The holiday spirit had barely touched the city of Osaka. Three days before Christmas, instead of joy and peace, fear gripped the streets. Six threats—three rogue Wielders turned villains and three monstrous beasts—had been ravaging the districts without pause. The skies were dark with smoke, and the snow that should've brought warmth to the heart only brought cold dread.
The academy had no choice but to send in their best remaining team: Tetsu, Hana, and Ryuu.
They arrived in a blur of motion, streaks of power cutting across the gray skies. Their bond had grown since Kael's disappearance, forged in the grief of losing him and hardened in the fires of combat.
"We're splitting up," Ryuu commanded. "Hana, take the northern beast. Tetsu and I will handle the west and east. Regroup after."
"Got it," Hana said sharply, and like the winter wind, she vanished into the snowstorm.
Hours passed, but the mission was progressing. The team had taken down two beasts and two of the three villains. Blood, ice, smoke, and energy filled the streets—but the remaining two enemies were unlike the others.
A massive armored beast loomed in the heart of the city square, pulsing with crimson Will energy. At its side, a cruel villain cloaked in black with glowing red eyes hovered above, laughing. "You children think you've won?"
Ryuu's eyes narrowed. "This ends now."
But before they could move in, the villain sneered and pointed a palm at the nearby shelter housing dozens of frightened civilians. "Let's see how fast you really are."
A blinding ball of red Will energy formed—and then shot forward at speeds none of them could match.
"No!" Tetsu screamed.
"MOVE!" Hana cried, her voice breaking.
Ryuu surged forward, but even he could tell—it was too fast. The blast was going to hit.
And then… it didn't.
In a blink, a violent gust of wind exploded outward. A pressure wave swept the battlefield.
The energy blast shattered harmlessly in the air.
The villain who had fired it coughed—before suddenly flying backward, crashing into the side of a building, knocked out cold.
The beast barely had time to growl before its body was sliced through with terrifying speed, collapsing with a thunderous crash.
It all happened in less than a second.
"What… the hell… was that?" Tetsu asked, his breath fogging the cold air.
Ryuu's eyes darted around. "I didn't see it. I didn't even sense it."
Then, out of the haze, a figure stepped forward.
He moved slowly, each step heavy like it cost him everything.
His hair was longer now, messier. His eyes had dark circles beneath them. His clothes were torn and burnt in places. His body—clearly exhausted.
But there was no mistaking him.
"…Kael?" Hana's voice cracked like a fragile piece of ice.
The boy they thought they had lost stood before them, alive.
Not just alive—he had returned.
Kael raised his head, breathing hard, his voice barely a whisper.
"Sorry I'm late."
And with that, the battlefield fell silent.
The snow kept falling.
But for the first time in months…
So did tears.