The Chūkan Yūrei had a strange kind of stillness at night. The golden mist, ever-present, swirled zily around them, shifting like it had a mind of its own. Lanterns flickered dimly along the pathways, casting elongated shadows as Watari, Yumi, Ren, Ryuko, and Kaito strolled through the winding streets of the realm.

  For the first time in a long time, there was no mission. No immediate battle. Just a moment to breathe.

  Watari stretched his arms over his head, exhaling as he gnced around. “Man, you forget how eerie this pce can be when it’s quiet.”

  Yumi, walking beside him, smirked. “Quiet’s rare for you, huh?”

  Watari shot her a look. “Oh, and I guess you don’t talk just as much?”

  “I talk when necessary.”

  “Liar.”

  “Excuse me?”

  The banter was easy—natural. It came from years of knowing each other, but more than that, from the past two years they had spent together.

  They had been through a lot.

  The fights, the traveling, the struggle of bancing everything. Yumi had been working. Watari had been working. They had both been saving, trying to carve out a life of their own. Between the orphanage, the Setai, and all the little problems that needed fixing, there was barely any time—but somehow, they had found it. Somehow, through all of it, they had made time for each other.

  Watari slid his hands into his pockets. “Oh, by the way, Akira’s commander now.”

  Ren gnced at him, brow raised. “Commander of the Setai?”

  Watari nodded. “Yeah. He’s doing alright, too. Took to it fast. Lot of people were worried at first, but I knew he’d handle it.”

  There was a pause before he added, “His spirit arm’s been acting weird, though.”

  Yumi shot him a look. “Weird how?”

  Watari shrugged. “I mean… it’s just there now. All the time.”

  No one said anything for a moment. It wasn’t exactly an issue—but it was definitely something to think about.

  Kaito, ever the one to break a silence, stretched his arms behind his head. “Man, can’t believe all you guys have been out here getting stronger. I mean, I can, but still.”

  Watari arched a brow. “And what about you, Ninth Gate’s finest?”

  Kaito grinned. “Not finest yet, but moving up. Mid-css now. Reached the Second State, too.”

  Watari blinked. “Oh, damn. Look at you.”

  Kaito rubbed his nose smugly. “Yeah, yeah. Had to, you know? Got two fresh fish in the Veil now.”

  He sighed dramatically, shaking his head. “And sadly, they’re already stronger than me.”

  He threw a gnce toward Ren and Ryuko.

  Watari followed his gaze, his eyes nding on the crests they bore. His brows lifted slightly.

  “Wait. You guys are both in the Kyūmonban?”

  Ren gave a small nod. “Yeah.”

  “Woah, the Ninth is looking stacked now.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Kaito waved a hand, “but let’s be real, none of us are in the Jūmonban.”

  Watari chuckled, but there was weight in that statement.

  The Jūmonban wasn’t just something you joined. It wasn’t a promotion. It wasn’t a rank you could earnin a conventional way.

  You were chosen.

  Koharu had bet a lot on him.

  That moment during the Kuroda fight—it had meant more than he had even realized at the time.

  Watari exhaled. “Guess we’ve all been getting stronger in our own ways.”

  Ryuko scoffed, crossing his arms. “Tch. Still can’t beat the brat, though.”

  Watari tilted his head. “Oh?”

  Ryuko exhaled sharply. “That damn bde—Ikazuchi. The thing’s literally not there.”

  Ren’s eyes flickered with interest. “Ah. You’re talking about Ikazuchi no Kami.”

  He gnced at Watari. “I remember it briefly from the Kuroda fight.” His expression turned thoughtful. “But even I couldn’t see the ssh that put Kuroda down.”

  Watari let out a breath, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah, well…”

  His voice trailed off, and for a moment, his expression changed. Subtly. Just enough for Kaito to catch it.

  A beat passed before Kaito spoke. “…Y’know, I never actually said it.”

  Watari turned to him, brow raised.

  Kaito looked up, exhaling through his nose. His usual carefree expression was still there, but there was something underneath it—something quieter.

  “That fight. Kuroda.”

  Watari’s grip tightened in his pockets.

  “I mean, it’s not like I was out for revenge or anything, but still…” Kaito scratched at the back of his head. “That bastard took everything from me. Took my world. My home. So when you put him down…”

  He clicked his tongue, shaking his head slightly. “Just. Y’know. Thanks.”

  Watari blinked.

  Then, he smiled. Not his usual smirk, not something sharp or teasing—just something small.

  “You don’t have to thank me for that.”

  Kaito shot him a look. “Well, I did, so deal with it.”

  Watari chuckled, rolling his shoulders. “Fine, fine. I’ll allow it just this once.”

  Kaito grinned, nudging his shoulder.

  “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t go thinking it means I’m gonna start respecting you or anything.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  There was a moment of stillness.

  Then—

  “I couldn’t have done that fight without you guys.”

  Watari’s voice was quieter. More sincere.

  “Truly a team effort.”

  Yumi tilted her head slightly, a pyful smile tugging at her lips. “So then, I have to ask…”

  She met his gaze directly.

  “Can we actually lose as a team?”

  Ryuko smirked. “Of course you could….. If I’m not there to pn it all out.”

  Kaito ughed. “Oh, yeah, that’s comforting.”

  Ren let out a quiet breath, gaze turning toward the mist in the distance. “When we do it together… can we fail?”

  The words lingered in the air for a long moment.

  No one answered.

  Because deep down, they all already knew.

  —CUT TO BLACK.