Part 1: The Speed Reversal
The aura of the Phoenix Ember (Step 2) radiating from Takuto turned the surrounding air searingly hot and dry. The mocking smirk that had once defined Hayate's face vanished, replaced by a look of pure, utter disbelief and terror.
Takuto: "Come on! I'll make you regret ever being born into this world!"
As soon as the words left his lips, Takuto kicked off the ground with explosive force.
(BOOM!)
The pavement beneath him shattered, and he shot toward Hayate like a streak of crimson lightning. Takuto's speed had now reached Supersonic levels, making it impossible for Hayate's vision to track him. Hayate tried desperately to dodge using his Raijin no Mai, but Takuto's fist slammed into his chest with bone-crushing power.
"Gah...!"
Hayate was sent flying through the air, crashing violently into a brick wall behind him. But Takuto didn't give him a single second to breathe. Within another blink of an eye, Takuto appeared right in front of him, unleashing a relentless barrage of devastating punches.
"Argh...!"
However... as the intensity of the battle peaked, changes began to occur in Takuto's body. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, and drawing breath became a struggle. Due to the side effects of the Imperfect State, his muscles began to sear as if they were being scorched by an open flame, and his vision started to blur.
'So tired... my body is getting heavy...' Takuto groaned internally.
Yet, his rage continued to force every last drop of energy out of his system. For the first time, Takuto condensed his red Stellar Flow into a glowing orb (Power Orb) in his palm and hurled it straight at Hayate.
(EXPLOSION!)
Hayate dodged with everything he had, but the sheer force of the explosion tore his left arm open, leaving a jagged, bleeding wound.
"AAAAAAAAHHH!"
Hayate clutched his bleeding arm, completely paralyzed by fear. He realized then that he was no longer a match for Takuto. His mind shifted from combat to a desperate search for an escape.
Hayate: "You... do you really think you've won?" Hayate sneered through his pain, a sinister glint in his eyes.
Instead of attacking Takuto, Hayate suddenly redirected his yellow lightning waves toward the defenseless Aoi Mizuka, who was still lying on the ground.
Hayate: "Protecting this girl is more important to you, isn't it!"
Takuto's body was at the brink of collapse, but the moment he saw the lightning heading for Aoi, his protective instinct overrode his exhaustion. Gritting his teeth, he lunged in front of Aoi, taking the full brunt of the lightning strike with his own body.
"BOOM!!!"
Following a massive explosion, Takuto stood over Aoi, shielding her with his frame. However, the Stellar Flow within him became chaotic, and he coughed up a spray of blood.
Hayate: "Perfect! Keep on protecting her then!"
Taking advantage of the opening, Hayate transformed into a bolt of yellow lightning and vanished into the darkness of the night.
As the smoke cleared, Takuto looked down at Aoi and whispered softly, "I'm glad... you're... okay..."
With those final words, his Duration Limit reached its end. The combination of electrical damage and extreme exhaustion caused Takuto's eyes to close as he collapsed into unconsciousness. The markings beneath his eyes faded, and his hair returned to its original color.
"Takuto-kun!!!"
Kaori's desperate, worried cry was the last thing Takuto heard before the world went black.
Part 2: Shizune Rinoka's Final Directive
Time: 8:17 AM
Takuto slowly opened his eyes, staring up at a stark white ceiling.
Takuto: "Where... where am I?"
His entire body felt heavy, yet he could feel the Stellar Flow within him pulsing more powerfully than ever before. As his blurred vision cleared, he realized he was back in the medical ward of the Crimson Aegis base—the same place he had awakened a month ago.
The door creaked open, and Mika Izumi stepped inside. Her face brightened the moment she saw him awake.
Mika: "Takuto-kun! You're finally awake... thank goodness." She set a tray down by the bed, letting out a sigh of relief. "After the battle last night, we were all so worried seeing you covered in blood and unconscious."
Takuto: "I'm fine, Mika... in fact, my wounds feel surprisingly healed." Takuto sat up and asked, "What about Ichinose-san? And the girl... Aoi-san?"
Mika: handed him a cup of tea. "Kaori-san's injuries weren't too severe, so she's already out training with Sora-sama. As for Mizuka-san... she's staying quiet in her room." She paused, looking at Takuto. "She doesn't say a word, even when I bring her food. But strangely, she asked me one thing: 'Is that man—Takuto—alright?'"
Takuto managed a faint smile. "She was worried about me...?"
Mika: "Of course. You put your life on the line to protect her, Takuto-kun." She began arranging his breakfast. "Once you've finished eating, please go see Shizune-sama. She's waiting for you."
[Inside Shizune's Office]
Takuto sat across from Leader Shizune Rinoka. She set her teacup down gently and looked him in the eye.
Shizune: "The awakening of your Step 2 (Phoenix Ember) surprised us all, Takuto-sama. However..." Her tone grew serious. "You must understand that such power does not come without a price."
Takuto: "A price? What do you mean, Shizune-san?"
Shizune: "Your current state is called the Imperfect State. Your body cannot yet withstand the intense heat and velocity of Step 2 indefinitely." She pulled out an ancient parchment. "You cannot maintain that form for more than 5 minutes."
"Only 5 minutes?!" Takuto was stunned. "Did I even use it that long last night?"
Shizune: "No. But your body was nearing its limit. If you exceed 5 minutes, your Stellar Flow Channels will collapse. You will become as powerless as a normal human for up to 48 hours."
Takuto fell silent. "So... if time runs out in the middle of a fight, I become a helpless target."
Shizune: "Exactly. That is why you must strive for Step 3: Aura Flare. Only at that level can you stabilize and control the power. As for how to reach it... that is a secret known only to the Lord Cosmos. The answer lies within your own heart."
Shizune: "But for now, the priority is Aoi Mizuka. She is the owner of the Void Oculus (Demon Eye). The Syndicate will surely try to take her again. Since you are the only one she trusts... I am entrusting her safety to you and Kaori."
Takuto clenched his fist. "I understand. Thank you for trusting me. I will protect her, and I will protect this city."
Part 3: Vow and Vocation
After leaving the Crimson Aegis base, Takuto brought Aoi and Kaori back to his family home in the city. This house was the only place left where he still held memories of happy times with his parents.
True to her nature, Kaori began organizing the living arrangements immediately.
Kaori: "Since this is a two-story house, it works out. Aoi-chan will stay in the room next to the living room downstairs. She doesn't have the strength to climb stairs yet. I'll take the room next to yours upstairs, Takuto-kun—just in case anything happens."
Takuto: "Fine... let's go with your plan, Ichinose-san."
Aoi didn't say a word the entire time. She retreated silently into her assigned room, her movements slow and hesitant, like a wounded animal wary of its surroundings.
At dusk, Takuto approached Aoi's room. Instead of opening the door, he glanced through the window. Aoi was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a blanket with her knees pulled to her chest. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, devoid of life.
The air around her was cold with the aura of the Void Stellar Flow, filling the room with an oppressive sense of isolation. It was clear she had been treated as nothing more than a weapon by the Syndicate, and had long since forgotten the meaning of warmth.
Takuto knocked gently and stepped inside.
Takuto: "Aoi-san... are you comfortable here?" he asked, keeping his voice soft.
Aoi looked up slowly. Her lips trembled as if she were trying to speak, but no sound came out. After a long silence, she whispered a single word.
"Takuto..."
She didn't use any honorifics; it was simple and raw. Despite the coldness of her tone, Takuto felt a wall between them crumble.
Takuto: "Yeah... you can call me that." He gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry about last night. You're safe here. I... I won't let anyone take you again."
Aoi blinked, a flicker of emotion passing over her cold expression before she covered her face and looked away. She was still afraid to trust.
Takuto stepped out and went to his own room. Looking at the photograph of his parents on his desk, his eyes shifted back to crimson.
'I couldn't save my mother... but I won't let the same thing happen to Aoi.'
Rage and the instinct to protect intertwined within him. The power of the Phoenix Ember flickered, fueled by his hatred for those who had taken everything from him.
Takuto: "Syndicate... you took my parents. Now you're trying to use Aoi as a tool." He gripped his fist tight. "If my power is the reason they were killed... then I will never forgive you!"
In the darkness, the black markings beneath his eyes flashed briefly—a grim omen of the violent battles yet to come.
[END OF CHAPTER 5]