"I don't know."
Baal didn't know when Elliot would return either.
"I have a way to bring him back," Chiyo suddenly said, appearing as if from nowhere.
"What way?" Zebul asked, a little startled.
"Remember how he promised to make it up to us on Yashiori Island?" Chiyo reminded them, her tone quick and sharp.
At those words, Zebul's eyes lit up, and even Baal was slightly taken aback.
It had to be said—this idea might actually work. A man like Elliot valued his promises above all else. If they used that, they might just be able to bring him back.
At the very least, they could get him to return and rest for a while.
Otherwise, if he kept exhausting himself like this, it was only a matter of time before he collapsed.
"That's a good idea. I'll go right now."
Zebul didn't want to waste another moment. In the next instant, she shot into the sky like a bolt of thunder.
...
At that moment, on a small deserted island, Elliot was quietly enjoying tea.
Suddenly, a flash of violet lightning streaked across the sky.
He froze for a moment. Then, with a small sigh, he packed away his tea set and took to the air.
Last time Zebul had followed him, he'd ignored her completely, making his feelings clear.
But now that she had come directly to find him, he couldn't keep running forever.
"General…" Elliot was the first to speak.
"I have something to tell you," Zebul said as soon as she caught up to him in the sky.
"Let's go down and talk."
The two of them descended to a tiny, barren island—one of the places Elliot usually stayed.
Zebul glanced around and then fixed her gaze on him, eyes wide.
"You… live here?" she asked.
"Mm."
At his answer, a wave of discomfort welled up inside her.
The place was barely an island—more like a large chunk of rock.
It was so small you could walk its perimeter in a few steps, and at high tide, there would hardly be room to move at all.
There were only five or six trees in total, with a hammock strung between two at the center.
One word described it best: desolate.
It was the kind of place that pressed down on you, made you feel small.
This was where the Tenryou Commission of Inazuma—the so-called second god—the savior of two islands… lived.
"It's small, but it's quiet. No one bothers me here, the sea breeze is cool in summer. It's not bad," Elliot explained, seeing her expression.
But Zebul wasn't foolish. She knew.
Elliot was still haunted by what had happened on Watatsumi Island. He still believed it was all the fault of his Lonesome Transcendence.
There were many uninhabited islands nearby, yet he had chosen this cramped speck in the sea.
What she didn't know was that he had done so deliberately.
Though tiny, the island had an excellent vantage point—open views in all directions, right at the center of Inazuma's waters.
From here, he could easily spot ships and strike at pirate gangs.
It was a base for his work—something the other deserted islands couldn't offer.
After all, he wasn't the type to suffer hardship for no reason.
...
"Sasayuri, I want to know—why are you pushing yourself like this?" Zebul asked.
"No one told you to do all this, so why take it all on yourself? You're human too. Your energy isn't limitless—you need proper rest."
"As long as light exists, darkness will never vanish. You can't destroy all of it, and the world will never be pure light."
She truly wanted an answer—because she couldn't understand him.
It was as if they lived in two completely different worlds. They had grown up in the same environment, yet she had never met anyone like Elliot.
"General…"
"It's true that darkness can never be erased entirely, and the world will never be all light."
"But—"
"Darkness can be reduced. Pressed down. Contained."
"When it's pressed to its limit, even if someone turns to evil, the harm they cause won't be as great."
"Think of someone who's grown up in a good environment—even if they stray, the worst they might do is steal or rob. To them, those are the worst evils that exist. Killing, burning, or trafficking children would never even cross their minds."
"This isn't something I can solve alone. It won't be fixed overnight. But I can still do my utmost to erase the worst extremes."
"There's a saying where I come from—'With great power comes great responsibility.'"
"I have this power. So I have the responsibility."
Zebul felt a pang of shame at his words.
She too had great power, yet she had never done much with it—content to live within her comfort zone.
Breaking out of that safety took more courage than most could imagine.
"General…"
"Your duty is to protect the safety of Inazuma," Elliot continued. "You are a god in the eyes of the people—a symbol of this land. Leave the rest to me."
"No." Zebul's answer was firm.
"From now on, I'm taking part too. We'll split the work evenly."
"You said it yourself—I am the god of Inazuma, and it's my responsibility to protect it. Even if these smaller troubles don't threaten the nation directly, I still have to act."
"From today, we patrol together. One day each—fair and square. Otherwise, you'll hog all the credit."
"Do you know everyone's calling you the 'second god' now? The rumors are spreading like wildfire, and I've all but disappeared from the picture."
She nodded to herself, convinced her plan was flawless.
This way, Elliot could rest, and she could gain real experience.
After all, she was used to staying home. Patrolling Inazuma and hunting pirates like he did would be both a challenge and a test.
"General—"
"My mind's made up," she cut him off. "This is settled."
"Do you remember promising to make it up to us on Yashiori Island?"
Her tone made it clear she wasn't leaving without him today.
"I remember."
"Good. Then come back to Narukami Island with me for a few days. Rest. Everyone misses you."
"Huh?" Elliot blinked. He hadn't expected her to play that card.
"What?"
"Are you going back on your word?" Zebul narrowed her eyes.
"Uh…" Elliot hesitated.
"…Alright."
After a moment, he seemed to realize something—and finally nodded.