Acacia lands inside an alleyway, he crouches and puts his focus on the boy in front of him. The boy is staring at him innocently while sucking his thumb.
Acacia initiates a conversation with Bruno.
"What happened to your guardian?"
Acacia looks from the boy's head down to his toes. "You have scratches on your hands and forearms. Maybe because of Coseria."
He holds the boy's hands. Green energy covers the scratches, bruises, and cuts.
Every scratches, bruises, and cuts begin to disappear with the energy. Acacia puts the boy's hands down gently and looks into his eyes.
The boy speaks like a confused person. "I was just being fed by my grandma when the people around us ran away.
"My grandma lifted me but I slipped from her arms. I witnessed her belly bleeding from a wood stabbing her.
"I ran away and hid under the table. I see many people getting killed but I close my eyes, and when I remove my hands.
"They are all gone in an instant; no traces of blood or anyone. It's just that tall murderer and me."
Acacia transforms into the appearance of a young woman; having brown hair, a white blouse, a red skirt, and black heels.
The boy's eyes are growing wide from shock at the sight of Acacia transforming into another person.
He speaks, "Mister… I know you're a nice person, I'm not scared of you. Thank you for saving me."
Acacia nods. He holds the boy's hand while staring deep into his eyes. "I have a favor to ask."
Standing in front of the red gate, Madeline is sweeping the fallen leaves scattered on the ground using a broom, gathering them on a dustpan.
Her focus is disrupted by the appearance of a young woman. Madeline looks beside her, and her eyes meet Acacia who is wearing another person's appearance.
"What is it?" Madeline kindly asked.
Acacia looks down at the boy, and he smiles before turning his attention back to Madeline.
"Is Sister Sheila here? I want to talk to her in private."
Madeline nods with a smile and pushes the door of the gate. "You may find her in the caretaker's office, eating apple pie. I didn't expect her to have a visitor."
Acacia steps inside the gate while gently holding the boy's hand. Inside the orphanage, Sheila is sitting on a chair inside a room while taking a bite of an apple pie.
Sheila hears the slight knock on the door. She turns her attention towards the door and sees it open with Acacia standing calmly.
"Oh my. I remember you! You are that woman who gave me a seed."
"I also remember you, Sis Sheila. How was the seed?"
Sheila turns her eyes to the boy standing beside Acacia. She makes a low, continuous sound from her throat.
"Please, have a seat."
After a minute has passed, and few conversations have been initiated. Sheila is smiling while sipping tea from her cup.
"Ah! The seed is doing good. It grew into a healthy banana plant. The banana it bore is sweet."
Acacia nods while sipping tea from the cup he's holding. "I'm glad that you are gaining something from the seed I gave you."
Sheila's eyes land on the boy playing with a small toy car, he's sitting on the ground while rolling it from side to side.
"Who is he?" Sheila asked without looking at Acacia.
Acacia looks over his shoulder, seeing the boy dwelling in his world. "I don't know his name but I found him on the street. I have no money to provide for his needs, and that is why I am giving him to you."
Sheila didn't take any minutes, she nodded slowly. "That boy will be taken very well in the orphanage."
"There are so many orphanages, why did you choose this orphanage?" Sheila asked, staring at him.
Acacia turns his eyes back at her. He straightens his posture and places his cup on the table.
"Because there was a kid here who is my brother. He grew up here with good manners."
Acacia stands up and says without looking at Sheila. "It was nice talking with you but I need to go."
Stepping out of the gate, Acacia feels something wrapping around his legs. He looks down, and sees the boy, hugging his leg tightly while looking up at him.
"This seed," Acacia spoke in his mind, kneeling on the ground with his right knee.
"You've thanked me many times. If that is the reason, then, it's no need because I felt how thankful you are."
"No, mister. I came here to see you for one last time," the boy said.
"One last time?" Acacia repeated those words, concern etched in his voice.
He raises his other hand, placing it gently on the boy's shoulder. "I don't know anything about you but no matter what happens, good or bad, do everything to wake up to a new day."
The boy nods. "I will eat every day."
Suddenly, Acacia's eyes widen as the boy has already stepped closer to him while wrapping his arms around his neck.
Acacia's hands freeze, and they slowly land on the boy's back; caressing it in a pattern of up and down.
Acacia's eyes close in peace, and he speaks in his mind. "It feels warm. Much warmer and more comforting than having the sun's light. What is this?"
Inside a facility, the glowing blue light welcomes Kohlrabi and the man standing near him with his back bent while he's shaking in fear.
Kohlrabi makes a step towards a flower encased in a blue cube. A smile creeps on his lip while his distance is going closer to the plant.
"I'm doing what I was intended to do. I will get the flower of Makiling, and with it, I shall unlock the gates of the Balete trees."
His eyes widen in anger, and he moves his eyes down. His body is being wrapped by blue chains embedded in the ground.
The man who served as his guide is holding a key. "You think that those people are real? They're just illusions. You fell into our trap!"
With one movement of his hand, a blue blade pierces into the back of Kohlrabi.
"Bastards!" Kohlrabi yells with eyes narrowing, "You pathetic losers will not stop me from accomplishing my goal! I will open the gate! I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!"
Yellow energy covers his body and huge energy bursts from his body. The man puts down his hand from his eyes after the explosion has ended.
The blue chains are gone, and so is Kohlrabi. The man narrows his eyes while turning his head around, observing the directions where Kohlrabi might attack from.
Kohlrabi swings his hand while standing behind the man. The man's eyes are narrowing as he turns around to face Kohlrabi but he is too late for the wooden hand of the first-ranking seed is approaching his throat.
A stranger arrives and kicks Kohlrabi's hand away from the worker. Kohlrabi immediately locks his eyes on the man who interfered with his plan of murder.
"Who are you?!" Kohlrabi yelled.
The man whose eyes are scarlet, wearing a white unbuttoned polo shirt, and oversized dark pants is staring calmly like a predator seizing his prey.
His scarlet eyes hold the intent to kill. He speaks in a calm tone. "I am the only hindrance to stopping your plan. As long as I am here, you will not have that flower."
A fireball appears floating in front of his right eye, and it releases a group of fireballs at Kohlrabi.
The fireballs hit Kohlrabi, and a large explosion occurs.
"Captain Ash, what will I do?" the worker turned his eyes to Ash.
Ash with the scarlet eyes looks at the worker, and before the worker can speak, wooden spikes pierce his chest.
Ash turns his eyes back at the fire, and Kohlrabi is stepping out of it; his body is covered in stones which are now serving as his armor.
"He's interfering in our fight," Kohlrabi says in a calm tone, "and I don't like extras."
Ash inhales deeply, sad about the death of the worker. He turns his eyes back at Kohlrabi with intensity in his gaze.
"We'll settle this." Ash covered himself with an aura made of flames.
Yellow energy covers Kohlrabi's body, and he cracks his fists. "I must warn you, the boy that your comrade has left in this world to grow has died. Guess what? I killed him."
Ash's eyes grow wide, his teeth grit as his fists close. "You killed an innocent being! You are such a pathetic loser!"
Kohlrabi replies with a loud maniac laugh. His laugh slowly stops, and he hums before smiling.
"Why not? I ended his life before he became something terrible."
Ash inhales deeply. His eyes remain gazing at him with anger. "Thank you for confessing. Now, I have another reason not to show any mercy."
Ash disappears, and he appears beside Kohlrabi in the blink of an eye.
Ash thrusts his right fist covered in flames, striking Kohlrabi's face but before the punch lands, Kohlrabi manages to capture his fist.
Ash releases a heat beam from his left eye, hitting Kohlrabi's face.
A big explosion occurs after the impact of the heat beam, and every glass wall has shattered, trees are burning, and cracks are visible on the floor and ceiling.
Kohlrabi emerges from one of the trees, and Ash kicks him. Kohlrabi's eyes widen as he is sent crashing against the wall.
"I'll lose if I don't use my full power."
Kohlrabi gets back to his feet, and his teeth are gritting. His eyes are watching Ash standing amidst the wave of flames.
Kohlrabi narrows his eyes. "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!"
Channeling his energy, he summons a wave of trees. The floor beneath them shakes as trees burst out.
Ash jumps away before the trees hit him. He turns around and faces Kohlrabi whose fist is thrusting towards him.
Ash releases fireballs from his right eye but Kohlrabi's body is covered quickly in yellow energy.
He releases an energy beam, countering Ash, and sending him crashing on the trees.
Kohlrabi flies towards Ash and swings his foot toward Ash. Kohlrabi's foot suddenly falls from its place because Ash has already severed his foot with one swing of his burning finger.
"Impossible!" Kohlrabi narrowed his eyes.
"He moved his fingers at such speed! This man is no joke!" he said in his mind.
From the part where his foot has fallen, Kohlrabi regenerates a new foot in the blink of an eye as Ash is watching him.
Kohlrabi grabs Ash's long white hair and throws him on the ground, and Kohlrabi flies out of the building. Ash stands back to his feet, and he looks up at the hole, seeing the night sky.
Kohlrabi aims his finger at the building and releases a massive yellow energy beam from his fingertips. The energy beam destroys the entire building, swallowing it in its size.
"He has proven himself powerful and entertaining but let's see if he'll survive."
A huge crater is what is left of the building, done by the energy beam that obliterated the building with its massive size which is enough to destroy an entire village.
The ground breaks apart, and a huge mass of dirt comes out flying. The dirt breaks apart, revealing Ash.
Flames are coming out from his bare feet, and he releases more flames causing him to be faster.
"Such speed!" Kohlrabi clenched his fist.
"Then, I shall use my full power!" Kohlrabi covered himself with yellow energy.
He flies down and vanishes. Soon, huge bursts of wind can be seen in the sky; destroying some clouds.
The bursts of wind came from their punches as they moved with the speed of lightning in the sky.
Ash hovers above Kohlrabi and releases a heat beam from his left eye. Kohlrabi avoids the beam with a single move.
Ash flies down at him, and quickly swings his foot but Kohlrabi blocks it with his forearm covered in a stone.
The stone breaks apart. Kohlrabi flies toward Ash and thrusts his fists many times but Ash avoids them.
Ash releases a fireball from his right eye but Kohlrabi slams his palm against his chin, redirecting the fireball towards the sky.
Kohlrabi releases a tree from his chest, forming into a fist, and it strikes Ash's chest but Ash flies aside.
"You won't win!" Ash blasted himself towards Kohlrabi, hitting his nose with his right knee.
Kohlrabi sharpens his wooden nails and strikes Ash but Ash flies away. Kohlrabi didn't let him slide, his fingers became long and wrapped around him swiftly.
"I can't move!" Ash channeled his energy into the fireball floating on his right eye.
His eyes widen as blood comes out of his mouth, and the sight results in Kohlrabi grinning.
"You can't move?" Kohlrabulaughed.
Kohlrabi stops laughing, and says, "You thought you could win by having fire?
"Fire is stronger than wood but a user with incredible speed and skill in combat can obliterate someone like you.
"Sadly, you can only use fire using your eyes. I can blind you but I want to have fun also after killing those humans."
Ash is gritting his teeth, veins popping on his forehead while blood is flowing from the corner of his lip.
"Yeah! But those humans are just an illusion! We set you up!"
"Yes, you set me up. But look at you, lost to a wood user. I guess, guardians are getting weak, especially that 'guardian'."
Kohlrabi flies down onto the ground while dragging Ash with him, and before Kohlrabi lands on the ground, he slams Ash on the ground.
Ash's eyes widen as the thorns piercing his flesh become long.
Kohlrabi laughs, and he looks down at Ash as he stops laughing.
"Ngh!" Ash coughed some blood.
"It hurts? You are just like that guardian. What was her name? Oh! I remember! It's Clara."
Kohlrabi pulls his long fingers back to their original length, before Ash can stand up, Kohlrabi lands on his body; his right foot hitting his throat.
"Hey! Don't disrespect my big sister!"
Kohlrabi looks in the direction of the female voice, and he leans his body backward, avoiding a green energy orb.
"Oh, look who decided to join us," Kohlrabi smirked.
With ounces of his strength, Ash turns his head to where Kohlrabi is looking. Ash's eyes grow wide and he shakes his head.
"I told you to stay at the park!" Ash shouted concern etched in his voice.
The one who interfered with the fight is no other than a woman.
She's standing at 5 feet, her green hair is fixed in a wolf's cut, her eyes are green, and she is wearing a white dress with green patterns embedded in her skirt.
Her name is Elesia. She opens her right arm, and a pattern can be seen on her right palm.
The pattern radiates a green light before a scythe comes out. She tightens her grip on her weapon before twirling it as she moves it behind her.
Kohlrabi stumbles backward after his chest gets hit by an explosive beam. He jumps away and puts his hand on the small hole in his chest.
His eyes widen at Ash as he's standing in front of him. Ash covers his fingers in flames, and he swings it, causing a cut on Kohlrabi's chest.
Kohlrabi narrows his eyes and breathes a yellow energy sphere. The sphere explodes upon hitting Ash.
Kohlrabi begins to tremble, and he feels an excruciating pain radiating from his chest. He coughs and covers the cut on his chest with his yellow energy.
Meanwhile, in a hospital. Nelly is seen walking back and forth with her hands clasped behind her back.
She turns around as she halts. Her eyes are filled with anxiousness, her heart is beating fast and sweat is falling as droplets from her forehead.
"Doc?"
The doctor pushes his glasses back to the bridge of his nose. "Come with me, Ms. Nelly."
Nelly is now standing beside a patient lying on the bed with eyes shut tight.
"How is Nicholas?" Nelly asked.
The doctor replies, "After the operations done on him, he is doing great. But we can't hope that he'll wake up later on."
"I know of what might happen," Nelly stares at Nicholas, her eyes narrowing, "I can't accept that 'outcome'. Is there any really any possible way to wake him? I'll pay millions if I need to!"
The doctor removes his glasses, and he gives Nelly a sincere look. "Ms. Nelly, we did what we had to. He's so lucky, he was able to survive his injuries.
"However, I don't have any options to help him. You just have to wait for him to wake up."
Nelly sits down on the chair beside the hospital bed. She looks at his head down to his abdomen.
"I'm sorry. I thought my guns were enough to kill them." Nelly took a deep breath.
She rests her hand on top of Nicholas' hand with tears falling from her eyes.
"I wanted to protect you."
She brings out a used white towel. She turns her eyes at his face; his eyes are closed, and he looks peaceful.
"You gave me this towel. You saved me that day, remember? I am was about to kill myself without anyone knowing but you came and gave me this.
"You were the only person who showed me what it feels like to be happy, and to be seen as a person.
She tightens her grip on the white towel, and more tears fall from her eyes.
"Wake up, Nicholas. Please."