Night Falls Slowly
The group sets camp near the mountain path.
No one talks much after the attack.
Too many thoughts.
Too many questions.
A Fire Burns Quietly
Its light flickers against exhausted faces.
Akari Breaks the Silence First
"…So."
A pause.
"…Can we talk about the psycho assassins now?"
Yui immediately nods
"…Please."
Kenzaku sits with arms folded
"…The important part wasn't the fight."
Hiroto looks toward him
"…The Black Daimyo."
Kenzaku nods once
"…Yeah."
That name alone changes the atmosphere
Akari notices immediately
"…You all keep doing that weird silence thing every time a dangerous person gets mentioned."
Goro answers calmly
"…Because some names carry weight."
Yui lowers her voice slightly
"…Who is he?"
Silence
Then Tamagichi finally speaks
"…A ghost."
Akari blinks
"…That explained absolutely nothing."
Tamagichi continues calmly
"…Very few people have seen him."
A pause.
"…Even fewer survive meeting him."
Hiroto remembers the armored figure from before
The overwhelming pressure.
The judgment in his voice.
"…The man in black armor…"
Tamagichi's eyes shift toward him
"…You figured it out."
Yui's eyes widen
"…WAIT—that was HIM?!"
Akari immediately reacts
"…THAT monster was the Black Daimyo?!"
Goro answers quietly
"…Most likely."
Kenzaku's expression hardens
"…So we already crossed paths with the real enemy."
Tamagichi immediately corrects him
"…No."
Silence
Then—
"…You crossed paths with a shadow of him."
That line lands heavily
Akari stares at him
"…You're kidding."
Tamagichi doesn't respond
Which is worse.
Hiroto looks down at the fire
Thinking.
Remembering those words:
You're nowhere near my level.
His grip tightens unconsciously
Tamagichi notices
"…Don't rush your hatred."
Hiroto looks up sharply
"…What?"
Tamagichi's voice stays calm
"…People who chase revenge too early die quickly."
A long silence follows
Then Hiroto quietly asks—
"…Why is he after me?"
Nobody answers immediately
Because the answer matters too much.
Finally—
Tamagichi speaks
"…Because the blade threatens everything he stands on."
Kenzaku narrows his eyes
"…The Ten Shadow Clans."
Tamagichi nods once
"…And more than that."
Akari exhales loudly
"…I'm starting to realize every answer just creates five more questions."
Yui mutters nervously
"…I miss normal problems…"
For once—
Even Hiroto smiles slightly.
Small.
Tired.
But real.
Then—
The Blade Pulses Again
Hard.
Urgent.
Everyone feels it this time
The fire suddenly bends sideways
As if pushed by invisible pressure.
Hiroto's eyes widen slightly
"…It's reacting again…"
Tamagichi immediately stands
His expression sharpens dangerously
"…No…"
The mountains ahead begin trembling faintly
Dust rises into the night sky
Yui steps back
"…What's happening now…?!"
Then—
A deep sound echoes from within the mountains
Not an explosion.
Not thunder.
Something ancient moving
Tamagichi stares toward the ruins silently
For the first time since this arc began—
He looks genuinely unsettled
Deep beneath the ruins—
One of the massive chains finally snaps completely.
And in the darkness—
Something begins to breathe.
To Be Continued