"Huh? Where the hell am I?"
Itoshi woke up in the middle of a dense jungle. A narrow trail snaked up toward the mountain ahead. Confused, he looked around, trying to make sense of where he was. The only sounds were birds calling, insects buzzing, and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze.
He started walking along the path, the jungle thickening around him. At the top of the mountain, he found a temple unlike any he had ever seen.
Despite all the studies about temples he had in school, this one didn't fit any category — it wasn't quite Incan, nor Asian or Egyptian. It was something else entirely.
Curious, Itoshi stepped inside. Suddenly, a piercing cry of a hawk echoed through the temple halls. He froze and looked back. There, standing just beyond the shadows, was the white-haired woman again.
"Not yet. Go back" she whispered.
Before he could react, a force yanked him backward, and he found himself outside the temple. Then everything blurred — he woke up, gasping, laying on a rock at Kin Beach.
Itoshi shrieked in terror, drenched in sweat. Kara, sitting beside him, wiped the sweat from his forehead with concern.
"What happened? That dream again? Are you okay?"
"Yeah... it's her again. I'm fine. But where are we?"
Itoshi replied, voice low and weak.
Kara: You should lie down for a while. The storm just passed, and your wound — it's deep. It still needs treatment.
Itoshi: We have to leave.
Kara: What? Why?
Itoshi: Treatment's expensive. You'll have to take care of it yourself. We don't have anything to pay for it.
Kara: You idiot! Forget the money. Your safety comes first! And it's selfish to think I can actually handle treating you.
Itoshi: You can, right?
Kara: Well... um... I guess?
As they spoke, sudden panics echoed the air. The shouts were different from the shouts from before.
"AHH! RUN!!"
"IT'S THE BEAST'S!!!"
Kara looked around.
"Kara.. Let's go.."
Itoshi commanded.
Kara nods, but before they could stand up.. A towering Größer als Männer Class Seele landed heavily behind Kara. Both their eyes widened in horror as the massive three-meter-tall creature snarled. Panic erupted around them — rescuers and victims scattered, running for cover.
The Seele's eyes twitched wildly as it locked onto Itoshi. Raising a massive hand to strike, it lunged forward.
But just before the attack landed, a man in a suit stepped in. With a swift motion, he blocked the strike with a spear.
It was Ryujin.
"Ayro! Get them out of here!"
Ryujin Ordered.
"Ughh..."
Ryujin shoved back the massive claw-like hand of the Seele just in time. Meanwhile, Ayro moved quickly, guiding Kara and Itoshi to a safer spot. Ayro was tall, dressed all in black with a striking red tricorne atop his head. His red eyes scanned the scene intently.
As Ayro sofyly brought Kara and Itoshi down, he wondered.
"I wonder what this Größer saw in you."
"Aren't you going to help him?!"
Kara asked.
To which, Ayro simply replied.
"Nah, I can't."
Ryujin pressed his attack, landing multiple blows against the creature. The Seele growled in frustration, shifting with surprising agility as it tried to outmaneuver Ryujin.
Itoshi's eyes were wide open, Stunned.
"What the hell... those movements... so smooth. I've seen something like this before — back in school. Something related to water. Like... a laminar flow."
Ryujin dodged each strike with fluid grace, moving closer and closer to the creature. Then, with a sudden leap into the air, he found an opening.
"I see you."
Ryujin plunged his spear down, aiming straight for the nape of the Seele. The blow connected directly. The creature screeched in agony, a piercing sound that triggered the warning sirens meant for Seele attacks.
"Ah! That's Why it felt like something was missing."
Ayro jokingly muttered.
Suddenly, more Groß-class Seele began emerging from the field, their massive forms looming ominously.
"Crap. Oh! Hey, you. Blue-haired dude."
Ayro asked.
Itoshi: W-what?
Ayro: You're a flame user, right?
Itoshi: Y-yeah... why?
Ayro: Can you light that branch on fire?
Itoshi: S-sure...?
Itoshi hesitantly set a small branch ablaze. Ayro held his hand close to the flame, then used his elemental ability, Dark, to neutralize it instantly.
"Huh... so it's true. Your flame really is different."
Itoshi: W-what?
Ayro pointed his finger toward the sky. The tip ignited with fire, then he opened his palm, engulfing his whole hand in flames. Turning his burning right hand toward the Seele, he unleashed a burst of blue flame.
A protective barrier flared up, separating him and the approaching Seele, holding them back.
"Hoh. You emit blue flame, huh? Well, that should hold them off... for now."
"W-Why didn't you finish them?"
Kara asked.
Ayro answered like it was a normal question.
"I simply can't."
"Ayro!!"
Ryujin roared as he fought.
Ayro: What?!
"Guide the victims to a safe place."
Ordered once more.
Ayro: Copy that, boss.
With a blink, Ayro vanished into the panicked crowd, swiftly clearing a path and leading them to safety.
Meanwhile, the Seele Ryujin had been battling began to rise again.
Ryujin smirked as he held off the beast's claw.
"Still not giving up, huh? You do realize you're going to die, right?"
The Seele let out a menacing howl.
"Oh well."
He struck several precise blows to the creature's head, weakening it. Despite the Seele's massive size, Ryujin forced it onto its knees, panting heavily.
"Let me free you... Spring Water Work."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them vanished. The battlefield transformed into a calm, warm pool of water. The gloomy Okinawa sky brightened into a clear summer day. Capillary waves rippled outward from where Ryujin and the Seele faced off.
"It's warm, isn't it?"
The Seele froze, eyes wide, reflecting the surrounding water but still locked on Ryujin. Raising his left hand, Ryujin summoned water that swirled and gathered in his palm. With a powerful thrust, he sent the torrent crashing into the Seele.
The creature howled one last time before dissolving into red dust.
Itoshi was stunned in awe, As he watched Ryujin easily beat the Seele in front of him.
"He... He defeated it."
Local authorities helped evacuate the victims back to the Kin residential area, aided by Ayro's guidance. Men armed with flamethrowers—members of the U.W.D.S.—arrived to confront the remaining Seele in the field.
Ryujin and Ayro assisted Itoshi and Kara as they boarded a U.W.D.S. helicopter. Soon, they arrived at the U.W.D.S. station clinic in Okinawa.
As Ryujin and Ayro were about to leave the room, Itoshi proudly announced.
"We didn't ask for any of this, you know?"
"H-hey... hold on..."
Kara muttered with Itoshi's sudden attitude.
"That's right. I don't expect you to trust me just because I saved you."
Ryujin quickly shot back.
Itoshi: Then why save us?
Ryujin looked back to Itoshi as he shot.
"Because I hate seeing weak people getting left behind."
Itoshi gritted his teeth and his clenched the soft white blanket.
"Weak? Damn you."
With no hesitation, Ryujin shot once more.
"Yes, weak."
Itoshi: You don't even know how I ended up like that, idiot.
Ryujin finally turned around to face Itoshi completely.
"You were caught off guard by an oncoming wave. That massive wound? From a falling tree."
Itoshi jolted back, sitting on the bed.
"H-how did you know that?"
To which Ryujin bluntly replied.
"Strong ones just know."
Ryujin opened the door and stepped out of the room where Itoshi rested.
Itoshi once again gritted his teeth as Ryujin and Ayro's footsteps grew distant. He was fighting, fighting his pride just to say two words.
"Thank you..."
Ryujin paused.
"Hm?"
Itoshi continued, looking down to his hands.
"For protecting me and Kara."
With a smile, Ryujin said.
"Get stronger. Recover. I'll be waiting. Let's go, Ayro."
Ayro: Copy that.
And then.. They left.
Kara urged Itoshi to rest a little longer — his wound was severe, and with all the blood loss, he was close to death. The risk of infection was dangerously high.
Doctors and nurses from U.W.D.S. took great care of both Kara and Itoshi, tending to their injuries in the clinic.
Two weeks later, feeling stronger, Itoshi wanted to visit his late home — and he wasn't going alone. Kara was by his side.
To be Continued