Hayashi wasn't surprised by Shigure's response.
After all, the mission to "retrieve the killing swords" was essentially Shigure's "main quest"—her father was a swordsmith who had forged numerous "slaying blades" for this world's villainous organization. After his death, Shigure vowed to retrieve and destroy all the swords he had created.
"Well, alright." Hayashi bent down, ruffling Shigure's hair with a smile. "We'll talk again once you've retrieved all the swords."
"Mm." Shigure nodded.
At this point, Akisame, standing nearby, couldn't stay silent any longer.
After a moment of thought, he said to Hayashi, "Hayashi, you never told me you could take people with you?"
"Huh? Didn't I mention it?"
"Did you?"
"..." x2
After an awkward yet polite staring contest, Hayashi scratched his head with an embarrassed laugh. "Seems I forgot to mention it."
It wasn't intentional—Hayashi had just been so exhausted from the ridiculously intense training that he was constantly drained. Seriously, he'd been so tired he couldn't even fantasize about his favorite black-stockinged legs with his eyes closed—that's how wiped out he was!
'You should've brought this up sooner—' Akisame covered his face with a sigh. "Had I known about this ability of yours, your training intensity could've been cranked up another notch."
"Me??" Hayashi pointed at himself, wide-eyed. "Why!? And make it even harder? I'd ascend to heaven on the spot and drop dead right there!"
Akisame shook his head helplessly and explained, "Why are you panicking? What I meant was, if I'd known you could take people with you when leaving, I could have brought you to meet some other master-level martial artists. I don't think they'd be stingy about teaching you in exchange for an opportunity to train in another world."
During this year and a half of interaction, Hayashi occasionally discussed settings from other worlds with Akisame—things like Observation Haki and Armament Haki from the world of pirates had piqued Akisame's interest. If he was intrigued, other martial artists would probably feel the same way.
"Ah, so that's how it is…" Hayashi scratched his head, sounding a little regretful. "But it seems like it's too late now."
"What a shame—"
Hisako couldn't help but sigh, then smacked her own head in frustration, muttering, "Why didn't I think of it? If I had, I could've reminded Master Hayashi."
"Even I, the person involved, didn't think of it. Eh, no big deal." Hayashi waved his hand with a wry smile. "I train so hard every day that I don't even have the energy to reminisce about Erina's beautiful legs. So it's pretty normal that you didn't have the energy to think about this stuff either."
Hisako nodded in agreement. "True."
Erina, however, flushed with anger and embarrassment. "True, my foot! What the hell do you usually think about in that head of yours?!"
"About Erina's beautiful legs." Hayashi gave a thumbs-up. "And occasionally, her beautiful feet!"
Only kids make choices—I like both!
The courage to proudly admit being a leg/foot enthusiast (cheers).
"..."
Faced with such shameless and utterly unpretentious honesty, Erina was momentarily at a loss—should she be angry, or happy that he was so obsessed with her?
...
...
Though filled with reluctance and regret, after lunch, the trio formally bid farewell to Akisame and returned to Tōtsuki Culinary Academy.
"Ah, we're back!"
Looking at the familiar buildings before them, Hisako and Erina simultaneously spread their arms wide—though the air quality couldn't compare to the disciple world, let alone the Pokémon world, the feeling of embracing high-tech civilization again…
Subarashii!
"Let's go find the old man first." Hayashi took Erina's hand and teased, "By the way, we disappeared for a whole year and a half. Do you think they'll still tease us when they see us again?"
"Guh—"
The joy of returning home instantly evaporated as Erina let out a distressed groan, suddenly recalling the reason she had fled this world in the first place—wasn't it because she and Hayashi had been caught in the middle of an intimate moment by a crowd of onlookers?
"Aaaaah—"
The shame, the shame is rising, aaaaah!
Erina covered her face with her free hand, then gritted her teeth. "If they dare tease me, I'll show them just how sharp my knife is!"
"Me too, me too!" Hisako bravely raised her right hand. "I'll always stand by the young lady's side!"
Hayashi pondered for a few seconds before saying, "But what if your young lady sat on the table, looking down at you with eyes full of contempt, lifted her right leg, poured honey on it, and waited for the thick syrup to drip down her calf to her toes before ordering you to lick it clean? What would you do?"
"Uh…"
Hisako swallowed hard. She really wanted to say, "There's such a good thing?" But under Erina's murderous gaze (though it was directed at Hayashi), she could only reluctantly reply, "I-I'll go call Master Hayashi over!"
"Oh ho! As expected of Hisako, what a great answer!" Hayashi's eyes immediately lit up. He "swiftly" gave Hisako a thumbs-up and said, "Heh heh, I won't stand on ceremony with Erina's beautiful legs... Whoa!"
Hayashi dodged Erina's karate chop with a quick sidestep, then patted his chest in exaggerated relief. "So scary, so scary! Almost got hit there."
"Hmph—" Erina, flushed red, glared at Hayashi before stomping off toward the house with an exaggerated swagger, leaving Hayashi and Hisako to exchange amused smiles.
Teasing the young mistress is always so much fun!
...
...
When they saw the old man again, he was as vigorous as ever.
"Yo, old man, looking pretty spry," Hayashi greeted cheerfully. "Seems like Miltank's milk and Chansey's eggs really are good stuff, huh?"
"Hahaha, indeed they are," the old man laughed. Nowadays, he drank a glass of milk and ate an egg every day, keeping him in top shape. Not long ago, he even participated in a triathlon and broke a record.
"Hey, that's great to hear." Hayashi sat cross-legged and said, "Man, the world Erina and I visited this time was something else—heh, if I told you, you'd definitely be shocked!"
The old man blinked in surprise, then fell silent for a full five seconds before hesitantly saying, "A year and a half... the timing does add up..."
"Huh?" x3
Hayashi, Erina, and Hisako all voiced their confusion in unison—what timing was he talking about??
The old man shook his head with a sigh. "I've been through it too, so I understand how you feel! Even though Erina just turned eighteen, it's about time—"
"Wait, old man, what exactly are you talking about?"
"Hm? Weren't you two so caught up in your passionate romance that you couldn't control yourselves..." The old man made a circle with his left hand, then slowly inserted his right index finger into it. "...and accidentally had a child? A year and a half should be enough time for the baby to be born, right?"
"Pfft—"
Hayashi and Erina simultaneously spat out their tea, staring wide-eyed at the old man, whose expression clearly said, "Where's my great-grandchild? Show them to me already!"
"What in the world are you talking about, aaaaaah—" Erina covered her face with both hands, letting out a mortified scream. "No! Nothing like that happened! Why would you even think I had a child out there, aaaaaah—"
"Eh—" The old man looked utterly disappointed. His head drooped dejectedly as he muttered gloomily, "No? What a shame!"
Erina couldn't hold back anymore. "Why do you sound like you were hoping for it?!"
The old man sighed and spoke earnestly, "Even with Miltank and Chansey taking care of me, I'm still getting on in years! It wouldn't be strange if my health gave out anytime! So, my greatest wish in this life is to see my great-grandchild born with my own eyes, ah—"
Upon hearing the old man's words, though still blushing with shyness, Erina couldn't help but show a hint of sorrow—yes, human life is ultimately finite, and who knows how much longer her grandfather has left.
Hayashi, on the other hand, wore a skeptical expression. He couldn't help but size up the old man, who looked like he could punch a bull to death, and asked, "Grandfather, if I may be so bold, did you say the same thing to your daughter and son back in the day?"
"Hohoho—" The old man gave a mischievous grin and winked at Hayashi, saying, "How do you think Erina and Alice came into this world?"
Holy crap!
Erina, who had been immersed in sadness just a second ago, immediately lost her composure. Covering her face with her hands, she collapsed into Hayashi's arms, exclaiming, "Just let me die!"
She was in despair—utter despair for this world where even grandfathers couldn't be serious!
"Ahahaha—"
Erina's adorable reaction made both Hayashi and the old man burst into laughter, the result being that Erina curled up into a ball.
After teasing Erina for a while, the old man reined in his laughter and asked, "Hayashi, what kind of world are you two heading to this time?"
"A world with good news for you—" Hayashi smiled at the old man, stroking Erina's smooth golden hair as he answered, "The world Erina and I are going to is one where martial arts flourish. We've already laid a solid foundation there, and next, we'll head to a world where we can grow even stronger—this way, sooner or later, we'll come into contact with something that can lift the curse of the God's Tongue!"
"!"
The old man instinctively clenched his fists, murmuring with a hint of excitement, "Can the tragic fate of the Nakiri Family finally be changed?"
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