"Gosh, I'm so tired," Rylan said, slumping down onto his bed.
"Knock knock!" came a gentle feminine voice from the door.
Rylan's eyes popped open in shock. "It's Nana! I need to wear my underwear!"
He reached for his long leather jeans hung across his room.
Without warning, Nana pushed open the door with a cocky smile on her face. "Hahahaha!"
"Don't look!" Rylan yelled, his cheeks turning red.
"Dumbass, you're not even my type."
"Huh?"
With her long dark curly hair, Nana giggled, seating herself just at the edge of the bed and gazing at the ceiling. "How was it?"
Giving a heavy sigh, Rylan walked a bit closer and sat right beside her, a serious expression now overtaking his face. "You know, back then in the woods, I would've gone back."
### Flashback: 8 Years Ago
"Mom! Mom!" Hot tears poured down his cheeks. He had just witnessed his mother's death right before him. The thought of revenge stung him hard, and he planned to move.
Getting to his feet, Rylan ran with full speed, charging towards the direction of his house. "You all will pay!" he groaned.
Just as he was about to make a turn, a car pulled up right before him, and a woman about his mother's age stepped out. "Get in, quick!"
Not even giving her a glance, Rylan kept running. "Tsk... She told me you were a strong one. Never would have guessed she was this right about you," the lady said, pulling out a tranquilizer.
"Nana," she called.
"Yes," a little girl answered.
The little girl aimed at Rylan and gave him a shot of the tranquilizer. "Mom..."
"Jeez, give him all the shots," the lady commanded. As Rylan kept running, both the lady and the little girl were surprised. After giving him a ton of tranquilizers, Rylan fell to the ground, gasping for air while stretching his hand towards his house, which had now been burnt to a crisp.
Rylan was carried into the car, and they zoomed off.
Rylan woke up inside the moving truck, disoriented and feeling the rough vibrations of the vehicle as it rumbled away from his village. His heart pounded with a mix of confusion and fear.
"Let me go!" he yelled, his voice cracking with desperation.
"I'm sorry, I can't let you," the lady driving said, her eyes focused on the road ahead.
"Why? My mom... my mom was killed," Rylan sobbed, tears streaming down his face as the horrifying memory replayed in his mind.
Beside him, a little girl with kind eyes and a sympathetic expression reached out and wrapped her small arms around him, offering a warm, comforting hug.
"I'm sorry, Rylan," the lady said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "Her last wish was for me to keep you safe. I'm so sorry." Tears dripped down her face, mirroring Rylan's grief.
"Who are you guys?" Rylan asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to understand the situation.
"I'm Yui, and this is my daughter Nana," the lady explained, glancing briefly at him in the rearview mirror.
Nana, the little girl, squeezed Rylan's hand gently. "We're here to help you," she said with a reassuring smile. "We'll take care of you, just like your mom wanted."
Rylan nodded slowly, feeling a mix of sadness and gratitude. As the truck continued its journey, he couldn't help but wonder where they were going and what lay ahead. Despite the uncertainty, the presence of Yui and Nana offered a glimmer of hope in the midst of his despair.
** END OF FLASHBACK : presently ***
Nana smiled, her expression warm and nostalgic. "But you didn't."
"It's all thanks to Yui," Rylan replied with a smile, falling back onto the bed. Now fully grown, his long hair covered his face, but his emerald green eyes shone brightly as the moon's rays beamed on them.
Nana rested her head on his bare chest, a sense of peace settling over her.
"What... what are you doing?" Rylan protested softly.
"Shhh, get to sleep," Nana murmured, her voice gentle and soothing.
Soon, she drifted into sleep, her breathing steady and calm. Rylan looked down at her, a tender expression crossing his face. "Thank you," he whispered.
Carefully, he lifted her in his arms and laid her gently on the bed, ensuring she was comfortable. He picked up his jacket and checked the time on his phone.
"9:47 PM," he muttered to himself. "Jeez, I need to meet up with Thorn and the rest at the restaurant."
With a final glance at the sleeping Nana, Rylan quickly dashed out of his apartment, the night air cool against his skin as he made his way to the meeting.
*
*
In a dark dimension where shadows writhed and the air hummed with a malevolent energy, two humanoid hollows knelt before a towering figure seated on a grand throne. The throne itself seemed to be made of twisted, dark matter, pulsating with an otherworldly power. The atmosphere was suffused with an oppressive darkness, and the only light came from the ominous glow emanating from the figure's eyes.
"Yes, lord," one of the hollows said, their voice quivering with a mix of fear and reverence.
With a devilish smirk, the figure on the throne leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with wicked delight. "He has been resurrected," he declared, his voice a low, dangerous purr.
"My lord, you don't mean Sh—" the hollow began, but the figure cut him off sharply.
"Shoji," the figure said, his voice a deadly whisper. "Find him."
"Yes, my lord," the hollows replied in unison before vanishing into thin air, their forms dissipating like smoke in the wind.
The figure on the throne leaned back, a dark, sinister laughter bubbling up from deep within him. "Finally, my plans can begin with ease. Just you wait, Saske. The world will be mine."
His laughter echoed through the dimension, reverberating off the dark, twisted walls. The mention of Saske's name seemed to stir the shadows around him, as if the very dimension itself was aware of the impending conflict. The figure's eyes burned with a malevolent fire, his mind already plotting the next steps in his grand design.
*
*
*
At the royal capital, inside the Zero headquarters, a young man was hanging upside down with a rope tightly wrapped around his neck. He was dressed in black, baggy silky pants and a white shirt like that of a samurai.
"Aaron!!!" he yelled. "Help!"
Aaron, standing close by, turned a deaf ear and ignored him.
"You suicide maniac!" Aaron blurted out.
"Huh, that's a harsh thing to say to your sensei," the young man responded.
"Elana..."
"Huh?" A fierce look appeared on her face as she gave him a deadly gaze.
"Ah, er, never mind," he stuttered, seeing her murderous glare.
"I guess I'll die alone then," he muttered.
Suddenly, a holographic image appeared.
"Emergency! Emergency! Humanoid hollows detected. Saske and his squad to head there now," the holographic image announced before disappearing.
"Huh," Saske blurted out, still hanging upside down. In a flash, he appeared beside Aaron, now serious.
"Aaron, you head there with Elana. I'll be right there."
Aaron, dressed similarly to Saske, and Elana, wearing a short black skirt and a white shirt, prepared to move. Their uniforms marked them as the elite squad, the Zeros. Like a flash, Aaron and Elana vanished into thin air, leaving behind Saske, who gazed up at the sky.
"Guess he's on the move," he murmured.
.
.
.
Rylan arrived at the restaurant to meet with Thorn and the rest, as they had all agreed to share the fortune they had acquired at the ancient dungeon earlier that day.
Rylan knew he would receive a small portion of the share. In fact, thanks to them, he would have been dead if not for their help.
"Huh, you're thinking we're gonna take the bigger share?" Seraphine asked, facing him.
"No, no, not at all. I mean, I didn't really do much, so I will accept anything. To be honest, due to how weak I am, I didn't expect anything," Rylan said slowly.
"Hey kid, don't be depressed about it. You pulled off quite a fight back there," Thorn said with a smile, wrapping his arm around Rylan's shoulder.
"You're one of us now," Elara said with a reassuring smile.
Kael also gave a nod; he wasn't quite the talker.
Looking at them, Rylan felt a bit more comfortable, even though he was the only F-rank adventurer, which was the lowest rank of all.
Reflecting on the past, he wondered how Elana had been. It had been eight long years, and every day, he hoped to see her again.
"Why am I thinking about her now?" he thought to himself.