"It's that time of the century again huh." A man cloaked in shadows says as twenty figures sit around a round table.
"Yeah, the period of reckoning has dawned on us again." Another man cloaked in darkness replies.
"I just hope this time, they don't disappoint." A man with a crown covering his eyes says, grinning slightly.
The room falls silent after that.
"Kenji!, wake up!."
A pillow slams into his face.
"What is wrong with you!!." Kenji shouts as he jolts upright in bed.
"I'm one hour late for my first day of high school, just cause you don't want to get your lazy ass out of bed!!." The girl shouts, still holding the pillow.
"What's so special about the first day?, plus it's my fault the alarm didn't go off." Kenji says, scratching the back of his head.
"Beep, Beep, Beep."
The alarm clock continues ringing loudly.
"Yeah, the alarm didn't go off, look just get ready ok." She says before banging his door shut.
"What's got Miura so riled up about school, there's nothing fun there." Kenji mutters as he knocks the alarm clock off the table and heads to the bathroom.
"Late again I see Kenji." A man in glasses says as Kenji walks downstairs.
"Morning to you too Gramps." Kenji replies, grabbing a slice of bread.
"You know that both of you go to the same school, you ought to put her in mind too." Gramps says, flipping his newspaper.
"I've heard you Gramps, where is she anyways?." Kenji asks, looking around.
"She's left already." The old man answers calmly.
"Left?, with who!." Kenji says in surprise.
"She got tired of waiting for you in the shower and called a friend." Gramps replies.
"If she was going to do that, why did she wake me up!." Kenji sighs.
"Get your ass to school Kenji." Gramps says without looking up.
"Chasing me huh old man." Kenji chuckles.
"See you later Gramps." He says as he leaves the house.
"I have to admit it's pretty smart to take out the divines before their pacts with the angels are made." A boy wearing a black bandana marked with a strange symbol stands on top of a building, speaking into his phone.
"Yeah, I figured the sooner we got rid of them the better Nero." A muffled voice responds.
"Something's bugging me though." Nero says.
"What is it?."
"How do you know the divines before their pacts are made?."
"Don't pry into what would implicate you, do your job by killing the boy."
"Do it when he's secluded though."
"Why?, I have him in my sight right now, I could kill him easily."
"You fool, look around you, innocent civilians are everywhere, I have no need to soil my hands with the blood of the innocent."
"Fine, Fine, I get it." Nero says, annoyed.
"Take him out when you get the opportunity." The call ends.
Nero lowers the phone and looks down at Kenji walking toward school.
"Late as usual Kenji." A man in a PE uniform says at the school gate.
"Come on Gori just let me in." Kenji says, exhausted.
"Nope, can't do—orders from above, no one is allowed into school this late—unless you finally take up my offer from last term and tryout for the basketball team." Gori says with a grin.
"Really?—thats what this is about." Kenji sighs.
"Yep, so do you want to enter or not."
"Do I have a choice—fine I'll tryout for the basketball team, now get out of my way Gori."
"See you tomorrow at 10." Gori opens the gate.
"What a pain in the ass." Kenji mutters as he walks inside.
He suddenly glances toward a tree nearby.
Hidden among the branches, Nero shifts slightly.
"It's probably nothing." Kenji says before heading into the building.
"He was able to sense me?, even without a pact." Nero murmurs, surprised.
"I've already missed two periods, and break is almost up—it would be a pain to walk in during class, I'll just sit it out." Kenji says as he heads to the rooftop.
He sits down and closes his eyes.
"This is my chance, he's alone." Nero says from a distance.
"Kenji!!." A girl shouts as she bursts onto the rooftop.
"What do you want Fumiko?." Kenji asks without opening his eyes.
"Damn, why did she have to come in!!, this secluded rule is pissing me off." Nero mutters.
"Why aren't you at class?." Fumiko asks, hands on her waist.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"I came here looking for you shithead, you can't just skip class just cause you came late." She sits beside him.
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard you mom."
The bell rings.
"Come on dropout, let's head down for break."
"Fine, fine, buy you're buying me lunch." Kenji stands up, dusting off his trousers.
"Don't I already do that." She replies tiredly.
After school, Kenji takes a shortcut home.
"The street is unusually empty today." He mutters.
"It really is." A voice answers.
Kenji turns.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?."
"I don't think that matters right now." Nero replies calmly, removing his bandana and wrapping it around his hand.
"You cause me a lot of stress waiting for this—I thought I'll have to discard the order and just kill you in front of everyone, but look, you just made my work a whole lot easier."
"What are you talking about dude—are you on drugs?." Kenji says, turning away. "Go find someone else to bother, I don't want to beat you up."
"I wouldn't turn your back on me if I was you."
Kenji turns—
Nero is already mid-air.
His fist crashes down.
Kenji barely rolls aside as Nero's punch slams into the ground.
The concrete explodes outward, cracks spreading across the street like a spiderweb.
"You dodged that?—are you sure you've not made a pact yet." Nero grins.
"Wh-, what the fuck, he just destroyed the concrete with his bare hands." Kenji says, fear finally creeping in.
The bandana around Nero's hand begins to glow dark red.
He rushes forward again.
Kenji runs.
Thin red strings burst from the bandana, whipping through the air like living blades.
"Are those strings!!."
"You thought I could only hit things huh, I promise you I can do a whole lot more."
Nine strings merge into one thick strand. Nero swings it with full force.
Kenji ducks.
The attack slices through the road, splitting it cleanly. The edges begin to sizzle and melt.
"The floor is melting!."
Another strike flies toward Kenji's face.
He jerks his head back at the last second. The string grazes his cheek, burning the skin, then cuts straight through a massive tree behind him.
"How does he keep dodging!!!—An unpacted divine shouldn't be able to dodge this, What's up with this boy?." Nero thinks, irritation rising.
Kenji's breathing becomes uneven.
"I'm losing stamina quick, running around isn't doing anything, I need to lose this guy."
He suddenly turns down another street and disappears.
Nero stops.
"Shit, where did he go?."
Below the cracked pavement—
Kenji drops into the sewer.
"The sewer was the only place I could think of." He mutters, moving through dirty water.
Above, Nero closes one eye.
"Focus Nero, he couldn't have gone far, focus on only your ears, just your ears."
He listens.
Footsteps. Water movement.
"There!."
One string gathers energy and strikes the ground above the sewer.
The street splits apart violently.
Light floods in.
"How did he find me!." Kenji says in panic.
"You Rat!—im done playing."
Kenji tries to run, but the sewer water slows him down.
A string lashes out and wraps around his leg.
"Aarghhh!!"
Smoke rises from his skin as the string burns into him.
Nero yanks hard.
Kenji is slammed into the concrete wall, the impact echoing through the tunnel.
He collapses, bleeding.
"You're strong for an unpacted divine." Nero says calmly, flipping his hair back.
"G-, Go to hell." Kenji spits blood.
"Warm it up for me shall you."
The strings retract and reform into the bandana. It glows intensely as energy builds for a final strike.
"Gramps, Fumiko, miura—i'm sorry." Kenji whispers, closing his eyes.
"RAISE YOUR HEAD HIGH!."
A massive blue light crashes down from the sky.
A powerful gust of wind blasts Nero backward.
"No, No, No, why now!."
The light fades.
A girl stands before Kenji.
White and black hair flows behind her. She wears a long white robe with gold accessories and traditional attire underneath. A huge cross symbol hovers behind her back.
"Wh-, Who are you." Kenji asks weakly.
"I'M ESTALCIA AVADORA, the sixth angel of heaven, and you, you are my divine."
Kenji's eyes glow.