Rex and Shulk got added to the main game.

And they don't do sh*t.

They made me do this.

(Challenge Land)

On a peaceful day of Aionios, the Ouroboros kids were doing their daily challenges. The Nopon Archsage, who had a rather peculiar voice, offered them a variety of challenges and rewards to the party, and they pretty much liked it. They can receive various accessories and outfits, even valuable materials to train their classes.

And today, the archsage offered them a new challenge. It was fighting with two certain men, and the archsage promised them a rather unique award this time.

As the archsage waited, he sensed the party almost getting finished with the challenge.

And after some seconds…

The party appeared in front of him.

"Daaah! That was…haaard!" Eunie exclaimed, as she wiped the sweat off her wings.

"Spark…Who the spark were they? They were…on the another level or something!" Lanz said, panting in exhaustion.

"Well, that was something else! How about another round, guys?" On the other hand, their seventh party member of today, Ashera, was still in a state of post-battle arousal. Her eyes were still filled with bloodlust, wanting more death matches like before.

"Mio, you okay?" Noah said, facing Mio.

"Yeah… But something felt a bit off, especially the one with the twin swords…." Mio said with a concerned look.

"What about him? Tell me, Mi…." Noah tried to ask more, but the white nopon interrupted.

"Congratulations to friends! Friends beat the greatest challenge in the world! Not technically, but yes!" The nopon cheered.

"Yeah, yeah, got it. Anyway, what's the reward?" Eunie asked, getting to the main topic.

"Maybe another round?" Ashera said.

"Now you shut up!" Eunie snapped.

"The rewards are…them! Tada!" The archsage exclaimed as the rewards appeared in front of their eyes.

Which was….

No, which were….

Two men.

Not just two men.

The two men they just fought.

"Spark yes! Another round!" Ashera freaked out.

"Friend wrong!"

"Aww…." The madwoman sighed.

"These two are going to aid your journey from now on, because you proved your strength to them!" The nopon shouted.

"Really? Yippee! More members!" Sena cheered.

"But something seems…off. I mean…we always made new recruits on the field, not in the land of challenges…?" Taion said, fixing his glasses.

"Friend right!"

"What?" Taion seemed confused.

"These two are special heroes!"

"Ooooh… Speciaal….." Sena's eyes glowed.

"So what's special about them then?" Eunie asked.

"They don't talk a lot! They don't interact with your surroundings! They don't have events! They don't…" The archsage started to list.

"Wait, wait, wait, the spark? Then what can they even do?" Lanz interrupted.

"They fight! And…they can say some words, too." The archsage said.

"Words…? What words…?" Taion asked.

"Friends have to check it out themselves!"

"That…actually sucks." Eunie sighed.

"Now, friend choose! Will friends choose Rex, or Shulk? It's friend's freedom!" The archsage said.

"Hmmm… How do you think, Noah?" Eunie moved the burden to Noah.

"Me? Uh… How about…Shulk? We would love a defender right now…" Noah said.

"Ooh, Defender! That sounds just as right! Would we able to fight again?" Ashera said.

"Uh, actually no? Don't you remember that you'll be sent back to your colony when we change heroes?" Eunie said.

"Wait…Come to think of it…"

"So, friend choose Shulk? Then Shulk it is! Oh, and remember. Friend cannot get Shulk's class!" The archsage said before casting a light to make Ashera and Rex disappear.

"Wait wait wait wait! I didn't volunteer for thiiiiiis!" Ashera screamed as she disappeared into the abyss.

And after that,

Shulk stood tall in the middle of the party.

"So…you're Shulk?" Noah asked.

"…" Shulk stood silent.

"He…isn't saying anything…?" Sena said.

"That's what the archsage said, but…I never expected him to actually do this for real…" Taion said in disbelief.

"But that's…pretty snuffed up, mate. If he can't talk, where's the fun in it?" Lanz said, staring at Shulk.

"That kinda makes sense, but…it's understandable at the same time, since the archsage said he's a special hero…." Mio said.

"But at the same time, he did say he doesn't really talk 'a lot', not being completely mute." Noah mentioned.

"So does that mean he would spit out some words in some occasion?" Eunie said.

"Then what would be the occasion?" Sena asked.

"Would there be a special…command?" Taion suggested a theory.

"That could be feasible…" Mio said.

"Then…Hmmm….Guys, let me try." Noah said, as he slowly approached Shulk.

As he approached Shulk, he thought of some magical words inside his mind. What would work? Should he use some quirk phrase, as if Shulk was a toy? Or, should he treat Shulk like a regular man, but with a quiet personality? Thousands of thoughts filled his brain.

And after some thinking, he decided to use a certain phrase.

And it was….

Classic.

"Shulk, say something," Noah said, calmly.

And it happened.

"I'm not really feeling it." Shulk opened his mouth.

"….." The party's jaw dropped.

"So…is this the only thing he can say…?" Sena said.

"I guess so…" Mio said.

"Then…to sum it up… He is a bloody strong defender who speaks only one line…?" Lanz said, scratching his head.

"What can we do with him, then…?" Taion proposed.

The party fell in silence. Since they were pretty much finished with everything in Aionios, despite Shulk's skills as a defender, he was…practically useless.

As the party maintained the silence, one voice came up.

"….Melia." Eunie said.

"Hmmm?"

"Didn't Melia say… That Keves… And herself are from the same world before Aionios was a thing… And Shulk here is a Kevesi… Wouldn't Melia know a thing or two about him?"

"…..That…makes sense…." Noah added.

"Then why not go now? Can't wait to see whether the queen knows about him." Lanz said, with his arms crossed.

"Good! How do you think, Shulky?" Sena asked.

"…." Shulk stayed silent.

"Nah, forget about him, let's go!" Eunie led the way to the portal.

Not knowing what consequences this would cause.

(Keves Castle)

The Queen of Keves, Melia Antiqua was having a quiet day in her bedroom. She was freed from the Origin, and she was finally having the rest she deserved after thousands of years. Although she was pretty lonely and tired, she liked this little rest before the Aionios problem gets solved. Plus, she did have friends, or rather, kids, which is the group of Ouroboros. They often visited Melia in her room, and they were good company.

And today was also the day. She heard a familiar knocking on her door, signaling the visit of the Ouroboros. She also had servants, but they never came up to her private bedroom. Putting a smile on her face, she went to the door, and opened the Keves-style mechanical door.

As the door opened…

Melia's heart dropped.

She expected a group of Ouroboros and a commander of a colony accompanying them to help them. But today, it was not.

In front of her eyes. There was a man.

A man she's never seen for eons.

A man she missed for several thousands of years, trapped in the world of Aionios.

Although he grew hair and got wrinkles and a mechanical arm, he was the man she knew.

He was Shulk, the owner of the special sword she kept in her room.

And as she saw the man,

She froze.

"S…S…Shulk…?" Melia stuttered.

"…." Shulk stood silent.

"How…how are you here…? W…where have you…" Melia said, covering her mouth to control her emotions.

"…"

"So…you…grew hair…? It…fits you well! You look just like Dunban! Haha…ha…ha…." Melia let out a fake laugh.

"…." Shulk just gazed at her with his blue eyes.

"Hah….hah…hah…." Melia started to pant.

"A…anyway… How…how's Fiora? Or…Reyn…Sharla…Did they get into Aionios? Or…are they still in Origin…?"

"…"

"You…don't know…? That's…too bad…." Melia dropped her head.

"…"

"A…haha… Anyway…what happened…to your arm…? Where…did you lose it…?" Melia asked, looking at Shulk's prosthetic arm.

"…."

"Shulk….?" Melia looked Shulk with a worried eye. Why wasn't he talking to her? She knew that Shulk was not a chatty man, but she also knew that Shulk wasn't an overly quiet man, too. Melia was getting anxious. She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to hear him talk. She wanted him to call her name and comfort her in this situation of peril.

Melia let out a deep sigh.

"Shulk…? Are you alright…?"

"…" No answer again.

"Shulk….?" Melia's eyes were now shaking, her eyes even started to glisten with moisture.

"Can…you…say something…Shulk…? Please…? At least…tell me what happened…?" Melia said, as her voice trembled.

And that.

Hit Shulk's controls.

"I'm not really feeling it." Shulk said his only Aionios repertoire.

And that.

Also.

Hit Melia right in the face.

Melia, whose eyes were already glistening with moisture, started to shed tears. She was familiar with this line. Whenever they fought together as a team, Shulk often said that he was really feeling it. It was a symbol of teamwork, friendship, and victory. She thought the line was pretty strange at the first time when she maintained the attitude of a posh High Entian Princess, but as time passed, the line comforted Melia's heart. Heck, he even used the line as his signature line when he got invited to somewhere strange.

But now, he wasn't really feeling it.

How was that possible?

The memories of when he said the lines got ripped into pieces as Melia heard Shulk saying the line. Melia's tears fell helplessly as she dropped her head.

"Shulk…?" Melia said, as her tears fell.

"I'm not really feeling it." Shulk said.

"….!" Melia's tears got even stronger. She was now sobbing, as if she lost her brother, and father again. She fell down to her knees, as her tears stained her dress. The only connection to the world of Bionis, was now broken for some reason. The memories before the incursion of the two worlds flooded in, and it made her even more broken. She wanted to go back home.

And as the Kevesi Queen sobbed helplessly…

The Ouroboros watched, hiding behind Shulk.

"Did….we mess up…?" Sena asked.

"Shit…." Eunie grit her teeth, as her queen cried in front of this strange hero.

"What…what should we do?" Taion panicked.

"Noah, any ideas, mate?" Lanz whispered.

"…..I think I have," Noah answered.

"Really? Then do it! Quick! Before the queen completely gets destroyed!" Eunie said.

"Um…I think we already destroyed her, Eunie…" Mio said.

"Speaking of it, why don't you solve this thing? It was your idea to bring him here, Eunie." Lanz said, poking Eunie.

"Ugh… Fiiine! Wait just a minute…" Eunie said, as she activated her iris. She tinkered with some settings, and finally nodded in confidence.

"Problem solved. I got this!" Eunie said as Shulk started to glow.

"Um…I don't think Shulk glowing is some kind of problem-solving…." Mio added.

But Eunie didn't stop, as Shulk glowed, he started to disappear.

"Why is he fading?" Sena asked.

"You'll see."

As the Ouroboros watched Shulk fade, Shulk completely disappeared after some seconds. And after that….

Ashera appeared.

"…?" Ashera looked confused.

"The spark? Why did you bring 'her' here?" Lanz whispered to Eunie.

"Well… Sometimes, we need to go with the unexpected." Eunie said, making a sly smile.

"Why the spark am I here….?" Ashera was still questioning herself about this situation. She was chilling in her colony, waiting for lunchtime, but she was suddenly on the top of the Kevesi Castle, and the queen herself was sobbing like a little girl in front of her.

"Uh… Your majesty…?" Ashera said, staying surprisingly calm.

"She's pretty calm…?" Taion said, as he saw the unexpected.

"….?" Melia looked up, facing Ashera.

"Are you… Alright…? Do you need something…?" Ashera said, as she knelt down to the queen.

"Ashe…ra…?" Melia recognized the maniac commander.

"Uh…yeah…?" Ashera said, getting even more confused. But the confusion even more intensified as Melia sobbed uncontrollably as she looked at Ashera's face.

"Ashera… You…(sob)…look…(sob)….exactly like…(sob)" Melia choked out, sensing a strange familiarity from Ashera.

"Huh….?"

"Nothing… Just…nothing…" Melia said, as she leaned against Ashera's chest.

"Uh…okay… Just…don't cry, okay?" Ashera said, patting Melia's back.

And the Ouroboros was looking at the scene.

"Problem…solved…?" Noah whispered.

"I never knew that madwoman can do that…." Eunie said.

"Me too," Taion said.

"Me three," Lanz added.

"Me… Would it be awkward if I said 'Me four'…?" Sena said.

"Could be…?" Mio said.

"Well shit…."

(Omake)

(Agnus Castle)

Queen Nia of Agnus. The ultimate cat-queen of the multiracial nation of Agnus. She was having her daily routine, which was a simple act of gazing at the Mechonis' Sword on the top of the castle. She enjoyed the peaceful scenery and the atmosphere of the place, and she liked the freedom she was having after getting freed by the lovely Ouroboros. Especially, when the night sky was accompanying her. They were also her regular guests, since they visited her sometimes when they needed her. And she felt their visit by hearing the sound of their footsteps with her cat ears.

And today…

She heard the footsteps again.

But this time…she was seeing the unexpected.

In front of her eyes, there was a man.

Not just a man, a man.

The man was tall, buff, and had a deep scar on his eye. He also grew a light beard, which highlighted his manly face.

And it was the face Nia missed and missed for eons.

"….R….R….Rex!" Nia jumped, abandoning her queen persona.

"….." Rex stayed silent.

"Titan's foot…I…I…It's been so long! Rex…! I… Oh, snuff it, just give your wife a hug!" Nia said, as she held the man in a deep embrace.

Rex stayed silent.

"You certainly became silent… But who cares a damn? I'm just so glad that you're here." Nia gave Rex a warm smile.

But Rex stayed silent.

"So…Rex, what brings you here today? Me, me, or me?" Nia said, her ears twitching like crazy.

"..."

"Aww, keeping it secret? But that's what makes it special. Say…How about I give you a tour of this castle, eh? The design changed a lot from the blueprint we made…. Especially… The Queen's room… How is it?" Nia said, as she gazed at Rex's golden eyes with a sultry smile.

"….."

"Aw, come on, why are you keeping that mouth shut? I've missed you and this opportunity so much! Come on! The Queen's room, don't you get it? You can at least…."

"Say something."

And that.

Triggered Rex.

"I'll show you a thing or three," Rex said his only Aionios repertoire.

"Oho… So you weren't dead on the inside after all?" Nia smirked.

"Then… Let's have a good night tonight, eh? Or…we can relive the moment we had Mio…." Nia whispered into his ears.

.

.

.

.

.

As the Ouroboros watched from far away.

"So…the queens are pretty different, eh?" Lanz said, laughing a bit.

"Pffft…." Eunie tried to conceal her laughter.

"….." Taion sighed.

"Oooh…." Sena's eyes sparkled.

"Ha…hahah…." Noah let out an awkward laugh.

But the one who was having the most awkward time was….

Mio.

Seeing her….whatever doing that to the special hero, or, her…whatever made her patience break.

In silence, she activated her iris, and exactly followed Eunie's protocol.

As Eunie did that, Rex started to glow, following Shulk's routine.

After seconds, while Nia was facing elsewhere than Rex….

Rex disappeared.

And Ashera appeared.

"So Rex, doesn't this remind you of…. Huh…? Titan's sparking foot, who are you?!" Nia gasped, as Rex got replaced by a purple woman.

"Yo." Ashera greeted her, now used to this kind of incident.

"Where's…Rex? And who are…."

"Name's Ashera, and if you want to find who the spark Rex is… Ask the Ourokids, who might be somewhere…near…there." Ashera said, as she pointed where the Ouroboros hid. They were frantically running away, sensing Ashera's eyes.

"Ourobo… Then does that mean…"

"Bollocks, Mio… Why do you have to do this to your mum and dad…?" Nia sighed.

"The spark's a mum?" Ashera blurted out.

Poor Meli...