Outcome

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.

-Story Start-

Satoru's gaze shifted from the unconscious form of Rudeus to the large, stunned crowd.

The nonchalant expression on his face transitioned to a more easygoing one as he took in their reactions.

Emotions are extremely infectious, even more so when people are crowded.

It was easy to see how the shock, awe, confusion, and more importantly, fear quickly took hold of the crowd.

Some individuals, however, felt angry at this outcome.

A tense atmosphere enveloped the whole courtyard.

Breaking the tense atmosphere, Satoru's voice rang out, dripping with mockery as he pointed at Rudeus's broken expression, "Not a fan of the new look, are we?"

It was then, that a swift slice of wind flew in his direction, drawing the attention of everyone.

Expectedly, the slice was ineffective, as Satoru turned to the perpetrator, his ocean-blue eyes glimmered with curiosity and amusement.

A snarling elf stormed towards Satoru, eyes blazing with fury.

"Fitz!" Luke yelled out at the enraged figure of Fitz as he ran and held him back.

"LET ME GO! HE HURT RUDY-"

"Yeah, let her go~!" Satoru taunted, his voice dripping with amusement.

"Fitz. Calm down." A melodic, feminine, authoritative, and calm voice chastised the furious elf.

The source of the voice, a person that Fitz loves and respects deeply appeared by her and Luke's side, who was still holding the former back.

"Lady Ariel..." Fitz whispered.

She smiled lightly as she turned to Rudeus's unconscious figure, which was currently held by Zanoba and the Academy's Nurse.

"You're better than the Academy's healers. Isn't there something more important you should be doing?" she suggested gently.

Fitz's eyes widened in realization before he took a deep, steadying breath.

"Damn it..." Fitz muttered, chastising himself for letting his rage cloud his judgment.

Quickly, his body carried him toward Rudeus's unconscious figure.

"Mister Fitz." The nurse acknowledged.

"This needs Advanced Healing Magic. There are broken bones... I can't fix this with Intermediate spells, but I can ease the pain," the nurse said, shaking her head solemnly.

Fitz nodded his head as he lowered himself, placing a hand on Rudeus's face, "Let me take care of it."

Without a chant, he cast Advanced Healing Magic.

Rudeus's broken and bloodied face began to mend in real-time, a soft green glow enveloping him as flesh and bone knitted back together.

From afar, Satoru hummed impressed, 'That's even better than Ave back in the Holy Land Of Swords.'

His eyes then turned to the approaching blonde figure, Ariel.

With Ariel's seemingly fearless approach and the ensuing healing of Rudeus, the crowd began to regain their bearings.

New arrivals still came and joined the crowd, curious about the source of the commotion.

A couple of them were intimately familiar with the lost party of the duel:

"Rudeus?!" Cliff's voice roared out in surprise as he pushed himself through the crowd and ran towards Fitz, Zanoba, The Nurse, and the unconscious Rudeus.

As Cliff rushed frantically towards Rudeus, two Beast Race Princesses exchanged hesitant glances before cautiously approaching.

Whispering among themselves, confused at the outcome and situation of this whole ordeal.

Specifically regarding the newly established hierarchy and pecking order:

"So... is Gojo the new boss, nya?" Linia asked, glancing at her fellow princess as they approached Rudeus.

Contemplating it for a moment, Pursena shook her head, "No, nano. Boss is still our boss. But now, Gojo is the boss of the boss."

As that was going on, Ariel arrived before Satoru.

And the crowd was watching with a mix of intrigue and apprehension.

Would this end in another beating, or was this a verbal showdown between the two notable individuals?

Worry crossed the Ariel Loving Crowd.

...

Satoru's face contorted as if he had bitten into a lemon, puzzling Ariel.

'What's with that reaction? No, never mind.' She shook her head.

Although outwardly calm and collected.

Ariel maintained a mask of professional calm, concealing her internal fear and anxiety as she faced Satoru.

Intent on exercising her role as Student Council President.

'I can not have him as my enemy... But.' Ariel doubted, yet resolved herself nonetheless.

With all the information she has gathered regarding Gojo Satoru's whimsical and unpredictable nature.

She's confident he has a modicum of reason and morals.

The evidence was the rumored slaves he had saved on his way here.

Yet...

'Not even a day in school and he brutalized Rudeus... Poor Sylphy. I...'

Doubt crept into Ariel, as she tried to process just WHY, Gojo Satoru decided to enact such a thing.

Is it his battle craze?

What was it?

...

'For starters, that's a good place to start.' Ariel nodded to herself.

"Gojo Satoru, what is the meaning of this?" she began, her voice gentle, struggling to keep her nervousness in check.

At her probing, Satoru's eyes locked onto hers, a thin smirk playing on his lips, "He was being pathetic and self-centered, so I decided to beat it out of him."

He turned to Rudeus's unconscious figure, as his eyes narrowed, "Hopefully beat it out of him."

After answering her, he tilted his head at the reflective expression of Ariel, "But more importantly, what's it to you?" Satoru's question was blunt and devoid of any subtlety.

None of his usual easygoing humor nor nature was present.

Ariel noted this once more, confirming what her information suggested, 'Is he cold to me because of my status? I have to be careful with how I answer.'

Offering a smile, Ariel shook her head, "I see... Well, I am the Student Council President. A commotion such as this warrants my attention and care. Especially when a whole courtyard is demolished and a student is heavily wounded."

Snorting, a smile took hold of Satoru's face once more, "Heavily wounded? I was going reallllll easy on the guy." His voice drawled out.

"He deserved much more. And look, he got a facial makeover out of it~! If anything, I should be wholeheartedly thanked. Pfft." Finding the whole situation funny, Satoru chuckled at Ariel's serious reaction.

Taking a deep breath, her eyes narrowed, "I see... You have a personal history with Rudeus and whatever that was, you engaged in a duel with him. Is that it?"

Humming Satoru made a so-so gesture with his hand, "More or less, but that's for me to know and for you to keep guessing princess~! Now, leave me alone." He waved her off as he turned towards the crowd, specifically locking his eyes on the silent and still figure of Nanahoshi.

Who hadn't moved an inch?

Slowly making his way towards her, the crowd noticed Satoru's approach as they moved away to not... End up on the chopping block, or so they assume.

Upon reaching Nanahoshi's side, Satoru turned to Ariel, his voice dismissive, "Oh, and I'll split the bill with that guy for the destroyed courtyard. Or just tell Baldy to handle it."

At Satoru's dismissal yet compliance to repay the damage, Ariel blinked once.

'He's... It's hard to grasp him.' Ariel shook her head.

Poking Nanahoshi's mask, Satoru asked teasingly, "What? You crying~?"

Fully aware of how deeply Nanahoshi valued Rudeus's help for both her and his cause.

Her emphasis on Rudeus's importance was as serious and real as can be.

And Satoru took that at face value.

His move... Risked losing that help completely.

Delaying their return by years or perhaps refusing their return entirely.

Satoru is by no means stupid, and by no means incapable of cold logic.

But...

He is ultimately selfish.

And he knows it.

It is because of that, that he had allowed her this monetary respite...

The sharp crack of a slap echoed through the courtyard, eyes widening in shock as Nanahoshi's hand connected with Satoru's right cheek.

Nanahoshi's voice came out hollow, as her helplessness grew stronger than her rage, "...Will you apologize to him?"

Satoru smiled as he shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of finality, "No can do."

Grunting, Nanahoshi muttered, "Mhm... Let's go." She tugged at his sleeve.

Ariel's eyes narrowed at the figures of Nanahoshi and Satoru side by side, 'They're connected? That mysterious Silent?'

At that small nuance, the enigma that is Satoru only widened and grew further complicated with the presumed connection between him and the notable figure of Silent.

So, without much care for the lingering and burning gazes on their backs, Nanahoshi and Satoru slowly walked back into the Research Building.

Leaving the stupefied crowd to dwell on the situation.

Slowly, they too, began to disperse.

With the exception of those who care about Rudeus.

At his expression being healed, Zanoba lifted Rudeus's figure, nodding thankfully at Fitz, "Thank you for the assistance. I shall carry him over to the infirmary. Are there proper accommodations for Shishou?" He turned to the nurse.

She nodded, to which Zanoba pressed forward, heading towards the infirmary.

Joining him were Cliff, Linia, Pursena, and Fitz.

While Ariel and Luke left to get the Principal, to inform him of the...

Property Damage.

...Cause student collisions are not his responsibility, but Ariel's.

Truly, an immaculate school system.

--------------------------

It was a familiar feeling, one that Rudeus rarely comes by.

Especially when it's never his choice to partake in it.

But when he does, he always feels...

Sickened to his stomach.

A familiar, white, cloudy, and empty void as far as the eye could see.

The dreamlike feeling and sensation that this is not quite reality.

But the sickening of Rudeus's whole being came from two sources in this dreamlike Void World.

The first - His body, wasn't the one from this world, the built, handsome, young Rudeus Greyrat.

No, this was the fat, old, filthy, and pathetic state of his previous life, of "________".

Each reminder of his miserable previous life disgusted Rudeus to his very core.

His emotions are in disarray and anger prevalent when done so.

Two individuals brought it up to his face, causing this emotional turmoil

The newest addition - Gojo Satoru, made Rudeus lose his cool.

He reminded him of the first individual who brought up the sad prior reality and shoved it in Rudeus's face.

The first is the second reason why he was sickened to his core...

A Being?

A Man?

A Creature?

A Thing?

In front of him, the one who induced this dreamlike state and brought him back to his previous pathetic sluggish body.

The shape of a man, and his whole body - White like the void he resides in.

His face is a blank white grin.

He has a name:

Hitogami.

"Now that's just rude~! Is this the thanks I get for helping you fix your problem?" Hitogami shook his head as he read Rudeus's thoughts and saw his sour and annoyed expression.

Rudeus rose up, glaring at Hitogami as he sighed, "It's been what... A year? You always come to me when I'm at my worst. But, the problem hasn't been fixed yet." Rudeus grits his teeth.

Shaking his head, Hitogami teasingly replied, "Oh, don't be that way! It's within arm's reach, hell I'd say it's more or less confirmed. Just go get her!" He cheered.

Rudeus sat down, snorting, "So? What'd you call me here for? Did you pull me here to laugh at my ass getting kicked by that bastard?"

Hitogami chuckled, as he paced around the void, "Yeah, that was pretty funny. Deserved too."

Rudeus glared, "Oi..."

Coughing attention to himself, Hitogami lowered himself to eye level with Rudeus, ignoring the offended glare, "So! I called to offer some advice. Would you like to hear it?"

Rudeus frowned, 'Advice... Again. It's hard to trust this bastard, but he's helped me thus far... I can at least hear out what he's trying to say.'

Hitogami smiled, nodding and gaining a formal tone, "Rudeus! Listen well! In the future, you and your family will face great peril."

Rudeus's expression hardened, and his eyes widened in worry and anxiety.

At that, rage took hold of his whole being, "Peril?! You told me I'd regret going to the Begaritt Continent! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'D BE IN DANGER?!"

'Shit. Shit. Shit. Paul. Aisha. Lilia. Norn. Zenith. Roxy-sensei.' He grew panicked as the images and possibilities flashed rapidly in his mind.

"Calm down, I still stand by that. If you head there right now, you'll deeply regret it." Hitogami's voice cut through Rudeus's panic.

Glaring bloody murder at Hitogami at the looming threat over him and his family, he asked, "THEN TELL ME! WHERE?! WHAT HAPPENS!?"

Hitogami turned, shaking his head helplessly, "My lips are sealed."

Once again, Rudeus ground his teeth, 'Like always... This ambiguous prick...'

'They are a strong team. With Roxy-sensei, I can't see anything going wrong. Is this... The far-off future? Damn, this bastard... He's not telling me anything.'

Taking a deep breath, Rudeus voiced out quietly, "What do I have to do?"

A smile grew on Hitogami's face, as he provided his advice, "It's fairly simple. To avoid this future, get on amiable terms with Gojo Satoru. Or else, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

To Be Continued!

-Author Note Start-

Hello hello, people!

The next chapter is set to arrive tomorrow!

I've had some time to write, so I wanted to push this out and get to writing the next one when I'm back from my stuff.

Now!

The Pecking Order has been established (Lol) in a rather sudden and abrupt fashion.

You can probably guess the treatment Gojo is going to get in the academy for the near future.

Nanahoshi is losing her mind. (Again).

And Hitogami's back! (He was always present but yeah.)

Now, Hitogami has a very specific strategy in mind thanks to Future Sight and all.

But you can be certain that Gojo has thrown a literal curveball into Hitogami's whole shtick.

You'll have to see what he's got in his mind in the far future. (XDDDDDDDDDDDDDD)

As for Rudeus's reaction to Hitogami's advice and his contemplations, and his conclusion regarding Satoru's "Kind and Gentle" lecture, will be seen in the next chapter.

I do my best that those developments don't happen instantly, cause that isn't very "Human".

So you'll have to see how Rudeus works through his troubles.

But Hitogami's influence may or may not influence how that goes.

Cya next chappie people!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Also quick question for the Mushoku Experts (Spoiler alert!)

I haven't read the novel in a while - But does anyone remember where Kalman 3 was before the Decisive Battle thingy?

Spreading his name around to be a Hero or something?

I'm a little grey on that part and I don't want to miss important characters/individuals/encounters on Gojo's journey.

Now I could use the special Fanfic Author move of "Adjust Content because I'm not 100% accurate with Canon Knowledge", but that seems a lil cheap.

Maybe divergence with canon would make that technique work but we'll see.