Heroes of the Holy War

The next day, when everyone was already awake except for Akira, they began their morning exercises. Afterward, Gamble tried to wake Akira, but without success. Aki, when she said she would wake him, simply threw him into the cold river. Akira reluctantly woke up, and the group could move on.

"You're starting to remind me of my mother," Akira said, noticing Hana's new hairstyle.

Hana took it as a compliment, but then Akira added,

"I hope you don't turn into such a devil."

"Look who's talking, the perfect one," Hana retorted, to which Akira, flipping his bangs slightly, said,

"Please, darling. I'm divine." Upon hearing this, Gamble tripped and fell on his face. The journey continued uneventfully until they reached their destination.

"Time for the beach!" shouted Akira, along with Kaen and Kazoto.

"Maybe we should buy swimsuits or some other clothes?" Aki suggested.

Gamble grabbed the money pouch and divided it.

"We'll split up: the girls will go separately from the boys, just to keep things fair. We'll meet at the beach. If we get lost, we can track each other using mana," Gamble said, handing Aki the money.

When the boys reached the clothing store, Kaen and Kazoto quickly found everything they needed, while Gamble and Elias had trouble finding the right sizes. And Akira... Akira got lost in the store.

The girls, on the other hand, had no trouble with their clothes or sizes and were the first to reach the beach. The place was filled with children playing in the water and adults sunbathing.

"I think we're the first ones here," Aki said, adjusting her hat. Soon, they found a spot and laid out their things.

"Let the earth shape itself to my will," Aki said, creating an umbrella from the ground to provide shade.

Shortly after, the boys appeared at the entrance to the beach. Akira and Gamble, shirtless, ran ahead to drop off their things.

"Wanna bet I'll win?" Gamble said excitedly.

"You'll win when I die," Akira replied, taking off his wooden sandals, and both of them dashed toward the water.

"I swear, if they ever call me a kid, I'll kill them," Kazoto said, setting down his bag.

"Oh, stop overreacting... enjoy the moment. Go meet a girl or something," Aki said, laying her towel on the sand, then taking off her coat and lying down.

"Now, sis is going to sleep, so don't cause too much trouble," she said, placing her hat over her face.

"Sis, huh?" Kazoto murmured, blushing.

"So, what are they playing? And where's Elias?" Kaido asked, taking off her hoodie as well.

"They're bouncing a wind ball over the water... what's the point of the game? And Elias went to explore the local zoo. Apparently, there are some exotic Flaryx animals," Kaen said, stabbing his sheathed katana into the sand and hanging his haori on it.

Hana thought for a moment, then it seemed like something clicked.

"Emerald Flaryxes! Too bad I didn't go... oh well. But what's the deal with that game?"

"I think if the 'ball' touches the water, the person who didn't hit it loses," Elarina said, sitting down on a blanket.

Kazoto smiled and rubbed his nose.

"Alright, let's go—" he began, but was cut off when something exploded in the water. A moment later, Akira landed at Kaido's feet.

"That's why we're not close to people," Hana said angrily, adjusting her bikini top.

Akira got up, spitting out sand. Brushing himself off, he said,

"Don't just stand there. If you want, you can play with us."

In the background, Gamble stood in the water, laughing at Akira, but soon got hit with a large rock. Akira, who had just turned around, started laughing even harder than Gamble had.

A moment later, Akira rushed back to the game.

"There's no way I'm playing that with them," Kazoto said, terrified.

Kaen, excited, said,

"I'm going swimming. I've never swum before."

Taking off his shirt and tossing it onto his sword, he added,

"Come on, don't just stand there like statues."

"You've got a way with words, fox boy," Hana said, tossing her shirt off and running after Kaen.

"And you, Kaido? Coming?" Hana asked, but Kaido, staring at something, didn't respond. Aki jumped in, saying,

"Could you go grab some drinks? We don't have any."

Elarina, after a moment, grabbed Kaido by the shoulders and asked,

"Something bothering you?"

Kaido, startled by the unexpected touch, replied,

"N-no, why?"

After a moment, Elarina looked ahead and noticed that Kaido had been staring at Kazoto.

"Alright, let's go, Hana," Elarina said, trying to provoke Kaido.

"W-what? Wait, I'm coming too!" Kaido said, flustered, then ran to catch up with the girls.

"Do you like Kazoto?" Hana asked.

Kaido blushed and awkwardly kept changing the subject. Elarina started laughing, and Kaido finally accepted that the girls had noticed.

The day passed, and everyone had a great time.

"I refuse to sleep in a tent again. I want a proper night's sleep," Gamble said, frustrated.

"But it's a beautiful night full of stars. Why sleep in cabins?" Akira replied.

The boys argued for a while until Aki returned and said,

"I got us a cabin with a backyard. Fortunately, there aren't any neighbors nearby, so if you want, you can sleep outside."

Akira and Gamble agreed and packed up their things from the beach. Kaen, still admiring the sunset, shed a tear. Wiping it away quickly, he caught up with the rest.

"Want a picture?" Akira asked.

Surprised, Kaen replied,

"Do you have a camera?"

Akira put down his bags and asked Gamble,

"Do we have paper?"

Gamble handed him some paper, and Akira, crumpling it in his hand, said, "Whoever wants to be in the photo, stand in front of me." After a moment, Kaen, Kazoto, Kaido, Hana, and Elarina stood together for the photo.

"And you're not joining?" Aki asked.

"I don't want to spoil their group picture. After all, I'm just their guardian," Gamble replied.

A moment later, Akira folded his hands, and a faint light emanated from his eyes. Opening his hands, Akira revealed a perfect photo.

"And now for the trick," Akira said, quickly hiding the picture in his pocket. A moment later, he extended his hand, but there was no photo.

"Pa, we're too old for tricks like that," Kazoto said with a smile. Akira then pulled out six copies of the photo from his other pocket and said,

"Are you sure?"

Shocked, Kazoto said,

"I apologize for my lack of faith, master."

"Wait, six?" Kaen asked, examining the photo.

"Hmm, looks like I got in the shot perfectly," Elias said from behind Kaen.

"You're scaring people, Elias," Kaen said, startled. Elias blushed and apologized to everyone.

After walking to the cabin and getting some small mementos, Kaen jumped onto the bed, saying,

"Oh my God, this is so comfortable!"

Jumping on the bed, Kaen continued,

"Man, I love this human invention!"

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, listen up!" Akira said, tying a headband on his head.

"And saying 'ladies' is too hard?" Aki remarked while taking a sip of tea.

"Don't tell me you're actually going to do it," Gamble said excitedly.

Akira stood proudly and said,

"I will grace you all with Akira Izumi's special dish!"

After a moment, Akira went to the kitchen.

"I've never heard such a pointless speech," said a dismayed Elarina, unlike Gamble and Hana, who were sitting at the table, grinning from ear to ear with sparkling eyes.

"And what's with you two?" asked Elias, who had just finished changing clothes.

"My beloved brother will grace us with his special dish," Hana answered, her mouth watering at the mere thought of it.

"We've lived to see another such day. Thank you, Mom, for not swallowing me," Gamble said, bowing toward the wall.

"They've gone senile," Kazoto muttered, glancing at Kaen, who had just fallen off the bed.

After half an hour, Akira emerged from the kitchen and proudly declared,

"A dish fit for the gods is now complete!"

Gamble and Hana, unable to contain their excitement, could hardly wait. When everyone gathered at the table, Akira served a plate of fried potato sticks.

"I call these 'fries.' Seasoned with salt and served with Flaryx eggs, they are a dish almost divine, worthy of being served at heavenly feasts," Akira boasted.

Kazoto, unfazed, took one fry, dipped it in the yolk of the egg, and ate it. After a moment, Kazoto began savoring the dish.

"It can't be that good," Elarina said skeptically, but Kaen countered,

"It's even better!"

After everyone finished eating, Akira spread a blanket in the backyard. Before heading outside, he asked,

"Are you sure you want to stay inside?"

Aki hesitated for a moment but stayed. Meanwhile, Elias, Gamble, and Kazoto had long since fallen asleep.

"Aki said she wanted to," Elarina teased, lying down next to Kaen.

"And you're sleeping with me again?" Kaen said, surprised.

Aki blushed, and Akira commented,

"You could have said so earlier. I'll go get another blanket."

Aki glared menacingly at Elarina, who winked at Aki before lying down to sleep.

After spreading out in the backyard, Aki and Akira gazed up at the stars. The silence was so profound that Aki could hear her own heartbeat and Akira's breathing.

When Aki was about to say something, Akira spoke first.

"Listen, this may sound strange, but... haven't we met before?"

Aki looked at Akira with a mix of fear and sadness.

"You saved her from an unwanted marriage about three times," Gamble said, lying above Akira and Aki.

"So, those are the lost memories," Akira said, unbothered.

Aki, startled, got up and asked,

"How long have you been lying here?"

Gamble, looking up at Aki, replied,

"From the start. I don't want you getting pregnant before the war."

Aki blushed, and Akira asked,

"Will you tell me what exactly I forgot?"

"This is going to take all night," Gamble said, going back to stargazing. Akira, with a calm smile, said,

"If you can, please start."

As the sun rose, Kaen stepped into the backyard and saw Gamble and Akira cuddled up together, while Aki sat wrapped in two blankets.

"Well, I didn't expect this," Kaen said, startled.

Akira and Gamble woke up shortly after, and when they realized the position they were in, they jumped apart, screaming and waking everyone up.

"What are you yelling about? Some people are trying to sleep here!" Hana shouted, still half-asleep. Aki, acting as if nothing had happened, rubbed her eyes and went inside.

"I feel violated," Akira said, and Gamble kicked him in the face, shouting,

"That's my line!"

After eating breakfast and changing into their normal clothes, the heroes set off for the kingdom of Drascels.

The journey took two days, and during that time, Akira learned what he had forgotten, and Elarina mastered two new flame techniques.

"Finally home," Gamble said in front of the door to his house. Opening it, he found the royal guards inside.

"Can I help you with something?" Gamble asked, confused, then noticed Giene lying unconscious on the stairs and Kaede in shackles, sitting next to King Darius and Princess Sara. Akira also noticed the Axe and Bow Hero standing behind them.

"Looks like things have gotten a bit out of hand," Akira said, dropping his bags and summoning his sword.

Gamble stopped Akira and asked coolly,

"What's the problem?"

The king stood up and said, "This house and everyone living in it are under arrest by order of the king."

Akira laughed and said,

"Oh, we've found a real egotist." Then, changing his tone to serious, he switched his sword to the "Sword of the Three Gods."

"I'll count to three, and you better be gone by then."

Seraphina, removing her axe and shrinking it down, said,

"With respect to the king."

Gamble, summoning a shield and then turning it into a staff, said,

"Trespassing, false accusations, and abuse of power. When does Queen Anna return?"

"She will return for the war," said an older, mysterious voice from upstairs.

Aki, visibly terrified at the voice alone, fell to her knees.

"I told you, Aki. You're a zero. You'll achieve nothing. Stop ruining the heroes' lives and leave them," said Aki's father, descending the stairs. At his side was Kai, who looked visibly saddened.

In an instant, Giene and Kaede disappeared. Elias had taken them to the door.

"Take them far into the forest. Care for them until they wake up," Akira said, never taking his cold gaze off the king.

The kids took Giene and Kaede as Akira had asked.

"Everything is fine now," Akira said, placing his hand on Aki's head.

Aki then stood up with a determined expression.