The next afternoon, Chiaki finally woke up.

"Are you okay?" Hajime asked.

"Yes, I'm just tired" Chiaki yawned.

"How can you be tired after you've been sleeping for like twelve hours?" Natsumi asked.

"I don't know" Chiaki said.

"Well lucky for you, I saved some fish udon just for you" natsumi said proudly.

"Thank you...I think" Chiaki said.

...

Following Chiakis lunch, Chiaki located the next heart fragment location with her keyblade. Hajime looked at the map as always and readied the sails.

"So where to captain?" Natsumi asked.

"The world of eternal fire" Hajime said.

"Damn, that's some name" natsumi said.

"It's as dangerous as it sounds, so we will need to be extra cautious" Hajime said.

"Don't worry" natsumi said," you know I got your backs"

"Thank you natsumi" Chiaki said.

"Sure thing" natsumi said proudly.

...

By the time they arrived, the sun had set and revealed a sky full of stars. The world of eternal fire glowed ominously with rivers of lava. When the trio docked at the beach, the sand was as black as the sky above.

"Stay close and keep your guard up" Hajime instructed.

Together the trio walked through the black beach and over a bridge of rocks.

"So is this red stuff fire?" Chiaki asked.

"Its like liquid fire" natsumi explained.

"However it's really hot and can burn away anything it touches" Hajime explained," so don't touch it"

"Okay" Chiaki nodded.

"Hey, do you get the feeling we're being watched?" Natsumi asked.

"It could be a hopeless" Hajime said," in that case we should just keep moving"

"Yeah, we'd be in some deep shit if it attacked us right here" natsumi said.

...

The trio walked through the spiraling bridge of rocks over the lava until they reached a large open area surrounded by a moat of lava. As soon as they entered the area, rocks clash and feel over where they had previously entered through. Everyone turned to see the sealed exit to find a shadowed figure of a beast looming over the rubble. The beast leapt into the open area and revealing itself to be a tiger hopeless. It looked like a white tiger, minus the red eyes, large size, and heart insignia on its chest. However the most peculiar thing about the tiger hopeless was its long tail that curved around the area like a snake a streak of silver fur on its back. The tail was so long that its end was hidden behind the rubble.

"I got this" natsumi said holding up her spear.

"Natsumi, be careful" Hajime shouted," were surrounded by lava".

"Don't care" natsumi said as she charged towards the tiger hopeless," Chiaki, make sure to shoot it as soon as you get the chance".

Natsumi charged with her spear at the tiger hopeless only for it to swipe at her. Just before natsumi could get hit, she jumped over the incoming paw and stabbed the tiger hopeless in the ribs. The tiger hopeless yowled in pain as natsumi dug her spear deeper into its ribs. Chiaki was about ready to aim her keybeam until a loud roar echoed through the area. Hajime turned his head to see a second tiger hopeless standing over the rubble. This tiger hopeless was black with white markings and a streak of blonde fur on its back. Upon closer examination, Hajime noticed that both tiger hopeless were connected through their long tail. Before Hajime or Chiaki could react, the black tiger hopeless leapt over them and pinned natsumi down.

"Get off me!" Natsumi struggled under the weight of the tigers paws.

Chiaki aimed a fireball at the black tiger to try to get its attention only for the white tiger to get up and take the hit. When chiaki tried to run past the white tiger to reach natsumi, the white tiger pounced on her. Hajime watched in horror as both girls struggled under the tigers paws.

"When I get out, you are going to wish you never met me!" Natsumi shouted.

Then the black tiger moved its head down to natsumi until they looked each other in the eyes. Natsumi tried to break from the tigers gaze only to fall prey to it. As natsumi looked into the tigers eyes she felt a growing feeling of fear as she began to realize.

"Fuyu?" Natsumi asked in a terrified whisper.

The tiger didn't say a word, but rather it nodded.

"No.." natsumi said as tears started to form in her eyes," my brother would never..."

Just before natsumi could start to cry, the black tiger raised its claws and clawed out natsumis heart. The heart floated in the air a bit before being swallowed by the black tiger hopeless.

"NATSUMI!" Hajime shouted as he tried to run to her lifeless body.

The black tiger licked its lips before facing Hajime. Hajime stared at the tiger with eyes blinded by rage and hate before his heart left him. While Hajimes heart floated to a safe place over head, Izuru took over and summoned his own obsidian keyblade. The black tiger lunged at him only for Izuru to cut it right in two through the chest. As the black tiger devolved into shadow the white tiger cried in sorrow. Izuru glared at the white tiger that was full of sorrow and hate. The white tiger charged at Izuru and met the same fate as the black tiger.

Chiaki stared speechless at Izuru as the freed hearts floated around. One heart floated to natsumi and entered through her chest while two other hearts entered chiakis keyblade. Chiaki walked over to natsumis body.

"You need not worry" Izuru said," she will regain consciousness eventually".

"What happened to her?" Chiaki asked.

"She learned the hopelesses true identity" Izuru said coldly," they were nanamis beloved friends and knights all along"

"But how?" Chiaki asked.

"They simply gave into the despair in their hearts and became the monsters you now face" Izuru explained," it doesn't really effect you"

"But they were nanamis friends" Chiaki said.

"Yes, and you are not Nanami" Izuru said," therefore you should not care"

"Still, it feels wrong to see people suffer...I think" chiakis said.

"Nobodies can't feel" Izuru said," never forget that"

Chiaki held her hands over her heart before she took a deep breathe.

"Let's just get the heart fragment and leave" Chiaki said," can you carry natsumi?"

"Yes" Izuru said.

...

The two walked in silence for what felt like hours till the reached a tiny shrine made of obsidian. Chiaki took the heart fragment from its alter and accepted it before fainting.

...

'Today your mother and I have a big surprise for you'

"What is it?"

'We are going to let you pick your own legion of knights'

"Really? Are you sure I'm ready?"

'Of course, it will be better to assemble your most loyal knights now so they will be there for you when you take the throne'

"They won't be old will they?"

'No, they are all your age. Here I have their information right here'

"They all look so interesting. Are you sure they would want to be my knights?"

'I'm sure once they get to know you better and see how selfless and kind you are they will support you through thick and thin'

"Then I'll be there for them through thick and thin"

'That's my girl'