he walked off. Outside – Axel Under Attack The moment Ruko stepped outside—Everything changed. Smoke filled the air. Explosions echoed across the town. Demons flooded the streets. Adventurers fighting desperately. "…A full-scale attack." Ruko's eyes sharpened. "They're serious."
Without hesitation—he moved. A blur. One demon—cut down. Another—crushed. A third—sent flying. His movements were fast. Efficient.
Cold. But his mind—Wasn't fully there. "…Kazuma…" He spotted him in the distance and rushed over. "KAZUMA!" Before Kazuma could react—BAM! Ruko kicked him straight in the back. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" Kazuma stumbled forward. "—OI?! NOT NOW!" "I WAS OUT FOR THREE DAYS BECAUSE OF YOU?!" "I DIDN'T—WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Kazuma turned, clearly stressed. "I've got to get to the guild—move!" And just like that—He ran. Ruko stared for a second… then followed. Adventurers Guild – Outside, Ruko stopped just before entering. "…Tch. What the hell is gking on." Instead of going in, he stepped back. "…Not my place." He turned. "…I'll handle what's in front of me." And walked away. Axel Streets – Warzone Demons clashed with adventurers. Buildings damaged. People screaming. And then in the midst of a crisis—Ruko saw her.
"…Luna." He froze. She stood a short distance away. "…Oi!" He called out. She turned. Surprised. "Ruko…?" For a brief moment—There was silence. Then—Ruko noticed. Someone beside her. A man. Standing close. Too close. "…Luna! Who's that?" His voice dropped. Calm. Too calm. Luna's expression changed. That soft look? Gone. Replaced. "…So you found out." Ruko's eyes narrowed. "…Found out what?" The man beside her smirked—his hand casually sliding around Luna's waist. Then lower. Then—Higher. Touching her openly. Right in front of Ruko. "…What the hell are you doing?" Ruko stepped forward slightly. The man didn't flinch. Instead—He leaned in and kissed her. Right there. In front of him. Not shy. Not hesitant. Deliberate. Luna didn't resist. If anything—She leaned into it. "…Enjoying the show?" the man said, smirking. "Not like you'd get attention from someone like her." Ruko's hand twitched. "…Stop." Luna laughed softly. "…You really don't get it, do you?" Her eyes looked straight at him. Cold. "You were just convenient." Silence.
"You think that first time meant anything?" she continued. "I didn't feel a thing." Each word—Sharp. Precise. Cutting. She leaned into the man again. "But him?" A faint blush. "He actually knows what he's doing." Ruko's breathing stopped. "…Say that again." His voice dropped. Dangerously quiet. "Why?" she smirked. "So you can cry about it?" Breaking Point Ruko moved. Instant. He vanished—And reappeared right in front of them. The ground cracked slightly beneath his feet. His eyes—Different. Cold. Empty. Rage building underneath. The man flinched for a second—Luna stepped back slightly. For the first time—A hint of fear. "…Ruko…" His hand slowly lifted."…I'll—" Then—BOOM! A massive explosion echoed from the city wall. Shouts followed. "The wall's about to break—!" "The demons are pushing through—!" Ruko froze. His hand— Still mid-air. His mind split. Two choices. Right there. Right now. Kill them. Or—Save Axel. His teeth clenched. "…Tch…" Luna stumbled back fully now. "…He's insane…" The man pulled her. "Forget him. Let's go."
They turned. Left. Just like that. "…Pathetic," the man muttered. "Tahtah. Asshole!" Ruko didn't move. Didn't chase. Didn't speak. He just stood there. "…Hatred…" "…Or responsibility…" His fists tightened. "…What am I even doing?" Around him—The battle continued. But for Ruko—Everything felt distant. Like noise. Like nothing mattered. "…Why… does it always come to this…" And for the first time—He didn't move forward. He just stood there. Caught. Between destruction—And purpose.