"Change the Future"...

The night passed quietly, and as the sun rose high in the sky, the new day unfolded.

The group was awake and freshened up, but the events of yesterday still lingered in their minds, not fully understood.

Ryoko sat under the shade of a large tree, gazing at the vast mountain range in the distance.

The cold wind swept through her hair, moving it gracefully as the chirping of birds echoed against the towering peaks.

The scene before her was breathtaking—green ice beneath her feet, snow blanketing the mountain's peak, and high waterfalls cascading into a massive pond.

Animals gathered around the water to drink, all of it a picture of serenity—no less than heaven itself.

Ryuu emerged from the mansion, still tired, rubbing his head as he adjusted to the new day.

His eyes found Ryoko, who was still lost in the view. He walked toward her, approaching from behind.

"How beautiful…" he whispered as he stopped beside her.

Ryoko turned to glance at him, her expression soft but returning to the valley before her. "Yeah, it's beautiful."

Ryuu's gaze lingered on her, a subtle smile forming as he softly muttered to himself,

(But...I wasn't talking about the valley)

"But it saddens me,"

Ryoko continued, her voice quiet,

"how this valley will crumble, how everything here will be destroyed when the mountain shatters.

All the animals will lose their homes, the waterfall will be gone, and the town below will be wiped out in its path.

I can't bear to think of the people losing everything and everyone they hold dear..."

Pain flickered in her eyes, and Ryuu stared at her, stunned.

Her compassion was boundless, but this deeper sorrow was something he hadn't expected.

"You're kind, Ryoko-san. So kind," he began, hesitating for a moment before continuing.

"Sometimes, I think someone might try to use your kindness for their own gain—"

"IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!"

Ryoko suddenly snapped, her voice filled with fierce rage. Her eyes blazed with emotion, and Ryuu was taken aback, unsure of what to make of the intensity of her reaction.

Her anger was palpable, so much so that it made the air feel thick and heavy, suffocating him with an overwhelming bloodlust. He struggled to catch his breath.

"R-Ryoko-san, calm down... I'm sorry if I said something I wasn't supposed to say..." Ryuu stammered, his voice trembling as he reached out to take her hand.

The fire in Ryoko's eyes dimmed slightly as she looked down at his hand, realizing her outburst. She softened, her breath returning to normal as she looked at Ryuu.

"Ryuu-kun! Are you okay? I'm sorry, I was—"

"It's alright."

Ryuu reassured her with a bright smile, though his own heart still raced. He had no idea what had triggered such a reaction, but he knew it was something deeply rooted in her past.

"I don't know what happened to you before, but I understand. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. What matters is that no one will use you again.

You'll never be taken advantage of—no one will harm you ever again. But you have to trust us more. After all... we're friends."

His smile was genuine, and the warmth in his words seemed to calm her.

Her face softened, her eyes now filled with tenderness as she smiled back at him.

Ryuu's heart skipped a beat as he gazed at her, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He couldn't look away. She was everything to him.

(Don't worry, Ryuu-kun. You're the only one I trust most... because you're—)

Before Ryoko could finish her thoughts, a loud voice interrupted from behind them.

"Hey! You two, come here, fast!" Shigeru called, his tone urgent.

The two of them turned to see Shigeru, but their gaze fell on the horde of demons standing before the mansion.

"What's happening? Are we being attacked?" Ryuu asked, his voice laced with concern as they hurried toward the mansion.

"Master! What's happening? Are we under attack?" Ryuu gasped, trying to catch his breath.

Shigeru smiled awkwardly, though it didn't ease the tension. "Catch your breath first. It's not what you think. Apparently, the demon Rakiel-Keron wants to talk to us, so he sent these demons to escort us there."

Ryuu stared in disbelief. "WHAT? HE SENT ALL THESE DEMONS JUST TO TALK TO US?"

The demons stared back at him with fierce, unwavering eyes. Ryuu swallowed nervously and whispered to Shigeru, "But what does he want to talk about?"

"I don't know... but we'll find out soon enough," Shigeru replied, his voice tinged with unease as they followed the demons.

A short while later, they arrived in an open area, where they found Keron sitting on his throne, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ah! You're all finally here! Did you have a good sleep?" Keron asked, his cheerful demeanor seemingly at odds with the situation.

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Is this really an S-rank demon?

"Why did you call us out here? Didn't you say you'd let us go?" Shigeru demanded, his suspicion growing.

"Oh, that! I lied to you all!" Keron exclaimed, his grin widening. The group looked at him, dumbfounded.

"WHAT!?" they all shouted, the unease turning into disbelief.

"Aha! Look at your faces! Ha-ha-ha! I'm just kidding! Just kidding," Keron laughed, holding his stomach as though enjoying their reactions.

The others stood still, staring at him, their minds racing.

"Then what do you want?" Shigeru asked, his voice now tight with tension.

"Hey, calm down! Like I told you, I'm not here to hurt you," Keron said, waving a hand dismissively. "I just wanted to remind you of something I forgot to tell you yesterday."

The group looked at him in confusion. "What is it?" Shigeru asked, his body tense.

Keron's smile grew more devious. "Oh, it's nothing serious. Just wanted to tell you that the mountain will shatter in three days, so you don't have much time."

"WHAT!? THREE DAYS!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US EARLIER?" they all shouted in unison.

Keron simply shrugged, grinning. "I forgot."

Everyone stood in stunned silence, processing the absurdity of the situation.

(Three days!? What can we do in that time? We need to inform the headquarters immediately!)

Shigeru's mind raced as he considered their options.

"Now, you can return," Keron said, standing from his throne. "But before that..."

Suddenly, without warning, a snap echoed through the air, and the group collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Keron looked down at them with a devilish smile, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"He-he-he, it'll be fun to watch this little game of cat and mouse. The mountain will be the cat, and you humans... well, you're the mice. Let's see how you survive the cats chasing you, he-he-he!"

.

.

.

.

In the depths of a dark sea, an unconscious body drifted—an azure-white-haired boy whose senses were dulled. He was sinking deeper, his body numb and unresponsive.

Fsh!!!

A sudden surge of energy exploded from his forehead, an azure flame igniting, its light piercing through the water.

(Where am I?)

The boy's thoughts were muddled, confusion clouding his mind.

(Am I drowning?)

(What happened? Wasn't I on the mountain with the others? Why is this flame glowing on my forehead again?)

As the darkness closed in, the voice rang through his mind again.

"Wake up..."

The voice was soft yet firm, filling his consciousness.

(Who is that? Who's speaking?)

"Wake up, for me, for us, for our..."

The boy searched the void around him but saw nothing.

"Wake up. Everyone's waiting for you. You can't leave them again like last time.

It's time to wake up, and change the future. Defeat the past that betrayed you... Wake up... Aramiya Ryuu."

Fsh!!!

An overwhelming wave of energy surged through the water as the flame on his forehead blazed brighter, intensifying with a fierce heat. The boy struggled, his body consumed by the flame's power.

(What is this? What's happening? The fire... it's too hot! Stop! Stop it!)

The flames roared around him, but it was too late. His entire being was engulfed.

.

.

.

.

"HA!"

Ryuu jolted awake, gasping for air, drenched in sweat. His eyes darted around in panic, and his gaze landed on Ryoko, her face concerned as she cradled his head in her lap.

"R-Ryoko-san? What's happening? Where are we? And... why am I in your lap?" Ryuu stammered, sitting up quickly.

Ryoko's hands gently cupped his cheek, her voice soft and soothing. "Calm down, Ryuu-kun. You had a nightmare. It's okay. I'm here."

Ryuu nodded, slowly regaining his composure.

"Right... we were on the mountain... with the demons... What's going on?"

"We're back at the place where Mr. Matthieu left us yesterday,"

Shigeru said, walking toward them with the others.

"It seems that when Keron told us about the mountain shattering, he used some trick to knock us out and bring us here. He didn't want us to know the route."

"Then why did he tell us about the mountain?" Ryuu asked.

"That's what I want to know," Shigeru muttered, his brow furrowing.

"But we don't have time for questions now," he continued, his voice resolute.

"We need to get to the headquarters and inform everyone about what's coming. We don't have much time.

I have already contacted Mr. Matthieu, he will be here soon to pick us up!"

They began their journey back, but as Ryuu followed behind, a voice echoed in his mind once more.

(Change the future...)

He froze, stunned. He turned to look at Ryoko, who stood near the cliff, a soft smile on her face as the evening sun bathed her icy-white hair.

Ryuu's heart skipped a beat as he stared at her, feeling an inexplicable pull.

(....What was that?)...