"Just keep running and don't look back!" Hayato called out, his voice echoing against the damp stone of the tunnel.
"Got it," Ethan replied, keeping a steady pace right at his heel.
Behind them, the thundering sound of heavy combat boots grew louder. Leonard reached into his vest, pulling four throwing knives from his harness and flicking his wrist in a lightning-fast motion. The blades whistled through the dark.
Hayato and Ethan leaned sideways, letting the steel bury itself harmlessly into the walls just as a pale beam of natural daylight broke through the darkness ahead.
"Light!" Ethan said, pointing toward the mouth of the tunnel.
"We're almost out," Hayato gritted out, adjusting Shisui's weight across his shoulders. "I swear... I'm never setting foot in this place again."
At the tunnel's terminus stood a heavy, rusted iron security grate blocking the exit. Without breaking stride, Ethan launched himself forward, driving a flying kick into the center of the frame.
CRACK-BOOM!
The iron bars shattered out into the open air, the two teenagers tumbling down a small embankment onto the snow-covered slope below.
Hayato landed firmly on his feet, carefully lowering Shisui's limp body against the trunk of an ancient pine tree. "Ethan! Cover the exit!"
Ethan gave a single, sharp nod, pivoting just as Leonard leaped out from the tunnel mouth above.
Intercepting the executive mid-air, Ethan grabbed Leonard by the collar of his jacket and slammed him spine-first into the frozen ground. Before Leonard could recover, Ethan drove two heavy, straight punches flush into his jaw.
A second Loop operative burst from the tunnel, launching a diving kick toward Ethan's head. Ethan leaned back, springing away to create distance.
Disregarding the fighting, Hayato reached into Shisui's tactical belt, pulling out a heavy, encrypted satellite phone. His fingers flew across the keypad, speed-dialing Commander Sasaki.
The line connected after two rings. "Hello?!" Sasaki's stern voice cut through the static.
"Commander... send a pickup squad to my coordinates immediately," Hayato rasped, his chest heaving. "Hurry."
"Hayato? What the hell happened out there?!" Sasaki demanded.
Before Hayato could answer, a deep, earth-shaking rumble vibrated beneath their boots.
A fraction of a second later, a blinding pillar of fire and smoke erupted from the forest behind them, launching a massive mushroom cloud of ash and burning debris high into the winter sky.
The sheer air pressure forced Ethan, Leonard, and the remaining Loop operative to shield their eyes.
Leonard stared up at the towering cloud of flame, his jaw slackening. "No... no, no, no..."
Ethan glanced over at him.
"The Second Branch..." Leonard whispered, falling back onto his knees in utter disbelief. "It's... it's completely gone."
Ethan turned toward Hayato.
Hayato stood frozen in place, the phone still pressed to his ear. His hand was trembling. His eyes were wide, unblinking, fixed entirely on the wall of fire consuming the horizon.
His lips parted, a faint, barely audible breath escaping his chest. "E...liza..."
She destroyed every monster she created... Hayato thought, a hollow ache spreading through his chest. ...including herself.
For a fleeting moment, the roar of the flames faded from his ears. In his mind, he saw a sunlit courtyard years ago—a tall, green tree in the center of the training grounds. He remembered climbing too high, slipping, and crashing onto the grass below, while a young girl with bright, unburdened eyes sat on the top branch, laughing down at him.
"Hayato! Talk to me! What was that explosion?!" Sasaki's frantic voice through the phone speaker snapped Hayato back to the freezing reality.
Hayato blinked, swallowing the lump in his throat. "It's nothing... Just get to our location as fast as you can."
Over by the tree line, Leonard remained on his knees, staring blankly at the burning ridge. "How... how could it just blow up like that...?"
In a flash, Ethan stepped over, driving a brutal right cross into Leonard's jaw that knocked him flat onto the snow. Ethan leaned down, grabbing the executive by his collar and hoisting him up.
"Tell me where the First Branch is," Ethan demanded, his voice cold and dangerous. "Right now."
Leonard didn't fight back. His spirit was completely broken, his eyes lifeless. "I... I don't know..."
Ethan's grip tightened. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm Number 5!" Leonard spoke, "I don't have knowledge of that! If you wanted information on the First Branch... Number 0 was the one who knew!"
Ethan studied his face for a moment before letting go, allowing Leonard to slump back onto the ground. Turning around, Ethan walked back toward Hayato, who had just ended the call.
"They're on their way," Hayato said quietly.
Ethan nodded, stepping closer and extending a hand. "Thanks for backing me up down there."
Hayato offered a tired smile, reaching out to clasp Ethan's hand in a firm grip. "Don't mention it. Did you end up finding what you were looking for?"
Ethan shook his head, looking back toward the burning forest. "No. I heard rumors that this place was tied to a place called Heronics, but... I was wrong."
Hayato nodded, walking back to sit beside the unconscious Shisui against the tree trunk. "Well... if you're thanking anyone, thank this guy. He is the MVP."
"I hope he makes a full recovery," Ethan said, leaning back against a rock nearby. He paused, watching Hayato's calm demeanor. "By the way... are you guys from around here?"
"Nah," Hayato replied, shaking his head. "We're from Japan."
Ethan's eyes widened slightly. "Japan?"
"Yeah," Hayato said, looking over. "Why? Does that ring a bell?"
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, sitting down in the snow. "A bit. There's a Japanese girl in my high school... and recently, I ran into another Japanese swordswoman who was... well, terrifying."
Hayato narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp glint returning to his gaze. A Japanese swordswoman... in Canada? Is he talking about Akira?
"The one I fought was crazy strong," Ethan continued, staring up at the sky. "She literally sliced two entire concrete buildings in half with a single draw."
Yep. That's definitely Akira... Hayato thought.
"And the girl at my school," Ethan added, "she's a third-year. Her name's Himari."
Hayato blinked. "Himari? Third-year?"
Ethan nodded.
So he goes to the same school as Himari... which means he ran into Akira while she was at 3rd Branch. Hayato calculated silently.
"What's with that look?" Ethan asked, noticing Hayato's expression.
"Himari is my younger sister," Hayato said plainly.
Ethan stared at him, his eyes going wide. "What?! But... you two don't act alike!"
Hayato chuckled softly. "Yeah, I get that a lot. And that crazy woman who cut two buildings in half? Her name's Akira. She's a relative of ours."
Ethan let out a long breath. "That explains a lot."
"Akira's a bit short-circuited," Hayato said dryly. "Gets angry over the smallest things. Her father is actually the Commander coming to pick us up right now."
Ethan looked toward the mountain road. "Is he like her?"
"No, Commander Sasaki is a good guy," Hayato said. "A little strict, but reliable. Speaking of which... I hope he gets here soon. Shisui is not in good condition."
A few minutes later, the crunch of snow echoed down the mountain pass as a dark, reinforced SUV pulled up alongside the tree line. The heavily tinted driver's side window rolled down, revealing Commander Sasaki's stern, weather-worn face.
Hayato stood up, limping slightly. "You took your time, Commander."
An hour later, the group had reached hospital. Shisui was immediately admitted to a high-security medical facility for surgery, while Hayato sat on an examination table in a quiet private room, his upper torso wrapped in tight white bandages.
Ethan had already been dropped off back at the festival grounds near the town center, where Madison and Princess Victoria were still waiting amongst the dispersing crowds.
Hayato sat on the edge of the medical bed, staring blankly at his bandaged hands, completely lost in thought.
The door slid open, and Commander Sasaki stepped into the room, holding a quiet clipboard.
Noticing the shadow in the doorway, Hayato snapped out of his trance and stood up. "Commander..."
"Sit down, Hayato," Sasaki said, his voice measured.
Hayato nodded, resting his hands on his knees.
"How are you holding up?" Sasaki asked, pulling over a chair. "The doctors said you have three cracked ribs and severe chemical exposure."
"I'll live," Hayato murmured. "What about Shisui?"
"He's stabilized, but the nerve damage is extensive," Sasaki replied gravely. "He needs prolonged bed rest and zero physical activity for a while."
Hayato closed his eyes, offering a silent nod.
Sasaki studied the young man carefully. "Where did you three go, Hayato? I saw the smoke column from fifteen miles away. That wasn't something normal—that was a large-scale detonation."
Hayato looked up, his expression completely unreadable. "We found a hidden village in the mountains. It was an illegal research site... filled with bio-engineered mutants. And..."
"And...?" Sasaki prompted when Hayato went quiet.
Sasaki's eyes narrowed slightly. Hayato is acting strange... He looks composed on the surface, but something in his eyes is completely different.
Hayato met Sasaki's gaze, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
"And evil people."
Sasaki looked at him for a long moment, sensing the deep, unspoken weight behind the words. He didn't push further, though a heavy suspicion settled deep within his chest.