"You saw it all, senior! He started it first!" the Shinra shouted, pulling back his clone spears with a loud metallic echo. His voice trembled with anger but also with fear, sweat running down his forehead.
"Just this night I handed this gate to the academy kids," came a calm yet firm voice from the tall tower above them. "And already, you're messing things up. You're lucky the other gatekeepers aren't here, or you'd all be corpses lying in your own shadows."
A gust of wind swirled as the man who had spoken appeared on the ground in a flash of Switch Mode. He stood tall—an average six feet—but his presence weighed heavier than a mountain. His red-sleeved tunic flowed under a dark cape, black trousers tucked neatly into black shoes. His hair swayed with the night air, and a faint pressure of Renshi leaked from him, enough to make the Shinra lower their heads.
"I apologize for this misunderstanding," the man said, his deep eyes scanning Lucy and the others. "Don't let this little incident stain your view of our kingdom. These children—" he glanced at the Shinra, "—are still babies sucking milk from their mothers' breasts." His lips curled slightly. "But… I will make it up to you if you do me a favor."
Lucy narrowed her eyes, not letting go of her guard. "So tell me, mister… what exactly do you want from me?"
Before the man could finish his statement, Alfie stirred on Sasaki's back. With a sudden groan he sat up, blinking rapidly. His eyes darted around, then he jumped down, stumbling before finding his balance.
"What the hell is this now?!" Alfie snapped, his voice high-pitched with confusion. "First it was those Darkside Spirits, and now this? Master's still here, Jackson too… but no Rebekah. Ha! I guess this hallucination's just getting more interesting." His eyes narrowed suspiciously, darting from one face to another.
"Alfie, calm down. It's no hallucination—it's me," Lucy said, taking a step forward, her tone softer than usual.
But Alfie barked back, his expression twisting into anger. "Hell no, fake Master! There's no way we'd be here without Rebekah! If you're the owner of this place, then take me out right now! My master and Rebekah are in danger—I can't waste another second with you illusions!"
Lucy felt her chest tighten. This is bad. Alfie's on the edge… if he snaps, his Renshi will go berserk. She quickly sent a telepathic message to Jackson and Sasaki. Both of you—get behind me.
Then she faced Alfie directly. "Listen to me. What do you want me to show you as proof? What will make you believe I'm real?"
Alfie sneered. "You don't need to show me anything. You created this whole place—you control it! Whatever I say, you'll just bend it into existence. Screw your proof. Just get me out of here—NOW!" His voice cracked with fury, his Renshi flaring.
"Senior, what's happening here?" one of the Shinra muttered nervously from behind the man in red and black.
The man's eyes narrowed. "I don't know for sure. But one thing's clear…" He glanced at Alfie, whose aura had begun to distort violently. "…we'd better stay on guard. That kid—he's not ordinary. He crushed all of you Shinra with barely any effort. Imagine what the adults of his group can do."
His gaze turned to Jackson.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!!" Alfie screamed, the veins in his neck pulsing as his energy swirled like a storm, cracking the ground beneath his feet.
Lucy vanished in an instant—Switch Mode!—reappearing behind him. She pressed her palm to his neck, pouring sealing Renshi into him. "Forgive me, Alfie," she whispered.
A golden glyph flared, and Alfie's body went limp. Lucy caught him before he hit the ground, gritting her teeth in frustration. "Damn it… damn everything!" she screamed into the night, her voice trembling.
The Shinra stood frozen in silence, shocked. One of them—terrified—broke ranks and sprinted into the kingdom, disappearing into the shadows.
Jackson stepped forward, his face hard but calm. "I don't know what's running through your head right now," he told the man in red, "but you need to believe us. Every word we've spoken—it's the truth."
The man folded his arms, his gaze unreadable. "…That would be one hundred percent impossible. But…" he paused, looking at Alfie slumped in Lucy's arms. "I'll try."
Lucy turned sharply, her voice cutting like steel. "We owe you no explanation. Come on, Jack—we're going around the kingdom. I won't waste my time on these kids."
Sasaki smirked faintly, rubbing his neck. "I was actually looking forward to a duel. But… tch, I guess it's not necessary."
They began to walk away when the man in red called out, his voice commanding enough to make them stop.
"Wait. That boy's words—they prove something. He recognizes you. He knows you as his master. Someone invaded his mind, filled it with hallucinations. He only clings to disbelief because he can't find his friend. For that alone… I'll force myself to believe you're not enemies." He stepped closer, cloak swaying. "You may spend the night here. I permit it."
Lucy stopped, her back turned to him. She laid a hand on Jackson's shoulder, and together with Sasaki, she used Switch Mode to vanish to the kingdom's entrance.
"Tch," the man muttered. "A simple thank you wouldn't take a hair from your head…"
But Lucy ignored him, walking into the first town with Alfie still in her arms. They arrived at a fancy motel where she ordered Jackson and Sasaki to secure a room for four.
That night, after a long silence and restless sleep, dawn broke. The sun bathed the town in gold.
Jackson, waking first, went to the bathroom for a long bath. When he returned, stretching and yawning—he froze. The bed was empty.
"…Alfie?" His heart sank.
Noise came from outside the motel, on the street below. Lucy woke groggily, while Sasaki still slept soundly.
"Jack? What's that noise?" Lucy asked, rubbing her eyes. She looked to Alfie's bed—empty. "Where's Alfie?"
"I don't know," Jackson muttered, already rushing to the balcony.
Lucy leapt up instantly, panic hitting her chest. Together they bolted downstairs and out the front doors—
—only to see Alfie surrounded by townsfolk in the middle of the street.
"You little rascal! How dare you try to steal!" a businessman shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You're not from this kingdom! How did you even pass the four gates?!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Alfie snapped back, his face twisted with frustration. "I was just taking a stroll! I saw your table fall when those boys bumped into it and ran off! I didn't touch anything!"
"Liar!" a boy around Alfie's age yelled, stepping forward with four others behind him, chuckling cruelly. "Nobody knocked it over. You did. You wanted to steal the jewelry!"
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, their suspicion thick like smoke. Alfie clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fury.