29 Thoughts.
Some minutes had passed since my discovery about my status and the subsequent revelation of my title. In the meantime, Saya's father also turned on the radio with news that I needed to share with the group. All of this together left me still somewhat dazed as I sat at the table with everyone.
"Pass me the salt, please, Hirano-kun."
"Of course, Kiriko-san."
I was basically on autopilot, vaguely paying attention to the conversations around me. "The Streamer," that was the title. Sure, I already knew I was a streamer, but the significance now seemed greater. "The streamer," not one, but THE.
"We also need to decide where we're going to sleep. Can we use your room and Dad's, Mom?"
"It'll be like a pajama party! I never had one of those in my adolescence."
There was also the fact that I was basically invisible to all kinds of clairvoyance or the like. Damn, it even said I was immune to omniscience! How did that even work?
Oh, right, I can't forget that destiny doesn't work on me anymore. Who would have thought, I found out that destiny was a thing, and at the same moment, I discovered that I was immune to it! I sighed as I took a forkful of food into my mouth.
"Shall we use the guest room then, Takashi? Or do you want to sleep in the living room?"
"I'll choose the room. Even though Devas can put beds in the living room, it doesn't feel the same."
"True, true. By the way, doesn't Devas seem a bit lost?"
And the worst part is that I didn't even know if that was a good thing. Sure, it was great to know that I wouldn't be deleted by any kind of god or entity that could read the flow of the timeline or destiny; that part was excellent.
But there was also the fact that now I knew that whoever made the stream was much stronger than I imagined. Logically, I already knew that the supposed creator of the stream was abnormal since he could connect worlds, stabilize time between them. But I could think of half a dozen "characters" who could do the same and even more in less than five minutes.
But hiding from everything basically? That number decreased significantly. If I were to take what was written as truth, not even beings at the top of the universes should be able to detect me. Of course, I highly doubted that there were no exceptions, but still, it was impressive, no, more than that.
"Can you get his attention, Saya-san?"
"Me? Why me? You're sitting next to him, you lazy fatty."
"I feel like the chances of him tearing you to pieces for being surprised are much lower than if I tried in your place."
And I hadn't even seen the rest of my status. Something told me that my surprises wouldn't end with just the title. Just seeing the (Origin) written next to my race, which I thought was just human, already told me that more things were coming.
I mechanically chewed the food in my mouth shortly after swallowing and took more from the plate. By the way, why did Kohta think I would tear him to pieces if I were surprised? Aside from the fact that I was still paying minimal attention to the conversation, I wouldn't do that!
Sighing, I put the fork on the plate and lowered my hand to grab Saya's foot, which was coming my way under the table. I lightly squeezed while tickling her foot, causing the tsundere to let out a little scream and pull her leg away quickly.
"I'm not deaf, you know. I'm just thinking about something else," I commented briefly as I grabbed my glass.
Kiriko glanced at me before asking, "Thinking about what, if I may ask?" She pointed at me with the fork. "You seem troubled by something. Want to share with the rest of us?"
Sure, I'll just say how I was kidnapped by a being that I now discovered is ridiculously strong, even more than I already expected.
Finishing my drink, I put the glass on the table and began to speak.
"Just thinking about how the Humvee is now crowded. I don't think the boys would like to ride in the trunk. It doesn't seem very comfortable to me." I pointed to the two boys, who quickly nodded with bitter looks on their faces.
"And what do you propose?" It was Saya who said this, with a narrowed look while holding her foot under the table. "Find another vehicle?" If I understood the look she was giving me correctly, finding, in this case, meant me pulling one of the several I had in the inventory.
I shook my head in denial. "No, besides the fact that it would be more dangerous than riding in the Humvee, since it wouldn't be armored." I gestured to the table in general, as, except for Rei's mother, the rest of the group had seen that even the Humvee was not fail-proof.
"There's also the fact that your father called." I pointed to Saya, who seemed surprised by this fact. "He asked us to return to the property, and from what he told me, I agree with that."
Before anyone could protest, I briefly explained what Souichiro had told me.
"Your mother remembered an island not far off the coast that could serve as shelter since it's practically isolated." Probably the one from the OVA or something. Funny how I remember that OVA and don't remember other things. Why is that?
Ignoring my thoughts about my teenage self and his stupidity, I focused back on the conversation. "From what he explained to me quickly, the only ways to get to the island are by boat, across the sea, or through a tunnel that exists, connecting the island to Japan." I was going to say connecting to the mainland, but Japan is also an island, so forget it.
The group pondered this new information for a moment before seeing small smiles of happiness, hope, and other emotions emerging on their faces.
"A safe harbor then. If we can bring cattle and seeds, we can make a secure place for everyone?" Takashi was the first to comment before his face turned bitter again. "But what about my parents? And Rei's father? We still need to find them!"
Even with what would basically be the safest place for them to go, the boy was still concerned about his family. I'm glad he's like that. I nodded in approval to Takashi as I continued to speak.
"That's why I'll stay and look for them. You guys go and help as much as you can to move the property to the island. In that time, I'll search for your parents. I just need a photo of them, and that'll be enough."
I could see the faces of basically everyone frowning. The only one who didn't was Alice, who was sleeping on the couch with Zeke lying on her stomach. To a lesser extent, Kiriko, who didn't know me.
"I'll go with you then. I won't be very useful at home anyway." Saya was the first to speak. She seemed determined. Right after that was Saeko.
"You said it yourself, master." Kiriko looked at me with a surprised look when she heard that, which really made me a little embarrassed, but I managed to avoid changing my expression. "I'm your monster, I'll go with you wherever you are."
This had come back to bite me in the ass much earlier than I expected, hadn't it?
I shook my head as I raised my hand, preventing the rest of the group from speaking. I could already imagine that Takashi and Kohta would want to go with me. Takashi because they were his parents and Kohta because of his loyalty.
I was sure that Rei and Shizuka wouldn't want to stay either, which was nice of them. We hadn't known each other for a long time, but I felt that I could trust them, all of them. Their loyalty was real.
But... as much as I would like to continue with the group, taking things slowly, seeing where this would lead, I couldn't, not anymore, not after reading that.
Seeing my title in the status made me more urgent. There was already something in me that was like that before, I didn't want to stand still, I wanted to get stronger, evolve, but with this? That desire had only grown stronger. It was as if my body, my being, screamed for me to get stronger.
And that was right. I didn't know what the stream wanted with me, if its creator wanted something from me. And what if I woke up tomorrow and found myself in another world again? A more dangerous one with more action, since the stream judged that I was boring and needed "incentive."
I couldn't stay like this. As enjoyable as it is to have company, to stay with the group, I needed to go alone. I moved faster alone, I killed more zombies alone, I collected more things for my inventory alone, I evolved faster alone.
I just sighed internally, not letting my emotions show on my face. Just when I thought everything was finally "calming down," isn't it... what an idiot.
Seeing that I had the group's attention, I spoke again.
"First of all, I'm glad that you want to come with me, so I appreciate that." Those were my true feelings.
"But it's already late, whether we split the group or not, in any case, we need to go to Saya's house, as I said, the Humvee is full. We can decide this when we get back there."
I got up from the table as I went to Alice and picked up the little girl. "We'll talk about this tomorrow." I didn't leave room for conversation, I just took the little girl to the main room and put her on a bed that I took from the inventory next to the main bed.
I gave a quick good night as I passed by the girls in the hallway and the two boys who were setting up their futons in the guest room and went to the living room. I'll sleep alone tonight.
To get used to the nights to come.
[…]
POV: Saya Takagi.
"Devas seemed more detached today, didn't he? Especially towards the end of dinner."
We were already getting ready to sleep, and it was the absent-minded nurse who commented on the obvious. As if everyone hadn't noticed that.
"From what you guys told me about him, he must have a lot on his mind, a lot to think about," Kiriko-san commented as she turned off the lights. "Just go to sleep; we need to wake up early tomorrow."
I nodded as I lay down on the futon. Most of the group would just think that Devas was like that because he was worried about the future, just thinking, but I knew it wasn't that.
I bit my thumb nail. Something told me he was worried about something else; I could feel it.
From the beginning, when we met Devas, I was the one who paid the most attention to him—his mannerisms and expressions. I had always been the one closest to him.
I blushed a bit as I thought about this morning; I was closer to him in more than one way now. I brought my hand to my lips; I could still taste him even after all this time.
Taking a deep breath to clear my lustful thoughts, I refocused. At first, I had done it because I was suspicious of him; his existence was strange in more than one way.
First of all, he wasn't Japanese—not that I'm racist or anything, but it was strange. Our region wasn't known for having many tourists; someone like Devas should have attracted attention before.
He was tall, much taller than the average Japanese person, and he was strong. It didn't seem like it at first, but beneath the loose clothes he wore, he had a lot of muscles. I could confirm that since he was basically my seat; I had several opportunities to feel his muscles in these last few days.
Blushing again, I shook my head to push those thoughts away.
So, as I was saying, he wasn't ugly either. Someone like him should have attracted attention, especially since this was a school area. The number of teenagers around was immense, but I didn't hear a single rumor, a single gossip about him.
Secondly, his strange powers. Of course, we initially dismissed it because of how the world was. What was weirder: zombies or a guy who has some strange items? At first, I thought it was the zombies; they went against all natural order— the dead should stay dead.
But then I found out I was wrong, which wasn't common for me. Devas didn't just have "some" strange items; he himself was a kind of anomaly.
With all that added up, he really seemed invincible. Even when I thought I was going to die, he found a way to save me. I still remember his face as I flew out of the Humvee.
His worried look gave me butterflies in my stomach every time I remembered, and without thinking, I caught myself smiling into nothing like a fool...
Damn, I had fallen hard, hadn't I?
Yawning, I returned to my train of thought, trying to stay focused despite the drowsiness.
But even so, even with all of this, he seemed worried about something. It wasn't what the group thought; I knew that. I could sense that he was concerned about something more "serious." I just didn't know what yet.
I'll ask him tomorrow when we're alone. Not just about what troubled his thoughts but about everything: who he was, his story, what he did before all of this happened. I wanted to know more about him, and I had already waited too long.
Ignoring Rei and her crush that seemed to be fading, now I had to worry about Saeko, who decided to act like a samurai and follow Devas like a master. At this point, I was sure that if he asked her to bend over the table, she would do it without hesitation.
I yawned again, and I could feel my thoughts slowing down, my eyes closing as fatigue overcame me, my last thoughts becoming hazy before I drifted into sleep, a short night with sweet dreams.
[…]
POV: Devas Asura.
The next day was the most "monotonous" since I came to this world. We woke up very early, around five or six in the morning, and the rest of the day was basically me driving to get to Saya's house as quickly as possible, with short breaks.
The rest of the group basically watched the landscape and had small conversations. I joined in some, but my mind was occupied with thoughts of what I would do and with the stream.
Speaking of which, the stream was more "active" today, with more people showing up. It wasn't everyone, but it was a lot more than yesterday. So, most of the time, I just used the minimap to chat with the (CHAT), since driving for so long was tiring. At least I had something to keep me busy.
("And who is Cardin again? I don't remember that name.").
[RedHuntressLive]: He's a bully! He keeps picking on Jaune for no reason, but Jaune doesn't do anything! (Angry Little Red Riding Hood emote).
[WhiteHuntressLive]: In short, Cardin is an uncultured buffoon, as subtle as the mace he calls a weapon.
[YellowHuntressLive]: Lucky for him, GoodWitch didn't put us together in the arena. (Yellow bear fist-bumping emote).
The gang had returned today, in this case, Red and her team. Red had explained to me why she hadn't logged in yesterday before exploding and starting to tell me about her day.
Basically, she and White had fought for some reason or another, but they had already reconciled. The teachers had also given them a lot of homework, so before she realized it, it was late, and they needed to wake up early for their first combat class.
Now she was telling me how it went, how she had fought against her classmates and won and how a guy named Jaune had taken a beating and was now being bullied. Funny how teenagers seemed to be the same no matter the world.
Even with the threat of extinction looming over their heads in the form of dark-eyed monsters, they still found time to bully and be idiots.
("A well-placed punch in the face usually solves it. Have you given this advice to your friend Jaune? It's good advice").
Thinking about it, why did everyone's name in Red's world seem to be colors?
Ruby was well, ruby. Yang was yellow or white in Chinese, I think. Weiss was white in German; I knew this because I had learned some German in my adolescence.
Blake was obvious, and now Jaune, which reminded me a bit of French, probably yellow as well by the description the girls gave me. What was this? My Little Pony? Did people like to name their children based on characteristics? 'Look, he has blue hair. How about naming him Blueberry?'.
This was a disaster waiting to happen. The amount of bullying for strange names must be astronomical.
Shaking my head, I refocused on the messages.
[YellowHuntressLive]: I SAID THE SAME THING! KNEW I LIKED YOU FOR A REASON DS! (Happy yellow bear emote).
[WhiteHuntressLive]: Urk! As much as I hate to agree with you two, in this case, it's true. Cardin is a pain! (Angry Snow White's dwarf emote).
[RedHuntressLive]: (Little Red Riding Hood emote with boxing gloves). (Little Red Riding Hood emote with boxing gloves). (Little Red Riding Hood emote with boxing gloves). (Little Red Riding Hood emote with boxing gloves). (Little Red Riding Hood emote with boxing gloves).
[GeniusBillionairePlayboy]: Look what you've done, DS! Corrupting the new generations with your aggressive teachings! Is this the example you set? (Disappointed Iron Man emote).
("Me? Look at Yang calling me DS! Am I a bad influence?!")
I just shook my head as I continued to drive and read the nonsense from the (CHAT). I wished Dumbledore was here, but he hadn't logged in yet. The guy had a school; he must know how to help Red and her team with this bullying problem better than I do.
But thinking about it, the way he acted in the books and movies, I'm not so sure. I'll need to talk to the guy later. I wouldn't judge him based on what I read, since he was a real person, but it's good to be cautious. I don't want to find out that the scarred boy died because he wasn't lucky and ended up looking at the basilisk.
The rest of the afternoon was basically that, me driving while chatting with the group in the car and interacting with the (CHAT). We ended up arriving at Saya's house late in the afternoon, shortly after the stream turned off.
Getting out of the Humvee, the first thing I noticed, or in this case, everyone noticed, was the large number of trucks, pickups, cars, practically every type of vehicle loaded with boxes of what I imagine to be supplies and items from the property.
Stretching my muscles that were tense from the long journey, I started walking towards Saya's parents, who seemed to be already waiting for our arrival.
[...]
Canon Omake: Dumbledore Visits Harry.
POV: Albus "Many Names" Dumbledore.
It was sad not to be able to participate in the stream today, but it was almost the beginning of the school year, so I was busy. I had to finish preparing everything for the start of the academic year, and I also needed to visit the boy Harry. I wonder how he's doing.
Finishing my morning chores, I dried my face with a simple spell and raised my arm for my faithful friend Fawkes to perch.
"Shall we go, my dear friend?"
The only response I received was a loud chirp and a flash of flames. Not even a second later, I appeared in front of Hagrid's hut, who was already waiting for me with his old motorcycle.
"Good morning, Headmaster Dumbledore, how are you this morning?" The kind half-giant smiled as he greeted me.
I nodded in greeting and responded cheerfully that the day was good.
"Good morning, Hagrid. It's a beautiful morning. I'm well, all set to depart?"
I received an enthusiastic nod from the giant. It seems he's happy. Walking up to him, I carefully climbed into the small cabin next to the motorcycle. Of course, I could Apparate us both using Fawkes, but where's the fun in that? After all, in tales, it's not the ending but the journey that matters.
Fastening my seatbelt, it didn't take long for us to take off. It was the first time I was using this type of transportation. It was similar to a broomstick, but still different. I can't say it was bad, but still not something I would use every day.
I noticed that Hagrid had said something to me, but due to the fast wind, I couldn't hear. With a light movement of my wrist and my wand, the wind problem was solved with a small translucent dome around us.
"Could you repeat that, Hagrid? The wind didn't let me hear."
The half-giant seemed amazed as he looked at the translucent dome around us before coming back to himself and quickly responding.
"Sorry, sorry, just found it amazing, the spell you cast." He looked around us one last time before continuing.
"I had asked about Harry. It's the boy's birthday, and I'm bringing him a cake and buying an owl as a gift. I think it would be nice. And you? Any ideas?"
I scratched my beard while thinking. A gift, I already planned to give Harry the last invite from the stream, but it wouldn't hurt to think of something else.
Perhaps his father's cloak? I planned to give it to him at Christmas, but no, I think that would be in bad taste; after all, the cloak already belonged to his family. Thinking a bit more, an idea came to my mind.
Devas had talked about trying to replicate the effects of potions with runes. It was still an idea that hadn't left the parchment, but it had merit. This reminded me, Harry must not know many potions, as he lived with his Muggle relatives. A potions book would be a good present. The boy might even like it!
I'll buy a broomstick too, just in case he doesn't like the book.
"I already have a planned gift, but thank you for reminding me, dear Hagrid." I waved to the Keeper of Keys before realizing something.
"Hagrid, my friend, you said you were going to give Harry a cake. Where is that cake?"
I asked worriedly, already expecting the answer. My fears were confirmed when the friendly half-giant pulled a crumpled cake box from inside his large coat.
I took the box carefully and opened it, seeing the crumpled cake inside. With a simple wave, I brought the cake back to its original shape and placed a simple protective charm on the box to prevent damage before handing it back to Hagrid.
"Here, my friend. Take care of the cake." I could see the embarrassed half-giant scratch his head. I let a small smile come to my old lips as I relaxed.
After a few minutes of travel, we arrived at Privet Drive, Number 4. Getting off the motorcycle, I went to the door and knocked lightly twice before hearing a gruff voice shout.
"I'll get it! Freak, go to your room. We don't want visitors to see you like this, do we?"
I could feel the happiness I felt in the morning slowly begin to wither as Harry's uncle opened the door and die completely when I ignored his shouts and went inside the house, looking for Harry and finding the boy in a tiny room under the stairs.
Handing the confused boy Harry to Hagrid, I turned slowly to Vernon.
"Tell me, Mr. Vernon, can we have a little chat, your dear wife and I?"
The day was no longer good.
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First of all, this chapter is more about conversation and a bit slow, hence the Omake at the end. I thought it would be nice to complement since there wasn't much happening in this chapter; I hope it turned out well.
Secondly, I tried to convey the characters' feelings, not sure if I did it right, especially with Devas, but I'm trying. I'm a bit under the weather today, so my brain is on autopilot; apologies if it didn't come out well.
Thirdly, for those who might want to criticize me for not showing his complete status today, sorry, but it'll be in the next few chapters, probably in 2 or 3. (The arc should end in 5, as you've probably noticed our protagonist has entered the "Screwed for real!" mode and will start acting with the goal of getting stronger. (I won't ignore the romance in the story, don't worry).
Fourthly, Dumbledore in my story is not the old manipulative dark lord, he's just old, as you may have noticed. He's genuinely a good person, but he has a lot to deal with since he literally has 3 big jobs (Headmaster, Wizengamot, and the other one that I frankly can't remember right now since it's 4 am).
He's a bit senile but tries to help. I'll focus on him later since I like the character; he will act more as he should in the books, an old, wise (senile), and good wizard.
Fifthly, the Omakes. What do you think about having non-canon Omakes with possible "Lewd" scenarios? This way, I can write the lemons you like without spoiling the story. Of course, it won't be many since I still cringe every time I write one, but more than there would be in the normal story.
Some of them will be non-canon Omakes, others canon, it will depend really.
Sixth, there's no sixth; that's it. I'm dying of sleep; I'm going to bed. Good night to those who stay, happy reading, and until next time.
PS: As always, comment on what you thought, comment if you have questions, comment if you have theories, comment if you liked, didn't like, found errors, well, comment. I like reading comments and try to respond. Also, if possible, leave a review on the story; I would appreciate it.
PSS: On the Patreon that I'm going to open (I'm procrastinating out of laziness), would you like a poll? Like, the next Omake will be about which character?
