"ONE MORE." Shichiro commands them.
Kentarō Reflects their movements one more time.
"LEFT HOOK, RIGHT HOOK, UPPERCUT, HAMMER KICK, JAB, JAB, JAB"
Katsu is overwhelmed by too much happening, hes tired. He can barely even breathe right now. "ROKURO WITH ME"
Rokuro goes with Katsu and does the finishing blow once again
The smoke hasn't even cleared.
Gasmin and Pevola's Heartless bodies dissolve into dark dust, leaving behind only the echo of their last screams. The city burns louder than before glass shattering, sirens wailing, shadows running.
Katsu drops to one knee, chest heaving."...That... That was insane. They were monsters, Shichiro. And we.. we.. just."He looks at his trembling hands. His Heart's pulse is fading.
Rokurō stumbles back, half-conscious. "I can't feel my legs... haah... I really hate cardio."
Kentarō laughs weakly, pointing toward the burning street. "Yo, Shichiro, we should celebrate. We just beat our dead friends."
No one laughs.
ThenA voice from behind them, calm, steady, cutting through the chaos like a blade:
"You're going to want to come with me… if you still plan on saving the world."
The four turn. A tall man steps out of the smoke white hair tied loosely, dark cloak fluttering behind him. His eyes shine faintly gold, like they've seen too much.
Ingram.The mentor of the long lost Isocrates and one of the last Heart scholars left alive.
Shichiro grips his sword instinctively. "Who are you?"
Ingram smiles faintly. "Someone who remembers what it means to feel. Come. You're wasting time trying to fight without knowing what you truly wield."
He gestures. The ground ripples and suddenly, the city fades.The burning skyline is replaced by a massive stone hall lit by floating shards of crystal.The air hums like a heartbeat.
He gestures. The ground ripples and suddenly, the city fades. The burning skyline is replaced by a massive stone hall lit by floating shards of crystal.
The air hums like a heartbeat.
Katsu stares around, notebook already in hand. "Spatial shift…? This defies standard portal theory. Who..? what are you?"
Ingram ignores him. "You four carry Legendary Hearts ancient echoes reborn through emotion. Yet you fight as if you were ordinary humans."
Kentarō scoffs. "We just took down two Heartless. Doesn't sound ordinary to me."
Ingram's eyes narrow. "You survived, boy. You didn't understand. There's a difference."
He steps forward, pointing at Kentarō's chest.
"Tell me what is your Heart?"
Kentarō freezes. "My what?"
Ingram Sighs. "Exactly."
The crystals pulse to the rhythm of their hearts. Ingram raises his hand, and four symbols appear in the air faint, glowing emblems hovering over each of their chests.
"Every Heart is born from emotion but emotion without balance is chaos. Your hearts manifested because your souls demanded purpose. Yet, none of you even know what that purpose is."
He turns toward Shichiro.
"You rush forward without thought because you're afraid of what happens if you stop. That fear gives you strength… but it also chains you."
Then Katsu.
"You hide behind logic, hoping knowledge will make you stronger. But your Heart was never meant to calculate it was meant to believe."
Then Rokurō.
"You pretend not to care. Yet your calm hides despair. Your Heart sleeps because you do."
Finally Kentarō. "You laugh in the face of danger. But laughter is just your armor, isn't it?"
Silence. The room feels heavier with every word.
Ingram steps back, spreading his arms. The crystals around them begin to glow violently, resonating with each of their pulses.
"A Heart amplifies your truth. If your truth is unstable.. so is your power. thats why you cant control it
You can swing your swords and cast your pulses all you like but until you know why your heart beats, it will always betray you.
The words hit harder than any attack.
Katsu looks at Shichiro. "So... the only way to master our hearts is to.."
"Understand them," Ingram finishes
Understand how they appeared, how they breathe. How they ripple across this world
He walks past them, cloak trailing.
"You have three days, learn your pulse or die the next time you face something born from despair"
Shichiro clenches his fists, eyes burning with resolve.
"Then let's start now."