Chapter 4 — Rain and Revelations
The rain had eased slightly, leaving streets slick with water that reflected the flickering lights above. I followed Arthur as he led the way, his pace steady and confident, like he already knew I wouldn't run. I could feel it—the subtle, invisible flow of Haki inside me. Basic, untrained, barely noticeable even to me, yet steady and precise. To anyone else, it would just feel… strange. But to me, it was familiar.
"Why are we walking?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.
Arthur didn't glance back. "Talking in the open isn't ideal," he said. "People hear things. I want to know more about you… and whatever that presence is."
Presence. Right. He could feel something in me, though he couldn't name it. Not magic, not demonic energy, but something else entirely. Calm. Controlled. Dangerous, in a way he couldn't measure.
We turned a corner, and a small, nondescript restaurant came into view. Its windows glowed warmly, steam rising from the interior. Not fancy, not crowded, but enough to ensure privacy. Arthur pushed the door open and gestured for me to follow.
Inside, the smell of roasting meat and fresh bread filled the air. Wooden tables lined the room, and a few patrons glanced at us briefly before returning to their meals. Arthur led me to a corner table, far enough from windows, and sat first, keeping that same calm, analytical gaze.
"Sit," he said simply. "I don't want to waste time on formalities. I want to know… who you really are."
I pulled out a chair, sliding in smoothly. My rain-damp clothes clung to my arms, but I didn't bother drying off. There was no need to impress him—yet.
"I'm León D. Nemea," I said quietly, testing how the name felt spoken aloud in this new life. No hesitation. No false identity. Just the truth. My Haki pulsed faintly inside me, invisible to him, but subtly aligning my presence like a hidden current brushing the air between us.
Arthur's green eyes lingered on me. "León D. Nemea," he repeated, as if tasting the name. He shifted slightly, hand brushing the hilt of his sword—not in aggression, but instinct. "You're human, and yet… your presence isn't normal. There's something about you I can't identify."
I tilted my head. "You can feel it?"
"Yes," he said carefully. "But I can't… categorize it. It's not magic, nor demonic energy. But it's there. And it's not weak." His gaze hardened, measuring me like he was weighing a hidden threat. "Technically, in this world, you'd be a low-class devil if you had been born as one. But you… aren't. Yet your presence behaves as if you're stronger than that classification allows."
I leaned back, calm, letting the faint pulse of Haki settle beneath my skin. A faint smirk appeared on my face. "I don't intend to fight right now," I said, voice steady, full of pride and quiet arrogance. "But once I do… everyone will know my name—through fear, through hate, or both."
Arthur's eyes softened—just slightly. He studied me as if calculating every possibility. "Fine. Then we talk… for now. But understand this: I don't trust easily. Especially beings like you, with presence like that."
I nodded. "Understood."
The waiter arrived, placing menus in front of us. We didn't speak immediately. Outside, rain began to drizzle again, lightly tapping the windows. Inside, the air between us was quiet—but heavy with anticipation.
Two people. One mystery. And the first steps of a very dangerous acquaintance.