The Guardian Of The Multiverse: A Hero's Burden

Make myself at home

(Marvel, DC, images, manhuas, and every anime that will be mentioned and used in this story are not mine. They all belong to their respective owners. The main character "Karito/Adriel Josue Valdez" and the story are mine)

Days passed, and Tigre and Adriel were kept as "prisoners" in the Vanadis' castle. However, one of them seemed far too comfortable with the amount of freedom he was given.

Tigre could've sworn he would be executed multiple times due to the pranks Adriel pulled throughout the castle and how abnormally popular the two of them became in just a few days. There was even an archer whose hair had been completely shaved off, and when asked for an explanation, Adriel simply shrugged and said, "Because it was a canon event."

For the life of them, no one could ever understand what went through the Guardian's head.

That soldier, Rurik, eventually just accepted his fate of being permanently bald, deciding that it was better than being utterly destroyed by Adriel. Everyone shared his sentiment.

Tigre just wished Adriel would take things more seriously. He didn't mind his presence, but Adriel would often put him on the spot—on purpose.

And yet, despite everything, Tigre was surprised by how easy it was to talk to the Guardian—at least, when he wasn't causing havoc around the castle. He silently thanked the gods that Adriel wasn't a pervert, considering the questionable amount of self-restraint he had in every other aspect of life.

At one point, Tigre even asked him about his complete lack of reservation, and, once again, the Guardian's answer made no sense.

"Cyberpunk and its strip clubs ruined me."

Tigre blinked.

With no better explanation, he just assumed that Adriel frequented red-light districts and had fallen into bad company.

But that wasn't to say Tigre had never seen Adriel serious—though it happened very rarely.

In those fleeting moments, it felt like Adriel was deliberately making himself look stupid, a tactic to bait enemies into underestimating him. A kind of comical taunting—to either anger them or lower their guard.

Whichever it was, Tigre thought, he's too good at it.

He never would have noticed had Adriel not straight-up told him.

And, strangely enough, Tigre still didn't understand why Adriel was so open with him. He didn't immediately reveal his secrets, of course, but somehow, he always knew exactly when to tell Tigre something—as if reading his mind.

Or maybe... he just knew what kind of person Tigre was.

That was yet another unsettling thing.

Adriel just knew things. Things no one should know.

And the worst part?

No one could read him.

He was too good of an actor.

Tigre even recalled Elen's words from before:

"He's not wrong, though. I haven't forgotten your introduction—or lack thereof. You move like a seasoned warrior, think ahead like a strategist, and even my best soldiers can't decide whether to be impressed or wary of you."

That single sentence sent a shiver down Tigre's back.

"It's as if he's a master manipulator... and a combat genius," he thought.

What kind of experience had Adriel gone through to reach that level?

From the very first day, everyone knew he wasn't human.