"What kind of name is Discontinuity?" Julie sighed. Ria had informed her of the new information that she had found and it didn't help that they were still in the dark about the Nexus. "Great… I'd better tell the rest of the gang."

The brawlers were exasperated. What on earth was going on? Where were they meant to look for answers? Nothing seemed to point them remotely to any particular direction and it was beginning to get frustrating. The new information didn't help in the slightest. What would a sculpture have to do with an unknown force at work? What exactly was going on?!

"Why don't we go for a walk?" Alice suggested. Their collective thought-stewing was getting them nowhere; a clear mind was what they all needed and would benefit from. It was an idea well received. A cool afternoon, perfect for walking and letting go of life's worries. They strolled to some shops for sweet treats and to window shop. The collective frustration was slowly ebbing away and everyone's attitudes were getting better. They had spent about half an hour outside and were preparing to go back when a figure approached them.

"I need to speak to all of you." No introductions, no name, no chance to refuse. "It will benefit you."

The brawlers were startled at the abrupt intrusion into their stroll; one of them quickly snapped out of it though.

"Who do you think you are?! You can't just come up to us like that. Not cool! Are you from the streets, you looking for a fight punk?!" Baron and Marucho quickly tried to calm Jake down.

The figure regarded each brawler cautiously. His eyes connecting with each one of theirs for at least a second. After some thought, he indulged them with introducing himself.

"My name is Akashi Hiiro."

Are you Akashi Hiiro? Are you the guy who made the sculpture?" Marucho asked. Said man nodded in response. The brawlers had decided to indulge the newcomer and were sitting in a private booth in a nearby café, courtesy of Marucho. They had suggested going to Runo's café but for sake of security, decided against it.

"Did you know we were looking for you?" Marucho added, "How did you know where to find us?"

"I've been looking for an opportunity to speak to you ever since that serpent showed up. To be honest, my time is very limited." Akashi's overall appearance did not speak well for him. He did look ill. "No, I am not sick or dying. I am waiting." As if knowing what was going in everyone's mind, he threw them off with that statement. What did he mean he was waiting?

Akashi directed his gaze at Dan saying, "You should know that this has to do with you immensely." Dan could only lightly chuckle. As if he didn't know this already, "Yeah, I figured that much." The expression on Akashi's face could only be read as pity. It wasn't missed by the brawlers, especially Dan, "Look, if you have something to say, then just say it."

It was a couple of minutes before Akashi spoke again but this time he asked what the brawlers knew already. Shun replied him with everything they knew and what they wanted him to tell them about his sculptural masterpiece. "Tell us about this art piece you made, Discontinuity. What is it meant to be or represent?"

"Discontinuity was my final piece because the inspiration came to me in a dream. A dream where I heard voices yelling in agony at me. Telling me that it was my fault. That I was to disappear. Not long after I heard a male voice. He asked me to send a message to a particular person. He said that the person will understand once they got it. Then, it was like a photo in my mind. A detailed picture of a place only the mind go. I was mentally hooked. I couldn't help myself. I had to recreate it, to recapture the beauty that I saw. It was only after I had made it that the emotional weight came crashing down on me. Sculptures and pictures are physical representations of captured memories or workings of the mind. So I dared to ask since I felt deep down that this was not a moment of inspiration but of dread, what was the message in what I had done?"

Suddenly he collapsed and his breathing became shallow. Baron and Jake were nearby and rushed to sit him upright by acting as supports. Marucho was dialling on his Bakupod, most likely trying to get the man some medical help without scaring the people in the café. Akashi's pallor was getting worse and he was trembling but he reiterated, pulling Marucho's hands apart, "I'm not dying because I am already dead."

Enough shocking statements for one day! Seriously! It took a while for everyone to get their heads around the day's events. Ace was the first to speak, "You were waiting because you needed to deliver the message?" Akashi nodded. "I was the man who instigated the destruction of the Nexus. The person then and who I am now, existed separately and connectedly courtesy of the doppelganger effect. To put it in simpler terms, my past self, contacted me and told me about my future." His skin started to crack like he was clay model himself, he looked towards Dan. "My message was to Dan Kuso." He was disintegrating slowly but surely.

"You too were once contacted by your past self and considering who that was, the Universe was almost thrown into chaos because of it. I am the message and this is the warning. The Nexus was disconnected as a result of the sacrifice your past-self did to protect his home. It was the result of looking for the people's safety rather than the Universe's. The Disconnect will lead to a number of catastrophes that we can only wait for."

Akashi was almost gone, his being was wafting through the air, but he stood up, walked to be directly in front of Dan and knelt down. Every brawler's eye was glued to the scene. "As the reincarnation of Prince Kiyen, should you pursue the people's safety in wake of the upcoming disasters, your soul may be required of you too."

"Are you willing Daniel to sacrifice who you are to become the person you once were. Will you inherit Kiyen's will? Kiyen who was the crown prince and host of the Nexus Oculum, who did not carry out the desires of the Oculum for whom he was meant to serve. Know that if you should attempt it, the Oculum will attempt to take back what it has claimed for itself. And all in the name of balance, it will not hesitate to destroy you."

Dan and Shun recognised the last part of the statement. The serpent's own warnings. Dan looked curiously and dejectedly into the fading man in front of him, "You were the serpent that attacked me. Weren't you?"

Akashi smiled slightly before completely fading away but his last words were heard before they were carried away by the wind … "Yes, I was and yet, I was not."

Dan got up and walked out of the café, ignoring the calls of his friends. He walked without actively taking note of his surroundings. He walked until he came up to a familiar park and he sat on one of the benches. He was grasping at straws to get a sense of reality. He was the reincarnation of a prince and bad things were going to happen because said prince had been selfless. Did this mean that ultimately it was going to be his fault for the future of the Universe? Was he going to die too, like Akashi?

He felt raindrops fall on his face. Good. They will mask the tears that were threatening to fall on his face. He wasn't sure what move to make next. There must be something that he could do or why else would he be involved! He gripped his head in frustration. He didn't notice the blunette standing a stone's throw away. But she couldn't stand to see him break down either. So she ran to him and placed her hands on his, easing the death grip that they had on Dan's hair.

It might have been a few seconds but it felt longer. Dan slowly raised his head to look at the girl who was, in turn, looking at him with sadness and concern. "I don't know what to do", he admitted. He hadn't registered the moment when his tears had fallen but as soon as it happened, Runo wiped them away and wrapped her arms around Dan in a hug. She replied in a whisper, "What do you want to do?"

"I'm scared of myself Runo. I want to do the right thing but I have no idea how to."

"No matter what you choose, we will… I will always be there for you."

Moments like this were few and far in between especially with their separate statuses in the world of brawling. But moments like this were always appreciated by both parties. Without the expectations of public and eyes of nosey friends, they were not afraid of being transparent and honest with each other.

That's why Runo knew not to say anything in response because she already knew the boy in front of her.

That's why she wasn't afraid of levelling her cerulean gaze with his.

She wasn't ashamed of leaning in towards him.

She wasn't shocked when she felt him hold her firmly, pulling her close.

She wasn't surprised when she felt his lips touch hers.

She wasn't hesitant in welcoming his tongue into her mouth.

She wasn't concerned with the world around them as she kissed Dan back.

It was moments like this that she secretly cherished and looked forward to.

With the rain falling in cascades around them, the white noise giving them the focus they needed for each other, Runo knew Dan needed her and vice versa.

Would there come a time where she couldn't be there for him when he needed her the most? Those were the kind of fears running through her mind as she passionately kissed Dan, the person she was willing to sacrifice for.

She had already crossed the point of no return: she had ultimately come to love him.