Under the daylight, Yushiro clung to Ren's back, arms loosely wrapped around his neck. Ren walked steadily with a blank expression, unsure how to deal with this bossy healer.
"So, you got caught right after I destroyed the Mandora?" Ren asked, adjusting his grip slightly.
Yushiro hummed, seeming quite content with his ride. "Yeah. It was that wavy-haired guy in silver at the auction."
Ren's eyes narrowed. "Azrael, huh."
"Mm. He even tried to form a pact with me," Yushiro continued, resting his chin on Ren's shoulder. "But he already had Solara, so it didn't work. He got mad and decided to sell me instead."
"Solara?"
"The fourth guardian, Shield of Life. A human can only have one Soul Guard. If they want another, the first one has to agree." Yushiro yawned. "Solara rejected me. He was pissed, but there was nothing he could do."
Ren kept walking, weaving through the platform's bustling crowd. His steps were steady, but his mind was elsewhere.
"You need to get stronger," Yushiro murmured, his voice growing drowsy. "He's going to come after you sooner or later…" His head tilted slightly, sleep already pulling him under.
Ren glanced at him before sighing. "Go ahead and sleep," he said, shifting his weight to carry him more comfortably. "I'll wake you when we get home."
With Yushiro asleep on his back, Ren continued forward, carrying not just him, but also their dinner and a set of new clothes. Almost all his spirit coins were gone.
But he wasn't worried.
He'd earn more.
Lira was waiting for them when they arrived. She took one look at Ren carrying Yushiro and smiled gently.
"Well, well," she mused. "At first, I thought you two were a couple. But now that I see you together… you're more like brothers."
Ren ignored her and adjusted his grip on Yushiro. "Let me put him to bed," he said, passing the bags in his hands to Lira before carefully laying Yushiro down on her bed.
Lira watched with mild amusement before sighing. "Maybe we should build a new room. You can't sleep on the sofa forever. And at this rate, it looks like I'll be losing my room too."
Ren straightened, stretching his stiff limbs. "Don't worry about it. I was planning to leave anyway."
Lira's expression fell. Of course, you drama queen, Ren thought.
"Why?" she pouted, batting her lashes. "Am I not beautiful enough to make you stay?"
Ren rolled his eyes. "I need to climb the Tower. I'll be moving to the Tokyo area near it soon. But first, I have to finish my quest." He looked at her seriously. "And I'd like to ask for your help."
The café was quiet, the usual hum of customers absent. A faint scent of roasted coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the soft glow of hanging lights. The "Closed" sign swayed gently on the door, casting a shadow on the floor.
Lira sat across from Ren, idly spinning a spoon between her fingers. "So, your mask… The clue says: The mask lingers where the forgotten are left behind." She let the words settle, her blue eyes flickering with thought. "Sounds poetic. If you ask me, it screams graveyard."
Ren leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Yeah, that's what I thought too."
"The Players' Graveyard," she clarified, propping her chin on her palm. "It's outside Tokyo prefecture "
Ren frowned. "Outside? Which prefecture is it in then?"
Lira let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "You still don't get it, huh?" She glanced toward the darkened windows as if looking beyond the city itself. "There is no other city or prefecture. Just Tokyo. Some call it Tokyo County. Everything outside? It's unknown land."
Now what, Tokyo County? Are we living in a Western fantasy now?!
The room felt heavier. Ren drummed his fingers against the table. "So you're saying-"
"That Tokyo is the only human settlement in all of Japan," she finished, twirling a lock of her hair. "And it's not just Japan. Every country in this world has one city or prefecture for humans. The rest?" She tilted her head toward the window again. "No one knows. No one wants to know."
Ren exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. "So humans are a rare species here."
Lira gave a small, knowing smirk. "Well, yeah. Makes sense, doesn't it? Since only criminals end up in this world."
Silence settled between them. The only sound was the faint creak of Lira's chair as she leaned back.
She continued, her voice quieter now. "There is a way to travel between other Asian countries. Near Tokyo Tower, there's a special door, it's part of the Tower itself. Through that, Asian players can access the Tower area. But if you want to reach a city outside of Asia…" She let the words hang, tracing invisible patterns on the wooden table. "You'd have to cross the unknown land. And trust me, that's a death wish."
Ren let out a dry chuckle. "If this happened in the living world, passports wouldn't be necessary."
Lira snorted. "Yeah. But let's focus on your problem. If we're looking for the Players' Graveyard, we need to leave Tokyo."
Ah right, my problem! Why Do I always end up listening to her stories?!!
Ren leaned forward, his voice steady. "Who the hell decided to build it out there?"
Lira's smirked. "No one." She tapped the edge of her cup, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "When a player dies, the world itself creates a grave for them. A record. A reminder of the kill."
What a psychopathic world!
"Can you just draw it on the map for me? I'm leaving tonight," Ren said, standing up.
Lira leaned back in her chair, stretching like a lazy cat. "Nope."
Ren blinked. "What?"
"I don't wanna." She smirked, watching the confusion spread across his face like a slow-motion explosion.
Ren sighed, already regretting this conversation. "How much do you want?"
Lira gasped, clutching her chest like he'd just accused her of murder. "That hurts~" She said dramatically. "Hey, Ryuu, do I look like a money sucker to you?"
Are you seriously asking me that?
Ren crossed his arms. "Then what do you want?"
Lira hummed a little tune, her expression unreadable. "Nothing."
Ren's forehead veins twitched. "Lira-"
"I just want you to take me with you." She grinned. "I'll be your human map."
Ren frowned.
"Wait!" Lira suddenly sat up. "You totally thought I'd be a burden, didn't you?!"
"Ah, so you know." Ren's voice dripped with mockery.
"Well, duh, I am a burden." She shrugged, then pointed at him. "So protect me."
Ren tried, really tried, to convince her to stay behind. But after losing the argument five times in a row, he gave up.
The sky burned with the last traces of daylight as Ren exhaled, rubbing his tired eyes. The weight of the day clung to his shoulders, but there was still more to do. He glanced up as the first stars flickered to life above him.
By nightfall, the air had cooled, and shadows stretched long across the ground.
Ren changed into a black shirt and a sleeveless, body-fitted dark purple jacket. He packed light, a water bottle, some dried food, and medicine (not that they'd need it).
Then he turned around and immediately choked on air.
"What the hell are you wearing?!"
Yushiro, dressed head to toe in a tight red-and-blue costume, tilted his head. "Lira gave it to me. Is it weird?" His voice came through the Spider-Man mask.
Ren stared. He opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again.
Right. Yushiro's an original citizen of the Spirit World. He has no idea who Spider-Man is.
Then, as if things weren't bad enough, the culprit appeared behind Yushiro.
Lira, dressed all in black, a tight long-sleeve shirt, fitted trousers, and hair messily tied up, looked like a professional thief. Or maybe an assassin.
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose. "Where did you even get that?" He pointed at Yushiro's outfit, his voice already exhausted.
Lira gasped. "Why?? Isn't it cute?" She placed her hands on Yushiro's shoulders, beaming like a proud mom.
"Change. Right now." Ren's voice was dead inside.
"Aww, come on," Lira pouted. "Let's just go, boss. Ryuu has zero fashion sense. I'll get you another outfit." She dragged Yushiro away, muttering something about "uncultured men" and "the tragedy of style."
After a while, she returned, Yushiro now dressed in normal clothes. She flopped onto the couch behind Ren, resting her chin on her palm.
"You really have no fashion sense," she complained.
Ren, busy adjusting his bag and sipping cola, scoffed. "How was that fashion?"
Lira smirked. "Well, okay, maybe Yushiro's too young for it. But you," she pointed at Ren, her grin widening, "you would look amazing in that suit."
Ren immediately choked on his drink. Coughing violently, his face turned red, not from the soda, but from her words. "Don't you have any shame?!"
Lira blinked, all innocent. Then, with a dramatic gasp, she clutched her chest like she was in a soap opera. "Oya~ Oya~ Neh, Ryuu, what did you think? I didn't mean anything dirty by that. How pervy~"
Ren: "...….???"
The trio stepped out of the café, the cool night air brushing against their faces. Parked right in front was a sleek black motorcycle, its chrome details gleaming under the dim streetlights.
Ren narrowed his eyes. "Where did you get this?"
"I borrowed it," Lira said proudly, crossing her arms.
Ren raised an eyebrow. "From who?"
Lira grinned. "Someone~"
"...Should I be worried?"
"Too late for that," she said, already grabbing the helmets from the seat. She handed a regular black one to Yushiro, another to herself, and then grinning like she just won the lottery, held up the third.
A bright pink helmet. With rabbit ears.
Ren stared at it. Then at her. Then back at it.
Lira beamed. "I got this one especially for you, Ryuu~"
Yushiro muffled a laugh behind his hand.
Ren slowly exhaled through his nose. "No."
Lira tilted her head. "Yes."
"I'm not wearing that."
"You are wearing that."
Ren ran a hand down his face. "Why does it have rabbit ears?"
"Because I love you," she said dramatically. "And I want you to look cute~"
Ren's soul visibly left his body.
Yushiro coughed to hide his laughter. "I think it suits you, too."
Ren shot him a glare. Then, realizing there was no way out of this, snatched the helmet from Lira's hands. "I hate both of you," he muttered, jamming it onto his head.
Lira clapped excitedly. "KYAAAHH!! IT LOOKS ADORABLE!!"
Ren sighed, already regretting every life choice that led him to this moment.