Inside the meeting room—
Shiro fell silent after finishing the story.
For a moment, his eyes seemed distant.
Back in that tree house.
Back in those days.
Then—
"Hey."
Shiro blinked.
Saito was looking at him.
"You okay?"
The memory faded.
Shiro smiled slightly.
"...Yeah."
"I'm fine."
The room remained quiet for a few seconds.
Then Shiro pointed at the map on the table.
"Anyway."
"Before you defeat Scrapper..."
"You need to take down his officers."
Saito looked at the map.
The territories.
The villages.
The enemy positions.
Then he pointed.
"So I beat Joshua."
"And now Rin."
Shiro nodded.
"For now."
"Rin is your target."
His expression became serious.
"But be careful."
"Rin isn't like Joshua."
Saito nodded.
"I figured."
Then he looked toward Takashi.
"Send messages to all villages."
"Tell them to strengthen their defenses."
Takashi immediately nodded.
"I'll handle it."
He gathered his papers and began writing orders.
Nearby—
Mina had been watching Shiro the entire time.
She noticed the sweat on his forehead.
"...You okay, Shiro?"
Shiro laughed awkwardly.
"Yes."
"Yes, I'm okay."
Mina didn't look convinced.
But she didn't push further.
Then Saito suddenly stood up.
Everyone looked at him.
The young gang leader stretched his arms.
Then pointed toward the door.
"Hey."
"How about we take a walk for a minute?"
Shiro blinked.
"A walk?"
Saito grinned.
"Yeah."
"You look like you need some fresh air."
Mina immediately nodded.
"I agree."
Shiro sighed.
"...You people are annoying."
Saito laughed.
"Come on."
And together they headed toward the door while the others remained behind to discuss defenses and prepare for whatever Hollow Gang would do next.
Inside the forest—
Saito, Shiro, and Kaito walked along a narrow path.
The sounds of the village had long faded behind them.
For a while, nobody spoke.
Then Saito looked at Shiro.
"So..."
"You have a harsh past with Scrapper, huh?"
Shiro smiled bitterly.
"You could say that."
He looked up at the trees.
"When I was a kid, I didn't have many friends."
Saito blinked.
"You?"
Shiro nodded.
"Because I was the vessel of Primordeus Felin."
"Most kids thought I was weird."
Kaito quietly listened beside them.
Shiro continued.
"They didn't want to get close to me."
"Then I met Mina."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"We became close."
"Then later..."
"I met Scrapper."
The smile faded slightly.
"We became best friends."
For a moment, only the sound of their footsteps remained.
Then Shiro sighed.
"And then a misunderstanding happened."
Saito scratched his cheek.
"And now he's like this."
Shiro nodded.
The three continued walking.
After a while, Saito spoke again.
"...I understand."
Shiro looked at him.
Saito smiled.
"Maybe we can talk to him."
"Just sit down and explain everything."
Shiro stopped walking.
Then slowly shook his head.
"...No."
Saito blinked.
Shiro looked ahead into the forest.
"Scrapper no longer listens to advice."
His voice was calm.
But there was sadness behind it.
"I tried before."
"Many times."
Kaito crossed his arms.
"And?"
Shiro smiled bitterly.
"He only hears what he wants to hear."
The forest became quiet again.
Saito looked at the ground for a moment.
Then ahead.
Toward wherever Scrapper was now.
For the first time—
he realized this wasn't just a war between gangs.
It was also a conflict between two former friends.
The three continued walking through the forest.
Leaves rustled softly above them.
For a while, nobody spoke.
Then Shiro finally broke the silence.
"When he joined the Calamity Table..."
His eyes stayed on the path ahead.
"...he changed."
Saito listened quietly.
Shiro sighed.
"A lot."
"He became cruel."
"Far crueler than before."
Kaito frowned slightly.
Shiro continued.
"I met him again a few years later."
"I tried talking to him."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"I even asked him to leave the Calamity Table."
Saito looked at him.
"What did he say?"
Shiro laughed softly.
Not because it was funny.
Because he already knew the answer.
"He refused."
The forest became quiet.
Then Shiro repeated the words he still remembered.
"He said..."
"...the Table shares the same goal as him."
Saito lowered his gaze.
He didn't know what to say.
There wasn't a clever answer.
No easy solution.
No joke to lighten the mood.
So instead—
he simply walked beside Shiro.
Listening.
Being there.
Sometimes that was enough.
Shiro noticed.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"You're strangely quiet."
Saito scratched his cheek.
"I don't know what to say."
Shiro chuckled.
"Fair."
The three continued along the forest path.
For the first time since telling the story—
Shiro looked a little less burdened.
Not because the pain was gone.
But because he wasn't carrying it alone anymore.
The forest became quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—
Rustle.
A branch moved above them.
Shiro immediately stopped walking.
His eyes narrowed.
"...Someone's here."
Saito instantly grabbed his weapon.
Kaito did the same.
The three looked around carefully.
The wind moved through the trees.
Another rustle.
Then another.
Kaito's expression suddenly changed.
He sensed something.
Something fast.
Something dangerous.
"Watch out, Saito!"
Without hesitation—
Kaito shoved Saito away.
At that exact moment—
SLASH!
A sharp attack cut through the air.
Kaito's eyes widened.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
"GH—!"
He stumbled backward.
A deep wound had been carved across his chest.
Then he collapsed to one knee, coughing blood.
"Kaito!"
Saito's eyes widened in shock.
"Kaito!!"
Shiro immediately drew his sword.
The forest around them felt colder.
Then—
a figure stepped out from between the trees.
Slow.
Relaxed.
As if he had all the time in the world.
A massive scythe rested on his shoulder.
Rin.
He looked down at the injured Kaito.
Then toward the others.
A grin spread across his face.
"Well, well."
"Blue Scarf."
"White Hat."
"And even a Noctarion."
His eyes finally settled on Saito.
The grin widened.
"But the one I'm interested in..."
"...is you, Blue Scarf."
Saito's hands tightened around his weapon.
Anger surged through him.
He looked at the blood on Kaito's chest.
Then back at Rin.
"How dare you."
Rin laughed.
The sound echoed through the trees.
"Oh?"
"You sound angry."
The scythe slowly lowered from his shoulder.
And the forest suddenly felt like a battlefield.
Kaito knelt on the ground, one hand pressed against his bleeding chest.
Blood dripped through his fingers.
Saito stood in front of him.
His eyes never left Rin.
Rin glanced at Kaito and laughed.
"So this is your pawn?"
Saito's expression darkened.
"...He's my friend."
Rin tilted his head.
"A weak one too."
Kaito immediately frowned.
"Hey..."
"That's rude."
Even injured, he still complained.
Rin ignored him.
His attention remained on Saito.
Then a grin spread across his face.
"How about joining me?"
The forest became silent.
Rin slowly spread his arms.
"We could create madness together."
"We could shake this entire world."
Saito clenched his jaw.
His grip tightened around his weapon.
Nearby, Shiro stepped forward slightly.
"You sure are bold."
"Coming here alone."
Rin didn't even look at him.
"Shush, White Hat."
The smile disappeared from his face.
"I'm not talking to you."
Then he pointed directly at Saito.
"I'm talking to him."
The tip of the scythe lowered toward the ground.
The forest felt tense.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Rin's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"So..."
"...what's your decision, Blue Scarf Saito?"
Saito looked at the injured Kaito.
Then at Shiro.
Then back at Rin.
His answer came immediately.
"...Not interested."
Rin blinked.
Saito's expression hardened.
"I build villages."
"I protect people."
"And I don't work with idiots who attack my friends."
For a second—
there was silence.
Then Rin laughed.
A loud, genuine laugh.
"Hahaha!"
"Oh, I like you."
His grip tightened on the scythe.
"That answer is exactly why I came here."
And suddenly—
the killing intent in the forest doubled.
Rin's grin widened.
He looked down at Kaito.
"You don't need him anymore then."
Before anyone could react—
SHHK!
The scythe plunged downward.
Kaito's eyes widened.
Blood spilled across the forest floor.
For a brief moment, everything became silent.
Then Kaito's eyes slowly closed.
His body collapsed onto the ground.
"Kaito!"
Saito froze.
The world seemed to stop.
Rin smiled casually.
"There."
"That's do—"
BAM!
A kick slammed directly into his face.
Rin was thrown backward.
Before he could recover—
Saito was already on him.
THUD!
A punch.
Then another.
Then a kick to the ribs.
Rin slid across the dirt.
Instead of getting angry—
he laughed.
"There it is!"
"The instinct of a gangster!"
Saito's face was twisted with rage.
"SHUT UP!"
He lunged again.
His fist flew toward Rin's face.
But before it connected—
a hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Saito!"
Shiro pulled him back.
"Calm down!"
Saito struggled violently.
"Let me go!"
"LET ME GO!"
His eyes never left Rin.
The scythe wielder slowly stood up and wiped blood from his mouth.
Then he smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"See, White Hat?"
"He has potential."
Shiro stepped in front of Saito.
His mist-like auris began swirling around his body.
"Leave."
Rin twirled his scythe once.
"What?"
"You don't want revenge?"
Shiro's eyes narrowed.
"I said leave."
For a moment—
the two stared at each other.
The forest trembled under their killing intent.
Behind them, Saito dropped to his knees beside Kaito and grabbed his shoulder.
"Kaito..."
His voice shook.
Blood stained the ground around them.