The air in the hallway carried an unusual stillness as Lila, Hikari, and Katsuki made their way to Sylvia's office. The polished marble floors reflected the dim glow of the overhead lights, casting elongated shadows as they walked. The atmosphere was heavy with the scent of aged books and faint traces of incense—leftovers from an earlier ritual.
Hikari couldn't help but notice how Katsuki loomed over them, his presence a whisper of tension in the otherwise quiet corridor. He didn't just walk—he hovered, his movements effortlessly fluid, his steps so light they barely made a sound. The slight, cocky smirk on his face betrayed an air of amusement, as if he were already two steps ahead of everyone else.
Hikari glanced at him, her arms crossed. "Katsuki, I thought Sylvia only needed Lila and me. Why are you tagging along?"
Katsuki exhaled a slow, deliberate puff from his vape, the faint scent of burning fruit mixing with the incense-laced air. The vapor curled lazily around his face before dissipating into nothingness. His violet-tinged eyes gleamed with playful mischief behind his geometric-framed glasses.
"I'm just interested in hearing what little errand she's sending you two on~," he murmured, his tone as smooth as silk yet laced with an undeniable arrogance.
Hikari raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So basically, you're being nosy."
Katsuki chuckled, tilting his head slightly. "I wouldn't call it that~"
"Then what would you call it?"
He shot her a knowing look, his smirk widening. "I call it… being intrigued~"
Hikari rolled her eyes, but she knew better than to argue. There was no point in engaging Katsuki in wordplay—he was annoyingly good at it.
With an exaggerated sigh, she pushed open the door to Sylvia's office.
Sylvia sat behind her desk, fingers steepled as she studied the trio with her sharp, calculating eyes. The dim light from the nearby lamps gave her auburn hair an almost fiery glow, a contrast to the cool steel of her unwavering gaze. The faint scent of aged parchment and candle wax filled the room, the air thick with an unspoken authority.
As soon as Katsuki stepped inside, Sylvia's expression hardened slightly. "Sutaro," she said, her voice steady and commanding. "Why are you here? I only asked you to retrieve Lila and Hikari."
Katsuki, ever the embodiment of relaxed confidence, leaned against the doorframe, taking another slow drag from his vape before tucking it away in his pocket. "What can I say? I wanted to hear what kind of job you're giving them~"
Sylvia's lips pressed into a thin line. "Well, that's too bad, because I have an assignment of your own. There's been a report of a powerful witch in Kyoto. They need you to handle it."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Katsuki's smirk deepened, a slow grin spreading across his face.
His eyes darkened with something that wasn't quite excitement—something closer to hunger.
"Ah… So they need the Speed Yokai himself?" His voice was a purr, dripping with satisfaction. "I guess I'll bless them with my presence~"
The room seemed to darken for the briefest of moments, as if the very fabric of reality recognized what was about to happen. Then, in an instant, Katsuki transformed.
His tousled brown hair ignited into a ravenous black, licking flames of violet twisting through the strands like a living entity. His once-mischievous brown eyes exploded into a haunting, fully-glowing purple, their eerie luminescence seeming to pierce through the very essence of existence itself. The delicate, circular frames of his glasses fractured into jagged, geometric shards, pulsing with an ethereal energy that shimmered like a mirage.
Shadowy arcs of crackling energy erupted from his body, distorting the space around him—an unnatural, almost predatory force warping the air itself. The temperature in the room plummeted as an ominous pressure weighed down on everyone present. A phantom-like jaw mask materialized over his face, jagged teeth forming in a spectral snarl, exuding the raw, unrelenting presence of a true Yokai.
And then—
The world erupted.
In the span of a fraction of a second, Katsuki vanished.
The air detonated in his wake, a deafening sonic boom shattering the stillness of the office. A shockwave rippled outward, sending stacks of neatly arranged papers into a chaotic whirlwind. The very foundation of the building shuddered, the walls trembling under the force of his departure.
To the untrained eye, it seemed as though he had simply disappeared. But in truth, Katsuki hadn't just moved—he had rewritten his position in space itself. His acceleration wasn't a reckless burst of speed—it was mastery. Absolute. Unquestionable.
By the time the final echoes of his departure settled, the only trace left of his presence was the faint scent of scorched air and the ghostly afterimage of violet embers fading into the void.
Sylvia sighed, brushing a stray paper off her desk. She barely looked fazed. "Show-off."
Hikari, however, was still gripping the edge of the desk, wide-eyed. Lila, standing beside her, blinked a few times before letting out a low whistle.
"Well," Lila said, adjusting her jacket, "I suppose that's one way to make an exit."
Hikari exhaled sharply, finally relaxing her grip. "Yeah… One hell of a way."
The two shared a look before turning back to Sylvia, who was already retrieving another mission file from her drawer, unbothered by the chaos left in Katsuki's wake.
"Now," Sylvia said, fixing them both with a sharp gaze. "Let's talk about your mission."
And just like that, the moment had passed, and reality marched forward.
But somewhere, far beyond the confines of that office, Katsuki Sutaro was already in motion—ripping through the world at speeds unfathomable, his violet flames leaving streaks of distorted space in his wake.
Hikari crossed her arms, leaning slightly forward. "Alright, what exactly is our mission?"
Sylvia steadied the manila folder beneath her hand, the papers still rustling from the lingering aftershock of Katsuki's departure. With a quiet exhale, she flipped it open, her sharp gaze sweeping over the contents. Under the dim lamplight, the pages revealed a mix of neatly typed reports, hastily scrawled notes, and grainy black-and-white photographs, their edges curled from handling.
"Long Island City, Queens," Sylvia began, her tone crisp and measured. "Three days ago, an anonymous informant reported unusual activity. At first, it was subtle—residents experiencing mild confusion, fatigue, and brief memory lapses. Nothing that screamed supernatural. But within 48 hours, the situation escalated."
She slid a photograph across the desk. At first glance, it showed nothing but an empty street corner, the buildings looming in eerie stillness. But on closer inspection, shadowy figures stood in the background—motionless, indistinct, almost blending into the scene itself.
"The neighborhood is nearly abandoned," Sylvia continued. "Those who remain? They don't act like people anymore. Some stand frozen for hours, others wander aimlessly, completely unresponsive. No aggression, no communication. Just… existing."
Hikari felt a chill creep up her spine. "And you think this is being caused by… what, exactly?"
Sylvia turned another page, revealing a name written in bold print. "Amanda Fujimoto. Ten years old. She's the only confirmed survivor of multiple supernatural massacres over the past year. Every time, she was at the scene—never harmed, never touched. And every time, something unnatural followed."
Lila furrowed her brows. "You're saying she's responsible for this?"
Sylvia's fingers tapped against the folder, her expression unreadable. "Not intentionally. We believe Amanda possesses a Supernatural Affinity—specifically, an active Necromancy Aura. The exact mechanics are unclear, but here's what we do know: Every fatality linked to her has resulted in some form of reanimation. The bodies don't attack, don't speak. They just… linger. And now, it seems her influence is spreading, even to the living."
She let that sink in before continuing. "This isn't just a haunted house or a localized disturbance. If her ability keeps expanding, the entire city could fall under its effect."
Hikari exchanged a glance with Lila, a flicker of unease passing between them. A ten-year-old girl unknowingly bending life and death to her will? That was beyond dangerous—it was terrifying.
Sylvia closed the folder with a decisive snap. "Your mission is simple, but delicate. Find Amanda. Assess the extent of her power. And figure out how to contain or neutralize the effect—without harming her. Standard exorcism protocols aren't an option. If she sees you as a threat, she could react instinctively, making things even worse."
Her gaze locked onto them, sharp and unwavering. "This requires precision. No unnecessary risks. No reckless moves. Do you understand?"
Hikari straightened, pushing down the unease curling in her stomach. "Understood." Lila and Hikari said in unison.
Sylvia gave a curt nod. "Good. You leave immediately."
The weight of the mission settled between them, unspoken but undeniable. Whatever awaited them in Long Island City, one thing was certain—this wasn't just another routine job.
Somewhere Over the Atlantic – 2 Hours into the Flight
The steady hum of the airplane's engines filled the cabin, a low, constant vibration that blended into the white noise of murmured conversations and the occasional clink of glasses from the flight attendants making their rounds. The scent of recirculated air, stale coffee, and faint traces of cheap cologne clung to the enclosed space, mingling with the dim overhead lights that cast a sterile glow over the rows of passengers.
Hikari shifted in her seat, stretching her legs out as much as the cramped economy row would allow. The seatbelt buckle pressed against her hip, and she scowled at the inconvenience before turning her attention to Lila, who was lounging comfortably beside her, eyes half-lidded in contentment.
Hikari huffed. "So, what's the US like?"
Lila let out a soft hum, tapping a manicured finger against her armrest as she leaned back. "Wouldn't know. This is my first time going, too~" she admitted, flashing a playful smile.
Hikari blinked. "Wait—you've never been? Huh. I just assumed you had."
Lila giggled, tilting her head toward her. "Nope~ First time for both of us."
Hikari tapped her fingers against her tray table in thought. "You know, now that I think about it… why are we even taking a plane? We both have psychic abilities, right? Why can't we just fly there?"
Lila's laughter came easily, light and teasing, but there was a knowing glint in her azure eyes. "Oh, Hikari, sweet, naïve Hikari. Three reasons," she said, raising her fingers one by one. "First, we can't risk being seen. You have to remember—at least 75% of the world has no idea supernatural things exist. Imagine how people would react if they just saw two girls soaring through the sky like superheroes."
Hikari frowned, considering that. "Okay… fair point."
"Second," Lila continued, stretching her arms above her head before letting them fall lazily back down, "my abilities aren't strong enough to keep both of us airborne for an entire transatlantic trip. I can hover, maybe float a bit, but carrying two people across the freakin' ocean? Yeah, not happening~"
Hikari tilted her head. "Wait, but—"
"And third," Lila cut in smoothly, leaning in with a sly grin, "you are way too inexperienced to keep yourself up for more than a couple of minutes before you go plummeting back down like a broken kite~"
Hikari's nose scrunched in mild annoyance, but she couldn't argue. She had only recently begun training with her powers—levitating was still shaky at best, and controlling her momentum? That was another beast entirely.
"Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms. "I guess that makes sense."
Lila gave her a reassuring pat on the head, ruffling her hair slightly. "Don't worry, though~ If you keep up your training, you'll be soaring through the sky in no time—graceful and free, just like a bird~"
Before Hikari could retort, a quiet chuckle drifted in from across the aisle.
A man, likely in his late twenties, sat slouched in the window seat, one arm draped casually over the armrest while the other held a half-empty plastic cup of soda. He had the disheveled look of someone who had been traveling for far too long—messy dark hair, slight stubble on his jaw, and the faint shadow of exhaustion under his eyes. His hoodie was slightly wrinkled, his jeans worn at the knees, and his sneakers had seen better days.
But despite his tired appearance, there was an amused smirk tugging at his lips as he cast a glance toward them.
"Did I hear that right?" he murmured to himself, his voice just above a whisper but laced with quiet amusement. "Psychic powers? Flying? The supernatural?" He shook his head slightly, stifling another chuckle. "Man, some people really do watch too much anime."
He took another sip of his drink, muttering something about delusional teenagers, before shifting in his seat to look out the window.
Meanwhile, Hikari and Lila remained completely oblivious to how their conversation had sounded to the average person—how casually they spoke of powers beyond human comprehension, as if they were discussing the weather.
To them, the supernatural was just another part of reality.
To everyone else? It was just fiction.
A fantasy.
A joke.
And if that man only knew just how real it all was…
He wouldn't be laughing.
To be continued.