Lily looked toward Saito, still trying to hide her embarrassment from earlier.
"So..."
"Why are you here?"
Hashima answered before Saito could.
"They're here for a vacation."
He glanced between Saito and Lily.
"...Or is there something going on between you two?"
Saito and Lily immediately answered at the exact same time.
"No!"
They looked at each other.
"..."
Hashima raised an eyebrow.
"Good to know."
Suddenly, the doors opened.
Makuto walked into the room.
"Oh."
He looked toward Lily.
"You're already awake."
Lily immediately frowned.
"Shut it, big bro."
Saito's eyes widened.
"Wait."
He pointed between the two.
"You two are siblings?"
Makuto nodded.
"Yes."
Saito looked at Lily, then at Makuto.
"But..."
"Why do you call Hashima 'My Lord' while Lily calls him 'Dad'?"
Makuto paused.
He looked toward Hashima.
Then toward Lily.
Finally, he sighed.
"That's..."
"A long story."
Saito leaned forward.
"Now I'm interested."
Lily immediately groaned.
"Don't."
Makuto gave a small smile.
"You really don't want to hear the whole thing."
Saito grinned.
"That makes me want to hear it even more."
Hashima looked toward Saito.
"Saito..."
"If I may, I'd like to speak with you alone."
Saito nodded.
"Sure."
Hashima stood and walked toward the garden.
Saito followed him through the halls until they reached a quiet park inside the Red Sun Base.
A small river flowed peacefully through the garden, surrounded by trees and stones.
Hashima stopped beside the water.
"What you just asked..."
"...is actually a sensitive matter."
Saito tilted his head.
"How is that sensitive?"
Hashima remained silent for a moment.
Then he looked toward the flowing river.
"Because..."
"Lily isn't my biological daughter."
Saito's eyes widened.
"What?"
Hashima slowly continued.
"I adopted her."
"Both Lily and Makuto."
Saito's expression became serious.
"Why?"
Hashima's eyes lowered.
"Years ago, a rebellion attacked their village."
"Their parents were killed."
Saito fell silent.
The peaceful sound of the river suddenly felt much louder.
"...Do they know?"
Hashima nodded.
"They know."
He clenched his hand slightly.
"It was my greatest failure."
"Ever since the day I became the leader of the Red Sun..."
Hashima looked across the garden.
"I've tried to protect everyone under my rule."
"But I couldn't protect that village."
He paused.
"And that's why I took them in."
Saito looked down at the river.
"I see..."
Hashima gave a faint smile.
"Red Sun isn't like the gangs you've encountered."
"We've existed for a very long time."
"Our organization was founded generations ago."
He looked toward the mansion.
"Our first great leader was Yuji."
"My ancestor."
Saito looked back at him.
"So the Red Sun has been passed down through your family?"
Hashima nodded.
"Yes."
"But leadership isn't something I consider a privilege."
"It's a responsibility."
Saito remained quiet for a moment.
Then he looked toward the mansion where Lily and Makuto were waiting.
"...No wonder you care about them so much."
Hashima smiled faintly.
"They may not share my blood."
"But they're still my children."
Saito nodded.
"Yeah."
"I understand."
Saito looked at Hashima for a moment before sighing.
"Alright."
"I'll forget I ever asked about that."
Hashima gave a small smile.
"That's fine."
He paused.
"Especially since you're already in love with Lily."
Saito immediately looked at him.
"Okay."
"Now that's completely out of topic."
Hashima chuckled.
"She's a fine warrior."
"A daughter I'm proud of."
He folded his arms.
"If I were choosing someone for her, I'd probably pick someone with similar experiences."
Saito sighed.
"Like I said, Hashima..."
"I'm not—"
Hashima interrupted him.
"Actually..."
"I already like you."
Saito stopped.
"...Wait."
"What?"
Hashima laughed.
"Even though I usually prefer someone with a more bulky figure and a stronger mindset..."
Saito's face immediately turned into a pout.
"...Seriously?"
Hashima chuckled.
"But..."
His expression became more sincere.
"You have something far more important."
"You have a kinder heart than almost anyone I've met."
Saito's expression softened.
"...Well."
He smiled.
"Glad to hear that."
Hashima nodded.
"That's why I trust you around my daughter."
Saito immediately looked away.
"Can we please stop talking about Lily?"
Hashima laughed.
"Fine."
Saito sighed.
"...Thank you."
Hashima looked at Saito with a knowing smile.
"But..."
"If you really do like Lily and someday marry her..."
Saito raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah?"
Hashima suddenly grabbed Saito by the collar.
Saito's eyes widened.
"I have one piece of advice for you."
Hashima's expression became frighteningly serious.
"If you ever hurt her feelings..."
"...or hurt her..."
He leaned closer.
"I'll come after you myself."
"I'll tear you apart."
Saito gulped.
"...Understood."
Hashima suddenly released him and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
"Just kidding!"
Saito stared at him.
"...That wasn't funny."
Hashima wiped a tear from his eye.
"I've always wanted to say that whenever Lily brings a man home."
Saito sighed and straightened his collar.
"Yep."
"Sure."
Hashima smiled.
"But seriously..."
"Take care of her."
Saito nodded.
"I will."
A faint smile appeared on Hashima's face.
"Good."
The two stood beside the river for a moment before heading back toward the mansion.
Saito and Hashima continued walking deeper into the park.
The peaceful sound of the river followed them until something caught Saito's attention.
He stopped.
"...What's that?"
Beside the path stood a large statue shaped like an eye.
At its center was a blue katana inside the pupil.
Saito stared at it.
"That's an eye?"
Hashima looked over.
"Oh."
"That's our God Eye."
"It's called Shin-Ken."
Saito's eyes widened.
"Wow."
"Another God Eye?"
Hashima nodded.
"Yes."
He raised his hand.
His eyes suddenly began glowing.
The pupils transformed into the shape of a blue katana, while the area surrounding them became a deep, dark blue.
Saito stared in amazement.
"Wow..."
Hashima looked toward the statue.
"Shin-Ken is our Red Sun identity."
"We're the only ones who possess it."
Saito nodded slowly.
"I see."
He looked back at the statue.
"So that's what makes the Red Sun different."
Hashima smiled.
"Exactly."
"The God Eye has been passed down through our leaders for generations."
Saito looked at Hashima's glowing eyes.
"...That's seriously cool."
Hashima chuckled.
"Perhaps one day you'll see what Shin-Ken is truly capable of."
Saito looked at Hashima's glowing eyes.
"So..."
"We have Seraph, which is mine."
Saito activated his own God Eye.
His eyes began to glow with the power of Seraph.
"Omniscient, which belongs to Alpha..."
He glanced toward Hashima.
"And Shin-Ken."
Saito smiled.
"Wow."
"This world is amazing."
Hashima chuckled.
"Yep."
"But..."
His expression became more serious.
"There is still much more out there."
"Things even more frightening than us."
Saito's eyes widened slightly.
"Even more frightening?"
Hashima nodded.
"Much more."
Saito looked toward the sky.
He smiled.
"I see."
"I wonder..."
"If I'll have enough time to meet all of them."
Hashima laughed softly.
"With the way you travel..."
"I wouldn't be surprised."
Saito suddenly looked at Hashima.
"How many God Eyes are there?"
Hashima answered calmly.
"Nine."
Saito froze.
"...Nine?"
Hashima nodded.
"Nine in total."
Saito's eyes widened.
"So I've only seen three..."
He counted them on his fingers.
"Seraph."
"Omniscient."
"Shin-Ken."
Hashima nodded.
"You've already discovered three."
"But..."
"You'll discover the others soon enough."
Saito suddenly went quiet.
Something about Hashima's words triggered a memory.
His expression changed.
He stared into the distance.
"..."
Hashima noticed.
"Saito?"
No response.
Hashima waved a hand in front of him.
"Saito?"
Still nothing.
Saito's mind had already drifted somewhere else.
Back to the battles...
The people he'd met...
The strange powers he'd encountered...
And the mysterious things he'd been told.
Hashima frowned.
"Saito..."
"Are you here?"
Saito remained completely silent, lost in his thoughts.