"Harness the mana from my soul, and create Enestals from the elements of this alien world. It will help you in vanquishing those foul beasts like the one you fought before" said Draco Piscis' soul within Daiki's heart. He then focused his mana as he closed his eyes, harnessing it to create an Aero Enestal out of the flowing breeze that blew through the park. A light green-colored crystal suddenly materialized within Daiki's hands.
"This is it, the Aero Enestal. Yet, I only made the Hydro and Aero Enestals so far. Where should I go next?" asked Daiki.
"This world is a big one, yet you just arrived here days ago. Come on, let's go fnd more elements to turn into Enestals. Saving that Serina girl was just the beginning of your new heroic quest!" answered Draco Piscis' soul. Daiki then roamed around the city, in search of elements to turn into Enestals. He found an electric pole and focused his mana as he used his knowledge of alchemy to turn pure electricity into the yellow-colored Electro Enestal.
"Ooh, this one feels a little bit tingly!" said Daiki. He felt a little shock as he held the Electro Enestal with his hands.
"Indeed, it is imbued with the electric element. So far you have mastered the creation of three Enestals. For now, use them to save innocent lives" said Draco Piscis. Daiki then stumbled upon a huge castle-like building as he roamed around the city again. He looked at the building's door and waved his hand at the security camera. Mistaking him for Turquoise's secretary, the door opened and the bespectacled swordsman entered the building. Daiki was amazed as he entered Turquoise's HQ.
"Whoa… look at all of these tech stuffs! I never seen them back in Afilia! These are totally alien to me!" said Daiki in amazement.
"Look, but don't touch- Hold the phone, how did you get in here?!" said Hiroki, the younger brother of Turquoise's CEO, Hayato Fujimiya. He previously fought alongside the Azure Shields, a group of Esper students dedicated in upholding justice and order in Azure City, combatting threats from Valhalla and Blood Gear alike. After his graduation from Rurigaoka and the disbandement of the second generation of Azure Shields, Hiroki spent his time in Polaris helping his brother to look after Polaris Sanctuary and its Esper inhabitants, as well as dispatching rescue teams to save Espers abroad.
"Well, your security cam mistook me for someone else, so I was able to get in" said Daiki.
"From your looks, the camera mistaken you for Mr. Mamoru Higurashi. He's our secretary and our lead researcher's husband, but we haven't seen him around here lately. I think he was out hunting Deviants or something.." said Hiroki as he examined the swordsman.
"Hm? Higurashi, eh? I guess I can be called Daiki Higurashi, if you don't mind!" asked Daiki.
"What the heck?! You're not even a Higurashi! How did you even came up with that idea?! You can't claim someone's last name as a freebie like that, just because our security camera mistook you for someone else!" said Hiroki in a serious tone.
"Long story short, I was separated from my family when this Revenant guy destroyed my kingdom and killed everyone I loved and cared. Therefore, I don't have a family anymore. I'm like, the last of my own kind at this point" said Daiki.
"Well then, make yourself at home here" said Hiroki reluctantly as Daiki was welcomed as a new "family member" because of his status as an orphan and a homeless person. He was led by a Turquoise staff into a vacant room inside the building where he will be staying there until he finds a new home. He did not bring anything except his sword and his pistol, and most of his stuff are left behind in Afilia, destroyed by the Revenant. "I guess this is home, for now" said Daiki as he lied on the bed.
"At least you found one, right? I don't want you to stay in the park for too long. Where else will you find a shade during hot and rainy days?" asked Draco Piscis.
Meanwhile, Gabbie was busy unpacking the stuff that her grandpa sent to her. Her grandpa lived in Niigata, where he used to be the governor of said prefecture until his retirement in 2009. She was born from a Japanese father and a Canadian mother. Thanks to Hiroki and the Turquoise staff, they were able to send them to the building. Amy helped her out as she sorted the stuff she unpacked from the box. There were a set of clothes and to her surprise, a tin of blueberry pie with a photo of her family and her home in Toronto. Gabbie remembered that it was her mom's specialty, and she really loved blueberries.
The blonde girl then changed her outfit into the ones that her grandpa sent. A blue hair scarf knotted into the shape of a rabbit or a cat's ears and a pair of white barettes adorned her hair, and she was clad in an unzipped beige hoodie with the words DESJARDIN SAVATE embroidered on the back. Underneath that was a white tee and she wore a black skirt with black stockings and white tennis shoes. On her neck was a small pink scarf that covers her family heirloom from other people, as she was trusted by her family and her clanspeople to carry it.
"Howdy there, Gabs! Glad to see that you're still doin' good out there cuz me and your family are worried 'bout ya after we heard that you were kidnapped! Thank Heavens that someone saved ya and took ya somewhere safe. Anyways, I hope you and your lil' sis are having a good time out there. Well, I'll see y'all when y'all return back homa! Anyways, ya better keep that Aurora's Breath safe! It's our family's secret, and no one, especially those no-good Deviants should know!" said Gabbie's grandfather on the phone after she unpacked her stuff.
"Seeya too, Gramps.." said Gabbie as she cried a bit. She knew that her family are waiting for her, especially the fact that she wanted to go home after she won the tournament she joined before her abduction. She wanted to bring honor to her family's name and to prove her valorous spirit in the fighting ring.
Meanwhile, Daiki is biding his time in his room, wondering on what he should do next. Not for long, Irene alerted everyone in the tower after hearing that an Esper girl is being attacked by a vicious Hybrid Deviant and a horde of Paramecium Deviants. The scientist identified it as a Yatsume-Hanzaki Deviant, a Deviant carrying the DNAs of a Arctic lamprey and a Chinese giant salamander. It has a slimy skin and a vicious bite that sucks blood out of its prey.
Out of his sense for justice and his will to protect others, Daiki rushed out of the building with his sword and revolver in his hands, and his Enestals shaking within his pocket. "Go, and slay that slimy beast!" said Draco Piscis from within. Meanwhile, Gabbie also went out to defeat the creature all by herself, leaving Amy behind in her room. "Don't do anything dangerous, OK?" said Amy as she saw her younger sister leaving all by herself.
The Deviant, disguised as a creepy man tried to prey on the Esper girl. However, he was drop-kicked by Gabbie, which caused the Deviant to tumble down. Meanwhile, Daiki is occupied with slaying the Paramecium Deviant horde first. "Purupuru! Purupuru! Charin!" said the Paramecium Deviants in an unintelligible language as they once again lolloped towards Daiki in groups, only to fall one by one to the swordsman's trusty Draco Alchemisaber and his Dragunbuster.
"Try using the new Enestal that you made!" said Draco Piscis from within. Daiki made three Electro and Anemo Enestals each, and he decided to use them one by one to defeat the horde. "Ryuujin Tatsumakizan!" screamed Daiki after he lodged the Anemo Enestal into his sword. He then unleashed a wind-elemental circular slash that sends the Paramecium Deviants flying before they explode in mid-air.
Before the remaining Paramecium Deviants could attack Daiki, he loaded his Dragunbuster with the Electro Enestal. "Eat this! Goryuu Tekkoudan!" screamed Daiki again before he fired an Electric elemental shot towards the Paramecium Deviants. They all writhed in pain before they exploded as they fell into the floor. "Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Just like the good 'ol days, eh partner?" said Draco Piscis from within as he felt amazed upon seeing Daiki finishing off the Deviant footsoldiers.
After Daiki finished off the the Paramecium Deviants, he saw Gabbie struggling to fight the Yatsume-Hanzaki Deviant. The blonde martial artist was overwhelmed by the Deviant's slimy body and bloodsucking fangs. "Come here, you sweet and feisty girl! I wanna feast upon your blood!" said the Deviant. Without a word or two, Daiki hurled his Anemo and Electro Enestals towards Gabbie.
She caught the Enestals, not knowing that her Sigil would react with them, absorbing them and giving her new Wind and Electric elemental powers. "Now we're talking…" said Gabbie before she repeatedly countered the Deviant's attacks. Her partial Electric attribute hampered the Deviant's Water-based attacks, and its slimy body wasn't resistant to it. The swordsman watched the blonde girl fight against the Deviant with amazement. "She's cool.. I want her to be my partner. Someone who could fight with me side-by-side. Not just a sidekick, but also someone whom I could love, and I love strong and resourceful girls like her" said Daiki within his mind.
"Especially the fact that Euphemia used to be one. She taught you alchemy and the creation of the Enestals, and she refused to give up when she fought against the Faust threat alongside you and the Knights of Tonitrus back then. May she rest in peace" said Draco Piscis from within Daiki's heart. Daiki kept watching Gabbie fighting as he was stunned by her fighting style that was pretty alien to him, as the martial arts she displayed was not from his world.
"Time to take you down for good, you slimy bastard!" said Gabbie before she executed her finishing attack, Scarborough Bluff. Daiki smiled and screamed in excitement as he saw Gabbie leaping into the air and propelling herself towards the Deviant, imbued with a mix of Wind and Electric attributes. "Impossible… to be beaten by someone who should have been.. belonged to our lord Lukretia! Yaaaaarrrrrgh!" said the Deviant before it flopped into the ground and exploded harmlessly. Gabbie then left the scene without a word or two.
"Thanks for saving me, I'm Rui Aozaki by the way. I'm glad that slimy thing is gone" said Rui as she thanked Daiki for saving her from the Yatsume-Hanzaki Deviant and its goons, yet it was not him who slain the Hybrid Deviant. Daiki then tried to get his attention to the blonde martial artist as he followed her from behind, only to be asked to leave as she wanted to be alone. The swordsman felt down upon hearing that.
"Hahahahaha, better luck next time! Or even better, you must keep helping her like that with your Enestals. Who knows she might open up to you!" said Draco Piscis.
Just after he was done saving Rui, Daiki bumped into a mysterious figure wearing a black trenchcoat. "Where did she go?" asked the figure. Daiki felt confused and and could not answer, until he was choked by him. "Tell me, where is she?! That girl… I want her!" said the mysterious figure as he held Daiki by his neck. The swordsman writhed in pain as he tried to get out. Just before he ran out of oxygen, a blast of fire spooked the figure away. Daiki fell into the floor as the figure fled.
"Are you OK, new guy?" said Lucy. "I'm fine, he said that he was looking for a girl, but I don't know which one" answered Daiki. Lucy had a bad feeling about it, because she remembered that Gabbie escaped from Valhalla's grasps and she suspected that the mysterious figure may have been a Valhalla agent. She then took Daiki back to the building, where he returned to his room, bunking himself on his bed.
"Will I ever have that girl as my sidekick and beloved one?" wondered Daiki as he laid on the bed.
Meanwhile, Hiroki is doing a video call with his friend and love interest Rachel, who used to fight alongside him back when he used to be in Azure Shields. Rachel is currently under an internship to succeed Marika as the Head Researcher of Lazuline since Marika herself has promoted herself to CEO, succeeding her deceased mother. He told her that Daiki encountered a mysterious figure with a black trenchcoat. Rachel's memory flared upon hearing it, as she remembered who it was.
"It can't be.. it's Zaphiel Bleck, leader of the Serpentine Cartel! Back in 2013, both Blood Gear and Krait Energies were destroyed by Alfredo, but we were not able to defeat Valhalla. In 2014, we fought against Valhalla again, and managed to defeat their commanding officer Melissa Gould and saved a lot of Espers, but that's also the first time we faced them. The Serpentine Cartel is a group of Deviant terrorists and mercenaries, apparently they want to create a paradise for Deviants by wiping out Espers, and the only way to do so is to work with Valhalla. You must tell everyone about this! Zaphiel and his cronies cannot be left roaming around like this, especially in your refuge for rescued Espers! Warn the others!" said Rachel.