Everyone sits quietly in Yuki's room. The atmosphere is soft because she's still unconscious.
Hiyori: I'll stay with Yuki. You all go and sleep… it's too late.
Raihtasu: Are you sure you'll stay alone?
Hiyori: Yeah… go. She needs someone here.
Daiki: Hey Aunt Lyra…
Lyra: Hmm?
Daiki: How do you live here for so long? I feel scared already. How much time we need to stay here? The horror voices… I can't hear them more…
He looks like a scared cat.
Lyra: You must NOT bring our family name down like this.
Daiki: I don't want your name. My life is more important.
Lyra: Hey, my child… don't make me ashamed. Now go sleep. I'm also tired.
She leaves. Daiki sighs dramatically.
Daiki: Hiyori, be alert. You're sleeping in the window room. Ghost may come from the window.
Raihtasu: Come on, Hiyori—
Hiyori: Daiki… look behind you.
Daiki: AHHHHH—!!!
Raihtasu: Don't shout! Yuki is sleeping! Let's go!
Daiki and Raihtasu leave the room.
Scene Shift — Midnight
In the living room, a shadow moves.
A vase suddenly falls off the drawer and breaks.
Daiki comes from the kitchen, half-asleep with a water jug. He hears the noise and gets a jumpscare.
Daiki: …N-nope. Nope. Not today.
He slowly tip-toes toward the stairs, eyes wide open. He sees a shadow move across the wall.
He screams—
But before sound escapes, a hand covers his mouth from behind.
His eyes widen.
He looks back.
Daiki: (whispering) Aunt—!! You almost took my soul away!
Lyra: What are you doing at this time? Don't walk openly in the night. Go straight to your room. Before sunrise, I can handle "them." Now go.
Daiki: Aunt… c-can you please walk with me till my room?
Lyra: Hah… how does your father depend on you? Fine. Let's go.
She walks him to his room. Daiki enters quickly and locks the door.
Lyra exhales and walks back downstairs.
Lyra — Assassin Mode Activated
Lyra opens the back door silently and steps into the abandoned village.
Her aura changes completely — cold, sharp… deadly.
Shadows crawl between broken houses.
A masked enemy jumps at her.
She tilts her head slightly — the blade passes just a strand of her hair.
In one swift motion,
she unsheathes her sword — silent, fast like wind — and slices across his chest.
He falls instantly.
Another enemy rushes with twin daggers.
Lyra disappears.
A whisper behind him:
Lyra: Too slow.
She strikes his leg, twists his arm, and throws him into a wall.
Crack.
More enemies appear — 5 at once.
They surround her.
A smile appears on her face.
Lyra: Wrong night to bother me.
She moves like an assassin — jumping off walls, sliding under attacks, spinning her blade with deadly precision.
She slices one across the shoulder, kicks another in the stomach so hard he crashes into broken wood.
One tries to stab her from behind —Hiyori was sleeping in her room when a dream pulled her back into her childhood.
She saw herself in the jungle, training with her old master. He stood with a stick in his hand, shaking his head.
"You are too weak," he told her.
Hiyori kept training beside two other boys—one was thirteen, the other ten. The two boys fought playfully, laughing and pushing each other. All three of them were happy.
Their master called from far away,
"Come on, let's go. It's getting dark."
Hiyori and the boys shouted back,
"You go! We will come in one hour!"
The master sighed but nodded.
"Okay, but come on time."
After he left, Hiyori and the two boys played near a beautiful lake surrounded by cherry blossom trees. They splashed water, laughed, and enjoyed the peaceful moment.
Then they finally returned to their home—a large cave hidden deep inside the mountains.
But when they stepped inside… everything changed.
Their master lay on the ground.
The people who lived with them were also dead.
The cave was covered in blood.
Hiyori froze, trembling.
Then she screamed—
"MASTER!"
The scream jolted her awake.
Hiyori sat up quickly, breathing fast. She grabbed the water beside her bed and drank slowly. Her hands were shaking. Sadness filled her face, but after a few minutes, she laid back down and calmed herself.
Morning Scene
Everyone sat in the living room. Lyra served breakfast.
Yuki walked out of her room, still weak.
Lyra smiled, "Oh, so you're awake."
Yuki looked around. "Where… am I?"
Hiyori moved beside her. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Hmm… but where are we?" Yuki asked again.
"We're at Daiki's aunt's house," Hiyori said.
"Daiki's aunt? But we were going to save Elsiya. Why are we here? We need to go!"
"Come and sit first," Hiyori said gently.
Yuki sat with her.
Hiyori continued, "The girl we were searching for… is Lyra. Daiki's aunt. And she agreed to help us."
Lyra handed Yuki a cup of tea.
Yuki bowed slightly. "Thanks."
Lyra asked, "Hiyori told me you know me. How?"
Yuki shook her head. "I've never seen you before. Douma told me."
Lyra smirked. "Ah… Douma. Now I understand."
Yuki stood up a little. "So what are we waiting for? Let's go save her!"
Lyra waved her hand calmly.
"Don't worry. They won't harm her. Eat breakfast first."
Hiyori asked, "How do we save her?"
Lyra replied, "Interesting question. We can rush straight into their base."
Hiyori frowned. "But they will make hostages."
"You're right," Lyra nodded. "My point is—I will handle Zero. You four handle the other members. You're too young to fight Zero."
Hiyori stared. "You will fight Zero alone?"
"Of course."
Yuki leaned forward. "Can you tell us their members and their powers? You were one of them."
Lyra began telling them everything she knew about the members and their abilities.
After the discussion, Hiyori turned to Daiki.
"Daiki, what happened to you? Why are you so silent?"
Daiki crossed his arms. "Finally you noticed."
"Okay, then tell me."
Daiki swallowed. "I saw a shadow in the living room last night."
Hiyori laughed. "What a joke."
"No! No! Ask Aunt Lyra!"
Hiyori turned. "Lyra, is it true?"
Lyra shrugged. "Leave him. He panics too much. Nothing came."
"Aunt, please tell them the truth!" Daiki insisted.
Lyra sighed. "You are too dramatic."
Hiyori stood. "We finished breakfast. Thanks for the meal, but we need to go."
Lyra nodded. "Okay."
Raihtasu stopped at the door. "Lyra."
"Yes?"
"Why are you helping us?"
Hiyori jumped in, "Of course she's helping because she's Daiki's aunt."
Lyra shook her head. "No. That's not the reason. I'm helping because I want to rescue the people who are trapped there."
Hiyori blinked. "What? People from this area… are alive?"
"Yes," Lyra said. "Zero's power lets him survive by taking everyone's energy. Your real mission is to rescue all the people he enslaved."
Yuki stepped forward strongly. "This time, I won't back down."