As Rex and Gara stepped through the portal, their eyes widened at the sight before them. A magnificent palace stretched across the horizon, its spires glittering under the strange twin suns.
"Wow… what is this place? It's so beautiful," Gara whispered, her voice trembling with awe.
"Don't get carried away," Rex replied flatly, cutting through her wonder. "We're here for the diary. Nothing else."
"You're always after me," Gara snapped, annoyance flashing in her eyes.
"Because you're the love of my life," Rex teased, nudging her playfully.
Her cheeks warmed at his words, though she quickly turned away. "Now you're the one getting distracted."
As if to prove her point, Gara's hand brushed against a flower vase, knocking it off balance. It crashed to the ground, shattering into a thousand shards.
"Who's there?" a voice thundered from behind a door.
Panic seized them both. They darted back and forth, searching desperately for a hiding place—but before they could move, armed guards stormed in.
"Who are you two?" one barked. "Get down, now!"
"We're not what you think!" Rex protested. "We're only here for a red diary—"
"A red diary…?" one guard muttered darkly. "That must be the forbidden treasure."
"Yes," the other hissed. "Let's arrest them. Bring them before the king."
"What? We aren't criminals!" Rex tried again, but the guards seized them before he could finish.
Leaning close, Gara whispered, "Hey, idiot. Don't you realize this could actually help us?"
Rex, however, was far too distracted by how close she was to him. Her breath brushed his ear, her presence overwhelming. For the first time, she hadn't pushed him away. He nearly forgot they were prisoners.
"You'll never change," Gara sighed, her expression touched by something softer… and heavier.
Bound in chains, they were dragged into the grand courtroom. A towering throne loomed above, and on it sat the king, his presence heavy and suffocating.
"My lord," one guard said, bowing, "these children speak of the red diary. They don't belong here."
The king's sharp gaze fixed on them. "Indeed. You are not of this world. Why have you come?"
"We came through a portal," Gara declared boldly. "A man—he called himself the Lightning Guardian—sent us. His name is Kazuya. We were told to retrieve the red diary."
At that, the king's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
"I said… we came for the red diary," Gara repeated, her voice faltering now.
The king's expression twisted with rage. "So! He dares to interfere in my affairs? That treacherous brother of mine… He will regret this!"
Rex leaned toward Gara, smirking despite his fear. "Great. You've made him angry. Now he'll execute us for sure."
But Gara remained calm. "We were sent by the Lightning Guardian, Kazuya," she said firmly.
The king froze. Then slowly, a cruel smile spread across his face. "Ahh… so that's his game." He laughed suddenly, harsh and mocking. "Hehehe… hahahaha! Does he truly think me a fool?"
Rex's eyes darted nervously. "Yep, Gara. You've broken him. He's gone completely mad."
Then, as quickly as it came, the king's fury vanished. His expression softened. "Forgive me, children. I troubled you without cause. Please… continue your mission."
Rex blinked. "What? Gara, this is a trap!"
But the king stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Or perhaps I should simply give you the diary myself."
"Please, sir," Gara said without hesitation. "Then give it to us."
"You can't be serious!" Rex hissed. "No one hands over their treasure just like that!"
Yet the king gestured, and the guards released Gara from her chains. Moments later, he returned carrying a book wrapped in red cloth.
"This," he said softly, "is the diary you seek."
"Thank you, my lord," Gara replied calmly. "Now free my friend as well."
The king nodded. Rex was released, and at once he rushed to Gara's side, placing himself between her and the throne. "Stay away from her," he warned.
"You need not fear me," the king said gently. "This was all a misunderstanding."
But Rex did not relax.
Then, just as Gara reached to unwrap the book, the air around her shifted. A shadow burst from beneath her feet, seizing the diary and soaring into the air.
Gara gasped. "Gaiku! Give it back! I sealed you—how are you here?"
Gaiku smirked. "That doesn't matter. What does matter is this—" He flung the diary open. From its pages erupted a cloud of screeching bats.
"A trap!" Rex shouted. "I knew it! Thanks, Gaiku—you saved my life."
Gaiku raised an eyebrow. "I saved her."
"Exactly," Rex replied without hesitation, his eyes never leaving Gara. "Because she's my life."
Gara flushed, her heart betraying her, but she quickly masked it with anger. "Don't you dare flirt with me now, pervert!" She kicked Rex hard in the face.
The king, watching from his throne, let out a booming laugh. "You two are quite the pair. Fighters… or lovers?" His grin turned sly.
"Rex, run!" Gara shouted, her voice sharp with urgency. "Find the book. Gaiku and I will handle him!"
Without hesitation, Rex dashed for the great doors. But the moment he threw them open, his breath caught in his throat.
An army of guards stood waiting—hundreds of them.
In the blink of an eye, both Rex and Gara realized they had stepped into something far larger than they had imagined.
---------
Meanwhile, on Earth—on the eastern side of the continent Murasia—something strange began to unfold.
Odd-looking creatures appeared out of nowhere, slipping into villages and towns like whispers of a coming storm.
Back in Acurda, Marine and the others sat gathered in Rex's house. The news of these bizarre animals flickered on the TV screen. The room was silent, heavy, as though even their breaths were waiting.
Breaking the silence, Akira finally turned to Kazuya.
"When will they return, Master?"
"By now, they should have," Kazuya admitted, rising to his feet. His tone carried a weight that unsettled the room. "If they haven't… it means they're caught in something serious."
He glanced toward Hiro, who was already narrowing his eyes.
"I'm not going after them," Hiro said sharply. "I can't leave Akira, Marine, and Isaka with you. We still don't trust you."
The words stung with their truth.
Kazuya sank back into his chair, pressing his hands to his head. How do I explain this to these kids? he thought.
Suddenly, a knock at the door startled everyone.
Marine flinched, shivering before she steadied herself again—only to feel Isaka's arms wrap tightly around her as they sat together on the sofa.
Akira went to answer.
"It's a courier," she said, stepping back in with a letter. "Marine—it's for you."
She set it down on the table in front of them.
Marine stared at it, frozen. Fear flickered in her eyes, but Isaka already knew what she was feeling—the ache of losing her mother and brother.
Slowly, Isaka tightened her hold. Every time she tried to loosen her embrace, Marine clung harder, pressing her face against the steady beat of Isaka's heart—mechanical, yet almost human.
Marine didn't understand the storm inside her. But Isaka understood perfectly.
When Isaka finally opened the envelope, Marine's grip grew tighter still.
Inside was nothing more than Marine's mid-term report card.
The tension in the room eased, but not by much. Their worry hadn't gone anywhere. Gara and Rex still haven't returned.
"What's taking them so long?" Hiro muttered, his suspicious gaze locked on Kazuya. In his mind, it could only mean one thing—that Kazuya had sent them into a trap.
---
Meanwhile, in the palace across the stars, Rex and Gara stood with Gaiku, surrounded by hundreds of guards. Rex's bravado faltered. Even Gara, who tried to stay calm, couldn't keep her composure.
Then something miraculous happened.
A long, deep howl echoed from the giant gates. They burst open, and through them strode a massive wolf.
The king's face darkened. "You swore not to meddle in my affairs. Why are you here?"
But the wolf had already torn through half the soldiers with a single breath of force.
"I said I would not interfere in your politics," the wolf growled, its voice shockingly human. "But this… this concerns my master."
"What—what is this?!" Rex stammered. "A talking wolf? Gara, run!" He grabbed her wrist, ready to bolt, but the beast leapt before them, blocking the way.
"Stop. You don't need to run from me."
A blinding light enveloped the wolf. Before their stunned eyes, its form shifted. When the glow faded, a woman stood where the beast had been—a beautiful woman of about twenty-seven. And she wore nothing at all.
Rex's jaw nearly hit the floor. His mind raced with questions, half of them far from appropriate. But before he could think too long, Gara's fist landed squarely on his head.
"Yow! What was that for?!" Rex yelped.
"Stop thinking like that," Gara hissed, cheeks blazing red.
"Ohhh," Rex said with a grin, rubbing his head. "So you are jealous."
Her face went scarlet. She turned away, muttering barely above a whisper, "I don't know."
The woman stepped closer, calm and graceful. "Children, my name is Luna," she said.
"You've come here for my master's diary, haven't you?"
"Yes," Gara answered without hesitation. But her voice trembled, the earlier scene still rattling her.
Neither she nor Rex could bring themselves to look at Luna directly—they were too embarrassed.
"Can you… maybe put some clothes on?" Rex asked, flustered.
Luna only smiled. "Later. But first—come with me."
Her form shimmered, and in an instant she was a wolf again.
"Climb on," she instructed.
With little choice, Rex and Gara mounted her back. Luna bounded to the window, leaping through in a single, fluid motion. She carried them across the palace grounds and into the deep, shadowed jungle beyond.9