Kairo and Leonhart froze for a split second, eyes locked on the small creature ahead. It was just a harmless little rabbit nibbling on grass.
"Well, we still need to rely on our instincts,"
Kairo said, voice low and urgent.
"So let's run."
Leonhart gave a sharp nod, his expression hardening. Both boys spun on their heels and sprinted at full speed toward the exit, feet pounding against the forest floor.
"Leonhart, we need to stop!"
Kairo called out suddenly, skidding to a halt.
Leonhart slowed beside him, breathing steady but eyes alert.
"We've been attacked by magic, am I right?"
"Yeah, you're pretty right,"
Kairo replied, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"I think magic isn't useless at all."
He raised his hand and summoned his skill. Several glowing books materialized in the air around him, pages fluttering open on their own.
"No way… Leonhart, it seems like a page of the Book of Magic has descended here. Some secret organization is learning it."
Leonhart's eyes widened, his usual calm cracking for a moment.
"No way… are you kidding me? Magic? I thought it was useless, but I guess it's not."
"Yeah,"
Kairo said grimly, scanning the floating pages.
"And it says it will destroy society. That's why God didn't send us the Book of Magic. And to be honest… someone is controlling the other creatures and using their magic."
Leonhart clenched his jaw.
"Okay, Kairo. So what's our next step? Should we go find the exit, or do we find our companions and the other team members?"
"Obviously we need to search for them,"
Kairo answered without hesitation.
He swung back onto Wind's back. Leonhart followed suit, riding close behind.
"We are the kids of the higher-ups,"
Kairo continued, voice firm with resolve.
"So indeed we have lots of responsibilities. We can't abandon them even if it costs our life."
You are immortal, Kairo… I don't even know, but that contract was a grave mistake of yours, Leonhart thought, gripping the reins tighter. You think you are normal like us. You're underestimating yourself. Great power comes at a great cost.
Leonhart focused, sharpening his senses. He tilted his head slightly, listening intently to the forest sounds.
"Well, it seems like there are companions nearby on the right. There are three people on the left, but they are kind of far away from us."
"How did you even— uhh, forget about it. Okay, let's go right. We need to save them and make sure they join us."
Kairo urged Wind forward. Leonhart stayed right beside him as they raced through the trees.
Suddenly, a severed head rolled out from the bushes, tumbling directly toward them.
"Uhh… we're late, Leonhart. At least…"
Kairo's voice trailed off in horror.
Another head followed, bouncing grotesquely across the ground.
Without wasting another second, both boys spurred their horses and charged toward the distant sounds of the other kids, hearts pounding with dread.
The scene shifted to Akio and Renji, still following Daichi through the forest.
Akio glanced at Renji and made a series of weird hand signs. Renji responded with the exact same gestures.
They both pulled their horses to a stop.
Daichi looked back, confused.
"Hey, we need to start looking for Kairo and Leonhart."
Akio shrugged with his usual bold energy.
"Well, we will meet them afterwards anyway. Who cares? Those two are geniuses. The ones we should worry about are us, after all."
Renji nodded.
"Yeah, man. We both tried to defeat Kairo at the same time but he defeated us with ease. Only you were able to take him on for a little while. Yeah… I need to hit the training grounds. I think this is enough for us."
Akio grinned and urged his horse forward. Renji quickly joined him.
"Well, look after him and tell me what to do, Daichi. I'll be having Mika's mother's cake."
"Hey, stop eating sweets, you—"
Renji started, but Daichi simply rode forward, ignoring the two of them completely.
As Akio and Renji caught up, they suddenly came face to face with… Daichi again.
Akio blinked in confusion.
"Wait a second… I just saw you there. How did you—"
Renji cut in quickly, face serious.
"Okay, Daichi. Follow us. Don't go there. Something's not right."
Daichi studied their expressions for a moment, then nodded.
"Looking at your faces, you guys ain't lying. I'm following you. The situation's pretty dangerous. We need to look after Kairo and Leonhart."
Akio gave a firm nod.
"Roger that,"
Renji replied, voice steady.
"So, until we find Kairo and Leonhart and ask for their help… well, should we split up or should we stay together?"
Daichi asked, his usual lazy tone carrying an undercurrent of seriousness.
Renji grinned confidently and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry, pal. We believe in you. If you really want to split up, we can actually do that."
Akio scratched his cheek, looking thoughtful for once.
"Well, I think we should not do that… but Renji, if you believe in yourself and want to do that, then maybe you can give it a shot. I'll be with Daichi."
Daichi's expression grew grim.
"Renji, beware of the traps set by the other people and that unknown entity I encountered. It won't be long before you run into it. And I think my fake version of me has already noticed my presence. It will create some kind of distraction which will harm me and, in the end, cause unnecessary problems."
Akio nodded firmly.
"Okay, Daichi. We believe in you — you're smart. Yeah, let's head away from here before he finds us."
Renji gave a quick nod. Akio raised his hand in a casual wave goodbye as Renji urged his horse forward and vanished into the trees.
Daichi exhaled sharply.
"Well, we have to run straight. He's gonna go straight toward Renji. And Renji… he's a very good horse rider. He has worked very hard, so it will be a trap if that fake Daichi goes toward him thinking it's an easy attack."
Akio let out an impressed whistle.
"That's Daichi the genius tactician. No wonder your father is a military tactician."
"Let's run. And no talking — talk only distracts us," Daichi said, already kicking his horse into motion.
Akio grinned and saluted playfully.
"Alright, aye aye captain! And also, don't you think you have to bow down for me as I am your father?"
"Hey, no time to joke around!"
Daichi shot back, though the corner of his mouth twitched.
Akio laughed lightly.
"Uhh, forget about it. Well, let's head there. I think Kairo and Leonhart are there. We might meet them."
The scene shifted to Renji.
He rode his horse at breakneck speed, wind whipping through his hair.
"Sorry there, buddy. Now you can slow down."
The horse gradually eased its pace. Renji's sharp eyes suddenly caught movement — a goat standing in the path ahead.
"No way… we've been attacked, my dear horse!" Renji shouted.
The horse snorted in reply.
"No, it's just a distraction."
Renji barely had time to react. He blocked the incoming attack with his sword, but his face turned deathly pale. A high-pitched scream escaped his throat — sounding exactly like a terrified little kid.
"Daichi, I think we should go toward Renji,"
Akio said, voice tense as he glanced in the direction of the scream.
Daichi groaned, rubbing his temple.
"Uhh, god damn it… I think we need to split. Akio, there is no one to guide Kairo and Leonhart, so yeah. Also, it might be other companions. You may go help them."
"Okay, okay. I'll go toward there,"
Akio replied, already turning his horse.
He kicked his mount into a gallop and rode hard toward the other side of the forest, leaving Daichi to continue on his own path.
"Uhh, how do we get out of this fake Daichi scenario?"
Akio muttered, scanning the trees nervously.
Another Daichi suddenly burst out from the undergrowth, running straight toward him.
Akio's face lit up with exaggerated confidence.
"Daichi! Hey there, buddy! You lost? Come to papa — I'll handle the rest as I am a military tactician!"
The real Daichi blinked, then gave a rare, slow smirk.
"Didn't you wait a minute, Akio? No way… I didn't know you had a brain like that."
Akio puffed out his chest.
"Yeah! I gotta hurry and find Renji. I put a magic tracker stone on him — we'll be able to track him for sure."
"How many of my versions did you see?"
Daichi asked, already turning his horse.
"Around two."
"Well, let's hurry up then."
Before they could move, a high-pitched girl's scream echoed through the forest.
Daichi's eyes narrowed.
"Who let girls inside the hunting ground at this hour?"
Akio's face paled.
"That's Renji… Uhh, isn't this training supposed to make us more masculine?"
"Uhh, gotta hurry, Akio!"
Daichi urged, kicking his horse forward.
Yeah, that's our Daichi for sure, Akio thought, a small grin forming. Because he doesn't even bother to tell me to shut up.
Meanwhile, the two imposters of Daichi faced each other in the shadows.
"How's the plan going?"
one asked.
The other grinned wickedly.
"Yeah, it is going good. Ohh, look there — it's Prince Kairo. Let's check up and make that prince a princess."
The second imposter nodded eagerly.
"Yeah, let's hurry up."
Kairo and Leonhart rode forward when they suddenly encountered two identical Daichis fighting each other in a small clearing.
"Leonhart, who is the real Daichi?"
Kairo asked, gripping his reins tighter, eyes darting between the two.
Leonhart frowned deeply, clearly confused.
"Uhh… it's so confusing."
"I am the real Daichi!"
one of them shouted.
"No, I am the real one!"
the other yelled back.
Without hesitation, Kairo and Leonhart lunged forward, attacking both imposters at once.
The two fakes staggered back in shock.
"How did you even know we both are imposters?!"
they demanded in unison.
Leonhart lowered his sword slightly, a faint smirk appearing on his face.
"Daichi is so lazy he wouldn't say 'I am the real one.' He would instead say 'What's the point of telling someone if my existence would create unnecessary fights which I wouldn't even bother to hear even if they say it behind my back.'"
Kairo let out a short laugh despite the tension.
"Uhh… I think he kinda thinks like Socrates."
The two imposters lunged without warning, their movements brutally fast.
Kairo barely twisted out of the way, the first strike whistling past his cheek.
"Uhh, no way… these guys are way too strong. Even after that contract buff, I'm still weak. I guess the power level of a man in this world is no joke."
A heavy blow connected with his abdomen. The impact sent him flying backward, slamming hard into a thick tree trunk. Pain exploded across his back, but he stayed on his feet.
"Uhh… my back. Thank goodness I have bones of steel now. Normal people would die from that contact,"
he muttered through gritted teeth, wincing as he pushed himself upright.
Meanwhile, Leonhart was locked in his own desperate fight. A powerful strike caught him square in the chest and hurled him through the air. He crashed down right beside Kairo, rolling once before stopping.
Leonhart looked up with a strained grin.
"Ohh, hey there buddy. Long time no see."
"Don't make this awkward," Kairo replied, breathing heavily. "We can't even run away, you know. Even though these guys are adults, it is prohibited to run away from the battlefield — even if it costs our life."
Leonhart gave a weak salute, still lying on the ground.
"Aye aye, captain."
"Well, uhh… you're spamming that word, huh? Very well, let's do this."
Both boys pushed off the ground and rushed forward together. Their combined charge lasted only seconds before another pair of devastating blows sent them flying back — crashing into the exact same tree, in the exact same spot.
Leonhart's face flushed red with embarrassment. A single tear of pure humiliation slipped down his cheek as he groaned.
"Kairo… it hurts my pride…"
The two fake Daichis burst into loud, mocking laughter, clearly enjoying the boys' humiliation and trying to rile them up even more.
Kairo's expression darkened, fists clenched at his sides.
"No way… these guys are making me angry." He stepped forward, voice rising with frustration.
"Oi! Don't you have some mercy? Why in the hell are you grown-ups bullying children?"
He was answered instantly by another punch that sent him spinning through the air, slamming back into the same spot beside Leonhart.
The two imposters howled with uncontrollable laughter, clutching their stomachs as tears of mirth streamed down their faces.