WORLD TRAIN

As the sun sets, casting eerie shadows in the cell, a flicker of light momentarily illuminates the darkness. A guard approaches, the sound of heavy boots echoing in the corridor. Yuma barely registers the noise, lost in his thoughts. The door creaks open, and the guard steps inside, his face devoid of expression.

"Get up, prisoner," he barks, but Yuma remains motionless, staring at the floor. The guard's irritation grows, and he steps closer, looming over Yuma. 

"I said get up!" Finally, Yuma looks up, his gaze flat and unresponsive. 

"What do you want?" His voice is a mere whisper, devoid of emotion. The guard scoffs.

"Time for your 'exercise.'" He gestures dismissively. Yuma exhales.

"As if it matters." Yuma rises slowly, his limbs feeling heavy as he shuffles toward the door. The dim light spills into the cell, illuminating the cold, sterile hallway. He follows the guard in silence, the weight of despair clinging to him like a second skin.

-----

He sits on the wall overlooking Ikati's castle. His dark purple hair blowing in the wind, now past his shoulders. His trench coat was torn, ripped and frayed as it blew in the calm breeze.

"Today's the day" His black eyes focused on the execution courtyard. He reached into his pocket and grabbed out a straw doll. Nearly identical to the one he made for his daughter, but this one was older, more shredded and falling apart.

"Remember why I'm doing this… remember… this is all for Yua" The man smiles calmly.

"I can't wait to see her smile again"

-----

As they make their way to the courtyard, Yuma catches glimpses of the world outside—a world that continues to move on without him. The sun hangs low in the sky, casting long shadows that stretch across the cracked pavement. He feels an odd sense of detachment, as if he's watching everything from a distance.

"We're here" The light of the courtyard blinds Yuma, the guard pushes Yuma forward, and he stumbles slightly but quickly regains his balance. A small crowd of guards and soldiers stand watching, their expressions a mix of boredom and malice. Yuma feels their eyes on him, but he doesn't care; he's grown accustomed to their disdain.

The guard orders him to stand in the center of the courtyard, and Yuma complies, his gaze fixed on the ground. He can hear the laughter and jeers from the crowd, their taunts echoing in his mind like a distant thunderstorm. But he remains quiet, no longer feeling the need to react.

The guard stands beside him, arms crossed, watching the crowd with a smug expression.

"This one used to have fire," he sneers, looking at Yuma. 

"Now he's just a shadow." The crowd laughs, and Yuma feels a strange sense of peace wash over him. The pain and anger that once consumed him have dulled to a mere ache, replaced by an eerie acceptance of his situation. He is nothing now—a ghost in a world that has moved on.

"Demon Lord Ikati himself wants to execute this Man!" a large shadow walks from the tunnel. Demon Lord Ikati locking eyes with Yuma. The crowd went silent in respect.

"Alien King: Yuma… why haven't you fought back?" Yuma doesn't respond as Ikati glares from above.

"Answer me, Alien King" Yuma glares at Ikati.

"My name… is Yuma… that's the only name I respond to" Ikati chuckles.

"Despite being in a cell for two years, you're still as feisty as you were back then" Ikati leans down on one knee to be eye level with Yuma.

"Answer me… Why haven't you fought back?" Yuma blankly stares. Ikati exhales and rises to his feet.

"Do you see this fool!? He used to have a 10 Billion Enni Bounty!... and now… he's fallen to the pigs when he can't even answer a measly question about his motivations" The crowd starts chanting.

"Execute, Execute, Execute!" Yuma and Ikati lock eyes. Yuma exhales.

"So you're gonna manipulate your own people into thinking you're the good guy?" Ikati furrows his brows.

"So what about it? It worked on you and your little… Alliance… didn't it?" Yuma grits his teeth.

"That was 2 years ago, why does that matter!?" Ikati chuckles.

"So NOW you decide to speak up?" Yuma furrows his brows. A pink aura rising from Yuma's shoulders. Ikati scoffs and kicks Yuma in the chin, stomping his face into the ground. Yuma looks up as Ikati grabs out a large sword, swinging it at Yuma's neck.