MELODY, CATRIONA, AND ASHE didn’t waste any time and quickly headed towards the Pit Valley. From the forest where they have split from Daisuke and his friends, it would take at least six days on foot to get to the Pit Valley, braving more forests filled with dangerous beasts and crossing a handful of kingdoms.

Luckily, they don’t have to go on foot.

“How are you doing, Ashe?” Melody asked the giant bird that she and Catriona were riding.

The giant bird has this unique azure-colored feathers and cloud-like wings. It had a long neck, and a long reptilian-like tail with cloud-like fluff at the end.

“Never been better!” answered the azure bird mentally.

“I’m sorry that we have to push you to fly faster, Ashe.”

Ashe, the azure bird, shook her head. “Don’t mind me, Melody. What’s important is that we get to Miho and Pirouette as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you. You really are reliable.” Melody turned to Catriona. “Has Miho and Pirouette responded yet?”

Catriona was hitting an odd flat lenticular crystal-like object as if checking if it is working properly. “Ugh. Looks like nothing yet. But I was sure I sent them a message to not engage Nobunaga when they saw him.”

Melody clicked her tongue. “This is very unlike them. They’ve never got lost in contact.”

“Maybe this wireless transponder isn't working?”

“You just don't like technology.”

“Yeah, you're right. But Melody, you don’t think…”

“Let’s just hope that I am wrong and that we are not too late.”

The Pit Valley was an unforgiving bowl of desert-like wasteland where almost nothing thrives that was located somewhere north-northeast of the continent of Aria. This valley, along with the Plague Swamp in the east of Aria, were two of the most dangerous places in Aria.

Even though the Pit Valley was surrounded by many countries, none of them bothered to annex it to their territory, unlike a certain white forest where an accord has to be signed to keep the kingdoms from not annexing parts of it into their own.

But the Pit Valley was not totally uninhabited. A certain group of people lives in this harsh place. And when some elves arrived on this valley a few years ago, the elves provided the people with trees that produced mixed fruits that the people can pick to eat.

In the present, the Pit Valley has become the territory of the Pit Valley Bandits, a group of juveniles that raided nearby countries and returned to the valley, their headquarters.

“Everyone! Cobalt and his crew are back!” shouted a member of the Pit Valley Bandits.

Cobalt was one of the leaders of the Pit Valley Bandits. He and his crew returned from a nearby kingdom where they have successfully raided a small town.

“How’s everybody? We’ve got a lot of loots today!” said Cobalt.

The people cheered as they saw the loots Cobalt and his crew returned.

“This would last us for another week or two,” said Alloy, one of the three Pit Valley Bandits leaders. She was the one who keeps their camp organized and was responsible for handling their foods. “Let’s make sure the food is properly rationed and the money given to Silver.”

“A’ight. How much did you get, Cobalt?” asked Silver. He was one of the three leaders of Pit Valley Bandits and in charge of safekeeping their money.

“I’m not sure,” said Cobalt. “But we looted three bags of crystonese from the Crystone Kingdom.”

Cobalt was the one in charge of raiding kingdoms to get food and money. He has personally trained five other members to be part of his crew.

* * * * *

Seven years after the incident back at Maria Island, Cobalt safely returned to Pit Valley thanks to the Seekers. Since then, his friends started a group that was then dubbed as the Pit Valley Bandits. With his experience in Fishbone Hunters, he proved himself to be a great asset to the group.

At first, he didn’t like the idea of raiding towns and cities for food and money. But soon, he found it exciting --- great even --- as he was doing it with his friends.

Cobalt and his crew were just settling in, with Alloy and Silver managing their food and money, when a sentry arrived.

“Alloy! Silver!” shouted the sentry, who then noticed Cobalt. “Cobalt! Thank gods!”

“Calm down, Copper,” said Alloy.

The sentry started to cry. “We…we were attacked! Zinc and Bron, they… they’re…”

“Goddamit, Cobalt! You were followed?!” said Silver angrily as he tried to shove Cobalt.

“Silver! No. Copper, Zinc, and Bron were at the northern passage. The attacker was not from Crystone.”

“He…He didn’t look like his from Crystone. H-He’s a monster!”

Cobalt faced his crew. “Gear up, we’re dealing with whoever this guy is.”

His crew quickly armed up with their weapons and followed Cobalt.

“Cobalt! Wait.” Alloy stopped Cobalt from heading out. “Copper, can you give us more detail?”

“He…He’s a tall man. Dark h-hair. W-Weird all-black attire. And…And a power user. He…he can make chains covered in black flame.”

Somewhere at the northern passage of the Pit Valley.

“Let me go, Miho!” said Pirouette as she resisted from Miho's grasp.

“No, Piro! Our mission comes first!”

“How can you say that?! He just killed somebody and you’re just telling me to stand here idly?”

“What I’m saying is that there’s nothing we can do for them now. So let’s just focus on the mission and wait for Melody.”

Pirouette was frustrated. As far as she knows, Miho was the most nature-loving person in their group and regards life as the greatest gift. She valued life more than anything.

As she calms down though, she noticed Miho’s eyes. That was when she realized just how much bloodlust Miho was exerting. Even Miho wanted to do something, but she knows how important the mission was.

“Fine,” said Pirouette as she finally freed her arms from Miho’s grasps.

“Thank you, Piro.”

Minutes passed and they just observed Nobunaga who was now sitting on the ground, staring at the burning black flame where two corpses should be.

Nobunaga was not moving, as if waiting for somebody. And just as when Miho and Pirouette decided not to engage, a rain of arrows fell from the sky that hits him.

The arrows have bombs on them. And after a few seconds, the bombs detonated, causing violent explosions.

“Did we get him?!” asked Nick, one of Cobalt’s men.

“I don’t care! Shoot more!” ordered Cobalt as they shoot more explosive arrows.

From where they were, they can see two scorching grounds which could be what remains of Zinc and Bron. It made them even angrier that they shot more explosive arrows.

“What’s going on?!” shouted Miho as they witnessed the explosive arrows raining down on Nobunaga.

“Must be their comrades!” Pirouette responded.

When the explosion, smoke, and dust subsided, they saw Nobunaga, still in one piece. His black flame was consuming his wounds, slowly regenerating.

“What the hell is that?” asked Zircon, one of Cobalt’s men.

“Shoot with all explosive arrows you’ve got! I’ll deal with him in close combat!”

“Cobalt! No!” Nick tried to protest but Cobalt quickly jumped down from their position.

“What do we do, Nick?” asked Lea, another member of Cobalt’s crew.

Nick assessed the situation. Cobalt was already down below and he was the only one capable of fighting a power user in close combat. He would definitely need support.

“Wait for him to transform. We support him from here.”

Nobunaga immediately noticed the arriving Cobalt.

Cobalt started to jog, then sprinted towards him.

Nobunaga stood up, summoned his flaming chains, and sent it flying towards Cobalt, but Cobalt was quick enough to dodge both chains. More chains appeared that all went towards Cobalt in different directions, but Cobalt dodged them all until he was close enough to the still-regenerating Nobunaga.

Cobalt’s arm became covered with iron scales. And with one straight punch to the face, Nobunaga was sent flying back and hits a huge rock that got obliterated upon contact.

From where Cobalt was standing, he could clearly see the ground where Zinc and Bron got burned. Nothing’s left, probably not even their ashes. There’s only the scorching ground.

“You’re gonna pay for the lives you’ve taken!!” Cobalt shouted. He raised his right arm.

His men switched to a longbow and shoot explosive arrows. He then fully covered himself with iron scales and charges towards Nobunaga.

Inside the smoke and dust, Nobunaga was standing, filled with wounds consumed by the black flame. Cobalt didn’t give Nobunaga a chance and released a barrage of punches. He then grabbed Nobunaga's arm and threw him back where his team could have a closer range of fire. He leaped out from the smoke and assaulted Nobunaga once again.

Soon, Cobalt’s men ran out of explosive arrows. He then released an uppercut that sent Nobunaga midair. He leaped through the air and hits Nobunaga that sent him crashing downwards. A crater emerged as Nobunaga hits the ground.

Cobalt tried to catch his breath as soon as he landed and canceled his power which makes him awfully heavier thanks to the iron scales. His men went down to meet him.

“Did we get him?” asked Chrome.

“You okay, Cobalt?” Nick shouted.

“We're out! What do we do?” asked Vana.

Suddenly, a surge of mana came from the crater that knocked them all away.

Flaming chains appeared as Nobunaga came out from the crater with the chains connected to his back. The chains served like spider legs that put Nobunaga midair.

“You all had me really good, not gonna lie,” said Nobunaga. His wounds were regenerating faster and his black flames were radiating even more heat than before.

“Everyone! Fall back!” shouted Cobalt.

His crew retreated as fast as they could. Cobalt activated his power once again to deal with Nobunaga, but Nobunaga got to him first. With a flaming fist, Nobunaga hits Cobalt to the face that sent him flying towards the wall of earth behind him.

“Cobalt!!!” shouted Lea.

Nobunaga aimed one of his chains at Cobalt. The chain went towards Cobalt with blinding speed, aiming for his heart. The impact of the chain caused the wall to explode as it hit.

“I was wondering when you two will finally come out,” said Nobunaga.

As the dust cleared, Cobalt was nowhere to be found. Miho managed to save him.

Pirouette dropped from the sky and hits Nobunaga with her dropkick, but Nobunaga managed to block it with his right arm. The impact caused a crater below him to be carved even more that destroyed a considerable radius around them.

“Take him and leave,” said Miho.

Nick assisted Lea to carry Cobalt. “T-Thank...you...”

“Wh-Who are you?” asked Zircon.

Miho didn’t respond and simply walked toward Nobunaga.

As she walked, nine tails appeared from her rear, feline ears appeared on her head, and her eyes turned mesmerizingly golden with intimidating slits of pitch-black pupils. The murderous intent Miho was exerting now far surpasses the one that Pirouette initially sensed.

“About time, Miho!” shouted Pirouette.

“Let’s do this,” said Miho as she charges towards Nobunaga.