Chapter 10: Shadows of a Broken Past
The world bled red.
The Crimson Moon hung high, its light warping shadows into jagged claws that reached for us. Renji's blade glimmered in that unholy glow, each movement sharp, calculated, merciless.
Steel met darkness, the sound echoing like thunder in the silent clearing. Sparks burst as our blades clashed again, my shadow-forged sword pressing against his cursed steel.
"You're trembling, boy," Renji sneered, his pale eyes narrowing. "Do you truly believe you can protect her? You reek of hesitation."
"I'll protect Aina," I growled, forcing more weight into my swing.
But my blade wavered. My chest tightened.
Because deep inside, his words cut deeper than his sword ever could.
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Flashback — Haru's Old Life
Dark hallways. Whispered voices. A hand slamming my locker shut.
"Pathetic."
"Why do you even bother showing up?"
"You're just a ghost, Haru."
My fists had shaken back then, not with anger, but with helplessness. Teachers turned away. My parents were too busy fighting, working, or simply ignoring me.
At home, silence was louder than words. My dinner left cold on the table. My presence unnoticed.
Invisible. Forgotten.
And so I stopped trying. I stopped speaking. I became a shadow in my own world.
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Reality — The Battle
Renji's blade grazed my shoulder, tearing cloth and skin. Pain lanced through me. I stumbled, vision flashing.
"See?" Renji's voice cut like poison. "This world didn't want you. And neither did the last. You're nothing but a disposable pawn thrown into someone else's game."
My grip faltered. The shadows around my sword flickered, unstable.
He was right… wasn't he?
Who was I, really? A bullied nobody. A forgotten son. A loner transported into a world where gods and demons decided everything.
Why me? Why did I even deserve to stand here?
My knees almost buckled. Renji's killing intent pressed down like a mountain.
But then—
"Haru!"
Aina's voice rang out.
When I looked, she wasn't afraid for herself. She was afraid for me. Her eyes—golden, trembling, desperate—locked onto mine.
"You're not nothing!" she shouted, clutching her stuffed toy with white knuckles. "You're the only one who makes me feel… safe. The only one who stays by my side, even when you're hurting yourself!"
My breath hitched. The weight in my chest shifted.
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Aina's POV
I saw it—the way his shadows wavered, not because he lacked strength, but because he carried wounds deeper than any blade could leave. Wounds from another world.
"Haru…" I whispered, "you think you're disposable. But to me, you're everything."
He looked stunned. As if no one had ever said those words to him before.
I stepped forward, pressing my small hand against his back. My light flowed into him, merging with his shadows.
"Don't fight alone," I begged. "Fight with me."
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Haru's POV
The warmth of her touch cut through the coldness of Renji's words. My shadows steadied, pulsing with her light.
Suddenly, the memories of loneliness didn't feel like chains anymore. They felt like fuel. Proof that I had endured. Proof that I was still standing.
"…You're wrong, Renji," I said, voice firm. "Maybe I was nothing in my old world. Maybe no one cared. But now—" I tightened my grip on the shadow blade, which now burned with a golden edge from Aina's light, "—I have someone who does. And I'll never let you take her away!"
The shadows erupted, surging around me like a storm. For the first time, they obeyed without hesitation.
Renji's eyes widened. "…Tch. Synchronization this strong already?"
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The Turning Point
He lunged, his cursed blade descending in a deadly arc.
But I met him head-on. My new blade—half shadow, half light—clashed with his, and for the first time, his weapon cracked. Sparks of corrupted steel scattered into the night.
Renji staggered back, his smirk fading.
"This is… impossible…" he muttered.
I stepped forward, my shadows swirling like wings behind me. "No. This is what it means to fight with someone who believes in you."
He snarled, slashing wildly, but I dodged, my movements faster, sharper, fueled by Aina's strength at my back.
With a roar, I struck, the blade of light and shadow tearing through his guard. His cloak ripped, his chest bleeding dark mist.
Renji fell to one knee, glaring up at me. "…Don't think this is over, boy. You're just a pawn of the goddess. A piece on the board. When the true game begins… you'll regret everything."
And with that, his body dissolved into shadows, vanishing into the night.
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Aftermath
Silence. My chest heaved, my blade dissipating into smoke.
Aina rushed to me, her small hands grasping mine. "Haru… are you okay?"
I wanted to say yes. But instead, the words that slipped out were: "…Why do you care so much?"
She looked at me, startled.
I clenched my fists, trembling. "Back in my world, no one ever did. I was… invisible. Worthless. Even to my parents. So why… why would someone like you look at me like I matter?"
Aina's eyes softened. She let go of her toy and cupped my face with both hands.
"Because you do matter," she said softly. "Not to them. But to me."
My vision blurred. Damn it. I hadn't cried in years.
"…Thank you, Aina," I whispered, voice breaking.
She smiled gently, her forehead resting against mine. "You're not alone anymore, Haru."
And for the first time, I believed it.
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Cliffhanger
Above us, the Crimson Moon flickered unnaturally.
Ayame appeared from the shadows, her shrine maiden robes torn, her face grim.
"That wasn't just Renji," she said, voice trembling. "Something else is stirring. The Crimson Moon… it's a seal. And tonight… it cracked."
The earth rumbled. The forest howled.
And deep within the darkness, something far greater than Renji began to awaken.
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End of Chapter 10