Ren
"Mr. Ren!"
Cresting the hill overlooking Luhua Pool was a small figure in lime-green, an oversized woven basket bouncing on her back as she waved enthusiastically.
"Hey, Yaoyao," Ren called back.
Yaoyao skipped down the slope with so little worry that Ren winced every time she would almost trip and fall. She didn't slow down until she was standing right in front of him, slightly out of breath but grinning.
"What are you doing all the way out here?" she asked, tilting her head.
"I could ask you the same thing," Ren countered, glancing at the wilderness around them. "This isn't exactly a safe place for a solo trip."
"I'm gathering herbs for Granny Ping!" Yaoyao said brightly, patting her basket. "She needs Qingxin flowers and Violetgrass. I know all the best spots!"
'Granny Ping,' Ren had come across the woman a couple of times. She was a sweet old lady.
"And you came out here by yourself?" Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Yep!" Yaoyao puffed out her chest proudly. "I do this all the time! Granny says I have a 'natural talent' for finding herbs."
'Natural talent, huh,' Ren thought, watching the way she moved. He knew there was something more to it. But he wasn't about to start questioning a child, that was just… wrong.
Yaoyao's eyes drifted past him, scanning the area. "What about you, Mr. Ren? Are you making a delivery out here? Did you get attacked by birds again?"
"I'm not—Wait, how do you even know that?" He stuttered out.
"I-I may have heard some people talk about it." She quietly muttered, "B-but I wasn't snooping, they were just talking really loud!"
Ren had to hold back the urge to tease her more about it. The girl really didn't want to be seen as someone snooping around.
"Alright, calm down, I believe you," Ren said with a small chuckle. "To answer your question, I was just… testing some stuff out here."
"Oh! That sounds fun!" Yaoyao's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Are you training with your shadow puppies? Can I see them?"
Ren blinked. "You remember them?"
"Of course! They were so cute, and my parents keep telling me about them!"
This was a surprise to him. He never expected her parents, of all people, to be captivated by Divine Dogs. After all, they did seem pretty fearful of them when he did the delivery. Maybe they secretly wanted to pet his dogs, who knows?
"Maybe later," Ren deflected. He wasn't worried about summoning his shikigami in front of her, Yaoyao had already seen Divine Dogs many times.
It was the fact that her positive energy seemed to irritate his Shikigami, even if they were too polite not to show their discomfort.
Ren had to wonder, what made her positive energy so different from Chongyun's?
'The people of Liyue are truly unique…'
"I was actually about to head back to Liyue. I've already been out here for too long."
Yaoyao's face fell slightly, her shoulders drooping.
Then, like a light switch flipping, she perked right back up.
"Oh! Then—do you want to help me pick herbs?" she asked, bouncing on her heels. "It's more fun with company! And I know all the best spots nearby! It won't take long, I promise!"
Ren opened his mouth to say no.
He had plans. He needed to test Nue's abilities. He needed to go home, eat something other than Adeptal soup (which he still wasn't sure whether it was poisoned), and sleep for approximately twelve hours.
But then he looked at Yaoyao.
A small kid. Standing alone in a monster-infested wilderness. Smiling at him like he was the most trustworthy adult in the world.
Even if she was scarily proficient with a spear, he couldn't just leave a child on their own. His dad would kill him.
'I can't just leave her out here,' Ren thought, resigning himself to babysitting duty for a few hours.
If a Hilichurl camp wandered too close, or a Ruin Guard woke up, or literally any of the dozen deadly things in Liyue's wilderness decided to attack, and Yaoyao got hurt—he'd never forgive himself.
Ren sighed, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility settle onto his shoulders.
"Alright," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I'll help. But just for a bit, okay? I have... stuff to do later."
Yaoyao's entire face lit up like a Lantern Rite firework.
"Yay! Thank you, Mr. Ren! You're the best!"
Before Ren could react, she grabbed his hand and started tugging him toward the hillside with surprising strength.
Ren stumbled slightly, letting himself be dragged along. He glanced back at Luhua Pool, mentally apologizing to Nue.
'Sorry, buddy. Babysitting duty calls.'
As they walked, Yaoyao launched into an enthusiastic explanation about the different herbs she was looking for, pointing out plants and flowers with the confidence of someone who had done this a hundred times.
Ren, even if slightly reluctant, had a smile on his face. No matter how much he wanted to do something else, nothing compares to seeing the happy face of a kid.
/ — /
Yaoyao was scarily efficient.
Ren watched as she crouched beside a cliff face, her small fingers tracing the rock like she was reading braille.
She tilted her head, sniffed the air, then confidently reached into a crack he hadn't even noticed.
She pulled out a cluster of Violetgrass with a triumphant grin.
"Found one!" she announced, holding it up like a trophy.
Ren blinked. "How did you even know that was there?"
"Granny taught me!" Yaoyao said, carefully placing the herb into her basket. "Violetgrass likes to hide in shady spots where the wind can't reach. You just have to listen to the air and the whispers of the land."
"I see…"
He did not see.
He leaned against a nearby boulder, watching her work. It was impressive. He really expected this to take a lot longer than it did.
A part of him wanted to stay silent and watch her do her thing. But he didn't want her thinking that he was annoyed.
"So," Ren started casually, "how long have you been doing this? The herb-gathering thing?"
"Um..." Yaoyao paused, counting on her fingers. "Since I was five, I think? Granny says I'm really good at it!"
'She's been wandering around monster-infested wilderness alone since she was five.' Ren thought.
"Sorry, how old are you again?"
"I'm twelve! Why are you asking?"
"Just curious…"
He decided not to think too hard about that. His stress levels were already maxed out for the day.
They moved to the next spot—a patch of Qingxin flowers growing on a steep ledge. Yaoyao scrambled up the rocks like a mountain goat, completely unbothered by the twenty-foot drop below.
Ren stayed at the bottom, ready to catch her if she slipped.
She didn't.
"Mr. Ren!" Yaoyao called down, waving a handful of white flowers. "Do you want some? Qingxin flowers are really good for you! They help with... um..." She frowned, trying to remember. "Granny says they 'purify the spirit' or something."
'Purify the spirit,' Ren noted. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing for someone whose energy was basically concentrated malice.
"I'm good!" Ren shouted back. "Thanks though!"
Yaoyao shrugged and tucked the flowers into her basket. She hopped down the rocks and landed next to him with a soft thud.
"You're really good at this," Ren said, because it felt weird not to acknowledge it.
Yaoyao beamed. "Thank you! Granny says I have a natural—" She stopped mid-sentence, her expression shifting to something sheepish. "Um, I already said that, didn't I?"
"You did," Ren confirmed with a small smile.
They walked in comfortable silence for a bit, the only sounds being the rustling of grass and the distant trickle of water from the pool.
Ren found himself relaxing despite everything. The late afternoon sun was warm, and the scenery was peaceful. He could almost completely forget about the fact that he met an Adeptus.
Almost.
Then Yaoyao spoke up.
"Mr. Ren, can I ask you something?"
"Sure,"
Yaoyao stopped walking, turning to look at him with those wide, curious amber eyes. "Why does your energy feel so... different?"
Ren's brain screeched to a halt.
'Of course she can sense it.' A part of his mind thought she could, but he never had any confirmation until now.
"Different how?"
Yaoyao tilted her head, searching for the right words. "It's... heavy. But not bad? Like..." She scrunched up her face in concentration. "Like really thick soup! But it's cold, and kinda sad."
'Cold but sad, huh.' Ren chuckled in his mind. 'That's... actually pretty accurate.'
He cleared his throat. "Well, I'm from pretty far away. Things are just... different where I'm from. My people's energy is just more sad."
"Oh!" Yaoyao's eyes lit up with understanding. "Like how people from Inazuma talk funny?"
Ren couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. Something like that."
Yaoyao seemed to accept this, nodding like she'd just solved a great mystery. But then she asked another question he didn't expect.
"Are you tired, Mr. Ren?"
The question caught him completely off guard.
"Huh?"
"Granny always says that people who carry heavy things should rest more," Yaoyao explained, with the most sincere tone a 12 year old could have. "Your energy feels heavy. So... are you tired?"
Ren opened his mouth to deflect, but the words stuck in his throat.
Because the honest answer was yes.
He was exhausted. Not just from today—though today had definitely taken years off his life—but from everything. Being in a completely foreign land with completely different people.
It did become manageable after his delivery gig but the feeling always came back sooner or later.
"...Yeah," Ren admitted quietly. "A bit."
Yaoyao's expression softened. She reached out and patted his arm with her small hand.
"Then I'll pick the herbs faster!" she declared with sudden determination. "So you can go home and rest sooner!"
Something in Ren's chest tightened, and his expression softened into a smile.
Yaoyao was a good kid.
"Sure, do whatever you want,"
She smiled at him and turned back to her herb-gathering with renewed energy.
Ren watched her for a moment, then shook his head.
'When did I get so soft?' he thought, but there was no real bite to it. 'At least mom and dad can't see me lose my edge…'
They continued walking, and Ren decided it was his turn to ask questions.
"I have a question for you," he started, keeping his tone light, "What's with all the positive energy? You training to be an exorcist or something?"
Yaoyao froze mid-step.
Her entire demeanor shifted in an instant. Her shoulders stiffening, eyes widening, hands fidgeting with the straps of her basket.
"I-I'm not—" she stammered, her face flushing. "It's just—I eat a lot of vegetables! That's all! Granny says vegetables are good for you, and—and she has this special training, but it's not weird or anything, it's just normal training, and—"
'Archons, that's adorable.'
"Whoa, whoa," Ren interrupted, holding up his hands. "Calm down. I was just curious."
Yaoyao bit her lip, looking down at her feet. "I'm not supposed to talk about it too much," she mumbled. "Granny says it's a secret."
'My goodness, she can't lie to save her life.'
"Hey, it's okay," Ren said, crouching down to her level. "Everyone's got their secrets. I'm not gonna pry."
Yaoyao peeked up at him, her expression uncertain. "Really?"
"Yeah."
She relaxed, the tension draining from her shoulders. "Thank you, Mr. Ren. You're really nice."
Ren stood back up, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, well... don't spread it around. Some people still think I'm a demon in disguise."
Yaoyao giggled, and just like that they continued walking.
But suddenly, as they were making their way along a narrow mountain path when Ren heard it.
Crack.
The sound of wood splintering, followed by a desperate shout.
"No, no, no—I CAN'T STOP IT!"
Ren's head snapped toward the noise, and Yaoyao stopped mid-step, her eyes wide.
"That sounds bad," she whispered.
"Stay behind me," Ren said, already moving.
They ran around a turn, and he instantly spotted the source of the sound.
A small merchant caravan was struggling on the narrow road above them. Three men are pulling two carts.
One of the carts had lost a wheel. The entire thing was tipping dangerously toward the cliff edge, cargo sliding toward the drop.
One of the merchants was clinging to the cart's frame, trying to pull it back. Yet he was slowly being pulled with it, not strong enough to hold the weight.
The cart lurched forward another inch. Crates tumbled over the edge, smashing into splinters on the rocks below.
"NO!" the merchant screamed, his voice cracking.
The other two merchants scrambled toward him, but they were too far away. The angle was wrong. The weight was too much.
In seconds, the whole thing would fall down the cliff, and the merchant would most likely die.
Ren slammed his hands together, fingers twisting into the familiar sign.
"NUE!"
The air around him exploded with Cursed Energy.
Black ink erupted from his shadow, swirling upward in a violent spiral. Lightning crackled through the mass illuminating the entire cliff face.
The massive chimera-like shikigami materialized. Its golden eyes locked onto the tipping cart, and with their mental link, Ren didn't need verbal orders.
Nue screeched and shot toward the merchant.
Ren was running beside it. He sprinted toward the cliff, reinforcing his legs, and jumped off. His hand caught Nue's talon mid-flight.
They rocketed upward, the wind screaming past Ren's ears. Below, Yaoyao's startled yelp faded into the background.
Nue reached the cart in seconds, wings spreading wide to slow their momentum.
Ren let go of the talon and dropped onto the road, his boots skidding on loose gravel.
The merchant was still clinging to the cart with all his might.
The cart tipped another inch.
"GAMA!"
Ren thrust both hands forward. Black, rope-like tongues erupted from his palms.
They lashed out like living whips, wrapping around the cart's frame, the sliding cargo, the merchant's waist.
The tongues yanked everything back from the edge in one brutal motion. The cart slammed back onto solid ground with a bone-rattling thud.
Nue landed beside it, using its bulk to pin the wreckage in place.
Ren stood there, breathing hard, his hands still outstretched. The tongues retracted slowly, sinking back into his shadow.
The merchant collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
"I—you—what—"
"That was close," Ren interrupted, walking over and crouching next to him. "Just breathe. You're alright."
The merchant stared at him, wide-eyed and trembling.
Then his gaze shifted past Ren to the massive bird looming behind him.
The man's face went pale.
"Is that—what is that—"
"My pet," Ren said flatly. Though he could sense that Nue took slight offence to his comment. "He's harmless."
Nue tilted its head, golden eyes unblinking.
The merchant did not look reassured.
The other two merchants finally caught up, stumbling to a halt at the sight of the carnage.
"Zhao! Are you okay?!"
"I'm—I think so," Zhao stammered, still staring at Nue.
Another merchant stopped mid-panic and squinted at Ren. "Wait. Wait, I know you."
Ren blinked. "You do?"
"You're that courier kid," the scarred merchant said, recognition dawning on his face. "Shadow Courier, right? You delivered those ceramics for my partner last month!"
Ren tilted his head, trying to place him. Then it clicked.
"Oh. Yeah. The pottery shipment. That was you?"
"Yeah!" The merchant grinned, relief flooding his expression. "You saved my entire inventory back then, too!"
Zhao looked between them, still processing. "He's... a courier?"
"One of the best up and coming ones in Liyue," the scarred merchant said, clapping Zhao on the shoulder. "This guy hauled five hundred kilograms of fragile pottery across half the region without breaking a single piece."
"I broke one piece. But yeah." Ren corrected quietly, unprepared for the sudden praise.
Zhao stared at him. "And you just... have a giant bird around?"
"Sometimes," Ren said. Trying to sound as nonchalant as he could. "Depends on the delivery."
The third merchant cleared his throat. "We, uh... we owe you. Big time."
Ren waved him off, standing up and dusting off his pants. "Don't worry about it. I know how much it sucks to lose a shipment off a cliff."
"Ah, speaking from experience, I assume?" Zhao asked weakly.
"Once," Ren said. "Lost a whole crate of glassware. The fines were a nightmare." He paused.
The merchants laughed nervously, but their eyes kept darting back to Nue.
The bird was still perched on the road, staring down at them with the unsettling stillness of a predator staring at prey.
Ren noticed their discomfort.
"Don't be so tense," Ren said, gesturing at Nue. "Really. He just looks scary."
"He looks like he could kill us," Zhao muttered.
"He could," Ren admitted. "But he won't. Probably."
That did not help.
The scarred merchant coughed. "Right. Well. We should—uh—get moving. Fix the cart. Before it tips again."
"Good idea," Ren agreed.
Zhao scrambled to his feet, bowing deeply. "Thank you. We'll—we'll send payment to your business address. Shadow Courier, right?"
"That's the one, but it's fine. You don't have to pay anything." Ren said.
The merchants nodded, still glancing nervously at Nue as they backed away toward the broken cart.
Ren watched them go, then turned to look down the path.
Yaoyao was standing at the bottom of the slope, hands clasped over her mouth, eyes absolutely shining.
/ — /
The merchants were already working on the broken cart by the time Ren made his way back down the slope.
Yaoyao was still standing in the same place, her eyes locked on Nue like the bird had just descended from the heavens.
"Mr. Ren..." Yaoyao breathed, her voice filled with pure awe. "He's AMAZING!"
Ren scratched the back of his neck. "He's alright."
Nue's head swiveled toward him with what could only be described as indignation.
'Sorry,' Ren thought at the bird. 'You know what I mean.'
Yaoyao ran forward, skidding to a stop right in front of the massive shikigami. Nue tilted his head down, golden eyes studying the small human with mild curiosity.
"Hello!" Yaoyao said brightly, waving up at him. "You're so cool! And big! And your feathers are so pretty!"
The bird rumbled a low, vibrating sound that wasn't quite a purr but wasn't threatening either.
"Can I... can I pet him?" Yaoyao asked, looking back at Ren with hopeful eyes.
Ren hesitated.
Nue's Cursed Energy and Yaoyao's positive energy were like oil and water. He could already feel the faint discomfort radiating from the shikigami.
But Nue wasn't pulling away.
"Just... be gentle. And if he moves back, don't push it."
"Okay!"
Yaoyao reached out slowly, her small hand hovering near Nue's beak.
The bird lowered his head further, allowing her to touch the smooth, dark feathers.
Yaoyao's face lit up like the sun.
"He's so soft!" she squeaked, running her fingers gently along the plumage. "And warm! I thought he'd be cold because of the lightning!"
Tiny sparks of static jumped between her fingers and the feathers, harmless but visible.
Yaoyao giggled. "It tickles!"
Nue let her have her fill, tolerating the attention of an overexcited child.
Didn't expect you to be such a softie.' Ren thought.
Nue's eyes flicked toward him. No words were spoken, but he could sense what it wanted to say.
Ren chuckled in his mind, 'Yeah, yeah. I'll get you something to make it up to you.'
After a few minutes of enthusiastic petting and cooing, Yaoyao finally stepped back.
"Thank you, Mr. Bird!" she said, bowing politely.
Nue made another low rumbling sound, seeming satisfied with the show of respect.
A voice called out from up the path.
"Hey! Shadow Courier!"
Ren turned to see the scarred merchant jogging toward them, slightly out of breath.
He stopped in front of Ren, pulling a small pouch from his belt.
"Here," the merchant said, holding it out. "For the rescue. I know you said we didn't have to, but my partner would kill me if I didn't pay you."
Ren looked at the pouch, then back at the merchant. "I told you, it's fine. You don't owe me anything."
"And I'm telling you," the merchant said with a grin, "you're taking it anyway. Consider it a tip for saving Zhao's life."
Ren sighed. He knew a losing battle when he saw one.
"Alright, fine. But this is way too much," he said, taking the pouch. It was heavier than expected.
"Nope," the merchant said cheerfully. "That's exactly the right amount. You did good work up there."
He clapped Ren on the shoulder, then glanced at Yaoyao and the massive bird looming behind her. His smile became slightly strained.
"You two be safe out here, yeah? Path's more dangerous than it looks."
"We will," Ren said.
The merchant nodded, gave them a quick wave, and jogged back to his group. Though Ren noticed he kept glancing back at Nue nervously.
Ren hefted the pouch in his hand, then slipped it into his shadow storage with a flick of his hand.
Yaoyao watched the pouch disappear with fascination.
"You can store things in your shadow?" she asked.
"Yep."
"That's so useful! I wish I could do that!"
Ren chuckled. "I guess it has its perks."
They stood there for a moment, watching the merchants finish securing their cart.
Then Yaoyao tugged on Ren's sleeve.
"Mr. Ren?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure?"
Yaoyao looked up at him, her expression serious.
"Can I ride Nue?"
"..."
"What?"
"Just back to Liyue!" Yaoyao said quickly, bouncing on her heels. "I've never flown before! And he's so big and strong, and you said he's harmless, so it'd be safe, right?"
Ren opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
"Yaoyao, I don't think—"
"Please?" She clasped her hands together, eyes shining at him. "Please, please, please? I promise I'll hold on tight! And I won't tell anyone! And I'll be really good!"
Ren felt his resolve crumbling in real time.
'If she falls, I'm dead. If she gets hurt, I'm dead. If her parents find out, I'm dead. If Ganyu finds out, I'm VERY dead.'
He looked at Yaoyao's hopeful face.
Then he made the mistake of asking Nue.
'Nue. Please. Tell her no. You don't want to carry a kid around, right?'
There was a pause.
Then Nue lowered his wing like a ramp.
The bird looked smug.
Ren stared at his own shikigami in betrayal.
"Of course, your personality is like this…" he muttered.
Yaoyao squealed. "Does that mean yes?!"
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Alright," he said, feeling every ounce of his common sense screaming at him. "But ONLY after we finish picking herbs. And you have to promise to hold on. And if you feel like you're slipping even a little bit, you tell me. Got it?"
"Got it!" Yaoyao saluted like a soldier. "Thank you, Mr. Ren! You're the best!"
Ren sighed.
'I'm going to regret this.'
Nue made a sound that was definitely a laugh.
"Don't you start."
/ — /
The northern gate of Liyue Harbor wasn't much to look at.
It was a wide stone bridge that connected the wilderness paths to the main harbor district, flanked by guard posts and a single wooden checkpoint booth.
Two Millelith guards stood at their posts, spears resting against their shoulders in the universal posture of people who were very, very bored.
"I'm telling you," Jiayi said, leaning against the booth, "The noodles at Wanmin are better than Chihu Rock. It's not even close."
Lao Cai scoffed. "You're insane. Chihu Rock has been perfecting their recipe for three generations. Xiangling's still experimenting."
"Experimenting is good. It means she's innovating."
"It means she's putting slime condensate in the broth."
"One time! That was one time!"
Lao Cai shook his head, grinning. "I'm not risking it. I like my internal organs where they are."
"You're a coward."
"I'm a man who values his stomach."
Jiayi was about to respond when he heard it.
A screech. High-pitched and sharp, cutting through the afternoon air.
From above.
He looked up.
His brain took a moment to process what he was seeing.
A massive bird was diving toward the bridge, wings spread wide.
"DEMON BIRD!" Jiayi screamed, stumbling backward. "TAKE COVER!"
His spear clattered to the ground.
Lao Cai's head snapped up. His eyes went wide.
"What in Rex Lapis's name—!"
Another guard from the checkpoint booth rushed out, weapon already drawn. "What's going on?!"
Jiayi pointed frantically at the sky. "BIG BIRD! IT'S COMING RIGHT AT US!"
The creature descended in a rush of wind, golden eyes gleaming like molten metal.
The guards braced for battle.
And then, just as it was about to crash into the bridge, the bird dissolved. It burst into black smoke mid-air, dissipating like fog.
Standing calmly on the cobblestone was Ren, hands in his pockets, looking slightly nervous.
Perched on his shoulders was Yaoyao, waving cheerfully at the guards.
"Hi, Mr. Guard!"
Dead silence.
Jiayi stared. His spear was still on the ground. His mouth was open.
Lao Cai slowly lowered his weapon.
"...Ren."
"Hey, Lao Cai," Ren said casually. "Jiayi."
"Since when did you have a bird?" Lao Cai said.
"...A while?"
"And why," Lao Cai continued, his voice climbing slightly, "Did you decide to fly it directly at the gate?"
"We were picking herbs," Ren said, as if that explained everything.
"With a MASSIVE BIRD?!"
"I needed to be quick?"
The guards stared at him.
Yaoyao, completely oblivious to the tension, piped up brightly. "Mr. Ren helped me get home faster! He's really nice!"
The third guard—still standing there frozen—finally found his voice. "That... that thing almost gave me a heart attack."
"It's harmless," Ren said.
"It looked like he was going to eat us!"
"It wasn't."
"How do you know?!"
"Because I told it not to."
Lao Cai pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "Ren. Please. Please tell me you have some kind of... permit. License. Official documentation. Anything."
Ren blinked, and he felt his blood run cold. "For Nue?"
"YES, FOR THE GIANT BIRD."
"Uh..." Ren scratched the back of his neck. "Does a delivery contract count?"
"No."
"Then no."
Lao Cai looked at Jiayi. Jiayi looked back at Lao Cai.
They both looked at Yaoyao, who was still smiling as if this were the best day of her life.
Then they looked at Ren.
Lao Cai sighed. "Just... file a flight path next time," he said, waving Ren off. "There's a form you can fill out at Yujing Terrace."
Ren's eyes widened. "There's a form for that?!"
"There's a form for everything," Jiayi said tiredly. "Now go. Before I decide this is worth the paperwork."
Ren didn't need to be told twice.
He crouched down, and Yaoyao hopped off his shoulders, landing lightly on the cobblestone.
She turned and threw her arms around him in a quick, enthusiastic hug.
"Thank you, Mr. Ren! That was so fun! You're the best!"
Ren patted her head awkwardly. "Yeah, well... don't mention it. Seriously. Don't mention it to anyone."
Yaoyao giggled, then grabbed her basket and skipped off toward Yujing Terrace, humming a cheerful tune.
/ — /
"Home sweet home, FINALLY!" Ren sighed dramatically.
He kicked the door shut behind him, not bothering to lock it. If someone wanted to rob him, they'd be disappointed. He stored his valuables inside his shadow storage. Everything here was just enough to make this place comfortable.
Ren slowly stumbled toward the bed.
His entire body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder. Cloud Retainer's interrogation. Taming Orochi and Nue. The merchant rescue. Babysitting Yaoyao. Flying back on Nue while making sure a twelve-year-old didn't fall to her death.
He collapsed face-first onto the mattress, not even bothering to take off his boots.
The moment his head hit the pillow, the exhaustion he'd been holding back all day crashed into him.
Physically, he was fine. Mentally, it was like he was stabbed 20 times.
Now, in the quiet safety of his apartment, his brain finally gave him permission to shut down.
'Just... five minutes,' Ren thought, his eyes already closing. 'Then I'll... do stuff...'
He was asleep before he finished the thought.
/ — /
Yelan
The shadows in the corner of the room shifted.
A figure emerged from the darkness, stepping silently onto the wooden floor without making a sound.
Yelan stood there for a moment, hands on her hips, staring at the unconscious courier sprawled across the bed like a corpse.
She'd been waiting for over an hour.
"Well," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "That was anticlimactic."
She walked closer, her blue hair catching the faint light from the window. Her eyes scanned Ren from head to toe.
And he was out. Completely, utterly unconscious. His breathing was deep and even, his face pressed into the pillow at an angle that looked incredibly uncomfortable.
Yelan tilted her head, studying him.
All her research, the rumors, the reports, the eyewitness accounts—they all painted a picture of someone dangerous.
Someone who could command shadows. Had the presence of a vile spirit and lacked a Vision..
Someone the Qixing might need to... handle.
But maybe she was coming to conclusions too hastily.
Yelan crossed her arms, frowning.
She'd planned to confront him soon, but after Cloud Retainers intervention, she decided to let the old Adeptus judge the boy.
And Cloud Retainer had let him live.
That... changed things.
The Adepti didn't make mistakes. If Cloud Retainer had interrogated him and decided he wasn't a threat, then he probably wasn't.
Or at least he wasn't a threat worth eliminating.
Yelan let out a soft sigh, shaking her head.
"I really dislike unknown variables," she murmured.
Normally, she wouldn't let things fester for too long. Her approach was usually quite hands-on. But after an Adepti's intervention, she could slow down a little with this particular case.
Besides, she had other leads to follow. Other threats to track.
Yelan turned toward the window, her figure already fading into the shadows.
"I'll be watching," she said quietly, though Ren couldn't hear her. "And if you step out of line..."
She paused at the windowsill, glancing back one last time.
"Well. Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
And then she was gone, dissolving into the night as silently as she'd arrived.
Ren slept on, blissfully unaware.
***
Author Notes: Hello there, it's been a while. With JJK Modulo's new chapters, I decided to take some time to rethink the powerscale of this fic because HOLY CRAP. The manga is a Mahoraga upscale of DOOM. I already planned on making my goat strong as heck, but THAT BROKEN??
[SPOILERS BEWARE!!!]
What do you mean Mahoraga adapted to Dabura's EXISTENCE?! Like that's the best "Fuck you in particular" move EVER. Now I'm having trouble figuring out how to bring him into the story without getting a Celestial Nail to the FACE. Oh the moment the Abyss Orders gets a hint of Big Raga's ability, Ren is gonna die.