The Mission Begins!

The morning after the emotionally charged events, Ryuu, Seichii, and Zanu stood at the precipice of a new challenge.

The weight of the previous night's events lingered in the air, thick with unspoken tension and unanswered questions.

As the first rays of dawn stretched across the sky, the soft light filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow over Zanu, who lay peacefully in bed.

Her dark energy had been subdued, the ominous force that had tormented her seemingly gone.

But Ryuu couldn't shake the feeling that something darker still loomed.

Ryuu sat by the window, his exhaustion from summoning the Azure Flame still gnawing at him.

The power he had tapped into felt like a heavy chain on his soul, and even now, with his mind hazy, he felt its lingering presence.

He watched the world outside—a world that seemed unchanged, but his own reality felt... altered.

Seichii entered the room, carrying two cups of tea.

He handed one to Ryuu, who took it with a nod, though he barely noticed the warmth.

Seichii sat beside him, both men silent for a moment as they processed the weight of what had happened.

Finally, Seichii broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I think... we need to understand this power, Ryuu,"

He said, glancing toward Zanu.

"There has to be more to it, something we don't know."

Ryuu's eyes shifted toward Zanu, who was beginning to stir, her face innocent and peaceful.

He couldn't shake the unease he felt, the weight of the power he had unleashed and the uncertainty about where it had come from.

He was still trying to make sense of the strange faces, the pain, the familiar connection in that moment of agony.

"We're just scratching the surface, Seichii,"

Ryuu murmured, his voice low, troubled.

"Whatever this is… it's much deeper than we realized."

Just as he spoke, the door creaked open. Shigeru stepped in, his expression stern but tinged with a hint of amusement.

"What are you two doing? Sitting around like this? You should've been up by now!"

Seichii and Ryuu both looked up at him in surprise, the weight of their situation briefly lifted.

"Ryoko-san and Akiko are downstairs waiting for you two—fuming,"

Shigeru continued, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"They're practically ready to storm the place down!"

The mood shifted instantly, tension seeping back into the air. Both Ryuu and Seichii exchanged an awkward look.

They had been so consumed by the events of the previous night that they had completely forgotten about the gathering.

"Shit," Ryuu muttered, wiping a hand across his forehead.

"We completely forgot! We're really screwed now..."

Seichii leaned in, his voice a whisper.

"Yeah, this is it... We're so done for!"

His tone was laced with both panic and humor, trying to mask the anxiety creeping up on him.

"Aa~!" Zanu's innocent voice cut through the tension, and the three men turned to see her sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

She blinked sleepily, looking up at them with a bright, unfazed smile.

"Good morning!" Zanu chimed, her voice soft with sleep.

The sight of her innocence was enough to make the men forget their growing anxiety for a moment.

Ryuu couldn't help but smile as the tension around them seemed to fade.

"Good morning, Zanu!"

Seichii said warmly, his expression softening as he approached her.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Un!"

Zanu nodded, her smile wide and genuine.

Shigeru walked over to Zanu, bending down slightly.

"It's good to see you smiling, Zanu," he said, his face breaking into a grin as he patted her head.

"Alright, we've got to get you ready too."

He turned toward Ryuu and Seichii, his expression serious once again.

"You two—get moving. Get everyone ready in ten minutes. If you don't, Ryoko-san and Akiko will tear us apart."

As Shigeru turned to leave, Ryuu and Seichii shared another look.

Both of them sighed deeply, realizing just how dire the situation had become.

"I'm seriously regretting this,"

Seichii muttered, the sweat starting to bead on his forehead.

"Why did we forget about today? This is going to be bad."

"We've really messed up this time,"

Ryuu added, his voice tinged with a mixture of humor and worry.

Zanu, still holding Seichii's hand, looked up at him curiously.

"Papa! Where are we going? Can Zanu come too?" she asked, her bright eyes full of excitement.

Seichii, still caught in the chaos of their impending doom, glanced down at Zanu and chuckled softly.

"Of course! We're going to... a picnic, right?"

Ryuu couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it.

"A picnic? You've got to be kidding."

Seichii shot him a half-grin, shrugging.

"I was just trying to sound optimistic!"

"Now, let's get moving,"

Seichii said, standing up and picking Zanu up in his arms.

"We've got to get ready and head downstairs before they explode on us."

.

.

.

Ten minutes later, the group was ready and heading towards the main entrance of the Headquarters.

As they descended the stairs, they saw the rest of the group waiting by the doors.

Ryoko stood to one side, her arms folded across her chest.

The icy aura around her was palpable, and both Ryuu and Seichii felt the weight of her stare like a physical presence.

Her cold eyes narrowed as they approached.

"About time you two showed up,"

Ryoko said, her voice laced with frost.

"I hope you're ready for what comes next."

Seichii and Ryuu exchanged a nervous glance, but Zanu, unfazed by the cold tension, walked forward with a smile.

The sight of her innocence seemed to ease some of the pressure in the air.

"Good morning, Ryo-chan!"

Zanu greeted cheerfully. Ryoko looked at Zanu's smiling face as her anger faded away little.

Akiko stepped forward, her sharp gaze landing on Ryuu and Seichii.

"Well, well," she said with a smirk.

"I'm glad you two finally remembered."

The two men, still feeling the weight of Ryoko's cold glare, dropped to their knees in unison.

"Please forgive us!"

They begged, their faces planted firmly on the ground.

"We completely lost track of time! We're sorry!"

Zanu, ever the innocent one, mimicked them, bowing as well.

"Please forgive Zanu too," she said, her voice sweet and apologetic.

Everyone chuckled softly at Zanu's antics, but Meiko, Hibino, Rajin, and Rika looked at her with confusion.

"Who's this?" Meiko asked, raising an eyebrow.

Masumi smiled and stepped forward. "This is Zanu. She's Ryoko's cousin, and Ryoko is taking care of her for now."

Meiko, unimpressed, looked over at Ryoko. "She's cute, but I hope she doesn't cause trouble."

Ryoko didn't respond. Her cold gaze seemed to sharpen even further as Matthieu entered the room.

"Now that we're all here, let's get down to business," Matthieu said, his voice calm but firm.

He cleared his throat and began.

"Your mission takes you to the Chamonix Valley, located at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.

Recently, a massive landslide blocked the way to a small town near the valley.

The residents are trapped, and their supplies are running low."

Ryuu's heart sank at the mention of the people in danger.

His mind raced as he connected the dots. The demons... the strange power... everything felt so intertwined.

"Demons have been spotted around the area,"

Matthieu continued, his eyes meeting theirs.

"Your mission is to help the people trapped there, figure out if the demons are responsible for the landslide, and find a way to secure their safety.

Now you all may leave for your destination!"

Matthieu said as he turned and walked away.

They all stood there silently, even though they had fought each other in the Inter Division Competition.

This time they had to face demons and even a little mistake may result in their death.

Shigeru looked at them as he smiled,his demeanor lightening the mood.

"Don't worry too much,"

he said.

"The demons we've tracked are no stronger than C-rank.

You all are strong enough to handle it. Akiko will be there if anything goes wrong.

The most important thing is that you all stay safe.

Also there's a little surprise I have for you all but I will only show when the time is correct!"

Ryuu felt a jolt of responsibility hit him, his sense of duty growing stronger. He wasn't sure what awaited them at Mont Blanc, but one thing was certain—he wasn't going to fail.

"Let's go," Ryuu said, his voice steady but carrying an edge of determination. "We have lives to save."

"Yes!" All of them said with a firm nod as they walked outside the Headquarters....