The weather was growing cloudy.
As they entered the forest, Rex and Gara began to feel strange, though there was something oddly comforting about Luna's presence.
The deeper they went, the louder the cries of wild animals grew.
Suddenly, Luna stopped at the entrance of a den. Once again, her body glowed, and in a flash of bright light she transformed into her human form—undressed.
As she stepped forward into the den, she glanced back at them with a sly smile. "Aren't you two coming in?" Her head tilted slightly, her eyes locking on Rex with a teasing glint. "Don't you want the diary?"
Rex froze, completely caught off guard. No girl had ever treated him this way before, and for a moment he forgot Gara was standing right there.
Gara noticed, but said nothing. Her mind was fixed on one thing: the diary.
Inside, the den was unlike anything they'd expected. The walls and furniture were crafted with such elegance and detail, it was as though they had stumbled into an artist's masterpiece.
Gara's gaze fell on a dusty painting hanging on the wall. It seemed to show three figures—a man, two women, and in the arms of one of the women, a child. She leaned closer to see more clearly—
Crash!
Rex, distracted as always, had managed to break a glass on the table.
Luna rushed in, now wearing black lingerie.
Embarrassed, Gara quickly squeezed her eyes shut. "Why don't you put on proper clothes before talking to us!" she snapped, her voice sharp with disgust.
Luna smirked. "Oh? Is my body bothering you? Many women are jealous when I walk into the palace, too." With a cunning smile, she set a large book down on the table.
"It's not that!" Gara shot back, still refusing to look. "We're kids—and this pervert here is a total creep!"
Luna tilted her head innocently. "Who are you talking about? There's only the two of us here. That boy of yours…" She pointed at Rex. "He's frozen solid."
Gara's eyes flew open. Rex stood stiff as stone beside the table, his expression blank.
"What did you do to him!?" Gara demanded, fists clenched.
"Relax," Luna said casually. "It's just a curse. Anyone who looks at me with dirty thoughts ends up like this. Your boyfriend was guilty."
"Wh—what curse!?" Gara stammered, then quickly added, "And he's not my boyfriend!"
Luna's smile widened. "Oh, really? But the chemistry between you two… it's just like my master and his wife."
Her words lingered as she unwrapped the heavy book.
"Wait—your master?" Gara asked in disbelief. "Who is your master?"
"You'll know in time," Luna replied lightly, not even glancing up.
Then, she held the book out toward Gara.
Gara's instincts screamed. She remembered the trick in the palace and immediately summoned Gaiku. "Open it," she ordered.
Gaiku emerged from her shadow and flipped the book open. Nothing unusual happened.
"I told you," Luna said smoothly, "you can trust me."
"Whatever…" Gara muttered, still wary.
"Hungry?" Luna asked suddenly. "Want to eat before you leave?"
"No thanks," Gara said, but right then her stomach growled loudly.
Luna laughed. "Your stomach says otherwise."
"…Maybe a little," Gara admitted, her voice carrying hidden pain. "They can wait for me a bit longer."
Luna's smile sharpened. "Who said I'd share? If you want food, hunt for it yourself. I don't share my meat."
Gara frowned. "What kind of meat is that, anyway? Those bones look… strange."
Luna took a savage bite from the chunk in her hands. "Human. Sometimes I hunt them. Quite delicious, actually."
A chill ran down Gara's spine. "I don't want to be your dinner—I'm out of here!"
Ignoring her, Gara hurriedly recited the spell on the diary's first page. But nothing happened.
Her heart sank. "What? Why isn't it working!?" She turned to Luna. "Hey! This spell isn't working—maybe this isn't the right diary!"
Luna's eyes narrowed, her expression turning fierce. "You don't understand. Until you unlock your true potential, your powers won't work, little one." She tore another bite from the corpse.
"What are you talking about!?" Gara shouted.
"Don't raise your voice at me, witch. Where are your manners? Did your parents teach you nothing about respect?" Luna roared back.
For a moment, Gara shrank in fear. Then she snapped, her voice trembling: "I… I don't know anything about my parents."
Luna froze, her eyes widening. "What? Don't tell me—you're the last Green Witch heir?"
"Green Witch… heir?" Gara whispered, stunned. "Do you know anything about my parents? Who were they? Where are they now?"
Luna leaned back, licking her lips as though savoring the words. "All I know is this: around twenty years ago, the Crimson Witches wiped out most of the White and Green Witch clans. Perhaps your parents survived—but if they did, not for long. Why else would they send you to Earth?"
Gara's heart clenched. "You're saying… they're dead?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?" Luna said with a shrug.
"Then I'll find them," Gara declared, her voice fierce.
"That's the spirit, my little green witch," Luna purred, finishing her grisly meal.
She stood on the sofa, stretching like a cat. "From now on, I'll train you. In the meantime, I'll send word to Kazuya."
"What do you know about him?" Gara pressed.
"Of course I know him. My master's best friend," Luna said with a casual smile as she stepped outside.
"Follow me, little witch."
Gara rose and walked after her, pride burning in her chest.
"Do as I say," Luna ordered.
"Wait—are we starting now?" Gara asked nervously.
"Why not?" Luna replied.
But when she turned, she found Gara already lying flat on the ground. "I'm exhausted. And I'm hungry."
Luna sighed, shaking her head. "Fine. I'll get you something." With a grin, she darted into the woods, swift as a wildcat.
---------
As the night rolled on and dawn began to creep closer, Hiro's heart grew restless. A storm of worry pressed against him, and even Akira—usually so composed—looked unsettled.
Marine, who had already lost both her mother and brother to the night's chaos, couldn't bear the thought of her best friend slipping away too. She clung tightly to Isaka, refusing to leave her side, and then, as if her fragile heart had finally shattered, she burst into tears.
The sobs shook her small body until, around two in the morning, exhaustion finally overtook her. She drifted into an uneasy sleep, curled in Isaka's arms. But when the morning bustle stirred the house, Marine's instincts betrayed her.
"Mommy, is my breakfast ready?" she asked, half-awake.
The words stung her the moment they escaped. Reality struck like a blade, and she sank back into Isaka's embrace, trembling. The warmth comforted her for a moment, but the absence of Gara and Rex gnawed at her. Her thoughts twisted into strange, fearful shapes, and soon fresh tears streamed down her face.
Then, as her cries filled the air, the impossible happened. A strange sphere shimmered into existence. Hiro, already suspicious of Kazuya, immediately braced himself—certain it was a trap. He stepped forward, but before he could reach it, a blinding flash burst from the sphere. A bird soared out, its wings scattering the light, and with a sharp cry it knocked Hiro back.
The creature circled the room before descending gracefully, perching beside Marine and Isaka. As if it already understood who Marine truly was, the bird stayed still, unflinching.
Kazuya stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. A strip of parchment was tied to the bird's leg. He reached for it, but Hiro, distrust burning in his chest, snatched the letter first.
"This might be from Gara and Rex," he muttered, glaring. "You'll twist the words if you read it."
He tore open the note and read aloud, his voice carrying through the silent room:
"Mr. Kazuya,
You're still as stupid as ever, thinking of yourself as the Lightning Guardian these days. But rest assured—the two children you sent are safe with me. They were caught by the King at first, but I freed them. Now, they'll train under my care. The little witch must learn to wield her powers, and as you know, I have history with witches.
As for that boy—her so-called pervy boyfriend—I sense something strange in him. Or maybe it's just my old nose.
And yes, you must be wondering about the diary. I'm sending it with this bird. Guard it well; the one who entrusted it to you believed only you could bear the weight of its truth.
Thank you, you old fool.
—Your former crush, Luna."
The moment Hiro's voice fell silent, the weight of the words settled like iron. Marine's tears dried. Her eyes sharpened, her young heart blazing with determination.
I won't let anyone take them from me. I will find my mother. I will find my brother.
Her fists tightened as she rose. The grief vanished, replaced with grim resolve.
"If they're training… then we'll train too," Marine declared. Her voice, still trembling from tears, carried an unshakable will. "I'll bring back my mom and my brother. No matter what."
Hiro's brows furrowed. "But what training? We're just normal humans, Marine. How could we fight those things?"
Marine turned to him, her eyes glowing with a light too fierce for her age. "I don't know how yet… but I'll do it. I have to."
She turned toward Isaka. "Will you help me?"
Isaka straightened, her voice unwavering. "Yes. Always. Until my last breath."
Her words struck the air like a vow. Memories of the night before—the way Marine had awakened something beyond human—burned bright in her mind. Marine was no ordinary girl. She was something more.
"Then let's begin," Isaka said firmly. "We'll train too. We may not be strong enough yet, but Marine… I believe you can surpass them all."
The morning sun climbed slowly over the horizon. Its light could not soften the heaviness of the day, nor the grimness that shadowed their hearts. But in that heaviness, something unyielding had begun to grow.
Later, Marine and Hiro left for school as usual, carrying their hidden resolve with them. Behind them, Isaka and Akira stayed behind, quietly plotting how Marine and Isaka would prepare for the battles to come.
And when they stepped into the school, it was as though the very air shifted—every eye drawn to them, their presence pulling at the fabric of the day.
--------
Whispers spread like wildfire through the school corridors. Everyone had heard of the strange incident at Marine's house. Some murmured it was an accident, others whispered murder. Only a few dared to approach her directly.
"We can't imagine what you're going through, Marine," one girl said softly, her voice trembling. "But if you… if you ever need to share what's in your heart, we'll listen."
Marine stopped. Her heart, once fragile, now felt like stone. She turned away without a word and walked a few steps further, her silence heavy enough to choke the air. Then, abruptly, she froze.
And laughed.
"Hehehe… hahahaha… haaaaaa!"
The sound wasn't human. It wasn't grief. It was a jagged, broken laughter that made every hair in the corridor rise. Students recoiled. Her twisted expression, cold and sharp as a blade, cut deeper than any scream.
"You think I'm sad?" she spat, eyes glinting with cruel light. "I haven't felt this alive since I was a child. Now… now I can hunt those who took my mother and brother."
The words dropped like poison. Even the guards at the gates and the sweepers in the distance froze where they stood.
Her eyes—no longer sorrowful—were frigid, merciless, the kind of eyes that promised death without hesitation.
Hiro, too, faltered. He had never seen her like this. For a moment, fear chained him in place. But then he moved.
With trembling resolve, he stepped forward, reached her—
And slapped her.
The sound cracked through the courtyard. Her face snapped to the side, turning her gaze toward the stunned students. Their expressions were no longer soft, no longer sympathetic. They looked at her as though she were a monster.
Her body froze. For the first time, her confidence shattered.
Then Hiro grabbed her hand without a word and dragged her away.
Through the corridors, into the shadows, until they reached the old storage room. He shoved the door open and pushed her inside. She stumbled, her mind spinning, and collapsed. Darkness swallowed her.
When she woke, the first thing she saw was Hiro. He sat on the floor beside her, silent, a book resting in his hands as though nothing had happened.
Shame burned her throat. "I… I'm sorry, Hiro. For everything I did back there."
"It's not a problem," he answered, voice calm, eyes fixed on the page.
"And… thank you," she whispered.
He did not look up. "For what?"
"For the slap. It opened my eyes."
His voice remained steady, but his tone carried a quiet finality. "Now that you're awake, we need to go to the principal's office."
Her eyes widened. "What? Why? What did we do?"
He finally closed his book. "We've been here since morning, haven't attended a single class."
Marine groaned. "So now we're in trouble… great."
"Hmm." Hiro stood, his expression unreadable.
Reluctantly, she rose too. "Wait, how long was I unconscious?"
As they walked through the silent corridor.They continued talking.
"Not sure. But more than three hours, at least," he said flatly.
"What?!" she gasped. "That can't be true!"
"It is. We've already missed half the school day."
"Mrs. Hoga will kill us…" she muttered, her voice small with fear.
"That doesn't matter," Hiro said, his tone sharpening. "What matters is where you'll stay from now on."
Even as he spoke, his eyes flicked toward the windows along the corridor. Through the glass, on the rooftop of a distant house, a cloaked figure stood, unmoving. Watching.
Hiro's jaw tightened.
But the moment passed. They reached the principal's office door. Marine swallowed her nerves.
"Well," she muttered, forcing a weak smile. "Let's see what happens to us now."
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