What time was it? What day?
Nothing was clear…
Zack (we'll refer to our main character by his real name from now on) had been outside for days…
In front of his brother's grave… under the rain…
He came here almost every day.
His dreams had turned into nightmares—he could no longer sleep properly.
The rain reminded him of a certain person…
Someone he had met under the rain five years ago:
Emily…
Where was she? Was she alive? Was she happy?
The thoughts drained Zack…
Bifrat hadn't told him everything yet.
Even though he was warned by Bifrat not to go outside due to the danger of Taka Ayato, he didn't care…
Coming here gave him a strange sense of peace.
But what now?
He was just a kid—maybe 16 or 17…
His brother Kevin's grave looked old…
Who knows how old Zack had been when he died…
According to Bifrat, his brother had been murdered right in front of his eyes.
Zack had jumped into the arena out of grief.
Because he fell from a great height, his bones had shattered, and on top of that, he was struck by Ghost.
"Death" had been inevitable…
"Seems like neither of us could do much in the Finals, huh… brother? Heh…
I'm sorry. How am I supposed to talk to you?
I don't remember anything about you…
But if I threw myself into death at such a young age for your sake…
I must have loved you a lot…"
Just then, faint footsteps echoed behind him.
Zack suddenly sensed something powerful.
What was it? Aura?
It felt familiar…
He stood up.
He turned around.
⸻
Yes, the person standing before him was…
TAKA AYATO
He had come alone.
His hands were in his pockets.
Compared to before, he wore a more relaxed outfit.
A sleeveless black shirt and a thin jacket over his shoulders…
"You… What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the summit?" Zack asked.
Ayato calmly looked at the grave first, then at Zack…
As if he was pondering something.
"How much do you remember?"
"Huh?"
Zack froze at the sudden question.
Then he paused for a moment and replied:
"The last five years…"
Apparently, this kid knew far more about him than Zack knew about himself.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Taka Ayato."
"Good… then how should I address you?"
"…"
What should he say? Until now, everyone had known him as Kevin. But just two days ago, he had learned his real name was Zack.
"Zack… My name is Zack."
But what if this kid asked for his last name?? That would've been absurdly awkward…
Ayato stepped forward.
"Shouldn't you be at the summit right now?" Zack asked.
"I finished my business on the first day.
Besides, the summit isn't the real reason I came to this city…"
What kind of way of speaking was this?
Zack started to feel uneasy—this kid, who might be 10 years younger than him, was intimidating…
"I see… still not fully active…" Ayato muttered quietly.
"Huh? What?"
"Eh… that works to my advantage!"
Zack's gut feeling screamed, and he leapt back instinctively.
"Your instincts aren't bad…"
Just then… the boy's clothes began to flutter as if wind swirled around him.
Raindrops that approached him scattered to the sides.
Thin blue lines started to spiral around him…
His hair moved with them, and his eyes became visible—
Bright blue eyes, glowing with strange light…
What was this?! Magic?!
Zack was frozen in place…
But he was starting to understand…
Satellite…
This kid was using the power of Satellite…
But why? Was he trying to kill Zack?
To use such deadly power in a public place like Dragonomica's Second Cemetery?
"You… Zack… you're coming with me…"
The moment he said that, a surge of energy exploded out…
So much for peace…
Death had been postponed—for now…
Zack took a stance…
What could he even do?
Defeating him was impossible…
But he wouldn't give up that easily.
At the very least, he could stall him.
If he could just buy a little time…
Dragonomica's forces would arrive…
Just then… the boy vanished.
Zack felt something behind him…
But it was too late.
Before he could react—
He was already struck.
A single hit was enough to knock him out cold.
⸻
File #014
Sacred Sphere
Tharyanos is the only fragment whose powers are still unknown.
Its carrier is unknown.
Even now, its whereabouts remain a mystery.