"You wretched beast!"
His flame surged forward, fierce and unrelenting.
The moment it touched the wind-type Seele, the creature evaporated into nothing—vanishing in a hiss of air and light.
The heat hung in the air, shimmering like a mirage. Even the grass seemed to recoil from his presence.
There was no struggle, no cry, only silence left in the wake of fire that burned with more than heat—it burned with purpose.
The two remaining Seele froze, their hollow eyes fixed on the spot where their companion had vanished. A silence passed, heavy with fear.
Then, without a sound, they turned and fled—drawn back by instinct, repelled by the overwhelming aura Itoshi now radiated. It wasn't just fire that surrounded him—it was dominance, and they knew better than to challenge it.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?! Son of a bitch!"
Though their eyes were sealed behind protective glasses and their faces remained hidden behind heavy masks, the Field Men stood in absolute awe.
They remained frozen in place, paralyzed by the sheer firepower and the sharp, haunting crisp of blue that Itoshi had wielded moments before.
"T-thats... a flame user?.."
One whispered, his voice trembling under his breath.
The other nodded slowly, unable to look away from the lingering embers.
"It's... beautiful..."
The shock was palpable.
To these men, who spent their lives struggling and dealing with flame throwers, the destructive elegance of the blue flame was something out of a legend—a terrifying dominance that made the night air feel thin.
But Itoshi wasn't done. Frustration burned hotter than his flames as he lunged forward, chasing after the fleeing beasts.
Each step was fueled by rage—not just at the Seele, but at the helplessness he felt every time Kara was hurt.
They would not escape the fire born of that fury.
On the other hand, Kara sat on the road, fists clenched tightly around her skirt. While others wielded fire and wind, she had nothing—no powers to fight back, no strength to stand beside them.
Just the ache of watching, always watching, as those she cared about risked everything while she remained powerless.
"Damn it..."
She whispered.
She hated that look—the same one she wore years ago, when she first learned she couldn't fight like the rest.
Itoshi caught up with the Seele, blue flames flickering softly at his hands. They weren't loud or wild, but steady—controlled. With a few precise movements, he brought the creatures down, their forms dissolving quietly into the air.
"Even tried to flee on me, huh? Nice try."
He stood over the fading remnants of the Seele, his blue flames still flickering gently around him. A quiet moment passed before he spat on the road where the creatures had vanished—a sign of lingering frustration.
It wasn't just with them—it was with the world that always seemed to throw him into battles he never asked for.
Then, the weight of being a brother hit him again. He ran back, frustration still burning but now driven by worry.
When he reached the road, Kara was still sitting there, lost in thought. The sight of her—vulnerable yet trying to be strong—pulled at something deeper inside him.
"Kara?! Are you ok?!"
Itoshi knelt beside her, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. The warmth of his touch was calm and steady—a stark contrast to the flames he wielded in battle.
Kara looked up, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Yes! I'm ok! Thank you, Koya!"
"Thank God... Why did you come here?.. It's not safe."
"Well... It's—"
Before she could finish, a voice shouted from afar.
"Hey! Over here!"
Itoshi turned toward the sound, then back at Kara.
"Well?.. Seems like they're calling us. Let's go!"
"O-Ok...
They stood and made their way back toward the park, the sounds of the night returning as they rejoined their companions.
"Where's Kirashi?"
Itoshi asked.
Ryujin glanced at Ayro. The two exchanged a silent look before Ayro sighed, crossing his arms.
"Bro... Ok. Alright."
"What?"
Ryujin deadpanned.
"Nothing. Anyways, Kirashi's with that kunoichi I met earlier."
Ayro brushed it off.
"Oh no! Ayro's secret girlfriend is already getting taken away from him!"
Itoshi teased,
"What the hell do you mean?!"
Itoshi grinned, ducking behind Kara as he laughed.
"Anyways, want me to call them?"
Ayro asked Ryujin.
"Uh oh. Ayro's getting jealous of the time Kirashi's spending with his girlfriend!"
Ayro's gaze snapped toward Itoshi—expression flat, patience gone.
Itoshi waved his hands frantically.
"It was a joke! It was a joke!! Stop!!! LET ME DOWN!!!"
"You can swim, right?"
Ayro asked calmly.
"NO!!! THE LAKE WATER IS TOO COLD!!!"
Without hesitation, Ayro hoisted him up by the hoodie and walked toward the dock, Itoshi dangling helplessly like a caught cat.
"Wait—hold on—let's talk about this!"
Ayro began counting in a low, measured tone. "One... two..."
"OK! OK! I'M SORRY! I'LL STOP!!!!"
At "three", he let go.
Splash!
"COLLLDDDDDDDDDDD!"
Itoshi shouted as he surfaced, shivering.
Ayro turned away, completely unfazed. "Should've stopped at one," he muttered, walking away as if dunking people was part of his daily routine.
As field men rushed to help a drenched Itoshi out, Ryujin's lips twitched faintly in amusement but he said nothing.
"Now that the noisy one's out of the way..."
Ayro muttered.
"Um... sorry about him..."
Kara apologized.
"Meh, no worries. I was a little bored anyway."
Kara sighed, watching Itoshi being hauled out. A half-smile crept across her face.
"He kind of asked for it."
"Should I call him now?.. Ryujin?"
Ayro asked.
"Nah... I wanna meet this kunoichi."
Without another word, Ryujin started walking east toward where Kirashi and Hoshi stood.
Ayro leaned slightly toward Kara, voice low.
"He wants her to join the squad."
"Oh!"
Kara gasped softly, cheeks coloring.
Ayro arched a brow but said nothing more.
As Ryujin walked down the dark pavement toward the two wind-users, the echoes of their arguing voices drifted through the night air and muttered in his ears.
He turned his head slightly to the right, remaining calm and composed as usual, his hands buried deep in the safety of his pockets.
"You're in my way! You stupid pervert!"
The kunoichi shouted.
Kirashi looked back, facing the kunoichi with a deep frown etched onto his face.
"Fuck you mean?! You are in my way!"
His anger was short-lived, however. As he lowered his gaze and took in the kunoichi's silhouette, his eyes instantly morphed into heart shapes, a massive, dopaminergic smile spreading across his cheeks.
"BUWOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!"
The kunoichi rolled her eyes, ignoring his sudden shift in temperament as she continued her battle.
The Seele were closing in quickly, their mindless forms surrounding the pair. She took a sharp, disciplined breath—then, a blast!
Propelling herself with a concentrated burst of wind, the kunoichi tore through the air, piercing multiple Seele in a single blur of motion.
The force of her transit sent dirt and fresh crops flying into the sky. Kirashi watched the display, his eyes widening, but he felt no awe for her technique.
"OI! YOU'RE DESTROYING TOO MUCH FOOD!"
Kirashi barked.
She landed once more atop the car, her movements fluid as Kirashi's gaze followed her up.
"Oh whatever, man... you're so annoying..."
They continued to argue, their shouts and banter echoing across the park. To any observer, it seemed as though winning the argument was far more important to them than winning the actual battle.
Finally, Ryujin saw them clearly, the visual catching up to the echoes of their voices.
The kunoichi stood tall atop the car, her arms crossed defiantly, while Kirashi stood below, pointing a finger at her and screaming at the top of his lungs. Ryujin stopped a few paces away, taking in the chaotic sight of his subordinate and the potential new recruit.
~~~To be Continued~~~