The morning had passed quickly. Sunlight poured through the college windows, bright and warm, painting the floors with golden patterns. Classes felt slower than usual, each minute dragging as the memories of the beast that had attacked a few days ago and the strange events haunted him.

  He walked slowly down the corridors, still shaken from that day. His heart thumped with every echoing step, remembering how powerless he had felt when the extraction had started. He had never imagined something like that could happen, and yet... it had.

  Then he saw her-long pink hair glinting in the sunlight, two bangs framing her face. She looked smaller than he remembered, delicate yet somehow stronger than the last time he had seen her. Despite the frailty, there was a spark in her eyes, a quiet resilience that made him pause.

  For a moment, neither of them moved. The corridor felt unusually narrow, almost as if the world had shrunk around them. He could feel her gaze on him, cautious yet curious.

  Finally, he spoke. "You... you're looking better," he said, his voice awkward, betraying a mix of relief and lingering concern.

  She gave a small, tired smile. "Yeah... resting helped. I'm still weak, though."

  He nodded slowly, trying to find words. "I... I was worried. You could have-" He stopped, shaking his head. The memory of that day still lingered sharply.

  Her gaze softened, and she took a shallow breath. "I know... and I appreciate it. But it's okay now. I'm okay." She hesitated for a moment, then added quietly, "Even though we were strangers... you saved me. That... that means a lot."

  He blinked, caught off guard by her honesty. "It... it was instinct. I just... did what I had to do," he murmured.

  "There's nothing 'just' about it," she said softly, her voice carrying a weight that made him look away for a moment. "You were there when I couldn't be. When I... didn't even know if I could survive."

  A quiet moment passed between them, sunlight streaming across the corridor. He could hear the faint rustle of the wind from the open windows, but it seemed distant, almost muted. The world felt suspended, as if the past few days' chaos had been paused just for this moment.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Then he asked cautiously, almost shyly, "By the way... what's your name?"

  She hesitated,"Shizune... and you?"

  He blinked, as though the sound of his own name grounded him to reality. "Saijin."

  Shizune nodded lightly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Saijin... thank you again."

  The tension in the corridor softened slightly. For the first time since that day, the fear, the adrenaline, and the helplessness faded into something quieter-a fragile sense of connection.

  By midday, the two of them had walked toward the campus gates, the sunlight spilling over the stone paths. They paused as they noticed two figures waiting ahead. Their presence was calm but commanding, drawing immediate attention. The moment they saw Misa and Ritchie, a quiet intensity filled the air-a subtle authority that made everything else fade into the background.

  Ritchie stepped forward first, his long hair loosely tied, eyes sharp and observant. Beside him, Misa, with her twin ponytails and a small pouch at her waist, gave a measured nod.

  "You've both done well to survive what happened a few days ago," Ritchie said, voice calm but firm. "It wasn't easy."

  Saijin's eyes narrowed. "The beast... it didn't just appear on its own, did it?"

  Misa's expression hardened. "No. Someone ordered it to attack. And we didn't expect your powers to awaken like that."

  Saijin's voice trembled slightly. "Awaken...? You mean my mark?"

  Ritchie's gaze met his. "Yes. Your mark chose that moment to act. When the extraction happened."

  Saijin clenched his fists, recalling the helplessness and fear. "But why did it leave when I... intervened?"

  Misa explained calmly, "The summoner likely ordered it to withdraw. Your powers caused a break-in, which forced the beast to retreat. Each summoned beast has a unique ability. That one was a Beast of Extraction-it can suck powers, but cannot attack back. That's why it had to leave."

  Saijin looked down at Shizune. "But it extracted your powers."

  Misa shook her head. "Don't worry. The extraction wasn't complete. And more importantly-your powers haven't awakened yet, Shizune."

  Shizune's voice was soft. "Then... who's the summoner?"

  "That... is what we must find out," Misa replied, her tone calm but unyielding.

  Ritchie stepped forward, his expression serious. "Before that, there's someone else we must locate."

  Saijin asked cautiously, "Who?"

  Ritchie answered simply: "The fifth holder."

  Saijin considered the options. "What if we split into two teams... one searches for the summoner, the other for him/her?"

  "No," Misa interrupted. "That won't work. Timing and coordination are critical."

  Saijin raised an eyebrow. "Okay... okay, why the serious tone?"

  "Because this is urgent," Misa said firmly. "Our top priority is performing the sealing ritual, which binds our powers. It can only occur when all five holders are present. Nothing else comes before this."

  Saijin nodded slowly, the weight of responsibility settling over him.

  Misa continued, her voice calm but resolute, "We are the next generation-the protectors. Our duty is to safeguard our powers and ordinary people from beasts summoned by evil forces. Now, go home and rest. Tomorrow, we begin the search."

  She handed them both two scrolls. "In case anything happens while we're away, these "Scroll of calling" will connect you to us. Just tap the sign. Each scroll contains all the marks-tap one, and the corresponding holder will know someone is calling."

  Shizune gave a faint, grateful smile. "That's... reassuring."

  Saijin and Shizune spoke together, "Great. Bye."

  Misa nodded. "Stay safe."

  The afternoon sun bathed them as they parted ways, the quiet tension of the past few days lingering like a shadow. But within that shadow, a fragile sense of hope had begun to grow. They weren't alone anymore.

  And though the world had changed, for better or worse, they now knew they would face it together.