No One Speaks
Even after he's gone—
The silence remains.
Heavy.
Unshakable.
The Air Feels Different
Not because he's still there—
But because they felt him.
Hiroto Is Still on One Knee
Breathing uneven.
His hand trembles slightly on the blade
"…That… was…"
He can't finish the sentence
Akari steadies herself nearby
"…Yeah…"
A pause.
"…I know."
Yui sits down where she stands
"…I couldn't even breathe…"
Kenzaku remains standing
But his expression—
Tighter than usual.
"…That wasn't just strength…"
Goro finishes it quietly
"…That was dominance."
That word sticks
Hiroto slowly stands up
Still shaking slightly
"…He wasn't even trying…"
No one denies it
Tamagichi walks toward them
Calm again—
But more serious than ever.
He stops in front of Hiroto
A long silence
Then—
"…Now you understand."
Hiroto looks at him
Eyes sharp—
But shaken.
"…That's what's waiting for us…"
Tamagichi nods once
"…Yes."
Akari clenches her fists
"…Then we need to get stronger. Fast."
Tamagichi responds immediately
"…You won't catch up."
That lands hard
Yui looks up
"…Then what are we supposed to do…?"
Tamagichi's voice lowers
"…Survive long enough to matter."
Silence again
Hiroto looks down at his blade
It's quiet now
But he remembers the feeling
That pressure—
That gap—
His grip tightens
"…Then I'll close it."
Tamagichi watches him carefully
A long pause
Then—
"…No."
Hiroto looks up slightly
"…What?"
Tamagichi's tone sharpens
"…You won't close that gap."
Another pause
Then—
"…You'll survive inside it."
That changes everything
Kenzaku exhales quietly
"…So that's the level…"
Goro nods
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…And we're not even close."
Akari looks frustrated
"…I hate this."
Yui whispers softly
"…Me too…"
But Hiroto—
He's calm now
Not because he's okay
But because he's decided
He lifts the blade slowly—
Eyes steady
"…Then I'll grow until that gap breaks."
To be continued…