For several minutes, nobody spoke.
The temple remained quiet.
Sasaki was the first to stand.
Alfie stood shortly after him.
Jackson was still sitting on the mat, staring at the floor.
"How do they know so much about us?" Jackson asked calmly.
Sasaki looked toward the old man, who was still sleeping.
"That's the most surprising thing about them."
He crossed his arms.
"It's almost like they've been watching everything that's been going on in our lives."
Alfie extended his hand toward Jackson.
"Come on, Jack. We're going to figure this out."
Jackson looked at his hand before grabbing it and standing up.
"I know we will."
The three of them slowly walked toward the temple entrance.
Sasaki opened the massive door.
The moment they stepped outside, they noticed the Silenters who had been training in front of the temple were no longer there.
The area was empty.
The blonde girl who had brought them to the temple was standing in the corner.
Sasaki looked around.
"I think your job here is done. We already know our way back."
He glanced around again.
"There's supposed to be someone here... not you."
The girl turned toward him.
"Oh..."
She smiled gently.
"That's not true, Reaper."
Sasaki raised an eyebrow.
"My job just got started."
She pointed toward herself.
"And I'm the one you're looking for."
"Huh...?"
Sasaki's expression became confused.
"How's that possible?"
"Don't underestimate me, you idiot."
Her smile remained.
"I'm your private tutor, no matter how you look at it."
Sasaki stared at her.
The girl pointed toward a large building farther away.
"The Silenters are having their lunch break in that building."
She immediately raised a finger.
"And don't call them that."
Sasaki frowned.
"They'll ignore you. Be polite and approach them as a friend."
She then stretched out her hand.
Renshi began gathering beneath her feet.
Within seconds, it formed a flying skate.
She stepped on it with one foot.
"Hop on."
Sasaki stared at the Renshi skate.
"Huh?"
"I'm not getting on that."
He crossed his arms.
"I can fly on my own."
The girl looked at him.
"I'm the tutor here."
Her voice became serious.
"I give the orders now."
She pointed toward the skate.
"Hop on."
"No."
Sasaki immediately replied.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
"For the last time..."
She paused.
"Hop on."
"Never."
Sasaki shook his head.
"I'm not getting on that thing. I can fly."
He pointed ahead.
"Just lead the way. I'm right behind you."
The girl sighed.
"We can do this forever."
She stepped onto the skate.
"You're wasting your time, not mine."
She turned toward Alfie and Jackson.
"Both of you better get going."
Then she looked at the Renshi skate.
"Just hop on, Reaper. It won't bite."
Alfie pointed at it.
"Yeah, Mr. Reaper. Just hop on."
"Shut up, Alfie!"
Sasaki shouted.
Jackson shook his head.
"Let's get going, Alfie."
He started walking toward the building.
"They'll come to an agreement sooner or later."
Alfie followed him.
---
As they walked toward the building, Jackson suddenly spoke.
"Hey, Alfie."
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course. What's up?"
Alfie glanced at him.
"Hopefully it isn't about what that old man said back there."
He smiled.
"Because I don't care about what he thinks."
Alfie placed his hands behind his head.
"You're the smartest kid I know."
He paused.
"Gusto is smart too, but you're smarter than him."
Jackson looked at him.
"Who's Gusto?"
Alfie blinked.
"You've never heard me talk about him before?"
"No."
Alfie smiled slightly.
"He's a boy about my age."
He looked ahead.
"I'm a month older than him."
Alfie exhaled.
"We lived in the same town in Guhan. He was my best friend."
He smiled as memories came back.
"He usually came around to our house and played with me and my brothers before he was sent to the Shinra Academy."
"Oh..."
Jackson nodded.
"I see."
They continued walking.
After a few seconds, Jackson spoke again.
"What was the question you wanted to ask, Jack?"
Jackson stopped for a moment.
"I just wanted to confirm something from you."
He looked at Alfie.
"Do you sometimes feel like I'm a burden?"
Alfie's expression changed.
"Like you guys are always having to protect me?"
Jackson continued.
"If you feel I'm someone who always needs protection..."
He looked down.
"I know you're a good person, but the thing is..."
He clenched his hands.
"I'm not proud of myself or my strength."
Jackson exhaled.
"And I know that's one of the reasons I overthink everything."
He looked toward Alfie.
"Because I can't afford to get into situations that could end my fragile life."
Alfie stared at him for a moment.
Then....
THUMP!
He casually punched Jackson on the shoulder.
"You're a bigger moron than I expected, Jack."
Jackson rubbed his shoulder.
"What?"
"How can you call yourself a burden?"
Alfie continued walking.
"You did the unthinkable by tracking your father all the way from Guhan to that border on your own."
He looked back at Jackson.
"You should've lost that fragile life of yours if you were as weak as you think you are."
Jackson remained silent.
"There are so many opportunities and so many options for you to grow stronger if you want to."
Alfie continued.
"Having the urge to get stronger doesn't mean you're weak."
He pointed at Jackson.
"And everybody needs protection sometimes."
Jackson listened carefully.
"Sometimes you need protection from people who are stronger than you. That's fair enough."
Alfie smiled.
"But what can a kid your age do when you're not strong yet?"
He shrugged.
"You train."
They continued up the short staircase.
"You get stronger as you grow up."
Alfie looked at Jackson.
"You're probably twelve or thirteen, which means you're two or three years older than me."
He smiled.
"But that doesn't change the fact that you're still a kid who needs to grow."
They reached the top of the stairs.
"So put that brain to work and get yourself stronger."
Alfie faced him.
"Don't think like you've been a burden when you've been very important to us."
Jackson stood silently.
He didn't know what to say.
After a few seconds, he smiled.
"I think I needed that."
He looked at Alfie.
"Thanks."
Alfie grinned.
"You're welcome anytime, redhead."
"Don't call me that."
"The mouth is mine."
Jackson stared at him.
Alfie smiled.
They both continued toward the building.
Then....
A voice suddenly came from somewhere above them.
"PUT ME DOWN!"
Alfie and Jackson looked upward.
"Hey! Let go of my hand!"
Sasaki was flying through the sky.
His hands were tied to the Renshi skate belonging to the blonde girl.
The girl stood comfortably on top of it as they flew toward an empty mountain some distance away from the temple.
Sasaki's body hung beneath the skate.
"You see?!"
He activated small tornadoes beneath his feet.
"I can fly!"
The girl laughed loudly.
"Struggle all you want!"
She continued flying.
"I'm the tutor here!"
The two disappeared into the distance.
Alfie shook his head.
"Mr. Reaper is just too stubborn."
Jackson laughed quietly.
He reached for the door.
But before he could touch it.....
CREEEAK...
The door opened by itself.
Alfie and Jackson froze.
Five young people stood on the other side.
Four of them were taller and bigger than the two boys.
One was around Alfie's height.
The oldest male stepped forward.
His large black scythe rested behind him.
"Huh..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
His voice was serious.
Before Alfie could answer, the teenage girl beside him spoke.
"Get lost."
She crossed her arms.
"We don't have time for you."
The archer boy standing beside them folded his arms.
"You might want to hear them out first."
But the boy with the two curved swords shook his head.
"No need to waste your time."
He looked at Alfie and Jackson.
"The Clan Head already told me about them."
His expression became disappointed.
"They turned out to be weaker than I thought."
He rested his hand near his sword.
"What a disappointment."
The youngest girl looked toward Jackson.
She slowly exhaled.
"I've never felt such a weak Renshical aura before."
Jackson's expression tightened.
He could feel the pressure coming from all five of them.
Alfie, however, gently laughed.
He stepped forward.
He raised his head and looked directly at the curved-sword user.
"Tell me one simple thing."
The boy stared at him.
"After you said all that..."
Alfie's expression became serious.
"What did you feel inside?"
The boy didn't answer.
"Invincible?"
Alfie continued.
"Powerful?"
He took another step.
"Untouchable?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Or..."
He paused.
"Rude, arrogant, and stupid?"
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
The oldest boy's eyes narrowed.
"You might want to watch that mouth of yours before you lose your head."
The two girls chuckled.
The archer boy sighed.
"Let's not get too serious."
He looked toward Alfie.
"Give them a shot."
"I don't think they deserve one."
The curved-sword user stared directly into Alfie's eyes.
Then.....
SHING!
In the blink of an eye, his sword left its scabbard.
He moved with incredible speed.
The blade headed directly toward Alfie's head.
Alfie didn't flinch.
He remained completely still.
Then....
A dark Renshical hand suddenly emerged from his back.
CLANG!
The hand caught the sword.
The force shattered the blade.
Pieces of the sword fell to the ground.
Everyone froze.
The dark Renshical hand slowly disappeared back into Alfie's body.
The archer boy's eyes widened.
"Such quick reactions..."
He stared at Alfie.
"There's no way he can move like that without using Renshi."
The curved-sword user frowned.
"He's just a coward hiding behind his undeserved Renshi."
The broken pieces of his sword suddenly began moving.
They gathered together.
The blade reformed.
The boy calmly returned the sword to its scabbard.
Alfie smiled.
"Oh..."
He tilted his head.
"Looks like someone's jealous."
The boy's expression darkened.
"Go get your undeserved Renshi and come cut my head off."
Alfie smiled mockingly.
The archer boy chuckled.
The other four looked at him.
He immediately stopped laughing.
The curved-sword user clenched his fist.
"This won't work."
He turned away.
"I told Master."
SWOOSH!
He Switches out of sight.
The teenage girl immediately looked at Alfie.
"You better not come back if you know what's good for you."
She and the smaller girl disappeared with Switch Mode as well.
The oldest boy looked at Alfie one last time.
"You lack skills."
He paused.
"But you have lots of Renshi."
His eyes narrowed.
"That gives you an edge over your opponent."
He turned around.
"Be thankful you're blessed with it."
SWOOSH!
He Switches out of sight.
Only the archer remained.
He looked at Alfie with a smile.
"You really impressed me, Alfie."
Alfie looked at him.
"You're stronger than what the records say."
The archer adjusted his bow.
"I look forward to fighting side by side with you."
And with that....
SWOOSH!
He disappeared.
Alfie and Jackson were left standing at the entrance.
Jackson stared at the empty doorway.
Alfie remained silent.