[Scene cuts to SAIFUR and ECTO, who stand a few feet apart, tension crackling in the air.]
SAIFUR (coldly): Why did you leave me alone?
[ECTO scoffs, tilting his head slightly, a smirk playing on his lips.]
ECTO: Well, someone here got some level-ups, huh?
SAIFUR: ANSWER THE QUESTION!
[ECTO meets his gaze, unreadable, then shrugs nonchalantly.]
ECTO: Well… it was my plan, you know? To tease you, make you think I was going to leave you.
SAIFUR: What?
ECTO: You heard me right. I planned on retrieving my real scythe from my dimension to finish off that monster. But then… I saw you managed to defeat it alone. I was surprised, not to mention I ran into a weird fellow on my way there. And no, it wasn't one of your friends.
[SAIFUR's eyes narrow, thoughts racing.]
SAIFUR (thinking): What is this guy talking about? He always killed me right before I could strike Iota… What does this mean?
[ECTO crosses his arms, sighing.]
ECTO: He caused a lot of trouble, you see? Even my clothes— which I so dearly protect— got scratched.
[SAIFUR's mind reels. If ECTO always intervened before he could land the final blow, how could this 'other person' have been there?]
SAIFUR: Doesn't that mean… there was another person present?
[For the first time, uncertainty flickers across ECTO's face.]
[SAIFUR recalls the black-hooded stranger from that evening. His presence had felt off— unnatural.]
SAIFUR: THAT GUY…
[He clenches his fists and demands answers.]
SAIFUR: What did that guy look like?
[ECTO chuckles, seemingly amused by the sudden urgency.]
ECTO: He wore a black hoodie, so I couldn't see his face. I wish I had, though. He seemed way too strong. I didn't have an opening to attack him… So, in the end, I ran.
[SAIFUR stiffens in disbelief.]
SAIFUR: YOU ran away?! Of all people?!
[ECTO's smirk falters for a second.]
ECTO (thinking): Damn. I shouldn't have admitted that…
[He straightens, feigning indifference.]
ECTO: Well, yeah! A knight should know when to turn his back, isn't that right?
[SAIFUR sees right through him.]
SAIFUR: He must be strong if he got YOU running.
[His mind lingers on the black-hooded figure. Was his encounter real or just another illusion?]
ECTO: That's all there is to it. What really caught me off guard was you managing to kill that monster on your own. That's impressive.
[SAIFUR watches him carefully, something unsettling about his sudden pacifist demeanor.]
SAIFUR: Why are you talking like this?
ECTO: Hm?
SAIFUR: Weren't you my enemy? We attacked you first.
[ECTO smirks.]
ECTO: Well… someone has to be the bigger person and let others have their way, right?
[SAIFUR chuckles dryly. The tension between them dissolves, replaced by an odd understanding.]
[Suddenly, the countdown to kill ECTO flickers— glitching— before stopping completely.]
[Before either can react, a deafening roar pierces through the sky. The very air warps as something colossal emerges, tearing through the fabric of the world. A monstrous form crashes down, sending a shockwave that nearly knocks SAIFUR and ECTO off their feet.]
[As the dust settles, the creature stands tall. Its body is jet-black, its limbs grotesquely muscular. A single, massive eye glares at them, unblinking.]
SAIFUR: Hey… is that thing related to Iota?
[ECTO grins.]
ECTO: Bingo. AND THIS ONE'S FAR STRONGER.
[A glowing name hovers above the beast: THETA.]
SAIFUR (thinking): Why do their names sound like a term from a book…?
[ECTO's eyes gleam as he hurls his scythe skyward.]
ECTO: Unlike that balloon, this one relies on brute force, not illusions.
[He glances at SAIFUR.]
ECTO: GO!
[SAIFUR sprints forward. Theta lunges, attempting to crush him in one devastating swing, but SAIFUR slides beneath, leaving it open for attack.]
[Above, the scythe reaches its peak— then descends like a meteor. As ECTO flicks his wrist downward, the weapon hurtles toward its mark, embedding itself in Theta's head. The beast staggers, dropping to its knees.]
ECTO: I'll leave the rest to you.
[SAIFUR smirks, conjuring wind blades along his arms. He dashes forward, slashing Theta's limbs, severing tendons, ensuring it can no longer move.]
ECTO: And now, for the finale.
[He strides toward the immobilized monster, placing a hand against its single eye. With a slow, deliberate clench of his fist—]
[—Theta's head implodes, splattering the ground in thick, black ichor.]
SAIFUR: What the...
[ECTO wipes his hand against his coat.]
ECTO: Amazing, right?
[Before SAIFUR can respond, a voice— fierce and filled with rage— cuts through the tension.]
AQUA: I WON'T LET YOU KILL ANYONE!!!
[SAIFUR turns, eyes widening as Aqua charges forward, glowing tentacles flaring behind her, ready to strike.]
SAIFUR: AQUA, WAIT! WAIT!
[She halts, eyes burning with suspicion.]
AQUA: What's going on here?!
[SAIFUR hurriedly explains everything. Aqua listens, her fierce expression softening— but only slightly.]
AQUA: So… ECTO isn't a bad guy?
[She shoots a death glare at ECTO.]
AQUA: Right?
[ECTO swallows hard and nods.]
[SAIFUR, eager to change the subject, asks urgently:]
SAIFUR: MORE IMPORTANTLY— THE LEAF! DID YOU FIND IT?
[Aqua's expression darkens.]
AQUA: We… lost it.
[SAIFUR's heart sinks. The hope of reviving Steller feels impossibly distant now.]
SAIFUR (quietly): Then… there's only one way left. We need to go after the last leaf. Tell me where it is. I can reach it fast.
[Aqua shakes her head.]
AQUA: That's not possible… Maybe only Tackler could. Your speed is nothing compared to his. What about him? Have we found him yet?
SAIFUR: I don't know… I haven't heard from Hound—
[A sudden, ground-shaking thud cuts him off. A blue glow pierces through the settling dust.]
[A figure emerges. A girl, clad in a high school uniform, her pale white skin almost luminous, her hair flowing as if caught in an unseen breeze.]
???: I JUST HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND CAME TO CHECK! ARE YOU ALL OKAY?!
[The sight of her leaves them frozen. ECTO's eyes widen as he recognizes her.]
ECTO: THAT'S THE GIRL WHO CAME THROUGH THE PORTAL WITH THE POISON GUY!
[SAIFUR and AQUA stare in shock— until Aqua's eyes brim with tears.]
AQUA (voice trembling): S-ST-STELLER… YOU… ARE ALIVE!
[Steller barely had time to react before Aqua threw her arms around her, squeezing her tightly. The embrace took Steller by surprise, but she felt a wave of relief knowing Aqua was safe.]
[Saifur, still catching his breath from the previous ordeal, blinked at Steller in amazement.]
"Woah... Steller, how did you do that flying thing?"
[Steller hesitated, then tried to play it off. "What do you mean? It's the easiest thing ever," she bluffed, attempting to lift herself off the ground again—but nothing happened. She frowned, trying again, but her feet remained firmly planted on the wet earth.]
STELLER: I don't know why I can't… I just jumped, and then I was in the sky. Then I decided to come here!
Saifur gave her a blank stare. "That's… way too not detailed."
[As their reunion carried on, Ecto stood a few paces away, shifting uncomfortably. He exhaled and muttered under his breath, "I throw my hands…"]
SAIFUR turned to him. "Huh?"
ECTO repeated, a little louder, "I throw my hands. That's all I'm saying."
SAIFUR furrowed his brows. "No, no, what does 'throw my hands' even mean?"
[Ecto chuckled, looking at them with amused fascination.]
ECTO: Are you sure you're the one designed to kill me?
[Steller sighed and quickly explained the meaning to Saifur and Aqua, who both nodded in delayed understanding. Saifur, not wanting to look clueless, coughed and crossed his arms. "Oh… but we weren't even fighting in the first—"]
"To be blunt," Ecto cut in, "I find it a waste of time to spar with you all. I know I'd lose if this fight dragged on. You all have potential… just don't know how to use it."
AQUA shot him a skeptical look. "Why the sudden compliments?"
"To give the impression that I don't want to fight," ECTO admitted smoothly.
It seemed as though the tension had started to ease—until Aqua narrowed her eyes.
AQUA:"Oh yeah? Then why did you cut Tackler's hand?"
[The question struck like lightning. The moment Steller processed it, her whole body tensed. She clenched her fists and shifted her stance, her guard now up.]
[Ecto let the silence linger for a moment, the sound of rain drumming against the earth the only thing filling the void.]
AQUA scoffed. "What's with the buildup?"
[Ecto exhaled, rolling his shoulders as if settling into a long story.
"When I teleported to this world, I was lost. No sense of direction. No clue where to find the Leaf. Then I saw a guy—wearing a school uniform. Didn't have much on him, except an ice sword. I took the pacifist approach—I didn't want a fight. I was weak. And despite my looks, I'm good at heart… unless someone messes with me. But when I approached, he assumed I was a monster. He attacked first."
SAIFUR, arms still crossed, nodded: "Makes sense. Looking at you, even I would've attacked."
[Ecto visibly twitched at the comment but continued.]
ECTO: "So, since he initiated it, I had no choice but to fight. He was a good opponent, but not used to swords. I could tell."
[Saifur's expression darkened.]
SAIFUR: In a fight to the death, you either stab the opponent in the heart… or embrace your own death. Why did you cut his hand?
Ecto's voice lowered: Because if I didn't… he would've killed me. The electric charge in his hand—it could've caused an explosion like the one that just happened.
AQUA raised a brow. "What happened to your gravity thing?"
"It was consumed," Ecto admitted. "I lost it in another dimension. That's why I came for the Leaf. That's why I cut his hand. I was already dead. My soul would've shattered if I hadn't."
Saifur took a moment before nodding slowly.
SAIFUR: "Oh… self-defense thing then."
Ecto clapped his hands together. "No worries, though. I forgive people. Maybe I can help him get a new hand. A metal one, of course."
SAIFUR's interest piqued. "Where?"
[As Ecto rambled about where they could find a replacement, STELLER's thoughts swirled. Something didn't sit right. Then, like a knife through the haze, a realization cut through.]
STELLER: "What the hell was Tackler doing alone? Didn't THEBE tell us all to stick together?"
[Aqua and Saifur exchanged hesitant glances, their silence speaking volumes.]
Steller's voice sharpened. "Hey. Where's Tackler?"
Ecto shrugged. "That, I don't know. Haven't seen him since then. Not even with them."
[Aqua clenched her jaw saying: "Someone shut this guy up!"
[Steller turned back to Aqua, her voice now a dangerous edge.] "Where. Is. Tackler?"
[The heavy silence stretched.]
[Finally, Saifur exhaled and muttered, "He went to kill OP User alone. But it's fine now. Tackler's down there. We just found him. Hound went to get him." He forced a small, relieved smile.
Ecto, entirely unfazed by the tension, tilted his head & said: "Not to interrupt, but… did I prove myself as a friend yet?"
Everyone ignored him.
[Steller's anger began to simmer down, though her eyes remained sharp. Aqua, however, still had one lingering question.]
AQUA: "Steller… h-how are you alive?"
STELLER exhales :"I'm not answering until I see every single one of you with my own eyes."
[That seemed to settle things for now. Saifur turned to Ecto and said, "If you're really our friend, then walk away from this world. You got your life back. You have no reason to be here anymore. Just leave. I don't think you can even open a portal back to our world. So—"
Ecto smirked. "Who said I can't open a portal to your world?"
The air shifted. Steller, Aqua, and Saifur froze.
"What?" AQUA whispered.
STELLER stepped forward. "You can get us back? To our world?"
ECTO grinned: "What do you expect from an otherworldly being, huh?"
SAIFUR hesitated. "I don't know if I should be excited or cautious, but please. Take us back."
ECTO puffed out his chest dramatically. "Worry not! I shall grant you a path home! Go, gather your people! I'll make the arrangements! And don't forget—mark this name in your minds. Ecto saved your lives!"
[Without hesitation, Saifur, Steller, and Aqua turned and ran to fetch the others.]
"We'll get them! Just wait!" Saifur called over his shoulder.
[As they rushed off, Ecto suddenly raised his hand.]
ECTO: Actually, wait.
[They skidded to a stop, turning back to him.]
ECTO pointed at Saifur: "You. Boy. Stay. I need your help. The rest of you, go get the others."
[Aqua and Steller hesitated, then exchanged glances before sprinting off into the rain. Saifur turned back to Ecto, unsure what to expect next.]