Hokori race-walked to the grand staircase at the king’s mansion. Haruto cried out for his name.

A worried Yukino held her mother close and asked what was going on. “I have no clue, honey,” Tokino shook her head. “But I don’t think it’s something I want to know.”

Next, she looked at her siblings. Kakunō comforted Kenkō, who sweated bullets and hyperventilated.

Hokori banged the double doors to the throne room. He saw all except one sitting on their designated seats. Like at home, he always sat on the left end of the table.

Harald, the king, smiled before him. “Hokori! ‘Tis a joyous day to have you—” He saw him raise a fist. “Wait. Wait!”

He threw a downward punch that destroyed the massive table into a pile of tiny splinters. His fist also fissured the floorboards. The arch/imperial mages backed away.

“Have you gone mad, simpleton!?” said Feuer. “That table has served us for over a mega annum!”

He pulled up The Every Hub. “Look at this… Look!” He scared his comrades like never before. They complied with his command.

He only read the most important details of the mission:

Due to their omnipresent influence, we hereby accept Alessandro Inc.’s presence in Kazoku Village. All that is left is for you to escort the residents to a new home.

He exited the screen. “Why not just say it straight to my face!? You want me to deport their asses to God-knows-where. Da fuck’s wrong with y’all!”

Harald raised his hands. “Hokori, stop… They’re kicked out, yes, but they’re always welcome in Coelestis. Hatred for outsiders has no place here. Our arms are forever open.”

He grunted with his teeth clenched. “None y’all understand! They’re not refugees from a war-torn state. It’s their home. My home!” He pointed. “I spent every last penny keeping it afloat cuz you’d never take them under your jurisdiction! I’ve protected them for years! Two. Fucking. Years!!!” He punched the floor again. It frightened everyone even more, including the king.

Hokori walked over the debris. “I’ve signed bills, my man… Don’t get me wrong. I know why you can’t take them. Please tell me who approved the mission. It doesn’t have your signature.”

Harald went silent, as did everyone else. They wanted zero risk and feared the worst. Alas, ill fate struck them that morning.

Hokori’s family moved out of the way for one mage being late for the meeting. It was none other than the one boy he despised the most. Hagel ran for it upon seeing his face. Hokori turned around with seeth in his heart. He did not waste a step pouncing him outside the hallway. His family failed to stop him.

They went out of the throne room and witnessed a gruesome scene. Yukino gagged.

Hagel’s left arm and right leg littered the floor. He screamed in agony. He moved back against a wall and clutched the dismembered knob on his shoulder. Hokori walked closer. “Gotta give it to ya, cuntfuck… You gave me ‘nother reason to hate you. And me hating you is like hating cockroaches. It’s instinctual….”

Hagel chuckled maniacally. “Wonderful… My heart feels the same. For three years, I wasted none of my precious time striking your soul when it was most vulnerable. Vengeance is sweet, they always say. And so I acted upon it with a million smiles worth from my face!” He gave off a demented grin.

In response, he sighed disappointingly. “‘Strike my soul’? Sounds like a challenge, and I love challenges.” He kneeled and pointed at him. “You know what? Leuchten deserved to die. Because his death is a permanent reminder—of your mind-numbingly—monumental incompetence as a mage!

“The world gave you gifts. And ya did fuck all with it when your bro needed you most. Why did ya expect me to do it for you!? My hands were full—of my comrades’ blood!!!”

Because of his words, Hagel stared blankly at him. He felt he got stabbed a hundred times. He disbelieved that his heart instantly shattered. Meanwhile, his enemy merely received fresh wounds atop scars.

His eyes narrowed, and his teeth clenched. Through his power, a skin-biting blizzard violently galed around the hallway.

Hokori’s family could do nothing. The gust pushed them away as they felt the cold drying their throats.

Hagel stood up and created limb prosthetics of ice. “Thank you, ‘dear brother.’ I now crave what your blood tastes like….” He conjured an ice lance.

The mentioned was not fazed by it, even when he felt his pressure. It felt like drowning in the Arctic sea in the dead of night.

Hagel made the first move with his lance. Hokori destroyed it with one hand, and he rammed his head to the floor. The fissures broke Harald’s home even further. Every window shattered. Then, he felt a chill on his right. It hardened and cracked instantly. He jumped backward and regrew his arm in a nanosecond. “Far out, cuntfuck….”

Hagel created an ice bastard sword next. “Let us start with Zenith Corpus, shall we—” He vomited blood on the floor, feeling the strain. Still, he pressed on and thrust his weapon onto him.

Hokori’s eyes still glared. He dodged and countered with a knee strike to the belly. Even then, Hagel stood up and flash-stepped before him. Sadly, his attempts failed again and again.

The blizzard galed around the hallway even more.

A desperate Feuer walked toward Harald. “Your majesty! We must do something at once. Make haste before the madness becomes unyielding!”

His eyes stayed stoic. “I’m afraid none of us can, old friend. We’re not dealing with mere drunkards….”

“What could you possibly mean by that!” he exclaimed. “In terms of power, you’re second only to the Peerless—”

“Do you honestly not see what’s before you!?” he turned to him. “Stand your ground, everyone. And Feuer, your brother is merely fourteen. Yet, do you think this much power is normal for one? One step inside, and you’ll be a decoration for the holidays. Even your flames will die out before you know it….”

Hearing the king’s words, Feuer sweated bullets. He could not fathom the feats of his little brother in the future. It being a frozen wasteland would be an understatement.

The “fight” between Hokori and Hagel now resembled torture. The former seized every opportunity to pulverize him while down. Every time he moved, he would kick him high up and punch him in midair. He began seeing a familiar smiling face. It enraged him further. “It’s not my fault. It’s my fault!” he rambled internally.

Hokori resorted to pummeling Hagel on the floor. He did not care about the deathly chill he created as it cracked his skin. For five minutes, frozen blood covered his arm. His right fist hammered down faster by the second. Eventually, his whole self turned red.

Feuer shielded his eyes from afar. “Enough, Hokori! Hagel! End your squabbles. I beg of you!!” His single tear froze upon the blizzard. Unfortunately, the wind grew stronger.

No matter how enraged his enemy was, Hagel’s own burned deeper. If it meant death, he would relish every moment of Hokori ending up frostbitten. Every devastating punch to his stomach felt like a breeze. However, his skin turned pale. His body failed to give him more oxygen as the red essence spewed out. His limbs shook.

Hokori delivered one last throw that literally blew everyone away, as did Hagel’s blizzard. He vomited blood, and his eyes turned white. His prosthetics dissipated. Already weakened before, he had no energy left.

Hokori’s family could now step in. Yet, he only gave them a stern look. His soul still felt a little angry. “We’re all going. To hell with this mission. I don’t give a shit about some billion-dollar corporation. It’s my home….” He walked out of the hallway.

As his family followed, Hagel slowly got up from behind. Yukino tried to come to his aid, but Kenkō held her hand. “Don’t bother, Yukichi…” she shook her head with a frown. “They haven’t loved each other for years.”

She reluctantly walked away and followed her sister. Even then, she looked back—and saw a little boy who needed saving. She sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

Luckily, Feuer rushed to his little brother’s aid. He quickly cast runes around him. Luckily, he survived the brutal onslaught. Feuer’s mouth tried to speak but could not. Hagel’s tears flowed like a river, and he shoved him away. He stood tall and took a deep breath. “Leave us alone! Leave my dear brother and me alone, you vicious animal!!” He lowered and sobbed excessively.

Feuer’s eyes could not help but turn on the waterworks as well. All he could do was give his little brother a warm embrace; there was no resistance.

Behind the two siblings, the king and other mages looked on in a saddened tone. Aria’s heart sank, and she shed a tear. Danielle turned to her. “Don’t be like that, man. I can’t take it….”

Kakunō started up the airship without question. Inside, Yukino bawled at her mother. Like always, she hated feeling the soul-crushing emotions of one’s “heart.”

Kakunō stepped in and kneeled. “Could you kindly tell me what you felt, Yuki? I’m his first brother in this world, after all…” he smiled calmly.

She dried her eyes. “Yes, of course. I don’t know the right words for it, but it’s like when a farmer’s land dries up for years. And everything they worked for—goes away.”

He smiled again with his eyes closed. “Thank you….” He patted her head and went back to the cockpit.

Because of the action, Yukino felt a surge of courage. She walked toward her sister, Kenkō, at the clinic section.

Instead of testing drugs on her pet rat (Elizabeth), she played a game; a mathematical puzzle known as the “Tower of Hanoi” on Earth. Yukino tapped her shoulder, which startled her from her seat. “By the Gods, Yukichi…” she looked. “Y-You could have ended your Big Sis right there and then.”

She bowed. “I’m so sorry. But I want to know what you’re doing.” Her head tilted at the puzzle game.

“O-Oh, yeah.” She sat back and continued playing. “You win this by putting the larger rings on the bottom. It helps calm the nerves….”

She observed closer. “I know times are sad now, Big Sis. But I’ve never seen you like this before. Why?”

Kenkō’s breathing worsened. “I-I’m sorry to say that I don’t want to answer that, Yukichi… But if you wanna play Harvest Moon again, please wait for a little while….” She moved her hands more erratically.

“Do you need Papa’s pills? He takes them when he’s sad sometimes.”

“No, no, thank you,” her eyes widened. “I’m fine. Just—” She broke the puzzle game into pieces with her bare hands. Yukino sweated bullets and backed away.

Kenkō slowly got off her chair. She hugged her little sister with smiles and tears. “I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you, Yukichi. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry….”

Yukino closed her eyes and rubbed her back. “You’re not fine at all, are you?”

“No… No, I’m not.” She turned to her and held her shoulders. “But I’m so happy you showed concern for me. You’ve grown up so fast. Come—let’s play….” She lent a hand with a smile.

Yukino smiled back and followed her sister to the gaming section.

Haruto walked around the ship, looking for his brother. He went outside and finally found him. Hokori leaned over a railing and looked over the golden horizon; his demeanor was still stern. Haruto had no idea what to say. Even then, he leaned over next to him. He cleared his throat, yet nothing came out.

Eventually, Hokori sighed with his eyes closed. “I never spent Yukino’s casino money on cars, pools, cocaine, or other pointless bullshit. I hope you understand, boy.” He began walking back inside. “Don’t get me wrong, tho. I regret what I did, and I’ll never do it again….” The door closed.

Like before, Haruto had no words to speak. He turned back to the horizon and clutched his chest tightly. He recalled a stabbing sensation—and a familiar face.

“Did I fail… Rubio?”