Akira's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of last night's darkness still clinging to his mind. For a moment, he didn't move — he just stared at the ceiling, breathing slowly, trying to remember if any of it was real.
The pain.
The burning mark.
The black object that had forced its way out of him.
He sat up abruptly. His gaze darted toward the desk near the window — and there it was. The black object. Its surface shimmered faintly, like smoke trapped inside glass.
Akira's chest tightened.
"So it wasn't a dream…" he whispered.
Carefully, he picked it up. It felt cold, heavier than it looked, as if something alive was trapped inside. The mark on his hand pulsed faintly when he touched it, sending a brief sting up his arm. He quickly wrapped the object in a cloth and tucked it into a small box.
He placed it deep inside his drawer.
"I don't know what you are," he muttered under his breath, "but you're not leaving this room."
The clock ticked softly. Outside, the morning felt too ordinary for what had happened — birds chirped, sunlight spilled over his desk, his school uniform hung neatly on the chair.
Trying to shake off the unease, Akira got ready for school. Yet, as he walked through the quiet streets, his thoughts refused to calm.
Everything came back: the tree, the strange world he fell into, the red glow of his mark… and his mother's face.
That day.
That place.
Those twelve immense, shadowed figures that surrounded her — the moment that scarred him forever.
Every detail clawed its way back into his consciousness.
He clenched his fist.
Why now?
Why did the mark burn again after all these years?
"Yo! Akira!"
The familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Ren was jogging toward him, bag slung over one shoulder, a half-eaten sandwich in hand.
Ren grinned. "You look like you didn't sleep all night. What happened? Still haunted by your homework?"
Akira forced a smile. "You could say that…"
Ren's eyes narrowed. "Wait. That thing. Did you bring the black object with you?"
Akira shook his head. "No. I hid it in my room."
Ren frowned. "Why'd you hide it? I thought we were gonna figure out what it is."
Akira glanced around, lowering his voice. "Because something happened last night. Something… weird."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Define weird."
Akira took a deep breath. "After you left, I went to wash my face. Then my mark started glowing again — so bright I could barely look at it. It felt like it was burning from the inside, and then… that black object just came out of me."
Ren blinked. "…Came out of you?"
Akira nodded. "Yeah. Like it was a part of me. Then everything went dark — I saw… things. A tree, my mom, and twelve giant shadows. They were all around me."
Ren stared at him, mouth slightly open. "Are you kidding right now?"
"I wish I was," Akira said quietly. "It felt too real to be a dream."
Ren rubbed his temples. "Bro, you realize how crazy that sounds, right? An object coming out of your mark? Giant shadows? That's like something out of an anime."
Akira's tone turned serious. "I know. But it happened. And the mark — it's not normal. It's been with me since that day."
Ren sighed. "You mean the day your mom—"
"Yeah." Akira cut him off, eyes darkening. "That day."
The silence grew heavy. Ren didn't know what to say. He wanted to laugh it off, but the haunted look on Akira's face stopped him.
"…Alright," Ren said finally, scratching the back of his head. "Let's say you're not crazy. What are you gonna do now?"
"I don't know," Akira admitted. "But that thing… I feel like it's connected to everything. The mark, my past, maybe even those shadows."
Ren tried to lighten the mood with a half-smile. "Well, let's hope your drawer doesn't start glowing or something."
Akira gave a faint chuckle, but it didn't reach his eyes. The memory of his mother surrounded by darkness still lingered.
The two of them continued walking toward school. The morning breeze brushed past them, and students filled the streets ahead — laughter, chatter, the usual life of a normal day. But for Akira, it didn't feel normal anymore.
Every sound felt distant, every step heavier.
At the school gates, Akira paused and looked up at the sky.
The clouds drifted slowly across the sun, casting fleeting shadows over the buildings.
For a moment — just a moment — he saw one of those twelve colossal silhouettes among them, faint and distorted like smoke.
He blinked, and it vanished.
Ren called out, "You coming, dude?"
Akira nodded, forcing himself to move. "Yeah… coming."
The shadows haven't left me.
---
Meanwhile, far from the city…
A man arrived at the temple, standing quietly in the courtyard. The world around him was calm and serene.
Morning light spilled through the pillars of the centuries-old hall, glinting off the golden Buddha at the center. The man stood there, his hands in his pockets, gazing thoughtfully. He wore a crisp white shirt and dark trousers, simple but elegant. Brown hair brushed lightly by the wind, golden-black eyes reflecting the sunlight.
He smiled gently at the Buddha. "You always look at peace, no matter how the world outside trembles," he said softly.
For a moment, the sunlight around the statue seemed to brighten, as if the golden figure itself acknowledged him. A stillness filled the air — sacred, almost alive.
He closed his eyes, lowering his head slightly. "So… this is the path you've chosen, isn't it?" he whispered.
When he opened them again, something unspoken shone within his gaze — the quiet light of someone carrying an ancient purpose.
Then he turned, his face revealed in the soft morning glow: sharp yet gentle features, brown hair fluttering lightly, and eyes that were a striking blend of gold and black, holding both warmth and eternity.
He stepped out into the courtyard, his every movement calm and deliberate. The temple bells chimed softly, almost bowing to his presence.
"Detective Ryozen!"
A uniformed officer hurried toward him, slightly out of breath.
"You shouldn't shout in a temple," the man said with a faint smile.
"S-sorry, sir! But we received the report you requested."
"Good," he said calmly. "Then let's go."
"Sir, our station is that way," the officer said.
"Ah," he replied. "Then let's go."
"Sir… when did you arrive?" the officer asked.
"Just in time," he said, his golden-black eyes glinting.
---
At the station, the chief of police awaited beside a table full of files and objects.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Ryozen," the chief said. "Let's discuss the case."
Ryozen nodded.
"A man named Nakamura was found dead at the station. Witnesses reported unusual circumstances. We've collected all objects found at the scene. We believe this may be connected to a larger pattern, though it's unusual," the chief explained.
Ryozen's sharp gaze fell on the black object among the items.
"So… this is the one," he murmured, picking it up. His eyes narrowed as he studied it.
A faint, knowing smile crossed his lips. Even from a distance, he could sense the connection — someone marked by it, someone who had no idea he was being watched.
"I want to meet the victims who reported here," Ryozen said firmly.
One officer handed him a file. Ryozen scanned the names quickly — then froze.
Akira Kurogane.
A subtle flicker of interest crossed his eyes.
"This boy," he whispered. "He's the one."
Somewhere far from here, the shadows stir… and the boy marked by them has already begun to awaken.