But beneath that confusion, a faint feeling of recognition stirred within him, as if he knew them somehow, even if he couldn't remember why.
Yoruji stared at everyone in confusion as the name Zareth echoed in his mind once again.
His gaze returned to Ayame, noticing the way she looked at him not like Yoruji, but like someone she had lost.
Feeling unsettled, he asked why she was looking at him like that.
Ayame quietly apologized, but her eyes still lingered on him.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through Yoruji's mind, falling petals, laughter, someone standing beneath a flowering tree, and a strange feeling of warmth.
Before he could understand it, the memory vanished.
Clutching his forehead, Yoruji looked back at Ayame and whispered,
"...Why does looking at you make me feel sad?"
Silence spread through the courtyard.
Everyone froze, uncertain whether those words had come from Yoruji... or from Zareth.
The silence only made Yoruji more confused.
He looked around and asked if he had said something strange, but no one answered.
Then another memory suddenly flashed through his mind.
A younger Ayame stood beneath a flowering tree, petals resting in her hair, while a distant voice softly said,
"You always come here when you're upset."
The memory shattered instantly.
Pain shot through Yoruji's head, and he stumbled back in shock.
Because the voice in the memory had sounded like his own.
He shook his head, trying to steady himself as the memory faded.
And then a system interface appeared in his vision.
Clear and unmistakable.
[System]
Greetings, Zareth Ashveil.
Identity recognition complete.
Memory synchronization remains unstable.
Current Status:
[Fragmented]
Consciousness detected.
[Emotional Resonance Increasing]
[Past Imprint Responding]
Do you wish to proceed?
[YES] [NO]
Yoruji's confusion deepened the moment he saw the name displayed before him.
"Zareth Ashveil..."
The unfamiliar system hovering before his eyes only made his thoughts spiral further into chaos.
He waved his hand through the floating words as if trying to brush away smoke.
But the interface remained there, unmoving.
"Hey... Amano, Ayame, Enji."
His eyes never left the screen.
"Are you seeing this too? This weird thing with the words?"
Amano, Ayame, and Enji exchanged confused glances.
Clearly, none of them could see what Yoruji was looking at.
Yoruji swallowed hard and looked back at the interface.
"If I choose yes... what's going to happen?"
His voice trembled.
"Am I going to die or am I going to get my memories back?"
The courtyard fell silent.
For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then the interface shifted.
The glowing text slowly changed.
[System]
[Response Acknowledged]
[Warning: Memory restoration may cause emotional instability]
[Identity conflict probability: High]
[Physical termination: Unlikely]
Yoruji's eyes widened.
"...Identity conflict?"
The words unsettled him more than the warning itself.
His throat tightened as he stared at the screen.
Then another line appeared.
Would you like to continue memory restoration?
[YES] [NO]
Yoruji stood frozen beneath the drifting petals, the pale glow reflecting faintly in his eyes.
"...Yes."
He answered almost immediately.
The moment the word left his mouth, the interface flickered twice.
Then new words appeared.
[Restoration Processing...]
[Restoring: 3%]
A flood of fragmented memories flashed through Yoruji's mind.
Among them, one image stood out.
Bea.
Standing before him with the same warm smile she always wore.
For a moment, everything else faded away.
Only her remained.
[13%]
Ayame stepped toward him instinctively, worry filling her expression as she reached out to steady him.
"Yoruji—!"
The moment her hand touched his arm, another wave of information surged through his mind.
[17%]
Name: Shiun Ayame
Age: 22
Title: Shadow Flame Pillar
Appearance: Black hair with violet streaks
Combat Art: Eclipsing Ember Art
A deceptive style utilizing feints, speed, and sudden lethal strikes.
Stats
Strength: 28
Perception: 34
Agility: 34
Speed: 33
Bravery: 27
Intelligence: 27
Charm: 18
Threat Level: Very High
"Why..." Yoruji's voice came out uneven as he stared at Ayame.
"Why am I seeing this?"
"Eclipsing Ember Art..."
The words slipped from his mouth unconsciously.
He suddenly paused.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
A strange sense of familiarity crawled through him.
"Threat level..."
His voice grew quieter.
"Very high."
The moment he said it, silence fell over the courtyard once more.
Seigan's expression immediately sharpened.
Ayame froze.
Even Enji looked stunned.
Yoruji slowly looked up at them, confusion spreading across his face.
"...Why do I know that?" he asked quietly.
[38%]
Amano slowly approached him, worry clear in his eyes.
"Wait, Amano," Enji warned, reaching out to stop him.
But Amano ignored him.
He continued forward without hesitation until he stood directly in front of Yoruji.
"Zareth..."
Amano's voice trembled.
"Do you still remember me? You were the first friend I ever had."
Before anyone could stop him, Amano wrapped his arms around Yoruji.
The cheerful expression he always carried finally cracked apart.
Despite his smaller stature and normally bright demeanor, he clung tightly to Yoruji as quiet sobs escaped his throat.
"I really thought you were gone," he whispered brokenly.
[46%]
The moment Amano hugged him, another memory surfaced.
Yoruji saw a younger Amano training with a wooden sword under Renji's guidance.
Amano struggled with every movement, but Renji patiently corrected his stance and taught him the basics.
Despite constantly teasing Amano for being terrible with a sword, Renji always praised his determination and willingness to get back up after every failure.
The memory felt warm.
Peaceful.
Familiar.
Then Yoruji realized something that made his breathing stop.
The voice of Renji in the memory sounded exactly like his own.
Yoruji's legs weakened.
He dropped to one knee, clutching his head as another wave of pain surged through him.
"Renji..." he whispered.
A faint smile appeared on his face despite the agony twisting through his mind.
"You were like a brother to Amano."
His breathing trembled.
"My head is going crazy..." he muttered weakly.
His eyes drifted toward Amano.
"Amano... Renji..."
[55%]
Another memory suddenly crashed into Yoruji's mind.
Blood.
Snow.
A man's body collapsing onto the floor of an apartment.
For a brief second, Yoruji saw Mathew's face split open by a blade, the image so vivid it made his stomach twist violently.
[59%]
Yoruji's breathing became uneven as the memory forced itself deeper into his mind.
"My first fight..." he whispered shakily.
His fingers dug into the ground beneath him.
"The first time I killed someone."
The courtyard fell silent once again as the realization struck him harder than the pain itself.
[63%]
Another painful wave of memories overwhelmed him.
He saw himself standing inside the apartment where Mathew died, staring down at the blood-covered floor while Logan and Rax called him a monster.
The memories no longer felt distant.
They felt real.
[68%]
More fragments surfaced.
Yoruji remembered the floating recording device and the appearance of the two demons inside the apartment.
Then their voices echoed clearly in his mind.
"You are the son of Shinma Kurotsuki."
"The Father of All Demons."
The words shook him completely.
As Amano held onto him, fear finally appeared in Yoruji's eyes.
Because he was beginning to realize that Zareth's past was not merely violent.
It was connected to something far darker.
Yoruji's body trembled violently as memories continued crashing into him.
His breathing grew ragged.
Slowly, he lifted his head.
For the first time since the restoration began, anger burned stronger than confusion.
Raw.
Violent.
"Fuck you... Shinma."
The words escaped through clenched teeth, low and filled with hatred.
The courtyard fell silent.
Even the drifting petals seemed to stop around him.
Yoruji's fists tightened until his hands trembled.
Fragments of blood, demons, and endless darkness flashed through his mind again and again.
Then he looked forward with shaking eyes.
This time, his voice came out clearer.
Stronger.
"I'll kill you."
[72%]
Name: Zareth Ashveil
Age: 23
Memory Restoration Successful
Combat Data Recovered
Core Attributes:
Strength: 12
Speed: 15
Perception: 18
Intelligence: 14
New Passive Unlocked:
Instinctive Threat Assessment
Synchronization Stable
The members of Byakuren stood around the courtyard, watching Yoruji carefully.
None of them could see the strange system hovering before his eyes.
The system remained active, silently processing and restoring his memories.
[84%]
To everyone else, it looked as though he were staring into empty space while fighting an invisible battle.
Amano remained close, ready to catch him if he collapsed.
Ayame watched silently beneath the drifting petals, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
Even Seigan kept his attention fixed on him.
No one spoke.
The atmosphere was tense.
Yoruji's breathing gradually steadied.
The violent shaking that had gripped his body slowly weakened.
Yet his eyes remained locked on something only he could see.
The system.
[86%]
The pale glow reflected faintly in his pupils.
No.
Not just Yoruji anymore.
The name Zareth Ashveil felt heavier with every passing second.
The members of Byakuren watched him carefully.
None of them could see the endless stream of text moving across his vision.
To them, he simply looked frozen.
Lost.
As if he were listening to voices no one else could hear.
The system flickered.
[Final Memory Clusters Detected]
Yoruji's breath caught in his throat.
Another memory surfaced.
The apartment.
A small wooden table.
Warm food.
Bea.
She sat across from him, smiling.
Saying something.
He couldn't hear her voice.
No matter how hard he tried.
Yet he found himself staring at her.
Just watching.
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
The courtyard.
The system.
Shinma.
None of it mattered.
Bea was right there.
Alive.
Smiling at him.
Then a crack appeared across the memory.
Yoruji's eyes widened.
"No..."
He reached toward her without thinking.
"Wait..."
But the memory was already breaking apart.
Bea's smile faded with it.
And no matter how far he reached, he couldn't stop her from disappearing.
[90%]
The memory shattered.
Bea vanished no more longer in his sight.
Yoruji's hand remained stretched out before him, grasping at empty air.
[92%]
The memory was gone.
Just like that.
His hand slowly lowered.
His fingers trembled.
The image of Bea's smile lingered in his mind.
His chest felt tight.
Empty.
The system flickered again.
[93%]
[Critical Memory Cluster Located]
[Preparing Final Synchronization]
Yoruji stared at the words.
For some reason, he didn't want to continue.
Not because he feared the pain.
But because he feared what came next.
Feared learning what had happened to Bea.
Around him, the courtyard remained silent.
Amano watched with concern.
Ayame stood frozen beneath the falling petals.
None of them could see the messages filling Yoruji's vision.
The system pulsed.
Another memory surfaced.
Darkness.
Rain.
A cold night.
Yoruji's eyes widened.
Not Yoruji.
Zareth.
He recognized the feeling immediately.
This wasn't a distant fragment.
This was one of his memories.
A real one.
Rain poured heavily around him.
Blood mixed with water beneath his feet.
Someone was kneeling in front of him.
Someone crying.
Someone begging.
The face remained hidden.
Blurred.
Unclear.
Yet Zareth's heart began pounding.
Because he already knew that voice.
Even before the memory revealed it.
"Please..."
The voice trembled.
"Don't leave me..."
Zareth froze.
His breathing stopped.
The memory flickered.
The hidden face slowly became clearer.
And the system immediately reacted.
[95%]
[Final Memory Lock Detected]
[Warning: Severe Emotional Response Expected]
The words barely registered.
Because Zareth's attention was fixed entirely on the figure standing in the rain.
The figure he was finally about to recognize.
"Zareth Ashveil... you don't deserve this."
"We don't deserve this."
[97%]
He slowly rose to his feet, fists clenched.
The courtyard fell silent.
Amano's eyes widened.
Ayame froze.
Worry filled Amano's face as he took a hesitant step forward.
"Are you... Zareth Ashveil?"
A faint smile appeared on Zareth's face.
He didn't look exactly like the Zareth they remembered.
But something in his eyes felt familiar.
Something that had been missing until now.
Zareth looked down at himself.
His eyes widened slightly.
Long black hair fell past his shoulders.
His body was lean and toned.
Different.
Taller.
Far different from the body he remembered as Yoruji.
For a moment, he simply stared at himself in disbelief.
[100%]
Synchronization Complete.
Zareth Ashveil has fully awakened.
For several long seconds, nobody moved.
The pressure hanging over the courtyard seemed to disappear.
The confusion that had filled Yoruji's eyes was gone.
The man standing before them was unmistakably Zareth Ashveil.
His gaze was steady.
Focused.
Remembering.
The wind drifted through the courtyard, carrying pale petals between them.
Amano stared at him in disbelief.
His lips trembled.
"...Zareth?"
A faint smile appeared on Zareth's face.
"Hi, Amano."
His voice was calm.
Familiar.
"Do you still remember me? Your first friend?"
Amano froze.
For a moment, it looked as though he hadn't heard him at all.
Then his eyes widened.
His shoulders shook.
"...It really is you."
The courtyard remained silent.
Even Ayame couldn't look away.
Amano took a careful step forward, like he was afraid the man standing before him would disappear if he moved too quickly.
"You..." he swallowed hard. "Is it really you?"
Zareth nodded.
His eyes drifted past Amano and settled on Ayame.
For a moment, he simply looked at her.
Quiet.
Searching.
As though countless memories were trying to surface all at once.
Then he spoke.
"I remember..."
The courtyard held its breath.
"I died inside the chamber."
The words landed like a stone dropped into still water.
No one spoke.
Amano's expression fell.
Ayame's eyes widened slightly.
Even Seigan looked surprised.
For years, the chamber had been treated as a grave.
A place no one returned from.
Yet the man standing before them spoke of it as though it had happened yesterday.
Zareth lowered his gaze.
Fragments of darkness, pain, and isolation still lingered at the edge of his thoughts.
Before anyone could respond, Seigan stepped forward.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
He stopped directly in front of Zareth.
"For now, we need to place you under quarantine. For your safety, and for the safety of Byakuren as well."
Zareth looked at him for a moment.
Then nodded.
"I understand."
The wind blew softly around them.
Then a familiar glow appeared in the corner of Zareth's vision.
The system.
For the first time since the restoration began, its light was steady.
Calm.
Complete.
New lines of text appeared.
[Memory Synchronization: 100%]
[Identity Confirmed: Zareth Ashveil]
[Consciousness Stabilized]
[Combat Data Restored]
[Threat Assessment System Online]
[Final Synchronization Complete]
The words lingered for several seconds.
Then one final message appeared.
[Welcome back Zareth Ashveil]
The screen flickered once.
And vanished.
For the first time since awakening, there was silence inside his mind.
No notifications.
No fragmented memories.
Only himself.
Zareth slowly lifted his head.
His gaze swept across the courtyard.
Across Amano.
Ayame.
Renji.
Rin.
Seigan.
The people he had once believed he would never see again.
Then, with quiet sincerity, he gave them a respectful nod.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Finally, Amano grinned.
"But you're still my first friend, Zareth."
A faint smile appeared on Zareth's face.
"And you're still loud."
Amano immediately pointed at Renji.
"Unlike Renji, who spent half our childhood bullying me."
Renji's eyes widened.
"Bullying?"
He pointed at himself.
"I was building character."
Amano stared at him.
"You hid my lunch."
"Once."
"It happened five times."
"Details."
Rin covered her mouth, failing to hide her laughter.
Even Ayame's lips curved into a small smile.
For the first time since the restoration began, the tension in the courtyard eased.
And standing beneath the drifting petals, surrounded by the people he had once lost
The tension in the courtyard finally eased.
For the first time since the memories started returning, everyone looked a little more relaxed.
Even Ayame couldn't stop a small smile from appearing.
Amano crossed his arms dramatically.
"I can't believe you're acting innocent about this."
Renji raised an eyebrow.
"I am innocent."
"You tied my training sword to a tree."
"You eventually got it down."
"It was thirty feet in the air!"
"Sounds like a skill issue."
Renji immediately burst out laughing.
Amano looked completely betrayed.
"See?! This is exactly what I was talking about!"
Rin covered her mouth, failing to hide a laugh.
"To be fair, Amano, you did spend half the day trying to get it back."
"Because it was thirty feet in the air!"
"And yet you got it down."
"Whose side are you on?"
"The funny side."
Amano gasped in betrayal.
"Not you too!"
The group's laughter spread through the courtyard.
For a few moments, it almost felt like an ordinary day.
The tension that had gripped the courtyard slowly faded beneath the sound of laughter.
Then Seigan let out a long sigh.
"Alright. That's enough."
Amano immediately pointed at him.
"You're ruining the mood."
Seigan folded his arms.
"I'm preserving order."
"Same thing."
"It is absolutely not the same thing."
Rin couldn't help laughing.
"I think Amano has a point."
Amano's eyes lit up instantly.
"See? Rin understands me."
Rin tilted her head.
"That wasn't a compliment."
Amano's smile vanished.
"...I feel attacked."
Renji burst out laughing.
"She got you good."
Amano pointed accusingly at him.
"Why is everyone against me today?"
"Because it's entertaining," Renji replied.
"It really is," Rin agreed with a smile.
Seigan pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Jokes aside, we still need to move him to the East Residence."
The laughter gradually died down as everyone's attention returned to Zareth.
Several members nodded.
Unlike the way outsiders imagined it, the East Residence wasn't a prison. It was a quiet place reserved for recovery.
Swordsmen who suffered severe injuries often stayed there.
Those affected by unusual curses or spiritual disturbances stayed there as well.
Amano scratched the back of his head.
"Does it have decent food this time?"
"It always had decent food," Seigan replied.
"No, it didn't."
"It did."
"It absolutely didn't."
One of the healers raised a hand.
"We hired a new cook."
Amano immediately looked impressed.
"Well that's different."
The group began making their way through the compound.
The atmosphere remained surprisingly casual.
Renji and Amano continued arguing about old training stories.
Rin occasionally joined in.
Ayame mostly listened while walking quietly beside them.
The path eventually led toward the eastern side of the mountain.
Nestled among tall cedar trees stood a large wooden residence overlooking the valley below.
Warm lanterns glowed beneath the eaves.
Protective charms hung from several beams, swaying gently in the breeze.
Amano pointed toward it.
"There it is."
The front doors slid open.
The interior was spacious and welcoming.
Tatami mats covered the floors.
Several guest rooms lined the hallways.
Bookshelves filled one corner of the main room.
A training yard could be seen through the rear veranda.
Amano blinked.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at him.
"When did they add the bookshelf?"
"The last renovation," Renji answered.
"It got renovated?"
"Three years ago."
Amano looked offended.
"Nobody tells me anything."
"Because you never attend meetings," Seigan said.
"That's fair."
Several people laughed.
One of the healers stepped forward.
"We'll keep an eye on him for a while. Nothing complicated. Just rest, medicine, and regular examinations."
Amano nodded.
"See? That's way less dramatic than everybody was making it sound."
Seigan folded his arms.
"Nobody was making it sound dramatic."
"You literally called it supervision."
"Because that's what it is."
"Words matter."
Before Seigan could respond, a loud crash suddenly echoed from somewhere inside the residence.
Everyone froze.
A second later, a young attendant stumbled out of a nearby room carrying a broken tray.
"...I can explain."
Silence.
Then Renji pointed.
"That sounds more dangerous than anything we're supervising."
The attendant immediately looked offended.
"It was one bowl!"
"A very loud bowl."
Laughter spread through the group once more as the evening continued.
The attendant carefully set the broken tray aside while everyone continued laughing.
Even Seigan looked seconds away from giving up.
"Just clean it up before someone steps on it."
"Already doing it," the attendant replied quickly.
The group gradually settled down and moved deeper into the residence.
As the others talked among themselves, Zareth remained unusually quiet.
Not withdrawn.
Just thoughtful.
His eyes drifted across the familiar wooden walls, the hanging lanterns, and the distant sounds of evening life echoing through the residence.
Something about it all felt strangely nostalgic.
A fragment of memory stirred.
For a brief moment, he remembered walking these halls years ago.
The memory was faint.
Little more than a feeling.
But it was enough.
"You've been here before, haven't you?"
Ayame's voice was soft.
Zareth glanced toward her.
She had somehow fallen into step beside him without him noticing.
He looked around the residence again.
"I think so."
His gaze lingered on a corner of the hallway.
"I remember getting lost."
Ayame blinked.
"You?"
"It happened once."
"It happened seven times."
Zareth looked at her.
"...Seven?"
Ayame nodded without hesitation.
"You somehow got lost inside your own residence."
Amano immediately appeared beside them.
"I remember that!"
"Of course you do."
"You accidentally walked into the women's bath."
"I was looking for the training yard."
"The training yard was outside."
"There were a lot of doors."
Amano laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.
Even Ayame struggled to keep a straight face.
For the first time since awakening, Zareth found himself laughing with them.
A genuine laugh.
Small.
Quiet.
But real.
The sight caused several members of Byakuren to pause.
Because it had been years since they had last seen that expression.
Amano noticed the looks immediately.
His smile softened.
For a moment, nobody said anything.
They simply watched.
Watched the friend they thought they had lost standing among them once more.
Then Seigan cleared his throat.
"If everyone is finished reliving embarrassing childhood stories, Zareth needs rest."
Amano pointed at him.
"There he is."
"There who is?"
"The fun police."
Seigan stared at him.
"I have never once been fun."
"...Honestly, that's fair."
The entire room burst into laughter again.
Even Seigan couldn't completely hide the faint smile threatening to appear on his face.
Outside, the evening wind drifted through the cedar trees.
And for the first time since returning from the dead, Zareth felt something he hadn't felt in a very long time.
Home.