"Cao Cao" I repeated, watching Vali's expression carefully "I thought I made it clear that particular problem was handled"

"You destroyed his Sacred Gear, yes. But apparently, that only made him more determined." Vali's eyes held a warning I'd rarely seen from him. "He's allied himself with Hades, to bring you down"

Rossweisse gasped beside me. Even as a Valkyrie, the implications of that alliance weren't lost on her, the name Hades, was enough to strike concern to even someone like her.

"Hades," I said thoughtfully, as if I was discussing mundane events in my everyday life "God of the dead? And here I thought my evenings were going to be boring."

"Are you insane?" Rossweisse stared at me. "You're talking about someone who could level cities without breaking a sweat!"

"That's only half of it" Vali corrected with that familiar competitive edge creeping into his voice. "He is way beyond Cao Cao's level of strength"

I looked between them, and then at him "Vali, are you... worried about me?"

His scoff was immediate and predictable. "Worried? Hardly. I just don't want to miss my chance at a proper rematch because some desperate hero and a death god decided to gang up on you."

"How considerate."

"I'm serious about this, Akira." The use of my actual name caught my attention. Vali rarely bothered with formalities, but when he did, it meant business. "Hades isn't like the opponents you've faced before. He's not some overconfident devil or misguided hero. He's an actual god with millennia of experience and power that makes Cao Cao look like a street magician."

"And yet," I said, forming another water sphere absently, "here you are, warning me instead of just sitting back"

Something flickered across Vali's expression—annoyance, maybe, or grudging respect. "Where's the satisfaction in defeating you if you're already dead? I want to beat you at your best, not pick up the pieces after Hades is done with you."

Rossweisse was staring at both of us like we'd lost our minds. "Are you two actually having a friendly conversation about someone plotting to kill him?"

"Define 'friendly,'" Vali and I said simultaneously, then glared at each other.

"This is insane," she muttered.

"Welcome to supernatural politics," I said cheerfully. "Everything's a death threat until proven otherwise." I turned back to Vali. "So what's their timeline? Am I looking at imminent doom, or do I have time to finish grocery shopping?"

"Cao Cao's been laying low since you humiliated him. He has been building resources and connections. The Hades alliance is recent—within the last week." Vali's expression grew serious again. "But knowing Cao Cao's ego, he won't wait long to make his move."

"Lovely." I dismissed the water sphere. "Well, thanks for the heads up. I suppose this means our rematch is postponed?"

"Only temporarily." That competitive gleam was back in full force. "When this is over—and you somehow manage to defeat a god, because knowing you, you probably will—I want the rematch against you."

"You have such faith in me."

"I have faith in your ridiculous ability to exceed expectations." He paused, something almost like concern crossing his features. "Just... don't get yourself killed before I can properly defeat you."

"Well, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't. I just want to be the one to crush that insufferable confidence of yours."

With that declaration, wings materialized behind him, and he launched into the night sky without another word.

Rossweisse and I stood in silence for a moment, watching his retreating form.

"Your life," she said finally, "is incredibly complicated."

"You have no idea."

---

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting on a bench in the same park where I'd found her earlier, sharing ice cream from the convenience store. The normalcy of it felt surreal after the conversation with Vali.

"So," Rossweisse said, taking a careful bite of her strawberry ice cream, "to summarize: you've apparently defeated this Cao Cao person before, destroyed his legendary weapon, and now he's allied with a Greek god specifically to kill you. And your reaction is... ice cream?"

"Good ice cream," I corrected. "There's a difference."

She stared at me. "How are you so calm about this?"

I considered the question while working on my vanilla cone. "Want the philosophical answer or the practical one?"

"Both."

"Practically speaking, worrying about it won't change anything. I don't know when they'll make their move, what their exact plan is, or what resources they'll bring. Panicking about unknowns is just wasted energy."

"And philosophically?"

"I've survived everything else life's thrown at me so far. This is just another challenge." I met her concerned gaze. "Besides, do I really seem like the type to go down quietly?"

"You seem like the type to make terrible jokes while everything burns around you."

"Now you're getting it."

She shook her head, but I caught the small smile she was trying to hide. "You're impossible."

"I prefer 'adaptable.'" I finished the last of my ice cream. "Look, Rossweisse, I understand why this seems overwhelming from the outside. But I've learned something important over the time—problems that seem insurmountable usually have solutions you just haven't thought of yet."

"And if you're wrong?"

"Then I'll figure something out when the time comes. I always do."

She was quiet for a long moment, studying my face in the streetlight. "You really believe that, don't you? That you can handle whatever comes?"

"I have to. The alternative is living in fear, and that's not really living at all."

"Most people would be terrified."

"Most people don't have my particular set of advantages." I stood, extending my hand to help her up. "Come on. Despite the night's revelations, I still need to get some good sleep, and you look like you could use some rest after working so much."

She took my hand, letting me pull her to her feet. "Normal human interaction involving someone with a death god plotting against them?"

"The very best kind."

As we walked back toward the convenience store, I couldn't help but notice how Rossweisse kept glancing at me, as if trying to solve some complex puzzle. The concerned looks had shifted into something closer to curiosity—maybe even respect.

"Can I ask you something?" she said as we approached the store.

"Shoot."

"When you found me crying earlier, did you know who I was? What I was?"

I considered lying, but decided honesty had served us well so far. "I knew you weren't human. The way you carried yourself, how you automatically scanned for threats, your reaction times—all professional habits. But I didn't know you were a Valkyrie specifically."

"Then why help me?"

"Same reason I'd help any stranger having a bad day. It was the right thing to do."

She stopped walking. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." I paused at her expression. "Is that really so surprising?"

"In my experience, supernatural beings usually want something in return for kindness."

"Then you've been dealing with the wrong supernatural beings."

Her smile this time was genuine and reached her eyes. "Maybe I have."

---

The walk home was comfortable, filled with easier conversation about mundane topics—favorite foods, bad weather, the surprisingly good ice cream selection at convenience stores. It felt good to see Rossweisse relaxing, letting herself be something other than a hypercompetent professional for once.

"You know," she said as we approached the house, "this has been the most normal evening I've had in months. Despite the death threats and supernatural revelations."

"I'm glad. You needed—"

I stopped short as we reached the front door. There were voices coming from inside—familiar ones.

"Azazel's here," I said, recognizing the cadence of conversation.

"Your friend?"

"Yeah, but—" I tilted my head, listening more carefully. There was another voice, older, with a distinctly different accent. "He's not alone."

I opened the door, and immediately understood why Rossweisse had gone rigid behind me.

Azazel was lounging in my living room chair, looking perfectly at home as usual. Sitting on my couch, holding questionable magazine with apparent interest, was an elderly man with an eyepatch, gray beard, and the kind of presence that filled a room despite his relaxed posture.

Odin. In my living room. Looking completely at ease.

"Akira!" Azazel called cheerfully. "Perfect timing. I brought a friend."

"Lord Odin," Rossweisse whispered behind me, her voice mixing relief, panic, and professional mortification in equal measure.

The elderly god looked up from the textbook, and his single eye immediately fixed on his assistant. "Ah, Rossweisse. There you are."

"Sir," she said, straightening into perfect professional posture despite still holding the convenience store bag. "I wasn't aware you were planning to—"

"Plans changed, my dear." Odin set down the book and smiled benignly. "I finished my meetings early and thought I'd pay a visit to young Akira here. Azazel's told me quite interesting things about him."

I looked between Azazel's amused grin and Odin's expectant expression, then at Rossweisse's barely controlled panic.

"This's going to be a long night" I said, forcing a smile.

Azazel's grin widened. "Oh, you have no idea"

. . .

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