The gang was struck silent by the revelation: a pigtailed girl with startling blue eyes was the attacker? It couldn't possibly be...
"Is that true? Did a blue-eyed girl with pigtails really attack you?" Linn asked, his voice barely a whisper, not daring to believe his own ears.
"Yes," the man confirmed with a definite nod. "I couldn't possibly mistake someone who looks like that."
Tomo watched Linn intently. His Master was trembling slightly, his expression a complex mix of relief and confusion.
"Master," Tomo began hesitantly, "You don't think it's..."
"It has to be her!" Linn exclaimed, his voice cracking with emotion. "But why would she do such a thing?"
Just as the gang was grappling with this shocking development, a new voice cut through the air. They turned to see a multitude of men approaching, their figures imposing in gleaming silver armor, each breastplate bearing the proud sigil of a blazing sun.
"What seems to be the trouble here?" one of the men boomed. He appeared to be the commanding officer, his authority marked by a thick, well-groomed mustache.
"Nothing at all, sir," the villager replied politely, though a flicker of barely concealed disdain crossed his features. "We were merely speaking with these travelers here." He gestured pointedly toward the gang.
"I see," the empire man said, his gaze sweeping over the group. "And why are you conversing with these people when your mission is to round them up?" The gang exchanged surprised glances at the unexpected command, while the villager and the other villagers looked utterly bewildered.
"What do you mean, sir?" the villager asked, his confusion genuine.
"What do you mean? What do I mean?" the officer repeated, his tone laced with impatience. "Did you forget your standing orders and the reason you were sent back to this village?" The villagers continued to stare in utter confusion. Another empire soldier walked up to the mustached officer and murmured something in his ear.
"Sir, it appears the brainwashing of these specific villagers seems to have worn off."
"I see," the mustached man said, "In that case, we must escort them back to the facility immediately and subject them to the procedure again." The officer snapped his fingers sharply. The gang watched in horrified shock as the armored guards moved swiftly, closing in on the defenseless villagers, grabbing them one by one with brutal efficiency.
"Hey, what do you think you are doing?" Linn yelled, his voice laced with indignation.
"None of your business, boy. Now run along," the superior officer said dismissively. The superior officer reached for the middle-aged man, but Linn quickly stepped in front of him, planting his feet firmly on the dirt road.
"What do you think you are doing, child?" the superior officer glared down at Linn, his expression a mixture of annoyance and contempt.
"I'm not going to let you take these people," Linn retorted, his chin raised in defiance.
The superior officer's glare intensified, his eyes narrowing. "Who do you think you are, interfering in the Empire's business?"
"I am Linn Tsukiyomi, the hero," Linn stated with conviction, his voice ringing with a nascent sense of destiny.
"Linn Tsukiyomi?" The mustached soldier placed a hand on his chin, a wrinkle of thought appearing on his brow. 'Why does that sound familiar?'
"Sir," one of the soldiers called out, his tone a mix of excitement and apprehension, "I believe that is Linn Tsukiyomi from the wanted poster." The soldier quickly pulled out a creased, official-looking document and showed it to the superior officer. The superior officer scanned the crude illustration on the poster, then looked back at Linn, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face.
"Well, this is a treat," the superior officer purred. "I didn't think we would run into the wanted criminal, Linn Tsukiyomi. It looks like we don't need to search for you. You're coming with us, boy." The superior officer smoothly drew a polished steel sword from its scabbard.
"Over my dead body," Linn challenged, his young face set with fierce determination.
"That certainly can be arranged." The superior officer lunged, the blade flashing as he slashed down at Linn. Linn instinctively ducked beneath the arc of the weapon and, in a sudden burst of speed, delivered a sharp, unexpected uppercut to the officer's jaw, a move that stunned every witness into silence. The superior officer stumbled backward, then landed hard on the ground, clutching his jaw and groaning in pain. He slowly climbed to his feet, his eyes burning with fury as he glared at the 'hero wannabe.'
"You would dare strike a member of the Empire?! Do you have a death wish?!" the superior soldier roared, his voice thick with indignation and a threat of severe retribution. Linn held his ground, his body coiled in a disciplined fighting stance.
"Empire or not," Linn declared, his voice firm and unwavering, "I'm not going to stand by and let people do bad things to innocent people. I'm a hero!" He was visibly poised, ready for the inevitable confrontation.
"Linn!" Yuzu gasped, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and panic. Tomo and Daisuke exchanged knowing glances, nodding in silent approval of Linn's defiant stand.
"You fool! You'll pay for your insolence! Seize him!" the superior officer bellowed, his face contorted in a furious snarl as he pointed a commanding finger. The Empire men immediately responded, moving in a tight, menacing circle to surround Linn, who braced himself for the onslaught. Without hesitation, Tomodachi and Daisuke positioned themselves resolutely on either side of Linn.
"Tomo-chan, Daisuke-san, nooooo!" Yuzu shrieked dramatically, throwing her hands up in an exaggerated gesture of despair, her eyes comically wide and blank.
"Are you sure about this, guys?" Linn asked, his gaze flicking to his companions.
"Of course. You're my master; I don't take orders from anyone but you," Tomo affirmed with a cheerful, loyal smile.
"Same here," Daisuke added, his expression hardening with resolve. "It's like I said before, someone needs to take it to these Empire jerks and knock them down a peg."
"Thanks, guys," Linn said, offering a tight, grateful nod. The two boys returned the gesture, their expressions grim but resolute. The trio stood shoulder to shoulder, a defiant line of defense, as the menacing Empire men began to close in from all sides. Meanwhile, Yuzu was a tempest of panic, her mind racing, desperately trying to conjure a solution, a sliver of an escape from the tightening noose of the situation. It was in this moment of Yuzu's distraction that Nana, the young, opportunistic witchling, seized her chance. With the swiftness of a striking snake, she snatched her spell book from the young mother hen's grasp. Yuzu gasped, her eyes wide with shock and dismay, as Nana bolted away. The witchling flipped open the ancient book and began to chant a spell in a low, urgent tone.
"Portal!" Nana shrieked, the word vibrating with raw power as a swirling, iridescent circle of vibrant pink and deep purple materialized in the air before her.
"Nana-chan, you get back here right now!" Yuzu screamed, her voice laced with desperation and urgency.
Nana paused, turning back toward Yuzu with a sickeningly smug, triumphant grin plastered across her face. "Hah! You're crazy if you think I'm sticking around here for your mess. You may have gotten the better of me this time, Yuzu Katagiri, but next time we meet, I'll show no mercy! Mark my words!" With a final, taunting laugh, Nana vaulted backward into the swirling vortex. The portal shimmered, then vanished, and the troublesome witchling was gone without a trace. Yuzu's shoulders slumped, the air deflating from her lungs as a wave of defeat washed over her. Distraught, she realized she had just let the one vital clue she had to Luna's whereabouts slip irrevocably through her fingers.
A heavyset, stern-faced Empire man, clad in polished armor, strode purposefully toward the defeated young woman.
"You there, child!" the man barked, his voice rough and accusatory.
"Oh, um, yes?" Yuzu squeaked out, her voice thin and reedy with sudden fear.
"Are you with those men?" the man demanded, his armored hand gesturing sharply toward the gang of boys locked in a standoff.
"Well, yes, but..." Yuzu started to explain, trying to salvage the situation.
"Then that makes you an enemy of the empire as well," the man declared, his declaration cold and final. He immediately dropped into a practiced, aggressive fighting stance, his eyes narrowed in hostile anticipation.
"Wait, please! Stop!" Yuzu pleaded, her hands outstretched in a desperate gesture of surrender. "This was just a misunderstanding, I swear!"
"I don't want to hear your excuses, boy. Now, have at you!" the man roared, taking a menacing step forward.
Yuzu froze absolutely still, a terrifying calm settling over her. Her right eye began to twitch almost imperceptibly. A prominent, visible vein throbbed on her forehead, and a palpable, dark, oppressive aura began to envelop her slender frame. She was already incandescent with annoyance and self-reproach for allowing Nana to escape, and now this arrogant man had come along and, worse yet, misgendered her in front of everyone.
"Boy...?" Yuzu uttered, the single word dripping with a lethal, suppressed rage that made the air itself feel heavy. Her voice was low, slow, and utterly menacing as she slowly, deliberately, and with terrifying intent, pulled the stout, metal ladle from where it was tucked into her hoodie.
The empire soldiers charged at the boys, a wave of steel and fury. One of the men swung his sword in a wide, vicious arc at Linn's head, but Linn dipped his body low, the blade whistling past his ear, and delivered a swift, powerful roundhouse kick to the man's temple, sending him crumpling unconscious to the unforgiving concrete. Another soldier lunged forward, throwing a quick jab toward Linn's ribs. Linn expertly parried the blow, his arm deflecting the punch, and immediately countered with a sharp, concussive punch of his own, dropping the second man instantly. A particularly pudgy man, roaring with effort, attempted a desperate tackle. Linn, with graceful precision, dropped his weight and executed a perfect toe hold. The portly man hit the hard concrete floor with a sickening thud, the air whooshing from his lungs, knocking him completely out.
Meanwhile, a soldier tried to sneak a punch past Tomo's guard. The dog-human hybrid dodged the blow with animalistic speed, a blur of motion, and lashed out with sharp, preternatural claws, raking the man across the face and rendering him senseless. Another man attempted a low kick, but Tomo reacted by clamping his jaws down hard on the man's shin. A shrill, agonizing scream tore from the man's throat, echoing in the street, until the pain became too much, and he eventually passed out. Tomo effortlessly lifted the unconscious man's body and hurled it aside like a rag doll.
Two more empire men approached Daisuke cautiously, flanking the massive figure, their eyes darting as they tried to formulate a plan to subdue the giant. Daisuke, for his part, stood utterly nonchalant, looking almost bored. Suddenly, a sneaky soldier materialized behind him, lunging with a dagger aimed at his back. Daisuke reacted with lightning-fast speed for a man his size, his enormous hand shooting back in a casual but devastating backhand. The soldier was launched several feet, colliding with the ground, instantly knocked out. The two remaining men made a coordinated leap onto Daisuke's back and shoulders, attempting to use sheer weight to restrain the giant. With a simple, almost contemptuous shrug, Daisuke dislodged them both. He then reached down, his hands like vises, picking up the two stunned men by their collars. He brought their heads together with a sickening crunch, smashing them like cymbals, before tossing their unconscious bodies aside as if they were nothing more than last night's forgotten leftovers. A truly enormous man, nearly Daisuke's equal in size, charged forward, attempting a brutal shoulder tackle. It was a grave mistake. Daisuke merely shifted his stance, moving inches out of the way. The charging man, unable to stop, slammed full force into the empty air, losing his balance and falling heavily to the ground. Daisuke then calmly stepped over him and delivered a single, crushing punch to the large man's face, silencing him immediately.
In a matter of moments, the entire contingent of the empire's men had been soundly and humiliatingly defeated, leaving their superior officer to fume in impotent rage.
"Damn it all!" the superior officer thundered, his face a mask of scarlet rage. "How could this be?! We are the mighty Empire! How can mere children best us?!"
One of the Empire men, sweating and visibly shaking, scurried up to the superior officer.
"Sir," the man stammered, his eyes darting nervously, "I think we should retreat!"
The superior officer gaped at him, his mouth hanging open in incredulous disbelief.
"You would turn tail and run like a whipped dog? Are you out of your mind?!"
"Sir, this is the same boy who single-handedly defeated Guard Captain Domon! What possible chance do we have against such a force?" The man pleaded with his commanding officer, his voice cracking with fear.
The commanding officer grunted, his fury battling with a creeping sense of dread. "Still, to retreat..."
"It's okay, sir. We still have 'her'," the soldier reminded him, a sly glint in his eye. The entire group of remaining Empire men looked up sharply at the mention of the formidable name.
The commanding officer's eyes widened in sudden realization, then a slow, cruel smirk spread across his lips. "That's right! She will easily take out these arrogant fools. Men, we are leaving. Get ready for a strategic withdrawal." The rest of the Empire men snapped off crisp salutes, then quickly scooped up their defeated comrades and fled the village with desperate haste.
"Hey, wait!" Linn shouted, his voice laced with confusion and urgency. "Who is that blue-eyed, pig-tailed girl you were talking about?!"
Linn got no response, only the sound of pounding footsteps fading into the distance, as the Empire men had already fled the scene.
"Darn it!" Linn roared, frustration boiling over as he slammed his fists into the hard, dusty ground. Tomo and Daisuke approached Linn, their expressions sympathetic.
"It's okay, Master," Tomo said gently, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "In the meantime, we saved the villagers from the Empire."
Linn managed a small, sad smile. "Yeah, you're right," Linn admitted, getting up and dusting the grime from his clothes. "Thanks for helping me, guys."
"Of course," Tomo smiled warmly as Daisuke nodded in agreement. Linn returned their smile before his eyes scanned the surrounding area, a thoughtful, serious expression settling on his face.
"Hey, where's Yuzu?" Linn asked, his eyes scanning the area for their usual 'mother hen.' Daisuke chuckled, a soft, knowing sound, and gently patted Linn's shoulder. Linn looked up, following the direction of Daisuke's pointing finger, an amused glint in the older boy's eyes. Linn and Tomo turned, and a shared gasp escaped them, their expressions frozen in perfect, bewildered synchronization as they took in the utterly surreal scene.
There was Yuzu, her trusted ladle clutched firmly in her hand, with one of the large, grim-faced empire men—the very one who had been so quick to accuse her earlier—splayed ignominiously across her lap. The man's pants were indeed down, revealing a stretch of pale, bare backside, and he was letting out a series of high-pitched, comical wails. Yuzu, with fierce, rhythmic precision, was repeatedly swatting his exposed bottom with the flat of the metal ladle.
"THIS! IS! FOR! CALLING! ME! A! BOY! AND THIS! IS! FOR! JOINING! AN! EVIL! ORGANIZATION! AND THIS! IS! FOR! NOT! CALLING! YOUR! MOTHER!" Yuzu punctuated each swing with a sharp, echoing thwack and a shouted reason. Linn and Tomo watched, a mix of sheer terror and utter disbelief painting their features. Finally, Yuzu stopped, her chest heaving slightly from the exertion, and roughly pushed the man off her lap. He scrambled up, a look of pure, comedic panic on his face, clutching his stinging, red backside as he bolted away with an undignified, bow-legged run.
Yuzu huffed, a final plume of air escaping her lips, then turned her innocent gaze to the two boys who were still gaping at her in stunned silence.
"What?" Yuzu tilted her head, her expression utterly guileless.
'Scary…' the boys collectively thought.
The middle-aged man approached the group, a complex mixture of relief and fear etched onto his face.
"Thank you for your assistance, young ones," the middle-aged man said, his voice slightly strained. "But, I must ask, was it wise to defy and attack members of the empire's guard?"
"You're very welcome," Linn replied with a firm nod. "Maybe not, but I wasn't going to stand by and allow them to bully innocent people, regardless of their status."
A genuine smile broke through the man's worry. "In any case, we are deeply in your debt. Is there any small way we might repay your bravery?"
"That's not necessary, sir," Linn said, his tone polite but decisive.
"Please, I insist. How about this: you and your companions stay at my daughter's inn, free of any charge, for as long as you need?"
The group exchanged glances, silently considering the generous offer. After a brief, murmured discussion, they all nodded in agreement.
"Okay," Linn accepted, a slight smile touching his lips. "We accept your offer." The middle-aged man, his shoulders visibly relaxing, then began to lead the group down the cobblestone street toward the promised sanctuary of the inn.
000
Oswald's Inn Room
The gang had commandeered a spacious, if somewhat dusty, inn room, now the makeshift headquarters for their urgent discussion.
"Okay," Tomo stated, his voice even. "We have a lot to discuss. Where should we start?"
"May I start?" Yuzu asked, a sugary-sweet, almost alarming smile plastered across her face.
The boys exchanged wary glances, slightly taken aback by the forced cheerfulness in her tone.
"Sure, go ahead, Yuzu," Linn said cautiously.
"Thank you!" Yuzu chirped, then took a dramatic, shuddering breath.
"WHAT HAVE WE DONE!?!?" Yuzu's shriek of pure panic reverberated through the room and likely the entire inn, forcing Linn, Tomo, and Daiuke to reflexively clamp their hands over their ears.
"We disobeyed and attacked the empire!" Yuzu wailed, her movements jerky as she paced a frantic path across the worn rug. "With our actions, we have infuriated the biggest, most powerful kingdom in all of Seren! What do we do?! The empire is absolutely going to come after us now!"
"We were already against the empire from the get-go," Tomo deadpanned, his expression unreadable.
"Wait," Yuzu said, cutting him off and pointedly ignoring the 'dog human'. "This might still be salvageable. Surely we can smooth things over if we just apologize."
"Would that actually work?" Linn raised a skeptical eyebrow, his arms crossed.
"Of course," Yuzu insisted, her strained smile wavering dangerously. "If we prostrate ourselves and offer a significant amount of gold, they might forgive us. Yes, that's the plan! We'll do that immediately, as long as they haven't issued..." Yuzu's desperate speech was abruptly cut short by a firm rap at the door. Linn moved quickly to open it, revealing the middle-aged man from earlier—his face etched with a mix of strain and pensive worry—holding something concealed, and standing beside him was a young woman with neat, medium-brown hair and a simple white dress.
"Mr. Oswald, is something wrong?" Linn asked, his brow furrowed with palpable concern.
"HOLD IT!'' Daisuke suddenly bellowed, his voice a surprising thunderclap that startled everyone present into silence.
"Daisuke? What's wrong?" Linn pressed, the concern on his face deepening.
Daisuke was utterly transfixed, his gaze locked lovingly onto the young woman with the rich brown hair. His eyes seemed to soften, practically morphing into hearts as he loudly blurted, "Who is this exquisite creature?"
Oswald and the young woman exchanged a thoroughly bewildered glance, while the rest of the gang collectively face-faulted with a groan of profound exasperation.
"This is my daughter, Mildred," Oswald managed to answer, still visibly taken aback by Daisuke's sudden, dramatic infatuation.
"Hello, my name is Mildred." She offered a polite, graceful bow. Daisuke instantly seized the opportunity, his large hands quickly enveloping both of hers.
"Mildred, a name as beautiful as the lady who bears it. You look like an angel sent directly from the heavens above. Why don't you and I slip away somewhere... private?" Daisuke wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, a grin stretching across his face. Mildred, however, merely tilted her head sweetly, her expression clouded with pure, innocent confusion.
In a flash, Yuzu had Daisuke by the ear, her grip firm and uncompromising. "Why don't you sit down right here and hush up?" the group's self-appointed 'mother hen' scolded flatly, unceremoniously dragging the enormous man back to his original seat.
Linn turned to Oswald, his attention snapping back to the matter at hand. "Anyway, Mr. Oswald, is there something you needed?"
"You guys... might want to see this." Oswald and Mildred stepped into the room, placing the items he carried onto the small table. The group leaned closer, their gazes dropping to four stark wanted posters featuring their own faces. Emblazoned across each were the chilling words "Dead or Alive," followed by daunting numerical figures of coins and prominent stars.
"Oh no, they did it!" Yuzu dramatically fainted, a trickle of foam escaping her mouth as Daisuke's expression darkened into a deep frown. In stark contrast, Linn and Tomo merely tilted their heads in confusion.
"What exactly did they do?" Linn inquired.
"They've placed a bounty on our heads," Daisuke answered, his voice tight.
"We can see that," Tomo deadpanned, his eyes still fixed on the posters. "It's only the logical thing to do after the spectacle we caused."
"This...is slightly different," Daisuke sighed, bringing out Linn's old wanted poster. "You see, when the Empire initially posts a wanted poster, it's merely a formality to warn the people that they must follow the Empire's rules lest they suffer a similar fate. Consequently, most people either surrender themselves or attempt to capture the wanted individual to curry favor with the Empire."
"That strategy can't possibly work on everyone," Tomo replied skeptically.
"No, of course not," Daisuke agreed. He then picked up Linn's newly issued wanted poster. "That's precisely where these come in." He laid Linn's old wanted poster and his new, bounty-bearing one side by side. "According to the Empire's protocols, if, for whatever reason, the initial wanted poster doesn't work, they issue these special posters. These are intended to force the people's cooperation while simultaneously offering a reward in the process."
''I see'' Linn said, his gaze fixed on the new bounty posters.
Tomodachi looked at the new bounties and couldn't help but notice something odd.
"What do those stars mean?" he asked, pointing to the symbols.
"The stars indicate the threat level to the empire and the difficulty of the target," Daisuke explained, his voice matter-of-fact.
Linn picked up the wanted poster and began to read the details out loud, starting with his beastkalin friend.
"Tomodachi: half star, 25 gold."
Tomodachi merely shrugged his shoulders, unfazed. Linn moved on to the giant's bounty.
"Daisuke Taihama: 1 star, 50 gold."
"Sounds about right," Daisuke said, not really caring about the paltry sum.
Linn then read his own bounty next.
"Linn Tsukiyomi: 1 star, 100 gold."
"That makes sense. You were already on their hit list," Daisuke observed.
"And they updated your poster," Tomo added, noticing the clearer picture of Linn. "Shame, I kinda liked the old one better."
Linn rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the "mother hen" of the group.
"Yuzu Katagari: 2 stars, 200 gold," Linn read out, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"WHAT?!" Yuzu shrieked, springing up from the floor. She snatched her wanted poster from Linn's grasp, and her eyes went wide, staring at her own image.
"WHY IS MY BOUNTY HIGHER THAN LINN'S?!" she demanded, her voice laced with outrage.
Daisuke chuckled, "I guess they see you as the bigger threat, little mama."
At this, Yuzu's body went numb, her eyes rolled white, and she collapsed dramatically to the ground, face down, with her butt sticking up in the air. She wailed, shedding cartoonish tears and comedic foam from her mouth. Linn and Tomo sweat-dropped at the little girl's over-the-top antics.
"In any case," Daisuke said, bringing them back to the serious matter, "the empire is actively distributing these posters for us."
"Which means..." Linn started, his expression grim.
Daisuke nodded. "They are actively coming for us, and anyone associated with the people on the wanted poster will be executed on the spot." Linn and Tomo gasped in alarm while Yuzu still lay there, comically foaming at the mouth.
"But that's not fair! Why are they dragging innocent people into this?!" Linn's voice was sharp with indignation, his fists clenching at his sides.
Daisuke gave a slow, indifferent shrug. "That's just how the Empire operates. They crush anyone in their way."
"And if that blue-eyed, pigtailed girl really is Kaila, then she's working for them," Tomo snarled, his gaze fixed on Linn.
Linn stared at him, his mouth agape in disbelief. "But that can't be!" he finally managed to shout. "Kaila would never work for people like that!"
"I don't know, Master," Tomo countered, his tone skeptical. "From what I know of Kaila, she seems to be the type that would do anything to achieve her goals."
"Yes," Linn reluctantly agreed, his brow furrowed in thought, "but she would never join an evil organization to do that! She has a strong sense of justice."
Daisuke raised a skeptical brow, his arms crossed over his chest. "You sure about that?"
"Positive," Linn insisted, meeting his gaze fiercely. "She would never hurt anyone."
At that, Tomo's brow arched significantly. Linn's confidence wavered, and he felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple.
"She would never intentionally hurt anyone," Linn corrected, his voice softer this time.
Tomo's brow arched even higher, a silent challenge.
"She would never intentionally hurt anyone... without a reason," Linn amended, sighing in frustration. "Look, the point is we need to figure out who the blue-eyed, pigtailed girl is, and more importantly, why she is attacking and kidnapping villagers. We need to put a stop to it before more people are taken."
A grim consensus settled over the group, and the gang nodded solemnly.
Mr. Oswald looked up at the group nervously. "Hey, guys?"
The group of travelers turned their attention toward Oswald.
"What is it, Mr. Oswald?" Linn replied, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Maybe it's best if you guys leave this inn and this city," Oswald proposed, his voice barely a whisper.
A collective gasp rippled through the group.
"But why?" Linn asked sadly, his large eyes wide with dismay.
"You heard the big fella," Oswald said, fidgeting with the edge of his apron. "The Empire will execute anybody associated with people on the wanted poster on the spot. We can't risk it."
"Wow, after we saved you and the villagers, you repay us by kicking us out? Charming," Tomo replied sarcastically, his dog ears twitching with indignation.
"Tomodachi!" Linn scolded, nudging his dog companion.
"I kind of agree with your beastkalin, Linn," Daisuke piped up, crossing his massive arms. He then turned to the middle-aged innkeeper. "We're in this situation because of you and your villagers, and we're the ones being treated as criminals. How is that fair?"
"That's enough, you two!" Yuzu said, chiding the giant and the dog-human with a sharp tone.
"That's easy for you to say," Oswald countered, his voice rising in anger and frustration. "You lot are strong enough to stand against the Empire, but we are just normal people. We don't stand a chance against the might of an entire kingdom."
"He's right, Tomo-chan," Yuzu conceded, her expression softening. "You don't know how strong and dangerous the Empire can be. I still think you guys were idiots for attacking the Empire in the first place!"
"You attacked them too, remember?" Tomo shot back, a wry grin spreading across his face.
"That's because I had no choice!" Yuzu yelled, exasperatedly throwing her hands up in the air. "I couldn't let you guys face the Empire alone!"
Tomo chuckled. "See, that's why I like you, Yuzu. You complain about the Empire, but you still help us in our time of need."
"Naturally," Yuzu said, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance before a genuine smile appeared on her face. "You three are morons, but you're my morons. I'll have your backs no matter what."
The three boys smiled warmly at the young girl before turning back to the old man, who looked incensed.
"There you have it, old man," Daisuke declared, his voice echoing in the tense silence of the room. "What are you going to do now?"
The old man scoffed, a dry, dismissive sound. "Have it your way. I want no part of this." With a final, disgruntled shake of his head, the old man strode out of the room, the heavy door closing with a soft thud behind him.
Mildred let out a weary sigh, the sound heavy with apology. "Sorry about my father; he just worries about us."
"It's okay," Linn replied gently. "We're sorry we got you guys involved in this mess."
Mildred shook her head, dismissing the apology with a wave of her hand. "It's no trouble. But are you really going to the facility?
"Yeah," Linn confirmed, his gaze hardening with resolve. "We have to rescue the rest of the villagers. And if that blue-eyed, pigtailed girl really is Kaila, then we've got to find out why she would side with the Empire."
"Well, good luck," Mildred offered, a note of sincere concern in her voice.
"Thank you," Linn said, giving a curt nod. "Come on, guys, let's go."
"Yes, Master," Tomo replied instantly, and the two exited the room.
Meanwhile, Daisuke sauntered back toward Mildred, closing her hand in his with a melodramatic flourish.
"Oh, my sweet Mildred," Daisuke began, his voice dripping with exaggerated affection. "A moment away from your angelic presence is like a stab to the heart. But alas, I must go. Would you grant me something to remember your sweet face by, like a goodbye kiss?" Daisuke finished, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and puckering his lips into an absurd, expectant pout.
Mildred's eyes widened, and a bead of sweat tracked down her temple as she instinctively backed away slowly. Yuzu, witnessing the spectacle, sighed wearily. She walked over, grabbed Daisuke by the ear, and began to drag him unceremoniously toward the door.
"Let's go, Romeo," Yuzu deadpanned, her tone completely devoid of emotion as she hauled the lovestruck giant out of the room.
000
The gang arrived on the outskirts of town, the dust of the road clinging to their boots. Looming before them was a massive, imposing facility of dark, utilitarian architecture. It stretched out, cold and uninviting.
"This must be the place," Linn muttered, his gaze fixed on the structure.
They moved closer, the sheer scale of the facility becoming more apparent. Metal gleamed faintly under the sun, and high, chain-link fences surrounded the perimeter.
"Wait," Tomo suddenly said, his voice a low warning.
"What's wrong, boy?" Linn asked, instantly alert.
"I sense people," Tomo replied. The gang immediately tensed, eyes scanning the landscape. Tomo pointed a clawed hand toward a dense patch of nearby bushes and signaled for them to take cover. Without a word, they melted into the shadows of the foliage. As they cautiously peered out, they spotted four figures: Empire Guards, clad in their distinctive silver armor, standing vigilant at the facility's main entrance. On a stark, concrete wall flanking the facility, four large, glaring wanted posters—bearing their own faces—were crudely plastered.
"Empire Guards," Daisuke hissed.
"What do we do?!" Yuzu whispered, her voice tight with anxiety.
"Only one thing to do," Linn declared, his muscles coiling as he started to rise, but Tomo's paw clamped down on his shoulder, pushing him firmly back into the dirt.
"Wait, Master," Tomo insisted.
"But why, Tomo?" Linn looked at his beastkalin friend, confusion etched on his face.
"We don't know anything about this facility. It's too big to rush in blind. Maybe we can get information from one of them first."
"Okay, but how do we do that?" Linn replied, his frustration barely contained.
"Let's listen in first and see if we can learn anything from their conversation," Tomo suggested.
"You think they'll say anything important?" Daisuke asked, his eyes never leaving the guards.
"Don't know, but it's worth a try," Tomo admitted. The three nodded in reluctant agreement and subtly moved the bushes aside, inching closer to eavesdrop. Meanwhile, the guards at the entrance were deep in conversation, oblivious to the eyes watching them from the undergrowth.
"Man, why do we have to stand and guard this desolate place?" one of the guards whined, shuffling his feet.
"To ensure that nobody enters or leaves," the other man answered flatly, his voice thick with boredom as he leaned against the cold stone wall.
"Humph. No one in their right mind would be foolish enough to attack a stronghold owned by the Empire," the first man scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Those four would beg to differ," the second guard countered, his gaze drifting toward the faded wanted posters tacked to the wall, depicting the infamous gang.
"Ha, those kids," the man dismissed with a wave of his hand, a sneer playing on his lips.
"I wouldn't make light of them," a third guard interjected, his tone edged with caution.
"Y-yeah," the fourth guard stammered nervously, glancing around. "They've already defeated some of our finest guards, not to mention the boy single-handedly took down Captain Domon."
"Oh, please," the first man scoffed, his arrogance returning. "Those guys were just weaklings, and the captain merely underestimated the boy—that's all it was. I mean, look at them." He jabbed a finger at the wanted posters.
"We have some wannabe hero, his mangy mutt, a muscle-bound moron, and a scrawny boy who thinks he's everyone's mother. How can we possibly lose to freaks like them?" The other guards chuckled, dissolving into shared laughter at the cruel dissection of the gang.
The gang, hidden in the shadows nearby, listened to every word. Linn, Yuzu, and Daisuke all sported angry, throbbing veins on their foreheads, while Tomo merely let out a long, weary sigh.
"Heck, I wish they'd show up here," the first Empire man continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "I'd give them what-for myself."
The guards continued to laugh raucously for a moment longer before their eyes drifted past the first guard, and all the color dramatically drained from their faces. The first guard looked at his suddenly terrified companions in confusion before a light, ominous tap landed on his shoulder. He slowly turned to find the 'hero wannabe,' the 'muscle-bound moron,' and 'the boy' glaring down at him. Their eyes were whited out with incandescent fury, and a tangible, fiery aura of pure rage engulfed the trio.
000
One beating later
The imperious men lay sprawled out on the dusty ground, their expensive uniforms rumpled and stained. Comical, brightly colored bumps were already swelling on their faces, coupled with impressive black eyes. Tomo retrieved the iron key from the slack grip of the head guard and let out a long, suffering sigh.
"Was that really necessary, guys?" Tomo asked, rubbing his temples.
"They called me a hero wannabe! Me!" Linn exclaimed, puffing out his chest indignantly.
"They called me a muscle-bound moron!" Daisuke rumbled, his impressive biceps flexing as he glowered at the unconscious guards.
"They called me a boy!" Yuzu shouted, her small fists clenched at her sides, her face flushed with outrage.
"Those sound like accurate descriptions to me," Tomo smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. The three glared daggers at him, a silent, unified promise of future retribution in their eyes. The dog beastkalin merely rolled his expressive golden eyes at the dramatic display. Tomo inserted the heavy key into the rusted lock, and the door creaked open with a groan of protest. The gang filed through the doorway, leaving the defeated guards behind.
000
The gang cautiously moved through the sterile facility, their eyes scanning every corner for any sign of the missing villagers. Suddenly, with a loud whir and a heavy thud, a massive monitor descended from the ceiling, startling them. They whipped around to face the screen as it flickered to life. A person materialized on the display: a young man with meticulously slicked spiky black hair, wearing thin-rimmed glasses that glinted under the harsh facility lights, and a crisp white lab coat.
"My, my," the man spoke, his voice smooth and laced with disdain. "It seems rats have infested my facility. What are those incompetent guards even doing?"
"Who are you?" Linn demanded, his stance instantly aggressive.
"Oh?" The man snickered, a look of smug amusement spreading across his face. "You trespass into my private research facility without knowing its owner? How utterly amusing."
"Answer me now," Linn insisted, his voice a low growl.
"Now he's making demands? This is truly too good," the man bellowed, throwing his head back in theatrical laughter.
As the man's laughter echoed through the chamber, the overhead lights began to strobe erratically, flickering on and off, and the surrounding machines whined and shrieked, their mechanisms whirling into a frenzied state. The gang tensed, their muscles coiled with alarm.
"Ah," the man conceded, composing himself with a sigh. "Very well. I shall answer. I am Dr. Cyrus Braunston, a humble scientist working tirelessly for the glorious Empire. Does that satisfy your curiosity, Linn Tsukiyomi?"
Linn stiffened instantly, his surprise evident. "You... you know who I am?"
"Of course," Braunston stated, his tone flat and knowing. "You've made quite a notorious name for yourself amidst our ranks." He began to list Linn's past transgressions with an almost bored precision: "Beating up our esteemed Empire guards, publicly punching a high-ranking nobleman, and even managing to defeat a Guard Captain. And now you've dared to breach my facility for what purpose, I wonder?"
"I came here to rescue the villagers you kidnapped and to finally meet this 'blue-eyed pigtails girl' you seem to have captive," Linn declared, his conviction unwavering.
"I see. And what, pray tell, is your relationship to this particular young lady?" Braunston raised a sculpted eyebrow, his gaze unnervingly sharp.
"She's my friend. The one I've been desperately searching for," Linn answered simply.
"I see," Dr. Braunston repeated, a chilling smile curving his lips. He then chuckled, a low, genuinely evil sound. "I'm afraid you've just missed her. She has gone on an urgent assignment for the Empire and won't be back for quite some time."
"What?" The gang spoke in unison, a mix of disappointment and distress in their voices.
"And what about the villagers?" Tomo pressed, his voice tight with concern.
"Oh, they are indeed here, rest assured," Dr. Braunston said with an air of casual dismissal. "They are merely 'indoors' at the moment. You see, I would appreciate it if you would all simply turn around and leave."
"We are not going anywhere until you release those villagers and take us directly to this blue-eyed, pigtailed girl," Linn demanded, his anger rising, the others nodding their heads fiercely in agreement. Dr. Braunston merely widened his cruel grin, an unnerving amusement dancing in the depths of his eyes.
"Very well," Dr. Braunston said, his voice dripping with condescension. "I shall take you to the villagers and your precious pigtailed girl, but first, you must complete my little challenge." The others exchanged bewildered, raised eyebrows.
"And why in the world would we agree to do that?" Tomo asked, his tone dry and deadpanned.
"For my entertainment, of course," Dr. Braunston replied simply, as if the answer were obvious.
"And if we refused?" Yuzu asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper.
"Then I suppose you simply won't get the pleasure of seeing the villagers or your pigtailed girl ever again," the doctor said cruelly, his voice hardening.
The entire group glared fiercely at the smirking doctor. They loathed the idea of being mere pawns for his twisted amusement, but he was their only link to the captives. They had no choice but to temporarily play his despicable game.
"Fine," Linn growled, his jaw clenched in frustration. "We'll play your idiotic game, but you had better hold up your end of the deal when we're finished."
"Excellent!" the doctor laughed, the sound booming with malicious delight. "Eren!" he called out sharply. Just then, a young woman's image appeared next to the doctor on the monitor. She had strikingly short white hair and cold, piercing red eyes that seemed completely devoid of any human emotion. She was clad in what looked like a tight, blue leotard adorned with silver stars and sleek black latex boots.
"Yes, master?" The woman, Eren, replied, her voice a chilling monotone.
"We have new test subjects—I mean, guests—who are eager to participate in our little game," the doctor corrected himself smoothly, though the gang glared with renewed hostility at the slip. "Show them the way to the challenge chamber."
"Yes, master," Eren replied, her face remaining utterly blank. She reached out and pulled a bright red button from her uniform, then pressed it firmly. Suddenly, with a loud clank and a grinding sound, the section of the floor directly beneath the gang dropped open entirely. The gang looked down with wide, shocked eyes as the solid ground disappeared, and they began to plummet through the dark, yawning gap. They crash-landed in a disorganized, painful heap onto the hard floor of a completely different room below.
000
"Ow..." Linn said as he surveyed the room. It was a square space bathed in red emergency lighting. On the far side of the room, a monitor flickered next to a heavy metal door. Blocking the exit, the door had a touchscreen panel displaying four distinct shapes.
Circle
Triangle
Square
Star
"What is this?" Linn asks the gang. They merely shrugged, just as confused.
Just then, a loud alarm sounds, startling them. They turn towards the monitor, which now shows the Mad Doctor.
"Welcome, my test subjects, to my Super Ultra Mega Spectacle Challenge!" the Doctor says gleefully. The gang sweat-dropped at the name.
"What is all this?" Linn asks.
"Why, it's the Super Ultra Mega Spectacle Challenge!" the Doctor repeats. He then begins explaining: "There are five rooms, and each room has a challenge that will test your mental and physical capabilities. You must make it out of each. You have ten minutes to make it out of those five rooms before the entire bunker fills with poisonous gas."
The gang gasps.
"What kind of sick game is that?!" Linn roars.
"Why, it's the Super Ultra Mega—"
"WE KNOW!" the gang shouts in annoyance. The Doctor merely chuckles, amused.
"In any case, solve the puzzles and make it out alive if you want to see the villagers and your precious pigtailed girl. Toodle-loo!" The Doctor disappears from the monitor, and a new image appears, showing a clock timer that says 10:00 and begins counting down.
"What do we do?" Yuzu said, panicking.
"I guess we have to solve this puzzle," Tomo said, pointing at the monitor with the shape on it. The gang checked the monitor below the screen. There was a red button. It said, "Press the shapes in order that they moved."
"What does that mean?" Linn asked.
"It looks like we have to press the shapes in the order that they blink. Press the button, Master."
Linn pressed the button, and the shapes blinked.
"I got it!" Tomo said as he pressed the shapes in order. Just then, the heavy metal door hissed open. The gang gasped in relief.
"Great job, boy," Linn said, congratulating his beastkalin.
"Thank you, Master. Now, let's hurry," Tomo said. The gang nodded and headed out the door.
000
Blue Room
The group appears in another room, this one bathed in blue lights. There were four colored pipes and valves humming with pressure on the wall. There was a pressure chart at the far end of the room. Another metal door was next to a console that had a pressure gauge on it. On the other side of the room was another monitor displaying a countdown timer that read 9:21.
Linn checked the console, which read: "Release pressure to open door."
"What do we do here?" Daisuke asked.
"It looks like we have to twist the valves to reach a certain pressure," Tomo said, looking at the pressure chart on the wall. It read:
Pressure Chart
Hot substances expand → reduce flow
Cold substances contract → increase flow
Vibrating lines mean unstable pressure → shut off entirely
Stable lines indicate unchanged flow
"I see," Linn said as he checked all the pipes. He touched the red pipe and immediately recoiled from it.
"Linn, are you okay?" Yuzu asked worriedly.
"I'm fine," Linn said, shaking the feeling out of his hand. "The red pipe is really hot, and it's vibrating like crazy."
"That means we have to shut that one off completely," Tomo reasoned. "Master, if you please."
Linn nodded. He reached the red wheel and turned it all the way to zero. He then turned to the blue pipe and touched it.
"Huh?" Linn said, puzzled.
"What is it?" Daisuke asked.
"This pipe doesn't feel hot or cold, and it's not vibrating like the others."
"That means we don't have to touch it," Tomo said. "Leave it as is."
"Okay," Linn said. He then turned his attention to the green pipe and touched it. It felt warm to the touch.
"This one feels warm," Linn said.
"That means we have to reduce it," Tomo said.
"How much, though?" the giant asked.
"I'm not sure," Tomo said. Meanwhile, Yuzu went to touch the yellow one and noticed that it was cold.
"This one is really cold," Yuzu said.
"That means we have to increase the flow," Tomo answered.
"Again, by how much?" Daisuke asked, annoyed.
"Again, I'm not sure," Tomo responded, just as annoyed.
"Well, we'd better think of something," Daisuke pointed his massive finger at the monitor, "because we only have 6 minutes left."
The gang looked at the clock on their monitor and noticed it said 6:20.
"Oh no, what do we do?!" Yuzu panicked.
"We're just going to have to turn the valve to certain numbers until something happens," Tomo said. Linn and Yuzu nodded and went to their respective pipes. The hero-wannabe turned the green pipe down until it hit 50%; meanwhile, the mother hen turned the yellow pipe up until it hit 25%.
"Did that work?" Linn asked. Tomo checked the machine.
"No, try again," Tomo said.
Linn turned the pipe until it hit 25% while Yuzu turned the pipe until it hit 50%. Just then, the monitor lit up.
"What happened?" Daisuke asked.
''The green pipe is correct,'' Tomo said. "Yuzu, turn the yellow pipe one more time." Yuzu nodded and turned the yellow pipe to 75%. Suddenly, the monitor beeped and the door opened.
"We did it!" Yuzu cheered.
"Don't celebrate yet, little mama," Daisuke advised. "That crazy doc said there were five rooms, and we just finished the second one. Now we only have five minutes left."
"Then let's not waste time talking! Let's go!" Linn shouted urgently. The three nodded, then headed to the third room.
The Green Room
The gang stumbled into a bright green room. In it were plants, vines, and strange, glowing fungus. On the ceiling were three adjustable mirrors and a beam shining through the mirrors. On the other side of the room, an air blower and a bright lamp were sitting precariously behind a grate. A vent was blowing a thick mist across the room. As usual, there was a metal door, next to it was the terminal, and on the other wall was a monitor that read 4:55.
"What is this now?" Daisuke asked, raising a massive eyebrow.
Tomo headed to the terminal. It read:
"ONLY LIGHT PURIFIES THE AIR."
"I see," Tomo nodded.
"What is it, boy?" Linn said.
"We have to clear the mist by shining the light through the three mirrors towards the vent." The gang looked up at the mirrors and noticed something.
"Wait, one of them has a vine blocking it," Linn observed.
"And another one of them has a fungus cluster on it," Yuzu said.
Tomodachi looked around and noticed the other equipment in the dim room.
"It looks like we have to use these," he commented, picking up an air blower and a lamp and bringing them in front of the group. "But I don't know how these go together."
The group began to think. Linn studied the equipment, then glanced at the nearby mirrors and the strange plants covering the walls. Suddenly, a figurative light bulb went off above his head.
"Wait, I've got it!" Linn exclaimed. The rest of the group turned towards him expectantly.
"What is it, Linn?" Yuzu asked.
"We use these to clear out the vines and the fungus," Linn stated, but the others still looked confused.
"How do we do that?" Daisuke questioned.
"Like this," Linn said confidently. He took the lamp and the air compressor from Tomodaschi and walked towards a patch of fungus. Dimming the beam slightly, he placed the lamp close to the thick, clustered growth. To the group's astonishment, the fungus immediately began to shrivel and retract. He then moved to the long, creeping vine that was blocking the mirrors. He aimed the air compressor at the end of the vine and kept it focused there for a few minutes. Just like the fungus, the vine began to visibly retreat and curl away from the cold air.
With the obstacles gone, the light from the opened area now hit all three mirrors, the dense, misty cloud dispersed, and a door swung open.
"There we go," Linn said with a proud grin.
"That was amazing, Linn!" Yuzu cheered enthusiastically.
"Yes, well done, Master," Tomodachi added.
"But how did you know that would happen?" Daisuke asked, still bewildered.
"Back in my world, we had to do plant experiments at school, and there I learned that many plants react strongly to heat and cold," Linn explained. He then looked up at a clock on the wall and noticed the time read 2:15.
Linn's expression immediately soured. "Anyway, let's get moving! We're almost out of time." The rest of the group nodded, their excitement fading, and quickly hurried out of the room.
Yellow room
The gang entered a circular chamber, its walls slick and metallic, brimming with an unsettling yellow glow. Sparkling panels lined the floor, and as was usual for these strange places, a large monitor and a single exit door dominated the far wall. The moment they stepped across the threshold, the harsh lights abruptly went out, plunging the group into near-total darkness and stunning them into silence.
"What's going on?" Linn whispered, his voice tight with nerves as the group nervously looked around the sudden gloom.
A disembodied voice boomed from a concealed speaker:
"'Remember the sounds'."
Suddenly, four distinct sound sequences played, each a unique, rapidly cycling pattern of high-pitched tones. The sounds were so similar yet subtly different that they seemed to blend into a confusing wash of noise:
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Then, four circular floor tiles near the center of the room began to glow, each illuminated by a soft white light and marked with a number from 1 to 4.
"What the hell was that?" Daisuke demanded, his voice echoing in the chamber.
"I don't know, but it sounded scary," Yuzu said, visibly shaking.
"Hmm, I see," Tomo murmured, tilting his head.
"You figured it out, boy?" Linn asked his canine companion, a flicker of hope in his eyes.
"Yes. We have to step on the tile that corresponds to the right sound sequence," Tomo replied confidently.
"But they all sounded the same!" Daisuke insisted, exasperated.
Tomo shook his head, a gesture of mild annoyance. "No, there was a clear difference." The rest of the gang exchanged confused glances.
"What do you mean, boy?" Linn pressed.
"Listen closely," Tomo instructed, closing his eyes and perking his large, sensitive ears.
The four sound sequences played again, the subtle variations still a dizzying blur to the human members of the group.
"Got it," Tomo announced. Without hesitation, he stepped onto tile 4. A distinct ding sound echoed in the room. Immediately, the ceiling lights flickered back on with their blinding yellow glare, and the exit door hissed open. The gang stared, completely flabbergasted.
"How did you know?" Linn finally managed to ask.
Tomo merely shrugged his shoulders with a superior air. "I just listened to the sound."
The gang members—Linn, Daisuke, and Yuzu—gave the dog a collective, blank stare.
"What?" Tomo tilted his head, utterly confused by their lack of enthusiasm.
'Must be nice to be a dog with good hearing,' they all thought in unison.
"Anyway, there should be one room left," Tomo said, shaking off their strange reaction. "Let's get going." They all nodded and quickly headed out of the tube-like room.
000
Orange room
The group entered the final room, which was filled with an intense, pervasive orange glow. Dominating the space was a massive, heavily reinforced exit door. In front of this imposing barrier sat a master control column. The column was a complex piece of equipment, featuring a small keypad, a large rotating dial, three distinct color switches, a built-in microphone, and a sleek, biometric fingerprint panel.
Above the column, a message was clearly displayed:
"THE FIVE ROOMS WERE THE KEY."
"Tch. So all the rooms we did were just leading to this?" the giant grunted, his voice rumbling in the silence.
"Oh no! Do we remember what we did?!" the mother hen said, her voice high with panic.
"I don't!" the hero wannabe exclaimed, throwing his hands up.
"It's okay. I thought this might be the case, so I memorized the solutions to the puzzles," the golden dog beastkalin assured his friends calmly.
He walked to the control column and carefully punched a sequence of numbers into the keypad. Next, he turned the rotating dial, setting it to a precise percentage. He then moved to the color switches, quickly flipping them to match the exact order of the beams they had previously encountered. With a moment's concentration, he spoke a distinct rhythm into the microphone. Finally, he placed his paw on the illuminated biometric panel.
The massive reinforced door opened with a deafening clang that echoed throughout the chamber.
They had done it, and with only a minute to spare! Tomo looked up at a nearby monitor displaying the timer, which was now frozen at the one-minute mark. Linn and Yuzu immediately rushed him, enveloping Tomo in a joyous hug, showering him with enthusiastic head pats and affectionate kisses. Daisuke simply crossed his arms and smiled, a rare expression of pride.
"Way to go, boy! You saved us again," Linn said, affectionately petting Tomo's head.
"You're getting an extra skewer for dinner tonight!" Yuzu said, playfully pinching his cheek.
"Not bad for a dog," Daisuke admitted with a hint of respect.
"It was nothing," Tomo mumbled, a slight blush on his face, clearly embarrassed by all the attention.
"Now, let's get out of this place." The group nodded in agreement and quickly exited the orange-lit room.
000
The group arrived in a large chamber. A long hallway stretched out in front of them, flanked on both sides by long, rectangular, capsule-shaped rooms enclosed with transparent glass.
"What is this place?" Linn asked, but before anyone could answer, a loud alarm blared, startling the group.
WARNING: A diluted gas substance has spread throughout the bunker. Please evacuate immediately.
"WHAT?!" the gang shouted in unison.
Suddenly, a purple-like gas started rapidly filling the hallway and the glass-enclosed rooms.
"Run!" Linn yelled. The group immediately sprinted down the long hallway, the expanding gas pursuing them like a villain in a horror movie.
"That bastard!'' Daisuke grunted, his voice tight with frustration. "What was the point of solving all those damn puzzles to stop the gas if he was going to release it anyway?"
"Daisuke, hun, the man is not all there, if you haven't noticed," Yuzu deadpanned, though the panic and frustration were evident in her voice.
"Less talking, more running!" Tomo urged.
The group continued running for ten relentless minutes, yet there seemed to be no end to the hallway, and the gas was still rapidly closing in on them.
"How long is this hallway?!" Linn exclaimed, fatigue visibly setting in.
"I... I can't run anymore," Yuzu said, slowing her pace.
Just then, loud banging could be heard from the side of the glass-enclosed rooms. The gang turned to find a startling sight: several creatures with grotesque, mutated features stood there, clawing at the glass.
"What are those?!" Linn recoiled from the horrifying sight.
"Must be the doctor's creations," Daisuke said grimly.
"How cruel," Yuzu whispered, the sympathy clear in her eyes.
"Wait, there's an exit right there!" Tomo shouted, pointing toward a large, heavily reinforced door.
The gang cheered with relief and rushed toward the door.
000
The door swung open, and the gang stumbled out, collapsing in a tangled heap on the floor, sprawled out in utter exhaustion.
"Finally, it's over," Linn gasped, hunched over on his knees, hands braced on the floor as he desperately sucked air into his lungs.
"That was something else," Daisuke muttered, while Tomo merely offered a weary nod from where he lay flat on his back.
"Please, no more…" Yuzu's voice was a muffled plea, her face pressed into the cold floor, her tiny butt comically protruding in the air.
Just then, a wall monitor silently lowered from the ceiling, and the sinister doctor's face, along with that of his placid assistant, materialized on the screen.
"Congratulations! You made it out alive," the doctor chirped, his grin wide and unsettling. "So, what did you think of my little challenge? Did you like it?"
"NO!!" the gang roared in furious unison, a palpable, comical tick mark throbbing on all their foreheads.
"Aw, but I spent so much time developing it," the doctor whined, a picture of comical despair. He crouched down, his back to the screen, and sat glumly in a corner. Gloomy lines and a cartoonishly depressed cloud hung over his head as he drew pointless circles on the ground with his index finger. Eren, the assistant, merely patted his back, her expression utterly unreadable. The gang collectively sweatdropped at the bizarre display.
"Anyway," Tomo piped up, breaking the silence, "we completed your stupid challenge. Now, where are the villagers?"
The doctor instantly sprang up, a bright chuckle replacing his gloom. "Oh, them? Well, I've got some good news and some really good news. What do you want to hear first?"
"Uh, the really good news?" Linn asked innocently, prompting the rest of the gang to sigh and collectively slap their foreheads.
"The really good news is that the villagers have been taken to another factory," the Doctor announced with dramatic flair.
"What?!" The gang gasped in profound shock.
"Yes," the Doctor grinned, his eyes glinting. "They are no longer here."
"No..." Yuzu whispered, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.
"You jerk! You said you'd let us see them!" Linn shouted, his face contorted with rage.
The Doctor blinked slowly. "And I did. Were you not paying attention?"
The gang exchanged confused glances, baffled by the mad doctor's meaning. Then Tomo's ears suddenly twitched, and a look of profound aghast horror spread across his face.
"Master," he said, his voice tight, "do you remember those things we saw in that chamber?"
"You mean those creatures? What about them?" Linn questioned. Yuzu and Daisuke's eyes widened in a dawning horror as they both connected the terrifying dots. Yuzu stared, fresh tears streaming down her face, as Daisuke looked down, his features a mask of simmering anger and deep disgust.
Linn, utterly confused by his friends' abrupt shift in demeanor, stammered, "W-what's wrong, guys?"
"Master, I think those creatures were the villagers," Tomo stated grimly.
Linn was utterly shocked. "What?! How?!"
"Ask him," Tomo ground out, turning his deadly glare back to the Doctor. The doctor merely met the glare with an infuriating, toothy grin.
"Now, now," the Doctor drawled. "The villagers were so drab and boring. I merely gave them a 'makeover,' that's all."
"You sick bastard!" Daisuke growled, his hands clenching into fists.
"Oh my, why the hostility?" the doctor asked, feigning innocence. "I just told you the really good news."
"How is that good news, you piece of—!!"
"Temper, temper," the doctor interrupted Linn before he could finish the insult. "Did you forget? I still have more good news to tell."
"We don't care about any news you have to say," Yuzu spat, her voice thick with venom.
"Even if it involves the blue-eyed, pigtailed girl?"
The gang instantly stiffened and gasped.
"You better not have touched her!" Linn threatened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"Relax," the Doctor said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "She is perfectly fine. She has returned from her errand, and she requested to see you all." The doctor pointed toward a door on the far side of the room. "Just pass through that door, and you'll find her."
The gang exchanged skeptical glances, their eyebrows raised. They wouldn't trust the mad scientist as far as they could throw him, but this was their only tangible lead to the missing pigtailed girl.
"Fine," Linn relented, his jaw set. "But this better not be another trick." He motioned for the gang to proceed through the door. As they crossed the threshold, they were instantly engulfed by a blinding, explosive white light.
000
Linn slowly regained consciousness. He blinked, the harsh glare of bright white light assaulting his eyes. He looked around to find himself in a vast, empty white room with white, clinical tiles covering the floor. The sterile environment felt cold and unnerving, and the silence was heavy, broken only by his own breathing. He quickly realized he was alone in a separate, isolated chamber.
"Hey guys, where are you?" Linn shouted into the emptiness. The sound of his voice was instantly swallowed by the room, only to return to him as a hollow, disembodied echo. Just then, a large monitor hissed as it lowered from the ceiling, and the cruel, familiar face of the mad doctor appeared on the screen.
"Welcome to my test room," the scientist announced, his voice carrying a disturbing cheerfulness.
"You! What did you do to my friends!" Linn roared, his fury finally breaking through the confusion. The doctor merely chuckled, a dry, grating sound.
"Relax, they are in similar rooms to you." The doctor brought up smaller, split-screen images on the monitor, showing Daisuke, the hulking, "perverted giant"; Tomodachi, the distraught "dog beast"; and Yuzu, the protective "young mother hen." They were all confined to identical white cells, their faces etched with confusion and rising anger as they looked around their prisons. "As you can see, they are unharmed... well, for now, at least."
"What do you mean?" Linn demanded, his voice tight with dread.
"Well, you lot have been interesting subjects, to say the least, so I decided to test you all against my elite guard. Eren, send them in!" the doctor ordered. Eren snapped a crisp salute and pressed a large, ominous red button. With a loud mechanical groan, the heavy metal doors to all of the gang's chambers slid open.
In Daisuke's room, a portly, barrel-chested man, dressed in a traditional, tight sumo outfit, waddled into view before the giant. The man clapped his hands together with a sharp smack, raised one enormous foot high in the air, before slamming it down on the tiled floor with a bone-jarring thud.
In Yuzu's room, a truly grotesque sight appeared: a gigantic, vibrant orange, octopus-like creature slithered in, its numerous tentacles writhing. It lowered its massive, leering head, its bulbous eyes fixed menacingly on the "mother hen."
In Tomodachi's room, the threat took a far more unsettling form. A small girl, no more than ten years old, stood there. She had short, simple brown hair and dull brown eyes. She was dressed in a neat burgundy sweater and matching skirt. In her hand, a wooden yo-yo swung up and down in a hypnotizing rhythm. Her emotionless, vacant eyes bore a cold, unnerving hole through the startled dog-human.
Finally, in Linn's own room, there stood a girl who appeared to be about Linn's age, perhaps even a little taller. She had striking blue eyes and bright blond hair tied into two neat pigtails. She wore a shiny blue leotard adorned with small white star patterns and a pair of worn red and white sneakers. Linn's expression shifted from anger to profound shock at the sight of the pigtailed, blue-eyed girl. The girl's lips curved into a slow, unsettling smile, a clear hint of cruelty and amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Long time no see... Linn," the blue-eyed, pigtailed girl said, her voice dripping with familiarity and malice.
He recognized her instantly. A terrifying sense of familiarity, mixed with a dawning, sickening realization, hit him with the force of a physical blow as he stared wide-eyed at the girl. The identity of the blue-eyed, pigtailed girl was at last revealed to be…
"Kaila!"