After Mayu's hasty departure, an uneasy silence hung in the air between Yuka and Kouta as they sat alone in the room. Both were anxiously awaiting Goku and Nyu's return.

Kouta's thoughts raced nervously. He was confident Goku could handle bringing Nyu back safely. But remembering their violent confrontation with armed soldiers previously, Kouta couldn't help worrying. What if something like that happened again?

His concerns were interrupted by Yuka speaking up hesitantly. "So...what exactly were you all talking about at the table earlier?"

"Huh? Oh..." Kouta hesitated, Goku's earlier words of caution echoing in his mind. Would it really be wise to tell everything to Yuka? She seemed so distressed already.

But gazing at her expression, Kouta knew Yuka deserved answers after all the strange occurrences.

"Well..." he began slowly. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Yuka fixed him with a stare. "I want to know everything. No more secrets, please."

Kouta gave a brief explanation of the beach attack, though leaving out most details.

Yuka's eyes went wide with alarm. "What?! You're saying soldiers actually attacked Nyu and Goku out there!?"

Kouta nodded grimly. "Yeah, and it's not just that. Detectives also came here to the house looking for Nyu once too."

"Why am I only just hearing about all this now!?" Yuka asked in frustration, her brows furrowing.

"We didn't want to worry you..." Kouta said apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck.

Yuka crossed her arms, clearly unappeased by the vague excuse. "Well, I'm worried now. You can't keep important things like that a secret."

Yuka's gaze flickered over to the empty spot at the table where Mayu had been. "And what about that girl, Mayu? What's her connection to all this?"

"She was there at the beach when the soldiers attacked," Kouta explained. "I guess she saw Goku fight them off to protect Nyu."

Yuka looked thoughtful, processing this new information. So Goku had faced down armed and likely highly trained military operatives, yet emerged unharmed? How was that possible? What was he not telling them?

A spike of anxiety cut through her swirling thoughts. "If people are really after Nyu like that, aren't you worried about her and Goku being out there right now? What if they're in danger again?"

"Of course I'm concerned. But im sure Goku is strong enough to protect himself and Nyu." Kouta's tone sounded more hopeful than truly convinced.

All this information was concerning for Yuka. It only made her suspicions about everything grow. "Well? Is there anything else I should know? I have a feeling you are leaving parts out."

Kouta hesitated, unsure just how much more to reveal. "I wish I could explain everything, but honestly I'm still piecing a lot of it together myself. It would be better to ask Goku once he comes back."

Yuka and Kouta sat quietly for a moment, lost in uneasy thoughts until Yuka spoke up hesitantly.

"There's something else I wanted to ask Goku about."

Kouta raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What is it?"

Yuka bit her lip. "Remember how Goku mentioned in his past about how police were in the orphanage, and him getting injured that day?"

Kouta nodded slowly. "Yeah, that did seem weird."

"Well, I think I might have heard something about an incident at an orphanage on the news a long time ago," Yuka said.

"Really?" Kouta said, looking intrigued. "What exactly did you hear?"

Before Yuka could elaborate further, a sudden knock at the front door made them both jump.

Yuka sighed, her revelations derailed. "I'll tell you more later," she told Kouta, getting up to answer the door.

Yuka slid the front door open apprehensively, hoping to see Goku and Nyu's return. To her immense relief, there was Goku, with Nyu peering out from behind him. She also happened to notice Mayu was back.

"Hey Yuka, I'm back!" Goku greeted. "And I brought Nyu ba-"

He paused as Yuka's relieved expression morphed into one of shock. Following her gaze, Goku realized she had spotted the still unconscious Nana cradled in his arms.

"Goku...what is this?" Yuka asked uneasily, eyes fixed on the strange girl.

Goku laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah yeah, about that...we sorta got attacked again."


Yuka gazed down at the young girl resting in the bed. Nana, as Goku had called her. She looked so small and frail lying there unconscious after her confrontation with Goku.

Nearby, Mayu sat quietly in a chair, idly swinging her feet back and forth. Yuka busied herself tending to Nana while Goku and Kouta spoke outside the room. She assumed they were discussing the mysterious altercation.

Gently, Yuka pressed an ice pack to Nana's head. She even noticed that the girl had a small cut on her lip. Goku said this was the girl who attacked them, and that made no sense. What was Goku thinking fighting her? She is just a little girl and yet Goku gave her a cut lip.

She shook her head, muttering angrily under her breath, "When I get a hold of him, I'm gonna have a stern talk to Goku about how to treat girls."

As Yuka gently adjusted the ice pack, she noticed something peculiar peeking out from under the ribbons in her hair. Carefully, Yuka untied one ribbon, gasping audibly as it revealed a small, bony protrusion...just like the horns Nyu had. With trembling fingers, she untied the other ribbon, confirming that Nana had two tiny horns.

"They're just like Nyu's..." Yuka whispered in shock. What did this mean? Were Nana and Nyu related somehow? Sisters, even? Her mind was spinning with questions.

Glancing over at Mayu, an idea struck Yuka. The young girl had apparently witnessed the whole confrontation between Goku and Nana. Maybe she could provide some clues while they awaited Nana's awakening.

Yuka suddenly called out, "Mayu, could you come here for a moment?"

The timid young girl looked up, confusion in her wide eyes. "Yes?" she responded shyly.

Yuka beckoned her over with a wave of her hand. Slowly, Mayu stood up from her chair and walked over to sit beside Yuka, posture tense with unease.

Yuka adopted a gentle, soothing tone. "You were there when everything happened earlier, right Mayu?"

Mayu gave a small nod, eyes downcast. "Mmhmm."

"Do you think you could tell me about what you saw?" Yuka asked. "It would really help me understand what's going on." She smiled warmly, hoping to set the girl at ease.

Mayu fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "I-I think so," she stammered.

"That's great," Yuka said encouragingly. "For starters, do you know why Nana and Goku were fighting in the first place?"

Mayu shook her head regretfully. "No, I'm sorry. I only got there after it started."

"That's alright," Yuka said gently. "Just tell me anything you can. Is there anything you can tell me about this girl Nana?"

Mayu hesitated, gazing over at the sleeping girl. "Well...it looked like she had some kind of strange, invisible power," she said at last.

Yuka's eyes widened slightly. "Invisible power? What do you mean?"

Haltingly, Mayu explained how she saw stone monuments torn apart by seemingly nothing while Goku dodged thin air. Yuka listened intently, though it was hard to believe.

At that moment, Nana began to stir, her eyelids fluttering slowly. "Papa...?" she murmured faintly, still disoriented. Then her red eyes flew wide open as awareness set in. She bolted upright in a panic.

"Papa!" Nana cried out desperately, head whipping around the unfamiliar room. Where was she? What happened?

Yuka gently but firmly pressed the distraught girl back down against the pillows. "It's alright, just try to relax," she soothed.

Nana's breath came in short gasps as fragmented memories returned - the fight, getting struck, then darkness. She clenched her fists tightly. She had lost and failed to retrieve Lucy or Goku. Papa would be so disappointed...if he even knew she was still alive.

With effort, Nana forced herself to take deeper breaths, regaining some composure. Cautiously, she surveyed her surroundings. The two kind-looking strangers were unfamiliar, and there was no sign of Lucy or Goku.

"Who are you?" Nana asked warily. She sensed no danger from them but remained guarded nonetheless. Where was Papa? How had she ended up here?

"My name is Yuka," she began gently. "And this is Mayu. Goku brought you here after you were...injured. We've been taking care of you." She gestured to Nana's bandaged head.

Nana's eyes went wide with surprise. "Goku...brought me here himself?" she asked hesitantly. If he was still nearby, she needed to be on high alert. Were these people associated with him somehow? She didn't understand his motives in bringing her to this unfamiliar place after their violent encounter.

Yuka nodded, speaking in a calm, soothing tone. "Yes, but don't worry about him right now. I'll deal with him later." She shook her head in disapproval.

Nana just stared back wordlessly, unsure how to respond.

"I mean, look what he did to your lip!" Yuka continued indignantly, caught up in her tirade.

Reflexively, Nana ran her tongue over the small cut inside her mouth. But hadn't she received this from one of Lucy's vector strikes?

"Um, actually I don't think Goku caused this injury," Nana spoke up hesitantly. "It was from...Lucy."

Yuka's brow furrowed in confusion. "Lucy? Who's that?"

"A horned girl, like me," Nana clarified. "I think Goku called her Nyu."

"Nyu?" Yuka repeated in surprise. Then she let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "Surely you can't be serious. She acts like a toddler. I couldn't imagine her doing that on purpose. It must have been an accident."

Yuka turned back to Nana, still trying to make sense of everything. "What exactly is your relationship to Nyu anyway?" she asked. "Why were you and Goku fighting over her?"

"My Papa sent me to retrieve her and bring her back home," Nana explained simply.

Yuka's eyes lit up. "Your Papa? So wait, are you and Nyu sisters then?" That would make this all just a big misunderstanding between family.

But Nana shook her head. "No, we're not related. Papa told me she was a dangerous person who had hurt many others. That's why I needed to capture her. It wasn't an accident when she attacked me."

Yuka recoiled slightly. "What? No, that can't be right. Nyu hurting someone intentionally?" She searched Nana's face for any sign of deception but found none.

Just then, Mayu spoke up nervously. "Well, actually, when I saw Nyu earlier...she was talking kind of strange to Goku."

Yuka turned to her. "Strange how?" she pressed.

"She was saying stuff about having to kill all humans or something like that," Mayu said. "Her voice sounded different too. It was kind of scary..." she trailed off.

Yuka stared at Mayu, feeling the blood drain from her face. No, these girls had to be mistaken or lying. They can't be telling the truth…right?

Abruptly, Yuka stood up, expression hardening. Something wasn't right and she couldn't be sure of what these girls were saying. She had only recently heard about the attacks on Nyu and Goku. No more secrets would be kept from her.

Without another word, Yuka marched from the room, determined to get the whole truth from Goku no matter what it took. He had a lot to explain.

Mayu and Nana watched her go in silence. Then Nana turned to Mayu urgently. "Is Goku still nearby?"

Mayu nodded hesitantly. "I think so..."

Immediately, Nana threw off the blankets and swung her legs out of bed, driven by renewed purpose. If Goku was here, perhaps Lucy was as well. She could still complete her mission for Papa.

"You're not going to try fighting Goku again, are you?" Mayu asked worriedly, clasping her hands together.

"Yes, I must," Nana replied firmly, standing up a bit unsteadily.

As she moved towards the door with determination, Mayu unexpectedly jumped in front of her, arms spread wide to block Nana's path.

Nana halted, looking at the other girl in confusion. "Why are you stopping me? I have to follow my Papa's orders."

Mayu's eyes were brimming with concern. "Please, you can't fight Goku again! I don't want anyone getting seriously injured." She had seen the frightening extent of their powers.

Nana furrowed her brow. "But Papa said Lucy and Goku are dangerous people who must be captured."

Mayu bit her lip uncertainly. "I know Nyu acted weird earlier, but she's usually nice and gentle. And Goku is kind too even though I haven't really known them that long."

Nana hesitated, doubt creeping in. Could Papa have been misguided about them? Or was Mayu simply too trusting of strangers? Nana didn't know what to believe anymore.

Mayu spoke up again tentatively. "I...I witnessed you fighting Goku earlier at the cemetery."

Nana glanced at her in surprise. She didn't remember noticing Mayu there.

"It looked like you were using some kind of strange powers," Mayu continued uneasily.

Nana gave a solemn nod. "Yes, Lucy and I are not ordinary humans."

Without warning, the pillows began slowly rising from the bed as if held by invisible hands. Mayu gasped sharply, stumbling back in shock. "W-What's happening?!"

"I'm using my invisible arms that our kind can control," Nana explained, brow furrowed in concentration as she lifted a pillow. "I have four of them."

With a swift motion, the suspended pillow was sliced cleanly in half, falling limply back onto the bed.

Seeing Mayu's horrified expression, Nana quickly added, "But don't worry, I'll never do bad things with them."

Mayu stared at the halved pillow, heart pounding as she processed this shocking display of Nana's frightening capabilities. What did it mean for Nyu if she had similar powers?

Mayu thought back to the cemetery, remembering how differently Nyu had acted there. In the short time she'd known her, Nyu always seemed sweet and innocent. But ever since the fight at the cemetery...

She couldn't have really meant what she said about killing humans, right?

"Nana...does Goku have powers like you and Nyu?" Mayu asked curiously.

Nana hesitated, unsure how to respond. Goku clearly wasn't a Diclonius, yet he had defeated her with ease.

"I...I really don't know," Nana admitted awkwardly. "He's strong, but doesn't seem to use vectors or have horns like us."

"Well, you can't really think Goku is bad if he brought you here unharmed, right?" Mayu pointed out gently.

"I...I don't know," Nana said hesitantly, looking conflicted.

She put her hands to her face and shook her head in frustration. "None of this makes sense!"

Mayu shifted awkwardly, unsure what to say or do next.

"Um...Nana?" she finally spoke up hesitantly.

Nana lifted her face from her hands to meet Mayu's gaze.

"I really think you should talk to Goku and Nyu first, before jumping to any conclusions," Mayu said gently.

Nana considered this, looking conflicted. "I do not know if Papa would approve..."

Mayu smiled gently at Nana. "Your Papa must really mean a lot to you."

Nana nodded, a wistful look in her eyes. Mayu wished she had someone she could rely on that much.

"Well, since your Papa isn't here right now, maybe I can help you instead?" Mayu suggested. "We could...be friends?"

Nana's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You want to be friends with me?"

"Of course!" Mayu said warmly. She held her hand out towards Nana.

Nana looked at Mayu's outstretched hand hesitantly. She had never had a friend before. Slowly, a smile spread across Nana's face and she reached out to take Mayu's hand.


After Goku had returned with the unconscious Nana, Yuka took it upon herself to care for the injured young girl. Mayu had also come to sit quietly in the room with Yuka and Nana, still processing the shocking events from earlier.

That left Goku and Kouta alone to converse about the recent events. Nyu wandered nearby in a sort of daze, seemingly oblivious.

"Hey, sorry I already told Yuka a little about what happened that day at the beach with you and Nyu getting ambushed by those soldiers," Kouta admitted awkwardly.

Goku just laughed lightly with his usual carefree manner. "Ah no worries, I was gonna explain things to her soon anyway."

Kouta nodded, looking relieved that Goku wasn't upset. "So anyways, you are saying that girl Nana was the one who attacked you today? Not soldiers?"

Kouta had been expecting to hear another instance of soldiers ambushing them, so this new information was confusing to process.

"Well, yeah. When she first approached me, she said she had been sent to locate and retrieve both Nyu and myself," Goku explained slowly.

Kouta paled, alarmed by the implication. Did protecting Nyu make Goku a target as well to these forces hunting them?

"But what about the soldiers? Like that day at the beach?" he asked uneasily.

Goku's expression darkened. "Yes, I did discover some guys nearby after the altercation. Turns out they are the ones who sent that Nana girl to find Nyu."

Kouta's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But it makes no sense they would send such a small-looking girl to attack you." He thought out loud.

"I know it seems strange, but it's the truth. She is stronger than she looks." Goku insisted.

"Nana had some strange special ability. It even gave me some trouble before I figured it out." He admitted while giving a small chuckle.

"What are you talking about?" Kouta was getting even more confused. What kind of ability made the girl put up a fight with Goku?

Goku and Kouta's discussion was interrupted as Yuka came striding up, posture rigid with frustration.

Goku turned with a friendly smile. "Oh hey Yuka, what's going o-"

"Don't 'what's up' me right now!" Yuka exploded, hands planted firmly on her hips as she glared at Goku.

He laughed awkwardly, taken aback by her confrontational tone.

"Would you mind explaining why I'm only just recently hearing about that violent ambush on you and Nyu?" she demanded.

Goku rubbed his neck guiltily. "I really was gonna explain everything fully once we got answers."

"Hmph, likely story," Yuka huffed, unsatisfied.

She glanced briefly at Nyu humming nearby obliviously before turning back to Goku.

"You wanna know what I just heard from Mayu and Nana?" she whispered harshly. "They told me Nyu has hurt people before...that she's dangerous!"

Goku's face instantly darkened gravely. "Anything they said about her is probably true."

Yuka paled, alarmed. "What?! How can you say that so casually?"

Nearby, Kouta looked totally lost by their exchange.

"Whoa, hold up!" he interjected. "What exactly did they tell you about Nyu, Yuka?"

"They said she had killed people before," Yuka repeated uneasily.

"What?! No way that can be true!" Kouta insisted in disbelief. "Nyu isn't a threat to anyone or anything."

"That's what I thought!" Yuka said. She turned back to Goku suspiciously. "So why claim what they said is true?"

Goku hesitated, thinking deeply. "Listen, the Nyu here now is different than the one I witnessed earlier."

"Different how?" Kouta asked urgently.

"I sensed true killing intent from her," Goku said gravely. "She would've killed Nana without hesitation. That's why I stepped in to fight Nana instead."

"But she would never do that..." Kouta insisted. How would someone like Nyu even be capable of such a thing?

"Mayu said to me Nyu told you herself she kills people. Is that part true as well?" Yuka asked Goku nervously.

Goku nodded solemnly. "Yes, that also is true."

Yuka's heart sank like a stone. This couldn't be real...

"Come on, she barely knows how to speak. And even if she did say all that, how can you even trust it?" Kouta said in denial.

Nearby, Nana and Mayu slowly approached the group. Nana instantly froze upon seeing Goku and Nyu, muscles tensing warily. Strange...she couldn't sense Lucy's presence at all. Yet there she was.

Nana remained on guard, waiting for either of them to attack her.

Goku smiled reassuringly. "Glad you're awake, Nana! Was worried I hit you too hard."

Nana slightly frowned upon hearing Goku speak. Mayu tugged on Nana's shoulder quietly. "It's ok, you don't have to fight them."

Uneasily, Nana relaxed her stance, still eyeing them mistrustfully. It seems Goku or Lucy didn't want to fight right now.

Then Kouta noticed Nana's horns which caused his eyes to widen. "You have horns like Nyu's!" he exclaimed. He ran up to Nana urgently. "Tell me, is everything you all said about her really true?!"

Nana looked confused at Kouta. She then realized what he was talking about. Nana nodded hesitantly. "Yes...Lucy is a killer."

"Her name's not Lucy..." Kouta said confused. "You must have her mixed up with someone else."

"Strangely, I can't sense her now, but that's the same girl from before, Lucy," Nana said, pointing directly at Nyu.

Kouta's heart pounded violently. This makes no sense! What would it mean if all these things being said about Nyu were true?

Nyu could see how Kouta was getting more upset. She didn't understand the situation at all but wanted to reassure Kouta.

Kouta watched Nyu walk up close with an innocent smile and hug him. It only enhanced his growing doubts and dismay.

Nana looked at Lucy again. It was so strange to see her act all innocent. Did that have something to do with her not sensing Lucy?

Kouta stared Nana right in her eyes. "I don't know who you are or why you have horns like Nyu, but you aren't telling the truth."

Nana was taken aback by Kouta's sharp denial of her claims. She hardened her face resolutely. "Don't believe me? Fine, I'll prove it."

Abruptly, a nearby wooden chair planted around the dining table began slowly rising upwards, seemingly all on its own as if grasped by an invisible force.

Yuka let out a sharp cry, stumbling away from the table in sheer alarm. "Wha- what's happening?!" She scanned the room in vain for any wires or tricks but found none.

Wait, was this the power Mayu had told her about earlier?

"Horn girls like me have this ability," Nana explained. With a quick motion, the suspended chair was sliced cleanly in half before dropped to the floor.

Kouta also stared transfixed in shock. A growing pit formed in his stomach. "S-So does that mean Nyu could do something like this too...?" he asked shakily.

Goku cut in. "Yeah, I saw her use them earlier."

Kouta stood paralyzed as the color drained from his face. Nyu possessed the same frightening power. A power that could effortlessly mutilate human flesh and bone...

But certainly, Nyu would never use her powers to deliberately harm others...right?

Then why did Goku, Mayu, and Nana all claim she was a ruthless killer?

Without warning, a flood of long-buried childhood memories started to surface. He gripped his head tightly as the images flashed through his mind. He saw his sister and father's mutilated bodies.

And there stood a girl with horns...

"What is going on...?" he quietly muttered to himself.

No! Kouta violently rejected the notion. These traumatic memories had to be some illusion, they couldn't be real!

But then Goku's words from that night before came back. "I remember Yuka telling me years ago. That your sister and dad were both murdered."

A realization crashed down on Kouta. His sister hadn't died of sickness. His father hadn't perished in some car accident. They had their lives ripped away by...

Kouta lifted his gaze to meet Nyu's gently smiling face.

He pushed quickly out of Nyu's embrace, who stared back with hurt and confusion welling in her eyes.

"Nyu?" she whimpered sadly.

"I-I need to go right now," Kouta choked out. He staggered towards the bathroom as bile climbed up his throat, his world shattered.

Yuka watched Kouta stumble off in dismay. Fear for him swelled urgently inside her.

"Kouta, what's wrong?!" she called out, hurrying after him. "Talk to me!"

Goku watched uneasily as Kouta hurried out of the room, his face drained of color. Yuka rushed after him, calling his name worriedly.

It was clear Kouta had been deeply shaken learning the alarming truth about Nyu's violent capabilities. Goku had feared this information would not sit well with his friends. That was why he had hesitated to tell them everything initially.

Nearby, Nyu sniffled pitifully, fresh tears trailing down her cheeks after Kouta pushed her away so forcefully. "K-Kouta..." she whimpered softly, failing to comprehend what she had done wrong.

Witnessing her distress, Goku strode over and gently placed a reassuring hand atop Nyu's head.

"There there, it's alright Nyu," he reassured warmly. "What happened wasn't your fault at all."

At his comforting touch and voice, Nyu leaned into Goku, rubbing her damp face against his clothes as the tension left her body. Seeing her mood lift, Goku flashed his trademark grin.

"I just know we can smooth everything over, don't you worry," he said. Nyu peered up at him again, mirroring back a small but hopeful smile of her own.

Goku then turned towards Mayu and Nana who had been watching the exchange silently. "Hey, you two gonna be okay here for a bit while I go check on Kouta and Yuka?"

Mayu responded with a nod, Nana blinking quietly beside her.

"Thanks, I'll be back soon then," Goku said. Taking a deep breath, he then strode off with Nyu in tow to try to mend this volatile situation.


"This can't be happening," Kouta muttered under his breath. He leaned over the bathroom sink as he tightly gripped the edges for support. Lifting his head slowly, he stared into the mirror at his reflection.

Painful memories from childhood flooded his mind - a young horned girl he had befriended one fateful summer. They played together, laughed together...

But that very same girl was directly responsible for his family's savage murder.

Kouta shuddered as more fragmented pieces fell into place. No wonder he felt an odd flicker of familiarity when he and Yuka first discovered Nyu wounded on the beach. At the sight of those horns, suppressed memories had stirred but failed to fully surface...until now.

The fact he was hearing all these things about Nyu being a murderer. And then when he saw how easily that chair got sliced…

But could he truly be 100% certain Nyu and that girl were the same? After all, Nana also possessed horns and vectors...perhaps other horned girls existed as well.

Yet every time Kouta pictured Nyu's face in his mind, an image of that girl he once knew from his past inevitably superimposed itself over top. They had to be the same person. No other explanation made sense!

Kouta tightly clenched his fist. None of this added up no matter how much his brain screamed rationalizations.

Overwhelmed, Kouta lowered his head in despair. How could he ever move forward now, if his family's killer was under the same roof?

At the same time, Yuka stood anxiously outside the closed bathroom door, internally debating whether to enter. Clearly, Kouta was distressed over the shocking revelations about Nyu's violent history. Frankly, Yuka could scarcely believe it herself. No matter how vividly she tried picturing Nyu committing murder, the image refused to stick.

Yet the disturbing things said and shown by Goku, Nana, and Mayu left no room for doubt. As unbelievable as it seemed, she had to accept the claims were true.

Yuka took a deep, bracing breath before pushing the bathroom door slowly open. She had to be there for Kouta right now during this.

Peering inside, she immediately spotted Kouta hunched tensely over the sink.

"Kouta..." Yuka spoke up worriedly when he didn't even lift his head in acknowledgment. She walked over and gently laid what she hoped was a reassuring hand on his back.

"I know this news about Nyu is crazy," she began delicately. "But-"

"It's not just that..." Kouta muttered, still facing the floor.

Yuka leaned closer. "What is it then?" she asked gently.

Kouta finally turned to her, eyes haunted. "Remember what Goku said about you telling him my dad and sister were murdered? Is it true?"

Yuka froze momentarily. Why was he talking about that now? She knew Kouta had suppressed those memories to cope, believing alternate explanations for their deaths.

She worried about finally telling Kouta the truth, but she couldn't lie to him.

"...Yes, it's true," Yuka finally confirmed hesitantly. "I'm so sorry Kouta, but you did witness them murdered right in front of you back then."

Kouta clenched his jaw. "Thought so. I remember now. I saw who killed them."

Yuka's eyes flew wide open in dismay. For years, the ruthless killer who slaughtered Kouta's father and little sister had evaded any justice. And now after all this time…

"Who was it, Kouta?" she pleaded urgently. "Who killed them?"

But Kouta's strained voice bypassed the question entirely. "S-She tried to warn me about that girl..." he mumbled cryptically instead.

Yuka shook her head, struggling to follow. "Who tried warning you? What girl are you talking about?"

Kouta lifted his head finally, eyes brimming with anguish. "My sister Kanae...at the summer festival eight years ago, she told me a horned girl had killed people there."

Yuka inhaled sharply as her pulse quickened. A horned girl murderer...? Dread swirled inside her.

"Kouta what are you trying to say!?" Yuka pleaded, clasping his arm tightly.

Kouta recounted spotting that same horned killer boarding their train later, while Kanae desperately tried convincing him of the danger. But he stubbornly refused to believe someone he considered a friend meant harm...

"I-I hit Kanae instead when she kept insisting and called her an idiot," Kouta choked out, tears spilling down his cheeks. "And that's when…"

Yuka lifted a trembling hand to her mouth as angry tears stung her eyes over her slain uncle and cousin. She had to know for sure who the perpetrator was. All signs disturbingly pointed to...

"Kouta please," Yuka whispered through quivering lips. "Are you saying that murderer years ago...was Nyu!?"

Kouta responded by putting his head back down.

All Yuka wanted in that moment was to comfort Kouta, but she froze as the bathroom door creaked open. Goku poked his head in, taking in the heavy tension.

"Uh, everything okay in here?" he asked awkwardly. Before Yuka could respond, Nyu eagerly popped out from behind Goku, oblivious as always.

Yuka recoiled at the sight of the horned girl, while Kouta kept his anguished face lowered. Confused by their odd reactions, Nyu tried approaching Kouta to offer comfort. She hoped he wasn't mad at her for something.

But Yuka harshly smacked Nyu's outstretched hand away. "Don't touch him, stay away!" she yelled fiercely.

Nyu yanked back her hand as though burned and stood there frozen before tears poured out her eyes. First Kouta rejected her, now Yuka was being mean too.

Goku looked taken aback by Yuka's hostility towards Nyu. "Hey c'mon, there's no need for that!" he chided.

Well to be fair, they have just been told Nyu was a murderer. But the Nyu with them right now didn't deserve that. He still needed to explain the situation about Nyu changing all of a sudden.

"No, you don't understand Goku!" Yuka shouted heatedly. "Get her away from us, now! Do you have any clue what Nyu has done!?"

Goku held up both hands pleadingly. "Look, hold on a second, let me explain-"

"Explain what!?" Yuka cut him off sharply. "That this girl also viciously murdered Kouta's little sister and father right in front of him!?"

Goku froze, stunned. "W-Wait...she what!?" He shook his head, baffled by this bombshell revelation. "But I thought you told me they died some other way..."

"No, the truth is that Kouta's dad and sister were murdered in front of him and now Kouta remembers who it was." Yuka pointed an accusing finger at the weeping Nyu. "He witnessed their murder at the hands of a horned girl!"

Goku hesitated, glancing between Nyu and Yuka's uncertainty. "Well, turns out there are more horned girls like Nyu...we can't assume she did it."

Yuka was a little taken aback by the information. Though she suspected this after seeing Nana, the idea still frightened her. There are more girls out there with the power to easily kill anyone.

Yuka shook her head angrily. "Don't defend her! You said Nyu admitted enjoying killing humans herself!" She had him there, but it still totally didn't make sense.

"I mean yeah, but didn't Kouta's sister and dad die 8 years ago? I don't think Nyu was like that when she was a kid." Goku argued. "Besides she lived in the same orphanage as me 8 years ago and in all my short memories of her she didn't seem that way."

Yuka froze. Nyu lived in the same orphanage as Goku? The same orphanage where Goku said police were there? The same orphanage where he said he woke up with a head injury?

Not too long after Goku had first told her about that, she was able to remember an incident from around that time where some children were murdered in an orphanage. There were also two missing kids and now it made sense who they were.

"Goku don't you remember telling me you woke up surrounded by police?! It's because a bunch of children were murdered! How do you think you got your head injury? It must have been her!"

Goku was taken aback by all of Yuka's claims. Maybe she was blowing this out of proportion. However, he did remember seeing blood everywhere in the orphanage and knew something bad happened.

Though he wouldn't know any of this for sure unless Nyu changed again from her childish self. Then maybe he could find out more.

Nearby, Nyu sobbed harder as she gripped her head, the raised voices overwhelming her childish psyche. She didn't understand why this was happening. Goku's expression softened worriedly.

Right now things weren't looking good. Even worse if Nyu did turn out to be the one to kill Kouta's family. How would they go on from there?

"Look Yuka, we shouldn't assume anything yet," he reasoned gently. "I'll get to the bottom of this, but the way she is right now, Nyu's done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong!?"

Why is Goku still defending Nyu? Even if it turned out Nyu wasn't responsible for Uncle and Kanae's death. Goku already confirmed that she said she killed people. No wonder the police were after her. Yuka just couldn't have a killer living under the same roof which would put them in danger.

Doubt still lingered in Yuka's mind though...hadn't Nyu lived peacefully with them so far? Was casting her out now ethical? But the risk seemed too great...

"Im sorry...Nyu has to leave this house," Yuka finally uttered regretfully. The words pierced her own heart too, but she saw no other recourse.

'This isn't good...' Goku thought uneasily. Somehow he had to convince Yuka not to banish Nyu, at least not before he fully explained her abrupt shift in personality and confirmed if she had truly killed Kouta's family.

He still hadn't gotten the chance to fully explain that Nyu wasn't a threat as she was right now.

That seemed to be bad timing because he instantly felt the shift in Nyu's energy. Goku turned to look as her tearful weeping ceased instantly, hands dropping lifelessly to her sides. Head still bowed, she became unnervingly motionless.

Yuka stared nervously, confused by Nyu's odd shift in demeanor. She had spent this entire time sobbing. Maybe she had something to say now.

"Well?" Yuka muttered.

Nyu remained still, not acknowledging Yuka. The energy flare spiked higher for a tense moment and Goku's muscles coiled warily.

Finally, Nyu lifted her head, long hair parting to reveal cold, empty eyes devoid of innocence. Yuka inhaled sharply, paralyzed by the girl's gaze. She had never seen Nyu look this way. So this is what she was really like? Had that innocent personality of hers been a lie? Yuka was staring back into the eyes of a killer, not the girl she once knew. She dared not move a muscle under that predatory stare.

"G-Goku...?" Yuka managed to whimper pleadingly for help as if not trying to be heard by the girl staring at him.

Ever-so-slightly, the horned girl shifted the weight of her attention away from Yuka and over toward Kouta, who remained withdrawn into himself. As Lucy's piercing gaze landed on his hunched-over form, it instantly softened at the visible despair. Her originally cold expression was tinged with a rare display of sadness and regret.

"It's alright, she won't try anything," Goku finally spoke up to reassure Yuka.

Goku met Lucy's eyes unflinchingly as she fully turned her head to glance his way after recognizing the new voice addressing the situation. He knew before, that he wouldn't have gotten anything out of that childish personality previously. This was his chance to get answers about everything.

Goku hesitated, expression conflicted. He had to know the truth once and for all.

"I know this is a little awkward to start with but I need to ask...did you kill Kouta's family?" he finally uttered gravely.

Lucy's eyes widened marginally. So that was what this confrontation was about after all. Slowly she lowered her gaze, head bowing in shame.

Goku studied her reaction intently. Somehow from her regretful body language alone, he could sense the terrible answer was likely yes.

"I knew it..." Kouta rasped out bitterly, finally breaking his silence. "It really was you back then." His haunted stare bore painfully into Lucy.

Overwhelmed with self-loathing under Kouta's glare, Lucy yearned desperately to flee the room. But she owed him this much at least after destroying his family.

"Kouta...I'm so very sorry," she whispered mournfully at last, tears shimmering at the brims of her dull eyes.

"No…" Kouta snarled back. "You took everything from me. I can never forgive you for what you did!" Though his words held venom, tears spilled down his cheeks.

Lucy flinched from the understandable reaction she expected all along. What right did a monster like herself have to beg for forgiveness? She had no place here trying to live normally amongst decent humans.

"I understand..." she murmured defeatedly. "I've overstayed any welcome."

With shoulders slumped despondently, Lucy shuffled towards the door. Pausing beside Goku, she added faintly without meeting his earnest eyes, "Please don't waste any more kindness on me." Then she trudged out the door.

Goku stood frozen for a long moment as the gravity of the situation washed over him. He couldn't just let her leave like this, could he?

Yuka watched in horror as Goku started to walk after Nyu. "Goku what are you doing? L-Let her leave!" she finally called out since she had been too afraid to speak previously in the presence of the horned girl.

"Sorry Yuka, not just yet." Ignoring Yuka's frightened protests, Goku hurried after Lucy's retreating figure. There had to be a way to make this right somehow!


From afar. Nana and Mayu wait anxiously. Mayu asks nervously, "What do you think is going on?"

"I don't know but-" Nana instantly froze as she sensed Lucy again. Nana didn't have to understand why she couldn't sense her in the girl before. All she thought about was how she would eventually have to fight no matter what. She couldn't betray her Papa, and now that she sensed Lucy again, she had to continue her mission.

"What's going on?" Mayu asked worriedly.

"Lucy is back," Nana said as she ran in her direction while Mayu followed after.

Lucy was walking towards the exit of the house but paused as Nana ran up to block her path. Lucy paused. What was she doing here? Kakarot must have brought her here after knocking her out. Of course, he would. "Damn…this is not the time…" Lucy bitterly muttered. Lucy seriously hoped that girl wasn't planning to do anything stupid right now.

Nana stood confidently in front of Lucy. "Sorry…but I can no longer wait because Papa trusted me to capture you."

Nana had waited for her to sense Lucy again so she could be sure she could attack.

Mayu's eyes widen, "Wait Nana you really aren't going to…"

Goku ran up to see Lucy but paused after seeing Nana, who he could sense looked ready to fight. This didn't seem good. "Hey…what's going on here?"

Lucy gave a cold murderous stare at Nana. "Im not in the mood for this right now. Leave me alone…" She might actually kill that girl in front of everyone the way she was feeling right now. The only thing stopping her was the thought of either Goku or Kouta seeing it.

Nana slowly shook her head in defiance. In truth, she was hesitant about doing this. She didn't want to be the aggressor, especially after being brought to this home, but it already seemed like things were already taking a turn for the worse.

Lucy gritted her teeth. That stupid girl!

Goku was getting more worried about the situation. He knew he had to stop this before any else got hurt. "Please just calm down."

Lucy's Vectors slowly sprouted from her back, straining with killing intent she fought desperately to suppress. If this girl wanted to die, then fine.

But then she hesitated. As much as that foolish girl Nana was asking for violent retribution, she couldn't afford to stoop to mindless slaughter just yet in front of Goku and the others. It would only confirm their worst fears about her being an irredeemable monster.

Goku could see a reluctance to attack from Lucy and was relieved.

To Nana, Lucy pulling out her vectors was a sign to get ready for battle. Sensing Lucy's hesitation, Nana took it as an opening to strike first while she still had an advantage. She couldn't fail her Papa now! With lightning speed, Nana launched a vector directly at Lucy's unguarded head.

Just before they found their mark, Goku detected Nana's sudden hostile motion. "Wait, no!" he cried out urgently, but it was too late.

Lucy had no time to react as Nana's vector infiltrated her mind. An explosion of sheer agony erupted inside her skull and she collapsed to her knees with an anguished scream, clutching futilely at her head. Through the haze of pain, indignant rage flooded her veins.

"You little...!" Lucy seethed murderously, struggling to summon her own vectors in retaliation. But to her dismay, Nana had done something to her psyche. Her deadly extra limbs refused to manifest! She was rendered utterly defenseless.

Nearby, Goku looked upon Lucy's suffering with rapidly building fury. Why did Nana attack anyway!? Before he even realized what was happening, a violent instinct suddenly took over.

"Idiot!" Goku yelled furiously. In the next instant, he backhanded Nana fiercely, sending the petite girl smashing harshly into the adjacent wall before crumpling limply to the floor.

Mayu rushed anxiously to Nana's side as Goku froze, mortified by his own explosive reaction. What had come over him just now? He never lashed out in anger like that!

But Nana, driven by Papa's mission, refused to quit. She instantly leaped back up and shot several vectors directly at Goku.

"Wait, stop!" Goku pleaded urgently, effortlessly dodging the slashes tearing through the walls around him. "We can't fight like this!" But Nana was beyond reasoning now. Her mission came first and she would succeed no matter what!

Terrified, Mayu ran over to a nearby couch to take cover from the invisible vectors slicing through the room. She couldn't actually see the vectors but witnessed objects around her getting shredded to pieces.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Yuka cautiously peeked out the partially open door, wondering what was causing all that loud commotion outside. As she peeked out, she let out a loud scream at the sight of debris flying through the air, seemingly on its own. Yuka quickly slammed the bathroom door shut in a panic.

Hearing Yuka's scream from inside, Kouta asked worriedly, "What's going on out there?" He started to head towards the bathroom door to take a look himself.

Yuka planted herself firmly against the door before Kouta could open it, shouting in warning, "No you can't! That girl Nana is fighting Goku right now!"

Kouta gasped in shock, "What!?" He hesitated, unsure whether to force his way out or not.

Back in the main room, Goku held his open palms out towards Nana in a placating gesture, pleading for her to stop her vicious assault. However, Nana did not cease her ongoing vector attacks shredding up the room around the dodging Goku.

"Why aren't you attacking back!" Nana yelled out in frustrated confusion, pausing momentarily.

Goku urgently responded, "Nana, we can't fight in here and destroy this place!"

Hearing Goku's words, Nana hesitated as she glanced around at the room, realization dawning on her face. She had let her anger towards Goku get the better of her. The fact Goku hadn't retaliated and she had wrecked the very home that welcomed her sank in. Unsure what to do next, Nana just stood there quietly processing.

After a few tense moments, Nana finally muttered, "Fine...we can go outside to fight then."

Goku's shoulders slumped dejectedly upon hearing Nana still insisted on continuing this pointless battle. With everything else going on, he really didn't want this fight dragging on any longer, even if usually did like to fight.

Goku let out a resigned sigh, saying "Sorry about this, Nana."

Nana furrowed her brow in confusion, muttering "Huh?" right before Goku suddenly appeared behind her in the blink of an eye. Before Nana could react, Goku delivered a swift, gentle chop to the back of her neck. Nana let out a small gasp as her vectors instantly dissipated and her body went limp. Goku had successfully rendered her unconscious, catching Nana as she collapsed.

Watching this quick resolution, Lucy marveled internally at how effortlessly Goku took Nana, even faster than their first battle.

She also thought back to Goku's initial attack. Lucy would have never imagined him doing that for her now. But somehow, maybe the old Kakarot was still inside him somewhere.

As Goku started approaching Lucy, she shook herself from her brief introspection. Remembering her intention to depart, Lucy said appreciatively "Thanks for helping again but I told you I have to go."

Goku rubbed the back of his neck, responding gently, "Well, I don't want to keep forcing you to stay if you really wanna leave. But before you go, let's talk one more time about all this."


A few seconds after the sounds of fighting had ceased, Yuka cautiously peeked her head out from the bathroom door again. "Are they gone yet?" she asked nervously, checking if the coast was clear.

Kouta casually walked out of the bathroom and surveyed the damage around the room now that the battle had concluded. It wasn't too bad but they would still need to do a small cleanup. Still anxious, Yuka reached out to grab Kouta's arm pleadingly. "Kouta, wait!" she urged, still fearful to leave the relative safety of the bathroom.

"It's okay, Yuka. It's over now," Kouta reassured, gently loosening her grip on his arm. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Nana's unconscious form. Nearby, Mayu was kneeling nervously over Nana with concern etched on her face. However, Kouta noticed both Goku and Nyu were now nowhere to be seen.

Stirring slightly, Nana slowly blinked open her eyes once more, disoriented. As she sat up carefully, memories returned of her most recent failed battle against Goku. She glanced around in dismay upon realizing Goku and Lucy had both vanished.

Nana lowered her head into her hands despondently as the shame of her two swift defeats weighed heavily upon her. In a soft voice filled with regret, Mayu spoke up "I told you it wasn't a good idea to keep fighting Goku..."

Nana sighed "You were right...I'm sorry," still unable to meet Mayu's earnest gaze. Not only had she lost pitifully again, but Papa would surely be very disappointed when he discovered her repeated failures to capture Lucy.

Kouta turned towards Yuka casually suggesting "Uh, Yuka, if you don't mind keeping an eye on Mayu and Nana here, I'm gonna go try finding Nyu and Goku real quick." He kept his facial expression carefully neutral.

Yuka instantly protested in dismay "Wait, what? No! Nyu is too dangerous, she might hurt you!" Fear for Kouta's safety swelled urgently inside her.

But Kouta simply responded "It's okay, I'll be fine" in an attempt to reassure Yuka. In truth, after that abrupt confrontation back in the bathroom, he felt his discussion with Nyu had been cut unjustly short. Too many unanswered questions still lingered. And somewhere deep in his conflicted heart, part of Kouta wasn't ready to see Nyu disappear from his life again so soon...

Yuka could only watch anxiously as Kouta walked steadily out the front door in search of Nyu and Goku, ignoring her warnings.


Goku and Lucy were seated together on steps that led to the house. Lucy sat quietly with a somber expression, uncertain of what exactly Goku wanted to discuss.

Breaking the silence, Goku asked, "So I'll start by asking, what happened at the orphanage that day?" He continued "I mean, Yuka said some orphans were murdered by you and that you gave me that serious head injury."

Even if Lucy had inflicted that past head trauma, Goku would still find it in himself to forgive her.

In a low, monotone voice, Lucy responded reluctantly "Yes...I did kill those children that day." She could tell Goku was a little shocked by the blunt admission.

Lucy then elaborated further "But I didn't directly give you that head injury. It was those same children..."

Goku's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't really expect that answer.

Lucy gave a small solemn nod before launching into the full story. She described how Goku had tried to protect her from the bullies who were trying to kill her dog, but they took advantage of his weakness when grabbing his tail to immobilize and viciously beat him unconscious.

Still processing this revelation that the children were the ones responsible for his past head trauma, Goku muttered in disturbed shock "So those kids are the ones who hurt me that badly? But why would they do that?"

"It's because those who are different, are nothing but animals to others," Lucy muttered.

"I was constantly treated as a monster growing up because of my horns," Lucy continued mournfully. "You were the only one who didn't see me that way. So when I saw you beaten so cruelly protecting me...I finally listened to the voice urging me to kill."

Confused, Goku asked "Huh? What voice?" Then it clicked as he remembered Kurama's earlier words about the horned girls' innate violent instincts.

"That voice kept commanding me to kill...and I eventually obeyed. I just didn't want to be abused and bullied anymore..." Lucy trailed off, pained by the memories.

Goku responded gently "You don't have to keep following that cruel voice though. I'm guessing it was also the reason you killed Kouta's family too?"

Tears began trailing down Lucy's cheeks as she choked out "I've wanted nothing more than to take back what I've done to him. Kouta was the first real friend I made after thinking you died. Yet still I murdered his family..." Her words were laden with immense regret.

"What about all those other people you kept killing even after that?" Goku asked.

Lucy froze up, turning her head away in shame, unable to meet Goku's earnest gaze.

Goku let out a small sigh before continuing. "I believe you regret what happened to Kouta. But it's really not my place to forgive you for that. Honestly, after all this, I don't know if Yuka and Kouta will let you back in their home now."

Dejectedly, Lucy responded "It's alright...I don't deserve to impose on their lives anymore."

But Goku quickly countered "Well, don't you at least want the chance to make things right somehow? I mean, you killing Kouta's family isn't such a bad thing."

Lucy's eyes instantly widened in shock as she interrupted "What are you saying!?"

Goku laughed awkwardly, realizing how bad his previous wording sounded. "Ah sorry, that came out badly! What I meant is, we could use the dragon balls to revive anyone you killed, including Kouta's dead family members."

Lucy just stared back wordlessly as if Goku had grown a second head. Dragon balls? Reviving the dead? What on earth was he talking about?

Stunned by Goku's claims about reviving the dead, Lucy asked frantically "Is that really true? Can you actually restore life like that?" Secretly, part of her hoped desperately it was genuine while another part remained skeptical. But if she could somehow erase her greatest mistake...

Goku just smiled brightly. "Yeah, it's totally real!" He then launched into a detailed explanation of the seven mystical dragon balls scattered across the world. Once gathered, they could summon an eternal dragon capable of granting any single wish, including bringing people back to life.

"I thought Kouta's sister died of sickness so I really didn't say much about them. They wouldn't have been able to revive her," Goku explained.

Possibilities raced through Lucy's mind. All this time she had agonized over her inability to remedy the deaths she caused. If the dragon balls really worked, she could finally fix the past. Voice tinged with urgency, Lucy pressed Goku again "How can you be so sure this isn't a lie?"

"Well, I've used them myself to revive Yuka three years ago after she died," Goku revealed casually.

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise. So Kouta's cousin had died somehow in the recent past? She made a mental note to ask Goku about the circumstances later.

"Wait, really?" Lucy asked, still processing the bombshell.

Goku just laughed. "Yeah, it totally works!"

A new voice suddenly spoke up from nearby. "You really think you can bring back my sister and father with those dragon balls?"

Lucy instantly turned towards the source - Kouta. He must have been observing them for some time now.

Goku had already sensed Kouta earlier with his energy-reading ability but chose not to point it out. "Yeah, Kouta! I promise I can revive them," he reassured confidently.

Kouta still wasn't fully convinced something so fanciful could be real. Yet Goku had proven honest so far, no matter how unbelievable his claims seemed. And the prospect of seeing his family again after all these years...

"Kouta...how long were you listening to us?" Lucy asked quietly.

"Long enough to hear everything," Kouta answered bluntly.

Kouta paused for a moment before continuing solemnly. "I'm sorry for everything you went through growing up. I understand now your life was painfully difficult." His tone then hardened. "But I still can't forgive you for my family's murder. Frankly, I still hate you for that. You didn't even stop killing more people later."

Lucy flinched at his words as Kouta pressed on. "What about all those other lives you took? Don't they deserve justice too? Given the chance back then, would you have killed me as easily as them if we hadn't known each other?"

Overwhelmed by shame, Lucy covered her face with both hands, unable to formulate any adequate response. She just stood motionless as Kouta walked slowly up to her.

"But..." Kouta continued in a softer tone. Lucy looked up hesitantly at his change. Kouta gently put his hands on her shoulders before finishing:

"If what Goku said earlier about Nyu being a different side of you is true...then I don't want you to disappear yet. That Nyu I knew was always sweet and innocent and has done nothing wrong. She doesn't deserve to be abandoned so fast."

Lucy stared back wordlessly as Kouta gave her a condition: "If you promise to never take another human life...you can stay here with us."

Still in disbelief that Kouta would show such mercy after everything, Lucy pledged earnestly with fresh tears trailing down her cheeks "Yes...I promise!" She knew she would do anything to try to make amends now.

To Lucy's immense surprise, Kouta stepped forward and hugged her. Unsure how else to respond, Lucy just held on tightly, overcome with emotion.

Nearby, Goku watched the scene unfold with a pleased smile. Things seemed to be resolving better than anticipated between them.

After a long moment, Kouta gently released his embrace and turned to Goku with newfound hope. "So how do we get started finding these wish-granting dragon balls then?"

Goku perked up eagerly. "Well, we can start with Yuka's dragon ball! I'm pretty sure she's kept it in her possession all this time."

Kouta looked confused that Yuka apparently had one already. Yet another strange revelation to process today. A thought then occurred to him.

"Goku...did Yuka seriously die once and you used the dragon balls to bring her back like you just told Lucy?" Kouta had to confirm.

Goku laughed awkwardly. "Ah yeah, that really happened three years ago."

Kouta vividly remembered Yuka freaking out at one point over being convinced she died and returned to life somehow. It turned out her panicked claims were totally genuine...

Pushing that unsettling realization aside, for now, Kouta refocused himself. "Alright, let's go get that first dragon ball from Yuka. We can start from there I guess."

Lucy had wanted to keep her silence but one more question plagued her mind. "Wait, how did you two meet?"

Goku heard the question and put up a thoughtful look. "I'm pretty sure I met Kouta first thing after leaving the orphanage."

"Yeah, I remember it now. I came across you fishing right after first meeting Nyu," Kouta recalled. He could finally remember these things from his past.

Lucy didn't really expect them to have known each other that long. She assumed they met only recently. Lucy watched Kouta turn to address her.

"You remember when I tried to introduce you to a friend I met? It was Goku, and he told me later when we met again at the festival he didn't show up because he forgot." Kouta was starting to wonder in his head now if things would have turned out differently in his life if Goku had only remembered.

Wait, if Kakarot was really at that festival. That means she really did see him. So many times she had been so close to reuniting with him back then but failed. She should have never given up in the first place.

It doesn't matter since they are reunited now. The only thing left to do is bring back Kouta's family. Then maybe he could finally forgive her and she could live the life she wanted.


When Goku casually asked to borrow Yuka's dragon ball and then dropped the bombshell revelation that she had died three years prior, Yuka was understandably freaked out.

"Wait, WHAT!?" she shrieked loudly. First Goku, Nyu, and Kouta randomly reappear acting like nothing major happened. And now Goku was spouting absolute madness about magical wish balls and her own death!? She felt lightheaded trying to process it all.

"Why would I believe some made-up story about wish-granting balls? That's totally insane! You can't joke about reviving dead family members!"

According to Goku, some monster had killed her for her grandfather's dragon ball. Even crazier, he used those same wish orbs to resurrect her later.

Wait, did that mean she really did die that day? Yuka had wanted to know so badly what happened that day three years ago. She had given up on finding out since something like that shouldn't be possible. There were a lot of things seen today that shouldn't be possible. Right now Goku was confirming her fears.

Yuka stared at the orange 4-star ball in her palm that she inherited from her grandfather. If Goku was telling the truth about its unbelievable power...

Goku continued explaining gently "It's why your dragon ball turned to stone for a year after your death before becoming active again. I know it might be hard for you to believe, but these orbs can genuinely grant almost any wish. We can use them to revive Kouta's family members, just like I did for you!"

Yuka struggled to form words, stammering "T-this is too much...Bringing back the dead is just..." Finally, she burst out angrily "And why didn't you tell me when I first asked if I died that day!?"

Goku laughed awkwardly "Ah sorry! I didn't realize you were asking about that."

"You...!" Yuka began sputtering indignantly before catching herself. As tempting as it was to vent her frustrations, there were more pressing issues. If the dragon balls functioned as claimed, perhaps her uncle and cousin could live again...

"Goku, even if we assume all this magic wish stuff is real..." Yuka said in a more serious tone, "Nyu is still unpredictable and a threat living here."

Goku quickly begged like a child. "Come on, Yuka please, give her another chance! The Nyu you first met is totally different from the one who hurt your family."

But Yuka remained unconvinced. "What if she loses control and changes back?"

"She won't and I can make sure of it." Goku's expression turned grim as he revealed. "Nyu from before coming here was held captive and they don't do nice things to horned girls like her."

"If you kick her out, then nothing is stopping those soldiers to come back and take her."

Privately, Yuka thought Lucy deserved punishment for her heartless murders. Yet Goku kept pleading urgently for mercy.

Unsure what to think, Yuka finally deflected "Ultimately Kouta is the main victim here. He should decide if Lucy remains or not."

But to her surprise, Goku countered "Oh yeah, Kouta did already say Lucy can stay if she promises not to kill again."

"He what!?" Yuka cried out in dismay. Had Kouta somehow found it in himself to pardon his family's murderer if she swore off violence?

Clenching her eyes in frustrated resignation, Yuka muttered sharply "Fine! Do what you want." As long as Kouta himself was on board with this insane arrangement, there was little Yuka could do to override him. "But know, if does end up hurting someone again, you are responsible."

Goku just smiled, seemingly satisfied they now had Yuka's dragon ball in hand and her reluctant blessing for Nyu to stay. Soon Kouta's late family could be brought back to life.


I hope everyone is having a good Christmas right now. Sorry, this took so long again. It's been almost an entire month. I've kinda just been chilling over winter break and only doing a few paragraphs a day. It wasn't until yesterday that I put in effort to finally get this done. I want to get one more chapter in before the year ends so hopefully you will see another chapter soon.

Also, sorry if I mess anything up. Sometimes I write things based on memory so I don't have to keep going back and forth to the source material. I also tend to make more mistakes the longer it takes to put out a story. If I mess anything up, I will go back and edit it eventually.

I really want to move on in the story and get to the things I want to. This means I might skip over unnecessary boring parts or simplify them from now on. I don't want too much detail or I will waste time.

Also got an idea for a new fanfiction I wanna write after finishing this one so I will try to get chapters out fast.

One thing I should ask for the future is how I go about reviving Kouta's sister and dad if they are successful in getting all dragon balls? Normally the body has to be kept in good condition for it to come back alive. Kouta's dad and sister's bodies are definitely not in good condition. I might just ignore that part and just fix their bodies automatically if it comes to it.

Anyway, hope you like this chapter and story so far. See everyone next chapter.