The battle raged in the background, but Daichi couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. He scanned the battlefield, searching for Kazu, and his heart sank when he realized Kazu was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is he?" Daichi muttered to himself as he began to move through the chaos. His instincts urged him forward, deeper into the blood-soaked plains.
After a few tense minutes, Daichi spotted Kazu. He was locked in a fierce fight with a man in crimson, his expression intense yet strangely exhilarated. From where Daichi stood, it seemed Kazu was enjoying the battle; a smirk played on his lips.
Kazu dodged and weaved through the man's attacks, his puppetry strings flashing in the dim light as he manipulated the battlefield to his advantage. With a swift movement, he delivered a blow to the man's side, sending him staggering.
"You're not so invincible after all," Kazu taunted, his confidence growing with every move.
The man in crimson glared at him, his eerie grin replaced by frustration. Kazu seized the opportunity, pouring all his energy into a final, devastating attack. His fist crackled with energy as he lunged forward, ready to end the fight.
But the man was faster. At the last moment, he sidestepped, dodging the blow, and countered with a powerful punch to Kazu's abdomen. The force sent Kazu flying backwards, crashing into the ground with a groan of pain.
Before Kazu could recover, the man stepped back and opened a portal behind him. As he began to vanish, he sneered down at Kazu, his voice dripping with mockery.
"You and her are so alike," he said cryptically, his tone laced with disdain.
And then, he was gone. Kazu lay on the ground, panting heavily and clutching his side, feeling the sharp pain radiating from his injuries. His mind raced in a whirlwind of confusion and anxiety as he tried to make sense of the man's cryptic words that lingered in the air. "Her? Who is he talking about?"
"Kazu!"
The sound of Daichi's voice pierced through the fog of his thoughts, snapping him back to reality. The healer knelt beside him, his expression a cocktail of worry and frustration. "What were you thinking?" he scolded, already channeling his powers to mend Kazu's wounds. Warm, soothing energy flowed through Kazu's body as Daichi worked diligently to heal him.
"I had it under control," Kazu muttered defensively, wincing at the sensation of healing energy weaving through his injuries, adding both relief and discomfort.
"Under control?" Daichi snapped, his voice edged with irritation. "You were confronting one of the most powerful yokai we've ever faced, and you did it all by yourself! What if he had killed you? Why would you run off like that without a second thought for the consequences?"
Kazu averted Daichi's piercing gaze, his usual confident smirk replaced by a troubled expression. "I thought I could stop him. I wanted to end the fight quickly to protect everyone else."
"And what about us?" Daichi's voice softened, revealing genuine concern beneath the anger. "We're a team, Kazu. You can't just take everything on your shoulders. We're stronger together, remember?"
As Daichi completed the healing process, Kazu slowly sat up, emotions swirling within him. He felt gratitude for Daichi's unwavering support but also a nagging sense of frustration. "He said something strange before he left," Kazu murmured, piecing together fragments of the encounter.
"What did he say?" Daichi asked, curiosity overshadowing his previous anger.
Kazu hesitated, his heart racing as he recalled the moment. "He said, 'You and her are so alike.'"
Daichi frowned deeply, his brow furrowing as concern washed over him. "Her? Who could that possibly refer to?"
"I don't know," Kazu admitted, his fists clenching in determination. "But I'm going to find out. I need to understand what he meant."
Daichi sighed, feeling a shift from frustration to worry for his friend. "Just... please promise me you won't try to handle this alone next time. We're all in this together, and we've got your back, no matter what."
Kazu glanced at him, feeling a small spark of hope amidst the turmoil. A genuine smile broke through his troubled expression, illuminating his features. "Yeah. Thanks, Daichi. I appreciate it."
As they began the walk back toward the rest of their team, Kazu's mind was still racing with thoughts and questions. The fight may have ended for now, but the mysteries it left behind loomed large, unresolved and waiting to be unraveled.