Yuma just barely dodged, ducking down from Akira, as his blade swung for his neck. One nanosecond and he'd have been decapitated. It didn't shake him at all, however, instead throwing a forceful blow to his stomach, making Akira stagger for a moment. With a slight smile, Akira returned his katana to a cold shimmer of ice.
Panting as sweat beaded down his forehead, Yuma caught his breath and stood up, a proud smile on his face. Keisuke had stood behind him, stretching himself after his own bout with Akira prior.
"You got better. Good." Akira said simply, as if it wasn't important enough to praise properly.
Yuma, however, knew better and nodded as a simple gesture, accepting his weak praise. Keisuke patted his back, recognition passed through it.
A full month has passed since he started training seriously. His evenings were filled with sparring with Keisuke and Akira. His nights were covered by Serapheria. There wasn't a day he hadn't spent training, no matter how tired he felt. If he ever felt sick of it, a sickening reminder of the man that night pushed him to continue. The knawing timer he made up, making it all the more serious.
Regardless…
The training was worth it all.
His body was visibly getting better, with more definition and a stronger physique. He was practically catching up to Akira in terms of his looks. His mark had grown more vibrant, no longer the faint mark it once was. It even started to sprout the larger image that Akira and Keisuke had; however, for now, it was just a single line running up his forearm.
Keisuke had gotten stronger as well, his build much more developed than his already defined build. He got wider with muscles, his skin clearer than before. His marks had grown more, and new aspects had shown on his body. His abilities were stronger, showing more abilities Yuma had yet to achieve.
Still, Yuma couldn't feel envy for anyone. All he had in his head was gaining strength, enough of it, that protecting what he loved was something second nature.
***
As the boys sat and chatted about whatever was coming and what had happened so far, someone showed up in their blind spot. Instantly, Akira and Keisuke's guard sharpened. They hadn't registered her yet, but the presence was unmistakably dangerous. Even Yuma's guard had been raised. The air was impossibly thick, not an ounce of fresh air to breathe. It felt as though breathing in the remains of what was burnt… like ash flooding their lungs. Collectively looking towards where they felt the change, there stood an unfamiliar face to Akira and Keisuke. To Yuma, Tetsuya Kae, that timid girl who caught him crying in his sleep.
Unsure who she was, the boys prepared to fight. Yuma, however, gestured to stand down. Regardless of her unsettling nature, she hadn't given him any reason to take her as a threat.
"Hey" Yuma probed, hoping to get her reason for coming over.
Nervously, Kae's eyes bounced around the boys, like she was looking for help.
"Hey…" she whispered back, just barely enough to be heard.
Yuma looked at her curiously, keeping his eyes on her hands as she spoke. There wasn't a reason to, as she was only fiddling with her sleeves, but he could never be too cautious.
"You… guys are conduits, right?" She murmured.
That question alone overwrote any request Yuma had; Akira and Keisuke were instantly ready to defend themselves from her. Yuma turned his head back to them as the sound of the screeching chairs pulled his attention to them. He understood why they'd be so on edge, but he still wanted to see through what she wanted.
"Calm down… let's hear her out first." Yuma gently said.
Kae was startled by their behaviour, shivering a bit.
"I-I- promise- I'm not going to hurt anyone!" She immediately defended herself.
After a few seconds to compose herself, she tilted her gaze to the floor.
"I'm just… I need to warn you… and maybe have your help… I'm not sure if I could rely on anyone else…" she continued, her voice starting to break.
Instantly, the boys looked at each other, sharing confusion in their gaze. For a moment, all they did was stare before Yuma nodded and took the lead.
"Warn us? From what?"
Kae's eyes widened as if she was remembering something horrible. Her hands were shaking, and a slight panicking starting to spread in her breath. Yuma stood up and got close to her, trying to keep her talking.
"Hey, what's going on? You alright?"
Kae's eyes snapped up to Yumas, the grey iris prominent to Yuma.
"You saw him, didn't you?" She forced out in her panic.
"Who?" Yuma tilted his head. He had a gut feeling he knew exactly who she meant, but wanted her to confirm it.
"The man in the hood…" she whispered, as if she knew he could be listening.
Yuma's skin ran cold, colder than it ever had been. Goosebumps running down his arms and hairs raised like soldiers in the presence of their commander.
"You met him, too?" Yuma carefully asked, joining her in her whisper.
Akira and Keisuke leaned closer in their seats, joining Yuma in his little bubble of secrecy.
Before Kae continued, the look of horror had melted into true fear. Like what she had known… no forced to know by the man made her desperate.
"He's coming for you all… Akira, Keisuke, Hiroshi, Naoto, Aymar, Diya…"
Yuma hadn't realized how deep it really ran. The man wasn't at his house for him specifically… he just felt all three of them in his house, making it easier for him to understand what he's dealing with. Just as he was planning to ask for more information, it dawned on him that she mentioned three unfamiliar names.
"… who were the last names you mentioned?" Yuma asked for clarity.
"I don't know them well… he just gave me a list of names and their photos to bring to him…" she spat out. She was far from calm by now, far worse than how she started. "The fact I'm telling you this…" she choked out, fighting back tears of fear.
Unsure what to do, Yuma held her shoulder to ground her.
"Breathe… I need to know what's going on."
Kae took a deep breath, still shaky from holding back tears.
"I don't know how… but he's managed to gather all the ender Zehankhanar's and spread it here specifically…" she paused, "now he's forcing them to hunt you guys down… I was included…"
Yuma didn't hear much; his attention was snagged by the unfamiliar term she used. He turned his head towards Akira, hoping he'd understand before saying anything. Thankfully, he did.
"Remember that sword hilt you touched that started all this? That's what an unbound Ikon weapon's called." He whispered.
Nodding and turning back to Kae, he needed to press for more details.
"What's he got on you?" Yuma asked.
"My family… he said he'll kill them all if I don't do as he asks…" she replied, fear and desperation driving full force in her face and voice.
Yuma couldn't help but feel that urge to end the conversation to save her, but he had to know more. After all, he still wasn't strong enough to fight him based on Akira's analysis.
"Shit…" Yuma gritted his teeth. "Do you know anything else about the man?"
Kae nodded just slightly.
"He's the acid conduit… by power… he's just short of him." She pointed at Akira.
Now, Yuma understood fully what kind of strength he's up against. It terrified him; he already just barely was able to handle him at twenty percent… but the man… there's at least a Sixty Five percent gap if not more.
"Do you know his name?" Yuma asked the final question he had left.
Kae shook her head.
"His face? Or anything to identify him with?" Yuma continued.
Again, she shook her head no.
"He kept everything secret except his power…" she panted out.
With nothing else to ask, Yuma gestured for her to sit with them. At the very least, he could include her in the new conversation. As they sat, Akira and Keisuke kept their eyes on Kae. They didn't exactly trust her, and for good reason, after all, she just admitted to being sent by the man. Yuma felt the tension between her and the boys, deciding to break it.
"So about the Zhan… uh…"
"Zehankhanars" Akira completed.
"Yes, that…" Yuma paused as he returned his gaze to Kae. "Should it be bad for them all to be in one place?"
Akira looked at him, his face scrunched slightly. Before Kae could answer, Akira chose to answer it for him.
"Becoming a conduit is rare in the first place… at most for every seven countries, they would have one… so yes… too many in one place could warrant unwanted attention. Who knows what would happen if our world were exposed."
Yuma hadn't realized how serious this was. Initially, his issue was the man sending powerful people after him… but to think this ran deeper than what he thought. He felt like he was thrown into a greater conspiracy. Gathering his thoughts, he kept up the pressure on Kae.
"You said your family is at risk? Would this apply to the others after us as well?" Yuma asked, trying to figure out a plan.
Kae stuttered for a moment before she could say anything.
"M-Most likely… a lot of them aren't people who have much… all I know is you three are the target… the others are just people who couldn't be swayed with force or bribes… too much risk of them stopping his plans… whatever it is" Kae explained, still scared.
Yuma tilted his head, a single question throwing him off.
"Why help us… you'd be targeted too…"
Kae shifted his eyes to Akira.
"I need your help… your presence is stronger than his… at least a little more… if you could save me… I'd help… I don't want my family to die… and if it means I have to do anything... I will…"
She wasn't asking anymore; she was begging desperately. Akira looked at her, his face as stoic as ever. Yuma knew he had already internally agreed to help; he's been with him long enough to read him, but Kae couldn't tell at all. Her face grew more and more desperate. Yuma decided to save her the trouble of deciphering his face.
"We'll help… and-"
"I can't." Akira cut him off.
Yuma looked at him. Was he wrong about him? Why would he reject the desperate call of a young girl whose life and family are on the line?