The cold hum of the massive server banks rose from the lower floor, a mechanical drone that filled the cavernous silence of The Room That Observes All.
Below the balcony, a sea of computer managers worked in frantic, hushed coordination, their fingers dancing over keys as they processed the life-and-death probabilities of the Kyushu front.
High above the bustle, the seven thrones of the Skulls sat in their imposing arc. They overlooked the flickering data on the wall-sized monitors, positioned like gods watching a mortal play.
They watched.
They observed.
As they always did, the harsh blue light of the screens reflected in their eyes, peering out from the oppressive gloom of the chamber.
One shadow muttered into the darkness, his voice raspy.
"They truly left Demon Child back in the hands of the Spine, huh?"
Another shadow sighed, the sound of his fingers tapping a slow, rhythmic beat against the cold stone arm of his seat.
"I guess Gigi failed to comprehend the weight of our message. Or perhaps she simply lacks the stomach for what must be done."
"That's not important right now,"
Another Skull interjected, his voice sharp and cutting through the speculation like a blade.
"Personal failings aside, this battle is far worse than our initial projections. The Emergence rate has doubled in the last twenty minutes."
"That's right. We've lost far too many field men already,"
A fourth agreed. The glow of the monitors highlighted the grim, static line of his jaw.
"The formation is breaking. The ground troops are being trampled in that mud."
Bao-shi, a shadow perched on a throne to the far side, let out a dry, mirthless laugh that echoed off the high ceiling.
"Haha... of course the tide won't be ours. Those Wind-types are running free because our Blue Flame isn't around to incinerate them. We are sending sheep to a wolf's feast."
"Hah. Sure, he's arriving, but look at his damn state,"
The shadow in the center mocked, leaning forward until his face was inches from the light of the terminal.
"Do you really think he'll work for us in that condition? Look at his vitals. Look at his eyes. He's a hollow shell."
The Skulls went silent. The weight of the observation settled heavily in the room, thicker than the mechanical heat rising from the servers below.
"He's right,"
A Skull finally conceded, his voice dropping an octave.
"Even if Itoshi stands taller than the average gifted—even if his output is unmatched—he's still just a kid."
He paused, taking a slow, measured breath that seemed to pull the very shadows closer to him.
"Just a few months ago, he watched his best friend die. And now, we've got our star squad's vice-leader missing in action. It seems our Rhythm really cares about our ShallowShadow-man. Emotional attachments are proving to be a localized rot within 663."
The room fell into a stifling silence again, their shadowy forms blending seamlessly into the dark upholstery of the thrones. The data on the screens continued to bleed red, marking the steady decline of the human forces.
"Bring Jayu back onto the battlefield,"
Bao-shi suggested, his voice casual, as if discussing a piece of equipment.
All the Skulls turned their heads toward the far left where he sat. The motion was synchronized and eerie, seven pairs of eyes locking onto him through the gloom.
~~~Fukuoka~~~
She sat lazily on the cold white floor, her head resting gently against the side of her bed while her fingers idly played with a stuffed toy.
The toy sat on the mattress, a small comfort in the sterile room. Her eyes were like those of a dead fish—wide awake, but possessing a depth of stillness that remained hidden from any outsider's gaze.
Her pink hair swayed softly as a warm breeze drifted through the open window. She looked toward the light, barely moving from her spot on the floor.
Knock, knock, knock.
Her head slowly snapped toward the sound.
"Jayu-chan? May I come in?"
Still sitting on the floor, she replied lazily.
"Ah... sure..."
The doorknob clicked open, and her caretaker entered with a soft smile, carrying a tray of warm food. Her expression shifted instantly.
"Wha—Jayu-chan!"
She quickly placed the tray on the bedside table and kneeled down to Jayu's level.
"Are you okay? What are you doing? Why are you sitting on the floor?"
She asked softly.
Jayu's eyes remained glued to the floor as she faced her caretaker.
"Ah... I'm..."
The caretaker placed the back of her hand against Jayu's, the contact slightly startling the little girl.
Jayu raised her head, finally meeting the woman's eyes. The caretaker smiled back, her gaze filled with pure kindness and worry.
Jayu's eyes widened before she quickly looked away.
"W-Why are you... giving so much effort to help me?"
The caretaker took a slight step back, still seated on the floor.
"Well... I can't just leave you in this state, right?"
Jayu looked at her once again.
"Come on, get on your bed. You're going to catch a cold!"
The caretaker said, gently patting Jayu's head.
Jayu nodded in agreement and climbed onto the bed, pulling Kara's stuffed toy onto her lap. The caretaker sat beside her, moving the tray of food onto her own lap.
She scooped up a spoonful and offered it to Jayu.
"Here you go, Jayu-chan! Ah!"
Jayu turned her head, her eyes locking onto the woman's.
"Nijina-san... right?"
Nijina's eyes widened in surprise.
~~~Saga~~~
His eyes were glued to the metallic helicopter floor.
His mind was lost, adrift in a void capable of drowning out even the explosive roar of the giant rotors.
Outside, Spine personnel came flooding toward the aircraft as it touched down just behind the front lines of the battlefield.
"BlueRage has arrived!"
One man shouted over the din.
The helicopter itself was in a dismal state; it was a miracle the machine had been capable of flying across the island of Kyushu at all.
As soon as the engines died, Aldrin jumped out, his hands clenched into tight fists. He moved with a fast, urgent stride.
"Where is Miss Gigi?!"
A field man rushed toward him and replied.
"Yes, sir! She's inside the airport, sir!"
Aldrin gave a sharp nod as the man ran past him toward the chopper.
Inside the cabin, Itoshi remained frozen until the last soldier spoke to him.
"Sir? We have to get you back onto the battlefield. Our situation is quite dire."
Itoshi finally moved, quickly unbuckling the harness securing him to his seat.
He stood up, his gaze still fixed firmly on the floor. He walked toward the doorframe, bracing his right hand against the metal for support.
Before he could step out into the chaos, the field man spoke again.
"Sir, we recommend you enter 'Vigilante State.' The public has their eyes on us."
Itoshi paused. He cast a quick look back over his shoulder—and then he walked out.
On the other hand...
His blade was in a state of fury, ringing out as it slashed through a monstrous beast standing taller than he did.
His winds were relentless, designed to bring anything down exactly where he intended to hit. He paused as another creature fell to his blade, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Ryujin! Why are the others taking so long?!"
Ryujin looked toward him in the middle of a clash with a Seele, his primary spear held firmly in hand.
"The helicopter has arrived, Kirashi. You can start conserving your energy now."
Without waiting for a reply, Ryujin jumped back into the fray, his water-infused spear flowing in perfect harmony with his body.
Kirashi's smirk only widened.
"Like hell I'll hold back!"
Kirashi didn't wait for a second command.
He surged forward, his boots sinking deep into the churned, muddy earth of the crop field. The damp stalks of grain were heavy with moisture, snapping and spraying droplets into the air as he closed the distance toward a cluster of Seele.
Though they appeared as the same mindless, humanoid horrors as the rest, these were Earth-types—possessing a supernatural density that made their flesh as hard as mountain stone.
With a violent twist of his torso, he unleashed a horizontal slash. The air screamed, warped by his raw talent; the space between his steel and the monsters vanished.
The pressurized wind sliced through their reinforced hides like a hot wire through wax. Because they were facing their elemental weakness, the Seele didn't just bleed; they began to hiss and evaporate into fine dust, their physical forms failing to hold together against the gale.
Ryujin, meanwhile, moved like a riptide through the greenery. He was currently intercepting the Flame-types.
They looked no different from their kin, but they radiated a blistering heat that caused the damp crops to wilt and smoke as they passed.
His water-infused spear darted in precise, rhythmic thrusts. Every time a Seele lunged, his weapon met that internal heat with a drenching surge.
The contact created clouds of thick, heavy steam that clung to the damp ground, but as the water overwhelmed their essence, the monsters' movements grew sluggish before they finally vanished into thin air.
"The mud is slowing our footwork, and the moisture in the air is turning the steam into a fog. If we don't clear these Earth-types soon, we'll be fighting blind."
A massive, humanoid Seele roared, its heavy footsteps crushing the damp vegetation into the mire as it swung a jagged, reinforced limb toward Ryujin.
Being a Water-gifted, Ryujin's strike wouldn't kill this Earth-type—it would only slow the monster down.
He didn't waste the effort. Instead, he stepped into the strike, the water on his spear blurring into a liquid shield that parried the heavy blow upward, exposing the creature's pale, dense torso.
"Kirashi! Twelve o'clock! It's an Earth-type—take it out!"
Ryujin shouted, his voice muffled by the damp air and the constant hiss of steam.
"On it!"
Kirashi barked.
He planted his feet firmly in the mud, bracing himself against the slick ground.
He took a massive, deep breath, his chest expanding to its limit as he sucked in the heavy, humid air.
Then, he swung.
A localized vacuum of wind formed at the tip of his sword, and with a heavy thud of displaced air, he punched a hole straight through the creature.
The giant Seele didn't collapse; it simply crumbled, its entire mass evaporating into the wind before it could even hit the mud.
Kirashi stood in the settling dust, huffing, his sword arm shaking slightly from the strain.
"AHHH! HELP!!!"
"HEAVY WIND-TYPES INCOMING! FALL BACK!"
"TAKE OUT THE FLAMETHROWERS!"
Ryujin's head snapped toward the screams as the mist from the evaporated beast settled. The humidity was thick, making every breath feel heavy as he surveyed the chaos unfolding across the damp field.
"Those damn wind-types are real trouble..."
He thought to himself. He scanned the area, his eyes moving over the bodies of field men scattered among the broken, wet stalks of grain.
"Without a strong flame user to counter that speed... we're in a sheep's pen in a wolf's land."
He paused for only a second, his boots splashing through the mire as he pivoted toward the frantic shouting.
"Kirashi! Hold this line! Don't let them circle us!"
He commanded, his voice carrying an iron authority that cut through the sound of the wind.
Kirashi didn't turn his head, focused entirely on the heavy Earth-type lumbering toward him. He paused mid-swing just long enough to bark back.
"Copy that, boss. I'm not going anywhere!"
"We're already pushed quite far back because of these wind-types..."
Ryujin thought, his mind racing as he sprinted.
"They're way more beastly than we anticipated. At this rate, even with Itoshi's flame... we'll have to retreat deeper into the city."
Ryujin took a leap—an effortless, soaring jump that defied the weight of his soaked gear. While in the air, he channeled his energy, the moisture from the humid air condensing rapidly around his weapon until the spear was encased in a swirling, pressurized vortex of water. He took aim at a Seele looming over a field man who had collapsed in the mud.
Then—he threw it.
The spear whistled through the damp air and pierced the beast's head with a sickening thud, pinning the creature's skull directly into the ground.
The Seele let out a distorted, high-pitched shriek, its limbs flailing as it tried to claw at the weapon holding it down.
Ryujin landed gracefully and immediately grabbed the field man by his vest, hoisting him out of harm's way.
"The situation is rough, isn't it?"
Ryujin asked, his tone unnervingly calm despite the monster thrashing just feet away.
The field man struggled to find his footing, his face pale as he ran alongside Ryujin toward a slightly more secure position.
"Unfortunately, yes, sir! They're moving too fast for the ground units! We have to fall back to the secondary line!"
"Did Intel command the retreat?"
Ryujin asked, his eyes narrowing.
A second field man caught up to them, gasping for air.
"No, sir! But we're being slaughtered out here!"
Ryujin stopped abruptly, his boots digging into the sludge. Startled by the sudden halt, the two men stopped as well, looking at him with a mix of confusion and desperation.
"Then we keep on fighting,"
Ryujin commanded, his gaze shifting back toward the thrashing Seele and the spear still lodged in its head.
The field men froze, watching in disbelief as Ryujin began to walk back toward the danger.
"Keep on fighting?! Didn't he hear what we said?!"
One of them complained, his voice shaking with a mix of fear and resentment.
"Those damn Specials... they think they're immortal."
His fellow soldier sighed, checking the fuel gauge on his flamethrower.
"Let them be. We'll handle this the way we can. If he wants to die for a crop field, that's his choice."
Just as the field men turned their heads toward the rear, a piercing, high-pitched screech ripped through the misty field. The sound was needle-thin and deafening, vibrating deep within their marrow.
The battlefield came to a sudden, grinding halt. The retreating field men froze in their tracks, their boots anchored in the mud as their heads snapped toward the source of the noise. It didn't come from the crops, nor from the crumbling airport.
It came from the coast.
By the sea, the surface began to churn. It wasn't the heat of a boil, but a violent eruption of trapped air and pressure escaping from deep beneath the waves.
Huge, frothy bubbles broke the surface in a chaotic rush, turning the dark water into a white, turbulent foam as if the ocean itself were gasping for breath.
The sheer volume of the displacement sent a low-frequency rumble through the earth, felt more in the chest than heard in the ears.
A true beast was emerging.
Slowly, a colossal silhouette began to break the surface, draped in the white foam of the escaping air.
It rose with a heavy, deliberate finality, its massive frame shedding tons of seawater that crashed back down like a localized storm. The humanoid Seele in the fields were suddenly dwarfed, appearing like mere ants beneath the shadow of this new arrival.
Ryujin, still standing over the Seele he had pinned, didn't move. He gripped the shaft of his spear, his knuckles turning white as he watched the horizon being blotted out by the creature's ascent.
~~~To be Continued~~~