Dreko looked out over the Japanese countryside, tears rolling down his face. Rowlo, Peter, Jaylia, and Musashi stood in stunned silence.
"So you can like... do anything?" Peter said, breaking the quiet.
Dreko clenched his fists, the sadness in his expression deepening.
"Tch... no. I sealed the power away. Power like that shouldn't be wielded by just anyone." He paused. "...Not even myself."
Rowlo frowned slightly.
"So this power... the power of the Eternal God. It's still out there somewhere?"
"Yes. But it must not fall into anyone’s hands until they’re truly ready. Deitos thought what he did was right, but..."
"But no one was suffering, right?" Jaylia cut in.
Dreko let out a slow breath, his gaze lowering.
"Some agreed... but he controlled everything. Your job, your food, your dreams. Everything was decided by the Coalition. It was suffocating for many."
Rowlo’s expression hardened as they walked. His eyes drifted to the roadside, to hungry peasants, to the blight creeping across the land, to a suffering Japan.
"You... you abandoned them. You left them behind. How many people probably suffered because of that?" Rowlo exclaimed.
Dreko clenched his jaw, his eyes dimming.
"Tch... I know. The Coalition is still around, but it’s different now... I failed in my duty as the Guardian of the Universe." His voice dropped. "I failed completely."
He stopped walking. The others halted with him. The wind swept across the fields, rustling through the dying crops.
Dreko looked out once more, then spoke, his voice steadier now.
"I came here to change things, Rowlo. I failed... but I can still make things right."
He turned and looked directly at him.
"A new Guardian. I want to entrust this power to someone pure-hearted. Someone who has the will to restore the balance that’s been broken. Someone who can inherit the power of the Eternal God."
His expression grew more serious.
He knelt and placed his hands on Rowlo’s shoulders.
"I believe that someone is you, Rowlo. I believe you can change this universe."
Rowlo froze, caught completely off guard. The others stared in shock.
"I... I can’t do something like that," he stammered. "I’m just a normal kid from nowhere. I can’t fight. I can’t be some protector, some Guardian... that’s not me."
Peter let out a laugh, clearly amused.
"Sounds like fun! If you take it, we’re going on an adventure, right?"
Jaylia dropped to her knees, tears forming in her eyes.
"You’re all insane. We’re high school students. We can’t protect the entire universe. Rowlo, Dreko’s clearly lost it."
Musashi laughed as well.
"What a dilemma you grasshoppers find yourselves in."
Dreko stood, his eyes never leaving Rowlo.
"I’ll train you. And the power will guide you... just like it guided me."
Rowlo hesitated, looking down.
"I mean... can I even reject this? It sounds crazy, if I’m being honest. Maybe being a normal kid isn’t so bad..."
"You can decline," Dreko said quietly. "But the universe won’t get any better. And eventually... it will reach Earth."
Rowlo’s eyes lifted slightly.
"The Kudonian Empire has protected Earth from the Coalition all these years. But there is a civil war weakening them. Soon... the Coalition, or even the Kudonians themselves, will be at Earth’s doorstep."
Silence fell over the group.
Rowlo clenched his fists, his thoughts racing.
"I... I want to protect everyone. If... if you can give me the power to do that..."
Dreko smiled, a small grin forming across his face. He let out a quiet chuckle.
"Then let’s begin. I have so much to show you."
They continued walking back toward the village, eventually passing the guards once again, who nodded as they entered.
The village hadn’t changed. Children still played. People still glanced at them with caution.
But to them... it felt different. Too much had happened.
Peter stretched his arms with a groan.
"I don’t know about you guys, but I’m hungry as hell. I’d kill for some noodles or something right now."
"There is a good soba shop at the edge of town. Let us go at once," Musashi said.
"Yeah... sounds good," Rowlo agreed.
Jaylia sighed.
"Yeah... soba. Whatever. I’m starving."
When they entered the shop, the smell hit them immediately. Warm broth, a faint hint of smoke, and the earthy scent of noodles filled the air.
The sound of locals slurping echoed throughout the room. A few glanced their way, their stares lingering just a little too long.
Steam curled up from the cooking area, where an older man stood preparing soba just outside.
"How can I help you folks?" he asked.
"Your best soba and some miso soup!" Musashi called out.
The others ordered similar dishes.
Moments later, the bowls were placed in front of them.
Peter stared down at his, his expression slowly sinking.
"...I just remembered... I can’t use chopsticks..."
Jaylia and Rowlo let out small laughs... which quickly turned into full-on laughter.
"Pete, you can’t be serious," Jaylia said, barely holding it together.
"It’s easy," Rowlo said, demonstrating as he picked up a bundle of noodles.
"A good samurai must know how to eat good soba, Peter," Musashi added.
"Chuh... you guys are so annoying." Peter glanced over at Dreko. "Dreko... you wouldn’t happen to have one of those capsules that teaches you how to use chopsticks, would you?"
Dreko was already slurping his noodles, clearly enjoying himself. He looked up mid-bite.
"Huh... oh yeah, definitely. That’s simple. There’s capsules for that."
Peter stared down at his bowl, his frustration growing.
"You mean this entire time..."
At that, Jaylia and Rowlo burst out laughing again.
"Remember when you ate with your hands, Pete?" Rowlo said through laughter.
"Chuh, shut up."
Dreko reached into his jacket, pulled out a capsule, and handed it to him.
Peter grabbed it with an annoyed look and downed it.
Instantly, he picked up the chopsticks with ease.
"...Wow. I really wish I had this before."
Later, they returned to the ryokan to rest for the night.
As the stars filled the sky, Rowlo found himself back on the porch, staring up at them in silence.
The soft sound of a sliding door broke the quiet.
Jaylia stepped out to join him.
She let out a small chuckle.
"You really like it out here, huh?"
Rowlo glanced back, a slight smile on his face.
"Jaylia... yeah. If I’m being honest, it feels like the only calm I get these days. It’s just... serene."
Jaylia walked over and leaned against the railing, looking up at the stars beside him.
"Are you really going to take his position, Rowlo? I mean... Guardian of the Universe? That’s insane."
"...Yeah. I know it sounds crazy..." Rowlo said quietly, his eyes fixed on the sky. "But there are people out there who need help too. Just like here on Earth."
"Yeah, but does it have to be you?" Jaylia replied. "It’s scary, you know. Even if we can regenerate, we have no idea what’s out there."
Rowlo clenched his fists.
"Yeah... that’s exactly why we have to get stronger."
He paused, his expression softening.
"You know... I used to imagine building a spaceship someday. Or a time machine. Traveling through time and space..." He let out a quiet breath. "I thought it was just a kid’s fantasy."
He turned to face her.
"But this... this is real. And if I can actually do something with it... I can’t just turn that down."
He hesitated for a moment.
"...Will you support me, Jay Jay?"
Jaylia smiled, though there was a hint of nervousness in it.
"I thought I told you not to call me that..." she said softly. "But yeah. No matter how crazy things get... I’ll always be by your side, Rowlo."
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Rowlo returned the embrace.
"Thank you, Jaylia."
She pulled back slightly, giving him a small smile.
"Yeah... just make sure you get some rest, Mr. Guardian."
With a quiet laugh, she turned and slid the door open, heading back inside.
The porch fell silent again.
Rowlo looked back up at the stars.
"...Mom... I know you’re out there somewhere. You have to be."
After a moment, he turned and went back inside.