-One week later-
The sun blazed overhead as we ascended the hill toward the cemetery, each step weighted with sorrow. The silence around us was heavy, filled with grief too deep for words. The group of mourners, dressed in black, walked solemnly behind Sagiri's casket. The orphanage children, though on the verge of tears, stifled their grief out of respect for the girl who had once been their closest companion.
My grief had swallowed me whole for days, leaving me with a constant ache in my chest. The only souls present at the burial were Miss Ahiko, the children from the orphanage, and Sagiri's closest friends. As her casket was lowered into the cold earth, I felt time freeze, each second dragging on like a weight I could not bear. It still didn't seem real. I kept imagining her suddenly standing up, waving and saying, "I'm fine," but that hope was shattered. The harsh truth cut through me—she was gone, and I couldn't save her. I couldn't even be there for her when she needed me most.
While we mourned, the world around us remained indifferent. Birds chirped without a care, and the sun blazed overhead, casting its warmth on the scene, as though mocking our sorrow. The beauty of the day felt like a cruel contrast to the emptiness in my heart.
As I turned to leave the cemetery, watching the final handfuls of dirt fall onto Sagiri's coffin, my thoughts couldn't help but drift to the events of the past week. The girl from my university—her threat still fresh in my mind. And then, suddenly, Sagiri's tragic car accident? The timing seemed too perfect, too suspicious. I refused to accept it as mere coincidence.
The police report claimed that Sagiri had crossed the road on a red light, and the van—unable to stop in time—struck her. But that didn't sit right with me. I knew Sagiri better than anyone. She would never be that careless. Something didn't add up. I had to find out the truth.
I snuck into the scrapyard where the van that killed Sagiri was waiting to be dismantled. I arrived just in time to inspect it. As I circled the vehicle, my heart sank when I saw bloodstains smeared across the hood and headlights. I knew then that something was wrong. I examined the brakes, and there it was—deliberate damage, as if someone had cut through the lines with a sharp object.
But who could want to harm Sagiri? She had always been kind, gentle, and forgiving, never holding a grudge against anyone. The questions gnawed at me, and I made a vow—to find the person responsible and bring them to justice, no matter what it took.
I left the scrapyard behind and made my way outside the university gates—not to attend classes, but to wait for the girl who had threatened me. After two long hours, she finally appeared. I followed her at a safe distance, keeping to the shadows. It wasn't easy with the sun still high, but I managed to stay out of sight. My resolve hardened with each passing minute. I was going to uncover the truth behind Sagiri's death, no matter what it took.
After several hours of shopping and eating, she finally arrived at her house. Ensuring no one was watching, I quickly set up the motion detector I had built, placing it discreetly between her gate and linking it to my phone. It was five o'clock, and I figured she'd be staying inside for a while, so I decided not to wait outside for hours. Instead, I went to a nearby stall to grab a quick bite—I hadn't eaten all day. I savored the flavors of the meal, and before I knew it, exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted off on a bench.
Suddenly, my phone alarm blared. The motion detector had been triggered. My heart skipped a beat as I bolted awake and rushed to her house. To my shock, I saw her leaving through the front gate, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light of midnight. Confused—why was she out at this hour, especially with exams looming over us? (Or technically, that same day)—I followed her at a cautious distance, my curiosity growing by the second
Under the cloak of darkness, I slipped into the shadows, keeping my distance while staying undetected. After a while, she turned down an alley, and the opportunity to confront her presented itself.
I approached silently and then spoke in a low, steady voice.
"Hey, you."
Startled, she whipped around, her eyes searching the dark.
"Who's there?" she demanded.
Without another thought, I lunged, grabbing her by the throat. She fought back, but I lifted her with ease as though she were weightless. The moonlight flickered off my face as she struggled in my grip.
"Do you remember me? The one you threatened multiple times?" I growled, my voice like a hiss.
"W-What are you doing? Let go of me!" she gasped, desperate for air as I tightened my hold.
"I have to give you credit—your plan was well thought out. You knew that the van that hit Sagiri belonged to a restaurant and was used for deliveries. You sabotaged it by cutting the brake fluid tube and lured Sagiri to that specific road, probably by telling her I needed something or was in trouble. Then you deliberately ordered food that would take time, giving you enough time to lead Sagiri to the road where you knew the van would pass by. And knowing the van wouldn't be able to stop, you chose a road near the restaurant. When the traffic light turned red, you and Sagiri went to cross the road—but instead of jumping like you did, she froze in fear."
"You're insane. But you know what? You got everything right except for one thing. I didn't plan any of it," she spat out, her voice dripping with contempt.
"You expect me to believe that someone else came up with this elaborate plan?" I scoffed, tightening my grip even further.
"Musashi, do your part," she spoke into her earpiece before I could react. Suddenly, a powerful force from behind her knocked me off balance and sent me flying across the alleyway.
The force of the impact sent my vision into a dizzying blur, but as soon as it cleared, I found myself face to face with someone wearing a black mask. Their clothing blended into the darkness, accented by splashes of deep red, with semi-long hair that shimmered faintly in the dim light. The glow of their eyes seemed to pierce the shadows, adding an eerie intensity to the encounter.
I stumbled backward as they brandished a katana, its blade glinting ominously. "Dear Val," she spoke, her voice calm but laced with malice. "I warned you about Sagiri's fate, yet you never listened." A wicked smile spread across her lips.
My heart raced, the confusion rising like a storm inside me as I tried to make sense of her words. "If it wasn't you who killed her… who did?" I demanded, stepping back to put some distance between us.
"I offered my help, but you refused. Now, it's your turn to uncover the truth," she taunted, her voice sharp as she turned away and walked off into the shadows.
"Don't even think about running," I growled, my footsteps quickening as I closed the distance between us.
As I moved forward, the other person drew their katana and charged towards me. The speed was so intense that I barely had time to register the glint of their sword before it was centimeters from my neck. In that split second, another person materialized out of thin air and caught the blade with ease. Dressed entirely in white with a peculiar round hat and striking white hair and eyes, they were an unexpected presence.
The girl stopped in her tracks and turned towards us. "Little Miko, I told you not to kill your comrades," the white-clad man scolded.
"He attacked me first!" she snapped back, her voice dripping with venom as her eyes blazed with fury.
"Attacked? He hasn't even summoned his servant. He couldn't possibly pose a threat to you," the man scoffed, disbelief evident in his voice.
Frustration and confusion churned inside me as I watched the bizarre exchange unfold. Without warning, the attacker vanished at the flick of the girl's hand, sinking into the earth as though the ground had turned to quicksand.
"I can only imagine how confused you must be right now, Val Oswald," the man in white spoke, his voice both soothing and authoritative. "Let me clarify. I am a deity, and you have been chosen as one of ten champions to defend the Earth. Follow the instructions on this paper, and upon completion, you will receive more guidance."
I wanted to brush off his words as some kind of elaborate joke, but then he mentioned Sagiri's name. "Before you say anything else, let me make one thing clear: I possess the power to bring Sagiri back," he said, his voice unwavering, before vanishing in a swirl of white mist..
I stood there, frozen in disbelief, my mind racing to make sense of the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded. My hands trembled as I gripped the paper, trying to steady myself in the face of the impossible.
As the mist slowly faded, my gaze landed on a crumpled piece of paper lying on the ground. Its edges were singed, and dirt smeared its surface, as though it had been discarded in the aftermath of whatever chaos had just transpired.
A mix of curiosity and unease urged me to pick up the paper. As I unfolded it, my heart pounded in my chest. The words scrawled across the page were unmistakable—instructions for a summoning ritual.
My mind struggled to process the absurdity of what I was reading. Was this some elaborate prank or something far darker? Memories of a samurai with glowing eyes and a mysterious figure who seemed to read my thoughts flashed through my mind. Was this somehow connected?
I made my decision. If there was even the slightest chance I could bring back Sagiri, I couldn't walk away. With renewed determination, I headed to the orphanage where I had grown up, retrieved the jar of dirt from my room, and set my course.
Under the veil of night, I slipped out of the orphanage and headed toward the university. The thought of seeing Sagiri again quelled any fear or doubt in my mind. When I reached the iron gate, it was locked, but I scaled it without hesitation.
Once inside, I scoured the area for the summoning circle outlined in the instructions. It wasn't easy to find—only faint scorch marks on the ground hinted at its presence. With persistence, I cleared away the remaining snow, revealing the full design beneath.
As I poured the dirt from the jar onto the circle, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. No matter how much I used, the jar never seemed to empty. Unease settled over me, but I pressed on, carefully following the pattern to completion.
Just before uttering the words written on the paper, I spotted a postscript at the bottom—reminding me to light the circle. Thankfully, I had a lighter in my pocket, (you never know when it will come in handy). I flicked it open and ignited the edges of the circle with a steady hand.
As I gazed at the dirt before me, a shocking realization struck: it was flammable.This wasn't ordinary dirt—it was something far more dangerous, burning with an intensity I'd never witnessed.
The fire roared as glowing lights swirled in the air like a storm of raw energy. I stood at the edge of the circle, the words from the paper seared into my mind—ancient, yet disturbingly clear. The paper trembled in my hand, but I took a steady breath and began the chant:
"Bona fide status quo. Cogito ergo sum. Alea iacta est."
As I scanned my surroundings, a chill of realization crept over me—I was no longer at the university. In fact, there was nothing in sight but an endless expanse of emptiness stretching for miles in every direction. Stranger still, time itself seemed to fracture and bend around me. I felt the pulse of history itself, a dizzying rush as moments from the distant past flashed before my eyes—from the reign of the dinosaurs to the rise of civilization, the blur of ages cascading past me. And just as abruptly as it had all started, the university materialized once again, as if the fabric of reality had shifted back into place.
As the final words escaped my lips, my surroundings snapped back to normal. But now, above the raging fire, countless glowing lights danced and flickered like fireflies in a summer breeze. Captivated by their beauty and power, I stood frozen, unable to tear my gaze away.
Soon, the lights began to converge at the center of the circle, gathering with such intensity that a powerful wind began to swirl around them. I struggled to keep my footing, fighting against the force of the current that felt like it would pull me under for hours.
At last, everything converged into a brilliant orb of light. Then... a shockwave exploded outward, knocking me several meters back. My vision blurred, but my determination surged, pushing me forward as I stumbled toward the circle.
Amidst the chaos and the shrill wail of car alarms, my gaze fixed on a lone figure standing motionless at the center of the circle. My heart raced with anticipation—this person held the key to bringing Sagiri back.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, approaching the figure who would become my ally in this perilous new game.
"I suppose it's time for me to step into this game."