The last three days had passed in a blur, like the whisper of the wind through a dense forest, quick yet somehow distant.
The special elite force had spent those days preparing in silence, some with anticipation, others with nervous energy, knowing their mission to Europe could very well change everything.
Today was the day.
The early morning sun cast a golden hue across the tarmac as they gathered at the airport, the hum of planes taking off in the distance blending with the murmurs of countless travelers.
The terminal was alive with the chatter of announcements, families hugging their loved ones goodbye, and the rhythmic sound of rolling luggage across tiled floors.
Yet, amidst the bustle, the elite force stood out—a small group, but one that commanded attention.
Ryoko was looking around the airport. Her expression was calm, but there was a quiet intensity in her eyes, betraying the leadership role she carried.
Masumi stood by her side, her hand nervously fidgeting with the strap of her bag, her thoughtful eyes glancing around, as though constantly planning the next move.
Masumi had always been quiet and composed, yet beneath her calm exterior, she harbored a sharp intellect and a determination to prove herself.
As the others checked their luggage and went over last-minute details, Ryoko's sharp gaze flicked toward her watch.
Her brows furrowed slightly as the minutes ticked by.
"Where are they?"
She muttered under her breath. "They're late."
Just as she spoke, two familiar figures came barreling through the crowd, dodging passengers and rolling suitcases with frantic energy.
Ryuu and Seichii, both slightly out of breath, jogged toward the group, their faces a mix of sheepishness and panic.
"Ryoko-san! Masumi-san!"
Ryuu called out as they skidded to a halt in front of them.
Ryoko's expression shifted, her stern gaze locking onto them like a hawk spotting its prey.
"Ryuu-kun! Seichii-kun! You're fifteen minutes late!"
Her voice was sharp, each word laced with disapproval. She crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.
"What would have happened if the flight had taken off without you?!"
Both boys froze in place, their eyes wide as they exchanged nervous glances, clearly not wanting to face Ryoko's wrath.
"It was his fault!"
They both shouted in unison, pointing accusingly at each other.
"HEY! We got late because you overslept and didn't get ready in time!"
Ryuu shot back, his voice rising as he jabbed his finger toward Seichii.
"HUH!? We got late because you were stuffing your face with breakfast like a pig!"
Seichii retorted, crossing his arms defensively, his eyebrows furrowed in irritation.
In an instant, Ryuu turned on Seichii, his eyes flashing with mock anger.
"How dare you say that? You wanna fight?!"
Ryuu shouted, clenching his fists, his playful anger quickly escalating.
"Oh, bring it on!"
Seichii barked back, his own fists rising in response.
The two boys squared off like children about to wrestle, each daring the other to make the first move.
Thwack!!
Before they could even begin, both Ryuu and Seichii dropped to their knees, clutching their heads in pain.
Ryoko had landed a swift punch on each of their heads, her face cold with irritation.
"Enough, both of you!"
Ryoko growled, shaking her head as if dealing with misbehaving children.
"This isn't some playground."
"Pft!"
A soft laugh broke the tension. Masumi, who had been standing quietly by Ryoko's side, suddenly burst into giggles.
It was the first time anyone had seen her laugh so openly, her shoulders shaking with mirth.
Ryuu and Seichii both looked up in surprise, blinking as they saw Masumi's radiant smile.
"Masumi-san, are you… laughing?"
Ryuu asked incredulously.
Masumi quickly covered her mouth, trying to suppress her giggles, but the sight of Ryuu and Seichii rubbing their sore heads was too much.
She let out another laugh, unable to hold it in.
"Sorry, sorry. It's just—"
She tried to speak, but broke into more laughter.
"Get out of the way!"
A sharp, cold voice cut through the laughter.
The group turned to see Rika striding toward them, her luggage in tow.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored outfit, she exuded an aura of cool confidence, her sharp eyes scanning the group with disdain.
"A bunch of jokers, making a scene this early in the morning,"
She muttered under her breath as she passed by.
Ryoko's expression immediately hardened, her eyes narrowing as a cold look crossed her face.
"What did you just say, Rika?"
She hissed, her fists tightening at her sides.
Before Ryoko could make a move, Masumi quickly stepped in, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Ryoko-san, calm down. We're all on the same team."
Rika didn't even bother to look back as she clicked her tongue in annoyance, her eyes briefly flicking toward Seichii.
Her cold gaze lingered on him for a second longer than necessary, but she quickly looked away, striding ahead toward the boarding gate.
"What's her deal?"
Ryuu muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his head where Ryoko had hit him.
"Now, now!"
A cheerful voice interrupted them.
"I see how energetic you all are, but let's keep things calm, shall we?"
Shigeru-sensei appeared with a wide grin on his face, clapping his hands.
Dressed in an oddly formal guide's uniform, he looked strangely out of place.
"As your guide for this trip, I, Morishita Shigeru, will be making sure everything runs smoothly!"
Akiko stood beside him, dressed in an air hostess uniform, her smile equally bright but much more controlled.
"Master… w-what are you doing?"
Ryuu asked, blinking in confusion, forcing a nervous smile as he tried to process the sight.
"As I said, I'll be your guide on this trip! The association decided that Akiko and I should accompany you all, just in case anything happens.
Who knows what dangers might await us in Europe?"
Shigeru said with an exaggerated wink, his playful smile not reassuring anyone.
The group exchanged awkward glances, half-amused, half-worried about what lay ahead.
With a deep breath, they followed Shigeru onto the plane, the tension fading as the reality of the mission set in.
.
.
.
Far away, on a distant mountain peak, two shadowy figures stood under the cover of darkness, their eyes locked on the departing plane.
One figure had a human-like face, but his features were shrouded in darkness, an ominous aura radiating from him.
The second figure was completely enveloped in blackness, only his devious smile visible in the sunlight.
"Sir, it seems it's time for us to depart as well,"
The human-like figure said with a grin, bowing slightly.
"There's no need,"
The black figure replied, his smile widening.
"I've already sent someone ahead to deal with the situation. He'll handle everything."
"But, sir… what if someone else reaches that thing? If they obtain that power, they'll be unstoppable!"
The black figure chuckled darkly.
"Do you think anyone can simply touch that thing?
It would obliterate them on contact. Even we dare not wield its power!"
Black figure's grin disappeared, replaced with a more serious expression.
"Not even we can withstand its full might. I witnessed its power once, long ago, alongside the Lord.
Just thinking about it still sends chills down my spine."
The human-like figure's eyes widened in shock.
"Is it truly that powerful?"
He asked, his voice trembling slightly, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.
"You've seen nothing yet,"
The black figure replied, his voice low and foreboding.
"But enough talk. We need to inform the Lord of the developments. If we fail to keep him updated, otherwise our lives will be in danger."
The two figures vanished into the night, their forms dissolving into the shadows like mist being swept away by the wind.
Tuck!!!
Suddenly, the voice of footsteps rang around the are as a large marvelous man walked from behind the trees.
"Oh I see, you're really here! Then they must be here too! Finally after all this time, I reached the right location!"
The marvelous as well as mysterious man said as he looked at the sky, a wide smirk appeared on his face.
.
.
.
.
Back on the plane, Ryuu had drifted into a deep sleep, his head resting awkwardly against the window.
The long flight had worn him out, and Seichii, sitting beside him, watched with a mischievous glint in his eye.
An evil grin slowly crept across Seichii's face as an idea formed in his head.
Several hours later, the plane landed smoothly at Charles de Gaulle Airport in France.
The sun was beginning to rise over the Parisian skyline, casting a soft, orange glow over the tarmac as passengers began unbuckling their seatbelts and preparing to disembark.
"Hey, dumbass, wake up already! We've landed. I can't believe you slept through the entire landing."
Seichii shook Ryuu's shoulder, trying to rouse him.
Ryuu groggily opened his eyes, blinking as he looked around.
"Huh? We're here already?"
He yawned and stretched, rubbing his eyes.
"Man, I'm still so sleepy…"
As Ryuu stood up and stretched, his head turning to greet the others, Ryoko and Masumi walked up behind him.
The moment they saw him, their eyes went wide in shock, and they froze in place.
"Oh, Seichii-kun! Ryuu-kun..."
Masumi began, her voice faltering as she tried to hold back laughter.
Ryoko stared, her face twitching as if struggling to maintain composure.
"What? What's wrong?"
Ryuu asked, blinking in confusion, his still-sleepy mind not registering the odd looks they were giving him.
Pffft-!!!!
Suddenly, Seichii burst into laughter, his sides shaking as he pointed at Ryuu.
"HAHAHA! Your face! Oh man, this is too good!"
Ryoko and Masumi, who had been trying to keep it together, finally broke, joining in Seichii's laughter.
"R-ryuu-kun… Y-your face!"
Ryoko managed to say between giggles, wiping away a tear.
"My face?" Ryuu repeated, bewildered. He pulled out his phone, opened the front camera, and looked at his reflection.
What he saw made his eyes widen in horror.
His entire face was covered in ridiculous makeup—bright pink lipstick smeared across his lips, blue eyeshadow caked on his eyelids, and his hair had been tied into two ridiculous pigtails with tiny ribbons.
He looked like a poorly dressed-up doll.
"SEICHII!"
Ryuu roared, turning toward his friend, steam practically pouring from his ears.
"WHAT IS THIS!?"
Seichii tried to back away, his laughter dying down as Ryuu advanced on him, his fists clenched.
"H-hey, it was just a joke! No harm done, right?"
"You little—!!"
Ryuu lunged at him, but before he could grab Seichii, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently.
Rumble!!!
The entire terminal shook as the ground cracked beneath them, sending a ripple of panic through the airport.
Travelers screamed, luggage toppled over, and the group stumbled as they tried to stay on their feet.
"What's happening?! Is this an earthquake?!"
Ryoko shouted, grabbing onto a nearby pillar for support...