Chapter 53: Dora-D-Mon
The next day was January 18th.
The sound of running water stopped in the bathroom. Kai emerged first, toweling his face. "I'm going to run out and grab breakfast. What do you want?"
"Same as you..." Shizuku's voice came from inside, slightly muffled by her toothbrush.
By the time Kai returned, juggling several bags of takeout boxes, Shizuku was already deep in her morning Nen training. But she wasn't just holding Ten. At Kai's urging, she was actively refining her Conjuration Hatsu, Blinky. She was trying to achieve the level of control Kai had theorized: the ability to inhale and exhale items at will, creating a true, limitless inventory.
At 10:00 AM, they checked out of the motel.
Rock Sparrow and the two crows took up their positions on the rooftops across the street, their sharp eyes scanning for trouble.
Kai pulled out his phone and opened the map app. He found the location of the Kosumo International Airport and dropped a pin on their current location. He drew a mental line between the two.
His plan was simple: slowly migrate toward the airport, changing safehouses every few days, all while maintaining their brutal training regimen.
They found a small diner for lunch. As they ate, Kai scrolled through the news on his phone. He was checking for updates on the Gatford Marathon bombing. To his relief, there was no mention of "a boy and a girl with superpowers," and no sign of Kanzai or Sloe.
As long as the Zodiac doesn't get bored and come looking for a rematch, Kai thought, we should be fine.
That afternoon, they drifted toward the airport district, exploring the city. At 3:00 PM, they found another cheap motel and checked in.
...
January 20th. Hotel Room 1007.
"Ready, Shizuku?"
"Mm."
Kai and Shizuku stood barefoot on the cheap carpet, facing each other. Both were enveloped in a thick, shimmering layer of Ken. They settled into combat stances.
Kai threw a punch. It was slow, deliberate, almost telegraphed. But as his fist moved forward, the thick Aura surrounding his body flowed like liquid mercury. It rushed down his arm, pooling around his fist, increasing the density and power of the strike.
Shizuku's eyes, glowing with Gyo, tracked the flow instantly. She saw the shift in density—the Ryu (Flow). She raised her own hand to block, her Aura flowing to her palm to match his attack. The punch landed with a dull thud.
"80%?" she guessed.
"85%. Wrong," Kai grinned. "If this were a real fight, your hand would be broken."
Shizuku stuck out her tongue.
As a Conjurer and a Manipulator, they were both equally disadvantaged in Enhancement efficiency (60%). This made them perfect sparring partners for hand-to-hand combat—neither had a natural edge.
"Again," Kai said. "Your turn. Hit me."
"Okay." Shizuku slowly raised her leg for a kick. The Aura flowed down to her bare foot, concentrating until it held about 70% of her output.
Kai saw it with his Gyo, shifted 70% of his own Aura to his shin, and blocked the kick. Thwack.
Her foot was cold.
...
January 23rd. 9:00 PM. City Park.
The night was deepening, and the few remaining joggers were leaving the park. Kai and Shizuku sat on a bench in the cool breeze, feeding Rock Sparrow and the crows while discussing the nuances of their training.
...
January 25th. 8:00 AM. Hotel Room 2020.
Kai flicked his wrist. A small, dense ball of Aura flew in a lazy arc across the room, bounced off the carpet, and popped harmlessly against Shizuku's leg as she meditated.
He plucked a hair from his head and infused it with Aura, twisting it between his fingers. 'If I could combine my Emission projectiles with my Manipulation Star Marker...' he thought. 'If I could just throw a ball of Aura and have it apply the mark on impact... wouldn't that be unstoppable?'
It was a tantalizing idea. A ranged, instant-win condition.
...
January 26th. 4:41 PM.
Kai lay sprawled on the floor, utterly exhausted, idly scrolling on his phone as he recovered.
A moment later, a soft thump signaled Shizuku collapsing nearby.
"That fast?" Kai checked the timer, surprised. "135 minutes. That's 8,100 P.O.P.."
He laughed, though he was still panting. "Shizuku, looks like I'm finally catching up to you."
Shizuku, lying on her back, stuck out her tongue again. "Your growth speed is abnormal. You'll pass me soon."
...
January 28th. 5:00 PM.
They finished their training early. After showering and changing, they headed out into the city.
"What did you buy?" Shizuku asked, patting her semi-dry hair.
Kai tapped his phone screen. "Haven't bought it yet. It's a custom order."
"What is it?"
"You'll see when we get there." Kai grinned.
Following the GPS, they arrived at a bustling, high-end commercial district. The neon lights, the towering glass skyscrapers, the crowds of people in modern clothes... aside from the alien language on the signs, it felt just like Earth. It gave Kai a strange sense of déjà vu.
He led Shizuku into a massive, luxury department store and pressed the button for the 10th floor.
The elevator rose smoothly. The numbers ticked up. Ding.
The doors opened onto a floor of gleaming glass cases and soft lighting. A prominent logo—the Battera Group—was displayed on the wall. It was a high-end jewelry floor.
"Welcome." A saleswoman with a perfect, professional smile greeted them. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the pair—two very young teenagers in casual clothes. Lost kids? she wondered. But she maintained her smile.
"I have an appointment. Online reservation," Kai said, flashing his phone screen. "I'm here to order custom rings."
"Rings?" Shizuku blinked, finally understanding. "For me? You asked what I liked before."
"Of course it's for you," Kai said.
The saleswoman's smile faltered for a second. A kid buying jewelry for his girlfriend? Is he... spending his parents' money? She was about to ask for an adult when Kai continued.
"And one for myself. Oh, and eight more for the rest of the team."
The saleswoman froze. Ten custom rings? Her estimation of Kai instantly shifted from "lost kid" to "eccentric young heir."
Shizuku understood immediately. Rings for the Ten Celestials...
Kai spent the next hour finalizing the design. He chose a durable, mixed-metal band. He sketched out the modifications himself.
On the inside of every ring: a stylized Crescent Moon totem.
On the outside band: the ten "Heavenly Stems" (Kanji characters): Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.
For the "Jia" (Kai) and "Yi" (Shizuku) rings, he added their personal codenames. For the other eight, he left the name space blank. He hadn't recruited them yet, after all.
"Is that all, sir?" The saleswoman took meticulous notes. "It will take about three days. You can pick them up on the 1st of next month."
"No problem," Kai said.
"Very well, Mr. Tendo. Miss Dora. Here is the invoice for the deposit..."
...
Back in the elevator, descending to the ground floor.
"Why is my codename 'Dora'?" Shizuku asked, genuinely confused.
"Why don't you ask why mine is 'Tendo'?" Kai countered.
"Why is your codename 'Tendo'?"
Kai struck a dramatic pose, aiming his palm at the closing doors. "Shinra Tensei... wait, no, that's too cringe." He dropped his hand as the doors sealed. "Pain's speech about rice... never mind."
Ding.
The doors opened on the first floor. Kai grinned at her. "Because you're Dora-D-Mon. 'Dora-Yi'. It rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?"
"What's a Dora-D-Mon?"
"Rule Number One of the Akatsuki?"
"Listen to the Boss."
"So, topic closed."
"Oh. Okay."
"What's for dinner?"
"I saw a restaurant on the way here..."
They headed for the restaurant Shizuku had spotted—a rare feat for her memory. The street was even brighter now, the nightlife of Kosumo coming alive.
Just as they were about to enter, Shizuku spoke, her voice low and calm.
"Someone is following us."
"I know," Kai said, not breaking stride. He pushed open the door. "Let's order first."
Across the busy street, a tall, thin figure in a hoodie stood in the shadows, hands in pockets. The hood obscured his face as he watched Kai and Shizuku disappear into the restaurant.
High above him, perched on the metal arm of a traffic light, a black crow tilted its head, watching the watcher.
(End of Chapter)