See more on my P@treon.
[email protected]/Dreamerlord Just replace @ with a
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If the power core had been oversized—even by a little—he would've been forced to rebuild the entire internal frame, recut the alloy housings, and redesign half the circuitry.
A nightmare.
But the Behemoth core was modular, scalable, and fully adjustable in size and output. It settled perfectly into the Replicator's existing power compartment, as if it were made for it.
"No need to rely on the original tech anymore," Ethan said with a satisfied grin. "This… this is so much better."
According to the new calculations, the Behemoth power source didn't just improve stability—it doubled the Replicator's production speed.
"After I finish building the first Replicator," Ethan murmured, "I can build a few more… and then I'll be able to manufacture any tech I want, fast."
With that motivation burning in his chest, he dove back into work.
The Next Day
He didn't wake up—he simply opened his eyes.
Today wasn't a day for tinkering.
After showering and cleaning up, he put on a full black suit.He fixed his collar, adjusted the cuffs, and stared at the mirror for a moment.
"…Good."
He nodded once and stepped out of the lab.
Sarah was already waiting with the Arasaka Phantom.
The Rolls-Royce he had overhauled—rebuilt, rewired, reforged—was now so drastically changed that no one would recognize the original model. Not from the exterior… and definitely not from the interior.
Half a month of uninterrupted work had turned it into a machine worthy of its new name. He used to work on it when the things needed for the Replicator were not available, basically in his free time, he build this beast.
A powerful, quiet beast.
He opened the door, and Sarah followed him inside. The engine purred to life as the car drove itself toward the cemetery.
Today… he was visiting his mother.
"I have the flowers," Sarah said softly, handing him the bouquet.
White camellias. His mother's favorite.
"Thank you," Ethan replied quietly.
The rest of the ride passed in silence. He simply stared out the window, the flowers resting gently in his hands.
Hmm… Even though I've inherited this body and his memories, he thought slowly, I'll keep this tradition alive.
The original Ethan—no matter how chaotic life became—always visited his mother on her death anniversary.
And so would he.
They reached the cemetery after a quiet thirty-minute drive. The sky was clear, the weather calm—almost too calm for a day like this.
The Phantom slowed to a stop near a small stone path. Ethan stepped out first, the flowers in hand, Sarah following a few steps behind without saying anything.
He walked the familiar path.
He didn't have to look around. His feet already knew exactly where to go.
A small headstone stood under the shade of an old tree. Clean, simple, and well maintained. He visited every year, so it never looked neglected.
He knelt down in front of it.
"…Mom," he said softly.
He placed the white camellias at the base of the grave and brushed a bit of dust off the stone. His movements were careful, almost gentle.
For a long moment, he didn't say anything.
He wasn't crying. He wasn't breaking down. He just sat there quietly, hands resting on his knees, letting the silence settle around him.
"Things are going a bit crazy in my life lately," he said after a while. "New tech, new problems… new responsibilities."
He gave a small, awkward chuckle.
"I'm trying not to mess up."
Another pause.
"But I'm still here. I didn't forget. And I won't forget."
Sarah stayed silent behind him, knowing this moment belonged only to him.
As Ethan sat there quietly, another hand entered his vision and placed white flowers on the grave—matching camellias.
"How are you holding up?" Coulson asked gently.
Ethan didn't turn. "So… it was you who always put flowers on my mother's grave?"
Coulson nodded though inwardly he thought 'Yeah. Fury usually did it, but he's… unavailable right now.'
"She was a great woman," Coulson added softly.
Silence settled between them. It wasn't uncomfortable—just heavy.
Then Coulson's earpiece crackled to life.
'Agent Coulson, sir—someone suspicious approaching your location. From your three o'clock.'
Coulson immediately looked to his right.
A man in white was walking toward them—calm, steady steps, dressed in a clean white suit. On his back were two white sheathed katanas. His eyes were sharp, unreadable. With another white katana in his hand.
Storm Shadow.
And he was headed straight for Ethan.
Coulson's remain calm, but he spoke quietly into his comm:
'Be ready for extraction.'
Sarah's stance shifted subtly, preparing to move at a moment's notice.
But Storm Shadow didn't attack.
Instead, he stepped beside Ethan, knelt down, and placed white camellias—matching Ethan's—on the grave.
Then he bowed his head deeply.
"Ethan-sama," he said with calm respect.
Both Coulson and Sarah froze, stunned. They had been ready to defend Ethan… not watch this suspicious guy bow to him.
Ethan didn't even look away from the gravestone.
"Thomas Saburo Arashikage," he said coldly. "You're late."
"By two years," Ethan continued, voice quiet but sharp. "My mother died two years ago."
Coulson and Sarah exchanged a quick glance, silently agreeing to stay silent.
Whatever this was… it was between the two of them.
Storm Shadow bowed even lower, his voice shifting into soft, formal Japanese.
"Gomen nasai, Ethan-sama. Ie no jijō ga arimashita…
(Forgive me, Ethan-sama. There were matters at home… unavoidable matters within the clan.)"
His tone held no excuses—only acknowledgement and regret.
Ethan's expression didn't change. He still stared at the gravestone, thumb brushing lightly over the camellias in his hand.
He replied in calm, fluent Japanese, his voice calm:
"Haha no haka ni keii o harau tame ni kita dake ka?
Soretomo… hontō ni ore no soba ni modoru tsumori na no ka?"
("Did you come only to pay respects to my mother?
Or… are you truly returning to my side for good?")
While standing at his side, both Coulson and Sarah exchanged a glance. Neither of them spoke or understood Japanese, but from the way they watched the exchange, they could tell it held significance for Ethan.