The city skyline glimmered with the glow of neon lights, the hum of late-night traffic blending with the distant thrum of a thousand lives. It was a normal night in the bustling city—a world that was anything but normal.
Mitsuki Shirogane walked the familiar streets, his mind drifting in and out of focus. He had just finished his studies at the prestigious Shirogane Academy and was heading home. His parents were probably waiting for him, maybe with dinner ready, or perhaps just looking forward to the quiet night ahead. His life had been uneventful, maybe even peaceful, in the midst of a chaotic world where gods, monsters, and demons walked freely among humans.
Normal, he thought. That's how it felt.
But that night, everything would change.
As he approached his family's modern mansion—tucked away on a quiet street—he noticed something was wrong. The lights were off. The air was thick with an eerie silence. A deep chill ran through his spine, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Mitsuki's heart began to race, his steps quickening as he reached the front gate. He fumbled for his keys, but his hands were trembling.
The moment he stepped inside, his world shattered.
Flames were already licking at the edges of the mansion. The windows had been shattered, and the front door lay in ruins. Smoke billowed in the air, thick and suffocating, curling into the night sky.
"Mom! Dad!" Mitsuki shouted, but his voice barely rose above the roar of the flames. Panic flooded his chest, but he pushed it aside, forcing his body forward.
He ran through the hallway, the place he had called home for as long as he could remember, now a charred skeleton. Every corner he turned brought him closer to the burning heart of the house, where his parents' room should have been. As he passed the wreckage of the living room, a flash of movement caught his eye.
A body. The body of his father.
Mitsuki's legs gave out beneath him. His breath hitched in his throat, eyes wide as they focused on the still, lifeless form. His father, the legendary swordsman, a man who had always protected their family—his body was burned beyond recognition. But Mitsuki could still tell. It was him.
"No… NO!" he screamed, crawling toward the remains. His heart felt as though it were being ripped out of his chest. "Dad! Get up! Please!"
But there was no response. His world crumbled in that moment, the life he had once known dissolving into smoke and ash.
Tears blurred his vision as he scrambled over to his mother. She was still alive—barely. Her form was barely recognizable beneath the smoke and soot, her breathing shallow and weak. Her eyes met his, filled with a painful sadness.
"Mitsuki…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You… must… survive…"
"Mom! Please, hang on!" He pressed his hands to her wounds, trying desperately to heal her. But it was no use. The damage was far too severe. The flames that had ravaged their home were nothing compared to the damage the attackers had caused.
His mother smiled faintly, her hand weakly lifting to his cheek. "You… must be free…"
Her words were the last thing he heard before she exhaled her final breath.
"Free..." Her voice echoed in his mind.
His chest tightened, and rage exploded within him. They had been taken, brutally, without mercy. All because they had been too strong—too influential. And now, the gods, demons, and monstrous powers that ruled the world had taken everything from him.
The anger surged within him, a burning desire to break the chains of fate that had bound him to this cruel world. Mitsuki swore, through clenched teeth, his fists shaking with the power of his vow.
"I will make them pay. And I will find true freedom."
The flames grew higher, almost as though mocking him, and he barely noticed the shadow looming overhead. A chill swept over him as he looked up. A creature—no, a monster—hovered above the burning wreckage of his home.
It was massive, a grotesque thing with wings that spanned the entire width of the street. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and its massive, clawed hands gripped a weapon forged from darkness itself. It wasn't a demon from the depths, nor a monster of the earth—it was something far worse. An ancient being sent to crush anyone who defied the balance of power.
Mitsuki staggered backward, barely able to comprehend what he was seeing. He had faced monsters before, even gods, but nothing like this. The sheer aura of malevolence emanating from the creature was enough to freeze him in place. His limbs felt heavy, his breath shallow. It was the embodiment of everything cruel in this world.
The creature's voice boomed, a low, mocking growl that sent shivers down Mitsuki's spine.
"You think you can do something about this, boy? You're nothing. Just a child who's lost everything. You will never achieve what you desire. You will never be free."
The words hit Mitsuki like a physical blow. He could feel his resolve faltering, his strength drained, his body trembling with exhaustion and despair. The sight of the creature—this embodiment of power—made him feel small. Helpless.
But then, just as the creature raised its weapon, ready to strike, a surge of energy exploded in the air.
The ground beneath Mitsuki's feet cracked, and a figure appeared from the shadows. It was a man, tall and imposing, his silver hair gleaming in the firelight. His eyes glowed with an intensity that was both calming and terrifying. His robe billowed around him, and his very presence seemed to bend the air.
Mitsuki blinked, unsure of what he was seeing. The man's power was tangible, a force that could tear through the night like lightning through a storm. He stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
"Move," the man said, his voice calm but unwavering. The wind howled at his command, swirling around them, bending to his will. With a single motion, the air itself cracked like thunder.
The creature, momentarily stunned, growled in rage. "Who are you to challenge me?"
The man didn't answer. He simply raised his hand, and the ground trembled. In the blink of an eye, the figure was on the creature. His movements were impossibly fast, a blur of light and shadow. With one fluid motion, he swung a blade made of pure energy, cutting through the monstrous being with ease. The creature let out an unearthly shriek before disintegrating into nothingness.
Mitsuki stood frozen, still trying to process what had just happened. Who was this man? What was this power?
The man turned to him, his piercing gaze locking onto Mitsuki's.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his tone softer now, though still carrying an edge of authority.
Mitsuki swallowed hard, his throat dry. He could barely speak, still reeling from the chaos around him. "I—I'm… Mitsuki Shirogane," he stammered. "But… who are you?"
The man's expression softened slightly. "Yumi Fujimoto. And you, Mitsuki, are not alone in this fight. There is much to learn, and many battles ahead. But you will not have to face them by yourself."
Mitsuki's heart still pounded in his chest. There was so much to process, so much pain, so much rage. But through the storm of emotions, one thing burned brightest: the fire of his vow.
"I swore I would make them pay," Mitsuki said, his voice low but resolute. "And I will. But not just for revenge… For freedom. True freedom."
Yumi's gaze softened. "Freedom," he murmured. "That's a hard road to walk. But it's a road worth traveling. I will help you, Mitsuki. We will find it together."
And with that, Mitsuki felt a flicker of hope in his heart, a spark that refused to die. His path was set. Vengeance, power, and true freedom—he would stop at nothing to claim them.