Akitsu Shouga opened his eyes again.

  Cold wind brushed against his face, sharp and familiar. Gravel crunched beneath his shoes. When he lifted his head, the iron gate of the Takeda mansion stood before him, tall and unyielding, exactly as he remembered.

  Nothing had changed.

  The mansion loomed behind the fence, silent beneath the night sky. The trees swayed violently as the wind passed through them, their branches creaking like warning signs that no one ever listened to.

  Akitsu Shouga exhaled slowly.

  “So it really reset again…”

  He scanned his surroundings carefully. The angle of the lanterns. The way the shadows fell. The smell of damp stone and old iron.

  All the same.

  “What should I do?” he muttered.

  Seraphine Orion floated beside him, arms crossed.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. “Aren’t you supposed to jump over the fence?”

  “Yeah,” Akitsu Shouga replied calmly. “But let’s wait out here for a while.”

  “…Why?”

  Akitsu Shouga walked over and sat beneath a large tree near the gate, leaning his back against the trunk as if he had all the time in the world.

  “Let’s wait for the hero to arrive.”

  Seraphine Orion stared at him.

  “How are you so sure that he’ll arrive?”

  “Don’t worry,” Akitsu Shouga said quietly. “Just trust me.”

  She hesitated, glancing toward the mansion.

  “…Alright. But I’m worried about Kaoru.”

  “So am I.”

  Minutes passed.

  Then—

  A shadow leaped across the rooftops.

  A figure moved swiftly through the night, bounding from house to house with unnatural agility. His movements were sharp, precise, disciplined.

  Kael Ardent.

  He wore the Fiester Academy uniform—black blazer fluttering behind him, the disciplinary committee sash secured tightly at his side. His eyes scanned the streets below, alert and focused.

  “Where is he?” Kael muttered.

  “I haven’t seen him since this evening.”

  He leaped again—

  And suddenly stopped.

  His senses flared.

  “…Spiritual energy?”

  Kael turned sharply toward the Takeda mansion.

  “Found you!”

  He descended in a single powerful leap, landing in front of the gate with a thud. Akitsu Shouga looked up from beneath the tree.

  Kael Ardent blinked.

  “…What are you guys doing here?”

  “Did you find Kaoru?”

  Akitsu Shouga stood and pointed calmly at the mansion.

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  “Yeah. She’s in that mansion.”

  Kael’s eyes widened.

  “Are you sure?”

  Seraphine Orion nodded.

  “Yeah. Trust us.”

  Kael clenched his fist.

  “Then what are we supposed to do?”

  Akitsu Shouga’s expression hardened.

  “First of all, there’s a man up on the rooftop. I want you to occupy him. Be careful—he has some sort of power. I don’t know which one it is.”

  Kael listened intently.

  “Me and Orion will barge inside the mansion and get Kaoru. She’s in a hidden room inside the cellar.”

  Seraphine Orion turned sharply toward him.

  “How do you know all of that?”

  “Don’t question it,” Akitsu Shouga said calmly.

  “Just follow my orders.”

  Kael exhaled slowly, then smiled.

  “Alright. Good luck, Akitsu!”

  He leaped into the air, disappearing onto the mansion rooftop.

  Akitsu Shouga turned to Seraphine.

  “Orion, mind making me two sharp knives?”

  “…Alright, whatever you say!”

  Wood twisted and hardened in her hands. Two wooden knives formed, sharp and reinforced. She handed them to him.

  “Let’s go.”

  Akitsu Shouga sprinted forward and vaulted over the fence with ease.

  The front door shattered inward.

  The impact echoed through the mansion halls.

  Akitsu Shouga kicked the door clean off its hinges; it flew through the air and slammed into a butler rushing toward the noise.

  “Sorry!!”

  He didn’t slow down.

  He dashed into the hallway, turned left, and burst straight into the great chamber.

  Haruya Takeda sat calmly at a small coffee table, tea steaming gently before him.

  He looked up.

  “I didn’t expect you to make a grand entrance, Akitsu Shouga.”

  “Alright,” Akitsu replied flatly.

  “What about it?”

  Haruya stood and walked toward the fireplace. Resting above it was a katana. He took it in hand and unsheathed it slowly, steel gleaming in the firelight.

  “What are you going to do with that?” Akitsu asked.

  Haruya pointed the blade toward him, eyes burning with resolve.

  “I challenge you to a duel. The one who wins will get Kaoru.”

  “Oh?” Akitsu said.

  “This is new… I didn’t expect this coming from you.”

  “I am deeply in love with Kaoru,” Haruya replied.

  “And I will do anything for her.”

  The hallway outside filled with whispers.

  “What’s happening in there?”

  “Who’s that boy? Is he an intruder?”

  “It’s too dangerous for the young master to duel that vicious criminal—”

  One voice rang out clearly above the rest.

  “Look at brother! He’s cool!”

  Akitsu glanced toward the door.

  “Orion, close the door.”

  “Alright.”

  Vines erupted from the floor, surging upward and sealing the great chamber doors shut.

  Akitsu turned back to Haruya.

  “Your little sister sure is cute.”

  “Yes,” Haruya said with a twisted smile.

  “Ayaka will support me even if I become a criminal myself.”

  Akitsu’s thoughts stirred.

  Ayaka… huh? That explains why she reminds me of someone.

  “Any last words?” Haruya asked.

  “Kaoru is mine,” Akitsu said firmly.

  “I won’t lose her this time!”

  He hurled a wooden knife.

  Haruya sliced it cleanly in half and rushed forward.

  Steel flashed.

  Akitsu dodged every strike, closed the distance, and stabbed Haruya’s left shoulder.

  Haruya recoiled and swung wildly.

  “I need another knife!”

  “Got it!”

  Vines dropped two knives from the ceiling. Akitsu caught them mid-motion while narrowly avoiding another slash.

  He retreated to the wall.

  Haruya chased him.

  Akitsu threw a knife at Haruya’s feet—it pierced straight through, pinning him momentarily.

  Haruya forced himself forward regardless.

  Akitsu grabbed a flower pot from a shelf and hurled it.

  Haruya split it in half—

  And Akitsu was already there.

  He didn’t stab.

  He punched.

  The blow landed square on Haruya’s face, sending him crashing to the floor.

  As Haruya tried to rise—

  Akitsu stabbed his other foot.

  Haruya screamed.

  When Haruya raised his katana again, Akitsu stepped down hard on his right hand.

  “You lost.”

  “You used petty tricks!”

  “I may have used petty tricks,” Akitsu replied calmly,

  “but at least I won… unlike you.”

  He crouched and pried the katana from Haruya’s grasp.

  “I’ll take this off your hands. It’s my prize for my victory.”

  “I’ll never tell you where Kaoru is!” Haruya screamed.

  “She’s mine!”

  Akitsu walked to the cellar wall and pushed.

  The wall turned.

  A hidden staircase was revealed.

  “What?!! How did you know that was a fake wall!? Answer me!!”

  Akitsu ignored him.

  Kaoru lay bound to a chair.

  A wooden cross stood behind her, blood slowly dripping down its surface.

  Seraphine Orion whispered, “How did you know about this secret room?”

  “Don’t ask questions,” Akitsu said quietly.

  “I’m only doing the work that you couldn’t do.”

  “Hey! She wasn’t in danger so I couldn’t do anything, alright!”

  “Yes, yes. I know… It’s not your fault. Everyone is a part of it. No one is to be blamed.”

  Seraphine blinked.

  “Oh? You’re acting differently today.”

  “This is always how I act.”

  "I need a knife.

  He smiled softly as he cut the ropes.

  She handed it to him.

  “You were acting way different,” Seraphine said.

  “And you seem oddly familiar with this place.”

  “Yeah,” Akitsu replied quietly.

  “It looks like that, doesn’t it?”

  He lifted Kaoru gently and carried her upstairs.

  In the great chamber, Haruya Takeda was crawling toward them.

  “Don’t take my Kaoru!! I love her, please!!”

  Akitsu ignored him.

  He looked out the window.

  Guards were already gathering.

  Steel glinted in the moonlight.

  The cycle wasn’t over yet.