Hanato's Perspective
The wind roared past my ears.
Tokyo's skyline stretched endlessly before me as building after building rushed beneath my feet.
Even now, part of my brain still couldn't fully process what was happening.
Just an hour ago, I had been sitting in my room eating chocolate cake.
Now I was sprinting across rooftops dressed like some mysterious superhero while carrying the power of an ancient Essence.
Life really came at you fast.
My scarf danced wildly behind me as I leaped from one building to another.
Every jump felt effortless.
The distance that would normally require several seconds to cross vanished in an instant.
The enhanced physical abilities Ryuhou mentioned weren't an exaggeration.
I felt incredible.
Stronger.
Faster.
Lighter.
The entire city seemed smaller somehow.
The gap between buildings that once looked dangerous now felt insignificant.
The night air rushed against my face.
Far below, emergency vehicles filled the streets.
Police sirens echoed from every direction.
Helicopters hovered above distant sections of the city.
The situation was far worse than the news reports had made it seem.
Smoke rose from multiple locations.
Several streets had been evacuated.
Groups of frightened civilians hurried toward emergency shelters.
The city was in chaos.
And somewhere within all of that...
Razorblade was still out there.
"We're getting closer."
Ryuhou's voice echoed inside my mind.
I landed atop another rooftop.
My enhanced vision immediately noticed several damaged buildings in the distance.
"Any idea where the main monster is?"
"Not yet."
The dragon sounded unusually serious.
"But his corruption is spreading."
I frowned.
"What exactly does that mean?"
Before Ryuhou could answer—
A scream pierced through the night.
My body immediately froze.
The scream came from somewhere below.
A woman's voice.
Terrified.
Desperate.
I immediately turned toward the source.
There.
Three streets away.
Near a small residential district.
I could see movement.
Several figures were running.
No.
Being chased.
My eyes narrowed.
Three small creatures with metallic scales and crimson eyes were pursuing an elderly woman.
Mini Razorblade monsters.
Just like the ones from the news report.
The old woman stumbled.
One of the monsters lunged.
My body moved before I could think.
I kicked off the rooftop.
The world blurred.
The wind exploded around me.
For a split second I felt weightless.
Then gravity returned.
I descended toward the street like a falling meteor.
The old woman looked up.
The monsters looked up.
Everyone looked up.
And then—
BOOM!
My feet slammed into the pavement between them.
The impact shattered the concrete beneath me.
A cloud of dust erupted outward.
The nearest mini Razorblade barely had time to react.
I spun immediately.
My right leg whipped through the air.
CRACK!
My kick connected directly with the side of its head.
The force launched the creature across the street.
It crashed into a parked vehicle.
The car alarm immediately began blaring.
The monster's body rolled across the pavement before smashing into a telephone pole.
For a moment...
It didn't get back up.
My eyes widened.
"...Whoa."
That was stronger than I expected.
Much stronger.
"Focus."
Ryuhou's voice interrupted my amazement.
"The other two are still moving."
Right.
Hero stuff first.
Being impressed later.
I turned toward the old woman.
She looked completely terrified.
Her shopping bags had fallen onto the street.
Vegetables and groceries were scattered everywhere.
"Are you alright?"
The elderly woman stared at me.
Her eyes slowly moved from my glowing red eyes to my black scarf.
Then to my leather outfit.
Then back to my face.
"...A-Are you a superhero?"
The question caught me off guard.
Honestly?
I hadn't thought that far ahead.
"Uh..."
The remaining two monsters growled.
The old woman flinched.
No time.
I carefully picked her up.
She let out a surprised yelp.
"Hold on."
Then I sprinted.
The world blurred around me.
Within seconds, we reached a nearby house where several civilians had barricaded themselves.
A middle-aged man immediately opened the door.
"Quick!"
I gently set the old woman down.
"Stay here."
She nodded rapidly.
The civilians stared at me with wide eyes.
One little boy pointed.
"Mom!"
His voice was full of excitement.
"It's a hero!"
My face immediately became hot.
Even though nobody could see it beneath the shadows.
I quickly turned away.
Nope.
Not dealing with that right now.
I stepped back onto the street.
The door closed behind me.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
The fear.
The tension.
The danger.
It all returned.
The two remaining monsters slowly approached.
Their metallic claws scraped against the asphalt.
Their red eyes locked onto me.
Their growls echoed through the street.
Honestly?
They looked pretty intimidating.
Then again...
I was currently dressed like an anime protagonist.
So I wasn't exactly normal either.
"Hanato."
Ryuhou spoke.
"What?"
"You should probably stop calling yourself Hanato."
"...Good point."
I immediately frowned.
I couldn't reveal my real identity.
Not if the Vessel of Chaos was truly searching for the Essences.
I needed a hero name.
Something cool.
Something mysterious.
Something memorable.
The monsters continued approaching.
I ignored them.
This was important.
"What should I call myself?"
"Maybe focus on not dying."
"That's future Hanato's problem."
The monsters growled louder.
I pointed dramatically toward them.
"My name is..."
Nothing came to mind.
Absolutely nothing.
My brain was completely empty.
The monsters looked confused.
Honestly, I didn't blame them.
"My name is..."
Come on.
Think.
Think!
A cool name!
Any cool name!
Then something randomly appeared inside my head.
"My name is Hirito!"
The declaration echoed through the street.
Several civilians watching through the windows blinked.
Even the monsters seemed confused.
I immediately committed to it.
"And I'm here to save Tokyo!"
Silence.
A very awkward silence.
Then Ryuhou spoke.
"...You made that up on the spot."
"Absolutely."
"That's obvious."
"Shut up."
The monsters finally lost patience.
Both creatures fired dozens of metallic spikes from their backs.
The projectiles shot toward me like bullets.
My eyes widened.
"OH COME ON!"
"Use Phantom Sneak!"
Ryuhou shouted.
Instinctively, I activated the ability.
Dark shadows erupted around my body.
The world seemed to slow.
The spikes reached me.
And then—
Passed straight through me.
My jaw dropped.
The spikes continued flying until they embedded themselves into a nearby wall.
"No way."
I stared at my hands.
The shadows slowly flowed across my body.
I wasn't hurt.
Not even scratched.
"This is so cool!"
I couldn't help yelling.
The excitement overwhelmed me.
The monsters looked significantly less impressed.
One immediately charged.
I met it head-on.
My fist collided with its jaw.
The creature spun through the air.
Before it could recover—
I kicked it.
The force launched it across the street.
The mini Razorblade smashed directly into a tree.
The trunk cracked.
Leaves exploded everywhere.
The creature collapsed beneath the broken branches.
Only one remained.
The final monster roared and lunged.
A grin spread across my face.
"Alright."
I stretched my fingers.
"Let's try the next one."
Dark energy gathered beneath my feet.
The surrounding shadows began moving.
The darkness flowed upward.
Twisting.
Stretching.
Changing shape.
A long black whip materialized in my hand.
The shadow weapon felt surprisingly natural.
Almost like an extension of my own body.
"This is Phantom Manipulation."
Ryuhou sounded pleased.
I swung the whip.
CRACK!
The sound echoed throughout the street.
The monster immediately attempted to dodge.
Too slow.
The shadow whip wrapped around its body.
Its eyes widened.
"So this is what it feels like to be a cowboy."
"That's not how that works."
I ignored Ryuhou.
Then I spun.
The monster followed.
Round and round.
Faster and faster.
Its tiny legs flailed helplessly through the air.
Then—
I released it.
The creature became a flying projectile.
BOOM!
It slammed directly into the wall of a nearby red building.
Cracks spread across the concrete.
The monster slid downward before collapsing motionless.
Silence followed.
The battle was over.
I slowly lowered the shadow whip.
My heart pounded with excitement.
My breathing was steady.
Not a single injury.
Not a single scratch.
The civilians cautiously emerged from their hiding places.
The old woman from earlier looked especially emotional.
"You saved us."
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.
"It wasn't a big deal."
The little boy from earlier immediately ran toward me.
His eyes sparkled.
"You're really a hero!"
I froze.
The old woman smiled.
The civilians smiled.
Even the little boy's mother smiled.
For the first time since all of this started...
The fear on their faces was gone.
Replaced by relief.
And somehow...
That feeling hit harder than the fight itself.
Because for the first time in my life...
I wasn't playing a prank.
I wasn't causing trouble.
I wasn't annoying Hina.
I wasn't making jokes.
I had genuinely helped someone.
A strange warmth spread through my chest.
Then Ryuhou's voice echoed inside my mind.
"Hanato."
His tone had become serious again.
I immediately noticed it.
"What is it?"
The dragon remained silent for a moment.
Then—
"I can sense something."
My smile vanished.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
The surviving civilians hadn't noticed.
But I had.
A dark pressure was spreading through the city.
Something powerful.
Something dangerous.
Far stronger than the monsters I had just defeated.
My gaze slowly shifted toward downtown Tokyo.
Toward the massive pillar of smoke rising into the night sky.
Ryuhou's voice became grim.
"We've found Razorblade."
And somewhere in the distance—
A monstrous roar shook the entire city.
Hina's Perspective
The room seemed quieter than before.
The television downstairs continued broadcasting emergency reports about the Razorblade incident, but my attention remained fixed on the tiny white dragon standing atop my desk.
Ryuna's usually cheerful expression had become unusually serious.
The urgency in her blue eyes made my chest tighten.
Outside, distant sirens echoed throughout the city.
Somewhere out there, Reno was still rampaging as the Razorblade monster.
Somewhere out there, innocent people were still being attacked.
And according to Ryuna...
I was the only person capable of saving him.
"We mustn't waste any time, Hina."
Ryuna stepped closer to me.
Her tiny wings folded behind her body.
"Please transform."
The dragon's voice was gentle, but beneath that gentleness was unmistakable urgency.
"We need to stop the Razorblade monster."
I swallowed nervously.
My heart pounded inside my chest.
Everything was happening so quickly.
Just this morning I had been worried about arriving late to school.
Now I was apparently about to become some kind of magical guardian.
Honestly?
I still wasn't completely convinced I could do any of this.
But if there was even the slightest chance I could save Reno...
I had to try.
I took a deep breath.
Then another.
Finally, I nodded.
"Right."
The nervousness remained.
The fear remained.
But so did my determination.
I looked directly at Ryuna.
"Ryuna..."
The little dragon smiled.
"Transform Me!"
The instant those words left my mouth—
A brilliant white light erupted from my chest.
The room disappeared beneath a flood of radiance.
My eyes widened.
At the center of my chest, a glowing white orb appeared.
The orb pulsed softly.
Like a heartbeat.
Like something alive.
Ryuna launched herself forward.
Her body dissolved into countless particles of white light.
The glowing particles swirled around me.
Then merged directly into my chest.
Warmth spread through my body.
It wasn't painful.
Instead, it felt comforting.
Like being wrapped in sunlight on a cold morning.
The white light intensified.
A sphere of pure radiance surrounded me.
Power surged through every part of my body.
My muscles.
My senses.
Even my thoughts felt clearer.
The light continued growing brighter.
Brighter.
Brighter—
Then suddenly exploded outward.
The sphere shattered into countless fragments of light.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The room had returned.
But I had changed.
I immediately looked down.
My school uniform was gone.
A white silk bodysuit now covered most of my body.
A blue blouse rested over the upper portion of the suit.
A matching blue skirt flowed gently around my waist.
Brown leather boots extended up my legs.
Beautiful vine-like patterns wrapped around them.
The outfit looked elegant.
Graceful.
Surprisingly practical.
Most importantly—
Not embarrassing.
Thank goodness.
I reached toward my hair.
The familiar black strands were gone.
Long white hair flowed down my back.
My reflection in the nearby mirror showed glowing blue eyes.
For a moment...
I barely recognized myself.
The girl staring back at me looked like someone from a fantasy story.
A guardian.
A heroine.
Someone far braver than I felt.
I slowly approached the mirror.
The new outfit moved naturally with my body.
Honestly...
It looked pretty amazing.
Then suddenly—
"Do you like the form?"
I nearly jumped.
"AH!"
I spun around.
Nobody was there.
My heart almost stopped.
"Ryuna?!"
The dragon giggled.
The sound echoed directly inside my head.
"Yes?"
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
"Why are you inside my mind?!"
Ryuna sounded genuinely confused.
"Because that's where I'm supposed to be."
"What do you mean that's where you're supposed to be?!"
The dragon laughed.
"This is called an Essence Link."
Her voice remained inside my thoughts.
"When a vessel and spirit merge, our minds become connected."
I stared blankly ahead.
"So you're literally inside my head?"
"Correct."
"This feels like a privacy violation."
"It isn't."
"It absolutely is."
Ryuna giggled again.
Honestly...
The fact that she could hear every embarrassing thought I had was terrifying.
Eventually I sighed.
"Well..."
I glanced back at the mirror.
"I do like the outfit."
Ryuna sounded pleased.
"I knew you would."
"At least it isn't revealing."
That had been one of my biggest concerns.
Thankfully, the white bodysuit underneath covered everything properly.
The skirt and blouse added additional layers.
I could actually fight in this without dying from embarrassment.
The dragon nodded approvingly.
Then her tone became serious.
"You need to go."
The reminder immediately brought me back to reality.
"The Razorblade monster still needs to be purified."
Right.
Reno.
I nodded.
"Okay."
I moved toward the window.
"I'll go."
Opening the window, I stared down toward the street below.
Normally this would have been a terrible idea.
My room was on the second floor.
Jumping out would probably result in a broken leg.
Maybe two.
Possibly my dignity as well.
But now—
I took a step forward.
And jumped.
The wind rushed past me.
For a brief moment, panic exploded inside my chest.
Then I landed effortlessly atop my neighbor's roof.
Not even a stumble.
My eyes widened.
"Oh."
This was definitely different.
A smile slowly spread across my face.
Then I jumped again.
And again.
And again.
The rooftops of Tokyo became my pathway.
The city stretched endlessly before me.
The evening wind danced through my white hair.
For the first time in my life...
Flying almost felt possible.
"I could get used to this."
Ryuna laughed.
"I thought you were nervous."
"I still am."
I leaped across another rooftop.
"But this is amazing."
The dragon sounded pleased.
Unfortunately—
A scream suddenly pierced the air.
The joyful atmosphere vanished immediately.
My body froze.
The scream came from nearby.
A few buildings away.
Without hesitation, I changed direction.
I sprinted toward the source.
Within moments, I arrived at the scene.
Then stopped.
Three unconscious mini Razorblade monsters lay scattered across the street.
Several civilians were gathered nearby.
And standing in the center of it all was a mysterious figure dressed entirely in black.
A long scarf flowed behind him.
Black leather armor.
Black hair.
Red eyes.
My instincts immediately screamed danger.
"Another Essence user?"
Ryuna muttered.
I crouched atop a rooftop.
Carefully observing him.
Could he be—
No.
Was he?
The Vessel of Chaos?
My grip tightened.
The timing was suspicious.
His appearance was suspicious.
Everything about him looked suspicious.
I slowly moved closer.
Trying not to be noticed.
Trying to gather more information.
Then—
CRACK.
The edge of the rooftop beneath me broke.
My eyes widened.
"...Uh oh."
The entire section collapsed.
Gravity immediately claimed me.
I fell.
Fast.
Very fast.
The black-haired boy looked up.
His eyes widened.
Then—
WHAM!
I crashed directly on top of him.
The impact sent both of us rolling across the pavement.
Pain shot through my body.
"Ugh!"
The boy groaned beneath me.
Then immediately shouted—
"Get off me! You're heavy!"
Silence.
Several nearby civilians froze.
My eye twitched.
"What?"
The boy immediately realized his mistake.
Unfortunately...
It was already too late.
A dangerous smile appeared on my face.
"You..."
I stood up.
"...called me heavy?"
The boy visibly panicked.
"No, wait—"
I punched.
He dodged.
I punched again.
He dodged again.
"Listen—"
"No!"
Punch.
"Please—"
"No!"
Kick.
The boy practically danced backward trying to avoid my attacks.
His expression became increasingly desperate.
Eventually I managed to catch him off guard.
My fist shot toward his face.
Victory seemed certain.
Then—
"Phantom Sneak!"
Dark shadows covered his body.
My fist passed straight through him.
I blinked.
"...What?"
The boy looked equally surprised.
"Okay."
He stared at his hand.
"That is still awesome."
I pointed dramatically.
"You're the Vessel of Chaos!"
The accusation echoed through the street.
The black-haired boy nearly fell over.
"What?!"
"You heard me!"
"I absolutely did!"
His face twisted in disbelief.
"First you fall on me."
"Then you attack me."
"Now you're accusing me of being evil?"
I crossed my arms.
"That's because you called me heavy."
The boy stared.
Then stared harder.
Finally—
"That's your reason?!"
"Yes!"
"That's ridiculous!"
"It was rude!"
The boy grabbed his head.
"I said it by accident!"
Unfortunately—
Before our argument could continue—
A scream echoed from a nearby alley.
Everything immediately changed.
The moment I heard that voice...
My blood ran cold.
Because I recognized it.
Instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
Yuki.
My best friend.
The realization hit me like lightning.
Fear exploded inside my chest.
"Yuki!"
I immediately turned and sprinted.
Nothing else mattered.
Not the mysterious boy.
Not the argument.
Not even the Razorblade monster.
My best friend was in danger.
And I had to save her.
Immediately.
I raced toward the alleyway.
My heart pounded violently.
Please be okay.
Please be okay.
Please—
I turned the corner.
And froze.
Yuki and Shouji stood trapped at the far end of the alley.
Six mini Razorblade monsters surrounded them.
Their claws scraped against the pavement.
Their crimson eyes glowed menacingly.
Yuki looked terrified.
Shouji stood protectively in front of her despite clearly being scared himself.
Without thinking—
I charged.
The world blurred.
My body moved entirely on instinct.
Light gathered around my feet.
I slammed into the nearest monster.
The creature flew backward.
Before I could attack again—
A black blur shot past me.
The rude boy.
He had followed me.
The mysterious guardian landed beside me.
A shadow whip materialized in his hand.
"I'll take the left side."
I blinked.
He wasn't attacking me.
He was helping.
"...Right."
The battle began.
Together, we crashed into the six monsters.
Light and shadow danced throughout the alley.
And for the first time—
The two future rivals of destiny fought side by side.