Silence.
The Associations hall felt like a grave.
The air still carried Shinji's suffocating presence, even though he was gone.
Hunters lay wounded, broken and some unmoving.
The walls were cracked, the floor stained with blood.
Kouji stayed on his knees, fists trembling against the ground. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
Yuusuke…
The name was enough to split his chest in two. His throat burned, but no words came out anymore. He had screamed enough.
He felt hollow.
And then.
Rintaro stood tall, unmoving. His mere presence anchored the crumbling room, though he said nothing.
His blade was still faintly glowing from the clash with Shinji.
Kouji forced himself to look up at him. There was no arrogance in Rintaro's expression, no condescension, only quiet, calm.
For a moment, Kouji wanted to scream at him too — demand why someone like him hadn't been there sooner, why Yuusuke had to die. But the words caught in his throat.
He knew it wasn't Rintaro's fault.
Between the silence, footsteps came closer.
"…I need to leave," Rintaro said.
But before he did a step—
"Rintaro?"
Sora stood in the hall.
She came back after she hid Ketsu's corpse in safety.
Rintaro shifted slightly, his gaze turning toward the entrance.
His strong presence changed into something slightly sad.
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the broken doors.
The heavy sound of his steps echoed.
"Do you want to leave again," Sora screamed.
But Rintaro walked forward until he vanished from sight
Kouji blinked. Only then did he notice.
A man stood where Rintaro had been a moment ago, leaning against the cracked wall. His presence wasn't crushing like Shinji's, nor overwhelming like Rintaro's. It was sharp, subtle, like a blade hidden in plain sight.
"You…" Kouji muttered, struggling to his feet. "When did you—"
His hair was short and dark, his movements casual, but there was a steadiness in his eyes. "Guess you were too focused to notice me."
Kouji clenched his fists. "Who are you?"
The man stepped forward, offering a hand to pull him up. "My Name's Yusei. Don't worry — I'm on your side."
Kouji hesitated. The man's hand was firm, unshaking, even as his own trembled.
He didn't take it, he stood up by himself and Yusei pulled his hand back slowly.
"This place…" Yusei glanced around at the destroyed Association hall, sighing faintly. "I was told it usually doesn't look this bad."
Kouji's throat tightened. He wanted to scream again, to shout that this wasn't just damage — this was where Yuusuke died. But no words came out.
Yusei didn't push.
Kouji was about to feint out of frustration, but Yusei caught him and left him in Yumi's arms.
Outside, the sound of distant thunder rolled. The air itself seemed to darken, as though something immense was stirring far beyond.
And just as silence had raised in the hall, someone, covered with wounds appeared at the door.