The Edo Period
Amidst a desolate battlefield, the stench of blood and death hung heavy in the air. A young man, barely out of his teenage years, trudged through the lifeless remains of soldiers strewn across the field. Each corpse bore the signs of a brutal war, their armor shattered, their faces frozen in agony. It was a scene of utter devastation.
But the boy's focus wasn't on the carnage. In his trembling arms, he carried the lifeless body of a girl, her delicate frame limp against his chest. Tears carved paths down his dirt-streaked face, his expression a mask of despair. The wind howled around him, but he pressed forward, whispering inaudible words as if trying to bring her back to life.
The world around him blurred into insignificance. All that mattered was the weight in his arms and the unbearable emptiness in his heart.
The Present Day
The eerie silence in the throne room was broken only by the faint sound of breathing. Shoto's motionless body lay crumpled on the floor, bruised and bloodied. Neko, perched nearby, watched intently. The cat's sharp gaze shifted between Tetsuya and Shoto, a small, knowing grin curling on his lips.
Tetsuya leaned against his throne, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's over," he muttered, the adrenaline from the battle still coursing through him. But then, he noticed something. A faint twitch.
Shoto's fingers curled ever so slightly, his body beginning to stir. Tetsuya straightened, his brow furrowing. "No… that's impossible," he said, stepping closer to Shoto.
The cat's grin widened as he watched the impossible unfold.
Shoto's body convulsed once, then twice. Slowly, unnaturally, he pushed himself off the ground, his head hanging low so his face was obscured. His movements were mechanical, almost inhuman.
"What the hell…" Tetsuya murmured, his voice tinged with both curiosity and annoyance. He stepped closer, lifting his foot to kick Shoto's limp body. The force of the kick barely moved him.
As Tetsuya turned back toward his throne, there was a sudden, palpable shift in the atmosphere. A menacing energy filled the room, and Tetsuya froze mid-step.
Behind him, Shoto was standing. His body trembled with barely restrained power, but his head remained bowed. Dust clung to his blood-streaked form, his once timid demeanor completely gone. The lifeless Shoto of moments ago had been replaced by something far more dangerous.
"What the—" Tetsuya began, but Shoto's slow, deliberate movements cut him off.
Tetsuya's annoyance flared into anger. "Stay. Down." He lunged forward, his foot swinging up to deliver a brutal kick to Shoto's chin. The force snapped Shoto's head back, exposing his face for the first time.
The expression on Shoto's face wasn't one of pain or defeat. His dull, lifeless eyes stared through Tetsuya, unblinking, unfeeling. His lips curled slightly into a cold, unsettling smirk.
"What… are you?" Tetsuya hissed.
Not giving Shoto a chance to respond, Tetsuya spun on his heel and drove his foot into Shoto's ribs, sending him crashing into the far wall. The impact cracked the stone, and dust clouded the air, obscuring the damage.
"Stay. Down!" Tetsuya barked, his voice echoing through the room.
From within the dust, a faint silhouette emerged. Shoto stepped forward, his body unyielding despite the blood dripping from his wounds. His head remained lowered, his expression hidden in shadow.
"Tch," Tetsuya growled, his frustration growing. "Why won't you just die? I stopped your heart!"
He launched himself at Shoto, spinning mid-air to deliver a devastating kick aimed at the side of Shoto's head. But Shoto ducked at the last possible moment, feinting the attack with unnatural precision.
Tetsuya barely had time to react as Shoto's fist shot upward in a powerful uppercut. The punch grazed Tetsuya's cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
Tetsuya leaped back, landing in a crouch. He touched the fresh cut on his cheek, his fingers coming away red. For a moment, his dull silver eyes widened in shock, then narrowed into a glare.
"Interesting," Tetsuya muttered, his voice low and dangerous. He licked the blood from his fingers, his grin widening. "I thought I killed you, but this… this is something else entirely."
Shoto's breathing was slow and deliberate, his shoulders rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He didn't speak, didn't move, but the air around him grew heavier. A palpable aura of raw, unbridled energy radiated from his body, causing the very floor beneath them to crack slightly.
The air between them crackled with tension as Shoto's hand reached for a discarded metal pipe. He lifted it slowly, his movements deliberate, twirling it with a familiarity that mirrored Hina's graceful technique. The way he handled the pipe was almost otherworldly, as if channeling a memory not his own.
With a sudden flick of his wrist, Shoto hurled the pipe straight at Tetsuya. The silver-haired boy smirked, sidestepping the projectile with ease. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted. But his smug grin faltered as the pipe rebounded off the wall behind him, striking him square in the back with a metallic clang.
Tetsuya stumbled forward, his balance disrupted, and as he straightened up, Shoto was already there. Crouched low like a predator ready to pounce, Shoto coiled his body tightly before unleashing a devastating strike to Tetsuya's ribs. The impact sent a shockwave through Tetsuya's body, his eye twitching in pain.
"Damn you!" Tetsuya growled, immediately seizing Shoto's arm in a vise-like grip. With a ferocious yank, he flung Shoto across the room, the boy's body skidding harshly against the broken stone floor.
Tetsuya didn't waste a second. Using his toes to launch himself forward, he closed the distance between them in an instant, his foot slamming into Shoto's ribs with enough force to lift him into the air. Shoto barely had time to gasp as Tetsuya followed up by smashing his arms downward, sending Shoto crashing to the ground with a sickening thud.
Shoto's body convulsed briefly, but he forced himself to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He stumbled backward instinctively, narrowly dodging Tetsuya's foot as it slammed into the floor where his head had been a moment earlier.
Sweat dripped from Shoto's brow as he wavered, his body beginning to betray him. The arrows of adrenaline that had been fueling his unnatural drive were taking their toll. His veins, glowing faintly from the strain, snaked across his back in jagged patterns, resembling the scales of a dragon.
Lines of dark energy etched themselves around Shoto's eyes, and his dull green irises began to clear, revealing a sharper, more focused gaze. His battered face relaxed, shifting into an unnerving calm.
Tetsuya noticed the change immediately. His frustration bubbled into rage. "Why won't you stay down?!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the throne room.
He charged at Shoto, leaping high into the air, aiming to crush him with a powerful strike to the chest. But Shoto's eyes snapped open, glowing faintly. In a fluid motion, he rolled forward, dodging Tetsuya's attack and pivoting to counter.
With a roar, Shoto drove Tetsuya backward, slamming him into the crumbling remains of the throne chair with a single, powerful arm. Tetsuya grunted in pain, struggling against Shoto's iron grip.
Shoto's free hand stretched out toward the chest they had passed countless times during their battle. The ancient wooden container splintered and burst open as a dark, spiked sword with a glowing red core flew through the air, landing squarely in Shoto's waiting palm.
The room seemed to darken as Shoto's fingers wrapped around the hilt. The blade pulsed with a sinister light, casting a crimson glow on his face. Tetsuya's defiance wavered, his silver eyes widening in panic.
"You… bastard…" Tetsuya spat, but before he could finish, Shoto released him, gripping the sword with both hands.
The blade swung through the air in a deadly arc, connecting with Tetsuya's torso. There was no visible blood, but Tetsuya's body convulsed violently as the damage radiated deep within him.
A strangled cry escaped Tetsuya's lips before he collapsed to the ground, his body motionless.
Shoto stood over him, silent and unyielding, the sword still glowing ominously in his grip. The moonlight streaming through the shattered windows illuminated Shoto's battered form, revealing the bruises and cuts from his past battles. Despite the visible damage, Shoto looked unshaken, his calm demeanor unbroken.
From the shadows, Neko observed the scene, his feline eyes narrowing as he took in the transformation. A faint smirk played across his face as he saw a flicker of something familiar in Shoto's stance.
"Welcome back, King Remedus…" Neko murmured, his voice barely audible.
Shoto turned his head slightly, his gaze lifting to the night sky, where the stars gleamed like distant memories. The sword in his hand pulsed once more before falling silent, its glow fading as Shoto's grip loosened. The battle was over, but something far greater had awakened within him.
Months passed since the fateful battle. Life had seemingly returned to normal for Shoto and his friends. The echoes of their trials faded into the backdrop as the group settled back into their routines.
Hina resumed her responsibilities as Student Council President, her commanding presence once again filling the halls of the school. Ryuji, though still sporting bandages from his injuries, was back in the ring, determined to refine his boxing skills. Ren began each day with his usual morning jog, his dedication unwavering. Meanwhile, Yuumo and Hikaru were already seated in the classroom, their lively chatter filling the air as they waited for the day's lesson to begin.
Shoto, however, felt like a different person. He stared absentmindedly out the window, his once timid demeanor replaced by a calm, yet slightly restless energy. His hair, now messier and styled in an unintentional yet effortlessly cool way, fell over his face. His frame was leaner and more defined than before, the physical proof of the battles he no longer remembered.
Despite his amnesia about the details after his confrontation with Tetsuya, Shoto retained one memory crystal clear: he had won. Yet, what transpired afterward remained a mystery he couldn't shake. He tried not to dwell on it as his gaze wandered outside, softening when he saw Yumiko, his girlfriend, walking with her friends. Her laughter was bright, and for a moment, a gentle smile spread across his face.
Maybe things really are back to normal, Shoto thought.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the class, and their teacher walked in with someone trailing behind.
"Alright, everyone, settle down," the teacher said, clapping his hands for attention. "We've got a new student today. Everyone rise."
The class stood in unison, bowing respectfully before taking their seats again. Shoto leaned lazily on his desk, his mind still halfway out the window as a soft breeze ruffled his hair.
"Go ahead, kid. Introduce yourself," the teacher prompted.
Shoto barely glanced toward the front, but the moment his eyes landed on the new student, he froze. His heart skipped a beat as his body tensed.
Standing there, looking as calm and composed as ever, was a boy with silver hair, a faint scar visible under his open uniform collar, trailing down his chest. His smile was gentle but unsettling in its familiarity.
"My name is Tetsuya Yurodan-ki," the boy said, his voice smooth and confident. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."
The room was quiet, save for the rustle of papers and whispers of intrigue among the students. But for Shoto, time itself seemed to stop.
Tetsuya's gaze flicked toward him, his smile widening into something brighter, almost cheerful.
Shoto blinked, once, twice—then reality hit him like a freight train.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
His scream pierced through the silence, echoing across the school like a siren. The rest of the class jumped in their seats, looking at him in shock and confusion.
Meanwhile, perched on the roof, Neko studied the black sword Shoto had received during the battle. Its dark, ominous aura still intrigued him, and he carefully examined its details with a mix of reverence and curiosity.
Hearing Shoto's scream, Neko paused, ears twitching. A sly grin spread across the cat's face as he hopped to the edge of the roof, peering down at the bustling schoolyard below.
"Looks like Shoto's found himself a new ally… or rival," Neko mused, his tail flicking lazily as he gazed at the bright blue sky.
As the laughter and chaos of the classroom grew louder, Neko chuckled to himself. "This is going to be fun."
End of Arc 1: Homecoming