The streets of Tokyo buzzed with their usual chaos—car horns blaring, neon lights flickering, and street vendors shouting their deals. But to 14-year-old Asahi Homura, this was just background noise. The real excitement lay in skipping his last class of the day.
"Catch me if you can, sucker!" Asahi yelled, laughing as he darted through a crowded alley, clutching a freshly snatched taiyaki. Behind him, a furious vendor shouted curses, waving a ladle like it was a weapon.
"You brat! Get back here!"
"Sorry, can't hear you over the sound of how delicious this is!" Asahi teased, taking a huge bite and dramatically moaning with delight.
It wasn't that Asahi needed to steal food. His mom's cooking was top-tier, and they weren't struggling that much. But there was something about messing with people that made life just a bit more fun. Mischief was his way of spicing up the monotony.
When he finally lost the vendor and made it back home, his mom greeted him with her usual stern expression. "Asahi, why do you smell like trouble?"
"Trouble smells like victory today, Mom," he said, holding up the half-eaten taiyaki as if it were a trophy.
She sighed, shaking her head as she continued her chores. "One of these days, someone's going to catch you, and I won't feel sorry for you."
"Someone's gotta keep life interesting," Asahi quipped, plopping onto the couch. His younger sister, Yui, sat cross-legged on the floor, a crayon in her hand and a furrowed brow on her face as she colored.
"What's up, kiddo?" Asahi asked, leaning over to inspect her masterpiece.
"It's a Hiraishi! Like Papa!" Yui said brightly, showing off her drawing of a heroic figure battling a giant Ayakashi.
Asahi's smile faltered for a second, but he quickly covered it up. "Not bad, Yui. But next time, maybe give him a cape. Capes make everything cooler."
"Papa didn't wear a cape," Yui said matter-of-factly.
"How would you know?" Asahi teased, flicking her forehead gently. "You don't even remember his face."
"Neither do you!" Yui shot back, puffing her cheeks indignantly.
Asahi leaned back, laughing. "Touché, squirt. Touché."
The truth was, she wasn't wrong. Their dad had died when Asahi was just a toddler, and Yui had only been a baby. They knew he'd been a Hiraishi—one of the rare, god-powered ones. But beyond that? Just fragments of stories from their mom and a few old photos.
---
The next day at school, Asahi's mischief was in full swing. He spent most of his time doodling in his notebook, crafting elaborate plans to prank his teacher. But halfway through a particularly boring lecture, the school's alarm blared, cutting through the monotony like a knife.
"Attention! Ayakashi has been detected near the school grounds. All students proceed to the designated safe zones immediately!"
Chaos erupted. Students scrambled to follow the instructions, their fear palpable.
Asahi, however, had other plans.
"Finally, something interesting!" he muttered, a sly grin spreading across his face.
---
Asahi wandered toward the gymnasium, curiosity pushing him closer to the source of the chaos. He was about to sneak a peek when a terrified scream made him stop.
A little boy, no older than 10, was frozen in the middle of the courtyard, staring wide-eyed at the ground as cracks split the pavement. From those cracks, a dark, writhing shape emerged—a massive Ayakashi with a twisted, spider-like body and glowing red eyes.
The boy couldn't move, couldn't even scream again. The Ayakashi's tendrils reached for him.
Asahi didn't think. He bolted forward, grabbing the boy by the arm. "Hey, kid! Move it!"
The boy finally snapped out of his trance, and Asahi shoved him toward the nearest exit. "Run to the safe zone! Don't look back!"
The boy stumbled but obeyed, sprinting away.
Asahi turned back to face the Ayakashi. He was alone now.
"Great plan, genius," he muttered to himself. "Now what?"
The Ayakashi screeched, its tendrils slamming into the ground where Asahi had been standing. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"I don't suppose you'd consider a truce?" he asked, gripping a discarded broom as his only weapon. The Ayakashi lunged, and Asahi swung the broom with all his strength. The blow barely fazed the creature, but it bought him a few seconds.
"This is fine," he said, panting. "Totally fine."
The Ayakashi reared back for another attack, and Asahi closed his eyes, bracing for impact. But instead of pain, there was a burst of golden light.
---
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the courtyard. He stood in a blindingly white space, the vast emptiness stretching infinitely.
"What the hell…?"
"Yo!"
The casual greeting made Asahi jump. He turned to see a man standing a few feet away—a tall, muscular figure with fiery hair and a golden staff resting on his shoulders.
"Who… are you?" Asahi asked cautiously.
The man smirked. "Name's Wukong. Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Monkey King. Ever heard of me?"
"Yeah, in fairy tales," Asahi scoffed. "What's next, Santa Claus showing up to give me a pep talk?"
Wukong laughed. "I like you, kid. You've got spunk. But let's cut to the chase. You're dying, and I'm here to save your sorry butt."
"Gee, thanks," Asahi said dryly. "But why me?"
"Because you've got guts," Wukong said, leaning closer. "And because I'm bored. So, how about it? Wanna be my avatar and kick some Ayakashi ass?"
"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me I get superpowers? Like, actual god-tier superpowers?"
"Yup."
"And all I have to do is let you crash in my soul or whatever?"
"Pretty much."
Asahi grinned. "Deal."
Golden light enveloped him, filling him with a warmth that felt like pure adrenaline. When the light faded, he was back in the courtyard—only now, he wasn't the same.
---
The Ayakashi screeched, lunging toward him again. But this time, Asahi met it head-on, his new golden staff striking with a force that sent the creature reeling.
"That's more like it!" Asahi grinned, feeling a rush of power. With his newfound strength, he easily blocked the Ayakashi's tendrils as they slashed toward him. He was fast, much faster than before. His movements were fluid, like he had been fighting his whole life.
He leaped into the air, spinning his staff around with expert precision. The creature tried to dodge, but Asahi anticipated its every move, using his parkour skills to flip off walls and around obstacles with ease. He was no longer just a regular kid dodging attacks; he was an unstoppable force.
The Ayakashi growled in frustration, but Asahi didn't give it a chance. With a series of well-timed strikes, he slammed his staff into the Ayakashi's body. Each hit seemed to send shockwaves of golden energy through the creature, weakening it with each blow.
Finally, with one last strike, Asahi drove the staff through the Ayakashi's core. The creature screamed in agony as it began to dissolve into dark smoke, the last remnants of its twisted form vanishing into the air.
Panting, Asahi stood in the middle of the destroyed courtyard, his golden staff still crackling with energy. He couldn't help but smile.
"Guess I'm not so powerless after all," he muttered to himself.
Asahi looked around, his heart still racing, but this time, the adrenaline felt different. It felt like victory.