The following morning, Leo dragged himself out of bed, his mind still racing after the unsettling events of the previous day. Lord Raizen—his new teacher. He couldn't comprehend how this ancient king, the ruler of a bygone era, was now casually walking through the halls of his high school, pretending to be someone else.
He dressed slowly, trying to calm his nerves before heading out to meet Dan and Takahashi for their usual walk to school. As they made their way through the bustling streets, Dan nudged Leo, his curiosity apparent.
"So, what do you think of our new teacher, Leo?" Dan asked, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
Leo's heart skipped a beat. He tried to keep his face neutral, though his hands were clammy, and sweat began to form on his forehead. "Uh… yeah, he seems fine," Leo stammered, forcing a smile. "I'm looking forward to the next class."
Dan raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. However, he couldn't help but notice Leo's unease. Something was definitely off. Why's he sweating so much? Dan thought. This isn't normal for him. He decided that sooner or later, he'd have to figure out what was going on with his friend.
The trio reached their classroom and took their seats as the morning bell rang. The moment Raizen—disguised as their new teacher—walked in, Leo's body stiffened. He did everything in his power to keep a low profile, trying not to draw Raizen's attention. Every glance Raizen threw across the room felt like a dagger aimed directly at Leo, even though the ancient king never looked at him for long.
By the time the Physical Education (PE) period rolled around, Leo was grateful for the change of pace. At least out on the field, he wouldn't have to worry about Raizen. Or so he thought.
The PE teacher gathered the students, instructing them to do some warm-up exercises. After a few minutes, he clapped his hands to get their attention.
"Alright, everyone! We're playing baseball today. Split into two teams."
Leo, Takahashi, and a few others ended up on the same team, while Dan was put on the opposing side. Leo let out a sigh of relief, thinking this would be a chance to clear his mind. Baseball would be a good distraction.
The game started, and Leo's team was up to bat. When it was Leo's turn, he stepped up to the plate, trying to focus on the game. He gripped the bat tightly as the pitcher wound up. The ball came flying toward him, and without thinking, Leo swung as hard as he could.
Crack!
The ball shot off the bat with immense speed. But instead of sailing cleanly toward the outfield, it veered off-course. Leo's eyes widened as the ball rocketed toward the sidelines—straight at Raizen, who was passing through the field with another teacher.
No. No. No!
Before he could even yell out a warning, the ball struck Raizen squarely on the head. The entire field fell silent. Leo stood frozen in place, his heart pounding in his chest, a mixture of fear and disbelief paralyzing him.
Raizen stopped walking, slowly turning toward Leo, the ball now lying at his feet. With an eerie calm, Raizen bent down, picked up the ball, and walked toward the stunned group of students.
Leo could barely breathe. His entire body was trembling as Raizen approached, holding the ball in his hand.
"Be careful next time, boy," Raizen said, his voice even but laced with something sinister. He tossed the ball back to the pitcher and turned to leave with his colleague.
Leo was paralyzed with fear. His vision blurred, his knees wobbled, and before he knew it, the world around him faded into darkness.
When Leo woke up, he found himself lying in the nurse's office, the white curtains fluttering in the breeze from the open window. Dan and Takahashi sat beside his bed, worry etched on their faces.
"You alright, man?" Dan asked, leaning forward. "You fainted out there."
Takahashi shook his head. "It wasn't even that hot today, so it couldn't have been heatstroke. What's going on with you?"
Leo groaned, sitting up slowly. His head still felt heavy, and his muscles ached from the tension that had gripped him earlier. He couldn't tell them the truth. There was no way they would believe him.
"I think it's just… stress," Leo muttered, avoiding their eyes.
"Stress?" Takahashi repeated, clearly unconvinced. "From what?"
Before Leo could answer, Dan leaned closer, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "Look, Leo. I've noticed something. Ever since that new teacher, Raizen, showed up, you've been acting weird. Nervous. Sweating. Like you've seen a ghost or something. Do you know him?"
Leo's eyes widened at the question. He hadn't expected Dan to be so direct. His mind raced as he tried to come up with a convincing answer.
"No," Leo lied quickly, trying to keep his voice steady. "You're just imagining things. I don't know him."
Dan didn't seem fully convinced, but he nodded slowly. "Alright. But if something's up, you can tell us, you know?"
Leo forced a smile. "It's nothing. Really."
They left the nurse's office and returned to class, but the entire time, Leo's mind was elsewhere. Raizen had been hit by that ball—his ball—and yet, he hadn't done anything. Hadn't retaliated. Why? What was he waiting for?
As Leo sat in his desk, pretending to listen to the afternoon lessons, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He discreetly pulled it out and glanced at the screen. It was a message from Kenta.
"I'm in trouble."
Leo's heart skipped a beat. Trouble? He had no idea what Kenta was talking about, but something about the message filled him with dread. Leo quickly sent a reply.
"What happened?"
There was no immediate response. Leo's stomach churned with worry, and his mind raced. Kenta had been suspicious for days, ever since he first sensed something off around Leo. Now, it seemed that suspicion had led him into danger.
Was it connected to Raizen?
Leo couldn't shake the feeling that everything was spiraling out of control. Lord Raizen had returned, his true intentions still a mystery. And now, somehow, Kenta was involved in something dangerous.
As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Leo packed up his things in a hurry, determined to find out what had happened to his cousin.
To be continued...