The next morning, Yuto Kisaragi woke up in his small, cluttered bedroom, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince himself that last night had been a nightmare. But the ache in his muscles and the faint hum of energy still coursing through his veins told him otherwise.
"What the hell happened?" he muttered under his breath.
He groaned, forcing himself up from the bed, the memories of the Voidspawn and the strange spirit that called itself his Anima swirling in his mind. He shuffled toward the cracked mirror hanging on his wall, staring at his reflection. His eyes were tired, dark circles forming beneath them, but there was something else—something different. A strange glow, faint but unmistakable, seemed to flicker behind his pupils.
"That's new," Yuto whispered, leaning closer to inspect his eyes. Am I losing my mind?
Suddenly, a voice, low and resonant, echoed in his head. "Not quite."
Yuto stumbled back from the mirror, nearly tripping over a pile of clothes. "Who's there?!" he shouted, his heart racing. His eyes darted around the room, but there was no one.
"Calm yourself," the voice said again, its tone almost amused. "It's just me."
Me? Yuto blinked. "You mean… Abyss?"
"Good, you remember," Abyss replied, its voice sending a chill down Yuto's spine. "It's been a while since I've been called forth, but I must say, you handled yourself better than I expected."
"Better than you—" Yuto's voice rose with frustration. "I almost got killed last night! You call that handling myself well?"
"You survived, didn't you?" Abyss responded, its tone indifferent. "That's all that matters. Survival."
Yuto clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. Survival? That's what this was about? "What are you even doing inside me?" he demanded, pacing the room, trying to process everything. "What are you?"
Abyss was silent for a moment before responding. "I am your Anima, Yuto. The part of your soul that has been dormant, waiting for the moment when you were ready to wield my power."
"Ready?" Yuto scoffed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I'm not ready for anything! I don't even want this!"
"Whether you want it or not is irrelevant," Abyss said coldly. "We are bound now. You summoned me, and I answered. There is no going back."
Yuto stopped pacing, his body tensing. No going back? His mind flashed to the Voidspawn—the creature that had almost killed him—and the mysterious spirit that had appeared in the alley. "What was that thing last night?" he asked quietly. "The Voidspawn?"
"A creature from the Abyssal Realm," Abyss explained, its voice softer now. "They feed on fear and despair, hunting down those whose souls are vulnerable. They've been growing in number lately… something is stirring in the realms beyond."
Yuto swallowed hard. "And my brother… was he—"
"Kaito Kisaragi fought them, yes," Abyss interrupted, cutting through Yuto's thoughts. "But he was different. His Anima was pure, noble. You…" The voice trailed off, as if contemplating something. "You are not like him."
Yuto felt a sharp sting in his chest. He wasn't like Kaito. That was something he had always known, but hearing it from the spirit inside him made it even worse. His brother had been a hero—a protector of the city, beloved by everyone. And Yuto? He couldn't even get through a day without being reminded of how he didn't measure up.
"Then why did you choose me?" Yuto asked, his voice strained. "If I'm so different, why did you bond with me?"
There was a long pause before Abyss answered. "I didn't choose you. You chose me. When you called out in desperation, I responded. But make no mistake, Yuto—we are far from an ideal match."
Yuto's fists clenched tighter, his nails digging into his palms. Far from an ideal match? That stung, but deep down, he knew it was true. He wasn't his brother, and he never would be.
Suddenly, a loud knock at the door broke the tension. Yuto jumped, startled, and the voice of his aunt, Yui, called from the other side.
"Yuto! Are you awake? You're going to be late for school!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm up!" Yuto yelled back, though he had no intention of going to school today. Not after last night.
"Hurry up then! I'm leaving soon!" Yui's voice faded as she walked away from his door, heading downstairs.
Yuto let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. School. The last place he wanted to be. His mind was still reeling from everything that had happened, and now he had a damn spirit talking in his head. How was he supposed to sit through math class?
"You should go," Abyss said suddenly.
Yuto raised an eyebrow. "Go? To school?"
"Yes. You need to act normal, blend in. If the Voidspawn sensed you last night, others will too. Drawing attention to yourself now would be dangerous."
Yuto frowned. Act normal? How was he supposed to act normal when there was a voice in his head and his hands were glowing? But Abyss had a point. The last thing he needed was more attention. He was already the kid who couldn't live up to his brother's legacy. The only thing worse would be the kid who talks to himself.
With a heavy sigh, Yuto threw on his uniform, grabbed his schoolbag, and headed downstairs.
The walk to school was uneventful, but Yuto couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching him. The city felt… different today. The usual buzz of Zenith City's morning rush seemed quieter, the streets emptier. Even the towering skyscrapers that loomed over him, casting long shadows across the pavement, seemed colder, more imposing.
"Keep your guard up," Abyss warned, its voice low. "The Voidspawn aren't the only ones you need to worry about."
Yuto shot a glance over his shoulder, his pulse quickening. "What do you mean by that?"
"There are others who hunt the Soulbound. Not all of them are friendly."
"Great. More people trying to kill me." Yuto muttered under his breath, quickening his pace as he approached the gates of Zenith Academy.
As Yuto entered the schoolyard, he felt the familiar weight of stares on his back. The other students whispered, their voices barely audible, but he knew what they were saying.
"There he is… Yuto Kisaragi."
"Yeah, his brother was a hero, you know? Fought off a whole swarm of Voidspawn by himself."
"Too bad Yuto's nothing like him."
Yuto gritted his teeth, pushing past the murmuring crowd, trying to drown out their words. It didn't matter what they thought. They didn't know anything about him.
But as he reached his classroom door, he stopped short, his heart skipping a beat. Shiro Takeda, his classmate and one of the few people who actually talked to him, was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face.
"You're late," Shiro said flatly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yeah, I know," Yuto muttered, brushing past him into the classroom. "What's it to you?"
Shiro followed him inside, his gaze sharp. "You seem… different today."
Yuto froze, his heart pounding. Does he know? He forced a casual shrug. "Yeah, well, rough night."
Shiro's eyes narrowed further. "Rough night, huh? Care to elaborate?"
Before Yuto could respond, the bell rang, and their homeroom teacher, Mr. Tanaka, walked in, saving him from the interrogation. Yuto slumped into his seat, trying to act normal, but his mind was racing. Shiro was sharp—too sharp. He couldn't afford to let anyone know what had happened. Not yet.
Throughout the day, Yuto found himself glancing at Shiro, who seemed unusually attentive, watching him out of the corner of his eye. The tension between them grew, but Yuto did his best to ignore it, focusing on making it through the day without drawing more attention.
But as the final bell rang, and the students began to pack up, Shiro approached Yuto's desk.
"We need to talk," Shiro said quietly, his tone serious. "After school. Meet me by the old warehouse."
Yuto blinked, caught off guard. "What? Why?"
"Just be there," Shiro insisted before walking away, leaving Yuto with more questions than answers.
"I don't like this," Abyss murmured in his mind.
"Yeah, me neither," Yuto agreed, staring at Shiro's retreating figure. But I don't have much of a choice, do I?
As the sun began to set, Yuto found himself standing in front of the old warehouse, the shadows growing longer as the sky darkened. His pulse quickened as he glanced around, the weight of the day's events pressing down on him.
Shiro was already there, standing in the shadow of the warehouse, his arms crossed.
"What's this about, Shiro?" Yuto asked, his voice tense.
Shiro's eyes met Yuto's, and for the first time, Yuto saw something in them he hadn't expected—recognition.
"You're not the only one with an Anima, Yuto," Shiro said quietly.
Yuto's blood ran cold.