Upon the next day, we turn our attention to the Little Garden docked near the Zwei Island.
At the school's main office for the Student Council President, we can find Hayato having a conversation with Claire, Liddy, and Erica in the room as the young man is explaining his report as Kirishima Sakura's bodyguard and also his feat against the Savage near the area during the time.
"I've found the Savage, but it was already dead upon my arrival." Said Hayato as everyone looks at the photos of the Coreless Savage's corpse on a hologram screen. "Its Core has been extracted and taken away. Assumingly by a group of talented yet highly dangerous unregistered Slayers."
"unregistered Slayers…..?" Claire spoke out while checking the photos. "could it be…Hunters?"
"You look like you know who could be behind this, don't you?" said Hayato as Claire looks at him before the photos and then nodded.
"recently, there's been events around the world where areas that have Savages roaming around." Said Claire as Erica held a remote up and then pressed a button to show photos of dead Savage Corpses with their Core taken out. "China, America, Korea, Asia….there's been reports of dead Savages being found nearly everywhere that is thinkable. All speculate to Hunters."
"Hunters….huh?" said Hayato as he keened his eyes on one photo that is a bit blurry but is showing the three young Slayers that the young man meet the day before. "is that what they call them?"
"There are nearly 193 Variable stones that were ever made. Only 124 were registered and recorded on the list." Said Claire as there was a roster appearing on the screen that showed the list of Hundreds that are with their designated Slayers but there were a few blanks. "I speculate that the remaining unregistered Hundreds are in the hands of the Hunters. Slayers who work like hired mercenaries."
"I've dealt with a few of them in the past," Hayato stated as he checked the other photos of the Three Hunters' actions. "Most of them were ex-military personnel or highly trained combatants. But these three? They're young and different from the rest."
"Indeed," Claire replied while nodding. "There are a lot of speculations on who they are and who they might be working for. But If I have to guess…..it must be someone who knows the functionality and capability of utilizing Variable stones along with enhancing human patients with certain chemicals to allow them to become Slayers."
"artificial Slayers….huh?" Hayato muttered out.
Soon enough the hologram screen turned off as the group refocused on another subject.
"We will have more information of the Hunters later on." Said Claire while folding her hands on the table. "is there anything else you have to be shared?"
"just one." Hayato replied while holding a finger up. "the client; Kirishima Sakura had asked me to refrain from coming and doing my job as her bodyguard. She said that she needs alone time to start preparing her songs and music for the concert tomorrow as scheduled." He then folded his hands under his chest. "therefore, I would like to go to the location where I found the dead Savage Corpse and do a throughout the investigation in trying to find any possible tracks that might give a lead to where those Hunters had gone to."
"I see. I understand." Said Claire while nodding before looking at Liddy. "go with Liddy. She is an expert in finding tracks of any kind. If we are lucky; we might find something that tells us on who the three Hunters are."
"understood, Claire-sama." Said Liddy with a nod to Claire while Hayato merely had a small predatory smirk on his face that quickly disappeared as it appeared.
Minutes later; we find Hayato driving a black and white minivan with Erica by the passenger's seat. The vehicle is driving in Zwei Island's street and is heading straight for the rocky cliff wasteland.
"I'm surprised that you had purchased a mode of transportation like this one." Said Liddy while checking on a tablet filled with information of the geography and layout of the area where they are heading to. "Along with having the licenses for it."
"When you're the world's first and most famous Slayer. Nothing is impossible for yourself." Said Hayato while holding the steering wheel with one hand and the other on the gear knob that turned gear when the car turns a corner. "we should be arriving there in less than 10 minutes or so."
"good," Liddy replied with a nod as she taps her finger on the tablet a few more times and sees 3D schematics of the area where they are going. "you've found the dead Savage's corpse at area BW12 and encountered the Hunters there as well. I estimate that we should do a 100 km radius check of the area to find any possible clues."
"roger that." Said Hayato as he drives up towards a highway road that will deliver him straight to where the rocky cliff wasteland.
In about an hour's time; Hayato and Liddy arrived to the scene as they parked the car by the road then traveled on foot to the area where the Savage's corpse was at once before.
"this is the place." Liddy stated as she takes out what appears to be a pair of hi-tech binoculars that she sees through in seeing the layout of the area. "we had about 15 hours and 21 minutes of time that had passed and made any possible tracks in this area to turn dry, but we have some chances in finding any clues or something that might have belonged to the Hunters that has been dropped here."
"you can start with that area." Hayato stated while pointing west before to the east. "I'll take over that area and report to you if I find anything."
"understood." Liddy replied as she nodded before she turns and started walking west while Hayato went east.
Hayato walked on his path to his area as he took a quick glance at Liddy who is checking the surrounding area with the scouting tech gear that she brought. The man looks at her and smirks before he turns and went straight to a large rock boulder where he quickly yet quietly hides behind.
The Savage Killer went and kneels by the boulder where he started to dig away some dirt to reveal a hidden metal briefcase that he opens with a small metal key he pulled out of his pocket. Hayato opens it and finds the item within to be several metal vials and a medicine bottle filled with golden-ish yellow round pills.
Hayato chuckled with a smirk as he quickly takes out all the items in the briefcase and then hid it back into the dirt.
'you're one smart woman, Vitaly.' Hayato takes one of the pills from the medicine bottle and then puts it into his mouth before swallowing. The eastern man hid the bottle into his uniform as he then started to check the area while taking quick glances at Liddy who is checking her area while oblivious to what the man was doing. 'let's see how good these medicines are for her' the man then chuckles before he had a predatory smirk as his eyes turn reptilian gold and his eyesight focused upon the green haired vice president of the student council's buxom and lusciously shaped body. 'Liddy Steinberg….you're going to be a nice woman as one of my wives….'
The time goes on as Hayato and Liddy did their job in finding any possible tracks of any kind that could be a clue to lead them to who the Hunters are and who do they work for.
But at some point in time, Hayato gets a phone call from Claire. The man quickly answers his phone while still doing some ground checking; even though he is just acting in it.
"this is Hayato," the man spoke on the phone. "What is it?"
"we have an emergency." Claire stated on the call. "our client, Kirishima Sakura has gone missing."
"Missing?" Hayato replied while squinting his eyes a bit. "Kidnapping?"
"no. she wasn't kidnapped." Said Claire as the twin tail blonde is currently checking on her computer that is showing many live security cameras of the Little Garden that are switching each time. "I've received a call from her secretary; Souffle-san who received a note that Kirishima Sakura left on her own free will. I've tried finding her on the security cameras, but no luck."
"Have you tried the GPS application on her PDA?" Hayato stated. "the satellite would track her in an instant."
"She has turned off the GPS on her PDA and could be in hiding for some reason" Claire replied. "therefore, I came to calling you in asking for assistance in finding her."
"I see." Said Hayato while nodding. "Contact me if you received intel of any kind regarding her location and also get another Slayer or two in this area. We need to find clues of who the Hunters are and where did they come from"
"understood." Claire replied before hanging up the call.
Hayato placed his phone away before going to Liddy who is checking the area where the Savage's dead corpse was.
"What is it?" Liddy asked as she turns to face Hayato when she saw him come to her. "did Claire-sama call?"
"Kirishima Sakura had left her hotel room and is out somewhere," Hayato replied while crossing his arms under his chest. "I was called to find her. therefore, I would need to leave this area to you with some Slayers who will come and take my place."
"I see, I understand." Said Liddy while nodding. "I shall inform you of anything that I can find in the area later on."
"good luck." Hayato replied before smirking a bit. "and to add that good luck…"
Liddy looks at him confused before she looks surprised when the man pulls her close by the waist and takes her lips for a passionate deep kiss.
"mmgghh!" Liddy mewled in the kiss as Hayato forcibly pushed his tongue into her mouth and touched hers.
After a minute of struggling, Liddy managed to push Hayato away and started to rub her mouth against the sleeve of her uniform.
"you little bastard!" Liddy exclaimed angrily at Hayato who chuckles and then turns to leave.
Liddy fumes angrily at Hayato who is walking away but she didn't notice that he was smirking while his eyes turned golden and his mouth slightly parts open to reveal that his saliva was glowing a bit neon yellow.
"you hate it now, Liddy." Said Hayato before he chuckles. "but you'll love it later on."
Hayato left and went to the hotel where Sakura stayed, he asked for any information from anyone who might've seen the idol leaving the place in either a disguise or in a plain appearance that might point her out.
The Savage Killer is currently at a garden area near the hotel where he is checking some live streaming recording of a security camera on his phone that caught footage of a girl with tied pink hair, wearing a blueish-green blouse and yellow skirt while having a cap and sunglasses on.
"so predictable." Said Hayato as he placed his phone away before he looks at where Sakura had gone to. "there, huh?"
Hayato started walking as he went up a street that leads straight to a public park.
In the area there are a few people going around as some were just taking a stroll, resting, and even jogging for sport. Hayato arrived to the park as his eyes scanned the area and instantly spotted Sakura who is in disguise and is just sitting by a fountain.
"so very predictable." Said Hayato before he turns around and walks away.
We turn our attention to Sakura as the disguised singing idol is checking on her phone for something.
"for a bodyguard, I thought he would at least have his phone's GPS on…" Sakura mumbled out as she is checking a satellite app that is trying to find Hayato's location. "just where is he?"
Sakura keeps on checking with her phone and before long; she hears a beep and the screen showing the location of where Hayato is.
"ah! Finally!" Sakura stated with a smile as she checks on where Hayato could be and to her surprise, it says that he is right in the area where she is. "eh? He's near here? But where?"
Sakura checks on her phone before she felt a finger tap on her right shoulder that made her turn and be in surprise because Hayato is standing right behind her.
"care to explain why you went off without permission?" Hayato asked while having his arms crossed under his chest.
"s-since when d-did y-you?!" said Sakura in surprise.
"you should think carefully when you're going to run away." Said Hayato as he points to a nearby security camera. "this place has many security cameras and also;" he then points a finger at Sakura. "Your disguise really makes you stand out from the people here."
"y-you're kidding, right?" said Sakura from hearing how logical and reasonable Hayato's answer was.
After some time; Hayato and Sakura moved to a different location to have a little conversation as to why did the pop idol leave her hotel.
"so? You wanted to go somewhere secret?" said Hayato after hearing from Sakura the reason why she left without telling anyone.
"yeah, there's a secret place here that means a lot to me." Sakura replied. "I was going to track and get you to take me there…" she then shrugs her shoulders while smiling. "but you found me instead, I guess this way works too."
"I see." Said Hayato as he sighs while crossing his arms. "you do know that you can just request it with your secretary, right? No need to be doing this and all."
"if I do that, where's the fun in it?" Sakura replied while giggling. "come on, let's go. Time's wasting by."
Sakura took Hayato's hand and started pulling it while going one direction, but the Savage Killer didn't budge from his spot.
"we go to your 'secret place' right after we tell your secretary and the others." Said Hayato while holding up his other hand with a finger outstretched. "if you can't do that, I'll be taking you in."
"oh come on~!" Sakura started whining. "what good is a secret place if some people might know about it!? Come on~! Let's just be secretive this once~!"
"no." said Hayato as he soon takes out his phone. "either you go with the condition I gave you, or I will neutralize you to get you back to your Hotel room." His face soon has a very dark look. "also…this isn't a joke."
"y-yes.." said Sakura as she sweatdrops from seeing how Hayato's expression turned very dark quickly.
About 20 minutes later; we turn our attention a taxi cab that is carrying Hayato and Sakura in the back passenger's seat, heading somewhere up the road.
"yes…yes…yes….alright…I get it….yes…I'm sorry…yes…" Sakura spoke out on her phone as she is calling Souffle and apologizing about her little runaway from her hotel. "alright..i'm almost finished with the song for the album, so don't worry….yes….yes…you can talk to him if you want." She then held the phone for Hayato. "here."
Hayato takes the phone and then sighs before holding it near his ear.
"yes, this is Kisaragi Hayato…" Hayato spoke out on the phone. "yes…it is nothing of a matter, Souffle-san…even if it wasn't scheduled, it is still my job….yes….yes….alright, I'll contact and inform you once we are finished…yes…"
Hayato then ended the call before he sighs again.
"so?" said Hayato while handing Sakura her phone back. "Where is this so called secret place of yours?"
"it's called a secret for a reason, you know?" Sakura replied with a small smirk. "Just wait and see, alright?"
Hayato looks at her before he sighs while leaning back against his seat.
The taxi drives up the road as it is heading straight for the Zwei Island's Grand Canyon area where there is something lurking in the shadows.
Meanwhile at the Little Garden. Claire is in her office as she is in the middle of doing some checks on reports from other Slayers on other missions.
She checks each one on her computer before she heard knockings from the door.
"come in." said Claire as she continues to do her work while the door slowly opens and Liddy came walking in. the twin tail blonde took a glance and sees her vice president coming and then standing before her by the table. "ah, Liddy. I was expecting you to arrive by now."
"I've come back with my report on the investigation on the area where Kisaragi Hayato encountered the dead Savage Corpse and the unknown Hunters." Said Liddy as she held a data tablet that she handed to Claire. "everything is written within here, Claire-sama."
"good work, Liddy." Claire replied with a nod while taking the data tablet and then checks the report that the tanned green haired student had written within it. "were there anything peculiar at the area you'd like to mention? Or any occurrences?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary, Claire-sama." Said Liddy while folding her hands behind her back. "there was no trace of anything out of the ordinary at the area, no leftover tracks of the Hunters. And for the occurrences…." She soon blushed before she firmed herself and then closed her eyes. "n-nothing else."
"nothing else?" Claire repeated Liddy's last few words while noting how the vice president before she is blushing. "are you sure?"
"y-yes! Nothing else!" Liddy replied with a nod. "everything else is as written in my report, Claire-sama!"
Claire looks at Liddy a bit weirded out and curious for a moment before she nods and then looks back at the tablet's report.
"very well, you are dismissed for today, Liddy." Said Claire as she scrolls down in read the report. "take the day off."
"yes…thank you very much, Claire-sama." Liddy replied before she bowed and then turned to leave the room.
Liddy stepped right out of the room as she closed the door gently before making a run for the nearest bathroom. She went and hid herself in one of the vacant stalls and then locks it.
"d-damnit…." Liddy grunted as she grasped her chest while blushing red. "w-why does my body feel so hot when I thought about that bastard Kisaragi kissing me!?" she grunted and sat down on the toilet while grasping her chest even more when she remembered how Hayato had kissed her. "t-that bastard…he's making me go crazy!"
Liddy started to curse his name over and over, but over time; her voice died down.
"he was….gentle…though?" Liddy whispered while slowly reaching her hand to her lips as her eyes showed a sign of longing. "he kissed me….with such a warmth feeling…."
Liddy felt her mind going crazy as she was hating Hayato for a moment, but now? She is starting to long for him.
"i-is this…..love?" Liddy muttered out as she didn't have any idea what was happening to her, only one man did know.
A few moments later, Hayato and Sakura are now in the tourist area of the Zwei island as they are standing upon the viewing area of the Grand Canyon which is a replica of the real one.
"the Grand Canyon, huh?" said Hayato as he followed Sakura while checking side to side. "talk about a pretty decent quiet place…" he then looks at the idol. "is this your special secret place?"
"Bingo!" Sakura replied while turning with a smile towards Hayato. "but the special part is coming soon!"
Hayato raises an eyebrow at Sakura as she smiles with a few giggles before she went and run up some stairs that he soon followed in action.
"here it is!" said Sakura with a happy voice as Hayato walked up and soon whistled in amazement. "isn't this place amazing?!"
"not bad." Hayato replied as he and Sakura are now viewing the Grand Canyon of the Zwei Island but the place where they stand is giving them a perfect view of the entire area. "one heck of a nice view."
"I really wanted to show you this place." Said Sakura with a smile while gazing upon the Grand Canyon. "The place that is so very special to me."
"why?" Hayato replied while glancing at the idol. "this place does have a nice view, but what makes it so special for you? And why you want to bring me here so badly?"
"very interrogative, aren't you?" said Sakura with a giggle before she sighs and then looks upon the Grand Canyon while patting a part of her hair that is blowing away from a breeze. "it's because you're the hero who protected this vista…this place is a very special place for me because my Mother loved the scene and so do I. it's because of you protecting it and preserving it…" she then looks at Hayato with a big yet happy smile. "I never got to say it to you on the day you protected it, but…Thank you for protecting this place and everyone on Zwei Island, Hayato!"
Hayato looks at Sakura for a moment before he chuckles and then looks upon the scene.
"you're welcome." Hayato stated with his own smile on his lips.
After the talk, the two stayed quiet and just watched the Grand Canyon while listening to the sound of some wildlife in the area along with humming that is coming from Sakura.
"that's a nice song." Said Hayato while having his eyes closed and his entire focus on his hearing. "my little sister used to hum a song like that years back."
"there's no way." Sakura stated while closing her eyes. "my mother created that song for me, I rarely or rather never let anyone else hear it." She then opens her eyes to look upon the scene before her. "I only hummed it now because I want to let you hear it."
"I see.." said Hayato while opening his eyes and crossing his arms under his chest. "but still, that's a very good song."
"thanks" Sakura replied with a smile that only lasted for a second when her expression showed the signs of realization and surprise. "w-wait a minute….your…little sister?"
"hmm? Right, I guess I forgot to tell you that I have a little sister." Hayato replied with a smile towards Sakura. "she's sick in the hospital, I told her about my job as a bodyguard for you. She went crazy because she wanted me to get your autograph."
Sakura looks at Hayato who sees her eyes that is filled with shock.
"what's wrong?" Hayato asked in seeing her expression.
"is her name….Karen?" Sakura whispered as Hayato looks at her confused for a moment before he nodded and that made the idol lung and grab both of his arms. "is her name really Karen?! She has black hair and purple eyes!?"
"y-yeah..what about it?" Hayato replied while looking a bit surprised from Sakura's sudden action.
"don't tell me!" said Sakura with a shocked voice. "were you in Gudenberg during the Savage's Second Attack?!"
"what?" Hayato replied, completely taken back from her shocked voice.
"were you in Gudenberg's downtown Shelter after the Savage's Second attack was over!?" said Sakura as Hayato could only nod dumbly before he started to put the pieces of the puzzle together in his head.
"are you saying that…." Hayato spoke out with his eyes widening. "you were….also there?"
Sakura looks at Hayato before she nodded with tearful eyes.
"back then….i lost my mother and was all alone…" Sakura spoke out. "but…a pair of siblings told me that they liked my singing." She then had a flashback of her past where she met a younger version of Hayato and Karen together who are enjoying the idol's singing. "the sister's name is Karen, I never got to heard the brother's name." she then shed a single tear that slides down her right cheek. "so…it was you….it was you all along, Hayato.."
"i…" said Hayato in a small voice while looking extremely baffled and surprised. "I think I remember a pink haired girl…who sang…and….it was you? T-that's….that's impossible, right?"
"yes" Sakura nodded with a tearful smile while holding Hayato's hand in a bit of a tighter grasp. "the one who changed my entire life…it was you, Hayato."
"changed your..entire life?" Hayato spoke out. "what do you mean?"
"when you praised me back then…it started to like singing." Sakura replied as she let go of Hayato's hands before she wipes away her tears and then looks at the Grand Canyon. "I was filled with confidence and that made me want to become a singer." She then looks at the black haired man with a happy smile. "I'm so glad…I'm so glad that I never stopped singing!"
Hayato looks at her for a moment before he sighs and chuckles with a smile.
"What a turn of an event, huh?" said Hayato in a small whisper while shaking his head as he then looks at Sakura. "I guess when you went Home with someone, your life started to get a bit better, right?"
To his reply, Sakura just frowns.
"what's wrong?" Hayato asked.
"when you left with your little sister to go back to your home. My father who I have never even met before had come to take me back to his homeland." Sakura replied while just gazing at the scenery before her. "and soon, I became sick."
"sick?" Hayato spoke out before he looks a bit taken back. "you mean?"
"yes" Sakura nodded. "the unknown virus that took many lives during those years ago. The virus created by the Savages when they come." She then sighs before smiling a bit. "but those years weren't so rough. Souffle; my manager was once a genetic engineer who was in charge of taking care of me. I did get better for a moment but only for a moment." The idol then looks up at the sky before down to her raised hands. "but soon after, I was sold unknowingly by my father who didn't tell anyone about my whereabouts anymore. He sold me to a Warslan Research facility where I and some other children were given injects of vaccines made with Savage Fluids." She then frowns when some of her bad memories resurfaces in her mind. "by the order of the director of that time. Vitaly Tynyanov."
'so she is one of your patients in the past, huh?' Hayato thought while squinting his eyes a bit. 'you were really a naughty woman back then, Vitaly.'
"did you get better after being given the vaccine?" Hayato spoke as Sakura shook her head in reply.
"the vaccine was extremely potent at the time; it caused several children to die in an instant." Sakura replied as her voice sounded terrified. "but for me and the others who survived, we were able to live a normal life. I was able to sing again. But Vitaly continued to inject the vaccine into us repeatedly." She then shivers when she remembers herself being strapped to a chair and a doctor was coming to her with a syringe filled with yellowish neon green liquid. "over and over, we were given the dosage of the vaccine repeatedly and we all soon came into a conclusion of one thing. Vitaly didn't want to cure us, she wanted to turn us into weapons. Turn us into Slayers. Artificially and genetically created Slayers."
"Weapons…." Hayato whispered as he had a flashback of his slightly younger self who is watching over Karen who is resting on a hospital bed. The young man watches her sleep before he turns as Vitaly came to his side while smiling. The woman talked to him before taking lips for a kiss that he reincorporated "so? Did her wish came true?"
"it did." Sakura replied with a nod. "we were able to deploy Hundreds like real Slayers, but they continued to inject the vaccine, attempting to give us even stronger powers." She then hardens her gaze that is filled with hatred and anger. "No matter the consequences that may come."
Sakura soon had a flashback of her younger self being in fear and terror as she saw many kids of her age die and become berserk because of the large dosage of vaccine that is running in their veins.
"but for some reason, when I sing. Those who gone berserk because of the vaccine had calmed down." Said Sakura as she placed a hand to the side of her neck. "I sang for them over and over. Trying my best to save their lives, but…no matter how much I sing; they would always die. All except….me."
"your DNA must be a compatible gene match with the Savage's fluids." Said Hayato as he looks upon Sakura. "there were recent cases where some people showed a perfect match of a bond with their Hundreds because they have the virus that is completely bonded with their genetic codes. You must be like them."
"yes" Sakura nodded. "I survived because of how lucky I was. My illness was cured, but I can't fight even though I became a Slayer." She then looks at the sun as the day has started to set. "I can sing now, and be the Diva of the World; Kirishima Sakura that you all know."
Hayato looks at Sakura for a moment before he turns to look at the setting sun.
"you're…." Hayato spoke out. "you're a Variant, aren't you?"
"eh?" Sakura looks confused and surprised as she turns to look at Hayato. "y-you know what a Variant is?"
"I know because I am one." Said Hayato as he turns towards Sakura with a small smirk. "remember that I have been given the initial as the Savage Killer? Being a Variant is the reason how I am a very strong Slayer now and back then."
"b-but…but how?" Sakura asked with a confused face.
"back then, during the Second Attack. I came into contact with a large dosage of the Savage Fluid." Hayato replied as he looks at his right hand. "because of that, my body was enhanced and changed into that of a Slayer by accident." He then looks at Sakura. "I have a perfect match of genes for the virus and that made me into a Variant."
"you're….you're the same" said Sakura before she smiles at Hayato. "you're the same as me, Hayato! That's amazing!"
"What do you mean?" Hayato asked as Sakura got close and held his hands once again.
"you're the person who changed my life! The hero who protected and preserved my memories!" Sakura exclaimed with an extremely joyful voice. "you're also a Variant who shares the same fate as me! And we just happened to meet again and spend time together!? That's got to be a miracle!"
"hey, calm down." Said Hayato as he is a bit freaked out from Sakura's overly pumped attitude.
"this is so great!" Sakura exclaimed as she turns and looks at the sky with a big smile. "I just thought of a bunch of songs in an instant! I can't just stand here and wait!" she then started going to the stairs. "I'm going to the concert hall and work on writing songs between rehearsals!" the idol then stopped to look at Hayato who remained on his spot. "come on, Hayato! Let's go!"
Sakura then run off first as Hayato watches her before he sighs while shaking his head.
"geez. This girl.." Hayato spoke out before he sensed something that made him turn while his eyes turned gold and slitted. "this presence…"
Hayato gazes at the Grand Canyon as he felt a presence that was in the area.
"Hayato! Come on! Time's wasting!" Sakura cried out from a far as she is waving for Hayato to come.
Hayato glances at her quickly before he turns and then started to walk away but while having his attention at the canyon because he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something dangerous lurking within.
'a Savage is here…' Hayato thought as he could sense a Savage nearby, but what he didn't know was that there was more than one.
A few minutes later, Hayato and Sakura are on a bus as they are heading back for the hotel with the day slowly turning black as night had come.
"I didn't think that there would be any taxis around here.." said Sakura while looking out the window. "but I guess this is fine. Since that place is special for me and my mother." She then turns to look at Hayato with a smile. "and you too, Hayato."
Sakura looks at Hayato and notice that his whole attention isn't to her to anywhere near but to his phone that he is currently texting on.
"hey~!" Sakura whined out as she went and pinched Hayato's ear. "are you listening to me~!?"
"don't bother me right now, Sakura." Said Hayato as he is just typing the keys on his phone as he is sending a mail to someone. "I'm calling for Little Garden to send Slayers into the area."
"huh? Why?" Sakura asked with a rather confused yet surprised face.
"I saw something large move in the Grand Canyon when we were leaving." Said Hayato as he pressed the send button and sent his email to Little Garden's HQ. "It might be a Savage."
"really?" Sakura asked. "but this area never had a Savage being spotted before, right?"
"That is what we thought until that one Savage got near your Stage the day before." Hayato replied as he pocketed his phone away and looks at Sakura. "I got to play it safe in case what I saw is really a Savage or not."
"but…" Sakura replied but was soon cut off when the bus suddenly shook hard. "kyaaa!"
Hayato grabs and holds Sakura while holding onto the front seat as the bus soon crashed with the passengers all screaming in fright and surprise.
Soon enough, the bus stopped shaking as everyone got up and looks confused as to what happened.
"what was…?" Sakura spoke as Hayato checks on her before he sensed something and turns to see a Savage standing right outside.
"everyone! Get down!" Hayato shouted as he takes out his Variable Stone that flashes and unleashed red sparkles.
The Savage roars before it opens its mouth to fire a beam attack but was soon thwarted when several red beams came raining down and explodes upon its top several times. The alien fell forward from the attack but soon recovered. It roars as it is now facing Hayato who has deployed his Mumei while having it in the Dragoon form.
"Sakura, I want you to take all the passengers and evacuate the area!" Hayato exclaimed as his Hundred reformed into its armor form and the Slayer soon wields his sword that glows neon red. "I'll take care of this thing!"
"r-right!" Sakura replied as she soon started to call to the people and start evacuating them from the bus.
The Savage roars as it raises one its claws and swing it at Hayato who parried it off with his sword before he went and cut the appendage off.
"you want a piece of me?" said Hayato as his eyes glows gold under his red visor. He then swings his sword around before going into a stance "then come and get some."
That's a wrap!
Bye bye