---
The sunlight pierced through the curtains, jolting Kirota awake. His eyes snapped open as the warmth hit his face. He blinked against the brightness, staring up at the ceiling for a moment.
"I'm late…" he muttered, scrambling out of bed.
He rushed to the bathroom, brushing his teeth hastily, then grabbed his bag. With one last glance at the clock, he dashed out the door.
Panting, he finally reached the school gates. "Sorry I'm late," he gasped as he slid into his seat.
The teacher sighed, but didn't reply. Ayame didn't even glance his way.
Time crawled by with dull lessons and idle gossip. When the bell finally rang, students burst out into the hallways.
Kirota packed his bag and stood. Ayame rose as well, and they walked side by side toward the Truth Seeker Society clubroom.
Ayame opened the door and stepped inside. Kirota followed, feeling the tension in the air. Ayame sighed heavily, took a chair, and pulled out a book.
Kirota sat silently, watching her.
Minutes passed in awkward silence.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Eriya hurried in, breathless.
Ayame snapped her book shut. "Explain yourself. Why are you late?"
Eriya straightened up. "There was a long line…"
Ayame narrowed her eyes. "A long line for what?"
Eriya rummaged through her bag and pulled out a crumpled newspaper. She held it up.
Ayame's eyebrows knit in confusion. "You were late… for a newspaper?"
Eriya shook her head. "Not just any paper. Look at this."
Ayame took it and unfolded the pages. The headline screamed:
"Five People Die Simultaneously From Heart Attacks"
Kirota's eyes flicked over the article.
Ayame's fingers hovered over the text, her jaw tightening thoughtfully. Suddenly, a memory flashed — the old man who had collapsed the other day, whispered rumors saying it was a heart attack.
"Where did you get this?" Ayame demanded, pointing at the paper.
"At the newspaper club," Eriya answered. "But it's not everywhere."
Ayame stood abruptly. "Show me."
Eriya led them down the hallway. They stopped before a closed door marked Newspaper Club.
Ayame knocked firmly.
Silence.
Finally, the door creaked open. A boy with blonde hair peeked out.
"What do you want?"
Ayame showed him the newspaper. "Where did you get this info?"
The boy smirked. "If it's juicy, it goes in the paper. Why?"
"Do you think this has anything to do with the Blackgrave?" Ayame asked pointedly.
The boy paused. Another voice came from inside: "No, I don't think so."
The boy stepped aside. Ayame, Kirota, and Eriya entered.
The boy introduced himself with a polite smile. "I'm Takuma Hayane."
Ayame nodded. "I'm Ayame Tsukino, and this is Kirota Hoshigawa—my partner."
Kirota nodded quietly.
Eriya smiled politely. "I'm Eriya Kazename."
Takuma glanced at the others, adding, "My friends are here too—Riku Sazanami." Riku barely glanced at them, clearly uninterested.
"So," Takuma began, "this case with the heart attacks… it doesn't add up."
Ayame leaned in. "Why?"
Takuma explained, "We all know the Blackgrave attacks at night, uses a black knife. But this—people dropping dead from heart attacks, during the day? Different method."
Ayame pondered aloud, "Maybe… the Blackgrave changed his tactics?"
Takuma chuckled. "And what would he gain? There's no reason for that."
The room grew quiet. Kirota's mind raced. Could this be the work of a witch? Something unnatural?
Finally, Takuma broke the silence.
"Here's my proposal," he said, flashing a smile. "If you help me solve this case, maybe I can help you find the real Blackgrave."
Ayame's hands clenched into Certainly! Here's a polished and engaging version of Chapter 5 of The Blackgrave, keeping the anime-style pacing, suspense, and character dynamics you provided:
Chapter 5: Shadows of Truth
The sunlight pierced through the curtains, jolting Kirota awake. His eyes snapped open as the warmth hit his face. He blinked against the brightness, staring up at the ceiling for a moment.
"I'm late…" he muttered, scrambling out of bed.
He rushed to the bathroom, brushing his teeth hastily, then grabbed his bag. With one last glance at the clock, he dashed out the door.
Panting, he finally reached the school gates. "Sorry I'm late," he gasped as he slid into his seat.
The teacher sighed, but didn't reply. Ayame didn't even glance his way.
Time crawled by with dull lessons and idle gossip. When the bell finally rang, students burst out into the hallways.
Kirota packed his bag and stood. Ayame rose as well, and they walked side by side toward the Truth Seeker Society clubroom.
Ayame opened the door and stepped inside. Kirota followed, feeling the tension in the air. Ayame sighed heavily, took a chair, and pulled out a book.
Kirota sat silently, watching her.
Minutes passed in awkward silence.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Eriya hurried in, breathless.
Ayame snapped her book shut. "Explain yourself. Why are you late?"
Eriya straightened up. "There was a long line…"
Ayame narrowed her eyes. "A long line for what?"
Eriya rummaged through her bag and pulled out a crumpled newspaper. She held it up.
Ayame's eyebrows knit in confusion. "You were late… for a newspaper?"
Eriya shook her head. "Not just any paper. Look at this."
Ayame took it and unfolded the pages. The headline screamed:
"Five People Die Simultaneously From Heart Attacks"
Kirota's eyes flicked over the article.
Ayame's fingers hovered over the text, her jaw tightening thoughtfully. Suddenly, a memory flashed — the old man who had collapsed the other day, whispered rumors saying it was a heart attack.
"Where did you get this?" Ayame demanded, pointing at the paper.
"At the newspaper club," Eriya answered. "But it's not everywhere."
Ayame stood abruptly. "Show me."
Eriya led them down the hallway. They stopped before a closed door marked Newspaper Club.
Ayame knocked firmly.
Silence.
Finally, the door creaked open. A boy with blonde hair peeked out.
"What do you want?"
Ayame showed him the newspaper. "Where did you get this info?"
The boy smirked. "If it's juicy, it goes in the paper. Why?"
"Do you think this has anything to do with the Blackgrave?" Ayame asked pointedly.
The boy paused. Another voice came from inside: "No, I don't think so."
The boy stepped aside. Ayame, Kirota, and Eriya entered.
The boy introduced himself with a polite smile. "I'm Takuma Hayane."
Ayame nodded. "I'm Ayame Tsukino, and this is Kirota Hoshigawa—my partner."
Kirota nodded quietly.
Eriya smiled politely. "I'm Eriya Kazename."
Takuma glanced at the others, adding, "My friends are here too—Riku Sazanami." Riku barely glanced at them, clearly uninterested.
"So," Takuma began, "this case with the heart attacks… it doesn't add up."
Ayame leaned in. "Why?"
Takuma explained, "We all know the Blackgrave attacks at night, uses a black knife. But this—people dropping dead from heart attacks, during the day? Different method."
Ayame pondered aloud, "Maybe… the Blackgrave changed his tactics?"
Takuma chuckled. "And what would he gain? There's no reason for that."
The room grew quiet. Kirota's mind raced. Could this be the work of a witch? Something unnatural?
Finally, Takuma broke the silence.
"Here's my proposal," he said, flashing a smile. "If you help me solve this case, maybe I can help you find the real Blackgrave."
Ayame's hands clenched into fists. Kirota placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"You have to agree," he whispered. "This might be your chance to finally get answers."
Ayame hesitated, then met Kirota's gaze.
"Fine. We'll work together."
Takuma's grin widened.
Kirota thought to himself, There's more at stake than just catching a killer. I have to find whoever is using my name—and fast.
The silent room seemed charged with new purpose.
The shadows of truth were beginning to stir.
Would you like me to help continue with Chapter 6 next?
. Kirota placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"You have to agree," he whispered. "This might be your chance to finally get answers."
Ayame hesitated, then met Kirota's gaze.
"Fine. We'll work together."
Takuma's grin widened.
Kirota thought to himself, There's more at stake than just catching a killer. I have to find whoever is using my name—and fast.
The silent room seemed charged with new purpose.
The shadows of truth were beginning to stir.
---