After eliminating the criminals who were trafficking cross-race slaves, Kazuki returned calmly to the Altherion residence, carrying with him a severely injured demon girl.
He slipped in through his bedroom window as usual. The night wind still blew gently, but Kazuki paid it no mind.
With a light motion, he laid the girl down on his bed.
His eyes narrowed as he slowly touched her arm.
"...This kind of poison," he muttered softly, almost like speaking to himself. "It attacks the mana core directly... pretty nasty for a bunch of low-tier traffickers."
He stood for a moment, then raised his hand.
A gentle white light began to glow from his palm, but his eyes emitted a sharp, intense purple light.
"High-level purification magic."
The aura around Kazuki changed drastically. From just an eight-year-old boy... now his presence radiated pressure like something far greater.
That light enveloped the demon girl's body. The poison embedded in her mana flow began to evaporate, pushed out by Kazuki's purification magic—so calm... yet brutal.
The girl winced slightly. Her body convulsed briefly before finally letting out a deep breath. Her heartbeat stabilized.
Kazuki let out a small sigh. He lowered his hand and glanced at the girl now sleeping peacefully.
"Her body will recover in a few hours..." he murmured, before turning and sitting by the window, gazing at the night sky slowly turning to dawn.
His eyes still glowed faintly.
He crossed his arms, then muttered softly, almost like a one-man theatrical performance.
"White Reaper, huh... Not a bad debut."
Then, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"But that was just the prologue."
Kazuki pulled back the hood of his jacket, letting the morning breeze sweep through his white hair. He closed his eyes for a moment.
In his mind, hundreds of scenarios were already forming. Plans. A stage. An identity. All being constructed slowly... from the shadows.
"The real performance... is far from over."
---
The next morning.
Sunlight pierced through the curtains of Kazuki's room. On the bed, the demon girl slowly opened her eyes. Her breathing was faint and confused.
"Ugh... w-where... am I?"
She slowly sat up and looked around. A luxurious room with aristocratic decor, the scent of purification magic still lingering in the air.
"Huh? Wait... wasn't I... poisoned...? Everything was dark... and there were screams...?"
Her voice turned panicked.
Suddenly—
"You're finally awake," said a soft voice from the window.
The girl quickly turned.
Kazuki sat casually on the window frame, one leg dangling outside, his purple eyes gazing into the distance. The morning wind blew through his messy white hair, yet somehow, it looked just right.
"Who... who are you!?" the girl asked, half shocked, half on guard.
Kazuki slowly turned. A faint smile formed on his lips.
"Me?" He raised a hand, and a flicker of purple light shone in his eyes. "I am..."
But before he could finish, his eyes twitched sharply. His expression instantly turned blank.
"...Tch."
Kazuki stood from the window frame. He lifted his hand, and instantly sensed a familiar aura approaching from the hallway.
It was Lycia's aura.
"Bad timing."
Without panic, Kazuki snapped his fingers. A soft glow filled the room—not ordinary light, but a spell to erase presence.
In an instant, all aura in the room vanished, including the demon girl's. The room appeared normal, quiet, without any trace of anything unusual.
Kazuki stood in the corner, his body blending with the shadows on the wall, and the girl vanished behind his concealment spell.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Kazuki? Are you inside?" Lycia's voice came from outside, flat but slightly suspicious.
Kazuki muttered in his heart, "Right in the middle of an important monologue... how cliché."
He walked lightly toward the door, hiding all remaining magic, then opened it slowly with the innocent face of an eight-year-old.
"What is it, sis?" he asked lazily.
Lycia squinted her eyes.
"You haven't come out since dawn. Normally you'd be wandering around the backyard by now."
Kazuki shrugged. "Didn't feel like it. Besides, you're being too attentive... it's suspicious."
Lycia snorted and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just don't cause trouble, okay?"
"Well... even if I did cause trouble, at least it'd be useful trouble."
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Just talking to myself." Kazuki gave a faint smile.
Lycia clicked her tongue and walked away from the door.
Once her footsteps faded, Kazuki closed the door quietly.
He exhaled, then snapped his fingers again.
The presence-erasing spell slowly lifted. The demon girl reappeared beside the bed, staring at Kazuki with a mix of awe and confusion.
"You... hid me… with a spell like that... in an instant?"
Kazuki didn't answer. He sat back on the window ledge, facing the morning sunlight.
"Sorry, there was an internal interruption."
He turned slowly, his purple eyes glowing faintly.
"Anyway... we haven't finished our conversation."
He raised one hand, and a gentle aura flowed from his body.
"You asked who I am... didn't you?"
Kazuki gave a small smile.
"My name is... White Reaper."
The demon girl looked at Kazuki with wide, confused eyes.
"White... Reaper?" she repeated softly, as if trying to process the name. "I've... never heard of that name before…"
Kazuki blinked slowly. A faint wrinkle appeared on his forehead.
"Of course you haven't heard it... because I'm not famous yet."
He turned his gaze to the window, his purple eyes glowing faintly, and muttered in his heart with annoyance.
"Ugh, I revealed the name too early... ruined the dramatic timing."
But then he turned back to the girl and, without missing a beat, spoke with a serious, theatrical tone.
"It's natural you haven't heard of it. The name hasn't spread yet... no one knows. Because I haven't begun my actions."
The wind rustled the curtains. A faint purple light formed a circle under his palm. His voice was soft but heavy.
"I'm a nobody... but I'll become something."
The demon girl could only stare, her mouth slightly open, unsure whether to be afraid, amazed, or confused.
Kazuki stood from the window and walked slowly toward the bed.
"Anyway, the poison in your body has been neutralized. But the side effects might leave you... a bit dizzy."
"Eh... so... you're the one who saved me?"
Kazuki turned slowly.
"No. I was just passing by. And removed the poison because I was... experimenting."
The girl stared at him in disbelief.
"So... you saved me out of boredom?"
Kazuki turned away again toward the window, murmuring softly, "You could call it fate. Or a planned accident."
"...That doesn't make sense."
"That's how the world works."
Kazuki crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
"Now, before I decide what to do with you... tell me your name."
The demon girl lowered her head for a moment, then answered softly.
"My name is... Neera. I'm a runaway slave from the western region. They were hunting me because my demon blood... can produce pure magic."
Kazuki turned quickly. His eyes narrowed. A faint smile formed at the corner of his lips.
"Interesting... might be useful for experiments or... an opening pawn."
But out loud, he only said,
"In that case, Neera. From now on, you're under my protection."
Neera looked at Kazuki with uncertainty. "Are... are you serious?"
Kazuki looked straight at her.
"I don't joke about things like this. But don't get the wrong idea... I'm no hero. I'm just... laying the foundation for something greater."
The purple light around Kazuki slowly faded as he stepped closer to Neera. His gaze was sharp yet calm, full of unreadable mystery.
"So..." he said, looking directly into her eyes. "Will you join me?"
Neera was silent for a moment. Her eyes studied Kazuki's face, trying to discern if this was a trap or a weird joke. But all she saw was a surprising seriousness.
"What's your real goal?" she asked softly, still cautious.
Kazuki crossed his arms, his voice calm yet weighty.
"My goal? Simple... to eradicate the abnormal."
Neera frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kazuki looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then looked back with a mysterious smirk.
"I'm not a hero. Nor a villain. I just move on my own will... If I see something disgusting, I destroy it. If it's interesting, I use it."
The room fell silent for a few seconds... then Neera stepped forward, looking at Kazuki with firm resolve.
"In that case... I'll go with you!"
Kazuki raised an eyebrow slightly, muttering in his heart.
"Wow, demon races are easy to recruit... feels like an NPC from a game."
But his face remained serious, as if he had anticipated it all along.
"Good. From now on, you're part of my plan."
Kazuki turned, slowly opening the door to his room. Before stepping out, he looked back for a moment.
"Oh, and. Stay here for now. Don't go anywhere. I'll bring you some food later."
Neera nodded.
Kazuki walked through the dark hallway of the house, then paused briefly.
And in a low but meaningful voice, he said:
"And also... the name of our organization is... Nocturne Eclipse."
The door closed with a soft click.
Then... silence.
Neera stood frozen in the room, her heart filled with confusion, awe, and somehow... excitement.
Meanwhile, Kazuki walked down the dark corridor of his house, chuckling softly in his heart.
"Hehe... the first act begins. Time to build a legend from the shadows."