Chapter 259: The Unexpected Slime
Kasugano Sora watched the entire exchange, sipping her cola the whole time. She didn't understand the complex topics they were discussing anyway, and since she wasn't the least bit sleepy, listening in for fun was a pleasant way to pass the time. Besides, she was genuinely looking forward to seeing guests from another world.
Strange guests, preferably. She secretly longed to see fantastical beings like angels, fairies, elves, and dragons. The thought was a little frightening, yes, but her curiosity was far stronger than her fear.
Pepper Potts turned, a warm smile on her face as she looked at Sora clutching her glass. "I never knew you were so impressive, Sora."
"Hmm?" Sora blinked, confused.
"Of course," Pepper said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "For most people, downing that much iced cola in one go is quite a feat. The carbonation is usually too much."
Sora tilted her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. A moment later, something seemed to click. She let go of her straw, and a small, involuntary burp escaped her lips. She immediately slapped a hand over her mouth, her entire face flushing a deep, mortified crimson.
Pepper chuckled softly. "Exactly. If you could drink that much without burping, now that would be truly amazing."
"Mmm... I think it's fine," Sora mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. "It's not that fizzy..."
Lucifer, who was delicately nibbling on a crepe, added with an amused glint in her eyes, "It seems you're quite the connoisseur of sodas, aren't you, Sora?"
"Of course! When it comes to orange-flavored soda, then... uh..."
Sora froze mid-sentence, her eyes darting timidly toward Ren.
Ren simply sighed, a look of fond exasperation on his face. "With your talent for hiding the evidence? Did you really think I wouldn't notice you swapping the juice in the bottle for soda?"
"Brother Ren," Kasugano Sora whispered, looking down at her glass. "I only drank a little..."
Ren's gaze drifted to the cup in her hands. It was a large glass, and she had already drained three-quarters of it. No matter how you looked at it, this was the work of a seasoned professional.
"Relax, I'm not scolding you," he said gently. "But even with a healthy body, you shouldn't drink soda like it's water. Having it every single day can cause problems down the line."
Sora nodded, a wave of relief washing over her. "I'll just drink a little bit," she promised. "Just a tiny bit."
"You think I don't know what you're thinking?" Ren teased, ruffling her hair. "No need to play the victim. Speaking of which, it's been quiet today. I wonder if that means a strange guest is on the way."
The words immediately caught Tony Stark's attention. "Strange guest?" he repeated, his eyes lighting up. "How strange? An angel? A monster? A dragon, maybe?"
Tony was now genuinely fascinated by life from other worlds. After seeing what was out there, he had to admit that his own corner of the universe felt a bit... underwhelming. (Thanos: I beg to differ.)
"An angel?" Lucifer scoffed lightly. "An angel would have to call me 'sir.' As for the others you mentioned, I can't say. We did have a fallen angel visit once, though."
Tony set his wine glass down, leaning forward with undisguised excitement. "Really? A real-life fallen angel? Was he like the legends describe? Which one was it?"
"Azazel."
Hearing the name, both Tony and Pepper froze. Pepper was the first to speak, a frown creasing her brow. "Wait... Azazel fell? That's impossible. He's the last one who would..."
Tony licked his lips, his mind racing. "She's right. I remember Azazel means 'scapegoat' in the biblical texts, doesn't it? God wouldn't let the one who takes the blame for Him fall from grace."
Lucifer nodded. "You're both correct, in a sense. But the fact remains that in the world he came from, Azazel did fall. He was even the Governor-General of the fallen angels. And the most irritating part? There was a Lucifer in that world, too."
"Eh? But that seems normal enough, considering Azazel exists..."
"But that Lucifer never fell from Heaven," she explained, a hint of annoyance in her tone. "And their Underworld only had four Great Satans, not even enough to represent the Seven Deadly Sins. That Lucifer's main ability was artifact nullification. I was speechless... And yet, some of the other beings in that world were terrifyingly powerful."
Tony nodded slowly, processing the information. "That is absurd. I can't believe another world's Lucifer would be like that. Still, it just makes me more excited to see who shows up today. I have a feeling it's going to be someone truly magical."
Ren looked at him, puzzled. "Eh? Mr. Stark, don't you need to get back to researching your Mark armor?"
Pepper's face lit up with pride. "No, not anymore! All that's left is the final data summary, and then it's officially complete. Tony came back from his last visit with a flood of new ideas, and he finished the last bit of work in record time."
Ren nodded in understanding. Just as Tony was about to launch into a boastful speech about his new armor, Kasugano Sora, still holding her cola, spoke in a blank, quiet voice.
"The door... is glowing..."
Tony and Pepper snapped their heads toward the entrance. Pepper, in particular, leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. Tony rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Come on, give me something good..."
The door swung open, but no one walked through. Instead, a brilliant white light flooded the room.
Tony stared, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. "This looks a lot like when Ash and his friends arrived..."
"Did Pikachu run off again?! Excellent!" Lucifer's eyes sparkled with excitement. If it was Ash, she could finally arrange another visit. They could plan a trip to the Pokémon World, and the magic she had been suppressing for so long could finally be unleashed. Mew, Eevee—they would all be hers!
Squish... Squish... Squish...
Just as their anticipation reached its peak, a strange sound echoed from the doorway. Kasugano Sora immediately shrank against Ren's side. Fear often stems from the unknown, and that sound was distinctly, unnervingly inhuman.
Pepper's breath hitched. "Tony... that sound isn't human. It might not even be a humanoid creature..."
Tony's expression grew serious. "Hmm, it's definitely moving. But for movement to make a sound like that... its feet must be completely different from ours. It's fine," he added, trying to sound confident. "With Miss Lucifer and Ren here, we'll be okay."
Pepper nodded, though her eyes remained fixed on the glowing entrance. In contrast, Lucifer and Ren showed no fear at all, only a deep, burning curiosity.
Finally, the squishing sound stopped. Before anyone could wonder what was happening, a bright, cheerful voice shouted from the doorway.
"Alright! Chaaaaarge!"
"Phew," Tony exhaled, a relieved grin spreading across his face. "Sounds like it's a person after all. Must be some weird kind of shoes... What the hell!"
His words were cut short as a streak of blue shot through the doorway, landing with a soft splat in the middle of the floor. Ren and the others could only stare, stunned, at the thing that now sat before them.
Kasugano Sora whispered, her voice filled with innocent confusion, "Eh? Is this... jelly?"
The blue, vaguely spherical creature on the floor seemed to freeze at her words. It bounced twice, as if gathering its thoughts, then let out an indignant sigh that rippled through its gelatinous body.
"I am not jelly!" it declared in the same cheerful voice. "If you must call me something... I am a Slime!"
"A Slime?!" everyone exclaimed in unison.
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