The battle was over.
Yamato stood still, several meters away from where Nent had just fallen. He hadn't even touched him directly. He only swung his sword once—and the energy wave from the slash had cut through the air and struck Nent cleanly.
Now, Nent's body lay motionless on the cave floor.
Yamato calmly sheathed his sword. His face was cold—no emotion. But his eyes… his eyes burned with a silent fury. Without saying a word, he turned and began walking away.
His footsteps echoed in the hollow cave. Slow, steady, sharp. The others stood frozen behind him, too shocked to move. Yamato didn't even glance back. His figure faded slowly into the darkness of the tunnel.
---
Dust settled in the cave. The silence was thick.
Lumei's hands trembled slightly. Sora's lips were parted, stunned. Chella took a step forward but stopped, not knowing what to say. Ichiha clenched his fists tightly, his face unreadable.
Ozaki broke the silence, his voice loud and rough:
"He died the moment that slash touched him… But we didn't! That energy wave passed right through us!"
Everyone turned to him. His eyes were wide, his chest rising and falling fast.
The rest of the team began to realize the same thing. They were standing in the path of the attack. Yet, they were still breathing. Why?
---
Yamato stopped walking. He didn't turn around. His back faced the group, but his voice carried clearly.
"There's something that's been bugging me," he said calmly.
"And it made me think… so I listened to my thoughts."
He turned his head slightly, just enough for them to see the serious look on his face.
"I told you to use your God form from the beginning because it was the only way to avoid taking real damage. Two percent doesn't work on vessels. That was the test."
Everyone blinked, confused. Yamato continued, voice lower now, more intense.
"Nent's first appearance was to take Ichiha. Not me. Not Ozaki. Not even Lumei or Sora. Only Ichiha."
His brow furrowed. His tone tightened.
"Even though Ozaki was meant to fight him. I just assumed it was part of the plan. We did plan for capture situations. But then..."
Yamato's eyes narrowed.
"When Ichiha returned, he looked... untouched. He wasn't tired. No wounds. If Nent really captured him, shouldn't there have been something?"
Chella's eyes widened. Sora gasped slightly.
"Then the first thing Ichiha said when he came back was, 'The plan wouldn't work.' Like he had already analyzed how I'd react. That's when I started paying attention to him."
Yamato slowly turned his full body to face them now. His posture was firm, like a soldier giving orders.
"I noticed that when we were split up, only Ichiha didn't look bothered. He wasn't confused or scared. And then I realized..."
He paused.
"...Nent wasn't a vessel. He was just being controlled. By someone who felt familiar. Something I've sensed before... and something Ozaki has seen."
The group turned to look at Ozaki. Ozaki's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't say anything, but his face gave away that Yamato was onto something.
Yamato's voice dropped to a near whisper:
"That's why I told you all to activate God form. I needed to confirm something. That energy slash I used? It adapts mid-air to avoid targets marked as divine. It still stings a bit… but it won't kill vessels."
---
Ozaki looked down and noticed dark bruises forming on his skin.
"Everyone, check yourselves!" he ordered.
They all did.
Ichiha, silent this whole time, looked down at his hand. His expression changed. He held it up slowly.
"...My finger," he muttered. One was missing.
The team turned to him, stunned.
"I don't have anything to say about your claims..." Ichiha said quietly. "But my finger's gone."
He knelt and looked around—then found the missing finger lying nearby. The ground around it was scorched. The heat had melted the rock beneath it.
Yamato smirked and crossed his arms.
"That's what happens when I use 2 percent. Your body won't feel damage while using God form if it used to. But instead… it reduces the pain and channels it to a smaller part of your body."
Ichiha's face tensed. His usual calm was shaken. He stared at the ground, silent.
Yamato took a few slow steps, lightly kicking a small rock with his foot, almost playfully. His body language was calm now, relaxed. The fury had passed—but his presence still weighed heavy.
Ozaki stared at him in disbelief.
"You guys need to be careful around Yamato. He's dangerous," he warned, his voice sharp.
Lumei and Sora smiled.
"Nope," they said at the same time.
"He's just our friend, Yamato. He always acts like this when he's angry."
Ozaki looked between them, frustrated.
"Did you hear what he said? He only used two percent! What if he had used ten? What would've happened then?"
The group went quiet.
Everyone turned toward Yamato—who now leaned against a cave wall, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded.
That calm...
That power...
It wasn't just impressive anymore.
It was terrifying. But they knew he wouldn't harm them