Don't be fooled by Fou's adorable appearance.
In reality, it is the Beast IV bearing the Sin of [Comparison].
A being on the same level as Demon God King Goetia and the Primordial Goddess Tiamat.
Nicknamed the Primate Murder, it possesses Anti-Primate capabilities strong enough to bring about human extinction!
Isn't it quite the surprise for such a little cutie to suddenly appear in front of you?
Exciting, isn't it?
"This little guy doesn't like crowded places. Since Fou has appeared, kouhai should be nearby too, right?"
Sanjiro stared intently at the small white beast.
There was no fear or hesitation in his eyes—only an endless sense of nostalgia.
Long time no see.
Back then, carrying the mission of a savior bestowed by Alaya, he had traversed human history time and again. It was his kouhai and Fou who had always been by his side.
He wondered if this little cutie could still remember him.
"Fou… Fou (Why do you feel so familiar)?"
The small white beast tilted its head slightly.
As a Primate Murder capable of destroying humanity, it had always held an indifferent attitude toward humans.
And yet, in front of this strange human, it felt an inexplicable fondness.
As if they had spent countless years together, traversing countless worlds!
How odd!
Fou blinked its eyes, growing more and more confused.
Earlier, it had been thrown off the top of the Tower of Ends on the twentieth floor by Merlin.
That damn bastard didn't realize until after tossing Fou that he had accidentally thrown it 1500 years into the past!
To remedy the situation, Merlin opened a portal at the bottom of the tower and placed the exit directly above.
And so, Fou had been in free fall for 1,500 years!!!
"Merlin must die!"
The more Fou thought about it, the more it wanted to bite that jerk to death.
After finally escaping the endless free fall, it deliberately concealed all traces of itself. Next time it saw Merlin, it would definitely make him pay!
But now… why did it instinctively want to leap into this boy's embrace?
Something was off!
Really off!
Could this man be an EX-rank [Pretty Boy]?
"Perhaps… we're connected from a past life," Sanjiro said with a gentle smile.
After the world reset, even the Beast IV had lost all related memories.
If Alaya hadn't exposed him, he probably would have remained obscure and forgotten forever.
"Fou… Fou (I want to go with you)!"
The white beast, full of confusion, leaned in and gently rubbed its head against his pant leg.
"Ah, well…"
Sanjiro thought for a moment and squatted down to meet its gaze. "You can come with me, but… can I ask you to appear more ordinary, so no one notices you?"
With his powers not yet fully recovered, it would be troublesome if Merlin found him.
Once he got his strength back, he fully intended to hang that guy upside down and force him into a gender reassignment surgery.
[You're awake! The surgery was a success! You're a girl now!]
Just imagining it was thrilling.
"Fou… Fou (Okay)!"
Fou nodded and cast a [Cognitive Filter] on itself.
From now on, anyone who saw it would only perceive it as an ordinary white cat, and wouldn't associate it with the creature from the video.
At that moment—
Footsteps approached.
Sanjiro and Fou simultaneously turned to look.
At the entrance of the alley stood a girl in a school uniform.
She wore glasses, and her short pink hair covered her right eye. The soft curve of her chest made her stand out.
The moment she saw him and the white beast, the girl froze in place, staring blankly.
Then—
Tears suddenly welled up in her pretty violet eyes as she blurted out, "Senpai?"
"You…"
Sanjiro was stunned.
My god… kouhai still remembers me?
Unbelievable!
Even the Beast IV had forgotten him. How could a pseudo-servant like her still remember?
Just as his hand trembled slightly, ready to approach and greet her—
Mash's lovely face turned blank. She whispered, "Huh? What's wrong with me? Why am I crying? Why did I want to call out 'Senpai'?"
So strange.
Though it was their first meeting, she felt a deep, inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Tears fell without warning.
She clearly shouldn't have forgotten… and yet she had forgotten everything!
"Maybe… some dust got in your eye."
Sanjiro quietly withdrew his hand and bent down to pick up Fou, placing it on his shoulder.
Looking at her, he smiled and said, "Your outfit looks like the uniform from Fuyuki Magic Academy. Is a pseudo-servant of Chaldea seriously attending school?"
"Mhm, the doctor suggested I attend school for a while and interact more with ordinary people." Mash nodded, placing her hands in front of her and bowing politely. "My name is Mash Kyrielight. Please take care of me from now on… Senpai."
"Senpai…"
Sanjiro's expression froze slightly.
It had been so long… since he last heard that word from her.
Back then, it was those repeated calls of "Senpai" that led him astray.
But now—
"A youth returns home unknown, his accent unchanged though his Saint Graph is shattered. Kouhai meets him yet knows him not, and asks with a smile, 'From whence do you come, traveler?'"
Gathering his complicated emotions, he smiled and said, "Please take care of me too, from now on."
"Senpai, this little cat is so cute! What's its name?" Mashu couldn't help but come closer, her eyes sparkling as she stared at his shoulder.
"I named it Fou."
Sanjiro answered with a smile, revealing the true name.
He could hide his identity from many people, but not from the kouhai who had always stood by his side. He didn't want to lie to her.
Fou also stared at her.
At that moment, it felt a strange kind of connection.
A mysterious, powerful force of destiny.
The two humans and one beast… as if they had always been together.
(T/N: Universe is correcting itself bro.)
"Fou? What a lovely name."
Mash paused.
It clearly looked like an ordinary white cat, but she instinctively treated it as that white beast from the video.
What a strange feeling.
She smiled sweetly and asked, "Senpai, what's your name?"
"Sanjiro."
"Senpai, please take care of me. I'll come visit you sometime."
Mashu bowed politely once again.
In front of this unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar person, she couldn't help but want to get closer.
"Sure, you're always welcome."
Sanjiro waved at her with a bright, cheerful smile.
So happy that his eyes turned red.
Kouhai, the doctor, the swindler… it's so good to see you all alive.
Those fierce battles back then, where they risked their lives to shield him from harm, felt so distant now.
There's no need to fight anymore. And that's really… really good.
When he got home—
Kirina looked at the cat on his shoulder in surprise. "Whoa, where did you kidnap a cat from?"
She remembered how she once wanted a cat, but he said—
[This house can only have one pet. You or the cat—pick one!]
And now he brought one home himself? Did he hit his head or something?
Sanjiro casually replied, "It looked like Fou, so I picked it up and named it Fou."
"Hehehe, little kitty, come let me give you a snuggle!"
Kirina's eyes gleamed mischievously, full of bad intentions.
As a hardcore virtual cat lover, she'd long dreamed of snuggling a real one. But just as she got close, Fou's fur bristled and it stared at her in alarm.
Because—
It actually sensed a faint aura of equal-level existence from this girl!