The golden mist swirled zily in the dim morning light as Ren, Ryuko, and Kaito arrived at the designated meeting point. The three of them moved casually—until they saw what was in front of them.
Yumi.
Unconscious.
Beaten.
Her body was slumped on the ground, dried blood streaked across her arms, her clothes torn in pces from what could only be a brutal fight.
Silence.
Then—
Kaito exhaled sharply. “Okay. What the hell happened?”
Ren crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. “Did she get jumped?”
Ryuko let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his neck. “Looks like she got folded.”
Kaito clicked his tongue. “Don’t tell me…”
He gives a frightening look to Watari.
“You TakeMina took her out or something.”
Before anyone could respond—
Flick!
“Gah—!” Kaito winced, rubbing his forehead.
Watari had flicked him—hard. “That’s not what happened.”
Before Kaito could throw a retort, Ayase cleared his throat. He stood off to the side, his usual unreadable smirk in pce—but this time, there was something else behind it. Something that made it seem… strained.
“I’ll be the one leading you to your mission.”
Watari arched a brow. “Where’s Koharu?”
Ayase’s smirk twitched ever so slightly. He hesitated for just a moment before speaking, his voice light—but his expression? Nervous.
“The Captain is, uh… in a bit of a mood at the moment.”
Silence.
Then, he added, “She won’t be joining us. She’s, um… holed up in the training room.”
Watari immediately felt something off. “Why?”
Kaito, still staring at Yumi’s battered form, threw his hands up. “Forget that for a second! Can someone expin what happened to Mi-chan!?”
Ayase exhaled slowly.
“Oh, right. I can fix that.”
But even as he said it, his body tensed slightly, like he was bracing for something.
Then—he cupped his hands around his mouth, inhaled sharply, and yelled.
“CAPTAIN, YOU HAVE TO DO THE THING!”
Silence.
For a single moment, everything was still.
Then—
CLANG.
From the training hall in the distance, the sound of cshing steel stopped.
Then—
A voice.
Furious. Absolute. Unyielding.
“Tenkai no Shingi.”
A rush of energy flooded the air.
Yumi’s body convulsed slightly—then, suddenly, the transformation began.
The golden mist lingered softly around them, swirling in the dim light. Yumi stretched her fingers, still flexing the feeling of power surging through her veins. It wasn’t just recovery—she felt different. The energy inside her was real. Tangible. She wasn’t just standing here as pin Yumi anymore.
She was standing here as Yumi of the Jūmonban.
A fresh gust of air passed through the Chūkan as the realization settled over her. The weight of it. The responsibility.
And then—
A warm hand touched her shoulder.
Yumi turned—only to be met with Watari’s gaze.
It wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t pyful. It was something softer, something real.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Then—
Watari exhaled, shaking his head with a small smile. “I saw it, y’know.”
Yumi blinked. “…Saw what?”
“The fight.”
His voice was quiet. Not in a hesitant way—just in a way that made the words matter more.
“I saw how hard you pushed yourself.” His fingers lingered on her shoulder. “You were fighting for this with everything you had.”
Yumi swallowed.
Watari’s hand moved, fingers brushing over hers—lightly, almost as if he wasn’t sure whether he had the right to.
Then—he grinned. “And I gotta say…”
His voice dropped slightly.
“…I’ve never been prouder.”
Yumi’s breath hitched slightly.
It wasn’t like she needed his approval—she knew what she had done. Knew how much work she put in.
But hearing him say it?
Hearing him acknowledge it like this?
She let out a small exhale, shaking her head.
“…Idiot.”
But she was smiling.
Watari smirked. “You love this idiot.”
Yumi rolled her eyes. “I tolerate this idiot.”
Before he could respond—
“OH FOR THE LOVE OF—GET A ROOM.”
Kaito.
Loud. Annoyed. Ruining the moment.
Watari sighed, rubbing his temples. “Bro.”
Kaito gestured dramatically between them. “We’re literally about to go on a mission that might get us killed, and you two are here making it a romance novel. The hell is this?”
Before Watari could counter, Ryuko stepped forward, arms crossed. “Tch. Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, my dear Kaito.”
“I am jealous,” Kaito said ftly. “Where’s my congratutions? I wanna be told I’m amazing too.”
Yumi finally let out a small ugh.
Ren crossed his arms. “You didn’t do anything.”
Kaito clutched his chest like he had been stabbed. “Ouch. Brutal.”
Ayase exhaled sharply. “Alright, alright.” He motioned toward Yumi, his smirk returning. “I will say, though—congratutions, Takahashi chan. You really did it.”
The others nodded, their casual teasing fading just a little as the reality of it settled in.
Watari stepped back slightly, letting the moment be hers.
Yumi exhaled, rolling her shoulders. She wasn’t one for huge dispys, but she felt their recognition. Felt the weight of it.
“…Thanks, guys.”
Kaito grinned. “Yeah, yeah, just don’t get a big head about it.”
Watari smirked. “You’re just mad she ranked up before you.”
Kaito gasped, hand on chest. “I am mad about that! What the hell, Mi-chan?”
Yumi raised a brow. “Get good.”
Kaito dropped to the floor. “A fatal blow… delivered mercilessly…!”
Ryuko shook his head. “Pathetic.”
Ayase sighed. “Alright. Now that we’re all done, let’s get back to the mission.”
Watari exhaled, adjusting his coat. “Yeah, yeah.”
And with that, the group moved forward—
But not before Watari stole one st gnce at Yumi.
A silent, knowing look.
She caught it.
And in the smallest way—
She smiled.
Ayase cracked his neck. “Alright, enough wasting time. On to the Fifth Gate.”
Watari rolled his shoulders. “How long’s that gonna take us? Two, three months? ”
Ayase blinked. Then he gave him a look. “…Did you seriously think there’s that long of a travel time in the Chūkan?”
With a flick of his wrist—
Reality tore open.
A shimmering void unraveled before them, forming a pathway—an elevator-like realm that spiraled downward into the depths of the Chūkan.
“This’ll take us there,” Ayase said, stepping inside.
The others followed.
