The moment Hikari stepped onto his front porch, he jammed his finger against the doorbell, pressing it repeatedly in rapid succession. The chime rang out again and again, sharp and urgent. His heartbeat hadn't settled since his encounter, and now that he was finally home, the weight of everything that had just happened threatened to crush him.
His father opened the door with a confused expression, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hikari? What's with the panic? Did something happen?"
With bated breaths, Hikari forced a grin, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels. "Nah, just... I'm really looking forward to dinner tonight."
His dad raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical, but didn't push further. He knew all too well that pressing his son wouldn't do well in that situation, so all he did was smile as he welcome him home. "Hamburg steak, right?"
"Yeah."
With that, Hikari slipped past him and rushed upstairs. The moment he was inside his room, he locked the door and pressed his back against it, exhaling sharply. His mind raced as he tried to process everything. That guy... the man who had bled out before his eyes... had literally crawled out of his shadow. And he said he'd be seeing him soon.
Hikari squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe he was just exhausted. Maybe it was some elaborate hallucination caused by shock. After all, falling from the Love Bridge and landing on a thug should've at least given him a mild concussion. Yeah, that had to be it. He just needed rest—
"To begin with..."
Hikari's breath caught in his throat. That voice. That same voice!
His eyes snapped open, and right before him, the floor darkened unnaturally. From the inky blackness of his own shadow, the man rose once more, his figure materializing as if he had been part of the darkness itself.
Hikari tensed, his hands clenching into fists. "So this is what you meant when you said you'd see me soon."
The man dusted off his torn cloak, his expression unreadable. "Of course." His lips curled into a smirk. "Now, let's get to the point. Do you want to be my successor?"
Hikari's mouth opened, then closed. He had so many questions, but that one stuck with him the most. Successor?
Incredulously, he looked the man up and down—he still bore the wounds from before, dried blood staining his abdomen and sleeves, but despite that, he stood firm.
"You're really serious about that," Hikari muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I mean... I'm afraid of shadows, you know? Shouldn't you pick someone who's a little more... I don't know, suited for this?"
The man chuckled. "And yet, despite your fear, you hold an affinity with the darkness. That is precisely why I chose you."
"Affinity?" Hikari frowned. "You mean like... I'm good at hiding in dark places? Or are you saying I'm just your regular gloomy teenager?"
"No, you idiot." The man sighed, rubbing his temple. "I am the Shadow Manipulator, a being of legend. And I have determined that you are worthy of inheriting my powers."
Hikari scoffed. "You're the Shadow Manipulator? You're a myth! There's no way you're real." He said, although he knew that what he was saying didn't make sense. After all, the man literally came out of his shadow, that's not something you see on a regular Monday.
"Am I?" The man's smirk widened, puffing up his chest. "Then how do you explain me being here right now?"
Before Hikari could respond, his mother's voice rang from downstairs. "Hikari, dinner's ready!"
His stomach twisted. Not now, Mom! His mind raced for an excuse. He barely had time to deal with this shadow freak, let alone sit down for a meal and pretend everything was normal.
A couple of seconds later, his door swung open. His mother peeked inside, concern evident in her eyes. "Are you okay? I heard shouting."
Hikari's eyes flickered to the Shadow Manipulator—only, he wasn't there anymore. Just his shadow, unmoving and ordinary against the wooden floor. It was like he had never been there at all.
He swallowed. "Uh, yeah, I was just... practicing for a school play."
His mother blinked. "A play?"
"Yeah! Super dramatic. You know, lots of shouting and stuff." He forced a laugh as he inwardly screamed at himself. Stupid. stupid.
His mother studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Alright. Well, don't forget to come down soon, okay?"
"Got it, Mom."
The door closed, and the moment it did, the Shadow Manipulator's form reappeared, seamlessly emerging from the darkness. Hikari nearly jumped.
"You hid in the shadow of the door," he muttered.
"Of course. I am a master of shadows. And you, my dear successor, will learn to do the same."
Hikari crossed his arms. "I haven't agreed to anything yet."
The man gave a knowing grin. "You will."
Hikari huffed. "You mentioned others. People with superpowers. What was that about?"
The Shadow Manipulator nodded. "Yes. I am not the only one with abilities. Many roam this world, most of them strong in their own ways. But among them lurk those who are far more dangerous. They hide in the shadows—get it? Hiding in the shado... haha! Never mind."
Hikari stared at him, unimpressed. "You're telling me there are bad guys running around with powers?"
"More or less." The man folded his arms. "Some are organized, some work alone. But they all have one thing in common: they thrive in the dark. And you, my successor, are going to be the one who stands against them. Well, not right now though, you still have a lot of things to learn if ever."
Hikari sighed. "Alright, alright. Just get on with it and leave me alone." He still wasn't convinced this guy wasn't a scammer, but deep down, he had to admit... the idea of superpowers was pretty cool.
The Shadow Manipulator grinned. "Good. Then let's begin."
"Hikari! Dinner's ready!" His mom's voice called a second time.
"Coming, Mom!"
"Okay, let's make this fast." The Shadow Manipulator straightened, his demeanor turning serious. "Stand in front of me. We'll perform the coronation."
"Coronation?" Hikari frowned.
The man's eyes gleamed. "Yes. To officially make you my successor, we must conduct the rite."
Hikari sighed. "This better not be some shady ritual."
The Shadow Manipulator chuckled. "Oh, it's plenty shady."
Hikari groaned. "I walked into that one, didn't I?"
The man only smiled. "Now, let's begin."