The room fell quiet after the long conversation between the three friends. Outside, night had settled over the academy. Countless stars shimmered beyond the window, while the unusually large moon bathed the room in pale silver light. Sora stretched her arms above her head and smiled.
"I should get going."
Yamato and Lumei nodded. She walked to the door before glancing back at them.
"Goodnight, boys."
"Night," Yamato replied.
With a gentle wave, she stepped into the hallway and disappeared. Silence returned. Yamato remained seated, his arms folded as he stared through the open window. His eyes never left the moon. It looked even bigger tonight. Lumei yawned loudly before throwing himself onto the bed.
"You're seriously not sleeping?"
"I am," Yamato answered without opening his eyes. "Just... like this."
The chair creaked softly beneath him. Lumei chuckled.
"Weirdo."
Within minutes, the room became quiet once again.
---
That Same Night...
Far away, Master Ozaki stood before the window of his home. His robe fluttered gently in the night breeze as his silver eyes remained fixed on the moon.
"...It's bigger again," he muttered. "That's the sixth night in a row."
A strange uneasiness settled in his chest. His instincts had warned him countless times throughout his life, and they had never been wrong. Turning away from the window, Ozaki sat cross-legged in the center of the room and slowly closed his eyes.
His breathing became steady as silence filled the room. A low hum echoed from deep within him. His consciousness slipped into his inner realm. The moment he arrived, he frowned. The realm was different. Darker. Emptier. It no longer felt like the place he remembered.
"Why did it change?"
A faint light suddenly flickered to his left. Ozaki turned. Another light appeared to his right. Then another. Within seconds, dozens of lights illuminated the darkness until—
FWOOM!
The entire realm was flooded with a warm golden glow. From the center of the light, a figure slowly emerged. He wasn't towering over Ozaki this time. He stood at the height of an ordinary man, yet the pressure radiating from him distorted the air itself.
Kowichi. The God of Weapons.
Ancient markings covered his body from head to toe, and his very presence carried the weight of countless battlefields. Ozaki instinctively stepped back.
"Kowichi... you summoned me?"
A faint smile appeared on the god's face.
"You've grown well as my Vessel. And yes... I already know why you've come."
Ozaki frowned.
"You know?"
"The moon," Kowichi replied calmly. "Its size continues to increase."
Ozaki's eyes widened.
"So... it isn't just me."
"There is always a reason," Kowichi continued. "This one is simple. It's Madara."
The name alone sent a chill through Ozaki's entire body. His heartbeat quickened.
"...Madara? But... why is he coming?"
Kowichi's expression became serious.
"He never visits a planet unless an Outlook has appeared. Yet none of us gods have sensed one."
Ozaki folded his arms.
"Then why is he coming?"
"Because an Outlook exists," Kowichi answered. "It's simply hidden from every god."
Ozaki remained silent for a moment before another question surfaced.
"What does the moon have to do with any of this?"
Kowichi's eyes sharpened.
"He enjoys traveling on celestial bodies close to his destination. And what is closer to Earth... than its own moon?"
Realization struck Ozaki.
"So... he's using the moon to reach Earth?"
"Exactly."
Ozaki began pacing across the glowing realm.
The God Slayer... Coming here for the child of a god. He's powerful enough to move the moon... What kind of monster are we dealing with?
He stopped abruptly and faced Kowichi.
"If everyone fought him together... could we win?"
Kowichi laughed. Not because it was funny. Because the thought itself was impossible.
"No. We wouldn't survive even one second."
Ozaki's chest tightened. His fists slowly clenched. Seeing his expression, Kowichi spoke again.
"There is one thing about Madara that makes every visit... interesting."
Ozaki looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"When he lands on a planet, he suppresses his power to approximately two point five. After that, he doubles the divine energy of everything on that world."
Hope flashed across Ozaki's face.
"Then... we could defeat him before—"
"Don't even think about it," Kowichi interrupted. "Even at that level, he can defeat every Vessel on this planet. The stronger his opponent becomes, the stronger he becomes in return."
Ozaki's expression fell.
"Then... what can we do?"
"Stop him?" Kowichi shook his head. "Never. But if you train under me for one year—without breaks and without mercy—we might survive."
Ozaki slowly sank to one knee.
"...Just survive."
Kowichi looked down at him.
"We've only heard of Madara using his full strength once. That single display forced the Second Great War to be put on hold."
Ozaki looked up immediately.
"What was that power?"
A faint smile crossed Kowichi's face.
"I won't tell you."
Ozaki blinked.
"Why?"
"Because there's one student in your life... that I can never trust."
Ozaki frowned.
"Who?"
A thought crossed his mind.
"...Yamato?"
"Yes."
Before Ozaki could ask another question, Kowichi disappeared. The golden light faded. The realm dissolved. Ozaki's consciousness returned to his body. He slowly opened his eyes and looked through the window once more.
The moon still hung high above the world. Larger than ever. He stared at it for several long minutes before finally lying down to rest. But no matter how he tried to relax... The weight of that moon refused to leave his mind.
---
Morning arrived. Sunlight slipped through the curtains of Lumei's room and landed across Yamato's face. He opened one eye. Yawned. Then stood.
"I've got to go."
Lumei looked over from his bed, still half asleep. Yamato was already opening the door.
"We're leaving today. I need to get ready."
Click.
The door shut. Lumei rubbed his eyes before laughing to himself.
"Always in a hurry..."
Back in his room, Yamato freshened up, changed into a clean shirt, and packed the few things he needed. When he stepped outside, Lumei was already waiting near the stairs. A huge backpack rested beside him. Yamato raised an eyebrow.
"Why is your bag so big?"
Lumei grinned.
"Because we can't travel like you."
Yamato laughed.
"Fair enough."
Together they headed toward Sora's dormitory. Yamato knocked twice.
"I'm coming!"
A moment later, the door opened. Sora stepped outside with her own packed bag, her long hair neatly tied behind her. She looked at both of them and smiled.
"Ready?"
Yamato and Lumei nodded. The morning sun climbed over the eastern horizon as the three friends walked through the academy gates.
And beyond it... The trail leading to Yàmàto.