Chereads / Chrono Kaisen / Chapter 2 - The Hidden Path

Chapter 2 - The Hidden Path

The night had fallen completely over Kurogawa. Streetlights flickered on, casting pools of orange light on the quiet sidewalks. The city, for the most part, seemed calm—too calm, perhaps. Aeon's footsteps echoed as he walked through the dimly lit streets, his mind elsewhere.

It wasn't the first time he'd felt this way. There were moments, like now, when a quiet unease settled deep in his chest. The curse he had faced earlier was easy enough to destroy, but something about it lingered in his thoughts. It was too weak.

Aeon's grey eyes narrowed as he scanned the streets around him. There was nothing out of place, just the normal sounds of the city at night. The rustling of leaves, the hum of a faraway car engine. But his instincts told him that this silence was only the calm before the storm. Something bigger was coming.

He was sure of it.

As he walked past a small café, a familiar presence caught his attention. A young woman sat by the window, her back to him. She had long, dark hair that cascaded over her shoulders and a focused look as she read a book. Aeon didn't need to get any closer to know who it was.

Haruka Iwakura.

A member of the Iwakura family, a clan that specialized in curse manipulation. Unlike Aeon, she didn't rely on powerful techniques. Instead, she used her intelligence and the power of strategic thinking to take down curses. They had met a few times in the past, but their encounters had always been brief. There was an unspoken understanding between them, one that neither of them needed to voice.

Aeon hesitated for a moment. There was no reason to approach her now. He had no real connection to her beyond casual meetings, and right now, his thoughts were on something far more serious. But his feet took him toward the café anyway. He walked in, the bell above the door jingling as he stepped inside.

Haruka looked up, a small, knowing smile forming on her lips.

"You look like you've seen something troubling," she said, her voice light but with a hint of concern.

Aeon nodded slowly, sitting across from her. "There's something off about tonight," he replied, leaning back in his chair. "I've been sensing a lot of cursed energy, but it's not just any curses. It's like they're… waiting for something."

Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Waiting? For what?"

Aeon didn't have an answer. He didn't know.

"I don't know yet," he said, his voice quieter now. "But something's coming. I can feel it."

Haruka studied him for a moment, as if weighing his words. "You've always had a strange way of sensing things. It's like you can feel the world moving before it happens." She paused. "Are you sure this is about curses, Aeon? Or is it something more?"

Aeon didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure how to explain it. It wasn't just the curses. It was the feeling that something was out of balance. The way time itself felt… unstable. Like it was being twisted around him, pulling at the edges of reality.

He sighed. "Maybe it's nothing. I've just been feeling off lately."

Haruka's expression softened. "You're always so serious about everything. It's okay to take a break once in a while. You don't have to carry everything by yourself, you know."

Aeon glanced at her. There was something genuine in her voice, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the world was changing. Something bigger was on the horizon. But he didn't want to worry her.

"Maybe," he said, his voice distant. "But right now, I have to go. Something's calling me." He stood up and turned to leave. Before he could walk out the door, Haruka called after him.

"Be careful, Aeon."

He gave her a small, almost absent smile. "I will."

The night air was cool against his skin as Aeon stepped out of the café. The streets were quiet again, but his senses were on high alert. His heart beat steadily in his chest, but his mind raced. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

As he walked through the city, Aeon found himself drawn to a familiar part of town—the old district, where the abandoned temples and forgotten buildings stood in stark contrast to the modern city around them. He had been here before, many times, but something about it felt different tonight.

He entered the alleyway behind an old, decaying building, his steps slow and deliberate. His eyes scanned the surroundings. There was a heavy presence here, something old. The air felt thick, like something was waiting to be uncovered.

The curse energy was stronger now, pulsing in the air around him. It wasn't just a random curse. This was deliberate.

Without thinking, Aeon extended his hand, his fingers twitching as he called on his cursed energy. Time began to bend around him, stretching and slowing. He could feel the world slow to a crawl as he entered a focused state. The alley stretched before him, the shadows becoming deeper, the air more suffocating.

And then, he saw it.

A figure standing at the far end of the alley. It was tall, with a hooded cloak that seemed to ripple unnaturally in the still air. The cursed energy radiating from it was unlike anything Aeon had encountered before. It was dark—deep, dense, and powerful.

Aeon narrowed his eyes. This wasn't a random curse. This was something more.

"Who are you?" he called out, his voice sharp and commanding.

The figure didn't answer. Instead, it stepped forward, its movements slow but deliberate. As it moved closer, Aeon could feel a strange, unsettling pull in the air around him. It was as if time itself was bending toward the figure, trying to draw him in.

Aeon stepped back, his hand still raised. Time froze. The world around him came to a halt, and the figure was locked in place.

But there was something off about this curse. It wasn't struggling. It wasn't trying to escape.

In fact, it seemed… calm.

Aeon's heart skipped a beat. Something wasn't right. Slowly, he let time return to its normal flow, but he kept his guard up. The figure remained still.

"You're not just a curse, are you?" Aeon muttered under his breath.

The figure tilted its head, its hood falling back to reveal a face that seemed almost human—yet not. Its eyes glowed with a strange, otherworldly light, and its mouth curved into a faint smile.

"No," the figure said, its voice low and echoing. "I am much more than that."

Aeon's hand tightened around his cursed energy. The real fight was about to begin.