When their eyes fell upon the devastated carriages and the torn-up ground, every murmur died at once.

«W-what…?» the driver stammered, paling at the sight.

No one could speak. A heavy silence settled over the valley.

Then the roar of an engine broke the hush.

A dark car approached slowly. The passengers roused themselves from their stupor and let out a collective breath of relief.

«They’ve arrived,» someone murmured.

Two men stepped out of the vehicle.

Both wore long black coats that reached their knees. On the back stood a white circular emblem, within which the kanji of the four great nations were engraved. The same emblem repeated on the chest, over the heart. The white zipper of the jacket hung open casually.

«Sir, are those from the Reikeitai?» an elderly woman whispered.

«Yes, those are their uniforms. Impossible to forget…» her husband answered in a reverent tone.

One of the two men stepped forward. He had a striking appearance: red hair with a black forelock and bright red, piercing eyes.

«Is everyone all right?» he asked, his voice firm and decisive, but with a note of concern.

The driver came forward.

«No one’s injured, thankfully… but look!» he pointed to the still-smoking wreck of the train. «Can you tell us what happened?»

The man followed the direction indicated with his gaze, then answered calmly:

«Don’t worry. From now on, we’ll take care of it.»

He began to walk toward the destroyed carriage, but something caught his attention: a trembling child hidden behind his mother. His expression softened for an instant. He bent slightly and offered the boy a sincere smile.

The child calmed.

For a moment, the fear disappeared.

The man resumed walking toward the scene of the clash.

—From the amount of damage, I can tell whoever fought here wasn’t a very strong possessor…— he thought, studying the surroundings carefully.

He approached the wrecked carriage and, with a fluid leap, entered it through the hole in the roof.

He remained silent for a few moments. Not so much because of the devastation, but because of the amount of blood spilled everywhere.

—I wonder what drove them to go this far…— he wondered.

«Mr. Akizame!» his colleague called.

«Everything okay?» the other asked as he caught up.

«Look,» he said, pointing to a nearby mountain. The rock had been split: a gap several meters wide cleaved the slope in two.

The companion looked at it, surprised.

«Something about this doesn’t add up,» Akizame muttered.

«In what way?»

«I sensed only a single spiritual energy across the whole train, as if someone had fought against himself.»

He turned toward the carriage and stared at it intently.

«But the bloodstains inside… clearly belong to two different people.»

«What do you think happened?»

«I don’t know yet,» he answered, lifting his gaze to the sky.

Clouds drifted slowly over the valley, unaware of the mystery that hung beneath them.

Several kilometers away, in an inn on the edge of the village, the atmosphere was completely different.

A chair flew against the wall.

«You bastard, what did you say?!» growled an older bearded man, striking a peer who fell to the floor.

«You son of a bitch!» the other scrambled up, ready to return the blow.

But a figure stepped between them.

«You two are dead drunk this early in the morning. Out of my inn!» Hauromi barked, his face exasperated.

The two, still furious, muttered as they left.

«Tsk… I didn’t even want to open today,» Hauromi sighed, a vein of melancholy crossing his face. Kaito’s words from a few hours earlier came back to him.

«Hauromi, open the inn today.»

«What? I should take care of business at a time like this?!» he had snapped.

«That’s not what I mean. I think it will be easier for Yume to return to normal if she sees a place she knows.»

Hauromi had been shaken by those words. Then Kaito had added:

«I already told you. I’ll bring her back.»

Hauromi was abruptly brought back to the present by the sound of the doorbell.

«Don’t tell me you’re back, idiots…» he snapped, turning.

He stopped.

Two familiar figures were standing there.

Kaito.

And Yume.

«Kaito?» he whispered incredulously. Then his eyes fell on the girl.

«Y-Yume… you’re back,» he said, his voice breaking.

«Hauromi, I…» Yume began to speak, but fell silent when she saw him bring a hand to his face to hide his tears.

She stayed motionless for a moment.

Then Hauromi stepped forward and pulled her into a tight, trembling embrace.

Yume returned the hug, her eyes glistening as well.

Kaito watched the scene.

A faint smile formed on his face.

He was battered, exhausted, and bore many wounds. But in that instant, the weariness seemed to vanish. He felt happy to see them reunited.

A few seconds later, his vision began to blur.

—Enough… I can’t do this anymore— his body collapsed to the ground.

«Kaito!» Yume and Hauromi cried, rushing to him.

«What’s wrong? He was fine… I treated him!» Yume panicked.

The old man inspected Kaito carefully. After a moment, he sighed with relief.

«He’s all right, look.»

Although unconscious, Kaito was still smiling.

«Let’s take him to his room, Yume,» the elder said.

A few hours later, night had fallen over the inn.

Kaito slowly opened his eyes. He lay on the bed, struck by a wave of nostalgia.

«You’re awake at last,» said a familiar voice.

He turned, weary.

«Yume,» he murmured.

The girl, standing by the window, came closer, grabbed a stool, and sat beside the bed.

«How do you feel? I expected to see you up already,» she said teasingly.

«I’m fine… and you?»

«Well… my heart’s still racing thinking about everything that happened. But… I’m happy,» she added with a smile.

Kaito looked at her for a moment, then looked away, a little embarrassed.

After a moment he grew serious again.

«Yume, from now on you won’t have to worry anymore. You’re finally free.»

The girl blushed slightly.

«It’s all thanks to you, Kaito. Sorry for convincing you… after all, we’re still almost strangers. But… thank you.»

She lowered her gaze to her hands, resting on her long skirt.

«Tsk… what a bother you are. I didn’t do it to get any thanks,» Kaito said with a hint of irony.

Yume looked at him, surprised. «I thought you were less rude,» she said, getting up.

«I’ll let you rest,» he said softly.

He started to leave, then paused at the door.

«Ah, I almost forgot: Mr. Hauromi asked me to see if you’d like to stay a bit longer at the inn. As a token of thanks.»

Kaito looked at her and nodded.

«Alright. I already intended to stay until I recovered.»

Yume smiled. «Perfect. I’ll tell him. Goodnight, Kaito.»

She closed the door gently.

Kaito was left alone in the room. He stared at the ceiling for a while, then a memory resurfaced.

It was the beginning of the fight with Shirogane.

«They even sell children. I don’t care what happened to you to make you like this, I despise you, Shirogane. And for that I will kill you.»

«Do you think I want to go to Shinkase just for the auction?»

«What are you talking about?»

«Most likely… the Mugentamashii will also be participating in the Shinkase auction!!»

At those words, Kaito snapped back to the present.

Coming to a conclusion, he said to himself, «My next destination will be… Shinkase.»