Ozaki watched them.
Not casually. Not as a teacher observing students—but with intent.
His gaze moved across Yamato… then Lumei… then Sora.
Sora's fingers clutched tightly onto the back of Yamato's shirt, her knuckles pale. Her shoulders trembled as quiet tears soaked into the fabric. She didn't try to hide it anymore.
Ozaki's lips curved.
Not mockery.
Interest.
Yamato stood still through it all.
His eyes were still wet, faint traces of tears clinging stubbornly to his lashes—but he wasn't crying anymore. Whatever storm had passed through him… had settled.
He exhaled slowly.
"…let's go outside."
His voice came out low. Flat.
Sora loosened her grip, almost reluctantly. Her hands lingered for a moment before slipping away completely. She wiped her face quickly, turning slightly so no one would see her expression fully.
Yamato stepped forward.
Past her.
Past Lumei.
Straight to Chella.
He lowered himself into a squat in front of her, meeting her at eye level.
"Chella," he said quietly, "are you scared of me?"
No hesitation.
"Yes."
The answer landed clean.
Yamato's shoulders shifted—just slightly.
"…why?"
Chella didn't retreat. Didn't flinch.
Instead, she raised her right hand toward him.
Yamato paused for a fraction of a second… then took it and stood, pulling her up with ease.
Once she was steady, she met his gaze again.
"You look like a nightmare from my past…" she said, her voice calm but firm. "…but you feel worse."
A beat.
"…more deadly."
Yamato studied her.
No anger. No denial.
Just observation.
His hand lifted, brushing lightly against her hair, dust falling away in soft flakes.
"This nightmare of yours…" he said, tone sharpening just a little, "…is it still alive?"
A pause.
"Do you want it exterminated?"
There was something quiet in his voice.
Not kindness.
Not cruelty.
Something… absolute.
Chella let out a small breath that almost turned into a laugh.
"He's long dead," she replied. "You don't need to worry."
Then her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…and stop doing that."
Yamato blinked.
"Doing what?"
Chella folded her arms loosely.
"Taking everything into your own hands," she said. "You just offered to deal with something that has nothing to do with you."
Yamato didn't respond.
Because he couldn't.
That… was normal to him.
Helping without being asked.
Acting without waiting.
Expecting nothing back.
So for a moment—just a moment—
He had nothing to say.
---
Behind them, Lumei stood still.
Not frozen.
Not afraid.
But… caught.
"…Lumei, look o—!"
Sora's voice rang out suddenly—
Too late.
His foot clipped against a stone.
His body lurched forward, balance slipping—
Then—
He caught himself.
Barely.
"…tch."
He straightened, brushing it off quickly.
But his mind wasn't there.
It was somewhere else entirely.
When…
When have I ever… paid him back?
Yamato's voice echoed in his head.
His actions.
His presence.
Everything.
Lumei searched.
Memory after memory—
Nothing.
Nothing solid.
Nothing enough.
His jaw tightened.
---
They walked.
No one spoke.
Only the sound of footsteps against uneven rock echoed through the cave as they made their way out. The silence wasn't empty—it was heavy. Each of them carried something unspoken.
Thoughts of Yamato.
Of what he had done.
Of what he was.
Light began to spill in ahead.
Then—
They stepped out.
The sun hit them all at once.
Bright. Overhead. Unforgiving.
Just past noon.
Heat wrapped around their bodies, but it did nothing to ease the tension clinging to them.
Ahead, beneath a massive jagged rock, a pool of shadow stretched across the ground.
Shelter.
They moved toward it without discussion.
---
Sora dropped first.
A faint smile touched her lips as she lowered herself into the shade. Her fingers brushed against the ground.
Cool.
She exhaled.
Her body eased backward… slowly… carefully…
Until her back met the earth.
Her eyes closed.
Within seconds, her breathing softened.
Peaceful.
Gone.
---
Chella sat nearby.
Knees pulled up.
Arms wrapped around them.
Her gaze fixed on the ground, unfocused.
Not sad.
Not calm.
Thinking.
---
Lumei approached Yamato.
Yamato stood at the edge of the shade, facing the forest ahead. His posture was relaxed—but his eyes were distant.
"Yamato…"
"Yeah."
Lumei sat down near him.
"…I'm sorry."
Yamato didn't look at him.
"…for earlier," Lumei continued. "I pushed you to talk… then got scared."
A small pause.
"I know you must be angry."
Yamato glanced at him briefly… then back ahead.
Lumei forced a faint smile.
"…I've just never seen you like that before."
His voice lowered.
"…that wasn't you."
A breath.
"…or maybe it was."
The wind rose slightly, carrying dry leaves through the air.
"I know how people treat you," Lumei went on. "Magicless. Recovery rank. Worthless…"
A leaf smacked directly into his mouth.
"—ptt—!"
He spat it out quickly, waving his hand.
"…tch."
Then continued, more quietly—
"I hear it all the time."
His tone shifted.
"I shut them down when I can."
A pause.
"But today…"
His hands clenched slightly.
"…my own body refused to move."
Silence.
"It told me something," he said. "Something I couldn't ignore."
He looked up.
"…it told me you were a monster."
---
Yamato moved.
He bent down slightly, just enough to meet Lumei's level.
"…this version of me," he said calmly, "is a facade."
His eyes didn't waver.
"If that was 'monstrous' to you…"
A faint scoff left him.
"…then what would you call me if you saw everything?"
Silence settled again.
"I'm worse than that, Lumei."
Straight. Unfiltered.
"And I don't need protection."
A beat.
"I never asked for it."
---
Lumei's expression tightened.
He didn't raise his voice.
But the weight behind it was clear.
"You didn't have to."
A pause.
"That's what being a friend is."
---
Yamato nodded once.
Slowly.
"…we'll see."
His gaze returned to the forest.
"…the day might come when we're standing on opposite sides."
The air shifted.
Lumei let out a small laugh—
Then stopped.
Because Yamato wasn't joking.
"…just pray that day never comes," Yamato finished.
---
Silence.
Then—
Lumei extended his hand.
"…until then… let's stay friends."
A pause.
Yamato looked at it.
Then took it.
A small, genuine smile appeared.
---
Not far from them—
Ichiha sat alone.
Legs crossed.
Elbows resting on his knees.
Hands clasped beneath his chin.
His eyes were sharp.
Calculating.
How did he figure it out…?
---
Ozaki sat further back.
Still.
Composed.
But his mind was racing.
Yamato…
If they hadn't used God Forms…
His eyes narrowed slightly.
They would've been cut down instantly.
A slow breath.
Then why force them to use it…?
His thoughts stopped.
Then—
Shifted.
"…so that was it."
His eyes sharpened.
"He wasn't trying to win…"
A pause.
"He was confirming something."
Another realization followed.
"The slash… it wasn't random."
His gaze flickered toward Ichiha.
"It targeted something specific… a trait… a marker… and it was meant to kill"
A quiet scoff.
"But because Ichiha was in God Form…"
"…he survived it."
---
"…Ozaki."
The voice came suddenly.
Not outside.
Inside.
Cold.
Echoing.
Ozaki's body stiffened.
Kaku.
"HAHAHAHAHA…"
"Perfect…"
Ozaki's eyes darted slightly, scanning.
No one reacted.
Only him.
"…what do you mean?" he asked under his breath.
Kaku's voice deepened.
"I split my power… into four."
"Scattered them."
A pause.
"Nent… was meant to die."
Ozaki's pupils shrank.
"You did exactly what I needed."
Silence.
"With her gone…"
"…I've found the last piece."
A low laugh followed.
"But he's… troublesome."
"HAHAHAHAHA…"
---
Ozaki stood abruptly.
Fists clenched.
So—
He had played right into it.
---
Yamato turned instantly.
"…he was here."
Not a question.
Ozaki looked at him.
"…yes."
Yamato's eyes hardened.
"What did he say?"
---
Moments later—
The group gathered.
Ozaki explained everything.
Every word.
Every implication.
When he finished—
No one spoke.
Because they understood.
---
Ozaki reached into his coat.
Pulled out a small silver knife.
He murmured a short chant—
The blade glowed faintly.
He crouched near a flat rock and began carving.
Each word burned into the surface:
You need to work faster Regns. It's getting bigger.
The moment he finished—
The letters lifted.
Glowing.
Then—
Shot into the sky.
---
Miles away—
At Cloak High—
The message descended.
Don Seouk caught it.
Ran.
Delivered it.
Headmaster Regns read it—
And smiled.
"…finally."
---
Back at the mountainside—
The sun dipped lower.
Shadows stretched long.
They sat together again.
Eating quietly.
Listening.
---
"I don't know Nent," Ichiha said carefully.
"I swear."
Yamato's gaze locked onto him.
"…spill."
Low.
Final.
---
Ozaki spoke instead.
"The mission isn't over."
Sora blinked.
"…but Yamato killed her."
Chella nodded quickly.
"Her presence is gone."
Ozaki shook his head.
"That's what Kaku wanted."
Silence.
"We made him stronger."
---
Shock.
From Sora.
From Chella.
They turned—
But Yamato remained calm.
Lumei didn't react.
Ichiha stayed distant.
"…you're not surprised?" Sora asked.
Yamato smiled faintly.
"Nope."
"We already heard," Lumei added.
Ichiha said nothing.
---
Ozaki reached into his storage.
Pulled out food wrapped in large leaves.
Roasted meat.
He passed it around.
They ate.
Quietly.
Slowly.
And as the last light of day faded—
They all understood the same thing.
Without needing to say it.
---
Their mission…
Was far from over.