Yuno awoke feeling refreshed, his body in peak condition.
After a quick wash, he pushed open the wooden door of his humble home and stepped outside. But the moment his feet touched the earth, he frowned.
Something felt off.
His senses, sharpened by countless battles in the wild, caught onto an unusual stir in the air. Distant murmurs—urgent, chaotic—carried over the morning wind.
He followed the noise.
The source led him to a cluster of homes nestled against the mountain's base—a secluded village, isolated and humble. Though referred to as a "village," it was home to only a few dozen families. The wooden houses were old, simple, and barely held together in some places, yet they possessed a warmth born of generations.
Though the village was technically under the island's jurisdiction, the townspeople treated it like a forgotten corner—often calling it a "broken countryside."
It was here Yuno had settled after being rescued—when he was still powerless, before he learned to harness the system that now defined him.
In those early days, even a meal was a struggle. He survived thanks only to the kindness of the villagers who had taken him in, sheltered him, and fed him. It was a debt he remembered clearly.
Up ahead, he spotted a crowd gathered in front of an old hut, voices rising in anxiety. Something was wrong.
Recognizing a familiar figure, Yuno approached a stout, middle-aged man and asked, "Uncle Han, what's going on? Why is everyone here?"
The man turned. "Ah, Yuno... it's you."
With a weary expression, Uncle Han relayed the situation. As he spoke, Yuno's expression gradually hardened.
Panic had gripped the village.
Word had reached the island—Germa 66 was on the move.
The infamous army of genetically modified soldiers, the very same that once laid waste to four entire kingdoms in the North Blue, was reportedly targeting the island.
The stories had spread through newspapers and merchant rumors like wildfire, and for good reason—few could remain calm knowing a monstrous organization like that was approaching.
Some villagers were already preparing to flee by boat.
But not everyone was willing to leave.
The elderly—those who had spent their entire lives here—refused to go. They spoke of dying where they were born, of not disturbing their ancestors' resting grounds. Some feared that if they died in a foreign place, their spirits would become lost, wandering without peace.
And so the younger villagers gathered here to plead with them.
Seeing the troubled faces around him, Yuno offered a calm smile. "Uncle Han, isn't there a Marine base on the island? Shouldn't this be their responsibility? Besides—don't you have me? You know my strength. I'll protect you."
Uncle Han's smile twisted into a bitter one.
"Yuno... I know how strong you are. Everyone in the village knows. Even the wild beasts in the mountains don't dare come near when you're around."
He paused, then added in a lowered voice, "But this time... this isn't just wild beasts. This is Germa 66. The evil army that razed four kingdoms to the ground without mercy. You may be strong, but you're still just one person."
Yuno didn't respond immediately.
He could see the fear in the villagers' eyes—fear not just for themselves, but for the children, the elderly, the home they cherished.
Uncle Han's gaze was heavy. "I've seen powerful people before, back when I traveled with merchant caravans. I've seen what real monsters look like. And Germa... they're not something the Navy—or any one man—can easily stand against."
Staying on the island was simply too dangerous.
Yuno didn't argue. He simply spread his hands and offered a helpless smile.
The power he had revealed so far was only a glimpse of what lay beneath the surface. It was no surprise Han thought this way.
Just then, a small voice interrupted the tension. A little girl with a bandage on her face and an empty sleeve stood up, eyes brimming with defiance.
"Uncle Han... how can you say that about Brother Yuno? You... you, like this…" Her words stumbled, not from fear, but from a desperate need to defend someone she trusted. "If you do this, I—I won't talk to you anymore!"
"You little rascal…" Han chuckled bitterly. But as he looked into her wounded, determined face, his smile faltered, replaced by sorrow. "Xena… Uncle Han didn't mean anything bad. I'm just worried. For all of us."
Yuno walked over, his presence gentle as a breeze. He smiled and placed a hand on the little girl's head. "How are you feeling now? Does your arm still hurt?"
This girl—Xena—had been attacked not long ago by members of the Evil Wolf Gang when she went to town to sell goods. She had barely escaped with her life.
Her smile wavered for a moment, a flicker of pain passing through her eyes. But she quickly forced a grin, trying to lift the mood.
"It doesn't hurt anymore! Thanks to the village chief's treatment, Xena's all better!"
A silence fell over the group. A weight settled in the air.
Someone muttered bitterly, "Damn those thugs from the Chaos Zone…"
"I heard this morning… they were all wiped out," another villager said. "Killed to the last man. Justice at last."
"But still… poor Xena."
"If someone had acted sooner, maybe she wouldn't have had to go through this…"
As the murmurs grew, Xena waved her good hand with a forced cheer. "Don't worry! Xena's not hurting anymore!"
But her gaze slowly turned toward Yuno.
Yesterday… after she had told him what happened, he had clenched his fists, shadows clouding his usually calm expression.
"I'll get revenge for you," he had said, before vanishing into the night.
And today, word had spread—the Evil Wolf Gang was gone.
Wiped out.
Xena's eyes widened as the realization struck her. Could it have been…?
Her gaze cautiously returned to Yuno.
He was looking at her.
And then, silently, he pressed a finger to his lips and gave a small, secretive smile.
Shh.
A flood of warmth filled Xena's chest.
It really was Brother Yuno...
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her lip and held them back. He didn't want anyone to know.
He wanted no glory—only her safety.
Seeing her reddened eyes, Yuno misunderstood. He thought she was still grieving over her lost arm. So he stepped forward, crouched down beside her, and looked into her eyes with a gentle smile.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "Brother will find a way to fix your arm. One day, you'll be back to normal again."
Some villagers shook their heads lightly. It was a comforting lie, perhaps, but a lie nonetheless. Even in this world of miracles, some wounds never healed.
Still, no one had the heart to refute him.
They simply smiled and let the moment pass.
Xena, however, didn't see it that way. She nodded hard, lips quivering.
"I believe you, Brother Yuno!"
Because in her eyes, Yuno never lied.