The day dawned in silence.
Sunlight spread across the sky.
Yuri walked down the street, holding a cup of coffee.
He stared up at the heavens.
"Tsc… useless God…" he muttered. "How do you expect me to climb up there?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"...Well… if I could fly… would that be enough to reach it?"
Steam slowly rose from the cup.
Yuri lowered his gaze to the ground.
"...Wouldn't it be better to just give up?"
The memories came back.
Pain.
Loss.
Blood.
His fingers tightened around the cup.
"NO."
His voice came out low… but firm.
"I'll destroy everything.
No matter how."
He took a deep breath.
"Tsuki didn't send me here for nothing… He may be slow… but he's not an idiot. There has to be a way to reach the gods."
A pause.
"But… even if I knew how… am I strong enough?"
Yuri scratched the back of his neck.
"Ah… that's a problem for future Yuri."
He finished the coffee.
Made a face.
"Damn… bitter."
He tossed the cup into the trash.
Later…
Yuri arrived at the meeting spot.
"Yo, my man Yuri!" Kaen said cheerfully.
"Where's Yuto? Did he come?" Emiko asked impatiently.
"He's not coming. Said he has something to take care of," Ayane replied.
"Didn't know that bum had things to do," Emiko scoffed.
"So what are we doing today?" Yuri asked.
Ayane gave a nervous smile.
"Isn't it obvious? Today… we're on break."
Silence.
"…Seriously?" Yuri blinked.
"You woke me up at almost three in the morning for this?!" Emiko snapped.
Ayane lowered her eyes.
"It's just… we've been through a lot… I just thought…"
Some of them started to walk away.
"Hey."
Yuri's voice stopped them.
"We really have been through a lot… Let's have some fun. We never know when we'll get free time like this again."
Slowly… they turned back.
"…Fine," Emiko sighed.
The amusement park was almost empty.
Soft lights. Clear sky. Gentle wind.
They went on everything.
They laughed.
Competed.
Teased each other.
For a few hours…
Until they reached the roller coaster.
From the top, the view stretched endlessly.
The world looked small.
"What a beautiful view…" Ayane whispered.
For the first time, Emiko was smiling. No sarcasm.
The wind hit Yuri's face.
And then…
Tears began to fall.
"Yuri?" Shitora asked softly. "What's wrong?"
He turned his face away.
"It's nothing."
He wiped the tears quickly.
"I thought you were an alpha male or something," Ryo mocked. "What's with the crying?"
Yuri didn't respond.
He slowly closed his eyes.
And fell asleep right there.
"He's hopeless…" Ayane sighed.
The Next Day
His phone started vibrating.
"…Who is it…?" Yuri muttered, almost falling back asleep.
"Hey. You still not up?"
Yuto's voice was dry.
"Come to the temple. I have a mission for you."
"…Alright."
The Temple
Yuto stood with his arms crossed.
"Yo, Yuri. Listen. Go check an abandoned house.
If there's suspicious activity, you come back.
If there's nothing… you come back. Simple mission."
Yuri stared at him.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just say 'go there and come back'?"
"Blah blah blah. Stop being annoying."
"…Yeah yeah. I'm going."
The Abandoned House
The wood creaked.
The air felt heavy.
"There's absolutely nothing here… Not outside, not inside… Yuto sent me for nothing."
He turned to leave.
Then—
That feeling.
Something was watching him.
He looked behind him.
Nothing.
To the sides.
Nothing.
Then he saw it.
A silhouette running toward the forest.
Yuri chased after it.
For minutes.
Until the figure stopped.
It turned around.
"Why are you following me?"
"Who are you?" Yuri replied.
The man smiled.
"My name is Hardes… the Kamui of Envy."
The air grew colder.
Yuri looked at him with contempt.
"Aren't you going to introduce yourself, exterminator?"
Yuri gave a faint smile.
"You already knew who I was.
So why ask why I'm following you?"
Silence.
In the next second—
Yuri lunged forward.
But before he realized—
A punch struck his face.
They exchanged blows. Sharp. Direct.
Yuri activated the Water Pillar.
Moisture condensed in the air.
Blades of ice formed in his hands.
Hardes dodged.
"Magnificent… Using Rotation Flow at your age…"
Then—
Water began to move around Hardes.
Yuri's eyes widened.
"How…?"
Hardes laughed.
"My Pillar allows me to permanently copy any other Pillar."
Contempt filled Yuri's eyes.
"You bastard."
They clashed again.
Water against water.
Ice against ice.
Until Hardes stepped back.
"I'll withdraw for now. I've stayed here long enough."
He smiled.
"When I return… you'll be the first to die."
He threw a seal onto the ground.
Energy distorted the air.
And he vanished.
The wind moved through the trees.
Yuri stood still.
"This world… is way too strange."
Yuri returned to the temple.
"How did it go?" Yuto asked.
"…Well… nothing happened."
Yuri replied.