Raizo pushed open the glass door of a small shop.
A blast of cool aircon brushed against his skin.
"Good day, sir. Please take a seat," a female receptionist greeted warmly.
Raizo nodded and sat down.
"What can I get you?" she asked.
"I want to try steak with rice, fries, a burger, and coke, please."
"That will be 210 pesos," she replied.
Raizo handed her the money. She smiled and left.
Minutes later, a male waiter appeared, carrying Raizo's order.
He set the plates neatly on the table.
Raizo stared at the food for a moment.
Then he took his first bite.
The taste—
the warmth of rice, the juiciness of steak, the sweetness of the coke—
it all hit him like a wave.
His hands trembled. Tears welled up in his eyes.
In that other world, he had only known dried fish, no rice, and eggs when times were good.
Now, the familiar sensation of food from Earth broke him inside.
I missed this… I really missed this, Raizo whispered in his heart.
But he forced himself to stop, gripping the spoon tightly.
"I can't relax. Gladion is somewhere in this world."
He thought about it.
There were nearly 197 countries on Earth.
If Gladion had been blasted away during their descent, he could be anywhere.
Raizo's jaw tightened. He slammed the spoon down.
"How the hell am I supposed to find him?"
His frustration lingered, but eventually, he sighed and continued eating.
Behind him, voices drifted from another table.
"Hey, did you hear the news?" one man said.
"Yeah, about that driver… they're saying it was a demon. Ridiculous, right?"
Raizo kept eating, quietly listening, his suspicion growing.
---
Meanwhile, in the forest, sunlight streamed through the branches.
Gladion's footsteps rustled the leaves.
His stomach growled.
"I need to eat something… but this world… there's no mana here."
He scanned his surroundings until a wild boar emerged, charging at him.
Gladion stopped it effortlessly with one hand.
He slashed it down with brute force and began eating.
The taste made him scowl.
"Awful… but it will do."
---
Back in the town, Raizo finished his meal and stepped out of the shop.
As he walked down the road, a pink tricycle zipped past him, followed by two more.
Raizo's eyes widened.
The sight of the tricycle—the TMX brand, the plate number—
struck a chord in him.
"…No way…"
He cast Boost and dashed after it.
The tricycles slowed as they entered a cemetery.
Raizo stopped, cloaked himself with Camouflage, and quietly watched.
His chest tightened.
Tears blurred his vision.
Inside the cemetery were his parents, grandparents, and cousin.
Mom… Dad… Grandma… Grandpa…
Raizo's heart ached. He wanted so desperately to run to them, to hug them.
But he couldn't.
He was no longer Johnrhey.
He was now Raizo Hayagashi.
Canceling his camouflage, Raizo moved closer to a tombstone.
There, his family prayed.
He froze.
The tombstone bore his name: Johnrhey.
"…So it's true. I really am dead."
His cousin placed snacks and drinks by the grave.
His parents laid flowers—his favorite color.
Raizo's fists clenched. His tears wouldn't stop.
As they began leaving, Raizo approached the tomb, kneeling before it.
Then—
A voice behind him.
"Big brother Johnrhey… I forgot to drop this for you."
Raizo turned.
A teenage girl stood there, holding a small item.
His breath caught.
"…Jorgia…"
She had been only five years old when he died. Now she was nearly grown.
"Who are you?" Jorgia asked, tilting her head.
Raizo forced a smile.
"I'm Raizo… a friend of Johnrhey."
Before he could say more, another voice called out:
"Jorgia, are you done there?"
It was her mother, Juvia.
"Not yet, Mother," Jorgia replied, turning back—
but Raizo was gone.
She blinked. "Was I… seeing things? I thought… I saw a man."
She placed a bottle of water on the tombstone before leaving.
Hidden under the trees, Raizo watched silently, leaves drifting around him as the three tricycles departed the cemetery.
Meanwhile, in the other world, the villagers of Dawn—hearing no more clashes or explosions—slowly made their way inside the kingdom's battered gates. There, they found four figures kneeling on the ground: Fenra, Shekiah, Silvia, and Akari, tears streaming from their eyes.
Fenra clutched Raizo's sword tightly against her chest, her hands trembling. They could all feel it—the necklace Raizo had given them no longer responded, its glow extinguished.
Fenra rose to her feet, wiping her tears with her arm.
"Enough crying, you guys. Let's find Raizo."
Silvia, still trembling, spoke in a quiet voice.
"He could be anywhere in this world… maybe days, months, even years before we find him."
Akari glanced at the greyed-out necklace in her hand.
"And this necklace Raizo gave us… it's completely dead. No light, no warmth, nothing."
"I know," Fenra admitted, clenching her fists. "But we can't just stand here waiting. Raizo saved us all when we were at our lowest. He pulled me back into the light when I had lost all hope… Silvia, he freed you from slavery. Shekiah, he gave you a place in our party. And Akari, he saved you from those mercenaries who tortured people."
Silvia rubbed the tears from her emerald eyes and nodded.
"You're right, Fenra. Then let's do something."
Akari's voice steadied.
"He saved us before. Now it's our turn. We'll save him from that demon—no matter what."
Shekiah nodded firmly in agreement.
Just as they prepared to set off, a thunder of hooves echoed through the ruined streets. A knight appeared, clad in shining golden armor that glowed under the sun. He dismounted, removing his helmet.
It was Lucas Hayagashi—Raizo's elder brother.
Lucas's voice was sharp with urgency.
"You four—are you Raizo's party?"
The girls nodded silently, avoiding his eyes. Lucas's gaze fell on the sword Fenra held. His breath caught.
"That sword… that's Raizo's. Don't tell me—he's—"
Fenra quickly interrupted, her voice shaking.
"He's not dead! He was teleported… somewhere else. But we don't know where."
Akari added, holding up her necklace.
"And something strange happened. The moment Raizo disappeared, these necklaces turned grey. But then—mine flickered back to its normal color, just for a moment."
Lucas's eyes widened.
"You mean… he's alive. Just… lost."
The four girls nodded.
"Then lend me one of those necklaces," Lucas said.
Akari hesitated, then removed hers and handed it to him. Lucas turned to a woman in the distance.
"Phae—come here."
A young mage in elegant robes stepped forward, holding her staff.
"What is it?"
Lucas raised the necklace.
"Track its core. Raizo was wearing the source of this necklace. If it still responds… we'll find him."
Phae nodded, lifting her wand toward the sky. She chanted in a resonant voice:
"Resonant frequency, twin vibrations align,
Relic's hum, tracker's prime!
—Divine Magic: Relic Sense!"
The necklace flared with a brilliant light, a column shooting skyward like a beacon. Everyone in Dawn—the hero's party, the villagers, Fenra, Silvia, Shekiah, and Akari—watched in breathless hope.
But when the glow faded… nothing.
Phae lowered her wand, her expression grim.
"I'm sorry. I can't trace him."
The girls' hearts sank, devastation crushing them. Phae gently handed the necklace back to Akari, who put it on again with trembling hands.
Silence filled the ruined square.
Finally, Lucas gritted his teeth and stabbed his sword into the ground, his voice echoing like thunder.
"Where are you, Raizo…?"
The afternoon sun bathed Raizo in its warm light as he walked the busy streets. His heart carried a bittersweet weight—relief at seeing his family, cousins, and aunts living well, but also a guilt that clung to him like a shadow. He could no longer be part of their world as he once was.
Lost in thought, Raizo's steps were interrupted when a man suddenly bumped into him. Both of them stumbled to the ground.
"Watch where you're going," Raizo muttered, brushing dust from his cloak.
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry," the man replied hastily.
Raizo glanced at him—and froze. That familiar haircut, the faint black pimples on his face. His eyes widened.
He whispered under his breath, "Dennix…"
The man stiffened. "Uh… did you just say my name?"
Raizo's heart twisted. It was him—Dennix, the friend who was like a brother to him in his past life.
Dennix adjusted his watch and ring, oblivious to Raizo's emotions. "Sorry again for bumping into you. I really have to go."
Raizo forced a nod. "...Okay."
As Dennix turned the corner, Raizo quickly slipped on his enchanted coat, cast Camouflage, and melted into the shadows, following silently.
Dennix eventually stopped at a café, its wooden sign swinging gently in the breeze. The letters read:
Guillyerno Café
Raizo removed his coat and stored it back into his item box. He pushed the glass door open, a small bell chiming overhead.
A woman behind the counter bowed politely. "Good afternoon, sir. What can I get for you?"
Raizo scanned the menu. "For drinks… chocolate coffee. For soup… pumpkin. Salad, I'll take mixed. And for dessert… a cheesecake."
"Takeout or dine in?"
Raizo smiled faintly. "Dine in, please."
"That will be three hundred fifty pesos, sir."
He handed her the bills, then quietly made his way inside. The café was alive with chatter and laughter.
At a long table, his eyes immediately locked onto a group of familiar faces—his classmates. Andrei, Angel, Ryan, Dennix, Jade, Bryant, Gabriel, Vince, Marian, Hannah,Rivera, Ejay, Jane, Angelo, Princess, Elein, Bella, Kyle, Kylie, Ken Ann, Neth Ann, Pia, Zyreen, Justin, Gheron, Rome, Baniaga, Patrick, Clark, Therie, Limos, Nathalie, Kelley, Limuel, Richford, Devis, Jelay, Hellen, Odson…
Raizo's throat tightened.
"They're all here… they're happy," he whispered.
Then his gaze fell on someone else—his old crush. She sat at the table, eating, her beauty unchanged. Raizo's chest ached. She looks just as beautiful as ever… I wonder if she has a boyfriend now.
Memories flooded back, yet he remained invisible to them all.
Suddenly, the café door opened again. A voice called out from below the stairs.
"Sorry we're late, guys!"
Jade smirked. "Look, the latecomers."
Raizo turned to see them—Tyrone, Mel, Gibson, Carl James, Richard.
Mel scratched his head and laughed. "Traffic on the road, hahaha!"
The whole class burst into laughter, just as they always did. Raizo chuckled under his breath. I guess they didn't change. Same as always.
A waiter soon arrived with Raizo's food, placing it gently on his table. Raizo began eating, his eyes never leaving his classmates. Together, they stood for a moment of silence and prayer before eating. Raizo's hands trembled as he realized—he was the only one missing.
Johnrhey.
He was their absent friend.
At the long table, Neth Ann suddenly spoke, glancing toward Raizo.
"Hey, guys… look at him."
Everyone turned slightly, noticing Raizo eating alone.
Ken Ann frowned. "It reminds me of Johnrhey."
Dennix smiled sadly. "Yeah… Johnrhey never ate alone. I always ate with him."
Raizo's chest tightened at their words. He quickly finished his meal, stood up, and walked out of the café. He glanced back one last time, a soft smile forming on his lips. Relief washed over him—his classmates, his friends, his family. None of them were in danger. That was enough for him.
As Raizo disappeared into the streets, the weight on his shoulders lightened, if only for a moment.