The old man glanced up from a newspaper he was reading at the sudden intrusion with a smile.

"Oh-ho, back so soon?"

"Sorry, but the circumstances are extremely dire right now. I don't have any gold on me right now, but I need a cart free of charge, or else everyone in this town is in danger"

The old man set his newspaper aside, now devoting his full attention to Seika.

"That won't be possible. I'm sorry, but unless you give me a proper reason, I just won't be able to go against company policy like that"

Seika hesitated, internally debating over whether it would be the right choice to reveal information that may very well spiral society into a panic.

"Fine... but you have to swear not to tell anyone, got it?"

The old man nodded.

"We're dealing with the potential return of Ezirok-"

His eyes widened in astonishment the instant he heard the name. 

"So it's true... there's been rumors going around as of late, y'know? Take any cart, I don't mind if you don't pay it back, there's no need when faced with something this important"

"Thank you so much- I promise to bring you double the amount I owe by tomorrow"

"Hmph... I said there was no need"

Seika began to dash out the door, yet the old man called out to her once more, causing her to freeze.

"Good luck... Seika"

"...how do you know my name..?"

"So it really is you. Pay it no mind, you wouldn't remember an old man like me anyways. If you really want to return to pay me back, I'll tell you then"

As soon as Seika left the building, the old man began muttering to himself.

"Hah.. how could I forget... the person who singlehandedly shifted the tides of war against Ezirok all those years ago... to think I'd really get to see you again before my life fades away for good"

***

Kaito's duel with Gramek had now shifted locations into the sea of trees. He quickly found Yukiko's information to be true, as Gramek blindly pursued Kaito's evasive movements while unable to avoid the trunks he found himself constantly colliding with. 

"This plan's good... but he's still gradually catching up. At some point I'll run out of stamina and we'll be killed, and I don't think he's gonna take any significant damage even if we hit him with an entire forest-"

Kaito suddenly shifted courses, ducking beneath a rather low swing from Gramek's sword and racing past in the opposite direction while striking him in the gut. Gramek's body briefly recoilled, but he quickly regained his stance.

"As I thought... trying to land an attack myself is too risky. I'm more nimble in this state, by my striking strength is greatly reduced... that settles it, I'm returning to Yukiko"

With Kaito's battle having been out of Yukiko's sight for some time, she no longer was able to properly give instructions on his best course of action. However, she now could see Kaito quickly returning to the clearing with Gramek following behind him like a hungry beast. 

Kaito accelerated with a burst of speed.

"I'll take the risk. This should give an opening for at least a few seconds. C'mon Yukiko... what's next"

Yukiko quickly took in the situation.

"You can do considerable damage to his core if you used his momentum against him right now-"

She trailed off mid-thought, suddenly beginning to shout with her real voice.

"WATCH OUT!!"

Gramek's sword had unnaturally shifted, enlarging and taking a form that appeared more sponge-like, riddled with holes. Most concerningly, bright red orbs of energy that resembled cores without physical form hovered at the center of each hole. 

Yukiko immediately realized what was going on.

"The adventurers he's killed... he's stored the corrupted energy extracted from their dying bodies inside that sword-"

Gramek closed the gap between himself and Kaito in an instant, swinging the flat side of his enlarged blade against Kaito's body and rocketing him across the clearing into a tree, which promptly cracked and fell over. 

A steady stream of blood trickled down from Kaito's forehead as Gramek approached in a calm walk, his eyes now showing more clarity.

"So that's it, huh? C'mon, get up already. Show me you have what it takes. Show me you're more worthy than those other humans"

With a heavy fist, he punched Kaito across the face, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.

Kaito didn't reply. Whether or not he was even conscious was hard to discern, yet it was certain he was still breathing.

"I know you're still in there. Get up. Entertain me more"

Gramek dropped his sword to the ground, its weight alone causing the blade to dig into the ground. He struck Kaito again.

"Tell you what, you're a worthy vessel. Why don't I take you to Ezirok and have you join us?"

Gramek's proposal finally evoked a response from Kaito.

"Shut it. I'll only live to kill your kind. I'd rather die than join you"

He struck with his fist once more, Kaito's body no longer moving.

"Damn it... move, body... move! Why did I come so far from Hanakawa for this..? Move, DAMMIT!"

"Then so be it"

As Gramek prepared to deal the final blow, a loud snapping of branches and crunching of leaves resounded from the West, diverting his attention.

Without warning, a cart flew through the clearing and crashed directly into Gramek's body, the splinters of wood being scattered about like splattering water.

Seika entered the clearing not moments after, quickly taking in her surroundings and situation before sliding on the ground past Yukiko with her arm outstretched, grabbing her pendant from Yukiko's toppled cart.

"Just in time. Man, have I missed this feeling", she sighed in relief as she threw her pendant over her head.

Immediately, a fiery aura errupted from Seika's body, large enough to be seen over the treetops. 

"Now, now, the humans here keep getting more interesting! Let's see if you've any more worth than this boy!"

Having lost all patience, Gramek's core pulsated with blood red energy, his body taking on a thick, hole-riddled form similar to his blade. His appearance now seemed no different from a demonic horror one might witness in the most unsavory of nightmares.

"A bone-like structure... despite the holes, he's as durable as can be. One thing's for certain, that's not Ezirok... yet, the corrupted energy is vaguely familiar... likely a related subordinate"

Gramek leapt forwards with even more speed than when he fought Kaito, swiftly swinging the heavy weapon down over Seika's head.

"Lapse"

Time seemed to slow to a point of nearly freezing for all but Seika. Leisurely lifting her right arm, she stopped Gramek's blade with two fingers.

"Sorry, but with my apprentice in this state, I don't have time to deal with you right now. I hope you don't mind me wrapping this up now"

Her individual motions became untrackable, appearing only as a flickering dance of her red-orange aura before Gramek's body completely disappeared from sight.

She hadn't realized it, but there was one other whose perception persisted other than her own, and it belonged to the very apprentice she just saved.

Barely able to lift his eyes, Kaito found solace in the feeling of Seika's permeating aura before passing out

"This feeling... yeah, there's no doubt about it... it's the same as when I first met Hayato..."

***

Kaito awoke in an unfamiliar bed, the morning sun peering in through a window positioned directly in front of him. A light tapping noise quickly caught his attention, leading him to notice Seika, who had been sitting at the foot of his bed.

"Had a good nap? C'mon. We've got a lot to discuss"

<<End of Wandering Arc>>