Renji slowly raised his hands.
They looked… wrong.
Too thin.
His fingers trembled as he stared at them.
"What…?"
He rushed toward the mirror hanging beside his desk.
The moment his reflection appeared, his breath caught in his throat.
The face staring back at him was his—
Yet at the same time, it wasn't.
His body looked smaller than before, almost frail. His head seemed slightly larger, and his round eyes carried a strange, empty stillness he had never seen in himself before.
His hair was shorter, stiffer.
Everything about him felt… distorted.
Like something had twisted his body into an unnatural shape.
Renji slowly touched his face.
The skin was warm.
Real.
This wasn't some costume or illusion.
This was his body.
"…What happened to me?"
His voice echoed quietly in the room.
At least that part hadn't changed.
It was still his voice.
Panic began rising in his chest.
Without thinking, Renji rushed out of his room and ran downstairs.
"Mom!"
He burst into the dining area.
His mother was sitting at the table, calmly eating breakfast.
Relief flooded through him.
But then—
Renji froze.
Someone was already sitting there with her.
A boy.
Eating breakfast.
A boy who looked exactly like him.
Same face.
Same hair.
Same body.
Renji's mind went blank.
"What…?"
His mother suddenly noticed him.
Her eyes widened in terror.
She screamed.
The chair behind her fell as she stumbled backward.
"What—what is that?!"
Renji instinctively stepped forward.
"Mom, it's me—"
But she wasn't looking at him.
She was staring at the other Renji sitting at the table.
Her hands trembled as she grabbed her phone.
"I'm calling the police!"
Before she could dial—
The boy sitting at the table sighed.
"Mom."
His voice was calm.
"There's no need to panic."
Renji felt a chill run down his spine.
The voice was identical to his.
The boy slowly stood up and walked toward him.
Step by step.
Renji's body felt frozen in place.
The boy stopped right in front of him.
Then leaned closer and whispered quietly:
"Do exactly as I say… or prison will be the only place waiting for you."
Renji swallowed hard.
Behind them, his mother shouted again.
"Renji! What are you doing?! Stay away from that thing!"
The boy turned toward her.
"Relax, Mom."
He pointed casually at Renji.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday? My friend's father builds weird robots."
His mother blinked.
"This… is one of them."
Renji stared at him in disbelief.
Robot?
The boy glanced at him with a warning look.
Renji understood.
He had no choice.
"…Yes," Renji said slowly.
"I am… Robot 006."
The other Renji smirked.
"See? It even talks."
His mother slowly sat down again, though she still looked uneasy.
"You should have told me earlier…"
The boy shrugged.
"Sorry, Mom."
Then he turned back to Renji.
"Come on."
"Let's go upstairs."
The moment the bedroom door closed—
The boy sighed.
Then his appearance flickered.
Like a reflection in disturbed water.
The illusion faded.
Standing in front of Renji now was a girl with bright pink hair and piercing pink eyes.
She looked completely calm.
Almost amused.
Renji staggered backward.
"Who are you?!"
His voice shook with anger and confusion.
"What did you do to me?!"
The girl crossed her arms.
"My name is Mizuki Ayasaka."
She looked at him carefully.
"And before you ask…"
"I didn't do anything to your body."
Renji froze.
"…Then why do I look like this?"
Mizuki's expression turned serious.
"That…"
"…is because of the curse placed on you by the Demon Lord."
The room fell silent.
Renji's heart pounded loudly in his chest.
"…Curse?"
Mizuki nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Her gaze sharpened.
"And the reason you were cursed…"
"…is connected to your father."
Renji's eyes widened.
"My father…?"
Mizuki stepped closer.
"Your father wasn't an ordinary man."
She paused for a moment.
Then said quietly—
"He was a hero… from another world."