The Continue of Journey!

[What SAIFUR had suspected back then turned out to be true. In the awe of such a possibility, he grins while looking at his hand and exclaims:]

SAIFUR: What the— scoffs… I WAS GOING BACK IN TIME?!

[His thoughts race.]

SAIFUR (thoughts): The basic condition for that ability is facing a life-threatening situation. But now that I know how to defeat it and how to escape this place, I don't have another chance to go back in time.

[Resolute, he forms the same long blade he had before and braces himself.]

SAIFUR: Alright… let's finish this.

[Just as he says this, he sprints across the cliff, slashing at Iota's attacking tentacles with brute force, cutting through them in wide, powerful arcs.]

[Every time before, he had leapt before attempting to kill Iota—but this time…]

SAIFUR: I'm NOT gonna jump!

[Instead, at the very edge of the cliff, he launches himself downward. Sliding along the jagged rocks, he gains momentum, propelling himself back upward.]

SAIFUR (focused): His lower eyelid… that's the weak spot.

[As he soars back up, the air thickens around him. The sky glows an eerie red, and the once barren, lifeless ground below suddenly bursts with millions of small eyes, each oozing black liquid.

[But none of it is enough to shake SAIFUR's determination. His only intent is to destroy the entity that had imprisoned him for what felt like an eternity.]

[Using a tentacle as a final foothold, he pushes off, closing the distance in an instant. With a fierce strike, his blade tears through Iota's eye. The massive entity trembles, crumbling away into nothingness. As its form disintegrates into thin air, SAIFUR lands back atop the cliff, watching Iota's fall.]

[Breathing heavily, he takes a moment to process his victory. Then, he notices the portal opening up. The sky flickers between black and red hues, and the moon seems unnervingly close, adding to the eeriness of the scene.]

SAIFUR: Well, time to get out of here before ECTO shows up…

[Just as he steps toward the portal, he freezes. A shadow emerges from within it. His thoughts race.]

SAIFUR (thoughts): It's ECTO! I need to hide!

[But there's nowhere to go. He's on top of a cliff, with no cover, and running would only get him caught.]

SAIFUR (tense): Damn it… No other choice, then.

[The figure steps through the portal—a person clad in a black hoodie, their face hidden in shadow. The portal remains open since Iota is dead, its eye sealed shut. The stranger steps forward, finding a lifeless body, bleeding out on the ground. Ignoring it, he walks toward the cliff's edge, staring down at Iota's remains. Then, in a low, eerie tone, he begins chanting in a foreign language.]

[The "dead" body on the ground is none other than SAIFUR. He had faked his own death, waiting for the right moment. As soon as the stranger diverts his gaze, SAIFUR bolts.]

SAIFUR: Now's my chance!

[Before the stranger can sense his movement, SAIFUR dashes through the portal at full speed, wind rushing past him. He doesn't look back.]

Meanwhile, Back to HOUND, who just witnessed SAIFUR being pulled into a portal…

[HOUND watches in shock as SAIFUR vanishes before his eyes. His emotions surge to their breaking point. One by one, his cousins have disappeared.]

HOUND: First THEBE, then STELLER, then TACKLER… and now SAIFUR…

[His throat tightens. His hands tremble as he turns to see BAPO and AQUA, both injured.]

HOUND (desperate): W-What can I do?

[His breath shakes as sadness and helplessness consume him. Dropping to his knees, he clenches the grass beneath him in frustration.]

HOUND: W-What can I do?!

[Before his thoughts spiral further, the vortex portal—the same one that had taken SAIFUR—suddenly reopens. And then… a figure crashes onto the ground.]

[HOUND's eyes widen in disbelief. The person who just fell through the portal… is SAIFUR.]

HOUND: S-SAIFUR…

[SAIFUR raises a fist in the air triumphantly, shouting:]

SAIFUR: SURVIVED!

[HOUND's eyes well with tears. His cousin is alive.]

SAIFUR (grinning): Hey, why are you crying? I'm still alive.

[HOUND doesn't answer, just smiling through his shaky breaths. SAIFUR, on the other hand, is brimming with excitement, eager to tell them what he just went through. But when he notices BAPO and AQUA unconscious, his expression shifts.]

HOUND (urgently): SAIFUR… what happened to that guy who went in with you?

SAIFUR (casually): Oh, well… we teamed up for a bit. Then he ditched me. Then I somehow managed to kill a ridiculously strong entity.

[HOUND struggles to process it all.]

HOUND: Wait—YOU TEAMED UP WITH ECTO?! WHY?! AND HOW DID ALL OF THAT HAPPEN IN SECONDS?!

[SAIFUR frowns, confused by the reaction.]

SAIFUR: What are you talking about? I was in there for hours.

HOUND (shaking his head): No! YOU JUST WENT IN WITH ECTO AND CAME BACK SECONDS LATER.

SAIFUR: HOW CAN THAT BE?! I—Wait…

[Both of them realize it at the same time.]

HOUND: Maybe time flows differently in that world.

SAIFUR: Yeah… that's a possibility.

[SAIFUR quickly checks BAPO's pulse, relieved to find him still alive.]

SAIFUR: Whew! He's alive!

[HOUND, relieved, wakes AQUA, who stirs awake. Guilt lingers in her eyes as she glances at BAPO's still-unhealed wound.]

AQUA (worried): BAPO!!

[She instinctively checks his pulse—he's breathing.]

SAIFUR (comforting her): A-AQUA, it's okayyy. I mean… anyone would've lost their temper. Even I did. But BAPO's alright, right, HOUND?!

HOUND (caught off guard, fumbling): Y-Yeah! No problem! It seemed like you were under some effect, but it's all good now! As for BAPO, he'll be fine as soon as you heal him! Don't stress out so much!

[SAIFUR (thoughts): This guy SUCKS at comforting people. *]

[AQUA gives a small nod and begins to heal BAPO. Her aura as a healer seems stronger than before.]

 ---------------------------------------x------------------------------x----------------------------------x----------------------------------

[BAPO found himself in a pitch-black void, devoid of walls, exits, or any sign of life. He was unharmed, yet confusion gripped him as he stared at his hands.]

BAPO (muttering): Where… am I?

(His breath grew unsteady as he tried to recall what had happened.)

BAPO: I… definitely died back there… didn't I?

[His eyes darted around, searching for anything, when he noticed a figure—a stranger in a school uniform, standing eerily still as if waiting for something.]

BAPO (calling out): Hey! You there!

[Receiving no response, BAPO cautiously approached.]

BAPO: I'm lost here… are you too?

[As he neared, he realized the stranger's head was tilted downward, his face obscured.]

BAPO (hesitantly): Hey…?

[At that moment, the figure lifted his head—and BAPO's blood ran cold]

BAPO: W-WHO ARE YOU?! YOU LOOK JUST LIKE ME!

[The more BAPO stared, the more the stranger's features twisted to mirror his own, intensifying the horror in his mind. His breath grew shallow, fear pressing down on his chest. Then, as if responding to his terror, the figure's face distorted further—its eyes hollowed into swirling darkness, its mouth stretched into an ominous grin.]

[A broken, guttural voice seeped from its lips:

STRANGER: Found the vessel.

[Suddenly, BAPO gasped awake, his body drenched in sweat. His heart pounded as he tried to regain his bearings. SAIFUR and HOUND were discussing time flow between worlds nearby, but their voices sounded distant, muffled. The pain from his injuries still pulsed through him, making it impossible to speak. He turned his head slightly and saw SAIFUR approaching, checking his pulse with a relieved expression.]

[Hound, on the other hand, was gently shaking AQUA, trying to wake her. BAPO figured she must have collapsed from overusing her powers. Moments later, she stirred awake. Their voices were still unclear to him, his mind foggy. As his vision blurred again, he drifted back into unconsciousness.]

[Later That Evening]

[When BAPO next woke, the sky was painted in warm golden hues, the setting sun casting a serene glow across the plains. A gentle breeze brushed against his skin, and for the first time since waking, he felt… better.]

[Slowly, he sat up and saw SAIFUR and AQUA hunched over a map. Aqua seemed confident, analyzing every detail, while SAIFUR appeared to be using his brain to figure out the map.]

BAPO (to himself): Was all of that… a dream?

[Before he could process further, HOUND suddenly pounced onto his back, hugging him tightly.]

HOUND (excitedly): BAPO!

[BAPO exhaled, feeling the warmth of the embrace. He placed a hand over HOUND's arm in acknowledgment.]

BAPO (softly): …Hound.

[But the moment was short-lived—BAPO swiftly grabbed HOUND's arm, flipped him over, and locked him in a hold.]

BAPO: DON'T JUMP ON ME LIKE THAT!

HOUND (yelling): TIME OUT! TIME OUT!

[SAIFUR and AQUA looked over, amused by the scene.]

SAIFUR (grinning): BAPO! I'm glad you're awake!

[BAPO smiled back but noticed AQUA averting her eyes, concern still lingering on her face. He didn't hesitate to speak his mind.]

BAPO: Hey, AQUA. It's alright. You don't need to worry about it that much.

AQUA (timidly): But…

BAPO: That guy knew exactly how to push our buttons. It wasn't your fault. No point dwelling on it—we should focus on getting the second revival leaf.

[SAIFUR blinked in surprise at BAPO's response.]

SAIFUR: BAPO… Nice plan! I didn't expect that from you.

BAPO (internally): …Is that supposed to be a compliment?

[Before they could continue, a massive explosion erupted nearby, shaking the ground beneath them.]

BAPO: What was that?!

HOUND: It sounded like it came from underground…

[SAIFUR's expression darkened.]

SAIFUR: Guys… could it be… Tackler?

[They weren't sure, but the timing was unsettling.]

[BAPO quickly grabbed the map from SAIFUR, trying to locate the next revival leaf. His brows furrowed.]

BAPO: What? Where are the crosses? I swear I could see them earlier…

[SAIFUR also looked, equally confused.]

SAIFUR: You're right. They're gone.

[AQUA leaned in.]

AQUA: Let me see it…

[The moment she looked, the map was perfectly clear to her—the crosses were still there.]

AQUA: The crosses are right here…

[BAPO looked at her, baffled.]

BAPO: What?

AQUA: It seems like only I can see them.

[As she studied the map further, a wisp of smoke began rising from it. Her instincts kicked in, and she immediately tossed it away.]

AQUA: F-FIRE!

[The others stared at her, unphased.]

BAPO: What fire? I don't see anything.

HOUND: Me neither…

[AQUA's confusion deepened, but when she looked again, she realized the smoke was forming a trail—pointing directly toward the explosion site. Her eyes widened.]

AQUA: It's a real-time map… and only I can see it.

[She turned back to the others, determination in her voice.]

AQUA: The second revival leaf is near the explosion site. We're heading there anyway, so let's move!

[SAIFUR chuckled.]

SAIFUR: Huh… all of a sudden, she sounds like a great leader.

[AQUA grinned at the comment. Without wasting another second, the group set off toward their next destination—towards the revival leaf.]