The carriage came to a gentle halt at the very center of the village.
The wheels settled into the packed ground with a soft crunch of dirt and gravel. For a brief moment, there was only the distant crackle of fire and the murmur of voices drifting through the streets.
Saito stepped out first.
The air hit him immediately—warm, slightly smoky, carrying the scent of grilled food and burning oil lanterns. The village was alive in a way that felt almost unreal compared to the quieter places they had passed through before.
All around them, villagers moved in steady flow.
Lanterns hung from poles and rooftops, swaying gently as people walked past. Some were held in hands, swinging in slow rhythm like glowing embers dancing in the darkening sky. Stalls lined the streets, packed with food, drinks, and small handmade goods. The sound of laughter mixed with sizzling grills and the occasional burst of fire from distant performances.
Saito blinked once, taking it all in.
"…Damn…" he muttered under his breath. "This village is lit."
Kaito stepped down next, adjusting his coat slightly as he scanned the surroundings with calm eyes.
"Welcome to Bypass Village," he said casually. "Or as they like to call it… Fire Village."
Takeru followed behind, his ears twitching slightly at all the noise and movement, while Feina stepped out more slowly, observing the crowd with quiet curiosity. Tina was the last to hop down, immediately turning her head in every direction like she was trying to absorb everything at once.
Saito exhaled lightly.
"Alright then…" he said, glancing around. "Let's split up for now."
Kaito nodded once, already understanding.
Without needing further explanation, the group naturally divided.
Kaito moved closer to Saito and Tina.
Saito stretched his shoulders slightly. "We'll check out the performance area first."
Tina's eyes lit up immediately. "Fire performances?"
"Yeah," Saito replied, a small smile forming. "Seems like that's the main attraction here."
Meanwhile, Takeru shifted his attention toward Feina.
He gave a small nod. "Let's check the stalls."
Feina smiled softly. "That sounds nice."
Takeru scratched the side of his cheek slightly, trying to act calm, though his tail gave a small, subtle wag.
Saito glanced once at both groups, making sure everyone was set.
"Don't wander too far," he said casually.
Kaito waved a hand. "You say that like we're kids."
Saito smirked faintly.
Then, just like that—
They moved in different directions.
Saito, Kaito, and Tina walked deeper toward the sound of cheers and flickering flames, where the performance area seemed to be gathering energy and attention.
Behind them, Takeru and Feina headed toward the busy stalls, where the scent of food grew stronger and the lantern light became denser between the crowd.
The Fire Carnival continued to burn brightly around them, pulling each group into its own rhythm within the village.
Tina stood slightly ahead of them, eyes wide as she watched the performance area.
A performer at the center of the stage raised his hand slowly.
Then—
A spark ignited in his palm.
It didn't fall. It didn't flicker out.
It grew.
Fire curled around his fingers like it was alive, twisting upward into controlled spirals before bursting outward in a smooth arc above the stage. The crowd reacted instantly—cheers, whistles, and applause blending into one continuous wave of excitement.
Tina leaned forward.
"Look, Sir Saito! Sir Kaito! He's playing with fire!"
Saito watched calmly, arms loosely folded.
"…Let me guess," he said after a moment. "Invoker."
Kaito nodded once without taking his eyes off the stage.
"Yeah."
Saito exhaled lightly.
"So they can control elements too… same type as Takashi."
Kaito glanced at him briefly. "Different scale, though. These guys are trained purely for performance. Takashi's more… structured control."
Saito gave a small hum in acknowledgment, still observing the flames shaping into different forms on stage.
A soft voice interrupted from the side.
"Hello."
They turned slightly.
John stood there, smiling politely, hands relaxed at his sides.
"Mayor John," Saito greeted casually.
John gave a small bow.
"Hello. You all look like you've come to enjoy the carnival. It's an honor to have you here."
Saito shook his head slightly.
"No need for that."
His gaze drifted back toward the fire performance.
"Your village is very cheerful."
John smiled more warmly at that.
"Yes… and we want to keep it that way."
He glanced around at the lantern-lit streets, the flowing crowd, the sound of laughter and celebration.
"After all, this carnival is our source of income and food."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"Fortunately this year, a lot of visitors from around Jokun City came here."
Saito nodded slowly.
"…I'm glad to hear that."
The performer brought both hands together—
The flames swirling around him collapsed inward, shrinking into a single glowing ember before vanishing completely.
He straightened, then gave a deep bow.
For a split second—
Silence.
Then—
Applause erupted.
Cheers echoed across the performance area as people clapped, some shouting in excitement, others laughing as the energy of the show carried through the crowd.
Tina clapped enthusiastically.
"That was amazing!"
Saito gave a small nod, eyes still on the stage.
"…Yeah. Not bad."
Then he turned.
"Let's move a bit."
He stepped away from the front, slipping into the flow of people as they shifted between performances and stalls. Kaito followed beside him, hands casually in his pockets, while Tina stayed close, still glancing back at the stage.
As they walked—
Saito's gaze shifted.
A group moved through the crowd.
They stood out.
White clothing. Clean. Uniform.
Not festive like everyone else.
Not relaxed either.
They walked with purpose, eyes scanning, steps steady.
Saito slowed slightly.
"…Huh?"
Kaito followed his line of sight.
Then answered without hesitation.
"…Gangsters."
Saito blinked once.
"…What?"
Kaito kept his gaze on them.
"You think they are?"
A brief pause.
Then—
"Yeah."
Saito looked at them again, more carefully this time.
"…I see."
Kaito tilted his head slightly.
"They're the White Hat gang."
Saito's expression sharpened just a bit.
"White Hat…"
Kaito continued, tone calm.
"Bypass Village sits right on the border between us and them."
The group in white passed by, not causing trouble, not interacting—just moving through the festival like silent observers.
Saito crossed his arms slightly.
"…You think we need to tighten security?"
Kaito didn't answer immediately.
He watched them a second longer.
Then shrugged lightly.
"…No need."
A small pause.
Then, quieter—
"…They're not a threat."
Another step forward.
"…Maybe."
John stepped closer, noticing their attention fixed in one direction.
"…What are you guys looking at?"
His eyes followed theirs—
Then landed on the group in white.
"…Oh. White Hat."
He didn't look alarmed.
Just… familiar.
Saito glanced at him.
"…You know them?"
John nodded casually.
"Yeah. Their leader often sends them here as a vacation group."
Tina blinked. "…Vacation?"
John gave a small shrug.
"Even gangs take breaks, I guess."
Kaito let out a quiet breath through his nose, eyes still half on them.
Saito crossed his arms slightly.
"…If you need anything, we can help."
John shook his head lightly.
"I appreciate it."
He gestured around them—the lanterns, the crowd, the glowing warmth of the festival.
"But for now… please enjoy our village carnival first."
A small pause.
Then Saito nodded.
"…Alright."
Kaito gave a short nod as well.
"Yeah."
Right on cue—
Tina tugged lightly at Saito's sleeve.
"Sir Saito, Sir Kaito…"
She pointed toward a nearby stall, where golden batter crackled in hot oil.
"I want to eat the corndog."
Saito looked in the direction she was pointing.
Then back at her.
A small smile formed.
"…Alright. Let's go."
Kaito smirked faintly.
"Yeah. Priorities."