The tall figure's shadow loomed over the small frame of the pink-haired, green-eyed little girl that was Jayu.
She blinked, confused, trying to reconvene her memories.
Had she met the man before?
"Oh?.."
She tilted her head before smiling cheerfully up at him.
"Hello, sir!"
"Jayu-chan?.. Is it Ayro-sama?"
Kara's voice called from behind the curtain of the hospital bed. Still staring curiously at the man, Jayu answered without hesitation—Her gaze innocent but sharp.
"No!.. But.. he's part of U.W.D.S.!"
"Eh?.."
Kara muttered softly as Jayu turned toward her voice behind the curtain—Just before the metal foot of a nearby chair scratched against the old wooden floor.
Before Kara could get a glimpse of the man, he softly asked Jayu—
"Can I enter?"
Jayu turned to face him again, still confused.
Just in time, Kara reached the door where the man stood.
He hadn't stepped in yet.
She tilted her head slightly, eyebrows knitting as she questioned him—
"Hoh?.. Mister?.. You're from U.W.D.S?.."
The man scratched the back of his head with an awkward grin.
"Hehe, yeah!.. You guys are Squad Segment 663, right?"
Behind the curtains, Tomori listened intently. Her eyes sharp. A kunai gripped tightly in her left hand.
Kara stood by the door, trying to steady her voice despite the sudden nervousness.
"What can we do for you today, sir?.. Do you need something?"
She asked softly.
The man smiled quickly, his confidence undeterred.
"Ah! I just wanted to check up on the current condition of the squad!"
Kara's excitement bubbled up as she leaned a little forward.
"Hoh! Same with Miss Gigi?"
Behind the curtain, Tomori narrowed her eyes, her hand tightening around the hilt of her blade.
"What would another one of them want to do with this squad?.."
She thought, suspicion sharp in her mind.
The man raised his hands slightly, voice calm but firm.
"Yes! You can say that I'm also a handler!.. Can I come in?"
Before Kara could respond, Tomori's voice cut through the tense air from behind the curtain.
"Can we see your ID?"
They all turned their heads toward the curtain in unison. The man's smirk grew wider as he confidently pulled out his license and held it up.
"Well... I can understand why you would want to do that."
Just outside the hospital, Ayro entered through the front doors, unaware of the tension inside.
Back in the room, Kara's eyes scanned the license quickly — but then she froze.
"Ryo-Ryo Mukori... A... A NECK!?"
She read aloud, voice trembling.
Her heart pounded violently as she realized the rank of the man standing before them.
"It's Him..."
Kara thought before she replied,
"We-welcome, sir!.. Yes, y-you may come in! Pardon my rudeness!"
Behind the curtain, Tomori visibly relaxed but refused to lower her blade.
Ryo's cyan eyes caught the soft hospital lights, calm and unreadable as he replied quietly,
"Nah. It's alright."
The soft echo of Ryo's footsteps filled the sterile hospital room, each step growing louder, more deliberate.
Tomori's eyes narrowed, sharpening like a blade as the sound drew closer.
Then, suddenly, their eyes met. Time seemed to slow to a crawl for Tomori—her breath caught in her throat as she locked onto those piercing cyan eyes.
"What... are those eyes?.." she thought, a shiver running down her spine.
The quiet intensity in Ryo's gaze was almost hypnotic, cold but strangely magnetic, holding unspoken weight in its depths.
Everyone had settled into the hospital room, but the air remained thick—crushing under the quiet presence of a man who, if he wished, could level the entire city without blinking.
No one spoke.
Not even Tomori.
But among the tension, one small figure remained untouched by the weight. Curious, Jayu slid off her seat and lightly padded toward Ryo, her steps innocent and carefree.
He sat quietly, posture calm, eyes watching Tomori with a heavy, unreadable gaze.
"Her mister!"
Jayu called out softly.
Ryo looked down, expression softening with a gentle smile.
"Yes?.. You're a model of this squad, right?"
Jayu nodded rapidly, her excitement bubbling.
"What is a Neck?!"
"Jayu-cha—!"
Before Kara could finish her warning, Ryo raised a single palm.
She stopped immediately, breath caught in her throat, fearing the very pressure that his presence gave off.
Ryo let out a chuckle.
"Well... it's basically a hero!"
From the side, Tomori watched him like a hawk.
Her lips pressed into a tight line, and her grip on her blade remained firm.Her eyes never blinked.
"Something doesn't feel right..."
She thought to herself.
Then, Ryo's eyes met hers again—sharp, reading her. A subtle warning, perhaps.
"Woah! A hero! Cool!"
Jayu beamed, stars twinkling in her eyes.
"Indeed! Do you like heroes?"
Ryo asked with a gentle tone.
"Yes! I do!"
Jayu chirped.
"My big bro is one! He's so cool! I wanna be just like him!"
For the first time, Ryo's tone shifted—mischief or curiosity, no one could tell.
"Hoh?.. Who could it be?"
Jayu paused. Her little hands fidgeted. Her gaze turned unreadable.
Kara's heartbeat quickened as she leaned forward just a bit.
"Please Jayu-chan... we can't let him know about koya..."
She begged silently. Jayu opened her mouth—But before a word could escape, the hospital door creaked open. All heads turned toward it.
Back on the west coast of Itoshima, the salty wind howled over the cliffs as another Seele collapsed, dissolving into dark fragments.
Kirashi stood tall amidst the rubble, his blade dripping and chipped from repeated use.
His breath came in ragged, sharp bursts as he clutched his chest with one hand, trying to steady his pulse. Sweat traced down his jaw, but his eyes—though tired—remained focused.
The waves crashed below him, echoing like distant drums. He muttered under his breath, voice hoarse but determined.
"That's nine... out of twelve..."
Kirashi thought to himself, teeth gritting as he tried to regulate his breathing.His vision briefly blurred from exhaustion, but he shook it off, pressing his hand harder against his chest.
"Dang it... having her would really make things easier!"
He groaned internally, the image of a certain white-haired girl with cyan and pink strips flashing through his mind.
Fast, precise, annoyingly graceful. Then he raised his voice, half in frustration, half as a challenge to the sky itself.
"Seele don't get this big in Okinawa!"
His voice echoed over the battered coastline, mixing with the sound of crashing waves and distant sirens.
The rocky terrain around him remained still... for now. But the ground beneath his feet trembled just slightly—something else was coming. And then...Another screech ripped through the coastline air—no, not just one.
Multiple.
Echoing from the south like the wails of death itself. Miss Gigi's voice came in through the comms, steady but alert.
"Three coming from the south. Those are the last ones, Kirashi. Hold on just a bit more, then you can take your rest."
"Got it!"
Kirashi replied, though his voice trembled, breath staggered and uneven.
He turned to face the incoming threats.
Two of the beasts sprinted low, using all fours—classic Seele. But the third one...It ran upright, on two legs.
Its gait was unstable, wild—its long, bony arm waving above its head like it was mocking them.
"What the hell is that?!"
Kirashi thought, eyes widening in disbelief. Something about it felt wrong—even more than usual.
Ryujin was leaning against the side of the SUV, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded in thought as the coastal wind tousled his hair.
But the moment his eyes caught the strange seele he pushed himself off the vehicle in one sharp motion.
"Ah shit... this is gonna be troublesome."
His tone wasn't panicked—just annoyed. Like someone realizing they'd have to clean up a mess they didn't cause.
Inside the SUV, Itoshi didn't budge. Feet kicked up lazily over the center console, one arm draped behind his head while the other casually flicked his gum from one side of his mouth to the other.
The distant screeches didn't faze him.
His eyes stared blankly out the windshield, but his mind was awake—sharp and calculating beneath that silent mask.
No words.
No panic.
Just silence.
"Another one for him huh?.."
Back outside, the coastal wind howled once more as Kirashi planted his feet into the cracked pavement.
"COME TO ME UGLIES ASSES!!"
The wind spiraled outward as Kirashi roared—his voice rising over the sea like a war cry.
He roared, blade raised, ready to charge. But just before he could take a single step—Ryujin's voice blared through the comms like a sudden snap of thunder.
"KIRASHI, STOP!"
Kirashi skid slightly, startled, and looked back over his shoulder—his eyes locking onto Ryujin, who now pushed off from the SUV and was sprinting toward him.
"WHAT!"
Kirashi shouted.
Ryujin came to a halt beside him, gaze fixed on the three Seele rushing toward them.
"You see that weird-ass one, right?"
Kirashi grunted.
"Yes!"
Ryujin didn't hesitate.
"Let me face it. You take care of them normal ones."
Kirashi blinked, confused.
"Eh?! Why is that?"
Ryujin exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment before replying.
"That one moves a little too much for your current state. You might end up brushed out before you can beat him. I'll fend him off for now!"
A pause.Kirashi clenched his jaw—then gave a single sharp nod.
"Tch... fine. Don't die, water boy."
"Heh. Don't get shown up by me, wind freak."
They stood side by side for one last second—Then split in opposite directions, ready to take their respective targets head-on.
From the outside, the SUV swayed slightly—not from the wind, but from a sudden shift inside.
It was Itoshi, sitting up just enough to look through the window at the two figures on the field.
"What the hell? Why is Ryujin fighting?.. That ain't gonna work..."
He sighed.
"Oh well..."
Then, with zero urgency, he leaned back again, letting his body sink into the seat as his eyes drifted shut.
The chaos outside didn't bother him.
Not even a little.
Within moments, he began to doze off, the faint sound of bubblegum popping the only sign he was still awake at all.
—Meanwhile, Ryujin sprinted forward, spear clenched tightly in his right hand as water spiraled and surged around it.
His left hand pulsed with pressure—a concentrated mass of water forming rapidly in his palm.
As he neared the two-legged, twitching Seele, he thrust his left hand forward—
BOOM! A burst of high-pressure water blasted out like a cannon, slamming into the beast's side.
The Seele screeched violently, its momentum breaking as it staggered sideways—its erratic steps finally slowed by the soaking force.
Ryujin didn't stop.
He skidded into a halt, feet spreading wide as he spun his spear in a rapid motion, water gliding around the weapon's shaft like a serpent.
His body lowered slightly.
Battle pose.
Ready.
Calm.
Deadly.
The Seele regained its balance and shrieked again, lunging forward.
But Ryujin was already set. And he wasn't planning on backing down.
The beast let out a shrill, jagged screech—then dashed forward, its two feet slamming against the ground with unnatural rhythm.
It wasn't wild. It wasn't flailing. It was focused—gaining speed with terrifying precision, barreling straight toward Ryujin, who stood his ground without flinching.
His grip on the spear tightened, and his eyes locked onto the incoming blur.
No hesitation.
No step back.
Just water flowing, pressure building.
From the left, Kirashi charged toward the remaining two Seele, his lungs burning and legs aching with every step.
His breath came in ragged bursts as he glanced toward Ryujin's side.
"Why is it acting like that?.."
The thought pressed into his mind like a weight. The way that thing moved—it wasn't animalistic.
It wasn't aimless.
It dodged water like it had instinct.
It focused like it had intent.
"It doesn't act like a mindless beast at all..."
But there was no time to dwell.
The two classic Seele ahead of him screeched in response, preparing to pounce.
Kirashi locked his focus forward again, tightening his grip on his blade.
He inhaled slowly—then held it.
A burst of wind trailed around his feet.
It was time.
He lunged toward the first one with his katana, preparing to strike.
~~~To be Continued~~~