Episode 15: Bond Forged in Flame

The silver butterfly vanished into particles of light.

Kuro Jin remained still for a moment, high above Elaria's sleeping streets, his cloak fluttering against the night wind. His gaze drifted west—toward the sea.

But his mind... was elsewhere.

[Memory Echo Active – Trace Signature Detected: Akira Daisuke]

Location: 3.4 km south | Vital Signs: Stable | Consciousness: Active

He clenched his fist.

"I didn't expect him to survive... let alone move."

The system pulsed with a silent query—Would you like to set a waypoint?

He didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

---

[Forest Edge – Temporary Shelter]

Akira tightened the strap on his makeshift armor—a scavenged piece from a fallen hunter, scratched but functional. His katana rested against a tree, newly polished. The light in his eyes—clearer than ever.

His body still ached, but the burning pain was gone—washed away by unfamiliar warmth. The memory of the flame... that gentle surge of healing...

"That power... wasn't magic," he muttered, standing.

Footsteps behind him.

He didn't turn, but his grip subtly shifted to his weapon.

"I figured you'd be gone by now," Akira said calmly.

Kuro Jin stepped into view, hands tucked into his coat.

"You were unconscious. Leaving you like that would've been a dick move."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "Says the guy who disappears right after saving someone."

Kuro Jin smirked slightly. "Guilty."

The silence between them stretched for a moment—neither awkward, nor strained.

Just... real.

Akira finally turned, eyes meeting Kuro Jin's.

"You knew I'd survive?"

"I wasn't sure," Kuro Jin admitted. "But something told me you weren't done yet."

Akira exhaled, a small laugh escaping. "You've got a weird way of showing concern."

Kuro Jin looked away, gazing up at the faint aurora dancing over Noveria's night sky.

"You're strong. You kept going when most would've died. That matters more to me than bloodlines or fate."

Akira studied him, the pieces clicking into place.

"You're not from this world, are you?"

Kuro Jin didn't answer directly.

But his silence said enough.

---

They sat beside the fire, the flickering flames casting shadows across their faces.

"You healed me using that... flame," Akira said slowly. "But it felt different. Not just healing. It felt alive."

Kuro Jin stared into the fire.

"It's called the Second Flame. A remnant of a higher system—before this world broke. It responds to will, not just intent."

"You risked exposure using it," Akira realized.

"I couldn't let you die."

Silence again—this time, heavier.

"…Why?" Akira asked.

Kuro Jin's voice was quiet.

"Because for the first time since I came here... I didn't feel alone when you stood beside me."

Akira blinked, surprised.

Kuro Jin chuckled dryly. "Don't get me wrong, you're still a pain in the ass. But… you fight with heart. And this world needs that more than ever."

A slow grin crept onto Akira's face.

"So what now? You gonna keep running solo?"

Kuro Jin stood, offering a hand.

"No. From here on... we fight together."

Akira took it without hesitation.

Their hands clasped—not as strangers.

But as warriors who had faced death… and chosen to rise again.

---

[System Update – Companion Bond Established: Akira Daisuke]

Title Unlocked: "Twin Flames"

Synergy Skills Available: Shared Vision | Cross-Trigger Counter | Flame Sync Protocol (Locked)

---

[New Objective: Reach Norvahel – The Drowned City Beneath the Stars]

As dawn broke on the horizon, Kuro Jin and Akira set out—side by side—for the path that would lead them into forgotten ruins, fractured gods, and a secret that could rewrite the world.

But more importantly…

They were no longer alone.

[To Be Continued...]

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