Takashi woke up the next morning, feeling disoriented. He didn't have enough money to afford a television, so he was unaware of the events unfolding around him.
As he walked to school, he overheard people chattering and murmuring, but he didn't pay much attention, thinking it was all about the upcoming Radiant Order test.
Rin approached him, her expression serious. "Did you hear the news?"
Takashi raised an eyebrow, curious. "What news?"
"So you didn't hear?" Rin continued, concern in her voice. "They said the youngest captain of the Radiant Order died last night while fighting an apostle of the Crimson Collective."
Takashi felt a chill run down his spine, chuckling nervously, struggling to process what he had just heard. Rin scrutinized him, her eyes piercing through his facade. "I'm not joking," she insisted. "You can ask anyone; everyone is talking about it."
With a sense of dread, Takashi got up and headed to the nurse's office, sweat pouring down his brow.
When he arrived, he found a man already speaking with Akira Reina, the school nurse. The man turned to her, asking, "Is this him?"
Confused, Takashi looked from the man to the nurse, who seemed unfazed. The man introduced himself as Kuragami Rei and explained, "I'm going to be your new guardian."
At first, Takashi thought he was crazy, but Akira Reina sat him down and explained why.
"we aren't worried about my brother, Kurogane Akira," she said, "because we know he's tough and wouldn't just die like that. This man, Kuragami Rei is his stepbrother, and we believe you need someone to look after you in case the Crimson Collective is really after you."
"Why didn't I just stay at your house?" Takashi asked, perplexed.
Akira Reina replied, "Because I share the same surname as Kurogane, they might come after me too." That made sense to Takashi.
She added, "Also, I don't have the power to protect you, by the way. Not many people know Kurogane has a stepbrother."
Takashi reflected on this; he realized it was true—he had no idea Kurogane had siblings at all, If kurogane didn't tell him, he wouldn't have known.
With that, it was decided: he would stay with Kuragami Rei.
After the decision was made for Takashi to stay with Kuragami Rei, the rest of the school day passed in a haze. Takashi couldn't focus, his mind was fixated on the shocking news of Kurogane Akira's alleged death. Despite what Akira Reina and Kuragami Rei had said, Takashi found it hard to believe that Kurogane, someone as powerful and respected as a captain of the Radiant Order, could just be gone.
As the school bell rang, Rin caught up to him again, her face etched with concern. "Takashi, are you alright? You've been acting weird since I told you the news."
Takashi forced a smile. "I'm fine… Just thinking."
Rin nodded, but her eyes showed doubt. "Just be careful, okay? There's a lot going on."
Takashi picked up his bag, he was planning to go to his training site before he spotted rei in front of the school gate.
Takashi stepped out of the school gates and immediately noticed Kuragami Rei leaning against the nearby wall, arms crossed, waiting for him. Dressed in a sharp black suit, Rei had the kind of effortless presence that made it hard to look away. His golden eyes sparkled mischievously as he greeted Takashi with a knowing smirk.
"Let me take you to your new home."
Takashi nodded in silence, following Rei down the street to where a sleek black car awaited them. As they drove through the city, the two made small talk. Rei glanced at Takashi and asked casually, "I heard you have some pretty rare flames."
Takashi wasn't shocked; he had expected something like this. He replied, "Yeah."
Rei raised an eyebrow, pretending to be surprised. "I thought you'd be more shocked that I knew about your flames."
Takashi gave a knowing smile. "I figured the nurse told you."
Rei laughed lightly, "You're right. My sister did tell me. But don't worry, I haven't told anyone else."
They continued driving, and soon the towering skyscrapers of the city gave way to the quiet suburbs. Takashi's thoughts wandered to the events of the past few days. His life had flipped upside down after awakening his black flames—deadly and mysterious flames he barely understood. And now, he was being taken in by Rei, Kurogane Akira's stepbrother, a man with a dangerous aura of his own.
As they pulled into a long, tree-lined driveway, Takashi's eyes widened in disbelief. The house—or rather, the mansion—was something out of a dream. Grand, with towering columns and sprawling gardens, it was the kind of place he had only ever seen in magazines.
"Mr. Rei, are you sure we're at the right place?" Takashi asked.
Rei chuckled, "I get that reaction a lot. Maybe because I always call it a house."
Takashi shook his head in disbelief. "A house? It's more like a mansion!"
As they passed through the tall iron gates, Takashi couldn't help but ask, "What do you do?"
Rei laughed, clearly used to the question. "People always ask that when they see the place," he said. "The truth is... nothing."
Takashi blinked in confusion. "Nothing?"
Rei elaborated, "My father was the owner of Kuragami Industries before he passed away. Since I inherited it from him, I don't need to do anything for a living."
The name hit Takashi like a freight train. Kuragami Industries. Everyone knew that name. They controlled nearly 70% of Japan's economy—food, clothing, cars, equipment for the Radiant Order, research and development, power plants, even pharmaceuticals and robotics. It was a titan of industry, spanning almost every sector imaginable.
"I see," Takashi muttered, interlocking his hands behind his head. "Must be nice… doing nothing."
They reached the front of the mansion, and as Rei opened the door, a well-dressed butler greeted them. "Good evening, sir. May I ask, who is this young man?"
Rei casually replied, "This is Takashi. I adopted him today. Take care of everything he needs and show him to his room."
The butler gave a slight bow and turned to Takashi. "Please, follow me."
As they walked upstairs, the butler spoke softly, "You're very fortunate to have been adopted by the young master."
They reached a large room, far more extravagant than anything Takashi had ever seen. It was luxurious, complete with a massive king-sized bed, elegant furnishings, and a large window overlooking the sprawling estate grounds. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the walls were adorned with fine art. It felt like paradise compared to his old room at his apartment.
"If you need anything," the butler said, "just ring the bell on the table by your bed."
Takashi lay down on the bed, trying to process everything. The Crimson Collective, Kurogane Akira's death, and now being taken in by Rei, a man who barely knew him but felt responsible. Why?
Just as he started to drift into his thoughts, there was a knock on the door. The butler's voice came from the other side. "The young master wishes to see you, Mr. Takashi."
Takashi sighed, sat up, and followed the butler back downstairs. They entered a large room with pristine white walls, far larger than any room he had seen before. In the center of the room, Rei was wiping sweat from his forehead with a towel.
Takashi furrowed his brow. "Why are you sweating?"
Rei ignored the question and, without warning, said, "From now on, I'm going to train you."
Takashi stared at him, puzzled. "Train me? For what?"
Rei smirked and called out, "Athena, activate training session."
Suddenly, the entire room's landscape began to shift and transform. The once plain white room morphed into a complex training ground, complete with pull-up bars, running tracks, and obstacles that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The ground shook slightly as walls shifted, hurdles sprang up, and the environment became something straight out of a military training course.
Rei glanced at Takashi. "This room is made of nanotechnology. Everything can move and shift based on the training program."
Takashi was impressed but tried to hide it.
Then Rei asked him, "Do you know martial arts."
"I know martial arts," he said confidently trying to boast.
"Great," Rei replied with a smirk. "Then hit the wall."
Takashi approached one of the walls and threw a punch. The moment his fist made contact, pain shot through his hand. He winced, feeling the tremors in every bone of his hand.
"It's pretty hard, huh?" Rei said, still smirking.
Takashi shook his hand to ease the pain. "What's it made of?"
Rei ignored the question. "You don't have to worry about breaking anything in this room. Go all out. But first, go through the course."
Takashi sighed and began the training course. It started with basic pull-ups but quickly escalated to sprints with surprise hurdles, climbing walls, dodging obstacles, and lifting heavy weights. As he pushed himself through the course, Rei observed him closely.
"He's not bad for a newbie," Rei thought, though he didn't say it aloud.
When Takashi finally finished, panting heavily, he asked, "How did I do?"
Rei's face turned cold. "You're trash."
Takashi's eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"You look surprised," Rei said calmly. "Were you expecting praise? I'm not Kurogane. Don't think I'll go easy on you."
Then Rei continued as his face darkened. "He was my brother, but he was foolish. He believed he could win any fight by sheer willpower. He always thought if you put your mind to something, you could achieve it. But reality is cold, Takashi. That way of thinking got him killed."
Takashi shouted angrily, "Shut up! You don't know anything! How can you talk about him like that?"
As tension crackled in the air, Takashi glared at Rei, his eyes ablaze with determination. "If you don't like my opinion, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to come at me?" Rei smirked, a challenge hanging between them like a coiled spring.
Takashi's voice was low but fierce. "If that's what it takes to change your mind and wipe that grin off your face, then bring it on."
"Come at me. Use everything you've got," Rei taunted, the flame of challenge igniting in his own eyes.
With a fierce roar, Takashi lunged forward, black flames swirling around his right hand. But as their fists met, an unexpected emptiness surrounded him. Before he could react, a sharp pain shot through his solar plexus, and he doubled over, gasping for breath. Rei had struck him with a knee from the side, leaving him spluttering and coughing as spit flew from his mouth.
Rei stood over him, his expression a mix of amusement and disdain. "I see Kurogane passed on his weak mentality to you. He always rushed into fights without knowing his opponent's power. But he was lucky—he was strong." He leaned closer, his voice dripping with condescension. "You, however, are different. You don't even know your own strength and still throw yourself into battle. That'll get you killed. But don't worry; I'll beat Kurogane's teaching out of you and show you how to really fight."
From his position on the floor, Takashi watched with a fierce glare. "Don't make assumptions about me. I haven't shown you everything I've got."
"Oh? So you still have something hidden? I see," Rei replied, his grin widening as he prepared for Takashi's next move.
Struggling to his feet, Takashi felt the ring on his finger pulse with energy. He activated its power, summoning ice flames that surged toward Rei. The latter jumped into the air, disbelief flickering across his face. "How is he able to do that? So there really is a reason why Kurogane is looking after him. He's special, huh?" Rei smirked, a mixture of admiration and challenge in his tone.
Rei scanned the spacious training room, searching for Takashi, but found only the flickering shadows cast by their flames. Suddenly, he spotted Takashi soaring through the air, preparing to deliver a fierce kick. Reacting instinctively, Rei raised his arms just in time to block the incoming strike, but the force sent him crashing to the ground, the impact jarring his senses.
Regaining his footing, Rei surged forward, determined to land a blow. Yet, as his fist connected with what he thought was Takashi, he felt a disorienting emptiness. He quickly blocked again, his mind racing as he analyzed Takashi's movements.
"That tactic was pretty good," Rei admitted, grinning despite the situation. "Kicking me to the ground and then using the yellow flame as a diversion—smart move."
But Takashi didn't respond; instead, he remained focused, his eyes narrowing as he prepared for the next exchange.
"Good! Not falling for your enemy's taunts. You're adapting quickly," Rei thought, impressed despite himself.
"Come at me!" Rei shouted, Takashi launching himself forward once more to responding to what rei told him. He focused on his precognition, calculating where Rei would land.
Rei recognized the transparent flame flickering in Takashi's eyes as he closed in and blocked the punch that Takashi threw, but he was taken aback as the impact hit a hard wall instead of his body.
"You dare insult Kurogane, and you're cheating, using Athena to block," Takashi accused, his voice filled with indignation.
Rei's grin only widened. "All's fair in war; there's no cheating. I didn't complain when you started using other flames." With that, he unleashed orange flames, melting the ground and surrounding Rei in a pool of molten rock.
"You think this will help you?" Rei quipped, leaping to avoid the spreading lava. "If you cover the room in lava, where are you going to stand?"
In response, Takashi summoned golden flames to create a massive sword, hovering effortlessly above the ground.
"Must be convenient" rei said with an awkward smile on his face
Then Takashi said "If you surrender now and apologize for what you said about Kurogane, I'll let you off with some light burns and heal you."
Rei chuckled, shaking his head. "Not a chance! Athena, fog mode!"
Suddenly, the room was enveloped in thick fog. Takashi's heart raced as he sensed Rei closing in on him. Out of the mist, a figure darted towards him, throwing a knife conjured from golden flames.
Takashi attacked the approaching figures one by one, but they all remained, illusions created by Rei's flames. In a desperate move, he surrounded himself with knives for protection.
But instinct kicked in, and Takashi looked up just in time to see Rei preparing a strike from above. He dodged, counterattacking, only to realize the impact felt wrong—more like hitting a rock than a person.
Before he could grasp what was happening, Rei struck him with an uppercut, sending him crashing to the ground. Takashi's eyes widened in shock as the lava he had created vanished, leaving him breathless.
Laying on the floor, he caught his breath, fatigue creeping in from overexerting the ring's power. As he looked up, he saw Rei stepping out of the fog, a calm demeanor replacing the earlier bravado.
"You look down on me because of my powers and my rank. If this were a real battle, you would have died. Never underestimate your enemies. At least you've learned a lesson," Rei said, his voice firm yet oddly encouraging.
Takashi scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging through him. "You think I'll back down?"
Rei shrugged, a smirk returning. "Training's over for today. Athena, turn off fog mode."
As the fog cleared, Takashi felt a wave of relief wash over him, a mixture of exhaustion and gratitude that the battle had ended, maybe it was because he was already exhausted from using the ring.
"Use your white flames to heal yourself and come to the dining room when you're done. Oh, and take a bath first," Rei instructed, turning to leave.
After washing up, Takashi entered the dining room where a feast awaited. He sat down at the far end of the table, across from Rei.
"I'm sorry," Rei said suddenly, lifting his fork to eat.
Taken aback, Takashi blinked. "What?"
"I'm sorry for what I said about Kurogane. Some of it was true, though, but I'm still sorry," Rei continued, his voice earnest.
Takashi considered this for a moment. "It's alright. I don't think Kurogane is the type to hold a grudge, even if you said it to his face." He paused before adding, "I'm sorry for making a fuss about it."
Rei nodded, relief washing over his features. "It's alright. I have a problem dealing with people, which is why you don't see many workers in my house."
Takashi realized that despite the size of Rei's mansion, he had only seen the butler as the sole worker.
"As my sister said, I don't think Kurogane is dead. That's why I'm training you, to help me save him. You have a special power," Rei added, looking intently at Takashi.
"How is it that you can use different flames?" Rei inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"It's my ring," Takashi replied, his tone turning somber. "I found it in my father's keepsake. It lets me use other flames, but it comes at a cost."
Rei raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's the cost?"
"Death," Takashi admitted, sorrow creeping into his voice.
Silence hung heavy in the air before Rei shifted the conversation. "Oh, I forgot! Write your address down and give it to the butler. He'll get your stuff from your old house."
After they finished their meal, the plates emptied and the conversation simmering down, Takashi stood up, feeling a sense of exhaustion settle in. "I'm heading to my room now," he announced, his voice a mix of gratitude and fatigue.
"Good night," Rei replied, watching as Takashi left the dining room. There was a warmth in their exchange, a budding camaraderie that hadn't existed before their training session. Rei waited a moment, reflecting on their conversation about Kurogane and the weight of their shared burdens.
Once Takashi was out of sight, Rei turned and made his way to his own room. He entered, closing the door behind him and turning the lock with a soft click. A sense of privacy enveloped him, allowing the air to shift, thickening with anticipation.
Rei approached his wardrobe, the grand piece of furniture standing sentinel in the corner of his room. It was well-crafted, its dark wood polished to a shine, but its true significance lay beyond its façade. He reached up, feeling for the small button hidden in the upper recesses of the wardrobe, concealed behind a cascade of carefully arranged clothes.
With a soft click, the button responded to his touch. The wardrobe groaned as it slid open, revealing a narrow, dimly lit passage that snaked away into the shadows. A rush of air whispered past him, carrying with it the scent of long kept secrets.
Then he stepped into the room as he slowly blended with the darkness in the passage.