The Next Day – Hospital Room
Sunlight poured in through the window, warm and golden. The sterile scent of medicine lingered in the air. On the bed, Azar slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the brightness. Half of his body was wrapped tightly in bandages, scorched and bruised.
At the window stood Zanden, arms crossed, watching the peaceful morning.
Zanden turned, eyes widening. "Everybody! Azar's awake!"
Within seconds, the door burst open as the rest of the team rushed in, their footsteps echoing down the hall.
"W-What's going on?" Azar asked, his voice hoarse and confused.
The Spiritual King stepped forward with a rare smile. "You did it."
Azar blinked. "Did what?"
Kaji grinned. "You defeated Vel Draven."
Azar let out a breath, a tired smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah… I know."
Gio stepped beside the bed, eyes soft. "I'm truly grateful. You saved my daughter."
Azar nodded. "It's okay."
He suddenly winced, clutching his side. "Ow… half my body hurts…"
Okata gave a thumbs-up. "You did good, Azar. You saved a Great Village ninja and stopped a dangerous man."
The Spiritual King nodded firmly. "We've finished the full report. We'll take our leave now. You all can catch up."
As the leaders exited, the room grew quieter, more personal.
Azar stared at the ceiling. "So… it's over?"
Misa stepped forward with a bright smile. "You bet."
Zanden smirked. "Looks like you fulfilled your promise."
Azar chuckled. "You know I can't lose to my forever rival."
Zanden laughed. "Yeah, yeah."
Taro stepped in. "Glad to see you okay, man."
Ryju gave a nod. "You did good out there."
Goro grinned. "Yeah, brother. That must've been one tough fight."
Azar sighed. "It was."
Kenshiro added, "But it's good to know the mission is complete."
Rei crossed her arms. "Azar, you need to stay in the hospital for three more days. Half your body's burned."
Azar waved her off, smirking. "No worries. It just looks black right now. By tomorrow, it'll go back to my skin color. It's just temporary burns."
Zanden leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "So… what the hell was that form you used?"
Rei nodded. "Yeah. Half your body was on fire. You looked like a demon."
Taro sat beside the bed, concerned. "You passed out cold right after. What was that, Azar?"
Azar took a slow breath, then looked at them all.
"…It's called Half-Hell Form," he said quietly.
"Half-Hell?" Jett raised an eyebrow.
Azar nodded. "It's a technique from the Fire Clan… my clan. I'm still learning to control it."
Kenshiro glanced up. "What does it do exactly?"
Azar sat up slightly, wincing. "It takes all the fire in my body—my spiritual fire—and pours it into one side of me. Usually my right side. It boosts my power, my speed, everything. But…"
"But?" Goro asked.
"It burns through me. Fast." Azar looked down at his bandaged hand. "The human body wasn't made to hold that kind of imbalance. One half burns with power, the other fights to survive."
Ryju nodded slowly. "That explains why you passed out."
"It's strong," Azar said, "but it's not the endgame."
Rei leaned in. "There's more?"
Azar's eyes narrowed. "There's something above it. The Fire Clan called it the Full-Hell Form—where both halves of your body ignite. Total fire mastery. You become one with the flames. A true hellspawn."
Everyone went silent.
"But I'm not ready for that yet," Azar admitted. "If I tried it now, it'd kill me."
Taro clenched his fists. "Then we'll help you get strong enough to survive it."
Azar smirked. "That's the plan."
"Even though it's my first time using this form…" Azar began, glancing down at his injured arm. "This is why my whole right side looks like this. But if I keep training, keep pushing… I think I can master it—without the side effects."
Misa, standing by his bedside, looked concerned. "What kind of side effects?"
Azar gave a wry smile. "After I use this form… I automatically pass out. Right now, I can't even feel my entire right side. If I move too much, it hurts like hell. So yeah… that's pretty much all of it."
Then Azar's expression softened. "Misa, I think you should go. Your dad's been waiting. He's been sick… and he needs you."
Misa nodded without hesitation. "Okay."
Ryju crossed his arms and turned to his team. "We'll go report to the Spiritual King's office. Time to check in with our sensei."
Azar nodded. "Got it."
"I'll stay here," Taro added, arms behind his head, leaning casually against the wall.
"Yep, me too," Jett said, raising a hand.
"Count me in," Zanden followed, crossing his arms.
Kaien said nothing. He simply nodded.
Azar chuckled. "Great. Thanks, guys."
With that, Team One and Misa left the hospital room.
Outside the Hospital
Misa found her father, Gio, sitting quietly on a bench just outside the door, gazing at the sky.
"Dad…"
He turned and smiled weakly. "Misa…"
She walked over and offered her hand. "Let's go home."
"You bet," Gio said, rising to his feet. But then, as if remembering something, he turned toward the departing Team One. "Wait! Team One—!"
The group stopped and looked back.
"I want to thank you," Gio said, voice steady despite his fatigue. "Truly… from the bottom of my heart."
"No problem, man," Ryju said with a grin.
"We're always happy to help Misa," Rei added with a smile.
Misa looked at her teammates through the window and team one with gratitude, her heart swelling with emotion.
Thank you… all of you… she thought.
In the Village – On the Way to the Spiritual King's Office
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the Great Village. Narrow stone-paved streets wound between wooden houses topped with curved, tiled roofs. Lanterns swayed gently from eaves, and the distant chatter of villagers filled the air.
Team One walked side by side, their footsteps echoing softly on the well-worn cobblestones. The scent of fresh food from nearby market stalls mingled with the crisp mountain air. Everywhere they looked, villagers went about their daily lives—children practicing basic ninja moves, merchants haggling over goods, horse-drawn carriages going through the village, and elders sharing stories on benches.
The awe on their faces was unmistakable.
"Man, that mission wasn't that bad," Ryju said, hands behind his head.
"Our first mission was incredible," Shun added with a proud nod.
"I kinda had fun," Goro admitted, surprising no one more than himself.
Kenshiro yawned. "I was excited… but nothing beats going home and laying down."
"Whoa…" Rei gasped, looking up at the massive golden gate to enter the academy. "This gate is huge! And that gold color… I love it."
"I know, right?" Goro agreed.
As they passed through the entrance, Ryju looked around excitedly. "Man, there's so much cool stuff in here…"
"I wonder what they are," Kenshiro said, eyeing the battle relics and stone statues. "There's a whole hall full of weapons and monuments."
Ryju pointed ahead. "That's my grandpa's statue!"
Rei blinked. "That's crazy. Our village was founded ten thousand years ago… and there have already been 100 Spiritual Kings."
Ryju's eyes burned with determination. "And I'll be the 101st Spiritual King. After that… I can chase my other dream."
Kenshiro raised an eyebrow. "What's your other dream?"
Ryju grinned. "It's a secret. Once I complete my first dream, I'll tell you."
Kenshiro smirked. "Alright, alright."
They climbed the grand staircase and entered the doors of the Spiritual King's office.
"Hey!" Ryju called out.
The Spiritual King looked up. "Team One."
"Yep," Rei replied with a salute.
Kaji stood beside him. "I've been waiting for you all."
"Really?" Goro asked, surprised.
Kaji chuckled. "I just wanted to say—congratulations on completing your first mission."
"No biggie," Shun shrugged.
"Yeah," Ryju added casually.
The Spiritual King smiled. "No, but seriously—it's impressive."
Okata stepped forward. "You all finished the mission in two hours. That's extremely fast."
The Spiritual King nodded. "We got the report right after you left."
Kaji grinned. "It was so funny. The moment you landed, Gio sprinted to the airplane—he got there before we did! But you were all passed out, so we rushed you straight to the hospital."
Suddenly, the air shimmered—and two figures teleported into the office.
Renji and Kurosaki appeared.
"Brother! You made it back!" Renji exclaimed.
Ryju gave a confident nod. "Yep."
The Spiritual King watched them silently, a thought forming in his heart.
There's something truly special about them…
Maybe peace really can be found.
Kurosaki stepped forward. "Can I go check on Kuroyami, please?"
Ryju looked over. "How is Kuroyami doing?"
"Yeah," Rei chimed in. "When's he coming back?"
Kurosaki sighed. "I don't know."
Kuroyami's Room
Kuroyami sat alone, his expression grim. His room was dark, curtains drawn. A sudden shimmer—Kurosaki appeared.
Kuroyami jumped. "Geesh, knock or something."
Kurosaki ignored the comment. "Your friends completed their mission."
"That's great," Kuroyami muttered, avoiding his gaze.
"They're asking for you."
"It doesn't matter…" Kuroyami whispered. "I can't help them. They're better off without me."
"Why do you keep acting like this?" Kurosaki asked, his voice rising.
"Because… I have no ability. I'm useless."
Kurosaki stared for a moment. Then, silently, he turned and walked toward the door. He paused there.
"Don't give up on yourself, Kuroyami."
But Kuroyami didn't answer.
And then he was gone.
At the Village Gate
The wind blew gently as an old man in a sharp black suit approached the front gates of the Great Village. A katana gleamed in his hand.
His voice was low, gravelly… but unmistakably dangerous.
"Where… is… Uzuki?"
End of Volume 2 – To Be Continued…