"Isn't the solution simple? I'm currently trading my full combat potential in my Soul State just to act as King's meat-shield. If King himself becomes stronger, won't I be liberated to go all out?"
Inside the white void of King's subconscious, Noah stood up, pacing the floor as he finalized his plan. He wasn't interested in making a compromise. Faced with the choice between using his full power or protecting King's safety, Noah chose both without a second thought.
In his eyes, only children made "either-or" choices. As an adult, especially one who had cheated death once already he wanted the whole package. Increasing his offensive power usually meant leaving King vulnerable; staying close to protect him meant Noah couldn't unleash his true strength. But if King became a man who didn't need a bodyguard? The dilemma vanished.
"System, I'm heading out," Noah said, waving a hand at the floating holographic screen. "It's time for an in-depth performance review with my host. I've already got a dozen high-intensity workout routines floating in my head. If he follows even half of them, we'll turn that 'milkshake' soul of his into reinforced steel."
[Heh~ Hold your horses, Big Brother,] the System screen flickered, suddenly zipping across the void to block Noah's path. [Have you forgotten the most basic rule of your existence? You and King can't communicate. You're a Stand; to him, you're just a hallucination or a phantom limb. You can move his arms, sure, but you can't exactly sit down for a chat.]
Noah paused, his armored shoulders slumped slightly. He actually had forgotten that part. The frustration of being a "silent protagonist" was starting to set in.
[Don't worry, your favorite System is here to give you a hand~]
The screen snorted, a digital sound that somehow conveyed a wealth of sarcasm and then flew high into the white rafters of the void before plummeting down at terminal velocity.
BOOM!
[Ding!]
The screen slammed directly into Noah's spectral forehead. The impact didn't hurt physically, but the mental vibration was like having a gong struck inside his skull.
"Revenge. This is absolutely, blatant revenge for that 'snake' comment earlier," Noah grumbled, rubbing a spiritual bump on his head that didn't actually exist.
[Ability Obtained: Soul Mark]
- Description: Can be bound to a designated life form to establish a permanent telepathic link. Once bound, the connection is immutable. This is the ultimate "Partner Protocol," transcending language barriers and physical silence. A must-have for inter-dimensional travelers!
"Now that's what I'm talking about," Noah beamed, his annoyance vanishing instantly. This was exactly what he needed, a way to bridge the gap between the ghost and the man. "Thanks, System. All is forgiven."
Noah's figure blurred and vanished from the void. He couldn't wait to see the look on King's face when his "conscience" started talking back. This was his first real conversation with a living, breathing legend from his favorite series. The excitement was making his spectral pulse race.
Meanwhile, in the "real" world...
Huff... huff... huff...
"Finally... finally made it back..."
King leaned against the heavy oak door of his apartment, his chest heaving as if he'd just run a marathon. In reality, he'd only jogged three blocks, but for a man whose primary form of exercise was "rapid-fire button mashing," it was a Herculean feat.
He wiped a thick layer of cold sweat from his brow, his hands still trembling as he fumbled with his keys. "Today was too much. Way too much. My arm... it definitely moved on its own. I'm going to have nightmares for a week. I'll probably wake up and find my hand trying to strangle me in my sleep."
He finally got the door open and stumbled into the dim safety of his living room. The familiar scent of stale cup ramen and expensive plastic figurines acted like a sedative, calming his frantic heart. He looked at his high-end gaming PC and the consoles hooked up to his 4K television.
"Games. I just need games," King muttered to himself. "I'll play until I pass out. Then I can convince myself that the giant rabbit and the pebble were just some kind of stress-induced hallucination."
Click.
The console hummed to life. The television screen erupted in a burst of vibrant pink and sparkles. A cheerful, high-pitched jingle played, followed by an opening animation featuring three anime girls in school uniforms waving at the camera.
"Dating sims... the true oasis for the soul," King sighed, his posture relaxing as he sank into his ergonomic chair. "The latest version of Heartbeat Sisters. The animation is top-tier this year. Just look at that frame rate..."
While the game went through its lengthy loading screen, King stood up. A gaming session required fuel. "How can a man play a masterpiece like this without an ice-cold orange soda? It would be a crime against the medium."
He trudged toward the kitchen, his mind finally drifting away from the carnage of Z-City.
"Wake up~ Onii-chan~"
The sweet voice of the game's protagonist drifted in from the living room.
"Man, the loading times on this SSD are incredible," King chuckled, reaching for the refrigerator handle.
"Here's the orange soda you wanted."
"Oh, thanks."
King subconsciously reached out and caught the chilled bottle that was handed to him. He even took a step back toward the living room before the icy sensation of the glass against his palm snapped his brain back into reality.
Wait.
I live alone.
King's body went rigid. His skin turned a shade of pale that made his previous "fear-white" look like a healthy tan. He slowly, agonizingly, turned his head toward the source of the soda.
Floating in the air next to his refrigerator was a tall, translucent figure draped in majestic gold and silver armor. The "Ghost" was currently holding the fridge door open with one hand, looking at King with a pair of glowing blue eyes.
"AAAAAAAH! G-G-G-GHOST!!!"
King's scream was a masterpiece of high-pitched terror. It was a sound that would have made a professional opera singer weep with envy. His eyes rolled back into his head, his knees turned to jelly, and the orange soda bottle slipped from his nerveless fingers as he began to collapse toward the kitchen tiles.
"Whoa! Hey! Don't go framing me for a slip-and-fall in your own kitchen!"
Noah moved with a speed that defied physics. He caught the falling soda with his left hand and hooked his right arm under King's armpit, hauling the man upright before he could crack his skull on the linoleum.
Seeing that King's eyes were glazed and his consciousness was rapidly fading, Noah didn't hesitate. He took the ice-cold soda bottle and pressed it firmly against King's cheek.
Sizzle.
The sudden, biting cold was like a shock to the system. King shuddered violently, his eyes snapping open and focusing on the armored face just inches from his own.
"Great, you're awake," Noah said, his voice echoing directly inside King's mind. He pulled the soda back and gave King a friendly, spectral nod.
"AAAAAAAH!"
"Stop that. My ears are sensitive."
"AAAAAAAH!"
"Focus, King! Breathe!"
It took five more minutes, three more "fainting spells," and half a bottle of soda being spilled on the floor, but Noah eventually managed to get King into a state of semi-conscious awareness.
The two of them now sat facing each other in the living room. Noah was cross-legged, floating a few inches above the rug, while King was huddled on his sofa, clutching a throw pillow as if it were a shield.
After a long silence, Noah decided it was time for the grand introduction. He cleared his throat, a habit from his human life and projected his voice with the utmost gravity.
"My name is Emperor Engine," Noah began, his tone cold and professional. "I am 28 years old. I am the spiritual manifestation born from the deep-seated justice and courage hidden within your soul."
King's jaw dropped, but Noah continued, his voice gaining a rhythmic, almost hypnotic quality.
"My existence is to carry out the justice that your humble heart is too shy to express. My responsibility is to protect the citizens, prevent crime, and ensure that righteousness prevails. Defeating monsters and restoring stability to society is not just my job, it is my calling."
Noah leaned forward, his glowing eyes pinning King to the sofa. "Starting today, your life changes. You need regular meals - nutritious, balanced, and timed. No more smoking. Alcohol is limited to a single glass for special occasions. You will be in bed by 11:00 PM and get exactly eight hours of sleep. Every night."
King tried to speak, but Noah cut him off.
"Before bed, you will drink a glass of warm milk. You will then perform thirty minutes of warm-up stretching. You will fall asleep immediately upon entering your bed and sleep until morning. You will never allow fatigue or stress to carry over to the next day. This is the preparation for the dangers we will face. Do you understand?"
Noah finished his monologue and felt a surge of pride. He had always wanted to use that specific "quiet life" introduction, and doing it as a Stand felt like the peak of his new existence.
"Huh? My... my name is King and I-- wait! No!" King shook his head violently, nearly falling off the sofa. "I almost got swept away by the rhythm! What the hell are you talking about?!"
King pointed a trembling finger at Noah. "Justice? Courage? Deep inside me? Hah! Don't make me laugh! This has to be some kind of high-tech prank. You're a hologram, right? Or maybe some kind of psychic monster trying to trick me?"
King stood up, pacing his small living room with frantic energy. "I know myself better than anyone, you armored freak! I'm a 28-year-old, jobless, shut-in loser! I spend my days trying to get virtual girls to like me because real ones are too scary! Courage? I have less courage than a wet paper bag! I don't even like going to the convenience store if there are too many people in the aisle!"
King slumped back onto the sofa, his head in his hands. "You've got the wrong guy. There is no justice in here. Just a lot of anxiety and a high score in Heartbeat Sisters."
Noah looked at the trembling man. He saw the sweat, the fear, and the genuine self-loathing in King's eyes. But he also remembered the way King had stood his ground in front of that rabbit, not because he was brave, but because he was too scared to move, and yet he hadn't let that mother and daughter get hurt.
Noah's expression softened. He floated closer, his presence filling the room with a strange, calming warmth.
"Is that really so, King?" Noah asked quietly. "Don't underestimate yourself. A man who stands between a monster and a child while his heart is screaming in terror... that isn't a loser. That's the definition of a hero."
King looked up, his eyes wide. For the first time in his life, someone, even if it was a ghost, was looking past the "scary" exterior and the "shut-in" interior to see something else.
"Now," Noah said, his voice returning to its commanding tone. "Go drink your milk. We have training to do."