"Autumn, what are you doing here?"
Vincent Fox looked down at her with a fond smile. Autumn Summer smiled back, then sighed, worry clouding her face. "What else? The Forbidden Zone again."
"The Forbidden Zone? Did something happen?" Vincent's tone tightened as he gave her a quick once-over to make sure she wasn't hurt.
"I'm fine. I just came out of the Fifth Zone not long ago. I asked Professor Charles Joe for the Sixth Zone dossier and… the difficulty is a whole other story."
Seeing her pouting like a scolded kitten, Vincent pinched her cheek with a laugh. "What's wrong with the Sixth? That tough?"
"That tough?" Autumn widened her eyes, then remembered who she was talking to and quickly dialed it back. Curiosity won out. "Wait, don't tell me you've already cleared it?"
Vincent shook his head honestly. "Not yet."
Autumn let out a long breath and rolled her beautiful eyes. "You scared me. If you had cleared the Sixth already, I'd be even further behind. I'd never catch up to you."
"Don't say that."
He shot her a mock glare and gave her other cheek a gentle squeeze.
"I'm teasing. Don't be so serious." Autumn giggled, but her shoulders slumped again. "I might give up on the Sixth."
"Why?"
She pointed at the thick packet in his hand and spread her palms. "I finished reading it a few days ago. The Sixth Zone is basically a world of monsters."
Vincent raised a brow. "A world of monsters? How so?"
"You'll see when you read it. Besides humans there are gods, angels, things like that. And the humans are at the bottom of the ladder, yet even the bottom rung fights on par with most people who have already cleared five Zones. Some are stronger. And that's not even counting the gods…"
"So outrageous? Do we have to fight angels and gods in there?"
"You wish." Autumn waved it off and explained, "We fight humans, but they're the strongest from different universes. Some of them are on par with gods."
Vincent nodded, taking it more seriously. For him, Autumn's power level wasn't a useful yardstick anymore, but anything bearing the title god was rarely simple. Well, aside from self-proclaimed ones like a certain someone back in the Naruto world.
If the true gods of that world appeared in a Zone, say the Otsutsuki clan, even Vincent would have only one plan: run.
"Enough about that. It's just my shallow read anyway. If I'm not wrong, Professor Joe will brief you privately on the Sixth."
Vincent blinked. "How do you know?"
"Oh please. You're our academy's number one headline. You single-handedly boosted our reputation several tiers. The school won't treat you like everyone else. And Professor Joe loves nurturing talent. Of course he'll give you a one-on-one session."
Vincent was genuinely impressed. He hadn't expected this little fox to read the situation so clearly. And he had no reason to hide things from his girlfriend.
"Good guess. He asked me to come by tomorrow. Want to sit in?"
To his surprise, Autumn shook her head. "I'm not going into the Sixth. With my strength I'd be cannon fodder. As for you…"
She paused, then looked up at him, serious. "I know you're not reckless. Whether you go or not, you'll have your reasons. I only have one request."
Vincent smiled. "Name it."
"Come back safe."
He froze for a heartbeat as warmth washed through him. That long-missed feeling of someone worrying for him left him a little moved.
"I will," he said, gaze steady.
"Good." Relief blossomed into a bright smile. She skipped a few steps ahead, and he fell in beside her at an easy pace. They walked for a long while, until dusk bled into the streets.
"It's late. I should head home."
"I'll walk you," Vincent said, taking her hand.
"No need. I can get back on my own. Don't worry about me." Autumn grinned. "And if I run into a mugger, he might not even beat me."
She squeezed her soft little arm, trying to flex a bicep to prove her point. Standing next to Vincent's carved frame, the attempt was adorably hopeless.
"Alright then. Text me when you're home," he said, letting go.
"One more thing." She took a few steps, then doubled back.
"What is it?"
She beckoned him closer without a word.
"Hm?"
He bent down, offering an ear in case she wanted to whisper.
Smack.
No words, only a soft kiss pressed to his cheek.
"That's it. Bye." She waved and skipped away before he could react.
Vincent touched the spot she'd kissed, smiling like a fool as he headed home.
All the way back, the little scene replayed in his mind. "This girl…" He chuckled and shook his head, silently vowing to get her back for that sneak attack next time.
Although the extradimensional space had restored his body, his mind hadn't caught up. Trading blows with the Six Paths of Pain had kept his spirit wound tight for too long. The fatigue finally crashed in.
The moment his head hit the pillow, Vincent fell fast asleep.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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