"...Alright, it's okay," I breathed deeply, composing myself. Then I turned to Shigure, my eyes serious—not tense anymore, but firmly resolved.
"However, what's far more important is… what exactly is ASTRAL?"
The room froze as though encased in ice. The ticking clock sounded…
Outside, the night remained dark. Fog crept around the crescent moon high above.
Shigure crossed his arms, his icy gaze fixed on me before he glanced briefly at Misaki—signaling permission. She nodded faintly, accepting somehow.
He faced me again, voice measured, cold and unnervingly calm:
"Very well. If you want to know, I will explain—, under one condition."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes like knives piercing into mine:
"You must keep this secret. Do not tell anyone. No sharing. No posting on social media. No telling friends, teachers, no one—not a single person."
His expression darkened. His voice lowered, as chilling as the scythe of death slicing through the night:
"If you break that..."
He leaned almost into my ear, whispering icily:
"I cannot guarantee your life—or the lives of those you care about. This is not a joke."
Hiyori squeezed my hand in reflex. Renji swallowed audibly.
I held silence for one second—a lifetime under the weight of that threat—then replied with calm firmness:
"My name is Shinrai Tomokatsu. This is my sister, Shinrai Hiyori, and this is my brother, Hoshigawa Renji."
I inhaled, steadying my breath.
"It's been a pleasure to meet you. I promise: I won't tell a soul. You can trust me."
Shigure paused for a moment, then cracked a faint, unreadable smile—it was hard to say whether it was mocking, approving, or testing.
He squinted, seeming to peer into the very depths of my mind. After a few seconds of silence, he chuckled softly.
"Oh… Shinrai Tomokatsu, huh? That name…" he emphasized, "…sounds credible indeed."
It wasn't a long or mocking laugh. It felt like a test passed.
"I'll tentatively trust you."
He recrossed his arms, eyes shifting upward as if surveying the smoky ceiling, then switched to a more serious tone:
"And now—allow me to explain."
His expression sharpened. No longer smiling, he looked like someone who had weathered hundreds of battles—cold, composed, dangerous.
"ASTRAL is not some extremist, malicious organization—contrary to what you may imagine."
He paused for effect, then continued:
"Its full name is the Association for Supernatural Talent Research and Liberation."
All three of us listened, breath held. Even Renji, usually grumbling, was silent.
"We collect individuals with supernatural abilities from across the globe—those born different or awakened by major trauma."
The space felt heavy, as if draped in an invisible veil, while his voice echoed slowly.
"In ASTRAL, we are divided into divisions—called legions. Each legion has its own mission, strengths, and objectives."
He shrugged lightly, offering a small, understated smile:
"To date, ASTRAL boasts six legions."
Then his gaze met mine directly.
"I am Shigure Amon—Captain of Legion One. The strongest division."
"Wait a moment…" I frowned, needing a beat to process. "So you are effectively second-in-command, then?"
I leaned back slightly, fighting excitement and confusion. "What abilities do you have?"
Shigure tilted his head, considering whether to answer—but then glanced at me, a strange smile flickering.
"Yes," he replied in an even, unhesitating tone. "Within ASTRAL's hierarchy, I rank second in authority."
A chill ran down my spine—not fear, but awe. The man who'd shattered my house and nearly abducted my friend was practically at the top of a global organization?
He raised his left hand calmly—palm upward—and said matter-of-factly:
"I possess the ability to create and control plasma."
With that, a pale golden glow spiraled into existence in his hand. It coalesced into a tight sphere of electrical energy—shimmering like molten mercury, radiating heat so strong the air around it quivered.
"By thought or a subtle gesture… I manipulate plasma particles in the atmosphere where high heat or energy exists."
He slowly closed his hand—the plasma vanished.
"Even a spark—whether from a glowing ember, electrical discharge, or lighter—can be harnessed and weaponized."
I swallowed dryly. My voice stuck in my throat. Only now did I understand why, during combat, he never yelled or flailed his limbs. He merely exhaled—and reality bent.
Silence stretched across the room. Only the faint rustle of night breeze from the shattered window ticked in the background. The acrid smell of smoke and burnt wood lingered—a haunting echo of the previous battle, clinging to each splintered beam and fractured wall.
Shigure broke the silence, calm and emotionless:
"ASTRAL exists to maintain balance amongst three forces."
He paused—eyes drifting into an undefined darkness, as if recalling a distant memory.
"And to protect humanity from the chaos of this world. We are walkers in shadow... preventing that which no one else can face."
A shiver crept through me.
"So… you're the good guys?" I asked softly.
Shigure furrowed his brow, arms crossed, then slowly shook his head:
"We are neutral. Neither good nor evil. We serve not light, nor dark. We act for balance—nothing more, nothing less."
His words sounded like a tolling iron bell—devoid of emotion.
"However, ASTRAL is neither sanctioned nor acknowledged by any government or power," he continued, eyes steady.
"We operate in the shadows—and that has made us thorn in the eye of the EPA."
I nodded quietly.
"So… if your organization has no ill intent… then maybe I can rest easier," I said.
I glanced at Misaki—her hair still covering her gaze, head bowed toward the scorched floorboards.
"But what about Misaki?" I asked, worry creasing my tone.
Shigure turned to face me. His eyes grew colder—like frost closing over something raw.
"She abandoned the organization of her own accord," he emphasized, each word striking like thunder. "An unauthorized defection—without consent from me as her Captain or the supreme Leader."
The room grew heavy. I sensed Misaki's grip subtly tighten.
"So," Shigure took a step forward, voice deep and resonant, "I captain—have personally come to retrieve her."
Misaki stood motionless, but her shoulders shook ever so slightly. One beat. Two beats.
"…No," she whispered—soft, yet shattering within me like glass. "I will not return."
Her tone hardened. No more hesitation. Just absolute resolution—as though going back was utterly impossible.
I clenched my fists and stepped forward:
"A harmless living arrangement… You still let her stay in Legion One, right?"
I stared at Shigure, heart pounding—"Why was it necessary to wreck my house?"
Shigure remained silent, eyes closed—restraining something deep.
"But I…" Misaki's voice barely rose. "I don't want to undertake those missions anymore."
She lowered her head. Her shadow stretched long across the scorched floor—fragile, burdened.
The room fell silent once more.
THUD!!!
A wood table jumped underfoot. One cup of water tipped, casting a cold stain over the cracked tabletop.
Shigure Amon stood abruptly. His silhouette flickered under dim light, like a burning statue carved from fury.
His gaze flared, tense as a sharpened blade:
"Misaki!! That is irresponsible!"
Gone was the earlier composure—his voice now sharp, heavy:
"You have power... and you have a duty—to the world, the organization, and those around you!
The greater the power… the greater the responsibility!"
He paused, emotion thick in his words:
"You fled because of trauma… yet you chose this bland life instead?
Are you planning to escape your own destiny?"
The air grew suffocating. Shigure's presence pressed down like granite, choking me, Renji, and Hiyori into silence.
Misaki bowed her head, trembling uncontrollably.
"…I no longer want to lose those I love," she whispered, voice barely audible. She lifted tear-filled eyes:
"I lost my family... because of an ASTRAL mission. I believed that fulfilling my role would earn me honor... but all I gained was sorrow."
Her voice cracked. Fingers clenched at her dress—pale from the strain.
"All I want now is to lead a normal life... beside those I care about... so I can protect them."
Sniff… snuff…
She collapsed. Shoulders shaking in silence.
Misaki wept.
Her sobs echoed through the ruin like the plaintive cry of a wounded soul.
I stood rooted in place.
A girl capable of moving objects with thought… broken down sobbing like a child. She wasn't just angry or hurt—she was bravely confronting her deepest fear: getting hurt again.
Then suddenly—
Misaki ran forward and hugged me tightly.
Her arms wrapped around my waist; her face pressed to my chest—her tears soaking into my shirt.
"Hey... what are you doing?" I stammered, awkwardly supporting her. Shock and sympathy warred in my chest.
"Hehe… lucky bro, getting hugged by a pretty girl~" Renji jabbed teasingly, attempting to defuse the tension.
"Knock it off!!" I blushed and waved his teasing away, yet didn't push Misaki away.
Because I understood… right now, she needed warmth. A small reassurance that someone was still staying with her.
Shigure stayed rigid, arms crossed, half-light and half-shadow in his gaze—assessing both me and Misaki, as if weighing something profoundly.
We dared not speak.
Until finally, he exhaled—a long breath heavy with release.
He nodded slowly—each word deliberate, marking a decision born of resolve:
"So that's it… you abandoned because of that trauma...?"
Shigure's eyes softened for a moment. His earlier harsh resolve eased into something rare and humane—a faint, gentle smile.
"Very well. In light of your former excellence in Legion One... I… will accept your defection."
Silence.
Misaki looked up, eyes wide and glistening:
"Really…?"
Her voice cracked like fragile glass; she barely believed it herself.
But then—
Shigure stepped toward me.
The air compressed. Each of his steps crashed into my chest like war drums.
Then—
"But in return…" His voice dropped into a powerful timbre.
"I want you—Shinrai Tomokatsu—
To join ASTRAL. Legion One."
He pointed at me.
The room froze entirely.
Renji gaped.Hiyori stared open-mouthed.Misaki stood motionless.
And I…
...Could only look at myself, wide-eyed and disoriented—
"Wh-what!?"
(WHATTTTTTTTT!?!?)