In the Last Episode...
After an intense battle, Ekai Akaio finally defeated Toyomi. The fierce fight had left the battlefield in ruins, but victory belonged to him. After everything that had happened, Ekai decided it was finally time to take a break from endless battles and danger.
Together with his closest friend, Akaio, he planned a vacation far away from everything.
However...
On a lonely island hidden in the middle of the endless ocean, a mysterious man stood silently on a high cliff. His face could not be seen beneath the shadow of a kasa hat and a dark mask. His cold eyes watched the sea in complete silence.
A gentle wind blew through his black haori.
He slowly looked toward the horizon.
"Enjoy your vacation while you still can..."
Those were the only words he spoke before disappearing into the darkness.
---
Present Time
The bright morning sun reflected beautifully across the calm blue ocean.
A massive luxury cruise ship sailed peacefully through the sparkling water. Seagulls flew overhead while cool ocean winds brushed across the deck. Hundreds of passengers admired the endless sea, but two people were more excited than everyone else.
Ekai leaned against the railing, enjoying the peaceful weather.
"This feels amazing," he said with a smile.
Beside him, Akaio stretched his arms toward the sky.
"I almost forgot what relaxing feels like."
For the first time in a long while, there were no enemies... no battles... no missions...
Just peace.
Several hours later...
The captain's voice echoed throughout the ship.
"We will be arriving at Paradise Island shortly."
Passengers rushed toward the front deck.
As the island slowly came into view, everyone's eyes widened.
It was enormous.
Huge green forests covered the land while giant waterfalls poured from towering cliffs into crystal-clear lakes below. Colorful flowers covered the valleys, and strange birds flew across the sky.
But one thing caught everyone's attention.
Several gigantic mountains floated high above the island itself.
Massive rocks drifted peacefully through the clouds as if gravity did not exist.
The cruise ship slowly entered the harbor.
The enormous luxury ship came to a stop.
Passengers began leaving one by one.
Ekai and Akaio stepped onto the island.
Akaio looked around with excitement shining in his eyes.
"Wow!!"
"This place is huge!"
"I've never seen anything like this!"
Ekai smiled before pointing toward the sky.
"Hey, Akaio."
"Look over there."
Akaio followed his finger.
His jaw slowly dropped.
"The floating mountains..."
"They're actually real..."
Ekai laughed.
"Let's go explore the area."
Akaio nodded immediately.
"Let's go!"
The two friends happily walked away from the harbor without noticing someone else had already arrived.
Far away...
Standing beneath the shadow of tall trees...
The mysterious man quietly watched them.
His face remained hidden behind his mask.
His voice was calm.
"Enjoy your last vacation..."
Then...
He vanished into the forest without making a single sound.
---
Ekai and Akaio continued exploring the island.
The deeper they walked, the more beautiful everything became.
The trees were taller than buildings.
Colorful butterflies filled the air.
Tiny streams flowed peacefully across the paths.
The sounds of birds echoed throughout the forest.
Every corner of the island felt magical.
Akaio looked around with excitement.
"This place is unbelievable."
Ekai smiled.
"I know."
"It almost doesn't feel real."
They continued walking for nearly an hour before hearing something unusual.
A loud rushing sound echoed through the forest.
"What is that?" Akaio asked.
They followed the sound.
After walking through several large trees...
They both froze.
Before them stood a gigantic waterfall.
Crystal-clear water crashed down from hundreds of meters above, creating a beautiful mist that filled the air.
A rainbow appeared across the falling water.
The scenery looked almost like a dream.
Akaio's eyes sparkled.
"Ekai!"
"Come here!"
"Look at this waterfall!"
Ekai laughed.
"It's beautiful."
Akaio pointed toward the water.
"I think there's something behind it."
Ekai looked carefully.
Behind the waterfall...
There appeared to be a hidden opening.
"A cave?"
Akaio smiled.
"Let's go inside the waterfall!"
The two carefully made their way through the falling water.
Inside, they discovered a peaceful cave.
Sunlight entered through small cracks in the rocks, making the walls shine beautifully.
Tiny glowing crystals covered the cave.
Drops of water slowly fell from the ceiling.
The entire place felt peaceful.
Akaio looked around.
"This is incredible."
Ekai nodded.
"No wonder nobody talks about this place."
"It's like a hidden paradise."
The two spent some time exploring before finally leaving the cave.
As the afternoon sun slowly began to set...
Ekai stretched his arms.
"I'm getting hungry."
Akaio laughed.
"Me too."
"Let's go eat."
The two returned to the luxury hotel where they were staying.
The hotel overlooked the ocean, giving them an incredible view from every window.
Inside the restaurant...
They sat beside a large window.
A waiter approached politely.
"What would you like to order?"
Ekai answered without hesitation.
"Two bowls of noodles."
The waiter nodded.
"Right away."
A few minutes later...
Steaming bowls of noodles were placed in front of them.
"It smells amazing," Akaio said.
Ekai smiled.
"Itadakimasu."
The two enjoyed their meal while talking about everything they had seen that day.
After finishing...
Ekai stood up.
"Akaio."
"After eating..."
"Let's sleep together. Tomorrow we'll continue exploring."
Akaio smiled.
"Okay, Ekai."
The two returned to their room.
Outside...
The island became quiet.
The moon slowly rose into the night sky.
But somewhere within the darkness...
Someone else remained awake.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
The next morning...
Golden sunlight entered through the hotel window.
Ekai opened the curtains.
"What a beautiful day."
Akaio stretched and yawned.
"Ready for another adventure?"
Ekai smiled.
"Of course."
After eating breakfast...
The two friends once again left the hotel and continued exploring the island.
Meanwhile...
Far away from the peaceful tourist area...
The atmosphere was completely different.
A narrow street stood almost empty.
A cold breeze blew between the buildings.
A lone man slowly walked through the shadows.
His footsteps were almost impossible to hear.
His face remained completely hidden behind a dark mask.
A wide kasa hat covered his head.
A black haori moved gently with every step.
At his waist rested a single katana.
The air around him felt strangely heavy.
People unknowingly moved away from him.
No one dared to make eye contact.
He finally stopped in front of a frightened man.
The target stepped backward.
"W-Who are you...?"
"P-Please..."
"Let me go..."
The mysterious swordsman slowly lifted his head.
Only his cold eyes could be seen beneath the shadow of his hat.
His voice remained completely emotionless.
"My name..."
"is Ren."
Silence.
The world seemed to stop.
Without warning...
Ren's hand moved.
The katana left its sheath so quickly that almost no one could see it.
A single flash crossed the street.
Then...
The blade returned to its sheath.
For several seconds...
Nothing happened.
The frightened man looked down at himself in confusion.
"I..."
Before he could finish...
His entire body split cleanly into two pieces.
Blood fell silently onto the ground.
But the horror had only just begun.
A loud cracking sound echoed across the street.
Everyone nearby slowly turned around.
Behind the target...
The buildings standing hundreds of meters away began to slide apart.
One after another...
Every building behind him was cut perfectly in two.
Massive walls collapsed.
Windows shattered.
Stone and wood crashed toward the ground.
The entire street shook violently.
People screamed in terror as dust filled the air.
Yet Ren never looked back.
He simply continued walking through the shadows.
His footsteps disappeared into the silence.
Far away...
Completely unaware of what had just happened...
Ekai and Akaio continued enjoying their vacation.
Neither of them knew...
Their peaceful holiday was about to become the beginning of their most dangerous battle yet.
TO BE CONTINUING