Chapter 42: Calm Before Storm: Part-1
After Leo and Sakura finished their date, Leo returned home, his expression twisted in a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. The evening had spiralled into something far more complicated than he had ever anticipated. Not only had the situation escalated beyond his expectations... but somehow, amidst all that chaos, he had apparently gotten himself a new girlfriend.
He stepped into the quiet house, closing the door gently behind him, still mulling over everything that had unfolded. Honestly, he didn’t even know how to process it. He had told her—Sakura—to wait, to calm down, to give it time before making any rash decisions.
She was sweet, no doubt. Cute, bubbly, and certainly charming. But Leo knew deep down—he wasn’t ready. He wasn’t prepared for anything romantic.
Not now. Not while he was still figuring out who he even was in this twisted war.
With those thoughts swirling in his head, he made his way inside and noticed Pride sleeping peacefully on the bed. She lay curled up, conserving her energy.
Leo didn’t have the heart to wake her. Instead, he let her rest, quietly walking past her.
Time ticked by in silence. Eventually, the front door clicked open, and Raphael stepped in, carrying a bag of packed food. She exhaled with exhaustion, brushing her messy bangs aside.
"I’ve got night duty at the hospital," she said with a sigh. "I just dropped by to grab a few things and leave you guys dinner."
Her voice held the fatigue of someone used to a burden, but still thoughtful enough to care for those around her.
Later that night, the city streets fell into stillness, blanketed in the quiet hush of midnight. Under the dim glow of distant street lamps, Leo walked alongside Valra and Pride. Their footsteps echoed faintly as they wandered the empty sidewalks, rounding block after block.
They were patrolling—cautiously—hoping, maybe even expecting, to come across a hostile Master or an opposing Champion. But so far, it had been nothing but silence.