Kenzaki's Room.

Kenzaki is seen playing an online chess game on his computer. He moves his piece. The screen now reads "IT IS ctj91'S TURN". His mind is focused on the screen. His opponent moves their piece seconds later. "CHECK". His eye twitches.

As he was about to move his piece, his ears start ringing intensely. The intensity shook him frozen until the ringing suddenly stops a second later. Thunder can be heard from a distance. After gaining his senses, he goes to the online chat through his computer.

IRONEYE: DID ANYONE FELT THAT?

VIPERBABY: OMG!!! THAT WAS PAINFUL!!! ＞﹏＜

IRONEYE: ARE YOU THERE, TSUYUKI?

ROYALTEMPEST: YEAH. I FELT IT TOO.

IRONEYE: KOUGA, DID YOU FELT IT?

ROYALTEMPEST: I BET HE'S ASLEEP.

VIPERBABY: KOUGA-KUN SLEEPY... (￣o￣) . z Z

ROYALTEMPEST: BUT IT'S GONE NOW?

VIPERBABY: YEAH. WHERE DID IT GO? (⊙_⊙)？

ROYALTEMPEST: COULD YOU STILL TRACK IT DOWN, KENZAKI?

IRONEYE: NO. IT'S OUT OF MY REACH.

ROYALTEMPEST: IT COULDN'T JUST APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR FOR A SECOND?

VIPERBABY: MAYBE IT JUST FLEW BY? ✈

*ROYALTEMPEST has opened a private chat with IRONEYE*

ROYALTEMPEST: KENZAKI, WHAT LEVEL DO YOU THINK IT WAS?

Kenzaki pauses for a moment.

IRONEYE: LEVEL 5.

ROYALTEMPEST: WHAT? YOU SURE?

IRONEYE: I'M ALWAYS SURE.

ROYALTEMPEST: SHOULD WE CALL CENTRAL?

IRONEYE: NO. I DON'T THINK ANY HARM WILL COME TO OUR TOWN.

ROYALTEMPEST: WHAT IF IT REACHED SOMEWHERE ELSE?

IRONEYE: I'LL MAKE A REPORT OF IT BY TOMORROW.

He looks at his window, walks to it, and opens it. He looks at the sky, feeling uneasy.

...

Ishinara Residence

Upstairs hallway.

AKARI: (opens her door) Makise! Ryuken! Maki! Are you guys alright?

MAKISE: (opens his door, holding a flashlight) What happened? Did something explode?

AKARI: (tries turning on the light) The power went out. There was a lightning strike.

MAKISE: But it's not even raining.

MAKI: (opens her door) Did you guys heard that?!

MAKISE: Yeah.

MAKI: Sounds like a bomb just hit our house.

AKARI: I'm going to check the power box.

MAKISE: I'm coming.

AKARI: Where's Ryuken?

MAKISE: Is he still in his room?

AKARI: Maki, check on Ryuken. Makise, come with me.

Akari and Makise go down the stairs. Maki goes to Ryuken's room.

MAKI: (knocks on the door) Ryu-nii! Are you up?

No response.

MAKI: Ryu-nii?

She opens his door and peeks inside. She sees Ryuken lying on his shoulder on the bed. His back is facing her.

MAKI: How can he still be sleeping?

...

In the cold, grey dunes, Ryuken lays down on the sandy ground. He opened his eyes, sees the shining white moon, and the starless, black sky above.

His hand squeezes the dry sand. Confused, he gets up, looks around. Nothing but grey waste and dead trees. He lifts his hand, spilling the sand, slowly. He speaks to himself,

"Where... am I?"

Scared and alone, he gets up and screams out loud.

RYUKEN: HELLO? IS ANYONE HERE? WHERE AM I?

Nothing but the wind answers back.

RYUKEN: SOMEONE? ANYONE?

He walks aimlessly through the desert, searching for anything that would make sense to him.

RYUKEN: This can't be real. I was in my room just now. How could I...

A barrage of lightning appears out of nowhere. He crouches down, covering his head in fear. The lightning later stops.

He opened his eyes and looks up. A giant silhouetted creature stands before him. Startled, he fell down to the ground, frightened by its presence.

RYUKEN: Wh- what are you?

The creature looks down, his red eyes meet Ryuken's.

RYUKEN: A- a monster? It can't be!

The creature silently observes him.

RYUKEN: This- this can't be happening. This can't be real! I'm... I'm just dreaming...

The creature breathes out, letting out a roar-like noise. Scared for his life, he shields his face with his hand, looks away, bracing for what the creature might do to him.

BEAST: (whisper) ... you have grown.

RYUKEN: (surprised, looks at the Beast) You- did you... did you just-

BEAST: Speak? That, I can do. Though... it has been a long time since I have done that to anyone.

RYUKEN: D- done what?

BEAST: Speaking. Talking. Having an intellectual conversation with a like-minded individual. You do know what that is, right?

RYUKEN: ... uh...

BEAST: Ah, it has been a long time. Where are my manners? If I may ask, how old are you now?

RYUKEN: How... how old am I?

BEAST: Yes. I am asking for your age.

RYUKEN: Fif- fifteen... but why-

BEAST: Fifteen years... (sigh, whisper) Has it been that long?

RYUKEN: Wa- wait... (gets up) I have... questions...

BEAST: Of course. For a person like you to be in such a... place, I understand your confusion.

RYUKEN: Well... that's what I want to know. Where... am I?

BEAST: Hmm... to explain this place would probably be more confusing. Let's just say... this is the world of the Demon Sword. Beautiful, isn't it?

RYUKEN: Sword? You mean, the katana?

BEAST: Yes, the Japanese sword. Wait... how did you find it in the first place?

RYUKEN: It was... in my house's storage room...

BEAST: What?! Of all places, it was in your home all this time?

RYUKEN: Is... is that a problem?

BEAST: (whisper) Why did he leave me near him?

RYUKEN: Wait, did you say... Demon Sword?

BEAST: Hmm? Ah, yes. A sword that keeps Demons inside.

RYUKEN: And... that makes you-

BEAST: A Demon.

RYUKEN: D- Demon?

BEAST: Monstrous beings, born from the fires of The World Under. Like the one you're talking to right now.

RYUKEN: (confused) Wha- so, you're trapped here?

BEAST: Yes.

RYUKEN: And... I'm trapped in here, too?

BEAST: Well, I don't think that's how it wor-

RYUKEN: No, I can't be trapped here!

BEAST: No, I don't think that's how Bond-

RYUKEN: I can't just stay here forever!

BEAST: Listen, Ryu-

RYUKEN: This cannot be real. This cannot be real. This cannot be-

BEAST: RYUKEN! Just listen!

RYUKEN: (froze) How... how did you know my name?

BEAST: Um... I... I know many things. Like the fact that you're not trapped in this place.

RYUKEN: Then, how am I here?

BEAST: I believe it's called... Bonding, or something. Your f- I mean... my friend, didn't explain to me well enough when he trapped me here.

RYUKEN: ... your friend... trapped you here?

BEAST: It was... a request... by me.

RYUKEN: Wh- why would you ask him to do that?

BEAST: I did it to- (pause, heavy sigh) I did it to keep someone safe.

RYUKEN: ... huh?

BEAST: Ryuken, your mind is filled with questions. I know that. But it is not safe fo- ...for me, to be here. You have to take me far away from your home.

RYUKEN: What? But... how would I-

BEAST: Take the sword. Put me away. And leave me be.

RYUKEN: But, why would I-

BEAST: Please, Ryuken. This is not just for me.

The Beast looks deeply into Ryuken, with regretful, longing eyes. He cracks a sad smile.

BEAST: Getting to see you as you are right now, after all these years, it means the world to me. I am grateful that you are here.

RYUKEN: ... I-

BEAST: But because you are here, it can only mean that nothing went according to how I wished it to be.

Lightning flashes around the Beast.

RYUKEN: Wa- wait!

BEAST: Do as I say, Ryuken. Please. For both of us.

RYUKEN: Wait! I haven't-

BEAST: ... I am sorry.

RYUKEN: Sorry? Wa- wait!

...

Ryuken's Room

Ryuken wakes up in cold sweat, quickly sits on his bed, panting exhaustively. After catching his breath, he looks down at his hand, still holding the slightly opened katana. He lifts it up, opens the katana halfway, and sees symbols engraved into the blade. He asked himself,

"What just happened?"

His table lamp lights up. His ceiling fan starts spinning. He hears Maki shouting downstairs.

MAKI: Yeah! The powers back on!

He hears his mother's footsteps coming up the stairs.

AKARI: Where's your brother, Maki?

MAKI: Still asleep.

AKARI: Asleep? Really?

Ryuken sheathes the katana and quickly keeps it under his blanket. He notices the katana bag is still on the floor. He jumps out and puts the bag underneath the bed.

AKARI: (opens the door) Ryuken? Oh, you're awake.

RYUKEN: Ah... yes! I... am... awake. I'm just... (sees his schoolbag next to him, grabs it) I was just... preparing my bag for... tomorrow! (laugh nervously)

AKARI: Really? Your sister said that you were asleep just now.

RYUKEN: Ah... yes! That is true! I... remembered to... pack my schoolbag in my sleep and... I woke up to do... just that! (smiles anxiously)

AKARI: Hmm... okay. You didn't even hear the lightning strike?

RYUKEN: (eyes widen) ... lightning strike?

AKARI: It was very loud. Our power went out minutes ago.

RYUKEN: Oh... really? That's... interesting...

Akari notices something on his bed. Ryuken turns to what she's looking at. The katana's guard can be partially seen.

AKARI: Is that the-

RYUKEN: (stands up) it's nothing! It's... just my phone.

AKARI: Your phone's here on the table.

RYUKEN: (goes in front of her) Uh... it's a toy! You know... the one that you bought me, that one time when I was- uh... a kid!

AKARI: I thought we donated all your to-

RYUKEN: It's PORN! Straight-up PORN! I used dad's hard-earned money and bought porn with it! (struggling to push her away) Now, if you don't mind... I would like... some... privacy... please...

AKARI: Wait! Ryuken! Why are you-

RYUKEN: SEE YOU IN 15 MINUTES! (slams the door, locks it)

AKARI: Hey, what did I say about locked doors? Hmm... guess I'll make this an exception.

MAKI: Did he say he had porn?

AKARI: Uh...

MAKI: Eww! That's gross!

AKARI: Well, he is a growing man.

MAKISE: To think that he would buy such a thing.

AKARI: You think I don't know anything about your collection?

MAKISE: (shock) How did you-

MAKI: Eww!

AKARI: Alright! Get back to your rooms and sleep!

After locking his room, he looks back to his bed and goes to it. As he was about to grab the katana, he notices a small hole in the glass window. It looks as if it was melted, no cracks can be seen. He looks back at the katana, and thought,

"Did it really happened?"

...

In a tall mountain, where giant, black clouds are passing through it, we see a stone, ape creature, resting peacefully.

A tiny rumble from a distant thunder can be heard. The creature wakes up and looks up into the sky.

STONE APE: ... Master?

End of Chapter 4