Daka spoke first, his voice trembling slightly. "That’s him... That’s Hajime."

  Rizra nodded, her voice filled with certainty. "He dyed his hair gray-blue when we met him, but there’s no mistaking it. That’s his original hair color."

  The rest of the group stared at the photo in shock. Amy whispered, "He never told us..."

  Baku’s eyes narrowed as he studied the group. "So, it’s true. He’s alive—or at least, he was. I’ve been searching for this boy for a long time."

  Bella stepped forward, her soft voice cutting through the tension. "We need to know everything. What happened here, and why was Hajime involved?"

  Duella and Mondo stood silently, their imposing figures adding to the gravity of the moment.

  Dark, still simmering with anger, turned away, his voice bitter. "What’s the point? He’s gone now. You’re too late to help."

  Baku placed a firm hand on Dark’s shoulder, his expression unyielding. "If you care about him, you’ll tell us everything. Because if he’s still out there, we’ll find him—and if not, we’ll make sure his sacrifice wasn’t in vain."

  The room fell silent again as the group realized the significance of the photo—and the weight of the reinforcements now standing before them. This wasn’t over. Not yet. Emily stood in the cabin, her arms crossed, clearly battling her own emotions. She glanced at the Demontail team, particularly at Baku and Bella, her eyes lingering on the photo of young Hajime. The resemblance was undeniable, and guilt gnawed at her.

  Finally, she spoke, her voice trembling slightly. "What if they’re telling the truth? What if Hajime was their son?"

  Dark, who had been pacing near the door, stopped abruptly. He turned toward Emily, his frustration evident. "What are you even talking about? What does it matter now? Hajime’s gone, and we’ve got bigger problems!"

  Emily stepped closer, her tone firm. "It does

  matter. If you were in their position—if you lost someone you loved, someone you’d been searching for, only to find out they were involved in something like this—what would you do? Would you just walk away and pretend it didn’t hurt?"

  Dark’s eyes flickered with something—hesitation, perhaps guilt. He didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the floor.

  Emily continued, her voice softening. "Hajime always put himself on the line for us. He didn’t have to, but he did. If these people are his family, don’t you think they deserve to know what happened? To know who he became and what he fought for?"

  Dark clenched his fists, the weight of her words pressing down on him. For a moment, the only sound was the crackling of the fire outside, distant but still threatening.

  Emily took a deep breath and looked at Baku and Bella. "I’ll tell you what happened. You deserve to know."

  She started recounting the events—Hajime’s battles, his unwavering determination, and how he stood against Streetka to protect them all. She explained how he faced insurmountable odds, even when he was gravely injured, and how he kept fighting until the very end.

  Dark remained silent throughout her explanation, his expression unreadable.

  When she finished, Emily looked at Dark again. "We owe him that much, Dark. At the very least, we should honor his memory by helping them understand."

  Dark finally sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. Tell them. But don’t expect me to make it sound pretty."

  Baku, who had been listening intently, stepped forward. His voice was calm but filled with emotion. "Thank you. That’s all we wanted. Hajime... he was always strong, even as a child. If he fought like that for you, then he truly lived up to the man I hoped he’d become."

  Bella nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "And if he’s truly gone, we’ll make sure his sacrifice wasn’t in vain."

  The room grew quiet again, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Emily glanced at the photo one last time, silently vowing to ensure that Hajime’s story—and his legacy—would not be forgotten. As Sockoo opened her eyes, she looked around the room, confusion and fear etched on her face. "What... what happened?" she asked, her voice trembling.

  Emily quickly moved to her side, gently explaining everything—how Streetka had controlled her, the battle that ensued, and Hajime's desperate fight to save her. Sockoo’s hands shook as she absorbed the information.

  "Where’s Hajime?" she whispered, panic creeping into her voice. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

  Makoto, standing near the door, looked out at the horizon. "The fire’s out. We should go check the battlefield now."

  The group moved quickly, Sockoo leading the way, her heart pounding in her chest. As they reached the clearing where the battle had taken place, the charred remains of the forest stretched out before them. The air was heavy with smoke and ash.

  Streetka’s body was nowhere to be found, only scorch marks and faint traces of his presence. But then, at the center of the destruction, they saw him—Hajime, lying motionless on the scorched earth.

  "Hajime!" Sockoo screamed, running to his side. She dropped to her knees beside him, tears streaming down her face as she gently cradled his battered body.

  Daka arrived moments later, his own tears falling freely. "Come on, Hajime. Don’t do this to us." Rizra, standing nearby, bit her lip, struggling to hold back her emotions.

  A weak cough broke the silence, followed by a trickle of blood from Hajime’s lips. His eyes fluttered open, barely able to focus. "You... guys..." he croaked, his voice barely audible.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The group froze in shock, then a wave of relief washed over them.

  "He’s alive!" Emily exclaimed, her hands already glowing with healing magic as she moved to tend to him.

  Emily poured everything she had into her magic, but Hajime’s wounds were severe, and her abilities weren’t enough. "It’s not working," she said, her voice trembling. "It’s too much."

  Bella stepped forward, her expression calm but determined. "Let me handle this."

  As Bella knelt beside Hajime, a brilliant golden light emanated from her hands. A pair of radiant wings unfolded from her back, glowing with divine energy. Everyone gasped as they realized the truth—Bella wasn’t just skilled in healing magic; she was an Angelic Goddess.

  Even Angel, usually stoic, stared in awe. "You... you’re divine," she whispered.

  Bella focused all her energy on Hajime, her magic weaving through his body, mending broken bones and sealing deep wounds. Slowly, his breathing steadied, and his color returned, though he was still weak and unconscious.

  "He’ll live," Bella said, her voice soft but firm. "But he’s not out of danger yet. He needs proper medical attention and rest."

  Sockoo, still holding Hajime, sobbed in relief, her tears falling onto his face. "Thank you... thank you so much," she whispered to Bella.

  The group gathered around Hajime, a sense of hope returning to them despite the lingering pain of the battle.

  "Let’s get him back to the cabin," Baku said, his voice steady and commanding. "We’ve got a long road ahead, but for now, he’s safe."

  With that, they carefully lifted Hajime and began their journey back, the promise of healing and recovery guiding their steps.

  Hajime stirred awake in the cabin, his body still weak from the injuries and his weeks of unconsciousness. The first thing he noticed was Sockoo, asleep in a chair beside him, her hand resting gently on his. He smiled faintly, a bittersweet feeling washing over him.

  “Asuka...” he whispered, his voice hoarse but tender.

  Sockoo’s eyes fluttered open, and the moment she saw Hajime awake, she launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around him. Tears spilled from her eyes as she cried out, “Hajime! You’re awake!”

  Hajime chuckled weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Hey... I’m okay... sort of."

  The commotion caught the attention of the others in the cabin. The Uno game stopped abruptly as Daka, Rizra, Emily, and the unfamiliar faces of Demontail turned to look. Relief washed over the room as they gathered around Hajime’s bed.

  Daka’s voice cracked slightly as he said, "You scared the hell out of us, Hajime. Don’t you dare do that again."

  Rizra crossed her arms, trying to maintain her composure, though her red-rimmed eyes betrayed her. "Seriously. We’re not letting you get that close to death again."

  Hajime’s smile grew faint, but then a flicker of confusion crossed his face. He glanced around the room, his gaze stopping on the unfamiliar figures. "Who are they?" he asked.

  Before anyone could answer, something flashed in his mind—a memory. A much younger Daka and Rizra stood before him, laughing about something. Daka’s hair was shorter, and Rizra looked far less serious than the hardened warrior she’d become.

  Hajime’s head tilted slightly as the image lingered. "I... I remember something," he murmured, his voice distant.

  Rizra stepped closer, concern etching her face. "What is it?"

  Hajime hesitated before speaking. "You... Daka and Rizra... I remember you as kids. It’s... blurry, but you were different. Daka, you were always smiling back then. And Rizra, you... you were laughing a lot more."

  Both Daka and Rizra froze. Daka’s expression softened, a mix of shock and nostalgia crossing his face. "You remember that? That was before we met the others... before everything changed."

  Rizra’s tough demeanor cracked slightly as she nodded. "We were kids. It was a simpler time. I didn’t think you’d remember that... you dyed your hair back then."

  Hajime’s hand instinctively moved to his gray-blue hair. "Yeah... I did, didn’t I? But these memories—they feel... scattered. Like pieces of a puzzle."

  Baku and Bella exchanged a glance, stepping forward. Bella spoke gently, her voice laced with hope. "Do you remember anything else, Hajime? Anything about us?"

  Hajime shook his head, the faint connection to the memory slipping away. "No... I don’t remember either of you. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe you. I just... I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like my past is locked away, and only pieces are breaking through."

  Bella’s expression softened, though tears brimmed in her eyes. "That’s okay, Hajime. Whatever you remember, whenever it comes back to you, we’ll be here."

  Baku placed a steady hand on Bella’s shoulder before addressing Hajime. "What matters is that you’re alive. Whatever we need to figure out, we will. One step at a time."

  Hajime nodded, his gaze returning to Sockoo, who still held his hand tightly. She gave him a small, reassuring smile, though her eyes were still puffy from crying.

  "We’ll help you put those pieces back together, Hajime," Sockoo said softly. "You’re not alone in this."

  Hajime exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of their words. Though his memories were fractured and incomplete, the people around him—their faces and voices—gave him a sense of belonging. For now, that was enough.

  "Alright," he said quietly, determination flickering in his eyes. "Let’s figure this out together."Few weeks later the winter break had ended, and the crazy incident at the cabin has come to a close