The control room was thick with tension, the oppressive glow of tactical displays painting the grim faces of the Trochanters in sickly hues of blue and green.
Through the low-frequency hum of high-tech hardware and the frantic chatter of comms, the battle at Shioizaki Park unfolded—framed here in calm, detached data streams.
"Squad Segment 663 has entered combat with the Seele—Field Men are in position and supporting the advance. We've confirmed Megalo to Größer als Männer classes. Elemental types present: Wind and Earth,"
Hachi reported. He tapped a glass interface, zooming the live feed into the park's hotspots where the darkness was being torn apart by flashes of gunfire and blue fire.
Towering silently among the strategists was the Neck himself—Mr. Hasegawa. His presence alone seemed to lower the temperature of the room.
"Is everything under control?"
"Ryujin is holding the rear at the moment. Itoshi and Kirashi are the ones facing the Seele currently active in the front."
A slight pause followed, heavy with the sound of whirring cooling fans.
"So... the flame user is on the field, huh?"
660 hushed, his eyes narrowed as he observed the brilliant blue streaks on the monitor.
"Hachi... you know that's not the only thing we want to hear, right?"
Nali of Squad 97 warned, her voice sharp as a blade.
Hachi let out a long, weary sigh, rolling his eyes as if trying to shake off the crushing weight of the intel he was about to drop.
"Okay... Itoshi Kiyagari. Fifteen years old. A flame user."
He stepped away from the main display, holding a smaller, older tablet that glowed faintly with fragmented, classified data.
"He was invited and joined Squad Segment 663 on the 31st of March, 2169. The organization first detected him on the 28th of February, when he first used the Flame Rhythm."
"A fifteen-year-old awakening a Rhythm? That early..."
Mugi of Squad 330 wondered aloud, his brow furrowed.
"Probably triggered by a traumatic event,"
Trochanter 152 speculated.
"I heard from our spies on WESCU that his friend, Hishiki Koren, was killed by a Kollosal-class right in front of him..."
Trochanter 376 added grimly.
Hachi nodded slowly.
"Yes, correct. Ryujin and Ayro witnessed it all. Koren was crushed by the beast's hands. Also, a recent lab explosion owned by WESCU shed new light on this."
The room fell into a suffocating silence.
"Ten years ago, he was contained in that lab. So far, all we know is that he first awakened his flame powers there."
"He awakened his Rhythm at five years old? Why?"
152 asked, disbelief creeping into his tone.
"That... we don't know yet,"
Hachi replied regretfully. He took a steadying breath before continuing.
"We suspect he was kidnapped. WESCU knows something about him we don't. So far, the only thing found in that lab were his old credentials—but we haven't identified their value."
A quiet murmur swept through the room, cut short by the low, deliberate breath of Mr. Hasegawa.
"He really is the 'Missing Specimen'..."
The old man's voice cracked with the weight of buried secrets.
"A few months ago, Hawthorne raided his house, right, Hachi?"
"Yes, sir."
"His value to WESCU hasn't changed after ten years. Now, he's proving his value to us. Hachi, don't let him fall back into WESCU until you find out what they want with him,"
Mr. Hasegawa ordered firmly.
"Roger that!"
Hachi saluted sharply, the snap of his heels echoing off the metallic walls.
"So we hand Itoshi over to WESCU?"
152 scratched the back of his head, confused.
"Fool! We can't let him go!"
A sharp slap echoed as Trochanter 660 smacked 152's forehead. "That hurts to even hear."
"Is that all?"
Hasegawa asked one last time.
"So far... yes, sir."
~~~Shioizaki Park, Nagasaki~~~
[May 3, 2169 - 9pm]
The open field of Shioizaki Park trembled under the clash of elemental forces.
The scent of the night had changed—the sweet cherry blossoms were now drowned out by the metallic tang of blood and the earthy, vegetal aroma of crushed rice stalks.
The twin winds of Hoshi and Kirashi tore through the nearby fields, sending clumps of soil and half-grown crops flying into the air like green shrapnel.
Hoshi and Kirashi, unaware of each other's identities but sensing a rival spirit in the air, danced with the wind.
Each gust was a wordless challenge; each strike a test of will. Beneath them, the Earth-bound Seele lumbered forward, their heavy steps sending deep ripples through the dirt, dark and ominous as they emerged from the lake's shrouding mist.
Across the battlefield, Ayro weaved through the chaos, closing the distance to Ryujin.
"Ryujin... there's another wind user in the area."
"Hoh? Where?"
"She's in the field, facing the beasts with Kirashi..."
Ayro reported, his eyes flicking toward the east where the air was a literal vortex of debris.
Ryujin nodded, a smirk playing on his lips.
"That explains the weird double wind over there... How'd you know it's her? Is your crush that kunoichi? No wonder you know her wind."
Ayro flinched, his voice tinged with an awkward panic.
"No! Earlier, the kunoichi approached me. She uses wind with her ninja skills. She apparently looks after Nagasaki all by herself. Though—there's a chance it's not her fighting right now."
"Ah... I see. Go check them out. I'll report to Hachi-san,"
Ryujin concluded.
Ayro surged forward, his feet barely brushing the grass as he raced toward the dust-choked battlefield.
Meanwhile, Itoshi was in a full sprint after a Wind-bound Seele. A fierce flame burst from his palms, searing the oxygen out of the air and catching the creature's attention in a blaze of blue-white fury.
"Hey, you guys! You dare run away from a fight?!"
The Seele turned, its molten eyes narrowing. Then, a voice cut through the roar of the fire.
"Koya!"
"Kara?! What are you doing here?! Get back in the truck!"
Itoshi shouted, glancing over his shoulder.
"I'll fight with you!"
Kara's voice trembled, but her stance was firm against the backdrop of the darkened park.
"No, it's dangerous!"
Before he could reach her, the wind shifted—not the wind of his allies, but something sharp and violent.
"Kara!! Watch out!"
Time fractured. The world slowed to a crawl. A monstrous blow from a hidden Seele sliced through the air, its force intended to crush everything in its path.
Itoshi lunged, his body blazing with a protective aura, shielding her with every ounce of strength he possessed.
The impact exploded through the street, hurling them both across the asphalt. Dust, grit, and the smell of scorched rubber filled the air as they tumbled.
The Seele loomed over them in the ruin, its grotesque grin widening as it savored their vulnerability.
"K-Kara?!... Are you okay?!"
"Damn it!"
Kara hissed, her fists digging into the cracked pavement. Frustration burned hotter than the scrapes on her arms—the sheer helplessness of being protected again clawing at her chest.
Itoshi rose, trembling but defiant, his eyes ablaze with a fury that matched the pulsing flames around him.
"Damn you! Face me! Not the weak! You fucking coward!"
~~~To be Continued~~~