The small cave echoed with a chilling voice, sending a jolt of fear through the PHG members. Hiroki, Yoru, and Miyu swiveled around, and their eyes narrowed. Ayuri, however, remained frozen, her gaze fixed on a figure emerging from the shadows.
Him: "Oh i see. Seems like my little welcome surprised you."
The figure, a man cloaked in darkness, held two children hostage – a young girl, no older than 13, and a teenage boy around 15. He gripped them tightly, one in each hand, with a horrifying appendage – an arm crafted from a pulsating, radioactive black substance.
Tension crackled in the air. Yoru bristled. And Hiroki's fists clenched, his eyes burning with a fiery resolve and feeling tension at same time.
Ayuri (calmly, but with a hint of steel): "Explain yourself. Why are these children hostages? And who are you exactly?"
She resumed: "I have the right to eliminate you with permission from the authority of the P.H.G"
The figure cackled, a sound that sent shivers down their spines.
Mysterious Figure: "Interesting! You think it's that simple matter ? How naive!"
Yoru (gritting her teeth): "Ayuri, permission to engage!"
Ayuri (calmly): "Hold, Yoru. Let us hear him out."
Ayuri's voice held a hint of urgency, barely perceptible to the others. Her hand subtly moved towards a hidden compartment on her belt, her eyes never leaving the figure.
Hiroki (eyes blazing): "These are innocent children! There's nothing logical about this! Tell us what you want!"
The figure's gaze shifted to Hiroki, a flicker of amusement dancing in his dark eyes.
Mysterious Figure: "Ah, the chosen one! It seems things have gotten even more interesting!"
Ayuri's expression hardened. A silent plea flickered across her face, directed at Hiroki.
Ayuri (mouth barely moving): "Hiroki, back down. This is not the time."
Replied "How can we back down? Those are kids are in danger for no specified reason!"
Hiroki's muscles tensed, a primal urge to protect warring with the need to obey Ayuri. He knew she wouldn't make such a request lightly. With a deep breath, he forced himself to stand down, his jaw clenched tight.
Mysterious Figure (laughing gleefully): "Excellent! The game is afoot!"
[Memories]
A wave of memories washed over Hiroki, vivid and bittersweet. Rain lashed against the windows, a familiar sight from his days of trudging home from school. He was twelve years old then, a lonely figure battling the elements and the bleakness of his life.
Hiroki (internal monologue): "The world always seemed so cruel. But mom always said..."
A gentle voice echoed in his mind, his mother's voice, soft and filled with warmth.
Her (memory): "This world may seem harsh, Hiroki, but remember, you and anyone can make it beautiful."
(Resuming Memories)
Hiroki tightened his grip on his worn backpack, The rain was falling slowly in front. He didn't really care, his feelings and personality were completely cold. Until he rounded a corner to notice something interesting happening.
A group of older boys surrounded a smaller child, their faces twisted in cruel amusement. The little boy, no older than eight, huddled on the ground, tears about to go down from his eyes. They had taken his umbrella, his only defense against the downpour.
"Look at the little crybaby! Bet he's got something good hidden in that bag!" Some of them said.
"Yeah, let's have a look, shall we?" Other replied.
The little boy whimpered, his eyes welling up with fear. Hiroki stood rooted to the spot, His reaction was completely cold and he had a mixed mixture of thoughts inside him.
While those people are thinking about selling these things and what they will do with them. Hiroki coldly comes in with a crushing blow to him, knocking him to the ground while the rest of them watch in shock, amazement, and unexpectedness, and the scene passes slowly.
Hiroki (Talking slowly cold): "It's a shame picking on someone smaller than you. You're nothing but stupid bastards!"
Then the other one came to him in a state of anger and haste, trying to attack him. Then Hiroki moved with every effort and continued knocking him to the ground by kicking the sensitive area of his leg.
Hiroki emerged victorious, after he shot down the last person among them, he ran away, stuttering on his way, saying "This is not a normal human being!".
Hiroki retrieved the stolen umbrella, coming back with all coolness and magnificence. He approached the trembling boy, who looked at him with wide, grateful eyes.
Hiroki: "Here, take this."
While Hiroki was quietly walking away from the scene, the boy interrupted him and called him "You!" and resumes after getting up " Thank you... thank you so much! This belongs to my mom, it's all I have... I'm sorry for getting you into this problem, you really helped me !"
Hiroki stood there for a moment, he stood there frozen for a moment, and his facial features changed, and his eyes opened slightly for a few seconds. He continues, raising his hand as farewell to that boy, "Don't worry about it. See you around".
Hiroki continues his memories as the days go by.
"I had always been a quiet observer, content to fix small wrongs in the shadows. But this act of courage, however small, ignited a spark."
(Resuming inside himself) "Since I was young, I knew how this world worked. I was really trying to fix what I could behind the scenes, but I discovered... how naive I was. I did not notice that this world was damaged from the beginning and that it would remain so even after a change was made in it. This is the nature of human beings. Everyone is selfish and works for their own benefit, or this is what I saw from my point of view."
(Years passes)
"Years passed, I was fifteen then, reaching to high school, it was a secondary thing for me. My outlook on everything around me has completely changed, I have become a different person than in the past. I didn't even want to try. Had I lost hope? Or was it certainty of the truth?"
One day, he saw something that shattered his growing indifference.
He saw the same person he had saved before, but life seems to be roundabout, the roles have changed now. It seems he has become part of a new gang. They were surrounding a girl just under his age, her voice echoing in terror. She was calling for help, her gaze landing on Hiroki.
Hiroki's heart was completely frozen. He started to turn away, the boy's menacing glare stopping him in his tracks.
That boy was about to threaten him: "Don't even think about it, This doesn't concern .. you.." As he continued his words, his features recognized that he was the same person who had previously criticized him, and he stood in confusion.
Hiroki stared back, a cold reaction washing over him. Hiroki watched in a silence as the girl's pleas for help faded into the distance. The rain continued to pour, The girl's pleading voices disappeared after walking away.
(Memories ends with everything being dark)
Hiroki (internal monologue): "It seems that I finally regretted my neglect. If only I could rewind time..."
(Next day from memories)
The memory transitioned to the stark reality of Hiroki's living room. The news blared on the television, the anchor's face grim.
Newscaster: "And here we have another incident that seems rather painful. The notorious gang known as "Night Ravens" has struck again. They continued their riotous activities in the surrounding area, and we learned that a girl named Chiharu had been captured."
(Her picture and information are shown, and he discovers that she is the same girl from yesterday)
"..Until now, she has not returned to her home at all."
The girl's family was in a miserable situation at the heart of the event
At the heart of the news, her mother was bursting into tears, blaming the people in the place as to why they were not doing anything, and why they were not doing anything if they could.
"Why her exactly? She was happy in her life. Her dream was to join her favorite university.. Just Why.."
Hiroki remained rooted to the spot, simply observing the matter, although his features were cold, inside him he was hiding great remorse and sadness. Continuing inside himself: "If only I could correct my mistakes.. No.. Rather, I was able to do that all the time and I still am."
Hiroki fell on his knees, lost in the obsessions of his mind, trying to accept the reality of what happened. (And his past memories end in darkness.)
[ Memories ends and we return to real-time events ]
Returning to the seriousness of the current situation facing Hiroki and those with him, tension and anger, mixed emotions take over his body, his eyes shine with a golden sparkle, the same flash that comes out of the book. He is trying to advance in preparation for a surprise attack.
Before he could reach the figure, a horrifying sight unfolded. The strange arm, pulsating with dark energy, lashed out, wrapping around the young boy's neck. A sickening crunch echoed through the cave as the life was squeezed out of the child. He strangled the child to death, exploding from his place, with the remains of those black scrolls scattered in a slow scene passing before their eyes.
A collective gasp escaped the group. Hiroki froze,he lost his voice in his throat to the point where he was unable to speak. The little girl, erupted in a heart-wrenching wail, the sound of pure, unadulterated grief.
"NOOOOOOO! Haruta! .. Don't! .. Brother!" Her voice raises an expression of sorrow
While that person was showing a provocative hiss of laughter, he noticed Hiroki's looks that made him not know what to do.
Ayuri (calmly, but with urgency): "Yoru, Recover the girl once you give her space, and also take care of Hiroki"
"Got it" Yoru Replied.
Ayuri reacted instantly, without leaving the slightest opportunity to think, she took off with quick jumps against the wall. With 3 steps, taking a few seconds. She reached his place, trying to blow it up with radioactive mana that she had prepared in her hand to explode and leave an open path for the girl. The figure recoiled from Ayuri's attack, releasing the boy's lifeless body. Yoru, ever vigilant, sprang into action. She darted forward, catching the falling girl just in time, cradling her close. The girl clung to Yoru, her body wracked with silent sobs.
"Don't worry, everything is fine now, you are in safe hands" Yoru said to her.
Hiroki was already watching what was happening, holding his fist and raising it and saying to himself, "Look at what others are doing, while I was the reason for all of this" then lowered it again.
Mysterious Man (laughs a little considering the difficulty of the site): "Well, well, this isn't from the plan anymore. But it seems I've gathered what I needed. No further need for entertainment."
Then he rushes with quick steps away from them towards the exit like a ghost
The Mysterious man cast a final glance at Hiroki, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.
Mysterious man (cont.): "Don't worry, Kurogane. You possess remarkable strength."
Hiroki stopped for moment then realized (eyes narrowed): "How do you know my name? Do you already have other information about me? .. What do you want exactly from me?"
The Mysterious man ignored his questions,He made his way out of the cave between the forests with quick ghostly movements. Ayuri, who had been preparing to pursue him, stopped short, realizing the futility of the chase.
(After few seconds Ayuri appeared with a miserable fatigue sighing)
"There's no point in following him now."
While Yoru continues, "This was a spectacular failure," and Miyu is in a state of tension, wondering, "Will things be okay?" Ayuri calmly gathered her team spirit again and accepted with a simple open breath, "We did what we had to and we tried. No one is to blame in this situation." Ayuri hints at Hiroki and his disturbed reaction, he nodded numbly, his mind reeling from the events that had transpired. Many thoughts were running through his mind, "Everyone contributed to his work, but I was the only reason for the failure in this situation. It seems that I am destined to be ill-fated by that book, but... I must not focus on this too much... Things will get better soon.. Or that's what I hope."
Ayuri placed her hand on Hiroki's shoulder, trying to calm him down calmly, accompanied by a cute, silly, and bit cheerful smile, "Don't worry, you have nothing to do with it at all. This is the fate that happened, so don't blame anyone else."
Miyu interrupted replying, "It seems that the little girl's wounds need urgent intervention now."
Ayuri (calmly): "We need to get this girl medical attention. Her wounds needs immediate treatment. Kenji, inform the PHG of the situation. We'll regroup with you soon at the nearest medical center there."
Amaya's words echoed in the silence, a chilling vow. "I... I... Will..."
Ayuri's eyes widened in surprise. She knelt before Amaya, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
Ayuri (softly):"Do you have something you want to say?"
She continued with courage, flowing from her heart, in a simple voice, "I will avenge them, I will avenge them, they took my brother from me... I can't ..."
She could barely complete her words in her disturbed state
She was initially shocked by the strength of her resolve to say such words. A little darkness filled Iori's eyes, and she continued with her smile, asking her, "Tell me more about yourself, and what your name is."
Amaya, Her eyes filled with interest at first, looked at Ayuri and spoke in a low tone voice.
Amaya (The Girl): "My name is Amaya Uchino. That was my brother, Haruta. But he is gone now, and I will become strong enough to avenge him."
Ayuri's smile widened a fraction further. This young girl, fueled by grief, possessed a spark of potential that mirrored Hiroki's own.
[ _____ TO BE CONTINUED ! _____ ]