At the end of class, Kazuo left the school, the events of the day still fresh in his mind. He was not in his usual state; the memory of his encounter with Lionheart floated through him like a strange and fascinating dream. The lion's deep voice, his piercing eyes, all of these had left an indelible impression.
When he arrived home, he opened the front door to find his mother sitting in the living room, focused on the television screen. She seemed engrossed in one of her favorite soap operas, sometimes laughing and sometimes shouting at every turn in the episode. Kazuo hesitated for a moment, thinking about how to approach the conversation that was weighing on him.
Finally, he pulled away and sat on the couch next to her, trying to rest.
"Oh, Kazuo!" - she said when he noticed him, his face lighting up with a smile. "How was your first day? Youth? Not too much of a fight, I hope?"
Kazuo sighed slightly, giving a half-amused, half-angry look.
"Let's just say some things happened... let's say, embarrassing," he replied, crossing her arms.Curious, the mother turned to him, her eyes shining with pity.
"Tell me everything! What happened to you? Don't tell me you made enemies from day one! "
Kazuo smiled, hesitating before diving into the details. He her them about the scene on the bus, how he had a misunderstanding with a young woman, who caused a scandal by accusing him of an inappropriate gesture. He then describes his encounter with this trash and how to deal with it, not forgetting his "meeting" with Asami, the president of the student council, who, coincidentally or ironically, was none other than the girl of the bus.
"Damn it, Kazuo!" cried his mother, laughing. "It's all of you! Always here to create impossible situations. And this Asami... she seems very special to me, doesn't she? "
Kazuo grimaced, shrugging."Special is a weak word. She plays the perfect miss in front of everyone, but on the bus she was hysterical. And on top of that, she threatens to accuse me of abuse if I say anything. He is a real character! "
Kazuo's mother burst out laughing, but her smile faded when she noticed her son's more serious expression. There was a silence. Then, with a hesitant voice, Kazuo continued:
"Say, mom... was dad... was he in the occult?" The question seemed to be burning on his lips for a while, and visibly surprised his mother. She turned his head a little, as if she had to think before answering.
"Why do you ask that, Kazuo?" she asked, clearly worried."I don't know... I had a kind of... strange feeling today."
He hesitated, carefully choosing his words.
"As if... as if something awakened in me.Something wild, powerful. It made me think about the things dad might have known... like mystical things, you know."
Kazuo's mother shrugged, thinking about her son's words. After a moment, she finally looked up, a sad smile on his lips.
"Your father, Kazuo…" she began softly, "he was a very curious person, you know. Yes, he was interested in unusual subjects. He loved stories of ancient myths, legends about animals and their spirits. Sometimes he even joked that he had "the heart of a lion"."
Kazuo's eyes widened, his mind racing.
"Lionheart?" he repeated, sorry for the coincidence.He announced slowly, his gaze lost in his memories.
"Yes... that was his nickname in college. He said that every man must have the courage and nobility of a lion to face life. But to say that he really believed in the occult.. .He just liked the stories, Kazuo. "
There was a silence. Kazuo thought that this was not the whole truth, that there was something that was not being said. But he chose not to press, feeling that maybe his mother didn't know anymore or that she just preferred to keep certain details quiet.
"Do you think it has anything to do with me?" - he asked, perplexed.
"Maybe... maybe he passed on this part of himself to you, this courage, this strength." She smiled gently. "But anyway, Kazuo, you know that this power within you, if it exists, you must learn to understand and use wisely."
Kazuo nodded, a mixture of pride and mystery washing over him. He felt strangely connected to his father, this enigmatic figure who told him his bedtime stories, often filled with lions and legendary beasts, he particularly remembered. After this intense discussion, Kazuo went to his room, still deep in thought.
Everything had taken an unexpected turn and he felt that his life was about to change in ways he never anticipated. The day he had just experienced was perhaps only the beginning of an adventure much greater than himself.
Kazuo relaxed in his bath, the warm water soothing the tense muscles from his chaotic day. His thoughts wandered, reviewing the significant events: the strange encounter with Lionheart, his mother's enigmatic words, and this sense of awakening growing within him. He sighed, leaving his head resting on the edge of the bathtub, his mind lost in this whirlwind of emotions and mysteries.Suddenly, a heavy and unreal silence fell on the bathroom.
Kazuo frowned in alarm. It was as if the world had frozen, the usually familiar sounds disappearing to be replaced by an eerie stillness. The water itself seemed still, catching its reflection, pale and questioning.
Then he felt a presence behind him. He slowly turned his head, his heart pounding in his chest. From the water, little by little, a figure emerged, as if it had always been there, hidden in the depths of his bathroom.
A woman, or rather... a creature of frightening beauty, stood there, her body half submerged in water, her features strange and strange.Her pale skin contrasted with the dark gleam of her eyes and her long wavy hair fell over her bare shoulders. His features were delicate, almost human, but something in his eyes, an animal and predatory flame, betrayed his true nature. Delicately curved horns adorned her head and black bat-like wings fluttered gently in the air, creating a frightening contrast to her beauty supernatural.
Kazuo looked at him in astonishment, his lips trembling slightly.
"Who...who are you?" he whispered, still stunned.The creature smiled, a smile full of mischief and sensuality. It advanced, its body slipping out of the water, revealing more of its form, pleasing and intimidating at the same time.
"I am the one you have always wanted, Kazuo..." She whispered, its enchanting voice echoing in the frozen room. "But you can call me Iriza."
She tilted his head slightly, his eyes shining with a mixture of attraction and cruelty.
"I am a creature of the Beast God, sent here on a very specific mission." She stroked the surface of the water, creating slight ripples that disturbed the stillness.
"I am here to take what is mine. Or rather... what he wears."
Kazuo swallowed, trying to understand. He felt this tension in the air, this danger wrapped in the charm of this creature.
"What am I wearing? But what are you talking about?" Iriza approached again, her eyes fixed on his, and whispered in a caressing voice:"You carry within you a power called the Heart of the Lion. It is a power that the Lord of the Beasts craves more than anything, for it is the key to breaking the chains that hold him in his dark prison. If I can regain this essence... the seal that holds it will weaken."
Kazuo then understood the gravity of the situation. He was not only a target for bullies in his high school, but also for supernatural entities, creators of other plans to exploit this energy buried in him. But why him? Why was this "Lionheart" in his possession?He took a deep breath, regained some of his confidence.
"And why should I give you anything?" If you are related to the Beast Lord, then you are my enemy. I don't trust you." Iriza burst out laughing, a crystalline but piercing laugh, almost mocking.
"Oh, Kazuo, you're so innocent. Do you really think you can defy the Beast God with full will? I'm prey...and I'm here to collect what's rightfully mine."
She reached out again, reaching for him, her thin, clawed fingers almost touching his chest. A strange warmth washed over Kazuo, as if an inner fire was trying to awaken under his control. But instinctively he drew back, gritting his teeth.
"Stay away from me!" he cried, fighting against the magnetic pull she had on him.
She smiled, seeming to enjoy her inner struggle. "Come on, Kazuo... it won't be painful, I promise. Just give me your essence and I'll leave you alone. You don't even have to remember this meeting... It'll be like a dream."
But Kazuo wasn't ready to give up, a sudden pride and strength awoke within him. He felt the power of the Lionheart manifest, pulsing through his body, encouraging him to resist, not succumb to this creature's influence.
"You're not getting anything from me, Iriza!" Go tell your teacher that he will find another way.
Iriza's smile faded a little, a flash of disappointment crossed her eyes. She took a step back, as if to assess this sudden determination.
"Good, Kazuo." She whispered, his voice growing colder. "You won this time. But remember: we have all the time we need. I am marked by this energy and sooner or later the Beast Lord will have what he wants. I will be back."
And with that, Iriza disappeared, disappearing into a dark mist that evaporated in an instant, leaving the room to return to normal. The usual sounds reappeared, the water trembled, and Kazuo found himself alone, his heart pounding, with this terrible truth.Something had awakened in him...and he knew now that his life would be forever different.
The sounds of the world around him suddenly started again, as if someone had pressed a button to start the frozen scene.
The faucet was dripping, the wall clock ticked monotonously again, and the bath water was hot again. Kazuo stood still for a moment, his mind racing.He slowly got out of the water, his body still shaking from the strange encounter and the energy he felt bubbling up inside him, a force he still didn't know how to call. As he wrapped himself in a towel, only one question crossed his mind: Who was this Beast Lord? He had barely had time to dry off and put on his pajamas when he felt an embarrassment creeping over him. If he really possessed this thing called a Lion's Heart, then this mysterious entity would never have left him alone.
Kazuo knew that something greater than himself was beyond him. But that night, despite all the thoughts going through his head, he knew he wouldn't get the answers he needed.desperately needed.---Finally the morning dawns, removing the heaviness of the night. Kazuo didn't close his eyes for a second, haunted by the image of the creature coming out of his bathroom and the strange feeling his encounter left behind.
When the first rays of the sun filtered through the curtains, he decided to get up, still tired but ready to face this new day.He walked to the bathroom, his mechanical movements betraying fatigue, and rubbed cool water on his face to clear his thoughts. In the mirror he saw a reflection that looked different, almost alien. Maybe it was just tiredness... or maybe the effects of that strange encounter the day before.
Get it together, Kazuo. You should act normal, he thought, taking a deep breath.After quickly finishing the preparations, he went down to the kitchen where his mother was already busy, preparing breakfast. He looked at his son, immediately noticing the dark circles under his eyes.
"Kazuo, were you up all night?" she asked with a hint of concern in her voice. "You look tired." Kazuo hesitated, wondering if he should tell us about the vision, about the Lionheart, about this so-called Beast God.
But he decided not to say anything, to keep it to himself, at least for now.
"Yeah, I had a little trouble sleeping, that's all." He gave her a reassuring smile. "I must have been a little too stressed to go back to school." His mother nodded, understanding.
She gave him a plate of rice and some vegetables, encouraging him to eat well to regain his energy. Kazuo died, but his mind was still troubled by what he had experienced. After breakfast was over, Kazuo grabbed his bag and headed out the door.
His mother wished him a good day, not knowing that her son was preparing to face much more than the simple challenges of high school.---The road to school was a blur. Every crossed face, every sound, every movement around him seemed unreal.
He was barely aware of the passing scenery and the familiar road that led him to school. Even the bus, usually full of laughter and discussion, seemed distant, as if everything reminded him that he was no longer in the same world as yesterday.
Finally he reached the magnificent gates of the school. The corridors, usually so noisy and crowded, seemed to convey a very different message today. He felt like a stranger, an intruder who hid within him a secret that he was still trying to understand.
As he entered the building, one question plagued him more than ever: Why was the Beast Lord sealed away? And for what reason?
The first hours began and Kazuo tried to concentrate, but his thoughts kept returning to the vision of the lion on his throne and the creature in his bath. He knew he had to learn more, understand the role of this Beast God and the influence he could have on him. But for now, he was alone with his doubts.