The energy of the arena didn't fade even after the matches ended. It followed them out, carried in laughter, loud voices, and the kind of chaos that only came after surviving something intense together. The group walked through the academy grounds with a mix of exhaustion and excitement, their bodies tired but their spirits still moving.
Tyouro, as usual, broke the peace first.
"Oi, Kairo, you still mad you lost?" he said with a grin, walking slightly ahead.
Kairo immediately frowned. "Say that again and I'll throw you into the training room wall."
Tyouro laughed. "You couldn't even beat Reji, what are you gonna do to me?"
Kairo stepped forward, grabbing his shoulder. "At least I didn't almost get cooked by electricity!"
"Almost?" Tyouro shot back. "I WON."
"Barely!"
"Still counts!"
The two of them started pushing each other, their argument turning into a full-on scuffle as they bumped into walls and nearly tripped over their own feet. Their voices got louder, drawing attention from other students passing by.
Yura, walking behind them, closed her eyes slowly.
"…Annoying."
Before either of them could react-
She moved.
A single kick.
Clean.
Precise.
Both Kairo and Tyouro were sent flying upward at the same time, their bodies shooting into the air like they were launched, their shouting cutting off mid-sentence as they disappeared from view.
"…AHHH!"
"…BRO-!"
They landed somewhere far behind them with a loud crash.
Yura didn't even turn around.
"…Peace," she muttered.
Kimimaru glanced briefly at the sky, then back ahead. "…Effective."
A few minutes later, the group regrouped Kairo and Tyouro walking back with dust on their clothes, still arguing but quieter now.
They arrived at a well-known place just outside the academy grounds.
The Sizzling Samurai.
The restaurant was lively, filled with the sound of sizzling plates, laughter, and the smell of grilled meat and rice that instantly made Tyouro's eyes light up again.
"Finally," he said, already walking in.
They sat down together, food arriving quickly, plates stacked across the table as they began eating. For a moment, everything felt normal just students enjoying a meal after a long day.
Then Tyouro got bored.
He picked up a small rock from the ground near his seat, spinning it between his fingers with a mischievous look.
Kairo noticed immediately. "…Don't."
Tyouro smirked. "Watch this."
He flicked the rock straight toward Shougo.
The stone flew cleanly-
Right through him.
Shougo's body didn't react at all as the rock phased through his chest due to his passive intangibility.
"…Hm?" Shougo blinked.
Behind him-
THUD.
The rock hit Kimimaru directly.
Silence.
Kimimaru slowly turned his head.
"…Who."
Tyouro froze.
"…It wasn't me."
Kairo immediately pointed. "It was him."
"…Traitor," Tyouro whispered.
Before he could escape-
BAM.
Kimimaru kicked him again, harder this time.
"OW-!"
"Deserved," Kimimaru said calmly.
Shougo laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "…You guys are lively."
"HE STARTED IT!" Tyouro shouted.
"YOU THREW THE ROCK!" Kairo yelled back.
The argument restarted instantly.
Yura continued eating like nothing was happening.
After finishing their meal, the group didn't head back immediately. Instead, they decided to go somewhere quieter.
Somewhere different.
The Ruins of Valthera.
The place felt like a mix between a forest and a forgotten village, old structures covered in vines, dim lights glowing faintly between trees, giving it a calm but mysterious atmosphere. The night air was cool, the sounds of nature replacing the chaos from earlier.
They gathered in an open space.
A small fire was lit in the center, surrounded by stones, pieces of wood stacked nearby. The flames flickered gently, casting soft shadows across their faces.
Kairo stretched slightly, sitting down with a satisfied sigh. "…I'm full."
Tyouro sat beside him, still holding food somehow. "I'm not."
"…Of course you're not."
Kimimaru leaned against a nearby rock, silent as always.
Yura sat close to the fire, her eyes focused on the flames for a moment before she swallowed quietly, clearly still a bit hungry despite earlier.
Shougo sat down with them, grabbing a stick and placing a marshmallow on the tip before holding it over the fire.
The atmosphere slowly changed.
Quieter.
Warmer.
Tyouro poked Kairo. "If you fall asleep, I'm throwing you into the fire."
"You wouldn't."
"I would."
"Try me."
Before it escalated again-
Shougo spoke.
"…You all did well today."
His voice wasn't loud.
But it was enough to make them stop.
They looked at him.
Even Kimimaru.
Shougo stared at the fire for a moment, the light reflecting in his eyes as he rotated the marshmallow slowly.
"…You got stronger. Not just your abilities… but how you fight, how you think," he continued.
There was a pause.
Then his tone softened slightly.
"…If one day I'm not here…"
Kairo blinked. "…Huh?"
Tyouro frowned. "…Why are you saying that?"
Shougo smiled faintly.
"…Just listen."
The fire crackled gently.
"…I want you four to stay together," he said. "No matter what happens. No one leaves. No one turns their back on the others."
Silence fell.
Kairo looked down slightly.
Tyouro didn't speak.
Shougo took a breath, then continued.
"…When I was younger… I had a friend."
His eyes stayed on the fire.
"…His name was Oza."
The flames flickered as the story began.
"I met him when we were nineteen," Shougo said quietly. "Back then… I wasn't anything special. Just another student trying to survive."
The scene formed in their minds.
Shougo, younger, moving through trees, jumping from branch to branch with ease. Then-
A sound.
Crying.
Shouting.
He landed nearby, his expression changing instantly as he saw it.
Oza.
On the ground.
Three boys surrounding him, pushing him, mocking him as he tried to defend himself.
Shougo's face darkened.
He didn't hesitate.
He rushed in, his fist connecting with one of them instantly, knocking him back before turning to the others.
"Don't you dare touch him again," he said coldly. "Or I'll make sure you regret it."
The boys ran.
Fast.
Shougo turned back.
His expression softened.
He reached out his hand.
Oza looked up, hesitating for a moment before taking it.
That was how it started.
They trained together.
Fought together.
Protected people.
They became known in the village of Stonefang Highlands, saving lives, hunting evil spirits. People talked about them like they were brothers, always together, always reliable.
Then-
Everything changed.
Shougo's voice lowered.
"…12 years ago…"
The memory shifted.
Oza stood in front of him.
Different.
Cold.
"…Shougo," Oza said.
Shougo smiled slightly. "What's wrong?"
Oza's eyes didn't change.
"…I never liked you."
Silence.
"…What?"
"I've always hated you," Oza continued. "You're in my way."
Shougo's expression broke slightly. "What are you talking about…?"
"I don't want you as my brother," Oza said flatly. "Or my friend."
He stepped forward.
Kicked Shougo back.
Shougo didn't fight.
Didn't even try.
"…Why…?"
Oza didn't answer.
He turned.
And disappeared.
The memory ended.
Back at the fire, Shougo exhaled slowly, clearing his throat slightly as he returned to the present.
"…I didn't understand it," he said. "And maybe I still don't."
The fire cracked again.
"…But I know what it feels like," he continued quietly. "To be left behind by someone you trusted."
He looked at them now.
All four.
"…So don't become like that."
No one spoke.
The weight of his words settled deeply.
Shougo pulled the marshmallow away from the fire, handing it to Kimimaru.
"…Here."
Kimimaru took it silently.
Kairo stared at the flames.
Tyouro didn't joke.
Yura looked down slightly, her expression softer than usual.
The fire burned steadily.
And for the first time in a while-
No one said anything.