Fujimoto is missing

I woke up to the distant sound of children's laughter.

Sunlight filtered through cracks in the wood, drawing golden lines across my face. The air was warm, and the worn , rough sheet clung to my sweaty skin.

I opened my eyes slowly. The roof was made of woven straw, and the smell of fresh bread mingled with the dust.

"Where... am I?"

I looked around and saw a woman with brown hair tied in a bun, stirring a pot. Two children were playing with colorful stones near the wall.

I tried to get up, but my body still felt heavy.

— Excuse me… who are you? — I asked.

The woman turned around. She had green eyes and a firm smile, the kind of smile of someone who has lived too long to be frightened by anything.

"My name is Serika ," she said , wiping her hands on a cloth.

"Girl, why were you alone in the middle of the desert? " she asked me.

"Girl...?" I repeated , confused.

She frowned.

— Yes, of course. You're a girl, aren't you? And since I don't know your name, I called you that. — she said Serika .

It took me a moment to remember…

" That's right... now I'm a girl."

"My name is Fujinomiya ," I replied , trying to hide my discomfort.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Serika approached the window and pointed outside.

"We are in Mimeria . A small but lively city," she replied.

I looked through the opening in the wall and, outside, I saw simple houses, dirt roads, and a few people selling fruit and fabrics. The landscape was unlike anything I remembered.

"How long does it take to get from here to Kakarel ?" I asked .

She raised an eyebrow.

" Kakarel ? It's a two-day trip from here to there, weather permitting, " Serika said.

"I need to get there. I have to find someone named Aioze ," he said firmly.

As soon as I pronounced the name, Serika paled.

" Oh, twelve ...? The leader of the Mercenaries of Good?" he repeated hesitantly.

— That's right. — I replied.

"Are you crazy?! That group is way too dangerous!" She yelled and dropped the cloth on the floor.

"Dangerous? I'm part of it. " I frowned .

Her gaze froze. In an instant, Serika began pacing nervously .

"No, no, no... this can't be true! A member of the Mercenaries for Good is staying at my house! " he said . Serika .

The children stopped playing and looked at their mother in fright.

I tried to get up, supporting myself with my hands on the bed.

"What's the problem with having someone from the Mercenaries of Good here in Mimeria ? " I asked.

Serika turned slowly, her eyes filled with tension.

"The problem, my dear, is that this city is ruled by the Blue Dragons," he replied . Serika .

— Blue Dragons...? — I asked , trying to understand.

— A rival organization to the Mercenaries of Good. They control the trade, the guards, and even the informants. If they find out there's anyone connected to Aioze here, they'll kill you. Without hesitation. — she explained , her voice trembling.

My body went cold. Sweat trickled down my temples.

— W- kill me...? — I said.

"Right now. And if they find you here, they'll kill me and my daughters too, " she confirmed .

I looked at the children, who were watching me in silence, not understanding the danger that hung over us.

A shiver ran down my spine.

" Damn... once again, chaos follows me. Wherever I go, I take danger with me."

Serika sighed deeply, approaching the table.

"Listen, Fujinomiya ... I don't know what you did to end up alone in the desert, but if you want to live, you need to get out of here before the sun sets ," he said . Serika

I remained silent for a few seconds. Fear and exhaustion were fighting inside me.

But one thing was certain: running away again would not bring me peace.

" Serika ... tell me, is there any way to leave the city without being seen?" I asked.

She hesitated, looking out the window.

"Perhaps... through the underground channel of the ancient temple. It's risky, but it leads directly to the road to the north," he replied . Serika .

"Then that's where I'm going, " I said.

Serika looked at me with a gaze that was a mixture of courage and compassion.

"You're more stubborn than you look, girl," she said.

— I always have been. — I replied , forcing a smile.

She turned to her daughters.

"Girls, bring water and a cloak for our guest," she said . Serika .

"If you're truly part of the Mercenaries of Good... then you must know there's no easy path for those who bear that name. " Serika approached me and spoke in a lower tone.

— I know. But even so, I need to find them. There's something only I can do. — I replied .

Serika nodded, without asking any more questions.

And at that moment, I realized she didn't fully believe me... but there was something in my eyes that prevented her from doubting.

Meanwhile, in the Tamarin Desert .

The sun hadn't even fully risen yet, but the heat was already beginning to spread across the Tamarin desert . The cold sand of dawn mingled with the biting wind, and an eerie silence hung over the camp.

Koharu slowly opened her eyes. The cabin was shrouded in twilight, and the soft sound of Max's breathing was the only sign of life inside.

She stood up slowly, stretching her arms.

She looked around; Fujimoto 's futon was empty. The sheet was rumpled. No sign of him.

Koharu 's heart raced. She hurried out of the hut, the wind whipping against her face, stirring up the sand. The horizon was nothing but a golden sea that moved endlessly. No footprints. No shadows.

Without thinking twice, she ran to the cabin next door and began banging on it forcefully.

— Shana ! Shana , wake up! — he shouted. Koharu .

"What do you want so early...?" a sleepy voice replied from inside.

The curtain opened and Shana appeared, her hair disheveled and her gaze irritated, but one look at Koharu 's expression was enough to understand that something was wrong.

"What happened?" she asked seriously.

" Fujimoto ... he disappeared," he said . Koharu , trying to control her breathing.

"What do you mean he just disappeared? Are you sure he didn't just... go for a walk?" she asked . Shana .

Koharu shook her head.

"The desert isn't a place for a stroll, Shana . If he'd only been gone for a short time, he would have already returned. And besides, there aren't any footprints near the cabin," she replied . Koharu .

Shana narrowed her eyes, assessing the situation.

"Did you leave any demons on guard?" Koharu asked.

"No. They wouldn't last a whole night in a desert like that, remember?" he replied . Shana .

The silence between the two lasted only a second, enough for the gravity of the situation to weigh on both of them.

Shana took a deep breath.

"If Fujimoto ran away... we have a much bigger problem than it seems," he said . Shana .

Koharu clenched her fists.

"I suspect he did flee," she said . Koharu .

Shana 's eyes widened.

"Damn it ... I 'll wake Himeno and Hiroshi. You wake Max. Let's go find him now," he muttered .

Koharu nodded and ran back inside the cabin.

She knelt beside Max and shook him by the shoulders.

"Max, wake up! Fujimoto has disappeared!" he shouted . Koharu .

Max opened one eye, confused.

"It disappeared...? What do you mean?" Max asked.

" It's nowhere to be found. Shana will gather everyone together," she replied . Koharu .

A few minutes later, the five of them were together in the center of the camp. The wind made the tents creak, and the orange sky began to announce the dawn.

Himeno rubbed her eyes, still sleepy.

"So he really disappeared...?" Himeno asked.

Koharu nodded.

"Yes. There's no sign of a struggle, nor any recent footprints. It's as if he simply... left," he said . Koharu .

Hiroshi crossed his arms, his gaze suspicious.

" Hmph . I'm not surprised. After all, he must have thought it was best to run away," said Hiroshi.

Shana shot him a sharp look.

"You're not going to start with that now, Hiroshi," he said . Shana .

"I'm just stating the obvious. Fujimoto has never been the type to accept depending on anyone," he replied indifferently.

Himeno looked at the ground, worried.

"Even so, running away alone in this desert... is suicide," she said . Hymen .

Koharu took a deep breath, trying to think.

"We have to find him before the sun gets too strong," he said . Koharu .

Shana nodded.

— I agree. Let's split into pairs and cover as much area as possible. — he said . Shana .

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow.

"What if he doesn't want to be found?" Hiroshi asked .

"Then we'll bring him by force if necessary," Koharu replied before Shana could speak.

The wind picked up, kicking up a cloud of sand around them. The sun began to rise on the horizon, painting the desert red.

— Fujimoto ... where did you end up this time? — Shana looked eastward and murmured.

The group then prepared themselves, each with their cloak and their determination.

Tamarin desert did not forgive those who traveled alone.

But Fujimoto was already far away… following his own destiny.

The wind was blowing hot and dry when the group split up to look for me.

Koharu , Shana , and Himeno headed north, while Hiroshi and Max took the opposite route.

Tamarin desert was a golden sea that swallowed any trace of footprints, a place where even time seemed to get lost.

Hours passed.

As the sun began to set on the horizon, the heat lessened, but fatigue weighed heavily on everyone.

Koharu was the first to return to the meeting point, her face covered in sweat and sand. Shana and Himeno appeared soon after, exhausted.

A short time later, Hiroshi and Max also returned.

Shana looked around, hopeless.

"Nothing... no clues," he said . Shana .

Himeno sighed, wiping her face with a cloth.

"Not a sign of him. It seems the desert swallowed him up," he said . Hymen .

Hiroshi crossed his arms, gazing at the reddish horizon.

A subtle smile appeared on his lips.

He turned to the others with a cold and nonchalant tone.

"Let's go to base right away. I want to have my breakfast," said Hiroshi.

Shana clenched her fists, furious.

"You've got to be kidding me! Fujimoto 's missing and all you can think about is eating?!" she shouted . Shana .

Hiroshi gave a teasing half-smile.

"Sorry, I didn't understand what you said. Your huge breasts are distracting me... maybe I should lick them to concentrate better," Hiroshi said sarcastically.

"You bastard!!!" he shouted . Shana 's body began to glow with demonic energy.

— Shana , no! Please, not here! The desert will react to your energy! — he shouted. Hymen , running towards her.

Shana was breathing heavily, her body trembling with rage.

— Shana , stop. He wants to provoke you. If you lose control, that's exactly what he wants. — Max approached, his voice firm.

Shana glared at him with eyes filled with fury, but gradually the dark aura surrounding her began to dissipate.

She turned her back, biting her lip.

"You're trash, Hiroshi," he said . Shana .

Hiroshi simply shrugged, as if nothing had happened.

"I know," Hiroshi replied .

Himeno took a deep breath, trying to defuse the tense atmosphere.

"Please, stop this. Now is not the time for fighting. We need to think about how Fujimoto is doing," he said . Hymen .

The silence that followed was heavy. The wind blew between the huts, lifting grains of sand like tiny golden sparks.

It was then that a shadow appeared in the distance.

Max pointed.

"Look! There are people coming in that direction!" Max shouted.

The group turned around, and gradually the silhouettes became familiar.

Aioze walked ahead, accompanied by Yuuki , Gerald, Lysandra , and close behind came the sisters Mayumi and Shouta .

As they approached, Koharu ran towards them.

"Mr. Aioze ! I'm so glad you've arrived!" he shouted . Koharu .

Aioze looked at her seriously.

"What happened?" Aioze asked.

Koharu took a deep breath, trying to organize her words.

" Fujimoto disappeared during the night. We searched everywhere, but... we found nothing," he explained . Koharu .

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Yuuki frowned.

"Did you leave him alone?" Yuuki asked.

"No! He simply vanished without a trace," she replied . Koharu .

Aioze remained silent for a few seconds. The wind made his cloak billow, and his gaze turned cold.

— I understand. — he said. Aioze .

He gazed thoughtfully at the horizon.

"Let's go back to base. We'll think of a plan there," he said . Aioze .

No one argued. Everyone was tired, and the idea of returning seemed like the only possible consolation.

Lysandra walked to the huts, raised one hand, and murmured a spell .

The tents began to shrink until they became small orbs of light, which disappeared into their palms.

— Okay. Everything's put away. — he said Lysandra .

"Then let's go. The desert has taken enough from us for today," he said . Aioze .

The group started walking.

The sun was setting slowly, painting the sky orange and purple.

Each one continued in silence, lost in their own thoughts, some worried, others relieved...

And somewhere far away, I continued to wander aimlessly, guided only by the hope that I might one day be able to return.