Chapter 23

Ryoto opted to take a nap.

Nanami sensei escorted him back to the domain, but then went on his way the moment they returned. The pain he was enduring was only getting worst, at the same time he didn't want to hinder his parents as they were helping others. "It's just a little pain…" he muttered to himself. He was making his way back home trying to distract himself from the pain. Yet in doing so, Ryoto nearly tripped but was caught and held up.

"That's… not okay…"

He smiled as he felt a thick arm come under him in support. Saitama smiled to him. "Let me help you back home." He said.

"Thanks… where are your siblings?"

He forced a smile. "I told them to go have fun and do stuff. Aniki Shin right now is taking them out for some ice cream."

Ryoto paused as he stared at his cousin. "Why didn't you go?"

"I don't think ice cream will do me any favors…" he said meekly. It startled Ryoto. They have had the occasional family meal with his aunt's side of the family, he always sees Saitama eat nothing but veggies and fruit, hardly any meat despite his siblings insisting on it. Even Rook tried to convince him, but he gently refused to do so.

He really is worried about his size.

"When I feel better, you and I should hang out okay?" Ryoto said.

"But… what about Marcy and her siblings?"

That's the thing, Ryoto has seen any of them since this has happened. At the same time, he thinks his friends maybe upset with him. He went to the school without telling them, perhaps they might think he is growing apart from them. But that's not the case!

At the same time, had they been there… Lucy and her friends wouldn't have used him like that.

Before long they returned to the house. Ryoto regained his strength and offered his cousin a cup of tea as thanks. "Sure, green tea…"

"That's all my father ever drinks, same with mother…" he laughed.

They sat in silence as they had their drink, Saitama was a little shifty but sighed aloud. "I… sort of over heard my father speak with Pops… apparently my dad has been told by Lady Tiamat that they should have more kids… I don't agree right now…"

Ryoto nodded. "I think we got too much on the go as it is! Grandma Tiamat tends to know things ahead of time, doesn't she?"

Saitama froze. "Grandma… Tiamat?" he asked slowly and in a rather concerned tone.

"I've always called her that, she let me since I kept hanging out with Marcy and her siblings. But… why is grandma Tiamat so interested in your parents having kids?"

"I don't know to be honest, also why would she trust my dad to do so once more?"

Ryoto thought it over, "Perhaps that's why your dad was speaking with Oji Suguru. Maybe this time around, it's him and not your father…"

Saitama paused to this but then he nodded with approval. "If that's the case, I would be more than happy to help out. But Pops didn't know for certain, he and mom are close but… I don't think that close yet…" he sighed. "I wish Pops was my dad… over my actual dad…"

Ryoto sighed and nodded to him. He remembered hunting up all the sugary snacks his uncle hid, thinking it was a game. He was sick of sweets in three days.

"I am so sorry this happened to you, cousin. If you ever want to talk or just need company…"

He smiled. "Thanks… perhaps I'll go walk around and work out a bit. Panda sensei has been very kind in helping me get into shape. He knows some exercise that are good for someone with my… body type."

Ryoto nodded, just as the pain flared again in his sides. "I think… I'll take a nap myself…"

#

Meanwhile…

Shin brought his siblings out of the domain. He figured they needed some time in the outside world to figure things out for themselves, the problem is… none of them want to leave Saitama behind.

He refuses to leave the domain due to his appearance, Shin has tried to convince him time and time again to go but he refuses. Today he insisted his siblings go out without him. "You can't hold yourselves back for my sake… go with older brother." He insisted.

Since then, it's been an uphill battle to get them to see and experience things. His brothers were nervous, his sisters were curious but kept saying. "Saitama would have liked this…"

They refused to enjoy anything unless he was among them.

Shin didn't quite understand this, but then again, he didn't have a brother or sister or both growing up next to him. He was born a single… at the same time, he nearly wasn't born at all! Anyways. Everyone else had always had someone, he didn't. "As tough as it is, just remember, you need to live for your brother's sake too!" he explained. "Saitama isn't able to see this, what do you tell him when you get back? Also, could we not find a way to make this so fun, that he HAS to come with us next time?"

The siblings hesitated. Yet the brothers saw the logic. If they make being out of the domain so much fun, but insist it would have been better had he been there, they may convince Saitama yet!

'I got to do something to help my little brother out…' Shin thought, but for now, he will help the four get use to the outside world, then they will bring Saitama with them!

They went to malls, stores and ate out. He was just suggesting they get ice cream when he felt it. His siblings did too. There was a curse energy signature… a sorcerer is getting his attention.

"Oniisan?"

"They are not even worth worrying about." He said with a smile. "They are here for me anyways, how about you guys go on ahead, the ice cream store is just over here…" he pointed to the store on the right. "Will you wait for me there?"

They nodded and went inside, but kept close to the window just in case.

Shin peered and saw him lingering. "I thought I made it clear when I was a kid the last time, I have no interest in meeting with the Gojo clan."

The man was in his forties, he sneered at him and spat by Shin's feet. "Look here brat, we have to keep our strengths up or we will be erased by other clans. You ought to talk to your grandfather, your father's father!"

"I am aware as to what a grandfather is."

"Yeah, well he's the only one you got, it's not like your mother has any family to call on for help!"

That… pissed him off. "Don't be insulting my mother's family for its lack of members. Besides, I think mom is going to be just fine considering the siblings I have…"

"We could care less about them, unless they got your father's talents like you did…"

Shin sneered. "You can leave now…"

Yet he began to sense others… they surrounded him. The man smirked. "Oh, and leave empty handed? Boy, unlike your dear mother. We have a thing called acceptable losses… do you think it would be worth to our clan if we took out a few humans to obtain you? That's within the rule of acceptable loss to us…" he teased.

He knew it too. Looking in his eyes, this Gojo was determined to get him to come along. No matter who is caught in the crossfire. Shin also knows fighting back with curse energy is a no go for him, he's too over powered and needs lessons on output control.

"I refuse to engage in this conversation any longer."

He then felt the surging around him, these bastards are willing to cause destruction to get to him?!