"Interesting, you've never heard of Japan at all? Everything is one big continent?"
The red-haired woman with strange orange eyes said to me. She introduced herself as a devil hunter; she was wholly fascinated that I spoke this 'Japanese' language yet had no idea what it was. The woman's name was Makima: no other names, just Makima.
She wore a simple white long-sleeved shirt with a black necktie. She had a black coat, but she took it off after commenting about the temperature. Her pants were properly fitted, likely custom-made. She had the aura of a salarywoman or a government clerk. That was, if you ignored her empty, lifeless eyes; she was obviously bad company.
Garou sensed Makima from afar and after assessing her, he invited her in. He added that she was a telekinetic like Tatsumaki. She sat at the table, joining us.
This punk's appearance was that of a featureless void, showing swirling galaxies and blinking, enigmatic stars, yet this woman was taking all the attention. She was clearly more powerful than she was letting on.
This Makima, I already know her type. Those hollowed eyes of hers, that perpetual smile, this creepy feeling persisting from the back of my head. My gut told me she was a salarywoman who lied with effortless ease.
"Do you want more tea?" I asked.
"No, that's enough. May I ask what you're cooking?" Makima said, sniffing the air.
"It's rude to ask that kind of question to your host; I didn't cook for three," I said as politely as I could. I didn't want her here. She didn't even seem to need help. No matter how many times she'd say she was lost and being followed, I could tell that she didn't need help.
"You're the rude one here. She's just asking, and also you're squatting here. Don't pretend as if you lived here." Garou countered. I just rolled my eyes and ignored his comment. I have no intention of feeding a guest that probably didn't even need to eat.
"So, lady, enough about geography. Have you found a way or a clue to the exit?" Garou asked, trying to be well-mannered.
"Sadly, no. However, there are monsters roaming around the place. You two should be careful." Makima replied, smiling.
I took out the deep-fried ribs with a large tong. The scent was so alluring. I've never had this kind of meal in a long time: deep-fried premium fresh ribs. I carefully placed it on the table and took out the two steaks I had roasted for some time. Also, how could I forget, some bananas for the guest.
"Here, we have bananas."
I said, handing Makima a plate and giving her three yellow, ripe bananas. She didn't seem to mind; she just smiled and slowly peeled one. She had respectable table manners, better than most close acquaintances that I had.
Garou grabbed a plate for himself, then some silverware. There weren't any chopsticks, but that was fine; to eat a succulent meal like this with a chopstick was an insult anyway.
"Pass the salt," Garou said.
...
...
...
Garou washed the dishes after the meal, and he was slowly becoming mannered. I glared at his featureless back; the thought of Genos was swirling around my head. I couldn't save everyone, so I might as well save Garou. That little kid, Tareo, and old man Silverfang did beg for Garou's life after all.
"So, to address the elephant in the room. Is he human?"
Makima asked with a faint whisper, also glaring at Garou's back. Actually, now that I think about it, every time she talked, it was like a whisper that lingered in your ears. Something was not right about this woman.
"Yes, he is or was a human," I answered.
Makima's gaze lingered on Garou's back for a few minutes, as if she was assessing a prey or prize. Genos and Suiryu had that similar glint in their eyes back then, but hers was...
"Hey, old man. Want to try out that portal thing right now?" Garou said. He was finished with the dishes. He even wiped them clean and dry with a cold dry rag.
"Yeah, sure," I answered. This whole place, relaxing as it was, was better suited to a vacation home than a permanent one.
"You're free to watch, and if we manage to create an exit. You can come with us." Garou said to Makima, who eagerly smiled and then rose from her seat.
Once we were outside, on the empty, grassy fields. Garou produced one of his portals. He apparently learned it from Blast and then applied the time travel technique with his acquired cosmic knowledge. I struggled to follow his explanations halfway through. He noticed and used simple words, trying to explain it in twenty words or fewer.
The cosmic knowledge he spoke of was even more improved after coming to this place. He explained that this whole place was basically another dimension but at the same time not really. It was a medium to go through other dimensions, a limbo entrance.
Garou also explained that time here passes non-conventionally; he noticed it within the first few seconds of arriving. However, because of that non-conventional passage, he can glimpse into the past and the future with ease. Anyone with granted cosmic knowledge, like him, can intuitively grasp the know-hows.
Garou can push his portal functionality to the absolute limit, incorporating time travel. He called it 'temporally-specified overclocking of spatial gateways'. If he were grumbling about this back on Earth, I would say that he was stringing words to sound smart or convincing. Then he talked about particles and atomic stuff.
Also, Garou's explanations were beyond twenty words. Makima listened and stared the whole time, not a single shift in her ambivalent expression; she was holding her breath.
"You've thought of this over the meal we had?" Makima muttered.
"Yes. My mind is swimming with information and data, and I've yet to apply all of them properly. This improvised portal is merely a fraction of the knowledge that I can practically utilize." Garou said. I could sense the hint of pride from his voice.
The ground started shaking, and the sparsely clouded blue sky seemed to darken. Garou clicked his mouth. I could feel it in the air too; something or someone was approaching fast.
"I'm creating a portal to the past! Saitama! You must stop this ominous future! Save them!"