[ Walter Park – Boutique "Maison Diavolo"]
The soft chime of a bell echoed as the doors of Maison Diavolo, one of Walter Park's fanciest boutiques, opened. Warm golden lights shone from the chandeliers, illuminating rows of colorful dresses, ribbons, and demon fashion tailored for every possible form and flair.
Ameri Azazel stepped in with a look of intense focus.
"We're here to shop, but remember," she muttered under her breath, "functionality comes first. I must be able to ax-kick on demand."
Clara zoomed past her with a wild grin.
"Ooooh, sparkly sparkle! Look, Ameri, this one has stars on it! And this one has pockets!"
Trailing behind were Ix Eligos (wearing an oversized sun hat), the ever-composed Crocell Kerori (disguised as Kuromu), and Opera, who calmly picked up a dress that somehow shimmered between black and violet.
"Very… covert." Opera said with an amused glint in their eye.
--
[Montage: Shopping Chaos]
Ameri held a gorgeous blue dress up against herself, examining it with sharp eyes.
"Can I execute a dropkick in this?"
Ix tilted his head. "Do you… normally dropkick people during dates?"
"That's irrelevant." she replied flatly. "One must always be prepared."
Meanwhile, Clara had chosen a frilly, oversized green dress that practically swallowed her. She wobbled around the boutique like a mischievous muffin.
"Clara, dear," said a kind clerk with a small laugh, "you've fallen into that one more than you're wearing it."
"I like it big and poofy!" Clara declared.
The in-store tailor—a stylish demon with a long measuring tape like a whip—swooped in dramatically.
"Fear not, small vibrant child! I shall hem this dress to match your unstoppable energy!"
Clara's eyes sparkled. "You're so coooool!!"
Just then, two boutique employees struck a dynamic pose with their hands angled like lightning bolts.
"Walter Park Style~!" they sang in unison.
Clara's eyes widened. "Wait! We gotta pose too!"
"Clara, no." said Ameri, already realizing what was about to happen.
Too late.
Clara grabbed Kerori, Ix, Opera, and Ameri by the hands and thrust them into a dramatic five-point pose that mirrored the clerks'.
Opera played along gracefully, one leg in the air.
Kerori, in Kuromu form, did a peace sign with deadly precision.
Ix accidentally struck a martial arts pose.
Clara threw glitter in the air.
Ameri...
…struggled internally.
But then, seeing the sparkle in Clara's eyes, the soft smile on Opera's face, and the mirror's reflection of all of them together—
She slowly raised a fist in the air.
"Team Walter Sparkle… engage."
The clerks clapped excitedly.
---
[Aftermath]
Later, as they left the shop with their purchases in tow, Clara proudly twirled in her newly hemmed dress.
"This was the best shopping trip ever!"
Opera handed Ameri a small bag.
"You didn't buy anything, but I took the liberty of choosing something for you."
Ameri peeked inside and blinked. It was the blue dress—with reinforced stitching in the seams for flexibility and a small charm in the tag.
A charm for strength enhancement.
"Now," Opera said with a sly grin, "you can ax-kick in style."
Ameri smiled faintly.
"Thank you… I suppose this qualifies as strategic fashion."
---
[ Walter Park – Kalego's Team Table]
The camera flash fades from Ameri's group pose, and the picture, glittery and ridiculous, gets sent instantly to all groups via Walter Park's magical group chat board.
At a lonely outdoor café corner, Kalego sits like a cat being forcefully dressed by a child. He wears a comically oversized Walter Park sun hat, a "Smile Slime" necklace, and a "#TeamFun!" badge that keeps magically flashing and singing the park's jingle every ten seconds.
He scowled.
"Opera's group appears to be… thriving."
Shax scrolled through the images and whistled. "Man, they're doing all the good stuff! We've been stuck in food alley for half an hour."
Jazz, half-slumped in his chair, muttered, "We didn't even eat yet. Kalego-sensei won't let anyone get corn dogs until he finishes checking the safety code ratings."
A terrified staff demon bowed to Kalego, setting down a perfectly stacked tray of theme park delicacies.
"Here is your, uh, taste test, sir! Please enjoy our limited-edition spicy bat-wing funnel cake, shadow soup, and…"
Kalego's eye twitched. He pulled out his pocket notebook and started scribbling a formal complaint.
Just then, two shifty-looking parkgoers with cloaks and wild eyes appeared beside the table. The students immediately tensed up—Jazz subtly reached for his magic gloves.
"Hey… you guys got a minute?" one said, rubbing his hands together.
"We don't have any money," Goemon said bluntly.
The taller one blinked. "Money? No, no! We were just wondering if you'd play the shooting range game with us. It's more fun with groups, you see."
The group collectively sighed in relief. Jazz and Goemon exchanged looks and stood up.
[ Shooting Range Booth – "Eye Aim to Win!"]
The skeletal worker managing the booth lazily floated above the counter, bored out of his skull. Literally.
"Try to hit the golden bat. But beware… it moves."
Jazz cracked his knuckles. "Let's do this."
Goemon drew his blade-shaped dart launcher.
As the game began, the targets spun wildly, and loud circus music began to play. Goemon lined up a perfect shot at the rarest golden bat—
Only for the skeleton worker to float sideways into his line of fire at the last second.
"Foul!" Goemon shouted.
"Oops." the skeleton said dryly. "Old bones, you know."
Still, the boys managed to win two prizes: a plushie version of Balam and the limited-edition "Flame Bat" scarf, the highest prize.
The shady guys did a victory pose, and suddenly burst into sparkly magical uniforms.
"By the way," they grinned, "we're also park staff! And we rate your team spirit… 8/10! Here's your Team Walter Pose photo!"
The group posed awkwardly—Goemon proudly showing off the scarf, Jazz pointing at the plushie, and Kalego dead-center, completely expressionless as sparkles fluttered around him.
The photo auto-sent to the rest of the groups.
Opera's group burst into laughter.
[ Back at the Table]
Back at the café table, Shax unrolled the magical park map again.
"Hey… look at this place. 'Kararagi Street.' Doesn't look like anyone's visited it yet. Maybe we should check it out next?"
Kalego narrowed his eyes.
"Kararagi Street is publicly advertised as a cultural zone—a replica of the Kararagi trade region. However, the rumors around its development are… less cheerful."
Jazz leaned in. "Rumors?"
Kalego's tone darkened.
"The area was built over one of the original foundations of Walter Park... before it became a 'family-friendly' destination. Let's just say some of its roots are more… criminal than cultural."
The group went quiet.
Shax, of course, smiled.
"Sounds fun."
--
[Walter Park – Children's Area]
The wind shifted. Balloons tied to nearby posts trembled as the sky took on a strange, ominous hue. Iruma stood in front of the children, crouched in a defensive stance — no sword drawn, but both hands weaving into a rapid, practiced sequence of hand signs.
"I can't show them the blade they are children… but I'll still protect them. But if it's Necessary !"
Clara and Alice flanked him, their eyes sharp. Clara clenched her fists, aura trembling with emotion. Alice's palm burned with blue flame, but he held it steady, away from the kids.
"Iruma-sama," Alice said firmly, "they're here. The Six Fingers made their move."
---
[Walter Park – Outside the Shopping District]
Agares, arms still crossed, sighed.
"Too crowded… Too noisy…"
Ronove, oblivious, tore his mask off with a dramatic twirl.
"BEHOLD! The unfiltered elegance of my divine visage!"
Agares blinked. "No thanks."
Ronove winced. "You wound me." Then he perked up. "Very well! I shall beautify you instead!" He pulled out a makeup kit bigger than his cape.
--
[Staff Checkpoint – Moments Later]
Wett, adjusting his tie, whispered politely to Balam, "I must report this to HQ. Some minor irregularities in the lower systems."
Balam nodded. "Keep an eye out. Something feels off."
Wett turned the corner. His expression instantly changed — pleasant smile gone, replaced by cold focus.
Down a maintenance hallway, he met Shiida, who stood near a half-powered crystal terminal.
All around them, Walter Park staff members peeled away their disguises. Each revealed a different symbol carved into their flesh — Six Fingers.
Shiida's eyes narrowed.
"Begin."
--
[Walter Park – Parkwide Crisis]
With a burst of blackened mana, three giant monsters erupted from beneath the park — one in the Water District, another near the Arcade Zone, and the third inside the Glass Dome Theater.
Screams broke out. Fireworks shattered mid-air. Magical rides crashed to a halt as dark smoke spread across the skies.
Crimson warning lights blinked across crystal monitors.
Park systems blared:
"EMERGENCY! ALL VISITORS, EVACUATE TO THE NEAREST SHELTER CRYSTAL—"
--
[Walter Park – Children's Area]
A creaking echoed. The ground beneath the sandpit cracked, spreading like webbing.
The children screamed, and Clara ushered them behind the play structure.
Alice's flames flared up. "Something's emerging from beneath…!"
Iruma's Rinnegan glinted. He stepped forward protectively.
Then — silence.
A blackened aura bled out from the crack. The sand collapsed inward, forming a dark pit.
From it rose a silhouette, bathed in the fiery backlight of the chaos across the park. Slowly, methodically, it stepped forward — a tall, thin figure with chains wrapped around its arms and back, glowing eyes pulsing like dying stars.
Creak…
Creak…
Clink.
The park went still for a moment.
Alice whispered,
"That's not a monster."
Sabro was shock to see something.
"…That's a person."
Iruma narrowed his eyes.
"…No. That's ... Behind Him?"
The silhouette stopped walking. It tilted its head toward Iruma's group—
And smiled.