Yukiko’s POV

- About 30 minutes ago

“Are you finally done with your tantrum now?”

Setsuya sighed and lifted his head from his arms, glaring at me with displeasure in his eyes.

“As both a brother and guildmaster, I’d prefer it if you didn’t speak to me like that”

“You know I’m right. Even Seika was on his side–”

“It’s just– haah… He reminds me too much of him–”

“Still hung up over that, huh?”

“How could I not be? It’s– Whatever. You were too young at the time to understand now”

He dropped his head to the table again, producing a thump as his forehead hit the wooden surface.

Since this morning’s confrontation, we hadn’t even moved from the lobby, remaining at the same table until it was just us two left. As hours passed, people flitted in and out of the doors, some pretending to avert their eyes and not notice this sad lump of a guildmaster in the corner.

“Listen, you can’t just stay like this forever. Sooner or later you’re gonna have to reconsider”

“He’s marked. I’ve told you over and over again that both Seika and I sensed it. There’s no conceivable explanation for why a good person would become marked. You should know better than anyone how those marks are transmitted, so why are you taking his side?”

“I’m telling you to listen! In the time you’ve been moping around like this, I’ve pieced it all together. There is a valid story behind it all and there IS a reason– And you’d get to find out if you just took the time to listen to me rather than shutting down everything I say that goes against your stupid biased beliefs!”

The room grew silent.

Setsuya’s eyes grew wider before narrowing their focus on me, almost as if he were inspecting every particle of dust that drifted by my face.

My heartbeat quickened.

“...You’ve changed”

“Huh?”

“You’ve never spoken to me in that tone before, and neither have you spoken that much in one go before-”

I couldn’t tell what his own tone was. Was he angry with me? If so, I wouldn’t have even cared…

“What caused all… this?”

He vaguely gestured towards my face.

I could only imagine my expression would’ve been extremely unpleasant to look at about now.

Above all, my brother was right. Thinking back to just a few weeks ago, I never would’ve acted so… boldly? 

There wasn’t much thought needed for me to figure out why I had changed. Without a doubt, it began after my encounter with Kaito. 

Leaving that barrier zone, he was a blank slate, not willingly, but one who had been forced to wipe his identity clean to move forwards.

I thought that I had lost so much before, but seeing him continue to fight despite having lost literally everything made me realize how pitiful I had been, choosing to bury myself in books and documents instead of moving forwards and building myself as a person.

He wasn’t perfect though. Far from it, in fact. He claimed to have let go of his memories tying him down and those childhood dreams of his, yet still acted for the greater good. Regardless of what had happened, he still held onto a sense- a code of his identity.

In some sense, that clean, empty state of his was something I could project my own hopes and dreams onto. 

In this time of change, I didn’t want to be merely a passenger in my own life, and his words and modeling helped me to realize that.

For the first time I could recall since our father’s passing, Setsuya was the one to silently sit and listen as I talked. It was odd, to say the least. I had never before seen him so… attentive. Yet, I still felt a strange sense of relief being able to ramble on and get all my thoughts, feelings, opinions, and whatever else off my chest.

His brows slightly furrowed each time I mentioned Kaito’s name, but at least he was now making some attempt to hear our story.

***

“So that’s how it all went down, huh? In that case… fine then, I’ll give him one chance. I’ve heard your side, and that alone is nearly enough to convince me. However, I still need to hear his perspective on the last few days. His motives, his goals… while his status as marked can’t be overlooked, those will weigh in on my final decision”

Yes! There would be a chance! I silently celebrated with myself.

“But. You will not be allowed to be present in the room during our talk. Both you and Seika will now harbor biases for his side. This decision will be made by my judgement of his character alone without external influences”

Damn it… That meant that there was still the chance that some things could be interpreted incorrectly… but even still, a chance was a chance nonetheless. 

“I’ll accept those terms”

“Your confidence makes me hopeful this won’t end the way I once thought it would. Now, let’s go bring him in”

As we began making our way towards the front door, I could barely hear him muttering under his breath, “Damn it… you’ve grown soft. Really now, making exceptions just ‘cause of Yukiko..?”

I was beginning to wonder when he’d start grumbling like that. He definitely wasn’t the kind to change his values quickly– or ever, at that. 

[ The next wave will strike in 5:00 ]

The window appearing before each of our faces forced my hand reaching towards the doorknob to stop dead.

“What..?”

Setsuya firmly placed a hand on my shoulder before pulling me back, away from the door. He spoke coldly in a stern tone as if warning a child against playing with sharp objects.

“Stay in here. Don’t leave”

I could sense traces of mana gathering underneath his skin as he bolted out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Kaito’s POV

Soon after my own window revealed the directive’s condition, similar messages began appearing in front of everybody else around me, albeit theirs being less informative.

Naturally, the sudden warning of impending disaster would stir a single unifying emotion from the depths of everyone’s hearts: panic.

I would’ve reacted the same about a week or so ago, but now, unexpected changes and sudden threats from the corruption, especially the kinds announced through the system, had become almost more predictable than things actually progressing as they were told to be.

Workers dropped their tools, those on break allowed their food to slip from their grasp, all to break into a confused sprint to who-knows-where.

Some feeling of safety. That was what they were after.

Armed individuals who I presumed to be guards stood their ground, taking up their weapons and spreading to cover the land that the unfinished wall couldn’t protect.

Even some stronger workers remained, equipping themselves with nothing more than axes and saws, yet hardening their expressions with steeled determination.

In the distance, I could hear the shouting of a voice I wished would do nothing but leave me alone. He threw commands left and right, creating shelter orders on the spot while directing various groups of variously skilled individuals to different locations. 

Despite being at odds with him, I still had to admit that in times like these, he could display unwavering level-headedness to orchestrate a frenzied playing field without needing any preparation. 

In that aspect, he sort of reminded me of my dad. If only he could treat me as nicely as he did as well. 

As the seconds ticked by, Setsuya’s voice grew louder and louder. He was drawing closer to me. 

No, it was almost as if he was heading directly in my direction. 

I barely noticed his presence behind me before he spoke my name.

“Kaito. You want your chance to prove yourself to me? You have just that right here. I’m expecting you to take charge of this unfortified section. Don’t allow the south end of town to fall”

It wasn’t like I had any other plans.

With that command, his voice began fading into the distance, uttering something along the lines of, “Now where the hell is Seika?!”

Hearing that caused me to chuckle just a bit. I expected Seika to try to leave this wave entirely up to me to prove myself, but for her plan to infuriate Setsuya as well made it all even more worth it. 

[ The next wave is now commencing ]

The sound of a distant foghorn echoed through the air– The same sound that Yukiko and I had heard while in combat with the Assassin.

So it was that noise that indicated the beginning of one of these attacks.

Off on the horizon, I glimpsed a familiar lumbering figure I had once traded blows with.

< Tainted Titan-type | Rank 6.5 Threat | Unstable | Frenzied | Highly Durable | ??? >

Those words confirmed the beast’s identity. 

No– there wasn’t just one, but two more just like it trailing behind. 

Keeping my eyes on the three approaching the southern gate made me wonder what sorts of threats the other directions would be facing. 

Stage 0 - Aetherflow

That was the name I had decided on. This time, I wouldn’t have to rely on using Spiritburner.

I finally pushed off from the log I had been sitting on.

“A rematch, huh? I wouldn’t have it any other way”