Hataki sat in his room, lost in thought, as his mind wandered to the team's mission. He couldn't shake the unease that had settled in his chest. How are they doing? Is Razor up to something? But what truly troubled him, the one thing that filled him with dread, was Razor himself. He still couldn't understand why Razor, someone with such a shadowy past, had chosen to guide his team. What does he want from us?
Meanwhile, on the snowy nation of Kori-no, the squad had just landed. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, eager for the mission ahead—except for one member.
Akemi turned to Hayato. "Hayato, where's Eiji? He was just with us, right?"
Hayato blinked, a frown tugging at his lips. "Yeah, now that you mention it… Where is he?"
Yoto glanced around and pointed. "Eiji's over there, by the side of the ship."
The team looked over to see Eiji doubled over, vomiting uncontrollably. His face was pale, and his posture twisted in discomfort.
Yoto rushed over to Eiji's side. "Are you okay? You were fine just a second ago, right?"
With an uneasy face, Eiji groaned, "Yoto… please help me. I can't stop vomiting. It feels like a dam has opened inside my stomach."
Hayato rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead. You idiot, Eiji. You could've told me you were seasick. What did you think you'd gain by trying to act tough in front of Akemi? He grumbled to himself, shaking his head before walking over to Eiji.
"Hayato..." Eiji whimpered, watery eyes full of desperation. "Am I going to die?"
Hayato's tone was harsh as he scowled. "You're not going to die. You're just seasick. Now, let's get you treated."
Razor, who had been observing from a distance, approached with a concerned look. "Is he alright, Yoto?"
Yoto nodded. "He needs medical attention. I think he has a slight fever from not taking care of it."
Razor nodded grimly. "Then hurry, the organization's building is not far from here. Let's get him to the doctor."
Yoto bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Sir Razor, and I apologize for his behavior."
Razor waved it off. "Don't worry about it. Let's move quickly."
The team rushed to the organization's building, where they immediately got Eiji the medical help he needed. After a quick examination, they moved him to the squad room to rest.
Yoto, still worried, asked the doctor, "Is he going to be alright?"
The doctor reassured him. "He's fine. He just didn't take care of his seasickness, and that led to a slight fever. He'll be alright after some rest."
Yoto sighed in relief.
Hayato's voice was tinged with frustration. "You idiot, why didn't you tell me sooner? When you wake up, I'm going to smack you."
Eiji, now looking frightened, turned his head away from Hayato, clearly not looking forward to the upcoming 'smack.'
Razor, who had been watching the exchange, stepped forward. "How's he doing, Yoto?"
"He's fine, sir Razor," Yoto answered, still watching Eiji's condition.
Razor handed Yoto a document. "This is your mission. I believe you four can handle it. I apologize for asking so much of you, but it's urgent. People are suffering, and we need immediate attention."
Yoto accepted the mission with determination. "We'll complete the mission, sir Razor. Eiji can rest here, and we'll take care of the mission."
Hayato chimed in, "Yes, sir. We'll help the people who need us, and the nurse can take care of Eiji."
Razor nodded. "Of course. The nurse will handle him. Are you all ready to go?"
The squad nodded in unison. "Yes, sir!"
Razor smiled, watching them prepare. That's what I need from you.
Suddenly, Razor's phone rang. After answering the call, he turned back to the squad. "Sorry, squad. An urgent situation has come up, and I need to leave. You can take care of this mission."
Yoto responded confidently. "Yes, sir. We can handle it."
"Thank you, kid," Razor said, his voice softening for a moment. "Sorry about the sudden change of plans. Take care of yourself."
With that, Razor left, and the squad moved quickly to search for the locations marked on the mission document. The snowstorm whipped around them as they trudged through the cold.
Yoto glanced at the map and pointed ahead. "I think this is the location."
The squad arrived at an open field, eerily quiet, the strong, chilly breeze cutting through the air. There were no signs of life, just the howling wind.
Hayato narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure, Yoto? This is just an empty field."
Yoto, looking at the map again, nodded. "This is where the mission says to go. It mentions we have to fight ice beasts."
Akemi's eyes widened in surprise. "Ice beasts? I don't see anything here, though. The field is empty."
Hayato grimaced. "Ice beasts… Yoto, did they say anything about how they look?"
Yoto shook his head. "No, there's no further description here."
Suddenly, the wind died down, and everything became still.
"The wind… it stopped," Hayato muttered, his voice tense.
Before they could react, Akemi's sharp instincts kicked in. "Guys, circle up! I sense something!"
Everyone quickly covered their backs, preparing for an ambush. Then they heard a low growl echo through the trees.
Out from the forest, something massive emerged. It looked like a wolf, but it stood upright on two legs, its eyes glowing a blood-red hue. Long claws scraped the ground as it slowly approached.
Before they could react, the squad found themselves surrounded. More ice beasts appeared from every direction, growling ominously.
Hayato, trying to stay calm, asked, "Yoto, what do we do now?"
Yoto's voice was steady. "Don't panic. Don't rush to fight them. Wait until they make the first move."
The beasts moved slowly, their growls reverberating through the air. Then, without warning, one of them leaped at the squad.
Hayato acted fast. "Thunder Vein Surge!" Electricity pulsed through his body, surrounding him with an electric aura.
He punched the oncoming beast, sending it flying through the trees. The beast's face dented under the force of the punch.
The remaining beasts seemed to hesitate for a moment before charging.
Akemi, sensing an opportunity, summoned a fierce wind. "Typhoon!"
Snow whipped through the air, lashing the beasts, momentarily halting their advance. But one of the beasts raised its head, and just then, a sword pierced its face, pinning it to the ground.
Akemi shouted, "Come on! I'll slay all of you!"
From the shadows, Yushin moved like a phantom. "Yami Ugatsu Yaiba – Blade that Pierces the Darkness!" Her daggers flashed as she struck at the vital organs of the beasts, cutting them down without them even noticing her.
As the fight continued, they reduced the number of beasts to three.
Hayato, panting heavily, gritted his teeth. "It's exhausting, but there are only three left. Let's finish this fast and get out of here."
Yoto, however, had other plans. "Guys, wait a second."
Akemi turned to him, confused. "What are you talking about, Yoto?"
"I'll defeat them," Yoto declared, determination in his voice.
Hayato raised an eyebrow, stunned. "You? You don't even have powers. How are you going to defeat them?"
Yoto grinned. "Just watch me, guys."
The rest of the squad remained silent but stayed ready to jump in if things went wrong. Yoto charged forward, screaming, "I'll show you what I can do!"
The beasts ran toward him, but just as Yoto prepared to strike, a massive ice dragon appeared from the sky, its massive claws grabbing the remaining beasts in its jaws. The dragon's wings beat the air as it circled the field, casting an ominous shadow over them.
Hayato's voice was tense. "Where the hell did that dragon come from?!"
Akemi gasped. "It's huge!"
Yushin shouted, "Yoto! Get over here, now!"
Yoto turned, but before he could move, the dragon landed in between him and his teammates, its fiery red eyes fixed on him.
Yushin, seeing the danger, ran toward the dragon. Akemi and Hayato followed suit. They attacked with everything they had, but even Hayato's electric punches and Akemi's precise slashes were ineffective against the dragon's thick, armored hide.
The dragon, irritated, swung its tail with terrifying force. Yushin dodged nimbly, but Akemi and Hayato were sent flying through the trees.
Thanks to Akemi's quick thinking, they managed to reduce the impact by using the wind to slow their momentum. Meanwhile, Hayato surged his body with electric energy to absorb the force, minimizing their injuries.
The dragon advanced toward Yoto, who was still standing alone. But then, the dragon suddenly stumbled and looked back in confusion. Its legs were bleeding.
Yushin, baffled, cried out. "What just happened? How is the dragon bleeding?"
The dragon tried to stand but couldn't, its balance gone due to the pain in its legs. It roared in frustration, attempting to unleash a freeze blast.
"Yoto, get out of there!" Yushin screamed.
Akemi and Hayato ran toward him to help, but before they could reach him, a masked man appeared. With a single punch, he struck the dragon's head, pinning it to the ground with immense force. The ground trembled beneath them, and a cloud of smoke enveloped the area.
As the smoke cleared, the squad saw a figure wearing a black cloak and mask standing before Yoto.
Yoto, still in awe, wondered aloud, "Who is this person? He's so strong... He defeated the dragon with just one punch."
The masked figure stood silently, his presence imposing. The squad watched, still trying to process everything that had just happened.