Hina's Perspective
The walk home felt strangely quiet.
Normally, the streets around Seikatsu Academy would be filled with students laughing, chatting, and stopping by convenience stores before heading home.
Today was different.
The city felt tense.
People hurried through the streets with worried expressions.
Police vehicles rushed past every few minutes.
Emergency sirens echoed through the city.
Everyone had heard the news.
A monster had appeared.
A student had been kidnapped.
And the authorities had failed to stop it.
The image of Razorblade smashing through our classroom window replayed repeatedly in my mind.
The sound of shattering glass.
The terrified screams.
The look on Lilie's face.
I shook my head.
Thinking about it wouldn't change anything.
I couldn't help her.
Nobody in our class could.
All I could do was go home.
Eventually I arrived at my house.
The familiar sight of the small two-story home brought me some comfort.
Mom wasn't home yet.
That meant the house would be empty.
I unlocked the front door, stepped inside, and immediately locked it behind me.
After everything that had happened today, I wasn't taking any chances.
The moment I finished locking the door, my phone began ringing.
I looked at the screen.
Mom.
A small smile appeared on my face.
I answered immediately.
"Hello?"
"Hina."
Her voice sounded unusually serious.
"Are you home?"
"Yeah. I just got back."
"Good."
I could hear office noises in the background.
People talking.
Phones ringing.
Keyboards clicking.
Even now she was still working.
"I want you to stay inside."
Her tone left no room for argument.
"Don't go outside for any reason."
I sat down on the living room couch.
"I know."
"The police still haven't contained that monster."
A brief silence followed.
Then her voice softened slightly.
"I'll be coming home late."
Of course she would.
Part of me had expected that answer.
"I figured."
"There should be food in the refrigerator."
"I know."
"Heat it up before eating."
"I know."
"You can't survive on snacks forever."
I frowned.
"Mom."
"I'm just saying."
Despite the serious situation, I couldn't help smiling.
"I'll eat something proper."
"Good."
Another pause.
Then she spoke quietly.
"Stay safe."
"...You too."
The call ended shortly afterward.
I stared at my phone for several seconds.
Mom worried about me.
She just wasn't very good at showing it.
Putting away my phone, I headed toward the kitchen.
The refrigerator contained several leftovers from yesterday.
After examining my options carefully, I settled on lasagna.
Mostly because it required almost no cooking.
Which was perfect.
Because I couldn't cook.
At all.
The last time I attempted to cook, I somehow burned instant noodles.
I still didn't know how.
The microwave was far safer.
A few minutes later I carried a plate of heated lasagna upstairs to my room.
The scent alone made my stomach growl.
I placed the plate on my desk and sat down.
Then I reached for the remote.
The television flickered to life.
Every channel showed the same thing.
The Razorblade Incident.
News helicopters flew above damaged streets.
Destroyed police vehicles littered several intersections.
Buildings had suffered heavy damage.
The reporters sounded increasingly worried.
"Authorities continue to struggle against the creature known as Razorblade."
A video clip appeared.
The monster roared while dozens of police officers opened fire.
Bullets struck its metallic scales.
And did absolutely nothing.
Not even a scratch.
My stomach tightened.
The monster wasn't just dangerous.
It was practically invincible.
Then the footage became worse.
Far worse.
One of Razorblade's massive back spikes detached itself and shot through the air.
The spike struck a police officer.
Purple energy immediately erupted around him.
The officer screamed.
Then his body began changing.
Metallic scales appeared.
Claws formed.
Within seconds he transformed into a miniature version of Razorblade.
The television studio became silent.
Even the reporters looked disturbed.
I nearly dropped my fork.
"What..."
The footage continued.
Several officers had suffered the same fate.
The transformed victims attacked civilians before eventually being restrained.
The police chief appeared shortly afterward.
His expression looked exhausted.
"We strongly advise all citizens to remain indoors."
The warning was repeated several times.
"Do not approach the creature."
"Do not engage with the creature."
"Remain inside until further notice."
I switched off the television.
Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore.
The room felt strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
My eyes wandered around my room.
Then I froze.
Something sat on my desk.
A box.
A white box.
I blinked.
That definitely hadn't been there earlier.
Had it?
Slowly, I stood up.
The box was beautiful.
Pure white.
Elegant silver patterns decorated its surface.
At the center was a blue crest unlike anything I had ever seen before.
A strange feeling washed over me.
Curiosity.
Confusion.
And something else.
Something I couldn't explain.
Carefully, I reached for it.
The moment my fingers touched the box, warmth spread through my hand.
I slowly opened the lid.
Inside rested a glowing white stone.
The stone sat atop a black velvet cushion.
Soft white light radiated from its surface.
The room immediately felt brighter.
Almost peaceful.
For some reason...
I couldn't look away.
The stone seemed alive.
Calling to me.
Inviting me.
My heartbeat slowly accelerated.
A strange voice echoed somewhere deep inside my mind.
Touch it.
I frowned.
What was that?
Touch it.
The urge grew stronger.
Without realizing it, my hand moved forward.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
My fingertip touched the stone.
A brilliant white light exploded throughout the room.
"Huh?!"
I raised my arm to shield my eyes.
The light became brighter.
And brighter.
Until everything disappeared.
The room vanished.
The walls vanished.
The world vanished.
Only light remained.
Hanato's Perspective
What a disaster.
That was the only way I could describe today.
I leaned against the train window while staring outside.
The city looked completely different.
Police sirens echoed everywhere.
News helicopters filled the skies.
People rushed through the streets.
Everyone looked scared.
And honestly?
I couldn't blame them.
A monster kidnapping one of your classmates tended to ruin the mood.
Eventually I arrived home.
Home being a word most people wouldn't use.
Because calling the Kisaragi Estate a house felt wrong.
The mansion was enormous.
Three stories tall.
Private gardens.
Private security.
Private everything.
The perks of having an absurdly wealthy family.
I tossed my shoes aside and headed straight toward the kitchen.
Nobody was home.
Dad was working.
As usual.
The staff had already left dinner prepared.
But I ignored it.
I preferred cooking myself.
Thirty minutes later I finished preparing a simple meal.
Nothing fancy.
Just enough to satisfy my hunger.
After finishing dinner, I opened the refrigerator.
A familiar sight greeted me.
Chocolate cake.
The best invention in human history.
I immediately grabbed a slice.
Life was hard.
Cake helped.
Carrying the plate upstairs, I entered my room and switched on the television.
Unsurprisingly, every channel showed coverage of the Razorblade Incident.
I watched for several minutes.
The situation wasn't improving.
If anything, it was getting worse.
Then something caught my attention.
A box sat in the center of my bed.
"...What?"
I frowned.
That definitely hadn't been there earlier.
Unlike Hina's box, this one was completely black.
Dark crimson patterns covered its surface.
At the center was a red crest.
A strangely familiar symbol.
I approached cautiously.
Opening the lid revealed a black stone.
The stone rested atop a white cushion.
Dark energy seemed to swirl inside it.
Unlike a normal gemstone.
This thing looked alive.
I picked it up.
"Interesting."
The surface felt warm.
Almost comforting.
Then—
The stone reacted.
Black light exploded throughout the room.
The television shut off.
The lamps went dark.
The entire room became consumed by shadows.
"What the—?!"
The darkness spread across every surface.
The walls.
The ceiling.
The floor.
Everything vanished.
Then suddenly—
The darkness disappeared.
Color returned.
Light returned.
The room returned.
Hanato blinked.
The black stone was gone.
"...Did it break?"
Then a small voice spoke.
"No."
Hanato froze.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He looked downward.
Standing in front of him was a dragon.
A tiny dragon.
The creature was roughly the size of a toy RC car.
Its scales were jet black.
Its eyes glowed crimson.
Two small horns protruded from its head.
Tiny wings rested against its sides.
The dragon stared directly at him.
Hanato stared back.
Several seconds passed.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
Finally—
The dragon crossed its tiny arms.
Its tail flicked irritably.
Then it spoke.
"My name is Ryuhou."
Hanato blinked.
The dragon blinked.
Another silence followed.
Then Hanato pointed.
"...You're a dragon."
The dragon looked offended.
"Excellent observation."
Hanato stared.
The dragon stared.
Then both spoke simultaneously.
"What the hell is going on?"
And somewhere far away—
A brilliant white light continued to shine around Hina.
While the fate of Light and Shadow slowly began to awaken.
Hanato's Perspective
The tiny dragon and I stared at each other.
The tiny dragon stared at me.
I stared at the tiny dragon.
Neither of us moved.
Neither of us spoke.
Several seconds passed in complete silence.
Then I rubbed my eyes.
The dragon was still there.
I pinched my cheek.
The dragon was still there.
I even looked underneath my bed.
The dragon was still there.
Finally, the creature sighed heavily.
"You know, most people usually ask questions first."
I slowly stood up.
"Most people don't find a dragon in their room."
"Fair point."
The dragon crossed its tiny arms.
For something no larger than an RC car, it somehow carried itself with an impressive amount of dignity.
"My name is Ryuhou."
The creature bowed slightly.
"I am the Spirit of the Essence of Shadow."
I blinked.
"Spirit?"
"Correct."
"Essence of Shadow?"
"Also correct."
"Dragon?"
The creature looked offended.
"Very dragon."
I sat down on my bed.
At this point I wasn't even sure what part of this conversation was the weirdest.
The monster attack?
The mysterious stone?
Or the talking dragon sitting on my desk like it paid rent.
"Okay."
I took a deep breath.
"Let's start with the important question."
Ryuhou nodded.
"A wise decision."
"What are you doing in my room?"
The dragon pointed toward the empty box.
"The black orb."
I glanced toward it.
"What about it?"
"That orb was the Essence of Shadow."
The dragon's crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"And when you touched it, the Essence merged with your body."
I froze.
"...Excuse me?"
"You are now its vessel."
Several seconds passed.
Then I pointed at myself.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"The handsome guy sitting on this bed?"
"Unfortunately."
I frowned.
"That sounded insulting."
"It was."
I stared at the dragon.
The dragon stared back.
Then he casually continued as if he hadn't just insulted me.
"For thousands of years, the Twelve Essences protected humanity."
My expression gradually became serious.
Ryuhou's playful attitude disappeared.
His crimson eyes became distant.
Ancient.
Almost sad.
And for the next hour...
He explained everything.
The birth of the Guardians.
The creation of the Twelve Essences.
The ancient heroes who wielded unimaginable power.
The war that nearly destroyed the world.
And finally...
The Great Disaster.
A catastrophe so devastating that entire civilizations vanished.
Cities were erased.
Millions died.
The Guardians disappeared.
The Essences were scattered throughout the world.
Waiting.
Searching.
Choosing.
For generations.
As Ryuhou spoke, images somehow appeared inside my mind.
Ancient warriors clad in armor of light.
Dragons soaring across burning skies.
Monsters larger than mountains.
A battlefield filled with destruction.
The memories felt real.
Almost as if I had witnessed them myself.
When the explanation finally ended, I leaned back against the bed.
My brain hurt.
"That's a lot to process."
Ryuhou nodded.
"I imagine it is."
A question immediately came to mind.
"If these Essences are so important..."
I looked toward him.
"Why did one suddenly appear in my room?"
The dragon became unusually quiet.
For several moments, he simply stared out the window.
Then he answered.
"Because you were chosen."
The room fell silent.
"Chosen?"
"The last surviving Guardian."
His voice softened.
"Before his death, he entrusted the Essence of Shadow to someone worthy."
"Worthy?"
The dragon smiled.
"He chose you."
I immediately frowned.
"Why?"
The answer came instantly.
"Because you possess the potential to stop the Vessel of Chaos."
The unfamiliar title immediately caught my attention.
"Vessel of Chaos?"
Without saying a word, Ryuhou pointed toward the television.
The news report was still playing.
Images of Razorblade destroying police vehicles filled the screen.
"The monster."
Ryuhou's expression darkened.
"The one responsible for creating him is the Vessel of Chaos."
A cold feeling settled in my chest.
My fists tightened.
I remembered Reno.
The shy kid who sat several rows away.
The boy who always smiled awkwardly whenever someone spoke to him.
The same boy who had become that monster.
"Then Reno..."
Ryuhou nodded.
"He was manipulated."
The dragon's voice carried anger.
"The Vessel of Chaos preys upon negative emotions."
The news footage showed Razorblade roaring as military vehicles surrounded him.
"He finds hatred."
"He finds grief."
"He finds despair."
"And he twists them into weapons."
I looked down.
A part of me immediately thought of Lilie.
What she said had been cruel.
Far crueler than most people realized.
But nobody deserved to become a monster.
Nobody deserved to lose themselves.
"Bidding?"
I asked quietly.
"What exactly is the Vessel of Chaos trying to accomplish?"
For the first time, Ryuhou looked uncomfortable.
"I don't know."
That answer surprised me.
"You don't know?"
"I know only fragments."
The dragon lowered his gaze.
"The memories of previous Spirit Guardians were damaged during the Great Disaster."
He clenched his tiny claws.
"But one thing is certain."
His crimson eyes met mine.
"Whatever he plans..."
"It threatens the entire world."
A chill ran down my spine.
The room suddenly felt colder.
Ryuhou slowly stepped forward.
His expression became serious.
"As my previous master feared..."
The dragon's wings unfolded.
"The Vessel of Chaos has finally made his first move."
I looked back toward the television.
Toward the chaos spreading across Tokyo.
Toward the destruction caused by a single corrupted human.
My fists tightened.
"We have to do something."
The words escaped before I could stop them.
For the first time since meeting him...
Ryuhou smiled.
A genuine smile.
"And that, Hanato Hamagi..."
Dark shadows slowly gathered around his body.
"...is exactly why I am here."
The shadows swirled around me.
Warm.
Comforting.
Powerful.
"You are the chosen vessel of Shadow."
The dragon raised his head proudly.
"And I shall grant you the power to protect those precious to you."
Hina's Perspective
When the white light finally disappeared...
I found myself lying on my bedroom floor.
My head spun.
My eyes struggled to adjust.
The brilliant light was gone.
The room had returned to normal.
My desk.
My television.
My bed.
Everything looked exactly the same.
Except for one thing.
The white stone was gone.
"...Huh?"
I blinked.
The empty box sat on my desk.
The glowing orb had completely disappeared.
"Where did it go?"
Then something moved.
I froze.
A tiny white creature stood in front of me.
My brain immediately stopped working.
It looked like a dragon.
A tiny dragon.
A very cute dragon.
A very cute dragon that absolutely should not exist.
Its scales were pure white.
Its eyes shone with a beautiful sapphire-blue glow.
Small wings rested against its back.
The creature was roughly the size of an RC car.
For several seconds...
Neither of us moved.
Then the dragon blinked.
I screamed.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"
My survival instincts immediately activated.
I scrambled backward across the floor.
My back slammed against the wall.
The dragon tilted its head.
The dragon looked confused.
I was not confused.
I knew exactly what was happening.
A dragon had invaded my room.
And dragons ate people.
Probably.
Maybe.
Actually, I wasn't sure.
But I wasn't taking any chances.
I quickly scanned the room.
The door?
Locked.
The dragon was between me and the exit.
The window?
Second floor.
And below it was Mom's fish pond.
A disgusting fish pond.
I wasn't dying inside a fish pond.
Absolutely not.
The dragon slowly took a step forward.
I immediately grabbed the nearest weapon.
My lasagna.
With trembling hands, I held the plate out in front of me.
"P-Please don't eat me!"
The dragon froze.
I continued anyway.
"The lasagna is much tastier!"
I shoved the plate forward.
"I swear I don't taste good!"
The dragon stared.
Then her shoulders began shaking.
Then she laughed.
A bright cheerful laugh filled the room.
"Hahahaha!"
I blinked.
The dragon was laughing.
At me.
Which somehow felt even more embarrassing.
Eventually she wiped away imaginary tears.
"I am not going to eat you."
"...You're not?"
"No."
The dragon giggled again.
"Not even a little."
Relief immediately washed over me.
"Oh."
A pause followed.
Then another thought entered my mind.
"Wait."
I frowned.
"You can talk?"
"Of course I can."
The dragon proudly puffed out her chest.
"My name is Ryuna."
She bowed gracefully.
"Spirit of the Essence of Light."
I slowly stood up.
Still cautious.
Still confused.
But significantly less terrified.
"I'm Hina Hanzaki."
Ryuna smiled brightly.
"It's nice to finally meet you."
That sentence immediately made me pause.
"Finally?"
The dragon nodded.
"You were chosen."
And just like Ryuhou had done for Hanato...
Ryuna began explaining.
The Order of Guardians.
The Twelve Essences.
The ancient war.
The Great Disaster.
The spirits.
The vessels.
The history hidden from humanity.
As she spoke, my eyes grew wider and wider.
Because everything sounded impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
And yet...
A talking dragon was standing in my room.
So maybe impossible wasn't impossible anymore.
The biggest shock came when she explained the origin of monsters.
The Vessel of Chaos.
A mysterious enemy capable of corrupting people using negative emotions.
Suddenly...
Everything made sense.
Reno's anger.
His pain.
His humiliation.
Someone had taken advantage of it.
Someone had turned him into Razorblade.
My stomach tightened.
"So this isn't over..."
Ryuna's cheerful expression vanished.
"No."
The little dragon shook her head.
"This is only the beginning."
I swallowed nervously.
Then Ryuna said something that nearly made me faint.
"You are the chosen vessel of the Essence of Light."
I pointed at myself.
"M-Me?"
She nodded.
"You possess the power to restore balance."
My jaw dropped.
"Why me?!"
Of all people...
Why me?
I wasn't strong.
I wasn't special.
I wasn't a superhero.
I was just Hina Hanzaki.
A normal high school girl who couldn't even cook properly.
Yet as Ryuna looked into my eyes...
Her smile remained unwavering.
Because somewhere beyond the city...
The gears of fate had already begun turning.
And whether I wanted it or not...
My life would never be normal again.