My Soul card is a Reaper

By the time they returned to the resort, everyone quickly freshened up, taking swift showers before heading back to the beachfront. The scent of grilled meat and sizzling seafood filled the air as the group settled down for a relaxing BBQ lunch by the ocean.

Despite the earlier incident, the atmosphere was lively again. But Zack… Zack's mood was anything but light.

As he sat there, barely touching his food, he realized something.

If he wanted to rattle Azzy, breaking a sandcastle wouldn't be enough.

Azzy stood by the grill, his movements precise as he flipped the sizzling pieces of meat. The rich aroma of barbecue filled the air, blending with the salty ocean breeze. Max stood beside him, casually helping out while sneaking a few bites here and there.

"Man, you're really good at this," Max commented, watching Azzy work.

"It's just grilling," Azzy replied simply, his focus unwavering.

Meanwhile, Rina had stationed herself near Azzy, leaning slightly closer every time she spoke. "So, Rael," she began, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "where did you learn to grill like this? You seem like the type who's always busy with, I don't know, martial arts or something."

Azzy, without looking up, responded, "I just picked it up."

Rina chuckled. "Mysterious and talented. You're really something, huh?"

Azzy didn't react, but Max smirked, clearly amused by Rina's obvious flirting.

A few feet away, Zack was making his own attempts—flirting with Leiza.

"You know," he said smoothly, "I was thinking, Leiza. We don't really get to talk much. Maybe we should—"

"I'm talking to Wendy," Leiza cut in flatly, not even sparing him a glance.

Zack chuckled awkwardly, trying again. "Yeah, yeah, but I mean—"

Leiza's gaze subtly shifted toward Rina and Azzy, her focus lingering on them more than anything else.

Zack noticed. His jaw clenched. Ignored. Again.

By the time the grilling was done and everyone had their plates filled, Max glanced around and raised an eyebrow. "Wait… where's Zack?"

Rina barely looked up from her food. "Probably went for a leak or something," she said with a shrug.

Leiza, clearly unimpressed with Zack's presence in general, sighed and picked up her fork. "Whatever. Let's just eat. I'm hungry."

Everyone agreed and began eating, the conversation picking up again as laughter and casual chatter filled the beachfront.

A few minutes later, Zack reappeared, slipping back into his seat as if nothing had happened.

Azzy, despite keeping his usual calm demeanor, instinctively noted the slight shift in Zack's aura.

Something was off.

*

After a while;

Azzy looked down at the small slip of paper in his hand, his name scrawled alongside Rina and Leiza's. He didn't think much of it, but a quick glance at Leiza revealed her slight frown.

Rina, on the other hand, grinned. "Well, well, well. Looks like fate wants us to spend more time together, Rael."

Leiza rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.

Ciesta clapped her hands. "Alright, teams! You have until sunset to find as many egg baskets as possible. Each one has a unique color, and they're hidden all over the island. The team with the most by the end wins a special prize!"

"Which is?" Max raised an eyebrow.

Ciesta smirked. "A surprise, of course."

Nash groaned. "That means it's probably something ridiculous."

Ciesta only laughed in response. "Now, let's get started! The first clue is on your cards. Good luck!"

Everyone gathered in their teams, reading their respective riddles.

Azzy, Rina, and Leiza huddled together as Rina read theirs aloud:

"I stand tall with arms stretched wide,

Under me, you'll want to hide.

When the sun blazes, I offer shade,

Find the egg where children played."

Rina tapped her chin. "Hmm… sounds like a tree, right?"

Leiza nodded. "Most likely. A big one where people gather, maybe near the beach."

Azzy glanced toward a cluster of palm trees nearby, his sharp eyes scanning for anything unusual. "Let's start looking."

As they moved toward the trees, Zack scowled from afar, his mood souring further.

Teamed with Wendy. The last person he wanted.

And worse, Azzy was with both Rina and Leiza.

Clenching his fists, Zack muttered under his breath, "This game just got a lot more annoying."

With their first clue in hand, Azzy, Rina, and Leiza set off across the island. The sun hung high, casting shimmering light over the tropical landscape. Palm trees swayed lazily in the ocean breeze as the sound of distant waves filled the air. The game was on.

As they walked toward the first location, Rina kept inching closer to Azzy, her voice playful. "You're surprisingly good at figuring out riddles, Rael too. Good cooking skill, practicing martial arts, having great looks and physique, making the best sandcastle ever I have witnessed, are there any more talents waiting to come out?"

Azzy didn't react much, merely responding in a neutral tone. "It wasn't a difficult riddle."

Leiza, walking slightly ahead, rolled her eyes. "Come on, stop wasting time flirting, Rina. Let's focus on finding the basket."

Rina smirked. "Who said I was flirting?" She nudged Azzy's arm. "Was I flirting, Rael?"

Azzy blinked, clearly not reading too much into her behavior. "I don't know."

Leiza let out a frustrated sigh. "Forget it. Let's move."

Their next clue led them deeper into the woods, where the trees grew taller and the air became cooler under the shade. The card had read:

"Where water falls but does not rise,

A hidden prize is in disguise.

Through the curtain, a cave unseen,

Your egg awaits behind the screen."

Leiza looked up from the card. "That has to be the waterfall, right?"

Azzy nodded. "Most likely."

Excited, the trio hurried down the dirt path that led toward the waterfall. The sound of rushing water grew louder, and soon, they emerged from the dense foliage to find a breathtaking sight—a waterfall cascading down into a crystal-clear pool. Mist filled the air, cooling their skin from the tropical heat.

Rina gasped. "Wow, this place is beautiful!"

Leiza smiled slightly. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting something this nice."

Azzy didn't comment—his focus was already on the waterfall. His keen eyes traced the rock formations, and just as the clue suggested, he noticed a small opening behind the water, partially concealed by moss and shadows.

"There," he pointed. "Behind the waterfall."