Claude, the brunette whose hair was styled up like flames, was watching Jai and Darrion from mid-air. His superior level ability in wind control allows him to fly while concealing himself from anyone’s or anything’s sight. To simplify, he could turn invisible. Though he knew this ability of his has a slight loophole that he had yet to fix, he doubted the two people he was currently following would be able to notice his presence behind his air barrier.
He had been watching them ever since they left the Fire Border. He also saw them having a time at the waterfall before having to fly away because of an Alpo Ape coming at them. Claude laughed hysterically when he heard the blonde screamed. Watching two boys walking—no, babysitting two young men taking a journey could be boring, especially when the two boys were more than capable to actually protect themselves. It was like… like watching over some sheep grazing. Boring. But that scream made his day just s
Jai knelt down on the ground. He put the dry branches and foliage he had gathered into a pile and arranged several rocks around it in a circle. He then charged his hands with electricity and clapped them softly around the small dry mound. A tiny fire lit up from the spark he made and he repeated it several times until the dry mound was consumed by fire.Jai smiled, satisfied that they finally got something to warm themselves through the night. They had left the Sougen Village and walked to the direction of the forest with the giant trees. They reached halfway through the prairie when the sun lowered itself in the horizon, signalling it’s the moons’ turn to take watch. It was still a long way to go to Takenoko, so Jai and Darrion decided to also rest at the side of the road and making camp.He turned around to inform his friend that they could finally have a seat on the ground and just chill, but a frown settled on his face when he looked at his friend.
Jai woke Darrion in the morning and they immediately set off on their journey, although the windlet looked still slightly drowsy.“How’s your sleep?” Jai asked.Darrion yawned. “Dreamless. I kind of hoped I will dream of chickens last night. I crave some roasted chickens after yesterday.”Jai chuckled. “I’m sure the capital have it. We can order one after saving Alex.”Darrion grunted as he stretched his hands up. “They must have some. I’m searching for it once we get there.”“But we already have our main objective, though,” Jai sweatddropped.“This is counted as a sidequest,” Darrion swiped his index finger under his nose and chuckled.“So how’s about your experiment last night?” Jai asked, referring to the blonde’s intention that he mentioned last night.“Oh yes! Well, apparently, I forgot about that one. I
They arrived just before the forest around mid-day on the insistence of Darrion. He said that the trace was fading and he suspected it was because Alex had gone further away from them. So Darrion dragged Jai using his speed dash and cut the time short. But due to the super speed, Jai experienced turmoil in his stomach and eventually vomited when they reached the forest’s outskirts.Darrion patted Jai’s back apologetically. “Sorry!”Jai convulsed, in annoyance, but he decided to forgive the windlet. “This is why I want us to walk. I’m not used to being dragged around like a rag doll.”Darrion only grimaced and apologized again.Jai took in his surroundings and was finally able to see up close the forest. He was astonished to see the trees there were really tall and had wide barks. One of them was even as wide as his outstretched elbows, and there were more of them that was longer than that. The leaves of the trees
A young woman with straight black hair hurriedly walked down the pathway of the residential area in Takenoko. She was bringing a picnic bag with her, filled with bakes sweets for her little sister and brother. One would say she was eager to come home to bring those sweets for her siblings, but the actuality was that she just heard something that made her cautious and really wanted to come home immediately.She reached her house’s lawn and immediately went inside. Her little sister was already waiting there, playing with her baby brother in the living room.“Risa-nee! Welcome home!” the sister greeted.“Isa!” the baby brother also greeted.Risa, contrast to her siblings who looked happy when they see her, instead looked less bright than her younger sister and brother. “Aya-chan, is father and mother already home?” she asked.Aya looked confused. “Risa-nee, papa and mama are working.”She j
Risa made her way to the mount parking lot where she remembered seeing them last. She didn’t really think they would still be there, but luckily, they were there. The two guys who had blonde hair and black hair respectively were in the northern part of the parking lot, right across the only restaurant in the block. They were buying some snacks from the snack stand there, and seemed to be enjoying it while talking to each other in the bench next to the stand.She was in the eastern part of the parking lot, which means that she would have to cross the street Risa slipped behind two random housewives and acted as if she was following them. But then she crossed the street to the more crowded parking lot. Carefully, she made her way to the two of them by avoiding several people, and eventually, she reached behind them yet again.She stood behind their bench, which was just in front of a parked goat beast mount, and listened in on their conversation.“I&rs
Risa took a deep breath and calmed herself. Being in the center of her targets’ attention was not a healthy thing for her heart. She could feel her heart thumping inside her chest as if it wanted to burst any minute. But luckily, the guys didn’t follow her and just stayed in their spot like nothing happened. She peeked at them from the corner and saw them discarding their food wrap before leaving the bench.Since she had heard them talk about going to a business district, she thought they would be going to the road by the entrance. It was the busiest part of the village after all, offering the visitors various snacks shops, a restaurant, a café and bar, and an inn that’s located slightly in the west but still in the same area. It’s where their productivity as its most. The two of them crossed the street and went to the west, which indicates they were going there after all, so she stepped out from her hiding and followed them.“I hop
Risa led the two guys to the residential area in the eastern side of the village. This area was the housing for the native villagers, and at this time in the afternoon, there were quite many children playing around with their friends.Since Jai’s fame reached Takenoko and his face was actually recognizable by Risa, Jai had adjusted his scarf to cover more of his face ever since she led them from the western district. It surprised him that none of the people here recognized his face like Risa did, as she had said that he was quite famous in the papers. But it wasn’t something he would want at the current situation. It would be better if no one noticed them at all, because losing a crowd of people would waste more of their time.They had finally found potential person who knew Alex’s whereabouts or conditions, they would not waste this chance.About covering his face, he had actually been doing it ever since they reached Sougen. He always covers
A few moments later, the tea and snacks were served and the three Aikawa children had joined the two guests in the living room. Yes, even Nawaki was brought along since the two girls had seen whom the two guys were and didn’t think they were dangerous. Winners of an international competition shouldn’t be bad guys, right? And they also didn’t look like criminals. Moreover, Nawaki seemed to be fond of Jai. Or, rather, his scarf. The baby immediately reached out to him when he saw him, and when Aya let him take the baby, the little one immediately took hold of his scarf and giggled in joy. He had found a new toy.“I’m sorry for my sister’s behavior,” Risa said apologectially.“Nee-chan… I can apologize myself,” Aya protested lightly.Jai and Darrion found this to be funny and both of them smiled at the two. “It’s alright.”“Well, my sister said that she went to find you and