Fortunately, Misaki managed to dodge just in time.She flipped midair with flawless agility, landing lightly on her feet—hair flying, sweat glistening on her face.
But… that was only a distraction.
Whoosh!
He vanished.
A blur—his body seemed to melt into the air, then reappear right in front of Misaki, faster than the eye could follow. A powerful kick came hurtling forward—his heel wreathed in blazing plasma.
"BOOM!!""ZOMB!!!"
The strike exploded like a divine hammer. Misaki was sent flying backward, crashing straight into the concrete wall. The wall cracked like paper under the blow.
The entire house shook again. Dust and rubble tumbled from the ceiling.
Misaki struggled to rise, but her leg buckled. Her injuries from the previous battle hadn't healed, and now she was exhausted.
"Don't force yourself, Misaki."
His voice echoed—deep, cold, and tinged with a strange sadness.
"Let's go home... together."
Misaki bit her lip. Her eyes were red. Her shoulders trembled.
"NEVER!" she screamed. "There's no reason for me to go back to that place!"
The room fell into frozen silence.
Then—
"Hey, you!" Renji shouted, a mix of fear and fury in his voice. "Get out of my bro's house! Right now! Or I'll call the police! You're destroying property—you've broken the law!"
I turned toward him, instinctively trying to pull him back.
"That guy… he's not normal."
Renji kept yelling, his panic boiling into rage.
"Who the hell are you, anyway?!"
The stranger tilted his head slightly, a half-smile curling at the edge of his lips—like everything was already under control.
"Sorry about that," he said softly, like a breeze. "But don't worry. I'll pay for the damages."
"What? You think saying sorry fixes everything?!" Renji growled. "You're… You're a RAGI, aren't you?!"
The room fell silent.
I froze.RAGI?!No way…!
Misaki's eyes flew wide in shock.
And my little sister—Hiyori—was the one who said it, with a strange certainty.
"You're a RAGI, aren't you?"
The man stood still for a few seconds. Then he sighed and gently pulled back the hood of his cloak.
Silvery-gray hair caught the dim light, swaying in the night breeze. His eyes—brilliant amber—glowed like sunlight falling into a deep abyss.
"Easy, everyone," he said, walking slowly toward us.
The pressure radiating from him was like an invisible wall, weighing down the space itself. Even I involuntarily stepped back.
"Allow me to introduce myself..."
"My name is Shigure Amon—Captain of ASTRAL's First Division."
"Sorry I didn't say so earlier."
"ASTRAL…?" I narrowed my eyes. "What the hell is that?"
The man—Shigure Amon—glanced at me, then smiled faintly.
"For your sake, it's best you don't know," he said, his voice gentle but cold. "Just remember the name… and forget it."
He turned back to Misaki.
"Now then, Misaki... will you come back with me?"
The question came out like a command. Icy. Firm. Non-negotiable.
I clenched my fists. My heart pounded violently in my chest. I couldn't just stand there and let him take Misaki away. I didn't know who she really was… but I knew one thing for sure—she didn't want to go back.
I stepped forward and placed myself between them.
"Wait! Please, calm down!" I raised my hand, as if to hold back the heavy pressure rolling off Amon. "If there's something to talk about, let's sit down and talk, Shigure-san. We can resolve this through dialogue… right?"
The air froze.
"WHAT?!" Renji exploded. "Bro, this guy just blew your house to pieces, and now you're asking him to calm down?!"
He stormed up beside me and pointed directly at Shigure.
"We should call the cops and throw him in jail! I don't care what kind of power he has—if he crosses the police or the EPA, he's done for!"
I bit my lip. Renji wasn't wrong.But… he wasn't exactly right either.
I knew well: not all AGIs or RAGIs were evil. Some had learned emotions, and lived peacefully among humans. And some humans were far crueler than machines.
The line between good and evil didn't lie in what you were—it lay in who you chose to be.
Besides, there were organizations like the EPA—the Earth Peace Alliance—a global coalition of humans and AGIs, functioning like a futuristic United Nations. They dealt with tech threats, supernatural powers, and rogue AI beyond control.
If Shigure Amon acted recklessly, the EPA would surely intervene. But he wasn't afraid—because he wasn't just some nobody.
At that moment, he finally spoke, voice like smoke dissipating in the air:
"Fine…" Shigure exhaled, pulling the half-burned cigarette from his lips. "I'm not a villain. And I don't want any conflict with the EPA."
"My apologies. I may have gone a bit overboard." He bowed slightly—unexpectedly sincere.
Renji and I exchanged stunned glances.Misaki, still cautious, no longer trembled.
Amon slowly surveyed the wreckage: cracked tiles, scorched curtains, shattered furniture… and sighed.
"I'll cover all the damages—cost, repairs… even a new house if needed. But I can't leave without taking Misaki back."
The way he said it—it was still a command. Still absolute.
I looked at him. Then at Misaki.She was silent, her face shadowed by a deep, unreachable sorrow.
I knew… this wasn't over.
It was already past midnight.The neighborhood had fallen into silence—until that blast shattered the peace like a thunderclap across the sky.
Dust still floated in the air. The stench of scorched fabric lingered. Glass shards crunched underfoot. In the distance, sensor lights flickered on in neighboring homes. Doors creaked open. Voices called out:
"What happened? Is there a fire?""I heard an explosion! Is anyone hurt?"
I stepped outside quickly, bowed deeply, and forced an awkward smile.
"Sorry! Everything's fine! Just… a little accident. Nothing to worry about!"
The neighbors eyed me with suspicion, then quietly returned inside.Maybe they thought we were testing some insane science experiment.Honestly… I didn't know what to tell them either.
…
We returned to what was left of the house. Despite the wreckage and lingering smoke, all of us—Renji, Hiyori, Misaki, Shigure Amon, and myself—gathered around the only table still intact.
An unwanted reunion.A negotiation after a battlefield.
I spoke first, voice sharp:
"First of all… who exactly are you? And why did you attack Misaki?"
Shigure Amon didn't shrug. Didn't smile.He sat upright, eyes calm and clear as moonlit water. He looked straight at me—without flinching.
"As I said, I'm Shigure Amon," he replied evenly. "Captain of ASTRAL's First Division."
My heart skipped a beat.
"And I didn't come here to pick a fight. I only came… to bring Misaki back."
"What!?" I blurted. "Misaki's part of your organization?!"
I turned to her. She sat with her head bowed, long hair hiding her eyes. But even so… I saw the guilt shadowing her face. She didn't answer.
"You hid that from me?" I asked quietly.
Silence.
One second… two…
Then Misaki exhaled—like releasing a burden she'd carried far too long.She raised her head, her eyes met mine—hazy, yet resolute.
"I'm sorry…" she said softly, the words echoing in the ruined room. "I didn't want anything to do with that organization anymore. I didn't want to drag anyone else into it… so I stayed silent."
Her eyes dropped. Her shoulders trembled—just slightly.
Like someone finally removing the mask they had worn for far too long.
Renji sat wide-eyed beside her. Hiyori clutched my sleeve in silence.
I stared at Misaki… unsure of what to say.
ASTRAL...?Psychic powers...?And she used to be part of it?
Just then, Amon spoke again—his voice steady, serious, but not unkind.
"Misaki was one of ASTRAL's top operatives. But she abandoned her mission. Left the organization without notice. I came here… because of that."