"HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Dark guardian of the earth and the 9th demon king, Reynald Lance!" Bahamut called me in the same manner he used to use when I'm still a lich.
"What is it... Did you miss your master or something? And for your information, my name is now Ray Lance,"
"I see... Ray Lance, huh... For your name to change only a little at your third life, fate is indeed a strange thing..." (Bahamut)
"So? Why did you call me?"
"Hm... You could say that I miss the black general who saved me when I almost died on earth back then. The last time we met is several years ago, after all. I wonder if I should go to earth and live with you?" said the huge black dragon, acting like a puppy who misses his owner.
"The earth will collapse if you went there, idiot. Don't destroy my hard work," I rebuked.
"HAHAHAHAHA!! Indeed... You've sacrificed lots of things to protect that world. Therefore, as the one who saved my life, I'll protect the human realm too," (Bahamut)
Hearing his words, I chuckled.
"What are you saying, you've been protecting this world from outer danger in my stead all this time, didn't you, Bahamut?"
Bahamut.
He's a black dragon I saved back then when I'm still a general that served the Azeroth kingdom. After thousands of years, he had become stronger to the point that the earth can't bear his presence anymore.
Dragons live outside the earth, they live on a certain planet called Dranova.
Bahamut scoffed in response to my words.
"I didn't have anything to do because of that barrier you made. No enemies invaded this world, no one could break the seal you've made, well it's obvious! It's the barrier made by the demon king that sacrificed his life, those devils from hell couldn't even take a single peek towards this realm because of it!" (Bahamut)
"Isn't it a good thing?" I said with a shrug.
"It is... I mean, it was," Bahamut's tone suddenly changed.
Did something happen?
"What happened?"
"A crack," (Bahamut)
"A crack...?"
"Your barrier, it'd been thousands of years protecting this realm. I discovered a crack appeared on it. Something, some force, seems to be trying to break through it," (Bahamut)
"Something...?"
"It's something powerful," (Bahamut)
"Heheh, which one stronger, the one trying to break the barrier or you?" I asked Bahamut with a provocative tone.
"Hmph! I'll show whoever it is the strength of the king of dragons that had been training for thousands of years!! I could destroy that crappy and old barrier in seconds!!" (Bahamut)
"Don't destroy it, idiot. Didn't you just say that the barrier is protecting the world? What would you do if the barrier got destroyed, huh?"
"Hm? Well, I'll defeat those who'll attack this realm," Replied Bahamut indifferently.
"This guy... I mean, this dragon... Just from who did you got that battle maniac and hot-blooded behavior..." I said as I massage my forehead.
"I got it from you, four-eyes general," (Bahamut)
"I-Is that so...?"
Well, now that you mentioned it...
"Yes! You're far more hot-blooded than me anyway!" (Bahamut)
"S-Shut it! Maybe I was, but not anymore! Anyway, did you call me just to say that!? I'm a busy man! I got lots of things to do!"
"Hm... I guess that's for now. I'll call you again if anything bad happens. Anyway, master..." (Bahamut)
"What is it?"
"W-Will there be a day when you want to take back your power that you asked me to seal with me?" (Bahamut)
Hearing the king of dragons asking me with full of hesitation, I couldn't help but chuckle.
"What are you saying? In these peaceful times, when will I ever use that power?" I said with a shrug.
"Hmph! Master, just until when will you drag this lonely battle of yours... Gathering curses... Sacrificing yourself... You said you're not a hero, but you've done the things that none of the heroes would be able to do... You know I-" (Bahamut)
"Stop it. What are you even saying? Unlike before, I'm genuinely enjoying my current life. There is no need for you to be so worried, old friend," I said as I bump his huge leg with my fist.
Indeed. This life is the one that I've been hoping for since back then.
"I see... Indeed... That smile of yours, I could only see it in this life.... If you said so then..." (Bahamut)
"If you get too lonely, just send your clone here and we'll play together, Bahamut,"
"HAHAHA! Then I'll do so in the future. It's never been a boring moment whenever I'm together with you, master- no, Ray," (Bahamut)
"Yeah, me too, old friend,"
Following the small but emotional laugh of Bahamut, the scene slowly scatters just like broken glass. The scenery return to the inside of a train.
[We've arrived at Shizuka Station]
The training announcement sounded, saying that we've arrived at Shizuka Station. But somehow, even though I should be standing and leaving the train now, I felt like I'm still inside Bahamut's dimension.
"Let's go, Ray! I can't wait to eat already! R-Ray?" Ao approached my face.
A crack appeared on the dimension and a huge hand pulled me into the light.
"What are you spacing out for, Ray?" (Ao)
I see... It's Ao, huh...
"A-Ah, we've arrived, huh. Sorry, I'm reminiscing about the past. Let's go, I'm hungry too!"
"Yes!!" (Ao)
___
---Inside the Chuzu Akuma Detective Agency---
"Alfonso, stop drinking and finish your job!" A man with ponytailed brown hair shouted towards a man with black afro hair.
"Isn't it fine, Agnar~ We should live freely, slowly, and enjoy this life to the fullest~ Don't be so serious~" (Alfonso)
"Achaeus, shouldn't we fire this guy already!? I'm tired of doing his paperwork all the time!!" Agnar strongly protested.
"I'll try telling the boss later," said a bald man with a huge build. He's Dexter, the one who is tasked to report every mission and tasked to Ray.
"That's right, that's right! You should just kick away that ungrateful waste,"
"Shut the hell up, you demonic monkey!" (Alfonso)
"Huh!?!? Are you looking for a fight, you good-for-nothing knight!? And I'm a Furi! Not a demonic monkey!"
Furi. A monkeylike demon, its characteristic is that of a monkey, has red eyes, and has a short tail. It has a blackish, leopard-like pattern. From its nose to its tail, it has blue hair covering its body. They are considered immortal yokai because a blade would not go through it even if it got cut by a blade and that they won't burn in flames. However, if their bones or head is broken, they cannot revive.
"Fu. Just ignore his words. He's drunk," said a man with short black hair.
"He's always drunk! Why did his majes- The boss take him anyway!? And stop counting the money inside your wallet, Gaki!!" (Fu)
Gaki. Also known as a hungry ghost. It is said that Gaki is a yokai that was born from a pirate's soul that got cursed and reincarnated as a hungry spirit because of its never-ceasing greed.
"I can't. Looking at my wallet ease my heart. Why would you care anyway?" Asked Gaki as he stared daggers at Fu.
"U-Ugh... I forgot protesting about Gaki looking at his wallet is taboo... Anyway Alfonso! Finish your paperwork so that Agnar and I won't need to finish it for you like we usually do!!" (Fu)
"Shut up~ I won't heed to any commands a demon gave me~" (Alfonso)
"Ugh... This guy..." (Fu)
"Fu, Ignore him. I'll cut his salary for this month and onwards until he finishes all of his paperwork, and give it to Agnar and you, so just leave him be," (Achaeus)
"I-Is that so... Good then!" (Fu)
"L-Leiutenant~ Don't be so mean~ I can't buy any alcohol if you cut my salary~" Alfonso approached Achaeus and attempted to cancel Achaeus cutting his payment.
"You're reek of alcohol, idiot. Go away. I should have cut your salary a long time before. Just see, if you didn't do your work properly, I'll report all of it to the general," (Achaeus)
In response to Achaeus's words, the redness on Alfonso's face suddenly disappeared as if suddenly sobered.
"A-A-Anything but that, Achaeus!! He'll kick me if you report it to him!! No, He'll kill me if you tell him that!!!" said Alfonso in panic.
*Bzzt!* *Bzzt!*
Achaeus's phone suddenly vibrated.
"Ah, it's the general. What a coincidence," (Achaeus)
"Achaeus!!" (Alfonso)
"Heheheh! Serves you right, afro waste," (Fu)
"You reap what you sow, Alfonso," (Agnar)
"A-Agnar! Shouldn't you be on my side!? We served for the kingdom for a long time together!" (Alfonso)
"I served the kingdom with the general and the lieutenant for a longer time than you, stupid afro. And all you did here is just drinking alcohol and make my work piled up even more, why should I help you?" (Agnar)
"H-How depressing... I have no allies..." Alfonso prostrates to the ground as he muttered to himself.
"Ah. Gene-Boss. Is there something wrong?" Asked Achaeus.
[Achaeus. I've handled the serial murder case you told me about yesterday. It turns out that it is a Daoshou from the west mountain that got transformed into a demon, the sealed demon is already at the hands of the onmyojis, so you can rest assured] (Ray)
"The onmyojis, huh? I can't help but dislike them, you know?" (Fu)
"Well, their annoying and stupid sense of justice and human supremacist perspective are almost the same as the holy empire we used to fight before, after all. It's not strange for us to despise them as well," (Agnar)
"I see... thanks for the hard work, General," (Achaeus)
[Your welcome. And don't forget to tell Alfonso to work or I'll kill him] (Ray)
Ray ended the call.
"T-That guy... Is he an esper or something...?" (Alfonso)
"He's a former lich and a former general, though," (Gaki)
*A door got opened forcefully*
Suddenly, the room's door got opened forcefully, revealing a man with silver hair with a firm face.
"Ah. Rakuzan. The boss said that he had-" (Achaeus)
"Another victim appeared near the Zhongchu Academy, the boss's school," (Rakuzan)
!!??