The Cyber Ascension Arc 2: The Recovery After Storm | Chapter 12 |
The trio approached the swirling black hole ahead of them.
Yuzurei had his hands locked behind his head, strolling casually.
Yuzurei: "Hah… walking slowly like this is boring."
He glanced at the portal, then at Musukoni.
Musukoni: "We need to be careful. None of us are in any condition to fight."
His tone was calm, as always.
Jin Yuan: "Don't do anything reckless, Yuzurei."
Yuzurei's lips curled into a dangerous grin.
Yuzurei: "Who said none of us can fight?"
Before either of them could react—
he jumped straight into the black hole.
Musukoni: "Tch—WAIT!!"
He dove after him, and Jin Yuan followed calmly.
They fell through a star-filled tunnel—endless black, scattered with floating lights.
Yuzurei looked downward while free-falling.
Yuzurei: "Seriously? I expected something cool. This is lame."
Jin Yuan lightly smacked the back of his head mid-fall.
Jin Yuan: "At least we're not dead again. Be grateful."
They landed on a metallic road suspended in cosmic space—no buildings, no ground, just infinite stars.
---
A Strange Cosmic Highway
Musukoni inhaled deeply.
Musukoni: "We can breathe… This isn't real space. Maybe it's a travel route the Blue Realm created between timelines."
Yuzurei: "Yeah yeah, skip the science. Tell me something interesting!"
Musukoni ignored him, studying the endless road.
Musukoni: "If this is a transit route, there might be a way back to Earth."
Jin Yuan: "But we can't confirm where this leads. We can't just walk forever."
Before they could decide, Yuzurei pointed ahead.
Yuzurei: "Yo—what are THOSE?"
Two futuristic bikes—sleek, glowing, but heavily damaged—lay abandoned. Sparks flickered from loose wires.
Yuzurei: "They look like they fell straight out of hell."
Musukoni crouched to inspect them.
Musukoni: "We don't have any other option. Let's try."
They attempted to turn the bikes on—
but nothing happened.
Yuzurei grew irritated.
Yuzurei: "HUUUUH!? This is annoying!"
He began kicking the bikes.
Musukoni: "STOP! That's our ONLY way back!"
Surprisingly, the bikes flickered to life from the impact.
Yuzurei smirked proudly.
Yuzurei: "See? I helped."
Jin Yuan snorted.
Jin Yuan: "A miracle. Yuzurei being useful."
Musukoni laughed quietly.
Yuzurei instantly grabbed the red bike.
Yuzurei: "This one's MINE."
Musukoni and Jin Yuan took the blue bike.
Jin Yuan: "So where are you going to sit? Behind me or behind him?"
Musukoni immediately pointed.
Musukoni: "Behind you. If I sit behind Yuzurei, I'll fall off this cosmic road and die."
He climbed onto the back.
Jin Yuan started the engine.
Without warning, Yuzurei twisted the throttle FULL—
and launched forward at insane speed.
Musukoni: "And THIS is exactly why I didn't sit behind him."
---
Cosmic Ride
They raced across the glowing high-tech road, engines roaring.
Yuzurei already leaned forward, grinning wildly.
Yuzurei: "Hah! Finally something fun!"
Asteroids began floating across the path.
Without thinking, Yuzurei drifted flawlessly, dodging one with insane control.
Jin Yuan copied the move—barely.
Musukoni: "We should be careful… There might be more ahead."
Jin Yuan: "If this road is our only way back, we can't afford mistakes."
Yuzurei: "Oi oi—Threats? To me, those are treats!"
He pushed the acceleration harder.
The road changed—
more asteroids, floating metal blades, and giant mechanical chainsaws swinging across the path.
Yuzurei: "Ohhh… THIS is what I wanted!"
He drifted under a chainsaw—sparks spraying as he missed death by a hair.
Musukoni: "This is insane… Getting back won't be easy."
After a long, chaotic ride, they reached another portal.
Musukoni: "We should check it. Might be the exit."
They jumped in without hesitation—
—and instantly landed in New York, the very place they were taken from.
Yuzurei: "Tch… looks like the fun's over."
Jin Yuan: "Be grateful. At least we're back on Earth."
Later, they returned to their wooden house in Japan.
Shioinkin stood waiting, hands on hips.
Shioinkin: "You three are late as usual! More training for all of you!"
Musukoni smiled faintly.
Musukoni: "Good news… We returned to the same day we vanished."
Jin Yuan: "That's… comforting."
Yuzurei groaned.
Yuzurei: "Ahhh! Old man! I'm tired!"
They eventually headed to their rooms.
---
Jin Yuan & Emily
Jin Yuan entered his room. Emily sat on the bed reading a magazine.
Emily: "Ah—Jin Yuan. You're late today. What happened?"
Jin Yuan: "I'm fine. Don't worry."
After a bath, he came out wearing a loose black T-shirt and white track pants.
He stood awkwardly.
Jin Yuan: "I… want to do something. Will you get mad?"
Emily blinked.
Emily: "Huh? Um—what is it?"
Jin Yuan silently walked over—
then rested his head on her lap.
Emily froze, cheeks blazing red.
Emily: "O-oh… this is… comfortable."
She gently stroked his hair as he closed his eyes, finally relaxing.
---
Morning
Sunlight slid into the room.
Jin Yuan had unknowingly shifted in his sleep—
his face now resting softly on Emily's chest.
Emily opened her eyes.
Her cheeks instantly flushed.
Carefully, she brushed his hair aside.
Jin Yuan slowly woke—
then realized where he was.
His entire face turned crimson.
Jin Yuan: "I—I'm sorry…"
He sat up immediately.
Emily smiled softly.
Emily: "It's okay… I don't mind."
Flustered, he grabbed his towel and rushed to the bathroom.
---
Meanwhile…
Yuzurei snored loudly, sprawled across his bed.
Musukoni, exhausted, woke up first.
Musukoni: "Yuzurei… stop snoring…"
Yuzurei ignored reality and continued sleeping.
Musukoni sighed, grabbed a pillow—
and gently pressed it onto Yuzurei's mouth.
Instant silence.
He smirked.
Musukoni: "Heh. Blackmail material."
He snapped a photo.
---
A New Student
Outside, Shioinkin stretched.
Shioinkin: "New student should arrive soon."
A girl approached—brown hair, blue eyes, shy posture.
Name: Aria Shinoki
Shinoki: "S-Sensei…"
Shioinkin: "There you are. Come in—I'll introduce you."
---
Inside the House
Musukoni, Jin Yuan, and Emily were gathered.
Shinoki entered shyly.
Musukoni noticed first.
Musukoni: "Sensei… who's she?"
Emily smiled warmly.
Emily: "Nice to meet you!"
Shinoki: "I-I'm… Shinoki…"
Then—
BAM!
Yuzurei kicked his door open.
White fluffy hair messy, left eye bandaged, oversized black T-shirt.
He blinked at Shinoki.
Yuzurei: "Huh!? Who's she?!"
Shioinkin: "Your new team member."
Shinoki blushed instantly.
Shinoki: "I-I'm… Shinoki…"
Yuzurei pointed at her.
Yuzurei: "Why are you blushing?"
---
Training Mission
Shinoki kept blushing while talking to Emily.
Yuzurei watched with a deadpan stare.
Yuzurei: "You're blushing again."
Shinoki: "I—I'm not blushing!"
Yuzurei: "Terrible liar."
Musukoni: "Stop it, you're making it worse."
Shioinkin clapped.
Shioinkin: "Training time!"
Yuzurei: "What is it, old man?"
Musukoni: "Yuzurei!! Say Sensei!"
Yuzurei: "He IS an old man."
Shioinkin ignored him.
Shioinkin: "Tonight, you'll enter the mountain in the dark. Find the note meant for you."
---
Nightfall
Emily & Jin Yuan went one way.
Musukoni went alone.
Yuzurei & Shinoki paired on the opposite side.
Shinoki walked beside Yuzurei quietly.
Yuzurei: "Why did you pair with me?"
Shinoki: "H-HUH?! Sensei did!! I didn't!"
Yuzurei muttered under his breath.
Yuzurei: "That old man…"
---
Emily & Jin Yuan
Emily glanced at the darkness.
Emily: "It's so dark here…"
Jin Yuan nodded silently.
---
Musukoni
He found his picture almost instantly.
Musukoni: "Heh. Easy."
---
Back to Yuzurei & Shinoki
Yuzurei kicked a rock in irritation.
Yuzurei: "Ugh!! This is damn annoying!"
Shinoki stayed close.
Shinoki: "We'll find it… Just be patient, Yuzurei."