CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 133 – “A DAY WITHOUT ALARMS”

The morning light peeked gently through the curtains of the countryside home, brushing against the soft white sheets of the bedroom. Outside, the wind rustled through the tall cornfields and distant mountains, whispering the promise of peace. The world, for the first time in months, felt quiet.

Ren lay in bed, propped up with pillows, bandages still wrapped over his chest. The neural burn from the Arc Reactor’s overheat hadn’t fully healed—but he was alive. Breathing. Present. Aoi sat beside him, brushing his hair back as he dozed, her eyes tired but filled with warmth.

"I can’t believe you survived all that," she whispered, placing a soft kiss on his temple. "Idiot."

He smiled faintly without opening his eyes. "You told me not to leave you alone, didn’t you?"

Aoi sighed and leaned into him. For a long moment, there were no words—just the rhythm of his breathing and her heartbeat syncing in calm relief.

Downstairs, tiny footsteps echoed. Hikari’s voice rang through the hallway.

"Papa! Mama! Are you awake? I picked flowers for breakfast!"

Aoi chuckled and stood up, careful not to wake Ren completely. "Coming, Hikari!"

Later that morning, the family sat around the breakfast table. Hikari climbed into Ren’s lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Papa, can you play with me today?"

Ren winced slightly but smiled. "How about we play a quiet game? You tell me a story, and I’ll listen."

"I’m gonna tell the story of how you saved the world again," she declared proudly, twirling a flower in her fingers.

Aoi looked out the window, her hand resting gently on her belly. She hadn’t told Ren yet—hadn’t found the right moment. But she knew. She could feel it again... that unmistakable flutter of new life.

She would wait a few more days, let him rest more. Then she’d tell him that their family was about to grow.

That afternoon, Ren slowly made his way to the porch. His steps were unsure, but the sunlight on his skin felt like a miracle. In the distance, the barn workshop stood untouched, silent after so many years of frantic creation.

Lucia’s voice echoed faintly in his ear from a low-power mode.

"Sir, all defense systems are now on permanent sleep-cycle unless manually activated. Your recovery is the system’s current top priority."

"Good," Ren whispered. "No more war. Just peace."

He turned to see Aoi placing a blanket on the grass nearby, Hikari running in circles with a butterfly net. Aoi caught his gaze and smiled.

"Come sit with us, old man," she teased.

He chuckled, feeling every ache in his bones. But he walked to her, sat on the blanket, and leaned against her side.

And for the first time in what felt like an eternity... there were no alarms. No shadows. No countdowns. Just sunshine, a laughing daughter, and the woman he loved more than life itself.