Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on a young boy's face. The light seemed to stir him from his sleep, and he slowly opened his eyes. His crimson red irises glowed in the sunlight. Sitting up on the cloth he had slept on, he glanced at the makeshift bed on the floor. A pillow and a cloth were all that separated him from the cold, hard ground. He looked around the small room, bathed in the soft morning light. His elder twin sister lay sprawled beside him, still asleep, drooling with her hair in disarray. She had kicked the cloth off in her sleep, her limbs splayed in every direction. He smiled fondly at her, then used his hands to support himself as he stood up and walked out of the bedroom.
The floorboards creaked under his weight as he made his way down the hallway to the bathroom. Though he was thin, the floor still protested his movement. The walls bore the scars of repeated damage, marked with holes and scratches. He shook his head and sighed, finally reaching the bathroom door, which had lost its handle long ago. A gentle kick opened the door, revealing a clean, modest bathroom with white tiles on the floor and walls. At the far end was a bathtub, and on the right side, a mirror hung above a silver sink basin.
He approached the sink, picked up his toothbrush from the cupholder, and squeezed a dollop of toothpaste onto it. After brushing his teeth, he spat out the foam, rinsed his toothbrush, and cleaned his mouth. Looking at his reflection, he sighed deeply.
"I can't believe I'm only nine years old," he murmured to himself, examining his features. "I look like a twelve-year-old with stunted growth." He touched the dark circles under his eyes, which had become a permanent feature on his face. "I look horrible. If only things were different..." Tears welled up in his eyes as he bit his lip in frustration, gripping the sink basin tightly. He shook his head as if to dispel the painful reality, but he knew he had to face it. This was no dream.
He calmed down slightly, releasing his grip and letting out a huge sigh. "It's my existence. Mum wouldn't have died if it weren't for me. This house wouldn't be in ruins, and Uncle Li..." He choked on his words as tears streamed down his cheeks. "Uncle Li wouldn't have had his mana core crippled, and his mage status revoked." He ruffled his unkempt black hair, sobbing uncontrollably. Slumping to the ground, he cried harder, wiping his tears with his hands.
Struggling to his feet, he looked in the mirror again. His appearance was disheartening: black hair turning greyish-brown, large dark circles around his eyes, wounds, and scars on his body, and rough pajamas. Steeling himself, he found a flicker of motivation to live, reassuring himself that everything would be okay. But that fragile hope was shattered as he recalled meeting "him." Fear gripped his heart, and he trembled.
As he began to unbutton his shirt, the bathroom wall suddenly burst open with a deafening explosion. The shockwave sent him flying, crashing through the bathroom door and slamming into the hallway wall. Pain seared through his body, and a deep wound stretched from his right palm to his shoulder blade, bleeding profusely. His back was in bad shape too. Dazed and disoriented, he struggled to see through the blur and hear through the ringing in his ears.
"Musaru Kato," a voice called. Through his hazy vision, he saw the silhouettes of five kids, one of whom appeared to be a girl. The male kid in the middle stepped closer, his face becoming clearer. Kato's heart pounded with terror. It was "him." The boy's face twisted into a cruel smile. Kato's lips trembled.
"You haven't forgotten me, have you?" The boy, Yonikaharu, lifted Kato's chin. "Did you?"
Kato swallowed hard, the sound audible and painful. "No, Yonikaharu," he stammered, shaking his head.
Yonikaharu scoffed. "I think you did." His smile widened, and Kato's eyes filled with fear. "Because if you hadn't..." Yonikaharu's hand, reinforced with supernatural strength, grabbed Kato's neck and threw him like a baseball through the busted bathroom wall, out into the valley beyond.
Kato's body tumbled like a ragdoll, acquiring new injuries and scars from the stones. A twig pierced deeply into his shoulder wound, and he screamed in agony, pulling it out as blood stained the grass. His painful journey ended abruptly when he slammed into a tree.
Writhing in pain, Kato's vision blurred as he tried to catch his breath. Before he could recover, Yonikaharu appeared and punched him in the stomach, breaking the tree trunk and sending him flying into a stone-filled river. Kato hit his knee on a rock, crying out and clutching it. Looking up, he saw Yonikaharu approaching slowly.
"You wouldn't have called me by my name," Yonikaharu said, cracking his knuckles. He continued walking toward Kato, who raised his hands in a desperate plea.
"I'm sorry, please. I didn't forget. I'll give it to you, but I..."
Yonikaharu's expression darkened as he grabbed Kato by the neck. "But what?" He stared into Kato's bleeding eyes, his own deep blue eyes devoid of emotion.
"I don't have it yet," Kato stuttered. Yonikaharu smirked and dropped him. Circling Kato, he said, "Do you know why I despise you?" Kato shook his head, enduring the intense pain in silence. "You're not truthful at all."
In a flash, Yonikaharu unleashed a supernatural technique with his fingers, slicing into Kato's face and abdomen. The force sent Kato flying into the river, hitting his back on a stone. Yonikaharu walked on the water towards him. "This technique is not to kill you, but to leave a permanent scar. It's called 'Star of the Gods,' gifted to me by Goddess Amaterasu. It recreates her blade, Kusanagi, in my fingertips." He smiled. "How about it?"
Kato, losing consciousness, barely registered his surroundings. Yonikaharu's voice echoed in his fading mind. "Pay the money you owe." Kato saw four silhouettes appear, Yonikaharu speaking to them. One of them, a female, walked towards him, stepping on the water. She knelt beside him, chanting softly as she began to heal his wounds.
Kato's vision cleared slightly, and he saw compassion in her tear-filled eyes. "Sorry for that," she whispered, continuing her healing. She had healed him many times before, but today she spoke to him. He nodded weakly.
"I can't say much because of his presence, but in the future, if we meet again, you'll know," she whispered fearfully. Sensing something wrong within Yonikaharu's group, Kato asked, "Your name?"
"Komi... Sanetsu Komi," she replied, finishing her healing. "As always, I've healed you, but you'll still feel pain as a reminder of what you owe." She paused. "And as he said, the scars on your face and stomach are permanent reminders of him. My magic can't remove them."
She helped Kato up, using magic to make him float across the river. They returned from the valley to Kato's home, where Yonikaharu awaited. "Remember this," Yonikaharu said, turning away. Komi nodded at Kato with compassion before casting a spell to lift the sound barrier over the valley. Yonikaharu and his team vanished.
Kato lay on the grass, the sun warming his face. He rolled into the shade of a tree and sighed. "I forgot that Yonikaharu always has that girl mage cast a sound barrier spell." Feeling the breeze, he wondered aloud, "When will this end?" He was about to drift off to sleep when a gentle, worried voice called his name. He immediately recognized who it was.
Kato opened his eyes and turned his head to see his sister, Yuki standing amidst the debris of the bathroom, her nightgown and hair billowing in the wind that blew through the shattered walls. Tears filled her eyes as she ran towards him, her arms open, and gently cradled his face. The sight of his disfigured face and the large scar across his abdomen made her tears flow harder. She noticed the blood on his pajama trousers and shook her head in anguish.
"It's them again," she cried, her voice trembling. Kato merely looked at her, the sunlight striking her face, revealing her beauty even in such a dire moment. Her delicate features and gleaming black hair caught the light, and despite everything, he smiled. She didn't notice, too consumed by her sorrow.
"Gods and goddesses, listen to my prayers and protect us. Where are you? Please. Amaterasu, Master Tsukuyomi, Lord Izanagi, Goddess Benzaiten. Please, help us," she pleaded desperately.
Kato scoffed, drawing her attention. "What is it?" she asked, wiping her tears while still holding his face with her right hand.
"Why call the gods? They don't have time for us. They aren't real," he stated firmly, his crimson eyes locking with hers. Yuki knew her brother was dead serious. She wiped her tears away completely.
"Don't say that. They listen and they are real. They help—"
"Lies," Kato interrupted, his rage evident.
"Ahh, I'll just end things here," Yuki thought to herself, trying to keep calm. She sighed. "Alright, stand up. Uncle Li will be back soon. Let's get out of this bathroom." She helped him to his feet. "I guess the mage healed you, huh?" she asked. Kato nodded.
"That mage girl couldn't even fully heal Kato... Yonikaharu..." Rage flickered in her eyes, but she kept it in check. Yuki led the way through the open path where a door once stood, and Kato followed.
"Where do we bathe now?" Kato asked. Yuki placed her arms behind her head, feeling a mix of sadness and anger at her inability to protect her brother.
"To be honest, we'll just have to bathe outside. We'll carry water in buckets," she replied. Kato sighed, but she knew there was little else they could do.
"Kato now has permanent dark circles because of the stress he's endured. What kind of big sister am I?" she berated herself as she recalled the sounds and images of the attack. "I woke up when I heard the shockwave explosion made by Yonikaharu but stayed hidden out of fear, letting my brother get beaten. I'm supposed to take the beatings, but..." She gulped hard, and Kato noticed. She shook her head.
Looking at her skin and smiling weakly, she remembered Kato's words: "You are a female, gotta keep the skin clean without those scars, okay?" Despite everything, she often felt like the younger sibling when she was with him.
They finally reached the living room, a modest space reflective of their low-class status. The room was simple but provided a small measure of comfort amid their turmoil.
The parlor was modest, reflecting their low-class status. A small pillow lay on a chair, a mat on the floor, and a wooden table stood in the middle of the room. Three wooden doors opened to the outside. Kato and Yuki sat down, Yuki about to start a discussion, when suddenly the doors burst open, and Uncle Li stood in the doorway. His eyes widened at the sight of Kato's disfigured face and scarred body. He rushed over, holding Kato's face in his hands.
"How? How did this happen? Who?" Uncle Li demanded, his voice trembling with anger. He looked at Yuki, his eyes piercing. Yuki turned away, her lips trembling.
Uncle Li's expression changed; he knew who was responsible. He sighed deeply, but the children thought the storm had passed. Suddenly, Uncle Li erupted, his voice filling the room. "Who is he? Who is that boy? Just because he's the son of a high-class man, does that give him the right? Doesn't his father know? Is it just because we are low-class that they look down on us? Is it because his son is protected and treated like royalty that he thinks he can torture us?"
His voice echoed with fury. "I'm going there right now!" He moved to leave, but Kato grabbed his leg, his grip tight and desperate.
"Uncle Li, stop. Don't worry, I'm okay. You know what will happen if you go." Kato's voice was steady but pleading.
Yuki, overwhelmed with sadness and anger, ran to the destroyed bathroom, collapsing to her knees. She cried out to Benzaiten, the goddess of love. "Please, answer me. Show me your love, bestow your love upon me," she wept, her voice raw with emotion.
As her sobs filled the air, she began to lose faith. Her brother's words echoed in her mind: "The gods aren't real." But suddenly, she felt herself lifted off the ground. She opened her eyes in shock and screamed, alerting Uncle Li and Kato.
Spectrums and arrays of color particles emerged from her, filling the open bathroom space. Energy strings in different colors began to radiate from Yuki, and as each string touched the rubble, the walls began to rebuild. In under a minute, the entire bathroom was restored to its clean state, the door fixed, the tiles gleaming.
Uncle Li and Kato rushed in, their faces a mix of astonishment and disbelief. Yuki hovered in the center, surrounded by the fading glow of the supernatural phenomenon. She slowly descended, her feet touching the ground as the last of the energy dissipated.
Uncle Li approached her, his anger replaced by awe. "Yuki... what just happened?"
Yuki, still trembling, looked at her uncle and brother. "I... I don't know. I prayed, and then... this."
Kato, his eyes wide with wonder, stepped forward.
Yuki looked down at her hands, then up at the pristine bathroom. She wasn't sure what to believe anymore, but for now, there was a glimmer of hope in their otherwise bleak existence.
Uncle Li sighed deeply, a weight seemingly lifted from his shoulders. "I know what happened," he said, his voice steady. The children looked at him with wide eyes, curiosity mingling with confusion. "Yuki is gifted."
"What?" Kato and Yuki exclaimed in unison.
Uncle Li gently scooped Yuki into his arms and supported Kato, guiding them both to the living room. They all sat on the mat, the atmosphere thick with anticipation. Uncle Li looked at them, his eyes kind but serious. "Yes, your sister is gifted. The signs are unmistakable. She prayed to Benzaiten and her prayers were answered in a miraculous way. I'm surprised she didn't call upon Amaterasu, but this proves the gods and goddesses are real."
Yuki smiled, nudging Kato with her elbow. "See? The gods are real."
Kato shook his head. "I don't believe it. It's just a coincidence."
Uncle Li continued, "There's a phenomenon with every gifted individual; there's always an un-gifted counterpart. Kato, it's possible you might be un-gifted."
Kato's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
Uncle Li nodded. "Yes. But I'm not entirely sure. The phenomenon might not apply to you, but we need to inform the Bureau. They track and manage gifted individuals."
Yuki's eyes sparkled with hope. "This is how the goddess wants to bless us. Amaterasu has finally heard my prayers."
Uncle Li smiled. "Yes, it seems so. Amaterasu has truly blessed us."
Kato scoffed again. "Enough of this gods and goddesses talk. They aren't real."
Yuki turned to him, her eyes pleading. "But you saw what Benzaiten did for me. You saw it."
Kato shrugged. "Fine, believe what you want."
Uncle Li stood up. "I need to inform the Bureau. I'll be back soon." He opened the door and left.
Yuki, feeling a newfound energy, jumped up. "Show me what more you can do," Kato said skeptically.
Yuki tried to summon her powers but found she couldn't do it on command. "I can't figure out how to bring out the power," she admitted.
Kato smirked. "Well, at least we know you exist. Maybe this means our luck is changing."
They decided to take a bath and returned to the living room to discuss everything that had happened. Eventually, they fell asleep, exhausted but hopeful. Uncle Li returned later, carrying goodies and birthday treats for Yuki. He gently woke them up. "It's time for a celebration," he announced with a smile. "I've informed the Bureau. They want to see Yuki tomorrow."
The children celebrated, eating and drinking happily, unaware it would be their last moment of peace. As they slept, Uncle Li drugged them, placing them in bags. Using a ring, he opened a portal and transported them to a dark alley. A mysterious woman awaited him, sitting on an invisible chair.
"Do you have the gifted?" she asked.
"Yes," Uncle Li replied, handing over the bags. "Do you have what you promised me?"
The woman tossed him a heavy bag of gold. "500,000 gold."
Uncle Li's eyes lit up with greed. "Yes, money!" he exclaimed as the woman vanished. Using his ring, he disappeared through another portal.
The mysterious woman looked at the bags. "Damn," she muttered. "I never really trust anyone in this world." With a wave of her hand, a portal opened, leading to a lavish room. The room was opulent, almost royal, with large chandeliers, grand windows, and luxurious furnishings.
The woman smiled, stepping through the portal, ready to reveal the true potential of the gifted child she had acquired.
The mysterious woman stepped through the portal into the opulent room, gently lowering the bags containing Kato and Yuki to the ground. She surveyed them, her gaze lingering on Kato with a hint of concern. She could see Yuki's aura glowing with potential, but Kato's presence was void, almost hollow.
As the grand doors of the room swung open, a graceful woman in a blue gown entered. Despite her youthful appearance, she was in her early forties. This was Lady Miyako, and the woman who had brought Kato and Yuki was her loyal attendant, Kira.
"So, he actually sold them," Lady Miyako remarked, her voice dripping with disdain. "His own brother's children."
"Yes, he did," Kira confirmed.
Lady Miyako waved her hand, and Kato and Yuki were lifted upright. Kato was the first to regain consciousness. Disoriented, he looked around. "Where am I?" he tried to say, but found he couldn't speak.
"This one is useless," Lady Miyako said dismissively, her eyes fixed on Kato. "There's nothing special about him."
Kato's eyes widened with fear and anger. He wanted to shout but couldn't. In a desperate move, he lunged towards Lady Miyako, only to be stopped mid-air by an invisible force. "Telekinesis stagnance," Lady Miyako murmured, amused by his futile attempts.
Yuki began to stir. Seeing her brother's predicament, she screamed, "Who did this to us?"
Lady Miyako stepped forward, her presence imposing. "What do you think you can do?" she asked. "You're here because your uncle sold you."
"That's a lie!" Yuki shouted, refusing to believe it.
"Really?" Kira interjected. "Let me show you."
With a wave of her hand, Kira conjured a large screen on the wall. It played scenes from Uncle Li's mind: the chocolates and drinks laced with drugs, the moment he exchanged them for a bag of gold. Yuki and Kato watched in horror, realizing the truth.
"But that doesn't mean you can keep us here," Yuki said defiantly.
Lady Miyako smiled coldly. "You don't understand. You're gifted, Yuki. Your brother, however, is useless to me. He's neither gifted nor un-gifted. He doesn't even possess the basic vein of an ordinary human."
Yuki's face contorted in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Ungifteds are identified by a red and white lotus in their abdominal region," Lady Miyako explained. "This lotus converts spiritual energy into nourishment, making them impervious to any type of spiritual or aura attacks, ranging from basic magic or Mana spells to even martial arts special emissions, ki blast, ..everything even divine power as long as it's not physical punches or attacks. But your brother has none of this. No veins, no lotus, nothing."
Lady Miyako continued, "Ordinary humans have the potential to awaken spiritual or divine powers because of their veins and meridians. But Kato lacks even that. He can never use magic, mana, or any supernatural ability. He's more useless than a normal human."
Tears streamed down Yuki's face. Kato, unable to move or speak, looked at his sister with despair. Lady Miyako turned to Kira. "Take her and keep her safe."
Kira opened a portal, taking Yuki with her. Seconds later, she returned without her. Kato's mind raced with thoughts of betrayal and helplessness.
"Do to the boy as you see fit," Lady Miyako said with finality. "He's of no use to me."
Lady Miyako exited the room, her presence still looming. Kira approached Kato, her face unreadable. With a swift strike to the back of his neck, Kato's world went black as he lost consciousness.
When Kato awoke, he found himself in a dark, shabby room. The window was high up, offering no escape. Kira entered, her demeanor cold and calculating.
"Tell me everything that has happened". She said. Kato couldn't talk. Kira made a sword appear out of thin air and held it to his face. Kato explained everything, revealing the brutal truth of the situation. Kira sighed, and told him where he was. Kato learned that this room was in Kira's home. He dared not do anything stupid, he knew this wasn't Yonikaharu that had restrictions to take a life. This lady here could kill him without hesitation.
"You'll never see your sister again," Kira said with a cruel smile. "You're useless, just like she said."
Kato's eyes filled with tears, his voice trembling. "My name is Musaru Kato. My sister is Musaru Yuki."Kira's expression shifted, a twisted interest gleaming in her eyes.
"How old are you?" she asked.
"Nine," Kato replied, his voice barely a whisper.
"Old enough," Kira muttered, her lips curling into a sinister smile as she began to unbutton her shirt. She approached Kato, her intentions clear. For months, Kira subjected Kato to unspeakable abuse, leaving him broken and traumatized.
After four months of abuse and bloody slavery, Kato had gained more scars than before but most of them healed up.
Still the most prominent one, is the scars that can never heal. Yonikaharu's devilish technique.
Kira opened Kato's door and spoke in a low, commanding voice, "Do you want to get stronger? To have revenge?" Kato, no longer afraid of her, nodded silently. She gave a sly smile and said, "Alright, but you're not gonna like it." With a swift movement, she appeared behind him and struck his neck, rendering him instantly unconscious.
When Kato regained consciousness, he found himself in a dark, cramped boat. He was shackled and dressed only in his knickers. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw others in chains around him. Suddenly, a man approached. "You're the first to wake up," he said with a hint of amusement. "Seems like you're dumbfounded."
Kato, still groggy, didn't respond immediately. His mind raced as he realized Kira had likely sold him. The man introduced himself as Gustav, a mage who dealt in slaves and orchestrated deadly matches for profit. "Your contract is for 12 years," Gustav explained. "After that, you'll be returned to Kira."
Kato remembered Kira's words, "Do you want to be stronger? But you're not gonna like it." A grim smile spread across his face as he thought of her. Despite the fear and uncertainty, he silently thanked Kira for setting him on this path to strength and vengeance.
As the days aboard the dark boat stretched into weeks, Kato began to adapt to his grim new reality.
The harsh conditions and constant threat of violence from the other captives forced him to hone his instincts and resilience. He observed the others, learning quickly who to avoid and who might be an ally