Sato looked out the restaurant window, his purple eyes staring into the sparkling ocean. "So when does the ferry to Silverwald Country leave?"

"I'd say about in five minutes," Hikaru answered. "So hurry up and finish eating."

"Right!" Sato stuffed a potato into his mouth. "I'm done. Let's go!"

Hikaru laughed, "Well, you didn't have to choke it down. But I guess if it works for you."

Everyone walked over to the dock where Yoshi was surprisingly waiting. The brown-haired Wind-Bat Bakemono grinned when they walked over to him. "Are you ready to leave now?" He asked Hikaru. "Well, Master Niji? Or is Hikaru the name you're using right now?"

"It was. But I'm done with all my preparations now." Hikaru started to walk off.

"What the hell's going on?!" Sato questioned furiously. "Why is he calling you Master Niji!?"

The green Warrior Bakemono smiled as he took out his metallic black mask. "It's quite simple really. I'm his master. And my name is Niji. Does that answer your question, Illustrator?"

Before Sato could respond, Arashi rushed in, blue flames surrounding his claws. He swung them furiously at Niji, "Bastard! But you said Niji killed your brother!"

"Yes, I did kill my brother." Niji easily dodged simply moving his head, maintaining his position. "Sorry. Maybe some other time. Fire-Bat Survivor." Niji brought up his leg kicking Arashi in his gut, bringing the orange-haired teen to his knees.

"Now since I can't allow you four to find the Heiwa no Jigen and let Sato escape. I'll have to destroy your only way out of here. Yoshi? If you would be so kind."

Yoshi nodded, "Right. I'll l destroy all the boats in the port."

"Like hell you will!" Sakura dashed across the pavement. She swung her fist at Yoshi. He simply blew her back, the wind slamming her into a tree. "Sato. Do something." Sakura stuttered.

Sato was too shocked to move. "Hikaru was Niji. The man who was mentoring me. The man who I thought was my friend. Was my main enemy all along," he mumbled.

Yoshi turned back to the boats. "Now, where was I? Oh right." He condensed an implosion inside all of the ships. All of them blew up, leaving a billow of smoke in the water.

Niji grinned maliciously, "Well, we'll be on our way now. Oh and by the way. Fire-Bat Survivor, Strength Bakemono, Princess of Sihalia. You should all forget about Sato and stop helping him. He's a lost cause. He'll die very soon." Niji and Yoshi disappeared in a veil of Niji's black aura.

"Sakura, Arashi! I'll heal you guys," Ai offered. She ran over to heal Sakura. Her hands started glowing pure white as she placed them over Sakura's wounds. "Okay. Now you Arashi!" She ran over to Arashi.

"No. I'm fine." Arashi refused her healing.

"Stop being so proud and let me heal you! Your other injuries still haven't recovered yet." Her hands glowed white again as she healed Arashi's injuries.

Arashi got up off his knees. "I can't believe this. I was so close to getting my revenge, but I wasn't strong enough."

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Sato had punched the ground, "Damn it! I can't believe this! Hikaru was Niji all this time." Sato continued punching the ground harder. and harder every time. "I thought he was our friend, damn it! He punched the ground so hard his knuckles started bleeding.

Sakura put her hand on Sato's shoulder. "I know. I'm upset too, Sato. But we have to move forward if you ever wanna get out of here."

Ai wrapped her arms around Sato's hips. "Stop making yourself bleed, big brother."

Sato tried to smile, "Yeah. You guys are right. Only question is how do we get to Silverwald Country now?"

'Hey anyone need a ride!" A familiar voice said as a canoe paddled by.

Sato looked over and noticed it was Bunka. "Bunka, it's you!"

Bunka waved, "Long time no see. Hop in!"

Once everyone got into the canoe Bunka stared at Sakura's chest. "I always love getting to see you Sakura."

Sato's eyebrow twitched, "Her or her breasts?"

"Her breasts of course!" Bunka said rather loudly.

"Pervert!" Sakura kicked Bunka hard, knocking him into the water.

"Um, Sakura. I know he's a perv. But he is also our ride." Sato reminded her.

Sakura crossed her arms. "Please. It's not that hard to paddle a canoe."

"Yeah." Arashi joined in. "But it is his canoe."

Sakura sighed, "Fine." She pulls Bunka back in by his legs.

"Why thank you. My dear. But please try not to knock me out of my canoe again." Bunka requested.

Sakura frowned, "Don't be a pervert. And that shouldn't be a problem."

Bunka nodded, "So then. Where are you youngsters headed?"

"Silverwald Country," Sato answered.

"Oh still looking for that Niji character, huh?" Bunka inquired.

Sato nodded, "We just met up with him a while ago, but he got away too quickly. So now we have to find his base."

"I see. Okay then. Full speed ahead!" Bunka paddled the canoe extremely fast causing ripples through the water. Suddenly the canoe rose up on a geyser of water.

"What's going on?" Ai questioned as the canoe shook violently.

The water underneath the canoe dissipated revealing a light blue Demon Bakemono with about a hundred tentacles. It roared as it threw the canoe off of its head, "Kill Yamagata Satoshi!"

"It's a Sea Demon Bakemono!" Bunka yelled as ran to hide under a trap door in the canoe.

"Coward!" Sato yelled at Bunka before the sea demon slammed one of its tentacles down at him. Sato quickly rolled out of the way next to Sakura and a distressed Arashi.

"Never again." Arashi muttered, "Never again."

Sato shook Arashi's shoulders, "Pyro! What's the matter with you?! Any time a Demon Bakemono shows up, you never fight with us!"

"It's because…It's because…because a Demon Bakemono was what slaughtered my entire species." Arashi mumbled. "Niji had sent a Demon Bakemono to kill every one of the Fire-Bat Bakemono. I don't even remember how I survived. All I remember is seeing it one minute and everyone else dead the next."

Sakura gave a sympathetic look, "Arashi."

Sato spoke, "I'm sorry to hear that. But listen, you'll have to face your fears sooner or later. So why not sooner?"

Arashi nodded, "You're right. Thanks, human."

Sato gave him a thumbs up and smiled. "Anytime pyro! Okay, guys let's go!"

Sakura and Arashi both nodded, "Right!"

The three ran up the sea demon's tentacles. Sakura ripped a handful of them off with her bare hands while Arashi burned them away with his orange blazing claws.

"Illustrate!" Sato's silver sword materialized in his hand as he sliced the tentacles off.

Arashi flipped up off the sea demon's head, rocketing into the sky with his wings. "Say your prayers!" The Fire-Bat Bakemono yelled slamming his flaming leg down on the sea demon's head. It exploded into a pile of gunky goo splattering all over Sato, Sakura, Ai, and Arashi.

"Ew!" Ai wiped off the goop on her orange tank top.

"Gross." Sakura swept the gunk out of her pink hair. "Hey, next time warn us when you're about to splatter Demon Bakemono guts all over us, okay Arashi?"

"Yeah seriously." Sato agreed, wiping down the gunk on his jeans.

"I didn't do it on purpose you know." Arashi flicked the goop off his bare feet. "This isn't exactly my idea of a fashion statement."

Bunka came out from under his hiding place, "So is the fight over?"

Sato grunts, "Now you come out. "You big wimp."

"Hey! I'm an old man! I shouldn't have to fight." Bunka argued.

Sato sighed, "Whatever. Just take us to Silverwald Country already. But slower this time."

Bunka nodded, "You got it!"

Ai turned to Sakura. 'Hey, Sakura. We're going to Silverwald Country so big brother can go back to his real home right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Sakura confirmed.

Ai frowned, "Oh. So then that means big brother's going to leave us. So then what will the rest of us do?"