42. Let me know if you guys see any major typos or grammatical errors. It'll be a huge help.
(3rd)
After everyone returned to the 7th Unit dorms, those unaware of the full extent of Cain's situation demanded answers. Reluctantly, he provided them, with Rouge and Uta occasionally chiming in.
Once he finished explaining everything, they were furious. They were angry with Cain's family for what they had done to him, but they were also upset with Cain for keeping this information from them in the first place.
After everyone had a chance to calm down, Cain offered to take them out as a way to apologize for involving them in his family drama and for his secrecy. They accepted his offer, and an hour later, everyone dressed in formal attire was waiting in line to enter the Tokyo Tōtsuki restaurant.
"Holy shit, Cainy! I didn't expect you to take us here!" Shushu exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with uncontained excitement. "I've always wanted to eat here!"
"Well, that explains why Uta changed our outfits," Kyoka commented, sounding slightly annoyed but mostly excited.
Like Shushu, she was eager to eat there, though perhaps not to the same degree. However, she felt a bit aggravated by the dress Uta had chosen for her. There was nothing wrong with it in terms of comfort; it fit neither too tightly nor too loosely, and the material didn't irritate her skin.
However, in terms of appearance, it left much to be desired.
The silver-haired beauty wore a silver-white strapless dress that ended mid-thigh, showcasing her long, shapely legs, paired with strappy stiletto heels. The outfit accentuated her curves and exposed more skin than she felt comfortable with, especially at the top, where her breasts seemed ready to spill out.
Kyoka could practically feel the lecherous gazes of multiple men and women on her, making her incredibly uncomfortable. The only upside was that she was with Cain and the others; no one would approach her as long as she stayed close to them.
The others were also wearing revealing dresses, with Uta, Shushu, Honami, and Sahara drawing the most attention. Their prominent curves made it clear how well-endowed they were, attracting significant interest from onlookers.
Sahara, Himari, Yachiho, Saki, and Kaiko looked just as uncomfortable in their dresses, while Zero and Yakumo, notably, seemed unfazed by the attention.
If anything, those two likely reveled in the stares they were getting, though they were too busy clinging to Cain to notice, earning envious glances from both men and women alike. It remained a mystery as to who the jealousy was directed at: Was it Cain, surrounded by stunning women, or Zero and Yakumo, near an impossibly handsome older man?
'Probably both,' Kyoka thought, amused.
She was pulled from her thoughts when Yachiho spoke.
"How the fuck did you even get a reservation here on such short notice? Not even my family could manage that."
Securing a reservation at such a prestigious establishment is nearly impossible, even for someone of her family's standing.
"That's actually an excellent question. How did you get one so fast?" Uta and the others, unfamiliar with Cain's connection to the Nakiri family, looked at him expectantly.
Instead of answering, Cain offered a playful smile and a wink.
"You'll find out soon enough," he said, eliciting groans of annoyance from those waiting for an answer.
Yachiho glared at him, growling, "I swear I'm going to kill you one of these days, you cheeky fuck."
Cain raised an eyebrow, his playful smile unwavering.
"Yachiho, I'm hurt. You wouldn't really kill your future brother-in-law, would you?" His retort drew chuckles and turned Himari beet red, while Yachiho looked ready to draw her handgun.
After several deep breaths to regain her composure, Yachiho fixed Cain with a calm yet furious expression.
"You're a cunt."
"Aw, thank you, sis!" Cain placed a hand over his heart, pretending to wipe away a tear. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Yachiho's eyes twitched dangerously.
Himari sighed. "Babe, could you not ragebait? I'd rather not turn this place into a war zone."
Cain chuckled. "Alright, I'll stop... for now."
Himari shook her head in mild exasperation but couldn't hide her amusement. "Better than nothing, I guess."
"Why is this line taking so long?!" Zero groaned loudly, attracting even more attention from those waiting and passing by.
"We've only been here for ten minutes," Rouge retorted, raising an amused eyebrow at the humanoid Shuuki's impatience.
"That's ten minutes too long!" Zero exclaimed, prompting eye rolls from those around her.
"Zero, if you don't start behaving, I'll cut you off from sex for two weeks," Cain warned, and she wisely corrected her behavior. "Good girl."
He patted her head like a dog, earning a mock glare from her.
"Damn, little bro, you sure know how to straighten her out," Rouge joked, making Cain smirk.
"What can I say? I have a gift."
After a few minutes, they finally entered the restaurant and were greeted by the hostess, who blushed upon seeing Cain, Rouge, and Lanius.
"W-Welcome to Tōtsuki. Do you have a reservation?" the hostess asked politely, with a bright smile.
Cain smiled charmingly at her and nodded.
"Yes, it should be under the name Cain Eliyahu Cruz."
The woman's eyes widened in recognition at his name. "Please follow me, Mr. Cruz."
She guided them to the upper floor of the restaurant, leading to a large terrace with a panoramic view of Tokyo. There, in the cool sunset, stood a beautifully arranged table, long enough to accommodate all fifteen of them comfortably.
A few moments after everyone settled into their seats, a group of servers arrived on the terrace, each balancing an array of beverages and appetizers on elegant trays. As the servers set the dishes down, the hostess whispered something into Cain's ear before leaving. Once the dishes were on the table, everyone eagerly dove into the food.
"Oh my god, this is so good!" Zero moaned after taking a bite of a takoyaki ball. "What is this?" She asked, as she was unfamiliar with a wide variety of food besides Cain's Mexican dishes.
Cain and a few others chuckled at her reaction.
"It's takoyaki," Saeko replied, popping a ball into her mouth and letting out a satisfied sigh.
Zero looked at Cain, her eyes sparkling with hope. "You should definitely make takoyaki, darling. I bet yours will taste much better than this."
Cain thought for a moment and shrugged. "Sure, I wouldn't mind making takoyaki sometime." He picked up a takoyaki ball, popped it into his mouth, and nodded in satisfaction. "The batter is slightly overcooked. The tempura scraps are saltier than usual, but nothing too glaring. The sauce leans more towards the savory side. Overall, it tastes like something from a five-star restaurant. I'd give it a 9 out of 10." Everyone looked at him.
"You got all that from a single bite?" Yachiho asked, dumbfounded.
Cain nodded. "My hearing and sight aren't the only things enhanced," he replied, leaving it at that.
As everyone enjoyed their food and engaged in idle conversation, Uta's phone rang. She checked her phone and sighed, then gave Cain a quick kiss before standing up.
"I'll be right back; Dad's calling."
Cain nodded. "Tell him I said hi."
"Me too," Lanius chimed in.
"I will." She then left.
A few minutes after Uta departed, two individuals approached the table on the terrace, drawing everyone's attention.
The first was an elderly man with long, spiky gray hair, a mustache, and a beard. A scar ran diagonally across his right eye, starting from the middle of his forehead and ending just above his right cheekbone.
He wore an olive-colored yukata tied with a white obi and geta sandals.
The second was a beautiful young woman with a slender yet curvy figure, long honey-blonde hair that flowed just above her lower back, and side bangs that partially framed her cheeks. She had striking purple-pink eyes and fair skin.
Her outfit included a stylish purple blouse, a black skirt, mid-thigh stockings, and ankle boots.
These two were none other than Senzaemon and Erina Nakiri.
As soon as Erina spotted Cain, her eyes sparkled with delight, and her lips formed a wide smile, revealing her bright white teeth. To the surprise of the elderly man and everyone else, she ran toward Cain and tackled him to the ground with an unrestrained enthusiasm.
"Cain!" Erina exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "It's been too long!"
Cain smiled softly at her and hugged her back, clearly happy to see her. "It sure has been, Firecracker."
Erina groaned at the mention of that nickname and shot him a playful glare. "I thought I told you to stop calling me that."
"Yeah? Did you honestly think I'd listen?" he shot back, smiling smugly.
Erina pouted and looked away.
"No..."
"Granddaughter. As much as I understand your excitement, please get off of Cain," Senzaemon interjected, his gruff voice a mix of exasperation and amusement.
Erina stiffened at her grandfather's words, finally realizing her position and the presence of others. Her face turned beet red, and smoke seemed to emit from her ears as she quickly got off Cain, bowing toward everyone.
"I'm sorry!"
Cain stood up, nodded respectfully at Senzaemon, and raised an eyebrow at Erina.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Erina?" He playfully narrowed his eyes. "The Erina I know would never apologize," he joked, earning a chuckle from the elderly man and a playful glare from her.
"That's not true; I've apologized on multiple occasions!"
Cain rolled his eyes. "Insincere or forced apologies don't count."
"Tsk, whatever..." Erina grumbled, pouting like a child and crossing her arms. "So, are you going to introduce us to your companions?"
As Cain introduced Erina to everyone, she noticed that most of the people were beautiful women. She glanced at the two men and saw they shared similar features with Cain, the youngest looking like a carbon copy of him. Erina naturally suspected they were Cain's siblings.
She quickly learned she was half right.
"This is my brother Rouge, and this one right here—" Cain placed a hand on Lanius's shoulder, pride evident in his eyes. "—is my son, Lanius."
Erina's and Senzaemon's eyes widened in shock upon learning Lanius's identity. Both Nakiris had initially believed Cain was in his early twenties when they first met.
"How is this possible?" Senzaemon looked rapidly between Cain and Lanius, his eyes filled with disbelief and confusion.
As difficult as it was to comprehend, Senzaemon could see the striking resemblance between the two men.
"I'm a lot older than I look," Cain said, amused by the baffled expressions on Senzaemon's face.
Cain then turned his attention to Erina, who had been silent the entire time and was staring at Lanius with a complicated expression. It didn't take a genius to understand what was going through the blonde's mind. He was well aware of Erina's feelings for him, but since she was fifteen at the time, he naturally didn't take advantage of that.
He's a scumbag, not a playground extraction specialist.
Sensing his gaze, Erina looked at Cain, her complicated expression dampening slightly.
Erina opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Uta returned.
"Alright, I'm back. Sorry, it took—" Uta paused mid-sentence when she noticed Erina and Senzaemon staring at her in surprise. "Oh? This is a surprise. What brings the esteemed 'Food's Demon King' and 'God Tongue' here? Let me guess, Cain?" she asked playfully.
"U-Uta F-Figarland?!" Erina and Senzaemon exclaimed in unison.
After Uta formally introduced herself and answered a few questions from Erina and Senzaemon, the two world-renowned chefs joined Cain and the others for dinner. Half an hour later, everyone's meals arrived, and they eagerly dug in.
"So, what's it like being the only man in the ADC?" Senzaemon asked Cain curiously. "It must be quite...interesting." The elderly man gave the Latino a knowing look, fully aware of his reputation as a complete manwhore.
"I still can't believe you actually managed to join the ADC," Erina commented, blissfully unaware of her grandfather's implications or Cain's sexual nature. "From what I've heard about the Commander, she's not exactly fond of men."
"Well, I guess you could say I'm the sole exception," Cain joked, earning a snort of amusement from the blonde.
"No kidding. You must have really impressed her to get her to set aside her prejudice."
"You could say that. Although if I'm being honest, I don't really do much," he said, feigning humility, which earned him an eye roll from the women and family members at the table.
"You're so full of shit," Shushu said, pointing at Cain with her thumb. "This guy right here kills high-ranking Shuuki, who can wipe out an entire unit with ease, for fun. He's stronger than everyone except them—" The blonde gestured to Uta, Lanius, Rouge, and Zero "—combined."
Erina and Senzaemon exchanged impressed glances at Cain. Other than the basics, neither knew much about Shuuki. However, they were well aware that Cain was a freak of nature, so it wasn't all that surprising to hear; he was among the strongest members of the organization.
Cain shot the blonde a playful glare. "I was trying to be modest, you know."
"You? Modest? Since when?" Rouge replied, unimpressed. "You're anything but that, so don't even try to lie."
"Jackass..." Cain muttered under his breath.
"How long do you intend to serve the ADC?" Senzaemon asked curiously.
"Probably ten years. Maybe more or less. It mostly depends on the 7th unit's progression."
It also depended on his ongoing conflict with Eden. With how things were going, his nearly three-decade-long struggle with them might end sooner rather than later. He could feel it.
Kyoka, Himari, and Shushu stiffened at the mention of him leaving the ADC.
"Wait, what do you mean by our unit's progression?" Kyoka asked, confused. "Are you talking about our strength?"
Cain nodded. "That and your progression with your abilities."
"And when do we meet the status quo?" Himari asked, frowning.
"I'll resign from the ADC and start a business. Probably. But let's not think about that right now." Cain smiled and raised his glass. "Let's focus on the present, eh?"
If Cain were being honest with himself, he had no idea what he would do after dealing with Eden and retiring from the ADC. The thought of opening a restaurant or starting a farm in the countryside came to mind. He also wouldn't mind continuing to be the 7th unit's caretaker.
Of course, he'd still be hunting Shuuki, throwing hands, and enjoying an abundance of amazing sex. That part of him would never change. But those were thoughts for another day. For now, he simply wanted to enjoy his time with everyone while it lasted.
— Time skip —
Two hours had passed since everyone arrived at the restaurant. During that time, they engaged in idle chatter while consuming an astronomical amount of high-quality food that left them full and satisfied.
After thanking Cain for treating them and the Nakiris for their incredible hospitality, everyone headed out. However, just as Cain was about to get very far, Erina gently grabbed his sleeve.
The older man looked down at the beautiful blonde chef, who had her head down, trying to hide her blush.
'Cute,' Cain thought with amusement. "What's up, Firecracker?"
Erina's head snapped up, and she glared at him with an adorable pout.
"Stop calling me that!" She huffed, released his sleeve, and crossed her arms under her chest. "Would you like to come over to my place?" she asked in a haughty tone, as if she were forced to suggest something beneath her.
Inwardly, the blonde chef anxiously hoped the Latino would say yes.
Cain's lips formed a playful, knowing smile. "Oh? Did you want to spend more time with little ol' me?" he asked in a husky tone.
His teasing and the sound of his voice instantly broke Erina's façade. Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red, and steam seemed to erupt from her ears.
She glared at him, flustered. "N-No, of course not! Why would I ever willingly want to spend any more of my precious time with someone as insufferable as you?!" she spat indignantly, though there was no venom behind her words. "I just have some things I wish to discuss with you in private."
Cain resisted the urge to roll his eyes and shook his head in exasperation and amusement. He would've thought that with maturity, Erina's tsundere tendencies would have mellowed by now, but it seemed that aspect of her personality wasn't going away anytime soon.
"I'll pretend to believe that. But sure, I don't mind coming over. Give me a second." He then telepathically communicated with his family and lovers. 'You guys, go on without me. I'm going to stay out a little longer.'
Yakumo was the first to respond. 'You're totally going to fuck Nakiri, aren't you?!' she exclaimed in excited glee. 'Can I join?! Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty please!'
'Are you serious, Cain? Another one?!' Uta exclaimed furiously. 'You already have seven women at your beck and call, and you still want more?!'
Kyoka, Tenka, Himari, Shushu, Honami, and Zero also expressed their displeasure, while Lanius sighed, shaking his head in exasperation and muttering about his father being a man-whore.
Rouge could be heard laughing. 'Damn, little brother. You're like Ash Ketchum, but instead of catching Pokémon, you're catching babes," he joked.
Cain rolled his eyes at his brother's comment. 'We're not going to fuck. We're just going to have a little chat.'
No one, including Cain, believed that for a second.
'We're just going to have a chat, my ass,' Kyoka snorted. 'Do I and the others need to remind you where your 'chats' usually lead to?'
'Could you not?' Lanius interjected, sounding annoyed. 'I'd rather not be even more traumatized than I already am.'
Not wanting to continue the conversation, Cain said his goodbyes and disconnected from the mind link before anyone could say anything further.
He shook his head before looking at Erina. "Alright, let's go."
— Time skip —
"So this is your place, huh?" Cain said with a playful smirk. "Looks about right."
Erina's penthouse, located in one of the many buildings her family owns in central Tokyo, was everything one would expect from a high-end property. Incredibly spacious, it blended contemporary luxury with traditional Japanese aesthetics and design principles, complete with all the premium amenities one could imagine.
'A bit much for me, but I can see the appeal,' he thought as he scanned the surroundings.
Erina looked at him sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, nothing," the older man replied cheerfully.
"What a load of shit."
They entered the living room, where Cain made himself comfortable on one of the couches, while Erina sat a few inches away.
"Damn, this couch is comfy as hell. I might get one of these," he said before looking at the blonde. "So what did you—" He was abruptly cut off as Erina smashed her lips against his and wrapped her arms around his neck.
End.
If you're interested in reading more chapters ahead of schedule, go to my Patreon!
patreon.com/Allwatch44
Bronze Tier [1.50]
1 Extra Chapter
Silver Tier [3.00]
2 Extra Chapters