Twenty minutes in, Hokori and Haruto still conversed outside the ship. The latter scratched the back of his head when asked about his experiences with fatherhood. “To tell you the truth, Hokori… I feel like sons are so much different from daughters. Maybe a lot more rowdy and rebellious. But I wasn’t like that when Dad raised me. So, I’m not worried,” he shook his head.

Hokori chuckled. “Don’t push yourself, boy. If that kid turns into a complete twerp, I’ll give him a good ‘ol wrestle. You can get advice from me if ya want,” he pointed his thumb at himself. “Oh, wait… I never had a son…” his thumb lowered.

Haruto’s eyes drooped down. “You seriously think wrestling your child is good parenting…?”

Hokori shrugged with a smile, “Well, I did dat shit lots of times with my lil’ bro back on Earth. We had good times and bad times. All part and parcel in the end,” he opened the door back inside, “Best of luck to your kid, boy. Treat him right…” the door closed.

Beforehand, Haruto remembered Hokori’s serene smile. For even that minute gesture, it gave him a warm feeling. He sighed with a smile and looked toward the sunset. “I really wish you were here, Rubio… I wonder—if you’d see him as a brother as well….”

Haruto went inside as well.

Kakunō set the airship to autopilot and decided a match against Hokori on the Pokémon battle board. This time, the competitive format was LC (Little Cup). Only non-evolved Pokémon were allowed. No matter what Kakunō did, he could not kill a single Lv. 1 Sturdy Aron—Hokori’s entire team. Every time Kakunō made a move, he retaliated with Endeavor. With that, Hokori stood victorious. “Wooooh! Less go!!” he raised his fists. Both settled for another match.

Haruto and Tokino returned to the library section. This time, he read “The Time Traveller’s Wife.” Tokino sobbed more than ever. After the read, she hugged and clawed at his back again, now vowing she would never let her husband suffer the pain of a loved one’s death. Once again, Haruto politely told her to let go.

At the clinic section, Kenkō properly introduced Yukino to Elizabeth, her immortal pet rat. Just as Kenkō stated before, her pet never bit Yukino and was extremely friendly. She left her Automodachi to play with the Ambrosia brown rat. The two were scared at first but became fast friends as well. They rode like the wind on a table.

After eating some food from the refrigerator, Hokori walked to the couple. “You know, boy… I realized somethin’ ‘bout you ever since ya came ‘ere. And it bugs me so…” he nodded.

“W-What would that be…?” Haruto looked up at him.

Hokori took a deep breath and turned around, “Guys, come on over here! Uncle Hokori’s gonna tell y’all a secret!” he cupped his right hand. With that, everyone gathered around; all of them had confused looks. Next, Hokori pointed from behind with his thumb, “Dis boy here can’t use runes to save his ass if he wanted to! Das the secret….” he chuckled.

Tokino covered her mouth and gasped, “How could you say that…?! Are you saying he should just die out there…?” she stood up with eyes narrowed.

“Nah, kid… ya got it all wrong,” Hokori shook his head. “I’m tellin’ y’all dis, cuz it’s the truth!” He turned to Haruto. “C’mon, bruh… Ya think I wouldn’t notice the runes on your scabbards being the same shape and color as your girlfriend’s scabbard?” He raised an eyebrow, showing smugness par excellence.

His words deeply embarrassed Haruto, so he tried to refute his claims as his cheeks reddened, “Well—that’s simple… It’s just that—well, uh. Well, I mean is—uh. Uhhh….”

Yukino giggled with her eyes closed. “You’re so funny at times, Papa….” she pointed. His daughter’s words reddened his cheeks further. Eventually, Haruto let out a sigh and finally admitted Runic Art was something he could never master. However, he told everyone that he tried his best in the past but could never conjure even one shape, even with Tokino’s help.

His wife rubbed his shoulder from behind for consolement. Yukino turned to her father. “It’s okay, Papa… I still love you with all my heart…” she smiled intimately.

Haruto cracked a smile back. However, it disappeared once looking at Kakunō and Kenkō’s faces. It exuded pure dread, fearing what was to come. They tried to walk away, only for Hokori to step in from behind. “Hey, Kakunō! Let’s take a quick detour…” he chuckled.

Kakunō groaned, “May the Gods have mercy on Haruto’s soul….” He turned off the autopilot and drove the airship to a place the Minagawa family had never been before.

Fifteen minutes later, the family arrived at an inactive volcano. Along the way, the mountain’s foliage turned leg-deep. A Lacusian three-eyed mosquito tried to land on Yukino’s arm, only to be caught and squished by Tokino. At the top, the Minagawas stood in complete shock upon witnessing the volcano’s basin: violently bubbling black liquid stretching two kilometers wide. A pier stood by along with a “no swimming” sign.

Hokori walked past his family and gestured his hand, “Ladies and gents—welcome to the Hades Bathtub! Used to be an execution ground!” He took a whiff in front. “Ahhh… Doesn’t it smell nice? It reminds me so much of orc blood!” he grinned.

Kenkō pinched her nose, “Actually… it smells like dead rats thrown into a pile of burning tires….” Nearby, Yukino gagged up multiple times while covering her mouth. Kakunō rubbed her back.

Hokori called in Haruto to stand on the pier. He held his shoulder. “Listen up here, boy… What you gon’ do is prolly gonna suck so bad—but trust me—it’ll be all worth it. Once you come out, your true self will emerge! Soul cleansed of any impurity, and you’ll finally realize your true potential! Ya got that?” he smiled widely. Haruto vaguely understood what he was talking about but agreed to jump in either way.

However, Tokino ran to them and shoved Hokori’s arm away from Haruto again. “Don’t let him partake in this. I won’t forgive you if you don’t listen,” she pointed.

Unfortunately, Hokori rebuked her points immediately. He revealed the process worked before with another friend of his: Sakusei Buki. Tokino asked how he could be so sure it would work similarly for Haruto. All she got from him was a “believe in me” speech. It only filled her with calm rage, and she grabbed his shirt. “If my Haruto doesn’t come back… I’ll turn you—into an immovable—infinite organ farm…” her eyes narrowed, and she let go.

Hokori looked at her walking away, “Whatever ya say, kid. Now, boy…” He looked at Haruto and clasped his hands, “…strip.”

“W-What?!” He raised both eyebrows.

Hokori sighed and walked closer. “Well, ya see, um—if ya don’t… you’d lose your clothes. So it’s either go nude—or have your outfit eaten away—and then become nude. Your choice….” At first, Haruto had a hard time accepting the former—until he heard Yukino cheer for him; Tokino, on the other hand, stood by with wide eyes. Begrudgingly, he nodded with a yes. He felt his dignity crumble to dust that day.

Haruto stripped his clothing and gave it to Kenkō. Now prepared, he took a deep breath and walked to the pier, accompanied by Hokori. From afar, Yukino comforted Tokino. “It’s okay, Mama. Don’t stress out too much. Papa will come back!” She witnessed her cover a copiously bleeding nose.

Hokori gave Haruto words of encouragement. “Remember, we don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents…” he smiled.

“Are you sure about this…?” Haruto asked, body shaking as he walked nearer the pier’s edge.

“Of course!” Hokori nodded. “…Besides all dat—you finna be lookin’ mighty fine from behind, not gonna lie… Oh, fuck yeah, boy. Work it…” he smirked and did pelvic thrusts from afar.

Haruto stopped in his tracks, “What!!” he turned around with eyes narrowed.

Hokori turned around as well and slapped his knees. “Hahaha! Hahahahahahaha!! Oh Lordy, you are so precious… You deadass reacted! Hahahahahahahahaha!!!”

At that moment, Haruto grunted in extreme frustration and annoyance. He quickly jumped down the Hades Bathtub.

Sinking below, Haruto did not feel any resistance—falling as if he stumbled upon a cliff. The ground felt strange, like walking on gelatinous terrain. It was complete darkness, but Haruto wandered around, not seeming to find any end. Eventually, he saw something move at the corner of his eye. He looked around, but there was only more darkness. Suddenly, behind him, a bright light shined. Haruto felt cheated by his own eyes. “Rubio…?” he slowly walked closer.

The figure looked exactly like his late brother, only dressed all-white. It did not have the prettiest demeanor. Its eyes glared at his soul and spoke, “You left me for dead, Haruto… You’re not my retainer—nor my friend—nor my brother…” he walked closer. “You’re… a failure!” He punched Haruto in the jawline.

Haruto rolled on the ground several times, feeling a familiar sting. He got back up and raised his hands, “No, wait! I didn’t mean to— Agh!” He got back up again, “Please, listen to me! I didn’t know— Agh!!” No matter what word he spoke, Haruto was beaten relentlessly. He started to fight back—even able to get the upper hand at the end, but he could never defeat the figure for real. Every time he neared “Rubio,” his will to hit him waned drastically.

Fifteen minutes since Haruto stepped unto the black lake, Tokino fell to her knees, completely distraught. Everyone comforted her to calm her hyperventilation.

The brutal onslaught dealt Haruto endlessly. It culminated in the Rubio look-alike strangling him. Struggled as he might, Haruto could not break free. All he saw was his late brother’s resentful expression, crushing his neck tighter. “You deserve this, failure…” he spoke softly.

Haruto began lamenting in a suppressed voice. “Yeah… you’re right, Rubio. I am a failure—a bad friend—and a brother. Agh! I-I couldn’t save you. I-I turned—Rosette away. I killed—so many in your name. Agh! I know you never wanted that, yet I did it anyway. Aaagh!!” Rubio’s hands squeezed him even tighter. “I… deserve this… I-I… deserve it all…! Uugh… Uuuuugh…” His eyes rolled back as his body convulsed.

Suddenly, Haruto could breathe again; he gasped for air. Looking up, “Rubio” lent him a hand. Its eyes and smile exuded pure serenity with a hint of tears. The figure held his shoulders. “Haruto… you’ve grown.” It hugged him, “Thank you so much for admitting. That’s all I ever wanted to hear. It was all your fault, but I don’t hate you; never. You’re not a bad person. There’s no need for sorry. I will always—cherish you—as my dear brother….” Tears rolled down as it smiled.

Feeling his heart rend, Haruto hugged ‘him’ back and cried harder than ‘he’ did. The Rubio look-alike faded into white dust away from his arms, but it still smiled at him.

“I love you so much… Tell Hokori—I said hi….”

Haruto was briefly confused why he heard ‘his’ voice inside his mind. Either way, he could not help but smile back. Before he knew it, all he saw now was a white flash, feeling like he flew up in an instant.

After thirty minutes, Haruto floated on top of the black lake. Kakunō reeled him in with his whip and pulled him up to the pier. Tokino was relieved when she heard him groan, hugging him tightly. Yukino from afar became teary-eyed, noting to Kenkō how her father’s “heart” now felt more powerful and confident.

Hokori kneeled and chuckled. “What’d I tell ya, boy?! You’re even more ripped now!”

Upon witnessing the mentioned six-pack, Tokino’s eyes turned white. She flew far away back and bled a constant red fountain from her nostrils; she giddied. Hokori chuckled at the scene and turned to Haruto, “I got some bad news, boy….”

“W-What…?” his eyes squinted, standing up bare naked.

Hokori scratched the back of his head, “You see, um… I used your coat and shirt to wipe my ass cuz you took too long….”

“What?!!” his eyes narrowed again.

Hokori slapped his knees once more. “Hahahahahahahaha!! Oh, my God. Never change, boy. Wooooooh…” he slowly straightened his back.

With all that, the family flew back home to Coelestis.

Haruto asked to be alone outside the airship; his alibi was “recollection.” Before he could, Hokori revealed that the Hades Bathtub created deadly illusions based on the victim’s guilt; acceptance was the only way out. “By the way, boy. I discovered that bad mental health makes your magic go into Bruh Mode. In other words—it’s like a level cap. I told research mages back home to study it further. Take care…” he walked to the refrigerator.

Now outside, Haruto walked near the railing. He looked beyond the dusky horizon. He indeed recalled some memories; he was confused by the last phenomena.

“Was that really you… Rubio?” he clutched his chest.