The soldiers returned before dawn.
Their boots struck the earth in rhythm, a drumbeat that carried through the fog-shrouded fields. Villagers peered from behind shutters, hearts sinking as the formation marched into the square. Rifles gleamed in the pale light, bayonets fixed. At their head walked a tall officer in a pressed uniform, his expression sharp as a blade.
Yoshiki stood with Daichi near the well, fists clenching. The ember veins in his arms itched, begging to flare. He caught himself breathing too quickly, forcing his hands to remain at his sides. His crimson hair glowed faintly in the gray morning, a beacon he couldn't hide.
"They're coming for me," Yoshiki muttered.
"No," Daichi said flatly, planting himself like stone. "They're coming for all of us."
The officer raised a hand, and the soldiers fanned out. His gaze swept the silent crowd, lingering on Yoshiki with a thin, knowing smile. He withdrew a small device from his coat—sleek, metallic, glowing faintly with the same eerie pulse as the machines Hikaru had drawn on his maps.
He lifted it high. The device hummed, sending a ripple through the air. Yoshiki felt it at once—like needles crawling beneath his skin, resonance pulling at the fire inside him. His body spasmed. The villagers gasped as sparks leapt off his bandages.
"Director Shiga thanks you for your… cooperation," the officer said, his voice carrying through the silence. "We are here only to confirm a report. Subject Takahiro Yoshiki—Pyrokinetic resonance confirmed. Codename: Infernal Sovereign."
The words cut like a knife.
Whispers rippled through the villagers. Subject. Codename. The soldiers weren't guessing—they already knew.
Yuzuriha stiffened at the edge of the crowd, her notes clutched tightly. Her mind raced. How much did they already have mapped? Was Yoshiki's awakening the confirmation of years of hidden surveillance?
Hikaru's fists clenched inside the folds of his cloak. His eyes darted across the soldiers, measuring numbers, angles, exits. He whispered to himself, "Four rifles on the left, two on the roofs…" His voice was low, sharp. If this turned into a fight, Yoshiki wouldn't be able to move without tearing himself apart.
The officer pocketed the device and raised his voice again. "Those who resist will be treated as enemies of the State. Step forward, Subject, and this can remain… orderly."
Daichi shifted in front of Yoshiki before he could move, broad shoulders blocking the officer's line of sight. "He's not going anywhere," Daichi said, voice like stone grinding.
The officer's smile didn't falter. He snapped his fingers. Soldiers stepped forward, bayonets gleaming.
The square held its breath.