"Heyy Open up! I'm Toji, Sensei Okabaru Vincent's buddy. Open up!"
Guard (unimpressed): "Who's Okabaru? We have no one of that name."
Toji (outraged): "Are you out of your mind?! He saved your whole damn plateau, and this is what you do? You're all such assholes—HUGE ones!"
Sunny (to Okabaru): "Brother, let's go in the front gate. I'm sure Cyber will be here."
Okabaru: "Yeah. Let's go."
There was a shadow in the sky.
Toji (pointing): "You see?! You SEE?! The bat is coming—it's our Sensei!"
The bat dived down near the gate with a jet of air. The guards tensed.
Guard (on comms): "Miss Sakura, a guy wearing goggles says he's with you. Do we let him in?"
Sakura (leaning forward): "Who is that?"
Okabaru (smiling): "That's Toji. He's with me."
Sakura (nodding): "Yes, let him in."
Toji swaggered past the guards, giving them a death glare.
The bat came in through the large gate as well. Their eyes widened as they entered.
Okabaru (awed): "This place… It's so lovely. Glowing corals… golden tree bark… It's alive."
As they gazed in wonder at the shimmering royal garden—
Sunny (shouting): "Cyber! Where are youuuu?!"
From behind a giant coral, a white streak leaped up—
Cyber ROARED, charging forward.
Sakura, Okabaru, and even the bat froze—mouths open.
Cyber struck the group, sending them all onto the soft coral ground.
Cyber began licking Sunny eagerly.
Okabaru (surprised): "Wait… this enormous white lion exists?! It's your summon, Sunny?!"
Sakura: "You weren't joking… This is really real?"
Sunny (laughing): "I told you! But none of you trusted me!"
Auren, Rose, and Violet entered the 10th floor.
Rose (wide-eyed): "It's enormous… and Auren, look—there are thousands of vines everywhere."
Auren (looking around): "Yeah… and those portraits. They're looking at me strangely."
Rose (curious): "Can they speak?"
Violet (smiling): "Yes, they can. Let me show you."
She walked over to a tall, stately-looking portrait of a woman with fiery eyes and silver hair.
Violet: "Hello, Miss Livi. How are you today?"
Painting (Livi): "Shut up, you idiot. Don't simply say hello—say I look beautiful. That's how you start a conversation!"
Violet (nervously laughing): "Yes, yes—my mistake. You look. so, so lovely."
Livi (snorting): "Yeah, yeah. Nothing special."
Auren (leaning his head): "Are they… trapped? I mean… were they once living?"
Violet (turning to him): "No, they're not living. They lived once, yes… but these aren't souls."
Auren (baffled): "Then what are they?"
Violet: "We refer to it as peeth."
Auren: "Peeth? What's that?"
Violet: "Peeth is the memory and personality that a person leaves behind after they die. It's not a soul—but it's their personality, their nature, and their habits. We keep it and put it into the painting."
Rose (whispering in amazement): "That's...magic."
She leaned forward to touch a painting, noting the glint of lifelike eyes that blinked very slowly.
*****
Orb Call
"Scarlet—Violet, did you reach the 10th floor?"
Violet—"Yes, "ma'am."
"Scarlet—come to the north part of it."
Call ends
Violet—"Miss "Scarlet is calling us to north side… Let's go."
They start walking… open the gate…
A huge hall opens up. Beautifully crafted by nature itself… vines, glowing walls, silence.
Violet—"Miss", the kids are here."
Meanwhile...
Hoshin Maru sitting calmly in the dojo when a mage rush in—
Mage—"Sir! "We got bad news!"
Hoshin Maru—"What "is it?"
"Mage—Aster attacked Scholar Plateau and Bazaar…with two elites from Yuzen."
Hoshin stood up, shocked. "WHAT?! When did this happen?! Why didn't I get a call?!"
"Mage—They tried, sir… But something blocked the call. Even Lord Ryden didn't get any signal."
Hoshin—"WHAT"…!? Even Ryden…? What is Yuzen trying to do again!?"
BOOM! Hoshin punches the table; it shatters. The floor trembles.
His eyes full of rage—
Hoshin—"I "will not let their deaths go for nothing. How many?"
"Mage—"Around 94 troops, sir."
Hoshin breathes heavily… eyes closed.
"I won't forgive this. Who is leading Yuzen now?"
Mage—"Sir… "'s Jackey Siroka."
Hoshin stunned—"...Again!? That name again?! Is he the son of Roma Siroka?"
Mage—"As "per the news, yes. His father is Roma Siroka."
"Hoshin—"That damn Siroka virus again… 20 years ago we could've killed Roma's son. We showed humanity."
He clenched his fist.
"We were fools."
Orb Call—Ryden enters Dojo
Now Ryden sits with Hoshin.
"Hoshin—you heard it?"
Ryden—"Yes. "Also about Jackey."
Hoshin—"Any "plan?"
Ryden—"A "counterattack is already forming in my mind."
Hoshin—"No "more waiting. This time I will go myself."
Ryden—"But "Hoshin…"
Hoshin—"NO "BUT. I am Commander Ace. Only I can stop him."
Both silent
"Hoshin—"This time, we end it."