As dawn slowly swept the sky with its golden hue, Arya and his group had just completed their final task of the night returning each victim to their homes, into the warm embrace of their families. Now, the weight pressing on their chests was slightly lifted, replaced by the simple desire to breathe in relief.
They chose to rest by the beach. Under the gentle morning light, the vast expanse of the sea stretched as far as the eye could see. The sound of waves caressed the sand, a cool breeze slipping through strands of hair, and the salty scent of the sea softly pricking the nose.
Venus walked leisurely, dressed in nothing but thin undergarments clinging to her body. Dina wore a casual swimsuit, as did Gamma and Yui, their fabric allowing the sun's warmth to kiss their skin. Arya and Raius, wearing only beach shorts, sat side by side on the sand, their eyes following the lively movements of the women playing in the water. Laughter, splashes, and sunlight blended into a soothing morning symphony, as if the world at least for a moment forgot the wounds and blood of the previous night.
Arya looked ahead. "Not joining them in the water, Raius?" he asked while drinking from a fancy glass.
Raius chuckled lightly. "Haha, it's better to just watch them."
Arya smiled. "Right? Especially Venus look at her, it's like the world belongs to her alone."
"Haha! Good thing there aren't any grown men around! If there were, they might try to flirt with her!" Raius glanced around.
Arya leaned back. "Haaa… I'm already an old man." he thought to himself. "By the way, during the execution last night, what move did you use? You suddenly appeared behind the guard," Arya asked, glancing at him.
Raius turned. "Ah, that? Sister Dina taught me. She called it a lightning step or something like that."
Arya narrowed his eyes. "Lightning step? But Dina's never used that move."
"Yeah, she doesn't use it because she says it's not suited for daggers, so she taught it to me since I use a one-handed sword," Raius replied, taking a drink.
Arya looked forward again. "I see. She's a genius."
Gamma turned to face Arya and Raius. "Brother Arya, Raius! Why aren't you playing?" she waved her hand.
"Too lazy, Gamma! You guys go ahead!" Arya called out.
"Same! You all go play!" Raius added.
"You two are just lying there!" Gamma yelled in annoyance and turned away.
"Oh right, it's BBQ time!" Arya stood up.
Raius looked puzzled. "BBQ?!"
"Pieces of meat and vegetables skewered and grilled," Arya explained. "There are also ones without skewers, but basically you grill them."
"Oh…" Raius nodded in understanding.
Arya took out some equipment. "Help me set these up."
Raius got up. "Alright!"
Arya shouted, "Hey, everyone! We're grilling meat! Come here! How do you want it?"
Dina turned as soon as she heard "meat." "Meat?! I want the big ones!" She ran to Arya.
Gamma and Yui also turned. "I want some too!" they said in unison, approaching.
Venus turned. "Ara~ after playing in the water, eating sounds perfect." She walked closer.
"Alright, first cut all the meat. Not too big, not too small," Arya said, placing the meat on a flat surface.
Dina drew her daggers. "Leave it to me!" Srettt, Sreettt… In an instant, all the meat was cut.
Gamma watched in awe. "Sister Dina, you're amazing!" she praised.
"Yeah, amazing!" Yui joined in.
Dina smiled proudly. "Hehe!"
"Alright, now just skewer the meat and vegetables with this," Arya handed them metal skewers.
Gamma looked puzzled. "Why skewer them?"
"So you can mix vegetables with the meat and eat more easily. Though there are also ones without skewers," Arya said, taking out the grill.
"Sounds delicious~," Venus said in a teasing tone.
"I'll help too!" Yui grabbed a skewer and some meat.
"Me too!" Gamma joined in.
Dina leaned closer to Arya. "Hey Ar, is this really good? Why aren't there big cuts?" she asked softly.
"Haha! If it's too big, it's hard to eat. And even though the pieces aren't big, there's a lot, so you can take plenty," Arya explained while preparing other tools.
Dina turned away. "I see." She began skewering meat as well.
They started grilling the prepared meat. The aroma of meat meeting hot charcoal spread immediately, mixing with the salty sea breeze. Small pops from melting fat joined the cheerful chatter around the grill.
"Hey, not too close! It'll burn," Arya warned while turning the skewers.
Venus, who had been sitting next to him while flicking her wet hair, grinned. "If it burns, you can blow on it to cool it down, right~?" Her half-teasing tone made Raius cough awkwardly from across them.
"Hah… your mouth is always trying to tease," Arya shook his head, though the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
Gamma stared at the grill with sparkling eyes. "Brother Arya, is this one done yet? I can't wait."
"Only half done, be patient! If you want something faster, grab the vegetables first they cook quicker."
Dina took a skewer that had started browning, blew on it, and took a bite. "Hmm… this is really good." She looked at Gamma. "See? Patience pays off."
"For me, patience just brings more hunger," Yui chimed in, trying to sneak a skewer off the grill, but Raius swatted her hand away.
"Hey, not yet!" Raius protested with a laugh.
Venus leaned back in her chair, looking at them one by one. "My goodness… you're like children fighting over candy."
"Better to fight over food than over trouble," Arya replied, lifting a few skewers that were done. "Alright, these are ready. One each first."
Everyone rushed forward. Gamma nearly dropped hers from excitement.
Dina chewed while glancing toward the sea. "This morning… feels too peaceful," she said softly.
Arya followed her gaze. Waves still chased the shore, the blue sky was cloudless, and only their voices broke the beach's silence. "Yeah… enjoy it. We don't know when we'll get to relax like this again."
Venus gave a faint smile. "For me… good food, good drinks, and all of you are enough."
Raius pointed his skewer at her. "Careful, sweet words like that can give people the wrong idea."
"Ara~ if someone misunderstands, let them. Makes things more fun." Venus winked playfully, making Gamma and Yui glance at each other, holding back laughter.
The smell of meat slowly charring rose into the air, blending with the salty sea scent. Tiny pops from dripping fat drew everyone's eyes back to the grill.
"Wah~ the smell's making me hungry!" Gamma stood closest, eyes sparkling.
"No fighting," Arya patted her head lightly. "What's cooked first is for everyone, not just the most impatient."
"Huh! Not impatient, just eager," Gamma pouted but waited.
Venus sat beside the grill, resting her chin on her hand. "Ara~ if it tastes good, you have to feed me, okay?"
Arya gave her a quick glance. "If you ask like that, I might give you less."
Venus chuckled playfully. "Stingy."
Raius flipped a skewer. "I think this one's done, Brother Arya!"
"Okay, take it off. Put it here," Arya pointed to a large plate in the center.
Soon, everyone gathered. They sat in a circle on the sand, the small grill in the middle, plates filled with skewered meat and vegetables. The waves became a calm background melody as the aroma of meat continued to tempt their appetites.
"Alright," Arya handed one skewer to each of them. "For the victims we saved last night… and for us who still stand today."
"For us!" they all cheered lightly before eating.
Dina bit into her meat, eyes half-closed. "Hm~ this is so good! The flavor's perfect, the meat's tender."
Gamma nodded quickly while chewing. "Brother Arya, this is amazing!"
Arya raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Eat plenty."
Yui smiled while adding vegetables to her skewer. "If we could eat like this every day, I'd love to stay at the beach."
Venus flicked her hair. "Ara~ if we stayed here every day, my skin would burn."
"With clothes that skimpy, you're asking for trouble," Dina teased, holding back a laugh.
Venus only smiled faintly. "Let it be, as long as everyone enjoys the view."
Raius shook his head. "Can't you all eat once without a war of words?"
"We could," Arya said casually. "But it'd be boring."
That lunch was warm and lively. Laughter and light conversation replaced the tension that usually surrounded them. Now and then, small splashes from the waves brushed their feet, reminding them that the world outside still moved on, even if time felt slower for a moment.
As the sun leaned west, the coals in the grill slowly died. Empty plates were scattered, stomachs full, and hearts felt a little lighter.
Arya stood, gazing at the golden sea. "Alright… the party's over. Starting tomorrow, we're back to work."
"So tonight we're free?" Gamma asked quickly.
Arya gave a faint smile. "Yeah. Enjoy tonight while you can."
They all fell silent for a moment, staring at the horizon wrapped in the light of dusk. The evening breeze brushed their faces, carrying the subtle message that tomorrow would bring new challenges.
They sat by the shore, letting the sunset wash over their faces. Laughter, the sound of waves, and the fading aroma of the grill blended into a harmony that was… perhaps too peaceful.
Arya let out a quiet sigh. "Peace… truly is the best."
However, far away…
Heavy footsteps echoed among the shadows. A man clad in black armor stopped, staring straight ahead. "We're really bringing this many troops?" His voice was cold, devoid of tone.
"They say EXONE is very strong. They must be destroyed before they can even move," another replied, calm yet firm.
Behind them, 200 elite soldiers stood in perfect formation, fully armed, their faces expressionless.
"And the four of us are enough to make sure no one survives," muttered the man with the deep voice.
Their leader gave a thin smile. "In that case… we'll escort them to hell."
Meanwhile, on the beach, Arya and his companions remained completely unaware. The waves chased each other along the shore, as if trying to warn them… that this calm was only a brief pause before the storm.