Six Months After Vali Joined - Hokkaido, Northern Japan]
The trio had been traveling together for half a year now, and the dynamic was… interesting.
Andrew - now 12 years old, had grown taller, his body leaner and more muscular from constant training. His black hair was slightly longer, often tied back to keep it out of his eyes during fights. The Saiyan blood was showing—
he ate constantly, recovered from injuries impossibly fast, and seemed to get stronger after every battle.
Kuroka - 13 years old,
a year older than Andrew. Her cat-like grace and senjutsu abilities made her the team's scout and strategist. She was also, much to the boys' chagrin, the only one with any
common sense about things like "not picking fights with everything that moved."
Vali - 14 years old, the oldest of the group, carried himself with the confidence of someone who knew he was powerful. His silver hair and gray eyes gave him an almost ethereal appearance, especially when his white dragon wings manifested. He and Andrew had become best friends—bonding over their shared love of fighting and constant competition over who was stronger.
Right now, they were arguing about exactly that.
Andrew: "I'm just saying, if we fought seriously, I'd win."
Vali: (smirking) "You've never beaten me. Not once."
Andrew: "That's because you cheat with your Divide ability!"
Vali: "It's not cheating if it's my natural power."
Andrew: "Then my Kaioken isn't 'reckless,' it's my natural technique!"
Vali: "Your technique nearly killed you last time!"
Kuroka: (walking ahead of them, not looking back) "You two do realize you've had this exact argument seventeen times this month?"
Andrew and Vali: (in unison) "Eighteen."
Kuroka: "Oh, my mistake. Eighteen times. Much better."
Despite her sarcasm, there was fondness in her voice. These two idiots had become her family, as dysfunctional as it was.
Andrew: "Besides, Vali's just mad because I landed three hits on him yesterday."
Vali: "You landed two hits and one glancing blow. Don't exaggerate."
Andrew: "Two and a half, then."
Vali: "That's not how counting works."
Kuroka: (sighing) "Boys…"
[Abandoned Warehouse - That Evening]
They'd set up camp in an old warehouse on the outskirts of Sapporo. It was cold, drafty, but private and that's all that mattered.
Vali: (sitting cross-legged, meditating) "We need a real challenge. These low-level Strays are boring."
Andrew: (doing one-armed push-ups) "Agreed. I haven't had a good fight in weeks."
Kuroka: (cooking fish over a makeshift fire) "You two had a 'good fight' this morning. Against each other. For two hours."
Vali: "That's different. That's training."
Andrew: "Yeah, we need actual opponents."
Kuroka: "You mean opponents you can beat up without feeling guilty?"
Andrew: "Exactly!"
Kuroka: (shaking her head) "You're both hopeless." She poked at the fish. "But if you want a real challenge… I heard something interesting in town today."
Both boys immediately stopped what they were doing, their full attention on her.
Vali: "What kind of interesting?"
Kuroka: "There's a rogue Fallen Angel operating in the area. Mid-tier, from what I gathered. Been terrorizing local yokai and stealing sacred artifacts."
Andrew: "Mid-tier? That's actually challenging."
Vali: "Where?"
Kuroka: "Old shrine, about ten kilometers north. But—" She held up a hand as both boys stood up. "—we're not rushing in blind. This isn't a Stray Devil you can just punch until it stops moving. Fallen Angels are tactical. Experienced. Dangerous."
Andrew: "So we need a plan."
Kuroka: (surprised) "You're… agreeing to plan first?"
Andrew: "I'm not stupid, Kuroka. I know when we're outmatched."
Vali: "Speak for yourself."
Andrew: (elbowing him) "We're outmatched. Which makes it interesting."
Vali: (grinning) "Fair point."
Kuroka: "Okay, so here's what we know…"
[The Next Night Approaching the Shrine]
They moved through the forest in silence, each of them on high alert. Andrew's ki sensing had improved significantly—he could feel the Fallen Angel's presence from here, dark and oppressive.
Andrew: (whispering) "He's strong. Really strong."
Vali: (also whispering) "Good."
Kuroka: (between them) "Remember the plan. Andrew, you're the distraction
Andrew: "Why am I always the distraction?"
Kuroka: "Because you're good at it. Vali will flank from the right using his speed. I'll provide support and look for openings."
Vali: "And if he's too strong?"
Kuroka: "Then we run. No heroics."
Andrew: "Where's the fun in that?"
Kuroka: "The fun is in staying alive, idiot."
They reached the clearing around the shrine. The Fallen Angel was there—six wings spread wide, dark energy crackling around him. He was tall, muscular, with short black hair and eyes that glowed faintly red.
Fallen Angel: (sensing them) "Come out, little rats. I know you're there."
The trio exchanged glances. No point in hiding now.
They stepped into the clearing.
Fallen Angel: (laughing) "Children? They send children after me?" He looked genuinely amused. "This is insulting."
Andrew: "We're not here because anyone sent us. We're here because you're causing problems."
Fallen Angel: "And you think you can stop me? You're what, twelve?"
Andrew: "Old enough."
Vali: "Age doesn't matter. Strength does."
Kuroka: "And we're stronger than we look."
The Fallen Angel's expression shifted from amusement to annoyance.
Fallen Angel: "Fine. I'll make this quick."
He moved.
The Fallen Angel was on Andrew in an instant faster than anything they'd faced before. A light spear materialized in his hand and thrust toward Andrew's chest.
Andrew barely dodged, the spear grazing his ribs and drawing blood.
Too fast!
Vali came from the right, his wings propelling him forward. He aimed a kick at the Fallen Angel's head
The Fallen Angel caught his leg mid-kick and threw him into Andrew. Both boys crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Fallen Angel: "Pathetic."
Kuroka's senjutsu energy lashed out—invisible whips of natural energy meant to bind him. The Fallen Angel simply flexed, and the bindings shattered.
Fallen Angel: "A Nekoshou. Interesting. But still
Andrew was already moving again, using Kaioken to close the distance. His fist connected with the Fallen Angel's jaw—
And the Fallen Angel barely moved.
Fallen Angel: (spitting blood) "Better. But not enough."
He backhanded Andrew, sending him flying into a tree. The impact knocked the wind out of him.
Vali activated his Divide ability, but the Fallen Angel's power was so vast that even halving it barely made a difference.
Vali: "He's too strong!"
Kuroka: "Fall back! We need to
The Fallen Angel appeared behind her, light spear raised.
Fallen Angel: "You first, cat."
Time seemed to slow.
Andrew saw it happening
Kuroka about to be skewered. Vali too far away to help. And him, barely conscious against the tree.
No. Not again. I won't let someone else die because I'm not strong enough.
His body moved on instinct. He pushed off the tree with everything he had, Kaioken flaring to maximum.
He intercepted the light spear with his forearm—the weapon piercing through his flesh but missing Kuroka.
Andrew: (gritting his teeth through the pain) "Kuroka… move!"
She didn't hesitate. She rolled away, putting distance between herself and the Fallen Angel.
The Fallen Angel stared at Andrew, genuinely surprised.
Fallen Angel: "You… you sacrificed your arm for her?"
Andrew: (blood dripping) "She's my friend. That's what you do for friends."
Something in that moment shifted. Not in the Fallen Angel—but in the trio.
Vali: (standing, his expression different now—serious, focused) "Andrew's right. We're not random fighters. We're a team."
Kuroka: (her usual playful demeanor gone, replaced with cold determination) "And you just hurt one of ours."
The Fallen Angel felt it too—the shift in their energy. They weren't fighting as individuals anymore.
They were fighting as one.
Vali: "Andrew, can you still fight?"
Andrew: (pulling the light spear from his arm, his Saiyan healing already starting to close the wound) "Always."
Kuroka: "Then let's try this again. Together."
The Fallen Angel created more light spears, a dozen of them floating around him.
Fallen Angel: "Fine. Come at me with everything you have. It won't matter."
The trio didn't respond. They didn't need to.
They moved.
Kuroka: "Vali, high! Andrew, low!"
Vali launched himself skyward, forcing the Fallen Angel to track him. Andrew charged from ground level, drawing the Fallen Angel's attention downward.
The Fallen Angel threw light spears at both—
Kuroka's senjutsu deflected them mid-flight, the energy redirecting the spears harmlessly into trees.
Fallen Angel: "What
Andrew's Kaioken-enhanced punch connected with the Fallen Angel's knee, buckling it. Vali dove from above, driving both fists into the Fallen Angel's shoulders, forcing him down.
The Fallen Angel roared, dark energy exploding outward and throwing both boys back.
But they'd created an opening.
Kuroka: "Now!"
Her senjutsu energy wrapped around the Fallen Angel like chains—not strong enough to hold him, but enough to slow him down for precious seconds.
Vali: "Divide! Divide! Divide!"
He activated his ability three times in rapid succession, halving the Fallen Angel's power with each use.
Andrew: (charging forward) "My turn!"
Kaioken flaring to its maximum, Andrew drove a devastating uppercut into the Fallen Angel's exposed stomach. The impact lifted the Fallen Angel off his feet.
Vali was already there, catching him mid-air and throwing him toward Kuroka.
Kuroka: (hands glowing with concentrated senjutsu) "Goodbye."
The energy blast hit the Fallen Angel directly, slamming him into the shrine wall. The structure cracked from the impact.
The Fallen Angel slumped to the ground, unconscious.
The trio stood there, breathing hard, staring at what they'd accomplished.
Andrew: (disbelieving) "We… we actually did it."
Vali: "Together."
Kuroka: (smiling despite her exhaustion) "Huh. We can work as a team. Who knew?"
They looked at each other and started laughing—exhausted, relieved, triumphant.
[Later - Treating Wounds]
They'd moved away from the shrine, finding shelter under a large tree. Kuroka was using healing magic on Andrew's arm while Vali kept watch.
Kuroka: "That was stupid, by the way. Blocking that spear with your arm."
Andrew: "Would you have preferred I let you get stabbed?"
Kuroka: "No, but .. She sighed. "Just… thank you. For saving me."
Andrew: "That's what teammates do."
Vali: (from his lookout position) "We should do that more often. The teamwork thing."
Andrew: "Agreed. We're way more effective together."
Kuroka: "It only took you idiots six months to figure that out."
Vali: "Better late than never."
They fell into comfortable silence, the adrenaline wearing off, exhaustion setting in.
Andrew: "Hey, Vali?"
Vali: "Yeah?"
Andrew: "Thanks for having my back."
Vali: (smirking) "Always, partner. Someone's gotta keep you from getting yourself killed."
Andrew: "Partner. I like that."
Kuroka: "What am I, then?"
Andrew and Vali: (in unison) "The smart one."
Kuroka: "Damn right I am."
They laughed, and in that moment, they weren't just three people running from their pasts.
They were a team.
And they were just getting started.