Although Diosa had promised to wait outside the school, her curiosity—and her restless nature—got the better of her.

  Diosa: "For a village, this place is surprisingly big... Hm. And so much greenery. Not like the city..."

  Her steps slowed as her expression darkened, shadows of the past flickering in her eyes.

  Diosa: (murmuring) "...Tch. Stop thinking about that."

  As she turned a corner, something caught her eye—a little girl standing by the side of the road, nervously looking back and forth at the passing carts and bikes.

  Diosa: "Hm?"

  She walked over calmly.

  Diosa: "Need help?"

  The girl looked up at her shyly and gave a hesitant nod.

  Diosa: "Here, hold my hand."

  The child’s small hand gripped hers tightly. Together, they crossed the street. Once safely on the other side, the little girl looked up with a bashful smile.

  ???: "Thank you..."

  Diosa: "No problem. Now be careful, alright? Always watch where you’re going."

  ???: "Okay!"

  The girl ran off, leaving Diosa with a soft smile and a faint sigh.

  Diosa: "Now what should I do while I wait for my reckless knight…"

  Her eyes wandered—until they locked onto a vendor stand.

  Diosa: (mouth watering) "...Dorayaki?"

  The scent was intoxicating, and the stack of sweet red bean pancakes looked divine. She instinctively reached for a pocket.

  Diosa: "...Ah, right. He has the money... Ugh, I just ate anyway."

  With a resigned sigh and a dramatic turn, she continued her stroll through the village, still very much a tourist in a world trying to move on.

  As Diosa wandered deeper into the village, her steps slowed upon seeing a small, quiet shrine tucked between two rows of tall trees. The stillness of the place drew her in.

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  Diosa: “Huh… Is that a bell?”

  She approached the structure and gently placed her fingers on the large, old bronze bell hanging at the center of the shrine. But before she could examine it further—

  Tigre: “There was once a girl in a lab, and from her eye, just one drop fell…”

  Diosa froze. Her golden eyes widened in shock at the familiar, twisted lullaby.

  She turned slowly.

  Standing just a few feet away, cloaked in all black, was a man—his long red hair cascading over his shoulders, and those same golden eyes gleaming with sinister familiarity.

  Diosa: “T-Tigre…”

  Tigre: (smirking) “She wore white, a beautiful redhead... But I needed her life to bring the lab back to life.”

  Diosa: “How… How did you find me?”

  Tigre: “Does it matter? You know I always find you. Always.”

  Diosa’s eyes darted around—the shrine gates had shut behind her without a sound.

  Tigre: “And now it looks like you're trapped... like a rat in a cage, little Red.”

  Diosa: "I’m not going back."

  Tigre: "And I adore that about you—always resisting, always trying to escape fate. But we both know… there’s no one coming this time. No tricks. No resonance. Just us."

  Diosa: (clenching her fists) "You’re wrong…"

  Meanwhile, back at the school…

  Adry stood at the doorway of his classroom, his bag slung over his shoulder. The excitement of graduation buzzed in the air, but his mind was elsewhere.

  Adry: (thinking) "Wonder how Diosa is doing… hope she didn’t get herself into trouble."

  He sighed.

  Adry: "Guess I better find her

  Tigre: “Hehe… run and run and run…”

  Black, sharpened stones sliced through the air, narrowly missing Diosa as she darted between shrine pillars and leapt over roots and loose stones. The spears of shadow embedded themselves into the ground around her—clearly aimed to scare, not strike.

  Diosa: (panting, desperate) “Huff… Huff…”

  Tigre: “Where’re you going, Little Red? This is just like old times!”

  Diosa's eyes frantically scanned the enclosed shrine until she spotted the high wall lining the back. With a running start, she sprang onto the edge of the wall, her hands clawing for grip. She hoisted herself up and rolled over the top, landing with a hard thud outside.

  Tigre: “Tsk tsk tsk… slippery as ever.”

  With a chuckle, Tigre calmly followed, no longer throwing projectiles—only watching her, savoring the panic.

  Diosa pushed herself through the village crowd, eyes wide and breaths shallow.

  Diosa: “No no no, not again—”

  She suddenly collided into someone solid.

  Adry: “Whoa! Where have you been?! You said you'd wait outsid—”

  Before he could finish, Diosa clutched his hand tightly, her body trembling.

  Diosa: (desperate) “Just run!”

  Confused but alarmed by her tone, Adry followed without question. They turned corners, leapt over crates, and dashed through narrow alleys. Eventually, they stopped in a quiet alleyway, chests heaving.

  Adry: “Okay, what the heck is going—”

  Tigre: “Ah, there you are.”

  They turned to see Tigre at the alley entrance, calm and smiling as ever.

  Tigre: (eyeing Adry) “And who might you be?”

  Adry: “…Me?”

  Without a word, Diosa slipped behind Adry’s shoulder, barely peeking out.

  Tigre: “Oh… so this is your little helper, Little Red.”

  Adry: (thinking) “What the hell? She was fine when that weird huge guy Attacked us, but now she’s terrified.”

  Diosa: (quiet, voice trembling) “Just… go away…”

  Tigre: “No can do. You’re still important to the lab. And…”

  He stepped forward, eyes gleaming.

  Tigre: “…you’re also the Promised Bride to that God.”

  Adry: (thinking) “A God again… What kind of life did you have, Diosa?”

  Diosa’s grip on Adry tightened. For the first time, Adry realized—

  She wasn’t just some mysterious power-giver.

  She was being hunted.

  Adry: “Diosa… just like before—can we do that again?”

  Diosa met his gaze. She hesitated only for a moment before nodding.

  Diosa: “Soul Resonance.”

  A radiant light surrounded them. In an instant, their souls intertwined once more. Adry’s hair turned crimson red, his eyes glowing gold—mirroring Diosa’s.

  Tigre: (whistles, amused) “Killer transformation.”

  Diosa: (inside his mind) “Alright, let’s beat him.”

  Adry: “Okay… second time doing this…”

  Diosa: “Just be careful. He’s not a Resonator.”

  Adry: “Wait, what? Then how is he able to—”

  BOOM!

  Before Adry could finish, a black projectile blasted him into the wall, leaving a crater behind.

  Adry: “Guh—oof!”

  Tigre: (smirking) “Reinforced body, huh? Is that all your transformation gives you?”

  Grimacing, Adry pushed himself free from the debris.

  Adry: “Gnnnh…”

  Diosa: “Listen carefully, Adry! He’s not a Resonator. The reason he can use abilities like one… is because he’s something like me.”

  Adry: “What…?”

  Diosa: “I’ll explain everything later. For now—just know he’s strong. Really strong.”

  Tigre: (chuckling) “Now then… let’s get Little Red out of you, kid.”

  He conjured a black stone spear, the tip

  gleaming with dark energy, and approached with steady steps.

  Diosa: “Get ready, Adry.”

  Adry shifted into a combat stance, golden eyes narrowing.

  Adry: “Right.”

  To be continued…