Kai leaned forward, brows furrowed. "How the hell did Takeshi get across the world?"

It wasn't just a passing curiosity - their entire group was wondering the same thing. It wasn't as if he could simply hop on a commercial flight. Takeshi was hardly a low-profile individual. He was well-known, a mutant swordsman affiliated with the Mutant Outlaws. His reputation alone would have made him a target the moment he stepped into an airport.

Especially after his public bout with Thundercutter that pushed him to the top of the Association's dangerous rogue mutant list.

Sayuri exhaled softly, shaking her head. "That... I don't know."

Disappointment flickered across Kai's face, but before he could press the issue further, the soft creak of the door pulled their attention.

Takeshi stepped in, his blindfold back in place, concealing the jagged scar that ran across his eyes. His signature blue robes flowed around him as he moved, graceful as ever. It was almost surreal - watching him enter so calmly, as if two days ago, he hadn't engaged in a city-shattering duel.

A battle that had levelled buildings, caused devastation, and left dozens dead.

Yet here he was, settling beside Sayuri with the same measured composure he always carried.

Without hesitation, he began communicating - his hands moving in deliberate gestures, subtle shifts in posture conveying words none of them could hear. Even Nadya, who had spent the most time around him, struggled to decipher his silent language. But Sayuri?

She understood it effortlessly.

"As I'm sure you've gathered," she began, voice steady, "Ryuunosuke is the man they now call Thundercutter."

The name sent a ripple of tension through the room.

"We don't know much about what he did after he left us, but one thing is certain - he became even more violent, more unstable. I heard of his exploits around the country, where he carved a name for himself among the Yakuza. And then..."

She hesitated, fingers brushing against the wooden table.

"Then the Z Virus changed everything."

Kai jumped in. "We're in Japan, right?"

Sayuri nodded, to which he thanked her, appreciating the confirmation.

"After the outbreak, just like Takeshi, he evolved. They both became supernatural swordsmen - one publicly deemed a figure of order, the other a rogue renegade."

Her expression darkened slightly.

"That couldn't be further from the truth, and I definitely don't believe Ryuunosuke has changed for the better. If anything, I'm sure he has only descended deeper into the depths of depravity."

Silence settled between them.

"Takeshi says that he sensed his presence in the city. And even after years of practice, meditation, and restraint... he couldn't resist. He went to face him."

Her voice softened slightly, almost as if recalling an old wound.

"It had been so long since he felt that kind of intensity - since his blade had met a worthy opponent. His swordsmanship is fluid because of his discipline. His mind must remain clear, his heart still. That's the core of his strength and what allows him to strike so swiftly and effortlessly."

Nadya leaned in. "And what happened?"

Sayuri's gaze flickered toward Takeshi, who continued with his gestures.

"Things spiralled out of control. This wasn't two brothers clashing blades in the rain - it was two men wielding the elements themselves, like deities of old."

Her voice was quiet now.

"They fought for over an hour, causing more destruction than they could ever hope to repair. And who knows how many lost their lives that night?"

"But in the end... Takeshi says he lost."

"Takeshi lost?!"

Kai's reaction mirrored the shock in the others' expressions. It was difficult to believe. Takeshi was a swordsman unlike any other - they had seen it firsthand.

He always managed to overcome any opponent or obstacle with ease, and they doubted they had even seen the full extent of his ability. Yet he was somehow bested.

But most importantly... he was alive. That alone was a relief.

Takeshi continued his gestures, Sayuri translating his words seamlessly.

"He says he tried to fight aggressively, adopting a swordsmanship style that didn't match who he was. He was overcome with emotion, and it only caused him to lose control of his sword path. His raw power was greater, but that wasn't enough."

Her lips curved slightly, a ghost of a smile.

"Still... he doesn't care that he lost. If anything, he's glad he fought him. It's like something heavy was lifted from his chest - like facing something he had been avoiding for years."

Kai exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "That still doesn't explain why he's here."

Nadya crossed her arms. "Or how he got here."

The group fell silent again, waiting.

Shadow, always an enigma, remained quiet, observing. The rest simply listened, the tale feeling more and more like something pulled straight from an ancient cultivation novel.

Sayuri finally spoke again.

"After the fight, Takeshi was worried that Ryuunosuke would come after me, ignited by memories of the past."

Her expression barely shifted, but something in her tone changed - a quiet weight settled in her words.

"Unlike the two of them, I'm not a mutant. If he wanted to kill me, I wouldn't stand a chance."

Kai's gaze sharpened slightly. He wasn't sure why, but something about Sayuri felt off. She was skilled, he could tell that much. She had snuck up on them effortlessly, moved with practised grace, and carried herself with silent confidence.

But even if she was a master of stealth and swordsmanship, there was no way a regular human could withstand a lightning bolt or a blade of wind.

"So, Takeshi rushed here. Restless, frantic. Hijacked a plane and did whatever it took to get to me."

Kai raised a brow. "He hijacked a plane?"

Sayuri chuckled softly.

"When he arrived, he was in horrible condition. I patched him up, and he's been here since."

Kai leaned back, processing.

It made sense. And yet...

Sven smirked, giving Takeshi a nod of approval. "Even I haven't hijacked a plane just to cross the globe, let alone engaged in a supernatural sword fight in the middle of a city with half the world watching the broadcast."

Takeshi said nothing. Meanwhile, Nadya scolded Sven for being such a loose cannon, which was ironic coming from the wild-haired woman who had blown up more things than she could count.

-

The tension in the room, which had been thick enough to cut with a blade, slowly dissipated. The air shifted - what had begun as a serious, almost grim conversation turned into something far more relaxed.

Sayuri could feel it. The weight pressing on Takeshi's shoulders, the quiet burden he always carried - it had lessened.

And as the discussion drifted toward lighter matters, she finally let herself smile.

"You must be Nadya, Sven, Kai, Isaac, Amina," she said, looking at each of them in turn.

Then her gaze landed on Lenny and Shadow.

"But he didn't mention you... or you."

Lenny shrugged, unfazed, while Shadow remained silent, as elusive as ever. It wasn't surprising - Shadow wasn't the type to have frequent encounters with Takeshi, nor was he one the blind swordsman would bring up. Their paths only crossed when absolutely necessary, and even then, it was never for long.

But even Takeshi himself seemed puzzled as his head tilted ever so slightly in the direction of the humanoid lizard standing among them.

A single brow lifted beneath the blindfold.

The group burst into laughter.

"Haha, he's the new guy," Sven chuckled, clapping the scaled figure on the back with ease.

And just like that, the weight of the past, of unspoken grief and lingering pain, melted away.

The conversation spiralled into something chaotic, casual, and completely at ease.

They started teasing Takeshi, joking about finally getting his blindfold off - something they'd spent ages trying and failing to do in the past. Of course, now that they'd seen the scars beneath, their jokes carried a tinge of respect, but that didn't mean they were going to let him off easy.

"So what, you just put it back on like nothing happened?" Kai teased, nudging him with an elbow.

"Come on, you should at least let us admire the tragic warrior aesthetic for a little longer," Sven smirked.

Takeshi didn't react much - his expression remained unreadable, as always - but Sayuri knew.

She had spent years watching him, understanding him better than anyone else ever could.

His posture was lighter.

The way his hands rested beside him, relaxed.

The way his breath came slower, at peace.

He was happy.

Even if his face didn't show it, she could tell.

Takeshi had found his place.

Even if that place was among an unpredictable, reckless, and completely rowdy bunch.

Sayuri let the conversation fade into the background as she stared at him, at the way the others laughed, teased, and threw playful insults his way.

And she smiled.

This was what she had wanted for him.

This was what he had been missing.

And now, he had finally found where he belongs.

But someone just had to go and ruin the wholesome mood now that the ragtag group were back together...

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