Kai walked the rest of the way home without any more trouble. The streets were quiet. The big house was dark and silent when he let himself in through the front door. He flicked on the lights in the hallway.
He went straight upstairs to his bathroom,his footsteps soft on the carpet. He entered the clean, quiet bathroom and closed the door behind him.
Without pause, he pulled his t-shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor. He stepped out of his pants and socks, leaving the dusty, worn clothes in a pile on the tiles. He slid the glass shower door open and stepped inside.
His hand went to the faucet. Instead of turning it to a comfortable normal setting, he pushed the handle all the way to the blue marking for cold. For a second, there was just the sound of pipes groaning. Then a blast of water, sharp and icy, shot from the showerhead.
The first splash was on another level. It felt like being struck by a hundred small, stinging pellets of ice. His whole body tensed. His breath caught in his throat, coming out in a sharp gasp. The freezing water soaked his hair and ran in rivulets down his neck, shoulders, and back. It was painfully cold, but he didn't turn it off.
He stood perfectly still for a long moment, eyes closed, just feeling the pure, sharp sensation. The cold pushed all the noisy, jumbled thoughts from his mind, leaving it quiet and focused. Finally, with a slow breath, he reached out and turned the knob. The water stopped.
He then stepped out of the shower stall onto the bath mat, water dripping from his hair and skin. He grabbed a large, fluffy towel from the rack. With slow movements, he rubbed the rough, soft cotton over his arms, his chest, and his back, soaking up the cold beads of water until his skin was pink and dry. He wrapped another towel around his waist.
In his bedroom, he went to a drawer and pulled out clothes that felt like comfort itself: a faded t-shirt, soft from many washes, and a pair of loose cotton shorts. He put them on and padded barefoot back downstairs.
The kitchen was a vast, sleek space of stainless steel appliances and dark stone countertops. At this hour, it was mostly shadows, the overhead spotlights turned off. The only source of light was a single, warm lamp hanging low over the large dining table, creating a soft, golden pool in the middle of the room.
Kai walked to the table and pulled out a heavy wooden chair and sat down. The maid, Anya, had prepared his dinner. Anya was a woman about twenty-five years old. She lived in the house in a special room for her. This room was near the kitchen. Her job was to cook and clean for Kai. She usually had his evening meal ready by 7 pm. She had placed his dinner under a cloche. A cloche is a dome-shaped cover that keeps food warm. Kai was grateful for her work.
In his past life, Kai knew how to make simple foods like maggi. But now, he lives in this large house alone. His parents were gone. Having a maid handle meals meant one less thing for him to worry about. Also, hiring a maid did not cost him much money. He had enough to pay for it without trouble.
He lifted the cloche. His dinner was all vegetarian. There was a serving of lentil curry. The curry was thick and smelled of spices. There was also spiced rice. The rice was yellow from spices like turmeric and had a warm flavor. Next to it were sautéed greens. These were leafy vegetables cooked quickly in a pan with oil. There was also a small bowl of yogurt. The yogurt was white and smooth.
Kai had been a strict vegetarian in his past life. He did not eat meat or fish. He decided to keep the same habit now.
He picked up his fork and began to eat slowly,like someone with good manners. The house was so quiet he could hear the clock ticking in the next room. As he ate, his mind drifted back to the alley, to Benkei's trembling voice.
"Just you wait! I'm gonna tell Kyoya about this! Let's see how you like it when Kyoya comes for you! He'll… he'll destroy you!"
The name made Kai think. Kyoya Tategami. He was the boss of the Face Hunters gang. He has a very strong Beyblade called Leone.
From what Kai remembered from his past life memories, Kyoya wasn't just a regular gang leader. He was actually a very skilled blader. He was so good he could be counted as one of the top five bladers in the world.His battles with the protagonist, Gingka, were legendary, often ending in fierce draws. He was arrogant, wild, and incredibly powerful like a real lion.
The idea of fighting Kyoya didn't make Kai feel afraid. He wasn't scared one bit.
Instead, a new feeling started to grow inside him. It was a kind of eager feeling in his chest. This was completely different from how he felt before his fight with Kenta, or when he easily crushed the Beyblades of those stupid gang members.
This would be different. Kyoya was a real opponent. This would be a true test, a serious battle between two strong bladers. That single thought made the food in his mouth seem more flavorful.
Kai ate the last bit of food on his plate. He used a piece of flatbread to wipe up the final traces of sauce, making sure nothing was left. Then he placed his fork down on the now-clean plate.
Anya came out of her room without making much noise. She stood near the table and offered him a brief, polite smile. It was the kind of smile an employee gives to their boss.
"Are you finished, young master?" she asked, her voice quiet.
"Yes," Kai said. "Thank you, Anya. The food was good."
She gave a small nod of acknowledgment. She stepped forward, collected the empty plate and his drinking glass, and turned toward the kitchen. She moved quickly and without fuss.
From the main room, Kai could hear the sounds of her in the kitchen. The water in the sink turned on for a short time as she rinsed the dishes. Then he heard the soft click of the back door opening and closing. She was gone for the night, and the house was silent again.
Kai stood up from the table. He walked to the kitchen sink. He turned on the tap, washed his hands with water.He then picked up a dry towel and dried his hands completely.
Instead of going to the living room or to his bedroom, he turned and walked toward the staircase that led up to the flat roof, the terrace. He climbed the stairs.
At the top, there was a heavy glass door. He pushed it open and stepped outside onto the terrace.
The air outside was cool and clean. It smelled like leaves and plants from trees far away. Above him, the sky had no clouds. He could see many stars spread across it. Far off, the lights of the city shone like small, steady points of light in the dark.
In one corner of the large terrace,sat a big swinging chair. It was shaped like a shallow bowl. It was wide enough for a person to stretch out and lie down in. The chair hung from four strong chains, which were connected to a tall metal frame.
Kai walked across the terrace to the chair. When he reached it, he put one hand on the frame to steady himself and climbed into the bowl-shaped seat. The metal chains made a soft, creaking sound as his weight settled into the chair.
He leaned back until he was lying down. He relaxed his body. The chair began to move, rocking back and forth in a slow, gentle sway.
Kai put his hand into his pants pocket. His fingers found the Beyblade. He pulled out the Dark Phoenix.
Outside, the only light came from the stars above. In this dim light, the Beyblade looked very dark, almost completely black. The deep red colored parts of it looked like old, dried blood. He held it up above his face, turning it slowly between his fingers. As he stared at it, focusing on the intricate details of the attack ring—the sharp wings, the fierce shape—it was almost like he could see it move,like a real phoenix bird curled up and sleeping.
He brought his arm down. He placed the Dark Phoenix flat against the front of his shirt, right over the center of his chest where his heart was. Even through the fabric of his shirt, he could feel the Beyblade's usual warmth.
He tilted his head back to look at the night sky again. The swinging chair continued to rock slowly back and forth. He spoke in a quiet voice, almost under his breath. He was talking to himself, to the Phoenix, or just to the quiet night.
"There's a big battle coming tomorrow, maybe," he whispered. "Kyoya might come looking for payback." The thought was exciting. "And Gingka… he's probably already in town by now."
A genuine smile touched his lips in the darkness.He was already picturing the fights that were coming, with his Phoenix battling beside him.
He closed his eyes. His hand stayed on his chest, his fingers holding the warm metal of the Beyblade in a firm, comfortable grip. The slow rocking of the swinging chair and the soft noises of the night—a faint breeze, distant sounds from the city—began to make him feel sleepy.
His breathing became even. He drifted toward sleep. No matter what happened the next day, whether it was a fight or something else, he felt prepared for it.
...
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