The air in New Eridu was thick with tension, the usual hum of city life drowned out by the sound of destruction. Three massive, highly aggressive Golems—warped, mechanical creatures twisted by the Hollow—rampaged through the district. The Hollow Operations Section 6 had been dispatched to handle the crisis, with Harumasa, Soukaku, and Yanagi leading the charge.

Belle had found herself caught in the chaos, merely passing through when the Golems emerged. As luck—or misfortune—would have it, she was now at the center of the storm, and despite her insistence that she could handle herself, the trio made it their priority to protect her.

Having evacuated the civilians, the group took temporary refuge behind the ruins of a collapsed building. The Golems were not only powerful but unnervingly intelligent, making them difficult to take down without a solid strategy. Yanagi, ever the tactician, surveyed their surroundings before speaking Harumasa, you’ll be the bait. Get their attention first.

Ah? Harumasa recoiled dramatically, clutching his chest. What, no concern for my well-being? I haven't been feeling well since morning, you know. I'm absolutely drained—

You slept through the entire meeting, Soukaku deadpanned.

Undeterred, Harumasa sighed, voice thick with exaggerated sorrow. Oh, woe is me. Even my parents abandoned me when I was a child—

Yesterday, you said your parents died when you were a baby, Soukaku interrupted, unimpressed.

Harumasa blinked before grinning. Ah, well. I have many parents, many stories. Belle sighed, shaking her head. Then, Harumasa's expression shifted to something more smug, a knowing glint in his golden eyes. Besides, I am an archer. Wouldn't it make the most sense for me to be at the front? And of course— He tilted his head, smirking. I am the best choice to protect Belle! Belle narrowed her eyes. Oh, he was insufferable.

Before anyone could refute him, he pressed on, newfound enthusiasm lacing his voice. So, my genius strategy is simple: You two distract them, and I'll fire three arrows at once or more, but I wouldn’t want to show off too much. Heh, sound good? Then let’s go, team!

Yanagi and Soukaku exchanged a glance, clearly resigned. No matter how much of a hassle Harumasa was, his archery skills were unmatched. Begrudgingly, they nodded. With a playful salute, Harumasa suddenly grabbed Belle's wrist and dashed in the opposite direction of the others, circling behind the Golems. Belle barely had time to process the shift before he abruptly let go, vanishing from sight. Confused, she scanned the area—until a metallic groan sounded too close for comfort. Belle turned sharply, eyes widening as one of the Golems lumbered toward her. She braced herself— Only for a firm hand to pull her into the darkness.

A thud. A sharp intake of breath. The space was tight—cramped. Belle's pulse pounded in her ears as she realized where they were. A locker. Likely flung from a nearby building in the wreckage. And she wasn’t alone. Harumasa pressed a finger to his lips. Shh.

His usual arrogance was subdued, replaced by an alert, calculating look. Though their situation was dire, Belle couldn't ignore the way their bodies were practically flush against each other in the confined space. She could feel the faint rise and fall of his chest, his breath warm against her skin. Keep an eye on Soukaku and Yanagi, he murmured. Once they have those things distracted, I’ll get my arrows ready.

Belle swallowed, nodding, focusing on the sliver of light filtering through the locker door. Outside, the battle raged on. Inside, her heart pounded for a completely different reason.