Sinji — in the dead of night, a village north of Edo.
The sleeping streets lay shrouded in darkness, broken only by the flickering glow of lampposts. The night air carried the acrid scent of damp earth and dying embers. A heavy silence reigned, pierced only by the hurried echo of footsteps on the cobblestones.
A gaunt, ragged figure fled at full speed, breath ragged, body wrapped in filthy rags. His bare feet struck the stones hard, but slowing down was a luxury he did not have. Behind him, shadows gave chase, draped in black and red uniforms etched with sinister patterns. Across their chests and backs stretched a scarlet Vévé — a Vodou ritual symbol — an imposing cross that branded them as Purifiers.
The young man darted into a narrow alley, hoping to shake off his pursuers. But just as he thought he still commanded his escape, a presence blocked his path. Another shadow emerged behind him. He was trapped.
— "Wh… who are you? What do you want?" he stammered, his voice strangled by fear. His wide amber eyes glistened with incomprehension.
— "You'll come with us quietly," one of the men declared, his tone leaving no room for choice.
— "I… I haven't done anything!" the fugitive protested, gasping for air. "You've got the wrong man!"
— "Shut it, filthy impure," spat another, impatient.
The leader of the group, a tall, burly man named Dao, stepped forward with lazy confidence. His shadow stretched beneath the pallid light. Extending a broad, calloused hand toward the boy's head, his fingers swelled unnaturally until they engulfed his skull entirely.
— "AHH!" The captive screamed in agony, clawing desperately at the crushing grip. "My head… it's going to explode! Please, stop!"
— "Quit screaming, you're splitting my ears," Dao sighed, visibly annoyed. Rubbing the back of his neck, he added coolly: "Don't take it personally. My job is to put down people like you. If we let your kind spread, you'll only bring back the chaos we've worked so hard to erase."
He signaled his men to restrain the boy. As they bound him in chains, Dao lit a cigarette, drawing a long breath before releasing a cloud of smoke.
— "Damn Kosins…" he muttered through the haze. "The fifth one this month. They never learn."
Suddenly, a shiver ran down their spines.
— "Did you feel that?" one of the lackeys asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Dao raised his head, alert. A crushing chill seeped into the air, suffocating and oppressive. Even the smoke from his cigarette seemed to hesitate before rising.
And then, a figure stepped out of the darkness.
A boy.
His appearance was gradual, as though he were materializing out of the shadows themselves. The lamplight revealed close-cropped white hair, etched with a carefully traced heart-shaped pattern. Dressed in black, he seemed to swallow the very light around him. A nearly tangible aura pulsed from his body, charging the air with static.
— "Help me!" the captive screamed, thrashing desperately against his chains.
A brutal punch silenced him. He collapsed, dazed.
The white-haired boy didn't flinch. He stopped just a few steps away and simply extended his hand.
— "Give him to me."
A tense silence followed. Then one of the men let out a guttural laugh.
— "And who the hell are you to give us orders, brat?"
This one, a hulking brute with a barrel chest and corded muscles, cracked his knuckles and stepped forward heavily.
— "Jifunza, take the Kosin. We'll deal with the kid," Dao ordered, shooting the stranger a final glance. "Fiz, be careful. He's no ordinary boy."
Fiz growled and raised his fist.
— "Get lost, kid—"
Before he could finish the sentence, the boy vanished—then reappeared with a whisper of motion. A flash of steel slid from his fingers.
A spray of blood spattered the ground.
Fiz froze, eyes wide. His throat had been slashed in a barely perceptible movement. He collapsed, convulsing in a crimson pool.
Dao cursed, crushing his cigarette beneath his boot. He lunged forward with blinding speed, his eyes blazing with white light. The air itself trembled as he threw himself into the fight.
***
Meanwhile, Jifunza was dragging the captive toward the edge of the village. But before leaving, he knelt and traced a complex Vévé into the ground with his finger—interlaced circles, elegant curves, esoteric stars.
Then, slicing his thumb, he let a drop of blood fall onto the symbol.
The drawing lit up instantly, and a creature tore its way out of the earth.
An abomination.
A cylindrical monster covered in concentric rings of teeth, drooling streams of acidic saliva. It let out an inhuman wail, vibrating with ravenous hunger.
— "That should be enough," Jifunza muttered before resuming his escape.
***
The fight erupted with explosive violence.
Dao unleashed blow after blow with raw fury, his fists cutting through the air at terrifying speed. Yet his opponent slipped away with an almost supernatural grace, movements so fluid they defied reason. The more Dao struck, the more frustration seeped into him—his breath shortening, his jaw tightening under the strain.
Suddenly, steel flashed in the night. The white-haired boy's nails elongated into razor-sharp talons, and in a swift motion, he drove them deep into Dao's stomach.
But in that instant, his expression shifted. The veil of boredom lifted, replaced by a flicker of surprise.
Dao began to laugh, a guttural sound rumbling like distant thunder. His body, where the claws had sunk, warped unnaturally—turning into a viscous, shapeless mass.
— "HAHAHA! Fool!" Dao bellowed triumphantly. "You've walked straight into my trap!"
His grin stretched wide, feral.
— "My body is no ordinary flesh. I can turn it to pulp at will, snaring anyone foolish enough to attack me head-on. And now…"
Behind the boy, a sinister vibration rippled through the air. Jifunza's Iblis loomed, its monstrous shadow rising high.
— "…that thing will devour you."
But something was wrong.
The demon stopped. Then, slowly, it turned its massive head… toward Dao.
Dao's breath caught in his throat. Sweat streamed down his brow, gluing his hair to his skin. The beast hunched low, ready to pounce, its monstrous maw opening wider.
— "What the—?" the leader stammered, horrified.
He leapt back, barely escaping the crushing snap of its jaws.
— "I'm not the one you should be attacking, you idiot!"
Dao's eyes darted around, searching for Jifunza—but he was gone. There was no time to think.
The monster lunged again. Dao rolled to the side, his heart hammering, and sprang back to his feet in one swift motion. His expression hardened as he drew his blade with a sharp hiss.
— "Don't bother trying to understand."
The careless voice rang out behind him. Dao whirled around and saw the white-haired boy, unscathed, his eyes fixed on him with an unreadable calm.
— "Your friend wanted this demon to devour me. Too bad for him… my influence over these creatures far exceeds that of any mere human."
A mocking smile tugged at his lips.
— "Nonsense! You expect me to believe you're not human?"
Dao tightened his grip on his weapon, muscles coiled taut as bowstrings.
— "Whatever you are, you won't withstand my blade."
With a war cry, he charged, his sword carving an arc of light through the air.
The white-haired boy exhaled, weary. He had wasted enough time. In a blur, he lunged forward with inhuman speed, his claws glowing with a strange dark energy.
Dao tried to react, but a chilling pressure wrapped around his chest before he could move. A skeletal, merciless hand had clamped down on him.
— "Too slow."
Without hesitation, the boy drove his other hand straight into Dao's chest. Flesh tore with a sickening rip, and a fountain of blood burst into the air.
Dao's eyes widened, frozen in disbelief as his strength drained away. The boy pulled his hand free, leaving behind a gaping hole, and shook off the still-warm blood.
Dao collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.
The massive demonic beast froze, aimless now that its master was gone.
— "Return to the darkness."
At those words, the monster dissolved into a whirl of black smoke, vanishing as silently as it had appeared.
Without sparing a glance at the corpse, the boy turned his head toward the horizon. He could still feel the Kosin's presence. There was no more time to waste.
In a flash, he darted off at inhuman speed, his body melting into the shadows.
***
He caught up with him in an instant, materializing before him with an almost supernatural fluidity. With a calm gesture, he extended his hand, as though demanding what was owed.
Jifunza froze, breath short, eyes wide with shock.
— "No… Impossible!"
His voice trembled with terror. Dao, his chief, defeated? His mind refused to believe it.
Anguish twisted his gut. He hesitated, then, without a word, released the captive and stumbled backward in haste. He knew he didn't stand a chance.
With a leap, he vanished into the darkness.
The boy didn't spare him another glance. He turned toward the captive, appraising him with his fingertips. A flicker of irritation crossed his eyes.
— "He's not a Gifted one."
An exasperated sigh slipped from his lips.
— "Tch."
He needed a Gifted Kosin, not a worthless nobody.
But as he turned away, a trembling voice pleaded:
— "Please… spare me…"
The boy lowered his gaze slowly toward him.
— "You want to live?"
The captive nodded frantically.
— "Then run."
His tone was sharp, laced with cold indifference. He turned his back, but a faint rustle made him raise his head.
Another boy had arrived, his massive silhouette cloaked in shadow. His white hair, braided back, framed a stern, calculating face.
— "You're in a generous mood, Linto. To let him go so easily."
He chuckled softly, raising his arms as if drawing an invisible bow.
The air vibrated. Dark energy rippled around his fingers, condensing into a menacing arc. In an instant, a black arrow materialized, whistled through the air, and pierced the captive.
A strangled cry rose, then fell silent.
The Kosin collapsed, his body shriveling within seconds, leaving behind nothing but a withered husk.
Linto watched, a predatory smile slowly spreading across his lips.
Doubyé, his brother, lowered his bow with nonchalance.
— "Too slow."
He lifted his eyes toward the horizon. The hunt had to continue.
***
In a vast hall heavy with oppressive aura, men clad in black robes had gathered, their faces grave. An scarlet Vévé in the shape of a cross was embroidered on their garments, identical to the one that adorned the floor and the vaulted ceiling.
Jifunza knelt at the center, trembling, sweat beading on his forehead under the inquisitive gaze of the High Council of Sinji Purifiers.
On the three imposing seats, the High Master sat enthroned in the middle. His hair, tied into multiple buns, and his thick beard bound the same way, only heightened his commanding presence.
With a deep voice, he thundered:
— "What is this I hear? You failed?"
Jifunza swallowed hard, his voice betraying his fear.
— "Forgive me, High Master… A white-haired boy… He slaughtered us."
A heavy silence fell over the chamber.
— "A white-haired boy?"
The master at his right furrowed his brows.
— "Could he be from the tribe of the Forgers?"
— "No, their hair is gray."
The second master rested his chin against his palm, thoughtful.
— "We must learn more. Nothing must stand in the way of the divine mission of the Purifiers."
Jifunza hesitated, then added:
— "He wanted the Kosin we had captured. He… he was unbelievably powerful."
The High Master straightened, a chilling gleam in his eyes.
— "A new hybrid has been identified. Or rather, not so new—since we tried to eliminate him three years ago. But those we sent never returned. They simply vanished."
He leaned forward, his burning gaze piercing Jifunza.
— "You will return to Edo and see the hunt through to the end. This time, you will not fail."
Jifunza nodded frantically.
— "Yes, High Master."