The old man stared at the seven monsters sitting in his tiny house. Rain tapped against the windows while smoke from the kitchen fire drifted through the room.
Junyu scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I know, Gramps, but we're trying to help you."
The old man slowly pulled out a folded paper from his pocket and cleared his throat dramatically.
"Since all of you are apparently legendary beings now, I have prepared the bill."
He handed out the chits one by one.
Dragon landing damage: 50,000.
Aura floor repairs: 20,000.
Table claw scratches: 5,000.
Psychological damage from hearing your stories: priceless.
Silence.
Mil took the paper, looked at the dragon charge, and nodded proudly.
"The Dragon King pays."
The old man blinked.
"You're serious?"
Mil gave a thumbs up.
"Absolutely not."
Everyone burst into laughter.
The tension melted away. Plates were passed around, soup steamed on the table, and the Devil Horns spent hours eating, arguing, and retelling their impossible adventures. The old house, which had been silent for years, was now filled with life.
Outside, the rain grew softer.
For one night, there was no war.
Only family.
NIGHT
Lantern light flickered across the room where Junyu and Salim lay on opposite beds.
Junyu stared at the ceiling.
"Salim…"
"Hm?"
"Why did you go so far? You practically became a ghost."
Salim smiled faintly.
"I did it for power… and for you."
Junyu turned toward him.
"At the Black Meeting I'll be fighting the strongest people there. Before that, I need to say something."
Salim listened quietly.
"Take care of everyone if I can't. You're still my right hand."
Salim laughed softly.
"I'll always be your right hand, Captain."
Junyu closed his eyes.
"Sleep. Tomorrow is a big day."
In another room, Ikiro and Michael sat near a dim lantern.
Michael looked at him carefully.
"Hey, buddy… you okay?"
Ikiro shrugged.
"I'm fine."
"Then why does your aura feel so heavy tonight?"
Ikiro was silent for a moment.
"It's because this war is different. We might actually die this time."
The lantern flame trembled in the wind.
Michael raised his fist with a determined grin.
"Then we win before we die."
Ikiro smiled.
"Fair enough."
Mil, Ton, and Katsa shared the last room.
Katsa looked at the two boys and laughed quietly.
"You know, a week ago you were both idiots. Now one is a Dragon King and the other is… whatever Ton is."
Ton raised a claw proudly.
"A premium lizard."
Mil nodded seriously.
"Limited edition."
Katsa shook her head, smiling wider than she had in years.
"You really have changed."
Mil's expression softened.
"So have you."
Katsa looked away, embarrassed.
"Let's sleep before one of you says something even stupider."
"Agreed," Mil said.
"For a great morning," Ton added.
MORNING
Sunlight finally broke through the clouds. The smell of fresh bread and tea filled the house.
Everyone gathered around the breakfast table.
Ikiro stood up slowly.
The room became quiet.
"Listen carefully. Organization X is the root of almost every tragedy in our lives."
He looked at Michael first.
"They are the ones who killed Elena."
Michael's hand tightened around his cup.
Ikiro turned to Katsa.
"They controlled Verdant Path."
Katsa's smile disappeared.
He looked at himself.
"They manipulated my father, and he died because of them."
Then Ton.
"They created the lizard experiments."
Ton's claws dug into the table.
Finally, he faced Junyu.
"And they controlled Mokushin."
The room felt colder.
"So this Black Meeting is not just about defeating the Black Fang Order anymore. It's about ending Organization X."
Silence.
Then Junyu stood and lifted his cup.
"Then let's make a promise."
Everyone raised theirs.
"TO THE FALL OF ORGANIZATION X!"
Cups clashed together.
At that exact moment, a messenger nailed a poster onto the gate outside.
The paper fluttered in the morning wind.
BLACK MEETING — ATTENDANCE MANDATORY
The room fell silent again.
Junyu walked to the door, read the poster, and smiled.
His red eyes reflected the rising sun.
"Looks like our vacation is over."