"W-what is this...A-an earthquake!?"
Masumi gasped, her eyes wide with terror as the ground beneath her feet lurched violently.
The terminal's ceiling lights flickered, casting erratic shadows over the crowd as the tremors intensified.
Glass walls vibrated with a sharp, eerie sound, the floor quaking so violently that people stumbled and fell, their panicked cries blending into a cacophony of fear.
Everywhere around them, luggage tumbled from racks, kiosks collapsed, and the airport's announcements were drowned out by the chaos of hundreds of panicked travelers.
Families huddled together, some frozen in fear, others sprinting toward emergency exits that seemed too far away.
Boom!
A terrifying crack split the air as one of the massive concrete support pillars gave way.
The entire terminal seemed to sway, and the pillar slammed into the ground with an earth-shattering thud, sending cracks spiderwebbing through the polished marble floor.
Debris erupted like shrapnel, filling the air with thick clouds of dust and chunks of concrete.
The ground beneath the broken pillar collapsed, creating a jagged hole, exposing the understructure of the building.
"Whaaa!!!"
A child's panicked scream echoed through the destruction as he tumbled to the floor, his small form barely visible through the dust and confusion.
The ground under him buckled, threatening to give way entirely without the support of the fallen pillar.
Above him, a massive chunk of the ceiling, no longer supported, trembled, ready to collapse.
"Gabriel!!!!"
A woman's voice rang out, filled with desperation.
She sprinted through the chaos, her face pale with terror.
Without thinking, she dove toward the boy, shielding him with her body just as the ceiling began to give way.
Boom!
The ceiling collapsed, a massive slab of concrete descending toward them.
But instead of crushing them, it stopped mid-air, suspended as if time itself had halted.
The dust began to clear, revealing a towering figure standing over the woman and her child.
Rajin, his expression cold and emotionless, stood firm, holding the massive boulder with both hands.
Muscles tensed and unmoving, he bore the full weight of the debris with his physical strength alone, as if it were effortless.
The woman, coughing from the dust, slowly looked up in disbelief.
Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the grime as she clutched her son tightly.
"T-thank you...thank you for saving him,"
She choked out, her voice shaking with emotion.
Rajin didn't respond. His face remained stoic, his eyes devoid of any sign of warmth or recognition but when he looked at the women and the child, he gave a little warm smile to them but it disappeared soon after.
He effortlessly tossed the massive boulder to the side, the slab landing with a resounding crash in the corner of the ruined terminal.
"Get to the shelter,"
He commanded coldly, his voice flat and distant.
The woman nodded frantically, still in shock, as she gathered her son in her arms and hurried toward the nearest emergency exit.
"Rajin! Are you alright?!"
Ryuu shouted as he rushed toward his friend, weaving through the wreckage.
He came to a stop beside Rajin, panting slightly from the adrenaline, but his expression was filled with concern.
Rajin's demeanor, though, was unnerving. His eyes seemed empty—cold and hollow.
No flicker of emotion crossed his face as he turned to Ryuu.
"I'm fine,"
Rajin replied, his voice monotonous.
His deadened eyes briefly locked with Ryuu's before he turned away, staring blankly at the ruined terminal.
Ryuu frowned, his heart heavy with worry.
(What happened to him? he thought, feeling unsettled. Why is he acting so strangely? )
The man before him wasn't the same Rajin he once knew.
His soul seemed distant, as if trapped in a void, emotionless and unreachable.
As the tremors began to fade, the violent shaking of the earthquake slowly subsided.
The terminal grew eerily quiet, filled with the distant sound of emergency sirens and the faint murmur of frightened voices.
People began cautiously emerging from hiding places, checking on one another, relief washing over their faces as they realized the immediate danger had passed.
"What...what was that?"
Masumi's voice trembled as she stood shakily, her legs unsteady.
She clung to Ryoko, who had moved to her side, offering a reassuring smile.
"Such a strong earthquake... I've never felt anything like it before."
Ryoko, her sharp gaze surveying the damage, gently patted Masumi's head.
"It's alright, the worst of it is over," she said softly. "You don't have to be afraid now."
But her calm exterior hid something deeper. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her mind racing.
(This earthquake... it wasn't natural. Something caused this....but who could holds the power, powerful enough to disturb the movement of earth?)
"Now, now! Is everyone alright? Is anyone injured?"
Shigeru's voice boomed over the remnants of panic, stepping forward with a reassuring smile.
The group turned to face him as he approached, his calm demeanor bringing a small measure of comfort to those around him.
"Did you all see what just happened?"
Shigeru asked, looking more serious now.
"This earthquake is one of the reasons for our mission.
Similar seismic activity has been plaguing parts of Europe—France, Spain, Germany. It's becoming more frequent and dangerous."
His voice lowered, drawing everyone's attention.
"The Delian believe that demons are responsible for this—the same demons that have been increasing in number over the past few years.
They think these disasters are linked to the Heavenly Resurrection Array activated by the last Demon King, Ravana.
The array has completed, and the demons it revived has appeared! The demons who have tenth times the power of the last Demon king himself!
In other words the Asuras has appeared!...."
Ryuu's heart skipped a beat as he heard that name—Ravana, the one who knew his true identity. Who stood proudly against even the Devas themselves!
Now they have to face the Asuras, who have the tenth time the power of Ravana himself. What would happen in the future?
This was the only thing that was swirling in his mind.
"The war between humans and demons is coming,"
A ripple of shock ran through the group as Shigeru's words sunk in.
The implications were staggering—on their very first mission, they might face enemies stronger than the last Demon King, who had once defied even the Devas.
Sensing their unease, Shigeru smiled gently.
"There's no need to panic. You all have great potential, and if you work together, you can surpass even the greatest threats.
That's why you were chosen as elite students."
Tuck!!!
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached, and the group turned to see a tall, elegantly dressed man with sharp features and a confident stride.
His black coat swayed slightly as he came to a halt before them.
"Good morning to all of you,"
The man greeted, his voice smooth and authoritative.
"You must be the special force from Japan. I am Matthieu Laurent, head of the Foreign Department of the Delian.
I will be guiding you to your destination."
Matthieu bowed slightly, his expression courteous yet firm.
"I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the sudden earthquake,"
He added with a soft but serious tone.
Shigeru stepped forward, a polite smile on his face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Matthieu. I am Morishita Shigeru, mentor of the Japanese Special Defense Force.
This is my wife, Morishita Akiko, and these fine students are some of the top talents selected by our nation's Association."
Matthieu's eyes briefly flickered with recognition.
"Ah, Morishita Shigeru, the brightest scholar of the World.
An honor to finally meet you."
He then turned to the students.
"You all have quite the reputation, and we are very fortunate to have your expertise in this matter."
Just as Matthieu turned to lead them to their transport, the sound of mocking laughter echoed through the air.
"Hahaha! What are these lowly students doing here?
Don't tell me the famed Japanese Special Force is made up of these… commoners?"
The group turned to see a young woman with long, flowing pink hair, dressed in a luxurious, royal gown.
Several attendants trailed behind her, holding the hem of her dress as she approached.
Her face was a picture of arrogance, her eyes gleaming with disdain as she looked over Ryuu and the others.
"Oh, look! If it isn't Carol, the eldest daughter of the Royal Family of Sweden,"
The girl sneered, her eyes locking onto Carol, who stood quietly to the side.
"What's someone like you doing with these lowborns? Did your family abandon you for being such a loser? Ahaha!"
Carol's jaw tightened, but she kept her composure, her gaze unwavering as she chose to ignore the taunts.
The girl's mocking smile faded when she saw Carol's reaction, her expression darkening.
"You—"
"My lady! Behave yourself!"
Matthieu's sharp voice cut through the air, startling everyone. The girl froze, her eyes wide with surprise.
Matthieu stepped forward, his tone authoritative.
"You are the eldest daughter of the Royal Family of France, Sophie Boucher. I would expect better manners from someone of your station."
Sophie, now looking sheepish, lowered her head.
"I… I'm sorry," she muttered, clearly embarrassed by the reprimand.
Matthieu turned to the group, bowing apologetically.
"Please forgive her. Her Highness Sophie did not mean any harm.
She has difficulty interacting with those outside her circle."
Shigeru gave a gentle nod.
"There's no need for concern. We understand, and it's an honor to meet you, Your Highness."
Sophie's face flushed as she glanced between Shigeru and Matthieu, then quickly bowed in apology before stepping back in silence.
Matthieu sighed, then motioned toward the sleek, bulletproof black cars waiting outside the airport.
"We've already fallen behind schedule. The other international teams have arrived at the Association's headquarters, so we must make haste."
The group followed him outside, and as they stepped into the sunlight, they were met with the gleam of several long, luxurious vehicles, their sleek black exteriors reflecting the bright afternoon light.
"Whoa! These cars are amazing!"
Seichii exclaimed, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of the high-end, reinforced vehicles.
Just as they were about to board the cars, Shigeru's expression darkened slightly. He glanced back at the airport, his thoughts heavy.
These earthquakes, the Azure flame, the dark energy around Seichii, the Asuras, the demons with ten times the power of last Demon king … this is only the beginning.
Ryuu felt it too. As they prepared to face the unknown dangers awaiting them in Europe, the weight of Shigeru's words echoed in his mind.
The looming conflict with the Asuras was closer than any of them had realized, and Ryuu couldn't shake the feeling that his own hidden past was somehow tied to the events unfolding before them.
With a deep breath, he stepped into the car, the sense of foreboding lingering in the back of his mind as their journey into the heart of the impending war began...