Arashi stood with his eyes wide open, while Rin couldn't bear to look, so she buried her face against his shoulder.
Arashi gently set Rin down, then stood again as the air grew heavy. A black helicopter descended quietly right in front of him.
A group of imposing men stepped out, bald, wearing sunglasses, their muscular bodies tense as they walked toward Arashi.
Arashi narrowed his eyes and said, "Who are you?" They didn't answer, just kept moving toward him in silence. It was clear they weren't ordinary.
Before acting recklessly, Arashi paused to think. "Who are these people?" he wondered.
But after a moment of thought, he made his decision. He would attack.
Without hesitation, he rushed forward at full speed. One of the men smirked coldly and said, "Looks like this beautiful garden is about to be ruined."
Arashi reached him and threw a punch, but the man caught him effortlessly, spun him midair, and slammed him to the ground, leaving him unable to move.
Arashi pushed forward stubbornly, his body tense and his breathing uneven, yet he refused to stop. He knew retreat meant the end.
The man in front of him didn't move, only smiled coldly, as if nothing happening was worth reacting to.
Arashi struck again, but his fist froze midair, caught with ease as if it carried no weight.
In an instant, everything changed. His body was lifted and thrown down hard, knocking the breath out of him.
He tried to stand, his hands trembling and vision shaking, but forced himself up despite the overwhelming pain.
He moved again, slower now, watching carefully, searching for any weakness, any chance to gain the upper hand.
But they were calm, controlled, their steps steady, their eyes empty of hesitation or fear.
One of them suddenly lunged. Arashi couldn't fully dodge and was struck, stumbling backward.
He gasped for air, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His body was no longer responding like before.
Still, he clenched his fist and charged again, as if something inside him refused to give up.
This time his attack was slower, weaker. His strength was fading without him realizing it.
One man stepped forward and ended his attack with a single swift motion, without effort.
Arashi froze for a moment, then lost balance. His knees hit the ground, his breathing ragged and painful.
He looked around. The world began to blur, sounds faded, everything felt unbearably heavy.
He tried to lift his head, to resist, but his body wouldn't respond, as if all his strength had drained away.
The men stood before him in silence, unhurried, as if the outcome had been decided from the start.
Arashi finally understood. He was never a match for them.
He collapsed, unable to move, his consciousness slipping, hovering on the edge of darkness.
He lay there, surrounded by blood, barely alive. One of the men stepped forward to take him.
They grabbed him, lifting his body onto one of their shoulders.
Another man approached Rin. She screamed as he tried to take her.
Suddenly, a light surrounded Rin, and a piercing glow formed around Arashi as well.
In an instant, the normal world vanished. They found themselves in a strange yet beautiful place, silent, filled with trees, with only two houses standing.
A hawk grabbed a branch and struck Arashi with it.
Arashi woke up suddenly and shouted, "Stay away from me! What do you want from me?"
The hawk spoke, addressing both Arashi and Rin, "This is your designated world, my lord and my lady."
Arashi was confused. "What does that mean? And how are you speaking?"
The hawk replied, "I will explain everything now."