After the events from the other day, Hikari was bombarded by Aster with questions about his gift. He didn't bother answering the man and just dashed away from him the whole day.
"Ugh… using my Gift was a mistake…"
"You think?"
He looked to his side to see the Rising Star Leia, sitting on a bench while eating a sandwich. It looked like a delicious sandwich too. "Not everyone could have a Gift like that."
"No same Gifts can exist at the same time." Hikari said in a deadpan tone.
"You know what I mean." Leia scoffed at him as she finished her sandwich.
She stood up and as she did so, Hikari finally got a good look at her. A white long-sleeved blouse paired with a black skirt that reaches up until to her knees. All she was missing was glasses and a clipbook. "You could have just annihilated those normally."
"It's better to be sure."
Leia just sighed at his answer. She really can't believe how dedicated these people are in saving humanity. Once in the past, she witnessed that Viola girl jump in front of a bomb, tanking all of the damage. Miraculously, only her clothes were damaged. Goes to show just how durable they are.
The idol was snapped out of her thoughts as the somewhat frustrated boy walked towards her. Even now, she can't get used to that uneasy feeling as he gets closer. Absolute uneasiness. From what she'd gathered, normal Drifters and people can't sense his higher power. Not even one of his own, that being Viola. Only beings who barely reach his caliber can.
Each step he takes was like a rip in space-time in her perspective. It was as if he was a walking blackhole, an anomaly so to speak.
"What's with the look?"
"Nothing~ Just feeling flustered that the strongest is walking towards me~"
"...I hope I get used to this soon." Hikari replied with a sigh.
On the rooftop of one of the school buildings, a familiar dark blue haired girl gazed at the duo from a distance. Never in her life would she imagine the day that she'll witness two of the most dangerous people in the world talk casually together.
There is one thing she's more curious about though. It was what Aster said. Hikari's "Gift", so to speak. Not only has she been curious about the Project Rupture homunculi's gift for so long, she was also curious as to why their rank one's gift has been hidden from everyone. The other three had fairly easy to understand but also powerful Gifts. For example, Stella Viarix has the Gift [Aegis] that lets her generates shields and barriers that have been described as nigh-indestructable. And she's the third ranking one out of the four.
"If her Gift is that strong, I can't imagine how strong Hikari's gift truly is."
"It's overwhelming." A voice came suddenly out of nowhere.
"You're quick." Viola wasn't even fazed as she looked behind her.
Standing there was a purple haired male that's about Hikari's height. His eyes glowed a dangerous turquoise. He grinned as he took out a USB out of his pocket and threw it to Viola's way.
"You were right, they've been hiding these mutants from us. Never in my life would I think I'd see a humanoid Rift Beast."
"!?"
Viola wasn't expecting that. What she was expecting was only a few minor mutations, but for them to be humanoid? That's… concerning to say the least.
"And to think only he took care of them… Aside from their strength, they're almost similar to humans… Considering the fact that we're all made to protect humanity, doesn't that take a toll on him? Killing what is percieved as human?"
The grin on the boy's face slowly disappeared with each word he said. How could it not? He, along with the other eight of his kind, knew just how strong their sense of protection for humanity is. In their eyes, mankind is more important than even themselves.
Viola pondered the teen's words deeply. Is that why he wanted to live a somewhat normal life? Has he been so… devoid of anything that every other human experienced and also too much that he just became numb? Even if that's not the case, it's obviously not normal for someone to feel that.
As she turned her head to look at Hikari again, she can't help but wonder. "What can I do to lessen that burden?" She said as she looked Hikari in sadness.
"Constantine?"
"Yes?"
"Gather the others later, we're holding a meeting."
The boy, now named Constantine, grinned again at this. Another meeting of The Ten. This is the first time in history that they've held a meeting twice within a single year. So, with a polite bow, Constantine disappeared in what seemed like a portal.
"His Gift really is convenient." Viola muttered as she briefly looked that the turquoise portal as it disappeared. She sighed, hoping that what she's about to do would at least bring normalcy to Hikari's life.
-x-X-x-
"I wonder what Viola and that other homunculi we're talking about…"
"Most likely about us. That guy's Gift really makes me envious."
"[Gate], right? I've heard it from time to time. Stella said it was pretty annoying to deal with in sparring."
"Stella's the one with [Aegis], right? She's a nice girl."
Hikari smiled when Leia said that. Out of the four of them, Stella was the purest. Her goal was to protect humanity, not because of her creation, but because she genuinely sees some good in them. She believes in humanity's capacity for kindness.
Leia smiled as she saw Hikari smile a bit at her compliment to his "sister". Even when he's as inhumane as one can get, he still had that sliver within him. It's just sad that he doesn't see it himself. She knows the feeling in some capacity, being out of reach and put in a pedestal, but she got out of it with support from her family, him on the other hand…
{Ring}
"Ah." Leia was pulled out of her slowly incoming sullen mood when her phone rang. She looked at the caller, and to her surprise, it was her cousin. "Sorry, I have to take this."
"Oh, that's fine." Hikari waved her off as he walked away. Mostly to prevent himself from overhearing them. He also focused on lowering his hearing just for that.
When he got far enough, he began to start pondering his next course of action. With the knowledge now that the Rift Beast are mutating at a faster rate than they did before, he knows that he can't sit idly as he original planned when he escaped.
"I feel like I jinxed myself with what I said on the bus back then…"
Hikari wanted to facepalm, but held back the urge to do so. So, he instead opted to just scroll through his phone. He didn't really find anything interesting. Well, aside from the fact that some people saw him and Leia the other day.
"Come to think of it… How did she get in here? It's not like she's a student here."
As if on cue, he sensed Leia approaching him as she answered his question. "I'm what you'd call an 'exchange student'."
"Of course you are…" Hikari sighed. Looks like his life will become a bit more hectic now, he supposed.