Deep within the Seirei Exorcist's secondary building—far removed from where the team usually resides—a sealed chamber holds two figures: Damein and Kyoka. The air is tense, a mix of silence and boredom, as Kyoka finally breaks it.
"Damn, it's boring in here," Kyoka mutters with a sigh, leaning against the cold walls of the seal.
Damein offers a faint smile. "You've been complaining about being bored for the last 20 years. You'd think you'd have given up by now."
Kyoka chuckles, brushing off the comment. "Still, it is boring. And you, Damein, are no fun at all. But that's fine—I'll keep watching you. After all, there's always a chance someone might break you out of this place."
Damein closes his eyes, his grin widening. "It's not about a chance I'll escape. I will escape. And when I do, the first thing I'll do is kill your son. Then I'll annihilate every last Seirei." His voice grows colder. "My goal hasn't changed in 20 years, Kyoka."
Kyoka remains calm, leaning casually against the wall. "You're awfully confident, Damein. I won't deny there's a chance you'll escape someday, but don't underestimate Makoto. You saw him the day he was born, and even you admitted it—Makoto is special."
Damein sneers, disgust flashing in his crimson eyes. "Special? You mean standzless. A freak with no place in this world."
Kyoka doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he lets the insult hang in the air before adding, "Underestimating him would be a mistake."
Damein's tone sharpens. "Mistake or not, my disciples know what to do. I've given them their orders. It's only a matter of time now."
"Your disciples," Kyoka muses, frowning slightly. "I remember them. Filthy, unworthy scum."
Elsewhere, in a run-down apartment cluttered with tools and wires, a man named Kaito works diligently on a strange gadget. His friend Daichi, slouched on the couch nearby, is glued to his video game, his controller clicking rhythmically.
The door creaks open, revealing a fully clothed figure cloaked in shadows, his face obscured by a hood and his voice distorted by a device.
"You two seem comfortable," the figure says, his tone cold. "But it's time to get to work. I couldn't gain access to the seal myself, so Damein's order if I couldn't unseal him was that it's up to you two to handle it."
Kaito smirks, not even looking up from his work. "So, it's about time, huh? What do you think, Daichi?"
Daichi, without looking away from his game, responds lazily, "Sounds like a hassle. Why don't you go alone, Kaito? The Seirei Exorcists in this region are nothing without Kyoka around."
The figure's distorted voice cuts in sharply. "You shouldn't underestimate them. The Seirei Exorcists grow stronger by the day. And Makoto... Makoto is not someone you can take lightly."
Kaito snorts. "Makoto? Isn't he the one from that Zeyrix Veynith show? The guy's standzless. What's there to worry about?"
Daichi yawns. "Didn't watch that boring show. But if Makoto's standzless, then yeah, Kaito can handle it solo."
The figure sighs, turning to leave. "Do what you want. But don't expect me to help if things go sideways. I'll remain undercover within the Seirei Exorcist ranks."
Kaito's grin widens. "Don't worry. I'll destroy the Seirei Exorcist group myself and free Damein. Then we'll kill every last one of Seireis."
At the Seirei Exorcist Building
At the main Seirei Exorcist building, Makoto stirs awake, his body still aching from his recent fight with Zeyrix. He looks down at his bandaged form and sighs before rising from bed. Wandering into the common area, he finds Yana cleaning in an apron, humming softly to herself.
Makoto observes her for a moment before stating flatly, "You look cute in that apron."
Yana freezes, her face reddening as she turns away. "T-thank you," she stammers, trying to collect herself.
"Where is everyone?" Makoto asks.
Yana busies herself with her cleaning. "Takumi Enatsu and Miwafe went to exorcise a Seirei. Haruko and Rin are handling the crowd of fans we gained after your fight with Zeyrix. The boss and Ninda... well, I'm not sure where they went."
"And you?" Makoto asks, grabbing a drink from the fridge.
"I was told to stay here and take care of you," Yana says, her cheeks still tinged with pink.
Makoto nods. "Thanks for that."
As Yana turns to leave, Makoto stops her. "You know, don't you?"
Yana freezes again, confusion spreading across her face. "Know what?"
"That I'm standzless," Makoto says plainly.
Yana tries to deflect, but her terrible lying skills betray her. Sighing in defeat, she admits, "I read it in Zeyrix's mind during the fight."
Makoto leans against the counter, unsurprised. "I figured. A mind reader with shaky control over her standz could probably pick that up."
Yana promises to keep his secret, understanding that there must be a reason for hiding it. Makoto shrugs. "It's Takumi Enatsu's idea, not mine. You'd be doing him a favor by staying quiet."
Relieved, Yana smiles. But curiosity bubbles within her. "How does it feel?" she blurts out. "Being standzless, I mean. Does it affect you? How are you so strong without one?"
Makoto chuckles at her rapid-fire questions. "Slow down. It doesn't really affect me. I feel normal, just... without any flashy tricks like you guys have."
Yana pats his head, smiling warmly. "You're amazing, you know that?"
Makoto stares at her, confused. "What are you doing?"
Before Yana can answer, she suddenly remembers the turkey she left in the microwave. She rushes over, only to find it unroasted. Makoto points to a sign on the microwave: Out of Order.
"You didn't notice this?" he asks, smirking.
Yana tries to lie again, but it's obvious she's embarrassed. Makoto presses her. "Wait, can you even read?"
Blushing furiously, Yana admits, "I'm dyslexic. I can't read words properly. That's why I was bullied in school those days that I had to drop out. If it weren't for Miwafe, I'd have lost my confidence years ago."
Makoto shrugs. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. And don't let it get to you. You may not be able to read words, but you can do something no one else can—read minds."
Yana's face lights up at his encouragement.
Makoto stretches. "I'll make lunch. You can pick up some skills."
Yana's heart pounds as she realizes she might like him.
As Makoto and Yana prepare lunch, the rest of the team arrives, filling the room with laughter and chatter. Makoto proudly announces that Yana cooked the meal, pulling her close as she tries to deny it. Her blush deepens as she leans into him, overwhelmed by the moment.
Unbeknownst to them, Kaito has already set his plan into motion. The Seirei Exorcist building is about to face an unprecedented attack, one that will shake its very foundation and pave the way for Damein's release.