"Sorry!" Hinata's voice broke through the tense air, and her expression softened as she looked at Masaru. There was a genuine sincerity in her apology, one that reflected a rare vulnerability. Masaru, still processing the events and his own confusion, blinked in surprise at her words. He hadn't expected this, especially from someone like Hinata, who usually exuded an air of calm authority, almost regal in her demeanor.
"Why are you apologizing to me?" Masaru asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. His gaze met hers, searching for answers, yet only finding a slight tinge of something deeper—pity or perhaps sympathy? He couldn't quite place it.
Hinata hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a quiet resolve, "For the way I treated you earlier. It wasn't fair of me, and I hope you won't take it to heart."
Masaru blinked again, his mind trying to process her words. It was strange to hear her apologize, given her usually unshakable pride. Yet, somehow, her sincerity reached him. "Oh no! I understand. It was my fault. You were just being cautious, Anyone else might have done the same—or worse." Masaru's words trailed off as he looked at Hinata, noting the slight discomfort in her eyes. She had always seemed like someone who was above such things, but here she was, offering an apology.
Hinata let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle. "Well, I tried." She stood up, brushing off any lingering tension, and her smile returned, albeit a little strained. She paused before leaving, her eyes meeting his one last time. "I couldn't unseal your memory.... for some reason I can't quite understand. But what I could tell you is that the person who did this wasn't a Siren. It was the work of a vampire and a powerful vome st that. And... it might also explain why you can walk in the sunlight."
Masaru's mind raced. A vampire? His hand instinctively touched the his head as he felt a little bit of tingling sensation, was there something more at play here? "I see," he muttered, trying to process the information. Then, his brow furrowed. "Where's Akane?" He asked gently as he noticed her absences, after becoming her vampire sage he could sense her presence with hundred meters and if he focused it could exceed it.
Hinata's smile turned mischievous as she crossed her arms. "She went off to cool off. I may have teased her a little too much earlier. You should have seen her face! It was priceless."
Masaru couldn't help but smile at the thought. He imagined Akane, usually so poised and graceful, flustered by something as simple as teasing. It felt good to know she still had her moments of humanity.
"Well, I'll be off, but..." Hinata's voice turned serious as her smile faded. "I must warn you. Right now, you need strength—strength that doesn't rely on others. Akane may not always be by your side, so focus on your own growth. Strength will be your shield, your key to survival. And in this world, survival is everything."
With those words, Hinata's body began to dissolve, turning into nothing but dust, leaving behind a lingering essence of mana in the air.
Masaru stood there for a moment, the air thick with the weight of her warning. He clenched his fists. "Strength. That's something I naturally seek..." His mind wandered as he thought about his own abilities. He'd grown stronger, but was it enough? "Unlimited strength... to protect those I care about." His thoughts flickered to Akane again, her face appearing in his mind. "I wonder... can a vampire use magic? If I'm going to protect others, I need more than just blood arts. I need magic, too."
With that thought, Masaru turned toward the window which was tightly shut before he opened it. "Evening already? I must have passed out for a while." It was only around 1 p.m. when he'd fallen asleep, so he had likely been out for several hours.
Boredom crept in, and Masaru began to pace. Being alone wasn't something he enjoyed, though he had grown accustomed to it over the years. But today was different—he needed something to do. Suddenly, a thought struck him.
"I haven't visited Mr. Isagi in a while," he mused, remembering the man's restaurant. It had been a while since the fight between those two supernaturals had rocked the area. The whole region had been shaken, and Masaru hoped the restaurant had weathered the storm. It was about 2.5 kilometers away, and with his current speed, he could reach it in less than a minute.
He grabbed his phone, dialing Mr. Isagi's number. He called three times, but there was no answer. Sighing, Masaru shrugged and made his decision.
"I'll just go there myself."
After quickly dressing, he left the mansion. The Mikazuki family servants had already gotten used to seeing him, though he still couldn't quite adjust to being treated like royalty. It was both uncomfortable and humbling at the same time.
With a slight stretch, Masaru blurred into motion, his figure almost vanishing as he dashed through the streets of Shinjuku. The wind rushed past him at nearly 90 meters per second, pushing against his body like a force of nature. It was exhilarating, suffocating even, but Masaru had never felt more alive. The world around him seemed to slow down, and he felt like a force of nature himself.
In less than thirty seconds, he found himself standing in front of Mr. Isagi's restaurant. To his relief, the place looked to be intact. It had clearly been renovated, with smoother roads and new textures added to the surrounding area. The northern part of Shinjuku had been reported as a ghost town after the fight, but here, it felt... normal.
Masaru couldn't suppress a smile as he entered the restaurant, the familiar smells of sizzling food wafting through the air. The place was bustling with customers—most of the tables were filled. Despite everything that had happened, business was booming. It was almost as if the world had decided to continue, unaffected by the chaos that had unfolded just days ago.
"Well, it seems like everything's back to normal." Masaru muttered to himself, grateful that Mr. Isagi's business had survived the chaos. But even so, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held for him and the people he cared about. Could they stay safe in a world this unpredictable?
As he took a seat at the bar, Masaru's mind lingered on Hinata's words: Strength, growth, and self-reliance. The world was shifting, and so was he.