SPECIAL STAR

The magic screen flickers, displaying the image of a broken house with Vex standing in the middle of it. Panic consumes him as he realizes he has killed everyone around him. Unable to watch any longer, Vex turns away from the screen, while Rune and Simbad continue to observe.

On the screen, Vex screams in anguish as more zombies close in around him. Letting out a powerful roar, intense magic erupts from his body, obliterating the zombies in his vicinity. The magic spreads uncontrollably through the forest and into Blueberry Town, wreaking havoc and causing widespread destruction, killing both people and zombies alike.

Vex struggles to control his powers until he notices a small spirit orb drifting through his magic. Another spirit orb approaches from a different direction. The orbs speak softly to him, saying, "Calm down, Vex." He recognizes them as the spirits of Crag and Bell. Their presence soothes him, and his magic begins to slow, transforming into a serene bright blue light.

The spirits of Crag and Bell float closer to Vex, whispering, "We're here for you, Vex." Suddenly, his magic surges again, but this time with purpose. It moves swiftly, restoring the broken house. A massive wave of magic emanates from Vex, reconstructing the bodies of Crag, Bell, his mother, the maid, and Gavin. Their lifeless forms rise, enveloped in magical energy, which radiates an aura resembling their human selves.

Simbad stares at the screen in awe. Rune, standing beside him, remarks, "This magic of yours is not human at all... it's like you've been blessed by the gods."

Simbad steps closer to Crag and Bell to reache out to touch Crag's arm. His finger passes through the aura form, and he exclaims, "Oh my, so it is true. You've brought them back to life with your magic."

He continues to marvel at Crag's and Bell's glowing forms. Vex turns to Rune, his expression solemn. "Father said the same thing to me," he says. "That a human like me was lucky to be blessed by the gods."

Vex looks down, his voice heavy with emotion. "But I don't want to be this... I'm dangerous to anyone around me."

They all turn back to the magic screen, where it shows Vex arriving in Blueberry Town. The screen reveals countless dead bodies scattered throughout the town. Unable to bear it, Vex waves his hand, shutting off the screen. "I want to see other arts in the world, like swordsmanship. It's beautiful, and that's what I want to learn. I don't want to rely on my magic... I can't control it completely."

Rune nods, his expression firm. "I understand, Vex. I have never taken anyone as my student, so be honored—you are the first."

Vex bows deeply in gratitude, but the moment is interrupted as Simbad casually kicks Gavin's lifeless body sprawled on the sofa. "You're not a great father," Simbad says coldly. "Your son wanted to live out his life, but you only ever saw him as a weapon!"

Rune raises a hand to stop Simbad, who shakes his head in frustration and continues. "Gavin is heartless. We all should know his plans. He wanted to use his own son against Master Ryuga and the other sword masters because he was outcast."

Rune sighs and nods. "Yes... I'm aware. But for now, it seems Vex is able to control him. So, he's no threat at the moment."

Vex looks at them with uncertainty. "I can't say that for sure. Sometimes, he acts on his own. His will is so strong..."

Rune places a hand on Vex's shoulder. "Well, as long as Gavin remains under control, your lessons will start tomorrow."

A small smile breaks across Vex's face. Rune steps toward the door and opens it. Vex calls after him, "Where are you going?"

Rune glances back. "I'm going to find us food."

Crag, puzzled then ask, "With Vex's magic, we have no need for food."

Rune shakes his head with a knowing smile. "If you want to explore other things in life, then food will be the start. Come on, Simbad."

Simbad nods and follows Rune out of the house. Vex watches them leave and murmurs to himself, "Hmm... I do want to enjoy all that life can give."

Rune and Simbad make their way through the ruined streets of Blueberry Town, splitting up to search each building for food. Simbad enters an old market, carefully sneaking past a few wandering zombies. He slips into the back storage area and grins when he finds several boxes of ramen stacked neatly in a corner.

Meanwhile, Rune steps into a crumbling restaurant, spotting a dozen zombies shambling around the dining area. "Hopefully there's something in the back kitchen to eat," he mutters to himself. Summoning his butcher blade, he readies himself as the zombies notice him and charge.

With quick precision, Rune dispatches them, flipping tables and chairs as he fights. After taking down the last zombie, he heads into the kitchen, searching through shelves and cabinets. But despite his efforts, he finds nothing edible. Frustrated, he returns to the lobby and notices a dead zombie on the floor wearing a backpack. Curious, Rune crouches down and opens it, discovering a map inside.

A short while later, Rune meets Simbad in the middle of the street. Simbad is pushing a dolly loaded with three boxes of ramen, a proud grin on his face. Rune claps him on the shoulder. "Nice work, Simbad," he says, holding up the map.

Simbad's eyes widen with excitement as they study the map together. They follow its directions back to the restaurant, their curiosity growing. Examining the hints on the map, Simbad groans and chuckles. "Man, I forgot how hard they made these treasure maps to figure out."

Rune notices an odd-looking tile on the floor. He taps on it and hears a hollow sound. "Here," he says, lifting the tile. Beneath it, they find a hidden stash containing a key, a couple of sauce bottles, and a few cans of food.

"Yes!" Simbad cheers, giving Rune a high five. "But this is just one piece of the treasure. The real treasure is still out there somewhere."

They both examine the key curiously, but Rune glances outside. "It's getting late," he says. "We should head back to Vex."

Nodding in agreement, they pack up their findings and make their way back as the sun dips below the horizon and night settles over the ruined town.

Moments later, Simbad, Vex, and the others gather around to watch Rune cooking in the kitchen. He works slowly and deliberately, his expression focused. Vex tilts his head in curiosity. "Why is he thinking so hard?"

Simbad chuckles. "I believe he's trying to remember an old friend's recipe."

They watch as Rune opens a can of chopped potatoes and adds them to the pot with the noodles. He carefully chops onions, radish, and zucchini, then opens a bottle of black sauce and mixes all the ingredients together. Finally, he adds the cooked noodles into the pot, stirring everything thoroughly. Taking a deep sniff of the dish, Rune murmurs, "This is almost like it, but this will have to do."

He ladles the food into bowls and sets them before everyone. "Black bean noodles," he announces.

Vex stares at the bowl intensely, his expression skeptical. "Food... in black? Is it good?"

Simbad laughs. "Yes! One of our friends used to make this all the time for us back in Nemura City. It's great!"

Rune offers bowls to Crag and Bell, but they wave them off. "We may look alive," Crag says, "but we're still very much dead. Save the food for yourselves—we only need Vex's magic to survive."

Vex begins to cast a spell, but Rune stops him with a stern look. "When was the last time you ate food?"

Vex thinks for a moment. "Ever since the end of the world... so, two—maybe three years ago."

Rune nods gravely. "Once you undo the magic on me, Simbad, and yourself, we're all going to feel pain. But you will suffer the most. Keep that in mind. You must keep your emotions in check, or else you could lose control of your magic again."

Simbad nods in agreement. "Oh yeah, he's right! But now that you're aware of the incoming pain, don't worry—we'll all be here to support you."

Vex takes a deep breath, steels himself, and undoes the magic on himself, Rune, and Simbad. Almost immediately, Rune and Simbad clutch their stomachs as hunger overwhelms them.

But Vex collapses to the floor, screaming in agony, his hands clutching his stomach.

"Recast the spell!" Bell shouts, panicking. "You're not going to survive!"

"No!" Rune snaps. "You must endure it and eat, or else you'll never experience what life can give!"

Vex looks up at Crag and Bell, their faces filled with concern. They nod in encouragement. Slowly, they help lift him back onto the chair. Trembling, Vex takes a bite of the noodles.

The group watches intently as his eyes begin to sparkle with life. Each bite calms his hunger and brings him relief. Tears stream down Vex's face as he continues eating.

Simbad throws his arms around Rune in celebration. "We did it!" he shouts.

Crag and Bell cheer as well, while Vex silently finishes his bowl, his heart full of gratitude. Rune smiles and begins eating his own share, savoring the meal.

Nearby, Vex's mother and the maid watch the scene unfold with quiet smiles. Meanwhile, in the back of the room, Gavin's body sits on the sofa as magic swirls ominously around his head. His eyes flicker open, glowing faintly with life.

Staring at the magic forming around his hand, Gavin smirks. "Just a little longer, and I'll be free," he murmurs, leaning back into the sofa. The magic continues to swirl as he waits in the shadows.

The next morning, Rune and Vex are in the backyard, each holding wooden sticks. Rune demonstrates a series of precise swings, then gestures for Vex to follow. "You must regain your strength," Rune says. "Your muscles are too weak right now to hold a real sword without relying on your magic."

Vex nods, taking deep breaths as he grips the stick and mimics Rune's movements. His swings are clumsy at first, but he persists, sweat beginning to bead on his brow. Nearby, Simbad and the others watch with interest.

Moments later, Vex's arms give out, and the wooden stick slips from his hands. He collapses onto the ground, panting. "You know," he begins, between breaths, "it took me so long to even leave the house. When I was finally ready, I went on a small journey with Crag and Bell. We saw the world... it's almost like Blueberry Town—dead and dark."

He pauses, his gaze distant. "But sometimes, we'd see humans doing everything they could to survive. That's when we spotted you and Simbad. I saw the beauty in your sword, and I knew I wanted it."

Rune's expression softens. "Without you, Simbad and I would have died that day. But fate brought us together, and now we'll continue your journey—together. We'll go to Nemura City and truly experience life there."

Vex's tired face lights up with determination. "That's a promise, Rune!"

Rune raises an eyebrow, smirking. "You mean Master Rune?"

Vex chuckles, holding out his fist. "Right—Master Rune. That's a promise."

They exchange a firm fist bump, a bond forming between teacher and student.

Later that day, Rune and Simbad prepare to head back into town, their eyes on the treasure hinted at in the mysterious map.

Following the map's directions, Rune and Simbad venture into the dense forest near the town. After some searching, they spot a metal hatch embedded in the ground. Simbad's face lights up with excitement as he eagerly opens it. "This must be it!" he exclaims, descending the stairs into an underground bunker.

Rune is about to follow when a rustling sound draws his attention. He grips his butcher blade tightly, his eyes scanning the treeline. From the shadows, a dozen armed bandits emerge, rifles pointed at him.

Before Rune can react, Simbad's voice echoes from below. "Uh... Rune, we've got company down here too!" His hands are raised, surrounded by another group of armed bandits within the bunker.

Rune smirks with determination. "We can take them all."

Simbad's voice trembles with reluctant confidence. "Okay... if you say so!"

The bandits outside open fire, but Rune leaps into action, dodging and deflecting bullets with his blade. With a powerful swing, he unleashes an energy wave that narrowly misses the bandits. The wave slams into the ground behind them, erupting in a magical explosion that sends several bandits flying.

Suddenly, a loud scream echoes from the bunker as Simbad is hurled out by an intense gust of wind magic, crashing into the dirt. Rune turns to see the bandit leader stepping out of the hatch, a smug grin on his face.

"Well, well, well," the leader sneers, his eyes scanning Rune and Simbad. "Looks like we've been blessed today. I was wondering why it was taking my men so long to find that spare key. But not only do you have it—you're magic users. Lucky us."

Rune dashes forward, but the bandit leader quickly unfurls a magic scroll from his bag. A gust of icy wind shoots from the parchment, forcing Rune to sidestep as it grazes past him. The frost, however, catches Simbad, freezing the lower half of his body in solid ice.

"Rune!" Simbad shouts, using his magic to disarm several of the bandits, tossing their rifles aside telekinetically. Despite the encroaching ice, he summons one final burst of energy to hurl the leader's bag of scrolls across the clearing.

"Smart but I was prepare for this," the bandit leader growls. He opens another scroll from his belt, releasing a blast of water magic that engulfs Rune. The torrent lifts him into the air, spinning violently as it traps him in a swirling sphere of water.

Meanwhile, the ice creeps up to Simbad's chest. Gritting his teeth, he struggles to keep his head free from the ice. "Rune, hurry up!" he shouts, his voice straining.

Rune roars, breaking free from the water sphere. He lands on the ground with a thud, immediately charging toward the bandit leader. But just as Rune closes the distance, the leader seizes a young girl from behind the bunker and presses a knife to her throat.

"Take one more step, and she dies," the bandit leader warns with a sinister grin.

Rune freezes, his blade poised mid-air. He narrows his eyes and mutters coldly, "Why should I care? I don't even know her."

Simbad then shouts, "That's not who we are, Rune!" before the frost fully consumes his entire body.

Rune hesitates, his blade still raised, his grip tightening. The girl, trembling in the bandit leader's grasp, screams through tears, "You must kill them all! They killed my entire family! My life has no meaning now! Do it!"

The raw desperation in her voice cuts through Rune's stoic resolve. He stares at her, seeing not just her fear but the haunting reflection of himself —lost, broken, and clinging to rage as his only anchor. Memories flood his mind: his own cries of anguish, the despair of loss, and the hunger for vengeance that consumed him for years.