Chapter 17: The Otaku Makes a Choice (And Immediately Regrets It)
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Three days after the vampire lord's job offer, Meliodas had ninety Hero Shards.
Ninety.
The magic number.
He stared at his system screen, heart pounding. He could finally afford a companion. Someone loyal. Someone who wouldn't ask questions about where he came from or why he had a system.
Someone he wouldn't have to explain.
The problem was, everyone was watching.
Natasha Romanoff from her bakery. Anastasia from her rooftop. Lyra from... everywhere. And Vladimira, somewhere in the shadows, probably amused by the whole situation.
If he summoned a companion now, they'd see. They'd ask questions. They'd want explanations he couldn't give.
'How do I explain a woman appearing from nowhere? 'Oh, she's from another dimension, I bought her with magical points.' Yeah, that'll go over well.'
He needed a solution.
---
That evening, he sat on the rooftop with Lyra.
"I need to move," he said.
Lyra blinked. "Move where?"
"Somewhere private. Somewhere no one's watching." He glanced toward Natasha's bakery. "Somewhere without spies and stalkers."
"You have a spy and a stalker because you're interesting. That's not going to change just because you change locations."
"I know. But I need... space. Privacy. Somewhere I can do things without explaining myself."
Lyra studied him for a long moment. "You're planning something."
"Maybe."
"Something you don't want to explain."
"Definitely."
She grinned. "I love it. Count me in."
"You don't even know what it is."
"I'm your biggest fan. I don't need to know. I just need to be there when it happens." She pulled out her notebook. "When do we start looking?"
---
The Next Morning
Meliodas found a listing for a small apartment in a quieter part of Harlem.
Not too far from the safehouse—he still wanted to be close—but far enough that he'd have some privacy. A top floor unit with rooftop access. Perfect for... activities.
He signed the lease using money from the Stark stock—now up thirty percent—and moved in that afternoon.
His new place was small but functional. A bedroom, a living area, a kitchenette. And most importantly, a rooftop he could access without anyone noticing.
Well, almost anyone.
Anastasia found him within hours.
"Moving up in the world," she observed from the fire escape.
Meliodas didn't even flinch. "Do you ever knock?"
"I'm a vampire. We don't knock." She slipped through the window. "Nice place. Small. Cozy. Private."
"That's the idea."
"Trying to get away from your admirers?" She smiled, fangs glinting. "It won't work. We're very persistent."
"I'm not trying to get away from everyone. Just... I need space."
Anastasia's expression softened slightly. "I understand. Centuries of being watched will do that to you." She moved closer. "But you should know—I'll always find you. No matter where you go."
"That's not creepy at all."
"It's romantic. There's a difference."
---
That night, Meliodas sat on his new rooftop, alone for the first time in weeks.
No Anastasia. No Lyra. No Natasha watching from a distance. Just him and the stars.
He opened his system.
Hero Shards: 90
He scrolled through the companion options.
Selen: stern, loyal, holy light powers. Centrea: cheerful, kind, loves her job. Gravi: strict, easily annoyed, protective.
They all sounded good. They all cost the same.
He thought about what he needed. Someone who could handle themselves in a fight. Someone who wouldn't ask too many questions. Someone loyal.
Gravi's description stood out: "Easily annoyed, has a temper, kind but strict." She sounded like she'd keep him on his toes. And she was a leader—she could help organize things.
He made his choice.
[PURCHASE CONFIRMED: GRAVI — 90 HERO SHARDS]
The air in front of him shimmered. Space twisted, folded, and then—
A woman stepped through.
She was tall, with dark hair pulled back severely. Her expression was irritated before she even saw him—like she'd been interrupted mid-argument. She wore a white outfit that looked both military and otherworldly, and her eyes swept the rooftop with quick assessment.
Then they landed on him.
"You're my summoner?" Her voice was sharp, impatient. "You don't look like much."
Meliodas blinked. "Nice to meet you too."
She studied him for a moment longer. Then her expression softened—just slightly.
"You're... aesthetically pleasing. That's something, I suppose." She crossed her arms. "I'm Gravi. I was told you're my new... person."
"Meliodas."
"Hmm." She looked around. "This is where you live? A rooftop?"
"It's an apartment. Inside. I was just—"
"Never mind. Show me around. I need to assess security, identify threats, and figure out why you summoned me specifically." She started walking toward the rooftop door. "Move. I don't have all day."
Meliodas blinked. "You're... very direct."
"I have a temper and no patience. Get used to it."
---
The apartment tour took approximately ninety seconds.
Gravi critiqued everything. The locks were inadequate. The windows were vulnerable. The fire escape was a security nightmare.
"This place is a death trap," she concluded.
"It's temporary."
"Temporary or not, you need better security." She pulled out a small device and began scanning the walls. "I'll set up wards. Basic ones, but they'll keep out most pests."
"Pests?"
"Vampires. Demons. That redhead who's been watching you from the bakery." She glanced at him. "You knew about her, right?"
"I knew."
"Good. At least you're not completely oblivious." She finished her scan. "The wards will take an hour. Don't interrupt."
Meliodas watched her work, fascinated despite himself.
She moved with precision and purpose, placing small objects around the apartment, murmuring words he couldn't understand. Energy flickered in her wake.
After an hour, she stepped back, satisfied.
"There. Basic warning system. Anyone with ill intent enters, you'll know."
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me. It's my job." She sat on his couch—the only piece of furniture—and crossed her legs. "Now. Explain why you summoned me."
Meliodas hesitated.
'I can't tell her about the system. I can't tell anyone.'
"I needed help," he said carefully. "Allies. People I can trust."
"And you chose me?"
"You came highly recommended."
She snorted. "By who?"
"The system."
"The system?" Her eyes narrowed. "What system?"
Meliodas realized his mistake. "I... it's complicated."
"Complicated how?"
"Complicated in ways I can't explain. Not yet. Maybe not ever." He met her eyes. "Can you work with that?"
Gravi studied him for a long moment.
Then she shrugged. "Fine. Keep your secrets. I've worked for worse employers with worse explanations." She stood. "But if you want my loyalty, you'll earn it. Deeds, not words."
"Fair enough."
---
The Next Morning
Lyra arrived with coffee, as usual.
She took one look at Gravi sitting on the couch and nearly dropped the cups.
"Who the hell is that?!"
Gravi raised an eyebrow. "Your friend is loud."
"My friend is surprised! There's a stranger in your apartment!" Lyra whirled on Meliodas. "Who is she? Where did she come from? Why is she on your couch?"
Meliodas rubbed his temples. "She's... a new ally."
"She appeared out of nowhere yesterday and now she's your ally?"
"Something like that."
Lyra stared at him. Then at Gravi. Then back at him.
"You're hiding something."
"Always."
"Bigger than usual."
"Maybe."
She grinned suddenly. "I love it. This is going in the biography." She extended a hand to Gravi. "I'm Lyra. Demon, fan, official biographer."
Gravi shook it cautiously. "Gravi. Arrancar, bodyguard, easily annoyed."
"We're going to get along great."
---
That afternoon, Natasha Romanoff noticed something different.
The boy's energy signature had changed. There was someone new in his apartment—someone powerful. She hadn't seen anyone enter, hadn't detected any movement.
Yet there she was.
She reported to Coulson immediately.
"New player. Female, unknown origin, appeared in the target's apartment overnight. No visible entry, no prior surveillance. She's just... there."
Coulson was silent for a moment. "Any idea who she is?"
"None. But she's not human. Energy signature is... strange. Not vampire, not demon, not anything in our databases."
"Keep watching. And be careful. If she appeared out of nowhere, we need to know how."
"Understood."
---
Anastasia noticed too.
From her new observation point—she'd relocated to a rooftop near Meliodas's apartment—she watched the unknown woman through narrowed eyes.
'Who are you?' she thought. 'Where did you come from?'
The woman moved with confidence. Authority. She acted like she owned the place.
'Another rival,' Anastasia concluded. 'Another competitor for his attention.'
Her hands clenched.
'This is getting ridiculous.'
---
That evening, Meliodas sat on his rooftop with both women.
Gravi on his left, scanning for threats. Lyra on his right, taking notes.
"So," Lyra said, "what's the plan now? You've got a bodyguard, a fan, a stalker, a spy, and a vampire lord who wants to hire you. That's quite a collection."
Meliodas stared at the stars.
"The plan is to survive. Get stronger. Protect the people who matter." He glanced at Gravi. "And maybe figure out what I'm doing with a temperamental Arrancar who criticizes my security."
Gravi sniffed. "Your security needed criticizing."
"He's not wrong," Lyra added. "The locks were terrible."
Meliodas sighed.
'This is my life now.'
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[END OF CHAPTER 17]