"Hmmm... hmm... hmmm..."
Slady was at La Taberna, tasting a new wine Raizer Fainer had made to sell.
"This is quite sweet, I liked it."
He placed the wine glass back on the counter. Raizer laughed, serving more to Slady.
"Of course you like it, Slady. This wine was made especially for you."
He gave Slady a friendly tap on the head. Slady stayed expressionless, observing the tavern around him.
Since it was nighttime, the place was crowded with men and women, mostly men.
Elisa Fainer was helping her father, serving drinks and food while wearing a waitress outfit.
But suddenly, as she moved to the next customer, a drunk man slapped her butt hard. She turned around, blushing and ready to confront him.
"W-what did you do?!"
She did not like that at all. The man laughed hoarsely, reaching for Elisa's thighs.
"Come on, girl. Your father isn't seeing this..."
He was right. Raizer had not noticed the harassment, but Slady had. When the man tried to touch Elisa again, Slady stood up and grabbed his hand with his bionic arm, firm and steady.
"Let her go. Now," Slady said in a cold tone.
Elisa felt relieved and stepped away to warn Raizer. The drunk man got irritated and stood up. He was larger than Slady, like most people.
"Repeat that, but only if you're man enough!"
His loud voice caught everyone's attention in La Taberna.
Some men laughed, supporting the drunk. Others got annoyed but didn't want to interfere.
The women completely disapproved of the drunk's actions, but they didn't seem to trust Slady to handle the situation, thinking he looked small and delicate compared to the other man.
When Elisa told Raizer what happened, he got furious. But seeing Slady already handling it, he let him continue.
"What is a weakling like you going to do to me?" The drunk asked with a malicious grin.
He reached for Slady's long hair to pull it, as if dealing with a woman.
"Or better, a delicate young la—"
Suddenly, Slady punched the man's chest with his mechanical arm, shattering every bone in the area and knocking the drunk out instantly.
"..."
The laughing men lost their smiles immediately. The others were surprised, but silently approved. The women were shocked, but after recovering, clapped for Slady.
"That's it!"
"That's how you deal with a guy like that!"
Slady ignored the attention and turned toward Raizer and Elisa.
"Can you clean this mess, Raizer?"
"Hehe, sure."
The old man laughed approvingly, tapping Slady on the back and dragging the man out. Elisa looked at Slady, nervous but grateful.
"Thank you, Uncle Slady."
She grabbed the trays and went back to work. Even afraid of the men there, she knew Slady and Raizer would protect her.
A few hours later, Slady said goodbye to them and left La Taberna, walking through Libretãnhya at night, enjoying the calmness.
But suddenly he heard a snoring sound, like someone sleeping nearby. Curious like a child, he followed the noise and found an unexpected scene.
It was Rin Yuang, sleeping on a bench, still wearing her investigator outfit. She had probably worked so much that she didn't have the energy to return to the department or home.
"..."
Slady sat beside her, watching her innocently. Maybe to keep anyone from taking advantage of her vulnerability.
But he couldn't resist. He placed his hand on her temple and applied pressure to wake her up.
As a reflex, she pulled her gun and pointed it at him. Slady didn't react, simply staring with a calm and innocent look.
"Oh... it's you."
She sat down, putting the gun away, curious.
"Sorry about that, but what are you doing out here at this hour, Slady?"
"I should ask you the same. But to answer, I was visiting a friend. And you?"
Rin sighed and yawned.
"I worked all day, I couldn't take the exhaustion..."
She stopped talking, her body swaying in an attempt to stay awake.
"...Let me help you."
Slady stood and extended his hand.
"Hmmm?"
She hesitated, but he seemed trustworthy. She took his hand and leaned on him. She didn't want to trust someone potentially dangerous she didn't know well, but she had no other choice. She ended up falling asleep in his arms.
The next day...
Rin woke up in her dorm. Somehow Slady had discovered where she lived and placed her carefully on her bed.
She stood up, feeling much more energetic. Maybe taking a day off wouldn't hurt.
It worked. She got her day off and took a long shower to celebrate.
After the shower, she put on comfortable clothes, shorts and a top, and went to grab a snack...
"Son of a bitch..."
Two of her snacks were missing, meaning that, of all the ways Slady could have taken advantage of her vulnerability, he used the opportunity to steal two snacks.
Meanwhile
In the forest, Shaphira was in the library room, eating a snack Slady had given her while he cooked lunch.
"Hmmm! This is really good. Where did you get it, dad?"
"I just took it from a friend, that's all."
Slady finished cooking and set the food on the table.
"Go eat, girl."
Shaphira dropped the snack and ran excitedly to the table.
"Thank you, dad."
Slady nodded and prepared to leave.
"I'll get you more clothes because of the changes in your body. Take care of the house."
He gave her a paternal head pat and Shaphira nodded, returning to her meal.
***
In Libretãnhya, Slady had already bought the clothes. As he walked through the streets, he turned a corner and accidentally bumped into a man's chest.
"Hmph!"
Slady fell on his butt. When he looked up...
"Watch where you're going!"
It was Roger, who thought he had run into a drunk or addict. But when he realized it was Slady, he went silent.
"Sorry... I didn't see you."
Roger's younger sister, wearing a school uniform, looked at him confused.
"Who is he?" she asked innocently.
"Just an acquaintance, nothing important."
Roger held his sister's hands as Slady stood up and fixed his clothes.
"Hmmm..."
He picked up his shopping bag.
"Just don't yell at me without knowing who I am," Slady said, emotionless.
He turned to leave, but felt a light tug on his coat. It was Roger's sister, staring innocently at him.
"Are you my brother's friend?"
Roger tried to stop her from interfering, but Slady replied calmly:
"Yes."
Roger was confused at first, but accepted it.
"That's right, he's my soul brother!"
Roger approached Slady, put his arm around him and messed with his hair. Slady didn't react.
"Cool!"
The girl hugged Slady's legs.
"Can you pick me up?" She raised her little arms.
Roger was shocked. He had never imagined she was so trusting. He tried to stop her and explain not to trust strangers.
"Wait! You can't—"
"Ok."
Slady crouched and lifted her in his mechanical arm.
Roger was stunned. He didn't know Slady's name or anything about him.
"You're not going to hurt her, right?"
Roger asked, uneasy. Slady simply shook his head.
"I have limits."
The girl was delighted in his arms and began to guide him toward her school.
"We have to go that way, then left..."
Roger watched Slady from behind, suspicious, but Slady didn't seem to care.
At the primary school, Slady set her down gently. She grabbed her little backpack and smiled.
"Thank you!"
Roger seized the moment to hug her and shower her with kisses, making her giggle. He was a wonderful brother.
When he turned back to talk to Slady, the man had already disappeared.
***
In the dorm, Rin Yuang sat on the couch watching the news.
Reporters announced that a Forest Inférius had appeared in one of Libretãnhya's districts. Demon Hunters were entering the dimension to do their job. Some Criminal Investigators guarded the portal to keep unqualified people out.
Then Rin widened her eyes.
Someone familiar had slipped into the dimension unnoticed.
It was Slady.
***
Inside the Inférius, Slady watched Demon Hunters searching for Renkatas and hunting Renkais.
The dimension looked like a forest, but far more terrifying. Trees had wicked smiles and the plants were carnivorous.
A creaking sound echoed. When Slady turned, a massive Dionaea tried to devour him, spraying acid.
He pulled a pistol from his pocket and shot the plant, electrocuting and burning it until it collapsed.
"..."
Before he could think, a Demonic Tree attacked with a wooden arm. Slady dodged and fired at it, making it scream.
Roots tried to strike from below. Slady jumped onto the tree's arm, forcing the roots to stab the tree itself. It let out another scream as its arm necrotized.
The tree rotted and died by its own poison. Slady landed beside it.
"That was close."
He continued walking with his objective clear.
He spotted the Inférius Core, where Renkais spawned. He pulled a modified grenade-like sphere from his pocket.
"I hope this works..."
He threw it with his mechanical arm.
The explosion was insane, obliterating every nearby Renkai. The surroundings turned to ash. Only medium-sized Renkata fragments remained.
Slady watched the scene like a light show. Demon Hunters ran away, terrified, believing a Destroyer had entered the dimension.
***
On TV, Rin watched in shock as part of Libretãnhya was briefly covered in dust and Renkai energy. Fortunately, no one got infected.
"My God..."
She closed her windows quickly to avoid any contamination.
***
After the smoke cleared, Slady left the Inférius carrying the clothes for Shaphira and many Renkatas hidden away.
"Destroying a dimension with one explosion... that was interesting," he murmured.
Hours later
Shaphira tested the clothes Slady bought. He was in a room melting and sorting Renkatas.
"Father, can you come here?"
Slady sighed and went to her.
Shaphira wore a beautiful black and gold kimono.
"What do you think, father?"
She spun around.
Slady looked her up and down and nodded.
"It looks good. Very pretty."
He noticed discomfort in her expression. Up close, he saw her tail was trapped inside the kimono.
"You want to free it, right?"
"...Yes. I didn't know how to make the hole you taught me, I was afraid it would look ugly."
She whimpered. Having her tail stuck was probably awful.
Minutes later...
After modifying the outfit, Slady handed it to her. She put it on and sighed in relief.
"Wow. This is much better."
She hopped around, admiring how the skirt moved.
"So cool. I'll always wear this."
"I noticed."
Slady crossed his arms, watching her enjoy herself.
He tried to return to his work, but Shaphira hugged him from behind, spinning him to face her.
"Do I look pretty?"
She posed with a confident smile.
"..."
Slady analyzed her again.
Her ears twitched lightly. Her tail swayed. The kimono had a small but modest neckline. The skirt was long enough but didn't hinder movement. Her sharp-toothed smile looked wild yet beautiful.
Definitely, Shaphira was perf—
"I like it."
He gave a thumbs up. Simple words, but sincere.
"Thank you..."
She looked a little disappointed but accepted it. She hugged him again.
"I like the outfit. Thanks, dad."
Slady saw the disappointment. He hadn't meant to cause it.
So, to make up for it, he wrapped his arms around her waist. A silent apology. A gesture of affection toward the girl he saw as his daughter.
Shaphira didn't expect much, but was touched. She smiled genuinely and wrapped her tail around him, deepening the embrace.
It felt good for her. For Slady, it was something new. A way to understand the feelings of those who loved him, and his own feelings toward them.
He would not forget that hug anytime soon.
Hours later
Night had fallen. Shaphira slept in her room. Slady worked in his workshop. He had already sold the Renkatas and earned good money.
He used the rainy night to watch the falling water and the wind shaking the windows. Many would fear such a moment, but for Slady it was pure peace.
Then three knocks echoed at the library door. No one visited at night. Why today?
He went to the entrance and opened it.
A woman stood there, injured. Blue hair, yellow eyes, a dress that radiated power, elegance and femininity.
But she was badly wounded. Her heroic dress nearly torn. She looked powerful, but needed desperate help.
"Please... help me."