Chapter 2 — Episode 2: A Team Forms
Morning sunlight poured through the window.
Birds sang peacefully outside, their voices drifting into Keno's room.
But peace did not exist inside his mind.
Keno stood in a ruined world.
Buildings burned. The sky cracked apart. Darkness swallowed everything around him.
Beside him stood Raito, flames blazing from his fists. Miyuna glowed with soft pink light as she healed the wounded. Shiori swung her massive blade against towering enemies.
Monsters surrounded them.
The world was collapsing.
"KENO!" someone shouted.
A massive shadow charged toward them—
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Keno shot upright in bed, breathing heavily.
Sweat covered his forehead as his heart pounded violently.
From the kitchen, Jisaki froze.
"…Keno?" she muttered in surprise. He's awake this early? That's new.
Back in his room, Keno touched his forehead slowly.
Fragments of memory returned.
The old man's voice echoed in his head.
You must fight the darkness in this world… each Sin… one by one.
Flash.
The battle from yesterday replayed in his mind.
Flash over.
Keno dropped back onto his bed and rolled from side to side.
"What did I get myself into?!" he groaned.
"We're really going to fight villains now?! Become heroes?! Nooooo…"
He covered his face dramatically before stopping.
His eyes drifted toward his left hand.
The black symbol glowed faintly.
A smiling face.
"My sin… Rage," he muttered.
He stared at it.
"…This doesn't even look angry."
He sighed deeply.
"What a drag…"
After a moment, he sat up again.
"Well… can't change it now."
Keno got dressed and walked into the kitchen.
"Morning."
Jisaki blinked. "Wow. First time seeing you awake this early."
Rokuya pointed excitedly. "Brother! What's that tattoo on your hand?"
Jisaki nodded. "Yeah, I wanted to ask yesterday, but you looked scary when you came home."
Flashback — Last Night
Keno opened the door silently, eyes filled with irritation.
"Hey—" Jisaki started.
Keno ignored her completely and walked straight to his room.
Door slam.
Flashback End
Keno laughed awkwardly.
"Oh… this? Uh… me and my friends just… drew it…"
He immediately ran out of the apartment.
Jisaki and Rokuya exchanged confused looks.
Outside, Keno sprinted down the street.
What excuse was that?!
He glanced at the symbol again.
"Damn…"
SMACK!
He collided with someone.
Both fell to the ground.
"Ow… sorry—"
Keno looked up.
Raito stood there, annoyed.
"Watch where you're going!" Raito shouted—then paused. "Oh. It's you."
Keno stood up awkwardly.
Raito suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Hey… why aren't you covering it?"
Keno blinked. "What?"
Raito raised his gloved hand proudly.
"I covered mine."
Keno stared at him.
"…You thought of that?"
Raito burst into laughter.
"Don't tell me you didn't!"
Keno's face darkened.
"Stop laughing."
"Hey guys!"
Miyuna approached cheerfully—then froze seeing their faces inches apart like a fight was about to start.
Her expression turned terrifying.
BONK!
She punched both of them.
"Really? The day just started!"
"Ow…" they groaned together.
Miyuna noticed Keno's uncovered symbol.
"Keno! You forgot to hide yours?"
Keno laughed nervously. "Uh…"
Miyuna sighed and pulled something from her bag.
Pink gloves.
"I made these," she said shyly. "You can wear them if you want."
Keno froze.
His face slowly turned red.
Behind him, Raito was already dying of laughter.
"They're pink!"
Keno snatched them quickly without eye contact.
"…Thanks."
He put them on immediately.
"Oh no!" Miyuna gasped.
"We're late!"
All three froze.
"…Not again," Raito whispered.
They ran.
The school gate slowly began closing.
"RUN!" Raito shouted, holding it open as they rushed inside.
Moments later—
SLAM!
Classroom door opened.
"Sorry we're late!"
The teacher sighed deeply.
"…Again."
They quietly took their seats.
Keno sat down and relaxed—
Then noticed Shiori staring at his pink gloves.
"Oh… morning, Shiori."
She looked away instantly.
"Why are you using my first name?"
Keno panicked. "Ah—sorry! Kamizora!"
Awkward silence followed.
Suddenly Keno remembered something.
He quickly pulled a book from his bag.
"Hey… I forgot to return this."
Shiori's eyes widened.
Her missing book.
She accepted it slowly.
"…Thank you."
She turned away, hiding her expression.
Keno scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Classes passed quietly.
Eventually—
RING!
Freedom.
Students left immediately.
Except…
"Keno, Miyuna, Raito," the teacher said. "You stay. Punishment for being late."
Door closed.
Keno sighed.
Miyuna suddenly sat beside Shiori with sparkling eyes.
"So! Since we're basically saving the world… want to join our team?"
"NO!" Raito shouted instantly.
Miyuna frowned. "Why?"
"…Because she's a girl!"
"I'm a girl too!"
"…You're different!"
Shiori calmly opened her book. "No thank you."
Miyuna grabbed it dramatically.
"Pleeeease! We need you!"
Raito protested loudly while Keno sighed in exhaustion.
Shiori glanced at him.
"You already have a group?"
Miyuna smiled proudly. "Since childhood! We're the Hero Sparks!"
Shiori looked at Raito.
"…You named it?"
"Yes!"
She sighed.
"That name is stupid."
Keno nodded. "Yeah."
"It's NOT stupid!" Raito yelled.
CRASH!!
The classroom windows exploded inward.
A deafening sound filled the air.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" Miyuna shouted.
Outside stood something impossible—
A giant floating speaker, roaring with destructive sound waves.
Shiori narrowed her eyes.
"The darkness… can possess objects too."
The speaker roared again.
Sound shattered glass across the school.
Students screamed.
"My ears!" Raito yelled.
Shiori closed her eyes.
Headphones appeared on her ears.
Then more appeared on everyone else.
Sound vanished.
Raito grinned. "Now you're done!"
He fired a massive fireball.
BOOM!
Smoke filled the air.
"…Did we win?" Keno asked.
The smoke cleared.
It still stood.
"What?!" Raito shouted.
A shockwave blasted him into the wall.
Miyuna rushed to heal him.
Another wave struck—
Keno blocked it and was launched backward.
"Ow… immortality still hurts!"
Blood escaped his mouth.
Shiori created a massive barrier around the school.
Outside, silence returned.
But inside—
She collapsed into Keno's arms.
"My weakness… large creations drain me…"
"How long?" Keno asked urgently.
"…Five minutes."
Raito stood, flames covering his body.
"Five minutes is enough."
Fire exploded around him.
He dashed forward like a comet—
Punch.
Explosion.
Silence.
The speaker shattered.
Darkness vanished.
Raito laughed triumphantly—
Then everything went black.
Later…
Shiori opened her eyes in the infirmary.
Keno, Miyuna, and Raito stood nearby.
"…Why are you here?"
Keno shrugged. "We were worried."
"They forced me," Raito muttered.
Miyuna smiled warmly.
"Because we're friends."
Shiori looked down quietly.
After a long pause—
"…Fine. I'll join your stupid team."
Raito exploded. "IT'S NOT STUPID!"
"And don't misunderstand," she added quickly. "We simply work better as a team."
Miyuna laughed.
Keno sighed.
And just like that—
The Hero Sparks were complete.
Next Time on Hero Sparks…
A new enemy rises.