-Aimi's Perspective-
I still can't believe Masa is gone. He didn't deserve to die. It's because of my stupid brother. I hate him. I won't ever talk to him again; he's now a stranger to me. Kaito hasn't woken up yet from the fight yesterday, and I hope he stays unconscious forever.
It is raining peacefully. We are in a cemetery, and it's like the clouds are crying for Masa's passing.
I look down at Masa's grave. Kajiwara and I made a special gravestone for him that reads, "Masa Yoshikawa."
I fall to my knees, tears streaming down my face. We don't even have his body to bury; he deserves at least that much.
We don't know Masa's parents or his mother because it seems that his father died. We don't know where his mother lives. She must be worried sick, and little does she know her son is dead.
I wipe my tears away with my sleeve, and Kajiwara puts his left hand on my shoulder while holding an umbrella with his right hand.
"C'mon, let's give Masa a happy passing. He wouldn't want us to stay depressed," Kajiwara says softly, which seems impossible with how loud he usually is.
I nod and put a bundle of assorted flowers gracefully down.
"Rest in peace, Masa. You were the best friend a person could ask for," I say my final words.
Kajiwara gets on one knee and puts down a bottle of sake.
"I was hoping we could share a bottle once we were old enough. Thanks for also knocking sense into me during our fight," Kajiwara adds.
Kajiwara gets up and starts to walk away. I just sit down, still mourning for Masa.
"C'mon, puddle princess. Let's go, Masa can rest well now," Kajiwara says, trying to get me to come with him.
I slowly get up and follow Kajiwara back to the capital.
The next day, I go to school forcefully because my mom made me. I didn't have the energy to do anything. It was like I was completely broken and hollow from the inside.
The same goes for Kajiwara. He is usually loud and boisterous, but I didn't hear a peep from him today. During our magical training, he let himself get hit and was okay with it, which is unusually odd for a hot-headed guy like him.
School ends, and Kajiwara and I leave together.
In the distance, I notice Sora walking up to us. I'm also never going to forgive him for what he did to Masa.
"What do you want?" I say coldly, full of disgust.
Sora sighs and shyly smiles. "Sorry, I just wanted to know how you guys were doing. We still need to work together to defeat the Masked Oni."
I don't want to waste another word on this man. I look towards Kajiwara to have him answer for me instead, but he just stands there with his eyes closed.
Me and Sora look at Kajiwara, thinking he fell asleep on his feet, but then he speaks. "I think I know where the Masked Oni are hiding," he says calmly.
"YOU DO?" Sora and I yell in unison.
"How do you even know, Kajiwara?" I ask.
"I put one of my Earthworm Trackers on him and I've been tracking their location for the past day," he replies. Then, angrily, he adds, "These bastards have been staying here in the capital, in plain sight!"
"No way!" Sora says in disbelief. "I didn't think they were here! How did they even get entry? No wonder that jailbreak was so easy for them."
"Kajiwara, what is their location?" I ask, excitement building. Finally, we can finish what Masa, Kajiwara, and I started.
"It's behind Noukan Restaurant, the abandoned warehouse," Kajiwara replies.
"G-got it, let's go now before sunset," I say shakily. This is where Masa worked part-time, and where we got ambushed a while back.
I place my hand on my chest. Thank you, Masa, for saving me that day. Now we will end what was started.
We arrive at the abandoned warehouse in about fifteen minutes, then we tiptoe in front of the huge, wide silver steel door.
I hear some chattering and see Sora asking with his hand whether we should go in.
"Wait, don't go yet. We can gather intel. You two look behind for anyone," I whisper. I press my ear against the door and close my eyes, listening carefully.
"Ahhh, so this is the heart of the Abyssal Wyrm?" a man says, but it doesn't sound like one of the three Masked Oni.
"Wow, it's much smaller than I expected. Considering the size of that beast!" another man says, surprised.
"As promised, we will help you take revenge against the Aethoria kingdom," a third man says sincerely.
"Thank you. Do you think we will be able to beat them?" I think the nunchuck oni guy asks.
"Surely, the Yoshikawas will have their revenge," he adds.
Wh- The Yoshikawas? The Masked Oni are the Yoshikawas? How come they didn't realize Masa? Are they not from the same family? I need to tell Kajiwara and Sora.
As I turn around, I lose my balance and fall with a great thud.
"Someone is eavesdropping!" a guy yells.
"Well, shit, our cover is blown. Might as well go all out," Sora says frantically.
Sora creates a sharp blade with his Air Magic and quickly cuts a rectangle shape for us to go through, like the same thing he did when he came to save us.
Before any of us can go inside, Kajiwara rushes in blindly like a charging bull, his magic overflowing, thirsting for battle.
"All you bastards will pay for Masa's death. If you hadn't shown up, he would be fine," Kajiwara yells as loud as he can, his voice booming in the enclosed area.
Kajiwara then takes his wand and yells just as loudly, "Earth Magic: Terra Confinement!" A huge barrier made of pure sparkling diamonds forms, its shimmer enhanced by the lighting of the warehouse, blocking all the exits.
"Get ready to join Masa, you fiends!" Kajiwara then takes a deep breath, stomps on the ground with all his force, and roars, "Earth Magic: Zakaza's Earth Shatter!"
The ground rumbles, the floor starts to crack, and debris of the warehouse falls down. We all fall to our knees from the sheer earthquake Kajiwara created.
Even with the intense shaking, Kajiwara stands firmly on his two feet, his magical energy still unwavering.
-Masa's Perspective-
There are three bold writings, one above the rest and the other two slightly below. The writing below seems to have the guild's name. Maybe it is a ranking of how good each team did compared to the rest?
But aside from that, the one in first place has a very familiar logo.
I take out the journal from my back pocket left behind by the Oni Mask cult. I turn to the first page and sure enough, there is the same logo.
I drop the book, my hand shaking. Remembering the fight with the group. How the hell are they here? Almost across the world?!
I quickly check my surroundings, fearing that they are right behind me, ready to kill me at any chance they get. But all I notice are people laughing, playing games, drinking, and generally just being happy.
Some people look at me, laughing as if I've seen a ghost.
I'll figure this out later. I need to first learn to translate this darn quest! I tell myself, frustrated.
I put my hood up, hoping that the Oni Mask cult won't notice me.
As I walk to the library, I notice magical items being displayed for sale in a shop window. I look inside and see various magical items, maybe one that can help me read the foreign texts.
I go inside and get greeted by a really tall guy wearing knight's armor. He's probably the guard here.
As I look forward, I see tons of people here, as well as magical items.
I go around the aisle looking for something that might help me. There is a great assortment of swords, spell books, wands, armor, and pretty much everything you need.
My eye then catches a pair of glasses. I walk to them, put them on, and look into the mirror.
Wow, these glasses are so tacky and thick. They kind of look like Sora's glasses.
I turn around and, as I was about to put them back, my eye focuses on the price tag below the glasses.
Suddenly, a blue text appears in front of me that reads:
Magical Auto-Translate Glasses
Price: fifteen coins.
Bingo! This is what I needed! Something that can translate into the language I know. Well, even though these glasses look terrible, I need them for now.
One problem: I only have one coin and there's no way the store clerk would give me these for a single coin.
I stand there for a minute, stumped on what to do. Maybe I should just work and come back when I have enough money to buy it.
Nah, I don't have time for that. I need this as soon as possible! Then an idea pops into my head.
I remember when I summoned Kuroyami, he was able to take his scythe out by creating some portal with Reaper Magic.
I look around, making sure no one is around me, and I close my eyes, channeling the Reaper's magic to my palms only, trying to limit how much is leaving my body.
I then imagine a portal and lift my palms in front of me. Then, from thin air, I feel the portal creating.
I open my eyes with a big smile, proud of what I just created, and I quickly store the glasses inside and close the portal.
Let's go! I was able to do it without anyone running for their life at full speed when they feel a touch of my magic.
I strut to the entrance of the magical store, ready to leave.
Before I leave, the store guard pats me down, is satisfied, and lets me go. I give a smile before leaving.
I grin to myself and start to skip like a little schoolgirl after leaving school, ready to try my new glasses out.
Suddenly, I feel a sharp sting in my upper abdomen.
I look down and see the tip of a sword sticking out, blood dripping down.