It was the 2nd of July, 2169.
The sun rose high above the sky, casting its golden light over the fortified city of Fukuoka.
A familiar warmth embraced the people below—gentle, summer-born, and expected. But near the bay, a different warmth lingered.
A warmth that hurt.
Thick smoke curled upward as the once-floating vessel burned, its flame slowly subsiding.
Surrounding boats moved in to extinguish the fire. But upon the squad's request, the firemen held back.
They were told not to interfere.
Ryujin took care of most of the flames himself, carefully dousing them without inflicting further damage to the already broken ship.
The vessel hadn't sunk completely—its hull had capsized and lodged itself in the shallow edge of the bay, allowing it to stay upright even as the waves grew stronger.
With the last flame out, Ryujin and Ayro walked back to the others.
Breathing heavily, Ryujin supported a severely injured Ayro, one arm wrapped under his comrade's shoulders.
Step by step, he guided him back toward the SUV—where the rest of the squad was waiting.
"Man... you just got healed and you already messed yourself so bad,"
Ryujin teased.
"They're gonna be upset with you."
"Huh."
Ayro let out a weak chuckle, eyes closed and head lowered, a tired smirk tugging at his lips.
By the time they reached the beaten-down SUV, the door suddenly swung open with force. Both Ryujin and Ayro snapped their eyes toward it in surprise.
It was the kunoichi.
She stepped out and immediately dropped to her knees before them. Her mask remained on, eyes closed in solemn silence.
The two blinked, unsure how to react to the sudden gesture.
Moments later, Kara and Jayu came rushing after her, both still holding makeshift bandages.
The kunoichi was still bleeding, her wounds only half-treated. But whatever she was about to do... it clearly mattered more to her than her own condition.
"Ho– K-kunoichi-san! You're not fully healed yet!"
Kara called out in panic.
"Kunoichi-nee!! You should take a rest!"
Jayu added desperately.
But the kunoichi didn't move.
She remained kneeling—injured, silent, and unmoving—before the two squad leaders of Segment 663.
As Kara and Jayu continued urging the kunoichi to rest, two more figures approached from behind.
"Hmm...?"
Itoshi hummed softly.
"Hoh?"
Kirashi added, tilting his head.
Trailing behind them were the victims—the ones rescued from the sellers. Each was draped in thermal coats, unsealed from the small blue cubes stored in the SUV.
Their eyes were hollow, filled with fear, tears, and uncertainty. For many of them, it had been days since they'd last seen sunlight—trapped beneath the oppressive darkness of that ship.
They kept their heads low, haunted by memories that refused to fade.
Suddenly, one of them screamed.
The sound tore through the air, sharp and frantic. Itoshi spun around instantly, his eyes narrowing as he locked onto the girl who had cried out.
She collapsed to her knees, gripping her head tightly as if trying to claw the thoughts out.
"AHH! AHH!!! NO!! I DON'T WANNA GOO!!"
Itoshi rushed to her side, dropping to her level and placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"Miss! Calm down! You're safe now! You're gonna be alright!"
"NOO! NOO! STOP IT!"
She cried even louder, her body trembling.
The other victims quickly gathered around her, kneeling and embracing her with all the warmth they could offer—echoing the same words he had.
"We're gonna be alright, Komi-chan!"
"Yes! Don't worry!"
"We're safe now! Don't you cry!"
Itoshi's face turned bright red, now surrounded by half-naked girls.
But despite how it looked, his thoughts were far from impure.
Inside, he was focused on only one thing—he wanted to help them. He wanted to do something, anything, for these girls who had suffered so much.
One of the girls knelt beside the crying girl, wrapping her arms around her gently. She rested the sobbing girl's chin on her shoulder, patting her head softly as she whispered.
"We're here now... You're safe, okay? You're not going back there. I promise."
The girl continued to weep into her shoulder, but her body slowly started to ease.
Itoshi slowly stepped back as the other victims gathered around the crying girl, offering comfort in the only way they could. He understood what she was feeling—at least, a part of it.
And right now, she needed them more than she needed him.
He returned to Kirashi's side, exhaling softly.
"Pervert,"
Kirashi teased, grinning.
"Shut up!"
Itoshi snapped, his face still red.
Just then, a soft voice called from behind.
"Umm..."
They both turned, eyes landing on a small figure approaching them.
"Hmm?"
The girl stopped just a few steps away. Her hands trembled as she clutched her coat tighter.
"T-thank you... for saving us..."
Her voice cracked as tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Both Itoshi and Kirashi were caught off guard, scratching the backs of their heads awkwardly.
"N-no problem!"
"Y-yeah... Anytime. You'll be going back home soon. Don't worry about it!"
The girl suddenly bowed low, her voice breaking through the air with raw sincerity.
"Thank you so much! We owe you our lives!"
Itoshi and Kirashi relaxed, smiling softly at her heartfelt words.
She quickly turned and ran back toward the others, sitting down among them on the sun-heated metal floor—unbothered by the heat, as if the relief of freedom outweighed it all.
Then—
"SORRY!"
A loud voice echoed across the bay, bouncing off the rusted hull of the ship.
Startled, both Itoshi and Kirashi turned toward the source.
It was the kunoichi.
Tears began to seep through the kunoichi's mask, her eyes clenched shut, her body tense.
Jayu and Kara remained by her side.
"Kunoichi-san... you be—"
Before Kara could finish, the kunoichi cut her off sharply.
"No! I've sinned... I... I don't even.. I don't even deserve to be alive at this very moment!.. I.. have to fix this!"
Kara hesitated, then lowered her gaze in silence.
Behind them, footsteps approached slowly. Itoshi and Kirashi appeared.
Itoshi knelt beside Kara and spoke gently.
"Kara... Jayu-chan... They need your help."
Kara turned her eyes toward the victims, gathered under the scorching sun. Her eyes widened, but doubt held her for a moment.
Then, she stood and embraced the kunoichi, whispering softly
"I'll be back... Hoshi-san."
Without another word, she sprang into action, rushing to the victims with Jayu following close behind.
As Kara and Jayu tended to the victims, the kunoichi remained seated in the center, surrounded by Ayro, Ryujin, Kirashi, and Itoshi. Aldrin stood quietly by the SUV's door.
She took a shaky breath.
"S-sorry! About everything..."
Tears continued to stream from behind her mask.
"I've... I've done so many wrong things to your squad... I—I've sinned so much!"
The boys listened intently, her words heavy with deep sincerity.
"I've ended up ruining the beautiful relationships you all have..."
Her gaze dropped to the hot metallic floor, fixing on her bloodied hands.
"Especially to the flame boy... I've ruined everything for you... I was so wrong... I'm so sorry... I've sinned so much against you all, yet... I'm still here along with the other girls... Saved by your squad.."
"I'm so sorry I couldn't apologize sooner... I'm sorry it took this long... I... I just didn't know what to do... but...! I'm... truly thankful for everything you've done for me... Especially Kara and Jayu-chan..."
She shifted her gaze to the side, hesitating before finally searching for Itoshi's eyes.
"I've hurt you all so much... yet... you still let me fight alongside you. I don't deserve that kind of trust. I don't deserve your forgiveness."
Her voice trembled, but she pushed on.
"I truly cherished those moments we shared—every mission, every small victory—even if things were still tense between us. Even if I didn't belong here! Even if you didn't fully know who I really am... even if I kept parts of myself hidden."
She swallowed hard, her bloodied hands clenched tightly.
"I was afraid... afraid that if you knew the truth, you'd turn away. But you didn't. You stood by me. And for that... I'm grateful beyond words."
She shifted her gaze from Itoshi and locked eyes with Ryujin, still sitting on the scorching metallic floor. Her voice was trembling but resolute.
"Ryujin... please... let me join your squad."
A quiet plea, laden with all the regret, hope, and desperation she carried inside.
She lowered her gaze once more, trembling as she placed her left hand atop her head. The sun bore down mercilessly, and the hot metal beneath her knees pulsed with rising heat, but she didn't flinch.
Slowly, she pulled her mask upward, the fabric brushing against her cheeks, damp with sweat and tears.
"I promise... I'll be better next time... I promise... I'll pay back everything I did to you all..."
Her voice cracked under the weight of it all. And then—she pulled the mask fully away.
Her face was flushed from the heat, streaked with tears, her expression a twisted mix of desperation, guilt, and hope. It was the face she had kept hidden all this time.
For a moment, the only sound was the faint hiss of the bay breeze rolling through scorched metal and rust.
All eyes were wide.
Kara, from afar, had paused mid-bandage. Her breath caught, eyes fixed on the one kneeling figure now fully exposed under the sun.
Itoshi and Kirashi froze. Neither said a word. Kirashi, still dumbfounded, tapped Itoshi's shoulder repeatedly, his own mouth dry, jaw slack.
"ISN'T SHE THE ONE WHO TRIED TO SEDUCED YOU?!"
He whispered.
"I... I'm... Hoshizaki... Hoshizaki Tomori... Ryujin-san... Please take me with you,"
She pleaded, her voice breaking as she sniffled—her mask now resting limply in her hand.
There was silence.
The ocean lapped faintly against the battered hull of the sunken ship. Wind tugged gently at everyone's coats and bandages, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Ryujin remained still, his expression unreadable. The shadow of his soaked spear leaned beside him, unmoving like the man who held it.
He glanced to his side.
"Ayro—sit. You're not standing through this,"
He said quietly.
Ayro, still pale and limping, gave a faint nod and lowered himself onto the SUV's step with a tired exhale. His breathing was labored, but his eyes stayed locked on Hoshi.
Then Ryujin turned.
He took a slow step forward.
Then another.
He stopped in front of Hoshizaki Tomori.
The others watched—no one dared to speak.
Ryujin exhaled through his nose and lowered his gaze. His voice, when it came, was quiet but solid.
"...You're an idiot."
Her eyes widened.
It was like she'd been slapped—not with cruelty, but with something far more real. She flinched slightly, blinking through tears, stunned at the raw honesty in his voice.
"A selfish, reckless idiot..."
She opened her mouth slightly, unsure if she should defend herself, apologize again—but no words came.
Then Ryujin crouched in front of her, placing a single hand on her bloodied shoulder.
"But you're also one of the strongest damn idiots I've ever met."
Her breath caught. She couldn't believe it—his words weren't laced with hate, but with something else... something warmer.
"If you're gonna walk this path... then do it right. No more lies. No more running. You're more than qualified for this squad.. So, From now on... you're one of us."
Her lip trembled, her hands shaking in her lap as her eyes locked onto his—disbelief giving way to overwhelming emotion.
Tears spilled once more down Hoshi's cheeks, but this time, a small smile slowly lifted her lips.
She wiped her face and gave a firm nod.
"Yes! Sir!"
In that moment, Hoshi felt it.
What she'd been missing all along—the excuse she used to survive, the weight she carried on her own.
It was trust.
And now, she finally had it.
As she looked down again, still dabbing her cheeks, Ryujin spoke gently.
"Come on... Tomori-san, you don't have to sit on the hot floor anymore."
"N-No! Please let me!"
She quickly said.
"This is... this is my punishment. For myself."
Ryujin let out a small chuckle.
"Eh... it's your first day and you're already ignoring orders from your leader?" he teased.
Her eyes shot up, wide with panic.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"
Ryujin raised both hands in surrender, laughing softly.
"You don't have to go hard on yourself... After all, you saved one of my men too, right?.. Because of that.. I was able to protect Ayro."
He gave her shoulder a light pat before turning and walking back toward Ayro, crouching beside him to check his wounds again.
Hoshi slowly nodded, her breathing calming as her tears finally began to settle.
Then, out of nowhere—
"Uhh..."
Itoshi groaned.
Everyone—including Hoshi—snapped their heads toward him.
"Is your seduction attempt counted in that punishment...?"
Hoshi froze.
Her entire body stiffened as her face turned completely red.
"Ah."
Then she screamed.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I FORGOT I DID THAT!"
It was high noon on the same day.
The squads boarded the coast guard's boats, accompanied by the twenty-seven survivors they had managed to rescue from the hands of the sellers.
Everyone rested inside the ship's clinic, their wounds being treated by onboard nurses—with the help of Jayu and Kara, who worked tirelessly beside them.
By the time the boat reached Hakata Port, a small crowd had already gathered.
Cheers erupted as the vessel docked.
"You've saved us again, Squad 663!"
"Thank you for killing those Seele—even by the sea!"
The grateful voices of the bystanders rang out across the pier, echoing with admiration.
But inside the ship, away from the noise, Ryujin stood before the man in charge of the entire operation.
"Please, sir... don't let the public know about the victims,"
Ryujin said firmly.
"Eh...? But you guys were heroes..."
"Please don't."
Ryujin bowed his head slightly.
"We humbly request for their identities to remain hidden."
The man sighed, scratching the back of his head.
"Alright, alright... but you know this will come out someday, one way or another."
Ryujin simply nodded.
There was no need to argue. He already knew.
As the ship's doors opened and the anchor splashed into the sea, the sound echoed across the bay. Crewmen shouted tirelessly as they worked.
The bridge slowly extended onto the dock—and Kirashi burst out first, arms raised high in triumph.
"YEAHH! YEAHH! WOOOOH!!" he shouted, grinning like a champion.
The crowd responded with cheers, clapping and laughing at his energetic entrance.
But inside, Itoshi remained still.
He didn't move.
His identity as the Crow—the flame-wielding mask—was no longer a secret.
And now, every time his feet touched land, his life was at risk.
Outside, the people waited.
Some looked on with curiosity, murmuring quietly as they searched for the wielder of the blue flame.
But not all those eyes were kind.
Some stared with suspicion. With bitterness. With fear.
They weren't just waiting to see him.
They were waiting to judge him.
~~~To be Continued~~~