Yuma wandered through the bustling town, the sounds of construction and voices mixing with the salty sea breeze. His mind was still lingering on the conversation with Moon, the weight of their journey pressing heavily on his shoulders. As he turned a corner, the sharp sound of shouting caught his attention.
Ahead, a gang of rough-looking men had cornered a group of engineers in an alleyway. The engineers, clad in work clothes stained with grease and soot, were clearly outmatched, their hands raised in a gesture of surrender. One of the thugs grabbed an older engineer by the collar, snarling threats.
"A gang…" Yuma's eyes narrowed, his calm exterior masking the storm of emotions swirling beneath the surface. He approached without hesitation, his presence immediately drawing the attention of both groups. The gang leader sneered as he saw Yuma approach.
"Stay out of this, stranger. These engineers owe us, and we're collecting." Yuma didn't respond at first. He simply stared, his gaze cold, as he walked closer. The gang leader, seeing the lack of fear in Yuma's eyes, stepped back slightly, a flicker of unease crossing his face.
"Let them go," Yuma said, his voice low but firm. One of the gang members chuckled nervously.
"Or what?" In a blur of motion, Yuma grabbed the nearest thug by the arm and slammed him into the ground with a force that shattered the cobblestone beneath them. The others froze, stunned by the sheer speed and brutality of the attack. Yuma's foot pressed down on the man's chest, keeping him pinned as he glared at the others.
"Or you won't walk out of here," Yuma said quietly, his voice carrying a lethal edge. The gang moved to fight back, but Yuma was faster. In a flash, Yuma kicked the first guy, turning the momentum into a punch. Quickly jumping and ax kicking the final guy in the head. Yuma stands there, leaving them groaning and scattered on the ground.
"W-What the-" The engineers watched in silent horror, their eyes wide as they realized the danger they had narrowly escaped. Yuma stood over the gang leader, his fist raised, crackling with power.
For a moment, Yuma's mind was filled with the memory of Achlys, of the endless cycle of violence he had been part of. His fist trembled. He could feel the anger, the frustration, the pressure of everything weighing down on him. Killing these men would be easy—he'd done worse for lesser reasons. But something stopped him.
Slowly, Yuma unclenched his fist, his body still tense, but his eyes dulled from the rage. He stepped back, allowing the gang leader to scramble away, terrified.
The engineers, still huddled together, stared at Yuma with a mixture of awe and fear. They had heard of the "Alien King," but seeing him in action was something entirely different. One of them, a younger man with grease-streaked hair, stepped forward cautiously, his voice trembling.
"Th-thank you… we… we owe you our lives." Yuma turned to face them, his expression unreadable. The tension in his body hadn't fully left, and the weight of the moment hung heavily in the air.
"I didn't save you for a favor," Yuma said, his voice cold.
"But now that you mention it…" The engineers glanced at each other nervously, unsure of what was coming next. Yuma's eyes flicked toward their tools and the sketches they had dropped in the scuffle—blueprints for some kind of vehicle.
"You're engineers, right? You build things," Yuma said, more a statement than a question. The older engineer, who had been silent until now, nodded cautiously.
"Y-yes, sir. We're working on designs for new naval ships and land transports… whatever's needed." Yuma's gaze hardened, and his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"Then build me something… Build me a train—one that can travel the entire world." The engineers blinked in confusion, clearly taken aback by the strange request.
"A train? That… that would take years, resources… manpower… We don't even know if it's possible—" Yuma stepped forward, cutting him off. His voice was soft but filled with an intensity that made the engineers flinch.
"I didn't ask if it was possible… I said, build it… build me… A World Train" The silence that followed was deafening. The engineers, clearly afraid for their lives, nodded quickly, not daring to refuse. The older one stammered,
"W-we'll do it. Whatever you need. Just… don't kill us." Yuma's face softened slightly, though the coldness in his eyes remained.
"I wasn't planning on killing you." He paused, letting the words sink in.
"But remember this: You're working for me now... Fail, and I won't be so forgiving next time." The engineers nodded frantically, gathering their tools and papers as quickly as they could. They moved with the urgency of men who had seen death staring them in the face.
Yuma watched them scramble away, the weight of his words still hanging in the air. He hadn't meant to terrify them—but as he stood there, staring at the spot where they had been, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. This train… this impossible dream… It was the next step in his quest to unite the world.
He exhaled slowly, his hands unclenching as the tension left his body. But deep down, he knew—each step he took down this path was pulling him further away from the man he once was.
As Yuma turned and walked away from the alley, the wind picked up, carrying the distant sound of the sea. Somewhere deep inside, he wondered if there was still time to turn back. But the war was coming, and there was no time for second-guessing. The world needed to change—and he would be the one to do it, no matter the cost.