A Decision!

In the dimly lit hospital room, the steady hum of machines filled the air, a constant reminder of the fragile line between life and death.

A sixteen-year-old boy lay motionless on the sterile white bed, his skin pale under the harsh fluorescent lights.

His azure hair, unnaturally vivid, spilled across the pillow, a striking contrast to the stillness of his body.

Aramiya Ryuu appeared peaceful, almost too peaceful, as though the weight of the world had been momentarily lifted from his young shoulders.

Yet, beneath that tranquility, there was something unsettling.

An undercurrent of raw, untapped energy that seemed to pulsate in the very air around him, like a storm waiting to break.

Kchk!!!

The door creaked open, the sound cutting through the stillness like a sharp breath.

Two figures stepped inside, their faces drawn tight with concern.

Shigeru and Akiko entered the room cautiously, their expressions betraying the gravity of the situation.

Every step they took seemed to carry a heavy weight, as if the very air had thickened in the boy's presence.

Shigeru's sharp eyes swept over Ryuu's still form, lingering on the faint bruises that marred his arms and the bandages that wrapped his torso.

The sight of the boy—his student, his responsibility—lying there so helpless stirred something deep within him, a mixture of sorrow and pride.

He had seen Ryuu grow stronger, more determined with every passing battle, yet here he was, as vulnerable as any other teenager.

Akiko, however, moved straight to Ryuu's side, her steps quick and purposeful.

She sat beside him on the edge of the bed, her hands immediately finding their way to his azure hair.

She stroked it softly, as though her touch could somehow protect him from the unseen forces at work.

Her fingers, usually so steady and firm, trembled slightly as they passed through his hair.

She gazed down at Ryuu, her heart heavy with unspoken fears.

The bond she felt toward him had grown over time, deepening into something more than a teacher's care for her student.

He was like the son she never had, a boy who had suffered too much and yet carried his burdens with an unwavering smile.

And now, seeing him like this, so still, so silent—it was unbearable.

Shigeru, watching from a step behind, allowed himself a small, bittersweet smile.

He could see the care and tenderness in Akiko's touch, the way she looked at Ryuu with a mixture of worry and affection.

It was the same look she had given him after every battle, after every close call.

But there was something deeper in her eyes now, something that made Shigeru's heart ache for her.

"Akiko,"

Shigeru's voice was gentle, yet firm.

"You need to let him rest. I know you're worried—believe me, I am too—but Aramiya-kun's body hasn't fully healed.

His wounds were severe, and he needs time."

Akiko didn't move, her fingers still combing through Ryuu's hair.

Her eyes were locked on his face, searching for any sign of life, any flicker of consciousness.

"He's just a boy, Shigeru," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"A boy with a heart so kind, so pure... and yet the power inside him—it terrifies me."

Her hand rested gently on Ryuu's cheek, her touch tender, as though she feared he might break under the weight of her concern.

"How can something so destructive exist within someone so innocent?"

Her voice trembled, filled with a deep sense of dread.

"We have to protect him, Shigeru. Not just from the demons or the world... but from himself. If he ever loses control of that power—"

Shigeru sighed, moving closer and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I understand, Akiko. I've seen it too—the sheer force of that Azure flame, the way it seems to defy reason.

But you're right about one thing. Ryuu's heart... it's pure. I've watched him, just like you have.

Despite everything that's happened to him, despite the horrors he's faced, he's always tried to do the right thing. That's rare."

He turned his gaze toward the window, where the distant city lights flickered dimly through the hospital glass.

"But we can't ignore the signs. Demon activity has been increasing, and we're on the brink of something catastrophic.

A war between humans and demons... it's not just a possibility anymore. It's coming."

Akiko's breath caught in her throat. She had felt it too—the shift in the air, the growing tension in the spiritual world.

It was as though the fabric of reality itself was beginning to tear at the seams, and Ryuu was somehow at the center of it all.

Shigeru's expression darkened.

"I know. And the first step is figuring out what that flame really is!

There's something more going on here, something we're missing. But..."

His voice softened as he glanced at Ryuu again.

"I have faith in him. I believe, somehow, that he'll find a way to control it. He always finds a way."

The room fell into an oppressive silence, the weight of their words hanging in the air like a storm cloud.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes, lost in their thoughts.

Suddenly, Ryuu stirred, a faint sound escaping his lips.

"R-Ryoko-san..."

His voice was weak, barely above a whisper, but it shattered the silence like glass.

Akiko gasped, her heart leaping into her throat.

She leaned forward, gripping Ryuu's hand tightly.

"Aramiya-kun! Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Her voice trembled with desperation as she looked at his face, searching for any sign of consciousness.

Shigeru stepped forward quickly, his body tense.

"Aramiya-kun, can you hear us?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with urgency.

Ryuu's body trembled, his brow furrowing as if in pain.

Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his breathing became ragged.

Then, before their eyes, glowing azure lines began to appear on his skin, snaking across his arms and chest like living veins of light.

The lines pulsed with energy, bright and unnatural, casting an eerie glow across the room.

Akiko's eyes widened in shock.

"What's happening!?" she cried, her voice filled with panic.

Shigeru's gaze was fixed on the glowing lines, his mind racing.

"The Azure flame... it's healing him," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "But how...?"

The lines continued to pulse, growing brighter as they moved over Ryuu's wounds.

The cuts and bruises that had marred his body began to close, the skin knitting itself back together as if time were reversing.

The healing process was almost too fast to comprehend.

Akiko and Shigeru stood frozen, their hearts pounding in their chests as they watched the impossible unfold before them.

Ryuu's body, once battered and broken, was now whole.

The azure lines flickered once more before fading into nothing, leaving no trace of the injuries behind.

Slowly, Ryuu opened his eyes. His gaze was bleary and confused, his mind struggling to piece together where he was.

"Master...? Akiko-san...?"

His voice was hoarse, his throat dry from disuse. He looked around the room, trying to sit up.

"What... happened?"

Akiko let out a shaky breath, tears welling up in her eyes as she threw her arms around him.

"You're okay," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

"You're okay, Aramiya-kun. Thank god..."

Ryuu blinked, still disoriented, his mind trying to catch up with the flood of memories.

"I... I'm fine, but... what's going on? Where am I?"

Shigeru stepped forward, his expression both relieved and serious.

"You're in the hospital, Aramiya-kun. Do you remember anything about the battle with Raijin?"

Ryuu's face suddenly paled as memories came rushing back.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Raijin! He was going to kill me, and then—"

He froze, his eyes widening with panic.

"RYOKO-SAN! WHERE IS SHE NOW!? SHE CAME INFRONT OF ME AND THE SPEAR PIERCED THROUGH HER!

WHERE IS SHE!? I NEED TO BE WITH HER! I NEED TO SAVE HER!"

He scrambled out of bed, his legs shaking beneath him, and stumbled toward the door.

Tears of desperation filled his eyes, his heart racing. "I have to find her! I have to save her—"

"Calm down, Aramiya-kun!"

Shigeru grabbed Ryuu by the shoulders, holding him steady.

"Tatsuno-san is safe. She's in the room next to yours, resting.

The doctors treated her wound, and she's out of danger. You don't need to worry."

Ryuu collapsed to the floor, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Tears streamed down his face as the overwhelming relief washed over him like a tidal wave.

His body trembled, and he sank to his knees, hands gripping the cold, sterile floor of the hospital room.

Every muscle in his body felt weak, his mind still reeling from the intensity of the emotions that had flooded him in that instant.

The image of Ryoko, bloodied and motionless, had haunted him ever since the moment she'd shielded him from Raijin's attack.

Shigeru and Akiko watched in silence as Ryuu struggled to regain control of his breathing.

His chest heaved as the tears continued to fall, the enormity of everything that had happened crashing down on him all at once.

Shigeru knelt beside Ryuu, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Aramiya-kun, it's okay now. You've both made it through, and Ryoko-san will recover.

You don't have to carry the weight of that fear anymore."

Ryuu swallowed hard, his throat tight as he whispered.

"I thought I lost her... I couldn't protect her."

His voice broke, the guilt he had been suppressing bubbling to the surface.

"It's my fault... If I were stronger, she wouldn't have had to—"

"Stop,"

Akiko interrupted, her voice firm but kind.

She knelt down beside him, placing her hands on his tear-streaked face, turning it toward her.

"None of this is your fault, Aramiya-kun. You did everything you could. You're strong—stronger than you know.

And Ryoko-san... she made her choice because she cares about you. Just like we do. You're not alone in this."

Ryuu's eyes flickered with uncertainty, still haunted by the shadow of that moment.

But her words pierced through his guilt, grounding him.

He nodded slightly, wiping at his face, though his expression remained distant.

After a moment, he finally found his voice again.

"What about... the competition?" he asked, his tone quieter now, his gaze downcast as if trying to shift focus from the raw emotions he had just displayed.

"Did I... fail?"

Shigeru exchanged a glance with Akiko before answering.

"An earthquake hit during the final moments of the battle,"

He explained, his voice calm but serious.

"The entire battlefield was destroyed. The association postponed the results until everyone recovers.

But that's not what's important right now, Aramiya-kun.

You're alive, and so is Tatsuno-san. We'll deal with the competition when the time comes."

Ryuu gave a small nod, though he didn't seem entirely relieved.

There was something else weighing on him, something darker.

His fingers twitched unconsciously, his mind replaying the strange vision he had seen in the forest—the black shadow, the chilling words whispered in his ear.

He bit his lip, debating whether to tell Shigeru and Akiko.

But then he hesitated.

(I can't tell them. Not yet. Not until I know more)

His mind raced as he remembered the shadow's voice, the strange presence that had lingered around him even before the battle.

(What was that thing? That shadow in the forest... there was something about it—something that felt too real.

And what it said.....)

He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his power—more to the Azure flame—than he had been told.

And if he didn't find answers soon, the consequences could be disastrous.

But he couldn't involve Shigeru or Akiko. Not yet.

This was something he had to figure out on his own.

"Aramiya-kun?" Shigeru's voice broke through his thoughts, snapping him back to the present.

The older man was watching him closely, a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Is there something else bothering you?"

Ryuu blinked, startled. He forced a smile, shaking his head.

"N-no, Master. I'm fine. Just... tired, I guess."

The lie felt heavy on his tongue, but he couldn't let them know what he had seen—not until he understood it himself.

Shigeru studied him for a long moment, clearly unconvinced. But he didn't press further.

Instead, he gave Ryuu a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Get some rest, Aramiya-kun. We'll talk more in the morning."

Akiko stood, offering Ryuu a soft smile.

"You've been through a lot. Take your time to recover. We'll be right here if you need us."

Ryuu nodded, watching as the two of them left the room. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving him alone in the quiet, sterile space.

He sat there for a long time, staring at his hands, his mind still swirling with thoughts of the black shadow, the mysterious flame, and the war that loomed on the horizon.

(I need answers)

He thought, his resolve hardening. I can't rely on anyone else to find them.

As Ryuu lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, his heart thudded in his chest.

The road ahead felt uncertain, full of dangers and secrets he wasn't ready to face. But one thing was clear.....