Rise of the Rejected Deity from Chaos-Chapter 70 - 69: Parting Goobyes

They had all their plans down to set in motion and when dawn broke on them, they were eager.

However, things were far more difficult than they had anticipated. They could only move cautiously, with only one or two of them venturing out to search for information about the children, always careful to avoid the watchful eyes of the police and people. Even with such careful efforts, it took them three long days to gather any substantial details.

During these days, their sustenance came from the meager money Hayne had received from the women at the pharmacy, and it was from there they also visited the internet café.

In the same span of time, Seiya’s mother regained consciousness twice, but she was like an empty shell. She woke, yet never moved nor spoke—only staring vacantly into space. When Hayne suggested Seiya speak to her, hoping she might respond, Seiya refused, preferring to seclude himself on the balcony with his elite, isolating himself from the others.

It wasn’t until the third day that they found the families of three of the children, aided by the fact that these families were quite well-known. Two others were found to have originally come from an orphanage, their details leading straight back to it. As for the last two, they had no memories of any family at all. In the end, they decided to place them in an orphanage—a safer haven than the nightmare they had just escaped.

After conducting their research, they discovered they were in northern Japan, specifically in Sendai, a city far from where most of them had come from.

They sat on the cold, bare floor, gathered in a circle to discuss their next move.

"Honestly, I have no problem if everyone comes to live with me, since we have no home to return to," the bulky senior said casually.

"Yeah, you’ve mentioned that already," Riena responded dryly.

"Right! I just want to know how many of you actually want to come with me," the senior clarified.

Everyone, except the children, Hayne, Seiya, and his elite, raised their hands.

The bulky senior’s brow twitched, his face flushed with nervous sweat.

"Really? None of you have a place to return to?" he asked in disbelief.

"It doesn’t matter whether we do or not," Riena shot back. "What matters is that we don’t want to go back there," she said, with the others nodding in agreement.

"Well, I have a house my grandma left me back in Fukuoka. We could start over there together. It’s about 16 hours by bus from here, and three of the children are from that area, so we could reunite them with their families," the senior suggested.

He then turned to Hayne, and all eyes fell on him, questioning.

"Well," Hayne began, awkwardly smiling. "I do have a place to return to. I’m not originally from here, but my uncle lives in Tokyo," he revealed, causing a stir among the group.

It was the first time they were learning that Hayne wasn’t from here, and that his uncle lived in none other than Tokyo—the capital of Japan. A place many of them had dreamed of reaching. Even the largest Humanity Savior Academy was located there.

"So, what’s your plan?" the bulky senior asked.

Hayne glanced over at Eiro, who sat quietly in the corner. He had been recovering well over the past three days, though Suhei’s death still weighed heavily on him.

"Well, I’m planning to go there, Tokyo I mean. I’ll take the remaining four children with me and place them in a safe orphanage," Hayne explained.

The senior nodded in approval of Hayne’s plan.

"Then…" the senior’s eyes swept over the sleeping children. "Should we really wipe their memories?"

Hayne was silent for a while until he spoke. "No. As much as we’d like for them to forget the tragic past, it’s too much of a risk," Hayne reasoned.

"If they should forget all they’d been through back in the facility, it’ll make it easier to retrieve them. Should they even come across anyone suspicious from the facility, they wouldn’t be able to tell how dangerous of a situation it is to run or call for help—making it easier to lure them away," Hayne explained.

"I see. So it’s better the way we’ve told them not to say anything about it," the bulky senior added and Hayne nodded.

"Since most of the children are very new there anyway, I doubt they have much to tell. The others who’d been there longer are wise enough to keep their mouths shut as we’ve told them. All in all, it is a risk and we’re taking it," Hayne declared and they nodded in agreement.

"Then…" Eiro, who had remained silent until now, spoke. "What about him?"

The room fell into an uneasy silence. Everyone knew exactly who he was referring to. The air grew tense, thick with unspoken thoughts.

After a pause, Hayne answered casually, "He’s coming with me, of course."

Gasps filled the room.

"Huh?! For real?!"

"Why?" Hayne’s gaze hardened as he swept his eyes over them. "Are any of you willing to take him?" His voice was sharp and cold, daring them to answer.

No one spoke.

A slow smile spread across Hayne’s face. "Then it’s settled. He’s coming with me."

"Then that’s decided," the bulky senior affirmed.

"It’s all well and good, but…" Riena interjected, folding her arms. "I think we should be the ones to take the other children. Tokyo is too busy and chaotic for them. They’ll find more peace in an orphanage in a quieter city."

Hayne and the senior considered her suggestion for a moment before agreeing. They divided what little money they had left, with Hayne taking the smallest amount—his trip to Tokyo was only five or six hours, requiring far less than the others.

Before setting out, they washed their clothes with what little water they could find. Though still tattered, they were at least free of blood. Hayne took extra care to help Seiya clean his staff and clothing, ensuring nothing would jeopardize their plan.

By morning, they all set out, including Seiya and his elite. As they stood at the departure point, facing one another, a wistful breeze swept through them.

"I hope we all find better lives from now on," the bulky senior said.

"And I hope our paths cross again—when we’re doing better," Hayne added with a smile.

They exchanged their farewells, waving before turning and heading in opposite directions, each one walking toward an uncertain future. Eiro hesitated, his gaze lingering on Seiya and Hayne. But after a long moment of indecision, he sighed and followed the others.

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Hayne carried Seiya’s mother on his back, while Seiya and his elite flanked him on either side.

"Please hold your staff close by your side—don’t let it float," Hayne instructed. "We don’t want any unnecessary complications." Hayne said to Seiya who complied with a protest.

They walked in silence toward the station, where they would board the bus to Tokyo—the very city where Awakeners swarmed like ants, and where Seiya’s siblings worked.