With length around 120 centimeters, the huge stake buried itself into the ground while releasing red sparks. Flesh and blood scattered from the center where Ahatd's remains were with its original form nowhere to be seen. The spectacle made Kaori, Shizuku, and of course Kouki's party, the demonic beasts attacking them, and the Demon Race woman stiffened.
A silent unbecoming of a battlefield ruled the room. No one, not even a thing understood what had happened as they stood in bewilderment. Suddenly, a shadow jumped down from the opened ceiling. The person landed and lightly trampled down on the Ahatd's remains with his back before Kaori and Shizuku, and when he got off it, the person glared at the surroundings.
When he looked over his shoulder, he saw Kaori and Shizuku who were embracing each other.
The moment the person turned around, their eyes met, and a lightning ran through Kaori's body. Her heart had been cold accompanied by sorrow, no, probably it was freezing since the day her important person disappeared, but a sudden fire lighted it and heated it up Thu-thump, thu-thump. Her heart began to throb intensely.
"...Your relationship is good as usual, you two."
The person said with a wry smile, and Kaori's mind was filled with delight even before she could think about it.
The hair color was different, the aura was different, the tone was different, and the appearance was different. However, she knew. It is him. It is he whose survival she believed in while she looked for him.
That's right,
"Hajime-kun!