A cold morning light slipped through the half-closed curtains. Kyori stood silently in his bedroom, eyes fixed on the gray sky beyond the window. His expression was serious, almost unreadable. Inside, his thoughts echoed with a familiar emptiness.
> "Another day… but nothing ever changes. Just this endless void."
He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. As he stepped out of his room, his mentor was already waiting in the doorway. Calm, collected, always watching.
"Be careful out there," the man said, voice low but firm. "I'm counting on you."
Kyori didn't reply. He just nodded slightly before walking past and out of the house.
The street was quiet. He walked alone, hands in his pockets, eyes on the ground. A lingering question tugged at his mind.
> "Will I ever get answers…? Will I ever know the truth?"
A group of rowdy boys passed by, bumping into him without apology. Kyori didn't react—he just kept walking.
When he reached the school gates, the atmosphere was already buzzing. Students laughed, gathered in groups, gossiped loudly. Kyori crossed the courtyard with silent steps, ignoring the stares directed his way. Two boys leaned against a wall, watching him with mocking expressions.
"Hey, Yosuke," one of them said, "isn't that the new guy?"
"Yeah," the other replied. "Trying to act all mysterious and cool, huh?"
Kyori walked into the classroom and headed straight to the back, settling near the window. He dropped his bag on the desk and stared blankly at the board.
Then she appeared—Horita Ohashi, the most admired girl in school. She walked over, her smile charming and natural.
"Hi, you're new here, right?"
Kyori turned to look at her. His eyes were cold. He said nothing and turned away.
Horita blinked, surprised. She hesitated, then stepped back, thinking:
> "What a strange guy..."
As soon as the bell rang, the classroom emptied. Kyori left in silence, walking through the hallway.
But before he could exit the building, two boys from earlier blocked his path.
"Hey, new guy," Shin called out. "Are you mute or just trying to act smart?"
Kyori kept walking, ignoring them, but Shin grabbed his shoulder aggressively. In a flash, Kyori twisted his wrist and broke free without a word, continuing down the hall.
Horita watched the scene unfold from a distance, her eyes wide.
After school, Kyori walked alone down a narrow street. He sensed something… wrong.
Two men in white polo shirts appeared at the far end of the road, staring at him with a dark, deadly gaze.
"That's him."
Kyori's instincts kicked in. He turned and ran, his bag bouncing against his back. The men followed.
He dashed into a dark tunnel. Inside, he pressed himself against the wall, catching his breath.
"I'm sure he's in here," one of them said.
One man entered cautiously—too slow.
Kyori emerged from the shadows, fists clenched, and struck first.
The fight was swift and brutal. No weapons. Just raw fists, precise moves, and cold rage. He knocked them both out.
Then he disappeared into the night.
Not long after, two other men arrived at the tunnel entrance.
"Goro," one said, "Takyeru, what's going on?"
"He's gone," Takyeru muttered. "Let's return to base and report."
Kyori kept walking, his mind racing, body sore. He passed through alley after alley until he finally reached home.
A guard standing outside called out to him. "You took your time. You okay?"
Kyori didn't answer. He kept his eyes low and walked past.
Inside, his mentor watched him closely.
"My boy… what happened?" the man asked. "You look disturbed."
Kyori stopped, took a breath, and answered coldly, "I just… need to be alone."
Far from there, in a dimly lit warehouse, Takyeru and Goro reported to a shadowed figure seated in the dark.
"So?" the man asked.
Takyeru clenched his fists. "The kid… knocked out Masachi and Giyu. By the time we got there, he was gone."
The man in the shadows didn't move, but his eyes lit up with a fire.
"I see."