Entwined Fates

I stroll around, relishing the new sights and atmosphere.

'So that's why I don't see many humans; the City of Costuul has a majority population of demi-humans.' I ponder as I survey my surroundings.

'Anika's earlier reaction was a pretty dead giveaway too. Humans might discriminate against demi-humans here. Guess racism finds its way into any societal structure…' I finish my thought, as an enticing aroma of roasted meat wafts towards me. Glancing to the side, I spot a stall surrounded by a huge crowd.

'I haven't eaten since I got here…' My stomach chimes in with a growl.

'I hear ya, buddy…' I pat my stomach, wearing a wry smile.

"Should I explore for some food while I wait for my card to be made? There's also a chance of me getting overcharged; I stick out like a sore thumb, after all. I have a perfect target on my back for those kinds of vendors. Oh, wait!" My eyes widen as I quickly open my inventory.

'Cup noodles and a bag of potato chips…this starter kit came in handy pretty quick.' A bright smile illuminates my face.

'Man, noodles were always my go-to food. Even though Emily would eat my ear out for not having a proper diet.' I chuckle a bit.

I return the items to my inventory as I search for a quiet place to eat.

While walking down one of the roads, a tingly sensation grips my eyes suddenly.

"Fuck, did I get some dirt in there?"I rub my eyes, and the world turns black. Thin ethereal threads spread out around me.

'Wha-?! What the hell? Why did my skill activate by itself? I can't turn it off!' I peer around, and a golden holographic display materializes before me.

[ The bells of fate and destiny beckon ]

"Huh? What does that me-" I pause, noticing one of the threads shining more brightly than the others.

It was a beautiful golden color. I'd seen this thread before, but this time, I could see that it led somewhere.

'Does the skill want me to follow the thread? That's the feeling I get from it. Well, it's not like I have anything better to do…' I shrug my shoulders and follow the golden thread.

For a couple of minutes, I trace the thread while admiring the changed world.

'Nonetheless, this sight is still mesmerizing. Tiny thin colorful threads crisscrossing and flowing in different directions. I feel like I would never get bored of the sight…' I look up ahead and see the thread entering an alley in one of the commercial districts.

I walk ahead and stand at the entrance of the alley.

"Do I really have to enter another alley again? Haah…fine." I sigh as I continue into the alley.

The golden thread I was following flickers as it disappears.

[ Embrace the symphony of fate, for in its echoes lie the secrets of your journey ]

My eyes narrow at the cryptic system message.

'Why is it so cryptic? What the hell does it mean?' I glance around the alley, finding nothing special.

'Well, whatever. I don't wanna think on an empty stomach. At least I got a nice and quiet place to eat.' I shrug my shoulders as I sit down on the small steps of stairs near the end of the alley.

I open my inventory and grab the bag of potato chips. I examine the cover of the over-the-top Japanese packaging.

"Let's see if my Japanese got rusty. Grandpa used to speak with me in it so that I won't forget the language even while living in America, but it must have taken quite a hit. Let's see… Corn Potage Flavor?" I read out the Japanese text on the packaging.

"Whatever, potato chips are potato chips…" I open the packaging as the smell of modern society hits my nose.

'God, that smells so good…' I flash a satisfied smile as I reach into the bag and start eating my first meal in another world.

'I wonder if I can recreate these in this wor-' I pause as I hear the sound of a couple of footsteps coming from up ahead.

"Hey hey! What do you think you're doing on our turf?" I look up and see three guys staring at me from a distance.

I scoff, glancing at the lanky emo-looking guy in the middle who just talked to me.

"Can you not bother me, man? Can't you see that I'm eating my food? Just get lost, okay?" I ignore them as I go back to eating my chips.

"Who does this guy think he is?! Doesn't he know about us Conny brothers?! You think we won't mess up that pretty face of yours?!" The tiny-looking guy with the hideous-looking bowl cut yells at me.

"Bro, you literally look like my thumb. Just fuck off while I'm being nice, okay?" I retort without bothering to lift my gaze.

"What did you just say to my little brother, you punk?!" The big guy with the funny mohawk yells at me.

The lanky emo-looking guy reaches into his clothes and pulls out two short knives.

"That's it. If you don't wanna get hurt, cough up whatever you've got!" He holds the knives in a backhanded grip and licks his lips with his snake-like tongue.

'Now where did I hear that line before…?'

I glance up at the guy and then at his knives.

I casually lifted my gaze from his weapons to his face. "I was just planning to rough you up a bit if you got physical, but… this changes things. My grandpa always said, 'When you point a weapon at someone, you are also pointing it at yourself.' Those words couldn't be any truer. Last chance, fuck off." I narrowed my eyes, and an unsettling heaviness filled the air.

"W-what the?" The three thugs started to shake as a chill ran up their spines.

[ Skill : Predator Presence ]

As I prepared to step forward, another set of footsteps approached rapidly.

'Did they have more of their buddies hiding in the back?' My eyes narrowed, focusing on the entrance of the alley.

"Move it, move it! All of you! Outta my way!" An exasperated voice rang out as someone rushed into the alley. The startled men looked up at the intruder.

A beautiful girl entered their field of view.

Her frame was small, and she possessed shoulder-length golden blonde hair which fluttered in the wind. Her red eyes suggested a strong will and her fang-like canine protruded mischievously. She looked rather cheeky, but it could be said that she was cute considering her age.

She raises her eyebrow a little when she notices the emo-looking guy's knives pointed at me but her feet don't stop.

"Man, this is crazy. But I'm busy, so I can't help ya. Gotta get outta here! Live strong!" Just as she passed me, our eyes met.

She continued to run past me and into what seemed to be a dead end.

Then, with a swift leap off a leaning board, she rapidly disappeared up the wall.

The alley fell into an eerie silence as the thugs exchanged uncertain glances.

They then look back at me and see me eating my chips again.

'This guy isn't taking us seriously!' They all thought simultaneously.

'Well that was interesting…' I think back to the girl who ran past me.

"She seemed strong…" A grin stretches across my face without me realizing it.

"What the fuck are rambling about?! Hey Aniki! Let's rush at him at the same time!" The pipsqueak says.

"Y-yeah…he looks like he doesn't have a weapon either… LET'S GET HIM!" Mohawk agrees.

"You two are right…as expected from my sworn brothers…YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET MOCKING US!?" Emo head yells as he brandishes his knives again.

A moment later they take huge breaths as they all rush towards me.

"Fucking hell, are these guys brain-dead? Did they forget how they all were trembling in their spots before?" I mutter as I prepare to activate Limit Breaker.

'Well, time to level up…'

"That's enough!" A resonant voice echoes through the alley, halting the thugs in their steps.

At the entrance to the alley stood a single girl.

She presented a captivating presence, her lengthy silver hair elegantly fastened, cascading down to her hips. Her beautiful purple eyes exuded intelligence, and her tender features seamlessly blended allure with youthfulness, accompanied by an aristocratic charm that held a hint of danger.

Standing at approximately 160 centimeters, she wore royal blue attire that, while not extravagant, accentuated her commanding aura. Her regal presence was further emphasized by the simplicity of her garments. The distinctive emblem on her coat, resembling a hawk, added a touch of magnificence, complementing her overall sublime beauty.

"Huh…?" My heart began to race suddenly, something deep inside me felt like it was about to tear apart.

E̷̼̗̹̅̀m̸̡͚̺̅̊̿i̴͔̪̗̍̏͝l̸̥͖͈̾̍̕i̶̦͚̣͋̓̌a̶͇͕͎̍͊.̸̣͛̿̚.̸̳̍̀̎.̵̖̀̏

I grip the clothes around my chest as my breathing becomes uneven.

'What's happening?' Even as the thought crosses my mind, my gaze remains fixed on the silver-haired girl.

"Who the hell are you!?" One of the thugs yells, but their words barely register in my ears.

"If you do it now, I'll let it slide. So kindly return what you stole from me…" Her sonorous voice rings out again.

"What we stole?"

"Please, It's important to me. I'd give up on anything else, but I can't let you have that. So be good and hand it over." Her words held such power that they could shake one's heart.

"Huh? You didn't come to save this kid?" The guy points at me.

"What strange clothes. If you asked me if I had any connection to him, then I'd have to say no." She says as she raises an eyebrow at me.

'Why is he staring at me so much? Is there something on my face?' She wondered.

"Then you've got no business with us!" The big guy roars.

"If someone stole something from you, it was that brat that just ran by!" He points accusingly at the top of the wall behind us.

"Yeah! Go that way! She's probably three streets away by now!"

"Hm… It doesn't seem like they're lying… I have to hurry!" She dashes past us, a sense of urgency in her movements.

The thugs breathe a sigh of relief.

However…

"Regardless of that, I can't overlook what's going on here." She turns around and shoots a stern glance at the lanky guy with the knives.

Raising her palm, a chilling aura envelops the surroundings.

Three crystalline masses of ice materialize in her hands, hurtling toward the three men.

Caught off guard, the lumps of ice make direct contact with the men's temples, sending them sprawling backward.

They scream in pain as they get back up slowly. Two of them could barely keep their footing steady as they stood back up and the third may have been hit in a bad spot, because he was out cold. Despite their bleeding, the two who were still standing appeared ready to fight. Even the man beside the guy with the knife was holding an object resembling a rusty blade as he prepared for battle.

"You little brat… I don't care if you can use magic! I'll kill you! You think you can take on the both of us!?" The emo guy points at the girl as he yells hysterically.

Yet the girl showed no signs of faltering.

"I see your point. The odds are against me," she stated with a slight smile.

"How about we even the odds, then?" Another voice, androgynous and high-pitched, echoed through the alley, seemingly speaking on behalf of the girl.

Extending her hand, the girl summoned a small cat that materialized above it.

The cat had a feline form, compact enough to nestle within a hand, maintaining an upright stance.

Cloaked in a coat of gray fur with endearingly drooping ears, it bore a striking resemblance to an American Shorthair, if one discounted its pink nose and the tail's uncharacteristic length. The peculiar appearance of this cat-like entity elicited a scream from the man brandishing a knife, causing him to shudder in terror.

"Y-you're a spirit user?!"

"Correct. Back off now and I won't go after you. Decide quickly. I'm in a hurry." she calmly declared.

"You dirty bitch! Next time I see you, I'll make you regret this!" he emo guy cursed, pointing at her in frustration.

The little cat narrows its eyes at the man.

"Do anything to her and you'll never live it down. Not that you'd live much longer." The cat winked at them.

The men clicked their tongues at its words and started to carry their fallen friend out of the alley.

I watched all of this silently, then looked back at the girl.

"…"

"How long do you plan to stare at me? Do I really have something on my face?" She asked, glancing at the little cat above her hand.

"No you're good, Lia. I think any prepubescent boy would react like this though." The cat grins.

"You be quiet, Puck." She scolds.

"You know who stole my insignia, don't you?" She says as she looks back at me.

"…"

The girl's eyes took on a concerned look as she looked at me.

"Are you okay? Can you talk? Did they hurt you?"

"…Y-you…have we ever met before? No, that's impossible…then what is-"

Ḙ̴̭̬͍̅̉M̸͎̼̦̃̍͝I̸̢̝̝̹̔͘͜L̸̹̥̎͊̊̒Į̴̡̖͑͋͂͂Ȧ̴̮̏͠!̷̠̟̠̠̔̊̓̕͝

My eyes widen as my breathing gets ragged again.

'Fuck…its happening again…it hurts…it hurts so bad…' I wince as I stumble back on my feet.

"H-hey! Are you sure you're okay?" The girl worriedly steps forward.

E̵̥̥̪̣̔Ṃ̸͇̱́͂͊̎̇I̵̬̓̌̀L̴̬͔̳̼͎͆́̄Ï̸̟͇̯̐̂Ą̸̩͎̮͆!̶̫̪͖̇̅͐͂͜ ̵̛̹̝̟̋͐̌R̸̜̒̿Ų̸̌͝N̷͔̱̱̦̬͑̀!̶̼̲̠̊

A searing headache grips me, forcing me to crumple, hands clutching my head.

'It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.' These thoughts echo through my mind as I succumb to unconsciousness.

[Vast Voids, The Celestial Nexus]

Amidst the vast emptiness, an enchanting woman, her raven-black hair flowing like a waterfall, occupies a majestic throne, a displeased expression etched across her features.

"Crap…I knew this would happen one day but this was too early…I guess I shouldn't underestimate the power of love that mortals possess…" She taps her finger thoughtfully against her throne.

"The final embers of his being, fighting to protect the woman he loves, hmm? This is truly remarkable. I must commend you for this, Natsuki Subaru." A slight smile graces her divine features.

"Their souls are colliding... the backlash for that young man, Ryota Kurogane, is it? The recoil is putting a strain on his Aether..." She clicks her tongue in annoyance.

"I have no choice... their souls must merge into one... Normally, I would wait for it to occur naturally, but... circumstances have changed..." She holds out her hand as crimson energy starts to coalesce above it.

"This should work if nothing goes wrong…maybe I'll throw in a small upgrade as well…" She smiles gently as the energy shoots off into the void at unimaginable speed.

'Survive, boy…'

[Lugunica, Costuul]

"I have never seen a human with features as beautiful and perfect as these, it is as if the Dragon-God had sculpted it himself." The cat, now the size of an ordinary human, prods the cheek of the human resting in its lap with its paw.

"You're right…his lips are as pretty as a girl's and his hands look like they have never worked a day in their life…is he perhaps a noble from somewhere?" The voice of a girl rings out.

She reaches out her hand and pulls the peacefully sleeping boy's cheek.

"So soft…" A small smile forms on her lips.

She looks like she's having fun.

The cat's brow twitches as he shifts his gaze towards the girl with a stern expression.

"No! This face is dangerous! He might lead my sweet daughter astray with his charms! Lia! As your father, I will never allow you to get married!" The cat speaks with a dramatic voice.

"Where did that come from? And you're not my father!" The girl pouts at the cat.

"How can you say that? My sweet daug- Hm?" The cat looks back at the boy.

'I swear I just saw something crimson enter his chest…' The cat's serious gaze narrows slightly.

'Was I seeing things…?'