I slowly sat up in bed, expecting to feel some pain or lingering effects from the battle, but, surprisingly, my body was in perfect condition.
I looked at my hands, then my arms and legs. There were no serious wounds, just a few bandages covering parts of my body. I felt incredibly well, as if I had never been on the brink of death.
I put on the clothes that had been left next to the bed and stepped out of the room. The temple was completely silent. No one was in sight.
I used my ability to sense presences and, finally, I found them. They were in the garden—or rather, a bit beyond, in a secluded area.
Carefully, I moved closer, hiding my presence as I approached.
There they were: the girls, the boy, the old man, and Kaori.
But something about Kaori caught my attention right away. She looked different. Her skin was a bit paler, and her expression seemed more serious than usual.
I watched them silently.
They were gathered in a small shrine within the garden, sitting in meditation. As they focused, I could feel their auras growing stronger, more vibrant. They were training.
I patiently waited for them to finish.
When they finally ended their meditation, I stepped a little closer and listened to their conversation.
The old man looked calmly at Kaori and said:
—You need to learn to control your aura better. You can't let your energy overflow in critical moments.
Kaori nodded, her face determined.
—Yes… I'll try to improve.
—Don't worry about Leo,— one of the girls said reassuringly. —He'll wake up someday.
The old man sighed and added:
—Yes… though it's already been two weeks.
Hearing that, my body tensed.
—Two weeks?— I murmured in shock.
That couldn't be possible.
To me, my encounter with the angel had lasted only minutes… maybe an hour at most. How could so much time have passed in the real world?
My mind tried to find a logical explanation, but fear and confusion took hold of me.
I didn't want them to see me like that, so I slowly stepped back, distancing myself from the group.
I took a deep breath and began releasing my aura. In seconds, my presence became more noticeable, radiating intense energy.
I took a few steps forward, this time without hiding.
Kaori was the first to notice.
As she stepped out of the small shrine, her gaze met mine.
In an instant, her face lit up with a pure, sincere smile. Her eyes, now filled with emotion, welled up with tears.
Before I could say anything, she ran toward me.
And without hesitation, she hugged me tightly.
I felt her body trembling slightly as she buried her face in my chest.
Her warm tears soaked my clothes, but I didn't care.
In that moment, I understood just how much my absence had meant to her.
I looked Kaori in the eyes and, with unwavering confidence, said:
"Hey, how's it going?" I said playfully.
Her hug tightened even more, as if she wanted to make sure I was really there.
—Idiot… you're such an idiot,— she murmured with a shaky voice. "Don't ever do something like that again."
I could still feel her trembling. Not just from relief, but from everything she had endured while I was gone.
Before I could respond, I heard footsteps approaching.
The girls and the boy came out of the shrine, and when they saw me, their faces lit up with a mix of surprise and joy.
—Leo!— one of them exclaimed, running toward me.
Without warning, they all surrounded me in a group hug.
—You're an idiot,— the boy said, though his tone was full of happiness.
—A complete fool,— added one of the girls.
—But we're so glad you're okay,— Kaori finished, still holding me.
I laughed softly, feeling a warmth in my chest I hadn't felt in a long time.
After that moment, the old man approached with a serene smile.
—Young Leo, I'm glad to see you've finally awakened. I must say, I'm surprised you were able to endure that giant sphere.
Hearing those words, my expression turned serious.
—The sphere…?— I asked, confused.
They all nodded firmly.
—Yes,— Kaori said, her voice tinged with sadness. —We saw everything.
I fell silent for a moment. Remembering the battle, the pressure of that golden sphere, and the feeling of my body breaking… it all came back with terrifying clarity.
I turned my gaze to Kaori and sighed.
—I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "About that time… when I yelled at you…
She looked at me in surprise before smiling gently.
—Don't worry about it. What matters is that you're back.
I nodded and, turning to the others, bowed slightly.
—I also want to apologize to all of you.
Without hesitation, they accepted my apology.
The old man chuckled.
—Young Leo… I see your power has grown.
His words echoed in my mind.
I paused for a moment to feel my own body… and indeed, something inside me had changed.
We returned to the temple, and as we entered, the aroma of food hit me immediately. My stomach, after so long without eating properly, growled loudly. I couldn't help it—I wanted to devour everything on the table.
Kaori smiled and served me a plate, placing it in front of me. When I saw the food, I couldn't stop myself from diving in with a ravenous hunger, eating as if I hadn't tasted food in days. They watched me with puzzled expressions, yet with happiness in their eyes, as if glad to see me finally recovered.
While I ate, my eyes noticed something peculiar I'd never seen before. It was a small dish that looked similar to an onigiri. It was near the boy, so I leaned closer and asked timidly:
—Can you pass me an origini?
He looked at me and handed it over without hesitation. But before I could thank him, I dared to ask something else.
—By the way, what's your name?
Everyone burst out laughing, and the boy, with a mischievous smile, looked at me.
—You've been here for quite a while and still don't know our names… —he said with a playful tone.
The others joined in the laughter, even Kaori, who laughed like never before. Her laughter filled me with a warmth I hadn't felt in a long time.
The boy, Tom, finally introduced himself.
—My name's Tom —he said with a smile.
—Nice to meet you, Tom —I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed—. Kinda late to find out, huh? Heh.
Everyone laughed again, but not in a mocking way—it felt like part of the joy of being together.
The girls introduced themselves too.
—My name's Ren —said one, flashing a friendly smile.
—I'm Masha —added another, raising her hand enthusiastically.
—And I'm Sakura —finished the last girl, her face glowing with energy.
—Nice to meet all of you —I said, smiling.
And so, we kept eating, surrounded by laughter and jokes, as the food filled not just my stomach, but also my heart.
After dinner, everyone went to their respective rooms. I walked to mine, feeling a bit tired but satisfied from the meal. When I entered, I noticed Kaori wasn't there, so I started undressing to change into my sleepwear. I lay down on my futon, feeling a little more at peace after everything that had happened. But just as I was about to close my eyes, I heard a gentle knock at the door.
—Leo, are you awake? —Kaori's voice came, soft and concerned.
—Yeah, I'm here —I answered, still a little surprised.
Hearing me, I could tell she sighed in relief.
—Thank goodness —she murmured, almost like she'd been waiting for my reply.
—Why? What's wrong? —I asked, curious.
After a brief silence, she answered.
—Nothing… I just… needed to know you were okay. —She spoke softly, as if she didn't want to explain any further.
Not long after, I closed my eyes, trying to drift off to sleep. But something made me feel a presence near me. Suddenly, I felt the blanket beside me shift, and when I looked, I saw Kaori sliding under the covers. Her eyes were slightly wet, as if she'd been crying.
With a sigh, she looked at me and whispered.
—Can I sleep with you?
Her question caught me off guard, and I felt my nerves kick in. I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I nodded, telling her yes, though a bit awkwardly.
Kaori, hearing my answer, moved closer and hugged me tightly, as if she needed to be near me. The warmth of her body wrapped around me, and the soft scent of her freshly washed hair calmed me in an unexpected way. The air between us became peaceful, and without thinking too much, we stayed there, holding each other, slowly drifting into sleep. The outside world faded away, and for a moment, everything felt right.
A new day was beginning when I felt my mattress shift slightly. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, I saw Kaori beside me. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her expression showed deep anguish.
—What's wrong? —I asked, still drowsy and confused.
Kaori shook her head, but her trembling voice betrayed her.
—Nothing… It's just that… I thought you wouldn't wake up again.
As she said this, she broke into tears. Her sobs were soft, but each one carried a weight of emotions she couldn't hide.
Seeing her like that, I felt a powerful urge inside me. Without hesitation, I sat up and hugged her tightly, wrapping my arms around her as if trying to protect her from everything around us.
—I'll always be with you, Kaori —I whispered with determination—. No matter how strong the enemy is, you're my reason to keep fighting. And when all this is over… I want us to be together, always.
Hearing my words, Kaori wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Her face changed, and in its place appeared a warm, unique smile… one that could light up any darkness.
—I'm going to help the others with breakfast —she said softly before leaving the room.
I sat on the bed, gazing out the window as my thoughts collided with each other. Everything I had experienced until now… the battles, the encounters, that other world… it was too much to process all at once.
I slowly lifted myself off the mattress, but as soon as I tried to take a step, my knees buckled and I collapsed to the floor.
—What…?
My body was in perfect condition; I felt no pain, yet for some reason, I had lost strength for a moment. It was a strange sensation, as if something inside me was out of balance.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. After a few minutes, I managed to stand up firmly. Maybe it was just accumulated exhaustion… or maybe it was something else.
Whatever it was, I couldn't stay there. I shook off the confusion and left the room. It was time to face a new day.