Two years later...
Rize sits on the cold concrete floor with her knees bent and hands resting on her thighs. Around her, other boys and girls sit in similar positions, all arranged in orderly rows.
She's grown over these two years. Now she's approximately fourteen by her calculations. Her purple hair has grown longer, falling freely and finely down her back.
In front of them all stand several men in black uniforms with stern expressions, explaining today's training rules.
"There will be a free-for-all battle in groups of four. Of those four, only the last one standing will live. The others will die. No exceptions."
One of them, the one with a severe expression, announces in an authoritative voice.
At these merciless words, Rize shows a sinister smile that slowly spreads across her lips.
A boy sitting beside her leans slightly toward her and whispers nervously.
"I hope we're not in the same group."
"Is that so?"
She responds in a flat voice.
Rize really doesn't give a damn, since either way, even if they're not in the same group this time, they might be in some future opportunity, and on that occasion, she'll kill him without hesitation.
The last one standing is always the winner. She always comes first in these deadly training sessions. Maybe that's why the children fear her, even afraid to approach her.
Though it's curious. This particular boy doesn't seem afraid of her, but rather seems drawn to her somehow.
'Heh, how foolish.'
While maintaining that mocking thought inside, she smiles gently outward showing the mask of a gentle girl, and asks in a soft voice.
"By the way, what's your name?"
"My name is Nimura. Nimura Furuta."
The boy leans forward as he introduces himself.
"Oh, I'm Rize. Washuu Rize."
The boy with dark black hair that falls to his shoulders laughs softly.
"I know. I think everyone knows your name here at Sunlit Garden."
Rize's face tightens and darkens at the boy's words. Sunlit Garden is the official name of this place that's no better than hell, and she doesn't like at all hearing that the cage keeping her trapped here has such a deceptively pretty name.
The boy called Nimura seems to notice her changing expression, and his dark eyes shine secretly, perhaps thinking something deceitful. With a slight curve of his lips to appear understanding, he nods.
"As expected, Rize-san also hates this cage, right?"
"Is there anyone here who'd say they like this place? Or do you like it?"
Nimura shakes his head from side to side.
"There's no way I'd like it. Instead, I hate it too. I wish with all my heart for the day it gets destroyed."
He looks directly into her eyes, and getting captivated for a few seconds by her purple gaze, he snaps out of his reverie. Showing determination in his expression, he beats his chest.
"Someday I'll escape from here. Don't you think the same, Rize-san?"
"Huh? You too...?"
Although she opens her eyes in surprise, inside she laughs. After all, if escaping from Sunlit Garden were that easy, she would've escaped long ago.
Nimura displays a surprisingly determined face for his age, and in a somber tone, begins speaking in a low voice so the other children around wouldn't hear.
"When that day comes, I'll give you the freedom you so desire."
It's one person's promise to another.
"Really?"
However, at the promise that from Rize's point of view is dubious, she expresses her skepticism.
Nimura also noticed the doubt in Rize's words, but despite everything, deep in his gaze shines a fire of conviction.
"It's a promise I make to you. I'll take you with me when I escape from this hell."
Noble words, and one might be moved by that burning desire to escape hell.
Rize, on the other hand, has no chords that shake her cold heart or conscience, even at the promise that someone will take her with him when he escapes Sunlit Garden.
Because the promises of desperate children are worthless here.
A place where she's considered a valuable resource. It's normal there are many eyes on her, making sure she doesn't do anything strange.
However, until now she wonders the exact reason why she's so important. Is it really just because her rinkaku kagune has quite powerful effects on regeneration and strength capable of defeating her enemy in just a few blows? She doubts it's that simple.
Leaving reasons aside, maybe that's why it's difficult for her to escape, even impossible. And she has no real hope in this boy sitting next to her.
Above all, if there's anyone who can really help her escape, it would be Yuki-chan. That floating eye that's been with her almost every day for the past two whole years.
She considers Yuki-chan a fairly loyal yet somewhat disobedient pet, because sometimes it ignores her insistent questions to respond about its owner, or when she asks to hear again the male voice that comes from the eye, which she supposes with certainty must be the true owner.
At that moment, while she has that kind of train of thought, she frowns and looks up. She sees the uniformed men talking hurriedly on some devices.
"What's wrong with them?"
Not only Nimura is confused, as the other boys and girls also look curiously at the men dressed in black, who suddenly pale and panic.
They seem to have received shocking news.
A man turns off the communication device, and calming himself to speak, clears his throat.
"Ahem! Listen well! Today's training is postponed to tomorrow."
He looks at his other companions, who nod and start leaving hurriedly.
The man turns back to Rize and the others.
"Return to your rooms and don't leave there no matter what, understood? Questions aren't allowed either. Get up and go, now!"
Normally nothing and no one can interfere with training once established. Sunlit Garden is a place difficult to access and leave. That being the case, it's surprising that an exception is made this time.
Many children sigh with relief.
But not Rize. She realizes something worse might happen.
'But what?'
The reason they're tense and showing fear.
Whatever the case, the result can't be good.
At that moment...
While Rize and the children rise from the floor, suddenly a tremor occurs that shakes the room.
—Rumble!
The next second, a dark blur comes from where the other men dressed in black had gone.
The blur passes over the children, and while they exclaim in surprise, the silhouette impacts the white wall.
—Crash!
Meat paste and blood splash the wall, painting it dark red. The man's eyes, brain and intestines are visible from being crushed against the concrete.
"???"
There are a few seconds of silence, before some children scream. But since most are already experienced with bloody scenes, they're not horrified, but surprised.
Rize, Nimura and other better-trained children turn their heads.
From the entrance, a hand larger than the door tears out the concrete. It crushes the men dressed in black beneath its feet, and breaking the wall, enters the room.
It's a deformed monster the size of a house.
Its body is covered with what appears to be armor-type kagune, and from its kagune, sharp blades emerge. They also extend like tentacles, and at the tips of those tentacles, elongated and sharp blades that wave in the air.
Deformed and bleeding eyes, maybe dozens of them, are scattered on different parts of its body.
—Rooooar!
The monster roars with a voice that makes the structure tremble.
The children start backing away in panic.
Rize stands still while observing the monster with wide eyes.
'What the hell is that thing?'
Never in her training had she seen such a massive kagune. Not even the strongest ghouls she read about in the records given to her had anything like this.
Is this what it means to evolve beyond normal limits?
She notices one alarming thing.
The monster ignores all the other children and guards, and all the eyes on its body focus primarily on Rize.
—Pop!
The air bulges and bursts right next to Rize's head.
"Run."
The warning through the All-Seeing Eye, Yuki-chan.
The male voice that presented itself once more after two years, brought her a warning of danger she can't face.
×××
There will soon be another time skip until they are in their late teens
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