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[POV – Yuuki Rito]
The invitation arrived with an elegant plink, holographic, right on our breakfast table. Lala snatched it midair with a "Uaaau!" and the imperial seal opened like a metallic flower.
"Official invitation from Prince Kata of Baroz!" Lala read, winking at me. "Friendly hunt in the Cartoz preserve, worth the title of Number 1 Hunter in the Universe!"
"A… friendly hunt?" Mikan arched an eyebrow, archangel wings discreet—only I, the Presence, let them show when it makes sense. "Friendly for whom?"
"Relax, sis," I said, spinning my mug. Tink. "Clear rules, controlled environment, no cruelty. It's more ritual than sport."
Cerys, impeccable in the maid uniform she'd tailored herself, served tea in silence—clink—but those blue eyes betrayed curiosity. Irina and Xenovia, our Brave Saint neighbors, appeared in the doorway, each with a backpack.
"Hunt, huh?" Irina grinned, a little competitive. "Lord, if You're going, we support."
"As long as 'support' doesn't turn into 'swing a sword at everything that moves,'" Xenovia added, flat.
"Ladies, it's playtime today," I pointed to the invite, which projected a map of planet Cartoz over the table. Dormant volcanoes, dense forests, rivers like blue veins. "Prince Kata is an ally of Deviluke. Everyone will be watching. No overdoing it."
Lala gave a little hop. Poof!
"It's gonna be super fun! Peke, expedition outfits!"
"Affirmative, princess!" Peke projected light uniforms, comm-bots, and… a ridiculously stylish hunter hat. Lala put it on with a "Hehe!"
Haruna doesn't live with me anymore, but she showed up at that exact second—as if destiny had booked an appointment. Light T-shirt, practical shorts, hair tied back. And, shining just for my vision, the subtle halo of an archangel that I lit in her when the world needed light.
"I got the same invite," she said, showing the holo on her phone. "They said the 'fauna' is gentle and the targets are capture markers only. No violence."
"Then it's settled," I smiled. Thump-thump. My chest warmed in that dumb way. "Let's go hunt… stickers."
Cartoz base was buzzing. Vrooom! Small ships landed and took off like nervous bees. Alien flags, stalls with fluorescent juices, weapons that looked more like musical instruments. In the center, an organic platform pulsed—and down it came Prince Kata: tall, dark blue, feline eyes, a living cape that breathed.
"Lala Satalin Deviluke!" he spread his arms, theatrical. "How good to have you back in a fun arena!"
"Prince Kata!" Lala waved back. "This is Rito-kun!"
Kata measured me without ceremony, the way you size up a comet.
"The famous Yuuki Rito…" he smiled, intrigued. "I've heard too many stories on too many planets. They say you are an incomparable… presence."
"They say all sorts of things out there," I answered lightly. "In the end, it's just fair play and people I take care of."
"Hahaha!" the prince laughed for real. "I like that. Today, then, let the most elegant hunter win."
The arena's official announcer, a chrome-pompadour alien, took the mic: Paaah! sound echoing.
"Competitors! The Clear Hunt of Cartoz has three rounds! The goal is to capture living markers and return them unharmed to the shine points! No injuries, no damage to the forest! The winner is whoever scores the most points! Ready… BEEEEEP!"
And the forest swallowed us.
[POV – Haruna]
The trail was a mosaic of leaves whispering shhh-shhh. I breathed deep, keeping my mind in the now, not in the past where I tripped over everything. Since Rito touched me with that light—since I became what I am—my body responds differently. Firmer. More… me.
"This way," I whispered, and the map's marks lined up in my head like stars. Wings tucked, light steps. I felt Lala behind me, Xenovia and Irina on our flanks, Cerys closing the rear with the gaze of a civilized raptor.
"Found anything?" Rito asked, soft voice, a finger on my shoulder blade. Ticking of my heart. Thump.
"Marker at fifty meters. Left. Smells… sweet."
A plop gave away a fallen fruit, and a critter cute as a plush capybara crossed the brush—neon-striped, curious eyes. Lala gasped: "Kyaa!"
"No touching, Lala," I said, laughing. "Let me."
I moved in calm, palms open. Pssst, pssst. The little one sniffed my fingers, the silver light under my skin drawing trust. I slipped the flexible marker on, like a bracelet, and it chirped with joy. Peep!
"One point for the team," Cerys logged on her wristband, efficient.
"That was… beautiful," Irina whispered.
"Focus, angel," Xenovia nudged.
Rito just smiled. The forest smiled back.
Round two started with thick wind—fooooosh—and ground fog. Vegetation denser, sounds closer. I felt the vibrations in the soil before I saw them. THOOM… THOOM… THOOM…
"Something big coming," Cerys warned, eyes narrowed.
"Not hostile," Rito added, and the forest settled like a dog recognizing its owner.
That's when the curveball came from above. Swish! A net of living fiber dropped from the canopy and snagged Rito square on.
"Whoa!" he had time only for that.
"RITO!" Lala shouted, tail bristling.
Cartoz Amazons leapt from branches like green shadows, tribal paint, ornamental spears that were really… comm-antennas. The leader with red braids lifted her chin, proud.
"Captured light-walker. Test protocol. We shall see if he is worthy."
Irina already had a holy card half-drawn; Xenovia, hand on the blade. Rito raised his voice—calm, full.
"It's okay!" he said, caught without being caught. "Part of the trial. I got this."
"He's got this," I repeated, something inside saying "trust."
The Amazons carried him through vines that opened with obedient vrrroosh! Kata, at a distance, watched with the smile of someone who planned half of it.
"It's the 'heart trial,'" Cerys deduced. "Cartoz testing leadership without violence."
"So then…" Xenovia began.
"We watch," I cut in, firm. "And we trust our hunter."
[POV – Yuuki Rito]
Hanging, swaying. Creeeak… creak. I could snap my fingers and turn the knot into morning. But rules have music, and dancing off-beat ruins the party. The Amazons circled me, a curious mix of strength and laughter. The leader raised the spear-antenna:
"Light-made-man, why do you hunt?"
"To prove I can protect without hurting," I replied. "That it's possible to win without breaking."
"Why do so many women gather around you?" another asked, straight.
I smiled. "Because they chose to stay. And because I…" I touched my chest, "chose to be worthy."
The paints vibrated with my tone. The jungle is old; it recognizes resonance.
"If you are what you claim, the forest answers," the leader gestured, and a deep chant rose from the ground. OOOM… "Call your strength. But break nothing."
"Deal."
I closed my eyes and breathed. The Presence doesn't need brightness; it needs intention. I whispered to the space of the fibers: "Let go, I won't hurt you." The net opened like a hand dropping a grudge. Plap. I landed on my feet. The tribe murmured, surprised.
"Worthy," the leader smiled, triangle of white teeth. "Worthy enough to face the next scene."
"The next scene?"
The jungle answered with a roar that shook leaves loose. BRUAAAH!
"Ah…" I grinned. "Here we go."
[POV – Haruna]
The roar tore through the forest like bottled thunder. BRUAAAH! And the ground vibrated. THUM THUM THUM THUM. I ran before thinking, wings bursting from my back—shfaaash!—clear light covering my shoulders. Irina and Xenovia sprinted behind. Cerys flew low like an elegant arrow. Lala, Peke helping with an anti-grav disc: "Let's gooo!"
We burst the greenery in an explosion of leaves. Vrrroosh! The clearing revealed a natural amphitheater: giant trees, stones like sentinels, and at center, a colossal Cartoz gorilla—gray fur, amber eyes, scars of old stories. Before him, Rito stood like a lighthouse, no fear.
"Easy there, big guy," he said, hands open. "Today we just dance."
The gorilla beat his chest. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! The echo hit my ribcage. I dove, landing between them and any excuse for violence.
"Rito," I called, and he turned his face. "Let me?"
He nodded. Our eyes talked in a newborn language.
Approaching a colossus takes the gentleness of someone handling dawn. I opened my hands, serene light widening the air—tling—and I hummed a low, ancient line I learned from silence itself: a melody that says, "I won't take from you what's already yours." The gorilla tilted his head. Amber eyes softened in a primary understanding. I touched my forehead to his—soft tok—and time slowed enough to hear crickets chatting with clouds.
"Come," I whispered, fastening the capture marker to his arm. He huffed, content, accepting the ornament like a flower-gift. Then he turned to the invisible crowd and beat his chest lightly. thump. An honorable surrender.
"Seriously…" Lala had tears in her eyes. "So cute!"
Irina grinned wide. "Got goosebumps."
"Elegance," Xenovia sheathed the imaginary blade.
Cerys logged the points and, for a second, forgot to keep up the pose. She smiled with her whole mouth.
Rito walked to me, slow. The gorilla knelt like a mountain learning etiquette. Rito held out a hand; I took it. Toc.
"You saved the dance," he said, simple.
"You let me save it," I answered, and the universe decided to applaud with wind. Fwoooosh.
Round three turned into a party. The markers seemed to want to be captured—the forest guided us, the Amazons played "almost got you." Kata followed from afar, laughing, tossing comments into the comm:
"Elegant hunter indeed. No destruction. Good. Very good."
When we returned to base, the scoreboard flashed in color: Team Lala/Rito in first, by a hair, thanks to the "gorilla act," which carried a respect-for-fauna bonus. The announcer spun in the air:
"And the Number 1 Hunter in the Universe is… trrrrrr!" he milked it—"…the team that hunted hearts without firing a single dart! Congratulations!"
The crowd roared. WOOOO! Luminous algae fireworks bloomed. Pshhh—pop!
Kata descended to us, cape breathing slowly.
"I told you it'd be fun," he clapped my shoulder, conspiratorial. "Rito, you hunt like someone praying. And your huntress…" he looked at Haruna with respect, "sings like someone who heals planets."
"We're just… us," I said, and Lala giggled.
"'Just you,' huh," Cerys muttered, but the tone was good-humored.
Irina and Xenovia greeted the prince with freshly polished Brave Saint etiquette. Mikan—who had stayed at base handling logistics (archangels do spreadsheets too)—came with towels and fruit water. Cerys handed a cool cloth to the gorilla, who approached the fence and accepted it, grateful. "Well-mannered," she noted—I heard it.
In the end, Kata gave us a trophy that looked like a small domesticated sun, humming softly—hummm. I held it and felt its beat match my thump-thump. Lala rested her head on my shoulder. Haruna stood on my other side, quiet, happy with the simplicity of being there.
"So… Number 1 Hunter?" Lala nudged.
"Only today," I grinned. "Tomorrow I'm back to being instant-ramen cook, dancing-robot tutor, and… neighbor to the Brave Saints."
"And my Lord," Irina teased, winking.
"And my 'mission partner,'" Xenovia completed, not yielding an inch.
Cerys cleared her throat, barely hiding a smile. "And my… employer, I suppose."
"'Family' works," Mikan decreed, and no one dared disagree.
Kata raised his hand one last time. "Until the next hunt. Perhaps… of stars."
"Perhaps… of peace," I replied, and he nodded.
The ship purred. Vruuuum. Cartoz's sky turned lilac with farewell. We took the little sun home. On the way, the gorilla waved a huge hand. Lala answered with her tail. Haruna, with her wings. I, with my heart.
And the forest—which knows everything—answered with a contented whisper:
Shhhhh…