The trees slowly began to thin out.
The forest, once dense and suffocating, finally gave way…
until—
they emerged.
The wind changed.
Lighter.
Drier.
Ahead of them, the city rose proudly.
High walls.
Watchtowers.
Flags fluttering with the symbol of the Kingdom of Hestia.
Constant movement.
People coming and going.
Alert guards.
Eyes watching everything.
Everything… normal.
Kevin stopped for a moment.
The bandana still covered his eyes.
Calmly, he removed it.
He slipped it into his pocket.
Richard watched him.
"Looks like your eyes are back to normal."
Kevin gave a small nod.
"Yeah."
A brief pause.
"I'll only use that power… in life-or-death situations."
Without looking, he tossed the scythe backward.
Ruby caught it midair by instinct.
"Keep what's yours."
Kevin slightly turned his face.
"My time is coming."
Ruby held the scythe.
But said nothing.
Carmilla crossed her arms.
"Planning to leave?"
"Not yet."
The answer came instantly.
Alexys remained silent.
He simply… followed.
They walked toward a small wooden house.
A large open window allowed a clear view inside.
Richard approached first.
"Good afternoon."
The man inside replied:
"Good afternoon."
He quickly analyzed the group.
"Here to register for the Celestial Arena tournament?"
Richard pointed his thumb behind him.
"Just him."
Alexys stepped forward.
A faint smile on his face.
The man raised an eyebrow.
"If you were a group, I'd say we're already full…"
He sighed.
"But you're the first person from this small territory to register."
A pause.
"Make it count."
He leaned on the window frame.
"Represent Beyond District well."
Carmilla commented casually:
"A village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Hestia."
Alexys clenched his fists.
His aura almost reacted… but he restrained it.
"You can count on it."
"I'm going to win this tournament."
Kevin wasn't looking at anyone.
He stared at the wall.
Motionless.
As if… listening to something no one else could hear.
Time passed.
Richard tapped his shoulder.
"Let's go."
"The kid's registered."
Kevin let out a quiet breath.
Then turned around.
Ruby looked at him carefully.
"Something wrong?"
Kevin answered directly.
"I reached a conclusion."
A short pause.
"I need to leave."
The atmosphere shifted.
"Today."
Alexys lifted his gaze.
"Leave?"
Kevin looked straight at him.
"I'm going to train you."
A pause.
"In your world… you were the strongest."
His expression hardened.
"Here… you're just another fighter."
Silence.
Richard crossed his arms.
"You're leaving now?"
Kevin nodded.
"You're heading to another city, right?"
Richard didn't answer.
"I'm going to Hestia."
Kevin pulled his hood back.
"I need to infiltrate."
"And talk to some people."
Alexys stepped forward.
"Train… how?"
Kevin gave a faint smile.
"The right way."
Richard exhaled slowly.
"So this is where we say goodbye."
"No."
Kevin raised his hand.
A small green stone formed in his palm.
He tossed it to Carmilla.
She caught it, surprised.
"Write letters."
"Use this."
Kevin continued:
"I'll do the same."
A purple portal opened before them.
Energy distorted the air around it.
Ruby took a deep breath.
"Alright, cousin…"
"We'll keep you informed."
Kevin looked at her.
"And I'll do the same."
Suddenly—
green lightning burst from his body.
His aura exploded.
In an instant—
he vanished.
A green flash cut through space.
Alexys disappeared with him.
And in the next second—
both crossed the portal.
It closed immediately afterward.
Silence.
The wind returned.
Richard stared at the empty space for a few seconds.
Then smiled.
"What speed…"
A pause.
"He keeps surprising me… though I still didn't see Gabu Jr."
A street vendor carefully organized his fruit.
Apples.
Glowing fruits.
Neatly arranged baskets.
The day continued normally.
Until—
the sky tore open.
A purple rift split above the city.
The man's eyes widened.
"What the hell was that?!"
A green point appeared inside the rift—
and fell.
Far away.
Very far.
But before he could react—
a green flash shot across the street.
Papers flew.
Fruits rolled.
The air itself was sliced apart.
And then… silence.
Kevin was running.
Alexys on his back.
Absurd speed.
They ran up a stadium wall as if it were flat ground.
Seconds later—
they stopped in the stands.
Below them, the field.
Players training.
A ball rolling.
Tactical shouts echoing.
Alexys looked excited.
"Did we come to play?"
Kevin answered dryly.
"No."
"I came to talk to someone."
Alexys sighed.
"Then you talk."
And vanished.
Jumping across the stands.
Kevin reached out—
"Hey, don't—"
Too late.
Alexys jumped.
Landed directly on the field.
"I WANNA PLAY! PASS THE BALL!"
Silence.
The players froze.
Then—
movement.
Security guards rushed in from both sides.
Running.
Surrounding him.
Alexys was restrained.
Right behind them—
Kevin arrived.
Calm.
"Sorry for the trouble."
"We're leaving already."
One guard stared at him.
"How did you even get in here?"
Kevin shrugged.
"Jumped the wall."
Before anyone could respond—
a voice cut across the field:
"KEVIN!"
"Get over here, man!"
Kevin turned.
A small smile appeared.
"Help me out here, Luis."
The guards hesitated.
Players approached.
The coach too.
The tension… broke.
Soon after—
Alexys was already playing.
Running.
Dribbling.
As if he had always belonged there.
On the other side—
Kevin, Luis, and Julian talked.
Kevin crossed his arms.
"Thanks for helping."
Julian shrugged.
"No problem."
Kevin looked around.
"Never imagined you two playing soccer."
Luis grinned confidently.
"You're talking to the team's rising star."
"We're winning the national tournament."
Kevin tilted his head.
"Got room for one more?"
Luis raised an eyebrow.
"Since when do you play?"
Julian added:
"If you want to try… we'll make it happen."
Kevin shook his head.
"Not for me."
He pointed to the field.
"For him."
Alexys dribbled past two players effortlessly.
Luis watched closely.
"That guy…"
"Where did you find him?"
Julian added:
"His aura feels strange."
Kevin answered plainly:
"Another dimension."
Silence.
Luis blinked.
"…What?"
Kevin sighed.
"Explaining it would take too long."
His eyes turned blue.
For a brief moment—
the world seemed to freeze.
He looked deeply into both of them.
Information.
Memories.
Images.
Then—
he put the bandana back on.
"You understand now?"
Luis slowly exhaled.
"The weakest guy in your class…"
"…became the only one alive."
"And now he's a world destroyer."
Kevin laughed quietly.
"My classmates died on the first missions."
A pause.
"I just… kept living."
Julian crossed his arms.
"Gabu Jr…"
"That's the legend's name."
Kevin nodded.
Julian looked serious.
"If Richard asked you to do this…"
"You're going to do it, right?"
Kevin smiled.
"Of course."
"With Luis helping."
Luis shrugged.
"After my dismissal…"
"Doesn't matter anymore."
"HEY!"
Alexys shouted from the field.
"YOU THREE, COME HERE!"
"Let's make teams!"
Luis immediately ran off.
Julian patted Kevin's shoulder twice.
"Welcome back."
Kevin smiled.
"Thanks."
On the field—
Kevin raised his hand.
"Anyone got clothes for me?"
The coach answered:
"Locker room. Go, quick."
Kevin disappeared.
Night fell.
Training ended.
Players returned to the locker room.
Tired.
Laughing.
Talking.
Kevin stood shirtless.
Sweaty.
Breathing steady.
Julian drank water.
Luis and Alexys chatted excitedly.
"You're amazing," Luis said.
"Your dribbling is insane."
Alexys laughed.
"It's not that big a deal."
Julian added:
"The best part was Arthur trying to stop Kevin."
Luis burst out laughing.
"He got completely outplayed!"
"And still conceded a goal!"
Kevin raised his hands.
"No one believed I could play blindfolded."
"So I showed them."
Later, Kevin and Alexys sat outside the locker room.
The moon hung high in the sky.
Full.
Bright.
Kevin stared seriously at the ground.
His body reacted to the moon.
White mist escaped from him.
His form changed.
Softer features.
Different shape.
Feminine.
Alexys looked.
"I'll never get used to that."
Kevin sighed.
"Me neither."
"I hate full moon nights… at least the change only lasts an hour."
Alexys laughed.
"Relax… you're still strong."
"Just… more attractive now."
Kevin rolled his eyes.
"Can't deny that… but the scars you left on my face still make me sad."
Alexys grinned.
"My little tic-tac-toe masterpiece."
The locker room door opened.
Players walked out.
Murmurs filled the air:
"Great match today."
"See you tomorrow!"
"That blindfolded guy is insane!"
"Number 10, Alexys… monster!"
Kevin and Alexys exchanged a look.
They smiled.
Luis and Julian came out with the coach.
A tall man.
Firm posture.
Strong presence.
He shook both their hands.
"Nice to meet you."
"I'm Pedro."
Pause.
"I want to make you an offer."
Direct gaze.
"Do you want to play here?"
Alexys answered immediately.
"Yes."
"It would be an honor."
Kevin scratched his head.
"I'm not that good…"
Pedro interrupted.
"Don't be modest."
"I watched the game."
Pause.
"We'll talk contracts later."
"Come whenever you want."
"Luis and Julian will help you."
Alexys nodded.
"Thank you."
Kevin raised his fist.
"Toward victory."
The four left the stadium.
The night wind was cold.
Pedro remained behind.
Watching.
The empty field.
A thought crossed his mind:
"Maybe…"
"…this is it."
His eyes focused on the grass.
"The turning point."
A pause.
"The world better be ready…"
He inhaled deeply.
"Miranda O.F.C is going to the first division."
Night had fully arrived.
Moonlight painted the streets silver.
Warm yellow lights glowed from the houses.
The wind moved gently across rooftops.
Inside a simple house among many identical ones—
Silence.
In one room, Alexys slept deeply, sprawled across the bed like someone finally able to rest.
In another, Julian slept leaning against the wall, a soccer ball beside him.
In the living room—
only a small lamp illuminated the space.
Luis sat at the table.
Serious.
UNO cards in his hands.
Across from him sat Kevin.
Curly hair still wet from the shower.
Shirtless.
A towel over his shoulders.
Cards slid across the table.
Luis played.
"Red six."
He sighed.
"You know… I talked to my father before all this happened."
Kevin calmly observed.
Played a sequence:
"Blue six."
"Blue seven."
"He talked to you too?"
"What did he say?"
Luis drew three cards.
Blue seven.
Red seven.
Yellow seven.
He leaned on the table.
"He asked me the exact same thing he asked you."
Pause.
"So I started studying ways to gather information… without raising suspicion."
Kevin studied Luis's remaining cards.
Played:
"Yellow eight."
"Go on."
Luis crossed his arms.
"I pass."
Kevin smiled slightly.
Played a black card.
(Wild Card.)
"Red."
Luis nodded.
"Alright…"
He looked at his cards before continuing:
"On the day of the battle… the Masked One's messenger will meet General Arlok."
He played:
"Red four."
"We're not arresting the general."
He leaned forward.
"We're taking the messenger."
Cards hit the table.
"Uno."
The silence grew heavier.
Kevin thought carefully.
Three cards in hand.
Luis… only one.
The lamp crackled softly.
Kevin finally spoke:
"So the plan is to capture the messenger…"
"Make him talk…"
"And learn the next move."
He played a Swap Hands card.
They exchanged cards.
Kevin received one.
He didn't even look at it.
Luis replied:
"If everything works… that's exactly it."
He rested his chin on his hand.
"What color?"
Kevin answered instantly:
"Blue."
"You were too comfortable with blue."
Luis drew a card.
Smiled.
Played:
"Blue three."
Then—
"Red three."
He raised a finger.
"Uno."
And then—
"Yellow three."
Game over.
Kevin chuckled.
"Four to three."
He crossed his arms.
"I'll win the next one."
Luis laughed quietly.
"Sure, champ."
His expression turned serious again.
"Tomorrow we're heading out."
"I want to introduce Alexys to our people."
Kevin nodded.
"If Frederin's there, even better. Introduce him right away."
Luis sighed.
"That's the problem."
"I sent Alexys traveling around the world."
Kevin paused shuffling.
Luis continued:
"He only comes back on the 10th… for the exam."
Kevin resumed dealing cards.
"Then we wait."
He glanced at the calendar on the wall.
"Today's October 7."
"Not long now."
Luis smiled softly.
"The best birthday gift for me…"
"…will be watching Frederin win that tournament."
Kevin froze briefly.
Then grinned.
"Damn… I forgot."
He looked at Luis.
"The 10th is your birthday."
Luis gave a half-smile.
"Yeah."
Comfortable silence filled the room.
Moonlight illuminated half the space.
Kevin leaned forward.
"Let's make sure it becomes a historic birthday."
Luis answered quietly:
"It will be."
"Because this time…"
"…no one will die."
Luis looked at Kevin over his cards.
"You really want to keep playing here?"
Kevin stared at his hand.
The cards weren't the focus.
The silence was.
"What are you planning?" he asked.
Luis leaned on the table.
"Let's take a quick walk through the city."
He smiled sideways.
"It's night… the streets are ours."
Kevin exhaled.
Dropped the cards.
"You know… if I hadn't taken that full moon beam earlier, I'd probably refuse."
He stood slowly.
"But since my body already changed… and returned to normal…"
A small smile appeared.
"Let's go."
Luis stood too.
"Honestly… I still don't understand your transformation."
Kevin grabbed the towel.
"I'll summarize."
He walked toward the table.
"Every full moon… when the first lunar ray touches my body…"
Pause.
"I turn into a girl."
Luis blinked.
Kevin put on a black shirt.
"Reason?"
He shrugged.
"Consequence of having Melissa inside me."
Silence.
"After three hours… or more… my body returns to normal."
Luis said nothing.
He looked through the window.
Quiet streets.
Peaceful city.
Kevin turned off the lamp.
Click.
In the soft darkness—
something fell.
The black bandana.
Luis immediately looked down.
Studied every detail.
The fabric.
The knot.
The stitching.
"Who gave you that?"
Kevin picked it up and placed it back in his pocket.
"My uncle."
Luis frowned.
"Why?"
Luis approached slowly.
"Have you ever wondered… where he got it?"
He pulled something from his own pocket.
Another bandana.
Black.
Identical.
Kevin froze.
"What does this mean?"
Luis took a deep breath.
"My father fought me before revealing his plan."
His gaze grew heavy.
"The result?"
"I almost killed him again."
Pause.
"But somehow…"
Luis lifted the bandana.
"He crossed my barrier."
"Took this from my pocket."
Silence.
"And now… it's with you."
Kevin laughed softly in disbelief.
"That's insane…"
He walked past Luis and opened the door.
Cold night air rushed in.
Kevin stepped outside.
Luis followed.
The door closed behind them.
—
The night passed.
—
Morning light entered through the windows.
Golden rays touching the floor.
Julian still slept deeply.
Alexys turned in bed without waking.
The front door opened.
Kevin and Luis entered.
No injuries.
No fatigue.
No words exchanged.
Kevin walked to the couch.
Collapsed.
Fell asleep instantly.
Luis entered his room.
Didn't even remove his shoes.
Passed out on the bed.
Silence.
Temporary peace.
—
On the rooftop…
a crow watched.
Motionless.
Black eyes reflecting the sunrise.
Then—
a voice echoed through it.
Familiar.
Cold.
Calculating.
"They are beginning to understand… and act."
A brief pause.
"The pieces on my board."
The Masked One's voice.
The crow spread its wings—
and flew away.