A strange feeling washed over me.
It was cold.
Heavy.
Familiar.
Kaijunoo...
He was awake again.
Creature looked at the monster.
"So... who is this third brother?"
The monster folded his arms.
"He's the youngest among you three."
He paused.
"But he's also the reincarnation of Senjuro Fogo."
"What?" Yamato asked.
He was still trying to wake Ash, who had collapsed after hearing that we had another brother.
"His name..."
The monster smiled.
"...is Tom Fogo."
"Tom..."
Creature whispered.
"Tom..."
I repeated.
For some reason...
A smile appeared on both our faces.
Neither of us had ever imagined we'd have family.
Now we had another brother waiting somewhere in the world.
"But..."
The monster's expression turned serious.
"He carries a terrible tragedy."
My smile faded.
"What happened?"
The monster told us everything.
The story...
The pain...
The burden Tom carried.
When he finished, silence filled the forest.
Creature lowered his head.
"...That's horrible."
Even Yamato looked speechless.
Just then...
A sharp pain shot through my body.
I grabbed my chest.
My breathing became heavier.
No...
Not now.
A familiar laugh echoed inside my mind.
"Heh..."
"You really thought I was dead..."
"...Baka?"
My eyes widened.
"Kaijunoo..."
The pressure around me exploded.
Dark energy began leaking from my body.
The ground beneath my feet cracked.
Creature immediately stepped back.
His expression changed.
He knew exactly what was happening.
"...Shit."
*Author's Note:
Want to learn about Tom's tragedy? It's told in my other novel, Tom Fogo, on Webnovel. This story can still be enjoyed on its own, but you'll discover much more about Tom's past there.