The core chamber lay in shambles, with blue lights flickering eerily above. Zephyr floated upside down nearby, her vibrant energy contrasting sharply with the somber atmosphere. Raijin leaned casually against the wall, his expression smug and relaxed, while Infernia paced back and forth, her usual fiery demeanor simmering beneath the surface. Aqua remained composed, eyes alert, like a watchful ocean.
Surrounding them were Ren, Kaede, Mika, Haru, and Eiji, each scattered and displaying signs of tension, their bodies coiled like springs ready to snap. The core chamber was cracked open—empty.
Ren's voice was low, taut with frustration. "We lost the core."
Raijin, in his human form yet retaining an air of Kaiju-like presence, simply smirked. "More like you lost it."
Kaede blinked in disbelief. "HUH!?"
"I wanted to see if any of you actually had instincts," Raijin replied, the teasing edge to his voice sharp.
Zephyr, flipping mid-air with a chirpy demeanor, added, "Oof, brutal. But kinda true."
Mika crossed her arms, casting a pointed look at her teammates. "Hmph, tell me about it. You guys didn't know shit."
Haru's expression shifted to seriousness as he addressed the group. "Okay, jokes aside—if he's got his core, he's gonna fully manifest. That means we need to plan fast. If Shadow's adapting, brute force won't work. We need to overload him."
Infernia cracked her knuckles, excitement igniting in her eyes. "Now you're talkin' my language. Overload with what though? You tryna roast marshmallows with Raijin's sparkles?"
Raijin's eye twitched in annoyance. "Say that again, fire-hag."
Aqua interjected, her calm yet sharp voice cutting through the tension. "Focus. He adapts… but every system has a bottleneck. What if we don't give him time to evolve?"
Ren took a breath, considering the implications. "Okay, so we all attack—but at once? No gaps?"
Mika rolled her eyes, skeptical. "That's impossible to coordinate."
Zephyr grinned, her enthusiasm bubbling over. "Not if we move with me controlling airflow. I can push attacks faster than he can read 'em."
Infernia nodded vigorously. "And I heat up the pressure right after. He's either cooked or chokes on smoke."
Haru, stifling a laugh, chimed in, "Pfft. A shadow being choking on smoke?"
Aqua spoke with conviction. "I can lock his legs with condensed water. Density control. Make him hold still."
Raijin's confidence was unwavering. "And then I finish him off with Aura Slash."
Haru's brow furrowed as he regarded the intensity of their plan. "So we're not hitting him with one big attack. We're syncing four different elements to overload his system. Like flipping switches too fast for the breaker to handle."
Eiji crossed his arms, a look of skepticism in his eyes. "That'll stall him. But then what?"
Ren's expression hardened. "Then I go in. Daggers to the core."
Raijin's voice was smooth, yet sharp. "No. I go in. Aura Slash can cut straight through—clean, instant. I can get closer than you ever could."
Tension pulsed in the air as Ren's gaze met Raijin's. "You can't control the spread. If it spirals, it'll level everything—us included."
"I don't miscalculate. I finish what others hesitate to start," Raijin replied, cold confidence radiating from him.
Ren's eyes narrowed. "This isn't a sparring match. If you miscalculate—"
Raijin interrupted, his tone unyielding. "I don't miscalculate. I finish what others hesitate to start. You want to stab the core? Fine. But I'll make sure you have a path to it."
Kaede watched them, quiet but expressive. "...They're both ready to die for this."
Mika nodded gravely. "Let's make sure they don't. Ren, you'll die if that goes wrong."
Kaede added quickly, "For real, Ren, you wouldn't be able to get that close. Then again, it's better losing Raijin than you."
Raijin turned wide-eyed. "HUH?!"
Ren offered a wry smile. "We're all gonna die if we don't do something.
Kaede snapped, her voice resolute. "Then we do it smart. Not just fast. We coordinate. If we mess this up—no retries."
Raijin chuckled, half impressed. "Hah. Look at you—finally thinking like a Monarch."
Zephyr shot Kaede a wink. "Queen behavior."
Aqua's voice was steady as she interjected, "We'll have to train this—tight timing. Every second counts."
Haru nodded seriously. "I'll run the sync signals. If I can't make the field, I can at least time the strikes."
Ren felt the weight of leadership on his shoulders. "Then let's call it what it is."
Raising his fist, he declared, "Four Monarchs. One shot."
As the crew was about to solidify the plan, Titan, the towering Kaiju of Earth in human form, stepped in, arms folded and an unimpressed expression etched on his face. "Four? What the hell do you mean four?"
Everyone froze, the atmosphere vibrating with tension.
Ren blinked, feeling momentarily lost. "Uhhh… Four elemental monarchs? Lightning, fire, water, wind—"
Titan cut him off, leaning closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And what am I, background NPC number five?"
Raijin couldn't help but grin. "To be fair, your last plan involved punching a mountain into him. Not exactly elegant."
Infernia stifled a laugh, shaking her head. "Yeah, even I thought that was dumb. And I light things on fire for fun."
Titan glared at the group, the edges of his patience fraying. "You wanna know what happens when Shadow touches the ground? He merges into it. Guess who could've sealed that? Me."
Eiji remained deadpan, arms crossed. "Isn't it better if you're not part of the plan? Less chance of you screwing it up."
Titan's frustration bubbled over. "Oh, I'm sorry—I didn't realize you were the strategist now, Captain Benchwarmer."
Zephyr laughed mid-air, enjoying the back-and-forth. "This is my favorite soap opera."
Kaede facepalmed, trying to drown out the chaos. "Can we focus, please?"
Aqua, with her calm demeanor, chimed in. "Titan's right though. If Shadow connects with the terrain, we're screwed. We need a layered seal underneath everything. Not just attack from above."
Haru's eyes brightened as he connected the pieces. "So Titan's job is containment. Keep him grounded, but not merged. Like a pressure cage."
Titan, seeming more engaged, grinned at the thought. "Now you're speaking my language."
Mika, ever the strategist, stepped forward. "Alright, reset the plan:
Zephyr: control momentum and flow.
Aqua: manipulate the field's density.
Infernia: apply heat pressure.
Titan: lock the floor to block escape or phase-out.
Ren and Raijin: go for the core.
Haru & I: coordinate the attack timing."
Ren realized his fumble as he hesitated. "Okay, yeah… So I meant five Monarchs."
Titan's grin widened. "Nah. You said four. It's gonna be on your gravestone."
Eiji chimed in, still deadpan, "Here lies Ren. Couldn't count."
Zephyr floated upside-down, her carefree nature shining through. "This is so much better than fighting."
Infernia paused mid-laugh, curiosity piqued. "Huh?"
Zephyr continued, her tone growing reflective. "The quiet. The trash-talking. The… weird ramen smell in the air. It feels like we're just... kids."
Ren, half-sitting up, smirked. "We are kids."
Raijin, hiding behind a manga, interjected, "Speak for yourself. I'm like one hundred years old."
Aqua took a sip of her drink, her voice serene. "And mentally twelve."
Laughter broke the tension, feeling like a temporary refuge from their looming predicament.
Haru, always the observer, said, "Let's enjoy this. Before it all goes dark again."
The camera panned out as the team stepped out of the base and into a park, each member slipping into their human disguises, attempting to blend in—no flashy powers, just teenagers trying to seem casual.
Kaede led the way, steady as always. "First rule: don't stand out. Second rule: don't let the hunters detect your energy readings lest they find us here."
Ren squinted into the sunlight, stretching his limbs. "Man, I forgot what real sunlight feels like."
Mika quipped, "Yeah, until your skin burns like crazy in five minutes."
Titan adjusted his massive hands, cracked and earth-patterned. "I'm just here to get in touch with Mother Nature again, since I'm always in Eiji."
Zephyr hovered slightly above the ground, arms crossed. "You all act like this is a nature documentary. It's just a park."
Raijin smirked, strolling beside Ren. "Easy for you to say. You're the only one who can actually fly and avoid the crowds."
Kaede adjusted her jacket, surveying the park. "Alright, keep it chill. No showing off, no powers. We're just… people today."
Ren, still grinning, teased, "Feels weird not having Raijin's lightning ready to zap something."
Raijin rolled his eyes. "Bro, she said 'no powers.' Chill."
As they walked, Zephyr noted, "Flying's out. We're humans today. Let's not get kicked out of the park immediately."
Infernia faked indignation. "Guess that means no dramatic entrances for you."
Zephyr shot back, her smile sly. "Guess I'll have to rely on my charm."
Titan, who had been quietly reflecting on the world outside, cracked his neck. "I'm just glad I don't have to explain my massive hands to anyone here."
Aqua, always serene, took a sip from her bubble tea. "This feels… normal. For once."
Haru observed calmly, his voice even. "Good. Let's keep it that way. No energy flares. No weird stuff."
Eiji leaned against a tree, scrolling through his phone with disinterest. "So… normal hangout squad? Weird flex, but okay."
The group spread out under the shade of a cherry blossom tree, the scent of flowers mingling with the snacks they laid out, an explosion of color and fragrance.
Kaede began setting extra napkins, precision evident in her movements. Mika noticed, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think you'd actually remember the napkins this time."
Kae replied without looking up, "I always remember. You just rush to act useful first."
Mika shrugged, her tone casual. "Well, someone has to be proactive."
Zephyr came back to the group beneath the cherry tree, announcing playfully, "All done!"
Raijin, murmuring with a laugh, remarked, "Sunbathing, classic Zeph."
Ren, half-listening, suddenly perked up. "Yo, Kaede, you bring that wasabi popcorn again?"
Kaede's face lit up. "Of course. I brought two bags this time—just for you."
Mika, her competitive spirit bubbling, chimed in with mock cheer. "Oh? I made that rice thing you liked last time. Thought I'd give it a try."
Ren blinked, impressed, as if the two girls somehow understood the boy's eclectic tastes. "Oh—nice. Cool, thanks."
He turned back to Haru, who was laser-focused on the game in front of him.
Raijin leaned towards Zephyr, whispering with amusement, "This is the most aggressive peace offering war I've seen in weeks."
Zephyr chuckled, munching on chips. "They don't even know they're competing. That's the funniest part."
Ren found himself fidgeting, phone buzzing with relentless notifications. He opened a message from Rika, who was stuck back at the base.
_____________________________________________
> [Rika] ♡ • ⌲
¹³"³² ʳᵉᵃᶜᵗ
_____________________________________________
•| Yo, where is everyone? I'm at the base and it's dead quiet. You didn't leave me behind, did you??
_____________________________________________
Ren snorted with laughter, unable to suppress a grin. He juggled a text reply while gaming, typing quickly as his thumbs flew across the screen.
_____________________________________________
> [Ren] ♡ • ⌲
¹³"³² ʳᵉᵃᶜᵗ
_____________________________________________
•| Nah, we just left like 10 min ago. Dark across the old sakura shrine. Haru's yelling at me while closing in again lol. Pull up if you want.
_____________________________________________
Rika left him on seen, and the tension of the moment lessened.
Haru, without looking up, shot Ren a side-eye. "You just texted mid-boss fight?"
Ren, grinning, retorted, "Still alive though."
Haru muttered, "Barely."
After a few moments, the picnic atmosphere settled comfortably, their laughter mingling with the soft rustling of cherry blossoms and distant chatter of park-goers.
Rika appeared moments later, casually approaching with a flair. She wore sunglasses, scanning the scene with an amused expression. "So this is why no one was at the base..."
Everyone turned to her. Ren feigned innocence. "I texted you!"
Rika crossed her arms, playful yet sharp. "You sent me a message while clearly mid-gaming. It read like a brain cell on fire."
Ren's face scrunched with half-hearted protest. "But wait—aren't you supposed to just chill at the base?"
Rika smirked, grabbing a juice box from the pile. "Text said 'pull up if u want.' I'm all about that life."
Haru, finally breaking his focus, offered a deadpan response. "Not gonna lie, it autocorrected 'park' to 'dark.' One would've thought you were threatening him, lol."
Ren laughed, showing off his phone to the group. "I was multitasking! Look—we made it to round 13 without dying!"
Rika took a sip from her juice, unimpressed. "Wow. Truly heroic. I see global threats don't stand a chance against... mobile finger wars."
She plopped down beside Aqua, who was quietly observing the interactions, sipping her bubble tea as if defusing tension came naturally to her.
Mika, sensing the tension ebbing, slid the last spicy chips toward Ren. "Here, Ren. You like these, right?"
Kaede's eyes narrowed as she suddenly opened a bento box, forcing sweetness into her voice. "Ren! You haven't had any of the karaage I made. You used to say it was your favorite."
Infernia, leaning back with a smirk, whispered to Aqua, "This is the most intense battle I've seen all week."
Aqua sipped calmly, her gaze unwavering. "And yet not a single explosion."
Titan, who had been quietly munching on snacks, casually swiped the last spicy chips offered to Ren, popping one into his mouth without a second thought. "Ren didn't say anything. Thought he didn't want it."
Mika froze mid-motion, eyes broad. "Did you just—?"
Titan shrugged, unfazed. "Too slow."
Aqua raised an eyebrow, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "I thought rocks were your favorite."
Titan, cheek full of chips, replied, "These are… emotionally spicier."
Amidst the chaos, the competitive energy between Kaede and Mika couldn't be ignored. Both were still fine-tuning their offerings, determining who could impress Ren more.
Kaede leaned close, attempting to outdo Mika. "Try this. You'll love it."
Mika, sharp as always, countered, "Don't. It's spicy. She looks like a sweet tooth girl."
Rika blinked, utterly baffled. "Why does it feel like I walked into a weird cook-off?"
Raijin, sensing the peaks and valleys of the interactions, commented with a laugh. "Because you did."
One moment of calm settled over them as Haru tossed a few chips up, catching them in his mouth, oblivious to the ongoing battle for Ren's attention.
"Y'all strategize like generals and socialize like clowns," Eiji muttered from the edge of the blanket, barely lifting his gaze from his phone.
The air was thick with laughter and teasing, yet it offered an essential charm—the realization that this ragtag crew was the last line standing. If they were going to beat that shadow kaiju, they'd need every trick they had—and every jab at one another would only reinforce their bond.
Just then, a bug buzzed by Raijin's face. Quick as a flash, he zapped it away with a small electric spark, smirking at the ensuing chaos. "Just zapping a bug that landed on my arm. Chill."
Kaede turned to him, exasperated. "Raijin, I told everyone it's a—"
The team gathered in a low-key atmosphere, their earlier levity disrupted as Raijin let out a subtle electrical spark that echoed lightly through the air. The moment hung momentarily before a more pressing presence broke through the shadows—the Kaiju Hunters emerged silently, tactical and precise, their advanced tracking equipment humming ominously. Like predators closing in on their prey, they stepped forward, eyes glinting with determination.
The Hunter Leader stepped into the spotlight, his voice cold and sharp as a razor. "We detected a massive energy surge seven hours ago—a purple beam shooting skyward from beneath your base. That's not a coincidence. What the hell is going on here?"
Instantly, the atmosphere thickened, tension enveloping the group like a shroud. Ren's eyes flicked toward Rika, concern shining through the otherwise grim resolve. "Rika, go home. Now."
As Rika nodded and began to back away, the Hunter Leader's voice sliced through the air again, tinged with dark amusement. "Not exactly subtle, are you? That little lightning burst just now? You blew your cover. We tracked that energy straight here. Rookie move."
Mika's eyes widened, confusion evident on her face as she tried to process the situation. "How did they get here so fast? We barely had time to react…"
With an air of mock confidence, Infernia leaned back, crossing her arms while shooting Raijin a playful yet sharp glare. "Nice going, Raijin. Maybe tone down the light show next time, yeah?"
Raijin merely grinned, shoulders relaxed and unapologetic. "What? It was a bug, y'know it was... Bugging me."
Ren cut in, his expression hardening as he faced the looming threat. "This isn't a game. We need to focus."
The Hunter Leader stepped forward, his intensity sharpening the tension in the air. "Seven hours ago, a massive energy surge shot up from right beneath your base. I'm sure you realized what you were sitting on. Do you have any idea what that means? You've been playing with a bomb. Now you're here casually having a picnic."
Ren's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "We know what's at stake. We tried to contain it. We failed."
A Hunter among the group narrowed his eyes, skepticism brewing within. "Failed? You almost brought a catastrophe down on the city. Do you understand how many lives were at risk? Your recklessness won't be tolerated."
Mika, still stunned, struggled to regain her composure. "We were blindsided. The Shadow Kaiju's core was hidden underground—no way we could've known."
With a sharp tone, Infernia chimed in, reinforcing the accusation aimed at Raijin. "And yeah, thanks to Raijin's fireworks, you found us sooner than expected."
Raijin shrugged, his bravado unshaken. "Hey, better to face the music than run and hide."
The Hunter Leader's eyes flicked over the team, his voice firm as iron. "That beam—whether a weapon or not, whatever it is—we want it. Now. We can't let something that powerful slip through the cracks."
Ren shook his head defiantly, maintaining eye contact. "You're asking for something we don't have anymore. That beam? It's gone. We lost control before we even realized what it was."
Hunter 2 stepped closer, his skepticism palpable. "Gone? Or are you just hiding it? You don't get to play keep-away when the fate of the city is on the line."
Mika, now more grounded, defended their position. "We couldn't stop it. That energy blasted off hours ago—before you even tracked us down."
Infernia couldn't resist the temptation to taunt further. "Yeah, and if we still had it, you think we'd just hand over a ticking time bomb? That's not how this works."
A low growl reverberated from the Hunter Leader, tension rising in the air. "This isn't a game. If you can't control it, you're a threat. We'll take whatever it is by force if we have to."
Raijin, exuding cockiness, flashed a grin as he leaned forward. "Good luck with that. You don't know what you're dealing with."
The Hunters exchanged glances, tension boiling over as some subtly raised their weapons, prepared for any sudden move.
Ren locked eyes with the Hunter Leader, his expression steely and serious. "Listen, that beam you saw? It's the Shadow Kaiju's core reaching out to its husk. It's coming back. We don't know exactly how or when, but it will attack."
Mika, sensing the gravity of the situation, chimed in to maintain a calm demeanor. "We're all on the same side here. If that thing wakes up fully, it's not just our problem—it's everyone's."
The Hunter Leader remained skeptical, crossing his arms as he scrutinized their faces, searching for any hint of deception. "So why should we trust you? You're hiding stuff, and now you expect us to stand down?"
Infernia smirked, her arms still crossed defiantly. "We're not hiding—we're surviving. And yeah, if we don't handle this together, everything gets wiped out."
Hunter 2's expression softened briefly. "Fine. But if you're serious about this threat, we keep close tabs. No more surprises."
Ren nodded, resolute. "We've got a plan ready. We want to get the word out to the people—everyone deserves to know what's coming."
The Hunter Leader's expression hardened, his voice dropping to a lower, more dangerous tone. "That's a bad idea. The more people who know, the harder it'll be to keep things under control."
Kaede frowned, voicing her concern. "Why? What's the harm in telling them?"
Haru maintained a calm demeanor as he interjected. "Same reason we didn't tell Rika. Some truths don't protect—they just spread fear."
Hunter 2 nodded slowly, his voice now reflecting understanding. "Fear. It's the enemy in this war. Once people panic, everything falls apart. Chaos is the real threat."
With renewed authority, the Hunter Leader commanded, "Disperse. We'll be watching."
Infernia, not backing down, shot back with a smirk. "You're not our boss."
Mika shrugged casually. "Was getting late anyway."
As the team began to dissipate into the shadows, tension still crackling in the air, the Hunter Leader called out, his voice sharp and probing. "Your team consists of elemental monarchs, yes? But it's known there's no Lightning Monarch. I'm curious—what's the deal with this Lightning Kaiju you have here?"
The group froze for a moment, the gravity of the question hanging thick in the air.
Ren maintained his cool facade, dismissive yet guarded. "Not your business. Sorry."