When Akitsu Shouga opened his eyes, the scent of old wood and tatami rushed into his senses.

  He was standing inside the dojo.

  Directly in front of him—

  Kurogane Daichi.

  Daichi’s feet were planted firmly against the floor, knees bent, fists raised. His posture was flawless—balanced, practiced, dangerous.

  Akitsu blinked.

  “…Huh?”

  “Where am I?”

  “Don’t get distracted!”

  Daichi lunged forward without hesitation.

  His fist cut through the air, followed by another, then another—sharp, precise strikes aimed at Akitsu’s vitals.

  Akitsu’s body reacted before his mind could catch up.

  He stepped aside. Twisted. Slipped past each punch as if his body already knew the rhythm.

  Too easily.

  Before he realized what he was doing, Akitsu drove his feet into the floor and launched upward—

  His fist slammed into Daichi’s jaw.

  The impact echoed through the dojo.

  Daichi’s eyes widened for a split second before his body collapsed backward, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

  Silence.

  “Ah—!?”

  Akitsu’s face drained of color.

  “I-I’m so sorry!” he shouted, dropping to his knees beside him. “I didn’t realize—!”

  He reached out immediately, panic flooding his chest.

  Then—

  Daichi chuckled.

  “It takes more than that to knock me unconscious, son…”

  “…So don’t worry, alright?”

  Akitsu froze.

  “…You’re okay?”

  Daichi slowly sat up with Akitsu’s help, rubbing his jaw as he laughed softly. Akitsu guided him to the side of the dojo and sat him down against a pillar.

  “Son,” Daichi said with a grin, “you make me feel like an old man when you treat me like one.”

  “I’m sorry,” Akitsu said quickly. “I wasn’t ready for you to throw punches at me like that… I just reacted instinctively.”

  Daichi smiled—but inside, his thoughts churned.

  This kid…

  Those reflexes. That strength.

  That punch almost knocked me out.

  A monster.

  He hid the unease behind another chuckle.

  Before either of them could speak again, footsteps approached.

  Ayame Hoshizaki entered the dojo carrying a tea set with practiced grace. She knelt and placed it carefully on the low table.

  “That’s enough training for now,” she said calmly.

  “You two should take a small break and drink some tea.”

  Daichi stood and walked toward the table.

  “Come here, son. You heard her.”

  Akitsu followed, still slightly shaken, and sat across from him.

  Ayame poured the tea in silence, steam curling upward between them.

  Daichi took his cup and drank without hesitation.

  Akitsu stared at his own cup.

  “Master… may I ask you a question?”

  Daichi glanced at him.

  “What is it about, son?”

  “This may be insensitive,” Akitsu said carefully, “but you don’t have to answer…”

  “…but what is your relationship with Hoshizaki-san?”

  Daichi blinked—then burst into laughter.

  “Oh, I thought the question was about something serious!”

  “You had me worried there for a second!”

  Akitsu frowned, confused.

  Daichi’s laughter faded, and his voice softened.

  “Well, you see… a long time ago, I lost my wife due to an unknown illness.”

  Ayame’s hands tightened slightly in her lap.

  “That illness spread through her body quickly. She only had three months to live… and at that time, she was carrying my three-month-old baby.”

  Akitsu’s chest tightened.

  “When the time came, my wife died on the day the baby was born—premature.”

  The room felt colder.

  “And after several months,” Daichi continued, eyes distant,

  “the baby mysteriously vanished under a full moon.”

  Akitsu’s fingers curled.

  “To this day, no one knows where or how the baby disappeared. It became an urban legend in the village.”

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  Daichi exhaled slowly.

  “I fell into despair. The villagers avoided me for two months…”

  “…until I adopted Hoshizaki.”

  Ayame stared down at the floor, her expression unreadable but heavy.

  “I didn’t tell many people about her for personal reasons,” Daichi said.

  “But Hoshizaki is now my will to live.”

  Akitsu lifted his tea cup and took a small sip.

  That’s not right…

  If Hoshizaki-san is his reason to live—

  Then why did he go insane?

  Why did Hikari-san say what she said?

  Something doesn’t fit.

  He placed the cup down carefully and looked up.

  “Master,” Akitsu said seriously,

  “are you secretly dealing with internal conflict with your emotions?”

  Daichi blinked.

  “Oh no,” he replied smoothly.

  “I do not have any internal conflicts. I am definitely at peace on the inside.”

  “Why do you ask that?”

  “I only wanted to check if you were doing alright.”

  Daichi chuckled.

  “Is that so?”

  “I hope that insane old Hikari didn’t tell you anything when you were on a walk yesterday.”

  Akitsu stiffened.

  “…What do you mean?”

  “Oh, right. I forgot to tell you,” Daichi said casually.

  “The old lady Hikari is rumored to be insane since her children went missing.”

  “People avoid her, so she doesn’t get customers.”

  “It’s also why I cut ties with her—she cannot contain her true feelings toward people.”

  Something snapped into place.

  Akitsu stood abruptly.

  “Excuse me, Master… I need to go do something urgent!”

  Daichi waved him off.

  “Alright. Just don’t get in trouble.”

  “And if you’re ever in need of help, don’t be afraid to ask someone!”

  “Yes, Master!”

  Akitsu bowed deeply and hurried out of the dojo.

  He pushed through the crowded village streets, eyes scanning every face.

  Miyu Hikari.

  As he moved, something caught his attention.

  A small girl with white hair and blue eyes.

  She was dragging another child toward an alley.

  That girl…

  She found her next victim.

  Akitsu changed direction instantly.

  Before anyone could react, he grabbed the girl’s arm and struck the side of her neck with precision.

  She collapsed silently.

  “Go home,” Akitsu said to the trembling boy.

  “Don’t talk to random strangers.”

  The boy ran without looking back.

  Akitsu turned away.

  Moments later, he stood before Miyu Hikari’s mochi stall.

  His expression was cold.

  “Hikari-san,” he said,

  “why did you lie to me?”

  She recoiled.

  “What do you mean? Who are you? I don’t even know you!”

  “You are Miyu Hikari, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah! So what? That doesn’t mean you can say such things!”

  “But it’s true,” Akitsu said calmly.

  “You did lie to me… and I know that because I know the truth about you.”

  “What nonsense are you saying?! I don’t even know you!”

  Their eyes flicked to the knife on the counter at the same time.

  Akitsu grabbed it first.

  “Let’s not make this a big deal, alright?”

  “This is only a friendly argument.”

  “Get away from me!” Hikari screamed.

  “You’re insane!”

  In the same motion, Akitsu turned—

  The blade slid cleanly into the throat of a hooded figure behind him.

  Blood sprayed.

  He seized another cloaked figure and slit her throat without hesitation.

  Both bodies collapsed.

  Akitsu slipped the knife into his sweatpants pocket and walked away.

  As if nothing had happened.

  Was that really necessary?

  Or did I go overboard?

  He stared at his hands.

  They were clean.

  There’s this emptiness inside of me…

  Behind him, Miyu Hikari stood frozen in terror.

  Akitsu never looked back.