"You truly don't want to become a God?" Ryoma was dumbfounded. Was it possible for anyone to resist that kind of temptation?
"A God is nothing more than a person who possesses great power. As long as I'm stronger than them, that's enough," Raven stated confidently.
He wasn't wrong. Even possessing the Golden Fruit didn't make one truly invincible; there was still a possibility of being killed, as seen with Rosyuo and later with Gaim when he became a God. Becoming a God wasn't the end of evolution.
Raven definitely had his sights on the Golden Fruit, but he had no intention of being controlled by its power or meeting the same fate as Rosyuo or the later Gaim. He planned to acquire it, consume its power, and assimilate it as a part of himself, just as he did with the Orphnoch King. In other words, he already had his own unique path to godhood.
"To think such a person exists..." Ryoma was utterly bewildered watching Raven walk away.
Not only did Raven call his Sengoku Driver a mere toy, but he also dismissed the idea of becoming a God with contempt. This was a real blow to his ego.
Why can a person like that command the power of the Helheim Forest? Ryoma desperately wanted to understand how Raven could successfully use the Apple Lockseed and resist the corruption of Helheim's power. Could he be the chosen one?
In reality, the reason Raven was unaffected by Helheim's power was entirely due to his intrinsic assimilation characteristic, which allowed him to absorb any form of power. Helheim's power naturally fell within this range.
And so, Raven swaggered out of the Yggdrasill Tower.
....
Raven returned to the shop and saw Akira, who was busy but smiling.
"I'm back," Raven greeted her as he entered.
"Welcome back," Akira replied with a fond, knowing smile. This instantly warmed Raven's heart.
"Raven-san! Can you teach me how to make desserts today?" Mai, who was helping out in the shop, saw Raven arrive and quickly hurried over.
"Don't you all have a Christmas event tonight?" Raven asked her.
"We do, but since Kouta and Mitsuzane aren't back yet, we have to wait for them," Mai explained.
Raven knew that Kouta must have left the Yggdrasill Tower by now. He was probably on his way to find Sid, the Lock Dealer, with Mitsuzane. Their plan had been successful, at least for Kouta, who had figured out some of Yggdrasill's secrets and gotten closer to the truth.
"Then, Akira-nee and Raven-san, why don't you both come watch our stage performance tonight?" Mai then suggested.
"Mmm, I don't have any plans tonight anyway," Akira said, stealing a glance at Raven.
Later, DJ Sagara announced the results of the street dance Riders' secret game. It ended with Team Gaim's victory. Mitsuzane, the only one who had avoided being knocked out by the Chief, had collected over a hundred Lockseeds from the Helheim Yggdrasill outpost, bringing the game to a close.
Kaito and the others, who had been knocked out and dumped outside, were utterly frustrated. They felt that being attacked by the white Rider was the only reason Mitsuzane had won so easily. Hase, in particular, had his Driver destroyed, though he hadn't realized it yet.
On Christmas night, Raven and Akira went together to the stage set up by Team Gaim to watch their Christmas performance. In the crowd, the two were like a couple. Akira even leaned in closer to him. Finally, Raven took her hand. The two couldn't help but interlock their fingers.
After enjoying the stage performance, Raven and Akira walked together through the night streets of Zawame City. They began to talk. Raven naturally charmed her, making her very happy, and their feelings for each other intensified.
Just then, an Inves, having wandered out of a nearby alley, started attacking a few passersby.
"It's that monster again!" Akira clutched Raven's hand tightly, her expression nervous.
Seeing this, Raven gestured for her not to worry. He stepped forward, saved the passersby, and easily drove the Inves away. In a place unseen by anyone, the Inves's body was consumed by purple flames and turned to dust.
"It seems the frequency of these space rifts is increasing," Raven sighed.
"It's alright now," he said, turning back to Akira.
"But where are these monsters coming from? They look a lot like the ones from that game the kids always play," Akira couldn't help but say.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure myself. Perhaps we'll find out later," Raven temporarily didn't want Akira to worry too much. If she knew the full truth, as a sister, she would be extremely concerned about her brother being dragged into these matters. It was better for her not to know too much for now. All he had to do was protect her well.
After the minor interruption, Raven and Akira continued their walk, eventually finding themselves back at the shop. He then personally drove her home.
At the entrance to her apartment, Raven said goodbye and was about to leave.
"Wait a minute..."
Akira suddenly pulled his hand. When he turned back, a certain fragrant, sweet scent filled his mouth. Raven's mind stopped. He and Akira held the kiss for several minutes without breaking away.
"..."
They finally separated reluctantly when they were nearly out of breath. Akira kept her arms wrapped around Raven, looking at him with loving eyes. She could no longer suppress her feelings for him.
"So, what are we now...?" Akira wanted to formally confirm their relationship.
"You're my woman, of course." Raven put a firm hand on her waist, pulling their bodies closer together.
"Mmm." Akira's eyes lit up with joy, and she immediately nestled into Raven's embrace, feeling completely blissful. Raven's reply was all she needed.
"In that case, you... you won't ever mind that I'm older than you, will you?" Akira then asked another question.
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