"Mr. Wangchuan?"
"All this... was his doing?"
He turned to glance at Utahime Iori, then tilted his head back to look at the sky.
"Ma'am, hasn't he been out of contact for a whole week? Why is he making such a huge scene the moment he gets back?"
Utahime Iori did not look at him.
Her gaze remained fixed on the sky.
The crescent brand on her forehead was slowly shimmering with purple light.
As though silently resonating with the meteors falling through the sky.
But the curve of her lips had clearly deepened.
"It's him."
"No doubt about it."
"But he's really gone overboard with his entrance this time."
By the last sentence, an unmistakable note of amusement had crept into her voice.
Huojin stood where he was.
He had heard Utahime Iori.
He tilted his head back to watch the falling meteor shower.
Those points of light grew brighter and closer, tracing blazing arcs through the night sky.
The dark red nuclear energy patterns on his chest pulsed a few times, as though something had stimulated them.
"Heh."
"Seriously?"
"That Wangchuan... really came?"
Something complex entered his voice.
It sounded like anticipation, but also like the focus that only emerged when he mulled over an opponent who demanded serious attention.
"The guy on par with Satoru Gojo."
"Didn't think... he'd come here."
Dagon finally stirred from his huddled position.
He floated to Huojin's side, his tentacles trembling slightly, his beady black eyes filled with anxiety.
"H-Huojin."
"Kenjaku... Kenjaku said..."
"That Wangchuan... might, might be more dangerous than Satoru Gojo..."
"Let's just leave..."
"If we go now, there's s-still time..."
Huojin turned to look at him.
There was no anger or disdain in that glance, only a rare, serious thoughtfulness.
He fell silent for a moment.
Then he shook