Heart of Flames

Osaka, Japan

Kaminari Academy

April 2nd, 2023

"Alright, I'm gonna beat Alice so hard that she'll never touch another game again," Shino said, determined, as the bell rang, signaling the end of classes.

"Yeah, dude, dream on. You couldn't even beat me, and I've been going easy on you," June replied, smirking at Shino.

Mike was supposed to meet Alice and Rika at the cafe, but since both of them were going out with the boys to play at the arcade, Mike had no choice but to go with them.

He packed up his things, picked up his bags, and stood up, approaching the door of the room. He turned around and asked,

"Are you going or not?" Mike directed the question to Shino and June, who were engrossed in their conversation.

Both of them nodded, their eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, as they swiftly grabbed their bags and hurried out of school.

Mike followed closely, and they headed straight to the arcade. When they arrived, Alice and Rika were already waiting outside. Rika waved at them, and the guys greeted her in return.

Mike glanced up at the arcade and spotted a blinking neon sign that read 'Jack and Julie's Arcade.' He let out a sigh and followed the group inside.

The moment Mike stepped into the building, he was enveloped in a cacophony of strange noises that made him uncomfortable. It was a peculiar mix of awkwardness and irritation, which his introverted nature couldn't tolerate.

"I'll just go get something to drink. I'll be back later," Mike said, quickly exiting the building.

He sprinted towards the nearby convenience store, trying to suppress the urge to vomit.

"Why am I suddenly feeling sick?" Mike wondered to himself.

He grabbed the door handle, still keeping his head low, and opened the door to enter. Lost in his thoughts, he inadvertently bumped into someone, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I should have paid attention to where I was walking," a male voice apologized. The voice sounded strangely familiar to Mike's ears as he grunted and glanced up to see who it was.

"No, it was my fault," he replied, looking at the person he had bumped into.

"Oh, Mike, didn't expect to run into you here,"

"Kaiba. What are you doing here?"

"Let me help you stand up first," Kaiba replied, extending his hand to help Mike up from the ground.

"What happened to you? Are you feeling unwell?" Kaiba asked, placing a hand on Mike's forehead to check his temperature.

"I'm not sure. When I entered the arcade, I suddenly felt this strange sensation, like I was going to be sick," Mike explained.

"Oh, sounds like an anxiety attack. I used to experience them too," Kaiba responded with a chuckle.

Kaiba guided Mike to a nearby seat, and they both sat at a counter table near the wall. Kaiba offered Mike a bottle of water that he had bought from the store.

Mike gratefully accepted it and took a few sips. As his anxiety began to subside, he let out a sigh of relief. Placing the empty bottle on the table, he looked at Kaiba.

"Thank you for the water. That was a new experience for me,"

"No problem. But what brought you here, though? Why did you come to the arcade?"

"Alice and Rika went out with some of my classmates. I was supposed to meet them back at the cafe,"

"Oh, I mentioned to Alice that there was something happening near the arcade that could be related to the damned. That's probably why she decided to check it out. And if Rika is with her, it seems like that's what's going on,"

"What? You should have told me earlier. Shino and June could have gotten caught up in the trouble," Mike exclaimed, standing up abruptly. He quickly left the convenience store, with Kaiba following close behind.

They both rushed back to the arcade, running as fast as they could. Upon arrival, they witnessed several students fleeing from the arcade in a panic.

"FIRE! Fire!" Some of them shouted.

Without hesitation, Mike dashed into the arcade, disregarding his own safety. What was once a bustling arcade had now been consumed by a towering pillar of flames.

Alice and Rika approached Mike and Kaiba as they entered the room.

"Shino and June are over there, fast asleep. I've put them under a spell. They should wake up in about an hour or so. We couldn't carry them out due to the fire," Alice explained, her breath heavy from exertion.

"I've already put up a barrier. Anyone looking from outside will just see a wall of flames, nothing more. Only those involved in this battle can see us and the danger," Rika added, standing beside Alice in a defensive stance. Both of them appeared to have been in a fierce fight.

"I'll go and get the others to safety. You three focus on taking down that creature," Kaiba said, determined, and swiftly departed to retrieve Shino and June.

"What happened, and where's the enemy?" Mike asked, his voice filled with urgency as he summoned his mystical sword, preparing for the imminent battle.

"That pillar of flame is the enemy," Alice replied, wincing in pain as she held onto her injured arm.

"Are you alright?" Mike asked with concern, his gaze shifting to Alice's wounded arm.

"It's just a burn. It will heal soon with Rika's assistance," Alice reassured him, still grimacing from the pain.

Curious, Mike decided to use his clairvoyance ability to investigate the pillar of flames. To his surprise, a holographic screen appeared on his mind.

+

Tale: The Girl Who Burned Herself (Damned)

Weakness: None

+

"She has no weakness? What are we supposed to do?" Mike asked, growing frantic.

"Just remain calm, nya," Teacher Cat entered through the front door, offering reassurance.

"Just defeat it, nya. It's as simple as that. Right, nya?"

"Right. Mike, are you ready for this?" Alice asked, her voice filled with determination as she prepared for battle.

Mike nodded in response, his resolve strengthening. Alice utilized her telekinesis to lift and manipulate debris in the surroundings, hurling it toward the pillar of flames.

With a swift motion, Mike lunged forward and attempted to slash at the pillar. Both of them attacked simultaneously, but their efforts proved futile as they failed to inflict any damage.

In retaliation, the flames fought back, shooting fireballs at them. Mike skillfully blocked some of the projectiles with his swords, while Alice countered the attacks using her telekinesis. Teacher Cat and Rika managed to dodge the fireballs, evading harm as the flames continued their assault.

Kaiba joined the battle, having successfully brought Shino and June to safety. Assessing the situation, Kaiba quickly formulated a plan in his mind.

"Alice, give me some time to prepare. I believe I can defeat that creature if I try," Kaiba declared with determination.

Alice nodded in agreement as Kaiba closed his eyes and extended both arms. Forming a triangular shape with his fingers, he aimed directly at the core of the flames.

"What is he doing?" Mike asked, focusing on blocking the incoming fireballs.

"He has an ability that requires some time to prepare. Just bear with it," Alice explained.

Mike and Alice did their best to block the fireballs hurtling toward them and Kaiba. Rika also aided their defense by utilizing her vines while maintaining the protective barrier.

"Mike, try throwing your sword into the flames, nya. You can summon it back, anyway, nya," Teacher Cat suggested, gracefully dodging a fireball.

Mike, determined, blocked another incoming fireball and followed Teacher Cat's advice. He hurled his sword directly at the pillar of flames, causing it to pierce through and reveal the silhouette of a small, shadowy hand.

"It's a child?" Mike questioned, taken aback by the unexpected sight.

"It's a damned creature, Mike! Nothing more, nothing less! Stay focused!" Alice exclaimed, swiftly blocking a barrage of fireballs aimed at them. Mike summoned his mystic sword once more, bracing himself to intercept the next wave of attacks.

Meanwhile, the raging flames within the building grew increasingly chaotic. Outside, the sound of sirens filled the air as authorities, including the police, firetrucks, and ambulances, arrived at the scene. The entire arcade building was engulfed in a sea of flames, creating a harrowing spectacle.

On the sidelines, Shino and June watched the chaos unfold, their expressions filled with worry.

"Where are the others? Where's Mike?" Shino anxiously inquired, his heart racing as he scanned the crowd, desperately searching for his childhood friend.

Shino's determination fueled his actions as he stood up and sprinted towards the engulfed arcade. Despite the attempts of the police to stop him, Shino's strong and robust physique allowed him to push through their resistance without hesitation.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Shino raced towards the burning entrance of the arcade, his voice echoing through the chaos.

"Mike! Where are you? I'm coming, buddy! Don't worry!" Shino shouted, his voice filled with urgency and determination. Sweat streamed down his body as he pushed himself forward, determined to find his friend amidst the turmoil.

As Shino was on the verge of entering the arcade, braving the raging sea of flames, Mike suddenly appeared before him, reaching out to grab his hands.

"I'm okay,"