"You! Traveler! Who are you, really?" she demanded, pointing a finger at him. Kiana and Bronya hung back, more cautious but equally curious.
Darkest turned his gaze toward them, his expression unreadable. "I already told you—I'm just a traveler."
Mei frowned. "No traveler defeats a giant Honkai abomination like you did. Your movements, your power…they're beyond anything we've seen."
Kiana grinned, her excitement overriding any caution. "That's why you're coming with us to the academy. If you're as strong as you seem, you've got to help us fight Honkai!"
At the academy, Darkest stood in the center of a training arena, facing Kiana, Mei, and Bronya. Several instructors and students had gathered to watch. Murmurs filled the room—who was this stranger, and why were three of their best Valkyries challenging him at once?
Grayfia overseeing the session addressed Darkest. "This is a test of skill, not brute strength. You'll face the combined attacks of these Valkyries. Show us your capabilities. Where is your weapon?"
Darkest smirked, his arms crossed. "I won't need weapons or powers for this."
His words drew gasps from the crowd, but Kiana just grinned. "Big words! Let's see if you can back them up!"
The battle began.
Kiana lunged first, fists glowing with energy as she delivered a flurry of punches. Darkest sidestepped effortlessly, each movement precise, as if he anticipated her strikes before she even threw them.
"Too predictable," he said calmly, dodging her final punch and lightly tapping her shoulder. The force of the seemingly harmless touch sent her sprawling.
Mei followed, her blade flashing in the light. She moved with grace and speed, but Darkest weaved through her attacks as if dancing. A sudden parry disarmed her, and with a gentle twist of her wrist, he immobilized her before stepping back.
Bronya activated her mech, unleashing a barrage of high-speed projectiles. Darkest didn't even flinch. He moved through the chaos with an almost supernatural calm, deflecting the projectiles with his bare hands. In one swift motion, he reached Bronya, deactivating her mech with a simple touch to its core.
The crowd was silent, their awe palpable. Grayfia and other instructor was frozen in disbelief. Darkest stood unscathed in the center of the arena, his posture relaxed as if the fight had been a casual warm-up.
"You fight well," he said, addressing the Valkyries sprawled on the ground. "But your techniques lack the experience of war. I've walked battlefields where even the stars themselves burned. Your potential is immense, but you still have much to learn."
Kiana groaned, propping herself up. "Okay…what are you? Some kind of ancient war god?"
Darkest smiled faintly, his gaze distant. "Something like that."
•
The evening sun bathed the academy in warm hues as Darkest found himself seated at a dinner table with Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Grayfia. The room buzzed with chatter, but Kiana's voice dominated, as usual.
"So, you've been hiding all that strength and casually walking around like a mysterious warrior," she teased, poking at Darkest. "What else are you hiding, huh?"
Darkest chuckled softly. "Not much, I assure you. But there is one skill I've developed since coming to this world."
The group leaned in, curious.
"Cooking," he said simply.
Kiana blinked. "Wait…you cook? Like, actually cook? You're not just saying that because you heated up some instant noodles once, right?"
Darkest smirked. "I'll let my cooking speak for itself. If you have the ingredients, I'll prepare dinner tonight."
Soon, the kitchen was alive with movement. Mei, who usually handled cooking for the team, stood aside, intrigued but slightly skeptical. She watched as Darkest moved with precision, every motion deliberate, every cut of the knife masterful. The aroma of herbs and spices soon filled the room, and Kiana's stomach growled loudly.
"Something smells amazing," Kiana said, practically drooling. Bronya, stoic as ever, added, "Efficiency level: 100%. He's skilled."
Mei folded her arms, observing. "Not bad. But let's see if it tastes as good as it smells."
Finally, Darkest presented the dishes: a perfectly seared steak, golden-brown roasted vegetables, and a dessert of silky-smooth custard topped with caramelized sugar. The presentation was flawless, each plate resembling a work of art.
Kiana wasted no time digging in. The moment she tasted the steak, her eyes widened, and she froze mid-bite.
"By the Honkai…" she muttered, before swallowing. "This is amazing! Mei, your cooking is great and all, but this? This is on another level!
[Satria: Oi, Darkest! What's this I hear about you popping into the Honkai Impact world? Flirting with people there and showing off your cool side? As I thought, you're just like Ayanokoji from edgy novels. Cold, calculating, and treating women as tools to achieve your goals. But then, you go and toss them all anyway after you complete your goal. How scary can you be, my oh-so-dark-and-edgy side?]
[Darkest: Stop comparing me to fictional characters, idiot. I'm nothing like that. I don't use people—I simply evaluate them. If they happen to follow me, that's their choice, not mine]
[Satria: "Uh-huh. Sure. You just evaluate them, right? And when they're head over heels, you graciously toss them to me to deal with. Such a noble sacrifice, Emo me. I'm touched]
[Darkest: Keep running your mouth, and I'll make you take full responsibility for every decision I make here. Including any unwanted attachments]
[Satria: Whoa, calm down, Ayanokoji 2.0! You're making me sound like the bad guy here. But hey, you're the one going out there acting all cool and mysterious. I'm just the guy holding the bag when it all falls apart]
[Darkest: You're hopeless. I'm just searching for useful stuff to strengthen us and our Empire in this world, not building some harem for your amusement]
[Satria: Riiight. Keep telling yourself that. Just don't come crying to me when they call you a heartless bastard and decide to show up at my doorstep with teary eyes. You know I will kick your ass for that!]
[Darkest: Before you can kick me, I will kick your ass first, Idiot!]
Mei frowned, a playful pout forming. "Is that so? Let me try." She took a bite and paused, her usual composure slipping for a moment. "…Alright, I admit it. This is incredible."
Bronya nodded approvingly. "Optimal flavor profile. 10 out of 10."
Grayfia, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "I didn't think someone like you, with all your…warrior vibes, would be capable of something so refined. Where did you learn this?"
Darkest set down his utensils, a faint smile on his face and created fake story. "In my previous life, I rarely had time for such things. But since I was defeated by Lord Kazuma, I've found peace—something I didn't know I could have. Cooking…has become a way to connect with this life and leave the past behind."
Darkest words cast a brief silence over the table, but Kiana quickly broke it with her usual energy. "Well, you can leave the past behind as much as you want, but you're definitely cooking for us again. Deal?"
[Satria: Bapak Kau Deal! Woe!!!]
Darkest chuckled. "Deal. But only if you promise to keep training hard."
Kiana grinned. "Deal!"
To be continued.