The courtyard was empty again.
It stayed that way now.
Like the world had already begun to move on without him.
Kaito stood alone near the center, arms relaxed at his sides, eyes forward, but not really seeing what was in front of him.
He was thinking.
Not about the rankings.
Not about training.
Not even about leaving.
"…Haruki Seiryu," he said quietly.
The name felt unfamiliar.
But the presence behind it...
Wasn't.
A faint pressure settled in his chest.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Footsteps approached.
Kaito didn't turn.
"…You were going to tell me about him," he said.
Nasukawa stopped beside him.
"Yes."
"…Then do it properly."
Silence.
The wind shifted across the courtyard.
"…He wasn't just a scout," Nasukawa said.
Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…That's not what it felt like."
"No."
"…Then what was he."
"A seeker."
"…Same thing."
"No."
Kaito glanced at him.
"…Explain."
Nasukawa's voice stayed calm.
"Scouts look for possibilities," he said. "Seekers confirm them."
Silence.
"…Meaning," Kaito said slowly, "…he didn't come to check if I mattered."
"No."
"…He came because I already did."
"Yes."
The words landed heavier.
Kaito exhaled once.
"…So how close was he."
Nasukawa didn't hesitate.
"Closer than you think."
Silence.
"…Define close."
Nasukawa looked at him.
"…He found you."
Kaito didn't move.
"…Fully?"
"No."
"…Then what."
"He confirmed your existence," Nasukawa said. "And began tracking your development."
Kaito's jaw tightened slightly.
"…So I was already on his radar."
"Yes."
"…Before I even knew anything."
"Yes."
Kaito let out a quiet breath.
"…And he just… left."
"No."
Kaito turned now.
"…What."
"He didn't leave," Nasukawa said. "He was stopped."
Silence.
Kaito stared at him.
"…By you."
"Yes."
"…That's it?"
"No."
Kaito's eyes narrowed further.
"…Then who else."
"…Your mother."
The answer came clean.
No hesitation.
No weight added.
But it changed everything.
"…So both of you…"
"Yes."
"…Stopped him."
"Yes."
Kaito looked away.
"…Then why is he still alive."
Silence.
For the first time...
Nasukawa didn't answer immediately.
"…Because killing him wouldn't have solved anything," he said.
"…That's not a reason."
"It is."
"…No," Kaito said, shaking his head slightly. "That's a decision."
A pause.
"…Then what's the reason."
Nasukawa met his gaze.
"…Because he wasn't the real problem."
Silence.
"…The Black Order," Kaito said.
"Yes."
"…So he's just one piece."
"Yes."
Kaito nodded slowly.
"…But not a small one."
"No."
Another pause.
"…What rank is he," Kaito asked.
"Second."
Silence.
"…Second in command."
"Yes."
Kaito let out a short breath.
"…So the guy who tracked me when I was weak…"
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Is one of the strongest people in that organization."
"Yes."
Kaito smirked faintly.
"…That's convenient."
Nasukawa didn't react.
"…So let me get this straight," Kaito continued. "He finds me. Marks me. Starts tracking me."
"Yes."
"…You and my mom stop him."
"Yes."
"…And instead of finishing it…"
"We hid you."
Silence.
Kaito's expression tightened slightly.
"…Here."
"Yes."
"…In this world."
"Yes."
"…Because it's isolated."
"Yes."
Kaito exhaled slowly.
"…So this whole place wasn't just training."
"No."
"…It was a shield."
"Yes."
The realization settled fully now.
Every fight.
Every rank.
Every step.
"…All inside a controlled cage," Kaito said.
"Yes."
Kaito looked around the courtyard.
For six years, this place felt endless.
Now...
It felt contained.
"…And now I'm leaving it," he said.
"Yes."
"…Which means…"
Nasukawa didn't need him to finish.
"You will be exposed."
Silence.
Kaito didn't respond right away.
Then...
"…Good."
The word came out without hesitation.
Nasukawa watched him.
"…You say that easily."
"I mean it."
"…Why."
Kaito turned slightly, his gaze steady.
"…Because now I know exactly who I'm looking for."
Silence.
"…Haruki Seiryu."
The name carried weight now.
Not confusion.
Not curiosity.
Purpose.
"…He marked me," Kaito said. "Tracked me. Watched me."
"Yes."
"…Then he knows what I was."
"Yes."
Kaito's eyes sharpened further.
"…But he doesn't know what I am now."
Silence.
The air shifted.
"…That is exactly what makes this dangerous," Nasukawa said.
"…No," Kaito replied.
"…That's what makes it fair."
A pause.
"…You think this is a fight between equals."
"…Not yet."
Kaito's voice stayed calm.
"…But it will be."
Silence.
"…You're assuming he'll come to you," Nasukawa said.
Kaito shook his head.
"…No."
"…Then what."
"…I'm going to him."
The words were simple.
But absolute.
"…You don't know where he is."
"…I'll find him."
"…You don't know how."
Kaito smirked slightly.
"…He found me first."
Silence.
"…Then I'll return the favor."
Another pause.
"…You're not chasing Haruki Seiryu," Nasukawa said.
Kaito glanced at him.
"…No."
"…Then who."
Kaito's expression hardened slightly.
"…The one above him."
Silence.
"…Zeraku Tenshi."
The name felt heavier.
Not because Kaito understood it...
But because he didn't.
"…You don't even know what he is," Nasukawa said.
"…Doesn't matter."
"…It does."
"…No," Kaito said quietly. "It doesn't."
A pause.
"…Why."
Kaito's gaze didn't shift.
"…Because if he's the one leading them…"
A small breath.
"…Then he's the one I have to beat."
Silence.
For a moment...
The courtyard felt completely still.
Then...
"…Good," Nasukawa said.
Kaito glanced at him.
"…You say that a lot."
"Yes."
"…You're not going to stop me."
"No."
"…Not even going to try."
"No."
Kaito nodded once.
"…Figures."
He looked out beyond the courtyard again.
Beyond the walls.
Beyond everything he had known.
"…Then I guess that's settled."
Silence.
"…I'm not leaving to get stronger," Kaito said.
"…I'm leaving to find them."
The wind passed through the empty space.
And for the first time...
The path ahead wasn't just about strength.
It had a direction.