Yami was standing motionless until
someone snapped him back to reality.
"Training at this hour?"
Yuto asked.
Yami came back to reality without knowing what had happened, but he already couldn't remember much every time he tried to recall. The more he tried, the more he forgot. So he decided to let it go. Full of doubts.
"You guys said that portal was going to appear, right?"
"Why are you acting so weird? Did the wind scare you or something?"
"Stop being an idiot," Yami said seriously.
"But you were training, weren't you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Then I have some really bad news for you."
"Why?"
"Well… let the others finish their baths first."
Some time later they were all gathered, and Yuto spoke to everyone.
"Guys, I know you're not ready. I know. But… the portal has already appeared."
"What?" Emiko asked.
"But I haven't even trained properly yet,"
Yami stated.
"I know, but we can't waste time."
"If the portal stays open for even one day, the world will already be full of Kyobokags."
"So… go to sleep. Tomorrow is the day you do what all the previous generations did: exterminate."
Yami didn't sleep. He was in the dormitory, lost in thought.
"What exactly is this portal? Are those monsters really that strong?" Yami sighed. "Well, there's no point thinking about it now. Everyone must be asleep. I'll just go to sleep."
The next day, a huge crowd had gathered. People Yami had never seen before.
"Who are all these people?" Yami asked Momo, who was already there with Ayane, Emiko, and Kaen.
"You didn't know, right? The portal appears somewhere in the world. We got lucky that it showed up here in Japan, close to the Order. This only happened the very first time the portal appeared in the world."
"Interesting. At least I won't have to walk far. But where's the portal?"
"Calm down. There are still people arriving."
"And who are they?"
"They're other Awakened from other countries."
"Oh, got it. Well… where's Professor Yuto?"
"He's going to lead us to the portal."
"Now stop talking and let's wait, Yami," Kaen said, sounding sleepy.
"You didn't sleep, did you, Kaen?" Momo asked.
"I did sleep, yes."
"Don't worry. I didn't sleep either."
Yuto arrived with a megaphone.
"Exterminators, today is the day. The day you will face and eradicate the Kyobokags."
"Show why you are humanity's salvation."
Everyone clapped and cheered for Yuto.
"Follow me. I'll show you where the portal is."
Yami followed the crowd. They walked along a trail through the forest until the sun shone brightly into Yami's eyes. Slowly, his vision returned.
A giant portal was open. It spun, exhaling a heavy, strange air.
"Is that the so-called portal?" Emiko asked, eyes wide.
"I know it looks very dangerous, but you're here to exterminate. Before you enter, grab these parachutes. The drop is nasty, you know."
The exterminators started picking up parachutes and jumping through the portal.
Until the director arrived late. He looked at the portal in a different way, as if he sensed something more.
"What's wrong, Director?" Yuri asked.
The air coming out of the portal was freezing.
"Nothing… it's just that this portal is much bigger than it should be, right?"
"I don't know. It's the first portal I've ever seen."
Momo, Emiko, Ayane, and Kaen grabbed parachutes and jumped. Yami hesitated at the edge. He looked down at the height. If he took one step, he'd fall straight down.
Yami gave a small smile and jumped.
"Hey! You're supposed to take a parachute!" shouted one of the Order workers.
The director watched, confused. In mid-air, Yami threw his hook at the rock, sliding, calculating the height.
He grabbed Ayane's foot while she was on her parachute.
"Yami? What are you doing?"
"Well… go a bit further forward, over there near that tree."
When she moved, he let go, landing on a branch. Standing upright, he looked down. The Kyobokags had already started climbing the tree.
Night dominated that moment. The air was cold and heavy,
the forest vast and devastated.
Yami took a deep breath. And he began to smile, speaking in a different voice.
"Ah… this world is so much better than I thought. How good it feels to be back in the shadows."