[Location: Island of Death]
After an endless dark night, the sun finally showed its face, painting the morning sky in shades of orange and gold. Birds sang deep within the jungle while the wind howled through the gaps between the trees, carrying a fresh and soothing scent across the island.
Yet the peaceful atmosphere was disrupted by the bellowing roar of an engine.
The train raced along the tracks, tearing through the morning air.
Inside, there were no ordinary passengers.
The cabins were occupied by future hitmen.
The number of aspirants had drastically decreased since the beginning of the journey. Only a handful of seats remained occupied, with barely two to four people inside each cabin.
In one of the compartments, Sayuri sat on a cushioned bench.
Her eyelids covered her purple eyes, suggesting she was in a deep sleep. Her white shirt was stained with dried blood, most of it hidden beneath a brown overcoat draped over her shoulders. Minor scratches could be seen on her blue pants, while dirt clung to her slippers. A cool breeze entered through the window, gently moving her medium-length dark hair.
Directly opposite from her, on another cushioned bench, lay Hikaru.
The tie holding his hair had come undone, allowing his black hair streaked with white to fall freely. A few loose strands rested across his face. His silver eyes remained closed, making it difficult to tell whether he was merely sleeping or still unconscious.
As everything seemed normal, Hikaru slowly opened his eyes.
The hazy clouds obscuring his vision gradually faded away, revealing the world around him without any hurry.
His silver eyes scanned the surroundings.
A train.
He was inside a train.
Bracing himself against the cushioned bench, Hikaru pushed his body upright. The moment he moved, pain surged through every muscle and bone. His battle against Hayuka the previous night had left his body battered, and even the simple act of sitting up sent dull aches spreading through him.
At first, he didn't notice Sayuri.
His attention was drawn toward the dense jungle rushing past outside the window. Endless trees blurred together beneath the morning sunlight, their emerald leaves swaying as the train thundered through the island.
Hikaru took a slow, deep breath.
The fresh air cleared the remaining fog from his mind.
Only then did he notice Sayuri sleeping on the bench opposite him.
Her face looked exhausted.
Strands of dark hair rested across her cheeks while the gentle rocking of the train failed to wake her.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Hikaru's lips.
"I don't know why you're here, but I wouldn't recommend a girl like you becoming a hitman. The underworld is far harsher than you can imagine."
Before he could think further—
{Attention, please. Candidates currently present inside the train. You are being transported to the far edge of the island, where ships are waiting for all enrolled candidates.
Upon boarding the ships, a small test will be conducted during the journey toward the S.A.O Institute—the place where raw talent is refined into diamonds.
Thank you.}
A cold, professional female voice echoed throughout every cabin of the train.
Sayuri jolted awake immediately.
"Aaaah—!"
Her eyes snapped open.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
She took several heavy breaths before finally calming down.
As her vision focused, she noticed Hikaru sitting across from her, calmly tying his hair back into a small ponytail.
"Oh, you woke up," Sayuri said in her usual underconfident tone. "Last night, you and that guy called Hayuka vanished from my sight the moment your fight started. It took me a really long time to find you."
For a moment, there was no reply.
Then Hikaru finally spoke.
"I don't know the reason, but you should live your life as peacefully as possible rather than becoming a hitman."
His voice remained flat and serious.
Sayuri immediately waved her hands.
"N-No, you misunderstood!"
She sat straight.
"I don't want to become a hitman."
Hikaru confusion rose.
"I want to become a spy. You know... like those really cool people in movies."
The moment she said it, her eyes sparkled brightly.
A proud smile appeared on her face.
Meanwhile, Hikaru felt a slight pain in his heart.
After surviving a deadly examination where countless people had lost their lives—
Her motivation was simply wanting to be like a movie character.
"Heh."
A small chuckle escaped his lips.
Not out of mockery.
But admiration.
Somehow, despite everything, she had survived.
Sayuri immediately narrowed her eyes.
"Hey! Why are you chuckling? Isn't being a spy cool?"
Embarrassment crawled across her face.
Hikaru looked away toward the passing jungle.
"No."
Sayuri froze.
Then he added,
"It's absolutely cool to be a spy."
His teasing yet flat voice only made her face grow redder.
"Hmph."
She crossed her arms.
Meanwhile, Hikaru's gaze remained fixed on the scenery beyond the window.
The sunlight flashed between the trees as the train continued forward.
"I wonder what they're doing during this vacation..."
His thoughts drifted toward Sarah.
Toward Mina.
And toward Rio.
For the first time since waking up, a faint sense of longing settled quietly within his chest.