The house was a stark contrast to the other, more modern buildings. It was a traditional Chinese courtyard house, with a serene garden visible through the open doorway. As they entered, Elara exchanged pleasantries with a flurry of Mandarin with the maids scurrying about, their movements as graceful as a well-choreographed dance.
"Life seems to be treating them well," Takumi observed, gesturing towards the maids. "All pampered and coddled."
Elara chuckled. "They wouldn't be maids if they weren't, would they?"
They followed one of the maids, her silk robes rustling softly, down a long corridor. Finally, she stopped before a beautifully carved wooden door, her voice a soft whisper. "Madam, there is someone here to see you."
The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a man standing just inside. He was a picture of refined elegance, with long, silver hair pulled back in a loose knot and a flowing silk robe that seemed to shimmer with an inner light. His eyes, however, were a startling shade of emerald green, and they narrowed into slits as he surveyed the intruders.
"Well, well, well," he drawled, his voice a silken purr. "Look who decided to grace us with their presence."
Alexei and Elara exchanged a knowing glance.
"I bet he punches Takumi," Alexei said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Kicked," Elara countered, a confident smirk playing on her lips.
Takumi, oblivious to their wager, stepped forward, a polite smile on his face. "Good afternoon, sir. We..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the man lunged forward, a swift, graceful kick that sent Takumi flying backwards. He landed with a resounding thud in the courtyard garden, a stunned expression on his face.
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?!" the man roared, his voice surprisingly deep and powerful. "Haven't you caused enough trouble already? Now leave!"
Alexei burst into laughter, clapping Elara on the shoulder. "I owe you one."
Elara grinned, shaking her head. "Always a sucker for a good kick."
Takumi, dusting himself off, rubbed his aching jaw. "Well," he muttered, "that was… unexpected."
He looked up at the man, who was now glaring at them from the doorway, his emerald eyes crackling with fury. "Perhaps," Takumi suggested, "we should try this conversation again, but from a slightly greater distance."
The man snorted, but a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes. "Perhaps," he conceded, stepping back into the house and closing the door with a satisfying thud.
Alexei, still chuckling, turned to Elara. "You know," he said, "I think we might be in for an interesting visit."
Elara, her eyes sparkling with amusement, simply raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."
And so, their mission to find their missing team member had begun, and it was already off to a decidedly unconventional start.
The man's face contorted with rage, his eyes burning with an almost animalistic fury. He launched himself at Takumi, a flurry of punches and kicks raining down. Takumi, caught off guard by the sudden assault, did his best to defend himself, but the man was incredibly fast and strong.
Inside the house, the maid, her face pale with fear, rushed inside, her voice a panicked shriek in Mandarin, "Master has lost control again!"
"Zhen," Takumi grunted, dodging another blow, "I don't want to fight you!"
But Zhen seemed to have lost all reason. His movements were a blur of motion, fueled by a raw, primal rage.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, sharp and commanding, "Zhen! Stop this at once!"
Zhen paused mid-attack, his head whipping around. A woman, leaning on a pair of intricately carved crutches, stood in the doorway. She was a striking figure, with long, raven black hair streaked with silver and eyes that held the wisdom of a thousand lifetimes. Her face, though etched with lines, was still remarkably beautiful, and an aura of calm power emanated from her.
Zhen, his rage slowly subsiding, lowered his hands. "Li," he muttered, his voice rough with the remnants of his fury.
Li nodded, her gaze sweeping over Takumi with an assessing look. "Bring the beads," she instructed the maid.
The maid scurried back inside and returned moments later with a small, intricately woven pouch. Li took it, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns. "Recite the calming chant," she ordered Zhen.
Zhen closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to chant in a low, rhythmic voice. As he chanted, his aura visibly calmed, the tension draining from his muscles.
Nobubaki, watching from the sidelines, was mesmerized. He had never seen anything like it.
Li, her attention now on Takumi, regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. "Takumi," she acknowledged, her voice devoid of warmth. "What brings you here?"
Takumi, still slightly winded, managed a weak smile. "We… we need your help, Li."
Li's eyebrows furrowed. "My help? After all these years?"
Suddenly, two children, a boy and a girl, came running towards Li. "Mother!" they cried in Mandarin, their voices filled with joy.
Elara, understanding the children's words, smiled gently and knelt down to their level. "Hello," she said softly, "I'm Elara."
Li, surprised by Elara's kindness, softened considerably. "Elara," she repeated, a hint of warmth in her voice. "It's good to see you again." She embraced Elara warmly, a rare display of affection. "And you must be…?" she asked, turning to the children.
"This is Lin," Elara said, gesturing towards the boy, "and this is Mei."
Li smiled, her eyes twinkling. "They've grown so much," she murmured, ruffling their hair. "Come, let me see you properly."
She turned to Alexei, a grateful smile gracing her lips. "Thank you," she said softly. "For… for what you did."
Alexei, a little taken aback by her gratitude, shrugged. "It was… nothing."
Li, however, knew exactly what he was referring to. She had this beautiful life thanks to him.
The air crackled with unspoken words, the past hanging heavy between them. But as the children tugged at Li's robes, demanding her attention, the tension seemed to dissipate.
The stage was set. The reunion, long overdue and fraught with unspoken emotions, had begun. And Takumi, still nursing his bruised ego, wondered what this unexpected encounter would bring.
Li's gaze shifted to Nobubaki, her eyebrows raised in curiosity. "And who might you be?" she inquired, her voice sharp.
Nobubaki opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over him. Images flashed through his mind: the blinding light, the searing pain, the bodies scattered across the ravaged streets of Meloria City. He gasped, clutching his chest, and then slumped back against the pillows, unconscious.
When Nobubaki finally awoke, he found himself in a sterile hospital room, the scent of antiseptic filling his nostrils. Li sat beside him, her expression concerned.
"Easy now," she said gently, her voice soothing. "Had a bad dream.?"
Nobubaki, still shaken, nodded slowly. He tried to recall the dream, but the memories were fragmented, a terrifying jumble of images and emotions.
Li, sensing his unease, gently probed, "Tell me about it, Nobubaki. What did you see?"
Nobubaki avoided her gaze, his mind still reeling from the nightmare. He wanted to know about what happened, about the events that led to his collapse.
Li, seeing his reluctance, changed the subject. "My name is Li Ming," she said, extending a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Nobubaki, however, only wanted answers. "What happened to me?" he demanded, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. "Why did I…?"
Li gently placed a hand on his arm. "Rest, Nobubaki. You need to regain your strength."
She left the room, leaving Nobubaki alone with his anxieties. He lay in the hospital bed, his mind racing. He had a gift, a power he didn't understand. And he knew exactly what he wanted to do with it.
He had to destroy the corrupt hero system.
He got out of bed, his movements still a little shaky. He had to see them, to confront them.
He entered the living room, where the others were seated, Zhen looking surprisingly subdued. Li, noticing his presence, ordered the maid to take the children out.
"We're not joining your little… crusade," Zhen stated bluntly, his voice still rough.
Li frowned. "And what about the boy?" she asked, her gaze fixed on Takumi.
Takumi hesitated. "I… I don't know him," he admitted. "But I know about him. About the others."
Li's eyes narrowed. "The corrupt ones?"
"Yes," Takumi confirmed.
Li's expression turned grave.
Nobubaki, unable to contain himself any longer, spoke up. "I don't care what you think," he declared, his voice filled with a newfound determination. "I'm going to destroy them. Every single one. This system is broken, corrupt. And I'm going to break it."
He paused, a chilling smile spreading across his face. "And this… gift," he said, gesturing towards himself, "it's the key."
Takumi began to smirk. "Nobubaki," he warned, his voice firm, "you're not thinking straight. You're new to this. Charging headfirst into this… this mess… you'll be dead before you can even blink."
Nobubaki scoffed. "Dead? I'm not afraid of dying. Not anymore."
Takumi knew he couldn't reason with him. Nobubaki was consumed by a single-minded desire for revenge, a thirst for justice that blinded him to the dangers that lay ahead.
Nobubaki, fueled by a potent mix of anger, grief, and newfound power, was on a collision course with disaster. And Takumi, despite his warnings, knew he couldn't stop him.