Chapter 255: Sunrise and Breakfast
"Ungh—?!"
Gaia retched a final cloud of white foam, his vision a fractured smear of colors
as the last of his physical strength evaporated. Ren Shiroki released his grip.
The elite soldier went limp, collapsing onto a thick bed of ash. A small cloud
of black soot puffed upward as he hit the floor.
Thud!
Lying there in a daze, Gaia looked up to see Ren Shiroki dusting the blood and
debris from his own shoulders. Ren gave his bicep a heavy, satisfied slap.
CLAP!
Ren turned toward the observers—and the camera Kazuo Yamashita was holding—and
flashed a two-fingered peace sign with a bloody, toothy grin. "I won~!"
"Heh... hehe..."
Gaia couldn't help but let out a weak laugh. He closed his eyes as the distant
sound of cheers reached his ears, drifting into a peaceful unconsciousness.
The scent of gunpowder, the iron tang of blood, and the lingering euphoria of an
adrenaline dump... combined, they sent Gaia into the deepest, most comfortable
sleep he had experienced in years.
Whoosh—
A gentle breeze swept across the roof, carrying the crisp, clean scent of the
morning air. Gaia's eyelids fluttered. Under the stimulation of the soft,
growing light, he slowly opened his eyes.
He saw a deep, oceanic blue sky. It was a clarity you never saw in the
prehistoric jungles—a cool, refreshing dawn unique to this "Steel Jungle" of the
city.
"I see... I really was defeated."
Gaia rotated his neck. He found himself lying on a bed made of folded tactical
jackets. Another jacket had been draped over him like a blanket, and the blood
on his face had been meticulously cleaned away.
The only people capable of such care were his four teammates.
"Hmph. Thoughtful bastards."
Gaia sat up and scanned his surroundings. He looked out toward the horizon, his
eyes squinting against the first sliver of the morning sun.
As he had told Ren, the view from the roof was magnificent. Framed by the
silhouettes of Ginza's skyscrapers, the rising sun didn't look grand or epic; it
looked intimate and purposeful, injecting a slow pulse of life back into the
city.
This sight filled the Deity of the Earth with a quiet joy.
"Haha..."
Gaia laughed softly and turned to look at the crowd gathered on the nineteenth
floor. A massive crater marked the spot where the Unchained had made his
entrance earlier. Since the hotel occupied a massive footprint, a few shattered
floors and broken walls hadn't compromised the structural integrity of the
building.
The roof was crowded with legends.
Ohma Tokita was leaning against a wall in a corner, his body a mummy of fresh
white bandages as Kazuo Yamashita fussed over him. Nearby, a young Kure girl was
watching them from the shadows with a predatory blush.
Hina Hongo, the starry-eyed "Revolutionary Princess," was hopping and skipping
around the roof, her excitement from the night's battle still red-lining. Nozomi
Tenma was desperately trying to calm her down.
Mitsunari Tokugawa was sitting on a folding chair, sipping hot tea. Near the
perimeter fence, Official Sonoda and Ichika Iori had found a spot sheltered from
the wind and were sharing a quiet cigarette.
The Kure Clan—a small army of black-and-eyed assassins—surrounded their
Patriarch, Erio Kure, forming a human shield to ensure the old man's blood
pressure didn't result in a stroke or a sudden murder spree.
What a collection of freaks, Gaia thought.
He looked toward the center of the roof. Ren Shiroki, Arisa, Marco, and Fusui
Kure were gathered in a circle, chatting and laughing as if they were at a
summer festival. Seeing Gaia wake up, Ren raised a bandaged hand in greeting.
"—A fine scene!"
Gaia's mood soared. He took a deep breath, and his nostrils flared as he caught
the scent of roasted vegetables and seared meat. He turned his head toward the
far side of the roof.
His teammates—Kuraishi, the Knife Expert, and the Twins—were busy working with
Biscuit Oliva. Several police officers were assisting them. Beside them lay the
massive corpse of the Giant Bear, already butchered into several high-quality
primal cuts.
"Captain!"
The squad noticed Gaia was awake and waved enthusiastically. This drew Oliva's
attention as well.
"OH~~! Gaia-san! We were just about to start on your bear meat!"
Oliva beamed, spreading his arms wide in welcome. "Ren-kun mentioned you
recommended the sunrise. We figured we'd have breakfast up here to celebrate!"
Gaia studied Oliva for a moment, then his expression suddenly shifted. He bolted
upright and stood in a single, fluid motion.
The movement made the soldiers jump. Compared to the mild-mannered "Nomura," the
true "Gaia" was a terrifying entity. Reliable as a comrade, but bone-chilling as
an individual.
What is the Captain doing?
Gulp— The squad went on high-alert, their bodies tensing.
The next second—Zip-zip-zip!
Gaia snatched up the discarded jackets from the floor and tossed them back to
his men and Ren. He tucked the corners of his own long-sleeved shirt in and
offered a thin smile. "The morning wind is cold. Don't go catching a fever."
"Heh..."
Gaia strolled over to Oliva. Under the giant's curious gaze, he reached out and
gave Oliva's massive, corded bicep a friendly pat.
"That 'American-style' BBQ prep is going to leave the bear meat tasting like a
wet dog. Step aside. Let a professional handle the seasoning."
Gaia barked a command: "ATTENTION!"
The Gaia Squad snapped into a line. Under Gaia's direction, they began a
systematic, military-grade food prep. They handled the bear meat and the side
dishes the police had procured with the same precision they used to clear rooms.
As soldiers, being able to cook a gourmet meal in a ditch was a mandatory skill.
Chopping, stoking the portable grills, boiling water, adding spices—
Before long, steam began to rise from a massive stockpot. A rhythmic, comforting
bubble-bubble filled the air. The stew was nearly ready.
Gaia cleaned his tactical blade and let out a soft sigh of nostalgia.
"This brings back memories. After I settled things with Baki Hanma years ago, I
invited that thirteen-year-old boy to share a pot of stew with me... deep in the
forests of Hokkaido."
As he spoke, Gaia turned his head. He noticed two figures sitting on the very
edge of the roof, their legs dangling over the Ginza skyline.
A teenage boy and a girl.
Looking at the boy's profile, Gaia realized he had almost forgotten: the son of
the Ogre, Baki Hanma.
Gaia paused. He had spent all night fighting, and Baki had been nowhere to be
found. In the chaos of the syndicates and the convicts, he had actually slipped
Gaia's mind.
The stew needed a few more minutes, so Gaia strolled over to Baki's side. He was
curious.
"Oh. Gaia-san. Long time no see."
Baki didn't turn his head. He was holding Kozue's hand, looking out at the
waking city. "Thanks for the backup tonight. It seems we had a lot of friends
looking out for us."
"Don't mention it. I was bored anyway," Gaia replied, standing beside them.
"Time flies. It's been five years since you fought Yujiro Hanma in that forest."
Baki nodded slowly. "Yeah. Almost five years."
"Where were you tonight?" Gaia asked. "I didn't see you in the halls."
Baki smiled gently. "I was right here. Sitting on the roof, watching the night
turn into day. We spent the whole night here."
Gaia: "..."
He couldn't fathom the logic. This was the son of the Ogre. This entire incident
had been orchestrated by the Ogre. Why wouldn't Baki join the battle?
Baki sensed Gaia's confusion and asked a question of his own: "Is there
something wrong with watching the scenery with the person you love most?"
"Ah! I... well..."
Gaia scratched his head, feeling uncharacteristically embarrassed. From anyone
else, it would be a normal answer. but from Baki Hanma? Gaia assumed there was
some deep, hidden martial strategy he was missing.
But then, Kozue spoke up. "Gaia-san, what kind of answer were you expecting from
him?"
"Hm—?"
Gaia blinked, stunned by the girl's directness.
Kozue gripped Baki's hand tighter, displaying their interlaced fingers to the
Super Soldier. "The pursuit of strength is just a basic instinct. But compared
to the one you love... what does being 'The Strongest' even matter?"
Gaia: "..." Gaia: "..." Gaia: "..."
The Deity of the Earth was rendered speechless. His tactical brain went into a
logic-loop, flashing through images of the cosmos before giving up on thought
entirely.
As expected of the Hanma family. Whether it's Yujiro, Baki, or even the girl
Baki picks... they are all on a completely different level!
Gaia stopped overthinking. He sat down and began chatting with Baki about their
lives over the last few years. Their laughter drew the attention of Ren Shiroki.
"Nice. That's perfect!"
Ren walked over, slinging his arms over Gaia and Baki's shoulders. Fusui joined
them, and the group fell into an easy, animated conversation. Nearby, Ohma
Tokita listened in. Having recovered some of his lost memories, the young Ashura
felt a profound sense of peace. His senses were sharper than ever, and his mood
was light.
The sun climbed higher. Gaia stood up, judging the stew to be perfect.
"By the way," Gaia said with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Where is
Sikorsky?"
The four members of the Gaia Squad wore looks of collective frustration. "Don't
ask. While we were all busy watching Ren-kun beat you, the bastard took the
opportunity to jump out the window again!"
Official Sonoda cut in from the side. "The perimeter is solid. Unless he grew
wings, that Russian gecko is still in this building."
Gaia nodded serenely. "Of course he is. A game of hide-and-seek won't save him
from me."
Gaia gestured for everyone to lean over the edge of the roof and look toward a
specific ornamental corner of the facade.
"..."
Sikorsky was currently clinging to the exterior wall of the eighteenth floor. He
was tucked into a dark, recessed corner of the stonework, holding his breath and
waiting for the group to leave so he could make a break for it. He hadn't
realized Gaia had tracked his heat signature the entire time.
Hanging there on the vertical wall, Sikorsky felt a shadow fall over him. He
looked up.
Looking down from the edge of the roof was a row of heads: Gaia, Baki, Ren
Shiroki, Ohma Tokita, Oliva, Reiichi Kure, and half a dozen others.
"Hee-hee!" "Mm-hm." "Ho-ho." "Hahahaha!" "Pfft!"
Every single legendary master on the roof was grinning at him, genuinely curious
to see how long he could hold on, and exactly how he planned to climb up into a
circle of monsters.
Sikorsky: "..."
(End of Chapter)
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