The moment the ground of the Earth faded, the farther Kaito was pulled into the dark wormhole. He found himself in a void.
It was silent—eerily so. No wind, no hum of machines, no muffled voices, no sound of air moving past his ears.
Just darkness stretching endlessly in every direction.
Kaito floated weightlessly, his movements random. He didn't know if he was standing upside down, sideways, or right-side up.
Airi clutched his shirt tightly, much to his displeasure, but this was not the time to be uncomfortable or complain. His grip on her was firm but protective, and oddly enough, he felt relaxed for no reason—like he had anticipated everything that was happening.
There was not a single flash of worry or fear on his face, just a blank expression, his eyes looking straight ahead.
He exhaled, the sound escaping his lips disturbingly loud in the silence, causing Airi to stir in his arms. Her fingers dug deeper into his shirt—he could feel it.
He glanced down at her, then behind him, searching for the opening they had been sucked into, but it was all pitch black, and they were the only ones in it.
"You can open your eyes now, Airi," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
Airi hesitated, loosening her hold on him. She knew she might be hurting him, and knowing Kaito, he wouldn't say a word about it.
She peeked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his before she blinked and turned her head to take in the view.
"Where are we?" she whispered, afraid her voice might shatter the fragile silence.
"Not Earth," Kaito replied bluntly, his gaze moving from her face to scan the void. "Are you scared?"
"Not really. It's just... strange," Airi said, scanning every part of the void for something stranger than the silence or the darkness. "Are you scared?" she asked in return, turning her attention back to him.
Kaito cast her a knowing glance before looking ahead again. Before she could say anything else, a faint glow pierced the darkness.
It started as what one might call a star, then grew larger, forming into another wormhole—a portal. Within it were two silhouettes.
Kaito realized he was only a step away from the light, but he remained where he was, waiting for what they would do. To be safe, he balled his fists.
The figures stepped out of the light and into the darkness, their forms coming into sharper focus with each step. It was as though it had all been planned.
The first was a woman clad in black, her silver eyes burning like white flames. Her presence alone was terrifying, with a cold, oppressive aura emanating from her. Her face was veiled, but her eyes glowed behind it, telling Kaito all he needed to know.
The second was dressed in white, with a touch of black that gave her attire a dark, sinister look. She exuded a warm, caring aura, masking whatever thoughts were in her mind.
"Welcome, traveler—"
"—We are not travelers," Kaito interrupted coldly, his tone disrespectful and unapologetic. "Who are you, and where are we?" he asked, earning a scoff from the woman in black.
"You must be Kaito Shizukawa?"
"I am."
"I am the Goddess of Peace and War. That is the Beast Empress," she said, pausing. "You may call us Kami and Kotei," she added with a polite smile.
Kaito glanced at Kotei before turning his gaze back to Kami. "Where are we?"
"The gates connecting other worlds. You should know that by now," Kotei replied, her silver eyes darkening as she stared at him. But Kaito couldn't care less. "We've been watching you for a while—especially since one of my beasts went missing," she added, her tone dropping.
Kaito's thoughts immediately turned to his father. But why would she refer to his father as her beast? From what he remembered, his father was more of a man than a beast.
Instead of responding, he turned his gaze back to Kami. "So why am I the only one here?"
Kami laughed nervously, raising a hand behind her head in an unladylike manner that made Airi frown.
"There was a little... argument before the merge quakes happened again," she admitted. "The only thing I could think of was pulling in more humans, so at least some of your kind would survive if the world ended," she finished in one breath, lowering her gaze to Airi.
'Misuse of power, pathetic,' Kaito thought.
He then spoke up, "I'd appreciate it if you could open another portal to another world—or take us back home." He paused to glance at the silent Airi. "My sister hasn't had breakfast."
"That won't be an issue," Kami said. With the snap of her fingers, the darkness around them shifted into a grand hall.
Crystal chandeliers appeared overhead, casting radiant light across the polished marble floor. It was oddly warm, instead of cold, despite how big it was.
But Kaito didn't care, in fact he had no interest the flashy interior design.
"What do you want with me?" Kaito immediately asked, not taking his eyes off the two women.
Kami sighed and took a stepped closer. "As the rarest of your kind, you must choose where your loyalty lies, especially in times of trouble and war."
She held up a coin, its surface shimmering with red and black light. On one side the edge of a scythe was engraved on it, while the other was the skull of a dragon.
"The coin toss will determine which organization you serve—whether you walk the path of darkness or light. Both are tied to your bloodline, but only one can shape your future."
Kaito loosened his grip on Airi, crouching down carefully to place her on the spotless floor. He stood to his full height, his focus now on the beings before him.
He couldn't trust them. Heck, he trusted no one—not even Airi. But given her age, he had no choice. Regardless, there was no one he trusted more than himself.
But from what he had learned so far, he knew better than to defy forces beyond his power. His gaze shifted to the coin in Kami's palm and then to the two women.
"What are these organizations about?"
Kotei extended her hand, conjuring two logos; a black scythe and a white staff. She withdrew her hand and raised her head, assuming he had already gotten an idea of what they were about.
Do you accept?" she asked, her tone oddly low, like she did not cast him gazes laced with irritation.
Kaito glanced briefly at her before focusing on Kami, who repeated the question. Still, he wasn't ready to give an answer.
"What about her?" he asked, gesturing at Airi, who looked up at them in silence, her fingers intertwined with his.
Kami gave him a warm smile. "She can stay to train with the organization you choose till she is old enough to go into the world or choose the side she wants to belong to," she paused, and then continued, "I don't offer this opportunity lightly, but since you love her—"
"—I don't love her."
Not that Kaito did not know what love meant, it just felt human to him, and it made him uncomfortable as well as irritated.
"But she's your sister. Don't you care about her?"
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't pry into my personal business, Kami," he said coldly, unfazed by her divine status.
Luckily,Kami who saw nothing about his statement, simply laughed and placed the coin on the tip of her finger.
"You can only make this decision once. Refuse to pick a side, and both will hunt you. Pick a side, and you won't be targeted by either."
"Fine," he answered without hesitation, having already weighed his options. "But I will not bow to anyone—or follow rules."
Kotei scoffed. "The only rule is that you must not get acquainted with the other side."
"How convenient," he replied sincerely, not sparing her a glance. "Flip the coin."
"Heads for light—the dragon's skull. Tails for dark—the scythe."
Kaito exhaled. "Toss it."
Kami flicked the coin into the air. It spun rapidly, creating a dazzling display of light before landing in Kaito's outstretched hand.
"Tails," he said, his expression stoic as he opened his palm
Kami's smile widened, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.while Kotie scoffed and vanished without saying a word.
"Wise choice,Kaito" she said, and paused briefly, "Darkness will welcome you as one of its own. But remember, Kaito, you are both predator and prey. Watch your back."
She took a step back preparing to leave as well. "Welcome to a world of multiraces, Kaito Shizukawa."