Part 3: The Weight of Survival
The next sound came closer.
Then—
The door burst open.
Wood cracked against the wall as a dark figure rushed in, fast and precise. The air shifted with killing intent, sharp enough to sting the skin.
The hunter didn't hesitate.
His gaze locked onto the sofa.
Onto Haruto.
A kunai flashed in his hand, angled straight for the sleeping boy's chest.
Ayame moved before thought.
She vaulted over the back of the sofa in a single motion, her body cutting between Haruto and the blade. Her foot struck the hunter's wrist hard—metal clattered across the floor as the kunai spun away.
The impact sent the hunter staggering back.
Ayame landed lightly, already turning, placing herself fully in front of Haruto—shoulders squared, eyes cold.
"Not him," she said quietly.
"Not him," she said quietly.
The kunai was already moving.
Ayame reached out and caught it midair, her grip precise, effortless—like she'd been waiting for it. In the same motion, she stepped forward and slashed across the hunter's throat.
A spray of blood hit the wall as the hunter collapsed at her feet.
Ayame didn't blink.
Her eyes lifted.
And her breath caught.
They were everywhere.
Figures on the roof outside. Shadows beyond the broken doorway. Movement behind the windows. Not rushing. Not attacking.
Watching.
Counting.
Behind her, Haruto stirred. His left eye twitched violently, a thin line of blood leaking free as his fingers clenched into the cushion.
"…You can feel them even asleep," Ayame muttered, pressing her hand over his eye.
A sound came from outside—soft, deliberate.
Ayame clicked her tongue.
"No chance."
She turned, threw Haruto onto her back, his arms instinctively locking around her shoulders. His breath hitched, but he didn't wake.
The pressure in the room spiked.
Ayame sprinted.
She burst through the doorway and into the open street, afternoon light blinding after the shadows inside. Her footsteps thundered against stone as she cut through alleys without slowing.
Behind her—
No pursuit.
That was worse.
Because it meant one thing.
They weren't chasing.
They were hunting.
And Haruto was already marked.
Ayame ran through the streets, Haruto secured on her back. His small hands clung to her shoulders, and his left eye twitched, a thin line of blood showing.
The streets were mostly empty—people were awake, moving about, and the hunters had vanished into the shadows.
For a moment, it seemed as if they had escaped.
Then—
A kunai spun through the air toward them.
Ayame's eyes narrowed. She glanced to her side and saw a hunter crouched, ready to strike.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the kunai midair and threw it back, which pierced. The hunter stumbled and collapsed.
Haruto whimpered softly against her back, clinging tighter.
The afternoon sun glinted off the blade in her hand, and for a heartbeat, the world was still again.
But Ayame knew: this fight wasn't over.
Meanwhile in the Academy… The classroom was quiet, sunlight streaming through the windows.
Kaito's pen slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor. Instantly, every student turned to look at him.
Flushing slightly, he bent to pick it up, but the unease he felt wouldn't let him stay calm.
He walked over to Daigo, speaking in a low voice.
"Sensei… I feel something's wrong with Ayame and Haruto. I… I can sense it," he said, tension in his voice.
Daigo looked down at him, calm but slightly amused. "It's nothing, Kaito. Just go sit. You just woke up from sleeping in class—it's unusual for you, but it's fine."
Kaito's expression hardened. His heart raced, instincts screaming that something was wrong. Without waiting, he bolted toward the door, intending to check on his siblings.
But Daigo appeared in front of him, calm and unshakable. Kaito skidded to a stop.
"Explain to me what you really think," Daigo said firmly.
Kaito took a deep breath, lowering his head, and whispered everything he sensed, all the unease and worry about Ayame and Haruto, while they walked back toward the classroom.
Daigo listened quietly, then nodded. "I will inform the others. You can stay. I trust you, Kaito."
With that, Daigo turned and left the classroom, leaving Kaito to quietly return to his seat.
As Daigo walked down the corridor, he murmured to himself, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
"Inazuma clan… huh. They can sense danger very easily. No doubt. I can even assure that—I once worked under his father."