Silence fell over everything.
The shouting, the footsteps, everything vanished as if it had never existed.
All that remained was a suffocating emptiness.
"It's so hot… it feels like my body is burning…"
Amid Deepgreen, Almond's gigantic body stood still.
He had set himself ablaze, forcing his body to grow to an enormous size.
"Right… that brat… he defeated me…"
In front of him stood Shinji, Lio, and Akidou, exhausted, unable to fight anymore.
"This is bad… none of us can fight anymore…"
Akidou clutched his injured arm, backing away in panic with the others.
Almond stepped forward.
Each heavy step cracked the ground beneath him, burning the grass to ash.
"Why… can't I control my body…"
All he could do was watch helplessly as his own body moved on its own.
"It's too hot… it hurts…"
The air around him warped from the heat.
Everything burned beneath his feet.
"I don't want to kill them anymore… give Cashew back to me…"
One more step and suddenly, he stopped.
"What… why did I stop…"
Almond turned his head.
And then.
"Ca… Cashew…?"
In the distance, she stood there.
Her pink dress fluttered gently in the wind, her smile just as gentle as that day.
"That dress… that day…"
Almond froze.
Then, as if pulled by something unseen, he turned and walked toward her.
Cashew stood there, smiling.
But in Almond's eyes, the world was no longer pink.
Everything was dyed in a burning orange.
Veins of red streaked across his vision.
"It hot… my eyes… my chest too… it feels like burning coal…"
One of his legs began to tremble.
And the moment he reached her, his knees gave out.
His massive body collapsed, the wind howling as the grass rustled violently.
"You're still… as beautiful as that day…"
Almond trembled as he reached out.
His enormous hand, charred black, cracked apart.
"So… Almond… wasn't a bad person…"
His vision blurred, turning red under the scorching heat.
He embraced her.
"I won't… abandon you ever again…"
One of his eyes had completely lost its sight, shutting tightly.
But he still held her close.
When he opened his hand again—
Cashew stood gently in his palm, small and fragile.
She smiled.
"Almond… will you come with me?"
Almond gasped, his voice breaking.
"I will… it hurts… I don't want to stay here anymore…"
But then.
Her body began to crumble.
Her hands turned into dust.
Her face cracked, blood streaming down.
Her beautiful pink dress decayed and scattered into the wind.
"No… no…"
Almond panicked, reaching out, but his hand passed right through her.
"Please… don't leave me…"
Cashew still smiled.
"I'll be waiting… for you… on the hill…"
She disappeared.
Almond clutched the empty air, as if embracing her one last time.
His vision shattered—nothing but a thick red haze and unbearable pain tearing through his body.
"Cashew… it's so hot…"
But to everyone else—
Almond was simply clutching Cashew's severed head.
Flames erupted, consuming it, burning it into ash.
Everything went silent.
Almond's eyes sank into darkness.
A gentle breeze passed by.
"It's cool… it doesn't hurt anymore…"
Leaves rustled softly.
"It feels… just like the hill…"
Everything silence.
No fire.
No wind.
Only an endless void.
"Wake up, Shinji. We've arrived at Heavenfield."
A voice echoed from afar.
The sound of engines.
Metal.
People calling out.
"Wake up. Sleep any longer and you'll be stuck in there."
Shinji opened his eyes.
He was inside Wrat—the machine that brought them out of Greenpath.
He touched his head, frowning slightly.
"Alba…? When did I fall asleep…?"
Alba stood in front of him, Lio behind him.
"Not too long, maybe a few hours."
Shinji looked at them, his voice slowing.
"Did you two… see Almond… and Cashew…?"
Alba and Lio exchanged glances, then looked back at him in confusion.
"What are you talking about? Those two are dead."
Shinji opened his mouth to respond—
But his head spun, and no words came out.
Alba sighed and lifted him up.
"What's wrong? Saw someone big like me make you reminded of him?"
He carried Shinji out of Wrat.
Outside, people were carrying Akidou and Omelet on stretchers.
"Akidou… Omelet…"
Shinji murmured.
"Why… does it feel so distant… like I just came back from somewhere far away…"
He looked down at his hand.
"Why is it so hot… and my legs… so cold…"
In the distance, Captain Tetsutaro was giving orders.
"These two are badly injured! Get them to the infirmary, now!"
Then he added:
"Take them to Station 3—the one on the first floor is out of service!"
Shinji looked around.
Everything slowly became clearer.
People. Sounds. Reality.
He let out a quiet breath.
"…Right...we made it back."
And yet, somewhere deep inside, that burning sensation still remained.
Zoe, Beast, and Ceasar stepped out as well.
They froze, looking up.
The white station stretched endlessly before them, so vast that their small Musheria bodies seemed almost invisible.
"What the hell is this..."
Zoe muttered, eyes wide.
The three of them ran down onto the platform, looking around in awe.
"It's even bigger than Grandpa's house inside the Perga tree…"
Zoe exclaimed, while Beast and Ceasar ran around, startling nearby workers.
Tetsutaro approached, crossing his arms with interest.
"Hey, I know someone who's going to love you guys."
He waved them over.
From the cockpit, Wonton stepped out, his body still covered in oil stains—even his thick beard.
"You planning to take them to Stella? She'll probably roast them the moment she sees them."
In the distance, Alba set Shinji down.
"Let's go. Infirmary first, then deliver the thing we got from Greenpath to Supreme Grand Commander Odin."
The group began moving.
Along the way, Shinji kept his head down.
He nearly bumped into a passing worker.
"Are you blind? Open your eyes kid."
Lio gently tapped his shoulder.
Shinji flinched and looked up.
Lio gestured with his hands, his eyes filled with concern.
Shinji stayed silent for a moment, then spoke softly.
"I… don't know…"
He looked down at his palm.
"It feels like… Almond and Cashew… are still somewhere nearby…"
At that moment, a steel wall blocked their path.
Alba blinked, knocking on its cold surface.
"What's this? Who put a door here?"
Shinji stood there, distant, as if not fully present.
A loud cough came from behind.
"Look, some strangers are stuck"
They turned around.
Lumber stood there, his weird helmet removed, revealing long pale blond hair.
"Only Commander or Grand Commander can open that door."
Beside him, Gumber stepped forward.
Unlike his brother, his blond hair was cut short and neat.
He pulled out a blue card and inserted it into a small slot on the door.
"Since we're Commander candidates, Odin gave us this a few days ago."
A soft click echoed.
"Now that you're back, go find something to eat, kids."
Lumber said with a grin.
"I've got a feeling… I'll be leading you on missions very soon."
Shinji finally seemed to regain some clarity.
He lowered his hand and looked at them—then at Alba and Lio.
Lumber crossed his arms.
"By the way… your shoulder's stiff. Not comfortable at all."
Alba frowned immediately.
"And you're heavy as a rock."
Before Lumber could react—
Alba suddenly grabbed both Shinji and Lio and bolted.
Behind them, Lumber froze for a second—
Then veins bulged on his forehead.
"What did you just say?! I'll rip your mouth off!!"
He chased after them, but couldn't catch up.
Footsteps and shouting echoed through the vast white station.
Shinji was no longer dazed.
He looked at Alba. At Lio. At everything around him.
"I really… come back home…"