Police sirens echoed across the lifeless streets. Security forces had surrounded the Central Bank following a threat report. When they breached the entrance, expecting chaos, they were greeted only with silence. The entire interior was empty—eerily untouched.
Blocks away, a decaying wall of a forgotten building bore a fresh spray-painted message:
"Kozuki is not somewhere. He is everywhere."
Kozuki teleported directly into the bar. The smell of old whiskey and damp wood filled the air. Haruki, sitting with a half-finished drink, nearly dropped his glass.
"What the hell is going on?" he asked, eyes wide with surprise.
Kozuki tossed a gold ingot—solid, weighty, about the size of a brick—onto the table with a loud clunk.
"When are we hanging out again?" he said with a sly grin.
Then, he dropped two more gold bars onto the bar counter.
"Oh, and this place? It's mine now."
Days later, Kozuki lay stretched out on a bench at the top of a wide, grassy hill overlooking the city. The breeze from the sea danced through his shirt, and the buildings below looked like toys beneath the expansive blue sky. Trees lined the hill's edge, casting long, calm shadows. It was quiet—peaceful.
He had dozed off.
When he suddenly opened his eyes, he instinctively reached for his phone. The screen lit up: Miyamoto
Moments later, a car pulled up at the edge of the hill. The door opened, and Miyamoto stepped out with a wide grin, throwing his arms up.
"Heeey!"
Just then, Kozuki phased through him—clean, like smoke through air—and reappeared behind him.
Miyamoto flinched, feeling the sensation ripple through his chest.
"Holy shit! That felt amazing!"
Kozuki extended a hand.
"Welcome, brother."
They sat together on the bench, facing the view.
"How's life?" Miyamoto asked, trying to ease in.
Kozuki didn't look at him. Eyes locked on the horizon.
"Life?"
Miyamoto stumbled. "Ah—sorry, man. That came out weird."
Trying to shift the tone, he leaned in. "So… when did you first start using this? I mean, this power… what do you even call it?"
Kozuki replied without turning.
"Eden."
"How did you learn to control it?"
Kozuki's gaze tightened. "One day, it just happened."
Then suddenly, without warning, he raised his hand and hit Miyamoto in the back of the head with his elbow.
Miyamoto blacked out.
He awoke in total darkness. The air was thick. The space—cramped. He couldn't hear anything beyond his own breath.
Panic.
He began slamming the walls with his fists.
"Kozuki! Damn it, get me out of here!"
Kozuki's voice echoed from nowhere:
"Can you feel yourself, Miyamoto? Where is your breath stuck? Find it. Release it."
Miyamoto screamed:
"Screw that! You hear me?! How did I trust you?! Get me out!"
Kozuki roared back:
"People like you live while children die! You—if you hadn't touched that damn wheel that day… maybe we'd still be having breakfast!"
Suddenly, a loud crash. The door burst open from outside. Kozuki stood there.
"Good. That rage… that's useful. Now bring it here. Slam it right into my face."
Miyamoto charged through. Just before he hit Kozuki, the room vanished.
He found himself outside, staring at the door—which was still closed.
"What the f—?!"
Kozuki stood nearby, arms crossed.
"Stay alone long enough, and you learn."
That night, they were drinking on the same hill.
"You've turned into a real bastard, Kozuki," Miyamoto muttered.
"How long have you had this power?"
Miyamoto stared into the bottle.
"Nothing in my life has ever made me feel this powerful. It's… terrifyingly good."
He nudged Kozuki playfully.
Kozuki raised his glass and stared at it in silence. Miyamoto leaned closer. A memory flashed—seven people at a picnic. Yurika, Yamato, Kozuki, Miyamoto… and three blurred figures.
Miyamoto sighed. "I'm really sorry, brother. I wish I'd been there… to save them."
Kozuki's eyes hardened. He turned.
"Shut your mouth."
He hurled his glass to the ground.
"Let's go see Haruki."
They teleported into the bar.
Haruki looked up, irritated.
"Miyamoto too, huh?"
Miyamoto extended a hand. "You've aged, Haruki."
Haruki scoffed. "We don't even know what the hell is going on. Stop using that thing."
Kozuki disappeared—then reappeared with a golden Buddha statue.
"Nothing's going to happen. This is a gift from God. Here's your hush money."
Right then, the door burst open.
A woman stormed in, short hair, sharp eyes. She carried a tray of drinks and slammed it down. Then, with a wild grin, threw her arms over Kozuki and Miyamoto.
"Kozuki, Miyamoto—I'm in too!"
They brushed her arms off.
Kozuki nodded toward her.
"Haruki. Don't let anyone like her in again."
"Who the hell are you calling crazy?!" she snapped.
Then turned to Haruki:
"Whatever they paid you—I'll double it. Kick them out."
Kozuki stared blankly.
Then came the questioning.
"Who are you?" — Kozuki
"How do you know others can use it?" — Haruki
"How old is your mom?" — Miyamoto
Everyone looked at Miyamoto.
"What? My tastes have evolved. Also, she's hot. Can't imagine her mom."
The woman laughed. "Relax! I'm Irva. Ex-military. Left because it was boring. Now I hand out ice cream to kids. Pays like shit, but it's something."
Then, her face fell.
"Actually… I didn't leave because I was bored. I saw things I wasn't supposed to. Things I wasn't supposed to survive."
All three said together:
"You really can't keep a secret, huh."
Irva looked away.
"I was high-ranking. But I want to give this corrupt system what it deserves."
Suddenly, Kozuki remembered the explosion. His eyes went hollow.
He stepped through Irva like mist.
"You can use it now too. Just feel yourself."
Haruki stared in frustration. Kozuki smiled.
"Learn this thing… and let's carve our names into history."
Miyamoto raised his voice:
"We still don't even know who the hell she really is!"
Irva grew serious:
"You wouldn't want to hear the disgusting things I've seen. I left a stable job to be a broke ghost. There's a reason."
Kozuki, still smiling, turned to Miyamoto.
"Far as I know, you don't have a life either. What do we have to lose?"
[END OF CHAPTER 3]