Synopsis: DREADMARK
“When fear becomes real… so does the boy inside it.”

In a world where nightmares bleed into reality, fear is more than emotion — it’s power.

Kaito, a 17-year-old survivor with a mysterious mark, can see 15 seconds into the future. His fists are faster than sound, and his curse is worse than death. Branded by the unknown and hunted by shadows, he wanders a broken world where nightmare beasts, dream-possessed killers, and reality-warping magic twist every corner of existence.

But when Kaito marks someone with his curse… they see him — or rather, the version of him that should have died.
A child.
Silent.
Smiling.
And terrifying.

That’s Dreadmark Kaito — a physical ghost of Kaito’s past that appears only to those doomed to face him. And once he smiles at you? You’re already too late.

Yet behind the blood and terror, Kaito is just a boy looking for answers. Who burned his home? Why does this mark exist? And why does the girl following him — the one drenched in blood and smiling like a lover — know more about his past than he does?

With vengeance in his heart, monsters at his heels, and a cast of twisted allies and enemies, Kaito’s journey is one of survival, betrayal, and the haunting question:

Is the real monster the one you fear… or the one you used to be?

Chapter 3: Steel, Sweat, and Monkey Meat


The morning sun glared off the edge of the sword as Kaito swung it again.


Another watermelon split in half… mostly. One side wobbled, clinging to the rind like it hadn't quite made peace with being cut.


He grinned, gripping the sword tighter. His form was still awkward, too stiff in the wrists, too wild in the shoulders — but there was progress.


Haku watched from the porch, arms crossed, sipping a bowl of soup with half-lidded eyes.


"It's not good," he muttered."But it's not bad, either…"


"...And he hasn't slept in three days."


Kaito swung again, sweat dripping down his face, shirtless and trembling.


"One more slice. Just one more perfect slice."


SLASH.The melon popped in half, cleaner this time.Not perfect — but close enough to get him grinning through cracked lips.


"I'll get it… I'll get it right… even if it kills me…"


From behind him, a small shadow leapt off the roof — claws gripping his shoulders.


The little beast screeched triumphantly, landing beside him with a big toothy grin and a bloody deer slung over its back. A big deer. Then another. Then five more tumbled down behind it.


"Wait—Gero, did you just clear an entire mountain?!"


The monkey puffed up its chest proudly and tossed Kaito a rabbit as if to say, "You've earned the snack-sized one."


Master Haku raised a brow, finally stepping down from the porch.


"Your monkey just made enough food for the village I left behind twenty years ago…"


Kaito just smiled, sword across his lap, eyes heavy but burning with determination.


"Gotta get strong. I'm gonna be the world's best swordsman, right? Might as well start eating like one."


Haku paused. The words stuck to something inside his chest.


"Tch. You're still rough… But maybe you really are worth sharpening."


Kaito looked up, smiling even as his arms shook.


"I said nothing. Now shut up and eat. Before your monkey eats me."


Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Steel, Sweat, and Monkey Meat