Watsu's nerves were on edge as he pressed his back firmly against the rough earth wall behind him. His eyes were wide, scanning the surroundings, straining to catch any hint of the conversation between Arkens and whoever he met. Every word, every voice he could overhear, would be crucial to his mission. This wasn't just for Nya anymore. It had become super personal.

  He took a deep breath, closing his eyes momentarily to calm his racing heart. When he opened them again, he felt his nerves settle, his focus sharpening on the task at hand. His entire being was attuned to the sounds around him. Then, cutting through the tension, Arkens' voice rang out, the first to break the silence.

  "Alright, I'm here! The usual, like always, huh?".

  Watsu gulped.

  'The usual? What could that possibly mean? Arkens, what do you have yourself involved in?'.

  Of course, Watsu kept his thoughts to himself, though countless ideas swirled in his mind, each trying to grasp the meaning behind the words coming from his best friend's mouth. Yet, nothing made sense despite all the possibilities that crossed his mind. He would only grasp at straws, trying to form logical conclusions. But deep down, Watsu knew that logic alone wouldn't explain the situation. His gut told him something that couldn't be reasoned through conventional means was off.

  "Okay, let's get started then, heeeree IIII comeee!".

  Bewildered, Watsu struggled to comprehend why Arkens would yell those words. Before he could process anything further, an immense gust of wind pressure erupted from the area where Arkens and the mystery person had met, sending debris and dust flying in every direction. Watsu's eyes went wide as he instinctively threw his arms up, shielding his face from the violent blast of wind.

  The force of the gust was overwhelming, making it hard to stay steady. Watsu squinted, trying to part his arms just enough to get a glimpse of what was happening, but the sheer intensity of the wind made even that tiny effort nearly impossible. He was left bracing against the onslaught, desperate for any clue as to what was unfolding ahead.

  "W-WAHHHHHHH!!!-".

  "HRAAAAGH AND ANOTHER!!!".

  Watsu screamed in terror as the unnatural winds intensified, seeming to double in force after a second impact shook the ground. The powerful gusts lifted him clean off his feet, hurting him over the cliff's edge. He began to fall, the height dizzying as the distance between him and the town afar became painfully clear. Time seemed to slow, and the ground far below felt impossibly distant. His body slammed into tree branches on the way down, the sharp cracks echoing in his ears as he crashed through the foliage. Pain shot through him as branches snapped beneath him, bruising and cutting his skin. His blood pounded in his ears, the rush of adrenaline mixing with panic as the fall seemed never-ending.

  But Watsu wasn't a quitter. Despite the pain and fear, a fierce determination burned inside him. He had a purpose, something driving him forward, and no amount of pain or danger would stop him from seeing it through.

  "LIKE HELL IF FALLIN' FROM A HIGH HEIGHT IS GONNA KILL ME!!!".

  In midair, Watsu summoned all his upper body strength, twisting his massive frame and reaching for a sturdy-looking tree branch he had glimpsed with his sharp eyes. His fingers latched onto it, halting his freefall. The momentum, however, swung him forward, his legs and lower abdomen instinctively bracing for the inevitable impact with the tree. The collision was brutal; his body smacked against the trunk with a dull thud, knocking the wind out of him and sending him into unconsciousness.

  Moments passed before Watsu's eyes began to flutter open. The first thing he saw through his blurry vision was the starry night sky above, twinkling softly against the darkness. As his focus sharpened, he took in the scene around him, the broken branches scattered below and the hefty branch that had saved him. He realized he wasn't far from the ground. Despite the searing pain coursing through his body, the bushes beneath him had softened his landing just enough to spare him from a fatal fall.

  A weak but genuine smile crept across his bloodied face. A feverish, almost hysterical laugh escaped his lips as he lay there, half his eyelids closed, grateful to still be alive. The blood trickling from his face didn't seem to bother him. He was just thankful that, against the odds, he had survived.

  "I wonder.. how long has it been since I was knocked unconscious? Is it possible Arkens and the mystery person are still lingering above? And what in the actual fuck WAS ALL THAT WIND??".

  Watsu struggled to lift himself from the bushes, wincing as every movement sent a jolt of pain through his battered body. Once on his feet, he pressed his hands against the tree's rough bark, using it to help stretch out his aching back. He stood hunched over, his posture resembling an old man leaning on a cane for support, the weariness from the fall apparent in his every movement.

  His head throbbed with pain, and he groaned, attempting to shake off the lingering dizziness that clouded his senses. Each small motion sent waves of discomfort through him, but he forced himself to keep going.

  "Augghh.. Fuck me.. How do I always get myself wrapped up in the strange business?.. OH, I know, 'cause no one is gonna give a flying hell to do it themselves!".

  Watsu angrily walked back onto the same path that led to the open clearing Arkens and the mystery person. He took it easy for his body's sake and on the off chance they were still there. However, with each step he took, he heard no more voices. It was silent. He didn't want to wait, so he exposed himself. To his surprise, it was empty. This did give him an opportunity in his eyes.

  "Even if they aren't here, I shouldn't have been found out, meaning this place is still a meetup location.. Moreover, there's always something left behind at a scene, no matter how small the clue is..".

  Watsu carefully moved ahead, each step deliberate, but he stopped almost immediately as something caught his eye. He blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing. The ground was cracked and shattered in ways that defied logic in a specific spot ahead of him. The more he approached, the more the crater appeared eerily shaped, almost like the impression of a human face.

  Intrigued, he crouched to inspect it further, curiosity pushing him to attempt something ridiculous. He leaned forward and mimicked the shape, trying to fit his face into the odd cast. It didn't match his own but was close enough to send a chill down his spine. He stepped back, shaken. This strange formation and the countless other cracks scattered across the ground made him uneasy.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Watsu moved toward the outer edges of the area, peering down at the spot where he'd been before being knocked off the cliff by the winds. His eyes scanned the scene, and he felt the remnants of the strong winds in his memory. Then he looked up and noticed the damage above. The towering trees had broken branches hanging loosely and tangled in other limbs. Once thick with leaves, the canopy was almost bare, the leaves seemingly blown away, leaving the trees stripped and desolate.

  "What.. What the hell is going on here? Everything is trashed, and there are literal cracks in the ground, definitely not created with human machinery; there isn't proof to show there was, and if there were any, I see no traces left behind..".

  Watsu stood there, completely perplexed. Each discovery deepened the mystery surrounding Arkens, Mr. Damatsu, and Target. The cracked earth, the shattered trees, and the strange imprint in the ground all painted a picture he couldn't understand. His mind raced as he replayed everything he had seen and heard, but nothing seemed to connect.

  He gazed around the open space, his heart heavy with a growing sense of unease. The more he learned, the less he understood. And then there was Nya; how was he supposed to explain any of this to her without concrete answers? Watsu could feel the weight of his responsibility pressing down on him. He had nothing but fragments of a much larger puzzle, and the pressure to figure it out only made him more anxious.

  He let out a heavy sigh, his face contorted with the inner struggle he was facing. Watsu didn't want to believe the possibility of something supernatural happening right before him. It was too far-fetched, too out of what he considered real. And yet, the more he tried to push the thought away, the more it nagged at him. But he couldn't accept it, not without seeing it firsthand. His expression, worn with frustration, resembled a neutral emoji, stress lines creasing his forehead as he wrestled with his thoughts.

  After a few moments of stressing over his investigation, he finally allowed his face to relax. There was no point in overthinking things now; he needed rest, and there was always tomorrow. With that, he made up his mind and quickly decided to head home, knowing school awaited him in the morning.

  Morning arrived faster than Watsu expected, the peaceful birds chirping and filling the air. Watsu sat slumped at his desk, resting his chin on his folded arms. His eyes were half-open, heavy with exhaustion, and his body was covered in bandages from head to toe, a clear reminder of the rough night he'd had.

  Across from him, near the window, Arkens sat silently, but unlike his usual behavior, he watched Watsu with concern. Something about Watsu's battered state had caught Arkens' attention, and the roles were reversed for once. Arkens was the one worried about him.

  "What happened to you? Didja get into a tussle? Or did you get hit by a car?".

  Watsu turned his face away, not saying a word, but suddenly, tears began streaming down his cheeks, flooding his face with emotion. Arkens, taken aback by this unexpected reaction, blinked in confusion. Unsure of what to do, he let out a nervous laugh, awkwardly patting the air as if trying to comfort his friend from a distance.

  Deep down, Watsu wasn't crying because of the pain or the confusion; he was crying because he knew what came next. He was going to follow Arkens again. But this time, things would be different. This time, he wouldn't hide in the shadows. He'd make his presence known.

  Time seemed to skip ahead in a flash; once again, it was night. Watsu found himself in a familiar position, hiding in the shadows and waiting for the right moment to reveal himself. Yet, despite his earlier resolve, he hesitated. The thought of stepping out and confronting the situation seemed easy when imagining it, but in practice, his body betrayed him. He shivered, cursing his cowardice under his breath.

  He tried to shake off the apprehension and focus on Arkens and the nearby conversation. This time, something was different. It wasn't Arkens' voice that reached his ears first; it was another voice deeper, more commanding. Watsu's heart skipped a beat as the sound tugged at a memory. He knew that voice. It belonged to someone familiar.

  "Ebihara. I want to test your sensory ability. By this point, you should be able to sense energy signatures from here to about half the town population".

  "W-What?! I just started; this is my third day! I can't possibly reach that far-".

  "You haven't even tried, and with how we've progressed, you should make the quota by now".

  Watsu's suspicions were confirmed, and Mr. Damatsu was involved. That deep voice belonged to him, and Watsu now felt confident that Mr. Damatsu was also the person Arkens had met the day before. However, as Watsu strained to listen, frustration built up inside him. He could hear their conversation, but the words were broad, vague, and cryptic. Nothing they said made sense to him.

  "Now go. We want to maximize our time instead of wondering whether an action is possible. And we aren't far from the town itself, just distant enough so noises are muffled and visibility is zero to none".

  "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya..".

  Arkens reluctantly closed his eyes, centering himself as he tapped into his Sera Energy Detection, pushing its range to its absolute limit. It always felt odd to him that this ability to sense life forms was based on their Sera Energy. He could detect the tiniest night creatures scurrying through the grass and the subtle energy of plants swaying in the wind. As his detection extended further, he peered into the town, noticing the soft glow of a few human energies. Some were faint, likely asleep, while others moved slowly, their Sera Energy gently pulsing.

  But then, something familiar caught his attention. A source of Sera Energy was nearby, one he recognized. It felt like a human's presence, close by, too close. He squinted, focusing harder, believing it might be Watsu. Yet, before he could fully process that, something far more alarming pulled at his senses.

  A massive, overwhelming source of Sera Energy surged into his detection field. It was so vast, so intense, that it completely shattered his focus. His eyes snapped open instantly, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. He turned to Mr. Damatsu in panic, the words caught in his throat, struggling to comprehend the sheer force of what he had just sensed. Something powerful was nearby.

  "Mr. Damatsu, there's a huge a readin' of Sera Energy in the town right now! It's gigantic!-".

  "There's a what?!".

  Mr. Damatsu's usual calm and collected demeanor shattered at Arkens' revelation. His face tightened, betraying the turmoil beneath the surface. What stung the most was that he hadn't sensed it himself, not even the faintest warning. It was a blind spot he couldn't have predicted, no matter how much he wanted to. His frustration bubbled to the surface as he clenched his fist tightly.

  "Let's go. I didn't think anyone would show up now, so early, but it seems my predictions were wrong. It's time, Ebihara. For you to put your life on the line".

  "Right.. I sensed the Energy in Takae district!".

  Arkens could feel the weight of the responsibility on him, the burden of protecting so many innocent lives, and the added pressure of keeping Target safe. The sheer intensity of it all seemed to settle heavily on his shoulders. He exhaled slowly, a composed and solemn sigh escaping his lips, his mind bracing for what was to come. He knew there was no turning back now. Whatever was heading their way, he had to be ready. Arkens steeled himself, preparing for the worst, no matter how impossible the task seemed.

  Watsu, crouched in the suffocating darkness below, was utterly confused. He couldn't piece together what Arkens and Mr. Damatsu had been talking about, but judging by their reactions and the tension in their voices, it seemed like there was some danger looming over the town.

  He expected them to start running down the path, but his assumption was smashed instantly. There was no running. Instead, multiple blurs zipped past him, accompanied by the roar of powerful winds moving too fast for his eyes to follow. Before he could react, they had leaped from the high cliff, their speed defying anything he could imagine.

  They're heading to town, aren't they? He thought, adrenaline kicking in. The sheer power of the wind and their rushed conversation confirmed that something was happening, and they were already on the move. Watsu scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding as he sprinted, making his way toward the Takae District. He wasn't as fast as they were, but he had to get back to town to determine if his hunch was correct.