As everyone struggled to grasp the meaning of his cryptic words—
Shingin slowly opened his eyes, his gaze blankly sweeping across the room before settling on Riyugi. Riyugi leaned forward hurriedly, her voice soft and filled with concern. "Shingin, how do you feel? Does it still hurt anywhere?"
Shingin frowned slightly and glanced down at his freshly bandaged wound. Testing the movement of his arm, he seemed surprised. A faint, strained smile appeared on his face as he said, "I… I'm fine. Actually, I feel much better than before. Almost… great?"
His statement left everyone stunned. The speed of his recovery was beyond belief. Riyugi and Yahageshii exchanged glances, their expressions marked by a mix of astonishment and unease, as if suspecting this might be an illusion. Yet the evidence was undeniable—Shingin not only regained consciousness but appeared visibly revitalized.
In the corner, the boy who had treated Shingin sat quietly, methodically organizing the gauze in his hands before placing it back into his kit. He glanced at the group, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
It was then that Shingin noticed him. The boy's fiery orange hair stood out sharply against the dim light, and his crimson eyes seemed to glow with a blood-like intensity. Instinctively, Shingin tensed, but learning that this boy had saved his life, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly and muttered, "Um… thank you for helping me. May I know your name?"
The boy's smile widened slightly, his tone casual yet laced with a subtle hint of mockery. "Toudo Akari."
"Akari, is it?" Shingin nodded, visibly more at ease. "I'm Shingin. Really, thank you. I don't know what would've happened without you."
Akari waved a hand dismissively, his demeanor relaxed. "Don't mention it. I just happened to be passing by—it was nothing."
Yahageshii, however, wasn't so quick to let his guard down. His sharp eyes locked onto Akari, his voice cold and probing. "Passing by? Alone? Through a desolate city like this?"
Akari chuckled softly at the challenge, his smile calm yet tinged with faint derision. "You're here, aren't you? If you can be in this place, why can't I?"
Yahageshii found himself momentarily at a loss for words, but his wariness didn't diminish.
Sensing the tension, Shingin quickly interjected, "Sorry, we were attacked earlier on the road, so we have to be cautious."
Akari glanced at Shingin, his lips curling into a subtle smirk. He seemed unbothered by the explanation and remarked quietly, "Judging by the wound, it was inflicted by another ability user. And you—you must be their leader, right?"
Shingin hesitated, then let out a bitter chuckle and shook his head. "Not quite a leader, but yes, it was an ability user."
"Wait!" Riyugi cut in, her voice sharp with suspicion. "How do you know about ability users?"
Akari didn't answer immediately. Instead, he shook his head with an amused chuckle before replying, "It's not hard to know. It's just that your perspectives are… rather limited."
Riyugi frowned deeply, dissatisfied with his vague response. Yet before she could press further, Akari shifted gears, his tone growing more pointed. "For instance, the fight at that school recently. Or… the explosion in that underground facility. The heavy casualties."
The moment he said this, Shingin and Riyugi's eyes widened in alarm, and they instinctively stepped back. Those incidents were from their past secret missions! How could this boy know about them in such detail?
Akari seemed unfazed by their reactions, his expression remaining composed as he added, "Ability users across the world are becoming restless. And all of it… stems from a singular trigger."
The room fell into a tense silence, everyone holding their breath as they waited for him to elaborate.
After a moment, Akari spoke again, his tone low but deliberate. "The Hidden Forest Lake."
The atmosphere froze instantly.
Myouka's eyes widened, and she gasped in disbelief. "It's real? It's not just a legend?"
She had mentioned the legend before in passing, never expecting it to hold any truth.
Akari glanced at her, his expression laced with faint amusement. "Of course, it's real. A place that grants wishes—whether for ability users or ordinary people, it's irresistible."
Shingin frowned deeply, his voice steady but heavy with skepticism. "We don't have a specific purpose. We're only following the direction of the legend, but… my real goal is to find someone."
"Find someone?" Akari raised an eyebrow, his interest seemingly piqued.
Shingin nodded, his tone solemn. "Yes, I'm searching for my younger brother and sister. They've been missing for years."
"Your sister?" Akari repeated the word softly, his tone almost indifferent. Yet as he finished speaking, the air around him shifted dramatically.
It was as though the atmosphere itself had thickened. The oppressive aura radiating from Akari made the entire group tense up once more, their instincts screaming of danger.
Shingin noticed the change and quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
But Akari didn't respond immediately. Instead, he chuckled softly to himself, a strange, unreadable expression crossing his face.
The group watched him warily, fear and confusion clouding their minds. His words, his demeanor, even his mere presence filled them with unease. It was as though they stood on the precipice of a coming storm.