《Under the Veil》 Chapter 1 - Rotten Disgusting. All these thoughtless sheep, listening to their teacher¡¯s words with their brains turned off, never questioning those statements. They believed so blindly in that balding man¡¯s words, even though they¡¯ve never experienced those experiments themselves. How pedantic. If they were planning on studying, they should at least try harder. But those lobotomized pigs were worse. So drenched in society¡¯s filth that they couldn¡¯t relinquish their phones for the duration of a school day. They tapped away, crying pitifully for acknowledgement in the shallow depths of the Twittersphere. Did they think they were unseen in the back of the room? The teacher was simply a coward, too lenient to face down students. The boy with steel-blue hair turned away from the ugly scene, his eyes smouldering through the curtains of the room. It pissed him off, people who didn¡¯t truly pursue academics and those who used social media with no purpose. He breathed, slowly, lavender eyes darkening. He was the same, but at the very least¡­ ¡°Sorry, sensei, my stomach¡¯s hurting, so I¡¯ll be heading to the nurse¡¯s office.¡± ¡­he¡¯ll remove himself due to those sentiments. A lie that the balding man wouldn¡¯t believe, but one that he wouldn¡¯t oppose. As the youth left the classroom, he could feel tension dissipate from the classroom¡¯s atmosphere, and he smiled thinly. Of course they would relax. Because in the eyes of society, he was scum that should just die in some dark alley.
Flame-colored leaves crunched beneath his feet as he walked back home. The chilling breeze felt good, and he must have skipped school at a good time, because the streets were empty of people. If it was like this, he could pretend that he was the only person in the world. Ah, how relaxing. Human greed was still bringing the world to its end, and the UV rays he was exposed to will increase the chances of him developing cancer, but, for the time being, it was nice to just stretch his arms out and let out a shameless yawn. But perhaps he had relaxed too early. After all, there was still trash on the streets. ¡°Oi, Hiraku, finally found you!¡± A bold declaration from someone who was hiding in the alleyway like a stray cat a moment ago. A fellow truant strode out boldly, flanked by his friends. He had a crew cut and his chin was tilted upwards, as if he was trying to look down on the blue-haired boy. Trying, and failing. Hiraku smirked, walking forwards until the height difference between him and the delinquent was clear as day. ¡°Maybe you should wear some heels next time you do that, Daiki-chan?¡± An instant effect. The thick-skulled Daiki snarled, beady eyes lighting with anger. ¡°Watch your mouth, bastard. Don¡¯t think y-¡± Before Daiki could finish his threat, a fist slammed into his nose. Blood squirted from the sides, and he stumbled back, only to topple over as a foot smashed into the side of his knee. With a thump, the delinquent fell on his ass. Hiraku pounced after that sweeping kick, launching himself onto the stockier boy. Daiki¡¯s back struck the asphalt, knocking the air out of him. For a single moment, the blue-haired boy restrained himself. Not the eyes. Not the throat. Not the solar plexus. A soundless roar was made as he pummelled Daiki viciously, adrenaline numbing his pain as his fists struck hard muscle and bone. It was a display of violence, of dominance that was so brutal that the lackeys Daiki brought were rooted in place by fear of this wanton ferocity. It was an exchange that only lasted thirty seconds, and Hiraku hadn¡¯t even taken off his backpack during all this. Pushing himself off the whipped dog, he shook loose his hands, a series of uncomforting cracks sounding from his red knuckles. The blue-haired boy breathed erratically, panting for air even as he glared at the other two, daring them to do anything. ¡°What was that, Daiki?¡± he asked, mockingly, ¡°Thought I couldn¡¯t do this because you brought your¡­what, friends, underlings over?¡± No answer. Maybe he went too far proving a point this time. As the ecstasy faded away, Hiraku calmed down, his own pains sharpening. It was pathetic, how far he had fallen as ¡®rational¡¯ human being, but that didn¡¯t change how great it felt. After all, physical activity generated endorphins, and endorphins generated happiness. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. There was still no verbal response from the trio, so he left, a spring in his step and a smile on his face. ¡°Uwah, how scary~¡± Hiraku whipped around suddenly, searching for that voice that had been so close behind him. It had been female, spritely and unconcerned, but the source, where was it? An autumnal breeze swept through the streets. His imagination, perhaps. He unclenched his fists, disappointed. Five hundred meters away, standing precariously on top of a telephone pole, a girl pouted. ¡°Boo, so he¡¯s not a superhuman after all.¡±
In the end, no other detours were made. He had hoped for another event out of the ordinary, like a girl appearing after he beat up Daiki, revealing that she was their boss, and then engaging him in mortal combat. Or inviting him to an underground fighting ring that crowned the strongest high school fist fighter. Or deciding that he was the hero that the town needed, and granting him all the equipment he needed to fight villains. But those were merely fantasies, and he was inside his drab apartment suite before he knew it. The tatami mats felt nice against his back, and Hiraku looked up towards the creamy ceiling. He had chosen to go to this high school specifically because he could live away from his parents. It was so that he could learn to become more independent, but the garbage bags full of convenience store bentos spoke of a different story. Laziness was poisonous. But motivation was something gained from having purpose. And this was a shitty, boring, shallow, dying world that he couldn¡¯t find any purpose in. Ah, what a pain. He rolled onto his side, towards an aged bookshelf, bending under the weight of its contents. Fantasies that he could be moved by. Mysteries that he could chew on. Science fiction that could expand his mind. Worlds that were far removed from the boring one that he lived in right now. Slowly, he stood up. He was hungry, and it was past lunch now, but Hiraku didn¡¯t quite feel like eating yet. Pulling out a slim, worn-out novella, he propped an elbow against his table, running his fingers over the faded cover. He¡¯ll kill time for a while longer. ¡°Wow, what a surprise! I didn¡¯t know the delinquent was a bookworm!¡± The same voice as before, but now, as Hiraku turned around, he could clearly see the owner of that voice. On the open patio, a girl that could be described more graceful than beautiful waved. Her dark-brown hair was pinned upwards in a folded ponytail, cherry blossom petals laced with it. She hopped into the room without a sound, her black sailor uniform modified to look more like that of a performer¡¯s than anything else. As if it was a costume, not a uniform. Hiraku stood up, placing his book down onto the table. His muscles were tense, but she was slender and short. Unless she pulled out a gun, he could probably take care of this home invader. ¡°Oh geez,¡± she laughed, golden eyes sparkling, ¡°No need to be so defensive, Himura-kun~¡± He glared. ¡°How do you know my name?¡± ¡°The nameplate on your room, obviously!¡± ¡°¡­tch.¡± Light as air, the cherry blossom girl hopped from where she stood to the low-lying table, pirouetting elegantly as she landed. Her short skirt lifted up just high enough to confirm that there was no reason to sneak a peek under it. She wore shorts, after all. ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to take revenge or blackmail you. Just a question, is all~¡± For once, someone who was his age or younger was looking down on him. She was even smirking due to this, and, despite himself, Hiraku was hoping that the table would collapse from her weight and send her falling down. ¡°Sure, go shoot.¡± The girl smiled wider, and a cold draft poured in, caressing her uneven bangs. ¡°So, Himura-kun¡­¡± An electric tingle shot up his spine. ¡°¡­do you wish for a new world?¡± Chapter 2 - Pretense ¡°So, Himura-kun¡­do you wish for a new world?¡± That question reverberated through Hiraku¡¯s mind, paralyzing him with its tempting possibilities. Was this truly a question? Or was it an invitation, to a world far removed from his own? That electric tingle became a chill, as he gazed in the girl¡¯s golden eyes. They were resolute, truthful. The eyes of someone many times worldlier than himself. ¡°I d-¡± ¡°Then congratulations!¡± In an instant, that grave expression of hers was discarded like a mask, and the cherry blossom girl bowed self-indulgently. Her hands weaved through the air, and with a flourish, she pulled out a letter from out of nowhere. ¡°From now on,¡± she declared, ¡°Say good bye to your lonely world and hello to one where you live together with a beautiful, intelligent teenage girl!¡± Hiraku frowned. ¡°You a magician or something?¡± ¡°What else could I be? A wizard?¡± He swallowed his displeasure and took the letter, noticing his father¡¯s stamp in the corner. From his parents, huh? ¡°Didn¡¯t know I had a cousin,¡± he muttered as he read silently. ¡°Would have remembered a name as flashy as ¡®Purify Crying Winds¡¯.¡± ¡°Well, can¡¯t be as bad as Scarlet Village Pioneer, Himura-kun~¡± ¡°Shut up, Kazanari-san.¡± He sat down once more. Apparently, she was going to attend the same school that he had been, and his dad thought he¡¯d be nice to his sister-in-law and throw Kazanari Shinobu into his suite. It was a tidy, if not uncharacteristically generous explanation, and it didn''t sit well with him. Shinobu being on the patio before he came home could be explained by the landlady opening up the door for her when she arrived, but¡­ ¡°Where¡¯s your luggage?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, my dad¡¯s the CEO of a software company, so I generally just buy what I need with his credit card!¡± ¡°¡­no wonder you¡¯re not concerned about breaking the table. Damned rich privileged brats, pointlessly pampered by the wealth of their elders¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing, Kazanari-san. Just talking to myself.¡± ¡°Oho, must be a habit developed from loneliness¡­.¡± A smirk surfaced on her child-like face as she hopped back down, sitting opposite to him. ¡°Well then, Himura-kun, I¡¯ll be in your care now! Please show me around town!¡± Ugh, this ¡®cousin¡¯ of his really was a pain in the butt. He¡¯ll have to call his dad about it afterwards and confirm. Lifting open the cover of his book once more, he said, as if responding to an overeager child, ¡°No, I¡¯m busy. Go find yourself a map and do it yourself.¡± ¡°Uwah, so cold~¡± ¡°You saw me beat up that fatass from earlier, didn¡¯t you? What did you expect, that I had a soft side underneath?¡± ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t made any advances on me yet¡­¡± Hiraku rolled his eyes. ¡°Cause I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Ehhhhh?¡± Shinobu covered her mouth in mock surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­but, wait, that makes sense then! So that¡¯s why you were on t-¡± Was that really the response of a normal, rational girl with common sense? ¡°Shut up. You misunderstood me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it~ We live in a modern society that¡¯s very tolerant to same-sex relationships!¡± ¡°Listen, what I meant is that, even if you look cute and all that crap, you¡¯re annoying as hell. Maybe you¡¯ve made yourself a male harem in middle school because kids think with their dicks more than their brains then, but here? Learn to shut the fuck up or they¡¯ll do it for you. The nail that stands out gets hammered down, and people would be more than willing to smash you into bits.¡± With a derisive snort, he turned away from her, finally going back to his book. It wasn¡¯t that he particularly hated how talkative the brunette was. He had grown sick of the ¡®peaceful¡¯ quiet of his suite after the first week spent there, but Shinobu needed to understand that her bubbliness and her jokes wasn¡¯t something that society would appreciate after she grew up. Eccentricity wasn''t taken well in a boring world of logic, after all. An uncomfortable silence descended, a silence broken only by the cawing of crows off in the distance and the flipping of the page. In the corner of his eye, he could see her body shaking. The blue-haired youth twitched. Was she¡­crying? A mixture of regret and apprehension surfaced. He did go a little too far, huh? He sighed, scratched his head, and finally turned back to face her. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for going so far, bu-¡± Shinobu wasn''t crying. She was laughing without making a sound, clutching her stomach as she violently shook. There were tears in her eyes, and her cherry blossom hairclips waved about, as if blown by a wind that wasn¡¯t there. And when she finally noticed him, the audacious girl only gave voice to her laughter. Hiraku could feel his face burn up, and he repressed the urge to flip the table into her face. He glowered, his lavender eyes sparking with a dangerous light. But Shinobu didn¡¯t care, and she laughed until she was wheezing, wiping tears out of the corners of her eyes. ¡°Oh man, sorry about that, but it was simply too damn funny!¡± ¡°I was serious.¡± ¡°Still joking around, Himura-kun? ¡®The nail that stands out gets hammered down¡¯? Do you seriously believe that? That¡¯s coming from someone who plays at being delinquent?¡± ¡°Those are two different things.¡± ¡°Oh, how? If you actually cared about what people around you thought, if you were actually afraid of getting hammered down, why skip school and beat up thugs?¡± ¡°At least I¡¯m self-aware.¡± Shinobu spread her arms out, as if challenging him. ¡°Wowzers, that¡¯s mighty pretentious of you, Hiraku! Just admit it already, you criticize other people in order to make yourself feel more special!¡± He scoffed at her words, folding his arms. ¡°What, you think you know everything about me just because we¡¯re related?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± she admitted, almost too readily, ¡°But it¡¯s normal to think that you¡¯re a special snowflake that¡¯s better off than the sheep of society, right? What was it called again? That middle school thing were you indulge in self-delusions? Chuu-¡± Bang. Hiraku¡¯s fist slammed into the table, a lance of pain racing up his hand from the impact. He ignored the pain as he stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to get food now,¡± he said, gritting his teeth. Her words hit too close to home, and that pissed him off. She spoke the truth, and he wouldn¡¯t be the type of juvenile brat to deny that, but he still needed a walk or he might invert her face. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He needed to calm down and relax. After getting food, he¡¯ll call his dad and figure out a way for Shinobu to live somewhere else. Jamming his feet into his shoes, Hiraku pushed open the door and headed out. The sun was in his eyes, and he turned them away, pulling the door shut with his feet. As he descended the exterior staircase, he stopped. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t.¡± Hiraku clicked his tongue. He couldn¡¯t tell whether or not she was faking that expression of remorse, but for now, he¡¯ll take it at face value. He exhaled deeply, before his tone became grave. ¡°If you so much as speak a single word before we get there, I¡¯ll head back home and we can starve together.¡± ¡°Got it, sir!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re paying for dinner tonight.¡± ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re a rather tall nail, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Thanks, but you¡¯re the taller one here, sir!¡± Unexpectedly, a smile crept up on Hiraku¡¯s face, and, upon seeing that, Shinobu brightened. Not bad. Maybe they simply gotten off the wrong foot.
Afternoon rays painted the roads a warm orange, and a deluge of students headed back home from club activities. Compared to noontime, it was so much busier on the streets. A groups of friends chatted side by side. Baseball club members sped by on bikes, pedalling back to a home that promised a warm meal. A spotted cat caught the attention of three high school girls on top of a stone wall, and gorged itself on lunchtime leftovers. And, though Shinobu wasn¡¯t able to completely keep her mouth shut during the walk to the convenience store, Hiraku pretended not to notice. He was hungry, after all. The Apple Rabbit was a family-owned convenience store located ten minutes away from the apartment, a white-plastered building that had fresh fruits and flowers displayed outside the shop like a grocery store. The two of them strode through the automatic doors, and into the fluorescently lit interior. Like a true corner store, there was nothing outside of food and newspapers. Aisles were filled with snacks and soda, a colorful display of empty calories. Though the cherry blossom brunette lingered over them, Hiraku paid it no attention, for what he desired was in the very back. It was currently the afternoon. The Apple Rabbit was an establishment that endorsed its ¡®fresh, made-on-location¡¯ bento boxes, but, right now, there were no dinner bentos. Due to that, the only bentos available were the ones that hadn¡¯t been sold during lunch. The ones that, after losing their ¡®freshness¡¯, were now on a discount. A glorious discount that traded food quality for food quantity. Hummed happily, the growing boy lifted up three tonkatsu meals out from the refrigerator, balancing them on top of each other. ¡°No wonder your suite is so full of trash,¡± Shinobu remarked, whistling at the contents in his hands. ¡°That¡¯s funny, coming from someone with a basket full of candy.¡± As if fearing that he¡¯d confiscate them, she took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m the one that¡¯s paying, so I get to decide!¡± ¡°Well, technically, your father¡¯s credit card is doing that.¡± ¡°Well, he gave it to me, so it¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Whatever, just explain to him that I¡¯m not the one who did so much damage to his credit card statement at the end of the month.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll tell him that you forced me to buy all that~¡± If looks could kill, the look that Hiraku gave her¡­would only have tickled. ¡°Anyways,¡± the young girl continued, ¡°Help me carry this, Hiraku! It¡¯s super heavy, you know!¡± He smirked. ¡°Just like how heavy you¡¯d be after eating all this, eh, Shinobu?.¡± She pouted at his words, but didn¡¯t say anything else as he received the shopping cart from her. The weight actually surprised him. When was snack food packaging so damn excessive? He had to admit, though, that perhaps his niece wasn¡¯t that terrible of a human being. She was probably the same type of person as himself, except she chose to mock humanity, as opposed to hate it. Well, no, mocking might be the wrong term here. As Shinobu playfully bounced from one section of the aisle to the other, catching the eyes of curious shoppers, Hiraku revised his impressions. She was someone who enjoyed humanity¡¯s faults, and cared not for its judgments. ¡°Better than myself, I suppose.¡± At the cashier¡¯s counter, she turned around once more and called out, shamelessly, ¡°Get over here already, slowpoke!¡± As he brought over the basket laden with snacks and meals, he cringed at all the attention that was suddenly pointed in his direction. Damn brat, not understanding the difference between an indoors voice and an outdoors one¡­ ¡°Really, would it kill you to keep quiet?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Freedom of speech is a basic human right!¡± ¡°¡­tch. And silence is golden.¡± ¡°But it isn¡¯t diamonds~¡± The cashier coughed then, directing the couple¡¯s attention towards the cost displayed on the machine. He forced an apologetic smile towards the pimpled part-timer, before checking it out. Except¡­there was something off with the numbers. More specifically, they weren¡¯t numbers at all. Hiraku blinked. Letters? ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s wrong, Hiraku?¡± The concern in Shinobu¡¯s voice sounded hollow as she looked up at him. Her eyes made contact with his own, and he could see the clarity in them, an assured certainty that only confused himself further. Didn¡¯t she see those nonsensical letters too? Abruptly, his vision flickered, and he blinked rapidly, wiping away whatever had gotten in them. Damned dirt specks, flies, or what other shit was in the air. His lavender eyes were still a little blurry when he looked up towards Shinobu. ¡°Oh, it was n-¡± The boy froze. What? What was this? Afternoon rays painted the interior of the Apple Rabbit orange, and the blood of its customers painted it red. There was no longer Shinobu, the pimple-faced cashier, or the shoppers. Only a mess of corpses, and a monster that performed the duty of a reaper. Chapter 3 - Pleasure Its small, triangular head was scraping against the ceiling, and six probes extended outwards from it. They swiveled about in a v-shaped formation, glowing softly in the darkened store. Its legs, two long, skinny limbs that couldn¡¯t logically support its gargantuan upper body, perfectly straight, as if it could not bend. The linoleum floor was gouged with every step, a trail of jagged gashes in its wake. And its arms¡­its arms reached down to the floor, hanging loosely, more like rope than flesh. They swung like pendulums with each step, and ended in the claw of a mantis instead of a hand. Though it may have been a dark purple before, it had now been coated in enough blood that Hiraku couldn¡¯t even be certain. He felt the burn of vomit rushing up his throat, and he forced it down, not sure why it hadn¡¯t noticed him. Why was he alive? How could he be alive, when everyone else was dead? No, did it even matter, if he was going to die next? He began to shake, panicked thoughts bursting out of his mind. This absurd scene, those unanswerable questions, they locked his limbs and stole his freedom as the aberrant beast¡¯s probes swivelled in his direction. None of this made any sense, but¡­this was his reality now. Hiraku grit his teeth until it felt like they¡¯d break, discarding the shopping basket that his hands were still clenching. His fingers felt stiff, his palms sweaty, and he cringed as the basket contents spilled on the bloody sections of Shinobu. The impact made a sickly, sticky squelch, and he forced his eyes away from the ground. The beast faced him now, leisurely swaying back and forth. He had to keep his eyes on the monster and away from the floor. He had to think only of his hatred, not his fear and disgust. It was a situation that was out of his league, but he was the only one who could do anything now. There was no one outside the shop, and the power was down, meaning that the automatic doors wouldn¡¯t be functioning. Thus, there was only one path left, huh? Kill it before it killed him. Hiraku breathed through his mouth, coiled his legs, raised up his fists, and narrowed his lavender eyes. This was just Daiki with longer legs, longer arms, six eyes, two big blades, and a blood-bathing fetish. ¡°Come on, you bastard.¡± In response, the beast pitched its body forward, somersaulting through the air. With a terrible crash, its scythe-like claws cleaved through the ceiling. Glass shards fell like rain, causing Hiraku to shield his eyes as he dove forwards, barely managing to dodge underneath the monster before it landed. The entire store shook as its claws smashed deep into the ground, but Hiraku¡¯s footing was stable, rubber soles offering a good grip on the blood-soaked floor. Whipping around and dragging its whip-like limbs with it, the beast swung low, sending up a gust of wood chips into the blue-haired boy¡¯s body. However, the debris didn¡¯t hurt as long as it didn¡¯t get in his eyes, and Hiraku was too close for its claws to slice him to shreds. Hopping over the sweeping arms before evading the head-level one that came with its next spinning strike, Hiraku understood how it functioned in an instant, and almost laughed at its simplicity. The monster¡¯s attack could be considered similar to a ball and a chain. It spun its entire body in order to generate enough force to slice and smash through practically anything, and, once it picked up speed, it became impossible to approach the body. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. But Hiraku had reached the center of the storm before it picked up. He dropped down onto the ground as another blow passed overhead, picking up a piece of glass large enough for his whole hand to close over. The monster¡¯s spindly legs, as well as its talons, had dug themselves into the ground, creating a hole in which it could stay rooted while it wreaked havoc, and, as it was spinning just as fast as the rest of its body¡­ Before the fifth strike could smash into his crouched form, Hiraku drove the shard of glass into its legs. Glass shattered in his left hand, piercing the palm and sending hot needles up his arm, but, simultaneously, brackish blood spewed from the circular gash. It screeched eerily and toppled over, losing its balance, its attack going wide this time. A snap, a crack, and then, its feet snapped clean off, still rooted in the hole it dug whilst spinning. Yeah, this really was similar to Daiki, huh? Adrenaline coursed through Hiraku¡¯s veins as he leaped onto the monster, grabbing its probes by his right hand. At this range, those scythe-claws were useless, sealing it¡¯s only form of offense and defense. Gripping tightly, Hiraku tore its eyes out, more rotten blood spewing from the holes in its face. It felt vaguely like jello in his hands, and without tossing away the disgusting appendages, the boy drove his fist into its six-holed face. His left hand had been sacrificed to topple the giant, and now, his right hand was slowly, but surely, deforming its bleeding face. Each strike caused the monster¡¯s chest to heave, and each strike felt like hitting a rubber tire. His fist became numb, unpleasant sounds following every punch. Were his fingers fracturing? Was he going to continue on with this? Shouldn¡¯t he run away now? No, he wasn¡¯t satisfied with just this much. Hiraku¡¯s teeth showed themselves once more, his mouth curving upwards in the imitation of a smile. ¡°RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!¡± A scream escaped his smile, and then¡­intermingled with another one. The face that he had been beating on split like a Venus flytrap, revealing a maw full of serrated teeth. Unable to stop his fist in time, the jaws clamped down on his forearm, and immediately, he could feel it gnaw into his flesh. Suckers that he could not see latched onto that forearm, and his vision shook once more. They were draining the blood out of his body. He could no longer feel his fingers, and that sense of nothingness was beginning to spread up his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Hiraku ignored the pain, clenching his glass-slashed left hand. ¡°¡­screw¡­¡± Mustering up the vestiges of his strength, he punched into the side of its face. ¡°¡­with¡­¡± His vision shook, his skin stark-white against the blood that coated it. He felt breathless, lungs burning and shrivelling. His left arm faltered, unable to move. His head was too heavy for him to lift up, his eyelids too heavy to keep open. He was dying. But, funnily enough, Hiraku was fine with it. Because, at the very end, he experienced that life-changing, world-shaking abnormality that he so desired. Ah, so the world wasn¡¯t as boring as I thought. Hiraku slumped over, and fell into darkness. Chapter 4 - Equals ¡°¡­raku¡­?¡± A voice in the darkness. ¡°Hiraku?¡± It called to him, pulling on the vestiges of his consciousness. ¡°Hiraku, let¡¯s go already!¡± Ah. What? The blue-haired boy opened his eyes. The warmth of the setting sun cascaded through the glass doors, customers freely entering and exiting. The cashier cast a quizzical look in his direction, and a few disgruntled customers urged him to get going. The boxes of food in his hand were lukewarm, condensed water droplets gathering up on the plastic container. And, most importantly, Shinobu, who should be dead, waved at him, backlit by orange rays from outside the Apple Rabbit. He narrowed his eyes, flexing his uninjured right arm. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m coming.¡±
Shinobu took the lead, her ponytail bobbing up and down as she bounced along, humming a circus tune. Streetlamps flickered on as the afternoon gave way to the evening, the canvas of the sky painted with a shade of indigo. Students heading home became students heading for cram school, glued to their phones or studying materials, eagerly working towards the day they become a mindless drone in an office. If it was a different day, Hiraku would have sneered at their wasted effort. But he ignored them, wrapped up in his own little world as he tried to make sense of what had transpired. The trigger for the incident was that he had problems with his eyesight. After that, everyone was killed by that spinning beast, which then went on and essentially killed him. Once he ¡®died¡¯, everything was normal again. A hallucination? No, when he ¡®died¡¯, he hadn¡¯t moved a single inch. A dream? No, the pain was too real for that. Then what was it? A parallel dimension that he slipped into? A vision of the future that he interacted with? A glitch in the world of virtual reality that everyone else is unaware of? Those were all just wild theories though. The truth could not be discerned, only that it was something far removed from the ¡®normal¡¯ life that he had been caged in for his entire life. A sweet taste of the abnormal. A new world he trespassed on for one transient moment. Do you wish for a new world? Hiraku stopped, fluorescent lighting casting dark shadows on his features. As if sensing that, Shinobu, six steps ahead, stopped as well. Slowly, she turned her head around, so far back that looked painful. A smile graced her lips, a little too naturally. ¡°Finally found the seed, Hiraku? Took you long enough, but nice job!¡± Gently, he set the bags down, freeing up his hands. There was something eerie about her, something that she knew and he didn¡¯t. ¡°¡­who are you?¡± The cherry blossom girl twirled on the tip of her left foot, curtsying as she faced him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you confirm it yourself? I¡¯m a magician.¡± ¡°More specifically,¡± she continued, ¡°I deal with illusions and charms, all which could be broken if you didn¡¯t believe¡­but you did. You¡¯re quite na?ve, despite painting yourself as a cynical delinquent, eh?¡± ¡°Then, what you said about being my cousin¡­¡± ¡°¡­was just a plain ol¡¯ lie! Really, you didn¡¯t find it weird at all? Girl that you never met pops up in your balcony? Your parents don¡¯t give you a heads up? The landlord doesn¡¯t double check at all?¡± Shinobu chuckled, not a single trace of malice in her tone. It was as if she was a child, laughing after pulling off a prank, and that angered him. A flame was burning in his stomach, but for now, he¡¯ll let it smoulder. ¡°I was giving you the benefit of the doubt.¡± ¡°Nope! You simply wanted something interesting to happen, even if would turn out to just a silly slice-of-life!¡± Hiraku glowered, his eyes venomous. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you this before? Don¡¯t talk like you know me.¡± Shinobu lifted her slender arms outwards, as if inviting him to attack. ¡°You didn¡¯t say that, actually! But that¡¯s beside the point. I don¡¯t know you, Hiraku. But I know myself, and I know that we¡¯re the same type of idiot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I borrowed your mind, you know? Dropped your consciousness into that massacre to let you test the waters. If you were a truly ordinary person, you would have pissed yourself or something, before trying to hide or run away. If you were, say, an army veteran or something, you would have done the same, without the pissing. But you didn¡¯t! Instead, you charged at that thing and successfully took it down!¡± Was it another of her illusions, or was Shinobu actually happy? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°It took you less than five seconds to adjust to your new circumstances! You were able to understand the Doll¡¯s attack method after three incidences! The only reason you failed was because you weren¡¯t able to correlate its scream to the fact that it had a mouth, and even then, you performed admirably! Ultimately, you lack common sense and experience against monstrous foes, but for your first time, without any training, you did great!¡± She was smiling, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her voice loaded with joy. ¡°And you know what¡¯s even better? When I talked about magic, you didn¡¯t even bat an eye! Your desire for something extraordinary is so strong that you¡¯ll believe in it without even any concrete proof! Sure, you try to hide it, but that¡¯s great! That¡¯s just like me!¡± The stars began to appear, and the moon shone down on the lunatic, her words ringing in his ears. Hiraku¡¯s anger was dissipating in the face of her ardent excitement, and once again, he found himself thinking that Shinobu wasn¡¯t that bad of a person. No, that wasn¡¯t it. It was magic, wasn¡¯t it? A magic that seized the hearts of those it was cast upon. He didn¡¯t know how she was doing this, but Hiraku focused, clearing his mind as she jabbered on. He couldn¡¯t trust his impressions of her. Shinobu may be telling the truth. She may indeed be a resident of another world. But, as a magician of illusions and charms, she was not trustworthy. ¡°Shut up, Shinobu.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°The type of person I hate the most are those that hide behind a mask and lie through their teeth. I don¡¯t care about your little act. Just tell me this: is there a new world?¡± Her excitement faded, replaced by a bitterness that he hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡°There is.¡± ¡°Where?¡± She gazed into his eyes, and though they were far apart, he could feel the electric intensity in them. A moment later, a map appeared out of thin air, floating half a meter away from his face. An illusion. Just like that letter from his parents that she had brought out from nowhere. ¡°Here.¡± A red line raced through the roads on the map, acting as directions to an address Hiraku did not notice. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, tersely. An uncomfortable silence passed, both sides waiting for the other to make a move. In the end, Shinobu turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± she said, her body melting into the background. ¡°Tch.¡± When had she replaced herself with an illusion? That smouldering anger warmed his body as he picked up the bags once more. With knuckles as white as bone, he began to follow those illusionary directions into unknown territory. Overhead, clouds began to gather over the night sky, a cold wind picking up on the autumnal night.
Caf¨¦ Nowhere. The illusionary map had disappeared when its use was completed, and now, he was standing before a poorly maintained restaurant. From the outside, Hiraku could only imagine that it was a place that didn¡¯t get any customers. The windows of the wooden building were boarded up with cheap plywood, and half of the neon-lit letters that spelled out the caf¨¦¡¯s name were broken. The doors were, curiously enough, made of stained-glass, a rainbow lit up by the warm light that came from the inside of the building. It, really, was the only way anyone would have been able to tell that the place was open. Feeling pensive, Hiraku looked from one side of the road to the other. No one else was on the road. So he was alone, in an unknown part of town, heading to a location just because a liar told him to. Ah, this was so stupid. But Hiraku pushed open the door anyways. Instantly, a strong, yet pleasant aroma of alcohol of coffee washed over his body. The lighting of the room was dim, incandescent bulbs hanging irregularly from the ceiling, but only one customer sat in Caf¨¦ Nowhere. Shinobu Kazanari, the ponytailed brunette with cherry blossoms entangled in her hair and eyes of golden lightning. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. ¡°Oh, glad you could m-¡± In an instant, Hiraku closed the gap and drove his fist into her face. Convenience store snacks scattered over the wooden floor as Shinobu fell off her chair, crashing against the leg of a neighboring table. ¡°Now¡­¡± Hiraku dropped the shopping bags on the table, satisfied. ¡°¡­we¡¯re even.¡± Chapter 5 - Spirits ¡°We¡¯re even now? Great!¡± As if nothing had happened, Shinobu got off the chair, straightening the steel chair and sitting down once more. Blood flowed from her nose, and she cupped her chin as she waved at Hiraku. It unnerved him, how she could maintain that cheerful attitude even after he punched her in the face. An incomprehensible aberrant, she was. Contrary to his expectations, Caf¨¦ Nowhere¡¯s interior was simply odd, with nothing that really stood out. Landscape paintings filled up the bland walls, every one of them featuring some foreign landscape, whether it be Stonehenge, the Pyramids, or the Amazon River. Only a few chairs and tables occupied the space, enough to seat a group of twelve, while a baby blue piano stood at the end of the room. And yet, despite how empty the restaurant was, everything was spotless, in anticipation for the customers that were to come. Perhaps Hiraku¡¯s judgment was too hasty. Perhaps Caf¨¦ Nowhere¡¯s patrons came over during mornings, not evenings. But, regardless, nothing hinted at the ¡®new world¡¯ that Shinobu spoke about. Sitting down and popping open a bento box, the blue-haired boy pointed his chopsticks at her. ¡°Well, gonna explain?¡± Shinobu wagged her finger, shaking her head. ¡°Tsk tsk, shouldn¡¯t eat food you brought from the outside in a restaurant, Hiraku! It¡¯s bad manners~¡± He tossed a slice of breaded pork into his mouth, savouring the meaty juices that spilled out from a bite. ¡°Geez,¡± she pouted, ¡°N-¡± The door from behind the counter was kicked open, and instantly, the smell of alcohol strengthened. A tanned woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, stepped out from the back room. Silver hair, long and straight, framed her hourglass figure. In the caf¨¦¡¯s warm light, it glowed softly, with a radiant starlight. Her flushed face and her unfocused blue eyes made it clear where the stench came from, but she carried herself confidently, surveying the room as if she owned it. She probably did. Would make sense that the owner of a caf¨¦ with no customers would turn to excessive alcohol consumption in order to drown away her sorrows. ¡°Oi,¡± the woman said, eyes locking onto Hikaru. ¡°What.¡± ¡°Give me one.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hiraku stared at her for a long, long minute. For someone wearing a bartender¡¯s outfit, she really didn¡¯t act the part of a hospitable, charming hostess, huh? He ended up tossing a boxed meal in her direction anyways, though. It wasn¡¯t his money that he was throwing away, in the end. The woman caught it, nodding in satisfaction. ¡°Good to see that chivalry isn¡¯t dead.¡± ¡°I was the one that bought it though, Noa-chan~¡± ¡°Then I take back my comment. Chivalry is dead.¡± The woman, Noa, didn¡¯t seem to be bothered at all though, and popped open the plastic container. With a quick, well-trained motion, she scooped up a quarter of the contents and dumped it into her mouth. Hiraku cringed as she swallowed it all without chewing, while Shinobu clapped, forgetting that blood was still leaking out of her nostrils. With an ungraceful burp, the slovenly woman stretched outwards, joints popping. ¡°Mmm, that hit the spot¡­and Kazanari-san, stop bleeding over the goddamn table. I already finished with the purification of the equipment, so just head to the back and wash yourself off.¡± ¡°Alright~ Thanks a bunch!¡± ¡°And this is the Himura kid you talked to me about, huh? The delinquent kid? He did that to you?¡± ¡°Yep! But we¡¯re even now, so don¡¯t worry about it!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have worried regardless. Knowing you, it was probably well-deserved.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± With that, Shinobu hopped over the bar counter, scrambling into what appeared to be a kitchen. She still hadn¡¯t covered her nose, and a blood trail followed her into that room. ¡°Ah, shit.¡± Noa groaned, before pulling out a damp cloth. Hopping over, the silver-haired woman began wiping the floor clean. ¡°Well then, Himura-kun, what are you here for?¡± Hiraku didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead taking his time to chew and swallow. The youth set his chopsticks to the side, cracked his neck, and said, ¡°Shinobu spoke of a new world. I¡¯m here to confirm that.¡± ¡°Oh, close to her now?¡± ¡°No, but she calls me by my first name as well.¡± Noa smiled dryly. ¡°Yeah, sounds like her.¡± ¡°So¡­what can you tell me?¡± ¡°Yeesh, so eager. No wonder Kazanari-san was going on about how the two of you were soul-twins or whatnot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk as if y-¡± ¡°As if I know you? That your catchphrase or something?¡± Noa laughed heartily, before brushing a silver strand out of her eyes. ¡°Well, guess that¡¯s the normal reaction when strangers start judging you. But at the same time¡­it¡¯s also the truth.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. She finished wiping the blood off the floor, and then sat herself opposite to Hiraku. ¡°After all, if you weren¡¯t the same as her, you wouldn¡¯t be here the first place, would you?¡± Slowly, Noa¡¯s eyes began to regain their focus, freezing into chips of ice that stared into his very soul. ¡°Underneath the veil of modern society, there lies another world, one that separated itself after logic and science overwhelmed religion and superstition. It is a place where those who cannot ¡®believe¡¯, cannot ¡®see¡¯, and even if one does believe, there are only a few points where these two worlds intersect, granting one the ability to slip under the veil.¡± ¡°There¡¯s many different names for that place. The Underworld, the Far Shore, Limbo, you get the idea, but the ¡®official¡¯ name is Unveil, the land under the veil.¡± ¡°Sounds like someone had terrible naming sense,¡± Hiraku said. ¡°It¡¯s simple though. Just like how SOS is the universal method of calling for help. Anyways, as its other names imply, it¡¯s a world of remnant spirits too attached to the world to pass on. Some of them become evil spirits, and some of them become gods of the land. They just want to continue existing, you see, so they go around interfering with the lives of humans.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where you step in?¡± ¡°You catch on quick, huh? Guess it¡¯s to be expected though. Those who can cross the veil and interfere with both sides have the duty of suppressing malignant spirits before they interfere too much with society.¡± ¡°Like Ghostbusters.¡± ¡°Never saw that movie, but probably.¡± So he was to be a ¡®hero¡¯ then, was it? Protect that shitty society with its shitty people and their shitty obsessions? Hiraku bit his lower lip, hesitant. What stood before him was a new world, but the price of entrance meant serving the rotten carcass of human society. And that¡­ ¡°You¡¯re hesitant about the duty, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The woman stood up, motioning Hiraku to follow her. ¡°I can see it in your eyes, Himura-kun, and even if I was blind, I can understand your hesitation regardless. But you know what? Humans aren¡¯t as ugly as you think they are. If an apple is rotten, just cut off the rotten parts.¡± He looked away. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not as complicated as you think.¡± With that, the two of them entered the kitchen. It was surprisingly spacious and pure white, from the tables to the sinks to the utensils themselves. Everything looked as if it were made of plastic and in that white wonderland, there were only two things that stood out. Shinobu, who had plugged up her nose with paper tissues, and a black gakuran, surrounded by glass mugs filled with a clear liquid. ¡°Hey, Noa-chan, Hiraku! Finally done chatting?¡± The energetic girl waved at the two of them, and Hiraku felt a grin emerging. He suppress it, denying her the pleasure of knowing that her magics still had an effect on him. ¡°Yeah, he understood everything pretty quickly. No annoying questions, unlike you.¡± Shinobu gave him a double thumbs up, another gesture that he did no reciprocate. Instead, the blue-haired boy turned his attention to the set of black clothing, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°A uniform. Haven¡¯t you seen this before?¡± Noa knocked Shinobu on the head lightly, before saying, ¡°Its protective gear, soaked in purifying fumes in order to guard against evil intent. You could probably get stabbed by a kitchen knife and come out of it with a small cut, as long as it hits the uniform first. Of course, it¡¯s most important quality is that it prevents possession, so no smallfry will crawl in and steal your body.¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­why is this here?¡± Noa and Shinobu shared a look, before grinning. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, Himura-kun?¡± ¡°You wanted to go to a new world, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing! Now that Noa-chan¡¯s dumped all that info into your head, I¡¯ll be the one who shows you what work actually looks like! Now take that off and put this on!¡± Oh boy, he didn''t like this at all. ¡°...I¡¯ll get a weapon too, right? To protect myself?¡± Shinobu chortled, waving away his concerns. ¡°Eh, just use your fists or something. Aren¡¯t you a man?¡± ¡°Yeah," he replied, "Remember how that turned out in the little dreamland you tossed me in?¡± ¡°Oh, that...Don¡¯t worry, everything will be just fine if you believe in me!" ¡°...right.¡± Chapter 6 - Wonderland ¡°So¡­are you two going to leave?¡± Shinobu cocked her head to the side. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I need to take off my clothes to put these on?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only be wearing my underwear for a period of time?¡± ¡°Ok?¡± ¡°I mean, do you not see what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be half-naked, and you¡¯ll be watching? Privacy concerns, that sort of stuff? ¡­Goddammit, Noa, stop laughing and get her out!¡± The caf¨¦ owner¡¯s shoulders were shaking from laughter, as she said, ¡°I have no problems either, Himura-kun! Come on, strip!¡± ¡°I mean,¡± Shinobu said, confusion still in her voice, ¡°People aren¡¯t concerned when others see them in swimwear, right?¡± ¡°¡­guess that¡¯s another sign of abnormality.¡± With a displeased grimace, the blue-haired boy grabbed the gakuran and headed out of that stark white room. Though that solution had always been an option, defeat tasted bitter on his tongue.
The black school uniform fit well, the fabric soft and cool against his skin. Despite its ordinary outer appearance, the inside was embroidered with a variety of complex patterns. Hiraku felt as if his mind was clearer, more focused, after putting it on, and could only assume that this was yet another ¡®magic¡¯ laced into the collared jacket and trousers. A silver pin in the shape of a torii, a shrine gate, rested in the trousers¡¯ pocket. Maybe it had some other meaning, but the all-black attire made him feel like a ninja, childishly enough, and he didn¡¯t want to ruin that sensation by pinning a flashy ornament to it. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Shinobu asked in mangled Engrish. She had changed from her school girl uniform to a pair of faded jeans and a gray hoodie. It would have almost been normal, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the hood had two cat ears sticking out of it. ¡°I¡¯d be more ready if you gave me a magical sword or something, but sure. Noa, you¡¯re not coming?¡± ¡°Naw,¡± the silver-haired beauty waved, ¡°You kids go have fun.¡± ¡°Such a responsible adult.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to hear that from an edgy brat like you, Himura-kun.¡± ¡°Bye bye, Noa-chan~¡± With that, the door was opened, leading to¡­an alleyway. An alleyway so dark that it might as well have been a tunnel. In the dim moonlight, Hiraku could barely make out the difference between the buildings and the sky. Reaching into his pockets for his phone, the youth cursed as he realized that everything from his house keys to his wallet was in the clothes that he changed out of. ¡°Geez, Hiraku, what are you doing? Let¡¯s go already!¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t see shit, right?¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­there¡¯s actually nothing in this alleyway, so just touch your hand against a wall and follow my voice!¡± ¡°Better not decide to lead me the wrong way or something with ventriloquism or something¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a magician, not a ventriloquist,¡± Shinobu chastised, no doubt smirking smugly. ¡°Gotta remember that next time, Hiraku.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± They walked through the alleyway for another few minutes, the silence broken only by the squealing of rats and the yowling of cats. Without the moon, he couldn¡¯t tell at all how much time had passed, and without light, he couldn¡¯t tell where they were going. Neither end of the alleyway shone with the light of civilization, nor were there any signs of life from the tall buildings that stood on either side of it. He wasn¡¯t scared, but it was still uncomfortable, trudging along silently. ¡°So, Shinobu¡­what sort of person is Noa anyways?¡± ¡°Eh? Oh, I see! That¡¯s why you weren¡¯t interested in me! Your strike zone is m-¡± ¡°Shut the hell up.¡± ¡°Ahahahaha, sorry bout that, thought that you were a little too tense, so I thought a joke would lighten you up.¡± Hiraku shook his head. The path to hell was paved with good intentions, huh? ¡°Just tell me what you know.¡± ¡°Well¡­basically, Noa-chan¡¯s really grumpy when she¡¯s hungry, and she loves white knight types, because she wants to be pampered. Oh yeah, and her favorite food is fried fish cakes!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m more interested in why she knows about Unveil.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Shinobu smacked her fist into an open palm. ¡°Do you know the Yasaka Shrine, in Kyoto?¡± ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± ¡°Noa-chan¡¯s the eldest daughter of the shrine¡¯s owner, and was taught how to be miko at an early age. Of course, she wanted to live her own life instead, so she ran away from home, before setting up shop here!¡± ¡°A miko? Her? She looked Russian to me, with silver hair and all that¡­¡± ¡°Well, you have blue hair, Hiraku. What does that make you?¡± ¡°Agh, never mind. How did she learn of Unveil though? I mean¡­¡± ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t she tell you about how people who believe can see?¡± ¡°Yeah, but what does that have to do with this?¡± ¡°Well, basically, almost every person who knows of Unveil came from a traditional family, and grew up with their parents hammering concepts such as ¡®the spirit of the sword¡¯ or ¡®the demons that cause plagues¡¯ into their head. So they get exposed to Unveil when they¡¯re show interest, go to school, learn magic, chase off evil spirits, and voila. There you have it! Really, people like you, with only a desire for something weird, are the minority here.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Huh, so this is more well-known than I thought¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s another world, but it was part of this world in the past, you know?¡± ¡°I see¡­so, you¡¯re also from that sort of family?¡± ¡°You still didn¡¯t get it? I¡¯m the same as you, Hiraku! The minority that found this paradise because modern society was too boring!¡± ¡°Then your m-¡± ¡°Oh, here we are!¡± Hiraku almost bumped into Shinobu when she suddenly halted. Looking over her head, he couldn¡¯t immediately tell what she was stopping for, until something rippled. It was only a slight movement, but in that instant, the shadows became three dimensional, an ink-black fabric blowing in an unfelt wind. ¡°Well, see you on the other side!¡± Fearlessly, Shinobu grabbed onto the shadow itself, and pulled it apart. Before his eyes, space separated, a layer of reality being peeled off to reveal a landscape so bright he flinched. By the time his eyes adjusted to the darkness once more, the magician girl was gone. The darkness still pulsated, and tentatively, Hiraku touched it. Disappointing, but he felt nothing in his hand, as if he was grasping at air itself. Drawing it to the side like curtains, he closed his eyes to protect them from the blinding light, and then stepped forwards. A sense of vertigo overcame him, and Hiraku pitched forward, falling face first onto the ground. Senseless voices burst into his mind, and a myriad of vivid colors ate at his consciousness. His body instinctively curled up into a ball, as his body temperature fluctuated wildly. A lance of pain shot through his right hand and a prickly sensation ran up and down his face, stopping only once it reached his neck. He felt the presence of a dozen unseen invaders, trying to make their way inside his warm shell. And slowly, ever so slowly, he could feel something expanding in his chest, growing and growing and growing, until he could hardly breathe. He was drowning. No, he was¡­ The swirling colors faded, his vision slowly returning to normal. He forced himself upwards, standing uneasily on his feet. His body was still his own, his heartbeat slowing as he looked outwards. Shinobu and Noa weren¡¯t lying after all. Devoid of the stars, the moon, and the clouds, the night blanketed the world with a pitch black cloak. Brightly colored objects floated about in that blackness, from origami birds that left behind trails of green light to polyhedral objects that seemed to inflate and deflate in regular intervals. Bone-white buildings provided all the illumination that one needed in order to see, and, upon closer inspection, Hiraku noticed that they had no doors or windows. They weren¡¯t buildings at all, but instead, were sculptures mimicking buildings in the real world. All manners of fantastical creatures scuttled about on ground level, from horned giants to balls of puff. Though it was clear that these spirits could see him, none of them approached Hiraku, going on with whatever business they were off to. The cold air burned his lungs in the most wondrous way, and he etched the sights into his brain, his smile threatening to split his face in half. A dragon with golden scales and an ash-gray beard slithered through the skies majestically, its proud horns shedding a crystalline mist. A flock of ghostly hands sped through the streets, chattering in a high-pitched voice. A midget knight wearing iron leaf armor sat on a turtle as it proudly patrolled the skies. It was all so incomprehensible, this land of black skies and bright earth. A sense of childlike wonder overcame Hiraku, and laughter, quiet yet genuine, made it out of his voice. ¡°Enjoying it?¡± Shinobu stood before him, a smile on her lips. ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful.¡± ¡°Well then,¡± she exclaimed, flourishing dramatically, ¡°Allow me to introduce this place to you properly!¡± With a snap of her fingers, fireworks exploded in the black sky, a mesmerizing display of color and sound. The spirits stopped and marvelled at the sight, the origami birds dancing inbetween the illusionary sparkles. Bemused by the mortal¡¯s actions, the golden dragon joined in, offering a thunderous cry that echoed throughout the land. ¡°Welcome to Unveil, the land of spirits and the supernatural! Abandon your sense of reality and surrender to glorious abnormality, Hiraku!¡± The blue-haired boy could only laugh and concede to Shinobu. He still didn¡¯t trust her, but really he can¡¯t say that he hated her in this moment. Chapter 7 - Embrace The illusionary fireworks dissipated, leaving not even the smell of gunpowder in its wake. The spirits drifted on once more, to lives that Hiraku knew nothing of. They definitely moved with a sense of purpose, but they weren¡¯t living beings, so what exactly did most of them do? If he remembered correctly, they wished to validate their existence to human beings, but how exactly did they do that? ¡°Well then,¡± he said, buttoning up the collar of his gakuran, ¡°You said there was work, right?¡± ¡°Uwah, bored already?¡± Shinobu gasped in mock surprise. Hiraku rolled his eyes. ¡°We came here for a reason. Don¡¯t waste time.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have thought that the chuuni delinquent was such a focused person, but okay~!¡± With a clap of her hands, a colorful explosion of confetti and pink mist covering her body, before Shinobu stepped out in a decidedly different outfit. With framed glasses, a black cardigan, a silk blouse, slim trousers, and high heels, the ponytailed girl twirled the translucent ruler in her hand. ¡°More magic?¡± Seeing her flaunt that extraordinary power was starting to irritate the powerless Hiraku, but he bit his tongue. Complaints can be saved for later, after he learned more. ¡°Of course!¡± The girl snapped her ruler at empty air, and a blackboard popped out into existence with poppy sound effect. ¡°Now, Kazanari-sensei¡¯s mission briefing is in session! Everyone listen up please!¡± Hiraku applauded lazily, sitting crosslegged on the glowing ground. ¡°Tonight, we¡¯re going to be exorcising a Spirit with dominion over the concept of ¡®Hot-bloodedness¡¯! Kaminazuki Academy has designated it as a Type-Stray, so as long as nothing out of the ordinary happens, it¡¯d be the same as kicking a stray puppy!¡± ¡°Wait, what? Like, what¡¯s all this?!¡± ¡°Oh, looks like someone¡¯s been a bad student, eh? Guess Himura-kun is going to have to take some private lessons~¡± ¡°Shinobu, cut the crap. Explain things clearly, and stop messing around.¡± ¡°Boo.¡± Shinobu pouted, her fake clothes and accessories disappearing, ¡°You were so much more fun a few minutes ago.¡± ¡°Yeah, but explain to me. Exorcising? Dominion over ¡®Hot-bloodedness¡¯? Kaminazuki Academy? Type-Stray? Maybe you should have told me about all this before we got here?¡± ¡°Well, you never asked, so there!¡± Hiraku grimaced. The longer Shinobu stayed in Unveil, the more childish and immature she became, and this trend was pissing him off. Shinobu noticed that stormy expression of his though, and sighed, raising her palms up. ¡°Boys these days, so impatient and disruptive. Well, whatever, your reliable big sister w-¡± ¡°Shinobu!¡± ¡°¡­will explain on the way. Just follow me.¡± Picking himself off the ground, the blue-haired boy followed behind as Shinobu strode into the flock of spirits. Though some of the odd creatures regarded him with curiosity and he had to get out of the way of a progression of ghostly pallbearers, the residents of Unveil appeared rather accustomed to flesh-and-blood humans being among them. After the two of them reached a quieter part of the ¡®road¡¯, Shinobu began to speak. ¡°Exorcising forces evil spirits to pass on to the afterlife, and thus, everyone learns this. It¡¯s a widespread magical skill that can be found in practically any religion. If you don¡¯t exorcise a spirit, it won¡¯t disappear even if you kill it. So yeah, pretty important.¡± ¡°Spirits, as Noa-chan already told you, are souls that were unable to pass on because their attachment to the world was too strong. They all have dominion over either an element, a concept, or an action, from which they validate their existence and interfere with the world. In the case of this Type-Stray, which has dominion over the concept of ¡®hot-bloodedness¡¯¡­¡± Shinobu trailed off then, and Hiraku sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t actually know what that¡¯s supposed to mean, huh?¡± ¡°Tee hee~ I¡¯m actually testing you! What do you think?¡± ¡°Liar. And you can¡¯t even stay serious for more than a minute, huh?¡± Hiraku scratched his chin, leaning against a pearl mimicry of a vending machine. ¡°Probably something stupid like controlling emotions? Or maybe something more direct, like being able to heat up blood?¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go with that! Anyways, the spirit we¡¯re going after here would validate its existence by causing humans to get hot-blooded¡­whatever that means. The more humans that become affected by its interference, the stronger and more famous it becomes. Of course, it¡¯s not like hot-blooded rivalries are a bad thing, but from what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s been escalating verbal conflicts into violent ones recently.¡± Shinobu gave him a pointed glance then, and Hiraku looked the other way. ¡°Anyways, continuing on¡­Kaminazuki Academy is the institution that assigns rankings and offers work for people like us. Basically, our employer! They have a real pain in the ass method of ranking the threats that spirits present though, but a Type-Stray spirit is as scary as an angry, stray dog that hasn¡¯t eaten a good meal for three days.¡± Hiraku laughed. ¡°Is that even a threat to humans then?¡± She laughed as well. ¡°Well, rabies are fatal~¡± That stopped him in his tracks. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°Eh, don¡¯t tell me you thought that Kaminazuki Academy would send out purification missions on spirits that AREN¡¯T capable of causing grievous injury or death!¡± ¡°¡­Shinobu, just so you know, I fought that Beyblade monster in your dreamland with my bare hands because there was no way out. Can you please give me a weapon?¡± ¡°Geez, so nervous, Hiraku~ You¡¯re just here to watch me at work! Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be a single scratch on you!¡± The youth rolled his eyes. It still didn¡¯t sit well with him, but then again, the best thing that Shinobu could give him was an illusion anyways. He clenched his fist, tapping his knuckles against one of the buildings. Hard and solid. If it came down to it, Hiraku will grab that spirit and smash it against a wall until it stopped moving. Silence dominated the inverted world. Shinobu stopped walking, and Hiraku gathered his bearings once more. The black sky was empty, no spirits lingering in the darkness. There was a clear divide between that lively parade of spirits and the ghost town they were now in. Here, the buildings were tall, dilapidated, some leaning, others appearing as if they were Jenga towers, missing giant pieces. The light that came from the ground was erratic, some sections of town pitch black, while other sections were much too bright. An oppressive aura loomed over the space, and ominous figures danced in the corner of his vision, disappearing when he turned to face them. This was¡­ ¡°The Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang applies to the world of spirits quite well, you know?¡± Shinobu¡¯s smile disappeared, the playful light in her eyes replaced by a wary one. A chill ran down his spine. ¡°Then this is the Yin.¡± ¡°Yup. Our hunting grounds.¡± ¡°Pretty empty, huh?¡± ¡°Because the ones that survived learned how to hide.¡± The air had become stagnant, magnifying every little sound he made. This far away from the ¡®Yang¡¯ side of Unveil, Hiraku felt that, for the first time since coming in, the cold air was no longer refreshing. He hunched his body, protecting it from the icy fingers that plucked away his warmth. Shinobu did the same, pulling her hoodie over her head. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Each time he exhaled, a puff of fog escaped his lips. He wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it if it was winter, but in the land of spirits¡­were pieces of his soul leaving him? Creatures in the darkened spots skittered away, unseen. Ghostly wails resounded, a sorrowful dirge that trailed off into silence. He needed to focus, to stay sharp, to prevent any ambushes from feral spirits. A tense grin surfaced. This atmosphere, this pressure, that dreamland scenario Shinobu tossed him could simply not compare. Because this time, he was walking into it of his own volition. Because this time, he had a choice to back off, and he chose to dive deeper instead. Holy fuck, he was s- ¡°Ew, what a creepy grin.¡± A flash of pain burst between his eyes, and Hiraku jerked back. ¡°Lighten up, Hiraku,¡± Shinobu said, putting her hand back into her pocket, ¡°Noa-chan might be a drunkard, but she¡¯s still a first-class miko, so you¡¯ll be fine, defense-wise. Things only get harder if you jump at every shadow.¡± ¡°Tch. I wasn¡¯t jumping at all. I was simply preparing for all circumstances.¡± ¡°Kekek, sure you were, Hiraku. Listen, alright? This is advice from someone who¡¯s cuter and smarter and stronger than you. Fear and fascination go hand in hand. Stop being afraid of what¡¯s going to happen, and start looking forward to it!¡± ¡°I thought I made it obvious that I wasn¡¯t afraid. Anyways, you were acting like that too!¡± ¡°Eh? I was just keeping quiet because I wanted to give you time to get used to the atmosphere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®eh¡¯ me, you liar.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, Hiraku-chan~¡± With another ¡®tch¡¯, he pushed forwards, past Shinobu¡­before slowing down when he realized that walking past her was pointless. While they had been walking straight the whole time, it wasn¡¯t like Hiraku had any idea where their final destination was. Which brought up the question¡­ ¡°How are we going to find it anyways? You said they learned to hide, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only asking this now? Wow, did the cold air freeze your brain?¡± ¡°Shinobu¡­¡± ¡°Well, I was thinking of going a little farther in, but this is good enough. Just watch and learn¡­and also stand at least ten meters away.¡± Sitting down in seiza, back straight and hoodie off, the girl closed her eyes and formed a perfect circle with her hands, placing it on her lap. ¡°The earth rumbles, the first beat.¡± With a solemn phrase, a heartbeat resounded. The white ground fractured, dozens of small fissures radiating from Shinobu¡¯s central location. ¡°The metal strikes, the second flash.¡± With a solemn phrase, her skin shone. Small blades of peerless steel rose from the fissures, shining in the white light. ¡°The water flows, the third fall.¡± With a solemn phrase, the radiance receded. The blades rusted, turning into red dust as water pooled through the gaps, forming a ten meter-radius puddle around the girl. ¡°The wood grows, the fourth rise.¡± With a solemn phrase, her light reached upwards, a shining beacon. Trees rose, draining the puddle dry, as their branches extended outwards, leaves lush and green. ¡°For the flames I await; an offering of blood.¡± With a solemn phrase, Shinobu bit down onto her right thumb, until teeth pierced skin. Blood flowed through the open wound, and the leaves turned red. ¡°Protection, purge.¡± With a final phrase, Shinobu clapped her hands together once. Patterns, drawn with a pale blue light, shone on her hoodie, before fading into nothingness. Hiraku could only stare at that display of true magic. Not the fancy yet pointless illusions that Shinobu loved to flaunt, but something that had an actual effect on the world. It was simply¡­amazing. An art worth learning. A power that could change the world. Shinobu opened her eyes. They shone with electrifying energy, and excitement raced through Hikaru¡¯s body. ¡°Impressed? Good! I bet you¡¯re confused as to what all this is, so I¡¯ll explain things too!¡± Of course she had to ruin all that by casting another illusionary spell and acting like a teacher again. ¡°The simplest, and most effective ¡®bait¡¯ is that of a human body without protection from possession, which is what ¡®protection, purge¡¯ was for. However, that would cause literally every evil spirit to go sauntering about, which is why I need to send a specific invitation.¡± Shinobu gestured around herself, even as her body stayed in the same place. ¡°All spirits fall under one of the Five Elements, and each element generates another. Fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, water generates wood, and wood generates fire. The Spirit of Hot-Bloodedness would most likely fall underneath the category of fire, which is why I started from earth and ended at wood. Thus, only Spirits under the dominion of fire will interested. Others won¡¯t be able to trespass upon this hallowed ground.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± she continued, ¡°That still invitation still isn¡¯t focused enough, so once I¡¯ve done all that, I also have to prepare a catalyst to narrow down the candidates even further!¡± ¡°Which is why you used blood.¡± Hiraku was impressed. He hadn¡¯t pegged Shinobu as someone capable of thinking in such a manner. ¡°Yup! I¡¯d teach you how to do it yourself, but you have like, no qualifications whatsoever, so too bad, eh?¡± He ignored that jab. Hiraku could be patient. He could wait until this was over before pestering her about revealing the secrets of her magical powers to him. ¡°We wait then?¡± The ponytailed girl nodded, before closing her eyes again. The aura she emanated did not fade. The minutes ticked by. The red leaves fell. And then¡­ From the darkness, a dark red form drifted forwards. It swayed from side to side lazily, weaving through the air. Red drops fell in its wake, splattering on the ground before being drawn back up to its tadpole-like body. On the opposite end, Shinobu¡¯s eyes opened once more, a fearless smirk surfacing. It may have been an incomprehensible being, but it really was just the size of a dog. Nothing like the horned giants or the golden dragon that he had seen on the other side of Unveil. Hiraku relaxed. Time for some live action entertainment. The faceless being stopped five meters away from the grove of red trees. Shinobu¡¯s hands changed shape, the aura that shone like a beacon retracting into her body. Then, it turned to Hiraku. A black mask emerged from its blood-red depths, a mask of joy and gratitude. ¡°aaH, my ap0stl¨¦, ¦Ìou¡¯vEz finLLly Qrozzed too de§ñ Far Shore.¡± And, before Hiraku could react, burning blood embraced him. Chapter 8 - Answer He was drowning. The heat smothered him, melting away his thoughts. He flailed about helplessly, but the viscous blood clung to him stubbornly. It drained him of his strength, embracing him warmly, and slowly, frightfully, he realized he was losing himself to this pleasure. As easily as taking a dip in a hot spring, he fell into the monster¡¯s own thoughts. In the bloody depths, he saw an office worker, his face flushed, burning with indignation from a day of failures and rejections. In the burning abyss, he saw a couple screaming at each other. A baby is crying, her bottle one of the many broken things within the household. In the smouldering darkness, he saw a bald youth nursing his wounds in an empty house, shaking violently, viciously, unable to let go of his hatred. And, in the womb of the beast, he saw himself, the tinder that set others aflame. Ah. So he deserved t- ¡°Aku soku zan!¡± A radiant force blew away the smouldering darkness, blinding him. Swords of light flew past Hiraku, driving the vestiges of the Spirit away. Writhing madly, its blood-red body convulsed, slipping through the gaps as blades pierced the wall. The mask contorted into one of hatred, an ear-splitting shriek deafening him. But Shinobu faced it, unbothered. Standing at the edge of the forest, the brunette drew out a slim stick from her pockets, pointing it towards the enraged Spirit with divine righteousness. ¡°By my command, shatter! By your nature, corrode! Metal begets Water!¡± The sound of a dozen ringing bells overpowered its shriek, as the swords of light exploded, their radiant shards sliding into the Spirits body. Before Hiraku¡¯s eyes, those shards disintegrated, becoming swirling orbs that drove large holes into its body. The shrieks ceased as the body began to lose its tadpole shape, the dark red form bubbling erratically. The cherry blossom girl wasn¡¯t done, however, as she twirled the wand in her hand once more, flourishing it elegantly. With a wink at the blue-haired boy, she called out, voice ringing with power, ¡°Kuraokami, Sovereign God of Rain and Snow, I beseech thee with an offering of the soul! Freeze the evil before me and dash them into the earth!¡± At her command, ice raced up the Spirit, freezing it instantly. One final, strangled cry resounded before it fell onto the ground, shattering into dozens of large pieces. Bouncing about, the mask fell face-first onto the white ground, still. The one-sided exchange took less than a minute, and, at the end of all this, the only sign that Shinobu had exerted herself was a drop of sweat that formed on her forehead. Dumbfounded, Hiraku said, ¡°That¡­was fast.¡± Shinobu flashed a V-sign in his direction. ¡°It¡¯s only a Type-Stray, after all~¡± the brunette said. ¡°And I happen to be very good with the watery stuff!¡± The boy scratched his head. ¡°Going for that stereotype where water is related to illusions, huh?¡± ¡°Oh no, being an illusionist is different from Prayers. They¡¯re totally different things!¡± Hiraku picked himself off the ground. His exposed skin was beet red, as if he had spent too much time in the bath, but outside of that, he felt¡­fine. Everything was alright, and while it bothered him how useless he was, he could deal with it. Putting his hands on his hips and surveying the icy mess, he asked, ¡°Right¡­so what now?¡± ¡°Purification ritual, obviously. Help me gather the pieces while they¡¯re still frozen, cause it¡¯d be a total pain to do that process all over again.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just use magic to do all the gathering?¡± ¡°Geez, Hiraku, would you tell a God to do janitorial work for you just because you¡¯re feeling lazy? There¡¯s a time and place for everything.¡± ¡°Wait, what? You were actually talking to a God?¡± Shinobu laughed, kicking a few frozen pieces into a group. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why it¡¯s a Prayer. We offer up our souls in order to invoke the power of Gods or the Five Elements. Of course, use too much and you die, so it¡¯s better not to waste it, right?¡± He sighed, nodding. Looked like magic really was an incredible thing. Hiraku swept up the remains of the Spirit, irritation still scratching at him. It didn¡¯t sit well with him at all. The fight, if it could be called one, ended before he did anything useful. She offered up her life to a God to resolve the situation, while he sat on his ass the whole time. And, in the end, his past actions most likely caused the creation of the ¡®Type-Stray¡¯ the first place. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. But, on the other hand, did it really matter? When did he start caring about that deceptive magician? She taught him about the world, but Noa could have done so as well. She disabled the monster, but so could anyone involved with this ¡®Kaminazuki Academy¡¯. So, in the end, Shinobu was replaceable. Anyone could have been in her spot and done the same things. Not to mention, when it came down to it¡­did Hiraku really care about the people whose lives changed due to his interference? Did he feel sorry at all whenever he beat up Daiki? The answer was ¡®no¡¯. He didn¡¯t owe them anything. He hardly knew them. They offered nothing that he couldn¡¯t get from another source. So, why was it that, despite all those reasons, that regret still clung onto him? He grit his teeth as he picked up the Spirit¡¯s red mask, surprised at how slick it was. A frosty sheen covered its surface, and it sparkled in the white light. ¡°Are you done faffing about?¡± Shinobu called, beside an icy pile. ¡°It won¡¯t be able to move even if it¡¯s awake, seeing how its body is frozen, but it¡¯d be a pain in the ears if it started screaming, you know?¡± Hiraku rolled his eyes. ¡°Just freeze it properly.¡± ¡°I did though? Anyways, it¡¯s not like that¡¯d silence it.¡± ¡°Being frosty doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s frozen, y-¡± Hiraku stopped. Why were his hands suddenly warm? Why, when they held a cold object? A wave of heat surged from the mask, blasting Hiraku off his feet. Hot flames burnt the air, ruffling his hair as a Spirit returned to power. Reveling in crimson light, the Spirit of Hotbloodedness rose like a phoenix from frozen ashes, its mask a blazing white. ¡°Ep¦µsTl€! ?f¦£er m¨¦ y0¦Ì§ñ ?i¦£e!¡± Before its fiery tendrils ensnared Hiraku, Shinobu dove inbetween the two, her cherry blossom hairclips gleaming in the firelight. ¡°By my command, rise! By your nature, engulf! Water conquers fire!¡± A geyser burst from the ground as the magician lifted up her hand. Striking the burning mask, an explosion of steam burst outwards, covering the two in a warm dampness. But, just as Hiraku managed to relax, a white flash shone through the mist. ¡°EP¦µSTl¨¦€€¨¦€!!!!¡± Shinobu tensed, eyes of lightning searching for the next attack to come out of the fog. But that assumption had been wrong to begin with. Behind Hiraku, a delicate clink sounded. The Spirit¡¯s frozen pieces were already in flight when he turned. Two dozen spears launched themselves at the blue-haired boy, blades of death too fast to dodge. ¡°SHIT!¡± The spears were too fast for Hiraku to dodge, and Shinobu¡¯s prayers were too slow for salvation. There was only one answer. An instant before impact, Shinobu interfered. SHNNNNKKK. Icy spears jut out of her back as she stood before him, her small frame riddled with wounds. Blood leaked from her mouth, and her eyes dimmed, losing their electrifying spark. She didn¡¯t owe him anything, so¡­ ¡°W-why?!¡± Shinobu forced a bloody smile, clasping her hands together. An invisible force pulled the spears out, as the fog was blown away by the Spirit¡¯s mask. It cackled madly as pieces of its body returned, ice melting to become blood. But, in front of a foe she could not beat, in front of the powerless youth, the brunette made a final prayer. ¡°Amaterasu-O-Mi-Kami, Imperial Goddess of the Sun, I beseech thee with an offering of my life. Deliver us from evil and bring us back to your side.¡± A faint, scarcely audible prayer. But one that was answered regardless. In the black sky, a shining pillar descended, bathing the two mortals in a golden light. When it faded, there were only cherry blossoms scattered on the ground.
Had a metric ton of trouble trying to write this thing. Sorry for the lack of quality, but it''ll be a placeholder until I figure out how to do everything better.