December 4th, 2008, 07:35 a.m.
Chichibu Hills Road, Japan.
Fushhhhhhh…!
Krukk… Krukk… Krukk…
The silhouette of the man who had stood within the storm now moved forward with certainty. He carried Dianna's unconscious body while guiding Riko and Rika toward a car parked along the quiet roadside.
"Come on… we still have a long way to go. We'll take a hidden route so we can get out of these hills as quickly as possible." The silhouette said calmly as he opened the car door for Riko and Rika.
"T… then what about Father and Sister?" Rika asked with a pleading expression, her small fingers still clutching tightly onto Riko's embrace.
"What matters now is getting you out of here and treating your sister's injuries, alright?" The silhouette replied gently. He laid Dianna's body down on the passenger seat, making sure she was positioned comfortably.
"Do… do you know Father and Brother Jōgan?" Riko asked. She and Rika exchanged a brief glance, searching for answers behind the back of the unfamiliar figure.
"M… that's not important right now. Besides, you're hungry, aren't you?" The silhouette answered as he turned the ignition.
The car engine rumbled softly in the silence of the snow.
He glanced back, and for the first time, his face was clearly revealed.
The figure was a seventeen-year-old young man. He wore the same high school uniform as Jōgan's, but with details marking him as a senior. His gaze was calm, yet carried a maturity far beyond his age. His long black hair was tied in a half man bun.
The car began to move slowly, following a hidden path through the Chichibu hills, a secret route far different from the one Hiji had taken earlier.
***
Katsushika District, Japan.
A hand shot up high into the air with enthusiasm, breaking the silence inside the ramen shop.
"Oi… I'll have the largest ramen portion, with extra eggs and beef skin." The hand slowly lowered, revealing Hugo's face, looking completely relaxed, as if he hadn't just leveled an entire district.
Behind the counter stood a middle-aged man in a chef's uniform. Deep lines of fatigue marked his face, accentuated by scars around his lips and neck, deliberately hidden behind a mask and the high collar of his clothing.
"Tch… you're my first customer today. I heard you asked the mayor to evacuate several blocks?"
The shop owner said, his gaze growing more weary as he looked at Hugo.
"Oi, oi… I did that for the safety of the civilians. Besides, I didn't cause any significant damage, right?" Hugo replied, though his eyes glanced elsewhere, a clumsy gesture to hide his obvious lie.
"That ridiculous glance of yours, and the sound of cosmic explosions that reached my shop… say otherwise!" The man paused for a moment, letting out a long sigh before continuing to prepare Hugo's order.
"Yuichiro… your hearing is really sharp, huh? Don't worry, I've already contacted the Restart team to fix all that mess." Hugo said casually, shrugging with an expression far too relaxed.
"You never change. Here… finish this and…"
Yuichiro placed a large bowl in front of Hugo. With a subtle motion and a slight nod, he slipped a small piece of paper beneath the base of the bowl.
"Ahh… I understand." Hugo replied. His smile shifted, becoming more serious as he pulled the bowl and the paper closer.
Yuichiro then placed both hands on the wooden counter. With precise, symmetrical movements, he tapped his fingers: twice with his right index finger, once with his left pinky, once with his right thumb, and finished with eight rhythmic taps of his left middle finger.
"Ahh… I see. This ramen is always served in a hurry. So… I'll finish it quickly." Hugo added, smiling as he immediately began to slurp his ramen, a faint sideways grin forming on his lips.
***
Chichibu Hills Road.
Shrekk~Fushh…
The sound of fabric scraping against the passenger seat of the ambulance broke the silence. Zulo stirred awake with a weak motion, trying to lean his battered body against the seat as he turned toward the back cabin.
"Sanna, Kaito… wake up." Zulo whispered hoarsely. Even as pain pierced through every nerve in his body, the safety of his friends remained his top priority.
"Haks… the old man…" Zulo panicked for a moment when he realized Hiji was not beside him, but his shock shifted as he saw the condition of the road outside through the windshield. Hiji could be seen sitting cross-legged calmly in the middle of the destruction.
Jegreg~Krekk!
The slightly dented car door was forced open. Zulo stepped out unsteadily and moved toward Hiji. His head turned in every direction, observing the massive damage that had reshaped the landscape around them.
"Old man… what exactly happened? Where is Qarr Urqell? And what is all this?" Zulo asked, his face filled with confusion. He pointed at the torn asphalt, the charred blackened trees, and the snow that had melted into pools of hot water.
"Oh, you're awake. Come, sit. We'll wait for Sanna and Kaito to wake up before continuing the journey." Hiji replied. His demeanor remained relaxed, in stark contrast to the chaos surrounding them. He tapped the asphalt, signaling Zulo to sit beside him.
Zulo slowly sat cross-legged, his face still full of questions.
"Oldman, I already know those creatures are after Jōgan. But… what's the real reason? Who are they… and who sent them?" Zulo paused, staring sharply at Hiji.
"Zulo… the universe is not only about the Earth we stand on. There are countless forms of life out there. Power, strength, and emotion… are the three things that have been fought over for thousands of years." Hiji replied calmly, pausing for a moment.
"I… I know that! But Jōgan never wanted that fate or that power! Can't they just let him live in peace?" Zulo insisted, his tone urgent.
"No… never. Right now, 'That One' only sees Jōgan as an individual with cosmic power beyond its control. But if they ever find out who Jōgan truly is…" Hiji said, lowering his head. His words trailed off in the air.
"Why? Who is Jōgan really?! What will happen? Tell me!" Zulo pressed, his voice rising.
Hiji let out a long, deep breath, lifting his face to gaze at the gray sky.
"It won't be just 'That One.' Even the 'Sole Sovereign' Who should never set foot on Gaia, will intervene. It will bring the full power of its planet just to kill Jōgan." Hiji clenched his fists tightly, his eyes now fixed on the ground with a heavy weight.
"Jōgan… he doesn't have anything that could draw that kind of hatred." Zulo replied, his expression growing more unsettled.
"He does. You will come to understand it, slowly, Zulo. Time will answer it. There is a cosmic burden on his back… and that eye." Hiji looked directly into Zulo's eyes with a piercing gaze. Without finishing his sentence, Hiji stood up and walked away, leaving Zulo frozen in silence, sinking into a mystery far greater than the battle on the roads of Chichibu.