Both Ryuu and Ryoko stood outside Ryuu's home, the sun already dipping below the horizon.
The last traces of twilight painted the sky in hues of deep violet and burnt orange.
A soft evening breeze swept past them, ruffling Ryoko's dark hair and bringing a refreshing coolness after their long walk.
"Ryoko-san, you must be tired after such a long walk. Please, come inside and have a drin—"
Chk!!!
Before Ryuu could finish, Ryoko's hands swiftly covered his eyes.
The gentle pressure of her palms startled him, cutting his sentence short.
"Ryoko-san!? W-what are you doing? Why did you cover my eyes?"
Ryuu's voice trembled slightly. His mind swirled with confusion, feeling both intrigued and uneasy.
Ryoko's touch was gentle but firm, and the sudden silence that followed her action only made him more nervous.
For a moment, she didn't answer. The only sound was the soft rustling of leaves in the evening wind.
Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, Ryoko spoke, her tone soft and reassuring.
"Just follow me, Ryuu-kun..."
Her words carried an unfamiliar tenderness that caught Ryuu off guard.
His heart skipped a beat as he allowed himself to be led forward, his vision completely blocked.
He could hear the soft sound of their footsteps on the stone path, the wooden door creaking slightly as they entered the house.
Kchk!!!
They stepped inside, and Ryuu could immediately sense something different.
The air in the house felt strangely still, as if it were holding its breath.
His other senses sharpened, picking up the faint smell of baked goods and what seemed like candle wax.
There was a murmur of something in the background—a presence—but Ryuu couldn't pinpoint it.
"Ryoko-san, how long do I have to be like this?"
He asked, his voice growing more anxious with each step.
"I don't understand what's happening…"
There was no answer. Instead, Ryoko gently pulled him further inside, guiding him through the familiar yet suddenly mysterious space of his home.
His thoughts raced—was this another test? A game? Or was something more serious at play?
Finally, she spoke, her voice firmer now, as though she had prepared herself for this moment.
"Now... you can open your eyes."
Her hands fell away from his face, and Ryuu blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to his sudden freedom.
But when his eyes opened, all he could see was darkness.
An overwhelming, almost suffocating blackness surrounded him.
"Ryoko-san!? Where are you?"
Panic rose in his chest.
"Why are the lights off? It's almost night!"
His voice echoed in the silence, but there was no immediate response. The stillness pressed down on him, amplifying his unease.
Then, without warning—
BAM!!!
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYUU!"
The room exploded into light and color. Confetti rained down from above as party poppers erupted around him.
The sudden brightness blinded him momentarily before his eyes adjusted to the sight in front of him.
Masumi, Seichii, Shigeru, Akiko, and his mother all stood before him, grinning widely, their faces glowing with excitement.
"Happy birthday, Ryuu!"
They shouted in unison, their voices filled with joy.
Ryuu stood frozen, his mind struggling to process the sudden shift from darkness to overwhelming light and noise.
He had completely forgotten about his birthday.
After the strange events of the past few days—demons, the mysterious powers awakening within him, and the constant feeling of being watched—his birthday seemed like the last thing on Earth to think about.
But seeing his friends and family here, their faces full of warmth and happiness, something inside him softened.
A flood of emotion surged through him, and he found himself at a loss for words.
Before he could react, his mother rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly.
Her body trembled as she held him close, her tears falling freely.
"Ryuu, how are you? Morishita-san told me what happened,"
She said, her voice shaking.
"Are you really okay? I've been so worried..."
"Mom..."
Ryuu's voice cracked slightly as he returned the embrace, feeling the weight of his mother's concern.
"I'm fine. See? I'm standing right here, fit and fine."
He tried to sound reassuring, but even he could feel the lingering unease from recent events.
He pulled back, giving her his brightest smile, hoping it would ease her worries.
She wiped her tears away, still clutching his arms as though afraid he might disappear at any moment.
"Aramiya-kun."
Shigeru's voice cut through the emotional moment, drawing Ryuu's attention.
Shigeru stood slightly apart from the group, his usual stern expression now tinged with something deeper—respect, perhaps, or maybe concern.
"Today, you turn 17. That means you're now legally eligible to take the acceptance test for the Defense Force."
Ryuu's stomach tightened at the mention of the test, a milestone he had always known was coming.
But given the recent surge of strange occurrences, the weight of that responsibility felt heavier now.
"And,"
Shigeru continued, his tone more serious.
"Since the results of the Inter-Division Competition are still on hold, you have a unique advantage.
But you need to understand something. The path ahead is not an easy one.
From here on, it's only going to get more dangerous, more terrifying.
There are forces at play that we're only beginning to understand."
Ryuu's mind flashed back to the strange flames that had appeared on his forehead—the azure flame that seemed to burn without heat, yet filled him with an intense energy.
And then there was Ryoko's white flame, so similar yet different, almost as if it reflected a different aspect of whatever strange power they were connected to.
Shigeru's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Only those with an unwavering will can survive this journey, Ryuu. It will test you, break you, and rebuild you if you let it."
Ryuu's gaze locked with Shigeru's, and in that moment, something passed between them.
A silent understanding. Ryuu's heart beat steadily, his eyes burning with quiet determination.
(If I want to learn the truth about myself... about these flames... and especially about Ryoko-san... then I have no choice but to walk this path.
No matter how deadly it becomes.)
Shigeru gave a small nod, recognizing the resolve in Ryuu's eyes.
He smiled, a rare moment of approval from the normally serious young man.
But Ryuu's thoughts were interrupted again as he realized something was missing.
He glanced around the room, taking in the festive decorations, the laughter, and his friends' joyful faces.
"Wait... Where's Ryoko-san? Why isn't she here with you?"
"I'm right here."
The soft, familiar voice spoke from behind him.
Ryuu turned to see Ryoko standing at the entrance, holding a beautiful cake with azure-blue frosting, her hands trembling slightly from the weight.
On top of the cake was a carefully crafted picture of Ryuu, Ryoko, Seichii, and Masumi together, smiling as if captured in a perfect moment.
For a second, Ryuu didn't know what to say. He just stared at the cake, at the faces of his friends etched into the icing.
His heart swelled with gratitude, and when he looked up, he noticed Ryoko's face was flushed with embarrassment.
"This... I don't know what to say,"
Ryuu stammered.
"I'm really thankful to all of you. This is... this is my best birthday ever!" He bowed deeply, feeling a lump in his throat.
"Come on, dude!"
Seichii appeared from behind, slinging an arm around Ryuu's shoulder in a casual, playful manner.
"Is that how you act with friends? No 'thank yous,' man! You're killing the vibe!"
He teased, grinning from ear to ear.
Ryuu chuckled, feeling some of the tension ease away as Seichii's bright personality filled the room with energy.
"By the way," Seichii added with a wink,
"Don't forget my birthday is just around the corner. I expect an equally awesome surprise from you!"
Ryuu laughed, his mood finally lifting.
"Of course, man! I'll make sure it's unforgettable."
.
.
.
.
Outside, beneath the darkening sky, Shigeru stepped away from the celebration.
He inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp night air as he tried to clear his thoughts.
Pat!
Akiko came up behind him, her hand gently patting his back.
"You've been quiet tonight," she said softly.
"I saw you staring at them earlier... You looked worried. What's going on?"
Shigeru didn't immediately answer, his gaze fixed on the stars above. After a moment, he sighed.
"It's Sengoku-kun"
He said quietly, almost as if speaking his thoughts aloud.
"Something was off about him tonight. I felt a strange energy coming from him—dark, unsettling. It's something I've never sensed before."
Akiko's brow furrowed as she listened.
"Do you think it's related to the flames? The demons?"
Shigeru shook his head.
"It's hard to say. But there's more. Too many strange things are happening at once. The demons appearing more frequently.
The azure flame on Aramiya-kun's forehead. The white flame on Tatsuno-san's. Now, this... And
Shigeru sighed deeply, his gaze still fixed on the sky.
"Now, this strange dark energy coming from Seichii. It's all happening too fast. It's like pieces of a puzzle falling into place, but I don't know what the picture looks like yet."
He clenched his fists, frustration evident in his voice.
"And then there's the news from Europe—earthquakes, landslides, all increasing at a rate we've never seen before.
Akiko, I can't help but feel it's connected.
The world is shifting, and whatever is causing it is something we've never encountered before."
Akiko stepped closer, sensing the weight of his words.
She looked up at Shigeru, seeing the concern etched on his face.
For all his strength and resolve, she knew Shigeru was scared—not for himself, but for those around him.
"Shigeru,"
She said softly, taking his hand in hers.
"I know you're worried.
I feel it too. But no matter what happens, we won't face it alone.
We'll fight, together. We've always done that, haven't we?"
Shigeru's tense posture eased slightly.
He turned to look at Akiko, her face glowing softly in the moonlight.
He admired her strength, her unwavering support. He felt his own resolve hardening again.
"You're right,"
He admitted with a small smile. "We've always faced the impossible together. And this... this is just another challenge we'll overcome."
"But,"
He added, his voice growing firm again,
"We can't stay passive. We need to learn more about these flames—the azure one on Ryuu and the white one on Ryoko.
Those flames are key to whatever's happening, I'm sure of it."
Akiko nodded, her eyes gleaming with determination.
"Then we'll start tomorrow. We'll gather what we can.
We've faced demons before, but this time, we'll be prepared for whatever's coming."
Shigeru nodded, feeling a renewed sense of purpose.
He turned back to the house, where the sounds of laughter and conversation spilled out into the night.
Inside, Ryuu and his friends were celebrating, blissfully unaware of the gravity of the situation outside.
Shigeru stared up at the stars again, a flicker of excitement in his chest.
"No matter what this world throws at us," he whispered.
"We'll be ready."....