The night air on Arubi Island was humid, with the scent of sea salt wafting in from the shore. Faint moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting shifting shadows on the forest floor.
Kaito strolled leisurely through the trees, his hands tucked into his pockets. He knew full well that what was about to happen tonight would be the culmination of the anime's Arubi Island arc. Although the system hadn't given him an official mission to confront the spirits this time, his instincts told him something interesting was about to happen.
However, he stopped when a cold, mechanical sound rang out from ahead.
ZRRRT—
Out of the darkness, metallic figures with neon green eyes emerged. Their mechanical wings pulsed with a greenish light, lifting their bodies into the air with thrusters on their backs. Their forms resembled armored humanoids, with their hands transforming into plasma guns.
Kaito let out a soft chuckle. "Bandersnatch... made by DEM," he muttered, raising an eyebrow. He remembered clearly that these robots weren't toys, but to others, not to him.
While he was still analyzing, a familiar voice rang in his head.
[Ding! Random mission has been released]
[Mission: Destroy all Bandersnatch (0/5)
Status: Uncompleted
Reward: 1x Rare Ticket, 1000 XP, 1000 PS]
A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Heh... so the system finally decided to entertain us."
Wasting no time, Kaito relaxed his muscles and activated his Armament Haki. A gleaming black layer began to cover both of his hands. But tonight, he wanted more than just destruction; he wanted to test his newly mastered Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.
One of the Bandersnatch lunged forward, its right hand transforming into a gun barrel. Green light gathered at the tip, ready to unleash a burst of energy. But Kaito had already disappeared from sight before the plasma bullet could be released.
WHUSH!
In a split second, he was right beside the robot. His movements followed the pattern of flowing water, rotating his body calmly but carrying power that flowed from his feet to the tip of his fist. As soon as his haki-imbued fist was released, the sound of shattering metal echoed through the forest. The Bandersnatch's head was thrown to the ground, sparks flying.
"First one... down," Kaito said, his eyes sparkling. The sensation of this new technique blended perfectly with his haki, creating an attack that was not only powerful, but also efficient.
The other four robots reacted quickly, spreading out and trying to surround him from all directions. Laser beams pierced the air, incinerating the tree trunks behind him. But Kaito moved like a shadow, twisting his body and deflecting the attacks like water changing the course of a river. Some of the shots ricocheted off and struck their own comrades.
Another one swooped down from above, attempting to slash him with a flaming energy blade on its arm. Kaito raised his left hand, deflected the attack with a twist of his wrist, then slammed his right fist into the robot's core.
CRASH!
The sound was like a boulder being struck by a steel hammer. The robot fell to the ground, its body split in two.
"Two."
The third tried to dodge, but Kaito leaped toward him, his movements nearly impossible to follow. He spun around, his leg sweeping under the robot, knocking it to the ground, and then finished with a straight punch to the chest, right in its energy reactor.
A small explosion erupted, illuminating Kaito's grinning face. "Three."
The fourth and fifth Bandersnatch hesitated. They changed formation, flying high, and firing a flurry of shots. Kaito ducked, spun, and then shot away like a river breaking through a dam. He deflected the first shot with his new technique, twisting his palm so the energy bullet bounced back and hit one of the robots.
The explosion destroyed the fourth unit. Without pausing, Kaito closed the distance to the last robot.
"Last one for tonight…" he muttered. He concentrated all the power of his Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist into his fist, letting a faint blue aura begin to appear around his arm, mingling with the black glow of his haki.
DUUUM!
The blow struck the robot's center, shattering its entire metal frame into rubble. His body parts flew off, and the green light instantly extinguished.
The system beeped again.
[Mission complete!]
[Reward: 1x Rare Ticket, 1000 XP, 1000 PS]
Kaito let out a satisfied sigh, staring at his fist. "This technique… is much crazier than I thought. When combined with haki, the effect isn't just devastating… it completely annihilates the target."
He turned, leaving the forest at a leisurely pace. The night breeze blew, carrying the scent of burning metal.
Having completed his mission, Kaito continued walking along the faint path between the trees. Moonlight filtered through the dense foliage, creating a pale glow that danced on the ground.
He walked leisurely, as if he had just done something ordinary, not destroyed five war machines sent to kill him. His hands were back in his pockets, while his mind raced, pondering the effects of his new technique. But his steps stopped when his ears caught a faint sound, a sound out of tune with the forest.
There was a low, muffled groan from the east.
Kaito raised an eyebrow and walked toward it without haste. Soon, he discovered a large hole hidden behind the bushes. The surrounding ground appeared to have caved in, like a trap or a previously dug, fragile area. And at the bottom of the hole, trapped was a woman with long blonde hair, dressed in a familiar uniform.
Ellen Mathers. One of the key figures in DEM.
She seemed to be trying to maintain her dignity despite her dusty body. Her face remained cool, as if trying to hide the fact that she was trapped in an embarrassing situation. But when she realized Kaito was standing over the hole, her eyes widened slightly.
"You… Kaito?" Her voice was flat, but clearly filled with surprise.
Kaito looked down, adopting the calm expression of a friendly student. A faint smile crossed her lips. "Oh? Photographer-san? What are you doing down there? This hole is quite dangerous. Are you okay?"
Her tone sounded sincere, though deep down she could already guess the real reason.
Ellen took a deep breath and then answered calmly. "I… was investigating this area. Suddenly, the ground collapsed, and I was trapped down here. It was just a minor accident."
Her reason sounded so natural, so reasonable that anyone would immediately believe it. Ellen's tone was calm, reassuring, without a hint of hesitation.
Kaito feigned surprise. He nodded slowly, making it seem as if he truly believed the explanation. "I see. It is dangerous to walk alone at night like this. Luckily, I passed by."
Without waiting for permission, he lowered himself to the edge of the hole and extended his hand. "Come here, I'll help you up."
Ellen stared at him for a moment, hesitant. But she had no choice. She finally accepted Kaito's outstretched hand. With one light tug, Kaito lifted her out of the hole, as if Ellen's weight meant nothing.
Once standing on level ground, Ellen straightened her clothes. Her expression returned to a stern expression, as if trying to erase any traces of embarrassment that had surfaced. "Thank you. I can take care of the rest myself."
Kaito simply smiled kindly, patting the dust off his pants. "No problem. But if I may ask, where are you going after this? It's getting late. How about we go back to the inn together?"
Ellen turned her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. She then shook her head slowly. "No. I still have business to attend to. You don't need to accompany me. You go back first."
Kaito stared at her for a few seconds, as if hesitant. But deep down, he knew Ellen was hiding something. She just didn't intend to reveal it tonight. After a short sigh, he shrugged casually.
"Then, okay. Don't stay out too long, Photographer-san. Be careful on the road."
Without waiting for an answer, Kaito walked away, leaving Ellen behind the shadows of the trees.
Ellen simply stood there, her eyes following Kaito's retreating back. A momentary hesitation crossed her face. She rarely felt such feelings, the unease that someone might see more than she let on. But Kaito left without further inquiry, as if completely accepting her lie.
Ellen's lips moved slightly, as if about to say something, but she didn't. The night wind blew, bringing a damp, cool air that touched her skin. She finally fell silent, lost in thought under the moonlight.
Meanwhile, Kaito's footsteps drew further away, echoing lightly on the forest path. A faint smile lingered on his face. Deep down, he knew Ellen wouldn't stop there tonight. But that wasn't his concern, at least not yet.
What mattered was that his image as a friendly and kind student was intact. And a new game seemed to have just begun.