"Aramiya-kun, are you alright? What happened?"

Shigeru asked, his voice tight with concern. Akiko knelt beside Ryuu, her eyes wide with worry as she gently lifted him to a sitting position.

His breathing was ragged, his face pale, and his body drenched in sweat.

Shigeru could feel the tension building in his chest as he tried to make sense of the situation.

(What in the world is happening to Aramiya-kun?

Something felt off earlier when he was staring at that wall, but this... this is beyond anything I could've anticipated.)

Ryuu let out another agonizing scream, his voice echoing in the cavern, shaking both Akiko and Shigeru to their cores.

His entire body convulsed, and his forehead blazed with a large, azure flame, flickering like a cursed mark from a forgotten age.

Tears streamed down his face as the mysterious fire raged, but despite the pain, Ryuu fought to stay conscious.

Akiko's heart broke at the sight.

"Aramiya-kun, hold on! Please, hold on!"

Her voice was trembling as she cradled him. She had seen many injuries, many forms of magic, but never something like this.

It wasn't just his body that was in distress—his very spirit seemed to be collapsing.

"Akiko!" Shigeru's voice was commanding now.

"Carry Aramiya-kun on your back. We need to get out of here, fast!"

Without hesitation, Akiko scooped Ryuu up, slinging him over her back with ease despite her small frame, the strength from her wind magic making the burden feel lighter.

Tears still streamed down Ryuu's face, but his eyes, though hazy, were wide with terror.

"I-It hurts..." Ryuu choked out, his voice barely a whisper.

Akiko's heart sank as she ran, her feet moving swiftly over the uneven cave floor.

"Hang on, Aramiya-kun! We'll get you out soon. Just stay with us!"

Suddenly, in the depths of Ryuu's mind, a voice—soft and familiar—whispered.

(Stay strong... for me... and for you...)

His eyes widened further as the words echoed through his thoughts.

(W-What? That voice... Why does it feel so familiar?)

A single name escaped his lips before he could even process it:

"R-Ryoko-san..."

Akiko's eyes flicked over her shoulder in confusion.

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"Ryoko-san? Aramiya-kun, what are you saying?"

Shigeru's face darkened. He had heard the name, and immediately it made sense to him.

"Akiko, we need to hurry. He's calling for Ryoko-san... the one I told you about."

"The girl you said has a strange bond with him?"

Akiko's voice trembled. "Do you think she can help him?"

"I don't know," Shigeru admitted grimly.

"But if she's the only one he's thinking of in this state, then yes. She may be the only one who can save him."

Akiko nodded. Without another word, they pushed forward, racing through the narrowing cave.

But just as they neared the entrance, the ground beneath them trembled violently, and the very walls of the cave began to shudder.

"Akiko, watch out!"

Shigeru shouted, grabbing both Akiko and Ryuu, pulling them toward him as large chunks of rock began to fall from the ceiling.

Akiko's heart pounded.

"W-What's happening? Why is the cave collapsing now of all times?"

Shigeru clenched his jaw.

"This never happened before when we came here.

Something must have triggered it... or someone."

The air around them was thick with dust and the sound of rock crashing against rock. Shigeru's grip tightened on Akiko.

"We don't have time to think about it! Use your wind magic to get us out of here before we're buried alive!"

Akiko nodded, her breath ragged from both fear and exertion.

She concentrated, summoning a gust of wind strong enough to carry them forward.

With one powerful push, the three of them burst through the collapsing entrance, just in time to avoid the entire cave being sealed shut.

Once outside, they watched in horror as the waterfall that concealed the entrance surged forward, and in a blink, the mysterious cave was gone.

It was as if it had never existed.

Shigeru shook his head in disbelief.

"The cave... it's disappeared."

Akiko didn't have time to respond; her focus was still on Ryuu, who had fallen into unconsciousness after uttering Ryoko's name.

"Shigeru, we need to move fast. His condition is getting worse by the minute."

Shigeru agreed, his expression grim.

"We're heading to the training area. If anyone can help him now, it's Ryoko."

.

.

.

.

Back at the training area, Ryoko sat in the garden, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Suddenly, her heart clenched painfully, and a cold sweat broke out across her skin.

Her chest tightened, and she instinctively knew something terrible had happened.

"N-No..." she whispered, her hands trembling.

(R-Ryuu-kun... he's in danger!)

She leaped to her feet, her breath quickening.

Masumi, who had been sitting next to her, was startled by the sudden movement.

"Ryoko-san? What's wrong? You're sweating, do you have a fever?"

Ryoko shook her head, her eyes filled with desperation.

"Ryuu-kun... he's in danger! I have to go!"

Without another word, she bolted toward the mountain, leaving Masumi standing in stunned silence.

"Ryoko-san! Wait!"

Masumi called after her, but Ryoko was already gone, running faster than she had ever before.

Moments later, Seichii appeared, carrying two cups of water.

"Masumi-san, what's going on? Where did Ryoko-san go?"

Masumi turned to him, tears welling in her eyes.

"Seichii-kun! Ryoko-san... she said Ryuu-kun was in danger, and then she just ran off! I've never seen her like that before."

Seichii froze, the cups slipping from his grasp and shattering on the ground.

"W-What did you say?"

"She said... Ryuu-kun was in danger..."

Masumi's voice was shaky.

Seichii's face turned pale.

"R-Ryuu's in danger? Where did Ryoko go?! Tell me!"

Masumi hesitated, startled by Seichii's sudden change in demeanor.

"T-Toward the mountain where Ryuu-kun went for his special training."

Seichii wasted no time.

"Thank you, Masumi-san!" He dashed off, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't afford to waste a single second.

Masumi called after him.

"Wait, Seichii-kun! I'm coming with you! Ryuu is my friend too!"

Seichii paused, then smiled, despite the situation.

He ran back to her, scooping her up in his arms, much to her shock.

"S-Seichii-kun! What are you doing? I can walk by myself!"

Masumi protested, her face flushing red.

"I know, but this is faster," Seichii replied earnestly.

"We need to get there as soon as possible."

Masumi's embarrassment quickly gave way to determination.

(Ryuu, we're coming! This time, I won't just stand by. I'll save you too!)

Seichii, with Masumi in his arms, summoned the wind to carry them toward the mountain, determined to reach Ryuu before it was too late.....