Being A Law God In Marvel!

"Hm?" The woman looked puzzled. What was so interesting about this place?

"!?"

Ryuji glanced at Diana, and his thoughts wandered to Victor. He probably went off to find a girl, as usual. During the Vietnam War, Victor had killed an officer in a fit of rage for getting in his way while looting. As a result, he was gunned down for hours, surviving only because of his incredible healing factor.

Ryuji couldn't help but scoff. What a waste of ammunition. Judging by Logan's lack of reaction, it was clear Victor went willingly.

"Is this leg of lamb any good?"

Ryuji didn't want to dwell on the subject. Every time he did, his mind wandered to memories he didn't care to revisit. Best to change the topic.

"It's poorly cooked, and the smell is strong," Logan replied, munching into the lamb with no hesitation.

"Then why are you still eating it?"

"Because it's the townsfolk's way of showing gratitude. Not eating it would feel disrespectful," Logan said between bites.

"Do you realize this might be the only sheep left in the town?"

After the German occupation, there was almost nothing left. The livestock—sheep, chickens, and pigs—were slaughtered. The townsfolk survived on scraps: potatoes, carrots, and coarse bread. Even milk was a luxury, as the cows had been butchered for meat. This sheep, the last one producing milk, had been sacrificed to express their thanks.

There were only a few horses left, spared solely because they were needed for transport. Otherwise, they too would've ended up on a plate.

Ryuji had seen the looks in the townsfolk's eyes. They were starving, watching Logan and Victor devour the lamb, and yet they couldn't begrudge them.

"You knew this, and you still ate it?"

Logan shrugged. "What else was I supposed to do? The mayor insisted. The town has nothing left after the Germans looted everything. I couldn't exactly ask them to kill a horse."

Ryuji sighed. "Maybe you're right."

"This is the difference between Western and Eastern values. You Easterners are full of pretentious humility," Logan said bluntly.

Ryuji smirked. "Have you ever been to the East? It's not pretentious, it's called being polite."

"No, but I've met plenty of Easterners."

"Westerners can be just as hypocritical, if not worse," Ryuji countered.

Logan paused, then nodded. "You've got a point. Take the U.S., for example—Washington, D.C. is dirtier than a slum. The mob controls cities like Philadelphia, and even the police and military are under their thumb. It's exhausting living in a society where everyone wears a mask of hypocrisy."

Diana frowned. "That sounds like hell."

"Hell might be better," Logan replied with a bitter laugh.

Ryuji, watching Logan gnaw the last of the lamb, decided to pivot. "You're a century-old relic. Why don't you share some survival tips with Diana?"

Diana's eyes lit up with curiosity.

After leaving Themyscira, she felt lost. She knew she'd have to stay in the human world after the war ended and had no experience navigating it.

Logan glanced at Diana, then at Ryuji, smirking. "If you're the long-lived type, move every 10 to 20 years. People will start noticing if you never age."

Ryuji nodded. He'd learned that lesson the hard way. Changing locations wasn't difficult, especially in a time before the internet, when identities were easy to forge.

"Also, stick with others like you. Minimize how much time you spend with humans. And when you do, don't get too close. Always keep a little distance."

"Why?" Diana asked, frowning.

"There's a saying—'The minds of those who are not like us will always be different,'" Ryuji explained.

Logan nodded. "Humans have a long history of fearing and hunting anyone they see as 'different.' Always protect yourself first, even if it means hiding who you are."

Ryuji added, "It's like 'The Farmer and the Snake.'"

"The what?" Diana looked confused.

"It's a story from Aesop's Fables," Ryuji explained. "A farmer saves a frozen snake, but the snake bites him in the end. It's a lesson about trusting the wrong people."

Diana frowned deeply. "That's horrible."

"It's reality," Ryuji said softly. "Humans are a mix of good and bad. You can never fully trust anyone, so always leave yourself an out."

Logan chimed in with one last warning. "And if you're looking for a partner, find someone like you. Never get involved with an ordinary human. Trust me, it doesn't end well. I once loved a woman. We were together for 20 years, but while she grew older, I stayed the same. Eventually, she betrayed me for money and exposed me to others. Let's just say it didn't end well."

Diana's eyes widened. "They tried to hunt you down?"

Logan pointed to his shoulder. "Shotgun blast. She sold me out, and I've carried that memory ever since. Not that it left a scar—my healing factor doesn't allow it."

Ryuji patted Logan on the shoulder, understanding the pain of losing trust in someone you once loved.

"She did it because we were broke," Logan said, his voice laced with bitterness. "Even after all these years, it still stings."

Diana couldn't imagine living with someone for 20 years, only to be betrayed so cruelly.

Logan stood up, forcing a grin. "Anyway, I'm calling it a night. You two have fun."

As he walked away, he gave Ryuji a subtle smirk and a thumbs-up.

Ryuji could only sigh. Logan had definitely noticed the tension.

Sure enough, experience always wins.

###

End Note:

Oh my, you're just one chapter away from the spicy moment where Wonder Woman makes her move on Ryuji 😏. Aren't you curious about what happens next?

If patience isn't your strong suit (and let's be honest, who can blame you?), you can always head over to Patreon at patreon.com/TLLina to read ahead and catch all the juicy moments! Don't keep Ryuji waiting... or her, for that matter.