"Hm…" – Kuro Sato
Kuro sat at his desk in the middle of class, replaying the events of yesterday in his mind. He gazed at the palm of his hand, tracing the faint contours with his finger. "To be honest, I don't know how to unleash that blade…" he thought, frowning in confusion.
"KURO SATO!" The sharp voice of the teacher cut through his thoughts, and he looked up in alarm. She pointed directly at him, anger radiating from her. "YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE CLASS, I SUPPOSE!?"
Kuro gulped.
"W-Well… I-I'm listening!" he stammered, trying to regain composure.
The teacher's glare remained unyielding. "If you don't focus, I'll have to send you to Mr. Kashiba immediately."
"No! No, I swear I'll pay attention this time!" Kuro replied, his voice trembling slightly.
"Good." she said curtly and returned to her notes. But Kuro's mind drifted again, tangled in yesterday's chaos and the strange power he had felt.
An hour crawled by until the class finally ended. Kuro exhaled a long, tired sigh. "Finally… a break. I still have so many questions, what happened yesterday was… terrifying." he thought, trying to understand what it's all about.
Suddenly, two hands landed on his shoulders, going for his eyes, covering them, blocking him from seeing who's behind.
"Who..!" He had his eyes shut.
"Who am I? Guess… guess!" a playful voice teased.
Kuro relaxed slightly and took those arms off. "Maruko..what the heck, you scared me!"
Maruko smiles mischievously. "Aww, I didn't know you'd catch me that easily." She sat down in the chair to his right.
"Your voice is so obvious… are you on something?" Kuro muttered, exasperated.
Roshu sank into the chair in front of him. "Kuro, didn't you notice something strange today?" he asked, leaning forward.
"Wait… does Roshu know about what's been happening lately?" Kuro thought, narrowing his eyes.
"Or perhaps…" His gaze drifted to Maruko, noticing faint handprints covering her neck. "That's what I was going to tell you. She came to class like that." Roshu said.
Kuro froze. "So it wasn't actually a dream…" His mind flashed to yesterday's events, to the power he couldn't explain.
"I don't know… I just woke up, and it was on my neck," Maruko admitted. "Then… I was dragged to the window of my apartment somehow during my sleep."
"What happened yesterday wasn't a dream, it was something unnatural." Kuro thought.
"Maybe it's an accident." Roshu said, shrugging. "I think I shouldn't tell anyone after all."
The three friends continued talking through lunch, the conversation shifting toward the oddities around them.
"Something isn't right." Maruko said quietly. "I feel odd lately, like there are ghosts all over the town." She continued, "As what happened before 2 years is repeating.."
"I don't think that's true." Roshu replied. "The things that happened before those 2 years were solved already."
Kuro listened, unease gnawing at him. "I feel like Maruko is hiding something. She saw something..I can't prove it though. And why do they try to devour her.." he thought, furrowing his brow.
"Look who's getting quiet," a voice called.
"Uoshi!" Maruko exclaimed as the new person took a seat. "You're finally back?"
"Yeah, it seems you all forgot me for a moment." Uoshi Saruta said casually, pointing at Roshu. "What's with that goofy look? Don't believe it?"
"No, not quite…" Roshu replied slowly. "You've changed. Taller, more… muscular. What were you doing all these years? And where did you disappear to?"
"Uhm… I went to the U.S. with my father. Now I'm back, and I just turned eighteen. And to that question… it's been six years since you last saw me. Why wouldn't I change?"
"I'm so glad to see you back!" Maruko said, beaming.
"Hm?" Uoshi glanced at Kuro. "So you're not going to say anything about my return?"
"Not really… I'm just… surprised I can't even speak." Kuro admitted.
"Well, you all probably thought I was dead anyway." Uoshi replied, shrugging. "Surprise comes naturally."
The class bell rang.
"Class is starting again?" Kuro muttered, a bored expression crossing his face. Everyone returned to their seats, and the lesson resumed.
When class finally ended, Kuro was dozing off.
"Kuro! Wake up!" Roshu shook him awake.
"Fine… I'm awake," Kuro groaned, raising an arm lazily.
"What…?" Roshu's eyes widened as he noticed something on Kuro's palm.
"Huh…?" Kuro glanced at his hand and froze. A bright red X had appeared, etched into his skin.
Someone smiled faintly behind them as they left the classroom.
"Now is the time…" – ???
"Why is this on my hand? Uoshi… you did this?" Kuro asked, confusion and alarm mingling in his voice.
Uoshi shook his head. "Nothing. Just go home, probably you were sleeping on your palm."
"Yeah… might be," Roshu added.
Kuro stared at the mark, trying to comprehend it, but reluctantly accepted Uoshi's explanation and decided to leave. Yet, he didn't head home.
Walking through an empty street, he turned a corner into a dark alley.
"Now you can come out." Kuro said, his voice low but firm.
An unknown figure emerged, stepping into the dim light.
"Oh… so you noticed me. How unfortunate. But it doesn't matter anymore," a voice said.
"Wait… are you the new transfer?" Kuro asked, eyes widening.
"You noticed me… yet you never realized who's been following you? Interesting." Kasu Gama said, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him.
"Kuro… strangely, you can see me now. That means you can see souls?" Kasu continued. "Anyway, it's time you follow me to my leader."
"Leader? None of this makes sense. And the souls… You mean demons, right?" Kuro asked.
"Demons? No such thing exists. That's a pathetic thought," Kasu said as he slipped behind Kuro.
"How did he get behind me so fast…?" Kuro spun around. "What would your leader want from me?"
"If I were the leader, I wouldn't come get you myself. And if you don't follow me… you know what will happen," Kasu said, raising his arm and opening a portal. Through it, Kuro saw Maruko, chained and sitting motionless in a chair.
"MARUKO!" Kuro bolted toward the portal but was thrown off balance by an unseen force. "What…?"
"Kuro, don't you think you're tough? That power you have? It's nothing compared to mine," Kasu taunted. "Now come with me, and I promise I'll remove those chains."
Kuro turned his head, catching Kasu's smirk, a chilling grin that seemed to cut through the air. "This guy is not human… I can see through his face."
"Do you accept my order?" Kasu asked, turning back to face him.
Kuro struggled to stand, his palm glowing faintly purple. "A fight… this is a fight request." Kasu realized as he advanced.
"I don't even understand the power I have… nor can I use it properly," Kuro muttered, struggling to summon his Ushi blade. "It's… not appearing…"
Kasu lunged, grabbing Kuro by the neck. "Struggling to summon your Ushi? PATHETIC!" he sneered, tossing Kuro into the air. He followed with a spinning head kick, slamming Kuro into the ground. Blood rushed into Kuro's mouth as he groaned, tasting iron.
Kasu landed gracefully. "Unable to summon your blade and thrown by a single kick… I wonder why my leader even wants a pathetic loser like you to meet." He stepped toward the portal.
"Stop!" Kuro yelled, struggling to rise.
"So you haven't given up yet… Interesting," Kasu said, smirking.
A surge of aura erupted from Kuro's palm, coalescing into his Ushi blade. "It's out now… maybe a mistake," Kasu laughed, pointing at him. "If you dare touch her… or any of my friends…"
Kuro's eyes flared red.
"What are you going to do, huh?!" Kasu shouted, charging.
Kuro raised his arm, fully unleashing his Ushi blade.
"I… I WILL DESTROY YOU!" – Kuro Sato
The two clashed, Ushi blades colliding with a shower of sparks and raw energy.
Chapter End