Arata lifted the cup of tea slowly, savoring the warmth as he tilted his head toward John and Alzwalt.
"Alright," he said softly, "I think you two can handle this. Have fun with it."
Alzwalt smirked, spreading his wings slightly, their golden glow reflecting the dying light of the forest beyond the floating palace. John, leaning casually against a shard of rock, raised an eyebrow.
"Fun? Who am I fighting?" John asked, a hint of that familiar, cold excitement creeping into his voice.
Arata's amber eyes flicked with amusement.
"Tessandra Liones," he said simply. "The teacher of Kaelen Veystrum—the hero. She's… more than capable of giving you a run for your money."
John let out a low chuckle, already imagining the thrill. "Oh, that'll be fun."
Arata turned to Alzwalt, his gaze calm but sharp.
"And you, Alzwalt… if you ever make your way to Astria, you'll meet a woman you'll find… interesting. Let's see how she holds up."
Alzwalt raised an eyebrow and simply said, "Noted."
Arata finished the last sip of his tea, set the cup down, and stood. A faint flicker of light traced the edges of his form, subtle but unmistakable.
"I'm heading back to my restaurant," he said. "You two… enjoy the show. It's only going to get more interesting from here."
He smiled faintly, almost like a parent watching children chase each other. Then, as casually as he had been sitting, he vanished. One moment he was there, the next… nothing.
Back at Hoshigawa, the warm scent of simmering broth filled the air. Arata stood in the center of the kitchen, looking over the empty tables, the children safely off training or running errands. A portal shimmered quietly in the corner.
With a subtle smirk, he stepped forward and kicked Kaelven through the portal.
"Oh, yeah," Arata said, voice calm but tinged with amusement. "Guys, take care of this idiot for me. He's not from here… he's from Zerathis. Another universe, another dimension entirely. Show him around, but keep him in line. He can't do shit in my kitchen—even the kids could handle him."
Kaelven landed roughly on the other side, dust flying up, eyes wide as he realized he was trapped in unfamiliar territory.
Arata shook his head with a faint sigh.
"Man… I must be getting old," he murmured, walking back to the counter as if nothing had happened.
Kaelven looked up, trying to orient himself. That's when he noticed them.
John and Alzwalt stood crouched before him, bodies taut, a lethal grace radiating from every fiber of their being. Menacing. Unforgiving.
"What have we here?" John asked, the corner of his mouth tilting upward in a dangerous smile.
Alzwalt mirrored him, eyes glinting gold, wings faintly flickering in anticipation.
Kaelven's stomach sank.
"No… no, don't leave me here with these war lunatics!" he screamed, backing up instinctively.
John's grin widened.
"Oh, you're going to love this," Alzwalt added, voice dripping with amusement.
With a blur of movement, they descended, sweeping Kaelven up effortlessly. The young visitor from Zerathis had no chance to react as their combined speed made him a helpless passenger.
"All right, little guy," John said, his tone light but deadly, "we're taking you to see Tessandra. Don't worry… she'll show you what's what."
Alzwalt let out a low chuckle. "Oh, he's gonna learn fast… one way or another."
Kaelven's screams were muffled by the wind as they accelerated, leaving the world of Hoshigawa and Kael'Ar behind.
Outside, the floating palace shimmered faintly in the distance. Somewhere, Arata smiled quietly, finishing his tea as if none of this chaos had anything to do with him.