Interesting…" Aizawa murmured to the wind. "Very interesting. Let's see how long those sparks can stay lit before the world snuffs them out."
Far out at sea, the silence of the deck was broken by the sound of gasping breath. Both Ato and Kojo snapped out of their unconsciousness at the same moment, their bodies jerking as if jolted by electricity. The memory of Aizawa's overwhelming power sat heavy in their chests like lead.
Ato was the first to scramble to his feet, his head spinning as he looked around the empty deck. "Oi! Where are you, black coat guy? Huh? Where is he?!" He spun around, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Oi, Faramis! Where did that guy go? Did we win? Did he run away?"
Kojo sat up more slowly, rubbing his temples where a dull ache throbbed. He looked at his hands, then at the horizon. The air felt different—the suffocating pressure of Aizawa's presence was gone. "Looks like we were able to get out of there," Kojo said, his voice rasping.
Faramis was leaning against the railing, his expression unreadable as he stared at the sea. "Yep," he replied shortly.
Ato stomped over to him, pointing a finger. "How? Tell me! One second I'm seeing stars, and the next we're sailing away. Did you beat him, Faramis? Did you use some secret trick?"
Faramis turned, a small, tired smirk playing on his lips. "I'll tell you later. You've got a hole in your stomach that needs filling, and I'm not in the mood for an interrogation. I've got some meat in the oven. Go to the dining table."
The mention of food acted like a physical switch for Ato. His eyes widened, and his previous confusion vanished instantly. "Cooked meat!" he roared, sprinting toward the galley. "Meat! Meat! Meat!"
As Ato's shouting echoed from the dining cabin, Faramis walked into the kitchen. The smell of roasting fat filled the room. He reached for a pair of tongs, but he felt a presence behind him. A cold, sharp presence.
Kojo stood in the doorway, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He wasn't looking at the food. He was looking at Faramis's back with eyes that could pierce steel.
"Oi, Faramis," Kojo said, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. "Will you betray us?"
Faramis didn't flinch. He pulled the tray of meat out of the oven, the sizzle filling the silence. "What do you mean by that?"
"Cut the crap," Kojo spat. "I know that you knew I was conscious. I was out for a while, yeah, but I woke up before you finished talking to that man. I saw the way you looked at him. And when you realized I was hearing your conversation, you ended it. You told him you were leaving and cut it short. You're hiding something big."
Kojo stepped forward, the floorboards creaking. "Let me make one thing clear. If you ever come in my way of being the greatest swordsman of all time... if your 'secrets' put a wall in front of my goal... then I will cut you down without a second thought."
Faramis finally turned around. He didn't look scared; he looked amused. "Oh, mister smart boy," he laughed softly, though his eyes remained hard. "If you really heard my conversation, then you would have heard the part where I told him that I wanted you to become the greatest swordsman. Your success is part of my plan."
Faramis stepped closer until his chest was inches from Kojo's hand. The temperature in the room seemed to drop. "But let's set the record straight, swordsman. If you ever come in my way of reviving the God of Creation... I won't bother with a duel. I will blow you into so many bits that not even the fish will find you."
The two men locked eyes, a silent war of wills clashing in the small kitchen.
"Can you?" Kojo whispered, his thumb clicking his blade an inch out of its sheath. "Before you could even think about blowing me up, I'd have your head on the floor."
Faramis's smile widened, revealing a glimpse of the madness beneath his calm exterior. He opened his mouth to respond, but a thunderous voice interrupted them.
"OI! FARAMIS! GIVE ME THE MEAT! I'M HUNGRY!" Ato was screaming from the dining table, banging his fists on the wood like a drum.
The tension snapped. Faramis exhaled a short laugh and grabbed the platter. "Yep, I'm coming!" he called out, pushing past Kojo as if the death threat had never happened.
Night fell over the ocean, casting the ship into deep blue shadows. While Ato snored loudly in his bunk, dreaming of endless feasts, Kojo stood at the bow of the ship. He stared at the moon's reflection on the water, his mind replaying the fight with Aizawa over and over. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the black-coated man moving faster than his eyes could follow.
"Huh. Embarrassing," Kojo muttered to himself, his grip tightening on the wooden railing until it splintered. The gap between him and the strongest was wider than he had imagined.
When the sun finally began to bleed over the horizon the next morning, Ato was the last to rise. He stumbled out of his cabin, yawning so wide it looked like his jaw might unhinge. He found Kojo and Faramis already at the table, picking at a breakfast of bread and fruit.
"Morning," Kojo said, not looking up from his sharpening stone.
"Good morning," Faramis added, sipping a cup of dark coffee.
"Mornin' Kojo... mornin' Faramis..." Ato mumbled, his eyes half-closed as he reached for a piece of bread. He began to eat mechanically, still half-asleep.
Faramis finished his drink and walked out onto the deck to check the heading. A moment later, his voice rang out, cracking with excitement. "Atttto!! Kojo!! Get out here!"
Ato jumped nearly a foot into the air, his sleepiness vanishing instantly. He scrambled outside, Kojo right behind him. "Oi, Faramis! What happened?! Did a snake bite you or what?"
"No, idiot," Faramis pointed toward the horizon. "Look that way. An island."
Ato's jaw dropped. "WHHHHHAAATT?!"
Rising from the sea like a crown was a massive landmass. It wasn't green like the others; even from a distance, the cliffs seemed to shimmer with a metallic hue. Towers of white marble rose high into the clouds, topped with golden domes that caught the morning light and reflected it across the waves.
"This looks like a pretty big island," Kojo remarked, his hand instinctively going to his sword. "And a pretty wealthy one, too."
"This is called 'Kogane no tori'—The Golden Bird," Faramis explained, his eyes narrowed as if searching for something specific. "It's a hub of trade, secrets, and very expensive tastes."
"We're going onto the island, right Faramis? Right?!" Ato was practically vibrating.
"Of course," Faramis replied. "We need supplies, and information."
As the ship drew closer to the white-sand shore, the sheer scale of the city became apparent. There were docks filled with massive galleons and markets that stretched right to the water's edge. Before the ship had even come to a full stop against the dock, Ato took a running start and leaped.
"I'm going! Bye, Faramis! Bye, Kojo!" he yelled mid-air. He hit the sand running and disappeared into the crowded market stalls in a blur of motion.
"Oi! Wait!" Kojo shouted, reaching out a hand. "You'll get lo—" He stopped, sighing as Ato vanished behind a pile of silk crates. "And he's gone. Great."
Kojo turned to Faramis. "I'm going to go find him before he starts a war or eats someone's house. You stay with the ship, okay?"
Faramis waved a hand dismissively, already looking toward the high towers of the inner city. "Ok. You can enjoy your trip, swordsman. Try not to kill anyone too quickly."
Kojo didn't answer. He jumped onto the island, his boots hitting the sand with a heavy thud, and set off in the direction of the chaos Ato was undoubtedly about to cause.