Chapter 341: Call Home

The sun was beginning to set over Mythal. Kai sat on the edge of a destroyed building, one leg hanging over the side.

Below him, workers moved through the rubble, Hunters carrying broken stone, builders measuring damaged foundations, engineers inspecting cracked mana conduits. The city was still wounded. But it was alive.

Beside him, Sera sat with her legs crossed, looking over the same scene. For a while, neither of them spoke. Then Kai pulled out his phone. "I should call home."

Sera glanced at him. "Your family?"

"Yeah."

She smiled. "Then call."

He unlocked his phone and started the call. It rang twice, then Leo answered. "KAI!"

Kai immediately pulled the phone away from his ear.

Sera laughed. "Still loud," she said.

He put the phone back against his ear. "Hello to you too."

Leo’s face filled the screen, his hair messy, his expression far too excited, and he was apparently holding the phone much too close to his face. "YOU’RE ALIVE!"

Kai stared at him. "...Yes."

"I knew it!"

Mina’s voice came from somewhere behind him. "You didn’t know anything."

"I knew he’d survive."

"You were pacing around the room ten minutes ago."

"I was strategically pacing."

Kai laughed. "Strategically?"

"Yes."

Mina finally appeared behind Leo and looked into the camera. "Hi, Kai."

"Hey, Mina."

She smiled, then her expression softened slightly as she studied his face. Not the background. Not the ruined city. Him. "You okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"You sure?"

"I’m sure."

She watched him for another second, then nodded. "Okay." That was it. She didn’t ask how many monsters he’d fought. She didn’t ask how powerful he’d become. She didn’t ask whether he’d really fought six disasters. She just wanted to know if he was okay.

Kai smiled. "I’m fine."

Leo immediately interrupted. "YOU FOUGHT SIX DISASTERS!"

He sighed. "There it is."

Sera laughed beside him.

Leo leaned closer to the screen. "Six!"

"I know."

"Six separate disasters!"

"Technically."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, TECHNICALLY?"

He rubbed his forehead. "It was complicated."

"How is that complicated?!"

Mina crossed her arms. "Leo, give him a second."

"But—"

"He just survived a Disaster."

"...Fine." Leo sat back, for approximately three seconds. Then, "So how strong were they?"

Kai stared at him. "You lasted three seconds."

"I had questions."

"You always have questions."

"Because you’re interesting."

Sera leaned closer to the phone. "He’s been like this since we called last time."

Leo’s eyes widened. "Sera!"

"Hi."

"You survived too!"

"Thankfully."

"Did Kai save you?"

She smiled. "Sometimes."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes?"

She looked at him. "Do you want me to tell them about the time you almost got yourself killed?"

He immediately shook his head. "No."

Leo’s eyes lit up. "YES."

Mina laughed. "Definitely."

"Traitors."

She smiled. "You asked me to be honest."

"I don’t remember doing that."

"You did."

"When?"

"Right before you almost died."

Kai went quiet. Leo pointed at the screen. "See?! I knew it!"

Mina laughed. Kai sighed. "This is why I don’t tell you people anything."

"Too late," Leo said proudly.

Then another face suddenly appeared beside him, a girl with bright eyes leaning into the camera. "Kai!"

He blinked. "...Emma?"

She froze, apparently not expecting him to recognize her immediately. "Y-You remember me?"

He smiled. "Of course I remember you."

Her face immediately brightened. "You remember!"

Leo groaned. "Oh no."

Emma ignored him completely. "You actually remember me!"

Mina looked at Emma. "Of course he remembers you."

Emma nodded rapidly. "I knew it!"

Leo pointed at her. "You’ve been talking about that autograph for months."

Her face turned red. "I have not!"

"You absolutely have."

"I mentioned it twice!"

"Twenty times."

"Leo!"

Kai laughed. Sera looked between them. "So this is Emma?"

Emma immediately straightened. "Yes!"

Sera smiled. "Leo’s best friend?"

"Yes."

Leo sighed. "Unfortunately."

Emma turned toward him. "You’re just jealous."

"Of what?"

"That Kai remembers me."

He stared at her. "He’s my brother."

"And?"

"He has known me my entire life."

"And?"

Leo opened his mouth, then closed it. Mina started laughing. Kai covered his mouth, trying not to laugh too loudly. Leo looked betrayed. "Why is everyone against me?"

Mina smiled. "Because it’s funny."

"Mom!"

"I’m not your mother."

"You sound like one."

"That’s because someone needs to keep you under control."

Emma giggled. Leo pointed at her. "Don’t laugh!"

"I’m sorry." She wasn’t.

Kai leaned back against the broken wall. "So." He looked at Emma. "How have you been?"

She immediately sat up straight. "I’m doing great."

Leo muttered, "She practiced that answer."

Emma elbowed him. "I did not!"

Mina raised an eyebrow. "You practiced?"

Her face reddened. "Maybe."

Kai laughed. "Why?"

"Because I knew I’d get to talk to you."

Leo groaned. "Oh, this is going to be unbearable."

Emma ignored him completely. "I saw the broadcasts."

His smile faded slightly. "The Second Disaster?"

She nodded. "And everything after." Her expression became more serious. "I was worried."

He was quiet for a moment. "Thank you."

She smiled. "But then I remembered what you told me."

He tilted his head. "What did I tell you?"

"That getting stronger isn’t about being the strongest person."

He remembered. The restaurant. The little girl with the notebook. The autograph. Grow strong. Protect the people important to you.

She continued. "So I started training."

He blinked. "You did?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Leo too."

Leo looked offended. "Why are you making it sound like I needed you to tell me?"

"Because you did."

"I was already training!"

"Because I made you."

Mina laughed. Kai looked at Leo. "She’s got you there."

Leo stared at his brother. "You’re supposed to support me."

"I am."

"You’re not."

"I support whoever is correct."

"That’s even worse."

Sera laughed. Kai smiled. "How’s training going?"

Leo immediately brightened. "I’m getting better."

Emma nodded. "He is."

Leo looked at her. "You admit it?"

"Don’t get excited."

"I’ll take it."

Mina leaned closer to the screen. "Neither of you are skipping meals because of training, right?"

Leo froze. Emma froze too.

Kai slowly looked at both of them. "...Why did you both freeze?"

"We didn’t."

"You did."

"No."

Mina narrowed her eyes. "Leo."

"We eat."

"Regularly?"

"...Mostly."

Kai sighed. "Leo."

"We’re fine."

Emma suddenly raised her hand. "I eat regularly."

Leo looked at her. "You ate three meals today."

"Yes."

"Exactly."

"That’s normal!"

"Not when you count snacks as meals."

She gasped. "Snacks are important."

Kai nodded seriously. "She’s right."

Leo stared at him. "You too?"

"Always."

Mina laughed. "Now you’re encouraging them."

"I’m encouraging proper nutrition."

"You’re encouraging snacks."

"Those can coexist."

Emma nodded firmly. "Exactly."

Leo crossed his arms. "Fine." He paused. "...Can we order food?"

Mina stared at him. "You just ate."

"I’m hungry again."

Kai laughed. "Some things never change."

Leo grinned. "You’ve been gone too long."

"I’ve been gone for a few days."

"Exactly."

Sera shook her head. "This family is dangerous."

Mina smiled. "You’ve only seen the easy version."

Kai nodded. "She’s right."

Leo suddenly leaned toward the camera. "Speaking of family."

Kai immediately became suspicious. "What?"

"When are you coming home?"

The question was simple, but his smile softened. "Soon."

"How soon?"

"I don’t know yet."

Leo frowned. "You always say that."

"Because I don’t know."

"You should know."

"Why?"

"Because we need to finish the house."

He blinked. "What house?"

"The new one."

Mina laughed. "He means the imaginary house."

"It’s becoming less imaginary."

Kai smiled. "Still three floors?"

"Obviously."

"Training room?"

"Obviously."

"Garden?"

"Yes."

"Big kitchen?"

"Yes."

"A library?"

"Yes."

"A swimming pool?"

Leo paused. "...Maybe."

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Who is paying for all this?"

Leo pointed at Kai. "He is."

He laughed. "Excuse me?"

"You’re the Guild Master."

"That’s not how money works."

"It should be."

Emma giggled. "Can I help design it?"

Leo immediately shook his head. "No."

She stared at him. "Why?"

"Because you’ll add too many bookshelves."

"We need bookshelves."

"We need space."

"We need books."

"You already said library."

"Exactly."

Kai looked at Mina. "I think they’re going to design the entire house before I even get home."

Mina smiled. "Probably."

Emma suddenly looked embarrassed. "Oh."

He noticed. "What?"

She hesitated. "Can I ask something?"

"Sure."

She looked directly at the screen. "Could..." She swallowed. "...could I visit the house too?"

Leo stared at her. "You mean our house?"

She nodded. "Obviously."

Leo thought about it. "Fine."

She smiled. "But only if you help with training."

His smile disappeared. "Why did you add a condition?"

"Because you need help."

"I do not!"

"You do."

Kai laughed. Mina joined him. Sera was laughing too.

Leo looked around at the four people laughing at him. "This family is unfair."

Mina corrected him. "Emma isn’t family."

Emma immediately looked slightly disappointed.

Mina smiled. "She’s practically family."

Emma’s eyes lit up.

Leo groaned. "Great."

Kai smiled. "Welcome to the family, Emma."

She stared at him for a second, then her face turned bright red. "Really?"

He nodded. "Sure."

Leo shook his head. "You’ve made a terrible mistake."

Emma grinned. "Too late."

Mina laughed. Sera smiled beside Kai.

For a few minutes, the conversation became completely ordinary. Leo talked about school. Emma complained about one of their teachers.

Mina told Kai about something ridiculous Leo had done earlier that week, which Leo immediately denied entirely.

Until Emma backed Mina up, which made Leo accuse her of betrayal, which made Kai take Mina’s side, which made Leo accuse him of betrayal too. Sera eventually joined in, and somehow Kai ended up losing an argument he didn’t even remember starting.

Then Mina looked at him again, her expression softening. "Seriously, Kai."

He looked at her. "What?"

"Don’t push yourself too hard."

He smiled. "I won’t."

"You said that last time."

"I meant it."

"You also meant it last time."

"...Fair."

She smiled. "Come home when you can."

"I will."

Leo raised a finger. "And don’t forget the house."

"I won’t."

Emma raised her hand. "And don’t forget me!"

He laughed. "I won’t."

Leo looked at her. "Why would he forget you?"

"Because he’s busy."

"I’m his brother."

"And I’m his fan."

Kai stared at the screen. "...That’s your argument?"

Emma nodded proudly. "Yes."

Mina immediately smiled. "She’s got you there."

He sighed. "Apparently."

Sera leaned closer. "I think you’ve been replaced."

He looked at her. "By my own family?"

"By Emma."

Emma looked delighted. Leo looked horrified. "No."

Kai laughed. "Don’t worry, Leo." He looked into the camera. "You’re still my loudest problem."

Leo smiled. "That’s right."

Mina added casually, "And Emma is your loudest fan."

Emma nodded. "Yes."

He looked between them. "...And Mina is my biggest bully."

Mina smiled sweetly. "Someone has to be."

Sera laughed. Kai shook his head. "You know, I survived two Disasters."

Leo nodded. "Yeah."

He gestured toward the screen. "And somehow this is still harder."

Everyone burst out laughing.

For a while, Kai forgot about the rubble beneath him. Forgot about the damaged buildings. Forgot about the next Disaster. He was just sitting on a ruined rooftop, talking to his family.

Eventually Mina checked the time. "You should probably rest."

He glanced toward the darkening city. "Yeah."

Leo immediately said, "Don’t stay up all night."

He looked at him. "I won’t."

Mina narrowed her eyes. "He’s lying."

"I am not."

Sera nodded. "He probably is."

Emma raised her hand. "I agree."

Kai stared at all four of them. "Unbelievable."

Leo grinned. "Good night, Kai."

"Good night."

Mina smiled. "Take care of yourself."

"I will."

Emma waved enthusiastically. "Good night, Kai!"

He smiled. "Good night, Emma."

Leo started waving. "Bye!"

The call ended. The screen went dark. He lowered the phone, and for a few seconds simply stared at it.

Then Sera spoke. "Your family is loud."

He smiled. "Yeah."

She glanced at him. "You like it."

He looked out over Mythal. Workers were still moving through the ruins. Lights had appeared across the damaged streets. People were rebuilding. Slowly. Together.

"Yeah." He smiled. "I do."

Sera leaned back beside him, and neither spoke for a while. Then his phone buzzed. He looked down.

Leo: Don’t forget the swimming pool.

He laughed. Another message appeared.

Mina: Ignore him.

Then:

Emma: I think the pool is a good idea.

He stared at the screen. "...Great."

Sera looked over. "What?"

He showed her. She read the messages, then smiled. "Sounds like you have your next problem."

He put his phone away. "Apparently."

He looked over the ruined city again. The buildings could be rebuilt. The roads could be repaired. The defenses could be improved.

But moments like this, a stupid argument about a swimming pool, his brother being loud, Mina teasing him, Emma being excited just to talk to him, Sera sitting beside him, those were the things he was actually fighting to protect.

He smiled quietly. "Let’s go."

Sera stood. "Where?"

"Home."

And together, they climbed down from the ruined building. Behind them, Mythal kept rebuilding.