Edgar calls out to Ami and Keiko, "Hey, you two, come here quick! Look who's arrived!"

Footsteps echo up from the basement of the ship, signaling someone's arrival. Ami looks up at Keiko and asks, "Do you think it's someone special? Who could it be?"

Keiko shakes her head. "I have no idea, elder brother. Let's go see for ourselves."

As they reach to the top deck of the ship, they catch sight of a familiar figure standing there. With each step closer, it becomes clearer that it's their childhood friend, Kenji.

Kenji stands with a teary smile, looking at Ami and Keiko. "Hey, guys," he says softly.

Ami's voice shakes as he exclaims, "You! Kenji! What are you doing here?" Keiko jumps in, "KenjiiII, you came back!"

The two ami and keiko rush forward and jump on Kenji, pinning him down. Ami exclaims, "You dumbass, I thought you were dead. You should have at least sent us a message!"

Keiko adds, "We missed you so much. Are you okay?"

Tears of joy stream down their faces as they hug Kenji tightly. He smiles through his own tears and embraces them both.

As they laugh and cry together, Edgar appears and picks all three of them up in a tight embrace.

Ami complains, "father, you're squeezing us too hard!"

Edgar realizes his mistake and loosens his grip.

Kenji asks, "So, how have you all been?"

"I have been thinking about you the entirety of my journey"

Ami grins slyly and says, "Father always thinks about you, especially Keiko."

Keiko approached her brother Ami, feeling embarrassed as she spoke. "H-hey, brother."

Ami chimed in. "What? You said you wanted to meet him badly."

Kenji looked at Keiko with gentle eyes. "Well, I'm here for the entirety of the journey. You don't have to miss me anymore because I'll be with you from now on."

Keiko blushed at his words. "O-Okay."

Ami teased Kenji. "Oh my, I didn't know you were a player as well, Kenji."

Kenji, innocent to Ami's insinuation, didn't know how to respond. Suddenly, the meaning of Ami's words hit him. "Oh, I didn't mean it that way. I-I..."

Ami smirked, noting how much Kenji had changed. "Hmm, I guess I was right. He has changed drastically. And that black dragon tattoo on his arm... he didn't have that before. Should I ask him what happened? I think I should. He could never lie to me."

Ami asked Kenji about his transformation. "So, what happened on the battlefield, Kenji? How did you become so strong? And those swords, they don't look normal."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Keiko interrupted Ami, sensing that the conversation wasn't appropriate at the moment. "Brother Ami, what are you saying? Is this a conversation for now?"

Ami clarified his intentions. "I know why I'm asking, Keiko. So, Kenji?"

Kenji became suspicious of Ami's questioning. "You seem suspicious of me, Ami. Did I do something?"

Ami reassured him. "No, Kenji. It's not that. I'm just asking because you have changed drastically."

Kenji understood. "Oh, that was the reason? So-"

Suddenly, a loud boom interrupted them. A shockwave blasted through the area, causing all four of them to go on high alert.

Kenji and Edgar, one of his comrades, quickly gave orders. "Acid Phantoms, create an acid barrier!"

Ami and Keiko also sprang into action.

Keiko used her velocity vision to predict their enemy's movements, while Kenji employed his magma hell to block the surface beneath the ship, ensuring that anyone attempting to enter would be burned to death.

Kenji asked Ami if he had blizzard wind. Ami replied confidently, "Who the fuck do you think I am? I have the better one - glacial fury"

Kenji said, "You never cease to surprise me, Ami. Here's the plan. As soon as my Inferno Flash goes out of the acid barrier, use Glacial Fury with your bow."

Ami replied, "You sly fox. You're going to give them a painful end, aren't you?"

Kenji replied, "Well, yes. Keiko, Edgar, and Kaito, stay close to each other and keep supplying mana to Kaito. Edgar, give me some speed boost, please."

Edgar said, "You're going to fight them all alone? Well, okay then. SHOCKWAVE BOLT!"

Kenji smiled, "This feels nice. Okay, I'm ready to go. Keiko, how many are there and where are they located"

Kekio replied, "There are 60 of them."

Kenji seemed surprised and asked, "That much?"

Keiko responded, "30 of them are almost at the final stage, 20 of them are at the final stage second rank, 9 of them have almost ascended, and 1 of them has ascended. The ascended one is on our right, which is to the west. They are in a 10:5:2 formation."

Kenji nodded, "Okay, no problem. Give me some more boosts, and I'll be done."

Keiko cautioned him, "Be careful, Kenji. We are here for you."

Kenji blushed and replied, "Don't worry, I'll come back for you."

Ami interjected, "Glacial fury!"

Ami nodded and continued, "Hail of the heavens, cold and bright. Come forth and smite with all your might. Let icy torrents overflow and bring them to their death, bitter and slow. Glacial fury!"

Kenji followed with, "Inferno flash!"

Ami shot an arrow into the sky, which made the enemies cry out. Kenji's spell, a bright burst of flame, blinded the enemies and pierced their eyes.

Kenji declared, "Okay, let's start--"

Kaito interrupted, "Sir Kenji, are you really going to do this all alone? We can assist you."

Kenji reminded him, "Did you forget who I am? I am the miracle child, the 'burning light,' the 'demon strategist.' Don't forget that."

Ami stepped in, "Let him be, Kaito. We will only slow him down. You haven't seen him fight, so I understand."

Kaito wondered, "What do you mean, Sir Ami?"

Ami clarified, "It's that you can't go par with his fighting style. It's not something written in the books. He made it himself. So if anyone wanted to fight with him, it would only be their downfall."

Kenji said, "I should get going," and Ami nodded.

Kenji chanted and held Tenmakai (an odachi) "From heaven's heights and hell's fiery depths,

I summon forth a flame that never rests.

Let its scorching tongues lick and lash, unleashing infernal fury in a blinding flash.

May the heavens tremble at its searing might,

as hellish flames set the earth alight. Bring forth destruction, chaos, and strife with this raging inferno,

I call forth life. Let the divine and the infernal intertwine in this flame that's yours and mine. Born from the heavens and the pits of hell, this fiery spell forever shall dwell."

As Kenji left the barrier, screams and sounds of help followed him. Everyone inside the barrier was terrified, too scared to undo the barriers.

The screams stopped after only 11.1 minutes.

Kaito commented, "Prince Kenji is truly terrifying. We are lucky that he is on our side."

Ami wondered, *I don't remember him being this brutal. What could have possibly happened to him all these years?*

Someone shouted, "Undo the barriers!"

Kenji "oe undo the barrier"

"Hey, there's Prince Kenji. What is he doing?"

Kaito falls backwards for what he has never experienced something so gore

Kenji threatened, "Tell me who sent you here. If you tell me the truth, I may let you live"