The cracks in the barrier spread like broken glass, each fissure glowing faintly as the Holloweyes hammered their tails against it. The girl's breathing quickened, sweat running down her face as she clutched Takeda tighter. Despair was setting in—until suddenly—
"—!!"
A thunderous voice cut through the chaos. The girl instantly dropped to the ground, covering her head. Takeda, shocked by her sudden movement, stared wide-eyed.
A blinding slash of light ripped through the barrier's edge, cleaving several Holloweyes in half. Their screeches filled the night before silence reclaimed the moment. Standing there, drenched in blood and panting heavily, was the man from earlier. His sword dripped with black ichor as his chest rose and fell like a dying engine.
The girl quickly stood and helped him forward. Together, they ran, carrying Takeda in her arms, until a house loomed in the distance. They stumbled inside, shutting the door, then barred it with a wooden plank. The windows were also sealed with thick boards, drowning the room in darkness.
Only a faint glow from the girl's chant lit the cramped space. The sound of Holloweyes swarming the house filled the air—their tails striking the wood, their screeches echoing like knives scraping metal. For an agonizing minute, the world outside was nothing but madness.
And then—silence.
The girl opened her mouth to speak, but the man silenced her with a sharp "Shh." Dropping to the floor, he crossed his legs in a lotus position, pressing his bloodstained hand against the ground. His lips moved in a low chant, a strange glow forming beneath him. With his eyes shut tight, the whole house seemed to fall into stillness, as if even the Holloweyes outside dared not move.
Finally, he opened his eyes, gave the girl a brief command, and she sat down with visible relief. They began talking in their strange language, the sound foreign to Takeda's ears.
Takeda, meanwhile, was lost in thought. This isn't Earth… These people… they saved me. But… whose body is this? What am I doing here?
Their conversation paused. Both the man and the girl looked at him. Nervous, Takeda tried to shout, "What?!"—but the only sound that escaped his mouth was a baby's cry.
"Unga… unga…"
The man picked him up, inspecting him closely while muttering words Takeda couldn't understand. After examining him, he exchanged words with the girl, who nodded and began rummaging through the room. Finally, the man laid Takeda on a crude bed.
A sigh of relief passed through Takeda's tiny body. His eyes grew heavy, and sleep overtook him.
But then—
He was back.
Sitting on a couch, in a familiar room.
"What happened?" A gentle voice spoke beside him.
Takeda turned. Tears welled up instantly.
"...Akihiro?" His voice broke as he threw his arms around his blind friend. "Akihiro Gonzales!"
Akihiro chuckled softly, patting his back with his calloused hand. "What happened to you, you big oaf? I thought I lost you."
"What's this? Are you into men now, Ta-kun?" Another voice teased from the kitchen.
Takeda turned, stunned. "Synthia…?" Their mechanic, smiling faintly as she leaned against the counter.
"No, no, Uncle just got sent back to Earth because he defeated the Demon Lord in another world!" said a cheerful voice. It was Renji, the little kid from the slums who always loved reading stories.
Takeda trembled, sobbing. "You… kid. Everyone… you're all here…"
But Akihiro's voice grew softer, fading like mist.
"You need to grow up now, Takeda… you're not a kid anymore."
"No! Don't go! Please—"
The world around him twisted, swirling into darkness, collapsing into nothingness.
Takeda's eyes shot open. Tears streamed down his face as he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Uwaaaa—!" He cried uncontrollably.
The girl from earlier rushed over, lifting him gently into her arms. She rocked him back and forth, whispering softly in that strange language. Her expression was warm, almost motherly, as if urging him to stop crying.
And yet, deep inside, Takeda's heart still ached from the faces he had just seen.
The girl hurried outside, clutching Takeda tightly to her chest. Her voice rang out in urgent tones as she shouted something at the man outside the house.
Takeda blinked at the sudden rush of movement, his tiny head turning to peek outside.
What he saw left him stunned.
The dark, suffocating night was gone. The endless swarms of Holloweyes had vanished. In their place stretched a vast blue sky—bright and endless, almost identical to Earth's. The air was fresh and crisp, carrying the scent of pine.
The house they had just escaped from was not a fortress at all but a small rugged cabin tucked away deep in the mountains. Trees surrounded them on every side, tall and green, their thick leaves allowing only slivers of sunlight to filter through. The shadows danced on the forest floor in mesmerizing patterns.
Still arguing with the man, the girl eventually shook her head and walked further into the woods, carrying Takeda with her. He watched, fascinated, as the forest stretched endlessly ahead—lush, untamed, alive. For a moment, he almost forgot his fear.
Then, ahead of them, the trees began to thin. A brilliant light flooded through the gaps, and as they stepped out, Takeda's eyes widened.
They were standing at the edge of a cliff.
The girl knelt slightly, holding him up as if to show him the world below. She spoke softly to him, pointing toward the horizon, her voice tender but firm—like she wanted him to understand.
From the cliff's edge, the view was breathtaking.
Far below lay a small mountain town, its homes scattered sparsely, so few that Takeda could nearly count them from where he stood. The town was framed by rolling hills and endless greenery, stretching toward towering mountains in the distance. And farther still, shimmering faintly under the sun, was a vast body of water—perhaps a lake, perhaps the sea.
Takeda's tiny body trembled, but it wasn't fear this time. It was awe.
And then—whoosh!
Something massive flew overhead, casting a brief shadow over them. Takeda's eyes shot upward, and his breath caught.
It was no bird. Its wings were vast and leathery, its form alien yet majestic as it soared through the sky. A creature not of Earth.
That moment confirmed everything.
I… really reincarnated into another world.
The wind brushed against his face as the horizon seemed to stretch endlessly, almost daring him to choose how to face it.
[This world… is it a chance to finally live the life I never had… or the beginning of something far worse than I could ever imagine?]
But as the light of that horizon burned in his eyes, a shadow of the Ebonveil still lingered in the distance, reminding him that even the brightest skies could hide a storm.
---End of Chapter 4---