"It's the freaking first day of July!!!"
It was the morning of July 1st, 2169—and it was already chaos.
An intense battle had broken out between the Seele and the squad. Somewhere in the forest, wind-types swarmed like insects, and right at the center of it all stood a lone scarecrow.
Itoshi.
Still wearing his ridiculous outfit, he faced down a flood of Groß-class Seele—each one barely three feet tall. Small, yes. But they never came alone. They came in hundreds.
"This could be a good test of his stamina."
Ryujin hushed.
Beside him, Ayro nods, arms crossed,
"Indeed."
Back in the SUV, the two leaders observed quietly through their monitors. The forest beyond was now a blur of slashing wind and spinning bodies.
Ryujin tapped the comms in his ear.
"Miss Gigi? How are the two?"
Miss Gigi replied through the earpiece comms.
"They're... making quite the crowd."
"Hoh?"
~~~Togitsu, Nagasaki~~~
A different storm was brewing.
Earth-types had overrun the scene. Seven Megalo-class Seele towered over the crowd, and yet only two stood in their path.
The Kunoichi.
And the people knew it. Civilians had gathered around the edges of the battlefield—mesmerized, breathless, and loud.
"Go go, Squad!"
"Go go, Kunoichi-sama!!"
Fans waved phones, some filmed, others just screamed.
But not everyone was satisfied.
"Where's the Crow?!"
"I wanna see his blue flame!!"
Cheers rang out across the block, but eyes scanned the battlefield, searching. Hoping.
~~~UWDS Headquarters~~~
'It's strange..."
Nali, The Squad Trochanter of 97 hushed.
Back at Headquarters, the upper observation deck buzzed with quiet activity. Several trochanters gathered around the wide screen displays, watching each squad's individual battles in real time.
Itoshi's scarecrow disguise flickered on one monitor. On another, the masked kunoichi danced between her enemies with sharp, graceful precision.
They observed in silence—until the door burst open with a loud bang.
"Sorry! I'm late!"
It was Ronny, Squad Trochanter of 376.
Heads turned as Ronny rushed in, breathing hard. He adjusted his coat and hurried to his seat beside the others. The six trochanters already present glanced at him—some mildly annoyed, others indifferent.
Sitting at the center of the room, presiding like a watchful neck of the body, was Mr. Hasegawa—silent, expression unreadable.
Ronny quickly reached into his bag and handed a thick folder of documents to Nali.
"Here's the data you asked for. Fresh from this morning."
Nali took the papers without a word. As her eyes swept across the first few pages, her brows began to furrow.
Something didn't add up.
"I was right."
"Hmm?... Found something, Nali?"
Mr. Hasegawa asked.
Nali turned to the elderly man, posture straight with respect.
"Yes, sir."
She paused.
"The Kyushu region doesn't have the highest number of Seele among the eight main Regions. Yet... Squad 663's combat logs show significantly higher encounter rates compared to any other squad."
Mr. Hasegawa's expression sharpened slightly.
"So? What's your verdict?"
Nali took a slow breath before responding.
"Squad Segment 663 of Hachi... are baiting the Seele toward themselves."
A stir moved through the room.
She stood up, walking over to the display. With a press of a button, she loaded the documents into a scanner. Moments later, data projections illuminated the screen behind her.
"These were the approximate Seele hotspots in Kyushu before the arrival of Squad 663."
She gestured to the glowing red marks over Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Hitoyoshi, Sasebo, Saga, and Oita.
"But then, just one week after they arrived..."
She switched to the next map, the changes immediate and striking. Red zones shifted like shadows inching toward one point.
"The hotspots in the south—Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Hitoyoshi—have started drifting north... toward Nagasaki."
She tapped the top portion of the map.
"Meanwhile, the northern cities—Sasebo, Saga, and Oita—show the same pattern. Seele are migrating southward... also toward Nagasaki."
The room fell into a focused hush.
A trap was unfolding—and someone was clearly pulling the strings.
"Here are the most recent detections—provided by Ronny."
Another map of Kyushu lit up the screen. This time, brighter. Faster. The clusters of Seele had shifted violently.
A wave of shock rippled across the room.
"The Seele from the south... they're already at the northern coast?"
David, Trochanter of Squad 660 asked.
"That's right. The hotspots from Miyazaki, Kagoshima, and Hitoyoshi—they've all converged just east of Izumi."
Nali nods, with confidence in her tone.
She tapped the glowing red cluster now swelling like a boil near the coast.
"If Squad 663 is baiting them... and this pattern continues unchecked..."
She paused—her tone now grim.
"An entire city could fall. Within a week.. Longest we have- A month."
The screen flickered, animating the projected path of the Seele swarm.
"If the migration persists, they'll likely cross the bay... and hit Goshura Island next."
The room fell silent.
Only the soft hum of the projector echoed as the threat grew clear.
"Mr. Hasegawa, I think we all know that Itoshi has something to do with this. But even if he doesn't—whatever kind of baiting that squad is using, it needs to be stopped."
She didn't flinch as she said it, her voice steady with quiet urgency.
"Even if the Seele in Kyushu are smaller in number and size compared to the other regions... they're still more than enough to wipe out an entire city."
There was a slight pause before Mr. Hasegawa took a deep breath and replied.
"It's likely Itoshi's rhythm is attracting the Seele. He's used it frequently during training."
Nali nods as she sat down to her seat, Eyes not leaving Mr. Hasegawa.
"That's right, sir."
"Is Hachi aware of this situation?"
Mr. Hasegawa asked.
"We're not sure sir... Not yet."
Mr. Hasegawa took a moment, his gaze heavy on the shifting data flickering across the screen.
"Mugi. Three hours from now, contact Hachi. If this baiting is intentional, I'll have them halt it immediately."
He paused.
"Or perhaps.. Regulate it."
"Understood, sir!"
The old man stepped back, posture firm, eyes sharp with resolve.
"Well then... It's the first day of July. Once again, I trust in your strength—and in the strength of your children. Work hard for the greater good."
In unison, the trochanters rose and saluted their commander.
"Yes, sir!"
~~~Togitsu, Nagasaki~~~
Rocks and dirt flew through the air, turning what was once a quiet sports park into a full-scale warzone.
The beasts hurled chunks of earth with brutal force, but Hoshi moved like water—flexing and bending her body with incredible athleticism to dodge the flying debris.
Her eyes never left Kirashi, tracking his breathing and timing with sharp focus.
"To the left!"
Without hesitation, Kirashi dashed left as two Seele attacked him from the front and rear. Trusting his instincts, he made a split-second decision to strike without waiting for Hoshi's guidance.
He took a deep breath—and blew it all out in a powerful gust as his blade sliced cleanly between the two foes.
The wind pulled the beasts toward the center, causing their heads to collide with a violent snarl as they evaporated.
In her mind, Hoshi was quietly impressed.
"Hoh? Kira-kun is getting better with his timing... but it's still a bit risky. I like that style."
A small smile crept behind her mask as she readied herself. Three Seele crawled forward on all fours, closing in on her.
"I can take two. I'll go low for now."
Her eyes flickered toward Kirashi—he was heading straight for the same targets.
"Five remain... It won't be good if we don't split up and go after opposite halves."
Then, in an instant, she sensed it. Kirashi's breathing shifted—uneven, unstable.
"His breathing... it changed again."
She exhaled sharply, launching her attack on two Seele, narrowly dodging a swipe from another.
Hoshi landed lightly on her feet, spinning her kunai deftly between her fingers. Behind her, two of the Seele evaporated into thin air, while the third struggled to stay on its feet.
A strong gust of wind suddenly blew from behind her—it was Kirashi, taking on the other two.
"So you went for the others after all."
She glanced back to see only one Seele left—the same one she had narrowly dodged moments ago.
Out of the corner of her eye to the right, she caught sight of Kirashi, breathing hard, gripping his katana tightly. Two beasts evaporated behind him.
She took a deep breath, silently noting,
"Jeez... he likes to finish things as fast as possible, huh?"
"Okay then!"
With a burst of speed, she lunged forward and sliced the last Seele's back and head in one swift, clean motion.
The last Seele didn't snarl. It fell silently, evaporating into dust.
Back in the forest, the Scarecrow Hero was nearly done.
"kay! Almost done!"
Itoshi shouted.
He wiped the sweat from his brow beneath the mask, eyes scanning the area. The SUV wasn't far.
"Ayro!? How many more?!"
The SUV window slid down slowly. Ayro leaned out with a calm reply.
"Twelve."
Suddenly, Jayu shoved her way to the window and shouted with energy.
"Go go, Scarecrow Hero!!"
A grin pulled across Itoshi's face under the mask.
"Huh... alright then. It's time for the hero to finish this."
He muttered under the mask with a smirk.
He cracked his fingers—blue flames igniting around his hands.
"Seems like he's starting to get used to the costume."
Ayro whispered on back on the SUV.
Ryujin gave a small nod in agreement.
"Indeed. He no longer sets it on fire."
"There were so many times we almost got exposed!"
Jayu joined in, face slightly pouting.
Ayro chuckled, turning to Jayu.
"That's just how Itoshi is, Jayu-chan. But he's definitely getting better with his control."
Out in the field, Itoshi moved with sharp rhythm, dancing through the final wave. His blue flames swept through the remaining Wind-types with clean precision.
"Right there!"
A pulse of fire surged outward—burning the Seele in an instant.
The mission was done.
He pulled off his mask, sweat dripping down his face as he exhaled deeply.
Itoshi walked toward the SUV, flames extinguished, mask in hand, sweat clinging to his jawline. The door opened before he could even reach for it—Jayu had already leapt out, clapping.
"That was sooo cool! The spin you did mid-air! And the flame at the end—BWOOM!"
She made a mock explosion with her hands.
"Can you teach me that?! Like—not the flame part—but the jumpy stuff?"
Itoshi raised a brow, with a suspicious look on his face.
"You just said it was cool 'cause it was BWOOM. That's the flame part, idiot."
Jayu's eyes widened, and she blinked.
"Wha—! Then you teach me both!"
He rolled his eyes but didn't hide the small smirk creeping up as he walked past her and opened the back door.
"Maybe if you stop calling me Scarecrow Hero every five seconds."
"Not a chance, Hero!"
Jayu shot back.
She did a dramatic pose, arms raised in the air.
"Scarecrow Hero, protector of forests, burner of bugs!"
Ayro teased from his seat.
"That title's getting longer by the day."
Ryujin joined in.
"At this rate it'll need a subtitle."
Itoshi scoffed, face deadpan.
"You're all the worst."
He flopped into the backseat, letting the cool air of the SUV hit him as Jayu followed right after, still giggling.
"Admit it—you like it."
He turned his face away and muttered, barely audible.
"...maybe."
She grinned wide.
"Let's eat!"
She raised both arms in victory as she plopped down beside Itoshi.
"The hero needs to be fed!"
"Hm... I wonder what Kara prepped this time."
Ryujin wondered.
Itoshi leaned to his back with a smile, grunting as he spoke.
"Definitely something good."
His stomach growled right on cue. Jayu laughed.
"See?! Even his stomach agrees!"
From the front, Bjorne adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.
"Instead of thinking about it, let's just go!"
Without hesitation, everyone chimed in:
"Let's go!!"
The electric SUV gave a clean, high-pitched hum as it accelerated forward, tires brushing through scattered leaves and loose dirt. The forest behind them faded slowly as they rolled out of the warzone and into the promise of warmth, food, and a rare moment of peace.
Back in Togitsu, the once-wrecked athletic field was now lined with curious civilians. Phone cameras clicked in a frenzy as Hoshi and Kirashi made their exit, walking calmly through the crowd.
The people cheered, holding up their phones excitedly.
"Kirashi-sama! Over here!"
"Miss Kunoichi! Please, just one photo!"
The two didn't mind the attention. In fact, they welcomed it.
Kirashi struck a confident pose, sword resting casually on his shoulder. Beside him, Hoshi spun a kunai between her fingers before resting it on her hip with grace, her head tilted just enough to tease a smile behind the mask.
They basked in the moment. But eventually, it was time to go.
Kirashi turned toward the waiting SUV. As he took a step, a voice called out from behind.
"Nice fight there, wind boy!"
It was the Kunoichi.
Kirashi turned, flashing a grin.
"Thank you for your guidance—as usual! Miss Zexy Kunoichi!"
There was no reply—only a soft laugh muffled by the wind and the mask. A smile curled behind Hoshi's veil as she turned and leapt away, disappearing across the rooftops.
Kirashi watched her go, chuckling to himself as he hopped into the vehicle.
Hoshi landed gracefully atop the crumbling rooftop of the abandoned building she called home. The city was beginning to wake below, but up here, it was quiet—her little world above the chaos.
She pulled back the flap of the old tarp-tent and stepped inside. The space was small, barely enough for a futon, a few crates, and a rack she boldly called a "closet." Still, it was hers.
With a sigh, she yanked off her mask, now soaked through with sweat. She gave it a sniff.
"Bwekk!! I smell like that?!"
Her face scrunched in disgust before she chucked the mask across the tent. It bounced off the side of her crate and flopped into a pile of spare fabric and gear.
She flopped onto her futon face-first, limbs sprawled out.
"It's still early in the morning! I don't wanna work!"
She groaned as she waved her legs lazily in the air, kicking them front and down like a restless kid.
Outside, a breeze blew through the gaps in the walls, rustling the canvas gently. Hoshi just buried her face deeper into the pillow.
"Ugh... I deserve a nap. Or five."
Hoshi stepped out of her tent with a tired grunt, already dressed in her usual working outfit. Her bag slung lazily over her left shoulder as she stretched forward, her back cracking audibly.
"I don't wanna work..."
She muttered, her voice deadpan.
Still, her legs carried her down the rusted stairs of the abandoned building. Step after step, she resigned herself to the daily grind.
The streets were alive with murmurs and the clatter of early routines. Hoshi walked along, her eyes half-lidded as her mind wandered through the fog of her laziness.
Then, something—or rather, someone—caught her eye.
A bald figure in a black coat turned the corner into a narrow alleyway up ahead. There was something strangely familiar about the way he walked. Purposeful. Calm.
Hoshi squinted.
"That guy..."
She opened her phone, checking the time.
"I got time."
She thought to herself, curiosity suddenly overriding her reluctance to work.
She moved quickly, her steps light and silent as she neared the alley's edge. But just before she could take the turn—
Thud!
She collided chest-first with someone, the impact knocking her back and off her feet.
"O-ow!"
She groaned, holding the back of her head as she sat on the cold pavement.
A shadow loomed over her, and a man's voice followed.
"Sorry for that, miss."
She blinked. A hand was offered in front of her, steady and calm.
"S-sorry about that, sir..."
She muttered as she reached up, her eyes still closed in mild embarrassment.
Then she opened them.
Her gaze met the man's face—and her breath caught.
A bald head.
A large, healed scar slashing down across his right eye—an eye that no longer worked.
Her blood ran cold.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"...You..."
~~~To be Continued~~~