Chapter : The Aftermath

The tension in the cave finally eased as Rin's barrier dissolved, allowing Maya, Arthur, Silver, and Lily to take a collective breath of relief. The oppressive energy that had hung over them like a storm cloud was gone, leaving only the eerie quiet of the cavern. Maya twirled her staff absentmindedly as the lingering lightning magic dissipated from its tips. She exhaled deeply and said, "Good grief. If that fight had gone on any longer, she might've backed me into a corner."

Arthur leaned on his sword, letting out a tired chuckle. "Yeah, no kidding. That enchanter devil was no joke. You held your own though, Maya."

Lily, always the curious one, broke the silence with a sharp question. "Hey, Maya, how did you even get here? This cave was completely sealed off with that barrier Rin put up. You just popped in out of nowhere!"

Silver crossed his arms, his icy gaze narrowing. "She's right. If it were Kyle, we'd understand. He can bypass barriers with his time magic. But you? How did you do it?"

Maya hesitated, gripping her staff tighter. Her sharp mind replayed the events leading up to her unexpected arrival, but she had no answers. "Honestly, I don't know," she admitted, glancing around the group. "I'm just as surprised as you are. One minute I was in the arena, fighting to get free of that barrier, and the next thing I know, I'm here."

Lily raised an eyebrow, her curiosity only growing. "Weird. Maybe it's some kind of residual magic or—"

Before she could finish her thought, a soft hum of magic filled the air as Kyle appeared in the cavern entrance. His imposing figure was bathed in the fading glow of teleportation magic. His uniform was scuffed, and his expression was cold and stern, but the sight of him brought a sense of comfort to the group.

Maya smirked and leaned on her staff. "Someone looks grumpy."

Kyle's hardened expression softened slightly, and he sighed. "Grumpy doesn't even begin to cover it." He scanned the room, ensuring everyone was safe. "I see you're all still in one piece."

Arthur straightened and said, "I'm guessing you didn't take Hans down, huh?"

Kyle shook his head, frustration evident in his tone. "That snake had backup plans. He released a horde of kaiju on Elaris as a diversion. I had to go deal with them. By the time I returned to where I left him, he was already gone."

Maya nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Well, nothing more we can do about it now." She glanced around the group and added, "And after all this madness, I'd say the festival is officially over."

Kyle let out a dry laugh. "No arguments there. It's been chaos since the start." He motioned toward the cave entrance. "We'd better head back to the dorms, but first, we need to find Josuke and Hinata."

With his keen sense of mana, Kyle quickly tracked their energy signatures. A faint pulse of Josuke's mana resonated deeper into the forest, accompanied by Hinata's softer, soothing energy. Kyle extended his hand, and the group gathered around him as he cast his teleportation spell.

A Lighthearted Moment

The group reappeared in a clearing where they found Josuke and Hinata. Josuke was seated on the ground, his back resting on hinata's body . His injuries had been treated, though his clothes were still torn, and he looked visibly exhausted. Hinata's hands glowing faintly as she applied the final touches of healing magic to his bruised ribs.

Kyle's sharp eyes immediately caught the scene, and a teasing smirk crept onto his face. "Well, well," he said, his tone light and playful. "This is cozy. You two should really get a room. You know this is a public space, right?"

Hinata froze mid-spell, her cheeks turning crimson. "N-no!" she stammered, waving her hands defensively as she pushed Josuke of her. "It's not what you think! I was just healing his wounds!"

Kyle raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Oh, is that what you call it?"

Hinata, flustered beyond belief, turned away from the group and buried her face in her hands. "Stop it!" she squeaked, her voice muffled.

Josuke, for his part, stayed silent, his expression a mix of embarrassment and resignation. He knew better than to argue it would only add fuel to Kyle's teasing.

Arthur, Silver, and Lily couldn't help but laugh, the tension of the day melting away in the moment of levity. Silver crossed his arms and smirked. "Classic Josuke. Always in the middle of something awkward."

Lily chimed in, giggling. "Don't worry, Hinata! We believe you! Kind of."

"Enough," Josuke muttered, standing slowly with a wince. He dusted himself off and gave Kyle a pointed look. "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue right now."

Kyle chuckled and extended a hand to help Josuke steady himself. "Relax. You're alive, and that's what matters."

Once the group had regrouped, Kyle led them toward the academy dorms. The walk was quiet at first, the weight of the day's battles still lingering in their minds. Maya glanced at Josuke, who was walking beside her with a distant look in his eyes.

"You okay?" she asked.

Josuke nodded, though his expression remained grim. "Yeah… Just thinking about Hans. He's stronger than I expected. And there's something about him… Something I can't put my finger on."

Maya frowned but didn't press further. She knew Josuke would figure it out in his own time.

As they neared the dorms, the familiar sight of the rooms brought a sense of normalcy back to the group. Works milled about, chatting and laughing, blissfully unaware of the chaos that had unfolded outside the campus.

Kyle glanced back at the group. "Get some rest. We'll debrief tomorrow."

Arthur clapped Josuke on the shoulder. "You did good today, even if it didn't go as planned. We'll get him next time."

Josuke managed a small smile. "Yeah. Next time."

As the group dispersed, the weight of the day began to lift. But in the back of Josuke's mind, a lingering thought remained: Hans was still out there, and the battles ahead would only grow more dangerous.