Seiya shook his head vigorously, banishing the intrusive thought of adding Hayne to the stagnant list of those who care for him. He had endured far too much to succumb to fleeting gestures of kindness that would evaporate with time.
He preferred to cling to the belief that only his mother and siblings genuinely loved him.
As they ventured deeper into the eastern part, they arrived at a peculiar bridge. Its foundation was made of gleaming black shells that stretched along the base to connect two paths, with no rails to secure them on either side. Beneath the bridge lay a deep wide pit, its bottom barely visible.
Cautiously, Seiya and the children started crossing the precarious structure, careful not to tumble over the edge. The footpath was rough and uneven, making each step a challenge.
As they reached the midpoint, Seiya halted abruptly, forcing the others to stop behind him.
"Is something wrong?" Hayne asked.
Ibyu. Seiya called.
{Hm?}
You've always told me to focus on honing my strength—not just physically but by drawing on your power as well.
{And?} Ibyu's voice held a note of confusion.
I'm not always accurate when sensing threats, but… Seiya's gaze dropped to the glistening surface beneath their feet. Aren't there countless pulsating cores coming from below?
The others exchanged confused glances, unsure why Seiya had stopped. Eiro stepped forward, a furrow forming between his brows.
"What are y—"
Before he could finish, the bridge gave way—its footpath began to collapse.
In that instant, they realized the truth: the 'bridge' was no structure at all but a cunning formation of ants. These creatures, with their black, metallic exoskeletons, had woven themselves into a seamless, deceptive path.
As the bridge collapsed, the group started plummeting into the chasm below.
Gasps and screams filled the air, but before they could fall deeper, they found themselves suspended, floating mid-air.
Some ants tumbled into the pit, their steel-like shells absorbing the impact, while others crawled swiftly along the pit walls, their movements precise and deliberate.
The ants had planned this—luring their prey onto the faux bridge, letting them fall into the depths where escape seemed impossible so they perish.
Amidst the chaos, Seiya's mind raced. Whose ability had saved them from plummeting further? His eyes landed on Hayne, whose expression betrayed strain.
"This is the best I can do" Hayne admitted softly. "With my Awakened Ability, I can slow the momentum of things I touch or share a deep connection with. It's not time manipulation, as you can see—the world moves normally. And it's not flight either. We're still falling, just… very slowly."
"But once we're within range" Hayne added grimly, "those ants will attack" He warned, glancing at the ants below, waiting in the pit.
They were trapped, unable to push themselves to safety. Fear rippled through the group as they floated helplessly, descending inch by inch into the pit. Faces grew pale and hearts thudded like drums, the sound grating on Seiya's ears due to his ability.
"Let me down" Seiya demanded.
"What? It's dangerous!" Hayne protested. "We're too high up—you'll never land safely."
"Why argue with him? He said to let him down so do it!" Eiro snapped, clicking his tongue.
"Y-yea. If he…wants to…then…" One of the girls stammered, averting her gaze.
Murmurs of agreement rose among the others, pressuring Hayne.
"Do it" Seiya repeated.
"Fine!" Hayne relented, though his face was tight with worry. "But be careful."
As Hayne released him, Seiya clenched tighter the bundle of mandibles slung over his shoulder and started plummeting downward. The rush of cold air tousled his hair as he fell, his gaze locked on the ants below.
When they noticed his approach, the ants released a cloud of noxious purple gas.
"Poison" Seiya muttered, landing just beyond their reach. In one fluid motion, he propelled himself backward, leaping onto the pit wall. He clung to its rough surface with a single hand digging into the wall. His legs, honed and muscular, tensed so tightly to maintain his perch on the vertical surface—a maneuver the ants believed only they could accomplish.
The poisonous mist drifted upward, thinning in the breeze but still reaching the group above.
"It's poison! Cover your noses and breathe as little as possible!" Hayne shouted, his voice tight with urgency.
Below, Seiya assessed the ants. Their tactics might work on others, but his resistance to poison rendered their efforts futile. He dove into their ranks, striking with precision and speed as the others slowly descended, witnessing his prowess. One by one, the ants fell under Seiya's relentless assault, their strategy unraveling.
By the time the others reached the ground, Seiya had already annihilated the swarm. Exhausted but unyielding, they regrouped and continued their mission, rescuing the remaining children scattered throughout the dungeon.
Ironically, the bridge-ants had been the dungeon's final challenge. With the children safe and the dungeon cleared, the group was teleported back.
As they emerged, Seiya's father rushed toward him, pride evident in his expression.
"You've done exceptionally well!" he exclaimed, gripping Seiya's shoulders. "To think you defeated those giant black ants and in such a way—it's astonishing!"
Seiya, however, felt no satisfaction. His mind lingered on memories of the ice elves, the only creatures to ever instill true, paralyzing fear in him—an experience no other encounter had matched. Compared to that harrowing experience, no dungeon, no monster, has been able evoke the same terror.
And for some reason, he seems to easily defeat any and every monster that doesn't tick or stir that emotion within him.
So for Seiya, there was no triumph in today's victory. Only a nagging desire remained: to confront the ice elves once more and conquer the fear that still haunted him.
Noticing his distant gaze, his father questioned. "Why did you keep talking to yourself though? Is it a new technique I'm unaware of?"
Seiya recalled having some conversations with Ibyu outside his mind so he replied honestly. "I…was talking to my heart" he blurted out.
His father and those around him gazed at him with puzzled looks, concluding his fatigue might be making him go bonkers.
"Oh okay? Alright" His father gave in awkwardly.
"Have him healed immediately! Let them all take a bath and eat something light before they head off to bed" Seiya's father instructed.
It was already late at night, past their bedtime even. Not because they spent too much time in the dungeon, but because it was already that late before they headed in.
As instructed, Seiya and any other that needed healing were healed. They all took a bath, changing into another pair of uniforms before they left to eat.
After eating, while the others went to their various dorms, Seiya was summoned by his father.
Despite how amazing Seiya's father thought of Seiya's feat, something pricked badly at the back of his heart.
This has built up doubt causing worry to accumulate inside him.
Seiya stood in front of his father in the office. His face blank and his eyes almost void of anything.
His father said nothing but stare for a whole while into Seiya's distant eyes.
The silence stretched for a while more before he spoke.
"You accomplished an extraordinary feat today, hence, Suhei's life will be spared" He said and paused, silence stretching between them again.
It was as if he was scanning and observing Seiya.
Seiya's expression remained impassive, his reply a simple "Mn."
A flicker of irritation crossed his father's face as he beat his index finger on the table.
After a long pause and tense atmosphere, he spoke again.
"Your mother…"
Seiya's dull eyes slowly spread open like a flower blooming for the first time, a glimpse of emotion breaking through his stoic façade at the mere mention of his mother.