Before Kazuki hit the ground, Nero caught him in her arms. With a smirk, she said, "Good job, kid. That was a really fun fight." She knew he couldn't hear her—he was already unconscious—but the words lingered in the air like a parting gift.
Enea, who had been silently observing the entire battle, approached. From a portal similar to the one Nero had emerged from, he retrieved a flask filled with his blood. When he reached her, he handed it to Nero. Without hesitation, she tilted it and let the blood trickle into Kazuki's mouth. Within moments, the burns and wounds covering his body began to disappear.
"So, what did you think of Kazuki?" Enea asked with a faint smile.
"A bit quiet, but interesting. He makes good expressions—in a word, I like him," Nero replied, her grin widening slightly.
"Yeah, during training, he only speaks when necessary. It's like he goes into a hyper-focused state when it comes to anything physical," Enea remarked.
"What about you, Lord I?"
"You're really not going to stop calling me that, are you?"
Nero laughed. "Sorry, but 'Lord I' is 'Lord I.'"
Enea sighed, exasperated. "Fine, I give up. Anyway, I obviously like him. You know I admire people who push themselves as hard as he does."
Nero smiled again, pleased with his answer.
"By the way," Enea continued, "if you want to head back to our dimension, feel free. I'll take Kazuki to his room."
"No," Nero said, hoisting Kazuki onto her back with ease. "As a thank you for giving me such a fun fight, I'll take him."
Enea nodded. "All right, if you're sure. Go ahead."
As they walked back to the wooden house, Kazuki still unconscious on her back, Nero broke the silence. "You never planned on killing Kazuki, did you? Even if he failed the test."
Enea chuckled. "Of course not. Telling him that was just a way to push him to give his best—and to make him feel the weight of a life-or-death fight. If he failed and I actually killed him, that bastard already warned me I'd lose my universe. His exact words were, 'That would be boring. But if he dies fighting Nero, at least it'll be an interesting death.' That said, even without that warning, I wouldn't have killed him. I don't know what kind of mission that asshole will throw at us tomorrow, but I wouldn't strip Kazuki of his chance to survive."
Nero's grin grew wider, but she didn't comment. The two walked the rest of the way to the house in silence.
Kazuki woke to find himself lying in the bed of his third-floor room in the wooden house. Groggily sitting up, he glanced at his right arm. There were no burns or injuries—Enea must have healed him with his blood again. Scanning the room, he noticed Enea seated on a chair by his bed, his attention focused on a mobile phone.
As soon as Enea noticed Kazuki stirring, he slipped the phone into his pocket. "Good morning—or should I say good afternoon? You've been out for six hours since the test. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah… thanks to your blood," Kazuki muttered. "Was it you who brought me here?"
"No," Enea replied casually. "It was Nero. Technically, since she's a part of me, you could say it was me. But that's not really important."
"Where is she now? If it really was her, I'd like to thank her."
"Sorry, but she's already returned to my dimension. However, she left a message for you. She said, and I quote: 'Boy, that was a very fun fight. If you come back alive from your first mission, let's do it again. I won't hold back next time, so get ready.'"
Kazuki, recalling the brutal fight, felt a chill run down his spine. "T-tell her… I'll think about it."
Enea smirked. "Will do."
"By the way, why are you in my room?" Kazuki asked, raising an eyebrow.
Enea leaned back, feigning indignation. "Is that how you thank someone who waited six hours for you to wake up, just in case you were confused about what happened? But since you seem fine, I'll leave. I thought you might be hungry, so I left some rice salad with cutlery on your nightstand. It's probably different from the rice you're used to in Japan, but I hope you like it."
Enea stood, heading toward the door. Just before leaving, he paused and turned back. "Oh, one last thing—set your alarm and wake up early tomorrow. If you oversleep and that bastard calls you while you're still in bed, I doubt it'll be pleasant." With that, he left the room.
Alone, Kazuki's stomach growled loudly. He grabbed the plate of rice salad from his bedside table and started eating. The dish, though cold, was surprisingly flavorful. Mixed with the rice were tuna, olives, eggs, and a variety of other ingredients that created a satisfying taste. Still, nothing compared to the simplicity of his sister's grilled fish and rice.
As he finished the meal, fatigue from the fight lingered in his body. Deciding not to take any chances, Kazuki set his alarm to wake him earlier than usual, just to be safe.
Though a gnawing anxiety about the next day threatened to keep him awake, exhaustion eventually won out, and he drifted off to sleep.
The alarm clock read six in the morning. Kazuki stirred and sat up, relieved to find himself still in his room in the wooden house—a sign he hadn't overslept. The weight of yesterday's fight seemed to have lifted; his energy was fully restored. After quickly dressing, he stepped out of his room. The house was silent, the lights still off, suggesting Enea hadn't woken up yet. With nothing else to do, Kazuki headed downstairs and settled on the sofa to wait.
About half an hour later, Enea descended the stairs, crossing through the living room on his way to the kitchen. Spotting Kazuki, he asked, "Do you want something for breakfast, or are you too restless to eat?"
Kazuki knew that Italian breakfasts were usually light and sweet. If he said yes, Enea would probably hand him a pastry or yogurt. In truth, the anxiety about the impending mission had dulled his appetite, but he didn't want to admit it. "Yeah, could you grab me a white yogurt?"
Enea opened the fridge and pulled out two containers: one berry yogurt for himself and a white one for Kazuki. Handing the latter over, he watched as Kazuki reluctantly peeled it open and began eating on the couch. Enea sat at the table, casually spooning his own yogurt.
When Kazuki finished, he asked, "So, when does the mission start?"
Enea shrugged. "He didn't give me a specific time. Soon, a portal should show up here in the living room. It'll take us to his room, and that's where he'll explain the mission."
"So you don't know what the mission is either? Or even where it'll take place?"
"Not a clue," Enea said, leaning back in his chair. "That bastard almost always gives the details at the last second. Sometimes he even drops you into the mission without telling you anything, only to give you instructions days, weeks, or even months later. But there's one thing I'm sure of: he'll send me with you."
As if he had heard them, a large black portal appeared in the middle of the living room. Its surface shimmered, both liquid and gaseous, as if it were alive.
"Looks like it's time," Enea said, standing and stretching. "You ready, Kazuki?"
Kazuki took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Yeah," he replied simply, rising from the sofa. Together, the two stepped into the portal.
On the other side was the same mystical room Kazuki had seen seven days earlier. It was just as surreal and vast, as though suspended in the void. Waiting for them was the imposing figure of the nameless entity who had upended Kazuki's life. The entity's familiar smile was as unsettling as ever.
"Welcome back, Kazuki Kenmoto," the entity said. "From what I've seen, Enea has already explained most of the essentials things to you. Now, will you agree to work for me?"
Kazuki met the entity's gaze, his voice firm. "As far as I know, if I don't agree, you'll destroy my universe and kill my little sister. I can't let that happen. So, yes, I accept, old man."
"Perfect," the entity said, his smile widening. "Then let me explain your first mission."
Kazuki and Enea both nodded, and the entity began his explanation.
"Your mission will take place on a version of Earth where dinosaurs never went extinct. Humans still exist in this world, but they face constant threats from the enormous, dangerous creatures that roam the land. As a result, they've developed unique adaptations. They live in massive, isolated cities that function as independent nations, separated by vast wilderness. These humans also possess mutations—special abilities that arose from their harsh environment—and some areas of their technology are far more advanced than what you're accustomed to. I will place you near one of these cities. Your task is to stop a rebellion being secretly organized there. That is all the information I've decided to share. If you have questions, feel free to ask—but I'll answer only if I feel like it."
Kazuki took a moment to absorb the information before asking, "How will I communicate with the people there? I'm guessing they don't speak Japanese."
Before the entity could respond, Enea spoke up. "Ah, I forgot to mention this when I explained our shared abilities. Any language you hear will be automatically translated into the one you know best. The same goes for anything you say—it'll be translated into a language the listener understands. This also applies to reading and writing. But be careful: the translation is automatic, so you can't control when it happens. It can sometimes get confusing."
Kazuki frowned slightly, trying to grasp the implications. It seemed like a skill with only positive aspects, but he nodded nonetheless. "Got it," he said.
"I won't answer anything else, but just in case: do either of you have any final questions?" the entity asked, his gaze sweeping over Kazuki and Enea.
The two remained silent.
"Perfect. The mission officially begins the moment you arrive in this universe. There's no set time limit for its completion—only the lifespan of the current queen. Enea, as usual, you are forbidden to use your research skills to locate the rebels. Well, boys, I'm sending you now. Do your best and, of course, entertain me."
A familiar black portal materialized beneath their feet. It was the same kind that had taken Kazuki to his training, but this time, he didn't resist or scream. Instead, his gaze locked onto the entity, his mind resolute. "I'll complete this mission," he vowed silently, " and I'll see my sister again."
The portal deposited them in a dense tropical forest. Towering trees stretched skyward, their canopies blotting out most of the sunlight. The air was thick with humidity, and an orchestra of unfamiliar animal sounds echoed through the forest—cries and calls unlike anything Kazuki had ever heard before.
"So, which way do we go?" Kazuki asked, glancing around. The trees were so tall and the undergrowth so dense that it felt like they were in an endless green labyrinth. "That old man said he'd drop us near the city, but if we pick the wrong direction, we'll definitely get lost."
Enea smirked. "If the city's as massive as he said, I should be able to see it from above."
Before Kazuki could respond, Enea vanished in a blur of speed. By now, Kazuki was used to Enea's sudden disappearances, so he simply scanned the area for him. Within moments, he spotted Enea standing high above, as if he were supported by invisible ground, surveying the forest from above the treetops.
After a few seconds, Enea reappeared beside him, as effortlessly as he'd left. "Straight ahead," Enea said, pointing. "It's a few kilometers from here. I didn't see any buildings, but there's some kind of dome—looks like it's made of some kind of energy. My guess? It's there to protect the city from flying reptiles or dinosaurs."
"Dinosaurs?" Kazuki echoed, his tone incredulous.Earlier he had been too distracted by the rest of the information to fully process what the entity had said about dinosaurs, but now it hit him. The thought stirred a mix of disbelief and excitement—like the thrill of a childhood dream come true. "Do you really think we'll see them? I mean, dinosaurs? That seems completely ridiculous."
"Absolutely," Enea replied without hesitation. "Though they probably won't be the exact dinosaurs you've seen in movies or read about. They've had millions of extra years to evolve, so expect some surprises. But trust me, he doesn't lie about the information he gives. What he does do is leave out important details. So, don't assume we've got the full story."
"Fair point," Kazuki said, nodding.
Enea turned toward the direction of the city. "Anyway, let's get moving. I hate camping, so let's try to reach the city before dark."
Kazuki agreed, and the two began making their way through the forest.
After a few minutes of walking, Kazuki noticed something odd. Despite the cacophony of animal sounds earlier, they hadn't encountered a single creature. The oppressive heat of the tropical forest was beginning to wear on him, sweat clinging to his skin and making his shirt stick uncomfortably to his back.
"Enea," Kazuki said, panting slightly, "how can you stand wearing a sweatshirt in this heat? Aren't you boiling alive?"
Enea smirked. "Bring your hand closer to me and find out."
Though puzzled, Kazuki complied, extending his hand toward Enea's sweatshirt. He stopped just short of touching it, his eyes widening in shock. "It's… cold!" he exclaimed. A refreshing chill radiated from Enea, forming an invisible barrier of cool air around his body.
Enea grinned, clearly amused. But before Kazuki could ask more, a distant commotion caught their attention. The unmistakable sounds of people fighting echoed through the forest. Both boys instantly tensed, their focus shifting to the direction of the noise.