Kai and I reappeared within the towering inner halls of Ryujin, the magic pulse of our teleportation fading behind us like the trailing remnants of a dream. The moment we landed, I could feel the surge of energy in him. His face lit up, and his steps bounced with a barely contained excitement.
"That was…" Kai began, eyes bright as he turned to me, but I lifted a hand to halt him mid-sentence.
He blinked. "What… is it?"
"That," I said calmly, meeting his eager gaze, "was only the first step of the mission. We still have the second part to complete before we can call this your first success."
His enthusiasm faltered, surprise blooming across his face. He was still cloaked in Ace's form, but the illusion was beginning to fray. His real nature—softer, younger, untouched in places—peeked through the hardened persona.
