It was white, pure white, all white. No wind, only a single color exploding in one's eye.
"Ashura?"
He whispered.
A voice replied to him,
"Yeah?"
"Don't Overdo It."
~~~UWDS Africa Head Quarters~~~
[3:40pm - Kenya]
"Ryujin went 100% Ashura!"
The staff member burst into Hachi's darkened office, panic in his voice.
"You're kidding?!"
Hachi shot up from his seat, his chair screeching against the floor.
From the corner, a voice slid through the shadows like smoke.
"So... it happened again."
Hachi and the staff turned. A woman lay lazily across the couch, her figure half-hidden in the dim light.
"Franz Rinashi,"
Hachi muttered, recognition in his tone.
She smirked without rising, eyes half-lidded.
"Mmm. Years since he last did it, right?"
Hachi nodded, folding an arm under his chin.
"That's right... What could've made Ryujin trust Ashura? No—what changed Ashura's mind?"
Franz's reply came sharp and certain.
"Ashura is a demon. Demons consume anything alive to grow stronger."
Hachi's brows furrowed.
"A good point... but if the rest of the squad are nearby, they're easy prey. Yet he didn't touch them."
Franz's smirk widened.
"Then something else must've piqued Ashura's interest."
"A demon... working with a human?"
Hachi muttered. The thought alone felt dangerous.
"Sir!"
The staff rushed forward, handing him the latest Kaba Island report. Hachi scanned the papers, and his eyes went wide.
"No way..."
Franz leaned in for a peek, chuckling with her eyes closed.
"Oho... interesting. Looks like they really are capable. Congratulations, Hachi—you've got yourself a new 'star' squad."
Hachi's hands covered his mouth in disbelief. His gaze fixed on the headline, the words heavy as iron:
"Ryujin defeated a Class D Intelligent Demon all by himself."
For a long moment, silence filled the office, broken only by the hum of the monitors.
Finally, Hachi whispered to himself:
"Maybe... he really could make his dream come true."
~~~Kaba Island~~~
[9pm]
Ryujin sneered, his body cloaked in a thick Purple Haze. His left eye shimmered alive, casting an eerie, unnatural glow. Behind him, the shadow twisted—stretching, reshaping—until it mirrored Ashura: a towering demonic knight, imposing and fierce.
"Wooh! Been a while!"
Ashura's voice rang out, raw and manic, though it slipped from Ryujin's lips. He paused, grinning wide.
"Oi, you."
His gaze locked on the wounded demon.
The demon scoffed.
"So... you finally came out."
For a moment, its grin faltered.
"What the hell? This presence... This isn't the same boy as before."
Ashura rolled his shoulders, stretched his back, and cracked Ryujin's knuckles with a satisfied sigh.
"Finally managed to convince the 'owner' of this body. Think I'll keep it."
"Oi."
Ryujin's voice pressed from deep within, a low whisper.
Ashura laughed, tossing his head back.
"Kidding, Ryujin-kun! Relax. Let's see what this body can really do."
He began stretching like it was a warm-up before a casual run—finger flexes, shoulder rolls, even a few light hops in place. Then, with a beaming smile, he launched.
In a single blur, Ashura sprang from the roof of a broken home, fists cocked.
The demon's eyes widened.
"His speed—doubled... no, TRIPLED?!"
Before it could react, half its face was already mangled, purple haze burning into its wounds.
"Tsk... I need energy. I can't keep up with this monster! That damned kid—!"
Its eyes darted toward Ayro, who lay motionless on the road.
Ashura halted mid-pursuit, tilting his head with a curious smirk.
"Hoh? Still scheming, huh."
The demon mocked through bloodied teeth.
"Heh. Never seen anything like this before?"
Ashura shrugged casually, the haze curling off his body like smoke.
"Yeah... it's been a while."
The two demons faced each other, words calm but cold, tension crackling sharp in the night air.
Ashura's grin widened.
"Oh well. Gotta finish this job."
[Itoshi & Jayu]
Itoshi ran, breath ragged but unyielding, clutching Jayu gently in his arms.
"Jayu, we're close to them. Are you alright?"
The girl nodded faintly.
"Y-Yeah..."
"Have you been eat—"
Before he could finish, her small voice cut through the wind.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Ah... sorry I forgot to mention."
His tone softened.
"I'm taking you to my companions. They'll take care of you."
He smiled warmly. The little girl's eyes fluttered with a tiny sense of ease.
"Yes, I've been eating."
She glanced down at her hands as she answered his unfinished question.
Itoshi grinned.
"Hoh! You must be really strong!"
"There's someone giving me food ever since Mama disappeared..."
Itoshi's smile faded slightly. His voice lowered.
"You're with someone? Where is she?"
"I... I don't know if it's a she or he. I've never seen who gives me food."
"Then... just her and her mom... odd,"
He thought, eyes narrowing.
Out loud, he chuckled.
"Oh! I see. It must be a guardian angel!"
Her head lifted, eyes shining for a moment.
"They do exist! Mama told me that!"
"Yeah, yeah! Oh—look ahead! We're near my friends! See that fire? It's gonna warm you up."
Jayu turned her head, spotting the faint trail of smoke curling into the gray sky.
"O-Ok..."
As they reached the dimly lit camp, Kirashi stirred, groaning as he sat up. His palm pressed to his temple.
"What in the shit just happened..."
"Kirashi!"
Itoshi called out.
"Oh... Itosh—"
He froze, eyes widening at the sight of the girl in Itoshi's arms.
"WHAT THE HELL?! How did you make that child?!"
Itoshi nearly tripped over his own foot.
"Make?! What do you mean make?! Anyway—stay with her! We've got trouble!"
He set Jayu gently near the flickering campfire.
Kirashi blinked rapidly, panic and confusion mixing in his expression.
"Where did you get that child?!"
But Itoshi was already bolting back down the road.
"I'll fill you in later! Ryujin-san and Ayro-san are facing a strong foe right now—I gotta help them!"
"What?! Let me help!"
Kirashi shouted after him.
"No! You'll stay here! You gotta look after Jayu!"
"Why me?!"
Kirashi barked, glaring at him.
"You're the first one to wake! Leave her to whoever wakes up next then!"
"What the hell..."
Kirashi muttered under his breath.
Itoshi skidded to a stop, taking a sharp breath before darting off again.
"Alright! I'm going, Kirashi! Take care of Jayu!"
"O-Ok..."
Kirashi called faintly as Itoshi vanished into the distance.
The rain began to fall—slow at first, then harder.
Kirashi and Jayu sat beneath the growing storm, exchanging hesitant glances as silence settled over the camp.
"W-What's up, kid?"
Kirashi asked.
Jayu lifted a small hand, giving a shy wave.
"Hi..."
Raindrops trickled through the leaves. Kirashi sighed, reaching out to gently take her left arm.
"Oi, come here. Under the tree. You'll catch a cold out here."
[Ashura vs Demon]
The tides swelled higher, each wave a whisper of the storm's approach. The rain thickened into a steady drumbeat, rattling rooftops and soaking the earth. The wind screamed through the island, carrying the promise of ruin.
"Hoh! I haven't felt water in a while."
Ashura inhaled deeply, savoring the chill.
"It's cold."
The rain whispered against him as if echoing his thoughts.
On the rooftop lay the broken demon, its limbs already erased by Ashura's hand. Only its torso and head remained, twitching faintly—hatred carved deep into its face. It could do nothing but glare.
The Purple Haze writhed around Ashura like a devouring flame.
"I need energy—fast! At this rate, he'll absorb me..."
The demon thought, horror creeping into its mind.
Its gaze met Ashura's through the downpour, and for the first time, it trembled.
"Damn it... he's not the same person anymore..."
Ashura tilted his head, then moved. He sat casually on the edge of the rooftop, legs swinging idly, like a child with eternity to waste.
"It's been so long since I felt the cold rain. Like a forgotten friend... reminding me of what I've missed."
The demon's thoughts raced.
"Just how old are you?! Why are you so poetic?!"
"Not that old, you know. About the same age as you."
Its eyes widened.
"He can hear me?!"
"Obviously, fool."
Ashura sneered, lips curling.
"Tsk. Why side with humans?! You're a traitor to our race!"
Ashura scoffed.
"Traitor? Says the one who's been feeding a child in secret."
The demon froze, a strangled gasp slipping through its teeth.
"Hoh... struck a nerve, did I?"
Ashura's voice cut deeper.
"After devouring her mother, you kept the girl alive. Fed her... two weeks, no—three."
The demon's body shook violently.
"H-How does he know?! Is he reading my memories?! Our powers aren't that far apart, so how—"
Ashura rose from the edge, the storm soaking through his coat. He stared down with unblinking eyes, rain dripping from his jaw.
"Tell me... how long have you been sent here?"
"Why do you ask?!" the demon spat, voice breaking.
Ashura's expression didn't waver. His tone cut cold as steel.
"Never answer a question with another question."
~~~To be Continued~~~